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Star Trek: First Duty #2 - "Borderline Justice" (COMPLETED)

Fascinating. I like this one.

Thanks! Hope you feel that way as the story unfolds on the ship :) Also, there's an upcoming B plot I'm working on, but that'll be after I'm done writing out the A plot, which you're reading now.

That wouldn't be a nod to the actor, would it? (I named an Intrepid class starship after the great Makoto Iwamatzu.)

Close. It's named for Paul's father, A. Bartlett "Bart" Giamatti, one of the former commissioners of Major League Baseball. In the first episode, the shuttle that brings Leo to Starbase 8 was Doubleday, named for Major General Abner Doubleday, the highly-disputed creator of baseball. I had toyed with using Landis for the first commissioner, but he was a total jackass, and I didn't want to elevate him (even in an obscure fanfic).
 
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Giamatti touched down gently on the landing pad and the hatch to the rear slid downward to take on the role of a ramp. Leo, Reter, Zenn, and Saego all waited for the side hatch to swing open and when it did, a stream of personnel stepped down and walked toward the reception area.

The computer announced, "Shuttle Giamatti is now boarding all passengers."

Leo led the way, carrying his large duffel over his shoulder. He scanned the interior quickly before stepping in to clear the hatch for those behind him.

Zenn noted, "It's pretty empty."

"Mostly," Leo said as he saw one person sitting in the front row. He stepped forward until he loomed large within their view. "Hello, Urs."

Agent Ursula Onyango of the Starfleet Department of Criminal Investigations leaped from her seat and practically squealed as Leo said hello. "LEO!" she screamed excitedly.

Reter, Zenn, and Saego remained standing at the hatchway, witnessing the apparent reunion.

Leo allowed the expected tight embrace from the taller woman. As his eyes barely cleared her shoulder, they locked onto his team through the strands of her jet black hair. "Good to see you, too," he said warmly, returning her hug with one of his own.

They parted just enough to look at one another. Ursula said, "I thought you'd be on the border somewhere."

"Oh, I guess you hadn't spoken to Keena lately."

She shook her head and gestured for him to take a seat nearby. "No, not for months."

Leo beckoned the three to join him, and they all took seats in the first row of the passenger compartment. "I transferred to Starbase Eight about three weeks ago. I'm in the JAG Corps, now." Before she could say anything else, he introduced, "This is my partner, Captain Reter, our paralegal, Chief Saego, and Yeoman Zenn. They're my team for this JAGMAN."

Everyone exchanged brief words of greeting, then Ursula reached into her front pocket to retrieve her credentials. "Agent Ursula Onyango, SDCI. I'm assigned to this investigation." She slapped Leo's arm playfully. "But, I've known this guy for five years. We worked together on a case, once. Been friends ever since."

Zenn wondered, "Just friends?"

Ursula grinned. "Good friends. But if you mean what I think you mean, then no. You're more my type than he is."

The long look of appraisal from Ursula caused Zenn to blush. "Oh. Understood," said the yeoman weakly.

"Stop, you're making her uncomfortable," Leo said. To Zenn, he assured her, "She's all talk. Don't mind her."

Reter asked, "Agent Onyango, am I to understand that you did not anticipate, expect, or envision Commander Verde joining you on this assignment?"

Ursula cast a glance toward Leo before responding, "Correct, Captain Reter. My supervisor spoke with Admiral Devereux while we were on another investigation at Starbase Six." She let Leo know, "Your mother sends her regards, by the way."

"Thank you," Leo took the information in stride, suddenly curious why his mother hadn't informed her of his change in station. He saved that question for later.

"Anyway, Devereux requested a single agent for this urgent-none-more-urgent assignment and, at first, I thought I drew the short straw, but now I think I hit the jackpot," Ursula said with a grin. "I haven't breathed the same recycled air as this guy in what… three years?"

Leo thought about it. "Two years, nine months, and a couple of weeks. The Rough-and-Ready thing on Thirty Nine-Sierra was the last time we saw each other."

