Last Chapter Recap: "Yes, but we failed to extract any credible information," Tila said, her voice tinged with frustration. "Yet strangely, Lt. Chand seems cooperative, which means..."
NOW
"Do you think he's incapable of doing so?" Adam asked, his tone curious.
I see. Yes, certain nanomachines are capable of preventing a person from talking – or rather, acting against certain orders.
"Cognitive subversion is the only reason I can think of," Brody said, his brow furrowing. "But how would they inject him with such a measure?"
"Did you run the scan?" Adam asked, his tone more serious now.
"All members of the crew are scanned between every mission," Brody said, his tone firm. "We should have caught any signs of tampering."
Neo society intelligence isn't above such heavy-handed methods, but lt. Brody is right. This doesn't seem like their handiwork.
"You're a specialist, right?" Tila asked, raising an eyebrow. "And a former Neo-Terran to boot. You must know something."
"Specialist, not a magician," Adam said, his tone flat. "I know of no nanomachines or similar measures that would escape the Alliance's counterintelligence."
"Is that so..." Tila said, her voice soft yet laced with suspicion.
Deeply in thought, the princess approaches the force field… only to wake up the sleeping Chand, who immediately lashes out towards her.
"Grhrrr!" Chand muttered his frustration clear.
Well, as much as a person in his state could lash out.
"Please, be careful, Highness," Brody said, his voice tinged with concern.
"It's fine," Tila said, her voice steady but with a hint of finality. "Good day, Lieutenant."
"You...!" Chand said, his voice rising with frustration. "I told you to stay away from me! I-I..." He stammered, his hands clenched into fists as he struggled to maintain control.
'Stay away'? that's peculiar.
"I see..." Adam said, his tone flat, observing the situation. "Pavlovian reaction..."
"What do you mean, Ensign?!" Brody asked, his voice rising in confusion and frustration.
"It's only a hunch…" Adam said, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "But some nobles in Neo Terran prefer to train their slaves without electronics."
"You son-of-a-!!" Chand said, his voice trembling with fury.
"You mean..." Tila asked, her voice steady but laced with curiosity.
"Lieutenant is a former slave, right?" Adam said, his voice tinged with understanding. "Then it makes perfect sense. This response is conditional—he can't help it."
"Bastard!!!" Chand yelled his voice filled with fury.
Phew, if looks could kill! Even weighed down by artificial gravity, lt. Chand looks like he could jump out of his seat and strangle me.
"Is there a way to...?" Tila asked, her voice tinged with concern. "Cure him?"
"Probably," Adam said, his voice steady but tinged with a hint of reluctance. "But it would require long psychological treatment, and frankly, it would never be completely wiped out."
"That's a nasty surprise..." Brody said, his voice filled with disbelief. "No wonder counterintelligence didn't spot anything."
"Yes, the lieutenant might have been largely unaware of this conditioning," Adam said, his tone thoughtful. "But I have a better question..."
"Hm?" Brody said, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.
"Why, Princess?" Adam asked, his voice laced with curiosity, yet a hint of caution in his tone. "Lieutenant Chand isn't from Pandora, right?"
"That's..." Tila said, her voice trailing off as she pondered Adam's question.
"Hmprh," Chand said, his voice low and filled with frustration. "What do you know, bastard!"
Looks like lt. Chand has finally calmed down, which reinforces my hypothesis about conditioning. Of course, I have another hypothesis, to answer my own question. Lt. Chand was probably allowed to defect. A perfect assassin. Undetectable, untraceable.
"Lieutenant..." Tila said, her voice softening as she looked at him with a mix of concern and curiosity.
"I told you to..." Arghh! Chand said, his frustration clear, his voice trembling. "If you already know so much, can't you understand, woman? I can't think straight when you're here!"
"We only need a few answers, Chand," Brody said, his tone firm but not without a hint of warning. "Cooperate, and you might even save your skin."
"Hah! You're kidding," Chand said, his voice laced with bitterness. "I know well what the Alliance Fleet government does with mutineers!"
"Lieutenant, you have my word," Tila said, her tone softening. "If you cooperate, I will make sure-"
"I will not talk to you or that slaver son of a bitch!" Chand said, his voice shaking with frustration. "Enough!"
"Lieutenant..." Tila said, her tone firm yet laced with concern.
… Chand muted.
"He's out," Brody said, his voice low and disappointed.
Oh, he tried to stand up to knock himself out using a gravity trap. Creative.
"He's a tough one, I'll give him that," Adam said, looking at the unconscious lieutenant. "However, your highness, if you allow me a few minutes with him, I can get the information you need."
"No, that's enough," Tila said, her tone firm and resolute. "If the lieutenant really wasn't in control of his actions, then I need not know anything more."
Right after this show of authority, the princess leaves the interrogation room.
I'd rather fuck than sleep. And speaking of fucking…