Victim The First
Posted on Wed Apr 29th, 2026 @ 9:11am by Captain Marc Kidd & Lieutenant Vincent 'Ghost' Zandrell & Lieutenant Siadra Molaur & Lieutenant Maya Canak & Lieutenant Ezra Van Wijnbergen & Cassandra Frost
Edited on on Thu Apr 30th, 2026 @ 6:05am
2,697 words; about a 13 minute read
Mission:
Episode 3 - The One Who Got Away
Location: Morgue - Deck 43A - Starbase 304
Timeline: MD002 1300 hrs
Maya wore scrubs and a white medical coat, choosing to go to the starbase as a doctor and not a Starfleet officer in case she would need to look at the body there. However, she preferred to work in her own sickbay where she knew they wouldn't be interrupted. She wasn't looking forward to this, but then, no one liked dealing with the death of a child.
Now she waited for the others to join her.
The corridor leading to the morgue was much colder than the route he took to get there, but Ezra wasn't entirely certain the environmental control report would confirm it. But it definitely felt colder.
Somewhere along the way, he became aware of another presence. It wasn't beside him or behind him. It seemed to lay ahead of him.
Since the briefing a day before, Ezra had felt something just on the edge of his perception, like a faint impression that gets left in a soft chair after someone rises. It was empty and sad all at once. He had come to recognize that feeling. It was a young life interrupted.
Typically, a counselor wouldn't involve oneself in the retrieval of a body but this was different. From an emotional perspective, it was important that he witness the tragic and maddening outcome of child trafficking. From a practical perspective, it would deepen ties with the victim's loved ones. Therefore, he'd made the decision the night before to be present for this moment.
Ezra reached the morgue doors and paused for long moment. He knew Maya would be taking custody of the body, and that most medical doctors--especially those he'd worked with previously--would be against the presence of a counselor, he hoped he wouldn't have to resort to making a convincing argument.
He pushed through the doors with a heavy exhale and found Maya standing on the other side in her scrubs and white medical coat.
Maya turned to see who entered and smiled. It wasn't her usual warm smile, but then, she always felt sad when she had to deal with the death of a child. "Hello, Ezra. I'm glad you'll be joining us."
A burst of cold air slammed into him and for a second, he wasn't sure if the shock came from Maya's greeting or the morgue itself.
"I, uh... felt I had to be here," Ezra stammered uncharacteristically. "I wasn't sure I'd be welcome."
"Of course you are. At this stage of the investigation, different perspectives are always welcome." She shook her head. "We need to find out who did this, and you may see something others do not."
Ezra nodded sadly. "I just need to accompany the body for now."
He glanced around the room--it was a typical morgue. Rounded corners and stark lighting.
"This is no place for a child, Maya."
She shook her head sadly. "No, it isn't. I hope we can at least give her justice."
Walking into the morgue, Cassie has a stern expression on her face. This was one of her least favourite parts of her job as a security officer. She’d rather chase down a Gorn on a deserted planet than be here right now. Pausing for a moment as she adjusted to the temperature drop, she moved over to the other officers and took a position where she could observe but stay out of the doctor’s way. “Doctor, Counsellor.” She said, giving them a polite head nod.
Vincent walked in slowly behind Cassie. He kept his hands in his pockets and his mouth closed. Immediately, he felt the sadness in the room. The heartbreak. It was hard to block out because he felt it too. Long before he walked through the doors, or even made it to the deck where the morgue was located, he felt it. For a brief moment, he looked away towards the Doctor and Counselor, giving them a slight nod, before standing off to the side. His eyes slowly focusing back on the small body on the table.
A dark-skinned human woman walked into the morgue. She wore rather nice clothes and a white lab coat. Her salt and pepper hair was braided into dread locks. Her face bore a sad, and stern expression. She approached Maya as if she was expected. "Dr Canak. I am Doctor Melinda Warner, Chief Medical Officer Starbase 304. I wish I could be meeting you on better terms. But, such is the nature of this beast. Is your team all here?"
Siadra could feel Keema getting pensive, Please don't let it be Davi, please. Keema, how long has it been since you last saw Davi. Siadra mentally asked. Two years before you accepted the mantle of Molaur. Keema responded.That was ten years ago. Siadra answered, having a furrowed brow. Quietly Siadra entered in the morgue, it concerned her about Keema's reaction to this. She nodded towards Doctor Warner. "Greetings Doctor Warner."
