Star Trek RPG - Mission #3: "Some Other Side of Paradise"

[choie]

Kylah waits for what seems like hours before Graham responds; she hears a sneeze--she could swear it sounds like Velir--and the everyday nature of such a normal act strikes her as somewhere between bleak and humorous. Finally he does. His first words, gently spoken, make her close her eyes.

"Surely, surely you must have realized," she says, just as quietly as he--no one else could possibly hear her. "I am only aboard the Yorktown due to special treatment. Not for merit. For politics. If you were not aware before, my performance must have enlightened you. And as far as what I have earned..." Her voice chokes. "I believe I earned each and every thing that has happened to me on this mission."

Her head is lowered and, with hair falling into her eyes, she wearily brushes it behind her ear. "I will go to the CP, and I thank you. It is not that I am afraid of Hardin. I am more afraid of somehow being... being unable to do what is necessary. No one should be a burden on the team. At least if I go to the CP and sift through evidence, I might find unanswered questions, and possibly... just possibly get some answers, perhaps from Mrs. Hsu if she is reachable through the comm system. Or Lt. Cmdr. Ebling, as long as she is in custody and also is reachable that way."

Kylah feels wretched but she blinks up at Graham. "But... if you do need some negotiation or... or any insight to his thoughts... will you contact me? I am good at judging nuances, though you may not believe it. I knew he was lying all through our interview, I just... I could not do anything about it before he--" She shudders slightly and changes the subject. "Thank you and I am sorry I could not be of more use. Whatever happens I hope you will be safe. All of you," she adds with a regretful glance back at Velir, whose discomfort seems obvious to her.

She hesitates, and then murmurs, "Sir... Ensign Rangin has been soaked through for some time. Can you not... can you let him get dry, at least while you wait? Is there something the transporter can do to remove the water from his clothing?"

[general_urko]

Graham's pulse is pounding in his ears and he feels like he's moving underwater. Talking to Ebling is of course a good idea, but he simply nodes to Kylah.

"Garcia, you're with Mr. Kylah, she knows what to do."

He pulls out his communicator and requests any Security personnel on premise and not otherwise assigned rendezvous at his location.

He then hails Yorktown. "Given that we have an armed suspect I'd like to request phaser II's for the assault--ah, the pursuit party." He pauses and looks at Rangin. "You're at liberty to request dry clothes, Mr. Rangin."

[choie]

Kylah steps back, dismissed without even a word. Graham clearly now realizes just how extraneous she is, and seems to have decided he need not spare her a further thought. His priorities are correct; he has to focus on the mission at hand.

Grateful that at least he has given consideration to Velir's welfare, she turns around and moves to T'Var and wishes the doctor good luck. With a little less affection but no less sincerity, she does the same to Delaney and the people near him.

Finally, her gaze is drawn to Velir. She is terrified by the prospect of leaving him, especially in light of the anger she felt from him earlier. They must not part badly, not now. Does he think she is abandoning him? Does he think her an utter coward, first seemingly mistrusting the entire crew by wanting all of them scanned, and now failing to stand by his side at a time of danger? Oh, please do not let him think that, Kylah prays. He cannot think that... we have fought twice before.

She waits for him to look at her. If he avoids her, she will know his feelings as clearly as if she pushed her mind toward his own. If his stare meets hers, if there is any warmth there, she will... she will try to draw him aside. They must talk before she leaves, before he goes. She must make him understand.

[CatInASuit]

Rangin looks across, wondering what Kylah said to get Graham to actually notice. Besides, Rangin thinks to himself, is he really going to be any use on what is likely to be a house to house Security raid.

"Lets see how good the transporter works between here and the Yorktown in this storm", says Rangin as he opens his communicator and requests a dry uniform. "Better to have problems with that than with a Phaser II."

Having made the request, Rangin wanders up to Graham and quietly asks, "Quick question, do you still want me along, I am just a biologist after all?"

and then Rangin walks across to Kylah, his voice quieter and conciliatory, not wanting to part on bad terms. "Good luck, I hope you find something useful. Oh and I'm sorry I know it may bring back some bad memories but I'd suggest someone checking out Hardin's suite as well. See if he left anything behind, you never know. And..." he says quietly just for her, "...please be there after this is over."

[choie]

Surprised and relieved when Velir moves to talk to her, she looks at him as if memorizing his features. His words are not effusive--but then, he rarely is. Still, she feels more distance than she is comfortable with standing between them. "I will search wherever I can," she says in response to his suggestion about Hardin's office. "But you--you are the one who must come back. I am..."

Kylah darts a look around and then, if there is no interruption, will tilt her head toward the doorway and murmur: "Velir, I have more to say than I would like to among others. Please, if you have a moment and would not mind listening... might you allow me some words in private?"

[general_urko]

Graham blinks as Rangin asks him whether he wants him along and then makes a beeline to talk to Kylah.

This team really has the eye of the tiger, he muses. Then he takes a deep breath. Take a step back, Booker...

"Uh," he clears his throat, knowing he's interrupting whatever Rangin and Kylah are talking about quietly. "Mr. Rangin--as, ah, some people have pointed out, asking for recommendations from the team is a good idea. Mr. Kylah has on that score made the point that she might be best deployed at this time interviewing Lt. Cmdr. Ebling." He nods. "I think she's right. So I'll put the question to you: out of the tasks at hand, what do you recommend as your best opportunity to move the mission forward?"

He tries some breathing exercises to center himself. Obviously a search by a hand-picked Security team would be to some extent more convenient for me, he thinks, but other talents and perspectives matter. And unless I have too I wouldn't boot someone off a team when they've been pulling their weight... But there are more than one necessary tasks, he reminds himself.

[Elendil's Heir]

Thunder sounds again, and the lights dim once more, a little longer than last time.

Lt. JG Haakon Kjaerstad, in the resort's Security Office, acknowledges Rangin's warning about Hsu. "Thanks. We'll keep an eye on him."

Garcia says to Kylah, "I'm ready to leave for the CP when you are, Ensign." All of the Yorktown Security officers on OC3, except the two with Ebling and another two in the Security Office, are already in the transporter room.

Ferguson, on the Yorktown, says, "Ionic interference in the lower atmosphere is worsening, Mr. Graham. It's pretty ugly. I recommend against any transporter use for the duration of the storm; meteorological analysis indicates it could last several hours."

[CatInASuit]

"Oh great," says Rangin dryly, "looks like I'm not going to get that dry set of clothes after all." before looking across at Graham.

Keeping his voice low and calm, inaudible to most above the storm around. "What do I think, that depends on if you are still hellbent on trying to get all these people across to the Sandoval colony in the middle of this thunderstorm. I see two options. One, I get dried off, go and tear apart Hardin's suite to see if there is anything of use and then work with Ensign Kylah on interviewing Ebling. Two, I stay soaked and help you track down Hardin in this storm, because you're not going to be able to transport across to the Colony now. Door-to-door, I'm not trained for. Chasing down wild animals in crappy conditions, that I have done. I will just say one thing. You take the direct route to the Colony over the top of the hill in this weather, carrying phasers and tricorders, then expect to lose people; that's your back-up medic talking. Think about it, decide, let me know."

Rangin is not sure what Graham is going to decide, after all, he switched from being gung-ho one minute to oh no lets wait for the Yorktown the next. Rangin didn't really care that much, he just wanted Graham to lead in a professional manner, something which always appeared to escape him.

Rangin turns back to Kylah, "I believe we have a couple of moments while Mr Graham is considering his options." before turning back to Mr Graham, "Would you excuse us for a moment?" and Rangin gestures towards the door to Kylah for them to get some privacy.

