[Backpost] The Secret Intelligence Puzzle. Pt 1

Posted on 09 Nov 2022 @ 9:03pm by Lieutenant JG Todd Hewitt & Lieutenant JG Thyra Sh'shraaqir & Ensign Sonar xi'Indrai

3,878 words; about a 19 minute read

Mission: General Sim Postings
Location: Mainly holodeck
Timeline: After mission

[ON]

Thyra ran out of her office to the main intelligence room and yelled out, "I am so excited. I finally got the puzzle. Sonar I want you to join me. And I want one more person to join and I
think I have the perfect candidate."

Sonar was a little disturbed in his work when the new department head ran out. She looked really excited like a child in a candy store. "I am sorry, what puzzle?"

The Andorian female hit her hand on the table and revealed a holo chip. "The intelligence puzzle. I heard so much about it when I was in the academy and I really wanted to try it. It's a really hard escape room of some kind, you need to literally be a hacker or computer specialist to solve this one. And I have been asking with Lieutenant McGowen from intell so long an now I have it."

Sonar scratched the back of his head. "Oh yea, I heard something about that when I was in the academy. You really want to play that game?"

Thyra nodded, "Mhmm, and it is not a game, its the ultimate training for an intelligence officer. It's what a shooting range is to a marine or a security officer."

Sonar nodded. 0o It probably wouldn't hurt to train their minds and skills.. o0 "So who do you have in mind to join us?" He asked to keep the conversation going.

Thyra put up her finger to him, with a grin on her face and tapped her badge without saying a thing. =/\= Lieutenant Hewitt, this is Ensign Thyra Sh'shraaqir. If you're not too busy, would you like to join me for an intelligence department exercise? =/\=

Down in Engineering... Hewitt slapped at his com badge a sound hitting his chest. In the process of handing over his computer work to the next shift.

=/\= Hewitt here. =/\= Todd reminded himself who the officer were. It was Ensign Sh'shraaqir. Andorian. Female. Smart. As far as Todd knew since he only worked around the Chief of Intel once or twice.

=/\= I'm off my Engineering shift in 10. =/\= Seemingly out of nowhere, Hewitt focused on his terminal. It sounded interesting as his forehead furrowed. =/\= I'll be there in 10. =/\=

=/\=See you in ten minutes then.=/\= Thyra replied.

Showing up at the holodecks Hewitt was dressed down in relaxing, comfortable off-duty wear. "What's up?" Hewitt met up with the Ensigns at the entrance. He glanced to the wall panel. "Intelligence puzzle?" He scoffed. "Now why do I feel like this is some set up. Why does Intel want me to join... Them." Hewitt narrowed his eyes curious, somewhat humorous.

Thyra walked over to Todd. "I picked you because of your skills and other ...useful...stuff." She had to think of the other useful stuff but decided to talk over it to give herself some time. "This isn't just any puzzle, this is 'the puzzle'. I have wanted to this for a long time, it is said to be a challenging escape puzzle and I was told we would at least have a great time. If not gain some great experience while honing our skills. But no one is forcing you to be here, it's not an order, if you don't want to join, I won't stop you from leaving. Neither is Ensign xi'Indrai. Right?" She look over to the other Andorian in the room.

o0Why is she looking at me for, I don't even know why I am here.0o Sonar thought to himself. But he just smiled and said, "No, not going to try."

"It looks like I will be your partner. Goodbye xi'Indrai." Hewitt gave a glance, as he had turned his attention back to Thyra. He held his strong hands at his waistband as his shorts relaxed.

"Ok. I'm thinking encryption systems, algorithms, dynamic floor, changing enclosed cubed passageways... This could get claustrophobic!" Hewitt then swallowed as Adam's apple showed. "This will be FUN." Todd grin at Thyra.

Thyra looked to Sonar. Sonar shrugged and said, "I just remember I had something important to do. So....have fun." He then walked away.

Thyra turned back to Todd. "Well then, shall we get in?" Thyra walked to the door and it swished open. The room is dark. As the door closes behind a little jingle started to play and then the lights go on. Thyra's eyes grow at the sight of the room.

It's a white room with one panel on the wall and a computer console behind it. On the floor are two flash lights, two tricorders and two hand phasers. There is a small buzz and the computer voice, "Contestants, you are given your tools. This is the prep room. You can use the computer console to leave the room. You have a total of 2 hours to return to this room and open the exit. Only a command override, or a tactical or medical emergency will open the exit earlier. You can not alter the program to exit the room, you must complete the program. The progam has now started."

Thyra picked up the tools and clip them on her belt. "That sounds inviting. Looks like we have to see this through all the way." She looked over to Todd.

