"Nuttier then a Fruitcake"

[Kansas_Jones 0]

- Lt. Colonel Day as Harry and Lieutenant JoNs

 

JoNs was making very good time down the corridor leading to the main security offices - a flying gold flash anyone? After the comm from the brig officer who received the prisoner, she had left abruptly during her marine training session (and once Troll got word she was sure she'd hear about it), but it could not be helped. She had some questions to ask the prisoner.

 

Harry was already cooling his heels in a brig cell, though not without ranting about the psycho marines controlling everything and having bought everyone.

 

The chief security officer finally reached the brig area, nodding quickly to the officer stationed at the recieving desk. She entered the brig, looking out of sorts; concern as well as controlled anger showed on her face, her tail fur was slightly poofed out, and she wore marine urban camo training fatigues. Her green eyes locked onto the engineering officer behind the field with a predatory intensity.

 

Harry glanced once in her direction, “Oh, look. The Marine’s pet tiger shows up.”

 

A smart-ass reply jumped from her brain to her mouth, but she bit it back with an effort; she had gotten into enough trouble lately with her comments. What she did respond with was, "I consider myself more closely related to a lion or an orange tomcat of Earth; the Kzinti are more akin to the tiger species, Ensign."

 

Harry snorted, "Well, at least you didn't deny the 'pet' portion. Everyone knows you're their lap-kitty."

 

Kansas leaned against the bulkhead, crossing her arms over her chest and eyeing the man silently for a few moments. Let's try the direct approach for a change. "So...you were the one who did the reconfiguring on the NNC holo deck safeties?" An ear flipped back and she purposely ignored the comment.

 

Harry wasn't going to play along, "I don't know what you're talking about. That crazy marine saw me in their territory, and he went pretty much nuts, saying that I had done it... I guess he wanted someone to blame."

 

"Mmm Hmmm...." JoNs casually whistled, and a second later, a tricorder came sailing into the brig area, deftly plucked from the air by the gold Caitian; she held it up for Harry to see. "I'm sure if I ran this device over you, we'd be able to match up your bio reading with the random signature we recorded the other day."

 

Her ears had gone flat. "Oh yesssss." The Cait's purred voice had taken on a hissing edge, "That DNA signature of O'Briens that you had planted? Brilliant. But, you should have been more careful with your own, Engineer. The 'Court is a closed environment, and eventually, we can track anything that is left behind, whether its a fingerprint or a bio signature."

 

He frowned deeper, then took a different tact, "Look, Commander... I know you want to get your man off the hook. The marines.. they want someone to blame. But you're both grasping at straws trying to find someone to pin it on. That's not justice."

 

"Oh, we are beyond justice here, Ensign. We passed that when you rigged the safeties to go out and tried to pin it on an innocent kid."

 

Harry forced his expression into one of wide-eyed innocence and disbelief, "When I... Well... I thought people on this ship were innocent until proven guilty."

 

A tail lash. "And you are indeed innocent until proven guilty, Ensign." She whistled again, the purred sound carrying out to the outer offices; two security crewman, one male, one female, entered the brig area, phasers already out and pointing at Harry in his cell. The female guard handed Kansas a small kit. The Caitian held up the kit so Harry could see it. "Here is how this is going to work; we drop the field and I come in there. My people cover you. I take a scan of you as well as a skin sample. Then, we check that evidence with the random signature we recorded other then O'Briens. If you are innocent, you have no worries, Ensign."

 

Harry scoffed, "Oh, that's rich. I'm an engineer. There are probably traces of me in most of the conduits on the ship. And even if there aren't, in the interests of protecting your man, I'm sure you can ... find a few anyways. Your interests in this are compromised, Commander... or should I say Lt.? I hear the marines demoted you... you know they had no right to do that."

 

JoNs gave Harry a long, cool look. She was so quiet that the big male security crewman gently nudged her arm with his elbow out of concern. The feline nodded to him that she was alright and then turned her attention back to the engineering officer. "Ensign, my demotion was deserved - I had good intentions, but went about them ass-backwards. I have no doubt that if we were closer to home, I'd already be remanded to Fleet Command for a court martial inquiry....now enough about me...let's get back to you."

 

Harry shrugged, "What's the point? You've already decided that I'm guilty."

 

She pointed a claw at him. "Case in point - your mark is left all over this ship, but I have a feeling that your mark is unique to what happend in the NNC. Not every engineer works the same, and I'm sure your handiwork has it's own "signature" as well."

 

"Whatever, Lieutenant," He said, making her rank almost a curse word, "You'll find or manufacture evidence to prove that it was someone other than your security officer. You want a scapegoat, just to prove that he wasn't at fault. Well, perhaps he was right... the marines are just trouble, and we would be better off rid of them."

