Lies and Manipulation

Chapter 5 - Brothers (Year 5620)

A’dan Hihill waited against the back wall as the crowd poured out of the most recent ship from Karit. While he checked for intent in each passenger that disembarked, he also waited for his brother. While this trip taken on his bother’s part happened to be part ofh is job, whenever Ran’nun come to station TK7, they always made a good vacation of it. Typically he came every three months or so. Some predictions just never rested.

As always, Ra’nun was the last man to leave the ship. He limped slowly out of the terminal and looked around quickly. Although only four years younger than A’dan, he looked almost ten years older between his limp and his worn face. Just like how his predictions of the radiation storms would probably never be forgotten, neither would the damage that they left on him ever disappear. In some ways, A’dan didn’t even know what he would think if Ra’nun got rid of that limp after he had it for so long now.

Ra’nun grinned at A’dan. “No family this time/“

A’dan shook his head. “I barely got time to slip away to meet you myself, and only did because I could work at the same time.” 

Ra’nun slapped him on the shoulder. “Is life as a second taking its toll on you, my brother?/“

A’dan smiled wryly. “Military secrets.” Twenty years ago, he could have said more than that. He could have explained the whole problem mentally and known that only he and his brother could hear. But Ra’nun could not speak mentally anymore, even if he did still score an eight most of the time.

“With the look on your face, I would have to guess that the world was going to end soon.”

A’dan exhaled. “It might,’ he whispered. “I wish you did not have to come now. Surely the equipment can wait a few weeks...?” In reality, A’dan had not a clue about if it could or not. He could never even pretend to be a space meteorologist. 

“Is it that bad?” Ra’nun asked. 

A’dan shook his head.  “In my office.”

They took the elevator down, a slower mode of transportation, especially due to the constant stops, but Ra’nun could not make it down all the stairs. From there, they waked directly to A’dan’s small, neat office.

Ra’nun sank wearily into one of the chairs. “So?”

A’dan exhaled. While he knew that most societies did not allow for military secrets to be traded between anyone, Karitans’ views on families meant that it was permissible, and in fact encouraged in moderation, to share problems regardless of clearance levels to close family. “I--highly suspect an attack from Tlas within a week.” Saying it aloud felt like a hammer fell in the room. 

“What makes you say think a week?” Ra’nun asked.

“A spy we caught.”

“You caught a spy on the station?” Ran’un understoodd that it was crazy for anyone to try to sneak onto Karit who is not Karitan. And the mandatory neutralization of anyone who was traitorous to Karit made it highly likely it would be a Karitan either.

“We caught the mercenary,” A’dan said.

Ra’nun stared at him.

“Who also happens to be rather pregnant girl no older than twenty-one,” he finished.

R’nun continued to stare.

A’dan exhaled. “My gut says she’s Karitan. My gut also says she is not a mercenary. She’s too loyal. The only identifying mark she has is a strange tattoo on her arm, which I am running through the system now. So far, no record for it that matches mercenary or ganges.” He sighed again and tapped his leg.

“There’s more?”

“She doesn’t exist,” A’dan added quietly. 

Ra’nun frowned. confused.

“She said her name is Marie Straights. That is not a lie. But no Marie Straights in the whole galaxy match her picture and skill set. It is like she doesn’t exist.” 

“Are you sure she can’t lie to you?” Ra’nun said.

A’dan nodded. “Positive.” He gave Ra’nun a look like he just insulted his skill. It was true. A’dan was one of the stronger Karitans and militarily trained as well. Anyone, even Karitans, would have a hard time getting a lie past him. “She’s not even trained.”

“How can she be Karitan if we are kept so close track of?” 

“She could live off the grid. She could be from some rogue sect. She could have had her memory wiped. Tlas does do that to people they don’t like and it would still be the truth to her. Or... well, I’ll know more once I get back the DNA Profile.” 

“Like what?”

“Like where to focus my search. If she really is a mercenary, she said I can’t beat the price they offered her and believes that with a certain desperation. I don’t know what is her price, but I don’t think it’s money. One doesn’t do something this dangerous while pregnant for only money.”

“Have you recorded any of this on paper? You work better when you see it,” Ra’nun said with a faint smile.

“I write reports constantly. But there isn’t much to write down. All is feelings. And feelings still don’t stand up in court. Even with twenty-five years of experience.”

A’dan’s handheld beeped. He glanced at the notice, then began to look at it a little more closely. It beeped again and he frowned.

“Good news? Or bad?” Ra’nun asked.

A’dan shrugged. “I’m not sure. I got the DNA results back. And... she is Karitan.”

“But?” 

A’dan ran a hand through his hair. “You know how I said my guess was she is Karitan? I ran her picture and information through the database*. It just came back with nothing. Again. She has never been recognized as Karitan before.”

“I thought those guys don’t lose a Kairtan through the database.”

“They don’t normally.” He paused. “Okay, I don’t think ever. Especially not one this strong.” He exhaled. “I’ll have to pull a list of all people who were outside of of Karit about that time. Maybe having a list of names is the best place to start.” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “On the positive side, this is very good for us.”

“How so?“ 

“It means I can start to offer her deals as a fellow Karitan,” A’dan said. “At least, once the proper approval comes in. The faster I can get her to talk, the better for our station.” 

***Footnote***

*The database: officially the Global Karitan Database. It tracks all Karitans off planet as well as any possible children from those individuals to ensure that a) no Karitan is abusing their skills against the majority of the untrained word and b) that no child grows up with the skill and no guidance. It is also responsible for the neutralization of the mental context of any guilty abuser.