Hard Choices

Posted on Sat May 7, 2016 @ 7:53pm by Lieutenant AJ Taggart & Fleet Captain Rhea Kennit

2,110 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: The Fall
Location: Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: 0800 (Two Days After Staff Meeting) O

ON:

AJ paced inside of his quarters, the Captain's decision to replace him weighing on his mind. Finally, he let out a sigh of exasperation and pulled on his uniform jacket, zipping it up to the neck. Checking himself over, he walked out of his quarters and into the corridor, his breath coming in short, quick bursts, a sense of purpose flowing through him. Entering the turbolift, AJ squeezed in between two enlisted men and a female warrant officer and keyed in his destination for the bridge. Waiting for a few moments as the lift began to move, AJ thought about how he would approach the Captain regarding this. As the lift slid to a stop and the doors silently slid open, AJ strode out among the duty crew, heading straight for the Captain's Ready Room. Stopping for a moment to keep himself composed, he tapped the door chime.

Inside the Ready Room, the Captain sighed and then, without looking up from a particular signal detected on long-range sensors called out, "Enter!"

Glancing up at the sound of the door opening, she identified her visitor with a glance and turning back to the computer screen on her desk said, "Mr. Taggart... to what do I owe this pleasure?"

AJ took a deep breath as he tried to draw upon all of the protocol and training he had been ingrained with. "Ma'am, I wanted to address the issue of my reassignment. I wasn't supposed to transition back into the Intelligence Division until we arrived at Helios but what do see when I look at the duty roster other than Lieutenant Casey taking over early. If I may speak frankly, I want an answer!" No sooner than the words left his mouth did AJ regret his decision.

The Captain's expression remained mild, but her eyes had gone dark with warning. Taggart was well aware that the duty-roster was set by the XO then approved by the Captain prior to being posted, no doubt that was what brought him here now. "Do you now.." she replied in a smooth, level voice that conveyed an even more clear warning in its mild tone than the dark fire glinting in her eyes. "And what exactly is it that you wish to be answered? Your duty assignment was changed in order to best serve the needs of this ship ..."

AJ raised his voice as his brain practically shut down, eliminating any trace of rational thought. "' Needs of the ship' my ass, ma'am! I was not supposed to be rotated into Intel until our arrival at Helios. Both you and XO knew this but it was done anyways, showing a complete disregard for operational protocol!" AJ's face blossomed into a rather bright shade of crimson as he continued. "On top of that, you stick me back in Intelligence where all I'll be doing is analyzing communication and sensor logs. I trained as a Security Officer to make a difference, not stay stranded in some gorram vault in the middle of the ship where I'll be a glorified file monkey."

Though her voice never changed in pitch or volume, the unyielding iron in her tone was clear. "Perhaps you did not pay attention during the briefing Mr. Taggart. Allow me to remind you of our current situation: We are stranded in the Delta Quadrant as a result of the decision made to destroy the 'gateway. At this time we now have no means of resupply, other than what resources remain at Helios Colony. We have no fallback position, and limited allies. I need an Intel officer who is trained and versed in his job, who can use what resources we do have aboard this ship to gather information about surrounding systems and civilizations in and that context your transfer to Chief Intelligence Officer is indeed a vital role aboard this ship! I am willing to make allowances for the stress of this situation upon us all but I will not tolerate such insubordinate behavior but for so long...”


AJ shook his head. Despite everything, he could see that he was getting to Rhea. "Do you know the amount of work I've put in preparing this ship for any contingency? I have checked every compartment, Jeffries Tube, console, and weapon aboard this ship to ensure that if we were attacked by anything, we can do better than a snowballs chance in hell. Can your new Chief do the same? Can he tell you how I corrected a weapons firing delay so that phasers fire near instantaneously? Or maybe how I got boarding action response times down to less than 90 seconds." AJ stood from his chair, his fists clenched on the desk. "Let me answer all of these questions for you- No, he can't. Not in the frakking slightest sense." Relaxing slightly, AJ sat back down in the chair. So you tell me, Captain. Who's better qualified to defend this ship?" He enunciated the last three words to make his point.

Standing from her seat in a slow, deliberately controlled movement... the Captain leaned forward slightly, hands on her desk as she replied "I am."

AJ raised his eyebrow. The Captain's claim was dubious at best. From everything he had read on her, she was a scientist who had survived a few engagements and made First Contact with a race called the Maru. Digging deeper, AJ had found that he couldn't access it no matter what back doors he used.

AJ continued. "Do tell me how you intend to do that, Captain, because every bit of information that I have gathered on you tells me that you're a scientist, with the exception of a couple of engagements, tactical matters are NOT your strong suit."

"Do not presume to know what experience I have, or have not gained during my career. Starfleet gave me command, for a reason... never doubt it." she told him in a warning tone. "The safety and well-being of this ship and every soul on-board are my responsibility and it is one I hold with highest regard!"

