Angels With Dirty Faces Part II
Posted on Mon Jul 3rd, 2023 @ 11:15pm by Lieutenant Commander Keishara Davaris & Commander Steven Greco & Lieutenant Evelyn Stewart
Edited on on Tue Jul 11th, 2023 @ 6:31pm
2,089 words; about a 10 minute read
Mission:
Prologue: Centre Predominate
Location: USS Moore - Cargo Bay 1
Timeline: MD 15: 1930 hrs
As they crouched down and lifted the durasteel, Evelyn was surprised by what they found. She looked down into the faces of about thirty Romulans. They all looked dirty, under fed and dehydrated. There was more than one family amongst them, families with small children. It was clear these were refugees being smuggled as well. All of them watching the two officers warily, clearly frightened.
Stewart paced the area of the cargo bay in front of her while she and Kei waited on Zander. She looked at Kei slightly concerned. “Is this really necessary? I don’t know what you are hoping to gain by bringing them here from the brig.”
"Answers." Kei said rather coldly. "I want answers, and this is the best place. Away from prying eyes and Commanders." she added as she tapped her foot rather impatiently. "Plus it can be intimidating, and I like that in an interrog- an interview."
Stewart looked up at Keishara’s choice of words.
Evelyn set her jaw in an attempt to hold back her disgust, but more importantly her temper. “That cargo were actual beings. Living, breathing, people. There were children amongst them.” She said with growing disdain for the man.
He looked up at her coldly. “No different than any other livestock.” He confirmed flatly.
With a groan, the Ktarian grabbed his broken hand and gingerly held it to him as he sat up on the floor. “You Starfleet types. You don’t have the stomach for what you really want to do. It makes you weak but all the more trustworthy. It made it far easier to convince those Romulans to go along with the plan.” He said to both goad them but calling Keishara on her bluff.
The loud crack of the man’s ribs near where his spine would be and his coughing of blood being the signal to Stewart this had gone too far. She grabbed Kei by the shoulder of her uniform and tried to pull her back. “Hey…” she found she had to use more force and pushed her back, physically putting herself between the two of them. “That’s enough, Commander!” She shouted at Kei, holding her back. “That’s not what we are here for!”
Commander Greco had intended to carry out the interrogation of the smugglers with the intelligence officer, do to the trafficking of Romulan refugees. Starfleet Command would want a full report on the matter. To his surprise, he was informed that Commander Davaris had ordered the prisoners moved to Cargo Bay 1 for interrogation. With a sinking feeling, he headed off there with Safi and Matthews in tow.
“What’s going on here?” Greco called out, Lieutenants Mpongo and Matthews following after him. When they saw the barely conscious Ktarian, all of them froze. Steve glared at the chief helmsman and of security as his face turned red. “Safi, beam him directly to Sickbay.” He ordered Safi without even looking at her. “Lieutenant Matthews, escort Mister Hokk back to the brig. Make sure he stays there under my orders.” His voice was shaking with an anger that he was struggling to control.
Safi rushed over to check the Ktarian, staring at the blood on the security chiefs hands as she passed. He was conscious albeit his breathing laboured. "Mpongo to transporter room 1, two to beam directly sickbay. Medical emergency." she stated as the affirmation was given and they both disappeared in a shimmer of light.
Kei's hands shook but still they remained in fist form as she could do nothing but stare at them. She'd never lost control before, not like this. "I... I..." she tried to speak and for once the strong looking woman looked a shadow of herself. It was like the slave in her had returned and she felt like looking for a dark corner to hide in.
When the doors to the cargo bay indicated the three of them were alone, Stewart walked towards Greco in an attempt to diffuse the situation. “Commander, this isn’t what the looks like we-“
Greco had his attention on Davaris but suddenly turned on his heel to face Stewart, cutting her off. “You are relieved and confined to quarters until further notice, Lieutenant.” He snapped, his voice shaking with anger.
Stewart looked at him shocked. “What? That’s not fair! I…” she attempted to argue against her punishment.
“Do you need an escort?” He asked before continuing, not giving her a chance to respond. “The only reason you aren’t in the brig is because I need to ensure the safety of our other prisoner. Dismissed.” Steve snapped harshly, very much being the first officer he needed to be at that moment.
The lieutenant looked between both of the other officers before storming out of the room to her quarters without another word.
His breathing more shallow, Steve glared at the El-Aurian while they waited for Stewart to leave.
Kei felt his eyes on her. There was no doubt as to his feelings and she didn't need to be an empath as his face, his body language, said it plainly enough. "Lt. Stewart had very little to do with this sir. This was my idea and I caused the Ktarian's injuries." she composed herself.
Slowly she was coming back to the 'Earth' and she flexed her hands out to stretch the muscles she'd just used to bloody the Ktarian up.
