Surefoot 07: Uncertainty Principle

"Who do you think made the complaint?" Jonas asked now.

"Until someone admits it, we cannot be certain," Eydiir reminded him. "One battle at a time. Our next battle is in that office."

"I am not comfortable with having to do this," admitted Rrori. "I have only just arrived onboard. What can I say?"

"The truth," Sasha replied. "As long as it doesn't hurt either the Captain or the Counselor."

"How can we know what will or will not hurt them?"

No one answered that.

"Maybe it'd be better if we didn't say anything?" Neraxis suggested.

"Not me," Sasha declared to no one in particular. "That shithead is going to know exactly what I think of this whole meshuggenah investigation."

"This shithead is looking forward to hearing all about it."

Sasha and the cadets turned to the new voice; Lt. Aiken stood there, motioning for her to follow him into the office.

*

"Relax, Cadet, take the seat. Be advised that I'll be recording this interview, and any and all statements you make may be employed in my assessment of the fitness for duty of Captain Hrelle and Counselor Shall." He slipped into a seat next to hers, almost facing her, waiting for the woman to settle. "May I call you Sasha?"

She folded her arms across her chest. "Whatever you want... Sir."

The man's dark thin mouth curved in a approximation of a smile. "I appreciate your defensive attitude, Sasha. You see me as the enemy. I can assure you I'm not. I merely wish to protect young people like yourself from potential threats-"

"My father and the Counselor are no threats... Sir."

Aiken leaned forward in her chair. "We can certainly agree on your father. He is a hero, through and through. As far as I'm concerned, he can't do any wrong.

The Counselor, however, is another story."

Sasha shook her head. "No. She's been a big help to him, and to me-"

"Of course she has; that's her job, after all. But it was never her job to fall in love with him. Or to use emotional blackmail on you to get your approval."

"What? She never did that-"

"Of course she did. Don't you remember?" He reached out and touched her hand---

---Quicker than Sasha could see, Kami shot her hand forward, pointing a clawed finger in the cadet's face. "I'm still talking." The Caitian relaxed her arm and breathed in before continuing. "I love your Dad."

The admission was the last thing Sasha expected. She recalled the nasty, cutting remark she had made to Kami when they were fighting, and had hoped the woman would have forgotten it. And if she hadn't, that the woman would have denied it.

Kami lowered her arm as she proceeded. "I love him. I love him in a way I haven't since my late husband. And he loves me. And we've been lovers since before we boarded this ship. And I can imagine that you might feel like that's wrong, that you might want to protest it. But be warned: if you say anything, anything that might get me removed from being his Counselor and off this ship, that could seriously affect his psychological recovery. Even his command. We don't want that, now do we?"---

---Sasha pulled back, struck as if by a fist. She didn't remember it happening that way! And yet, it did! My God, Kami did do that, didn't she? She was so brazen about it! "Y-Yes."

Aiken looked sympathetic. "And then she had the gall to tell you that she loved you too, like she was a second mother!"

Sasha nodded numbly. "Yes..." She remembered: after she had returned from the execution of the man who had murdered her mother, Kami had told her that. She'd been so certain it happened differently... And it was exactly what she needed to hear. "But she- she-"

"She used you, Sasha. You're in her care as much as your father is. She had no right to put you in such an emotionally vulnerable and compromising position. And all for her own selfish ends. And it's all plain: she wants one big happy family again."

The longer she stared into the man's eyes, the longer she listened, the more it became so terribly obvious. "Yes."

Sasha proceeded to parrot whatever Aiken said, for the purposes of the recording.

She never saw the smile in Aiken's eyes.

*

---They sat on the couch instead of in the chairs, and she'd offered Neraxis a shot of Spican flame whiskey that went down her throat like a nova. Kami smelled gorgeous, and looked into the other girl's eyes with a deep mischievous longing as her tail played up into her hands. "Oh, my darling girl, there is nothing for you to worry about. Yes, you have fears and doubts about your fitness for being in Security. But I'll help you with them. And you can help me with a problem of my own."

Neraxis' breath quickened, and she shifted in place. "P-Problem?"

Kami smiled, reaching out and stroking the girl's bald pate. "Yes. With Sasha."

"Sasha? Why would you have a problem with her?"

