You Did What?

Posted on Wed Mar 27, 2019 @ 8:51pm by Commodore Michael Aravan & Lieutenant Colonel S'er'in'e

Mission: On Slippery Ground
Location: Ready Room
Timeline: MD 1 || 1530 Hours

Commodore Aravan paced back and forth in his ready room with a forgotten cup of coffee on the large conference table that acted as an LCARS interface. His face was clouded with anger and his green eyes were narrowed before he finally stopped and slapped his combadge. =^=Lieutenant Colonel S'er'in'e, report to the ready room.=^=

It didn't take long before the towering Caitian stood before the doors to the Ready Room. He had to wonder if this was about the rescue effort in the cargo bay. While accepted it was not the cleanest method, it was the option to hand to help secure the hostages.

"Enter," Michael called out as he refilled his coffee cup and took a seat at the head of the table.

When the doors opened the feline walked in, tail close lest the door close on it. It wouldn't, but painful experience in the past had taught him the action. "You asked to see me Sir."

"Yes, I did," the Commodore said. "I was just talking to the Captain of the Apollo regarding your actions over there."

"Indeed." S'er'in'e spoke as he now expected rumour to have swept the ships company as to what he did to one unfortunate enemy combatant.

"I only have one question about your actions while you were there," Michael said as he took a drink of coffee and set it down. "What in the hell made you think you had the power to arrest the crew of another Captain's ship?!" he thundered.

"To answer, l would ask by what power did one of his crew think he could talk to me in such a manner, after just effecting his rescue in blatant disregard for my rank. In front of the assembled crew, I would consider that conduct unbecoming an officer." Now that the pieces had fallen into place, he knew what this was about.

"You weren't his commanding officer. You may be senior to him in rank, but not in his chain of command, Colonel," Michael said. "You weren't there to order them to abandon their ship. You were there to assist them in getting it back. Nothing more. What you did could also be considered conduct unbecoming an officer if you want to bring that up."

"If a charge is to be made then l will answer it. That does not change his conduct." He replied to the Commodore. "Nor his words to myself when my priority was to secure the safety of the hostages while he sought to be a hero."

"Fortunately for you, the Lieutenant Commander in question doesn't want to file charges and neither does the Captain," the Commodore said. "However, it doesn't change the fact that you were trying to get them to abandon their own ship instead of assisting them in taking it back. Your actions on that aspect are commendable, minus a certain bandit that's still in the Apollo's Sickbay after you landed on him."

"They call it abandoning ship, l call it ensuring the safety of the lives of the crew. Something the Lt.Commander was prepared to put at risk by engaging an unknown enemy force with minimal arms and outdated information." S'er'in'e replied

"So you'd abandon the Triumphant if we had been boarded and the assisting crew told you to leave it?" Michael asked. "That's called dereliction of duty, Colonel."

"Respectfully, l was there, l made a judgement call in effect to save the lives of those that were but moments prior, hostages. I will not apologise for my conduct." S'er'in'e answered

"I don't disagree on the actions you took in helping get the bandits rounded up," the Commodore said with a sigh. "It's the fact that you cannot order another ship's crew to abandon their ship and then threaten to arrest them."

"Understood." Though it was clear he disagreed. In his eyes he felt he did the right thing to keep people safe.

"Good," Michael said."Now get out of my ready room and go review the regulations on conduct on boarding and remember it."

S'er'in'e didn't answer, promptly turned and left.

As the doors started to close, Michael yelled "And that's Yes Sir! when I give you an order!" With a muttered oath, he turned back to his work and began to arrange for another rescue mission.