| Episode: | Season 1, Episode 1 – Chaos! At The Gala |
| Location: | Primarch’s Office |
| Written By: | James Cohen Jonah Webb |
| Date: | 08/31/2026 |
| Word Count: | 1,115 |
James Cohen hadn’t thought too much about the attack on the gala, that had been days ago and now his focus was on his job. The office that was always occupied by the Primarch for the station was filled with Primarch’s from the past. He stood there staring at the past Primarch, a man who’d only just retired right before James had been nominated and elected.
As the leader of perhaps one of the most popular movements on the entire station, he knew it was his turn to make sure it stayed that way. Though, there seemed to be a looming threat over the horizon that he just couldn’t see. James had to find a way to keep the peace, keep it where everyone on the station got along.
“Mister Cohen?” Jonah said just outside the office. The security chief wasn’t trying to disturb the new Primarch who seemed deep in thought. “Do you have a moment?”
James turned and saw Jonah standing there, “Oh yes come in.” He said and stepped over to his desk where he sat down. As he sat down, he indicated the chair across from his desk so that the man could sit down. “I’m guessing you have some answers.”
Jonah nodded his head slowly as he sat down. “Course,” He answered. He leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t know if they are the right answers though,” He admitted to the Primarch. “His name was Isaac Crenshaw, and until the gala the man was practically a ghost in the network.”
Jonah knew that was probably not the best way to describe the man, “There’s nothing in his history to indicate that he would end up taking a disruptor to the station gala and threaten people with it. Something radicalized him, but I couldn’t begin to tell you what it might have been.”
James sighed heavily, “So it sounds to me like he was working alone and there’s nothing to indicate that anyone talked him into it?”
Jonah nodded, “Correct.”
The Primarch didn’t like the sound of that, and he didn’t like hearing the security officer telling him that part. It didn’t make sense, but then nothing about the attack made any sense to him at all, everyone at the gala seemed just as surprised as James had. Or had they? “Was there anyone at the gala that might have let him in?”
Jonah sighed, “I was afraid you’d ask that.” He answered and furrowed his brow, “No, from what we can tell he somehow slipped in without security knowing he was there in the first place. Only his identification was on him, which seems to indicate he didn’t intend on walking out of there alive. And, he only had the disruptor, there wasn’t enough ammunition for everyone in that clip either.”
“Now that part makes no sense,” James said. “Why would you threaten to shoot up a place, but not have enough to do it?”
Jonah shrugged, “There are a number of possibilities. But, from what we can tell the man was working alone. Of course we’ll keep digging, in the meantime I really should see how that little girl is doing.” He suggested.
James shook his head, “My daughter bumped into her at school. She seems to be all right, and from what Paige said the girl’s being seen for it. So, I think we should just leave that one be. How’s that young doctor doing? I understand you and her are friends?”
Jonah smiled somewhat nervously, “Yeah,” He answered. “Friends…” He pushed his disdain for that out of his head. “Doctor Hayashi is okay. She was a little shaken up, but for the most part she wanted to be alone. We’re supposed to hang out tonight, so I would say she’s probably back to her normal self. How are you doing? And your daughter?”
“I’m fine,” James said, “And Paige is okay as well.” He answered, “Acting like a normal preteen girl despite what happened.” James couldn’t help but feel like they were missing something, but the evidence didn’t fit with what he thought happened.
“I intend on making a public statement condemning the attack. I’ll state that it was a lone gunman acting alone and his motivations seemed to be just to terrorize the public. What do you think Mister Webb?” James asked.
Jonah liked it, “We don’t know that.” He answered, “But, it would probably put the public more at ease. And, if he wasn’t working alone it would make anyone in the shadows believe they hadn’t been discovered.” Jonah thought about it for a moment, “It would certainly go a long way in helping the investigation. For now I’m going to mark it as closed.”
“Makes sense to me,” James answered. “I can’t help but feel like there was something else though?” He asked and waited to see if Jonah talked.
Jonah shook his head, “It’s nothing,” He answered. Then he considered it, “Just that one Councilor that keeps trying to get me to join his cause. For now I’ve got him convinced I’ll consider it.” He answered, “I think he was trying to get Amelia too.”
James tilted his head, “I wonder if this councilor is aware that there is a law against government staff members in security and engineering services that forbids them from affiliating with a political party? I mean sure you get to vote but…” He shook his head as he stopped talking.
“Oh, I’m sure he’s aware.” Jonah said with a shrug. “Maybe I’ll remind him of that next time he speaks to me. Remind him that I cannot publicly make political statements or throw support in public behind certain groups.”
James shrugged, “I wouldn’t,” He said. “It might just make things worse.” James thought he’d known who it was. And, support for their party was going to crater if he continued to try and push the extremist agenda that the man was trying to push. The fact that they’d held the seat as long as they had was astonishing.
“I should have just kept my law practice,” James mumbled under his breath and shook his head. “Life was so much simpler.”
Jonah laughed, “If there’s nothing else Mister Cohen?”
James shook his head slowly, “Nah nothing else.” He answered and watched as the security chief left the office. James stood up and wandered over to the back window that overlooked the government promenade below. He had an idea of who Jonah was talking about, and James would have to find a way to deal with that later. For now though, he needed to work on his public statement to the station.