Lieutenant Vailani Zoyara - Rank and Protocol
Luxa Lorana
((Outside RSF Headquarters - Risa))
Vailani: I respect your … creativity Chief, but your judgement is way off it might as well be in another galaxy. At no point in this plan, did you think to reach out to Commander Dakora? Lieutenant Silveira, our tactical chief? Myself, your direct superior officer? Or any member of Commander Dakora’s former team?
It seems the Senior Chief Petty Officer was determined to fight her case as the Bajoran woman stared each other down.
Unfortunately for her, Zoyara not only had rank on her side, but she had the capacity for rational thought. Something this NCO lacked in abundance.
Ral: I assure you I weighed the situation on hand against the regulations, and I took into account the detainee’s service record and commendations altogether with the reported administrative misdemeanor, which was a reason for detention by RSF. It was not the clearest from your upperdeck view, I guess, but I dare to say it was a decision within the regulation interpretation about informing at the time necessary. ::with a teacherly tone:: As a Boatswain, it is within my purview to assess whether it is necessary to involve Security or if I or any of my Boatswain’ Mates in the commission of our duty as Shore Patrol is enough to take over the detained enlisted person to transport him back onboard. But if you wish, I can wake you up in the middle of the night for you to prepare - in compliance with the regulation - when some OPS enlisted commits an administrative misdemeanor and gets detained instead of me sensibly picking him up, placing him in a brig, and waiting until morning to inform you about his offense and the grounds for simple administrative punishment.
The First Officer closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose momentarily. Zoyara held herself, crossing her arms in front of her.
This was a version of Commander Dakora that she found … almost enjoyable to be around.
Dakora: Check your tone, Mister Ral. ::He frowned.:: Your desire not to bother the Senior Staff notwithstanding, the incarceration of a member of the crew should be a rare enough event that following proper protocol and notifying the Department Chief and on-duty Security Chief should ALWAYS be warranted.
He shook his head. Zoyara shared in his incredulity.
Dakora: You do understand that this is a Starfleet Vessel– the Flagship of the Borderlands– and not some old Navy Boat from an ancient holovid, right?
Zoyara felt it may be a good time to try and throw her some kind of a bone and see what her thinking may be.
Vailani: So, as you explain it you recognize a name that you believed could be compromised? When and how did you learn of this name, Chief?
Ral: I’m not sure if I would say compromised. I told the commander that I knew that the name was fake and had been used by the petty officer while ashore before. ::pauses:: But to answer your questions - When is not a topic I would wanna develop on. How? The first occasion was by unintentionally hearsaying the part of a private conversation of said petty officer with another Starfleet officer in the lavatory of his quarters. ::smiles sarcastically at Vailani:: And no, they didn’t have a Consensual Relationship Agreement at the time.
oO what?! Oo
Zoyara’s face went from incredulity to shocked disgust; was this a confession of an even greater crime?
No part of this explanation made sense to her and showed several incidents that this woman lacked any sound judgement. She made a mental note to have her report to medical and the ship's counselor for a psychological exam.
Dakora: So your justification for bypassing the chain of command and rushing down here to spring some Petty Officer is that– and please, let me know if I’m misunderstanding things— you overheard him use the name while doing a peeping tom on a couple of your shipmates? I– ::He stammered, searching for a way to express his feelings that didn’t include profanity.:: That’s just–
Vailani: :: to Dakora :: I think I might have heard enough. Whatever you want to do, I will support you?
Zoyara was done, she was already compiling a report to the Captain to have the NCO strip of rank and potentially raise an investigation with the security department for multiple crimes that were implied in the last few minutes.
Ral interjected once again.
Ral: ::to Dakora:: While still not knowing all the details from RSF, sir, Black is not a brawler, and he was detained and not arrested for a barfight he participated in but did not cause. He’s enlisted, and it’s the maximum administrative punishment for that barfight. I’m still willing to pick my enlisted up, write all the paperwork for and about detainee transport, put him in our brig until his division chief decision; and inform Lieutenant Antonova about his misdemeanor with boatswain punishment recommendation ::looks at Vailani:: What was my intent from the beginning. ::turns head back to Dakora:: Or you can do all of that with the lieutenant here, sir. It’s your officer’s time, your call, sir.
