Play

Chapter 19 - A Message and a Declaration

With only a few of them on board the Cookie, Mack began to consider a plan to ensnare whoever had tampered with the ionization diffuser. While Xo was working out, she sat with Daniya and Majira in the ship's mess.

"I saw it," she opened with, eliminating any preamble.

"What did you see?" inquired the green-skinned woman.

"Someone was messing with the ionization diffuser."

"Oh. That is serious," Majira said.

"I aim to find out who it was," Mack stated, "because I think, whoever did it, no matter how great they are otherwise, we just can't keep them. I can't have people sticking their noses and their fingers where they don't belong."

"Right," Daniya agreed, "but they would have to be caught in the act, I believe."

"Posting a guard would do no good," Majira threw out there, "as it would draw too much attention to the area. We'd be suspecting people who had never taken an interest in that area of the ship before."

"Right, and the last thing we wish to do is increase the number of suspects," Daniya agreed. "We need to make that number smaller, instead."

"Exactly," Mack confirmed. "Actually, the thing we really should do is install a hidden camera."

"The best people for that job would be Crita and Wesley," Majira pointed out.

"She's on, what is it, Risa? The Boy Wonder's on Earth," Mack stated.

"He has been incommunicado," Daniya pointed out. "I am sure he is having a marvelous time with his beloved. We should not be interrupting their good time, and definitely should not be making him come back early."

"What about Crita?" asked Mack.

"She is not alone," Majira explained. "She and M'Belle are touring together."

"All right, so we'll sit tight until they return. In the meantime, let's get our people back. We'll watch that work station," Mack cautioned.

"Right," Majira confirmed, "I will say that I do not suspect Xo. He's certainly had ample opportunity, what with only a few of us here, yet he's done nothing, so far as I can tell."

"But we're not continuously watching him," Daniya added, "so maybe he's doing something but is covering his tracks well enough."

"Let's not speculate," Mack cautioned. "Let's only go by whatever concrete evidence we've got. Right now, that's not much." She sent a message to all of her employees.

I'm sorry to cut leave short, but we need to move on. I want to head back to Andoria first, so if you need to come back from that direction, just meet the rest of us there. Then we'll start practicing Daranaean games. I figure that will be our next gig. See you all soon.

Upon seeing the note, Wes turned to Lakeisha. "It says here that Mack wants us all to return. I'm sorry."

"Hey, it's all right." She kissed him. They were lying in her bed, with little on over them, aside from a blanket. "I do have to study, y'know."

"Yeah, I guess you do. Uh, Lakeisha?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I tell you something?"

"Sure."

"Remember how I told you that I don't believe in holding anything back?"

"You definitely haven't been holding anything back for the past few days, Wes." They kissed.