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

  1. #1501
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    Rangin hears the news from the computer and scratches his head. Nothing matches and there isn't anywhere really left to search. Well, the only other place to search who could possibly have been around were the ships in orbit, but that would involve someone getting up and down from them...well there had been that teleport signal. Oh why not...last one really. After this, he would have to ask the others from some ideas.

    "Computer, access available crew rosters for all ships in orbit, find crew fingerprints and compare to partial fingerprints for match." Rangin eyes roll up to the ceiling, "Good Luck" he whispers.

    He sits back and idly drums his fingers on the worktop waiting for the likely response of no matches and for Officer Peters to return.
    In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.

  2. #1502
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    Officer Peters comes back and says, "OK, we can check in the vault if you want. I got clearance." He notices Rangin's mug. "Refill?"

    The computer says, "No matches to fingerprint records of crew rosters or passenger manifests of any vessel now in orbit of Omicron Ceti III." Rangin knows that such manifests are not always entirely accurate, and that not everyone would necessarily have fingerprints on file anyway.

    After a minute or so, the door of the dark red guest house opens, and Collins and Kylah see Fellim Palver, the Rhaandarite tycoon whom they met yesterday afternoon, standing there barefoot in a thick, quilted robe, rubbing his eyes. He yawns. "Ah, the Starfleet ladies. Not the usual calling hours, I suppose. To what do I owe the pleasure...?"

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    "Er, no thanks on the refill. I'll pass." Rangin replies. "and no luck on matching those partial fingerprints. I guess Lord Falstofe is going to have explain a little further. "

    Rangin makes sure all his fingerprint data has been uploaded to the Yorktown,to allow them to continue searching and then shuts the computer link down, judging that his luck in long shots has always been terrible.

    Picking everything up, he looks back at Peters, "Ok, let's go have a look at the vault."
    In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.

  4. #1504
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    Kylah nods her head respectfully in return greeting. "I fear there is no pleasure in our visit, Mr. Palver, and I apologize for waking you at this hour." She looks at him as carefully as possible without staring. "This is Lieutenant JG Collins, and I am Ensign Kylah. There has been a terrible crime committed not far from here--just outside in the park, as a matter of fact--and we wish to ensure your safety and ask if you might have heard or seen anything that could help. May we please come in, sir?"

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    Peters leads Rangin to the resort offices; they hear Graham and Mrs. Hsu in Wilson's office and look in.

    Palver's eyes snap more widely open. "Yes, of course, come in, come in." The two Starfleet women go inside to see a nicely-appointed front hall, with an equally pleasant living room beyond. "Please, have a seat," he says. "May I offer you something to drink?"

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    Kylah glances at Collins and returns to face Palver. "No, thank you, Mr. Palver. I should mention that we are here working with the resort's own security. There is no direct Starfleet connection to this unfortunate situation." She glances around to notice if anything seems out of place. "May I ask if you are here alone, sir? If anyone is with you, can you please make sure they're all right?"

    She waits and finally says: "I know you must be curious, but I'd like to ask your indulgence for a moment. Could you tell me what time you went to sleep, sir?" When he answers, she will add: "You see, yours was the only light seen by the security guard in the park at around half-past three. If you were still awake at that hour, do you remember looking outside at all?

    "The reason this is so important, sir, is that... well, I am afraid to say that someone was found dead in the courtyard outside, the one bordered by all these houses." Kylah gestures in the direction of the little square park outside. "The security guard making his usual rounds discovered the body, and while he was waiting for help to arrive, he noticed that every other house was dark except yours. So if you were up that late, we were hoping that perhaps you might tell us if you saw or heard anything, anything at all, that was unusual or noteworthy."

  7. #1507
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    Kylah sees nothing out of place.

    "Yes, I'm here alone," the billionaire says. He looks off into the distance. "Let's see. I went to bed around 10pm, after checking the latest stock market reports - New York, Carolus Prime and Deneva, my usual routine - but I didn't fall asleep for at least half an hour or so. Not good news on the markets lately, I'm afraid. I woke up again at three or so, maybe a little earlier, I suppose, and couldn't fall back asleep. I came back downstairs here to check the computer ticker again." He gestures to a sophisticated-looking computer screen and control panel. "This maintains a continuous subspace link; I must have it for my work. I don't remember hearing anything outside; everything was very quiet. I know I didn't look outside. I still wasn't really tired so I kept working. You say someone's died? I'm so sorry." His eyes widen again. "Great Holon. Was it a murder?"
    Last edited by Elendil's Heir; 04 Feb 2014 at 09:44 PM.

