The Nerve of Him

Posted on Sat Sep 19th, 2020 @ 7:40am by Captain Garrett Lovejoy [ Taylor]

Mission: Season 3: Episode 5: Shoreleave
Location: Starfleet Headquarters, Near Mountbatten's Office
576 words - 1.2 OF Standard Post Measure

Jessica leaned against the wall waiting for Lovejoy to walk out of Mountbatten's office. To say she was not pleased was an understatement.

"Excuse me Commander, I have work to do." Lovejoy spoke making sound like an order." As he moved to go around her and continue on his way.

Jess got in his way. "That was a low-blow straight into the nuts, Lovejoy, and here I thought you had more self-respect than go onto FNS and trash my CO." If he knew Jessica Vaii, the only thing keeping her from kicking his ass was probably the four goddesses and her impeccable discipline as the Elysium CAG.

At first Jessica might have respected him once upon a time. Now those days were over.

Lovejoy looked at her. "Who are you? Oh, it doesn't matter who you are. I can tell your one of the Elysium's crew." He held his hands over his heart. "Shame on Commander Lovejoy, he said bad things about our Captain. Boo hoo. You all jump to conclusions, I didn't go to FNS, Mrs. Pyrce-Randall came to me and everything I said is of a public record. So get over it."

"Do you always act like a goddess-damned schoolyard bully, Lovejoy?" Jess mentioned, keeping her composure. "Because that outburst didn't hurt us, it's made us stronger, more resolute, and your making Phoenix stronger."

"If that is so, then you should be thanking me and not complaining." He snapped back. "As for Captain Lalor, you may not believe this and frankly I don't give a damn if you do or you don't. However Captain Lalor is a Federation Officer and I will do everything in my power to aid her and keep her safe despite my personal feelings for her. Oh, while we're at see if your selective memory can remember this. When Lalor and her command team went missing, the Commodore mounted the search and rescue mission and I was leading one of the away teams searching for them."

Jess got into his face as Mountbatten appeared out of her office. "You are never... ever... going to command a Federation Starship. We don't need self-important stooges in the center chair. We need people who can lead at the front lines, command respect and loyalty, and are not pretenders who shout regulations from the rear. Go home, Loveless." Jess turned and walked away. The rivalry between Jess and Lovejoy was almost as pronounced as with Arrianna.

"That's the problem with the crew of the Elysium. You think you all know more that anyone else. That you are infallible and we know that isn't true. All we have to do is look at it's record to date. It's one think to think you're the best it's something else to actually be the best. You all suffer from delusions of grandeur. Where what you perceive and what actually is are miles apart and that's not only sad it's a crime." Lovejoy spat back. " As for commanding a starship. Hopefully Command is opened minded to see that changes are needed in it's starship commanders. The first being that they be adults and not children like your captain. Who acts like she just received the keys to her daddy's car."

"People like you will tear this fleet and this Federation apart." Jess barked back as she rounded a corner.

"Oh doom and gloom! We're all doomed. We are if we listen to people like you." Garrett fired back.