Getting a Little Grimy

Posted on Fri May 20th, 2016 @ 10:53pm by Lieutenant Julia 'Jules' Bryce & Warrant Officer Marcus Lazlo

Mission: Brave New World
Location: Lower Decks

"No, I'm not trying to get diabetes.." Jules said, checking out her candy ration before shoving it into the little satchel that she liked to carry alongside a few other edibles wrapped up within. "This stuff is negotiating gold, buddy. Anything blue or with nougat is pretty much a winning bid, trust me."

"Wait... blue?" Lazlo asked, confused, as they walked along. Laz had decided to follow along with Jules on her usual route into the underbelly. Never hurt an old dog to make new friends, and Laz was decidedly short on snitches on the Starbase, so he figured it couldn't hurt to start looking for some. Besides that, he enjoyed spending time with the spunky girl.

"Blue invariably tastes like punch or raspberry. It's a safe bet when there's absolutely no ingredients that remotely link back to real food. Already got the fruit, one burger, couple pairs of socks, sanitizer- yup. All tucked in. Let's get a-walking, huh?" Jules picked up her habitual 'walking' jacket that had nothing to do with the typical dress code and then looped the strap over her shoulder.

"Yes ma'am," Lazlo said with a grin and a shrug, "Let's get to walkin'."

***

The area that Jules made a beeline for was probably one of the worst on the station. Officially it was mostly dedicated to cargo holds and storage with a few odd residential blocks dropped in the back fifty, but the damage to the station had made the area less of a worker heavy fare in the last few weeks and more like a ghost town. Many of the businesses that would cater to the working man were closed or still damaged, as well as the intercom system that moaned out low and constant white noise. Several of the light banks were also damaged, but that seemed more intentional than aftermath of the attack.

"I see there's been some redecorating.." Jules sighed, but didn't slow down a bit. In fact she picked up her pace a little, winding back towards the narrower halls away from the main drag. "We need to check which security monitirs are down right now. I bet there'll be a few."

"People trying to get away with no good while the traffic is low down here," Lazlo replied with a nod. "Lead the way, this is all new territory for me." He replied.

"Probably not as much crime as you think," sighed Bryce as she led the way along an abandoned civilian shipping depot. The outermost rows of crates were all cracked opened and gutted. "You put a bunch under duress and leave them out to fend for themselves, you get natural division, not just between each other, but from us. Most of them don't trust us and have good reason to. If you've been stunned and stomped too many times, why'd you trust a uniform coming in to try and make things right? Certainly not right for the locals, just the uniforms. That's where you start hitting the shades of gray in what's right, what's morale and what's regulations. Freaking morality plays.. This is just survival."

"Weird to think that we've still got places like this in this day and age, but I saw it in New York too. Times Square and downtown Manhattan are beautiful and shiny, but you stray not to far from the gloss and you'll find yourself in some rough neighborhoods. Same deal there, not may folks feel nice about the cops. You gotta earn it," He said. "I'm assuming you've been down here earning it."

"Something like that.." With a childhood that bounced between Berlin and Saint Petersburg and Astrakhan, places like the station underbelly felt rather much like home. All of the smells and noises had a echoed familiarity even without the fresh air and the soot in the air, there was still the cold, the decay, the lost. She spotted the lone child standing barefoot at the edge of the work yard just a moment before she disappeared around the corner. "Relax," Jules warned quietly. "And guard your pockets. You're about to be mobbed by sparrows."

"Sparrows?" Laz said, sounding utterly lost. He didn't HEAR any birds...

"Street kids. There's a good bunch down here. I'm slowly putting together who belongs to who and what can be done if anything. Just keep your voice low, don't fake smile or lie." Just anticipated a small herd of kids ranging from carried to mid teens came around the corner enforce. Some hesitated seeing Laz, but most seemed to zero in on Jules. A few were smiling, but most had the jaded edge of the hard life already etched into their features.

Laz casually stuffed his hands into all the pockets that contained something important and offered a smirk that was very genuine, "It's a good thing we weren't going for covert... I think we've been noticed at this point," He said, chuckling.

"Yeah," was all that Jules said in response. Everyone that she needed to see them did. "Are we all here? One, two, three.. Where's Shanna? Is she still sick?"

"Her mom's sick now," one boy answered, sitting down on the ground before Jules and the others all sat on the bare ground.

"That's gotta be pretty sick. Has a doctor been by to see them or are they trying to weather it out?" As she spoke, Bryce carefully laid out her offerings for everyone to see. No one touched, but there was obvious admiring going on.

"I dunno," he answered with a heavy sigh.

The woman nodded sagely, already trying to plan out the best way for that to happen in her head. The mother and daughter were good people for sure, but her brother was a trouble spot with the wrong kind of connections. "I'll check on 'em just to make sure. So who's got trades?"

Right away a plastic bangle bracelet was thrust at Jules by a girl that looked to be about eight. "ME! ME! I found it in a box."

Sliding the bracelet onto her wrist, Jules nodded. "Box bracelet two butterscotch discs?"


