Where to next?

Rome's Evolution (Rome's Revolution #3) by Michael Brachman Yesterday, Rome and Rei deduced that there were only two members of the Darwin Project running around loose on Deucado. But which two? Of the 104 identified living members, MINIMCOM could eliminate roughly two-thirds. Unfortunately, for the remaining third, only Junior could help them whittle down the list to the essential two and the starship was currently hiding out on Earth with Aason and Rome's parents for safety. Rei threw his hands up and felt they would have to start over. Luckily, cooler (and clearer) heads prevailed:
     “Not completely,” Rome said. “If we can get our hands on a crew manifest, we can get MINIMCOM to at least eliminate the ones he transported beyond the people you have already named. And that is a substantial number.”
     “You’re right,” Rei said brightening a bit. He looked toward the entrance to the catacombs. “I seriously doubt there is anything like that in there but let’s do a quick check.”
     Slowly, carefully, they made their way through the catacombs. They found nothing but cots and blankets. The only unusual room was the one that Keller had set up as a temporary office where he made his plans to storm the Vuduri compound. Rei and Rome carefully inspected the room but the only things they found were some maps and charts spread over the crude desk. As they were getting ready to leave, across the room, a white bottle caught Rei’s attention. He went over and retrieved it.
     “What is that?” Rome asked.
     Rei brought it over to her. “This is the bottle of pills that OMCOM gave me to fix the crew’s backs, remember?”
     “Oh, yes,” Rome said.
     Rei shook the bottle. It seemed too full. He screwed off the lid and held the bottle up so that MININCOM’s shoulder lights illuminated the interior.
     “I guess not everybody took one,” he said.
     “How do you know that?” Rome asked.
     “Besides the two yellow pills that you and I took, OMCOM told me he made 600 doses. The bottle is almost half full. I guess some people refused.”
     “Does that mean anything?” Rome asked.
     “Just that some of them were stupid,” Rei answered. “I bet they wish they had them now.”
     He screwed the lid back on the bottle. He looked around the room one last time.
     “There’s nothing here,” he said. “I didn’t think we’d find anything but we had to look.”
     Rome snapped her fingers, mimicking her husband. “If a crew manifest exists, I know exactly where it would be,” she said proudly.
     “Where would that be?” Rei asked.
     “Darwin Base.”
     Rei’s eyes widened. You’re right,” he said. “Let’s get going.”
I feel like I am writing an episode of 24 because just when you think you've run into a brick wall, a new clue appears. Let's see what Rome does with it.
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Published on May 05, 2017 05:46 Tags: action, adventure, ftl, science-fiction, space-travel, vuduri
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Tales of the Vuduri

Michael Brachman
Tidbits and insights into the 35th century world of the Vuduri.
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