And to Dust We Shall Return.

a long way from home

Nim peered into the cell. At first glance it looked empty.  But when its occupant could mimic any shape or colour that it chose, that didn't exactly tell you much. She took a step forward, her hand hovering where her pistol rested. She didn't need it. The force field of the cell could contain a Denobulan rhino. But it made her feel safer all the same. 

'If you're in here shifter,' she called out. 'Quit hiding. We need to talk.'

After a moment or two a small rat like creature emerged from the shadows. Closely followed by another of its kind, which was clutching a biscuit in its pink little paws. 

Nim watched them cautiously, unsure if this was yet another changeling trick. Or just a couple of the pests that the betoroids had been complaining about. Fortunately she didn’t have to wait long for an answer, as the smaller of the two began to expand in size. Its body twisting and warping grotesquely as paws became hands.  A snout became a face. And those beady little eyes were tinted blue. 

Nim suppressed a shudder. In human form she wasn't bad looking, in an abnormally normal sort of way. But the in between stage....that hadn’t been pretty.  

Clementine must have guessed what she was thinking for she blushed. 
'I'm sorry you had to see that. Morphing from one to the other is easier, you see. Saves having to err….make things from scratch. 
The colour in her cheeks deepened. It was the same slightly off shade of pink Nim had seen in sickbay, like badly applied stage makeup. It was strange, in humans blushing was an involuntary response that signified embarrassment. But clementine wasn't human. She had actively decided to do it. Why? Why choose to show people you were embarrassed? 
Unless it was, like stage makeup, just another part of the act. 
Nim wrinkled her nose. 'I didn't come here for a demonstration.'

Clementine picked up the remaining rat creature, who was still happily munching, apparently unbothered that its companion had just grown an extra five and a half feet in height.  'No of course not.'

Nim grunted and inclined her head halfheartedly in the direction of the creature. 'What’s with the thing?'

'Talarian wood rat.' Replied clementine, holding it up. 'He was crawling about in the vents. Looking for food I suspect.'

 'So you found the bugger. I'll have to tell engineering. It's been causing a whole heap of trouble for them down there.'

Clementine nodded. 'I'm not surprised. Most people regard them as pests because they chew through electronics. But they actually have a very interesting social…'

'I didn't come here to talk about rats either.’ Nim cut in. There was no point in making chit chat. She had a job to do. 'Where were you at 18:00 hours last night?'

'I was in sickbay….' Clementine replied hesitantly. 

 'Oh really.' Nim shot her one of her most intimidating stares. 'And you didn't leave unaccompanied at any point?'

Clementine stepped backwards. In the dim light of the cell it almost looked like she was quivering. 'For about 15 minutes yes.'

'Why?'

 'You know why. You saw me.'

'Yes I did.' Nim tapped her padd meaningfully. 'Just answer the question.'

'Well I...wanted some exercise that's all.'

'And did your 'exercise' take you near deck 12 at any point?'

'No! You...you sent me back…'

'But you were intending to go.' Said Nim. Her tone made it clear it was a statement. Not a question.

'No! That’s not what I…' clementine’s face crumpled in despair and she fell silent.

'Interesting.' Nim smirked. Poised to make the final blow. 'Now tell me shifter, have you now, or at any point the past, had contact with the changeling fleet?'

By this point, the colour had begun to drain from clementine’s entire body, lending her a slightly monochrome tint. 
'As I said earlier, I was raised by humans.' She clutched at the fabric of her dress. 
'I've...never met another of my own kind. And I don't much want to either.' 

That was hardly the answer Nim had been expecting. But that didn't make it true. 
Right now, the only things that could be counted on were the facts. And they were not pointing in clementine’s favor. 

 'That as may be shifter' She Said. 'But your personal tragedies aside. Things are not looking good from where I'm standing.'

There was a suffocating pause. Clementine squirmed. 

‘Did you attempt to kill officer mathil?’

Clementine stared at her feet. 'If I did confess would you believe me?'

'Yes.'

'And what if I said I didn’t do it?'

'Don’t be stupid.  I can't take your word for it against solid evidence.'

'Then' said clementine quietly 'I think you've answered your own question Commander.'

Nim growled, a deep guttural sound. This was getting annoying. 'Listen shifter. A bit of you was found at the crime scene.  It couldn't be any more obvious if you'd left a big flashing sign behind with your name written on it.'

'No...I don’t suppose it could.' clementine sank wearily down to the floor. It was a careful, deliberate motion. Like the control of her limbs was taking her some effort. 'But if I were planning to commit a murder commander, I don't think I would be so careless as to leave bits of myself all over the place.'

'But, we ran tests on it!' Nim Jabbed a finger at her triumphantly.  'It contains YOUR DNA.' 

'Oh.'

Guilt was not hard to come by in Nim’s line of work.  It wasn’t always obvious. But it was always there, if you knew where to look.  Lingering, like a shadow behind the eyes of the syndicate bosses in their expensive suits, and the pickpockets scraping out a living in space station back alleys.
But the eyes that stared at Nim now were false, 
And saw nothing.

Shifter, she said coldly. 'I don’t think you realize just how serious the situation is. Your people surrendered, on the agreement they would stay out of union space. Just your presence here alone could be interpreted as an act of war. Never mind allegations of murder. If you won’t confess, then I’ll be forced to lead an investigation. Until then you will be held here under arrest.'

Clementine buried her head in her arms. Above her a light bulb flickered.

'Oh and I'm going to send someone up for the rat.' Nim added. 'You can't keep it in here.' She turned to leave. But before she could open the doors of the brig, a voice piped up behind her.

'Please commander, Be kind to him.'

Nim stopped in her tracks. 'What?' 

'The rat.' Said clementine gently. ‘After all he's a long way from home.'