Hans nods firmly
"Here's hoping,but if you do have need of any medical or forensic assistance,the medway is always willing to help...as am I,I'm not fond of traitors,especially when they conspire to commit mass murder."

Hans comes to attention and if the detective has nothing else to add walks out.

Medical==>

 ( message)

  hey, LT... was  talking to Yuri a bit ago, we talked  about the whole, bad guys escaping thing?....  I broguht up...if we have  any kinda  time stamp, as to when the   Shuttle left the ship... and we Plot  a sphere... we   should get  an Idea  where they may have went?..Now?.. id there's a planet in that area..well.. we might havfta  tell the Captain?... if they had a ship to go to?..we won't ever find them...anyway? I know you have  yer hands  full.. Just wanted to drop that on  ya, in case it  will help.... G'day...

   After Hans left, Maxwell took a minute to enter Kray's message into the case file.  She then logged in the new DNA reports and secured the chip in the evidence locker.  Jen then went back to her supply requisition e-form.

Incoming message to Lieutenant Jennifer Maxwell...


This message was last edited by the player at 01:03, Thu 25 May 2017.

   Maxwell hadn't expect the drones to be ready this quickly.  It might be about time to go see the Captain.

Message to Micaela Nieves:

   "Conduct initial feasibility testing using one drone in unoccupied areas of the ship.  Keep records of signal interference and any other problem that might impact a larger deployment.  Once we have those results, I can take them to the Captain for approval for full scale implementation."

Message Ends

   Pvt. Ramirez and Pvt. LeBeau arrived a few minutes later with their bags and baggage.  Maxwell showed them to their assigned rooms.  As she was showing them to their bunks, she explained the unit area's layout.  "We have several twenty-four/ seven missions.  We are set up to be a self contained unit of fifty people, once all the slots are filled."

   "The unit consists of four squads, three patrol squads and a headquarters element that is also responsible for operating the brig.  Ramirez, you are in SQ42, assigned to the headquarters squad.  LeBeau, you are in SQ43, also assigned to the headquarters squad.  These are two person rooms which you will be sharing, once we get additional people.  Drop off your stuff and I'll give you the nickle tour."

   As they walked, she pointed out the unit's admin area "Here is unit supply, the admin office, and the unit armory.", the dayroom section "There's physical games like pool, ping pong and air hockey, an electronic games area, and a video room." and the snack bar.  "It's not the mess hall, but it will be a place to get a bite to eat that's always open, once we're operational."

   Maxwell smiled.  "And speaking of food, I'll mind the store while you two go and grab something to eat.  After lunch, report back to me for your initial duty assignments.  If you have no questions, report back here in an hour."

   Once the two Privates had left, Jen composed a message on one of the few terminals attached to the Margo Polo's systems.  The message read:

   Security is currently conducting tests in underutilized sections of the ship to test the feasibility of using drones as remotely piloted security observation craft.

   She sent the message to Major Ascott, then started a fresh pot of coffee to brew.

A message from major Ascott quickly finds its way back to Jennifer.

Understood. I wiĺl be sure to inform all staff. Please try to keep these tests to unpopulated areas for now, and if you have the time come and see me in cargo hold 4. Major A.

   Jen looked around.  At the moment she had nothing but time.  She left a note for her two people to mind the reception area while she was gone and to call her if anything happened.  Jen looked wistfully at the still brewing coffee pot, then left to see the Major.


To the Cargo Hold:

Blake walks in to the security office, tensing up and trying to look at least businesslike as he walks through the door.

"I'm here to see Lieutenant Maxwell", he says to no-one in particular.

"Oh well, I'll wait"

Lets see - it takes 15 minutes to walk here counting lift time - why are the lifts so slow, who got the contract to build them?

Blake starts looking around for a terminal to interface with, mostly because not doing so itches.

   As Blake starts looking around for a terminal, two men in black jumpsuits entered the security section.  One of them sat at the reception desk.  The other one approached Blake.  "May I help you, Sir?"

"I'm looking for Lieutenant Maxwell. Although I could also do with a terminal, I've had a really great idea."

   Pvt. Ramirez looked at the visitor.  "May I help you, Sir?  The Lieutenant is away from her desk at the moment.  You are welcome to use one of our terminals, just log in using your section issued identification code and password."

"Okay, thanks."

Blake finds a terminal, and starts looking for any follow up information on the US colony on alpha centurai.

