Request for Leniency...

Posted on Tue Oct 31st, 2023 @ 8:13am by Commander Kyle Reece & Captain Gary Taylor & Commodore Phoenix Lalor-Richardson

Mission: Season 6: Episode 3: Far From Home
Location: USS Elysium, Commodore's Ready Room
Timeline: MD 5 / 1234 hours
1938 words - 3.9 OF Standard Post Measure

After Lia was back in her cell, Kyle tapped his commbadge as spoke aloud. "Commander Reece to Commodore Lalor-Richardson." He then paused as he waited for a reply.

Phoenix looked up from her paperwork. "Yes Commander Reece?" She said after hitting her comm badge.

=/\=Excuse the interruption, Ma'am, =/\= he replied respectfully. =/\=I was hoping to come speak to you about an important issue, regarding Lieutenant Commander Taylor.=/\=

Phoenix sighed. "Very well, what has she done now?"

=/\=Nothing untoward, Ma'am.=/\= Kyle replied smartly. =/\=However, it still is an important subject that needs to be discussed, face to face.=/\=

"Very well I have time now if you wish to come to my office Commander." Phoenix replied.

=/\=Thank you, Ma'am. I'll be up shortly. Reece out.=/\= The channel closed when Kyle doubletapped his commbadge. After logging out of his terminal, he got up and stepped out into the main office of the Security Department. He then infoted the Chief of the Watch where he was going and that he would be on comms the rest of the day.

Once that was done, he left the Security Department and made his way directly to the bridge. Less than ten minutes after calling the Commodore, he was standing outside her office, pressing the door chime.

"Come!" Came the brisk tone of the Commodore.

When the door opened, Kyle stepped inside. "Thank you for seeing me, Ma'am," he said respectfully as he came to a halt a few paces in front of, and centred on her desk.

Inside, Phoenix was standing at the window of her ready room and she turned to face Kyle as he entered the room. "Commander?"

"As I stated earlier, Ma'am, I wanted to discuss the situation with Lia. Now, I know what she did was wrong, and if we were back home I probably wouldn't be asking this..." he paused to take a breath, then continued. "Given the current state of the crew, and the fact that Lia and Captain Taylor are in the middle of adopting one of the orphans, I was wondering if it would be possible to shorten her stay in the brig, so that she and her husband could be granted the ability to make their home as welcoming for their new child as possible?"

Phoenix moved back to her desk. "Ah such a quandary. If I say no, I am the evil witch come again, and if I say yes, then I go against the Punishment and JAG."

Kyle nodded, a grim look on his face. "I understand, Ma'am. And had I not given my word to ask, I wouldn't be here, given her recent behavior towards Mister S'hib."

Phoenix closed her eyes. "What did she do?"

Kyle sat down on the couch and sighed heavily, shaking his head. "Well, she asked if she could have the opportunity to speak with S'hib. Both to apologize to him and remind him that he was needed. When we got down to the Colonel's and S'hib's quarters, she instead basically attempted to verbally kick him in the ass. It did not go well. At the end of it, she basically stated that all her bridges were burned and all were against her. She then requested to be taken back to her cell."

The experienced officer shook his head again, seemingly drained of energy. "While I am trying to help her, she seems bound and determined to destroy her career. I'm at a loss as to what to do next."

Phoenix pressed her fingers to her forehead. "I swear, it's Arrianna all over again!" She took a breath. "I bet the counsellors will be having a field day with her. And to go off at S'hib... it is like she has had.. well not a personality change but like bipolar? Is that the term humans use?"

Kyle thought about it for a few beats, then nodded. "Yes Ma'am. That would be the name of an old mental disorder that Humans used to be afflicted with."

Phoenix walked a bit back and forth. "Ever since the Romulan Prison, Aurelia has had issues but I thought she had worked through them."

Kyle shrugged and shook his head sadly as he asked, "Perhaps the stress of the last few events finally broke something inside of her?"

Phoenix nodded "Maybe. Supervised Visits. Counselling must be present. Security must be present."

Sighing in soft resignation, Kyle spoke up. "With respect, Ma'am, until she sees the issue herself, she is going to take this all as renewed attacks upon her person and honor. If we were back home, any escalation could be easily avoided, simply by sending her to the appropriate medical facility, where she could get the help she needs. Unfortunately, we don't have that option here. Forgive me for saying this Ma'am, but are you prepared for the consequences if she explodes?"

"So I should confine her to quarters? I am at a loss on what to do with her to be honest Commander."

He shrugged and shook his head, a defeated look in his face. "Honestly, Ma'am? I'm starting to worry that we are getting into a, damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't area here. Clearly, in her current state, there is no rational way that Lia can resume her duties as Chief of Security, once the probation is over. However, we can't simply lock her away forever either. She has to accept the help she needs from the counselors. If she continues with this scorched earth, 'You're either with me, or you're against me', attitude, there isn't going to be anyone left on the ship who would want to serve with her. And when that happens, morale is going to drop down into the toilet, Ma'am."

