Testing Theories

Posted on Tue Sep 28th, 2021 @ 5:14am by Lieutenant Sabine St. James

Mission: 00 -Life on the Line
Location: "Acting" Security Office
Timeline: MD00

The office for the Chief of Security was technically located on the promenade area of the station. At least, whenever Deep Space K-17 and the other K-series stations were planned and built. But, K-17 had shut it's promenade ages ago, either it was storage or just sealed off and shut down to conserve power.

As such, Sabine's office was actually repurposed from diplomatic quarters, or what would've passed for such quarters back in the 2260s. It felt like working out of an old Constitution class that never saw the mid-life refit, though newer computer displays had been retrofitted and clashed with the old designs.

There was only so much Sabine could do, the station didn't see enough activity to get a good case to sink her teeth into, and she had too much free time. That, of course, terrified her staff.

Because when Sabine St. James had too much free time on her hands, she started testing theories. And if Captain Kaz couldn't leave, they sure as heck weren't getting transferred out from the madwoman that occupied the office now. Today was one such day.

Ensign Nadia Al Fulani walked in to an office that had different lights going like some bad nightclub and what sounded like Klingon power metal music blasting.

"No no no! Computer, change audio input, randomize it again!" Al Fulani heard over the din. She made her way in as the music abruptly changed to Vulcan meditation chants, still at high volume.

Nadia saw Sabine further in the office, sitting on the floor. She had one of the few Type 3 phaser rifles stripped down, a display terminal, and several PADDs all scattered in front of her. Her jacket sleeves were rolled up, the jacket itself undone, and she was blindfolded.

Sabine was now attempting to assemble the rifle but was mumbling to herself at high speeds.

"Uhm...Lieutenant?" Nadia asked.

"...but if the doors were locked, entry would have to be..." Sabine was in her trance, evidently solving a mystery case of some kind by the sounds of it.

Now the Ensign truly wished she hadn't negligently discharged a phaser in front of Admiral Harris...

"No...but...aha! The transporter logs weren't wiped because they didn't exist! Computer cease music!" Sabine shouted and stood up, rifle in hand. She lifted up the blindfhold.

"Oh. Is it 1530 hours already?" Sabine asked, confused.

"It's 1745 hours." Nadia replied, "Ensign Farek gave up."

"Might explain why I feel a little woozy." Sabine replied, "Testing a theory from Starfleet medical that different inputs on the senses can have a marked effect on one's reasoning and motor skills. Lights and sounds."

"I see..." Nadia didn't but she really just wanted to hand over the report and get out of here.

"Yes, there's still some debate on the specifics, but I wanted to see it for myself in a more practical application. I think I'm close to something though." Sabine said with a broad smile. Right on cue, the barrel assembly and receiver both disengaged themselves from the rifle's grip and lower receiver.

"Well. Mostly close." Sabine said, zipping up her jacket and snatching the PADD out of Nadia's hand. She looked it over and chucked it over her shoulder before heading to her desk.

"Computer, restore lighting to normal, reset audio playback to normal. And increase air circulation please." Sabine said. "Ensign, would you please inform Mister Farek that the next time he submits a report, I'd appreciate a little more creativity in his efforts to just copy the same thing he's passed on for the past four months."

"But...Lieutenant...nothing happens here! We count the same things over and over, we're always short on phasers, Cell Three's forcefield is still on the fritz, sensors on nearly every deck aren't working to your request and there just isn't anything going on!" Nadia protested.

"I'm aware. But your reports generally have some variation in how you write it, if to save yourself the tedium." Sabine said, sitting on her desk, "Mister Farek just sends me the same thing over and over. Which is how I know you gave me his report, not yours. Though I'll let it slide because I'm in a bit of a delirium from not having eaten in the last 15 hours and possibly dehydrated too."

"Should I call medical?" Nadia asked.

"Nonsense. That'll be all, Ensign, thank you for the visit, your presence here is always welcome and appreciated." Sabine said with clash in tone and expression. Nadia just made her way to the door.