NPC Lt. Fabiano Moreno (Temp. SOO)[Katra Station - Deck 3 - Temp. SOO's office]<Katra Station - Deck 3 - Temp. SOO's office>
Entering the office, Paul nodded his appreciation of the welcome as he presented himself to the Acting Strategic Officer, which - put in less flowery words - also meant the station's Intelligence chap. It was for this reason he had decided to approach the dark haired man - the ramifications of his proposed request could have some bearing his role. He noted that this Lt Moreno kept his eyes set upon him, and Wessex for a moment wondered if he were somehow being studied. "Thank you for seeing me, sir" Wessex began, in his well-spoken, gentle tone, opting to remain standing easy; unless it was at the Captain's Table, officers briefing their immediate senior officers remained on their feet in the Patrol, a habit he was finding hard to break even after 4 years in StarFleet Academy. One hand left from behind him, and he proffered out his PADD.
"My recent update of the investigation of the criminal element operating aboard the station" he began. "As you can see", he continued, laying out the various dots that he had been able to draw together in this short time; he wasn't much, admittedly, and some of the detail was made up of observations and circumstantial detail. He finished on the reason he was here. "The sigil found near the escape 'hatch' has been found to be an old pre-metric currency sign for the Ferengi Alliance; several thousand years old, in point of fact. Information to its history or current usage is scant on Federation databases, and so I'd like your, and the Chief Diplomatic Officer's, assistance in approaching the administrative staff at the Meridian Embassy; I understand there is a somewhat comprehensive number of Ferengi - indeed, all of the station's percentage of late."
He paused. "I'm certainly not prescribing any particular coincidence" he mused, "but there's either a connection to both facts that you may need to be aware of, or merely the chance of some difficult fallout from the ...affront...of being questioned at all. Either ramification requires mitigation with both your respective talents."
Fabiano accepted the Ensign's preference to remain standing with subtle nod and a friendly smile before he then leaned forward to take the PADD. While he listened to Paul's elucidations his eyes scanned the report he was shown on the PADD which made a good addition so he was in the know quickly. Maybe it wasn't much, but the task was tough. Ensign Wessex didn't have many clues and the civilians he worked with, like the shop owner, were not very cooperative. The other Nausicaan was nowhere to be found.
His attention was drawn away from the PADD and now fully on the Ensign again as he told him about the sigil that had been found near the escape 'hatch'. Fabiano leaned forward, his eyebrows knitting slightly as he wondered what that could mean. He had not heard of that sigil before, admittedly, he wasn't really knowledgeable in Ferengi currency. Or any ancient currency in general. Given all the facts that Ensign Wessex had presented to him, his request to visit the Meridian Embassy to question the Ferengi administrators was reasonable as it seemed to be the only way to take the next step in this investigation.
"With the sparse amount of clues we have in this matter, we should pursue any we have."He handed the PADD back to Paul.
"You have my approval of your plan. I will provide any assistance you will need with this."2 days later
Cmdr. Tess t'Lhoell (7 months pregnant)[Meridian - Kir'Shara outpost] "Transporter Room 1 to Commander t'Lhoell, Ensign Torland here. The last three of the Meridians have been beamed down." "Understood. Thank you, Ensign." Tess turned to Javed Kumar who was standing in the ship's sickbay. The ship had been modificated to serve as a dedicated research facility which included the sickbay and the science labs.
"You will be in charge down here", Tess sad to Javed.
"I want reports daily."It all started to come together now. After her second announcement two days ago - which she had only done as a video message, there was no way she would put herself out in front of the pupulation again that day - she had feared that there might be new turmoils arising, but to her surprise and relief it had stayed quiet. It was a bit like in a horror thriller when the actor called out an insecure 'hello' after hearing a noise in an abandoned house - either nothing happened or the killer came for them by breaking through a door or a window. It was this tension in between that that Tess felt after her announcements had been made. But as the second day went by without an incident, Tess dared to build up her hopes that their actions had been the right ones to put the station's population at ease.
Or, the killer was already looming behind the door and about to break through. They just didn't know it yet.
[Katra Station - Promenade]Aliki Papadopulos walked down the Promenade, a thin bag of take-out food in her hand as she headed towards the small business of the s'Movel family. She didn't think she had seen the older s'Movels in her restaurant before, but their eldest daughter went there once in a while.
As she approached the Romulan seamstress shop and was about to enter, she spotted Lared tr'Movel heading towards it as well but coming from another direction. Aliki smiled at him.
"How fortunate that I happen to meet you here", the Greek woman exclaimed and held the bag out to him.
"Just in time, it's still hot."Lared stopped in his tracks and looked at the woman and then at the bag with slight confusion.
"Oh", he said and grabbed the bag, managing a smile. Food that different from what he had grown up with Lared had difficulty finding appreciation for. His tastebuds were just not fond of new flavors and textures but he wouldn't blame his wife for wanting to try out new things once in a while.
"Thank you."Aliki chuckled.
"Your wife ordered the food", she informed him and casually glanced into the shop where a couple of customers were looking at some of the fabric displayed.
"So, how is the business going?" It seemed like it was a casual question among shopkeepers but there was something in her voice that suggested the question was just a starter for something else.
Lared drew his eyes away from the bag in his hand and looked at her.
"Oh, it's going very well", he replied politely with an appreciative nod of his head for her interest.
"I trust yours is as well. I see occupied tables whenever I walk by your business.""It is, thank you", Aliki replied and now that the conversation starter was out of the way she could pose her question.
"So, what are you going to do about the Meridian situation?"Lared looked at her a little wary now.
"I don't think I understand what you mean."Aliki rolled her eyes with an disbelieving smile.
"You don't find all of this very suspicious? You of all poeple are not someone who is that gullible, are you?"Lared's face darkened. He found that statement rather problematic. But seeing that the woman had to say more, he waited.
"It's been months now that the illness is a problem, but only when they could no longer deny that the illness is contagious they approach us directly. Not with the truth though, no, but with audacious lies. Don't you find it curious that a person, who is not a Meridian, suffers the same seizures and then suddenly they are so quick to get the Meridians off the station?""Wasn't that what the people wanted?" Lared consciously excluded himself. Maybe it was because he knew the station's Commander personally, but he would not believe for a second that she would participate in a lie like this. At least that was what he wanted to believe. His people had always been paranoid, cautious, wary. And for a reason. But the Federation was not like that. He would stand for that until someone proved to him otherwise.
"That was their plan when they arranged the first announcement", Aliki coaxed.
"They made us want to have the Meridians off the station only to be able to claim they followed the population's wishes. But in truth they just bring the Meridians to safety now that the virus is spreading on the station and leave us to be ravaged by the plague! I tell you - that doctor is just trying to hide their failure in handling the disease and now it's spreading."Lared was not impressed. He looked at the woman doubtfully while he noticed that some passerbys had picked up on their conversation as they kept looking in their direction.
"That is all very interesting. But I believe everything Commander t'Lhoell said is true and none of us has to worry." He gripped the bag tighter, preparing to bid his good-bye.
"Thank you once more for delivering the food to us." With that he turned away and stepped into his shop.
Aliki looked after him, not pleased at all.
"Fool", she muttered to herself as some of the people around her had started to mumble. Among the people she spotted the Etrosian Adryel who was a rather frequent visitor of the station. She caught his eyes as he looked at her insecure.
"Meridian illness?", he whispered.