For those of you who enjoyed Leo's first adventure in "Trial of Transfer," (the WIP version is here on TrekBBS) we continue with his fledgling JAG career with his second story in "Borderline Justice." As before, what you're reading is essentially a first-draft, likely riddled with spelling and grammatical errors. The usual caveats apply in terms of changes and revisions likely coming that might alter the plot or scenes as you've read them here. Feedback and suggestions are welcome as this is a learning opportunity to improve my writing.
NOTE: This version has been censored to comply with TBBS posting policies. If you would like to read the uncensored version, please do so at Ad Astra. (LINK)
Story Summary: In his first field mission since joining the JAG Corps, Leo Verde and his team are dispatched to investivate a suspicious death aboard the Starfleet Border Service cruiser USS Detmer. What appears to be a straightforward case of manslaughter unravels as Leo digs deeper into the events leading up to the incident, uncovering hidden motives and conflicting eyewitness accounts. With his own personal history in the Service coloring his perspective, and the political pressure of the ship's pending classified mission near the Neutral Zone, Leo must navigate through the hard evidence in order to determine the truth before time runs out.
Part One: In Media Res
NCC-2131 (USS Detmer)
Patrolling the Federation-Rihannsu Neutral Zone, Warp 2.5
February 16, 2318 (Stardate 139166.3)
Mess Hall
Boatswain's Mate Second Class (BM2) Leslie Sutton took her customary seat within the mess hall aboard the Georgiou-class light cruiser USS Detmer. She preferred the table with the least amount of overhead lighting in the corner, far from the bank of replicators. The table, along with the early hour, allowed her to avoid the crowds of enlisted personnel that clogged access to morning meals for the better part of an hour.
When the large double doors leading in from the corridor opened to admit a trio of familiar faces, Sutton grinned. "Hey, morning," she greeted them.
BM2s Michael Kawhena, Bromin, and Xosom waved at her from the replicators. Within a minute, all three carried their trays to sit with Sutton.
"Morning, Les," said Xosom, a Rigellian woman with bright red hair, golden eyes, and an athletically tall build. "Did you get enough sleep?"
Sutton looked down at her meal, allowing her dark brown bangs to fall down and obscure her eyes. "I guess so."
The stocky Bolian petty officer, Bromin, sighed. His luminescent blue skin almost shimmered under the lighting of the hall when he shook his head. "Rol bothering you again?" he asked her, already knowing the answer.
"Not.. directly," she continued to gaze into her breakfast, rather than meeting the eyes of her teammates. "He just called me down to the shuttle bay to inspect the gear."
Kawhena chewed his food slowly as he listened to Sutton explain the reason for her mood. "It wasn't your shift for small craft. It was Chief Loyola's. Why did he call you?"
Xosom scoffed. "Why else?"
"We don't have to talk about it," Sutton told them in a small voice.
"Les," Kawhena said as he placed his fork down on the tray. When she gave him her attention, he continued. "You do not need to put up with his bullying. Have you talked the Chief about it?"
She scowled. "I can handle him. I don't need to go running to the Chief every time someone is mean to me."
Bromin said, "It's more than that. If you want, we'll go with you to tell him."
Xosom agreed with a nod. "We all will."
"Well," Sutton said, softening her tone, "I have been talking with a Chief. During my last TAD in security, Sherrif Taki offered some additional unarmed training and I've been working with her the past few weeks."
The other three shared a grin. "Here we thought maybe you and Taki were enjoying some special private time," Bromin teased.
Xosom slapped Bromin's shoulder. "Don't be a jerk."
"What?" Bromin protested with his raised hands. "What did I say?"
Kawhena wondered, "While you were with Taki, honing your unarmed combat training, did you mention the reason?"
"Reason?" Sutton asked with a shrug.
"Why you were so keen to learn."
She shrunk in her seat. "No."
"Taki wouldn't care about the reason, anyway," Xosom said. "She thinks everyone should know how to defend themselves in case of a boarding action."
Bromin noted, "Right, but if Les had talked to Taki about Rol, then maybe…"
"What?" Kawhena asked Bromin. "Arrest him? You think Taki would really do that?"
