Clusterfornication
Posted on Sat Jan 25th, 2025 @ 5:25pm by Commander Arianna Frost
3,661 words; about a 18 minute read
Mission:
S1E6: Where Skies End
Location: Memory Theta, Overwatch - Temporary Office
Timeline: MD 13 - Sometime after 'The Auditor Cometh'
Who would have thought walking down corridors would have been the most trying moment of Jack's life in recent years. Cold heart pathways leading into the darkness, a questionable unknown could be bad enough with one such as he who somewhat knew the context of what he was to find. However, what he did not know turned out to be much worse. Drones, borg-fucking-drones - odder than usual drones too. The typical Borg-Drone would be stilted in movements yet still move with purpose. The occasional drone meandering through the station was different, without purpose, blank faces with no guidance no purpose barely aware of existence.
It took all of Jack's willpower to...to what? He did not truly know, he just knew for the last half hour he had been pacing back and forth in his temporary office. He may have broken a PADD or two in his hands as he tried to push past his rising anxiety and then sat staring blankly at the piles of PADD's on his desk, but he never truly saw them. All he saw was an event a long time ago replying relentlessly in his mind.
Taking a deep breath he finally managed to shrug it off and attempt to get to work before he noticed a silhouette linger by the glass door entrance to his office. "Oh for fuck-!" Jack sat up, kicking his chair away without meaning to as he shot up and took several immediate steps back as one of those lifeless drones was literally standing there drooling at him.
"Hey! Go!" Jack waved at it as if to spook an animal - no reaction from the drone.
Palming a PADD he threw it at the drone, "get the fuck out of here!" Mayhaps that did it? The drone stiffly turned and moved away.
"What the flying..." Jack shook his head running his hands over his face and taking deep breaths before he turned to face his discarded chair and just stared at it for a moment before making to set it upright and wheel it back over to his desk. Then leaning against his desk with two balled fists he rocked back and forth gently twice before hitting a button upon the desk forcibly. "Commander Frost - my office, now."
"Frost, on my way." Came a short reply.
Thirty seconds later, the bell rang.
"Enter," came the unintentionally gruff reply as Jack simply remained in his chair, pinching the brow of his nose in an attempt to center his thoughts.
Arianna stepped inside, dread and relief mixing within her. Was she meeting with a trusted ally or a lethal foe. Given their current issues, it was hard to tell.
"That good, huh?" Ari asked dryly as she stepped inside.
Jack released his nose-bridge and sighed as he leaned forward slightly and clasped his hands together over the desk, staring ever so slightly up to the ceiling before eyeing her. "I've seen some cluster fucks in my day, Commander." A slight pause, "but I've never seen something quite as fucked as this, let alone with people I thought mayhaps were at least half wise and half capable." He did not hesitate in gesturing to her as an example. "This is embarrassing at the least, downright retarded would be the polite way to put it."
"And you'd be right, Commander" She replied in turn, her eyes still on him.
He'd aged. He looked tired, worn. Even the spark in his eye she remembered from almost a decade ago seemed gone. Then again, she likely looked just as tired and worn.
Frost didn't wait for an invitation and took the chair opposite him.
Jack himself was too distracted by all the information running through his mind and the frustration related to it in order to truly take her in with a gaze. He at best was more reading nuances rather than seeing the person. "Before we begin, could you quantify any of..." a hand gestured across the table at all the assorted PADD's "all this?"
Ari shook her head slowly. "No. Even if I tried, it would take decades. I still discover new things daily when reading reports, and I've been here for months and I originally audited this place. You'll need to specify." She kept her demeanor and tone the same neutral as she had when he appeared in Ops.
Jack almost tilted his head as if to say a silent come on... before nodding and leaning back in his chair, retrieving a PADD from the desk as he did so, quickly reading a passage. "Khaiel D'hikatsi, Laena ben-Avram, Nandi Chakma...families are asking questions."
"I would imagine so." Frost said with a nod. "Khaiel D'hikatsi - went MIA while we were on shoreleave on Risa. He extracted the prototype AI N.I.C.K. and walked off of the ship while the senior staff were on the planet. We scoured the logs, talked to relevant personnel - no definite leads. Profile suggests he was turned, by who or what, we don't know. We know he didn't agree with the Field Team Leader, Captain Mrazak on a lot of things. So his motive would likely be disillusionment or ego rather than money or ideology. "
As she spoke, Ari did a small gesture with her hand, wondering if the man across from her would remember it. Can't speak freely. Ears. The gesture translated.