[choie]

Kylah quickly thanks Garcia and asks for his patience for just a moment longer, listening to Velir's voice all the while as he speaks with Graham.

He might not go, she thinks with a rising sense of hope once she hears Velir making his suggestions. The same hope flickers and falls when he adds the truth--that with his knowledge of biology and skills with a tricorder, not to mention the adaptation to the device Delaney made for scent trails, Ensign Velir Rangin is well-suited to discover a living creature in otherwise barren or dangerous surroundings.

Just as unlikely as his discovering something of worth in Kylah.

Kylah sees him approach her again and she heads to the corridor. She turns around once they are alone and gently clasps his hands. The fact that they are damp and cold give her a good excuse to hold on to him. "You are freezing," she murmurs anxiously as she rubs and massages his chilled fingers to convey warmth from her skin to his. "If the transporter can erase all the blood and DNA from a murder scene, it should be able to make your clothes free of water."

Her words soften as she speaks. It is not like her to be this forward, but with the possibility of Velir leaving with Graham, she must be bold because there is so little time.

"Velir," she adds, looking up from beneath her lowered lashes. "I know you are disappointed with me. Angry about my suggestion to Graham. I do not want you leaving on such terms. If anything should happen..." The thought is too frightening and she hurries on. "Will you let me explain?"

[CatInASuit]

Rangin is surprised when Kylah hold his hands and tried to warm them, but he cannot think of a reason why he should remove them. "Yes, I am cold, thank you." Rangin sighs thinking back to the device next door, "I don't think I would trust the transporter at the moment. It could probably remove all the water and then start on the fabric."

Looking down at Kylah, his face saddens slightly, as he thinks of what she proposed only a few moments ago. "I am unhappy about the suggestion. Just because Hardin did what he did, does not mean we should play by the same rules. It doesn't matter though, I don't want to leave on an argument either. Talk to me, explain quickly. I may disagree, but I will try to understand."

Rangin squeezes Kylah's hand gently, aware of how cold his own are, but appreciative of the warmth her's provide.

[choie]

Kylah nods, grateful that at least she has this chance. "Velir, I did not mean for Graham to scan the whole team. Only Hsu. The man came along from nowhere, he has the technical skills to have assisted Hardin--or to have acted on his own, really. I did not trust him. I thought Graham could scan Hsu privately. But then Graham suddenly announced his intent to the whole room, and I had to do something. I thought if I seemed to be the cause of it, if I acted paranoid about everyone, it might lessen Hsu's suspicion that he was the target. Because if he knew, if he had any time, even an instant..."

She looks down, her mouth tightening for a moment before she goes on. "You cannot know how quickly Hardin acted. One moment he was confronted by a phaser held by an expert, someone who would surely never hesitate to shoot. But Hardin was able to act in only a second. He did not even move before suddenly everything went dark. I woke up in a daze, sprawled out on the floor like a... like a mere object. Like garbage one has discarded.

"I know how you value privacy. Even scanning Hsu without permission is likely something you would balk at. I would too, normally, but..." She shakes her head. "That weapon was so powerful, something small enough to hold in a pocket. It terrifies me that something Hardin used without any warning left Graham and me unconscious for ten minutes. He could have done anything to us and we would have been helpless. Helpless," she echoes, haunted, and looks off in the distance beyond Velir. "I have often had few choices in my life--or few palatable ones at any rate. But before I left Elas, I had never known physical danger. And even then, until two days ago, the danger had never come from someone I trusted."

She blinks, her eyes stinging but she will not let herself cry again. "No less than three times on this mission, I placed my trust in the wrong man, and earned my punishment for that error. All were respectable. A Vice Admiral at the top of Starfleet. A superior officer who has repeatedly claimed he wants only to protect me. And a gentleman who seemed so gallant, so thoughtful. But each of them wrested control from me and left me powerless to protect myself."

Her own hands are now trembling and they feel as cold as his. "I think that is why I have felt more defenseless on this planet than we were back at the Sakath station. Those creatures acted on instinct without malice, and we all knew they were dangerous, knew we must fight to survive. Here... these men were people who seemed trustworthy. I thought I was in safe hands. Instead those hands were used to stun me, to grab and shove me against a wall, to touch and violate me and do things I..." Her throat constricts and she cannot continue, flushing. Now is not the time for such talk.

"The point is that I am sorry for reacting as I did. And I do not mean to excuse it, I just want to explain it. I could not let you leave thinking I wished to ignore everyone's rights, even Hsu's, without any reason. There were reasons, even if a better person would have risen above them. I was weak. I was afraid. The thought of being stunned again, of feeling that awful pain afterwards, and of everyone, including you, feeling the same way... I could not bear it."

She steps tentatively closer to him. "When you go, if you go... promise me you will be as vigilant and safe as possible." Unable to stop herself, she rests her head on his shoulder and whispers: "This mission has beaten me, Velir. It has conquered me. Do not let it do the same to you."

[CatInASuit]

Rangin listens to Kylah,trying to hear every word and feeling her tremble through her hands. Not from cold, but from what she has faced so far on this mission, short though it has been.

It's when she describes how three men she has trusted have betrayed that Rangin's heart sinks, thinking he might have been one of them. After all he did betray her trust when he got involved between her and Jan, but none of them match with actions he has taken. Confused, Rangin continues listening until the end.

As she lays her head on his shoulder, Rangin gently puts an arm around her.

"I understand. I have felt the same myself before and it is one of the worst things that can happen to anyone." He stops wondering what words might help to alleviate the pain she must be feeling, but cannot think of anything specific and so just keeps talking. "I can understand why you would react like that, and it is so very, very hard not to respond in kind. Being weak and afraid is part of life. What makes us stronger is accepting we were and dealing with it. Being beaten is when you let it deal with you."

"I will do whatever I can to come back safe and sound, assuming Graham wants me to tag along. I will endeavour not to end up as I did last time, and when I come back...we will talk. You are an exceptional lady, Kylah of the Silver Tree, you're not beaten yet."

Rangin gently kisses her on the side of the head.

"Come on, time to see if Graham can make a decision which doesn't involve counting to five on one hand."

[choie]

Kylah sighs and nods against his shoulder, closing her eyes at the light, too-fleeting pressure of his brief kiss. Even the use of her name--well, misuse, but she has no call to correct him given her own nearly disastrous use of "Jeril"--helps her somewhat.

She backs away before anyone sees them in this stance and takes one last grasp of his arm. "Velir, there is one more thing. About Graham. I know we see things very differently from him, and his decisions and words sometimes seem astonishingly ill-chosen. I do not pretend he does not frighten me. As I just said, he... he has hurt me, although I do not think he meant to. I do not think he means many of the things he says or does in anger or jest." Kylah glances inside the transporter room. "With all that, there is something in him. He does want to keep people safe. He goes about it in a way we sometimes find abhorrent, but he--he tries."

Her eyes narrow. "I can sense... that is, I believe he feels a tremendous amount of pressure, both external and internal. Perhaps that which he puts on himself is the greatest burden, and he sabotages his own goals." She glances inside the transporter room. "I recognize that, to be honest. Maybe that is why he and I miscommunicate and argue so often. We are more alike than I would wish on either me or him."

She turns back to Velir and smiles weakly. "Despite this similarity, do not worry--I do not ask you to feel toward him as you do me. I do not ask you to like him, or respect him other than as you would any person. But I hope you and he... if you do work as a team... will help one another. He could learn so much from you. And perhaps he could teach us things, if he would only..." Kylah shrugs, not knowing how to finish the sentence. But she squares her shoulders and holds Velir's gaze. "I will say this. If you go with him, and if his leadership helps bring in Hardin, and returns all of the team to the best of his ability... Velir, if he brings you back to me... I will be forever in his debt."

