Lieutenant Alexander Kolokotronis had not been on Starbase Bravo a full day, yet he was already silently overwhelmed by the sheer size of the starbase and the intricacies of its hallways. He found it an energetic environment, something he welcomed, and found the civilian environment refreshing, albiet a tad disarming.

The onboarding liaison he had met upon arrival was more than helpful; an older energetic Chief Petty Officer that knew the place like the back of his hand. He set up Alexander with his quarters and onboarding documents before the Lieutenant had time to introduce himself; there was no fuss or clamoring, straight to business. This was something he had come to expect with the older enlisted, a tradition almost as old as Starfleet itself, he assumed. 

Alexander’s PADD alerted him with a hail, his first since arriving. A Lieutenant Commander Nunni Irric requested a meeting with him in his office, 1700 hours. “Hm.” Alexander pondered. “Investigations Officer.” He assumed it was standard procedure, although his experience with that entire department was slim. 

Finding the Commander’s office proved easier than he had anticipated, mostly thanks to the assistance of an over-eager Ensign he stumbled upon. He arrived at the Irric’s office, stopping in front of the door for a moment to collect himself. If this was his first impression he was to make, he wanted it to be a good one, sans any shortfalls on his behalf. He examined his uniform, straightening his collar pips before entering, hold his head square above his shoulders and his arms at a decent distance from his hips. Alexander flagged the door, and it whooshed open. The young officer entered, and snapped to attention, clicking his right heel as he closed.

“Lieutenant Alexander Kolokotronis reporting as ordered, Sir.”

Lieutenant Commander Nuni Irris glanced up from his PADD, the bluish glow fading from his eyes as he lowered it to the desk. Rising from his chair, he moved with practiced grace, his uniform immaculate and sharply creased. He offered a nod and a genuine smile to the Lieutenant who had just entered, echoing a familiar Earth custom he had embraced over the years.

As he stood, he extended an open hand, inviting the visitor to the plush chairs positioned across his desk. The subtle gleam of the fabric under the soft lighting added a touch of warmth to the room’s otherwise formal atmosphere.

“Lieutenant Commander Nuni, Lead Investigator on this base,” he said, his voice steady but welcoming. His gaze met the Lieutenant’s, holding a hint of curiosity and respect.

With a slight, encouraging tilt of his head, he continued, “Please, take a seat.”

As the Lieutenant settled into one of the chairs, Nuni leaned slightly forward, his eyes softening with the offer. “Can I get you something to drink?” he asked, gesturing gently to a sleek replicator in the corner. “Water, coffee, or perhaps something else?”

The Lieutenant nodded, easing into his chair, “Good to meet you, Sir.” He paused, briefly pondering the Commander’s warm offer. “No, thank you, Sir.”

Alexander was more than appreciative of Nuni’s forthcoming hospitably; it honestly caught him off guard. He had expected a much more rigid officer, and certainly not to be offered a drink after barely introducing himself. There was, however, still a sense of rigidity and military discipline to the Commander. His impeccable uniform and his aesthetically pleasing, yet spotless office space was certainly not lost on the Lieutenant. Nuni had definitely wasted no time summoning the officer after his arrival; whatever he wanted or looked to inquire, he had certainly planned it ahead of time. Alexander remained curious, as the Commander had still given him no insight as to what he summoned him for.

“What can I do for you, Commander?”

Irric’s demeanor shifted subtly as he began scrutinizing the Lieutenant. His eyes narrowed, studying every detail with a calculated intensity. He leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharp and unyielding, dismissing the Lieutenant’s initial question without a word.

“Kolokotronis,” he remarked, the name rolling off his tongue with a hint of intrigue. “That’s quite the unusual name. Certainly different from most of the Human names I’ve encountered.” His eyes bore into the Lieutenant’s, his skepticism masked with sincerity. “Where is it from?”

Before the Lieutenant could respond, Irric pressed on, his voice now edged with a sharper tone. “Speaking of unusual,” he continued, “your service record stands out too.”

Alexander chose to address the Commander’s first question. “It’s Hellenic, uh, Greek. Sir. More specifically, the Peloponnese. Both my parents are from there.” He paused briefly.

“My service record, yes Sir.” He stared at Irric, unsure of where he was going with this. “I know it’s a bit unusual, Sir.” He sat up, a bit uneasy.

Irric leaned forward, his brows furrowing slightly as he pretended to study the Lieutenant’s file. “You’ve moved between departments frequently in less than a decade,” he remarked, his voice measured yet probing. “Now, you’re transitioning from a Lead position on a Starship to station security?” His words carried a hint of incredulity this time masked by a veneer of curiosity. “That’s quite a shift.”

