Cassandra's Challenge (23 page)

“Let me down Lucas.” Tori demands as they enter
medical. She’s seen the guards and knows where her Aunt is. “Let me
down!”

“In a minute, we need to make sure it’s okay
with Bliant.” As they approach Bliant Victoria wiggles out of
Lucas’ arms.

“Victoria!” He calls. When she charges for the
room a guard grabs her shoulder.

“Let go of me!” Tori yells, kicking him in the
shin. When the guard lets go she spins around him and runs through
the door. The yell has Lucas rushing to her aid only to find she’s
taken care of it herself. When the guard turns to go after her,
Lucas grabs his arm.

“I wouldn’t if I were you.” He’s tone steely.
“She’s already beaten you once, don’t go for twice.” As the guard
hesitates Lucas continues. “The Admiral’s already cleared us. You
let her in, that’s all you have to write up in your report.”
Slapping the guard on the back Lucas follows her.

Once inside he wishes he’d stayed out. Victoria
is sobbing in Cassandra’s arms, Lucas turns as Bliant enters the
room. His pained expression makes Lucas assuming he doesn’t like
crying little girls either.

“Shhh baby, it’s okay, I’m okay. Calm down.”
Cassandra puts a hand under Victoria’s chin raising her eyes to
hers. “I wouldn’t lie to you. I’m going to be fine. But if you keep
crying like that then I have to assume I
look
pretty
awful.”

“No not awful,” Victoria sniffles, “but pretty
banged up.” Hearing a snort from the door Cassandra sees Lucas and
Bliant.

“Out of the mouth of babes,” Bliant says as he
approaches the two. “Hey Victoria, do you mind if I have you sit on
the bed beside of your Aunt?” When Victoria moves Lucas notices how
pale Cassandra is, that Bliant is worried about her.

“But I am fine. Dr. Bliant fixed me up just like
he did you.”

“Where’s the Admiral?” Tori scans the room.

“He had to get back to being the Admiral.”

“He left you alone?”

“No Tori, I wasn’t alone. Dr. Bliant is here and
there are guards outside. I’m fine even if I am ‘pretty banged
up’.”

“He was outside.” Tori points her finger at
Bliant.

“Just for a minute, there were other people hurt
in the explosion Tori. He has to help them too.”

“You’re sure your okay?” Tori voice is
quivering.

“The Admiral wouldn’t have left if I wasn’t.
Would he?” She throws the question at her.

“No. He wouldn’t leave you.” She
acknowledges.

“So there you have it.” Cassandra changes the
subject. “Lucas picked you up from class with no problems?”

“No problems.” Lucas answers.

“Good.” She can feel her energy draining and she
needs to talk to Lucas, in private.

“So Tori, since you’re here, I think Dr Bliant
should check your throat. You said it’s been sore for the last few
days.”

“Aunt Cassie…” Victoria rolls her eyes.

“It shouldn’t take him more than ten to fifteen
minutes.” Cassandra says staring down Bliant. “He can do it in his
office, right over there.” She points.

Bliant looks at Cassandra, understanding she
wants Victoria out of the room. “Come on young lady let’s take a
look at that throat.” Cassandra looks at Lucas as the door
closes.

“That was slick, really slick.” Lucas says with
admiration.

“Whatever.” She says dismissively. “Tell me what
you know. Do they know who’s behind all this?”

“Cassandra calm down. Last I knew the
investigation was still in the preliminary stages. They won’t know
anything for awhile.” She looks to the door then to Lucas.

“I know who it is.”

“What!”

“Keep it down! You heard me. These attacks are
directed at
me
. You know that, William knows that, it’s just
taken
me
this long to figure that out. The poison was on
my
plate, the bomb in
my
quarters. That others got
hurt by it doesn’t seem to matter. This is directed at
me
.”
Cassandra has to stop to catch her breath.

“Let me get Bliant.” Lucas demands
concerned.

“No. I’m fine. There is only one person on this
ship that hates me Lucas, only one that would like to see me
dead.”

“Who?”

“Senior Chief Falco.”

“Falco? Why the hell would Falco what you dead?
How could you have pissed her off?” Cassandra replies simply.

“Your father.”

“What?” Lucas has to sit down. “That’s
ridicules, there’s no basis for it.” He sees her look. “The Admiral
doesn’t mess around on tour.” Cassandra raises an eyebrow. “Present
company excluded. And he especially doesn’t with one of his
crew!”

