Freedom of the Press

Posted on Sat Dec 1, 2018 @ 8:49am by Civilian 'Key Holder' Yolanthe Ibalin & Commander Caleb Ryan

1,023 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Doors of Perception
Location: The Promenade
Timeline: MD02 1500

[ON]

"Commander Ryan!" Daniel Reyes pushed his way through the Promenade crowd moving away from the turbo lifts, trying to catch the XO's attention. "Commander Ryan, could I ask you a few questions about the station security situation?"

He held his recording pen out to the Texan.

Caleb slowed as he heard his name being called. He turned to see a recording pen shoved into his face. He backed off a bit, letting the crowd flow around them. “Ah’m headin’ to lunch,” Caleb said. “If ya’ll wanna direct yer questions ta the Public Relations office, they’ll forward them on ta Security.”

"I’m looking for a more personal perspective, Commander. I was hoping you'd tell me more about your role in the investigation of the Ferengi diplomat Nazl?"

Caleb frowned. “Ah’m afraid Ah can’t comment on ongoing investigations,” he said. “And Ah am no longer on that case.” Had Qinee sicced the reporter on him? Was she trying to stir the investigation up? He knew the investigation had reached a bit of an impasse.

"Why were you on the case at all?" Reyes said instantly. The victim was accused of sexually assaulting your daughter. Shouldn't you have recused yourself instantly?"

“Would you?” Caleb asked directly. “If it was your daughter? Ah was Chief of Security and he was a high level diplomat. It was my responsibility. Ah kept a close eye on it, but Ah wasn’t directly handlin’ the investigation.”

"I would if I was the prime suspect," Reyes shot back. "You had means, you had motive. And if anyone can create an opportunity for a murder to go unrecorded, its the Head of Security."

Caleb grew very still. “Are you accusing me of murdering a foreign diplomat?” he asked, his voice dangerously steady. “What was yer name again, son? I want ta be sure Ah get it right when Ah file mah libel suit.”

"Daniel Reyes." The younger man held out his recording pen. "FNN. And I'd say that people can become very aggressive when their families are at stake. I believe you only lost your wife a few years ago. That was is suspicious circumstances too, wasn't it?"

Caleb’s dark eyes narrowed. “It was a shuttle crash,” he said. “An’ Ah don’t like ta talk about it. Mah wife has nothin’ ta do with anythin’, so kindly leave her out of it.” Caleb batted the pen out of his face. “Now if you’ll excuse me, Ah’ve got work ta do.”

"Why were the Risan investigators kept away from it if it was just a shuttle crash, Commander?" Reyes voice was low, calm.

“The shuttle was Starfleet property,” Caleb said. “And they weren’t kept away. Starfleet had the necessary resources and equipment to reach such a remote area. It was a joint investigation.” Years in Intelligence had made Caleb a good liar. On paper, it was what he said, but they had covered up the cause of the crash and not informed the local Risan authorities. Daimon Dys wouldn’t be caught by some two-bit hedonist cop.

"That's not what I've been told. My sources say the local police weren't allowed anywhere near the crash site." Reyes held Caleb's eyes. "Would you care to comment on that?"

“It was a crash site. There was dilithium contamination all over the area. Certain precautions were needed. Starfleet was best able to to meet those precautions. And Ah will repeat, the shuttle was Starfleet property. Risan authorities were given all proper courtesy, but weren’t necessary. Starfleet personnel fall under Starfleet jurisdiction, no matter where they are.”

Caleb’s jaw clenched in frustration and fury. Why was this reporter digging into Mika’s death? Caleb would have thought he would have been used to dealing with reporters after being the XO for Leto Colony. But then they had never shoved their noses into his tragedies before, making veiled implications of impropriety.

“Ya’ll can easily get hold of the official record on the incident. There’s nothin’ new ta be gained by pokin’ at old wounds, Mr. Reyes, nor disrespectin’ the dead in this way.”

"Thank you, Commander. One last question. According to my sources, the Ferengi Nazl had disrupted several key businesses of a Ferengi daimon, Dys, and they had a...rivalry over recent years?"

Caleb’s eyes narrowed, his jaw working even harder. “Ah am aware of Daimon Dys. He is a wanted arms smuggler.” Caleb paused. “Alleged arms smuggler,” he corrected himself, though there was clear bile in the retraction. Dys had gotten a fancy lawyer and gotten off on a technicality. And that had been Caleb’s fault. He had forgotten to cross all the eyes and dot all the tees when making the arrest. Working with the Nemesis crew had made him...sloppy, as most of their missions were a bit more...extra-judicial and off the books. That had been the reason he hadn’t gone back after his wife had been killed. “We looked into the connection with Dys, and there were some...irregularities in Nazl’s financials. Ah cannot comment more on an ongoing investigation, however.”

"Dys escaped prosecution based on errors you made," Daniel kept his voice steady, though he didn't feel it. If he was right, he was poking a particularly dangerous bear. "And now one of his enemies ends up mysteriously dead on your station and you were in a unique place to protect the investigation. Do you work for Daimon Dys?"

Caleb wasn’t even aware as his fist connected with Reyes’ face, sending the reporter to the deck in a spray of blood. He stepped over the man and grabbed the front of his tunic. “Ah would never work for that murderer,” he hissed, ignoring the gasps and exclamations of the crowded Promenade.

Dropping Reyes, Caleb wiped his knuckles on Reyes’ tunic, picked up the recording pen, and snapped it in half. “Ah think we’re done.” With that, he turned and stalked off into the crowd.

[OFF]

Daniel Reyes
FNN Reporter
NPC by Notty

Commander Caleb Ryan
XO
DS5

 

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