Reading the riot act

Posted on Thursday September 29th, 2022 @ 7:29pm by

Mission: Shore Leave
Location: Ready room
Timeline: MD 0; 1318 hrs

On:

Jason had gotten the message. In his mind he'd gone over it more than once, he figured reprimand would be likely, dismissal from this assignment was probable, and anything else was not to be ruled out. Jason was on his way to meet with the CO and he knew why. The fiasco that was the recent away mission wasn't going to go away, hell he'd been warned, that the only thing we would avoid is a court, Marshall. If the captain dismissed him from his post he'd end up dead-ending behind a desk on earth or as a functionary on a starbase, until he finally became frustrated and resigned from Intelligence and ultimately Star Fleet.

He'd talked with Gen prior to this meeting he was likely going to get busted, he didn't know how hard. It didn't help that Commodore Phelps had ordered him to poach the database from the ship, so he knew he was in trouble, he didn't even deny it in his reports. He filed the main report ending with one statement ' I accept full responsibility for the mission's failings and will not fight any and all repercussions from my inactions.'

The turbolift ride felt like an eternity, he cursed himself mentally, he shouldn't have let the now departed Karadis get away with those actions, he thought in retrospect that he should have stunned her, heavily. the lift stopped ~Here goes everything.~

Jason exited the lift, turned left, and pressed the door chime.


the Captain's office had been busy as ever with the XO gone with no warning. With the second officer Niali Counseling. This left Trensu busy. Now for the next meeting, he was proud of his crew but some things could not go without action. He had the reports in front of him. Trensu mumbled, "Lieutenant Jason Elliot what were you really thinking." Trensu picked up his teacup and took a sip and placed it down on his desk. The door chimed.

"Enter Lieutenant Jason Elliot!" Trensu knew saying his name would put more gravity on the situation. Elliot further defined how he answered trensu questions.

Jason entered, and stood at attention "Lieutenant Jason Elliot reporting as ordered sir!" ~here it comes~ Jason thought cursing the whole situation.

Trensu looked Elliot over there was a lot going threw Trensu's mind about the ship and its crew. This is not one of the things Trensu looked forward to when dealing with one of his officers with this incident Elliot asked more like a enlist than an officer. "At ease, Lieutenant," said the Captain in an unemotional and cold tone. The captain almost sounded like a Valcon. There was an awkward pause as Trensu looked at a Padd. "Well, Lieutenant what do you have to say about yourself? chose your words carefully. you will not get a second chance and they could be your last wards." explained Trensu in a dire tone.

Staying at parade rest Jason spoke, "The ensign refused to follow orders as I stated in my reports, following failure to disable the warning system which resulted in injuries and orders to withdraw from the situation she further ignored requests to stand down, after numerous requests to stand down she recklessly charged head first into an unsafe situation that was not covered by mission parameters." Jason paused "While our main orders were to attempt to recover the scientists, I had received additional compartmentalized instructions from Earth to recover the shipboard database, I failed in completing those missions and the mission further became compromised in a way that actions to end the mission promptly was impossible."

Jason took a few seconds to assemble his next words "I have spoken to Star Fleet intelligence and they have informed me that should you choose to do so I will be recalled and reassigned per a message Admiral Reider should have sent to you by now." Jason put his cards on the table and waited for the end result.

"That is right YOU talk to Star Fleet would we add skipping the chain of command?" Trensu's voice got louder and his tone harsh. "Do you think I need an Officer that disobeys orders? Puts crewmembers in unnecessary danger. An officer that can not complete a mission and control the personnel on that mission," said Trensu. Not many people had ever seen Trensu angry but Jason might have just got a glimpse of it. "Next time you contact HQ and not tell I or the OX your job could be the least of your worries. there are many reasons why you should not do that," explained Trensu.

"Now what have you learned from this mission? what do you think I should do with you?" asked Trensu taking a sip of this tea.

"To correct the captain, Intelligence contacted me, the communications log will reflect that, the second use of force to restrain an officer regardless of rank should only be a last resort, in this instance, the ensign would not stand down after a direct order and after further investigation may have sabotaged attempts to disable the countermeasures we encountered, in retrospect, I should have used non-lethal measures too restrain the ensign and withdrawn from the mission." Jason paused knowing what was next "Should the captain feel it so I will request reassignment." his cards were on the table.

"Request reassignment? No, you are not getting off that easy. No, you will stay with this ship, crew, and under my Command Lieutenant Elliot. Trust me if you leave this ship under disciplinary reasons it will be in cuffs with an escort from security. Do I make myself clear Lieutenant?" said Trensu not letting up. Trensu knows most people would make their punishment or disciplinary action harder for themselves than what is required. Trensu was convinced that Elliot learned his lesson and made the mistakes like any Lieutenant could make on a mission. "Just know you will be on the duty roster a lot more and assigned additional duties as I see fit. Do you have anything to add Lieutenant?" asked Trensu.

Jason remained at attention "No Sir, Understood sir, does the Captain need anything else of me sir?"

There was a grin on Trensu when he drank the last of his tea. "Yes, more tea, Lieutenant. If you would Lieutenant," asked Trensu.

Jason went to the replicator and got the captain another cup, placing it on the desk handle facing the captain. He knew his life was about too go to hell.

End

Lieutenant Commander Ahkhsu Trensu
Commanding Officer
USS Oberon

Lieutenant Jason Elliot
Chief Intelligence officer
USS Oberon