Posted by Colonel Calvin Harris (Commanding Officer) in Shipwide Side Sim: FCIS Interview - Wright

Posted by Captain Molly Wright (Chief Intelligence Officer) in Shipwide Side Sim: FCIS Interview - Wright

Posted by Colonel Calvin Harris (Commanding Officer) in Shipwide Side Sim: FCIS Interview - Wright
Posted by… suppressed (21) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Deck 9 was a very versatile space. The movable bulkhead setup, allowed the space to be turned into almost any possible configuration one might need, and so, in Agent Ashley Newton’s mind, it was the perfect space to hold the interview with the two members of the crew under investigation.

The room was uncharacteristically small. It held only a table with four chairs, and nothing more. Newton had deemed that to be the strictly necessary. Gesturing for Cal to sit down in a chair across from where she stood, Newton asked “Will you allow me to sit without shooting me first?” There was no sarcasm in her voice, but it was clear that it was a reference to what had happened earlier in the CO’s office.

Harris smirked slightly. “Damn… that mean I can’t kick the chair out from under you either?” Following a soft snort, Cal nodded to the chair. “Sit down, Ms. Newton. I know you wanna get this over with nearly as much as I do.”

Sitting down, Newton placed what looked to be a recording device on the table. “If you don’t mind, Colonel, these interviews will be recorded so we can analyze them later and the FCIS can keep them for their records. Let me know when you’re ready to start.”

“Fire away” The Dresden’s CO nodded in agreement to the recorder.

Tapping the screen of her PaDD, Newton proceeded with the interview. Looking at Cal in the eye, she said in a professional tone, almost as if she had conducted a few of these before.

“For the record, please state your name, rank, and serial number.”

“Calvin Alexander Harris, Colonel, Starfleet Marine Corps. SEC number 8702857-1836.” He answered coolly and smoothly.

“Let me start by asking you a few questions about what happened. You and a team of your crew members traveled by shuttle to the planet Beta Prime, a planet that holds an old human colony with whom first contact had been made just recently. How did you come to know about this planet, and what prompted you to go down to the surface?”

FCIS Agent Ashley Newton

“OK…” Harris began. “… if your gonna ask stupid questions, this is gonna take forever Ms. Newton.” Running a hand through his hair, he continued. “The Dresden was the closest vessel with Diplomatic configurable space on-board when the request came through from Beta Prime’s planetary leadership. We dispatched straight away and formed a standard Diplomatic party to go down to the surface and being the process of establishing diplomatic relations with the people there… known as the Regians”

Harris, CO

Newton nodded briefly and took a note in her PaDD. “There are no stupid questions, Colonel. The more information we can get on record, the better. Now, if you’ll allow me to continue without you questioning the validity of my questions…”

“Oh lighten up Buttercup” Cal said softly under his breath in an annoyed tone.

“Beta Prime is not only home to the Regians, but it is also the place of an important base belonging to Starfleet Intelligence, something you should not have known about in the first place, and should never have stumbled upon were you actually fulfilling the goal of a diplomatic mission. However, your own Executive Officer’s logs record that you included your Chief Intelligence Officer, Captain Molly Wright, in the away team you took down. Why did you feel this was necessary? Especially when she was taken under the guise of…” Newton tapped her PaDD’s screen several times “… a Tactical officer. I assume, as Commanding Officer of a Starfleet vessel, you are familiar with the standard operations of a diplomatic mission, and that, taking an undercover Intel Officer, is not part of the protocol. Did you, or did you not know in advance, of the Intelligence base on the surface, and were you, or any members of your team…” She looked Cal in the eye “… including Miss Wright, intent on visiting said base?”

FCIS Agent Ashley Newton

Harris glared across the table at Newton. “No…” He said with force. “… no I did not.” His gaze was ice cold and fierce. “I knew nothing about that base till the Jem’Hadar took us there. The question /I/ should ask is why the hell Fleet Intel didn’t find it worth their time to warn me… someone who maintains a Security Clearance that’d make your head spin… that there was an Intel Base there to begin with. No one on my team, including Ms. Wright, knew of the Base’s existence. The only reason she went was to provide ME backup because SHE had a bad feeling about the mission. Good damn thing she came too… huh Agent Newton?”

Harris, CO

Ignoring Harris’s question, Newton took what looked like a few notes on her PaDD. Turning to Harris once more she continued. “Fleet Intel doesn’t have to get out of their way to make sure you are informed, Colonel. Especially when you have an Intelligence Officer on your staff. If you were not informed of that fact, I suggest you speak to Miss Wright about her job performance.”

Harris couldn’t help but roll his eyes at the young woman’s response. “One, Agent Newton… I was on Intel Missions as SAC (OOC: Senior Agent In Charge) when you were still in High School. So please don’t speak to me like I’m some dumb Jarhead, young lady, I have the experience and background to not only do your job but also your boss’. They don’t just hand out Masters degrees in StraOps to rejects and losers. So, when I need your opinion on the management of my staff… I’ll let you know!” There was no punch to his tone, just a cold… flat annoyance.

