Security Risks

Posted on Mon Mar 27th, 2023 @ 2:45am by Lieutenant Taylor Haines & Crewman Melly
Edited on on Mon Mar 27th, 2023 @ 11:25am

1,575 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Short Treks
Location: Security
Timeline: 2431-03-13, 07:00

It was 0700 and Taylor sat at his desk in his office. He was looking over his schedule. He had an interesting situation on his hands that he had never encountered before. He was supposed to meet with the individual in three days, but his schedule was open and so was hers.

Tapping his communicator, "Crewman Melly, please report to Lieutenant Haines's office in security."

Melly had just finished her Nutri-Goop and placed away the plate to be recycled as she rose. Making sure that she tidied up her pillow fort before she smoothed out her uniform and headed out. Hurrying along she began weaving around the larger people and quickly into the security office. Looking around it seemed much different then before. Less full of melee weapons.

Walking to the door she knocked and announced in attention, "Crewman 3rd Class, Melly of Miri, reporting as ordered Sir!"

"At ease Crewman", Taylor said. "Have a seat please"

Melly relaxed her shoulders and quickly moved around the chair and sat, her feet dangling and not reaching the floor.

He waited for her to sit. He placed a padd onto his desk.

"I spoke to the Admiral", he began. "It seems like you had an interesting day, yesterday. Please tell me about it."

He had seen all the video footage and read the reports of the incident with the bounty hunter, but he wanted to hear details from her directly

"I..", she tensed looking about. "I was to meet my former boss the Chief of Staff to the Federation President for Lunch. I had met with the head of Security for my rules and with the Doctor for my initial check up. I then went to wait at the cafe. While there the Chief of Security and his girlfriend showed up and started argueing after they said they wanted to sit with me. I decided to back up away from them as I did not wish to anger him since he was to decide my everything." She hunkered down in the chair. "I got scared. I hid under a cafe table when a Nausicaan walked up. He showed me a picture and asked if it was me, I nodded. He said Melly of Miri. I nodded. He then snapped a slave collar on me and picked me up. He said if I struggled he would drug me. The last time someone drugged me.. I didn't like how I woke." She keep her eyes to the floor and spoke softly.

---

"Interesting reading", he said and then picked it up and threw it behind himself and it hit the wall and broke.

She gulped listening then seeing him throw the padd she hunkered down moving one hand to cover the back of her head and the other to cover the top of her head. Cringing for a moment she peeked up at him trembling. "Please don't hurt me Sir. I'll be a good girl."

"I have no intentions of hurting you", Taylor replied. "My intention is to help you. I read the report about you after my first meeting with the bounty hunter. Tell me, what do you think of the station's former Chief of Security's demands of you?"

Whimpering at mention of the Bounty Hunter, she touched her neck instinctively.

Melly thought as although it was only a short bit ago, but so much had happened. "I am prevented from going to certain areas without the escort of the High Commissioner who is no longer here. I am not permitted weapons. I can understand the Chief of Security's desire to prevent me from being a threat to others. I want to be a good girl."

"You know what those rules tell me?", Taylor said. "That means he didn't trust you as Starfleet personnel. One can not make amends for an action if an individual is not trusted. Where he had restricted you from already had security that would stop people in general, not just you. Plus, you are also a member of this crew and you were attacked. I won't stand for that."

He let that sink in a few moments and gave her time to say anything she wanted.

"I am a good girl everyone says and I want to do well. I want to prove I am not a bad girl anymore. But I can understand him not trusting me.. I hurt the Admiral. But Sir... from the bottom of my heart.", she looked up to Lt Taylor and smiled. "Thank You. Thank You for caring and thank You for giving me this chance.".

"Now, we can continue to do things the way he dictated or we can do things my way", he replied. "I warn you, my way will be harder, much harder. But my way, if you stick to it, will make you stronger. Before I tell you what my way is, you will need to commit to it. What do you say? Mine or his?"

Melly lowered her head to think before looking to Taylor, "You are in charge now, so I will follow your commands. I will do whatever I am ordered. So please I have had hard treatment before. I will follow your commands without question. So just command and I will do what is needed. What is your way Sir?

"I don't think you really took in my meaning Crewman", Taylor said. "This is not an order, nor really a command. This is a choice for you. I am not ordering you to take my offer. If you want, I will follow the previous Commander's rules or if you want, I will take us on my path. You are the one that gets to give this particular order. You decide which way we go, not me."

Melly was more a follower now do to what Norith did to her. Taking a deep deep breathe she looked up to Taylor with a firm look in her eyes and made this choice herself, "I feel more safe with you, I want yours not his. So I will give the order now Sir. Yes."

"I am glad you feel safe", Taylor replied with a smile. "So, here is my way, you will follow the rules that all crewmen follow. That means that sometimes you will have to use a weapon, sometimes you will need to report to secure areas, but do it by the rules. Second, you will continue to see the counselor and doctor when needed. Third if there are rules the parole board have set, you will let me interpret the rules and I will direct you in those. Finally, you will report to me at the main gym at 0500 every morning except for when duty interferes, but we will make up the time. Understood?"

Melly put the rules to note in her mind, she understood and nodded to each thing he stated until the end came. Confused she looked up, "I understand Sir. I will follow the rules, I will go where I am required, I will use a weapon only if I must, I will see the counselor and doctor and they can tell you anything I have nothing to hide. I will follow other orders given."

She thought a moment, "I do have two questions if allowed?"

"By all means", Taylor said, wondering what this would lead to.

"First.. the Bounty Hunter said the Orion man owns me, what if he comes here with a bill of sale? Will I be handed over? He paid for me. I guess he did? I apparently wasn't in on the deal.", she asked a bit confused.

"Melly, first you have been a citizen of the Federation quite some time, including being in Starfleet for some time", Taylor answered. "This means no-one can own you. That said, given this bounty hunter failed, there will most likely more that make an attempt. I am formulating a plan to deal with that though."

Mellys face brightened as she smiled and looked obviously relieved.

"The other question... I know he is innocent in the eyes of the courts and to Starfleet. It's just my word against his. But what happens if Admiral Norith comes here and wants to talk to me? Wants me to leave the station with him? Wants me to go to his quarters? Wants...", she began to freeze up a bit but looked to Taylor knowing he would keep her safe so she relaxed slightly.

"There is something that my family is good at, since my grandfather was alive", Taylor replied. "And that is making sure the right thing is done, even if we have to break a few rules. Sort of like an old earth saying, 'if you are going to make an omelet, you need to break a few eggs. I hope it doesn't come to that, but I will make sure to keep you safe from that man."

Melly beamed happily, "Thank You, Thank You so so much Sir." All she needed was a bit of reashurement.

"One last thing. I must ask just out of curiousity, I can be there at 0500 hours but what do you have planned Sir?", she asked.

"You will find out tomorrow", Taylor replied. "Just make sure you come dressed appropriately for the gym. Dismissed and have a good day Crewman."

Melly hopped down from the chair and saluted before she hurried off waving to the nice man from a distance before slipping out.

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