Chapter Text
Starbase 8
In orbit of Memory Alpha
VIP Quarters 6A01, assigned to LCDR Verde
January 26, 2318 (Stardate 139013.6)
"So, what happened after?" asked Commander Keena Val, her image on the small desktop screen in Leo's quarters. He leaned back in his chair, the ambient light from the screen casting a soft glow in the dimly lit room.
Leo unfastened the shoulder strap of his maroon uniform jacket. He pulled the front flap down with a quick motion—the metallic snaps on the side released with soft clicks, punctuating the silence in his quarters. "Well, once everyone was up to speed, the Captain ruled the charges be dismissed, you know… considering the whole massively violating due process. Subsequently, the charges against me became baseless, leaving Mister Reter with no other recourse but to withdraw."
Keena's image nodded on the screen, her expression curious and empathetic. "And what happens to the corporal, now?"
"Oh, she's resting comfortably in the VIP Quarters two doors down from here," Leo said with a loud sigh. "And I'm working on transferring her to JAG as my orderly to start."
"'To start?'"
"I've got plans. She has a certain… quality."
Keena leaned closer to the screen, blocking most of Leo's view into her senior officer's stateroom aboard Hansen. "Plans, huh? Man, you always stir things up, Rally. You've barely been there, what… two weeks?"
Because of the lack of distance between Keena and the visual pickup, her features became more defined as a result, and Leo noticed how tired she looked but decided not to call attention to it. "A little over nine days," he said.
"Nine days. You've already tangled yourself in another mess you couldn't ignore."
He shrugged, his fingers idly tapping on the armrest. "It wasn't even my case to begin with. Torres was being railroaded, and while I can't prove it, those assholes probably goaded her into pleading guilty. She won't say anything about that, and I don't know if I should admire her loyalty."
She smiled. "But you do."
"Yeah," Leo smirked. His eyes drifted away from Keena's knowing expression on the screen. "But, having gotten to know the people she's been working with, she needs a new address."
"I'll bet."
"Still at a loss how they thought they'd get away with it," Leo admitted, scratching at the top of his head as he pondered the notion.
"Considering their circumstances, I can see the desperation," Keena noted. "Plus, your office sounds understaffed and under-resourced, with a caseload so large…" Her voice trailed off.
Leo brought his gaze back to the screen. "True. But it wasn't my observation that set things in motion. Alejandro had a gut feeling about the situation and brought it to my attention."
Keena replied with a warm and knowing smile, "Sounds like you've found some kindred spirits over there."
His lips quirked upward. "The entire office appears driven by a genuine desire to serve justice. The CO, the other attorneys, the paralegals, even the bailiffs… they all strive to do their best."
"And that surprises you?" Keena's voice held a mix of curiosity and gentle teasing.
He paused, contemplating her question. He finally exhaled after a long pause. "Honestly, I don't know. My mind's been distracted by how much I missed serving with you and everyone when I arrived here."
"Well, we miss you, too," she assured him. "You know, they transferred in a replacement the month after you left."
"Oh? How are they getting along?"
"I guess all right. Grax called him by your name twice during the first wardroom meeting," she said with mirthful eyes.
Leo raised his hand to cover his eyes. "He didn't."
Keena grinned. "It's Grax. It's the only way he can rib a certain someone over what happened. Y'know, without calling too much attention to himself."
"I hope he didn't get raked over the overs for it."
She shook her head. "Not that he's let me know, but I know the new guy didn't mind." Then she added, "At first."
"What does that mean?"
"He thought it was amusing, but then after about a week… I guess he got the scuttlebutt from someone about you and who you were, and then he wasn't too happy about it. But Grax outranks him, so nothing ever came of it," she explained. Off his distressed look, Keena offered a soft, "Sorry."
Leo waved it off with a quick hand gesture. "It's all right."
She sighed. "No, it's not. I feel like I'm on a ship run by teenagers sometimes. But enough about that. Are you doing okay?"
