Security Log

Lieutenant Commander Evelyn Shaw, Chief Security and Tactical Officer.

Security Log, Stardate 79020.662.

I officially reported aboard USS Kepler today.

The assignment was requested.

That surprised several people.

Most security officers pursue larger tactical assignments, border operations, fleet actions, or positions aboard vessels expected to encounter significant threats.

Kepler was built for a different purpose.

That is precisely why I wanted the job.

Early in my career, I served aboard USS Parnassus while assigned to a frontier settlement that experienced repeated attacks from raiders and criminal organizations.

By the end of the assignment, I knew most of the settlement’s merchants, teachers, and municipal officials by name.

The experience altered my understanding of security.

Most people assume security begins when a phaser is drawn.

It does not.

Security begins when people trust their institutions.

It begins when supplies arrive on schedule.

It begins when disputes are resolved before they become violence.

It begins when a frightened colonist knows someone will answer their call.

Most security problems begin long before anyone calls security.

That lesson has remained with me throughout my career.

My most recent assignment was aboard USS Potemkin.

Like many vessels, Potemkin was affected by Frontier Day.

The aftermath required investigations, reviews, repairs, and difficult conversations.

There is little value in revisiting those events here.

The lessons have already been learned.

The responsibility is to apply them.

Kepler presents a unique challenge.

The ship will carry scientists, diplomats, physicians, educators, engineers, relief personnel, and civilian specialists into regions where Starfleet’s presence may be limited.

Many settlements will see a starship only occasionally.

In some cases, Kepler may represent the Federation’s most visible presence for years.

That carries obligations.

A tactical officer evaluates threats.

A security officer protects people.

The two responsibilities are related.

They are not identical.

I spent part of the afternoon reviewing departmental readiness reports.

The security systems are satisfactory.

The tactical systems are satisfactory.

Several procedures are not.

This is also satisfactory.

Discovering deficiencies before departure is preferable to discovering them afterward.

Three recommendations have already been submitted.

Additional recommendations will follow.

The department remains understaffed.

That situation is temporary.

Competence is more difficult to obtain than personnel.

I would prefer to wait for the right officers.

Kepler’s mission has been described by some as optimistic.

I agree.

Optimism is frequently misunderstood.

It is not the belief that nothing will go wrong.

It is the belief that problems can be solved.

From a security perspective, that distinction is significant.

End log.