Ed smiles and replies, "She's also due on duty in less than eight hours, so she'll need to get some sleep."
The man asks, "Do you need a hand?"
As Ed is finding this difficult enough, he decides that another unknown person in the equation could make things worse, after all he does not know how much this man has been drinking. Ed says he can manage and thanks the man for his offer.
The walk seems twice as long as normal and not helped by Jiash's protestations and declarations that there's still plenty of 'dance left in me yet' and that Ed has not seen her 'best moves yet'.
Once or twice on the way to Jiash's cabin, she tries to kiss Ed. Her tail is excitedly lashing against Ed, making it difficult for him to maintain effective hold on Jiash and support her, so that she doesn't slide down to the ground. Ed feels he is getting a bad deal all round.
Jiash keeps encouraging Ed to kiss her, saying that she has a magic kiss, that brings happily ever afters. The latter an obvious reference to earthonian fairy tales. Ed almost drops her, trying to avoid her advances. Then there's that tail again, as it smacks into Ed's side. He tries to minimise its effects, turning Jiash as it swings round, whilst also trying not to drop her. How could he have found Jiash so attractive when they first met? Mind you her now lively tail wasn't in evidence then, safely tucked away. In fact until now he didn't even know she had one.
Alcohol and Jiash don't seem mix well.
When they reach Jiash's cabin, she is still not co-operating. As Ed tries to wave her arm with comm device on it, in front of the door open panel, in order to open the cabin door, she is still resisting, instead trying to swing her arm round Ed's back. He persists and after several attempts, succeeds in triggering the door opening. Ed escorts Jiash into the cabin. He is amazed how untidy a cabin can be, with lots of clothes and make-up strewn all over place. Jiash had obviously tried on several outfits before settling on what she was wearing.
The mess leaves Ed with a dilemma, as to what he should do with Jiash, as the bed is literally covered in stuff, not a single space to rest her on, not that in her current state she would rest.
Ed decides that perhaps he can put her in his cabin on his bed, whilst he quickly tidies up here. He takes her back out,she protests, but then goes quiet as she sees them heading towards Ed's door. He triggers it without any problems. Then gently deposits Jiash on his bed, makes sure she seems to be settled and stable. Then he darts off back to Jiash's cabin and sets about tidying it up, best he can. It seems to take ages.
When he arrives back at his cabin to fetch Jiash, she appears to be gone at first, then he notices the lump in the bed. He goes over to the side of the bed pulls back the covers and is shocked to see that Jiash is not wearing any clothes!
What should Ed do now, he can't transport her to her room like this. He also can't attempt to dress her, if she wakes up, his motives may be misunderstood. What a problem!
Ed could go and see the captain and tell her what has happened and see if she can help, but then that would be disloyal to Jiash and possibly get her into a whole load of trouble. That would make things even worse between him and Jiash and they have to work with each other for the rest of the flight.
What a dilemma. Ed decides that he should leave Jiash here in his room, to sleep things off, whilst he goes to her room, to see if he can get any sleep. What a away to end a shift!
Ed just hopes that Jiash will be alright for her shift in to morning, otherwise there will be even more trouble. He grabs a couple of things that he feels he needs, until morning. Goodness knows what Jiash will require in the morning, apart from her uniform, he could at least fetch that, to save her blushes first thing.
Ed soon finds himself in Jiash's cabin. At least it is tidy now. The though, the thought of sleeping in Jiash's bed, just seems so wrong. Ed settles on top of the covers, he doesn't even bother to change out of his day clothes. As he lies here he just feels uncomfortable, perhaps it is that he is cold, he gets up and adjusts the environmental controls. Soon it is feeling warmer. He settles back down again. Shuts his eyes. Tries to clear his mind of all the events of the day. Then suddenly Ed sees that image again, the one he is trying so hard to blank from his mind. Jiash in his room, his bed, with no clothes. He feels the loss of control at the situation. He grabs his mind back again. Tries again to clear all visions. He finds himself drifting back to the corridor outside the entertainment room, Jiash trying to kiss him, whilst he is trying to keep her upright and off him. Then that swishing, lashing tail.
The struggle goes on in Ed's mind, as if he were still wrestling with Jiash, trying to get her to see sense, that her behaviour was improper. Whilst at the same time, he feels sympathy for the fact that she was under the influence of drink and couldn't help what she was doing.
This mental struggle goes on for some while, then Ed comes to the conclusion that he just isn't going to get any sleep. He could go to the cafeteria, in the hope that he gets so tired that he will fall asleep later.
The cafeteria, only has one other person, a fellow crew member. They nod at each other in recognition, nothing more. Ed, almost makes the mistake of getting a coffee, but remembers his aim is to try and tire himself. He goes instead for some Vegloxian chocolate, similar to the stuff he is used to at home, but much more soothing. They say it contains a harmless relaxant drug, just what Ed could do with now.