"Taki'd go directly to the Gold Ring," Xosom said. "They're pretty tight." Her use of the slang "Gold Ring" referred to the ship's command master chief petty officer, the designated commander senior enlisted member of the crew who reported directly to the ship's commanding officer. All designated command senior enlisted wore the gold-ringed rank insignia instead of the usual silver.
Sutton said, "I don't want that. Anyway, it doesn't matter. Last night, after we got done, Rol didn't… I mean, I noticed something-" She paused as the subject of their discussion made his own entry into the mess hall.
When she stopped talking, Kawhena glanced up and peered over his shoulder to see the new arrival. "Ah, shit."
Bromin and Xosom followed suit. Bromin grimaced while Xosom let out a curse in her native tongue.
"Well, well," said Damage Control Specialist First Class (DC1) Rol Th'qilres. An Andorian with an intimidating muscular build approached their table with his usual arrogant swagger. "Petty Officer Sutton," he greeted her slowly. "I sincerely hope that I didn't interrupt your much-needed beauty sleep last night by asking you to assist me."
Sutton shook her head. "Not at all," she lied.
"Good, good," Rol said with a shit-eating grin. He stepped behind her and placed his hand on Sutton's right shoulder, squeezing hard. "Very good. Then you won't mind if you assist me tonight with another maintenance project, would you?"
She did not respond.
Rol applied more pressure to her shoulder, causing a wince on the young woman's face.
"Hey!" Kawhena shouted. "Get your hand off her, now!"
"Watch how you speak to me, Boats," Rol snarled. "I outrank you."
"I don't give a shit, Snipe," Kawhena got to his feet as he spoke, dropping his fork atop the table with a loud clatter. "She's in my section and my responsibility. Remove your hand."
Bromin and Xosom also stood up, ready to support Kawhena and Sutton.
Rol, seeing the three hostiles threatening to flank him, raised both hands up in surrender. "Fine, I will play nice."
"And she doesn't have to do shit with you tonight," Kawhena pressed his advantage. "Find some other snipe to help you."
The Andorian offered a friendly smile. "If that's what young Sutton wants. I was merely trying to broaden her professional horizons by helping her to-"
His words were interrupted by Sutton's tray hitting his throat near his collarbone. In a matter of seconds, she forcefully removed her tray, causing her omelet to splatter against the bulkhead. With a firm hold, she unleashed her full might, sending Rol tumbling.
NOTE: This version has been censored to comply with TBBS posting policies. If you would like to read the uncensored version, please do so at Ad Astra. (LINK)
Story Summary: In his first field mission since joining the JAG Corps, Leo Verde and his team are dispatched to investivate a suspicious death aboard the Starfleet Border Service cruiser USS Detmer. What appears to be a straightforward case of manslaughter unravels as Leo digs deeper into the events leading up to the incident, uncovering hidden motives and conflicting eyewitness accounts. With his own personal history in the Service coloring his perspective, and the political pressure of the ship's pending classified mission near the Neutral Zone, Leo must navigate through the hard evidence in order to determine the truth before time runs out.
Part One: In Media Res
NCC-2131 (USS Detmer)
Patrolling the Federation-Rihannsu Neutral Zone, Warp 2.5
February 16, 2318 (Stardate 139166.3)
Mess Hall
Boatswain's Mate Second Class (BM2) Leslie Sutton took her customary seat within the mess hall aboard the Georgiou-class light cruiser USS Detmer. She preferred the table with the least amount of overhead lighting in the corner, far from the bank of replicators. The table, along with the early hour, allowed her to avoid the crowds of enlisted personnel that clogged access to morning meals for the better part of an hour.
When the large double doors leading in from the corridor opened to admit a trio of familiar faces, Sutton grinned. "Hey, morning," she greeted them.
BM2s Michael Kawhena, Bromin, and Xosom waved at her from the replicators. Within a minute, all three carried their trays to sit with Sutton.
"Morning, Les," said Xosom, a Rigellian woman with bright red hair, golden eyes, and an athletically tall build. "Did you get enough sleep?"
Sutton looked down at her meal, allowing her dark brown bangs to fall down and obscure her eyes. "I guess so."
The stocky Bolian petty officer, Bromin, sighed. His luminescent blue skin almost shimmered under the lighting of the hall when he shook his head. "Rol bothering you again?" he asked her, already knowing the answer.
