Three days after the meeting, the first Cardassian diplomat arrived. He was a tall and charismatic man, named Lertin, and he had a very un-Cardassian knack for making people feel at ease. He was so likeable that even Kira grudgingly admitted her respect for him, and quickly found herself wishing that he was the only politican she would have to deal with. But, for all his charm, he was still a Cardassian, and so Kira was not entirely surprised when Morro stepped into her office to inform her that Lertin was dead.
"It was made to look like an accident," he explained, "but I strongly suspect it was a homicide. He was standing on the Promenade talking to Lt. Baruk, when the plasma conduit next to him exploded. The explosion wasn't large, but the plasma that it was filled with was contaminated with Tri-3-Ba, a liquid tritanium-barium compound. When it comes into contact with Cardassian flesh, it eats through the skin and congeals the blood, almost instantaneously. But only Cardassians, as it attacks a protein that is unique to their species."
"I see. So, aside from the Tri-3-Ba, this could have been a random malfunction?"
"I talked to Lieutenants Baruk and Nog, and they both said yes, assuming the conduit was older and worn out. But according to the engineering log, Lt. Baruk just replaced all of the Promenade conduits yesterday."
"Was anyone seen tampering with the conduits after that?"
"No. I checked the security recordings. Lt. Baruk was the last person seen touching the conduit."
"So, as an investigator, who is your prime suspect?"
Lt. Baruk, ma'am. In fact, he's my only suspect. He has the means, motive and opportunity. As an engineer, it would be simple for him to rig the conduit, and then get Lertin next to it, and I'm sure he could acquire Tri-3-Ba with a few calls. His dislike for Cardassians, and his disapproval of allowing them into the Federation were well known, and he could have easily done it while he was replacing them yesterday."
Kira frowned. "I figured some violence was inevitable, but I hoped it wouldn't come from any of my officers. Go, bring him to your office, see if he'll talk. Let me know what comes of it."
"It was made to look like an accident," he explained, "but I strongly suspect it was a homicide. He was standing on the Promenade talking to Lt. Baruk, when the plasma conduit next to him exploded. The explosion wasn't large, but the plasma that it was filled with was contaminated with Tri-3-Ba, a liquid tritanium-barium compound. When it comes into contact with Cardassian flesh, it eats through the skin and congeals the blood, almost instantaneously. But only Cardassians, as it attacks a protein that is unique to their species."
"I see. So, aside from the Tri-3-Ba, this could have been a random malfunction?"
"I talked to Lieutenants Baruk and Nog, and they both said yes, assuming the conduit was older and worn out. But according to the engineering log, Lt. Baruk just replaced all of the Promenade conduits yesterday."
"Was anyone seen tampering with the conduits after that?"
"No. I checked the security recordings. Lt. Baruk was the last person seen touching the conduit."
"So, as an investigator, who is your prime suspect?"
Lt. Baruk, ma'am. In fact, he's my only suspect. He has the means, motive and opportunity. As an engineer, it would be simple for him to rig the conduit, and then get Lertin next to it, and I'm sure he could acquire Tri-3-Ba with a few calls. His dislike for Cardassians, and his disapproval of allowing them into the Federation were well known, and he could have easily done it while he was replacing them yesterday."
Kira frowned. "I figured some violence was inevitable, but I hoped it wouldn't come from any of my officers. Go, bring him to your office, see if he'll talk. Let me know what comes of it."