had dinner in the mess.
"Same procedure as before?" Adrian asked when we entered the conference room. Hearing no objections, he continued. "Gannon, you check for deletions and activity on the Dark Web while we review the emails."
I picked up the nearest tablet and began my review with Red perched on my head. After working my way through the five tablets and four home computers, it was obvious why the anger and fear. While I didn't follow up on the emails, I found hints of affairs, drugs, and even illegal money transfers and deposits. But there was one potentially interesting email, which I would have overlooked if Gannon hadn't stumbled across the use of the Dark Web on Stone Ring.
"Well, Gannon, what did you find?" Adrian asked early the next morning when everyone had finished reviewing each device.
"Ms. Simons's home computer has several visits to the Dark Web. Thanks to her Internet history, which she didn't erase, I have a specific site address and the site's cookie."
"Rich, can we access the site and make it look like it came from her computer?" I asked.
"With P1A authority, you bet ... Anna." He smiled and felt eager and itching to start.
"Anna, did you find anything?"
"Several emails on Ms. Simons's home computer may relate to the raiders. The activity on the Dark Web that Rich found confirms my initial suspicion. She recently set up a savings account with Blackwater Saving and Trust under her name and purchased a safety deposit box. And I found an email message which directs her to a suspicious website, user.sweeptakes.hsx"
"Yes, that's the site where the cookie I found originated." Rich smiled like he had won the lottery.
"I didn't see any messages to Blackwater." Kris frowned, looking around the table for Simons's home computer.
"That's because she deleted them and cleared her deleted files, but she didn't delete the messages in her Sent mailbox."
"And where did you find the message with the Dark Web site information?" Adrian asked.
"It was an entry form for a sweepstakes. That, combined with an inquiry into Certificates of Deposit from the Blackwater Saving and Trust, seemed too much of a coincidence to ignore."
Just then MacLin burst through the door. "Paulus! Five men just hijacked one of the Vulcan's shuttles on Holy Star and have entered Shuttle Bay N1. They're demanding you be handed over to them," he said between gasping breaths.
I stood frozen as my mind raced for solutions, but all I could envision was disasters. If they wanted me, it could only be because of Red. And if they were desperate enough to hijack a navy shuttle and force their way into a navy cruiser … they felt they had nothing to lose. I calmed as Red wound around my neck.
"Captain MacLin," I said, "I'm invoking my P1A authority. Notify all crew not to engage them. They have the Coaca Virus. The crew are to find places where they can lock or fortify themselves. That's an order," I said with a command presence that should have shocked me and normally would have at any other time. Just then Red's tongue brushed my neck, relieving me of any lingering doubts. I stood listening as MacLin spoke into his Personal Comm Devise, PCD.
"Bridge, connect me with all PCDs and the ship's loudspeakers." While he waited, his eyes never left mine. "Attention, this is Captain MacLin. Five men have hijacked a shuttle and have gained access to Bay N1. You are ordered not to engage them. They're infected with the Coaca Virus. Find secure shelter and stay there until further notice. I repeat, do not engage them."
"Captain, can you keep me up to date on their location ... I'll try and lead them to one of the shuttle bays, but I won't know which one until ... later. You're going to have to open it to space—"
Kris screamed.
I ignored her.
"Here, Anna." MacLin handed me a small ear device. "This will enable me to hear and talk to you."
I took it and put it in my ear. "If I ... if you must engage them, remember they’ll be contagious for two days
"Same procedure as before?" Adrian asked when we entered the conference room. Hearing no objections, he continued. "Gannon, you check for deletions and activity on the Dark Web while we review the emails."
I picked up the nearest tablet and began my review with Red perched on my head. After working my way through the five tablets and four home computers, it was obvious why the anger and fear. While I didn't follow up on the emails, I found hints of affairs, drugs, and even illegal money transfers and deposits. But there was one potentially interesting email, which I would have overlooked if Gannon hadn't stumbled across the use of the Dark Web on Stone Ring.
"Well, Gannon, what did you find?" Adrian asked early the next morning when everyone had finished reviewing each device.
"Ms. Simons's home computer has several visits to the Dark Web. Thanks to her Internet history, which she didn't erase, I have a specific site address and the site's cookie."
"Rich, can we access the site and make it look like it came from her computer?" I asked.
"With P1A authority, you bet ... Anna." He smiled and felt eager and itching to start.
"Anna, did you find anything?"
"Several emails on Ms. Simons's home computer may relate to the raiders. The activity on the Dark Web that Rich found confirms my initial suspicion. She recently set up a savings account with Blackwater Saving and Trust under her name and purchased a safety deposit box. And I found an email message which directs her to a suspicious website, user.sweeptakes.hsx"
"Yes, that's the site where the cookie I found originated." Rich smiled like he had won the lottery.
"I didn't see any messages to Blackwater." Kris frowned, looking around the table for Simons's home computer.
"That's because she deleted them and cleared her deleted files, but she didn't delete the messages in her Sent mailbox."
"And where did you find the message with the Dark Web site information?" Adrian asked.
"It was an entry form for a sweepstakes. That, combined with an inquiry into Certificates of Deposit from the Blackwater Saving and Trust, seemed too much of a coincidence to ignore."
Just then MacLin burst through the door. "Paulus! Five men just hijacked one of the Vulcan's shuttles on Holy Star and have entered Shuttle Bay N1. They're demanding you be handed over to them," he said between gasping breaths.
I stood frozen as my mind raced for solutions, but all I could envision was disasters. If they wanted me, it could only be because of Red. And if they were desperate enough to hijack a navy shuttle and force their way into a navy cruiser … they felt they had nothing to lose. I calmed as Red wound around my neck.
"Captain MacLin," I said, "I'm invoking my P1A authority. Notify all crew not to engage them. They have the Coaca Virus. The crew are to find places where they can lock or fortify themselves. That's an order," I said with a command presence that should have shocked me and normally would have at any other time. Just then Red's tongue brushed my neck, relieving me of any lingering doubts. I stood listening as MacLin spoke into his Personal Comm Devise, PCD.
"Bridge, connect me with all PCDs and the ship's loudspeakers." While he waited, his eyes never left mine. "Attention, this is Captain MacLin. Five men have hijacked a shuttle and have gained access to Bay N1. You are ordered not to engage them. They're infected with the Coaca Virus. Find secure shelter and stay there until further notice. I repeat, do not engage them."
"Captain, can you keep me up to date on their location ... I'll try and lead them to one of the shuttle bays, but I won't know which one until ... later. You're going to have to open it to space—"
Kris screamed.
I ignored her.
"Here, Anna." MacLin handed me a small ear device. "This will enable me to hear and talk to you."
I took it and put it in my ear. "If I ... if you must engage them, remember they’ll be contagious for two days
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