Mystery on the Excelsior - Chapter Two

[Shadows]

55 minutes ago, Hinckley said:

"So, the person brought the teapot for friendly purposes? Where are the teacups, then?"

"Why do you assume that the teapot wasn't already here?"

"Wait everyone, Gabby has hit upon a brilliant idea! Someone is missing their teapot, having chosen to bring it here to use as the most efficient possible murder weapon! Let's round up all the teacups and see who is left out, that's our murderer!" *chuckles a little*

[jimmynick]

3 hours ago, Bob said:

It seems they're losing lottery tickets and the race is also one that's been lost.

 Emily wonders why the host mentioned these items specifically if they seem to be irrelevant.

4 hours ago, Shadows said:

As for the door, it would let that person out and lock behind them, as all the doors to the private cabins and other secure areas.

“How do you know this, considering Bob has said the doors open in the event of a power failure?”

5 hours ago, Waterbrick Down said:

So his assailant may have snuck in during the black-out.

“Ah, but the details, they are all connected, n’est ce pas? Surely the assailant, he is cutting the power and murdering Alfie before returning to the lounge?”

5 minutes ago, Shadows said:

Why do you assume that the teapot wasn't already here?

“We are already missing a teapot. There was one at Oliver’s table as we all got to know each other, but after the power failure it was not there. I remarked on the surprising disappearance and reappearance of the teapot when I opted to SMASH”

“Has anyone else on this trip ever been involved in gambling?”

[Shadows]

2 hours ago, jimmynick said:

“How do you know this, considering Bob has said the doors open in the event of a power failure?”

"As Captain of the ship, I know everything about her. Except how some of the weird techie stuff works, like those pesky engines, that's not my job. I also can't find any regulation that requires Gabby to have that silly hairdo, but that's a matter for another time. I definitely disagree with whomever 'Bob' is, as I can assure you that a power failure does not automatically open every door on the ship, that would be silly. It does, however, unlock some doors that would be required in the event of an emergency, which would include the cabins. They would also lock again after the emergency had passed."

*looks up 'Bob' in the crew and fails to find him*

2 hours ago, jimmynick said:

“We are already missing a teapot. There was one at Oliver’s table as we all got to know each other, but after the power failure it was not there. I remarked on the surprising disappearance and reappearance of the teapot when I opted to SMASH”

"If you weren't all thieves and vandals, we might have a better grasp on where everything is. As for this teapot, I don't see how you can conclude that it's the same one, you just decided that before your attempt to destroy the potential evidence. I still think it makes a horrible murder weapon, one that indicates a lack of planning. Just lazy and unprofessional, a product of this modern generation. You're ruining the sanctity of murder. If I was going to kill someone and we were all out of deadly neurotoxin, I'd trick the computer into detecting a fire in a cabin with the intended victim, then flush the whole thing out to the vacuum of space. Make it look like an accident, you know."

"Speaking of which ... Computer! How many of these teapots are aboard the Excelsior? Counting the broken one in Gabby's pants."

"So let's summarize this latest theory while the ship counts pottery."

"The murderer, who clearly had to be in the lounge at some point, stole a teapot because it's the perfect murder weapon. They snuck to and hacked a terminal to turn off the power. They made their way in the dark to Alfie's cabin which they knew would be unlocked because they are some kind of ship savant, the same way they knew how to hack the terminal and that none of their movements would be on any kind of camera. Alfie didn't notice anything, like the door opening or the sound of someone entering, so he didn't turn, and he liked being in the dark without known reason, so he didn't bother to investigate the sudden loss of power. He just patiently waited, facing the other way while the murderer snuck in, broke the teapot just enough to get a piece but not enough to shatter completely, since you had to do that, then used the piece to stab him in the back. They then left the piece because that wasn't important, didn't steal any of the stuff we've discovered, like papers and unknown bits of technology that appear to be the likely motive. They then made their way somewhere to clean up from the blood, still likely in the dark, and returned to the group undetected."

"I'm sticking to my theory, a struggle and weapon of opportunity."

