Markovich nods. "Of course, sir," he says. Rangin's sees that the service hallway along and on the other side of the rear wall of the suite is dusty and poorly-lit. There are, however, footprints on the dusty floor. What does he scan for?
Dr. T'Var raises an eyebrow and says, "I would be willing to be listed as a contact, if Mr. Graham wishes. And I will meet with you whenever it is convenient, Mr. Kylah."
Last edited by Elendil's Heir; 10 May 2014 at 10:49 PM.
Rangin looks at the dusty passageway with a smile. "Looks like we have something here to examine. Markovich, you get scans of those footprints, work out how many we have and which belong to Mr Wilson. Also, if possible, when they were made and in which direction they go."
Rangin studies the scene in front of him further. "I will see if there are any biological signs present. Handprints on the wall, any scattered hairs, that sort of thing."
"Once that is done, we can take a look at the corridor beyond."
Rangin starts to scan with his tricorder.
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
"I don't think that..." Will be necessary, Graham starts to say, but stops. In most of the previous investigations you've led, your Comms officer didn't have quite as much reason to think you were a head case, he thinks.
He clears his throat, once again irritated with himself but trying not to show it. "Ah, that will be fine," he says. "With all the weirdness with the spores, it wouldn't hurt to have an M.D. identified as someone to speak to." His shoulders slump a little and he exhales a deep breath. "And a male Security officer might not be the...most approachable figure...for some."
"All right," says Mrs. Hsu, making a note. "I'll see that it's done."
Markovich counts 33 or 34 footprints - it's a little hard to tell, some are so scuffed - going both ways. It is impossible to determine when they were made, but it might have been over quite awhile, judging by the relative thickness of the dust. All appear to be from the same-size shoe, although not identical shoes. Rangin accesses the crime-scene records and sees that it's the same size, 11, Federation standard humanoid, that Wilson wore. Rangin finds no handprints, DNA, hair or other trace evidence in the narrow service hallway.
"Thank you," Kylah says in a low voice, aiming her gratitude to both Mrs. Hsu and especially Graham. Focusing now on Mrs. Hsu, she adds gently, "I know this is difficult and I am sure your staff and guests will appreciate all you are doing to both inform and reassure them. Now if you will please excuse us, we will be back shortly."
She moves to the door and casts a quick look at T'Var, and an even briefer one at Graham. "My report will just take a moment."
When she walks out of the office, she searches for someplace private--she does not want the aide to hear the conversation. If there is anyplace where they will not be heard, she will lead the others--assuming they follow her outside--and wait until she has their attention.
Last edited by choie; 11 May 2014 at 01:24 PM.
"Ok, let's see where these footprints lead us, if indeed they are all going in the same direction."
While they follow the footprints, Rangin begins to wonder how Mr Wilson managed to get anyone into and out of his room without either leaving footprints here or being noticed by cameras in the main hall. Well, unless he transported them in, but that would be tricky. You would have to know the precise co-ordinates unless...you had something that could act as a beacon, perhaps remote controlled like the one in the safe...and if the main transporter was the same.
Rangin pulls out his communicator to Lt. Delaney. "Ens. Rangin to Lt. Delaney. Sir, if you are at the transporter, can you determine if there is any remote control accessing the transporter,either software or hardware?"
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
The service corridor goes 15 meters, turns left and goes another 20 meters. Pipes run at eye level along its entire length. The corridor ends at a door on the right side.
After a few moments Delaney says, "I don't see any remote control function, either software or hardware. But it has a subspace communications link and the resort intercom built into the control console, and I suppose a skilled enough technician could establish remote control, if he or she had enough time."
Dr. T'Var follows Kylah out of Mrs. Hsu's office. To who else did she wish to speak?
Kylah nods at Dr. T'Var and waits for Graham before saying anything of consequence, although she does ask, "I hope you are holding up well, Doctor. Although you do seem physically unaffected by the circumstances. Even with so little sleep and..." She lowers her voice out of courtesy to Mrs. Hsu: "...and a long autopsy... I envy your constitution."
EH: See the last paragraph in post #2300. Kylah said she wanted to brief Graham and T'Var.
Graham gives Kylah and T'Var a head start--they seemed close...in some way...and he hopes the younger officer might be more ope with the doctor.
After a moment he excuses himself from Mrs. Hsu and follows them out.
When Graham arrives, Kylah glances at the office door to make sure it has shut. When satisfied, she says: "I am sorry to have pulled you away, but I thought it best to report sooner rather than later. And Dr. T'Var needed to be here because it involves Dr. Halsey; I thought you might wish to follow up on what i am about to report, since you worked with him longest and perhaps might have better luck than I did.
"When I went to the infirmary earlier, I took the opportunity to ask Dr. Halsey some questions once he had... attended to me." She tucks a lock of hair behind her ear, awkward at the omission. Briefly she explains her questions about the spores having lost effectiveness, adding the doctor's curious lack of concern about the whole matter.
She continues: "Then I proceeded to the more difficult issues. I should say that I prefaced the questions by thanking him for helping me, and claiming that due to my gratitude, I wished to let him know..." She says the next words very quickly: "...That someone had implied that he had recently argued with Mr. Wilson. And that he seemed in a happy, excited mood after we learned of Mr. Wilson's death."
Swallowing, she hastens to add that she did not mention Dr. T'Var or Mrs. Hsu's names. "...Anyway, I asked him as delicately as possible whether this was true. I even stated that I understood colleagues have arguments all the time, and I thought he might wish to acknowledge whatever might have happened, if only so that the investigators might not get distracted by a standard petty squabble.
"He grew a bit defensive and irritated, and said only that Mr. Wilson did not appreciate the importance of the infirmary at the resort. I tried to get him to clarify, but he would not answer further. I then moved to the other issue..." She looks at T'Var again. "The impression that you and I had both received, that he was strangely happy and excited after Mr. Wilson's death. Again I couched the question by saying it was only an implication, and did not use any names. He immediately said he was not happy over Mr. Wilson's death, but did not explain further. He would not even answer why someone might have gotten this impression. Throughout he was irritated and annoyed with me. When I told him I was disappointed that he was not opening up to me when I was trying to help, he then said I was insulting him and threatened to call security."
