I make it down to the brig in record time. As expected, the entrance to it is heavily guarded with soldiers.
"Provide your name and identification number."
"I am Charlotte-Amalie Joseph, Identification Number 340-00803."
"You may enter Cadet Joseph. Commander Rombag is waiting for you in the room at the end of the hall," the soldier responds robotically. "Only soldiers are allowed to carry weapons inside the brig. You may leave your blaster with me and retrieve it on your way out."
I silently hand over my gun before passing through the brig's doors. The missing weight of my blaster in combination with the shouts of the caged Quinzentenians is unnerving, to say the least. I'm more than relieved when I reach the soldiers standing guard in front of a large metal door.
"Identify yourself," one of the guards commands.
"Charlotte-Amalie Joseph, Cadet Number 340-00803," I respond in an equally forceful tone.
The soldiers give me a wordless nod. The one on the right punches in a lengthy keycode into the padlock before heaving open the door. The room behind it is small with a one-way mirror peering in on a questioning room. Rombag stands in front of the door leading into the questioning room.
"Good morning, Cadet," Rombag greets. "I originally meant for you to rest this morning, but our prisoner apparently has other plans."
My brows furrow in confusion, "what do you mean by that?"
"Our prisoner refuses to speak to anyone beside you. We have been questioning her for hours and she seems impervious to most of our...tactics. She seems to have taken a shining to you during our altercation."
I open my mouth to refuse, but Rombag holds up a hand to silence me.
"Your mission is to learn what they need our data for and how they got past our defenses. We have approximately a week until we reach Inova, so do not feel obligated to rush this interaction. Lull her into a sense of security and extract what you can, but do not let your guard down. She is a manipulative individual that cannot be trusted. This is all a game; play into her but do not be played by her."
I nod, "Yes, commander."
With that, Rombag opens the final door.
The Quinzentenian's violet eyes immediately lock onto my brown ones. She gives me an eerie smile.
"Ah, there you are: the Earth-born Quinzentenian! How delightful!"
My facial expression remains neutral despite her statement causing my hair to stand on end.
"I am not a Quinzentenian."
"How can you say that with such confidence?" She laughs, "you move like us, you think like us, you adapt as we do and you even look like us! Your eyes and hair are darker than ours—things that are easily changed, mind you—and your ears are not pointed as ours are, but you are otherwise a Quinzentenian. I know my kind when I see them."
Rombag takes a half step forward, "We are not here to discuss her lineage. You requested the cadet's presence during our questioning so here she is. Now, tell us this: what did you want with the information you gathered?"
The woman tuts her tongue, "no, I asked to speak to just her. I never once agreed to discuss anything in your presence."
"As my subordinate, she reports directly to me and everything said in this room is being monitored, so it should make no difference to you as to where I am. I will be receiving the information all the same."
She bats her eyelashes at Rombag facetiously, "Then you should have no problem leaving. I am not particularly inclined to speak while in your sour company and this cadet seems to be a much better alternative."
Rombag silently hands me a knife before taking a step toward the door. "Very well then. Cadet, be careful. Our prisoner is one of the most nefarious members of the Quinzentenian army, keep your guard up."
"Why thank you, commander! I appreciate the compliment." She laughs, "your reputation proceeds you as well, or else I would not be in this situation. Though I have to say, the knife is unnecessary. As you can see, I am restrained at the moment."
The only response Rombag gives her is the slam of a door. The two of us sit in silence for a few moments.
"The Inovarians are such stern individuals," she quips. "Of all the species I've interacted with, they are by far the most rigid."
I know I shouldn't be as surprised by her casual approach to the situation at hand, but I am.
"In all fairness, if someone invaded your ship in the middle of the night, wouldn't you be on edge as well?"
She rolls her violet eyes, "We are in space, night is relative to the ship you are on. Besides, is there a convenient time for a ship to be boarded, cadet?"
I open my mouth to rebut her statement before decided against it. As much as I hate to admit it, she has a point.
"What is your name? I would much rather call you by your given name than a title you obviously never wanted."
"My name is Charlotte-Amalie," I respond coolly. "What makes you so sure that I never wanted to be a cadet? People typically don't fight the way I do unless it's for a cause they're passionate about."
"Well it seems to me that you are not a typical person, now are you?" She leans forward as much as her restraints allow. "Tell me, Charlotte-Amalie, who exactly are you?"
I don't miss a beat. "I am a soldier that mourns for her family in arms. So many people I care about lost their lives last night as per your orders. I just want to know why."
The woman has the audacity to snort, "your attempt to make me feel guilty for my actions is admirable, but not very effective in my case. There were casualties on both sides of this conflict, but no actual deaths as far as I know."
"Lives, no, but people definitely lost their livelihoods," I rebut. "The human soldiers shot down were all athletes who dedicated their lives to being the best they can psychically be and now some of them are laying in the infirmary wondering if they'll ever be able to use their hands again. You people made sure that they'll never be able to move as they always have which is just as bad as dying for most of them."
