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Standard check in with the CNS.

Posted Oct. 23, 2018, 2:43 a.m. by Lieutenant Tom Jarvis (Internal Security) (David Bennett)

Posted by Lieutenant Tom Jarvis (Internal Security) in Standard check in with the CNS.

Posted by Lieutenant Riley Dekker (CNS & 2O) in Standard check in with the CNS.

Posted by Lieutenant Tom Jarvis (Internal Security) in Standard check in with the CNS.
Posted by… suppressed (4) by the Post Ghost! 👻
<snip>

Riley cleared his throat, “I’m going to assume I passed.”

“Easily.” Tom said with a genuine smile.

He settled further into his seat, dark eyes taking in the man across from him, trying to read his body language. It was a poor substitute for his sixth sense.

Tom’s body language was even hard to read. Most likely due to the extensive training Tom had in reading body language himself.

“We can talk about your work in a minute. I’d like to start with your personal life. From my notes, it looks like we’ve talked before about the difficulty you have forming social bonds due to your psionic field. The Captain is the only person aboard the ship who is able to remember you, due to his android components, correct? How are you doing here on the Genesis? With the crew?”

Dekker, CNS

Tom steepled his fingers at his chin and looked thoughtful.

“Our half Denobulan science officer, Ensign Fahr, get’s incapacitating headaches when we cross paths. Something about part of her brain telling her that she knows me while not being able to bring up any memories. I have a program set up that monitors our proximity and lets me know if we’re about to cross paths and from what direction so I can keep out of sight and out of mind.”

That piqued Riley’s curiosity, but he stayed silent. He wasn’t a medical scientist, but he wondered if there was an avenue worth exploring if the man before him one day hoped to counteract the effects of his psionic field. Of course, the lieutenant may very well be comfortable with things as they stood.

Tom relaxed his arms again resting them on the arms of the chair.

“The Captain is the Captain. Cybernetics help him remember. Sort of cheating if you ask me.” Tom said with a smile, “The XO, through recordings, now recognizes me on sight, knows how long I’ve been here, and knows to record any and all activities with me if he wan’t to know about it later. As far as the general crew go, I’m doing as I usually do with the crew. Every day is the first day. I must be new to the ship, and usually the suspicious stares of those who recognize the black on black of Internal Security rather than the charcoal on black of Intel. I have been here long enough to know how to manipulate certain members of the crew through conversation to get desired responses if I chose to, not that I would ever do that for personal gain. Besides, I’m sure you know the monotony of having the same conversation over and over and over. It doesn’t take long before the monotony over rides the enjoyment. I learned that really fast in the academy. In my line of work it’s usually not smart to involve one’s self in long term dedicated relationships anyway. I’m probably too close to the Captain but there’s something about someone being able to remember me that I find comforting.”

  • Tom, IntSec

Part of Riley wondered about the effect on crew morale, seeing an unknown security officer on board the ship, frequently. Especially now that they were heading into deep space and there was little opportunity for new crew to board, but he shelved the thought for the moment. He hadn’t heard any whispers of unease and so he kept the conversation focused on Tom.

“Is Captain King the first person who has been able to remember you?”

Dekker, CNS

Tom thought a moment.

“No. There have been one or two from an asylum but they were so far gone anyway. Oh yeah,” Tom said getting a gleam in his eye and a half smile, “There was this extra-dimensional being that was on board for a while. She was Azmodian. She couldn’t pin down specifics, but she could recognize me and that we were familiar with each other. She was the first sentient in a long time I had considered pursuing for personal interaction over the long term but then she had to leave. Then there was a member of the crew that had apparently had her brain experimented on that somehow immunized her to my forget field. Unnerving, intriguing, and attractive all at the same time.”

  • Tom, IntSec

Riley noted the positive words Jarvis used when talking about the two females who had been able to remember him. As unnerving as it was, words were all he had to go by with the man across from him.

“Are you in touch with either of these people still?”

Dekker, CNS

Tom smiled wistfully.

“Alas no. I’ve considered purging them from my memory but I’m still enjoying them. Especially the dark lady with the horns, hooves, and voluptuous endowments.”

Tom’s eyes snapped to Rileys as he momentarily looked uncomfortable.

“But I suppose remembering them is rather pointless now as the chance of meeting them again would likely be no more than a minute singularity.”

  • Tom, IntSec

Tom joked. Riley knew that was often a cover for very different feelings, but he couldn’t pierce the veil of Tom’s psionic field to ascertain for himself. A thought struck him. Riley and Tom were really quite opposites. Sensing others’ emotions allowed Riley to become deeply connected to people. When loved ones were away it wasn’t simply their smell or the sound of their voice that he missed, but something altogether more intangible. Feeling others made him feel even more. He wouldn’t be able to function in Tom’s world. In fact, few non-empaths would be able to.

“Humans, humanoids, are social creatures. There have been a number of documented studies that show isolation’s deleterious effects to one’s psyche. How do you cope with this?”

Dekker, CNS

“I don’t know. I think I’m doing okay. And I’m not really isolated, I’m just…” Tom looked deep in thought for a moment, “I’m just on the outside. An observer of secrets and lies others think hidden. You’d be amazed what people will say when they forget you’re near.”

  • Tom, IntSec

“That sounds like one of those superpowers people wonder about. It’s like the proverbial fly on the wall. You can hear and see and no one knows you were there. But what’s the fun of knowing secrets if you can’t share them? Of course, that’s part of my job description. I learn things about people I’ll never share. I can use my empathic abilities to understand others in a way they may not even understand themselves. I like to think I use my abilities to help. Do you feel the same?”

Dekker, CNS

Tom nodded.

“I understand all to well about keeping secrets I can’t tell anyone about, however, I can forget them if I want. But for the most part I think I’m doing my part to help protect the Federation from internal domestic threats. I don’t have empathic abilities to work with but I can read body language and hear voice stresses that enable me to fake it at times. For example, I can tell that my own psionic field blocking your ability to pick me up with your own psionic abilities makes you a little uncomfortable and very curious.”

  • Tom, IntSec

“It is,” Riley admitted. “I’m not used to being on an even playing field, so to speak. Or, perhaps, at a disadvantage. There are a few species who are blanks to empaths, but they are uncommon in the Federation.”

Riley shifted in his seat and changed tacks, “Are you finding your work here on the Genesis fulfilling? Is there enough to keep you occupied?”

Dekker, CNS

“You mean other than reassuring crew mates that I’m not spying on them?” Tom laughed, “Yeah. There’s always something. Snippets of overheard conversations, unauthorized use of ship’s resources, questionable statements in careless conversation. Almost all of it amounting to nothing but notated anyway in case it becomes relevant.”

Tom shifted forward again looking slightly uncomfortable.

“With us heading out for unexplored territory with potential first contact situations, I’m not sure how my duties will change. Internal Security is just that, internal, concerned with domestic matters within the Federation. Outside the Federation, that’s more Marishka’s territory.”

  • Tom, IntSec

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