Kylah exhales and meets Graham's gaze. "I told him to do so, if he wished, but I did not think investigating a murder would be enough reason to call security on me. To conclude, I will say that his reactions were... odd. He never even asked who had made the implications about his argument with Wilson, which I would have expected as a natural question for anyone in such a circumstance. He also displayed a bizarre lack of concern regarding the fact that the spore introductions yesterday seem to have worn off for at least two thirds of the guests. And most important..." She returns to look at T'Var, this time very meaningfully. "He was afraid of something. I am certain of that."
Finally Kylah hesitates. She knows she should report Halsey's willingness to break Starfleet's rules regarding treating officers--his insistance on this had made her very uncomfortalbe--but the thought of sharing the circumstances is too embarrassing. And so she just exhales. "That is all."
Dr. T'Var says, "Thank you, Mr. Kylah. I am a little tired, I confess, but still able to carry out my duties. Are you feeling all right yourself? I almost wonder if, given the landing party's schedule so far today, it would be worthwhile for us to take a, say, two-hour nap after lunch. Fatigue is likely to lead to errors of judgment." After Kylah has reported on her meeting with Dr. Halsey, she asks, "What do you propose we do next with regard to Dr. Halsey? When all is said and done, do you consider him a suspect in Mr. Wilson's murder?"
Rangin stops at the door and considers the passageway behind him and wonders where it fits onto the schematic map of the resort. He scans around the door and any associated locking mechanism for any fingerprints.
Once done, he tries the door to see where it leads.
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
In answer to T'Var's question prior to Graham's arrival, Kylah says a quick, "I am very tired but doing my best, doctor, thank you. I agree that a rest period might be ideal; perhaps we might take one in two separate shifts, so three of us are still working at all times? The investigation should not be delayed."
To the doctor's response after her report: "The next step... perhaps you might speak with him, Doctor. You have worked with him the closest. As a peer, you might have the best rapport and understanding to elicit better responses than I. As far as whether I suspect him, I do not know. His manner is so peculiar to me. But almost everything can be explained innocently. His good mood may have been professional excitement at an unusual case. His fear could have been normal for anyone in a murder investigation. His blithe, careless attitude toward the failure of the spores might simply mean he is a poor scientist. Many doctors are not worthy of their profession. No offense intended," she adds with an apologetic glance at T'Var.
Kylah purses her lips in thought. "I believe if he is not a direct suspect, he may very well know something. It occurred to me that of all the senior staff, Dr. Halsey has the least to fear--and possibly the most to gain--if WR&R loses its license. His apparent expertise and knowledge of the spores make him a valuable resource to potential new owners. He may even have been approached by one of the many people who has connections to WR&R's competitors. Perhaps someone who he felt would hold the infirmary in high regard, unlike Mr. Wilson.
"That is what I find the most curious in this," she goes on. "The fact that so many guests--and thus far, all of those who were introduced to the spores yesterday--each has some involvement in the WR&R contract renewal. The fact that all of them happened to be here during Vice Admiral Hardin's visit, and when Mr. Wilson was killed, and when their spore treatments suddenly lost effectiveness... Which is another thing. Dr. Halsey said that none of the guests had complained about the spores' wearing off. Why? How is that possible? Mrs. Calvin has been here multiple times; she would know that such a failure is unusual, and yet she displayed no distress or curiosity. Mr. Palver did not seem very concerned either. I cannot speak for the Vice Admiral or Lt. Ebling, as I did not see them."
Kylah shakes her head. "Too many coincidences, the largest of which is the number of people with interest in WR&R's competitors. I do not even understand it. The entire planet is wide open. By using the same technology as this existing resort, any of the other companies could open a competitor. I know the infrastructure is already in place and thus desireable to save money, but still. There is a great deal of money to be made in exploiting such a new territory, investment bankers should be falling over themselves recommending ways to colonize--"
She stops as if something has choked her. During the staff meeting earlier, she had felt a memory nagging at the back of her mind that was too vague for her to identify. Now her own voice has triggered something, and at last she makes the connection she could not recall earlier.
Words spoken across a romantic table for two: As for what I do now, I'm an investment banker - mostly colonial bonds...
Kylah's mouth goes dry and it takes a couple of seconds for her to continue, though her mind remains distracted. "To--to--to colonize a valuable planet," she manages to stammer out. "I think it is... Somehow the investors are involved. The Vice Admiral. Lt. Ebling. We must identify and talk to everyone who has some interest in this." Everyone.
She is beginning to feel nauseous and needs to find something else to focus on. Not now. I will deal with this later. "I should speak to Mrs. Hsu," she blurts. "I now doubt the personal angle, but with all the security breaches, her husband must be considered. I will speak to her." She finally turns to Graham, hoping the sweat on her brow is not too obvious. "Oh... no, I forgot, Mr. Graham. Did we have something else to discuss with her? I cannot... I cannot recall. And I realize I have not asked for your advice and opinion on my discussion with Halsey. I am sorry," she finishes weakly.
Last edited by choie; 12 May 2014 at 12:18 PM.
Graham scowls, rubbing his chin. "No need to apologize," he replies. "Ebling was...cagey...about whether they were doing some business here not related to WR&R's renewal," he adds, ruminating on it. "Is there something on about WR&R still being here, but somebody else opening up shop as well? It's a good theory, Ensign..."
He smiles slightly. "You might be able to give Halsey what for as a doctor, T'Var...Clearly he should feel a little accountable--or at least more curious--about the spore anomaly." He shrugs. "And then if he calls Security, we can make sure I show up and it'll be his lucky day..." He stops but then adds quickly, wondering what Kylah would assume he meant about the resort's doctor. "I was thinking I could very diligently ask him to detail his concerns with his treatment by Starfleet personnel, starting at the very beginning and working forward in detail...."
He sighs and then shakes his head. "I don't lean toward Mrs. Hsu as the killer, but I do suspect she's not telling us everything." He pauses. "Do you feel up to trying your gambit with her now?" he asks Kylah. He glances at T'Var for her opinion--or support.
Kylah does her best to focus on Graham, although the vision of the man she's tried to avoid thinking about all day seeps insidiously into her thoughts. She nods agreement where necessary, stares intently at Graham when he speaks, but all the while Jan Švehla is there in her mind, as if attempting to possess her mentally just as the spores did last night--and as he did, physically. He might be an investor. He might be involved. I must speak with him. Somehow I must dare to face him...
