Parts of this 'ported over from chapters five and six for continuity. This scene involves Leeda Paayt, Lawrence Bourne III, and Qamala Sotiris.

The need for non-violent means of interrogation sent Leeda off to the pharmacy and chemistry lab where she was able to scrape up at least a basic list of drugs for the purpose. Advance designer synthetics she'd have to purchase elsewhere. Obviously mining stations had little need to do sophisticated interrogations. This meant they'd also have to use their native empathic and telepathic gifts to enhance the effort -- a neat challenge for the two aliens aboard.

"As you wish," Leeda heard her new friend say that from the hall just outside the medbay -- agreeably, as seemed to be her general nature. "I made the original offer for your sake, not my own. Leeda has him under for now -- safest really, the man is incredibly dangerous -- but once she brings him out of it, please don't let him see you. I'm pretty sure that would be a very bad idea."

Lawrence shrugged and stationed himself outside the door. He went to light a smoke but then thought better of it and returned case and lighter to their pockets.

The Magellen breezed into medical, sending a mindlinked burst of affection to the Eldyri, eyes seeking out the human male prone and unconscious on one of the beds. She placed a slim hand on Ekhart's arm, suddenly feeling very tired and envying him the rest he was getting. Older Magellen rarely slept, but Qamala was young enough to need as much sleep as humans did. So much had happened, she wasn't sure exactly how long she'd been awake. It likely seemed much longer than it actually was.

"How goes your search, Leeda?" Qamala asked. "Do you have anything that will loosen the Colonel's inhibitions? At least enough to glean what we need to know from his mind, if not his mouth?"

"Oh yes, I do believe I've found just what we need." She turned and held up a pair of vials, one with tongs, as it was obviously very cold, vapor trailing down from the bottom and along the sides. "This," she said, holding up the steaming vial, "Is nitrus oxide. It exists naturally in a gasesous state, so for ease of transport and storage it's frozen until we need to use it. It will aerosolize as we warm it up." She put that vial back in the locker; she didn't want it to warm up too much before they needed to use it.

"This one here is sodium penthanol. They're both anesthetics, primitive but almost fool-proof, which makes them good for medical procedures in the field, or if there isn't a stasis table handy. I made sure to obtain a few units, just in case."

Qamala smiled gently, fatigue almost completely erased by her friend's enthusiasm for her work.

She held the vial up to the light, shaking it slightly, then looking back at Qamala. "They suppress pain by suppressing the receptors in the brain. They aren't, as I said, terribly sophisticated, so they do that by suppressing most of the higher brain functions, including a fair bit of motor control, and most of the reasoning and quantitative portions of the brain. Those that control emotion, problem solving... as a result, any person on these drugs, separately or together, will be far more receptive than they would be normally. Almost all inhibitions are suppressed, as are a good many negative emotions."

She smiled, then laughed, placing the vial on the table next to her with a solid click. "All of which is a fairly long-winded way to say that our friend here will be feeling no pain, physical or otherwise. He will be euphoric, friendly, gregarious... and all of his mental barriers will be completely removed. What he thinks about, he will say, and his mental tracking of our questions will be completely transparent. We shouldn't have any trouble getting what we need out of him. Best of all, there are zero negative side effects, assuming I administer them correctly, which I'm quite sure I can handle."

She crossed her arms, bouncing on her toes and grinning up at Qamala. "Will that do, heartsister mine?"

"Admirably," she agreed, bending over to place a fond kiss on Leeda's cheek. "Heartsister. How apt! One question -- will he remember any of this, when the drugs wear off?"

Leeda smiled happily at the gesture of affection, then shrugged one shoulder. "I'm not entirely sure. I've never been under the effects myself, and the research material on the drugs' usage in this manner is... scarce. From what I can guess, however, I'd say that he'll know he's been qestioned, but he probably won't remember many of the details. It will be as if he was severely drunk, or under the influence of a mild hallucinagen. He won't know about the things we take from his mind, in any case. He probably has only limited sensitivity under normal circumstances, and with his barriers brought down, there wouldn't be any resistance for him to recall."

"Under other circumstances, it might be quite an experience to try," the Magellen grinned at her friend, then sobered as she glanced down to Ekhart again. "He'll have been trained to resist anyway, I should assume. Somehow. We may not be able to rely on the drugs alone, Leeda." Her mind caressed the Eldyri's through their link, demonstratively. "I want to get this done as quickly as we can. If we can finish before we leave the station, I will again broach the subject with Willa and Paladin about leaving him here rather than taking him with. His presence is a complication we do not need." Violet eyes turned to where Lawrence hovered near the door. "And jeopardizes some of us more than others."

