Measured Disclosure

Posted on 06 Feb 2026 @ 5:58pm by Captain Sabrina Corbin & Commander Suzanna Batenburg

771 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Lathira Shoreleave
Location: Ready Room

Sabrina had found some clarity after her discussion with Dr. Amberlyn, though it had not made the situation any lighter. If anything, it had reinforced the need to share the weight of what Epsilon had sent. This was not information she could or should carry alone.

She had spent many hours in her ready room with Merrick, the two of them combing through every fragment of data she possessed. Reports from the Arawyn were cross-referenced against previous postings, personnel files, and operational histories. Patterns were examined, dismissed, then examined again. In the end, the conclusion remained the same. There was no indication that any member of her senior staff was compromised.

That certainty mattered. She needed it.

The door chime sounded, crisp and precise. Sabrina did not bother checking the panel. Commander Batenburg was punctual to the minute, as reliable as a chronometer.

She straightened slightly, setting the padd aside. Batenburg needed to hear this first. As her executive officer, she deserved context before the rest of the senior staff were called in. She intended to be direct with her, to share exactly what she knew and just as importantly, what she did not.

“Come in,” she said, already preparing herself for the conversation ahead.

"Captain," Suzanna said in greeting as she entered the ready room. "You requested my presence." The Captain had been more or less locked in her ready room for some time, with Merrick. Something was up, and Suzanna suspected it had to do with the notice from Epsilon Fleet, but was not sure.

Sabrina inclined her head toward the chair opposite her desk. “Please, sit,” she said, her tone calm but deliberate. She waited until Suzanna had settled before continuing, fingers resting briefly against the edge of the PADD as if anchoring the moment. “I wanted to speak with you before I bring the rest of senior staff in. This came directly from Fleet Command.”

She explained the call herself, without embellishment. The briefing had been tightly held, limited in scope and unsettling in implication. Fleet Operations had identified a Changeling embedded within their ranks. No further confirmation had been provided yet. No timeline. No names. Just the certainty that the breach was real. Sabrina did not speculate beyond that, only noting what was known and what very clearly was not.

“In response, Chief Merrick and I have spent the better part of the last several hours reviewing our own house,” she continued. “Senior staff logs, internal transmissions, duty rotations, anything that might suggest an inconsistency or anomaly.” Her gaze held steady on her executive officer. “We found nothing. No irregularities. No indications of compromise.” A pause followed, measured. “That matters. But it does not mean we relax. I wanted you to hear this first, and I want your thoughts before we decide our next steps.”

She fell silent then, giving the weight of the information space to settle, and leaving the floor open to her XO.

"A changeling," Suzanna repeated, it was hard to stop the surprise from her voice. An eyebrow had shot up as the Captain had mentioned it. "It explains the change in orders for the crew, during shore leave," she said, more thinking out loud than anything else. That was typical of her human half. "We have had a lot of crew arrive lately, I trust you have checked those as well? Did they all beam on board or arrive by shuttle?"

Sabrina nodded once, acknowledging the line of thought without interrupting it. When she spoke, her voice remained even. “Not all recent arrivals transported directly aboard,” she said. “Some came by shuttle, some transferred after extended leave. That variance was accounted for. There is enough continuity in the data that it does not raise suspicion on its own.”

She leaned back slightly, considering her next words. “If anyone warrants closer attention, it would be Lieutenant Flammia, and only in a narrow sense. His recent medical disclosures and the gap in his presence place him outside our usual patterns. That does not imply fault. I have no doubt he would cooperate fully with any additional review.”

Sabrina met her executive officer’s gaze. “I intend to call the senior staff together and advise them directly,” she said. “They need to understand what has been uncovered and, just as importantly, what has not. This information remains within that circle. I won’t allow it to diffuse into speculation or unease among the crew. Vigilance will be handled through leadership, quietly and deliberately.”

"Understood, Captain. As always, youh have my full support." Suzanna replied.

Commander Suzanna Batenburg
Executive Officer

Captain Sabrina Corbin
Commanding Officer

 

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