It was late. Ajeya had been working for hours and she only wanted to rest. Actually, she only wanted to leave Hellguard behind, but there was always one complication or another she had to solve.
All the researchers were gone, and she was destroying all traces of information left behind in their quarters. She had just entered the young annoying Thair's room. There was nothing to see. The computer was completely blank; he had done the job for her, and he had done it well. She ordered the computer to be taken away. The furniture that was going to be saved was beamed up too.
She strode out of the room and went for the next one. She found the door locked, but overriding the security lock, she entered anyway.
The lights were dimmed, but she could distinguish a figure lying on the bed. It was a woman, and she caressed the empty wall absently. When she heard Ajeya come in, however, she stood up quickly, and drew herself up proudly. She did not fool the young officer.
"Doctor Delva," she said, "you shouldn't be here."
When she was speaking, her eyes noticed the knife held tight in the scientist's left hand, which trembled slightly. The woman followed her gaze, and meekly admitted the truth.
"I tried to find Final Honor, but couldn't," she said it as if she was apologizing.
Ajeya realized the scientist had also been crying. She did not feel sympathy. Reaching for the light and brightening the gloomy room, she dismissed her. "You're an incompetent even at that." She paused, and then added coldly, "Leave the room."
The woman did not move. She left her Honor Blade on a nearby table and stood at her bed, fidgeting with a larger ornate necklace she wore.
Ajeya sighed and went for the woman's computer. "Every piece of information you may hold will be confiscated and destroyed. Even your personal log." The woman started to protest, but Ajeya silenced her. "If you don't give it to me now, my people will take it when you board the ship. There is no way you will leave Thieurrull with it."
"So what your commander said is true. From now on, Thieurrull has never existed." The scientist dropped her eyes for a single second, caressing her graying hair, before lifting her chin again. "And the people who worked on this project, did they ever exist?"
Ajeya looked up at her. "I don't know. I don't care. "
"I have a son," the scientist blurted out suddenly. "Here, look at him." She pressed one of the gems that decorated the necklace and a small holopicic projection displayed from it.
Ajeya gazed at it for a brief moment. She was getting angry with the middle-aged woman.
"He's a teenager now," she continued despairingly, even if the officer did not seem to pay her any attention. "He's sick. Nobody knows what his illness is. As you said before, nobody cares. There is no doctor researching the illness, you see, even if he isn't the only case. We are not important enough." Tears threatened to escape her eyes, but she composed herself, and even if her voice quivered, she continued talking. "That's why I joined this project. It was an important one, with high rewards." Her lips curled up, laughing silently at her own foolishness. In spite of herself, Ajeya did the same. "I thought that, after showing our success in this project, the authorities would authorize me to lead one to find a cure to his illness."
"After showing your success," Ajeya repeated mockingly. She rose from the computer, her job done.
"What I'm telling you, Centurion Ajeya," Delva said louder, her voice colder, her expression hardened, "is that nobody worked harder for this project's success. You can blame me for this disastrous end, if you so desire, but I can't blame myself."
"Then why kill yourself?" Ajeya asked smiling, tilting her head towards the table.
The older woman sighed. "I know my responsibilities, Centurion Ajeya, and I know that even if I did all I could, the experiment failed and I was one the scientists in charge." She paused, stopped the holopic projection, but continued playing with the jewel. "I just wanted to save my honor. I just wanted to save my family. My son... " She lowered her voice. "But I'm not a soldier like you," she explained despairingly, "I can't even take that last bit of honor in death."
Ajeya snorted.
In that same moment, the door opened again. Ajeya's young comrade was at the door.
"Centurion Ajeya!" he said surprised. "I was looking for -" He addressed the other woman, "Doctor Delva, you must accompany me to the ship." His soft diplomatic voice contrasted with the harsh tones Ajeya had used.
Recognizing her defeat, she leaned down to retrieve her weapon, and taking the big case containing all her possessions, she went for the door. She walked as proudly and as self-confident as she could, but her bright eyes betrayed her, showing her unshed tears. She was feeling miserable, and dreaded the future that awaited her after leaving the sanctuary of her former room. When she reached the door, she turned one last time to look at Ajeya.
"Almost everyday I reflect on what happened here," she said, trying to sound detached. "Almost everyday I conclude we were sabotaged. I did all I could, and I know that's not an excuse."
She went out, and the young centurion looked puzzled at Ajeya before following the doctor, asking for an explanation. Ajeya only shrugged, and, although a bit confused, she left.
Again, she was alone. She could not feel pity for the doomed scientist. She did not feel any sympathy even if Delva's story somewhat mirrored hers. She just felt upset, she felt cheated, and she felt betrayed. That last tale about the sabotage only sounded as the pathetic excuse of someone too weak to face the ruthless truth: they had failed, they had committed a mistake, and they were going to pay for it.
They were. Because in the deserted room, Ajeya vowed she would not make new mistakes; she would obliterate every trace of the experiment, every track that could lead to her, and her participation would never be discovered. She would be safe. If being a party to Hellguard had not saved her House, she would not let it destroy them entirely.