Spy network

Bleu was not convinced that she was the best person for this job. Talking to people had never been her strongest skill - but Emely had insisted, and it was frighteningly difficult to say no to the redhead when she made eyes at you. Especially when everything that was going on was all about social interaction, which was the Feliax woman’s professional area of expertise, and so you had to trust she knew what she was doing.

As a result, the Queri medic was stuck trying to make small talk with the doctors on this station. The only thing she had going for her was that they were mostly of a similar mind; sharing medical ideas was common practice amongst most healers, and as a result they lowered their guard surprisingly quickly. Her current conversational partner - a rather cheerful alien who looked somewhat like pictures Dustin had shown her of moles from his home world - was even quicker to relax than most. “And of course-of course we have the rate-rate of sickness recorded on the inner-inner ring. So many more council members getting-getting sick of late, although with only minor-minor infections according to the team that monitors-monitors such things…”

Elsewhere on the station, Dustin frowned as he browsed goods in the marketplace. Officially, his presence there with Yril’k acting as escort was to obtain souvenirs for his lovers who had not joined the away team. Unofficially, he was observing how people reacted to a human, alongside keeping his ears open for any gossip. Yril’k, meanwhile, was apparently monitoring a whole range of things that he couldn’t perceive to do with pheromones, and would be communicating anything she thought important by prearranged hand signals. Their mission was easy enough - find out what the people not directly involved with governance or bureaucracy thought about the goings on.

“So, you are interested in the flowers? They are very easy to keep - only need watering once a month. Very dry world they come from, very very dry.” The florist smiled - or at least, Dustin assumed that was what the twitching of the long proboscis like snout meant, before the translator clicked again. “Impressed I am to see a human in my shop… with the reports of late, I was wondering if I would meet your kind at all.”

That got Dustin’s attention. “Why?” he asked, before gesturing to the flowers and adding “can you arrange transit to my ship on the outer ring?” The florist nodded, and Dustin paid with some of the limited amount of tokens that apparently were used for luxury purchases on this station - Linne had pressed them on Emely the previous day, suggesting they might prove useful. As the alien packaged the blooms carefully in transport pods, fussing over substrate, they gestured to their tablet. “All over the news… you are friends with the Yuran and L’Adra, and well, both of those species aren’t to be trusted. Rogue science and theft, you know? People are saying the council is debating sanctions against anyone associated with the Yuran for their stealing that weave drive, and so I doubt humans will be traveling much soon.”

The figure finished packaging the flowers, glanced around, and then leaned forward. “Of course, there’s also the rumors on the station itself… it isn’t my place to say, but folk notice things. Have a word with the owner of the silicate food stand at the end of the row. She’s the best to talk about that kind of thing.”

Dustin nodded, thanked the florist for their time and left; Yril’k indicating with a subtle tap of her fingers against her chitin that the alien had been nervous - and telling the truth as far as the Vex’ess’s senses could tell. Nodding at his guardian and rolling his shoulders, Dustin turned to follow up on their lead.

While Dustin traipsed around the market, Sammie was engaged in another kind of discussion. “I’m telling you, Grav-ball is the best. It’s not got restrictions on physical contact like some of these sports, but it’s not active combat unlike the martial displays. Just healthy competition.” The squat alien opposite her shook his two heads. “Demonstration duels are where it is at, human-female-acquaintance. It shows the true physicality of a species.”

Sammie sighed. “But where’s the fun in that? Besides, I’ve done training with different species on my ship, and no matter the advantages you think a species has, there’s a way around them.” The alien chuckled and nodded one head while the other took a mouthful of food from the bowl on the table in front of them in this narrow bar overlooking one of the station’s sporting arenas. “Of course. That’s why duels are so interesting.” He replied, before leaning back and steepling his hands over his chest in a remarkably human gesture. Pausing, Sammie’s new acquaintance frowned with both faces before continuing “this is an odd time for sports on the station - all the markets are awry.” He sighed, then added “I can’t even place a bet safely below the top flight anymore.” Sammie frowned at that, gesturing for a passing waiter to top up their drinks before she asked “why?”.

The alien took a grateful sip of the foaming beverage that arrived moments later before answering her. “You don’t follow the lower deck leagues at all I take it? Minor stuff, mostly of interest to those of us that live in the system. There’s a good few hundred teams, mostly engineers and janitorial staff on their off-shifts, no professional players. Play most of the different sports we have proper leagues for, and a bunch that aren’t officially sanctioned - those are the ones where the good betting is in my opinion. Or at least, it was until about two years ago… accidents always happen on the lower levels, we are on a space station after all, but more and more teams are finding it hard to maintain full rosters for an entire season of late.”

In their study some time later, Emely listened to the reports from her impromptu spies. “What did the food merchant say, Sir?” she asked Dustin, tails flickering as she pondered all the information they’d brought back. Dustin set his drink down and sighed. “Not much, I’m afraid. Seemed jumpy about the fact I was a human - but did hint at disappearances on the station” he said, before asking what they were all thinking. “This feels a little too like some of the situations we’ve encountered around Fractal infiltration before, doesn’t it?

Emely nodded, then shook her head. “Yes, and no. It does - but then, this is a major space station. The lower decks have their own ecosystem in places like this - who knows what kinds of things lurk in the deep vents. And the council-envoys are all running their own games; we’ve not got much to go on right now. It could be Fractals attacking, but with what Bleu said about council members getting sick… it could also just be that our opponents are engaging in some kind of shenanigans. Not every problem goes back to the Fractals.”

The group sat in silence for a moment, pondering the fox girl’s words before at last Sammie sat forward. “So, Emmz, what’s our next move? Do we wait for the meeting with the council, or should we start picking fights on the lower decks to see if we can stir up whatever is causing trouble?”

It took a minute or two before Emely responded, the Feliax clearly turning the idea over in her head before she spoke. “Nooo… I don’t think stirring things up would be a good idea. At least until our meeting; if they are trying to use the Yuran thing to censor us, causing problems won’t help our cause. And Yril’k’s the only one with real weapons anyway, so if we do stir up something bad we’d struggle to deal with it.” Drumming her fingers on the desk, Emely frowned. “Based on the last message I got from Linne, we should be having that meeting tomorrow afternoon. Only Dustin and I will be allowed in the chamber itself, but I want you three waiting outside so they can’t try anything.”

The assembled party nodded, before Emely continued. “Assuming the meeting goes the way I expect it will after reviewing Linne and Veil’k’s files, we’ll have follow-up discussions for the next few days. If things go badly tomorrow, our plans will involve getting off this station and back to Sola as quickly as possible; if they go well, then we’ll look into these disappearances in more detail. In the meantime though - Bleu, if you wouldn’t mind following up on the sickness rate? See if you can find out about who makes up the team that’s monitoring it. Might be useful information.”

With Bleu sighing as she took on yet more social work, Dustin rose from his seat. “Alright, in that case… meeting adjourned. Now for the easiest and hardest part of the day - acting like we’re just a normal ambassadorial group lounging around while we wait for time to pass.” At that comment, Yril’k stood too. “I will’k go and polish my blades’k then, so you will not be embarrassed again’k by Emely demanding the’k use of your lap as a pillow, Captain’k.”