The Continuing Story of Deep Space 2: Page 102
Karn hadn't been in the feild of police work... parsay. He had done
interragations before. He didnt have any of the drugs he had used before and he was sure he wouldnt make Arthur or MACCs happy if had. Lucky for him sarah was going about this very nicely which would make the more traditional methods have a little more shock to them. Karn discretly closed the door and locked it. Standing there he listened a moment as the science team (hopefully on the less hardened side) as they discussed who would be good canidate. Karn whipped out his blaster and placed three high energy plasma rounds into the table, one of which shattered a cup of coffee. The shots thundered inside the enclosed room, and the smell of the newly formed ozone and chared plastic lingered.
"Now unless I hear what i want to hear, right now no one is
leavening this room outside of a body bag! And believe me there are worse ways to die then my pistol fraggin a hole in you."
Karn thought for a second " I hope they can duplicate a table..."
Well, Sarah didn't know about anyone else but Karn had scared Ernie!
She discretely cleaned the puddle Ernie had left on her shoulder
before he darted off towards the ceiling. She had to mentally calm
him for several minutes before he would land on her dry shoulder.
Told him telephatically to remind her to take a shower later!
Karn hadn't been in the field of police work... par say. He had done
interrogations before. He didn't have any of the drugs he had used
before and he was sure he wouldn't make Arthur or Maccs happy if
had. Lucky for him Sarah was going about this very nicely which
would make the more traditional methods have a little more shock to
them. Karn discreetly closed the door and locked it..
Standing there he listened a moment as the science team (hopefully
on the less hardened side) as they discussed who would be good
candidate..
Karn whipped out his blaster and placed three high energy plasma
rounds into the table, one of which shattered a cup of coffee..
The shots thundered inside the enclosed room, and the smell of the
newly formed ozone and charred plastic lingered:
"Now unless I hear what I want to hear, right now no one is
leavening this room outside of a body bag! And believe me there are
worse ways to die then my pistol fraggin a hole in you..."
Then. thinking for a second before continuing further. "I hope they
can duplicate a table..."
"If by that you mean `replicate', the answer is `yes'", Professor
Sybrek informed him; his voice full of that condescending tone
Vulcans employ when addressing "mere" Humans, sounding quite calm
and unconcerned in the face of Karn's sudden outburst.
"However, the small statuette nearby the cup you first destroyed was
a one-of-a-kind archeological find over seventeen millennia old. its
meaning both unknown yet, by its very design, one of great
significance to it's original creators. a civilization whose very
existence was never known until less than one mere year ago".
"I'm sorry, Professor", Gav flashed Karn an angry glance while
likewise apologizing. rather uncommon behavior for a Tellarite.
"Yes", Frances spoke up, however, on Karn's behalf:
"An unfortunate choice of target to say the least.
"Yet, at he very same time, I must add in the young laddie's defense
that he is possessed of a keen sense of justice, not too happy with
the thought of a potential killer going Scott-free", Frances was
quick to add; her voice as calm, placid, and mellow as Prof
Sybrek's. equally devoid of all emotion.
And the smell of bat-pee also filing the room, Ernie clutching onto
Sarah's now wet clothing. still somewhat shaken. Frances apologized
as well to both diminutive Ewok and "friend".
"Oh, lady, you don't know what you and your violent `boyfriend' are
getting yourselves into -- you neither, Lt. Cmdr. Tiral -- but there
are forces at work here. big toes you are all treading upon. you'll
all regret stepping on in all due time", Dr. Bralt Vergal announced
to the obvious surprise of even Professor Sybrek himself - the
venerable Vulcan looking at the young Tellarite in question with
raised eyebrow - Dr. Vergal all-the-same staring at both Karn,
Frances, and even Gav Tiral with equal contempt. ill-hidden scorn.
almost daring them all to do something about it.
Both officers were already in the corridor before anyone could say
anything. Into the turbo lift... but not to security. Everyone was a
suspect in this case. This investigation should be done
independently. So as soon as Admiral Arthur and his venerable XO
found a secured office, they sat down at one of the consoles.
Colonel Theys, specialist in these kind of things gave the ships
computer one order after another. Just at the moment as Arthur used
the replicator for a small snack, Colonel Theys had a first report.
"Arthur," He only called the Admiral by the first name when they
were alone, "I have something, but you are not going to like this."
"Sir, I am Ensign Harry Benton sir, I know this sounds a bit
strange, but could we talk sir. I think it was Captain Kalee who did
it sir. I mean who tried to kill Lieutenant Commander Stangya sir. I
came to you sir as the Captain is my superior and I don't really
know what to do."
Arthur let the young Ensign in and closed the door.
"That is a serious accusation Ensign."
But before the Ensign could say something Colonel Theys, behind the
console already had the answers.
"Maybe you both should come here and have a look at this."
"You see this group of pixels here sir? Do you see them Ensign?",
and as both of them nodded, Colonel Theys continued." Those pixels
have been added and here and here as well. Somebody has altered and
overwritten the original internal sensor logs."
Both Admiral Arthur and Ensign Benton were amazed. The Ensign had
not seen the falsification of the logs and was convinced that
Captain Kalee had indeed tried to kill Lieutenant Commander Stangya,
which was not the case. But Colonel Theys had not finished yet.
"So if we find the one who falsified these logs, we have a good
chance we have found the attacker..."
"In the immortal words of Jed Clampett himself; `Wellllll,
doggies'", both officers were interrupted right about then by Maccs
Avaat - Lt. Katz, Jelana Frankel-Stangya (the Alice Cooper-B's Chief
Engineer as well as Lt. Cmdr. Finiksa Moodri Stangya's wife) and
Captain Kalee following close behind - all fur new arrivals
overhearing the very last half of Admiral Arthur and Colonel Theys'
conversation.
"Jed Clampett?", Colonel Theys couldn't help but ask, looking the
Commonwealth starship's "avatar" straight in the eye.
"Yes, sir", Maccs carried on.
"You mean I never told you my story of a man named Jed?"
THEYS: "No, Mr. Avaat. Can't say you have".
MACCS:
"Poor mountaineer barely kept his family fed.
Then one day he was shooting at some food,
And up through the ground came bubblin' crude".
THEYS: "Crude??"
MACCS:
"Yes, Sir: Oil that is.
`Black Gold'.
`Texas Tea'.
"Well, the first thing you know ole' Jed's a millionaire,
The kinfolk said; `Jed, move away from there',
Said `Californee's' the place you ought to be',
So they loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly".
THEYS: "Beverly??
MACCS:
"Yes, Sir: `Hills' that is..
Swimming pools.
Movie Stars!!"
"Jeez, Maccs", Elayna K. Katz rolled her eyes, reminiscent of Fleet
Admiral Frances Miriam Straker herself.
"Give it a rest, why don't you??"
"Just for that I've a good mind not to tell you anything about
Granny,or her smoked crawdads!!"
"Frankly, Mr. Avaat, I think we could use more constructive `help'
here if you don't mind", Theys snapped, feeling the butt of a joke
he had yet to fully understand.
"Fine", Maccs offered at last, sounding a bit indignant.
"As-a-matter-of-fact I do have a suggestion which might help here -
something Sarah Ewok recently came up with in fact while going
through my ancient herstorical memory banks. Seems we came across a
small photo from the mid 20th century. the only surviving copy. too
small to make out clearly all the minute details therein".
"So what was Ms. Ewok's idea, or solution?"