Judgement – Fallout
by Lieutenant Commander Jarred Wallace & Captain Tasha Tahir (NPC) & Commander Richard Dunham & Commander Chelsea Dunham & Citizen Min Zhao
Post Details
On:
John and Marti were in the turbo lift when they got the word about the incident in the bar, Marti clearly looked distressed, John was angry when he got some of the details of events, as the exited the turbolift the walked directly to the med-bay. John saw a small congregation of people, mostly medical staff racing about, presumably working on the Chief.
Marti looked over at John, "All hell is about to break loose isn't it."
"Its about to get worse, here comes Dunham." John commented ~this could've ended a lot differently if that guy had some balls.~ John thought keeping thought to himself.
Marti and John chose to ignore Dunham as he was escorted into sick bay by security, that attitude changed when the Captain followed them in, the duo quickly stood at attention.
Tasha was angry, very angry. Every night this week, she had been called from her quarters to sort out some mess or other and now she was called yet again, to attend to a matter in the sickbay.
A few minutes later, she strode towards sickbay, just behind what looked like two security officers flanking Commander Dunham.
She stood outside the door, hands on hips and grinding her teeth, listening to the loud conversation taking place on the other side.
Rick head down and busy on his PaDD working on updates he had received from his department was to engrossed to notice the reaction of the men from intelligence, let alone that they were there.
John decided to be the more diplomatic member of intelligence, despite events of the last 4 hours, "You were one of the last people to see the chief before he was assaulted, were these the men he was following?" holding out a PaDD with a surveillance image taken outside the Box of Delights.
Rick pocketed his own PaDD that he had been working on and accepted the PaDD presented to him, holding it, he examined the image carefully, giving it his undivided attention, after some thought he said, "yes, I believe so"
"You're aware that these two are wanted for questioning in their involvement in multiple pirate attacks in the sector and the disappearance of Lieutenant Wallace?" John said showing restraint
"I am now, but at the time leading up to the bar fight, I was not made aware of all these details, at the time I was under the understanding, that these two were involved of in the kidnapping of Lieutenant Wallace."
"That Doesn't completely match statements that have been collected." John said referring to the statements from the barman Rosh Pelin and one of the waitresses, "We're not here to accuse you of anything, the two men were apprehended in Cargo bay six six seven about an hour ago, but a formal investigation may implicate you and we want to keep that from happening."
Martina spoke, "That isn't a threat, we want the Lieutenant back." Marti didn't finish her thought "Doc hows' the chief?"
"Hold, on..." said Rick calmly and with a hint of humor in his voice. "Implicate me in what?" he asked politely
"The statement from the waitress says that when the chief asked you to help him capture the two suspects you refused, that could be misinterpreted as conspiracy, the only thing saving you from that is your history with the lieutenant, but most of the JAG types would make it look different, and since we can't access all of the Lieutenant's files we don't know if those two, plus the guy in the morgue who was found dead twenty hours ago are the only suspects." Marti said.
"Yeah your right. And I will tell you why.....first off I found the whole situation morally and ethically dubious, when an intelligence department NCO, wanted to arrest someone without contacting, informing or requesting the aid of the security department. Now last time I checked it was security who made arrests on this station not Intel."
Martina exploded into a fit of rage "You bastard, your making it look more and more like your involved, maybe we should lock you up!" She grabbed the padd from Johns' hand "We had orders, flyboy!" She shrieked
Tasha could hear the rising voice and entered the room. She was getting more irate at every passing second.
John took over "Admiral Janeway contacted us, and the captain to use any means necessary to get the matter resolved." He paused watching Martina storm out of sickbay "Your inaction has put us is a fix now and your lack of co-operation may have just finished your career." John looked up "Captain unless there's a reason not to arrest him?"
"Ok. Lets get security down here to arrest me, at least then it might be legal, oh and let's not forget that the chief made an arrest, legal or not, under the influence of alcohol" said Rick facing the captain for her order.
That was her cue and she had heard more than enough. She was not nearly satisfied that Ricks arrest was deserved, nor was it legal. Inaction was not an arrestable offense.
