Sometimes, When You Push Someone

Posted on Wed 19th Dec, 2018 @ 4:06pm by Commander Paul Graves PsyD & Lieutenant Damion Ildaran & Lieutenant Commander Andrew Eberstark & Lieutenant Adam Keller

804 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Oblivion
Location: Intelligence Department, Interview Room 1
Timeline: At least MD-15, possibly later

The interview room in the Intelligence Department was spartan and perfectly suited to its purpose. It contained only a desk, three chairs, a trash can under the desk, and a mirror on the wall. The gray walls were completely bare, as was the darker gray carpet.

Isabella sat in the viewing portion of the interrogation room, preparing for what was about to come. One could never tell how an interrogation was going to go. She knew the office boys in Starfleet Intelligence enjoyed a long 12-hour interview session. But she never found those productive at all. She enjoyed the field interviews from her days working undercover for Starfleet Intelligence. The field was where you got down to the nitty gritty of it all.

The security chief sat down in one of the chairs in the room, her the input of a security code being entered into the wall panel. She waited to see which one of her comrades were coming to join the party.

Damion entered the room a couple of minutes later, PADD in hand. "Good to see you again, Lt. Perry," he said. "I expect the others directly. "Did you have a chance to look over the file information I sent about our perp?"

Adam tapped on the door to the room. "I see, I'm not the last one to arrive." He smiled. "I'm assuming I'm here to observe and listen in?" Adam's moderate psionic skills were often utilized when questioning witnesses and suspects as he was able to weed out lies and confusions quite easily. Sometimes he would be in the room and other times he'd be out of sight of the interview and connected with a headset to assist with the direction of the questions.

"I'd be glad to have you sit in on the interview--either of you," Damion said. He nodded at Isabella. "I'm quite sure you've done this much more often than I have."

"More times than I can remember." Isabella said as she sat up fully in the chair.

Andrew followed Adam shortly after and gave a nod to the people gathered, "Well I think at the very least we'll be able to keep her off balance during questioning."

Paul entered a moment or two after Andrew. "Sorry I'm late; one of my patients was having an emergency." He glanced at everyone else in the room. "How is this going to proceed?"

"Why don't we all have a seat," Damion suggested, "and I'll go over the basic format with you. I think pretty much everyone here is familiar with the nine steps of the process?" he asked.

Paul, as someone who didn't typically have to question malefactors, nodded. "I've done this a few times before, but usually not on the questioning end of it. My function is most often to observe emotions and body language and to suggest lines of questioning."

The Security Chief stood up from her chair and walked over to the wall closest to her and leaned against it with her arms crossed. "Before we go any further, I think we need to establish exactly what the goal of this interrogation is. Once that is determined, it will help us figure out how to proceed.

"Threat assessment," Damion said. "We need to find out how much of a threat she and/or her accomplice pose to this station. I'd like to convince her to tell me what she was communicating and to whom, but getting a truthful answer out of her is likely to take time."

"Not to mention attempting to reveal connections she has to external threats, not only to the Station but to Starfleet in the area," Andrew added, alluding to the continuing presence of the pirates in the sector.

Damion nodded at him.

"I'll know if she's lying or telling the truth." Adam interrupted. "It's why I'm here after all, isn't it?"

Damion grinned at Adam. "Yes, but I'd rather waste as little of your time as possible."

"Well, what do we have to offer her?" The security chief asked. "I mean, what does she have to gain or lose? She knows she is already screwed so...." Isabella thought for a moment and then smiled. "Do we know of any family ties that she might have? We could offer protection for them."

"Honest flattery. Or, if we can determine who put that ring on her finger and how she feels about it, that could be useful," Damion said.

"Let's do both." Isabella said as she looked at both Damion and Adam. "If we could find out if the ring is an actual sentimental object or something given to her from a criminal organization, that will help. But, I am willing to bet that there is someone out there that she cares for. We just have to find out who and where."

 

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