Take One

Posted on Fri Mar 11th, 2011 @ 4:21am by Lieutenant Cedric Shepherd & Captain T'mpest Michaels

1,418 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Triad
Location: Security Office, USS Ranger
Timeline: Very shortly after the artifact recovery

"Come in," called Lieutenant Shepherd.

Teegan walked in and took a quick, assessing look at the two men in the room. The one at the desk she wasn't so sure about. He looked a little brutish to her. The other, however, had the bearing of a man who would understand where she was coming from. She almost smiled at the thought.

"I assume this is about my being assaulted on the bridge?" she asked the one behind the desk. She was pleased that someone was finally taking her seriously.

"It is," said the big one behind the desk, who had risen when she entered. He indicated a chair, which the other man moved slightly for her convenience. "Please," he added politely.

Teegan nodded and sat down. So far, this was going well.

"I'm Lieutenant Shepherd, Ranger's chief of security," the big officer said, sitting as she did, the other man shortly following. "This is Lieutenant Fletcher. I understand there was an incident on the bridge during the battle."

"Your Vulcan science officer assaulted me," Teegan said bluntly. "It was unprovoked. She walked onto the bridge and used that Vulcan pinch and knocked me out. It's a wonder I didn't end up with a concussion."

"I see. Is this your first trip on a Starfleet vessel?" asked Shepherd, still placid.

"No. I am not a member of Starfleet, but I have been on a starship before." She muttered something under her breath about Kerr and his lack of common sense.

Shepherd quirked an eyebrow while she muttered herself to a stop, and glanced briefly at Fletcher. "Doctor Mar, were red alert procedures reviewed with you on any of your trips aboard Starfleet vessels? Specifically," he held up a hand, momentarily forestalling her reply, "red alert procedures as they related to you or other civilian personnel on board?"

"I'm a VIP, Lieutenant and that Captain was not taking the importance of the artifact into consideration. Do you realize it is likely the most important find of our generation? It will change the way we look at transporter technology. It's far more important than the Archimedes or its crew."

"I can appreciate that, ma'am, but the question stands."

"I don't recall. People talk to me all the time about irrelevant things. I don't always recall them."

Shepherd paused a moment at that. "That's a dangerous answer, Doctor. For both our sakes, I need a clear yes or no."

"As far as I can recall, no," she said haughtily. "I'm not usually given the courtesy of explanations on procedures."

"A simple misunderstanding, then," Shepherd nodded. "I see. Please allow me to apologize. You should have been informed about alert procedure as a matter of course when you came aboard. Clearly it was missed this time, and I'll talk to my people and find out why."

"Good," Teegan smirked. "While you're at it, I want to file a formal complaint against that Michaels person. She assaulted me on the bridge. All I was doing was informing your Captain of her mistake and she assaults me." Maybe, while they were at it, she could add a complaint against Captains Kerr and Halliwell.

"Yes," mused Shepherd. "Provocation. Before we discuss your complaint, let me explain what should have been explained from the start. Red Alert is activated when a ship is under attack, and in that state a ship's crew and commander must be entirely engaged with the task of protecting and preserving the ship. Starfleet protocols insist that civilian personnel retire to designated safe zones during a red alert, for everyone's safety. In situations where civilian personnel cannot move to their designated area, they are to stay as far out of the way as possible, for everyone's safety. Do you understand this policy now?"

"Right. I can't tell the Captain she's stupid during a red alert. I have to wait and tell her later," Teegan said.

"Under non-alert circumstances," Shepherd smiled and shrugged, "do as you feel you must." He shifted in his chair, sitting back and leaning casually on one armrest. "Do you grasp at this stage the reasons for Commander Michaels' action?"

"There was no reason for her action. She didn't say anything. She didn't even take time to find out what was going on. She simply walked onto the bridge and assaulted me."

"I have report of words here," Shepherd indicated the PADD on his desk, "like 'dereliction of duty' and 'crimes against the Federation'. Your words?"

"The Captain was and is guilty of gross negligence. If she'd focused on the artifact as she should and not that stupid Captain we might not be in this situation. She should let the other ships fight the QAR. She should focus exclusively on the artifact," Teegan said, getting irate again. "If the artifact is lost because of her lack of appropriate action, it will be a crime of epic proportions."

"The words, doctor," Shepherd tapped the PADD, "'dereliction of duty' and 'crimes against the Federation'. Did you use those words?" the question was asked slowly, emphasis clear. "Yes, or no?"

She looked at him defensively for a moment, then said, "Yes. I used those words because the Captain IS neglecting her responsibility to put the artifact above all else."

"With all possible respect, doctor," replied Shepherd, his voice still soothing and paced, "the captain's responsibility during a red alert is to the ship and crew--everything else is secondary. I know that bothers you," he added quickly, holding a hand up again to cut off the obviously brewing retort. "You've made that clear. But having established the facts I need to now make something clear to you. Standing on the bridge of a Starfleet vessel and accusing a captain of dereliction and high crimes is at best seditious, and brushes right up against mutinous. Commander Michaels entered the bridge as you were in the middle of an act that any Starfleet officer would consider the beginnings of an attempted mutiny. She acted as any Starfleet officer would, to contain you and keep you from jeopardizing lives. Real lives. Frankly, the only reason you're not in the brig is that for reasons that I'll investigate later you were blissfully ignorant of Starfleet alert protocols. Now that you're aware, another red alert incident like this and you'll spend the rest of this trip in a cell. Is that understood, Doctor Mar?" Incongruously, implausibly, almost impossibly, he smiled a genuine and friendly smile.

At first Teegan was outraged. Was everyone in Starfleet mentally deficient? Could they not see that the artifact was everything? His smile convinced her that she couldn't reason with this madman.

She shook her head. "You've made yourself very clear." He would be added to her report. "Good day," she said before turning and walking to the door.

"Doctor?" Shepherd called as she took the first step, he and Fletcher having risen from their chairs when she did.

Teegan turned and looked at him, waiting for the security chief to continue.

"Your complaint?" said Shepherd. "You were wanting to file a complaint."

"I did. I do. The Captain was given the responsibility of retrieving the artifact. I believe she's letting her emotions cloud her judgment. She is not putting this above all else. And she's not listening to me when I remind her of this. If the QAR gets away, it will be on her head."

Shepherd nodded, thinking a moment. "That sounds valid. Would you care to put those thoughts into a proper report here, or in private? I can make the appropriate forms available to you in the computer so you can make your statement at length, and I'll file the complaint appropriately once I receive it. You can record your statement here," he waved a hand at a side terminal, "or in your quarters. Which would you prefer?"

"I would prefer to do it in my quarters. That way I can consider my words and make sure I don't leave anything out," Teegan said with a decisive nod.

"We wouldn't want that," said Shepherd, letting the comment hang a moment before continuing. "I'll let you get back to your day, Doctor. Thank you for coming in."

Teegan stared at him for a moment, not sure if he was insulting her or not. "Thank you, Lieutenant. I won't take up more of your time. Good day." She turned smartly, nodding once to the other officer, and left.

OFF:

Edmond Fletcher
Security

Teegan Mar
Archaeologist

Cedric Shepherd
Security

 

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