Cascade – Customs Troubles
by Citizen Min Zhao & Commander Rakka
Post Details
ON:
[Earlier]
=^=Starfleet this is the fast courier NAR Sexsmith requesting landing clearance at Bay 5.=^=
The officer at starbase traffic control glanced over the sensor readout. The vessels transponder code flashed up on screen but tagged as a flagged transponder code. =^=Hold short Sexsmith. The starbase is experiencing heavier then usual freighter traffic. Bay 5 will be available shortly.=^=
The officer glanced back down at his screen. =^=Control to Security. A flagged vessel, registration NAR Sexsmith, is requesting docking clearence.=^=
Rakka had a look at her computer screen and pulled up the Sexsmith's file as the com came in. =^= "Commander Rakka here. I'll see to it personally--hold them in the docking bay till I get there." =^=
=^=Understood Commander.=^=
=^=Control to NAR Sexsmith. Bay 5 is available in 10 minutes. We currently have another vessel departing that bay.=^=
[20min later]
The master of the vessel, Alarian Thomas, stepped down of the gangway, several padds in hand. He was used to being harrased by customs & security on most federation bases. They'd never found anything but his vessel had been flagged by Starfleet so delays were inevitable. Usually some stupid excuse about health & safety risks or some imagined problem with his ship's systems held him up. What was it going to be today he wondered?
Rakka plodded into the docking bay with a wordless grumble. She did not like the reports on this vessel, and was in no mood for taking any guff from anyone. This ship had better be pure as a dove or it would be headed straight back where it came from posthaste.
Thomas did a mental doubletake as Rakka approached the gangway. He'd heard rumors of the odd Nausicaan in starfleet but to see one in the flesh, and female at that, was a surpise. Noting the pips on her tunic, he approached cautiously. Commander ... ?"
"Commander Rakka," she said brusquely. "And you are...?"
"Captain Thomas, Master of the NAR Sexsmith."
Rakka looked down at the PADD in her hand, scrolled through some data, and then looked back up at the man, fixing her coal-black eyes on him suspiciously. "I can only hope you have the requisite documentation...?"
"My papers? Yes. Here they are." Handing her a padd with his manifest & various customs clearances, he waited patiently for her to inspect them.
Rakka took a few minutes to sort through the documents, now and then glancing at him, and the ship behind him. Finally she tapped the PADD's screen, shook her head, and tapped her comm badge.
=^= "Commander Rakka to Security Team Delta-Four-A--report to Hangar Bay 5 immediately. Rakka out." =^=
The Nausicaan turned an especially dark glare on Thomas and held up the PADD. "I'd ask you if you're new at this, but I know you're not. Why are you wasting my time, Mr. Thomas?"
Capt Thomas frowned. He'd let the question of his competence slide, for now. "Have you checked *everything* Commander? Everything is there and I personally inspected the padd before I sealed it with my own security key. That key was not tampered with I assure you."
"Congratulations," Rakka replied dryly. "That still doesn't allow you to import Tholian silks without a permit."
She turned to motion over the Security team as they arrived in the hangar, and then turned her attention back to Thomas. "Please have your crew exit the vessel immediately."
~That'd be the excuse they were looking for.~ Thomas yelled over to his first mate. "Stims. Get ur ass over here." When the firstmate had arrived, Thomas motioned to Rakka. "Get the boys off the ship. Starfleet wants to do a customs inspection. Get the boys cleared and down to the Box. I'll meet you there later."
Turning back to Rakka, Thomas smiled. "I trust that will not be a problem Ma'am. Security I understand keeps a close eye on the Box so they will be under watch while we sort out this little snafu?"
Rakka gritted her teeth. "You will not have your run of the Promenade decks while under investigation! I'll be assigning you and your crew temporary quarters, and a VERY short list of areas of the station you'll be restricted to. The Box of Delights is NOT one of them."
Capt Thomas nodded to his first mate. "Do as she says. I'm sure we'll have this straightened out within the hour."
Thomas turned back to Rakka. "Ma'am. Is there somewhere else we can discuss this matter? Something more private where we can hear ourselves think?"
The Nausicaan gave a crisp nod. "Just give me a few moments." She paused to instruct the Security team, sending them to search the vessel before returning to Thomas's side. "I'll show you to your quarters. We can speak on the lift on the way."
"Ma'am?"
Rakka looked down at him, shrugging at his confusion. "What? You want to discuss, let's discuss!"
