Lieutenant Anton Richards: Wait and see.
Writer Guy
(( T-1 Independent Bay, Operations Centre Lower Floor, Deck 7, USS Octavia E Butler ))
Richards: But they might be too smart for that, especially with the…
Nilsen: The cubic lock…I dunno. I know with the camera Sherlock would know in her sleep if something was up with them. I’m guessing you can access them and have a look?
Anton was already on it. He set up surveillance. Iif someone came poking through the cargo bay he would be notified.
Richards: Done. Nothing should be sneaking in or out of the cargo bay.
Arlill: We need to look at them soon, for all we know the crates ::air quotes:: owner might use the same method to figure out where it went.
Nilsen: Here's what I don't get, why this? We have food replicators, the other had basic stuff like EPS control units, and sensor parts and we've more or less confirmed this is a smuggling job.
Nilsen began idly tapping. Anton looked at him curiously.
Nilsen: But also to get access to the cargo bay of two Federation starships and deep space nine is no easy feat, so why go through all this effort for this basic stuff?
Arlill: Doesn’t seem to difficult if you’re Starfleet, or maybe even (beat) ::looking over at Richards, not for the person but his uniform:: security?
Anton was new to the ship, having just arrived he had been operating under the assumption that the security would be flawless. He began wondering if it was in his new department that the smuggling could be taking place.
Richards: Well. Let’s hope not.
Nilsen: Like this is the kind of effort you put in for smuggling weapons or anything illegal, not for basic supplies, and if you were moving some illegal certainly wouldn't put a cubic lock on that, you'd have a lot more security around it.
Or be watching it the entire time. Anton glanced towards Arlill once again.
Richards: Response
Anton watched Arlill search through his PADD for a moment.
Nilsen: I dunno, something isn't adding up but I think we should put this crate back, like we never touched it but ::beat:: we should put a subspace beacon, something small we can hide, a passive one that only gets pinged by navigational buoys. Then we watch to see where it goes.
Arlill: What if we lace it with a decaying isotope, nothing that sensors will pick up, unless you’re looking for it.
Surveilling the crate had been Anton’s theory all along.
Richards: Without anything more to run on, that seems like the best move.
Nilsen: Response
Arlill: Agreed, I’ll get the isotope, we can’t replicate it, but we should have some in storage in the Quartermaster’s office. (beat) Be right back.
Anton noted Arlill’s absence once more. He wasn’t exactly great at looking :innocent Anton thought. He also checked his surveillance that he had placed.
Richards: It doesn’t look like anyone has been in the cargo bay since we left it.
Nilsen: Response
Toxin returned a few minutes later with the isotope.
Arlill: Here we go ::sliding the isotope tube into the crate:: let’s get this crate back where it was.
Anton nodded.
Richards: Good to go.
Nilsen: Responses
Arlill: =/\= Computer, access Toxin Protocol 118 and initiate return transport when ready, please ensure the destination site is clear of personnel. =/\=
Computer: =/\= Transport not ideal, stand by. (beat) Transporting. =/\=
Anton watched as the transport process completed. It was a long shot, but surely someone will come looking for it eventually.
Richards: There it goes.
Nilsen: Responses
Arlill: Now we monitor and wait?
Richards: I guess that’s all we can do for now.
Nilsen/Arlill: Response.
Richards: It still isn’t making much sense at all. The whole thing almost feels like one big prank.
Nilsen/Arlill: Response.
Richards: Well. We probably won’t be arresting anyone today.
Nilsen/Arlill: Response.
=========TAGS & TBC==========
Lieutenant Anton Richards
Security Officer
USS Octavia E. Butler - NCC-82850
T239802AR1
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