A5.3-2 Convincing Gutassi (Patreon)

So, now that Tori believes the commissioner plans to purge the ship, she just needs to convince the captain...

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The door to the conference room slammed open and Captain Gutassi shook his strand angrily at Tori. “Commissioner Troykintrassa might order a full purge of the Sailor’s Gambit I? What in blazes are you yammering about?”

“Well, I can’t prove it,” she said, “but it’s the only theory I’ve got so far that fits the facts.”

And with that, the wounded investigator recapped the talk she’d just had with Daskatoma. Gutassi hadn’t intended to stay long, but as she spoke, he found himself sinking into a chair opposite her as he hung on her every word. Blood drained from his head and the normally rosy insides of his ears faded to white.

“That can’t be correct,” he whispered.

“I hope it’s not!” said Tori. “I thought it was ridiculous as I unfolded it, and I kept expecting the deputy commissioner to point out the flaw in my logic or to explain his real motivations for not wanting me to transfer here, but he never did. I even asked him—point blank—to deny it, and he refused.”

“Well, that doesn’t mean anything,” he huffed. “Krakun are obstinate, and they’re not liable to tell us anything.”

“Exactly,” she agreed, “that’s why we have to rely on our deductions. And if I’m wrong, then so what? We were never in any danger. But if I’m right, then we’ve only got a week to prepare for the commissioner’s inspection!”

“And do what?” he demanded.

She gulped and flailed, desperately trying to form words. “I-I don’t know! You’re the captain! You tell me. You’re the one who’s let the ship slide toward revolt—”

He held up a paw, silencing her. “We’ll worry about blame when the crisis is averted. For now, we need to focus on the solution.” He put his paws flat on the desk for a moment. “Well, we need to squash these anti-authority voices.”

Tori winced. “Using authority to crush anti-authority reactionaries? Won’t that just validate what they’re saying?”

He sighed. “I realize that, Investigator, but we’ve only got a week to get this fixed. We can work on winning the crew’s hearts and minds after we’ve convinced the commissioner not to kill us! But we simply don’t have the time right now.”

Tori lowered her eyes.

“First,” the captain barked, “we need these cases solved.”

“Cases?” she squeaked. “Plural?”

“The criminal murdering my officers and the criminal making that awful Boots video—presuming that they’re not the same geroo,” he said. “I need these cases to be your top priority.”

“Well, uh,” said Tori, “finding the killer is my top priority. I’m not here to find a filmmaker. And a week? I don’t think I can solve the case that quickly. I don’t know that anyone could! I certainly don’t see how I can solve two cases in that time.”

Gutassi stared down at the table between them. He spoke slowly, quietly, “Well, we don’t need the cases completely solved before the inspection.”

“We don’t?” gasped Tori, as if a ray of hope shone down on her. “Do you think the commissioner would decide not to purge us if we could show progress on the investigations?”

Gutassi’s ears folded into a sour expression. He stood and closed the door to the corridor. “This doesn’t leave the room, understood?”

Tori stared at him wide-eyed. “Um, okay. Yes, sir.”

“The krakun don’t care about progress, only about success. If we can hand the commissioner two criminals on a plate, great. If we can’t, then we just need to narrow the suspect list down to a reasonable number … say, under a hundred names.”

Tori stared at him. “And then what? What if we do narrow it down to a hundred suspects?” She waited a dozen heartbeats. “Is the commissioner going to interview each and make his own determination which two are guilty?”

“No, Tori,” he sighed, “I’m sure he’ll execute everyone on the list.”

“What?” she shouted, standing from her seat.

“Well, what choice do I have?” he shouted back. “I will talk to the commissioner when he gets here, and if I get the sense that he plans to purge the ship if the criminals aren’t caught, then I’ll hand over the list. I’ll gladly sacrifice as many as I have to to save the rest of us.” When she didn’t respond, he asked, “Or would you rather everyone die?”

“No!” she gasped.

“Well, then, that settles it,” he said. “Narrow the list down as much as you can. Everyone you eliminate from suspicion will live. That’s a pretty good incentive, right?”

“Captain…” she begged, “I’m just one person.”

“Not anymore,” he said. “This is a top priority.” He took the strand from his shoulder and tapped on its face.

Security Chief Tipohee answered on the third ring. “Yes, sir?”

“I’m prioritizing the serial killer and underground video maker cases,” said the captain. “Nothing is more important for the next week, understood? I don’t want to hear about you tracking down burglars or drug dealers. For the next week, your team will eat, sleep, and search for these suspects.”

“Sir?” gasped the chief.

“Top priority,” repeated Gutassi. “And if you have to bend the rules to get me results, then that’s what you’ll do. Investigator Tori will be working the cases too, and you’ll support her without question. If she says to beat a confession out’a someone, you’ll do it.”

“Captain!” shrieked a terrified Tori.

“Absolutely not!” huffed the chief. “The chain of command goes from you to me to—”

“The chain of command,” the captain interrupted, “goes from me to you, and I’m telling you that you and your team will do anything that Tori tells you to do—regardless of whether it is illegal or immoral. I expect results within a week by any and every means necessary.”

The security chief closed his eyes, slowly releasing the breath he held. “Yes, sir,” he finally said. “I understand.”

Gutassi smiled up at Investigator Tori, but the rusty red geroo looked too terrified to speak.

“Oh, and chief,” said the captain before hanging up, “post rewards for information leading to capture of these two.”

“Sure, I can do that,” said Tipohee, tapping a note on his strand while he talked. “How much?”

“One hundred thousand credits for each of them.”

“What?” shouted the chief in disbelief.

“One hundred thousand for each of them. If they turn out to be the same guy, then two hundred thousand, I guess. That should motivate the crew to help.”

Tipohee tapped away, eventually pausing. “You want me to put ‘dead or alive’ on this too, while I’m at it?” he snarked.

“Yeah, sure,” said Gutassi, “if you think it will help.”

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Reviewer's link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1P3BhOR6OblETJlEproVACzBp_v3N6R31B8mI77id5q0/edit?usp=sharing

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