"The eggheads in MedBay are busy testing a sliver of one corner to try and determine what the paper is made of, which might help us find its origin, but whatever it is it's old." Arkwright approached the holotable from the darkened extents of the circular War Room, handing the aging scrap of paper across the holotable to Auriga.
The Captain held the map, sealed in a protective plastic sleve, out over the light pouring from the table. "It certainly looks that way. Interesting geometric designs - how do you know it's a map?"
McCathan spoke up at the Captain's left. "That's what the Imperial Tyberius mentioned to me and Corporal Wind before everything hit the fan."
"So you stole this map based on the lies of an Imperial plant?"
Arkwright scratched at a small white bandage over his right temple. "Er, well, yessir, but that led us to the real Tyberius' body, which was with the map, so there didn't seem to be anything amiss."
"So they didn't try to mislead you with their fake spy?"
"Nope, just get us killed, but it would have been pretty darn clever if they had. Good thing they didn't - they probably had no idea we had no idea what he was after."
AUriga was still studying the map, having laid it on the table and leaned his hands on either side of it. "Any idea how he died?"
"There wasn't time for an official autopsy, sir, but he had a couple nice blaster wounds," Arkwright replied.
"So he died in a hiding place with the map?"
"Apparently so."
"That doesn't seem odd to you, Commander?"
"Extremely, as a matter of fact. I'd have said he was wounded stealing the map and camped out in that hiding place, but even Conall wouldn't be crazy enough to hide in the security barracks."
"Unless he stole it from another vault in the barracks and just didn't get that far," McCathan said.
Captain Auriga nodded. "That works for me. Afterwards, the stormtroopers just followed Arkwright's team until they found it and ambushed him."
"No," McCathan blurted. "That doesn't work."
Arkwright thumped the table with a fist. "I looked up the location of the map in the security database."
Auriga squinted. "You said it was probably kept in one of the vaults to begin with. He didn't hide in the same vault?"
"My team was a bit turned around ... I was worried we wouldn't find the right vault anyway."
"So you found the right, wrong vault? Explain that."
Arkwright grinned in spite of himself. "Luck?"
"Still ... something about this smells of Hutt. How soon will the doctors be done with the tests?"
"The test tubes were still being centrifuged when I left, but I'll let you know."
"Good. I'm going to raise High Command again and see what they've made of this thing, although they've been notoriously difficult to contact in recent months." Auriga held the sleeve up as he spoke, letting light filter through the old oily parchment.
"Suggestion, sir?" McCathan asked. "Post a copy in the lounge. There's lots of nonhuman races aboard; there's no telling who could recognize it."
Auriga snapped out of his reverie and handed the map to
McCathan. "Good idea. Do it."
"If there's nothing else ... " Arkwright placed a finger on the holorecorder.
"I'm satisfied, Commander. Meeting adjourned."
Arkwright snapped a switch, the table went dark, and the rest of the lighting in the room rose to ambient levels.
McCathan and the two commanders headed up the rows of seats in opposite directions. Arkwright turned as he ascended the steps. "Hey, Conall. Find me in the mess tonight?"
McCathan raised a hand. "Wilco, sir."
As the two left the War Room, Arkwright was stopped by a hand on his arm.
"One other thing, Flynn, off the record." He paused. "Judging by the importance placed in this map ... where do you think it leads?"
The 7th Mobile Battle Line cruised through space.