Wanna Yell? Feel free!

Posted on Mon May 20th, 2024 @ 6:46am by Commodore Phoenix Lalor-Richardson & Lieutenant Colonel Azhul Naxea & Lieutenant Commander S'hib
Edited on on Mon May 20th, 2024 @ 6:55am

Mission: Season 6 HIATUS
Location: Holodeck 1
Timeline: MD- 3 days - late Afternoon
1317 words - 2.6 OF Standard Post Measure

The message had been simple, precise and without a doubt a firmly worded missive.

[[Lieutenant Commander S'hib, Colonel Azhul Naxea,

Please report to holodeck 1. Immediately.

Commodore Lalor-Richardson]]

What they found when they entered the holodeck was... an empty, yet very familiar place to most of the crew. Starfleet Academy.

And standing there waiting for them was an out of uniform Phoenix Lalor-Richardson. Dressed down in blue jeans and a white button down shirt that was several sizes too big and sandals, she stood idly looking around waiting.

When she heard their footsteps, she turned and lobbed something in her hand at their feet. It skittered across the flagstones to rest a few feet from them. "No rank here." She said as the doors closed behind them. "So yell already."

Red sands, S'hib thought as he watched the comm badge come to a stop. This wasn't going to go well.

"You wanna go first?" S'hib muttered sarcastically, looking at Naxea before turning until his back faced Phoenix.

He wanted to scream, that or run back out through the exit. This was ridiculous he thought while moving his hands through his mane, pulling on the lengths as he looked up at the ceiling in frustration.

Phoenix watched them. "Neither of you had issues yelling at me when i was in uniform and wearing rank. So whats the issue now? Come on, S'hib? Azhul? Yell already." She went and sat on a bench and crossed her legs and waited.

"I've already said my piece," Naxea replied harshly. Her voice was raw from yelling and her eyes irritated from crying. She has not only felt betrayed by the Commodore over the past few weeks but more recently, S'hib. She didn't want to be near anyone right now. "You know my feelings. People think they can understand my feelings and my loss when they know nothing of the sort."

"Would killing him bring your family back? Bring your friends, your people back? Would not following the law, which he broke, make you really feel better?" Phoenix asked casually. "You think I have it easy? I can just ignore your feelings and let him live? I wanted to jettison him. But My hands are tied."

S'hib placed his wrists together at this, raising them so Phoenix could see.

His face on the other hand juxtaposed the sarcastic nature of the gesture, with him frowning deeply at the both of them.

Phoenix rolled her eyes at the Sequus. "Mock all you want S'hib. But if we get home and they find out we executed someone without a trial, it won't be you who ends up in New Zealand, it will be the person who killed him."

"You think I don't know that!?" S'hib shot back. "It's why I wanted him in the brig, not prancing around the ship risking the lives of my department..."

He shook his head, feeling a headache forming. "Red sands, Phoenix, if we where in the Alpha quadrant, hell our own galaxy I might have agreed with you... do the usual, roll out the carpet, act all benevolent and then he's out of our mane after a few days."

"But we might not ever get home..." He continued, the words hitting hard even as he said them. "We're not Voyager, Phee... we can't just point ourselves in the right direction and, get there eventually."

"Maybe, but I wont let either of you become murderers." Phoenix replied.

"But please, by all means, do protect a monster," Naxea said as she crossed her arms. "That's one of the Federation's faults--they protect those that don't deserve protection."

Phoenix sighed. "Protecting? I am protecting you! You go kill him, see what that does to you! You will loose your freedom, loose custody of your child, you will not be happy Azhul. But feel free, commit the same crime."

"And what would you do had he killed your father, tortured and raped your mother and killed hundreds of your people? Tell me, what would you do? Would you be able to simply ignore him and forgive him like the spoiled Federation wants?"

"If that is how you feel about the Federation, then why are you in Starfleet?" Phoenix asked. "And do not mention my father. He has put a price on my head and the heads of my children."

"I didn't mention your father specifically. I asked you to think hypothetically," Naxea sighed. "As for why I joined Starfleet, they did aid Bajor and I saw the good they did with Terok Nor, turning a Cardassian mining station into a major starbase. But I soon saw how full of shit the Federation really is. Protecting those who don't need protecting all in the name of justice. Justice is in the eye of the beholder and the Federation is flawed. Oh, and I'm definitely submitting my resignation if we ever return."

"So until then you are going to do what? Stand in every meeting and yell and rant at me? No thank you." Phoenix replied. "I took that from Aurelia Taylor for years. I am not taking it from people I considered friends."

It was then a soft laugh trickled into the conversation, what else was there to do S'hib thought as his throat rumbled, this was insane... everything about this was absolutely mad.

"We all know he's a monster, Naxea..." He said through a bitter laugh. "That was never up for debate, but what you're doing right now... the person you so desperately want to be, I don't want that anywhere near Slee."

Naxea glared at S'hib. "And what person, exactly, do I want to be? You really wanna go down that road?"

"Don't play that game with me woman, both Phoenix and myself have done nothing but make it so you can stay in Slee's life... but nooo, you just wanna rot in some federation prison."

He paused, feeling the tears being held back by nothing but anger.

"And you know what hurts the most, Nax? It's that you don't even seem to acknowledge that you wanna trade Slee and me over, trade your whole life away in fact... just so you can have some petty vengeance on a ghost of a man."

"I'm the only one here trying to protect this crew and ship. In other words, your job," Naxea leveled a finger at him. "Ghost of a man? You don't know the first thing about this...man I'd suggest you educate yourself quickly before both of you regret it and realize I'm right. But you go right ahead thinking that your officers can handle Desek."

"Your confidence is overwhelming Azhul. Avalon has a permanent lock on him. I have contingencies in place." Phoenix stood. "I suggest the two of you speak with Alicia and the Priestess. It might help."

"I believe it's too late for that. I won't tolerate his anger anymore. Or do you wanna shove me again?" she snarked, looking at him. The hurt was still fresh in her mind. "And you think I'm a threat to Sle'anna?"

“Im angry, because of you!” He yelled back. “And you,” S’hib added, throwing a finger at Phoenix because looking back at Naxea. “No matter what I do, I lose!”

“But at least this way, Slee still has you in her life, not fucking visiting you in some prison… So the least you could do is make me not regret giving you that.”

With this he turned, shouting at the computer for the arch before leaving.

Phee wanted to do several things, instead she simply hit her comm and said "High Priestess An'Dalus, can you please check in with S'hib and his spouse, I believe your counsel will be greatly appreciated." Then she turned to Azhul, "There is a Bajoran Vedek on board, I suggest you speak with them as well" So saying she left the holodeck.

OFF

 

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