February 10, 2051
Henry sat at an empty corner table in the crowded rec area, distributing ration packets. One packet per seat left him a few extra, and he put the remaining rations in the middle of the table. Bugguffin would need one, and she’d likely try to make them give her the rest as well.
Alex entered the large room with Bugguffin in his arms. His eyes met Henry’s, and then the pilot started toward him, pausing several times to let other personnel pet the black cat.
Alex took one of the chairs across from Henry. “Topaz and Claire and Autumn will be here soon. Autumn’s busy needling the other two. I’m surprised she didn’t want to poke Bugguffin.”
Henry smiled.
Bugguffin’s neck stretched toward the packet in front of Alex. “Mawrrawr!”
The pilot grinned and opened it for her. “I guess she better eat before she goes crazy.”
Henry nodded in agreement. “Why did the general need to meet with you?”
Alex’s smile faded as he told Henry about it, adding, “I’d like it if you and Autumn could hold off searching the doctors until you have more backup. With all the doctors that have turned out to be rebels…”
Henry nodded again and picked up his ration packet. Running his ungloved fingers over the textured sections of its wrapper, he forced himself to focus on the sensation of the folds and the noise of conversation in different parts of the room. Sometimes tuning in to one’s current situation with as many senses as possible could stave off flashbacks.
At least, that’s what he’d read once. He hoped he wouldn’t have to find out.
Thinking about the doctors who’d turned out to be traitors—or the rebels in general—usually bothered Henry, but lately, it had particularly disturbed him.
And Alex’s words combined with his current concerns over the substance in the needle were starting to make him think of Dr. Hughes.
“Mawr.” Bugguffin stared at him, her pupils much larger than they’d been before. She’d given Claire that same look during dinner last night. Claire had not given in.
“If you eat too much, your stomach will not be happy,” Henry chided.
Alex grinned, then glanced past him. “Hey guys.”
Autumn took the seat beside Henry, and Claire and Topaz sat on the adjacent side of the table.
“Glad to see you’re both still in one piece.” Alex reached for another ration packet.
Autumn smiled. “Did you fill Henry in, Alex?”
The pilot nodded, then glanced at Claire, who was reaching for a second packet. “You don’t need to grab one for Bugguffin. I already fed her.”
“Thank you for letting me know.”
“Colton’s here,” Topaz whispered.
The engineer sat next to Alex. “I met Dr. Burke near the general’s office. She said he was still keeping Major Barr distracted, so she’d message him that he could send the major back to engineering, and then she’d update him on the search Gerard and I did—did the general tell you about that?”
“I told them.” Autumn opened her ration packet. “What did you find?”
Colton informed them of Webb’s being in Baines’s room and of the fire. “Webb must have either used a password cracker like we had or entered Baines’s passcode. Either way, I think he’s involved with the rebels.”
“Any idea how the fire started?” Topaz asked.
Colton shook his head. “Albert messaged he doesn’t know what happened.”
“What about the smoke detectors?” Claire asked. “Do you know why they didn’t work?”
“Could their batteries have died?” Topaz added.
“We’ll check for that. I’m wondering if someone got into the smoke detectors’ computerized systems and compromised their monitoring abilities so they’d think there wasn’t smoke in the area.”
Topaz frowned. “That’d make sense. The question is, did Webb monkey with the systems and then start the computer fire himself, or does he have a teammate helping him?”
“Good question.” Colton opened his packet. “Barclay and Baines were working together, so it wouldn’t be surprising if—”
“Major Barr,” Henry whispered.
“Not again,” Alex muttered.
The major strode toward their table. “Engineer Close.”
“Sir.” Colton rose and turned—likely trying to shield Bugguffin from view, although she’d already disappeared. “Is something wrong?”
“No, but our temporary station head would like every engineer’s shield checked for…we’ll say ‘rebel maintenance.’ I’m going to get that check out of the way as soon as possible, so unfortunately…you’ll have to report back to engineering as soon as you finish breakfast. No socializing. Understood?”
“Yes sir.”
“Good. Later you’ll help with station maintenance.” Major Barr turned and smiled at Autumn. “Dr. Hampton.” He marched off without acknowledging the others.
Colton resumed his seat and reached for his packet, his hands shaking. He must have noticed, because a heartbeat later they steadied.
Topaz touched his arm. “Are you okay?”
“I was expecting him to tell me I’d have to skip breakfast. I don’t know why he didn’t.”
Henry had been expecting the same thing. He frowned. “Perhaps when he saw another division head was present, he reconsidered ordering you to go without it.”
