The Whisper Network
Posted on 16 May 2025 @ 11:25am by Commander Calliope Zahn & Senior Deputy Marshal: Sven-Erik Lofthammer - FMS & Captain Corvus DeHavilland & Brek & Major Declan Finn (*)
Mission:
M4 - Falling Out
Location: OC, (environmental deck) - Conference Center - Lobby
Timeline: MD 27 1455HRS
2114 words - 4.2 OF Standard Post Measure
Having asked their questions pertaining to warp technology, the Ferengi engineers had, for the first time, fallen into a deep silence. They had, after all, touched on intense topics connected to the very fabric of the universe and the alteration of space time. Brek, for his part, was wondering about the future. Not the galactic one that would happen in billions of years. His very own destiny. Now that a direct link existed between him and the Ferengi Commerce Alliance, wouldn’t it be brilliant if he were able to ride that gravy train and improve his image?
His beautiful dreamscape with long and prestigious titles was disrupted by several events: One of ‘his’ engineers had suddenly developed a craving for food. Free food being the best one could get in the whole universe. This of course was based on the principle (correct as far as Brek knew) that Starfleet never served slop. Unless maybe you were posted on an outpost forgotten by most, whose replicators had ceased to work properly ten years ago. Then, more alarming, the row where they sat was disrupted by Zahn’s security friend, who was in a rush to leave the conference. He did apologise, but it sounded more like an accusation. When, a second later Commander Zahn also left in a hurry, Brek shrugged the whole incident off. It looked like the two officers were having a little argument. Romantic turbulences those were called.
Only the next moment the conference was literally invaded by security officers, and the attendees were asked to leave. This is the worst thing you can say to a group of Ferengi with excellent life-preserving instincts. If they were in danger, they had to get out of this death-trap, formerly known as a conference room, before everyone.
“This is likely a drill,” Brek said to his group, choosing to distort reality a little. “Let’s show the Fleet how decent we are.”
“Decency?!” One of the Ferengi shouted. “Who cares about that? Is there only one exit??!”
And the Ferengi engineers surged forward, crushing feet and egos, pushing aside officers and distinguished speakers, who only moments ago, had gained their undivided attention. In all, it took them less than two minutes to scramble into the lobby, breathless and bewildered. Brek joined them a moment later, defeated and frustrated.
“For trade’s sake,” He hissed when they had all regrouped around him. “There will be a panic management surcharge if you don’t keep quiet and still too.”
Miraculously, they complied, allowing Brek the chance to compose himself and seek answers. Spotting two high ranked officers nearby, he straightened his jacket and approached them with purpose.
“Captain DeHavilland, Commander Zahn... Might I enquire why the conference was interrupted? If you are at liberty to share information, that is.” He looked around, confused and keeping his ears wide open, hoping to catch anything at all that might explain what was going on.
Calliope, being only barely more informed than anyone else, held a comm to her ear as she spotted DeHavilland and tried to cross to see if the Captain was up to speed yet or knew anything more, but paused as Brek situated himself between them. She took a breath, considering how to manage his question without brushing him off.
While things were not quite chaotic (besides than the frantic movement of Ferengi Engineers) the evidence that something was afoot was plain enough to the attendees who had been moving from the conclusion of the panel discussion and heading for the exhibit hall… simultaneously those exhibitors in the hall were also being escorted out of it, creating a contrary tide of foot traffic filling the lobby. The doorway to the cafeteria adjacent to the exhibit hall was discovered to have been sealed off as well, although the spread could be visually appreciated through the forcefield. No reasons were given to anyone, and that, of course, allowed for a mild confusion to grow as speculation began.
“Hello Mister Brek. The situation is under control,” she reassured him with smile, one she’d practiced when dealing with civilians during operations. She wasn’t entirely sure there was a situation or that it was under control, but either it was and she wasn’t lying, or it wasn’t and her claim would soon be forgotten if something more troubling came to light. “Captain?” Calliope noticed that Finn had fallen back to the side and was talking into his comm link.
“What exactly is going on here, Calli?” Corvus asked, uncertain if she needed to be formal in that request.
“Deputy Marshal Lofthammer seems to have found something out of the ordinary in the Exhibit hall.” Calliope, speaking to Corvus, worded this carefully to be both truthful and avoid any overreaction from the sensitive Ferengi ears tuning into their conversation so closeby. “He seems to be acting out of an abundance of caution.”
Corvus frowned, glancing over at Finn whispering furiously into a communication device. “An abundance of caution?” She asked.
“Calculated approaches have their merit...” Brek ventured. If the Captain didn’t have much of a clue as to why the conference had been evacuated, then surely the Commander would give more explanations. All he had to do was stay here and listen. For, on his side, he had an abundance of questions, all wanting answers. A pity his position didn’t allow him to be more vocal.
Calliope half shrugged. “All I can say was that I saw him acting very twitchy and overly suspicious all morning. He didn’t tell me what had him edgy. He’s assigned to the security detail and whatever it is he picked up on they decided to check in to.” Calliope waved the comm she was holding slightly, indicating she’d just been tuning in to the channel.
