An Engineer in Sheep's Clothing

 Sorripto wiped his brow as he continued to comb through the central computer hubs one relay at a time. By the time he opened the central control panel he had been at this for hours. Sorripto scanned each relay’s memory and ran an analysis checking for discrepancies. The idea was that any alterations to the system, no matter how minute, would be another clue in finding out exactly what happened to Alsea. Sorripto knew she had been sabotaged. He knew because that is exactly what he would have done to the ship if he was on the other side of this fight. Now it was time to find proof that it had.

“Come on lucky number four hundred thirty-three…”

The scanner in Sorripto’s hand beeped negative.

“Damn.”

Sorripto was at the breaking point. Even the Bajoran sweet tea he was drinking did nothing to calm his sense of impossibility. When even his favorite beverage is tasting like defeat the Cardassian knew things were practically over. Just as he was readying to move on to another avenue however Sorripto’s scanner beeped in the affirmative.

“What the hell?”

While Sorripto was grateful to have found evidence of computer manipulation the relay he was scanning led into the pathways for the deflector control system. Outside of the holodeck, the last place any attempts at slowing down the Alsea would need to manipulate.

“This does not make any sense. Does it?”

Sorripto looked around for a moment after realizing he was now full-blown talking to himself. Shaking off the moment Sorripto hurried to a workstation and accessed the deflector control maintenance logs and records of any deflector maintenance. There Sorripto found the same blueprint he had seen in the Alsea’s logs. The timestamps were altered but this time it appeared that data was not only deleted and changed but added as well.

“Computer. Identify login credentials used during the last access of these activity logs.”

“The access used was from the Starbase Lotus main research laboratory.” The computer responded.

“The research lab? Are you sure?”

“Affirmative.”

Sorripto paused for a moment. Being familiar with the research laboratory Sorripto knew everyone who worked there. None of them struck him as a potential saboteur and he was familiar with their personnel records and recalled nothing which would raise a red flag.

“Computer at what time were these records accessed?”

“Zero two hundred hours…”

The time was an arrow through Sorripto’s heart. In a moment he knew what had happened. It was a painful epiphany, but Sorripto now understood. Tapping his combadge Sorripto reached out to the crew.

“Sorripto to bridge.”

"Captain Oseno here, go ahead Commander."

“I have discovered evidence of sabotage and have identified the saboteur.”

Sorripto sighed in frustration as he continued.

“The person responsible for sabotaging the ship was… me.”

Jureth had been going through the ship's tactical diagnostics and logs when Sorripto had contacted the bridge. He'd replayed the encounter the cadets had with both the time displaced Warbird and the Kelvan vessel at least ten times each, and was focusing in on only the Kelvans when the call had come through. Now as he searched for a response to the Cardassian's self deprecating accusation he was rather confused.

"That seems...unlikely to say the least Commander," he finally replied after a moment. "Perhaps you should come up to the bridge and explain." 

"On my way." Sorripto replied.

"Computer transfer all data currently on display to the engineering station on the bridge."

Sorripto then stood and paused looking at all the open panels and systems, for he hated to leave a work area messy. Deciding his report was the priority he hurried out of engineering and headed to the bridge.

*     *     *

The doors the bridge opened with a woosh and Sorripto walked in where he hurried to the engineering station.

Turning to face Captain Jureth, whose face was clearly waiting for an explanation Sorripto began to speak.

"The saboteur was not me me, but someone who hid their tracks to make it look like me."

Sorripto entered a few commands on the engineering console and a display opened on the main viewer showing lines of code.

"What you are looking at is manipulation of the overload protocols for deflector controls." Sorripto continued as more code scrolled by.

"What this would do is create a feedback loop draining power from the primary systems when the deflector relays are rerouted as would happen during separation into multi vector assault mode. The power drain would cause a momentary delay in the ship's ability to divide power overloading the secondary generators on all but the primary hull."

An image of the Alsea separating appeared on the screen and then the two secondary segments exploded.

"This was not just sabotage sir. It was attempted murder."

Jureth looked back at Sorripto who now realized he had buried the lead.

"Sorry, I got away from myself."

"If you follow the code you will notice that it is a rework of the secondary overload coding which I created during my time taking down Section 31. It is not only my signature, but using the sub relays of the deflector system is also about how I would hide it too. Not to mention the coding overlay was done from my work station. Whoever did this really wanted it to look like me."

Before anyone could speak Sorripto revealed the next piece of the puzzle.

