Training Day

 Episode Name:  Training Day

   Written By:  Kismet

         Cast:  Crayn, Kismet, Mulwray, Nabrun, Pellix, 
                Savarna and Vimes.

  Produced By:  Starfleet

  Directed By:  Kismet

     Aired On:  Thu Sep 09 01:04:51 2004

     Stardate:  54374

Time: Wed Sep 08 19:54:04 2004

Stardate: 54373.5

Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice makes perfect and in this case the junior officers from various departments on Station 419 have gathered on the holodeck to be re-emerge themselves through basic training. Gone is the normal black cube with yellow gridlines. In its place is a walk down memory lane for the Starfleet Officers - it is the basic layout of a lecture hall from Starfleet Academy on Earth. Lovely San Franciscian weather welcomes all from beyond the windows while up front an expressionless and sexless figure stands. The holographic instructor, a Security Lieutenant, waits for the officers to settle.

Savarna steps inside and moves to one of the seats up front, much as she would have done during her Academy days. Sitting primly, she folds her hands in her lap, and waits.

Crayn makes his way in, feeling about 6 years younger, reminiscing about his freshman days at the Academy.. back when times were good. He finds a seat, not so much in the front, but not in the back, and takes out his padd quietly.

Pellix comes in a beat later, pausing in the back of the hall until he spots another gleaming blue pate, and then heads down the center aisle. He shuffle-steps through the chairs and settles down next to Savarna, murmuring, "Babysitter was able to stick around another couple hours."

Nabrun pauses to look around, lips tipping upward a bit. She moves toward a seat that's somewhere near the center of the room.

Savarna glances sidelong towards Pellix, and actually grins. Now _that's_ bizarre. "Oh, good. I'm glad you were able to make it. Feels a little like rewinding the world, doesn't it?"

. o O Savarna thinks "I'm so _glad_ Castor's here. It's nice having him around again. I missed him."

Entering the lecture hall, Vimes looks out the window at the nice weather, much like he did in his days at the Academy, internally pondering how to create a diversion so he could be out there and enjoying it. Nonetheless, he stays and heads over to sit next to Nabrun, nudging her with his arm as he grins at her.

"Feels like going back to another world," Pellix replies with a wan smile. "This was... ages ago." He settles in, and looks up at the characterless speaker in the front. "The topic's crime, eh?"

Savarna nods. "Crime and forensics, I believe."

Nabrun looks over at Vimes and grins. "This takes me way too far back," she tells him. "I keep wanting to check my uniform to make sure it's perfect."

"Huh, I wonder where Miratena is," Pellix comments idly. "Interesting. But I can see how Sciences and Security come together in this, now. Perhaps I can make you guys some instruments or something," he suggests, amused.

Crayn sits quietly, hoping to go through this easily enough. He's got some real-life training under his belt, so he's not as green as he was.. Only thing is.. he's alone. He swallows, trying not to think about it. No Caeli, No Treal, No Valen. He sighs, sadly. The best thing about the Academy, and they aren't here. This would've been great. Well, he's got new comrades now. He glances around the room and nods to them all in turn, waiting for the rest of the holo-class to fill in, and the instructor to start.

Mulwray steps into holodeck 1 from the Dream Factory.

Mulwray has arrived.

. o O Crayn thinks "Good Evening, Counselor."

The instructor observes the entering officers quietly, each earning a distinct nod of greeting. Warm conversations between friends and colleagues are met without a measurable clue to the instructor's thoughts. The Lieutenant's metallic white-gray eyes glance up at the chrono-timer and at 2000 on the dot the classroom's bell chimes. "Good evening, class. I am Lieutenant Reta should you need to call upon me, but I will mainly be serving as an observer after my initial lecture." While the Lieutenant speaks in a clear tone, heard across the classroom, it acknowledges everyone when eyes graze left and right. "As you all are mostly aware of tonight's course will re-familiarize most of you through the basic procedures of a criminal investigation, paying most attention to the forensic aspect. Depending on time, I expect to run through three crime scenes." The instructor's voice rises higher in an authoritative manner, "How good of you to join us, Lieutenant Mulwray. Kindly take a seat near the front."

Mulwray clears his throat on the way in, propeling his bricklike self into the room - and without ceremony humps it up to the front, where he takes a seat. All Hail Eeyore. "Sorry about that," he offers, then settles down.

Vimes does one of those finger guns at Mulwray as he gets caught coming in late, but grins at him in a good-natured manner anyway before sitting straighter in his seat to listen to the lecture. Chatting and sharing jokes are all well and good, but there's a still reason behind this whole event, so his attention gets to the task at hand.

