Intelligent Intelligence

Posted on Tue Aug 29, 2017 @ 7:11pm by Lieutenant Commander Alex Rho & Lieutenant JG Jacob Hartley

Mission: Strange Matter
Location: Intelligence Department
Timeline: MD 28 || 1400 Hours
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Jacob sighed as he entered the Intel area, and sat down, leaning back in his chair. He thought the mission hadn't gone too badly, but then the Commander was looking as a CO, rather than from an Intel view. Jacob mentally kicked himself for not thinking about that from the beginning. But at the same time, he had his own issues to deal with, and so far, he wasn't enjoying what he was having to contemplate.

From an Intel view, however, they had gained some new Intel. Still, Jacob did wonder if Rho would think he had overstepped his bounds. "Hartley to Rho, do you have a minute? I'm in the Data Centre." Jacob said.

Alex tapped his combadge in reply, "I'll be there in a few moments, Lieutenant. Rho out."

Jacob nodded as he looked at the device he held in his hand, containing the data he had managed to get from the Romulan ship. It was their entire database, and the data was already uploaded to an isolated console, being decrypted. He sighed. "You'd have thought this would be good news, getting this much data." He muttered to himself.

Alex had taken the turbolift from his meeting with the Commodore and Commander and walked all the way back down to his lair as opposed to transporting. It gave him some time to think about how he would approach everything and what he would say. Rho walked into the Data Center and over to where Jacob was standing. "Status report, Lieutenant."

"I've begun the decryption program on the Romulan database, and I've got the computer searching for any indication as to what happened over there, where they picked up the probe and whatever else can help us get answers." Jacob replied.

"Okay, the computer is searching for what happened. But why are you running a decryption program? You had complete access to the unencrypted Romulan database directly through a console. Following the Commander's orders on the Science ship while you had direct and unimpeded access is what should have happened. Then we wouldn't be taking the time now decrypt an entire ship's computer in order to get an answer for the Commander."

"This is the Romulan's we're talking about. Chances are, anything important about what happened would have been encrypted. Plus, instead of navigating the database there, I figured it would be easier to let the computer find anything we need, especially if there was some kind of virus over there. Didn't know how long we would be able to be there for." Jacob explained.

Alex couldn't come up a reason whatsoever the Romulans would encrypt their own ship's computer from other crew members. But that would have to be dealt with later. Right now, he had something more pressing. "Before we continue this conversation, we must have another. Jacob, the role of Starfleet Intelligence within Starfleet has always brought about some confusion down through the decades. As a result, some of our officers tend to think that they exist outside of Starfleet Command, their Captain, and their ship. This is wrong and harmful. Starfleet Intelligence is no different than Starfleet Medical or Starfleet Corps of Engineers. We are not a separate entity, but a subdivision of Starfleet Command. Yes, we serve a unique function, but we still serve Starfleet. That means you and I serve the Commodore and follow the chain of command. No exceptions. We must learn to operate within the Command structure while following orders and gathering intel. With that said, I am now now Second Officer, part of Command as well as being the Chief of Intel. Every single one of my actions is being scrutinized, which means I have to crack down more on this department. I can't have you going off the reservation in such a blatant manner. The next time you're given an order, I need you to follow that order." He stopped to let it all sink in.

Jacob took in everything, and nodded. "I get it, I screwed up. I never thought of being outside the chain of command in any way. I thought that downloading the database would be the easiest method of finding what we needed. I'll admit, I did think having a Romulan database would be a good thing for Starfleet Intelligence, but that wasn't my driving point." Jacob said. "That being said, I accept that I messed up and should have checked with the commander first. Of course, she's even more pissed with me now anyway." Jacob said. "I just had to retake phaser certification...and one of the targets I hit dead on between the eyes...well, someone thought it would be funny to put a hologram of the Commander in the test. Wouldn't have been so bad, if she hadn't been watching." Jacob said, rolling his eyes.

"I'm glad you understand that," said Alex. "First let's get this out of the way and then we'll deal with the database. You accept that you screwed up and should have checked with the Commander, which is good. But what's done is done. And now, I have to deal out the consequences. As a result of all of this, I'm going to have to pull you off the duty roster until you go through a holodeck recreation of Intel Ops training on Tellar. At least a large portion of it. After I sign-off on it, we'll get you back on duty."

"Understood." Jacob said. "I'll get on that today, since there isn't much else for me to do. Are you gonna be running the training?" He asked.

"I'll be running part of it," replied Alex. "But I'll have other duties to return to. At those time, I'll assign one of the Guardian AI's to run the training. They are holograms after all and it will be on the holodeck. One of them can do a decent enough job guarding the Data Center."

"Oh, yes, of course they can, when they're not wanting to give me a proctal examination." Jacob replied dryly.