"That's the one," Ursula said. She turned to the other three and explained, "Big dust-up between two transient marine companies at the largest pub on the base. Lots of injuries and specious claims from both sides. Took us two weeks to sort it all out, and since his ship was in port for repairs for a month, Leo volunteered his services since the local JAG office was short on lawyers."

Reter noted, "The commander often seems to find himself engrossed within interesting, riveting, and fascinating cases."

Ursula's lips twitched as Reter's style of speaking intrigued her. Another glance toward Leo, and he gave her a single shake of his head with a closed eyed smile. She chose not to pursue it. "Our present assignment supports that supposition. Speaking of, I don't know if your CO briefed you or not."

Before Leo could respond, a junior grade lieutenant peeked out from the hatch leading to the large shuttle's cockpit. "Sorry to interrupt. Uh, we've finished taking on supplies and are ready to launch whenever you are, Agent."

Leo scanned the passenger compartment and realized no one else has boarded. He asked Ursula, "Private flight?"

Ursula replied, sotto voce, "You bet. First class all the way." To the pilot, she nodded, "Proceed, Lieutenant. Thank you."
 
Oh, I've been here! Just been working on Conduct Unbecoming with Gibraltar :) When he posts stuff, it's from both of us!
 
Part Three: Audi Alteram Partem

NCC-2131 (USS Detmer)
Holding Formation with SD-1/4791 (Shuttle Giamatti) near Rihannsu Neutral Zone
Transporter Room Two
February 25, 2024 (Stardate 139230.93)


Detmer
's second transporter room materialized into view as Giamatti's transporter beam delivered them to the light cruiser. Leo's eyes settled upon the trio of Starfleet personnel standing in front of the enclosed control vestibule for the transporter system. The dark-skinned male Vulcan commander towered over the other two standing to his left; a female Caitian lieutenant commander, and a muscular female human of Asian descent wearing the insignia of a command master chief.

"Permission to come aboard, sir," Leo spoke for his group as he stepped down from the platform, wearing his Class A uniform.

The Vulcan replied in a deep bass. "Permission granted. Welcome aboard USS Detmer, Commander."

Leo transferred his duffel to the other hand, then offered the Vulcan salute. "Thank you, Captain. We come to serve."

Saluting in kind, Straat inclined his head. "Your service honors us." After they dropped their hands, he stepped back and introduced, "My executive officer, Lieutenant Commander R'raia, and Command Master Chief Esumi Benten."

R'raia beamed, showing her teeth. "Great to see you, Rally."

"You, too, Rai," Leo replied fighting through the blush caused by the use of his lesser-known nickname. Instead, he reflected her elation with a bright expression. To Benten, he acknowledged her with a quick nod. "Command Master Chief Benten," he greeted with respect.

Benten did not return his tone. Instead, she addressed him icily, "Commander." Then, turning to Straat, she asked, "By your leave, sir?"

Straat quickly glanced at R'raia before replying to Benten. "By all means."

All eyes chased Benten as she strode from the room, leaving all of them mystified by the frosty reception. Leo changed the subject, "Forgive my lack of manners. Allow me to introduce our criminal investigator, Agent Ursula Onyango. My partner, Major Reter…"

With a concerned expression, Reter opened his mouth to make a correction, but closed it as Leo continued speaking.

After Leo finished introducing the rest of the team, Straat gave a slight nod. "I am gratified that Starfleet Command agreed with our assessment and sent a full team to help us determine the truth." He gestured toward R'raia. "The XO will be your liaison while you're aboard. Anything you require, please inform her and she will accommodate."

"Thank you, sir," Leo nodded in the same manner that Straat had previously.

"If you will all excuse me, I must attend to ship's business." Before leaving, Straat added, "I would invite you, Commander, Major, to join us for the evening meal in my mess."

Reter opened his mouth once more, however, Leo replied quickly, "We'd be honored to join you, sir."

"The XO shall guide you from here," Straat said, then left them alone in the transporter room, with only the three enlisted maintaining the equipment nearby.