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    Keeping her face neutral as he speaks, Kylah tries to gauge his emotions. At his question, she gives a sympathetic tilt of her head. "We cannot be sure until the autopsy. It was not due to natural causes, but more than that, I do not know. Such a horrible thing to happen. Thank you so much for giving us your time. I know this is no hour to be woken up with such unfortunate news, and it is kind of you to help us. I forget, sir, is this your first visit to the resort? Do you know the staff well? Oh! And I hope you will forgive my curiosity, this has nothing to do with this situation, but I have wondered this since we were first introduced: are you at all related to a Lt. Palver at the nearby research station?"

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    "This is my first time here," Palver says, sinking down into an overstuffed chair. "I'd heard so much about it from a business associate last year, I knew I had to try it. I'm also looking into some investment opportunities in the resort and hotel trades, and wanted to get a first-hand look at the place. I don't much about the staff. The few I've spoken to have been very friendly and helpful, though." He rubs his chin. "I don't think I'm related to any Lt. Palver, or anyone in Starfleet, although it's not an uncommon name among Rhaandarites. But who has died, if you're allowed to tell me?"

    Rhaandarites are harder to read than Humans, but he seems straightforward and direct, tired and a little upset to Kylah. She suddenly also realizes that he does not seem under the influence of the spores anymore.
    Last edited by Elendil's Heir; 04 Feb 2014 at 11:01 PM.

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    Her mouth dry, Kylah has to make a quick decision. She moves closer to him and keeps her voice gentle. "Thank you, sir. You have been so helpful... of course I shall tell you. It is the resort's administrator, Mr. Wilson. I believe you met him before you were introduced to the spores?" While she's talking, she absently plays with the evidence bag. "Now that you have tried the spores, what do you think of them? I fear I have not had the pleasure of--"

    Kylah feels a wave of nausea lurching inside her at the lie, which brings a host of memories she has to clamp down on before continuing. "--Of trying the treatment. Have--have you found it helpful? Oh! How stupid of me." She has turned the plastic bag upside down, and the communicator has fallen at Palver's feet. "I am sorry, could you please...?"

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    Palver seems a little taken aback by Kylah's forwardness. He looks down at the communicator, then back at her, and frowns. He does not reach for it. "Of course I remember Mr. Wilson," he says somberly. "I'm sorry to hear he's died. As for the spores, I liked them, but they seem to have lost their hold on me. Sometime while I was sleeping they... wore off, or something. I don't know why. I hope to be re-exposed, reintroduced, in the morning."

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    "I am sorry to hear that, Mr. Palver," Kylah says quietly. "I have never heard of someone having their exposure wear off so quickly. But you mentioned having received bad news about the markets? Since it seems to have distressed you enough to interrupt your sleep, perhaps that was enough to break their effect. I am sure the resort will be able to rectify it. Your people may need a different level of exposure for it to last."

    Kylah kneels for the communicator, pen knife and the handkerchief, looks at them, and shakes her head in annoyance. "I am actually glad I was so clumsy, for I nearly forgot to ask you about these objects. We found them on the ground near your house and wondered if you might remember having seen them, or anyone holding them. It would be extremely helpful for us to know if they were out there earlier tonight, or if they might have been left after everyone went to bed. Could you please take a look and see if you recognize any of the items?" She holds them out toward Palver's hand.

  13. #1513
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    Graham takes out his tricorder and takes pictures of the painting, the desk, and the photographs. He pauses, looking at the photos. Son of a bitch, he thinks. Wilson got on my nerves, but if he meant a damn to these kids, someone needs to be held to account. "This is...was...Mr. Wilsons' family?" he asks Hsu. "Did you know them? Are they here?"

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    Rangin knocks on the door to Wilson's office before opening it and stepping through into the office.

    Nodding to the pair of them, he acknowledges Mrs Hsu first. "Mrs Hsu, I'm sorry for what has happened. We will do everything we can." Rangin speaks quietly

    Rangin decides to put his personal thoughts about Graham to one side and looks across at him, "Mr Graham, we have been given authorisation to access the vault. Officer Peters and I will be confirming whether Lord Falstofe's knife is still there. Is there anything else I can do to help?"
    In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.

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    Palver says, "My portfolio has had its ups and downs recently, and I have to admit I've been a little stressed, but not enough to dispel the spores' effects, I would've thought. I understood from my orientation yesterday that there'd have to be a major adrenaline surge for that." He looks at the objects Kylah holds but doesn't touch them. "No, I don't recognize any of them, sorry."

    Mrs. Hsu seems haunted as she says, "His wife and kids remained on Rigel IV. They visited here once, the whole family, and I met them then. My understanding was that they stayed on Rigel IV so that the childrens' education wouldn't be interrupted. He visited them a couple of times a year." She thanks Rangin for his kind wishes.