The Caitian's fingertips stroked along Neraxis' Bolian ridge. "She's beginning to sense that there's more going on between the Captain and I than there should be. She could make trouble for me. I think she needs... a distraction. She'll hardly care if her father and I are having sex, if she's busy having some herself."

Neraxis swallowed. "You- You want me to-"

Kami laughed softly now. "No, no, my darling girl; you're not her type. Giles, however, is another matter."

"Giles?" It made no sense; the Squad had only been together for less than two weeks, and though the initial hostility between Sasha and Giles had eased, the thought of them ending up Bumpers was ludicrous. "I can't see it working between them-"

"It's already working, Neraxis. I've been subtly guiding each of them individually towards the idea of being a couple. All I need from you is some encouragement offered to them. And then let nature take its course..."---

---Neraxis pulled back, her breath quickened, her blue skin flushed, unable to look at Aiken now. "Did that- Did that happen like that?"

Aiken leaned back in his chair. "Of course; why would you lie about something like that?"

She remembered. The potency of the memory struck her, something once buried, now surfaced again. Of course, Kami had done that. "Y-Yes. But... But it doesn't make sense."

"It makes perfect sense, if you think about it. Sasha is understandably loyal and possessive towards her stepfather. She saw Kami as a rival for his attentions, and any relationship between them as an insult to her mother's memory. Pushing her into her first relationship with Giles gave Sasha someone else to focus on. And given the problems Giles' family was causing towards Hrelle at this time, making Giles Sasha's lover ensured his loyalty."

Yes, it... it made sense. Why didn't she see it sooner?

*

Jonas swallowed. "There's nothing happening between Kami and the Captain. The Counselor is completely professional."

"Is she?" Aiken reflected mildly. "As I understand it, in your first group session, she brought up a rather... embarrassing sexual incident that happened to you. That doesn't sound very professional."

"It was just something stupid that happened! We sorted it out! And she showed me how much she and the others care."

Aiken looked pained and sorrowful now. "Oh, Jonas, there's an old human saying: 'There are none so blind as those who refuse to see'. I've read her notes on you. She's not been very... complimentary."

"No! I refuse to believe you, Sir!"

"It's okay, Jonas, there's no need to get upset." Aiken reached out and patted his hand, letting it linger. "What did you discuss in your last meeting with her?"

"I- I don't see what-"---

---"It... I'm not... Some of the guys, I don't want to say who, well, they're talking about... well, at Starbase 154, there's supposed to be this place in the civilian sector where... where-"

"Where you can pay for sex?" she finished for him.

He looked up at her, shocked. "How did you know?"

"I didn't think you'd be this embarrassed if you were talking about a pizzeria. They're pressuring you to come along with them?"

"No! I mean, well, not really. I mean, I'm used to it, getting teased when I look away if someone's undressing or if they're talking about sex or something... I know that's stupid-"

"Yes, it is stupid, Jonas. It's galactically stupid. Almost as much as you are."

He looked up, shocked at her response.

She grunted at his reaction. "Why would you NOT want to go with them to one of these places? They're legal, they're clean, you're an adult, you can go without breaking any Starfleet or Academy-specific regulations, you can get everyone to stop teasing you, and it'll finally make a man out of you. You're certainly not getting there on your own."

He paled. "B-But, I thought you would-"

"I'm sorry, Jonas, but I have to say I'm sick and tired of listening to you bleat and whine like a little bitch. You're one of the more pathetic cadets I've had to deal with here. Immature, insecure, with a backbone of rubber, always worrying about what other people are saying and thinking about you. Well, for the record, they're as sick of you as I am. Even Kit. Do you know how much it takes to get HIM complaining about something?"

His pale skin had flushed further. "B-But... I can't-"

She smiled. "Do you want to know the secret? The secret about what women want in a man?" She held up her hand and started counting off her fingers. "Balls. Now, Captain Hrelle has balls; before we even boarded the Surefoot, he took me, had me bent over and mewling before I even knew what was happening... and even though he's my patient and we shouldn't be doing it, we've been rutting like cubs in our first Season ever since.

You could learn from him... but frankly, any action you'd get from a woman would be more out of pity than desire..."---

---Jonas felt like he'd been struck. As he remembered that horrible encounter, he knew deep down... it was deserved. But he had thought all this time that Kami liked him. Now...

