"Day seventeen of the Vice President hostage crisis. Calls for renewed talks with the Relicans to gain access to the tunnel infrastructure are getting louder, with many blaming the President for a lack of initiative. Representative Boward, who filled the Vice President's vacated seat after his election to the White House, voiced the opinion shared by several members of her party that the President and those who refuse to allow the Relicans to aid with the search are obstructionists, playing a game of politics when a man's life is at stake. As for the President, she points to incidents such as the riots in sectors sixteen and three, where interactions between humans and Relicans ended with violence, as proof that keeping the races separated while tensions are high is the right course."

Inlan switched off the prerecorded Earthan news broadcast that was playing in his ear. He was nearing the end of the access tunnel between transport ranges, and needed to keep all of his attention on his surroundings. It was three in the morning in that sector, so the likelihood of the transports moving was minimal, but these Earthans had proven themselves to be dangerously unpredictable, so he couldn't let his guard down.

With a jaw-cracking yawn he leaned against the door. It was three in the morning on the Irral, too. After his tutoring session with Sanford the evening before, he'd been so inspired that he spent a few hours practicing when he should have been resting. He'd been working all sorts of wild hours since joining the orchestra, and hardly ever saw his own crew members. He wondered how Lutari and the twins were doing. Was she experiencing any discomfort yet? It was probably still too early for that. Maybe he should visit her in Communications later. No, that would be unprofessional. While friendships often developed among Squad members of the same department, seeking out the company of specific individuals who weren't mates was discouraged, as that could result in preferential treatment.

No Relican above another. The words rang clearly in his mind, drilled in after years of repeating the sacred tenets every morning before classes. He was no longer a part of Lutari's life, and soon a new mate would take her place. His seed organ stirred against his shield as his mutinous mind pictured Clementine filling that role.

He yanked opened the door, reminding himself to focus. Casting a wide beam of light into the pitch black range, he scanned for transport pods. Seeing none, he switched his mechasuit sensor on. It would alert him if something was moving in his direction, and one couldn't be too careful here. The range was a vast expanse through which the transports moved freely. There were no tracks or designated pathways, so a transport could come from any direction and without any warning. The light waves that propelled them would be visible, as would the digital display indicating where the pod was going, but they were so quiet that it was still easy to miss them if one was distracted.

Though it was before Inlan's time with the Squad, he'd been told that the silent movement of the transports had been an accommodation for the Triditeri, a species with extremely acute senses due to the nearly lightless planet they originated from. Because the Squad was able to manage nearly all maintenance from the Irral, the transports had remained noiseless ever since. But as he jogged across the wide passageway, Inlan made a mental note to recommend to Commander Hoff that some sort of system be put in place. It would be extremely dangerous if someone had to cross this gauntlet during peak travel hours.

A soft chime sounded in his ear, and he checked his control panel. A pod was coming in on his left. Yes, he could see the light in the distance. He continued running, picking up speed. The transports were designed to sense each other to avoid collision, but Inlan didn't emit the same frequency as a pod, so the transport wouldn't see him. Maybe that was something he could program his mechasuit to do?

He tucked the idea away and kept running. Ideally he wouldn't be spending much more time down here to make it worth the research. The pod passed harmlessly by far behind him, and Inlan encountered no more as he made his way to the entrance to the sector twelve auditorium. Anxious to escape the treacherous range, he nearly opened the doors without checking for occupants. He thanked the Great Metalsmith that he did follow protocol, however, when his heartbeat sensor indicated thirteen people in the auditorium.

Inlan had spent countless hours studying Earthan habitation, identifying optimal measurements for furniture, egress points, and living space, so the fact that so many of them had opted to live in the dark, generic tunnels rather than the painstakingly customized dwellings irked him to no end. He'd encountered clusters of these Earthans during his clandestine excursions, but so far had avoided being seen. Eager to continue that streak, he ran along the wall until he came to the hatch leading to the access passage on this side of the range. He started to turn off the heartbeat sensor that was still active, but paused when he noticed two people inside the hall within.

