Titans
Posted on Mon Dec 12th, 2011 @ 2:05pm by Captain Alexsa Kendrick & Captain Elsie Halliwell
2,017 words; about a 10 minute read
Mission:
Unmasked Miners
Location: Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: Current
There was a period of calm as the two officers stepped into Halliwell's ready room which belied the thoughts and feelings reeling through Kendrick's head as to the situation, the suggestions, and the 'plan'. The tense pause continued as Elsie stepped around her desk and took her seat, something which Alex had no intention of doing, instead placing her hands on the back of one of the visitor's chairs, and attempted to stifle the inclinations of picking it from the floor and beating Halliwell with it. "Is your crew insane, captain, or just yourself for listening to them and entertaining the ideas of taking this ship for casual moonlit swim?"
Elsie remained silent for a moment, her face plain and without expression except for an amused squint that lined the outside of her eyes. It had been a few days since Halliwell had had a run in with the silent observer and, with the way she was feeling, she was ready for another bout. She inhaled and leant back casually in her chair; her delicate arms folded, bracing her chest in a relaxed manner. Her blue eyes searched Kendrick's and the corners of her mouth subtly lifted towards her grinning eyes. "It sounds as though you have something on your mind, Captain. Please, by all means, don't hold back your opinions on my account."
The slight changes on Halliwell's features were not lost on Kendrick. Well, in fact they were, but lost on meaning rather than their presence--was she amused, bemused, or just plain mused as to the conversation? It was never in Kendrick's personality to beat about the bush or to mince words, and while she had an open invitation, sarcastically thinking to herself if ever she needed one, she thought she may as well take full advantage of it--there would be plenty of time for Halliwell to regret it later. "The phrase 'have you lost your marbles' would spring to mind, and it would appear that a junior level scientist was the only person in the briefing room to have any modicum of sense. They call these things starships for reason and just so there's no confusion on your part, that generally means they're designed to stay in space."
Whether to interrupt or not, Halliwell appeared to take a breath, but Alex went on regardless. "Just because this class of starship in designed to head into the atmosphere of a planet, does not mean that it should be a daily occurrence, to say nothing of the risks of leaving a poorly armed or defended shuttle in orbit that would not have the power or the resources to haul up the Ranger if it were to get into trouble, and would not be able to sufficiently defend itself against the Romulans if they were to take advantage of the situation. And forgive me for thinking this, but I do not have the trust, the faith, or the belief in your slightly deranged crew that you appear to."
"Then," Halliwell interjected, leaning slightly forward with a more aggressive standpoint, "it's a damned good thing that you're not in command of the rabble of officers you so clearly think they are." She paused, inhaled slowly and then sat back into her chair. "If that is all you have to say, Captain, then I suggest you leave my ready room and return to whatever superfluous role you have managed to shoe-horn yourself on my vessel with and leave the command decisions to those afforded such a right."
"I'm not finished." Alex continued, the tone in her voice suggesting more and more annoyance at the seeming stupidity of Halliwell's crew the more she laid it all out. "As if all that's not enough, we have possibility and likely high of a first contact situation to worry about--how would the Taylforthian's feel about a, to them, unidentifiable starship coming screaming from the clouds into their oceans? I'd hate to see that on the evening news, wouldn't you? And I could only imagine what the Romulan's would think, or Headquarters when they read about such activities in my report."
Halliwell's steely determination was one of the personality facets that had propelled her through the ranks and into the position she found herself in today. However, such a conviction in ones own decisions also sidelined the benefit of experienced input. And it was this one-sided nature that had, during her personal and professional career, caused her the most repercussions. Coupled with this was her unwaving ignorance that such a blind-sightedness was detrimental to any mission, her ship and most importantly her crew. But her crew now consisted of much more than willing serving officers and crewman. It also housed her newly discovered daughter.
"I don't give a damn what your opinion of my professional decisions consist of, Captain. And as an official observer, I suggest that you stick to your job role. I have full faith in my crew, and despite any objections, I know that they will carry my orders out to the letter." She paused, leant in again and lowered her voice. "We're heading down beneath the surface, Captain. Whether you like or not."
Once again it seemed that Halliwell's buttons were so easily pressed, something which could make her a rather unpredictable ship commander, and a danger to both ship and crew. "As a matter of fact Captain, I don't give a targ's backside, but I'm not the one you should be worried about. You have a crewman on the senior staff that is visibly petrified of one or more aspects of taking a swim, inside the Ranger or otherwise."
