Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Séan Iven (CNS) in Holodeck Two- What They Don’t Know…

Posted by Fleet Captain Ghubari Koraia (Captain) in Holodeck Two- What They Don’t Know…

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Séan Iven (CNS) in Holodeck Two- What They Don’t Know…
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

She shook her head. “No, you don’t get to lay it at my feet like that. This isn’t about punishment, Lieutenant. It’s about courtesy and respect.” Ghubari sighed and gathered her thoughts. “Tell me, if we were on the bridge and you had felt I was making a risky choice, how would you have handled it?”

Fl. Captain Koraia, CO

“If we were on the bridge I would ask to speak with you privately. If you refused and I still had to do my duty and inform you of what I perceived to be the risks, then I would tell you on the bridge though quietly. How you would handle the information I gave you would of course be up to you to decide. Now I know where you’re going with this and while I don’t agree that I was lacking in respect or courtesy, I did say I wasn’t making any judgements, I do respect how you feel on the matter.” Séan took a breath to collect his thoughts. “I made an observation that turned into a conversation. One in which you shrugged off my point about this being unwise and unnecessary risk. I get that it is your risk to take and that the risk is minimal, and while I think the slippery slope argument is riddled with fallacies, I would not be doing my duty if I didn’t point this out. I understand that Captain’s are by their very nature risk takers. After evaluating all of the options and getting feedback from the staff, or not getting feedback, you have to make the choice that no one else can and we the crew will follow it. But I don’t understand where an unpopular choice while knowing the consequences and having it all be okay relates to this. What was the choice and what were the consequences?”

CNS Iven

Ghubari held up a hand. “We’ll come back to that,” she said flatly.

“You said you’d speak to me in private if we were on the bridge, but that wasn’t an option given to me in this case. And while I am off-duty and not in uniform, despite how it might seem I am intensely aware that I am the Captain. I am that figure that no matter where I go on this ship, for many of the crew, their trust and confidence in me is paramount. To be second-guessed in front of a junior officer? Not on my bridge, and not here. That is how these things work, especially on my ship.” Ghubari shook her head. “We don’t know each other very well yet, Counsellor, and that’s fine, it’s a process. But let’s be very clear that we’re not close enough for me to tolerate that kind of slight, even if it was unintentional. And I am sure you can tell me exactly the sort of issues that can crop up on a starship like ours when the crew believes the captain can’t be trusted.”

Fl. Captain Koraia, CO

It was Séan’s turn to hold up a hand. “Captain, your continuing to sidestep the issue for why I’m even here honestly frustrates me a good deal. As it is if we’re talking about respect due the other then neither have you afforded me the respect of scheduling or showing up for your evaluation. I had to track you down while I have a shipload of other evaluations to perform and not enough manpower, time, or energy to really do it in. So while I’m sorry that my actions embarrassed you, this is not a conversation I’m having right now. While I hold a rank in Starfleet and am subordinate to you, for the purpose of anything to do with the mental health of the crew I am outside the chain of command. You can of course bring this up with Starfleet Medical or put in a letter of reprimand after your psychological evaluation is complete but I’m done being sidetracked and stalled. As I see it your behavior leads me to believe that you are not fit for command. While I have the power to relieve you of duty…” He paused and took a deep breath. “I know of your upcoming vacation and trip to Betazed. Take the vacation and relax. Upon your return schedule an appointment with me within two days. I hate to put this as an ultimatum but if you don’t and I have to track you down again then you will be relieved of command until I have a chance to commence a full psychological evaluation or ship you to Earth for Medical to do so.”

The empath studied him keenly as she listened to what seemed to be quite the rant. If he thought she’d be dramatic or something n this moment, he’d be not only be sadly mistaken but also rather disappointed.

He turned and walked a few steps to his discarded shirt and shoes then started to put them back on. “I hope your trip is a pleasant one and that you’re able to find some measure of peace. The crew and I will be here when you get back and I hope our next conversation is productive.” With shirt and shoes back on he started walking to the holodeck exit.

CNS Iven

She didn’t have to say anything. In fact, he had cleared made it so the conversation was over but it rankled her sense of what was right and how these things should go. Sure, the conversation had gone in different directions and she had needed to make a point so that they were clear about things in the future, but he had side stepped her there, so where did that leave them? “You could have asked, you know. I don’t go out of my way to be difficult. It’s a waste of both our times. You came down here. Yes, I was doing something off-duty, but I was not shirking my duty. This conversation might not have gone the way you wanted it to, but last I checked counsellors were more interesting in having conversations than shutting them down,” she said, her accented and already low-pitched seeming deeper, the accent thicker.

Fl. Captain Koraia, CO