"Command Decision"
(Previous Post: Jessica's 'A Shillian...')
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Setting: USS HATHOR, Bridge
After a hour or so of a simulated battle and different flight plans, Lieutenant Commander Serenna rose from the COs chair and addressed both ensigns.
"I can see why Captain Rikar and Captain Arlington pressed for you to become members of this crew. You two are going to do well with our shakedown mission."
"Thank you Captain" both Uxtar and Nico replied as the lift doors at the back of the bridge opened. A tall dark haired man approached.
"Excuse me, I'm looking for Lieutenant Commander Serenna." he said.
Serenna nodded, "And you are?"
"Lieutenant Brian Garrity."
Nico immediately approached the Romulan/Terran XO, "Our little watchdog Captain."
Serenna eyed Garrity. He was tall and lean. Straight teeth with a small soul patch under his bottom lip. His hair was cut unformly and he was dressed in the grey of Intel.
"Ensign Uxtar, if you'll excuse us. Mr. Rostov, you're with me" Serenna said as she walked to the CO's Ready Room off the bridge as both officers followed.
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"So, you're the security officer Admiral Koneki suggested" Nico said as they took their seats.
"Actually, I'm a part of Starfleet IA..."
"Why is Koneki assigning a internal affairs officer to
watch David?" Serenna said as Garrity produced a PADD.
"My transfer orders to the HATHOR and everything else
you need to know is in there sir."
As Serenna scanned the PADD, she glanced up at him.
"And exactly what are your orders Lieutenant?"
"I am to watch Lieutenant Dawson's mannerisms, his
attitude under pressure, and how he maintains himself
while on duty. And this is on the record" Garrity
paused, "only you and Ensign Rostov will know my true
nature and why I am here. To everyone else, I will be
another member of the crew."
"So... why has Koneki assigned you to watch David?" Serenna asked.
"The Admiral informed me of Lieutenant Dawson's.... miraclous recovery... and frankly I don't buy it."
"At last... someone else who sees" Nico said under his breath as Serenna tapped the table at him.
"And what do you know of it?" Serenna asked.
"I'll give you the short version Commander" Garrity said leaning forward resting his arms on the table, "I've seen enough times in my life where a family member... or a close friend of mine cheated death... only to die soon thereafter for some reason or another. But for a man to have been pronounced dead *and* was clinically dead for 8 minutes and to instantly survive..."
"It wasn't instant" Serenna interupted, "David was down for several days recouping..."
"It was 3 days Commander. I read Doctor Summers report."
"David has always been a fighter when he's been ill... or shelved." Serenna said in her friend and Academy classmate.
"Well... the brass is having a hard time believing it.
Moreover, I'm here only to see if the David Dawson of
old rears his ugly head."
"Why?" Serenna asked narrowing her eyes at the Intel
officer.
"Commander, its like this: the *only* thing that saved
Dawson was the removal of his... brother... and having
it on a feed. *But* his court martial is still lying
in stasis... per se."
"Lying in stasis?" Serenna asked incredibly, "*after*
Richard was removed from David, all charges were dropped."
Garrity smiled wickedly, "So you think."
"And exactly what is *that* supposed to mean?" Serenna
asked.
"Commander, I was sent here to do a job and I'm going
to do it to the best of my ability. I am to submit a
report to Koneki every 3 days on Dawson's behavior.
Now... for the duration of the shakedown mission and
cruise, I'll be portraying a warp core specialist..."
"We have one of those..." Serenna said about to
anounce who it was but Garrity cut her off.
"Lieutenant Yates has been assigned as acting aCEO of the ANUBIS in T'Reni's absense. I will take his place. That's why my service record reads that I'm an ensign 3 years fresh out of the Academy."
Nico leaned forward. "Why subjegate yourself to a
lower rank? Yates is a full lieutenant like Dawson is
and..."
"Have you ever seen Yates press Dawson's buttons
Ensign?" Garrity asked.
"No" Nico replied.
"Well... that's one of the many benefits of my job..."
he said as Serenna arced an eyebrow.
"Benefits?" she said dryly.
"Yes... this isn't a 'sit back and watch' assignment
for me. Long story short Commander, I was sent here to
get under Lieutenant Dawson's skin."
