A Thin Line In The Sand.

Posted on Wed Feb 13th, 2019 @ 10:20am by

1,415 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: What Stalks The Night
Location: Starfleet Command. Earth.

As if the day matched the moment Will watched as the rain lashed at the large ceiling to floor windows at the Admiralty level of Starfleet Command. In his hand was the strongly worded request to make himself available for questioning as well as all the reports and records from the previous mission. Will stood without a doubt in his mind that his career was on the line, even as he watched the droplets of water race down the glass trying to in some way find a moment of solace in the rain. He'd always loved the rain even as a boy, sitting under a metal roof as a child, listening to it in his room against the window; it was just like that now only many, many years later.

Back and forth he saw officers in different coloured uniforms walk by, some in pairs talking, others alone. There was an air to grandeur about the place, this was the Admiralty after all, where the big wigs make the calls, the most powerful men and women in Starfleet meet, work and issue orders daily. He had trained all his life to command a starship, worked hard, proved himself and the elation he felt when he stood aboard the Bridge for the first time as the Captain. Looking up at the dark grey clouds which masked the stars knowing right now his own ship hung in the balance, today would decide if he’d ever step on it again, or if he’d return as Captain.

“They will see you now sir.” A woman spoke from behind him.
Will turned, before him stood a woman in red, with bronzed hair and blue eyes with the rank of Lieutenant. “Thank you.”

“Right this way.” Her hand out to the right, where most of the other officers that could be seen, were coming from.

Will followed where he was lead down one corridor to another which widened as it approached a set of heavy set wooden doors marked with the typical logos and emblems of the building. Beside it were pictures of former ranking officers, stars, plaques and inscriptions. The doors had with them two officers in gold, who opened the doors as they Will and his escort approached.

Inside was a large table which on one side sat 5 Admirals, 4 males and one female. He immediately picked out Vice Admiral Matthews of JAG. Will was indicated where he was to sit, behind a small table facing the gathered officers. He placed everything he was carrying up on ready to be pulled over the hot coals for his actions.

What followed was 7 hours of meetings which included questions, reviews of reports, logs, sensor readings, testimonies by crew members, damage reports from the UP yards for the Indefatigable, broken up by various recesses. The painting it all created was a bad one, Will could feel that his back was up against the wall, the buzzards flying high above waiting for the pound of flesh they were owed.

“While you completed the mission assigned to you, namely the rescue of the aforementioned Vashkele, it has been some source of debate between us as to the actions you took and the conduct, which resulted in her retrieval. We have at length reviewed the information presented to us, the interviews we have conducted as well as our own investigation into the matter.” Admiral Wilking Carlisle spoke who was chairing this particular ‘inquisition’.

“We have received a number of complaints from the Klingons, no less than three from the Klingon High Council and several from the Orions. I am deeply troubled by the use of the words like murder In some of them, destruction of property, damage to property, endangerment of life, trespassing, theft, abduction, enslavement.”

Will expected some of those, but some he did not. Even as he sat listening to the list of charges filed against him.

“With respect Admiral I’d like to make a statement.” Will spoke, interrupting him. “Vashkele was placed on board the Dreadnought for her safety. While the ship was in for repairs at the Utopia Planetia Shipyards, which one might regard as one of the most secure facilities in the system, from also which she was abducted from.”

Will took a moment for his opener to sink in. “I am confident you have all been read into Vashkele, her history and the information she has provided Starfleet which crippled Orion Syndicate operations for a considerable amount of time, across multiple sectors and at incalculable expense to them. It is no surprise that someone with a grudge would come after her, but it is us that let her down, we made the first failure. A failure that cost her dearly, personally.”

“We read Dr Patrovski’s report.” The female Admiral spoke. “And the extent of her injuries.”

“I was ordered to rescue Vashkele by Admiral S’iraa, to rescue her and bring her back. Time was a factor, if I had lingered then Vashkele would have been interrogated, tortured, sold on the slave market or worse. While I am glad it didn’t get that far I won’t lose any sleep over the complaints of others especially the Orions since they were the ones that took her against her will in the first place. Then cry foul because we retrieve what they stole?” Will remarked.

“And the Klingons?” Another Admiral said.

“The Klingons, our so called allies, held information that was mission critical, they didn’t want to share it. So I played them a tune they have played against us for centuries, of honour, integrity, pride. Again, it’s alright for us to be treated a certain way but when the tables are turned we are the ones complained about.” Will continued. “I’m not saying it was in line with expected Starfleet conduct, but I didn’t have the time to dally around Klingon bravado to get the information. Then to have two Klingon ships attack us when we catch up to the Orion Corvette that contained Vashkele, and they are the ones complaining?”

Will smiled, shaking his head in disbelief. “I bet the Orions didn’t complain to the Klingons that two warships were in their space when we caught up with the Corvette did they?” No of course they didn’t. “I even captured two of the three responsible for this whole ordeal, to bring them to justice for crimes against Starfleet and one of its citizens. So of course they are going to complain and play innocent because they got caught red handed and want to shine the light on us as the wrong doers.”

Silence filled the room, he could feel the eyes of everyone in the room on him.

“While through our investigation we have come to understand at length the sequence of events over the course of the rescue mission, and while we are pleased you were about to capture two of those responsible, there is one area that we can’t simply turn a blind eye to, regardless of everything else. That would be the conduct of the Commanding Officer. Starfleet Officers have to conduct themselves accordingly, that is more prevalent with those in positions of authority like yourself. As a starship Captain you are a Starfleet flag where ever you go, you are the face of Starfleet that is seen by others and what you do is always under scrutiny. While we accept you are not the only face but you are also a flag officer, the expectations on you are understandably higher.” Admiral Carlisle spoke.

“It is our finding that all charges against you will be dropped, all bar one. Conduct unbecoming that of a Starfleet officer.”

This time it was Vice Admiral Matthews that spoke up. “I’d first like to say that the circumstances of the mission have been taken into account, as has your service record, we appreciate that situation you found yourself in however….In light of your conduct during the course of the mission it is our ruling that you be reduced in rank to that of Captain. You will retain your previous assignment in command of the Ascension class, U.S.S. Dreadnought and you will continue to conduct the orders given to you as your service record demonstrates. Do you understand?”

"I do Admiral." Will spoke.

“Very well, unless there is anything else, this meeting is concluded, I remind all that the contents of this meeting is classified.”

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