RP Log: Legwork, Part 1

Roleplay Log
Participants: T'Shaav	Demtt (NPC)
Location(s): Enlisted Quarters 21S3
Stardate: 127156.38
2023-07-29 22:00

Enlisted Quarters 21S3 <USS Phoenix NCC-170100-A>

The enlisted quarters are fairly cramped and do not have many amenities. Three bunk beds occupy the majority of the compartment, with a walkway through the middle leading off to a shared shower and bathroom. The decor is limited, but some choose to add curtains to their bunks for a modicum of privacy.

Enlisted Quarters 21S3 are not empty, in fact there is an occupant inside the quarters on one of the bunks. They may have been asleep, or just lazing around, but they do note the door open. "Sir!", and jump to attention, hitting their head on the ceiling, then jumping down to the floor.

T'Shaav lets the door close behind her. "At ease, Crewman ... crewman?" She makes it a question, clearly awaiting an id.

"Crewman second class Demtt, sir." The Bolian male replies.

T'Shaav nods. "At ease, Crewman Demtt," she says. "I am here to examine Crewman Jenkins's effects, as security is busy with other matters today. WHich area of the quarters was hers?"

Demtt points at the lower bunk on the other side of the compartment. "There sir. We didn't touch nothin'. Left it exactly as she had it." Its plainly obvious Demtt is not telling the whole truth.

"Indeed," T'Shaav says neutrally. She goes over and inspects visually to begin with. Then she runs a tricorder scan, so far not manually handling anything. "What was Crewman Jenkins like, Mr. Demtt?" She inquires seemingly casually, not looking Demtt's way.

Demmt rambles on about Jenkins, saying a lot, but also not saying anything at all. Everything from her teeth brushing habits, to leaving the light on late at night to read, and of course she never picked up after herself. Which Demmt can actually only describe one incident where that happened. "She kept to herself though."

T'Shaav continues to visually inspect, mapping where Jenkins's things are and what is there. "She was a loner, then?" The Vulcan encourages.

With continued Bolian flair, Demtt nods and gives several examples of her wanting to be left alone, that Demtt talked too much, like how could she ever even think that. "Yes sir, loner."

It looks like someone went through Jenkins things, looking for something.

"Has anyone from security been by before to look over her effects or ask questions of her roomates?" The Vulcan inquires.

Demtt considers the question, "Not that I recall sir. But, I'm also not always in here." He goes on to explain his engineering duties in great detail.

T'Shaav finally turns and regards the Bolian. She sits on the other empty bunk. "Mr. Demtt. Please sit down. Do you know what work I did before I became first officer of this vessel?" She has, to the extent possible, gentled her tone from her command one and keeps her body posture open and non-threatening.

"That's an interesting question, sir." Demtt replies, "I don't know that I've ever given it much thought to be honest with you. I never served with you prior to here on the Phoenix, so I don't have that recollection to draw on. But you would think I could have checked on that information. But, no sir, I don't."

T'Shaav nods. "I have been a security officer for most of my career. In my past, I also served in civilian law enforcement. You can imagine this provides me skills far beyond those of an average junior security officer or enlistee, and like you, I have been greatly disturbed by your roommate's death."

"Right sir?" Demtt nods about the death, "Really strange for that to happen this day and age. Security sir? Oh thats fascinating. I'm an engineer myself. You could say our jobs are related. I look for problem areas and try to find solutions, just engineering ones." He nods and nods. "why are you telling me sir?"

"Because there are two things I want you to understand, Mr. Demtt. THing one is that this is just a conversation between us. I am not questioning you as a suspect in any sense or for any offense. I could order you to cooperate, but I do not wish to do that, and I am psatisfied with your willingness to help me thus far. That is the first item."

Demtt nods, "Understood sir. What is the second thing?" He sits across from you and leans forward, eagerly awaiting whatever #2 is.

"The second, Mr. Demtt, is that you are not being truthful with me," she says. "Bolians, in my experience, do not lie convincingly, and you do not. I can also see for myself that Crewman Jenkins's things have been searched already." A beat. "Has someone been threatening you and your crewmates, Mr. Demtt?"

"Threatening sir? Why would people threaten me, sir? I don't understand." Demtt goes on, "I wouldn't lie to you sir, not about anything real important."