    Lt. JG Mark Ferguson calls Dr. T'Var from the Yorktown's Transporter Room 1. "Would you and the resort's doctor please stand near the body? I'll beam all three of you up."
    Last edited by Elendil's Heir; 05 Feb 2014 at 11:39 AM.

  16. #1516
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    "If you are ready to release Mr. Wilson's remains," T'Var says to Collins, "Dr. Halsey and I will beam up with the body and begin the autopsy."

    T'Var gives Halsey a confirming nod. "I will keep you posted, Lt. Collins."

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    Kylah nods and casually tosses the objects back in the bag. "Thank you, Mr. Palver, I appreciate your looking these over. That helps us a great deal--it is likely they were dropped after you entered the house for the evening." Very well. The cleaning service will undoubtedly have access to items he has handled. "What time did you get in, sir? Knowing this will help determine a window when the items might have been lost. And did you happen to see Mr. Wilson at all today, after the introduction? We are trying to pin down his movements and anything anyone can tell us would be appreciated."

  18. #1518
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    Collins is with Kylah in Palver's guest house - see posts 1487, 1491, 1493 etc. - and is not still outside near the body.

    Mr. Hsu says to Dr. T'Var, "Go ahead and beam up. I'll tell Lt. Collins you've left."

    She flips open her communicator. "T'Var to Yorktown. Beam us up, please." She, Dr. Halsey and the late Mr. Wilson disappear into the transporter beam. They are met in the transporter room by Dr. Villa and a Medical team. Wilson's body is carefully put into a body bag and lifted onto an antigrav gurney. Dr. Villa takes you through the ship's corridors to the examination room in the Sickbay complex.

    Palver tells Kylah, "After dinner I took a long walk. I was back here by 8:45pm or so, and didn't go out again. I don't think I saw Wilson again after my introduction to the spores, which was when I met you and the other Starfleet crew."

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    Kylah takes a final mental peek into Palver's emotions while she thanks him for his patience, backing away. The fact that he is not "on" the spores is something of a relief to her, as curious and suspicious a coincidence as it may be.

    "You have been extraordinarily helpful, sir, and I do not wish to discommodate you further. I should mention there will likely be an increased security presence around the resort and everything will be done to ensure everyone's safety; this may mean some restrictions of activities, but I doubt you will be greatly inconvenienced."

    She turns to Collins with a glance and bids Palver a good night. "My apologies for disturbing you this late. We will leave you so that you may try to get back to sleep--unless Lt. Collins wishes to ask anything further?"

  20. #1520
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    Graham nods to Rangin. "Sounds good, Mr. Rangin. I'm going to start looking to see if there's any useful information here if you'd like to join me after checking on that knife." Just for the hell of it, he scans the photographs for fingerprints with his tricorder.

    He glances back at Rangin. "By the way--find anything interesting out about that other knife?" Oh shit, Graham thinks, reminded of Rangin scanning his hands earlier: I completely gave the guy the silent treatment while I was trying to help Kylah get her feet under her. Well, he's probably just thriled about the idea of joining me--I'll have to remember to get in an apology before the next time I do something intentional that will most likely piss him off.

    Then he returns to the desk and scans its handles, surfaces, and the daatpads for fingerprints before touching anything. Once he's done that he starts to examine the datapads and the contents of the drawers.
    Last edited by general_urko; 05 Feb 2014 at 06:58 PM.

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    Graham is able to recover several fingerprints with his scan of the photographs and other surfaces in Wilson's office. The datapads are all thumbprint- or password-protected. The drawers have nothing of interest - mostly office supplies, some vacsealed snacks, and WR&R budgeting, personnel and publicity printouts.

    In the tycoon's guest house, Collins says, "Thank you, Ensign. Yes, I do have a question or two. Mr. Palver, you mentioned your investments. Do you own stock in any company that directly competes with WR&R?"

    He looks at her and purses his lips. "Yes, I do."

    "Do you have a controlling interest in any such company?"

    "Nearly so, yes."

    "What is that company, please?"

    "Interstellar Leisure Group, Ltd."

    "ILG? I think I've heard of it. Tell me, is the company interested in bidding for the franchise here if WR&R loses it?"

    "Yes," says Palver, clearly reluctantly. "But that has nothing to do with why I'm here."

    She nods. "I see. Thank you, sir. Any other questions, Mr. Kylah?"
    Last edited by Elendil's Heir; 05 Feb 2014 at 08:05 PM.

