Chapter 19: The Saboteur’s Next Move
The USS Enterprise continued its journey through space, though the mood aboard was tense. Captain Kirk’s patience was wearing thin, and the crew couldn’t shake the feeling that the ship was under siege by an invisible force.
In his ready room, Kirk stared at the hobby horse now relegated to a corner, the note still attached. His fingers drummed against the desk as he replayed recent events in his mind.
“How is he getting in and out?” Kirk muttered. “What’s his game?”
The door chimed, breaking his thoughts. “Come,” Kirk called.
Spock entered, his expression as calm as ever. “Captain, I have completed a detailed analysis of the ship’s external scans. I believe I have pinpointed the intruder’s likely method of access.”
Kirk leaned forward, his frustration tempered by curiosity. “Let’s hear it.”
Spock handed him a PADD. “The evidence suggests that a cloaked vessel has been latching onto the ship’s hull. By remaining within our warp bubble, the vessel avoids detection and moves with us through space.”
Kirk stared at the PADD, his jaw tightening. “So, he’s been hitchhiking this whole time.”
Robert’s New Scheme
Meanwhile, aboard The Riptide, Robert lounged in his chair, sipping from a cup of coffee. He was still savoring the aftermath of his latest prank, the image of Kirk’s rage at the hobby horse fresh in his mind.
“You’re losing it, Captain,” Robert said to himself with a chuckle.
But he wasn’t done. His next plan was already in motion. This time, he wasn’t content to just leave messages. He wanted to leave the crew questioning their own reality.
On his monitor, Robert reviewed the Enterprise’s internal schematics, which he’d acquired during his first infiltration. His target was the observation deck—a quiet, open space where crew members often went to relax and stargaze.
“Perfect,” he muttered, activating the transporter controls.
The Observation Deck
In the dead of night, the observation deck was silent and empty. The massive windows offered a stunning view of the stars, the faint hum of the ship’s systems the only sound.
With a shimmer of light, Robert materialized near the back of the room. He wore a dark jumpsuit and carried a small bag of supplies. Moving quickly, he began setting up his latest prank: an elaborate holographic projection system disguised as part of the ship’s architecture.
The device would activate sporadically, displaying eerie images of crew members walking through the deck, only for the figures to vanish into thin air.
“Let’s see how you handle a few ghosts,” Robert whispered, grinning as he calibrated the device.
Engineering Sabotage
Before leaving, Robert made a quick stop in Engineering. He accessed a maintenance panel near the warp core and introduced a series of minor glitches into the system diagnostics. Nothing dangerous—just enough to keep Scotty and his team chasing shadows for days.
Before closing the panel, Robert paused and pulled out his marker. With a smirk, he wrote on the inside of the panel:
Nice work, Scotty. But not good enough.
Satisfied, he activated his transporter beacon and disappeared.
The Fallout
The next morning, the holographic “ghosts” began to appear on the observation deck. Ensigns on break reported seeing strange figures, only for them to vanish as they approached. The stories spread quickly, with rumors of a haunted ship taking hold among the lower ranks.
Lieutenant Uhura approached the captain during the morning briefing. “Sir, we’ve had multiple reports of… unusual activity on the observation deck.”
Kirk raised an eyebrow. “Unusual how?”
“Crew members are reporting what appear to be phantom figures,” Uhura said. “They disappear when approached.”
Kirk rubbed his temples. “Let me guess—our friendly neighborhood saboteur.”
“Likely,” Spock said. “This aligns with their established pattern of psychological disruption.”
“Great,” Kirk muttered. “Add that to the list of things we need to deal with.”
Engineering Woes
Down in Engineering, Scotty was once again at his wit’s end. The diagnostics were acting up, with phantom errors appearing and disappearing seemingly at random.
“I swear, this ship’s got a mind of its own,” Scotty muttered, leaning over a console.
An engineer approached, holding an open panel cover. “Sir, we found this,” she said, handing Scotty the cover.
Scotty frowned as he read the writing on the inside: Nice work, Scotty. But not good enough.
His face turned red as he slammed the panel down on the console. “Oh, he thinks he’s clever, does he? Well, let’s see how clever he is when I catch him!”
Kirk’s Breaking Point
Later, in the briefing room, Kirk addressed the senior staff. His tone was sharp, his frustration barely contained.
“This guy is making fools of us,” Kirk said, pacing. “He’s turned my ship into a playground, and we’re just letting it happen.”
“Captain,” Spock said, “I believe we are close to identifying the intruder’s location. If my theory about the cloaked vessel is correct, we may be able to use a tachyon pulse to reveal its position.”
“Then do it,” Kirk snapped. “Whatever it takes, Spock. I want this guy found, and I want him off my ship!”
McCoy, standing near the back of the room, exchanged a glance with Scotty. “You think he’s starting to lose it?” McCoy whispered.
Scotty nodded grimly. “Aye. And if we don’t catch this guy soon, it’s only going to get worse.”
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