Searching for Answers
Posted on Sat Apr 4th, 2026 @ 10:31pm by Captain Erik Norsgaard & Lieutenant Juliette Barnes & Lieutenant JG Caitlyn MacRae
2,586 words; about a 13 minute read
Mission:
Wolf in the Fold: Hide and Seek
Location: Ayryn Trynn’s Quarters
“Computer, lights.”
Standing just inside the threshold to the place Ayryn Trynn had called home aboard the Thunderbird, Lieutenant MacRae could not help but wonder what was happening in Sickbay at that very moment. Taking a deep breath she pushed that distraction aside as the computer complied with her order, illuminating the living space and the bedroom beyond.
There was the typical standard grey furnishings yet there was a lot of colour, from flowers, a bowl of fruit on the table, cushions and throws over the chair and sofa … a kaleidoscope of colours which she found… surprising. “Just like her office,” she realised. She had only been in the place once, but remembered how it seemed a lot of effort had gone in to making it feel less clinical.
For all the personal touches, it took her a moment to realise what felt off. Not a single picture. That aside everything seemed so perfectly placed, right down to the symmetry between the cushions in a way that could only be deliberate.
“Smells like citrus,” she noted, wrinkling her nose as they moved further inside. Without a word they split to examine both sides of the room,
Erik, who believed strongly in mysig, appreciated the effort in making the room feel less 'Starfleet sterile' but thought that ultimately Trynn had failed. Colorful but still lacking the inviting warmth he appreciated. And that reminds me, he thought, I have to speak with Barnes about getting a simulated fireplace set up in my quarters. He smiled at the thought and then sobered immediately as he continued his look at the woman's living space. She had been one of his officers, well, Gray's really, and had been trusted with the crew's most intimate secrets. That was a sobering thought; he made a mental note to put in a request for a (sane and reliable) counselor. "Whatever she might have," he said, "I doubt it will be out in the open. More likely hidden somehow. We could get engineering down here to check for false panels and the like."
“I will check the bedroom and wardrobes for usual hiding spots if you want to get your chief down here with some tricorders?” MacRae offered as she finished checking the items on a table. The citrus scent seemed to be from a candle which had gold lettering along one side. Vulcan symbols. Made sense that she would have something like that for meditation. Or just to mask smells. She wondered if the the woman had that sense of smell full bloodied Vulcan’s had, where they found the smell of many things …. offensive.
Like the living space, the bedroom was meticulous. Neat and tidy and not a thing out of place until Caitlyn began checking through the bedside cabinet, the bed frame, under the mattress and the pillows. “Nothing,” she sighed as she started on the wardrobe. This time she pretty much climbed inside it after an initial search, feeling around for anything which felt off.
"Norstaad to Barnes," Erik said as he paused in his look at the room, his gaze taking in the less than lived in look of the place. Nothing out of place. Obsessively orderly, he thought.
Julie was, unfortunately, elbow deep in a malfunctioning console- being so recently unconscious did not stop the ship from breaking on the regular- so it was a few seconds before she could respond. “Barnes here,” came the reply.
"Lieutenant," Erik responded, "if you could join us in Lieutenant Trynn's quarters for a moment. I need your help in an investigation I'm conducting."
Julie motioned to one of her engineers to take over from her and moved to grab a toolkit. “On my way,” she replied as she checked to make sure the console was being taken care of before heading out of Engineering.
“Why does she have so many shoes?” MacRae complained as she sat crouched inside the wardrobe rifling through the pairs of shoes and checking the heels, soles and inside for anything out of place.
"You're asking me," Erik said, a somewhat amused look spreading across his face. "I spend most of time barefoot or in uniform so ... a shoe wardrobe is not something I have ever understood."
“Uniform optional,” she called back, grinning as she kept searching. The crew was unlikely to forget the night their new captain was roaming the halls in his pyjama trousers and a robe.
Erik sighed dramatically and muttered, somewhat under his breath, "this crew needs to find something more interesting to gossip about." And then, raising his voice, said, "contrary to popular opinion, I don't sleep in my uniform or just stand upright in a corner waiting to be called you know."
“I think the issue,” she called back as she began looking through clothes, picking up on top which looked like you’d need to be a contortionist just to get on, “is that they liked the more … relaxed look. If anything, those nurses seemed to think you were over dressed.”
