Exclusive - Stone

Posted on 04 Mar 2013 @ 4:20am by

1,708 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 03 - Frontier
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 2, Stone's Quarters
Timeline: MD 02, 1900

It had been a long day and it was getting longer. Jeremy just wanted to get back to his quarters and slide into his routine without any further interruptions or distractions. Sidi walked at his side, happily slobbering with the ball in his mouth. Jeremy considered it had been a good training session even if he was still a little bothered by the counseling appointment with Meridian.

She wasn't Mulgrew, nor did she employ his methods but...

He didn't dislike her. So far, at the moment, that was the best he could say about it. He wasn't too happy that she considered Sidi to be just another 'dog' and to be treated as such. As a 'pet'. He sighed. He was never good at being patient for as long as he could remember, impatience was one of the traits he felt he could actually work on improving. But at the moment, he still experienced impatience to the Nth degree, which is why it bothered him that his lawsuit seeking equitable treatment for canine crew was still in the planning stages.

As far as he was concerned, it should be before the court already so he wouldn't have to keep putting up with the problem on board. No, scratch that, he shouldn't have to file a lawsuit to force people to respect the position Sidi was in - Holliday told him he understood the role of a working dog before he brought him aboard.

Sidi nudged him, placing the ball at his palm. Jeremy stopped and considered. Sidi just had a decent training session followed by an extended play session. They'd been to the arboretum several times today so he was also well exercised. But the sheer joy Sidi had for chasing after the ball was more than just childlike, it bordered on addictive.

But they were in a corridor and it was after Alpha shift. Beta shift people didn't move around any more than Alpha shift did, but that didn't make the deck corridors any less busy. He still remembered the literal run in with Ensign Peers and didn't want a repeat of that incident with a less understanding member of the crew.

They would arrive in the Rojar system soon and Jeremy knew he'd have to leave the ship for planetary surveys at least once. Sidi would go with him. The concerns for potential hazards were balanced by the idea that Sidi would have an extended amount of time in a more natural environment.

The idea cheered him, somewhat, until he came around a bend, nearly to his quarters and stopped. Sidi stopped next to him, dropping the ball to the floor.

She was there, again. The newswoman. Her gold skin and red hair were immediately recognizable. Mister Darwisch and Miss Saalm may want to be around her, meet her and become close personal friends with her, but Jeremy had other ideas on it. Not just her, however. He wanted to avoid any member of the press.

He contemplated turning around and going elsewhere, maybe another trip to the arboretum but realized her bright, emerald green eyes were watching him.

"No," he said, taking the opening shot. "I have no comment on anything nor do I have any desire to speak with you."

"That's hardly fair," she said turning to face him. Her eyes went down to Sidi at his side and a smile formed on her lips. "You don't even know me and already you're hostile toward me."

Though, to be honest, that could be said about ninety percent of this ship. "Why don't we at least discuss interviews - maybe do a followup from where you were the last time the press was interested to how you are today. A sort of 'where are they now' piece."

Jeremy shook his head. "I have no desire to dredge up any of that experience."

"Surely you don't remember it as being that bad?" Jool asked, the glint in her eyes more telling than her tone. "It was a big story for awhile, to have Starfleet officers released from a Cardassian prison after so many years."

"Released?" Jeremy asked, he felt the tension in Sidi matching his own. Soon the dog would start the low growl that presaged his own hostility. "Prison? It wasn't a 'release' nor a 'prison'! The fact that you call it either shows exactly why I'm not going to talk to you or the tattooed freak or the blue haired clown. So the three of you can forget it and move onto people who aren't aware of your methods."

"My methods?" Jool asked, frowning. "You've never met me before yesterday and you are aware of my 'methods'?"

Jeremy shook his head, she was blocking his door and preventing him from escaping into his quarters and putting the ship behind him for the rest of the evening. "You're all the same. You don't care about the truth, you only care about the angle and what you can sell. If you can't package me as sympathetic, you'll sell me short as a monster given free reign. You're going to do your hatchet job whether I participate or not, and I'd rather not participate."

