The hunt goes on

Posted on Tue Jun 23rd, 2020 @ 4:51am by Lieutenant Krysia Kaleri-Smith
Edited on on Fri Jul 10th, 2020 @ 5:29pm

Mission: Death in Paradise
Location: Paradise Station, Marketplace
Timeline: Current

Having returned to the marketplace alone ahead of Cailus, Krysia took a walk around. Wanting to blend in a little more rather than stick out like a sore thumb she had decided to wear a dress rather than her uniform. Taking a stroll around the marketplace she kept her eyes and her senses open for any sign of the two children she was supposed to be looking for.

Walking into the toy shop where she and Cailus had ended up before she wasn’t surprised to see the Talarian couple looking at each other worried about her reappearance.

“Why have you returned?” The shop keeper stood looking at Krysia.

“Besides coming here as a customer?” She smiled. “I’ve been asked to locate two missing children, so they can be reunited with their parents. That’s all I’m trying to do.” She looked at the shop keeper and his wife who was standing back behind the counter. “I mean them no harm.”

“We haven’t seen them!” The shopkeeper looked at his wife and went back to organising the shop stock. “Do you want to buy something?”

“Yes I do” Krysia smiled. “I was looking at your baby toys last time I was here, I’m going to be needing some toys and supplies in several months time so it’s not too early to start looking.” She pointed to something she’d seen in the shop last time she was there. “I like these, I'll be needing two if you can arrange for them to be delivered back to my ship please.”

The Talarian woman smiled. “Yes we can” She looked at her husband as Krysia arranged payment. “Why is a Federation officer interested in two children?”

“Like I said I was asked to find them. Your station Commander Katya seemed quite concerned about the children. She said they’d become separated from their parents and she wanted to reunite them.”

“Is that so?” The Talarian man looked at Krysia. “Why should she be so worried about two young ones? If they were left alone they wouldn’t need to hide from the guards.”

“So you have seen them?” Krysia looked at the man studying his mannerisms and emotions.

“Perhaps” he looked at her. “You’re one of those mind readers aren’t you? You don’t get many of them here, Katya doesn’t like having mind readers wondering around the place. Surprised you haven’t got an escort from her guards.”

“She seems to have given me free reign in the marketplace” Krysia offered a smile. “To answer your question, Yes I’m an empath but I mean no harm. I would never harm those children I just need to find them.”

The Talarian nodded. “If we see them I’ll mention it but I can’t promise we’ll see them, you scared them away last time you were here. You and that companion of yours.”

“Lieutenant Griffin” She smiled. “He may look tough but he has a family of his own, he wouldn’t hurt the children he’d defend them. He’s my security escort but I decided it best to try coming alone this time just incase the children were alarmed by him.

“Like my husband said...if we see them we’ll tell them.” The woman looked at Krysia. “I’ll have your items sent over to your ship shortly. What name shall I put on them?”

“Forgive me...it’s Lieutenant Krysia Kaleri.”

The woman nodded and made a note of her name.

“My ship is the USS Pandora.” Krysia nodded politely as she headed for the shop door. “Thank you for your help.” Walking out of the shop she headed down the marketplace looking around as she went.

“She’s gone” The shopkeeper looked towards the back of the shop. “You heard what she said, perhaps she might be able to help you.”

Appearing behind the counter the two children looked at each other, just the name Katya sent chills along their spines. They didn’t trust Katya and the federation woman was working with Katya to find them so how could they trust her?

Pausing a little further up the marketplace Krysia looked back towards the shop, something was telling her that not all was as it seemed in the shop but she couldn’t force two frightened children to appear if they didn’t want to. She was just going to have to wait and see if the children would either slip up or come to her.

OFF