Securing Intell
Posted on Wed Dec 11th, 2019 @ 4:14am by Petty Officer 1st Class Tobias Beckett & Ensign Hoa Nhi Nguyen & Chloe de la Vega
Edited on on Wed Dec 11th, 2019 @ 5:09am
1,860 words; about a 9 minute read
Mission:
Episode 8 - The Silence
Location: After 11 - Deck 11 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD006 2130 hrs
Nhi walked in to the bar. "Finally," she exclaimed. "I get to see the infamous after 11. Work can be so swamping." She looked down her uniform. "Though a change of uniform wouldn't go amiss. She walked up to the bar and set herself down at the bar on a stool. She looked to the many drinks stalled out at the wall.
She looked around to see if there was anyone servicing the bar today and then saw a blond woman bout her age standing behind the bar. She put her cutest smile and said, "Hi, I am Hoa Nhi. Do you have 333 beer?" Nhi wasn't a big drinker and her family only drank beer most of the time. Well, her father and brothers did. So that's basically all she knew. And also she liked to get acquainted wit the person pouring her drinks so she introduced herself first.
Chloe always kept an eye on the bar when she was working, even if she wasn't facing it. She had served Beckett a while ago, he seemed rather down, angry but he wasn't up for talking to her at that point. Maybe a few Snake Bites later.
Turning to answer the woman that asked for beer she smiled. "Sure, I think I've got some through the back." Chloe said as she scurried off to get some.
Bringing it back, "Found it. There you go honey." She said placing it down on the bar.
Beckett sat at his usual spot, a stool at the end of the bar in a corner where no one would want to come near him. He had been thinking of transferring off the Pioneer as soon as the current mission was over. Ever since he was passed over for promotion he could not seem to get a handle on anything on the ship. Tobias sipped his snake bite and looked up as a new Ensign walked in. She had that look about her, the look of a first assignment. Tobias found himself longing for that feeling.
Nhi looked at the drink she was given. "Well, I guess you only live once." She took a sip from it. "Oh that is really good actually." She sighed. "This place looks wicked. I could use a little wicked after tonight's shift. I was assigned the night shift at the SCIF. I was basically excited about it, but those greys are so stiff. You would think those hackers would like a good joke. After sifting through data for hours." She rolled her eyes.
Chloe laughed. "If you think they are stiff you should see that guy at the end. I swear if you try and move him parts will snap off." She nodded towards Beckett. "Comes most nights, doesn't talk, orders real alcohol. Although he is stiffer than most. The others from Intelligence are a little better albeit still quiet. You seem to be much more chipper than them."
Nhi looked to the guy at the end of the bar.
At the mention of the SCIF Beckett's ears perked up. They always did when someone mentioned Intelligence. That was where he had seen the newcomer before. She drew guard duty, or paul bearer duty as most had taken to calling it. Why the Captain had requested a guard always on duty Tobias would never know. He sipped his drink again as his thoughts drifted to what Chloe was saying. I am not stiff, most people just do not take the time to get to know me. he thought. As he noticed the security officer looking his way he raised his glass in a toast and made a meek smile.
Nhi turned to Chloe again. "So a lone wolf. A challenge, that's great. I am not unfamiliar to failure nor success, so let me try." She walked up to Beckett, but respected a certain distance from him. She leaned on the bar while holding her beer. As a security officer she never forgot a face. "Petty Officer First Class Tobias Beckett," she introduced him to no one in particular. "You know, you should look up more often, cause one of these days you bump your head or miss something important. Not all intell is embedded in your intelligence note pad." She grinned and added, "Didn't anyone tell you that?"
"Actually it is quite the opposite usually with Intelligence. Well at least my line of work in Intelligence. I am a Data Analyst, so all my job is looking at padds and computer screens." Tobias said with a chuckle. "Who might you be?"
Nhi smiled. "See, so not out there are you. Just the other day I walked in to the Staff Warrant's office. She took one glance at me and knew who I was." She sat down on the stool next to him. "Ensign Hoa Nhi Nguyen, Security Officer. I am here not long. Call me Nhi, this is After 11 after all, no ranks." She put her beer on the table.
