Two Sides of a Coin

Posted on 03 Mar 2015 @ 8:36pm by Lieutenant Benice Gyce Ph.D. & Commander Scarlet Blake

1,888 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 07 - Sojourn
Location: USS Galileo: Deck 2 - First Officer's Office
Timeline: MD 44 - 10:30

ON:

Why her of all people? Gyce did not like Blake and would rather have been directed to someone else. Her marine background grated Gyce to high heavens. She was used to a far friendlier, less-militaristic posting. And she had been fairly respected as an objective detective in her old posting.

Blake? Thus far she implied Gyce was biased to Seleya because of her background. And that truly put Gyce on high alert to prove that arrogant, insufferable woman wrong. And to do so with a smile on her face.

So there Gyce was, outside Blake's door. She dressed down in a more casual demeanor that many in her former unit went with. Khaki cargos pants, with a Security department gold polo shirt. Something of a shield was worn on the right hip of her belt. Only it was her combadge, attached to a black shield case.

Given the uncomfortable dress whites she wore earlier, Gyce wanted to be relaxed. More so when having to roam the ship so much. And since she was in for what she expected to be an uncomfortable meeting, Gyce dressed for comfort.

After one last exhale to relax herself and gather her composure, Gyce hit the chime on the XO's door and waited.

"Come in," Scarlet called out, finishing the last of her coffee off as she read the computer screen, hardly having noticed that it had disappeared with her reading. She glanced up to see who it was, nodding as she saw the security officer. "Take a seat," she nodded to the chair on the other side of the desk as she turned the screen to be directed more firmly to her own side of the desk, sitting back in her chair to watch the visitor to her office instead. "I take it this is about your proposal?"

"Protocol Ma'am," Gyce corrected respectfully. "I'm not entirely sure why Command Staff refer to it as a proposal, as it's standard search and seizure protocols that Starfleet has had Security employ for well over a century. Be that as it may, I feel it is the random inspections I planned on doing, which is part of that directive, that Command Staff was more concerned about. Am I right in assuming that, Commander?"

Gyce limped on slowly and took her seat. Her voice, she made extra sure was in no way disrespectful to her counterpart.

"Let's start again," Scarlet said softly, shaking her head lightly. "The Command staff decide what happens on this ship. This isn't just 'protocol' or some kind of courtesy call you are giving me. You need to tell me what you want to do, and I will tell you if you can do it or not. The Admiral asked you to produce a full report for your proposed searches and techniques regarding contraband. So, please go ahead and tell me about them; all of them."

"With all due respect Ma'am?" Gyce responded as she cleared her throat. "You and I did not have a great first meeting. In fact, with my integrity in question about keeping objective with one of our scientists? It gave me the impression that you don't trust my judgement. And trust is a big part of performing those searches. So I have to know if it's even remotely possible for you or the rest of the command staff to trust me. Else that PADD means nothing, Ma'am."

"Lieutenant," Blake leant forward a little to her, sighing softly as she met her eyes. "I have no intention of going into what we discussed in our last meeting again. The matter of trust is not in question here. We wouldn't have people on the ship we didn't trust. What you propose to do regarding contraband and medication is what's in question. Now, I've already asked you tell me what your proposals are, but I'll ask again. And this time, Miss Benice, I would like an answer instead of you replying to my question with another question," she sat back again, motioning to her with a gentle hand. "What are your proposals regarding contraband, searches and medication?"

Gyce nodded in the affirmative before she began, "Security will not be asking for every single drug a person takes, to be registered. What we want, is the narcotics, sleep aids, and stimulants. Not to regulate, but to save a lot of hassle. Especially if someone is found in possession of it, when they have a right to take them. No details of existing medical conditions need to be asked, just the doctor that prescribed them... Does that sound reasonable, Commander?"

Blake thought on it, frowning as she shook her head softly. "Patient confidentiality is paramount. It would break that confidence if prescriptions were registered outside of the confidentiality of their medical files and outside of the medical department. That's not going to be possible. Doctors are responsible for the distribution and safekeeping of the medication in Sickbay, they're trained for it. There's no need to change that."

"So if a doctor let's a patient take a hypo of painkillers home with them. And it's found during a random search? Because Security has no files, they make legal arrests for possession," Gyce concluded. "Yes, your way is probably the most respectful. But it wastes resources on Security. Unless, of course, we start labeling the take-home meditations. But that would be something Medical would have to agree to."

