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

Ebling says, "Thank you, Ensign." Her mood seems unchanged from before - on edge and somewhat impatient. She goes out into the outer sitting room, where there is a computer terminal and comm access to the Yorktown and to the resort's subspace transmitter. "May I have some privacy, please?" The two Security guards there look at Kylah, apparently for orders.

"So it's option one, sir, for our approach to the colony buildings?" St. Croix, who had overheard Rangin's discussion with Graham, asks the older officer.

Thunder rolls loudly outside. Delaney is still working on a tricorder.

Kylah hesitates and, after a few hurried seconds of consideration, turns to the security officers, speaking calmly while directing her words to both them and Ebling.

"I am sure you have all taken the usual necessary precautions when securing the room. However, less than an hour ago I was attacked by someone in possession of an extremely unusual weapon--it was not visible to either of us who were its target, including a highly experienced security officer. It must have been either hidden somewhere in the room or was small enough to keep stashed within a pocket. My worry is that the perpetrator might have had access to Lt. Cmdr. Ebling at some point and she is unwittingly in danger of setting it off.

"For this reason I am inclined toward an abundance of caution. Before leaving anyone alone, I would request a thorough scan of everything and--and with permission, everyone. Once we are assured all is clear, then the lieutenant commander will be safe and free to her privacy. Lt. Garcia and I will stay in the bedroom, if that is all right with him," she adds with a deferential glance, "while Ensigns Russell and Nelson will wait just outside the suite. Will that be acceptable, Lieutenant Commander?"

Kylah suddenly takes another look more closely around the room, remembering the apparent plethora of secret doors in this hotel. If there are any other ways to access the room--or to escape--she will revise her assignments accordingly. Otherwise, assuming Ebling agrees and the scans are made without problem, Kylah will make sure everyone takes their assigned positions while Ebling sends her message.

Ebling and the others agree. Russell scans everyone and the room with his tricorder and finds nothing of interest, as Kylah confirms when she checks his readings. This particular hotel room is not a suite, unlike Wilson's and Hardin's living quarters. It does not have a maintenance access door; there is only one door in or out, the one Kylah and Garcia came through.

Kylah and the others leave the Tellarite officer alone as she sits down at the computer terminal. After two minutes she emerges and says, "I've sent the message I needed to. Hopefully we'll have an answer soon."

Graham shakes his head. "Option two--through the trees. A little longer in raw distance but we'll have some cover.". He glances around, noting that it looks like everyone with the possible exception of Delaney is ready. "Everybody ready to go?" he asks.

Running around in a thunderstorm, not done this for a while, thinks Rangin

"As I'll ever be," he calls back to Graham

St. Croix says, "We're all ready, sir."

Delaney looks like he's about to say something, then shakes his head a little and keeps working.

Kylah thanks Ebling, thinking furiously what she should do. "Do you not feel able to answer any further questions, Lieutenant Commander? It will be hours until you receive a reply, and... as I said, this is an urgent matter."

Her words are distracted as her mind wanders, imagining her crewmates as they were when she left them in the transporter room. Have they left yet? The storm raging outside is only part of the danger--and as unpredictable as lightning is, it is still more of a known factor than whatever Hardin is up to.

A thrill of fear runs down her spine--and guilt gnaws at her stomach. She is torn between feeling miserable that she has abandoned Velir, and hoping that she can uncover some information, answer some nagging question, that will be of more use to Velir and the others than she would at their side as a small weakling who can barely hit a target with a phaser and whose knee is still dodgy.

Kylah shakes her head almost imperceptibly, forcing her attention back to the woman in front of her. "However, if you do feel you need to wait, then I will leave to continue the investigation elsewhere in the meantime. The security guards will remain here with you; please inform them as soon as you hear back and they will let me know. Oh--and if you are still willing to grant me access to that appointment journal, I would greatly appreciate it."

