Hypothetically Speaking

Posted on Tue Mar 22nd, 2022 @ 5:07am by Lieutenant Sabine St. James & Lieutenant Tequila Dreik

Mission: 00 -Life on the Line
Location: Interim Main Security Office

Tiki walked into the security office, looking around for a moment before heading directly to the office of the Chief of Security. Knocking on the glass next to the door as she entered, she offered a grin and set a bottle of purple shimmery liquid on the desk before dropping into the seat, making herself comfortable.

"So, you're the head honcho of security?" she asked, raising an eyebrow slightly as she cast a glance over the petite blonde. "Interesting..."

What made this all the more interesting was that Sabine had two jigsaw puzzles on her desk. The telling sign being that there were two pictures being put together from one pile. And oddly, no reference images.

Absently she looked up at the person she let in, as if someone else had been the one to actually answer the door. She glanced at the bottle and then her guest.

"Yes. That'd be me. Sabine St. James." She replied, "Though I admit to being at a disadvantage." Her own eyebrow lifted.

"Clearly hospitality isn't your strong point," Tiki said, standing up and walking across to the replicator, ordering two empty glasses and carrying them back to the desk, brushing aside some of the jigsaw puzzle pieces to make space to set them down. She uncapped the bottle, pouring out two measures of the purple shimmery liquid and sliding one across to her.

"No idea what it is, but it tastes like purple," Tiki said with a shrug as she raised the glass to her lips. "Lieutenant Tequila Dreik. Chief Medical Officer." She took a sip of the drink and sat back on the seat, leaning back comfortably, settling in.

"So, tell me... let's say you find a body floating in space, somewhere in the vicinity of a 'faulty' airlock..." she used air quotes for the word faulty. "What would be the chances you'd rule that an accidental death. Hypothetically speaking of course?"

"No...people tend to avoid my office." Sabine replied, taking the drink, amazed her replicator didn't give her guest two candles or a handful of ice cubes. She gave the drink a sniff, and after being unable to place it, a sip. Purple was about the only flavor it could be described to have.

"It would have to depend on the evidence, Doctor. A proper autopsy, investigation of the airlock and things of that nature." Sabine replied, "Plus, there is always the matter of why this person, hypothetically, was now outside the station instead of within. Coincidences may very well happen, but a surprising number seem to befall people after arguments, failed sexual encounters, excessive consumption of intoxicating substances or bad reputations. In some cultures, inheritance, but that's practically a non issue in the Federation."

A cryptic smile crossed her face, "Evidence can be tampered with, Doctor. Motive, on the other hand, is most telling."

"Ah, that is why, my friend, you never question someone's motives. Wisdom yes, but never motives," Tiki replied with a grin before taking another sip of the purple drink. "Now, as to why the person, hypothetically, was now outside the station instead of within... Perhaps they were testing a new invisible EV suit design and it failed the testing process?" She shrugged.

"Motive is a large part of what my job is." Sabine replied, "Because while stranger things have happened, they generally don't happen suddenly to someone that was in a heated argument and was involved in several scandalous activities."

She swirled the drink in the glass for a moment, her smile broadening, "Most investigators often miss obvious clues. Did you know there was a suicide where the phaser was somehow discharged twice? The wife denied first that she knew he was even home, then when pointed out he had been dead for three days, denied hearing not one but two phaser shots? The case wound up being moved to homicide only because several people had to come forward saying she bragged about evading the murder charges."

Tiki nodded with approval. "Impressive... but, stupidity of that calibre usually is somewhat impressive. It suicide is something of a scape goat that many murderers try and use. On one of my cadet placements I was assigned to a starbase and assisted with an autopsy of a man who had allegedly committed suicide by beheading himself with a Klingon Batleth. I'm sure you can see why Security found fault with the suicide note left at the scene?" She chuckled.

"Ah...a bat'leth. Now I wonder what Kahless would say to the sword of honor being used to decapitate someone in a murder? That the murdered had been dishonorable and deserved a death such as that? The murderer was honorless to not accept their part in what they had done and lied? Both?" Sabine pondered aloud for a moment as if her guest wasn't there before pulling herself back to reality.

"Realistically speaking, you and I could drain this bottle and several more besides...broken up by my violent vomiting along the way...on numerous ways that someone could die." Sabine continued, "But honestly? Cause of death is only filler on a death certificate. Most investigators get fixated on the how. And yet...isn't the why the most damning of evidence?"

"Evidence is the bane of every murderers existence," Tiki replied with a grin and reached for the bottle to refill her glass. "Almost every murderer leaves countless pieces of evidence at every crime scene."

"Indeed." Sabine nodded, "I would, however, prefer no murders here. Morale here is nonexistent, and while it would occupy my time that has too much free time, the only thing that would occupy everyone else's time is panic and worry."

"I'd rather not upset the rest of Wonderland to have busy work." A shrug and a sip followed. Followed again by some coughing that tried to look casual and failed miserably.

"Oh, I don't know, the right murder I think could definitely be considered a morale booster," Tiki responded. "There's no doubt about that. Unite people for a cause, give them hope, a reason to smile." She shrugged. "But, each to their own."

"...you and society have vastly different reactions when it comes to death." Sabine observed, "And not in the usual manner. Strange. I'm starting to see why you were cast down the Rabbit Hole to this place. Everyone has a reason, typically petty, but a select few..."

"And that's not me judging from an ivory tower. I absolutely belong here. Even if I do get reassigned, it will be fleeting, temporary." Sabine's smile returned, "After all, normal is what 9 people in a room of 10 are doing. You cannot be abnormal if there is no normal."

"Normal is boring," Tiki replied with a grin as she stood up, walking to the replicator and recycling her glass. "I've enjoyed the chat, we should do it again, real soon." Tiki started toward the door, pausing long enough to turn back toward Sabine. "Make sure you stay away from those airlocks, never know when the engineering team may have had an off day." With the parting remark, Tiki winked and disappeared out the door, humming softly to herself as she waltzed along the corridor back toward sickbay.

"My door is usually open. The replicator may not always be operating though. You caught it on a good day." Sabine replied, waving as the Doctor left.

"The game is afoot..." Sabine said to herself, still smiling.