It was midday, and the promenade onboard Tranquility had been bustling with civilians and Starfleet officers making their way through the different areas, whether just passing by or checking out the many shops and restaurants. The Elysian Lounge, further down the promenade, used by the station’s crew, was busy as usual. Commander Mazi made his way through the crowd and towards the lounge. Just as he turned the corner where the lounge was, he saw Commander Rani Atre. “How’s it going, Rani?” He asked, as they had been working together for a few years and were on a first-name basis while not on duty.

Looking over to where Mazi stood, she smiled, “Hey, it is going pretty well. I’m just going to Elysian Lounge to get something to eat and to relax.” Atre replied as they began to walk again, “What about you?”

“Same,” Mazi replied.

“You can come join us. I am meeting Tanika here as well,” Atre stated.

Lieutenant Commander Tanika Lawton was hard to like because she rarely let anyone get close to her. She was always closed off and standoffish, and her bedside manner wasn’t the best when interacting with others on and off duty. “Sure,” Mazi replied as he had gotten used to her over the last year since she had joined the crew.

“Though it makes me wonder how she and Commodore Dex will get along,” Atre said as they arrived and began to walk in. They had all only briefly met the Commodore shortly after she arrived at the station. There had been no real interaction with them yet, which got most senior staff curious about how things would go, and they had all voiced their concern to each other.

“I am not sure,” Mazi replied with concern.

Just as they entered, they saw Tanika Lawton sitting at a table near the far left corner of the room, and they both began to make their way over. After a short time, they arrived at the table, smiling. “I hope you don’t mind Mazi joining us,” Atre said.

Looking up from the PADD she had been looking at, she shrugged. “Doesn’t matter to me,” Lawton replied with an indifference in her voice, as she couldn’t care less. She was engrossed in the updates she and the engineering team had been working on over the last few hours. She was reading how things were progressing when they arrived.

The two looked at each other briefly before taking a seat just as a waiter approached to take their order, and then they walked away a short time later. “So, how’s things going?” Atre asked, speaking up after a few moments of awkward silence.

“Fine,” Lawton replied with a shrug as she didn’t look up from the PADD she had been studying.

“What are you reading?” Mazi turned around and asked as she seemed to be distracted. She had always been more engrossed in her work than anything else as if nothing or no one was more important. She had been known to work extra hours than she needed to to keep herself busy.

Just as she was about to respond, the waiter returned with their items, setting them down on the table before walking off. “Just keeping an eye on some ongoing system upgrades right now.” Lawton flatly said.

If Mazi could roll his eyes, he would have done so: ” Do you have to constantly work when this is meant to be lunch and a break from the daily routine?” Mazi asked, sounding a bit annoyed. Looking at Rani, he could tell she was also a bit irritated. This was her time to relax; all Tanika could think about was her duties.

Lawton shrugged, “I have to make sure things go according to plan, and the systems can handle the upgrades.” 

“That is what your team is for,” Atre said annoyedly.

Lawton just shrugged, not saying anything more. Mazi was about to speak up before being interrupted by screaming and fighting that seemed to be happening on the promenade and could be heard in the lounge. The three of them looked towards the door before looking back at Mazi, who was already up from his chair and heading out of the lounge to find out what was happening.

A fight had broken out on the promenade between two civilians. Mazi had begun to make his way through the crowd that had seemed to circle the scene. “Back up,” Mazi ordered as other security officers arrived to help. Mazi and another security officer broke up the fight, dragging the two apart while still swinging. “What is going on?” Mazi asked, looking between the two men.

“He has been stealing my customers away,” yelled the first shop owner, who owned a small coffee shop for a few years. The other shop was also a coffee shop, though it specialized in different types of coffee from various species. “He has actively stood out of his shop, taking customers coming to my establishment to go to his, ” he shouted, pointing a finger at the man in front of him being held back from security.

Mazi was about to speak up when the other shop owner interrupted him. “You are delusional. I have not done any such thing. They entered on their own accord, ” the other person replied, shouting angrily that he would be accused of such nonsense. You are just jealous that I am here,” he replied angrily.

This only angered him more, and he somehow got loose from the security officer, grabbed his phaser, and fired, hitting the man in the chest. Everyone that was gathered around let out a shocked noise as security officers subdued the man, taking him to the brig. At the same time, Mazi called for medical attention to come to his location.

A short time later, Lieutenant Commander Taku Lakai arrived, kneeled, and began to scan the patient. The look on her face had let Mazi know that this wasn’t good. “Computer emergency transport directly to the infirmary,” Taku said as the two disappeared.

Mazi looked around as the crowd stood. ” All right, everyone, move on. The show is over, ” he ordered as the crowd began to move on with their business. He sighed at what had just transpired. Turning, he noticed Tanika and Rani standing there, shocked at what had happened. “I will have to take a rain check on our lunch,” Mazi replied apologetically before he made his way out of the promenade and to the infirmary to see what was happening with the patient.

Mazi arrived at the infirmary moments later. Walking in, he looked around until she saw Taku taking a sheet and placing it over the man’s head, signifying that he was gone and that nothing could have been done. Taku noticed Mazi walk in, making her way over to him. “We tried everything to save him, but it was a direct hit to the heart, even with it set to stun,” Taku replied. “It caused too much damage for us to save him,” she added.

Mazi nodded. Now, what would have been an assault turned into a homicide, which was going to have a different outcome for the shop owner who had done this. “Thank you, doctor,” Mazi said with a sigh as he turned to walk out and headed down to his office to start dealing with the situation.