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--></style></head><body lang=EN-US style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><div><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>Mission: Murder on the Exeter Express</span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>Day: 2</span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>Stardate: 2445.12.02</span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin:0in;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>(USS Exeter – Science Labs, Lab 7 – 2O/CEO – Lt. Cmdr. Keira Merek, CSO - Lt. JG Erin Cortez, COO - Ensign SG - Paul Sleeford - 2030)</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>Sleeford walked into the labs as Cortez arrived, hearing the snatch of what seemed to him a daft question he set about his work of set up the lab for acoustic research, digging deep into his second year academy training, The last time he’d been in a lab was the third semester of that year, when the class had sat and watched an elderly professor explain the procedures of lab work, all the while like the rest of the class fighting to stay awake.</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>After a short hushed conversation with her friend the Chief Science Officer, the pair entered Lab Seven shortly after Sleeford.</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>Looking up as Commander Merek and Lieutenant Cortez entered the lab, Sleeford thought he saw a look pass between them, something had been said that had put a slight barrier between the two women who he knew to be friends, given the past sixteen hours or so it seemed everyone was on edge. </span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>Erin looked at them both and nodded. This was her space, her department and still she felt ill at ease. Something that would both answer some questions and provide a bucket load more. </span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>“Thank you both for answering my request so quickly.” Keira said, and took out a tricorder, and scanned the room for listening devices. She only needed to be concerned with listening devices in the room, as the lab itself was sound proofed, any words that were going to be said in this room would stay in this room barring anything inside to transmit them out. Satisfied there were no such devices she deactivated and closed her tricorder.</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>Erin watched as her friend scanned the room, ~understandable but really? You think that whoever started this whole thing would bug this room and i wouldn’t know about it?~</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>Sleeford watched as Merek scanned the room, raising his eyebrows slightly the security officer in him frowned, ~Okay, so what the frack is going on, you don't scan a room, unless you're expecting to find something, today could not get any weirder if the Captain ran naked round the corridors ~</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>“Before we proceed,” Keira started, “there are some issues that need to be addressed.”</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>Erin tilted her head a little, “For example?”</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>Sleeford looked at the commander and raised his chin slightly, the fact that at least two of the trio were implicated in the death of a senior officer wasn’t lost on him.</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>“What we are about to discuss in this room is classified “Need to Know”, and as such is to be discussed only with the people in this room, the Captain, First Officer and Chief Tactical Officer, is that understood? Anyone not willing to do so, will be ordered to leave and will be so noted in my official report.”</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>“Understood and i am not leaving. So, what about you, Ensign?” Erin turned towards Sleeford as she spoke, “You in or out?”</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>Laughing slightly Sleeford turned to each of the women in turn “How quickly people forget, until two weeks ago, I was a security officer, I knew that something was wrong and as for the need for security and the need to know, that's fine, I’m in. I want answers the same as everyone else. So commander why all the cloak and dagger”</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>Happy everyone was on board, Keira resumed speaking. “The reason for all the secrecy is <i>we </i>have been entrusted with selections of audio files of two of the accomplices of Tyko’s murder. I’m not going to go into details of how the files specifically were obtained, because at this point the important part is that we have them. So we are going to analyze them to determine who they belong to and if we narrow it down enough to identify specific people we will act on this knowledge.”</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>Erin sighed as she looked at them both, "Analyse them for any clues I suspect…. There's things we can use the scanners here for.."</span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>Sleeford waited for the Chief Science officer to start the analysis of the sound files, the information he’d gathered from Zot and his own investigations into the recent arrivals into the Operations department..</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>“The third one was smart enough to disguise their voice, another team has been tasked with that analysis.” Keira answered.</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>A thought struck her, a thought she hadn't expected to get and it shook her. Closing her eyes, Erin sat down at a nearby console and took a deep breath. </span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>“Something wrong?” Keira asked, noticing her friend’s change in demeanor but not knowing the reason.</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>"Are any of these logs…. Were they taken or recorded at the time of…. his death?"</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>“Yes, they were. We have been given files that are cut from the actual recording of the events, but nothing so macabre as a recording of his actual death. Voice samples from around the events only.” Keira answered. Then knowing that this was a man that Erin had been intimate with, she put the two together. Keira had never been that intimate with anyone, even Ravok, but she could still empathize on how Erin might feel. She felt foolish for not thinking of it. “Oh, sorry, I hadn’t thought of that.”</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>Erin looked at her and offered a slight smile, "You'd be one of the only ones that wouldn't." Sighing, she stood and looked at her friend and then glanced at Sleeford, "I'll deal with it. Let's just get on."</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>Smiling down at Cortez, Sleeford spoke, “if it helps there's a list of names I’ve gathered recently. Ensign Zot came to see me earlier, someone hacked the ops system yesterday. Between us we’ve narrowed it down to six members of the department”</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>Placing the folded piece of paper on the counter he stepped back, “these are the recent arrivals. Ensigns Henderson, Zella, Setrewy, Thom and Petty officers Zettra, Cummings and Hosk. I spoke to all six of them when they came on board, the usual welcome to the department and so forth.”</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'> "Hmm, none of those names I know. Perhaps we should listen to the files first. Lieutenant?"</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>“It’s certainly a place to start.” Keira admitted.</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>"I assume there is more than one. And that they are different people?"</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>“Two separate, yes.” Keira answered.</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>“Mister Sleeford, pull up the files on your short list. I’ll pull up the audio files.” Keira said sitting down at the second station.</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>Shaking his head Sleeford placed the paper on the counter, “I didn;t put the names on the computer, once I found out that the Ops system and Security system had been compromised I though it better not to tip off our murderer or murderers. “</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>“Computer access investigation audio files. Authorization Merek Sigma-Gamma-Three.” Keira ordered.</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>[Access Granted]</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>“These words aren’t in any particular order, but were selected to be fairly common in conversation.” Keira asked the pair. “Ready?”</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>“As i will ever be.” Erin replied</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>Nodding Sleeford concentrated on filtering out the background noises and solely on the voices</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>“First selection.” Keira said and keyed up the file.</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>=^= Quick.... Sensors….. Down…..=^= The disconnected words issued from the audio emitters one by one. The words seemed to have a sense of urgency attached to them without the reason why. </span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>Listening to the words they seemed like a jumble of nothing to Sleeford, there was something there that tickled his mind, he’d heard the voice before, but where, which of the 400 plus officers and crew did it belong, had he heard recently or was it on Mars. </span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>“Second selection.” Keira said, starting the second file.</span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1D2228'>=^= Nine….. Two…. Ship…. =^= A different set of disconnected words played through the speakers, still masculine, but without the urgency of the first one the tone was more derogatory.</span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal> </p><p class=MsoNormal>(Reply None)</p><p class=MsoNormal>(Posted by Todd, Jackie, Alistair)</p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>NRPG: I apologize my hectic work schedule has kept this in JP purgatory. I’ve posted a good chunk of it while we work on the rest. Thanks everyone for your patience.</p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“<span style='color:black'>The only way to defeat fear is to tell it 'No'." No - we will not take shortcuts on the path to righteousness. No - we will not break the rules that protect us from our basest instincts. No - we will not allow desperation to destroy moral authority.” - Michael Burnham, Star Trek: Discovery</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“No, I’m from Iowa, I only work in outer space.” – Adm. James T. Kirk, “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Todd Holladay<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>SGT, IA ARNG (Retired)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div id="DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2"><br />
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