Lt JG Taj'el - Falling for you
Taj'el
(( Crime Scene-Outside, Studio 1, USPS Showrunner ))
It was an odd realization, but Taj’el found themself preferring the crime scene.
At least here there was a process. Evidence led to hypotheses. Hypotheses could be tested. Observations produced conclusions that could be revised as new information became available. The structure was familiar, and familiarity made the environment easier to navigate. Everything else had been nonsense.
Sets changed without warning. Corridors repeated endlessly. Characters appeared and vanished according to rules that seemed designed more for entertainment than coherence. Every attempt to impose a logical framework had been met with another absurdity.
The productions they had been evaluated for had demanded spontaneity, charisma, emotional expression, and the ability to remain engaging regardless of circumstance. Taj’el had possessed none of those qualities in significant quantity. They analyzed when others performed. They questioned when others improvised. They sought consistency where audiences apparently preferred surprise.
Perhaps that was why their appearances had been limited to simple commercials.
Taj’el: It appears a rope was used to lower or dispose of the body into the well. That would account for post-mortem cervical trauma, consistent with a fall after death rather than a fatal injury sustained prior to placement. The victim was likely deceased before entry into the well. ::pause:: What is your assessment, detectives?
Kreshkova: Zhen who do you zhink it vas zhat called for help?
Tito: If they were trying to hide the victim, maybe an accomplice that was having second thoughts?
Paws: Re need to rit up and rook for rues!
Kreshkova: I zhink Paws is right. Ve need to look for clues so ve can cue zhis up for zhe lawyers.
Taj’el found themself once again contemplating the peculiar manner in which the dog-like creature communicated. Its speech patterns seemed almost intentionally obscure, relying on references and expressions that carried meaning for everyone except them.
Fortunately, Commander Kreshkova appeared capable of interpreting the creature with relative ease. Without that assistance, Taj’el suspected a significant portion of the investigation would have remained incomprehensible.
The creature referenced meals, snacks, and hunger with remarkable frequency, often in situations where such concerns seemed entirely unrelated to the matter at hand. The repetition suggested a pattern, though not one Taj’el fully understood.
Tito: Where do you suggest?
Taj’el: Much like the detec—Commander said, I believe obtaining additional information is the logical next step. Perhaps we should locate information about the lawyers. At the very least, it would provide us with a path forward.
Paws: Rats rhat rhi red!
Taj’el stared at the dog-like creature, tilting their head as they attempted, once again, to interpret its meaning. Rats? That was another Earth animal. Small, adaptable rodents, if memory served. The creature had also mentioned something about the color red, though the significance of that detail remained unclear. Did it wish to chase rats?
Kreshkova: I zhink ve should head back inside to vhere zhis all started and see if ve can piece zhese clues togezher.
Looking toward Lieutenant Tito, Taj’el noted that he simply nodded along. There was something oddly reassuring about that. Whether the lieutenant understood the situation any better than they did remained unclear, but at least the uncertainty appeared to be shared.
They found themself sympathizing with the feeling of powerlessness. It reminded them of searching for clues on Deep Space 14. If the purpose of all this was entertainment, and if they were expected to "solve" the mystery, then there had to be a mechanism for progress. A narrative could not simply stop. There had to be clues, revelations, and some form of guiding structure designed to move the participants toward a conclusion.
Tito: Fine by me.
Taj’el: That seems like the most logical course of action moving forward.
Paws: Rand a rack!
Following the other two officers, Taj’el made a conscious effort to remain close to them. The decision was not entirely rational, but neither was the environment they found themselves navigating.
At one point, they reached out almost absentmindedly, timidly grasping the edge of the Commander's shirt. The contact was slight, more a point of reassurance than an attempt to impede movement.
They felt uncharacteristically skittish, a visible manifestation of anxiety they would have preferred to keep under tighter control. Yet abandoning the gesture proved more difficult than expected. The simple presence of familiar individuals had become an unexpectedly important stabilizing factor.
