Mysteries, part the first

Posted on Tue Sep 24th, 2024 @ 1:03am by Lieutenant Anna Esquivias & Lieutenant N'vok Holv

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Holodeck III
Timeline: In orbit around Eden's Reach
1737 words - 3.5 OF Standard Post Measure

N'vok adjusted the early Starfleet uniform, while he quite liked the cut, he was not quite used to the fit and the early science blue was pleasing. Now he just needed his "partner in crime" he believed was the term, to arrive.

Anna showed up, wearing the same early uniform. It was a little like a jumpsuit, she thought. Not so close fitting as contemporary uniforms or as revealing as those of the middle of the 23rd century. She smiled when she saw N'vok. "Ready for this?" She seemed more relaxed than she had before.

"Welcome to 2163, Terran reckoning," said N'vok. "The United Federation of Planets has only been in existence for two years. Starfleet is still coming together but it has done so remarkably well having been forged in the fires of the Romulan war."

"We are newly assigned to Star Base One, I from Vulcan, you can choose from a variety of human-settled worlds for your role, and we are to report to Commander Ilyan Romanov," continued N'vok. He suspected Anna had read the briefing, but it helped to fix it in his mind to repeat it. He was curious as to where she would choose as her point of origin as her actual homeworld would not be contacted for decades.

"I'm from Earth,' she said. "There are not yet nearly as many human settled worlds outside of the Sol system." She smiled. "So shall we report in?"

"Indeed, a pleasure to meet you," said N'vok. Together they walked through the corridors. Soon coming to a door marked, Commander Ilyan Romanov, Network Systems.

N'vok pushed the chime.

"Enter," said a voice with a slight accent. A handsome older man with thinning blond hair and hard eyes. His desk was clear apart from a viewer and a stack of data cards.

"Lieutenants N'vok and Esquivais, welcome," he gestured to the seats in front of him. "Please sit. I hope your journey was pleasant."

"Yes, sir," Anna said as she snapped briefly to attention and then took he offered seat. "We're ready to get to work."

N'vok nodded and took a seat.

"You have come recommended to me by your commanding officers," said Romanov. "And I have had you transferred into Network System for the duration of your assignment here."

"I am unclear on what exactly Network Systems does, sir," said N'vok. "The information on the exact purpose of the department was rather vague."

"That is how we like it," said Romanov. "Network Systems is Starfleet counter intelligence. We have reason to believe that the Romulans and Orions are seeking to subvert Starfleet and Federation personnel. I want you to find them," he said leaning forward.

"But no one even knows what a Romulan looks like, sir," Anna noted, remembering that from history class.

Romanov nodded. "That is true and I do not wish to be suspicious of every alien from outside the core Federation Worlds. We suspect they will be offering other incentives, wealth, power, knowledge, to get a look into the inner workings of Starfleet. Perhaps using agents of border worlds, they must be as interested in learning about us as we are about them."

N'vok nodded. "We do know that they are skilled tacticians and brave. They have fought with skill and tenacity."

"That is true," agreed the Commander. "But rumors have reached us from some of their closer neighbors that they are also skilled as subversion and sowing ferment. If that is true, and we believe it is, we have more reason to be worried about them."

"I can think of a few ways of approach it," Anna said. "I'd like a little time to get the lay of the land first."

The Commander nodded and opened a drawer, from that he set down two sealed metal folders and a box of tapes. "Your precise missions are in the folders. Needless to say, they are destroy after reading. The tapes should have all the information you need. Good luck and contact me if needed."

"Thank you, sir," Anna said, taking the folder.

N'vok took his and the tapes.

--------

The scene shifted to their quarters, which has an adjoining door between them. They were sitting at a table with mugs of their preferred hot drinks in front of them.

"A jump cut, I was not expecting that," said N'vok.

Anna started a little to suddenly find herself seated, one of those Human/Ardanan emotional reactions. "Computer, modify program to avoid physically adjusting the bodies of the users."

She wasn't sure if she had phrased that right. She had never had this happen before. However, she was almost apologetic about it when she looked at N'vok and spoke softly. "Sorry to be touchy. Just ever since...you know.." She reached her hand towards him in a very human gesture and then lowered it, worrying the Vulcan would not appreciate it.

Vulcan reached out to take her hand, he appreciated the value of touch to comfort and reassure people. "I believe it is aiming for a more cinematic experience but I do not wish anyone to be made uncomfortable."