"So by the Commanders inaction, he is now considered a suspect?" Her own voice was far above her usual platonic tone as she stared at the intelligence officer. She moved to the side of Rick and took the PaDD from the table where the woman had just thrown it in her own rage. She now studied the image. Two people, one large, one a little shorter. Her cold eyed stare came back to the officer.
"Name and Rank?" She ordered.
"Ensign John Maxwell" John started to get a bad feeling.
"Rick, your rank?" She questioned.
"Lieutenant Commander, Ma'am" replied Rick
"So, Ensign Maxwell, do you really believe that Commander Dunham is to be arrested for inaction? Or is it because the Chief has suffered an injury, whilst complicit to alcohol, may have just made matters worse?" She eyed him for a moment, waiting for his lips to move but not allowing him time to speak. "I don't think that you should treat an officer as such. Commander Dunham has done nothing wrong. Just because he did not help a man who decided to take a security matter into his own hands, he is now subject to your misplaced feelings for your own inadequacies!" She shook her head for effect.
"Ensign Maxwell, you owe Commander Dunham an immediate apology and the next time you decide to take this stations security matters into your own hands, I will have you busted down to deck cleaner." Tasha's veins rose on her neck "Do I make myself understood!" She yelled back at the intelligence officer. "Now, run along like your colleague and let the adults do the work around here. You are dismissed!" She added with a scowl and her hand rose to the door, showing John the exit.
As she pointed, Tasha didn't notice that Commander Adams had arrived.
Realizing that Tasha clearly had the situation well in hand, Chelsea went over to the bio-bed with the casualty in it and began reading the assessment file that was handed to her by a duty doctor.
Rhiana walked in, she could see the situation was a little too tense, "Uh I'd hate to make things go from bad to worse, but this image was found in the only surveillance files we have of Mr. O'bahn's cafe, and its not good." Rhiana passed the PaDD to the Captain "Mr O'bahn and his brother were the pair that kicked the crap of of the Chief, and the officer hes' talking to is You Lieutenant Commander."
Chelsea looked up and across at the group. She had been summoned by Ed McBain when he had seen that whatever was kicking off involved her beloved Dunham. Ed had been concerned about calling the CMO out because it had been only a couple of hours ago that he himself had treated her wounds from her kidnap ordeal and he had instructed her to go home and rest.
However, knowing her as he did, from literally years of working together, he suspected he might be the next one in a bio-bed if he had tried to keep it from her that Rick might be in some kind of trouble.
Chelsea had a tricorn hat to wear in this situation. For the first point, the Doctor in her wanted to check Rick over in case he'd got hurt in whatever scuffle had taken place. For the second, the fiancee in her wanted to ask him ~Where did you get to between now and when I last saw you, telling me to rest and that you'd be right there while I was asleep, and how in the name of the Prophets did you get involved in this?~
And for the third corner of her hat, the AXO in her was glad that the Captain was here so she didn't have to actually ask those questions officially. Judging by the way this situation seemed to be going, it would have been alleged that she had not been impartial if Chelsea had been obliged to take the correct yet clearly contended stand that Tasha had.
Rick looked over the captain's shoulder at the picture of him talking to the man in a cafe on the promenade of deep space five. "Yeah I remember that it was a few days ago, it was cafe, I was ordering coffee, and if you check the time stamp to our own security footage and zoom out of the picture on our own security sensors, you will see I am with several other starfleet officers, ordering coffee."
Tahir looked back to Rhiana. She was beginning to feel surrounded by Intelligence officers like a piece of well cooked steak around a pack of hungry wolves.
"It seems to me, that lately, your department have found all manner of things to imply that key members of my staff are corrupt. I remind you, that you are here to find the subversants who have put that man on the bio-bed," Her hand rose to the Chief, "not to point fingers. Before you make another statement against Commander Dunham, I suggest you ensure you have the proper proof to back up these accusations." Tasha was getting angrier by the second and it was now her turn to dismiss the PaDD to the desk on her right. Her hands then firmly planted on her hips and her face had started to redden in annoyance.
The three intelligence Ensigns' looked at the PaDD a second time. Then an Audible sound of a tricorder came and went. Then more mumbling followed by "are you sure?". Then John turned and said to Dunham "Who's this Marine?"