R'raia grinned. "If you'll follow me, I'll show you to your quarters." She led them out of the room and they walked as a group toward the turbolifts.

As everyone else filed out of the room, Reter kept pace with Leo, dropped his voice to a low volume to speak with him. "Commander-"

"I'll explain in a moment," Leo promised.

Ursula took the lead, walking next to the Caitian. "Can I ask how long you've known Leo?"

"Since he transferred to Decker back in '12. We were in the same department; Operations," R'raia replied quickly and animatedly. "I had just started the final year of my tour on the ship, and got assigned to him as his sponsor, which was weird because his rank was higher than mine."

"Not weird. Decker was my first assignment out of Starfleet Law," Leo replied from behind her. "Besides, Rai was the best sponsor I could have hoped for."

R'raia spun around and walked backwards to face Leo. "Aw, thanks." She then returned to walking forward as they all entered the lift. "Deck six," she spoke to the computer, once they all crammed inside. "I have the officers set up in the VIP staterooms, and Chief Saego and Yeoman Zenn down in the goat locker."

"Would it be possible to assign them to deck six?" Leo asked. "I'd prefer my team close by."

R'raia exited first as the doors parted to reveal the sixth deck corridor as it stretched down the center of the saucer. "Of course. I probably should have expected that, it's just the visiting NCOs are typically bunked with their colleagues."

Reter noted, "Because of the type of work we'll be performing, it would behoove us to pursue efficiency, effectiveness, and capability in our tasks."

The XO turned the corner and led the group down a curved corridor as they neared the edge of the ship's hull. "Of course, Major."

"Pardon me, Commander, but I am a Captain, not a Major," Reter finally voiced his objection.

Leo grinned as Reter spoke. He explained before R'raia could respond. "Aboard any ship, there is only one captain permitted by address. To avoid confusion, marine officers holding the rank of captain are temporarily brevetted to major for the duration of the assignment."

"Fascinating," admitted Reter. "I have never heard of this tradition, custom, or practice."

"Have you ever been assigned to a ship before?" wondered R'raia.

"Transports mostly; this is my first time aboard a starship," Reter replied. Then, he reasoned aloud, "Also, I received my promotion to captain a mere two weeks ago, so I had no prior opportunity, occasion, or chance to experience that of which you speak."

"Fair enough." R'raia slowed her pace and approached a hatch. She pressed the access panel, and the door slid open. "Agent Onyango, this is you. Stateroom Three."

Ursula passed through the open hatch and tossed her luggage on the couch within view.

"Leo, you're next door in number five," R'raia continued. "Major, you're one door down from him in number seven." She pulled a PADD from within her uniform jacket and checked it. "Chief Saego?"

Saego stepped forward and nodded her head silently.

"You and Yeoman Zenn will be across the corridor, once I confirm-" R'raia paused and then grinned. "There we go." She turned and touched the panel to an interior-facing suite. "Chief, you're here in stateroom two. Yeoman, you're in number four, across from Leo."

Both NCOs said their thanks and accessed the newly-assigned staterooms.

Leo asked, "One more thing?"

"Sure," said R'raia.

"Can I get a conference room nearby? I need it keyed to our access alone, and guards placed on the hatch," Leo requested softly.

R'raia turned her head in both directions. "Not on this deck, but up on deck four, there's plenty. I can set conference room five aside for you, that's closest to the lift from here."

"That'll work. Can you have them add a couple of desks and terminals?"

She smiled through her irritation. "Leo, you're very lucky we've been ordered to cooperate fully. We'll get it done for you."

He smiled. "Appreciate it, Rai. We're going to need the surface area to put things together. The quicker we can get that done, the quicker we'll get out of your way."

Ursula added, "I'm going to want to coordinate with your local sheriff. Can you arrange for me to met them?"

R'raia tapped her commbadge. "XO to Sheriff Taki. Please report to stateroom six-victor-zero-three. Find Agent Onyango of SDCI. She would like a word."

Taki's voice carried over the ship's intercom. "Aye, sir. On my way, now."

"Thank you. XO, out," R'raia brought her stare back to Leo. "Anything else?"

