Asya was used to the jarring feeling of a transport and was skilled at gathering her bearings almost instantaneously after the transport. However, she always expected the transport to happen, and now, caught by surprise, she remained dazed for a couple extra seconds as her eyes focused on control room and the stunned R.A.S. Agents staring at her.

Asya felt someone shift behind her. She glanced back to see a tense Kaz, poised for confrontation. She slowly grabbed hold of his wrist, squeezing it to tell him to relax.

It was only when Asya saw Benny did the pieces of the puzzle fall into place. There was no way the Island would have authorized the transport, especially not with so many life signs on the ship. But as she saw two agents force Benny from a seat behind a computer and hold his arms behind his back, Asya understood. Somehow, Benny had gotten to the computer and gotten her and Kaz out.

In a way, Asya was impressed. That accurate of an extraction transport was difficult. Based on a lack of pirates in the control room, Benny was clearly skilled.

Her awe did not last long, however. As agents held Benny, more came for her and Kaz. She slowly raised her hands and shot a look over her shoulder, ordering Kaz to do the same. He looked mutinous, but followed her example.

"Agent Daimon." One of Asya's supervisors, Agent Yarden Zesiro, approached her and Kaz, flanked by two other agents. He looked livid.

Asya shifted slightly but did not back up as Yarden Zesiro approached and defiantly met his gaze.

"I expect you have a suitable explanation for all of this." Yarden Zesiro's gaze rested on her and Kaz before not so subtly turned his head to inspect Benny.

Asya raised her chin in defiance. She and Yarden Zesiro had never gotten along. Most R.A.S. Agents feared him. Asya's theorized that her lack of fear irritated him into hating her. She got immense pride from that fact. "Yes, I do," she responded stoutly. Asya felt Kaz stir slightly behind her.

No, Island Command would not approve of her excuse. But Asya knew she did what was right. And besides, there was no changing anything now.

Yarden Zesiro let out a disapproving sigh. "Agent Daimon, please come with me. Mr. Caseo and Mr.–?" he looked at Kaz expectantly.

"Kaz Stone."

Asya was impressed by how steady his voice was.

"Mr. Caseo, Mr. Stone, you will be escorted back to your holding cell."

Asya saw Benny nod at Kaz. His hands were up as well and appeared perfectly calm.

"Good luck," Kaz whispered in Asya's ear as he walked past her toward Benny and the two agents.

Asya felt grateful for the sentiment, but knew luck would do nothing to help her. She followed Yarden Zesiro out of the control room and deeper into the interior of the Island. Here, R.A.S. Agents not responsible for perimeter defense worked in various positions such as communicating with cities, running the technical parts of the Island, and doing paperwork. Asya didn't actually know what paperwork the agents did, but they always seemed to have a lot of it.

Unfortunately, Yarden Zesiro was not taking Asya on a field trip to the communications department. The interior of the Island also held the meeting rooms for Island command. With how long she and Kaz were stuck on the ship, Asya dreaded to think who was waiting to question her.

Entering the command room, Asya's insides froze. The sight of three people confirmed her suspicions.

Commander Kaiden Reaver: the commander for Islands 90-99. He was the highest ranking R.A.S. Agent in their sector of space.

Lieutenant Riddik Talyn: second only to Kaiden Reaver. He had a reputation as the harshest lieutenant in all R.A.S. sectors; the rumor was that even Kaiden Reaver didn't like him.

Agent Carea Jamitch: the only thing giving Asya any solace at the moment. She was strict, but fair, and Asya always respected her because Carea Jamitch had always respected Asya.

The three of them sat on one side of a long table; Asya slowly took a seat on the opposite side, facing them. Yarden Zesiro stood behind her, as if a prison guard.

"Agent Daimon." Riddik Talyn spoke first. "I am officially notifying you that you are under an official review for you actions in the field. This interview will allow us to decide the appropriate actions to take concerning you and the crew of the ship. Do you understand?"

Asya nodded.

"Good." It was Kaiden Reaver who spoke now. "Please relate to us your recollection of events, beginning immediately after your transport on to the ship and ending when you returned to the Island."

Asya nodded once more before launching into her story. She kept her gaze fixed firmly on a point centered above the three heads of her jury members. There was no interruption on their part; no one reacted that much at all. Asya wondered if that meant Benny had told them events from his perspective, or if they just didn't care enough about what had happened.

When Asya finished, she brought her gaze to Carea Jamitch. The female R.A.S. Agent kept her face neutral, but Asya could almost make out a hint of sympathy in her eyes.

"Agent Daimon, you are aware that there are protocols for bringing refugees onto Islands?" Kaiden Reaver's piercing gaze went straight through Asya.

"Yes, sir."

"And you are aware that your actions did not follow those protocols?"
"Yes, sir." None of the protocols called for transporting unregistered refugees unbeknownst to the Island who provided the transportation while there were pirates on the loose.

"So, why then, did you allow it to happen?"

"I was following orders, sir."

Silence rang through the room. Asya was taking a huge chance.

"Who's orders?" Kaiden Reaver finally asked.

"R.A.S. orders?"

"And what orders were those?"

"To get everyone off the ship."

Silence pierced the atmosphere once again, but Asya could almost see a shadow of a smile grace Carea Jamitch's lips. Behind her, Asya could hear Yarden Zesiro let out a quiet, angry breath.