"That" said Rick leaning in again to take another look at the picture "Is Marine Lance Corporal Spartan, just transferred to the station last month, good kid, my brother in law asked me to keep an eye on him.....bit of a attitude problem though.." said Rick conversationally.
John walked over the a nearby computer terminal and pulled out his tricorder again, "Lance Corporal Lance James Spartan, Marine Pilot, flight status suspended due to dangerous fly by USS Goodson, Disciplinary hearing flight status suspended fourteen days, reassignment to deep space five for cross training program, mission list....."John paused as he scanned "Four of his last five duty assignments he was assigned to either security or fighter cover for the more violent hi-jinx." John looked at his colleagues, "we need to interview him."
Rhiana clued in finally "That's why the image notes say to talk to Dunham."
Dunham rubbed the stress away by rubbing his forehead. To use an old British phrase; these guys were not on the ball. "No kidding, so what next?"
Rhiana was still trying to figure out the message, "Did he know about the cargo on his last mission?"
Dunham scratched the stubble on his chin in reflective thought. "It's a distinct possibility."
John who was still at the terminal away from the rest of the crowd turned around, "Mr Dunham I think you're going to have to bring in the young man."
"Can we have some sort of evidence based on fact first and not co-incidental or just a load of feted dingo's kidneys?" said Dunham with a touch of the cynical.
John played an audio clip he had salvaged while the rest were discussing ".....in two hours......Deuterium tank..r....Starbase........six hour hop......see you the......" John paused the recording "The audio is useless with out a confession or admission of some kind."
"And what if he doesn't give you one, now I'm no lawyer but surely that would be insubmissible in court as evidence? I know I'm just a pilot, but couldn't we get something more solid before we go throwing accusations around and questioning people?" he looked to the captain for an answer.
Tasha gave a very loud sigh as she looked around the medical room and the glare that she was being given by Chelsea and she knew that this argument was being listened to by all the persons in the room an that Doctor Adams was doing her level best to remain out the situation.
"Let's take this elsewhere." She said as she noticed the young female at the back of the medical bay give her a small beckoning with her hand, rising just above her waist.
Tasha did not know who she was, she had seen her somewhere, but could not place where. "Better still, leave it until the morning, when we have slept and had a chance to look at things with a clear head and an even clearer vision." She stated as her hand reached out to Dunham's arm, to stop him from going anywhere, for he moment anyhow.
John decided to throw fuel on the fire "If anything happens between now and the morning Mr Dorian won't be the only one in a holding cell." he paused "not exactly how I plan on spending my leave.
Rick was not impressed, but said nothing, he just prayed for the day that Intel got their boss back, because at the moment it felt like watching a headless chicken.
The Captain watched as the small entourage of Intelligence officers filed out of sickbay and only when the door closed, did she direct Rick to the annexed office and beckoned Chelsea over.
"Doctor, keep Rick calm. I need a word about the chief, but do you know who the young female over there is, she just caught my attention and I think she may have some input." Her head cocked over Chelsea's shoulder to ensure that she was still there.
Chelsea suppressed a smirk. "Yes Ma'am" she replied with her best professional face firmly fixed as she changed her attention to reporting on the person Tasha was asking about.
"That patient is a civilian, newly arrived to the station from - no fixed abode, according to her medical records. She was hurt in the incident and is here for treatment as you can see. I know nothing else about her I'm afraid, she appears to be a bit of an enigma".
"Thank you." Tasha replied managing to muster up a weak smile and watched as Chelsea took Rick by the hand and led him to the office.
Tasha made her way over to the woman now identified by the Doctor as Min
"Were you trying to get my attention?" Tasha asked in a hushed voice, hoping she would shed some light on the events in the Box Of Delights.
Min nodded. Between her one arm in a sling, some bruising on her face, and her torn clothes Min looked and felt like a mess. So much for her first day aboard DS5. "I'm sorry if I overheard that conversation but everyone's voices were carrying." She paused. "I gave a statement to Security about the two men who attacked the Chief but from what you folks have been discussing there may be more I can help with."
Tasha reached out and gently caressed her good arm, giving her a little encouragement whilst also serving to ease her own temper.
