Man's Best Friend

Posted on 11 Jan 2013 @ 9:07pm by Captain Jonathan Holliday

1,663 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 02 - Resupply
Location: Transporter Room - USS Galileo
Timeline: MD16 1345 hrs

[ON]

With the ship secured from intruders, at least for now, John had turned his attention to more personal pursuits, specifically breaking in their new security Chief and figuring out a way to make him a little more flexible, and a little less impersonal. It had taken a few long discussions and more paperwork than the XO would like to remember, but with the final sign off from Captain Saalm, all that remained was simply a matter of logistics.

The transporter room was currently empty, and the perfect place for Holliday to conduct what would hopefully be a successful meeting between his latest recruit for Galileo's security team, but of course, they would require signing off by the ship's CSO before reporting for active duty. With a wry smile, John tapped his commbadge.

=^=Holliday to Stone, could you join me in the Transporter Room Lieutenant? I require a few minutes of your time. =^=

Jeremy stopped in the middle of the corridor as he heard the transmission. Transporter room? he asked. Not his office? Jeremy took out his PADD - the muscle memory overriding the small niggling voice telling him to use the new one that Coleman had given him as a 'gift'. He quickly checked the sensor scans. A transport ship was nearby. But, Jeremy wondered if they were offloading or taking on. And, if taking on, who? Jeremy sighed.

==^==On my way, Commander==^== In the short time it took him to get there, he formulated several arguments regarding what he might discover the Commander's latest abuse of Jeremy's position. He also made sure the transporter targeting scanners were calibrated on several items in his quarters. He didn't have much to pack, and most everything in his quarters he could leave behind...but there were a few items he would make sure to take with him.

He entered the transporter room and saw the Commander. "Sir," he said by way of simple and only greeting.

Turning to face the lieutenant as he entered the room John could not help but smile, something that he hadn't felt like doing in several days. With a curt nod in reply, the XO absentmindedly wandered behind the transporter console and began inputting a short sequence of commands.

"Mr Stone, punctual as always! I trust your team are resting up after a job well done?"

"Yes, Commander," he said, frowning. Why the smile? Why the chit chat? He wasn't in the mood for a bunch of pleasentries and hemming and hawing. If the Commander was putting him off the ship - or worse - then he wanted it out. "Why am I here, Commander?" he asked, hoping it didn't sound as sharp out loud as it did in his head. But, he was tired of playing these games with this man. They both knew how Holliday regarded him. It had been demonstrated often enough.

Typical for Stone were the first words that came into John's head, as usual the Lieutenant had jumped straight into duty mode and insisted on being given just the facts rather than any sort of personal touch. The XO had anticipated such an attitude and had already prepared himself for the conversation that would follow.

"How would you feel about adding an additional security member to your team?"

Jeremy stared at the edge of the transporter console as he blinked several times. His brows furrowed as he thought about what was just said to him. It wasn't anywhere near what he was expecting to hear. His department staff - as Panne pointed out - was woefully inadequate and he would like to have more officers to ensure protection of the ship. "Sir, I would like to have my staff increased," he said, only briefly glancing at Holliday. He spoke slowly, cautiously, wondering if this were another...prank. "We're here because you have increased my staff?"

"That's exactly whilst we're here. The Captain and I decided that you might benefit from an assistant of sorts, to help with your...integration with existing Galileo crew members. Consider it a...personal assignment."

Entering a few more commands into the transporter control panel, John performed the common transporter chief's trick of sliding the three initiator controls up and then down again, listening out to the traditional humming noise that gave away a Starfleet transporter operating.
As the matter stream formed, instead of the usual bipedal outline of a humanoid, the officer that materialised was much smaller, quadripedal, and furry.

"Lieutenant Stone - meet your new security officer. Fresh from the training grounds."

Jeremy started to tell Holliday he already had an assistent in Lt. Rhodes, and as far as he knew, Rhodes was working out just fine but Holliday had turned to the control panel and started the transport. His jaw clenched knowing he'd have to wait until he could dismiss the new person before he had it out with Holliday about replacing his staff without first consulting him. He made this seem like it was an addition, not a problem in replacing Rhodes.

