Abby simply held up a hand where she stood, her voice low, measured and calm. She'd had forty-eight hours to digest this little slice of hell, and that [i]still[/i] hadn't made this insanity sit any easier. Five people dead. She was still reeling, reconciling this body count with the number of people they'd saved on one of the last rescue missions on Earth, just outside The Mountain.

[i]Five people![/i]

Her head throbbed miserably with a mixture of pounding rage and lingering cryosickness, but the First Sergeant stood as cool and steady as she ever had. "I understand you have questions. If you'll give me a moment, and your attention, I will try to answer them all best I can." She turned to the veterinarian, to Dr. Albright whose question first caught her attention.

[i]Technically,[/i] Abby hadn't had to do 'cop speak' in more than three years. But it was good to know, it was a skill that didn't fade too badly with disuse. "In the judgment of authorities during Second Shift, the nature of these crimes was deemed sufficient cause to open previously sealed records - to include the results of background investigations and criminal history checks."

"I can't speak to the deliberation process since I wasn't there. Nor, as I'm sure you understand, can I speak to the specifics in those files." 

Abby shrugged almost imperceptibly, a small smile for the young vet. "Well, honestly I wouldn't even if I could. But in an overabundance of caution and concern for the safety of the people aboard the Copernicus, more security personnel will be working these remaining shifts to Canaan and the composition of certain crews has been changed."

Her eyes passed meaningfully over Reece and Bill, but did not linger. For all the cavalier smartassery and the surly curmudgeonry, these two were [i]damn[/i] good at their jobs - and they'd lost just as much as anyone here. Sure, they had pasts that weren't white as driven snow. A lot of people did, but they didn't deserve this shit. Hell, there were likely several dozen others that didn't either.

"But all the shift changes and crew composition have already been determined and, to my knowledge, there are no more are on the horizon." It was the only comfort on that matter she had to give.

Her azure-eyed gaze fell on the biologist with the impeccable taste in reading material, vintage clothing and, according to Michael's glowing report, last generation videogames. Abby winced inwardly at his words, though outwardly she only nodded, acknowledging she'd be fielding his question next. 

[i]'Damn it all, Gavin... '[/i] 

She understood of course: the doctor in him would want all the details that could be given. Nobel Peace Prize nominees weren't exactly known for their incurious ways and, any other time, that insatiable, clinical inquisitiveness was one of his more endearing qualities. But at this moment, their purposes were at a crossroads. Gavin wanted to know, to understand every facet of what had happened; but Abby simply wanted to keep some measure of calm. Nothing about what she had to say would give anyone peace of mind, but for now she'd settle simply for keeping order. 

Abby watched without comment as a pretty young woman toward the back, who'd arrived to the briefing late - but just in time, it seemed, to catch Abby's announcement - vomited into what the First Sergeant could only [i]pray[/i] was a waste container, and not the holographic circuitry panel she suspected it was. Her garbled question echoed Gavin's in many ways, asking for details she would not give, and yet tinged with a hope she'd get some kind of reassurance this couldn't happen again.

Her mind raced for that perfect balance: just enough details to inform, without the unnecessary specifics that would outrage, sicken or horrify. "I hope you understand Dr. Brock, that because there are still family members and close friends who remain awake, I won't be detailing specifics here. I hope it will suffice to say, that any number of protocols were bypassed on the cryobeds. The 'how' of what this sick... " 

Abby's voice trailed off for only a moment, catching herself before any very real fury of her own slipped past her lips. "[i]How[/i] the murderer did what he did, was, and is, currently being investigated and addressed, to ensure nothing of the sort can ever happen again. I'm not a cryotech, and I'm sure any explanation of mine would fail on many levels to give you a proper answer anyway. But this [i]is[/i] a matter that is being addressed, and round-the-clock remote surveillance in all the cryopods has been implemented as well."

Though her voice was cool, poised and professional, there was an unspoken plea in her eyes. [i]'Let that be enough for now Gavin. Please.'[/i]

Without skipping a beat, Abby's gaze turned toward the distinguished looking man in the back. Her brow furrowed for a moment as she glanced down to the tablet screen in her hand, and then looked back up to him once more. 

"Dr... [i]Pastor[/i] Park?" she began tentatively, unsure the title he would prefer to be addressed by. "The family members who were in stasis have been returned though, as I mentioned, there are still people directly affected who remain awake. They have already been given your contact information, and there will be a private dossier waiting for you when you have settled in - along with your predecessor's reports."