He lifted his eyes to meet hers on the screen. "I'm okay. This is all new, right? I'm trying the whole 'throw yourself into the work' method of distraction. Because if I don't, I'll sit here and lament that no starship captain would ever take a chance on… an officer with… well, you know. My melancholy was clouding my perspective those first five or six days."
Keena's gaze softened as he spoke. "You're good at what you do, Rally. And listen, if anyone ever asks my opinion about your space service credentials-"
Leo's swift reaction communicated his mix of surprise and caution. "Keena… you can't."
"If it's off the record-"
The potential outcome increased Leo's anxiety, and he leaned forward to drive his point home. "You know what will happen if you talk about it."
"You could always ask your mom-"
"She's already done what she can," he interrupted thrice. “I'm wearing this uniform because of her influence with the CO.”
Her sigh displayed her resignation and empathy for the situation. "I know…" Then, she added confidently, "I hate that there's nothing I can do. It's not fair."
He sighed, then crossed his arms over his chest. "Life rarely is."
Keena's eyes met his, a silent understanding passing between them. "Politics," she stated, her tone bitter.
Leo nodded in agreement. "Politics."
An hour before his duty shift, Leo arrived at the JAG complex and saw a marine second lieutenant in the waiting area. Her early morning appearance was surprising, but the most remarkable thing was her hairstyle, which was short and almost completely shaved. It was an unconventional choice that stood out against the standard marine appearance. The tradition of shaving heads, which was once a prominent part of marines' close-order training, diminished.
With a smile, Leo addressed the yeoman operating the desk, saying, "Good morning, Karl."
Yeoman Third Class (YN3) Karl Fields shot a grin toward Leo. "Likewise, sir. Getting an early start?"
"There's a backlog of paperwork I want to put a dent in as quickly as possible," Leo explained. "I figured I could get an hour of peace, just me, the stack, and a plasma torch."
Fields chuckled. "I'll raise shields for you, sir."
"You're a good man, Yeoman Fields," Leo praised him with closed eyes. "I'm going to grab some cocoa and get to work."
The yeoman got to his feet and offered, "Sir, I can get that for you-"
Leo raised his hand. "No, keep your seat. I can get my drinks. Do you want anything since I'm heading that way?"
Fields shook his head and raised a full mug from his desk. "I'm set, sir. Thank you."
"Fair enough." He stepped toward his office, paused, and turned back around. "Oh, tell Mister Timel to barge in on me when he gets here?"
"Will do, sir."
Leo tapped the desk and said, "Thank you." After stopping by the food synthesizer unit to get his morning cocoa, he set himself to work.
The computer signaled the end of the hour. He immersed himself in administrative tasks and lost track of time, but an incoming call interrupted his desire for additional work time.
Yeoman Fields' voice called for him, "Sir, apologies for the disturbance."
"It's all right, Karl," Leo replied. "What's up?"
"There's a Lieutenant Collins here to see you," he informed him. "Shall I send her in?"
He leaned back in his seat and grinned. "No rest for the wicked, Karl. Yeah, go right ahead. And thank you."
"My pleasure, sir. Fields, out."
Within moments, the door announcer chimed in, and Leo touched his panel to open the door. "Enter."
The exact second lieutenant seated in the reception area stepped inside, and Leo got to his feet. "Oh… were you waiting out there the whole time?"
"Yes, sir, but it's fine," said Collins. "I know you’re pretty busy."
Leo gestured to an open seat. "Not too busy to make people wait for an hour, Lieutenant. My sincerest apologies."
As she took the offered chair, Collins shook her head, "No, sir, it's alright."
"How can I assist you this morning?" Leo asked her softly.
She sighed, then shook her head once more. "There's no easy way to say this, sir, so I'm just going to come out and tell you. Corporal Torres used to be a member of my platoon."
A momentary flicker of understanding appeared on Leo's face."I… see. Are you looking to have her transferred back?"
"No, sir."
"Then... how can I help you?"
She shot him a nervous glance. "I understand you're not my lawyer, but would it stay confidential if I shared something with you?"
