Catch up with Rin and fixing the issue....

Posted on Wed Jan 24th, 2024 @ 9:54am by Commodore Phoenix Lalor-Richardson & Captain Gary Taylor & Lieutenant Commander Rin

Mission: Season 6: Episode 4: Memory Lane
Location: Commodore's Ready Room, Deck 1, USS Elysium
Timeline: MD6 - 08h00
2149 words - 4.3 OF Standard Post Measure

Phoenix wanted to check in with each of her senior staff to see how they were getting on.

So, she made up a timetable and sent it out to the Senior staff, asking them to present themselves at a set time to her office for a one on one.

08h00 – Chief of Intelligence
09h00 – Marine CO
10h00 – Chief of Science
11h00 – Chief of Security/Tactical
12h00 – Chief of Medical
14h00 – Chief of Counseling
15h00 – Chief of Engineering
16h00 – Chief of Operations
17h00 – Chief of Flight Control
18h00 – Group Commander
19h00 – Chief Diplomat

Then she set up her office, ruthlessly moving her desk to the far corner of the room and shifted her couches closer to the window as she wanted this to be a relaxed meeting. She then waited for her first guest.

Rin had already been up two hours by the time her appointment rolled around. In truth, she was kind of looking forward to a meeting with the Commodore. They had very little interaction: the circumstances of the last few months simply didn't call for it. Most of the time she interacted with the Xo. She wasn't sure what she could usefully report either, but that would depend on the kinds of questions posed.

Rin pushed the chime to the room.

The door opened. "Ah Lieutenant, please come in, have a seat." The commodore said as she stood by the doors. "Thank you for making the time to come by." As she spoke Phoenix led Rin to the couches.

Rin took the offered seat, sitting stiffly upright. "Honestly, it's a welcome break from the holodeck training, sir."

Phoenix smiled at that. "I hear its going well. Can i get you anything to drink?"

"Coffee would be appreciated. Two sugars."

Phoenix got it from the replicator. She handed it to Rin. "So I am checking in with all senior staff, on how they and their teams are going, handling everything." She said as she sat opposite Rin. "Its just a check in."

Rin shrugged. She really didn't have much to say. This could have been an email, she thought, to use an archaic phrase.

"Intel is doing fine. We're short of work, so I've been loaning some people to Tactical."

After a pause, Rin continued. "I do have a question, on that matter. With all due respect, sir, why is the chief of Intel not running the current intel mission?"

Phoenix smiled. "I was wondering when you would bring it up. Captain Taylor has an intelligence background, but I would like to hear your arguments for yourself." She was encouraging Rin to speak. "Speak freely."

"Captain Taylor, as XO, and as per his background, and as his part of the mission, I can understand. But I - and two other Intel officers - have been assigned to work under the Marine CO on a mission that involves no Marines. I'm an 'advisor' to her. This isn't a ground assault. This is Intel."

Rin was a little surprised how easy it was to voice the frustration that had been building over the last couple days.

"Advisor?" Phoenix asked curiously. "Did Captain Taylor sign off on that?"

"He announced Naxea as head of what even he called 'the Intel team,' and he was present when she announced me as 'advisor.'"

Phoenix wanted to groan but she stood, waving Rin to remain seated. "Captain Taylor to the ready room. Now please." She was so going to deal with this.

Gary was on the bridge when Phoenix's call came in. Turning the bridge over to the duty over he made the short trip to the Commodore's ready room. Arriving, he checked himself over and pressed the chime to await entrance.

The door opened at the brisk. "Come in "

Gary entered at the command. He saw Phoenix standing and Rin sitting. "Hello Rin." He said pleasantly before addressing Phoenix. "Hello Commodore."

Phoenix waved him towards where Rin was seated and Phoenix was standing. "Captain. I have a few questions for you."

Gary remained standing. "Questions? Certainly Commodore."

Phoenix studied him. "Please explain to me the reasons behind your placing Colonel Naxea as head on the Intelligence team? A Marine? Over our chief of Intelligence? And why our chief of intelligence has been assigned as an advisor?"

Rin had set down her coffee when the captain had entered and gave a polite nod when Gary greeted her. She was still sitting stiffly in her seat, and her expression was unreadably neutral, except perhaps for a slight frown indicated by a furrowed eyebrow.

Gary glanced quickly at Rin then back to Phoenix. He squared his shoulders and answered her question. "Colonel Naxea is a decorated combat veteran. And while this mission is technically classified as an Intel mission, there is a very good chance we will be involved in combat. I feel we have a better chance of survival with her in charge. As for placing Rin as an advisor, I did not. Col. Naxea assigned Rin as an advisor."

"And you believe that it is a suitable use for her talents? Reduced from chief of intelligence to a mere advisor? " Phoenix held up a hand to forstall his reply. "Lieutenant Rin, did Captain Taylor give you any reasons as to why Colonel Naxea was put in charge? Did they match the ones he just gave?"

"It does not, sir," Rin replied. "He informed us that Naxea would lead the Intel team - and that was what he called it - in order to instruct 'in collecting information vital to our cause as well as how to move without being seen. Stealth being the operative word.' Both skills that are central to the jobs of Intel infiltrators, of which we have two on that team, plus myself."

She switched her gaze from the Commodore to Gary. "I'm sure we are all aware that Intel officers are skilled in a variety of combat styles. You are aware I can take down most of that room, yes?"

Phoenix looked at Gary, awaiting his response. It sounded so strange to her that she was wondering if she was dreaming that he had done that. If he had, then what had he been thinking?