"Not.. directly," she continued to gaze into her breakfast, rather than meeting the eyes of her teammates. "He just called me down to the shuttle bay to inspect the gear."
Kawhena chewed his food slowly as he listened to Sutton explain the reason for her mood. "It wasn't your shift for small craft. It was Chief Loyola's. Why did he call you?"
Xosom scoffed. "Why else?"
"We don't have to talk about it," Sutton told them in a small voice.
"Les," Kawhena said as he placed his fork down on the tray. When she gave him her attention, he continued. "You do not need to put up with his bullying. Have you talked the Chief about it?"
She scowled. "I can handle him. I don't need to go running to the Chief every time someone is mean to me."
Bromin said, "It's more than that. If you want, we'll go with you to tell him."
Xosom agreed with a nod. "We all will."
"Well," Sutton said, softening her tone, "I have been talking with a Chief. During my last TAD in security, Sherrif Taki offered some additional unarmed training and I've been working with her the past few weeks."
The other three shared a grin. "Here we thought maybe you and Taki were enjoying some special private time," Bromin teased.
Xosom slapped Bromin's shoulder. "Don't be a jerk."
"What?" Bromin protested with his raised hands. "What did I say?"
Kawhena wondered, "While you were with Taki, honing your unarmed combat training, did you mention the reason?"
"Reason?" Sutton asked with a shrug.
"Why you were so keen to learn."
She shrunk in her seat. "No."
"Taki wouldn't care about the reason, anyway," Xosom said. "She thinks everyone should know how to defend themselves in case of a boarding action."
Bromin noted, "Right, but if Les had talked to Taki about Rol, then maybe…"
"What?" Kawhena asked Bromin. "Arrest him? You think Taki would really do that?"
"Taki'd go directly to the Gold Ring," Xosom said. "They're pretty tight." Her use of the slang "Gold Ring" referred to the ship's command master chief petty officer, the designated commander senior enlisted member of the crew who reported directly to the ship's commanding officer. All designated command senior enlisted wore the gold-ringed rank insignia instead of the usual silver.
Sutton said, "I don't want that. Anyway, it doesn't matter. Last night, after we got done, Rol didn't… I mean, I noticed something-" She paused as the subject of their discussion made his own entry into the mess hall.
When she stopped talking, Kawhena glanced up and peered over his shoulder to see the new arrival. "Ah, shit."
Bromin and Xosom followed suit. Bromin grimaced while Xosom let out a curse in her native tongue.
"Well, well," said Damage Control Specialist First Class (DC1) Rol Th'qilres. An Andorian with an intimidating muscular build approached their table with his usual arrogant swagger. "Petty Officer Sutton," he greeted her slowly. "I sincerely hope that I didn't interrupt your much-needed beauty sleep last night by asking you to assist me."
Sutton shook her head. "Not at all," she lied.
"Good, good," Rol said with a shit-eating grin. He stepped behind her and placed his hand on Sutton's right shoulder, squeezing hard. "Very good. Then you won't mind if you assist me tonight with another maintenance project, would you?"
She did not respond.
Rol applied more pressure to her shoulder, causing a wince on the young woman's face.
"Hey!" Kawhena shouted. "Get your hand off her, now!"
"Watch how you speak to me, Boats," Rol snarled. "I outrank you."
"I don't give a shit, Snipe," Kawhena got to his feet as he spoke, dropping his fork atop the table with a loud clatter. "She's in my section and my responsibility. Remove your hand."
Bromin and Xosom also stood up, ready to support Kawhena and Sutton.
Rol, seeing the three hostiles threatening to flank him, raised both hands up in surrender. "Fine, I will play nice."
"And she doesn't have to do shit with you tonight," Kawhena pressed his advantage. "Find some other snipe to help you."
The Andorian offered a friendly smile. "If that's what young Sutton wants. I was merely trying to broaden her professional horizons by helping her to-"
His words were interrupted by Sutton's tray hitting his throat near his collarbone. In a matter of seconds, she forcefully removed her tray, causing her omelet to splatter against the bulkhead. With a firm hold, she unleashed her full might, sending Rol tumbling.
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