"Is this something that could involve admitting to an illegal act or violating the law?" He asked her pointedly.
"No, sir. Quite the opposite."
He leaned back in his chair, studying her expression intently. "Then, I'm not entirely sure I understand. I am an officer of the court. So, if you admit to violating Starfleet regulations or Federation law, I must stop this conversation and advise you to seek legal counsel."
"I appreciate that," she replied. "It's just that I know what exactly happened with Corporal Torres… Angela. I was present when Captain Kline arrested her. And I'm the one who left an anonymous note with Lieutenant Martinez about her sitting in holding without legal counsel."
Leo smiled. "Aside from the fact that it's nice to see someone from your company care about a prisoner's due process, I cannot see how this information would need to stay confidential."
Collins dropped her head downward in defeat. "I was under direct orders from Captain Kline to leave her there until he said otherwise," she said, though her words stumbled haltingly out of her mouth.
Leo leaned forward. "Really?"
She nodded silently.
"Okay," he placed his hands on the desk and clasped his fingers together. He allowed his sightline to stare beyond her and through the clear pane of transparent aluminum out into the bullpen. The day at JAG had begun; people began working at their desks or holding conversations. "Okay," he repeated, concluding his thoughts. "I'm going to ask you a few questions."
"Shoot."
"How long ago was Corporal Torres arrested?"
"Six- no, seven days ago."
"Was she read her rights during the arrest?"
"Yes, sir. Gunny Drake read those to her in front of her squad."
"Was she actually AWOL?"
"No, sir, she was not. When I brought that to Captain Kline, he told me that Angela was no longer my concern and to direct my attention to my duties."
Leo thought out loud. "Then why was she ready to admit her guilt?"
She swallowed before responding. "Sir, Angela was covering for a private in her squad, a fresh recruit struggling to adjust his duties."
"Is this private still on base?"
"No, sir. The Captain transferred him back to the recruit depot for reassignment the night they threw Angela in holding," Collins spat angrily.
"All right. The case against the Corporal was withdrawn-" Leo started, but the door chime interrupted his thought. "Enter."
With a PADD and stylus in hand, Corporal Torres entered the room. The "ring and ridges" devices adorned her shoulders as she wore her marine duty uniform. "Sorry to bother you-" she caught herself as she made eye contact with Leo's guest. "Lieutenant!" She automatically snapped to attention because of her drill training.
Collins' eyes flicked towards Leo, who was the highest-ranking officer on the deck.
"Corporal, relax, please." When Torres returned to her normal stance, Leo asked, "You needed something from me?"
"Yes, sir," Torres replied. "I need your endorsement for my school application."
Leo accepted the PADD and scanned it. He found the line for his endorsement and applied his authorization to the form. "There you go," he said, handing her back the device.
"Application?" wondered Collins.
Leo grinned. "We're sending the Corporal to the criminal investigation school to learn how to become an investigator. She'll be studying for two years on Luna."
Torres added, "Captain Ch'charhat promised that when I pass, she will request me back on the base."
"JAG has investigators?" Collins asked, her interest piqued.
Leo explained, "Not as such; we often work with the Department of Criminal Investigation. But, one recommendation I made to my boss is to put together JAGMAN teams comprising personnel with specialized disciplines to help facilitate preliminary inquiries more efficiently."
"Sorry, sir, I'm not sure what that means exactly," replied the Lieutenant.
"Most JAGMAN teams typically just have a lawyer and a paralegal to assist, sometimes not even that many people," Leo said. "But if I were to conduct my inquiry with two lawyers, two paralegals or yeomen, and two investigators, then I'd have a well-rounded team to focus the inquiry as needed to recommend further action."
Collins tilted her head. "It's a minor change, but I would guess an impactful one."
"Corporal Torres is going to be one of my investigators when she returns," Leo said. "Though, I hope the corporal will study hard and try to test out as many sections as she can to cut some time in training down."
"I won't let you down, sir," Torres promised.