"Well," Erik said, drawing out the word, eyes twinkling, "I was asked to be in something called "Captains of Starfleet" ... " He smiled modestly. "They did say that I had the right 'stuff' ..."
“Not a good time for distractions,” Caitlyn warned with a grin, turning out pockets and checking the lining of clothes for anything they might conceal. “But got the record, I’d have ordered one of those but you probably knew that already.”
Julie was surprised to find that the door to Trynn’s quarters opened for her rather than having to press the chime. That always odd. What exactly had she missed? Her eyes fell on the Captain with a questioning look. “What’s going on?” she asked, forgetting protocol in her confusion.
"The Gul's son was attacked while he slept," Erik said, the amusement falling away almost at once, "by our former Counselor, Lieutenant Trynn. We're trying to figure out why and that's where we need your help. They're both in Sickbay and not available for questioning. So, Baas and Dragos are in her office while we are here, in what was once her former quarters. That reminds me, I'll have to let Malbrooke know so that he can arrange for everything to be packed up and shipped once the investigation is over."
Hearing the new voice in the next room, Caitlyn temporarily paused her search to join the others. “Usual places are clear, starting to get more creative but so far nothing,” she told them. “It’s harder when we don’t know what to be looking for.”
Julie blinked several times in confusion. “She- she what?” she finally managed to get out. “Wait, what are we even looking for? Just- just clues?”
"Hiding places," Erik answered promptly. "Places where you could put things you don't want others to see. I've tried all the ones I know, some that I discovered on my last ship, but I was thinking that, as the one who knows this ship best, you might know of a few more?"
“I used to hide small things behind plug plates when I was a kid,” Julie offered, taking out her tricorder to scan for unusual hollow areas, perhaps with something in them. “And the ventilation system has removable covers for easy cleaning. But those are obvious. Most of these wall panels aren’t too tough to get off and some are hollow. Useful for storage, if you know they’re there. Like this one, here,” she said, carefully wiggling a panel free. But, the space behind was empty. “I guess she didn’t know about it.”
“Or worse case scenario I’m happy to help you demolish some walls,” MacRae offered.
"Demolish," Erik said, wagging his index finger, "is not happening. At least not when you seem so ... enthusiastic ... about it."
“I wouldn’t say enthusiastic is the right word but I’m not gonna lie,” Caitlyn replied, “breaking some things would be very therapeutic right now.”
"And whyever is that," Erik asked as he watched Barnes beginning her search. He hoped for a reason that will help him understand why she ship's counselor would have betrayed her oath to Starfleet and marveled at how Gray had managed to keep the ship together for as long as he did.
“Because I had one objective when I came aboard and let’s be honest, this is hardly the ideal outcome for anyone,” Caitlyn sighed. “Hopefully the doctor works a miracle or two but either way, the Cardassians are gonna be less than thrilled.”
"Their natural state, if you ask me," Erik responded. "And if they are thrilled, I'd be looking around for the bodies ..."
“You and me, both,” agreed Julie, examining a drawer and trying to decide if it looked like it had a false bottom. “A cheerful Cardassian always makes me nervous. Hey, what’s that?” she added, spotting a chair cushion that was suspiciously slightly askew. She abandoned the drawer and went to the chair, removing the cushion and flipped it over. Findings the zipper, she unzipped it and pushed her hand between the foam pieces inside.
Watching the chief engineer, Caitlyn knew it was unlikely but nevertheless watched as the woman searched inside a cushion before emerging empty handed. “Lieutenant, can you scan the frame of the sofa and the chair?” She asked,willing to bet the engineers intuition had pulled her towards that part of the room for good reason. Besides, she had turned the bedroom pretty much inside out (with demolition off the cards that is) and there was still something unsettling about a room with so much clutter but still feel so… off.
“Trynn isn’t especially tall, so those vents,” she pointed up,”would mean climbing up and down. Possible but not really practical- especially as it is an obvious place. But if you live alone, and by all accounts she kept to herself, you could get creative.”
“True,” agreed Julie, abandoning the cushion and using her tricorder to scan the chair. “Although that would be a great reason to use it. There’s a hollow spot in here that shouldn’t be there,” she added, wrinkling her brow at the tricorder. “And something’s inside.”