 

A slow smile worked it's way across her muzzle, exposing her fangs. "... I love audio recorders, don't you Ensign?"

 

Skeptical, he looked at her, "What exactly are you talking about?"

 

"Do I really need to play back what you just said? Quote, better off rid of the marines, unquote. Heck of a statement to make there Engineer."

 

He chucked, "Oh, yes.. Way to take my words out of context. What I mean is that they get us into a lot of trouble. They kill people without thinking twice about it. They are dangerous!"

 

Her tactical mind went into overdrive, and she opted for the 'fast and loose' art of baiting; her feline features took on a distracted cast. "....it really would be easy... re-route the command codes and flood the NNC with the bio-gas..." Thankfully, the two security crewman were well trained enough to keep their own features expressionless; both were fighting the urge to smile viciously.

 

Harry smiled briefly, "Except for the ones on the bridge... the lounge. No, I don't think so, Commander."

 

Easy, easy... your impulsive planning got you in trouble in the first place - maybe you can turn it around and use it to tap into your inner psycho. I need to keep him talking..., "...after the NNC, it'd be easy to co-ordinate attacks on the bridge and lounges..."

 

Harry laughed, "Right. Stick to locking up petty criminals, Commander. Your mind doesn't really comprehend the big picture."

 

Kansas shook her head as if coming out of a dream. "Apologies; I've taken quite a few shots to the head recently - marine training you see, quite invigorating - and I tend to go off on tangents. It should make my next stint at tactical rather interesting." She stated this with an enthusiasm bordering on sarcasm. "Now then, about those samples Mister....and in the process perhaps we can discuss what your so-called dang big picture is...Phasers, computer, drop forcefield, JoNs authorization."

 

Harry backed away, "Oh, I don't think so. I have rights! You're just a puppet for the Marine Scum. You'll find whatever they TELL YOU to find!"

 

The gold feline calmly moved toward the man, who was only an inch or two taller then she was. "Oh and believe me Ensign, the only reason I'm not clawing you senseless right now is because of your rights."

 

Harry glared at her, continuing to move away, not letting her get within arm's reach. "You'd like to do that, wouldn't you? Just like that Marine who threw me against the wall, and tried to choke me. Go ahead! Do it!"

 

Oh my gods - how did this man get by the psych docs? Out of her periphery, JoNs noted that her backups both had their phasers pointed and ready. She subtly signaled them to stand ready, but hold fire. He continued to goad her now, "You know you're just a pawn, and it galls your soul, doesn't it? That is, if you have one... "

 

She still held onto her temper, although it was getting more and more difficult; she waved the tricorder over the engineering officer, getting the required bio signature to match up with the random one that Keltex and Nimetti were following up on.

 

Harry tried to duck her, "You think this will hold up in a real Court? Not some Marine kangaroo version. I can't believe you are their puppet! You know they'd stuff you and hang you on the wall if you weren't valuable to them any more. But then, what do you care? It's not like the Caitians are really warriors... They've always just been pawns of the Federation."

 

The two security crewmen only had about five seconds to mentally process Harry's comment; long enough for Katt to mutter "oh dear" under her breath. With no sound, Kansas moved, shooting a paw out and clamping it around Harry's exposed neck; she shoved him back against the bulkhead, tail lashing.

 

Harry smiled, "What's the matter? Truth hurt? You know, it was SO easy to set up your pathetic little brat. And YOU didn't even see it. You're just as pathetic. I can't believe this ship hasn't been blown up with the 'leadership' we have.. or rather don't have."

 

Petty Officer Katt ventured into the breach, addressing her wire tight senior officer. "Uh, Lieutenant, sir..."

 

Harry turned her attention to Katt, "Yes, you be sure your little kitty doesn't get out of line. You should be the chief here, instead of her. She's pathetic! How can you stand her?"

 

Kansas continued staring at Harry, her paw clamped around his neck, holding him to the wall. The paw that held the tricorder tossed the device backwards out of the cell. "Holt." The man caught the tricorder, his phaser never wavering.

 

"Marisa, continue with the skin sample - take the kit off my shoulder. Lt. Holt, cover Laughing Boy here." Her now free paw secured against Harry's shoulder, claws splayed.

 

Harry kicked out a leg, connecting with a bruise left by one of her Marine play-times. "Get away from me, you nightmare!"

 

Kansas couldn’t help herself, couldn't channel the pain from the blow as it connected with the tender, bruised spot. The Caitian went down, clutching at the re-injured spot on her side. Fortunately, the combination of the security chief going down and Katt moving to the side out of the way gave Holt a clear shot at Harry. Holt fired one quick low level stun shot, nailing Harry in the chest.

 

Harry staggered, tripping over Kansas. "Cowards! You let them kill.... " Then he slumped to the decking, incoherent from the shot.