"One moment." He addressed Ursula and Reter. "Go ahead and unpack in your quarters. We'll meet in our new digs in thirty minutes." Once they disappeared behind their assigned hatches, Leo asked, "The skipper's the convening authority, how often is he going to want updates?"

R'raia lost focus as she considered the best course of action. "A daily update to start. If you're pulling anyone from their duties, a heads' up would be best."

"Keep in mind that we weren't told anything about anything. So, if the Sheriff submitted any findings, we'll need you make those available to us. And I imagine Ursula's going to start questioning witnesses as soon as she's done with her conversation with security."

The XO tapped her PADD. "The report's been sent to you and your team."
 
Star Beagle Adventures is also being posted over at Ad Astra.

And CeJay just started posting a new (to me) Star Eagle Adventures story at the new Ad Astra.

You can also find BountyTrek's series, Star Trek Bounty, over there.

Definitely encourage you to follow all these series over at AA!

Thanks!! rbs
 
This story is completed over at Ad Astra :) Thanks to everyone who has dropped by and left a like :)
 
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Several crewmembers moved furniture into Conference Room Five when Leo approached the hatch. He carried his PADD in one arm and flattened himself against the bulkhead as more crewman approached and departed the room. They stared at him as they walked by.

An unfamiliar masculine voice offered an explanation. “They’re not used to seeing an officer get out of their way, sir.”

When the corridor cleared, Leo returned to the middle and saw the rank insignia of a chief petty officer on the shoulders of a tall broad-shouldered barrel-chested human male, with receding black hair, dark brown eyes, and dark complexion. “I suppose not,” Leo agreed. “But they were doing a favor for me, so it seemed like the right thing to do.”

“A ‘favor,’ eh?” the chief mused. “Around here, we call them ‘orders.’”

Leo chuckled. “I suppose so.” He extended his hand. “I’m Leo Verde.”

“Oh, I know who you are, sir,” the chief replied with a grin. He gripped Leo’s hand. “Chief Boatswain’s Mate Tanner Covington.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Boats,” Leo said. He smiled through the pain of the larger man’s intense grip. When they released hands, he flexed his to make sure he got all his fingers back in working order.

As more boatswain’s mates arrived with another desk, both men stepped aside. Covington noted, “I think that’s the last one, sir.”

“Well then, do you have a moment to speak with me?” Leo asked. “Or are you needed somewhere else?”

The chief grunted. “We’ve been ordered to provide full cooperation to you and your team, sir. I’m at your disposal.” He turned his head and called out, “Bromin!”

The Bolian turned his head. “Chief?”

“Tell Chief Loyola I’m being interrogated by JAG until further notice, would you?”

Bromin huffed as he continued to carry his corner, then released when they reached the narrow hatch. He stepped back to allow the other two to continue, and nodded. “You got it, Chief.” His eyes settled on Leo, drifting downward to the JAG badge on his chest.

Covington faced Leo while Bromin went to the conference room to assist with placement. “I’m all yours, sir.”

Leo glanced down at his PADD and saw Bromin’s name on the list of potential witnesses from Taki’s report. “Excellent, Boats, I appreciate your time. As soon as your mates clear the room, we can have a proper discussion.”

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“I saw the JAG team,” Bromin said as he entered the rear of the shuttle Elk. Kawhena and Xosom held PADDs in their hands as they went through the inspection checklist. His voice betrayed his agitation. “It’s a commander, a marine captain, a civilian agent from SDCI, a chief, and a yeoman.”

“A full commander?” noted Xosom. She shot a glance at Kawhena. “I gues they might send a high-ranking JAG officer out for a suspicious death.”

Kawhena sighed. “Did they say anything?”

“No, but the commander was talking to Chief Covington, one-on-one,” Bromin replied. “Is Leslie in trouble, do you think?”

Xosom shared a quick look with Kawhena. “Maybe. I mean… someone died by her hand.”

“She barely pushed him up against the wall. No one dies from something like that, do they?”