[Tariq j]

6 hours ago, Bob said:

Inside the medicine cabinet are some various toiletries like a toothbrush and some Blue Star Soaps, as well as some prescription medications.

Seymour goes to the bathroom and wanders to the medicine cabinet. 

I'd like to read all the labels on his prescripted medicines. See which conditions he was treating at the time.

[Trekkie99]

"I kinda feel it's more likely there was a struggle. In such a event, I doubt the murderer could have gotten off without cutting their hands on the broken glass while gripping it firmly enough to stab Alfie, unless they were wearing gloves."

3 hours ago, Shadows said:

"Speaking of which ... Computer! How many of these teapots are aboard the Excelsior? Counting the broken one in Gabby's pants."

I'd imagine that's a little to OP lol.

[Bob]

10 hours ago, Hinckley said:

I would like to attempt to read the technical schematics and read the names involved in the patent review.

You let me worry about that.

It would appear the Alfie Peck was involved in the patent review as the sole author and inventor of a machine that has the possibility to synthesize food out of normal matter - for all intents and purposes, the first matter food replicator. It appears that Alfie had spent the last four years on this project and he was very close to having it officially patented. It also lists three financial backers, whose names you don’t recognize. It seems that Alfie was also about to create his own company with which he was planning to produce and sell these devices. It lists the end of the patent review as December 20th, 2120, which is only a few months from now. 

8 hours ago, Shadows said:

*thinks* I think it's safe to say we're all a little worried about that.

"Carry on."

I would like to examine the prescription medicines, specifically who they belong to, what they are for, who prescribed them. when and how many are missing/left..

They appear to be heart medications for a pulmonary disease of some sort. Since you’re not a doctor, you can’t be sure, but you can read they were prescribed by a cardiologist. 

4 hours ago, Shadows said:

"Speaking of which ... Computer! How many of these teapots are aboard the Excelsior? Counting the broken one in Gabby's pants."

The computer doesn’t respond, since it’s not a voice activated system. 

3 hours ago, Tariq j said:

Seymour goes to the bathroom and wanders to the medicine cabinet. 

I'd like to read all the labels on his prescripted medicines. See which conditions he was treating at the time.

As a zoologist, you’re not aware of the exact specifications of the disease, but using some of your life sciences skills, you can recognize the disease on the bottle that it treats as a rare heart condition. 

[Trekkie99]

11 minutes ago, Bob said:

a machine that has the possibility to synthesize food out of normal matter - for all intents and purposes, the first matter food replicator.

 NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! ALIFIE!!! COME BACK!!! I want to do the thing! You have to finish it! PLEASE!!! Tea Earl Grey, hot. Tea Earl Grey, hot. *starts hyperventilating* Tea Earl Grey, hot. Tea Earl Grey, hot. Tea Earl Grey, hot....

[Shadows]

1 hour ago, Bob said:

The computer doesn’t respond, since it’s not a voice activated system.

"That was the joke."

45 minutes ago, Trekkie99 said:

Tea Earl Grey, hot. Tea Earl Grey, hot. *starts hyperventilating* Tea Earl Grey, hot. Tea Earl Grey, hot. Tea Earl Grey, hot....

"Seem awfully obsessed with tea, Mr. Hudson. What do you know about what Gabby has in her pants, hmm?"

[Waterbrick Down]

7 hours ago, Shadows said:

"So let's summarize this latest theory while the ship counts pottery."

"The murderer, who clearly had to be in the lounge at some point, stole a teapot because it's the perfect murder weapon. They snuck to and hacked a terminal to turn off the power. They made their way in the dark to Alfie's cabin which they knew would be unlocked because they are some kind of ship savant, the same way they knew how to hack the terminal and that none of their movements would be on any kind of camera. Alfie didn't notice anything, like the door opening or the sound of someone entering, so he didn't turn, and he liked being in the dark without known reason, so he didn't bother to investigate the sudden loss of power. He just patiently waited, facing the other way while the murderer snuck in, broke the teapot just enough to get a piece but not enough to shatter completely, since you had to do that, then used the piece to stab him in the back. They then left the piece because that wasn't important, didn't steal any of the stuff we've discovered, like papers and unknown bits of technology that appear to be the likely motive. They then made their way somewhere to clean up from the blood, still likely in the dark, and returned to the group undetected."