Brek concluded, privately, that the Deputy Marshall didn’t have tremendous communication skills. Who would complain about that though? It was better for them all to be here, safe. The conference had after all gathered a lot of bright minds, and who could tell what any of them would invent, if their intention was to harm? “I see... If the situation is contained in the exhibit hall, are we free to leave, or does this mean every attendee is now under suspicion?”
Forming her response to Brek, Calliope hoped it also served as something of an update to Corvus. “The last I heard, Security had already identified suspects and they are watching the exits. They’re just asking everyone to remain in place for a few minutes before the event resumes as planned.”
Ignoring the hustle and bustle around them all, Major Finn calmly walked over to join the impromptu party of ranking officers with as casual of a smile as he could muster. “It’s all good here,” he offered quietly, turning down the handheld comm’s device he was holding so no one else had to listen to the continued back and forth with his Marines.
A single figure came through the exhibit hall entrance, releasing the forcefield and stepping past two security officers posted there; the man was more occupied with a large sandwich in a wrap than anything else. In an altogether relaxed walk, he made his way back to Commander Zahn, too busy chewing to say much.
Calliope took in a breath but just blinked, not knowing what to say on his behalf. “All clear, Deputy?”
Lofthammer nodded.
“So,” Calliope crossed her arms, silver earrings swaying. “I take it the buffet is safe, then?”
Lofthammer grinned at her around his lunch, dashing some sauce off the corner of his mouth with a napkin. “Had to check. It passes.”
Looking between Lofthammer and Finn, Calliope got the sense both of them had a lot more to say to the Captain– they were just withholding their report in mixed company. And it struck her at that moment, that her own presence might be as extraneous as Brek’s. She was not part of this team. There was at least one thing she could do to help, though, by removing not just herself from the equation. She took the Ferengi lightly by the elbow and turning on a bright tone of voice said, “I saw you were accompanied by several promising young engineers. They had a lot of very interesting questions. Can you introduce me to them?”
Brek, who had been rather hypnotised by the appearance of Lofthammer and his large sandwich, followed Commander Zahn. He would, it seems, have to rely on the whisper network to discover why the conference had been interrupted.
“Only if you insist,” Brek said, hesitant. “Those Ferengi are voracious learners but they are rather unpredictable. I’m also not sure it would be the best use of your time, considering the situation... This said, they will be delighted to know that the buffet is safe.” Brek added with more enthusiasm. “While they eat, I might just get 30 minutes of peace.”
“Let’s see if they’re opening the dining room for us at least.” Calliope smiled wryly and gave a glance back over her shoulder to Lofthammer. He was off the hook for his unexplained behavior. This time.
“Captain,” Lofthammer began slightly more formally, now that ears, big ones and green ones, had stepped out of range. “I had some suspicions about one of the conference attendees. People that should have known each other didn’t seem to show recognition of one another. ‘Davit’, the supposed professor? My money’s on his ID being a spoof. If we confirm it when we bring him in, it means someone onboard is in the Station computer core, altering the database. Someone with access. Oh–” Lofthammer closed up the top of his sandwich in the paper. “And he had a suspicious looking case he was toting around. Wouldn’t let anyone run any real scans. I figured if his ID was maybe fake, the special handling approvals for his travel case were just as suspect. Called that in. Decided we should give it the full treatment. Just in case.”
Corvus frowned. While that could have been the answer, it also could have been far less suspicious. “Proceed carefully, Mr. Lofthammer,” DeHavilland cautioned him. “It could just as likely be two acquaintances ignoring each other because they had a falling out. Remember. Innocent until proven guilty,” she warned. Maybe the man was on the money and he was on the case of something larger, or maybe not. It wouldn’t do harm to be extra judicious.
“Ain’t they always.” Lofthammer said more to himself than anything, following it up with a more clear, “Yes, Ma’am.” He didn’t find it prudent to mention that the hunch was based around someone’s non-reaction to Zahn in particular. There was a working history between those two women, DeHavilland and Zahn, that he could mostly draw out from the implication of the facts surrounding their recent history. Still, if he had to take the crap shoot between his gut reaction being nothing and it being something, he was still confident in his decision to call it in. “Major Finn’s EOD crew has got the potential hot potato now.” he nodded in Finn’s direction. “I guess we’ll be finding out soon enough.”
“Please keep me informed,” Corvus nodded, as if she wouldn’t know anything about what Declan was up to if it wasn’t reported. Despite initially thinking he didn’t want the same things she did, that this was all a little fling, things had been anything but. They’d not openly declared anything for the world to hear but it was really no secret to anyone paying at least a modicum of attention. She’d hear it all later tonight as, at this point, Declan’s quarters were just where his clothes lived - not him.
“Yes ma’am.” he said again, though he did wonder what the skip in the chain was about. He was going to be making his reports to security. But he supposed it could be a sensitive matter and all, managing the public stir surrounding the issue, evidenced by the frenzied Ferengi reaction to even a minor delay in the event proceedings. De Havilland hearing it from the horse's mouth might cut down on the transit time in the hand-off. He gave her and the marine a parting nod and excused himself with a murmur of their ranks.
As he moved away, Lofthammer noticed the line to the dining hall had begun to filter inside and realized that his first meatball sub demanded an encore.