Finally she realizes she has been asked a question. "Yes," she says, more loudly than intended, and clenches her fists to keep herself focused on the present. "Yes, I will go through with that plan. I doubt her involvement as well--at least as it relates to her relationship with Wilson--but I do believe her husband is worthy of our interest, as he could easily have tampered with so many security measures. And one motive for him would be his wife's relationship with Wilson. Unless that was a cover as well."
Kylah glances at the office door, then looks back at Graham. She did not even realize he was as close to her as he is--that is how distracted she's been. Unconsciously she takes a tiny step backwards. "So--so should I go in alone? I will ask if she wishes to speak alone now, on a personal matter. Or did you have other questions to bring up first?"
Graham involuntarily winces as he notices Kylah stepping back--apparently reflexively.
Lizzy did that, once, he thinks. Because as a young girl she didn't know what stinking drunk smelled like, until she got too close to her own father at the wrong time...
He clears his throat. "Ah, yeah," he gestures toward T'Var. "We'll...ostensibly...head off, while you stay to talk to her. In a minute I'll--you're welcome to stay, your discretion, Doc, depending on your priorities...I'm, ah, hopeful we won't need medical assistance on this one--circle right back and be right around here." He frowns. "Probably a yell would be audible out here...but I'd suggest you have your communicator somewhere handy, out of sight...just trip it behind your back or under the table if...if you need to."
"I shall be prepared," Kylah murmurs, then--thinking of how the Hwuen and Halsey interviews ended--adds dryly: "But at this point I am more likely to be targeted by security officers than Mrs. Hsu. Apparently people find me a bigger threat than the murderer."
She walks back to the office, nods at the aide, and braces herself. There is almost no chance this conversation will be anything but uncomfortable. But nothing has been comfortable for her, not since... really, not since the meeting with Mark Ferguson in the Yorktown rec room. A wave of exhaustion hits her and, closing her eyes, she takes a deep breath to clear her head and focus on her current task.
Finally she asks Mrs. Hsu's aide to announce her presence again.
Last edited by choie; 12 May 2014 at 05:31 PM.
After Kylah is out of earshot Graham shifts uncomfortably. "Ah, Doc, you and Kylah are...uh, close, I guess...is she, um, is there anything we should be worried about?" He pauses. "I'm concerned about her--well, not her health exactly, but her...well-being..."
He scratches his head. "Also--I realize you were onboard taking care of Collins when Vargas put me in charge here." He spreads his hands and shrugs. "I asked everyone to share any advice--or express any concerns, then...so, ah, permission to speak freely, if you'd like to."
Rangin sees a simple OPEN/CLOSE button for the door. He pushes it, and the door opens. Beyond is what appears to be a windowless storage room, five meters by five meters. It is half-full with chairs, cleaning supplies and storage boxes. A single dim light glows on the ceiling. The floor is clean and there are only faint dusty footprints leading to another door on the far side of the room.
Mrs. Hsu's aide shows Kylah back into the acting resort director's office. Mrs. Hsu looks tired and drawn.
Dr. T'Var says, "I have no particular advice to offer, or concerns to express, Mr. Graham, except that I think we ought to meet with Lord Fastolfe sooner rather than later. He is an obvious suspect."
Graham nods and sighs. "Roger that, Doc." He shifts even more uncomfortably than before. "Well, I guess I'd better get on station to have Kylah's back...but..."
He grimaces. It's not like it's going to get easier to ask this later, he thinks.
"Uh, you room with Lt. Bennett, right, Doctor?" He clears his throat. "Do you know-- is there anything...ah, she might like from the spa gift shop?"
He blushes slightly, thinking of some of the more intimate apparel. "I mean like a particular scent of soap, or something like that?"
He stops but then adds quickly, "To, um, celebrate her promotion and all."
Rangin is slightly disappointed by the sight in front of him. A simple store cupboard with a few tracks in it. He is surprised that no one has been down the other passage though.
"Markovich, check the prints on the floor, see if we have any new ones. I'll check for fingerprints and if this is just a storage area, we should find more here."
As he steps through, Rangin stays in the doorway, preventing it from closing and checking the door mechanism from the area in front.
Once Rangin is satisfied with the scans and the door, he will look to move through the opposite door.
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
Graham has the impression that Dr. T'Var is putting on her best Vulcan poker face. She coughs slightly and says, "I do indeed share quarters with Lt. Bennett. I'm sure that she would appreciate any gift you get her; it is, as the old Earth phrase goes, 'the thought that counts.' I believe she is partial to jasmine and roses, but confess that I... have not made a careful study of her perfumes."
Markovich scans the floor with his tricorder. "Impossible to determine when these were made, sir, more specifically than in the past three months or so."
Rangin picks up more than two dozen different fingerprints in the storage room, on virtually every exposed surface. Wilson's prints appear only on the door control pad. When the Yorktown xenobiologist steps entirely into the room and opens the door on the far side, he looks out to see a typical WR&R residential corridor, shorter than but otherwise identical to that outside Wilson's suite's entryway. In fact, it is the hallway perpendicular to that one.
Last edited by Elendil's Heir; 13 May 2014 at 11:11 PM.
"It's a rat run. A way to get out without being spotted by any of the security cameras. I wonder whose quarters are near here? But then, what's the point, he would get noticed sooner or later."
Rangin folds his arms and starts looking back around the storage area. He is not happy with what he has, or perhaps what he hasn't, found.
"Ok, one last check around the storage area. Electronic devices, anything you would not expect in there and so on. Then the same back through that corridor to the suite...". Rangin pauses for a moment, "...actually, I have another idea. I wonder if Mr Delaney's adjustments do work. If Mr Wilson was the only person to use that corridor, we can get a scent trace on the tricorder and try and follow it. Perhaps prove he did leave through here at some point last night."
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
Markovich nods. The two of you find no electronic devices in the storage room. A closer look at the door reveals a small fisheye lens, set at eye level, that would allow someone inside the room to see both directions in the hallway.
A scent trace, although inexact, indicates that Wilson was in the service passageway sometime in the past 24 hours.
