Lt. JG Natasha Cole - That’s Not Grief. That’s Intent.
Natasha Schell
((Shuttle Griffin, Shuttle Hangar, Deck 11, Artemis-A))
Cole: Good. Eyes on Kona means fewer unknowns, and right now I’ll take any reduction in chaos I can get.
Jaran: Response
Storm: She’ll help us get where we need to go once we arrive.
Cole: Then I already like her. Anyone willing to help with this on short notice has good instincts.
Jaran: Response
Storm: She’ll help us get where we need to go … once we’re on the ground.
Cole: ::nodding:: Good. Now walk us through who’s likely to be there, who matters, and who might try to stop us from leaving with Cassie?
She turned to Alex and waited for the reply. While she was tempted to snap her fingers to get her attention she also didn’t want to upset her since she was clearly processing enough as is.
Storm: Oh… um... well, I can only guess at the main players. Kona’s mom, Elsine will be front and center. She would definitely try to step in between us and Cassie. He’s an only child, so there won’t be siblings. But Kona’s dad has a brother…Oh…what’s his name?
Alex swivelled her chair around to face them as she was deep in thought.
Storm: Garret, maybe? I don’t know if he’ll be there or not. Neither of Kona’s grandparents are still living. I really think it’s going to be a lot of business associates. According to Kona, his dad was well-liked and well-connected. Unfortunately, I can’t tell you anything else with certainty.
Jaran: Response
Cole: We don’t need certainty yet. We need something solid enough to stand on, and then we keep moving.
Storm: I think our best bet is going to be waiting everyone out and then confronting Kona quietly. I really ... don’t want a scene.
Alex paused and swallowed.
Storm: Not there. But I am concerned that even with my mental barriers up, he’ll sense me and run.
Jaran: Response
((Eleven hours Later))
((Shuttle Griffin – En route to Betazed ))
Natasha kept one hand light on the controls. She had managed to shave more time off the journey than she’d expected, while her other rested near the console edge. The briefing had gone from scattered fragments to something more actionable. Not stable, not safe, but workable.
Cole: I’m not saying I like our odds, but they’ve improved enough that I’ve stopped drafting apology letters in my head.
Storm: Once we see him there, make sure you alert Federation authorities, so they can take him into custody - just so we can get a judge to at least look at the case.
Jaran: Response
Natasha nodded, eyes still on the controls. The sound of an incoming hail pulled her attention sideways for a moment. She glanced between Alex and Jira wondering who that could be.
Storm: =/\= This is shuttle Griffin. Who is this? =/\=
Nila: =/\= Alex, it’s Nila. We’ve got a problem.=/\=
oO Of course we do, we’re nearly there. Oo
Storm: =/\= What happened, Nila? =/\=
Nila: =/\= He’s gone. =/\=
Storm: =/\= Wait--Kona’s gone? Where? How? =/\=
Nila: =/\= He spent the morning at his parents’ house, but about ten minutes ago, he left. He had a large pack with him. I followed him to the spaceport. He left on a transport, stopping over at Vulcan, but heading on to Draylon, Trill, and Kressari. I’m so sorry, Alex. I didn’t expect him to leave before the funeral. =/\=
Nat closed her eyes for half a second and let out a slow, frustrated breath through her nose. Thirty-six minutes from landing, and their plan had already become archaeology. Of course it had.
Storm: =/\= It’s not your fault, Nila. Kona is slipperier than a greased flabbit. We’ll figure something out. We’re getting close. What’s our current ETA, Nat? =/\=
Cole: ::glancing at the controls:: Thirty-six minutes.
Jaran: Response
Storm: =/\= We’ll be landing at… =/\=
Alex turned to Jira.
Storm: What’s our berth number?
Jaran: Response
Cole: Berth or not, first stop’s still the spaceport.
Storm: =/\= You’ll find us there shortly. Storm out. =/\=
Alex closed the channel and slipped out of her seat. She avoided meeting Nat’s eyes as she balled her hands into fists.
Storm: Just … give me a minute.
Natasha let the silence sit just long enough to mean it. By the time it passed, the frustration had already started changing shape. The protective part of her wanted to hit the problem. The detective in her wanted to know why Kona had moved now, with that route, carrying that much, before the funeral had even begun.
Cole: Take the minute. Then we stop reacting to him and start getting ahead of him.
Jaran/Storm: Response
Cole: He left before the funeral, with a packed bag and a multi-stop route. That’s not grief. That’s intent. Either he got spooked, or he was always planning to move before anyone could corner him.
Jaran/Storm: Response
She finally turned from the controls to look at Alex directly. Her eyes flicked briefly to the stars ahead, but she wasn’t really looking at space anymore. She was looking at a man with a packed bag, a hurried exit, and just enough foresight to be dangerous.
Cole: When we land, we talk to Nila first. Then I want departure records, berth footage if there is any, ticketing, baggage, and whether he booked the whole route in advance or stitched it together as he ran. Men who think they’re being clever usually leave one detail behind. I just want to know which one he picked.
Jaran/Storm: Response
Tags/TBC
----- ◌● -----Lt. JG Natasha Cole
Security Officer
USS Artemis-A
A240205NC4