A Quirky Security Meeting

Posted on Tue Jan 3rd, 2023 @ 4:09am by Crewman Melly
Edited on on Tue Jan 24th, 2023 @ 2:10pm

2,715 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: Short Treks
Location: Starfleet One
Timeline: 2431-03-11, 9:00

Patton sat down in his chair behind his desk, placing his cup of coffee to his right. It was his third cup of the day, he liked it strong and hit. For him, coffee was life giving fluid that was essential to start the day correctly.

He had a meeting scheduled with Crewman Melly. He had read her file, which really didn’t carry much weight with him. He preferred to meet a person and develop his own perception of who they were. Files on a computer tended to lean in the direction of the person writing them and not necessarily told the whole story.

Patton smiled as he looked around his office. It was a reflection of who he was. There were several photos of Ireland, his homeland hanging. One of his mother and stepfather, shortly before they had passed away. His Dad, in uniform the day he retired from active service. His favorite one was of him and his nine brothers. It was the only picture of them all together. It had been taken the same day.

His eyes turned to glance at the weapons hanging on the ways, most of them from centuries ago. He collected them and was quite picky of what he had.

Patton turned to his computer and checked the time. Crewman Melly should be there at any moment.

Melly was not long on the station, not long as she did not even get to go to her assigned quarters yet. She would before she saw the Doctor but she knew the importance of this. She was a dangerous felon, on probation or not she would not wish to make a bad move and anger the administration or worse embarrass Jasmine.

The small girl looked around in awe at the station as she walked but checked with the computer consoles and the posted maps. She wanted to be on time but got mildly confused due to not being in such an open area for so long... she was a minute late.

Entering the security chiefs office she looked about and spotted the main office. Walking up she hit the buzzer, "Crewman Melly, reporting as ordered. I beg forgiveness Sir, I just arrived and got lost.. it's very... overwhelming here."

She stood before the door patiently, the small three foot eight inch girl held a single duffel that was large for her size, the medical bag over the other shoulder, and under her arm her stuffed Peregrine Bomber. With her soft gray big doe eyes and her hair back in the French braid Jasmine had suggested she looked almost... silly in her crewman uniform.

“Come in.” Patton called out. He looked up after a moment and his eyes widened for a moment at the young, childlike person standing before him. He had expected her to be small but the enormity of how much she looked like a child, her carrying a stuffed animal under her arm as if she wasn’t an officer in the fleet came as a bit of a shock.

“Did you bring along your records?” Patton asked in his official chief voice.

Melly looked at the older man and gulped. She walked to his desk and looked up at him as her shoulders and head were most of what could be seen over the desk. Placing both her backs on a chair and putting her stuff beside them she took a PADD from her duffel and rose to tip toes to offer the PADD over the desk to the man.

The gentleman didn't seem scary but she knew from experience to not let her guard down. She would be good and impress as many as she could to bring pride to her boss. After placing the pad on his desk she lowered and stood in attention.

"Former Lt Jg, now Crewman 3rd class Melly of Miri at your service Sir! I have come to check in with the head of security due to my status as a dangerous felon on probation in the care of High Commissioner Jasmine Haynes as her personal Yeoman. I will accept any restrictions and required rules without question, Sir may inspect my possessions here as well as any unannounced inspections of my quarters. I will not argue, fuss, or in any way impede any rules given. I will be a good girl I promise." Her last statement seemed out of place but she stood in perfect attention for him.

Patton raised an eyebrow at her comment about being a good girl. He wondered if this was some kind of game she was playing to try and get him to let his guard down or to give him pause to believe she was harmless. She would learn he would not do that. She would have to prove herself, to her record, even more so than others.

“At ease.” Patton said as he looked at the padd. “Sit down while I peruse your records.”

"Yes Sir!. Will do Sir!", she said in attention.

