Lies Among Us

Posted on 18 Aug 2025 @ 7:37pm by Master Chief Petty Officer Mila Rasputin & Emily Carter

2,172 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Imposters Among Us
Location: Administration
Timeline: July 7, 2390 || 1430 hours

Emily's brain had difficulty comprehending her surroundings. Everywhere she turned, memory and reality failed to reconcile each other. The Black Hawk she remembered was battle-worn, patched and rebuilt multiple times over its lengthy service. She could still remember the tan crossmembers, the brushed khaki-colored hatch covers, and even the yellow and purple tones of the LCARS interfaces.

But while this new ship that bore the same name had many of the same rooms and features in the same places, everything was different. The color palette that was so typical with Starfleet's golden age prior to the Dominion War had been replaced with so many muted colors. Crossmembers were now a polished gunmetal, hatch covers a dull ghost gray, and the carpet a poorly vacuumed swirl of dark gray and a midnight blue. Even the LCARS interfaces were darker, showing shades of teal with hints of orange that somehow complimented each other.

What was familiar was the security escort that shadowed her. Emily understood and accepted the burden. After all, her last tenure aboard the Black Hawk involved a bit of treachery and treason on her part. There should be no way that she should be trusted. It was communicated to her clearly when entrusted to the care of a guard. No wandering into unrestricted areas. Limited use of the ship's amenities. And certainly no contacting the ship's commanding officer.

So, when the summons came to report to administration, Emily found herself uncertain. This adventure had been nothing what she expected so far, but aside from a cabin assignment which could have been handled through so many other methods, why should she have to arrive at the hornets nest full of yeomans? Was this some sort of karmic justice regarding her prior role as Geisler's personal yeoman from years ago?

The Security officer that went with her had been instructed very clearly on where to keep her away from, and oddly, who to keep her away from. However, it was the officers place to keep Emily safe and that was what he would do.
As they arrived at the Administration Complex, he led her into the small warren and to their destination, which was the tiny office of the most powerful Enlisted on the ship ran things with an iron fist,

The woman in question, one Master Chief Petty Officer Mila Rasputin was just that moment issuing another blistering set of orders to a round of lesser Enlisted who promptly flew from the doorway of her office to carry out their assigned tasks. She looked up when she saw the gold shirted Security officer coming her way with a short blonde woman.

"Can I be helping you?" she asked as she tapped a button on her console and blanked her monitor.

Emily paused in the doorway, a bit unsure of how to answer. There was no guarantee that this Russian woman before her had been here for long, even though it was clear she ruled the department with an iron fist.

Perhaps the simple approach was best. "I'm Emily Carter. I was told I needed to drop by?"

"So, you are being her," Mila said flatly as she stepped back into her office. "Come. We are to be talking." She glanced at the Security Officer. "You are to be waiting out here."

The officer gave a nod and stepped out of the way beside of the door.

After the door closed, Emily simply stood just ahead of the threshold. It was far enough as to not trigger the door sensor, and close enough to call for the guard if she felt threatened. "So," she said, making no other movement, "you're Harvey's yeoman."

"And you are being the former yeoman that betrayed your Captain," Mila stated flatly.

The blonde woman couldn't help but offer a pained smirk as the left side of her lips pulled back into her cheek. "I guess my reputation proceeds me."

"It is being my job to be knowing who is a threat to the Commodore," Mila said. "What are you wanting?"

"Wanting?" Emily echoed, almost confused by the choice of word. Fire burned behind her eyes as they narrowed into slits. "I want to go home! I want this fake D'rimo and his goons off my planet." She paused, letting her lip quiver for just a moment. "I want my father back."

Whatever Mila was going to say turned into a moment of stunned silence. She had heard that Carter was back on the ship and knew who she was thanks to her memory and the fact that it had been hard to get Harvey to trust her. She finally gave a nod and cleared her throat. "I...am sorry," she said quietly.

Emily scoffed, finding little use Mila's apology aside from it feeling genuine. The two women didn't know each other, but there was something in Mila's soft tone that felt true. "The worst part? I came back because I thought Harvey would do what he did years ago, which is do the right thing and step in." She shook her head and nearly collapsed in a chair. "It's like he doesn't even care that people are suffering."

"Harvey is being a very busy man and we have had quite a few losses in our Task Force," Mila stated. "If you are expecting him to be rushing off to your home world with no plans, you are being mistaken, and you are reading him wrong."

The blonde woman chuckled, her mind snapping back to reality. "No, no. You don't understand. I would expect an ounce of sympathy from Harvey. I know what I put him through, and I know he didn't have to save me and my family. But today... it's like he didn't register what was happening."

Mila paused. "That...is not like him. Are you sure that he wasn't in shock from the news that Commander Di Pasquale was telling him?"

"He was in shock all right," Emily scoffed. "More so that Francesca... Camila... whatever the hell her name is had returned so quickly and with sensitive information. And to believe that he tried to downplay it!"

The brunette Yeoman frowned again. "How so? Harvey has become much more proactive since he is being out here and that is not sounding like him."