Newton tapped away on her PaDD once again before continuing. “According to your pre-mission logs, Captain Wright requested for her personally to be on the mission. You yourself state that, and I quote, ‘Normally I would not think it necessary to have Captain Wright’s skillset and expertise on such a mission but I have found when Intel insists on going somewhere, its best not to question cause they usually have a damn good reason’. Here you use the word ‘insist’, which suggests you didn’t want Miss Wright to be a part of the team in the first place and she forced your hand. Your wording also suggests that you didn’t question her on her request. Do you think it is possible she might have had information about the base, or even her own personal mission, that she might not have disclosed to you?”

“OK…” The Marine glared at Newton. “… if I can’t trust my CIO, just who the hell can I trust?! If Captain Wright knew something solid, she would have told me. Hell… I was the one that taught Molly to trust her instincts in the first damn place! What can of a mentor would I be if she did what I told her to and I second guessed her every move. If Molly Wright thinks it’s a good idea to be on a mission, I side with her… because I trust her!” Harris was speaking louder than usual but more of a force issue than volume.

There was a small smirk in the corner of Newton’s lip when she looked back at Harris. “Colonel Harris. I didn’t ask you about how trustworthy you think Ms. Wright is. I trust that if you didn’t think she was worthy of trust, you wouldn’t have her in your crew. I asked a simply yes or no question. Is there any possibility that Ms. Wright might have omitted information from you about her knowledge of the planet or her reason of requesting involvement in the mission? Yes or no, Colonel. Nothing more.”

“No.”

Newton nodded and took a few more notes.

“How would you describe your relationship with Captain Wright?”

FCIS Agent Ashley Newton

Cold blue eyes swept to Newtons. “Ms. Newton, the fact that myself and Captain Wright are romantically involved has not a damn thing to do with this, unless of course, you’re suggesting we regress 300 years in how we deal with the personal interactions of ship’s companies. Molly and I have, first and foremost, been close friends for a very long time and only recently began seeing each other. As for her position in the ship’s company, under Starfleet Regulations, the Chief Intelligence Officer AND I QUOTE ‘serves outside the Chain of Command as a personal adviser to the Commanding Officer in all matters related to both Intelligence and Strategic Operations as they pertain to the operations and actions of said vessel’.”

Harris, CO

“So, you are romantically involved.” Newton scribbled something on her PaDD. “I never said there was anything wrong with it, Colonel. I am well aware of regulation. I simply asked you to describe your relationship with Ms. Wright. It’s a very frequent question in these interviews. Something you should know. However, the fact that you were so adamantly defensive of your position suggests that you feel you are doing something wrong.” Looking back to her PaDD, Newton scribbled a few more notes.

“Defensive…” Harris growled under his breath. “… not exactly. More like annoyed at a wet behind the ears kid trying to make a name for herself by frackin’ around with my career and that of my partners.”

Newton carried on as if she hadn’t hear Harris’s comment.

“Since you have mentioned your romantic involvement with Captain Wright, I think it is the appropriate time for me to ask you a few questions about your past relationships, if you don’t mind.” It was clear that it didn’t matter whether Harris minded or not. It had been a mere politeness wording. Newton would ask the questions either way, and she was expecting the Marine to reply.

With yet another roll of his eyes, Harris responded flatly with a “Oh… but of course Agent. Do continue”

“Please correct me it I am wrong. Your first serious involvement was with former FNN journalist Vanessa Owens, yes? Commitment from which you have a daughter, Miss Alexis Dawn Harris, and which you and and Ms. Owens ended prior to her passing. You were then involved with Miss Belle Harper, Chief Security Officer on board of the USS Montgomery until she also tragically passed away.”

“Yes…” Calvin’s shoulders slumped at the mention of the women that had once held his heart. “… Ness & I went to High School together. Belle & I were co-workers.”

“I am no Counselor, but it seems to me that you have had some bad luck with the circumstances of the women you have gotten involved with. Lack of closure would be, I think, what many trained psychologists would call your current situation.” She paused. “From your own words, you are currently seeing Captain Wright, whom you worked under on board the Montgomery, and the USS Turing. She is currently the Chief Intelligence Officer on board the USS Dresden. Would you say that the circumstances of your past relationships made you prone to be manipulated into a relationship and/or manipulated by your partner in any way? Or at least overlook and accept requests on their part in order to satisfy them, to subside your fear of them walking away?”

Agent Newton, FCIS

“No.” Harris snapped sharply. “Ms. Newton, I do not feel that either of my prior serious relationships had anything to do with manipulation. Ness and I were high school sweethearts. Had Ali while she was in school, I joined the Corps as an Officer following the Academy to provide for my family. Belle & I, like Molly, we just… happened. Neither were in my chain and neither has ever done anything I would call manipulation. Get to your point.”

Harris, CO

Newton smiled. Almost as if she knew something the Marine didn’t. “I will get to my point in a minute, Colonel. But first I need to ask you a few more questions.”