As the instructor begins to speak, Barana seems to phase everything else in the room out and pay attention only to the instructor. It's as if she's taking mental notes.

Pellix settles in and listens, a contented look on his face.

Savarna tilts her head slightly to the side, fingers folded over one another, and listens.

Mulwray does also - mostly just because, well, to do anything other than look patently mortified and chagrined would keep him from looking...mortified and chagrined. Whatever. Quickly he digs out his PADD, and prepares for taking notes.

Crayn falls back into the old familiar routine. It's just him and the instructor in the room. he prepares all his senses, ready to take down every bit of information.

Precisely at the moment when Mulwray sits is when the instructor picks up on where it left off. "In a moment, I will cue a crime scene to test your knowledge and skills, but first, procedures. To each scene, one Security Officer will assume as Lead. All tasks will be assigned by the Lead Investigator. You will be observed on how thorough and legal the search is conducted, expeditious processing without compromise, proper scene documentation, proper use and knowledge of resources and equipment, all pertinent evidence recovery, and the proper handling of evidence. How well the team operates will determine if the culprit can be justifiably convicted based on what is gathered at the crime scene. Remember, consider all theories and let the evidence eliminate them one by one. Does anyone have any questions before I begin with the first scene?"

Pellix shakes his head, and then shifts his weight in his seat so he can stand up without pitching backwards if the scene change necessitates the removal of his chair.

Mulwray shakes his head as well. "No," says he, going back to his PADD.

Crayn shakes his head. he can't wait to jump into this.

Savarna shakes her head, unlacing her fingers.

Vimes shakes his head, "No questions here." and finishes keying in the last of the instructions in bullet form on his PADD.

Nabrun shakes her head. "No, Sir," she says quietly. Oddly enough, her PADD is put away.

"We begin." The instructor fades from view as the sequencing of data streams melds the lecture hall into a bedroom. Chairs shift to hardwood flooring. The San Francisco Bay disappears only to be replaced by a view of Vega IX, a human colony world, at twilight. One of its moons illuminates the dully lit cabin-like bedroom where the sole lifeless occupant, an elder female dressed in a nightshift, dangles by a noose tied to a rafter. At first glance there appears to be no sign of a struggle. "Lieutenant Vimes," speaks the instructor, "you are Lead. The class is yours."

Pellix shifts to standing and looks expectantly to Lieutenant Vimes.

Savarna rises, rather than falling, and looks to Vimes, PADD in hand.

Mulwray does too, looming over Mr. Pellix there. Monolith!

Nabrun stands as well, remaining where she is. Instead of looking to Vimes, she looks around the room, doing a visual sweep. The PADD is pulled out, mostly as an afterthought.

Crayn stands as well. it wouldn't do to have Crayn make a hard landing on the floor... It's not the floor's fault. As Nabrun does, Jo looks for physical evidence. Possible entrance points, anything that seems to be out of place.

Vimes blinks a few times as he's assigned the lead role for the case, so to speak. Clucking his tongue, he looks to the other officers and nods, "Ok. Let's start by what this should obviously look like." and then focuses specifically at Pellix, "Lieutenant Pellix, your thoughts?"

"Well," Pellix begins, folding his hands behind him. "Assuming we've been called in here because someone found her like this, and given the time of day, our first question should be how long she's been here. She looks human, so compare her present temperature to... however hot you people usually run." His lips flicker slightly, and he steps around the hanging woman, pointing down at her feet. "She's in her sleeping-clothes, and barefoot. Does the approximate time of death, as determined by her temperature, match up with when she would be so dressed?"

Nabrun comments, quietly, "Liver temperature. That should give us a more accurate time of death, as well as signs of morbidity in the fingernails, eyes and lips. We'd need to ascertain if rigor has begun."

Pellix reaches forward to lift the woman's arm, without a trace of hesitation.

Vimes clears his throat, "Don't touch the body yet, Lieutenant..."

Pellix's hand stills and he nods shortly.

Crayn pulls out his tricorder, taking readeings from the woman's form.

<CONTEST> Crayn contests his Personal Equipment (Tricorder) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

Vimes continues, "Before we can establish the time at which she died, we need to make sure how she died and how she got to where she is right now. There are two pieces of furniture onto which she could have climbed to hang herself. That couch over there, and this chair over here. However, there's some distance between both furnishings and the spot where she's hanging, which would have required her to jump, rather than just step off them. Let's start with the furniture. Fingerprints and footprints. Lieutenant Savarna, you take the couch. If she used it, there should be depressions in the cushions from the weight placed on them by her feet. Lieutenant Pellix, take the chair. Ensign Crayn, can you get a reading of her body temperature?"