"You shouldn't be 'arresting' anyone for possessing a drug if you don't know for a fact that it's actually illegally possessed or not," Scarlet pointed out with concern at the way the security officer viewed things from a skewed stance of someone being guilty until proven innocent. And she wasn't happy with the prospect of a member of security viewing the crew from that viewpoint. "That would be assuming guilt rather than acting on actual proof of guilt. In that scenario you would simply need to contact their doctor to investigate further," Scarlet shook her head slowly, resting her elbows on the arm of her chair in thought. "Tell me about these 'random' searches you refer to?"

"Random searches are a protocol designed to keep possible criminal activity from forming in the military community," Gyce informed. "They are always random, because it is hard to move illegal goods when you least expect it. If I start informing the crew that a contraband inspection is occurring two days ahead of time, they just move the goods and come back for it after the inspection."

Scarlet shook her head gently, letting out a soft breath. "We are not going to have random searches of quarters or people on this ship. I will not authorise that kind of breech of privacy."

"And what happens when someone has a drug overdose?" Gyce asked. "Or someone has a weapon they haven't checked with Security and it's used in a crime? You have a right to refuse Ma'am. But I also have a right to go up the ladder, if I feel the safety and security of the ship is not being taken seriously. And these searched, however evil you might think of them, are for the protection of others."

"As I said, it's for the Commanding Officers of a ship to decide what happens on it, the buck will stop with us, and I am your First Officer in that chain of command," Scarlet replied softly, resting back in her chair delicately. "Sometimes you talk about this ship and the safety of people on it as if we're some back water, seedy civilian station. This is a Starfleet ship with a Starfleet crew that are highly trained, security vetted upon joining and the finest calibre of people in the Quadrant, so fine in fact that they risk their lives in service of the Federation...we are not that kind of murky, undisciplined place. I would like you to think about that, Miss Benice. Some of the things you say worry me about how you view the people you work with....they are not the enemy to be automatically mistrusted....they're a fine group of people who you are here to protect and work with as a team...and they need to trust you and feel able to go to you for help if needed, not feel hostility from unprecedented searches and mistrust from your side. This is not a rough civvie colony, or a recovering war torn city, or a shady mercenary vessel where you have countless criminals and crimes to worry about...it's a Starfleet ship with an honourable crew that uphold the finest standards of Starfleet and the Federation."

Scarlet shook her head almost sadly at having to say it, but took a breath, giving her a moment to absorb it before continuing. "Now, if you have evidence or a statement from someone that a crew member may have contraband in their quarters or on their person, then of course, you bring that to your Chief and to me and we'll authorise a search of that person or their quarters. Absolutely, of course. But random searches of people's personal quarters and things are not acceptable. Not when weighing up their right to privacy and respect against how law abiding and decent these Starfleet personnel are, with a fine record to match. We're all on the same side here, Miss Benice, I do not want this turning into Us against Them between Security and the rest of the crew, not with our record of good personnel here. And that's what random searches risk."

"It's protocol," Gyce reiterated. "It's not meant to be liked. It's meant to make people feel safe in knowing that their ship is free of illegal drugs and weapons. It has to be done, because it keeps the probability of violence down. And if people are truly innocent, they have nothing to worry about.... So no, I don't see bad guys every time I look at people. I just prepare for the inevitability that we may get one or two bad apples, Ma'am."

"No, it doesn't have to be done. I've never served on any other posting where it's been done either," Scarlet replied matter of factly, shaking her head with a slight frown at the way the Lieutenant was trying to tell the First Officer what did and didn't have to happen on the ship. "There will be no random searches of people's quarters or belongings on this ship. If you want to search someone's quarters, you will need to provide evidence or a witness statement of wrong doing and bring it to myself and the security chief to authorise a search of that individual's quarters. Am I understood?"

"Yes Ma'am," Gyce answered respectfully.

"Good," Scarlet nodded briskly, crossing her legs and resting her clasped hands on her knee. "Is there anything else?"

"No Ma'am," Gyce replied.

"In that case, you're free to go," Scarlet said softly, motioning to the door. "Let me know if there's anything else, I'm always here."

Gyce doubted very much that she would seek help from the XO. But she nodded, saluted, and walked out just the same.


OFF:

Lieutenant J.G. Benice Gyce
Security Investigations Officer
USS Galileo

CMDR Scarlet Blake
First Officer
USS Galileo

RSS Feed