Melly relaxed and reached over taking her stuffed Peregrine bomber and then hopped into the chair dangling her feet as she moved them back and forth cuddling her bomber as she looked around at the pretty pictures on the wall. She then looked at the weapons but stopped seeing the knives. Looking at them long and hard she then hunkered a bit in the chair pulling her bomber up as if to try to hide behind it from the knives.

Patton put the padd down and studied her for a long moment. “I will be restricting you from areas of the base unless you are accompanied by High Commissioner Haynes. Given your past history it is expected.”

Melly gulped and nodded, "Please let me know when time allows. I understand and will not go to those places unless escorted. Will I be required to have a monitoring bracelet Sir?"

Melly expected this at least, it could be worse but she didn't think it over yet.

“No.” Patton shook his head. He hadn’t even considered it. He could monitor her in other ways. “The list is on this padd.” He handed it to her. “It includes the security department, engineering as well as secured areas.”

She took the Padd and nodded, "I might have to go to the diplomatic wing often, do to my job with Ms Jasmine. She is a very nice lady and is so sweet and kind for taking me away from the penal colony. I will do everything you say and be a good girl so I can make her happy."

“If the High Commissioner sends you there I#my department will be notified and we will give you temporary clearance.” His eyes met hers. “Just so we are clear, we will watch your every move.”

Melly nodded hugging her stuffed Peregrine Bomber close as she rested her chin atop it looking down, "Yes Sir.. I understand and will be good I promise. I learned my lesson and will be good no matter what anyone does. I promise even if there's a problem, I won't fight back and will just take it. I will be a good girl. I just don't want to go back to the penal colony.."

Melly tensed in the chair clutching her stuffed bomber tight as tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Look.” Patton said with a sigh. “I believe in second chances and I read your file and did some digging of my own.” His eyes met hers. “I even talked to some people. I know you didn’t get a fair shake in this. I can give you sympathy but what I can’t do is compromise my job. You can tell me all you want you’ve changed, you will be good whatever you want but that means nothing. Your actions while on this base will. Do you understand?”

Melly sniffles and nods, "Yes Sir, I would not expect you to believe me on face value.. I just could.. he had been building up to...". Melly began to panic a bit clutching her stuffed bomber tight but breathing and after a few moments calming. "I will be the best girl here. I will do everything I want and will make your job easy with me. I promise to show you I can be trusted. I thank You Sir for this chance. I know some would just say no outright... Thank you. I will be sure to tell Ms Haynes that you are a wonderfully understanding and sweet man." Despite the tears streaking down she looked up at Patton with a happy smile. Her tear streaked face would likely still further confuse any random onlookers to her actual age.

Patton looked directly at her, his expression serious. “I will send her a transcript of this conversation. I am anything but sweet.” He paused. “I do my job and treat everyone fairly and follow the rules of the Federation. Do not attempt to give the High Commissioner cause to find issues with my performance.” He had no doubt Jasmine would.

Melly smiled brightly and nodded, "Yes Sir, is there anything else? I have to put my possessions in my quarters before I go see the Doctor for my medical check in. Do you wish to inspect my belongings first? Before I go unpack? Or are you done with me Sir."

In no way did Melly seem eager to go, more eager to not be a bother.

“The last time I looked I was the chief of security on this base.” Patton growled. “I will say when this meeting is over even if it takes the rest of the week. Are we clear?”

Melly cringed, pulling her knees up in the chair and placing one hand over the back of her head and the other over the top to shield. She had done bad and didn't know how this man would react.

"I am sorry Sir, I am sorry, I am sorry, I am sorry, I am sorry.", she said as tears flowed from her eyes. "I meant no disrespect, I just wanted to not bother you. I am sorry, I am sorry, I am sorry, I am sorry.", Melly begged while shaking like a leaf before Patton a look of genuine fear over her.

Patton sat for a moment. Most men would be moved by the tears of a female, particularly one who looked so young and scared. He had been the object of said tears himself and though he was not amused he would not give in to them.

