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IntSec Office (Tag: XO... Maybe)

Posted Oct. 8, 2019, 8:40 p.m. by Lieutenant Commander Magnús Pétursson (First Officer) (Hjortur Ingi)

Posted by Lieutenant Tom Jarvis (Internal Security) in IntSec Office (Tag: XO… Maybe)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Magnús Pétursson (First Officer) in IntSec Office (Tag: XO… Maybe)

Posted by Lieutenant Tom Jarvis (Internal Security) in IntSec Office (Tag: XO… Maybe)
Posted by… suppressed (24) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Tom sat in his office. He knew the XO had come aboard and read the Internal Security dossier on the man as he had with all the crew. He wondered if the man would come visit him and, should the XO decide to, Tom wondered how many times the XO would make his introductory visit before he get a chance to watch the recording’s Tom would inevitably make for him.

  • Tom, IntSec

After finishing the meeting with the Chief Intelligence officer Magnus made his way to the Internal Security Office. He’d made a note to visit the mysterious location. He’d never worked directly with Internal security much, mostly because he considered it to be a redundant service. He was curious as to what this meeting would be like. Pressing the chime on the door he waited for an answer.

XO

The door opened and the rather average looking man behind the desk stood up. He straightened his black on black uniform.

“Welcome Commander Pétursson. I’ve been expecting you.”

Several holographic displays were floating above the black surface of the desk. Mostly internal sensor feeds from the interior of the ship. In front of the desk were two chairs of a design the Commander likely hadn’t seen before.

The office appeared to double as Tom’s quarters as there was an entertainment center, a futon, a replicator, and other necessary amenities on the other side of the room.

  • Tom, IntSec

Bump

“So you have,” Magnus said slowly as he examined the strange room. If anything this would be an interesting meeting “So tell me, Lieutenant, what is it precisely that you do. None of the ships I’ve served on have had an Internal Security presence. I’m frankly not certain what it is that you do. Beyond the flavour text that is” He invited himself to sit down, crossing his legs as he did so.

XO

The chair adjusted automatically giving Magnus perfect support and comfort. Tom made a small gesture and the screens appeared to sink into the surface of the desk and vanish.

“Honestly Commander, since we left Federation space there’s not a lot for me to do as an Internal Security agent.” Tom said as he sat in the chair behind the desk.

Tom’s appearance was entirely unremarkable. He looked like someone that could vanish into a crowd while under direct surveillance.

“Stationed on a ship as I currently am, outside of Federation space, my primary duties are to monitor the crew for potential security issues and to put my talents to use as the Command staff sees fit, providing that it does not go against or interfere with my duties to do so.”

Tom leaned forward and placed his elbows on the desk.

“Now Commander it’s your turn. Did you choose assignment to the Genesis or was it chosen for you?” Toms delivery and body language looked completely casual, but something in Tom’s eyes gave the impression that he was studying Magnus very closely.

  • Tom, IntSec

There was no change in expression except for a slight narrowing of his faded blue eyes “Both” He started “I was on somewhat of a probation until Captain King’s unexpected retirement and Captain Marius’ promotion, Command wanted a seasoned first officer, I was available. They tossed me on the first ship to Black rock and I got a lift as far as they could get me. A few days on a Runabout later and I caught up with you way out here” His smile widened ever so slightly “Of course the opportunity to serve on a ship like the Genesis doesn’t come every day don’t you agree Lieutenant?”

XO

“Yes, opportunities are few and far between.” Tom agreed.

Tom smiled.

“How rude of me… Would you like something to drink?” Tom asked.

  • Tom, IntSec

Magnus shook his head “No thank you, I had some water earlier and I don’t plan to go to the restroom for at least another thirty minutes” He said smiling slightly “I’m a very attentive person Lieutenant. I see things, patterns I notice stuff yet I haven’t noticed you. You’re somewhat of a mystery, I’ve read almost nothing about you, your file is mostly just status reports no personal notes from anyone” He swapped his crossed legs “If I were a paranoid man I’d say someone spent a lot of time trying to erase you from our files but it doesn’t feel like that does it?” He asked cutting straight through their small talk.