The group continued onward until they arrived at a larger structure. The building appeared older than the surrounding properties, its weathered exterior suggesting decades of use and neglect.
Wickles: Let’s go ahead and put that bust of Beethoven on the new pedestal.
Entering the building, Taj’el raised an eyebrow at the scene before them.
A very short man stood near the center of the room, confidently issuing instructions to another individual. Despite his stature, he carried himself with complete authority, seemingly unconcerned by the considerable size difference between himself and those around him.
Wickles: No. Let’s not put that there. How about down here in this corner.
Focused on the scene unfolding before them that they failed to notice how close Commander Kreshkova had moved. The realization came only when they nearly collided with one another. For an instant, a defensive response flickered through them, swift, emotional, and only partially examined. Their attention shifted away from the room and toward the Commander, instinctively reassessing the environment for potential threats.
Wickles: Pardon me.
Kreshkova: I’m sorry.
Tito: Hello.
Taj’el: And who might you be?
The question was polite in wording, though the amount of suspicion behind it was perhaps greater than intended.
Paws: Response
Wickles: Oh! You must be those mystery-loving sleuths I was told about. Mr. Wickles at your service. Actually, if you can catch whoever is doing this, you’ll be doing me quite a favor.
Kreshkova: Vell, I suppose zhat’s good to know. Vhy vould ve be doing you a favor, Mr…
Taj’el repeated the man’s name almost under their breath, as if testing it for inconsistencies. The response came out more cynical and sharp than intended. They were uncertain why their reaction carried such an edge.
Logically, the situation had been trivial, a near collision, easily explained by simple spatial misjudgment. No hostile intent had been evident. Yet the emotional response had preceded analysis, arriving first and coloring their interpretation before they could properly evaluate the facts.
Wickles: Oh. I’m Mr. Wickles. I’m the curator of this new gallery. We’re going to be reopening the hotel and adding a gallery experience for an extra fee.
Tito: That explains why the work is going on.
Continuing to take notes, their focus returns to structural inconsistencies within the environment. The concept of a hotel integrated into a gallery struck them as inherently inefficient from a security standpoint. Public access, variable traffic flow, and mixed-use occupancy would introduce numerous vulnerabilities. From a purely logistical perspective, it created unnecessary exposure points.
Stepping slightly away from the group, Taj’el shifted their attention to the surrounding artwork already installed within the space.
Taj’el: It is unusual to have so few workers present. Additionally, most crimes are motivated by financial benefit.
Paws: Response
Wickles: Oh, Henry, careful with that paint. Don’t go too thick. If you do, it will take too long to dry. I want to have it ready for when the Rembrandt that I managed to borrow for the gallery and hotel opening arrives.
The name “Rembrandt” with analytical uncertainty. Context suggested it referred to a form of artwork, most likely a painting, but the manner in which it was spoken implied a level of assumed familiarity they did not possess. A mental note formed, Earth cultural history required further study.
Before they could pursue that line of thought further, Commander Kreshkova’s attention shifted. Her posture changed subtly, alertness sharpening into recognition or anticipation. There was a visible rise in focus, as though something within the environment had triggered significance.
Kreshkova: Looks like ve’ve got ourselves a clue. Mr. Vickles, how long haf you been planning zhis reopening?
Wickles: No, it’s Wickles. Wa Wa Wickles.
Kreshkova: Zhat’s vhat I said.
Taj’el raised an eyebrow as they studied the man more carefully. His tone and mannerisms left room for interpretation, either a deliberate attempt at mockery toward Commander Kreshkova or a simple failure of mutual understanding. The distinction mattered, but was not immediately clear. They noted the ambiguity without committing to either conclusion.
Fortunately, Lieutenant Tito stepped forward, taking a more active role in guiding the interaction and moving the exchange forward. His intervention provided structure where the conversation risked becoming unproductive.
Tito: All this renovation… How many people are working on it Mr. Winkles?
Wickles: Response
Noting the size of the group with quiet analytical concern. It was small, smaller than what they would have expected.
Taj’el: That seems as though it will require a considerable amount of time.
