POV: Lyra
After training, back at the station hotel, Orion and I just came out of the sonic cleanser when Chief Dalloway's data transmissions came through. With a drying cloth wrapped around my body, I fastened Orion's dark blue formal suit while he dried my cranial strands with the thermal unit. After Orion sealed my black lower garment and planted a deep kiss on my neck through my dark blue, high-neck synthetic blouse, we still had two hours to spare before evening consumption.
Orion opened his data pad on the armrest of the seating module and started reading the transmission. He was presented with two documents—one was the transcript of Sebastian's interrogation, the other was the report from interrogating the Rogue Lyrokan before he escaped.
He forwarded the document on the Rogue to the alliance members before opening the transcript from Sebastian's interrogation. I got out my own data pad and sat sideways on Orion's lap, my back facing his device before turning on my device on my own lap.
Without taking his eyes off the screen, Orion's arm circled my waist like it was the most natural thing to do. And my head instinctively leaned against his warm chest as I started reading the 70-page report on the Rogue Lyrokan.
Orion decided to start with the document on Cummings first because it was much shorter...and also because Sebastian was my ex-match.
'Question: For the record, what is your relationship with the suspect?
Answer: I'm her brother.
Q: Have you been in contact with your sister?
A: Not since the day she was arrested. The last time I saw her was in the evening the day before last, when I visited her here in detention.
Q: So, after you left that evening, there were no comm calls, data messages, transmissions, notes or correspondence of any kind?
A: No.
Q: And have you been in contact with your father lately?
A: ...
Q: Mr Cummings, should I repeat my question?
A: No, no. It's just. No, I haven't been in touch with him either.
Q: When did you last see him?
A: I paid him a visit late in the morning today after he called to tell me that Sasha disappeared. You can check the visitation records. My name should be there.
Q: Do you believe that your father aided in your sister's escape?
A: What? How does that make any sense? If he could get her out, why wouldn't my father get himself out? He is resourceful as a minister but with the current charges against him and with his assets frozen, it doesn't take a genius to come to the conclusion that there is no way he could've helped anyone escape. My sister is no exception.
Q: So, you're saying that your father couldn't have been the one to break Sasha Cummings out of our facility because the minister is in custody and his assets are frozen?
A: That's what I said.
Q: Then, could it be you who has helped Sasha Cummings escape, Mr Cummings? Seeing that you are not in custody and your assets are not frozen, you would have every opportunity to... A: I didn't break her out.
Q: But you have the means to do it.
A: That doesn't mean I did it! After what she did to Lucia— the Empress, I was relieved that Sasha was imprisoned.
Q: You were happy that your own sister was imprisoned?
A: Happiness may be taking it too far, officer. I was relieved, I'll admit that much. I was relieved knowing that she couldn't hurt...anyone anymore.
Q: When you visited her yesterday, what did you talk about?
A: Don't you have the transcripts to answer that question?
Q: I ask the questions here, Cummings. What did you both talk about?
A: It really wasn't anything important. I asked her why she did it, why she hurt the Empress.
Q: And were you surprised by her answer?
A: Hardly. It's all that she's been saying since the Emperor...found his match.
Q: So, you've known about her intentions to injure the future Empress but you did nothing to notify anyone?
A: I knew about her intentions to break-up the Emperor and Empress by seducing the Emperor, not by hurting the Empress.
Q: Are you saying that you're unaware of the fact that Sasha Cummings insulted the Empress on the very first day of the collaboration?
A: I am very well-aware of that incident but I didn't see her ability to exacerbate verbal attacks to physical ones. Officer, if you listened to the recording of my visit with Sasha, you'd know that I did not agree with anything she did.
Q: I have listened to it, Mr Cummings. And in that very same conversation, Sasha Cummings said that you both were accomplices when it came to separating the Emperor from the Empress last cycle.
A: That was Sasha's accusation. What happened last cycle was not planned.
Q: So, is it true? That you made sure that the Empress-to-be never met the Emperor last cycle?
A: She wasn't his match last cycle. She was mine. I had every right to do what I did. And how is this relevant to my sister's disappearance?