"I'm sticking to my theory, a struggle and weapon of opportunity."

"When you put it that way, it does seem unlikely, but might I suggest a slight variation. Perhaps this wasn't an intended murder. Given the letter, perhaps the assailant merely meant to take advantage of the black-out to steal something from him and didn't expect him to still be in the room when they entered. From there they struggled, the pot was broken and subsequently used as a weapon."

"If we've combed over everything, might I suggest we head for Mr. Parry's room?"

Arthur prepares to head off to Ezra's room.

[Pandora]

16 hours ago, Kristel said:

Noah looks around and asks "Has anyone seen Charlotte?".

"I'm here, I'm here, chef. Well now, this is most disorganised and haphazard and I think we'll be better off with some organisation and stronger leadership." Charlotte glances sideways at the muttering Captain. 

"Emily, what in the blazes possessed you to smash the damned teapot woman?! It's this sort of behaviour that could cause us to miss vital clues for goodness sake!"

 

15 hours ago, Hinckley said:

I'd like to hide all the evidence, the machine parts...and the frog...in my underwear so that I know they will be secure.

"Oh dear Lord, no! Why did nobody stop the poor demented girl from filling her undergarments with evidence? There must be a better place to put them, surely? Maybe put them in one of those beach bags they were giving away at the Alpha Centauri holiday village timeshare presentation? And then.. just carry the bag around? Bleurgh."

 

14 hours ago, Shadows said:

"I do suspect that someone involved in this could easily have suffered an injury of their own, perhaps we need to make note of anyone with cuts or bruises or anything of the sort. Like Ms. Young, for example, with the odd pencil wound. I don't even understand why people are still carrying around pencils in this day and age. Perhaps to keep logs of engine grease. Makes about as much sense."

"I indeed looked for injuries in others earlier, at the same time as your greasy hands were identified. Ms Young appears to have the only injury currently, but apparently I couldn't really tell."

 

14 hours ago, Bob said:

Inside the medicine cabinet are some various toiletries like a toothbrush and some Blue Star Soaps, as well as some prescription medications.

"Well, we have established that this was heart medication for some rare disorder it seems, but I think the most sensible thing would be for @Fugazi Dr Frost to tell us exactly what the medicine is for and whether there is any bearing or relevance to our current findings and hypothesis.

"It seems, currently, we're thinking that the teapot from the lounge was the murder weapon for both the blunt force injury and a shard thereof was used as the stabby weapon. The killer may or may not have been known to poor Mr Peck, and there was, as the captain has pointed out, a lot for them to achieve before returning to the group. It is worth considering, and I'm sure the captain will take this badly, that both she and Gabby were delayed in returning to us. Yes, I know they had important things to do, like both of them fixing the FTL drive, but it bears remembering, as does the fact that the captain has a keycard, and Arthur does too. It is also possible that there is more than one person involved, which would allow for so much dastardly work to be achieved in such a short space of time.... which reminds me

"Captain, you know this ship intimately, yes? How long would it take one to get from the bar to Mr Peck's quarters and back? And Gabby, from your computer logs, how long was the power shut down for?"

[Hinckley]

2 hours ago, Waterbrick Down said:

"When you put it that way, it does seem unlikely, but might I suggest a slight variation. Perhaps this wasn't an intended murder. Given the letter, perhaps the assailant merely meant to take advantage of the black-out to steal something from him and didn't expect him to still be in the room when they entered. From there they struggled, the pot was broken and subsequently used as a weapon."

"If we've combed over everything, might I suggest we head for Mr. Parry's room?"

Arthur prepares to head off to Ezra's room.

@Waterbrick Down @Shadows "Captain Bennett, Arthur, why are you both suggesting this may have been accidental? Why would someone go through the trouble of shutting down the advanced and sophisticated FTL drive in order to shut down only the security systems, go grab a tea pot and go to Alfie's room? You think that was a friendly endeavor on the perpetrator's part? Odd that two people with access to the Engineering room are suggesting the death of Alfie wasn't murdered. Very interesting."