Jack gave no physical reply, in his mind for the moment it was best things were on the record.
"Laena ben-Avram, transferred to Earth to submit classified stellar projections which were deemed too sensitive for subspace transmissions. We received her transmission and then she went dark, missing both her call-ins. Welfare check suggested she was taken, but whoever was on the wet team was thorough and left no trace." Arianna continued. "Sweep of lodging suggests she hadn't been in the lodging for a good few days."
"Nandi Chakma, transferred to Starfleet Medical." Frost went on, "after a few missed shifts welfare check revealed she was taken by unknown assailants. No DNA or particulate evidence. After we reconstituted the recording we realized she managed to hide a data chit in her mattress last minute. We retrieved the chit, but haven't been able to crack it as of yet."
Riasing a finger to indicate a point Jack set one PADD down and retrieved another, "seems questioning the mentality Mrazak is an ongoing theme. Have any notes to add to the overture?"
"I have an entire file filled with staff complaints, from when I did the original audit some months ago, and I've been adding to it since. The Captain is a narcissist. He's also a genious even by Vulcan standards, on top of being a v'tosh ka-tur. Put all that in one, and you have a major unstable element. The reason I haven't put through a disciplinary against him is because in my opinion he's a useful distraction, so long as the rest of the staff can deal with his outbursts and get the actual job done. Which so far, they seem to be able to do."
Jack arched brow momentarily, "have they though? Seems all I can trace is escalation and no real results. Dropped threads whilst new ones continue to entangle the lot of you. In truth, your words seems to summarise this entire outfit, personnel included."
"Wait till you interview them." Ari chuckled. "The point I'm making is, while the spotlight of our enemies is on him, the rest of us can accomplish objectives. The rate he can piss someone off is staggering."
"Can also be an equal crutch in ways those close may not be able to identify." Jack sighed and set the PADD down, staring at it for a moment. "Another topic, and in general even acknowledging the topic can end with you in the stockade, just so you're aware the next move is yours." His gaze turned to the exit of the office, "those drones, explain. They're not on any of these PADD's."
Arianna nodded, "item 363991 - Rho Eta, of the Vault manifest." She said, holding his eyes, making the gesture again. Can't speak freely. Ears. "They have been part of this place before I was assigned here. How and why they got here, I've never been able to get an answer. The station Administrator, Captain ben-Avram may offer more information on this, or even Captain Mrazak, however as you know neither are present on the station at the moment."
Ignoring the gesture once more Jack decided to emphasise a singular word in his following sentence, "Officially you've made no action or report on them." He sighed and drummed his fingers of one hand upon the desk in a cascading manner from one digit to the next. "Ever heard the story of Humpty-Dumpty?"
"I did not make any action or report as they are listed on the manifest which the office of the OSI, which is the governing body for this site, under Admiral Gareth Tau, already has. I did not see a need to report it again, when they clearly knew of their presence and had already done nothing about it. They have their reasons as to why they are here, one I was not made privy to when I queried it. You're familiar with the term, 'thank you, we know?" Arianna replied.
"I'd need that manifest then as it seems I've still only received the redacted files on certain topics on this desk." Jack pinched his nose again then shrugged to himself, "alright, so...what I see is a mountain of fragility which has toppled over, all the kings Knights and Horses scrambling to pick up the pieces yet gauntleted fists and horse hooves are just making a bigger mess when trying to handle a cracked egg. I'll want the full manifest of both the Stations vault and the vaults on the planet below by 0600 tomorrow morning on this desk."
Arianna reached out and motioned for him to turn the laptop display towards her.
Since Jack had mostly been reviewing data via PADD's, the deskbound laptop had thus far only been used to log him into the system and its screen had been left on a personnel file, Zharra's. Without tabbing the screen to a separate file he simply obliged and turned it. "I recall being asked to review her application to Starfleet, was my recommendation for her to be accepted worth it?"
Arianna nodded, then tapped in a few commands. "Files are being released to you now. I have a meeting tomorrow morning, so I figured why wait." She turned the display back to him. "She served with distinction, hell...four years at the Federation Embassy on Qonos'? Then retiring and transferring to Fed Sec and Organized Crime. She performed the welfare checks for us and helped extract the Garlakes when unknown assailants attacked the Laphalale Compound in South Africa."