Kawhena said, “Not… typically…” He wondered, “I don’t recall him striking a sharp-edge or anything. All she did was push him back with the food tray and he hit flat against the bulkhead.”

Xosom and Bromin exchanged glances. The Bolian asked, “Should we head down there and see what we can find? It could help Sutton.”

“If we’re just going down there to look, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt anything to check it out. Right?” Bromin added his thoughts, but his eyes were on Kawhena.

“I don’t know,” Kawhena admitted. Then, after a moment of consideration, he added, “Maybe.”


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Leo sat at the head of the table, his workstation positioned behind him in the conference room. Team members had assigned desks, but could easily engage or disengage from discussions. After Zenn confirmed that their devices were air-gapped to Detmer‘s network; secured to only communicate with one another in a closed-circuit.

“So, what do we know?” asked Leo, addressing the room.

Ursula spoke first. “Sheriff Taki brought me up to speed on her investigation. They gathered evidence at the scene, took a lot of holographs for me to view.” She called up information on her screen and kept speaking, “We also have a witness list and it’s short. Three other boatswain’s mates were in the mess when it happened. Sending their names to you all, now.”

“Bromin,” read Leo. “He was one of the petty officers moving furniture in here.”

Reter said, “I recommend, propose, and advise that we split up into pairs when interviewing the witnesses.”

Chief Saego said, “I concur.”

“One of them is going to have to be a trio, then,” Ursula pointed out. “Unless I’m mistaken?”

Leo considered that. “I’ll sit out the interviews for now. Urs, you and Yeoman Zenn. Reter, you’re with the Chief. Questions?”

No one said anything.

“Chief, you’ll portion out the balance of the witness sheet among the two teams,” Leo ordered.

“Aye, sir,” Saego replied. “I believe we should begin by approaching them in a familiar setting, Major.”

Ursula nodded. “The enlisted mess. It’s large enough that we could use the opposite sides if we have overlap.”

Everyone agreed with her suggestion, which led Leo to volunteer. “I’ll coordinate that with Rai and have it setup for you in an hour.”

“While we’re in interviews,” Ursula said, “what are you going to be doing?”

Leo smirked. “Various administrative things.”

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Leo found R’raia on the bridge, standing at her normal watch. She looked up from the center seat and smiled.

He grinned back at her. “Might I have the privilege of the bridge?”

She raised her right hand and gestured for him to approach. “Skipper says you have full access, so I’m sure the bridge is part of that. What do you need?”

He moved closer to her so they could have a discreet conversation. “Now, why is it you think that I need something whenever you see me coming?”

“Because I know you well enough. You’re too driven to just make a friendly call,” she accused him with a clawed finger against the maroon fabric of his chest. “So, out with it.”

“Aw, I missed you, Rai,” Leo chuckled. “We’re going to set up to do the interviews this afternoon. We need one more room for privacy. Is that going to be a problem?”

She whipped out a PADD to send written orders. “The office across from your conference room is yours for the duration. What else?”

He scratched his cheek. “You wouldn’t have the visual record of the mess hall when the incident occurred, would you?”

“Sheriff Taki will have that filed away somewhere,” she said. “Fair warning: it’s pretty grisly.”

Leo blinked. “You’ve seen it?”

R’raia nodded. “Kind of wish I hadn’t.” When the doors from the lift opened, her eyes tracked the visitor. “Hello, Master Chief.”

He turned to see the hardened expression of Esumi Benten. As before, in the transporter room, his very presence worsened her mood.

“XO,” greeted Benten. She locked eyes with Leo and, with the barest of respect, acknowledged him with a simple, “Commander.”

“Master Chief,” Leo replied with a succinct nod. “How are you doing today?” He tested the waters a bit more.

Benten clenched her teeth as she flashed him a scornful frown. “Fine, thank you, sir,” she managed, before moving off without another word to either officer.

R’raia watched her move to a side station and begin talking to a petty officer standing watch. She then turned back to Leo and asked, “What the hell was that?”

“Okay, so it wasn’t just me?” Leo asked, relief in his tone. “I have no idea. I’ve never met her before in my life.”