Ebling says, "I think I've said all I can for now as to your earlier questions, pending a reply from Starfleet Command. If you have any other questions, though, I will do my best to answer them, Ensign." She accesses the Vice Admiral's daybook via subspace link with the Yorktown, and shows it to Kylah. As she said, it is blank for the days since the ship's arrival here, when he began his shore leave.

"Ok, lieutenant," Graham says. "I don't dispute your ability to conjure up something awesome given enough time, but we hump off in five, adjust accordingly."

Rangin goes across to see if there is anything he can to help Delaney for those five minutes. It was his idea after all.

Kylah will skim through all of the journal, not just the days during the trip, to see if there are any other recognizable names that might be pertinent to the investigation.

She is hard-pressed to think of questions for the flag aide that would not run into an obstacle. She decides to give one last try by focusing on non-Starfleet-related questions. "Can you tell me something about the Vice Admiral's personal life? Does he have family? Any expensive tastes or hobbies? How would you describe his personality when he is not in public? And what would you say had made him so ill prior to coming down here to the planet?" Kylah adds one more risky question. "To a different subject... Is there anything you know, and can tell me, about any negotiations or dealings between the Hwuen and either the Vice Admiral or Starfleet in general?"

Delaney nods and keeps working. He asks Rangin to collect the Security officers' tricorders so that he can make the same modifications to them.

Hardin's daybook goes back years. Kylah looks back a few months, just to start, and sees a number of recognizable names, many top Starfleet brass and even some Federation politicians. The datebook includes official meetings, trips and conferences, as well as social affairs such as dinners, parties and weekend visits. As Comptroller General, Hardin sits on the Board of Admiralty, and has been known to rub elbows with a lot of VIPs.

Ebling says, choosing her words carefully, "The Vice Admiral is a widower and has two grown children. He has a taste for the finer things in life, I would have to say, including food, drink and entertainment. His personality when not in public is really no different from when he is; he is quiet, considerate, experienced and hard-working. I have not spoken to his doctor, but it seemed to me that he was simply exhausted and, well, feeling his age when we arrived here. I know of no particular dealings between the Hwuen and either the Vice Admiral or Starfleet that would have any bearing on OC3."

Frustrated and impatient, Kylah decides there is little to be gained by talking to Ebling at this point; the aide will not divulge anything useful until permitted to by Starfleet. And she has only known him for eight months, Kylah remembers. I cannot expect her to know much about his history with Wilson or WR&R unless it is something that is likely classified.

Before she leaves, she does ask one further question. "And what about his relationships, Lt. Cmdr. Ebling? Romantic or otherwise? Who are his closest connections?"

Ebling hesitates before saying, "There was a woman he often saw in San Francisco, Elisa Hill. She was divorced a few years ago and they seemed to enjoy each others' company - dinner, plays, vids, occasional weekend trips. He has several close friends, inside Starfleet and out, perhaps a half-dozen people or so. He knows many more, hundreds if not thousands of others, from his work, of course."

Rangin nods and gathers all the tricorders to make the necessary adjustments, all the while roughly counting down the time in his head as to how long they have left before they move out.

Kylah bites down on her tongue, staring keenly at the other woman. The hesitations, the awkwardness, the careful parsing of responses... they are adding up to something, but Kylah cannot fathom what it might be. She is more and more concerned that either Hardin's misdeeds indicate corruption woven into the very fabric of Starfleet, or that Starfleet has suspected Hardin was crooked for some time, but did not bother to let anyone in the Yorktown know, willfully leaving the team on the planet with a criminal apparently capable of violence.

Neither reflects well on Starfleet. And neither would be a surprise to Kylah. Just as this line of questioning seems to be no surprise to Ebling, who remains extraordinarily incurious as to why Kylah is probing into her boss's background.

"I see," Kylah says coolly. "I thank you for your cooperation, Lt. Cmdr. Ebling, as far as you have been able to cooperate, at any rate," she says, and then glances at Garcia. "Unless my colleague has some questions, I must leave to attend to other business while you wait for a response from Starfleet."

