The Inside Scoop
Posted on Fri Apr 25th, 2025 @ 7:27pm by Lieutenant Mira Jayna & Lieutenant JG Stefan Zamfir & Petty Officer 1st Class Kaylara Loran
Edited on on Wed May 7th, 2025 @ 2:02am
1,829 words; about a 9 minute read
Mission:
Episode 16 - Silent Cries
Location: SCIF - Deck 9 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD008 1730 hrs
The SCIF was almost completely quiet, except for the sounds of consoles being used to gather data, or the movement of a chair sliding back from the desk that was occupied. Stefan made the movement, pushing back from the desk he was working at. He looked over towards where Kaylara was, a thought going through his mind, it was that of Rowena. He stood up and walked around to stretch his legs, his walk stopping at her desk.
"Kaylara, since you know Lieutenant Jayna better than I do, do you think she would be willing to come here early? I'd like to talk with both of you about Commander McGowan."
Stefan could easily have just contacted Jayna directly, he though wanted Kaylara's perspective as well.
"Probably. I'm not sure what her sleep schedule is, except that she's generally awake when Colonel Tremble is on duty, but I'm sure she'll talk with you. Especially as she still spends part of her time in here." She wanted to ask why, but not when there were too many people potentially listening.
Stefan gave a nod, "Just need to make certain our conversation is kept private. "
He went to his desk and sent a coded message to Jayna to request her to come in early.
Jayna had just come out of the shower after another session at Mik's Gym when she heard the message. She rarely received encoded messages. She dressed and sat at her desk to review the message. That was very curious. Why not just ask her to come in to talk over preparations. But her curiosity would have to wait a little. She responded--also in code--that she would be thirty minutes early.
Once he got Jayna's answer he gave a nod then turned to Kaylara, "Since we are not allowed to have our combadges in here and I really didn't want to use the intercom, I sent Jayna a message instead." feeling the need to explain what he did.
Jayna arrived exactly thirty minutes before her shift and nodded a greeting to those in the room. If Stefan felt it necessary to message her, she would let him determine how he wanted to proceed.
"Thank you for coming, I didn't want to give you a call over the intercom system. I wanted to talk to both of you about Commander McGowan." Stefan paused, "I would like this to be private between us three, recommendation as to how we can do this? I am certain that there is the way to do so. I am not familiar with how you had things set up, Jayna, so I am asking your expertise on this."
"Rowena's office has shielding for private conversations. I can add my own tweak to that if you have any concerns." Jayna had put them in place when Rowena was possessed and had left one or two to continue passive monitoring as she'd been asked to continue keeping an eye on the commander. The monitoring was only triggered if Rowena tried to alter or take control of ship systems without direct orders from the captain. Even then, she'd get a notification as a precaution. She'd mostly forgotten about it until now as there had been no notifications.
Stefan gave a solemn nod. "I do have concerns, so let’s go into her office and please add your tweaks." Motioning towards Rowena's office. He wasn't going to say anything more until they had privacy.
Jayna nodded and led the way into the office. When the other two joined her, she activated the security protocols. When she'd checked to be sure they were worked properly, she turned to Stefan. "What did you want to talk about?"
Stefan walked over to Rowena's desk and sat on the edge. "I'd like to get a bit more information on Commander McGowan. What happened before I came on board. I did read in a report that she had become possessed by an entity. Just what more happened?"
"It goes back to a ship she was on. Commander McGowan was the only survivor," Jayna began. Then she told then what Rowena told her and what she'd learned when she did more research. "So, Malificus remained inside her until it either decided to or needed to take control of the commander and through her, the commodore. Malificus also sent the senior staff into a pocket universe where it intended to feed off their fears." She glossed over that part as Stefan could get first-hand information from any of the senior staff. "I don't know how many times the entity followed this same pattern, but we were fortunate that it failed." At least this time. From what she understood, the entity--or entities--were expelled, not killed.
"Under the commodore's orders, I've been passively monitoring the SCIF computers for any signs that someone is trying to infiltrate the ship or take control of any subroutines. So far, there's been nothing." Her program did more than that, but it was a sufficient explanation.
"Alright thank you. There is another matter I have on my mind as well, besides the Commander, have you had any dealings with Petty Officer Emiko Marley?" Stefan wanted to find out more about her as well. "I had barely met her when she seemed a bit-- strongly intending that I teach her Romulan."
Kaylara muffled a laugh. "She's never asked me."
