Closing the Case

Posted on 19 Dec 2012 @ 11:46am by Crewman Athlen
Edited on on 19 Dec 2012 @ 4:39pm

2,084 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 02 - Resupply
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 3, Security Offices
Timeline: MD 14 1700

[ON]

To Lieutenant Stone:

I sincerely apologize for my behavior both during the incident which you arrested me for and the following proceedings. It has never been my intention to deny my responsibility, though I am now able to see why you would draw this conclusion, as it has taken me some time to realize the extent of my own actions.

I was wrong. I assumed that all parties involved understood my motivation rather than stating my intentions clearly, and operated on the basis of this assumption instead of ensuring it was so.

P.S: Thank you for returning the Heran clasp to me during the proceedings as well. I recognize now that was a breach of protocol which was highly uncomfortable to you.

~Crewman Athlen thran-khash Rhias

Jeremy sat at the desk and stared at the screen of the PADD. He had received the above...he frowned as he read it over. It seemed like weeks had passed since that incident, yet most of it was still fresh in his mind. Most of what mattered was fresh in his mind.

Mostly that was the confrontation with Commander Holliday and the outright display of Holliday's hostility toward the process of rules, regulations and order. Some part of Jeremy understood that many who never should be in command achieved it not because of merit but because of unrelated factors, such as who they knew. He was afraid that Commander Holliday was one of these types of officers, rising through the ranks based on his abilities at cocktail parties and on the golf course.

But it was a Commander that he was currently stuck with. Now this. This above letter.

He had no idea how to handle it. He received another communique earlier regarding this self-same incident. A declination from JAG to pursue the matter. Jeremy recalled these were referred to as "crimbut' letters. Meaning that the prosecutors were too cowardly to focus on their actual jobs and instead considered corollary matters - like diplomatic fallout. Jeremy was not surprised by this turn of events, only that Holliday had revealed his contempt for Jeremy early and unnecessarily.

He sighed. On the other hand, there were offers of guidance and ... confusing kindness. Jeremy could easily have been disciplined and sent off the ship last night but Holliday declined. Lieutenant Coleman's conversation with him this morning stood in very stark contrast to her accusations that he accessed classified data about which crew were seeking medical attention for which common ailments. That she should have such data classified was still beyond him. He still didn't know why she would be upset that he discovered she wanted to paint her office, or quarters, or sections of the ship sienna. The woman in the meeting a few hours ago seemed a far cry from the woman who came to visit him in the security offices earlier that day.

Jeremy wondered if perhaps that wasn't because of the medical affects that Liyar had appraised him and the others about? Perhaps she was affected more than she or Liyar had thought? Jeremy didn't know because he barely knew anyone on the crew. Part of the reason for that was his arrest of Crewman Athlen. And the fast and furious rumors that spread about the incident, to include rumors that he considered a 'bowl of soup' a deadly weapon.

Jeremy frowned, thinking of the ways that a bowl of soup could be construed as such. But none of them were factors in this particular incident. Still, he had outlined all of this in his report and didn't need to go around correcting misperceptions of the entire crew. If he corrected every misperception regarding him, he would never have time to accomplish his actual duties.

He sighed and brought out the PADD:

Crewman Athlen:

I am in receipt of your confession regarding the incident. I shall place such into the criminal file as part of the investigative case file.

I am to inform you that I have received a declination from JAG to pursue the matter through further criminal proceedings and it is now closed.

On a more personal note, I am saddened to see your attempts to dissuade me from thoughts of your more violent, criminal and bothersome nature, yet I understand that you have continuously engaged in a course of conduct that could be considered insubordinate, dangerous and improper toward my Security department and the procedures we must follow. Though you used the barest slim margin of a quoted regulation as a defense to justify your actions toward Lieutenant Liyar, you now fail to act according to all regulations, guidelines, procedures and policies that you agreed to when you became a member of Starfleet.

I hope, in the future, you will remember that I am part a security department dedicated to the highest ideals of duty and commitment to all regulations, guidelines, procedures and policies despite your attempts to bias the crew against our work. We do not allow matters of culture, ethnicity or species to influence the way we must carry out our duties. It is unfortunate that this inability to allow ourselves to be swayed by these concerns is now a matter of complaint.

I further understand that you continue to complain about my own 'bigoted' nature in not understanding Rigelian culture and custom. While it is true I am not adept at Rigelian culture and custom, since there are so few serving in Starfleet at this time, it cannot be held equally true that you are not aware of Starfleet culture, customs an the aforementioned regulations, policies, procedures and rules. Nor, it appears, are you capable of extending the same cultural courtesy of understanding to species outside of your own.

I must now consider this criminal investigative matter closed.

Lieutenant (JG) Jeremy Stone
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
U.S.S. Galileo

Jeremy hit the 'send' command and then did exactly what he said. He added Athlen's letter to the investigative file and then marked it closed.

