SMST: Deep Space Moon! – By Ocramed
Disclaimer: SM, R1/2, ST and other genres belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story. As always, C&C are welcomed.
Special Note: This story takes place during Seasons 1 through 3 of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine". "The Ranma Trek Chronicles" takes place during Seasons 4 through 7.
Author's Note: This story is designed to be short, and will focus mostly on Sailor Moon, though Ranma Saotome (of "Ranma ½") will make a cameo from time-to-time.
Part 32
A week later...
"Counselor, you got to believe me!" said Rom, as he paced back and forth in Usagi's office.
"Um, what are you talking about?" Usagi said, as she continued her work as the station's resident counselor. As such, the Moon Princess not only provided psychiatric services, but also provided diplomatic and legal aid to Commander Sisko, the station's lead Starfleet officer.
"I'm talking about being accused of attempting murder!" Rom said.
Usagi looked up at the Ferengi sharply.
"What?" Usagi asked.
"My brother and I were trying to retrieve something from a client, when Quark was attacked," Rom replied. "I know that I would get the bar if Quark dies…but I don't want that to happen."
"I didn't know you cared," Usagi replied. "How sweet of you…"
"Well, I don't want to stuck with his debts, but I know that Nog likes him," Rom said.
"I see," Usagi replied, as she broke out in a sweat. She then sets her tablet down.
"Okay, tell me everything you know."
"So, you will help me?" Rom asked.
"I am verse in the legal system, so I can represent your interests," Usagi said, as she takes up another tablet. She then took out her tablet pen, and began to take notes.
"Okay, let's begin…"
Later, in Sisko's office, an irate Bajoran liaison officer rants.
"How can SHE represent Rom?" Kira yelled, as she thumbs at Usagi's way. "The counselor is NOT Bajoran, nor is she qualified practice Bajoran law."
"But Counselor Tsukino does have the right to represent non-Bajoran, thanks to a treaty agreement the Federation has signed with the Ferengi," Sisko said tiredly. "And since this station is administered by the Federation, she can act as legal aide in this case."
"Fine," Kira replied. She then turned towards Usagi.
"Okay, 'counselor'," Kira said sarcastically. "What is your request?"
"Considering the fact that this case involves something that had occurred during the Cardassian Occupation, I want a complete list of Bajoran and non-Bajoran personnel during that time," Usagi said, as she hands the Bajoran officer a document request list.
"This is outrageous," Kira said, as she accepts the tablet. "Anything else?"
"Yes, I want to work closely with Constable Odo on this matter, considering the fact that he is leading the investigation."
"FINE," Kira replied. She then turned towards Sisko.
"If there is nothing else, I have some work to do."
Sisko nods his head, allowing Kira to leave his office…
"Thoughts?" Sisko asked.
"I don't think that Rom is capable of committing fratricide, sir," Usagi said. "Quark, maybe, but, even then, he wouldn't do the deed himself."
"And what about your own contacts?" Sisko asked, as he gets up, before turning to look outside through the bulkhead of the station. "Have they found anything?"
"Nothing so far, at least not yet," Usagi replied. "But I would like to use Dax' help on this."
"What can she do that Odo has not done or won't do?"
"A spectral analysis should determine when the last time Quark's mystery compartment was last opened was," Usagi said. "That will help narrow down the potential suspects."
"You sound more like a police officer than a counselor."
"Well, I had been a member of the Federation Marshal Services about a100 years ago," Usagi said, as she smiled broadly. "You know, once a cop, always cop?"
"Of course…"
Later, Dax and Usagi are going over the mystery compartment.
"Fascinating," Dax said, as she scanned the compartment with her instrument, where Quark's mystery box was hidden. She then turned towards Usagi
"Did you know that the last time this compartment was opened, it was close to the time of a major industrial accident?" Dax asked.
"Yeah, yeah," Usagi said, as she snuggled her "sempai". "You know, we could take a quick break from this."
"Usagi, we're in the middle of an important investigation, and all you want to do is 'snog'?"
"Hey, I can multi-task, you know-"
"I hope that I am not interrupting, or anything," said Odo, as he enters a possible crime scene.
The two women quickly regain their composure.
"Odo, I'm glad that you are here," Dax said nervously.
"I'm sure," Odo replied.
"Um, constable, what are you doing here?" Usagi said with a nervous grin.
"I wanted to compare notes with you, counselor," Odo said.
"That is good, because I think I might have discovered something interesting," Usagi said.
"You mean I discovered something interesting," Dax said.
"And that is?" Odo asked.
"Whoever tried to murder Quark has to have a connection with the previous owner of this space, since no one knew that this hidden compartment existed," Dax said.
"Most likely, Quark was set up in the process," Usagi said. "It would mean that the person who had set Quark up would be related to that owner in some way."
"You mean the owner's wife," Odo replied. "She would be the only one to whom Quark would do a favor for."
"Precisely," Usagi said. "Also, we all know that Quark will do anything for profit; we also know that Quark can't help himself when he sees the possibility to make more money."
"A double-cross," Dax said.
"So, that narrows the list of possible suspects down to Mrs. Vaatrik," Odo replied.
"She knew Quark personally?" Usagi asked.