She will wait to see if Garcia has anything to add; if not, or when he's through, Kylah thanks the security officers and asks them to keep in touch if anything unusual occurs. But before she leaves, she turns around. "Oh... I beg your pardon, Lt. Cmdr. Ebling, I just wondered... you are fairly new to working for Vice Admiral Hardin. Who was his previous aide, why did he or she leave? For that matter, where did you work before, and what led you to work for him?"

Ebling says, "Before my assignment to the Vice Admiral's staff, I served aboard the USS Minsk, a light cruiser often on convoy duty along the Orion frontier. Hardin's previous flag aide was Cmdr. Frederick Boulton, who was then assigned to the Cavour as First Officer. I had asked for a posting to Starfleet Command some time ago, and this was what they gave me. But can you tell me now, Ensign, why you've been asking all these questions?"

Garcia has no questions for her.

Kylah is extraordinarily tempted to say, I am sorry, I will need permission from my superior officer before I can tell you anything further. But pettiness will get her nowhere.

Besides, in the unlikely chance that Ebling is a co-conspirator with Hardin, nothing Kylah reveals will be a surprise. Once he set off that stun field, Hardin had at least ten minutes free in which he could have consulted with Ebling before Graham awoke and ordered the crew to bring the flag aide into a secure room.

"Yes, Lieutenant Commander." Kylah keeps her tone neutral. "Our team has uncovered evidence accusing Vice Admiral Hardin of accepting under-the-table funds from Mr. Wilson--quite possibly extorting them, in fact--in order to obtain and maintain the WR&R license on OC3. Unfortunately, due to a very poor sense of timing on one of our officers' part, Ensign Graham and I were told of this evidence while in the middle of interviewing the Vice Admiral; he heard it just as we did. Before we could even question him, Hardin used some powerful form of technology to stun both Mr. Graham and me, leaving us unconscious for ten minutes. And he has fled the resort."

As ever, Kylah tries to gauge Ebling's emotional reactions, for all the good it will do her. She waits a moment for the woman to digest this information before adding: "Our crew is trying to locate him now, out there in the storm. We have no idea what tech or weapons he possesses. We have no idea what his options are as far as escape. We do not even know if the accusations about corruption are true.

"But he did attack me and Mr. Graham, with vicious aftereffects far worse than any stun I have ever heard about. Whether he is corrupt or not, much less Mr. Wilson's murderer, he has proven to be dangerous. And I repeat: our crew have been forced to follow him."

Kylah takes a step closer to Ebling, not aggressively but rather entreatingly. "If you know anything, if you can share any information that might protect others from getting hurt--including the Vice Admiral--I beg you to let me know."

Having delivered the tricorders Rangin waits to see if there is anything else he can do to help or if its just a few adjustments from Delaney that are erquired, in which case he wil stay out of the way.

What time of Day is it, I appear to have lost track from fun and games. It was 1203 at #2979, does that make it about 1pm-ish now?

Ebling appears genuinely shocked and upset by what Kylah tells her. "That's... that's terrible. I had no idea! I can't think of anything else that might protect others from him, or necessarily lead to his capture, but I have experience in Security. May I help your crew find him?"

Delaney distractedly nods his thanks to Rangin and keeps working.

It is now 1307 hours.

"Your offer is appreciated, sir," Kylah says, a trifle hesitantly. "But I think it would be best for you to remain here for now, especially if you possess information that may be of use once he is successfully taken into custody. We have multiple security officers already searching the grounds, as well as engineering and science officers with expertise in tracking..."

Her stomach tightens at the thought of Velir out there. "I--I do not think putting you at risk would be the wisest course of action. You have said Starfleet Command's permission is required in order for you to speak more freely, which makes me believe you know something that might help me with putting together the pieces of this investigation. Once that permission is granted, I must hear whatever details you have as soon as possible. Besides, you might be a valuable witness in a trial. All the more reason you must remain safe and protected from him--and from anyone else involved, if he is not acting on his own." Kylah rubs her cold hands together, even more anxious when considering the possibility of some as-yet-unknown threat. "I hope you understand, sir."

