Death in Paradise?

Posted on Sun May 28, 2017 @ 12:47am by Lieutenant JG Noelle Bennett M.D. & Commander Caleb Ryan & Lieutenant Liam Reynolds

1,007 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Rumours
Location: Chief Security Officer's Office, Deep Space Five
Timeline: MD 5 1100

ON:

After taking just long enough to thank the Ferengi ambassador for the interesting mud bath and to change clothes, Noelle decided to meet with Commander Ryan to report their findings. Like Liam, Noelle was just as eager to do more investigating, but she too recognized the danger of heading into the Dilithium Chamber without telling anyone what she was doing. She had promised to assist the investigation, not lead one, and besides, she didn't want to interrupt anything that might already be in progress.

Caleb looked up from his desk when the pair entered his office. “Lieutenants. How can Ah help ya’ll?” He gestured to the chairs in front of his desk and leaned his long, lanky body back in his seat. “Can Ah get ya’ll somethin’?” he offered, getting up and going to the replicator.

Noelle sat as directed and offered, "I won't keep you. I just wanted to let you know Liam and I met with the Ferengi ambassador again. She invited us for a mud bath, in fact," Noelle added with a hint of a smile. "That in itself was interesting, but for now I was trying to gather information about Nazl so I could get a better sense of who his killer is psychologically. I don't know that we learned anything particularly new, but she confirmed he was every bit the underhanded lecherous businessman we thought he was. Her gut told her he was involved in all sorts of illegal side activities for profit and that he might have had something to do with the death of her predecessor, but she couldn't offer anything concrete."

“So he was Ferengi,” Caleb said rather flippantly, returning to his desk with a fresh cup of coffee. “Ah’m sorry,” he said, waving away his speciesist comment. “Ah am just finding it...difficult to rouse up some sympathy over his...passing.” He sipped his coffee and looked over the mug at Noelle.

"That's completely understandable," Noelle replied. "You're in good company there. The ambassador primarily referred to rumors and innuendo, but she did say we might check out the Lotus Lounge and the Dilithium Chamber. She said he liked to visit the former and she said it was worth checking out the anti-alien sentiment if we were looking at all motives." Caleb's comments immediately made Noelle think of Zandra, but she promised herself she would focus on work before she brought up the Chief's daughter.

Caleb nodded. “We’ve visited the Dilithium Chamber and interviewed some people there,” he admitted. “Can’t say Ah found much ta go on,” he admitted. “Ah ain’t been by the Lotus Lounge, though. Didn’t know there was a connection there.” He picked up a padd to make a notation. “She say anything about what that connection was?”

"Just that he liked to go there frequently, which she suspected helped him manage... his sexual proclivities," Noelle added after a pause. "I mentioned that given how he was killed, I can't help but see a killer filled with rage. That, and stabbing can symbolize a sexual act for some killers. Given what we already know of his history, I think it might be worth exploring whether he was sexually inappropriate or violent with anyone else." Bennett knew her words weren't exactly bringing up the most pleasant of images for Caleb, but professionally speaking, she was just being honest.

Caleb took a breath and nodded, wearing his professional face. He might be seething within, but he could let that out later. “It would make sense,” he said. “We’ll ask around.” He paused, considering. “If he hurt one of them at the Lotus Lounge, that might trigger some retaliation,” he said. “Rowa’ni can be...protective of themselves.” He frowned. “But there was no black orchid at the scene,” he mused, tapping his fingers on his desk in thought.

Caleb shook his head, dismissing that lead, and looked at Noelle. “Have...you much experience with Rowa’ni?” he asked. They knew each other from Leto Colony, but he didn’t recall if she had ever spent much time among the new Rowa’ni colony that had been established there just before Starfleet turned things over to a civilian government. “Maybe Ah should go with ya.”

Liam's ears reddened slightly. "I hosted an evening at the Lotus Lounge to mend favour with the Ferengi when I first joined the station, and a lady I have had a few dates with lives next door to the lounge and is friends with the owner. I have some experience. Perhaps we should all go," he suggested. Caleb obviously knew more about the species, mentioning a black orchid.

“Then ya know the unique...challenges of dealing with Rowa’ni,” Caleb said with a wry smile. “Ah confess Ah’ve not had much experience with Tianys Dalav’ni, though.” He looked to Liam, since the diplomatic chief seemed to have some experience with the female alien. “What is your read on her?”

"If you do right by her, she'll do right by you. If you cross her," Liam said seriously, "Well, let's just say I wouldn't suggest sticking around or heading back in her presence."

Noelle listened quietly and nodded. "It sounds like she could be a viable suspect if Nazl had ever been inappropriate with any of her employees. Given his attitudes toward women and his history of inappropriate behavior, I wouldn't be surprised if he were inappropriate with one or more. I don't have much experience with her particular species, and I know about as much about them as you might find in the databases. I would welcome the company and the insight."

“Of course,” Caleb said. “Let’s meet at 1300 to go to the Lotus Lounge,” he told Noelle and Liam.

Liam nodded. "Chief, before I disappear, could I have a word in private on another matter?"

FIN

Commander Caleb Ryan
Chief Tactical/Security Officer

Lieutenant Liam Reynolds
Chief Diplomatic Officer

Lieutenant JG Noelle Bennett, M.D.
Chief Counselor
Deep Space Five

 

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