JP – First Secretary Keehani Ukinix & Lt. Robin Hopper: Federation Standard (Part 3)
Wil Ukinix
((Holodeck E – Science & Research Center))
After several moments of silence, the sound of the door being unlocked made Keehani look at Robin out of the corner of her eye-
Keehani: ::Quietly:: Mean faces on.
- before the door swung open. The young man that had opened the door stood up against the wall near the door and said nothing. In the middle of the small, old-fashioned apartment was another young man eating what looked to be something that had been wrapped in paper. In front of him was a large tall cup of some sort, with a plastic lid and protruding straw. On the right of the room was a couch, where a third man in long shorts and a t-shirt lay.
After a pause, Keehani let Robin step into the room first, before following her in, closing the door behind her. Robin did her best to sneer at the men in the room.
Keehani: Hello, gentleman. How are you all today?
The man on the couch with long, straight hair on top leaned forward and half sat up, seemingly nervous at the presence of the two black-suited people that had just entered the apartment.
Keehani: It’s okay. ::Slight smile, gesturing with hand:: Keeping relaxing. No need to get up.
Keehani watched as he eventually lay back on the couch, his face showing how nervous and frightened he was at the arrival of Robin and Keehani. The Betazoid gave him a smile and a nod of approval, before turning back and standing just in front of her suited colleague. Robin slowly nodded, continuing to squint at him – wait, no, she was supposed to be sneering. She sneered at him.
Keehani: Allow us to introduce ourselves. We’re associates of your business partner, Marsellus.
She sized up the two people in front of her, before turning to look at the man at the table.
Keehani: Hmm. You’re “Brad”, aren’t you.
He shifted slightly in his chair, clearly uncomfortable with the attention.
Brad: ::Nervous:: I’m Brad.
Keehani: Got it in one. ::moving closer to table:: So, Brad, you *are* aware of Marsellus, your business partner, aren’t you?
Brad: I remember him.
Keehani: ::Gesturing between Robin and herself:: Our apologies for interrupting your breakfast. ::Gesturing to table:: Is that what this is, breakfast?
Brad: We got… hamburgers.
Keehani: For breakfast? ::Quick eye roll:: By the Four, Brad, I’m not sure that’s the most nutritious thing you should eat for the most important meal of the day. Isn’t that right, Robin?
By this point, Robin was ‘deep’ into her part. Keehani was the enforcer. She was going to hit them with mind games.
Hopper: ::Overly-intense:: Yeah – that’s right… You’ve got an unbalanced caloric intake, Brad. High cholesterol. Hydrogenated oils. You should be taking better care of your body, Brad – statistically speaking each bite of that burger’s taking three and a half minutes off your life… and I’m not sure you have much to spare.
As Robin answered, Keehani leaned forward and picked up the burger from the table, holding it in her hand and inspecting it.
Keehani: ::turning back to Brad:: She’s a bit of a science fanatic.
Hopper: ::dramatic, wide-eyed:: Fanatic…
Keehani: Me?… I’m interested in diplomacy. Sometimes.
Keehani took a bite out of the burger. After a chewing it for a few moments, Keehani “mmm’d” before chewing a bit more and speaking.
Keehani: Well! This may not be healthy for you, but it is delicious! I think it would go well with a drink.
Sprite: … Okay.
Keehani: There is a particularly strong liquor that some of my colleagues like to drink. It’s officially called “Romulan Ale”, from a foreign place, but do you know what some people call it?
Brad: No…?
Hopper: Tell him, Robin.
Hopper: Antiseptic Mouthwash.
Keehani: “Mouthwash!” And do you know why they call it that, Brad?
Brad thought about it for a half-second before answering, uncertainly.
Brad: It’s illegal?
Keehani paused mid-burger-chew, looked at Brad, then tilted her head with her eyebrows raised in surprise.
Keehani: Now I was told you’re smart, Brad. But that is a small-brained answer. It’s because Romulan Ale, Brad, is blue, and has a very high alcohol content. It *looks* like antiseptic mouthwash. ::Shaking head, tutting:: Do better, Brad.
Hopper: Yeah. Use your brain, Brad. ::Pointing at his drink:: Unless you’ve been hitting the Romulan mouth wash…
Keehani took a step forward, and placed the burger back down on the table.
Brad: ::Glancing at his soda:: It’s Sprite.
Keehani: Is that… actually I have no idea what that is. ::Gesturing:: May I try it?
Brad: ::Unconfident:: Sure.
Keehani, keeping her black eyeballs firmly fixed on Brad, picked up the drink container and took a drink through the straw, finishing the contents such that it made a loud “slurping” noise. After a few seconds, she held the cup in front of her, tilting her head side to side to indicate the beverage had a “so-so” taste, before putting it back down on the table.
Keehani: Well this has been a lovely chat so far. Wouldn’t you agree, Robin?
Hopper: ::Crossing her arms, nodding:: I’m having a great time.
Keehani: But we’re not here to talk about unhealthy breakfast decisions.
Robin began pacing the room, walking by the other two men. She paused at the one lying on the couch.
Hopper: What’s your name?
The man stared up at her in worried silence. The one by the door began to answer.
Melvin: Randy. His name’s Ra–
Hopper: ::Holding up a finger to silence him:: Pss-pss-pss. I didn’t ask you.
She continued to stare daggers at Randy. Keehani turned to Melvin for a moment, and shook her head in disappointment at him, before turning back to stare at Brad.
Randy: ::Swallowing:: Randy.
Keehani: Do you know where the goods are?
Randy looked from Robin to Keehani, nervously nodding his head.
Keehani: Then you better tell my colleague, very quickly, where we can find it.