As Ed sits and stares out of the cafeteria window, his eyes stare at the stars and galaxies, but they see nothing, his brain is still struggling with what he should do about Jiash. He knows that he cannot carry out his original plan and try and sleep until the morning, in the hope that Jiash gets up refreshed, goes on duty and leaves him alone. She is bound to come into her cabin in the morning, to fetch something or even just to check if everything is alright. Come to that, now that he has closed her cabin door, without her comm device how would he open it again? He had never thought of that.
That's the decider, without anywhere to sleep tonight, he must see the captain and put her in the picture. If there are consequences for Jiash, that is her hard luck, she should have never put Ed in this position. He drinks back the chocolate. Forgetting that it is still hot. He grabs some cold water on his way out.
~~~~~~~~
Chapter 20 - Support
The Captain, somewhat confused to see Ed wander onto the flight deck, she asks if he is alright. Ed immediately says, "No" then goes on to tell her what had happened from the point he had left the flight deck.
The Captain says that Ed did the right thing coming to see her, but he should have done so much earlier. To even think that it would be right for Jiash to attempt to report for duty after getting in such a state was totally wrong and it was his duty to look out for the safety not only of Jiash but the crew and passengers. Fedioaux says that she would have gone off duty, thinking everything was fine and who knows what could have happened.
Fedioaux tells Ed to wait on the flight deck and look after things here, whilst she sorts things out regards Jiash. She asks him to authorise her entry to his cabin. Ed quickly does this before Fedioaux leaves.
He presumes that everything was alright on the flight deck, but just to make absolutely sure, he decides to run the usual course and equipment checks.
~~~~Later ~~~~
The Captain is accompanied by two rather smartly dressed men, security officers by the look of things. Ed wonders what on Regenis 4 is going on here. The captain's face is very serious and to be accompanied by these two, things must have got out of hand regards Jiash. Ed wonders what she has said, as her version of the events.
Fedioaux asks Ed to sit down. She pauses for a while, obviously preparing herself for what she has to say. Ed does not have long to wait though. Fedioaux says, "I am afraid that I have to caution you, in that anything you may say will be recorded and could be used in evidence against you."
Ed asks, "Why what has happened, or supposed to hav
e happened?"
Fedioaux's face gives nothing away, in response to Ed's question, instead she says, "I need you to make a statement before these two security officers as to you recollection of the events of this morning."
Ed asks, "What is going on here, I have already told you what happened."
Fedioaux's face softens somewhat, as she sympathetically replies, "I know you have, but we need your statement of events to be witnessed."
One the officers takes out an e-Recorder and Ed recounts his view of events from the time when he left Fedioaux and his duty shift, to the time when he came back to report what had happened.
When Ed has finished, Fedioaux says, "Right just to put you in the picture, Jiash's recollection of events is considerably different to yours. As I am sure you appreciate, as Captain, I am duty bound to get at the truth of the situation and in so doing I must protect my officers, hence the formality of the warning."
Ed is silent for a moment as he wonders whether he should ask the question that is uppermost on his mind. Ed decides he must know, so he asks, "In Jiash's recollection of events, what am I supposed to have done?"
Fedioaux, face, expressionless again, replies, "Well I cannot go into any details, but I can say that she claims that you did not exhibit, how can I say this? Ah yes, behaviour expected of an officer and gentleman. The fact that she was found unclothed and in your bed, kind of goes in favour of what she is claiming. Although, there is as yet no evidence or proof that the events relayed, either happened, or that they were as a result of duress on your part."
Ed protests, "I did nothing untoward, it was as I said. I came back to my cabin to take Jiash to her own cabin and found her, in that state of undress. I had and have no intention other than to be a supportive colleague. I have a partner back on Regenis 4, I would not want to risk that relationship for anyone, let alone Jiash."
Fedioaux, looking somewhat more sympathetic says, "Its alright Ed, calm yourself. At this stage it is nothing more than an investigation, neither I nor the security services on this craft will be charging you with anything. There will be a lot of reviewing of video logs and the taking of witness statements, before any consideration of making any charges or holding any form of hearing. If Jiash is making false accusations, she is pretty silly as her career will be shot to pieces, on the other hand if you had behaved dishonourably, yours will. At this stage however, I will give both of you a chance to consider things and if either side wishes to make a new statement that reflects a different view of things, then we can reconsider the severity of events and act accordingly. In the meantime, the investigation will continue. For your protection, I have moved you to a cabin on deck 3, I suggest that you have no unaccompanied contact with Jiash, your comms will be monitored, so I suggest that neither of you make contact with the other. I will keep both of you informed if things change or further information is revealed through the investigations. Please also note that your whereabouts will be tracked at all times, again as a safeguard to both of you. I will change the rotas so that there will not be any handover between yourself and Jiash at any time. May I conclude, that if you want any advice at any time, please do not hesitate to contact me. I shall maintain independence in this matter, but at the same time, I would not want to see my officers suffer, due to lack of appropriate advice. Anything said to me will within the usual legal terms be kept confidential. I would not be the residing officer, if any hearing were to be arranged. Is that clear? Is there anything you do not fully understand?"