"Deal." the kid agreed with a grin. She took her findings and fell to the back, leaving the floor open to all kinds of bartering and dealing ranging from lost shoes and pocketknives to tales of broken equipment or fights or people who lost their homes. Candy and food were exchanged, a voucher for a meal for someone's dad. A bunch of socks for a homeless guy named Ed that the kids liked.

Once it all winded down and there was nothing left to go through, Jules cleared her throat to get attention back to her. "So, guys. This is Lazlo. He's on the okay list. You get in trouble and you see him, he's okay to tell no matter what it is, okay? Say hi, Laz."

"Howdy, folks," He said, waving. "She's right, I got yer back, no matter what." He said, smiling brightly.

"Apparently there were some guys dressed like us down here a few weeks ago roughing people up, so I promised that I'd find out who were the good guys until I could root out who the bad guys are," she explained, ignoring a set of tiny fingers rooting through her jacket pocket none too expertly.

The fingers were suddenly absent as Lazlo scooped up the kid in question, "Yep. We aren't too happy about people down here doing bad things while they pretend to be us. We have a reputation to keep up," Laz added in, grinning as he tickled the would-be thief.

"So until we figure out who it is, they're just real careful, right?" Several nods answered Jules's question. "If there's trouble and you can't run away, you hide. Don't put yourselves in danger. Be my good kids, okay?"

A few hugs were given, though most went scampering off as soon without even a wave. The feeling that they were still being watched was fairly palpable, but again Jules didn't seem to feel threatened. She stood up and brushed the smut off of her legs. "So you ready to to the long walk through here now? Figure we'll eyeball Shana's place and see if it's quiet enough to visit or if I have to get devious.."

"Devious?" Lazlo asked, arching an eyebrow.

Bryce grinned the kind of manic, crazy, lopsided grin that one would expect from an idiot right before they asked you to hold their beer and watch this. "I am nothing if not a thoughtful planner, Laz. If I can't figure out how to do a criminal's job better than they would, I'd be a lousy security officer." \

Laz laughed out loud at that, "You got a point there, darlin'," He said, falling into step behind her. "This reminds me a lot of the New Queens district in New York. Lots of under privileged, living under their own code of conduct, just trying to survive. A lot of the force felt like they were garbage, not worth our time to police."

Wrinkling her nose, Jules made a sour face. That kind of attitude tended to make her fists itchy. "I can't think like that. Breaking people into castes and deciding who is better than another is a poison, an illusion. We're all people and all deserving the same basic principles of life. Maslow's hierarchy comes before Fancy McEntitled Pants self-inflated ego."

Lazlo laughed, "I couldn't agree more. Which is why when I was given the chance to pick my beat as a street cop, that's the place I chose. Took me a long time to get them to trust me, but I did eventually. And before long, I was their best friend. They trusted me, mostly because I trusted them," He explained. "People like this are like cornered animals. They'll lash out, they're be aggressive, but if you show them the patience and care that they deserve as human beings, they'll be the most grateful and loving people you've ever met."

"From what I've gotten, a lot of the people down here change constantly. They're mostly dock hands and laborers in this section. A few roving toughs- mostly kids looking for a family to belong to. Steered right and given some meaning they'll self-correct. So far I've only found a few genuine jerks down here." As they walked the feeling of being watched began to fade out slowly, not that Jules would skip the chance to speak her mind even if it didn't. "So these guys that'd come down here were before my time. Haven't been back since the attack."

"Maybe we got lucky and a plasma conduit did our work for us," Laz offered. "Is this an official case, or an unofficial one?"

Jules made a face again and shrugged her shoulders. "I'm still trying to figure that out. If it was some punks playing games as they passed through that plays out a lot differently than a few of ours coming down here to vent frustrations. The latter includes more punching in my imagined resolution scenario.."

Lazlo let out a low grumble at that thought, "Mine too... you don't think that's a possibility, do you? I'm newer than you are, I think," He said, laughing a bit.

"I don't know. I'm used to working ships which have a quarter of the security team and a hundredth of the traffic. Trying to feel out every person in the department is going to be a heck of a chore. I'm gonna do it anyhow, though, just 'cause I need to know who's what and what their general feel is. Overachiever, underachiever, heavy hitter, stoolie chum, desk clerk.." Who would eventually pick up the slack.. There were a few other positins that she didn't bother naming.

Lazlo nodded, "On the take, questionable morals, dirty cop," He said, continuing the list as he knew it well.

"Yeah, that," grumbled Jules with a shake of her head. "It's shameful to think that those thoughts even have to come up. I'm not a model officer by far, but I chose to do this. I knew that this was how I needed to make a difference. How do you come into with the idea of running against the system? It's not a perfect system by far, but that's no excuse to be crooked."

Laz shrugged, "I reckon some folks can't help but see how to help them selves, same as other folks can't help but see ways to help others. Thankfully, in this day and age, the former is much less than the latter," He said with a grin. "How'd you wind up in security, anyway? You seem a little short for a law man," He said, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"Pay back," Jules answered plain and simple. "Some good people helped me once, I'm doing the same. It was sort of the only thing I felt comfortable doing. Bonus, I got off Earth."

