Criminal Minds
Posted on Tue Jul 3rd, 2018 @ 11:27am by Lieutenant Commander Larim Myles & Sergeant Azure Thompson & Chloe de la Vega
Edited on on Tue Jul 3rd, 2018 @ 6:37pm
2,078 words; about a 10 minute read
Mission:
Episode 3 - Weary Travellers
Location: USS Pioneer- After 11
Timeline: MD003 0130 hrs
Darf was having a rough time sleeping. He had been back and forth in meetings on Empok and the ship. It was funny he had just left Empok to go meet the Pioneer to only end up here anyway. Tonight's case of insomnia brought him to After 11. He really liked the look and atmosphere of the place but it was empty this time of night.
As he came in he didn't even see a bartender. He must be in the back working on something. There was once red shirt hunched over a table in the corner. Looked like he had a few to many. Darf gave a grin as he went over to see if he needed help back to his room. As he came up on the table he saw blood pooling and dripping off the edge of the table. He quickly nelt down and picked the man's head up. He almost recoiled at what he found. The man's neck had been sliced open. It wasn't a clean cut more like a jagged edge but it was deep and he had bleed out.
Darf stood looking around for anyone or anymore evidence. His instincts kicked in and he pressed his combadge. "Emergency Response Team to After 11, repeat ERT to After 11!"
Elloma wondered how they could have an emergency, while being docked at Empok Nor Station. The excitement in the first officers voice got her attention. She started to head towards After 11, She was one of the first ERT personal to arrive. She walked over to Commander Krackden.
"Commander, is he dead?" Asked Elloma, as she was still out of clear view of the body. She started to make her way over to the commander and the unknown crewman.
"Yes, someone slit his throat." He said as he moved out of the way for the security officer to see. He had blood on his uniform and hands from when he came to render care.
Azure had been laying on her bunk studying the latest medical journal on her PADD, when she received the XO's call. Getting up, she retrieved her medkit from her footlocker along with her sidearm. She then looked her footlocker and headed to After 11.
Seeing that Ensign Essu and the XO were talking, she stood nearby, waiting to be call upon.
Darf saw Azure arrive and a very profound look came across his face. "Not sure their is much you can do here Corpmen except maybe pronounce him."
"We need to preserve the crime scene. Lieutenant Myles should be hear momentarily." Said Elloma, as she started to do a visual inspection of the room. Looking for clues. "Has anyone left or altered the scene, since your arrival sir?" Asked Elloma, as she looked to Darf.
Larim started up from an otherwise peacepul slumber after hearing the urgent call. Knowing that time was of the essence he quickly grabbed a field uniform and his bag and made a beeline for after 11. A million thoughts were running through his head.
The purpose was made clear when he entered and saw Essu and the X0. And also Corporal Thompson.
"Where do you want to start Lieutenant?" Asked Elloma, as she looked to Larim. He was the Chief of Security. This was going to be his investigation.
Chloe grumbled as her vision returned. She had been doing some inventory when the now deceased gentlemen had entered. He'd ordered a drink, she gave him it begrudgingly as he seemed to already be under some influence but every soul needs a home she had thought.
It was some time in between this there was a swoosh of the doors and her telling the individual she'd be right with them. Then it was lights out, she had been struck in the back of the head and the force had knocked her forward, her head hitting a counter top forcing a little laceration to form. She was only just regaining consciousness...
Elloma was still waiting on Larim's response. But she noticed that Chloe, was starting to move around. She walked over towards her friend. Wanting to reach out to her, however ever at the moment. She had a job to do.
Larim felt that Essu wanted to go to Chloe. He figured their rapport would be helpful. "Ok. Ensign, you go get Ms de la Vega's statement, and I'll go talk to the XO. Then we switch. Compare notes later." he began. "Also, call some extra men. Bag and tag everything."
"Aye Sir." Said Elloma as she tapped on her combadge, "Gama Shift Security Team, report to After 11 Lounge. We have a code black in progress." She called out on her combadge.
Elloma then walked over to Chloe. "Hate to ask, it seems redundant. But how are you feeling Chloe?" First started off Elloma. Before she could interview Chloe, she needed to make sure she was doing okay.
Chloe was in evident pain but she could see the worry in Elloma's eyes. Putting on her best fake smile, her 'cheery face' she answered, "Oh fine my love..." She began, "my dad's gave me worse." She added then her face went blank as if she'd let slip a vital part of her life that she was trying to hide from. Quickly she snapped back to cover her comment, "What was his name?" She asked pointing to the body of the deceased. In doing so with her wound holding hand blood was clearly seen on it, her own mind you.
"Crewman Howard Goldberg, did you know him well?" Asked Elloma, starting to get into her detective mode. She offered Chloe a hand up, and waited for her response.
“Howie?” She asked with an evident shake in her voice. “Sure, he came here a lot. Usually the same time, ordered the same drink and sat where he is now.” She continued, a tear rolling down her face. “He seemed nice, bit lonely I think. Kinda why I think he used to come here, bit of social interaction even if he did get a little boisterous after a few.”
