Chapter Four
Lieutenant Alexander was thinking frantically as he walked through the ship. His first instinct had been to tell as much of the truth as he knew, after all, he wanted Fraser caught more than most men. But it was gradually dawning on him that he didn't actually know the particulars that Pattisson would want to hear. Ryan's exact words for example, any details about him apart from the superficial, he hadn't even known his eyes were grey until Pattisson had told him. He was beginning to realize he had got himself in an almighty mess. What on Earth had he been thinking? Well to be honest he hadn't thought at all, he had just reacted to protect the man he loved, and now he was stuck with the consequences.
He didn't allow himself to wonder how Marc was reacting to his decision, he had to concentrate on what he was going to say, or not say, to the Major.
XXX
Duran looked at his white face in the mirror. He had never felt so much shame in his life. How could he not own up to his mistake? How could he sit there in silence and let Jack take the blame? Even worse, why was he still wondering if he could get away with it, if he kept his mouth shut? He threw up again.
XXX
Major Pattisson gestured for Alexander to precede him into the small bare room. It was furnished with a desk and two chairs, all fixed to the floor. The room next to it contained a bed, bolted to the wall and a sanitary unit. Occasionally they transported a prisoner to the nearest space station but Jack couldn't remember the last time they had had to use it for one of the crew. He sat down and waited for the Major to speak. Pattisson seated himself opposite and Chan took up a position, standing against the wall near the door, so that he could watch him. Jack almost smiled, did they seriously think he was going to make a run for it? Where could you run to on a space ship?
"Alright, Lieutenant, let's have the whole story. Start from the beginning, how long have you known Billy Ryan?"
Jack took a deep breath, he had decided the only way to play it was to tell them a simple version of what had happened.
"I met him for the first, and only, time on Saturday night, the 28th of February." He looked straight at Pattisson. "I'm an om, sir. I went to the Purple Heart looking for a pickup, it's a well known om friendly bar. I saw Ryan there and bought him a drink. I propositioned him and he agreed, so we went to a nearby hotel, I don't remember the name, one of those nearby that rents a room for a couple of hours. We had sex and I asked if I could see him again next time I was on leave. That's when I made the mistake of telling him I would be back this weekend because we had an important operation going down on the Friday. I guess I wanted to impress him, but I swear that's all I said. I didn't give any details."
" The only thing is," he paused and Pattisson motioned to him to continue. "At the time I thought I was the one who approached him, but looking back, I wonder if it was the other way around."
"How do you mean?" Pattisson looked interested despite himself.
"Well, he was sitting at the bar by himself and he turned away at least two other men before M-, er me, before me," he hoped Pattisson hadn't noticed the near slip.
"OK, that gives me the big picture, now we need to go through the whole thing again, step by step." Major Pattisson adjusted the camcorder on the table in front of him.
Jack cleared his throat. "I'm sorry sir but that is all I am going to say. I've told you what happened to the best of my ability, I'm not going to go over and over it." He spoke as politely and firmly as he could. Chan stared at him in disbelief.
Not surprisingly, the Major did not leave it at that and continued to question him for another hour, alternatively attacking and cajoling. Jack remained silent, trying not to react and to keep his body language as neutral as possible. In the end it was Pattisson who temporarily lost his cool, "I can order you flogged if you don't co-operate you know, up to ten strokes!"
Jack winced and closed his eyes for a second. "Yes sir, but I still won't tell you anymore."
Pattisson got himself quickly back under control and gazed measuringly at the man in front of him. Something was not adding up. Alexander was not being defiant or provocative, he was behaving with quiet dignity. He had already confessed to talking out of turn, why on Earth wouldn't he give him the details? He stood up, "Alright then, I'll leave you here to reconsider. I'll see you again later."
He gestured to Chan and they both left the room, locking the door behind them. The Major paused for a minute, watching the monitoring screen on the wall outside the room. He saw Alexander sit there for a minute, two minutes, then fold his arms on the table and bury his face in them.
XXX
Major Pattisson went to pay the Captain a visit.
Captain Ivanov was a small man, he must have just scraped in above the minimum height requirement, with brown eyes and brown hair which he wore tied back in a ponytail. He looked up enquiringly as Pattisson flashed his ID at the door and entered. "How did it go, sir? Any leads you can pursue? Sorry, please have a seat!"
Pattisson flopped down in the seat opposite and rubbed his eyes. "I don't know! He wouldn't talk to me."
"What?" asked the Captain, startled. "Jack wouldn't talk to you?"
"He gave me some prepared speech about how he had picked up Ryan at a bar and then refused to tell me anything else. I've got nothing I can use." He paused a minute, "With the possible exception that Alexander now thinks, looking back, that Ryan might have been the one to instigate the pickup. Which would mean what - that someone was following Alexander or expected him to turn up at the Purple Heart? How would anyone know he would have information? It doesn't quite make sense, does it?"
Ivanov frowned as he listened closely to what Pattisson was saying.
"What can you tell me about him, Alexander I mean? I noticed you seemed surprised when he confessed."
"Yes. Well until that moment I would have said he was the last person to do something like that. He told you he's an om?"
Pattisson nodded.
"He's always been very discreet about it. He's friendly and gets on well with the rest of the crew but most men on the ship would not be aware of his sexuality, he's never had a relationship with anyone on board to my knowledge. He's an excellent officer, competent, honest. What more can I say? I'd stake my life that he's got no criminal connection with the thieves, if he gave away information about the operation, I believe it happened the way he says."
"If?" Pattisson pounced on the word.
"I guess I'm still struggling with this. I trust ... trusted all my officers, but ... the leak occurred, that's a fact. I just have to come to terms with it." Ivanov frowned again.
"What is it Captain? Something's bothering you."
"I don't want to say anything yet, I might be completely on the wrong track. Would you like me to speak to Alexander? Do you think it would help?"
"I think that would be a good idea Captain. I'd be very interested in your opinion. I'm like you, something is bothering me but I can't put my finger on it."
Jack lifted his head when the Major came in. It looked as if he hadn't moved from his seat.
"I've got a visitor for you."
Jack couldn't help it, he looked up quickly, half hoping, half fearing it would be Marc. Both men noticed his face change subtly when he realised it was his Captain.
"What's going on Jack?" Ivanov asked, jumping right in.
"I'm sorry sir," apologised the Lieutenant, looking very uncomfortable. "I know I've let you down, but I can't tell you anything else."
"I've threatened to have him flogged if he doesn't co-operate," Pattisson commented casually.
Ivanov just stopped himself from reacting in time, there was no way one of his officers was going to be flogged without his authorisation, and waited.
Alexander had dropped his eyes. "I'll take whatever you think I deserve sir," he said quietly. His situation was going from bad to worse but he couldn't see any way out. He had to stick to his story now, come what may.
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that. In the meantime, I'll arrange for someone to bring you something to eat," Ivanov said, "but you'll have to stay here until the Major is satisfied you've told him everything he needs to know." Then they left him to it.