“Of course you do.” Harris said with a slight sigh. “Please, Ms. Newton… do continue.”

“I also have the record of a short engagement on your part with Miss Erin Hazen, Ms. Wright’s sister. Would you say with complete certainty that you were not manipulated by her into engaging with her? Or did you knowingly engaged in a relationship with a civilian your daughter’s age?”

“Wow…” Harris loosely threw up his hands. “… boy if Intel hasn’t been thorough in their work! Listen, what Erin and I… two consenting and of age adults… did in our private time is honestly none of your goddamn business. If you want to go back ad bring up every extended ‘fling’ I’ve had in the last 15 years… you’re gonna be more busy chasing skirts than I was. And no…” Harris laughed. “… a 20 year-old co-ed did not manipulate me.” He then raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Aside from showing an old man could still keep up and was more flexible than he remembered. But…” He nodded. “… I’m sure that’s more information than you cared to know.”

Newton carried on with her note taking. She didn’t bother engaging with Harris’s last words. Frankly, she was used to being given more information than she needed. This was nothing compared to certain things she had heard in the past. “I’m glad you are so sure that you were not exploited in any way, Colonel. It makes things much easier for me.” There was a hint of sarcasm in her tone.

“Were you aware of Miss Hazen’s age at the beginning of your involvement? And were you aware of her family relationship with Miss Wright?”

FCIS Agent Ashley Newton

“Actually, no… I wasn’t.” Cal shrugged. “But to tell the truth, Erin didn’t care nor ask questions and neither did I. As for her being Molly’s Baby Sister, as soon as I found out… I broke it off.”

Harris, CO

“Thank you, Colonel.” This time, the young agent’s words seemed genuine. “From your answers to my questions so far, I have the feeling that you are missing an important portion of information about Ms. Wright and the circumstances that surround her. Either that, or you are more naïve than I anticipated.”

The Marine raised an eyebrow and stifled a laugh. “Naive..? You’re joking right?” Harris fixed his gaze once more on Newton. “What da’hell you mean by that nonsense, Ms. Newton?”

“How well would you say you know Captain Wright?” Newton continued. “I presume you are aware that Wright was not the surname Ms. Wright was originally given when she was born?”

“Very well…” Harris snapped confidently at her first question. “… if that was ever even in question.” Then Harris paused with the second. He felt as though, for the first time since he walked in the room, that he was being set up. It was a sickening feeling and one that he felt like he had stupidly walked right into. “I know that Molly took her mom’s name after going to San Francisco and Erin took their adopted father’s last name. Why?”

“Do you happen to know what was Captain Wright’s name at the time of her birth?

FCIS Agent Ashley Newton

“No Agent Newton, I don’t.” The feeling was getting worse but there was no turning back now. “What the hell would it matter. Her father was an abusive asshole… what does it matter what the jerk’s name was?”

Harris, CO

“It matters, Colonel… when a name holds as much power and wealth as his does.”

Sliding her PaDD in front of Cal, Newton pointed to one of the fields in the document on the screen. It was an old NC-120 form, filed with the Superior Court of California for the San Francisco county, petitioning for a name change. It clearly stated in the list of persons whose name were being changed:

a. MOLLY GRACE HOLLOWAY to MOLLY GRACE WRIGHT
b. ERIN LEAH HOLLOWAY to ERIN LEAH HAZEN

Harris’ heart sank as he read the names. It couldn’t be!? Holloway was such a unique and OLD Earth way of spelling that particular surname.

“I presume you have heard of it?” Newton asked.

“I have” Harris’ expression was slack, his words empty in tone in the short response. It couldn’t be, not them. The girls couldn’t possibly be…

“Both sisters possess large sums of money coming from the Holloway family. You really think their legal guardian, a retired Starfleet Lieutenant, would have enough money to pay for Ms. Wright’s enrollment at C.A. Riley Military Academy, and Miss Hazen’s enrollment for seven years at Harker School and at the University of California, Los Angeles?” Newton scoffed. “Their uncle takes care of their finances. You might have heard of him. Lucas Holloway, CEO of Holloway Heavy Industries.”

It hit Harris like a ton of bricks. Lucas Holloway… of all people… one of his closest friends and one of the wealthiest and most powerful shipbuilders in the Federation. The Holloway’s had been in space travel business since the earliest days of human space flight. A Holloway was four chairs from Gene Kranz as a member of the White Team when Apollo 11 first landed on the moon. When man began first began regular exploration of space via FTL ships, it was Elliot Micheal Holloway who helped transform Zefram Cochrane’s Warp 5 Engine model into a system stable enough for civilian cruisers. Today, Holloway Heavy Industries was the Federation’s leading shipbuilders… building everything from state-of-the-art warships to luxurious cruise liners, a market Holloway Cruise Lines conveniently cornered. If they were who Newton said they were, both girls were multi-millionaires at birth and… apparently had no clue, or so it would seem.

