Judgement at S'klar Station

Posted on Sun Feb 3rd, 2019 @ 1:57am by Captain John Theisman & Captain Evelyn Knight & Sevena t'Dhvael & Lieutenant Commander Mira Jayde

1,936 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Ghost of a Chance: Epilogue

The Romulan military star base S'klar Station hung in a wide orbit of a rogue planet, a convenient stopping point between several major planets and larger bases. While smaller and not boasting some of the attractions that larger base stations did, it had been the closest point of contact with civilization for the Hyperion and a halfway point between the Hyperion and the Nebula class USS Columbia. Sitting on the bridge of the Hyperion, John watched as the Hyperion slowed to arrival speed and began her final approach. A pair of Romulan Galae Raptor class warships had broken off orbit of the nearby planet and were on approach, although they hadn't hailed the Hyperion and were more than likely curious. The USS Columbia had already arrived, sitting in a parking orbit of S'klar Station and looking very out of place.

"Captain, we're being given parking orbit instructions. You've been ordered to beam to the station to meet with the admiral, along with Commander Dhvael and Commander Jayde," Csira reported from operations.

"Sounds like they're serious about getting this over with," John muttered. Louder, he spoke. "Enter parking orbit and have transporter room two stand by." Standing, he turned towards Jayde. "Shall we?" he asked.

Jayde logged out of her station and stood, nodding at the captain. "Indeed." She wanted to get this over with so they could continue with their explorations. The fact that they were asked to report in person was unusual enough to make her feel like she'd been caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

She glanced briefly at Smoak as she followed the captain to the turbolift.

John paused at the door leading to the bridge access turbo lift and turned towards Smoak. "Commander Smoak, you have the bridge. Have Miss Dhvael meet us in transporter room two." With that, he entered the turbo lift and waited for Jayde. The ride to the transporter room was quiet, as was the walk to the transporter pad. Sevena was waiting for them, her appearance less than its usual sharpness that he was used to. If anything, she looked worried and that worried John. Nodding towards everyone, he took his place on the pad and waited for the transporter beam to take hold. It released them in a room with several other Starfleet officers and a pair of Romulan officers who were all standing. He recognized Admiral Bates, but the others he didn't know.

Jayde remained passive on the outside, but inside she had a sinking feeling that they were in trouble. She bowed to the officers in greeting.

"Admiral, I understand the situation was difficult to explain, but I wasn't expecting to have someone come all the way out here," John said, keeping his words carefully neutral as he glanced at the others. Besides the admiral, there was a junior officer, most likely a flag lieutenant, and a woman who wore the rank of a captain. Her appearance was very clean, sharp, and painfully professional.

"The reports we received held cause for concern, John, and the Romulans and the JET Oversight Committee all agreed on this," Bates said. Waving his hand, he indicated the two Romulans. "Commander Dhvael will be debriefed and sent back to the Hyperion as quickly as possible."

Sevena barely managed to hide her expression. It was hard for her to keep a calm, neutral expression, but she did. At the mention of being debriefed, her expression gave just a little, showing a hint of what could only be described as a sad fear. She recovered quickly, hoping no one caught it.

"I'd prefer that she be debriefed here, Sir," John said. "As she is the Hyperion's liaison officer, she's technically a part of my crew."

Jayde nodded in agreement. She also wanted Sevena to be debriefed there in case she needed support. The half-Vulcan didn't like the look of the two Romulans. Or the Starfleet officers, for that matter.

"We have no objections, Admiral," the senior Romulan officer said. "Commander Dhvael has already submitted her report, and we have decided that she will remain on the Hyperion. As a civilian liaison specialist who has been granted permission to represent Romulan interests. Her instructions will be submitted to her, along with her military termination and new authorization papers."

Giving no second thought, or time for anyone to let the news settle first, both Romulans marched past the Starfleet officers and out of the room. Admiral Bates blinked for a moment before he nodded. "John, this is Captain Evelyn Knight. She's the best officer I could find to replace you on such short notice, but she's a proven officer and commander," he said as he indicated Captain Knight.

"Replace?" Jayde asked, shocked. "Without a formal hearing or asking us to give our side? And Sevena did nothing to warrant punishment." She did not want to make things worse for the captain, but she also could not stand by and say nothing.

"Commander, we can't interfere in the internal matters of the Romulans," Bates said. "As for Theisman, he's being reassigned, effective immediately, to be the Starfleet advisor to our embassy on Romulus. Captain Knight will be taking over command of the Hyperion. This is a delicate matter, and Captain Theisman handled the situation badly, although I know the situation was a special case and you did the best you could, there are a few matters from a second report that we couldn't overlook."