"I'm certain you won't," he said warmly. "By the way, we're discussing the SOP of your former unit."
Collins added, "I wanted the commander to be aware of how widespread of an issue this is."
"Oh…" Torres said, letting her voice trail off. Unsure of her footing, she half-turned toward the exit, and with a chuck of her thumb, she asked, "Should I leave?"
Leo glanced at Collins sidelong while responding, "You could provide some corroboration if the lieutenant agrees."
"Of course," Collins' reply was instantaneous. "Ange, you were in the trenches more often than I was."
Torres crossed to Collins and took the other open seat before the desk. She held her PADD across her midsection as though she were shielding herself. "Yeah, I did. But, I thought since the case was dropped and I'm thankfully no longer under Kline's command…" She left the rest unspoken to show that she had already moved on.
"Well, sure," Leo noted after pressing his lips together. "That's good for you, but I'm curious if they subjected others to the same treatment. Or perhaps it's happening right now."
Collins and Torres shared a chagrined look. Torres nodded and cleared her throat. "Uh, it's happened before, sir. More often, it would be holding people who had gotten out of hand at the local after-hours' places by imbibing too much. Rowdy, drunk marines who need to sleep it off. We can hold them without processing once the Shore Patrol drops them off."
Collins provided more color. "Overnight stays, followed by some poor private in the company on cleanup detail to bring the cells back to a presentable state."
Leo smirked. "Understood. Beyond drying out the drunks, did the company use their discretionary powers?"
"Kline is not a fan of Fleeties," Torres recalled. "He hates them. Sometimes, he'll hold them longer than marines."
"Biases against different services isn’t new, but how long would he hold or keep them locked up?" asked Leo.
Torres sighed. "As long as he could get away with it. Three days, sometimes a little longer. A year ago or so, he kept a petty officer long enough to force them to miss a movement," she said, shooting a look toward Collins. "That was before you transferred in, sir."
Leo's jaw dropped at the implication. "That's a severe charge. What happened to the petty officer?"
"So, the JAG who was here before… he was this lieutenant who was chummy with Kline," Torres explained. "I think his name was Gregson, I don't recall. He and Kline were bosom buddies, and he kept his office near the company office, so they were pretty close. But, this JAG lawyer would sign off on pretty much anything and everything Kline wanted."
This information caused Leo's lips to dip down low. "Okay, that's terrifying. What did you see?"
"Before I tell you, sir, I want to say that I'm ashamed that I took part in any of this," Torres admitted, unable to bring her eyes up to meet his. "I have no excuse for waiting this long except to say that it was easiest not to make waves, especially with an officer like Kline."
Collins glared at Leo, almost daring him to chastise Torres in front of her.
Leo held up his hand to forestall Collins' contribution to the discussion. "I understand, Corporal. And I'm not here to judge. But I think it is necessary to understand how deep this corruption goes. So, please speak freely."
Torres nodded her head in understanding but still kept her eyes downcast. "Aye, aye, sir." She took in a deep breath, then continued her story. "He would use a series of codewords or phrases under some unwritten SOP. But everyone in the holding company knew what it meant."
“Under what reason would he hold them?” Leo wondered.
“As a person of interest pending an investigation or held for questioning; once, he had them in protective custody, which caused the Shore Patrol to get involved, so he didn't do that again.
"One of the spoken codewords was 'P47 detainment,' something that could be said over channels aloud. Whatever the code was, they weren't to be touched or spoken to until he said otherwise. We filled the logs with stuff like that, but its standard procedure for hanging on to folks for being a danger to the rest of the base, so when the colonel or one of her staff looks through…"
"Nothing looks out of the ordinary," Leo finished her thought.
Collins breathed, "Holy shit."
Leo asked, "And so if someone was being held under these circumstances and asked for legal counsel, what would happen?"
"Gregson would ignore them and attach his report that stated they refused counsel," Torres explained. "Kline would leave them there long enough to get them to sign a statement saying they were guilty and refused counsel."