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    Kylah shakes her head. She was going to ask Graham for a background check on Palver anyway, but this gives them a head start. "Thank you again, sir," she says, and she opens the door to let her superior officer leave first.

    When the door closes, she says quietly, "A suspect on the first try. That seems rather fortunate. His being a competitor is an unusual coincidence, as is his losing the spore effects. Yet I wonder if a well-known billionaire would be willing to put himself in such personal jeopardy by performing a murder on his own. Especially when he's known to be staying twenty feet away."

    She tilts her head toward Collins. "Nevertheless, Sir, perhaps we might call Graham and have him perform a further background check on Mr. Palver? If his finances are in grave jeopardy he might be desperate enough to try such a gambit. And we should request that the hotel staff take extra care when cleaning anything with which he might have come in contact--a drinking glass, for example. We will need his prints to make a comparison."

    Before they move to the next house, Kylah adds: "With respect, Lieutenant, have you given thought to my suggestion about requesting extra security personnel? It seems very risky not to perform a lockdown and search of all the guests' rooms as soon as possible. There is a murderer somewhere on this planet, likely within these grounds. At the very least we must secure the Vice Admiral's safety."

  23. #1523
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    Collins says, "Yes, Graham should do that. Let him know, please. I've been thinking about the Vice Admiral and Lt. Cmdr. Ebling, too. Given the low profile we're supposed to keep, and our lack of any clear motive, a lockdown would be too extreme. I don't want to cause undue alarm, and yet... well, better safe than sorry." She pulls out her communicator. "Collins to Yorktown."

    "Vargas here. Go ahead."

    "Sir, I request that four plainclothes Security officers beam down, two each to guard the Vice Admiral and his aide."

    There is a brief pause. "Request approved. They'll be down shortly. Please report on your investigation so far."

    Collins does so, and answers the Chief of Security's few questions. "Very well," he finally says. "Thank you, Mr. Collins. Carry on. Vargas out."

  24. #1524
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    Kylah keeps her face neutral and lifts her communicator. But she doesn't believe for a minute that Collins has been thinking of the Vice Admiral and his aide. Neither she nor Graham have said a single word about securing the man's safety since learning about the murder.

    "Kylah to Graham," she says quietly into her communicator as she moves away from the house. "Mr. Graham. We have just finished an interview with Fellim Palver, the Rhaandarite businessman we met earlier today. There are a few issues that cropped up during questioning. First, I noticed--I mean, he told us that the effects of the spores spontaneously wore off in the middle of the night. Second, he was up at the time of the murder. Third, he is an investor in one of WR&R's competitors regarding the contract. And fourth, he was cagey, to put it mildly, and avoided any attempts to get his fingerprints. I suggested--Lieutenant Collins has asked me to ask you to perform a background check on Mr. Palver, from his finances to his fingerprints, if you can find them. I was thinking perhaps you might ask Mrs. Hsu if she can have the cleaning staff be very careful with any glasses or other objects they take from his house, just in case we can get any prints from them."

    Kylah's head suddenly starts to pound; the lack of food, drink and sleep is now a pressing liabiilty. "I... oh, and I should inform you that the Yorktown will be sending four security personnel to guard Vice Admiral Hardin. I was hoping for a lockdown as the killer is roaming the resort, but... but Lt. Collins believes we should maintain the secrecy of the mission." Kylah, with her back to Collins, is free to roll her eyes at the short-sightedness of this decision, and she does but it only makes her head hurt further.

    Kylah tries to focus on the house in front of them. "I suppose it might be pertinent to find out from the medical staff whether their experience with Rhaandarites indicates a propensity for the treatment to wear off so suddenly... At any rate. We shall move to the next house now. Do you have any recommendations as we go forward, Mr. Graham? Have you anything you wish me to report to Lt. Collins?"

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    Rangin wanders across to Graham and speaks quietly.

    "Not as much information as I would like. Seven prints, four for Lord Falstofe and three unknown, but you will be glad to know your prints on not on it. I've sent the preliminary details to Collins and Vargas to keep them informed. One thing of note, looks like they are two parts of a matching Argellian dagger set of three. Has the Lieutenant said when we will be meeting up to discuss next steps, oh and you might want to consider asking Mrs Hsu, delicately, if we can get a secure room or office somewhere. I'll be back shortly with details of the other knife, to lend a hand."

    Rangin heads for the door to go and check the vault with Officer Peters.
    In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.

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    Rangin and Peters go to the resort's vault.

    A large, heavy door slides aside after the WR&R officer's voiceprint is confirmed. As before, several dozen polished-steel drawers of various sizes line the vault, a large cubical space about five meters on a side. Each drawer has a small fingerprint or voiceprint sensor pad. Small lights glow on several occupied drawers; the others are all dark. Peters says, "Mr. Hsu said the dagger was in drawer #78." He touches it and says, "Computer, security override, Peters Alpha One, enable. Open drawer #78."

