Well, That Was Unexpected - Part 2

Posted on Fri Sep 6th, 2024 @ 10:58am by AImee & Commander Lucy Sharpe & Lieutenant Scion

1,308 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Rescue Interruptus
Location: USS Athena - Various
Timeline: MD1 - 1705

Previously...

The EMH appeared and started to say the stereotypical words of, "Please state the nature..."

It then stopped and said, "Oh. Please step away Lieutenant."

Scion nodded as she moved away. She closed her eyes for a moment. The first officer needed to be notified. But first, she sincerely hoped she was wrong.

He ran his medical tricorder over the captain, looked up and said, "He's dead."

The Continuation


Shuttle Bay 1

As Sharpe and Venn exited the shuttle, AImee appeared and said to Commander Sharpe, "Commander, I have an urgent matter to discuss with you that cannot be discussed in front of civilians."

The sudden appearance of the ships AI was always a concern in Lucy's opinion. Her choice of wording however caused the woman to stop dead in her tracks yet her brain whirled into super sonic. What the hell had happened?

"Excuse me," she turned to Venn briefly before stepping away but not before signalling for the lingering LT in the shuttle bay of watch over their guest until she returned.

After putting a suitable distance between the personnel Sharpe returned to gaze to AImee: "What's going on?" she asked feeling her guts twist uncomfortably.

"The Captain is dead", AImee replied. "Per Starfleet regulations, you are acting Captain. Lieutenant Scion is in your ready room with the EMH. What are your orders?"

The Commander's heart skipped a beat at the news and she felt her skin pale. "You're certain?" she asked half heartedly. "The EMH isn't malfunctioning?"

"Yes, I am certain", she replied. "No, the EMH isn't malfunctioning as it is a sub-routine of the core AI system, me."

"Dammit," Sharpe whispered lowly before turning away momentarily trying to find some clear thinking. "When and how did this happen?" she returned to AImee. "Who else knows?" she added glancing over toward their guest.

"No-one", AImee replied.

"Alright," Sharpe nodded satisfied with the reply. "Arrange of Mr. Venn to return to his vessel and lockdown the ship. Collate personnel movements within the last three hours - I want to know who interacted with the captain and when." she instructed the AI with more conviction. "I'm going to meet with Scion."

"Might I recommend at least letting department heads know", AImee said. "Lieutenant Scion has been in the captain's ready room for a decent time now, then if you enter and more time passes, questions and rumours might start. If the department heads know, they can stop the scuttle-butt mill a lot easier."

"I'll inform them after meeting with the Lieutenant," Sharpe replied. "I need to establish what's happened and how as priority as a precaution. I'm sure they'll understand and would want to know further details."

"Very well", said AImee.


[Captain's Ready Room]

Scion nodded once. "Can you determine the cause of death?" That would help her know if this might be a crime scene or not. She had no idea why it would be, but he'd been drinking tea. It could either have been a heart attack or something he ate or drank recently. Intel officers were trained to be paranoid. She pulled out a small tricorder and scanned the room, taking note of the tea and anything else that could be poisonous.

"The Captain had restrictions on recitation and autopsy and excessive research on his body for spiritual reasons", the EMH replied.

As Scion scanned the room and teacup, the tricorder indicated traces of Estimal. "I respect that decision," she said, turning to the Doctor. "But I'm picking up traces of Estimal. I think the Captain was poisoned. If Commander Sharpe and security have not been notified, they should be. I think this is now a crime scene."

"We will have to have medical and sciences confirm that", the EMH replied. "This could also be a suicide or if the ingredient is only similar to Estimal, but with similar effects, it could be an over-dose as well. But you are correct in that we must wait for Commander Sharpe."

Scion nodded. "She'll be the one to ask for medical and science. I can only report this to her and request that security secure the area."


Arriving in the Ready Room Sharpe immediately recoiled at the sight of Griffin slumped at the desk. AImee hadn't mentioned this was the location they'd discovered him. She'd misunderstood Scion was simply waiting here to bring her up to speed. Slowly the Commander stepped over the threshold closer to her former Captain and mentor and struggled to lift her gaze from his still form as if expecting him to suddenly stir and usher them out of his private sanctuary.

With a steadying breathe Sharpe turned to gaze to Scion: "Report," she instructed with a slight quiver in her voice.

"I asked the captain if I could give him my report on Lieutenant Murphy's and my trip to the planet. He asked me to come here." She waved a hand at the desk. "He was there. I gave him a report, and a PADD. He was drinking tea and just...collapsed. I called for medical and scanned the room. I picked up trace elements of Estimal." Scion paused. "Ma'am, I think that, until proven otherwise, this should be considered a crime scene."

Sharpe had feared Scion would conclude that even though the idea had already crossed her own mind given the suddenness of Griffon's death. She turned to the EMH: "What was his condition when you arrived? Why was he not transferred to sickbay and intervention made? Could he not have been resuscitated?"

"When I was activated", the EMH replied. "He was dead. According to his files, he has a do not resuscitate order for spiritual reasons on file, so I could not proceed with further measures."

"I see," the Commander nodded slowly thinking it odd of Griffon to have such a plan in place, then again he was a suspicion man keeping a full deck of cards close to his chest. "Transport him to the morgue," she instructed the hologram.

"Very well", the EMH replied and moments later they both disappeared

"Scion, I tend to agree with you. AImee, seal the Ready Room once we've departed."

"Affirmative", came AImee's voice over the communicator.

"Head to the observation lounge," Sharpe returned to Scion. "Arrange the rest of senior staff to meet us there. I'll be along shortly."

"Yes, ma'am." Scion nodded and left the room. Once she was alone, she sent a message to the rest of the senior staff, asking them to meet with Commander Sharpe in the Observation Lounge. Then she headed there herself.

Now alone in the Ready Room Sharpe sighed and shook her head sadly. This was messed up even by Griffon's standards. The man was always several steps ahead of everyone else, always playing the tactician to anticipate every angle. He would have foreseen his own death a thousand times over including assassination - identifying the guilty party would be a challenge for security and Sharpe doubted they'd be able to find anything concrete.

"Ugh," she moaned realising she'd instantly be a prime suspect as ship XO with a history of wanting to gain her own Command bumping off her Captain was far fetched by not impossible.

Griffion wasn't careless and wouldn't overdose himself... at least not on purpose. To fake his own death? Now that Lucy could believe but why and why now she couldn't explain. Either way she wouldn't find any answers here and needed to inform Starfleet of the incident.

Leaving everything untouched Sharpe turned upon her heel and left the Ready Room and headed towards the observation lounge. If foul play was involved she wanted facts to present to Command along with the grim news.



A Joint Post By
---
AImee, (PNPC)
Played by Captain Griffon

Commander Lucy Sharpe
First Officer

Lieutenant Scion
Chief Intelligence Officer

 

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