Island Quizatry

Posted on Tue Jan 6th, 2026 @ 10:29am by Lieutenant JG Kate Kono & Ensign Aidan "A.J." Reid

1,469 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Shore Leave on Risa
Location: Shores of Risa
Timeline: After Kate's relaxing moment on the beach

Ensign AJ, a towering Jamaican man with sun-kissed dreadlocks cascading over broad shoulders, had to bend at the waist to clear the gleaming access hatch of the USS Washington. His red Starfleet uniform stretched taut across his muscular frame as he straightened, eyes sweeping the pristine corridor. Though thirty years had etched fine lines around his eyes, he carried his late-career ensign rank with unmistakable dignity.

He raised a hand to halt a passing crewman, his voice rich as Jamaican rum when he spoke. "Ey, star boy! Mi a look fi di Chief Intelligence Officer office, ya know? Which part mi can find it?"

The crewman's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Bwoy, ya nuh understand?" AJ chuckled, used to this reaction. He adjusted his cadence slightly. "Di Intelligence office, mon? Where it deh?"

"Oh! Two decks down, right out of the turbolift," the crewman replied, pointing.

"Respect, mi bredren," AJ nodded, flashing a brilliant smile before ducking into the waiting turbolift.

AJ rounded the corner with a spring in his step and burst into the empty office, his dreadlocks bouncing against his shoulders. A PADD lay askew on the polished desk, its bright screen displaying a message in bold letters: "I'm at the beach! Come find me there if you need me!"

A wide grin split AJ's face, revealing brilliant white teeth against his dark skin. "Me likey dat idea, mon!" He dropped his colorful canvas bags with a thud and abandoned any thought of finding his quarters. The crystal-blue waters were calling his name. With a little dance step, he sauntered to the sleek replicator panel embedded in the Intelligence Office wall.

"Ey now, Mista Replicator," he called out, his rich Jamaican accent filling the room. "Me need one of yuh finest swimwear, a proper speedo if yuh have it. Gotta soak up all dat sunshine on dem beautiful sandy shores, ya understand? Everyting irie!"

The replicator responded with an angry series of beeps. AJ just laughed and shook his head—he was used to technology struggling with his thick island accent. "No problem, mon. We gwaan figure it out." AJ tapped the side of the replicator as if it were a sacred pet.

Fifteen minutes later, AJ strolled along Risa's golden shoreline, his long dreadlocks adorned with silver rings that caught the sunlight. His muscular frame was barely covered by a vibrant, rainbow-patterned speedo, with a Jamaican flag towel draped casually over one broad shoulder. Kate emerged from the turquoise waves, saltwater streaming down her petite figure, when she spotted the towering man before her. She craned her neck upward, feeling like a child trying to spot a kite caught in a tree's highest branches.

"Lieutenant Junior Grade Kate Kono?" His deep voice rumbled with a thick island cadence. He extended a hand the size of a dinner plate, and Kate found herself grasping just three of his fingers in her small palm.

"Ensign Reid?" Kate squinted against the sun. "How'd you recognize me?"

"Yuh small like a crayfish, but mi a intelligence officer, star. Mi check yuh file before mi even step foot pon di ship. Just want fi come down and tell yuh tanks for di chance fi work with yuh and learn from yuh wisdom."

AJ's lips curled into a smile as he finished speaking, his voice lilting upward in a melodic cadence that transformed his answer into something closer to a ballad than a response. His shoulders rocked gently from side to side, his lanky frame swaying like a reed in a gentle breeze, adding theatrical flair to what might otherwise have been a mundane exchange.

Kate's laughter bubbled up like the seafoam behind her.
"No need for all that formality. We're on vacation," she said, gesturing to the paradise around them. "So join me! What would you like to do?"

"Yuh have a volleyball, sistren?" AJ flashed a brilliant smile against his dark skin.
"Oh hell yeah!" Kate exclaimed, delighted that her new officer knew how to leave work behind.

AJ moved like a whirlwind through the beachfront, recruiting players from the sun-drenched docks, bustling restaurants, and local resort staff until two full teams converged on the pristine volleyball court where the sand sparkled like crushed diamonds. The pulsing rhythm of reggae filled the air as AJ's hips swayed with natural grace, his movements fluid and hypnotic while Kate squinted against the glare, trying to focus on the approaching ball.

