Moving in different directions

Posted on 29 Dec 2024 @ 2:11am by Captain Bane Plase & Lieutenant JG Lisald Vaat

920 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Shoreleave and Reassignment
Location: VIP Offices, Starbase 375

ON:

The door chimed. Plase turned off the holographic display he was using, an advancement far beyond what the Cygnus was able to manage. He knew who was at the door. "Come in," he commanded.

The doors slid open to reveal Lieutenant Lisald Vaat. He strode in, and much like Bane had done with Commodore Xaeralan earlier this morning, the young Bajoran stopped three paces in front of the desk, a feat considering how small the office was. Bane didn't say anything for a very long time, several minutes. He was attempting to decide how he was going to speak. It was something he had been wrestling with for almost a week now. Finally, he decided how he was going to do it, and spoke.

Lieutenant Lisald, to his credit, didn't move an inch or try and explain himself. He figured he knew what was coming. A formal reprimand in his service jacket at worst, a possible thank you from the Captain at the best. He had done his duty, and had done it to the best of his ability, and nobody, not even this crotchety old Captain, that probably should be a Vice Admiral by now, could change that or take it away.

"Lieutenant Lisald," Bane began. "I have been considering what to do with you since I came aboard almost two years ago. When I came aboard, you had a lot to prove to me, by your own standards. My predecessor, Captain Stafford, had nothing but the highest regards for you, as evidenced by your rapid promotions, position changes and leadership of not one, but two departments, as well as being on the command track at Starfleet Academy Extension School. I think, for whatever reason, I either intimidated you or you had a serious case of hero worship towards me, and as such, could not get out of your own way. After you were injured in the line of duty, you went off the rails, to me, to now-Captain Larsen, to your friend Lieutenant Spangler, and even to your girlfriend Dr. Winters. You bounced off every flat surface you could find, and it took you months to come back to duty.

"During the mission to Antioch III, while you did not step a toe over the line, you certainly pushed it on more than a few occasions. The reports from Commander Bast and Commander Stovek were less than glowing, but fell just short of being critical towards your behavior on the planet, and your quality of work being completed on the ship.

"According to Lieutenant Hartley, when you were on the freighter Bilifix, your careless actions nearly overloaded the containment pods on the ship, which would have destroyed that ship, taking all the lives of the Starfleet personnel on there, and likely taking the Cygnus with it. It was only due to Lieutenant Hartley's rapid reactions, especially with communications lines down, that everyone was saved.

"It was during our trip home that you were responsible for scanning and gathering data from the freighter. For whatever reason, you did not follow proper procedure and protocol about invasive computer mining, which caused a tampering program to run that lowered the magnetic constrictors between the matter and antimatter flow of the freighters warp core. The resulting explosion nearly destroyed the Cygnus, certainly crippled her and heavily damaged her, as well as killing more than 350 people." The Captain paused.

"Sir, I..." Lisald began

"No, Lieutenant. You do not have permission to speak," the Captain said, pointing at the younger offers, raising his voice over that of Lisald, not a yell, but inflecting authority and dominance. "I am well within my right to reduce you in rank to Crewman, and have you confined to the New Zealand Penal Colony on Earth for up to twenty years. In my mind, you deserve it, and a great deal more. Your actions, after the fact, were also lack-luster, cowardly and without merit or honor to you, to Starfleet, to Bajor, or to the Federation as a whole. When sent on a task, you completed that task slowly, and ignored other critical tasks that could have further increased the odds of our survival and the safety of the ship. Only because of the recommendations of Lieutenant Commander's Bast and Stovek, as well as other senior officers, are you not being resigned to that fate, Mr. Lisald. It is my belief that your presence here impedes your advancement, your morale and your sense of self-worth. Go pack your bags, Lieutenant. You are no longer assigned to my ship. You will report to Luna Station near Earth. You will report in, and they will then decide to keep you in Starfleet, or send you back home to Bajor."

Lisald, completely dumbfounded and stricken by this news, had tears welling up in his eyes. The Cygnus was his home. "Captain, I...."

"Get out of my office." Bane interrupted.

Lisald's mouth clapped shut. A beat later, he nodded in respect of Captain Bane's rank, turned on his heel and left the office. Once the doors closed behind him, he could no longer hold the tears back. By the time he got back to his room, he was openly crying.

Lisald had just been fired and removed from the Cygnus. What would Spangler think? How in the world would he tell his parents? What would he tell Ravi?


OFF

Bane Plase, Captain
USS Cygnus, Commanding

and

Lieutenant junior grade Lisald Vaat
Starfleet

 

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