Savarna nods to Vimes, and heads over to examine the couch, first visually from a distance, then -- after checking to be sure that nothing on the floor will be disturbed by this action -- by crouching for a closer look.

Pellix gives the chair a similar scrutiny, going over it with bare eyes before producing his tricorder to record images for later analysis.

Nabrun slowly circles in place, looking around at everything. "The room seems to fit with the woman," she says, mostly to herself. "Vacation cabin, a hideaway, of sorts."

Crayn shakes his head. "Not yet. Getting there. So far, she seems to be healthy for her age, mid-40's. Looks like she had some wine before taking a nice, long bath. Looks like she was relaxing before going to bed. Not exactly the kind of behavior of someone planning to take their life."

<CONTEST> Savarna contests her Intellect (Perception) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Pellix contests his Personal Equipment (Tricorder) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

Vimes nods to Nabrun, "Indeed. In which case, there could be transfer from outside onto the floor in here if someone put her in her current state. Take readings of the floor, Ensign. Look for soil samples and treads from footwear."

"It's possible," Pellix says from his side of the cabin, "that a long bath might be used to disguise the time of death by throwing off the heat in her body."

Nabrun nods to Vimes and moves carefully toward the door, which is apparently her preferred starting point. Down she crouches, pulling out her Tricorder.

Savarna comments, as she pulls out her tricorder, "There are two small impressions here on the couch. They might be footprints." She directs her tricorder towards the couch itself.

<CONTEST> Savarna contests her Personal Equipment (Tricorder) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

"Whereas this chair is clean to the point of having been swept of marks," Pellix counters from his side, and rises. "And I don't know about you, but I generally don't sweep my chairs."

Savarna crouches down further, frowning at her tricorder, and then at something on the couch. "Lieutenant, I have a spore of some sort here. A second reading might be highly useful in determining what it is." When all else fails, make someone else help you glare at the problem: the Bolian philosophy.

<CONTEST> Nabrun contests her Personal Equipment (Tricorder) skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Succeeds!

Vimes nods to Crayn's information and Pellix' observation, "That's possible." and then heads over to the couch, to look at what Savarna has found, "Let's see if they could have been made by her feet then. Ensign Crayn, examine her hands for abrasions from the rope. That noose would have required some effort to tie, and if she's not the type used to manual labor, there could be abrasion marks in her palms if she tied it herself. If there are marks on her fingers, then she could have been struggling to pull the noose from around her neck instead." before looking at Pellix once again, "Take a second reading of the spore to confirm it, Lieutenant?"

Pellix crosses the room and brings his tricorder to bear, pursing his lips at the readout as the little machine twitters.

Nabrun studies the ground for a moment then shakes her head. "Lieutenant Vimes? There's no dirt over here, it's clean. Almost like someone cleaned the area." She looks around, apparently for cleaning equipment. "Mops or brooms, I wonder?" She pushes to her feet.

<CONTEST> Pellix (claiming advantage) contests his Personal Equipment (Tricorder) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

Vimes turns to look at Nabrun, "Look for any such things then." as he heads for the couch, "Any confirmation on what the finding is, Lieutenants?"

Pellix shakes his head, hairless brow furrowed. "No, sir. I'm... Melena, are you getting a high -phosphorus- count?"

Crayn makes his way over to the body, really wishing they could do something for the dignity of the victim. He puts gloves on his hands and holds one of the victim's up. He takes a look at the palms, and the fingertips.

<PROVE> Savarna has the merit of Synergy at 3.

<CONTEST> Savarna (claiming advantage) contests her Personal Equipment (Tricorder) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Crayn contests his Intellect (Perception) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!

Savarna blinks at Pellix, and whacks the side of her tricorder with the side of her hand, replying, "No. Stop scanning...whatever it is that you're scanning." She peers at her screen. "It's a Talyta spore, sir. Used mostly for cleaning. Shall I try for further information?"

<CONTEST> Nabrun contests her Personal Equipment (Tricorder) skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Succeeds!

GAME: Vimes spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Vimes (claiming advantage) contests his Intellect (Perception) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

Crayn hmms.. "No marks of either kind. There's soap beneath the fingertips, which leads me to believe that she adminstered her own bath. However, she's very clean. Almost too clean. However, there is some very faint bruising on her wrists. Signs indicate that she's only been dead about two hours."

