XII.
Data had been sitting in his quarters for the whole night, playing with Spot and listening to classical music. He learned long ago that music was an expression of feelings, and emotions. He had chosen a very upbeat tune with flutes and violins as the main voice for the song. He played it over and over and hummed along as he checked up on his programming and checked to see if he was needed on the bridge every twenty minutes.
Around 10:00 that next morning, he finally got a call.
"Data, this is the bridge."
"Hmm hmm hmmm hm hmm, yes Captain? Hmm hmmm hm hm."
"Data, I need you to join us in an officer's meeting immediately. Something has happened."
The tone in the captain's voice was tense again, but this time it wasn't directed at him specifically. He knew no one had known about the date other than him, Geordi, the counselor, and Heva herself. Then of course the doctor when he asked her to check up on Heva when he bumped into her around 06:00.
"Yes, Captain. I am on my way."
Data stood from his desk and made his way to the conference room. On the way, he met up with Geordi who updated him on the situation.
"Murder? But the only people who know about the Frugians' technology are the officers and the Frugians themselves." Data argued.
"We know that, Data." Geordi replied. "But someone has gotten greedy; they want that technology for themselves. I'm not sure what else has been found by the doctor, but I'm sure it's nothing good."
They turned into the room to find everyone else there and accounted for. Data sat down across from Heva, he looked at her and smiled. She didn't return his smile. Her eyes were troubled, her face slack with sadness and worry. Data felt his own smile fade slowly from his lips and he mouthed "Are you ok?" to her. A tear fell from her eye and she shook her head. "No." she mouthed back.
Data began to feel sympathy, worry, and detachment from his own emotions to try and help her with hers. He felt…empathetic to her feelings.
Jean-Luc stood from his chair and put his hands on the table, looking around at his staff with a furrowed brow and a mixture of concern and woe on his weathered face.
"Gentlemen, we have a very serious problem upon our vessel." He began, his voice strained; grim.
"Earlier this morning, one of the younger of our guests was murdered. Brutally, I might add."
Gasps escaped from Riker, Deanna, and Worf. All of them must not have been aware of any trouble until now.
"Doctor Crusher found her in the hallway. Not far from Lieutenant Brookes' quarters. It is my understanding that the Lieutenant was sick and slept in. Doctor Crusher confirmed this with a scan in sick bay, telling me her vital signs showed a specific lack in hydration, activity in the part of the brain that receives dreams, and a sleep cycle that lasted well over twelve hours. The Lieutenant explained to me exactly why she had these symptoms of oversleeping and nausea."
He glanced over at Heva, Data followed suit. He feared that he had gotten her in trouble with their picnic alone. Heva sighed.
"Yes…I replicated some Vulcan food in my room when I reported there at 11:00. I was hungry, and felt it would satisfy my craving. I've always been a bit weak when it comes to how they prepare certain meats…I also picked a bad hour to eat, especially since I already had a stomach ache. It won't happen again."
Picard nodded and went on, Data giving a look of confusion toward Heva for her white lie. Did he do something wrong?
"Now, the issue here." Picard continued. "Is that the only people who know anything about the Frugians are we officers and the Frugians themselves. We alone know of the technology and any secrets they might hold are in their knowledge alone. So the question here, gentlemen, is who murdered that poor girl at 06:00 this morning."
He scanned the faces of his colleagues. It was hard for him to believe any one of them could have done something. With one of them having a solid alibi, He knew what he must do to confirm his trust in each of them.
"I want all of you to give me your alibis, right here and now in front of everyone. Lieutenant Brookes, take note." He passed an information pad to her and she held it up, her hand poised above it ready to take down anything said in the next few minutes.
According to the staff: Commander Worf was on the bridge from 12:00 to 08:00 a.m. Seven witnesses confirmed. Commander Riker was in the mess hall sharing a drink with Counselor Troi from 05:00 to 0:700. Guinan confirmed. Geordi was asleep in his quarters from 10:00 to 06:30. His entry and exit data on the information panel of his bedroom door confirmed. Doctor Crusher was on full duty from 09:30 to 0:900 that morning. She took scans of herself to prove that no phaser residue or blood had been on her person the moment she found Vruy lying dead in the corridor to retrieve an alibi long before the meeting began, knowing that it would be asked of her. Commander Data was in his quarters doing invoice research and programming detailing from 11:05 to the time of the meeting, 12:00. His exit and entry data on the information panel of his door and the data input records confirmed. Captain Picard was in his ready room from 05:00 to 06:15, when he was informed of the murder. An Ensign who was there with him for a meeting confirmed.
"So," Jean-Luc said, looking up from the information pad, "Every single one of us has an iron clad alibi. There's only two conclusions."
"Two, captain?" Worf asked, puzzled.
"Yes, either someone over heard our conversation, or one of our passengers didn't want us to know something that Vruy knew…and murdered her."
The tension in the room grew to a thickness that outweighed any that any of them had ever felt. Not only did they know now that it wasn't an outside source that wiped out the race, but now they knew that it was someone closer in proximity than they thought.
"Commander Worf, Commander Riker, and Counselor Troi: I want you to find Iuol, Hruj, Oigh, and Yeuls. Commander Data, Lieutenant Brookes, Commander LaForge, I want you to locate Truih, Uhv, and Frituy. Bring them all here to the conference room for questioning. I will have other staff members checking the data on when they entered and left their quarters, where else they were and other such things before you return. I want them here at 03:00, not a minute later."
"Aye, sir." Said the staff in unison.
"Doctor Crusher." He said to Beverly. "I want you to return to sick bay, continue your examination of Vruy's body and report to me immediately if you find anything new or suspicious. Search for DNA samples on the body, also I want you to round up a team to search our guests' quarters, see if they can find traces of blood on their clothes, see if any of them bathed at all. And anything else you can think of, clear?"
"Aye, captain." Beverly replied.
All of them stood and left the room in their respective groups. Data, Geordi, and Heva glanced nervously at one another before walking down the hall together in search of their assigned Frugians.