Melvin: It’s under the be–
Infuriated, Keehani spun on her foot and loudly chided the informant.
Keehani: ROBIN. SAID. SHUT. YOUR. *MOUTH*.
Keehani kept her dark, piercing eyes focused on Melvin as Randy spoke. Robin turned to look at Keehani, momentarily stunned by her commanding tone, before looking back to Randy and trying to play off Keehani’s intensity.
Hopper: ::Sharply:: Hm?
Randy: It’s under the bed.
After a while Keehani slowly turned back to look at Robin, giving her a nod. Robin returned the look with a smirk, raising her eyebrows. So far things seemed to be going quite well – and no real violence had yet been necessary. In fact, she was enjoying how easily-intimidated the men were… Perhaps their reputations as assassins preceded them. She moved across the room to the bed and, reaching under it, found a handle.
Hopper: This must be it… ::Pulling it out:: …It’s a– It’s a suitbox, no that’s not it – ::snapping her fingers:: – oh, shoot. What are these called?
Melvin: A briefca–
Hopper: AAAAhhh!!! That was a rhetorical question. ::Pause, look to Keehani:: It’s a briefcase.
Keehani: Does that mean it’s… short?
Hopper: If I remember my Federation history, a few worlds with significant corporate histories used these to transport documents before converting to digital storage…
Robin brought the case to the table, putting it down and unlatching it. She flipped it open and looked inside as a bright glow illuminated her face.
Hopper: Huh.
Keehani: You have it?
Robin stared into it, trying to ascertain what exactly she was looking at, but it was so bright, her eyes couldn’t focus on it.
Hopper: ::Squinting:: Well, it’s not paperwork.
Keehani changed her tone to get Robin’s attention away from the container.
Keehani: Rooo-biiin…
Robin squinted until her eyes were nearly shut, then held her hands up to try and block most of the light, creating a lattice with her fingers, peering through one of the small holes… No use. Whatever was in the case, the program didn’t seem to want her to know. She finally looked away, back to Keehani, shutting the case
When Robin’s eyes finally met Keehani’s, Keehani asked again.
Keehani: You have it?
Hopper: Yes. Whatever it is, it’s in there.
Brad: ::Nervous tone:: Listen.... ::Gesturing to Robin:: I got your name, “Robin”, but I missed yours?
Keehani: My name is “Bubble”, and you, Mister Brad, are in a lot of trouble.
Brad nervously lifted his palms and swallowed, before composing himself as best he could and continued.
Brad: I just want you to know how sorry we are that things turned out the way they did between us and Marsellus. We had the best of intentions-
Keehani pulled out her old-fashioned Earth weapon, and pointed it at Brad’s head. A small gasp escaped Robin’s lips.
Keehani: Is that how you do it, Robin?
Hopper: ::Slightly flustered:: Huh? Oh, uh, yeah – it’s just, you know, point and shoot. ::Urgently:: I mean… Don’t shoot! ::Glancing at Brad, trying to be menacing:: I mean… unless he’s asking for it.
She smiled – menacingly? – then whispered to Keehani.
Hopper: ::Whispering:: But you do have the safety on.
Keehani: The what?
Hopper: The little lever on the side. The gun won’t fire with that locked.
With her thumb, Keehani slowly pulled back the safety, and nodded a smile towards Hopper.
Keehani: Oh yes! Thank you.
Hopper: ::Picking the bravado back up:: Pfft, of course. Yeah. Anything for my… partner in crime.
Robin reached into her jacket to pull out her own gun, but it wouldn’t pull out of the holster. It must have gotten stuck. She tried a couple more times, before giving up and just tucking her hand into her jacket and trying to make it look intentional.
Keehani then moved in quickly, and pressed the weapon against Brad’s forehead.
Keehani: ::Calm tone:: I’m so sorry, Brad, I didn’t mean to interrupt, you were explaining how the relationship between yourselves and Marsellus became strained? Please, continue, it’s important we hear your side of the story.
Brad, now in a panic, couldn’t speak. He instead panted furiously and stared back at Keehani in utter fear. Keehani raised her eyebrows, before turning her ear towards Brad to encourage him to continue. However, Brad suddenly seemed lost for words.
Keehani: Robin, it seems Brad here has finished speaking.
Hopper: Forever…
Robin waited, cringing slightly, expecting a gun blast and holographic brains to go flying everywhere. When that didn’t happen, she blinked a few times and looked at Keehani, straightening out her jacket.
Hopper: Sorry, I, uh… thought that’s where things were going.
Keehani: Well, in any negotiation, it’s important to hear each party’s view on delicate matters. So, if you’ll allow me, Brad, I’d like to give you ours.
With Brad still in a panic, Keehani stepped back for a moment, still pointing the weapon at the young man’s head.
Keehani: You see, our boss, Marsellus, thinks you cheated his mind with your “best intentions”.
Brad: M-mind… Wh-what?
Keehani: You heard me.
Brad: ::Nervous panting:: What?
Keehani: Stop saying that. Which system are you from!
Brad: ::Furrowed brows:: Wh-what?
Keehani: ::Stepping forward, pressed weapon against Brad’s forehead:: I said, stop saying that! Do they not speak Federation Standard in the “What” system?
Brad: What?
With that, Keehani pointed the weapon at Brad’s shoulder. She had a right mind to injure him for his panicked insolence…
TBC…
First Secretary Keehani Ukinix
Ambassadorial Aide, Amity Outpost
Federation Diplomatic Corps, United Federation of Planets
V239511WU0
&
Lt. Robin Hopper
Chief Science Officer,
Amity Outpost
V239806K11