The Job Offer

Posted on Thu 19th Feb, 2026 @ 12:17pm by Lieutenant Damion Ildaran & Captain Gordon Francis & Commander Geraldine "Geri" Severide

2,893 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: [TIE-IN] IBEX - In the Beginning...
Location: Cargo Bay 7
Timeline: After “Round Up”

{Geri’s Secret Wardroom- Qaraq's Casino Storage}

Geri had long ago arranged with Qaraq a DMZ of sorts, the "Warehouse strip" was a half deck of pure storage rooms. Within it, Qaraq's operation rented quite a few of them, side by side and stacked over each other. Effeceincy suggests having them all on the same level would make sense, but there was an ulterior motive Privacy laws, cortenide alloys, basic countermeasures made surveillance impossible and the tall decks with stacked containers made tailing someone equally so. The nucleus of these storage units had a whole cargo bay above and below, and nestled between two other fore and aft. A narrow hallway to the circular rotunda was well established as the place to go for civil conversations. Violence was not tolerated, enemies could meet and not cross the lines firmly established by Qaraq and his weasel apprentice Criswell.

Damion, Geri, and Francis all came separately, with Francis and Geri arriving about ten minutes apart. They had compared their notes while waiting for Damion, who was soon ushered in by Criswell, a little early but they were already fully prepared.

Criswell led Damion through a small, round anteroom that lead to several passages of storage lockers. Criswell stopped at one labeled "M-007" on the door. Damion suppressed a snicker at the room number and entered after Geri did. It was a small, circular room, cozy without feeling cramped. He took the chair she indicated. This must be a place where she met assets who either didn't want to be seen in the Starfleet-controlled decks or who Geri didn't want to be seen associating with. Whatever this meeting's purpose might be, he inferred it was to be kept under wraps.

The reference had been Geri's form of a joke and also a way to advertise to those who knew. The inside was a conference room module, same as the Nova-class bridge, a favorite of Geri's. This was her office away from home, and though she couldn't tell the little man, Criswell kept it neat and always stocked with her preferred snacks and beverages. She knew he had access to her space, and he knew she knew, and all he ever did was enter to leave fresh food and take old.

Francis and Geri had not waited long after finishing preparations when the door opened and Criswell ushered Damion into the room.

"Thank you, Criswell," Francis said. Criswell smiled, giving a small bow as he left the room.

"Hello, Lieutenant. Have a seat," Francis said. "You're probably wondering why you're here. I'm afraid I can't tell you that until you answer a few questions for us. This is voluntary, and the Commander and I here are relying on your sense of curiosity. Say no, and you'll still get the free korfmager. But you will have left not knowing the great opportunity you just passed up."

"A korfmager is a good opportunity in itself, sir," Damion replied with a nod to Francis and to Geri as he took a seat at the oval-shaped table. "What sort of questions do you need me to answer?"

"Let's just say we need to know first if you can keep a secret," Francis said.

Geri coughed over a laugh.

"I've spent a lot of my life keeping secrets, sir," Damion replied. "Barring torture I can't withstand, yes, I can keep a secret."

"Good," Francis said. "Between you and me, I feel a bit stupid having to ask that first. Don't tell anyone."

"I've been told there are organizations on Earth that keep secrets not to keep something important hidden, but to see if members can keep a secret to begin with. So I understand the reasoning, sir." Damion said

Geri cut in, "Considering how there is nothing on record about any of what we are about to discuss, it's also effectively the mission statement. There's OPSEC and there's lunacy..."

So whatever this meeting was about, it required far more than the usual amount of operational security. "All right," Damion said with a slow nod.

Captain Francis spared no more time. "How would you like a command, son? There is a ship, strictly off-the-books, that needs a CO and you're on the top of the list." He held up a hand. "Before you say anything, let us give you a bit more background. Commander Severide?" Francis turned to Geri, who was a bit more prepared with the details.

I am at the top of the list for a starship command?! Damion thought. What lunatic compiled this list? He choked off the stunned exclamation he wanted to make as Francis asked Severide to explain the situation.

Geri smiled, "I wouldn't feel so honored, I'm on it too." She smiled to make sure the joke was delivered as such, "We had a ship delivered to us two weeks ago. This ship is called the IBEX. In two weeks of bribes and twisted arms, and the information Captain Francis has relayed to me, here is the truth as I know it."