"Is that what he did with you?" asked Leo.
Torres nodded.
"And Lieutenant, you didn't know about any of this?" he asked.
Torres came to her defense. "Sir, the officers never got involved in prisoner details unless they were being punished. Many of the stuff we get told comes from Gunny Drake, anyway."
"Did you interact with Captain Kline much?" Leo wondered.
Torres shook her head. "I met him when I reported in, and he would bark at the company during periodic briefings. Otherwise, all orders passed through our platoon leaders or the gunny. None of the platoon leaders I worked with ever issued orders to hold someone."
"We didn't have that kind of authority," Collins admitted. "I didn't realize how fucked up things were until Ange got tossed right in front of me."
"Thanks for not letting me rot down there, sir," Torres said to Collins.
Collins reached out and placed her hand on Torres's shoulder. "You're a good NCO, Ange."
Leo reclined in his chair, his fingers tapping the desk's surface as he voiced his thoughts. "They withdrew your case because of obvious due process violations," he began, his unfocused gaze as he contemplated the situation. "But Kline's been the beneficiary of circumstance; the lone JAG officer stationed here previously, and the understaffed team that succeeded him. He didn't expect Collins to take action, thinking he had firm control over the company. What troubles me most are these casual violations - indicative of a blatant disregard for procedure. This office relies on the Shore Patrol and the holding company for arrest and detainee information. It's clear that either trust in their competence was misplaced, or they're exploiting our staffing issues to skirt the process. That may have given him a sense of impunity."
Collins noted, "He acts as though his shit don't stink, sir. And he hates you for interfering in his fiefdom." The door to the officer slid open when she said the word "fiefdom."
Lieutenant (jg) Barzel Timel entered with a smile and a PADD. The smile turned into a grimace upon seeing the two seated in front of Leo's desk. "Sorry, I was told to enter without knocking."
Leo waved Barzel off with his hand and leaned forward. "No problem. Would you mind assisting Corporal Torres with her application to DCISAC? Also, if you could take statements from both of them on a new case I'm putting together, I'd appreciate it."
Barzel nodded. "Sure thing. Anything else?"
"Yeah, reach out to Captain Lawson for me; I'd like to sit with her the first opening she has today," Leo added.
"I will let you know when she's free." Barzel smiled at the two marines. "Lieutenant, Corporal… My office is four doors down." As they got to their feet, he added, "The boss wants to see you, Leo."
Collins glanced at Leo. "By your leave, sir?"
Leo replied with a nod, "Of course. And please, call me Leo."
"Come in, Leo," Janeera said as soon as he poked his head through the door to announce himself. She gestured to her guest, the Edosian marine first lieutenant who had come into their collective acquaintance the previous day. "You can help me convince Lieutenant Reter that he might find a home here at JAG."
Leo approached the desk and sat in a chair after she kindly offered it. "Oh?"
Reter turned his head and admitted, "It's an intriguing, attractive, and luring offer. However, should I seek a transfer, the honorable choice would be to finish my tour of duty with my current billet." He looked back at Janeera and continued, "I had given brief consideration to my career options, presuming I might remain at Starbase Eight in any capacity. Joining this office in twelve months is worthy of contemplation."
Leo responded before Janeera could, "Through a matter of fortunate coincidence, Lieutenant, I'm glad you're here right now."
"Why is that, sir?" Reter asked, his tone holding suspicion.
"This morning, Lieutenant Collins was waiting to speak with me right when I walked in. She told me some interesting things about the holding company's SOP with prisoner detainment, and Corporal Torres corroborated all of it when I put the questions to her," Leo explained. He turned his head toward the Captain and added, "I've already reached out to Captain Lawson for follow-up."
"You have enough evidence to meet the minimum for an IG investigation?" Janeera allowed her curiosity to distract her from the purpose of the meeting.
Leo raised his hand and wiggled it back and forth in a non-committal motion. "Not quite. I don't think anecdotal evidence will be enough, but I want to show my cards and see what's what."