    The drawer beeps and slides open. Rangin sees a dagger there, apparently identical to the one with which Lord Fastolfe threatened Wilson yesterday afternoon.

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    "And there we go, a matching knife. Let's see if it is the same as the one from yesterday." Rangin comments to Officer Peters

    Rangin runs his tricorder over the knife for fingerprints, expecting at least two sets from Lord Falstofe and Ensign Graham. He also takes an analysis of the knife for chemical composition to compare to the other knife to see if they are a match.
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    Rangin does indeed find fingerprints for both Lord Fastolfe and Ens. Graham on the knife's handle. There are two other partial fingerprints, probably too smudged to be identified as anyone's in particular. The metallurgical composition of the knife is identical to that found with Wilson's body.

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    "Excellent, right where it was expected to be. Ok, you can shut it up again and leave it right there." Rangin says to Officer Peters.

    Once Peters locks the vault again, Rangin says, "Right, I'm going to go back and see how I can assist Officer Graham. If you want to join me, you're welcome, but if Mr Hsu has another job for you, you're free to go and do that. Regardless, thank for you your help, it has been appreciated."
    In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.

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    Peters closes and relocks the drawer, then nods. "I'd better get back to the park. Glad to help; call if you need me again." He leaves.

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    Rangin smiles in acknowledgement before heading back to Wilson's office.

    At the office, he walks in and goes over to Graham. "The knife is still there, just as it was left with all expected fingerprints on. So, what can I do to help and any word from the others?"
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  32. #1532
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    Graham listens to Kylah. "Glad we have eyes on the Admiral" he replies. "I appreciate your instincts to lock everything down, but at least my hunch at this point is this was personal. Mr. Rangin is checking on Fastolfe's confiscated knife." I'm in Mr. Wilson's office with Mrs. Hsu. No big breakthroughs here." He pauses and glances briefly at Mrs. Hsu. He softens his voice a bit. "Well, I've seen a picture of Wilson's family. Some folks to whom we owe some justice."

    He pauses and frowns for a moment. "We need to get set up with a command center--eh, and a white board--and start mapping out the game plan. As I see it, Fastolfe is suspect number one. So we finish the interviews at interviews, some combination of me and Rangin try to get access Wilson's correspondence and review security surveillance logs, and T'Var completes the autopsy. Then we all put our heads together on the interview strategy for him. We find a smoking gun or he confesses, high fives all around. If not...we look at Palver further, and keep digging...I'll let you know when I secure a location for us to work out of. Oh yeah - good catch on this Palver character."

    He just finishes saying "Graham out" when Rangin asks what he can do.

    "Not sure how much you heard," Graham says. He repeats what we has told basically verbatim. "You're right, we need a command center. And after you and I try to check Wilson's correspondence and the surveillance records, we assemble and come up with our game plan for Fastolfe, who I'd call suspect number one."

    He turns toward Mrs. Hsu. "I'm sorry to be talking as if you weren't here. We'll find out what happened...it won't bring him back but..." he looks at the pictures of Wilson's family and his voice lowers. "If we hold someone to account, some people find that, at least, means something..." He clears his throat. "To that end...a secure room we can work out of would really help, as would access to Mr. Wilson's files."

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    Kylah stares at her communicator. She presses the buttons again. "Kylah to Graham," she says tersely. "I beg your pardon, I should have made it clearer that Lieutenant Collins, our mission commander and the Assistant Security Officer, wishes you to look into Palver's background. I do not believe she intended that to be a mere alternative if your own theory does not pan out.

    "However, regarding Lord Fastolfe, if I may be so bold to suggest another area that I don't believe has been considered: his ship is hovering in orbit and could beam him away at any moment. The same goes for the two other ships we saw earlier today, although I do not know to whom they belong or if they are still there. What should we we do about making certain none of those ships leave the vicinity?"

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    Graham takes a deep breath and rubs his head while Kylah lectures him. "What we need to very quickly," he says slowly and evenly, trying to get back in the mindset of his teaching days at Starfleet Academy, "is to get enough on Fastolfe, including by coming up with a good plan to get him to incriminate himself by something he says so we can take him into custody or at the least officially identified as a person of interest with enough meat to back it up so the Yorktown will have a solid legal basis for detaining him until this investigation is complete if he tries to leave, since is clearly the type who will lawyer up in a picosecond."

