Page 7 of Captain's Treasure
“The station has assigned us additional security,” Varik said over his shoulder.
“They’re required to remainoutsidethe ship.”
Varik huffed and entered a decontamination tube. Doc and Cyra followed. Finally cleared, they shuffled into the chaos that was the station Every visit, the massive number of beings and businesses within Cassan overwhelmed and awed Cyra. There were med centers that specialized in particular species as well as general medical facilities. Every product in the galaxy was available for purchase. Restaurants and bars and live shows. Sex workers and playgrounds. Cinemas and sports competitions. Cassan accommodated everyone and everything.
There could be anywhere from one to five million sentient beings inhabiting or traveling through the station at any one time. She hated it. She loved that she could buy the things she wanted, but the sheer number of bodies made her want to curl up in a ball and rock back and forth until the nightmare ended. That was her inner child. Her grown-up self trailed Doc and kept her eyes focused down and just in front of her to block out all the flashing lights, moving bodies, and interior transport vehicles. Although she’d never had a reason to visit the official galaxy offices and wasn’t sure how far they had to go, she could do this. Doc wanted her there for some reason that he had not disclosed to her. It had something to do withThe Treasure. She would face her fear of crowds for him and for Captain Auvi.
Cyra shifted on the bench in the records office, waiting for their number to be called. Her ass was numb, and she was bored out of her mind in the bland, once white, turned gray, room. The only distraction was a station feed into a video display mounted at ceiling level, delivering a non-stop stream of advertising. The ads for species specific restaurants, clothing for unique body shapes, and questionable entertainment had already begun to repeat.
Finally, they were called. She stood up just get her blood moving through her legs again. Varik was already at the video screen addressing the records clerk who was somewhere deeper in the locked off part of the offices.
“I need to report a death.” Varik told the bored-looking Nelite. The species were often hired to work in customer service locations. Their egg-shaped bodies and lack of emotion worked to their advantage.
“Credentials? Certificate?”
Doc stepped forward forcing Varik to step back. “I was the attending physician, Doctor Alfred Maretine.” he said holding his arm to the scanner to present his galaxy identification.
“Name of the deceased?”
“Auvi Thenal.”
“Do you have his recovered galaxy ID?”
“Here.” Doc slid a clear bag containing the chip that had been embedded in Captain Auvi’s primary right tentacle through a slot below the screen.
“Cause of death?”
“Unspecified natural causes.”
“Date of death?”
The questions went on from there in a rote manner. The more clinical questions the records representative asked, the more twisted Cyra’s guts became. Was this all there was when so great a being passed? There should be rending of clothes and stoppage of work. The heavens should weep and the stars should go dark. How could his life matter so little now? She was disheartened and humbled because her passing would be met with even less concern.
“I have an updated property transfer record.” The display shifted from the representative to a full-screen view of the doc. It was clear enough that Cyra could read it over Doc’s shoulder. Her legs weakened, and she braced against the counter.
“Is there any other document of record to be recorded?” the clerk asked.
“No.” Doc answered firmly.
“The death record is finalized. The titles of any and all solely owned property is now in the name of Cyra Meajzur, galaxy ID number 380943.8905468.78900001.AQUDelta998. Is there anything else that you require?”
“No.” Doc turned to Cyra. “Where’s Varik?”
“Huh?” Cyra asked, startled out of her disbelief. She turned to where Varik had been last, but he was gone. “He was just here.”
“Let’s go. The credit union. Now.” Doc grabbed her hand and started dragging her through the crowds at a much faster pace than they had used to get to the Records Office. “The credit accounts?—”
Doc’s comm rang with a shrill tone. He stopped, Cyra jerking to a halt to keep from plowing into him. “Veda. What’s wrong?”
Veda’s voice carried through the speakers, her distress clear. “Don’t come back. The spiders are loose. I’ve sealed the cargo bay.”
Cyra’s heart skipped. The deadly spiders were loose onThe Treasure? What about the male that had been brought on board? If he was locked in with them?—
“I’ll get Dez out —”
“Get off that ship. I’ll alert the station.”
Doc ended the transmission and punched more buttons on his comm.