"Anything you can tell me, anything at all will be of help. I don't think that the Commander is being treated fairly and if you saw something that can help he or the chief," Her head bobbed to the bed where the Chief was lying in a semi conscious state, "then please, let me know."
Tasha could see that the young woman was confused and a little scared. Tasha had not seen her aboard the station before and could only surmise that Yolanthe had brought her in to help in the bar.
"I don't know what they're talking about with the Lt Commander but I can assure you that he wasn't involved in the scuffle at the BoD. The chief on the other hand... was quite drunk and decided to arrest both men with the Commander's help. The Commander refused and the Chief went it alone."
Tasha nodded, listening intently and easing herself down onto her knees, still resting her hand on Min's arm and looking up her, as if she were talking with a child and didn't want to look oppressive. ~Drunk and stupid ~ She thought to herself, ~ At least Rick had more sense. ~
"Alone?" She voiced in a hushed reply, not really expecting an answer though it came out like a question. "It's not really what officers would do when sober.." She stated, again not asking but voicing her thoughts.
"It seemed odd but it's not my place to question what Starfleet personnel do. Anyways, When the first of the two suspects departed, it seemed odd to me that the second one hadn't left so I decided, rather stupidly in retrospect, to investigate and make sure that everything was okay upstairs."
"And when you went upstairs?" Tahir inquired, this time she was seeking an answer.
"I told this part to security but I found the second man upstairs standing over the chief's body busy typing commands into the holosuite console. I'd found the Chief's phaser so I aimed it at the man and ordered him to step away from the console. Next thing I know he's charging me. I managed to get a shot off before he tossed me aside. I winged him but a phaser set to heavy stun should drop almost any humanoid should it not?"
Tasha nodded. "Indeed it would." She said as she found herself wondering what the man was doing to the control panel. "Do you now what he was doing to the console, what he was typing?" She pushed, knowing that the young woman could break any second from shock.
"I honestly don't know what he was doing with the holosuite but I know for a fact that it doesn't take that much command entry to program a holosuite, even older civilian models. I know I'm supposed to stick with the facts but that much command entry into a holosuite console means he wasn't programming the holosuite. Last time I saw that much manual entry a colleague was hacking the Orion's holosuite console to gain console access to a security override."
~Security override? ~ Tasha eased herself back to her feet. "Thank you. You have been extremely helpful. A lot more than you realise." The Captain smiled and patted her arm and began to turn, but as she did so, the woman gripped at her upper arm, pulling her back closer to her, whispering.
"There was one other minor detail I just remembered. The man upstairs had some dull metallic patches on his face, almost like an armor plating or some sort of rigid bandage. It looked almost Borg like. Hell, he acted almost Borg like. Which is of course impossible but that's what it reminded me of."
The mention of Borg for the second time today made Tasha's heart skip a beat. She felt her face drain of color. This was too much of a coincidence that a Civilian would have this information especially after the days events.
Her eyes softened as she looked at Min but her smile had all but gone. She took her hand in her own and then cupped it with both of her hands.
"Get some rest. You have been very brave." She praised, hoping that the words would help her to overcome any hurdles she would have to face in the next few days. "If you need a bed here, I will make sure the Doctor gives you the best in the med center." Her smile was tight, but earnest.
As she stepped backwards, she felt a huge sense of something. It was not relief, but an overwhelming fear that things were about to get worse before they got better.
She too a breath as she pulled down her tunic and half way across the room, she turned back to see Min watching her. She wanted to give a friendly wave, a reassuring way that everything was going to be okay, but she didn't know what was going to happen or when. She winked instead and pushed open the door to Chelsea's office.
tbc...
