Episode 2.02: Rivulets of Copper, Eyes Aflame

[Renny]

OOC: I guess the next question to ask then, given that it seems unlikely that the weapon has been accessed by anyone else in the timeframe, can it be analysed to see whether it can be confirmed as the murder weapon?

[Nolmir]

Note that, thanks to Tobin's Studious talent, he can ask an additional question.

OOC: Oh yeah, I always forget about that. I can't think of any at the moment, but I'm open to suggestions if anyone has ideas.

[Davy, aka GM]

OOC: Acknowledging spending 1 Momentum to Create Opportunity.

Sorak 3 Successes vs. Difficulty 3. Success! Clearly Sorak retained something from his many discussions with Garav over the years.

It is interesting what one retains from seemingly innocuous conversations. Sorak recalls a discussion he had with Garav before the latter's departure from Starfleet, regarding craftsmanship vs. manufacturing. As it often is with the Andorian security specialist, weapons were brought up, and he described the difference between mass produced advanced energy weapons vs. the handmade weapons of sport and war on Andoria.

In it, he talked about individual time and effort, and, using his hrisal and scabbard as a physical example, began the intricate decorative work of tying his blade down for peace. It was an exquisite process, to be sure, one Sorak appreciated not only for the aesthetic result, but for the ritual behind the practice. Garav described it as the concept of peace as "the elegant solution, requiring greater alacrity and flexibility. And, yet, that elegance is stronger than an Andorian's will to wage war."

Yes, anyone could learn how to tie down a hrisal for peace, but only an Andorian who believes in the elegance of peace would craft a knot so beautifully. Nothing in the tie was done hastily. Nothing in the tie was done sloppily. Sorak holds little doubt that this is Thadis' work.

OOC: Cole's question could be asked as Tobin's free Studious Obtain Information question. The tricorder scan (combined with the information on the wounds that T'Kiri has immediate access to) would have shed some light on it. Nolmir, if you're okay with that?

Current
Momentum 3
Threat 10

[Nolmir]

OOC: Yes, that sounds good to me Davy!

[Davy, aka GM]

As it's becoming clear to Cole that the weapon couldn't have been accessed by anyone other than Thadis since the ship's arrival over Vulcan, he wonders aloud if they're able to confirm or rule out the hrisal as the murder weapon. Tobin responds affirmatively and, comparing his scans of the weapon with available forensic data T'Kiri provides for each of the first five victims' wounds (data isn't available for the two bodies discovered today), he can reasonably state that there's only a 38 percent chance that a traditional hrisal like Thadis' caused any single one of them, and only a six percent chance that it caused all of them. Whatever killed these Vulcans was similar to an Andorian sword, but likely denser and probably slightly broader.

[Patrick Goodman]

Treyva leaned back against a lab table and crossed his arms across his chest. "Not enough to exonerate Thadis," he said flatly. "We know that's not the murder weapon, but the only thing I see that telling us is that the lieutenant isn't stupid."

[Davy, aka GM]

"But, it is a result," T'Kiri adds. "One that allows us to close an avenue of inquiry."

OOC: Anything else you want to check out while you're aboard the ship?

Just a note that this is, technically, the same "day" as the end of each of your vignettes. This means Tobin has had a long day (since he went from an evening event to midday when he returned to meet the others).

Other avenues of inquiry, actions that can be taken (in no particular order):
1. Tobin promised to contact T'Vaana-Sath on Thadis' behalf. (He also promised to contact T'Kalla tomorrow.)
2. Asha will hold Treyva to dinner tonight.
3. Investigate Thadis' whereabouts for each of the murders. You folks know that he was sighted in the vicinity of five: One at the GolanKorsta mine, two at the eremology research station, and two in Ta'Vistar's shopping district.
4. Interview others known to be in proximity to the where the bodies were found.
5. Investigate ties between the now-seven victims.
6. Investigate the scenes of the crime/bodies.
7. Any other avenues of inquiry you folks would like to pursue.

You folks can split up to perform these tasks, as well, and we can run the scenes concurrently.

On a side note: Since Thadis is central to the plot, he will not count against your Crew Support limit until he is exonerated and performs a task in a scene after.

[Patrick Goodman]

He nodded. "That's true," he said. Turning to face the investigator, he asked, "T'Kiri, do we know any commonalities that the victims shared? Hobbies, acquaintances, that sort of thing?"

[Nolmir]

OOC: Ha, yeah Tobin's going to be dog tired before this is all over. 

After contacting T'Vaana-Sath, Tobin will want to check out the physical evidence (crime scenes/bodies).

[Davy, aka GM]

"Some investigation along that line has occurred, but, once your Mr. Thadis became the primary target, motive became less important than tying him physically to the earlier murders," she admits. "We will likely be breaking new ground in that respect."

Looking through her notes, she adds, "On the surface, they appear rather diverse. A priest of tuSurak, an economics official with the Federation mission, a geostatistician with the Vulcan Science Academy, a VDF shuttle pilot, a research eremologist, a juvenile academy administrator, and a retired V'Kor investigator. There has been little in the way of a concerted attempt to corollate their profiles and find potential connections."

[Patrick Goodman]

"Interesting choice of words," he said. "To call him a target rather than a suspect. Why are certain elements of the V'Kor so eager to make Thadis the scapegoat for these murders? Such a rush to judgment doesn't seem logical to me."

[Davy, aka GM]

"As much as we deceive ourselves otherwise, Captain, Vulcans are fallible in both logic and judgment," T'Kiri responds with a slight smile. The smile fades as she continues, "The extremity of violence in the murders leads them to believe there is no possibility that a Vulcan could conceive of, let alone perpetrate, such acts. That they eschew to investigate motive in these murders, even as 'the whole cloth' of the circumstantial evidence against Mr. Thadis warrants our interest in his proximity to several scenes, is equally illogical and serves to delay identifying and apprehending the killer and protecting potential future victims.

"Therefore, I have concluded that Mr. Thadis is, indeed, a target, and not a mere suspect or 'person of interest.'"

[Doug Burke]

Sorak listens to his wife's words and nods in agreement. Then,  a thought occurs to him.

"Are any of the victims associated in any way with the Sas-A-Shar Institute?"

[Davy, aka GM]

T'Kiri raises an eyebrow at her mate. "Yes. Verrin, a research eremologist at one of their remote stations. His body was discovered this morning, having been laid over the body of Subaltern T'Syra, the shuttle pilot who conveyed Thadis to the station on the day both she and Verrin were last seen alive."

[Doug Burke]

The engineer raises an eyebrow. "Intriguing. At dinner, Storvant was describing an issue he was investigsting at the Institute. Specifically anomalous emissions from one of their research stations. The emissions were artificially created. He and his team couldn't think of why someone would do such a thing." He looked to Treyva as he spoke. "I wonder if that research station is the one Verrin was assigned to, and how these two events might be connected."