Aiken drew back, his expression sympathetic. "You blocked it out. It was too difficult for you to face. But really, ultimately it's better to face the truth. Tell me again what she had told you about her relationship with Captain Hrelle."

Jonas sat there, numb, recounting the awful memory for the record...

*

---Rrori never saw the hand as it rose and swiped him across the snout, sending him and his chair to the floor.

Kami rose and stood over him, her voice still calm, the claws at her fingertips still extended, but her tail displaying the agitation she otherwise kept from her voice as she spoke with bared teeth. "You made unwanted advances to a female. She told you No, but you persisted. And you touched her without permission.

Captain Hrelle and I are mates. We have been since before we boarded this ship. If there are any working grey cells in that pretty little head of yours, you won't insult me, and you especially won't insult Captain Hrelle, again."---

---Aiken stared at Rrori with alarm. "She said that? She was quite explicit that she had mated with Captain Hrelle?"

Rrori stared back, certain that the exchange he'd had with the Counselor hadn't gone that way. And yet, the memory of that incident had been as clear as water. "I- I guess so..."

*

"Most Respected Counselor Kami is very good to me, very comforting and supportive." He beamed. "She lets me hug her."

Aiken frowned. "And you think that's appropriate behaviour between colleagues?"

The cadet was taken aback. "I- I do not know, Respected Lieutenant."

"Of course you don't," Aiken acceded, leaning forward. "You can't be expected to know that she's meant to keep a professional distance, a detachment from her patients. In the case of Captain Hrelle and Sasha, she had failed them."

"I have not seen this occur, Respected Lieutenant."

Aiken leaned forward, taking Kit's hand in his own. "Yes, you have, Kit. Remember that last session you had with Counselor Shall?"

"Yes," the cadet replied. "But we did not talk about the Captain and her. We talked about exploring my creativity. I fear my attempts at poetry have been less than successful-"

"No," Aiken insisted, squeezing tighter on Kit's hand, his expression focused. "She admitted to having a sexual relationship with the Captain. She admitted to grooming Sasha and Giles to build a relationship together, in order to keep Sasha happy and distracted and not object to Kami and Hrelle becoming a couple."

Kit looked at him, confused. "No, Respected Lieutenant. That did not happen."

Aiken let go of Kit, glaring, looking pained. "Your species is... Qarari, isn't it? Your brain configuration is different to most humanoids."

"Yes, Respected Lieutenant. Our reptilian brains have compartmentalised the structures of our pre-frontal lobes towards-"

"Never mind. Get out."

"Is there a problem, Respected Lieutenant?"

"No, just- just remember that everything said in here to to kept confidential."

"Of course, Respected Lieutenant."

*

Eydiir did not like what was happening. Not in the least.

She did not like the idea of the Captain and the Counselor being treated this way. She did not like this arrogant outsider. She did not like having to answer questions to the mealy-mouthed man.

And as each of her friends emerged from their interviews, her dislike grew. Sasha appeared tense and angry, glaring at the table and refusing to speak about what had occurred. When Neraxis returned, she was in a similar state. Rrori looked confused. Jonas looked ready to cry.

And when Kit came out, the group of them sitting around the table, silent, Eydiir refused to continue to let it fester. "What is going on? What has he been saying to you?"

Sasha never looked at her. "It doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does." Eydiir looked around at them. "What was Aiken asking all of you? What did he imply?"

"We are not allowed to talk about it, Friend Eydiir."

"What, on the orders of that braying ass?" She looked to the others. "What's going on?"

Aiken appeared at the doorway. "Why don't you come in and find out for yourself?"

*

Eydiir sat rigid and silent in her chair, glaring at Aiken.

The man smiled. "So... you're Capellan? I've heard about your people. Martial, stoic, Spartan... and yet you joined Starfleet to become a doctor? Quite an interesting contradiction there."

She remained silent.

"I expected loyalty is prized among your people," he continued. "So I imagine like everyone else who has come in here, you wish to protest the innocence of Counselor Shall and Captain Hrelle?"

She remained silent.

He shifted in his seat slightly. "It's quite natural to feel defensive when someone like myself comes along. But please understand that I have a job to do, and it involves ensuring the safety of young people such as yourself. So your cooperation towards that would be most appreciative."

