Detained "
By: Ian Hunter, Commanding Officer, [PC]
Dr. Alyssa Caitlin Northrop, Acting Chief Intel Officer, [PST]

Stardate: 58206.19 1000

The door of the detention center opened. Birkoff rose to his feet. He watched as the ship's intelligence officer approached him.

He stepped near the force field. She wore an intel uniform. What ever he was about to say, he swallowed it with a gulp.

Unconsciously he took a step back as she came to stand in front of his cell.

As she walked, her hands stayed behind her. The look on her face was that of barely disguised disgust for the man she was here to see. Stopping in front of his cell, she muttered several curses in a few different languages before she turned to face him.

"I just thought you'd want to know that your execution has been ordered for the day after tomorrow. You have a choice in how you're to die. Though I'm afriad that none of them is particularly plesant." She smiled at him, a somewhat evil, predatory looking smile....wondering if he would buy the whole execution line. It was a gamble. "Time of war and all that, you know."

Birkoff looked utterly astounded, "E-execution? I-I don't even know what I'm being accused of, don't I at least get a courtmartial and the right to counsel?"

Birkoff looked scared enough on his own. Hopefully that would be useable. "However, I have been ordered to offer you the following deal. We'll forgo the execution if you'd be willing to tell us who you're working for and what they're up to."

"I, I'm, I really don't know what you mean, I'm not working for..."

"And then of course....I want to know what the hell you did with my other phaser pistol. I recovered the first one after I killed your Federation Captain friend....but alas, you still had the other. Tell me where it is, NOW!" Alyssa's hand flew out from behind her. The metallic billy club she'd been holding slammed against the force field, breaking the near complete silence and causing the prisoner to jerk back.

"Your phaser pistol?" Birkoff looked dumbfounded. "I didnt' take your phaser pistol. I-I don't even know who you are. O-or why I'm here."

He swallowed hard, "And, and I can assure you I had nothing to do with the Wolverine's disappearance, he said holding his hands up defensively.

Alyssa narrowed her eyes at the man. "Lying won't get you anywhere, Mr. Birkoff. Other than the end of a hangman's noose that is."

What was this about the Wolverine? This man looked absolutely clueless about why he was here....but everything she'd come across about Birkoff told her that he just wasn't that good of an actor. That included the time she'd spent with him aboard the Zion. Internally she shuddered at the thought. "Tell me what I want to know....or die. It's that simple."

Birkoff looked again at the Maquis combadge she wore on her uniform. Klingons, Maquis badges, he was certain he was on a Maquis ship after all.

He frowned. "Your Federation tactics don't scare me," he said trying to keep his composure. "I know I have a right to counsel, Section 15 of the Maquis Military Code of Conduct."

He quietly folded his arms. "...and I've already told you everything I know."

"The MMCC doesn't apply to terrorists," Northrop stated flatly. "But since you're refusing to cooperate....there's nothing I can do for you. I hope you had a nice life, Mr. Birkoff, and that you think all of this was worth the price you're going to pay."

Her voice sounded almost sad...as she played out the bluff to the last. It would do her no good to give in now for she would lose all of the momentum she had gained. But something was bothering her here. Perhaps the Klingons had made a mistake? It would be easy enough for the Medical Staff to clear up. They would have access to the DNA samples collected after the incident.

With that, Alyssa turned and left the holding area. Once she was outside and away from Birkoff's hearing, she called the Captain. "Captain Hunter....sir....I think we may have a slight problem here. Can you have the Doctor verify that we've got the right person in the brig? I just had strangest conversation."

Hunter tapped his combadge, "You mean Birkoff?"

"Yes Sir....he's claiming he has no idea why he's here or what's going on. He also said something about not knowing anything about the disappearance of the Wolverine. Why would the man say something like that? I just don't think he's that good of an actor. I think it would be a good idea to have Doctor Dane take a DNA sample and run it."

"Acknowledged," said Hunter.

"Very Good, Sir. Thank you. Northrop out." She tapped closed the comm channel and headed for her office. If that wasn't Birkoff, then who was he? And why did he look just like the man? Could Birkoff have stolen this man's identity?