Todd deadpanned the Ensign Sh'shraaqir. “Thyra, this program will leave us with more than bruises, I’m fine with that.” He replied, nonplussed but nonetheless intriguing. “Good thing your hair is in a ponytail, it could get caught in something.” Hewitt pointed out that.

Suiting up with the tricorder and standard flashlight. He nodded to Thrya. “Ready.”

The Program initiated as the exit room vanished. They now were situated in a dark hallway with nimble lighting. “This is how it starts. An empty dark alleyway on…” He looked around. There was some alien writing in hieroglyphic style. Hewitt lent his fingers over the raised brail like communication.

“The symbols along this wall.” Todd accessed his tricorder. “The writing is confirmed to be 200 years old. Whoever built this struct-“That’s when the smell of smoke, something burning began in the hall. The lighting quickly had become darkened. “I believe the program wants us to read and confirm it somehow?” There was an eagle that was pictured next to two walls. The sentence then turned red in the dark.

After hearing her hair could get caught in something she quickly rolled her ponytail in to a bun. She had nodded to him as he asked her if she was ready. She walked up next to him as she looked at the symbols. "Is it too late to ask for an archaeologist or do you know something about this?"

“I’ve seen this eagle before. It’s the rising Phoenix. Old Earth ancient Mythology.” Hewitt couldn’t make heads or tails of it. “Well. What I’m going to do. Is augment the process.” His brow furrowed.

"I'm sorry, what?" Thyra asked as she tried to understand what he was saying.

“Augment.” Todd coughed, crouching downward with his tricorder in his hands furiously entering a program to disrupt the smoke and walls closing in on them...“This program, Ensign, is constantly changing to the crypto-programming controls. An ever-changing adventure.” Coughing, Hewitt had gestured for Thyra to get to the ground low. The fumes were atrocious!

Thyra reached her hand to her face as her eyes were tearing. she coughed as she followed his instructions. "I didn't know this program was so intense. But was it you're going to do?" she coughed more.

“An intelligent frequency disruptor. It’ll hurt our ears.” He shouted through the rumbling of the walls closing in on their short hallway of rock enclosure.

“Ensign, you’ll want to cover your ears. Once this triggers.” Hewitt saw pure darkness in front of him except for the scan screen of his advanced scientific tricorder in hand. “We should re-release the mechanism.” There was a framework of cryptic sonic disruptions. Entering the short sequence, he held his finger over the tricorder engage button.

Cringing, he reached forward to hold his hands through the dark clouds of smoke to that of Thyra’s ears. “Ready!” Hewitt called and then pressed the button, and the resonance disruptor pulse initiated.

Thyra had covered his ears as instructed. Still she had no idea what was happening, the smoke fumes had clouded her vision. And she couldn't see very much. "Todd," she called out, "Do it!"
She had decided to just let it happen and trust her crew mate.

Without notice, the toxic fumes started to dissipate in the pathway. A light began to break at the end, piercing like a ray of linear light, scanning Thyra first and Todd next.

A crack emerged. The sound of monolithic rocks moving in the background reveals an archway. Beyond, a blinding bright sun shone—the smoke wafting upwards out of their path to proceed forward.

“This must be a new room? A new adventure Thyra.” Todd helped Thyra out of the darkness of the room as they exited. Both coughed, clearing their lungs.

The monolithic structure that they started the puzzle game now vanished behind them. They were in a desert wasteland. Dunes are forever on the horizon…

“Well.” Todd exhaled. “At least we are having FUN!” He snorted, grabbing into the sand to push himself upward and sit. He paused and swallowed. He was suddenly thirsty, as the calling card of the desert. This was the next piece of the puzzle.

Thyra looked around and groaned a little. She wiped her face. "I wish I knew all this I would have dressed... " Her breathing turned to panting a little. "...I would have dressed for...." She leaned back on her elbows. "Andorians....heh....we don't...." o0 Please ... help me...0o She looked over to Todd. She knew she probably couldn't get through this dessert alone. She probably wouldn't hold up as much as Todd would. She pushed herself up. "I will do my best. But...Andorians don't like the heat. We are used to the cold."

Hewitt enjoyed a one-person show on his end of the desert, watching the Andorian female figure disrobe herself due to being overheated. Todd couldn’t blame Thyra, but they needed to be covered if they didn’t want to sweat. Sweating lost potable water.

“If I’m ever stranded on a planet. I’d have me… A Tricorder. A Phaser….” Todd measured the situation calmly and collected. He found it quite neat to get out his new tricorder and use the EMRG program.

“The humidity in the air is rising as the sun goes down. The local time is Noon. I wonder if there will be a western town nearby. That’s what this will turn into one of those wild west shootouts! I bet that’s it.” He lent a knowing finger to Thrya. However, she was in a bit of delirium.

