Something Suspicious
Posted on Sun Aug 10th, 2025 @ 6:12pm by Lieutenant Xavier & Commander Grace Vetur
1,446 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission:
Preservation Instinct
Location: Captain's Ready Room | Deck 1 | USS Ontario
Timeline: During Away Team
ON:
Ensign Fox walked up to the captain's door. She'd never spoken to the CO and she was a bit scared to. Normally she'd have gone to the XO but he was on an away mission and given the circumstances she was a bit scared this could be relevant. Steeling her spine she rang the captain's chime.
Since the ship was in geosynchronous orbit over the colony, Grace hadn't expected anyone to need to talk to her and had taken a few minutes to work on a report for Starfleet before heading back onto the bridge. She saved her report and switched the monitor to the Federation logo. "Come in." She didn't expect it to be anything important, but she liked to have an open door policy.
Fox stumbled in. "Captain, ma'am...I." She took a breath. "I'm sorry to interrupt and I could be totally crazy but..." Her hazel eyes widened. "OH!" Captains didn't know the ship's crew fully. "Sorry, sorry, sorry. I'm Ensign Emily Fox. Coms. I...there is something I want to talk to you about."
"What is it, ensign?" Grace looked at her calmly. She doubted it was something serious, but whatever it was, saying or doing anything that would make her more flustered would do no good. "Do you need to sit down?" She almost told her to take slow, deep breaths, but that would be too much.
"Right! Thanks." She sighed. "So, I monitor Coms and I've noticed something suspicious. Coms goes out from our ship to Starfleet HQ via Academy and then comes right back. Both coded out and coded in. I've traced it to two members of the crew...both are new and I was...worried. Why coded? Why does it bounce out and then right back in."
What was it Grace heard about communicating with a friend... A recent conversation with someone... Then she remembered. A conversation about sending messages back and forth to a friend. Just to verify, she asked. "I believe I know what's going on. Which two members of the crew?"
"Um...Lieutenant Xavier and Lieutenant Tox."
At the confirmation of who Grace thought it was, a slow smile spread across her face. "There is nothing to worry about. I have it on good authority that the messages are simply being sent between two friends who met at the Academy. That is why they are being routed there and back." She wondered if the two knew they were both on the same ship. Probably not. Or not yet. If so, they'd be sending them directly to each other. The simple fact that they were still going through the Academy meant they didn't know. She wondered how many of the crew were now aware that the two of them had an anonymous friend on the same ship? At least, she assumed it was anonymous. She might make a few discrete inquiries to find out.
Fox sighed. "Oh...then why don't they talk directly to one another and I've seen them interact...they...don't seem like friends. It's like they go out of their way to insult one another."
"My theory--and it is just a theory at this point--is that they don't know. As much as they both talk about their friend it seems clear they have no idea who it is. I'm not sure if I should tell them, either. Or if some clues should be scattered around the ship to help them find it for themselves. I don't want to ruin a great friendship, though. So, I'm hesitant to say anything right now. However, I do believe there are others on the ship who are also aware of this and may be doing something." Grace wouldn't be surprised if Bela was aware of the two friends and their situation.
Fox sighed. "I see." She snorted. "Those two in a room...it's lethal the jabs they take at one another. NOW I understand. There is nothing friendly about that." She grinned. "At first I was worried and now I'm buying the popcorn to watch this unfold." As if remembering the captain in the room she blushed. "Sorry Captain. I...overstepped. I shouldn't have brought this to you."
"No. You did not overstep. I appreciate your candor--and that you brought this to my attention. You didn't know what was going on and you did the right thing. This time, there's an explanation. Next time, there might not be." Grace appreciated that the ensign came to her about this. It meant she paid attention and knew when to report something unusual.
She smiled. "Thanks." She grinned. "Lieutenant Xavier was right about you."
"Oh? What was he right about?" She didn't generally concern herself with what the crew thought, but since Ensign Fox brought it up, Grace was curious.
She smiled. "I was telling him how I'd always wanted to say hi and how I felt a bit...intimidated. I mean Captains are scary...or rather the job is. He told me that you're a really sweet person and you silently care for your crew without asking for thanks. He told me about the matt you placed by his chair to make things comfier and how you listened about him flying barefoot. He said not many captains care about the crew feelings but you are one that does. He was right. I should not have been afraid to say hi." She grinned and waved. "So, HI!"
"Hi." Grace laughed. She liked the ensign and understood how she felt. "We all feel a little intimidated when we're new to Starfleet. To be honest, I haven't been captain for long. I started out as the first officer, so sometimes I feel a little overwhelmed myself. But I promise, it gets easier."
She smiled. "Thanks Captain." Her eyes widened as her brain caught up. "Wait you feel overwhelmed too? But you're always so calm!" She smiled again. "I know this might not mean much since I'm an ensign but you're doing a great job." She sighed. "Well, I should get back but now I'm going to have a problem cause I SOOOOOOOO feel like snooping on the Lieutenants. UGH The coms curse is rising. My Academy professor warned me about that."
"Just remember, what you hear at comms stays at comms." Grace smiled. Then she decided to comment on the ensign's surprise at her calm. "Have you heard the old saying, be a duck? Stay calm on the surface but paddle like mad underneath. It's a good motto to live by." Although her upbringing helped a lot. People on New Islandica tended to be calmer in general.
She shook her head. "Actually, I've never heard it but it's a good one. I've always done the fake it 'til you make it but...if you've never had confidence how do you fake confidence?" She sighed. "That one phrase had me thinking Starfleet was not a place for me but...I guess I can try the be a duck motto. See if helps." She smiled again. "Thanks Captain!"
"Look around at others. Pick a trait you like and see how half a dozen people display it. Then pick one or more things they do and try them. Keep what works for you." Grace smiled encouragingly. "It's what a lot of people do. You can also talk to the counselor. She can help you as well."
Fox shook her head. "Oh no! I agree with Lieutenant Xavier about her too."
That piqued Grace's curiosity. "What does Lieutenant Xavier say about the counselor?"
"That she is more frightening then ten thousand charging Klingons and just as frustrating." She laughed. "She does tend to pry and I think the Lieutenant said, and I quote, 'That woman has the same effect that garlic has on Mr. Tox's fictional Vampires.' End quote."
Grace laughed as well. Sometimes it was a very apt description of Amanda. "Yes. She can be like that. Don't get me wrong, she's an excellent counselor. But she is also stubborn. Although I don't know if she's more terrifying than ten thousand charging Klingons. A thousand, definitely." She smiled to show that she wasn't entirely serious.
Fox smiled. "Mildly better I guess." She sighed. "Well, I should get back to it in case the away team needs us." She stood and paused. "Thanks, Captain. You're a really nice person. I'm glad I came to chat."
"Thank you, ensign. I'm glad you did, too. Let me know if you hear anything concerning." She smiled. She liked Ensign Fox and appreciated the short interruption.
OFF:
A post by
Commander Grace Vetur
Commanding Officer
USS Ontario
&
Ensign Emily Fox
Communications (NPC)
USS Ontario
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