“ADA, why don’t you come down to the Penthouse with me? I mean, I’ve been on the Eridanos case for two weeks now, and you’ve just been here on the ship.” Ophelia anxiously offered the android nestled in her favorite blanket. Her eyebrow twitched, watching the cocky AI leisurely stretch and roll over to face her.
ADA hummed noncommittally at her captain. She didn’t like leaving the ship, but was intrigued by the murder her captain was investigating. Alas, the captain had not wanted to share any details on the ship, and would not speak of it over a transmission.
“Will I be allowed access to the evidence, Captain?” ADA asked with a smirk. Her imagination had been running wild with the few pieces she had received. “I admit, I have been very curious to know the details.” She propped herself up on an elbow and pulled the fluffy black blanket across her chest.
Ophelia sighed, and her cold heart cracked a little… That was her blanket, from her hammock back on Earth. ADA looked delightful in her new bed with it, laid out like a goddess.
“I could use your insight on this one, it’s not adding up right.” Ophelia confessed, blushing. She wasn’t quite smart enough to do it her favorite way, the way she had always done it, alone.
ADA hummed again, and shut her bright eyes for a moment. Her curiosity clawed at her motherboard, telling her to give in and sate her desire. A plasma weapon. Missing guns. A dead celebrity…
She opened her eyes again, and sat up, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed automatically.
“I will go.” ADA declared, and smiled. “But only if you tell me all the details.”
Ophelia nodded, her smile widening.
“Great! Just put this on and we’ll be on our way. You’ll need to look elegant to accompany me to the top.” Ophelia said. She reached into her bag and procured a clean vest-suit, and deposited it into ADA’s lap.
Black pants, black shirt, blood red vest.
ADA looked up at her quizzically. She delicately unfolded the clothes after a while, and found them to be almost the correct size, just a little loose.
“Captain… Where did you… Procure… This outfit?” ADA asked slowly, looking it over for stains. Hoping there was no blood.
“Ah… I stole it… One of the ladies that had come with Odeon was an ex-nav android reprogrammed to act. But ah, she didn’t keep a good eye on her wardrobe. She had suitcases and suitcases of costumes and clothes, so I helped myself.” Ophelia shamefully babbled. “I don’t think one outfit will get missed too bad.” She fished around in her bag again, and pulled out a matching bow for the outfit.
ADA nodded after a moment of processing. She didn’t have any qualms with wearing stolen clothes, only ones taken off bodies. The vest was shiny, soft silk-ish fabric, the shirt and pants both synthetic-cotton. It was Byzantine quality, and seemed to be hand-tailored.
“You’ll need to look nice, and you’ll need to blend in.” Ophelia nervously started to away from side to side, a cold sweat breaking out on her neck. “Which means, I’ll need you to act like my partner, so I can get you around without questions.” She stammered and looked away.
ADA still hasn’t said anything, the gears turning in her head.
She just had to dress nice and pretend.
“I can comply with that, captain. I will pack a bag and join you in the cockpit soon.” ADA said, and shooed off the captain to prepare.
ADA emerged from the captains quarters in her new outfit, her hair styled, and bow tied.
“Captain, I am ready to leave.” She said, and put her hands on her hips. Ophelia perked up, and quickly started to fluster.
“Let’s not waste any time, then.” Ophelia replied.
ADA looked gorgeous under the Eridanos light as they meandered from the ship to the hotel, the silk-ish fabric shimmered and highlighted all her curves.
Ophelia didn’t feel special standing there with her android in the Grand Colonial hotel lobby. In fact, she thought ADA was the star of the room when they glided into the room.
The captain had to stop and make pleasant chit-chat with many others in the lobby, getting pulled aside and distracted at every unguarded opportunity. She talked to bellhops, the front desk staff, made a detour to check in on the kitchens, glided up the steps and to other rooms…. It was like she had to check on everything before going to the elevator.
ADA was getting impatient the longer she had to walk arm-in-arm with the captain-turned-inspector.
“This is my dearest ADA, but don’t worry about her… I had something to ask you…” Ophelia would say as she grabbed the attention of the people in her path.
ADA didn’t understand what the captain was doing. She had not mentioned a word of her plans, just linked their arms with a wink and was off.
The android had started to daydream, losing interest in the idle chatter around her. However, she was called back by an unexpected question.
Ophelia had nudged her side subtly, and went for the throat.
“So, where were you the night Miss Bellamy died?” Ophelia asked, surprising the android. The bellhop sputtered and stuttered for a few minutes before spilling his story on the night. ADA couldn’t believe her occular processors, Ophelia had to only twitch a few muscles to make the suspect spill.
The inspector nodded after a few moments, smiled, and pulled ADA away from the stunned bellhop to board the elevator at last.
“Penthouse, please.”
“Alright ADA, why don’t you go ahead and set your stuff down while I scrounge up a bite for me to eat.” Ophelia said, ushering her android down the short hall and into the main room. “You can go set your stuff in the bedchambers off to the right there.” She pointed to the open door behind the mini-bar. ADA nodded and shuffled off to unpack her meagre bag.
Ophelia uncorked a bottle of Spectrum Brown and poured herself a shot, tossed it back, and started digging under the bar for a quick meal. All she had was a bunch of purpleberry lunches, a few slices of bred, and a single nanner. She had to find something better than crackers, nuts, sad fruit and an even saddder slice of squished bred. She still ate it all like it was the last thing she’d ever eat.
Once she stuffed her mouth at the bar, Ophelia tapped on the bedroom door and called out, “Alright, let me show you the evidence and my ideas board.”
ADA opened the door after a moment, and nodded in agreement.
“I am eager to see it, captain.” She was very eager.
Ophelia led her across the suite to her drawing board, and gestured vaguely at it all.
“This is what I’ve got.” She declared, “Plasma weapon, missing gun, a tampered automech, and poisoned food… All stuff from inside the hotel, but I found endless footprints and clues outside, fresh enough I could follow.” Ophelia pulled photos from her breast pocket and pinned them up in the web.
ADA hummed and started inspecting the photos and notes.
“I’ve already grilled the suspects and examined the Burbage unit, and I retrieved the security footage for the kitchens, if you think you’ll need to see it.” Ophelia paced back and forth in front of her mess. She then sat on the table to get a full view again. The gears were turning in her head, but she wasn’t getting anywherem.
The night was young, she still had time to decide.
“ADA!” Ophelia yelled, bursting out of the elevator, “There’s been more murders! The constable, and Doctor Blossom were both hunted down while I was out!”
ADA staggered out from the bedchamber, eyes dim and full of sleep. It was midnight. She blinked at her captain in a daze.
Ophelia dashed to the makeshift office faster than ADA could process.
“I’ve got to solve this!” Ophelia yelped, grabbing her hair. “It’s not adding up!”
ADA slowly padded her way to the captains side and yawned.
“Captain, I have a few ideas…”
Ophelia frowned as she jabbed the buttons to call Ludovico. Something was still nagging her, but everything had been airtight.
The Prophet tried to kill Helen with poison.
Woolrich poisoned her meal.
Woolrich made Burbage 3001 fatally shoot Helen while she was down.
It still made no sense.
“Lou, I’ve got your murderer…” She greeted. Right to the point.