Interview Number Three Billion & Ninety-four

Posted on 04 Sep 2026 @ 1:44pm by Ensign Lirien vel Morah & The Narrator

901 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Unity
Location: Enlisted Bunk

The junior officer's bunk was a simple layout. A long living area with a workstation, replicator, and access to the head, and at the other end, a small table with four chairs, an L-shaped couch, and a coffee table.

The group of enlisted personnel was hanging out, discussing what might have happened. Whatever crime was committed must have been serious, especially for them to be told to stay in their quarters.

Soon, the anticipated chime at the door sounded. When it opened, it revealed Lieutenant Widdow on the other side. She introduced herself with a faint, polite smile. "I am here to ask you all a few questions about this evening," she said simply, gesturing to ask to come inside. She could've just walked in, but it was good to start off on a gentler foot.

The group of 'Lower Deck' officers gulped. "Right, makes sense." Lirien, the young Orion female, said, looking around the group and nodding for them to step back so the security officer could enter.

"Uh, how can we help Lieutenant Widdow?" Drevik, the nervous, chatty male Bolian, asked.

"I assume you all have been in here since the announcement went out?" the security officer, one something like interview number three billion and ninety-four at this point, jumped right to it. "Did you hear anything about what happened after the award ceremony?"

This time, it was the female Denobulan who spoke up, "...just rumors about someone being severely hurt." The Denobulan said her usual happy, upbeat attitude was missing, replaced by an odd, somber one.

"...sorry, I am confused by the question." The female Andorian asked. "Even if we did hear what happened, what difference does that make?"

Widdow lifted one brow. "It tells me how much backstory I have to give you before beginning my official inquiry," she said, a touch archly. "Yes, someone was severely hurt. Someone is dead. Commander Petrova has been murdered, and we are questioning everyone who was at the event."

The group looked at each other; there was shock and concern, as that meant there was a murderer somewhere. They obviously knew of the XO, but none of them ever had an interaction with her unless she was down in the labs. "Oh, wow..." Drevik said; for the first time, he was speechless.

The female Andorian remained neutral, maintaining that cool demeanor as the question made more sense. "I am sorry for the- I mean, our loss." She said simply; her voice again was almost distant and a bit uncaring.

"Yes. We are all sorry for the collective loss Lirien added. "...um, not sure how we can be of any help, as we were all at the ceremony."

"You were all at the ceremony, from beginning to end?" Widdow asked flatly.

Lirien felt Porra's eyes on her. {Porra, hold it together. Let me handle it.} Lirien thought as she took a breath before answering; it was too long, and Porra blurted something out.

"We weren't Ensign vel Morah and me. We were late." Porra said a bit too loudly, but that was her when she was nervous.

"Porra, it is okay," Lirien said, stepping forward. "We were working on a project, and we lost track of time, so we arrived after all the awards were handed out. But we didn't see anything odd as we made it to the ceremony."

At least she didn't have to press them for it, Rachel reflected. Outwardly, she just nodded once. "Can you tell me where you were while you were working on this project?"

Lirien looked at Porra and nodded. "I was studying a recording, well, a spatial recording more specifically...and well, I got distracted, and Ensign vel Morah was the one who had to drag me away."

In truth, it was common for people to be nervous around Widdow. Any time someone was speaking with security, they acted guilty whether they were or not. It was the ones who weren't nervous that caught her attention most of the time. "And where were you when you were studying this recording?" she asked again.

"Astrophsics/Stellar Cartography lab. And by the time we got to the ceremony, we were about an hour late." The young Orion said.

Security monitors in stellar cartography should be able to confirm that, and Widdow would check as well. She kept that as an inward thought, however, and nodded once. "And as you were making your way into the event hall, you are sure that you didn't notice anyone or anything odd or out of place?"

"No, nothing. We were so worried about being late, and, well, getting in trouble for being late." Porra blurted out, getting a bit more frantic as the conversation went on.

Widdow nodded. "Well, if you should remember anything, please let me know immediately. Otherwise, remain in your quarters until the announcement goes out that the lockdown has been lifted."

"Of course," Lirien said quietly as she watched the security officer turn and leave their small bunk. "Okay, Porra, deep breaths; it's over," Lirien said, nodding for Drevik to lead her back to her bunk.

"Now it is your turn, breathe." The female Andorian said as she linked her pinky with Lirien's; it was always their way of helping calm each other down. "There you go, good."

And with that, the group of ensigns hunkered down for an awkward lockdown.

 

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