Intelligence Breach

Posted on 26 Dec 2012 @ 9:18am by Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm & Captain Jonathan Holliday & Lieutenant Commander Evelyn Coleman

2,011 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 02 - Resupply
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 1, Conference Room
Timeline: MD 08 - 1005 hrs

[ON]

As soon as Maenad and Kiri left her quarters, Lirha silently fumed to herself over the discovery of the intrusive data rod which now lay on her desk next to her. She was in mild disbelief that someone had managed to come aboard and plant the device, and even more confused behind the motives of such an action. Too many questions were present, questions that she couldn't answer by herself. Standing from her chair, she grabbed the data rod then tapped her commbadge. "Commander Holliday and Lieutenant Coleman, meet me in the conference room as soon as possible." she said, then headed out of her quarters and towards the nearest turbolift.

From the calm of his office, John leapt into action. Slamming the PADD in his hand down onto the desk and breaking out into a mild sprint as he headed for the turbolift, Holliday was like a dog out of the gates. Although he hadn't yet paused to think exactly what it might be that he had been requested for, the XO had no intent of being anything less than remarkably fast at reporting in.
After a brisk turbolift journey, the XO ducked into the conference room to meet his CO.

"Reporting as ordered Ma'am."

Evelyn arrived shortly after John, Data PADD in hand. She was reviewing the latest intelligence reports that finally came in when the Captain summoned her. She walked in looking between the Captain and the First Officer. "Alright, what's going on?" Eve asked as she moved closer to the Captain.

Lirha pulled the data rod from her pocket and set it down on the large mahogany table for all of them to see. "This was discovered in Science Lab Two this morning." she explained. "It was noticed by Lieutenant Liyar who reported it to Lieutenants Cho and Panne. They were just in my quarters explaining their findings. Apparently, this rod deceives our computer system by giving it the impression that secure data is inside, which activates our security protocols." she continued, doing her best to re-explain what had just been explained to her by the two science officers. "From what I understand, it functions similar to a trojan virus and does this to acquire the command codes of the senior-most members of the crew, and can potentially assume control of the ship if it acquires the proper codes. The device operates under the guise of a storage unit for classified information, yet Lieutenant Panne has discovered that there is no data currently stored on it. She managed to set up a fake interface and trick the device, and discovered that it immediately tried to access our ship's files, specifically crew logs and mission data."

She paused for a long moment to let her words sink in, then continued. "The device was obviously planted by someone who was on board the ship, but we are unable to determine who because the internal sensors on that section of Deck Four were disabled around 0400 and made to look like a routine power surge. I've instructed Lieutenant Panne to set up a more complex facsimile terminal that is not connected to our computer core; the purpose being, I want to allow this device to think it's carrying out its intended purpose, give it false data, and hopefully use that as an opportunity to learn more about it and catch whoever might be responsible for this."

The captain paused again, this time to rub her forehead in frustration. "Needless to say, I'm a bit on edge...there have been a lot of Starfleet and civilian technicians coming on and off the ship over the past few days, and it could be any number of those people who did this...or even a member of our own crew. Project Sienna is a highly classified experiment and it seems that someone is interested in getting their hands on the data, as well as our mission logs."

Evelyn looked at the data rod on the table and reached down and picked it up. She looked at the device, and brought it closer to her eyes. Eve squinted her eyes and then reached out for the tip of the rod and with her fingers she gently twisted the top. There was a faint click, and she pulled removing the outer shell of the data rod. "I knew I've seen this before." Eve replied handing the exposed rod to Lirha, "I'm sure you recognize it now also." She replied.

Studying the smaller rod more closely, Lirha slowly nodded as she realized what she was holding in her hand. "Yes, I recognize this. It's a Class-2 data retrieval device, used by Starfleet Intelligence." she confirmed with a grim look on her face, then proceeded to inspect it closer. "But it is different than the one's I've seen before...perhaps a newer model."

Evelyn frowned, "No, they look the same." She replied, "this belongs to a different branch of Intelligence. We had operatives on board Captain."

"Starfleet Intelligence have been snooping round the Galileo?!" John exclaimed, infuriated that their own people would be working so covertly inside a Federation vessel.
There was simply no reason for Starfleet to be here - the Galileo was no longer holding Sienna, there was no further classified materials on board, and nobody that John was aware of had committed a crime that would warrant their intervention.

"Lieutenant Coleman - surely they would have informed you of such a mission? You are our Intelligence Officer after all?"

Eve frowned, "No they wouldn't inform me." she sighed, "nothing ever gets deleted off from a computer core, there is always an echo of a file left that can be retrieved. This rod is a Class-2 delta model designed to fully purge data off the core. I used to joke about this division of Starfleet Intelligence, and called them the chimney sweepers. They report directly the Head of Starfleet Intelligence. Every ship that gets assigned or has a mission that has been classified as matter of Intelligence, the sweepers are sent out." Eve looked at Holliday, "it's nothing personal."

