Interpretive Aid
Posted on 05 Apr 2021 @ 3:32pm by Lieutenant Theodore Winslow & A'Koja Dea - Private Investigator
Edited on on 05 Apr 2021 @ 9:51pm
Mission:
M2 - Sanctuary
Location: Promenade
Timeline: MD01 10:00
1936 words - 3.9 OF Standard Post Measure
Theodore was slumped in the corner of what was fast becoming his favourite spot for a break or a quick rest stop. It was a coffee shop that had been one of the first places to spring up once people started coming back to the base and it had the best coffee on the base. It was smooth and full flavoured, he had requested it from the replicator but it just did not taste the same.
“Lieutenant Winslow?” There was a woman wearing a suit-skirt and heels with a houndstooth jacket over a dark silk blouse, her faded strawberry blonde hair piled on her head with a stylus through the locks in a kind of intentional chaos. “Hi.” As she got his attention, a genuine grin blossomed on her face, betraying all of her hard earned smile lines. She extended a hand to shake. “A’Koja Dea. I’m here about some translation work? Commander Zahn sent me a call a couple weeks ago. I tried to respond but I never heard back. I thought I might try in person, but she doesn’t seem to be in the directory. She mentioned you in the query.”
“Yes.” Theo looked up from his coffee surprised to be spoken to politely and the hand thrust out to him to take. He instinctively took the hand and shook it gently. “Translation… Oh the Refugees” He said quickly as his brain caught up from the surprise of having his coffee interrupt. He knew exactly why she had come all the way out there. “Please sit. Commander Zahn is indisposed at the moment.” He added
“Thanks.” A’Koja slid into the chair on the other side of his table and looked around a little at the spot. “It’s a good thinking spot,” she said. “The lights are a smidge low and it’s out of the way, but there’s a good view through the window. Front and back exits.” She motioned in either direction with a small old fashioned calling card between two fingers before sliding it to him. It read: A’Koja Dea, Licensed Private Investigator.
The man raised an eyebrow that his alternative view on the cafe was brought up. Sure it was one of the reasons he liked to be there but he also really did just enjoy the coffee. One of his few vices. “I like the coffee.” He said taking the card looking at it intrigued. “License private investigator? Not what I expected. How can I help you Ms Dea?”
“More like, how can I help you? I met Commander Zahn in the Syrma System a couple years ago. I was running down a lead when we crossed paths. I guess she cross referenced my old fleet service file, saw my translation and cultural exchange experience in the Diplomatic Corps on Romulus. She tracked me back down and asked about translating some Romulan dialects for their humanitarian mission at the time. The Romulan Empire always had a much more vast array of interplanetary culture than anyone in the UFP understood. Lots of worlds in the former hegemony that have always been under represented, if at all. Now that everything’s been upended, it’s shaking out of all the creases. Zahn’s message said you guys picked up some refugees speaking something the translator isn’t sussing out completely?”
Theo nodded. That sounded just like Commander Zahn. He really hoped she got well enough soon to come back to work. “I very much did not appreciate just how much interplanetary culture that the Romulan Empire had until I met our current guests. Yes the translator really was not getting my point across that we are wanting to help. I was having to use human terms that have not been common in 700 years.” He did not mean that as the Romulan language that the refugees were using was old fashioned or obsolete but just that they did not line up enough for common ground to be found easy enough. “And even then I do not think they fully understood me.” He said sadly.
A’Koja could tell this was personal for the Security Chief and not just another case file. It was written in his eyes. “Communicating is something we often take for granted. You’ve probably already gathered from your attempts that it helps to hone in on a proper understanding using more than just words. Situations, objects, icons and images, gestures, emotions, acting it out...”
“Context is key.” He agreed. He had gathered that when he had made one of the young women cry by accident.
“What’s the demographic of your refugees?”
“Three men. Five women. Six children.” He answered with our even thinking now. He knew the demographics by heart now.
“Kids, perfect.”
“Why the children?” He wondered intrigued by how the children would be easier to learn from.
“They have early language, they don’t get tired of repetition, and they play games. I’ll learn quicker from the kids than I will from anyone else.”
Theo found himself chuckling slightly. “Well that makes perfect sense when you put it that way. Never seen that approach before.” But if it worked, it worked. “Would you like a coffee or something?” He offered as he saw the familiar waitress coming towards him.
“I’d love one, thanks.”