Last edited by Elendil's Heir; 14 May 2014 at 08:22 AM.
Graham realizes he clenching his teeth so tightly his head hurts. "Ah, thanks Doc," he says quickly. "I guess I'd better..."
Beam myself into a supernova is what first comes to mind.
"...be ready in case Mr. Kylah needs anything," he says as he nods and turns back toward the admin office,
"He used this passage last night as we can pretty much account for his movements yesterday, until late in the evening. Well Mr Delaney will be glad to know his changes worked."
Rangin looks at Markovich, "Right let's lock that door and see where this scent trail leads. If anywhere, of course. After that, we go back and check the schematics of this floor and find out who is close to that entrance."
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
The scent trail goes out into the corridor, turns left, goes down the hallway several dozen meters to the elevator lobby, and stops right at the elevator door.
Markovich says, "We can access the schematics on our tricorders, sir." He brings up the floor plans. Ten different WR&R employees have suites or rooms on the floor; you recognize none of their names. It's no one you've spoken to yet.
"Hmm," nods Rangin, "thanks for that. Next set of questions, which floor do the Hsu's reside on and which floor has the transporter? I'm going to hazard a guess he went to one of those floors. Then we can see if trail restarts."
Rangin looks around before turning back to Markovich. "Are there any cameras between the storage and this lift? "
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
Markovich checks. "The Hsus's suite is two floors up, sir. The transporter is on the first floor or ground level, in a different part of the resort." He tabs to a different display on his Security tricorder's small display screen. "There are no cameras between the storage room and this elev-- uh, lift."
The scent trail does not resume two floors up, but there is a very, very faint remnant of it on the first floor.
Last edited by Elendil's Heir; 15 May 2014 at 08:29 AM.
As the door slides closed behind her, Kylah tilts her head in sympathy for the other woman. She looks like I feel. Clearing her throat, she begins: "Excuse me, Mrs. Hsu. I need to speak with you about an extremely personal matter. More than one, actually." She hesitates, awkward. "I fear this may take awhile. May we speak now? If you prefer, we might schedule another time, or find a more private place...?"
Hsu leans back in her chair and says, "Here and now, I suppose. What can I do for you, Ensign?"
Kylah looks for a chair and, after asking with a silent gesture, takes a seat, her nervous hands clasped together. "The first matter will seem insignificant, and I apologize for bringing it up in such circumstances but... Today I visited the infirmary about a--a private health matter, which I wish to keep off my official Starfleet record."
She quickly explains her conversation with Dr. Halsey regarding Starfleet's arrangement with WR&R and Halsey's offer to waive the reporting rules. "But I am not willing to take advantage of this policy in such a way. Could you please make certain I am billed for the infirmary services? The gift shop, Mazime's, should have my ID and financial information on record."
Mrs. Hsu looks at her oddly for a moment, then nods and makes a note on her datapad. "If you wish. Consider it done."
"I appreciate that," Kylah says, wishing she'd had some water to help her bone-dry throat. Her nerves are making her hoarse. "I am afraid this may be painful, Mrs. Hsu, and I apologize in advance. You probably do not remember, as you were understandably distracted, but early this morning, when I searched Mr. Wilson's pockets, I was the one who found his communicator." Her voice almost cracks on the word. She is incredibly uncomfortable. "It was my task to attempt to decrypt the device's password, to see if I could access his information. After several attempts, I succeeded. There was a lot of data there, including the last few days of saved messages. I told my fellow crewmembers about most of them, but -- but not all. There were two I did not share, but locked them in a hidden file with my own password." The lie comes easily to her lips. "I did this because while I may be a Starfleet officer, I am also an Elasian woman. Elasians respect privacy, and these messages were very personal. And... they were clearly from you."
She takes a deep breath and makes her voice as gentle, as delicate, as possible. "You must know what I am about to ask. Please tell me the true nature of your relationship with Anthony Wilson. I must know how long it has been going on, how you two arranged your -- your private meetings, and... whether anyone, anyone at all, might have known about it."
Hsu stares at Kylah, stunned, and finally says, "I... don't wish to discuss it. I'm sorry, but I have nothing to say about that."
Kylah shakes her head slowly. "No, Mrs. Hsu. That is a natural, instinctive reaction. But complete silence is not an option. You will have to speak about this one way or another. We are talking about a man, a man with whom you were on intimate terms, who was murdered. Every aspect of his life will be inspected--already is being inspected. If I make this information known to my colleagues, you will be grilled and treated as a suspect. Your husband will be as well--perhaps especially your husband. Mr. Wilson's wife and children may learn of this, and your employers, your employees..." She searches Mrs. Hsu's gaze for any sign of relenting. "I am coming to you privately because I do not think such intimate and possibly destructive information should be revealed, when it could harm so many lives and reputations."
"I said I don't want to talk about it."
Kylah leans forward and lowers her voice further. "Physical evidence of an affair has been found in his suite, ma'am. DNA. Hair. It has not been traced to you, but it might be. As yet, no one has considered you, and of course, even such physical evidence that you were in his suite, in his bed, might be explained innocently. But that voice on the communicator, your voice, your words... cannot."
She waits for this to sink in. "As I said, an affair is a private matter that need never be made public--as long as it has nothing to do with Mr. Wilson's murder. And you are the only person who can explain this to me. Please, Mrs. Hsu, do not leave me with no choice." She sits back to give the older woman some space, some distance, as if the extra freedom will make her see reason. "If you need time to decide, I will give it to you, and we can meet privately later once you have chosen. But I cannot wait long."
Hsu puts her face in her hands and sighs. Kylah feels the despair and anguish radiating from her. The woman at last looks up and says quietly, "All right. Tony and I were having an affair. It had gone on for several months. He was unhappy in his marriage and... far away from his wife, both emotionally and physically. Isolated here on this planet, coping with the demands of his job. We worked very closely together, and... one thing led to another. My husband and I have been having problems, too." She sighs. "I'm not proud of it, but it's the truth."
The admission takes a lot out of the other woman, and Kylah exhales herself, feeling a release of her own tension. "Thank you," she murmurs. "I know that was hard. I do not want to make this more difficult than necessary. This sudden shock, coupled with the need to hide the extent of your grief... That seems extraordinarily painful. If you want to talk about that, finally having someone to speak to, please do. Unfortunately I do need some more information... I am sure you can imagine that this adds some additional questions about Mr. Wilson's life, and possibly--hopefully not--his death."
