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Tiak finds himself sitting on an uncomfortable chair, facing the Colonel's blankly stare. In the last half an hour he's been taken to the Colonel's cabin and stripped of anything he had. The MSF officer has been examining all his possessions for what felt like an eternity, not speaking a single word.
He took a brief look to Tiak's PDA, but he hasn't yet read its contents.
Tiak hasn't produced a sound during all this time either, intimidated by the cold, threatening stare of the Colonel. Finally, the tall maurian decides to talk.
I hope you appreciate the fact that you aren't tied to the chair, Belint. Even when I feel no reason to trust you, you're still part of the Maurian Security Forces, and under my direct command. So I will give you that benefit. But if you don't tell me what I want to know, I won't doubt in getting my hands dirty to get the answers. You wouldn't like that, I'm sure.
So let's start with something easy. Someone shot into the Captain's office to scare him off, you took the opportunity to get in and steal documents and the password for the Archives from the desk. Why did you do it? And who helped you, who caused the diversion?
"i did it to get information, the kind everyone on this ship seems to not want me to know, the kind people are getting killed over. as for who helped me i am not sure, i just said, loudly, in the middle of the hall 'it sure would be great if the captain left his office for some reason' maybe not that exactly but you get what i mean"
"I was investigating the bar fight when the captain ran screaming. I don't know who fired the shots, but I wasn't going to pass that chance up. I'm not going to question providence; doubly so when providence has been some person dropping helpful nudges along my path. I know at least two people on this ship are guilty of high treason. I can't even be sure if you are who you claim to be. I know that Mikos bribed people at the loading docks to smuggle aboard enough explosives to scuttle the ship, and I know he wasn't working alone. I stole the archives password so I could check for irregularities that could give me a clue as to who was helping him. As far as the documents, well... do you know what they were?"
Alright. The Colonel obviously knows we're interested in the archives, and we do no good pretending we didn't have interest. Tell him that we broke into the captain's office because we were interested in access to the Crew Registry. Nyria told us that the registry contained information critical to figuring out who was behind the murders, and we were intent on following the spirit of our job. I'm stuck on what we can say about the attack on the captain, though.
We did it to get the password. The documents were a target of opportunity. We'd rather not say who helped us, as we had to bribe them, so we're really to blame. If he presses us, we may as well tell him it was Zeno.
I guess for the first question that you were told that the crew log files contain information that could be helpful to the murders and had an opportunity to get access finally, and found the documents while you were getting the password. And seriously has he looked at those documents? Could he maybe understand why we were interested in them? Or something. I don't know what we should or shouldn't say, but apparently we've already made up our mind to say it.
Say that everything has gone to hell, and things are getting ruined and destroyed, and people are getting murdered. You weren't going to let them destroy any more.
This.
I guess this.
I did it to get the password, the documents were a target of opportunity. And I wanted to see the archives because they might contain information that could help me solve the murders.
And who helped you?
I'd rather not say.
We can do this the hard way if that's what you want. I'm not getting out of this room until I get answers.
The colonel looks dead serious. He doesn't look the kind of man that likes to bluff.
Well, I guess I tell you now. It was Zeno. But I bribed him to do it, so it's all my fault.
Okay, I'll try this again. Can we please use the dis thread to work out what to say before we say it?
"No, I have not been working for the Ziranee and I resent the implication. My involvement with them is the same as my involvement with everybody else on the ship; if they can help me keep people from dying, then I'll use them towards that end. They're no less suspect than anybody else. As far as R. Mikos goes? I know that he was a member of a radical regressionist group that violently opposes both technology and our treaty with the Ziranee. I know that he bribed dock workers to smuggle a large crate of explosives on board. I know that he feared Ambassador Zira was plotting to assassinate him. I know that he was shot in the cargo bay in front of the container which contained the sentient green ooze. I know that somebody then moved him, presumably wounded but alive, to the elevator room and proceeded to doctor the body. I know that whoever did it is familiar enough with the ship's design to know which walls can take H.E.R. fire without being compromised. That last tidbit alone, incidentally, leaves the prime suspects as Mongro, Trake, the captain, and yourself. I think you can understand why I'm not taking things at face value. Tell me, did you know what those documents were?"
