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

Find the accountant and talk to him, wow , what a great job that will be. Rangin keeps a calm face and glances across at T'Var to see what she thinks, but the Doctor is as impassive as usual.

Considering that at least Graham has actually got it in mind for lots of people to do things at the same time, instead of only having enough brain cells to rub together to consider his own actions, its a start. Collins may have been younger and inexperienced, but Graham should certainly have known better. Maybe he lost his faculties when he got dropped from Cmdr....probably straight onto his head. But rather than try and interrupt things, at least the group was doing something.

"Not from me...", Rangin answers to Graham calmly.

Rangin nods at T'Var and pulls out tricorder with the list of WR&R personnel he had received early on and looks up the accountant. If he is there, Rangin will open his communicator and request a meeting for himself and T'Var with Hiram Young as soon as possible.

Kylah does have access to Wilson's WR&R personnel file, and to Federation records generally. What, in particular, does she wish to look at there?

Delaney says, "OK, I'll do some more digging into transporter issues."

Lt. Thalen, Communications Officer of the Yorktown, says, "The background check on Wilson is still underway. The message to Mrs. Wilson went out, advising her of her husband's death and the investigation, but I have no confirmation of receipt, and no response." He will have Communications staff conduct the research that Graham mentioned. See post 2949.

Hiram Young soon answers Rangin: "I'll meet with you whenever and wherever you wish. I want to see Mr. Wilson's murderer caught as soon as possible." T'Var is ready to continue working with the young xenobiologist.

From the personnel file, Kylah would like to check:

- How long Wilson has worked at WR&R
- His previous employment (presumably most employee files will include a CV)
- What his position was when he began, as well as any other positions/promotions he received prior to becoming manager of the current resort
- Any general notes in his record made by his superiors

On whatever-the-equivalent-of-the-Internet is, Kylah wants to look up Sylvia Aubrey's biography: where she was born, how old she is, whether she's still active as an actress, any news items indicating money troubles. Also, any general information she can pull up about Hardin's career and background would be useful too.

"Thank you Mr Young, then shall we say your Office in about ten minutes." Rangin completes the communication and nods to Dr T'Var, while pulling up details of where that office actually is.

Once there, Rangin will greet them and start asking about the accountancy procedures for the resort:

• Who handled the money for it.
• How is it all accounted for
• What part did Mr Wilson play
• Who made the decisions made about how the money was handed out
• How did he find working for Mr Wilson
• What was the Simmons filing Mr Wilson asked him to do
• Were there any recent unpopular decisions made recently

Once Rangin is reasonably sure the Hwen Young is on the level:

• Were there any other recent transactions that caught your eye
• Were you aware of any problems or impropriety in the financial records.
• What was the financial position of WR&R with respects to this resort

Rangin is not going to ask him about Mr Wilson's embezzlement just yet, waiting to see what kind of ansers he gets first.

Kylah learns that Wilson majored in business at the University of Rigel, earned his MBA at Wharton, and joined the company right after that. He worked for WR&R for almost 20 years before his death, at all of the company's major resorts and recreation areas, including Paris, Serengeti Reservation and the Bahamas on Earth; various sites on Wrigley's Planet; Jamieson Resort on Arcadia; and the Seascape artificial island on Pacifica. He also did stints in the company HQ's budget and personnel offices. He seemed to have been a golden boy and his superiors all gave him glowing reviews.

Sylvia Aubrey was born Cynthia Maxton in Kansas City, Kansas, USA, on Earth. She is now 72. After early stardom, she has worked only intermittently as an actress in the past decade or so. There is no indication in any Federation public records, or entertainment, fan or gossip media sources, that she has had money problems.

Vice Adm. Patrick Hardin was born in Tombaugh on Pluto, was near the top of his class at Starfleet Academy, and has served in Starfleet for more than 40 years. After several early starship assignments as a junior officer, he was given administrative and accounting assignments on various starbases, where he excelled and shot up through the ranks. He has spent most of the last decade at Starfleet Command in San Francisco.

Hiram (not Hwen) Young is a serious young black man who seems eager to help. He says, "Mr. Wilson decided what would happen with the money at the resort, consistent with our annual budget. All income and expenditures were subject to my review and countersignature, as I'm the chief financial officer or CFO here on OC3. It's all accounted for under WR&R's proprietary bookkeeping system, and also reviewed quarterly by WR&R Corporate's own accounting and tax staff. I liked working for Mr. Wilson very much; he was a hard worker and a smart, considerate boss. The Simmons filing was to approve indefinite medical leave for Cassandra Simmons, a Buildings and Grounds staffer, who became very ill last week and wanted to return home to be with her family on Berengaria VII. I put the paperwork through and it was approved by Corporate. I can't think of any recent unpopular decisions he made." Rangin, convinced Young is on the level, asks him the other questions, to which Young replies, "No other recent transactions caught my eye. I was certainly aware of no problems or impropriety with the financial records, or I would have immediately reported them, of course! I'm not sure I understand your last question - do you mean, where they pleased with how much money we were making? Because they definitely were. This resort is a real profit center for WR&R."

Kylah decides while she is digging into pasts, she will do the same for Halsey, Mr. Hsu and Mrs. Hsu--assuming we have all the employee files available. She checks the Federation records for Lt. Ebling, Dr. Anderson and Lt. Palver--she is very curious to see if there is some related-by-marriage link to Fellim Palver, as unlikely as it seems.

After a hesitation, she does a quick search for Jan to see if there is anything noteworthy in his past, or any apparent connections between his company and any of the guests, staff or Starfleet.




yep gonna make EH use up all his creative biography-writing skills! :D

"Mr Young, thank you for being honest and co-operative." Rangin smiles apologetically at him, "but unfortunately, we may have some concerning news about Mr Wilson, WR&R and the financial matters around the running of this resort. I want to make it clear that the following is confidential and was discovered as part of the investigation into Mr Wilson's death and so your discretion is appreciated. However, we would also ask that, at this moment in time and given its evidential status, you do not inform anyone else of the details until we have ascertained their validity."

Rangin pauses slightly. "It appears that there are some financial irregularities concerning the running of the resort and we need to determine whether they are actually resort based or if Mr Wilson had some sidelines that were not on the books. Either way, given your position as CFO, I'm sure you will be as keen as ourselves to get to the bottom of this."

Rangin recalls a couple of the transactions from memory and asks Mr Young to bring up the appropriate records to start tracking them down, some from the embezzling that Mr Wilson looks to have carried out and the last transaction to "Q" to see if any of it is on the books.

Graham'a further gratified as the team appears to take up their tasks with enthusiasm. Kylah seems to need a few moments before going to find the Admiral and Ebling as she's thrown herself into working away at the computer. Graham thinks better of asking what she's doing, worrying she'd decide he was second-guessing her, and instead occupies the time by checking Starfleet Security records--and any other formal or informal sources he can bring to mind--on the latest news about the Bank of Velssere, hard-currency smuggling, and major crime syndicates.

Bring it on, choie!

Lt. Cmdr. Ebling has had a distinguished Starfleet career so far, and is actually the highest-ranked Tellarite in the Fleet. She had several starship postings before her assignment to Starfleet Command as flag aide to Hardin.

Dr. Lucy Anderson is from Australia, as you know, and has had a moderately successful career to date - neither stellar nor disappointing. She has done solid research and writing and seems well-regarded. No disciplinary action has ever been taken against her by either the Federation or the United Earth medical associations.

Kylah can find no direct familial link between Lt. Christopher Palver and Fellim Palver, although the Starfleet researcher is part of a Rhaandarite group marriage of that relatively-common name.

Federation public records either confirm, or at least do not contradict, everything Jan Švehla told Kylah about himself. She finds nothing especially noteworthy in his past, nor any apparent connections between his company, Starfleet, or any of the OC3 guests or staff.

Young seems startled by Rangin's statement, and then even a little offended. He says, "I assure you that the resort's books are in perfect order. I don't need to look any further into them."