Maya glanced around, then nodded. "Hello, Doctor Warner. Thank you for accommodating us. Yes, we are all here." She had to focus on finding answers for the family and not let herself dwell on the child.
Ezra found himself offering Melinda a grim, thin-lipped smile completely devoid of warmth. He glanced over at Siadra for a moment, feeling slightly more buoyed at her presence.
"Right then this way please." Melinda led the team into the station's morgue. In short order she had one of the storage pods open and it revealed a human male appearing to be around age 12. "Doctor, Lieutenants this is Peter Lashley. He was found unceremoniously dumped in the forested area of Dolex III. The authorities there summoned Starfleet to run the investigation on their behalf. I was going to perform the autopsy, but when I was informed this case was being referred to SCIS I left it alone. However, an initial exam was performed. Do any of you have any questions before we begin?"
"What did the initial exam show?" Maya asked. She wanted the information so they didn't repeat any tests.
Ezra stood where he was, as though there were some invisible threshold that had been drawn across the floor--one not marked by rank or protocol, but by conspicuous reverence. So this is you, he thought, and the simplicity stuck him hard--as hard as any wave of grief ever had. This was a boy. A life that had once filled rooms with bursts of laughter, a tiny voice that had interrupted conversations, and left shoes where they ought not to be.
He felt only that same terrible clarity that hit him each time. We will have to carry you, he realized, not in body, for others would do that. But in name, in voice, in the inevitable breaking moment when his parents would cease to live in yesterday. And though Ezra had borne similar moments before, and stood at many thresholds like this one, he found himself no stronger for it. Only more certain that no human heart was meant to handle such reckonings.
"The initial exam revealed that he was in relatively good health at the time of death. All that was done was a scan with the medical tricorder in situ. Medics confirmed death and the state of the body. He had been laying there for about a week. As you can see decay has already begun although our stasis unit has brought it to a stop. There is no visible sign of death. No injury, nothing." Melinda began to speak in as clinical a tone as she could muster. As professional as she was, she was unable to keep a small amount of sadness out of her tone.
"The poor child. No one deserves to die alone." Maya paused for a moment to refocus and regain her professional demeanor before continuing. "First thing then is to run the preliminary tests and then perform the autopsy." Even with modern medicine, sometimes you needed to have a good look to find out what happened.
"I would agree Doctor. You are welcome to use the labs here. Although I would imagine that the equipment on the Artemis would be better suited for this sort of thing. I have the paperwork ready for your signature. Once they are signed the body is free for transfer to the Artemis. I can get that done now, provided no one else on your team has any questions." Melinda had done body transfers before. Though never this mysterious, and thankfully never a child. That is until now.
"So... no theories? No clues? Nothing?!" Vincent said, raising his voice slightly, as he appeared visibly upset... and sad. It wasn't hard to notice with the watering in his eyes. He took a moment to calm himself, looking away for a moment to collect his thoughts and push all the emotions rushing at him from all sides, especially the ones coming from withing. After taking a moment, he looked back toward the Doctor. "How long will it take to do the autopsy?"
"No, Lieutenant Zandrell," Maya replied quietly. "It is far too soon for theories and we need to perform the autopsy to find the clues. There are procedures that must be followed or we risk compromising any evidence that may be here." And she would not rush through any of them. She wanted answers as much as any of them, but she knew the harm she would cause if she began guessing at this stage.
Cassie stood back and listened, letting the doctors discuss the situation. No visible cause of death from a supposedly healthy child was interesting. Heart attack is unlikely, any poisons or venom would’ve been detected by the tricorder. That leaves paralytics, suffocation while asleep. Or something that breaks down quickly.
"As I said there was nothing done. Orders are orders, and we were ordered to preserve the evidence and allow you all to do the rest. Speaking of. Those crates are for you." Melinda indicated three large storage containers. They bore the logo of the SCIS. "This is the evidence secured from the scene by the station's security team. That is for transfer to the Artemis as well.”
Cassie looked up at the mention of evidence, “I can sign for that. Frost, Artemis security chief.”
Maya turned to Cassie. "I would like to see any of it that could point to cause of death once you've processed it."