She tries to strengthen her smile before squeezing Velir's arm one last time. At last she walks with him back into the room.

[general_urko]

'Why thank you, General Rangin' is the first thought that comes to Graham's mind after the xenobiologist's tirade. He feels as if he nearly bursts a blood vessel resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

Part of me wants to assign him to anything but the pursuit party just to get him off my case, Graham thinks. But at least his point about pursuing animals is valid and relevant.

He's had a few moments to look at the map while Rangin and Kylah...did what? Well at least I can't imagine Rangin be a threat to anyone, he thinks. Well, except maybe me...

"All right people," he says as soon as the pair re-enter the room. "Here's the game plan. Until this storm clears, no transporter. Lt. Garcia, since returning to the ship is not an option I'd appreciate it if you teamed up with Mr. Kylah here in the resot. Obviously, there may be more files to decrypt, but, as well, she's a good interviewer and you can watch her six during interactions with any interviewees."

"We'll get what support we can from Yorktown's sensors, but I'm guessing it won't be great given the weather conditions. Rangin and Delaney, you're our best bets to work magic with tricorders, that'll be your mission on the pursuit team, finding a trail or getting a fix on Hardin."

"Kjaerstaad and Hsu will recommend an angle of approach to the Sandoval Colony based on the coverage from the cameras--whatever gets us closest to a confirmed clear area. We'll move in two groups: advance group is me and two Security Officers. Our objective is to secure the nearest building as a base of operations."

He looks at the Security team. "This will be a hard, fast entry, shoot first, medium stun, ask questions later. We know he has an instantaneous short-range stun device and is willing to use it."

He takes in the others and settles on T'Var. "The others will follow. Now, the fact is that if he has heavy weapons our phaser I's don't have the range to do jack. Doctor T'Var, if we're incapacitated on our way in, take command, what I'd like you to do is pull back and wait for support from Yorktown. "

He shrugs and glances briefly at the map. "Even with the resort's lax screening procedures, I'm willing to play the odds he doesn't have a mortar, and if we move quickly in conditions like these it would take a hell of a sniper to splash all three of us."

He says this with confidence and again makes sure to make eye contact with the Security Team. This is what we're for, folks, let's do our job.

"Once we're in, T'Var's with me. Rangin and Delaney operate scans from the base and follow as we secure locations. Two teams of two Security Officers. One team always in reserve at long range for an effective phaser I shot, hopefully out the range of whatever the hell Hardin's device can reach."

After all that's happened this is a relief: to a have a purpose. And to be focused on something I don't suck at. Have done a hundred times...

Of course it didn't always go well: every time things went badly was painful (sometimes, literally and personally). But this time we're going to bag the sonofabitch and bring everybody home safe.

"Everybody stays focused, nobody gets hurt," he says firmly. "Any questions, comments?" he says to the group. "If not let's go collect ourselves a dirty admiral.

One goddamned part of my life where I've done more good than harm...

[choie]

Kylah fills guilty and sickened as she looks over the crew members, all of whom are going out in this dangerous weather to face some even more dangerous unknown.

She looks at Graham and says softly, "If I may comment, sir. I cannot believe someone of his intelligence, power and influence fled the resort without a plan for escaping this planet. The colony may seem barren, but there may be an ally, or allies, somewhere. Possibly even cloaked. So please, just..." Her concerned gaze roams the crew to find Velir before returning to Graham. "Just do not assume he is alone." She clears her dry throat. "If I learn anything that can help I will contact you, or find you, as soon as I can. Good luck," Kylah says in a near whisper.

[general_urko]

Did you ever tell Lizzy 'don't be afraid,' he wonders, looking down at the young woman. No, you never did, he realizes. Rightly, he thinks.

"I hear you," Graham says softly in response to Kylah. "We'll be careful."

He starts to raise his arm to put a reassuring hand on her shoulder and then simply stops and punctuates his words with little pump of his arm and a nod.

Realizing others may be taking a moment to process what he said, he quickly turns and moves to address the Security officers. He also wants to give them a chance to ask questions directly to him, given the burden he's going to put on them. "All right, you know I'm new to the bird, a couple questions: one, who's got the fastest 40 meter dash among this little group? Two, who's got the best marksman scores? And--last one--is anybody carrying a back up weapon?"

[CatInASuit]

Rangin hears Graham's speech and is finally relieved that he is actually doing...something. "About damn time too," he mutters under his breath.

Rangin heads quickly to Lt Delaney. "Sir, as I suggested earlier. We need to focus on the things that Hardin can't avoid leaving behind. Heat signatures and so on. Can you also think of something to provide a little protection from lightning strikes, even if it is forcing it to earth somewhere else and not through the people in this room."

Then Rangin heads back to Graham. "Apologies for the interruption, but if I want to make best use of the modifications Lt Delaney made, I have to go and find something to start tracking with. So I need to go ransack Hardin's room to find some DNA and a scent to follow to make it easier. I'll be back in five to ten. Don't start the show without me."

Finally stopping by Kylah on the way to the door Rangin looks at her, smiles, "Stay safe," he whispers and then starts to jog quickly through the door and starts running back to the main resort. Water be damned, he was soaked already, but this time he didn't feel it as he headed across the plaza.

[choie]

Kylah forces herself not to watch Velir leave. Instead she gives a respectful nod to the rest of the team before looking toward Garcia. "If you please, sir, I think we should find Lt. Cmdr. Ebling. If she has anything useful to tell us about Hardin, we will want to inform Mr. Graham as soon as possible." She casts a final glance at T'Var, then Graham, before swiftly heading out the door. She is embarrassed not to be accompanying the others and does not wish to lag behind as they head out into the miserable weather and an uncertain future

Once they are in the corridor, she lifts her communicator. "Kylah to Russell," she says quietly. "Are you clear to speak?" If he confirms that it is safe, she will add, "I will be questioning the person you took into your charge. Can you give me the location? If you believe someone might be listening, send it via text."

[Elendil's Heir]

Russell replies to Kylah, "Uh... I think I should only tell you that with Mr. Graham's authorization, or that of someone further up the chain of command. Sorry, Ensign."

Delaney listens to Rangin and scratches his head. "I don't know of anything to divert lightning strikes other than, what is it called? Um... a lightning rod? Maybe we could make some part of the resort more, uh, attractive to a lightning strike? Hmm. But we'll be leaving that behind as we leave the grounds and cross the hill. Could we carry something with us? Hmmmmmm. Let me look into that." He goes to the transporter console and accesses the Yorktown's Library Computer via subspace link there.

Dr. T'Var and the others nod upon hearing Graham's orders. St. Croix takes it upon herself to call Kjaerstad and Hsu in the resort's Security Office to let them know what Graham intends.

[choie]

Kylah feels like flinging her communicator at the wall, but instead turns around. "Your conscientiousness is duly noted but your timing could not be worse, Ensign. But I will interrupt him just before he leaves on his dangerous mission so that you may be assured I am neither a security risk nor a child playing with her father's communicator." She snaps the device shut and walks back into the transporter room, her face red at having to bother Graham in this manner.

Once he has a moment free, she says in an undertone, "I am very sorry, Mr. Graham. For security reasons, Ensign Russell will not give me Ebling's location without your permission, as I am not sufficiently high on the chain of command. I wonder if you could make some blanket announcement to... well, any Yorktown crew remaining behind who might have information to which I need access? I dare not risk having to contact you when stealth is vital. We have seen all too well the risk of someone barking into a communicator at just the wrong time."