Graham accesses Starfleet Security records, as high as his security clearance will take him, and other sources as to the Bank of Velssere. It confirms what he already knew. Velssere is a neutral world along the Orion frontier with a robust and very profitable banking system renowned - or notorious, depending on how you look at it - for keeping the secrets of its many depositors, some of whom are not the most savory folk. A classified investigative report from three months ago reviewed hard currency transactions along the frontier, which had shown a slight uptick since the previous year. Another, even more highly-classified report discussed longstanding rumors that the Klingon Empire might be conducting some kind of economic warfare against the Federation or its allies, but found no hard proof of it. There have been no significant developments in Orion piracy or related criminal syndicate activities in the past year or so, other than the high-profile convictions of three Orion men and four women for conducting slavery. The cases were in the Federation District Court on Altair IV, and are now on appeal.

Presumably we don't have the employee records of the Hsus and Halsey?

Kylah draws her hands away from the terminal and sets them on her lap, looking dolefully at the screen. As usual, her research has come up blank. Apparently aside from Fastolfe, everyone involved in the case is as pure as the driven snow--or remarkably good at covering his or her tracks. She exhales in frustration.

Turning to the mission leader, she notices Graham is also busy reading his own screen. Perhaps he is having more luck than she.

She looks back at the monitor, gnawing at her bottom lip in thought. After a hesitation and some considerable thought, she logs in to her private account and types the following message.

TO: Collins, Jeremi,

I hope you do not think it forward of me to write to you. I have only a brief moment before heading off to a new assignment, but I wished to express my concern for your health. I know this message is overdue. But in addition to the busy nature of the current investigation, and the knowledge that you might not be in a condition to view any communications... I was and am not entirely certain whether you would welcome hearing from me. Nevertheless I want to let you know that we are all thinking of you and I hope you are doing as well as possible in the circumstances.

Of course Dr. T'Var has not breached any confidentiality and has told us nothing other than the barest details--that you are recovering, and we all know you are being treated with the best of care. Still, I am aware this may be an extremely difficult time for you and while you are a strong person, some types of recoveries take longer than others. Please take care of yourself--and let others take care of you, when needed.

My apologies if this message is untoward considering all that has passed between us. I just wanted to let you know that my best wishes--and indeed those of all the crew--are with you.

-- KYLAH

It takes a moment for her to send the note off, but she does. Another troubled sigh escapes her. She hopes she did the right thing.

"My Young, I apologise if I have offended you or insulted your professional pride in keeping the finances of this resort running smoothly. However, I have a datapad full of transactions which appear to be a possible motive for the murder of Mr Wilson. You said not five or ten minutes ago that you wanted to see Mr Wilson's murderer caught as soon as possible and we need your help."

"Given the exemplary assistance that everyone else in the resort has provided, even when their capability has been questioned, it has all been done with the understanding that we need to find out who did it and that our knowledge of what occurs here is incomplete. I would hope that you would extend us the same courtesy as your fellow WR&R employees have done so."

"Now, I can understand why you would think the accounts are secure. But I would hope that you would be willing to investigate any problems that are been raised. These transactions are a possible motive for his murder and we need your assistance to confirm whether they are or not. Please will you confirm within the accounts the following details..."

Rangin waits for Hiram Young to respond.

Graham notes an audible sigh from Kylah. He clears his throat. "Are you all right? Ah...I mean, are you ready to go?"

Kylah nods. "Yes, Mr. Graham. I am sorry if I delayed you. I was looking up the histories of some of the people we have encountered." She quickly relates the not-particularly-illuminating details that she has seen, omitting the information about Jan. Finishing, she adds: "I was about to look into the employment records for the Hsus and Dr. Halsey as well, if we have access to them, but I can do that later if you wish to get to Vice Admiral Hardin as soon as possible."

Graham listens attentively. "I wish I'd found something esepcially useful myself, but didn't have much luck either," he says in response. "Still, doing this background research is a fine idea--a few minutes now may give us something useful for subsequent interviews, please proceed with your inquiry at Halsey and the Hsus."

Graham's in fact eager to poke at Hardin and Ebling's story again, which he'shad questions about since he first interviewed them, but figures a few minutes now versus later are six of one and a half-dozen of the other-- and all things considered, better to err on the side of approval, given what I've surmised so far, he thinks.

After a moment's pause he adds, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Young seems somewhat mollified. "What do you mean by 'My Young'? Well, let me see the data you've got, and I'll compare it to the resort's accounts."

Kylah does have access to the WR&R personnel database. Lionel and Mattie Hsu were married just over seven years ago. They have no children. Both have been with WR&R for almost a decade, and appear to have spotless records. They have not moved around as much in their careers as Wilson did; each worked on Arcadia and Mellia XII before coming to OC3.

Dr. Robert Halsey has worked for WR&R for just two years; before that he was a ship's doctor for the Topgallant Line, primarily within the Solar System, and later on the Earth-to-Arcadia route. His performance evaluations for both WR&R and Topgallant are adequate but not glowing. He has never been professionally disciplined.

When Graham asks if she needs assistance, Kylah shakes her head absently since she is in the middle of reading the employees' records. Having scanned it through, she then reads off the basics of what she has just learned. Then she leans back again.

"What strikes me immediately," she says thoughtfully, "is Dr. Halsey's background, or lack of it. He worked for this Topgallant Line--I presume this is a transportation fleet in your star system--without much distinction, and then, just when WR&R signs its contract with Starfleet for a project that represents a tremendous financial risk to the company, he is hired to oversee the program that is basically their new venture's entire reason for existing?" Her right eyebrow rises. "Why was this... this mediocrity given such a prestigious post? Did he have some highly placed relative or contact...? Unless... Arcadia... I just saw that name."

She frowns a bit, then looks down at the notes she has been taking on the biographies. "Yes. This may be a coincidence, but Halsey worked most recently on an Earth-to-Arcadia route. Going back to Mr. Wilson, I see he was posted on Arcadia himself--at WR&R's Jamieson Resort there. Perhaps they knew each other? Was Halsey hired directly by Wilson, and if so, why?"

Kylah pushes her chair back and turns to Graham. "I suppose it is a thin possibility but... it is odd that such a position would be granted to someone with Halsey's background. What would make WR&R hire this nonentity, someone with no apparent background in running a top-level clinic, or advancing new medical technologies, or anything especially distinguished? Does that seem strange to you?"

Heh, that was a typo, that was supposed to be Mr Young.

"Thank you for your assistance, Mr Young." Rangin passes over the sample of transactions, "If we could start with these, I would be grateful to see what you can find. If you require more data, then I can certainly see about getting hold of it."

Graham scowls, then rubs his chin and nods. "Any connection is something to explore...conspiracy between the two of them? Blackmail? Drug addiction?" He racks his brain for any controlled substances starting with "Q," particularly that a doctor might have ready access to.

"Perhaps we should swing by Halsey's office," he adds. He pauses a moment. "That's good work," he says slowly, not overdoing it but trying to make sure he sounds like he means it rather than simply tossing off a flip compliment.

"Thank you, Mr. Graham." Kylah glances back at the screen. "Oh... I neglected to notice that the Hsus were also on Arcadia. I cannot tell if they were both there at the same time as Mr. Wilson, however. It does not appear that Topgallant is related to WR&R. I would like to know how Dr. Halsey got his job. It has prestige even if it is not a very arduous position. He does not even oversee the spore introductions, which..."

She shakes her head. "That is something that bothered me. I do not think Dr. T'Var ever expressed concern about this, and I suppose in retrospect it is a minor detail considering the new direction of our mission, but if we are still involved in recommending the contract renewal, I would say the conspicuous lack of medical oversight during the most vital part of the process--the introduction of these foreign bodies to a variety of races who may have never experienced them before--is a highly significant omission. Even negligent. There was no one medical in the room with us when we watched Dr. Hardin and the others introduced to the spores, was there? What if someone had had an allergic reaction? Went into anaphylactic shock? To say nothing of the psychological follow-up post-treatment that we know is lacking..."