"Yuh see dat, Lieutenant? We gwaan show dese Risian bwoys how Starfleet handle di business, yuh zimmie?" AJ called out, his rich Jamaican accent rolling over the words. The Risians fired back with playful taunts across the net, their exotic accents mingling with laughter that danced on the sea breeze.

"I can't be perfect at everything," Kate admitted, connecting with the ball just enough to send it limping over the net. A muscular Risian leapt skyward, positioning the ball perfectly for his teammate who slammed it toward Kate with startling force. She overcompensated, sending the ball rocketing upward until it was just a white speck against the azure sky.

"Lawd 'ave mercy! Dis how everybody know we come from di stars, seen? Always tryin' fi send everyting back to space! Respect!" AJ crowed, shielding his eyes with one hand as they all tilted their heads back, waiting for the ball's inevitable return to the planet. His words triggered a cascade of laughter that rippled through both teams like a wave.

The Risians crushed them in the final tally, their victory so complete it might as well have been choreographed. Kate's shoulders slumped with the weight of defeat, certain she'd disappointed her teammate. But AJ—his dark skin glistening under the alien sun—twirled to the pulsing rhythm as if they'd won the championship. His wide smile revealed perfect white teeth despite the defeat.

"Ya need to lighten up, star girl!" AJ's rich Jamaican accent rolled over the words like waves as always. "We be havin' da time of we lives, and dat's what truly matters, yuh see? Next time we touch down on dis paradise, dem Risians gonna be jumpin' up sayin'—'Look dere! Is dem joyful people who light up de whole game!'" He thrust both hands skyward, his eyes crinkling with such pure delight that nearby aliens turned to bask in his radiance.

Kate narrowed her eyes and nodded, recognition dawning across her face. Finding someone who processed information like she did felt strange—she wasn't the singular ray of sunshine in the room anymore. Somehow, that felt like putting down a heavy backpack she hadn't realized she'd been carrying.

"Our department's gonna be, like, the statistical anomaly of Intelligence when we get back to the Washington. We're basically weaponized optimism!" Kate's laughter bubbled up like champagne. Her tone shifted abruptly. "Quick question though—any other Starfleet vessels currently in planetary orbit?"

AJ's expression tightened, his dark eyes narrowing beneath strong brows. "Nah, mon. No way. Ya think we'd be scramblin' to cobble together two small teams if we had more ships 'pon de water?" He chuckled, the sound warm and rich.

Kate snorted appreciatively. She admired how he kept his tactical awareness while effortlessly steering them back to lighter shores.

"Fair point," she conceded, dimples appearing. "So what's your professional assessment of this particular intelligence asset?"

She extracted a colorful bikini top from her bag with forensic precision.

AJ's shoulders—broad, brown, and gleaming in the sunlight—rose and fell dramatically. He shook his head, dreadlocks dancing across his collarbone.

"Me professional 'sessment? Been studyin' dem since me was a yout'!" He gestured toward the swimwear with a grin. "But me nah need special trainin' to tell ya dat piece too big for ya frame, star girl."

Kate erupted in genuine laughter as her new Jamaican colleague delivered the unvarnished truth with such good-natured candor that even her intelligence training couldn't have prepared a defense.

Kate's finger traced the tiny metallic pattern embedded in the strap's fabric. She whipped out her PaDD with practiced efficiency, her eyes narrowing as she scrolled through the data.

"See this timestamp? The replication signature belongs to Lieutenant Commander Tapping," she explained, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "And I've triple-checked the crew manifest. She's definitely not assigned to the Washington."

"Now dat is somethin' serious, ya know," AJ said, his Jamaican lilt deepening as he leaned forward.

Kate straightened her uniform. "This stays between us, okay? Ben's cool, and there's this other guy—you'll meet him soon—but like, don't breathe a word to any other intelligence people. This is mega sketchy."

"Ya tink Tapping be worried 'bout security when she runnin' 'round wit no top?" AJ's mouth curved into a smile, but his eyes remained sharp as flint. Kate snorted with laughter despite herself, recognizing the gravity beneath his humor.

 

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