Zack Starbinder approached the station, static in midair in front of the stabilized rift. "Tannhäuser Station, this is the Varyag medical gunship, requesting clearance and permission to dock to help investigate."
The Duchess, walking into the hanger bay, blinked as she heard Zack over the comm. "Oh, dear." She looked up as Justine's clear voice came over the PA system.
"Varyag medical ship, you are cleared to land at Hangar 2. Please report to Security after clearing the arrivals terminal for full briefing on the current station alert level. Thank you for your help, and welcome to Tannhäuser."
"Thanks, Tannhäuser Station. Initiating landing sequence."
She watched as the ship landed, powering down, and the access plank lowered as Zack walked out. He moved quickly up the stairs to the small catwalk she stood on.
"Greetings, Duchess!"
"Hello!"
The poet walked around the corner, smiling. "Hi, Emilly!" He pulled her into a hug, and she grinned against his chest. Zack, meanwhile, looked out at the ship on the main platform.
"Is this the mysterious ship Justine was talking about, or...?"
Emilly pulled back with a smile. "Hi, Rusty." Then she looked over at the stark lines of the unknown ship. "This seems to be the one."
Meanwhile, Zack looked down at his padd. "This explains why I found this in the database. It says this ship should be registered to the Duc's name?"
"It doesn't look as...patchwork...as normal Reaver craft, so maybe it's something new the Duke acquired to retrofit?" Emilly asked.
"Unless he is the kind to leave a shuttle here and take another ship out, but...that's not his type of ship, is it?"
Emilly thought. "That's...a good question."
Zack frowned. She turned to look at him.
"Two good questions, actually. Though he does keep a lot of ships docked at any given time."
Zack turned his padd so Emilly could look at the readout. "Duchess, may I advise you take a look at the Duc's shuttle traffic to see for any unusual departing and arriving of your husband? Or to see if any ships were reported missing over the last few days?"
She dutifully looked. "I can do that," she said, "though admittedly, that's something Justine usually keeps track of. But I'll check."
Rusty leaned over the railing. "Has anyone tried to look inside of this ship?"
Emilly shook her head. "Not unless Justine did."
Zack handed her the pad, unslinging his bow as he sighed. "You two stay here, I'll go take a look."
Emilly touched the padd, pulling up another list, shunting it to the side. "So what do you think? I didn't see anyone on the scans but us."
"There's no one inside, either," said Zack from the hanger floor.
Emilly tapped her chin with a finger. "So, mysterious ship. Mysterious armaments. No one inside. No word from the Duke. Great."
Zack slung his bow behind him again, moving behind the Duchess, rubbing her shoulders reassuringly. "We will find if there is any intruder inside the station."
She smiled up at him.
"What evidence do we have of an intruder, again?" Rusty asked.
Emilly shrugged. "Just the ship. And Justine was nervous."
"Okay..."
Zack grinned. "Will I have to teach you a few archery lessons, Rusty?"
"Hmm," Rusty said, pondering. "If you shoot an arrow in space, what happens?"
"It will continue to fly until it reaches its target. Unless there's artificial gravity."
Rusty grinned at him. "Okay."
"Companions normally never use firearms, but bows and arrows don't count, as such."
Rusty nodded. "Werre you able to get inside the ship?"
Zack shook his head. "I did not find a door, or any outside opening trigger. So either it opens at distance, or only for someone inside...or both."
Rusty nodded. "Okay."
"And either way, if someone was aboard, they're not here now," Emilly added.
"Seems that way," Zack said.
"Seems weird, though," Rusty added.
(Continued on part CXIX.)
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