XO

“There’s a reason for that Commander.” Tom said sitting back down with a glass of water that had a piece of fruit in it that appeared to be peach.

Tom looked across the desk at Magnus. Magnus had already stated that he was unfamiliar with Internal Security but that wasn’t what Magnus was interested in.

“You won’t find personal notes as I’m a bit of an anomaly. One might say that I’m involuntarily forgettable.”

Tom let that sit for a moment to gauge Magnus’ reaction.

For most people, there wouldn’t have been a discernible reaction in Magnus’ face beside his continued half-smile but Tom could notice a slight reaction in the Commanders eyes, a slight twitch of interest.

“I’m sure you’re familiar with psionics are you not?”

  • Tom, IntSec

“Sure, mental processes such as telepathy or empathy. I’ve dealt with psionics in the past, I once met a Vulcan Monk who taught me mental excersises to shield my mind from being read without permission, I was never really good at them” He said with the same half-smile.

XO

“My psionic talent, or curse as I prefer to think of it, is that I’m immune to all forms of psionics that have a mental effect. It is as if I don’t exist. To telepaths, empaths, body jackers, and such I simply don’t exist on a level where they can affect me with their abilities.”

Tom took a moment to sip his peach water.

“An unfortunate side effect is that people cannot form permanent memories of me, usually forgetting everything about me within three minutes of parting company, immediately if the person is rendered unconscious. There are, of course, ways around it. One woman with brain damage, and Julien’s cybernetic memory enhancement allowed them to remember me, one extra dimensional being had a sense of familiarity, and Denobulans get crippling headaches around me after the first meeting as a subconscious part of their brain insists to the rest of the brain that the individual knows me. There is another way that doesn’t involve recordings but it’s time consuming.”

Magnus’ only reaction to the IntSec officer’s story was a slightly raised eyebrow and a fading smile. What a lonely existence he must live.

Tom took another sip of his water.

“My turn. It seems your therapy has gone well. Do you feel your emotional stability is strong enough to keep you from becoming a significant security risk to this ship and it’s crew?”

  • Tom, IntSec

This time Magnus blurted out a laugh of genuine enjoyment, the question surprised him for certain “My Therapy?” He asked after finishing his brief laugh “I don’t recall specifically going to therapy outside of the meetings I’ve had with my ships counsellors. I did see the same counsellor for 14 years on and off because the Ship I served on didn’t have onboard councelors” He said with his half-smile returned “I’m uncertain if my emotional stability has ever been in question” He stood up slowly, his look of amusement not fading away “But to answer your question, yes I do feel this way. For twenty-two years I have had the emotional stability not to be a significant security risk to the fleet”

The Commander moved to the Replicator “Do you mind, I’d like to replicate something?” He asked pointing at the device and smiling at the man.

XO

Tom nodded and gestured dismissively.

“You’re the first officer, my permission is not needed.”

“As old Admiral Trebeck said, using another’s replicator without permission is a grave sin, akin to cleaning one’s teeth with their toothbrushes or reading their private logs” Magnus said quoting his old ethics professor at the Academy as he tapped several commands. A moment later a small leather binder appeared that he grabbed and moved back to his seat.

Tom sipped his water.

“As to whether your sessions are considered therapy or not is a matter of semantics. I’m not concerned with the fleet, I’m concerned with this ship. Call it a matter of self preservation if you like. And if I’m going to be candid, not that you’ll remember this once you leave here, unless you have an unredacted recording, your confidence worries me more than if you had even the smallest doubt.”

Tom set the half drank glass down on his desk and leaned back.

“Your turn.”

