#61 Loss of life
Posted on Fri Apr 12th, 2024 @ 7:51pm by Commodore Cyndi Song & Captain Rogue Green {Meji} & Lieutenant David Montgomery & Lieutenant JG Kalina Johnson
Edited on on Sat Apr 13th, 2024 @ 8:46am
Mission: Hijacked
ON:
It had taken two days to get back to Danvers, after David had set the self destruct. As he caught first sight of the station, he felt many emotions, one was regret that he had had to tell Commodore Song what he had done, when he had gotten a hold of her back at the station.
David kept running over and over in his mind if there had been any other scenario he could have gone with and it all came back to the self destruct.
As they got close to the station, David looked at the damage the Danvers suffered. Kalina called the station and received permission to dock. A few minutes later they were disembarking. David and Kalina headed to the command area where they had been ordered to report. Frazier and Sabbath were being debriefed by Admiral Sanderson.
Cyndi looked up from the console she’d been working on when the doors leading to the command deck opened, seeing David and Kalina walk in gave her somewhat a sigh of relief but the docking permission had come from a shuttle. Handing off the repair of the console to one of the workers “I’m glad to see you two, we’ve gotten the ready room cleaned up and back in operation. Let’s go in there.” Cyndi led the way to the ready room
“Yes Commodore.” David said with respect. He walked beside Kalina as they headed into the ready room. He looked around assuming the first officer would be there as well.
Cyndi tapped her com-badge “Commander Green, if you back aboard the star base please report to the ready room. I’m not sure what is going on but Lieutenants Montgomery and Johnson are here and need to speak to both of us and I get the impression it’s very important.”
Kalina had remained silent but she was standing next to David. They were about ready to meet with Commodore Song. She wondered how they were going to tell the Commodore that they blew up her ship, in order to prevent an atrocity?
“Please have a seat,” Cyndi said as she took a seat behind the desk and moved aside a stack of PADDs with damage reports on them. “You two look as if there is something terribly wrong.}
Green had arrived with the Orion blockade runner, and with the station personnel back on the job, they guided the ship to a docking ring that had sustained minor damage but was useable. After the docking procedures were completed and the gangway opened, base Security sent an entire squad to take over, releasing any captives and escorting the prisoners to the brig, despite the shape Security was in. Ro ordered Kara, Alona, and Sheyla to assist them as she had downloaded all their computer data to a flash drive and pocketed it. Then, the call from Song came through and she acknowledged, leaving this rat trap of a vessel for the cleaner, and less aromatic, confines of the starbase. As she walked into the Ready Room Green caught the question Cyndi had asked of the two officers she was facing. With a smile, Green stepped within the Ready Room and went off to the side of the room, in a neutral area, but remained standing. “Good to see all of you alive and well.”
The Ready Room door hissed open and in rolled Cosmo, back to his binary language as he saw his Master. If bleeps and whistles could sound ecstatic and happy, there was no mistaking his joy at seeing Green. Ro went to her knees as soon as he rolled in, arms open for a hug which he rolled into. She hugged him tight, rubbing his duranium body like a loving mother, having to squeeze her eyes shut to prevent the tears from coming forth. A bit of Core Control and she reined it in and stood back up. “Thank you for bringing him home safe. I can only thank you two at the moment but the others will be given the same respect.”
“There was no way we were coming home without him.” David said seriously. “He offered to sacrifice himself but it wasn’t on the table.”
Cyndi looked from Ro, to David, Kalina and to Cosmo “What is going on? What has happened that you're not telling me?” Cyndi asked.
Kalina gently nudged David, this is his show. All she knew is she was not to be the one to tell the commodore.
“The ship was overrun with pirates.” David said quietly. “They had rigged a bomb on the engines and were heading straight to one of our stations.” His eyes met hers. “We were left with no choice but to self destruct the ship.” There, he said it.
Hearing that her ship was destroyed caught Cyndi totally off guard as this was not something she’d expected to hear. The destruction of a star ship was something that didn’t happen, especially the self-destruct. When she finally found her voice Cyndi looked at David, Kalina and then to Cosmo “You made the right call,” Cyndi said quietly the sadness was clear in her voice. “I’ll get a report into headquarters and file the report and see if I’ll get another ship. I’m saddened by the loss of the ship and even though they were pirates the loss of life. Thank you, I don;t know how many lives you’ve saved.”
Green was also taken aback by the information. It was another check on the list of losses she had suffered. “They shouldn’t have stolen the ship,” Green said. “You reap what you sow.” She looked down at Cosmo. “You have this all on record, Cosmo?” He moved his dome back to look up at her, giving a squeak that sounded like the word ‘yep’. “Good. I’ll need to see it all, from start to finish, and then it needs to be logged and sent to Starfleet.” Then she suddenly thought of something as she reached into a belt pouch and pulled out a very small flash drive, squatting and holding it out. Cosmo opened a small panel and a tray-like manipulator came out and Ro placed the drive into it, patting Cosmo’s body. “Thanks, hero.” Green stood back up and looked to the rest. “Thank you, both, for what you’ve done. The loss of one ship pales in comparison to it slamming into a starbase during a warp core breach. The ship was basically empty, but a starbase would not be.” Her eyes had hardened slightly on the next piece. “As the evidence shows all around us.”
