Intelligent Intelligence

Posted on Sat 8th Feb, 2025 @ 11:42am by Commander Heriah Rex & Lieutenant Damion Ildaran

1,802 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: From The Ashes
Location: Intelligence Office
Timeline: Current

Heriah was walking the corridors from the Bridge toward the Intelligence office area. Considering the location of SB109 and the multitudinous peoples they had to deal with, who would dock, who dealt in business aboard the starbase, Intelligence was going to be one of the most important departments the command team would have to lean on. Heriah, and she felt Frank too, wanted to make sure their Intelligence team was up to the task.

A face was displayed on Heriah's PADD. It was the profile of one LT Damion Ildaran. She was already aware that he had been a part of the SB109 team for a long while already. She had not been and wanted to meet the man and to size him up herself.

'Sounds like he knocked himself down a few sizes already. Lost his love, hasn't found another since. Sounds like he's hung up on something.'

"We don't know that for sure," Heriah spoke to herself barely audible. "There's nothing in his profile to suggest he hasn't moved on."

'How about a bet. I win, you commit suicide...'

Heriah stopped in her tracks and took a breath. "That is not funny. Don't even joke about that," she only mouthed the words.

'It's not a joke. And I was going to say, if you win...'

"Rex," she said aloud and nodded to a passing fellow Starfleet personnel.

Heriah arrived upon the office area for Intelligence and entered. She looked around briefly, understanding the decor of the area looked just as she had expected an Intelligence office to look. She easily found the individual office of LT Ildaran and stepped to the door, depressing the button on the wall to chime away her calling at his door.

The door chime jarred Damion out of the focus he'd devoted to the report he was writing. Since returning from his year of working as a liaison to Starfleet CIS, he'd transferred out of field operations and into the analysis division. He'd done analysis before, on various postings, but this time he was doing it on a starbase, which gave the work a completely different feel.

Damion got up and stretched. "Computer, open the door," he directed as he walked around his desk toward it. The door slid aside to reveal a commander, female and Trill. That is one fine-looking woman, Damion thought, noticing how physically fit she was and how skillfully her cosmetics were applied. She put the women he'd known back home to shame. Who was she?

There weren't many female commanders on 109; the only ones he could think of were either Severide, Locke, or people who had transferred out. So who had transferred in? After a moment, he recalled a welcome email that Captain Francis had sent to the crew a day or two before. "Commander...Rex?" he inquired. "I'm Lt. Ildaran. What can I do for you?"

His was a small office, containing a desk, two chairs, a bookcase, a large display screen, and a rubbish bin. A gray cable-knit sweater hung over the back of his chair behind the desk, and a pot of well cared for Denobulan roses sitting on the bookcase gave off a fragrance like wine. It mingled with the scent of tea from a mug on his desk.

Heriah crossed her arms and pressed her PADD to her chest, the screen with the image of Damion's face facing inward. Smiling at him, "Lieutenant, hi. I'm...well...you already know who I am, it seems. I'm the new XO for 109 under Frank...erm...Captain Francis." She gave a slightly embarrassed giggle.

Was she really that nervous, or was it an act, like Daisy Pantouffle, his former boss at SFCIS, had used when working undercover? Damion didn't know but gave Commander Rex the benefit of the doubt for the moment.

'May not want to be so bubbly. First impressions and all.'

"I have only been aboard a day now," Heriah continued, "and am making it a priority to meet what senior and essential personnel I can. Do you have a moment for us to meet and talk or..."

'...another moment to climb into his pants?'

Heriah used a free hand to push a small lock of bangs over her ear. Really she was swatting Rex's thought away. "...or are you busy?"

"No, I have time. Please come in," Damion said. "It's good to meet you. Welcome to Starbase 109."

"Thank you," Heriah said as she accepted his invite. "Being in Intelligence," she started as she lowered herself into a chair, "I am sure you keep yourself apprised of as much information as you can. Especially in regards to this starbase and her crew. I have no doubt you may have already reviewed my profile. I know I may not look it, but if you came across the amount of military, weapons, and tactical background I bring to the team through symbiontic memory, please do under-underestimate that information. I certainly do not underestimate what I have already read in your profile and service record."

