Unexpected Transfer Request

Posted on 04 Aug 2014 @ 7:32pm by Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm & Lieutenant Aria Rice & Captain Jonathan Holliday
Edited on on 04 Aug 2014 @ 9:26pm

1,734 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 06 - Legend of Souls
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 2, Administrative Office
Timeline: MD 04 - 1045 hrs

[ON]

Hard at work while typing away on her console, Lirha was in the middle of compiling her latest task group intelligence report for Starfleet Command when the LCARS screen in front of her chirped and began to display a blinking icon in the corner of the screen. The small yet distinctive Federation emblem meant it was a transmission from Starfleet, but at first glance the details weren't clear who exactly it was coming from.

Pausing and saving her work before reaching out to grab her mug of hot chocolate and take a long sip, she then placed the steamy drink down and pressed her delicate green finger against the screen's icon to bring up more detailed information. Oh? she momentarily paused when she saw who it was from; Captain Fitzgerald of the USS Norway. Strange, she thought with a slightly curious frown. Norway wasn't assigned to her task group nor even Galileo's task force as a whole, and she had never personally spoken to Fitzgerald before. Her intrigue peaked, and she sat upright her chair then accepted the communique.

Captain Dylan Fitzgerald frowned as he appeared on the screen. He was a human in his late fourties, possibly early fifties with dark hair that had started to grey at the temples. Some might call him handsome, except for the scar that ran down the right side of his face. It had clearly been a decision for him not to get the scar removed, but instead kept it like a badge. "Commodore Saalm," he said, giving a nod of respect. "Thank you for answering. I was hoping for a favour," he said, and rather bluntly too.

"Hello, captain," Lirha politely replied with a small smile and nod of her own. She took in the man's attractive appearance as well as the veteran, rugged look his features projected with the help of what appeared to be a old battle wound scar. "I admit, it is not often I get communiques from other captains outside of Task Force 72...is everything alright?" she asked. "A favor?"

"It's about someone who was on your ship not too long ago. Lieutenant Aria Rice?" he met her eyes, taking a slow breath. "I was hoping you'd like to take her back to the USS Galileo. I need to get her off the Norway quickly and a transfer back is easier than having to find another ship."

Lirha couldn't help the shocked expression that suddenly washed over her face and caused her eyebrows to raise high. She remembered Aria quite well and had many fond memories of the young security officer, and she was somewhat shocked to hear of a transfer request. Her first response was mostly maternal, and she hoped Aria was alright and unharmed. "A transfer? Is she okay?" she asked with concern.

"She is fine," he said as he watched her, frowning. "We would just rather not have her anymore. There was an accident on an away team she was part of. Her and her Chief. He died, she lived...we lost three others as well. She has been found as partly responsible and demoted to the rank of Ensign. For the sake of morale, we'd....like her gone sooner rather than later."

It sounded almost surreal, the words coming out of the captain's mouth. Lirha had known Aria very well during her time aboard Galileo and had come to love, respect, and trust her. The idea that she had somehow been deemed a guilty party in such an incident was hard for the commodore to accept. "...Explain?" was the only word she could finally think of to reply with.

Fitzgerald frowned as he sat back, clearly thinking of how to best phrase it. "The incident reports showed that the route the away team were taking was the high risk one. Witnesses said that Rice did not object to the decision made by her Chief, despite her having the information that is was dangerous. In her after action interview she admitted that she knew it was high risk and that she had told him it was dangerous, but not questioned it. Since four people died, Lieutenant Kinsella amongst them, we have had to take this very seriously. Rice neglected her duty in not questioning and insisting to take the longer and safer route. As such, she has been demoted to Ensign. She is young. Her career will recover from this. But she has gotten a reputation here of being a jinx. So, for morale, I want her gone as soon as possible."

"I am very sorry to hear of your losses," Lirha began. She tried to process what the captain had just told her, but unfortunately some of it didn't make the most sense to her. "And while I do not want to tell you how to run your own ship...is it really appropriate to place blame and discipline her for following her superior's orders? From what you have told me, it seems to me that her chief made a bad decision and paid the ultimate price, even though she had informed him of the possible dangers." Lirha didn't like the idea that Aria was being pinned with neglection of duty even though she'd already spoken up about the matter. To her, it almost seemed as if she was the scapegoat for a bad incident in which someone needed to find a person to place the blame on.

