[Backsim] Ensign Jaran Jira - A Doctor Doesn't Break Kneecaps
Jira Jaran
((Berth Delta-7, Spaceport Alpha, Betazed ))
The moment she stepped outside of the shuttle, Alex looked around for her friend. Seeing her, she jogged over.
Storm:: Nila!
The two women met in a quick embrace.
Storm: Jira, Nat, this is Nila.
Jaran: A pleasure to meet you!
Cole: I want the first person who can explain why we circled while outbound traffic cleared. After that, I want the person who told them to make it happen.
Alex touched Nila’s arm.
Storm: They’ll need help getting answers.
Nila: Because you’re…
Storm: I’ve got a funeral to attend.
Nila: Aren’t you a little overdressed?
Storm: That will be remedied shortly.
Jaran: Please be after we part ways...
Cole: Let me talk first. People tell you interesting things when they think you’re only half suspicious.
Nat was making a beeline for a traffic official.
Cole: Ms. Pell, right? Lieutenant Natasha Cole. I’m sure this is all perfectly ordinary, but there’s one little thing about our approach delay that keeps bothering me, and I was hoping you could save me from overthinking it.
Pall gripped her data slate tightly and smiled the smile of someone who had to.
Pell: I assure you, Lieutenant, your shuttle was never in any danger. We were instructed to delay inbound clearance for just a few minutes while a priority departure window was maintained. It was administrative, not personal.
Alex stepped up behind Pell.
Storm: It may not have been personal…
The woman hadn’t expected Alex and swung around quickly with her hand on her chest.
Storm: But it was intentional, and …
Nila’s words overlapped Alex’s.
Nila: … And my friends and I here would like to know why.
Cole: Why a Starfleet shuttle with a filed funeral visit was kept circling while outbound traffic cleared. Start there.
Pell: You’d like to know why…what?
Alex breathed in…then suddenly turned to Cole and Jaran.
Storm: I’m sorry. I need to go. ::Turning her former shipmate:: Nila?
Nila: I’ll help them get to the bottom of this.
Cole: Go be where you need to be. We’ll handle this side of it.
Jaran: Go. Go!
Storm: The funeral’s already underway. I…
Her voice trailed off. Alex turned to go, but stopped, walked back, and gave both Nat and Jira a quick hug.
Storm: Thank you both. I have to go.
Alex jogged off, and all eyes were back on Ms. Pell.
Nila: ::To Pell:: I think you need to answer the woman’s question.
Pell: I’ve already explained the hold, Lieutenant. There was outbound priority traffic, and your berth assignment was delayed accordingly. It happens.
Cole: You said you were instructed. That’s useful. Let’s start with by whom.
Nila: And you said that it happens. Is this routine?
Jaran: Knowing Betazed, there was probably fanfare throughout the station if it wasn't.
Pell: Station Operations issued the instruction through standard traffic channels. I don’t personally originate berth holds, Lieutenant, I carry them out.
Cole: I don’t need the whole station’s secrets, Ms. Pell. Just the part where our hold pattern became somebody else’s escape route.
Nila: Especially when a member of Starfleet is late for a high-ranking Betazoid’s funeral.
Jira was feeling bad for the poor functionary. They weren't cut out for interrogation.
Jaran: Just... please. Tell us.
Pell: Escape route is a serious interpretation. I had no manifest naming anyone of concern, only a flagged departure window that was marked priority and time-sensitive. That is all I knew.
Cole: One way or another, I’m getting the shape of this. I’m simply offering you the chance to be on the useful side of it.
Pell broke. A fascinating combination of relief, different tension, and resignation was visible from head to foot.
Pell: …The instruction was signed off by Berth Operations Supervisor Teren Vos, but it didn’t originate with him. He said the request came down from Station Operations with a diplomatic priority marker attached. That’s all I have.
Cole: Good. Let’s go ruin Teren Vos’s afternoon
Nila: And I know just where to find him. Follow me.
Nila turned and started off for Station OPS. Jira followed, but turned back to the official.
Jaran: Thank you, Ms. Pell. Genuinely.
The walk to Teren Vos's office was short. It was made shorter by walking past two desks of people asking them how they could help as a polite way of saying "You don't belong here. Please stop." But they were ignored, and no one moved to actually stop them.
Jira felt emboldened by the two strong women with them. They opened the door and walked into Vos's office without announcement.
Jaran: Teren Vos, I believe my friends here have some questions for you.
Nila/Cole: Response
The Betazoid responded with a strained composure. Jira supposed that another Betazoid would know if it was anger or fear or a combination of both, but they didn't have that ability.
Vos: You can NOT just barge in here with demands, uniforms or not. I will not be answering any questions. Uncouth behaviour...
Jaran: That's what the last one said, too.
Nila/Cole: Response
Vos blanched and sunk into the chair.
Vos: A convincing argument. Fine. The pilot of the shuttle has certain... leverage on me. I did not want to risk a scandal. Is that enough?
Jaran: Leverage? You're being blackmailed? Wow, this guy does not stop getting worse. But that's beside the point. We need to know where he was going.
Nila/Cole: Response
Tags/TBC