Signing On
Posted on Mon Aug 31st, 2026 @ 10:26am by Lieutenant Commander Corin Layal & Lieutenant Kostis Riehl
Edited on on Wed Sep 2nd, 2026 @ 8:52am
1,277 words; about a 6 minute read
Mission:
Episode 3 - The One Who Got Away
Location: Bridge - Deck 3 - USS Artemis
Timeline: MD005 1100 hrs
The warp field collapsed around the ship as Kostis watched the reversion to realspace from the cabin’s viewport. She reached out and tapped the forcefield, nose crinkling in delight as the field distorted for a moment before restoring itself. Glancing about the cabin, she made sure she had packed all her stuff.
It wasn’t much, all considered, a testament to a life long on travel and short on sentimentality. A PADD of qualifications, a tabletop holo-imager to display photos of loved ones, and a spare change of clothes. As she unwrapped the nicotine chew – the only way Starfleet permitted her to get her fix – she reflected there were more packs of those in there than any one other item. Still, makes it easy for assignment transfers, she thought to herself, shouldering the bag and palming the door control.
As she stepped out into the corridor, a general alert sounded out to the crew, sharpening their attention. The Hermes was now on-station with the Artemis in the vicinity. Around her the crew of the small Diligent-class high-speed courier busied to their tasks – ship-to-ship personnel transfer.
The transferee was especially grateful. The Diligent class was a small, speedy ship the Federation had developed based on the success of the Defiant class of ships following the Dominion War. Now twenty-odd years later, they criss-crossed the Federation, and allied space, delivering urgent cargo and personnel to their destination at breakneck speeds.
It was a novelty. Kostis had never been deemed precious cargo before.
Hermes was only eight decks large, so it was a short hop from her temporary quarters to the transporter room. Kostis nodded at the transporter tech, running a finger around her uniform collar. They always made it too tight when replicating a new one for her. She’d have to change the parameters when she had a chance. Motioned to the pad, she flashed a bright smile, and took her place.
‘Ready when you are,’ she called out in a pleasant voice, the reply lost as she dissolved into a dazzle of particles before reemerging in the Artemis’s transporter room. Brushing off the momentary disorientation that accompanied a transporter trip, Kostis reflected how much she preferred to travel by shuttle when speed wasn’t pressing.
Fishing out her PADD of qualifications, she accidentally handed her personal media one to the Security Officer. Blushing profusely in embarrassment, making her spots stand out even more, she swapped it for the one that had her qualifications. No-one needed to know about her penchant for dragons and knights. As everything was matched up and verified she waited an awkward moment that seemed to stretch on forever.
A tickle at the back of her mind always told her that there would be something wrong, that she was in the incorrect place at the incorrect time. But it never occurred. Transfers had always gone smoothly. This was no exception, and she was shown the door, her new Security subordinate officer escorting her through the door.
An alert went out to inform the crew of the Artemis that the Hermes had departed. She wondered where they had zipped off to next, what urgent person or cargo needed to be where. The Captain of the vessel had been tight-lipped, mumbling something about classified operations before turning to other matters of conversation with her. Daydreaming slightly as she was led through the Luna-class vessel’s corridors, she imagined herself in command of Diligent class ship, and what voyages she would have. It would be a tight-knit crew, always having each other’s backs, she decided. The Federation’s finest little cruiser.
Her thoughts focussed as she was led to the turbolift. Kostis was here for a reason – a history of investigating complex cases as a police detective outwith the Federation, and experience of command of a Security and Tactical Department. The briefing notes had been succinct. Missing children. Bodies. A chill had run down her spine when reading it, a dead weight forming in the empty area a symbiote would live. She had said yes to the assignment with barely a second thought.
The turbolift and Security Officer deposited her on the Bridge. A few short strides past the discretely averted eyes of the shift crew and she was at the door. Kostis nodded, and smiled at the Security Officer. ‘Thanks.’ She popped another nicotine gum. Rang the chime.
Lieutenant Commander Corin stood in the well of the Bridge, still not comfortable with actually sitting in the Captain's seat even when the Bridge was "hers" and she had the conn. Despite her early Academy years training as a Security Officer, once she entered in Starfleet's Law Program and begame a JAG officer she had spend most of her time on bases and planet side than on ships. Ship assignments were always short and for a limited purpose. She had never imagined that Starfleet would commission a ship purely for criminal investigations, nor that there would ever be a need for a JAG officer to be a member of command staff aboard any starfleet vessel. Yet, here she was, somewhat unexpectly, feeling like many of the junior officers had a leg up on her knowledge of systems and operations. Something she didn't intend to be the permanent status quo.
Layal turned at the sound of the turbolift doors, the distinct Trill spots giving away the occupants identity immediately.
"You must be Lieutenant Riehl," Layal said as she crossed the Bridge to greet the new Security Chief. "Welcome aboard."
Starting, Kostis turned away from the Ready Room doors, then flashed a smile and a nod. 'That's right, reporting as ordered, Commander.' She extended a hand, 'a pleasure to come aboard, despite the circumstances of the investigation.'
"These cases were always the most rewarding for me to work on. Somehow you compartmentalize until it's over and family members and victims are thanking you for fighting for them," Layal replied solemnly. "I don't know if I could have stayed in the field for as long as I have without those nuggets to keep me going."
'It's why I took on Starfleet,' Koz replied. 'It had gotten to be ... a lot.' She smiled ruefully, 'but still. Word travels fast when you're an ex-detective from beyond the Federation. So here I am, Commander.' She looked up at the taller officer, then jabbed a thumb at the Ready Room door, 'we allowed to go in?' she asked as she moved the gum around her teeth, 'only I have some questions about well ...' she waved the hand about, 'all this.'
"Yeah," Layal nodded. "The Captain is pretty easy going about that. I'm sure he's expecting you."
Kostis nodded, 'any tips in dealing with him - any likes or dislikes I need to check out for?'
Layal thought about how ready to be on the defensive she had been when she first arrived, but found a Captain who was grateful to have her and was immediately willing to listen and consider her expertise where it was warrant. She smiled and shook her head. "Nah. You won't need any."
A Joint Post By
Lieutenant Commander Corin Layal
Judge Advocate General, USS Artemis
Executive Officer, USS Artemis
Starfleet Criminal Investigations Unit
Lieutenant Kostis Riehl
Chief Security & Tactical Officer, USS Artemis
Second Officer, USS Artemis
Starfleet Criminal Investigations Unit
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