She slid her PaDD back to Harris, this time showing the records of multiple transactions throughout the years from Lucas Elliot Holloway to Robert Andrew Hazen.

No denying it now, it was right there, in black and white. Molly and Erin were, in fact, direct descendants to the Holloway fortune.

Newton looked at Harris. “Ms. Wright served less than a year as Chief of Security. She was promoted at age 24, and made Executive Officer nine months later, skipping the rank of Lieutenant. She then made Commanding Officer, also nine months later, skipping the rank of Commander. She was put in the Chair at 25 years old. She was assigned as CO of the USS Turing, a Chandley class vessel.” Newton tapped furiously on her PaDD. “Take a look at the manufacturer of the Turing.” She slipped the PaDD in Harris’s direction again. This time, the PaDD contained the official specs of the Turing, where the manufacturer information was clearly visible: Holloway Heavy Industries.

“Jesus.” Was all Harris could say. The revelations of Molly and Erin’s past left him breathless and the fact that Lucas had been involved and tampered with their lives the way he did and never told them pissed him off to no end.

“Not to mention, she requested you to be her Marine CO. A veteran pilot who came extensively recommended by whom? Her uncle, Lucas Holloway.” She stopped and looked at Harris for a second. “Do you see it now, Colonel?”

FCIS Agent Ashley Newton

“I see…” Harris began before turning on heel. “… I see that Molly and Erin had a benefactor looking out for them without their knowledge. Do you really expect me to sit here and believe that two women… I know rather well and trust explicitly… would purposely deceive ME of all people to get ahead?! To use me?! Just where the hell do you get off girl?!” His tone was harsh and firm. Harris was beyond pissed… at basically everyone involved in this mess… especially himself… and Newton was just making it worse.

Harris, CO

“Mr. Harris.” Newton smiled with another slight scoff. She shook her head slightly. “It’s not like Holloway is a common surname. Not with this spelling. You’re telling me that both women are stupid enough not look at the Holloway company, look at their surname, and not put two and two together? I thought you’d hold them a little more credit, Colonel. Besides, it’s not like they have never seen their uncle! They know who he is. They know his name. They know his face. And especially Ms. Wright, must know that Mr. Hazen doesn’t make enough money to cover for their lifestyle!”

“IF…” Harris snapped rather aggressively. “… you wish to question what Molly and Erin know or don’t know, how’s this for a suggestion… ASK THEM!?” Calvin had slammed his hand to the table before he knew what he was doing. The woman was getting under his sink and he knew it. And it truly, deeply, and unquestionably pissed him off.

Newton smiled slightly. “Colonel… Don’t think for a moment that I don’t intend to…”

“Which do you think is more likely? That one of our best Intelligence operatives and her sister never saw through such a clear connection, or that you, Mr. Harris, are looking at the situation through rose colored glasses? I get it, Colonel. You like her. You don’t want to believe that she would do this to you. But you were not the first, and I can assure you, you won’t be the last…”

“I…” Came a harsh growl. “… am not so easily… distracted… by the pleasures of the flesh, Agent Newton. It’s called being an adult and knowing to maintain the ability to clearly think with two heads at once. As for my personal place on Ms. Wright’s bedpost, I highly doubt she’s going anywhere.”

“Take Colonel York, for example.” Newton continued. “Do you really think it was a coincidence that the closest ship to the base, the one that could help Ms. Wright, was the one he was in charge of? A man that, just like you, has been romantically compromised by Ms. Wright? He would do anything for her, Colonel. Including taking her out of this mess.” Newton paused, letting the words sinking in. “I didn’t even know about it until earlier today when the investigation was taken away from him and I was put in charge. She’s a brilliant manipulator, Colonel. That’s why Intelligence was quick to take her in after Command was done with her.”

It all made sense now, all of it! That name… Ryan… Ryan York. The name, the images in his head crashed over him like a ton of bricks. How could he have missed it!? No wonder he was so careful in caring for Molly… Ryan York was her partner at The Farm! As his blood pressure skyrocketed, Harris glared at the woman who brought him this revelation through ice cold bloodshot eyes.

Suddenly, everything began to connect in his head, circuits that hadn’t been kicked on in years. Memories of training at The Farm… the classes… the work… and of course, Darcy. Darcy Ann Turner had been his partner, co-worker, and one of the most intense lovers he’d ever known. And now this girl was trying to blame what was, in a way, an inherent part of their training against them. “Ok… first and foremost, Ms. Newton, none of us were ‘romantically compromised’ as you so put it. Each of us that went through The Farm were assigned a partner… that corresponded with the orientation we would most naturally be attracted to. While not all of us paired off in the bedroom, the pairings aided in building intense comradery that makes each a better Spook.”

“What are you telling me? That her life was just a big coincidence? No, Colonel. She had everything in place. But now, with Colonel York out of the loop… she’ll be much easier to get.”

