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" Questions "
(Previous Post was Francois' "The Game's Afoot")
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Setting: VALLA ROYAL, Infirmary
Stardate: 63076.2000

The young woman stood silently by the deformed shape of what had once been an attractive and joyous girl… a person who had made the best of what life had thrown at her and still found it within her to smile.  No one deserved to die the way that she had… to have every shred of dignity stripped from her and to be left broken and unrecognizable.

With gloved hands the once Federation CMO reached into the mass of organic matter and carefully retrieved a small bracelet… a gift that Kamlia had received from an admirer whom the Dabo girl had never stopped talking about despite him having broken her heart.  That small piece of jewelry held the meaning of the universe for the now dead woman who could see the good in anything she laid her eyes upon.  Gentleness and forgiveness had been only two of the countless other qualities that this woman had… qualities that had left her open to being used… abused… and murdered.

"Why?" Rikar ever so softly whispered, the simple question unanswered question help the entire weight of the universe in its silence.  The young woman knew the universe to be cruel and unforgiving, but there had always been reasons for it all, or at least that is what she made herself believe.

The VALLA ROYAL's administration had done well to keeping this unfortunate story from reaching the general public.  Most of the patrons had been happy to carry on with their daily business and pleasures, and the few that had noticed the Dabo girl's sudden disappearance had been reassured that all had been well.  The troubled redhead had not believed them for an instant and now she vowed to get to the bottom of this… one way or another.

"Excuse me, Miss," one of the station's medical staff said as they walked into the examination room to find someone standing over the mutilated corpse, "Can I help you?"

"I'm Doctor Alexandria," the young woman offered without hesitation, the alias having been established long ago to facilitate investigations such as this one.  "I was asked by the Pythron Ambassador to insure that there were no contagions harmful to his people.  He was less than satisfied with the reassurances that he received when news of this *event* reached him," the redheaded woman calmly, yet forcefully explained falling into the role of a concerned Federation CMO with the greatest of ease.

"There has been no official announcement made in regards to this case," the man cautiously countered with, not daring to go head-to-head with someone displaying the colors and apparent knowledge of a genuine Starfleet Doctor.

"Do you truly believe that Ambassador Gerran would not become aware of something like *this*?" Rikar challenged, faking insult for both her and the Ambassador as she pointed an accusatory finger at what remained of Kamlia.  "The moment he was alerted to a potential threat, he feared for the wellbeing of his son whom he knew to have been *involved* with a Dabo girl earlier that same day.  I was asked, as a personal favor, to investigate and report directly back to him," the redhead paused before she continued, this time in a far friendlier and accommodating voice.  "Now I could make this a public statement and have a copy of my findings and report sent to the station's Administration as well as the local media so as to reassure the public… *OR* you can let me finish here and report to the Ambassador without this becoming general knowledge."

It was clear to see that the majority of the VALLA ROYAL's medical staff had never been trained to deal with such sensitive situations, and given the option presented to the simple medical worker; the choice had been an all too simple one.  Without saying another word the man left with all due haste hoping that none of this would be mentioned in any way, shape or form.

The young woman sighed and turned back to gaze upon the broken form of the Dabo girl, the small bracelet that belonged to Kamlia firmly in the grieving Doctor's grasp.  "I won't let them forget about this… forget about you," Rikar softly whispered, anger and sadness mixed in her trembling voice.  "I will find out who did this and force them to explain to me *why* they did it… only then will I allow them to share the fate they so brutally handed to you."

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Sabrina Jones

Samantha Rikar
Dabo Girl
VALLA ROYAL

Once known as…

Captain Sabrina Rikar
Commanding Officer
USS ANUBIS, NCC-18501