Posted by Civilian Joseph Karlson (Police Commissioner) in Government Tower - PRISM TMODJ

Posted by Captain Eela Dasca (Lt. Governor) in Government Tower - PRISM TMODJ

Posted by Civilian Joseph Karlson (Police Commissioner) in Government Tower - PRISM TMODJ
Posted by… suppressed (7) by the Post Ghost! 👻

<snip>

As Alston waited he thought through the information they had figured out so far. “I have a feeling that I’m finally owed that chat with the Captain. She might have some insight into what is going on, especially if a political rival keeps popping up as a name in our investigation. Interested in joining me?” Alston asked looking over at Pangolin.

• Mace

Pangolin handed the PaDD where he’d received the information on the Syndicate member to Mace “I’d like that. Haven’t been to meet with her since the night of the murder.”

DCI Pangolin

Alston nodded. “Mr. Reilly, can you finish up here? Let me know if you find out anything else. And run him through our database as well, see if e we have any other information.

“Come along Detective, we have a Captain to talk too.”

• Mace

Pangolin nodded and followed Mace “After you director”

DCI Pangolin

Alston headed for the transporter room, “We have clearance to transport directly into the Government Tower. I think the best place to start would be at the Captains office. Worst case is that they will be able to tell us where she is at.”

Once they arrived at the transporter room, it was only a matter of moments for them to be transported directly to the Tower.

———————————————-

On their way up, Pangolin quickly briefed his boss on what they learned through a secure channel, now that they were in the Tower.

Quickly passing through security at the Tower, they took the lift up to the Lt Governor’s office. As they stepped out, he recognized Elena sitting at her desk.

“Good Afternoon Ms. Sreer. I was wondering if perhaps the Captain was in.”

• Mace

Elema managed to mostly contain her surprise, but then again, everything had been so chaotic lately that unexpected visitors who might expect her to be in again seemed to just fit right in with everything else. “As a matter of fact, she is, though she’s not announcing that so that she has a chance to catch up after her absence.” She held up her index fingers. “One moment.”

She called into the office, listening with her ear piece. “Ma’am, I have Director Mace and Investigator Pangolin here to see you… Okay.” Sreer looked up. “You can go right on in.”

To door opened to a large rectangular office, which took over the corner of the building and was filled with windows directly ahead and to the right. Dasca’s polished black desk was L-shaped and set in the right corner so her back was to the windows, but she could gaze out along the long side. At this time of day, when the sun was shining on this side of the building, the windows were strategically tinted to block glare on her computer screen. In front of her desk were two chairs backed by a decorative screen made of transparent glass tiles creating a mosaic of a mountainous landscape with a large waterfall. Hooked off the side of her desk was a simple black cane that nearly blended into the desk.

On the other side of the screen was a large oval table in the same black polished wood as her desk. It was set with many chairs around it that could double as a meeting space as well as a dining table. Adjacent to that in what was framed as a U-Shaped sitting nook were a large dark blue couch flanked by two light grey arm chairs nestled around an oval coffee table. It was something of an art piece, with a clear glass top and the base was a dark wood spiral that narrowed down to a round footing. Matching side tables were tucked in the ‘corners’ between the sofa and arm chairs.

Throughout the space were plants of various sizes from small trees to a living arrangement on her desk in a stone bowl. Hanging plants were strategically hung from the ceiling to take up blank space or help divide the large office into the cozier work and lounge areas. The interior walls held a couple abstract paintings in sweeping strokes and muted tones that added to the calming feel of an office that was almost always busy. Near her desk was a freestanding trellis with a trailing plant with chartreuse heart shaped leaves, edged in black with bright pink veining. One of the vines had crept down to the floor and was pointed in the direction of her chair.

Rising from her desk, Eela Dasca bore a more centred countenance that she had had at the memorial, but there was still a quietness to her was not what most people were used to. But her grey mourning wear was gone and she was back to her usual office wear: today a grey suit with a pale blue floral blouse. “Gentlemen,” she greeted, gesturing to the seating area. “How about we sit and you can tell me how I can help you.” Underneath the surface calm, she was suddenly anxious about why they were here.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Pangolin smiled politely and sat down, he crossed his legs and placed his hands in his lap and leaned back in his seat almost leisurely but most definitely calm “Thank you for having us” He said and interlocked his fingers “Are you familiar with a government program codenamed Project Anvil Dragon, PAD?” He asked going after advice from Karlson about going straight to the point with the lieutenant Governor.

DCI Pangolin

It was hard to shock Eela Dasca, and even if you managed to do just that she was rather adept at covering her reactions when needed. But this was not the place, nor the time. Her face paled and her mouth dropped open slightly. “I am,” she said as her heart began racing. “The bigger question is how the hell you know that name, given that only two people on this colony currently know about this.”

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Pangolin raised an eyebrow at the Starfleet Captain’s reaction, that was not a good reaction to that, the boss was gonna be very mad, he could feel it in his spots “At least eight” He said as an answer “What, if anything, can you tell us about that project?” He hadn’t answered her question, and they were getting to a dangerous part of the investigation. They had a clear picture of who and how, now they needed a why. Then of course evidence to get whoever was at the top.

DCI Pangolin

Her gaze was sharp as she drew in a steadying breath. Dasca rose to her feet and stepped away from the sofa and planted her hands on her hips before shaking her head and laughing. “Ahh Oed, just when I thought I was getting my feet under me again, it smacks me down again. It’s very humbling,” she said with amusement before she dropped her arms, her expression falling with it.

Gathering herself, Eela gazed intently at the two men. She had to make an executive decision here and the suspected under the circumstances that Kenzo would understand. But it would warrant a conversation with him immediately after. “PAD is a project that the Governor and I have been working on. The plan was to get it solidly to a proposal stage and then bring it to cabinet for further research before we pursued it any farther. Essentially, given the complicated status of Oed as a Federation colony, our distance from reinforcements, and the planetary atmospheric shield, we believe it is prudent to Oed’s future to use that shield to overlay a defence system. Now, given a lot of the variables right now, most won’t think it’s terribly unexpected, but a Federation colony seemingly arming up would draw some concern. But that’s not the point. The point is that we’re vulnerable and given the hopeful likelihood that the Vren will be continued guests here, it seems like a necessary step, especially when you factor in our terraforming efforts and the fact that that atmospheric shield will not be necessary in the future.” She didn’t specific how soon that could happen, as that was not on the table for discussion, nor pertinent to their investigation.

“So that’s PAD. My question is why and how has it come up for you? How is i t relevant…” Eela paused and her shoulders sank. “Crap. My apartment, the bug. Someone did catch something, didn’t they?” she said more softly. After all, he and Kenzo had loosely been talking about it before her team barged in and told them to stop talking.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Pangolin took the information in stride; he hadn’t truly expected her to answer. he supposed now why the boss wanted him to be direct and honest with the Lieutenant Governor and why the Commissioner had been more willing to believe her. “We don’t yet know where the leak was coming from” He looked at the Intelligence Director and shrugged giving the man a chance to take the next question.

DCI Pangolin

“Perhaps,” Alston said looking over towards Pangolin. “What are your thoughts on Devray Technologies and their CEO Thurston Kennick?”

• Mace