[general_urko]

Tick, tock, there's a rhythm going in Graham's head as he works through partly a conscious thought process, partly an autonomic process based on training and dozens of previous operations. This is the thing. We train for this, we study it, we live it.

It's why when shit starts to happen and other people start to shake and freeze, for us things start to move in slow motion and get clearer and sharper That's the difference that gives us an edge. That keeps us alive.

The flow is disrupted by Kylah, in essence, tugging at his sleeve. It only takes him a second to get back into the slipstream.

His breathing has changed: slow and steady, extra deep in and out. He's started to lean forward on the balls of his feet, knees slightly inward in order to be better able to pivot in any direction. His shoulders are forward, not tight but collecting potential energy.

I...wouldn't want...Lizzy to see me like this. The point is that I'm getting ready to be able to kill someone...or struggle like hell not to die myself.

Not Kylah either, I think...

He's not annoyed...in the back of his mind he's...embarrassed...

What would Bennett think? intrudes at the back of his mind.

Heartbeat. Heartbeat. Sounds at the periphery. She's obviously upset about this.

"It's ok," he says, looking at her with something between normal vision and the transition to the "thousand yard stare" that's been associated with combat for centuries now.

He reaches for his communicator. It's getting to feel like slo-mo. He's grateful she's not a mind-reader, as coiled potential for violence is starting to infuse every movement.

Who are you trying to go home too, Booker? For the first time in years there's a mission after the mission. You can't make things right if you're dead.

"Graham to Yorktown personnel on station. Mr. Kylah is leading the interrogation of persons of interest. On that score treat any request or direction from her is one from me."

He nods, his jaw involuntarily clenching. St. Croix's been on the horn of her own accord: that's good, he notes it for future reference, turning back to the Security team.

[choie]

Kylah regrets having returned to the transporter room the instant she stops speaking and notices what seems to be going on within Graham.

For the second time during this mission, she remembers the time years ago when she stood too near a boiling hot pool of water, swelling and ebbing with growing pressure. Only her uncle's dragging her away protected her from the inevitable explosion of what turned out to be a geyser.

Graham is radiating this same energy. Barely controlled mayhem. Kylah knows it is not directed at her--although for one unthinking instant, immediately after he faced her, she stepped backward, her mind fresh with the memory of just having told Velir about Graham's lunging attack yesterday.

But that instinctive self-protection died quickly. She now recognizes Graham's emotions for what they are. She has seen enough Klingon guards who exuded this same aura when arriving on Elas for a meeting with Aldaan. They were prepared for battle--Klingons are always prepared for battle, with those who protect dignitaries more so than most.

She supposes a soldier--and that is what Booker Graham is, at heart--requires this mindset. Heightened awareness. Readiness to attack. Single-mindedness of purpose. Ability to unleash violence at any moment. It all serves him and the others under his command, she guesses. But it frightens her nonetheless, it makes him seem less... civilized. No, not civilized; evolved. As if he was reverting to a creature before his time, before speech or diplomacy existed and there was only kill or be killed.

Kylah cannot imagine Velir having such a mindset. Will that be a weakness? Can he survive this situation without it? She knows he has had experiences with violence, he told her of--or at least implied--some of his reckless, even foolhardy adventures. But surely he was still... not like this.

She waits for Graham to end the announcement, still feeling as if she is standing next to an explosive with a short, burning fuse, and then hastens to leave once more. She does not stop to thank Graham--nor does she think he would hear it even if she did.

With a nod at Garcia she walks very quickly, as close to a jog as she can get with her still iffy knee, down the corridor to put more space between her and that room full of geysers all waiting to burst into deadly action.

"Kylah to Russell," she snaps into her communicator. "Now will you please tell me where I may find our witness?"

[CatInASuit]

Rangin crosses the plaza quickly and heads for the elevators. He nods and smiles at the guests as he jogs passed leaving a slippery trail across the floor. The smile was as plastered across his face as he was soaked to the skin. There was no point frightening or worrying them, nothing to see here, just a Federation ensign who got a little bit soaked. "Sorry about this, its bit wet outside, don't mind me."

He reaches the elevators going up and looks at the other guests waiting alongside. He runs both hands across his head and they come away covered in droplets. Rangin wonders where he can wipe them off, but being soaked all over leaves him holding his hands in mid air wondering what to do with them. One of the other guests waves a tissue under his nose and Rangin accepts it "Thank you", says Rangin remembering his manners, "though I fear I might need something bigger." He wipes the worst of the excess off, leaving him with a small soggy piece of paper clutched in one had.

As the elevator door opens, Rangin realises everyone has take a slight step back as he steps on, moving away from the puddle forming where his feet had been moments previously. "I'll try not to get the elevator too wet", he comments as the door closes leaving him alone.

From all the treachery and trouble that had occurred over the last couple of days, a simple act of kindness reminds Rangin of just what he is here to do, help people as he had just been helped.

He contacts Kjaerstaad in the security office requesting thumb print access to Hardin's quarters if he doesn't already have it.

Once he is there Rangin intends to find a few DNA traces and possible scents from Hardin's abandoned clothes. He already had a thumbprint from the records provided by the resort, all the guests had provided one, so finding the traces to go with it, hair samples, used clothes, even the bed sheets if they hadn't been changed, shouldn't be a problem. One quick sweep of the suite and he was set to go and track Hardin down.

Even better, Hardin's suite had a passage like Wilson's, so Rangin could confirm the trail as he had done the day before.

Rangin grinned in anticipation, that meant given the time scale, Rangin could follow him straight from the apartment. Wilson's trail had been cold, Hardin's was only half an hour old.

It would be there.



Let me know how far I get EH

[general_urko]

It's funny the things that pop into your head at times like these, Graham muses at a random moment: If I'm KIA Faisal will think it's really weird there's a bottle of rose-scented perfume in my stuff.

[Elendil's Heir]

Russell replies to Kylah, "Sure. Lt. Cmdr. Ebling, Ens. Barbour and I are in Room 316, in Hotel Tower 2. We'll be expecting you."

Rangin, as a member of the investigative team, already has access to Hardin's suite, and the door opens with his thumbprint. Using his tricorder, he is able to find DNA traces on the sheets, in the bathroom and among the clothes still hanging in the closet. (The sonic shower has no such evidence, and Rangin realizes that he can set the shower to dry his uniform even while he's in it - an old Academy trick. He does so and soon feels much better in dry clothes). Cross-referencing to Starfleet's personnel database, he confirms that it is Hardin's DNA he's found. There are very faint scents remaining but, he thinks, probably little if anything that will be useful out in the thunderstorm. From the footprints in the dust on the floor of the maintenance passageway, it does appear that the Vice Admiral passed through there.

Faint traces of scent, dust, DNA and/or shoe leather suggest, with some skillful tricorder work, that Hardin went directly from there, down to the ground floor and out an emergency exit towards the grounds. His direction of travel, if he kept going straight, would take him towards the Sandoval Colony, as Hsu reported. Rangin can find no trace of Hardin's passage more than a few meters away from the emergency exit. The trail ends.

[choie]

Thanking the other ensign, Kylah shuts her communicator and repeats the information to Lt. Garcia out of courtesy--not to mention the fact that, despite her taking the lead in the interview, he is a superior officer. Besides, considering what an excellent job he did with decrypting the files, he is more than worthy of her respect whatever his rank.