    He pauses. "It's a very good suggestion, though, Mr. Kylah that we ought to find out whether those ships are still there and if so who they belong to. That would make those folks a priority. We'll check that out. Assuming one of those ship's isn't Palver's, my recommendation on sequencing these activities to our mission-commander-and-Assistant-Chief-Security- Officer would be that we attend to getting Fastolfe on ice first, then turn our attention on him."

    He tries to avoid sounding annoyed as he's actually glad she spoke up rather than remaining silent and assuming no one cared what she thought.
    Last edited by general_urko; 06 Feb 2014 at 11:17 PM. Reason: added picosecond

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    Mrs. Hsu says, "Of course. I'll arrange for one of our large conference rooms to be made available to you, with access to the resort's computer system, and a direct subspace link to your ship." She pulls out a small data pad and begins writing.

    Graham and Kylah recall that, at least as of yesterday, when the USS Yorktown arrived at Omicron Ceti III, there were three other ships in orbit: the starliner Empress of Berengaria and two private yachts, the Trimalchio and the Fastolfe’s Chariot.

    See post 439.

  36. #1536
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    Kylah feels as if she is drowning again, except this time it is not her body being lost to someone else's will but her mind. Again a man is ignoring her words.

    "Very well, Ensign, I will tell Lt. Collins that you do not agree with her orders. However, do you not think it prudent that we go directly to Fastolfe before he has time to beam away? Indeed, do we even know that he is still on the planet?" Another thing I'll wager neither you nor Collins thought of. By the flames on the Southern Continent, I wish the Elasian police were here to supervise this investigation!
    Last edited by choie; 07 Feb 2014 at 12:40 AM.

  37. #1537
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    Graham nods in appreciation to Hsu. He's a bit taken aback by Kylah's response: well, you were encouraging her to believe her opinion was valued, he thinks. No good deed goes unpunished...

    "My, uh...fellow ensign.." he replies, quietly and evenly. "If Fastolfe intended to flee, he could have done so at any time, including before the body was discovered. If he has done so, the only thing we can do is build a case for an arrest warrant, and people other than us will be the ones who track him down. If he has not fled--with one reason being that it would look like a sign of guilt, but in his case the more likely one being that he's arrogant enough to believe he can get away with it because we're a bunch of stupid peasants--then our first contact is our best chance to trip him up with something we've discovered that he doesn't know we know."

    He glances at Rangin. "Contrary to what some may believe about my law enforcement sensibilities, I operate from the premise that if we don't have a solid basis to detain someone, there's not a damn thing we can do. And given his wealth...if he were some two-bit hood I'd say we go grab his ass based on what we have, but he'll have counsel so slick they could get a slam-dunk conviction overturned on the slightest technicality, so we need to dot all the i's and cross all the t's."

    "Anyway...your...thoroughness is commendable, Kylah," he says, sincerely and trying to sound it. "If you would like me to ask Mr. Hsu to confirm Fastolfe's location for you, I'll do that right now. Stand by."

    He switches channels on his communicator. "Graham to Mr. Hsu. Two questions, if I may: one, is there any record of Lord Fastolfe leaving the planet? And if not: can your people determine his location? No contact--I just want to know where he is. Thanks."

    Ah to hell with it, he thinks. "Graham to Yorktown. Request Security perform a background check on Fellim Palver, a Rhaandarite, guest at the resort. Potential person of interest. Please transmit results to me, Lt. Collins--and Ensign Kylah. Thank you."

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    "Thank you. Kylah out," Kylah says hoarsely. She shuts the communicator. She trudges to the next house while fully expecting the woman behind her to be even more disgusted with her than usual for either failing to fulfill the lieutenant's wishes, or conversely for arguing with Graham, since after all, he is a fellow security officer and a human, and thus supercedes Kylah's status regardless of his actual rank. "I suppose we are to continue with the interviews," she murmurs, more to herself than Collins.

    After a second she shakes her head. "No, wait--excuse me, sir. Just a moment. There is something I do not believe Mr. Graham will follow up on." She lifts the communicator and, after an internal debate, speaks into it. "Kylah to Rangin. As I just told Mr. Graham, we just spoke with Mr. Palver, a Rhaandarite. He was one of the guests introduced to the spores yesterday. However, the treatment wore off some time in the middle of the night. He claims it was while he was sleeping. I thought... I thought you might be able to check with the medical staff to learn if Rhaandarites normally lose the influence of the spores so quickly. I--I only ask because I know you understand the biological aspects of the spores better than anyone, and I..." She lowers her voice. "I trust that you are less likely than others to be singularly focused on one suspect. I hope you do not mind my... my presumption?"
    Last edited by choie; 07 Feb 2014 at 02:28 AM.