Vimes furrows his brow as he looks at whatever is on the couch, "I couldn't say for sure. Culture it for further examination, Lieutenant." and then wanders back over to where Crayn is, "Ok. So, she gave herself a bath, and there's soap under her fingernails, but bruising on her wrists. Obviously, we should start looking at her bathroom. Ensign Nabrun, go run some scans in there and see what you can find. Ensign Crayn, let's have a closer look at the rafter which the rope is tied to. Fingerprints and such."

<CONTEST> Savarna contests her Computer (Research) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

Crayn nods as he makes his way over. Luckily for him, he's rather tall, and won't need anything to stand on, meaning that he won't have to disturb the scene. "SHe's classy for her age. Well groomed, hair in the latest style. Almost makes you wonder why she's in this cabin. I mean, is she on vacation, or perhaps she was running from something?" he pulls out his tricorder and fixes it on the rafter.

Nabrun calls over. "I found a broom and some fingerprints, if someone wants to figure out who these prints belong to?" She starts for the bathroom.

<CONTEST> Crayn contests his Personal Equipment (Tricorder) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

<CONTEST> Savarna contests her Computer (Research) skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Succeeds!

Vimes looks at Savarna, "Can you go check those prints on the broom, Lieutenant?" and goes about assisting Crayn with the examination of the rafter...

Savarna straightens, stating as she does, "Talyta is primarily used as a filtration cleanser -- it cleans the air. Could she have been knocked out, sir, through some sort of aerosol?" She heads over to scan the indicated fingerprints.

<CONTEST> Nabrun contests her Personal Equipment (Tricorder) skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Fails!

<CONTEST> Savarna contests her Intellect (Perception) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Vimes contests his Personal Equipment (Tricorder) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

Crayn blinks.. "Wow.. Fairly advanced.. The roap is made out of... soap? Um.. no.. I don't think that came out right." He tries again.

Nabrun wanders out of the bathroom, brow furrowed. "The bathroom was fine. She did have a bath. Is her skin clean and scrubbed? Or was she dunked in water?

<CONTEST> Crayn contests his Personal Equipment (Tricorder) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

Savarna pauses, and notes, "Sir? There's a PADD over here. It's still on."

Crayn nods to Nabrun. "Yes. She's very clean. Trace of soap all over her.. and.. no longer on the rope." He smirks. "The rope is silk. A utility-type rope, used in hauling. I don't have any sign of fingerprints yet."

Vimes blinks as he hears Savarna, "Really? What's on the display?" and heads over to see what else there might be around, "Run a reading around it. Does it look like it was dropped, or intentionally set there." and then turns back to look at Crayn, "Used for hauling. Does this look like the type of place or person who'd be engaged in any major type of hauling. Let's look around. She keeps the place neat, of that there's no question. She has a broom, and there's trace of a cleaning spore. Have we found any actual tools around here though?"

"Energy-saver," Savarna replies, as she studies the area around the PADD.

<CONTEST> Savarna contests her Personal Equipment (Tricorder) skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Succeeds!

Nabrun shakes her head. "No, just the standard cleaning equipment. High-end, classy, good tools. Expensive.

As he stands near the woman, Crayn notices a bulge near her chest. Something seems to have been placed in her shift. He cringes and turns his head as he tries to fish out what it may be. "Sorry about this, ma'am." He says to the corpse.

Savarna notes, "It appears to have been put down. Only one person's fingerprints; many are old, some smudged."

Nabrun watches Crayn for a moment, then starts toward him, though doesn't interrupt.

Vimes nods to Savarna, "Go through the contents of the PADD, Lieutenant. Ensign Nabrun, look over those tools. Check for any actual signs of use in them."

Savarna nods, and picks up the PADD, tapping it to turn it on.

Crayn whistles as he pulls out a pair of leather gloves. "Think I've got something, sir. From the size, I'd say they were female."

Nabrun nods. "Yes, Lieutenant," she calls, then pauses. "Lieutenant, the place lacks personality, like it's a hotel room, almost. There's four paintings on the hallway wall, by the bathroom. Sventer Ygnarr. They're real. We might want to see if anything was taken to rule out robbery, or not.

Vimes arches a brow as he looks towards Crayn, "A pair of gloves...in her nightgown? Now, clearly, this doesn't belong. I mean, if she'd did this to herself, why would she be wearing gloves, and when would she have taken them off? While she was reflexively kicking and trying to gain some leverage out of instinctual self-preservation as her air supply was cut off?"

Crayn looks over as Vimes asks obviously rhetorical statements. he moves away from the body and places the gloves down safely, somewhere. He goes over the gloves with the tricorder, in an attempt to find fingerprints, anything.

