Visitors Seen & Unseen

Posted on Wed Sep 28th, 2011 @ 10:51am by Captain Li Hawke & Commander Patrick Leroy

Mission: In Our Time of Need
Location: The Speaker's Quarters

It had been a very long night for Li and Nenita. Just after she'd left Norval in the Nexus, word had come of Kh'ali's disappearance. And while Oz oversaw the physical search, she and Nenita had gone to work combing the records of arrivals on the station. Specifically, they were looking for any possible connection to Kh'ali, and her current work - the Divitians. It was the logical place to start.

They two women had stopped in the wee hours for a short break and coffee, but now that it was morning and a decent hour, Li had news to deliver. Arriving at the sentries who stood guard at the entrance to the Speaker's wing, she identified herself and requested to see him, noting that it was an emergency. The guards made her pass.

"Two visits in a morning." The Speaker greeted her. "What may I do for you Commander?" he asked gently motioning her to take a seat as he seated himself.

"Good morning, Speaker, and thank you." She waited to sit until he did. "I'm sorry to intrude so early but I'm afraid I have some news of which you should be aware. Lt. Kh'ali is missing. It seems she disappeared just a few minutes after the two of you left the Nexus. Lt. Commander Zeferino called her just after she left you and was informed by the computer that Kh'ali was no longer on the station."

Surprise flashed for an instant through the Speaker eyes but he regeained composure: "Are you sure Commander? I detached two guards of my retinue to have her accompanied safely to her quarters and they reported back of no trouble."

"A search is being conducted now, deck by deck, but our systems show no sign of her on this station at all." A thought struck Li and she frowned a moment. "Did she ever mention finding a lily in her quarters to you?"

"Not that I can recall. Is this flower important?"

"Her quarters entered several days ago. Nothing was taken but a white lily was left there. When Commander Zeferino entered tonight to investigate, they found another. Like a calling card it seems." She shifted her course then. "Those two guards...I mean no disrespect, but do you trust them?"

"Of course. They're from Divitia's Guardians elite battalion sworn to eternal loyalty.... But I see your point Commander. Do you wish me to call them here for questioning? Or just have them to your office?"

"They can come to my office. I will know immediately if they spoke the truth to you. That aside, my staff is doing an exhaustive search now for anyone with ties to any of your political rivals. Given her close work with you since your arrival, we cannot discount the possibility that it is related to your situation. Again, I mean no disrespect, I'm sure you want her found as much as we do." The words were direct, but spoken in Li's usual polite manner when conducting official business.

"I'll have them delivered at once." The Speaker replied resolutely. His expression softened then as he tried to find the right words: "Commander, I know this matter is probably considered 'internal affairs' of Starbase 900 and by no means I want to intrude... But I'm asking this as a personal favour: if any development in the search for the Chief Diplomat occurs... I would like to be informed."

"Understood. I will pass that along to Commander Zeferino as well. I will need your help as well if we discover any on the station that may have issues with your government. We don't know the motive behind this yet, but it's a logical place to start." It occurred to her then that the phrase she'd used sounded so much like Sakkath. "Perhaps to use as leverage against you."

"Against us, I'm afraid. Should your suspects find confirmation." The Speaker replied almost in a whisper as if reading her mind.
"There's no time to lose." he reprised then a sense of urgency clear in his voice "The Corporal and the guard who escorted Kh'al... The Chief Diplomat will be sent to your office within minutes. let me know if I can help in any way."


"I will, and thank you." She rose and gave a bow as would be expected, then departed, leaving a very quiet Zee'Hrai in her wake.

* * *

Kh'ali watched in silence as Li departed the Speaker's quarters. Her gaze shifted from the closing door of the quarters back to the Speaker, who sat in quiet contemplation. A soft sigh escaped him, making his worry more than clear. Was Li right? The man who'd taken her still had said little so far. She took a step towards Zee'Hrai but a sudden iron grip on her wrist yanked her back and his voice hissed at her ear.

"You'll never learn. He can't see you. Poor man with his worries... But not for long." A sadistic grin appeared on Thumb's face as he forced her to look at him "How much more worried would be he if he could hear your screams."
Her body arched as the pain seared its way from toe to brain again. She suddenly felt the floor under her hands though she couldn't remember falling, fits of coughing shaking her violently.

"The coughing is a side effect while your nervous system strives to get back to normal. In some subjects there is also some blood loss as the sudden and utterly violent contraction of muscles breaks the most delicate blood vessels... ooh... Just like this" he ended passing a finger over her lips and nostrils.

She snapped her teeth at him but the effects had slowed her reactions.

"By the way I saw that the neurostimulator effect was vanishing too quickly. Darn klingon endurance... We do not want to have you ruining my day by getting around alone and doing something to dislike me do we?"

"They will figure this out. The particles... we are leaving a trail. You don't have much time. Is it him you want? "

"Nosy girl... C'mon there's a better place for you." he replied dragging her through the doors.

*********
Lt. Commander Li Hawke
Chief Intelligence Officer

Lt. Commander Kh'ali
Chief Diplomatic Officer

Speaker Zee'Hrai
Thumb
Written by Lt. Commander Patrick Leroy