Posted by Civilian Eryn Romanov (Colonial Intelligence Agent) in Secrets in the Art (Tag Karlson)

Posted by Civilian Joseph Karlson (Police Commissioner) in Secrets in the Art (Tag Karlson)

Posted by Civilian Eryn Romanov (Colonial Intelligence Agent) in Secrets in the Art (Tag Karlson)
Posted by… suppressed (12) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Eryn enjoyed the early morning runs. It was one of those things you didn’t know was missing until you found it. She had been running along the route Karlson had indicated for a couple of weeks, and was now a regular. Or at least the brunette with the ponytail through the back of her ball cap was familiar. These types of set ups were amusing and usually not necessary, but they did keep some of those soft skills sharp.

After her run she went home and would then go to her studio. She wasn’t always there, but depending on the projects and other assignments dictated how often. Right now things were quiet, so she was at the studio a lot. But today she was expecting a visit.

Eryn Romanov

Joseph Karlson often perused the shops of the commercial district, he was known for his great love of old things, physical things like books, or tools of more ancient times. Artwork like paintings or statues. He’d been careful in cultivating this public persona as it put people at ease with having a former Marine General run the police force, especially after his harsh putdown of the riot in ‘89 by brutally decimating organized crime on Oed and publically fighting and humiliating the major instigator of the ‘rebellion’. Joseph was well dressed as always, in a light blue three-piece suit, the colors seemed to swirl as he walked, a sort of synthetic color that mesmerized those that stared directly at him, conveniently taking focus away from his actions. His cane for today was a natural-looking light brown wood, it didn’t look hewn, it looked as if it was a branch specifically grown to fit his size perfectly.

He was in deep conversation with a younger man, or at least he looked to be in his mid-thirties, he was as tall as Joseph but not as wide. He wore a simple dark suit and overcoat with a red tie. He had faded dark spots on his neck, slightly pointed ears, and completely dark eyes showing a mixed heritage of species. “Why do you insist on dragging me to shop, boss?” He complained “Because you my friend are a workaholic who needs to learn to appreciate the beauty of living” Joseph answered, the tone was that of an older brother chiding a younger one for being childish, an odd way for someone as old as Joseph to speak to someone.

Commissioner Karlson

Tucked on a side street of this particular block was a plain store front. Two sculptures sat un the dual windows and backed by heavy black drapes that gave no peak inside. The occupant and owner of this particular building was not interested in attracting customers. That is what she paid Turner for - to display and sell her work. Here Eryn worked in peace, and only those that were invited came here. A dark grey slider parked out front and Mastik, the Orion driver and guard made rounds in and out of the building. Today the smoke from the furnaces was already puffing out of the roof stacks.

Eryn Romanov

Bump

“Come this way” Joseph said as they walked passed the few local shops. He almost walked past Eryn’s shop on purpose “Hmm lets give this a peak” He said as he went to the door and checked if it would open.

Commissioner Karlson & DCI Pangolin

The door did not open, but the bulky Orion was at the door almost immediately, giving all the indication of they were open but hadn’t gotten around to unlatching the door just yet. He swung the door wide, “Please, come in. Are you here to browse or discuss a commission?”

The main room was a bit like an art gallery but lacked the exceptional lighting and knack for making a piece look priceless. Most of the pieces were metalwork sculptures, but dotted about the room were paintings, glassworks, textiles, pottery, all with identification tags giving the title, artists name, and where to find them.

Romanov

Bump

Joseph smiled at the Orion, his grandfatherly smile had a disarming quality “I think a commission might be in order” He put a large hand over his companion’s shoulder “He has need of art to liven up his home and I think something more personal is in order.”

Commissioner Karlson

Mastik returned the smile, but his attention didn’t waver. Kashir Gran would do something much worse than skin him alive if he allowed a kind looking grandfather to lure him into false security. He pulled out a small PaDD that seemed doll sized in his hand. He pressed a control. “Ms Romanov will be here shortly. Please feel free to look around.”

“Thank you, son” Joseph said, a slight twinkle in his eye and amusement in his tone. He was never certain wich amused him more, when people were at ease with his grandfatherly act or when they weren’t. The tall man with him seemed to notice the exchange but he didn’t say anything and made no expression beyond a raised eyebrow at his boss.

