Corridor outside Sickbay

Hours after the cargo hold incident, the Denver remains on high alert and has yet to identify a suspect. He had theories but not specific enough to bring to the captain. He had just left the ward, killing two birds with one stone. He had a tremendous headache and checked the victim. The victim was identified as the newly assigned engineering officer, Ens. Britt。 She is a maintenance technician assigned to deck 11. She may be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He leaned against the corridor wall and watched several crew members walk by.

Chris has been staying up too long and juggling too many tasks simultaneously. He rubbed his head while holding up the data board to review the investigator’s notes again. Just as he turned and started walking toward the turbo-lift, his communicator started chirping, and he gently pressed it as he continued walking, “Conroy,” he roared. There was a brief pause, and then he heard the voice of one of his security guards.

“Sir, there is urgent news from the engineering department; please come to the engineering laboratory.”

“Admit it; let them know I’m on my way. Chris entered the elevator and instructed it to do the work. After a while, the door slid open, and he walked out and toward the lab. He walked in and looked around. Several engineers were performing their duties, and he looked at the central rear of the room, where an older man with gray hair and silver stripes on the sides was working on the device. He took off his shirt and rolled up his sleeves. He approached the man and announced his arrival.

“Ah, great, here you are.”

“Then me, what can you do to find me?”

“Not, that’s the problem.”

The device, a metal box, was opened to reveal what appeared to be a glass ball with many wires protruding from its top and sides. There are flashing lights and orange glowing cores. A soft humming sound from the sphere can be heard. Chris leaned over and took a closer look.

“I guess it’s not a standard Starfleet issue,” the technician said in a humorous tone. “The device is hidden behind a container in the cargo hold. It is already connected to the ship system, which is non-critical.

“Which systems were compromised?”

“Automatic container loaders, cargo hold force fields, local communications.”

“Communication is not unimportant,” Conroy said as he stood back to face the man.

“Well, not extensive communications, but these are smaller systems. He is used to communicating with localized computer systems in the cargo hold. It has its power supply in the back,” he said, pointing to the triangular structure between the spheres and the bottom back wall of the box where it sits.

“How long will it take for you to complete the analysis?”

“I have completed the preliminary analysis; all that remains is to deconstruct it and see what there is …”

The lighting of the sphere increased, and the lights in the laboratory began to flicker. The technician picks up a scanner hardwired into the box and begins introducing the shutdown commands. “It’s not working!” he growled before severing the power supply. The lights and sounds disappeared, “I think that might have done it.”

“Until you can tell me more about this, I want it under close watch and no access to ship systems. I will have a security officer posted down here until further notice. He pressed his comm badge, “Lt. Reyes, meet me in the cargo bay.” He turned to the tech, “Send any relevant information to me immediately.” Chris turned and exited the lab.