"How could he?" Beka fumed, coming over to the display Trance had brought to her attention. The label on a small plaque under the glass read, "Artifact of Plu Valtari, Nietzschean. Donated by Captain Beka Valentine." Valtari's box rested in the correct spot for the display. Its lid was open.
Beka reached inside the box and her hand closed, not around an artifact but upon something smoother and smaller. There were dozens of them. Beka fingered one and pulled it out. She was a holding a familiar-looking CD case. "Hello, old friend," she whispered. She opened it just to be sure a CD actually resided there, then snapped it shut, and dropped the case back in the box to rejoin its companions.
Beka was starting to get a bad feeling about this scenario. Rafe said he was going to sell my so-called 'museum pieces' to a Nightsider. So what are they doing here?
"There is nothing left to discover here," said Tyr. "We should go."
Something in the back of her mind told Beka that Tyr was right, that the wisest course now would be a report of their findings to Dylan. But she couldn't do it. She shut the box's lid and secured its locks. "We're taking these," she announced and started to lift it.
Tyr disagreed. "Leave them!" The incredulous look he turned on her might have halted a person less devoted to her belongings, but Beka was a Valentine.
An alarm cut through the air, shattering the stillness of the night.
White lights flashed on overhead and glared downwards.
Half a dozen Monarchean guards burst into the hall, blocking the exits, and surrounding the four visitors.
Beka took one look at the stern expression worn by the leader of the guard, another look at the opened display cases and the various priceless items that were now scattered haphazardly about the room, and a final look at the box clutched in her hands. "It's not what it looks like," she said, faintly.
The guard's expression didn't change. "Don't move!" he ordered. "You are in the custody of the Museum Guard."
Oh, brother! Beka thought.
"DYLAN!" The call shuddered through his brain like a rock concert and forced the slumbering hero from another time to broad awakeness. "DYLAN!"
Dylan shook his head but failed to still the ringing his ears. The last thing the captain remembered was an agreement with Administrator Lzar that certain records were to be transmitted to Andromeda in the late morning when the security personnel possessing them would be available. The face of the impostor had to have been captured in at least one recording. Upon reaching the agreement, Dylan had returned to his assigned guest quarters at Administrator Elva's residence and retired for the night.
"Ow!" he cried, jerking his head and knocking his pillow to the floor. He rubbed his jaw, neck, and ear as pain flashed in all three of these sites, before he dared to open his eyes. He deactivated his subvocorder to avoid another painful call slamming through his head, then stumbled out of bed and over to a comm console. Its screen was already flashing with the words, "Incoming call." With a single stroke of his wrist, he'd touched a button, accepting the transmission and disclosing the source of the harrowing wake-up call.
"Rommie?" Dylan squinted through sleep-filled eyes at the screen. "What was that?" "Sorry, Dylan. I called your room before, but you weren't answering. I decided to try my own way of breaking through the interference. It worked, didn't it?"
Silently, he wondered if the throbbing in his head would ever go away, then he answered her question. "Yes, but I'd rather you try something less excruciating next time."
"I am sorry, Dylan. I didn't realize the amplification would be so strong--"
"Forget it, Rommie. What's so urgent?"
"Dylan, there's a problem. I've been monitoring various signals and there's an unsubstantiated rumor circulating that Beka, Trance, and Tyr broke into the Monarchean museum last night and vandalized the Hall of Music."
"No, no, no!" said Dylan. He laid his head in his hands. "Where did I go wrong, Rommie? Just when I think they're finally starting to get the hang of this...Wait a minute!" Dylan raised his head from the sleeves of his striped pajamas. "They're my crew. They make mistakes sometimes, but something like this. Rommie, I simply can't believe it!"
There was a pounding on the door of his chamber.
Dylan slipped into a robe, but his house slippers were no where to be found. He skipped across the cold marble floor and stopped cautiously next to the door, fearing what he might find on the other side. Commonwealth charter or no Commonwealth charter, the Monarcheans were a stickler for laws and if there was any truth in the rumor he'd just heard--
The pounding came again, harder this time, along with an impatient voice. "Dylan! Wake up!"
"Beka?" Dylan asked. He'd just been visualizing her inside a Monarchean holding cell, along with Trance and Tyr. It was hard to displace the thought with the fact she was standing outside his door. He deactivated the lock and the captain of the Maru barged in.
"About time, sleepyhead!" Beka said. "I tried to call you, but I kept getting a busy signal. Oh, hi Rommie," said Beka, noticing the AI on screen. "Dylan, I have to tell you something."
"First tell me you, Trance, and Tyr weren't in the Monarchean museum last night."
"Oh," said Beka. "So you've heard. Yeah, actually I was hoping I'd get a chance to tell you about that before you did."
"Yes, I've heard." Dylan's face fell with disappointment. "What are the Monarcheans doing about it?"
"Guess it depends on what you want to do about it."
"What I want?" Dylan was puzzled. "You mean they're not pressing charges?"
