The operations room, an area that could be defined as the brain of the ship, is where logs, reports, and system diagrams pass through. The room is small but functional, allowing people to track and check cargo faster without any interruptions from their stations on the bridge. Sarin was sitting at one of the consoles as he cross-referenced the cargo manifest with the actual inventory. He looked troubled and puzzled at the same time. “This… doesn’t belong here. Why is this label here… mmm,” Sarin scratched the back of his ear.

T’Zel, the ship’s Chief Engineering Officer and one of the more experienced officers, walked into the room with her nose deep in the PADD she was holding. “Ensign De Soto…” Her eyes diverted to the young man at the console who was focused on his screen. She stopped at his side and looked at the data. “What seems to be the problem? You are unresponsive and looked troubled.”

A few hums came from Sarin as he almost dropped from his chair when he finally noticed T’Zel. “Geez, Lieutenant, you could have announced yourself.”

The typical Vulcan raised an eyebrow. “I did, but you didn’t seem to notice me,” T’Zel explained for the third time.

“Right, right…” Sarin looked back at the console. “Lieutenant, maybe you can help me with this. I have been tasked to cross-reference the ship’s inventory, and I am noticing… discrepancies.” A shrug followed as Sarin said, “See, this cargo is marked delivered here, but it’s missing from our inventory.”

T’Zel leaned in, looking at the data, and saw the same discrepancies as she tapped on the console. “Let me do a brief scan of our internals.” She narrowed her eyes slightly at the data that came back. “Those energy signatures do not match any Federation technology.” She took a deep breath, thinking of possibilities. “Contact Lieutenant Nisari; we need a third opinion.”

After about ten minutes, Amar arrived at the operations room. “You called? Something that needs my opinion?” he said a bit dryly. He was in the middle of doing a routine check of the ship’s departments when he received a request to join in the operations room.

“Yes, Lieutenant,” T’Zel turned her attention to him. “We might be dealing with external interference in our cargo holds.”

Sarin also turned to the Lieutenant. “The cargo manifest doesn’t match anything we have. Lieutenant T’Zel did a brief scan of the cargo holds and detected unknown energy signatures. We might be dealing with smuggling or worse sabotage.” Sarin was worried; recent news of the Klingons’ spike in border activity had him on the edge of his seat.

For a moment, Amar let the information sink in. “We need to treat this carefully, follow Starfleet protocol, and document our findings before we escalate anything to Starfleet. Protocol dictates we have to report this now to our Captain.” A grin appeared on his face as he now had an excuse to see his Romulan Captain. “Let’s go.” With that, Amar took the lead and left the operations room.

Ready Room

A low growl came from the ready room as Likika sat behind her desk with her head on the desk and PADDs scattered around her. These protocols would be the end of her; following them were mostly useless steps that could be skipped by any Romulan officer. She did understand the requirements for them, but this was too much. The chime went off as she sat up straight. “Come in,” she announced, straightening her jacket.

Walking into the room, Amar smiled in her direction. “Captain Likika, we have a serious problem, or one that could become a serious one.”

Likika was glad for a change of pace, but what problem? She saw Sarin and T’Zel following him into the ready room. “Well, don’t hold me in suspense. What did you find?”

Sarin shrugged a bit. “Well, I found discrepancies in the cargo manifest. They don’t line up with our current hold. Lieutenant T’Zel found energy signatures within those holds that were marked as delivered.” He gave the PADD to Likika and took a step back.

The data was there. Likika’s instincts were kicking in, urging her to act immediately, but… She looked at the mess of protocols and PADDs beside her and took a deep breath. What was she supposed to do about this? What was the right action, the right way to approach it?

Seeing Likika locked in her thoughts, Amar smiled softly. “Captain, I would suggest enhancing our sensor monitoring and continuing to gather intel. We need something solid to provide to Hecate Command.” Amar saw the approved nod from Likika and felt a surge of recognition. “What are your orders, ma’am?”

Tapping her finger on the desk for a brief second, Likika said, “Ensign De Soto, get me detailed logs on every cargo we have and what is flawed in it. Lieutenant T’Zel, enhance sensors for detecting cloaked vessels in our region. They might be waiting for us to take bait; let’s not get surprised.” Likika was trying to think ahead. “Lieutenant Nisari, inform Lieutenant Rixn to oversee discreet security measures so we avoid any potential tamperers.”

The team nodded as they left the ready room. Likika sat back in her chair, tapping her finger again. “What is going on…” she muttered to herself.

Hallways

Walking through the hallways, Koro signaled his team to check the area as he moved forward with one hand on the scanning tricorder and the other on the holder where his phaser was. He was making sure these security sweeps were happening as discreetly as possible. But his main focus was ensuring no unauthorized personnel were aboard.

Bridge

At the bridge, the crew had implemented enhanced monitoring protocols with the help of Lieutenant T’Zel, adjusting sensor arrays and cargo readouts for better detection. The bridge crew was sharp for anything that looked remotely off; they could act immediately on it.

Zoe double-checked the navigational charts, ensuring they remained within the monitored shipping lanes. The instructions she received made her more vigilant for any unusual activities. She looked over her shoulder in Sarin’s direction. “Ensign De Soto, I’m sending you the specific route.”

With a solid nod, Sarin looked and compared the data. “My suspicion is confirmed. These recurring tampering points happen along this route; they are aligned close to Klingon territories. It adds up with Lieutenant T’Zel’s energy signatures, they are Klingon, Captain.”

In the chair, Likika shrugged. “Compile the evidence, send it to me, and I will report this to Starfleet and Hecate Command. Maintain heightened surveillance on our route; they might notice that we already know about their scamming acts.” Likika warned the bridge crew as she looked at the main screen.

Returning to the bridge, Koro got to his post as Sarin nodded softly. “I have a match, a data point uncovered that a specific signature is linked to the tampering incidents that happened on this route.” Sarin wished he hadn’t found it, but there it was.

“I suggest tightening security measures without raising alarms, Captain. We need to prepare the crew for potential encounters,” Koro recommended as he put the protocols in place.

Rubbing her temple, Likika thought about how this was being handled, it was not something she was used to. They were inexperienced and tense with the potential threat on the horizon. Likika looked at Koro. “Lieutenant, let’s continue discreet monitoring and prepare that report for Starfleet. Prepare security for a potential encounter.” She looked back at the screen and truly wondered if that was the right call.