Vimes starts pacing around, "Anything on that PADD, Lieutenant?" and then looks towards the hallway that leads to the bathroom, "Scan the bedroom for prints and see what else might be of note in there, Ensign Nabrun." while wander back over to Crayn, "What do you think? Did she hang herself, or did someone do it for her?"

Savarna blinks. "Sir? It appears to be a suicide note."

<CONTEST> Crayn contests his Personal Equipment (Tricorder) skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Fails!

Nabrun nods to Vimes and heads toward the tools, first. "I'll get the tools and then the bedroom," she tells Vimes. "Unless you want the bedroom first? So far we have a mid-40s human female camped out in a higher-class vacation cabin with candles in the bathroom, indicating she was papmering herself. Gloves were found in the nightgown, the place has been swept clean, and expensive paintings were left on the wall.

<CONTEST> Nabrun contests her Personal Equipment (Tricorder) skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Succeeds!

Crayn shrugs. "I'm not getting anything from these gloves. They seem normal, and my tricorder's only pulling up soap. As for if I think it was a suicide? No. There's too many questions here. Like, the bruises on her wrists. Everything else is pointing out to be suicide, though."

Nabrun shakes her head from where she crouches by the tools. "They've been used, but I can't tell when. There only appears to be normal wear and tear on them.

Vimes nods to Crayn, "Staged as a suicide. There's also the precedent involved..." and calls towards the hallway again, "Ensign Nabrun, is hanging a common means of suicide among women?" before looking at Savarna, "Let's take the PADD in as evidence then, Lieutenant. Come scan this rafter up where the rope is tied, to see if you can spot something we may have missed in our scans. Ensign Crayn, there was no sign of forced entry. Let's check the windows as a possible means of access for a possible suspect. Transfer from outside, as well as fingerprints, which are unlikely considering the gloves. But, if the gloves were left behind, whoever wore them could have touched something on their way out, so let's look anyway."

Savarna collects the note, moving over to obligingly scan the rafter.

Crayn nods and makes his way over to the windows, scanning them with the tricorder.

Savarna blinks. "No fingerprints, but spider." Tap tap. "Non-toxic. Very cute."

Nabrun considers that. "Not uncommon, but not the preferred method, no. She could have suicided...or not.

Vimes moves over to another window, scanning it with his own tri-corder for readings as he nods a little to Savarna's observation, "Thank you, Lieutenant." before considering Nabrun's input, "Ok. Let's consider what she was doing. Taking a bath, having a glass of wine. Check for a medicine cabinet and its contents, if any."

Nabrun nods to Vimes and smiles a bit. "Let me get that and then I'll get the bedroom." Before any more directives come, she heads for the medicine cabinet.

Savarna offers the PADD towards Vimes, saying, "Sir, perhaps you should read this?"

Crayn sighs and nods. "I'm going to check outside. See if I can find anything that could lead to an entrance or exit point. He makes his way out the door.

Nabrun comes out of the bathroom and moves over to the body. "Ok, time to compare fingerprints," she murmurs. "Tools, bathroom and body."

Vimes accepts the PADD from Savarna, "Why? What is it?", before looking down at it to read the contents of the alleged suicide note...

GAME: Nabrun spends a courage point.

<CONTEST> Nabrun (claiming advantage) contests her Medical Sciences (Forensics) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

<CONTEST> Savarna contests her Culture (Earth) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

<CONTEST> Nabrun contests her Computer (Research) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

Crayn makes his way back in. "Nothing out of the ordinary outside.

<CONTEST> Vimes contests his Culture (Human) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

Nabrun works on taking the fingerprint sample from the body then studies her PADD. "Hmmm. Lillian V'saille. Prints from the bathroom and tools match the victim. This is the summer home of the late Wesley Ri'hs, her first husband who was murdered by thieves. They were married since she was 19. She married husband number two the same year her husband died - Haryn Sdlez. He's 27. She and her husbands were into art collecting and she owns a local art gallery, one which is rather prestigious. They used to lend the cabin out to friends." She looks over to Vimes. "Shall I get the bedroom now, Lieutenant?"

<CONTEST> Vimes contests his Computer (Research) skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Succeeds!

Crayn thinks.. "She's 45, and her current husband is 27? And where is he?"

Vimes nods, "He's on the run. He's our suspect. He's also her son." and hands the PADD to Crayn, "Last line of the note. Direct quote from Oedipus Rex."

Crayn blinks, slowly... "Eewwww." Rather professional of him, no?

<CONTEST> Nabrun contests her Medical Sciences (Psychology) skill vs a difficulty of Challenging and Succeeds!

. o O Crayn thinks "Um.. yeah.. Something definately smells fishy in Denmark.. I wonder how the next two scenes will pan out."

