[He doesn't like doing it without the other person's permission, but after Doyle's post...]

I suppose so. Has something happened?

Dr. Kozak is dead. There was evidence of blood around his doorknob and tooth. Ben maintains that he was in his room.

He's made a habit of being honest with me. If someone killed my friend, using my inmate, I want to know.

Where is he?

[Ben is confused, of course, because he's been too distracted to pay much attention to the network as he usually would. Doyle's vision had unnerved him though not for the reasons most would think - regardless, in an effort to avoid any complications, he'd decided he would just spend as much of his time away from other people as possible to prevent whatever was supposed to happen from happening.

And then this. Ben hesitates, confused and still partially distracted when he does reply.]

Alright. Where, with whom, and when?

With Dr. Kozak. [And he'll be very upset if he did do something. Kozak is his friend, after all, and Rhade has just got over blaming himself for mistakes. But there is something off about this; why would Ben go after someone he has already identified as being harmless? And what would the Blue Lady have brought him?

Questions need to come first, though.]

[Oh, well, that's simple enough. Ben still avoids Kozak almost instinctively at this point, because he'd rather not be unsettling rather than simply obeying the firm, uncompromising command from Bucky several months ago. He sounds more comfortable when he replies without hesitation.]

I haven't interacted with Dr. Kozak today.

[Dylan sets aside his own awkwardness. Rhade's tone sounds serious so he answers professionally, like they're on duty together.]

What's the situation?

Kozak was murdered and the evidence points to Ben. But Ben says he was otherwise occupied, and I'm inclined to believe him- at least that if it happened, he wasn't aware of it.

Ben doesn't lie to me.

But I would like your help in monitoring him. Possibly Blonsky's as well, if you feel he is now responsible enough. Both for security and for his sake.

Dammit. Doyle's vision points to Ben being on scene, too. But between shapechangers and psychics and god knows what else on this ship, it isn't conclusive.

I think Blonsky's up for it. Do you want a guard inside his cabin or outside his door? Or do you want a more casual kind of monitoring?

I have some experience in carrying out investigations.

[Although he may occasionally lick things when he thinks no one is watching.]

If you don't mind, Coordinator, I would prefer your service be in the laboratory on this one. I want all the input possible.

[Also he's not sure that it wasn't possessed Narvin that did this, considering his own history, so he wants to triple check the evidence.]

Very well.

Is this a confidential matter, or might I bring Dr. Kozak and Mr. Gaeta in on it as well?

[They are his lab team and no one has publicly said that Kozak will not be available to work for a while.]

[Zack's not sure what to think of Rhade. Mostly, he harbours a mixture of respect (for helping Ben where he couldn't, his brother is so close to stable it's unbelievable), and jealousy (that he wasn't the one to do this for Ben). He does know one thing: he doesn't have to pretend.

So when he flicks on the audio feed to respond, he's all fire.]

Who's the accusor?

I have to outline the situation.

Several months ago, Ben mistook a genetically altered human for a "Nomlie" and attacked him in a hallway, breaking his arm. This caused some controversy concerning his punishment.

This individual was found dead today, and I discovered one of the victim's teeth near the door to his room as well as blood on the knob when I came to investigate. Ben tells me he was in his room all day.

There are individuals here capable of mind-control, and that was my first suspicion. My other is that he was in a fugue state and attacked someone without knowing it: that's why I want to know his mental coherency if you saw him. I need to eliminate possibilities.

[He remembers the Nomlies. That prisoner they hunted down in the forest - he was one. Back when Zack believed. The part of him that still does clenches his fists.

The teeth, that's what gives it away, but Zack knows about frame-ups; he's done enough of them. What he can't figure out is who would want to target Ben. He hasn't spent enough time here to know who's friend or foe, so everyone is a foe.

Tersely:] He wasn't turned, if that's what you're asking.

Investigated many cases before came here.

What happened?

The body of Dr. Robert Kozak was found in the stairwell. I am uncertain of the condition, other than that teeth were removed. Ben claims to have been in his room despite components of the crime being a part of his M.O. Ben also doesn't lie to me.

So either I think he was mind controlled, someone hated Dr. Kozak and wanted to frame him, or someone hated Ben and wanted to worsen his situation. It's difficult to say.

Ben's brother, Zack, would know the most about his M.O. since his Barge attacks have been under extraordinary circumstances. Perry VanShrike has all access to all the details about the body and I asked Charles Xavier to do an examination of Ben, see if there was any evidence he had been tampered with mentally. [At least that's a good starting list of people to talk to.]

Will talk with them. Assuming investigating yourself too?

[Barbara doesn't look worried, as such; it's more intent concern, and it doesn't affect the cool, calm quality of her voice.]

I'm experienced in both.

What's happened?

Edited 2013-05-10 07:38 pm (UTC)

Dr. Kozak was killed, and because of Ben's history with him, he seems to be the primary suspect. But also Ben claims to have been in his room, and Ben doesn't lie. The most he's ever done is avoid a subject, but when asked directly he always tells the truth.

Considering this is the Barge, there are many possibilities here, but I don't know that I can find them in time to do any good.

There are. We should definitely investigate them before declaring anyone's guilt.

Did anyone see Kozak's body?

I don't have experience with any of that, but Bruce Wayne's a friend of mine and I'm volunteering him.

[Determined face.]

Is this about what I think it is?

Yes. Cursory evidence points to the likelihood that my inmate murdered Dr. Robert Kozak.

But I had a discussion with Ben, and we identified positively that Dr. Kozak is no threat to him. Also he claims that he was in his room. He doesn't lie to me, but there was blood around his doorknob and a tooth there. So either he doesn't recall what he did, or it was put there some other way. [Which Dylan suggested to him.]

I'll take any help I can get. I have to monitor Ben myself so that people don't start insulting him as a loose cannon again, so I can't investigate.

[Ben, for the first time outside of extenuating circumstances such as suddenly being ten years old or giant spiders, is late to report for his dinner shift.

Ten minutes after he is supposed to be there - fifteen after Ben specifically normally would be - he opens the feed to his warden, voice neutral and even.]

Apologies for being late, sir, but I need to stop at my cabin and change into a fresh shirt before reporting for duty. I will be as quick as I can.

That's fine. [But Rhade does sound a touch perplexed.] What delayed you?