Instead, he grabbed a padd and shoved it across the table at her. “Read the section on assault or unwanted physical contact of any kind. I am not going to risk what I have here because you crossed over the line and tried to undermine my authority on this base. Not only will I not harm you but I will not allow anyone else to either. Instead of letting fear control you, apologize and we can move on.” He gave her a hard look. “That is if you promise not to insult me with the assumption that I might act in a way that brings disrespect to me and my position here again.”

Melly stayed cringed and balled up at first, she was genuinely scared but she slowly lowered her arms down and sniffling wiped her tears on her uniform sleeve. Carefully picking up the padd she read and put to memory. Looking back up, after wiping tears again on her sleeve looked at the man and said, "I am very sorry for my mistake Sir and will never willingly insult you or your position again. I am sorry for my assumption and will be a good girl." She proceeded to wipe her eyes on her sleeve again and sniffled.

“Let’s continue on.” Patton said with a nod. “You will not carry any weapons on this base no matter how insignificant without my permission.” He paused. “If you feel threatened or in an uncomfortable position contact my department and we will handle it. Am I clear?”

Melly nodded, "No weapons, yes Sir. If I am uncomfortable or threatened, get security. I will do as told by Sir. I have no weapons and do not want to ever see another again... I used to be a peregrine pilot... would I be allowed to make arrangements for flight time to stay in practice or are those days gone now Sir?"

She gulped thinking about what he said about getting security, "The.. Admiral told me if I am hit it is because I was bad. But I will report any issue Sir I promise Sir."

Patton thought the Admiral needed to be taught a lesson old school. He had nine brothers and growing up when one of them went astray the rest gave him a wake up call.

“I am certain you can continue with your flight time but don’t expect to be alone or unobserved for quite a while.”

Melly's face brightened hearing there was a chance to fly again, she would not do anything to jeopardize this and would be fine not flying alone.

"Thank You Sir, thank you, thank you, thank you. I will make sure all is noted and will have a minder if that becomes a chance. Thank You. You are too kind Sir.", Melly was smiling, her face still looked as if she had been crying but so happy again.

Patton frowned. First he was accused of being sweet and now kind. “I am not kind, I am a serious and fair minded security chief.” His serious eyes met hers. “Just don’t do anything to make me regret this or those flight sessions can be canceled with a few words from me.”

"Yes Sir!", Melly said with a smile. "I will be a good girl and not do anything wrong. You do seem kind to me? You're stern and strong but you seem caring. You're like a Daddy.. or like Admiral Kirk when I met him. He held me while making one of his famous Kirk Speeches. I will do nothing to get my potential flight time canceled. I do need to eventually run into Admiral William Targaryen... I have to beg his forgiveness for being bad." Melly was rambling a bit from anxiety but then snapped back to normalcy. "Yes Sir, I will be as good a girl as I can be. I won't do wrong, if somehow I do I will come and tell you myself so you can punish me."

“Any punishment you receive from me will be listed in the regulations.” Patton didn’t want her conjuring up some nightmare of chains and a dungeon or worse. “ He thought of her words. “You will be respected more if you ditch the idea of begging. I doubt it will get the effect from the admiral you desire. “ He continued on. “Where are you headed from here?”

Melly gulped and nodded, "He... was my CO before I transferred.. when I was still good. I will do my best to take your words to heart sir, I feel Ms Jasmine would equally agree with you.."

She then remembered his other question, "After Sir is done with me, at Your leisure and not before.. I shall go to my quarters and drop off my possessions. I will then go to medical and have the doctor give me the customary examination to make sure I am fit and anything that needs to be addressed before I begin work is handled Sir."

“I will escort you to your quarters.” Patton said as he rose from his desk. “To make sure all is in order and your security clearances are activated for you to gain access to your quarters.”

Melly nodded and stood, taking the large duffel and placing her records inside. Hoisting it on her shoulder she took her medical bag, and then her stuffed peregrine bomber. Looking to the security chief she stood in attention. "At your leisure Sir."

“Let’s head there now.” Patton ordered. “One of my officers will meet us and make certain you get it medical without incident and then you can carry on from there.” He led the way down the hall.

 

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