Graham mentally runs through the plan. Given that he feels pursuing Hardin is necessary, he’s eager to jump off: but he forces himself to be patient. Rangin’s contributed constructive ideas, Delaney’s got strong technical skills, and assuming the train isn’t going off the rails somehow with Ensign Kylah she’s most likely to get something out of further interviews. A minute or two to enable the whole team to contribute—or even just feel as if they are contributing, all things considered—seems, on balance, worth it.

Plus I volunteered to be first in the door, he thinks, imagining it would be par for the course on this mission to barge in on a waiting Hardin with his finger on the headache-making device….

Barring any further protests by Ebling--and even if there are, Kylah will remain staunch in her decision--Kylah moves toward the door, where she very quietly asks Nelson and Russell to make certain the flag aide remains in place, and to take note... unobtrusively... of any communications she makes. With a final expression of gratitude toward everyone she is leaving behind, Kylah leaves Room 316, waiting for Garcia to accompany her.

As they head toward the elevator, she picks up her communicator to contact Mr. Hsu (going through the receptionist, if that is necessary). While she waits to connect, she glances up at her fellow Communications officer, wondering what he is thinking. He is a colleague, and a skilled one to boot. I should have asked his advice earlier, she thinks regretfully. I am as bad as Collins and Graham.

"Do you... do you think I was right, sir? In turning down Ebling's offer? I am fairly confident she meant it sincerely, but both for her own safety and that of our crew, I did not think another body running around in the storm would be helpful. Especially since she seems to hold important information. And there is still a small chance she is not all she claims to be..."

Once Hsu responds to her call, Kylah will ask him whether he has any updates on the headcount--his plan to ask guests and staff to check in using their thumbprint IDs. She wants very much to know whether anyone is unaccounted for.

Ebling nods reluctantly. "I suppose that makes sense. All right, I will remain here. Thank you, Ensign, and good luck."

Russell and Nelson acknowledge Kylah's request and will comply. Garcia says, outside of their and Ebling's hearing, "I think that was the right call, Mr. Kylah. Probably best that she not be out in harm's way, hunting her former boss, you know?"

Delaney keeps working hard on the tricorders. He is done with the first and working on a second.

Hsu replies to Kylah: "We've worked our way through most of the guests and all of the staff. So far, everyone's present and accounted for. Should have a final answer in the next 20 minutes or so, if all goes well."

Kylah nods as she enters the elevator. "Thank you, Mr. Hsu. However, if you please, rather than wait until you are through, I would like to be informed as soon as possible if someone has not checked in. That may be twenty minutes, or it may be five. The faster information is passed along, the better, I am sure you will agree." She pauses, remembering the flickering lights. "What is the status of the resort's power, Mr. Hsu? The storm seems to be affecting the lights. Is there a danger of losing power altogether? Is there a backup plan?"

When the elevator reaches the ground floor Kylah quickens her pace toward the CP. Distracted, it takes Kylah a few moments to realize belatedly that Garcia has responded to her. She gives him a fleeting grateful smile, relieved that she might have done the right thing. She looks around the corridors as she walks, curious to see whether the guests have all been herded into their rooms or if they are still walking around.

Rangin watches what Delaney is doing and decides that given the time and complexity of what Lt Delaney is doing that staying quiet and helping out where he can is the better option. If Lt Delaney, he would surely ask.

There are still quite a few people in the hallways and public areas of the resort, Kylah notices. Hsu says, "So far, we can't be sure if a guest is just somewhere unexpected or unplanned. We haven't ordered everyone to return to their rooms, but we could, if Starfleet asks. The resort is powered by a fusion reactor. Its operation is unaffected by the storm, but the transmission grid is definitely under some strain. It's been this bad before, but not often."

Rangin can see that what Delaney is doing is pretty complex and beyond his own technical skills.