Q: Well, I'm trying to gauge the proximity of your relationship with your sister, to understand how likely or unlikely it is for you both to help each other when one is in trouble. Seeing that she kept the Emperor away from the Empress, and you kept the Empress away from the Emperor, there seems to be a consensus of goals, don't you think?
A: I see you're matched, officer. How would you react if some other male's eyes kept finding their way to your match? Would you have introduced her to this creature, or would you have kept her away like I did?
Q: You went against the Crown, Cummings. I didn't. And...
A: For the last time, she was my match! The Emperor was nothing to her. I did not go against the Crown because there was nothing between them. Nothing. She was bonded to me. Questioning what I did is questioning the cosmos.
Q: So, after the severance, would you say that there was never an occasion where you and your sister both went against the Crown?'
"Orion, darling. Is everything alright?" My voice of concern pulled Orion's attention from his screen. It was only then he realized his arm around my waist was tightening.
He loosened his grip immediately but the worry in my black eyes didn't fade as I waited for him to speak. A warm smile graced his features before his fingers ran down my cranial strands. "I've fallen in love with you from the first moment I laid my eyes on you, my little freesia." After pressing a kiss between my eyebrows, he uttered, "I love you."
I was still confused. How did reading about a Rogue Lyrokan raise thoughts of his feelings for me? "I love you too, Orion. Which part of the document are you reading? I don't see anything that..."
Orion silenced me with a deep kiss. "It's not the report on the Rogue, my love. I'm reading the transcript from Cummings's interrogation. He mentioned that I couldn't take my eyes off you in the collaboration last cycle, which angered him quite a bit. It seems this consciousness has been under your spell even before we met, before we were bonded."
I blinked, trying to keep up with his train of thought. "As romantic as that is, dearest, why was it in the transcript? How does that connect to Sasha's disappearance?"
He brushed his nose against mine as he explained, "The security force suspects the brother may have helped the sister escape."
"Did he?"
"It doesn't seem likely for now. But I haven't reached the end yet. I'll let you know when I'm done, sweetheart." Another kiss on my temple, and his eyes returned to his screen but that was when a small hand reached for his cheek.
I turned his face toward mine. With a shy smile and my multifaceted eyes, I said softly, "For what it's worth, I've always thought you're the most handsome creature I've ever seen, even before we met."
"Is that so?" Orion asked flirtatiously as he tucked a loose strand behind my ear. I even felt his inner Lyrokan's attention perk up at my confession.
I started shifting to embarrassed purple when his thumb stroked the warmth on my cheek as I admitted, "It is. From afar, you've always looked...brooding and maybe a little scary, but I don't know why, I just never felt intimidated by you. I'm not sure if the others felt the same way, but to me, there's always this...confidence and...assurance that you bring into a chamber which makes your beings feel...looked after in some way. It's kind of hard to explain. Even when you don't smile and look...menacing on most occasions back then, there was never a time I felt...unsafe in your presence."
Orion felt a gentle warmth embracing his chest, making him press a kiss on my lips. "Not feeling unsafe is not enough, Lyra. I want you to feel safe when you're with me, completely safe."
"I do. That was last cycle, before we met. I do feel safe with you now, Orion. More than safe, actually."
"That's good." Orion uttered before his inner Lyrokan had the sudden urge to tease their flustering match. "And, my dear, maybe you've never been intimidated by this menacing consciousness because of your unusual tendency to venture into dangerous waters."
"So, you're saying I shouldn't have such tendencies, my Emperor?" I challenged with a coquettish smirk.
"It's far too late for that, my Empress." He pressed a kiss on my palm before pouting. "You wouldn't want to break this poor consciousness's core by staying away now, would you, my love?"
I continued tracing his eyebrows as I muttered, "I don't think I could even if I wanted to. Staying away from you would hurt too much, Orion."
Orion's Lyrokan cooed when my words showered it with blissful waves of love, affection, and devotion. Our lips collided until we became breathless, and we reluctantly tore our eyes from each other to return attention to the documents on our screens.