Then the doctor turned back to Melinda. "I'll sign for the body and anything that comes with it. Is there anything else you need of us, or need to tell us?"
Melinda turned toward an equipment cart and retrieved a PADD. "Right, sign and initial here." She stood next to Frost and indicated the paperwork. When Cassie was done signing she turned to Maya. "Doctor Canak. I wish we could have met under better circumstances, and I wish I had more answers for you. I know that the Admiral here at the station has people working the case, and will send you any and all information that they may turn up. The most I can say is that this kind of death has not happened in the Federation in some time. At least not to my knowledge. I think you all have your work cut out for you." She handed Maya the PADD to sign.
"I hope we have a chance to meet again," Maya said warmly. She would have enjoyed chatting over a cup of tea, but finding answers for the family of the poor child was her priority right now. She signed the PADD and handed it back. "Thank you. I would definitely appreciate any information I can get right now."
Melinda smiled and indicated that the body and cases should be transported. In a shimmer of light everything was gone. "Everything is now in your Sick Bay. I will be in touch if there is anything else. I am sorry but we have a few patients to attend to." Melinda excused herself and left to head into the Sick Bay proper.
The voices around Ezra seemed to gather and disperse like a distant weather system. While they were speaking of scans, procedures, and the ever-important chain of custody, it all sounded soft to him as though the air around him were denser or perhaps had taken pity and dulled all sharp edges to their words.
There remained, before him, that invisible boundary. Beyond Maya and Melinda. Beyond Cassie and Siadra. It was a threshold where the living world halted out of respect for what had already crossed into elsewhere.
Peter Lashley lay small upon the slab from the opened storage pod.
He wasn't small in stature alone, but he appeared small the same way one does when death reduces the living to a stillness. It was as though whatever had been once bright and glowing had withdrawn, having left the child's body like a house with windows shuttered.
Though the sadness filled him, Ezra knew there was a task ahead of him. Being present in this moment was just as important as when he would make the death notification to the family. He straightened himself and came out of his reverie, suddenly seeing Cassie and Maya as if for the first time.
Somehow, he found himself standing beside Siadra. Instinctively, he reached--ever so subtly--for her hand.
Deep within the mind, Siadra could hear the weeping of Keema, seeing the still form of the boy. She kept in control of her own emotions. Now wasn't the time for emotional responses. It was more of, allowing her clinical mind take control. The best way to find out what happened, and to give the boy a final rest once they find out how he died.
The warmth of a hand, pressing into her own, Siadra glanced sideways, realizing whose hand was in hers. It was Ezra's. Her fingers interlocked with his, her own grasp slightly cooler, but that was from her own physiology.
Siadra hoped that her acknowledging response conveyed something warmer. A slight squeeze from her, telegraphed what she hoped would help him out.
Siadra didn't let go of Ezra's hand, until he deemed ready to do so. She was content to let it stay there. For her, it was also a comfort, a steadying feel as well.
The contact with Siadra seemed to bolster something inside him which he could not name.
Ezra did not look at their hands. To do so would have removed something from the action, perhaps making it more provident and less serendipitous. The joining of their hands had come in the same fashion that breathing does to mammals.
Her fingers were cooler than his own, but there was a warmth beneath it--a current that seemed to hold which was not in any way insistent or intrusive. He felt safe with Siadra.
Maya paused for a moment, collecting her thoughts. Death was something she had long ago learned to deal with, but the death of a child was always hard. Especially like this. "Now to return to the ship," she said quietly. "We still have much to do."
A Joint Post By
Captain Marc Kidd
Commanding Officer, USS Artemis
Starfleet Criminal Investigations Unit
Lieutenant Maya Canak
Chief Medical Officer/Medical Examiner, USS Artemis
Starfleet Criminal Investigations Unit
Lieutenant Siadra Molaur
Chief Forensic Science Officer, USS Artemis
Starfleet Criminal Investigations Unit
Lieutenant Ezra Van Wijnbergen
Victim Advocate Counselor, USS Artemis
Starfleet Criminal Investigations Unit
Cassandra Frost
Chief Security/Tactical Officer, USS Artemis
Starfleet Criminal Investigations Unit
Lieutenant Vincent Zandrell
Criminal Apprehension Officer, USS Artemis
Commanding Officer, Emergency Services Unit
Starfleet Criminal Investigations Unit
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