Kylah walks quickly through the resort toward the hotel tower. Her mind is trying to corral multiple thoughts and worries at once, and her head starts to ache a little bit--it must be the tension, for it's nothing like the vise-like grip she experienced before. Velir, T'Var, Graham... all her colleagues heading out to find Hardin. She is afraid for all of them. And here she is in the dry comfort of the resort. She reminds herself weakly that she would be of little help in a hunt; not even her empathic abilities would be useful. Hardin proved extremely adept at controlling his feelings. In fact, she has never encountered such restraint among humans.

He is either a sociopath or somehow aware of her skills--and since the latter is an impossibility, Kylah bets on the former.

When she reaches the hotel tower, she presses the elevator button. A sudden sense of unease--nothing empathic, just nerves, probably--snakes down her spine, and she looks behind her. It is silly; why would anyone follow them? Just in case, when she and Garcia enter the elevator, she lets the door close behind them without allowing anyone else inside. There, she presses the fourth floor. "I know it is paranoid," she says quietly to Garcia. "I just... I would just prefer to make certain our destination is less obvious. We can walk down to the third floor. I suppose this seems silly..."

Assuming nothing unusual occurs, she finds the fire stairwell and hurries down the flight to their ultimate destination.

[CatInASuit]

Rangin stops and bangs the side of the tricorder a couple of times wondering if the water has got into the workings as the trail has ended.

Wishing he had a couple of English Bloodhounds or Bolian landsharks, as if there was any trail they could have followed it, even through this rain, but alas, modern technology just wasn't up to it.

Rangin shrugged he had the DNA he wanted and started jogging back to the transporter area, checking the readings as to whether it had been a complete stop or if it had faded away from the rain.


EH - was it a hard vanish of the trail or would it have faded out quickly from the heavy rain

[Elendil's Heir]

Rangin sees that the trail seems to just fade off a few meters away from the door. The rain has indeed been heavy, and he suspects that the Berthold rays might also have contributed to the degradation of any scannable trace evidence.

Graham had asked, "All right, you know I'm new to the bird, a couple questions: one, who's got the fastest 40 meter dash among this little group? Two, who's got the best marksman scores? And--last one--is anybody carrying a back up weapon?"

St. Croix and the others look at each other, and she says, "I'm probably the fastest here, Mr. Graham. Specialist Geilil here is probably the best shot of us all, wouldn't you say?" The Canopian nods modestly. None has a backup weapon; each has a single phaser-1.

[general_urko]

Graham nods. "All right then, you can probably guess what's coming S-C: congratulations, you're point man." He draws with his finger on one upturned hand. "Three of us will make the approach: St. Croix, up front. I'm five meters on your right and five back. Geilil, you're five meters to her left and ten behind me. Our objective is to secure the nearest building. We move in turns, and pay attention to timing: a lightning flash is a good time to be flat on the ground rather than up and moving. S-C, you're sprinting the last dash to the closest building on our approach vector. Geilil, at that point your primary mission is covering fire for S-C's run. I'll be doing my best to be a big ugly alternative target."

"When we reach the target, I'll scan the building right quick and lead entry, S-C you're on my back, Geilil, you hang back in case we're charging right into that damned stun field or whatever it was Hardin had. We clear the building, then cover the approach for the others and it's high fives all around."

He looks around at the group. "Any questions? If not we'll get going as soon as Mr. Rangin gets back."

[choie]

Kylah and Garcia stand in front of Room 316. Depending on whether any officers are outside the room or not, Kylah will announce/identify herself either directly or via the door chime.

[CatInASuit]

There is a low whistle from Rangin as he jogs along having seen the results of the trace. If the DNA and scent trace is breaking down that fast in the storm even accounting for the huge amount of rain currently bucketing down, it appears the lightning is having an ionising effect compounded with the Berthold Radiation and causing an even faster break down of animal matter in the area of effect. But they Yorktown team should be fine, as they have been given their anti-radiation shots, although he had better get Graham to check all the Security members had. After all, it might be slightly more hazardous to go outside given the conditions.

Rangin screeches to a halt as the train of thought reaches the other conclusion. Hardin has no protection against the Berthold Rays. No shots and no spores. Normally it would take a week for him to perish on OC3, but the effect of the storm had some unusual and possible unique impacts, which could hasten the demise of any unprotected animal life. Including Hardin. Worst case, Hardin was already suffering its effects.

Rangin starts running back to the transporter room. He needed to check if T'Var had some of the shots.

As he reaches the transporter room, he stops outside and takes some deep breaths to calm himself and get some air back into his lungs. While breathing hard, he considers one other thing to do. Hardin was as untrustworthy as they came and there was no reason for him not to double back and cause problems. Just before he heads in, he sends Kylah details of Hardin's DNA sample and instructions on setting up her tricorder to automatically check for it in the local area and alert her should it turn up. Thought this might help, just in case Hardin comes back.

After a moment or two, Rangin heads in, he walks up to Graham, "Thank you for waiting I have what I needed. I just need to check something with Dr T'var."

"Dr T'var, just in case, do you have any of the anti-radiation shots, in case Hardin needs one. I don't think he is currently protected against the Berthold Rays."

[general_urko]

Graham's still going over things with the Security team when Rangin comes back and interrupts him, but any feeling of irritation quickly vanishes when Rangin says Hardin might not be protected against the Berthold Rays.

Graham laughs. "Ha, well, whaddya know? Couldn't have happened to a nicer criminal fugitive." Remembering the aftereffects of the stun weapon he points to his temple. "Poetic justice if they give him a hell of a headache."

[Elendil's Heir]

There is no one outside Room 316; Russell admits Kylah and Garcia once he's confirmed their identity through a tricorder scan. He and Security Ens. David Nelson are in the outer suite, phaser-1s at the ready; Lt. Cmdr. Ebling is in the bedroom. She looks bored and a little irritable - more so even than for a typical Tellarite.

Dr. T'Var says, "Yes, the Vice Admiral and Lt. Cmdr. Ebling both got anti-radiation booster shots the night before we all beamed down. It was a precaution Dr. Villa thought best, in case there were any difficulties with the spores."

Security personnel St. Croix, Geilil, Harper and Friedman all understand their orders from Graham and are ready to go.

[choie]

Kylah thanks the security officers and, while entering the bedroom, remains near the door. She greets Ebling politely and introduces both herself and Lt. Garcia. "I am not certain how much you know about what has happened to precipitate your current circumstances. I hope you understand you are here due to a need for safety." She does not elaborate whose safety is being considered. "May I ask what exactly you have been told?"

[general_urko]

Graham listens to T'Var explain that Hardin's off the hook for Berthold ray exposure. "Bummer," he says.

Then he briefly closes his eyes and runs through names: St. Croix, Geilil, Harper, Friedman.

Your people, Booker. Their lives, your hands.

There's a moment of acknowledgement, of grimness, and then resolution, and then adrenaline kicks in.

He gestures for people to move out. Flipping open his tricorder, he asks "Lt. Kjaerstad, my friend, we're moving, please transmit our best vector of approach."

[CatInASuit]

Having finished with Dr T'Var, Rangin passes across the scanning details for Hardin's DNA and scent to Delaney. Then adds the configuration in for heat sensing, something that will probably come in more use while they hunt for Hardin.

"Anything you need an hand with, Sir? Any luck with the lightning rod?"

Rangin waits quietly for Graham to dictate the orders. Rangin hated these moments, he had always wished that these could have been solved by other means, but sometimes there was no other choice, and you just had to get on with it, but it still left Rangin feeling slightly queasy. He always hated thinking about all the things in advance, he had never been good at clearing his head until things started to happen. Once that happened, only then could Rangin really just ignore everything else and concentrate on the problem in front of him.

