The Spy Hunter

Posted on 01 Mar 2024 @ 2:44pm by Petty Officer 2nd Class Alizabeth Omari & Ensign Kat Walker

993 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Miranda
Location: Planetside

Aliza had completed her report and turned all the information in to the Captain and had kept Ensign Walker appraised at the same time through logs of all the background she could find. In a way she kind of felt like she was linked with Walker just through the combined work to determine who, and where, Teague was. She knew that Kat was back and that the trip to find him had ended with just acquiring his ship and the dead terrorist, so she set out to meet the AI she had been in contact with.

Moving around the Captain’s tent where she knew they were meeting, being his Yeoman had its advantages, then waiting until the being she assumed was the Ensign exit the tent before she moved up not too far from her. “Ensign Walker?” She asked as she smiled and took in the AI’s appearance n the moment.

"That's me," Kat turned around, hearing her name. In the informal setting of this campsite she was wearing a simple outfit - or, rather, rendering a simple outfit. An outdoorsy type, cargo pants and a forest green t-shirt. "Petty Officer Omari, it's good to finally meet you. What can I do for you?"

“Mostly just to actually meet you, not just talk over the coms, and I was curious about what you found of Teague. Those records just made me curiouser and curiouser the deeper I looked into them. Almost feel like we were partners in your trip, if you will pardon me inflating my own part of the story,” the golden eyed woman spoke evenly and with good humor.

"Your efforts are appreciated, Aliza. May I call you that?" the AI asked. She shifted position a bit, as if to make comfortable. Purely aesthetic of course, trying to seem more natural than she was; as AI controlled holographic projection she was constantly trying to evolve her programming, trying to appear more natural, to promote easy interaction. Truth be told, as time went on, less and less of her programming remained original. Apart from her three core directives; those were hardcoded and she couldn't change them if she wanted to. Which she didn't. "Although your information did not help me find the trader, it does pose questions as to he nature and history. If he even was a trader to begin with. The trail of information certainly suggests a manufactured background."

Aliza nodded and replied, “Aliza would be just fine, but I would like to know how you would wished to be addressed as well.” She had read the files and knew what was there, and likely that much was left off, but she wanted to allow the AI to tell her what they wished. “I agree, and it would make sense that if Teague was a terrorist then his actual background would not be something readily traceable. Even with all the access I have outside of Starfleet could not help pin down anything, just told us what we didn’t know. False trails are created for merchants dealing in stolen, or other illegally obtained, goods all the time, it is why I could deep dive as I did. I wish I was able to find more information out, to help at least trace an origin of where he might have obtained the virus.”

"That would sound like a job for Starfleet intelligence. I'm certain they would take an attack on a Federation fleet seriously, whether it was targeted or not. I'm not sure we know that, but maybe they can find out," Kat replied. Her voice ever pleasant, as always, and with that soft smile on artificial features. "As for what to call me; whatever you feel comfortable with, Aliza. Ensign Walker, Kat, Miss Walker, I have no specific preference."

Aliza remained in quiet for a moment or two, “If that was not an attack, I would be /very/ interested in seeing what it will be classed as.” There was more than a hint at a dark note lying under the surface of the bright woman. “And Kat I think will be perfect with you are calling me Aliza.” She didn’t let the depth of her previous words hang in the air over much. “Do you enjoy being a pilot?”

The subtleties of the woman's remark went right over the pilot's head. In many ways she was still very naive and inexperienced, only having been 'alive' for a few months now. Perhaps, in time, she would learn to pick up on layered, double meanings. For now though, "I'm not sure that is a question I can give a simple answer to, Aliza. I do not 'enjoy' things the way organics do. Being a pilot allows me to fulfill my primary purpose, which applies a positive modifier to everything I do related to it and allows me to close every day with a positive score for the day. I am not a being of feelings, emotions, enjoyment or sadness. I am a being of math and numbers."

Being the woman she was the Yeoman would count having positive added to each day as enjoying it, she wasn't sure she was the one to explain that to Kat, or at least maybe today was not that day. "Well, I hope we get to work together more in the future. I am certain we will talk again, just still don't know how my work will mesh with anyone else yet really. I should get back and tidy up my things and see if the Captain needs me. I am glad your hunt was successful."

If so asked Kat would explain that there is, as she considers it, a very large difference between 'chemicals make brain feel good' and 'number go up'. But she wasn't. So instead she smiled and gave a polite nod. "Alright, Aliza. It was nice meeting you face to face, so to say. Have a very nice day."

 

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