Phoenix sighed She hit the comm. "Captain Taylor to the ready room."

On the bridge, Gary heard Phoenix's call and wondered what was up. He gave a brief acknowledgement turned the bridge over to a junior officer and proceeded the short distance to Phoenix's ready room. Reaching the ready room doors, he pushed the chime and waited entrance.

"Come" came the summons.

hearing the command to enter Gary did so and found himself in the company of Phoenix and Kyle both. He hid his surprise and nodded to Kyle before turning his attention to Phoenix,

"Captain, Commander Reece here has some information for you around Aurelia."

Kyle then repeated everything he has just told the Commodore, leaving nothing out. When he was finished, he looked at the XO, pain in his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Gary. If there's anything I can do to help your family, please know that I will do it."

After hearing everything Kyle had to say, Gary slowly shook his head, "It is alright Kyle, I've visited in Lia in the brig. One moment she is rational and reasonable the next, she is completely closed off. Doesn't hear a thing you say and the if you don't agree with me, or you're against me." attitude returns." He looked at Kyle and Phoenix, "I love Lia my wife totally and completely. However, Lia the security officer is really pushing my limits."

"If she cannot get herself together Gary, I will have no choice. She will not be allowed back to Chief until she can control herself. And even then, who is going to trust her?"

Gary gave a quick, curt nod to Phoenix's statement. It was painful to hear, and it hurt but Phoenix couldn't run the ship because one person was having emotional issues even if the one person was her XO's wife. "I understand Commodore. What do you need me to do to assist you?"

"I understand that she wants to help settle in the child you are both adopting. I want counselors and security with you both when it happens. Supervised Visits."

Gary stared at her, "Commodore..... Phoenix." He changed to her first name. "I can handle Lia. I at least deserve a chance." He continued on. "With all theses extra people in the room, little Lia is going to feel like she's done something wrong. And Lia? First time she goes to correct little Lia, she's going to be looking over her shoulder at the counselor or security officers to grab Lia and take her from the room and her. And that, Commodore, will kill Lia. It will destroy her spirit."

Listening to Gary speak, Kyle sighed softly. He then made a decision and looked over at Phoenix. "Instead of a team of security officers, Ma'am.....I'll go. Once I see that everything is as Gary states, I will step out into the corridor, leaving the family in peace. And, if you still wish to have Lia watched, Avalon could do so without being in physical form. Should something untoward occur, she can be programmed to send both myself, the counselors, even sickbay in an instant."

Gary listened to Kyle's suggestion. It was better but it still placed another person inside the family unit. He just sat as Phoenix and Kyle talked and made suggestions about his family. He felt he was swimming upstream against the tide.

Phoenix frowned. "She did do something wrong Gary. But I see your point. Would you be more comfortable with them outside the cabin Gary?"

"I don't deny that Phoenix. She disrespected you and me both. I'll handle it in my own way, and You handle it as you see fit. What I am saying and no offense to Kyle, I wish they were in the next corridor." He sighed, "I will agree to Avalon 'watching' and alerting the appropriate people IF the situation warrants it and I can't control it." Gary replied.

"Very well," Phoenix said calmly.

Kyle nodded in agreement. "While I have been placed in command of the Security Department, as you will agree to Avalon keeping an ear open for trouble, then I will stand down my side of things as well. But Gary, and I equally don't mean any disrespect to you or your family when I say this....if she pulls something like this again, I'll have her back in her brig cell faster than she can blink. Are we agreed, Sir?"

"I understand your perspective Kyle but putting Lia back in the brig isn't the answer. Lia's attitude has to change and maybe this little jolt of reality did it. She needs counseling, to vent in a constructive manner and not lash out wildly."

"I hope it did, Gary. I really do. I hold no ill-will towards your wife, personally. However, I will do my job to the best of my ability. If I find anyone posing a threat to themselves, others or the ship, I will do what I must to remove the threat. Be it your wife, the Commodore's husband, even my own family members. The Elysium is more than a ship now, more than our home. It is the United Federation of Planets, out here in the wilds."

Phoenix took a breath. "Gary either this gets better or we have big problems." She said to him. "I will leave it to you both to deal with this. My presence will cause more issues I am sure."

Gary sighed. "You think I don't think I know that, Phoenix? We're not talking about a stranger but my wife. I understand your position and Kyle's as well. I thank you both for giving me the opportunity to help Lia first."

The discussion over, Kyle and Gary stood and left the Commodore's ready room. Once they were on the bridge, Kyle gave the XO a friendly nod, then left the bridge, to begin his security patrol.

~OFF~