OFF:
Captain Tasha Tahir
CO
Min Zhao
Civilian
Intelligence officers:
Ens. John Maxwell
Ens. Martina Perth
Ens. Rhiana t'Sahen
CAG Squadron Leader
Lieutenant Commander Richard Dunham
AXO & CMO
Commander Chelsea Adams
by Lieutenant Commander Jarred Wallace & Captain Tasha Tahir (NPC) & Commander Richard Dunham & Commander Chelsea Dunham & Citizen Min Zhao
Post Details
| Title | Fallout | |
| Mission | Judgement | |
| Author(s) | Lieutenant Commander Jarred Wallace & Captain Tasha Tahir (NPC) & Commander Richard Dunham & Commander Chelsea Dunham & Citizen Min Zhao | |
| Posted | Fri Feb 25, 2011 @ 6:56pm | |
| Location | Sick bay | |
| Timeline | SD36 22:00 - 4 hours after "Don't write the obituary" |
John and Marti were in the turbo lift when they got the word about the incident in the bar, Marti clearly looked distressed, John was angry when he got some of the details of events, as the exited the turbolift the walked directly to the med-bay. John saw a small congregation of people, mostly medical staff racing about, presumably working on the Chief.
Marti looked over at John, "All hell is about to break loose isn't it."
"Its about to get worse, here comes Dunham." John commented ~this could've ended a lot differently if that guy had some balls.~ John thought keeping thought to himself.
Marti and John chose to ignore Dunham as he was escorted into sick bay by security, that attitude changed when the Captain followed them in, the duo quickly stood at attention.
Tasha was angry, very angry. Every night this week, she had been called from her quarters to sort out some mess or other and now she was called yet again, to attend to a matter in the sickbay.
A few minutes later, she strode towards sickbay, just behind what looked like two security officers flanking Commander Dunham.
She stood outside the door, hands on hips and grinding her teeth, listening to the loud conversation taking place on the other side.
Rick head down and busy on his PaDD working on updates he had received from his department was to engrossed to notice the reaction of the men from intelligence, let alone that they were there.
John decided to be the more diplomatic member of intelligence, despite events of the last 4 hours, "You were one of the last people to see the chief before he was assaulted, were these the men he was following?" holding out a PaDD with a surveillance image taken outside the Box of Delights.
Rick pocketed his own PaDD that he had been working on and accepted the PaDD presented to him, holding it, he examined the image carefully, giving it his undivided attention, after some thought he said, "yes, I believe so"
"You're aware that these two are wanted for questioning in their involvement in multiple pirate attacks in the sector and the disappearance of Lieutenant Wallace?" John said showing restraint
"I am now, but at the time leading up to the bar fight, I was not made aware of all these details, at the time I was under the understanding, that these two were involved of in the kidnapping of Lieutenant Wallace."
"That Doesn't completely match statements that have been collected." John said referring to the statements from the barman Rosh Pelin and one of the waitresses, "We're not here to accuse you of anything, the two men were apprehended in Cargo bay six six seven about an hour ago, but a formal investigation may implicate you and we want to keep that from happening."
Martina spoke, "That isn't a threat, we want the Lieutenant back." Marti didn't finish her thought "Doc hows' the chief?"
"Hold, on..." said Rick calmly and with a hint of humor in his voice. "Implicate me in what?" he asked politely
"The statement from the waitress says that when the chief asked you to help him capture the two suspects you refused, that could be misinterpreted as conspiracy, the only thing saving you from that is your history with the lieutenant, but most of the JAG types would make it look different, and since we can't access all of the Lieutenant's files we don't know if those two, plus the guy in the morgue who was found dead twenty hours ago are the only suspects." Marti said.
"Yeah your right. And I will tell you why.....first off I found the whole situation morally and ethically dubious, when an intelligence department NCO, wanted to arrest someone without contacting, informing or requesting the aid of the security department. Now last time I checked it was security who made arrests on this station not Intel."
Martina exploded into a fit of rage "You bastard, your making it look more and more like your involved, maybe we should lock you up!" She grabbed the padd from Johns' hand "We had orders, flyboy!" She shrieked
Tasha could hear the rising voice and entered the room. She was getting more irate at every passing second.
John took over "Admiral Janeway contacted us, and the captain to use any means necessary to get the matter resolved." He paused watching Martina storm out of sickbay "Your inaction has put us is a fix now and your lack of co-operation may have just finished your career." John looked up "Captain unless there's a reason not to arrest him?"
"Ok. Lets get security down here to arrest me, at least then it might be legal, oh and let's not forget that the chief made an arrest, legal or not, under the influence of alcohol" said Rick facing the captain for her order.
