"I was so close," Caine growls as he comes to stand before Captain Tsing. His head is low, his fist white with fury. His wings flare, then settle tightly against his shoulders.
"But we have a lead," Stinger interjects, nodding between Caine and the captain. Captain Tsing raises her chin to address them with an air of regret.
""I have received priority one orders that supersede chasing a single fugitive." Caine's head snaps up to stare at Captain Tsing in disbelief. The rest of the bridge crew busy themselves, seemingly unwilling to meet Caine's eyes. "However," she raises a finger, stalling Caine's obvious objections, "under Aegis directive F-24.5.7, I have commandeered a certain confiscated vessel which we currently have in tow. And," she continued above Caine and Stinger's shared glance, "I have the authority to remand this suspect," and she nods to Caine, a slight twinkle in her eyes, "to the custody of a marshall in good standing," and she nods to Stinger, "so that he may continue the previous investigation."
A grin splits through Stinger's disbelief, and he claps Caine across the back.
"Do you take personal responsibility for the conduct of this prisoner?"
"Again," Stinger says under his breath, then replies with proper formality, "Yes, captain."
"Then, Marshall Stinger Apini, I remand Caine Wise into your custody." She turns back to her crew.
"Thank you, Captain," Caine replies, accepting Tsing's formal nod of dismissal. The pair hurry to the grav beam chamber just as Phylo lifts his head from his console, and speaks.
"Captain, an unauthorized signal, on all channels." But the beam already has them, and they descend.