Connection - 23

~1206

Everen looked at her notebook and shook her head. It was all too strange. There were the murders, of course, but whoever had done them was some kind of mastermind. That didn’t narrow it down though, because everyone on this ship was hyperintelligent. But somehow, the murderer was smart enough to outwit all the people investigating the case, which was practically everyone awake. No one was expecting to need law enforcement during the few years they’d be in space preparing to land on the new planet, so almost everyone awake had had the chance to poke around the crime scene and find any evidence they could.

No, the murders were strange, but it was everything else that made it even weirder. It had been a while since she’d noticed that different areas of the ship were using different units of measure, but Everen was reminded of it when she’d found a note about it in Warren Tallow’s personal journal. He had noticed that the units were different, and he was going to bring it up in his next meeting with the captain and the heads of crew. But he’d never made it to that meeting.

At first, Everen dismissed it as a normal thing. After all, she’d noticed it, and she had no talent with math. But then she saw on a loose piece of paper, as if she’d scratched it down in a hurry, that Haven had also made a note about it. She’d written: “Ctrl Rm: LY, Bridge: AU, M&P: MPrscs. Tell C next Tues.” To anyone else, it might seem meaningless, but Everen understood well enough. Because it wasn’t dated, Everen had no way of knowing if Haven had ever had the chance to tell the captain (who she assumed the C stood for), but the connection between the two victims was more than anyone else had to go on.

If Everen’s hunch was correct, which she figured it very well might not be, then whoever had killed these people was purposefully obscuring the numbers and units. But Everen couldn’t figure out why. If the numbers stayed incorrect, they’d miscalculate all sorts of things. They might blast right through the planet instead of touching the ship down lightly like they were supposed to. All sorts of things could go wrong. Did this murderer want the mission to fail? They were on the ship somewhere too though. Did they not care about their own life at least?

It just didn’t make any sense. Also she couldn’t see how Ptolemy, the third victim, was related. Did he know about the units too? Everen hadn’t found any notes about it in his room. Maybe the connection she was seeing was just a coincidence.

When Everen had discovered the small connection, however, she’d rushed to Janna.

“Did you tell anyone about how the units were messed up?” she’d asked, after ensuring the room was empty.

“Oh my, you’re right! I just plum forgot. I’ll make a note to–”

“No!” Everen had shouted, startling Janna.

“Don’t tell anyone. Not yet. Just trust me on this. There’s something fishy about it.”

“What’s wrong, Everen?”

“Don’t ask. I’m not sure for certain yet, but this can hold on just a little bit longer.”

“No, it’s actually really important, I can’t believe I forgot about it, I really have to–”

“No! You can’t. Don’t say anything.” Everen had grabbed Janna’s shoulders. “You have to promise me. You can’t tell anyone. Promise me.”

“Okay, alright!” Her eyes had darted back and forth, uncomfortable with being held like this.

Everen had stared deep into her eyes. She couldn’t risk Janna’s murder. “Promise me.”

“Okay, okay, I promise.” She had looked terrified.

Now Everen grimly closed her notebook. She was lucky that Janna had forgotten to say anything, else her friend might already be dead. Or maybe Everen was just holding back some crucial information that was in no way tied to the murders. No matter the case, Everen knew she had to get to the bottom of this quickly. There was no one she could trust, so she’d have to search on her own.

Everen? It was Kerra. She was transmitting a feeling of horror and sadness that was beginning to feel like the new normal to Everen. But the feeling still sent a chill down Everen’s spine.

Yes? What is it? She asked, dreading the answer.

I hate to bear more bad news… but Mom’s dead.

What!? How? Everen didn’t know what she’d been expecting, but it hadn’t been this. Their mom always felt like some immortal force. Even when Kerra told her how she’d gone a little bonkers.

The police said it was suicide. Everen could feel the hesitation in Kerra’s message.

But…? She prompted.

But I don’t think so. All the evidence points to it, but I think it was murder.

Everen groaned inwardly. Just what she needed. Another murder to think about. What was happening? Had the universe gone absolutely insane? What makes you think that?

I don’t know. I really don’t. The police had all this evidence for why it was unequivocally suicide, but I just got a feeling in my gut. Maybe I should ignore it. I think maybe the death part of my brain is malfunctioning after all of this.

Maybe, Everen sent. She wondered if her own brain was malfunctioning. I feel like I might be onto something about the murders on the ship.

Oh?

Yeah, Everen said, and then explained the theory to Kerra.

That sounds like a reach, but maybe you’ve got something there. It’s worth looking into.

That’s what I thought. Everen felt cheered at least that Kerra didn’t think it was a total leap in logic.

Meanwhile I have nothing to go on. There’s no way that anyone could have done it, but I just know that it wasn’t her. Kerra was sending a massive feeling of frustration. Everen could relate.

What’s some of the evidence against it, again? Everen asked, trying to be at least a little helpful.

Well for one, Ruth, er… Mom would have never opened the door to someone she didn’t know. I’ve been there when someone knocked and she shushed me so it wouldn’t sound like anyone was home. But the door didn’t seem to have been forced open at all. And the police didn’t find any evidence of anyone but her having been in the apartment, not even me. She sent a feeling of dry amusement.

Everen thought for a while. Eventually, she came upon an idea. A bit weak, but it was something. Well if the police couldn’t have detected that you were there, maybe someone else could have been there too. Maybe they have some kind of anomaly similar to yours, and maybe that same one would allow them to get past a door somehow? I don’t know. There’s a lot of really weird anomalies out there. Remember Gavyn?

How could I forget? Kerra sent a tingly feeling that Everen had come to associate with her laughter. You might have a good idea there, Everen. I’ll look into it! Thank you! With that, the connection faded away, and Everen was left with her thoughts and a notebook full of wild conspiracies.