Chapter 4A: Traitors in our midst

The weight of Slaine's words hung heavy in the air as the gravity of the situation became undeniable. Hank, stationed nearby, remained vigilant, his gaze fixed on "Ryan" as he monitored the unfolding confrontation.

As Slaine stepped into the room, Hank's eyes briefly flickered to Erin, who stood nearby.

"Apparently, Ryan is a wanted fugitive," Hank explained tersely. "Would you please come over here and help me guard the door to prevent him from fleeing? Weapons are welcome; I'm currently unarmed."

Erin, though unarmed, nodded in understanding, her determination matching that of her fellow crew members. Together, they formed a united front, ready to confront whatever challenges lay ahead.

Meanwhile, "Ryan" remained composed, his demeanor unchanged despite the accusations leveled against him. With a hint of amusement in his voice, he spoke up, his words carrying a sense of detachment.

"It's been a while since I was called Alfredo," he remarked casually, as though discussing the weather rather than his status as a wanted fugitive. His nonchalant demeanor only served to heighten the tension in the room, as the crew grappled with the realization that they were face to face with a dangerous adversary.

In a sudden blur of motion, Ryan's form shimmered and wavered, like a mirage dissipating in the desert heat. Before anyone could react, he vanished into thin air, leaving behind nothing but a sense of bewilderment and disbelief.

Hank's eyes widened in shock as he watched the space where Ryan had stood moments before, his mind struggling to comprehend the abrupt disappearance. Jil's hand instinctively tightened around her gun, ready to fire her weapon at the first sign of danger.

Gabe glanced around the room and searched for any trace of the vanished fugitive. But there was nothing. Ryan had simply vanished into the ether, leaving no clues behind.

As the crew exchanged bewildered glances, a sinking feeling settled in the pit of their stomachs. They had been outmaneuvered, their carefully laid plans unraveling before their eyes. Ryan's escape was a stark reminder of the danger he posed, and the lengths to which he would go to evade capture.

Can I take a (sword)swing at the space Alfredo just left?

As the shock of Ryan's sudden disappearance settled over the room, Slaine's instincts kicked in. Without hesitation, they drew their sword and lunged forward, aiming a swift and precise swing at the empty space where Alfredo had stood just moments before.

The blade sliced through the air with a faint whistle, but there was nothing to meet its edge. Slaine's strike found only emptiness, the momentum carrying they forward as they pivoted to regain their balance.

Erin watched the scene unfold with a mixture of amusement and confusion, her brow furrowing in puzzlement. Jil, on the other hand, reacted swiftly to the sudden motion, instinctively stepping back to avoid being caught in the path of Slaine's swinging blade. Her eyes widened in surprise as she registered the empty space where Ryan had been, her mind racing to make sense of the inexplicable turn of events.

We need to search this ship Alfredo Hernandez, who you knew as Ryan, could be a threat to this ship and crew. He has already shown to be uncooperative and may be equipped with internal explosives. They turn to Gabe, First officer Gabriel Reyes, I am not trying to take any sort of command of this ship, but we need to find Alfredo, or at least k ow that Alfredo isnt on this ship. I suggest moving in pairs. Can you coordinate with Captain Valeria Zaytsev?

---

Can I make any sort of check to know... What that was? Have I ever seen anything like that?

Hank looks at Slaine and asks, "Can bio-synths be psychic?" He then turns to Gabe and Corbin and says, "Check the shuttles! Make sure he isn't on board."

Turning back to Slaine, he adds, "I doubt splitting up into teams and manually searching is a good idea. We're going to be better off getting everyone into a safe place, then depressurize or otherwise force his hand into exposing himself. If we pair off to wander around trying to find him, we will just be dying in pairs."

Oh. I forgot something potentially useful ...

"Shut those doors, Corbin calls to Hank and Erin. Corbin didn't see either of them knocked out of the way. So assuming 'Ryan' is just invisible and fast, he'd need to stick to the doorways. Corbin grabs Jil's arm and pulls her toward the bulkhead so the two of them have their backs to the wall and clearer view of the shuttlebay.

"Check the shuttles! Make sure he isn't on board," Hank suggested, his tone decisive as he delegated tasks to Gabe and Corbin. The urgency in his voice underscored the seriousness of their predicament, as they scrambled to prevent Ryan from slipping away undetected.

As Corbin called for the doors to be shut, Hank and Erin swiftly complied, sealing off potential avenues of escape for their elusive quarry. Corbin, his keen observation skills in full force, positioned himself and Jil strategically against the bulkhead, maximizing their visibility of the shuttle bay while minimizing blind spots.

Meanwhile, Slaine wasted no time in rushing back to the generators room they had just exited, their mind racing with the possibilities of Ryan's abilities. "He could have teleported if he is Psionic," they surmised, voice tinged with urgency as they sought to unravel the mystery of their foe's elusive tactics.

Hank radios to the bridge. "Captain, I apologize for the extreme break in protocol. We have a big problem. Ryan is a fugitive and he literally disappeared from our view while six people were watching him. He must be considered armed and extremely dangerous. Please do an entire ships scan. We need to find him and find him now! Everyone in the crew needs to team up in groups of at least three.

Also, we need both shuttles remotely shut down immediately until we can find him!

This is a major threat to us and the ship."

Oracle question: When and where does Hank encounter Ryan again?

I am still learning this, so forgive if this is a weak question. Also, this only goes forward up to a day, so if Hank won't encounter Ryan for the next 24 hours, he gets no answer.

Hank's mind raced as he sought to see Ryan, his thoughts a jumble of fragmented images and fleeting impressions. But as he delved deeper into the future, a strange sensation washed over him, like a chill wind whispering through his mind.

Suddenly, without warning, the world around him shifted, and Hank found himself enveloped in a vision unlike any he had experienced before. In the blink of an eye, he was transported to a scene of chaos and destruction, his surroundings blurred and indistinct.

Hank's heart pounded in his chest as he surveyed the scene before him, his senses overwhelmed by the intensity of the vision. He watched helplessly his future self looking into a video recording, as it showed Ryan and then the passenger shuttle erupting in a blinding explosion, the force of the blast tearing through the ship with devastating force.

In the midst of the chaos, he caught a glimpse of Jil and Gabe, their figures engulfed in flames as they were hurled into the void of space. A surge of anguish and despair washed over Hank as he witnessed their final moments, his mind reeling with the magnitude of the tragedy unfolding before him. He could feel the crushing weight of despair pressing down on him, a sense of helplessness overwhelming his senses.

Tears stung his eyes as he struggled to comprehend the enormity of what he had foreseen. The vision had been a cruel twist of fate, a glimpse into a future stained with tragedy.

Now, in front of him, the closed doors to the shuttle bay beckoned. Will you try to change the future?