The author whose not a spy

Posted on Fri Dec 12th, 2025 @ 10:24pm by Lieutenant JG Derick Irvin

543 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Terrorpin
Location: Various
Timeline: Concurrent

On:

The small Iris class ship zipping though space wouldn't normally draw the attention of many people, the multi role, multi purpose courier ship had many uses within the federation from small specialized cargo runs too private transport services too this one, it wasn't marked in anyway that indicated that it was owned and operated by Starfleet, in the case of this ship it was operated by Starfleet intelligence.

The small crew of three on the bridge were nearing the end of their journey, this particular mission was simple, fly there guest too an outlaying colony and pick up some biological samples returning them to earth. It' lone passenger was sitting back in the guest quarters, it was more of a bunk with a table. Unlike the more and more popular Kaplan F17 freighters that had increasingly popular this little ship didn't stand out, it just did what was needed.

The passenger rolled over on the bunk looking at the small clock they were about an hour out from their destination, Haumea colony. It wasn't the most glamourous assignment, but it beat being essentially sent into exile to some remote starbase or some other dungeon in the number intelligence facilities throughout the federation.

Derick rolled on his back, he'd read what he could about the colony, it was fairly newly established, so there was some potential too keep a lowered profile, he'd also seen a short list of some of the colonies more colourful residents and Starfleet staff.

For the most part there wasn't anything that someone who'd spent a few weeks at Starbase five or some of the other seedier destinations in space. In some respects the upheaval within intelligence was a hidden escape from the political firefights that had broken out between the numerous bureaucrats and military types, the politicians and power hungry had become fearful of those who wanted too keep to what Starfleet was about while others began too live in paranoid fear, Derick wanted to write, he'd gone through the work he'd done on his second as yet to be titled book, many of the notes he'd made about specific topics he wanted to cover were in a post neutral zone era and the changes too the fleet's strategy and planning.

In truth he had very little, this book didn't have to potential that his first works did, he debated tossing the whole thing for a short period and putting his efforts into his new assignment until he got what would be expected of him on track. He looked up and saw the blurred starfield resolved into normal space, next stop was this assignment on a newly settled colony, the status indicator of the ship began to indicate they were entering the landing pattern for the small starport.

Derick shuffled his few belongings into his pack and sat on the bench seats clutching his pack slightly he waited for the thump of the ship landing.

Derick stood after getting the all clear he picked up his pack and suitcase and disembarked, the daylight felt odd to him as he walked across the landing platform he looked around, 'What the hell did I do to end up here?'

End

Lt jg Derick Irvin
Haumea Colony inteligence

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