"The thing is whoever framed me clearly wanted me to find it. Because there is another coding variance which I have seen before. One which had been made by someone who would be familiar with my work and my history. The person who faked this code was..."

Sorripto paused before continuing.

"Kheren."

"Except it was not him either."

Sorripto spoke his next words carefully, but also with a little hesitance.

"Whoever did this not only wanted to kill us, but to frame me to the eyes of whoever would find it while also framing Kheren if I was the one to find it. It is complex, but also requires knowledge of files and data which only a select few have. When I served under you on the Discovery I was not afraid to put my reputation on the line for a belief. Well I can assure now Captain, I know who did this. Or should I say I know what kind of person could do this. The only person with the classified system access needed to pull this off would be... an Admiral, and the starbase we just came from only has a few of those."

''Then we already know two things; one, it is not someone from Lotus Fleet.''

The deep voice of Kheren sounded weird coming from the tactical simulator. But he had been working with Jureth on tactical testing down in the holodeck, comparing the captain' study with a recreated simulation of the encounter with the intruder to spot any discrepancy.He thus overheard their exchange and provided his input.

''Everyone in Lotus Fleet, at least of command grade, would know that I only have basic officer computer programming knowledge and expertise, nothing more. That's why my original steal of the Lotus required Syntron's help; why my own... tricks on the Horizon required me to ask the help of an actual programming specialist. My personal imprint would not appear on such tamperings. What you found out here is so much above my head, Lotus Fleet brass would immediately know it was fake; outside of Lotus Fleet though, not so much.''

He paused before concluding.

''So here, he, she, it or they made a first mistake; we can now ascertain he, she, it or they would not be part of Lotus Fleet. Also, Since nothing was triggered when the cadets used the multivector assault mode, this tampering must have occured between then and now. So, this... admiral should be easy to pinpoint among the few possible officers present on the starbase within that timeframe. To put it bluntly, there is but one; above suspicion, well-versed in the situation, who came to deliver in-person the Council's sealed orders to Rear Admiral Kotari and to assign and inspect the Omega task force.''

He took a moment to let them, especially Jureth, come to the same conclusion as he did before naming it.

''Admiral Nova.''

"Your words not mine." Sorripto added clearly coming to the same conclusion. "The scary thing is what you said about Lotus Fleet. The only way to review the coding I just showed you would be in the wreckage of the Alsea. Anyone from Lotus Fleet knows the circumstances behind my charges, and they would know your programming skills. It would not take our friends long to figure out that I would not blindly murder my friends and you would hardly be able to frame me for it. No offense." 

'' If one be offended by the truth, one has a major problem, '' the Andorian simply said. Sorripto continued.

"The survey of the Alsea would fall to Lotus Fleet. The only way that does not happen is if Lotus Fleet no longer exists."

Sorripto took a deep breath and continued to speak.

"There is a war coming, a war which someone was willing to kill us to start. It appears to me that eliminating Lotus Fleet might just be part of the plan as well. I mean, when you are about to start a war, the Federation may lose casualties have to be part of the plan right?"

Kheren chimed in again through the comm.

''A most valid hypothesis. And it would also explain why Admiral Nova would do this; because it would not actually be Admiral Nova.''

He did not let the frown of the others deepen too much before explaining.

''Admiral Nova left Lotus Fleet all behind him when he joined Starfleet's Joint Chiefs of Staff. In fact, he even ordered it to be disbanded, to stave off Starfleet's attrition after the Borg Invasion. A sensible move under such circumstances; but for strategic reasons later years proved right, Starfleet countermanded his order and reassigned it to Rear Admiral Kotari. All of us came to the fleet when he was still Lotus Fleet's commander; we knew the man personally. We all know he would not do this, even under duress. However, with his knowledge, rank, reputation along with his complete discarding of Lotus Fleet and last order, he would make the perfect tool, and the perfect scapegoat, for anyone planning to attack Starfleet from the inside; starting with it's most elite division, that is, Lotus Fleet.''

There was a pause before he concluded.

''Someone is pulling strings back there. Thanks to you Mister Sorripto, we now have one of those strings; a first piece of evidence.''

"So then," Jureth replied even as he was processing the evidence laid out in front of him "What is our suspect's endgame? The destruction of the Federation? If that is so, who would have the means to put such a plan in action? The Klingons? What's left of the Tal Shiar? The Dominion? Any or all of them would benefit greatly from a destabilized or even disbanded Federation. Could it even be the Kelvans themselves? Historical records do not portray them favorably as they did try to steal the Enterprise from Captain Kirk." 