"Nothing against you, Stefan, but," she turned to Kaylara. "She wouldn't ask someone who's half Romulan and grew up speaking the language?" Jayna shook her head.
Stefan gave out a chuckle. "I didn't think it made any sense as to her asking me to teach her Romulan when, as you had stated, Jayna, it makes more sense as to her asking Kaylara. I have a notion that she is wanting to not deal with any females, but only want male attention. She seemed a little miffed when I told her to sit down, and kept her a few seats away from me. I also wonder if she knows how to fight, to defend herself, besides the basics learned through the academy."
"What does her fighting ability have to do with her flirting?" That was an odd connection and Jayna wondered if she'd missed something. "I've noticed that she's socially awkward and is infatuated with Edmund Merrick. I admit she's good at her job, but she doesn't utilize the resources around her--or in the SCIF," Jayna said, trying to be more positive about Emiko. But Stefan deserved her honest opinion.
"I have a t-shirt that says Not Merrick's Merry Maid. I got it from the Corps gift shop," Kaylara added. "I think one of those Maids is Emiko."
"Then why flirt with Stefan?" Jayna shook her head. It still didn't make sense.
"Maybe she wants to get Captain Merrick to notice her?"
"I know my question of Emiko's fighting skills was out from left field, my mind was skipping ahead" looking from Kaylara and Jayna he scoffed when his brain caught up with what both intel officers had stated. "wait-let me get this straight. There's a t-shirt that says Merrick's Merry Maids? And her flirting with me to get Captain Merrick's attention isn't going to work. I'm not going to play any games like that."
Stefan closed his eyes for a moment, his mind going through some mental files, his eyes flashed open. "There may be a time when she will be going out into the field with us. We need to ascertain her skills in order to keep her from being a liability when it happens." he didn't want to talk about Merrick at this time.
Jayna shook her head. "I don't think she is ready for that. As a data analyst, she's fine, but I don't know if she could go under cover. That's just from my observation, but I think you should first see how she does in a holodeck program and keep her on the ship until she proves herself."
"We can do that, but I'm not going to run her through that by myself. Don't want her getting any ideas. Best thing to do is make certain she has other ladies with her on the training set up." Stefan mused out loud.
Kaylara chuckled. "I'm happy to go along with you. If she tries anything, I'll just smile." She wouldn't say how she was going to smile.
Jayna just laughed. "You know, I'd offer to go along, but I don't think you need anyone more than her."
Stefan glanced over towards Kaylara, having a bit of a flash, Kaylara vs Emiko. A training program. He wondered if throwing an image sort of based off of Merrick as a villain, would make some interesting addition to said scenario. "Say, does anyone know much about Merrick? His skill sets?"
"Not much," Jayna admitted. She wasn't going to tell Stefan Edmund threw axes. She narrowed her gaze. "What are you thinking?"
Stefan had an amused twinkle in his green eyes, "I'll find out on my own later." dismissing his idle thought, as for Merrick being a villain. It would be against regulations, anyway. "I am just wanting information as to those who are on the Pioneer."
"No, you're not." Jayna shook her head. "Emiko is your problem, not Edmund. He's got enough on his plate as is."
"Very well, I will leave him alone." Jayna had been the Assistant Chief of Intelligence, and she, plus Kaylara knew more than what he would. Stefan gave a slight smile. "Alright, that is all the questions I have for today. Thank you for having this meeting with me."
Jayna nodded. "You're welcome. Just be careful with Emiko. I don't think she understands social norms--or how to take no for an answer."
As she passed Kaylara she added, "All you have to do is be an immovable force. She'll soon look elsewhere. Especially when she realizes Stefan isn't going to give her the attention she thinks she needs to make Edmund jealous." She shook her head. "He's aware of the problem. Let him deal with her." It would do Edmund some good to unravel this mess himself.
Stefan looked at Kaylara, with a fond smile, "Well, our work shift is done, shall we head on out?" he did want to spend time with Kaylara away from work.
"Yes. Someplace without Emiko or Edmund." She grinned as she logged out of her computer. She doubted either of them would have any reason to talk to Stefan--at least, not tonight.
A Joint Post By
Lieutenant Mira Jayna
Intelligence Officer, The Cure
USS Pioneer
Petty Officer First Class Kaylara Loran
Data Systems Analyst, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Stefan Zamfir
Assistant Chief Intelligence Officer, USS Pioneer
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