Tattletale

Posted on 02 Feb 2013 @ 11:38pm by Captain Jonathan Holliday
Edited on on 03 Feb 2013 @ 1:21am

1,639 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 03 - Frontier
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 2 - XO's Office
Timeline: MD01 - 10:00hrs

[ON]

The appointment to see Commander Holliday about the level of insubordination committed by Mister Stone was a burden in the back of Maenad's mind since the day it had happened. It sat in the back of her skull like a popcorn kernel stuck in her gums. She'd gone over his words a thousand times, and each time that she did made her more uncomfortable. He was just so hostile toward her that she had become frightened of him, and that was unacceptable.

Standing outside the commander's door three minutes prior to their scheduled meeting time, Maenad primmed her pleated uniform skirt so that it was nice and straight. She put her heels together and tugged on the back of her uniform's jacket, fixed her hair, and made herself look as professional as she could. Commander Holliday was a stickler for protocols, and she didn't want to disappoint him. A close working relationship to her immediate superior was important to her. With a thumb she pressed the chime, then clasped her hands behind her back.

"Enter."

John called out towards the door chime, knowing full well who the most likely person on the other side of the door was going to be. His schedule had been filled with meetings for various purposes, but this had been one that John had been less than willing to factor into his day. Complaints against other officers were simply part of the day to day running of a starship, but was never something that the XO particuarly enjoyed having to enforce. Matters were made no better than John himself had rubbed shoulders with Stone in a less-than-satisfactory way several times already, and the probability for a biased opinion was increasing by the day.

"Hello, commander," Maenad said once she had entered and the doors had closed. "Thank for seeing me."

"Not a problem Lieutenant - I always make time for the senior staff, please, have a seat, can I get you anything from the replicator?"

Holliday had been working on his hosting skills in recent days, having heard from a few different people that perhaps he could be a little overly strict from time to time. Standing up from his desk, the XO headed towards his replicator, perusing the menu in his mind as he waited to hear whether or not he would be ordering alone.

"No, thank you, commander," she said modestly as she moved to sit. "I hope not to take up too much of your time. You are busy, after all." She hesitated, "But, if you will have something too, I wouldn't mind a small Earl Grey." Maenad didn't intend to sound indecisive, she just didn't want to come across as needy. Seated, she almost crossed her legs as she always did, but now wasn't sure if that were too unprofessional in the commander's eyes. Instead, she sat with her legs together and her hands tucked between her thighs, her posture erect.

Nodding in reponse to his Science Officer's request, John moved to the replicator and quickly placed his order on the panel; a small tea for her, and the XO's usual beverage of a raktajino alongside it. The computer took only a moment to look up the necessary patterns and form the two cups side by side ready for collection.

Collecting one with each hand, the XO offered the cup of tea to Panne before taking his own and settling into the chair behind his desk.

"Now, what can I do for you Lieutenant?"

She accepted the tea with a grateful smile, and mouthed the words thank you before gently blowing on the steam. "It is about Mister Stone, sir," she said hesitantly. She lowered the cup to her lap, looking at it. She seemed forlorn almost. "A few days ago, well, he..." Maenad looked up to the commander, meeting his eyes. "I just want you to know that I am only telling you this at all because what he did genuinely hurt me. It is no waste of your time," yet she was very clearly wasting his with this stupid explanation, she realised. "He helped himself into my office while I was going over reports and immediately started berating me. He holds me responsible, at least somewhat, for what happened with the intruders who tried to take Lieutenant Cho. Despite that I was ordered to keep what we were doing in there secret, Stone yelled at me for not informing him." She shook her head, looking back into her cup. "When I... reminded him that I was his superior officer, and when I told him he was being insubordinate, he started making fun of me, commander," she met his eyes, "He started lying to me about my personal image on the ship, just to hurt my feelings. He called me a bitch," she told him, almost embarrassed. "And he also called me a whore. He said that I was full of myself, too. He was just really nasty, commander. Completely out of line. I asked him to leave several times, but he just kept bullying me. I had to threaten to call security on him to get him out." Maenad looked back into her tea, and let out a long, sad, breath.

John almost threw his coffee cup at the monitors beyond the Lieutenant's head as he heard yet another complaint against their new security chief. It seemed that in a very short space of time, Mr Stone had managed to achieve a new Starfleet record for upsetting the maximum number of fellow crewmembers in the shortest available time. Steadying himself, the XO took a deep sip from his coffee as he amalgamated his thoughts before continuing.

"You...aren't the first person who has been to see me about Mr Stone...it seems to be swiftly becoming a repetitive complaint....I...apologise that you have been treated that way aboard this vessel....it is not acceptable."

"Thank you, commander," Maenad took a slow sip of her tea. "I, well, I am aware of the way he's been acting, but... It was just such a shock to me, sir, that I didn't know what to do. What made it so odd was that he made a home-cooked breakfast for me and left a bottle of wine in a nice basket outside my quarters; he even left an endearing little not with it. Not even a few hours go by and he was in my quarters and... and doing that," she frowned.

The XO really was coming to a point where he was not going to be able to deal with any further complaints about their security chief. What he seemed to have done a thousand times happened again; John raised his hands, sighed, and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"I believe that the good Lieutenant is going to be assigned to counselling for further analysis...the Captain is well aware of this situation...and its...unpleasantness."

Maenad gave a frown. That was it. Somehow that didn't seem fair. To prevent herself from speaking right away, she took a long sip of tea. It was surprisingly drinkable given that it was just replicated; the commander must have at some point adjusted settings to produce hot drinks at the right temperature... maybe. "But, sir..." she started, holding her cup in her lap, "I don't know that that will do anything. I..." she stopped herself. "I would at least like an apology from him." The idea of Stone apologising was probably punishment enough, she thought. Hearing the words I was wrong and I am sorry from such an nonempathetic man might do him some good.

"I will....see what I can do. As I say...Captain Saalm has become rather au fait with the details of the situation....she might already have a plan of action that I am simply not aware of in my position as First Officer."

John knew that the file on Stone must have been at least a parsec long by now, with the number of reports and complaints being filed, and that there was no way the captain would not already be aware of what was happening.

"I intend to meet with her before too long to discuss the concerns that are shared by several members of this crew."

That wasn't the answer she was looking for, but it would have to do. Maenad gave him a loose appreciative smile. "Thank you, commander. It is a little comforting to know that I am not the only victim of his."

John returned the same loose smile, knowing that the captain was really going to have a field day once his report made its way across her desk.

"Leave it with me Lieutenant. I promise it will be resolved quickly."

Was that a dismissal? Maybe. She hadn't finished her tea. Maenad stood upright with the cup in hand. She took a big sip, then held it by her waist. "Thank you, commander. I hope this is the first and last time I have to report to you something like this."

"Well, if it isn't, my door is always open. Any time."

John nodded in approval as his officer stood in front of him, having taken his hint at dismissal to heart and gotten ready to leave without too much hanging around.

"Thank you, commander," she nodded. Maenad turned to leave, taking her tea with her. She thought that whatever punishment, if any, that Stone was going to get was not enough. But, knowing that Holliday was on her side was almost enough to make her feel better.



[OFF]

Lieutenant (JG) Maenad Panne
Chief Science Officer
USS Gailileo

Cmdr Jonathan Holliday
Executive Officer
USS Galileo

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