"Ops to security."
"Odo here."
Jadzia smiled at the Constable's irritated tone. "We just had an un-
authorised beam-out from the habitat ring."
Odo pressed a few buttons on his console. "That's Delko's quarters!" He
exclaimed. "I'm investigating, Odo out."
---
"He was definitely murdered." Alexx reported, brushing some of the victim's long hair off his face. "Taken by surprise, I'd say. See these marks here?" She asked, pointing to small red marks on his chin and shoulder. "It looks like someone dug a fingernail in there." Duquesne guessed. "Exactly. The murderer grabbed him here, and here, then snapped his neck. Easy as that. Judging by how firm the nail was pressed in, I'd say the killer was surprised, and acted in a hurry." Calleigh shuddered, wondering what could drive someone to kill another person so easily. Alexx turned to Odo. "Did you find anything that would tell us why this man was murdered? The man isn't even Eric Delko. Do you know what he was doing in his quarters?" Odo ignored the question. "I want you to get a DNA sample off those marks." He ordered. "Look for fingernail fragments." "Why?" "Delko didn't kill that man." Woods frowned. "Then who did?" She asked, running a specially modified tricorder over the red marks. Stepping past the Constable she downloaded the information to her console. "Cassara Tutte." Alexx told the Constable, who frowned. He consulted a padd in his hand. "She's Vulcan, arrived yesterday with two other people. Luther Sloan and Vincent Torros." Calleigh almost jumped, but kept her face neutral. That man has some explaining to do! She thought angrily. "All Starfleet, on shore leave." "This is a strange place to spend a shore leave. I'll be heading to Risa when it's my turn." Alexx commented, turning back to the body which was naked, covered with a sheet. "Do you have a motive yet?" She asked, continuing her scans. "No." Odo replied abruptly.
---
"Torros! Get your Starfleet ass in here now!" Calleigh demanded. The man shimmered into her quarters. "What can I do for you?" "You killed him, didn't you?" "Killed who?" The Section Thirty One Agent asked innocently. Duquesne's eyes glittered dangerously. "You know who I mean. I want a straight answer, and I want one now!" "Girl, did you think we were diplomats? This is our job!" "Nope. I don't want this job. I signed on to protect the Federation, not to be a murderer." Torros shook his head. "You don't understand, do you? You are one of us now." Calleigh glared at him, though she knew it was true. "You're going to kill Julian too, Aren't you? And somehow I'm going to be involved." Torros' mind raced. She was too close to the truth now. Her door opened silently, and the lights flickered out. "Hey! Who's there?" She demanded hotly, angry that her life had taken yet another unexpected twist. "It's me." A voice replied. "Horatio!" Torros snapped, instantly recognizing the voice. "What the hell are you doing here?!" "Who's Horatio?" The man laughed. "Your hero, by the sound of it." Torros grabbed Duquesne. "Oh really?" He asked as the young girl shrieked. "Some hero you turned out to be. This didn't have to happen, Horatio. You know that." "The people have the right to know! Don't hurt her! You're right, this doesn't have to happen." Vincent gripped Calleigh tighter, and she choked back a cry of pain. "Speed, NOW!" Caine yelled as Torros threw Duquesne to the floor and rammed himself into Horatio, who stumbled backwards into the wall, and slithered to the floor, hitting his head on her desk. A third man appeared, armed with a phaser that had a small laser light attached at the end. He took aim carefully, and the room lit up with a phaser blast. Calleigh blinked. "Did I miss something?" She asked rhetorically. Before Speed could answer she interrupted. "Now, I want answers. What the hell just happened?" "Not now!" Tim snapped, rushing to his friend's side. "H, are you okay? Come on man, answer me!" Calleigh glanced at Torros. Pleased that he wouldn't be going anywhere soon she retrieved a medkit from behind a bulkhead panel. Pushing Tim aside gently she scanned her 'hero', and was surprised to find herself relieved that he would be fine. "Well?" Tim asked, impatient. Duquesne rocked back on her heels. "He'll be fine. Slight headache, but other than that he'll be back to doing whatever he usually does by tomorrow." "Can you wake him up?" "Not yet. First I want some answers from you." Tim glared at her. "I'll leave the explanations to Horatio." "Right, which means you are employed by him, correct? And you don't want to say anything without your bosses consent." "No, I'm not employed by him, if you must know. I help him, that's all." "Oh, I see." Calleigh shook her head. "Why is this happening to me? All I wanted was a nice little career in Starfleet. I didn't want to be part of some stupid Starfleet conspiracy. I never signed up for this." "Well before you go feeling too sorry for yourself what are you going to do about Torros?" Speedle asked her, crossing his arms. Calleigh looked over at