Alarian looked a bit confused. "Ma'am. I'll admit to some confusion as to the station's procedures. I've been in this situation before, mixed up paperwork, and you are the first to offer to escort me to quarters instead of placing me in an interview room while we hash out the error. I'd prefer to stick with that procedure. I also need to speak with my legal counsel as I am sure they can assist in cleaning this up. It was most likely a last minute manifest change that papers were not filed before my padd was sealed. That has happened before."
"Yes--it has happened before, hasn't it?" she snapped. "It's happened a few too many times as far as I'm concerned. You and your crew will most likely have to wait at least 48 hours for your vessel to be released, and of course that's assuming this actually is a mere matter of 'mixed-up paperwork'." She paused and sighed. Trellis clearly had his ways of doing things, she had her own. She wouldn't gain any of Trellis's trust by deviating from his habits, as much as she didn't want to shut this man up in an interrogation room until she had enough information to conduct a formal interview. "Main Security," she said as they entered the lift.
"You can thank over zealous customs officials for most of those. You get one small hiccup going across the Klingon border and suddenly every customs official thinks they have a major smuggler on their hands. You'll also note in those reports that Starfleet has never found any contraband of any sort. The odd paperwork screwup but never anything that justifies a full 48hr custom's inspection quarantine."
<>
[[Security Office]]
Sun Hee, projecting an air of competence with a slight hint of arrogance, strode into the Security Department lobby. In one hand she held a small padd, and slung from the other shoulder, a small but expensive looking handbag. Looking the part of a young but very selfassured lawyer, Sun Hee went over to the reception desk.
The woman looked up from her computer console. "May I help you?"
"Yes. I am looking for Captain Alarian Thomas, Master of the NAR Sexsmith. The dockmaster advised me he was being detained by security while a customs inspection of his vessel was carried out."
"And you are...?"
"Sun Hee. I am his employer's legal counsel. I would like to speak with him and the Starfleet officer who detained him. If I may."
The receptionist glanced over the woman skeptically. "One moment, please," she said mildly, turning back to her computer for a few moments. Finally, she opened a com channel to Commander Rakka, relaying the information. After a brief delay, the Nausicaan came lumbering down the corridor.
"You the lawyer?" she asked without preamble.
"I am Master Thomas' employer's legal counsel, yes."
Rakka sighed deeply. Suddenly she had no patience for any of this. "Mr. Thomas is not under arrest--not yet, at any rate. What are you here for?"
Sun Hee smiled at the women. "There was a last minute correction to his customs documents. A mistake by our shipping document resulted in a small shipment of Thloian Silk not being declared on the customs paperwork. An attempt to send the corrections to the ship's master before arrival was unsuccessful due to what appears to have been a communications issue local to this area of space." She paused, offering Rakka a padd she produced from the handbag at her side. "I believe you will find the corrections required for the ship to properly clear customs are on that padd."
Rakka took the PADD with a snort and briefly reviewed the paperwork. Communications issue... of course. There HAD been a communications issue. Although Rakka had a feeling that she was going to see a whole lot of irresponsible merchants overusing this excuse for the next little while.
"This covers the silks," she admitted, "but I'm escalating this matter to the Chief of Security. The ship will be cleared when Lt. Trellis clears it."
"Understandable given the circumstances. I can leave you my contact information in case yourself or Lt Trellis has any questions."
"Fine," Rakka replied tersely, taking the information and escorting the woman back to the lift. She trudged back to the room she'd left Thomas in and stepped in, motioning him to get up.
"Young lady dropped off the paperwork on your silks," she said. "We're pretty much done here. We're going to process your ship, and the paperwork, we'll let you know when you're cleared. For now, you and your crew keep to the areas I've specified. Understood?"
Capt Thomas nodded. "Understood."
As he got up to leave, Alarian's mind began to wander. It was obvious his bosses had been aware of the screwup if they'd already had papers waiting. The question was who'd screwed up, and how much was this going to cost him? In his line of work, mistakes often cost lives, and if there was even the hint he was less then untrustworthy, his career (and his life) could be cut short.
Rakka put together a thorough report on the incident and sent it promptly off to Trellis, not wanting to deal with this matter any further. In fact, there were very few matters she wanted to deal with right now. As she wandered through Main Security, she got the very unusual feeling that she just didn't want to be here. For so long, work had been her entire life... now all she could think about was last night, and her dinner with Petro.
