"Hell To Pay"
(previous post: 'This Is....')
====================
Stardate: 60299.1800
Setting: NEW ALEXANDRIA, Engineering section
Commander Jack Foley was sitting at his desk when his assistant, Lieutenant Commander Mercedes Vasquez entered with David.
"Well... Mr. Dawson, you've been a hard man to catch up with."
David said nothing and Foley pressed on.
"Did the commander brief you on what we're looking from you?"
"No sir... she didn't. It was more... ranting and raving and celebrating since she snagged her prey." David said glaring at Vasquez.
"I wouldn't push it if I were you *Lieutenant*" she shot back hotly.
"At ease Commander" Foley said, "now...can you tell me why you didn't come when we called for you?"
"I was busy Commander" David replied, "an engineer's work is never done."
"But I expect you to heave to when we call you David. This is an important matter."
"More important than reparing my captain's ship?" David shot back.
"Excuses Lieutenant" Vasquez said, "that's why you have a staff of compentant engineers that can operate in your absense."
"Well... if that's the case *Commander* you and Commander Foley have a staff here of competent engineers. I have a job to do so use them."
Foley sighed and shook his head.
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Stardate: 60299.1815
Setting: Admiral Koneki's anteroom
Sabrina stormed into the admiral's office with Lea in tow. She had never seen anyone so determined to get across the massive space station in record time as the ExO of the ANUBIS. Since there was no one to greet them, Sabrina thumbed the chime.
=/\=Enter=/\= came the disembodied voice of NEW ALEXANDRIAs commanding officer and the two officers entered. Koneki was seated at his desk and looked up and smiled... then smirled.
"Commander Rikar... Ensign Summers. What do I owe the honor of this... visit."
Sabrina dropped the padd on his desk. "I don't want to seem rude Admrial, but could you explain this?"
Koneki picked up the padd and scanned it. "Its a temporaty transfer. Hopefully you didn't come all this way for me to tell you that."
"I know what it is sir, but what *is* it?" Sabrina pressed, "long story short, why was a member of my crew re assigned without me knowing about it?"
Koneki eyed the red haired first officer. "Commander..."
"And I know that you are a stickler for rules and procedures..." Sabrina said.
"Commander..." Koneki said and Sabrina steamrolled him.
"...*AND* this is just..."
"Commander!" Koneki said, and when Sabrina stopped, he stood, "now that I have your attention, this *isn't* permanent. We're initating a new procedure her eon the base and I wanted all ship CEOs to be present. This isn't just to single out Lieutenant Dawson."
Lea huffed, "Tell that to the physcho who came and got him."
"What *physcho* would that be Ensign?"
"Commander Vasquez. She's rude, crass,..."
"And following orders from her CO. She informed me that Lieutenant Dawson has been ignoring their summons so I told her to do what she needed to get him on the station."
"With armed security officers?!" Lea protested as Sabrina raised her hand to silence her.
"You have to agree Admiral, the security officers was a little over the top. But what peturbs me is that I wasn't notified. Surely you're not going to let that go without some sort of reprimand."
"And why should I?" Koneki asked, "and please understand I'm not trying to be a stubborn ass, but last time I checked I'm the letter of the law around here. If I say go get him, go get him. Plain and simple."
"But again Admiral" Lea added, "armed security officers to escort a well decorated and well known chief engineer off his own ship... where he was following the orders from his captain to get the ship operational..."
"Ensign Summers" Koneki said, "althought I appreciate your commradrie, this conversation is closed. If David didn't want to be brought in kicking and screaming he should have dropped what he was doing and report as ordered. Dismissed."
As the Admiral sat Lea shook her head. She turned to leave so did Sabrina.
"One second Commander" Koneki said and waited for Lea to leave. Once the doors closed, he looked up at her.
"I apologize for going over you head. If I were in your shoes I'd be pissed as well."
Sabrina nodded as Koneki continued.
"But I did what I did for a reason. A reason that at this present time can't be explained."
"Because you can't... of because you don't want to?"
As soon as she said it, she wished she could retract it, but Koneki smiled.
"Well... let me put it like this. Its on a need to know basis, and right now you *don't* need to know."
Sabrina nodded again, "And I can accept that Admiral, but for future references, any and *all* transfers of crew on the ANUBIS comes by me. Like I said earlier, as a stickler for the rules and regs, I deserve that respect...and I didn't get it from Commander Vasquez."
"Filed and noted Commander. Dismissed."
Sabrina left and Lea was waiting outside for her.
"Can that wierdo get away with that?" the aCMO asked.
"Apparently she can Lea" Sabrina said, "there's nothing we can do about it."
Lea could see Sabrina's green darken. "Excuse me Ensign" she said and walked off.
"Commander" Lea nodded and decided to head for the engineering section. Maybe David would know what the hell was going on.
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Stardate: 60299.1822
Setting: Engineering Deck, NEW ALEXANDRIA
David leaned against the bulkhead as both Foley and Vasquez took turns in chewing his ass off for not coming when called. Along with the lecture, he found out that the meeting that was scheduled for later on in the afternoon was canceled because he wasn't present. David shook his head and looked out the commander's officer when a familiar face walked by.
"Lieutenant? Do you understand?" Foley asked.
"Yes sir" David replied, "are we done here?"
"*Don't* go far" Mercedes said.
"I couldn't... bloodhound" David shot back as he exited the commanders office headed after the person he thought he remembered. He reached for the big man's shoulder and turned him around.
"Commander Fairborn? What are you doing here?"
"Its Elan and its good to see you again *sir*" the big Oltharian replied with a wide grin.
"I believe you got protocol reversed Commander." David said as Elan pointed to his pips.
"Not anymore." he said.
"What happened?" David asked.
"Long story my friend. Remind me to tell you one day. So... answer me this... still angering your superiors?" he asked with a grin nodding in the direction of Foley's office.
"Apparently... its Mimi really. She has this... thing for me."
"You mean Commander Vasquez?"
"One in the same."
"Know her personally?" Elan asked.
"Yes... and at times I seriously regret it."
The Oltharian laughed and clapped David on the shoulder. It had been a while since Elan last clapped David like that and since the CEO wasn't expecting it was almost floored.
"Hey big fella... I need that shoulder."
"Well... I must be going David. We'll have to get together later."
"Sounds like a plan. Dismissed *Lieutenant*" David said with a grin.
Elan smiled and left as he saw Lea walked in.
"There you are" she said approaching him and hugging him.
"What was that for?" David asked.
"I was worried. What did that physcho do to you?"
David laughed, "Nothing yet... but that might change come tomorrow."
"Sabrina and I went to Knoeki's office to see why you were transfered."
"It isn't a transfer."
"Then, what is..." the aCMO said and David cut her off.
"I can't say. But we're still on for breakfast in the morning right?"
Lea smiled. With all that happened to him in the past hour he still remembered.
"One condidtion."
"Shoot." David said.
"You cook. I'm horrible at it." she said with a smile.
David shook his head, "Not another one. How about we meet on the promanade... there's a place there that reminds me of home. 0800?"
"I'll see you then." and she turned to leave. David watched the aCMO leave and turned to see...
"Commander" he said as he rolled his eyes.
"And what is that all about?" Vasquez.
"None of your business. And I'd like it if you stayed out of mine" he said as he walked off.
====================================
Julian Knight (d_dawson_1@yahoo.com)
as
Lieutenant David Dawson
Chief Engineer
USS ANUBIS NCC 18501
"A Starfleet officer...that's all I am and that's all I'll ever be."
- Avery Brooks as Captain Benjamin Sisko,
Commanding Officer of the Federation Spacestation Deep Space 9
2005 post #055