However, as he saw the finished transport, he stopped, his eyes fixed on the transporter pads. German shepard, male, approximately two years his mind filled in for him before he turned back to Holliday. "Is this a joke?" he blurted out. The dog barked but stayed on the pad. "You, quiet!" Jeremy said, pointing at it. "Commander. I am not amused by this."

"Not a joke at all Lieutenant. The captain and I decided that a canine companion might act as a suitable interface between you and the rest of the crew, given your...unique personality. There's nothing in the regulations prohibiting a ship's dog either - I checked in advance."

"Ship's dog?" he asked. "Sir, I do not have time for a pet." He looked over at the dog, still sitting on the pad, its brown eyes watching the two. As Jeremy looked at him, it gave out a low whine. Jeremy shook his head. "How does this increase my staff?"

John laughed as he reached under the transporter console and retrieved a PADD that outlined the exact details of their latest recruit. Whilst usually a new officer would have handed over their transfer orders personally, the XO would forgive the young canine on the transporter pad for ignoring protocol.

"This animal has been fully trained by Starfleet security to act as both a security partner and also in disaster relief as a search and rescue dog. Think of him as your personal attache."

"A working dog?" Jeremy asked, ignoring the Commander and stepping toward the dog on the pad still. Brown eyes met his and the dog shifted. "A security trained working dog?" he knelt in front of it, looking at the dog at its eye level. He detected a slight shifting of posture and Jeremy kept his hands at his side, not giving the dog reason to think it was about to be grabbed. "We could have used that this morning." He had a momentary thought, of...dogs...in the past. There were the therapy dogs from SB235 and SB600 that were used to help some of the more entrenched cases. He'd seen search dogs used but from a distance.

Jeremy stood even as he backed slowly away. "Commander," he said and then trailed off. He couldn't have a dog. It wasn't...he...

"Commander, working dogs aren't pets. Are you aware of that? They're considered full members of Starfleet with full rights and privileges. They're given certain leeways, obviously, but they are not pets. He'll be given same access and duties that his handler has." Jeremy clenched his jaw and stared at the floor, casting a few quick glances at the dog still sitting on the pad. He was very well behaved, so far, it seemed.

"Then we are in agreement. The animal has been registered for complete access to everywhere you have access to - again I consulted the regulations before the transport. I've also put in a requisition order for various animal supplies to be delivered to the security office for your inspection and approval Lieuteuant."

Jeremy took the offered PADD and glanced at it. Sidious he read on the name, then next to that 'Sidi'. "I'll also have to have materials for training and I'll need to study to come up to speed on how to be a dog handler. I'll..." he stopped, looking up. His jaw clenched. "Sir, I know I've been...disappointing but...thank you."

"Anything you need Lieutenant, feel free to submit a requsition. I'll approve it immediately" John replied with a nod as he heard the words of thanks from a man that up until recently, Holliday had wanted to see disappear from their ship.

He stood and glancing at the PADD. He frowned as he made a motion and Sidi came off the transporter pad and sat at his left heel. "May I ask permission for Lieutenant Sidious to come aboard? The Universal Translator isn't quite set up for his language, sir."

"Of course Lieutenant. Permission granted."

"Thank you, Commander. I'll take him over to Medical for his physical and to release from quarantine then...well," Jeremy almost smiled. "Since he outranks me I guess he's the new Chief of Security? Which means the quarters are his?" He looked down as Sidi barked, seeming in agreement. Jeremy picked up the lead hanging from his collar. "Once cleared by medical, I'll get him situated in."

He put the PADD with Sidi's info into his other pocket. Coleman was right, the wrist PADD was going to be so much easier. "If there was nothing else, Commander. I seem to have a bit more work to do tonight." He didn't seem upset about having an increased workload however. Sidi, maybe sensing they were to depart, stood.



[OFF]

Cmdr Jonathan Holliday
Executive Officer
USS Galileo

LTjg Jeremy Stone
Chief of Security/Tactical/K9
USS Galileo

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