Arguing for Reprive

Posted on Mon Nov 12th, 2018 @ 12:11pm by Lieutenant JG Siobahn Fallon & Commander Rostra Tang

Mission: https://wellington.pegasusfleet.site/index.php/sim/missions/id/5
Location: Somewhere

It had taken a surprising amount of courage for Siobahn, who was still one of the most junior officers on the ship, to actually make the choice to track down the first officer, yet here she was, well aware that she was both out of line and intruding on Rostra's personal time. Still, straightening her shoulders, she drew a deep breath and reached out, chiming the annunciator on Rostra's quarters, hoping against hope that the XO wouldn't just turf her out without hearing her out.

Rostra was actually in the middle of two things, easily enough considering her unique biology. When she heard the announcer both forms perked up. Who on Dalacar could that be? A species naturally curious was now driven by the question so both stood to approach the door. "Come in." she announced, an easy solution to the mystery.

Now, to say that officers had nicer quarters than most would be the understatement of the generation. Though, Rostra actually took that to a further point. Her quarters seemed slightly more expansive, slightly more open. Neat, organized, and everything in its place. This officer's quarters was the portrait of order and tidiness. Every PaDD organized on a shelf, every picture on the wall was neat and parallel. The pair gave Siobahn a nod each and a smile, a mug of coffee in one of her form's hands. "Ensign Fallon, was it?" she asked, before motioning in and taking a step aside to give her plenty of room to enter. "Please, come in. Can I get you something to drink?"

Siobahn shook her head quickly. "Thank you, but no. I want to apologize for intruding on your personal time, I am sure you have more than enough to deal with right now with everything that's going on..." she paused for a moment, contemplating on how to broach the subject she wished to discuss.

Rostra gave a tilt of each head, then gave a nod each, "You're forgiven." Honestly, she didn't think it was that big of an intrusion. "Dalacari are social creatures, so to be fair, I don't mind the visit. Though, there's an awful..." and then the conversation just stopped. Done. Over.

Her twin, however, picked up the conversation at the exact moment it was dropped, like it was her's the entire time, "... lot going on with the current situation regarding the Icarus. Which, I imagine, is what you want to discuss?" she took her best guess.

Siobahn nodded slowly. "I was down in the brig today, I had to assess the officer from the Icarus who absconded from sickbay and confirm his medical wellbeing..." Siobahn stopped speaking momentarily, pursing her lips slightly. "I will be honest, I don't pretend to understand what is going on, and while from a medical perspective this man may be physically sound, I think mentally he's not prepared for what ever he would be sent back to should the decision be made to send him back to the Icarus." She stopped and took a quick breath. "I know I should take this to my department head, but to be honest, she can't even get my name right, I have no confidence that she would take me seriously with something like this."

Rostra listened, and even nodded in places. "Do you know, it took weeks to correct my last commander that I wasn't actually a pair?" she said with a smirk. "I understand completely that sometimes, the head isn't the right person."

"I can see the puzzle." Rostra said, calmly, "To force him back would be to subject him to potentially life-long trauma and even death, but..."

"... it'd be against every rule we have to allow him to stay, because then we'd have to open the doors to an entire ship's worth of refugees." she detailed simply, "Hold on, I ..."

"... need another cup of coffee. Maybe tea for this. Would you like some? Please, do come in. The doorway is no place to hold a conversation like this." and the pair descended into her quarters, heading right for the replicator to conjure forth another cup of coffee.

"So, to follow, physically he's fit and fine but mentally, he'd technically be a single officer's call away from being declared unfit for duty." she recapped. "But, since they're currently in..."

"... some form of wartime scenario, they need every able bodied being, but not necessarily every able minded one."

Entering as requested, Siobahn hovered uncertainly near a chair before finally sitting down. "Tea will be fine, thank you." She paused for a moment. "Physically he is completely fine, he has no discernible physical injuries, but mentally..." She paused again, trying to find the right words. "He would rather I kill him now than to tell his commanding officer that he is fit for duty. I know I'm not part of the senior staff, and I know that I have no involvement in any decision making processes, but I don't know that in good conscience I can submit any documentation that clears someone as being fit for duty when clearly, at least from a mental perspective, they aren't... which is why I haven't filed any reports yet and I came to you first."

Both forms of Rostra had themselves a coffee, while one had a tea for Siobahn. She placed it before the redhead with a gentle calm. "First, I value the input of anyone on this ship. As the ship's officer, I cannot make any decision alone. I need to know as much as what's going on to make..."

