Starit Proz: Bottom Line

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Lael Rosek

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Sep 14, 2018, 12:35:22 AM9/14/18

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OOC: All thoughts, feelings and dialogue belong to the character.

(( Havley Mining Corporation Headquarters, Frosthome, Havley’s Hope ))

::Starit’s scowl deepened as he folded his arms across his chest, leaning back against his desk. How many had there been? He’d lost track. Enough of his men had disappeared that it was impacting production. The strange happenings had scared off a couple of his best workers, leaving him with only the dregs who were desperate for any kind of income and had nowhere else to go for various reasons. Some were even taking their wages under the table so the Marshals in the Shoals wouldn’t be able to track them down. Sure, they were technically wanted, but they hadn’t killed anyone and business was business.::

Starit Proz: ::grunts:: Too many. At least a half dozen workers missing this month. ::shakes his head:: We didn’t have these problems until Starfleet started sending ships out this way. And no. No witnesses. Only ones who might have the damndest clue are the ones who’ve turned up missing.

Kelrod: So, you’re implying that Starfleet presence could have triggered those events? Is that what you’re suggesting?

::Starit had to fight the temptation to move toward the man and lean into his space. He’d dealt with men like this Kelrod before. They used intimidation when they didn’t get what they wanted. But Starit had lived in the Shoals too long to fall for that. He might be a grumbly, old man...but he wasn’t a stupid one.

::The Starfleeters were baiting and he wasn’t about to bite. He had no reason to be afraid of them. They were supposed to be here to help. If all they were going to do is throw their weight around...well, he wasn’t about to take that lying down.::

::His gaze locked with Kelrod’s and a grin crossed his face.::

Proz: I’ve lived in the Shoals my whole life and have been the general manager here at Havley’s for ten years...spent five wandering the Shoals before that. I was here before Starfleet decided to stick its over-large nose into our business.

::He leaned back against the desk and arched an eyebrow.::

Proz: Now I have nothing against Starfleet myself...only to the extent that it interferes with my ability to make a profit. A fair number of my clients don’t like the idea of a group of idealistic, self-righteous people coming in and trying to force their ideas of justice on this region. You don’t know what it’s like living out here without the protection of your precious Starfleet. I believe Humans have an expression. You don’t know someone until you walk a mile in their moccasins.

::A silence lingered in the air for long moments before the feline-looking alien broke it.::

Mei’konda: And I understaand you’ve closed down the collaapsed miining site. Why wait for us to arrive, mister Proz? Is there somethiing about this that you feel we’re especiaally qualified to handle?

Starit Proz: ::huffs:: Not up to me. It’s standard procedure. Our contractors would have a fit if we didn’t. As for calling you in specifically...well, that goes above my paygrade. That’s a question for the Big Boss, who’s offworld at the moment.

Mei’konda: Well, it’s a good thiing we haave you here to help us then, Mr. Proz.

del Vedova: Who did you speak to from Starfleet, Mr. Proz?

Proz: ::grunts:: Don’t recall his name off the top of my head. ::shuffles through an electronic notepad and shakes his head:: Admiral somebody-or-another.

Mei’konda: I see.

::His inability to give a name seemed to irritate the Starfleeters. While a part of him was smug at the thought of causing them a bit of grief after how much grief they were causing him, he genuinely didn’t remember and the slips bothered him more than he let on. It was likely the radiation they dealt with every day here in the mines of Havley’s destroying the parts of his brain responsible for memory among other things.::

::And yet for some stupid reason, he choose to stay on this blasted rock. Likely because he had nowhere else to go and had no desire to spend another five years trapped in a tin can wandering the Shoals.::

del Vedova: Response?

Proz: ::shakes his head:: What in the name of the Mother are you doing asking me so many damned pointless questions? It’s all in the report that was sent to your Admiral.

Ripley: :: Stepping forward more:: Sir sometimes the questioning process can be the most essential. Simply going off of reports and not confirming those details could lead to mistakes.

Kelrod: The question is if you want the work done quick or if you want it done right. We’re for right, rather than quick.

::His gaze again locked with the man’s, the only indication of his irritation the slight narrowing of his eyes. This Kelrod was a real character...and he didn’t mean it as a compliment. The man pushed and pushed, still hoping to get Starit riled.::

del Vedova: Response

Proz: ::mutters:: Waste of time if you ask me. You should be down in the mines near the cave-ins looking for signs of whose responsible for all of this. Not going to get any answers to that pestering me.

Ripley: Of course, and we will examine the sites very soon. But first, a few more questions if you'd be gracious enough to continue. ::Kelrod looked at the man and opened his mind a bit to see if the man was like that all the time or if he’s feeling nervous about their presence with him. ::

Proz: ::grunts:: Not like I have a ton of choice, do I?

Mei’konda: We haave several other teaams operating on the plaanet, Mr. Proz. One of them is investigaating the most recent disappearance site directly. As my team members have saiid, any informaation you could provide us with would be most valuable.

del Vedova: Response

Ripley: Thank you, first I was hoping you could give me a copy of your incident reports starting from the date of the first cave-in or disappearance, and second could you tell me, are the shafts that have collapsed connected in any way?

::With a shake of his head, he turned to his desk, digging for the electronic notepad containing the incident reports the man was requesting, offering it to him. The last question...Starit paused thoughtfully, his brow furrowing.::

Proz: Not that I know of. Then again… ::taps his temple:: My memory isn’t what it used to be. Ten years in this place with near constant exposure to radiation...it decays the body and the mind.

Kelrod: Any map of the tunnels, even those that were projected but not built will be useful to know where we’re going in.

del Vedova: Response

Ripley: Are there any back ways to get around in the mine, do all the sites connect to one another? Corridors, crawl spaces, large ventilation systems?

Proz: ::shrugs:: I’d expect some of them to. Not sure to what extent. Ventilation down here is bare minimum, so I wouldn’t expect those systems to have much to do with anything. There’s a fair number of shafts and a dozen or so commonly used crawl spaces, but most of the men stick to the shafts unless we’re working out of a particular chamber.

del Vedova: Response

Ripley: The incident reports will help me to better place these disappearances and cave-ins in order, the report filed with the Marshals office was rather vague on the timing and scale of these events, it simply stated that they happened. I am assuming that this is the same level of detail my Starfleet associates here received as well. :: He looked to commander Mei'konda as he finished speaking.::

del Vedova: Response

Kelrod: Besides, some of us has some experience in mining sites and cave-ins, so you can trust that we’ll be able to do our job and find out what’s going on. :: he said looking at the man, waiting for his reaction ::

Mei’konda: Commander Kelrod is correct. We aiided Antor II in their disaaster relief several months ago. Once we’ve fiinished here, Mr. Proz, I’ll see about getting permission from our Captain to proceed to one of the other investigation sites.

Proz: ::murmurs:: Never understood the concept of getting permission to do one’s job. ::offers a lopsided grin:: Then again, I’m not a military-minded man content with following orders. None of my people are. Military organizations don’t exist on Atrea.