Hsu nods.
"Can you tell me how long you two were involved, romantically? You mention that he was distant from his wife... has she ever visited here, does she know anyone at the resort? I suppose I am asking if it is at all possible that she knows--or that anyone else here knew." Kylah hesitates. "And I must ask the question: what of your husband? He is in security, he has access to so much information about people's comings and goings... Do you think he suspects or knows? How--even logistically--how did you and Mr. Wilson manage to keep your secret? With your husband's staff also watching the security cameras and so many cleaners and staff coming and going..." She bites her lip, trying to think of other questions. "Your last message to him was yesterday, and you spoke of seeing him later. Did you?"
Hsu says, clearly uncomfortable, "We were involved for six, seven months, I think. His wife had visited here briefly. I don't think she got to know anybody very well; I stayed away from her as much as I could and still be polite. I don't think my husband knows about Tony and me. I don't even think he suspects. Tony and I tried to be very careful. We didn't meet yesterday after your ship arrived; I never heard back from him after my message to him."
Last edited by Elendil's Heir; 15 May 2014 at 08:30 AM. Reason: Kylah's dialogue by choie; Mrs. Hsu's by Elendil's Heir.
dupl. post
Last edited by Elendil's Heir; 15 May 2014 at 08:29 AM.
Rangin chuckles at Markovich. "Don't worry about it, I know what an elevator is. Feel free to keep calling it that."
"Right, let's see if this trail goes anywhere and if it crosses any cameras."
Rangin heads off on the first floor following the trace.
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
The scent trail goes less than 30 meters, to the right out of the ground level elevator lobby, and then dies out. Markovich's architectural plans show that two cameras cover part of that route. Several guests and vacationers look curiously at you as they go by, on their way to a meal, the pool or some other diversion.
Graham positions himself a few steps from the door to the admin offices and checks both his communicator and phaser settings.
He doesn't look to see if T'Var has followed him or gone off in a different direction: the fact that she was succinct and didn't ask any questions is a relief.
Roses, he thinks, listening for any sign of trouble but also. An English rose....
He finds that to be an apt description of Bennett.
As it was of Jane, a long time ago...
But do you actually buy her anything, he thinks...and if so, why?
What do you think you're doing, Booker? He shakes his head. Get real for god's sake. If you have the guts, get a fine young officer a nice gift--to congratulate her. Don't kid yourself about anything more than that. And don't even imagine that you'll get in the way of her career, and her life with...with, to be sure, some comparably accomplished, young officer who will probably be kicking back here on OC3 with her, twenty years from now when they are both celebrated admirals and you're a washed up old man.
Last edited by general_urko; 15 May 2014 at 10:50 PM.
Rangin nods at a few of those paying interest and muses to Markovich. "Ever get the feeling you hit a false trail. Scent strength is a bit too low and its going past cameras." An evil grin crosses his face. "You know there is one thing I have always wanted to do in a place like this. Let's check each floor outside the elevator to see if we can find the correct scent trail. It will mean stopping the lift at every floor on the way up, but its the only scientific way to do it."
He sighs a little with the grin still on his face. "Coming?", he says as he heads back to the elevator.
Rangin will select one that is empty for the purpose of this test. No need to inconvenience every one else at the same time.
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
Markovich smiles a little. "Where you go, I go, sir, unless ordered otherwise."
You ride the elevator for a few minutes together, but there is no discernible scent trail of Wilson on any other floor.
"Well, that was an...umm...interesting scientific experiment with a conclusion that Mr Wilson left at the ground, or first as you might say, floor. If that is the case, we can say that he left his quarters after midnight last night as he was not seen on tape. Unless someone just happened to accurately transport him out of the elevator, which I would consider unlikely." Rangin stores the data neatly away on his tricorder.
"Right, next task. Evidence taking. Mr Markovich, if you would care to join me in the Command Post, we shall see if I have had a response to certain legal queries."
Rangin heads off with Markovich in tow.
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
Rangin and Markovich arrive at the CP. The locked door opens with Rangin's thumbprint. No one else is in there.
"Huh, wonder what's taking everyone so long?" wonders Rangin out loud to Markovich. "Would have though Lt. Delaney would have finished by now with the transporter and I thought the public notice was almost done when I left. Oh well, let's grab a coffee and see if we have had a response from Starbase 27."
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
Rangin checks his comm account and finds a message from Cmdr. Vargas, sent ten minutes earlier. "I've attached a draft form prepared by the Starbase 27 Judge Advocate for you to use in taking witness statements. The form includes warnings about perjury and self-incrimination. You should administer oaths to anyone filling out the forms, as you have the authority to do as a commissioned officer of Starfleet. The content of the questions themselves is up to Ens. Graham. Let me know if you need any further assistance. Good luck. Vargas out."
The form is just as described.
It is now 1357 hours.
Last edited by Elendil's Heir; 17 May 2014 at 03:51 PM.
Rangin sighs disappointedly. He was hoping to set this up and then look at some more investigation details. Instead it appears that it would require a commissioned officer and he doubted any of the others would be quite so interested in admitting 27 sets of oaths to a variety of people, one after the other. Well, at least, it beat having to interview them all personally.
He pulls out his communicator and takes a deep swig of coffee for before starting. "Rangin to Graham. Just to inform you I have the response from Starbase 27. we have a set of forms and guidance and details of administering any oaths. All that are required are a set of questions to be asked. Cmdr Vargas said that content of which should be up to your good self. I'm in the Command Post when you are ready. Rangin out."
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
Kylah considers her words carefully. "I am sure you tried to be as circumspect as possible, Mrs. Hsu. But I must tell you that when questioned, the staff have mentioned rumors that Mr. Wilson was having an affair. Can you think of any reason why such a suspicion began? Where exactly did you two meet, and how often? Is it at all possible that Mr. Wilson was seeing someone else? I know you seem relatively sure your husband does not suspect, but... if he did suspect... would he have confronted you about this? Would he have confronted Mr. Wilson?"