Laz chuckled at that, "Yeah, that's a good reason. I was a cop on earth for a long time. Moved to New York to see something new - grew up in Texas - and once that got dull... well, I figured there wasn't much I hadn't seen on earth, so maybe I'd try the stars. Hell of a time for an old goat like me to convince Starfleet that I was worth a commission, but I finally succeeded and got put here on the station. Not like I had anyone else left on earth anyway," He said, a note of sorrow creeping into his voice for the first time since she'd known him.

Jules grimaced at the loss in his voice. She'd never really let anyone close enough to anyone to lose them. That level of attachment required a vulnerability that she wasn't ready to present. "Sorry for your loss, Laz. I suck at trying to being comforting and all, so.. I hope you don't hurt.." Not knowing what else to say, she quickly changed the subject. "So this is your first post?"

"Yep, military anyway," He confirmed, nodding a bit. "I almost signed up for Starfleet when I was younger, but I met this girl who stole my heart. Denny. She was as dirt bound as it got, and I was bound to her," He said, laughing a bit. "So that's where I stayed. I guess after all these years, the stars were still calling to my heart. Or maybe my age addled mind thinks I'm just a little close to her up here... who knows," He said, a twinkle coming back to his eyes at he laughed at his own expense. "Either way, I'm here now, and you're stuck with me, so there."

"This is my third.." Bryce said, visibly agitated. She seemed to be chewing on something in her head for a moment as she grew silent. It wasn't just the personal nature of the story being shared, it was the comment that she had no idea how to respond to. "That's an odd thing to say- that I'm stuck with you. Is that self-depreciating humor or are you trying to connect? Or are you up here looking for that last great boulder to climb? I've no intention of letting you do such a thing if that's where your mind's at. If you stay, you fight as long as you can."

Laz laughed at that, "Oh, honey, I'm too stubborn to die, don't you worry. Besides, Denny would kick my ass all through the afterlife if I gave up and quit," He told her. "I'm just being honest. I like you, kid. You've got spunk, and I like spunk. In fifty years or so, I want you to stand up before a big crowd of pompous ass holes in suits and tell 'em how the old cowboy from New York taught you everything you know when you retire," He said, laughing.

Jules didn't laugh. Didn't smile. Her eyes darkened a bit more and the corners of her mouth curled down. "This is my last post, cowboy. I retire in about four years if I'm lucky. Less if I'm not. I'm sick: that's why I'm on a station, not a ship. I'm good enough for a desk job, not the hard stuff. You'll need to find a different protegee to tell your tales.."

"Wh... What are you talkin' about?"Laz asked, trying to piece everything together. She hadn't struck him as sick, strong as a bullwhip, sharp as a tack. Would could be ending her run so soon? It didn't compute.

"Exactly what I said," she barked back irritably. "The kid's home is just down the way. Are we going, or debating?"

"Now hold on just a cotton-pickin' minute here," Laz snipped, grabbin' her by her shoulder and turning her to face him. "Now, I know we haven't know each other all that long a spell, but you can't just tell me that a bright girl like you is going to be retired against your will in four years and just leave it at that. What's going on? Can I do anything to help?" He asked, his tone going from gruff to concerned.

"I didn't say I was dying, Laz," Might as well if she cared to admit it to herself, but she wasn't going to admit that to anyone. "I'm losing my sight. It's a stupid genetic issue that can't be corrected yet. Maybe in a few years it'll get figured out, but for now, it's not at the top of my very short list of great conversation topics."

Laz let out an odd grunt, "Oh... yeah, I guess not," He said with a sigh. "Well, then we make the best of the time we got, right?" He offered. "You don't look broke none to me, so... we just keep working till we can't no more," He offered.

"That's the general idea," Bryce grumbled. "I don't typically make this widely known, so just sit on it, will you. I fully plan on talking to the new boss once he settles in. I'm still on my game."

Laz chuckled dryly, "Darlin', your business is your business. I just ask for a heads up if we're going to be partners is all," Laz replied. "Unofficially at least," He added with a grin.

"A heads up? You mean when I'm getting too fuzzy?" As much as she didn't particularly relish the idea of a partner, it wasn't a bad idea just to make sure that.. that she wasn't being foolish or prideful.

"If anything," Laz replied. "Look... I don't work well alone. Don't like it. Bothers me, no one watching my back. To many years on the NYPD, I guess. I'd like you to think of me as a partner. I've got your back, you've got mine. Work, personal, all that good stuff. We have to trust each other, and that means completely. Your secret is safe with me, no one else will know. I'll tell you all the secrets you want to know too. Something comes up, you get in trouble, you let me know. And I'll help you find a way around it. Okay? Partners?" He asked, sticking out his hand for a shake.

After a moment Jules took the older man's hand and shook it firmly. "Deal."

"Done and dusted, then," Laz said with a nod. "Let's go check in on this little girl."