"And more recently?"
"She's only been back here a couple of days." Ari replied.
Jack nodded and mulled over his thoughts for a moment. "The more eyes on this...audit the better Commander, even if for accountability. Being security, she would be the perfect choice to be the eyes over my shoulder, would you not agree? That is if she is not otherwise occupied with operations I am unaware of?"
"I agree on eyes, however she is now part of this unit, are you satisfied that there is no conflict of interest? She is not occupied in any operations at this time." Ari replied, "she's shown mettle and integrity, so I believe she can be impartial. But my word does not carry much weight at this moment."
"Doesn't it?" Jack asked simply, "this is my first organised meeting, generally that should have been ben-Avram." He let that sit, "I was not allowed to bring anyone outside along, otherwise I would have chosen a Vulcan."
Arianna nodded her understanding, "feel free to ask her. I am due to hear back from Captain ben-Avram in a couple of days. He's away on his home planet of Hebron due to a death in the family. He's under the legend of Captain Moshe Inbal of Starbase 32, hence the lack of travel records."
Jack sighed again, "so the primary command staff are on compassionate leave or on classified assignment, with so many active threads, and threats hanging." He sighed again and glanced to the side wall leaning back in his chair hands resting in his lap helplessly. "Fuck you, Alex."
Jack glanced to Ari, "that leaves you and I."
Frost finally cracked a smile. Those three little words gave her hope that the man across may not be an enemy after all. "With all the balls in the air threatening to fall down." She said with humor.
"It would help if I knew which balls were about to obey gravity and fall sooner - to the best of your knowledge." At that point Jack leaned forward and made a rolling granted extra with a hand before gesturing to the ceiling.
A shrill sound pierced the room for a few seconds as she put a hand in her pant pocket. Ari winced before blinking the shrill sound away.
"Fuck me, this was getting long." She said finally, "I understand you need to do your job, but fuck me!" She said finally with a sigh of relief.
Jack shrugged fighting back a smirk, "already have, figured it was time for the professional experience."
Ari's shoulders began shaking with laughter. Actual soft laughter followed. "He's making sure we're on the level? I have to admit I wondered when he so easily authorized Whytesand."
"A counter operation versus a counter operation that's only seemingly exploded in everyone's face does raise questions about loyalty if not competence." Jack nodded, "reminds me of the days we were rescuing the men who went to rescue the men who went to rescue the men."
Ari laughed openly now, "yes, those were the easy days." Then she sighed, "we believe the three missing people are tied to the turning of the target of Whytesand. D'hikatsi, we believe was turned either by Taskmaster, or at the very least someone working for him. Laena ben-Avram was sent to vet Admiral Tau, we suspect him, due to his adamant insistence of getting us shut down in the DS9 inquest. Nandi Chakma was sent to investigate Project Lazarus. Run by Whittaker Hoid of Starfleet Medical. You can infer the subject of the project from the name. We were tipped off by Commodore Rahal...the data she sent us suggests that the Project had one successful subject. Taskmaster himself."
Jack frowned at that, though, he perhaps had a contact in Starfleet Medical...he put that thought aside for the moment. "Immortality has always been a point of scientific research for as long as it has been a philosophical one. Interesting that a Starfleet attempt is the one that has leaked to an active and known enemy. It seems there's more internal cogs are hostile than external, hmm?"
Ari nodded slowly, "it's...not leaked, per sae." She began, "Taskmaster aka Omri Updike, aka Omri Shaw should not be alive, he is a cleanskin, officially. His real identity is Omri ben-Avram, the deceased brother of Captain Akiva ben-Avram. I have DNA confirmation. I've had Leonora Wolf go through the Lazarus files, she was nearly recruited for Lazarus in '85 herself. She claims it shouldn't be possible but the data in the file provided by Rahal suggests there was one successful candidate. I didn't believe it myself until I managed to compare DNA. I managed to attain a sample from a PADD he handed me when he last visited this station. I compared it to a DNA sample of Asa ben-Avram, Captain ben-Avram's other sibling first, before informing the Captain himself. I think you can surmise how well that went." Frost finished with a pang of guilt and pain.
