Whose Seeing Who, Part 2

Posted on Wed Dec 31st, 2025 @ 2:42pm by Captain Remy Johansen & Lieutenant Commander Ryan Keel & Lieutenant Commander Eirly Andersen & Ensign S'Niri
Edited on on Wed Dec 31st, 2025 @ 2:42pm

1,870 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Peril at the Unification Accords
Location: USS Astrea, Soft Interview Room
Timeline: MD 08, 1840 Hours, After Part 1

Maris' question about parties on Betazed hung in the air in an unfamiliar way.

Raising an eyebrow, unsure of where this was going, Keel then nodded. 'Once, about a decade ago. I had some shoreleave and I took the opportunity to head to see the Glowing Spires of Bren'dunn. A natural rock formation, translucent and glowing with an inner light depending on the time of year. I don't know if you've been to Betazed, S'Niri?' He glanced over at the Ferasan.

"No, sir. Not yet, anyway." S'Niri replied. She'd heard stories about Betazed and its approach to celebrations of all sorts; she'd have been lying if she ever said that she wasn't the least bit excited to experience it for herself.

'Anyway, both the Spires and the party were experiences to remember.' Adjusting himself in his chair, Keel folded one leg over the other, and rested his head against his fist and turned to focus on Maris again. 'But you were saying ... you first met the Ambassador on Betazed a good decade ago or nearabouts.'

"Yes, well. 'Business' on Betazed is usually more like pleasure, so the receptions were quite extravagant," Maris began. "T'Varel was... well for a Vulcan, she adapted to other cultures quite adeptly. She wasn't so stiff and formal as you might expect."

'T'Varel was open to other cultures? That is an unusual trait for a Vulcan,' Keel acknowledged. 'I suppose that made her a good ambassador, and affinity for other cultures. I'll assume from your inference then that T'Varel went the whole shebang and embraced as much of Betazoid culture as a Vulcan could? And that's how you formed your friendship?'

"Shebang?" Maris repeated. "I'm not familiar with this word. I wouldn't say she was as free and open as we are on Betazed, but definitely not like other Vulcan guests we've hosted."

"Tell me about this word, shebang," Maris requested with a smile. "It sounds like fun."

Flicking a glance to S'Niri, Keel returned his attention to Maris, and forced another pleasant smile. 'It's just an expression that means 'structure'. Contextually it would mean go the whole way. Which you've made clear T'Varel didn't. But that your friendship began at that party?' He could see Maris was leading them in circles, and deflecting their attention. That she was Betazoid and could pick up on his flashes of irritation was also not in doubt.

"Yes, that is when we first got to know one another," Maris said a hint of something on her face - nostalgia, maybe melancholy. "You could say we hit it off pretty well, though before this week I hadn't seen her in years."

Leaning his head in his hand as he studied Maris intently, searching for any subterfuge, Keel raised an eyebrow. 'You haven't seen her in years ... but just happened to be on Barisa at the same time as the conference? What were you here for, exactly?'

"To the planet? Just for vacation, I'm here on shore leave," Maris replied. "I was curious about the conference when I heard T'Varel would be here though."

"Perhaps we should keep to the point, ma'am." S'Niri interjected. "How can we help you?" Misdirection. This entire conversation felt like misdirection to her. Keel had done little to inform her of why exactly she was here to lend a hand so far, beyond merely sitting in on the conversation, after all.

Keel nodded his thanks.

"It seemed just from Starfleet's response you suspect foul play," Maris replied. "I thought you should know. T'Varel could be quite stubborn."

Clicking his tongue in frustration, Keel's smiled curdled a little. 'So what you'r saying, Maris, is that really, you know nothing.' He shot a glance in S'Niri's direction. 'T'Varel is stubborn, but that could describe most Vulcans. When and where do you return from shoreleave?'

"I am scheduled to return to SB 834 in three days," Maris stated soberly.

'Alright.' Keel replied after a moment's silence, his hazel eyes locking with the Betazoid's soulful coal-black ones. 'I'll inform Eight-Three-Four that you will be delayed for a while longer - just until the investigation is complete, you understand.' Reluctantly getting to his feet, Keel nodded in S'Niri's direction. 'The Ensign here will prepare suitable quarters for you, and will post a guard at the door, per standard procedure.'

He turned to Maris, apologetic, 'I suggest you may want to recall anything that may have slipped your mind today - I would gladly enter it into the record of our conversation.'

"I overheard T'Varel arguing with a security officer the morning she died," Maris told him. "It seemed quite heated. There is definitely more here than meets the eye. If I can be of any help."

Pleased that they were finally getting somewhere, Keel took his seat again, 'yes, there most certainly is,' he drawled, leaning forward and gripping the arms of the chair. 'Can you recall anything further about that conversation?'

