Getting Answers

Posted on Fri Oct 17th, 2025 @ 2:24pm by Lieutenant Commander Deanna Celes & Commander Jonathan Grayson & Lieutenant JG Kate Kono & Chief Petty Officer Aaron Geiger

2,072 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Wild Wild West
Location: Planet - Durango City

Deanna looked around the saloon, the shock of the gunfight seemingly wearing off of the onlookers. She quickly looked over at Aaron and Kate, "Get her out of here Aaron. Jon and I will have to remain, talk to the local constable."

She looked to Jon, "That was some fancy shooting. You almost looked like you were enjoying yourself" she said with a smile.

Jon looked at the downed desperados and then back at Deanna, His face carefully neutral though he knew Deanna could scan and know his true feelings which wasn't necessary as she knew him too well. "Why thank you Deanna, your shooting was also quite fancy. As for enjoying myself, I'm surprised at you when you say almost."

Kate rose to her full height of laughably not-much, methodically brushing the sawdust from her shirt and pants, her eyes never leaving Deanna's face. The muscles in her jaw tightened visibly beneath her skin.

"I understand that I look like a kid. It’s the Asian in me, but I am not a child to be sheltered," she said, her voice low and controlled, yet edged with steel. "I am the Chief Intelligence Officer, and I have earned my place among you, same as any. When danger comes, I will face it alongside on an equal slate as any other person of associated rank, not cower in some distant sanctuary just because I’m not quite five feet tall." Her hand instinctively moved to rest on the buckle of her belt, balled into a fist, knuckles whitening slightly. “If I was 180 centimeters tall, you wouldn’t be constantly treating me like I belong in daycare.” She made sure to say it loud enough to make her point but too low for the locals to gather anything too telling from the conversation. The only thing anyone could easily make out was that Kate was royally pissed at Deanna for her constant parenting with ill-regard to her rank and actual age.

Jon looked at her "Are you through? I'm sorry you feel you think we're sheltering you Kate, treating you like you are in daycare. I can assure you that isn't the reason. You are a valuable member of this team and as such we don't want anything to happen to you and do you think you could have handled three, four grown men with ill intentions toward you?" Jon's voice never rose; it was calm, cool conversational. "Neither I nor Deanna was willing to take that chance and find out. If you wish to file a complaint you can do so when we get back to the office."

Deanna looked past Kate at the wall just past where Kate had been standing before she had been tossed through the door. "If I'm not mistaken, you were standing here when I tossed you. And based on the height of this bullet hole, I managed to keep your head from having a rather abrupt meeting with a bullet. But by all means, continue whining like first year cadet if it helps." She looked to Aaron, "Get her out of here. She isn't safe at the moment. And we don't need to antagonize anyone else at the moment."

Rushing towards the saloon, pushing past the growing crowd, was the local law enforcement, a trio of men with shiny silver stars on their chests.

Jon glanced at Deanna and then the three local law officers. "Gentlemen." He said simply.

Kate had more retorts for Deanna but they didn't have time. Yes, Deanna had saved her life, but her continued dismissal of her rank and standing was unwavering and Deanna continued to use the action of saving her life as if it were some sort of currency to treat Kate like she couldn't be spoken to directly like a member of the team. Nevertheless, it was not the time to argue even if Kate was right.

The mere fact that Kate knew that this wasn't the time should have reflected her judgement as more sound than Deannas even though Deannas actions were improperly motivated. Kate only hoped that others' could take what Kate had already said under consideration because it couldn't be addressed at the moment anyway.

Kate discreetly grabbed the paper she put onto the table and repocketed the leaflet. When the deputies walked in, Kate smiled happily and waved at them. She wondered if telling the constabulary that it was a couple of innocent desk-pops would suffice.

Aaron followed Kate outside quietly, nodding at the deputies but otherwise not acting like anything was out of the ordinary. As the doors swung behind them and they stepped into the dirt street he turned to Kate. "Well, why don't we go secure some rooms and see what the hotel has that passes for a good meal?" The Chief didn't know her, or anyone on board that well yet, however these things happened. A good noncom knew when to keep things moving, the personal details would shake themselves out eventually.

"Alright, tell me what is going on here?" the large man with a badge that read "sheriff" asked.

"Barton and his boys opened fire at these folks as they were leaving, and these two returned fire, may have actually killed them. Need the doc to be sure" the bartender answered.

"Well, that is at least an answer. Thank you Clancey." He looked at Jon and Deanna, "Don't know you two. You passing through?'

Deanna started to read the sheriff's mind, along with anyone else that she thought might have useful information at this moment. It was the best way to gather intel quickly, just in case they had to expound beyond the base cover story.

"Yes sheriff, just passing through came in on the train. Just in having a drink and minding our own business, when someone began shooting at us," Jon answered honestly if not simply.