Leeda sighed and fingered the vial on the table, eyes on the still form in the middle of the room. "I can't say I'm looking forwards to this exactly, but you're right. We need to get it done so we can get him out of our way." She shuddered delicately. "The thought of possibly having to deal with his presence until we can find a place to drop him? That is not exactly how I saw this journey going." She picked up the sodium penthanol and inserted it into the hypospray, hearing the subtle hiss of the seal being established. "I think we'll start with just this for now. We can bring out the nitrous oxide later, if we need it, but its euphoric effects are stronger, and I want the man compliant, not out of his head. Wouldn't get much from him if he can't talk for laughing."

She glanced at Qamala and walked to the panel that would start to bring Ekhart up out of his unconscious state, finger resting on the button. "Are you ready?"

With a nod, Qamala placed one slim hand upon Ekhart's bare arm, knowing the compelling and soothing power of simple skin contact on all mammals -- including humans. And Magellen, she admitted to herself, taking a deep breath. Leeda's telepathic skills were greater than her own by a huge margin, she just hoped her heartsister was ready for what she was about to find there. "Let's double check his restraints, dearlove. I do not trust him at all -- and I am normally a very trusting kind of person."

"Master Bourne," she then said, "if you would be so good as to step into Medical and close the door behind you," she murmured, watching Ekhart intently as he surfaced into consciousness. "Then remain quiet until we get him under the drug."

Leeda moved to the side of their patient as the console beeped quietly, relaying her command to the stasis module. She placed the hypospray against his shoulder, releasing the drug into his bloodstream, then set it aside to double check his bonds, as Qamala made the request. "They are as secure as we can make them." She backed up a step, understanding Qamala's empathy but feeling uncomfortable so close to the table herself. "I can also restrain him with my TK, if it becomes necessary." She smiled at the taller woman. "So you have nothing to fear from him." She checked the panel, monitoring his rise; he was almost back to consciousness. "Physically, at least." She sent a reassuring nudge down the link and linked her fingers together in front of her, nodding towards the man before them. "He's just about awake."

"Thank you, Doctor," she murmured, resolved not to use any crew names that Ekhart didn't already know. "Verlag Ekhart. Can you hear me?"

Their `patient' -- or captive, take your pick -- slowly opened his eyes. At first they were unfocused, but as Leeda watched, the pupils contracted and he focused on her. "Dhis is a starship," he said thickly. His mind was working furiously to try and gain some kind of traction and focus. "And I am in dhe medical vard. Vhy are dhere children on dhis starship?"

"Oh good, you're still with us," Qamala said, declining once again to answer his questions. "How are you feeling? Do you remember me, and our conversation earlier?"

"You are dhe vhite haired voman vho vas so kind," he replied. "I am under your protection."

"Yes, that's right," she told him encouragingly. "We talked for some time until the doctor could treat you. You were telling me about the men under your command, they sound very impressive. How many came with you to this station?"

"Only I am on station," he said rather proudly. "But ITI has spies on station and I bring two fast ships so dhat dhe fast ship sagitto, vhich is stored on station, not escape vith dhe Lawerence Bourne dhe dhird."

"Oh, I'm sure your ships are much faster," she murmured, mind racing. It would appear that ITI already knew more about their ship than they did. She glanced at Leeda pointedly, getting ready to probe for information. The diminutive telepath needed to have her links to Ekhart in place, and Qamala waited for the nod before she proceeded.

Leeda stood by as Qamala began drawing their captive into conversation. She slid up to the edges of his mind, sending delicate probes out to feel the thoughts as they fluttered up from the depths and away again. So far, nothing he had said had differed from or concealed anything he was thinking, but she stood ready to detect and retrieve, if he should attempt to hide some small bit of information.

"So this Lawrence Bourne the Third is on a ship named `Sagitto'? How did the spy in the senator's office learn about the speed?"

Ekhart chuckled, under the effects of the drugs, apparently pleased with himself for knowing secrets. "No, no, no. I know of Sagitto from before. I learn dhat Dhe Senator buys Sagitto with secret buying of Regillus Mining ten standard years ago after his murder. Dhen later I learn dhat Dhe Senator is keeping ship but does not know history. Only later I learn Dhe Senator's plans for Sagitto. But I am pleased because I know ship and ITI comes to me for contract."

"That was very clever of you," Qamala agreed, smiling to match Ekhart's delight in himself. "But how did you learn of the Senator's plans for Sagitto? That must have been exceedingly clever of you."

"ITI have spy in Regillus Station," he said proudly.

"Of course they do," Qamala assured him, rolling with his emotional tide. "Probably very well placed too!"

She didn't glance at Leeda, she knew she didn't have to -- they'd get this tidbit, one way or another.

"Oh yes, yes... " Ekhart smirked. He was going to say it. Both women felt it and knew it even though that portion of Ekhart's mind that had been relegation to mere observer screamed that he should not say it. But before he could even resist, the words were out of his mouth, and the women had an image in their mind. An image Leeda recognized. "Dhe female Rigellian bar tender in dhe administrative section of Rigellus Station has been a spy for ITI for as long as she has been dhere," he gloated in his description of the female Lawrence had come intimately to know as Meena. "She is vell placed and has contacts dhroughout dhe station. She as been invaluable to ITI -- and to me."

