Izi was studying the ground around Trevor’s body.  Though the scene was compromised by all the people that walked around the area, she was able to discern one piece of evidence.  There was no struggle.  Trevor had been taken out so quickly, he either didn’t feel threatened or the attacker had ambushed him so efficiently, he had no chance to defend himself.  In one sense, she could respect how it was done.  After taking statements, it was time to talk to Mara.

“I will be here with you,” said Kurtox.

“Of course,” said Izi.  She studied Mara first, her most intimidating expression on her face.  Her antennae were leaning forward.  “Do you understand that you have the right to not answer my questions?”

“I don’t have anything to hide,” said Mara.  “I didn’t kill Trevor.”

“Tell me what happened, starting with when you threatened to cut Trevor’s throat.”  The scowl on Mara’s face showed Izi she had pressed the right button.

“I wanted Nick to come inside my cabin so I could tend to him.  Trevor hitting him drew blood.  He said no and left, so I went in alone.  I cleaned up after my match and went to bed.”

Trevor hit Nick?  Why didn’t he tell her that?  Though Izi knew he didn’t do the crime, in an unbiased investigation, he was a suspect.  “What happened the next morning?”

“I washed some clothes in the stream and I went into town to buy bread and cookies at the bakery.  I came back home to prepare my mind for my next fight.”  Mara paused.  “People saw me.  I didn’t do this.”

Izi nodded.  “All right.  You can go.”

Mara was surprised.  Studying Izi for a few seconds, she looked at Kurtox, shrugged, and sauntered off.

“That’s it?” said Kurtox.  “That’s all you’re going to ask?”

“For now,” said Izi.  “I’m going to talk to the baker to confirm her alibi.”

“Of course she was there.”  Kurtox was visibly irritated.  “What will that prove?”

“I need to establish a time line,” said Izi.  “Trust me.”

Kurtox sighed.  “Fine.  Did you learn anything from studying the ground?”

“There’s no sign of a struggle.  Despite all the people that were here, if Trevor was resisting his attacker, there should be marks in the dirt.  There’s nothing.  A stab to the softer tissue in the stomach disabled him and the throat cut finished him.”

Kurtox grunted.  “So Mara could have done this?”

“Yes, but it’s too early to know that for certain.”  Izi studied the scene one last time.  “You’re required to have a doctor here.  Please have someone get him.”

Kurtox laughed.

“What’s so funny?” said Izi.

“At this hour, he’ll be sleeping one off, most likely with one of his girlfriends.”

Izi frowned.  “Please find him.”

Kurtox nodded, laughing again.  “Keep me updated.”  He began walking away.

So much for shore leave, thought Izi.

=======

“I said, stand up!”  Kurtox jostled the settlement doctor, a Human man about sixty.  He was obviously hungover.

If it wasn’t necessary to have an official examination and pronouncement, Izi wouldn’t have bothered with him.

“I need you to do your job, Doctor,” said Izi.

“He’s dead.  Can I go now, Kurtox?”

Izi sighed.  She supposed that would have to be enough.  “Do you have a medical tricorder?”

“Yes.”

Izi waited for him to tell her where it was, but it seemed that wasn’t going to happen.  “Where is it?”

“In my office,” said the doctor.

“I’ll get it,” said Kurtox.

Izi wondered what series of unfortunate events brought him to Delvis.  “Do you have a place to keep the body?”

“In the doctor’s office is a stasis pod, though we’ve never needed to use it,” said Kurtox.  “I don’t know if it actually works.”

“What do you do if someone dies?”

“We have a gravesite to the south.  We do our best to honor all funeral customs.”

Izi nodded.

“Can I please go now?  I have a headache,” said the doctor.

“Let’s go, Doctor.  Show me where the tricorder is,” said Kurtox.  As they were leaving, he looked back at Izi.  “The Federation makes us have a doctor.  They didn’t say it had to be a good one.  He patches our injuries, which is all we really need.”

After Kurtox and the Doc left, Izi went back to studying the scene.  She hoped to see something she previously missed, but found she was distracted in thinking Nick was a suspect.  Maybe the engineer was right.  Perhaps coming to Delvis was a bad idea after all.