''Which also makes them the perfect scapegoats, '' mused Kheren. ''Although this... pattern fits only the Dominion... until we consider the fact that we are now well aware and prepared against Changeling interference in this day and age. The Klingons relish open warfare, not cloak and dagger shadowplay and the Tal Shiar consistently failed at this for the last three hundred years... when they were not as depleted and hard-pressed as they are currently with their shattered Empire. And, thanks to you Captain, we have a truce with the Undines...''

"What's even worse," the Bajoran continued before anyone could reply "Is we are running out of time to figure out the answer. If the Horizon isn't already stalking us she soon will be, and the rest of the Fleet, maybe even all of Starfleet, won't be far behind. We will be between the rock and the hard place as the humans are fond of saying. Our one advantage is our would be saboteur and conquerer doesn't know that we know." 

''Agreed. But as I said, we will not be able to address the problem at our stern before we resolve the one at our bow, '' the Andorian reminded them. ''I suggest we first make sure for the moment that there are no other surprises here on board; nothing to bite us at our heels... and then consider what lies ahead of us. Let us tackle the... conspiracy on our way back, assuming we do come back.''

Jureth nodded in agreement with the Andorian.

"I don't know about you, but I am not Klingon so there is no "good day to die." I very much intended on getting out of this...Mister Sorripto, anything else to add?" 

"Just that we have to assume the worst from Starfleet. Whoever staged this sabotage did so to frame me and then make me think it was Kheren. They staged it out exactly as I would which means means they would do everything else I would do to. If I was to set this up I would have run some sabotage on the station as well to take out anyone else who might interfere. We have to assume that Starfleet will find the sabotage on the station and that such evidence will point to me. Perhaps some of you, but most definitely me. Any ship that is following us not only thinks we are thieves, but probably traitors and attempted murderers too."

Sorripto gestured to himself.

"It is what I would do, so anyone thinking like me would probably do the same."

"When Starfleet gets here they will most likely have shoot to kill orders."

''Which would perfectly prove our point, '' Kheren observed. ''Shoot to kill has never ever been Starfleet's way or Federation policy. Even when the Borg threatened us with total annihilation, we worked feverishly to find another way. Even us Andorians, the most passionate, violent race of the Alpha Quadrant, do not act like this anymore, thanks to centuries of shared Federation values. This is presently what is happening with this intruder, what brought us together here. My guess is that we are not as alone as we might think. If this is what will happen next, it will expose them all the more to the rest of the galaxy. If that happens, that might in fact be our best chance to stop them... if we are not to late by then.''

The Andorian's tone suddenly changed.

''I just had a thought. If this sabotage was already input, maybe some... marching orders were too. Syntron should be able to find them within the computer system if it is so; possibly even in the emergency holographic officers programming or hidden in subroutines. That will not only give us a step ahead of whoever is behind all this, but solve the mystery of their intentions; possibly even their identity. You and I, Jureth, might also find such... plans within tactical programs and sealed orders.''

An eyebrow of the Vulcan elevated slightly as the conversation deepened among the sparse bridge staff. He kept his keen eyes on the console display as he spoke.

“I am currently in the midst of operating multiple high-level computer programming analysis. Thus far nothing suspicious has manifested but I am delving now into more obscure files and subroutines that would normally be bypassed in a routine diagnostic sweep. I am also running file analysis comparisons to earlier records to see what has been modified and when."

He then looked up for a moment as he spoke.

“If any further tampering is discovered, each may provide additional clues to some aspect of these elusive saboteurs posing as Lotus fleet personnel.”

The voice of Kheren grunted in assent.

''I'll be doing a level 4 diagnostics on the tactical systems, including individual torpedoes. That's just short of actually dismantling and examining the actual physical parts. It will take me at least seven hours but it should find out any tampering of them. The last thing we want is finding our scabbarded sword is only a handle; or that it will spring out by itself if touched.''

Jureth looked at Sorripto "Perhaps we should examine the emergency holographic programming. The cadets would have relied on those holograms to operate several key systems. According to the logs they specifically used them for ops, engineering, sickbay, and counseling. The Ops hologram in particular could have influenced the cadets actions or manipulated the ship's sensors."

“Maybe not manipulated the sensors, because a real cadet was at tactical, but they could coordinate between the stations to hide information without breaking programming.”

Sorripto began to run a full diagnostic of all holographic programming and overlayed it with the unedited sensor logs he had pieced together.

“It is worth a look.”