How did anyone get in there? Of course, Inlan had been scouring the corridors for just this reason, but he hadn't actually thought the Earthans would be able to access them. Besides the transport doors, the only other way to get into the access passages was through the crawl spaces, like the one Clementine had caught him in, but those could only be unlocked with a mechasuit.

Could they be Relican? Commander Hoff had said that Inlan would be the only one searching these sectors, but maybe he was getting impatient and sent more scouts down. But would he do that without telling Inlan?

The two heartbeats were deep inside the passage, and both were stationary. Relican soldiers searching for the Vice President wouldn't be staying in one place for so long. No, something horny was definitely going on here...

He frowned. Was that the correct phrase? It didn't sound right, but so few of the Earthan sayings made any sense. He'd have to confirm when he got back.

A chime in his ear warned of another transport heading towards him, from the other side this time. Inlan quickly weighed his options. He could go into the corridor and investigate, but with the mostly straight and empty nature of the access passages, the likelihood of being seen was high; or he could try accessing the passage from the auditorium, but that would take longer, and one of the thirteen people in there might see him.

The transport was drawing nearer. He could already read the digital display saying it was on its way to the sector twelve transport station. He had to move. Taking his chances with the people in the corridor -- if they were engaging in criminal activities they were probably less likely to report if they saw him -- he opened the hatch and slipped inside.

Inlan turned both sensors off and headed deeper into the pitch black tunnel. Sliding his gloved fingers lightly along the wall, he stepped softly. He passed one intersecting passage, and the ladder that he had originally intended to use to inspect the auditorium from the access panel in the ceiling. Only after he reached the hatch to the auditorium crawl space did any sounds became audible. He stopped to listen, but when he couldn't make out any words he continued forward.

A moan -- a man's, Inlan guessed -- echoed down the metal corridor. A woman began humming, and the man gasped.

Inlan stopped, not wanting to get too close, but he wished there was at least a little light. What were they doing?

The man's breath was heavy, and he let out soft grunts in a quick, steady rhythm, as if he were exerting himself physically.

But in the hallway? Was he trying to damage the metal corridor somehow? Inlan didn't hear any tools.

The woman continued humming, but it sounded strange -- muffled, and varying rapidly in volume, as if she were covering and uncovering her mouth over and over. In fact, Inlan could hear what sounded like skin hitting skin, but that only confused him further.

"Oh babe," the man groaned, then repeated himself with greater intensity. "Oh babe. Oh, oh --"

The shuffling sound ceased, and the woman stopped humming. The man's breathing had paused, but was now returning in long, slow exhalations and contented sighs.

Suddenly Inlan understood what had happened. He'd seen videos of Earthan pairing while doing research for the Culture Report, and they employed various positions and techniques for accomplishing the task. Inlan's organ stirred, remembering the one when the woman had taken the man in her mouth. At the time he'd been able to watch those videos with nothing more than scientific curiosity -- well, almost nothing more. But now he couldn't help but imagine Clementine doing the same for him: those pink lips wrapped around him, her hot tongue on his cool skin...

"How's that for returning the favor?"

The woman's smiling voice rent Inlan from his distracting thoughts. They were closer than he had realized. He backed away.

The man chuckled, but didn't speak. Or perhaps he whispered something, because the woman let out a soft laugh and said, "Everything's going according to plan."

The soft sounds of what Inlan recognized as an Earthan kiss filled his ears. Then the woman said, "Although I like to think I've been full of surprises." One of them, probably the man, sucked in a quick breath, and she let out a low, throaty laugh.

A pale white light broke the darkness. It was in front of the two figures, so Inlan still couldn't see them, although he could hear their footsteps moving in his direction. They murmured to each other, but Inlan was too focused on staying in the shadows and out of range of their flashlights in the long, empty hall to try and make out their words. He felt the hatch that led to the auditorium backstage, and briefly considered hiding inside it, but if for some reason that was where they were headed, he would be seen for sure. He continued down the passage, choosing instead to hide in the intersecting corridor. Slipping around the corner, he crouched and waited, hoping to see their faces as they walked past.

