After all the time I've spent with the ship we crashed earlier, Tau Rubycon, I was somewhat familiar with the interior design of Rubycon Tourism ships. I ran all the way to the ship's bridge.
On the hallways, the crew members were removing decorations and latching doors in fully open positions, presumably to make transporting rescuees across the ship faster and easier. Occasionally, someone on the speakers would announce siren tests and the ship's alarm systems would be tested for a few moments.
I reached the bridge and tried to open the door, which happened to be locked. I then heard some movement from the inside, and the door was opened for me without even asking for an identity.
"How can we help?" said the person who I belived to be the copilot of Delta Rubycon.
"I need comms access and sensor data." I said.
The commanding pilot rotated around in his flight seat to face me. He was about to say something, but paused for a moment.
"Sure." was the eventual reply. I nodded at the copilot and walked past him to take a look at the sensors display. It was a cluttered mess - many vessels, large or small, were flying around Fort Unity as if it was a beehive. The highest concentration of vehicles were around the spaceport entrance, but some vehicles such as Delta Rubycon were checking the perimeters for any survivors who might have found themselves in outer space somehow.
I observed the rescue efforts for a minute or two, before asking the copilot a question.
"What are those guys doing over here?"
"Who?" he asked in return.
"The shuttle over there." I said, pointing at the screen. "They are just flying erratically an not helping. Do they need help?"
"No." said the copilot. "They are actually on the comms, they are looking for... a certain someone. I'm not too sure."
"Give me comms." I said. Judging from the sensor signature, I was sure that the shuttle was about the same size with the vessel I had seen earlier above the Unity city, circling a skyscraper.
The copilot looked at the pilot in command before handing over comms to me. The commander simply nodded in silence, and I was given a headset.
"Shuttle Deuterium, identify." I said.
"Shuttle Deuterium to Delta Rubycon, you already told us our own ID, how else would you like us to identify?" they replied.
"Say spacecraft model, passenger number, intentions."
"We are not in need of help, thank you." they said.
"Say spacecraft model, passenger number and your intentions." I insisted.
"Intersol Type VII, five, we are looking for Terry Myo. Do you happen to have him aboard?"
"I'm unsure, likely not." I said. "A government official?"
"Do you know him, or anything about his whereabouts?" they then asked. But I felt like it was still my turn to ask questions.
"If you did not get to him already, I would start asking other rescue ships instead of going back into the city for search." I said. "The city's atmosphere won't be breathable for too long - he will be dead by the time you reach him even if you went back in right now."
"Is there any-"
"Do you happen to have rescued a woman from a government tower?" I asked. "Mei. Former admiral."
There was a long silence.
"...We did."
"May I speak to her?"
"Not at the moment. Cockpit is busy, but she is healthy if that's what you are after."
"Alright." I said. "Shuttle Deuterium, if you are not rescuing anyone else at the moment, I will ask you to remain in your current position until I contact you again."
"Excuse me." said the shuttle pilot. "Exactly what authority do you have here?"
"Our shi- My ship was given the command of the rescue efforts just before the government completely shut down."
"Funny you don't have any evidence apart from your own words." said the shuttle pilot. "This shuttle has that authority. We have some of the Fort Unity command crew aboard."
This was indeed a bit of a surprise.
"And how exactly are you using that authority right now, sitting there and just watching things unfold?"
"The rescue IS underway already." they replied. "You have no authority here Delta Rubycon. We request you head over to the spaceport at once."
The pilot in command looked at me, as if he was expecting instructions. If I did not say anything in return, I'm sure he would be flying towards the spaceport soon. I removed the headset.
"Wait." I told the pilots. "Do not listen to the shuttle."
"Delta Rubycon, do you copy?" the shuttle pilot repeated.
"Shuttle Deuterium, unable." I said, and turned to Delta Rubycon's commanding pilot. "Can we get an optical view of that shuttle?"
"We can." he said, and activated Delta Rubycon's optical tracking module.
"Let me see." I said, walking over to his console. "No way."
"Is there something wrong, sir?" asked the pilot.
"No way." I repeated. "This is impossible. That's Lodos IV! We lost that shuttle in the spaceport crash!"
"Sir?"
"When that shuttle was docked to Tau Rubycon, we made a risky maneuver and the shuttle was no longer attached. I thought it was destroyed, but... But it seems like it might have been stolen! We had the door unlocked for rescuees to come in, after all..."
"Sir, I think the shuttle is aware that they are being observed." said the pilot.
"Those people have no shame." I said. "But hold on, Mei is also in the shuttle right now... There is no way she wouldn't recognize her own modified shuttle. What the hell is going on here!?"
The pilot and the copilot were just staring at me with worried looks.
"Fly us to the shuttle! No, actually... Don't." I said and sighed. "I need comms again..."
"Delta Rubycon, this is Shuttle Deuterium again. What is the problem?"
"Shuttle Deuterium, I have information on Terry Myo." I said. "I need you to dock with us."
After half a minute of silence, a reply was sent.
"Please send over the information."
"No." I said. "You need to dock with Delta Rubycon's port-aft-side docking port."
"Why?" asked the shuttle pilot.
"Because you want the information." I said.
"Is he aboard?"
"I'm unable to hand over the information through comms. Dock with our port-aft-side docking port." I said, and added "...before it is too late."