Chloe watched the exchange with a smile. She may have instigated the conversation but it was just to get a rise out of the quiet man that always sat at the bar. She liked to get people talking, it was always interesting to see how they interacted. She was beginning to think she actually cared for people, but she shook her head and pour herself a stiff drink, shaking off its affects seconds later.
"Fair enough Nhi..." Tobias began with a smile, even though his anxiety was in high gear. It was rare that someone bothered to speak with him. "So what do you think of our little home? A pretty interesting first assignment I would think." He shot back what was left of his scotch and signaled Chloe for another one.
Nhi nodded, "It actually is. Some interesting people too." She looked around the room. It wasn't very crowded today. But from what she understood Tobias was always alone here. She took a sip from her beer and looked at it. "This reminds me of home. My brothers and cousins gambling in one room, the girls and I in the other. And beer." She smiled as she turned over to look at him. She had one hand on her beer and with her other hand she reached for her and she pulled her hair loose. Her long hair fell down over her shoulders to her hips. "So tell me, any other friends than Data and Intell?" She tried to keep the conversation going.
Tobias was shocked that this women would even want to talk to him. "Unfortunately no real friends to speak of. I prefer my work. That and well I don't think many people like me. I know the rest of the people in my department do not like me. How about you? Have you made many friends since arriving here? I know you have been spending time with our guest. I can't imagine that would be very fun."
"Well, I am still making my rounds, but I think of my chief as a great friend. The doctor has opened up to me, unexpectedly, but you know I guess I was there at the right time. I think I made friends with the marine captain, but that was after I used my bosses security codes to break into a top secret marine facility." She laughed a bit nervous about that last bit. "I am sometimes a bit too curious for my own good." And she had to think about the which guest he was talking about. She then just thought out loud, "Oh you mean the ex maquis who thinks she is still in starfleet pulling ranks on me? What was her name again....it was something with a b."
"Brown..." Tobias finished her sentence. "...And she is not ex Maquis. She is Maquis and technically a Starfleet Lieutenant. Weird that she got through a crack in the system and was never stripped of her rank. I have not had the pleasure of speaking with her directly. From what I hear I am one of the lucky ones. The rumor mill says that she almost threw a chair at the XO. But what do you make of her?"
"Well taking in to account the rumors now, she seemed broken down. She was certain of her resolve, but she seemed uncertain now. But then again, I only met her briefly. It could all be a rouse, I don't know." Nhi shrugged. "So why don't people like you? YOu seem a bit socially awkward, but I guess bury yourself behind a computer screen most your days would most likely do that to you."
Tobias sipped his drink and looked sheepish. He was not used to people asking about him. "I dunno why. Perhaps I am just not the kind of person that people want to associate with. I tend to be a people watcher, observing how people interact and why they do what they do. I think this makes me better at what I do. Reading people is a huge part of Intelligence gathering."
Nhi was now intrigued. "People watchers aren't pariahs. At least that is how I see it. They are just on a different side of the social pool. So have you read me then?" She was curious how he would perceive her.
Tobias regarded her for a moment and then smiled. "Well you like most new officers are eager to please. However, you go beyond the normal. You are what some would consider a people pleaser, that is you need to make everyone happy. You are not easily intimidated and you prefer a challenge to the easy way out. Am I in the right ballpark?"
Nhi took another sip from her beer and then said, "Wow that was kind of scary. That was amazing." She put on an enthusiastic smile. "So how did I do? I got you to talk to me, didn't I? But that's just step one." A slight grin was now on her face.
"Indeed you did, so perhaps the next round is on me." Tobias replied.
"Sounds good to me," Nhi said as she turned to Chloe. "Another one of this, Chloe." She pointed to her beer.
"And another for me as well." Tobias indicated with a smile across his face. Either this woman loved a challenge or Tobias stepped into a parallel dimension. Either way he rather enjoyed it at the moment.
Chloe smiled. It was nice to see two new people getting to know each other, more so that Tobias was smiling. He'd had his head stuck in PADDs or a drink for far too long. "Coming right up you two." She said turning round, preparing the drinks and passing them to her two patrons.
A Joint Post By
Petty Officer First Class Tobias Beckett
Intelligence Specialist, USS Pioneer
Ensign Hoa Nhi Nguyen
Security Officer, USS Pioneer
Chloe De La Vega
Owner/Bartender "After 11", USS Pioneer
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