Kylah trails off and looks down at her hands, then back up to the screen. "I am sorry," she murmurs, awkward. Having such intimate knowledge of how the spores feel makes this a more personal matter for her than it should be. "This is not of import now. But... well, perhaps it does indicate the problems of Dr. Halsey having been hired. A more conscientious doctor might have made sure of such things. Which brings us back to Halsey's hiring: who recommended him, and why. So in short, yes, I believe it might be useful to talk to him." The likelihood of Halsey speaking to her seems dim. Kylah's shoulders slump slightly. Has she had a conversation with anyone in this resort that has not ended with her being either abruptly abandoned or ordered to leave? Even by her own crewmates.

She stands up and subconsciously pulls her sleeves further down over her wrists, covering more of herself as if cold. Stay focused. "I suppose all of the 'H' names will be covered today. We should speak with Mr. Hsu, it is long past time, do you not agree? And I believe another talk with Mrs. Hsu is in order, considering the new details about Mr. Wilson. If they were close, if he needed more funds for something... she might know."

Young begins looking more closely at the financial and budgeting data.

His WR&R personnel records show that Dr. Halsey was assigned to the OC3 post by N.L. Nabors, assistant vice president for personnel, and not Wilson. It appears to have been a routine appointment, and there is no indication that Wilson asked for it to be done.

Dr. T'Var says, "You raise several good points, Ensign. If I were running this resort, I would have a doctor present during spore introductions, for the reasons you state. But after so many safe and uneventful introductions since the resort's establishment, it may have been that a budget-conscious company decided against it. Dr. Halsey told us himself that only the Starfleet research station is focused on research; he sees his duties now as caring for the staff's and guests' other health issues. I believe WR&R wants only to make more money, not to really understand the spores better."

Delaney hears out Kylah and T'Var, adding thoughtfully, "I don't know that the multiple references to Arcadia are anything other than a coincidence. It's a major Federation world in this region, after all."

Graham knows that the Topgallant Line is a large passenger and cargo transport company. It has a very good reputation, and no ties to WR&R of which he is aware, although it travels to many WR&R facilities, as do its competitors.

Rangin will politely wait for Hiram Young to come back with some details.

Kylah looks incredulously at Dr. T'Var. For someone who spent the entire first day of the mission sighing about there being 'something' wrong with the resort though she couldn't say what, the Vulcan's current excusing of their negligence is odd. Perhaps she has taken too much tea with Dr. Halsey.

"I see. Thank you, Lt. Delaney and Dr. T'Var. As to your points, doctor, I am not certain why you believe I was asking Halsey to perform research, as I do not think I mentioned it as a necessity," she says in an even voice. "And it would seem to me that being present in case of a deadly anaphylactic shock or other reactions during the guests' first contact with the spores would be a rather integral part of the job of caring for the health of the guests--and possibly any staffers as well. One can hardly say he is too busy, as the hospital is almost always empty every time we have been there. As far as the expenditure is concerned, I cannot see how requiring his presence--or at least that of his assistant if he is otherwise occupied--for twenty minutes of the introduction process would cost WR&R more money. Of course I am a layperson, not a doctor."

She slips off her chair and goes to stand by the door, her hands clasped in front of her. "If you wish to interview Vice Admiral Hardin, Mr. Graham, I am ready to leave."

Graham glances from person to person as the debate about Halsey and Arcadia plays out.

He's a little bemused, as it is a constructive conversation, on the other hand he thought he'd indicated that Rangin and T'Var should have gone together, and the interaction seems...somewhat awkward. But, he thinks, nothing to worry about...

He's not sure what to make of Kylah's pose and demeanor. But you're not so stupid to ask her about it in front of a whole group, he thinks, simply nodding.

"Ah, right, let's go," he says, extending a hand to indicate that she should lead the way out.

With a tight nod, Kylah exits and heads in the direction of the guest rooms.

Young tells Rangin he will need some time to review the records and cross-check. "I don't know how long it will take, but I'll try to be fast," he says.

Delaney says he will go and see if he can help Garcia crack the last two Wilson files' encryption.

Graham and Kylah both notice the darkening skies as they walk to the guest wing. The Comptroller General's two plainclothes Security guards admit them to his quarters. The admiral has his feet up and is reading an old leatherbound book, but he rises when they enter the room. "Mr. Graham, Mr. Kylah. How are you? What can I do for you today?"

"Thank you Mr Young, your time and effort is appreciated. Please let me know when you have something or if you need anything further. I'm sure you will be faster without me hanging around like some nervous passenger." Rangin nods and leaves the office.

Once outside he contacts Dr T'Var. "Ma'am, Ensgin Rangin here. I've passed the data across to Mr Young and he is currently examining the financial records. Did Ensign Graham leave any further tasks to undertake? I imagine he is currently interviewing the Vice Adm. by now."

Rangin waits for the Doctor to respond, although given Graham's single minded nature, the answer is likely to be no, leaving Rangin free to follow up his own ideas...again.

"We're..." he's momentarily not sure what to say. "All right, sir," Graham replies, "thank you."

"We're sorry to disturb you, but we've discovered some important new information relevant to Mr. Wilson's murder, and we hope you'll be able to help us make sense of it."

Graham hasn't ruled anything out--including the possibility Hardin could have been receiving kickbacks or something like that, although he considers that unlikely. Regardless, a certain amount of deference is necessary when dealing with a flag officer--and so far Graham has liked the old guy.

He glances to Kylah briefly, then continues. "Before we go on, may I ask, however--now that you've had some time to reflect, perhaps--is there anything at all you might want to add to what you told me previously about your interactions with Wilson, now or in the past, or your role as comptroller and this facility?"

Kylah says nothing but she inwardly winces at Graham's not-particularly-opaque question. It sounds precisely like a law officer preparing to spring a trap on a suspect whom he believes has lied about an alibi. But since all her instincts seem to have been proven wrong, there is little point in second-guessing anyone else.

She remains still and silent, and just focuses on the Vice Admiral's emotions.

Dr. T'Var, who had slipped out earlier while Rangin was talking to Young, replies to the Coridanite via communicator, "I think you can do as you see fit, Ensign, unless you'd like to contact Mr. Graham directly."

Vice Adm. Hardin raises an eyebrow and says, "No, I don't think so. I've already told you everything I know. What new information have you found, if I may ask?" Kylah senses that he is very self-controlled and calm.

It is now 1203 hours.

"No, I'm sure that Mr Graham can well do with out my interrupting his vital meeting with the Vice Admiral. Far be it for me to spoil his interview. But I believe there are a few things for me to follow up. Rangin out."

Rangin smiles, a little bit of freedom, a chance to carry out a few little investigations of his own. Just one problem, he hadn't a clue where to start. Rangin shrugged, better start at the beginning again then as he starts sending out a series of messages. Time to get everyone involved in one way or another.

To the Security team on the USS Yorktown, any further luck identifying the fingerprints or their possible origin from the data sent up from the alleged murder weapon?

To the Medical team, any further autopsy or evidence from Mr Wilson's corpse, DNA under fingernails, other signs of stress to the body or does it appear he was stabbed while he was unconscious?

To Dr Halsey, once again apologising for intruding on his valuable time and if it will not break any ethics, but could he say if Mr Wilson was nervous around doctors (remembering his reaction to T'Var scanning him) and whether Halsey had treated Mr Wilson that afternoon for anything, (remembering the vanishing limp).

With that, Rangin heads for the murder scene. Not the park where the body was found, but the room next to the transporter. Its pretty inconceivable that absolutely no trace of anything was found apart from a set of bloodstains, unless someone had decided to teleport out all trace of any non Wilson DNA in one go. But that would mean a massive burst covering the whole room, Hmmm, not to mention Rangin couldn't remember if anyone had checked the transporter room itself. If that was clear, then chances were someone had been using a remote.

Rangin drops a note to Lt Delaney, asking the technical question of if someone was going to remote access the transporter, could it be done from anywhere in the resort or would it have to be done from a specific place?

With that done, Rangin heads off, thinking he had still forgotten something...ah yes. Lunch. He wondered how long the others would be before a debrief and they could all take a break. Kylah could probably do with the time away from Graham to relax from the knucklehead. She didn't look happiest having to go to those interviews with him.

