Season 11: Episode 2 - Diplomatic Disaster

[Zero Alpha]

"Wu to Alpha, report to my office immediately. Wu, out."=/\=

[Alpha's Quarters]

Never one to be happily roused from her research, Zero was rather annoyed by the call coming through the computer.  For all her intelligence, it was taking a frustrating amount of time to study the cybernetics required for Jiseth's artificial limbs, knowledge that she needed to assimilate if she wanted to be able to offer a better solution.

The fact that it was Alexander Wu calling did mitigate her annoyance a fraction, seeing as he was one of the few people to have shown her some modicum of kindness during the short time they had served together on the USS Discovery in previous years.  It was, however, only a slight mitigation especially since he happened to be asking the impossible of her.  Reporting to his office meant leaving her quarters, which was forbidden at that point.

=^= "Alpha to Wu.  I am currently confined to quarters and therefore unable to aquiesce to your request." =^=

[Jiseth]

Never one to be happily roused from her research, Zero was rather annoyed by the call coming through the computer.  For all her intelligence, it was taking a frustrating amount of time to study the cybernetics required for Jiseth's artificial limbs, knowledge that she needed to assimilate if she wanted to be able to offer a better solution.

The fact that it was Alexander Wu calling did mitigate her annoyance a fraction, seeing as he was one of the few people to have shown her some modicum of kindness during the short time they had served together on the USS Discovery in previous years.  It was, however, only a slight mitigation especially since he happened to be asking the impossible of her.  Reporting to his office meant leaving her quarters, which was forbidden at that point.

=^= "Alpha to Wu.  I am currently confined to quarters and therefore unable to aquiesce to your request." =^=

[Alpha's Quarters]

There was a wave of relief washing over as Jiseth neared the doors. It vanished just as suddenly as she slammed into them. One thing she was still getting used to was the fact that this one living space had to have tighter security than the photon torpedo magazine or antimatter storage units. As she reached out and punched in the code to the key pad, she could most definitely feel a head ache coming on and a rush of hot moistness in her nose which trickled down in a green stream from her right nostril.

As the door opened, the Romulan stepped through holding the bridge of her nose with one hand and the other wiping the blood from her upper lip. It was a far from graceful way to end the day, but at least she was home. She dared not sit in any of the furniture in her muddy flight suit and decided the safest bet was to remain by the front of the room.

"Snowflake! Pointy ran into the doors again. Also... I lost a shuttle today."

[citrus_xsinensis]

Kali opened her mouth... then closed it. Her 'anger' flipped back to disinterest and she turned back around to her table where Yates and Anderson waited with a mix of confusion and exasperation. "There. Satisfied? Air, cracks, whatever. Back to my cornflakes."  She didn't believe the explanation, (not for a split second), but she didn't have to go beyond the line of duty to put her nose into it. It was only her first week here.

"And for the record..." Kali refocused on him, her smile sharp. "I wasn't drafted to be nice, Joseph Bryan." She gave him a long once-over of his form and leaned a fraction forward. It seemed to calm the spectators - like a jibe between two fellow crewmembers instead of an interrogation. "If I see so much as a suspicious twitch from you, I'm calling security. We're not all expendable to a killer on board, don't you think?"

Joseph recoiled in response.

"A killer? Security? I'm just from Engineering. What are you talking about?"

The look on his face was genuine surprise and confusion. He did know that someone on board had been murdered, and that the murderer was still on board ... but this information had reached him less than ten minutes ago, and so it was still fresh enough to cause shock and disbelief.

He managed to keep his face stuck in his look of surprise and confusion while his mind ran through the thoughts.

Oh right ... the killer. The whole reason I was sent down here. ... Well ... this works though. Twenty minutes ago I didn't know what was happening, and since that's true, that could work as an easy out for me to cover up the fact that I'm tangled in this secret plot to ...
...
I'm tangled in a secret plot ...
...
Crud ...
Umm ...
Welp, I haven't technically done anything wrong ...
And honestly, what is with all this killer nonsense anyhow?

"Killer? ... You said killer, what do you mean by that?"

He asked, partially in an attempt to make the killer nervously stumble if s/he was nearby, but mostly because he honestly had very little clue as to what was going on. He'd only been up from the smallest corners of the ship for about twenty five minutes or so.

[Kali Reyes]

Joseph recoiled in response.

"A killer? Security? I'm just from Engineering. What are you talking about?"

The look on his face was genuine surprise and confusion. He did know that someone on board had been murdered, and that the murderer was still on board ... but this information had reached him less than ten minutes ago, and so it was still fresh enough to cause shock and disbelief.

