Well Kept Secrets

Posted on Sun 11th Aug, 2024 @ 11:37pm by Commander Paul Graves PsyD & Captain Gordon Francis & Commander Geraldine "Geri" Severide

1,303 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: The Phoenix Gamble
Location: SB109
Timeline: MD1, 2030

{Operations-SB109}

Entaaro wished for the dozenth time today the earpiece he wore had a better shape for Klingon ears. The oval shape worked for most crew, but Klingon ears had a protective lining which grew irritated at the constant aperture being held open. He had his own, but often the security protocols created issues with classified communication he viewed. Such custom machinery was a red flag and he had to technically force access to many files while using it.

A file came into the communications tray, but it had a priority one classification. The message was for immediate viewing by Captain Francis, from Geri Severide. Entaaro felt a rise in his emotional state, seeing the classified message stoked a curiosity. Equipping his customer earpiece, the program for infiltration and override did its job and the message size and other details became evident. However as he accessed it there was an incoming hail to his direct station.

Entaaro felt his heart stop as he saw the name. “Geri Severide” was live calling him only an instant after receiving the message. He didnt hesitate, not so much afraid as apprehensive over how she was going to react.

Geri was angry, her face was flushed and she was slightly huffing as though she had come to this meeting at a run.

“Entaaro, do the Klingons have a phrase admitting curiosity is a dangerous thing to indulge? For Humans it’s a reference to curious cats who get hurt poking around where they dont belong. Indulge me, what’s a Klingon idiom for an idiot who doesnt know better.”

Entaaro knew she could have his career ended with a word so he played the role of admonished crewman.

“I am sorry Commander Severide. It’s my head piece, it can get aggressive overriding security protocols-“

“Send me one, I wanna take a look. And get that message to its recipient NOW!”

The Klingon knew mercy when it happened, she had caught him hacking, but was more curious how he did it. What would the result have been had he opened the message he wondered? Without hesitation he forwarded the message and enacted privacy measures, hoping Geri would see this as a nosy comms officer. It was sort of their job to peep at things, surely she wouldnt see it as anything untoward would she?

{Captain Francis’ Quarters}

The message was sent with an alarm to ensure its recipient would awaken or respond right away. On Captain Francis’ wall, a flashing red light began to strobe, with a low bass pulse rumbling the suite.

Captain Francis set down the tablet he was using to read an old Zane Grey novel on the table in front of the couch and made his way over to the monitor on his desk. While he was disappointed to be taken away from his reading, he didn't scowl or curse his misfortune. He'd been in Starfleet long enough to know never to make solid plans. Anything could change them in a heartbeat, and often did, especially for Captains.

"Alarm off," he barked. The obnoxious sound and light went away. He activated his terminal and began reading the message.

The wall panel went dark, as the LCARS was deactivated under the stringent protocols of the message.

A Starfleet Delta appeared, to the trained eye, a hook within the design created a second Delta if you looked very closely. It was the calling card for Starfleet Intelligence when sending messages that absolutely could not be relayed over subspace. The hidden rune promised that what followed was going to be very limited, but of utmost importance. The audible mechanism of a containment field, and a full intensity internal scan imaged his DNA to confirm identity.

=/\=
Confirmed.

Captain Gordon Francis: You are hereby given read access to file “IBEX”. MX Second Star under the command of Quinton Beck has been dispatched to coordinates for recovery of high value assets. They will arrive within five days with assets. Prepare a landing pad with configurations outlined in file “IBEX”.

SIGMA!
-Under no circumstances are the details within file “IBEX” to be disclosed to anyone per SIGMA directives. -All preparations must be made without reference to MX Second Star or IBEX.
-Follow protocols outlined in file “IBEX” immediately upon detection of MX Second Star.
=/\=

The message ended, and the panel returned to normal. An icon, meant to be a minimalist representation of a goat's head and horns adorned an oval shaped file portal appeared on the terminal to replace everything else.

=/\=

"Oh for crying out loud," Francis said upon the message completion. He tapped his comm badge. "Francis to Severide. Please meet me in my office in Ops in ten minutes."

Francis hurried into his uniform and made his way to Ops. Ten minutes later, he sat at his desk, rereading the message sent to him. He wasn't sure if contacting Severide was the best decision, but seeing as he had been out of Intel for almost two years, he didn't really feel like jumping right back into it. That included getting transmissions with cryptic messages. Hopefully Commander Severide would be able to help.

Geri walked in talking, she was excited in an innocent way. Francis picked up his PADD and walked around his desk to meet her.

“So I can’t even say the name, apparently, unless it’s safe and secure. I tried to get into the file and was given a stern lecture.” She scolded the message with the goat head signal. “But this IBEX program is a ship, I’m willing to bet. I found nothing in the database anywhere with every clearance I could muster. Believe me, I’ve turned over the smaller rocks, too, trying to get answers. They aren’t Section, or home Office, not Starfleet, either.

Francis scowled. "I took this command to get far away from all the cloak and dagger lollygagging," he muttered as he tapped the goat's head icon and opened the file. He grabbed a pair of bifocals from his desk and began reading. "Why do you suppose they're coming here, Commander? Don't you think we're a little out of the way?"

She nodded, still reading the notes her AI had gathered.

"Want my wild goose chase of a notion?!"

She didn't stop to get any reply, "You are never out of the game, and who better than a retired former operator to handle something of utmost secrecy? Consider the Second Star and the coordinates... a non-Starfleet vessel with ties to Starfleet, an asset recovery under total blackout, this file outlines a private berth for a starship and kills any sensor capacity. It answers your question, too. We are out of the way, but what if you aren't allowed to be seen by a member of Starfleet who'd have to report honestly? They're coming here for you, sir."

"That goose might be a little closer to the coop than you think," Francis said.

The Captain considered this for a moment as he went back to his desk and sat down. He turned to the replicator behind him. "Hot cocoa, dairy," he ordered. The chocolatey drink materialized and he took a small sip. He looked at Geri.

She was reading the file that was sent for what felt like the hundredth time in the last ten minutes. Sensing his gaze she returned the look.

Francis spoke again, but quieter. "Things are getting complicated in this sector, and I don't particularly like the notion of this unofficial business with a non-Federation starship, especially one with cryptic instructions that smell a lot like Sec 31."

He took another sip. "You're sure this IBEX whatcha-muhavit is a ship? The way it's referred to in the file, it could be a ship, a dog house, or some new form of banana."

(To be continued.)

 

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