  • Tom, IntSec

Magnus sat down and crossed his legs, his half-smile never fading. He then removed a small band from the binder and opened it, revealing it to be a thick leather notebook. He took the small pen and started writing something down with surprising adeptness. Tom could see that he wrote in cursive. The commas over some vowels and other oddities confirmed that he wasn’t writing in Federation Standard “My uncle taught me that not knowing every tool at your disposal places you at serious risk”

After a moment He tapped the pen on his book “This will contain writing of my personal thoughts on our private conversations. Its contents will not enter any logs as it contains information that I will not remember. Only you and the Captain will be made aware of its existence and purpose” He explained rather slowly, he was focusing a bit on his writing. He looked up and smiled “And no Lieutenant it’s not a matter of semantics, it’s a matter of how you choose to interpret facts. I like most other officers go to mandatory meetings with a Starfleet counselor, I have nothing against therapy, in fact, I place great faith into the practice as it has helped a great number of my friends and family.” He looked back down and continued his scribbling.

After another short moment, he spoke once more “I suppose the odd manner in which you address me is because you are accustomed to people not remembering you so you feel comfortable speaking in that way” He stopped writing and looked up, raised his hand and smile apologetically “No worries I really don’t mind, at least not in private” He looked back down and continued writing “It’s moderately amusing having your abilities questioned” His tone sharpened for a moment “But only moderately” He added. For the last minute or so he’d been talking with the clear implication that he was not to be interrupted.

“Every fleet starts with a single ship,” He said returning to his usual half-cheerful half-neutral tone “Tell me Lieutenant, what is it you want from the service? He asked veering the conversation way of course.

XO

Tom noted the remark about the ‘odd’ way in which he addressed the Commander. It had nothing to do with whether or not someone remembered Tom or not but the fact that his job was to watch and probe officers with questions, even those in command, to evaluate potential security risks. There were reasons, after all, that Internal Security was looked upon unfavorably. No one liked to have their loyalties questioned.

“Considering recent comments sir, how do you want me to answer?” Tom sat up straight tugged his shirt straight and looked very much like an ensign fresh from the academy, his voice smooth and youthful “As the dutiful subordinate of lesser rank or…” Tom’s body relaxed but didn’t slouch. Something subtly changed and his air became one of someone studying Magnus, his voice that of someone that had, perhaps, seen more of the Federation’s gritty side than someone his age probably should have …”in the manner which is part of my role in Star Fleet?”

  • Tom, IntSec

Magnus’ smile widened “Do I look like someone you condescend to?” His tone jovial and his smile genuine but his eyes narrowed. The smile faded “It’s just the two of us, you can speak freely” A slight smirk responded “I suppose despite my notes I won’t have any specific emotions towards you, negative or not.” Then the tone in his voice firmed “But answer the question in any regard”

XO

“Maintaining casual it is.” Tom said as he leaned back in his chair.

Tom looked thoughtful.

“It would be nice to not be forgotten, but that’s not likely going to happen. So I guess I would have to say that I don’t want to feel useless. A difficulty at times when one’s self doesn’t come to anyone’s mind in a natural organic manner. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an advantageous curse in my field of work, but it’s also a pain in the ass and deadly to any social life I might have wanted to have.”

  • Tom, IntSec

Magnus nodded gravely “I’ll assume that you’ve done extensive tests and the like to find some sort of…” He paused as he searched for the most correct word “Solution” He said clearly avoiding the word ‘Cure’. “Before you have your turn I have a follow-up question, there are a number of objects and devices of older times that can suppress and block out telepathic abilities. My uncle Jósef owned a talisman or something that could block his mind from other telepaths. Could such artifacts, rare as they are, could they either suppress your ability or something similar?” He asked quite seriously.

XO

Tom shrugged.

“I don’t know. It’s not targeted. It’s an area effect that prevents short term memories of me from transferring to long term memory. What you’re talking about in regards to blocking telepathy is like using a shield to block a stream of water. I think my issue is more like the rising waters of a flood plain during a heavy rain. Even with the shield, you’re still likely to get wet. But I suppose it could be tried. As for a cure, that’s impossible. My entire neural system would have to be removed.”

