Interrogating the Lost (Part I)

Posted on Thu Oct 31st, 2024 @ 10:42pm by Commodore Samantha York & Lieutenant Commander Damion Wolfe & Lieutenant Bela Swain

1,248 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Broken Mirror
Location: Brig

ON

Once they were back on the ship, Alora went to the brig to see what could be learned from their prisoner. He'd agreed to talk, thanks to Alex, but she wasn't sure if he'd have anything of value to say. For now, she was content letting Commander Wolfe or Alex take the lead.

Bela arrived at the brig. Her face was cheerful as ever as she said her hellos. She then looked over at the prisoner and asked, "Is all this formality really needed? Don't you think it might be better to have a natural conversation?" She looked over at the prisoner and asked, "I'd rather like to talk with you. I certainly wish to make your stay comfortable."

Damion walked into the brig and approached the cell the prisoner was in just in time to hear the question from Lieutenant Swain. "It's protocol, Lieutenant. We have no way of knowing what this prisoner is capable of, so the brig is more of a requirement than an option." He looked at his PADD and turned to face Bela. "Should he cooperate, we can see about seeing to getting him concealed to quarters."

Bela nodded over at Damion and then looked over at the prisoner sympathetically.

The prisoner got up from his bench and walked over to the force field. As he stopped he looked over to Bela and replied. "I would appreciate that, Miss." His tone was soft as he looked scared. "I am just a low rank member. I don't know anything. I just follow orders with the constant threat of death over my head. A threat my boss is always giving us if we don't follow." He took a step forward and held his hand out but was stopped by the force field which caused him to pull away. He cringed slightly and added softly, focusing on Bela. "Please help them understand. They have the wrong person. I don't know anything they can use."

"Well, if it is all a misunderstanding, then I do not think that you would have a large problem in telling me everything so that they can confirm it, do you?" Bela asked sweetly, her eyes enlarging like a puppy dog.

The prisoner looked at her confused as he replied. "I just told you, Lady... I didn't know anything. I had orders and that's it. The only thing I can tell you is what they told us to do and I am sure you know most of it. I'm... A... Grunt. A nobody. You should have captured someone more important."

Bela's eyes remained large and round. "My name is Bela. What is yours?"

"Ethan Ross." He replied quickly, before adding. "And I have nothing for you guys. Honest. All I can tell you is that I was hired to do a job and all I was doing was following orders so I could get paid. I don't know if you know this, but we aren't exactly living in the lap of luxury back home. We're struggling to survive, so I took this job for my family."

Damion looked over to Alora slightly. "Where is your husband? I've been led to believe he would have been here before anyone else. At least, be here with you before we showed up?"

"To be honest, I'm not sure. I assume he went to the Prowler first." There were several things that could be priorities to Alex and she wouldn't be surprised if he wanted to look something up first, or if he was more concerned with the other ships she knew were in the area.

Bela observed aloud and in a very disappointed tone, "Do you know that when people say 'to be honest,' that they rarely are being honest?"

Alora raised an eyebrow at the tone of Bela's voice as much as her words. "That depends on who you're talking to. I have no reason to lie to you, nor do I lie in general. If I don't want to tell you something, I won't."

Prickly. Definitely hiding something. Lots of anger issues there. Something to work with later. "I am certain that everything is as you say it is." She placed a hand on Alora's for reassurance and then removed it.

Alora didn't believe her, and now, she wasn't sure she could trust her because Bela had just lied to her. Calling someone a liar and then lying yourself was not a way to instill trust.

Bela looked over at Damion and said, "Perhaps we should have a chat outside this room first?"

Damion looked at Bela and then to Alora. He took a moment to think before returning his gaze to Bela. "Alright, Lieutenant. Let's talk outside." He tucked his PADD under his arm and looked to Alora. "Miss Knight... Keep an eye on our friend here."

She nodded to the security chief and then smiled at their guest.

Damion walked to the door, nodding to the officer at the controls of the brig, and continued to the door. Once it opened, he stepped aside and gestured for Bela to go out first before following her out the door.

Bela serenely walked through the door silently.

Once the door closed, Damion looked to the Counselor and asked. "What's on your mind, Lieutenant?"

Bela looked at Damion, smiling serenely, and said softly, "There's too many of us in here. The good cop - bad cop routine might work if we were on the same page, but I do not think that we are. The fact that this gentleman says he was a grunt but we should have got someone more important implies that he knows more than he is letting on, as you have already suspected. I feel like if I was allowed to walk with him, talk with him, and maybe even make him believe that I was sympathetic to his cause might get us some useful information. It would take time but forcing him to hush up leaves us where we are. Would you let me try?"

Damion stood there, listening to her with his arms crossed over his chest, before replying softly. "Counselor, I do agree with you that he is hiding something, but it could be a number of things. Being half Betazoid, I can tell he is holding something back, but it could be a number of things and may not lead us to anything useful. Pressing too little may not lead us to anything, but also pressing too much may force him to shut down. We don't want that, so we need to do this carefully." He paused for a moment before taking in a deep breath. "Counselor... Lieutenant Swain... please do not make the mistake in thinking you are running this interrogation because you aren't. While I do appreciate your insight, and assistance, the only person with authority here is me. You are here because I often like to have a second pair of eyes, so please do not order me around as if your experience supersedes mine. At the end of the day, this man is still a prisoner and a threat to this ship. I aim to treat him as such, not to give him milk and cookie before tucking him in at night. "

(To be continued...)

Lieutenant Commander Alora Knight
First Officer
The Prowler

Lieutenant Bela Swain
Counselor
USS Calypso

Lieutenant Commander Damion Wolfe
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Calypso

Ethan Ross
"Grunt"
The Lost

 

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