The waitress appeared offering an easy smile and conversation that was familiar to Theo after his many visits. He found the place relaxing, ordering two more coffees the woman disappeared to retrieve them leaving the pair alone.
“It is good coffee.” He promised. “So how quick can we start? And private investigator require payment so how much will it cost Starfleet?” He wondered knowing that whatever it would be would be approved for evidence but he at least needed to warn ahead of time.
A’Koja reached into her bag and took out a longer legal sized pad, calling up a document. “I’ve been working with Starfleet on a few occasions. Here’s something like the contract I worked out with Zahn for her translation job. We can make whatever changes you need.” She slid it over to Theo. “I can start whenever you’re ready.”
Theodore looked it over and nodded. It looked familiar to the contracts he had seen and used himself. It did not look much different, would just need adjusting for the time and hours. “How about after we have had some coffee?” He offered not wanting to get up right then and there especially with coffee coming in his direction. The waitress put both coffees down with the creamer and sugar if needed. “Please go first if you need them both.” He offered passing the PaDD back to her without comment right then and there on it all.
Without fixing it, A'Koja just lifted the mug to her lips and took a tentative sip, being mindful of the temperature. She gave a nod of approval to the strength and quality of the brew. "Good coffee holds up all on its own."
“Fair enough.” The man commented simply and set about fixing his own to his taste. It was warm and pleasant as usual. “It is. Why I come here a lot. The coffee I try from the replicator is never the same and I have tried many ways to replicate the taste.” Sometimes you could tell the difference no matter what anyone said. “So how long do we have you on the base for?”
“As long as it takes. On my way over, I was thinking about leasing an office. I have a hole in the wall I’m renting on another base out by Ferenginar, but business has been unusually good lately. Maybe it’s time to upgrade.” She sat back and looked leisurely, crossing her ankles and cusping her coffee mug. “My bread and butter now is being on retainer with a couple of corporations for legal review work. I manage the files and often can hire other PI firms abroad when there’s in person work to be done. It’s kind of a lucrative arrangement that’s finally let me get ahead of the game— I get a cut without a lot of the legwork. Can’t beat that, right?”
“Lucrative and Ferenginar used in the same sentence must be good business.” He said showing he did have some humour under it all. “Not at all. Allows for someone to follow dreams I guess.”
She took another drink of coffee. “You’re not likely to have a lot of free time, though. A station this size? Keeping the peace has got to keep you hopping.”
“Especially at the moment certainly. I hope eventually once everyone is more sure of their abilities and settled I will have more free time.” It did not bother him at all the lack of free time at all. He thrived under a bit of pressure but from Haumea to Obsidian Command he had not had much down time for year.
"What will you spend it on when you have it?"
That question made the security chief sit back and think deeply, perhaps a bit too deeply for time of day. He used to have lots of free time but he had also had a wife to spend it with. What would he do when he finally got it? “Been so long I think I might have forgotten what I used to spend my free time on.” He admitted with a bit of a chuckle. “I might need to start small.”
A’Koja smiled over the rim of her mug. “So like, whittling?” she suggested.
The man actually laughed at her suggestion and shook his head quickly. He was sure his father would approve of that suggestion but it was not something he have ever been able to when it was an option.
“I am sure I can go a bit bigger than whittling. I am not really the delicate type.” He shrugged, wiggling his fingers around his coffee mug. “What about you? What do you do with your free time outside of lucrative arrangements?”
“Springball when I can find a partner. Fencing. Reading. But mostly? People watching.”
“It is interesting. Something we have to use often in our professions.” He surmised almost offering to partner her for fencing but stopped himself. He did not know her really, maybe it would be something he could offer in the future if she stuck around. He glanced at the wrist watch he kept and frowned a bit at the time staring back at him. “I’m afraid Ms Dea I need to get back to work. Shall we say 2pm to meet the refugees?” He wondered hoping that would be enough time for her her to settle and prepare.
“Two? I’ll be there.” She downed the remainder of the coffee and put a slip on the table for her part of the bill. “Assuming ‘there’ is the Security Main Office?”
Theo pushed the slip back towards the woman with a shake of his head. “If that is where you want to meet the children but I thought maybe the Environmental Ring as you wanted to meet the children?” He wondered with a shrugged. The environmental ring was not perfectly fixed but it had a play area and the children would be a bit more likely to talk in an environment not so sterile.
“Even better.” She wagged her slip at him. “Thanks for the coffee, it was nice meeting you, Lieutenant.” A’Koja left the way she’d come.