Gabriella would like to see if the terminal in the room will scan a key card to reveal what doors have been accessed and at what times.

[Hinckley]

6 hours ago, Bob said:

It would appear the Alfie Peck was involved in the patent review as the sole author and inventor of a machine that has the possibility to synthesize food out of normal matter - for all intents and purposes, the first matter food replicator. It appears that Alfie had spent the last four years on this project and he was very close to having it officially patented. It also lists three financial backers, whose names you don’t recognize. It seems that Alfie was also about to create his own company with which he was planning to produce and sell these devices. It lists the end of the patent review as December 20th, 2120, which is only a few months from now.

"Perhaps Charlotte @Pandora , Emily @jimmynick or George @Lind Whisperer recognize the names of the financial backers? Or maybe even Oliver @Trekkie99? Hell, perhaps everyone should check the names."

[Waterbrick Down]

2 hours ago, Hinckley said:

@Waterbrick Down @Shadows "Captain Bennett, Arthur, why are you both suggesting this may have been accidental? Why would someone go through the trouble of shutting down the advanced and sophisticated FTL drive in order to shut down only the security systems, go grab a tea pot and go to Alfie's room? You think that was a friendly endeavor on the perpetrator's part? Odd that two people with access to the Engineering room are suggesting the death of Alfie wasn't murdered. Very interesting."

Gabriella would like to see if the terminal in the room will scan a key card to reveal what doors have been accessed and at what times.

"I haven't said it wasn't murder, only that it may not have been premeditated. If it were, why a teapot? Also, do we know specifically that Mr. Peck didn't bring the teapot back to his room himself?"

[Hinckley]

Just now, Waterbrick Down said:

"I haven't said it wasn't murder, only that it may not have been premeditated. If it were, why a teapot? Also, do we know specifically that Mr. Peck didn't bring the teapot back to his room himself?"

"Again, what isn't premeditated about shutting down the ship's FTL drive so they can take the security systems offline? Even removing the teapot from the equation for now. If someone just wanted to go to Artie's cabin to chat, why not knock on the door or raise him on a comms terminal? Why shut down the FTL drive to take the security systems down? "

[Waterbrick Down]

57 minutes ago, Hinckley said:

"Again, what isn't premeditated about shutting down the ship's FTL drive so they can take the security systems offline? Even removing the teapot from the equation for now. If someone just wanted to go to Artie's cabin to chat, why not knock on the door or raise him on a comms terminal? Why shut down the FTL drive to take the security systems down? "

"Did you not hear the letter, someone wanted to work with him, not kill him. If it was a premeditated murder, why here on the ship and again, why the teapot? It makes more sense that someone was after Mr. Peck's technology and things didn't go as planned, they panicked and attacked him with what was at hand."

[Hinckley]

2 minutes ago, Waterbrick Down said:

"Did you not hear the letter, someone wanted to work with him, not kill him. If it was a premeditated murder, why here on the ship and again, why the teapot? It makes more sense that someone was after Mr. Peck's technology and things didn't go as planned, they panicked and attacked him with what was at hand."

"Then why did they cut the power?"

[jimmynick]

1 minute ago, Waterbrick Down said:

Did you not hear the letter, someone wanted to work with him, not kill him

"I think it is possible that the killer may not be the author of the letter. Just possible, though. I do agree with Gabriella that the inclusion of the FTL shutdown, the darkening of the lights, and the transit of the teapot indicate premeditation, however."

Emily, still hung over from all those martinis and from declining to partake of the barramundi last night, waves a hand in the direction of the patent application.

Do I know any of the people listed on the patent application?

 

[Bob]

4 hours ago, Hinckley said:

Gabriella would like to see if the terminal in the room will scan a key card to reveal what doors have been accessed and at what times.

Which doors are you refering to? All the doors on the ship? 

44 minutes ago, jimmynick said:

Do I know any of the people listed on the patent application?

