Star Trek: Erin

Part 36: Into the Mess

     My day started in front of Munitions. Having the power to assign who guarded the door had its perks, so I was just checking in with Ensign Klove.

     "Ma'am," he said, standing at attention.

     "Quiet today, Klove?" I glanced both ways down the hallway.

     "Yes."

     I squinted at Klove. He wasn't chatty. Like, at all. And I hadn't had the chance to work with him in crisis yet, so he remained mysterious. "Where're you from, Klove?"

     "Glock V, ma'am."

     That's a start. I grinned. "So am I. What part?"

     "Magnum, blue district."

     Big city boy, then. I would never have guessed that. Everyone I'd met from Magnum was obnoxiously loud. I tilted my head. "Your surname's familiar. I don't think we've met, but..."

     He sighed, and I threw a little party in my head for finally getting a reaction. "My family is heavily involved in politics."

     "And you joined Starfleet."

     "Politics wasn't for me. It's simpler in space."

     Yay, we're bonding. I tapped my phaser, looking for another angle to prod from. He probably thinks I'm annoying as hell. Maybe accept this victory. "Good work, Klove. You'll be relieved by Fitzhugh in half an hour." He saluted me, I returned it and went on my way. Meeting Nowak at the mess was the next stop. Then Zabinski in half an hour. She wanted to go over those recommendations for comms with medical. Damn, I need to find that briefing. There was an idea brewing in the back of my head. Something about my phaser—oh. I grinned. That could work. I spotted Nowak. Coffees steamed in his hands. I waved and joined him. "New idea."

     Nowak tilted his head towards the quietest corner table. "Shall we?"

     For the past few days, we'd been discussing possible methods of mutiny management. It was fun. Once seated, I dropped my voice and leaned over my coffee. "Alright, so here's my idea. Set a phaser to overload during this theoretical mutiny."

     "And eliminate everyone? I suppose that solves your immediate problem, but such indiscriminate loss of life is not usually appreciated by Starfleet."

     I waved a hand. "Not like that. It forces people out of the area if they remembered anything from the Academy and don't want to die, hopefully splitting the mutineers into two groups which can be dealt with a hell of a lot easier. Then just drop it down a garbage disposal or something once the area's clear."

     Nowak nodded slowly. "Not a bad idea, Cobos. However, what would be the reason why you did not record the sound instead of destroying a phaser?"

     "Then there's no doubt I'm serious."

     "And if a mutineer disposes of the overloading phaser, thus averting this tragedy?"

     "I'm holding it, Joseph."

     His lips twitched. "Ah."

     Sprite appeared at Nowak's shoulder with a lemonade. "Mind if I join you?"

     I shrugged. He sat.

     Nowak laced his fingers. "Sprite, I tend not to engage in gossip, but even I managed to hear—"

     I swatted Nowak. "We wanna know about your girlfriend. Heard she's Caitian."

     Sprite's shoulders tensed. "Kate is great, and also none of your business."