Black Star

Chapter Twenty-eight

Captain Voodoo was pacing like a caged beast with her hands behind her back. She was furious at what they'd all witnessed. She still had no explanation for what had happened, but she had an idea who did.

"Victor, who's aboard that shuttle?"

"I won't know until we recommission her, Ma'm."

"Do it, bring that shuttle back here." Voodoo looked up at Maxtor.

"Commander, we need to talk." Maxtor shifted his shoulders and nodded.

"Privately please," she said, turning to Seiren and Sinus. They both nodded and left the room. She sat back in her chair and indicated for Maxtor to sit on the opposite side. On the side wall the screen was frozen, on it were the frozen faces of her and Maxtor's crew waiting for the drone to let them through the bars.

"I have information that may have some bearing on the situation." She looked up to the heavens as if in prayer. "There may have been a plot to remove the 'Black-Star'."

Maxtor leaned forward and clasped his hands leaning on his knees. "Remove?" he said cynically.

Voodoo looked up. "I'm serious."

"I wasn't informed?" said Maxtor.

"It wasn't defined or seen as a threat to the mission, there was little or no chance of them making a move until we were back in orbit. We certainly never considered that anyone might be able to access the vault."

"Unless it was me?" said Maxtor.

"I do my job, Commander."

"So, I might be a suspect?"

"Those decisions are not mine. I just follow orders."

"Captain Voodoo." He stood up and leant on his knuckles over her. "You're not the only one with orders, do you realise you may have jeopardised this entire mission?"

He was right and Voodoo knew it. "It wasn't considered a possibility that anyone could penetrate the vault."

"It appears someone did."

"Yes, and it appears they are all aboard that shuttle. We can contain this."

"Who do you suspect?"

"Right now, we can't account for Leroy or the pilot of that shuttle, this Juliette Tiding. They are known to each other, it's too obvious."

"Do we have clear public communication with Earth," said Maxtor standing. He towered over her, not just in physical stature but in moral stature.

"Yes."

"May I make a private communication; I need to check something?"

"Be my guest."

"I'll be right back." The commander left and walked briskly back to his cabin and opened his comms screen. He clicked and a female came up on the image in front of him. Some children were heard playing in the background.

"Hi, Margery," he said, smiling.

The woman looked excited. "Theodore, you're back! How are you. Amazing, we didn't expect to hear from you for a few days."

"I'm fine, Margery, real fine."

"We can't wait to hear." He cut her short.

"Well, I can't wait to tell you, but this is just a quick comm, is Nathaniel around?"

"He is, yes." She turned and shouted. "Nathanial, its Theodore." There was no response so she went out of sight and was heard shouting again.

"Quickly, you won't believe who is on the comms," he heard her say. Nathaniel appeared and stared into the screen.