<Katra Station - Promenade>Note in hand, Paul wound his away through the Promenade, attempting - but failing - to draw little attention to himself from the mingling populace, yet again besieged by warm greetings and waves. Wessex did his best to respond to as many as feasible, while maintaining that vestige of authority; it made little sense to be a respected security official if everyone thought he was just a nice chap - there had to be a modicum of something approaching authority.
Beating the gauntlet, he arrived at the location on the card. Ordinarily he wouldn't have made this visit to thank the proprietor of the Gamma Quadrant souvenir shop in person ('
Meridian Memorabilia'), but he hadn't recognised the name and so it made for a good excuse to introduce himself; they had clearly known him, at least.
Walking through the entrance, Paul was suddenly conscious of crunching under his regulation boots. He glanced down but didn't see anything untoward. He looked around and his eyes were drawn to several items, cups and small statues, on shelves that looked cracked or broken, yet positioned in a manner not to be so obvious. Discount notices were plastered around, seemingly matching such breakages. Lights were dimmer than he was expecting, with most of the illumination coming from the bright displays from outside.
"
Ms Beecoil?" he called out, as he inched in. "
Ensign Paul Wessex, Civilian Zone Constabulary". He thought about it, and enhanced his introduction. "
Starfleet Security."
There was a shuffle out in the back, and Paul stopped his approach.
"M'arm?" he ventured, but for reasons he could not explain, began to reach for his Type-I phaser. He admonished himself for abandoning his principles; didn't take long to find security and comfort in a firearm. He withdrew his hand, leaving the weapon in its concealed holster.
The scrabbling out the back continued until a figure emerged. A woman of a species he didn't recognise, with purple hair and sharp features. She looked to stretch a shoulder before looking up, relieved. "
Oh thank the Triumvirate of Cort it's you" she breathed.
Paul looked around and then moved towards her.
"Are you hurt, M'arm?" he enquired.
She smiled. "
No, just a little sore" she replied, smiling in a self-depreciating manner. "
So you got my package."
Wessex nodded, and waggled the note. He wasn't convinced of her assertions she was as well as she made out, but neither was it his job to interrogate her. It'll come out sooner or later in conversation. "
I did. I came to say thank you, but it really wasn't necessary, Ms Beecoil."
"
Tulra, please" she insisted. "
Well, you know as well as I do it was. It was the only option, in point of fact."
He frowned lightly. Clearly there was something missing between sentences. "
I'm sorry, there must be some confusion - I came here to thank you for the gift box."
"
Well, obviously" she responded, tilting her head quizzically and not a little impatiently. "
And you have it with you?"
"
The box? No, I-"
Her words became a little slower, and lost some of their warmth. "
You didn't bring it with you? Where is it?"
Paul took a deep breath.
"Some of the items will be-"
She interrupted him again, and Paul used burnt up some of his reserve to maintain civility as she spoke over his voice. "
No! Not the gor'am items - the shoe. You have the shoe, right?"
His mind began to tell his chest to start getting tight, as yet again 'shoes' became an integral part of his day. And this time it seemed a little more...serious. "
Shoe? If it's among the rest, my Security colleagues will be scanning them and for those we can't re-gift-"
"
Re-gift?! Are...are you insane? I thought the organisation-"
"
Okay, I think there's some confusion here...". Paul looked around, studying his surroundings further.
Tulra hissed, looking directly at him. Through him. "
There better not be…"
Speaking over her, he continued. "
..because I don't have a clue as to what you're referring to, unless you'd like to make a statement regarding stolen property."
The temperature dropped several Kelvins as she stared at him, dumbfounded. "
You mean it, don't you? You really don't have any clue?". Dumbfoundment inched towards fear.
Wessex's eyes narrowed slightly as he allowed that authority he was aching for to seep through in his tone. "
No miss, and to be perfectly honest, I'm very much considering bringing you back to the security station so I can start to get these clues."
"
But I thought everything was arranged! New Starfleet Security Officer, joining the station. Paid off and everything.". She became almost panicky.
Standing straight, and adopting a pose of formality, Wessex looked down at her. "
I assure you, the only thing paid off will be my line of questioning."
Ignoring his comment, she suddenly struck an expression as if coming out of a daydream.
"Wait..wait.. you said your colleagues are going through the box?"
He nodded. "
Right now, yes. We'll find that shoe you refer to-"
"
No...no...they're in danger." Tulra's angular face managed to look even more frightened. But Paul found the idea a little impossible.
"
Danger. Here." Then his mind drifted towards his assault only some days prior.
"
I'm serious. That shoe is being actively searched for. The...visitor...I had earlier knows what they were looking for wasn't here. If they've found out you have it..."
Paul stepped forward, closing the gap between them to a mere foot. "
What?"
"
The people who are looking for these things aren't people worried about StarFleet" her voice carried scorn for the word. "
Once the item is in their hands, they'll be gone, leaving the bodies of your colleagues behind."
Urgency blew wind into his sails, and Paul grabbed Tulra by the elbow and dragged her along with him at pace. "
Tulra Beecoil, by the authority permitted to me by StarFleet Security and Katra Station, I am taking you into custody to answer questions on a series of thefts upon this station. You do not have to say anything; but, it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on at a Magistrate hearing. Anything you do say may be given in evidence." He tapped his badge, and called for Yelmetrei, Warrington and Trenvale but the signal refused to connect.
"
Okay okay, but your friends may already be dead!" she exclaimed.
Paul pulled harder, and tapped his badge. "
Ensign Wessex to Lt M'kai; security alert: Promenade Main Office; potential assault on personnel in progress. "