A whisper of movement behind him was the only warning he got before being struck hard in the head. Stunned, he dropped to his knees. A blinding light shone directly into his face.

"Oh shit," said the man who had hit him. "Run!" he shouted, quickly following his own advice.

Inlan's head ached, but it took more than paltry Earthan strength to incapacitate him. He jumped to his feet and turned on his own illumination, spearing the dark corridors with two beams of light emanating from his shoulders. His assailant was racing towards the hatch that led to the transport range, while the woman was climbing up the ladder. The man who had been with the woman was nowhere to be seen.

Guessing the woman would be easier to catch, Inlan chased after her. He'd only climbed up the first few rungs when the sound of metal striking metal rang out from right beside his hands, with a spark of light flashing where the collision had taken place. It took him a moment to figure out what had happened, and barely had time to lift his arm to block the next shot from finding his head.

Right -- Earthans still use industrial projectile weapons. One more reason they shouldn't have been relocated.

His mechasuit would protect his body, but his head and neck were still vulnerable, so he quickly turned off his lights -- no need to make the target easier to see -- and hurried up the ladder. Two more shots pinched his side before he was in the ladder shaft and out of view.

The woman was fast. With his illumination back on he could see her already nearing the top of the ladder. Inlan couldn't see her face, only her bare legs and feet. Was she naked? No, there was a skirt, though it was pulled up around her waist, presumably to make climbing easier.

Picking up speed, Inlan took the rungs two at a time. He couldn't let her get away. These Earthans had to explain how they gained entry to the inner chambers of the cart. Perhaps she had seen the Vice President in her explorations -- or perhaps she was the one who kidnapped him. For a brief moment Inlan considered stunning her, but if she were paralyzed she might fall. He would most likely be able to catch her, but couldn't be sure, and killing an Earthan was not the same as capturing one.

She reached the top of the ladder and disappeared into the crawl space that spanned the auditorium ceiling. Inlan was only a handful of rungs behind, but he frowned, already tasting failure. The crawl space was tall enough for a Relican to move freely on all fours, but a small Earthan woman would be able to move even easier. As if to exhibit that fact, in the few seconds it took him to reach the top of the ladder, she was already deep within the tunnel.

Inlan dove in after her. The crawl space led across the auditorium to another ladder that went down to a corresponding access passage, and he doubted he would be able to beat her there if he went back down and around. Now should he stun her? That seemed like crossing a line. After all, he was on the cart illegally, or at least against the wishes of the ruling government, and he was charged with protecting the Earthans. Stunning wasn't fatal, but it was painful. Inflicting pain on a member of a rescued species -- and a woman who could potentially be gestating, at that -- went against everything the Relican Squad represented. This woman might be running because she was frightened, not because she was a criminal. Maybe she didn't even know she was doing anything wrong by being on this side of the cart.

Although, the man working with her had shot at him, knowing he was a Relican. Innocent people didn't try to kill other people.

A short cry of pain sounded from ahead -- far ahead, he noted grimly. He had turned off his lights before entering the crawl space in case the woman also had a projectile weapon, and the noise of his own movements had drowned out hers. She sounded like she was past the halfway mark already. Inlan stilled for a moment. She was still moving, although her pace had slowed. Hope flared in his chest as he raced ahead. Maybe he could reach her after all. His thoughts drifted to what he would do once he'd caught her. Should he take her to the Irral? Maybe just keep her in one place until he could reach Commander Hoff. The commander could call the President, who could then --

The floor disappeared from beneath Inlan's hand. He plunged forward, his head crashing and scraping painfully against the edge of the metal grate. His other hand had followed almost immediately after the other, and he suddenly found himself dangling halfway into the pitch black auditorium, with only his legs holding him in place.