"Of course, sir," Graham answers, intending to reply to both the Admiral's statement and his question. He realizes he's pulled his shoulders back into a bolt-upright attention pose...it's not like Hardin was being a stickler about rank, he thinks, but old habits die hard.

"We've discovered that Wilson was taking money from WR&R accounts and secretly moving hard currency of all types, a lot, for quite some time. Lately he's been funneling it to accounts at the Bank of Velssere."

Rangin learns that there have been no matches from Federation records to the other fingerprints on the murder weapon.

There has been no second autopsy of Wilson's remains. No DNA material was found under his fingernails, and there were no other signs of stress to the body not already noted. Although the brainscan evidence is somewhat ambiguous, it appears more likely than not that Wilson was conscious when he was stabbed to death.

Dr. Halsey looks up from a datapad, smiles and actually seems in a pretty good mood. He says, "No, Wilson was never nervous around doctors that I saw. I did treat him for a sprained ankle that afternoon."

Rangin scans the resort's conference room and adjoining transporter room. He checks the Starfleet Engineering database on transporter technique and sees that it is possible to do a roomwide exposed-surface transport to remove contamination or to generally clean ("an extreme form of dusting," one report humorously calls it). Whatever is removed can be beamed elsewhere, or atomized.

Delaney, now in Wilson's office with Lt. Garcia, thinks about it and says, "Unless someone brought a pretty sophisticated and bulky control console with them, any use of the transporter would have to be on-site, that is, in the transporter room itself. The resort's transporter just isn't that fancy."

Vice Adm. Hardin says in response to Graham, "Really? I'm surprised. I didn't have any inkling that Wilson would be up to something like that."

general, remember you can ask multiple questions or make multiple statements in a single post, and then follow up.

Kylah still says nothing, but plans on paying close attention to Hardin's emotions throughout the conversation. She has been suspicious of him since first learning that he was going for a vacation at a resort whose contract is up for renewal with Starfleet, and so naturally her interest is highly piqued.

Even when they first walked in, Kylah felt his mood was oddly buoyant--a man whose vacation has been spoiled first by the murder of a longtime associate and then by the loss of the spore treatment that was supposedly his sole reason for coming to this resort. Now that Graham has revealed the apparently embezzled funds, Kylah's focus sharpens.

His words alone sound like a melody sung off-key. Someone he's known for years as a contact here at WR&R, trusted enough to run the sole commercial venture on this planet, has been stealing from that very company... and this is his blasé reaction? The man sounds like a Vulcan. Are his emotions just as repressed?

Collins has been going stir-crazy in Sickbay. It's been less than two days, but she's never been one to sit still, and she's itching to get to the Gym. She asks to see Dr. Villa to get approval to return to her quarters and possibly even to duty.

The nurse leaves the three-bed recovery ward, empty but for Collins, and soon the Yorktown's Chief Medical Officer enters. She says lightly, "I understand you're starting to climb the bulkheads, Lieutenant...?"

"You have no idea, Doctor," Jeremi replies with a smile. "I cannot remember the last time I've been this inactive."

Dr. Villa checks the biomedical display over the bed, and looks over a datapad with Collins's records since her return from Omicron Ceti III. "You're making a good recovery so far, but I'm not sure about discharging you just yet. Would you like to walk around the corridor a little with me, and see how you feel after that?"

"Do you think you can keep up with me?" Collins asks as she practically leaps out of bed. Then she realizes she's wearing, essentially, pajamas. "Uh, maybe I'll get dressed first." She smiles and looks around for her clothes.

"No need to put on your uniform just yet," Villa says. "Easy does it." She goes to a closet and fetches a long, warm, dark blue robe with the Starfleet Medical caduceus insignia on its breast. "Try this."

Collins finds, once she's on her feet, that she is not quite as ready to go as she thought. After using the bathroom, she feels a little light-headed, and is glad to have Villa's arm to lean upon as they leave Sickbay together and head down the corridor. It's not too crowded at the moment, but several crewmates greet them as they pass by.

"I don't get it," Collins says to Villa. "I'm in great shape, fit and athletic. Why is this so difficult? And what can I do to fix it?"

"A miscarriage is rarely as easy as the woman would prefer." She coughs. "And in your case, you have some biochemical issues that have complicated the situation."

Jeremi stops walking and turns to face Dr. Villa. "What biochemical issues? What are you talking about?" She feels her heart start to pound a little with the fear of discovery.

Dr. Villa chooses her words carefully. "There are certain biochemical markers in your blood and spinal fluid that are... troubling. If I ask you questions about them, you're going to have to answer. And if you answer truthfully, there are likely going to be consequences for your career. That's something that, at least for the moment, I'd prefer to avoid. Suffice to say that the aftermath of your miscarriage is already somewhat different than most."

Dammitdammitdammit, Collins was sure she had been so careful. But fortunately, Dr. Villa is being discreet. So, this time, I really will quit. Or maybe save it for R&R only. She asks, "But I'll be okay, right? When I'm ready to be a mom in the future, I'll still be able to be, right?" Jeremi's voice is a little more anxious than she'd like it to be, and her heart rate has not yet slowed down.

"Yes, I think so. But it would be much better if you would not maintain the habit which you may have had up to now. Understood?" Dr. Villa sounds sterner than Collins has ever heard her before.

"Yes, ma'am," Suddenly Collins feels completely exhausted. "I think I'd like to get back into bed now," she says quietly, breathing slowly and purposefully to try to regulate her heart rate.

"Of course," says the doctor, her voice kindly once more, as she guides the Security officer back to Sickbay.

Once in bed, with Dr. Villa having left her alone, Collins closes her eyes, but that does not keep the tears from running down her cheeks.









Dr. Villa's dialogue by Elendil's Heir; Collins' dialogue by anyrose

Graham resists narrowing his eyes at Hardin's response. He was all broken up about 'Tony' being killed before, I'd think he'd show more of a reaction, he thinks. He glance briefly at Kylah, who seems to be paying attention with commendable intensity, then continues.

Are you aware of any hard-currency smuggling investigations that might be relevant to what's happening here?
Were there ever any irregularities of any type with this facility's books?
Have there been any occurrences over the course of WR&R's contract that might take on new meaning given this discovery--for instance, did their profit drop or spike unexpectedly?

Rangin ponders the readings and mutters to himself, appreciative of the fine conversation. "Strange, if they had shifted Mr Wilson out first, they would have atomised everywhere including the blood stains left behind. Instead it looks like they, and I use the words advisedly, must have done the deep clean first on everything before moving the body. That would account for no residue anywhere except for the stains underneath the body."

Rangin takes a deeper scan of the area of the bloodstains, perhaps something might have been left behind. It might also have accounted for the lack of evidence on Mr Wilson's body.

Vice Adm. Hardin responds to Graham's questions:

Are you aware of any hard-currency smuggling investigations that might be relevant to what's happening here? - "No, that's not one of my responsibilities, obviously, but I've heard of nothing of the sort going on here, or with any other person or organization with whom Starfleet has contracts."
Were there ever any irregularities of any type with this facility's books? - "Absolutely not. We insist on rigorous accounting standards and full financial disclosure."
Have there been any occurrences over the course of WR&R's contract that might take on new meaning given this discovery--for instance, did their profit drop or spike unexpectedly? - "I don't follow their profits and losses, stock price or general operations all that closely, as again, that isn't my responsibility, but no, I can't think of any such occurrences."

Kylah now has the sense that Hardin is not being completely honest, but she can't quite put her finger on it.

Rangin's additional scan further confirms that, as it had earlier appeared, Wilson was stabbed to death here, bled out to at least some extent, and was then beamed away along with most but not all of the blood he lost.

While Kylah tries to determine which facts Hardin could be obfuscating in this last round of questions, she darts her memory back to Graham's report of his first interview with Hardin, the morning after Wilson's murder.

That is when a little electric tingle ripples down her spine. Things are not adding up.

