Excerpt from "Broken Silence" by J. L. Young (WIP) (Word prompts Tacos and German Shepherds)

“Fourty-eight crew aboard this ship I can’t get any information about what’s happening,” Shann grunted toward her first officer. “Send runners to all decks.”
The first officer pointed to four members of the bridge crew. He gave them their orders and they dispersed through the bridge door.
Minutes passed and one of the runners returned. A young officer caught his breath, “Ensign Recma spotted two moving forward on deck three near the shuttle bay. One of the intruders is wearing Regent armor.”
Shann set back in her seat, “They have come to rescue Teanin. That is something we cannot allow. Arm the crew and have them patrol the passageways by twos. Capture them unharmed if possible. Advise the other runners to do the same. Keep me informed.”
“Yes, Captain,” the young officer shot out of the bridge.
“I was hoping someone else would find us,” Shann conceded softly.
“Even the right course of action can lead us down the wrong path,” her first officer replied.
“That’s what I keep telling myself.”

• “Get back,” Syrane whispered.
  “What is it?” Emmi asked.
  Two crew. They looked armed.
  “They’re on to you,” the officer chuckled.
  Emmi flicked the officer’s cheek. The sting drew the officer to touch the site of the pain. She pulled her hand back, it was smeared with cyan blood.
  “I’m open to suggestions,” Syrane said.
  Emmi thought for a moment, “I’ve got it.”
  They stepped into a passageway with a pair of crewman. Each held their weapons to their chests. Emmi called out,”Does anybody know where the mess is? I’m starving,” as she dropped her weapon to the deck.
  Emmi held her hands up. One of the crewman ordered, “Halt. Don’t move.”
  “I got it.”
  “Are you alone?” the other crewman asked.
  “No, she isn’t,” Syrane said as she stepped into the passageway with her hostage before her. “Go to them,” She said softly into the ear of the crew woman.
  As the crew woman stepped toward the men, Syrane dropped her pistol to the floor. “I have but one request, I wish to have an audience with your Captain.”

• Syrane and Emmi were tossed into separate cells. They looked back to see a bulkhead take form between them and the crewmen. “I knew it wasn’t going to work,” the Eunukan breathed.
  “Syrane, can you hear me?” Emmi yelled hoping her voice can penetrate the bulkheads.
  Syrane rolled on her back, “Perhaps, it was the only option.”
  Emmi found her feet and walked around the cell. A large rectangular object was set in the deck. She placed her hand on it and it pushed against it. The human retracted her hand as a plinth raised from the deck and split into a human sized section.
  Syrane found a waste receptacle along the bulkhead.
  Emmi collapsed her helmet, “Everything a girl could ever want in a prison.”
  A voice came through the bulkheads which surrounded Syrane, “Regent, you understand the consequences of boarding this craft without authorization?”
  Syrane collapsed her helmet and looked toward where the sound, “To whom do I speak?”
  “The one with the power to end your life.”
  “I assume many years in Yulacco V.”
  “If you get there.”
  The Eunukan calmly walked around the cell, “How fortuitous, that I’m not his Regent and I do have authorization from the Admiral of the Armada.”
  “You expect much from me. If you aren’t Teanin’s Regent why do you where his armor?
  She took hold of the leathery material to examine it and let it drop back into place, “I haven’t had time to procure another after my previous suit was destroyed.”
  “Why are you here?”
  “To arrest Teanin for the crimes he as committed against the people of our Home Spiral.”
  “Is that your plan for rescuing Teanin?” the voice asked.
  “My intentions are to bring him to justice. He deserves the right to a fair trial.”
  “How noble of you.”
  “Where’s my companion?”
  “No harm has come to her. That will remain so as long as you cooperate.” The bulkhead to Syrane’s right phased out of view. Emmi appeared in the adjacent cell. The Eunukan stepped up to the invisible barrier. “Emmi,” she called.
  “The one you call Emmi cannot hear you, nor can she see you. As you can see, she is unharmed.” The bulkhead reappeared.
  “Confirm my identity with command and you will see my words are true. Free us and we’ll assist you in whatever orders they give you.”
  “Command could be corrupted. We have protocols to follow. Close the cell channel.”
  A voice flung from the bulkheads, “What species are you?”
  Emmi raised herself off the platform in the center of the cell. “I’m human.”
  “Do you have a name or designation?”
  “Yeah. I’m Doctor Emmi Cochrane. Doctor is really just an academic title. I like tacos and German Shepherds if that helps.”
  “Why have you infiltrated this vessel?”
  Emmi squinted, hoping her answer was the one the voice wanted to hear, “To arrest the monster called Mamo Teanin for crimes against humani-- err the people.”
  “Open the cells,” the voice ordered.
  The bulkheads dissolved.
  “I’m Ste’eya Shann, Captain of this vessel. For the moment, I believe your intentions. Prove to me you seek to bring Teanin to justice. Assist my crew in preventing him from launching the protective core, thus rendering all those aboard dead and you may take him.”