"This is going to Hurt. A Lot!"

Posted on 02 Aug 2016 @ 9:00pm by Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm & Lieutenant JG Natalya Kirilova & Chief Warrant Officer 2 Riley Cameron & Petty Officer 1st Class Unit Cu-47 "Copper"

787 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Episode 11 - Divinum Mundi
Location: USS Galileo - Engineering Spaces
Timeline: MD30 - 1450 hrs

[ON]

A surprise meeting had been called in engineering, mandatory for everyone in the department... from the newest crewman up to the chief engineer. Department-wide meetings were not unheard of, but they were uncommon and usually had an overlying situation that explained the need or purpose for them. For this meeting it was anyone's guess.

Once everyone had filed in and gotten settled Natalya didn't begin right away, and her mood seemed to dissuade anyone from being the first to speak. Though not a cheerful woman by any measure, Natalya had never been known for a glowering disposition either. She had a reputation for being even-tempered that was hopefully taking root on the Galileo, in addition to her past assignment. She'd only ever raised her voice aboard the ship once, after two crewmen had accidentally trapped Ensign Derani in one of the warp nacelles during a maintenance cycle. She certainly hoped this meeting wouldn't give the crew cause to alter that perception of her.

"Looks like everyone is here." Natalya said, taking stock of those around her. She wasn't really one for speeches or drawn out discussions... certainly not under the present circumstances, anyway. She got straight to the point.

"Is anyone here familiar with this?" Natalya said, loud enough for everyone to hear as she raised what appeared to be a bottle of purple liquor, partially consumed. There was a label on the bottle, but it was in an alien script that Natalya didn't recognize. It was sealed in clear evidence wrapping, so that it could be handled without contaminating any evidence on the bottle.

"Aye, that's kanar isn't it Lieutenant?" Cameron piped up. As the token Scot aboard the ship, it was somewhat embarrassing for him to be the one adept at identifying the alcoholic beverage in his department head's hand.

"Alcoholic beverage consumed by Flesh-machines. Origin, Cardassia. Eighty percent alcohol by volume. Secondary use, paint-thinner." Copper's synthesized voice echoed from above the group of engineers as he floated in place.

"Very good." Natalya said, regarding both Riley and Copper in turn. Their comments did not bring her to regard either of them as suspects, but she didn't feel that their candor was helping to bring a sufficient level of gravitas to the discussion. Still, she was in a way surprised that anyone had spoken up at all.

"Now, with that out of the way, can anyone explain why this bottle of kanar was found cleverly hidden behind access panel J-19?" She doubted anyone would have a good story for it, if anyone dared to speak up. If Copper had been using it as paint thinner to clean up some of his graffiti she was fully prepared to throw a major fit.

An awkward silence ensued during which none of the engineers spoke up. Perhaps they needed a bit of prodding, or maybe were content to let the chief continue with her line of questioning.

Copper didn't answer either. Queries beginning with 'why' was always a bit tricky for him to answer. There were too many variables and usually the one variable that had never made much sense to him was adding the Flesh-machine to the equation. Their actions, while much more predictive when in groups, on an individual scale could be seemingly random or illogical much of the time.

Natalya fought the urge to rant and rage. It wasn't going to do any good. Instead she merely fixed the crowd with a glare that wasn't directed at anyone specifically but definitely passed over most, if not all of the people there. She hadn't really expected to accomplish anything with this meeting, as who would speak up in front of everyone? Still, the perceived lack of cooperation was frustrating. Everyone just stared at her like they didn't have a clue. Someone had to know something!

"It looks like I may have to go outside of engineering to resolve this issue. I don't want to have to contact security and ask them to issue a DNA test on the bottle. I shouldn't have to tell you how poorly this may reflect on us as a department when word of the investigation gets out."

Natalya set the bottle down on a nearby workstation and folded her arms over her chest. She looked disappointed. "Whoever is responsible or has any information to share has until the end of alpha shift to come to me in private. After that, this will be out my hands." She waited a moment, letting that sink in. It wasn't really a threat, just a promise.

"Dismissed!"

[OFF]

--

LTJG Natalya Kirilova
Chief Engineering Officer
USS Galileo

CWO2 Riley Cameron
Engineering Officer
USS Galileo
[PNPC Holliday]

PO1 "Copper"
Engineering Officer
USS Galileo
[PNPC Quereshi]

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