Ranger's War: Duel

Contamination Protocol

I gaze at my reflection in the polished hiber-steel of the console beside me. I haven't had time to consider an official explanation. I haven't an unofficial one either. "My eye is green." I repeat Pearl's simple statement of fact in hopes it will trigger the rest of the truth. "And the doc said no one would notice."

"Should I be concerned?"

"About us being stranded three months STL travel from the nearest jump gate? I would be."

"I was referring to the fact I just detonated a medical facility under the protection of the High Hibernal Council based on what I can only assume are false pretenses. I found no failure in the Torriad's contamination protocols."

The hair on the back of my neck rises. Of all the close shaves I've experienced in the last few days, this could be the most precarious. If I lose the trust of Pearl, I'm as good as dead. Not only can she detonate the palm star in my chest with a simple frequency emission, but she's my lifeline. She's my protector. She's my companion.

"About that, sorry I couldn't bring you in before hand. It appears my pirate theory—"

"Incoming ping, highest priority."

I catch my breath. "Authentication?"

"Classified, but it's an official channel."

"Classified? I've got the highest clearance."

"Would you like the message?"

"Visual." The projection scrolls past my face as I read: Distress signal received from Torriad Medical Ring—apparent catastrophic loss due to contamination containment failure. Requesting confirmation on eye regeneration procedure... I roll with the unexpected message from Templar Central without hesitation. "Response: Eye regeneration procedure complete."

Pearl pings central with my response. Moments later we receive the incoming: While total loss of Torriad Medical Ring is deemed unfortunate, the outcome is acceptable considering the station's duplicity. Proceed with infiltration of pirate operation suspected for illicit transportation of chromiums. Mission: leverage illegal framework to terminate indeterminate population of chromiums dwelling outside of hibernaculated cultures. Activation: Immediately. Closure: open ended...

"Response: Mission accepted, Ranger 878. Pearl, can you authenticate?"

"Authenticating. Mission confirmed."

I rock back in my captain's chair and mask my thoughts for Pearl's sake. Her mollification is still pending. I can feel her tension. But I can hardly stomach the multiple maddening implications of the mission just handed down to me personally—anonymously no less.

"Boss?"

"Pearl?"

"You gotta cut back on the theatrics."

"Oh? What part didn't you like." I feel a plan amorphously coming together.

"You couldn't simply tell me you had to look like a Chrome to hunt Chromes?"

I shrug and smile.

"And when did all of this come about? I've never seen our new mission on the roster, even at low priority."

I nod my head slowly and scratch the three day's growth on my chin. "You dismissed it as paranoia, but I didn't like the unofficial pings we've been soliciting since the botched mission on Sizlack Prime."

"Along with the zealots' apparent awareness of your identity?" Pearl seems anxious to assist my explanation.

"Exactly. I knew something fishy was going on, so I opened a secure channel from the Torriad and shared my suspicions. Word came back that pirates have been suspected of a massive Chromium smuggling operation in this quarter. But Central needed confirmation. Even the doctor himself had been under suspicion of providing cosmetic eye regeneration for Chromes able to pay, or pirates willing to pay for them." The ease with which the pieces fall into place rattles me.

"Thus the phony contamination protocol."

I nod. "I pressed the doc into confirming that a steady stream of Chromes have been pouring through his clinic. I conveyed the information, and Central deemed it important enough to activate us immediately. Lacking a plan to secure the Torriad, I deemed it acceptable to eliminate the station before word of our mission could spook nearby smugglers."

"And your eye?"

"That was my idea. What? Too much?"

"I suppose it will take some getting used to, slick."

I breathe deeply. Pearl's onboard, for now. Hell, I've almost convinced myself. It's all part of the plan. "Right. Down to business then. Status of our stasis ring?"

"Inoperable. Barely better than space junk, I'd dare say."

"Hmmm. All the more reason we need to find us some pirates, sooner rather than later."

End of Episode Zero

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