"Well I'm making it personal....nobody just wanders onto this ship and helps themselves to our databanks without permission - Captain?"

John was well aware that he wasn't the most senior person in the room. Intelligence had always ticked the boxes of being disloyal and shadowy as far as the XO was concerned - whilst they might have been working for some greater good, protocol and courtesy should always have been obeyed.

Eve looked at John, "You're acting like the Galileo was the first ship to have this happen to them."

Lirha shook her head in disagreement. "No." she said to Evelyn, "We cannot operate under the assumption that this is simply a matter of Starfleet Intelligence. The data rod might be Starfleet in design, but that doesn't necessarily mean the person who it belongs to is a member of Starfleet. Our technology has been known to be found in the hands of civilians...and other governments. Vega Colony is a world of diverse inhabitants, and given the ground-breaking nature of Project Sienna, it would be unwise for us to assume that this is simply 'standard protocol'."

"So we find whoever is doing this and put them in the Brig until we can ascertain where exactly their loyalties lie."

John replied, punching one clenched fist into the open palm of his other hand as he relished the thought of getting one over on whatever organisation or individuals had tried to circumvent protocol on his ship.

"We can narrow it down to a list of suspects if we use the internal sensors that weren't offline during the event to see who passed in that general direction...it might give us a few less names to check out?"

"It might. I could contact Starfleet Intelligence to see if they did send people to purge the data core. I would recommend we have the data rod examined thoroughly." Eve suggested.

Lirha listened to both suggestions, anxious to find out who had managed to infiltrate her ship. "Lieutenants Panne and Cho have already run several tests on the rod, but it might be worth a closer look. Coordinate your efforts with them as they attempt to set up a facsimile terminal." she instructed the intelligence chief, then turned to her XO. "Begin reviewing the internal sensor logs and compile your suspect list. We have to act fast if this plan is to work." she added, then paused briefly to point out one final condition. "Oh...and keep this between the three of us and those who already know. The last thing we need if for the culprit to be tipped off as we conduct our investigation."

"Agreed - the last thing we need is for Intelligence to start showing any sign of intelligence....no offense intended Lieutenant."

John knew that their window of opportunity was going to be very small indeed. The second that an operative completed their task, or indeed suspected they had been detected, they would disappear like a spectre in moments. And with that disappearance, would go the Galileo's chance to figure out what exactly their mission had been.

Evelyn eyed John but didn't make any sort of acknowledgement. She turned towards Lirha, "As Chief Intelligence Officer, I recommend I deal with investigating the rod personally. I'm familiar with the technology and I know what to look for to verify it's authenticity. Not to mention override it's defense mechanisms. Leaving this in the Science department will only generate more questions and curiosity and we all know how stubborn scientists can be when they discover something they don't know."

Lirha wasn't sure if stubborn was the right word to describe her science department. They were a collection of life science and physical science personnel who were (mostly) very well-educated and specifically trained to deal with exploration and discovery...if anything, the captain considered them more open-minded than anything else. However, she knew that open-mindedness was as equally dangerous as stubbornness, and she nodded slowly at Evelyn's suggestion, glancing between her XO and 2XO. "I want both of you to take the lead in this investigation. This is as much a security matter as it is an intelligence matter. Coordinate your efforts and bring me a report on your findings...I want whoever was snooping around aboard my ship to be found and put in the brig as soon as possible."

"Yes ma'am." John replied, eyeing Coleman in reply to her own gaze towards him. The XO was confident that between the two of them, they would be able to set and execute their trap without too much in the way of issues.

"Coleman - I suggest we start in the Science Lab? You can examine the rod, and I can access the sensor records without making it look too obvious that I'm looking for something. For all we know our guests could be watching for any sign that we're onto them."

Evelyn crossed her arms over her chest, "As you wish." she replied simply.

"Very well, dismissed." Lirha replied, then moved towards the door and abruptly stopped as an idea suddenly popped in her head, after which she spun on her heels and looked back at the two officers. "Oh...inform Chief Quinn of our findings and efforts as well. He is very knowledgeable about our computer systems and will probably be able to assist."

"Yes ma'am. We'll get to the bottom of this - if anyone knows how to track down Intelligence, it's our resident pensioner here."

The XO smirked again at Coleman before turning quickly on his heels and heading out of the room before she could issue any sort of revenge.

Eve sighed, and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Rao, give me strength." she prayed before walking out of the Conference room herself.

[OFF]

--

CAPT Lirha Saalm
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo

Cmdr Jonathan Holliday
Executive Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant Evelyn Coleman
Chief Intelligence Officer/2XO
USS Galileo

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