"Pressing charges? Why?"
"That's what usually done in situations like this."
"Wouldn't do much good. Rafe's long gone by now. He's got more than a three day lead."
"Rafe? Beka, what are you talking about?"
"My brother--Rafael Valentine. Smart aleck who's taken up posing like a Commonwealth ambassador. What did you think I was talking about?"
"Uh, nothing."
"You were right, Dylan," said Andromeda. "They didn't vandalize the museum."
Beka shook her head. "No. But you don't have to take my word for it. Administrator Elva's waiting to speak with you." With these words, she went out the door as swiftly as she'd come.
Dylan was about to follow when a voice called him back. "Dylan?"
"Yes, Rommie?"
"You might want to get dressed first."
"Right." Dylan closed his outer door and headed for the closet.
"Hey," said Harper, catching Beka in the hall.
"Hey," Beka replied back. She raised a questioning eyebrow. "Where you been all night?"
"Shuttling repair supplies and trying getting ship's sensors back online. I missed some excitement, didn't I?"
Beka nodded. "You have no idea."
"What happened? What's got Administrator Elva outta her cocoon before the Music Festival starts? Why's she want to meet with all of us? I heard that you all were accused of breaking into the museum, stealing museum property, and vandalizing their prized music hall. Fill in the blanks for me, please. The suspense is killing me."
"Rafe happened."
"Oh, now that explains a lot. I know he's you're brother, Beka, but the guy's bad news. Anyone who can pull off a frame job from galaxies away gotta be trouble. So why aren't we all in custody? Or is there an interrogation awaiting me that you've mercifully neglected telling me about?"
"Good thing for us and you, the frame job didn't stick. Our good aide Neeki contacted Administrator Elva and relayed what we knew about our phony ambassador." Her brow furrowed. "Now, we'll just have to see how much damage control we can do."
Dylan arrived at last in his dark blue High Guard Uniform with the gold buttons, sporting a force lance at his side. He stopped in front of the group that had gathered in Administrator Elva's banquet hall.
Beka, Tyr, Trance, and Harper were assembled here, along with Administrator Elva, Neeki, and the rest of Elva's entourage.
"A pleasure to meet with you again, Captain Hunt," the silver Monarchean attired in a purple dress uniform greeted. Her dark eyes were troubled. "Knowledge that a impostor has been in our midst is unsettling. Preventative measures need to be taken to ensure such a thing does not occur again."
"Yes," Dylan replied. "I agree and Andromeda's already working on some ID codes in case anyone ever should visit again claiming to be sent by me."
"What can you tell us about the impostor, captain?" asked Elva.
"Well--" Dylan looked about at his crew. "Rafe Valentine. As I recall, he wasn't exactly thrilled about the offer this 'fossil' gave him to stay with us and join our cause. Any idea why he suddenly wants to be a Commonwealth ambassador?"
Beka shook her head. "Nothing good."
Tyr looked at Dylan. "This cannot be allowed to continue. Even if he is playing his little game elsewhere, the potential enemies he leaves behind may pose a real threat to us and, having never made their acquaintance, we won't even know who they are let alone be prepared for an attack."
Beka fidgeted.
Administrator Elva spoke. "I can see you and your crew are as displeased as I about this situation, Captain Hunt. Monarchea also has its concerns about this crime. There have been attempts to steal museum property before, but these have been effectually thwarted. No one has ever succeeded in leaving Monarchea with anything taken from the Hall of Music. Until now. The Board fears if no action is taken against this crime, similar crimes will be encouraged and become more widespread. This is not a message we want sent, especially on the day when the Hall of Music is to be opened to the general public. Whatever the impostor's reasons, he has brought us the potential of even greater harm."
"I know it's embarrassing to be fooled and taken advantage of, Administrator," replied Dylan. "And we're willing to do anything in our power to alleviate that feeling and to help."
Beka sighed.
"At least, that's why he's here," Harper whispered aside to Trance. "But I'm not promising anything."
Administrator Elva shook her head. "I'm glad you speak so, Captain Hunt. It is good to know you are so willing."
Beka couldn't listen in silence another minute. "Cut through all this diplomacy chat. What is it you want us to do?"
Administrator Elva nodded to Neeki.
Neeki pointed the tips of her wings, drawing the group's attention to a screen monitor. The display showed a news broadcast was taking place. Administrator Lzar was displayed at a location outside. The group watched as he took his place at a podium and read aloud from a flexi in his hand. Neeki touched a button, allowing them to hear Lzar's words. "There was a vote taken this morning and it was the unanimous decision of the Board that the Festival of Music shall proceed as plan. However, the Hall of Music is to remain closed and no guests shall be admitted there."
Trance's tail drooped as she heard those words. "But it's so pretty." she pouted. "And there's so many people in town who came especially to see it."
"It shall remain closed," said Administrator Elva.
"Until when?" asked Beka.
The Administrator's voice was grave as she answered. "Until Rafe Valentine is brought to justice for his crimes."