He managed to keep his face stuck in his look of surprise and confusion while his mind ran through the thoughts.

Oh right ... the killer. The whole reason I was sent down here. ... Well ... this works though. Twenty minutes ago I didn't know what was happening, and since that's true, that could work as an easy out for me to cover up the fact that I'm tangled in this secret plot to ...
...
I'm tangled in a secret plot ...
...
Crud ...
Umm ...
Welp, I haven't technically done anything wrong ...
And honestly, what is with all this killer nonsense anyhow?

"Killer? ... You said killer, what do you mean by that?"

He asked, partially in an attempt to make the killer nervously stumble if s/he was nearby, but mostly because he honestly had very little clue as to what was going on. He'd only been up from the smallest corners of the ship for about twenty five minutes or so.

Back when she slummed it out on that backwater colony on Rigel V, one of the main problems Kali had to deal with was a lack of communication with her 'superiors', though you could hardly call it a chain of command. It was basically whoever least screwed things up for the squatters ended up being in charge. Sometimes information was meant to be classified or kept within certain circles because it would breed discontent otherwise.

Like the time Xereth was in charge of water purification and let it slip that he accidentally let a non-lethal contaminant into the water system because he was an oblivious dunderhead. People might get seriously constipated, sure, but it wasn't disastrous. If they had kept it under wraps it wouldn't have turned into hellfire on a hand-basket the way that information spread. Before she knew it, Kali had been forced to spend the next three nights designing 'hot plates' to boil water from a 'flesh-eating virus' that did not exist but in the minds of hysterical colonists.

The point is maybe the whole murder on board thing was supposed to be classified. A bit chastised that she may have let out information that was supposed to be restricted to ops and personnel, Kali resisted the urge to slap her palm over the strange man's mouth.

"Killer... the toast is killer today," she said stiffly and loud enough to deter any prying ears. "Best coding I've seen on replicator five." God, what did she get herself into? She awkwardly thumped his shoulder twice before making a hasty break for her cornflakes.

[Alexander Wu]

[Alpha's Quarters]
=^= "Alpha to Wu.  I am currently confined to quarters and therefore unable to aquiesce to your request." =^=

[Bridge]

Confined to quarters...Who in the blazes has she gotten into a fight with now? =/]="I'm aware of your situation, Lieutenant. As the XO, I believe I still have some authority over my crew, including discipline. Consider yourself unconfined and report to my office."=/\=

Having an inkling of whom Zero had been in conflict with, Alex didn't want to pull the CMO out of her critical meeting. "You have the bridge." Alex told the OOD again, this time making it several more steps towards the turbolifts before the Ops station stopped him with an outreached PADD. "What's this?" He asked, scrolling down the hastily written memo and attached recording. Biting back a exasperated sigh, Alex continued on to the lift while tapping his commbadge again. "Wu to Jiseth. Report to my office. Out."=/\= I miss not having a desk.

[Zero Alpha]

=/]="I'm aware of your situation, Lieutenant. As the XO, I believe I still have some authority over my crew, including discipline. Consider yourself unconfined and report to my office."=/\=

[Alpha's Quarters]

=^= "Acknowledged," =^= came the grumpy reply.  Logging the progress she had made in her research and filing it away in her private servers before pushing herself to her feet.  Doing so disturbed the pile of white fur at her feet, who also jumped up and wagged his tail.  Zero watched him for a moment, the expression of canine hopefulness that he might go for a walk clear on his face.  I am currently in sufficient trouble, she thought to herself.  No need to add to that trouble by taking a dog with her to a meeting with the first officer.  On the other hand, if she was already in enough trouble, she couldn't really get into any more, could she?  And since Callion was still with the ship's day care service, there was no need for the canine to stay behind to guard the little girl.

Ghost started doing a happy dog dance as soon as she picked up his lead and clipped it onto his collar before leaving her quarters, making her way through the ship to the First Officer's office, where she pressed the chime.

[Jiseth]

=^= "Acknowledged," =^= came the grumpy reply.  Logging the progress she had made in her research and filing it away in her private servers before pushing herself to her feet.  Doing so disturbed the pile of white fur at her feet, who also jumped up and wagged his tail.  Zero watched him for a moment, the expression of canine hopefulness that he might go for a walk clear on his face.  I am currently in sufficient trouble, she thought to herself.  No need to add to that trouble by taking a dog with her to a meeting with the first officer.  On the other hand, if she was already in enough trouble, she couldn't really get into any more, could she?  And since Callion was still with the ship's day care service, there was no need for the canine to stay behind to guard the little girl.