AJ let out a sardonic chuckle. "Respectfully, Captain. I have almost everything there is to know about you, with the exception of a couple of secured files that are locked up by someone with a much higher clearance than myself. Unless the contents of said files are pretty goddamn life changing, I highly doubt that you have the tactical acumen to bring us through this. It matters very little how high of a regard you hold our lives if you don't have the knowledge or grit to get us through an engagement. Am I clear on that?" AJ asked, a steely edge entering his tone.

"Do not presume to speak to me with such disrespect." she answered in a soft, conversational tone. "The contents of my personnel file are classified for a reason. You want life changing... how about life ending? Life and death hold no mystery for me. You walk a razor's line... be careful lest that line cut you more deeply than you can withstand...” Her eyes had grown dark, hard.

AJ laughed again and he centered his gaze on Rhea, his eyes flashing. "I've made decisions that have sent men and women to their deaths and I wouldn't hesitate to do so again. Would you, Captain? Would you send this crew to their deaths without a moment’s hesitation? Because something tells me that you can't. Not now. Not ever. You have too much of a heart, Captain. That much is clear."

His words struck her, and the Captain burst out into laughter at the absurdity of what he'd just said! She'd sent officers to their deaths, had personally taken the lives of others unfortunate enough to be in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Or those whose actions warranted a permanent solution to the problems they caused...

When she could speak again, still with a bright glint of amusement in her eyes she said "You're funny did you know that? Just because you can't access the information you so tried to obtain, does not erase that time from my history nor the skills and training obtained during those years forgotten. There's a reason so much of my personnel file is locked behind a classified firewall. Rest assured on this Lieutenant... I am fully qualified for the position I hold, in spite of the fact that as you have already stated... I am was a scientist."

AJ thought for a moment, determined to get the last word. "All I can hope is that you're as qualified as you say you are because at this point, I still have my doubts." AJ knew that he was being exceedingly petty but in his eyes, this was working to expose the deeply flawed plan that was this mission.

"As I have growing doubts about you Mr. Taggart. You have a disturbing habit of going against those in positions of authority higher than your own...” she replied smoothly.

"You're damn right about that Captain. You'll notice that I've done that any time my superior becomes a liability to a ship or her crew."

"That is quite enough from you Mr. Taggart!" she answered immediately in a voice like ice. "You are on report for insubordinate behavior. I was willing to let you vent your concerns and your frustrations but you have crossed the line...”

AJ simply shrugged and turned to walk away. "Captain, respectfully- take your report and launch it out of the goddamn airlock. In case you haven't seen where we are or the situation we're in, disciplinary measures don't mean jack squat out here. So if you choose to throw me in the brig, so be it. But if you put this ship in danger, I will take steps to relieve you of command."

"And now. You are officially on report." Kennit snapped at him. "I will not tolerate insubordinate behavior from anyone, whether that officer be junior to me or senior for that matter. You are way out of line!"


AJ turned to look at her with a glint in his eye. "Should I repeat myself, Captain?" he said, leaning on the threshold. "Your report doesn't matter. If you really have a problem, throw me in the brig. If you don't want to, then I'm going to walk out of here."

"Oh I heard you...” she answered smoothly. "So did the security system which monitors this room." Kennit added. Raising her voice for the first time, she called out "Security!"

The door to the ready room opened, two security guards entered with questioning expressions on their faces. "Ma'am?" Lt. Wayne asked.

"Place Lt. Taggart under disciplinary arrest and escort him to the brig, since he wants to be there so very badly. The official charge to be noted in the log is insubordinate behavior."

Immediately both officers moved towards Taggart, both curious to say the least as to what exactly had brought this development to pass but too well trained to question the Captain's orders.

Before either security officer moved, the Captain came around her desk and approached Taggart personally. She closed until she stood mere inches from him, and then in a silken, soft voice said "You have no idea who I am. You have no idea what I've done, or where I've been. But least you leave here with the wrong impression… You think I can't order members of my crew into situations which could result in casualties… There was a time… when that was all I did. I walked away from that life by choice. Be thankful. Otherwise, this little conversation we've had might have ended on a far different note."

AJ simply snarled at her and pulled one of his arms from the grip of one of the Master-At-Arms, who he had identified as now Petty Officer Frame. In one swift motion, he removed his commbadge and dropped it unceremoniously onto the deck. It pained him to do it but at this point, it was a useless and faithless symbol in the face of their impending death.

If he'd meant to somehow sway her emotions, he failed. "Cite him for littering on my deck as well. And clean up his mess...” the Captain barked as the Master-At-Arms again attempted to lead him away.

AJ growled at the enlisted man, who he finally identified as Master-At-Arms Third Class Matt Stanger. "No need to drag me down there, I know where it is." he said derisively.

:OFF

This has been a Joint Post between:

Captain Rhea Katrijn Kennit
USS Victory/NCC-9754-A, Commanding

and

Lieutenant AJ Taggart
Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Victory/NCC-9754-A

 

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