Looking up reflexively at any light fixtures as she continues walking, Kylah offers a silent prayer that things do not go from bad to worse. "I will check with our Security to see what they recommend as far as keeping people in one place. Should the power go out, having anxious people roaming around in the dark--aside from what little natural light we are getting from outside--could add one more unnecessary element of chaos we do not need. What is your instinct on this matter, Mr. Hsu?"

A thought strikes her. "I do not know if you have received instructions from Ensign Graham, and if you have then they will supersede my own. But I wonder if you think it a good idea to station security guards at entrances to the resort? At least, any place that might be a likely spot for Hardin to enter, should he double back here. I understand your team's resources may already be stretched to capacity, and this may not be possible."

Once she reaches the CP, she presses her thumb on the pad to access the room.

Hsu says, somewhat reluctantly, "I'm willing to order everyone to their rooms if Starfleet requests it, as I said, but I'm afraid it might do more harm than good. We definitely want to avoid a panic. Let me check with Mrs. Hsu. My staff is also definitely stretched to the limit - I only have eight people, and they're all out counting heads right now."

Garcia and Kylah reach the CP and the door opens at her thumbprint. No one is in there.

There is a long roll of thunder from outside, and the lights dim briefly.

The brief taste of darkness quickens Kylah's breathing. Distracted, she nods at Hsu's words, then realizes there's no point in nodding to herself. "Of course, Mr. Hsu, I know your security team is minimal. Perhaps staff members from elsewhere in the resort could assist in the head count, allowing your guards to do what they are best suited for--protecting your guests? Something to consider, at any rate. I will let you get back to your work now. Thank you." She shuts her communicator and looks around the CP.

The room looks bleak, the empty chairs a kind of rebuke: while the others are in danger, Kylah has hidden herself here, where the only danger is likely eye strain.

With a sigh, she sits down at the terminal she has arbitrarily considered 'hers' since the CP was set up. The magnitude of her self-imposed task seems overwhelming. To re-examine all the notes and data from the past two days...

Kylah shifts her gaze to her colleague. "Sir, I wonder, if you would not mind... Could you contact Lieutenant Thalen for me? He had assigned some officers the job of looking through guest correspondence and financial data, and they might have nearly finished by now. The guest correspondence is likely a dead end, given what we now know about Hardin, but nevertheless, we should not make any assumptions. We may have proof of his corruption, but for murder... I find it hard to believe he acted alone. So if Lt. Thalen and the others have found anything, perhaps you could--"

She cuts herself off and flushes. "I am sorry, it is not for me to give you orders, Lieutenant. I will be re-reading all our notes. All the data has been shared, so if you wish to look at it as well, I would be extremely grateful for your expertise and fresh viewpoint. I know there are angles we did not pursue, questions we did not ask. We must find them, and get the answers."

Kylah's fingers tap the computer even as she speaks. Her mind is going back to the start of the mission, the Yorktown's initial approach to OC3 and the other ships in orbit. For some reason she flashes on Delaney dropping his datapad at the mere sight of the Chariot. If they had known what Fastolfe's presence on the planet would mean...

And then the first unanswered question pops into existence. She opens up a new file and jots it down. For that, I will have to ask Mrs. Hsu, she considers. There will probably be several questions to ask Mattie Hsu, and there is no point in contacting her for each one individually. Kylah purses her lips and then starts scrolling through the numerous notes and evidence collected since they arrived.

Rangin looks up from where Lt Delaney is working into the outside storm and shudders.

Rangin can remember the last time he did something this foolish, feel the rain on him again, hear the Chief's voice again...

Hsu says, "I actually do have some non-Security folks who I know are especially trustworthy already helping with the headcount. Hope to have a final answer for you soon."

Garcia smiles and says, "You've been at this investigation longer than I have, Mr. Kylah, so I'm glad to follow your lead. Don't worry about rank; I know I don't. I'll contact Lt. Thalen to see what's up." Thalen soon reports that their review of guest correspondence and financial data has not revealed anything confirming any improper dealings by either Wilson or Hardin.