Hsu says, "This is like a small town in some ways. People gossip; rumors get around. I don't know who might have figured out what was going on - certainly no one spoke to me about it." She sighs. "Tony and I would meet every week or so, depending on our schedules. It tended to be... furtive. We had to be careful. And I have no reason to think Tony saw anyone else while we were... involved. If Lionel suspected something, I don't know... I guess I think he would ask me about it. Other than very recently, we've always been very open with each other. He might confront Tony, but I doubt it."
Kylah pauses to reflect. "I appreciate your honesty; now I fear I must take advantage of your knowledge of Mr. Wilson's life, things that only someone close to him would know. For example, did you know he had a private safe installed in his suite? One with a great deal of security on it, requiring items to be transported in or out, rather than a regular lock mechanism. Have you any idea what might be inside, or what need Mr. Wilson had for such an extraordinary level of secrecy? How technically adept was he?"
She seems surprised. "He had a safe? I had no idea. He never mentioned it, and I never saw it. He was pretty tech-savvy, though."
Filing that away, Kylah presses on. "There were also rumors that his job was in peril--had you heard about that? Why would someone think such a thing--had it anything to do with the contract renewal? Was he happy at WR&R?" Kylah takes a deep breath. "And I would like to ask you about Mr. Wilson and Dr. Halsey. Early this morning, while you denied that Mr. Wilson had any arguments recently, you were seen to have cast a brief look at Dr. Halsey. Without mentioning your name, I spoke with him earlier about any rancor that lay between them. He claimed Mr. Wilson did not value the Infirmary. Is this true? Had you heard them arguing about such a thing?"
The Chinese woman shakes her head. "His job was never in jeopardy. He'd done good work here for WR&R, and Corporate was very pleased with him. Other than his issues with his wife, he seemed happy here, all in all. He had his good days and his bad, of course, as we all do." She pauses. "Tony - Mr. Wilson - and Dr. Halsey had argued a bit about funding for the Infirmary. Nothing too serious; nothing worth murder, if that's what you're driving at. Halsey just always wanted a bigger budget, a bigger staff, and Tony had to look at the big picture and sometimes tell him no. This is a very lucrative venture for the company, but they don't want to spend endless credits on the medical side of things."
Absorbing Mrs. Hsu's responses, Kylah tilts her head. "I am not particularly driving at anything," she says. "But the truth is that someone killed Tony Wilson. Someone benefited from this act. What purpose did it serve? In the case of your husband, the immediate thought is revenge for an affair--but that could only be true if he knew. You have not mentioned where you met, how well you could have hidden from the security cameras and staff."
"We met in his apartment," Hsu says. "Sometimes, only once or twice, in empty rooms in one of the hotel wings."
Kylah nods, although she is not very satisfied with the answer. Wilson's apartment is hardly beyond the reach of security cameras or nosy staff. But she moves on. "Next, the staff. For those such as Dr. Halsey, motives are less certain. Was Mr. Wilson hindering someone ambitious? Could one of them--yes, including Dr. Halsey--believe his or her station would improve with new employers, should WR&R lose the contract? Might one or more of the competitors, many of whom are represented by investors among the guests, have made some... some devil's bargain?" Kylah squints, concentrating. "Are you aware that many guests do have investments in WR&R's competitors? And they are all here, now, when someone from Starfleet who might have input in making the contract decision--Vice Admiral Hardin--is also staying at the resort?"
"I don't know how many investors are here. I would imagine it's quite a few; our guests tend to be rather well-heeled," Hsu says dryly. "As I understand it, though, Vice Adm. Hardin won't be deciding; it's going to be a Starfleet board of which he's not a member."
Kylah does not respond to this. The Comptroller General might well be able to veto almost anything, and influence even a supposedly neutral board. Unless the Federation truly is the paragon of virtue that its lofty ambassadors would have the Alpha Quadrant believe, there might be corruption here too. She continues, "I would also like your opinion on Lord Fastolfe. Despite their argument, it seems very hard to believe Fastolfe would murder a man due to not getting the house he wanted. One anomaly we have noticed was that before we were brought to the introduction room yesterday, Mr. Wilson was limping, and most emphatically refused any help from Dr. T'Var--both for the limp, and after Fastolfe's attack. Do you know anything about what caused the limp? Or why Mr. Wilson was so wary of being scanned afterward?"
"I noticed him limping a little, too," Hsu says, "never had a chance to ask him about it. I don't know what happened. Tony sometimes had back and foot trouble, and it might've just been that. As to being scanned... well, he could be a private person in many ways. If someone, even a doctor, scanned him without asking for permission, I could see that it might get his dander up."
Kylah nods and says softly, "These are just some of the angles the investigation has uncovered. Well, not the affair angle--I am afraid I will have to delve into that more, privately, and I do promise to be as discreet as I know how to be. Which I assure you... is my strong suit." She pushes forward again. "Having said all this, Mrs. Hsu, I will ask you: as the person likely closest to him at this resort--why was Mr. Wilson killed? Whom do you believe capable of such an act--and motivated enough to perpetrate it?"
Hsu begins to tear up, but then, with a noticeable effort, gets a grip on her emotions. She wipes at her eyes with a tissue and says, her voice choked, "I wish I knew. This has all been so unexpected, so terrible. Tony was a wonderful man who only wanted what was best for this place, for the company. For... for us. I can't imagine anyone on the staff doing this; I just can't. And if I had to guess - and it would only be a guess - I think it was probably a guest."
Of course you do, what else can you say? Kylah waits respectfully for the woman to dry her tears. "That is almost everything for now, Mrs. Hsu. As I said, I will do my best to keep this information from becoming public. No one else has it but me," she adds, somewhat more slowly. If Mrs. Hsu is guilty she is painting a target on her back, but it seems extremely unlikely. Besides, that was the prime purpose in this scheme anyway. "I must speak with your husband, and will be as discreet as possible. Your name will not be mentioned if I can at all help it."
She starts to get up, then hesitates with a frown. "No, wait--I do have one more question. You said that Mr. Wilson was unhappy with his marriage, partly due to the distance. But you said nothing about your own reasons for falling into the affair. You did say things were difficult between you and your husband. I understand this is very personal but I must still ask: what led you into this affair? Has your husband changed toward you, acted differently recently?"
Mrs. Hsu sighs and shakes her head. "I'd rather not say. I can't see that it has anything to do with your investigation. I've told you a lot already... more than I probably should have."
