An Uninvited Reporter

Posted on Sun Jul 21st, 2024 @ 8:35am by Colonel Jason "Jack" Frost & Penelope Haskell
Edited on on Sun Jul 21st, 2024 @ 8:35am

1,954 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Ethics, Morals & The Prime Directive.
Location: Colony Grounds
Timeline: Battles End

The battle was in its final stages with the last vestiges of raider forces holed up in a single building putting up a futile last stand. The building was surrounded, time was on Starfleet's side and there was no danger to marine forces because the raiders had expended all their ammunition. Looking around he could see combat medics tending to the wounded, grounds of marines together tending to injuries, drinking water, taking a well-earned breather. Taking a few paces off to one side he looked around at the mess the colony was left in. Buildings collapsed, fires, sections without power and almost everywhere were signs of weapons fire lacing wall and building side alike. Jack may have not seen the place in it's prime, but it was far from it now after the battle.

800 Marines deployed to the surface, how many he wondered would return? How many letters would he need to write to parents, partners, spouses and relatives? He hoped Sam was ok, a lot could happen in minutes and injuries stole time all too often.

"Colonel." Jack heard off to his left, he turned to see who had called him. It was also surprising to see a female not in green, but instead marked with 'Press'. Instantly his entire demeanor changed. Just what was the Press doing here, who had approved it, how long had they been here.

"I'm Colonel Frost, Marine Commander Dreadnought, and you are?" His gaze was icy cold, unwelcoming, something the Press was accustomed to no doubt as he stared down at the only slightly shorter woman before him.

“Penelope Haskell, Federation News Service.” The young woman responded, shaking out her hands in a gesture meant to show that she wasn’t recording anything at the moment. She’d found that it was never a good idea to record anything when talking to a unit CO unless she had their explicit permission. Of course, it was a tired move, as she did show a fair bit of fatigue despite the makeup that was only somewhat smudged from her time on the planet so far.

She looked back towards where the Marines were recovering and tending to injuries before looking back to the Colonel, the smile on her face weary but still as cheerful as she could make it, “I’m no tactician or strategist, but my condolences and regrets for your casualties, still, your operation seems to have succeeded rather well, Colonel.” She considered holding one hand out to shake, but the look on his face told her that would not be welcomed at this moment.

"Ms Haskell, have you been down here at the colony all this time or did you arrive via Dreadnought?" Jack asked suspecting the latter given her composure but wanting to get all the facts in line.

"Now that's a complicated question, eh?" The reporter said quietly, mostly to herself, "Technically we arrived with Dreadnought, but that was nearly colocated in time with our arrival on Dreadnought." Penelope sighed lightly, now sortof figuring what the Colonel was about to say, but hesitant to stick her foot into it first, "I was actually excited to take on the assignment to Dreadnought, given her relative uniqueness in the Fleet. Something to keep a reporter busy much of the time, with a ton of unique opportunities that they wouldn't find on just about any other Starfleet ship."

"Can you tell me who approved your arrival or presence on a active military combat zone?" Jack enquired because he was confident it wasn't him and only one other had the power to over rule him, but even then Captain De Havilland would have said something to him at the very least.

And there was the sticking point, Penelope knew, plus she wasn't sure if Wolfe even knew she'd gone down to the surface on this one, though with the unit she'd attached herself to being cut off for a short while.. Penny took a breath, "Specifically, Colonel? No one." She unzipped her jacket and reached into one of the inside pockets for her credentials, then held them out for him, "I am a combat correspondent and I know better than to put myself into actual line of combat, because that could be a distraction to the troops actually engaged. Captain Mellon graciously let me attach myself to his unit in sector 10, I think it was, especially when I pointed out that I could also assist in first aid for minor injuries if needed, which would free up his own medics for anyone in more serious need. I really was going to come to you first, but there just wasn't enough time and AS a reporter, it's my job to make sure that the news gets out. I haven't transmitted anything yet, I have to make sure that anything that goes out gets cleared by Marine censors, I sure as hell am not going to put anyone at risk, Colonel, sir."

Jack took the credentials and looked them over before handing them back. "That is all well and good Ms. Haskell, but let me stop you there. Your News, can wait. I'm all for freedom of your press but your freedom comes when I, or the person in charge of the situation approves your arrival and not before. You say your job is to report news, my job is to protect lives and that includes yours, cant report anything if you're dead. If you missed me, that is unfortunate but you wait. If you're unable, then you speak to the ship's Captain but you do not just take matters into your own hands."