Ed shakes his head, unable to speak, it was the phrase which referred to his own career being at risk, that did it for him. He can't believe it, one minute he is acting out of the best of motives trying to safeguard Jiash and her career, the next he finds that his own career could be in tatters. How could she do this to him, what sort of being does this to someone who tries to help them out? Ed just cannot get his head around Jiash's rationale for doing this to Ed. There must be some, but it totally escapes him. Surely she could see that Ed had only sent the Captain to help her out. Mind you Ed doesn't know what the Captain had said to Jiash, for her to resort to this defence of her own situation and behaviour. Ed has an overwhelming need to talk to someone he can trust.
Fedioaux says, "OK I have fed your new cabin details to your comm band, I suggest you go and get some sleep and bear in mind that you are to keep away from Jiash Weskeltov. I will need to ask you to do the next shift as Jiash will clearly not be up to it, but in recognition of the fact that you have had no sleep as yet, I will do an extended shift up to 3pm and you can take over then, for a normal shift. I will take handover from you and then do handover to Jiash. Is that alright with you? You still have the right to refuse." Fedioaux's face wears a sympathetic smile and she waits for Ed to respond.
Ed's first thought is, why should he help Jiash out after all she has done to him, but then he realises that the Captain is right not to put her up for the next duty and after all she is being reasonable, extending her own shift by two hours, just to allow Ed to get some sleep. Ed says, "That's fine with me."
Fedioaux, still smiling says, "Thanks for being reasonable about this, I am sure it will all be sorted out satisfactorily. These things often are after a cooling down period. Anyway you had best get off to your new cabin."
Ed nods and departs the flight deck. The two security men stand aside as Ed leaves. He half expects them to follow him, but is glad that they don't. Ed raises his comm device and tries to contact Richard, but he must be sleeping. Ed leaves a simple text message to say that he needs urgently to meet up and discuss something in private.
Feeling somehow incomplete, totally unnerved by the whole experience, Ed was just hoping that Richard would be immediately available, on finding that he isn't, Ed feels totally at a loss as to what to do next. He could go to the cafeteria and have another chocolate drink in the hope that either Richard sees and responds to his message, or that it settles him a bit more, so he can go to his new cabin and see if he can get some sleep.
As Ed walks to the cafeteria, he thinks that this whole situation must be equally awkward for the Captain, after all she had done nothing to bring all this down onto her shoulders. She must be equally wishing that the whole thing go away and lets get on with the job that we are here to do.
The cafeteria, still pretty quiet, although this time there are three others there. Ed grabs his chocolate drink and again seats himself near the window. The star and galaxy patterns that normally hold much fascination for Ed, are of no interest to him now. Although he stares out at them, he sees nothing. Instead, he goes through in his head, again and again, what had happened in the last few hours. The Captain's words and the situation as a whole. The whole thing pretty dire. This mission was bad enough, going out to deliberately put themselves in the path of this anomaly thing, but then to be faced with a colleague, whom Ed thought could be trusted, could be a friend. Now he was facing two foes, the invisible and the visible.
Ed's comm device beeps, thank goodness, it's a message from Richard, it says, 'Come to my cabin.' Then specifies where Ed can find it. Ed drinks up the chocolate, the second time today, that he's almost scalded himself. Why can't he go for a cold drink?
~~~~ Later ~~~~
Richard listens sympathetically, tempted to interrupt once or twice, but manages to keep quiet, in fact so quiet, that when Ed has finished he has to prompt, "Well what do you think Unc?"
Richard says, "Well what a situation indeed and with the minimum of witnesses, although the silent witnesses will be giving forth what they know of the situation as seen through their eyes."
Ed looks at Richard with a very quizzical expression on his face, he wonders if Richard has lost the plot. Then when Richard explains that he is of course referring to the security cameras. Ed's expression changes to a more normal one.
Richard says, "We wander around most of the time totally unaware of how much we are being observed and from so many view poi
nts too. At the most busiest places in a craft like this there can be up to 20 camera surfaces and often in the oddest of places. What we also forget is that sound is captured too. It is a bit like having several people witnessing an event and providing a reliable playback of what they see. I would have thought that with the software our people use, they will have pieced this whole thing together long before you get up for your next shift, it would have taken weeks years ago. Unless your actions are open to mis-interpretation, I would have thought it was an open and shut case. I suspect our guys in the entertainment room have been interviewed already and given what they saw. Unless their impression was vastly different to yours; by the sounds of it, you were the one trying to get away from the situation, whereas Jiash was the one trying to drag you into her activity. Of course that all depends on how much drink they had, as to how they are likely to have understood the situation. But even then the camera surfaces should show by your movements and what you said whether your perception of Jiash was right. You just have to bide your time and wait for the investigators findings. Don't worry, if things don't go well out here, I'll get you a dammed ace lawyer back home and we'll get you out of trouble. Apart from locking you up, they can't actually do anything to you out here, it would be unlawful. What's more I for one won't stand for it. You'd best get off and get some sleep as the Captain has advised and don't worry about it. That little madam will be sorted out, unless she comes to her senses beforehand."