Facing the Firing Line

Posted on Mon Apr 20th, 2020 @ 1:03pm by Lieutenant JG Shaille Levine & Lieutenant Farizah Alani

Mission: Dead Moon
Location: Security Office

Shaille stood outside the doors to the office of the new Chief of Security, hesitating momentarily before announcing her presence. After the issues with the last Chief of Security, to say she was not looking forward to this meeting was something of an understatement, especially after the incident with the Ts'usugi ship.

She knew that both Carissa and Cam had been called to see the new Chief but neither of them had responded to her messages, something she was not taking as a good sign.

With a sigh, she wiped her palms down her over her hips, hit the annunciator and waited.

"Come in, Lieutenant" Farizah said lifting her head from the PaDD she was reading. At her desk Farizah had a few things other than the PaDD. There was a mug of Vulcan spice tea that she had been nursing for the past half an hour. The Bolian had been studying the woman's personnel file and the reports from Farizah's predecessors.

When Shaille stepped into the office, Farizah gestured to the vacant seat across from the desk. "Have a seat. I'm just reading through Lieutenant St. John's reports" explained the Bolian.

Shaille resisted the urge to roll her eyes and make a smart retort. Instead she sank into the seat, and watched in silence as she waited for the Bolian Chief of Security to finish. While she waited she glanced around the office, noting the stark differences between the Bolian flair and the stark blandness that had been there previously.

Setting the PaDD down, Lieutenant Farizah Alani reached into one of the larger drawers of her desk and pulled out a medium sized round container. She held it out towards Shaille and smiled. Inside was an assortment of individually wrapped circular hard candies of various colors. "Please, feel free to take one. They aren't replicated, all the terrible unhealthy sugar included" she added.

"How are you doing today, lieutenant?" Farizah asked politely.

"I'm doing fine thank you, and yourself?" Shaille reached in to the container and picked a random candy, turning it in her hands, admiring the colouring of the wrapper before she started to open it. "Are you settling into life on the Astraea so far? For the most part the crew is pretty good."

Lieutenant Alani nodded in response to the question. "Yes, I am settling in fine; however, it has been a process lately. My predecessor did not seem to settle all that much. The office was sparse from what I can tell" added the Bolian. "She did not appear to get along all that well with security personnel either" noted Farizah.

"That isn't my place to say Ma'am," Shaille replied quietly. Even though she'd been on the receiving end of the wrath of the last Security Chief more than once, she was still smart enough to know when to keep her mouth shut, at least sometimes.

"Ah but I think it is" replied Farizah. She picked up her mug and took a few slow sips before setting her mug back down. "It would not be the first time you have been out of place, and I do not mean that offensively. I simply want to understand what lead you to make the choices that you have which lead us here having this conversation."

"You've read her reports, I'm sure she's painted a perfect picture." Shaille paused and sighed softly. "Look, Lieutenant, I'm not trying to be argumentative, but it's been my experience so far that no one has been all that interested. Even Lieutenant Styvek gave me the same song and dance. I stand by my actions. I regret her hearing me call her a smarmy pig headed cousin of a targ... but..." she shrugged slightly. "She made her assumptions the moment she saw me and that was the end of it."

"Yes," Farizah replied swiftly picking up the PaDD that had the former Security Chief's file on the woman she was speaking to. "It is the end of it" added the Bolian tossing the PaDD aside onto the floor. "I'm not her and I'm not Styvek. If you wear that uniform, Lieutenant Levine, then you wear it to the best of your abilities. I have no history with you and I have no intention on letting your past discretions define you. So, do not let them either. Now, I have to ask a simple question...will you continue to protect and serve this starship, its crew, and uphold Federation laws and Starfleet directives?"

"That's all I've ever done," Shaille replied quietly. "I have no intention of doing it differently because of one person."

"Excellent," Farizah replied with a smile. "Not everyone likes me either, Lieutenant. Some think I am foolish because I believe in second chances and redemption. Others have a prejudice towards Bolians and do not believe someone of my species can be a good Security Chief. I try not to let any of that bother me. My advice is to continue being your own security officer."

Shaille paused, uncertain. "Does that mean I can go back to regular duty shifts?" she asked hesitantly. "That's it? All over? I'm not even going to get told off for being reckless over the Ts'usugi ship?"

Farizah scoffed at the woman's ramblings of punishment. "If it makes to feel any better, visit a shrine, temple, or chapel when you are able to or say ten prayers to some deities for forgiveness. Whatever will help you sleep better at night" replied the Bolian. "You were reckless. You admit that yourself. You will continue to serve and live knowing that. You should expect better from yourself as I'll expect better from you going forward. Your punishment is a strike on your record and being passed over for the Assistant Chief position."

Shaille stood up. "I can deal with that. I'll resume my normal duty shifts after shore leave is over." She started toward the door, hesitating before she walked out just long enough to turn back toward the Boliian Security Chief. "Thank you Lieutenant," she said quietly before disappearing back into the security area.