The girl was dreaming, but she hadn't realized it, not yet.
She stood before her commanding officer, a grey-eyed woman in an impeccably tailored suit in a familiar-looking office. For some reason, her commander's suit appeared hazy and undefined, but she didn't feel like anything was amiss. She saluted her commander in exactly the way she had been taught in the academy and waited for her salute to be returned before she proceeded to introduce herself.
Dreaming Girl: "G-g-good morning ma'am."
Her voice was wavering. Despite her confidence and assurance that she'd be alright, her nerves were getting to her again. Her arm trembled, ever so slightly, and nervous thoughts started to surface in her mind.
Dreaming Girl (thinking): Oh no, I'm going to make a bad first impression. Not again…
Grey-Eyed Woman: "Calm down. Take a deep breath, yes, just like that. It's normal to be nervous at the start. Now, try again."
Her commander's unexpected words of reassurance, spoken in an uncharacteristically husky voice, had caught her off guard slightly. At the same time however, it interrupted her nervous thoughts. A sudden calm returned to her, and her wavering voice calmed down too.
Dreaming Girl: "Yes, ma'am. I'm the new junior detective, ma'am. I'm – "
The girl squinted. She had tried to say her name, but the words failed to come out. It wasn't that they were caught in her throat, or that she had choked on her words. Rather, she was somehow unable to hear her own name. However, it looked like her commander had somehow still heard her.
Dreaming Girl (thinking): What – what's going on? Is this –
Grey-Eyed Woman: "You – you're not here by mistake, right?"
The commander asked a strange question that made a knot of panic appear in the girl's heart.
Dreaming Girl (thinking): Is this a hazing ritual? Is this that kind of situation where the new recruit is given misleading instructions to – oh no no no no – calm down, there must be a reason –
Dreaming Girl: "I – I don't think so, ma'am? The posting order said to report to the Department of General Investigations. Am – am I in the wrong department? Oh – oh no – it took me hours to find my way here. I'll – I'll be late – "
Grey-Eyed Woman: "No, no you're not. You're in the right place, it's just…hmm, this is interesting."
Her commander said something that caught the girl's attention.
Dreaming Girl (thinking): Did, did her eyes just widen, for just a moment?
She wasn't sure if she was just imagining it. Perhaps it was just her nerves and anxiety continuing to play tricks on her. The haziness in the office intensified and the walls started to shift in a phantasmagorial fashion, like they were fashioned out from solidified smoke that shifted when not being observed. There was a strange feeling of distortion, as if time suddenly sped up and slowed down again. The girl watched her commander briefly fiddle with her communicator with impossible speed while she just stood there, unmoving.
A sudden knock at the door made the girl jump slightly. She whipped her head around to catch sight of an amber-eyed man with dark-brown hair walking through the door and closing it behind him. His clothes were also hazy, and the eyebags around his eyes were dark and prominent as well. From the girl's perspective, it was as if he was completely ignoring her presence in the room. His gaze was wholly fixated upon her commander, and when he spoke, his gruff voice was filled with exhaustion, as if he had been awake for days on end.
Amber-Eyed Man: "You called?"
Grey-Eyed Woman: "Damn, you – you look like shit."
Amber-Eyed Man: "Sleep deprived. I won't die. Haah…been looking for –"
This time, the man said something that the girl couldn't hear. She felt like he had said a woman's name, but she couldn't remember what the name was. She felt like he had said the woman's name in an adoring manner, but she couldn't remember anything else. The man continued to speak.
Amber-Eyed Man: "What's the deal? Why'd you call me back? Who's this girl here?"
The commander said nothing. She merely raised her hand and pointed towards the girl. In response, the girl retracted her head slightly, her green eyes flicking back and forth between the two unfamiliar faces standing well above her height.
Grey-Eyed Woman: "Meet your new pupil. You'll be her mentor, and you'll show her how to operate here in General Investigations. Take good care of her and don't scare her away. Or I'll dock your pay."
Amber-Eyed Man: "Tsk. Sounds nice."
The man replied in a deadpan tone and turned to face the girl.
Amber-Eyed Man: "What's your name?"
Dreaming Girl: " – "
Again, just like before, her name failed to come out even though she was sure she was mouthing the words and breathing out. This time however, she was sure that what she was seeing was no trick of the eyes. The man's eyes were widened in an expression of shock, that much she was sure of.
Amber-Eyed Man: "You – you're – no, there's no way. State your name again, Junior Detective. Say it clearly."
The girl blinked, unsure what to make of this reaction. Still, if he insisted, she had to oblige. He was her mentor now, after all. She opened her mouth, and this time, she felt the words come out clearly. Everything that was hazy before suddenly resolved clearly, and for the briefest moment, she was back there again, at that point in time a whole year ago.
Dreaming Girl: "I'm Merrion. Merrion Ingvash, sir."
