A Follow-Up

Posted on 25 Dec 2014 @ 9:16pm by Lieutenant Benice Gyce Ph.D. & Commander Norvi Stace
Edited on on 26 Dec 2014 @ 6:23am

1,682 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 07 - Sojourn
Location: SB-84: Station Office
Timeline: MD 7: 1500 Hours

[ON]

One of the things bothering her since reporting in to the XO, was leaving an unfinished investigation as it was. That was why she went to the science chief and new second officer. Though the latter part of Lieutenant Stace's role was not what Gyce was interested in.

Politely the Bajoran woman knocked on Stace's office door and waited for permission to enter.

"Come in," Stace called out mid-splutter. She'd just choked back a sip of tea that was far too hot for her, and was beating on her chest as the doors slid open. "I'm sorry. I think something went down the wrong pipe."

Upon entering, Gyce smiled very brightly to Stace. "That's quite all right. I do not have an appointment Commander Stace, so I do hope you would not mind if I took up a few minutes of your time?"

"I was actually in the middle of taking a break before Shoreleave commenced for us all," came her honest reply as she dusted down the front of her jacket. "But not at all. Please. Come in and take a seat. Can I offer you anything?"

"Tea, thank you." Gyce smiled brightly as she took a seat and hung her can on the back of her chair. "We never officially met, but I'm Lieutenant Benice Gyce."

Stace stepped out from behind the desk but then quickly took another back into it to take the Bajoran's hand. "Commander Stace, Lieutenant." She then quickly walked to the replicator and as the cups and saucers materialised called over her should, "So what brings you to my door, Lieutenant? I can't imagine that this is a social call."

She returned to the desk and then, without waiting, began to pour from the pot. The amber liquid flowed into both cups, spilling up the side of Norvi's as she internally tutted. Sitting down she slid the other cup before the woman and then beamed her attention over the desk.

"Firstly," Gyce began as she sipped on her tea thankfully, "I wanted to apologize for not giving you forewarning about giving Doctor Qellar your name so she could contact you."

Stace scoffed with a bemused smile and then leant back more comfortably in her chair, flicking her eyebrows up with an interested flare. "Oh, so you're the swine who I have to thank for that delightful conversational interchange?" In truth, Stace had enjoyed the intellectual jostle she had bumped with the professor and it had been years since she had enjoyed such a raconteur. "Good old Chiller Killer, eh? I don't think she liked me mispronouncing her name much."

Gyce smiled at the joke. If only for a moment. Not because the woman in question was a Romulan, but that Qellar did have a rather elitist, snobbish behavior.

"She either talked someone on the station into delving into the personnel records to find me, or paid them off," Gyce spoke rather casually. "She admitted to me that she wanted the crew roster so she could talk to the various scientists on the ship and make sure their work would not overlap hers."

And here is where the detective in her came out. A skeptical eye-roll. "I was wanting your take on the woman, really. But I personally got the impression that she's not sharing the whole story. And she broke regs to find a security officer on the ship, to bypass the red tape her security clearance is still pending in."

Stace's now stoic face simply raised a querying set of eyebrows as the information was relayed to her and she inhaled, silently considering what was said. She took a sip of tea to pepper the silence and set her cup down with a clink on its saucer. "I didn't realise that she'd broken regulations for anything. But she was insistent on the responsibilities of the crew. Too insistent. Which is why I gave her the run around and pointed her back through the system." She paused and then remembered the conversation in its entirety. "At the time, it just amused to me to frustrate the woman. I didn't really consider her intent."

Stace then seemed to snap back into the room and narrowly focused her gaze onto the investigator. "What are your thoughts, Lieutenant? Why are your hackles up?"

"The XO and I clashed so much on my opinion, that she smacked the ball to my department head. And then he told me to use good judgement, since he recognizes that I'm a far better detective than he," Gyce spoke rather frustratedly, then drank a bit on her tea. "He told me to use good judgement and not to abuse my security clearances. So I'm here, voicing my opinions on the woman to her direct CO."

