POV: Lyra
Orion picked up from where he left off:
'Q: So, after the severance, would you say that there was never an occasion where you and your sister both went against the Crown?
A: I would never work with anyone to hurt the Empress, not even if it's with my sister.
Q: That wasn't the question, Cummings. Did you or did you not try to come between the Emperor and Empress in the past two weeks?
A: No.
Q: Not even with what could seem to be an innocent act?
A: Officer, if you already have an occasion in mind, just lay it on the platform so I can explain myself.
Q: It is rumored that you attempted to gift a data archive to the Empress early last week.
A: That was just a friendly gesture. I remember she loved to read. She didn't accept it, by the way.
Q: And did that make you upset?
A: Upset enough to regret I didn't do well by her? Yes. Upset enough to join forces with my sister to break the psychic bond she now shares with the Emperor? No.
Q: Very well... there was also something else you and your sister both said when you visited her. You asked Sasha Cummings if she knew something you didn't know about your father. What did you mean by that?
A: Well, when Sasha asked me whether I would continue supporting my father even if he is later found guilty, there was this...glint in her eye, like she was challenging me. I just asked her that question on a hunch. She looked like she knew more than she was letting on.
Q: Do you think she knew more than she let on?
A: I don't know. It's hard to say. Sometimes, she would have threats up her sleeve but most of the time, she just wants to look like she has the upper hand to make you lose faith in yourself.
Q: Would you regard your relationship with your sister as being strained?
A: Yes. Q: Would you say that your relationship is strained enough to perhaps...get rid of her?
A: What are you suggesting? That I break her out of detention, transport her somewhere and then terminate her myself? Seriously? She was already removed from society when she was in custody. I didn't abduct her, neither did I help her escape.
Q: Where were you between 11:30 pm to 1 a.m. the night before last?
A: At my habitat. In my rest platform. Sleeping.
Q: Is there anyone to confirm your whereabouts?
A: No.
Q: Not even your neighbors?
A: I moved out of the family habitat a day before my father was arrested. I'm now living in the penthouse unit on the twenty-sixth floor of my office complex. I'll gladly have my beings send over the security footage of the office floors to verify what I just said.
Q: Yes, that would be helpful. As for leaving the family habitat, why?
A: Let's just say it was getting suffocating there.
Q: Please elaborate, Cummings.
A: Well...since last cycle, I haven't been able to tolerate my sister the way I always could.
Q: And why is that? Is it because she has a tendency to gravitate towards the darker parts of society?
A: What? No! Sasha's just void-crazy. She's not evil. Just...void-crazy.
Q: Crazy enough to make the suitable connections to escape detention?
A: No, her craziness isn't the type that attracts that form of resources. It's just the type that drives everyone around her crazy. If I were to be honest, escaping detention seems to exceed her own skill set and expertise. I mean, she can't even sneak out of our family habitat in the middle of the night cycle without waking my dad or me, or even us both sometimes. Escaping detention, with guards on all entrances and exits...it's just not possible for her.
Q: When you think of a possible being who may help her escape, who comes to mind?
A: (pause) No one I can think of.
Q: Not even an uncle?
A: What uncle?
Q: On our record, a certain Mr Richard Morland visited your sister a few hours before your visit. Morland is your late mother's family designation, isn't it?
A: Yes, but my mother had no brothers. Only a sister who remains unbonded, living in the Ice Sector. We haven't been in contact in decades. I doubt she ever matched with this being who came yesterday.
Q: Is your aunt not the type to bond?
A: No, it's not that. Aunt Carol is attracted to the same gender, and she escaped with her bonded match after my grandparents objected to their union.
Q: I see. Could it be one of Sasha Cummings's friends, perhaps?
A: It couldn't have been. They were more or less like her. You know, they'd just spend their time squandering their parents' credits on material items and intoxicants.
Q: It would seem like you've met her friends. Are you familiar with a close associate of your sister's, a Ms Livia Aphael?
A: Y-Yes.
Q: Care to explain your familiarity with this female?
A: Sh-She was my sister's closest friend. They're still very close, if I'm not mistaken.
Q: And what about you? How close are you to her?
A: I'm not.
Q: Are you sure?
A: Yes. She was just my sister's friend. That's it.
Q: So, apart from the fact that she was your sister's friend, she was nothing more to you?
A:...
Q: Answer the question, Cummings.