Kylah nods her thanks to Garcia, both before and after he contacts Thalen for her. She is not surprised by the results of the correspondence/data search, but disappointed and a bit embarrassed to have wasted her colleagues' time.

After a little while of refreshing her memory by reading through some of the material, including the depositions from the nightclub witnesses, Kylah gathers a list of questions that are primarily appropriate for the Hsus--particularly Mrs. Hsu, but not solely.

Kylah leans on her elbow and absently gnaws at a thumbnail in thought. She would really rather speak to the woman in person, since her ability to assess emotions is greatly hampered by mere voice communications. Not that her empathic abilities have been of great use at all in this mission--if anything, they have been a detriment. Still, it is her only real advantage, considering her lack of experience or technical knowledge, not to mention her poor track record with interviews here at the resort.

She hesitates, then contacts Mr. Hsu again. "I am sorry to bother you, Mr. Hsu. But I have a few questions after looking over the findings you and Lt. Delaney made regarding the transporter logs and power surges. There seem to be some anomalies on which I would appreciate your opinion.

"You reported yesterday afternoon that the transporter logs had been erased as late as 0500 that morning--in other words, only four and a half hours after the murder--but also going back as far as forty-eight hours earlier." Kylah lifts a finger and touches the screen as she reads the notes. "It was as if the transporter didn't exist for the past two days. What I do not understand is why this would be necessary. What could have happened two days--no, now it is three days ago--that someone would have wanted to hide? None of the people whom we have been focusing on, including Admiral Hardin, were even here back then."

She skips ahead in her notes. "Further, this actually ties together with the findings of the Yorktown engineers who examined the transporter traces in Lord Fastolfe's house this morning. One engineer dated the signals as having originated from three to six days prior to the scan--or, when consulting with a transporter specialist, the date was narrowed to perhaps two to four days. While they said themselves it is not an exact science, that is still a rather large discrepancy, when if we are to understand things, the knives were actually taken fewer than thirty-six hours before the signals were scanned--and Fastolfe was not even on the planet at the earliest time frame they gave me."

Kylah shakes her head and looks at Garcia, wondering if he finds this as odd as she does. "What do you make of this, Mr. Hsu? Should we be looking more closely at people who were here at the very least two days ago? Would Mrs. Hsu be the correct person to ask about the manifests regarding who arrived at that time?"

Graham notices the lights flicker. He’s mostly agnostic as to whether the resort’s power stays on or not: the cameras are marginally useful at best in the Sandoval colony, and, in fact, given the illicit and unauthorized use of the resort’s transporters he’d just as well they be offline for the time being. He continues to give Delaney time to work above and beyond an arbitrary 5 minute deadline.

For a moment, he closes his eyes and his mind wanders. Isn’t it ironic to be at resort and thinking ‘I need a vacation,’ he thinks. Then ‘I wonder where Bennett likes to vacation.’


He remembers the perfume and charging into the face of the unknown in the Sandoval colony buildings abruptly feels much easier than giving her the gift back on the ship

Hsu says, "I wondered about that myself. I suspect that Hardin - if it was him, as certainly seems likely now - wanted to muddy the waters a bit, and not make it obvious that whoever was tampering with the records and other systems had arrived with the Yorktown or one of the other ships that same day. It would force us to cast our net a bit more broadly, if all the problems or suspicious activity didn't start right then. You're welcome to contact my wife, but I'd be glad to access the guest and staff lists for you as to whoever arrived in that timeframe, or have one of our people in Guest Services do so."

Delaney finishes with the second tricorder and picks up a third.