Autumn smiled dryly. “Unlikely, but that would be a nice change.”
Colton had already swallowed half the packet and was working on the remaining half. He nodded, but Henry wondered if they were thinking the same thing.
Or Barr has something worse planned.
“Uh, guys?” Alex looked down at his lap, then up at the others. “Bugguffin’s asleep.”
“Wow, in here?” Topaz glanced around the room. “How’d she do that?”
“I don’t know, but after we’re done, I have to meet Lew and start searching pilots. How am I going to do that with her sleeping on me?”
Henry empathized with Alex’s concern for the cat, but he also knew the search took precedence, as it would over any of the rest of them sleeping. “You’ll have to wake her up and move her. Carefully.” Of course, he didn’t want Alex scratched by a grumpy feline either. “Or maybe I—”
“Henry, I can’t wake her up. That’d be mean.”
Claire gave him a sympathetic look. “I could try lifting her off of you without waking her, but I don’t know if—”
“Or…” Topaz grabbed another ration packet and stood. “Sorry, Colton, but can I get past you?”
“Sure.” Colton finished off his packet, folding it up to throw it away as he rose and stepped to the side.
Topaz gave him a nod of thanks before moving around his empty chair to bend over Bugguffin.
She ripped the packet open, and Bugguffin’s head shot up. “Mawr!”
Topaz chuckled. “All right, get off the pilot’s lap and you can have a small portion of this.”
____________________________________________________________________________
Colton lined up with the engineers waiting outside Major Barr’s office. Inside, the division head and three station guards were checking everyone’s shields.
A few engineers stood behind him, and his pulse quickened. He hated having them—or anyone other than his friends, really—behind him.
Slowly, the line inched forward, and after so long, Colton surreptitiously checked his watch. Great. It’d be time for the second morning patrol soon.
Hopefully, he’d be available to check the space fighters—“Close!” Major Barr barked from inside the open hatchway, and the engineers in front of Colton moved aside to let him through, smirking at him as he went past.
Colton’s chest tightened. He hadn’t done anything wrong, and he hadn’t let his shield out of his sight, so no one should have been able to tamper with it. Still, he couldn’t help but feel nervous as he reached the front of the line.
He had already moved the items in his jacket to his belt and pants pockets, so once he was inside the room, all he had to do was take off his jacket and hold it over one arm while he removed his shield with his other hand.
Station Guard Stewart held out his hand for the jacket. “Let me take that.”
“Thank you.” That made it easier. He disconnected the shield from its uncharged battery, then slipped the network of exposed and insulated wire off. Barr reached for it.
Station Guard Duy seemed unaware of the major; he stepped forward and took the shield from Colton. “We’ll be quick, Engineer.”
“Thank you.”
Behind Duy, Station Guard Hernandez winked at Colton.
Colton managed to keep his expression blank.
He expected Barr to be angry, or at least annoyed, but instead, the major seemed calm.
Colton’s heart pounded even faster.
“Nothing here.” Duy turned the shield so Barr could see it. “You don’t see anything, do you sir?”
“No. Your checking was adequate.” Major Barr turned to Colton. “You’re dismissed.”
“Yes sir.” Colton accepted the shield from Duy and hurriedly put it back on, then pulled his jacket on over it. He exited the major’s office and returned to the main area.
Alex waited for him by one of the tables. Evidently, checking the pilots’ shields had taken a lot less time than checking the engineers’—despite Major Barr’s having the guards to help him.
Colton approached the table, and Alex whispered, “They clear your shield?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Let’s go.” Alex led the way.
Once they were in the corridor, Colton asked, “Is something wrong?”
“No. I just wanted to get you out of there.”
Colton let his breath out. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I figured if Barr asks, we needed you to fix something.”
Colton frowned. “Oh—did you message that you needed an engineer?”
“Why deal with the person pretending to be the farmer when I can talk to the cow for free?”
Colton laughed.
Alex grinned. “Actually, I figured you’d be checking the space fighters before the next patrol.”
“Thanks. I do need to do that…After that, I guess I’m on some kind of maintenance.”
“I’m on the first afternoon patrol. I’ll stick with you until then.”
____________________________________________________________________________
Henry stood at an examination table in the medical bay, checking over the shield he’d placed on top of it. He finished and handed the protective wiring back to Dr. Oakes. “Clear.”
Duy’s partner, Station Guard Baumann, gestured to the next doctor.
Dr. Kellogg stepped forward and handed Henry his shield.
