Chapter Text
Memory Alpha
Department of Management Analysis
Office of the Deputy Director
February 17, 2318 (Stardate 139174.05)
Lieutenant Karen Holiday waited, seated in the ante-office where a watchful senior chief yeoman staffed the desk across from her. The yeoman never broke his gaze upon her, prepared to respond as if she were a threat.
A familiar voice called over the intercom. "Send her in."
The yeoman rose and gestured for Holiday to precede him until he could place his hand on the doorknob, open the door, and step aside to allow her access. Once inside, the yeoman closed it behind her. It was unusual not to see an automatic door as with almost everywhere else on the installation, but the deputy director tended toward anachronism regarding his office designs.
Holiday nodded and smiled toward the occupant behind the expansive desk, and noticed he was wearing civilian attire: a smart-looking suit and an identification badge. But she knew that given the circumstances, he could wear any uniform at any rank he chose in order to accomplish his mission. "Sir," she greeted him. "How can I be of service?"
The deputy director gestured to the open seat across from him, and when she settled in, he slid a PADD across his desk with such speed that if she had not caught it, it would have hit the deck after a short flight. "That came in early this morning. I didn't want to send it over comms. One of our loose ends has been tied."
Holiday tapped the PADD's input and waited for the security authorization to clear her for access. The first image made her smile. "Poor Kline. Serves him right." The departmental report on the death of Victor Kline in his suite on Risa laid out the scant details. She flipped to the second page to finish reading.
"Indeed," he replied curtly.
"I assume then that the Director was highly displeased?"
"The Director felt that given Mister Kline's emotional disposition, should he find himself compromised, he might use his meager knowledge of our operations to leverage any positive outcome for himself. I concurred."
"Understood." She looked up after reaching the end. "Our Chameloid janitor is doing very well."
"They are. That was an excellent recommendation."
"I'm pleased, sir," she said with a smile. "I wonder if perhaps…" She trailed off, lost in thought.
The silence led to a prompt. "Something on your mind?"
Her eyes flickered to his stony gaze, leading her to further contemplate her words. Finally, she admitted, "I was just thinking that if Verde continues to be a problem, the Director may see a need for a similar solution."
The deputy director grimaced. "The Director is aware of Commander Verde and, thanks to your report, further aware of any exposure." He pointed down at the PADD in her hands and said, "You may want to read the third report."
Holiday tapped twice to move forward and skimmed the first page. "I see."
"I thought you might find that enlightening."
She finished going through it once more. "All of this is confirmed?"
"I have full confidence."
"Then, it's going to be an interesting day for Leo Verde." She placed the PADD on the edge of the desk and leaned back in her seat. "Hold action?"
"For now."
"Commander," said Commodore Thelk, his single-colored eyes glaring at him from across the conference room table, "within one month of your arrival, you have seen fit to disrupt the operations of the marine garrison aboard." His snout twitched as he shared a look with the starbase's marine garrison commander, Colonel Sullivan, who only inclined her head to support Thelk's opening statement.
Leo silently listened to the superior officers across the table.
Thelk continued, "Your actions have caused a company commander to resign in disgrace, and now we have an entire regiment of marines under investigation by the Inspector General's office. Was it your intention to disrupt the daily operations of this starbase when you arrived, or is it your general SOP to bring chaos no matter where you go?"
Again, Leo remained quiet as he felt the question might be rhetorical. When he would not contribute to the discussion, Thelk grouched, a deep rumble that increased until it became a growl.
"Answer me, Commander!" Thelk roared. His hooves flexed atop the table's surface, leaving fleeting vapor streaks punctuating his contempt.
"No, sir," Leo replied with poise.
"No, sir, what?" Thelk snarled.
Leo kept his breathing even, keeping his emotions in check. "No, sir, I did not intend to disrupt your daily operations. No, sir, it is not my standard operating procedure to bring chaos no matter where I go." He kept his tone respectful, though he knew what was coming next.
Thelk thundered, "Insolence!" He pointed his right hoof at Leo, "Theodore Keller and I graduated from the Academy together! Don't sit there all proud and innocent and think that I don't know exactly the type of officer you are! You have no place in Starfleet; I don't care how many admirals spawned you!" His rage created spittle that flew in specks from between his tusks and a line of moisture that dribbled from his lips.