You recognize one name as a prominent venture capitalist that you've met once or twice. You don't recognize the other two names.

[Hinckley]

25 minutes ago, Bob said:

Which doors are you refering to? All the doors on the ship?

I'm referring to the key cards. Is it possible to scan the card at one of the terminals to see which doors on the ship the key card has accessed and at what times, specifically I'd like to know what key card accessed Engineering right before the FTL drive shut down.

[Waterbrick Down]

1 hour ago, Hinckley said:

"Then why did they cut the power?"

“As I’ve been saying, to break into his room.”

1 hour ago, jimmynick said:

"I think it is possible that the killer may not be the author of the letter. Just possible, though. I do agree with Gabriella that the inclusion of the FTL shutdown, the darkening of the lights, and the transit of the teapot indicate premeditation, however."

Emily, still hung over from all those martinis and from declining to partake of the barramundi last night, waves a hand in the direction of the patent application.

Do I know any of the people listed on the patent application?

 

“Why not take a knife from the dining room? A teapot simply doesn’t make sense.“

[Trekkie99]

Do I know any of the people listed on the patent application along with their names?

@Fugazi "Doctor could you please take a look at Alfie's heart meds? I'm sure you'd love to geek out over them."

[Shadows]

8 hours ago, Waterbrick Down said:

"When you put it that way, it does seem unlikely, but might I suggest a slight variation. Perhaps this wasn't an intended murder. Given the letter, perhaps the assailant merely meant to take advantage of the black-out to steal something from him and didn't expect him to still be in the room when they entered. From there they struggled, the pot was broken and subsequently used as a weapon."

"That sounds a lot more likely."

6 hours ago, Hinckley said:

@Waterbrick Down @Shadows "Captain Bennett, Arthur, why are you both suggesting this may have been accidental?

"I see no one suggesting accidental, we're leaning towards unintended, as in the murderer didn't plan to be one, they were there for some other purpose."

3 hours ago, Waterbrick Down said:

"I haven't said it wasn't murder, only that it may not have been premeditated. If it were, why a teapot? Also, do we know specifically that Mr. Peck didn't bring the teapot back to his room himself?"

"Exactly. Maybe he was as tea crazed as that other one and it ended up being the instrument of his demise."

3 hours ago, Hinckley said:

"Again, what isn't premeditated about shutting down the ship's FTL drive so they can take the security systems offline? Even removing the teapot from the equation for now. If someone just wanted to go to Artie's cabin to chat, why not knock on the door or raise him on a comms terminal? Why shut down the FTL drive to take the security systems down? "

"To get in what they hoped was an empty room to steal something. It may have had as much with preventing security footage as door access. For all we know, they did steal something, the stuff left behind might not be all there was. We'll need to search everyone and their cabins to be sure."

"Still odd, here is this guy with his old-timey letter and envelope and the only known injury aboard is from a pencil."

[Trekkie99]

"We gonna go pay Ezra a visit? I'll vote to that."

[Hinckley]

"Aha, @Shadows and @jimmynick , to steal the machine, gotcha. That makes more sense. I'll try to listen more. Then, why would they kill Ezra? Are the cabins adjacent to each other? Perhaps Ezra simply overheard the struggle. Assuming Ezra is dead... Also, why didn't they take anything after Alfie was dead?"

[Bob]

1 hour ago, Hinckley said:

I'm referring to the key cards. Is it possible to scan the card at one of the terminals to see which doors on the ship the key card has accessed and at what times, specifically I'd like to know what key card accessed Engineering right before the FTL drive shut down.

It's possible for the passenger cards, as those are individual. The crew cards, except for the captain's, are all uniform and not unique. You would have to use a security terminal on the bridge or in engineering in order to determine that information. 

1 hour ago, Trekkie99 said:

Do I know any of the people listed on the patent application along with their names?

@Fugazi "Doctor could you please take a look at Alfie's heart meds? I'm sure you'd love to geek out over them."

No, you don't.

Meanwhile...

"I've taken the liberty of calling the Space Police! I'm not sure when they'll get here, though."