'And don't underestimate your tendency to use men for your own needs before kicking them into the gutter.'

Heriah ignored Rex' sudden thought and remained attentive to Damion.

"Mm. I hate to disappoint you, Ma'am, but most of what I know of you comes from the welcome letter that Captain Francis sent out," Damion said. "He mentioned that you were a joined Trill, that he'd known you--or, I guess, had known Rex--during his Academy days, and he mentioned some of where you'd previously served. That's about it. From looking at you, I can see you work out. I like that that matters to you more than having cumbersome fake fingernails," he added with a glance at her hands, "but that's as far as my information gathering went. The information I need to spend time gathering is what comes across my desk every day."

"You do seem to have an eye for detail," she said. Heriah sat back, getting more comfortable. "You've been aboard 109 for a while so I am confident you are aware of the challenges we face out here on the fringes Federation space, the fringes of Federation support. So, I will not bore you with a talk about how we need to keep our eyes and ears open. I do want to make personally sure you are aware of the utmost importance of the IBEX situation going on as well as the need to keep all information as tight-lipped as possible. Anything you have on it can be shared with Captain Francis and myself as well as the list of names of authorized personnel in the order you were sent. That, and..." she smiled at him, "I wanted to introduce myself in person."

"I did get the IBEX information this morning," Damion said with a nod as he retook his seat. "We'd been wondering what was going on with Commander Severide. We could tell she was wrapped up in some kind of project, but we didn't know what, and she wasn't talking. In a way, such complete secrecy as they operate under seems extreme, but I don't doubt there are instances when it's called for." He shot her a smile. "And I'm glad you came to introduce yourself, because the chances of me ever going up to Ops are slim."

"Those chances may become a bit slimmer," Heriah returned. "I saw that Commander Severide may be considering you for duty aboard the IBEX." She tilted her head. "I don't know. With a posting like that and the secrecy entailed, you may be in Ops more often than you think. Besides..."

'Oh...you're going to get playful. I can tell.'

"...being our Infiltration Specialist, I am confident you can come up with a good enough and believable reason to drop by Main Ops here and there."

Hm. Why am I beginning to think the days of my analyst rotation are numbered? Damion thought. I guess I'd better get back in practice. "Perhaps I'll drop by sometime later this week," Damion said aloud.

"And, once I verify your involvement in the IBEX situation, I will be sure to read you in on what we know. I'll even ensure you get in on the meetings. Also, with you being in Intelligence as well as our Infiltration Specialist, we will want to hear anything that causes you concern, any suggestions you may have. Out here, a good tactician is valuable, but a good gut can be invaluable. I am certain your gut feeling and gut reactions have gotten you out of tight spots time and again."

Damion could remember a few times when that had happened. "Yes, that's been the case," he agreed. "I learned to pay attention to my gut from a very young age. If I am tapped for assignment to the IBEX, I'll be very interested to learn what kind of missions their crew have done in the past. Do you know if they've kept any sort of logbook, or was that completely wiped?" he asked.

Heriah gave a singular nasal laugh. "I've been stuck in Main Ops. As in...I was not part of the welcoming committee. I have not been given that information yet but should be in a meeting with Frank...Captain Francis...before the day's end." She sat forward, readying herself to leave. "Speak to no one about this unless it is Commander Severide, Captain Francis or myself. And...be ready for the unexpected. I've no doubt you are up for it."

"I'll keep it in mind if called upon, Commander," Damion said. "Thank you for the heads-up."

"You are very much welcome," Heriah said. "And I am obliged." As she stood, "It was good to meet you. I am sure 109 has a wonderful team. I look forward to working more with you."

She stood to leave and Damion stood as well, to see her out. "We have an excellent team, and I look forward to you being part of it, Ma'am. Thank you for coming by."

He watched the door hiss behind her as she stepped back out into the corridor. Possible service with a team that works in near-complete secrecy. How do I feel about that? Damion asked himself, recalling the little card that Commander Graves had given him a month or two before. I am not giddy with eagerness to do this, the way I would have been when I was younger. Why? He mulled that over. Eh, I think I''ll examine my feelings when I'm off work. Right now, I want to plan a visit to Ops.

 

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