A Talk With The Captain... The Other One

Posted on Tue Mar 22nd, 2011 @ 2:20pm by Captain Alexsa Kendrick & Fleet Admiral Coltan Kerr & Captain Elsie Halliwell

1,997 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: The Ties That Bind
Location: Coltan Kerr's Personal Quarters
Timeline: Current

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Things had died down somewhat on the Ranger since the explosion that destroyed the QAR vessel, and people were starting to return to their old posts, on their old ships; at least those that were not part of these silly festivities on the Fairfax. Some died, some didn't, but from Captain Kendrick's point of view, that was not her problem. It wasn't her ship, any of them, they weren't her crew... but this was her mission. Quietly walking through the near empty corridors of the Ranger, her poise gave the impression that she was on said mission now. Her imminent interviews with the crew were not her only concern, and there was one person, one officer on this ship she just had to talk to, to get the big picture as the humans called it, before he left -- Coltan Kerr.

It took her a long time, and a few cracks to starship security to find out where Kerr was hiding out. She didn't appreciate being kept in the dark, and it certainly appeared that she was in the shadows on direct instructions from Halliwell. She approached the door and read the plaque, finally pressing the button waiting to be admitted.

Kerr lay in his darkened bed until the third chime resounded through his quarters, waking him with a slow stir. The alcohol had now fully left his system, but the residual side-effects still lingered in the lines of his haggard face. He rubbed his forehead and then his eyes, swung his legs out of bed and staggered to the door, calling it open as he replicated himself a hot and rather large black coffee. He turned his head only as the door smoothly hissed open, admitting Kendrick into his domain. The soft, blue ionised glow peppered his face as he casually gave her a levelled nod of indifference. Turning back his attention to the replicator, he said, “Coffee?†as he now lifted his own out of the well.

Kendrick regarded the man carefully before entering. By all accounts, mainly her own since no-one else spoke of the man, he really did look like shit, there wasn't a lot of other ways to classify it. She stepped forward allowing the doors to close behind her, "Coffee, cake and gossip around the table," Alex mused, "please, coffee, however it comes."

He repeated the process, indicated silently to the replicated beverage that remained on the pad with a sharp nod and turned and walked away, leaving Kendrick to harvesting the cup herself.

As she watched Kerr gradually sit, almost looking like he was in pain, Kendrick still stood but asked plainly, "Do you know who I am, and why I'm here?" before retrieving her drink from the replicator which she could only assume Kerr had forgotten to hand her.

All notion of time and relevance had left the Trill. He didn’t answer at first but instead continued to stare at the carpeted floor in the middle distance between them both and then with designed apathy, slowly lifted his head to regard her. Noting the pips that adorned her collar, he simply sniggered once to himself and then took in a long draft of the coffee. “No, Captain, I don’t. And, quite frankly, I don’t care either.†He took another sip and seemed to savour the flavour for a moment before shaking his head and coughed. “Another counsellor to set me on the road to sanity, I take it?â€

His response almost surprised her, and she let him wallow in his own self pity a moment before responding, "Not quite Captain," she started as she took a seat which he obviously neglected to offer her of his own free will, "and I don't believe I'm wearing a teal uniform, do you? That is unless you're still too drunk to notice. No, my name is Alex Kendrick, and I'm from the Starfleet Office of Internal Affairs."

His only betrayal of a slight interest in her position manifested in a subtle raising of his right eyebrow and he leant into his cup and took another mouthful. “Internal Affairs, huh?†he then said after a moment. “Now, what would Command want with an officer such as your calibre here?â€

"Make of Command's intentions what you will Captain, like you I don't really care, but I really do need to ask you some questions, some that you may not like asked, but you are required to answer them regardless."

Kerr placed down his mug and with a steely expression looked the disfigured woman in the eye. His face was now lined with a protective anger that traced its way in his framed spots, starting at the edges of his eyes. “I don’t have to answer anything, Captain. Are we clear on that?â€

The truth was that Kerr had decided, through the mirk and mire of his bouts with alcohol, that the most important asset he held was not his rank, his position nor his command… but his daughter. And nothing could or would come in between them. Not now.

Once again, this crew, or people on this ship caused Alex's smile to fade into nothingness, and she returned his steel hard gaze with one of her own. "Actually Captain, yes, you do... and I don't think I can be any clearer on that."

Kerr slowly rose, his frame broadening as he did so. He smiled as a challenge offering, looked away and slowly and defiantly shook his head.

"Don't make me cite regs to you, Captain..."

“Ha!†he retorted with an almost evil edge to his voice. He threw down his beaker to the carpet and what was left of the acrid, black liquid ejected from the open vessel and splattered across the floor, the beaker bouncing after it. “Don’t cite anything to me!†he bellowed, now turning to face her with a glare to his eyes.