Nabrun shakes her head slightly. "Lieutenant Vimes? Something doesn't add up. Normally when someone commits suicide there are signs of depression. The cabin doesn't exhibit any of the signs that you'd expect to find. It seems like she was pampering herself, which isn't something someone with suicidal ideation would really DO." She studies the woman for a time. "You're a lovely woman with at least one good marriage, a happy life, prosperity. Why would you kill yourself?"

Crayn nods, saying pretty much the same thing earlier.. "Unless she got -really- depressed over the disgusting relationship with her son?" He shrugs, not really serious.

. o O Nabrun thinks "This isn't adding up. What are we missing? We're missing -something-."

Vimes nods, "Exactly. I don't think she killed herself. I think her husband, or son, killed her, and staged it as a suicide. The bruises on her wrist.." and walks over to Nabrun, taking hold of her wrists as a demonstration, "...an act of passion during an argument. Strangling is often a murder of passion, correct? The bathing could have either happened before, or after, as an act of remorse and wanting to somehow give her some dignity before leaving."

Savarna lifts her own PADD and taps at it, expression thoughtful.

<PROVE> Savarna has the merit of Curious at 1.

<CONTEST> Savarna (claiming advantage) contests her Computer (Research) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Succeeds!

Savarna looks up, noting, "Sir, the Talyta spore originates on Flaxos." She goes back to tapping away.

. o O Crayn thinks "Great.. Those damn Flaxians are everywhere."

Nabrun starts toward the couch, head cocked to the side. "Someone's moved this," she murmurs, kneeling down next to it - cautiously.

<CONTEST> Nabrun contests her Personal Equipment (Tricorder) skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Fails!

Savarna adds, after a pause, "It's used for a variety of forensic cleaners. Someone may have obliterated evidence."

Vimes looks at the couch, eyebrow arched a little before looking at Savarna, "Alright. Run a search for any murders whose victims were named Wesley, within the last seven years. We need to identify this woman. Once we have her name, we can look for records of her current marriage, and then start tracking her current husband, and see if he's been to Flaxos recently."

Nabrun sighs quietly and eyes the couch. "I'm going to check the bedroom to see what I can find there." And off she goes.

Crayn blinks.. "We already know her name... From the prints... earlier. Lillian V'saille."

Crayn also makes his way over to the couch, to see if he can find traces of anything on the floor.. markings, perhaps he can see where it was moved -from-.

<CONTEST> Savarna contests her Computer (Research) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

Vimes ponders, "Has Haryn Sdlez been to Flaxos recently, Lieutenant Savarna? Or received anything from there?"

Savarna frowns, replying, "I can check, sir. As soon as I stop these 'Wesley' records from overrunning my system."

Crayn sighs and stands up. "It wasn't moved much. I think we're done with the physical evidence."

<CONTEST> Savarna contests her Computer (Research) skill vs a difficulty of Routine and Succeeds!

Savarna shakes her head. "Haryn Sdlez has never left the system."

Nabrun prowls around the bedroom, scanning, checking, etc. She's not pleased with what she finds, given her expression. "She was the only one here. Only her clothes were in the closet. They fit with what we know.

Vimes nods as he waits, while recruiting Crayn to help him get the woman's body down, "Ensign Nabrun, can you assist Ensign Crayn with getting an accurate reading of the woman's liver temperature, please?" and then nods to Savarna, "Fair enough. Can you run a test on that culture cleaning spore to get an approximate time of when it was released to clean up this cabin? Because, if this woman died before the spores were released, we have our conclusive proof that this was not a suicide."

Savarna nods to Vimes, and moves back towards the couch, pulling her tricorder back out.

Crayn sighs and makes his way over with Nabrun. "Would you rather hold her up, while I undo the rope, or the other way around?"

<CONTEST> Savarna contests her Personal Equipment (Tricorder) skill vs a difficulty of Moderate and Fails!

Nabrun mmms and nods and grins at Crayn. "I'll drop her," she says quietly. "Which is quite disrespectful. Why don't I climb and untie, you hold?

Savarna shakes her head. "I need someone from bio to get a clearer reading on this, sir. Are we permitted to request outside aid in this situation, or should we work around it?"

Crayn blushes and nods.. "Sorry." Jo lifts the body up, cradling it in his large arms, to help give the rope some slack, so Nabrun can undo it easily.

Vimes shakes his head, "We can keep it for further analysis at the lab. Our purpose here is to simply to gather evidence and then interpret how it relates to the crime scene. I think we've gathered about all there is. Let's take an inventory, please, starting with you, Lieutenant Savarna."