“What if it wasn’t on tour and she wasn’t one of
his crew?” Lucas surges out of the chair to pace.

“You’re telling me…” He begins.

“That she thinks she has a prior claim.” She
moves, trying to get comfortable. “We’ve had a couple run ins.”

“Dad knows about them?”

“The first one yes, I didn’t bother him
after.”

“Why?”

“Because he doesn’t think it’s possible, and I
didn’t realize
I
was the target until today. I was focused
on the Regulians.”

“We all were.”

“Well I’m not now, and I know I’m right.”

“Cassandra….”

“Don’t believe me. I don’t care, but check it
out. Check it out Lucas because it could have been Victoria opening
that hatch. Have you thought about that?” Cassandra knows she’s
playing dirty and doesn’t care.

“I
was supposed to get the poison. But
Victoria did instead. Are you willing to give her a third chance?
If I’m wrong then there’s no harm but if I’m right….”

Bliant’s office door opens, he frowns as he
looks at Cassandra. Lucas turns to the two a forced smile on his
face.

“Come on Victoria, time to go.”

“But...”

“Victoria, Cassie’s tired and needs her rest.
Give her a kiss and we’ll go.” Cassandra is somewhat shocked when
Tori obeys. Stretching across the bed Tori gives her Aunt a
kiss.

“I’ll see you tomorrow okay?” There’s worry in
her green eyes.

“You bet!” Lucas picks Tori up then looks at
Cassandra.

“I’ll look into it.” Turning they leave.

Bliant turns back to Cassandra intending to give
her a piece of his mind only to discover she’s asleep.

“Stubborn woman.” He mutters.

William surveys the damage to Cassandra’s
quarters. The blast embedded metal shards into the wall across the
hall but none within the room.

“A directional blast.” William looks to Quinn
for confirmation.

“Yes, directed out.” Towards Cassandra, it
didn’t need to be said. The interior of the room is blackened, the
bed that just the day before he and Cassandra had had a playful
moment destroyed.

“DC-48?”

“That’s what the preliminary test show.” Quinn
replies.

“Do we know where it came from?”

“The Master at Arms is checking all inventories
as we speak Admiral.”

“Good. It looks like you’ve got it under
control. I’ll be on the bridge.” William takes one last look at the
wall across from Cassandra’s quarters, his jaw clenching then heads
to his command center on the bridge.

Hours later that’s where Quinn finds him,
reading communication reports. “Will, what are you still doing
here? It’s 2100. Your pushing 40 hours without sleep, go get
some.”

“Engage the privacy screen Colonel.” Quinn
raises an eyebrow as he lowers the screen. The Admiral never lowers
the screen. It’s his way of showing his trust in his crew.

“What do you have to report?” The Admiral
demands with tired but determined eyes.

“The Master at Arms can account for all DC-48 in
all bunkers except one.”

“Which one?”

“J342. It was damaged in the battle at Earth.
The Master can account for all DC-48 from there stored in other
bunkers but that amount doesn’t total all that was in the
bunker.”

“By how much?”

“Two pounds.” Quinn informs him waiting for the
explosion, he isn’t disappointed.

“TWO FUCKING POUNDS OF DC-48 GO MISSING AND
I’M NOT NOTIFIED
!!” William is enraged.

“Admiral, there was a fire in the bunker. There
was evidence some DC-48 burnt. There was no reason to think any had
been removed.” Quinn waits.

DC-48 was an effective explosive, pliable and
stable. Extremes of heat or cold causes it to break down into its
base elements totally non lethal. But add a detonator and it is
deadly.

“How many detonators are we missing?” All
detonators were stored in a separate location.

“Two, from Bunker D345, some of J342’s DC-48 is
stored there.” Quinn had anticipated the Admiral’s question.

“Have you checked what personnel moved it?” The
Admiral asks closing his eyes as he rubs the back of his neck.

“Working on it as we speak, there’s something
else you should know, Admiral.” William waits.

“We were able to access the security log for
Cassandra’s door. We went back twenty four hours from the explosion
it shows that at 1145 yesterday the hatch was opened,
internally.”

“Hutu and myself with lunch.”

“It was secured internally 1150.”

“Hutu leaving.”

