Denied Proposals

Posted on Sat Jul 3rd, 2010 @ 8:53am by

Mission: Welcome to Archa IV
Location: Starbase 332 - Transit Quarters
Timeline: Six Days after Endeavour's arrival - 1749hrs
Tags: reassignment, transfer, orders, report, dominion, war, hendrix, admiral, endeavour

Lianna began to speak. "The mission profiles for the Airborne can be just as broad in peace time as it is in war Sirs. Orbital Dropped troops can get to places where a transporter cannot get to. Planets with transporter interference is an example. Covert insertions into hostile territory is another example of how this unit could benefit the Federation."

Admiral Gerrard spoke, "I'm sure this proposal is quite fascinating Lieutenant. I can see that this unit would be invaluable in wartime, but this is not wartime Lieutenant."

Lianna looked at the Admiral. "We weren't technically at war when the Dominion advanced on Deep Space Nine when the war began Sir."

"The mission profiles, you have listed, can be accomplished by a standard away team. Lieutenant, the war is over. Now it is time for Starfleet to resume its primary mission; the exploration of the galaxy. You do hold that mission in high reguard Lieutenant?" Li was somewhat annoyed by this admiral. "As much as I value the defense of the Federation sir. The Airborne cleared the way for the liberation of Betazed. Our casualties would've been enormous without the Airborne. If this unit is needed, it can get into a crisis zone, without using transporters, and cut down a threat from its rear. Launching deep into the foe's rear can end...."

"I'm sorry Lieutenant, I don't see any real purpose for this unit. The airborne will remain disbanded." The panel dismissed. Li sighed as she picked up her PADDs. She then walked out of the office. "Lieutenant Vanders!! Lieutenant!!!" A personnel officer was flagging her down. She was handed a PADD.

Li read it and winced. "This is bull. I guess since they cannot demote me or discharge me, I'm being sent out on active duty." The personnel officer spoke. "Orders are orders Lieutenant." Li turned and walked away. "Ensign, Make sure you don't get enough medals to make an Admiral jealous. Cuz the shiner the medals, the more bullsh*t you deal with."

-- Starbase 332, Transient Officer's Quarters --

Lianna began to put five cases worth of medals into a box. These cases held almost every medal of honor and valor in the quadrant. The Christopher Pike Medal of Valor, two or three purple hearts, The Starfleet Medal of Honor with Latinum Cluster, The Betazed Hero's Medallion, and other medals from many races. Even several Klingon Medals. She sighed, "Sorry guys, looks like the Airborne is dead. Starfleet's going back to the Exploration and 'sticking-our-heads-up-our-a**es' game they did before the war. She picked up a picture of the unit posing for a camera shot. "But at least we took our world back."

Benjamin approached the door to the room that he had been indicated towards, checking in his head for the twelfth time that the room number - an overly complicated one, due to the size of the station - was the correct one. Pressing the chime to the side of the door, he tucked his hands behind his back and waited.

Li spoke, "This better not be the same bastard from Personnel asking me to put my thumb on a damn PADD." She opened the door.

Benjamin raised an eyebrow at the statement he had heard through the door, keeping himself looking shocked yet holding an air of dignity as the doors opened. "I can assure you, Lieutenant, I am neither a bastard, nor am I from Personnel," he told her, matter-of-factly, waiting to see her reaction.

Li responded, "Well, if you're none of the above, then you just made my day sir. Come in, I was just packing" She walked in, "Sorry about that. Kinda pissed right now, and its complicated. I am going to have to submit a maintenance request into Starfleet for these quarters to be soundproofed. Because when I need to b*tch, preferably it dose not leave the quarters." She began to pick up the medal cases and put them into a duffel.

"I think that would be a waste of time for the station staff," Benjamin responded, as he stepped into the room, noticing the boxes of medals. He had read in her file that she had received numerous commendations, but it was always something to see the actual awards themselves. He handed her the PADD that he had been holding behind his back. "I have orders for you to report aboard the Endeavour by oh-nine-hundred hours tomorrow morning. I need you to begin preparations to enforce proper security protocols aboard, and submit a report to me before we depart the station detailing the ship's security readiness."

Li spoke, "We having the President aboard for a cruise around the quadrant or something?" Usually requests like this signalled to her that some VIP was coming aboard.

"No, but my last chief of security was rather lax," Benjamin replied. "As it stands, the only confidence I have in ship security is the station's protocols for the airlocks. I need someone to get the security teams organized, and working efficiently."

Li nodded, "Sir, it goes without saying that I am a cold-hearted b*tch. But I'm a cold-hearted b*tch that delivers results. Looks like I have a** kicking to do, so I better get started ASAP. Sure the team will hate me the first few weeks, but it will be that hate that convinces them that they will not break. And when things go to hell, they'll be proud to follow me into hell itself to drag the ship out of it. That is the kind of Starfleet Officer I am Captain. When someone decides to negotiate with Phasers. I do not open dialogues or propose demilitarized zones. I hit them back with the wrath of the four deities themselves. Your team will be clean-cut and ready for inspection by the time we leave Starbase, and I'll count every last quantum torpedo to just to make sure we're ready to ruin someone's day should they decide to f*#& with the Federation."

"Just remember, Lieutenant; I'm the one who gives the order to fire," Benjamin said. He had read of her hothead attitude, but he hoped he could count on her to restrain herself in delicate situations. He didn't want her firing a torpedo while he was trying to open a dialogue with someone.

Li spoke, "I know the drill sir, you don't have to tell me again. However, I went through hell to get back something the Dominion took from me during the war. God knows what we'll run into in the next ten or so years. Maybe a nice peaceful race, or maybe yet another hostile alien empire with itchy trigger fingers."

"I know how you feel in regards to keeping the Federation militarised. I read the proposal to Admiral Gerrard," Byrne said, looking right at her. "I fought in the war too, and I have had to suppress similar feelings." His mind went racing back to the difficult years on the USS Hendrix. To the many people he had lost. To the many Jem'Hadar he had killed from the comfort of his command chair. "But there is one thing that I need you to remember. We aren't at war any longer. And I need - the Federation needs strong people like you to make sure that we don't fall back into one."

Li spoke, "And the thing with wars is, they never truly end when you sleep at night. I was with five hundred men and women that were deployed on Betazed in the first wave, and less than two hundred survived. We took down the defense grid the Dominion set up over the planet, and saved the lives of thousands of federation troops. Millions if the Dominion decided to turn the defense grid onto Betazed's cities. And after the war, we ended up being disbanded." She sighed. "Disbanded, for going into the storm first. My comrades, who didn't come back, deserved better than to have their unit disbanded."

"Disbanded is better than being killed, Lieutenant," Benjamin responded, echoing a similar statement made to him after the loss of the Hendrix and his reassignment to first officer postings. The nod he felt himself giving was one that he had seen given by many a commanding officer before, and one that he himself had become well practised in; the nod of finality, signalling the end of a meeting. "I'll see you aboard at oh-nine-hundred, Lieutenant," he said, before turning and excusing himself from the room.

-------------------------
Captain Benjamin J. Byrne
Commanding Officer
USS Endeavour NCC-86105

&

Lieutenant Lianna Vanders
Chief Tactical/Security Officer
USS Endeavour NCC-86105