The group filed into the captain's quarters and stood like parade soldiers around her desk. Captain Voodoo fell firmly into her chair and looked at each one. She tapped her comm. "Victor."
"Yes, Ma'm?"
"I want all the data and security footage made available on my drive in 30 seconds."
"Is there something wrong?"
"Do it, please."
"Ma'm, how long will the delay be? The passengers are becoming quite agitated."
"Announce that the ship is on complete lockdown and will remain so until I say so, get me that data." She folded her arms and looked up at the faces around her.
Voodoo stared intently at the security drone. "Entrants to the vault since leaving Mars organic or non-organic?"
"I began my mission when you closed the vault doors, since then there has been zero penetration of the vault facility either organic or none organic."
Voodoo sighed. "Intrusion of any kind, breaches or movement from anything or anyone already inside the vault?"
"Negative."
She looked at the others exacerbated. "The precise time you last recorded visual on the 'Black-Star' stones," she said dryly looking down at her desk.
"On average I have taken a visual on the stones every 30 seconds since my mission began 38 days ago. The last one being this morning at 5:23:14.17 seconds," the drone responded.
"Why did you delay reporting that you had lost visual?"
"I was security deactivated at 5:23."
"What?" Voodoo stood up.
"I was security deactivated at 5:23."
"Why, who deactivated you?" she said waving her hands in the air.
"You did."
Maxtor sighed and dropped into a chair. "That was when we entered the vault," he said running both hands through his hair.
"I'm programmed to complete my mission once you enter," said the drone.
She slammed her fists on the table and marched around the room.
"We deactivated the vault and unknowingly the security drone when we opened the vault. I went back up the stairs to wait for you and your team. Then you and Seiren came out and informed me the stones were missing." She eyed the pair suspiciously and addressed the drone again.
"Did anyone in the vault remove the stones after you were deactivated?"
Maxtor stood up. "That's ridiculous, we were in there a matter of seconds, the security cabinet is untouched. We'd have to be collaborating."
"Commander Maxtor under the circumstances what would you have me believe?" then she addressed the drone again.
"Did you see whether Commander Maxtor or Captain Seiren interfered with the cabinet?" Maxtor furrowed his deep dark eyebrows, clearly offended by the suggestion.
"No, Ma'm. Neither Commander Maxtor or Captain Seiren approached or physically touched the cabinet. Once we established there was no visual the pair vacated the vault with me."
Voodoo shook her head. "Victor, do you have the footage yet?"
"It's available now, Ma'm."
There was no physical screen or projection but a 2D image projected into thin air along the side wall.
YOU ARE READING
Black Star
Science FictionNOTE: This book is twinned with my book 'Life on Mars' this means they are simultaneously published and can be read in either order. Each novel is entirely free standing but inseparable from its twin. (how would a chapter a week suit you?) SYNOPSIS:...