the unconscious man, then smiled. "Computer, lock onto Captain Torros' COM badge and beam him to the brig." Tim smiled slightly as the man disappeared, and got a coffee from Calleigh's replicator. "Hey, that's off my account." She protested mildly, not really caring. He passed the mug to her, running a hand through his hair. "You look like you need it." He confessed. Calleigh smiled slowly. "Thanks, Speed." She said, taking the offered mug. She took a sip, then put it down carefully. "Here, give me a hand." She ordered, walking over to Horatio. "We can put him on my bed." Speed took his shoulders, and Calleigh grabbed both his feet. Together they put him gently onto her bed, then they walked quietly back to her front room. "You want a drink?" Calleigh asked softly. Tim nodded, running his fingers through his hair again. "Thanks." She handed him a coffee, and he took a long gulp from the steaming liquid. "So you say you're not employed by Horatio, yet you do work for him in a way. You seem to care an awful lot about him. Please, Tim, I want to know what's happening to my life." Speedle sighed. "Horatio Caine is a Section Thirty One Agent, the best, aside from Luther Sloan. He used to be the most trusted Agent, would do anything for the cause, then Sloan," Speed spat the name, "pushed him too far. An assignment went wrong. H led an assault team in a building," he waved his hand at Calleigh's questioning look, "it doesn't matter, but something went wrong. Halfway into the mission H realized they had been tipped off about the attack. They tried to leave, but failed. Eventually they got out, in the midst of a phaser fight, but before they left Horatio got quite a few shots out. One of them went astray. Only one, mind you, he's the best shooter I've seen, but that one shot was all that mattered. He hit his brother. Agent Ryan Caine." Speed shook his head sadly. "Died on impact." His eyes trailed off, and his voice was down to a whisper. "I saw what happened. I had to virtually carry H out of the building. You have to realize that he was close, so close, to his brother. In his family relationships are very important. He treasured his relationship with his brother more than anything else. Ryan was the one thing that would make H show emotion. Whether he was happy, or angry, he was always able to hide his emotions - except from Ryan. He never fully recovered." "And now you're his. what? bodyguard? "I'm his cousin. But, yeh, I suppose I could be his bodyguard. Quite a few people have money on H's name, I make sure none of them collect, and H makes sure I have somewhere to stay, food, and something to wear." "Sounds like a fair trade." Calleigh said softly, still trying to digest all she had just heard. "So now that you know my life story can I have a coffee too?" Tim spun. "H!" He exclaimed, standing. The tall man was leaning against the doorframe, holding onto it. His knuckles were white, and Calleigh realized that he would fall if he let go.
"Here, let us help." She told him bossily, taking one arm and helping him sit. "You should still be in bed." She scolded. He rolled his eyes. "You're as bad as Speed." He said quietly. His face was pale, but some colour was coming back. "Good." She retorted, getting him a glass of water. Once he was settled she sat back down. "Now what?" She asked. "Now we need to see Julian." Horatio replied matter-of-factly.
---
"He was definitely murdered." Alexx reported, brushing some of the victim's long hair off his face. "Taken by surprise, I'd say. See these marks here?" She asked, pointing to small red marks on his chin and shoulder. "It looks like someone dug a fingernail in there." Duquesne guessed. "Exactly. The murderer grabbed him here, and here, then snapped his neck. Easy as that. Judging by how firm the nail was pressed in, I'd say the killer was surprised, and acted in a hurry." Calleigh shuddered, wondering what could drive someone to kill another person so easily. Alexx turned to Odo. "Did you find anything that would tell us why this man was murdered? The man isn't even Eric Delko. Do you know what he was doing in his quarters?" Odo ignored the question. "I want you to get a DNA sample off those marks." He ordered. "Look for fingernail fragments." "Why?" "Delko didn't kill that man." Woods frowned. "Then who did?" She asked, running a specially modified tricorder over the red marks. Stepping past the Constable she downloaded the information to her console. "Cassara Tutte." Alexx told the Constable, who frowned. He consulted a padd in his hand. "She's Vulcan, arrived yesterday with two other people. Luther Sloan and Vincent Torros." Calleigh almost jumped, but kept her face neutral. That man has some explaining to do! She thought angrily. "All Starfleet, on shore leave." "This is a strange place to spend a shore leave. I'll be heading to Risa when it's my turn." Alexx commented, turning back to the body which was naked, covered with a sheet. "Do you have a motive yet?" She asked, continuing her scans. "No." Odo replied abruptly.
