Logic, Cubed

Posted on 22 Jan 2025 @ 4:34pm by Lieutenant Commander Stovek

668 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Shoreleave and Reassignment
Location: U.S.S. Monarch
Timeline: Eight days into Shorleave

The Bridge of the Monarch was buzzing with chatter. Captain Andropov has been summoned to his Ready Room by a communique from the Starfleet Judge Advocate General Office nearly two hours ago; as per protocol, he had handed the Bridge to Commander Schmidt. The dour Austrian Executive Officer was doing his best to discourage the idle speculation, but since the crew was not violating protocol or the Captain’s Standing Orders there was little he could say to control the situation.

“I wonder who’s getting busted,” said Ensign Dek glash Gogg from the Helm. Like many of his countrymen, the young Tellarite relished a good argument and often indulged in a bit of schadenfreude.

“I am certain that whatever it is, the Captain will apprise us of any pertinent information,” said Schmidt with a tone that literally conveyed disapproval just with its inflection.

“Oh, come on Commander. You know you’re curious.”

“Ja, I am curious. But I also have faith in…”

=/\= XO, please report to my Ready Room, =/\= said the Captain tersely.

Mein Gott, thought Schmidt. That is a serious tone of voice if I have ever heard one.

=/\= Yes Captain, On my way. =/\= responded Schmidt, tapping the arrowhead chevron on his chest to close the channel. Schmidt stood up from the Center Seat, pulled the front of his uniform tunic down slightly, and began the short walk to the starboard side of the Bridge. “Lieutenant Lazarescu, you have the Bridge.”

“Aye sir,” said the slender, black-haired Romanian Security Chief. He watched as the XO made several long strides and disappeared into the Captain’s Sanctum Sanctorum.

The Ready Room doors swished open with a loud pneumatic hiss as the XO entered. The Captain was seated behind his desk; the middle-aged Russian Commanding Officer’s face was as inscrutable as ever. Nonetheless, there was a palpable tension in the air that one could almost cut through with a knife.

“Karl,” said the Captain without preamble. “Have a seat. We have a personnel issue to address.”

The tall, blonde-haired Austrian man took one of the chairs in front of the Captain’s desk, his face a mask of concern. “What is going on, Sir?” he asked pointedly.

The Captain folded his hands on the desk in front of him. “As I’m sure you know, I have been in conference with the Starfleet Judge Advocate General’s office for mush of the past two hours. They have made me aware of some rather…disturbing actions taken by one of our officers.”

The XO shifted in his chair uncomfortably. Despite being ergonomically designed, the Ready Room seating was still disturbingly lacking. “To whom are you referring?” he asked.

“Lieutenant T’Lana in Computer Sciences.”

The XO paused for a long moment, mentally reviewing what he knew of the Vulcan woman. A brilliant scientist, specializing in advanced computer security hardware and software. Recently divorced. Used the Civilian CommNet more than most. “What of her?”

“By her own admission on an open Comm frequency, Lieutenant T’Lana has stated that she putt in place and used computer algorithms to track her ex-husband’s whereabouts and computer usage.”

“Scheisse. That is…appalling, to put it mildly. How was this discovered?”

“She said so during a communication with her son eleven days ago. Her son is an Academy Cadet and felt that it was his duty to submit a copy of that communique to Command.”

“Busted by her own son. That’s pretty harsh.”

“The Lieutenant is being remanded to JAG custody at Starbase 375. She will be taken to and remain in the Brig until we rendezvous with the Atlas in six hours. We will hold position here until then.”

“I will issue the appropriate orders, Captain.”

“Thank you. The Lieutenant is being escorted here by Security as we speak, so that the charges can be read to her. I would like you here as a witness.”

“Of course, Sir.”

 

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