Author's Note: This is the first story I've attempted to write that isn't action based. I've tried to make it a mystery and I hope it will flow as such. This is also the first time I've used "adventure writing" as a technique where I don't have a full outline already written as to where this story will end. We'll see how that goes as well.
Anyway, this is meant to be Radcliffe's first solo case where Valerian isn't watching over his shoulder the entire time. Hope you guys enjoy.
Chapter 1: Suspicions
The Leviathan's conference room was so ornate it might have been transplanted into the command vehicle from one of the High Halls of Terra. A heavy wooden table, large enough to seat fifty or more officers, dominated the room. A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, flanked by two smaller versions of itself. Thick but luxurious carpet covered the floor from wall to wall. An antique chronometer stood on the far end of the room, its pendulum swinging in time with the motion of the second hand.
Alonzo Del Barco sat in the chair at the head of the conference table. He was tense, his knuckles white as he gripped the chair's arms. He fought the impulse to begin fidgeting in his seat. Del Barco had been to the ends of the known universe and back. He had delved into the darkest holes on the most desolate planets. He had faced beasts spawned in the nightmares of the very warp itself. But nothing in all his years of travel and exploration terrified him more than the man currently pacing up and down the length of the table.
"Tell me again," the man said, turning to face Del Barco. He was tall, dressed in a simple tunic, black trousers, and a dark great coat. A crop of short brown hair covered his head. His eyes were hazel and his gaze was piercing as he looked Del Barco up and down. "Tell me again of the nature of your discovery here on Anprax."
Del Barco swallowed. "I'm not exactly sure what you mean."
"The artifact you found," the man said. "The one that was in your possession before mysteriously disappearing."
"You don't believe I'm responsible for this, do you?"
The man frowned. "It does not matter what I think. All that matters is the truth."
"A bit cliché, don't you think?" Del Barco said, straitening in his chair.
"Master Del Barco, I advise you to not use that tone with me again. Particularly when referring to my Emperor-given duty."
Del Barco slumped again. "What did you say your name was again?"
"Radcliffe. Interrogator Radcliffe of the Emperor's Holy Ordos. Why?"
"Just refreshing my memory."
"I suggest turning your memory back to the situation at hand instead of trivial facts such as my name." Radcliffe pulled a folder out of his coat and slid it across the table to Del Barco. "Allow me to help."
Del Barco opened the folder and sifted through its contents. Most of the pages contained writings, paragraphs upon paragraphs of feverish scribblings that were barely legible. But one page contained an image. It was a drawing, done in charcoal or graphite, Del Barco could not tell, of a statue. That statue was small. The dimensions labeled it wide enough to fit in a man's cupped hands and about twice as tall. It was a figure of some kind, possibly the image of a god long forgotten to time and memory. Del Barco's blood froze when he saw it. He had seen the real thing less than thirty-six hours ago. The actual object had made him want to vomit. He was surprised at how much the urge came back at seeing just a simple sketch of it.
"Where did you get this?" Del Barco asked slowly.
"Unimportant. The Inquisition has had information on the Animatus Infernum for quite some time. I don't need to tell you how dangerous such a tool can be in the wrong hands, do I Master Del Barco?" Radcliffe pulled out a chair and sat down. "It is believed that the artifact was the idol of a long extinct human tribe. We knew its function, and surmised its location based on ancient texts. But we did not anticipate on your little expedition finding it before we could. And therein lies the root of the problem."
"So you're holding me accountable?" Del Barco said.
"That remains to be seen. Right now all you are guilty of is gross negligence when it comes to your security procedures. While men have been executed for less, I am no commissar. I am merely here to determine if you played a role in this or not."
Del Barco said nothing. He locked eyes with Radcliffe and the two men stared at each other, with only the ticking of the chronometer to break the silence.
Radcliffe produced something else from his coat pocket and placed it on the table. Five pictures, each bearing the face of a man, stared up at Del Barco.
"You know these men," the interrogator said. It wasn't a question. "They were part of your team. Three of them, these three, have procured transportation off world in the past twenty-four hours. The whereabouts of these two are currently unknown."
"You suspect them?"
"I suspect everyone. But yes, this group holds my particular interest."
"Because they are missing?"
"These three have been picked up and detained by Imperial authorities. As of fifteen hours ago two of them confessed to shirking their watch duties in exchange for a large sum of money. They do not know the name of their benefactor, only that he is well off, potentially related to some high up government official. The third committed suicide rather than be interrogated. His autopsy has proved fruitless."
Radcliffe removed the three pictures from the table.
"But these two," he continued. "Are ghosts. They have no Imperial records, no data of any kind. Even your expedition logs only list names, height, and weight."
"I tend not to ask questions in my line of work. The people willing to go to the places I visit tend to be a less than savory lot."
"Indeed. Kuthra Cho and Liam Cannis. Have you had any interaction with them during your time here"
"Cho, yes," Del Barco said, thankful to be able to give Radcliffe something of use. "He was only a minor hand on one of the excavation crews. Seemed a straight arrow to me. Surprised he would get involved in something like this. But then again, you can't really judge people these days."
"And Cannis?" Radcliffe asked.
"I don't know him. Hell, I've never seen him before. Not sure what he's doing in my files."
"You must have hired him.:
"I suppose. The face is vaguely familiar now that I look at it, but I can't for the life of me remember what I hired him to do."
"Yes, but-" Radcliffe stopped abruptly, distracted by a small beep in his ear. "What? I'm in the middle of… When? Are you sure? Fine, keep it contained. I'll be there shortly." Radcliffe stood, gathering up the materials on the table. "We are done for now, Master Del Barco. My duties call me elsewhere."
"I understand, Interrogator."
"Keep yourself available, Del Barco, lest you wish to arouse further suspicions."
Del Barco nodded and made to speak but Radcliffe was already gone.