Leeda spared a thread of power to connect to Qamala more closely while still monitoring Ekhart's pattern. "Well, that explains that. If they wanted a hound to flush out our fox of a senator's son, they couldn't have dreamed up a better candidate. She probably had him spilling secrets left and right, after a drink or two." She touched on another thought that seemed like it might be fruitful, but it was just another meditation on his employer; he seemed entirely over-attatched to ITI, for what they were promising him. Perhaps he just had a loyal personality. Not too loyal though, or they might not have gotten anything out of him at all. "I hope she was their sole point of contact; perhaps their information is limited to what Lawrence knew, which would be fortunate indeed." She grimaced and glanced over at the man standing by the doorway, judging his reaction to the news. "Then again, perhaps we shouldn't wish for miracles. We may need one later."

For his part, Lawrence merely reacted with some light astonishment and open-mouthed humor at the revelation. "And here I thought I was just on my game that night," he murmurred to himself, shaking his head with a smile. "Well played Mini-mee, well played."

Qamala spared a quick glance at the young man, but quickly redirected her attention back to Ekhart, smiling in congratulation. "Truly, Leeda dearest. Truly. Lawrence said at the staff meeting that he'd gotten a message from his father. Did he watch it or listen to it where that bartender could overhear? I think we need to act as if the spy has the information, just to be on the safer side. In Paladin's words, we were `set up' and `sold out' rather neatly. I believe Anastius is going to want to know just who did it."

"Verlag, that was truly a masterstroke, I'm impressed! Her contact in the Senator's office must be highly placed."

"She is bar tender," he shrugged. "And has been vidh dhis station for longer dhan Dhe Senator. She knows everyone -- and as dhe Virgin knows, infidels have vagging tongues."

"Does he not know who it is, or is he being coy?" she sent to Leeda, placing her hand on Ekhart's arm gently. "If we can't find out who the contact in his office is, we can't trust anyone in his office with this information but Anastius himself."

"Just one more thing, Verlag," she murmured, leaning over him with that gentle smile. "ITI is a big conglomerate, I'm told. Who came to you with this contract?"

Again there was the internal struggle. But this time it was more profound. "Dhat... is somdhing... I should... not say... " He finally managed to get out. "Chairman Viesman... vould be displeased." Then a look of horror came over his face and both women felt the impact hit him. "Oh. No! I have not said. I did not mean to say... No, no... It vas not him. I swear." Which would be useless. "On my honor --" Of which he has none. "It vas not dhe Operations Chairman."

"It's all right, Verlag. I don't know who that is anyway," she murmured to him reassuringly. "But I intend to find out." "So you were to kill Princess Aldeborahnn, then? Or were you to bring her to him alive?"

"No, no," Ekhart shook his head, a bit of relief coursing through him at her admission she had no idea who Chairman Wiesman was. "Ve vanted dhe Lawrence Bourne dhe dhird to use to make dhe Senator Bourne do as ITI wished."

Qamala smiled again, enjoying herself thoroughly. She'd never interrogated anyone before, but she was finding it came to her as easily as breathing and was more fun than rolling around with a litter of baby indoulith. "It's too bad the younger Bourne wasn't at the ship when you got there, or you would certainly have succeeded," she said. "What does ITI wish the Senator to do? Perhaps I can facilitate...?"

Ekhart thought about that for a moment. The women could feel him searching for a piece of information that wasn't there. "Dhat," he finally confessed. "I do not know. Dhey have only said dhey vould provide dhe proper expertise to achieve dheir ends. Our services vould no longer be needed after securing dhe Lawrence Bourne Dhe Dhird and delivering him to dhem."

Qamala nodded understandingly, then glanced at Leeda once. "I think we've gotten all we need to know from him for now, heartsister. Put him back under whenever you're ready." "You look tired, Verlag, and the doctor will fuss at me for taxing you so with our talk. Rest now. You're still under my protection. All will be well."

Leeda nodded, fingers flying over the buttons and slides to start bringing the captive back down to unconsciousness. She smiled to herself as she felt the pleasure and quiet pride coming off Qamala. It would seem she liked the role of interrogator but with an ironic sort of innocence. Leeda got the impression that she just liked getting answers; an impulse that Leeda could understand. "Ok, he's slipped down below consciousness. I'll keep bringing him down to a near-coma state, in case we decide to put him into stasis or something. Speaking of, what are we going to do with him, now that we've got the answers we need?"

"I'll be broaching that again with Willa and Paladin, now that they've had time away from the subject," she replied, still gazing thoughtfully at Ekhart's sleeping face. "He needs to be ransomed back to his unit, and I believe Senator Anastius is the best one to do that. It should at least divide his unit's attention until we can get safely away from the station, if not absorb it altogether."

Qamala shuddered delicately, then took a deep breath. "After that, I seriously need a shower," she said to no one in particular.

ooc: not sure if that decision is going into this game file, so let me know if I need to remove that last part :P