Not entirely true... something is adding up: the number of inconsistencies in people's responses. And in at least two cases, they are the same inconsistency--or to put it as baldly as possible, the same lie.

She realizes her heart is pounding. Calm yourself. Do not be precipitate. Every other instinct you have had was wrong. Look at the documents first. Perhaps your memory is faulty. Perhaps the witnesses' memories are wrong. Perhaps he just misspoke, misremembered.

She gnaws the inside of her lip, knowing she must not speak before Graham has finished his questions. This does not bother her; she needs time to decide how to form her questions properly. However, she changes her stance just a little, shifting her weight from one hip to the other. Hopefully, Graham might notice and realize that she does wish to talk whenever he is through. Or, she thinks ruefully, he will believe I am trying to catch Hardin's eye as part of some Elasian seduction ritual I use with every male.

Despite the fleeting moment of humor, Kylah's mind is still busy trying to harness her thoughts into coherence. She could so easily ruin everything with a single badly constructed phrase, a sole poorly chosen word. Has that not been the fatal flaw that has ruined things time and time again--not only during this mission, but throughout her life?

It might be better to remain silent and ask later.

Graham can't keep his eyes from narrowing slightly. "Sir--far be it from me from telling you--or even fully-understanding--what the responsibilities of an admiral such as yourself are, but as an investigator I'm sitting on more than a decade's worth of possible hiving cash off a Starfleet contract to feed Orion pirates or worse..."

He realizes Hardin could shut things down real fast by ordering them to leave him the hell alone, so he adopts an inquisitive rater than confrontational posture (at least for the moment).

"Perhaps you can help me understand sir, whose responsibility this kind of serious situation might be..."

Out of the corner of his eye, he notices that Kylah is fidgeting as if she has ants in her pants, as the old Terran saying goes, and he worries she may be feeling the need to defer to him.

"Ah, and Ens. Kylah has done exemplary research on these matters, she may have questions as well," he adds, sincerely recognizing that she does seem to have been working hard at it, without really knowing what she might have to say. That ought to at least give her an opening, he thinks.

Kylah hides her dismay that Graham's tone even approached incredulity when addressing the Vice Admiral. It could change the mood completely and her questions could now seem confrontational or even accusatory if she does not couch them well enough. Ditraa and her tutor, she suddenly thinks. On Kylah's infrequent visits home, she has seen just how her ridiculously precocious, flirtatious teenaged sister managed to get stellar reports from the tutor despite being vapid and ignorant.

She immediately ducks and shakes her head in embarrassment at Graham's flattery, a flustered but sweet smile on her lips. "Oh no, Mr. Graham, please, you are too generous." She aims a shy glance toward Hardin. "Please pardon me, Vice Admiral Hardin," she says deferentially. "I am really only here to assist my senior officers as best I can, mostly when some writing or communication is needed. But I am still just... well, you know I was not out of the Academy for two months before I was posted to the Yorktown..."

Her hand flutters toward her tricorder and, lifting it to inspect its screen, she toys with the keypad. "And here I am, on only my second mission, an ordinary evaluation turns into a criminal investigation. I am quite overwhelmed.

"Do not get me wrong, Ensign Graham has mentored me splendidly, just as Lieutenant Thalen has back on the ship. I do so value men of long experience. But I must own my mistakes, and I fear it is all I can do to track the data so I do not forget anything." With a frown she taps some keys as if having lost whatever it was she was looking up. "Excuse me again, sir. I fear I am a bit intimidated. Even though you were so welcoming to me back on the ship during that dinner..."

At last she seems to have found the data she was looking for. "There we are." She again looks up with an earnest, self-deprecating smile. "My questions are really just a matter of confirming the various dealings Mr. Wilson and the WR&R staff had with outsiders, and tracking Mr. Wilson's movements the night he died.

- "First, I should say that I am sorry, sir," she adds with a much more sober tone. "I understand you worked with him for some time. Even though you were not close, that must have been a shock. But Mr. Graham, I do beg your pardon; while I am sure there were some lengthy preliminary negotiations to be worked out, WR&R has only had a contract with Starfleet regarding this resort for two--or at the most three years. Is that correct, Vice Admiral?"

- "Or are there more WR&R properties that are licensees of Starfleet? Do you have other projects on which you worked with Mr. Wilson or WR&R?

- "Perhaps you have worked with Mattie Hsu, as well, or do you--I mean, did you only deal with Mr. Wilson?"

- "I apologize for my digression. As I was saying, it has been my job to try to keep track of all of Mr. Wilson's activities the day and night he was killed. I know you may have answered these questions before, but I must make certain I have this down correctly. Let us start with the contacts you had with him that day. I suppose after you beamed down to the ship--you preceded us, as I recall--you must have been greeted by him, is that true? Who else was there?

- "And you went to the orientation. May I ask who performed that, sir?

- "After that was, I believe, the introduction. Did you see or speak to him after that?"

Throughout his responses she avidly takes down all his words. "Thank you, sir. Of course we are also interested in whether anyone saw anything unusual, or any altercations... even just a light that should have been on, but wasn't. Do you recall anything like that throughout the day? I would imagine even though you were here for a vacation, someone in your position probably notices more than the average traveler.

- "It is especially important to notice such things, for you see, as I am sure Ensign Graham has mentioned, the security here at the resort that night was just... well, I do not wish to speak ill of anyone with whom you have worked. Mr. Hsu does a fine job, I am sure, but you must have heard of all the security failures that occurred that evening. Do you remember, did Mr. Wilson ever discuss security issues with you? Have you ever heard of such things happening before, here? Did any of the compliance problems ever include security lapses?

- "Do you know Mr. Hsu? From your general knowledge, are you satisfied that he was doing all he could to keep the resort as safe as possible?

- "What about Mrs. Hsu? I understand she has been with WR&R for quite a while. Do you have any impressions of her? Did you ever notice any... well, difficulties, or rivalry, between her and Mr. Wilson? As his second-in-command... I believe in your earlier interview with Mr. Graham you mentioned that corporate politics could be difficult. Do you think with Mr. Wilson's death, she might make a good replacement?"

Kylah pauses. Her other questions will depend on some of his answers.

Hardin widens his eyes at Graham's mention of Orion pirates. He says, "Hell, I had no idea. Please, won't you sit down?"

He sits in his suite's comfortable living room, and takes a deep breath. "Investigations of smuggling, or financial malfeasance involving Starfleet contracts, are conducted by Starfleet Security, not by me or my staff in the Office of the Comptroller General. Investigations of corporate misconduct otherwise would be carried out by the Federation Economic Crimes Office. We make referrals to either of them from time to time when we suspect there's something not quite kosher going on, but we've never had to do so as to the OC3 resort franchise. Of course we would give our full cooperation to any such investigation; that should go without saying."

He smiles kindly at Kylah and says, "Yes, you're right about contract negotiations with Wrigley Resorts & Recreation. This is a very lucrative franchise for them, as they knew it would be. There were other bidders then, and there will probably be other bidders now. This is the only franchise that WR&R holds from Starfleet, I believe. I did not work with Mr. Wilson or WR&R on any other projects; resorts are not really what we 'do.' I had a few dealings with Mrs. Hsu, but most of the time I was dealing with Mr. Wilson or other WR&R higher-ups. I did not see Mr. Wilson on the day we beamed down any sooner than you did - we beamed down together to the Starfleet research station, and he met us there with Mrs. Hsu, remember?" See post 453.

The vice admiral thinks for a moment. "Our orientation was led by a WR&R staffer; I don't remember her name. Wilson and Hsu were there for most of the time, although Wilson stepped out briefly at one point, and then returned. I don't think I saw him again after that." He shakes his head apologetically and says, "I can't remember anything out of the ordinary here until Mr. Graham came to see me the next morning, and told me of Wilson's death. That's when I realized that the spores' effect was gone. I don't think Wilson ever discussed security issues with me; there were none of any significance, I guess, or at least none that had any bearing on WR&R franchise."