“She wasn’t on Hansen or anything?”

He shook his head.

She frowned. “Then, I got nothing.”

End of Part Two
 
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Part Four: Cui Bono

NCC-2131 (USS Detmer)
Patrolling the Federation-Rihannsu Neutral Zone, Warp 2.5
February 25, 2318 (Stardate 139232)
Office 4-S07

Chief Saego was the first to speak. "Walk us through what happened that morning, please." Seated across from their witness, she glanced at the PADD in her hand, ready to take notes. "Remember to only speak from your perspective."

Reter, sitting beside her, kept his piercing yellow eyes fixed on the Boatswain's Mate. His expression remained neutral, but there was a watchful intensity in his gaze.

BM2 Michael Kawhena gave a sharp nod. "Aye, Chief. We were all having breakfast in the mess, just like a hundred times before. That’s when Rol came in—"

"Rol," Reter interrupted, his voice calm but direct, "That’s Damage Control Technician First Class Rol Th'qilres, correct?" He leaned forward slightly, prompting for the record.

"Yes, Major," Kawhena confirmed. "He approached us without even going to the replicator. We were talking about last night's shift, and then he moved in behind Sutton."

Chief Saego leaned forward, her tone steady but insistent. "Describe Boatswain's Mate Second Class Leslie Sutton's mood at the table before Petty Officer Th'qilres arrived. Was she upset or distraught?"

Kawhena frowned, considering the question. "Well... she was tired, understandably so. Rol called her in the middle of the night to inspect gear on one of the shuttles. She wasn't on duty, nor was she on call. Chief Loyola was the NCO he should have—"

Saego lifted her hand, stopping him mid-sentence. "Let's keep to the questions for now. We’ll discuss Petty Officer Th'qilres’ actions in detail shortly."

"Yes, Chief. Sorry, I—" Kawhena started, but was interrupted.

Reter’s voice cut in, calm but firm. "From your account, there were prior issues between Sutton and Th'qilres. Please describe only what you witnessed. Refrain from adding opinion, sentiment, or bias."

Kawhena grimaced. "Aye, sir." He took a moment to gather his thoughts. "Um, so... every now and then, Rol had a habit of hazing new transfers."

Saego tilted her head slightly. "Hazing? What exactly does that mean in this context?"

Kawhena shifted in his seat. "Uh, well... when a new crewmember would transfer in, something about them would catch Rol's attention. I couldn't say what it was. Sutton transferred from another ship, and within two days, he had her marked for 'extra attention.'"

Saego’s eyes narrowed. "Define 'extra attention.'"

He nodded, settling into his explanation. "Rol would personally contact her to assist on damage control projects. For instance, he’d have her pass him tools during routine maintenance—things she didn’t really need to be involved in. One time, he had her doing airlock maintenance while we were underway, and they ended up standing around in EVA suits for hours."

"Airlock operations and maintenance fall under your typical duties, do they not?" Reter asked, his tone steady.

"They do, sir, yes," Kawhena confirmed. "But Rol would always bypass the on-duty chief and contact Sutton directly."

Reter exchanged a brief glance with Saego, who was busy taking notes. "Understood. Please continue. What other examples of Th'qilres' behavior toward Sutton did you witness?"

Kawhena exhaled, clearly frustrated. "Sir, there were just... so many. He’d order her to join him during drills, even when she wasn’t scheduled. He’d interrupt her personal time to get her assigned to him for hatch maintenance. I tried stepping in twice, offered to take her place, but he always insisted on having Sutton specifically."

Seago leaned in slightly. "Did Petty Officer Sutton ever bring up her concerns regarding these extra assignments to her chain of command?"

"Chief, Sutton’s not the kind to complain," Kawhena answered, his tone resolute. "She’d vent now and then, and it was clear to the team that—"

Reter raised his center hand, cutting him off. "Petty Officer Kawhena, refrain from speaking for others. Please continue from your own perspective."