"How about you come clean, as the phrase has it, Mr. Demtt, and let your first officer decide how important it all is. I take a strong interest in trivial thing," she adds dryly. "First, you were not telling the whole truth about Crewman Jenkins's effects. Did you and your roommate search them? Did anyone else?"

"I um", Demtt starts, "well you see sir. I didn't think she would be needing it any more, so I may have taken a look through her things. It's rather inconsequential."

"And did you take anything?" The Vulcan asks. "Inconsequential or no. I will not charge you with theft, Mr. Demtt, as she is dead. But I need to know."

Demtt reaches under his own mattress and pulls out a green three pronged rubber like thing, with scrubbing padds on the three prongs. "I don't know what Jenkins used it for, but it does wonders for my scalp sir." He demonstrates by massaging his head with it.

T'Shaav runs a quick scan of the object. Probably not worth much what with Bolian DNA all over it, but she tries to get an id on what it is. "I also do not recognize it," she says. She holds out a hand for it.

Demtt hands you the object, "I'd like to keep it sir, it really does wonders for the scalp."

T'Shaav turns it over, considering it, and hands it back. "Now then, you gave me many minor, inconsequential details about Crewman Jenkins. Tell me about her again. Did she have any peculiar habbits or patterns of behavior? Did she ever do anything that struck you as odd or suspicious? And again I ask, has anyone been here to inquire after her before me?"

Demtt recites what he said earlier, though in a slightly different order, "I don't understand people who like to be alone, sir. That's peculiar to me. I'm a people person, need to be out amongst others or I'm just not fulfilled. You know what I'm saying sir?"

"Not entirely," the Vulcan says. "I quite understand the preference for solitude. Did your work ever coincide with hers? Did you have shift work or project assignments together?"

Demtt shakes his head, "No sir, we're in different departments of engineering. Often working opposite shifts."

T'Shaav nods and then starts to go through Jenkins's things with her own two hands. She is not rough on her possessions, but she is methodical, searching under the matress, in corners, opening items, etc. She is neither hurried nor slow, nor does she explain herself. She shouldn't have to. She scans and catologues everything in addition to her manual and visual inspection. "What did she like to read?" She asks seemingly out of nowhere. She is also looking for signs of literature of any sort.

"Nothing I recognized sir." The bolian says, then goes off on a tangent about a specific Bolian author and several books that Demtt himself has read, rating each one by his own personal rating system.

"Did she ever have visitors," T'Shaav asks, cutting across the monologue. "Even one visitor?"

"Not that I ever saw sir, but its hard to have a private conversation in shared quarters." Demtt says, "Personally I have any get togethers in the engineering lounge, or even the mess. There are always the observation decks too. Lots of more secluded places there to have a decent conversation." He looks around, "Quarters aren't exactly known for providing any atmosphere, if you know what I mean, sir."

"True enough," T'Shaav says. "Who is your third roommate here? Tell me about them." Her search goes on, item by item.

Demtt goes into about as much detail about the third roommate, a Taylor Johnson. A somewhat promiscuous individual, who rarely if ever sleeps in her own bunk.

"Think back to the days before Crewman Jenkins's murder. Try to recall the day, Mr. Demmt. Did Crewman Jenkins behave in any way unusual the day of her death? Anything out of the ordinary that you saw."

"Unusual? Unusual." Demtt thinks on it. "I'm not sure I recall anything unusual. Is there something specific you're thinking of, sir?"

"Not particularly," the Vulcan says. She turns to face the Bolian. "Is there anything else you would like to add about anyone else? Crewmates, Crewman Jenkins, anything, no matter how inconsequential, that you think I should know, Mr. Demtt?"

Demtt goes into limited detail about a great many of the crew, little foibles he sees as needing improvement, and of course what's great about them too. "Other than that, not really, sir."

T'Shaav nods, taking it all in. "Thank you, Crewman. I will leave you now. I will not ask you to keep this to yourself. There is no need. You see, I understated the case when I said I was helping a busy security department today. The truth is, I am taking full command of this particular investigation. If you hear anything, or anyone you know has a concern related to Miss Jenkins, seek me out personally and send them to me. Do not use the computer to write me, as it has been faulty of late. Understood?"

"Understood sir." Demtt says, "I'll provide you with written reports on a daily basis of anything out of the ordinary." He looks hopeful, "Or I can come by your office, and give them to you verbally?"

"I will call upon you," T'Shaav says, forestalling daily, perhaps hourly visits. "Good day, Crewman." She heads out.