"... the best decision I can. The only issue with that, is sometimes the decision I *have* to make isn't the one I *want* to, but that burden is mine." she tried her best to comfort.

"It sounds, to me, that were this a single sh- I mean, a sole ship issue." she corrected herself. Apparently, that's a taboo on Dalacar. "The decision would be easy: Relieved of duty."

"I'd like you to file a report, but file it with me first. This is dangerous water we're treading into. I'll talk with the Captain and see what our possible options are." the Dalacari offered with a nod from her momentarily silent twin. "You did nothing wrong in coming here." her twin spoke up. "Though, the best comfort I can offer you at the moment is I can take this off of your hands."

Siobahn nodded slightly, accepting the tea that had been held out to her. "Thank you Commander, I appreciate your taking the time to get involved. Honestly, I didn't quite know who else to turn to about this. I am very grateful for both your time and your involvement."

"I couldn't rightly turn you away. I won't make any promises or reassurances, but I will bring this to the Captain with as honest and open a heart as I can." she reassured.

"And in that, you're very welcome." a pause, as each form took a sip of coffee. It was odd to watch them both perk up almost at once. It took a moment before one of them spoke, "So, what's this now about your department head not even knowing your own name?"

Taking a few measured sips of her tea and sighing with contentment at the taste, Siobahn grimaced as Rostra raised the issue. "She keeps calling me by my rank and my first name, despite being asked not to. It probably sounds really childish to be bothered by such a thing, but I was raised to treat those around me with respect so I guess I find it difficult to interact with those who don't reciprocate."

Rostra shook her heads, "Hardly childish at all really. If something bothers you, steps should be taken to correct." she said, almost quoting some handbook from the sounds of it.

"As a Dalacari, I'm especially sensitive to matters like that, but moreso on the receiving end. Like I said, it took..."

"... weeks for my previous commander to stop calling me a pair, or twins, or something similar." she said with a pair of smirks. "It's a complicated..."

"... issue, walking out your front door every morning."

"Has she given any reason why she prefers her method of addressing you, rather than respecting your request?" Rostra broached the subject.

Opting to sip her tea instead of answering immediately, Siobahn tried to come up with a politely worded rational response to the simple question. Coming up lacking, she shrugged slightly and replied with "I guess there in lies the problem, she doesn't spend enough time with any of us to really understand or care what we think or what we want. Egotistic absenteeism at it's finest." She stopped momentarily before speaking again. "Could the officer in the brig petition the Captain for asylum?" she asked quietly. "I mean, I know there's obviously more issues to deal with, but is there any reason he can't not go back?"

Rostra gave a pair of nods as she listened. "Sounds like a lack of proper socializing. I might arrange to have a chat with her about the importance of integration." she mentioned, and then as Siobahn continued, she just smiled and gave a pair of nods.

"Oddly enough, I was just about to brush up on the guidelines and restrictions of asylum. I must say, very intuitive." Rostra complimented.

"It's not everyone that can read a Dalacari. I'm impressed." her twin complimented as well. Or rather, continued the compliment. "Though, you leave that to me."

Rostra paused and took a long sip of coffee, each form just enjoying the moment. "Oh, I imagine there's a dozen reasons he shouldn't, or couldn't, or can't." she started.

"Temporal Restrictions, One to One Encounter Ratios, Paradox Prevention Measures, but you leave those to me." Rostra reassured.

"Thank you Commander," Siobahn smiled gratefully before finishing her tea. "I won't take up any more of your time, but I do appreciate you seeing me, I'm sure you must get bothered by these kinds of intrusions on your personal time."

She actually shook her head, "Actually, I welcome the breaks from the monotony. Meeting people is all part of the excitement." she mentioned. "I'd rather meet the author than read their..."

"... book, as the saying goes. Or, is that a Dalacari saying?" she mused, "Do you have anything like that? It's odd to get them sorted." she smiled, both forms. Though they were careful not to show teeth.

"Though, please, stop by anytime. If anything is on your mind and you can't go to your department head, my door is always open." she offered with a wide smile.

"It was excellent to meet you Ensign." they said, in unison.

"And you too Commander," Siobahn replied with a genuine smile, clearly very reassured by having spoken to Rostra about her concerns. "Good night Commander."

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Commander Rostra Tang
Executive Officer
USS Wellington

Ensign Siobahn Fallon
Medical Officer
USS Wellington