Cmdr. Clifton / Speaks with the Captain / J-Post

[Steve Bruin]

** MacLaren's Ready Room ***

:: Clifton rang the door chime and heard the captain's voice tell him to enter.  He approached the captain and spoke.

Clifton: Captain, I have some suspicions about our guest, Ms. Silva.

Johanna: And what might that be, Chief, and d’ye have anything to support those suspicions?

Clifton: Well ... I really don't have any hard evidence, but I believe she may be up to something illegal if not treasonous.

Johanna” That’s a verra serious charge. Ye canna just make such an accusation on a feeling.

Clifton: I really just have suspicions, but my instincts are usually pretty good. I think she may be up to some kind of espionage, I'm not sure how but that planet is near the Visigoth Neutral Zone and I'm sure they would pay a lot of information.

Johanna: nodding: Aye, that’s true, but again, it proves nothing. There are a lot of planets near that Zone and a lot of people going to the area. I dinna care for this woman either, and I’d love to see her held accountable for past actions, but again, there has to be proof. None of us trust her, but that isna a basis for charges. Now other than sharing the mistrust we all have of her, that half the Federation has for her, what d’ye have?

Clifton:  Like I said, I have a lot of suspicions, but no concrete proof.  If I may, Captain, I'd like to ask permission to use a shuttlecraft for a while.

Johanna: Why?

Clifton: If Silva thinks that the Odyssey has continued on to a new mission, she's far more likely to tip her hand and expose what she is doing.  I've already spoken to the Security Chief on the star base and alerted him to my suspicions.

Johanna: So ye want to do surveillance? 

Clifton: Whatever she does, we'll be aware of it. The Chief of base Security has promised me as much.

Johanna: remaining silent for an uncomfortably long time. She was aware that the Chief wa not telling her the whole truth.: Chief, it isna wise to try to fool an empath. Your respiration and heart beat spiked each time ye said ye have nothing but suspicion. Ye have something ye’re not wanting to tell me.

Clifton: Only that I feel sure she is up to something, I just don't know what it is.

Johanna: hiding a smile: My grandfather had an expression, “If BS were music, he’d be a whole brass band. Let’s just say I’m hearing a brass band.”

Clifton: Well .. let's just say that I've conducted a little discreet survelliance and I feel sure she has some high tech recording equipment with her.

Johanna: Let me put ye out of your misery. Ye’ve done as good a job of trying to fool me as anyone could. But in addition to your metabolic tell tales, you and your partner in crime have forgotten one major thing.

Clifton: Which would be?

Johanna: I do shield my mind from unwanted thoughts, from being overwhelmed by the thousands of thoughts on this ship. There are only two minds I’m not capable of shielding...my brothers! Colin’s thoughts were so loud, I could barely hear myself think. He’s always louder when he’s trying not to broadcast to me. So, let’s cut through the brass band, aye?

Clifton: Okay, let'just say that he gave me a hand.  That was however completely at my request.

Johanna: Ye can have the shuttle; ye can bring Gavin with ye. He has better judgment than Colin does in matters of this kind. Now let me be clear. I have no objections to discreet surveillance to gather evidence. Did ye hear that adjective? Discreet. There will be no confrontations, no accusations. Ye will find information and bring it back to me. If Gavin thinks there is enough for an accusation, it will be made. Remember, he’s a diplomat, but like many diplomats, he is a highly trained lawyer, and he kens interplanetary law best because of his work. I willna force him to go, but I’m confident that he’ll be willing.

Clifton: Very well, Captain.

Johanna: There is a possibility that there could be some kind of biological weapon in the making. There have been instances of that with the Visigoths in the past. That is something Colin would be good at identifying. So, if this happens, it happens with any final decisions being Gavin’s. He’s a senior diplomat. He’s free to come and go pretty much as he wishes. :: smiling:: He’s also five minutes older than Colin, so he’s the senior brother. Ye’re the best at recognizing illegal activity, but we do have to walk a verra thin line on the legality of all of this. If ye’re good with that chain of command, ye can have the shuttle.

Clifton: Understood, Captain, but I ...

V'Lenn: =/\= V'lenn to Security Chief. =/\=

:: Clifton was a bit surprised to hear a sense of urgency in V'Lenn's voice. ::

Clifton: =/\= Please report to Engineering, we have a fatality which is apparently a homicide.  Security is already on the scene. 

:: That fact that she had used the word homicide gave Clifton a terrific start, who in the world aboard this ship could want to kill someone? ::

Clifton: Excuse me, Captain, I'm heading to Engineering.

:: He exited the room and used the ship computer to check on Silva, she was safely in her room and was unharmed.  Other than the former Senator, he could think of no one aboard the ship who would be in danger.  Apparently that was not the case, so he hurried as he made his way to Engineering in order to find out what was going on. ::

Cmdr. Clifton

Security Chief

USS Odyssey

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