She slid a padd, with all her case work to date over to where he sat. "The ship is a 22nd century relic, a Saladin-class cutter. However, in the process of repairing their hurt from a mission gone sideways they were towed here and have been laid up. Her former Captain is in some form of temporal white room seemingly connected to others. It's weird. I haven't been; he makes it sound like when he leaves he expects to disappear from the face of reality, anyhoo... We have found numerous systems that are unique and only exist from mission reports sent from the frontiers. We are now tasked with their upkeep and re-crewing. They've got a governing body which keeps their charges on a mission, which is humanitarian in scope but Intelligence work by nature. They allege to exist from prior to the founding of the Federation and take responsibility for some big moments in the history of Earth and Humanity specifically. The call is for a commanding officer who can divine their own mission and operate as a cell, with near total autonomy. With the insanity that is the Triangle, the IBEX has been assigned to our area of space. You'd use us as a headquarters, decide your own missions, and work with Starfleet Intelligence on anything outside the scope of your mandate. What is being rebuilt is a new ship, up to modern specs, with those unique systems still in place, and it has a few holdovers from before living on board."

She stopped, "That's probably the extent of what we need to get started. Questions?"

"Thank you for that explanation," Damion said to Geri and let out a breath. He glanced at the information on her PADD for a moment and then returned his gaze to her. "It gives me a better understanding of why a deep-cover specialist who has never commanded a ship before would be considered for this assignment. What kind of missions have this ship and its crew completed in the past?"

Captain Francis sighed. "We don't really have that information. In fact, we're not even sure of the information we have at all. The Ibex has tech we've never seen, and we're not actually sure yet about the limits of its potential. But I'm as curious about it as all-get-out. We'd like you to help us assemble a crew, just for a test run. Currently, Ibex is under repair, but fine enough to give a tour if you'd like. I know this isn't exactly in your job description, and I'd understand it if you feel compelled to decline, but the list of prospects is very short, and our mysterious benefactors have placed you right at the top. What do you say, Lieutenant?"

Damion thought in silence for a moment. Finally, he spoke. "I had an OIC once who applied for a job because she wanted it, even though it scared her. At the time, I remember admiring that reason because it meant she wanted to get out of her comfort zone and challenge herself. She wanted to grow."

He went on. "I really like 109. Most of my happiest memories have happened here. But like my former supervisor, I'm also ready to challenge myself and grow. So yes, Captain, Commander Severide--I'd like to accept, and thank you very much for the opportunity. I hope I will be an asset to this new mission."

"Glad to hear it, son," Francis said with a smile. "You'll still be on station for most of the time, so you'll still be tending to your duties here. Your assignment on Ibex is strictly off-the-books. Commander Severide, care to elaborate?"

“Yes, I’ve had limited interactions with the onboard rule book they have as a holographic crewmember. It’s a Starfleet EMH at its core programs but with an eye to the health of the Federation. Its job is to present options and be a go-between to the decision makers. When I tried to say the IBEX was going to be stationed here I had to turn it off to shut it up. However, this council seemingly has approved this change in mandate for a period of time. It is up to us, as is their MO, to see to the mission as we see fit. So that means you get to choose as much as be told. This ship would be dispatched by us as a command team, and you would take the IBEX to accomplish our agenda. Your quarters, social life, career prospects are all continuing, but this secret job will take over your service as long as you wish it to do so. There is training; the former captain is waiting for us in that white room. Oh and…”

Geri authorized the release of a file, “You’ve been subjected to a test, and ethical practices require we tell you, and provide a copy of the results.”

The file which populated revealed a huge video and sensory file, it was a holo-program but unlike the usual types, this had coding to keep it from tampering or alteration. Recording in such precision with such veracity was a tall order technologically; there were combat scenarios in their hologrid memory barely half this size.

Geri looked to Francis as well; he had apparently also had the test done. “It’s their way of skipping the tedium of a job interview; whatever that program reveals, it was what got you the job.”

Damion gave Cmdr. Severide a baffled look. "I don't recall being subjected to any kind of test." He searched back through his recent memories. There were no blank spots, no periods of time missed. He skimmed through the program's abstract. "Anything as complex as this would take hours." He thought for a moment. "Did you speak to me previously about this ship and its mission?"

Looking back at him, Geri tilted her head slightly, "No, I haven't, sir have you?" Her question was directed to Captain Francis.

Francis frowned. "No... but these people are woolly crazy with mind manipulation," Francis said. "I have the memories of a man named Abner Doubleday, including people he knew, choices he made. I even remember making his choices myself. The memories are vague now, but it was all part of a complex personality test. It's possible they know more about me than I do."