With his other hand he tapped the file and it read his DNA and opened revealing information present on actual sheets of paper. "Fascinating."

Anna smiled and held N'vok's hand for a moment. Then she pulled her hand back and got out her own papers, flipping through them. "Very," she commented, reading the information.

"But also extremely limited," N'vok said. "I had forgotten how small the Federation was at the beginning and how little they knew about the rest of the galaxy. The Ferengi rumors, the Klingon Empire, a threatening but unknown presence. I admit . . . I am unsure how to proceed. Which is unusual for me."

"The Klingons weren't that unknown, were they?" Anna asked. "I remember reading something about Admiral Archer's encounters with them."

"The Klingons are a known unknown, as it were," said N'vok. "A known hostile power but the extent of their Empire and the depth of their hostility remains unknown. While the Romulans are closer to unknown unknowns, even in our time, they and their motives remain opaque."

"We might not know as much about the Romulans as we'd like," Anna said, "but we know more than any human or Vulcan in the 22nd century. Let's start by trying to forget that and thinking like we would if we were investigating an unknown power, didn't know what they look like.

"Which makes life easier for me," said N'vok. "I think we should look at the emissaries from the powers who are traditional trading partners of the Orions. To me, they seem that they would be the most likely conduit of bribes and subversion."

"Possibly..." Anna said. "Or that's what they want you to think." She said it in a playful, overdone mystery voice, although she wasn't sure N'vok would appreciate the joke. "Seriously, they might have aimed for someone we're less likely to suspect. Didn't Orions impersonate Andorian diplomats at some point?"

"True," said N'vok. "That possibility opens a much wider range of suspects. You cannot say that the Orions lack audacity." He slotted a tap into the computer. "Computer, display diplomats and personnel new to the station in the last six months who have no previous record in visiting the Sol Sector."

"Affirmative, working," replied the computer. "There are one hundred and twenty two people who match that inquiry. Display alphabetically?'

"Pause inquiry," said N'vok. "We will have to work out more ways to limit our pool of suspects."

"Computer, display all records of travel, excluding regular shipboard duty, for those one hundred and twenty two people," Anna said. She looked at the list, frowning. "Still a lot to go through but...we're looking for any scenario where someone might have been compromised."

"It is an interesting challenge," said N'vok. "I think we are going to need more data. Maybe we should meet some of them? We could visit the galley and get a look at who is around. That would also give us a chance to establish ourselves here."

"You don't think this will help?" Anna said.

"Yes, analytical tools are always useful," replied N'vok. "However, I am not sure that such broad tools are the best for the situation is at hand. Besides, do you not want to meet some of the people of the early Federation? I believe it would help us get a sense of this world."

"Maybe, but let's skim through this first. See if there's anyone we particularly want to...meet." She grinned.

N'vok nodded. "I must say, dealing with paper documents is an interesting experience." He held up one and reviewed it. "This Tellarite seems like a person of interest. Moffat Yaz, former trader now representative from a Tellarite colony world."

"Maybe we should look at him first," she said. "This human is also potentially suspicious. Thomas Roxton. He took a long vacation outside Federation space and on his own. Anything could have happened."

N'vok scanned some of the other reports. "I wish we had more fire to go with the smoke," he said. "It seems we will just have to meet and observe some of the potential spies."

She smiled warmly at him. "Let's go be social."

N'vok stood and nodded. "I will do my best. It will be interesting, everyone is likely to be guarded. The Federation is not as solid or open as it is in our time." He folded the papers and tucked them away.

"Do you wish to travel to the galley or to have the scene change?" asked the computer.

"Travel to the galley," Anna answered. "We want an immersive experience."

"Preference noted," replied the computer.

"A walk will do us good in any case," said N'vok. "And it will help us to familiarize ourselves with the surroundings. Though even in the earlier incarnation, this is a massive station."

"It'll feel good to walk around," Anna said. "And I like the sense of physicality, even if it is an illusion. You get that a lot more in the 22nd century. More shuttlepods. Fewer transporters. Did they still have the grapplers?"

"I believe so," said N'vok. "Though a station this size would have the power to run the early tractor beams." He stepped out into the corridor. "It even smells as I would think it should."

"Maybe I am thinking of earlier," Anna said as she rose.