Chapter 20: The Faces of the Saboteur
Armed with the image of the saboteur captured during their time at Starbase 47, Spock began the methodical process of interviewing the crew. The picture displayed a man in his mid-thirties with sharp eyes and a confident smirk. His face was distinctive yet unremarkable enough to blend into a crowd—an asset for someone evading detection.
Spock moved from one deck to the next, presenting the image to crew members and gathering their accounts.
Crew Interactions
The first person Spock approached was Lieutenant Uhura. She studied the image for a moment, her brow furrowing.
“I remember him,” she said. “He sat across from me at a café on Starbase 47. I didn’t think much of it at the time—he seemed charming, maybe a little too confident. But now that I think about it, he was asking a lot of questions about life aboard a Starfleet ship.”
Spock nodded, taking notes. “Did you observe anything unusual about his behavior?”
“Nothing obvious,” Uhura replied. “But he definitely wasn’t just making small talk. He had a way of steering the conversation, like he was probing for something.”
Spock thanked her and moved on.
The next person was Ensign T’Val, who regarded the image with a faintly raised eyebrow. “I recognize him,” she said. “He approached me while I was off-duty. At first, I thought he was just another civilian, but his questions were… pointed. He seemed particularly interested in our ship’s systems.”
Spock tilted his head. “Did he reveal anything about his identity?”
“No,” T’Val said, her Vulcan calm unshaken. “He was careful not to share personal details. In retrospect, his interest in Starfleet procedures was highly suspicious.”
Spock continued his inquiries, encountering a variety of responses. Some crew members recalled brief conversations with the man, while others spoke of him with a mix of embarrassment and amusement.
Romantic Encounters
When Spock approached Ensign Marla Reyes, she flushed bright red as she stared at the image on the PADD. “Oh… I, uh… I know him,” she stammered.
“Please elaborate,” Spock said, his tone neutral.
Marla glanced around nervously. “We… we spent some time together on Starbase 47. He was… charming.”
“Romantic interactions?” Spock asked, raising an eyebrow.
Marla nodded quickly, looking away. “I thought he was just a trader or something. He never said he was connected to Starfleet.”
Another officer, Lieutenant Elena Drax, had a similar reaction. “That man…” she said, her voice trailing off. “I spent the night with him. He seemed… intense. Like he had something to prove.”
Spock’s brow furrowed slightly as he noted the repeated accounts of romantic encounters. The saboteur’s methods were becoming clearer—he used charm and manipulation to gather information and leave a personal mark on his victims.
Meeting with Scotty
Finally, Spock descended to Engineering, where he found Scotty hunched over a diagnostic panel, grumbling about phantom errors.
“Mr. Scott,” Spock began, “I require your assistance.”
Scotty looked up, wiping grease from his hands. “What is it this time, Spock? More ghosts in the machine?”
Spock held out the PADD. “Do you recognize this individual?”
Scotty took the PADD, his expression shifting from irritation to recognition. “Aye, I know this face.”
Spock straightened. “Please explain.”
Scotty set the PADD down, crossing his arms. “That’s the young lad from the past—the one we refused to help send back.”
For a moment, Spock was silent. Then, with deliberate calm, he asked, “You are referring to the individual who was displaced in time and brought aboard the Enterprise approximately sixteen months ago?”
“Aye,” Scotty said, his voice heavy with realization. “I never thought I’d see him again. But now that I think about it, it makes sense. He was furious back then—said we’d made an enemy out of him.”
Kirk’s Fury
When Spock relayed Scotty’s revelation to Captain Kirk, the ready room was filled with an almost palpable silence. Kirk sat at his desk, his jaw clenched and his hands gripping the edge of the desk so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
“He’s been here this whole time,” Kirk said, his voice low and controlled. “Watching us. Toying with us. And it’s the man we stranded in the future.”
Spock stood at attention, his face impassive. “It would appear so, Captain. The evidence aligns with Mr. Scott’s account.”
Kirk stood abruptly, pacing the room. “We did what we had to do, Spock. The Prime Directive tied our hands. But this… this is personal. He’s not just sabotaging us—he’s coming after me, after this ship.”
“Logically, his actions are consistent with his expressed intent to seek revenge,” Spock said. “However, it is worth noting that his methods remain non-lethal and focused on psychological disruption.”
“That doesn’t make it better,” Kirk snapped, turning to face Spock. “This man has made fools of us, and the crew is starting to question my command because of it.”
Spock raised an eyebrow. “Captain, may I suggest that resolving this matter will restore confidence in your leadership?”
Kirk’s glare softened slightly as he exhaled through his nose. “You’re right, Spock. But I’m done playing his games. I want every available resource focused on finding his ship, and when we do, we’re taking him down.”
The Crew Reacts
News of Scotty’s revelation spread quickly through the senior staff. In the mess hall, McCoy sat with Uhura, Sulu, and Chekov, discussing the situation in hushed tones.
“So, he’s the guy from the past,” McCoy said, shaking his head. “I knew that whole situation was going to come back and bite us.”
“And now he’s biting hard,” Sulu said.
Uhura frowned. “Do you think the captain can handle this? He’s been on edge ever since this started.”
Chekov hesitated before replying. “The Keptin is strong, but this is… unusual. It is like fighting a ghost.”
McCoy sighed, rubbing his temples. “Well, let’s hope we can exorcise it before Jim snaps completely.”
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