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“Look at this.” Tranis showed him the message.
Lidon did so. His eyes narrowed slightly. “Did you run it through the frequency tracker?”
“I thought it better not to share it on the fleet’s systems. If this was flagged, as the sender obviously didn’t want it to be—”
“Why else would he or she have sent it to your private com?” Lidon nodded. “Any idea who it might be from?”
“None.”
“I have my own means, not connected to the fleet. Maybe I can figure out who dispatched the warning.”
“I thought you might. It’s obviously someone who’s noticed Hobato hasn’t been acting like himself.”
“They didn’t just notice. This warning means they believe or know he’s compromised in some fashion. The question is, why has he changed?”
Tranis gazed at him levelly, as if bile wasn’t rising in his throat. “What if the weird spell I experienced on the station was a Dark rider? What if when it released me, it grabbed Hobato?”
Lidon stared at him for several seconds. “We know one means of finding out.”
* * * *
Tranis smiled at Admiral Hobato as casually as he could manage. “Dr. Degorsk says Ensign Ilid’s visit with his parents was a tremendous boost to his confidence. He says perhaps the more self-assured the young man becomes, the better the chances of him better remembering what happened on the spyship.”
Did he imagine Hobato looked uncomfortable? The rear admiral shifted in his seat. “Has he recovered further information?”
“Not thus far, but we’re hopeful. It made me think if you were to stop by, say hello to Ilid, tell him how impressed you are at how he escaped, he might respond well.”
The Hobato Tranis knew would have already done so. His superior was invested heart and soul in the fleet, and he was as likely to join the lowest crewmembers in their dining halls when visiting a ship as fellow officers at a formal function.
This Hobato had yet to look in on Ilid.
The rear admiral studied his handheld, as if it were the most fascinating object in creation. “My schedule is quite packed. If I get the chance, I’ll certainly drop by the clinic and say hello. I’m glad seeing his parents helped him feel better. How are the tests proceeding?”
Tranis kept his tone warm, normal, to hide the ice filling his heart. “The scientists say it won’t take long to finish the brain scans. The psychiatrist in charge of his case is hopeful Ilid can go home to his parent clan once it’s done. He’ll require continued therapy, but he should be fine to do so on an outpatient basis.”
“Excellent. I trust you have the matter of the young man well in hand. Keep me informed.”
Tranis left the office under Hobato’s pleased smile…and empty eyes. He didn’t possess Ilid’s ability to see Darks, but he was certain he felt a malevolent presence hanging over the man he regarded as a mentor.
* * * *
“He totally blew off visiting the ensign. That alone tells me something’s wrong.” Tranis paced the clan’s common room.
Cassidy was staying late at the lab. For once, Degorsk wasn’t carping about it. He’d been eager to hear the latest, especially as it related to his patient.
“It would have meant a lot to Ilid,” he said from his perch on the overstuffed lounger on the opposite side of the unlit firepit. “As a young Dramok, Ilid has the idea he should be handling the trauma better than he is. His parents calmed some of his concerns, but he’s struggling.”
“I’ll talk to Ilid again, if you believe it’ll help,” Tranis offered. “I realize it would be more meaningful coming from Hobato, but…” he spread his hands helplessly.
“You’re an admiral and a Dramok. It’ll mean plenty to him.” Degorsk smiled in gratitude.
“We can’t force Hobato to visit him. It’ll look odd for us to bring Ilid to the rear admiral.” Lidon stood next to the lounger, his arms crossed over his chest as he stared into space. “We have to consider different means of discovering if Hobato is indeed being influenced by a Dark.”
“What do you have in mind?” Tranis asked. He didn’t add he was ready to act on any idea, no matter how ludicrous. Fortunately, Lidon wasn’t on friendly terms with ludicrous notions.
His suggestion still made Tranis pause. “We need Piras. Here, on Kalquor.”
Degorsk whistled in disbelief.
