[IC] [SR4] CSI: Seattle 2072, Public Service is a Public Trust Options Track this topic Email this topic Print this topic Download this topic Subscribe to this forum Display Modes Outline Switch to: Standard Switch to: Linear+

[Koekepan]

It's another drizzly day in Seattle, 23 March 2072, 09:12.

Outside the wind is subdued, but a fog of droplets too large to remain suspended forms a coat of acidic water which gradually eats away the paint on cars and buildings. Skeletal deciduous trees, stunted by the mildly toxic city environment, wait for the return of the sun before letting their swollen buds open. Seagulls wheel and scream at each other, while pedestrians morosely contend with the splashes of passing vehicles.

Calliope (Cal) Poulsen, head of forensics in the government of the Seattle Enclave, is full of boundless energy, or at least coffee as he addresses the troops. Specifically, the intrepid trio which works for him.

Or, to be more precise, Julia, Jim and Cadwgan.

"Out. Standing. That is all I can say. You found the culprit and you handed the prosecutors a dossier so massive the jury could have beat him to death with it. You know what that means? It means success, which means budgets!" Cal makes a sweeping gesture with one arm, with the result that a few stray droplets of coffee swish through the projected trid image of Julia's terminal on their way to the wall. A few projected letters bobble and swirl before the projection recovers.

"Now, I know you guys have been working hard on the requisitions for the lab, and that's good stuff. I know that delivery has been slow, but at least" here he nods vigorously to Julia "I got the storage system problems corrected. And Jim, your portable examiner's kit should be on its way as we speak, but that's not what I'm talking about. The central office is so happy that they've granted my requests for additional specialist headcount, and they should be arriving today!"

Cal pauses, and reaches into a shirt pocket for a moment, reaching for something, while he mutters: "Oh, and the union should be around sometime in the next day or two to get some of this junk put into storage. I know they promised to do so before, but this time I'm going to stay in the office so that I can stand over them with the work order, otherwise nothing will get done." He extracts a data chip from his pocket, and offers it to Cadwgan. "I know that I was talking about fraud and so on, but we have another political situation that needs resolution, so I'm afraid you're back on the murder trail. The details are all in here, but what's not in there is my marching orders to you: This one is delicate. Big money, big connections, kid gloves. But we have to have resolution. We can't let the perp slip away on this one. Heads will roll, and we must make sure they're not ours."

Cal takes a long pull at his coffee mug and says: "But for now, I'm going to the front desk to make sure that Knight Errant doesn't lead the new kids around the back. Wish I were going with you, though. You've got the better jobs..." Cal's voice trails off as he bounces off at high speed down the long passageway which still smells of stale coffee and staler floor cleaning fluid.