She closed her eyes to concentrate, to tamp out the distractions of her life. That Bek was sick. That Yahya grew more distant, becoming a stranger wandering the corridors of her life. That Xola was dead. After a moment, she opened them to do her job. Activating her nanomesh suit to exude gloves, she gently scanned the blood splatter. Loneliness filled every space in her being, her truest companion, so real it took up a nearly physical presence in her life. Her mind filled with images from Xola’s funeral, his body, no longer the man she knew. His large forehead no longer glistening with its constant sheen of perspiration. His skin with a waxy quality, with the vibrance drained from his hue. Leaving behind a shell, because that was all that was left, the physical remains of the man she once knew. Respected, even depended on. And now a void existed where Paki once was. All the men she’d come to trust and lean on were finding new ways to leave her. But he wasn’t leaving her without her moving heaven and earth to find him first.

“Maya, are you logging this?” Stacia asked.

<Yes.>

“I’ll need you to download all surveillance records for the last hour to my quarters.” Stacia lowered to her knees to carefully study the base of his workstation.

<Yes.> Maya’s overly formal tone was intended to not intrude on Stacia. Not in this moment. They had a history of assuming such a tone whenever they assumed she was in emotional crisis.

In her imagination, Stacia turned Xola’s head to the side, its weight heavy yet floppy in her hands. Still warm to the touch, like he could wake at any moment if she kept bothering him. His skin too rubbery, as if it might slough off in her hands. Her fingers probing for any irregularities, any clue to answer why he was taken from her.

“Captain?” Hondo risked interrupting her again.

She stilled her movement without turning to him. A measured, purposeful pause, the warning rattle of a snake, signaling that he’d better tread lightly. “What is it?”

“Are you going to want to conduct this entire investigation yourself?”

“Who else would I trust?” she stopped herself from saying. “You’re here, aren’t you? It’s my prerogative to do an initial assessment. Is that all right with you?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He swallowed hard and stepped back.

“Maya, I’ll want thorough imagery of this scene. Full-spectrum analysis.”

<In process. It will be downloaded to your quarters when complete.>

“Down to genetic analysis of any biological material present.”