She remained silent.

He swallowed. "Have you noticed anything unprofessional in the behaviour of either your Captain or your Counselor, either separately or as a couple? Anything suspicious?"

She remained silent.

"Cadet, you are required to participate fully in these investigations."

"No, I am not," she finally replied. "I read the orders. I am required to attend this interview. That is all."

"Yes, but participation is implied-"

"Then instruct whoever composes your orders to be more comprehensive next time."

"I could order you directly, as a superior officer-"

"Then I will refuse. And you can instigate a court martial."

He smiled. "I understand. You're conflicted. You have loyalty to your Captain and your Counselor, despite all you've seen happening. You remember the last time you saw them together..."

He reached out to take her hand.

She rose, kicking her chair away and stepping back. "Do not touch me."

Aiken rose as well. "There's no need to be afraid, Cadet, I assure you-"

"You can assure me of nothing. I do not trust you. I will be making a formal complaint about you to Commander T'Varik. This interview is over."

She turned and left.

When she returned to the waiting room, she found Sasha missing. "Where did she go?"

"Friend Sasha mentioned wanting to see Kami," Kit replied. "She appeared upset, but non-communicative ."

Suddenly Jonas stood up and stormed out as well, knocking over a chair along the way.

Eydiir pursued him. "Jonas, wait-"

He never stopped, never looked back, but replied, "I have to get back to work. Chief Grev has an assignment for me."

"We should talk first-"

"GO TO HELL!"

The Capellan cadet slowed down and stopped, confused and anxious to a degree she was not accustomed to, and certainly did not like.

Then she turned towards Sickbay.

*

Deck 1, Ready Room:

Professor Solberg sat at the conference table, leaning on a cane, repeatedly twisting his neck to view the sceptre-shaped Tyche Station just outside the observation window, as if afraid someone might come along and snatch it at any moment. Then he focused again on T'Varik and Hrelle, sitting opposite him. "I hope you understand that I'm only here at the sufferance of the Federation Science Council, and because... because I need your help."

"Acknowledged, Professor," T'Varik replied neutrally, aware of Hrelle's amused reaction. "What is the nature of the help required?"

"In the past month, there has been an increasing number of accidents occurring onboard Tyche. Mostly minor incidents, the sort of things you expect when forced to work with incompetents." His wrinkled face twisted, as if he was ready to spit. "But now there have been general systems failures: gravity, life support, communications, station manoeuvring thrusters. Too many to be accounted for by mere chance or incompetence."

"You suspect sabotage?"

"I accept the possibility of it. But I want an independent team to run a diagnostic sweep of our systems first."

"What are you working on over there, Professor?" Hrelle asked suddenly.

"Nothing important!" the man snapped.

"Professor," T'Varik replied calmly. "A Level-7 Classified Security Rating is typically not applied to a project that is 'nothing important'. Nor do potential saboteurs focus on such endeavours. We suspect you have discovered something in the ruins on Malbruk II that necessitated such secrecy."

The old man looked to each of them in turn, before finally grunting and responding. "The archaeological teams discovered a number of artefacts, some sort of machines, about two thousand years old, but still functioning once charged up again."

"Describe these machines."

"They are spherical, 1.14 metres in diameter, and possess sequences of buttons on the upper hemisphere, and when you press them, it makes sounds and blinking coloured lights, depending on the sequence of buttons pressed. We suspect they are some sort of... games."

T'Varik raised an eyebrow. "Games?"

"They're not weapons, they're not communications devices or data storage facilities that we can discern. We can power them up with universal capacitors, but we can't open them up or scan their interiors. We have tried programming Nanites to make their way inside and report back, but these have met with failure." He harrumphed. "Hell of a thing for a civilisation to leave as a legacy."

"How did they die out, Professor? The natives, I mean?"

Solberg frowned, as if ready to argue the significance of the question, before saying, "An asteroid struck their main city, the hub of their civilisation, wiping out the majority of the population in an instant; the impact winter and iridium poisoning in the atmosphere did the rest. Hell of a thing; what were the odds of it striking at the very heart of their people?"

"Literally astronomical," T'Varik retorted, pretending to be oblivious to the humorous potential of her reply. "Professor, I will arrange for an engineering team to accompany you back to Tyche Station-"