The man reached out, and she shrunk back reflexively. Then, there was a sudden jolt that sent her careening towards the wall, and –
---
Edmund: " – wake up. Hey, Merrion, wake up already."
Merrion's eyes fluttered open. She was being shaken by someone, and her head was resting on something incredibly hard. Still slightly drowsy, she exhaled softly and blinked rapidly.
Merrion: "Wha – what's up, Edmund … oh, I fell asleep."
Edmund: "Yeah, you did. You're resting your head on my shoulder."
Merrion: "Your … shoulder … SHOULDER?!"
At that word, Merrion became fully alert, and she jolted into a perfectly upright position just as the tether tram they were seated in began to decelerate. The sudden force overcame her still sleep-addled muscles, and her head bumped back into Edmund's impossibly hard right shoulder.
*Thump*
Merrion: "AARGH – "
---
Edmund and Merrion stepped off the tether tram, entering the tram terminal of the Mahoney. Edmund looked around at the surrounding vista while Merrion rubbed her bruised left temple with her hand as she winced from the pain. The other passengers on the tram who had borne witness to the little incident earlier chuckled as they passed by Merrion. Their comments were mostly harmless: "How cute." and "Ahh, to be young again."
The air within the Mahoney had a different smell than in other ships, with a cleanliness and lack of common odors that would be normally expected. From the terminal, a brightly lit door with the word <
Edmund: "Been here before?"
Edmund asked Merrion while he checked his communicator as the two of them walked through the entrance and down a brightly lit corridor.
Merrion: "Not at all. I've not been to a hospital ever since I left the 7th Sector."
Merrion looked around herself and noticed several air purifiers bolted to a nearby wall. Nurses in protective garments, with face shields and masks, scurried around the corridor, entering doors and attending to patients.
Merrion: "We're here to watch the autopsy, right?"
Edmund: "That's correct. Apparently, the most experienced pathologist in the 8th Sector is stationed here. We're here to watch him do his job."
Merrion nodded in acknowledgement. Navigating through the spacious corridors of the Mahoney, with illuminated signs and maps as navigation aids, was far easier than trying to do the same in the tight and twisted corridors of the Doyle.
After some time, the two detectives found their way to the morgue, where a receptionist sat at the front desk. She was a young-looking woman, dressed in the characteristic beige one-piece dress of female clerical staff. After a brief introduction from the detectives, during which she had seemed strangely awkward, she directed them to enter a nearby break room.
Female Clerk: "I'll inform the doctor about your arrival.", she told them before leaving in a hurried fashion.
Inside, a small machine sat on the countertop beside the sink, the green lights on it indicating the drinks it could dispense on command. The wall was covered with framed posters and cultural memorabilia. Various pictures of the staff, past and present, were pinned to the wall. A lone plaque hung on the wall, and Merrion tiptoed to examine it closely.
Merrion raised an eyebrow.
Merrion: "Specialist Degree in Pathology awarded SY 856 to Birgir Ximeno by the Fleet Medical University. Is he who we're waiting for?"
Edmund: "That's exactly right."
Edmund took a sip from a cup filled to the brim with coffee freshly dispensed from the machine. He flicked his fingers across his communicator, which was placed upon a wireless charging pad on the counter.
Edmund: "What Dr Ximeno can discern from his examination of our late friend will determine what we do next, aside from reporting the findings to Zora."
Merrion: "What if he refuses? You know, medical professionalism and all that?"
Edmund smiled.
Edmund: "Then we strongly insist."
Merrion's gaze turned to the door. Edmund had heard it as well. The sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway in a rhythmic clacking noise that was distinctly unlike the characteristic click of heeled shoes.
Merrion: "Someone's coming, Edmund."
Edmund nodded. The doorknob clicked as a man of average height walked into the room. He was hunched over, with his left hand inside his pants pocket. Greyed hair sprouted from his head like mycelia upon stale bread. His attire, a long-sleeved off-white shirt and black pants with navy-blue slippers made Merrion wince. But his black square-frame glasses perched atop his face –
Merrion (thinking): At least his glasses are normal…
Upon seeing the two detectives, he immediately straightened his posture to face them.
Ximeno: "You must be the people that my assistant informed me about. My apologies for the wait, I was attending to another 'patient' earlier."
Merrion remained silent. This doctor was a pathologist, which meant he only attended to the deceased. She was unsure of what to make of this person who referred to the dead as if they were still alive. Meanwhile, Edmund calmly retrieved his communicator and extended his right hand towards the man.
Edmund: "It was no matter. Dr Ximeno, I presume?"
Ximeno: "Yes, that is I. To whom do I have the pleasure of meeting today?"
Edmund: "I am Detective Edmund, and she is Detective Merrion. We're from the Fleet Investigation Division. We're under orders to observe you performing an autopsy for a certain – "
Edmund considered his words.
Edmund: "– patient who was delivered here earlier. Forgive us for the lack of forewarning."
