SUBJECT: Recruit Katherina Alferova of Coalition Militsiya.
RE: CLASSIFIED
As the hum of a transport ship subsided, a group of Coalition troopers emerged from the lock chamber. They had been waited for - a middle-aged man in white parade uniform with SCEC insignia and two bodyguards approached and saluted them:
- Greetings, comrades! We have been expecting you. Not often one can see guests on our secret X3 facility. New faces are also always welcome, especially by those lonely female mechanics on the lower deck. - the man chucked for a few second and returned to initial serious tone. - I believe, you are not the only guests here. There is a special visitor on board of the ship you arrived on, I presume.
- Greetings, comrade Chief Researcher Belov! Aye-aye, Sir! The package has been delivered safe and sound as requested. She is yours. - a trooper who appeared to be a sergeant made a gesture and a person with a hood on the head was pulled out of the cargo hold. It was a young women, possibly in her twenties, slightly trembling but showing restraint typical to people with military training.
- Wonderful, comrades! We will take it from here. At ease, soldiers. I am no your military senior to order around. Go and get some vodka in the bar! Even though we are in a such remote corner of space doesn't mean we can't have our own storage. Just be sure to keep away from Deck 2 - things happening there are beyond your comprehension and, I fear, are not to be seen by you at any event.
- Thank you for the hospitality, comrade CRO! We shall be off then.
The troopers having left, the prisoner was escorted to a small interrogation chamber. Her hands were locked within magnetic handcuffs and she was put on a small chair inside a room with a big screened window overlooking a planet, covered with a thick fog.
- Now, comrade Alferova, I shall put this bag away from your head. That's better, now we can see each other eye in the eye. Most probably, you recognise me - I am Doctor Mstislav Belov, Chief Research officer of the Expeditionary Corps. When you plead to us in search of your brother we could not, knowing of your brother being a renegade, but report this case to the Commissariat. Now, however, the person who questioned you is busy with other responsibilities. Since we were at the inception of your "treacherous" story, it would be wise for us to be its end. Yet, you and only you decide whether it is a happy end or a grim finale. But where are my manners? Let me welcome you to X3, SCEC facility in such a hole, that no ship will allow you to escape. Now that's settled, let us proceed with the procedure. We have a nice detector of truth and a new experimental truth serum. We will start with the detector as it is harmless but should you lies to us often, well, you will be one of the first to try out our new concoction of which I am very and very proud. And after the questioning, depending on your answers, we shall make you a proposal that would be very unwise to reject, more especially that it can redeem yourself and help the rest of the Coalition "forget" about your brother.
During the speech Dr. Belov was walking from side to side of a small room, his hands crossed behind his back. The eyes of prisoner gave away fatigue yet preserved full attention. - Well, my ranting should be over by now, I am a mere scientists with some administrative powers, you see. Believing in expertise in each field, I already invited a seasoned interrogator who can crack a walnut with his mere gaze. - on saying this Belov addressed the speakers in the corners of the room - Call in Major Grachov, please.