Security Review

Posted on Wed May 1st, 2019 @ 6:17am by Commodore Evelyn Mountbatten [ADMIN NPC] & Lieutenant Commander Aurelia Taylor & Lieutenant Commander Turak & Captain Garrett Lovejoy [ Taylor] & Senior Chief Petty Officer Fernando De La Rosa [Taylor]

Mission: Episode 1: Hell is a four letter word
Location: Security Offices
Timeline: MD2 15h00
1573 words - 3.1 OF Standard Post Measure

The message was sent that the Commodore and her aides would be in security at 15h. And right on the dot, they were there, briskly walking in and looking around.

Lia stood up as the Commodore entered, all her staff were busy. The one or two who were present, had been designated duties to do. "Commodore, welcome to Security. We're busy right now, so most of my staff are scattered through out the ship. But please feel free to talk to any staff that are here". *Politeness costs nothing* thought Lia. Even if she didn't trust this lot one little bit.

Evelyn nodded. "Then I shall commence with you Commander if that is ok?"

"Certainly Commodore, what do you wish to know? But please be aware, certain subjects will require I consult the Captain, before I respond". She came out from behind her desk and stood in front of the Commodore.

Noting that the Commodore had entered the Security office and that Commander Holmes was speaking with her, Turak felt it best to stand in front of his desk, quietly at attention and ready to answer any questions that might or might not come his way.

Anya, on the other hand, sat behind a desk, a holographic representation of what experienced roleplayers might call a dungeon in front of her. She was adding traps, enemy encounters and the occasional loot crate. The entire project was designated an escape training routine. She figured with the recent abduction, lots of people might want some preparedness should something similar happen again. She figured that she could pause and answer questions whenever, and at any rate preferred to look busy rather than idle.

Pointing out several things around the office, Lia suggested the Commodore inspect the holding area. "We don't have any guests at the moment, so its a clear area for you to inspect. If you wish to".

"I believe you Commander, All your reports and reviews have been exemplary. Even the one about your arrival on this vessel" Commodore Mountbatten replied calmly.

Fernando for his part was in the armory, going over the weapons there. Matching what the inventory said with an actual physical count. It was slow but he was alone and didn't have to deal with the Commodore or her aides. In fact he was whistling as he did his count and what was he whistling? Whistle while you work of course.

As if pulled by an unknown force, Percy Albright's eyes moved to fixate on the nearby bulkhead. His ears twitched slightly. "What is that sound?" he asked of the faint whistling. He turned fully to Lia. "Commander, is something leaking in here?"

Listening, Lia picked up Fernando's whistle. "Might be an airseal failing, or one of the crew". Looking at Anya, Lia gave her an order. "P.O. Neeze, could you please tell P.O. De La Rosa he is disturbing the Commander. Could he please whistle quietly, thank you". She made it sound more like hard work than a request, but Albright was nit picking.

"Aye, ma'am", Anya responded. She tapped her combadge. "Neeze to de la Rosa... Fernando, your good cheer appears to be disturbing the single-mindedness of the upper echelons. Quiet down a little until we can all get back to work?"

"What?" Fernando questioned, "Someone is not a music lover?" His sigh was audible over the com, "Very well. I will whistle softer."

Evelyn looked at Percy and raised an eyebrow at him.

Looking quickly upwards, Lia swore under her breath. *Fernando I'm gonna stuff you out an airlock when I get to you*, she thought. A swift push and the party entered the holding area, "As you can see, we have six cells in here. All observed from this centre console, which is constantly manned when we have prisoners". Her mind once again settling on Fernando.

"Very good," Percy said with a firm nod. He made a note on his PaDD. "Commander Holmes, have you ever had a disagreement with Captain Lalor in regards to ship security?"

The question was innocent but loaded, "It would depend on your definition of the word disagreement, have we not seen eye to eye? Then yes, have we had a stand up argument? Then no, we tend to talk about problems as they arise. Haven't you disagreed with the Commodore?"

