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and his tools, mechanically going through a basic inventory. “Missing a pair of gloves… Right, Doctor Dana nabbed them.” He checked the torch. It needed recharging, so he plugged it into the base station. He stepped out of his boots and stripped off his overalls. Then he gave the basic uniform pants he wore underneath a quick tug up, and the shirt a tug downward. And from the shelf in the locker, he pulled down his well-weathered pair of all-purpose leather boots — the really comfortable ones. His feet deserved a break.
    “Sure was brave of her to crawl under there to save the Ambassador. I must buy her a drink next time I see her. Lucky she was on deck and trained for evac. Not many of the Docs over at MCE would take such a risk.”
    Just for the hell of it, Rocky took a stroll over to the control center to pull up the recordings of the crash. It should prove entertaining.
    “Oh, excuse me,” the Chief mumbled, seeing Inspector Regis already at the station computers. He knew the Kentorian from previous encounters as a tedious but meticulous sleuth. That’s what it took to be an investigator. Rocky grumbled under his breath. “I don’t have the patience.”
    “Chief Antonio, good to see you again.”
    “Aye… Too bad it’s under these circumstances.” Rocky surveyed the look on the investigator’s face. He wasn’t at all happy. “What’s up?”
    “All the surveillance tapes are blank,” Regis announced. “Every last one. Up in the tower and down here. Can you explain that?”
    “Explain? Only one explanation, Inspector, somebody didn’t want it recorded.”
    “Is that conjecture?”
    “Yeah! It’s called an educated guess,” Rocky snapped. “It’d take a programming genius or a Star Service admiral to bypass all the security fail-safes.”
    Inspector Regis reluctantly nodded in agreement. “I assume you and your team took post-event images and recordings?”
    “Of course, already transmitted to FIT,” Rocky groaned. Regis had to know that already. You don’t get to be a Ground Control Chief by being sloppy.  
    “After I review the images, I should like to ask a few questions of you,” Regis stated.
    “I’ll be around,” Rocky said, forcing a toothy smile. Then he turned to go, suddenly in need of a drink a whole lot more urgently than before.

CHAPTER SEVEN

    “What if Cray survives?” Skeller demanded the moment his form solidified after MAT transfer and he spotted Xavier Via.
    Via ignored the statement and grabbed the box from Skeller’s hand. “You fool! You were supposed to get rid of this!”
    “With all those tubs and the Chief’s men… There was no opportunity.”
    Via returned to the computer station. “Do you realize who that woman was and why the tubs granted her access?”
    “Doctor Dana J. Cartwright… She knows the Chief,” Skeller answered.
    Via hacked into the SSID computer using the new codes and pulled up Cartwright’s personnel file to show Skeller.  
    “Well, well, well…just look at these credentials. Works at MCE, where they took the Ambassador.”
    Via grimaced. “Isn’t this a treat? An Enturian/Galaxean hybrid, smuggled in as the adopted daughter of Doctor David Cartwright.”  
    Skeller found the file impressive. “She’s no lightweight.”
    Via nodded. “I’m going to need something with her DNA signature.” He pointed out some personal facts about Cartwright to Skeller. “Here’s the location of her home. Get over there with a DNA scanner. Get something with her fingerprints, too, but most importantly, something with hair or saliva. Don’t trash the place. Don’t leave any evidence anyone has been there,” Via ordered. “I’ve overridden the access key pad. The door will open only once. Don’t blow it!”
    Skeller groaned. “I won’t.” He took a few steps away from Via and then the MAT pod effect engulfed him and energized.  
    “All it takes is one,” Via complained, going back to the terminal. “One little snag and it