Greco immediately stepped up into Davaris’ space. “Stow Davaris!” He shouted. Now that they were alone he allowed himself to lose his temper. “I know you have some kind of special relationship with the captain which is why you get away with so much but you’ve gone too far this time.”
Kei's nose twitched as Greco closed in on her. He was lucky he was the XO, a movement that quick towards he she would normally put down the opponent. This was the first time she'd seen him lose his calm and composed demeanour. It was interesting, he could be broken... not that she was trying to do so.
She stepped forward, "My 'relationship' with the Captain is forged through years of exemplary service to this ship, to serving and protecting him, saving his life at the detriment to my own safety. He may protect me in a way that only a Vulcan can, but if I DO receive special treatment then it is because he knows I get results, that my heart is always in the right place. He sticks by his officers, his friends, crewmates, when things get rough, he doesn't run to mommy and tell on his friends, his family."
“What’s the point of results if we have no integrity? The ends don’t justify the means, Keishara!” Greco argued back. He was in no mood for her insubordination. Taking a breath he looked at her as he tried to reign in his temper. Steve realized as furious as he was with Davaris and Stewart, he was acting just like them, letting his emotions dictate his behavior.
Steve stepped back and gave them both room they needed to calm down. His tone and demeanor still showing how livid he was, even if it was controlled. “You and Stewart just found a group of Romulan refugees that are terrified of Starfleet. It’s behavior like this,” he gestured to the table and bloody floor, the mess the helmsman and security chief made. “That is the reason why.” He said bluntly.
Keeping his emotions in check he walked back to the woman. “I don’t pretend to know what you’ve gone through in your life but when you put on that uniform you represent Starfleet, all of us.” He said firmly. “And the Federation by extension. You do a disservice to every citizen when you resort to this kind of behavior.” He looked down at the woman, letting his full height speak his authority for him as he looked her in the eye. He tone may have been a simmering anger but he wasn’t backing down. “You are better than this.” He said calmly but firmly, “You were chosen by the captain as a command officer because you are better than this. How do you think he is going to react when I have to tell him this?”
"I imagine he'll raise an eyebrow and look unemotional." Keishara replied sarcastically.
"If I got information out of him that led to the end of a smuggling operation that ended up putting the traffickers in jail and saving hundreds of lives, if not more, would that not justify a little blood spilled?" she asked somewhat rhetorically as she attempted to justify her actions.
Steve went to speak.
Kei wasn't finished. "I went too far this time. I wholly admit that but this touched more of a nerve than I admitted to myself and I should have avoided interview, I should have delegated the task." She said and sighed. "I do not condone what I have done, not to this degree, but I do not apologise for giving scum a reason to fear us." she then thought of the Romulans.
"Those Romulans initially went with those men because they trusted the uniform. They were naïve, and somewhat stupid in their need for survival... but I do understand that. If people hear Starfleet bet up a people smuggler, Romulans especially in this case, they would know we mean business in their protection and weed out those that look to exploit the very weakness they are too proud to show. I care about those people that were in that hold, not that I'm saying you don't, and I am a very passionate person when it comes to things like this. I know I don't come across as someone who's quite emotional but I am and the subjugation of others is something I cannot abide... again not saying you do... sir."
She had calmed down significantly now and she looked up at Greco trying to be authoritive above her. It didn't work but she understood what he was doing and why.
Steve took a breath and looked at the El-Aurian. “And all you’ve done is confirmed their fears while telling the galaxy that Starfleet beats their unarmed prisoners and may preach about principals but when it comes down to it, will do whatever they want. This is not what we are!” He said bluntly, still angry at her justification of such tactics.
With a sigh, he changed his own strategy to get through to the woman. “The road to hell is paved with good intentions, Keishara. We both have known good people during the war who resorted to extremes to get results, and it consumed them. It may have just been a beating now, but next time…next time it could be the attempted genocide of a species with bio weapons to end a war.” He knew she would understand the reference, the morphogenic virus inflicted on the Changelings was a black blight on Starfleet’s most recent history. It made Steve’s stomach turn just thinking about it.
With a grimace at the thought, he pushed it aside and focused on the task at hand. “Regardless, you have gone too far this time. I will be speaking to the captain about this. He won’t be able to protect your record from this.” He said severely but also a touch of regret in his voice. It maybe harsh, but it was justified. “Anything else, Commander?”
"Not who you are..." Kei mumbled to herself but listened all the same. "No sir, nothing else. Not unless you have any other pearls of wisdom to drop on me from your whole limited lifespan so far." she now waited to be dismissed. Truth be told she didn't care if he told the Captain. She'd done worse than this back during the war and nothing came of it.
Not that she justified any of it being right but it got them wins during the war... Goddesses she missed the war. Simpler times...
Greco dismissed the Second Officer and watched her leave. He was truly disgusted by her behavior but was more worried about what Stryvek would say. He worried whatever bond the two had, it would undermine his disciplinary actions.
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