Jack didn't like the Press, had a distasteful habit of painting a picture far from actual truth and in this instance of a pitched and heated battle he'd lost marines. "Your job, doesn't trump anyone's, least of all mine when it comes to a marine operation. You are a civilian, FNS doesn't have free reign, it obeys the situation at the time and getting the news out comes secondary to mine or anyone else that wears this uniform."

It was obvious that Jack wasn't happy. Anyone a mile off could garner that vibe even in the faintest degree.

Penny's mouth had opened to object and try to talk her way around the Colonel's objections, but she also knew she wasn't like some of her colleagues who had the true gift of a silver tongue. Hers was bronze at best with bits of tarnished silver on her best days, when she was fully rested and alert, which she wasn't right now. She closed it again as she listened to his admonishment. Even that other officers in the past letting her join them or not at her discretion really didn't matter at this point, because that was then and this was now.

In the end of it, there was only one answer that this officer would accept and Penelope knew it, because she knew what Wolfe's reaction would be about it, "Yes, Colonel. I do understand and I will follow that direction from here on out. I overstepped and I'm sorry about that, but I can't go back now and ask permission ahead of time at this point." She actually was sincere with her apology, "I also don't expect any special treatment when I'm out there and I know the risks that I'm taking whenever I go out in the field. And I was going to come to you or your exec shortly in any case, because I do need someone in your staff to coordinate with for approving any newspieces that result from any time I'm out here. Believe it or not, Colonel, I want to put the Marines into a good light, I'm not a sludge reporter."

Though Jack could see that she was apologetic, being a reporter though he could only take that so far. "You want to make news, fine, I will give you news from a position of safety. If you need more, fine, I will provide it as long as it doesn't compromise my men or the mission. If you want interviews then arrange it with Captain De Havilland, he will have final say over the material you use for operational security. Those cameras of yours...." Jack said pointing to the pack containing them, a give away since she wasn't wearing any kind of headset or body camera.

"If you want to come on a mission with me they will be subject to inspection and modification to make sure they can not be hacked, emit a signal or give away our position in any way. Do not ask me what I'll do to you if they do."

“Colonel, I-“ Penelope started to bite back, but stopped and closed her eyes. This was normal and she’d always had to prove herself to one or another officer. She took a deep breathe and started over, a more soothing voice than the bitter one she’d been about to use, “I understand, Colonel, and they are of course available for inspection. These drones were a cooperative design between the FNS and a group of Marine technicians from one of my other assignments. They record only, they don’t even have transmitters of any kind installed. My helmet does have one, but it is locked down and requires manual triggering.”

Penny spread her hands wide, “I am cooperative, Colonel, I am not going to do anything to compromise any part of your operation, you can take that to heart. The Corps has had enough bad press in the past and I know I have to prove to every one of you that I’m not one of THEM. I’m not going to try to sneak anything past you or your people, I actually want, desire, even need your input on what can go out and why.” She tried to give another bright smile, but it came out kind of nervous, “Someone once said that there’s no feeling quite so exhilarating as being shot at and missed, but having been there and done that, I still discommend the getting shot at part.”

"Getting shot at is one thing Ms. Haskell, it's the ones that hit you have to worry about and enemies don't care how pretty the target is." Jack answered. Jack could see some of his command element approaching. "We have secured most of the complex, there are still enemy combatants behind that door surrounded by the fountain and holed up in a building a few blocks north. You do not go anywhere alone." A head nod indicated two marines to act as her escort for her safety. "If you'll excuse me Ms. Haskell."

Jack started to walk with his gathered command element but paused causing one marine to take a sudden side step to avoid running into the Colonel. "And Ms. Haskell, actions speak louder than words, act and then we will talk about my input."

“Of course, Colonel.” Penelope waited until the ranking officer had turned away again and was absorbed with his command team before releasing the breath. Well, he hadn’t summarily kicked her out into the cold without so much as a glance, which was a good thing. Now if she could put something together that would give his unit some positive feedback, that may help as well. She smiled at her escorts, “Gentlemen, if you wouldn’t mind, is there a house or desk somewhere I can start to put some of these pieces together? Once the Colonel says it’s safe, I’d like to visit the fountain he was talking about, but I’ve got no pressing need to get shot at by those holdouts!”

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