  39. #1539
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    It is easy enough to follow Graham's conversation through his communicator with Kylah, he really doesn't seem that interested in keeping it private.

    He rolls his eyes at Graham's comment which was obviously about Rangin. Graham really had poor ideas about how to work as a team in a situation like this. He was probably expecting to have Lord Falstofe locked up, the case solved with a jump back to Junior Grade as a bonus for being so clever. Besides when did lack of proof ever stop Graham from doing something unofficial. Rangin's cheeks burned slightly, as he remembered Graham's use of the cameras in the resort.

    As Rangin's communicator goes, he moves away from Graham who seems to be struggling to cope and to give himself some privacy. He listens to Kylah as she relays her concerns.

    "Thank you Kylah, that is interesting news and I'll check with the research station on that. Mild stress is not normally enough to remove the effects of the spores, but it is definitely worth checking out. As for suspects, every guest is a suspect, you haven't presumed anything. I'm currently just helping Graham here, if there is anything else you need, let me know. If you want to keep Lt. (JG) Collins occupied, I've sent her the preliminary fingerprint searches from the alleged murder weapon. It's pair is still in the vault. And Kylah, good luck with the interviews."
    In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.

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    "I'll tell Lt. Collins. Thank you, Velir," Kylah murmurs before shutting her communicator. She then inhales sharply when she realizes what she's called him. We can be friends, at least, she thinks, rubbing the communicator with her thumb absently as if touching his hand through it. Even just saying his name comforts her.

    "Lieutenant, Mr. Rangin has sent you the fingerprints off the knife," she says without looking back. She also appreciates that Rangin used alleged before "murder weapon." It is a pleasure to work with someone who does not jump to conclusions.

    She heads to the door of the next house and rings the chime.

  41. #1541
    Ape must not kill ape! general_urko's avatar
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    Graham's shoulders slump for a moment. Obviously, she's not getting enough coaching. But obviously I'm not providing it, either, he thinks. And we're not in sync as a team--but I'm too wrapped up in my head to be part of the solution, instead I'm part of the problem....

    He takes and exhales a deep breath. "Mrs. Hsu, thanks for setting up the room." He gestures toward the datapads. "It would also be vital to access Mr. Wilson's files and correspondence. If we're...well, lucky's a strange word to use at a time like this, but if we are, we might find a threat or evidence of a motive..."

    And we need to dig into those financial records, too, he thinks. Money's a tried-and-true motive...

    He shakes his head slightly, tick tock...we're wasting too much time. "Excuse me, he says to Mrs. Hsu," and he steps away a bit and re-opens his communicator. "Graham to Yorktown. One more request for assistance: there were ships in orbit when we arrived. Are they still there? If not, when did each leave? And we'd appreciate a run of their owners and passenger manifests against the guest list. And please inform Lt. Collins and me if any others arrive." He pauses for a moment. "And please inform Cmdr. Vargas--one of those ships belonged to Lord Fastolfe, our most likely candidate for prime suspect at the moment. If he decides to leave, interdicting that ship might be the right thing to do--but at the moment if I speak freely I think his lawyers would have a field day at our expense. We're working on building our case."

  42. #1542
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    Mr. Hsu tells Graham, "There's no record of anyone leaving the planet since the Empress left yesterday afternoon at 5pm - before Wilson died, obviously. She'd dropped off her passengers, taken aboard those who'd finished their stay here, and was heading for Cochrane V as part of her regular route in this sector. As to Lord Fastolfe, he didn't leave on the starliner, I know that for sure. I've asked around, and he was last seen in the nightclub just before midnight. As far as I know, he's in his guest house. You said you don't want us to make contact... did you want us to scan the house from outside? I'm, uh, not sure about the privacy issues there."

    Soon after, Security Lt. JG Ryan Jones reports to Graham, Collins and Kylah by communicator. "Fellim Palver, age 57, Rhaandarite billionaire. No spouse, no children. Very successful, obviously. Has interests in mining, real estate, electronics, foods, interstellar transport and computers. No criminal record. He's been investigated several times by the Federation, the Rhaandarite Republic and United Earth for suspected fraud and insider trading, but never charged. Considered somewhat reclusive and tends not to seek the limelight." He adds, "Those two yachts are still up here. I've passed along your message to the First Officer."

    Dr. Lucy Anderson, woken at the research station by Rangin's call, groggily says, "We haven't had many Rhaandarites undergo the spore treatment, or be test subjects here, but I'm not aware that they'd shake off the spores' effect unusually easily. Their physiology is quite similar to Humans' in many ways."