FCIS Agent Ashley Newton

“Yes! Goddman it woman!” Harris was beside himself with annoyance at this point. “Romantically Compromised you say?” Harris asked with no intention of allowing her to answer. “You know she had to kill him, right… you jackass?! Part of your final exam is to kill your partner, who The Farm makes out to be a traitor to the Federation. While it ends up being a highly specialized holo-deck replica, the head job it puts you through can literally cause people to lose their damn minds!” A tear fell from the corner of his eye as he remembered the broken look in Darcy’s gaze the last time he saw her, completely and eternally trapped in the scene in which she had to kill him… only to see him standing before her in the debrief. Darcy Turner was the first woman the service had taken from him and he had never told a soul.

Harris, CO

Newton sighed almost in frustration. Lifting her eyes from the PaDD where she had been taking notes, she looked straight at Harris. “Allow me to point out something Colonel. First of all, you can’t tell me that you are not passionate about Ms. Wright’s innocence when your tone of voice is making it perfectly clear that the evidence that I am showing you is leaving you very upset. If instead of using two heads at once you decided to only use the one standing on your shoulders, you might see that Ms. Wright is clearly hiding something and that this whole thing is more than just a coincidence.” Newton cleared her throat. “Not to mention, reporting classified information on record, as is the knowledge of Starfleet Intelligence’s Officers Training Program does not look good on your file.”

Harris scoffed. “You come in here attacking and making accusations of the woman I’m involved with, a woman whom I DO trust way more than a damn suit from Quantico and you have the nerve to question what I ‘reveal’” The Marine made air quotes as he spoke. “Ms. Newton, I am quite innately aware of what you do and more importantly, what the frack you have access to! If you are interviewing… excuse me… interrogating members of Fleet Intel, you have more than enough clearance to know everything about each of us… from Molly’s cup size to the length of my goddamn Johnson! So please don’t tell me some bulls**t that you don’t know it or its fracking classified.” His eyes burned through her as he added. “You have the gaul to think I’m… what the hell did you call it again? Romantically compromised?”

“And yes, I mean romantically compromised, Mr. Harris.” Newton continued. “I don’t care if you don’t like to hear it, but as I mentioned, the way you have been reacting to what I have been telling you… the anger that I can feel boiling under the surface… tells me that you’re just that… another one of Ms. Wright’s conquests, that serve no purpose but to be another pawn in her plan that she can burn at her own convenience. And I am deeply sorry I have to be the one waking you up.”

“Watch your turn of phrase, Ms. Newton.” Harris hissed. “I might not be armed but that doesn’t mean I couldn’t come across this table, slapping your ass outta that chair with a smack that’d knock that smug damn look off your face.”

“Ms. Wright didn’t have an exactly pleasant childhood. She was born in a house that didn’t show love. Her psychological records from Starfleet Medical reflect that. Her first romantic involvement was at age seventeen with…” Newton took a moment to search through the information on her PaDD. “… with a Miss Alison Roberts, a senior at C.A. Riley Military Academy at the time. According to Ms. Wright, it was her first intimate relationship and the first time she opened her heart to someone else. However, when classes resumed after Christmas break, Ms. Wright found out that Miss Roberts had moved on and was seeing a male classmate.”

This time, Harris was taken aback. Molly… his Molly… had a… girlfriend?! For the first time since the interview started, Cal was caught completely flat footed. Of all the things Newton could have told him, the news that Molly… straight-laced as they come had, at least at one time, had a thing for girls… absolutely floored him. He didn’t know what to think and quietly allowed Newton continue.

Newton looked at Harris. “Allow me to show you something… as per regulation, Starfleet Medical keeps recordings of their patients, especially in cases like Ms. Wright’s. Computer, play file Wright, MG, 3954-25.”

Harris raised an eyebrow. The last thing he wanted to see was some private, shrink meeting. It didn’t feel appropriate but with everything he had heard, a small part him latched to the screen, deeply curious as to what else he might learn.

The viewscreen flickered and lit up and a teenage Molly was shown on the screen. She was wearing C.A. Riley’s uniform and her hair was considerably shorter than she wore it nowadays, but even though younger, her expression remained the same. Her right hand was wrapped in a light cloth as if it had needed some sort of medical regeneration recently.

Harris’ heart fluttered. She was stunning… even more attractive than Ness’ at that age! It was a moment he never thought, even imagined seeing, a 17-year-old Molly ‘talking’ to him. He took in every inch, every frame. Enraptured by the teenage version of the woman he’d grown to love. She was different, her hair most dramatically, and youthful in a way he didn’t think possible. Those eyes… that voice… it was clearly his Molly, long before she was his.

“Tell me more about Alison. What was so important about her?” A voice off screen could be heard.

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Molly’s voice cracked audibly.

It was the first time he heard the pain, the gut wrenching hurt of love not returned. It sucked and he too knew it well.

“Molly… we’ve been over this… I know it’s hard, but I cannot help you if you don’t tell me what happened.”

Molly acquiesced with a sigh and a small nod of her head. “Alison was my girlfriend… At least that’s what I thought…”

Hearing her say those words was… earthshaking to say the least. Cal was locked into the conversation.