Gyce sat back in her chair and rubbed her temples, as this sort of crap really did bother her. "When I sat with Qellar, she gave me the story as I relayed to you. But she knew I was a detective before we sat down and the whole meeting felt like an exchange of chess to me. And she told me her family was Tal'Shiar during that meet. Usually when people offer a detective information like that, it is to distract, subvert, or push away any doubt from them in an investigation... So my instincts tell me she doesn't want me poking around too much at her story. And I ask why. Why the smoke screen? What is she not telling us? Does her Tal'Shiar connections have connections to it?"

Stace replied by flicking both eyebrows up together in agreement with the Bajoran. In truth, it was less agreement and more thought provocation. Gyce had a point; and seemingly a reason to follow her detective instincts. She inhaled and then sighed. "It seems like you've also been passed about the houses a little with your investigation. And it looks to me like it's been a non-starter. But unlike Commander Blake and your direct superior, I have unfortunately experienced this woman's visceral attitude and I'll help anyway I can." She pulled her chair under the desk and smiled at the lieutenant. "But I'm no investigator, and I don't want to go against Commander Blake's instructions so we'll start out softly, softly. Also, you have to bear in mind that this woman is an esteemed civilian guest on our ship. I have no direct authority over her only the science department which she wants to utilise. We need to treat her with outward respect. So, where do we start?"

"That's the conundrum," Gyce noted with even more frustration. "Blake hears wind of my perusing, and she'll yell foul and take my access away for being either racist or paranoid and abusing my privileges... So it's got to be passive. Tails will spook her off, so it's got to be something creative."

"Unfortunately," the Trill sighed, "that isn't my area of expertise. But as Science Chief of the Gally, I can request her research schedule. She may be a professor, and we may be a science-specific vessel, but we're still military. All of the ts must be crossed. I can find out who authorised her tenure here."

"As this is a passive investigation, all that can be done is to watch her," Gyce admitted after a long pause. "I cannot directly approach her, but I can offer you a pair of eyes if ever you find something questionable."

"Maybe you can't," Stace added with a wink, "but it would be borderline negligent of me not to know who has come aboard to utilise my labs. It's actually within my authority to check. We're not a Galaxy class starship, so space, as you know, is a premium. Anyone not on duty through the Fleet needs to be regulated. And that's my responsibility."

"This woman's family is former Tal'Shiar," Gyce reminded the science chief with great caution. "I normally don't balk at refugees of other super powered governments, but this is information I cannot toss aside as fodder."

Gyce then held her hand up as if to stop any interruption, "I do not know if she is dangerous or not, which is why I wanted to have an official investigation into her. But I do hope she's harmless. However, given what we both know, it would be negligent on my part, not to be vigilant."

"And that's all we're being, Lieutenant: Vigilant. We just have to make sure that we don't cross any lines or step on anybody's toes." She softened her features and then formed her mouth into a sympathetic smile. "Ship security is one of your main role responsibilities. No one can blame you if your hackles are up. And I'll help any way I can."

Gyce finished her tea with much ease. Finally, someone that was being pragmatic about her concerns. "If you can request a weekly lab schedule from her for say.... Lab requisition protocol, or some other department rule you want to initiate with your people, then you could send me a copy of her schedule fairly easily and I can time stamp her movements with the CCTV systems to easily check for discrepancies. This way, you aren't intruding and I'm not physically impeding her work, or disrupting her day-to-day functions."

"That sounds like a great way to start." Norvi paused for a moment and scrunched up her nose in her usual fashion. "This will hopefully come to nothing. Just an outwardly hostile woman borne from her genetic legacy and upbringing, so try not to lose sleep over it. Just do the job in the restrictions of role. No one can ask any more."

"I shall," Gyce smiled with ease. "And thank you for assisting me, Commander."

"Any time, Lieutenant. Contact me should you require anything in the meantime."

"Yes Ma'am." Gyce left the office, feeling a load of relief wash over her.

[OFF]

Lieutenant Commander Novri Stace
Chief Science Officer/Second Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant J.G. Benice Gyce
Security Investigations Officer
USS Galileo

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