Percy looked to the Commodore for an uncomfortable moment, and then returned his attention to Lia. "Commander, you are not being accused of undue behavior. On the contrary, my expectation is that any Chief Security officer will not share the opinions of their Captain at all times. I would be rather concerned if you did not have disagreements."

"Captain Lalor allows me a lot of leeway, if I need to change anything drastically I inform her. It's her choice from then on, it's her ship and her rules". Lia knew Percy wanted to pin her down, but she wasn't about to give him that privilege.

"But, hypothetically, if the captain were to issue an order that you believed was in violation of the principles of the Federation?"

"Then I'd tell her, but I wouldn't disobey any order given by the Captain". She faced Percy, "Things have changed out here, a ships crew has to work together. If just one thing don't fit, you got trouble. I've been here two years, before that I was Star Fleet Intelligence for over seven years. Things on a Starship work differently to what people think, including those of the Admiralty Staff". She checked her annoyance, "This ship works because of the Captain, and not because she isn't involved or invested in it".

After quietly waiting in front of his desk for as long as he thought was necessary, Turak decided to sit back down at his computer terminal and finish up the new shift schedules he was working on. ~I didn't want to talk to them anyway~ he thought.

"And her age did not deter you when you found out that your new CO was only 25?" Commodore Mountbatten asked. "I mean she was nearly 26, and is currently nearly 28, but surely you had concerns about her youth?"

Lia took a deep breath, "She was given the Command by Star Fleet, who am I to question senior Command staff? In those two years she has proved more than once, that she is capable of filling that role easily". She now looked around the Security Office, "There are other staff members here, why don't you ask them for their opinions".

"Very well." Percy consulated his PaDD. "Lieutenant Junior Grade Turak. Would you please join us?"

"Yes sir, how may I be of assistance," Turak said as he swiftly moved to where all the action was occurring.

"How long have you held this duty post?" Percy asked idly.

Turak responded, “Sir, I’ve held this duty post for five months and twelve days.”

"Thank you, Lieutenant. That was a very precise answer. I appreciate precision in a security officer," Percy said, adding an approving nod. "And might I ask for a precise and direct answer on what you would do if the Captain were to give you an order that you did not feel was appropriate?"

"Sir, if I felt the order was not appropriate, I would bring it to her attention and then suggest a different course of action" said Turak.

Percy gave him a wry look for his textbook answer. "And if she refused to hear you out? If she insisted on doing something you knew to be against the founding principles of the Federation? What then, Lieutenant?"

Turak looked the Lieutenant Commander straight in the eyes and in the most serious tone he could muster, he said, "Sir, if I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she had given me an illegal order, I would refuse to complete it and I would verbally let her know why she was wrong. End of story. That said, I am of the opinion that she would always listen to reason and knows that nobody is infallible."

"Very good, Lieutenant," Percy said, closing down his PaDD. He raised his voice for the larger room to hear. "It is refreshing to hear that there are still some people aboard that have convictions in their principles."

Evelyn rolled her eyes. "Please keep focus Commander" she said dryly. She looked at Lia. "Commander Holmes, your department is to be commended. They look combat ready."

Nodding Lia responded, "If I'm honest Commodore, I've been lucky with the departments personnel. We seem to have a very good crew to begin with, and Security has managed to get the cream. My people know their job, which means this department can handle what's required of it". She was genuinely proud of her department and the people in it, she knew any of them were capable of taking over if needed.

"Thank you for your time and the time of your department Commander. Lovejoy, Albright? Lets move on." Evelyn nodded at them and moved out the door.

Holmes looked at her assembled Office staff then back at the Commodore, "And both my staff and myself thank you sir, but if you have no objections we have duties to perform". She waited as the group left her department, her mind now turned to more mundane matters.

Commander Lia Holmes
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Elysium

Lieutenant JG Turak
Security Officer
USS Elysium