Note: if the body was doctored, where'd the bullet holes go? I suspect that corpse was someone else entirely.
Don't forget to mention that you got medical help from the Ziranee at one point. The Captain already knows about that, and the Colonel probably will know from him.
No, I haven't been working by them. My only implication with them is the same I have with any other person in this ship: if they can help me keep people from dying, then I'll use them towards that end.
The colonel doesn't say a word and just keeps staring at Tiak, who proceeds to tell him everything he knows about Mikos and his demise.
...take H.E.R. fire without being compromised. So as you can see, that leaves the prime suspects as Mongro, Trake, the captain, and yourself. I think you can understand why I'm not taking things at face value.
Hmm... I think you're forgetting about a suspect.
Who?
Why, yourself, Tiak Belint, who else? The man with access to the entire ship, able to sabotage the mainframe and smuggle weapons inside as the security officer. The person that has been seen multiple times getting into restricted areas and personal rooms. I've been asking questions around, and see, it seems that you don't have an alibi for any of the murders.
Yeah, I know what are you going to say "I didn't do it, the man in the Hazmat suit stole my card". Yes, the man in the Hazmat suit that nobody else in the ship has seen. How convenient.
You can't be serious! I didn't even know Mikos before this flight, why would I kill him!?
That's what I'm going to find out. You had the weapon, and the opportunity. I only need to find a motive to charge you for treason and murder.
Except he will never find one.
oh, so both security officers suspect each other, great.
"Actually, I do." "Right before the first decapitated body identified as Mikos appeared, I was trying to find engineering staff to see what happened to the ship. I encountered Zira Niadar in Engineering, who freaked out and ran away from me. When I found her again, we returned to the elevators, only to find the dead Mikos. If I'd have shot Mikos there before I chased after Zira, she would have heard it. So I didn't kill Mikos." "Second, Trake was probably dead before I even had access to Zero Deck - I had to ask the captain for a key to get there in the first place. The doctor can probably confirm this if he can determine time of death." "Third, I've almost died on numerous occasions. I was almost killed in the elevator, I was almost killed in Security by a bomb probably meant for Zira, I was almost killed in Engineering by a combat drone someone rigged up, and I was almost killed by someone shooting at me in Zero Deck right after I found Trake's corpse." "While I named you as a potential suspect, so far you've had me in a number of situations where you COULD have killed but have not, which means you're probably not the asshole that's tried to kill me at least twice. So for the moment I must trust you." "That said, I would LOVE to help in the investigation of what's going on here, but I've been stonewalled by everyone. If you're going to lock me up anyways, why don't you tell me what you know of this mission, and have us compare notes?"
(Didn't we leave that where we found it under Zeno's bed?)I guess this.
Yes and no. The H.E.R. was just one of many murder weapons used. Mikos #1 was (probably) killed in the cargo bay with a laser or plasma pistol / rifle. Mikos #2 was (probably) killed in the lower deck by having his head vaped by an H.E.R. Trake was fatally wounded by what were probably laser blasts. At some later point, his assailant (or a second assailant) decided to finish the job (or mutilate the corpse) with what was probably a Plasma Cutter stolen from our security room. We still don't know where his head is. D: (Note that I separate Mikos 1 & 2 because I'm assuming they were separate people who just happened to share Mikos blood type and/or genetics)
This feels like the right idea?
"Actually, I do."
Right before the first decapitated body identified as Mikos appeared, I was trying to find engineering staff to see what happened to the ship. I encountered Zira Niadar in Engineering, who freaked out and ran away from me. When I found her again, we returned to the elevators, only to find the dead Mikos. If I'd have shot Mikos there before I chased after Zira, she would have heard it. So I didn't kill Mikos.
Interesting story, but nobody saw you or knows where were you before encountering Ambassador Niadar, you had all the time to sabotage the engines and kill Mikos before looking for the closest alive person you could find to give you an alibi. And you knew that the noise of the Hyperjump motors in Engineering would suffocate the sound of the H.E.R.