Kylah scowls at the terminal. "Yes, I thought that might have been the case with the data logs--it would have obscured our hunt somewhat." If we had ever noticed the discrepancy, she thinks, wondering that Delaney did not spot it. "But the transporter signals themselves... I cannot see how they could have been faked, can you?" Her eyes scan down the notes on the screen. "And the transporter power surges are also odd. The murder occurred at approximately 00.30. The power surges began after that, a full hour later. That makes no sense, given the knives were supposedly part of that activity. And besides, why such a long delay before the body was moved?"

She sighs. "I know it is not fair to ask so many questions, Mr. Hsu, but none of the other investigators on my team are available. I am just wondering if it is possible there is more to this than one seventy-year-old man performing all these activities. The whole plan seems to vacillate between premeditation--Hardin having brought some sort of technology that would get rid of the spore effects--and pure serendipity, such as Fastolfe's attack on Wilson and having brought along multiple knives. And why did Hardin steal so many of the knives when only one was needed? There is just... too much that makes no sense. It seems too convoluted for one person to have accomplished, does it not?"

Kylah pushes her chair back and ponders how to best phrase the issue about Mrs. Hsu. "I would like to speak to your wife personally, if that is all right. It has been a while and I think, as the only representative left from the team, I should make the effort to see how she is doing," she improvises.

Hsu shrugs. "A person doesn't become the top finance guy for Starfleet without having something on the ball, I suppose. I haven't seen anything yet to suggest that anyone other than Hardin is responsible for the murder and coverup... attempted coverup. He planned some things, but others may have been useful happenstance. But by all means, contact Mrs. Hsu."

Kylah's frown deepens, but she just thanks Hsu and shuts her communicator before looking at Garcia. "Sometimes I wonder about security officers' brains. Hsu says there is nothing to suggest anyone other than Hardin is guilty of the murder. I have not seen anything to suggest that Hardin himself is guilty of the murder. Corruption, yes. Wishing to flee a charge that would lead to an arrest, certainly. But we still have seen no actual reason for him to kill Wilson. A vague motive and technical knowledge are not exclusive to the Vice Admiral. Meanwhile, Hsu also considers it happenstance that on the very day Hardin allegedly planned to murder Wilson, he is suddenly presented with the gift of Fastolfe--someone with a motive, a large set of knives, and a very public argument--all on a silver platter ready to frame. Happenstance," Kylah repeats dryly. "I do not think Rosemary Calvin would dare write something so coincidental in one of her mysteries. And he says nothing about the transporter signals that could not have been faked."

Standing up, she moves to the door. "I must speak with Mrs. Hsu face to face, and it... it may need to be private, at least partially. Perhaps you should stay here and look through the data to familiarize yourself with the case?"

Garcia nods. "All right... unless you think you might be in any danger, going off by yourself?"

Kylah raises an eyebrow. "I have been told Hardin is the tactical genius and astonishingly fit physical specimen who planned and executed this by himself. So whom should I fear?" she asks dryly.

But she turns sober, taking Garcia's concern more to heart. "In all likelihood the danger lurks outside, not here in the hotel. I do believe there must have been someone assisting Hardin, but... if so, he--or she--is probably the very person Hardin went to meet when he fled to the Sandoval Colony. I would not be surprised if there were a cloaked ship somewhere. How else could he hope to escape?"

Pausing, Kylah looks at the door for a moment. "If I were to suspect anyone in particular, it would be the Hwuen, Prolun Jaxo. He lied multiple times during our interview--I know he was not upfront about whether he was still affected by the spores. Most of all, he and Hardin seemed to be in collusion about something, and at this point there is no reason to believe anything Hardin told us about his dealings with the Hwuen. My point is, the Jaxo and his cohorts are either already with Hardin, in which case our colleagues must face them..." Her throat tightens at the frightening thought, and she clears it before continuing. "Or more likely still in their private residence. Not in the resort itself. In any event, I am just going up to the administrative offices. I am sure Mr. Hsu has those areas well protected."

She turns back to Garcia. "But thank you, I do appreciate your concern. While you are reading, if I may suggest one area in particular to focus on, it would be the witness statements. There are many of them, and while I have found two curiosities there--one of which seems to have been proven correct, as it involved Hardin--I may have missed still more. If you find anything unusual or illuminating, please let me know."