Alex hid his smile well. That was a memory that would stick around for a long time. "Good. Now that that's out of the way, we can deal with something else. We have an entire Romulan science ship's database uploaded to our Data Center. The ship's computer is analyzing it. The damage is done, we just have to contain it as best as possible. While having that kind of Intel would be helpful, we're no longer defending a Neutral Zone. It's possible that they could bring back another ship and analyze what the away team did. There are lots of possibilities that could happen that would land this ship in all sorts of problems, to include a nice little visit from Internal Affairs. So, what exactly were Commander Weisz's orders?"

"To find out what had happened. Not like I could ask the Romulans, they were unable to answer any questions." Jacob replied. "So I figured the information we'd need would be in their database. I've got the computer specifically searching for anything that will give us answers as to what happened."

Jacob seemed fixated on the Romulan database and having it searched. "Yes, but you didn't have to download their entire ship's database and bring it back to be analyzed by the computer. Besides, we have an entire section devoted to that with things like F.R.E.D. to use. You're an Intelligence agent. Think outside the box. For example, utilize your 'spycorder' to access the external and internal sensor logs to look for anomalies or key words like probe. Then run a separate scan on the internal and external communications. You could have asked the Romulans, Jacob, and they would have answered your questions. And if you wanted to get something for Starfleet Intelligence, run some of our algorithms in the background and get some Romulan computer access codes, sensor codes, and communication codes and subspace frequencies. It would have been less obvious that their computer systems had been tampered with. And would have come in handy in the future."

"Granted. I'll admit I didn't think things through fully, but how could I have asked the Romulans? They were either dead or shooting at us." Jacob pointed out. "Like I said, I'll grant you I should have done things differently, and I will bear that in mind for the future. I should have been more careful." He accepted. "I make no excuses for what I did, I took the easiest option, which, as an intelligence agent, isn't that intelligent. I get that."

"I'll accept that," Alex said. "But had you accessed the internal and external sensor logs and ship communications, the Romulans would have told you what they were looking at and what had happened immediately before their demise. Effectively, talking to you and answering your questions." The Intel Chief wondered how his recommendations and allusion had been missed. "The other concern I have is that if the Romulans find we've stolen their computer database, Starfleet Intelligence will send it's Internal Affairs officers to the Triumphant. We do not need and IA investigation into why we stole a computer database from a derelict Romulan ship with dead crew on board."

"Agreed." Jacob replied, with a nod. "Sir, I accept I screwed up. But I did what I thought was right at the time. I'll accept it was a mistake, and I will pay for it. But, with all due respect sir, no matter what info I tried to access, if the Romulans detect it, they'll go nuts. And I wanted to do the quickest option, because it was always a possibility that either the Romulans would come looking for their ship, or whatever affected them could have come for us. I will accept I made a rash call, but given the information I had at the time, I stand by it." Jacob said.

Alex sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "We've already dealt with the fact of what you did. I've told you that you would be pulled from the duty roster until you complete a refresher Intel Ops training course in the holodeck. I've tried to use the rest of it as a teaching time, giving you examples of some things that you could have done differently. I've broken down the lesson and tried to illustrate thinking outside the box as a Starfleet Intelligence officer. But none of it seems to be working." He paused a second and looked at Jacob, straightening a bit.

"Rash calls shouldn't be made by Starfleet Intelligence officers," he continued. "We're trained to think on our feet, to make decisions under pressure. You've been undercover. You know can't afford to make rash calls in those situations. I ask myself why you didn't appropriate the past training and experience you've had in that particular situation? A situation where Romulans were shooting at you. You've been in worse. What the problem was, I have no idea. So let's just take care of it with this, you have been removed from the duty roster for not following orders. You have plenty of time to read and study the Starfleet Intelligence officer's manual. Then there's learning about all of the equipment and coding and algorithms we have available to us. You will then go through a holodeck recreation of the initial Intel Ops training we received on Tellar, under the instruction of the Guardian AI who will report to me. You will return to the duty roster once I'm satisfied that requirements have been met. Understood, Lieutenant?"

"Understood, sir." Jacob replied. "With your permission, I'll go and prepare."

"Granted," Alex said.

Jacob stood up, and headed out of the office. As he was clear, he growled, and hit the wall angrily. He had managed to get valuable intelligence, and yet in doing so he had forgotten all of his training, all his skills and his orders. How the hell had he managed to screw up so badly? And he had defended his decision, although a part of him thought it was a good idea, and he did stand by his actions; partly anyway. It had been good to get the intelligence, but as soon as Alex had said it, Jacob knew that getting their access codes would have been much more valuable.

"Foolish, Jacob, damned foolish." Jacob muttered to himself. He knew William would be disappointed in him. He needed to think, so he decided to head to the holodeck. He knew he'd be spending a few hours in quiet meditation in the same program William had used to teach him patience. Maybe it would clear his mind some.

Maybe.