Nabrun needs to, of course, use a chair to get up there and untie the rope. She goes about this with as much alacrity as she can manage. However, once up there, she studies the knot for a minute. "We've gotten scans of this, right?" she asks.

. o O Nabrun thinks "There's something we're missing. I KNOW it. It looks like suicide, it looks like murder. Something's not right."

. o O Nabrun is frustrated.

Savarna replies, "We have a rare spore often used in forensic cleaning; a PADD with an apparently forged suicide note but only one set of fingerprints on it; a room cleaned to exquisite degrees, save for the presence of a small spider."

Vimes nods, "Ok. Ensign Nabrun, what evidence have you gathered?"

Crayn nods to Nabrun. "I scanned the rope twice. nothing extraordinary about the knot."

Nabrun pauses, teetering on the chair. "We have a 45 year old woman with no apparent signs of depression or suicidal ideation. The only fingerprints we've been getting are hers. She's on marriage #2 after her first husband was killed by thieves. She and her husband had a son who was adopted into another family. The bathroom, bedroom and this room show nothing untoward. There's no signs of a struggle. The area by the front door has been swept clean." She ticks off the facts, one by one. "She was apparently here alone. The cabin is still listed in Lilliane and Wesley's name, NOT in her new husband's name. Both Lilliane and her current husband have clean criminal records, and they're affluent."

Vimes nods slowly, "Alright. Ensign Crayn, what have you got?"

Crayn sighs.. "She's clean.. Took a bath prior. She also had a glass or two of wine. There seems to be no signs of entrance or exit from any of the openings in the cabin. She has light bruising on her wrists, she had a pair of leather gloves on her person, and the rope holding her up is utility-type. Silk, used for hauling equipment."

Vimes nods once again, "Right. And, the suicide note alludes to Oedipus Rex, which this whole story seems to be tied to. First husband killed by a son who didn't know his victim was his father, and then marries his victim's wife, not knowing she was his mother. What was his motive for killing his father though? We'll figure that out later. For now, we wrap up this crime scene and log our evidence."

The instructor appears in the middle the room, head curiously bowed towards the woman's body. A moment given for the departed, the only sign of emotion coming from this holo-character. It now pivots to face the officers. "I believe we've reached the end of this training sequence. Before I reach a conclusion, I'd like to pose this question to each of you. What else might you have done with this crime scene. First let us start with Lieutenant Savarna, then Ensign Nabrun, followed by Ensign Crayn, and lastly the Lead Investigator, Lieutenant Vimes."

Savarna offers, slowly, "I could have ensured that my tricorder was equipped with more information on forensic chmeicals, and done a more thorough initial scan for fingerpirnts."

The instructor bows its head, nodding approval. "That was possible. You've done more than most junior officers with this particular program, Lieutenant. Few have been able to locate that spore which is a vital piece to this investigation." Turning slightly, the instructor notices that Nabrun is completing a medical scan and therefore skips the officer. "Ensign Crayn. Same question."

Crayn sighs. "I really don't know what more I could've done. We scoured everything.. There really was much more we could do without any outside help. This whole case was really strange."

The instructor's head tips in agreement. "Not every case will be cut and dry at first round. Evidence is the key to any investigation and it is how and what you obtain that will determine later if the case can be solved. Many investigators re-visit the scene of the crime once evidence has been analyzed. Pardon me, Ensign Nabrun," a nod to the medical officer, "but I have a follow-up question for all to consider: What was the first piece of evidence you could have had the moment the program started?"

Crayn smirks.. "You mean, besides the suspect sitting there in a chair waiting for us?"

Vimes paces around a little, "If it was to really have been made to look like a convincing suicide, the note should have been left out in plain view for anyone to find. Other useful pieces of information from the beginning would have been a record of whom the residence belonged to, as well as who called in the finding. I have to concur with Lieutenant Savarna. If I had to re-approach the scene for the initial examination again, I would have made sure the equipment was more up to task. But, like Ensign Crayn, there's only so much we can do without risking cross-contamination of evidence, which would then jeopardize the case itself."

Nabrun considers for a moment. "The identity of the victim," she says quietly.

The instructor bobs its head, then defers last to Nabrun. "Ensign, your take on the profile of this deceased?"

Nabrun mmms softly. "Wealthy woman, married twice, seemingly happy and prosperous. Well taken care of, which indicated pride in one-self and station. No apparent suicidal ideation. She was taking care of herself, not preparing to kill herself. There may have been a struggle, but there were no obvious signs.

The instructor nods again. "There is a piece of evidence that wasn't shared with you, Ensign. Let me read the suicide note and I'll pose the question once again."

