protest

Posted on Wed Nov 13th, 2024 @ 1:08am by 1st Lieutenant Kayleigh London & Captain Xavier Carey

Mission: Those who are left behind

Kay had been summoned to the captain's office. Not surprising really, they had not worked together well at all during the away mission and she had a thing or two to say to the captain herself.

She felt nervous when she hit the chime of his ready room office.

"Enter." Xavier replied as he placed the bad down on the desk.

"You wanted to see me, sir." Kay came to attention in front of the captain's desk and stared at a point on the wall."

"Yes, I think after the last away mission that we were on, there needs to be some... understanding, as well as a few changes to the ship." He replied as he leaned back. "For one... I had promised that it was going to be my last away mission, and I fully intend to keep it, unless something requires my presence."

Kay was already slightly mollified. "Thank you, sir. As I should have been the operational officer on the scene. You made it impossible to carry out my duties and you undermined my standing with my crew. So if you have no confidence in me I would like to request other duties."

"Lets be clear on one thing Lt. The issue I had was not of your abilities. I understand that your abilities as a marine is exemplary. You are trained to go in fighting and get people out of hostile situations. Under heavy duress. Which is admirable. My issue is, all things considered. We were in a situation where going rushing in, causing panic would have done more harm, and could have caused more problems. We weren't in an active zone. We have teams from other ships helping with the rescue. If it takes a little longer to calm people down, then we calm them down."

"Then you should have taken me aside. Now I have a crew who doubts my abilities. I have to stay in charge until the chief gets back but I am finding it hard." She said in frustration.

"The only one caring about what happened is you Lt. I also don't blame you. You are trained in one way to do things, and its hard to get out of it. Its why I went. I want to maintain presence even when im not supposed to."

"You went to check on me." Kay said flatly. "Why don't you ask someone else to be acting chief if you don't trust my work."

"I went, because I want to do one way of things. I've always been the lead, it's hard.govong it up. I did not check kn you. I went because I wanted to make a difference. Being kn bridge watching things happen. I get antsy. I don't like sending.people on teams if.im not willing to go myself."

"You have to get it through your head that a captain leads from the bridge." Kay was shouting now. "Trust your crew to do their jobs. You have proved that you can do it by working your way up the chain of command. You were needed on the bridge instead of Toni's grandfather!"

"I understand." He reminded coolly, "I did not believe there would be an issue of I left him for a brief period. However, there was a breech in security in one of the cargobays. A survivor, managed to beam over with a weapon. Injuring several of the nurses. Preliminary investigation, shows that for the amount of survivors that we were taking on. Security was insufficient."

"We were stretched to the limit, sir. I did not have more people to leave behind on the ship. And maybe if all survivors had been sedated before bringing them over as I suggested this would not have happened either."

"Stretching people to the limit, is not a valid reason. You borrow from other departments, ask civilians if they have security experience. We have other ships we can request additional help from. Being a chief, even acting chief requires sometimes out of the box thinking." He sighed. He leaned forward. "Kay... this is your first rodeo with security... a place I put you in. Sedating the survivors was never an option."

"I am a junior officer, sir. I haven't had department head training yet. I am doing the best I can with my knowledge of leading marine platoons." She gritted out and also felt tears pricking her eyes. She willed them back not willing to cry in front of the captain.

"I am not blaming you. Sometimes Captains can make errors in judgement." Xavier replied taking a drink of his coffee, before calmly turning back to her. "This was not on you. Security, and Marines are two different beasts. One cannot expect one to go into the other and expect it to be smooth sailing."

"You want me to step down?" She continued to sit rigidly.

"Nope, but I will get you some assistance... Tal, will be helping you with security. Tactical right now is calm, and she could always return if the need arises. This is on me not you."

"Thank you, sir." Kay said. "And I would like to get some department head training. A next time I want to be ready for this."

"You will have it." Xavier replied, "Once Commander Rinne gets back, I will make sure she gives you the proper rundown of the department."

"thank you sir. In the meanwhile I will do the best I can." Kay promised.

"Thats all one can do Lt." Xavier replied. "Dismissed."