Tom smiled.

“Or if you want to remember the first twenty minutes of our interactions you could just stay near me for three hours and twenty minutes and hope nothing distracts you away from me for more than three minutes or renders you unconscious.”

  • Tom, IntSec

Magnus scribbled something down “Interesting, also quite” He paused as he looked for the right word “Dismal I suppose” He looked back up at the man, studying his neutral face. “We could always try building you an armour out of aluminium see if that works” He said with a smile returning to his lips “Now I do believe that I owe you two answers.”

XO

Tom smiled. It wasn’t warm but it wasn’t hostile either.

“It couldn’t work any worse than a field wave guide system woven into a carbon nano-tube containment suit. Which didn’t work at all. As for answers… One answer, two answers. I make it a point to be thoroughly familiar with the dossiers of every crewman and officer aboard this ship. Let’s see… Are you able to answer questions about your time as a prisoner of the Dominion without causing you undue stress?”

  • Tom, IntSec

Magnus’ smile widened slightly “I am. I’ve had twenty-two years to deal with it. Besides, fighting a war was a surprisingly therapeutic way to get over something like that” His eyes narrowed “As is the therapy” He said the word therapy in a dry mocking manner “Not much to talk about, I was fairly precise in my after-action reports, as were my fellow survivors.”

XO

Tom’s look sharpened, like his attention had become more focused.

“It’s said that the Jem’Hadar used combat practice to learn physiological weaknesses of their various opponents while the Vorta preferred interrogation and vivisection. In all of that the Jem’Hadar either didn’t know or care that in the process, other races might learn their physiological weaknesses. Theories are that this was out of some twisted sense of honor, a thrill of a challenge, arrogance of their own superiority, or an inability to grasp that they might not be superior. Does any of that ring true or would you have something to add?”

  • Tom, IntSec

“It’s all true, to a point. The Jem’Hadar had a strange sense of duty, living for victory above all. The ones that looked combat-capable were placed in rings and made to fight, the ones that weren’t were either put to work or sent to the Vorta Scientists. I believe there was some other client species there, we called them snatchers” His look turned grim “Sometimes during the night someone disappeared, occasionally we could hear them scream in the distance. We knew that it wasn’t the regular Vorta because they usually kept cadavers in their labs for a few weeks before disposing of them” He usually didn’t share this part of his tale, at least not to the Cadets he taught or other less experienced officers. Tom seemed like the sort of man who wouldn’t be phased by such horror tales.

“The Vorta liked to take samples and the like, they’d inject us with various toxins and illnesses to see what happened. Then they’d see if they could heal them before we died. Sometimes they could sometimes they couldn’t, each time they learned something interesting. I was one of the lucky ones, I was a fighter and very good at it. I learned later on that they had enough Cardassians and Romulans and even some Klingons to play with. We were the largest group of Humans and other Federation species they had captured at the time. My fortune grew as the Spikeies had never fought a Gymnast with advanced combat training, whilst they are strong and capable I was fast and flexible.” He averted his eyes slightly, perhaps shame or a grim memory resurfaced “Unfortunately for them I was better at fighting stronger enemies than they were at fighting fast ones.”

XO

Tom waived his hand over the top of his desk and a dark panel seemed to rise out of the surface between them.

“So you were a combatant. Did the training area of the facility you were at look like this?”

An image of a Jem’Hadar facility prisoner combat ring appeared on the panel floating between them.

“This image was taken at an unknown abandoned facility on the outer spinward edge of Federation space.”

  • Tom, IntSec

Magnus’ jaw clenched, his throat muscles tightened and his hands reflexively tensed up. The reaction was only momentary and well-controlled but still noticeable enough. He studied the image carefully “It did” He confirmed slowly “Except for the circle. The small console there where you had to press a button to stay in the ring and the lights surrounding it. It’s the wrong design, it’s only mimicking Dominion designs.” He said with confidence.

XO


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