Second, Trake was probably dead before I even had access to Zero Deck - I had to ask the captain for a key to get there in the first place. The doctor can probably confirm this if he can determine time of death.
I'll be sure to ask him about that.
Third, I've almost died on numerous occasions. I was almost killed in the elevator, I was almost killed in Security by a bomb probably meant for Zira, I was almost killed in Engineering by a combat drone someone rigged up, and I was almost killed by someone shooting at me in Zero Deck right after I found Trake's corpse.
While I named you as a potential suspect, so far you've had me in a number of situations where you COULD have killed but have not, which means you're probably not the asshole that's tried to kill me at least twice. So for the moment I must trust you
I'm moved by your honest trust. But now that you mention it, isn't it curious how many times you've been supposedly attacked, and yet you always manage to survive and only come out with superficial injuries that wouldn't stop you from roaming freely around the ship?
Oh, come on! I got my leg broken, and I got my shoulder shot! Are you telling me that I did that to myself?
I've known of people sawing off their own limbs to avoid a death sentence, it wouldn't be such an oddity.
But I've had enough. If you really are so convinced of your innocence, then wait for the martial court when we get to Tinosa II. I'm going to ask Mongro to fix the force field in the brig so you can spend there the rest of the flight. Meanwhile, I'll seal this door. Try to behave like an innocent man, Belint. Don't do anything stupid.
Said this, the Colonel takes all of Tiak's possessions and leaves the room.
engage ultra looting mode. open everything and look everywhere, under the bed, in the closest, in the pod, and in the bathroom.
Well. Now what?
Finally. God. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say we're in room 3. Lets see what we can find. Search cryopod, bed, under bed, closet, any gum under the table, and the wash room. Also, lets have a vent shaft adventure!
Well, we could sit quietly in the cabin, and hope that nobody succeeds in blowing up the ship before it arrives, nobody lobs that missing suffication grenade in here, and that Maurian trials are fair and competent. But since that's kind of boring loot the heck out of everything and see if we can get that grill cover open.
So, this guy can seal doors, and your door was sealed when you woke up... It's probably for the best that nobody mentioned the janitor witnessed Mikos murder. Lets see, Alibis... The computer keeps records of who is and is not in cryo. Once that's repaired those logs will be accessible, and the fact that Tiak was in cryo will be absolute proof that he couldn't have sabotaged the mainframe. In other news: We need to warn Zira, as the chances of this guy attempting to kill her are significant. If you find a way to get out of the room then it means this guy was intending for you to leave for his own nefarious purposes, such as legitimizing your arrest. At that point you might be best off finding a way to capture this so-called Colonel. Jacking the H.E.R. in Zeno's room and using it for an intimidation tactic would do it, although then you're going to have a LOT more questions once you get into port. You'd also have to arrest the captain and the doctor and toss them all in the brig. And, of course, telling them about the captain's gambling debts and resulting treason once they're safely behind the brig's forcefield. Then you'd have to go around and intimidating information out of the people who we know are guilty parties and forcing them to unfuck the fuckery they did to the ship. This shall be known as "Plan Wulfenbach".
VENT SHAFTS.
Inspect the cabinet, and check under the bed.
This is awesome.
Tiak starts inspecting the room. The cabinet is empty, except for a single hanger. There's nothing under the table nor the chair, but there are two nails under the bed.
He looks inside the bathroom too. A shower, a toilet, and a roll of toilet paper.
The ventilation shaft catches his attention, but it's too high to reach it.
Use the hanger to pull out the vent cover, then hide in the cryopod.
Turn the shower on to mask noise. Move the table under the vent.
drag the cabinet over to the vent, if that is too heavy then use the bed frame. take the mattress off of it and lean it against wall under the vent, then climb it. take the hanger and nails too. we need SOMETHING in our inventory.
Pocket the nails and the cloth-hanger. Can you open the shower drain? There may be hidden goodies inside. Move the cabinet to below the vent. Move table next to the cabinet. Voila, you can now reach the vent.
Check in the cryo-pod.
...also stop stealing everything that's not nailed down jesus christ
Do this:Then this:But we usually end up needing that stuff!
