Cascading Echoes

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Gymnasium

The gymnasium on Deck 12 buzzed with energy as Michael Burnham stepped inside, her eyes immediately drawn to the intense competition unfolding before her. Five crew members, including Commander Ash Tyler, were locked in combat, their bodies moving with precision and purpose through the maze-like arena. Each wore soft gray workout gear, with one sleeve and a stripe down their leg indicating their respective colors.

Lieutenant Marcus Hayes, a Nigerian human with exceptional tactical skills, was marked with green. His athletic prowess showed as he darted from one obstacle to the next, his quick thinking making him a formidable contender. Ensign T'Ryn, the stoic Vulcan dressed in orange, was demonstrating her superior physical strength, her movements almost mechanical in their efficiency. Petty Officer Tharok, the blind Aenar telepath, marked in yellow, used his heightened senses to anticipate his opponents' moves, deftly avoiding attacks and positioning himself strategically throughout the course. Chief Petty Officer Korrak, a hulking Klingon with unmatched combat skills, marked in red, charged forward with a warrior's intensity, his fierce loyalty evident in every strike.

And then there was Ash Tyler, wearing blue, moving through the course with calculated precision. Michael watched as he captured another glowing square, engaging in hand-to-hand combat with Korrak. The Klingon, towering over Ash, tried to force him off the square, but Ash's agility and training gave him the upper hand. Korrak attempted to drive Ash's face into the surrounding force field, but Ash caught the Klingon's arm, spinning him away and delivering a swift chokehold from behind. As the force field shifted around them, Ensign T'Ryn seized the opportunity, rushing in to capture the block, sealing herself off from the others.

Michael couldn't help but smile. Ash always had a way of holding his own, even against opponents like Korrak. As he waved out of the game, signaling his exit, Michael tossed him a towel. "I think I just saved you from taking a loss at the hands of Ensign T'Ryn," she teased, nodding towards the Vulcan who was now studying the force fields.

Ash grinned, wiping the sweat from his face. "T'Ryn was timing the energy fluctuations, wasn't she?"

"Yes," Michael replied. "She's probably memorized all the configurations by now."

"That wouldn't help her," Ash said, shaking his head. "The pattern is random, programmed with too many variations. No one can memorize them all."

"Maybe," Michael said, glancing at the game still in progress. Then her tone shifted, more serious. "I came here for a reason, Ash. I need to talk to you about Ensign Kuma Thompson."

At the mention of Kuma, Ash's expression changed. He seemed genuinely puzzled. "Kuma...who?"

Michael's heart sank slightly. She studied his face, looking for any flicker of recognition, but there was none. "Ensign Kuma Thompson," she repeated, her voice firmer this time. "The ensign who was injured before the mission. I've been trying to figure out what happened to him, but it's like...he doesn't exist."

Ash frowned, concern creeping into his voice. "Michael, we can't talk about this here. Not out in the open."

"Then where?" she asked, crossing her arms. Her instincts told her to be wary. Ash had always been protective, sometimes overly so, especially when it came to matters involving Section 31. There was something in his tone that unsettled her. "Where can we talk about it?"

"My cabin," Ash said, lowering his voice. "It's the only place where we won't be overheard. If this has anything to do with the matrix, we can't discuss it here."

Michael hesitated. She didn't fully trust him, not after everything that had happened between them. He was skilled at keeping secrets, and there was a part of her that worried he was trying to get her alone for reasons that had nothing to do with Kuma. But she also knew that if Ash didn't remember Kuma, then there was something far bigger at play. And if it involved the matrix, this might be her only chance to get answers.

Reluctantly, she nodded. "Alright. Let's go."

Ash met her gaze, searching her eyes for a moment before turning to lead the way. As they walked side by side through the gymnasium and into the corridor beyond, the weight of the unspoken tension between them hung heavily in the air. Michael couldn't shake the feeling that she was stepping into a larger mystery—one that involved more than just the disappearance of a single ensign.

And for reasons she couldn't quite explain, Ash Tyler was at the center of it.