"Well...that decision has already been made. Ensign Rice had every opportunity to appeal and...refused. Something about it not being her circus and not being her monkeys," Fitzgerald said with a frown. "I did consult JAG on this."

Lirha sighed with a mix of frustration and anger. While she didn't approve of Fitzgerald's decision and thought the whole ordeal sounded highly skeptical, she had no interest in hearing about any JAG rulings or reading through additional paperwork regarding the incident. "As I said before, captain, it is your ship and your prerogative to handle your crew how you see fit. If you wish to transfer the ensign to Galileo, you will need to speak to Captain Holliday, the commanding officer, and get his approval. Would you like me to patch him through?" the commodore offered.

"Yes please," he said as he met his eyes, nodding gently. "I want this done as...gently as possible. For Rice's sake at least." And his own. It had all been as bad as things had gotten on the Norway for years.

"Very well." Lirha gave him another polite nod then began to tap several controls on her keyboard to summon her ship's CO into the current discussion.

It took a moment before the Captain's screen came online and the image of Holliday behind his desk in the Ready Room formed. John looked curiously at the screen as he saw both Lirha and another high-ranking officer.

"Commodore Saalm - how can I assist? I don't believe we have met yet, Captain...."

"Fitzgerald," he said firmly, nodding to Holliday. "It's a pleasure, Captain Holliday. Long story short, I would like to request, as a favour, for you to take a former crewmember back. Ensign Aria Rice. As soon as possible."

"Ensign Aria Rice? Captain Fitzgerald did I hear that correctly?" John cocked his head slightly to one side.

"Last time I saw Miss Rice she was a Lieutenant?"

"Apparently," Lirha interjected and briefly explained to Holliday, "it seems the lieutenant was part of an incident aboard Norway and was disciplined. She has been demoted to the rank of ensign...and now Captain Fitzgerald no long wishes for her to be a part of his crew." She said the statement in as much of a neutral tone as possible, but for Holliday who knew the Orion commodore rather well, he was probably able to discern the subtle disapproval in her voice.

"It just seems better that she goes somewhere...else," Fitzgerald said as he watched them both. "And as she had a good run on the Galileo, I hoped you were willing to take her back."

John frowned for a moment, annoyed that any Captain would willingly want to remove a member of his crew instead of doing the right thing and helping to reintegrate his officer.

"Very well. Aria was a good officer - I would be proud to have her back under my command. Send through the transfer paperwork and I will authorise it Captain Fitzgerald."

"I'll send them through. We are due at DS9 within the next hour. I will leave her there to go on the next shuttle over to the Galileo. Thank you, Captain Holliday," Fitzgerald said with a respectful nod. He appreciated the help.

Lirha was pleased to hear the conversation go quickly and smoothly between both captains without any bantering. There was not really much more she wanted to add into the mix, at least nothing which would be very productive at the moment. This wasn't the time for her to share her own personal feelings on the matter, and so, she simply looked at Fitzgerald through the screen and gave him another polite nod. "Very well, captain. Transfer approved. Was there anything else you wished to speak to me about?"

"No...no, that is perfect. Thank you," Fitzgerald looked and sounded relieved as he sat there. "Again, thank you both. For...your understanding."

"Of course." Lirha gave the older man a nod then quickly closed the channel with a tap on her keyboard. She now looked at Holliday whose face was still present on the monitor and began to speak again. "I will have my yeoman send you the appropriate paperwork. But...as much as I do not agree with Captain Fitzgerald's decision...I do wonder what Ms. Rice has gotten herself into. I know she is not always the easiest officer to get along with," she thought out loud.

"I agree....we will have to have a chat when she reaches the Galileo. You know where I am if you need me - Holliday out."

[OFF]

--

CDRE Lirha Saalm
Mission Advisor
USS Galileo

&

CAPT Jonathan Holliday
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo

&

Special guest star
Captain Dylan Fitzgerald
CO of the USS Norway
[written this once by Aria Rice as a plot device!!!]

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