"Do you recall any altercations, or anyone showing signs of aggravation, over his boisterous encounters?" Asked Elloma. She was trying to see if anyone had a grudge against the crewman. Elloma did not know the crewman personally.
“Honestly no... I may have given him a couple of slaps, threw him out once but he was pretty much a loner so...” Chloe replied half shrugging. “Don’t see why whomever did this had to hit me...” she felt her head again. “Hope that won’t scar.” She muttered to herself.
"Are you sure your okay, I can have the corpsman look at your head again. Or do you want to head to sickbay?" Asked Elloma, noticing that Chloe was touching the cut on her head. Noticing her silence. "Regardless sickbay examination is going to be required, so we can gather any evidence that may been transferred to you." Said Elloma, who was not sure if Chloe knew that an medical examination was required after a murder. Sadly at the moment Chloe was a suspect, till they cleared her.
"Whatever protocol is for you guys sure." Chloe responded. "I'll live at the moment, not the worst injury someone's gave me so..."
"Did you notice anyone talking to Crewman Goldberg tonight?" Asked Elloma, hoping that Chloe may have a lead, for her to follow. Elloma was planning on reviewing the cameras, after the improv interview had completed.
"Not that I saw, only person he probably spoke to was me." Chloe replied trying to rack her brain into thinking if she saw anything odd or out of place. If she was honest that was all she saw, After 11 was that kind of place. Somewhere that rules of a Federation starship werent always followed. "As I said he was kind of a loner and usually once I serve him I go on to other things... serve others, clean, you know?"
"Anyone else acting irrationally tonight? Anything seem out of the ordinary to you?" Asked Elloma, as she continued her line of questioning. She could not wait to review the camera footage. First she needed to complete her line of questions.
"There was something..." Chloe began, scrunching her eyes as if trying to drag something to the fore front. "Someone sat in the opposite corner." she pointed over to the dark table on the opposite side of the room. "I've not had a chance to fix the lighting over there since the attack and I trust myself to fix my bar before I let repair teams in... but someone sat there. No drink and I tried to call over to them but they didn't answer me. Was going to go over but got distracted by someone smashing a glass by the bar so..."
Since the arrival of Security, no one had left After 11 Lounge. That did not exclude the possibility that the attacker, did not leave prior to their arrival. Elloma looked around the room and asked. "Thank you Chloe, do you have anything else to add?"
"Not that I can think of Elloma, sorry." she replied honestly.
"Thanks Chloe, that will be all for now." Said Elloma, as she looked over to Larim and Darf. She noticed they started to talk, while they were doing that, Elloma asked a couple of the patrons at the lounge if they saw anything.
Like Chloe, they did not see anything out of the ordinary. Which was very strange for her. A murder happened in the lounge, and no one saw anything. Something was not adding up.
Elloma again looked to Darf and Larim, and decided to walk over towards the two of them. She was done with Chloe and the other patrons for the moment. And wanted to compare notes with Larim.
***
Larim walked over to the XO. He also caught his first glimpse of the body. "Commander." he said in greeting. This was official business after all. "Corporal." he added. "What happened, in your own words." he asked.
Darf took a deep breath as he sat there next to the crewman. "I was having difficulty sleeping. I think the new environment didn't help. I went for a walk came in here and saw him hunched over the table." He paused and looked at Larim. "I thought he might have had a few to many being this late so I came over to check on him and when I placed my hand on him he.... the body sat back in the chair and I saw his throat slit open." Darf didn't like that image in his head. "I immediately called for your team."
Larim nodded. Empathic senses tingling. He could feel the discommfort at that image. "Are you ok, sir?" he asked. "I know its a bad image. But any info is helpful. Any at all."
"it is just hard to lose a crewman after just coming on the ship. I know we will lose some over time but to walk in and see this was startling." He paused to compose himself. "I really didn't see anything else."
Elloma approached their position. She listened in for a moment. It sounded like Darf did not see anything as well. Whoever committed this crime, was smart enough not to draw attention to himself or herself. She wanted to head back to security and review the camera footage.
"The other patrons in the lounge did not see anything as well, Sir I recommend we look at the camera footage, and collect whatever evidence we have here at the scene." Suggested Elloma, waiting for Larim to decide.
"Agreed." he said only.
"I'll be in security, after I take a quick shower to review the camera footage." Said Elloma, as she realized she had a long long day ahead of her.
A Joint Post By
Lieutenant Commander Darf Krakden
Executive Officer, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Larim Myles
Chief Security/Tactical Officer, USS Pioneer
Ensign Elloma Essu
Assistant Chief Security/Tactical Officer, USS Pioneer
Corporal Azure Thompson
Corpsman Command Fire Team, USS Pioneer
PNPC O'Rourke
Chloe de la Vega
Owner/Bartender "After 11", USS Pioneer
PNPC Zano
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