A: I just don't see how this is relevant.
Q: Until I have my answer, I can't see the relevance either. And avoiding the question would just prompt me to put a red flag on this particular issue.
A: We had intercourse. Once. That's it.
Q: So, during the course of your intimate relationship with...
A: There was no intimacy. It was just intercourse. My core had always belonged to another.
Q: During that short stint with Livia Aphael, did she mention anything about being able to do things that a normal creature couldn't do?
A: Like what?
Q: Break someone out of detention, perhaps?
A: No. Nothing came close to that. The only thing she'd go on and on about in the recreation centers was how sexually-attractive the High Commander is to her...
Q: The High Commander, Christian Blackfur?
A: No. The other High Commander, Greg Claw.
Q: I see. Anything else?
A: Well, she also loved bragging about being a relative of the Kyltons but I honestly don't see why she does it. They've been gone for cycles since the Emperor refused the heiress's hand.
Q: Did she ramble about anything else?
A: With me? No. With my sister...do you really want to know, officer? They'd just gossip about the daughters of the other ministers. Like how one is too tall, one has no taste, one would scare any male away. I wouldn't be of much help here. I can't even remember what they said about which one of them.
Q: I see. So, from your understanding. Livia Aphael and Greg Claw share a close relationship?
A: No, that would be misleading. From the way it looked, Livia may be intimately interested with the High Commander but the High Commander didn't seem to reciprocate.
Q: A one-sided interest, you mean?
A: Yes, that's about right.
Q: So, seeing that she liked him. It's possible that she helped him disappear?
A: Disappear? Greg Claw disappeared? Why aren't you questioning Livia about all of this?
Q: Because she has disappeared as well, Mr Cummings.
A: When?
Q: That's what we were hoping you could tell us.
A: How would I tell you? I mean, I would if I knew but how would I know? I haven't spoken to Livia for over a cycle! Whenever she visited Sasha, I'd leave the habitat! I am far from being privy to her whereabouts, officer.
Q: When was the last time you saw Livia Aphael?
A: Uh...I don't know. Last month, I think. She came over for a gossip session with Sasha. I don't know how long she stayed. I was out of the habitat within two minutes of hearing her voice.
Q: I see. Is there anything else you feel the need to mention, Cummings?
A: (a pause) Yesterday when I visited Sasha, she was...unusually calm. Normally, when something happens to her, something that takes away her freedom, she'd go void-crazy and throw a fit. But yesterday, she was calm when we talked about the severity of her situation. It was odd.
Q: And what do you gather from that?
A: I don't know. It's still a puzzle to me. My best guess is that she was calm because she already knew she wasn't going to be in here for long. Maybe she thought I would eventually bail her out, not that it would happen seeing that she attacked the Emperor and...Empress. I don't know, officer. My sister can hardly maintain a level head throughout anything, let alone something that curtails her liberty.
Q: I see. Anything else?
A: (a pause) Nothing I can think of at the moment.
Q: Alright, then. Thank you for your time, Mr Cummings. We'll contact you should we need any further information.'
When Orion clicked open the document on the Rogue Lyrokan, he felt me trying to remove his arm on my waist so he held me tighter. "Where are you going?"
I placed my communicator on his lap and said 'cleansing chamber' before breaking loose and heading for the refresher. Orion lifted my device and saw it was a reminder to be ready for evening consumption. After smiling to himself, he skimmed through the first three pages of the report before we left for the dining chamber together.
Everyone was surprised to see the High Commander's match making an appearance after all these cycles. Seeing how welcoming I was with Annie, the Kaelari welcomed her into their circle with utmost respect and courtesy. Many warmed up to her almost instantly. The Lyrokans, however, were completely different.
Some were courteous but those who remembered her from almost two decades ago forced smiles and formal gestures as the gears in their heads turned, thinking of a subtle way to make Annie feel small the same way I had made so many of their friends feel inferior in the past couple of weeks.
I was speaking to General Langford and a few Lyrokan warriors with Orion by my side. Christian left the dining chamber to change his formal suit after one of Marie Martin's offspring accidentally spilled synthetic wine over his white suit. After Annie spoke to a few Kaelari with Station Leader Hale's help, she decided she wanted a hydration solution and headed for the refreshments platform.
Annie was taking a sip of clear solution when she suddenly felt a presence drawing near.