Back in the saddle again 2

Posted on 07 Apr 2012 @ 6:39pm by Commodore Da`nal of the House of Varal

1,687 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: M8-A: Kzinti War - Recon from Hell
Location: Captain's ready room
Timeline: Current

CAITIAN!" Everything fell together, the timing of Stryker's death, the attempt on him.....probably revenge for his ordering the attack on the station. Don's murder was puzzling...why? Had the use of his blade been an attempt to discredit him and throw an investigation off track? That thought brought back memories of his time aboard the Tempest where he had been accused of murder. He bolted from his seat moving quickly to the batleth behind his desk.

"Sir!?" Ciara said startled. The calm Captain in front of her turned into a very dangerous man in a split second. "Don't we need more evidence?"

The exclamation from behind him stopped him as his had reached for the blade, and his hand closed slowly into a fist and he lowered it to his side. "You are right of course we need more evidence than one report."

I have only one Caitian under my command; an engineer. BUT; we also took two Romulans aboard prior to the first murder...is it possible this DNA was planted?"

Watching him carefully, but seeing he had tight control over that renowned Klingon rage, she took to time to consider her answer. "It is possible, but unlikely. The person would have to have considerable knowledge of DNA to plant DNA that is so consistent with that found in the perspiration of a Ciatian. That degenerates very quickly that is why it can't be used to identify the person. Usually skin flakes, hair, blood is used to plant fake DNA, it is far more reliable and it is planted to be found. This could have been missed easily. My opinion is that this was accidental and that it belongs to the killer," Ciara said.

Again he was ready to find that traitor himself, but instead he decided to put the woman to the test. "That sounds like solid evidence to me Commander. Your recommendation?"

"If you are after a solid conviction in a court of law, you will need more than a single strand of DNA, Sir" she responded. "You could bring him in for questioning, collect a full DNA sample of his DNA, which I could then compare with what I have, then, if I can match them, we have much stronger case. Or you could either get a court order to search his quarters for that knife, which is going to be near impossible now," she said, careful not include herself in this. After all she was only assiting 'them'. "But this killer is very skilled,†she continued. "He has already been successful to avoid capture so far. Even now, we have very little," she explained. "However, that could be used against him. Usually, such a person will also grow more confident. I will recommend you draw him out. Set a trap so to speak...." she said. "Being caught in a criminal act and or getting a confession is probably the only sure way you could court martial him."

~So she was a by the book type...that could be an good thing, but not now.~ "Commander, we are in a time of war and there is a murder and possible traitor on my ship. Have the Caitian taken into custody and get your DNA sample."

"Sir, with all due respect, it is not my place to have him taken into custody," Ciara said a little annoyed at the Klingons Captain's order. She was not a member of his crew, in fact she had requested to resign her commission. "I don't even know who to talk to in your crew, Captain" she said stubbornly, with a slight emphasis on the *your*, just to make sure he got it.


Da`nal like the fact that she could stand her ground; at least for now. Either way it was time to. "Well Commander, I suggest you get to know the crew; I can't have my XO calling everyone by 'Hey you' now can I."

Others might have been excited and pleased at the appointment. Many would have loved to work under Captain Da'nal and a Prometheus class ship, but Ciara's face went white as a sheet in seconds. The last thing Ciara wanted was to be an executive officer. Her husband and three children were killed only two days ago, and she had not even had the chance to think about it much, let alone allow herself to cry. Her normally calm demeanor made place for her Irish temper, masking the grief under the surface. "You could probably find no one else," she said more to herself than to him. She lifted her blue eyes to him, dark with the battle to keep her emotions under control. "I have requested to resign my commission and with good reason. I am not fit for duty, but I will help where I can. Captain." she said tightly, but her eyes begging him not to do this to her.

There was no way not to see the pain flash across her face. He had read her resignation, but couldn't submit it until they were back in Federation space. He also knew of the death of her family. He recalled the anger he had felt, when he had first heard of his brother's death and the loss when he had found him alive only to have to watch him take his own life to protect the family honor. No doubt his loss paled in comparison to the loss of a mate and children.

Da`nal took a deep breath, "I read your resignation, however I cannot accept it at this time. We are at war, in enemy held space, and you are needed Commander. Commander Br....Ciara, I am aware that you also lost your family in the Kzinti attack on the station. I will not dishonor you by saying I understand you loss. I can only imagine what you must be going through. The only advise I can give is this; honor their memory by helping to see that the Kzinti are held accountable for the lives they've taken. I will not prod you or try use your husband to convince you, I have seen that done by others and found the, 'what would you family want you do to', tactic to be dishonorable. I will only say this; Join me...and honor them."

Tears filled Ciara's eyes, but she swallowed the back quickly. What the Klingon Captain said was true, whether she liked it or not. Slowly she nodded. "I will have to study up on Klingons, didn't know that you could be so....convincing and reasonable," she said with the little but of her sense of humor she could find. Also at that moment Ciara realized that her life had changed. She really had nothing to lose.....

"I will do what I can to the best of my ability, not that that is much right now, but you have what I have ......" she said with quiet conviction and determination. "So who is the security chief?" she asked with a small ironic grin. "So I can have that Ciatian arrested.... as you said..."

Da`nal nodded with a slight grin. "Oh we can be perfectly reasonable...so long as one stays on our good side. Lt. Mackenzie is the one you need to see."

"There is something else regarding my findings......" Ciara said, thinking about how to say this as quickly as possible. "I found lesions, consistent with a prior addiction to Jabba, an Opiate derivative, in Commander Killian's brain," she said not sure if Da'nal knew of the highly addictive and dangerous drug. "It was not in his records, so I would imagine someone had protected him before. There was no Jabba in his blood now, but high alcohol levels," she continued. "He must have suffered from excruciating headaches, an unpredictable consequence of Jabba, and that can happen years after the person has stopped using. Thing is, nothing really helps for those headaches, since they are caused by the lesions, except alcohol. That means that the person invariably becomes an alcoholic," she explained with empathy for the previous XO. "You can imagine what happens to such a person eventually...." she said. She paused for a moment. "Maybe this explains some irrational behavior he might have exhibited in the last few weeks before his death," she added.

Don had been acting odd, though he had thought it part of his 'performance' for the Romulan guests currently confined to quarters. This revelation definitely explained his earlier actions in sickbay. Someone had gone to great lengths to cover this problem and there was no reason to tarnish his record now that he was dead. "Have you documented these finding?"

"No Sir, I have not, that is why I wanted it to convey it to you in person...." she said. "I don't have to document it," she said tentatively.

There was no point in revealing the man’s past and dishonoring his name now that he was dead. He died in battle against the enemy...that was how he should be remembered. "Lose your findings Commander. Commander Killian should be remembered with honor."

Ciara tapped her padd. "Gone..." she said. The Commander's suffering had ended. Even if he died a painful death, it would have been nothing in comparison with the suffering he would have experienced had he lived longer. At least now he died with some dignity and honor....

"Oh and one more thing."

Ciara was now ready to assume her duties and she looked expectantly to Da'nal to dismiss her.

Da`nal waved at her, "You might want to get back into uniform."

"Right...." Ciara said, stroking her skirt. "I suppose this won't pass as an uniform...." she mumbled to herself with some mirth. With that she left, an ironic smile on her lips. When she went into that office, she didn't want or expect to be walking out an Executive Officer. But now she would honor the position by doing it to the best of her ability; and to honor her husband and children.

OFF


Captain Da`nal
CO USS Achilles

Commander Ciara Brannagh
XO USS Achilles

 

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