*Ceil sits in a slightly more comfortable containment cell than before, furnished with a couch, a small table, and several decorative objects. He sits in the middle of the couch, his face buried in his hands, when another investigator walks into the room.*
Investigator: Chairman.
*Ceil looks up toward him, but promptly stares away, silent.*
Investigator: I understand that you’re upset. But I need some information. Where is Administrator Mara? Marietus: I don’t know. I told you that. Who’s the acting Chairman? Investigator: That’s the problem. The next two people in the chain, Mara and Malaya, are missing. Marietus: I realize that. That’s why I asked who you settled on. Investigator: We can’t settle on anything. They’re all missing. Space Pirates seem to be trying to occupy Drelion. One of our Aurora Units went down. Between attacks on the Federation, rumors of Martin’s assassination, the Drelion situation, and Weavel being made a Federation Hunter, many people believe you’re actively giving the Pirates information to sabotage the Federation. Ceil: I’m no traitor. There are rogue Aurora Units, you know. They’ve been hiding things, cleverly stockpiling resources for months without anyone’s knowledge. The problem with all this is that there’s other things I’d gladly tell you if they weren’t classified. But that just makes me look like I’m hiding things. Investigator: You really don’t know where Mara is, do you? Ceil: No. And as much as I fight with her, I do like her. But as much as I like her, I wonder if she’s not the real traitor here. Not that she’d sabotage the Federation... but exploiting its weaknesses to force remedial action... that seems like something she’d do. So... who’s the acting Chairman? Investigator: ... People have been asking Senator Pollux... Ceil: Ugh, I knew it.