"He and her husband were close business associates during the occupation of this station," Odo replied. "Not necessarily as friends, but…"
"Odo, whatever happened to Vaatrik himself?" Dax asked. "From our research, he was murdered shortly after an industrial accident here on the station."
"That's right," Usagi replied. "You had just become the station's constable during Dukat's administration."
"But Odo, why would Mrs. Vaatrik set Quark up in the first place?" Dax asked. "Wouldn't she simply come here herself?"
"Most likely to establish an alibi," Odo replied. "According to the travel logs, Mrs. Vaatrik was at home at the time of the attack."
"So, we still do not know who tried to kill Quark," Usagi began to say, only to suddenly have an image in her mind of Rom shrieking…
"Usagi?" Dax asked, noticing her look of discomfort.
"Rom is in trouble!" Usagi replied, as she took off running. "Sickbay-!"
"Usagi, wait!" Dax yelled, before taking off to follow the Moon Princess.
"Odo to Security," Odo said, as he tapped his combadge, as he tried to get a hold of guards in and around the Sickbay area, but to no avail, even as he took off running. "Odo to Security-!"
"Get away from my brother!" Rom yelled, as he tried to ward off his brother's attacker.
"Can't do that," said the Bajoran, as he prepared to discharge his weapon. "And I can't allow you to live either-"
Suddenly, the Bajoran felt himself being yanked off his feet from behind, as he was slammed against the opposite wall of Sickbay.
WHAM!
"Oof!"
"Rom, are you okay?" Usagi said, as she turned to look at the culprit, as darkness claimed him.
"I…I am, thank you," Rom replied. He then looked at the unconscious, would-be assassin.
"Is he okay?" Dax said, as she looked at Quark, who was still unconscious.
"He is," Rom said with a sigh of relief.
"And we have the culprit," Odo said, as he sees the prone Bajoran, as he and his men walked into Sickbay. "Now, we can wrap this case up…"
Later, in Usagi office, Odo speaks to the counselor.
"I want to thank you for assisting me on the Vaatrik Case, counselor," Odo said.
"Any time, constable," Usagi said, as she read up on her list of patients she was to see that day. She then paused her reading, and turned to look at the Changeling.
"Odo, I'm curious," Usagi said. "Did you ever saw Mr. Vaatrik's murder? From what I could tell, Dukat had assigned you to on that particular case."
"I'm afraid not," Odo said. "The sabotage of the ore processor took precedent."
"Oh, I see," Usagi replied. "Well, I guess some things will never be solved."
"Perhaps," Odo replied. "Be seeing you."
With that, Odo leaves Usagi's office…
"Oh, Odo," Usagi said, as she sets down her tablet. She then reached for another tablet, pressed a secure code, and drew up an old Cardassian file, originally from the vault of the Obsidian Order, the intelligence organization of the Cardassian. Thanks to Garak the Tailor, Usagi learned some interesting details about Mr. Vaatrik's murder.
One, Vaatrik and nine other Bajorans on board the station, during the Cardassian Occupation, had been Gul Dukat's collaborators. Most likely, Mrs. Vaatrik wanted the documentation that her husband might have possessed in order to do something about it. Since Quark was almost killed because of the documents, Mrs. Vaatrik either wanted to hide her husband's involvement, or possibly use it against any other collaborator, like in the form of blackmail.
And, two, Kira Nerys had a meeting with Vaatrik on the day of both the industrial accident, as well as his murder. And knowing that Kira's resistance cell was on the station during that time, and knowing the type of person Kira was, it would take much to prove Kira might have had a hand in Vaatrik's untimely demise. The accident was most likely used as a cover that made it possible to do the dirty deed during the chaos…
"So, what now?" a familiar voice said.
Usagi looked up sharply to see Kira standing near the entrance of her doorway.
"Major Kira?" Usagi asked with a hard swallow.
"Let's cut to the chase," Kira replied, as she closed the door behind her. "I know that you know what is really going on."
"I have a clue," Usagi said, as she sets her tablet down. "I want to know if Ranma was involved in this matter."
"Pardon?"
"You and I both know that Ranma was your contact during the occupation," Usagi said. "If you had to commit assassination job, that's one thing. However, I don't want to think that Ranma was involved in committing murder."
"But Ranma has killed before."
"Yes, on the field of battle, or to avenge an innocent life," Usagi said. "So, what gives, and does Odo know the details?"
"Fine," Kira said with a sigh. "Ranma was on the station the day that I…took Vaatrik's life. However, I didn't do it on purpose."
"You didn't?"
"No. I was trying to find evidence that Vaatrik was Dukat's informant when I was…caught. It was Ranma who caused the accident, in order to cover my escape."
"Oh, okay," Usagi said with a sigh. "So, what now?"
"Thanks to Odo, and thanks to Mrs. Vaatrik's greed, we found a lot more collaborators than we originally thought. The Bajoran Provisional Government will deal with them on a case-by-case basis, so as to not cause too great a disruption on Bajor."
"Okay, then," Usagi said. "So…we just forget about…this?"
"Maybe," Kira said, as she turns to leave. She then stops for a moment.
"I would very much like it if you kept what I had just said between us," Kira said, as she glances backwards. "At least, for now."
"I don't see why not," Usagi said. "I mean, as the resident counselor, I am charged to not 'blab' everyone's business."
"Good to know…"
Tbc.