Securing the Ship

Posted on Tue Jun 23rd, 2020 @ 5:43am by Cailus Griffin & Lieutenant Nicholas Boucher
Edited on on Fri Jul 10th, 2020 @ 5:32pm

Mission: Death in Paradise
Location: Deck 17 - Security Division
Timeline: Current

It had been a long day for John Sandoval. He and Emmanuelle had made certain everyone from the ship was back aboard. None remained on Paradise, though getting them all out was a chore. He still seethed thinking of how Dorian left him to the guards and absconded with Aeryn. But the work was done. He and Emmanuelle has given reports to the security guards at the airlock, and Emmanuelle went with them to keep working. Aeryn was safe, though he was fairly sure that he owed Dr. Alves for the rest of his life. Now he needed to report directly to Cailus, as requested.

As he stepped into the office, John instantly knew one thing: his impression that he’d had a long day was gone. He didn’t know what a long day was.

To say the security office was very busy was an understatement. He didn’t know that many security officers even served on the ship. He caught Emmanuelle talking to a security officer, her purple uniform back in order. She nodded to her and made his way to the middle desk, where he saw Lieutenant Griffin. “You asked to see me?”

Sure enough the Security Chief looked distinctly harried, although he was as stoic as ever as he worked. While the CDO asked his question, Cailus raised a finger at him, silently asking Sandoval to wait as a crewman gave a rapid report while another stood to the other side of Cailus, listening intently. The Security Chief glanced at Sandoval with a faintly apologetic look before refocusing on the crewman, the two of them talking quickly and quietly for a minute before the crewman smartly went on his way, followed by his colleague.

That done, Cailus looked at Sandoval properly. "Follow me, please," he said curtly, turning around and walking to one of the doors without bothering to see if Sandoval was following. The doors opened to a rather unremarkable small office, boasting only a desk, chairs and a large wall display, with only a small ornamental box sitting on a shelf.

"Apologies for that Lieutenant," Cailus said brusquely, turning around before the desk to instead stand in front of it, facing Sandoval directly as equals. "We're in something of a rush given the time limit that Katya gave us. I've yet to read your statement, but I have read Ensign Rochester's statement. Moreover, Ensign Larose mentioned that you were extremely concerned about his behaviour pertaining to Doctor Jameson. Is she alright?"

John still had reservations about Cailus and his history, but this situation was too important to let such things interfere with the job. Plus the Security Chief was expressing concern over what happened to Aeryn. “She’s fine, thank you for asking,” he answered. “I just came from seeing her. Ensign Rochester didn’t hurt her. But you didn’t ask me here for that.” He gestured to the chairs. “Do you mind if I sit? I’ve been on my leg all day.”

"Go ahead," Cailus said, politely pulling out a chair. He stayed standing for a moment before reluctantly following suit, sitting down in the second chair in front of the desk. "Based on Ensign Larose's recommendation, I have placed Mister Rochester in the Brig pending the captain's review. Given the lengths he went to avoid being seen by station law enforcement, not to mention that he smelled like a teenage Klingon when we arrested him, I suspect that Mister Rochester did not comport himself like a gentleman and an officer while on the station. Do you concur?"

“I do,” John said, now comfortably seated, his cane resting against the desk. “When I found him, he was wearing only a coat and undergarments. He was in rough shape. He had asked Dr. Jameson to buy clothes for him. Once dressed, he tried to abandon the coat. I had Ensign Larose collect it. She did her best, but I wouldn’t be surprised if nothing came of it.”

Cailus facepalmed, scarcely believing what he was hearing. "Half naked and drunk at a foreign port. Of course he was."

John continued. “When we reached the transport cube, he saw the station guards coming. He sealed himself inside with Aeryn, leaving Ensign Larose and I to face the guards. Even if nothing else, abandoning us like that was unbecoming of an Officer.” He smiled slightly. “That Ensign you gave me is cool under pressure, Lieutenant. Thank you.”

Cailus sighed. "Lieutenant, I feel obliged to mention that Mister Rochester made certain claims about your personal activities, specifically with Lieutenant Jameson and Ensign Larose."

"Oh?" John asked. He was curious now. "What sort of claims?"

At that, Cailus could only roll his eyes in exasperation. "Do you really want me to be more specific? My point is that, true or not, people will talk. You should be prepared to deal with that. No matter how professional and skilled a crew may be, many will still act like tittering schoolgirls on a playground, Mister Rochester being the obvious example."

"Lieutenant," John replied firmly and harshly, "I'll tell you right now that nothing inappropriate is happening between Ensign Larose and myself. She is one of the most professional officers I've ever worked with. She and I are colleagues and friends, nothing more. I won't allow Rochester to drag her name through the mud, and I hope you won't either." He shifted in his seat. "As for me and Aeryn..." His voice wasn't quite so firm or harsh anymore. He scratched the back of his neck. "I don't know what Rochester said exactly, but she and I have been in a relationship. I admitted as much to the officer that took my statement. We spent the night of the murder together."

Quite unfazed, Cailus simply nodded. "Very well. I trust your word in this regard. It's none of my business, in any event, whom you share a bed with, but I thought that you deserved a fair warning. Shipboard gossip is not a pleasant thing to deal with."

"I've developed a thick skin for it," John said. "It's when it's undeserved that it feels bad, hence my concern for my attaché. But thank you for the warning. Does Em--sorry, Ensign Larose know about this?" He chuckled a bit, imagining her dealing with Dorian for saying such things. He was normally a pacifist, but the mental image of Dorian getting beaten up for what he did today -- by Emmanuelle, no less-- put a smile on his face.

"Probably," Cailus said. "In any event, I have a murderer to find and not much time to do it. Thank you, Lieutenant."

John was annoyed that he was being rushed out the door, but understood Cailus had an important job to do. He pulled himself up from the chair and grabbed his cane. "If you need any help from me or my Department, Lieutenant, please let me know. And feel free to use Ensign Larose as you see fit, though be advised she has a function to attend this afternoon. Won't be more than an hour, then she's all yours again for the duration of this crisis." Please don't send her to her death.

Standing up as well, Cailus bowed his head in polite acknowledgement, but there was something about Sandoval's words and tone that gave him pause. As stoic as he normally was, Cailus caught a glint of Sandoval's true meaning and his own eyes hardened, frowning defensively.

"I'll have her back to you as soon as I can. Good day, lieutenant." The words were polite. The intent behind them was not.

END