“What made you think that, and why are you not anymore?”

“What made me think that?” Molly’s expression changed from sad to an angrier, almost condescending one. This was a very different Molly from the one Cal knew. “Well she… we… we had sex! And… as soon as I come back from break there she is… with her ton— making out with Ethan!”

And there it was. Cal couldn’t even picture the straight-laced woman kissing another girl, much less taking one to bed. He didn’t know what to think anymore. He didn’t feel lied to… more not trusted. Hell, Molly & he had been together for over a year and he was finding this out in a damn FCIS interrogation!?

Molly stood up sending her chair flying backwards and she paced on and off camera with her hands on her face. “What am I going to do now?” She cried softly. The words were muffled by her hands.

“Molly… please sit down.” Wright gave the off camera counselor a look of disgust, in a very teenage-like way, but sat down without further conflict. It was clear that they had been down this road plenty of times before. “How did you feel when you saw Alison with Ethan?”

Molly shook her head. Her eyes half closed as if she was numb. “I felt… angry… dirty… used… I don’t want to feel like this again.” Her voice became more forceful, as if it had suddenly filled with repressed anger. “From now on, no one will ever use me again. If anything I will be the one using other people.”

Those words… they cut like blades to the bone. It took a moment for Cal to wipe the words from his mind when....

Newton turned the screen off and then turned to Cal. “I know what you are going to say, Colonel. She was a teenager back then, she is not the same person now than she was in this recording… I get it. And you’re right. That’s why I need you to see something else. This is from last year. Intelligence keeps these as records of their officers. It’s part of their initial interview process.”

The screen lit up again. This time, it was the Molly that Cal knew so well. Or so he thought… She was wearing her red hair in her typical ballerina bun, and was wearing a standard issue black Intelligence training shirt.

He didn’t know where she was going with this, but one thing he knew for sure… Cal remembered his psych intake at The Farm. Those people left no stone unturned and one thing was for damn sure, he hoped to God no one ever saw his video, ever.

“You mentioned Miss Alison Roberts was your first intimate relationship. Can you tell me a little more about her?” Once again, someone off screen spoke.

Molly nodded. “Me and Alison met at C.A. Riley Military Academy. She was a year older than me. We had a brief intimate encounter before Christmas break my junior year, but unfortunately when we came back she had moved on and was seeing someone else.”

A little bit of clarification there. Harris thought. ‘Girlfriend’ is a bit of a strong word for a weekend hook-up… but when you’re 17… lust and love blur lines for guys and girls at that age.

“How did you feel when that happened?”

“I felt angry… angry at her, angry at her new playmate, and angry at myself for letting Alison take advantage of me. I felt used. I learnt not to trust people and I swore that the next time I’d be the one doing the manipulation instead.”

Ice felt as though it splashed through his veins. The venom, the heartlessness in how she said those words. For the first time in their entire friendship, Calvin Harris found himself beginning to question… everything.

There was a pause before the offscreen interviewer spoke again. “What about your Command of the USS Turing? According to your own statement, your naiveté did not allow you to see through what was happening and you were taken advantage of again.”

A small smirk appeared in Molly’s lips. “An oversight. I guess Ashton’s kindness rubbed off on me.” Her smirk turned into a more genuine smile as her mind seemed to go back in time for a minute. “I can assure you. It won’t happen again. You know what they say… fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. There won’t be a third time. And I’ve ran out of shame to have. My mother’s love for my father killed her way before her time. My love for Alison only made me get hurt. And now… Ashton is back with his mother mourning his dad’s passing. And I am here… running away from him. His love for me is ultimately hurting him more than it should.” She paused for a second before continuing. “Loving someone has two outcomes — you either get hurt by them, or you use them so you don’t get hurt. I’ve experienced the first. I’m here to learn the latter.”

As the last words left her lips, a cold and stoic rage began to build within the Marine. Had he really been taken so easily? Had Molly, the sweet, innocent, naive girl he met nearly four years prior… been running a long game on him? Using him to get what she wanted in life…

Silence fell over the room as Newton turned the video off. Finally she turned to Cal, her expression visibly more serious than before. She sighed.

“I’m sorry I had to show you this, Colonel. I tried my best to avoid it but you gave me no choice.”

“The first recording was from one of Ms. Wright’s counseling sessions during her time at the Military Academy. Later she was accepted at Starfleet Academy with the sole requirement of continuing these meetings. She is required to see a counselor at least once per month due to her anger management issues. Requirement she still needs to fulfill if she wants to remain in the service. I am sure you are aware of that, Colonel. After all, you are her Commanding Officer.”

“I… I…” Harris didn’t know what to say. He had, for basically everyday since Molly’s arrival at the flight school, focused way more on getting closer to Molly than worrying about anything else. He did not for the life of him, ever even remember once opening her file. Something that now appeared to be a grave misunderstanding of the woman he had literally entrusted the very safety of his ship to.