Ghost started doing a happy dog dance as soon as she picked up his lead and clipped it onto his collar before leaving her quarters, making her way through the ship to the First Officer's office, where she pressed the chime.

The Romulan had tiptoed over to their kitchen as was well into downing a large class of water. It was cold and beyond refreshing. So much so that she choked when she heard the door open and quickly looked over to see the doctor and canine departing.

Guess I'm sleeping in my own quarters tonight...

"Wu to Jiseth. Report to my office. Out."=/\=

Oh great! Now I'm in trouble at home and at work...

On my way.

She looked at her self in a small mirror on the wall and dripped some of the water onto her hand to clear up her face. Hardly enough time to properly get out of the flight suit and she wondered what he could possibly want that could not be handled over a PADD message. After finishing the contents of her glass, she made her way to the corridor.

For most of the way she had been getting somewhat confused looks and noticed others looking back over their shoulders. One crewman asked if there had been a fight, to which the Romulan made no reply. A turbolift ride later and down the hall she received an inkling as to what might have been going on. Zero was at the XO's office too. And Ghost. She stopped next to them, but kept a respectful distance.

"...Looks like we both got into a mess today, huh?"

[Zero Alpha]

"...Looks like we both got into a mess today, huh?"

[Outside XO's Office]

Ghost jumped to his feet as he spotted Jiseth coming down the corridor toward them, wagging his tail eagerly and bouncing on his paws.  Zero didn't seem to notice until the Romulan spoke up, startling her out of her thoughts and calculations, continuation of the work she had been doing before being so rudely disturbed by Commander Wu.  Work she had been so engrossed in that she hadn't even noticed that Jiseth had come home.

Her pale grey eyes immediately zeroed in on the emerald blood on her mate's nose and stepped forward, placing her hands on either side of Jiseth's face, tilting her head back and side to side in order to examine the damage done.

"What occurred to incur such an injury?" she enquired.

[Jiseth]

Her pale grey eyes immediately zeroed in on the emerald blood on her mate's nose and stepped forward, placing her hands on either side of Jiseth's face, tilting her head back and side to side in order to examine the damage done.

"What occurred to incur such an injury?" she enquired.

[Outside XO's Office]

"Tsh. I ran into the front door like an idiot, forgetting we keep it locked. My apologies, e'lev. It was careless."

Her eyes went to the side to keep watch on the door to the office, but also to not look directly at the ceiling lights. There was still a great deal of pressure in and around her nose. The headache was a less than pleasant accompaniment since she had again had a slip of the mind and forgot to take anything for the pain. Luckily the best doctor she had ever known was looking her over.

"I um... Well, it wasn't my fault, I think... but the Theseus crashed on the planet, probably why the Commander wants to see me. Might I ask for something with the new legs-wait what are you doing here too?"

[Zero Alpha]

"Tsh. I ran into the front door like an idiot, forgetting we keep it locked. My apologies, e'lev. It was careless."

Her eyes went to the side to keep watch on the door to the office, but also to not look directly at the ceiling lights. There was still a great deal of pressure in and around her nose. The headache was a less than pleasant accompaniment since she had again had a slip of the mind and forgot to take anything for the pain. Luckily the best doctor she had ever known was looking her over.

"I um... Well, it wasn't my fault, I think... but the Theseus crashed on the planet, probably why the Commander wants to see me. Might I ask for something with the new legs-wait what are you doing here too?"

[Outside XO's Office]

Making a tutting sound that was almost... maternal, (a strange word to associate with the Augment), Zero finished her brief examination of the damage done to Jiseth's nose.  She would have to reset the cartilage, but that required tools that she didn't have on her person at that point in time.

"I do not currently have the required equipment to repair the damage, but I will be able to once we have regained our quarters," Zero replied.  She did raise an eyebrow at the mention of losing yet another shuttlecraft.  Jiseth was building up quite the graveyard of hulls to her name.  The expression was soon replaced by one of faint chagrin as her presence there was questioned.  "I have been placed under confinement for the majority of the day.  I believe that is why he wishes to converse with me."

[Jiseth]

"I do not currently have the required equipment to repair the damage, but I will be able to once we have regained our quarters," Zero replied.  She did raise an eyebrow at the mention of losing yet another shuttlecraft.  Jiseth was building up quite the graveyard of hulls to her name.  The expression was soon replaced by one of faint chagrin as her presence there was questioned.  "I have been placed under confinement for the majority of the day.  I believe that is why he wishes to converse with me."

[Outside XO's Office]

"Just as well..."

Jiseth rolled her head around from side to side before lowering her chin to her collar and lifting it back up. It was like two mischievous school girls waiting outside the principal's office in the Romulan's mind. This thought brought a smirk to her lips at the very least and a slight sigh of relief.