Kendrick's cold gaze buried deep into Halliwell's features as she continued in a more menacing tone, "And then there's the small matter that you seem to have forgotten--General Order twenty-nine. In case you're not familiar with it, it states that the primary responsibility of the commander of any Starfleet vessel or installation is the welfare and safety of his or her crew, including any civilian members. In addition, no action may be taken that creates an unwarranted threat to the safety of those individuals under the officer's charge, except in the line of duty and when otherwise unavoidable... This so-called plan creates a threat to the safety of this ship and her crew, and is most certainly avoidable."
There was a definite pause but neither officer put anything further forward until Alex went on, "Of course, I could have you up on charges for violations of Starfleet General Orders and Code of Practice. I could take pause in this mission and launch an official and immediate inquiry, putting us back to port. My official role as an observer would be over, and I would see to it that your career would be also."
"I wouldn't be so quick to threaten me," Halliwell then slowly replied. "Despite how far you believe the extent your authority reaches, be clear of one thing: The success of this mission is my own cross to bear, and nothing you do in that capacity can jeopardise its course." Halliwell now slowly stood to meet Kendrick's gaze on a more level playing field. "This isn't my first rodeo, Captain. And you'd be wise to remember that this isn't my first questionable command decision. I can justify my course of action by the authority I wield on this ship and in this mission... and by my experience."
Elsie then gently pushed the chair backwards with the back of her knees and then rounded the desk to stand face to face with what seemed to be quickly becoming her nemesis.
"You have no direct authority on this ship or over me and you would be wise to remember that." She paused and let the pregnant air between them stagnate for a beat. "I'm sure that being the messenger boy and writing reports for your own superiors is rewarding enough. But this is my show." She lowered her voice a little more and then ended with, "Now, get out my ready room and off my bridge."
"Nope." Alex said simply as she brushed past Elsie and climbed up the few steps to the large sofa that spanned the forward facing window and took a seat. "Point one, captain," Alex said as she crossed her legs signifying further that she had no intention of going anywhere until she was good and ready, "You should not make the mistake of labelling me as a simple messenger boy, or I would not be sitting here having this conversation. Point two, this is not your show and you answer to the same superiors that I do. Point three, by rights I should have you arrested and escorted off your own bridge for violation of Starfleet General Orders, and while I could not assume command without support from your X-O or Chief Medical Officer, your first officer may be a little more logical in her command."
Elsie stared blankly at the woman now sitting on her couch. She stopped herself from flying into the rage she felt beginning to well up in her belly and sighed, shaking her head defeatedly. "You seem to forget, Captain, exactly whose ship you're on. We may both answer to the same superiors, but on this ship and on this mission you answer to mine. Now, stop embarrassing yourself and quietly leave this deck before I have you removed from not only my ready room but my ship as well. To hell with whatever reports you intend to file when we return."
Alex casually stood again and slowly paced forward toward the top step. "I haven't forgotten whose ship this is," she started, "and if I'm not mistaken it's Starfleet's, you just command it. I'm not on your staff roll Halliwell, I don't answer to anyone on this barge, including you, and if you think that I'm doing this to embarrass myself, you're sorely mistaken." She left that thought in the air and purposely stepped down the first step. "Stardate 45218.7, the starship Belfast went down while investigating a distress signal from a planet's ocean, they crashed into the ocean themselves and the pressures crushed their hull before they hit the bottom. Stardate 8129.3, the USS Potemkin is charged with running a planetary survey in the Dakoma system and one of their shuttles suffered a similar fate--these aren't the only instances."
She finally went down to the same level as Halliwell, "As I said I don't answer to you, out here, I am the authority, and whether you like it or not, you will answer for this insanity if you plan to actually see it through. I leave you now because it suits me, captain. Just know that when things go south, I'll be there to remind you that 'I told you so'". And at that, she headed for the door.
A grimace slid across Elsie's face as the door breathed closed behind Kendrick, ironically mimicking the sigh that Halliwell then exuded. What was strange to the captain was that she knew, at some level, that she was out of control in this situation. But her blind determinism would not allow her to cross back across this river of blood. She allowed her body to deflate, much like a riled up bird that had puffed up its chest in a rival stance, and she slowly returned to her desk, falling slovenly into her own chair.
Raising her hand slowly to her combadge, she delicately tapped it as the familiar rolling beep thundered about her ears. "Halliwell to Shepherd. Lieutenant, keep a tight reign on Captain Kendrick. Her movements are to be limited to her job role only. Oh, and Cedric. Keep that damned woman away from in the future. Halliwell out."
OFF:
Captain Elsie Halliwell
Commanding Officer
USS Ranger
AND
Captain Alex Kendrick
Internal Affairs
Starfleet Headquarters
RSS Feed