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Rated: E · Short Story · Contest Entry · #2063508
Everyone has them. What are yours?

1. strength - perfection – I have to have everything just right.
2. strength - stubbornness - If I don’t get my way
3. strength – loner – I like to be by myself

1. weakness – anger – You don’t want to get me mad
2. weakness – messy – I don’t see how you can find anything in here.
3. weakness - Paranoia – I am suspicious of everyone and everything.


Strengths and Weaknesses


     Head of Security on SpaceBase 213 was Haiga. She was walking down an almost dark corridor. “I didn’t want to put a Lock Down on everyone. But I had no choice. We have a killer onboard.”

<<<<<*>>>>>

     Everyone not on duty was in their Living Quarters. Uriall was one of those crew members. He was in Food Preparation. No, he didn’t make the food there. But he did make sure that whatever someone wanted to eat they could. "I have to have everything just right.” That was how he ran his domain.

     Haiga could go anywhere there. Her hand print could open any door. And she didn’t need permission to enter anywhere either. Haiga entered. Before Uriall said anything Haiga said, “It was one of your Workers who got killed. Have you found out what killed Nirac yet.”

     “It was a Death Berry,” said Uriall. “But that isn’t how he died. He is dead because of his body chemistry. I didn’t know he couldn’t be a Taste Tester.”

     “Then you don’t think he was murdered,” said Haiga. “I disagree.”

     “I have said all along it was an accident,” said Uriall. “It was tragic. But I didn’t kill anyone.”

     Haiga smiled, “I never said you did. But someone did do it.”

<<<<<*>>>>>

     The next stop that Haiga made was at the Living Quarters of Teila. Teila and Nirac were involved. “When was the last time you saw Nirac?”

     “I have already answered that question several times,” said Teila. “But I will tell you a million more if you want me to. It happened while I was on duty.”

     Haiga looked at Teila very closely. “I don’t think you did it. But I did hear you have a very mean temper.”

     “You don’t want to get me mad,” said Teila. “I could get very active, as Nirac called it, but I was never like that with Nirac.”

<<<<<*>>>>>

     Yonam was Teila’s boss in Supplies. That was where Haiga went to next. He was looking for something in his office.

     “I don’t see how you can find anything in here,” said Haiga. “I’ve seen better rooms after a public food fight.”

     “It’s not as bad as it looks,” said Yonam. “I know exactly where everything is at.”

     “Then what is taking you so long to find it,” said Haiga. “Don’t you know if Teila was on duty or not anyway?”

     “Teila was on duty,” said Yonam. “I already know that – I just don’t know exactly where she was at.”

     “That means she still could be responsible for what happened to Nirac,” said Haiga. Without another word Haiga left.

<<<<<*>>>>>

     Teila didn’t work alone. She had a partner while working. That was where Haiga was at. Giag was in Medical. He was resupplying that section. “Can you tell me where you and Teila was when Nirac left us forever?” Haiga asked after a Medic pointed to where Giag was.

     “I have been thinking about that ever since it happened,” said Giag. “But I can’t remember where we were at then.”

     “Why not? Don’t you keep records of where you were at that day?” Giag kept working while he talked to Haiga.

     Giag stopped work to look through his paperwork. “We got into a fight that day,” said Giag. “I do remember that much.”

     “What were you fighting about?” Then Haiga asked, “Did it have anything to do with Nirac?”

     “We were fighting about the resupplying of the Rec Room,” said Giag. “If I don’t get my way I stop what I am doing. And I refuse to continue until I get it.”

     “Which Rec Room was that? Was it the one near Food Preparation?” Giag gave Haiga the paperwork she asked for.

<<<<<*>>>>>

     The next stop for Haiga was to talk to Mimme. Haiga was almost to the Rec Rom Mimme was in charge of when she learned Mimme wasn’t there. So Haiga went to her Living Quarters instead.

     When Haiga stepped into that room it was almost completely dark. “Is anyone in here?”

     “Yes, someone is. Now go away,” said Mimme. “I don’t want to talk to anyone.”

     “It’s about the fight between Giag and Teila the other day,” said Haiga. “I want to know when it happened. And what happened afterwards.”

     “I don’t know what happened,” said Mimme. “If there was a fight I didn’t hear it.”

     “How did you not hear it? You were there weren’t you?” Haiga tried to see Mimme. But she couldn’t. She wasn’t even sure she was looking in the same direction of Mimme’s voice.

     “Yes, I was there. I like to be by myself – even when I am in my office,” said Mimme.

<<<<<*>>>>>

     Haiga didn’t believe that about what Mimme told her regarding the fight between Giag and Teila. But it didn’t matter. Mimme did tell her who probably did overhear the fight. It was Peath. Peath was one of the Helpers who worked in that Rec Room. And he was on duty during the fight.

     “Why are you so jumpy?” Haiga asked Peath when she finally found him at work.

     “I’m always like this,” said Peath. Just ask anyone who knows me. I am suspicious of everyone and everything.”

     “I know what you mean,” said Haiga. “I’m just like you. But that’s a good thing when you are Head of Security.”

<<<<<*>>>>>

     Everyone had strengths and weaknesses. Haiga had all the ones she heard about in the last few hours. She had also solved the mystery of what happened to Nirac. Nirac died by accident. Haiga was sure of that now.


The End?

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