Watch Where the Hands Go

Posted on Fri Oct 30th, 2015 @ 11:56am by Lieutenant Commander Gilroy & Robart & Desta

* Reva’s & Desta’s Quarters *

Desta had only slightly awakened when she heard faint voices from the living room. She had been dreaming of Xavier and ice cream and so, she drifted back to sleep when the voices stopped. It wasn’t until an hour or so later that the door chime began to sound, awakening her. She had no idea how long it had been ringing but whoever it was seemed insistent. Finally, seeing that they weren’t going to give up and go away, she dressed hurriedly and finally opened the door.

“Ma’am,” Gilroy addressed her, “Desta, may we come in for a moment?”

Desta glanced behind her and realized that no one else was home. Gilroy’s tone was serious and a hint of fear threaded through her. “Oh, yes. But Reva’s not here.” She stood aside as Gilroy and the female officer entered. “Is something wrong?”

“We hope not. Is Crewman Xavier Slandala here, by chance?” Gilroy entered, looking around the quarters’ living room. The female officer he’d brought with him stood near the door.

Desta rubbed her eyes and her brain raced to wake up and catch up with Gilroy. “Xavier? Why would he be -- Ohhh. No. No. We had dinner last night but I can’t bring him here. These quarters aren’t supposed to be known. We did go back to his quarters after dinner last night but then I left there about...0100 hours.”

“And you left him there alone, correct?” Gilroy turned to look at her and almost jumped out of his skin when he saw a black and red spider on the couch back. “Aug..*cough*,” he tried to hide his startle response, to the amusement of his fellow officer.

“He was. He has a roommate but he said the roommate was down on Archadia for a few days. I’m supposed to see him this weekend for dinner.” Desta frowned as she sensed Gilroy’s concern. “This isn’t just curiosity is it? What’s going on?“

“Crewman Slandala didn’t show up for his shift this morning. I’m sure it’s just a misunderstanding; he probably thinks he was due tomorrow, not today. But we thought we’d check with you.” He paused and looked around the room again. “By the way, the restriction on who can know about yours and Reva’s whereabouts extends to people such as Niro, not Security personnel. Slandala could have looked you up in the Security database. It’s good to know that he honored your wish, though, and didn’t.”

Desta nodded. “I think Reva is more at ease with only a few knowing where she is. But Xavier….if you’re here that means you checked his place already? Is he somewhere else on the station?”

Gilroy nodded, “We’re certain he is.”

His brows rose as Gilroy, Jr., the black and red creature on the couch that had startled him, chimed in, This above all: to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the day the night, you can’t be false to anyone else.

“It... she? quotes Shakespeare?” He glanced at Desta. “That’s a line from Polonius in Hamlet.” He took a step closer to the spider, looking at it carefully.

Desta nodded. “Chance has been teaching her Shakespeare. She’s getting really good at it.” She watched Gilroy as he inched closer to the spider. “There’s something odd about last night though. I’m not sure if it’s related.”

“Oh? What sort of odd?” He didn’t look up, though the question was clearly for Desta. He slowly reached out towards his namesake spider.

“You’ve read my statement after we arrived here? About the crew on Fisher’s ship? Specifically about a Kazon named Pash?” she asked.

“Yes. I’m aware of the entire situation, Desta,” Gilroy told her, glancing up.

“Well, we had dinner at Lao’s and while I was looking at the aquarium, I thought I saw his face reflected in the water. I just figured it was me seeing things you know?” She hugged herself tight as she continued. “But then, on the promenade, when I was standing there with Xavier, there was a Kazon in a hooded robe. Well the hood was down and I swear to you it was Pash. He was standing there watching us. I asked Xavier if he could see him and when he turned to look, the man had put up his hood and was moving away so Xavier didn’t see him.”

Straightening up from where he’ been lightly stroking Gilroy, Jr.’s leg, Gilroy looked hard at Desta for a long moment before looking at the spider again. “Hush you,” he told her before addressing Desta, “You saw one of Fisher’s crew here on the Station? We’ll look into that. Pash was possessive of you, correct?”

Desta licked her lips and looked away from Gilroy’s gaze. “He ...owned me,” she said quietly. “But we thought they were all killed when their ship exploded.”

“As did we,” Gilroy said. “But, sometimes, things happen, so we’ll look into that. Our concern is that you and Reva are safe.” He strode toward the door, pausing to briefly touch her shoulder. “I’m sure we’ll find Xavier with a buddy in the holodecks or something. I’ll be in touch once we find him and when we find out something more about Fisher’s crew.”

“Thank you.” Desta managed a slight smile. “I don’t want to think that something had happened to him because of me. Do you….did he have any sort of security feed in his quarters?”

That brought Gilroy up short. “We can pull computer records and reconstruct events, but... the computer doesn’t record anything unless it’s told to. Are you concerned he recorded you?”

“Oh no, of course not! I mean if....something happened to him.” She frowned a moment and shook her head. “Please, let me know as soon as you know something.” That hint of fear had turned into full-blown worry now. It was a little too coincidental for Desta’s liking. “Please.”

“We will,” Gilroy assured her then turned and, with his other officer following him, left her alone.

* OSN Kyllini - Pash’s Quarters *

Glaring at his captive, Pash sat on his bunk, slowly turning his knife around in his hands and thinking of the damage he could do - should do - to the man. Perhaps he would go with the idea he had before, while on the Promenade. Nodding to himself, he lunged forward and did just that.

* OSN Kyllini *

“Ro?” Rekkar stuck his head into Robart’s office. “We might have a small problem that needs your attention.”

“What sort of problem?” Robart looked up from his reading and frowned.

“Ah... a crew issue...?” Rekkar clearly didn’t want to be the one delivering the message.

“Meaning Fisher’s crew?” Robart read between the lines. He tossed his book aside and stood. “Show me,” he said as he pulled on his suit jacket.

As they walked, Rekkar casually asked, “Have you shown Cyllene her quarters?”

“No, she hasn’t been inclined to come here yet,” Robart answered. When they reached their destination, he frowned at the scene: blood was pooled on Pash’s floor and an unconscious man lay next to it. “Any idea who the man is?”

“No, but judging by the commbadge? He’s Fleet. And he’s missing a hand,” Rekkar cringed.

“I see that. Get him off my ship. Bandage that wrist and dump him where a Fleetie will find him. Then get this cleaned up,” Robart ordered. “And find Pash.”

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Desta
Lt. Gilroy
Gilroy, Jr.
Robart
Rekkar
Pash