Ximeno: "So, you're here for the cryocasket. Finally. Frankly, I was wondering what I would do with it, as it refused to open even after I provided it with my license. Surprisingly stubborn. There were no patient identifiers on the cryocasket either. I normally don't ask, but since you're here, is there anything I should know about the identity of the person inside?"
Edmund shook his head sadly.
Edmund: "I'm afraid that's classified, Doctor. We can neither confirm nor deny any conclusions that you come to of your own volition. Although, if you do come to the correct conclusion, you'll understand the need for secrecy."
Ximeno: "That's fine. Whatever saves me from being investigated myself. Won't want the dogs of the law to clamp their jaws around my neck as well. No offence intended."
Edmund smiled in an understanding fashion. He could sympathize. The FID wasn't despised by the general public, but they weren't loved either. They were tolerated begrudgingly. Long ago, he too had the same outlook that Dr. Ximeno now held.
Edmund: "None taken. If you don't mind me asking, the lady at the front –"
Ximeno: "She's my assistant. The regular receptionist is on vacation now, so my clinic is understaffed."
Edmund: "Ah, is that so."
Edmund nodded in acknowledgement while Dr Ximeno glanced over to Merrion.
Ximeno: "You don't talk much, do you?"
Merrion: "…no, sir."
Ximeno: "Cute. Alright, follow me then."
Dr Ximeno walked back out of the breakroom and headed down the hallway to the morgue. Edmund poured away the remainder of his coffee and placed the emptied cup into the sink, before heading after the doctor, followed closely by Merrion.
Edmund: "Don't be so tense, you'll put me on edge as well."
Merrion: "I'm just nervous, that's all. I'll get over it, soon."
Edmund: "You'd better."
Edmund paused, before adding.
Edmund: "If you need to talk, I'm here. Don't you forget that."
Merrion: "I won't. Thanks,."
Merrion smiled tersely, reassured ever so slightly by Edmund's coarse but well-meaning words, as the trio walked over to the examination room. The doors to the examination room flew open, pushed by Dr Ximeno. He grabbed his lab coat and threw it on in a single motion, taking a fresh pair of gloves and a mask and donning them. Behind him was Edmund and Merrion, and they each grabbed their own gloves and mask. The smell of flesh hung in the air, kept at a deliberately low temperature to help preserve the bodies.
The walls of the examination room were tiled with polished ceramic plates, which made cleaning and disinfecting easy to accomplish. A wall of sealed cryocaskets, each resting within its own slot, was at the far end of the room directly opposite the entrance. A faint mist from condensation rolled forth from the wall and pooled upon the floor. Two metal gurneys sat in the room: one empty and one occupied. The occupied gurney had a body resting atop it, covered by a sheet of opaque plastic to obscure the deceased's identity and preserve their modesty, even in death. Only the deceased's feet poked out from beneath the sheet, which were crow-like and wizened. Evidently, this person lived a long and venerable life.
Dr Ximeno walked over to the empty gurney sitting in the center of the room and wheeled it over to the wall of sealed cryocaskets. Unlike the walls, the floor was made from metal grating that magnetic boots could attract to, and a drainage system of some kind lay beneath the grates. Wheeling the gurney over to the wall thus made a terrible sound that grated Merrion's ears.
Ximeno: "Don't be too alarmed if there are occasional sounds coming from the casket wall. The cooling system sometimes shuts off, and it causes the cryocaskets to creak from the thermal effects."
Edmund: "Understood, Doctor. Please commence the procedure."
Edmund extended his hand towards the wall of drawers.
Edmund and Merrion watched as Dr Ximeno aligned the gurney with one of the drawers. The display on the drawer lit up with the words <
Ximeno: "As you can see, this is the sealed delivery."
Edmund pulled out his communicator and swiped it across the display. It beeped twice and hissed as the display split in half horizontally. A denser mist of condensation formed where the cold air escaped from within and spilled out, rolling to the floor and displacing the ambient mist in turbulent wisps. The halves of the display retracted into the drawer, and a metal plate slid out from within the drawer –
There was no corpse. The metal plate was bare. Droplets of condensation gathering upon the cold metal surface were the only witnesses to this farcical scene. Even behind the mask covering his face, the confused rage of Dr Ximeno was evident. It was written out over his furrowed brows.
Ximeno: "Is – is this some kind of prank? So much for secrecy and confidentiality. Am I being played for a fool?!"
Edmund: "We assure you, Dr Ximeno, we are just as baffled as you are!"
Merrion: "– yes, Dr Ximeno. This is not a prank."
Edmund was surprised to hear Merrion pipe up.
Merrion: "Someone must have gotten to the body before us."
Ximeno: "That's impossible!"
Ximeno frantically typed away at the drawer's display panel.
Ximeno: "The only other person who could have been close to the drawer before us is –"
Realization dawned on Ximeno's face.
Ximeno: "– my assistant."