"I see." Kaiden Reaver looked less than impressed. "And you took that to mean unregistered refugees in addition to the crew?"

"Based on my definition, they are included with 'everyone,' yes."

Kaiden Reaver and Riddik Talyn glanced at each other. The lieutenant looked livid.

"And yet I believe you were told that there were six people on the ship?"

It was true. "I figured they had miscounted." Asya tried to sound nonchalant.

"So, you allowed unregistered refugees to be transported to an Island because you thought the R.A.S. had given you a wrong number?"

"Initially, yes."

"And later?"

Asya cocked her head slightly. "Well, once the pirates got on board, I realized what was going on and that these people were being trafficked. Because the R.A.S. has a strict policy against piracy, I figured that bringing the refugees back to the R.A.S. could be useful in tracking down a clearly dangerous, highly active pirate band. They're witnesses, after all."

Asya had not thought of this when she initially agreed to transport the refugees back. It was only later, running for her life with Kaz on the ship, that it occurred to her. She felt quite proud of her thinking.

Carea Jamitch was the only other one to seem to echo that sentiment. The two high-ranking officers shifted slightly in their seats: while the R.A.S. had an official commitment against trafficking and piracy, they often did very little tangible work against it.

"Of course," Kaiden Reaver said. "In fact, the refugees are being shuttled to a city right now to testify."

Asya's shoulders relaxed imperceptibly at his words. If they were headed to a city, they would be okay. Asya suspected Carea Jamitch had something to do with the rapidness of that action.

"That being said," Kaiden Reaver continued, "that was not a call for you to make. Your superiors should be the only ones to make those decisions."

Asya could have pointed out that when she got to the site of the rescue mission, protocol was for radio silence. But she didn't. Kaiden Reaver already knew the protocol.

"Which means you will have to face a review board and a hearing back at a city," Kaiden Reaver finished.

Asya knew how those processes would end. It wouldn't be in her favor. "What about the crew?" Asya had little to lose by nagging the man.

"They were caught smuggling people," Riddik Talyn said stiffly. "No matter their intentions, that's human trafficking, which as you pointed out earlier, is strictly forbidden."

Oh, sure. Now they cared about trafficking. Unfortunately, Asya also knew how the crew's trials would end.

"Any other questions, Agent?" Kaiden Reaver said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice making Asya's blood boil.

She shook her head.

"Good. You will be escorted the holding cell with the ship's crew and await a shuttle to a city."

Asya stood up and Yarden Zesiro began to steer her out of the room when Carea Jamitch spoke up.

"Sir, would you allow me to escort Agent Daimon?"

The other four in the room turned to stare at her.

"I spent a lot of time in training with Agent Daimon," Carea Jamitch explained. "I feel at least slightly responsible."

Kaiden Reaver waved his hand. "Yes, yes, fine."

Yarden Zesiro did not try to hide his pleasure that he did not have to babysit Asya and could instead stay and suck up to the high ranking R.A.S. men.

"Agent Jamitch, I'm so sorry, I really am," Asya began to say when they left the room and began walking down the hallway.

"Never mind that, you made the right call." Carea Jamitch spoke quickly despite the slow pace she adopted. "Listen to me."

Asya was confused, but did not interrupt.

"I've got some friends in useful places, which means they don't know that I gave Benny the keycard to get out of the cell. Not yet, anyway."

Asya opened her mouth to interrupt and pelt the other woman with questions, but Carea Jamitch steamrolled over her.

"If they had taken the keycard off of Benny, they would know by now. They don't, so I assume he still has it, which means that you can get out of the cell. I will arrange a transport from the middle of the control room for," she looked at her watch, "exactly 13 minutes from now."

Asya looked at her own watch and made a mental note of the time. "A transport to where?"

"Back to their ship."

"It's crawling with pirates."

Carea Jamitch shook her head. "Not anymore. As you and Mr. Stone got off, it seems they got their own transport back to their ship and took off. And once they left, it seems that whatever piece of tech they used to take out the engines of the other ship was contingent on the pirate ship being close by."
"You mean the ship is up and running."

"Exactly."

Asya began to understand what Carea Jamitch had in mind."

"And I happen to know that R.A.S. command intends on blowing it up in 23 minutes from now."

Asya looked at her watch. "So that'll give us 10 minutes to get gone."

"Preciscely."

The two agents stopped just outside of the room with the holding cell. "Why are you doing this?" Asya asked her companion.

Carea Jamitch gave a wary look down the hallway. "They will crucify you for this, Asya," she said gently. "And I will not let that happen." Fire flashed behind her eyes.

"Won't you get in trouble?"

"Let them try."

"Thank you."

"You were never really a good fit here, Asya. I hope you find you place in the world."

Asya reeled back, slightly stung.

"That's not what I meant. You're an excellent agent, but you're too good for this place at all. Try to find something to do with that goodness."
Asya felt slightly confused at her words, but had no time to argue. Carea Jamitch marched her into the room, opened the cell, marched her forward, then locked the door. "Good luck," the woman whispered before pivoting sharply and leaving Asya's sight.

Asya watched her go before turning around to meet five pairs of eyes.

Asya looked down at her watch.

Seven and a half minutes.