Chapter Three (B): Eric & Alice

[Akirapryde]

Through out the entire conversation Alice did a superb job at acting like she was completely part of the conversation and followed everything. Erik on the other hand knew the wiser. The scientist had never demonstrated any skill with other languages. Once the Major left the room, Alice calmly turned to Erik, "okay so I didn't understand any of that. Could you please fill me in or do I get to remain in the dark?" She spoke in English in a lowered voice.

[aipsylon]

"We'll find out in a short while, I did what I could to assure him that we were not enemy agents meanwhile learning a little bit about our situation here. He is checking with the Sho Sho now, either we are about to be thrown in prison, or we should be able to move about with less suspicion, depending on if he believed me or not."

[Akirapryde]

Alice blinked a few times, "please forgive, but espionage is just not my strongest suite. Is now a good time to speak about our situation or shall we wait till later for you to fill us in?"

She looked towards the door then back to Erik, "I didn't need to speak German to realized that what ever he was speaking about, meant a lot to him. When shall I play my part? Is there a reason to be concerned."

[aipsylon]

"You already have Alice, but thank you for your willingness. I'll wait till we are all together again to save time, but basically we are just on a vessel with a number of VIPs aboard, and yes his family and the future of the star league both were important to the man, he made that quite clear, as for concern, no no reason, unless he did not believe the truth which is always a risk of course."

[Akirapryde]

After a few short moments, the Major returned. Erik noticed that his demeanor had changed. He seemed more agitated over something. There was clearly an attempt to hide this, but Erik could see right through it. "I spoke with the Sho Sho, and she is greatly relieved by your honesty," he said and Erik could tell was a truthful statement. "She has nothing for you at this time," he added as the man motioned for Erik and Alice to follow him. Once more Erik could tell it was a truthful statement but there was something else. Something going on that was more important than speaking with the party.

As they were led out of the conference room, Erik got a glimpse at the Bridge down the hall. A crewmen was walking through an open door. He could only see part of the bridge through the door. He saw a weapon's station. While he couldn't read the Japanese writing, he could tell that the ship's sensors were tracking something on a approach. It was large and enough to cause the senior officers reason for concern. He could see Sho Sho Tetsuhara standing near another officer, presumably the dropship's captain. The emotion on her face was frustration. However, most importantly Erik noticed that the weapons on his ship were in a non-active state. Then as quickly as the scene on the bridge was opened up to Erik, the large airtight door was closed.

Alice and Erik were led to a near by lift and sent back to their level with, "we will contact you if there is anything more we wish to talk to you about."

[aipsylon]

Erik glanced toward the bridge, then nodded to the Major. "Jake, Our Pilot is excellent. If he can help I am sure he would like to give thanks for saving us. Other than that, you know where we'll be. Thank you again for your time and understanding Major." He waited to see if the major would be coming with them or leaving them on their own in the elevator. One there he pressed the button bringing them back to the deck that their host had set their living quarters on.

[Akirapryde]

Erik glanced toward the bridge, then nodded to the Major. "Jake, Our Pilot is excellent. If he can help I am sure he would like to give thanks for saving us. Other than that, you know where we'll be. Thank you again for your time and understanding Major." He waited to see if the major would be coming with them or leaving them on their own in the elevator. One there he pressed the button bringing them back to the deck that their host had set their living quarters on.

Just as the doors were closing Erik heard something, but it was the sudden appearance of a hand between the doors that actually surprised even Erik. Even Alice leaped back at the sudden event. The doors opened up as the Major had a very serious look on his face as he held a small communicator, “Speak in English, I cannot understand your Japanese” he barked at the communicator while looking deep in to Erik’s eyes. Something was going on and the Major had every intention of keeping Erik close.

Over the communicator, Erik got his answer, “SHE’S GONE! KIMIKO IS GONE!”

Major Tetshuara spoke again in to the communicator, “Where are the visitors. I have the Lyran and the Clanner right here with me.”

The communicator answered up, “the blind girl and the nerd are with our people in the Rec Room. We don’t know where their Captain and the pilot is.”

Major Tetsuhara’s eyes narrowed as they continued to look in to Erik’s eyes, “we will conduct a search from the bridge. You start your searches on the levels your teams are at.” He said holding something back. Erik wasn’t sure what that something was, but clearly the Major was keeping something back from the bodyguards. He turned off the communicator and motioned down the corridor, “It turns out that we have a few more questions for you and your friend. Please come with me,” he said to Erik and Alice.

[aipsylon]

Erik gave a sigh as the hand reached in, it seemed someone changed their mind then he could hear the tension in it as well as the information about Kimiko. "They went right down the Hall from the med bay. "Looking for some room that had a view of space, now I will go to sit where you would like for us to wait so that you can do what you need to."

[Akirapryde]

Major Tetsuhara led Erik and Alice towards the bridge. He opened that hatch, "Kimiko is missing" he announced in English as he walked on to the Bridge. The announcement was clearly for Erik and Alice's benefit. After directing Erik and Alice to a place on the bridge, the Major spoke to Sho Sho Tetsuhara in Japanese. On a side station, the Major and Sho Sho were able to quickly locate Thorchan who was still in the lounge with other members of the crew. However there was no sign on Jake or Kimiko.

Shortly after another conversation in Japanese Sho Sho Tetsuhara walked up to Erik and Alice, "My father doesn't seem to think that you are involved in Kimiko's disappearance," she said in English. "I need to if you can help us locate the last member of your people."

[aipsylon]

"He should have been with the captain here, but if he isn't then I would guess that he is in a hangar, is there one on at deck?" Erik started with the clear progress that Jake was likely to have taken. "Though I might say that if he is with Kimiko, then you're better off looking for where she would have led. Jake is an amazing pilot with a good had on his shoulders, but he's a green horn, not the kind to break the rules, you know. So you want my help finding Jake, I've got two possibilities for ya one he's with Kimiko where she wants to be, two he's in the hangar, because that boy looks at ships the way most men look at women."