"I understand, and I am extremely grateful." Kylah calculates how to phrase the question in an inoffensive way. "I will explain why I am asking; it is not to be prurient. Your relationship with Mr. Wilson is likely not the reason for his murder. But something else was. Someone with a great deal of technical expertise--particularly in the security area." She waits. I have lied multiple times. Another will not get me in any deeper. "We have been wondering about the security staff--whether someone working for your husband might have been disgruntled, unhappy, or ambitious enough to ally him or herself with one of WR&R's competitors. So you see, your husband's state of mind is relevant. If he has been distracted over the past few months, or more focused on work, or in any other way behaving unusually... Mr. Hsu may have been concerned about someone on his staff. Perhaps he was the one originally approached by some competitor, but he turned them down and grew concerned. Do you understand? This crime was premeditated and very well organized. And so we are looking for any unusual behavior patterns, anything that might indicate something suspicious." Kylah takes a deep breath, and now she concentrates closely on Mrs. Hsu's emotions. "Might this have been the case? Have you noticed your husband behaving differently? Or anyone, for that matter?"
Mrs. Hsu crosses her arms and purses her lips. Kylah senses embarrassment, annoyance and anxiety in roughly equal measures. "No, I haven't. Him or anyone. Are we done yet?"
It's clear that Kylah has used up Mrs. Hsu's store of patience, and she decides she had better retreat--for now. "Yes, Mrs. Hsu. I know how difficult this was for you, and hope you understand that this was a necessary if unpleasant part of the investigation. I thank you for both your time and your candor."
Kylah stands and--realizing a handshake is highly unlikely to be returned--just nods her head in gratitude before leaving the office. When the door whispers shut behind her, she takes a long, deep breath. After a moment she looks around to find Mr. Graham.
Last edited by Elendil's Heir; 18 May 2014 at 10:40 PM. Reason: The usual writing credits.
Graham stands with the back of his left shoulder just slightly touching the left-hand wall as one stands facing the office door. He's turned sideways, balancing on the balls of both feet (as when starting a sprint, one gains an extra step by pushing forward from both feet rather than rocking back and pushing off the back leg as most people do by default). His right hand loosely holds the phaser at the small of his back. He's focused on listening and watching and spares only a little attention for Rangin's message.
"Understood," he says very quietly. "I'll get back to you shortly."
He's never enjoyed violence--although calling it a "necessary evil" goes too far, he thinks....something I'm sure Rangin would have a word or two of commentary on.
It was neither pleasant nor desirable--but then there were people who deserved whatever they got. Just...necessary, sometimes, he thinks.
But as he modulates his breathing as he would waiting for the go or no-go sign on a forced entry, he concedes the point that now--and for the last ten years--risk and danger has been a way to keep his mind occupied.
He ever so slightly shakes his head. Better or worse than booze? he wonders.
He remains still and only blinks--briefly calculating the angle for a shot if Hsu were to appear at her shoulder in a threatening way--as Kylah emerges from the room.
Kylah feels a strange combination of relief and alarm when she sees Graham standing in a position that makes him seem as if he's about to launch at her. The cause for the alarm is obvious; the relief makes her realize just how tense she has been since starting the uncomfortable meeting with Mrs. Hsu.
She lifts her palm in a sort of 'stand down' gesture, not wanting to speak until they're far enough away from the aide, whom she thanks briefly before reaching her mission leader. "We should go," she murmurs to Graham while she continues to move toward a corner they can hide behind.
Assuming she finds one, she slips around to the side. She stops to wait for Graham. "I am interested to see if she leaves or if she calls anyone to join her," she says, still keeping her voice very low. "I doubt she will. I am not entirely certain I accomplished much other than embarrassing and scaring a grieving woman. Do you mind if we wait just a few moments to see?"
As she speaks she peeks around to view the office door, feeling like a mouse awaiting a cat. Or vice versa. "To be honest I would rather not go directly to Mr. Hsu right now, even if he were available. Before approaching him, I would appreciate suggestions once you hear my report."
Last edited by choie; 19 May 2014 at 12:33 PM.
Graham nods acknowledgment of Kylah's initial words. He raises an eyebrow when she says she'd rather not see Mr. Hsu at the moment.
"That's..." he answers quietly, pausing and thinking for a moment. "...good judgment. We all need to know our state of mind and our limits and, ah, work as a team accordingly..."
He's trying to be enouraging given his concerns about Kylah trying to prove herself - although he's aware he probably sounds like a fool giving this particular advice her previous encounter with him.
"Mr Graham will be in contact shortly", Rangin comments across to Markovich. "I wonder when Mrs Hsu will know who will be assisting us? Probably in a bit."
Rangin looks round the room idly, "May as well take 5 while you can, we'll be doing something shortly anyway..." Rangin picks up the rubbish bin from Mr Wilson's office and empties the torn papers out. "...or you can give me a hand and see if you can find anything of interest in these scraps." He begins to sort through them, wondering what Mr Wilson would have been scribbling given the number of devices he had in his room.
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
As Graham talks, Kylah nods absently, suddenly realizing that she is risking too much by poking her head around like this. She straightens and looks up at Graham. "Perhaps I should stay out of sight while you can keep one eye on the door," she says, shifting backwards a bit. "Assuming my bluff was successful, Mrs. Hsu thinks I am acting on my own. I would feel safer if I were not with you. Not seen with you," she amends hurriedly, although the slip was hardly a lie. "But--but I think she believed me, and thinks I am keeping the affair--which she confirmed--private."
Exhaling, she turns in the other direction, toward the CP. "I might as well give you the basic facts, if I may. The affair began about six or seven months ago; she does not think her husband or anyone knows--although I am not so certain. From the sound of it they were not particularly secretive. They met in his suite almost every week, or empty hotel rooms, and while she described their--their trysts--as 'furtive,' she mentioned no precaution as far as avoiding security cameras or staff. And she had no explanation for how the rumors of Wilson's affairs started. I should mention that Mrs. Wilson visited here some months back, after the relationship started. But Mrs. Hsu does not think she knew anything.