He rubs his earlobe. "I know Mr. Hsu a little, probably even less than I know his wife, which isn't much. I have no particular opinion about his competence. Obviously he failed to keep the resort's security system from being hacked, and he failed to prevent Wilson's murder, so that doesn't reflect well on him, I suppose. I have a good impression of Mrs. Hsu, all in all. Wilson seemed to rely upon her, and place great confidence in her. I never noticed any difficulties or rivalry between her and Wilson; far from it. They were a very effective team, from all I saw. I think she has the potential to be an excellent successor of his... although of course I'd far prefer it be under less tragic circumstances."

Kylah's sense of his untruthfulness is less strong now, but still perceptible.

Kylah listens carefully and takes notes with the diligence of a cadet on the first day of her first Academy class. She apologizes in a murmur for her apparent mistake regarding the beam-down and shakes her head at herself, but does not otherwise interrupt him during his responses.

"Of course, sir. I am sure we all wish the circumstances were not so awful. I know people who have been put into the awkward position of taking on responsibilities before their time due to such tragedies," she says after his last response, thinking of herself and her parents' deaths. And even now; she should not be in such a role only two months after graduation. "It is a grave honor one must bear."

Swallowing, Kylah looks back down at her tricorder. "Just some more things, sir. I should get back to tracking everyone's movements that day and evening... So, let me just make sure I have not lost my place again, I know you had said you did not see Mr. Wilson after the introduction, that is correct, yes? And then I was going to ask... tsk, where was I...?

"Oh! Yes, here it is. In addition to Mr. Wilson, we are trying to triangulate where certain people were, to confirm their alibis, such as they are. No matter if they are wealthy celebrities--" Kylah shuts her mouth quickly and gives a short shake of her head. "Forgive me, but you saw the awful confrontation between Lord Fastolfe and Mr. Wilson. We are treading lightly, but..." She darts a worried look at Graham and quickly returns to the Vice Admiral. "If I may be so bold as to make one digression, sir, do you think we handled that incident appropriately? You were there, and I would be interested in your opinion. I am sure Mr. Graham would as well. I hope you felt your safety was always assured.

"Anyway... to continue and try and trace everyone's steps, as much as possible: Some people have said they were just taking a promenade along the gardens and grounds." It is astonishing how easily one may blur the truth with words such as 'some' or 'many.' A lesson she learned early listening to the adroit adults around her. "May I ask if you were out of doors at all that evening, sir? Because it would be helpful if you saw any of the following people anywhere: Mr. Hsu, Mrs. Hsu, Lord Fastolfe, Rosemary Calvin, or Fellim Palver? Oh, and was Lt. Cmdr. Ebling with you, do you think she might be able to confirm some of these names for us when we speak with her? It would be helpful if she was elsewhere, because then we could possibly account for even more people through her own statements.

"Or did you see any of us, for that matter? Some of us were at the nightclub, others were at different restaurants..." Astonishingly, she manages not to blush. "Of course if you spent the evening in your room just relaxing, I doubt you could have noticed anyone unless they happened to fly by your window a few stories up here," she adds with a little smile.

More serious now, she lowers her tricorder. "We are also very concerned about the spores having lost their effectiveness with so many people who took the treatment the same day you did. Your safety is paramount, as is that of the guests'. Fortunately Lt. Cmdr. Ebling was apparently not so unfortunate, but... At any rate. The others seem to have noticed their treatments' effectiveness having vanished overnight, or as soon as they woke up. I know you were given the bad news almost immediately after you woke up, so it is difficult to determine exactly what might have happened in your case..." Something that I hope Mr. Graham realizes was one of the biggest lapses in judgment made in this investigation, even worse than my 'throwing myself' at men, she thinks flatly, though she shows no disapproval on her face. "Looking back, can you say for certain that you lost the spores' effectiveness as a result of learning the news about Mr. Wilson, or is there any possibility it had occurred earlier, while you were sleeping, for example?

- "Fortunately you seem to be taking this with laudable equanimity, sir. Others who had this problem are not so sanguine. I know this seems unimportant considering the tragedy, but we were originally here to evaluate the resort during this renewal period, and I would like to explore that for a moment--it would be a shame if WR&R suffered because we were unable to finish that work at all. Have you found the resort to your liking, otherwise? What would you say about the accommodations and features here, are they well-run? Have you taken advantage of the spa, for example? Your room here, it has been kept well, cleaned regularly, your needs attended to...?" She looks around briefly with interest, then returns to smile bashfully at him. "If I may make a personal remark, Vice Admiral, you are looking more hale and hearty than I remember you back on the ship. The vacation seems to have done you much good--even without the spores, I am happy to observe. Would you stay here again even if there were no spore therapy involved? If another resort were to open up without offering the therapy, I wonder if its guests would be nearly as happy.

- "Oh, but another resort could not open here, is that right? Earlier today I spoke with an independent investment banker who seemed very aware of such things--surprisingly so, but I suppose this is his business... and he said that WR&R would object, and... well, he implied Starfleet would most likely obey WR&R's objections. I could hardly believe him, but I am so unknowledgeable about these things. Surely with an entire planet available, it is not for WR&R to make such determinations on other ventures or partnerships Starfleet might undertake, is it? It seems such a waste of a vast, beautiful planet and its unique resources..."

Her face turns even more sober. "Speaking of other ventures, there is something else that has been troubling me. It is a bit off the topic, but I feel it important to mention. As part of our investigation, another ensign and I spoke with a non-Federation citizen, someone who seems very high up in his government: the Hwuen Prolun Jaxo. He was a challenge to speak to, for their ways are not our own, and we did our best to be as courteous as we could. He did imply... He is a man of great pride. He said that he was possibly doing business with the Federation, and that he knew you. At least that is what I think he said. His language and the hand gestures... I have met many different races and did my best, but there were some gaps in our ability to communicate. Am I correct? Do you know him, and what position he plays in his government? I could not quite make that out...

- "I do hope I did not err in speaking with him, sir. I appreciate that it is not for someone at my level to know what negotiations are taking place, but I thought you should know what he said, just in case there is a need to be discreet. To be frank, he implied some... unsavory things about the sort of activities that they would prefer to do at a resort. It did not seem like anything of which Starfleet would approve, if they were ever to make a bid for a license of some kind."

She lowers her gaze artlessly. "Of course, it is not my place to judge different cultures. I know the Federation was uncertain about some of my planet's customs, especially due to our then-in-process alliance with Troyius. But thanks to the assistance of Captain Kirk among others, we learned how to fit in and better cooperate, and in turn I believe others learned--I hope--to appreciate us as well. No doubt, if the Hwuen ever join the Federation, a similar adjustment will be made.

- "Speaking of the license renewal and other matters, do you know if there are any bonds related to OC3 or the planet itself? We found some files that seem to indicate there might have been, but we are not certain as they are encrypted. The guest I mentioned earlier, the banker, explained that colonial bonds, for example, might be issued to raise money and invest in the infrastructure, construction, new ventures, and so on. Are you aware of anything like that here? Mr. Svehla was not certain if there was any need for such things here, as WR&R was so profitable..." Kylah is careful not to even shift her gaze from Hardin, afraid to see what Graham might think at her mentioning Jan's name--besides the vital necessity of maintaining her empathic link with the Vice Admiral as well.

"Oh! And finally... well, this is more for my understanding than anything. Among Mr. Wilson's possessions was, as Mr. Graham said, a great deal of physical money, much of it in a variety of different currencies, completely untouched--seemingly straight from the various mints. Not just Federation credits, but Proximan crowns, Rhaandarite monits, Terran rubles... To be honest, many of the currencies match the home planets of some of the guests here. In your experience, sir, what could possibly be some explanations for this coincidence? Mr. Graham tried to explain it to me, he says it must be criminal activity, but... of what sort? All the outlays mentioned on Mr. Wilson's datapad seemed to be in Federation credits. It is like a foreign exchange was taking place. But many of the people here were first-time guests, as well. Although many, also possibly not coincidentally, were stockholders in other would-be licensees. Could Mr. Wilson... knowing him, did he ever seem stressed or nervous about the idea of an audit or anyone checking up on the finances?"

