Bloody issues!

Posted on Thu Apr 9th, 2020 @ 6:13pm by Commodore Phoenix Lalor-Richardson & Captain Gary Taylor

Mission: Season 3: Episode 4: Cause and Effect
Location: Captain's ready Room
Timeline: MD - 13h00
1498 words - 3 OF Standard Post Measure

She was going to kill him. She was going to take her favourite sword and slice Garratt Lovejoy up the middle from groin to neck and enjoy every scream of pain and spurt of blood. Then she would chop off his smirking head and mount it to the prow of the USS Elysium as a reminder to all who dared to cross her.

Okay maybe she wouldn’t but it was nice to dream. Phoenix was PISSED. It was a rare occurrence for her and she strode back and forth in her ready room swearing in her native lounge so loudly that her yeoman raced off to get the Executive Officer.

Gary was in his office when the Captain's yeoman raced in. The girl was in a panic. Babbling about the Captain carrying on and stalking in her ready room. Gary did what he could to settle her down, assuring her he would go and check in on the Captain and here he was just minutes later at her ready room door where he stabbed the chime repeatedly in impatience.

The door opened on a torrent of Erisian, which was not translatable by the system as Phoenix had again forgotten to update the matrix. Her normally calm blue eyes were white almost and her hands were waving around gesticulating wildly as she spun on her heal and snapped out another swear word in the lyrical tongue. she didn't freeze when she saw Taylor but waved him in with a hand while she spun to her desk.

Gary entered in silence even as his eyes remained focused on Phoenix. That she was mad was putting it lightly she was livid. She was pacing the room, her hands waving in the air wildly all while a string of what he assumed was Erisian swear words flowed from her mouth in a torrent. Yet as mad as she was, she recognized him and waved him into the office. As he walked to one of the chairs in front of her desk he asked, "What's got you so hot under the collar?" Knowing it had to be something major for this reaction.

"Garrett Lovejoy" Phoenix gritted out from between clenched teeth. "That Targ disguised as a human being! That!" and off into Erisian she went again as she flung herself into her chair.. "I should have let Jaieh kill him and his friend Albright. I should have let Miran gut him!"

Garrett Lovejoy. The bane of the Elysium crew. When Gary, Phoenix, La and Liselle had been captured he and his fellow partner in crime had done a wonderful job of offending the entire crew. Albright had even tried to send Miran back to her home world. Thankfully he was stopped. "What has Lovejoy done now to draw your ire? He asked calmly, hoping Phoenix would also calm down.

She shoved a PADD to him. On it was written

Captain Lalor,

Effective immediately the following crew of the USS Elysium have been transferred to new postings.

Regards

Commander Lovejoy
Adjunct to Commodore Mountbatten

What followed was a list of names and key among them were:

Commander Liselle Qwyyn - USS Hightower
Lieutenant JG River Waters - USS Carlisle
Master Chief Petty Officer Ken Waters - Starbase 65
and
Senior Chief Petty Officer Railli Feyth - Starbase 986

All long time crew members dating back to the days of Admiral Sharr, and close personal friends, for the most part, of Captain Lalor.

Gary scanned the PaDD, his eyes widening as he read. When he finished he looked at Phoenix, "That son of a bitch!!!!!!! He exploded. "That bastard! I will kill him! Where does he get off doing this? He's practically gutted the flight control department." His eyes ablaze in an anger of their own.

"the line starts behind me!" Phoenix replied. "We are down to two Ensigns in Flight. One so brand new the shine from her academy boots is still gleaming!" Oh there was personal reasons as well but Phoenix was trying to stay professional.

"We protest the orders. Surely even Lovejoy knows of our upcoming mission. We need all the experienced flight control officers we can get. Starting with Liselle. She's the best." Gary answered reigning in his anger and trying to think calmly.

"I have already submitted that but he had security board and escort the officers off the ship." Phoenix growled. "Their shuttles left not 20 minutes ago. And he only told me, 10 minutes ago."

"Escorted off the ship? Like they were criminals!!! Gary fumed. "The man has no idea the damage he's done." He grew silent for a moment, "So were stuck. To get review of this is never going to be done by the time we leave." He looked at Phoenix, "He's given us the shaft for sure."

"Yes and I even called Evelyn and spoke to her but she is on Vacation with family and had no idea. She is also on Vulcan and thus not able to kick his arse personally until next week!" Phoenix closed her eyes . "And I have another reason why I am so bloody pissed off."

Gary didn't press for an answer. He figured Phoenix would tell him when she was ready. Obviously the reason had to be personal as she had already,logged an official protest to this ridiculous and ill advised action.

Phoenix sat up straighter and looked at him. "I want your word Commander that what I am about to say goes no further than these walls. Not even Lia, is that understood?"

"You have it Captain. Whatever you are about to tell me, stays between us."

"Very well. When we returned from the prison, Ken and I went on holiday. He proposed at that time. We have been keeping it to ourselves as we did not want a lot of fuss. And then last night, I went to medical for my check up. I found out that I am expecting a child. I had not yet had a chance to tell Ken, was going to do so this evening."

Gary nodded a smile split his face, " First, congratulations on becoming engaged and your pregnancy. That is wonderful new. You and Ken will make wonderful parents. Secondly this sucks for you. your fiancee is transferred off the ship and doesn't even know about your being pregnant. Does Miran know?"

"About the engagement yes, the pregnancy no. I am not going to tell her for a few more weeks. Custom on my world dictates 15 weeks. I am at 7 currently. I told you because of the situation." Phoenix sighed. "And maybe by then Ken will be back."

"Alright. That is your decision and I respect that. I didn't want to spill the beans unwittingly to Miran. I'll do everything I can to get Ken, Liselle and the others transferred back her. Don't you stress over it. You and the baby don't need that." Gary assured her.

"We well shall see what happens." she bit back another growl. "When we get back, I am going to take great pleasure in stringing Garratt Lovejoy up by his thumbs and cutting small chunks off of his body."

"Sounds good. You should sell tickets. I'd buy one and so would the entire Elysium crew just to see that pompous asshole filet like a fish." Gary shook his head, "I still can't believe the audacity of the man to do this."

"When the cat is away the mice play, isn't that the human expression?" Phoenix sighed. "which ensign do we call for the Helm now?"

"Yes. Here's another one. Ye shall reap as you have sown." Garrett Lovejoy will get his, don't worry. I can assure you." he paused as he considered her question.After a moment he replied "Miraj Derani. True she's fresh out of the academy but have you seen her piloting scores? She has the potential to be another Liselle."

"Very well. I will summon her to the bridge at 14h45 and we will see how she handles our Lady."

Gary nodded, "Very good Captain." He paused and started again. "Phoenix." He began using her first name," I'm sorry for all this that you are going through but you aren't alone. I'll do everything I can to help you and so will Lia when she knows. You have an entire crew of nannys and babysitters waiting and willing to help you. Avail yourself of them."

"When the time comes, I will be sure to." Phoenix smiled faintly. "But if I think to long on this I will not be able to work. I will need to keep busy."

"Heard that." Gary agreed, "Just remember what the Klingons say, "Revenge is a dish best served cold."

"Indeed." Phoenix said as she studied the PADD. "And revenge will be indeed served cold. Breen level cold." She stood again, and looked at Gary. "But we will survive this and we will bring our family back together"

"Indeed we will Captain. Indeed we will." Gary solemnly agreed.

OFF