Papers Please (Part 2)

Posted on Sun Sep 13, 2020 @ 2:17am by Lieutenant Si'Lar Trellis & Civilian 'Key Holder' Yolanthe Ibalin

1,032 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Et In Arcadia Ego
Location: Maintenance Bay 17, Deck 1128
Timeline: MD06 1030
Tags: Hex, Symbiont, Security, Undercover

[ON]

Si'Lar had arrived at the location several minutes before the Security escorts and Ms. Zul. He looked up as they arrived. He could tell by the look on her face that she was not pleased at being redirected in such an embarrassing fashion.

"You can leave us," Lt. Trellis said to the others.

The officers waited for a moment, not certain why they were being dismissed. When they saw that Lieutenant Trellis was serious, they left, leaving Nessia to her fate.

Trellis waited until they had turned around the corner and were completely out of earshot before addressing the fellow Trill.

"Are you stupid, or just so amazingly arrogant that you thought you could just accost citizens in the open like that?" he said angrily.

"I was doing my job, the job which I have permission to do," she protested. "The job which you could be doing for us so that it doesn't upset a whole host of people. Or are you not bothered that there's a rogue symbiont loose on the station, and another one probably slowly rotting to death in a Trill hybrid?"

Lt. Trellis paced back and forth angrily. "This is my station, not some far-flung piss-ant colony where you can do whatever you please and the natives will turn a blind eye," he said to her. "Don't you dare try to put any of the blame for this on me. I told Commander Aldrex a long time ago what was going on and he simply passed the buck!" he said, his voice rising.

"This is completely on the Symbiosis Commission’s shoulders. You all let those damn symbionts go unchecked, just like with Anaria Rex!" he said accusingly. (https://ds5.sim-metry.net/index.php/sim/viewpost/16) "Now look where we are!" he added.

"Yes, well, I agree," Nessia told him. "Be grateful there's been a change in Chair and Rell wants to follow up your leads. But throwing blame around won't change the past. I have a job to do. If you stop me from doing it, you know someone else will get sent. At least I'm trying. If you'd like to help, I won't say no."

Trellis stopped pacing and looked at her for several long moments. "I have an idea," he said as his thoughts formulated within his brain in real-time. "Psilocyanine-B. It's damn near illegal for anybody but Starfleet Medical to possess. It's a psychotropic agent that prevents neuronal pattern activity. It's used on Special Investigation Operators after certain missions due to the risk of psychological trauma as well as classification purposes," Lt. Trellis said.

"I've tracked at least two shipments onto this station in the past 3 months. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to locate any mass distributor," he said. "But then I tracked shipments of Improvaline, nordesgranine, and lexorin coming through the same channels," he added.

"Those drugs have particular effects on the Trill physiology. It's probably how Hex has been able to keep control of a new host without the assistance of a Trill Guardian," he said. "We're going to find out, because you are going to Q'uits and will pose as his newest customer," Lt. Treliis said.

"You get him alone and we will take him down. Once we have him, we can find the other damn symbionts that the Commission hasn't been able to keep tabs on," he said.

Nessia looked at him, surprised. She hadn't expected this. Her superior had been somewhat dismissive of his abilities. "I think Xelan underestimates you," she told him, seeing the possibilities for the plan. If she did get close to whoever Hex was occupying, she could then stun them into oblivion. If she could get close. "You're assuming it won't see me coming a mile off. But it's a better strategy. And if it doesn't work, we can go back to the scans."

"From what I know about Hex, he prefers to have leverage of some sort. So you'll pose as a Starfleet officer looking to obtain a supply," the security officer said.

"Ah, so it will be able to hold that over me." Nessia thought about it. "I doubt uniforms would be welcome in any place Hex is likely to frequent. How will I be able to demonstrate that I'm Starfleet and not... anyone else."

"Be sure to accidently let slip some piece of information that would apply to a Starfleet Officer. Something small, but significant enough that Hex would be able to pick up on the fact that you wouldn't want him to know that. It can't be too obvious, otherwise he'll smell a trap." Trellis said.

"It."

"What?" Trellis said, slightly caught off-guard by the correction.

"Its not a he. Its an it. Don't be fooled by which ever poor sod its taken over. Unlike the other symbionts, this thing, this is a parasite. I've read the file. This is not a person. It is a plague and it needs to die."

"Whatever the hell he is, you won't kill him on my station, he still has significant value in locating the other rogue symbionts on this station." Trellis said. With Hex captured, it would make it that much easier to force Command Ryan to turn over his daughter to the appropriate authorities.

"I agree." Nessia said. "And I have no intention of going through the host to get Hex. The host will be innocent. And probably traumatised. Once I get hold of it though, we will ask it nicely about Naquiis. I will go tonight. Will you be there as well?"

"No, but I will be keeping an eye and I'll have a team ready to swoop in and arrest him once the transaction has been made. You'll be arrested to in order to keep up appearances." He said as he checked his chronometer. "Show up at Q'uits around 1030 hrs, he should make at least one appearance by there as he makes his rounds. Keep a low profile until he arrives." Trellis said as he turned and began to leave the area.

[OFF]

Nessia Zuul
Trill Symbiosis Committee Agent
NPC by Soran

Si'Lar Trellis
Security Investigations
DS5

 

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