A brief few minutes later there was the sound of a door opening and closing, clipped foot steps and another door. Then 3 minutes later the clipped foot steps of heavily booted feet. “Yes yes, Mastic, vhat is it? Vhere are zhey?” She sounded annoyed. Mastik nodded toward their location and fell into step behind her. “Enough, ve are inside zhe building, no? Zhey are zhe only ones here. Go guard zhe door. I can scream just fine if I should need you. Go.” Mastik moved off but only slightly. She never gave Mr Kashir this kind of trouble.

The tall man with Joseph raised his eyebrow again, he seemed confused at the exchange, something that seemed to amuse Karlson greatly.

Eryn approached them. Although Karlson had met her before and physically she looked the same, there was something just different enough in her bearing an attitude that he would wonder if she was the same person, until she winked at him. She was wearing heavy work boots, thick denim jeans that had singe marks in places, but her shirt was short sleeved and clean and light weight. Rather flattering on her actually. But there were tell-tale signs of soot and smoke that she hadn’t quite scrubbed off completely. She approached them with a polite smile. “Mastik tells me zhat you vant to commission a piece. Please come zhis vay.” She led them into a larger office space that had a single larger table, but really too small to be a conference room. Mastik followed and she rolled her eyes and huffed as only a spoiled, eccentric artist could do. “Vould you like a drink?”

Romanov

“Two glasses of water” Joseph said with the same amused smile he’d had on for a good while now. “This is DCI Pangolin, he runs my Major Crime taskforce, he has no taste for art so I thought you might have an idea for something to decorate his living room” Pangolin gave the Commissioner a sharp look He didn’t introduce himself first and he never introduces my rank outside of work hours. A police matter? Pangolin thought he looked over at the artist again, giving her another more in-depth look. Completely dark eyes seemed to drink in their entire surroundings. He felt out with the little empathic abilities he had, he could gauge surface-level emotions at a short distance, a few hundred meters. His boss was feeling amused and wary, but that man was always wary even during dinner with his wife or relaxing in a swimming pool.

Commissioner Karlson & DCI Pangolin

Eryn pulled three glasses of water from the small replicator and set them on the table, after taking a drink of her own. She turned her gaze on Pangolin. He would get the same feelings of amusement and wariness from Eryn that he got from his boss. With maybe a tinge of weariness. “My pleasure DCI Pangolin. I am Eryn Romanov. Please have a seat.” She smirked at Karlson as she took a seat, and ran a hand through her short hair, “I believe I have something zhat vill vork for him. Small, geometric, a curious configuration. I vill grab it before you leave. Vhat can I do for you today, Commissioner?”

Romanov

“Nothing for today” Joseph smiled at his friend’s confusion, although Pangolin kept a straight face he could tell the man was annoyed. The Police Commissioner hit a few buttons on his wrist computer, a small humming sound came from the device and he nodded “Ahh, some privacy” Pangolin raised a questioning eyebrow “Eryn, you can speak freely with Pangolin now. Major, introductions are in order. This is Eryn Romanov, she’s an Operative with Colonial Intelligence.”

Commissioner Karlson

Eryn leaned back in her chair slightly meeting Pangolin’s gaze. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Pangolin. Commissioner Karlson speaks of you frequently.” She turned in her seat and pressed her palm to a panel on the wall that silently slid open. She removed two PaDDs and handed one to each of them. “Yesterday morning zhis woman came across as flagged by zhe patrols in zhe refugee district. A new face, hadn’t seen her before. Not all zhat uncommon, zhere are a lot of people coming in zhere. But vhen they did a check, she hadn’t come through zhe space port. So it got kicked over to us. Her name is, Marissa Kent, she’s a resident of Oed, has been for four years. A successful vedding planner. She is rather unconcerning until 8 months ago vhen she met and started dating the Leathan crime boss Udlirof. She has changed her hair, clothing, and she has not been to vork nor been seen by any friends or acquaintances in two veeks.”

Eryn Romanov

Pangolin seemed to take the revelation of Eryns occupation in stride although he did shoot his boss an annoyed look “Do we have any information on where she’s been during those two weeks?” The police OFficer asked?

Karlson & Pangolin

“Zhe cameras picked up her up several places. She stayed a few days at zhe Moss Motel,” which was a run down little place on the wrong side of the Plaza exchange, “Zhen she moved to zhe Apex House near zhe space port. Ve zhink she vas trying to find passage off Oed. A new influx of refugees arrived vhile she vas zhere. It seems zhat is vhen she moved to zhe camps.” Eryn lifted a shoulder, “Easy to get lost in a crowd of new people if she is running from Udlirof.”

Romanov

Bump