Editing The Sevant Murders (section)

===Puppet Master Caught, sorta===



(USS Nimitz - Corridor - Richard Collins - 2210)

Richard hummed a nameless tune as he walked the lower decks, the tune being only one of two signs that something was *far* from right. The other, for anyone who happened to be paying attention, was that his eyes kept flickering to dark corners in an endless search. In all the times he had been 'ordered' to go walking by that yellow rose, he had not once managed to spot his contact before she came up behind him. He would have suspected witchcraft if he had lived a few hundred years earlier. 

He had not given the matter overmuch thought, prying too deeply into the affairs of his contact and whomever *her* masters were didn't seem to be a healthy course of action. They already had his life in the palm of their hands, along with the life of the rest of his family. He didn't know what else they could possibly do to him or his, but he didn't want to be finding out either. 

The only warning he had that he wasn't quite alone was the small puff of breeze beside him, and a softly feminine voice that said, "Keep walking, Mr Collins."

His heart skipped a couple beats, but with surprise and with suppressed terror. It was anger that restarted his heart, and it was obedience that kept him in step with her as they continued through the lower decks. 

"You did an admirable job, considering your specialty is subspace and not special operations." that feminine voice said several moments later, as they both turned a corner. "Perhaps you missed your calling?"

"I missed nothing," he said flatly. "I did what I did out of nothing but necessity. When will you release my wife?"

"Bye and bye, in good time." was the amused reply. "We are not quite done with you yet."

"That was not the deal." came Richard's reply, through a clenched jaw. 

The woman's voice dropped several degrees, "You are not in a position to dictate to me, Mr Collins, so shut your mouth while you are ahead and listen." She stopped suddenly, and entered a door that had slid open.
"Come with me."

Rich took a deep breath, and wondered just when the Calvary was going to come a' knocking. Being in an enclosed room would do them, nor him, any favors. However, it wasn't like he had much of a choice. He stepped inside the dimly lit room, and suppressed a shudder as the door slid closed behind him. The cloaked figure stepped forward into the room and threw back her hood. Rich hissed slightly, and shook his head. The face of the person that faced him was a dead-ringer for that of his wife. The woman smiled cruelly and chuckled. "Recognize someone?"

"Amazing what constructive surgery can do, no?" he said with barely contained fury, which almost matched the pang of grief that had resounded through him at the first shock. He closed his eyes, and turned his head away. "What more do you want from me?"

The amusement in the voice, which was nothing like his wife's...
Thankfully, lost just a touch of it's amusement as she asked "Why were you picked up by Security today?"

Rich took a deep breath, this was the line he had been waiting for.
"Someone reported me being in the area of the murder." he said flatly as he looked back at her. "Stolev wanted to know if I had seen anything suspicious. I, as I reported, was clueless." He frowned, "They didn't seem suspicious of me, and he let me go after a few questions meant to make me stumble."

He shrugged, "But they let me go without a cross word, I can only assume I am not under suspicion."

She considered him for several moments with her head slightly cocked to the side. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, she said "You know what, Mr Collins, I think you are lying." 

Rich's heart skipped another beat as she moved forward gracefully, and put her hand flat on his chest. "About this, or about something else, I don't know. But, you are sweating awfully heavy to be telling the whole truth about something. I intend to find out what."

----

(USS Nimitz - Access Room - Ensign Richard Collins - 2406.03.11.2215)

"About this, or about something else, I don't know. But, you are sweating awfully heavy to be telling the whole truth about something. I intend to find out what."

Richard tapped his fingers together, in obvious indecision. She had her small hand flat on his chest, for what reason he couldn't even imagine.
"Uh..." he said, not having to feign the careful phrasing of his next words as he slowly looked down at the hand. "I can't guess what you are thinking, but killing me certainly won't help either of us."

A throaty chuckle emanated from the cowl, and she pushed it back with her free hand. "It might make me feel better, however."

"oh." What else could he say, that left little room for argument.
However, being human, he was like to try. "Uh, I didn't, haven't, erm..
Wouldn't ever deceive you, too much rides..."

"And I would imagine that if another way came about, a tempting offer that involved freeing your family in return for a full confession, that you would completely ignore it and place your trust in me, mmm?" Her grin was sadistic as she pushed Richard against the wall, and continued pushing. His chest started to ache from the pressure, panic started to fill his mind as he found it hard to get another breath. "Please...
Stop..." he wheezed

Her response was only to chuckle and push a little harder. "But, what would be the fun of..." She broke off and turned her head to the door with a snap. For half a second she completely ignored Richard, just looking at the portal. Then, without warning, she pulled her hand away from his chest. He took a ragged breath, then held it again as suddenly her female face started to melt, and her shoulders became wider.. And...


~Impossible, I'm dreaming, this is a nightmare!~

The female before him ceased to be a female, in her place was a perfect copy of himself. 

The door burst open a moment later, and she backed away suddenly, a look of panic on his/her face. "No, NO!" s/he bellowed to the entering security officers. "Its her, him... Her... IT'S A SHAPE SHIFTER!" The whole time, his/her finger was pointed at Richard. 

"Like hell!" he burst out, its her.. Him!" He sputtered as he pointed back, while looking at Stolev.