“Opened and secured, internally at 1230.”

“Victoria leaving for class with Javiera.”

“Opened and secured, internally 1250.”

“Me leaving.”

“Opened internally, secured externally,
1545.”

“Cassandra going to get Victoria from
class.”

“Opened externally, secured internally
1615.”

“Returning from class, and the attack.”

“Opened internally 1800, secured internally
1805.

“Hutu with dinner.”

“Opened internally, closed externally at 0845
today.”

“Cassandra taking Victoria to class.”

“Opened externally 0915” Quinn looks at the
Admiral waiting.

“That wasn’t Cassandra.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes she arrived in my quarters shortly after
0900. Check my logs.”

“I have.” Quinn tells him. “Her security code
was used externally at your door at 0904, securing it internally at
the same time. The door was opened internally with her code at
1007. The door wasn’t secured until 1009 externally, your code.
Cassandra’s door was unsecured externally 1013, with the explosion
occurring less than a minute later.”

William is silent as he thinks about how close
he had come to losing her, another minute in his quarters, him not
calling out to her, small things.

“Will?” Quinn concerned voice, snapping him
back.

“Why’d you check my logs?” Quinn looks at him
then answers.

“Her security was compromised. I needed to make
sure yours wasn’t.”

“Her security is keyed entry. Mine is
thumbprint-voice.”

“I know but I needed to verify it. Your quarters
were externally secured yesterday at 0745, your code. It was
unsecured, externally at 0855 today, secured internal, your code.
No one else entered your quarters between those times. The door
remained secured since you secured it at 1009 today. Your quarters
are secure.”

“Thank you Quinn.”

“Not a problem Admiral. Now if I may suggest,
again, go get some sleep. You’re no good to anyone, including
Cassandra this way.” William looks at his long time friend.

“Colonel, I believe I’ll retire for the night.
Notify me if needed.”

“Yes sir.”

Opening the privacy shield William exits the
bridge, heading for medical.

Entering medical William sees the guards are at
their posts.

“Report.”

“Sir, with the exception of Dr. Bliant no one
has entered or attempted to enter the room except Lt Zafar and the
girl.”

“Victoria.” The Admiral replies.

“Sir?”

“In your report, her name is Victoria
Chamberlain.” The Admiral tells him.

“Sir, yes sir.”

Entering the room he finds the lights on low,
Cassandra sleeping, as the door closes she opens her eyes. Finding
him she gives him a soft smile.

“There you are.” Approaching she can sense his
fatigue. “You haven’t slept.” She accuses as he leans over giving
her a gentle kiss.

“Busy being the Admiral.” He murmurs against her
lips. Cassandra puts a hand to his face, caressing his cheek with
her thumb.

“Even an Admiral needs to sleep.”

‘I’ll get some.” Easing back he turns his head
to kiss her palm. Pausing he looks at her hand.

“Where’s your port.” He demands.

“Out.” She retorts back.

William’s tolerance is gone. Turning away from
her he throws open the door to medical and bellows “Bliant!
Now!”

Bliant, who has been dealing with another
patient, fears the worse. On a run he enters Cassandra’s room.
Seeing her sitting up in bed he turns to the Admiral.

“What the
hell’s
wrong!”

“Where’s her port. Why aren’t you giving her
pain medication!” Cassandra answers for Bliant.

“Because I don’t want it! It’s my body. It’s my
choice.” She swings her legs over the side of the bed.

“What do you think you’re
doing
!” He
demands.

“If I’m going to have an argument with you then
I’m at least going to be sitting up!” Twisting she continues, “None
of this…” She can’t finish as a shooting pain steals her breath.
She braces herself against William’s chest to stay upright. Seeing
her pale he grabs her forearms.

“Bliant!” William starts, but the doctor is
already there turning the lights on full enroute

“Cassandra, what is it.” Bliant asks.

“I… I think you missed one.” Is all she can get
out as she rests her head on William’s chest.

Bliant opens the back of her gown…he can see
what he’s missed without the help of the scanner, the red inflamed
line easily visible.

“Cassandra I want you to remain perfectly
still.” Bliant meets William’s eyes. William nods understanding.
Bliant goes to a drawer pulling out what he needs. Running the
scanner above her skin he finds its worse then he’d feared.
Spraying the deadener on her skin he tells her.