"Can you bring us up to speed?" asked Janeera.
"Now?" Leo asked, tilting his head toward Reter.
She smiled. "I'm in the middle of enticing the Lieutenant into transferring to JAG. As an attorney and marine, I think he is interested in hearing the details of your discovery. Don't you?"
Clearing his throat, Leo nodded. "Yes, of course, sir." He cast an embarrassed glance toward the Lieutenant. "My apologies, Mister Reter. I didn't mean to imply you were untrustworthy."
Reter shook his head. "No apologies are necessary, Commander. I admire your prudence, sagacity, and circumspection."
Leo spent twenty minutes summarizing Collins' and Torres' accounts, then finished with, "I have both of them sitting with Barzel right now to put it all down in a written statement, just in case I need it. I'm just waiting for an open spot on Becky's schedule. But, safe to say that the implications are alarming."
Reter's eyebrows rose at the casual use of the base IG's nickname. "'Alarming' is not the word I would use," he said with a heavy sigh. He offered several alternatives. "Outrageous. Shocking, Scandalous. Untenable-"
"Thank you, Mister Reter," Janeera smiled, then turned her gaze back to Leo. "I presume you have a role in mind for our new friend here?"
"Well, seeing as he has not yet transferred-" Leo began.
"Pardon me, sir, but I have not yet agreed to transfer at all," cautioned Reter as he raised his central hand in the air, a finger raised to make his point.
"Details…" Leo smirked. "But right now, you're still in the holding company. You have a certain amount of access as the supply officer. Not to mention learned testimony on daily business within the garrison."
Reter moved his gaze between the two officers and smiled. "That is quite true."
Leo asked, "Can I count on your sense of justice, loyalty, and honor as a marine to understand what's at stake?"
"Commander. If these accusations are true, then I would have little choice. To do otherwise would be a faithless, treacherous, and disloyal act weighed against my oath of office. Therefore, I would be honored to assist you, sir."
Leo reached over and shook Reter's hand. "I hope you don't mind me saying, Lieutenant, that you've restored my faith in the Corps. Given my most recent experience."
Reter nodded as he released Leo's hand and returned to a seated position. "Understood, sir."
"Speaking of help, let me talk to Becky about getting her officer involved. She might have one of her minions look into it," Janeera noted. "I have an idea about that."
Leo grinned. "I'm happy to let you work your magic, boss."
"In the meantime," Janeera said, "Leo, you're going to have to run point on this as I'll have to preside over any cases. Keep this between you and Barzel for now, in case we need to firewall."
"Understood," Leo replied and rose from his seat. "By your leave?"
She dismissed him with a wave. "Back to work, Leo."
"Aye, sir," Leo grinned. "Talk to you later, Lieutenant."
Reter rose out of respect as Leo turned to use the exit. "Looking forward to it, Commander."
Before Leo disappeared beyond the door, he paused and said, "Call me Leo."
Once Janeera and Reter were alone again within the office, he turned back to her and, in an enthusiastic tone, told her, "I'll gladly, happily, and eagerly take that transfer, Captain. If possible, I would prefer to accept it following the closure of Comm-… er, Leo's case."
She took the news with a slight smile on her lips. "I'm very pleased to hear that, Lieutenant. And I was going to use this to sweeten the deal, but I am happy to promote you to captain upon transfer."
Reter said, "Sir, I don't need a promotion to perform these duties."
"I have a significant amount of discretion with personnel to fill the vacancies we've identified as critical needs," she explained. "Allow me to use it on your behalf, as you're doing us a favor in helping us out."
"Then I will cease debating the matter with you, sir," he replied, placing his right and left hands in a steeple. "I don't wish to appear unseemly, but I would like to request one more condition of my transfer if you're amenable?"
She made a "come on" gesture with her hand. "Don't hold out on me. You have my undivided attention."
Reter leaned forward and adjusted his seated position. "When I report for duty here, I wish to work for Leo Verde."
Janeera nodded, wearing a silent and satisfied grin. "Agreed."