Since Station Guards Stewart, Hernandez, and Duy had already checked and cleared the other guards’ shields, Autumn had requested Baumann help her and Henry check the other doctors’ in the main section of the medical bay.
Baumann stood next to them, keeping an eye on the medical personnel while Henry and Autumn checked their shields.
When they’d cleared the last one, Autumn dismissed the doctors, thanked Baumann, and then sent him back to his quarters.
The doctors either left the bay through corridor hatchways or returned to their quarters.
As they cleared out, Autumn whispered to Henry, “I’m going to my office to message the general. Are you coming?”
“In a moment,” he whispered back, eyes on Oakes, Kellogg, and another doctor, Ikeda. They were talking near the entrance to the doctors’ quarters.
Autumn followed his gaze. “Go ahead.”
Henry nodded and headed toward them, knowing she’d be following him and ready to draw her weapon.
Drs. Kellogg and Ikeda headed off in the direction of their quarters as Henry approached, and Oakes glared at him. “What do you want?”
“What were you talking with them about?”
“None of your”—Oakes apparently noticed Autumn. “Ikeda asked how my family was doing.”
“That was all?” Autumn drew up beside Henry.
“Yes, Doctor, that was all.” Oakes let his breath out. “I’m not with the rebels.”
Autumn eyed him. “I never said you were. You’re dismissed now.”
“Yes, Doctor.” He left.
Autumn exchanged a look with Henry, and then they entered the hallway that led to the various doctors’ rooms. Once they’d confirmed that the other three seemed to have gone to theirs, they headed to Autumn’s office.
Autumn locked the door behind them, and Henry grabbed another chair and positioned it across from her desk. The other chair was already occupied by Bugguffin.
Topaz and Claire had dropped her off before they went to search the operators.
Autumn paused to stroke the cat’s head, then moved to her chair and took out her CID.
While she typed, Henry sat and tried to relax. His spine was rigid.
Autumn stopped typing and put her device on her desk, then reached over to use her computer. “I’ve received a new email…Henry.”
“What?”
“The information we sent on the substance in Barclay’s needle matches that of a substance that went missing from an overseas lab…” Autumn’s eyes met his. “One that isn’t supposed to exist.”
“You mean…”
“Illegal research.” Autumn continued reading silently, then let her breath out. “The substance in the needle is a small dose of a new bioweapon that was manufactured to get past the blood-brain barrier and completely shut down the nervous system. Death would be nearly instantaneous.”
Henry leaned back in his chair. “Do they know who made it? Or how much is out there?”
“There’s a team on Earth that’s figured out some of the people involved—apparently, our contact was only informed of it when he started digging into this for us.”
“Do you believe that?”
“Yes. And to answer your second question…As far as anyone knows, there were two vials of the bioweapon. One went missing.”
“So, it—or some amount of it—could be here.”
She nodded grimly.
“Do you need to report this to the general?”
“No, our contact copied him into this email thread.” Autumn sat back. “Where would it be hidden? Somewhere the engineers could access it…” She frowned. “Maybe in Dr. Rogers’s old room, or Dr. Long’s.”
Autumn opened a desk drawer, drew out two pairs of gloves, and rose. “We already searched them both, and we wouldn’t be likely to search them again. Either of those rooms would make a great hiding place. And Barclay could have gone to the doctors’ quarters on the pretense of fixing something there.”
Henry stood. “Should we call one of the guards?”
“No. I want to keep this as quiet as possible.” She moved toward the door, then stopped. “Henry—I want you to stay here.”
“Why?”
Her eyes met his. “Because I told you to.”
Perhaps she was thinking about another dangerous substance too.
“Autumn, if this is about Dr. Hughes—thank you for caring about me, but I’m going with you. If not to help you search, at least to guard the room while you’re searching. You should have backup—especially since we do not know how many rebels are at this station. Someone else could be looking for it. Isn’t that why you wanted to keep this quiet?”
“…You’re right. Let’s go.”
Thank you for reading “Informed Consent” (Part 2). Read the next part of this episode here.
The previous installment in this series is “Informed Consent” (Part 1). Read it here.
New to the series and not familiar with what happened with Henry and Dr. Hughes? Check out Episode 4, “Substance,” starting with Part 1 here.
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Copyright © 2026 Li Mitchell All Rights Reserved
Note: Everything I write is written without AI—even if I do use a lot of em dashes (and some semicolons).
Grrr...I am also super suspicious of the major acting decent for once. 🤨 What exactly is he up to? I really hope they find the rest of this stuff! 👀