Public Enemy

Posted on Wed Jun 24th, 2020 @ 2:58am by Captain Nycolas Temple & Mauricio Arnaldo & Ensign Dorian Rochester (Deceased)
Edited on on Fri Jul 10th, 2020 @ 5:42pm

Mission: Death in Paradise
Location: Deck 17 - Brig

Dorian Rochester was standing ready and waiting at the front of his cell when the Security officers came to collect him. Griffin had come through with his promise to move the once-again detained Ensign to his quarters, though Dorian didn't feel like he should have been under arrest at all. Still, staying in his quarters was a damn sight better than spending his time in the Brig. It was cold and hard, and he was starting to feel claustrophobic already. He was still a little smug about cutting a deal with the Security Chief, especially as the Executive Officer had been so against it.

"Bout time." Dorian sneered as the team of three arrived in the Brig. His smirk dropped, however, when he saw First Lieutenant Arnaldo was amongst them. "Well now, they got you grunts doing real officer work?"

"Quiet, Rochester." Mauricio replied with a serious tone. "We're not here for a chit chat."

After the Security officer tapped on the cell's console, a square hole appeared in the force field. "Hands." He ordered in a gruff tone, clearly modelling his voice after his department chief.

Dorian rolled his eyes, but he complied with the request, "Is this really necessary?" He asked as he held his hands together and placed them through the opening.

"Lieutenant Griffin's orders." The other officer replied, before attaching handcuffs around Rochester's wrists. With that done, the force field was dropped and the officer stood back, allowing Dorian to leave the cell. He did so without protest and the two Security crew placed a firm hand on both arms as they began to escort him out of the Brig.

Mauricio stood back and walked behind them, phaser rifle by his side, the procession moving off without incident. However, after leaving the Brig and turning into the corridor, Dorian started to feel chatty again.

"It's good to see you back on duty, Mauricio." He called out without looking behind. "Wasn't too long ago you were living in that cell, right?"

"Your memory hasn't failed you, Rochester." Arnaldo replied with a sarcastic voice. "Even if your loyalty has."

"Loyalty!" Dorian laughed out loud. "I'm the most loyal one here. Y'all just haven't realised yet."

"I'm sure." Mauricio muttered.

"Still, though, why are you helping out these mugs?" Dorian asked, giving a wink to his escorting officers. Neither of the two responded, keeping their eyes fixed ahead and hands firmly gripped onto Rochester's arms. They had been trained well to carry out their duties without pause or consideration to anything Dorian might say. They also never once slowed their pace - the prisoner was going to make it to his destination at the prescribed time, no matter how much he talked.

"The Marine Detachment is assisting with Security operations during this situation." Mauricio replied professionally. "Though I don't why why we bother. Clearly we should just hand you over to Paradise."

Dorian snorted a laugh at this as the group made it to the Turbo Lift. "I haven't killed anyone, Mauricio." He was turned around by the Security officers, and was now facing Arnaldo, his smirk was pure contempt. "Have you?"

Mauricio returned a smile. "Many." He said with a cold stare and bared teeth.

The lift doors closed and they ascended up from the seventeenth deck up to the junior officer quarters on level three. Without speaking, Mauricio stood aside and let the officers walk Dorian out of the lift and into the corridor, where they resume their escort.

"I suppose now you're back from cuckoo land, you can hook up with Mr Fick, right?" Dorian commented airily. Mauricio didn't respond. "Oh wait. He's probably back with his boyfriend, the Klingon. I'm guess 'three's company' in that bed. Tell me, does K'Laus know about what happened with you and Fick in the bubble? Matter of fact, do you even see Fick any more or has he dropped you?"

Mauricio was trying not to let the man's words get to him, tried to remember that he was a duty officer now with a second chance to prove he could handle himself back in uniform. This was his first test to show his CO that he could get back to normal. But Dorian was pushing so hard on his patience, bringing up all the right topics to trigger him. He was fighting the urge to smack the smug little Ensign across the back of his head with his rifle.

"Come on, Maurice." Dorian continued. "You all just pretending none of that happened now because it's too inconvenient to address what went on in the Bubble?" Mauricio started to breath heavily. "You sacrificed your life for Fick and has he even said thank you? No wonder you went insane, man. I'd be a little angry too if that happened to me." Mauricio was fuming, quietly to himself, while Dorian continued, "Are you angry, Maurice? All that craziness can't have just disappeared, you must still feel - "

"Enough!" Came the booming voice of Captain Temple.

Dorian flinched and the two officers forced him to stop in their tracks as Nyx stood in front of them in the corridor. Mauricio, without even realising, had been gripping onto his rifle so tightly that his knuckles had gone white. He looked down and saw that it was powered up and ready to fire. He didn't remember doing that either. When he saw the Captain in front of him, he let out a quiet sigh of relief and took a step backwards, allowing himself to relax.

"Captain!" Dorian sighed, regathering himself, "You scared me half to death."

Temple didn't look at Rochester, only at the Security officers. "Mr. Rochester's room is ready." He nodded towards an open quarters nearby. It was a small cadet's room, one bunk and an ensuite, a single wardrobe, no desk or other furniture. Exactly the same as the one Dorian had spent almost thirty years in while in the Bubble universe. Deliberately the same.

"That's not my quarters." Dorian said immediately, his face turning to a scowl. "The deal I made with Griffin was that I'd return to my quarters... Not here!"

Again, Temple ignored him, giving a cold response, "Proceed."

"No! Captain? This wasn't the deal! I don't want to stay here!" Dorian cried.

Dorian tried to step back but the officer's grip was too strong, and despite his body resisting, they escorted him into the room with force, before exiting again. Rochester was flabbergasted as he looked around the tiny, cramped quarters, the memory of all those years coming flooding back. Meanwhile, a force field appeared across the door way, and then a square hole appeared just in the middle.

"Hands." The officer ordered.

Dorian looked to the Captain with earnest eyes. "Please, Captain. I can't stay in here again!"

"Hands." The officer repeated.

Nyx raised his eyebrows, "Put your hands out, or you can stay in there with the cuffs on."

Dorian reluctantly did as he was told, shaking his head as he did. "This wasn't the deal." He protested.

The handcuffs were removed and when Dorian pulled back, the forcefield was complete again. The two officers stood either side of the door, facing the wall in front of them with a steely, unmoving gaze. Temple took a step towards the room, and considered Dorian for a moment.

"Be thankful you're at least here." Nyx said firmly.

Before Dorian could reply, the door slid closed. Turning back to the corridor, Nyx approached Mauricio and placed a friendly hand on his shoulder. "You okay, First Lieutenant?"

"Yes." Mauricio replied appreciatively. "He just wouldn't stop talking."

"I know. You did well to control yourself." Nyx nodded, as he gaze turned to the rifle. "A lesser man, like Rochester, would have used it."

Mauricio closed his eyes and nodded as well, understanding what the Captain meant. "Thank you, Captain."

"Head on back to Marine Country, you did well for your first shift back." Nyx said as the two turned and walked towards the lift again.

"What will happen to him?" Mauricio asked after a few moments.

"To be honest," Nyx sighed. They entered the lift and he looked down the corridor to the two Security officers manning the door. "I don't know."

OFF