Gary met Rin's gaze head on. "As can I Rin. So what?" He turned to Phoenix. "Again, I did not appoint Rin as an'advisor' and advisor is a loose term Commodore. It does not hinder Rin from running Intel for this mission. It was meant to advise the Col. Nothing more nothing less. Further there have been plenty of times I've accepted your word on faith and nothing more. I'm sorry that the same courtesy hadn't been afforded me. If Rin had objections, she should have voiced them at the time."

"Lieutenant Rin was to express it, in front of everyone?" Phoenix asked him curiously. "Sounds a lot like insubordination to me Captain. I can see why she would not. You announce that the Chief of Intelligence and her team, are to listen to Colonel Naxea, a Good Marine, do not get me wrong but Marines are outside the Fleet Chain of Command, no matter how we feel about Colonel Naxea, she is not considered Fleet. Marines are under a different chain of command and do not fall under the standard fleet chain of command. If this was a MARINE Mission I could see your point on the advisor but this is an Intelligence Mission. As Chief of Intelligence, Lieutenant Rin, is right to voice her concerns out of the hearing of other officers, and in her place, I would have gone to the highest ranking officer. Her team are specifically trained for this. She herself is specifically trained in this. Yet you diminished their skills in front of other officers." Phoenix watched Gary closely. "This has nothing to do with faith of word Captain. It is about putting our resources to proper use."

"It absolutely hinders me from running the Intel mission, since I am *not* running the mission. Sir," Rin added, thinking what a terribly weird argument that was.

"Which I have not diminished Commodore. I have put no restraints on Rin or her team to run, collect intel." He looked at Rin, "I'm Sorry Lieutenant but I disagree. If you feel hindered it is because of any restraints, you have placed on yourself."

Phoenix stared at him. "Captain, you claim you have not put restraints on the Intelligence team? Did you not put them under the command of the Marine Commander?"

"Yes." Gary replied simply

"Did you not tell them that the Marine Commander would Train them?"

"Yes." He again replied simply

"A team already trained, by Starfleet Intelligence, by Lieutenant Rin herself. To be trained by Marines? Where does this make sense?" Phoenix was confused. "I know Federation Standard is not my native tongue and I do on occasion get confused around tense and wording but your logic confuses me totally."

"Why? Rin may be able to take down most of room, but her team cannot. Further Commodore, Marines know dirty tricks, how to kill quickly and silently. again, Rin may be able to, but her team has shown no indication that they can." Gary replied.

With that, Rin stood from her chair and strode with purpose over to Gary, looking briefly at the Commodore. "Permission to speak freely, sir?"

Phoenix nodded. "Please Lieutenant"

Rin looked back to Gary. "First, are you sure about that, sir? Lt. M'Tuuri has ranger training and has been serving in Starfleet longer than Naxea. Most of Lt. Reece's record is sealed, but I can promise he's no slouch, unless you have some record unavailable to me. They are both *seasoned* infiltrators.

"Second, again, I have to emphasize: this is not a combat mission, and I do not understand why you keep making that as the primary metric. It is an Intel mission. Will there be combat? Yes, good chance. Are we to measure every mission by combat? In which case perhaps we should just send out the Marines for everything. Because, sir, you have just made an argument for my department being largely redundant. At the very least secondary.

"Third, If you felt for some reason I could not train people in combat, you certainly could have assigned Naxea for that portion of the training. Although, again, I feel you are dismissing the skills of my department.

"Fourth, Did you seriously just claim my ability to lead is based on the experience of the people under me?" Rin was angry about the first three points. This fourth one was just beyond absurd.

"This is a mission of stealth, blending in, moving quietly, mingling with crowds, collecting relevant info. Are you suggesting I am deficient in any of these regards? Are you suggesting the Marines are better trained in such things?

"Because I am no slouch either, sir. Naxea has been serving for decorated 12 years. Nothing against her at all. But this is not a Marine mission. "I have served for 7 or 9 years, depending how you count it. And I've hewn these skills for a long time before I returned to the Federation. I am head of the Intel department. I did not receive that accidentally. I too am decorated. I took control of the battle bridge during the accident. So please, sir, tell me where I am deficient."

Rin was barely restrained fury at this point. She hasn't raised her voice, although there was more force behind it than usual. But her eyes blazed. This entire situation had been personally insulting. But throwing blame on her department? With nothing behind it? How. Dare. He. He made a bad call and now it was everyone's fault but his.

Gary crossed his arms and stared at her. "I don't believe I ever said or implied you are deficient Rin. I know your record. Yet you question me and my decision making so you must think I am deficient in some way."

Was he even listening? Phoenix frowned at Gary's attitude. It was not impressing her. Nothing Lieutenant Rin or herself had said, was out of line. Was he just being stubborn for the sake of it.

"Captain Taylor, Lieutenant Rin and her team will lead the Intelligence mission. Colonel Naxea can support, but lets use the proper person for the job shall we." Phoenix had, had enough of the back and forth.

"As you wish Commodore. Is there anything else?" Gary asked.

"No Captain, thank you for your time. Dismissed" Phoenix said calmly.

Gary nodded, "Commodore, Lieutenant." Then turned at left the ready room.

Phoenix looked at Rin. "If he gives you any grief over this. Let me know." She said firmly.

"Yes, sir," Rin replied. Her brain was still reeling, but she had locked it all back behind a neutral expression. Because otherwise she might scream.

OFF

 

Comments (1)