Ed and Spacedawg sat at their usual spot in the ship’s lounge, savoring a well-deserved drink after a long shift. The hum of the Mandoleer’s Folly’s engines provided a familiar backdrop to their conversation. Ed was reading the latest news on his tablet, his brow furrowed in concentration.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Ed muttered, scrolling through the article. “Looks like we were right about Evilyn Price
Early Life Evilyn Price grew up in Potomac, Maryland, surrounded by wealth. Her family was rich, and she always had everything she wanted, giving her a sense of entitlement. Education In her younger years, Evilyn went to an all-girls Catholic university. She initially thought about becoming a nun, but a rebellious phase changed her path dramatically, leading her into a.... She’s gone public with her acquisitions and is promising jobs and a bright future.”
Spacedawg took a sip of his drink and leaned back in his chair. “Yeah, we called it. Everything seems to be above board. Price has a knack for turning things around.”
Ed nodded. “Her reputation helps, no doubt. But there’s still a lot to keep an eye on.”
Spacedawg glanced at Ed’s tablet and noticed another headline. “Have you seen this?” he asked, pointing at the screen. “Prominent Journalist Olivia Laroche
Born: 2255, Ottawa Prime, Ontario Sector Occupation: Journalist, Author Years Active: 2280-present Employer: Canadian Expanse News Network (CENN) Notable Works: Coverage of interstellar trade, cultural events, political affairs, and technological advancements within the Canadian Expanse. Awards: Canadian Expanse Press Award for Excellence in Journalism (2282, 2284) Early Life and Education Olivia Laroche was born in 2255 in Ottawa Prime, located... Murdered.”
Ed’s expression darkened. “Yeah, I read that earlier. It’s a damn shame. She was one of the best journalists in the Canadian Expanse.”
Spacedawg sighed. “She was digging into some serious stuff. Makes you wonder if her work had something to do with her murder.”
“Could be,” Ed replied, setting his tablet down. “But where do we even begin? We need to figure out a motive first.”
Spacedawg nodded thoughtfully. “Olivia was known for exposing corruption and shady dealings. If someone felt threatened by her investigations, that could be a motive.”
“True,” Ed agreed. “We should look into her recent work. See if there were any leads she was pursuing that might have put her in danger.”
“Good idea,” Spacedawg said, taking another sip of his drink. “We’ll also need to talk to people who were close to her. Friends, colleagues, anyone who might have insight into what she was working on.”
Ed nodded. “And we can’t rule out personal motives. She might have made enemies outside of her work.”
Spacedawg sighed again. “It’s a tangled web, but we’ll get to the bottom of it. We owe her that much.”
Ed raised his glass. “To Olivia LarocheBorn: 2255, Ottawa Prime, Ontario Sector Occupation: Journalist, Author Years Active: 2280-present Employer: Canadian Expanse News Network (CENN) Notable Works: Coverage of interstellar trade, cultural events, political affairs, and technological advancements within the Canadian Expanse. Awards: Canadian Expanse Press Award for Excellence in Journalism (2282, 2284) Early Life and Education Olivia Laroche was born in 2255 in Ottawa Prime, located.... May her killer be brought to justice.”
Spacedawg clinked his glass against Ed’s. “To justice.”
As they finished their drinks, Spacedawg and Ed knew they had a challenging task ahead. The investigation into Olivia Laroche’s murder would be fraught with danger and intrigue, but they were determined to uncover the truth, no matter where it led.