"What about all the others? Don't you feel you owe a duty to them?"

"Others? What others?"

"Other wounded officers that Starfleet shoves aside and moves on. The ones who were damaged, like you were, and Starfleet swept under the rug."

Jeremy's fists tightened. What did she know of his 'damage'? What did she know of the suffering of anyone who was put into a situation even remotely similar to his? And duty? What duty did he owe them? They allowed Starfleet to run rough over them, allowed themselves to be run out instead of staying to fight. If Jeremy were to give them any consideration it was that they were able to remember the constant battles with Starfleet Command. He was fortunate that he was much worse in those days - sometimes forgetting things from minute to minute, never understanding the whole complex situation.

He had Ahndyl and his attorneys to take care of that.

"Don't you understand you could be an advocate? The voice of the injured who want to stay in Starfleet? A role model for them?"

"No," Jeremy said, "I am not a role model. I'm not interested in anything you have to sell."

Jool smiled. "Okay, then, how about a story on the gorgeous dog you have? Let the galaxy see that man and dog are still working side by side to help keep us safe. Imagine the number of people who'll be informed about the Starfleet security canine unit - as well as other working dogs - and the contributions they make. We could-"

"No," Jeremy said, his tone flat and cold. Commander Coleman warned him about letting anybody know about the current situation with Sidi. That Starfleet Command might decide against allowing Sidi to serve with him on the Galileo or anywhere else for that matter. They would come and take him away and-

Jeremy stopped as he scowled. He put a lot of work and time since Sidi's arrival - which he now found hard to believe was only four or five days prior but a quick check of his PADD indicated it was true. Sidi had been with him for less than a week. Jeremy had invested quite a bit of time and he would hate for that time to be wasted.

"I promise it won't interfere with anything you're doing. I could do the interview while you're training him. We'll have the camera's film training and then put it together from there. I could even volunteer to be a test subject for his training!" She smiled, charmingly, hoping to disarm him. She found him somewhat disturbing. Most men were somewhat distracted by her beauty and figure, but this man had dismissed her upon first looking at her.

Jeremy had to admit, the idea of Sidi sinking his teeth into the bite suit encasing her had some merit, but not enough to overcome his knowledge of what would happen. She would take what he said and twist it, turn it into the opposite of what he said or meant. He had to deal with the misunderstandings and misperceptions from his crewmates - he wasn't about to let someone turn him into a soulless monster deliberately. "No."

"Lieutenant Stone-" she started but Jeremy had enough. His personal philosophy was that 'nice ends at twice' and by his count he's already exceeded twice several times over.

"Miss Fenta," he said stepping forward and shortening up on Sidi's lead as he felt the rumble of the barely audible growl. Fenta did hear it however as her eyes went wider. "You have your answer, now, you are blocking the entrance to my quarters. I have a long day and am tired of dealing with people. I want to go into my quarters and relax. If you continue to block my quarters, you will not like the results."

"Lieutenant-"

"Negative," he replied, stepping forward again, beginning to loom over her. "There is no more conversation. Vacate this area before I'm forced to look at the areas that were considered off-limits without an escort, which, I note you do not have."

Jool's eyes narrowed as she stepped to the other side of the corridor, freeing the space in front of the door. She had only been able to guess this was his quarters based on observation but now she had confirmation. And time. She would wear him down and get what she wanted, one way or another. "I look forward to speaking with you further, Lieutenant Stone."

Jeremy watched her walk toward the Mess Hall. Turning back to his quarters he entered the security code to open the door while he flicked his wrist to activate his PADD. He sighed as he brought up the controls for the video system, not trusting her to not have planted some form of surveillance device. Though, if she had, it would give him very great pleasure to find her, slap restraints on her and let her finish out this mission in the Brig.

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