---
"Torros! Get your Starfleet ass in here now!" Calleigh demanded. The man shimmered into her quarters. "What can I do for you?" "You killed him, didn't you?" "Killed who?" The Section Thirty One Agent asked innocently. Duquesne's eyes glittered dangerously. "You know who I mean. I want a straight answer, and I want one now!" "Girl, did you think we were diplomats? This is our job!" "Nope. I don't want this job. I signed on to protect the Federation, not to be a murderer." Torros shook his head. "You don't understand, do you? You are one of us now." Calleigh glared at him, though she knew it was true. "You're going to kill Julian too, Aren't you? And somehow I'm going to be involved." Torros' mind raced. She was too close to the truth now. Her door opened silently, and the lights flickered out. "Hey! Who's there?" She demanded hotly, angry that her life had taken yet another unexpected twist. "It's me." A voice replied. "Horatio!" Torros snapped, instantly recognizing the voice. "What the hell are you doing here?!" "Who's Horatio?" The man laughed. "Your hero, by the sound of it." Torros grabbed Duquesne. "Oh really?" He asked as the young girl shrieked. "Some hero you turned out to be. This didn't have to happen, Horatio. You know that." "The people have the right to know! Don't hurt her! You're right, this doesn't have to happen." Vincent gripped Calleigh tighter, and she choked back a cry of pain. "Speed, NOW!" Caine yelled as Torros threw Duquesne to the floor and rammed himself into Horatio, who stumbled backwards into the wall, and slithered to the floor, hitting his head on her desk. A third man appeared, armed with a phaser that had a small laser light attached at the end. He took aim carefully, and the room lit up with a phaser blast. Calleigh blinked. "Did I miss something?" She asked rhetorically. Before Speed could answer she interrupted. "Now, I want answers. What the hell just happened?" "Not now!" Tim snapped, rushing to his friend's side. "H, are you okay? Come on man, answer me!" Calleigh glanced at Torros. Pleased that he wouldn't be going anywhere soon she retrieved a medkit from behind a bulkhead panel. Pushing Tim aside gently she scanned her 'hero', and was surprised to find herself relieved that he would be fine. "Well?" Tim asked, impatient. Duquesne rocked back on her heels. "He'll be fine. Slight headache, but other than that he'll be back to doing whatever he usually does by tomorrow." "Can you wake him up?" "Not yet. First I want some answers from you." Tim glared at her. "I'll leave the explanations to Horatio." "Right, which means you are employed by him, correct? And you don't want to say anything without your bosses consent." "No, I'm not employed by him, if you must know. I help him, that's all." "Oh, I see." Calleigh shook her head. "Why is this happening to me? All I wanted was a nice little career in Starfleet. I didn't want to be part of some stupid Starfleet conspiracy. I never signed up for this." "Well before you go feeling too sorry for yourself what are you going to do about Torros?" Speedle asked her, crossing his arms. Calleigh looked over at the unconscious man, then smiled. "Computer, lock onto Captain Torros' COM badge and beam him to the brig." Tim smiled slightly as the man disappeared, and got a coffee from Calleigh's replicator. "Hey, that's off my account." She protested mildly, not really caring. He passed the mug to her, running a hand through his hair. "You look like you need it." He confessed. Calleigh smiled slowly. "Thanks, Speed." She said, taking the offered mug. She took a sip, then put it down carefully. "Here, give me a hand." She ordered, walking over to Horatio. "We can put him on my bed." Speed took his shoulders, and Calleigh grabbed both his feet. Together they put him gently onto her bed, then they walked quietly back to her front room. "You want a drink?" Calleigh asked softly. Tim nodded, running his fingers through his hair again. "Thanks." She handed him a coffee, and he took a long gulp from the steaming liquid. "So you say you're not employed by Horatio, yet you do work for him in a way. You seem to care an awful lot about him. Please, Tim, I want to know what's happening to my life." Speedle sighed. "Horatio Caine is a Section Thirty One Agent, the best, aside from Luther Sloan. He used to be the most trusted Agent, would do anything for the cause, then Sloan," Speed spat the name, "pushed him too far. An assignment went wrong. H led an assault team in a building," he waved his hand at Calleigh's questioning look, "it doesn't matter, but something went wrong. Halfway into the mission H realized they had been tipped off about the attack. They tried to leave, but failed. Eventually they got out, in the midst of a phaser fight, but before they left Horatio got quite a few shots out. One of them went astray. Only one, mind you, he's the best shooter I've seen, but that one shot was all that mattered. He hit his brother. Agent Ryan Caine." Speed shook his head sadly. "Died on impact." His eyes trailed off, and his voice was down to a whisper. "I saw what happened. I had to virtually carry H out of the building. You have to realize that he was close, so close, to his brother. In his family relationships are very important. He treasured his relationship with his brother more than anything else. Ryan was the one thing that would make H show emotion. Whether he was happy, or angry, he was always able to hide his emotions - except from Ryan. He never fully recovered." "And now you're his. what? bodyguard? "I'm his cousin. But, yeh, I suppose I could be his bodyguard. Quite a few people have money on H's name, I make sure none of them collect, and H makes sure I have somewhere to stay, food, and something to wear." "Sounds like a fair trade." Calleigh said softly, still trying to digest all she had just heard. "So now that you know my life story can I have a coffee too?" Tim spun. "H!" He exclaimed, standing. The tall man was leaning against the doorframe, holding onto it. His knuckles were white, and Calleigh realized that he would fall if he let go.
"Here, let us help." She told him bossily, taking one arm and helping him sit. "You should still be in bed." She scolded. He rolled his eyes. "You're as bad as Speed." He said quietly. His face was pale, but some colour was coming back. "Good." She retorted, getting him a glass of water. Once he was settled she sat back down. "Now what?" She asked. "Now we need to see Julian." Horatio replied matter-of-factly.