"That's...unsettling," Damion said, thinking of some of the secrets he kept, one of which he intended to take to his grave. "I can understand why they'd rather do the personality test than a job interview; people lie or shade the truth all the time in job interviews. But a personality test that you don't even know happened--they'd be able to get a very accurate read on someone that way." He paused again. "So the list that I'm on--the other people on it are suitable for this ship and its mission, I'm guessing."

"You want to see it?" Francis asked.

Damion nodded. "Yes, sir. If I'm to be the CO, I want to know whom I'd likely be working with." He looked at Cmdr. Severide. "May I take this PADD with me to review in my office or my quarters, or should I only read it in a SCIF?"

Geri sounded adamant as she quickly replied, "That Padd is stripped of comm components, zero capability to interact wirelessly, only when plugged in directly to a console. So long as nobody can see the screen, its contents can't be remotely accessed. There are some interesting characters on this list. And a Cat... but they are real people. I have vetted them all in advance, not the cat, and have what information there is catalogued on there for you under each name. You'll also need to see the ship and meet Alexander Richardson in the white room before you can recruit anyone logically... Lots to do... is it captain? Or how should we handle rank for this?"

"Well," said Francis as he leaned back, "I think the Lieutenant should decide how active he wants to be in recruiting. Mr. Ildaran, would you like to select your own crew, or should that be up to me and Commander Severide?"

"I would prefer to do the recruiting," Damion said, "but with input from the two of you. I'm still feeling somewhat in the weeds about this whole thing, though I hope I'll have a better idea of what types of missions I should select people for after I read the information you've given me. When may I tour the ship and meet Captain Richardson?"

Geri sat up a little straighter, "Of course you will have the autonomy to select, I never meant to imply otherwise. Captain Francis, would we be able to meet with Mr. Richardson after this meeting?"

Captain Francis shrugged. "As far as I know, he's not going anywhere. It shouldn't be a problem."

She looked to Damion with sparkling intent, "The former Captain is avoiding judgment of some kind in a subspace pocket void, and it's being tolerated as long as he is training someone to take his place. He can tell you why; I've chased my own tail enough for a lifetime with this ship."

"A...pocket void?" Damion echoed. The whole situation was beginning to sound like something out of a Jedidiah Tully novel. If it weren't Cmdr. Severide and Captain Francis telling him these things, he'd have almost believed his leg was being pulled. "I don't even know what that is.' He clasped his hands and rested his chin on them. "If the mission is humanitarian, why the extreme OPSEC? Why haven't these ships--you said there are several?--and their mandate been absorbed into Starfleet Intelligence? What does the separation give them that they need?"

Geri tossed her hands into the air, "Why indeed?! If you'll indulge my outburst a bit, we all took oaths of office, swear to a code of conduct, and my professional curiosity is not sufficient to just keep trusting. What little I have does align. They are as old as Starfleet and work with Intelligence. The Columbia NX program has an encounter with a ship named simply "LARK" in 2156, there are little stories here or there which could be them... However I keep getting green lights from the Federation Council, Andrus Grax signed off on the Starbase overseeing the program for the foreseeable future. So, I've started thinking of them as independent cells whose controllers are allied with Starfleet. Not agents of the empire, but white blood cells with autonomy to act freely. The hiding... lets them do what they want, culpable deniability. It's the only thing we can't do as a major power, is get away with small stuff. We even breathe an order that sniffs of war crime there is hell to pay, and I'm not arguing against the guard rails either. I've been assured, these folks have a motif to their mandate and that is to keep humanity from becoming its darker self. I am as split between curious and cynical as you, believe it."

"Keep humanity from becoming its darker self...." Damion arched an eyebrow. "My homeworld could have used some of that," he muttered. Damion glanced back at the other two officers. "Sorry--thinking out loud, and no organization, no matter how on top of things, can be everywhere." He pursed his lips for a moment. "So my impression is off-book, very secretive, but not black ops. Interesting. They don't cut out the cancer; they make it shrink." He eyed Cmdr. Severide and Francis. "Am I understanding it correctly?"

Geri shook her head, "I wish I could say yes or no; we are both waiting for the other shoe to drop. Yes, if what they say is as they say, they are cosmic saints. However I'll remind you before we go see the now former captain of the IBEX, that his ship came in blasted to pieces and the crew stuffed into a stale air locker."

Damion gave her a wry look. "Mm. Point taken."

"Given all of that," Francis said, sitting forward. "How would you like to meet our distinguished disgraced commander?"

Damion fell silent for a moment and then let out a breath. "No time like the present," he said.

-END-

 

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