[center][h2]The Comeuppance[/h2][/center]

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/TTYwrLr.png[/img]
[/center]


“Lies!” a visibly furious Detective Hekubah waved the pages in the woman’s face.  Who was this…this...harpy, thinking she could tread upon his payday?  “These are obvious forgeries!” the detective pitched them at the woman’s face.  “I’m charging you with falsification of official documents and obstruction of a lawful police investigation!  You there!” he bellowed toward the nearby soldiers.  “Cuff her!”

“BELAY THAT!”   Captain Kondo’s command echoed through the cargo bay.  “Corporal Dunn,” the Alliance officer spoke in his customary tone, “With me.”   The two made their way toward the confrontation. “I’d like to see those,” Kondo said of the papers scattered about the deck.

“Yes sir.”  As the corporal hurried about collecting the pages, Hideki Kondo regarded the statuesque newcomer.  [i]”Unfazed by the detective,”[/i] he observed.  [i]”Aristocratic bearing, flawless diction.  Confident of her position.”[/i]  

His appraisal halted as the corporal provided the documents.  Kondo read, quickly discerning the intent of each page.  “Corporal Dunn,” he said as his eyes took in the final legalese.  “Authenticate these, please.”

The corporal produced a hand scanner.  As she referenced the hidden code watermarks, Kondo remained still, poised as Detective Hekubah persisted in ranting of a vile future for the woman.  “Or perhaps I’ll send you into the Blackout Zone!” he blathered the threat.  “Let you live in there until somebody gains permit for you!”

“Captain,” the corporal pocketed her device, “the documents are authentic.”

“No!” Hekubah bleated.  “Your equipment is faulty!”

“I checked them twice, sir,” Corporal Dunn glanced toward her captain.  “The doc codes are verified by Cap City Legal database, and Veronica St. Bartholemew’s office corroborates both her order and signature.”

The Captain’s gaze landed upon the hostage crew.  “Release them,” he ordered.  “The smuggled ones as well.”  As both platoons set to work undoing handcuffs, their commander looked past the frothing detective to study their sanguine, graceful liberator.  “Ms…Cassidy,” he recalled her offered name.  “If you’ll permit an observation, your timing was impeccable.”