Newton scribbled something on her PaDD. From everything she had heard from Harris during the interview, this one was the only surprising reply.

“Now, after Miss Roberts, Ms. Wright was not romantically involved again until she was transferred to the Montgomery, by which time her ascension in rank sped up… a lot. She was involved with Mr. Ashton Young for roughly three years. And of course, her counseling records were spotless. And given her romantic relationship with him, useless. Then she was involved with Colonel York for a year, an Intel Officer and a great asset to have at arms length for whenever she needed it, which just happened to be the case. And finally Colonel… you. Her ship’s CO. Always someone good to have wrapped around one’s finger. I really hope you see it now…”

Betrayal. It was the only word that rang in his head, like someone shouting in his face. But how?! How did Molly finally turn him, when did the ball permanently move to her court?

“If you still don’t believe me… let me ask you something. Have you ever engaged in any intimate, or semi intimate, activities with Captain Wright before you became involved with her?”

FCIS Agent Ashley Newton

“Well son of a bitch.” Harris growled with nearly the same venom Newton had received at the beginning of their meeting. “Yes, Ms. Newton. As a matter of fact, we did.” His tone was vicious, but inside, for the fourth time in his life… Calvin Harris’ heart broke. Broke in a way that took the very fire within him and dosed it in ice cold disbelief.

Harris, CO

The moment the words left his lips, Newton knew she had him. His heart, broken. His mind, changed. This would make it all so much easier to finish.

“Allow me to go back to a particular point… Ms. Wright’s counseling sessions.” Newton tapped her PaDD a few times. “I see you didn’t know of her psychological requirements. That is clearly an oversight on your part, Mr. Harris.” She gave him back the PaDD. This time it had Molly’s file on it. Newton pointed to a particular section. “This is Ms. Wright’s personal file, as it stands, with your clearance. As you can see, it is here. You can also check her counseling logs. Of course, you don’t have access to what’s in them, but you have access to whether she was there or not.”

She was right and it embarrassed the hell out of Harris. He should have known better, should have bothered to check, if for any other reason than to look out for the woman he loved and… thought… loved him in return.

“Now… what worries me is the fact that Ms. Wright’s last recorded logs date from her time on the USS Turing. Her evaluation shows good progress, but her romantic attachment with Mr. Young makes me wonder if they are biased. However, they are logs nonetheless, meaning that that was the last time Ms. Wright met her Starfleet requirements. She doesn’t seem to have met them since.”

“I…” Harris sighed, feeling like an utter jackass. “… I didn’t know. I knew Ashton from the Turing and knew he and Molly were together… engaged from what I remember. But aside from that, I didn’t know anything else.”

“Ms. Wright has angry management issues, caused mainly by a dysfunctional childhood brought by Mr. Holloway’s actions.” Newton continued. “Under normal circumstances I would scold you for not making sure that your crew members, especially a member of your senior staff, were keeping up with their medical requirements.” She paused. “However, before we started, I received word from our forensic team on the surface, and it seems that I have the body of an Intelligence Operative with twelve bullets on his chest. All of them match Ms. Wright’s weapon. Are you able to tell me anything about this, Colonel?”

“DuBois had captured us, tortured us and had he had the chance, I honestly think he’d have killed us.” Cal sighed deeply as he remembered the events that were now coming to him in rapid flashes. “After he had finished with me… he…” Harris knuckles cracked in his right hand as he flexed it. “… he started on Molly. Apparently, the worthless little bastard had a thing for Molly and she used that to her advantage to get him to release her.” There was sad dawning on Cal of the irony of the situation that hit as he spoke. Seemed like Molly really was good at using her body to get what she wanted. “Then she knock the dumbass out and came for me. When we tried to leave....” Harris closed his eyes to better remember the scene. “… he charged us with a tac knife, I moved to block his attack on Molly and caught it my left shoulder. As I went down, I heard Molly open up on him but that’s about it. I mean…” The Marine chuckled a humorless chuckle. “… I didn’t keep count of the shots or anything. I just remember her coming back to me when the shooting stopped.”

“Mr. Tomas Dubois, the Intelligence Operative in question, was part of Ms. Wright’s squadron at the Farm. They never saw eye to eye in a number of issues.” Newton paused. “I understand he seems to have gone rogue after obtaining the base in Beta Prime, but that does not discard the fact that, the nature of his demise seems to suggest that Ms. Wright was very angry at the time of the confrontation. Clear evidence of Ms. Wright’s lack of self control after three years without visiting a counselor…”

Harris chuckled more forcefully this time. “Newton, I don’t think you understand what that son of a bitch did to us. Her response was as measured as mine would have been if she did load him up. I’d have done the same thing. Hell, I might write her up a letter of commendation for judicious marksmanship when this is all done.” He paused, unable to keep his spirits lifted with the weight on his heart and finished by adding. “If anything in regards to DuBois’ end… the girl deserves a damn medal.”