Serenna could feel her blood start to boil. This could
undermine her first command if David lost his temper
and not only saying what it would do for her friend's
career.
"And how much... lattitude have you been given to press
David's buttons?" the HATHOR CO asked.
"As much as necessary. Koneki wants to see if Dawson has changed... or if its time that Starfleet and Dawson part ways."
Serenna sat back looking at Garrity. "Well... looks like your orders are clear."
"Yes, they are" he said as the HATHOR CO cut him off.
"Let me add some to your list. *Any* report that is
being sent to Koneki *will* get my personal signature
on it..."
"Commander... I think you misunderstand. I don't need
you to sign off on or your permission...."
"My ship *my* rules Lieutenant." she said with a grin
of her own.
"Permission to speak freely sir."
Serenna nodded.
"I believe your close, personal relationship with
Dawson will hinder anything you could add to the
report. You were his counsel for his court martial and
that makes you somewhat impartial..."
"Impartiality has nothing to do with it. Now... since
you spoke so freely about my relationship with David,
let me speak freely to you about what I expect. I
expect all officers under my command to follow my
orders to the letter. *That* includes David..." and
she paused looking at Garrity, "do you want to know
why David and I have such a good relationship?"
"Other than the fact that both of you were at the Academy at the same time and attended Senior Officer classes together? What else could there be?"
"He knows when I'm serious. And he knows the
importance of this misison to me. And finally, he
knows what I'l do to him if he messes this up.
Now... that was personal, the professional side of it
is David Dawson is the best damned engineer I've
*ever* served with. His dedication to his craft, the
ship he serves, *and* to his crew mates goes without
saying. His record speaks for itself with his
decorations..."
"Commander, I'm not here to blow Dawson's horn. Only
to see if its as shiny as people are led to believe.
Also... if what you say is true, then why do you and
Captain Rikar have so much trouble dealing with him?"
"Meaning?" Serenna asked.
"Well... you just said that officers under your command
knows to follow your orders to the letter. Didn't he
try to kill you, Captain Rikar, and several officers
of the MERCURY? Doesn't sound like he follow your
orders..."
"Answer this question Lieutenant. At the time, was
David under my command?"
Nico glanced at Garrity. He had been doing so well for
himself but for as long as he had known the ANUBIS" XO
ad HATHOR CO, Garrity was on the quick end of a loss.
"No he wasn't..."
"Exactly my point. Sabrina is David's commanding
officer. I..." and she smiled wickedly, " am his
superior. On the HATHOR... *I* will be his CO." and she
leaned back, "have a conversation with David about our
little adventure when I was his commander. Now..." and
she leaned forward again, "all reports that're to be
submitted to Koneki goes across my desk... or you
don't fly. Are we clear Lieutenant?"
Garrity smiled, showing his straight white teeth,
"Crystal Commander."
"Dismissed." Garrity stood and exited. Nico looked at
Serenna as the doors closed.
"Wasn't he one of ours?" Serenna asked.
"When we first spoke of it Captain he was. Looks as if
Koneki needed him for something else."
"But still with *our* original plan" the
Terran/Romulan hybrid said.
"Captain... again I ask... should we have more people watching him?"
Serenna shook her head. "As David puts it Nico, I have
an ace up my sleeve." she smiled inwardly and stood,
"now... there's a party that we should be attending
soon?"
"Yes sir" Nico said and stood. He turned to exit leaving Serenna alone. She hated the fact that she's putting a watchdog on David, but she wanted to be sure for her own peace of mind that the conversation she and her Academy classmate had earlier is true. That the old David Dawson is gone.
"You better not make a liar out of me David" she said as she shook the image of David out of her mind.
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as
Lieutenant David Dawson
and
assistant Chief Engineer
"A Starfleet officer... that's all I am and that's all I'll ever be." 2005 post #540
Stardate: 60330.0715
Setting: USS HATHOR, CO's Ready Room
Stardate: 60330.0720
Julian Knight (d_dawson_1@yahoo.com)
Chief Engineer
USS ANUBIS NCC 18501
USS HATHOR NCC 74211
- Avery Brooks as Captain Benjamin Sisko,
Commanding Officer of the Federation Spacestation Deep Space 9