"That was most of what she said regarding their relationship. Although I pressed her about her own marriage, and she said that things between her and Mr. Hsu have been... strained. Oh... this was odd. Mrs. Hsu claimed that it was 'only recently' that she and her husband were secretive with each other--even though the affair went on for at least half a year. I tried to get her to elaborate on this but she would not. Indeed, she became very reticent when I pressed her on her husband's behavior." Kylah frowns slightly. "I do not know what this means, but it is why I do still want to try this gambit with Mr. Hsu."
Kylah sighs. "The rest of the conversation involved other matters on which I hoped she might shed some light. But almost everything was a negative. Dr. Halsey was indeed frustrated with the lack of funds devoted to the infirmary, but she does not believe he or anyone on the staff could possibly be guilty. She knew nothing of the safe or what it might contain. She had no explanation for either Mr. Wilson's refusal to be scanned by our doctor or his limp, though as to the latter, she claimed he had back and foot problems--perhaps we can ask Dr. T'Var to confirm this. And she insisted that to the contrary of rumors, Mr. Wilson was in no danger of being fired. I believe the only slightly useful information I gained was merely a suspicion--and again, it involved her husband. I noticed that she became extremely terse, more so than earlier, when I asked if Mr. Hsu, or anyone else on staff, had been behaving unusually lately. She would not speak further, even though I reiterated my promise that I would do my best to keep things private..."
A twinge of guilt makes her gnaw at her bottom lip. She is aware of the hypocrisy of talking about a promise while in the process of breaking it. "She never once asked me to keep silent," Kylah says, almost wonderingly. "But I made those promises anyway. Knowing they were false."
Her gaze shifts downward to inspect the floor as she murmurs: "I have lied many times to many people. Why does it get easier to do, yet feel worse?"
Last edited by choie; 19 May 2014 at 07:51 PM.
Graham feels both a sense of sympathy and self-recrimination as Kylah trails off at the end of her report.
Who knows what kind of physical or emotional pain Collins was in yesterday while I was being no help at all? And now I've probably been making things affirmatively worse for this young officer...
"We...as Starfleet officers, we all have to do things may be unpleasant...but also necessary." he replies softly. "It's, uh, it may not feel like it but it's a good thing if those sorts of of things never start to get pleasant." He shakes his head, remembering any number of incidents. "Some people lose themselves in the bad parts of the job...they get too wound up in exercising what power that they have, or even in the rush that comes from putting your own people at risk." He shrugs. "I don't know how people like that feel inside, but I can tell you for certain--when it gets easier and doesn't feel worse, that's when you need to worry."
He instinctively starts to lift his hand to put it on the dejected-looking young woman's shoulder but stops re-directs it to scratch his head.
She's not just your daughter's age, you've managed to build the same kinds of barriers you've created with Lizzy, too...in less than a week. Nice job, genius, he thinks.
Graham clears his throat. "Anyway, well...it would be a hell of a thing, wouldn't it, if Hsu were involved in some other angle and whacked Wilson without knowing about the affair, wouldn't it?" he says, shaking his head. "But let's take a break before another hard round of emotional stuff you need to play through. When we're through here let's check back at the CP and find out what Rangin's been up to." He shrugs. "I don't know if talking to our buddy Fastolfe would count as a break but it would certainly be a change of pace--you know, more insults and imprecations, not so many tears."
Graham and Kylah make their way to the CP, and find Rangin and Markovich already there. The xenobiologist and Security man are looking through the desk papers and rubbish from Wilson's office. There are several hard copies of interoffice memos, discarded notes with cryptic, handwritten notations (Ask J. about pool budget, Dinner w/ ML next Tues., Check on R's Form 817, Tell HY about Simmons filing, etc.), and the like. Nothing appears to have any significance to the murder case.
In the resort's transporter room, Delaney rubs his chin and says thoughtfully, "So the transporter was used seven times in just an hour or so. Hmm. No way to track to where anything was beamed, though. Well... let's scan the room and the immediate vicinity, not just the platform, and see what we might find."
Edited to add: Oops, simulpost (sorta). Assume this takes place before the above.
Kylah listens, biting her tongue when Graham mentions the notion of getting lost in the 'bad parts of the job.' Does he believe he has lost himself, or is he unaware how... how inappropriate some of his decisions have been? At least, they seem inappropriate to her--going purely by the Federation's various codes of honor, both stated and implied.
She notices his hand reaching up and her breath catches, but fortunately it is not aimed at her. He is trying to be kind, Kylah thinks warily, her eyes measuring his every movement. The man's churning emotions both repel and fascinate her. She is reminded of a journey she took not long ago during a break from the Academy, accompanying her brother, sister and Guardian on a ceremonial visit one of the new mining settlements that appeared as if by magic once the Federation turned to Elas for its Dilithium.
While the others were speaking with the mine owners, Kylah drifted by herself to discover a roiling pool of water, bubbling and swirling, rising up several inches then lowering again as if someone were swelling and deflating it from below. It was meserizing and she could not look away. Suddenly a hand clamped down on her shoulder and dragged her backwards, just seconds before the water exploded in a white-hot column of fury. Had she remained, she would have been scalded, possibly killed, by the spray.
"Does your precious Academy not teach you basic science or geology?" Aldaan yelled at her. "Do humans not know what geysers are?" Shaking, Kylah could only stammer that she had never seen one before. Her obvious fear appeared to calm her uncle and he kept his arm around her while pulling her back to the group. In such a public place she could not shake herself free of him. Instead she focused her attention back at the foaming, deadly fountain that still reached for the sky. Why had she stood so close?
Now--today especially--Booker Graham inspires the same strange, hypnotic fear that she felt while watching the bubbling pool. Within is heat, pressure and always a threat of a violent explosion. A human geyser trying, not always successfully, to contain himself.
"Yes," she says when he recommends a break and speaking to Fastolfe. "It does not appear Mrs. Hsu has contacted anyone, at least not to see in person. Lord Fastolfe will require some planning. I am especially curious to see if he has lost the spore influence as well. Of all the guests, he seems the most likely to have caused a commotion if his vacation had been ruined." Kylah takes one last look at the office before moving cautiously away from Graham in the direction of the CP. And then she remembers that Graham implied that they would see Rangin there, which lightens her mood by the time they reach the office.
Last edited by choie; 20 May 2014 at 03:49 PM.
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