“Yes, Sir. I found Operations to cause a degree of stagnation I was uncomfortable with.” He eased back a bit, now intrigued at the Commander’s sincere interest in his service record, albeit surprised. Coming from an officer of his own department, he’d understand, but an Intelligence Officer. That was different. 

“I found tactical systems to be something I was more fluid with. I have experience in both Flight Control and Operations Systems, but my combat experience was something that piqued my interest in the tactical field. A Starbase like this, with its location, a number of starships coming in, well, I knew it’d be a perfect opportunity to familiarize myself and work with a wide array of tactical systems and arrangements.”

The Lieutenant was now certain that Irric was more than familiar with his service record. “Speaking frankly, Sir, the USS Perseus incident was an eye opener for me.” He paused, gauging the look on the Commander’s face. “A decent tactical officer is worth his weight in gold.”

Irric nodded slowly, a noncommittal “uh-huh” escaping his lips as he watched the Lieutenant intently. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes missed nothing. After a moment’s pause, a glimmer of skepticism crept into his gaze. “Yes, that’s possible,” he said, his voice calm but with an edge. He leaned back in his chair, the motion casual yet deliberate, creating space between them. “But you stayed on the Shanghai for another two years after that incident, didn’t you?”

He let the question linger, his eyes narrowing slightly, as if peeling back layers of the Lieutenant’s composed exterior. Then, leaning forward, Irric’s voice lowered to a conspiratorial whisper. “Let me float another theory.”

“After the incident on the Perseus,” Irric began, his tone tightening, “your dedication to Starfleet started to waver.” He leaned in, his eyes locking onto the Lieutenant’s, searching for any flicker of response. “And with all the turmoil in the galaxy, someone might have reached out to you. Someone whose interests don’t quite align with those of the Federation.”

The room seemed to close in around them, the air thick with unspoken implications. “And that connection,” he continued, his words barely above a whisper, “could have led you to apply for a position at the Command Center of the entire Fourth Fleet. A role that grants access to highly sensitive information, the kind that’s tightly controlled.”

Irric held the Lieutenant’s gaze, the silence stretching out like a taut wire between them. Then, almost imperceptibly, he relaxed, leaning back into his chair with a sudden shift of demeanor. A friendly smile curved his lips, but his eyes retained their sharpness. “But that would be a crazy theory, wouldn’t it, Lieutenant Kolokotronis?” 
 

The Lieutenant kept his eyes on Irric, letting the silence linger, staying still when the Commander leaned back into his chair, Alexander staying upright in his. The Commander’s ‘theory’ seemed to come from nowhere, and what right did he have to make such a statement? Irric’s an intelligence officer, not an interrogator.

Alexander kept the gaze as he slowly stood up, and reached over the Commander’s desk, and grabbed his PADD, starting to fiddle with it while he spoke. “You know what I think we both know?” He continued fiddling with the device, speaking in a low but assertive tone, giving the Commander a hint that the question was rhetorical. “If you had any genuine concern about me or my…dedication…” He threw the PADD back on the table, facing upright towards the Commander, the screen displaying something he had pulled up himself. 

”….I wouldn’t be here at all.”

The Lieutenant snapped to attention, turning to leave the Commander’s office, without his dismissal, and without another word. On Irric’s desk laid the PADD, displaying the service record of one Lieutenant Alexander Kolokotronis, and highlighted next to his profile, his citation for his Starfleet Decoration for Valor and Gallantry. 

Irric’s smile grew as he observed the Lieutenant’s reaction—a subtle shift in demeanor that spoke volumes. Rising smoothly from his chair, he extended his hand in a gesture of welcome, a silent invitation for a handshake.

“Indeed,” Irric remarked, his voice warm yet discerning. “Welcome to the department, Lieutenant.” His eyes held a glint of approval as he added, “We’ll be in touch soon. I have some assignments that could benefit from your unique expertise.”

Alexander’s stern expression shifted into a subtle smile, reaching out to accept the Commander’s offer of a handshake, the two exchanging a firm grip, and meeting his gaze with a new respect. 

“I look forward to working with you, Sir.”

Their handshake was brief, the Lieutenant turning quickly on his heels after standing to attention again, leaving promptly out of the office, his departure marked by the quiet whoosh of the doors closing behind him. The heels of Alexander’s polished boots faded as he marched down the hall from Irric’s office, as he inaudibly reflected on his discussion with his new comrade.