== Starbase 234 : UNITY, Command Deck ==
Vlimar entered the Command deck from the Turbolift. He scanned the room
with a quick left and right glance, then located a target, walking right
to it. The Colonel was holding a padd on his right hand, was walking
with a quite decisive pace. The target was Captain Cheryl Wynn,
Commanding Officer of the USS Explorer, that just docked back at the
station from his Alpha front mission. Wynn was already in the Conference
Room, waiting for Vlimar.
"Captain? How the hell did you get so much damage to your starboard
nacelle?", Vlimar asked, as soon as he step foot inside the conference
room and shut the door.
Wynn turned slowly to Vlimar. She recognized the voice of the Colonel,
due to their previous services with the now disbanded Starfleet Secret
Services, where Wynn learn to create havoc and get away with it. Wynn
wanted to reply something to the fact that it's was 'just'
calleteral, but, somehow, she had the strong feeling that wasn't good
enough. Wynn smiled weakly.
"Well, sir... We had an... collision with debris, while we were en
route to...", she replied.
Vlimar shook his head while hearing this. He did not let her finish his
explanation. For an Intrepid class starship like the Explorer, hitting
debris was seen as being "unexperienced" or "bad command", which
neither was applying, as far as Vlimar was concerned.
"Captain, I expect far more from you. Reports from your XO, Commander
Merkel, states that you ordered your vessel to go through an old debris
field for the sake of not readjusting your course and speed.", he
dictated. "Is that true?", he asked.
Wynn smiled as Vlimar was dicdating the "allegations". The fact is
that Merkel and Wynn have a bad working relationship since the
beginning. Both of the officers were very career oriented and both had a
different view on how better serve the SSF's 1st TaskForce. For Wynn,
this statement was a career advancement opportunity from Merkel, which
it probably was. However, Wynn understood that this was a reckless
decision from a vessel that was heading to aid another.
"Captain, I've discussed the issue with Commodore Guzman and we
seek advise from the Judge Advocate General office. The fact is that you
put the file of many men and women for the strict reason of your
lazyness. You put your Executive Officer in a difficult position to have
to step in and override your orders, which were, without a doubt,
unprofessional and unecessary.", he said.
Wynn said nothing. She simply answered by a shrug. Obviously, Wynn was
trying to guess what Vlimar's point was. After all, she was in front
of a lower ranked officer, even though the position was superior.
"Captain Wynn, though advice of Commodore Guzman, I am suspending you
from your duties for a period of 4 weeks without pay. Also, I will ask
you to surrender your priviledge as Captain, until reinstatement.", he
said.
Wynn's eyes opened widely. She was not expecting this, and she
wouldn't go without a fight. Wynn opened her mouth to respond.
"I don't want to hear anything, Captain. If you want to appeal from
the decision, you can do so with due process and time. In the mean time,
I am naming Commander Merkel was Acting Commanding Officer of the
Explorer, with Major Erickson as her Second.", Vlimar added.
Wynn's face instantely turned purple. If she could rip Vlimar's
face off, she would. She froze, looking at Vlimar, her thoughs being on
how to get her revenge.
Suddently, the communication port opened, on the emergency channel.
+COM+ Engineering to Lieutenant-Colonel PontBrillant! +COM+
Vlimar signaled Wynn her combadge. Wynn unhooked it and set it on the
table. "Go ahead", Vlimar responded.
+COM+ Sir, a fire was declared in Shuttle Bay 6, and the suppressors
seem to be affected.
Vlimar looked at Wynn. "We will discuss later, you are assigned to
your quarters on the base until you meet with the Commodore.", he
said.
Vlimar exited the Command Deck and headed in direction of the Shuttle
Bay.
== TO BE CONTINUED ==
Lieutenant-Colonel Vlimar PontBrillant
Deputy Commander, 1st TaskForce, SSF Command
Executive Officer, Starbase 234 : UNITY