Security - Keith R. A. DeCandido [17]
Pibroch City, Izar
TEN YEARS AGO
O fficer Christine Vale stared at her reflection and decided she hated her hair.
Oh, this is good. You’re facing the first double homicide in the planet’s history, you’re about to spend the day with the most intimidating woman you’ve ever met, the bosses, the government, and Starfleet Command are all going to be taking up residence in your posterior, and you’re thinking about your hair ? Get with it, Christine!
The voice in her head sounded distressingly like her mother, especially since Mom hated when frivolity got in the way of the work.
That, of course, didn’t change the fact that Vale hated her hair. She hated the color and hated the length.
As she exited the cramped one-person bathroom that was apparently the best the government could provide for the main Peace Officer Headquarters in Pibroch City, she wondered what color she could try next. And maybe I’ll cut it shorter.
That thought got pushed to the back of her head when she bumped into Soon-Li Kim. Her fellow detective was practically rolling her eyes. “That Starfleeter’s here.”
Vale blinked and double-checked the chronometer on the wall. “She’s early.”
“You know how they are about promptness.” This time Soon-Li really did roll her eyes. “That one’s pretty typical—probably spits and polishes her socks.”
Snorting, Vale tried to picture the uptight blonde she met yesterday performing that rather absurd action. To her lack of surprise, the image took.
Soon-Li wasn’t finished. “We really should be able to do this on our own—I mean, you start bringing Starfleet into this, and everything becomes a major to-do.”
That prompted another snort. “It already is a major to-do. We’ve got two dead bodies, and not a shred of useful evidence. Besides, this is Starfleet. They deal with crazy stuff that doesn’t make sense on a weekly basis.”
“I guess.” Soon-Li turned and looked back at the detective office where she, Vale, Johannsen, and Malvolia did their work, and where Vale assumed Corsi was waiting. “Still, I don’t like it, I don’t like Starfleet, and I don’t like her.”
“Nobody’s asking you to.” Vale didn’t add that she didn’t like the situation or Corsi much either. She did like Starfleet, had always admired the work they did. There were times when she had thought about going to the Academy instead of following in her mother’s footsteps.
Right, and then have the whole family disown me. That’ll happen. Vale knew that her becoming anything other than an Izarian peace officer would devastate her mother. Never mind the fact that Starfleet security looked a lot more challenging…
She went on to the office, while Soon-Li continued to wherever she was going. Probably checking into that missing persons case. Can’t have the rest of law enforcement grind to a halt just because two people died.
Expecting the same stick-up-her-ass officer she’d met on the Roosevelt the previous day, Vale was surprised to see a much more pleasant-looking person standing in the stuffy office that she shared with the other three detectives. Where yesterday, Corsi looked like she’d rather be cleaning the waste extractor with her tongue than take on this duty, today she looked—well, happy.
“Lieutenant, good to see you.”
Corsi turned and faced Vale. The lieutenant was a lot taller than the young officer; Vale was used to that, as most people were taller than her. However, this one, she noted, used her height to her advantage. She didn’t just stand, she loomed.
“Is it always this hot in here?” Corsi asked.
Vale couldn’t help but smile. “Little different from the arctic tundra in your CO’s office?”
Corsi smiled right back. “Actually, it’s a nice change.”
“Let me show you what we’ve got.” Vale walked over to her desk and took a seat, indicating the guest seat for Corsi. She called up the records on the two homicides.
Or, rather, tried to. After banging the side of the comm unit, the records actually came up. “Sorry,” she said sheepishly. “This thing hasn’t been upgraded since Praxis exploded.”
“Really?” Corsi’s eyes widened.
“Well, no,” Vale said