...In a moment things can change

Posted on Thu Aug 28th, 2025 @ 7:21am by Commander Antonia 'Tony" Stoffels & Lieutenant Commander Ryan Price & Lieutenant Sky Jansen-Carey

Mission: Those who are left behind
Location: Ryan's Office
Timeline: ====

On:

==Personal log==

The Doctor has grudgingly allowed me to leave sickbay, while he's insisted on me keeping a light schedule I've spent the last few hours in my office going over a variety of reports about the war, none of which are sounding too good. The after action reports of AR-558 are particularly concerning and enough to only moderately modify my feelings about my remaining time in Starfleet. I still want to retire when the war is over, I think I want to retire to my property and just spend my days doing anything that isn't Starfleet."

==End log entry==

Ryan was lounging on the couch in his office, he'd turned off his combadge enjoying the silence, he had his feet up a pad in one hand and a half glass of whiskey in the other. There was something about the silence that Ryan knew was about to be short lived since even with everyone aboard ship resenting him there was no one who had answers but if things went wrong there was a scapegoat. So he hadn't used his quarters much mostly because he felt he didn't belong. He was quite happy with the privacy...That was suddenly short lived as the door chime rang.

"Come in." he said

Walking in Sky offered a polite smile, she had purposely had Tony hang back until she’d spoke to Ryan, at which point she’d have Tony join them. “Forgive my intrusion, I’m here on a…semi professional level, seeing as I’m not officially back off maternity leave yet. I understand there’s been a disagreement between yourself and Commander Stoffels?”

Ryan paused as he shifted into a sitting position "More like undermining my duties, the situation is now out of my hands, Vice Admiral Carson has sent the whole file to JAG." Ryan said "Over my objections." He added. Ryan could tell she'd asked the XO to come down here at some point, he'd left out the fact that the Admiral was following due process but to keep the counselor guessing he focused on a rather ugly and violent incident from a few years ago.

“I see” Sky nodded. “I need to try and clear the air between the two of you, would you mind if I asked Commander Stoffels to join us?”

"Yes I would actually." Ryan was blunt with this, "I've tried to be civil and been met with hostility and a deliberate attempt to discredit me and to be honest I filed a report about the first officer and her actions, and after reviewing the body camera footage her career is in serious jeopardy." he said holding up the rectangular device.

"These are standard issue with an added level of security making them tamper proof." Ryan said with an evil look on his face, "I could open it up to provide a demonstration of the tamper features but you have kids who need a mother home for dinner tonight or would you like some nightmares of your own, some particularly gruesome crime scene photos of the real Lieutenant Fox? no? her family would like an explanation, I'm sure Maybe an explanation as to why she asked me to take an off duty medic on a mission? no explanation for that one either is there?" Ryan slowed his breathing "This crew and it's senior staff have done nothing but treat me with hostility and resentment save one individual and that person has become another victim..." Ryan's tone had become dark "I'm tired of Starfleet and it's collection of disgruntled ex high ranking officers who think they know better by sitting behind a desk crafting their own little schemes and building their own empires."

“With all due respect Commander, I’m trying to help! I could have simply gone through official channels and had Captain Carey order you to speak with Commander Stoffels, but I came directly to you to see if we could resolve this matter. I’ve done nothing to you, yet you seem to be classing me amongst the enemy right now.”

Realizing he'd made his point he smiled "Now you understand how I feel."

“Then perhaps you should allow me to try and get the air cleared between Commander Stoffels and yourself, without all hell breaking loose between you.” Sky offered.

"There's a rifle and grenades in the locker behind you, a hand phaser in my desk along with a couple of knives." He Started "I think I have a shotgun under the couch." he pulled open a drawer in the center of the coffee table pulling out several knives and another hand phaser "There might be a few other weapons in here somewhere."

“Okay that’s enough” Sky sighed. “Give it a chance will you? I know Tony can be hard on people sometimes, but put yourself in her shoes! How would you feel if this was your family? Wouldn’t you do whatever you felt necessary?”

Ryan looked at the counsellor "I was assigned here to get to the bottom of the thefts of these high tech items that have been stolen on a number of occasions, and if it discredits someone who is guilty then so be it.”

***
At the same time Toni was still pacing the hallway outside wondering why it was taking so long. It was not a good sign in her mind. She was here offering yet another olive branch. She shook her head. ~ Nope~ She was going to stay calm and keep an open mind this time.

Sky could sense Tony outside, looking back towards the door she looked back at Ryan. “Let’s see how it goes, at least I can try to clear the air between you.” She tapped her comm badge. “Commander Stoffels, you can come in now.” She just hoped she could make the difference and not make matters worse.

