[Begin Act I] Lt Alex Storm - More Like an Invitation -- To Be Dinner

[Karen Morris]

(( Outside the Office Building, Afalqi Project Launch Complex, Meranuge IV ))

Alex shimmered into existence; her boots hitting solid ground and scattering dust. The sun bore down, and the dry air licked at her skin.  

oO Damn, it’s hot. Oo

Beads of perspiration dotted her forehead and neck.  With a grimace, she twisted her hair up into a makeshift bun.  

Jovenan: Our task is to search the office of the Chief Engineer of the Afalqi Project. He is suspected of being the leader of the team that stole the ship of Afalqi. We should try to get access to his communications, logs, anything that might give us clues. The Da’al seem to be eager to get their ship back, so finding the destination of the ship, if possible, is our primary objective. But we should also look for evidence pertaining to, um, motivation, means, accomplishes, so forth. Anything relevant to the suspected theft.

Jaran: How does someone steal an entire ship out of a government facility...?

Bergmen: All you have to do is pretend you belong, smile here, small talk there… Thank to others for opening the door… ::shrugs to Storm:: Once you get past the entrance, only a few expect you shouldn't be where you really are.

Storm: The easiest way to steal a ship is for you to belong there in the first place.  You just go further than you are authorized to.

Jovenan tinkered with her PADD before a picture of a man popped up.

Jovenan: This is Chief Engineer Havun. Age 49, married. Parents had a mining company on the moon. Accomplished engineer, worked on several successful projects before landing as the Chief Engineer on this project. And… that’s pretty much it. If he had a reason for stealing a starship, it doesn’t come up in the short bio the Provisional Government sent us.

Jaran: I wonder what causes someone to just throw a successful career away like that.

Ollie nodded.  Alex wiped her furrowed brow.

Bergmen: Reasons may vary, Doctor. Ideology, coercion, ingratiation, disgruntlement due to their ego or underappreciation… whatever it is, one is clear. Nobody ever betrayed because they were happy.

Storm: He likely doesn’t look at it like he’s throwing away his career.  I would guess, if he indeed did it, that this is either a step up for him or he is preserving something.

Jovenan powered off her PADD, and then glanced around.  Alex ventured a guarded glance at the sky.  The planetary rings shimmered with a brilliant luster - much more beautiful than they were from orbit.

oO At least the view’s worth it.  Oo

Jovenan: This is a criminal investigation, so we need to be thorough, but remember also that everyone’s innocent until proven guilty. Keep your eyes and minds open until the end. ::pause:: Questions?

Jaran: Are we expecting any resistance to the investigation?

Bergmen bit his lower lip.

Bergmen: On the one hand, they wanted us here and asked for our help. On the other... This isn't a Federation world, and I can imagine there will be some who see us as overstepping into their backyard. So I would wait and see, right, Lieutenant? ::glance at Storm::

Storm: Even if everyone else wanted us here, anyone involved in the crime certainly won’t want us poking our noses in.  And that can look different depending on who we’re dealing with.  Someone may appear to be extremely helpful, hoping to find out what we know.  Avoidance is always an option, and others may refuse to answer simple questions.

Jaran: I guess I mostly wonder if we're anticipating... danger.

Bergmen: Immediate danger? No. But be prepared if come? Definitely. ::smiles at Jaran::

Storm: We expect answers.  Sometimes that invites danger.  

Alex’s mouth twitched into a smirk.

Storm:  I hope everyone’s up to date on their phaser quals.

Jovenan: Response

Jaran: So where do we start?

Alex turned to Jovenan.

Bergmen: One would expect a welcome committee, or at least someone to take us inside, but… I don’t know. Should we go by ourselves, ma’am?

Storm:  I wouldn’t expect anyone to greet us until we actually get inside.

Jovenan: Response

Jaran: Has anyone else noticed that this place feels... deserted? There's a guard at that one checkpoint over there ::points::, but the one over there ::points:: is empty. And there's no one moving around at all. I haven't seen a single door open or someone move past a window.

Alex glanced up at the building. It certainly had a lot of windows.  oO Maybe they’re reflective or projective. Oo

Bergmen: We are near the governmental building, doctor, which usually isn’t the most popular place to hang around. Plus the heat of the day. I wouldn't worry about it.

Storm: My guess would be that top-secret research facilities are rarely bustling with visible activity.

Jovenan: Response

(( The Office Building, Afalqi Project Launch Complex, Meranuge IV ))

By the time they reached the building, Alex suspected the sweat wasn’t limited to her face and neck. oO Hopefully the rest isn’t overly obvious. Oo  She glanced at her armpits.  oO …Ew. Oo

But as the doors parted, they were hit by an arctic wall of air, causing Alex’s perspiration to turn to goosebumps.

But the air wasn’t the only frigid thing.  The room felt cold and ornamental. Columns, walls of glass, marble floors.  Glass and stone.  Neither was very welcoming.

Bergmen: Should we wait for someone to pick us up or go and announce ourselves, ma’am?

Gesturing to the only visible person in the voluminous entry, Alex said...

Storm: With your permission, Commander?

Jovenan/Jaran: Response

Willing the chilled air to dry her slightly discolored underarms, Alex strode toward the lone individual.

Bergmen: Do you think they are watching us?

She answered quietly over her shoulder.

Storm: They’d be foolish not to be.

Jovenan/Jaran: Response

Alex stopped before they reached the booth.  Turning to face the others, she lowered her voice.

Storm: Assume they’re watching, listening—and recording. If we find something, let’s not flash our cards.  Quietly tell the Commander and let her decide what to do with it.

As they approached, a brown-haired woman in her mid-thirties smiled disarmingly at them.

Jovenan/Jaran/Bergmen: Response

Ce’Mond:  Of course.  And how can I help you today?

Storm:  We’re from Starfleet.

Alex gestured to her combadge.

Ce’mond:  Starfleet?

The brunette started typing on her machine.  

Storm:  oO Does she really not know, or is she playing coy? Oo

Jovenan/Jaran/Bergmen: Response

Ce’Mond:  Ooo.  

Her smile felt less like welcome and more like an invitation—to be dinner.

Ce’Mond:  That Starfleet.

Storm:  Yes.  That Starfleet.

Jovenan/Jaran/Bergmen: Response

~*~

Tags / TBC!

~*~

Lt Alex Storm

Tactical Officer

USS Artemis

O240103SK2