She shrugs, "I'm sure your planet has a saying about not investing all your resources into one aspect of life—every world that I've visited thus far has one—so I am sure they have other plans. They will adapt."
I return the nonchalant gesture. "I guess the crippled Quinzentenians in our brig will too if we're going by your logic."
"Oh they will," she smirks. "The medicinal practices of the Inovarians are archaic compared to ours. The only thing irreversible on our planet is death."
"Really? Then why go to all of this trouble to steal Inovarian data? Was yours not good enough? Or could you not stand the idea of a so-called archaic society knowing more than you do?"
"This whole incident has been no trouble at all."
"What is trouble, then, if it's not your people bleeding and broken down by your enemy?"
She gives me an amused hum. "Your question will answer itself in time if you remain in the presence of the Inovarians. They can bring about atrocities like no other in this galaxy."
I can feel my temperature rising. Had my skin been any other shade than it is, my cheeks would be visibly red with anger.
"You are one to talk! Your people slaughtered an entire Inovarian colony and left their bodies to rot in the streets! How can you talk about what they've done out of retaliation when you were the ones who started this war?!"
For once, the Quinzentenian isn't quick to reply. "...is that what they told you?"
Her slow manner of speaking throws me off but doesn't do much to taper my temper.
"Yes, they let us know what kind of monsters we're up against."
"Oh, Pekema Imi," she mutters, her eyes facing heavenward, "please let the truth be known to these innocents soon, y'nam."
I gawk at her, "I—wha—did you just pray for me?"
She nods, "My people believe in educating those who don't know better and pardoning their mistakes until they do. It is not your fault that you all have been lied to, so I have asked Pekema Imi, the Divine One, to release you from the bonds of your ignorance."
"Ignorance? I am not ig—"
"Yes, you are. Your rage is blinding you at the moment, but think about how little you truly know about your beloved Inovarians. They are more advanced than you and were able to help you in your greatest time of need, yes, but have you ever thought about how they got there so quickly or why they took their payment in people of all things?"
The sound of metal clanging suddenly rings through the air. Before I know it, the Quinzentenian is standing before me. I make to use the knife Rombag gave me but she's faster. With a few well-placed jabs, my body falls limp. The Quinzentenian catches me before I can crumple to the floor, carefully sitting me down in the chair she occupied moments ago.
"How did you even—there's no lock to pick—"
"Like I said, the Inovarians are archaic."
"The guards are watching! Rombag will be here any second!"
She gives me a dismissive wave of her hand before starting a series of stretches. I don't know what's more frustrating: her taking me down so quickly or the fact that she's doing a whole yoga session like we're not in a military holding cell.
"Rombag was called away seconds after leaving this room and the rest of the soldiers have their hands full at the moment. Getting into this room may be a priority, but you can only do so much with a revolt on your hands."
"Please, you have no way off this ship. If you just cooperate with me and tell me what I need to know, I'll do what I can to make a deal for you."
"I appreciate your kindness, but who said we have no way off this ship? You surely don't think that we manually docked our ship to yours, do you? It is nearly impossible to do so undetected."
"Then how'd you do it?"
"You'll soon see." She replies, readjusting me in my seat to make my numb limbs more comfortable. (A sentimental gesture, at best).
The Quinzentenian raises her hand to my face, gingerly touching my cheek. "Oh, how I hope these people do not corrupt you with their lies and malicious ways past the point of redemption. I suspect that you are kinder than they allow you to be."
She takes a step back, seemingly towards the door.
"We'll see each other again. When we do, please have proved me right, Charlotte-Amalie. I know more about you than our two encounters would leave you to believe, so trust me when I say this: naivety won't be your mark for long. You are much too smart to stay caught in their web of lies."
"Don't even bother! The final door needs a code to be opened. You're stuck."
The Quinzentenian wordlessly takes the pendant from her necklace and rests it against one of her silver cuffs. The jewel clicks into place before emitting a soft glow.
"You have much to learn about your fellow Quinzentenians, Charlotte-Amalie." She gives me a cheeky grin, "we are excellent warriors, but even better scientists."
With a light tap of her pendant, the Quinzentenian ripples out of sight.
The sudden burst of heat followed by still air lets me know that I'm the room's only occupant.
...
Me: I'll totally have chapt 11 pt 2 done by the end of the weekend!
Also me, an avid procrastinator and a CPT subscriber: So anyway so Sunday at 11:59 pm technically counts.
This week is full of finals prep work and quizzes, so I'll most likely be updating this sometime next weekend when I don't have class or work.
Don't forget to vote and leave some comments! Have a lovely week,
--Kristin
(P.S. Remember to submit your FAFSA, financial aid, scholarship, etc information if you haven't already. Don't fumble the bag, folks. College 100% sucks without scholarships.)