Taking Responsibility

Posted on 14 Dec 2015 @ 10:51am by Captain Jonathan Holliday
Edited on on 15 Dec 2015 @ 7:17am

991 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Episode 10 - Symposium
Location: USS Galileo - Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: MD1, exact time unknown

ON:

Feeling slightly better from having received proper medical care, and having been able to get cleaned up and a little refreshed, Wintrow approached the ready room. Somehow, it felt as if he was being called to the principal's office, and it made him feel a little nervous. Even so, he worked up the courage to press the chime. Not sure whether it was working, he also knocked on the door. "Captain Holliday, it's Cadet Paragon sir, reporting as ordered."

"Enter" Holliday called in response. His office was still smashed since the return to their own universe. Lighting was at a minimum, his replicator was most annoyingly offline, and his desk had noticeably moved a few feet towards the rear of the office compared to its usual location.

"I trust the Doctor worked her magic on your injuries cadet?"

"Yes sir," the teenager replied softly, "she did." He held up his freshly bandaged hand. "My hand was the worst, but it'll heal. It'll regain dexterity in time sir but for now I need to avoid extensive use." Which meant no guitar playing for a while.

"I believe we have some catching up to do regarding our new 'friend' in the Brig. Take a seat, and give me the full report - from the top."

Holliday replied, gesturing to the chair in front of him before leaning back and waiting to hear what the Cadet had to say.

"After the empire had boarded the ship, I had taken refuge in one of the shuttles sir. I don't know how much time passed after I was found and dragged from my hiding place. Instead of taking me into custody, Miss Wyatt eliminated her own companion so I could get to the science lab. I thought it best to take her with me sir." From here he detailed how lieutenant Wyatt had ordered him to watch her and stay put while he left. How he had stopped her from joining the battle on Starfleet's side and how they'd gotten stunned, twice. "I owe her my life sir, and I think she may settle in well, if given a chance. I understand it's not up to me but I hope you'll take my report into account."

"Why would she do that?" Holliday replied, raising an eyebrow at the idea of a soldier betraying one of her own in order to save what was in effect an enemy combatant. His own military training would have told him to either capture or eliminate the Cadet on sight, especially during a hostile engagement.

"She was a member of a foreign military power in control of the ship. For her to eliminate one of her own doesn't make any sense to me. You may owe her your life but I have no idea if her actions were honourable or just a part of some greater deception I haven't discovered yet."

"I don't know sir." Wintrow shook his head in confusion. "I haven't sensed any deception from her. She's physically much stronger than me and has several years of training on me too. While we were in the lab, and even walking to it, she had ample opportunity to overpower me, even though I was armed and she wasn't. But she didn't, I truly believe she wanted out sir. Out of the life she knew."

Holliday furrowed his brow as he tried to figure out what exactly the real reason for the alternate Abbey's betrayal of her CO was. He knew that his other version was ruthless, and an incredibly efficient military commander, but if anything he would have thought that it would have decreased the chance of a mutiny or someone going AWOL. She had obviously taken a huge risk - had she failed to escape with his crew, then she almost certainly would have been executed by her people.

"I feel I need to meet with the prisoner further. Cadet I want you to stay away in the short term - consider the Brig off limits for now. You have done your duty and I appreciate your honesty, but I need time to figure this out without interruption. Other than that you are free to resume your duties."

"Im not medically cleared yet sir." Yet the young pilot nodded in understanding. "May I visit later sir, when you are done? She's all alone her, she needs a friend sir. I know what it's like, to be alone and to have noone to turn to sir..."

Holliday sighed and sat forward in his chair. He was not used to showing affection for any of his crew, and certainly not used to his crew showing affection for strangers like this, but the Cadet was young and impressionable. John could remember how he was himself at that age, but years of service had hardened his skin to such matters.

"Once my investigations are complete I will allow it. For now I can't afford the risk of her answers being coloured by anyone else. I'm sorry Cadet, I can see you have some affection for her but I cannot allow that to cloud judgement. I will inform you when she is free to be spoken to, regardless of my decision. You are dismissed."

"Understood sir." Wintrow stood and headed towards the door but once there, he turned, question in his eyes. "Affection sir? I don't understand, I have no feelings for her beyond a sense of friendship."

"Friendship is affection by definition Cadet." Holliday replied. He had spent years avoiding friendships where possible as they immediately gave him a weakness that as a Commanding Officer, he simply did not need.

"Friendship can make us do foolish things. Treat it carefully."

"I will sir, thank you for your advice." The younger man smiled just a little. "I'll just...go now..."

OFF:

Cadet SO Wintrow Paragon
Support Craft Pilot
USS Galileo
[PNPC Tyrion]

CAPT Jonathan Holliday
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo

RSS Feed