Sighing, he looked at the rest of his schedule and the outstanding tasks he still had to perform.

Athlen regarded the message on his screen with a mild frown. It was, in fact, more than what he'd expected, but it confused him that Stone actually thought he was purposefully circumventing regulations.

It confused him even more that Stone thought it was the reason why he was released. He spent a long time staring, putting two plus two together, trying to put himself in the other 'shoes' so to speak. He sat at his console for a moment and tried to word his thoughts in an orderly fashion. He really wasn't used to thinking this linearly.

He wondered with some amusement how this might go were he Vro, instead of Athlen. The thought was slightly comforting. There was, at least, a reason why he was here and not Vro or Tehar.

After about twenty minutes or so, a new message popped up on his screen.

LTjg Jeremy Stone:

I had never intended to quote regulation as a way of subverting what occurred or denying responsibility. I am able to see why you would draw this conclusion.

To clarify: My only motivation in quoting regulation was to explain the original precedent of my words and actions. That they were, in fact, a reference to something benign, and not a threat. Commander Holliday asked if I threatened Lieutenant Liyar. What a person says and what a person means can sometimes be two different things.

The words I said could be interpreted as a threat. Just as the phrase 'I never said she stole my money' in Standard can mean something completely different depending on the word that is stressed. What another person perceives is an even bigger variable. In order to accurately sum up my actions, I needed to explain the precedence for them, just like I would need to explain which word I stress in order for you to understand what I mean by that sentence.

You interpreted them as a threat based on the context you were given, however, both Liyar and I understood differently. This is why I attempted to explain it was a misunderstanding. For instance, you would not arrest two people who are laughing saying 'I'm going to kill you!' because that is common colloquial speech. You could do this, and you could say it is a threat and go through the entire process, but no jury on Earth will prosecute it because it is such common language. It may sound threatening to you if you factor out the humorous and idiomatic aspect, but most Terrans would understand what is meant.

That is why the JAG consider the case closed, and why Commander Holliday ordered my release -- because it was a misunderstanding; You missed the humorous connotation of my words, and I missed the fact that I should have phrased it officially to begin with -- not because I explained the regulation.

Most of the staff on board know myself and Liyar and recognize our dynamic immediately as non-hostile. You did not, and the fault lies with me that I assumed you would.

Again, I apologize for my assumption that everyone around me would be capable of discerning the nuance of my speech. As you have mentioned, it is hypocritical to assume that others must meet me halfway without doing the same in return. As I have clarified, I was in the wrong regardless. To provide a sentence without context and then expect others to understand my meaning is wrong. I comprehend this now and I am sorry.

On a personal note,

When I was being trained, I was taught that examination and reflection of all accounted variables were the first and most important actions in an unknown situation. As we differ in our beliefs here, I felt it could have been resolved more amicably as most cases of this nature are. The additional emotional behavior from me was a direct result of removing the Heran clasp. As you now are aware, my capacity for emotional control was compromised. I am now looking for a way to adjust for this variable, with the help of the Rigelian Consulate.

Nevertheless, I have been able to properly assimilate what has happened, and where error and responsibility lie. As I have said in my last message and as you repeat, it is with me, for not comprehending that others do not believe and think the same way as I do. As a member of a psionic species, it is sometimes difficult for me to remember this, and your actions have served as a stark reminder. Thank you.

To clarify further: I have never once mentioned you are a bigot. Wherever that is arising, it is not from me. I do not believe you think Rigelians are 'the ruination of the Federation'. [I've heard the rumor. It is ridiculous.] Nor do I think you hold hostile opinions of outworld species simply on the basis of their being outworld. I will admit I believe you possess opinions about Rigelian custom that are on the slippery slope scale, without adequate psionic comprehension. This factored into my anger. But again, does not indicate bigotry.

It has never been my intention to antagonize you or the security staff. I am very sorry if that is how I have come across. Re: rumors/complaints: If you wish, I will issue a testimony explaining that you are not a bigot.

All the best,

~Crewman Athlen thran-khash Rhias

Jeremy glared at the PADD. "I don't think you're a bigot, but let me explain why you are," he muttered to himself. "I will issue testimony saying you're not a bigot, but will explain why you are."

The day was too long, there was just too much going on and the damn doors still weren't fixed! Hitting "delete" Jeremy stood and left the office, not even bothering with a 'goodbye' as he headed for his quarters. His routine for the day was screwed, his control slipping and he needed to get it out. To get it taken care of. That was something he could do in his quarters at least. Lucky for him, he had a new heavy bag. He hoped this one would last longer than a week.

[OFF]

LTjg Jeremy Stone
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
U.S.S. Galileo

Crewman Athlen
Sociologist, SCI
USS Galileo

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