That was her cue and she had heard more than enough. She was not nearly satisfied that Ricks arrest was deserved, nor was it legal. Inaction was not an arrestable offense.
"So by the Commanders inaction, he is now considered a suspect?" Her own voice was far above her usual platonic tone as she stared at the intelligence officer. She moved to the side of Rick and took the PaDD from the table where the woman had just thrown it in her own rage. She now studied the image. Two people, one large, one a little shorter. Her cold eyed stare came back to the officer.
"Name and Rank?" She ordered.
"Ensign John Maxwell" John started to get a bad feeling.
"Rick, your rank?" She questioned.
"Lieutenant Commander, Ma'am" replied Rick
"So, Ensign Maxwell, do you really believe that Commander Dunham is to be arrested for inaction? Or is it because the Chief has suffered an injury, whilst complicit to alcohol, may have just made matters worse?" She eyed him for a moment, waiting for his lips to move but not allowing him time to speak. "I don't think that you should treat an officer as such. Commander Dunham has done nothing wrong. Just because he did not help a man who decided to take a security matter into his own hands, he is now subject to your misplaced feelings for your own inadequacies!" She shook her head for effect.
"Ensign Maxwell, you owe Commander Dunham an immediate apology and the next time you decide to take this stations security matters into your own hands, I will have you busted down to deck cleaner." Tasha's veins rose on her neck "Do I make myself understood!" She yelled back at the intelligence officer. "Now, run along like your colleague and let the adults do the work around here. You are dismissed!" She added with a scowl and her hand rose to the door, showing John the exit.
As she pointed, Tasha didn't notice that Commander Adams had arrived.
Realizing that Tasha clearly had the situation well in hand, Chelsea went over to the bio-bed with the casualty in it and began reading the assessment file that was handed to her by a duty doctor.
Rhiana walked in, she could see the situation was a little too tense, "Uh I'd hate to make things go from bad to worse, but this image was found in the only surveillance files we have of Mr. O'bahn's cafe, and its not good." Rhiana passed the PaDD to the Captain "Mr O'bahn and his brother were the pair that kicked the crap of of the Chief, and the officer hes' talking to is You Lieutenant Commander."
Chelsea looked up and across at the group. She had been summoned by Ed McBain when he had seen that whatever was kicking off involved her beloved Dunham. Ed had been concerned about calling the CMO out because it had been only a couple of hours ago that he himself had treated her wounds from her kidnap ordeal and he had instructed her to go home and rest.
However, knowing her as he did, from literally years of working together, he suspected he might be the next one in a bio-bed if he had tried to keep it from her that Rick might be in some kind of trouble.
Chelsea had a tricorn hat to wear in this situation. For the first point, the Doctor in her wanted to check Rick over in case he'd got hurt in whatever scuffle had taken place. For the second, the fiancee in her wanted to ask him ~Where did you get to between now and when I last saw you, telling me to rest and that you'd be right there while I was asleep, and how in the name of the Prophets did you get involved in this?~
And for the third corner of her hat, the AXO in her was glad that the Captain was here so she didn't have to actually ask those questions officially. Judging by the way this situation seemed to be going, it would have been alleged that she had not been impartial if Chelsea had been obliged to take the correct yet clearly contended stand that Tasha had.
Rick looked over the captain's shoulder at the picture of him talking to the man in a cafe on the promenade of deep space five. "Yeah I remember that it was a few days ago, it was cafe, I was ordering coffee, and if you check the time stamp to our own security footage and zoom out of the picture on our own security sensors, you will see I am with several other starfleet officers, ordering coffee."
Tahir looked back to Rhiana. She was beginning to feel surrounded by Intelligence officers like a piece of well cooked steak around a pack of hungry wolves.
"It seems to me, that lately, your department have found all manner of things to imply that key members of my staff are corrupt. I remind you, that you are here to find the subversants who have put that man on the bio-bed," Her hand rose to the Chief, "not to point fingers. Before you make another statement against Commander Dunham, I suggest you ensure you have the proper proof to back up these accusations." Tasha was getting angrier by the second and it was now her turn to dismiss the PaDD to the desk on her right. Her hands then firmly planted on her hips and her face had started to redden in annoyance.