Thyra looked over at Todd as she raised an eyebrow. "Aside from the the tricorder...and phaser I would at least bring some water too." Regretting not coming more prepared. "And I don't know what you mean with a wild west shootout. You earthlings have weird things sometimes. Also when you're done being amused at my expanse, maybe you can help me out a bit."

“Here. Take this.” The latest advanced tricorders all had medical devices attached and scanners equipped to do so in any situation. Withdrawing the sensor node, Todd had pressed the attached hypo releasing to his neck a hissing sound. And then once more to Thyra. “This here is sodium acetate solution with a cooling agent as well. It’s a last-ditch effort for the body to combat dehydration.” Todd took off his tunic and outer shirt and wrapped his belt around his forehead, making a hat. He helped Thyra do the same and then assured her the solution was calibrated for her physiology and dosed Thyra.

She sighed in relief. "Thank you, that's better." She could feel her warm sweaty hair stick to her skin here and there. "I was born on a cold planet. Temperatures rarely get above 5 degrees Celsius. So this...well...Anyways. Let's move on."

As they moved on, Hewitt noticed they had begun to walk in circles. There were dust storms on the horizon. As they continued to walk, there were no signs of anything. “This…” Leland panted. “This game of yours. Skill has nothing to do with endurance. What the heck is at play here?”

Just as Hewitt said, the sand beneath his boots gave way, leading him to a pit that suddenly opened on the dune Thyra, and Todd had stood.

The dune began a circle into a sinkhole as Todd fell back to the sand and helplessly fell forward. As he did, so did Thyra as the pit of sand deposited them into a hollowed-out dark cave network.

This time, there was a set of working computers inside the ancient-looking library of hieroglyphics, like the first hall they had entered.

Shaking off the sand from his body, Todd breathed in and out, trying to clear his lungs. “Thrya, are you ok?” He was immediately concerned as he rushed over to her, beginning to grasp away the accumulated sand on her. He was cracking a light beacon stick. The room suddenly flared to life in the light.
“Looks like we’ve found our second piece of the puzzle.” He tiredly muttered. The game was taxing as it was confusing. It was skill, sweat, and nitty grit that won.

Thyra also was dusted the sand off her. She was also very tired. "Listen, Todd, I really thought this some kind of training for Intelligence officers. I am a trained security officer, but this..." She sighed before she continued. "No one told me what this was, they just said I had to experience it for myself. She looked around as she wiped the sweat of her brows. "Maybe we take a few minutes to catch our breath before we figure this out. This room seems much cooler than the dessert."

"Agreed." Todd nodded. Hewitt was sweating and he had to cool down. He wiped at his shirt his sweat and sand.

"You don't have to appologize." He forced a tired smile. Thyra was a good friend now having come to know her. And well, she was incredible in every other way. His eyes just belied his thoughts.

"Tell me." Hewitt asked curiously. "You have a heck of a department onboard, Intelligence. How do you manage this all and still look as good as you do?" Todd jested, his only way to know how to make light of the situational game they were in...

Thyra laughed and then said, "Experience. I grew up in a big family. I am the oldest sister. My parents put me in charge of all my siblings. Before I joined the academy that is. Running a department is kind of like that. Just...with a lot more responsibility and maybe less the people. I have only a few people working in the department. But they all know what they're doing, so that makes my job easier." She turned back to Todd, "So tell me, Todd, let me ask you now, what made you decide to come with, not knowing all this?"

He paused. It was a good question. He then replied thoughtfully. "I enjoy the adventure. I knew... Well, I wanted to get to know you better." The sweat on his face believed his turning embarrassed red.

"What may I ask.... You had asked me out of everyone?" He turned back the question to Thyra in similar curiosity.

"When I received this program finally from my teacher and coach, she told me to bring someone I was certain to want to have on my team to solve this with. I shouldn't do this one alone. So I have been through the personnel files and to be honest you sprung out to me. Not just your skills, but as an El-Aurian you would have seen a lot of the world. A lot more than I have at least. I am a curious person in nature, so that piqued my curiosity. So maybe in a way I wanted to get to know you too." Thyra turned away and grinned and then sighed. "I may not look it, in my enthusiasm I may come over that I am good with people. But I talk too much when I am uncomfortable. I am enthusiastic on the outside, but then on the inside..."

Todd nodded slowly as he pulled out his father’s wristwatch. Silver and old. It was chunky and large like his own wrist that held it.

“I… I am flattered that you chose me. And yes. I am El-Aurian. I am 128. I am just a baby in El-Aurian circles.” He laughed at that. “You’d think that all I’ve experienced in my life, I would think Starfleet didn’t have anything to offer. Starfleet offered me. The Tomcat offered me.” He nodded slowly, agreeing with what he was stating… “A home. Someone who has been around, having outlived a lot of my friends, a few best friends. It can be a lonely life.”