"Sounds like self-defense. I am afraid though that if it was Barton and his moron gang, you've made yourself an enemy around here. His brother isn't the forgiving type, and he is a much better shot. You mentioned coming in on the train. Whereabouts you come in from, and what sort of business?"

Deanna didn't have to be a telepathic to know the attempt to get information from this sheriff. "We were up at the capital. Seems like we live there as of late. First time here in Durango. It was nice, until this incident. But we've both seen plenty and worse out near the Wastelands."

"Wastelands? I didn't realize you two were agents."

"It would be best if nobody else was made aware of that" Deanna whispered, giving the sheriff a look.

"Understood ma'am." He gave a chuckle. "Of all the people to start a ruckus with...Barton picks a couple agents."

Kate just watched as they all talked. Something about some guy named Bart wanting them all to do more than just eat his shorts, and for seemingly no reason but a whim. It truly was the wild sector in this part of the stars where West didn't even technically exist. But at least they had a cool dog. Agents? Agents of what?

Jon stood silently as Deanna and the sheriff spoke. He would follow her lead and get more information when they were alone. However it seemed they were agents and that carried a large degree of respect and hopefully a lot of latitude in being able to move about without being questioned.

Kate leaned back and crosses her arms while eyeing Jon.
"Mmmm..."Kate nodded to herself more than Jon as she appraised his looks. "Yeah, I could see you as a double-oh'-seven..."

The deputy that had gone back to check on the likely deceased folks called from across the room, "Two dead sheriff, but Barton is here bleeding with a hole in his shoulder!"

Deanna heard the information and shook her head. Of all the rotten luck. "I assume you'll be arresting him. Perhaps I might be allowed to ask him a question or two before you take him away" she offered with a smile.

"Seems like the least I can do for you, if you don't mind talking with him. Keep in mind, he isn't generally the most cooperative" the sheriff replied.

Deanna looked to Jon. "We can get answers from him."

Kate watched as two deputies carried Barton out of the Saloon. She too, as the intelligence officer couldn't wait to interview him. She waved happily at Barton, the man that almost killed her if it weren't for Deanna shoving her out of the way of his bullet.

"Hello! Nice to meet you. Oh, you look like you need an aspirin." Kate looked at the bleeding hole in his shoulder as they passed her by, leaving her looking at Deanna and Jon. She mouthed, Real Bullets?! at them, knowing that they all agreed on guns that were really just phasers in disguise. Kate sprouted a sly grin at the both of them.

Jon smiled at her and winked. "Come on Deanna, let's go and talk with this Barton fellow and see what we can learn." He looked at Kate, "You can talk to him later."

Kate skipped off down the street toward the hotel and looked to Aaron. "They got two rooms already, but if you want a room of your own just show the guy at the desk one of those gold coins that they gave to us, and it will probably work. They seem to really like physical currency."

The two deputies looked to each other as they transported the prisoner. "Aspirin?" questioned one.

"Dunno" replied the other.

Deanna offered a smile to Jon as they made their way after the prisoner. She could get the answers she sought by taking it from his mind but questioning him might get them more information about this locale. With the sheriff only a half dozen steps behind them, she whispered, "He is accommodating but suspicious. He believes us to be federal agents, some sort of law enforcement that is a cross between Indian Agents and US Marshals of ancient Earth fame. Suppose we should play the part. They have a strong governmental authority here, while also being quite independent individually."

Jon nodded at Deanna's whispered comments. "I don't care if he is suspicious, we can use that if we have to. I want him to leave us alone and let us do what we came for. Good we are independent, we don't have to explain what or why we do something."

Deanna nodded and they continued to follow until they reached the sheriff's office that was at the end of the street. The sat the prisoner down and waited for orders. The sheriff was the last to enter, walking in behind Jon and Deanna. "Curly, get down the ways and fetch Doc Potter." The deputy nodded and headed out, following orders. The sheriff looked over at Jon and Deanna, "Give you until the doc gets here to get whatever you can out of him, then he is going in a cell."

"Thank you sheriff, that will be fine. Now if you would be so kind as to leave us, we'd like to question Barton." Jon replied smoothly.

Barton scoffed. "You think I got anything to say to you, lawman!"

Deanna glared at the desperado before a wry evil grin came over her. "If you don't talk to my friend here, you will talk to me. And I promise you, if it comes to that, you'll beg for death."

The sheriff walked closer to Jon, "She is a pistol, ain't see. Something tells me she is as serious as a heart attack with what she says too. Amazing that the good Lord would make something like that and put it in such a fine-looking woman. Don't do nothing to him I can't explain to the judge now. Judge Haller is a real stickler for the law."

Jon looked from Barton to Deanna to the sheriff. "You have no idea sheriff. Now if you'll let us conduct our questioning, we'd appreciate it. And we won't lay a hand on him."

The sheriff nodded and made his way outside. With the room now there's, Deanna looked to Jon, indicating she was deferring to him for the questioning, at least at this point. No use her having all the fun after all.


TBC

 

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