Things have gone from bad to worse. I'm stuck here in Denver General Hospital. Again.
I almost got away. After writing my last entry, I jumped on my room console and started scanning Navy frequencies. I blessed my luck when I saw that the LNS Valhalla was in the area. I knew Admiral Adamson... this man, I thought, I can trust.. I opened a channel on the command frequency. Time was critical... there was a good chance that my conversation would be monitored.
"Admiral Adamson," I began. "This is Captain Tannik Seldon."
"Good Afternoon, Captain." he replied. "Glad to see you back in the saddle." Apparently, Adamson assumed that I was released by now.
"Actually, I'm still in the hospital." I replied. "They were supposed to release me today, but when I went to check out, they told me I still had another week. That's impossible, thoughl. I checked last night, and my treatment transcript had today as the release date."
"So what's the holdup?" He asked. I detected a trace of annoyance... why was I bothering him with this?
"Is this channel secure?" I asked.
"It is now," Adamson replied.
"Good. Something strange is going on, and I need your help. I think Governor OsoRojo is in danger, and I think I might be too." This last statement was a gross understatement. I was pretty sure then that I was in trouble, and now I know for certain that I am.
"Now hold on a second, Captain," Adamson asked, "what makes you say that?" I paused. I wasn't quite sure how to respond. I wasn't even entirely sure what made me so convinced. Would he believe what I had to say?
"You know," I heard the Admiral say after a couple seconds of silence, "now that you mention it..." I was flooded with relief. Apparently I wasn't the only person to notice that something sinister was going on. "I'll be at Denver in a few, and then we can talk."
Yes, we would talk. I didn't know what was happening. I had a few pieces of the puzzle, and it sounded like Adamson had a few more. If we got together, then maybe we could catch a glimpse of the true picture. And maybe we could do something. At the very least, we needed to warn the Governor. I don't know why, but I felt that the warning sent in the mysterious message I received was accurate.
But before any of that could happen, I needed to get out of this hospital. But the hospital wasn't letting me go. I took a deep breath and began.
"I need to get out of this hospital. Admiral, I know this sounds crazy, but I don't think they're going to release me soon. Maybe not at all. So here's the plan. I'll go down to the desk and double check with them to see if I can get an early check out. You storm in and arrest me. That should confuse them enough to give us time to get away." And then maybe we'll get a chance to solve this mystery, I thought. This is crazy. Is Adamson really going to go for this?
I could almost hear Adamson's eyebrows raising. "You think you're in that much trouble?"
"Someone is after me. But they won't move openly." I replied quietly. "Admiral, look at what's been happening the last few days. Gurney found dead. SA leadership called into question, then unceremoniously preempted. Kaine's ship goes missing. Call me paranoid, but think something is happening."
"We're coming, Tannik," Adamson replied. "Sit tight." I guess that means "ok..." I hope this works. This isn't exactly a well thought-out plan. But I don't have time for one of those. I headed back down to the lobby. I didn't have any posessions to bring with me... I had launched my fighter all those days ago without anything but my uniform, and it was all that I had now.
I approached the lobby desk again, and put on my best smile for the lobby secretary. She saw me, recognized me, and glared. Fine. It didn't really matter, all I needed to do was keep her busy until I could be "arrested" and rescued. If I'd timed things correctly, Adamson should be here any minute.
"Listen, miss, I'm sure that I was supposed to be out today." I started. "It must be a mistake in your paperwork. The secretary sighed.
"No, Mr. Seldon, we don't make those kinds of mistakes."
"The heck you don't!" I exploded, despite myself. I regained composure, then continued. "Sorry, I didn't mean it that way. I'm sure it's not your fault. Is there anyone I can call about this?"
"No...I don't think there is." the secretary replied curtly. "You should just go back to your room and wait." Wait for what? I wondered. I was sure I didn't want to "wait" and find out.
"Anytime now..." I mumbled to myself. THe secretary looked at me quizically. Blast. "I mean, uh, anytime now..." I searched for something to say.
BAM! The lobby door slammed open. It was Adamson! "Tannik Seldon, you are under arrest."
"What?" the secretary said. A burly officer grabbed me and placed me in handcuffs. "But he's not supposed to be discharged..." the secretary mumbled.
"You have the right to remain silent," Adamson said to me, then directed a stern "Stay out of this" to the secretary. He continued reading me my rights as I was shuffled toward the door. "Sergeant, get him to the shuttle as quick as possible. If he resists, stun him." No problem there.
As we boarded the shuttle and took off for the Valhalla. "Sorry my guys were so rough," Adamson apoligized. "We had to make it look convincing."
The shuttle flight was short... we landed on the Valhalla a couple of minutes later. "Thanks Admiral," I said. "Now let's go find the governor. Find me a terminal and I'll download a copy of the message I received."
Adamson didn't reply for a second. Then he said quietly, "Sergeant, take Cpt. Seldon to the brig."
No. NO!
"Uh, Admiral?" I asked, dreading the response."Just how convincing does this need to be?"
"Don't fight it, Tannik." Adamson said quietly again. "I'd hate to have you hurt."
"WHAT!" I yelled. "I trusted you!"
"And I hope that you still trust me..." Adamson replied.
"We'll see," I said bitterly.
"...but I can only trust a few people," the Admiral finished. "Now march, mister."
"Yes. Sir." I saluted angrily, then let the guard escort me to the brig of the Valhalla.
The next couple of days were terrible. I never saw Adamson during that time. I didn't get any news. No natural light. No company. Just the terrible anticipation of what was to come and the gut-wrenching feelings of betrayal and helplessness. Why was this happening to me? Why was I being systematically rendered powerless to do anything at all? For all I know, the Governor never got my warning. Adamson's last words haunted me... "and I hope that you still trust me." I didn't know who I could trust anymore. One of the few I was sure I could trust had betrayed me.
After a couple of days that felt like weeks, I found myself escorted out of the brig and into the shuttle. I was hardly surprised to find myself stepping onto the grounds of Denver Hospital a few minutes later. I numbly followed my escort back inside, where I was led to a room, different from the one I had had before. I had no energy to fight, no will to resist.
I don't know how long I sat there, my head in my hands. Would it even matter at this point if I demanded a lawyer? None had been provided yet, and I didn't hold out hope for one coming in the future. Nobody seemed concerned now with my legal rights, either as a Navy officer or as a citizen. Nobody had told me why I was coming back to the hospital. I'm still very much a prisoner... I've just been moved.
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