"I just caught the end of it," Maris admitted. "I don't have much more than that, but I did get the feeling that T'Varel was being told to lay low, not have as big of a presence here, but that she wasn't having it."

'Could you ID the security officer?' Keel asked urgently. 'If we provide you with holos from the conference, you could point them out?' Anything at this point would help their investigation - the more information they had, the better, Keel felt. 'I'm sure that T'Varel would appreciate it.'

"I'm sure I could. I didn't see a rank though. I tried, but her hair was long, covering her pips," Maris said.

"The uh... argument was actually near the Ambassador's quarters," Maris admitted with some embarrassment.

Keel raised an eyebrow once more. He was sure that Maris was still not telling him something, but opted to pursue that later. 'Thank you. I'm sure Ensign S'Niri will be able to comb back through any footage and sensor pings in that area to identify the person as well, to help jog your memory. And to be clear, the officer wasn't threatening the ambassador, but warning her?'

"I believe so, but I couldn't be sure," Maris replied. "Something was... I felt like my usual telepathy. I don't go around just reading minds, Ryan. That would be impolite. But, a Betazed, we can always feel the people around us. Something was blocking that just then. I couldn't tell you what the officer or T'Varel was feeling. It was like I couldn't feel them - or anyone around me."

'So, either another telepath was interfering with your abilities, or there was some technology at work to inhibit it,' Keel frowned, 'that seemes ... very well planned. It can't have been aimed at touch-telepaths like Vulcans ... Did you tell anyone you were on your way here?' It was a long shot it was connected to Maris, there were other Betazoids at the conference, but the coincidence was telling.

"To your ship?" Maris asked. "I was never out of your sight. No, I didn't have the chance," she answered honestly.

He flashed a brief smile, 'sorry, I didn't mean to here to Astrea. I meant here to Barissa Prime in general,' Keel's expression was still thoughtful as he studied the beautiful Betazoid. 'If someone knew you were coming to Barissa, and knew about your connection to T'Varel they may have worked to prevent you from being able to access your telepathic abilities.'

"I suppose anyone could have," Maris said. "I took the Relay over for transport. My travel logs weren't secret or anything."

'Alright, thank you. I think we're actually done here for now,' Keel said getting to his feet and extending a hand to Maris. 'I'll have S'Niri escort you to some secure quarters before she heads to look at those sensor logs to see if we can't see something. We'll be in touch shortly I'm sure.'

"My things are in a hotel room on Barisa," Maris stated as she stood up. "More comfortable clothes at least. I must look a fool walking around your ship dressed like this."

Maris smiled at Ryan, her eyes glistening in the artificial light.

'I doubt you've ever looked the fool, Maris,' Keel replied lightly with the smile, noticing how her eyes caught the light. Feeling a little flutter in his chest, he coughed quickly to get over the feeling, knowing full well a Betazoid would have registered it. 'Once S'niri gets you to your quarters you'll be able to change into something less ... elegant I suppose.'

"Aren't you a charmer," Maris gushed. "I bet you get all the ladies. Or men, nonbinary?"

She then quickly turned to S'Niri intending to leave her inquiry unanswered. "It looks like you are stuck escorting me to quarters. I promise to not be any trouble for you."

"Of course, ma'am." Clearly S'Niri was not totally convinced of Maris' innocence, and it probably radiated off her like a cactus' thorns - but she stood with a flick of her tail anyway. Her duty first, her own distaste later. "This way." She gestured to the door with a paw.

A little flustered with Maris' rhetorical question, Keel could only nod at her retreating back, and muster a weak, 'we'll catch up with you if there are any developments.'

He took a moment or two to compose himself, then tapped his commbadge. 'Keel to Andersen.'

Eirly had known there was an interrogation of Maris happening, but she hadn't been able to get down to the interview room due to a few other things having popped up, but wanted to be there, so was relieved when the commbadge call came through.

Tapping the commbadge, she spoke, "Andersen here, what can I do for you, Commander?"

'We took on an ... interesting friend of Ambassador T'Varel's. She was a witness to an argument or intense conversation involving the Ambassador.' He ran down their conversation. 'That will all be in the report, of course. I've just had S'Niri take her to secure quarters while we chase down any surveillance from the area.'

"Thank you for the update, Commander, I look forward to reading the report." Eirly replied. "Let me know when you have any leads on surveillance and I'll make sure I'm available and can allocate resources to it if needed." Even though she was no longer Security Chief, she still had some pull in a few things.

'Thanks, Commander,' Keel said with relief as he sunk back into the chair for a moment to collect his thoughts. Threads and connections were unravelling in his mind as he went back over the conversation with Maris, and he wondered what the rest of the crew were finding.

---

Lieutenant Ryan Keel
Chief of Diplomatic Intelligence
USS Astrea


&

Lt. Commander Eirly Andersen
Second Officer
USS Astrea


&

Captain Remira Johansen as Maris

 

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