“How is it like to be an Andorian Thyra? I know Andorians. But I mean. You are very friendly and kind. Some Andorians' I have met have been… Less than welcoming over history.” That was not meant to be a slight, more a compliment. "Your unlike others." Hewitt blushed.

“What do you say? We get cleaned up…. And we can get something to eat without Sonar.” Todd winked at Thyra.

Thyra looked around. "Without finishing the puzzle?" She got up. "Don't get me wrong, I love exchanging stories over a good meal, but didn't the computer say we can't leave until we finish the program." She dragged herself to a screen. "As for being an Andorian. Andorians aren't always like that. You see, constant war with the Vulcans made us like that. Vulcans don't show emotions, Andorians don't understand that. This is why we relate so much to humans, like Andorians they show constant emotions and passion. Andorians are in contrast to Vulcans a passionate people."

She looked a moment to the screen and then walked back to him taking his arm in her hands. "What you consider cold is what we consider warm." She let go. "Once you get to know the Andorians, you'll see we are not as bad as you think."

She laughed, "But maybe that is my believe, maybe other Andorians don't see it that way, but I was always taught to be kind to others. Not to much look for the differences that separate us but find the ones that connect us."


“I like how Andorians are….” A shiver of his hair stood up from the coolness of Thyras forearm to his warm pink skin. “A lot.” He gulped.

That’s when a smell came. “That smell. It smells like sulfur….” Hewitt scowled and looked around. In the bunker from the sand, they were in, there were crates around them. Perhaps they were in a sulfur pit on some planet?

“I think they want us to ignite whatever is under here, and it could reveal the next… Clue or an open doorway?” Todd smiled at Thyra. “We’ll need to be… yards away before I activate a tricorder spark. That smell is natural gas occurring on the planet. It wouldn’t be in the game if we couldn’t use it to our… advantage.

“Hence! We blow it up….” He extended his hand to Thyra’s with his. “Common. Whatever this is, we need to set it off.” An open walkway outside the dune Thyra and Hewitt had fallen in. The pressures of the gasses had released a doorway for Thyra and Todd to escape.

Thyra followed Todd to the doorway. "Well, let's get out then." And then she stopped. She looked around. "Well this looks like a good place. Let's see what happens." She then looked back and waited for the explosion.

Todd nodded as he gestured for Lieutenant JG Thyra Sh'shraaqir to stand behind him. Aiming his tricorder at the gaseous deposits that erupted where they were located, they now exploded.

The comprehensive field static generating beam had set off a catastrophic holodeck grid and program collapse. The bright flash of fire, dust, smoke, and soot set off from afar and then vanished.

They have seated on the floor of the holodeck grid now, no more program!

Todd turned tiredly to Thyra. “Thyra. I… I think we did it. It’s….” He tapped his watch and then checked the time on the holodeck arch. “We’re out of the program.”

Thyra looked around and nodded. She cocked her head back and the bun holding het hair together let loose. Her long ponytail hit the floor. Laughing she said, "I need a nice cooling shower, right about now." She wiped her hand over her face as she sighed.

Todd paused a moment. Not that he didn't 'notice' Thyra before, god how could he not. A full blooded Andorian Female in stunning figure. She could have anyone. Anyone she wanted.

"I... Gee." Todd rubbed his soot on his neck as he watched her hair white long hair run loose. Hewitt bit his lower lip. "I could use a cold shower right now.... Myself. Oh boy." He lent his eyes to wander and then stare at Thyra.

Todd couldn't handle it. Hewitt gently reached forward, placing his hand at the side of her cheek, looking Thyra in her brown eyes before back to her lips as he laid a passionate kiss.

Thyrs was surprised by the kiss, but she didn't fight. She could feel herself pull him closer, but then quickly let him go. She could her cheeks fluster as they changed several shades again. She smiled shyly.

Todd opened his eyes, he was about to see the stars, before he realized what he had just done. "Oh, man. Oh Jeez... Thyra." He was embarrassed, ashamed that he didn't even ask nor try to feel things out long-term.

"I apologize. I don't. I..." Hewitt had breathed inward, almost about to hyperventilate. Swallowing, breaking out in a sweat. "I don't normally do things like that!" Todd stammered.

Thyra got up. "It's ok, how about we get a bite to eat and we can talk about it over dinner. You're buying by the way." She squeezed his hand. How does that sound?" She didn't really know what else to say. She never had a serious relationship

Todd was taken aback. Did she say what she said?

“Uh. Sh..” His mouth trembled a reply in furious, curious happiness. Stunned. “SURE!” Hewitt smiled. “I think there is a small little program on the holodeck you might like.”

[OFF]

Lt Jg Thyra

&



(PNPC Sh'shraaqir)

Ens xi'Indrai [PNPC]

 

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