OFF:
Cdr. Rakka
Security Consultant/Trainer
DS5
&
Alarian Thomas
Master, NAR Sexsmith
&
Sun Hee
Trusted Employee, Jasmine's
by Citizen Min Zhao & Commander Rakka
Post Details
| Title | Customs Troubles | |
| Mission | Cascade | |
| Author(s) | Citizen Min Zhao & Commander Rakka | |
| Posted | Mon May 27, 2013 @ 1:22pm | |
| Location | Hangar Bay 5 | |
| Timeline | SD 72, 0800h |
[Earlier]
=^=Starfleet this is the fast courier NAR Sexsmith requesting landing clearance at Bay 5.=^=
The officer at starbase traffic control glanced over the sensor readout. The vessels transponder code flashed up on screen but tagged as a flagged transponder code. =^=Hold short Sexsmith. The starbase is experiencing heavier then usual freighter traffic. Bay 5 will be available shortly.=^=
The officer glanced back down at his screen. =^=Control to Security. A flagged vessel, registration NAR Sexsmith, is requesting docking clearence.=^=
Rakka had a look at her computer screen and pulled up the Sexsmith's file as the com came in. =^= "Commander Rakka here. I'll see to it personally--hold them in the docking bay till I get there." =^=
=^=Understood Commander.=^=
=^=Control to NAR Sexsmith. Bay 5 is available in 10 minutes. We currently have another vessel departing that bay.=^=
[20min later]
The master of the vessel, Alarian Thomas, stepped down of the gangway, several padds in hand. He was used to being harrased by customs & security on most federation bases. They'd never found anything but his vessel had been flagged by Starfleet so delays were inevitable. Usually some stupid excuse about health & safety risks or some imagined problem with his ship's systems held him up. What was it going to be today he wondered?
Rakka plodded into the docking bay with a wordless grumble. She did not like the reports on this vessel, and was in no mood for taking any guff from anyone. This ship had better be pure as a dove or it would be headed straight back where it came from posthaste.
Thomas did a mental doubletake as Rakka approached the gangway. He'd heard rumors of the odd Nausicaan in starfleet but to see one in the flesh, and female at that, was a surpise. Noting the pips on her tunic, he approached cautiously. Commander ... ?"
"Commander Rakka," she said brusquely. "And you are...?"
"Captain Thomas, Master of the NAR Sexsmith."
Rakka looked down at the PADD in her hand, scrolled through some data, and then looked back up at the man, fixing her coal-black eyes on him suspiciously. "I can only hope you have the requisite documentation...?"
"My papers? Yes. Here they are." Handing her a padd with his manifest & various customs clearances, he waited patiently for her to inspect them.
Rakka took a few minutes to sort through the documents, now and then glancing at him, and the ship behind him. Finally she tapped the PADD's screen, shook her head, and tapped her comm badge.
=^= "Commander Rakka to Security Team Delta-Four-A--report to Hangar Bay 5 immediately. Rakka out." =^=
The Nausicaan turned an especially dark glare on Thomas and held up the PADD. "I'd ask you if you're new at this, but I know you're not. Why are you wasting my time, Mr. Thomas?"
Capt Thomas frowned. He'd let the question of his competence slide, for now. "Have you checked *everything* Commander? Everything is there and I personally inspected the padd before I sealed it with my own security key. That key was not tampered with I assure you."
"Congratulations," Rakka replied dryly. "That still doesn't allow you to import Tholian silks without a permit."
She turned to motion over the Security team as they arrived in the hangar, and then turned her attention back to Thomas. "Please have your crew exit the vessel immediately."
~That'd be the excuse they were looking for.~ Thomas yelled over to his first mate. "Stims. Get ur ass over here." When the firstmate had arrived, Thomas motioned to Rakka. "Get the boys off the ship. Starfleet wants to do a customs inspection. Get the boys cleared and down to the Box. I'll meet you there later."
Turning back to Rakka, Thomas smiled. "I trust that will not be a problem Ma'am. Security I understand keeps a close eye on the Box so they will be under watch while we sort out this little snafu?"
Rakka gritted her teeth. "You will not have your run of the Promenade decks while under investigation! I'll be assigning you and your crew temporary quarters, and a VERY short list of areas of the station you'll be restricted to. The Box of Delights is NOT one of them."
Capt Thomas nodded to his first mate. "Do as she says. I'm sure we'll have this straightened out within the hour."
Thomas turned back to Rakka. "Ma'am. Is there somewhere else we can discuss this matter? Something more private where we can hear ourselves think?"
The Nausicaan gave a crisp nod. "Just give me a few moments." She paused to instruct the Security team, sending them to search the vessel before returning to Thomas's side. "I'll show you to your quarters. We can speak on the lift on the way."
"Ma'am?"
Rakka looked down at him, shrugging at his confusion. "What? You want to discuss, let's discuss!"
