Space Station Sagittarius Six Suffers Sabotage

Written by Perry McCarney, Published on 11/7/2008, Re-published on 5/17/2010

Lt. Commander Cecelia Holman was jolted awake by the screech of the security siren. She leapt out of her bunk, donned her skinsuit, dashed down the corridor and was in the station security office in 15 minutes flat.

“Report, Sergeant,” she ordered as she slipped into her command chair.

“Ma'am! Engineering reports a security breach in the shield generator compartment. Shield status has gone from standby to inoperative. Fault diagnostics determined the shield structure control unit had failed. Lt. Erikson ordered the spare from stores before heading for the compartment. The Stores computer informs us the spare is no longer in inventory and Lt. Erikson has found that the SSCU hasn't failed, but has been removed, Ma'am. The security alarm was immediately activated and the station military section has been sealed.”

Before Cecilia could respond, the security alarm changed to the deep tones of “Battle Stations” and her console lit with an incoming call from the station's military exec, Captain Phillips. Cecilia keyed acceptance and his craggy face appeared on the screen.

“Commander, we have multiple, unscheduled hyperspace arrivals. The timing is highly suspicious. We need full shield capability. They’ll reach controlled missile range in six hours. I need you to do your Sherlock Holmes act, Holman. First priority: find one of the control units. Second: find and lock down our saboteur." He paused a moment, then, "Do your best, Ceci, we're relying on you.”

“Aye, aye, Skipper!” Cecelia responded.

Cutting the connection, Cecilia looked at her team leaders and began issuing orders.

***

Two hours later, they gathered in the security conference room to review progress.

“Sergeant Benson, your team had personnel checks. Status, please?”

“Ma'am, 18 personnel have the expertise to remove the SSCU without setting off security alerts. Fifteen of these have alibis for the time period in question. The remaining three are Lt. Erikson’s duty techs, Valance and Bennington, and Master Sgt. O'Hennessey. I also brought in Lt. Erikson since she missed the alert. They’re all in detention, Ma'am.”

“What do we have on their backgrounds?”

“Nothing indicative, Ma'am. Valance was commended for bravery when the Ravshek took Herstog. His wife and son didn't get off-planet. He hates the Ravers – not a surprise since they eat human flesh! CIT has verified the incoming ships as Ravshek, so it's unlikely he's our saboteur.

“He and Bennington were working on a control shunt in corridor B32 that has been causing problems for the last four days. Both have insulation smears on hands and uniform sleeves that confirm this and Valance says Bennington was there the whole time. They’re only still suspects because both have the capability and are each others' alibi.”

“The others?”

“O'Hennessey is in for his fourth five-year stretch. Excellent duty ratings, but some black marks for off-duty public brawling and operating a still.”

“Erikson and Bennington?”

“The lieutenant was a corporal, Ma'am, sent to OTC on the recommendation of her battalion CO Major Hilton. She was 47th in her class of 100. There's nothing official, but the secured section of her personnel dossier includes a suspicion that her relationship with the Major may have breeched fraternization regulations.

“Bennington's ratings indicate a so-so technical ability; it's questionable he could have removed the SSCU without setting off alarms. He has a reputation as a ladies' man.”

“I see. Have Erikson, Valance and Bennington placed in an interview room together and O’Hennessey in a separate interview room." Cecilia turned to her next team leader.

“Sergeant Devallier, civilian activity?”

“We've interviewed all civilians that entered the military sector bar one, a Villiasoo trader called Scrivine. He had a meeting with the quartermaster at 0300 hours; wanted to sell some luxury foodstuffs for the officer's mess. Came in on the 'Cheeanie' seven hours ago and requested an immediate meeting on the basis of a tight shipping schedule. He had a security detail from reception to the quartermaster's and back. He left the military sector at 0324 hours. Cpl. Devon, who led the detail, says Scrivine had no unescorted access anywhere. He confirms that Valance and Bennington who were working in corridor B32 when they passed. Scrivine did chat with and give samples to some of the crew, including Valance.”

“Hmmm ... the Villiasoo are supposedly neutral, but I've heard they're more 'neutral' towards the Ravshek than to us. Sgt. Billings, what have you managed to put together from the logs?”

“Ma'am, the SSCU was disabled at 0346 hours. Lt. Erikson was on duty but somehow missed it at that time. She posted her inventory request for the spare at 0401, in response to the 0400 maintenance report. The 0300 to 0400 inventory log was deleted, the 0200 to 0300 log archived normally and the 0400 to 0500 log initiated normally; but whoever removed the spare SSCU must have wiped the log. Inventory status can't be manually altered; the SSCU spare was there at 0300 and gone at 0400. Total parts count was reduced by three during that period. We’ve accounted for two. The third had to be the SSCU.”

“Probably. Anything else?”

“The last garbicle ejection from military sector was 17 hours ago. I let Hermes know straight off, Ma'am.”

“Good. Sgt. Hernandez, search status?”

“Ma'am, teams are searching all compartments, but it's going to take time. With Sgt. Billings' confirmation that the garbage hasn’t been frozen and ejected I've had a team scan the compartment. No components intrinsic to SSCUs were detected.”

“I want an eyeball search, please, Sergeant.”

“Aye aye, Ma'am.”

“And have a security tech check the repair work in B32. I want to know about anything even minutely unusual.”

***

Cecelia was at her workstation, reviewing video feeds from the brig. O'Hennessey had a visitor, a security sergeant who shouldn’t be there. She keyed the feed for sound.

“...ring squad for you this time, Oh Hen-sick-be!” sneered the sergeant.

“In your dreams, Bannick. With Sherlock in charge of the investigation, she'll find the saboteur, which sure as heck ain't me!”

In the other room, Lieutenant Erikson was pacing while Valance and Bennington sat at the table. Erikson's uniform was immaculate until she turned round to pace the other way. Two handprints, the color of insulation foam and of a size to match Bennington’s, on her lower back marred the otherwise perfection. Cecelia’s comm buzzed. It was Sgt. Hernandez.

“Ma'am, the team in the garbage disposal just found a woman's finger. It's been sent for DNA analysis. And the tech checking the repairs in B32 found two lighting controllers hidden in the insulation; they're brand new, still sealed in plastic wrap.”

“Thank you, Hermes, that’s exactly what I needed to know.”