Ryan cringed, he wasn't feeling up to dealing with more of this drama, he was hoping this was going to be short. He'd decided that if the situation were to escalate he'd have the XO removed by security. Ryan had put away the majority of the weapons he'd pulled out earlier except for his phaser which was showing it was set on a heavy stun setting. He sat back on the couch glass of whiskey in one hand, phaser on the table he waited for the next verbal salvo to begin.

Toni came in seconds later, willing herself to stay calm. She walked towards the two people but remained standing and nodded towards them but waited for Sky to take the initiative.

“Thank you for being so patient Commander” Sky smiled. “Now it’s been a long day for all of us, so we’ll make this brief. I’d just like to help clear the air between you, we all have to work together after all. “Commander” she looked at Ryan, “would you please tell Commander Stoffels what you told me about how you feel.”

Ryan's eyes narrowed, he looked the XO squarely in the eyes "You've done nothing but attempt to assassinate my career, you've made false accusations against myself and my colleagues, you've made every effort too incriminate me in an incident that had absolutely nothing to do with us, you've made every effort to vilify me at every opportunity, you have no business being a first officer aboard a Galaxy class starship, if it wasn't for that last name you'd be a lower decks on a California class ship and when I file my reports I'll be filing my resignation with starfleet, I don't need this abuse, I've done my time while you've hidden on this luxury liner pretending to be something." he said with a cold harsh tone "I don't care what the evidence is against your father I had a job to do and he's a coward in many peoples eyes."

Toni threw up her hands. "You see Sky. This man in insane. I have done nothing of the kind. Against my better nature I tried to give him a chance. I ok'ed a mission without talking to the captain, I told him to take Kay with him which he refused to do. And somehow when things go to shit I still get the blame. Now he has blackened my name and that of my famiy." She walked towards Price. "You sir have no idea how hard I worked to get where I am today or what my family sacrificed for the federation. I can't even get angry anymore at low lifes like you who only follow orders without thinking and who take other people down with you." She started to turn to walk away from him.

Ryan sat back on the couch, he'd made his point. His next thought was interrupted =^="Lieutenant Commander Price, Admiral Rittenhouse and Lieutenant Commander Horowitz are on subspace priority alpha one."=^=

"if you'll excuse me councillor." Ryan asked politely as he waited for both to leave, he sat at his desk locking the door again.

=^="Report?"=^= the older man said without formality

"The evidence is too thin to waste anymore time, she doesn't know anything and let's be honest here..." he paused changing tones "The only thing the old man is guilty of is pissing off Director Merent, maybe a few of his guys tearing up a bar here and there, but this c'mon even I'm not that stupid." looking to the other man on screen "Back me up here Howie."

The Brooklyn tinged accent started =^="He's got you there boss, The photo's are fake, just can't prove who did them, they aren't exactly your typical Orion back alley jobs, these are fairly sophisticated ones if I may say so."=^=

"So what's next?" Ryan said picking up a glass

=^="I'll talk with Ross, get him to change the starbase slot to outpost three three seven, with the next operation coming up fast we're going to need every ship ready."=^= The Admiral said then added =^="Are things really that lax there?"=^=

"I've walked around parts of this ship that should have at the least one security guard posted and there's no one but the shift staff and half of them aren't even carrying side arms, the old man is gonna loose his shit on that." Ryan said

=^="Ross has been in a conference with the Joint Chiefs all day so I'll save that for later on, Did you still want the Osiris to come pick you up?"=^=

"I'll signal them after I meet with the captain, even if he listens They're going to run too Ross." Ryan said then adding "But has he sold everyone on the plan?"

=^="No there aren't enough ships even with the Klingons and they're not sold on it."=^= Horowitz said next

"I'll get packed and get ready to head too the Osiris soon as I'm done with the Captain." Ryan said

=^="I'll signal you if something changes, Rittenhouse out."=^=

The screen went blank and Ryan sat back in his chair.

===

“Well that went disastrously wrong” Sky sighed. “Just when I thought getting back to work would be a good idea.” She gave Tony a wry smile. “I’m sorry I just made you more stressed instead of helping.”

"Still think I am exaggerating?" Toni asked. "You see how he treats me and I swear I have done nothing to him ever."

Sky nodded. “Don’t worry, I’ll be keeping an eye on things. Those working in Intel tend to be of a suspicious nature, that’s what makes them good at their jobs. Let’s see where this leads.”

"You think it is ok he talks like that to a superior officer." Toni grumbled. "I am pretty sick of hearing that Intel is special. They could still be civil."

“I didn’t say that” Sky offered. “You’d be within your rights to make a complaint regarding the way you were spoken to, as First Officer you could charge him, but would that really make things any better?”

"He has filed a complaint about me going over Xavier's head while I did nothing to him." She exhaled. "But I am not that way. I fight my own battles."

Sky nodded. “I’ll keep an eye on things, if there’s anything that worries me I’ll let both you and Xavier know.”

"Do." Toni said. "I will be busy keeping my family safe and saving my career."

[OFF]