Alarian looked a bit confused. "Ma'am. I'll admit to some confusion as to the station's procedures. I've been in this situation before, mixed up paperwork, and you are the first to offer to escort me to quarters instead of placing me in an interview room while we hash out the error. I'd prefer to stick with that procedure. I also need to speak with my legal counsel as I am sure they can assist in cleaning this up. It was most likely a last minute manifest change that papers were not filed before my padd was sealed. That has happened before."
"Yes--it has happened before, hasn't it?" she snapped. "It's happened a few too many times as far as I'm concerned. You and your crew will most likely have to wait at least 48 hours for your vessel to be released, and of course that's assuming this actually is a mere matter of 'mixed-up paperwork'." She paused and sighed. Trellis clearly had his ways of doing things, she had her own. She wouldn't gain any of Trellis's trust by deviating from his habits, as much as she didn't want to shut this man up in an interrogation room until she had enough information to conduct a formal interview. "Main Security," she said as they entered the lift.
"You can thank over zealous customs officials for most of those. You get one small hiccup going across the Klingon border and suddenly every customs official thinks they have a major smuggler on their hands. You'll also note in those reports that Starfleet has never found any contraband of any sort. The odd paperwork screwup but never anything that justifies a full 48hr custom's inspection quarantine."
<
[[Security Office]]
Sun Hee, projecting an air of competence with a slight hint of arrogance, strode into the Security Department lobby. In one hand she held a small padd, and slung from the other shoulder, a small but expensive looking handbag. Looking the part of a young but very selfassured lawyer, Sun Hee went over to the reception desk.
The woman looked up from her computer console. "May I help you?"
"Yes. I am looking for Captain Alarian Thomas, Master of the NAR Sexsmith. The dockmaster advised me he was being detained by security while a customs inspection of his vessel was carried out."
"And you are...?"
"Sun Hee. I am his employer's legal counsel. I would like to speak with him and the Starfleet officer who detained him. If I may."
The receptionist glanced over the woman skeptically. "One moment, please," she said mildly, turning back to her computer for a few moments. Finally, she opened a com channel to Commander Rakka, relaying the information. After a brief delay, the Nausicaan came lumbering down the corridor.
"You the lawyer?" she asked without preamble.
"I am Master Thomas' employer's legal counsel, yes."
Rakka sighed deeply. Suddenly she had no patience for any of this. "Mr. Thomas is not under arrest--not yet, at any rate. What are you here for?"
Sun Hee smiled at the women. "There was a last minute correction to his customs documents. A mistake by our shipping document resulted in a small shipment of Thloian Silk not being declared on the customs paperwork. An attempt to send the corrections to the ship's master before arrival was unsuccessful due to what appears to have been a communications issue local to this area of space." She paused, offering Rakka a padd she produced from the handbag at her side. "I believe you will find the corrections required for the ship to properly clear customs are on that padd."
Rakka took the PADD with a snort and briefly reviewed the paperwork. Communications issue... of course. There HAD been a communications issue. Although Rakka had a feeling that she was going to see a whole lot of irresponsible merchants overusing this excuse for the next little while.
"This covers the silks," she admitted, "but I'm escalating this matter to the Chief of Security. The ship will be cleared when Lt. Trellis clears it."
"Understandable given the circumstances. I can leave you my contact information in case yourself or Lt Trellis has any questions."
"Fine," Rakka replied tersely, taking the information and escorting the woman back to the lift. She trudged back to the room she'd left Thomas in and stepped in, motioning him to get up.
"Young lady dropped off the paperwork on your silks," she said. "We're pretty much done here. We're going to process your ship, and the paperwork, we'll let you know when you're cleared. For now, you and your crew keep to the areas I've specified. Understood?"
Capt Thomas nodded. "Understood."
As he got up to leave, Alarian's mind began to wander. It was obvious his bosses had been aware of the screwup if they'd already had papers waiting. The question was who'd screwed up, and how much was this going to cost him? In his line of work, mistakes often cost lives, and if there was even the hint he was less then untrustworthy, his career (and his life) could be cut short.
Rakka put together a thorough report on the incident and sent it promptly off to Trellis, not wanting to deal with this matter any further. In fact, there were very few matters she wanted to deal with right now. As she wandered through Main Security, she got the very unusual feeling that she just didn't want to be here. For so long, work had been her entire life... now all she could think about was last night, and her dinner with Petro.
OFF:
Cdr. Rakka
Security Consultant/Trainer
DS5
&
Alarian Thomas
Master, NAR Sexsmith
&
Sun Hee
Trusted Employee, Jasmine's