Interview Five - Lieutenant Ryland Dedeker
Posted on Thu Mar 12th, 2020 @ 8:59pm by Commander Arianna Frost & Lieutenant JG Ryland Dedeker
1,438 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission:
Mission 0: Everybody Has A Story
Location: Intelligence Office | Overwatch Station
For the life of him, Ryland had no idea what this was all about. And, truth be told, he usually preferred it that way. The fewer responsibilities one had, the fewer opportunities there were to fuck them up. All he knew was the new hot blonde was questioning everybody, and his number came up.
"Knock, knock," he said, entering the Intelligence Office unannounced. He had an appointment, so he was expected. Why should he have to announce himself?
Ari had just replicated a coffee as Ryland entered. "Co..." Ari began as she turned, then her face formed into a smile, "hello there." Setting her cup on her desk, she extended her hand to him, "Arianna Frost, pleasure to meet you, Mister Dedeker."
At the sight of her smile, Ryland stopped dead in his tracks and took in everything about her. A smile slowly spread across his face, too, but it was less cordial and more hungry and thirsty. "No, I can assure you, Miss Arianna, the pleasure is all mine." Clasping her hand and holding it entirely too long, he said, "Please... call me Ryland."
Arianna chuckled, "Ryland." She said with a nod before motioning for him to have a seat, "do you know why you're here today?"
He was way too congenial and cheerful for someone who was about to sit down for an interview with Internal Affairs. This could either go extremely well or very poorly, in Ari's mind.
"I hear you're turnin' everything inside and out," he said, grinning, "and I guess my number's up. What exactly can I do for you, sweet thing?"
Ari raised a blonde eyebrow for a moment, deciding which direction to take this in. When it came to interviews and interrogations, there was no set pattern to follow. Each person responded differently and it was Frost's job to adapt for best results, provided the methods didn't involve illegal or immoral acts. Not at this stage of the investigation anyway.
So, Ari sat down and went through the repetitive intro with him as she had with the rest, before settling on the first question.
"What can you tell me of the happenings on the Phantom, during the Field Team's last mission?"
"It was some fucked up shit," Ryland said. "A lil' wild, a lil' rowdy, but mostly fucked up."
Ari nodded, "that much is certainly clear. Tell me about Doctor Kiril, what was he like?"
"Not much to say." Ryland twisted his cheek and shrugged. "He was a stuck-up Bajoran who kept to himself. Maybe he was a douche. Maybe he was just shy. Either way he took the coward's way out and died alone."
Frost tapped a few notes. "So, you didn't know him well enough to judge he was suicidal? Or just didn't care enough?"
Another shrug. "I don't care about anyone who don't care about me. Simple as that. Anybody who claims different is sellin' somethin'." A boyish grin played at his lips that covered the anguish of a hard, bitter life.
Frost nodded, "that's a fair outlook. Tell me, Zsan and Linn, their actions aboard the Phantom and in service with Theta, what would you characterize them as?"
"Old Kazanova was a hoot," Ryland said with a fond smile. "Kept this gruff exterior, but underneath his crusty mug he was true blue. Exactly the kinda' fella you'd want at your back when shit hits the fan."
He paused as his recollection took another turn. "Karna? Creepy as fuck. Yeah, Kaz was ruthless like Karna, but I never felt like Kaz enjoyed it. Karna had these..." Ryland held his hands in front of his face and fondled the air like invisible ripe melons. "...these eyes, black as night, and when he looked at you with that shit-eating grin, it was like staring down the pit o'hell itself." He gave his head a hard shake. "Don't know why Mrazak let that freak onboard, except maybe as a professional courtesy."
Another set of notes were entered as he spoke. To say evidence and statements were contrary and baffling was an understatement. It was almost as if one part of the team saw completely different people in Zsan and Linn than the other. Which was the true side? Was there one?
"I see..." she said finally as she looked up at him, "what about the other death on the Phantom, Isaiah Zelaney?"
"The foxy computer tech said he sabotaged the ship," Ryland said. "Karna said he was giving us a gift when he killed the poor bastard. Maybe he was right. All I know is I got locked out of helm control and then got it back after his Colombian necktie."
"The Colombian neck tie?" Ari did her best to contain the tech ineptitude.
Ryland dragged his finger across his neck, stuck out his tongue, and dragged his hand downward. His fingers twitched in imitation of spurting arterial bleeding.
Arianna bit back a sigh, "in terms of the event on the ship?"
"The ship got unfucked after he died," Ryland said. "Not to speak ill of the dead, but I ain't sorry he's gone. Nobody jams my helm. Nobody."
Arianna nodded, "how has the Captain handled all of this?"
"Mrazak?" Ryland asked. "That is the craziest Vulcan I've ever met. Probably why he got along with Karna in the beginning. He actually made the brave call to blow the ship rather than get captured. Of course, instead of hell we wound up in fluidic space, but we made it back. I guess that counts for something."
"In the beginning? Do you know why it changed?"
"Why does it ever change?" Ryland replied. "He probably pissed Mrazak off at some point. Hell if I know how, other than he eventually beamed over to the Cardassians. My job is simple... I just fly the ship."
"I've often found that people who just observe a lot more than they let on, or realize themselves. You have to be very aware of your surroundings at all times, especially as a pilot, do you not?" Ari pressed, leaning forward on her elbows.
Ryland gave her a knowing smirk. "I dunno," he said, smiling so broad the tip of his tongue poked through his teeth. "I'm kinda' diggin' my surroundings right about now."
Ari's eyebrow's arched. "We are also in an interview, Ryland." She said after a moment, "now's not the time for flirting."
"That wasn't flirtin'," Ryland teased. "Flirtin' would be offering to lay in a course to Heaven at Warp 6.9, not that I'd ever say such a thing on the record." He couldn't help but quietly chuckle at himself. "No, ma'am, I was just statin' a fact. Quite gorgeous surroundings, if I may say so."
"You need to learn the difference between flirting and propositioning, mister Dedeker." Arianna couldn't help but smirk. "I'll make sure to let the designer of the office know you said so." She said in jest, to let him know she did get the gist of his words.
"Oh, I'm big on interior decorating," Ryland said, not letting up. "Nothin' I love more than gettin' in there, shakin' everything up, and findin' that lil' sweet spot that really makes everything come together." He was grinning ear to ear at his multiple double entendres.
"That's good, Ryland. Very good." Arianna grinned back, though the grin never quite reached her tone. "I will have need of you when the time comes."
"Yeah?" Ryland could barely believe it. "I believe in workin' the whole budget. Nothin' wasted, nothin' wanted, right?"
Arianna simply nodded, "is there anything you wish to add to this interview before we conclude this? I will likely have more questions for you later on when the investigation progresses."
"Nah, I don't think so." Ryland pantomimed riding an animal and slapping it as he went. "I'm ready to get to work."
"Interview terminated." Arianna announced as she pressed the off button on the recording PADD. "Thank you for meeting with me, Ryland. I'll send you a message when I need to speak with you next."
"I'll look forward to it." Ryland kept grinning. "And helpin' you rearrange the furniture."
Ari shook her head in amusement, "dismissed."
After giving the table a firm slap with both hands, Ryland hopped to his feet and tipped an invisible hat to Arianna. "Commander." And then he left even more smugly than he arrived.
Frost watched as he left, before reaching over to her notes on this interview and typing, asset potential, further analysis required before implementation?
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