Jack pondered this for a moment. "One family member infected, another missing, the third out and about investigating alone." Jack sighed then pondered, "I do not claim to be an expert on genetics, but from what I've heard of similar in the past any general attempt to overly change ones mortality has often ended in terms of genetic degradation or even insanity...this Akiva needs to be followed at all times. If a success has occurred I doubt its 100%, the missing could indeed be missing as an attempt to replace missing or damaged tissue which would be compatible. Akiva should not be out and about without escort."
Arianna shook her head, "I couldn't put together enough legends in time for him to leave. Hebron is an isolated society. Without legends or diplomatic access we can't touch it. We have scheduled call-ins with the Captain to try and mitigate this risk. I doubt though that Taskmaster will touch the Captain, if anything he's warned me off him, which suggests protective emotion." Frost then sighed, "the Borg..." her eyes suddenly felt stingy, a slight sheen covering them, "about half of them, are targets of Project Castermer. I only know because I recognized the one I eliminated after questioning, or at least...I thought I did. On further investigation I discovered several more. All targets of Castermer 1 and Castermer 2. The nanites are our nanites, reprogrammed to simulate Borg ones." Her voice gradually fell as she spoke. "and I am benched from Castermer because I refused his orders to help bury Memory Theta at the DS9 inquest."
"All new songs but all singing an old familiar tune." Jack sighed yet again. "Seems whenever Alex calls me, I always end up having to wrestle Starfleet Command corruption. A lot of what you've said seems only possible along those lines. Sure there may be external enemies but Starfleet beds have been slept in quite obviously."
Jack stood and seemed to pace once more, back and forth a few times before pausing and turning to face her. "I still have to do this audit regardless, but..." He placed both hands upon the desk and leaned forward toward her, "...what do you need from me?"
Arianna nodded, clearing her throat. "I need you to do this right, and watch your corners. I don't know how far his reach goes. I suspect he got flipped by the Black Nagus, but I haven't been able to crack the database the target I thought I eliminated sent me with any of the codecs I had access to. Leah is chasing up one last lead we have that could crack that database. Be careful whom you talk to about what, and where, you know how word flagged these things are. And let me know if you hear anything. I need all the fucking evidence I can get to throw the fuckin' book at him and take him down." Another pang through her heart as she thought about what that was going to do to Akiva.
"And I need you to arrest me at the end of it. We need to do this right, everyone involved with Castermer will need to be questioned and cleared." She said finally, with a long exhale. "I am having a very hard time dealing with our complicity in his schemes, however unwitting they had been."
"A blessing in disguise for you, this audit." Jack chose not to pry on her apparent misgivings or feelings displayed, yet. "Some of this would no doubt show on any audit and it would be expected for the auditor to investigate publically." He thought to himself a moment, "but indeed carefully." He already had an angle in mind and nodded to himself. "It should be morning at Starfleet Head Quarters at the moment...dismissed."
"With respect, old friend. You don't outrank me to get to dismiss me." She said as she stood up. "Whatever you decide to do, please consider who you put at risk. We're in the deep end, we don't need to drag more people in." Ari put her hand back in her pocket and pressed the button, another loud shrill filling the room.
Jack's fingertips drummed upon the table for an extended while staring at the exit. Eventually he sighed, regardless fo her request, he was stuck in an impossible situation. Almost every topic he had to ask questions about in a public fashion due to his role as auditor...but perhaps he could simply request information and that would be enough to get the right eyes on certain topics without raising too much concern. They would however have to be scalable to read between the lines and take care of themselves. "...fuck you, Alex...gotta ruin a life again."
He sighed heavily for the thousandth time that day before pressing a control on the deskbound laptop. "Computer, open a channel to Starfleet Medical, office of Lieutenant Commander Torrna Maliya. Level five encryp...no encryption."
Well, that went about as expected. He could still feel the teeth in his ass, admittedly all deserved considering how the two had left things. Jack sighed, though admittedly it perhaps went worse than it could have as it seemed he was asking questions out of personal ego and self-worth, which he could fake relatively well. Sadly, that meant Maliya's last thought of him would be as a vain man looking to wipe a few wrinkles off himself asking about research in personal longevity and not mentioning Lazarus at all.
Better than asking about a clandestine project directly...
...though at that moment he did stare down at the desk and its near-perfect black reflective surface—not quite a lie in the end; he could use a touch-up here and there, looking at that face.
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