Chapter -74: The Interrogation Chamber

Outer Sector Outpost 7, Imperial Periphery

The hours following Valerius's confinement were a blur of grim procedure and mounting dread. His quarters, once a private space for training and System interface, now felt like the antechamber to his own trial. The two Navy guards outside his door were a constant, silent presence, their M2-Kinetic energy signatures steady and impassive.

His System remained a source of profound frustration, its self-repair agonizingly slow.

<>

Twelve hours. The "final, comprehensive interrogation" Lieutenant Commander Jian had spoken of was likely to happen before then. He would face Investigator Thorne's unyielding scrutiny with his greatest asset still largely crippled.

He spent the time in a state of intense mental discipline, forcing calm upon his turbulent Wargod energy. He replayed the disastrous scan in Auxiliary Control Bravo, Kaelen's dawning certainty, Thorne's icy pronouncement. His explanations for the plasma core had been weak, desperate. He knew they wouldn't hold up under sustained pressure.

His Spatial Sense, though blunted, picked up activity outside his room. He felt the energy signatures of a specialized Navy technical team approaching, then entering his quarters under guard. They were here for the core. He heard the faint hum of their diagnostic equipment, the careful, methodical sounds of them accessing the hidden compartment beneath his bunk and retrieving the dampening case. He felt the subtle shift in the room's ambient energy as the unstable plasma core, his illicitly gained power, was removed. It was gone. His most potent secret, now in their hands.

Later, the door chimed again. Not Thorne or Jian this time, but two different Navy security personnel, their expressions stern. "Lieutenant Valerius," one stated, "Investigator Thorne requires your presence. Accompany us."

This was it. The final interrogation.

He was escorted, not to Auxiliary Control Bravo, but to a small, secure interrogation room deep within the Navy's temporary command section of Outpost 7. The room was stark, utilitarian, designed for one purpose: extracting information. A single metal table and two chairs were bolted to the floor. Heavy shielding lined the walls, likely to dampen energy signatures and prevent eavesdropping.

Investigator Thorne was already seated, her posture as unyielding as the plasteel table. Lieutenant Commander Jian stood beside her, datapad in hand, his analytical gaze missing nothing. Lieutenant Kaelen was also present, seated at a small auxiliary console in the corner, ostensibly to provide technical reference regarding his energy logs, but Valerius knew his presence was also a psychological tool – the relentless accuser witnessing the culmination of his pursuit. Two heavily armed Navy guards flanked the single doorway.

"Be seated, Lieutenant Valerius," Thorne commanded, her voice devoid of inflection.

Valerius sat, his back straight, his expression carefully neutral. He met Thorne's gaze directly, projecting an outward calm he did not feel.

"We have completed a preliminary analysis of the plasma core found in your possession," Thorne began without preamble. "It is, as suspected, highly unstable and of non-Imperial origin. Its energy output, even in its degraded state, is considerable. Our technicians confirm signs of recent, forceful energy extraction – consistent with an attempt to tap its power without proper regulation."

She paused, her eyes like chips of ice. "This core, Lieutenant, is not some forgotten piece of salvage. It is a dangerous, prohibited artifact. Its unauthorized possession alone warrants severe disciplinary action."

"Furthermore," Jian interjected, stepping forward, "Lieutenant Kaelen has provided a comprehensive comparative analysis. The unique subspace harmonic distortions logged during the Frigate Two incident – the 'sensor ghost' you attributed to emitter overload – share statistically significant resonant frequencies with the energy signature of this plasma core, particularly when filtered for high-stress discharge through a constricting medium, such as an auxiliary emitter pushed beyond its limits."

Kaelen looked up from his console, his gaze locking onto Valerius. "The core's energy, Valerius, if channeled, could produce those harmonics. My replication experiment failed because the salvaged emitter alone lacked the unique properties of this specific power source."

The net was drawing tight. They had the means (the core), the opportunity (his clandestine activities), and now, a plausible (if still circumstantial) link to the battle anomaly.

"Your explanation of finding this core in Secure Storage 7-C and studying it out of misguided diligence is insufficient, Lieutenant," Thorne stated flatly. "The risks involved, the secrecy you maintained, your presence near unexplained energy transients… it all points to a pattern of deliberate deception and unauthorized activity far exceeding simple protocol breaches."

She leaned forward slightly, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "We know you are more than you appear, Valerius. A standard High-Level Warrior could not have survived tapping that core, let alone channeled its power with the precision suggested by the Frigate Two incident. The question is no longer if you possess undisclosed capabilities, but what those capabilities are, where you acquired them, and to what end you have been using them."

Valerius remained silent for a moment, his mind racing. Denial was futile. His System was still down. He had to choose his words with extreme care.

"Investigator," he began, his voice steady, "my actions, as I have stated, were driven by a desire to understand and potentially neutralize threats to this outpost. My methods were… unorthodox. I accept full responsibility for those breaches." He was admitting to the process, but not the true nature of his power.

"Unorthodox?" Thorne's lip curled slightly. "Channeling an unstable plasma core through a jury-rigged emitter to perform a battlefield feat that saved this outpost from shield collapse is more than unorthodox, Lieutenant. It is either an act of suicidal desperation by an ordinary officer, or a calculated application of extraordinary power by someone far beyond their documented rank and training."

She held his gaze. "Which is it, Valerius? Are you a reckless fool who stumbled into a miracle? Or are you something else entirely? The truth, Lieutenant. Now. Before Sector Command makes that determination for you, with far more severe consequences."

The interrogation chamber felt like a crucible, the pressure immense. Valerius knew his next words could determine his fate.