Delivering Bad News

Posted on Thu Jan 5, 2017 @ 2:51pm by Lieutenant Liam Reynolds & Commander Caleb Ryan & Qinee

1,160 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Rumours
Location: Ferengi Embassy
Timeline: MD4 1000

ON:

Liam had asked Chief Ryan to come meet him at the Ferengi Embassy. He suspected Qinee would already have heard of this via her own network, but they had to officially make this visit. He wondered if the chief and his team had made any more progress on who was responsible. Interesting Qinee now had a female assistant manning the main reception. He smiled briefly. She was certainly trying to bring about social change.

“Good morning, Lieutenant Reynolds,” the young female Ferengi said. She was wearing clothes in the typical garish style of the new female fashions, this one looking something like a yellow track suit. She was young, as any female Ferengi in service was likely to be, and he supposed she would be considered attractive for a Ferengi. She seemed to brighten a bit at seeing Liam, and Caleb gave the attractive half-Betazed a look, raising an eyebrow.

“Ambassador Qinee has been expecting you, Lieutenant Reynolds. Nadra, at your service,” she introduced herself to Caleb.

“Ah am sorry to come on such business,” Caleb said apologetically.

Nadra shrugged. “It was bound to happen someday,” she said. “Love the accent!”

Caleb flushed a bit as the Ferengi turned and pushed open the heavy wooden doors to the ambassador’s office.

Qinee sat behind her enormous desk. The ambassador wore fluorescent green robes swirled with pastel pinks and blues in odd, sort of hypnotic, patterns. The expression on her face was a bit cool as she watched the pair of aliens approach.

Liam returned Caleb's look and raised eyebrow with one of confusion. He had no idea why Ferengi women seemed to be sweet on him. He hid a smile when Caleb seemed to color when Nadra complimented his accent. It seemed he was not the only one.

Qinee looked very serious. Liam bowed slightly before addressing her, not looking forward to having to give this news despite some personal objections to the character of the man in question. "Ambassador, I am afraid we come with bad news. There is no easy way to say this. Your aid Nazl has been murdered."

“So my sources have informed me,” Qinee said coolly. She gestured to the two seats in front of her desk. “Care to enlighten me?”

Nadra came over with a tray and some slime tea, pouring some for each of them. Caleb eyed the tea and declined.

“Very early this morning, Attaché Nazl was found beaten, stabbed, an’ bleedin’ near the Box of Delights,” Caleb said. “The attack appears ta have occurred near the private diplomatic staff turbolifts. He seems ta have dragged himself out to a bit more public location. He was all but dead when the Security and Medical teams arrived. Medical evacuated him to Sickbay, but he died on the operatin’ table.”

Qinee listened to all of this silently and nodded for the security chief to continue.

“This seems ta be the murder weapon,” Caleb said, calling up an image on his padd and handing it to the ambassador.

Qinee studied the small, bloody knife and nodded. “That is Nazl’s personal defense knife,” she said. “Since we are not allowed to carry disruptors on the station,” she said coolly.

Caleb nodded. “That clears that bit up, then,” he said, making a notation.

"I assume you can pull up, or have already looked at, the security footage from the diplomatic turbolifts?" Liam asked Ryan. "If you need to speak to any staff in the investigation we can accommodate that."

“All sensors were scrambled in the area,” Ryan said. “Someone has masking tech with a pretty wide area. We’ve been looking at the closest sensors that were working, but it’s the Promenade, and even that late at night, there are still several businesses that remain open and many persons out and about.” Ships that came into the station were on all sorts of different times, and businesses usually were open around the clock.

Liam nodded. It wasn't what they wanted to hear but none of it could be helped. It just made the investigation all the more difficult.

"Ambassador," Liam turned to Qinee. "Please accept the Federation’s condolences on this horrible and shocking event. We will ensure that you are kept appraised of any developments in the investigation, and if there is anything we can do to help the Ferengi Embassy during this time of grief, please know that I will make myself and my diplomatic staff available to you."

“Just find who did this, Lieutenant,” Qinee said. “I may not have liked the little prick, but he is still Ferengi, and he does have powerful friends that are going to be breathing down my neck. I need to see justice done. Or at least a convenient lynching,” the Ferengi ambassador said. “Did this have anything to do with this Humans First nonsense?”

“We have no more information than we have presented ta you at this time, Madam Ambassador,” Caleb said. “We are certainly goin’ ta look inta it.”

"I think we need to keep an eye on that group, Chief. We have so many different races in the embassies. If they are involved this, it might be just the beginning. They could be targeting diplomats and key non-human personnel," Liam stated worryingly.

“Yes, I agree, but Ah need proof ta bring ta the magistrate before Ah can get permission ta start surveillance. Right now, no one’s claimed responsibility. For all we know, this could be a muggin’ gone wrong.” He shook his head and held up his hand to forestall the eruption of protest from the Ferengi ambassador. “Ah don’t believe it is,” he assured her. “Nothin’ was takin’ from his body. But we have no motive yet.”

“Do you have any leads?” Qinee asked.

“We are still evaluating the forensic evidence, Ambassador,” Caleb said diplomatically.

Qinee gave a tight smile. “That’s a diplomatic way of saying you have no fucking idea where to go next?”

Caleb scowled. “We will let you know what we find when we find it,” he told her, standing and tugging on his tunic.

Liam calmly took a step forward between them. "Ambassador, I understand that it’s a difficult situation, but I don't feel it needs to descend into such negative language. And the chief will keep you completely informed. He is doing everything he can."

Qinee’s lips thinned, but she nodded. “Quickly,” she said. “I don’t know how long I can keep the wolves at bay, as you Hew-mans say. Ferenginar will want an accounting.” She sat down and waved them away dismissively.

Liam nodded recognising a cue to leave when there was one. "Ambassador." He bowed slightly again and headed out.

Caleb stood with a frown and followed the diplomat out. “Well, Ah suppose that went about as well as could be expected.”

OFF:

Cmdr. Caleb Ryan
Chief of Security/Tactical

Qinee
Ferengi Ambassador

Lieutenant Liam Reynolds
Chief Diplomat

 

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