Well son of a bitch, Graham thinks as he listens to Kylah's line of inquiry, some folks may have been doing some business...

He's also both gratified and alarmed. She remained silent until I gave her...leave to speak, they might say in archaic language, and then she kisses my ass in ways that--as far as I'm concerned--are 1,000 percent unwarranted...and that after she's obviously done a ton of work...

A specific phrase comes to mind: she's killing herself to try to prove herself.

You've taken unnecessary risks, yourself, Booker, he thinks. But the difference is that was because you're old and stupid. She's young and vulnerable, and you need to fix this.

Hardin responds to Kylah's questions:

She says, "...If I may be so bold as to make one digression, sir, do you think we handled that incident appropriately? You were there, and I would be interested in your opinion. I am sure Mr. Graham would as well. I hope you felt your safety was always assured."
- "I never felt in danger," he says, "and yes, I think it was appropriately handled. Mr. Wilson didn't want to press charges, I guess, and it seemed he just wanted to mollify that fop Fastolfe. You might have made an arrest notwithstanding Wilson's wishes, in that situation, but I understand why you did not."

"Anyway... to continue and try and trace everyone's steps, as much as possible: Some people have said they were just taking a promenade along the gardens and grounds.... May I ask if you were out of doors at all that evening, sir? Because it would be helpful if you saw any of the following people anywhere: Mr. Hsu, Mrs. Hsu, Lord Fastolfe, Rosemary Calvin, or Fellim Palver? Oh, and was Lt. Cmdr. Ebling with you, do you think she might be able to confirm some of these names for us when we speak with her? It would be helpful if she was elsewhere, because then we could possibly account for even more people through her own statements."
- "I didn't go out of doors, as in off the premises, but I was in the open air walking to and from dinner, the nightclub, and this hotel tower," he says. "Mr. Ebling wasn't with me, and I didn't see any of the other folks you mentioned."

"Or did you see any of us, for that matter? Some of us were at the nightclub, others were at different restaurants... Of course if you spent the evening in your room just relaxing, I doubt you could have noticed anyone unless they happened to fly by your window a few stories up here," she adds with a little smile.
- He says, "I did go to the Starfire nightclub that night, but I don't think I noticed any of the Yorktown personnel."

More serious now, she lowers her tricorder. "We are also very concerned about the spores having lost their effectiveness with so many people who took the treatment the same day you did. Your safety is paramount, as is that of the guests'. Fortunately Lt. Cmdr. Ebling was apparently not so unfortunate, but... At any rate. The others seem to have noticed their treatments' effectiveness having vanished overnight, or as soon as they woke up. I know you were given the bad news almost immediately after you woke up, so it is difficult to determine exactly what might have happened in your case... Looking back, can you say for certain that you lost the spores' effectiveness as a result of learning the news about Mr. Wilson, or is there any possibility it had occurred earlier, while you were sleeping, for example?"
- He nods, his expression serious. "I've thought a lot about that. It's possible I lost the spores' effect while sleeping, and I can't be sure one way or another, but deep down I think it happened when I heard about Wilson's death. My emotional response surprised even me, to be honest. I think it was a combination of the news being so shocking and unexpected, and my previously-calm state from the spores. Too great a shift, you know? It was just too much."

"Fortunately you seem to be taking this with laudable equanimity, sir. Others who had this problem are not so sanguine. I know this seems unimportant considering the tragedy, but we were originally here to evaluate the resort during this renewal period, and I would like to explore that for a moment--it would be a shame if WR&R suffered because we were unable to finish that work at all. Have you found the resort to your liking, otherwise? What would you say about the accommodations and features here, are they well-run? Have you taken advantage of the spa, for example? Your room here, it has been kept well, cleaned regularly, your needs attended to...? ...If I may make a personal remark, Vice Admiral, you are looking more hale and hearty than I remember you back on the ship. The vacation seems to have done you much good--even without the spores, I am happy to observe. Would you stay here again even if there were no spore therapy involved? If another resort were to open up without offering the therapy, I wonder if its guests would be nearly as happy."
- "Thanks for the compliment. Well, other than the knife incident with Fastolfe, and his stabbing of... I mean, sorry, the death of Wilson, and my loss of the spores' effect, yes, I like this place a lot. Haven't been to the spa yet, but I might yet. I did feel a lot better once I got the spore treatment, and I'd be willing to come back if that were again an option." He chuckles a little ruefully. "I hope my next visit, if there is one, isn't nearly as eventful. And if I understand your implication, Ensign, yes, I think the spores are vital to the resort's appeal. There are plenty of other garden spots in the quadrant to go to rather than have to come all the way out here, if the spores weren't available. OC3 is just a bit too far off the beaten track otherwise."

"Oh, but another resort could not open here, is that right? Earlier today I spoke with an independent investment banker who seemed very aware of such things--surprisingly so, but I suppose this is his business... and he said that WR&R would object, and... well, he implied Starfleet would most likely obey WR&R's objections. I could hardly believe him, but I am so unknowledgeable about these things. Surely with an entire planet available, it is not for WR&R to make such determinations on other ventures or partnerships Starfleet might undertake, is it? It seems such a waste of a vast, beautiful planet and its unique resources..."
- "Yes, the WR&R's resort franchise is exclusive. That was understood by both sides, the company and Starfleet, from the outset, and included in the franchise agreement. They obviously don't want to reduce their profits by splitting rights to the spores with anyone else. The planet has no particular value otherwise; it's a Class-M rock but with very dangerous radiation."

Her face turns even more sober. "Speaking of other ventures, there is something else that has been troubling me. It is a bit off the topic, but I feel it important to mention. As part of our investigation, another ensign and I spoke with a non-Federation citizen, someone who seems very high up in his government: the Hwuen Prolun Jaxo. He was a challenge to speak to, for their ways are not our own, and we did our best to be as courteous as we could. He did imply... He is a man of great pride. He said that he was possibly doing business with the Federation, and that he knew you. At least that is what I think he said. His language and the hand gestures... I have met many different races and did my best, but there were some gaps in our ability to communicate. Am I correct? Do you know him, and what position he plays in his government? I could not quite make that out..."
- Vice Adm. Hardin says, "Yes, I dealt with him a few years ago. The Hwuen were interested in industrial-scale helium extraction on Yorthe VII, and I was involved in the preliminary contract negotiations. He was one of their three top negotiators, if I remember right. The Hwuen polity is somewhat complicated, but the closest analogy would be to consider him like the leader of a large nation in pre-United Earth days, powerful but not omnipotent, independent of his peers in some ways, but very dependent on them in others." He spreads his hands. "I'm sorry, but I don't know Elasian history well enough to give you a comparison closer to home."

"I do hope I did not err in speaking with him, sir. I appreciate that it is not for someone at my level to know what negotiations are taking place, but I thought you should know what he said, just in case there is a need to be discreet. To be frank, he implied some... unsavory things about the sort of activities that they would prefer to do at a resort. It did not seem like anything of which Starfleet would approve, if they were ever to make a bid for a license of some kind."
- He smiles a little. "I'm sure you did nothing wrong. I've heard some things about Hwuen... recreational activities, shall we say, and no, it probably wouldn't be fit for polite Federation company. But I'm not aware of any Hwuen person, state or business interested in taking over from WR&R here. There may be, but not that I've heard about."

She lowers her gaze artlessly. "Of course, it is not my place to judge different cultures. I know the Federation was uncertain about some of my planet's customs, especially due to our then-in-process alliance with Troyius. But thanks to the assistance of Captain Kirk among others, we learned how to fit in and better cooperate, and in turn I believe others learned--I hope--to appreciate us as well. No doubt, if the Hwuen ever join the Federation, a similar adjustment will be made."
- He says, "I suspect you're right. If it came to that, though, I doubt they could run the business any better or more profitably than WR&R or some other Federation-incorporated company."