The mention of Leo's former captain aboard Hansen would have forced a distasteful downward curl of his lips, but Leo refused to show any outward reaction. He heard no question in Thelk's diatribe; therefore, he chose silence as the most prudent option.
Sullivan placed a warning hand on Thelk's shoulder. "Commodore, decorum, please."
Her pleas did nothing to assuage the scorn and fury on Thelk's face. While his jaw was in action, the Tellarite's tusks moved almost independently on both sides of his mouth. Leo remained in his central vision as the low rumbling of his growling persisted.
Experiencing a sigh, the marine colonel showed her disappointment. "Commander, we both know the troubling circumstances of Victor Kline's departure. However, while your choices were in line with the letter of the procedure, you had several options for discretion open to you that might resolve the matter with a more… palatable outcome."
Thelk muttered, "That is putting it mildly."
Sullivan pressed her lips together, causing dimples to appear on her cheeks, but said nothing to chastise the flag officer. "That being said, understanding your service record and history, we know that your assignment to JAG was not your first career choice. If you had chosen a less disruptive avenue to pursue this Kline matter, the Commodore and I would have been in a better position to put your career back on a path you might prefer over the present."
That last sentence caused Thelk to shoot a surprised look at Sullivan. When she noticed his disconcertion, she closed her eyes and raised a hand to him to mollify any response that could derail her point. Instead, Thelk fumed in his seat.
"JAG was not my first choice," Leo admitted. "But, sir, with all due respect, I think you're approaching this issue with a flawed premise."
She furrowed her brow. "What do you mean?"
Leo opened his mouth to explain; however, before he could say a word, the door slid open. Seeing the gold-trimmed uniform of a Starfleet flag officer, he joined Sullivan and Thelk as they rose to their feet out of respect.
The latter officer nodded and said, "Welcome back, Admiral. Congratulations on your promotion, sir."
Entering with his hands behind his back, the unassuming flag officer smiled and nodded to Sullivan and Leo. He approached and occupied the head of the table. Now comfortable, the Admiral cast an expectant glance toward Thelk as everyone retook their seats.
"Uh, sir, we were just discussing the commander's performance and offering some career advice," Thelk's tone had none of the malice it held before. Instead, it seemed to Leo that all the storms had left his sails; the Admiral's presence brought a calming atmosphere.
The summary from Thelk amused the Admiral, whose graying hair seemed in a locked battle with his natural color, beginning at his temples. Despite his age, he still held onto his boyish features with only mild wrinkles around the eyes and lips. "Is that so, Thelk?" he asked, his accented Standard betraying his Russian upbringing.
"Yes, sir," replied Thelk in earnest.
The Admiral steepled his fingers as a Vulcan might. "And were I to ask Commander Verde for his honest opinion of your discussion, do you think he would agree?"
Thelk snapped a scowling glance at Leo. "I'm sure he would, sir," he uttered pointedly.
"Thelk," the Admiral raised a finger. "I'm sitting right here."
Chagrined, the Commodore turned and returned to a respectful repose. "My apologies, sir. I am uncertain that Commander Verde fully understands the point of our discussion."
"Yes, well," the Admiral noted, taking his eyes off the officers and letting his vantage drift toward the large windows to the surrounding space beyond. He sighed. "There's been quite a lot of mixed messages. What is your specific issue with the commander's performance, Commodore? Be honest."
"Sir," Thelk's tone suddenly found its prior confidence, "ever since he has arrived, he has been set upon the dismantling of an excellent company. His interference reached a point where the commanding officer was forced to resign in disgrace. Furthermore, he comes to this base after having the audacity to question his captain while on a dangerous mission in the Border Service. Were it not for his family connections, he would have been permanently relegated to civilian status. Instead, he flaunts his legacy status by finagling a transfer to the JAG Corps and bringing ruin to a highly decorated regiment."
As Thelk made his case to his commanding officer, Sullivan closed her eyes and let out a sigh. To mask her discomfort, she lifted her hand to cover her eyes.
The Admiral frowned. “Wasn't the commanding officer of this supposedly 'excellent' marine company caught tampering with records?”