Zoyara wasn't sure she'd ever met such a rude woman in all her life … before she was able to speak Dakora interjected this time.
Dakora: That is your interpretation. But Petty Officer Black’s use of an unauthorized cover-identity on a Federation world was WILDY inappropriate. It doesn’t matter if he’s just using it to hit the dance floor or to conduct a surveillance op. We aren’t the Tal Shiar. We don’t freelance. The second an enlisted crewman from a Federation starship assumes a cover identity without approval from his department, without a briefing, and without a paper trail, that becomes a serious issue.
He turned his dark gaze on Shaw, his tone low but firm.
Dakora: Then someone like you decides to ‘handle it quietly’ and that becomes yet another liability.
Ral: Response
Vailani: As far as I'm concerned if your actions weren't merit enough for disciplinary procedure then your attitude and flagrant disregard for Starfleet rank and protocol would be more than suffice.
Zoyara turned her attention to the Andorian, she did not speak but she made it clear that he was next.
Tho’Bi: Response
She then turned to Dakora who was now solely focused on Ral.
Dakora: I don’t care what rumors you overheard in a bathroom, Chief, and I don’t care how many commendations this crewman has. What I do care about is the civilian law enforcement agency to deal with, a potentially compromised cover identity—authorized or not—and a junior officer you’ve dragged into this without proper orders. This stopped being a “handling things quietly” situation the moment you took it upon yourself to bend protocol and set foot off the ship.
His glare hardened.
Dakora: Senior Chief Petty Officer Ral, you are dismissed. You will return to the Artemis immediately and confine yourself to quarters until further notice. I expect a full written report of this incident on my desk by 0800 tomorrow. Further disciplinary recommendations will be left to the discretion of Lieutenant Vailani as your department head.
Zoyara nodded her acknowledgement to Dakora.
Ral: Response
Vailani: For now I'm done with her, Commander.
Zoyara was deeply disturbed by the turn of events and it made her think of the wider implications to her department if a Senior Chief felt emboldened to behave in such a way… what had she inherited?
Tho’Bi: Response
As Ral shimmered away she felt relief that the woman wouldn't be able to say anything else to incriminate herself further and then a flash of annoyance at the new, more unpleasant, paperwork she'd need to report now.
Dakora: Well, that was unpleasant. ::He looked to the baby-faced Andorian Ensign.:: You, Mister Tho’bi, narrowly avoided getting tangled up in a mess on your first day. Be a little more careful next time, ok?
Zoyara wasn't quite finished with the ensign yet.
Vailani: I recommend a formal note is placed on his file with his direct supervisor and I'll schedule in a session where we'll review proper Starfleet rank and protocols. It won't be short and it won't be very interesting either but rest assured you won't want to repeat it.
Tho’Bi: Response
Dakora: I’m Talos Dakora, by the way, the Artemis’ XO. ::He frowned.:: Sorry to meet you this way. This sort of thing is my least favorite part of the job.
Zoyara straightened her back. She didn't offer an apology or think that one was required.
Vailani: I'll reintroduce myself too. Lieutenant Vailani Zoyara. Chief of Operations.
Tho’Bi: Response
Dakora gestured to the entrance to the RSF HQ.
Dakora: Since both of you are here, let’s go ahead and retrieve this pain-in-the-ass Petty Officer.
Zoyara placed a hand on Dakora's shoulder to stop him briefly and then turned her attention to the ensign.
Vailani: Ensign, what is proper procedure for the hand-off of a Starfleet crewman involved in petty crime? We've established that a senior officer needs to be present, and the command team of the ship should be notified, in all instances. Now, what else do we need to do before we enter that building?
Tho’Bi/Dakora: Response
Zoyara looked to Dakora and nodded.
Vailani: Very well. Let's go in.
Tho’Bi/Dakora: Response
The three officers ascended the steps into the building. Cool marbled floors and grand archways gave the impression of a holiday resort rather than a building that could hold prisoners. Several locally uniformed personnel approached them, smiling warmly.
Vailani: Good morning officers. :: to Tho’Bi :: Ensign, you want to hand them the PADD.
Tho’Bi/Dakora: Response
Tags/TBC
Lieutenant Vailani Zoyara
Chief of Operations
USS Artemis-A
A240004LL2