With a deep breath and a worried look on his voice, he heads out with the others. Shaking slightly, Rangin tried to convince himself it was just an after effect of being soaked, but he knew otherwise. It would only be a few minutes until they were in the rain and the hunt was on, but for now, he would rather have been anywhere else than here.

[anyrose]

Still in Sickbay, Collins distractedly reads Rosemary Calvin's latest novel, Sarah's Three Daughters, on the screen next to her bed. She retains little of the plot because her mind is consumed with the prospect of having to go through withdrawal. She has gone months without a fix, believing she could leave it behind, but always giving in when the pull of the addiction got too strong. She is not happy.

The recovery room doors whisk open, and Cmdr. Pablo Vargas, the First Officer and her boss as Chief of Security, enters. "Hello, Mr. Collins," he says. "Dr. Villa said you could have visitors, so I thought I'd drop by. I was sorry to hear about your... medical problem. How are you feeling now?"

"A little better, thank you, sir," Collins responds, managing a weak smile. "I'm looking forward to be approved for duty again. Lying in a bed is not my idea of fun."

Vargas pulls up a chair. "I couldn't agree more. I was quarantined for two weeks after exposure to a virus on Pardell VII. I felt fine and just wanted to get back to work, but the CMO insisted I stay put. I did a lot of reading and caught up on my correspondence. Do you have enough to do, here in bed?"

"I have a couple of novels in queue," Collins tells her boss, "and I've started a private journal." Should I have admitted that? Her tone changes to a more serious one. "Sir? Permission to speak frankly?"

He smiles wryly. "I have never yet heard anything welcome after someone asks me that, but yes, permission granted."

"I'm at a loss to understand," Collins speaks slowly, making sure to choose her words carefully, "why I was chosen to lead this mission. I've yet to show any propensity for command, and my performance this mission hasn't done anything to change that. Yes, I would like to advance to command, but I know I still have a great deal to learn." Her speech starts to speed up as she talks. "I really don't get why the Captain picked me. Surely Delaney, or even Rangin, would have been a better choice." Her voice starts to crack a little; Collins is moments away from a full sob.

"The Captain makes assignments as she sees fit, based on the mission and her assessment of a crewmember's abilities and potential. I think you're being too hard on yourself, Mr. Collins."

"I feel as though I've let her, and you, down." Why am I so emotional? Why haven't my hormones evened out by now? Collins continues, "I apologize, sir, this" - she looks at, and touches, her abdomen - "seems to have affected me much more than I thought." She closes her eyes to hold back the tears. "Please forgive my ramblings."

"There's nothing to forgive. You've been through a lot." He pauses. "But perhaps I should be going...?"

"I guess," Collins says. She needs a hug now, but Cmdr. Vargas isn't the right choice for the job. "Thank you, sir, for visiting, and thank you for listening. Hopefully, I'll be back on duty soon and be able to put this behind me."

To her surprise, he leans over and squeezes her hand. "I hope so, too, Mr. Collins. Please let me know if you need anything in the meantime. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, sir.' Collins watches Vargas as he leaves; her hand is still warm from his grasp. It wasn't a hug, but it was genuine, and it helped.




Starring anyrose as Collins and Elendil's Heir as Cmdr. Vargas

[Elendil's Heir]

Ebling says to Kylah, "Just that there was some Security problem and that I might be at risk, Ensign. Nothing more than that. What's going on?"

Kjaerstad replies, "Head directly towards the Sandoval Colony buildings, Mr. Graham. I'm afraid I can't be much more specific than that, knowing what we do."

Delaney shares Rangin's data with the members of Graham's Security detail. He tells Rangin with thinly-veiled frustration, "If I had another hour or two and access to a machine shop on the ship, I might be able to make some kind of portable lightning-deflecting shield generator, or a grounded lightning rod that could be safely carried by a member of the landing party. But it looks like we've got neither the time nor the access."

[CatInASuit]

No lightning deflector...head straight to the colony...over the hill in a major thunderstorm...oh grief, it was about to get worse.

Rangin shuddered further, not from nerves but the sheer stupidity of what they were about to do. Did Security officers consider themselves invulnerable to everything or did Kjaerstad really hate someone in the group. Rangin had a feeling he was going to be administering CPR within the next hour. At least as the smallest, he was less likely to be hit than the others around.

Rangin turns quickly to Lt Delaney, "Sir, you may not be able to stop it, but perhaps a strike warning might be easier to do. Lightning is just a build up and transfer of electrons and protons, ground to cloud. If you could monitor that build up in the area, you might be able to tell when a strike will occur. Give us enough advance warning and we may be able to hit the deck before one of us gets hit."

Rangin waits to see if Graham is going to lead his cavalry over the hill, or if he is actually going to show a modicum of sense for the first time on this planet and listen to something he has been told, not a few minutes earlier. This would be the worst time to interrupt him as he led people out, they were all trusting him to lead them and showing him up as an unconcerned idiot now would be damaging, but would he really be insane enough to lead them over a hill to the Colony buildings. Surely, he wasn't that stupid...

...and Rangin was considering following Graham out into a thunderstorm, Rangin really, really should know better. And now, Rangin was beginning to wonder if Graham was a city boy who, when it came to natural dangers like this, consider it a fun thing to run around in, instead of respecting it for the danger it is.

"I am certainly going to regret this," Rangin mutters under his breath.

[choie]

Kylah blinks, not having expected to be the one to tell the lieutenant commander of Hardin's actions and alleged crimes--but then again, she is not sure why she is surprised. The guards would not have revealed anything.

She is granted a moment to let this sink in when she hears the alert on her communicator, and excuses herself to step out of the room again before opening the device. Velir has sent her information about using her tricorder and Hardin's DNA to track the fugitive. Surely he would not come back here, Kylah thinks distractedly, though very grateful for Velir's message. If she later has to leave the building to catch up with the others, the ability to recognize Hardin's proximity will be invaluable.

Kylah returns to Ebling. "Before I answer your questions, sir, I must ask for your patience while I seek some answers myself. The situation has turned critical, and if you have information that could save lives, I dare not delay it." She takes a deep breath.

- "When did you last speak or see Vice Admiral Hardin?"

- "What do you know of his movements today?"

- "You arrived with the Comptroller and presumably spent most of the time until the introduction with him. Can you tell me what each of you did following your exposure to the spores until you woke up the next morning? I understand you may have been separated at certain times, but can you at least tell me how you believe the Vice Admiral spent his time during that period?"

- "The day after the murder--yesterday--can you tell me if you noticed anything unusual in the Vice Admiral's demeanor or behavior? Did he express anything to you regarding the death of someone with whom he had worked for a relatively long period of time?"

- "This may seem a strange question, but I beg your indulgence. What can you tell me about the Vice Admiral's skills with technology? Does he seem highly competent in that regard? For example, if you and he were ever in some emergency and it were necessary for him to, say, operate a transporter with any degree of accuracy, would you believe him capable of it? Have you ever noticed him in possession of any unusual technological devices--some people have hobbies in collecting such things, I know."

- A search warrant or subpoena will take care of this, but I might as well ask for permission, just on the off-chance... "Does he have any appointment diary or journal to which you would permit me access? I understand this is an unusual request and of course will not push the issue."

Kylah hesitates and gathers her thoughts before asking the next question, considering how vital it is. "During your interview with Ensign Graham, he noted some apparent discomfort or awkwardness when you were asked about the Vice Admiral's working relationship with Mr. Wilson, specifically regarding whether he or you were doing any work with Wilson regarding the WR&R contract. You responded simply that Vice Admiral Hardin had no 'direct role' in the contract. But to be frank, that was not quite answering Mr. Graham's question." And why he did not follow up on it, I cannot begin to guess, Kylah thinks irritably before continuing.

