A matter of sequence

Posted on 25 Oct 2026 @ 3:11pm by Commander Suzanna Batenburg

1,238 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: The Doldrums
Location: USS Arawyn

/// First Officer's Office //

Suzanna sat behind her desk, studying the information displayed on the screens before her. She had requested the available logs from Security, Operations and Engineering, along with the preliminary findings regarding the missing shuttle and the disappearance of Lieutenant Sovek.

Three departments, three sets of information, and numerous gaps. Her task was to turn them into one coherent sequence of events. She had instructed the computer to preserve all relevant records, beginning one hour before the first report of disruptor fire in Cargo Bay Two. Given the extent of the damage to the computer systems, she was not entirely confident that all the information had survived intact.

That, in itself, was significant.

She started with the first confirmed event in Cargo Bay Two. Whatever had happened there, had set in motion a chain of events that ultimately resulted in the abduction of Lieutenant Commander Flammia, the disappearance of a shuttle, considerable damage to the *Arawyn*, and the deaths of two crew members.

Suzanna studied the engineering report again. The vulnerability in the cargo bay door controller software was particularly troubling. It had apparently been known, yet remained unpatched. The resulting flood of recursive data had overwhelmed the engineering computer core and, because of its connection to the main computer, affected both systems.

She raised an eyebrow. A relatively minor subsystem had been used to compromise two of the ship's most important computer systems. The simultaneous failures of weapons, tractor control, internal sensors and inertial dampeners were equally suspicious. Taken individually, some might have been explained by cascading system failures. Taken together, and considering the timing of the shuttle's disappearance, they suggested deliberate coordination.

The corruption of the Security database was another matter entirely. Someone had gone to considerable lengths to ensure that the *Arawyn* could neither prevent the escape nor easily reconstruct what had occurred. Suzanna leaned back in her chair.

"Computer, display the first confirmed event in Cargo Bay Two, followed by all recorded system failures in chronological order. Include the original timestamps and identify any gaps or inconsistencies in the data."

The display reorganised itself. The difficulty was not a lack of information. It was determining which information could still be trusted.

The corruption of the Security database had removed several critical records, while the disruption to the ODN network had affected the timestamps of others. Fortunately, not every subsystem relied on the same computer core. She began by establishing a common time reference, using the independent chronometers of several unaffected systems. It was tedious work, but necessary.

"Computer, display the consolidated timeline for Cargo Bay Two, beginning thirty seconds before the first disruptor discharge."

The screen changed. Suzanna leaned forward slightly. The first confirmed event was the discharge of an energy weapon. The local sensor records were incomplete, but Engineering had recovered sufficient data from the cargo bay's independent environmental monitoring system to establish the approximate time. A fraction of a second later, the cargo bay door controller began issuing abnormal requests. That was interesting.

"Computer, compare the door controller activity with the known software vulnerability identified by Engineering."

The results appeared. The sequence was consistent with the exploitation of the unpatched vulnerability. The controller had generated a recursive flood of data, overwhelming the engineering computer core and subsequently affecting the main computer.

Suzanna raised an eyebrow. The disruptor discharge had not caused the computer failure directly. Someone had exploited the controller. The timing suggested coordination, but it did not yet establish whether the exploit had been triggered by the weapons fire or by a separate command. She made a note to have Engineering investigate that distinction.

"Computer, correlate the onset of the controller malfunction with the EPS relay failures and the loss of inertial dampening."

Another sequence appeared. The failures had occurred within a remarkably narrow interval. Too narrow, in Suzanna's assessment, to dismiss as an ordinary cascading malfunction without further investigation. The perpetrators had not simply damaged the ship. They had targeted specific capabilities. Weapons. Tractor control. Internal sensors. Warp availability. All systems that might have prevented a shuttle from escaping.

She recorded her preliminary conclusion. *Cargo Bay Two was the initial-confirmed location of the incident. The subsequent system failures were consistent with a coordinated act of sabotage exploiting an existing software vulnerability.*

That answered one question. Not who had done it, but how the damage had spread. Now there was Sovek. Suzanna opened the records supplied by Engineering. The lieutenant had disappeared without a recorded departure, but considering the corruption of the ship's computer systems, that was hardly surprising. She needed something that had not relied on the compromised network.

"Computer, retrieve the independent flight-control and launch-bay sensor records associated with the missing shuttle. Include any locally stored telemetry recovered after the ODN connections were restored."

The available data was fragmented, but not entirely lost. The shuttle's pre-departure systems had recorded several parameters independently of the ship's main computer, including its mass and life-support requirements. Suzanna began comparing the records.

There was a discrepancy. The shuttle's recorded mass was higher than expected, even after accounting for Lieutenant Commander Flammia and the standard equipment aboard.

"Computer, compare the additional mass with Lieutenant Sovek's recorded physical characteristics and standard duty equipment."

The results appeared. A close match. Interesting, but not yet sufficient.

"Cross-reference with the launch-bay's independent environmental sensors. Were any life-sign readings recorded during the departure sequence?"

The computer processed the request. "Two biological signatures had been recorded aboard the shuttle shortly before launch. Both could be identified from the partial readings. Lieutenant Commander Flammia. Lieutenant Sovek."

Suzanna raised an eyebrow. "Computer, confirm the identification of Lieutenant Sovek using all available biometric parameters."

The response appeared after a moment. The match was sufficiently strong to establish his presence aboard the shuttle. That answered one of their questions. Sovek had not simply vanished somewhere aboard the *Arawyn*. He had departed aboard the same shuttle used to abduct Flammia. Whether he had done so voluntarily was another matter entirely.

Suzanna considered the implications. If Sovek had been involved in the abduction, his disappearance might have been part of the escape plan. Alternatively, he might have been taken against his will, just as Flammia had been.

There was insufficient evidence to distinguish between those possibilities.

She tapped her comm badge. "Batenburg to Lieutenant Areet."

She waited for his acknowledgement. "Lieutenant, I have recovered independent sensor records from the shuttle's departure. They confirm that Lieutenant Sovek was aboard when it left the *Arawyn*, together with Commander Flammia."

She paused briefly. "Please update the investigation accordingly. Sovek is no longer simply missing. We have established that he left aboard the shuttle. What remains to be determined is whether he was a participant in the abduction or another victim."

She glanced at the other display. "I have also established that the computer failures originated with an exploit of the Cargo Bay Two door-controller. I want your team to concentrate on identifying who had physical or remote access to that controller immediately before the incident."

Another brief pause. "Coordinate with Engineering and Operations to determine whether the exploit was triggered locally or remotely. I also want any independent launch-bay records preserved. We may still be able to reconstruct the final minutes before departure."

Suzanna ended the communication and returned to her displays, she also compiled an interim report and sent it to Captain Corbin.

Cmdr Suzanna Batenburg
XO USS Arawyn
Everything fits, otherwise we'll make it fit!

 

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