"Speaking of the license renewal and other matters, do you know if there are any bonds related to OC3 or the planet itself? We found some files that seem to indicate there might have been, but we are not certain as they are encrypted. The guest I mentioned earlier, the banker, explained that colonial bonds, for example, might be issued to raise money and invest in the infrastructure, construction, new ventures, and so on. Are you aware of anything like that here? Mr. Svehla was not certain if there was any need for such things here, as WR&R was so profitable..."
- He says with certainty, "No. No bonds were issued by WR&R or anyone else to fund this resort. WR&R bore all of its expenses out of pocket."

"Oh! And finally... well, this is more for my understanding than anything. Among Mr. Wilson's possessions was, as Mr. Graham said, a great deal of physical money, much of it in a variety of different currencies, completely untouched--seemingly straight from the various mints. Not just Federation credits, but Proximan crowns, Rhaandarite monits, Terran rubles... To be honest, many of the currencies match the home planets of some of the guests here. In your experience, sir, what could possibly be some explanations for this coincidence? Mr. Graham tried to explain it to me, he says it must be criminal activity, but... of what sort? All the outlays mentioned on Mr. Wilson's datapad seemed to be in Federation credits. It is like a foreign exchange was taking place. But many of the people here were first-time guests, as well. Although many, also possibly not coincidentally, were stockholders in other would-be licensees. Could Mr. Wilson... knowing him, did he ever seem stressed or nervous about the idea of an audit or anyone checking up on the finances?"
- Hardin frowns. "No, Wilson never said anything at all about his own finances. Never came up. I had the impression that he was well-off, but nothing more than that. I don't know why he would've had a stash of hard currency like that. I'm inclined to agree with Mr. Graham; it certainly does look suspicious."

Kylah's impression of his general truthfulness continues to hold as to these answers.

After a serious nod, Kylah hesitates to add her notes and then lifts her gaze to Hardin's, daring a small grateful smile. "Thank you, sir. I cannot tell you how helpful you have been. I would not ask either you or Mr. Graham to spend any more of your time--or patience--on my questions. But I know you will agree with me that the timeline of the night in question is absolutely vital. Indeed, Mr. Graham has ably taught me the importance of keeping a strict account of people, for the safety of themselves and others."

She extends her appreciative look to Graham before returning to Hardin, now more urgent. "You see, sir, one of the-- that is to say, one or more of the people I mentioned, and some others still, are using the nightclub as an alibi. They claim to have been there at certain times. And he--some tend toward rather... noticeable behavior, so it is doubtful you would have missed them. But I should not say too much, it would be unprofessional during an investigation.

"All I wish to know is if you could tell me when you were at the club, for how long?" Kylah darts a respectful but questioning look at her mission commander, almost as if trying to draw the correct words from him. "Because if they claim to have been there at a certain time, and you did not see them, then that might indicate they were... hiding something about where they were. It might be harmless, it might not, it might even be something that is illicit but nothing to do with the murder. But we do need to know, either way."

She smiles back at Hardin. "So do you remember, sir? When you were at the nightclub, and when you left?" Kylah exhales, tilting her head apologetically. "I promise that will be all."

Graham's concentration on Hardin's answers and appreciation of Kylah's adept handling of his questioning is momentarily interrupted by a flash of alarm as she gives him a--a what, come hither look?

He wishes he knew more about Elas. If I'd known I was going to be in command--and was on the ball, focused on the job--I would have done due diligence on every member of the team before beamdown, he thinks ruefully, but blaming no one but himself. Should have done it anyway to help Collins, you've been around long enough to know you should help newbies, rank aside.

He vaguely recalls something about Elasian women, even high-ranking government officials, wearing revealing clothing--was there some cultural thing about performing for men?

He notes it would be odd to whip out his tricorder to check so sets it aside--and speaking of checking his tricorder...

He's sure Mahmoud said Hardin was seen talking to Wilson at the night club.

He'd like to confirm that before out and out calling the Admiral a liar, but for the moment, Kylah is on to something.

"Yes, sir, we appreciate your patience, and hope not to test its boundaries on your vacation--but as Mr. Kylah mentions, who-saw-who in the nightclub is at the crux of untangling Wilson's last movements and who may have had the opportunity to confront him in private."

Hardin nods. "I think I got there around 10 and left after an hour or so. Maybe later? I can't be sure; that's just a rough estimate. I didn't have a chrono and wasn't really paying attention to the time." He smiles. "One of the nice things about being on shore leave."

There is a boom of thunder audible through the suite's windows along one wall, followed by another, slightly softer one. Rain begins to fall outside as the storm finally begins.

After making note of Hardin's schedule, Kylah starts to smile but is shaken by the sound of thunder. Her attention is momentarily distracted as she glances out of the window in surprise. She has not heard or seen a rainstorm in... well, she cannot even remember. What with the pleasant weather at the Academy, her brief journey home, and then her time on the ship and Sakathian station... Four months? Five months? How strange to be so disconnected from natural phenomena.

Quickly she faces Hardin. "Thank you again, sir. This will be extremely useful in checking with the witness accounts and the possible suspects' own statements."

She hesitates. She needs to ensure that Graham does not push Hardin any further. Graham's edginess is quite evident to her, probably due to his obvious hatred of the Orion Syndicate and what Wilson's bank activity might mean. The security officer's doubting words earlier did not seem to faze Hardin much--perhaps Kylah's fawning managed to distract and soothe the Vice Admiral from reacting defensively--but who knows what else Graham might say to touch off an ugly scene? Especially if he has paid as close attention to the Starfire witness statements as she has and recognizes what she has been aiming for this whole time.

All her rather exhausting playacting will be for naught if Graham suddenly leans forward and accuses Hardin of taking a laissez-faire attitude toward Wilson's possible corruption--or points out the apparent omission in his reported activities.

An idea strikes her, and she looks up at Graham with the expression of a student eager to impress her teacher. "Mr. Graham, perhaps we should make cross-checking all the various timelines and accounts a top priority? Before we question anyone whose story does not match up? That would be the proper thing to do, would it not?"

She falls silent and gazes at him expectantly, a protégé hoping for a pat on her head from her mentor for giving the correct response. Of course, one presumes actual mentors do not usually spy on their protégés with cameras, drag them bodily across a room in a violent attack, and accuse them of acting sexually with every man they meet. But Kylah has been presenting a false front ever since entering the room. She has no problem with continuing this façade.

Graham's feeling some adrenaline flowing. There was no magic to untangling a mystery like this when information was scarce and you were sure somebody somewhere was lying--you just kept at it, systematically asking questions and comparing notes until you found something that didn't square, a chink in the armor as it were around a person of interest's or suspect's stories.

This inconsistency in Hardin's story--and his obvious obliviousness or stubborn refusal to communicate the truth--is progress. To be sure, they aren't ready to exploit it--to make the most of it they need to compare notes and come up with a game plan.

In fact Kylah is suggestion exactly the right thing--except she's looking at me like she needs me to give her a cookie and a pat on the head, he thinks. Oh shit, or a pat on the a--. No, jeez, let's assume it's "head."

He tries to choose his words and demeanor carefully. Reinforcing the underlying dynamic, whatever that is, would be bad--but so would failing to give her positive reinforcement when she's doing good work.

"Yes, Mr. Kylah," Graham answers sincerely if a bit stiffly. "Your recommendation is a continuation of your consistent thoroughness." He nods to Hardin. "Thank you, sir, this have been very helpful. We appreciate your time."

If Hardin does not add anything or otherwise object Graham turns to leave, gesturing gently for Kylah to precede him.

Looking at what's left in the room, Rangin shakes his head. Whoever had done this had been fairly thorough, at least to cover their own or possibly their colleagues tracks. There was no point looking round here further and with the security evidence absent and the lack of data to identify who might have opened the door, why waste more time here.

Hearing the crack of thunder outside, Rangin decides its an appropriate time to leave, while wondering what to look at next. All the houses had been checked, Mr Wilson's suite pored over in detail, the same went for his office. What little evidence there was seemed to be as complete as they could find, maybe the others would have had more luck with the interviews.

Shrugging slightly, he headed back to the CP. He would think of something on the way.