Jayde agreed that they could not interfere with Romulan politics, but she could stand up for her captain. "And reassigning him to the embassy on Romulus is better?" she asked. "With all due respect, sir, he should not have drawn his phaser and shot the Romulan captain, but she did try to take over the ship and she was responsible for the deaths of several of our officers. I agreed with him that banishing her to the asteroid was preferable to signing her death warrant."

Admiral Bates stood and stared at the defiant commander before he took a breath and a step forward. "Commander Jayde, Captain Theisman is very lucky that he's even going to be remaining in Starfleet. The fact that he has experience dealing with the Romulans doubled with the fact that he's going to be barred from starship duty for a very long time is the reason why we're sending him to Romulus. He knew Starfleet regulations, and he choose to ignore them. As command officers, you both are expected to set an example for the people under you. The JET committee decided to bring charges down on Theisman, because as captain he's expected to take responsibility to the actions of his crew and because by your own admission just now, he violated the very laws and regulations he swore to uphold. His orders are to proceed to Romulus. Your orders are to help Captain Knight and the crew of the Hyperion adjust to these changes. If you have a problem with your orders, I can find Captain Knight a new first officer," the tall, portly admiral said.

"Which regulations?" Jayde asked. "Because the only regulation I am aware of him violating is stunning the Romulan Captain after she killed members of the crew and took the bridge."

"By violating Starfleet regulations on how prisoners are to be treated, Captain Theisman also violated regulations on conduct of Starfleet officers and the standards to which we are all held to," Admiral Bates said. "He further endangered the well being of a prisoner by marooning them on a deserted asteroid. Under normal circumstances, he would have been court marshaled and possibly removed from Starfleet itself."

"Did you know that the asteroid in question was habitable? Jayde asked. "That it had plenty of food and water for the crew? And what was he supposed to do with the Romulans? Turn them over knowing they would be executed and thus violate that same regulation, and the one that prohibits the death penalty? Were we supposed to leave Romulan space and take them to the Federation and lose any chance we might have of exploring Romulan space and possibly start a war? He did what he thought was best under the circumstances, sir. You also didn't give him a chance to give his side, thus denying him due process."

"Commander, our judgement against Captain Theisman is based on the reports from everyone involved, including your own report I would like to point out. Every report filed was carefully read and studied, along with the ship's logs that were transmitted to Starfleet Command. Theisman faced a terrible situation, one that we didn't foresee happening at all, and one that we're going to try to prevent in the future. But his actions at the end are what he's being judged for, as well as his conduct. Marooning prisoners in any situation is to be a final solution. They could have been transferred to a Federation ship at the Neutral Zone for transport. The Romulan government has agreed that this was a special situation and is satisfied with our response," Bates said, narrowing his eyes towards the defiant commander.

"Admiral, if I may interject, the Commander has a few valid points," Captain Evelyn Knight took a small half step forward and added herself to the conversation. "Captain Theisman should have a chance to defend his actions and his decisions before a tribunal panel before any form of judgement be finalized. To not do so is technically a violation of Starfleet Regulations."

Jayde's estimation of Captain Knight changed with that statement. At least the other woman was aware that the admiral was basically railroading Theisman. If she couldn't talk the admiral into changing his mind, maybe she could work with the captain to see that justice was served, even if it took time. A vein throbbed on the side of the admiral's neck, indicating that he was about to explode, so Jayde held her peace. For now.

"I've heard enough!" Admiral Bates nearly shouted. "Theisman is relieved of command of the Hyperion and ordered to report to the Federation ambassador on Romulus as soon as he arrives. Captain Knight is to assume command of the Hyperion immediately, and I expect everyone involved to do as they've been ordered. Otherwise, I'll relieve you all of duty, place you all under arrest and find officers to replace you who will follow their bloody orders!"

"Can I have this in writing, sir, along with your report?" Jayde asked."To enter into the Hyperion's records."

"Absolutely!" Bates snarled as he waved to the flag staff officer, who came forward with a padd. The officer quickly handed the padd to Jayde before he quickly retreated. "Now, is there anything else you want to argue over, Commander, or are we all done here?"

"For now," Jayde said, taking the PADD. She was done here, but she was definitely not done. She would file a formal complaint with Starfleet and make sure that Captain Theisman had his fair hearing before unbiased officers.

Evelyn nodded towards Theisman as she moved to join Jayde. "I'll do my best to take care of the Hyperion and her crew, John," she said.

John nodded and offered a weak smile towards his replacement. "That's all I ask, Captain," he said.

Turning away and towards Commander Jayde, Evelyn offered her new first officer a smile. "Commander, shall we?" she asked, clearly wanting to be away from the admiral and his irritating presence as quickly as possible.


Commander Mira Jayde
Executive Officer

Captain John Theisman
Starfleet Officer

Captain Evelyn Knight
Commanding Officer

Sevena t'Dhvael
Guide/Liaison

Various NPCs

 

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