Emily shook her head, trying to replay her tainted memories of the last few hours. "Something about not having enough information, or not fully in agreement with now is the best time to strike. Which... which it is. The longer we let these imposters stay where they are, the harder it will be to get them out."

"I am in agreeance," Mila said. "However, what can be done? I am Yeoman and you...are civilian who has proven she cannot be trusted." She wasn't willing to go above Harvey's head to Admiral O'Connell unless she had absolute proof that something was wrong with him. He would never forgive her and neither would Joey and she would likely never see her god babies ever again.

Mila's statement struck Emily. Deep down, Emily knew that every word of that was true. Emily had sacrificed everything, including her honor and the value of her word. She also hadn't been around the last couple of years, so how was she supposed to know if anything had changed? "And that is absolutely fair. Just... I don't know. Watch him the next few days. He's not himself."

"Can you tell me what he was like before?" Mila asked, making a mental note to keep a closer eye on her and Harvey.

With a shrug, she answered, "Cold. Callous. He didn't want to be on the ship, and he only wore the uniform because his heart didn't have anywhere else to go. But, even though he acted like a Krampus, he... he cared. Well, in his own way." Emily leaned forward in her chair, supporting her leaning torso by placing her elbows on her thighs. "I remember the day after I betrayed him. It was the first time that I saw real emotion in him. And he was pissed. Then days later, after this crew... or rather his crew then... rescued my family, Harvey set me free. Honor... duty... I know he holds those in high regard, but when he let me go, he said that because of Allison, he understood why I did what I did."

Mila listened silently. She had heard some of that, but had seen him change after Joey and more after the twins were born. "Is there any particular memory that you shared with him and no one else?" she asked quietly.

Emily shook her head. "We... we never spoke much outside of Starfleet roles. He did ask me quite a bit about my family, much of which I had to fudge. I told him we were travelers, which was true, and that the family had fallen on hard times." She paused for a minute to ponder events and conversations of which her memories were two years old. "There was a moment, shortly before the ship was boarded by the Syndicate, where we discussed what it meant to have purpose. I'd never seen him so conflicted. He was driven by the mystery of the Golden Stars, so much so that it cost him the fighter squadron. There was... a lot of regret swelling in him during that time, and not just about the decisions he was making in the moment."

The Russian Yeoman listened quietly once again, trying to put together a picture that felt like it was missing pieces. "The squadron? Are you knowing Commander Terry Walsh?" she asked. It was a reach, but if she could put more pieces together, she might have more of a full picture of what Emily was talking about. She knew that Harvey was stressed and that things were going badly, but surely the woman in front of him was wrong.

Emily's eyes widened. "He's a Commander now?" she asked, a bit surprised. "Good for him. But... what does he have to do with the squadron? Walsh was a shuttle pilot when he first transferred aboard. In fact, he came on as the squadron was leaving." A memory flashed in her mind, prompting her to add, "But he did seem rather saddened to see them leave when he arrived."

"Da, he is being the commander of the Black Knights," Mila informed her. "Perhaps he would be able to help you more with how Harvey is being now? I will look into it as well. I am knowing him very well."

"The Black Knights?" Emily asked. "You mean, the squadron's back? Like, actually back? And Walsh is commanding it?"

"Da, and da," Mila said. "Is what I was just saying."

The visitor blinked and shook her head. "You know, one can expect a lot of change in two years. I just didn't think it was possible to change that much." She sighed, then added, "So... what now? I'm not exactly a prisoner, but I'm also not a free woman. What am I supposed to do around here?"

"I am hating to say it, but there is not much other than recreation or holodeck," Mila said, knowing that with a Security escort, Emily wouldn't be allowed in many places.

Emily nodded, accepting the fact that she was just lucky that she hadn't been remanded to the brig. "Well, I guess it's time to see if the new 'Hawk is an improvement on the old." She stood up from her seat and straightened her shirt. "You know, I never got your name."

"I am Master Chief Petty Officer Mila Rasputin," Mila said with a smile. "I am apologizing for not introducing myself."

"Mila," Emily repeated, committing the name to memory. "Despite the circumstances, it's a pleasure to meet you. If... uh... if you could talk to Terry and get a second opinion, that might help. But I'm telling you, I don't think the Captain's himself." She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Sorry. Commodore. That's gonna take some getting used to."

Mila looked at her for a moment and felt like she believed her, but without any evidence, there was no reason for an official investigation. "Da. I will be doing this for you and take what you have said into consideration."

Emily offered the warmest smile she could muster. "Thank you, Mila. I'm sure I'll see you around." With a nod, she moved towards the exit where she would be joined by the security escort once more.

After Emily left, Mila dispatched a quick communique to Commander Walsh, alerting him that a former crew member named Emily he may know was interested in meeting him. After a brief moment, she included Emily's name and that she used to be Harey's Yeoman and sent it.

She glanced at the picture of her krestniki that Joey had given her and hoped that Emily was wrong, but now it was time to dig deeper.

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