Giving him a small smile, she heads out to the corridor. Although Kylah expects no trouble, she is not completely foolhardy: one hand is firmly grasping her phaser.

Rangin notices Lt Delaney and thinks to himself, he's going to try and convert them all. There is doing a full job and then there is doing work so as not to get wet.

Rangin crouches down by the Engineering Lt and asks, "Sir, if we have two devices which can give us a fair chance of a warning, perhaps if we carried them, we could at least give a warning to the others when the tricorders alert. Is it really necessary to convert all of them while Hardin is still out there preparing?"

Garcia nods and turns to his computer terminal.

Delaney looks up distractedly and says, "I thought he'd want them all, so I'm converting them all. The Security detail might not remain in just two groups. It's his call, though."

Graham can't fully overhear what Rangin and Delaney are talking about, but after noticing his own mind wander he worries the Security team in particular will lose focus if they delay further. "Lt. Delaney--have you gotten the minimum necessary... uh, stuff... in place? If so, let's move out."

Delaney turns from Rangin and says, "I've modified two tricorders to serve as lightning-strike alarms, and was going to do the rest, if you want, Mr. Graham."

Kylah heads to the administrative offices but her thoughts remain with her colleagues. They must have left by now. Already soaked by the rain, probably cold, almost certainly alert and on edge. Is she a coward for deserting them? Her lungs feel tight as she contemplates the harsh truth. I was afraid and useless. No, not was, I still am. What good am I here?

She cannot tell if she is imagining the sound of rain and thunder from the storm, or if she can actually hear it from these corridors. Her mind might be playing guilty tricks on her. She closes her eyes for a few seconds and stands still, trying to picture Velir, to feel his warm presence as if she can really reach out to him at such a distance, which she believes is impossible--at least, she has never been able to connect emotionally with someone so far away before.

Nevertheless she tries to reassure herself by invoking the memory of what it is like to stand beside this calm, composed, rational being. He will not take pointless risks. He will look out for the others and himself. Velir is no coward, unlike Kylah, but he will do his best to ensure that Graham and the other security crew members do not behave like wild, impetuous beasts.

What would he expect of her? He would want her to do her best. To find the truth. More than Hsu or possibly even Graham, Velir cares about the entire process, that things follow a logical progression. No matter what Hsu says, there must be more than a mere assumption that Hardin is responsible for Wilson's death--there must be proof. And if there is not, perhaps someone else is to blame. Hsu is willing to believe the extraordinary coincidence of Hardin wanting Wilson dead and Fastolfe conveniently providing him the means that very day; why not then believe in the possible coincidence of Hardin being guilty of corruption, but someone else guilty of murder?

No matter what, some evidence must exist somewhere, and since Kylah has taken herself out of the most dangerous part of the mission, she must back her team up by assisting them in this way: to make sure that if--when--they capture Hardin, there will be something substantial to prove him guilty.

Oh please, Kylah prays as she nears Mrs. Hsu's office, Please let me accomplish at least that much!

"Let's go with what we have in hand, lieutenant," Graham replies. "One for each group."

Mrs. Hsu is in her office and invites Kylah in. She looks worried. "Any news, Ensign?" she asks.

"All right, sir," Delaney says, holding out the two modified tricorders to Graham.

Rangin waits to see who Graham passes the tricorders out to, and the nerves begin to start again as the time to move out gets that little bit closer.

"All right, S-C, you're all about speed, Gelili you're about marksmanship, so tricorder one is with me. Rangin, you probably actually know what rondo with this thing so number two is with you. Let's get this show on the road."

Kylah greets Mrs. Hsu. "I do have some questions for you, but I understand that you need to be made aware of the situation. Of course, I do not know much Mr. Hsu has told you," she says carefully. "So before I begin, perhaps you can tell me what you know thus far, so I need not repeat things unnecessarily."