Leo responded with, "Yes, sir," before Thelk had a chance to. “Evidence of tampering and data deletion was found by Chief Federov, and Lieutenant Holiday provided copies of the altered data to support our case.”
Thelk glared at Leo. "Commander, the Admiral was addressing me."
"Commodore," the Admiral countered, "'the Admiral' has a dislike for being referred to as if he were not present."
Thelk showed remorse by lowering his gaze and speaking with a contrite tone, saying, "My apologies, sir."
"This conversation goes beyond just us, as the Commander-in-Chief and the Judge Advocate General have already emphasized to me."
Thelk noted, "Sir, Admiral Devereux is not classified as a line officer."
"Admiral Sulu, however, is very much a line officer," the Admiral reminded him. "So, what exactly is the problem?"
At that moment, Colonel Sullivan spoke. “Admiral, I am of the opinion that although Commander Verde's actions were in accordance with procedure and policy, there were other more diplomatic options at his disposal.”
"Oh, I'm certain he could have, Colonel," he agreed, earnest. With a sudden sucking sound from his teeth, he raised his right index finger and continued in an instructive tone, "However, I think the point you're trying to make is that Mister Kline was operating under your nose for so long a time that there is a fear that the findings within the Inspector General's report may hurt your chances of seeing a general's star on your uniform."
The truth hit home as the Admiral spoke, causing her face to flush crimson. "As you say, sir," Sullivan conceded with a nod.
"Perhaps, then, you could see this as an opportunity to adjust your leadership skills to a level requisite of a general," the Admiral offered. "And pray that I don't reach out to the Commandant of the Marine Corps and have you transferred elsewhere to make those improvements."
The colonel, feeling sufficiently daunted, nodded and leaned back in her chair, staring straight ahead.
"So, Commodore," the Admiral said as he leveled his gaze on Thelk.
“Sir?”
"You chastise Commander Verde for not obeying the letter of the law on the one hand, and you, Colonel Sullivan, would have him skirt the law on the other," the Admiral restated the problem from his perspective. "This feels like a tragedy in the making. The man's career has already taken a hit because of leadership failures."
Seeking support, Thelk looked to Sullivan, but she avoided making eye contact with anyone.
"A lot of mixed messages," repeated the Admiral, directing his words at no one in particular. He lifted himself off of his seat. “This is something we will work on.”
Once again, everyone stood up, expecting the Admiral to leave soon.
Seeking to salvage the interaction with him, Sullivan offered lamely, "Congratulations on your promotion, Vice Admiral."
"Thank you, Colonel," the Admiral replied. "Oh, and speaking of promotions. Admiral Sulu asked me to bring this back from Headquarters." He reached into the side pocket of his uniform trousers and retrieved a box. “After speaking with Captain Ch'charhat and Admiral Devereux, it was decided that I should present this to you, Commander.”
Leo took the box and opened it. Within, there was a complete set of rank insignias, signifying the rank of a full Commander in Starfleet. "Admiral?"
"Congratulations, Commander Verde. Well done." The Admiral approached Leo and offered his hand.
Leo accepted and smiled. "Thank you, sir."
When they released hands, the Admiral told him, "It might interest you to know that I've had the pleasure of serving under your father during the Gorn War when I held command of Task Group Charlie eleven years ago."
Leo blinked. "He never mentioned it, but then he wasn't forthcoming with war stories."
"No, I would imagine he wouldn't," the Admiral noted with sadness. "We lost a lot of good people during that conflict." He wondered, "Have you and he spoken lately?"
"Uh, not really, sir," Leo said with a shake. "I think he's still grappling with the hard truth of my career's trajectory."
The Admiral grinned. "He would. And he might not tell you directly, but you should know that he has always been proud of you."
"Thank you, sir," Leo replied softly, touched by that information. Then, he smirked at the Admiral's assessment. "You're right; he would never tell me that."
"Fathers and sons have tough relationships. There's a famous Russian saying, 'To you, your father should be as a god,'" said the Admiral. "Your father exemplifies that thinking."
Leo tilted his head, his expression betraying his confusion. "Sorry, but isn't that Shakespeare, sir?"
"No, no. It was my great-grandfather's great-grandfather, Anton Chekhov. Russian playwright," corrected Vice Admiral Pavel Chekov with a smile. "I named my son for him."