Paws: Response
The lieutenant gestured toward the painter.
Tito: Is by any chance someone missing?
Taj’el: Maybe… two someones?
Wickles: Response
Paws/Kreshkova: Response
Allowing those they assumed were more proficient in communication to engage the man directly, Taj’el stepped away from the exchange and began to survey what had already been completed within the space.
The paintwork along the walls appeared uneven, with visible inconsistencies in coverage and texture. It suggested either rushed application or deliberate stylistic choice, though the latter was difficult to confirm without additional context.
The few pictures already mounted were similarly ambiguous. It was unclear whether they served a purely decorative purpose or held any functional or symbolic significance within the environment. Their placement could have been intentional curation, or simply part of an incomplete staging process.
Tito: This is going to be an art gallery or a museum?
Wickles: Response
Taj’el: When did you procure property?
If the property had been acquired through financial intent, it would suggest investment, profit motive, and a deliberate long-term plan. If, however, it had been forced upon the current occupants, through legal pressure, inheritance complications, or external coercion, then the transformation into a hotel might represent necessity rather than ambition.
Paws/Kreshkova: Response
Tito: Really? What makes you say that?
Wickles: Response
Taj’el: He does not appear to be particularly intelligent.
The remark was spoken more to themself than to anyone else.
Moving through the room, studying its contents with a methodical detachment that felt safer than attempting to interpret the broader implications of the situation. The idea that the man in question might not be entirely real remained uncomfortably plausible given everything they had observed thus far.
Their experience with Commander Kreshkova had been one of relative clarity. She appeared competent in social and investigative dynamics, capable of guiding interactions and extracting useful information from uncertain sources. Lieutenant Tito, however, remained less familiar.
This was, in fact, their first sustained assignment working alongside him. His methods, temperament, and interpretive style were still unknown variables in the equation.
Paws/Kreshkova: Response
Taj’el: I wonder what this place was before. Just a residence?
Paws/Kreshkova/Tito: Response
Wickles: Response
Taj’el moved toward the bookcase, brushing dust from the spines with slow, deliberate motions. The titles offered no immediate recognition. “Try Hard 1–4,” “The Real Matriarch of Betazed,” “Fearless,” “The Tangle,” “Top Fighter Jock.” The selection suggested a mixture of genres, though the categorization logic was unclear. They reached for a volume labeled “Clue.”
As their fingers closed around it, an old hinge-like sound echoed through the room. The floor shifted beneath them. Taj’el immediately adjusted their stance, instincts reacting before full comprehension. The sensation was unmistakable, mechanical movement rather than structural failure. The environment itself was responding to interaction, as though the action had triggered a concealed mechanism.
Taj’el: Ah!
Panic followed the sudden loss of stable footing as Taj’el fell into darkness. Fortunately, the drop was not significant in depth, but the impact against the lower surface was abrupt and unyielding. The force of the landing drove the air from their lungs in a sharp, involuntary exhale.
They remained still for a moment, orienting themselves through sensation and sound rather than sight. The environment below was dim, enclosed, and markedly different from the room above. The mechanism had clearly been intentional rather than accidental, another controlled transition within the structure.
Taj’el lay there briefly, collecting themselves, before exhaling again with quiet, restrained annoyance. The reaction was not dramatic, but it carried clear frustration at the continued unpredictability of the environment.
Taj’el: I’m okay…
Paws/Kreshkova/Tito: Response
Taj’el pushed themself upright, carefully adjusting to the confined space and dim lighting. Dust hung in the air, disturbed by their movement. From a structural standpoint, such a passage could serve multiple purposes. Controlled access between areas, covert movement within the property, or even logistical functions such as transporting objects without public exposure.
Including, potentially, a body.
Taj’el: There appears to be a tunnel. Would you like me to investigate it?
Reaching into their small kit bag they retrieved a compact blue-light source.It was not ideal for full visibility, but it was sufficient for forensic contrast work and limited environmental scanning.
Paws/Kreshkova/Tito: Response