    Collins says, "Good work, Mr. Kylah." The door of the next guest house opens after a long delay. An older, frumpy-looking woman stands there in a robe and nightgown. "Yes?" she asks, eyeing you skeptically.

    Drs. Halsey and T'Var are on the Yorktown, preparing for the autopsy.

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    After speaking with the research station, Rangin looks back at the communicator in his hand. Velir, Kylah had called him again. What was she playing at? Last night, it was I never want to be around again, then it was Ensign Rangin and now it was back to Velir. Collegues, friends, no, it was too early to try and figure it out. He could do so later, but first Graham.

    Rangin heads across to the Graham and speaks quietly to him "A quick word, Booker. Remember what I said last night about a truce, let's keep it that way. We may not get on, but for the sake of what's happened, let's work like a team shall we? By the way, I'd suggest taking five, go grab a coffee and gather your thoughts. Less haste, more speed and all that. You haven't stopped since you got the comms call."

    Rangin offers a hand out to Graham in offer of, if not friendship, at least of collaboration.
    In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.

  44. #1544
    Ape must not kill ape! general_urko's avatar
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    Graham replies to Hsu. "Thanks for the offer, but if anybody's going to get into trouble, we'll take the hit. If your folks could keep surveillance on the house assuming he's inside and let us know if he leaves, that'd be fine."

    When Rangin approaches him he stares dumbly at the Coridanite while he speaks and extends his hand. He blinks and belatedly extends his own. "Uh...yeah, sure...is there anyth--" he replies in a similarly low voice. "Oh...shit, I'm sorry about the silent treatment before. I was distracted--worried about--Ensign Kylah. Something's not quite right." He frowns. "Not I seem to be any help. Look--as far as I'm concerned, you're a stand-up guy even if we disagree about some things." Finishing the handshake he rubs his head.

    "OK, coffee's a good idea - I'll head to our new command center, start reviewing surveillance tapes, meet you there."

    He turns to Mrs. Hsu. "Thanks for all your help - one more thing - ...I'd like to borrow one of the pictures of Mr. Wilson's family, stand it up in the conference room. To remind us all why what we're doing matters. If you don't mind, of course."

  45. #1545
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    Mrs. Hsu hesitates and says, "No, that would be all right, I suppose. I'm sure his family would like it back eventually, though. Your 'command center' won't be ready for half an hour or so. Perhaps you'd all like to get breakfast in the meantime?"

    Delaney has found his way to Wilson's office, now that its original occupant has been removed from the park and taken to the ship. He overhears Mrs. Hsu's suggestion. "Breakfast sounds great," he says. "Can't run an engine without fuel. I always think better after a meal."

    It is now 0520. Graham can see the first hint of dawn in the office windows.
    Last edited by Elendil's Heir; 07 Feb 2014 at 04:45 PM.

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    Graham nods and says softly, partly in response to Hsu, partly to himself, "We'll take good care of it."

    Holding a photo in his hands, he more-or-less grunts in response to Delaney's endorsement of breakfast, and, noticing the light coming through the windows, for whatever reason wanders over to look at the paining.

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    Kylah takes a quick measure of the woman's mood, although the look she's giving them makes it fairly obvious. Even on spores one can probably get annoyed by being woken up so early.

    "We are very sorry to bother you at this hour," she says gently. "I am Ensign Kylah and this is Lieutenant Collins of the U.S.S. Yorktown. I am afraid there has been a--an unfortunate incident, just outside in the courtyard, involving a loss of life. And we must check on everyone to ensure you are all safe, as well as ask you if you might have heard or seen anything unusual. Please, may I ask your name, and come in to ask you a few questions? It will not take long."

  48. #1548
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    "Check with the resort if you want to know who I am. I've got nothing to say to you," she says firmly, closing the door at once.

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    Kylah steps back in surprise. She has met no one under the influence of the spores who has displayed this level of rudeness. After a second or two of staring at the door, a scowl lowers her brow and she lifts her communicator to contact Mrs. Hsu. "I beg your pardon, Mrs. Hsu. We have been operating at a disadvantage. Could you please give me the names of each primary registered guest staying in each cottage, starting with the one next to Mr. Palver's?"

    What was Kylah's impression of the woman's emotions when she checked in my last post?
    Last edited by choie; 07 Feb 2014 at 10:56 PM.

  50. #1550
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    Mrs. Hsu gives you the list within a minute. Nine of the twelve guest houses are now occupied. The lady who answered the door is Mrs. Belinda Webb, of Luna City, on Earth's Moon. Her emotions were annoyance and mild anger.

    Remember that Sandoval and Kirk's own crew could be quite immovable and rude when the good Captain asked them to do things they didn't want to do in TOS "This Side of Paradise."

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