The three intelligence Ensigns' looked at the PaDD a second time. Then an Audible sound of a tricorder came and went. Then more mumbling followed by "are you sure?". Then John turned and said to Dunham "Who's this Marine?"
"That" said Rick leaning in again to take another look at the picture "Is Marine Lance Corporal Spartan, just transferred to the station last month, good kid, my brother in law asked me to keep an eye on him.....bit of a attitude problem though.." said Rick conversationally.
John walked over the a nearby computer terminal and pulled out his tricorder again, "Lance Corporal Lance James Spartan, Marine Pilot, flight status suspended due to dangerous fly by USS Goodson, Disciplinary hearing flight status suspended fourteen days, reassignment to deep space five for cross training program, mission list....."John paused as he scanned "Four of his last five duty assignments he was assigned to either security or fighter cover for the more violent hi-jinx." John looked at his colleagues, "we need to interview him."
Rhiana clued in finally "That's why the image notes say to talk to Dunham."
Dunham rubbed the stress away by rubbing his forehead. To use an old British phrase; these guys were not on the ball. "No kidding, so what next?"
Rhiana was still trying to figure out the message, "Did he know about the cargo on his last mission?"
Dunham scratched the stubble on his chin in reflective thought. "It's a distinct possibility."
John who was still at the terminal away from the rest of the crowd turned around, "Mr Dunham I think you're going to have to bring in the young man."
"Can we have some sort of evidence based on fact first and not co-incidental or just a load of feted dingo's kidneys?" said Dunham with a touch of the cynical.
John played an audio clip he had salvaged while the rest were discussing ".....in two hours......Deuterium tank..r....Starbase........six hour hop......see you the......" John paused the recording "The audio is useless with out a confession or admission of some kind."
"And what if he doesn't give you one, now I'm no lawyer but surely that would be insubmissible in court as evidence? I know I'm just a pilot, but couldn't we get something more solid before we go throwing accusations around and questioning people?" he looked to the captain for an answer.
Tasha gave a very loud sigh as she looked around the medical room and the glare that she was being given by Chelsea and she knew that this argument was being listened to by all the persons in the room an that Doctor Adams was doing her level best to remain out the situation.
"Let's take this elsewhere." She said as she noticed the young female at the back of the medical bay give her a small beckoning with her hand, rising just above her waist.
Tasha did not know who she was, she had seen her somewhere, but could not place where. "Better still, leave it until the morning, when we have slept and had a chance to look at things with a clear head and an even clearer vision." She stated as her hand reached out to Dunham's arm, to stop him from going anywhere, for he moment anyhow.
John decided to throw fuel on the fire "If anything happens between now and the morning Mr Dorian won't be the only one in a holding cell." he paused "not exactly how I plan on spending my leave.
Rick was not impressed, but said nothing, he just prayed for the day that Intel got their boss back, because at the moment it felt like watching a headless chicken.
The Captain watched as the small entourage of Intelligence officers filed out of sickbay and only when the door closed, did she direct Rick to the annexed office and beckoned Chelsea over.
"Doctor, keep Rick calm. I need a word about the chief, but do you know who the young female over there is, she just caught my attention and I think she may have some input." Her head cocked over Chelsea's shoulder to ensure that she was still there.
Chelsea suppressed a smirk. "Yes Ma'am" she replied with her best professional face firmly fixed as she changed her attention to reporting on the person Tasha was asking about.
"That patient is a civilian, newly arrived to the station from - no fixed abode, according to her medical records. She was hurt in the incident and is here for treatment as you can see. I know nothing else about her I'm afraid, she appears to be a bit of an enigma".
"Thank you." Tasha replied managing to muster up a weak smile and watched as Chelsea took Rick by the hand and led him to the office.
Tasha made her way over to the woman now identified by the Doctor as Min
"Were you trying to get my attention?" Tasha asked in a hushed voice, hoping she would shed some light on the events in the Box Of Delights.
Min nodded. Between her one arm in a sling, some bruising on her face, and her torn clothes Min looked and felt like a mess. So much for her first day aboard DS5. "I'm sorry if I overheard that conversation but everyone's voices were carrying." She paused. "I gave a statement to Security about the two men who attacked the Chief but from what you folks have been discussing there may be more I can help with."