- "So to restate the question, can you please--and I cannot stress enough how important it is for you to be candid--explain precisely to what degree either you or the Comptroller worked or saw Mr. Wilson during this trip, or any past interactions? And what exactly you know about any dealings Mr. Wilson and Vice Admiral Hardin had?"

During each question, Kylah sends every ounce of mental energy toward the other woman.

[Elendil's Heir]

Delaney brightens. "Yeah, I should be able to set up a lightning detector in the tricorders. Should give us maybe a few seconds' warning before there's a lightning strike. Hmm. Good idea!" He opens his hip toolkit and gets to work.

The Tellarite officer sits on the bed and answers Kylah's questions. She is hard to read, as all Tellarites are to the young Communications officer, but seems on edge and somewhat impatient.

- "When did you last speak or see Vice Admiral Hardin?" - "A few hours ago, by communicator. We made plans to meet for dinner."

- "What do you know of his movements today?" - "Nothing. We haven't discussed that."

- "You arrived with the Comptroller and presumably spent most of the time until the introduction with him. Can you tell me what each of you did following your exposure to the spores until you woke up the next morning? I understand you may have been separated at certain times, but can you at least tell me how you believe the Vice Admiral spent his time during that period?" - "I went to my suite and relaxed. I saw very little of him - his title is Comptroller General, by the way - after our spore introduction. We were both on leave and I understood that he would need me very little, if at all, as his flag aide while we were here on Omicron Ceti III. I presume he spent his time reading and relaxing, as I know he prefers to do while off-duty."

- "The day after the murder--yesterday--can you tell me if you noticed anything unusual in the Vice Admiral's demeanor or behavior? Did he express anything to you regarding the death of someone with whom he had worked for a relatively long period of time?" - "We discussed Wilson's murder briefly when we saw each other in the spa. He seemed concerned and a little upset."

- "This may seem a strange question, but I beg your indulgence. What can you tell me about the Vice Admiral's skills with technology? Does he seem highly competent in that regard? For example, if you and he were ever in some emergency and it were necessary for him to, say, operate a transporter with any degree of accuracy, would you believe him capable of it? Have you ever noticed him in possession of any unusual technological devices--some people have hobbies in collecting such things, I know." - She nods. "The Vice Admiral is very technologically skilled. He holds an A5 computer qualification - you remember the story he told at dinner aboard the Yorktown, about programming funny responses into the ship's computer early in his career? - and certainly knows how to operate a transporter." She thinks a moment. "I haven't noticed him with any unusual technological devices, but it wouldn't surprise me."

Cmdr. Spock, as noted in ST:TOS "Court Martial," held an A7 computer qualification.

- A search warrant or subpoena will take care of this, but I might as well ask for permission, just on the off-chance... "Does he have any appointment diary or journal to which you would permit me access? I understand this is an unusual request and of course will not push the issue." - "He does have a daybook but I haven't made any entries in it since we boarded the Yorktown - oh, other than for that dinner. We're both on leave, as I said. You're welcome to see it; it's not classified."

Kylah hesitates and gathers her thoughts before asking the next question, considering how vital it is. "During your interview with Ensign Graham, he noted some apparent discomfort or awkwardness when you were asked about the Vice Admiral's working relationship with Mr. Wilson, specifically regarding whether he or you were doing any work with Wilson regarding the WR&R contract. You responded simply that Vice Admiral Hardin had no 'direct role' in the contract. But to be frank, that was not quite answering Mr. Graham's question." And why he did not follow up on it, I cannot begin to guess, Kylah thinks irritably before continuing. "So to restate the question, can you please--and I cannot stress enough how important it is for you to be candid--explain precisely to what degree either you or the Comptroller [General] worked or saw Mr. Wilson during this trip, or any past interactions? And what exactly you know about any dealings Mr. Wilson and Vice Admiral Hardin had?" - Ebling appears to be choosing her words carefully. "As I think I said before, I know that they had some dealings with one another. They were not especially close, as far as I know, and I was not present for every meeting they might have had. Even in my regular duties working for the Vice Admiral in San Francisco as his flag aide, I am not at his elbow day and night."

She takes a deep breath. "There are things I'd like to tell you that I can't, at the moment, Ensign. I just... can't." She thinks and then seems to reach a decision. "I would now like to communicate directly with Starfleet Command as soon as possible, and then, hopefully, I can be more helpful to you."

[general_urko]

Graham scowls but quickly erases it. He'd hoped Kjaerstad (and Hsu) might come up with a clear vector of approach well-covered by cameras, but still feels the plan is viable. "All right, let's get into position. Shortest distance straight across. Check weapons."

He gestures for folks to follow and heads outside toward the jumping off point. He also takes out his communicator and hails Yorktown. "Graham to Yorktown. What can you do for us with ship's sensors? Ah, not to beat around the bush, ideally, a read on the old Sandoval's colony building that includes threat detection and pinpointing Hardin's location."

[choie]

Kylah listens carefully and when Ebling requests to speak to Starfleet Command, she cannot help gnawing nervously at her lower lip. She is so out of her depth here. An Ensign at her level, interrogating someone who can just contact Starfleet Command, like this? This cannot be right. Captain Singh should be involved, not someone fresh out of the Academy.

"Thank you, Lieutenant Commander. I... of course you may contact Starfleet Command, I have no power to stop you. I would just wish to impress upon you that the time delay for any such conversation may create problems. Right now, our crew are in jeopardy as they hunt for a murderer and a violent man who has assaulted two officers--this may or may not be the same individual. Information that only you can provide might save lives." She swallows. "I must consult with my superiors. Please excuse me?"

Backing out of the room and murmuring a request for Russell to take her place in the doorway, Kylah heads to the corridor to be ensured of privacy. She then takes out her communicator. Graham is not an option--she must not break his concentration--and the same goes for Velir, whom she is even more anxious to consult. No, Kylah must go further up the chain of command.

"Ensign Kylah to Commander Vargas," she says, trying to keep her voice clear. If he accepts her hail: "Sir, this conversation may be more appropriate for the Captain herself, but I would not presume to contact her. As it is I regret having to disturb you when I am sure you are monitoring what is happening with Mr. Graham. However, I am faced with an... an unorthodox and sensitive situation that in all frankness I do not believe I am equipped to handle. May I explain?"

Assuming Vargas gives her the go-ahead, she will quickly run down what Ebling has said as well as the flag aide's request. She finishes with: "My inclination, from listening to her and--and assessing her demeanor--is that she wishes to be helpful, and has information that is both classified and of vital use to us. But time is of the essence, and if she does know something that could assist our crew in apprehending Hardin, I fear that waiting for subspace communication to take place will delay things and possibly endanger our crew further."

Kylah twists a strand of her hair with her free hand, yanking it painfully as she considers the magnitude of what she has undertaken. "The truth is, Commander, that I am at a loss. Please, what would you have me do, sir? And given how highly placed she is, not to mention the Comptroller General himself, and how... how insignificant I am... do you not think that the Captain or someone of your standing would be a better person to talk to her?"

[CatInASuit]

Rangin's jaw drops. Straight across...over a hill in a thunderstorm. Now he knew that Graham either didn't have a clue about what he was talking about or he just didn't care.

While everyone else checks their weapons, Rangin moves into Graham's eyeline and gestures that he wants a word when he has finished with the Yorktown. He can see that look in Graham's eyes, that absence of something distinct and of complete focus. Rangin had seen it in several people, but had never managed that state himself...never wanted to be in that state.