The US colony on Proximo Centauri baffled the world, as nobody knew there was even a colony vessel made by the USA at that time, let alone that it had been launched and established a colony.
The colony started out with only three inhabitants. Not untill 2046 did a bigger number of people claim their home there. Most of them were survivors of a colony ship drifing through Centauri space. It is thought, but not confirmed, they came from CS-6 Vasco daGama.

Realising that finding evidence of a cia black operation at this remove is very difficult, Blake thinks for a while, staring at the screen without doing much. The screen goes into sleep mode a couple of times while he thinking, he just taps something to bring it out.

Blake looks for the last modification dates of the personnel files. Ideally, he'd like a last modification date later than any of the others, although in theory he'd want something lacking in specifics. "Marco, could I ask you to give me you opinion on something? I need to check whether any of these personnel files are anomalous. Should I just ask you, or would I need to interface with a library for machine learning? Hopefully there should be something pre-trained on file."

Please define your anomaly and search parameters Blake.

"I'm looking for any individuals where the only verification we have for their identity is from the United States."

As all crew members are verified by their respective countries only, I have 312 people on file  that come from the United States. 7 of those have been verified as coming from the Republic of American States, that had been declared three weeks before we left. Three of them are no longer on board, one is deceased. Of the others two are still in cryo. The last, Colt Jordan, is currently in the gym. Have a nice day Blake.

From:  Cargo Hold

   Maxwell entered the Security Area with the two electronic devices.  She saw Blake sitting at one of the terminals linked to the ship.  He appeared to be busy.  She addressed the Sec Man on duty at the reception desk.  "I'll be back in a couple of minutes.  I need to put these away for a little while."

   Jen logged the two pieces of evidence into the system. then secured the two electronic devices in the evidence locker.  Once that was accomplished, the Lieutenant went back to the reception area to check the shift log.  She learned that nothing had happened while she was gone.  As a security officer, she liked nothing to happen.

   Maxwell approached Blake.  "On which project are you working?"

Blake looks up from his terminal.
"Hi. I'm looking for more information on the hijackings. I had the theory that they were connected to the colony announced by the US President, and that this might have been an effort by an intelligence group."

Blake pauses for breath.

"The infiltration and suborning of the mission to alpha centauri would seem to be a difficult endeavour, which would seem to argue for a high skill group, perhaps the CIA. Unfortunately, I think discovering more about a CIA black op that happened over a century ago is probably very difficult. "

Blake gestures at the screen.

"I certainly haven't been getting anywhere."

   Maxwell shrugged.  "There might not be much more to find on a trail that has been cold for a hundred years.  Let me know what you find."  She went back into the Security Section to access a stand alone machine to see what was on the two electronic devices from the storage locker.

Deciding to try a different tack, Blake checks for evidence of an explosion from the fusion rods using the ships sensors. Some of the sensors will be logged for a long time, others will not, so this is not a high probability of success.

The search would be around the time the dropship left, up to the range at which whatever sensors are still logged would find an explosion of the type generated by a fusion rod.

Working the data stored in the AI Blake soon discovers traces of a fusion usage. However, they are too faint to be caused by a fusion explosion, but would rather indicate that a fusion plant has been activated about a week after CS-8 was sent on its way. The traces come from a planet in the Proxima Centauri system, very near Alpha Centauri.

Jennifer processes the storage devices, having no trouble accessing the first one. It's a data projector, filled with pictures. The first one is of a man and woman and what can be assumed to be their child. They are dressed in clothing befitting a bride and groom, staring lovingly in each other's eyes.
Jennifer immediately recognises the man. He is the one that was shot on the bridge. He seems younger in his wedding picture, but it is certainly him.
Flicking through the data Maxwell soon finds out that it is all pictures on there. Pictures of a loving family. Pictures of the man signing a contract, of him graduating MIT, of him posing in front of the Applesoft building. Then, numerous pictures his wife and their child. Through the pictures Jennifer can see the toddler grow up, discover the world. Some movies are on there. The son's first steps, his first school day.
Then, a movie of the wife, in the hospital, her head covered by a scarf. She has become bald. Whispered words between the couple. They clearly love each other dearly.
The last picture on the storage device is of the man's wife in the hospital bed, hooked up to several machines. She looks to be asleep.

The second device is a personal dataslate. It is locked.