My dearest Wesley, How did it ever did it turn out this way? I hide away to return here, our place. All was like before. I walked the paths we've shared. I retreated, a place for myself. But how I am ashamed. In looking around it pains me to see what I've done to your name, to us. You've long and left me, here alone. And I was not ashamed of finding new arms to hold me in matrimony, but…the horror frightens me. How was I to know the son we gave up for adoption was the very same man I later married? I learned that today. And to learn, too, that it was this husband who happened to murder you, years ago. Thieves, I was told were responsible. I am ashamed. I join you now, Wesley. I hope you forgive me. I stand revealed at last - cursed in my birth…cursed in the lives I cut down with these hands.

Crayn sighs and shakes his head. "It was a simple suicide all along. She was preparing herself to meet her first husband."

Nabrun blinks as she hears that, then nods slowly. "That still doesn't lead to a suicide call on this one, Sir. The evidence we have doesn't fit and there are some inconsistencies. We'd need to know where Wesley is, or was, and why we found things the way we did. She'd have had to leap from the couch or chair to hang herself like that, which would show stress on the rafter or the rope, stress we didn't find. And chances are the ligature marks around her neck would have been deeper and her neck would have been snapped had there been a forceful downward motion, like a jump.

Lieutenant Reta acknowledges all with a rewarding-smile. "Congratulations. Due to your tireless devotion in acquiring evidence with what was available, in the next few months through the assistance of science, medical and security officers, this case will be linked to a series of murders. This was the latest of murders, the one closest to re-enacting moments from Oedipus Rex. As with most serials, each murder becomes more dangerous and mocks or taunts the system. We believe the quote in all the suicide notes to be the calling card of this killer. However, it wasn't by the quote only that ties this case to the string of murders. It is by the thoroughness of Lieutenant Savarna that the spore was located. This very rare spore has logged as evidence in previous convincingly looking suicides, occurring across the sectors. In researching the histories of the victims and the victim's families, each who have had no dealings with the other, all had a gambling or financial problem. We are still in the process of determining further connections on that note, yet have a theory that this killer is actually a hit man who leaves behind his calling card - the quote. Our criminal profilers believe the killer fancies himself to the play Oedipus Rex in that it was his birth or perhaps culture that led him to this path; Fate controls his killing by accepting each hit." The Lieutenant lets the officers absorb this information before pressing onward. "With what has been gathered, we're drawing closer to identifying the killer. One day, we hope, the killer will make another mistake and leave evidence to tag him. Everyone has done an efficient and outstanding performance. This class record will be forwarded to your Department Heads for review. Class dismissed."

Crayn grumbles and shakes his head, stretching. "We sucked. Savarna was the only one to pull the rabbit out of her hat. And, the only way they plan on catching the culprit is if he strikes again? That means that someone else has to die. That's unacceptable terms in my book."

Savarna blinks at Crayn's statement, expression going somewhat bland, and tucks her equipment away as she offers a nod to the 'instructor', then turns to offer the same to Vimes. "Thank you for your direction, sir."

Nabrun nods to the Instructor, a contemplative expression on her face, then runs a hand over her hair. The other hand tucks the PADD away.

Vimes claps Crayn on the shoulder, "Not necessarily. The suicide note was a diversionary tactic. If their profile is correct, and he does fancy himself as playing a role in the production, he'll step up again and they can maybe get him before someone else dies. Like the instructor said, if he has a pattern, he can be anticipated." and nods to Savarna, "Thank you, Lieutenant."

Crayn takes his padd and tricorder and places them on his belt as he heads out.. "Now to get some rest."

Crayn steps out of the holodeck.

Crayn has left.

Lieutenant Reta analyzes Crayn with a well-meant look. "Sucked, Ensign? Each of you performed with what evidence you can gather, for that I am pleased. Not every case has a solution. Sometimes, you cannot find the killer. The question each of you must pose to yourself is, did you acquire everything that you could?" The instructor regards Vimes with another nod. "Perfectly stated, Lieutenant."

Nabrun studies the instructor for a moment, smiles a little, then turns for the door.

Savarna watches Crayn's exit, and says, "It was a pleasure working with alal of you," before she trails after Naburn, tonords the exit.

Vimes nods to the instructor, "Thank you for the refresher, Lieutenant." and salutes before turning to leave the holodeck.

Savarna steps out of the holodeck.

Savarna has left.

In the future there may be another murder. There may be another missed chance. But by these officers thoroughly investigating the scene, further links were made to the serial killing. Thus does the curtain close on this last act and killer remains a mystery.