When he's finished, Rangin will quietly say to Graham over the sound of the rain. "Graham, what I said earlier about heading out and over that hill is true. I know you don't like me, and I don't care, but your team needs you to get them there safely. I know you want to get Hardin as badly as anything, but not at the possible cost of some of your team. Up and over is the wrong choice."

[general_urko]

Rangin's comments join alongside Graham's active considerations as one parallel, but not primary, stream. Very far at the back of his mind--much too far to intrude on his other concerns--Graham thinks "no, no, you don't like me."

He autonomically gestures slightly with his head for Rangin to follow as he continues to walk outside. Almost as autonomically he replies "Alternatives, Mr. Rangin?"

He's neither dismissive nor expecting to change his course of action: his reply is of the same nature as checking his weapon and making sure his tricorder is charged. If the latter wasn't, he'd grab a new one, but it's highly unlikely a modern tricorder would have lost its juice. If Rangin has some miraculous idea, Graham's paying enough attention for that to register, but he considers it highly unlikely.

[CatInASuit]

Rangin blinks, as he is expecting more of a response. The fact that Graham seems totally focused on the mission ahead, just unnerves Rangin even more.

Closing his eyes, and picturing the scale map that Mr Hsu had just shown to them, Rangin recites what he had been looking at earlier, another way there instead of over the top.

"Three options. One: skirt the top of hill, come down through the open countryside alongside. Fastest route, chance of being spotted high, chance of lightning strike high. Two: skirt further round the base of the hill until you get to the gently wooded area. Come in through the open trees. Some cover from the Colony, more protection from the lightning. Three: Follow the hill the other way, some distance around, it turns into a shallow canyon heading towards the Colony. best protection from the lightning, possible dangers flooding and bottleneck from the colony buildings. Recommended option, round and through the open trees, Chief."

Rangin knows where that last part came from. He hadn't meant to call Graham Chief, but it was automatic from the few other times he had done this. A friend, a colleague back on Coridan, someone Rangin would likely never meet again, the one who led him and his friends in times past.

Rangin opens his eyes, readjusting to the current gloom and waits for Graham's response.

EH, apologies for taking liberties with the area topology and feel free to adjust any of the directions as you see fit, but you get the general idea.

[Elendil's Heir]

That's OK. We'll just go with that as to the terrain.

Science Officer Roble, on the Yorktown, says with obvious frustration, "The storm is severely degrading sensor effectiveness. I cannot get any good readings on the resort itself, large as it is, let alone a single individual on open ground or among the buildings of the colony. I'm sorry, Mr. Graham. Our latest meteorological projection is for the storm to clear in about three hours."

Cmdr. Vargas says, "You were right to call me, Mr. Kylah; thank you for your report. Go ahead and permit her to contact Starfleet Command. If she wants to speak to the Captain or me, let us know."

[choie]

"Thank you, sir," Kylah says, although she feels frustrated that she is getting so little support aside from a verbal pat on the head.

Why are the ship's top officers so uninvolved in this investigation? Leaving a murder investigation to junior officers has seemed strange enough to Kylah; now there is a potentially explosive scandal involving corruption near the very highest level of the entire Federation, and they are content to leave it in the hands of an utterly untried ensign?

Sometimes Kylah wonders if the Klingon Empire would have been a better choice for Elas. They might be venal but at least they are well organized in their venality.

"I will let you know if there are any further developments," she adds before signing off. She closes the communicator and, taking a deep breath, re-enters Room 316.

As she walks through the outer room, she finds herself suddenly wondering three things: first, whether Ebling will need access to a terminal; second, whether there is any risk that Ebling will not be contacting Starfleet Command but rather Hardin; and third, why Ebling already knows she must speak to Starfleet despite not having asked Kylah to clarify what is going on. Indeed, why has she not demanded clarification about Kylah's questions? That would be the most natural thing for anyone to do.

The thought strikes her: Is it possible... does Starfleet already know about Hardin's activities? Or at least, suspect him? Is that why Ebling is really here--to watch out for Hardin?

Her head whirls with these possibilities, trying to alight on which one seems most likely. If Ebling has been keeping track of Hardin for Starfleet, she has been doing a rather poor job of it--but it does mean she might be a great source of knowledge. On the other hand, the idea that Ebling might communicate with Hardin is a true danger and makes Kylah worry about leaving her alone. But... well, what could Ebling possibly say that would abet him? Kylah has not told her anything that could be of use to the Comptroller.

Comptroller General, she corrects herself somewhat dryly as she nods to Russell and enters the bedroom. Soon, she hopes the only word to describe Hardin will be prisoner.

"Thank you for your patience, Lieutenant Commander," she says. "Please do contact Starfleet Command if you need to, we will be glad of any assistance you can provide, and hopefully there will be as little delay as possible."

Kylah tries again to get some reading, anything, on Ebling's emotions. She hates being so inept and uncertain.

[general_urko]

Graham rounds on Rangin. Graham isn't especially tall, but forward slightly on the ball of his feet and with his shoulders bunched he's looming slightly over his shorter colleague. He's surely moved more quickly and too close for polite company, but Rangin has broken through to seize his full attention.

Surprising, registers in Graham's mind. I was expecting straight-up protest against doing anything, not potentially viable solutions...


He's pulling out his tricorder to call up the map even as he turns toward Rangin. He points a finger along the routes, for his own benefit and to indicate Rangin should look as well.

Graham shakes his head, glancing up fro the map to Rangin briefly. "Three is out," he says, grimacing. "We stay he hell out of a canyon or draw--without reliable transporters a flash flood could kill us all, and Yorktown isn't even in a position to give us warning."

He nods as he traces the other two routes. "Number one has virtue of speed...but if were up against any serious weaponry we'll lack range." He glances at Rangin again and shrugs. "If return fire's ineffective, it's a hell of a lot better to have some cover among the trees if we need hightail it out of there..." He pauses and frowns. For a moment he feels the full weight of the risk at hand. "Or drag someone back," he says softly.

He nods and puts a hand on Rangin's shoulder briefly, without thinking--if he had he might not have done it. "Good thinking, Mr. Rangin, I appreciate it." He smiles slightly. "Must be all that animal tracking."

He doesn't rush those words but he turns instantly as soon as he finishes, back in the zone. He acknowledges Yorktown and informs the others Rangin's identified a better approach.

What's with 'Chief?' tugs at the back of his mind, but he's too pre-occupied to ask now.

[CatInASuit]

The last thing Rangin expects as he reopens his eyes is for Graham to be right there and he freezes as the Security Officer looms over him. A sudden thought of Kylah's words and Rangin wonders, perhaps just for a moment, if this is how she feels when Graham is around.

Keeping his nerve is difficult, but Graham is not concentrating on him, but on the ideas instead. Even so, Rangin doesn't move recognising the proximity of what is a very lethal animal and the last thing Rangin wants to do is upset or draw attention to himself any further. Keep him focused elsewhere, don't be a target, stay quiet, just nod and don't react.

He follows Graham's lead in looking over the tricorder, staying still and keeping his movements to a minimum, brief nods in agreement with each of the points raised. As Graham puts his hand on his shoulder, Rangin feels every muscle in his body tighten and he barely hears Graham's acknowledgement.

Then Graham is gone, back talking to the I]Yorktown[/I] and the rest of the group and Rangin lets out a slow shallow breath suddenly realising that his lungs were burning as he drags in more cold wet air. Slumping slightly behind Graham, Rangin then raises his face to the sky and whispers a silent prayer of thanks to gods long forgotten.

Just for once, Graham had listened.