A Disaster for Someone

Posted on Thu 21st Dec, 2017 @ 7:47am by Lieutenant JG Kellian Michaels & Purulence Addams
Edited on on Mon 2nd Dec, 2019 @ 12:02am

779 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: A Phaser as Deadly as a Candlestick
Location: Security Department, Deck 574
Timeline: The day after the Halloween party

Despite what she had told Ischemia earlier in the day, Purulence almost wished Thing could have gone with her to Security to hold her hand. Imagining the reaction to that was enough to make her snicker softly. She had had few dealings with the police, but she had noted that, while they were often kind, they also tended to lack a sense of humor about certain things--Thing being one of them.

She stepped out of the lift on deck 574 and followed the directional signs to Security. It wasn't difficult; the place took up at least half a deck, if not more.
Purulence stepped inside the Plexiglas doors into a large room filled with security personnel seated at computer workstations in cubicles. She clutched her portfolio case handle, straightened her shoulders, and went to the receptionist's desk.

"Hello. My name is Purulence Addams. I'm here to report a--" She paused for a moment, recalling what Ischemia had advised. "--a missing person. Is there someone I could speak to, please?"

The petty officer at the front desk gave Purulence an odd look when she gave her name, but Purulence was used to that. "Has this person been gone for 24 hours?"

"Yes," Purulence lied. The little that she did know about police procedure included the fact that they wouldn't even begin to declare someone missing unless the person had been gone for a day.

"All right, then, Ms. Addams. Let me see if PO Morgan can help you. You can have a seat over there," the petty officer said, gesturing to a row of four chairs in the lobby. Purulence sat down in one to wait as the petty officer activated her combadge.

Surprisingly, it didn't take long for someone to call for her. "Ms., uh, Piralince Addams?"

"Pure-ru-lence," Purulence enunciated slowly, "the noun describing an effusion of pus."

The security officer, who must be Morgan, gave her a baffled look, which he hastily concealed by making his expression neutral and extending his hand. "I'm Petty Officer Morgan. Come with me, please, and tell me about the person who's missing."

Purulence shook the man's hand and followed him to one of the workstations, where the two of them sat. Morgan opened a form on his computer. He typed Purulence's name and glanced at her. "Are you related to the Chief Medical Officer here?" Purulence nodded.

"Two d's, then," Morgan muttered and added one. "I'll also need your address and date of birth."

"0001 Cemetery Lane, Manhattan, New York 10024, Earth. I was born on December 21, 2356. But I'm visiting my sister and staying at her house on Deck 1554, Queen Anne Villas."

Morgan entered everything and then looked back at Purulence. "So, who is the missing person?"

"I don't actually know his name," Purulence said.

Morgan raised an eyebrow. "You don't know--okayyy. If you don't even know his name, how do you know he's missing?"

"Oh, he is very definitely not where he's supposed to be," Purulence said, "certainly not where he intended to be, today."

Morgan gave Purulence a sidelong glance and changed tactics. "How old is he?"

"I would say mid-to late twenties, to early thirties at the oldest."

Morgan frowned. "So you don't know his name or his age. Not a child, though; that's a relief. How do you know him? What's his profession?"

Purulence bit her lip. "I believe he--is involved in some sort of illicit activity, but again, I don't know what. He work--s for a well-endowed woman who has two other employees besides the missing man."

Morgan shot a swift glance at Purulence's chest and leaned his head to one side. "Does he work for you?"

"Me?" Purulence gave the security officer a confused look. "Of course not. if he worked for me, I'd know who he w--is."

Morgan's expression was growing more and more baffled. "Do you have a photograph of this man?"

"Thought you'd never ask," Purulence said. "No photographs, but I do have sketches." She unzipped her portfolio case and pulled out her sketchpad. She flipped through it until she came to the two most recent sketches and opened the pad to the page showing the cocky man's face. "This is he."

Morgan's eyes widened, and his face went still. Then he tapped his combadge. "Morgan to Michaels."

"Michaels here," came the voice from the combadge.

"Sir, I have a witness for our John Doe. Could we meet in the Chief's office, please?"

Continued here.

Purulence Addams (NPC)
Portrait Artist

Lt(jg) Kellian Michaels (NPC)
Acting Security Chief

PO1 Morgan (NPC)
Security Crewman

 

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