Chapter 5

Two seconds of silence followed. Then, Mark scrambled to his feet, his chair falling on the floor.

"Chief, if you don't withdraw that last comment, I will hand in my resignation, effective immediately!"

Anderson looked at him, not in anger, as Mark would've thought, but almost in pain.

"Mark, for the last time, please sit down".

Mark upturned his chair, sat down, but kept a mutinous look on the Chief.

"First things first", continued Anderson. "I spoke to President Kane. It seems that some of the ISO top brass wanted you court-martialled for letting Jason get captured. However, the majority agreed that your choice to go after the ships threatening Colonel Cronus was the correct one. So you're cleared and if anything goes in your file, it will be a positive citation".

Mark realised that he had been holding his breath. Without wanting to admit it, and despite having readily assumed responsibility, he was worried about the possibility of disciplinary action against him. He exhaled, preparing himself to deal with the more serious problems that had arisen.

"Thanks, Chief. Now, you were saying about Jason..."

"Mark, you have to understand that I, in no way, believe Jason to be guilty of defection. However, there are some facts that I cannot, as Chief of security, disregard. That's why I asked you to come to my office alone. I want to discuss this with you".

"I'm listening", said Mark belligerently.

"Jason has been behaving more and more irresponsibly, he's insubordinate, he disregards orders. You yourself suggested he offers his services to the highest bidder! I heard you! And you were right! Being a member of G-Force demands something more than cerebonic capabilities. I have been waiting for some time for Jason to come to me and say he's resigning. A defection is something I hadn't considered before, but I have to now. I have to suspect that the attack in Traitor's Pass did not happen by chance and Spectra knew you would be there, and that Jason stayed behind on purpose. I haven't shared these thoughts with anyone. I want your honest opinion - an opinion that will not be coloured by your loyalty to Jason, even though I know this will be hard for you".

Mark was listening to the Chief like hypnotised. He remembers all too clearly how he had urged Jason to resign if he didn't feel up to following orders, and felt a pang of guilt. Then he shook his head.

"First things first, Chief, as you said. Jason may be impetuous, insubordinate, headstrong, and a general pain. He is also moody and, I think, quite unhappy. But there's one thing he's not, and that's a traitor. Yes, I told him the door was open for him to leave if he so desired, but I told him this in order to shake him out of this self-loathing and self-pitying spiral he's been in since he discovered the truth about his parents' murder by Spectra. Would he decide one day to resign and become, perhaps, a soldier of fortune? Perhaps. Would he defect? Never. The ambush was just that: an ambush to get hold of the updates. Jason gave us covering fire. He was captured. Instead of debating his possible defection, we should be planning his absolutely imperative rescue!"

"And how did Spectra know where to ambush you?"

"Chief, these things happen! It's not the first time! It could've been a regular Spectran probe patrol and we fell upon them! You have no proof we were betrayed!"

"No, I don't. This is why we're having this conversation here, instead in front of the ISO Council. OK, let's go with your hypothesis. You may have not realised it, Commander, but a rescue might be even more imperative that you think - in fact, despite your previous comments, I have already given the order to start preparing a plan for a rescue mission. Because, Mark, you probably haven't considered another parameter: Jason has been captured, and most probably he will be tortured. And most probably he will be made to give up any info he has on the ISO".

This time, Mark didn't jump up, throw down his chair, or even speak. He just looked at the Chief with a contemptuous gaze, that conveyed his feelings completely. He did not remove his gaze until Anderson relented.

"Yes, Commander. I know Jason will do his utmost not to give in. But there are chemicals they can use...".

"They will not use drugs. Spectra has never used drugs on us before, because they're afraid of how our cerebonic implants will react and they don't want us to die prematurely, before they have the chance to display us for all to see. You know that, Chief. And we know that. We know the risks. What the heck, even Keyop knows the risks! Jason will face a conventional questioning. For that, I'm sure. I'm also sure, however, that he will not say anything. Besides, you know how much he likes annoying people. You'd think he'd miss the chance to do this to some Spectran goons?"

Mark's feeble attempt at humour brought a ghost of a grin on Anderson's face.

"Let's start going over those rescue plans, then. Princess, Tiny, Keyop", he said into his intercom, "come to my office...".

"And you will forget your suspicions about Jason being a defector?"

"No, Mark, I cannot. I'm working on the hypothesis that Jason was captured in battle. But I cannot disregard the possibility that he is a traitor".

To be continued

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