[center][h2]Captive Audience[/h2][/center]

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/qEZu58W.jpg[/img]
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“Well,” Yuri observed as he was brought face to face with Detective Hekubah, “I guess this is why we couldn’t find your clothing store.”  That quip earned him a baton to the legs, sending Antonov down to his knees.

Detective Hekubah looked positively smug as he leered down upon the first mate.  “Where is your captain?” he demanded.

“I don’t know,” the first mate answered.  “Your soldiers took me straight from the cockpit. Didn’t have much chance to call the roll.”  He glanced over his shoulder, taking stock of the crew.  They all appeared to be in handcuffs as well, down on their knees…and there among them was Joe Hooker.  [i]What’s he doing back so early?[/i] Yuri asked himself.  If all was going as planned,  Hook wasn’t expected for another two hours, escorting the final dozen Anabaptist refugees.  Yet, there he was, among the crew.  [i]Something changed,[/i] Yuri thought as he studied the faces and didn’t find Sister Lyen among them.  [i]Something major.[/i]

A burst of radio chatter interrupted his thoughts.  

[i]”Got two in the medical bay.  Ship’s doctor is refusing to leave.  Says she’s doing surgery on her patient.”[/i]

“Break the door in, Captain,” the detective ordered.

The Alliance officer reacted with quiet annoyance.  “Have you seen a Firefly medical bay, detective?” he asked.  “I can assure you that the forty illegals you’re searching for couldn’t possibly be hidden inside, let alone even be crammed into the place.”  He lifted his comm.  “Stand by.  I’m on my way.”

[i]”Roger that.”[/i]

“Illegals?”  Yuri asked as the Alliance captain strode away.  “Forty of them? How do you think we’ve got forty illegals?”

“Shut up!” This time, the baton landed across Yuri’s shoulder blades. “The only thing I want to hear is where you’ve got ‘em hid.”

From the open hatchways came the crashing of a full search being roughly conducted.  The Alliance soldiers were being quite thorough, but as the minutes dragged on and their comms didn’t come alive with reports of discovered refugees, Yuri could only assume that Abby’s childhood hiding places weren’t on the list of known smugglers’ ratholes.  He glanced toward the girl to find her stone faced, as were all the rest, except for Edina, whose concerned eyes asked [i]”are you alright?”[/i]

He nodded silently, before turning his gaze once more upon the detective.  “I forgot to ask.  Where’s your search warrant?”  The answering blow sent him tumbling face down onto the deck.