mrculexus

Had to know

Added 2023-08-25 14:36:39 +0000 UTC

"Caramel bunny?"

Only her splayed fingers betrayed her state of surprise. Rigidly upright posture was hardly unusual for Praetorians and her countenance was facing away from the person in the doorway. Wesk composed herself and pivoted on the spot, forcing a benign smile.

'I am terribly sorry. I must have misheard you.'

The woman in the trench coat stepped further into Wesk's quarters. Polato wasn't actually shorter than Wesk. Truthfully, she probably had an easy 15 pounds on her but she was so slumped and shabby she had the presence of a crumpled banknote.

"Ah, you know that's probably my fault. I don't always speak too clearly. Kinda mumble when I talk."

The crumpled woman bowed slightly as she vigorously scratched the back of her head, ensuring that, if she ever actually lit the cigar she carried it would taste at least partially of hair oil. She flicked her free hand like a cheap street magician and palmed a small confection into it.

"I was just wondering if you'd care for a 'caramel bunny'. Call it an occupational hazard but I can't help but hear things. Last I heard you had a bit of a sweet tooth."

'OH.'

Wesk put a hand to her chest in delight and relief

'No, you're quite right. Just what I needed.'

Wesk exhaled a lungful of held breath through her nose as surreptitiously as she could, biting into the chocolate treat appreciatively before setting it down on the saucer next to her tea.

'Oh, that is just the ticket. Wherever did you find them?'

Polato shrugged as she pulled out a chair at the Praetorian's desk.

"Ah. Storage room 7 on C deck."

Wesk's eyes widened as she slowly licked the caramel from her teeth. She could feel her cheeks flush but apparently the detective was too busy scouring the area for an ashtray to notice. By the time she was finally seated Wesk had composed herself once more.

"That's another reason I'm here, if I'm being honest" Polato slurred, finally pocketing the cigar she was carrying. "I was up there investigating a sound disturbance - nothing official - more just that I can't stand not being able to put the pieces together. If something doesn't make sense. I can't really think about anything else. My coffee goes cold and I just can't sleep on it."

Wesk pretended to be flattered

'You think I can help?'

Polato shrugged.

"Of the people who'd done inventory in there recently; your's was the only signature I could read. Ain't that just your luck? You take the time to write properly and you're the poor girl who gets bothered by internal investigations."

Wesk took a seat as well.

'You don't bother me lieutenant.'

She lied

'What is it that doesn't make sense?'

Polato produced a notepad from her coat and flicked it open.

"Well one of the big bags of flour had been moved. Not taken. Just moved to a more open spot of the store room. Then it had these weird, long indentations in it."

Wesk pretended to think.

'I think, perhaps, someone dragged it there so they could kneel on it?'

Polato cocked an eyebrow

'To count things on the lower shelves! I mean - I would never risk damaging munitions for the sake of my own comfort but I am sure SOMEone would. Bit out of line to do so and then not put it back with the others though, what.'

Wesk sipped her tea to shut herself up.

Polato nodded.

"You know, that does actually make sense. I wouldn't hold it against them though, inventory's a pretty sucky job."

Wesk almost choked on her tea at Polato's choice of words. She cleared her throat.

'Was there anything else, lieutenant?'

"Well since you asked; there were also these hand prints. It was where they were that I couldn't really figure out. They were on a mid shelf. Not the sort of place someone leans on causally. The fingers were spread like they were gripping the shelf while they were being shaken back and forth."

The shabby girl stood up from the desk.

"Now, assuming whoever left them is about my height, which is a big assumption, I know. They'd have had to been bent over like this..."

She bent herself over at a slightly acute angle and gripped the edge of the desk, jostling her knees forward as though hit from the back by an unseen force.

"..and been shaken like this."

Wesk sipped more of her tea to avoid it being spilled. Polato stopped moving and ineffectually smoothed her coat.

"It's strange right? What causes hand prints like these? I would have just run a fingerprint check and asked whoever left them, but I guess their uniform involves gloves."

'Not to worry, lieutenant' Wesk assured her, while discretely taking her gloves off under the table. 'This ship enters asteroid field and shakes violently as we enter the warp with some frequency. Whichever poor woman was doing inventory at one of those times, must have been part way through standing up, lost her balance and had to grip the shelf while the ship was moving.'

Polato nodded a few times looking more reassured each time.

"Yeah, yeah! You know, that does make sense. Thanks ma'am you've been very helpful." she beamed, extending a hand to the smartly dressed soldier. "I tell you I'm gonna sleep like a dog tonight." Wesk smiled and nodded, shaking the investigators hand despite its warm greasy texture and faint smell of bubblegum. Wesk opened the door , glad this was over.

'Oh. Any time lieutenant. Take care now.'

The door almost ricocheted off Polato's shoulder as she suddenly turned.

"Ah I'm terribly sorry. There's just one more thing I couldn't quite figure out."

Wesk's tongue shifted in her mouth.

'Yes, lieutenant?'

"It was what was BETWEEN the hand prints that puzzled me the most. I get someone needing to steady themselves if the ship is shaking a bit. But there was bite mark there. Right between the hands. Someone was biting down on that shelf."

Wesk, out of explanations and patience mimicked one of the detective's shrugs.

'We may never know.'

"Someone with a really REALLY.."

Polato's eyes looked focused for the first time the whole conversation.

"...DISTINCTIVE bite mark."

Wesk scrambled back to her desk to grab the other half of the confection she had bitten earlier but Polato was already holding it. Turning it over like a rare gem.

Wesk slumped into her chair, defeated.

Polato closed the door and quietly took a seat with the Praetorian.

"It's okay ma'am. I'm not gonna report you for spending time with your boy in areas not approved by the higher ups."

Wesk placed her head in her hands. Equal measures relieved and mortified.

'Thank you.'

Polato set down a recording device on the desk.

"Explain to me how it went down, if you please."

Wesk bemusedly accepted the other half of the chocolate.

'I thought you weren't going to report me..'

"I'm not." Polato smiled, making herself at home.

"Personal use."

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