Death of Salesman (Part I)

Posted on Wed Jan 7th, 2015 @ 5:22pm by Lieutenant JG Rhett Beaumont & Lieutenant Kieran Gideon
Edited on on Fri Jan 9th, 2015 @ 9:25pm

Mission: Devotion of Time
Location: USS Hera | Main Engineering / Rhett's Quarters

Rhett Beaumont, the half-Orion Chief Engineer for the USS Hera had been at work on a power relay issue in main Engineering all day. He had formed a team of six of his best and brightest, the most experienced of his engineers, and some with a specialty that he felt would work for solving the problem. Several hours of slaving away and they finally had the problem area located. Rhett had dispatched Spinelli and Dalton into a jefferies tube to work on the problem right at the source.

Taking a sigh of relief and wiping the beads of sweat from his face, Rhett was calling it a night. He wasn't even supposed to be on duty right now. Technically, he wasn't, but he sure the hell was not about to let some half-witted foolishness fresh out of the academy ensign screw around with anything important to the Hera...unless he was that fresh out of the academy half witted fool of an engineer. At least I know what I am doing. I am the Chief Engineer he thought, reassuring himself. Most of his engineers were enlisted, some were ensigns like him. Eventually, the Hera would get a junior grade lieutenant or worse. Probably someone who held a higher rank than Rhett, maybe was much older and than Rhett with more service experience even. However, one thing that they would not have would be Rhett's skills and determination, and even with their higher rank, Rhett would run the show regardless.

He did not give a damn who they assigned to Engineering. Unless the Captain removed him from his position, he would draw a line in the sand, a line at the threshold of his office. Something that would firmly mark his territory. This was his Engineering and the door that he was heading towards was his office, no one else had claim to it. In main Engineering, he was the boss, he held the authority, and he made the decisions. Even if some hot shot Lieutenant Commander from Starfleet Corps of Engineers strutted in with transfer orders, Rhett would have no problem handing them some engineer's lubricant and telling them where to shove their orders.

Walking with his chin held high, a swagger in his walk, pep in his step and that cocky smug arrogance on carved into his face, the young Chief Engineer was about in his office when the doors to main Engineering opened and unattractive Saurian female walked in. She wore a starfleet uniform, golden but did not appear to be engineering or operations. Security? thought Rhett. He took note of her enlisted rank. “A security problem, Crewmen?” he asked the woman. She instantly shook her head and asked if he was Ensign Beaumont. Nodding to confirm his identification, he awaited her response.

“Sir, you have an emergency subspace message that came in from Orion” said the woman, her large Saurian eyes looking peculiar and piercing. As unattractive as he found her species, there was something alluring about her. Father thought Rhett, his heart sinking to the pits of his stomach. Oh you fat bastard. You've gone an had another heart attack thought the Chief Engineer shaking his head and sighing. His father was a large man over was quite over indulgent, did not exercise and had quite a temper. He had had several heart attacks in the past, but the very best surgeons and medical care. Rhett would not have expected him to have died from another one or another few. “Parents” he said aloud.

The Saurian from security locked her eyes onto Rhett and nodded. “Yes, I am sorry for your loss but I wasn't informed that you've already been alerted” she said, not knowing that she had mistakenly misunderstood what he meant, and had inadvertently informed him of their deaths.

“WHAT?!” shouted Rhett. He pushed the woman aside and ran out of Engineering, charging down the corridors, knocking anyone in his path aside with no regard for their safety. He took a turbolift and headed for his quarters where he stormed into his quarters and opened the communication. He saw the face of an old family friend and business associate in the background, but front and center was a Starfleet junior grade lieutenant, pointed ears and a stoic look that immediately read as Vulcan, but Rhett could soon see that the man was thinking, considering what to say and how to say it. Not a Vulcan. At least not one who controlled their emotions. This was a Romulan, or rather half-Romulan. “Who the hell are you? What happened?!” said Rhett demanding answers.

The Starfleet officer looked a bit apprehensive. However, he was compliant. “Lieutenant Gideon” he replied, informing Rhett of his name. “I was on special assignment with Starfleet Security” added the Romulan. “Your parents were-” he began, but Rhett interrupted.

“Your targets? You killed them!” shouted Rhett. He wanted to believe it himself, but he knew better than that. Starfleet did not go around assassinating anyone, regardless of who they were or what they did and Orion was not a Federation world. Gideon of course just shook his head and remained rather composed and together.

“No, Ensign. I was not the one who killed your parents. However, I was undercover and trying to bring them down. Starfleet has an invested interest and of course your father was Captain in Starfleet before finding asylum on Orion, out of reach of the Federation's hand of law. However, with his death...the Orion Syndicate does not have reason to protect him” replied Lieutenant Gideon.

Rhett clenched his fists. “Who did it? Give me a name and I'll take care of it” demanded the ensign. He was furious, he was hurt, and a sadness would eventually set in after the shock faded and his adrenaline withered. Rhett could see on the man's face that the killer remained unknown. “You don't know who...Is Starfleet even looking? No, of course not. You couldn't care any less for the man. He was a criminal in your eyes” said Rhett.

“In many eyes, Ensign. It is surprise to many that you were even allowed to apply to Starfleet” replied the Romulan. “However, we cannot and should not be held accountable to who our fathers...or mother were” added the lieutenant. “This is an on going investigation, ensign. Your sister...she was the only survivor. Is there a family member in the Syndicate that she can be turned over to?”

Rhett shook his head. “No, I am the only family that she knows now. I will request immediate leave from my Captain and will come home to take her under my guardianship” said the ensign. “I will also need to make funeral arrangements, and I suggest that you find who murdered my family before I get there” said Rhett, abruptly terminating the channel. I can't do this alone thought Rhett, not ready to let himself breakdown. He had to stay strong at least for the time being.