"...I wasn't planning on doing anything else for the rest of the duty period except keep an eye on the PADD for updates from the CFO? Perhaps assist with your research before I start making dinner. Assuming we get out of here in one piece."

[Zero Alpha]

[Outside XO's Office]

"Just as well..."

Jiseth rolled her head around from side to side before lowering her chin to her collar and lifting it back up. It was like two mischievous school girls waiting outside the principal's office in the Romulan's mind. This thought brought a smirk to her lips at the very least and a slight sigh of relief.

"...I wasn't planning on doing anything else for the rest of the duty period except keep an eye on the PADD for updates from the CFO? Perhaps assist with your research before I start making dinner. Assuming we get out of here in one piece."

[Outside XO's Office]

"I do require measurements from you in order to progress to more advanced levels of my research project," Zero agreed, wondering how long this meeting was going to take.  She wanted to get back to her data files sooner rather than later and get back into it.

"Seeing as I was forcibly removed from my duty post by two security officers, I do not foresee this being a brief scolding."

[Jiseth]

"I do require measurements from you in order to progress to more advanced levels of my research project," Zero agreed, wondering how long this meeting was going to take.  She wanted to get back to her data files sooner rather than later and get back into it.

"Seeing as I was forcibly removed from my duty post by two security officers, I do not foresee this being a brief scolding."

[Outside XO's Office]

Emerald eyes squinted and lips knotted in a flash. It had been ages since either of them had a reprimand that required a command level officer be involved. The only time she had ever seen security officers take Zero was to see Corinth. This was suddenly a rather uncomfortable situation and Jiseth was quite flummoxed.

"So... What did you do that caused such a harsh rebuke? You've never removed an organ or limb or done any experimentation without the patient's consent. Or is it something else? I overheard some people talking about a dead crewman. Surely you're not caught up in that."

[Zero Alpha]

Emerald eyes squinted and lips knotted in a flash. It had been ages since either of them had a reprimand that required a command level officer be involved. The only time she had ever seen security officers take Zero was to see Corinth. This was suddenly a rather uncomfortable situation and Jiseth was quite flummoxed.

"So... What did you do that caused such a harsh rebuke? You've never removed an organ or limb or done any experimentation without the patient's consent. Or is it something else? I overheard some people talking about a dead crewman. Surely you're not caught up in that."

[Outside XO's Office]

The expression on Jiseth's face was one that shamed Zero further.  She hadn't intended to cause the Romulan any distress, but it seemed that she had inadvertantly done so.  Humanoid interactions and emotions, despite all of my studies, remain as elusive as ever.  She rested a hand on Ghost's head, listening to the happy thump of his tail against the deck plates.  At least canine behaviour is relatively simple to decipher.

She was surprisingly astute in pinpointing the dead crewman as a cause for her confinement to quarters, evidenced by a slight raising of both pale brows.  "You are correct.  I was assigned to the autopsy to determine the cause of death and, as the Chief Medical Officer was tardy, I began a visual examination of the subject while refraining from making physical contact as instructed.  It would seem that was cause enough as upon her arrival, she contacted security to have me removed."

[Tekin Nevir]

Kyle turned and looked at the Crewman who had just entered. He recognized him from the Personnel files he had been reading prior to having to join the negotiations.

"At ease, Mister Ainsley." Kyle directed. "We're discussing that now." He continued to listen as the others spoke as he also went back to reading the autopsy report. "Doctor? What have we learned about these spots or splotches? Whatever they are?" he inquired. Something about them tickled the back of his mind.

As she began to reply, the doors parted again and the Chief Science Officer walked in.

This was all Kyle needed. More problems. Because an unsolved murder wasn't enough. But he had known Nevir long enough to know that he wouldn't have barged in and said anything if it wasn't important. "Report." he said.

[Briefing Room]

The Captain was not happy, that much was clear... and something happened.  Were they already aware?

"Sir... en route to the surface, the shuttle had a complete cascade failure.  And I mean complete.  Propulsion, inertial dampeners, life support, all secondary and backup systems.  Everything went dead.  We were able to avoid a fatal crash thanks to Jiseth's expert flying but..."

Nevir still carried the one object that was a serious concern, and pulled it out and placed it on the table.  The scorched, yet directly burned out chip. "Closer inspection showed this chip to be the possible cause.  Sir, the chip fried out before the shuttle itself fried, and the fact that every system was inexplicably rerouted through the relay the chip was located in... we are looking at expert incompetence... or worst.  And to be candid, you know the seriousness of a shuttle incident involving me."