9. Rescue
Alpha and the Synth were in Transporter Room 1, along with a replicated coracle, which the Synth would use to board the distressed ship. “Ready for transport?” Alpha asked.
“Yes,” the Synth answered. “I have run through all your scenarios.”
“Very good,” Alpha said as she moved behind the console.
“Energize.”
The Synth materialisd, in the coracle a short distance from the ship. Alpha continued to watch his progress via the probe.
Nina entered the library on her third day of work. Immediately she was called into the head Librarian's office. She could see the expression on her new boss' face. “Is something wrong?”
“Aialah Talan hasn't come in today.”
That was something Nina hadn't expected. “She didn't.”
“I know something of what occurred yesterday,” the Head Librarian divulged. “Including about the book that shouldn't have been loaned.” She shook her head.
“What I suspect is personal, but I have reason to believe she could be in danger.”
“I knew about her and the Mayor's son. So I suspected that something like this could happen,” the Head Librarian got up from behind the desk and paced. “But Aialah is missing and I should have looked out for her more.” She gestured to the pile of paperwork at one end of the desk and sighed.
Nina could see that the Head Librarian took duty of care seriously. It was just as well she had read up on the way this particular society worked. “So, you have informed the Police and the Guild then? Why are you telling me this?”
“The Guild, yes,” the Head Librarian answered. “The Police, not yet. The latter may be more influenced by the Mayor than I like.”
'Of course. It will the Guild leading this investigation,' Nina thought. She just wanted a quiet few days! “So...”
“Given that Aialah confided in you, a little, the Guild wants you to help with the investigation.”
Nina nodded.
The Emergency Away Mission Synthetic analysed the refusal that the crew member had given him. “Why?”
“You have your answer. The Captain won't see you, and we can repair the ship ourselves!”
“I still can repair your ship.”
The crewmember then brandished a sword. “Get off this ship!”
Alpha saw saw the Synth retreat. She supposed she could beam him into the hold, but that was still rather risky from a Prime Directive standpoint. 'There's probably not much choice if the ship is to be saved,' she thought. She wished she had tried to run simulations of external repairs to the hull. She shook her head. There was no way the Synth could have done that.
“Emergency Away Mission Synthetic to Baffin.”
“Alpha here.”
“I was unable to gain entry to the hold.”
“Could you try again?” she asked. A look at the sensor data told her there were crew in the hold. She wasn't sure they would leave it.
“There's a high probability of failure, but I'll try.”
“Is that strange man asking to help repair the ship again?” the Captain asked.
“He is. I should note that the cracks in the hull are getting bigger. We won't be able to save the cargo.”
“Forget the cargo, can all of us escape?”
“Yes, barely. The jollyboats are ready to go.”
“Good. Now, tell that man to go.”
The Synth saw the Mate approaching. “His answer?”
“Clear off. We have the repairs well in hand.”
“I can repair your ship.”
“No!” the mate said, brandishing a sword again.
“Withdraw,” Alpha said.
Nina had worked for a few hours before she was called into the Head Librarian's office again. The local Guild Representative was there. “So, Nina Lumber?”
“That's me.”
“So, Aialah Alera-Kalrea confided in you about why she thought she would get into trouble?”
“Yes.”
The interview went on for a while, during which Nina filled in the Representative on what had happened two days earlier.
“Thanks for the help,” the Representative said.
“I would like her to be found too.”
“Stay at the library after work and I'll fill you in on what has been figured out so far.”
“Sure.”
During her lunch break, Nina went back to the TARDIS. She wondering if she would be able to find Aialah using the Scanner. 'OK, TARDIS, scan the data downloaded so far. Search for Aialah Alera-Kalrea.”
The TARDIS beeped. A picture of Aialah came up. The word Missing was prominent in the poster. 'That didn't help.' But she had barely begun. “Right, the last time she was seen in surveilance footage.”
There was another beep and a video of Aialah and the Mayor's son appeared. The time stamp indicated it was taken the previous night. It was at the city's main train station and they were waiting at the platform.
“Were there trains scheduled last night?”
A list of services to that station came up on the screen. None of them matched the timestamp, which was firmly an hour after the last one. Something had happened to her after that? Locating the Mayor's son would be the next step.
“Search for Karlan Lanronal.”
Mayor Lanronal honors son for services rendered.