He had to appreciate -- well, maybe not appreciate; curse at was probably more accurate -- the woman's cleverness. She'd opened the hatch in the floor -- the floor that was actually the ceiling of the auditorium. A mechasuit could protect him from many threats, but a fall from that height would mean death for certain.

His first instinct was to convey back to the Irral. He could hold his position long enough for it, he was sure. But that would mean giving up on catching the woman.

Why hadn't he gone after the man instead?

Though it was awkward, he managed to pull himself back up into the crawl space with relatively little noise. He was surprised to hear no stirring below as he closed the hatch, considering his unrestrained cry of surprise when he'd first fallen. But he gave it no more thought as he continued his pursuit, his now two head injuries competing to see which could throb harder.

The woman was still moving slower than before. Had she hurt herself on the hatch handle? It did protrude upwards. Maybe bumping into it had given her the idea to open it. Had she meant for him to fall? Or just slow him down?

Risking making himself a target, he turned on his illumination. The woman was far ahead of him, nearly to the ladder on the other end. She started to look over her shoulder at him, but stopped before he could see more than her yellow hair. He left the lights on, belatedly realizing that it didn't matter whether they were on or off. If the woman did have a gun, he'd make an easy target either way in the tight quarters.

Yes. He definitely should have gone after the man.

The woman hissed in pain. She'd reached the ladder, and was tucking her wrist against her chest, climbing one-handed. She kept her face turned away from him as much as she could, but he saw enough of it to be able to identify her if he ever saw her again. And if she could only climb down using one hand, there would be no problem catching up now.

Turning off his illumination, he reached the ladder and began climbing down, intentionally going slowly. He didn't want to accidentally step on her hand and cause her to fall, and, though it seemed unlikely given her injury, he didn't want her to grab onto his foot and cause him to fall. Of course, that would probably make her fall too, but sometimes the fear of being caught caused people to do things that were less than smart.

"Come on!" someone called from below in a loud whisper. "I'll catch you!"

The man with the gun, Inlan guessed. Yes, Inlan had most certainly calculated incorrectly. He should have stunned the man, then raced to meet the woman on this side. He might not have made it around quite as quickly, but at least he'd have one captive, rather than the zero he was likely to get now.

A grunt from both man and woman indicated that she followed his advice and had dropped the rest of the way. With no chance of crashing into the woman, Inlan tucked his hands and feet around the sides of the ladder and did the same. His mechasuit absorbed the shock of landing -- mostly -- and he shined a light into the hall, catching sight of the two figures running towards the transport range. He started to follow, but dropped to the floor when bullets pinched his shoulder and chest.

Weren't those weapons supposed to make sound when they fired?

Shielding his face with his arms, Inlan chased after them. He listened to their footsteps, hoping he would be able to tell if they turned down the intersecting corridor. Two more bullets hit him, one in the thigh and one in the arm, but by the time Inlan reached the end of the passage, the two Earthans were gone. Risking exposing himself, he turned on his heartbeat sensor. Only his own, plus the fourteen in the auditorium, showed up.

Wait. Fourteen? Hadn't it been thirteen before?

The other man, the one who had engaged in the strange pairing ritual with the woman, must have gone in there, while the gunman and woman had escaped into the transport range.

With a frustrated growl, Inlan returned to the ladder and went back to the crawl space hatch. The auditorium remained still, quiet, and black. A few of the fourteen were moving around, but most remained motionless, likely asleep.

Inlan yawned, but the action only aggravated his aching head. Yes, sleep was a good idea.

Deciding he'd done as much as he could do for one night, he closed the hatch and lay down in the crawl space, lifting his arm to enter the return convey command. First he'd notify the commander of what he'd discovered, suggesting that the President do whatever she needed to do to get the authorities to check out this auditorium. Then he'd go to the Medic Lab.

Inlan touched his forehead and winced. Yes, it was most assuredly time to call it a day.

No, wait. Call off the dogs?

Yes, that was it. Time to call off the dogs.

At least I got one thing right today.