Meanwhile, Down At The Police Station

Posted on Sun Dec 18th, 2011 @ 7:28am by Captain Alexsa Kendrick & Lieutenant Cedric Shepherd

1,013 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Fishing
Location: USS Ranger, Deck 9, Security Office
Timeline: 1 hour after We All Live in a Holo-Submarine

Kendrick had just about finished her rather cold tea when she got the call to attend the Security Chief's office located on Deck 9. The temperature never really bothered her as it was meant to be drunk luke warm as it was, plus her usual attire clothed neck to toe with her ever present gloves, those and her heart, it suited her better. She tapped her comm badge and gave a short but surprisingly uncharacteristic curt reply, "Of course Lieutenant, I'd be pleased to." Alex swiftly took up her PADD that she was reading, stood, and took her leave of the mess hall. Shortly arriving down at the Security offices, she pressed the bell.

"Thank you for coming in, Captain," said Shepherd, rising as Kendrick entered the office. "Please," he indicated the chair across from his at the desk.

Alex looked suspiciously at the chair as offered - she wasn't planning on stopping long - but decided to be magnanimous for the moment and sat down opposite the Security Chief. This was on his terms and turf after all... for now.

Shepherd sat, and stacked several PADDs before setting them aside. The movement was businesslike and ordinary, serving to empty the space between them. The act cleared the desktop save for a single item, slightly rectangular, about a tenth the size of an isolinear chip, and nondescript save for its presence as the only item on the table.

Now that action was no accident. Kendrick wondered which one of her listening devices it was - the one from one or the other shuttle, the briefing room, or perhaps the one she planted in Halliwell's ready room. She'd not had time to correlate any of the records as yet, but the last status she saw, the one she planted on the Delta Flyer shuttle was still present when the team arrived back to the ship. Her thoughts did not betray her face though, she made sure of that.

"I confess to a certain curiosity, Captain," began Shepherd, casual and nonchalant without being disrespectful--the tone of an understanding peer rather than a dour Security goon. "As the Security Chief on board, I expected to be used as a resource in your investigation. I've waited for your call," he shrugged and smiled a friendly smile, letting the sentence end unspoken before starting another. "Since things could get pretty hectic in the next day or two, I felt like I needed to take a few minutes just to make sure we're on the same page. Will you please state for clarity what your assignment is here aboard Ranger?"

Alex smirked slightly as she glanced down and then back at Shepherd. "For the moment Lieutenant, I'm not at liberty to discuss my assignment to those not specifically involved. At this present time Mister Shepherd, you are not involved and for the sake of your career, I sincerely hope you never will be. Next question?"

Shepherd appeared to expect that, and continued. "Are the subjects of your inquiry at liberty to discuss their status regarding your activities?"

"Let's cut to the chase, Lieutenant," Kendrick started with a no nonsense tone, the slight smirk she had on her face disappearing and clasping her gloved hands in front of her, elbows resting on the arms of the chair, "I know what you're after, you want answers, you want solutions to a mystery, and knowledge to work toward a happy ending. It's not going to happen, at least not the way you think."

Cedric was about to say or ask something else poignant before Alex raised a gloved hand to silence him and jumped in ahead of any words he may have uttered. "I will tell you this though. The senior command structure of the Ranger is under special investigative review by Internal Affairs and Starfleet Command, and I'm operating under certain orders and dispensation, and let me put that into no uncertain terms--on this ship, I answer to no-one." She paused to stand again and walked behind the chair next to which she had been sitting. "This doesn't directly affect or concern you, Lieutenant, unless you give cause for it, so as far as I'm concerned, your line of inquiry ends there--good day."

He rose reflexively when she did, "I understand, Captain. Would you care for a transcript of this conversation?" If he was intimidated, he kept it buried, placid as a stone.

Perhaps the recording device sitting quietly on Shepherd's desktop was not one of hers after all, Kendrick thought as her attention waned slightly and glanced at the small device still on his desk. "Recording personal meetings, Lieutenant?" Alex pursed her lips and nodded her head a beat - she couldn't fault his methods, especially as she would be guilty of the same code of practice with her own devices, recording conversations and meetings without the other parties knowledge. "Could be a prudent measure, thank you."

"No problem," Shepherd replied. "I'll load the transcript to your filespace in the computer. And going forward if you need any sort of double check of your movements or other activity while you're on board, just let me know. I'll have that for you. It's the least I can do," he finished with a smile.

Kendrick paused slightly taking in the smile. With the smile and the last sentences said by the Security Chief, she wasn't quite sure if any of it was actually genuine. She already knew as the outsider that the Ranger crew would be keeping a close eye on her, and Shepherd's words sounded like a heavily shrouded threat. Taking it purely on face value though, Alex returned a smile in response, if only a slight one, "I look forward to it, and rest assured that when the time comes for anything to happen on my investigation, you'll be one of the first to know." Alex didn't like to, but she knew how to play the game--besides, she had plans for Shepherd, and her work would be go a lot smoother with him on board.

 

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