Duty, Honour, Love
Chapter 39

Jane and Dareia trailed after Professor Nichols. Dareia had had no idea how big this place was. She doubted that no one on Erikino except for the Terrans here knew how big this place was. Or even how many Terrans there actually were here. It was a large settlement on it’s own and like the rest of Erikino completely self-sufficient.

“We did want to expand to the outside but you know bad the winter storms can get?” Nichols was giving them the tour.

Jane glanced at Dareia getting the information about winter on Erikino from her.

“That bad,” she thought to Dareia.

“Yes the winds can rapidly get up to hurricane strength. Which is why we’re that far inland,” Dareia answered both Jane and Nichols.

“And of course the flora and fauna have adapted to this,” Nichols said unaware the silent conversation going on between the two women.” He pointed to a door ahead of them it read Hydroponics on a sign above it. “The last section, all our food in grown in here.”

They stepped through a door into a cavernous room bathed in red light, which stretched into the distance. On raised tables were edible plants of all sorts mostly native T’Arni but Jane recognised several Earth plants.

Dareia just nodded she read so many minds and yet none of them was the murderer. Nichols waved to a Human male working at the far end of the room out of her ten-metre range.

“Over there is Doctor Whittaker he was Julianna’s mentor. He was devastated when she was found dead. He blames himself for it.” Nichols paused. “Perhaps he could shed more light on this?”

With a population of over three hundred it was giving Dareia a mammoth migraine having to read so many minds. Normally she could shut them off and concentrate on a few but having to deal with so many it was overwhelming. From the way Jane kept glancing in her direction she was suffering to. Which was what happened when you were linked.

“Doctor Whittaker!” Nichols called out. “This is Lieutenants Dareia and Walberg. They’re here to talk to you about Julianna Kimble. The lieutenant is a telepath!”

Dareia walked into the range of Doctor Whittaker’s mind and was assaulted by flashing images. It didn’t draw her in the way Jane’s did but it had her almost frozen as flash backs of her own trauma before her telepathy were unleashed. “It’s him!” she called out to Jane with her mind her voice as paralysed as was her body was at the images from his mind. She saw the knife in his hand similar to the one he now held as he plunged it into Julianna’s belly.

“Him!” Jane said sharply. “He’s the murderer?”

Then as if in slow motion Whittaker threw the knife at Dareia. Jane could see it tumble head over heels directly towards Dareia frozen by indecision. It felt as if it was flying through molasses. Jane felt something surge within her, the flying knife halted in mid air as if it hit something. The moment broke and the knife dropped to the floor with clatter. Jane stared at Dareia and she stared back both shocked and confused.

“You’re a Kinetic?” Dareia said to Jane her voice rough her mind still trying to process the images that had flooded it.

The confusion gave Whittaker time to run. He was through the door at the other end of the room before anyone had time to react.

“Get him!” Jane yelled shaking herself out of her inaction. She ran hoping to catch him, leaving a shocked Professor Nichols and Dareia behind.

“Ancients!” Dareia swore. “He’s getting away!” Dareia commed her troops hoping that they’d respond. “General Alert,” she barked into her comms. “Doctor Whittaker is the murderer.” Her mind replayed the stabbing over and over again. Anger and hatred flashed through the images. She saw him stab Julianna. Then more images of him washing off the blood over laying the images of Randolph replaceing the body. Then of Randolph stupidly picking up the knife. She was still angry with her soldiers treating Randolph badly because they thought it was he? Dareia spurred herself in to action Jane was in danger she hadn’t Dareia’s ability to predict his actions through her telepathy.

Jane chased after Whittaker but he had a head start. She soon lost him in the maze of corridors. She halted frustrated this was his turf and he knew all the ways. Dareia joined her. Jane guessed it was their link that found her.

“You ok?” Dareia said to her in mind speech.

“Yeah,” Jane replied glancing around. “He can’t have gone far?”

Dareia felt as frustrated as Jane was she supposed it was their link. “He must be hiding if I get within ten metres of him I’ll replace him?”

Jane stared at Dareia her mind full of confusion. “Ten metres I didn’t know that?”

“It makes it easier for me than many tepes they have a wider range.” Dareia grimaced. “I’ll take that chance for now. We’ll have to do this the old fashioned way.” She lifted her comms bracelet to her face. “Corporal Barnett,” she commed.

“Ma’am,” Barnett responded instantly.

“Doctor Whittaker is to be restrained.” Dareia had a thought. “Locate but do not use lethal force, repeat you are not to use lethal force. Got that corporal I want him alive.”

“And in one piece,” Jane added.

“Yes, ma’am,” Barnett said through the comms.

“We need a sweep of the complex he’s gone into hiding.”

Professor Nichols voice echoed over the complex’s PA system. “Do not approach John Whittaker he’s wanted in connection to Julianna’s murder. Inform your local supervisor or the Confederacy guards if you see him.”

Dareia nodded to Jane. “We’ll replace him just a matter of time!”

Kathleen walked back for the shuttle her boots making a crunching sound in the light dusting of snow. It was cold here than further south. She’d been monitoring Randolph in one of the Cell Stitchers aboard the shuttle. She’d had a few choice words with White Mountain’s small medical team. They didn’t have a Cell Stitcher she considered that an oversight. It could mean the difference between life and death and in Randolph’s case he’d been close to death. It was horrifying to see the Empire’s distrust of machines was prevalent here. She had to admit she’d come from Earth but she’d seen how useful the technology was. She looked up from her musing to see a Confed Guard standing at the entrance. He was fingering the sidearm strapped to his waist. He was in a thermal suit and not in armour.

“Problems?” she asked as she approached him.

“No ma’am but it might be safer for you if you stayed on the shuttle.”

“Why?” Kathleen asked becoming alert. Old training came to fore once an agent always an agent.

“An escaped murderer.”

Kathleen hoped it was the real murderer not some poor sod they were accusing. “Who?”

“John Whittaker, the Terran tepe pointed him out and he ran.”

Kathleen knew the truth Dareia was the telepath she wasn’t sure what Jane was but she must be something to link to Dareia. No ordinary human could do that.

“How come he’s not in custody yet?” Kathleen mused but she said nothing to the guard. It seemed obvious that Dareia’s that telepathy was limited.

“They’ll get him but I’m stuck out here?” The guard moaned.

The entrance door slid to the side and a man barrelled through the slowly opening door. He knocked the guard as he was about the draw his side arm and ran past him.

“Stop or I’ll shoot!” The guard yelled at the fleeing man. He fired a shot into the air.

The man ran on easily running in the snowy conditions. The guard fired again his shots going wide.

“Give that here!” Kathleen snapped snatching the pistol from the surprised guard’s hand. In one swift continuous action she aimed and fired. The sound of the shot echoed into the night along with a cry of pain from the fugitive as he stumbled and fell.

“Well don’t just stand there go get him. I’m not doing all your work for you?” She passed the pistol back to the guard.

Shocked the guard walked over to the man lying on the ground blood soaking his leg and staining the snow underneath red. It was over mission accomplished.