“Agreed commander,” Cyndi said her voice tight with emotion “I’ll put in for a commendation for both of you,” Cyndi looked to Cosmo “And for you little friend I’ll have something special for you as well. There will be an investigation so please do not leave the station until it’s over. Ro once you review what Cosmo has please share it with me so I can send it on to headquarters.”
“I appreciate your words.” David said. “Both of you.” He looked to Commander Green and nodded. “With all due respect it feels wrong to get a commendation when people die.” He took a deep breath. “The pirates made this choice when they took our ship but their families didn’t not people who cared about them.”
“When beset upon by forces determined to destroy you, Lieutenant, it is always time to pick up the sword,” Green said. “It is unfortunate that their families will suffer but that is the choice they made. You saved far more lives than you extinguished and that is the reason for the commendation.”
“Our actions I believe are justified, but I'm with Lieutenant Montgomery on this one. I don't feel any of us should be awarded a medal because we prove we can kill somebody if we have to. Life is too precious, and if there was any other way trust me I would have advocated for it. But on the same token I don't feel like any of us should be accommodated medals or awards or commendations.” Kalina said if she backed up David. She thought the idea was absurd, but the gesture was nice. And she believed that the Command Staff intentions were good, but morally she knew she couldn't accept it.
“Perhaps not, but had you two not destroyed my ship who knows where she was headed and how many lives would have been lost. As someone once said the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. You saved at least three hundred lives, for all we know the ship could have been headed back here,” Cyndi said “Or even to Earth where the Federation base and the Federation President is.”
Green knew exactly where they were coming from and had, on many occasions, felt the same way. But, wisdom provided discernment for that very reason. “Taking a life is never a small matter, and it will leave a stain upon your spirit. However, there are times when you have no choice. It is either you let them kill you and continue their path of evil, or you become what is needed and stop it in its tracks. To do nothing is the act of cowards and the Lord hates a coward. There is no greater gift than to give your life to save others, and with that in mind, there are times when life needs to be taken.” Letting that settle in their minds a few moments she continued. “The commendation is NOT for killing people, it’s for doing the job you were trained to do, in the highest manner. You just said you saw no other way to accomplish victory. Therefore, in my opinion, you have done nothing to be ashamed of.”
“The commander is right and had I been in your shoes I’d have done the same thing, As hard as this is you both made the right call,” Cyndi said “I’m not upset with either of you. I’m very proud of both of you for your quick actions and thinking.”
“Given the same situation I would make the same call.” David said with certainty. “I am standing by my wish for no commendation but I realize that the decision is one you will be making.” He paused for a moment. “I do have one request from you, Captain.”
:”What is your request and if it’s in my power I’ll grant it,” Cyndi said
“I would like to take some leave time.” David said quietly. “We have been through a lot.”
Cyndi nodded. “You have been through a lot. Permission granted.”
Kalina was really surprised to hear that. She thought that David would have to stand in front of the inquiry board and prepare for the lecture of his life. The only thing she could assume was that the Admiral AKA Cyndi was going to take the heat for him. She had heard of the old adjective that the captain is ultimately responsible for the actions of their crew, but she never expected a one-star Admiral to fall on her sword for the sake of her crew. It made her really respect Cyndi that much more.
Cyndi turned to both Kalina “Do either of you want to add anything? If not guest quarters have been arranged. This ordeal has been hard on all of us.”
“I would also like to request to leave an absence. I need to come to terms of what that has happened.” Kalina said to Cyndi. In her on thoughts, she was struggling to come to terms with the fact that she was partially responsible for killing innocence. Not all of the pirates are bad, she had to believe that. She's like to see the good people. She knew pirates often ruled with fear. She didn't want to believe that all of them were truly evil.
Cyndi nodded “Permission granted. I’m not sure what I’m going to do, part of me wants to go home.”
Green had stood listening to them go back and forth, and although her face remained stoic, internally she was flabbergasted by their attitude. However, if an officer refused a commendation then that was completely up to them. She would make a notation in her logs that the commendation for Mister Montgomery had been offered but refused. “Just know, you two, we lost Nira and Sera. Along with them were my partner and my two children. I’m sure the Orions-slash-pirates are just crying in their soup over the loss of life,” she said cynically. “They are still tallying the numbers for the dead on the planet below. I will honor your refusal to take the commendations, as is your right. And, due to the fact that you both appear to be suffering from making the right decision then I will make sure neither of you are on away missions. It will keep you from any further possibility that such actions will be needed again.” Ro stopped talking for a few moments, then looked to Cyndi. “Commodore, there is still much to be done. May I be dismissed?”
“I would like to leave as well.” David spoke up.” The door swung open and a unfamiliar officer came in. “Commodore Song you are wanted in conference room 4B immediately.
OFF:
