Chapter 10: Interrogation
The afternoon sun could not be seen by the waking figure of Lemana. Tired from yelling, screaming, and demanding to be let out, she now curiously watched the doings of the strange trio of aliens that had stolen her ship. Lemana had learned quite quickly that there was nothing to be gained by fighting and shouting, and so she had been busy re-evaluating her escape strategy. Some degree of cooperation would be necessary if she were to leave the cell anytime soon. Because, of course, she had to get out and rejoin the other Elite…right? Shaking her head fiercely, she cleared her mind of any doubt. Oh course that was what she needed to do. She couldn't complete the mission otherwise. Failure was not an option to an Elite.
She had previously been slumped in a back corner of the cell, her back pressed against the wall as she slept sitting upright, silver blue hair forming a curtain in front of her face so that the others would not know whether she was asleep or awake. Lemana longed to stretch her legs, so she rose from her position to pace back and forth. Unbeknownst to her, as the force field's sound barrier had been enabled, the aliens were arguing out on the bridge.
"But Pai, if we're going to spy on them, shouldn't we ask her where they are? She's one of them, she would know! We have a prisoner, darn it, we should at least try to interrogate her!" Kish stated stubbornly.
"My ears are sore enough from yesterday, I'd rather keep the barrier up. Besides, she won't tell us anything." Pai snapped.
"I can get her to talk, it's simple! You just have to barter with her a little." Before anyone could say another word, Kish stalked off toward the cell.
Pai sighed, rubbing his temple with one hand while he quickly flipped to the computer screen that allowed him to disable the sound barrier. "This is pointless." He mumbled to himself, but went through with it nonetheless. Tart, meanwhile, was tinkering with a robot no larger than a nickel, laying flat on his stomach on the floor of the ship. In his hand was a small control pad, and he had forsaken the keypad normally used for entering complex commands in favor of a little joystick for manual control. His eyes were trained on the little robot, which was much like an insect in appearance. Tart's fingers worked the controls, as he was trying, and remarkably, succeeding, in having the little thing do back flips.
"Hey Pai! Pai! Look, isn't it cool?" He asked excitedly as the Bug leapt a foot in the air and flipped three times while falling.
"Do you really need reminding that the robot you are mercilessly degrading is not, in fact, a toy, but a military weapon scientifically designed to infiltrate and record images?" He explained, knowing his line by heart from having used it several times throughout the day. Ever since he had searched and collected a few of the useful robots for their upcoming spying mission on the Elite, Tart had seized his 'favorite' despite the fact that all were identical, and worked enthusiastically with it to 'teach' it tricks like a little robotic pet.
"Yeah, it sure is a waste, huh? I mean, who would want to use them for tools when they make such awesome toys?" The younger alien replied, not looking up from the Bug. "Oh, and guess what I named it?" He continued.
"…You named the Bug?" Pai responded incredulously, but it did nothing to dismay Tart.
"You bet! Well, since you don't want to play, I'll tell you. Behold, Bob-sponge the Bug!" He exclaimed.
"…May I ask from where you drew your inspiration for that name?" Pai asked, following a long silence at the ridiculousness of the 'name'.
"You don't remember? I know you were there, lemme help you! Ok, remember that time when our receivers picked up that kid's channel last time we were here? Remember, this show started playing on the screen? Oh yeah, you left. Some mission or other. Anyway, I was watching it! It was about this sponge (he lived in the ocean, I think) and his name was Bob. For some reason, though, everyone called him a sponge. There was this other guy too, his name was Word-squid, or something like that. Dunno why, maybe he was a grammar teacher or something."
"…"
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"Hello, Lemana. If you'll listen, I have a few questions for you." Kish announced, sounding confident.
Lemana's head rose to bring her eye level with the other alien, and she took a few steps forward to stand directly on the other side of the semi-transparent boundary separating them. Her mouth formed itself into a smile, but there was no warmth in the gesture. Kish's reaction to this allowed him to recognize that he had certainly changed since he had first set out long ago to take Earth. Where once he would have thought little of it, usually bearing an identical emotionless grin himself, now he found it unnerving. I've been around humans too long. He thought with a mental grimace, although years of practice kept it from translating into his physical expression.
"Oh I can tell you most assuredly that I will listen. After all, it isn't as though I have any more pressing matters to attend to. To be honest, I'm rather bored. It's a bit of a disappointment really, being promised some real action in the conquest of Earth and all, only to end up a prisoner on one's own ship." Lemana heaved a great sigh of mock grief, raising both arms palms'up in a gesture of hopelessness. However, an unpleasant glint came to her eye as her arms dropped again. "But I may or may not choose to answer them. That would surely depend on what if is you wish to know." A sly look came over Kish, and he jabbed a finger at the barrier.
"Aha! I've finally placed your accent. You're from the Rheya territory, aren't you?" Lemana's eyebrows raised slightly in surprise.
"Well, that's an interesting sort of question! I'll answer to that. Yes, young rebel, I hail from the wind-swept plains of East Tharlon! Lemana of Rheya, at your service." She returned with a sweeping bow. "There isn't a better place to study wind on the planet."
"Well, so long as you don't die the moment you leave town. I heard the winds there are strong enough to break your bones."
"That's true. But if you'd like to see for yourself, step right in here and I'll be happy to show you the power of the Tharlon winds." Lemana continued, although there was no malice in her voice.
"Thanks for the offer, but I'm really more comfortable out here." Kish declined, unfazed.
"A real pity." She replied ruefully, slowly shaking her head.
"Alright Lemana, now if you would be so kind as to help me out, where are the rest of the Elite?" Kish asked.
"I should warn you, if you expect an Elite to be kind, then you know very little about us. Oh, as to your question, I can't say I know really. Afraid I'm a bit out of the loop at the moment, so they haven't exactly told me where they'll be at."
"Well that's a useless answer!" Kish complained.
"Sorry, can't help you there." Lemana replied, although her tone was dry and devoid of sympathy.
"Then maybe you could tell me where the usual meeting locations are? As an Elite, you definitely know that."
"Do you honestly believe that I memorized the locations of all the Elite meeting places? That's just ridiculous. I think there might have been a file with all that stuff on it somewhere, but I can't for the life of me remember where it was stored or what the code was to access it. Please pardon my faulty memory." The alien answered with a pitiful air, although the act was spoiled by a look of malicious laughter in her eyes. Kish raised his hands in despair and rolled his eyes.
"Well, I guess that's a little bit more helpful, but still pretty much useless. So, do you know when-"
"Ah, ah, ah!" Lemana cut him off, waggling a long, slender finger. "I believe three is the magic number here on Earth. You see, I was something of a scholar once. Three questions only!" Kish's tone didn't change, although he smirked playfully.
"Hey, I don't remember establishing a three question limit! And besides, technically we aren't really on Earth. We're sort of in orbit, but not because we have to be out of satellite range and all that boring stuff."
Lemana opened her mouth as if to answer, but instead she suddenly reached back and pulled forth a massive bout of wind and thrust it toward Kish with full force. Although the barrier took the bite out of the attack, it was not quite top of the line and still allowed a small portion of the forceful attack through. Kish, caught as much off his guard as he ever could be, was alert enough to avoid being knocked off his feet but the attack was enough of a surprise to hit him unprepared. He was slammed into the cold metal of the back wall, although the only thing that had been injured was Kish's dignity. A slight scowl passed his face, but quickly disappeared. However, his expression was much more serious than before.
"Here's some advice, something I learned in training with the Elite. Never let your guard down. It should help you in the future. Well, not that yours will last long anyway, rebel. Your kind never last long." Kish was silent for a moment, but he was not about to leave without some real information.
"Ok then. Have it your way. We'll drop the banter and cut straight to the chase."
"That sounds nice to me."
"Alright. I want some questions answered. You want out of that crappy cell. So, let's make a deal. You agree to talk, and maybe I'll let you out of there provided that you'll wear the cuffs. In case you've forgotten, they'll stop you from attacking because they prevent you from using a lot of energy, mental or physical. Ah, they also stop you from operating computers or machinery. You'll get electrocuted or something. So basically, no escaping, no attacking, but you can walk around and sleep in a more comfortable place then the floor."
"I don't take maybes. That's nothing but a justification not to do what you were going to. You'll either do it, or you won't. Make up your mind, and then we'll talk." Kish smiled, but it wasn't so much of a smirk anymore.
"Fine then. You answer my questions, and I'll let you out. That's that."
"I have no way of knowing that I can trust you."
"Good point. Well, think of it this way. You answer the first two questions I asked, well, not the Tharlon one, since you already answered that, and I'll let you out. Say I don't let you out. Then my word is dirt with you, and you'll never help me out again. Who knows, I might need some more advice in the future. It wouldn't do to spoil any chances I have later, would it? So I guess its really up to you to decide. Will you take the risk and see if you can trust me, at the promise of being let out of your cell? Or would you rather just play it safe and deal with sleeping on the metal floor for the rest of your stay?" Lemana was silent, clearly weighing the possible outcomes to see if it was worth it.
"Well, I normally don't strike deals with rebels. But maybe I like you. Either that or I just really, really want to get out of this cell. Take your pick."
"I'll take the first, of course. I'd set up a date, but my heart's already taken! But I'd be happy to set you free…once you answer my questions. Sorry, but flattery won't get you far with me. Well, not that it hurts of course." He replied slyly. Lemana snorted.
"No thanks on that date. Really. Anyway, I'll tell you what you need to know."
After spending a few minutes giving a vague, but accurate enough description of how to reach the places where Elite were likely to congregate. True to his word, Kish quickly passed a pair of the special cuffs through the barrier, and Lemana stayed true to her word as well by adjusting them to her arms obediently. Pai did not look at all pleased with Kish's decision, and he eyed the girl as though she was apt to explode at any second. However, she simply flung herself into a chair and sat quietly. A definite improvement. Oh, she would get out eventually, of course. But for now, why not wait and see what they were planning? What must there motive be, for three aliens to oppose the entire planet's army? Why, it was practically begging for death! Certainly, it was enough to seize the curiosity of anyone…