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Preliminary Investigations Part III

Posted on Wed Mar 11th, 2020 @ 10:42am by Lieutenant JG Kevin Lance

Mission: Coming Aboard
Location: CTO Office
Timeline: Current

::ON::

"Analysis complete," the computer system in Kevin's office announced.

Kevin looked up from the status reports displayed on the desk monitor. He has set the ship's computer to cross referencing connections between the Levant Consortium and the Nazrarot Business Interest. He stood and walked across to the replicator and placed he empty mug inside of it.

"Coffee. Kona blend. Black." Kevin commanded. A hot mug of Kona coffee replaced the empty mug in the replicator. He picked up the mug of coffee and turned to a blank wall opposite the desk.
"Computer," he called aloud, "Display results on the big board." The computer beeped in reply and a cascade of images, documents, and folders assembled on the wall.

"Summarize," commanded Kevin, then he took a sip from the mug.

"There are one hundred and twenty three points of intersection between the Levant Consortium and the Nazrarot Business Interest."

Kevin winced and he said, "Catagorize the points of intersection."

The images on the big board rearranged into three distinct groupings as the computer recited, "Thirty-seven are personnel intersections, seventy-one are object intersections, and fifteen are place intersections."

"List place intersections."

"The Ferengi Alliance, Ferenginar, Ladok Prime, Rhaka Trading Port, Tower of Commerce, Choban 5, Deep Space Ni.."

"Halt list," Kevin interrupted. Choban 5? Why did that sound familiar? "Summarize Choban 5."

"Choban 5," responded the computer, "Fifth planet in the Choban star system. Class L . No sentient native species. Ferengi agriculutral colony. Primary exports; quadrotriticale, secreto, drexels, glajeomquat..."

"Halt!" ordered Kevin. He grabbed his PADD from the desk and opened the image of the label on the shipping container he had captured after taking down the Ferengi aggressors. Sure enough, the Planet of Origin on the shipping label was Choban 5.

Kevin gestured to take the Choban 5 file and several others from the big board and place it on his PADD. The files appeared and he read what they contained, taking notes as he read.
As the evidence became cleared, Kevin started to compose a timeline. He consulted with the computer to gather additional data.

Lieutenant Balor had attempted to report aboard the USS Independent five days ago. Shortly thereafter, he booked passage on a Ferengi merchant vessel bound for the starbase where USS Independence was docked. The Ferengi ship stopped at Choban 5 and took on the cargo of Drexel Pods among other things. The transit from Choban 5 to the starbase took three days. According to the shipping manifest, the cargo of Drexel Pods was marked for expedited delivery to the Independence which accounted for the rapid uploading and positioning of the cargo container for easy access in the starbase's cargo receiving bay.

Starbase records showed six Ferengi disembarked the merchant ship but nothing about Lieutenant Balrog. That made sense, as he was already inside the shield shipping container. Kevin wondered when Balrog had been abducted and placed in the shipping container. Aside from the Drexels, there had been no sign of food or water in the container. Kevin suspected that the Lietuenant had been unconscious during most of the transit from Choban 5 but needed to check with Doctor Relor.

Cross checking with starbase security record, Kevin noted that the Ferengi had covertly subdued the crew working the cargo receiving bay and move the container to Diplomat's Atrium. The explosion that had rocked the ship was a diversion on the other side of the starbase. The Ferengi aggressors had been surprised by Gunny Drake's Marine squad coming to check on the diplomats else they might have succeeded in whatever they had been planning.

Kevin completed his report and posted it to the ship's computer. Now, he needed to talk to the Doctor. "Computer, locate Doctor Relor."

::OFF::

 

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Comments (2)

By Lieutenant Commander Feyd Relor on Wed Mar 11th, 2020 @ 11:13am

Love the investigative process!

By Lieutenant JG Kevin Lance on Fri Mar 13th, 2020 @ 4:38pm

Thanks!