"Aye, sir. Apologies, sir," Kawhena muttered, frowning deeply as he exhaled slowly, steadying himself. "Sutton doesn’t like showing weakness, not in front of anyone. She told me once that she didn’t want to take her concerns to the senior NCOs. She’s proud of her independence, felt she could manage it on her own."

"Thank you," Reter said, his tone steady. "Let’s revisit the events of that morning. For this question, I will ask for your opinion. When Petty Officer Sutton struck Petty Officer Th'qilres, did you believe she was at risk of imminent injury, harm, or abuse?"

Kawhena’s jaw tightened as he recalled the moment. "Rol already had his hand on her shoulder. I looked at her, and she looked like she was in real pain," he said. "I shouted at him to let her go, but he didn’t even acknowledge me."

"One moment," Seago interrupted, raising her PADD. "Let’s focus on Sutton’s reaction. Did she say she was in pain, or did you interpret that from her expression? Did she groan or vocalize any discomfort to you or anyone else at the table?"

Kawhena shook his head slowly. "No… but—"

"So, her first response to his physical contact was when she struck him with the food tray?" Saego clarified, her tone firm.

Kawhena’s scowl deepened, and his voice softened. "Chief… I know how that sounds—"

Reter raised his hand once more, cutting him off gently but firmly. "Petty Officer, please understand that neither Chief Saego nor I are here to pass judgment on you or Petty Officer Sutton. This line of questioning is simply to gather a clear picture of the events, including the factual context, circumstances, and background from your perspective."

"With all due respect, sir, it feels like JAG's already thrown the book at her," Kawhena said, folding his arms tightly across his chest. "And I’m no doctor, but there’s no way an Andorian dies from getting hit with a food tray."

Reter leaned forward to respond, but Chief Saego placed a calming hand on his arm. She offered Kawhena a gentle smile. "We understand your frustration, Petty Officer. And we’re not here to stop you from expressing how you feel. But we need to stay focused on the facts. So, let’s shift gears. How did you feel when Petty Officer Th'qilres entered the mess hall and laid a hand on Petty Officer Sutton?"

"I was damned angry, Chief!" Kawhena’s response came fast, his voice finally showing the emotion he’d been holding back. "Pardon my tone."

Saego nodded, her voice even. "It's all right. It was a direct question. Go on."

Kawhena exhaled sharply, blowing his bangs out of his eyes. "Look, I'm not Rol’s biggest fan. I’m sorry he’s dead, but the guy was a real piece of work. He used his rank to push people around, and I’ve been a junior NCO long enough to know he was a disgrace. He always got away with it by claiming he was offering 'extra training' to the crewmembers he thought 'deserved' it."

Chief Saego tilted her head slightly, her curiosity piqued. "Did others complain about Petty Officer Th'qilres' behavior?"

"Maybe. Honestly, I don’t know," Kawhena replied with a heavy sigh. "What I do know is he was tight with his department chief. They were buddies. Rol knew exactly whose [CENSORED] to kiss."

Reter shot a glance at Saego, clearly missing the implication. She waved him off with a quiet, "I'll explain later."
 
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A couple of small points:

At the beginning of the conference room scene, you identify the group of personnel as "several non-rated crewmembers", but then later identify one of them as a Petty Officer and specifically a "Boatswain's Mate"... now there are a couple of ways where up to two of these things could be true, but not all three of them.

I'm also in two minds about "Petty Officer" being used for a rated NCO where the rating is known rather than the specific term.
 
A couple of small points:

At the beginning of the conference room scene, you identify the group of personnel as "several non-rated crewmembers", but then later identify one of them as a Petty Officer and specifically a "Boatswain's Mate"... now there are a couple of ways where up to two of these things could be true, but not all three of them.

Good point. The term "non-rated" was removed.

I'm also in two minds about "Petty Officer" being used for a rated NCO where the rating is known rather than the specific term.

On this, I've spoken to multiple Navy vets (all NCOs) and they all said that "Petty Officer" is mostly used in the shorthand when speaking in reference and direct address. All of them were surface warfare (carrier/cruiser). I did do my research on that point. :)
 
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