Caitlyn moved closer, studying the tricorder and glancing at the chair. “Looks close to the lower right,” she pointed out as she knelt, sliding her hand underneath. Moving her hand she felt the change in texture after a moment. The shift from metal and cloth to the telltale grain of something carved from wood.
“There is something….” She reported, pausing before adding, “whatever happens in Sickbay this could be evidence. Gloves might be a good idea before we go any further?”
"It's already been touched," Erik said as he stepped in. He found the outermost corners of the chair and upended it neatly, setting it down so that the area in question would be better exposed. "The ship screens for biological contaminants but maybe a tricorder reading wouldn't go amiss?"
Giving Barnes space to scan, Caitlyn studied what seemed to be the base of a wooden box - something old and something which to her suggested personal. A touch of nostalgia given there were far more robust materials you could use to keep something safely hidden away.
Julie took out her tricorder and performed a quick scan. There was no point in rushing in and maybe getting hurt, after all. “There doesn’t seem to be anything dangerous inside,” she announced. “But if there’s nothing suspicious, why was it hidden?”
With the scan complete, Caitlyn carefully extracted the box, turning it over in her hands. On the sides there were carved symbols, difficult to see but she could feel them under her fingers. Aside from that it seemed a simple small wooden box which fit easily in the palm of her hand, with silver hinges and the lid secured by a small metal latch.
Turning she set it down on the table so everyone could see and the light was better. “Just in case this is something bad, I don’t mind opening it alone,” she offered.
“Anything that dangerous would show up on scans,” Julie pointed out. “Go on. But slowly.”
"And yet,"Erik noted, "whatever it was that poisoned the Captain never showed up on scans. Not even when they were trying to figure out what was wrong."
Releasing the latch, the lid slightly opened, enough to make it easy to open all the way. MacRae had seen much in her years undercover but had no idea what a psychiatrist turned wannabe assassin would keep hidden in a chair in her quarters. But it was definitely not this…
The interior was a soft but in places frayed red material which lined the inside of the box - save for the lid. Only five things were visible inside. Two matching rings, a lock of hair bound by pink ribbon and two chess pieces. Both pawns.
“This is… odd,” she admitted, glancing up at Erik.
Erik thought of Lizzie and the lock of hair her parents kept in a box on their mantle and said softly, "memories. Maybe of someone far away ... or lost ..."
Again, Julie scanned the box as well as the contents this time. There was nothing particularly strange about the hair or the rings, but the chess pieces… they were strange. “I don’t think there’s enough mass in these,” she said. “Which would mean they’re hollow, but then the tricorder would say they’re hollow.” She quirked an eyebrow at the other two. “I think there’s something in them.”
Caitlyn frowned as she picked up one piece, turning it over in her hands. With no obvious signs of a hidden compartment she turned it upside down and as she turned the base counter-clockwise, it began to unscrew. “Old school,” she commented as she removed the base, revealing a hollowed out space. It was not empty, however, and as she tilted it, a clear glass vial slipped out into her hand. “I’m betting this probably wasn’t empty before.”
"Be careful with that." Erik, who had been standing beside her, picked up the other one and copied her motions, though this one was empty inside. "Let's get this down to the Science Lab; I'm betting one of these," he held up the hollowed piece, "either had what killed Trynn or what almost killed Gray."
“I can take them,” Caitlyn offered as she put the chess piece back together and dropped it back into the box. “I’ve touched everything anyway. And it will give the lieutenant space to scan the rest of this place.”
"Alright," Erik said. "MacRae, you take that to Lieutenant Knight, see what she can do with it, and Barnes, you finish scanning the room. I'm headed back to the Bridge for a rendezvous with Relen's father." He walked out of the room, the impending meeting moving to the forefront of his mind, as he turned toward the turbolift and the report he was going to have to make to Scofield before long.
“Good luck,” Caitlyn offered Barnes. “I will come back to help as soon as I can.”
“No need to hurry,” said Julie, starting her scans of the room. “A full sweep takes awhile.”
Captain Erik Norsgaard
Commanding Officer
USS Thunderbird
Lieutenant Caitlyn MacRae
Operations Officer
USS Thunderbird
Lieutenant Juliette Barnes
Chief Engineering Officer
USS Thunderbird
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