If it was his intent to scare her, or put her on edge, then the effect had all been for nought. She casually glanced over where the beaker had struck the wall and made a mess of the carpet and lightly shook her head before standing and returning Kerr's glare. "Captain Kerr, this can only go and end in one of two ways," Kendrick started, a small smirk appearing at the corners of her mouth. "The level of discomfort so to speak you experience will be completely up to you."

“Don’t threaten me!†his voice gravelled in reply.

"I'm not threatening you; I believe that threats are a waste of time and breath, I'm simply stating a matter of fact. You are the only member of the Archimedes command staff that is on board the Ranger. Why? What relation is Halliwell to you?"

“Get out, Kendrick,†Kerr replied, marching over to the door for it to open. “I don’t need to answer anything from you or entertain your company. Get out.â€

Alex stood fast, she wasn't about to end the conversation so suddenly without answers, and certainly not to pander to some neurotic, trumped up, drunk for all intense and purposes ex-Commanding Officer. "No." she said plainly, as plainly and unemotional as anyone could ever hope to be.

“I said, get out,†he reiterated, now crossing his arms across his broad chest unwaveringly.

Alex tried not her hardest not to, but these people's impudence was really starting to get aggravating and it was really trying her patience beyond already low limits, forcing her to raise her voice. "I'm not leaving before you give me some answers! I'm here under the direct authorisation of Starfleet Command and they need answers. You have no authority in this Kerr, so put away your self-righteous attitude, get off your moderately tall horse, sit down and lets start chatting in a more civilised manner."

As Kerr stood, now with an open palm gesturing towards the now open door, a small and slight frame could been seen hovering the corridor outside. Halliwell had returned from the Fairfax to gather some notes from her own crew before the conference took place and as the raised voices flooded the corridor, she had followed their origin to its source. Kerr suddenly sobered up and, despite his stature, shrunk into a scolded child in her presence.

Halliwell cleared her throat, her steely gaze fixed on the Trill and stepped into the room, allowing the door to seal behind her. In a low and calculated voice, she shot a glance to Kendrick and then returned her vision back to Kerr saying. “That is quite enough.†Kerr sank back lower still and then stammered.

“But – but…â€

“But nothing,†she replied, now looking over the Kendrick. “What is going on here?â€

The change in Kerr's demeanour was deplorable, almost insulting that this man, once a great and strong leader was in command of a Federation starship. Now he was almost cowering in front of Halliwell like a scolded four-year-old, and in that one brief moment, Alex felt pity for the man - but it was but a moment. She returned Halliwell's cold look for a couple of beats before, "I thought I'd try to have a little conversation. With so many of crew on the Fairfax, it was getting a little lonely."

“Lonely or not,†Halliwell returned, “Captain Kerr is not apart of my crew and therefore has no bearing on your investigation into my, my people or my ship. Am I clear? I think you should leave, Captain.†She stood and joined Kerr, both standing shoulder to shoulder allowing Kendrick an open passage to the corridor. “I’m willing to help you any way I can,†she added genuinely, “but there have to be guidelines to adhere to. And harassing a guest on board my vessel is above and beyond those rules.â€

"Well, when you put it like that," Kendrick said intentionally unchallenging and with a small,almost evil smile, "Good day Captain. Enjoy your... reception." And Alex headed with a light spring in her step putting across the thought that nothing was amiss, and nothing went wrong. "Captain," she nodded to Kerr as she passed, the sensor for the door catching her intended movement and opened, hissing closed behind her almost immediately after she left.

Halliwell sighed, and turned to Kerr with a disappointed edge to her glare. She took in a deep breath, looked to coffee stain and discarded cup that lay on its side and shook her head. She now turned back to the Trill, a look of officiality lining her usually hardened, stone face. She looked him in the blurred eyes, tutted and then went to leave his quarters, as the door opened, she turned her head in his direction.

“Command have authorised your request to relinquish your command of the USS Archimedes, Captain. No charges will be filed against you for your recent conduct if you’re not to return to her. I’ll see to it that your acting Captain gains full command of her.†She paused, and thought she heard a slight weep behind her. “You, your daughter and her guardian are welcome to stay on board until other arrangements can be made.â€

Kerr went to speak as he looked up to her back, but the words could not escape his throat. She nodded, her head now in line with the door and left him to his grief.

OFF:

’The Long Goodbye’ brought to you by

Captain Elsie Halliwell
Commanding Officer
USS Ranger


Captain Coltan Kerr
Retired Commanding Officer
USS Archimedes


AND

Captain Alexandra Kendrick
Internal Affairs Officer
Starfleet Intelligence

 

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