Tasha reached out and gently caressed her good arm, giving her a little encouragement whilst also serving to ease her own temper.
"Anything you can tell me, anything at all will be of help. I don't think that the Commander is being treated fairly and if you saw something that can help he or the chief," Her head bobbed to the bed where the Chief was lying in a semi conscious state, "then please, let me know."
Tasha could see that the young woman was confused and a little scared. Tasha had not seen her aboard the station before and could only surmise that Yolanthe had brought her in to help in the bar.
"I don't know what they're talking about with the Lt Commander but I can assure you that he wasn't involved in the scuffle at the BoD. The chief on the other hand... was quite drunk and decided to arrest both men with the Commander's help. The Commander refused and the Chief went it alone."
Tasha nodded, listening intently and easing herself down onto her knees, still resting her hand on Min's arm and looking up her, as if she were talking with a child and didn't want to look oppressive. ~Drunk and stupid ~ She thought to herself, ~ At least Rick had more sense. ~
"Alone?" She voiced in a hushed reply, not really expecting an answer though it came out like a question. "It's not really what officers would do when sober.." She stated, again not asking but voicing her thoughts.
"It seemed odd but it's not my place to question what Starfleet personnel do. Anyways, When the first of the two suspects departed, it seemed odd to me that the second one hadn't left so I decided, rather stupidly in retrospect, to investigate and make sure that everything was okay upstairs."
"And when you went upstairs?" Tahir inquired, this time she was seeking an answer.
"I told this part to security but I found the second man upstairs standing over the chief's body busy typing commands into the holosuite console. I'd found the Chief's phaser so I aimed it at the man and ordered him to step away from the console. Next thing I know he's charging me. I managed to get a shot off before he tossed me aside. I winged him but a phaser set to heavy stun should drop almost any humanoid should it not?"
Tasha nodded. "Indeed it would." She said as she found herself wondering what the man was doing to the control panel. "Do you now what he was doing to the console, what he was typing?" She pushed, knowing that the young woman could break any second from shock.
"I honestly don't know what he was doing with the holosuite but I know for a fact that it doesn't take that much command entry to program a holosuite, even older civilian models. I know I'm supposed to stick with the facts but that much command entry into a holosuite console means he wasn't programming the holosuite. Last time I saw that much manual entry a colleague was hacking the Orion's holosuite console to gain console access to a security override."
~Security override? ~ Tasha eased herself back to her feet. "Thank you. You have been extremely helpful. A lot more than you realise." The Captain smiled and patted her arm and began to turn, but as she did so, the woman gripped at her upper arm, pulling her back closer to her, whispering.
"There was one other minor detail I just remembered. The man upstairs had some dull metallic patches on his face, almost like an armor plating or some sort of rigid bandage. It looked almost Borg like. Hell, he acted almost Borg like. Which is of course impossible but that's what it reminded me of."
The mention of Borg for the second time today made Tasha's heart skip a beat. She felt her face drain of color. This was too much of a coincidence that a Civilian would have this information especially after the days events.
Her eyes softened as she looked at Min but her smile had all but gone. She took her hand in her own and then cupped it with both of her hands.
"Get some rest. You have been very brave." She praised, hoping that the words would help her to overcome any hurdles she would have to face in the next few days. "If you need a bed here, I will make sure the Doctor gives you the best in the med center." Her smile was tight, but earnest.
As she stepped backwards, she felt a huge sense of something. It was not relief, but an overwhelming fear that things were about to get worse before they got better.
She too a breath as she pulled down her tunic and half way across the room, she turned back to see Min watching her. She wanted to give a friendly wave, a reassuring way that everything was going to be okay, but she didn't know what was going to happen or when. She winked instead and pushed open the door to Chelsea's office.
tbc...
OFF:
Captain Tasha Tahir
CO
Min Zhao
Civilian
Intelligence officers:
Ens. John Maxwell
Ens. Martina Perth
Ens. Rhiana t'Sahen
CAG Squadron Leader
Lieutenant Commander Richard Dunham
AXO & CMO
Commander Chelsea Adams