Debrief and Transfer Approved

Posted on Tue Feb 10th, 2026 @ 3:51am by Lieutenant Commander Emilio Navarro

1,220 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Episode 1: A New Sheriff in Town
Location: Starfleet Academy
Timeline: Seven Days Prior to Joining Starbase Mohave

[ON]

The shuttle touched down gently on the landing pad at Starfleet Academy, the hum of its engines winding down. The small door opened. Emilio Navarro, his mind still reeling from the events that had unfolded, slowly rose from his seat.

As he stepped off the shuttle, two Starfleet Intelligence officers already waited for him. Their uniforms were crisp. Their expressions unreadable.

“Lieutenant Commander Navarro,” one of them said in a tone that was all business, “if you’ll come with us, please. We need to debrief you immediately.”

Navarro nodded. “Sure.”

The officers led him to a secure room within the main Academy building with only a table and a few chairs.

The lighting was harsh and the room smelled sterile and clean. He never seen this room before. Made him wonder how many secret rooms Intelligence had in this building let alone others.

He took a seat, and the officers positioned themselves across from him, their eyes fixed intently on him.

“Commander, we need you to walk us through everything that happened at the compound,” one of the officers began. His voice was calm and methodical, but there was an edge to it.

Navarro sighed as he rubbed his temples before leaning back in his chair.

“I was going to submit a formal report,” he said. “But fine. Where do you want me to start?”

“From the beginning,” the other officer said firmly. “Don’t leave anything out.”

Navarro recounted the mission. It was everything. How they breached the compound, how it was eerily empty, and the strange symbols that adorned the walls. He detailed the encounter inside the compound, the deadly struggle over the floating platforms, and how Lake ultimately activated some sort of a device and vanished.

As he spoke, he could feel his frustration building. The officers interrupted frequently and asked for clarification on minor details, questioned his interpretation of events, and probed for anything he might have missed.

“You said she used a device,” one of the officers said, narrowing his eyes. “What kind of device?”

Navarro hesitated. “I don’t know. It was… advanced. It projected holographic puzzles, sequences, things that seemed to control the environment around us. And when she solved it, she disappeared. The whole machine disappeared.”

“Do you believe it was some sort of temporal device?” the other officer asked, leaning forward slightly.

Navarro exhaled sharply. “Honestly, I don’t have the expertise to say for sure.”

The officers exchanged a glance.

“This is extremely concerning, Commander,”

“I’m well aware,” Navarro replied. “But you’re asking me the same questions over and over, and I don’t have any more answers for you.”

“You are right,” one of the officers said coldly. “We just need to be sure your information matches all the other interviews we are conducting.”

The questioning continued, and Navarro felt like he was being grilled for every scrap of information, every possible angle. His exhaustion deepened. It became harder to keep his thoughts straight, his responses turning mechanical, almost copy and paste.

Finally, after what felt like an hour, one of the officers leaned back in his chair.

“That will be all for now, Commander. We’ll be in touch if we need anything further.”

Navarro nodded, too tired to say anything else. He pushed himself up from the chair, the weight of fatigue settling into his bones. As he turned to leave, the first officer spoke again.

“Commander, this situation is far from resolved. Captain Lake’s actions could have repercussions we can’t even begin to predict. Starfleet Intelligence will be monitoring this closely, and we expect your full cooperation moving forward. If anything or anyone comes to you linked to this situation, let us know immediately.”

Navarro paused at the door. “No problem,” he said flatly.

With that, he stepped out of the room and left the officers behind.

He glanced at the clock on the wall: 21:45. His body screamed for rest. He headed for the exit.

The night was calm as he stepped outside, the cool air hitting him like a refreshing wave. The city lights of San Francisco shimmered in the distance, and for a brief moment, Navarro allowed himself to savor the tranquility. Then he made his way home.

Navarro arrived at his apartment around 22:30. It was modest, located just twenty minutes from the Academy. The space was neatly kept, organized, and quiet. As he stepped inside, the automatic lights flickered on, casting a soft glow over the furniture.

He tossed his jacket onto a nearby chair and headed straight for the small kitchen. He grabbed a glass, filled it with water, and sipped slowly as he leaned against the counter.

After finishing the glass, he began peeling off his clothes. He removed his shirt, revealing toned muscles and light bruises from the day’s events. There were cuts too. Just minor cuts. He stripped down to blue briefs and stepped toward the bathroom to start a shower.

Beep. Beep. Beep. An incoming communication.

Navarro frowned and glanced at the console. He wasn’t expecting any messages, especially at this hour. With a resigned sigh, he tapped the screen. The Starfleet emblem appeared, then resolved into the familiar face of Commodore Wells, Dean of Starfleet Academy.

Wells was tall and stern, salt and pepper hair neatly combed, sharp blue eyes carrying the weight of decades in command.

Despite his exhaustion, Navarro straightened slightly.

“Lieutenant Commander Navarro,” Wells began evenly. “I hope I’m not disturbing you.”

“Not at all, Commodore,” Navarro replied. “What can I do for you?”

“I’ve reviewed the preliminary reports regarding Captain Lake,” Wells said. “It seems you’ve had quite the day.”

“That’s one way to put it, sir.”

Wells nodded. “I wanted to commend you on your handling of the investigation and the takedown of those responsible. My report to the Admirals will reflect that.”

“Thank you, sir.”

The Commodore paused. “A few weeks ago, you submitted a request to transfer to a new assignment. One last time, can I convince you to stay?”

Navarro hesitated. “Sir, I’m grateful for my time here. But it’s time to move on.”

Wells sighed softly, then nodded. “I respect that.”

“I’ve approved your transfer,” he continued.

“You’ve been assigned to Starbase Mohave. It’s a new frontier base near the intersection of the Gamma and Delta Quadrants. You’ll report there next week. Wrap up your affairs here. Your replacement arrives on your last day. A Commander Hutchinson coming from Jupiter Station. Leave her a briefing before you go.”

“I’ll handle it, sir.”

Wells’ expression softened slightly.

“Congratulations, Navarro.

“Thank you, sir.”

“Good luck, Navarro. Wells out.”

The screen went dark.

Navarro stood there for a long moment. Starbase Mohave. Chief of Security. The reality settled in slowly.

He shook it off for now and stepped into the shower. Hot water pounded his back, loosening the tension he’d been carrying all day. He stayed there fifteen minutes, letting it wash everything away.

When he finally emerged, he pulled on fresh boxers and collapsed into bed. The apartment was quiet. The city beyond even quieter.

Staring up at the ceiling, exhaustion finally claimed him.

As his eyes closed, Navarro knew one thing for certain.

This was only the beginning.

[OFF]

 

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