“Before we are done here, now that you have seen everything I need you to see, I need to ask you again: do you think it is possible that Ms. Wright did not disclose to you her real intent for joining the away team, and do you think it is possible that she had an agenda of her own?”

“No…” Harris said flatly but with little conviction. “… nothing that she said or did raised any flags beyond me thinking she was being overly protective… of me.”

“Thank you, Colonel Harris. I think we are done here. I’ll call Ms. Wright in. I would suggest you stay for her interview… I’m sure you’ll find it… enlightening.” Newton smiled before standing up and walking towards the door.

FCIS Agent Ashley Newton

Harris sat, stoic in his chair. He was going nowhere and wanted to be there to see how Molly responded to the accusations against her. And to see if this was really the woman he fell for or if it were all a ruse.

Harris, CO

Newton walked over to the door and peered outside.

“Ms. Wright. If you’d please join us.”

Molly had been sitting outside engaged in pleasant chatter with Ryan. After almost two years of no contact, it had been nice to have the opportunity to catch up. Her only wish being that it had been under different circumstances.

Smiling at Ryan one last time, Molly followed Newton into the room.

Inside, there was a small square table with four chairs around it. Newton sat in one of them and Cal was sitting on another. Surprised to see the Marine still in the room, Wright shot him a friendly smile as she sat on one of the remaining chairs. Something didn’t feel right. There was something in the glance that he shot her back that spoke of something wrong. For a moment Molly wondered about what Newton had told him. What had she done wrong?

Harris watched the young woman carefully. He was afraid to let a single feeling show as he processed the storm of emotions inside him. Did he still love her? Of course he did! The question wasn’t if he loved her, the question was did he trust her and could he ever trust her again.

Trying to look as unshaken and as natural as possible, Molly broke the silence. “What can I help you with Agent Newton?”

Capt. Wright, CIO

Newton smiled a smile that would affirm the unsettled feelings Molly was having. “Just a few questions I need answered for my investigation, I promise… this won’t take long. Please, have a seat.”

Molly sat down slowly without another look at Cal. Her eyes were fixed on Newton evaluating the meaning behind her smile. It made her even more uneasy but she tried her best to shield her feelings from showing on the outside.

“Captain Wright…” Newton began in earnest. “… for the record, would you please state your name, rank and Federation ID number?”

“Of course.” Molly began. She knew the procedure, and she just wanted to take it out of the way. “Molly Grace Wright, Captain. 4826503-2831.” Her tone was assertive, but not hostile.

“Thank you.” She smiled a sickly sweet smile before continuing. “Now Ms. Wright, you legally changed your last name at age 10. Do you happen to know what your surname name was at birth? If so, could you state it for the record?”

Newton/Harris

Another procedure question… Molly had been asked that before, especially when dealing with Intelligence, so she thought nothing of it. The fact that she had never mentioned it to Cal was lost in her mind. “Yes Ma’am, I do. Molly Grace Holloway was my birth name. That’s Holloway with an O. H-O-L-L-O-W-A-Y.” The easiness with which Wright answered the question would tell both the occupants of the room that she had given that information a few number of times before.”

Without another word, she waited for Newton to continue.

Capt. Wright, CIO

Harris said nothing. He watched, listened and carefully monitored every word and move of Molly’s. Newton had a point to get to and she was moving full speed ahead.

“Can you…” The Agent continued. “… describe the purpose of the mission to Beta Prime, Ms. Wright?”

“It was a diplomatic mission.” Molly started without so much as a flinch. “The Federation had made contact with the people on Beta Prime. They go by the name of Regians, and they had just developed warp technology. We were to be their first contact.”

With a nod, Newton pressed on. “Why did you request to be involved with this particular mission?”

Molly knew these were coming. No self respecting Intelligence Agent would investigate their mission without questioning the actual mission. Especially when one of their officers had requested to be on board with no apparent reason.

Clearing her throat, Wright replied. Her voice as steady as before. “Beta Prime is a name that has been on Intel’s radars for a while. I knew that there had been suspect activity on the surface on several occasions. My sources indicated that it was suspected that someone else had established themselves on the planet, possibly another non-human race, but there was no word on whom. In the interests of protecting the away team and their Captain, who happened to be on the mission, I requested permission to join as they did not have access to the information I had.” Molly’s eyes kept focused on Newton. They didn’t move even at the mention of Cal.

Then Newton snapped the quick follow-up. “Why did you find it necessary to go disguised as a Tactical officer to a diplomatic mission?”

Newton/Harris

Newton’s sudden snap caught Molly off guard, but not so much that it was apparent in her tone. “It was a diplomatic mission, Agent Newton. Imagine that your people just developed warp technology. You’re expecting visitors from places you didn’t even know existed. You’re approached by the Federation, on what’s supposed to be a ‘full disclosure’ meeting, and they bring an Intelligence officer with them. A person that cannot share the information they hold. What would you think?” Wright was visibly annoyed. “It is much easier to explain the presence of a Tactical officer within the away party than the presence of a spook, don’t you think?”

Capt. Wright, CIO