Captain Michele Winters - Blunt Honesty

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((Gator Deck – Quarter Deck, Deck 12, USS Octavia E. Butler))

 

 

In her mind Jack Kessler had done the one thing she thought he’d never do, put others in harm’s way for his own goal. As she stormed though the corridors on the OEB, Michele was raging on the inside at Jack’s casual reappearance and the audacity that the man had to walk into her briefing room thinking ‘hi, I’m back’ was going to wash with her.

 

Rounding the corner Michele stepped into the Quarter Deck on Deck 12. This Gator Deck, home and operations of the Marine’s aboard the OEB was the one place that for the moment felt the safest place for Michele to be. Within this area of the ship the Marines’ activities were coordinated and mapped out by the officers on duty. Various offices were also found in the space and Michele was looking for one to step into.

As she stepped through the Quarter Deck, she headed right for the rear office that never had anyone in it. She made no eye contact with anyone in the Quarter Deck as she made her way to the office and if she did, the look on her face must have said enough that no one returned as much as a smile. Getting to the office doors, she depressed the door commands and with a whoosh they slid open. Looking back at those she’d past Michele stepped into the office and let the doors slid closed only to realize that today of all days, the office was in use.

 

Winters: Oh, Lieutenant. I am sorry for barging in. I thought the office was empty.

 

Second Lieutenant Ithri Sh’shelor sat at the desk in the office with a stack of PADDs before her. No doubt looking for solitude as Michele had been and the office provided that perfect location away from the hustle of the Gator Deck for her.

 

Ithri, a female Andorian in the Marines detachment also served in the Intelligence division for the Marines and was someone Michele would hand pick for just about every mission she went on.

 

Sh’shelor: No matter. 

 

Winters: (stepping back towards the door and then pausing) Ithri, do you have a moment?

Sh’shelor: I do, sir

Michele could not believe what she had allowed herself to do in the XO’s office and needed to vent. Normally she’d vent on the holodeck in some Marines` training program or vent to Jack himself but that was not going to happen today. Michele needed someone more than the holodeck to talk to this time.

 

Winters: (turning back to Ithri) Ranks are off, feel free to speak openly and freely.

 

Sh’shelor: Understood.  

 

Winters: (flopping down in the chair in front of the desk) I screwed up on multiple accounts today but first and fore most. I just lost my head in the XO’s office with both Promontory and Sherlock. (beat) They must think I am raving mad now.

 

Sh’shelor: What did you do to cause that thinking? 

 

What had happened, indeed that was a great question and how would she explain that Jack was the cause of everything.

 

Winters: (shaking her head slowly) I totally flew off the handle at the XO. (beat) Mostly because of Jack Kessler. He’s back aboard the ship. (beat) I’m sorry, did you hear he was back?

 

Sh’shelor: I am aware of his return. 

 

Michele nodded and leaned forward. Of course she was. Even if this had been an Odyssey Class vessel, the news of Jack coming back from the dead and escaping the Zet would have spread like wild fire.

 

Winters: They want to reinstate him already. (pushing a loose strand of hair back up and over her ear) After just a few days back, they want to act like nothing is wrong.

 

Sh’shelor: And what did you say to this? 

 

Michele looked Ithri directly in the eyes for a brief moment and then lowered her head, leaning forward as if to stare at the floor between her knees. Taking a couple of shallow breaths Michele responded but with a very disgusted tone in her voice.

 

Winters: I essentially told Promontory that if he was actually considering reinstating Jack then he probably wasn’t the right first for first officer of this ship.

 

Michele clasped her hands together, resting her forearms on her knees and bent forward even further continuing to stare at the floor.

 

Sh’shelor: Is this what you really believe?  

 

Michele had let her emotions completely and totally get the better of her. How could she not, she had, as everyone else, thought he was dead. By all accounts of what happened on that mission and all the secrecy, he was dead, the man she loved was dead. His sudden reappearance had sent her into some sort of mental defensive mode and her anger had taken over.

 

Winters: (looking up to Ithri and again shaking her head) Who in their right mind takes a prisoner, who has only been back a few days and says ‘yeah sure, lets get you back to work.’?

Michele stood up and started to pace the room back and forth. She needed to get passed this and accept that the command team knew what they were doing but did they.

 

Sh’shelor: You think this was wrong. 

 

Winters: I totally disagree with them Ithri. I don’t care what the medical or psych profiles say. Jack compartmentalizes everything. He’s a spitting image of his father in that regards.

 

Michele placed a hand on her forehead as she paced the room. Jack’s father would have done the exact same thing if Jack and his mother had been missing. What’s worse is Michele would have joined Jack in an instant if she’d known what he was doing and not because she still loved him. No she would have gone because she still loved JC and Maurine as her own family. She would have gone even if Jack had not.

 

Sh’shelor: And your position?

 

Michele turned back and walked back to the chair and sat down, more gently this time.

 

Winters: No, I am pretty sure I ended my stint as Tactical Officer and probably will get thrown off the ship if Promontory has his way. I am sure he want’s a ‘Yes sir’ officer in Tactical and I made it clear that was not going to be me.

 

Sh’shelor: What do you wish me to say? 

 

Michele looked at the Andorian and thought about that herself. What did she expect her to say, or hope she’d say? Michele was not sure, maybe she just needed to get this out in the open and off her chest.

 

Winters: I’m not sure…(beat) Just be honest with me.

 

Sh’shelor: Your concerns are valid.  Your response was stupid. 

 

The Andorian didn’t mince words, that was for sure and Michele almost sat fully upright at the stern, honest response. Ithri was correct though, Michele had acted in a ‘stupid’ manner and that had to be repaired. Somehow.

 

Winters: But what about Kessler’s reinstatement? The limited time he’s been back. The possibilities of his compromise are unlimited.

 

Sh’shelor: That does not matter.  You should have not done so that way.  It would have been better to call for ushaan.  But this is Starfleet, and that is not the way.  

 

Michele started to reply and then stopped, taking a long and slow deep breath. She had acted like a child. She was thinking like a young girl with petty reasons right now and hoping someone would side with her when there was no side of her own to be on. She was in the wrong and she knew it, and that bothered her the most.

 

Winters: So I let Starfleet and protocol handle this and know the process is there for a reason.

 

The process was there for a reason. Michele knew that, she didn’t actually question the process. She questioned Jack and his drive. A drive that she knew better than anyone on the ship. Or so she thought.

 

Sh’shelor: I am not saying this.  I am saying that if you think he is compromised, then you must prove it yourself.  Take the action to protect rather than rage with words. 

 

Winters: Where were you when I was in that room with the XO. (smiling) I could have used a cooler head for sure to reign me in.

 

Sh’shelor: response

 

Winters: (almost laughing) No, I’m pretty sure I was a sentence or two away from a straight jacket.

 

Sh’shelor: response

 

Again Michele respected the brute honesty of the Andorian and leaned forward.

 

Winters: This is what I like most about you Ithri. The honesty. No beating around a bush, no soft coating it. Pure, up front honesty. Don’t ever change that about you.

 

Michele stood and started towards the door and then stopped, looking back at Ithri she dropped her smile and took on a more serious look.

 

Winters: I’d appreciate it if this could stay between us.

 

Sh’shelor: response

 

Michele smiled a ‘Thank you’ back to the Lieutenant and turned to the exit and left the office behind her. As the doors slid shut Michel hung onto Ithri’s words about needing to prove Jack was compromised on her own.

 

[END of Scene for Michele Winters]

 

Captain Michele Winters

Acting Chief Tactical Officer

USS Octavia E. Butler

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