Lt.Cmdr. Alexander Williams: First time for everything
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Roel Willems
Apr 21, 2026, 4:12:13 PM (2 days ago) Apr 21
to USS Eagle – StarBase 118 Star Trek PBEM RPG
OOC: First time ever I spend 3 hours on what could have been a short sim. I really like the position Adea put Williams in. And this is reaching him in his core. So, I hope the long work reflects my passion for Alex and his career in our great community. Been rewriting it over and over, so hope it still makes sense ))
((2 km north of the Merchant District, Bokitu City, Bolarus IX))
Adea: I disagree. Williams, I won’t stand for any kind of lone wolf nonsense on board my ship. We are a crew, and we must work together. As it is, if this knowledge reaches the pointed ears of certain representatives, we, Starfleet, could be in a lot of trouble.
Alex knew his excuse for not reporting it sooner wasn’t exactly solid proof. He could have run to the captain the moment he found it, delaying the shuttle’s inspection and causing a slight delay in the departure towards the moon.
Perhaps he should have, as now it seemed it wasn’t just Braya’s career that was on the line. But given the captain’s rather direct approach—which probably wouldn’t be far from his own reaction had the roles been turned—it made it clear Alex had some serious explaining to do as well.
Williams: I fully understand, sir. And knowing the position this puts you in, I don’t want to stand in your way, even if I could. But I do believe she deserves a chance to explain herself, at the very least, and not be put in irons immediately… though I can imagine there may be restrictions or consequences once we have all the facts…
Alex didn’t envy the captain. He had a duty to uphold, and in a way, so did Alex. Giving up the secret hadn’t been easy, but he was glad it was out in the open now. Adea had clearly known about it… but not that Alex had been aware as well. All in all, it only reinforced that coming clean when he did had been the right choice.
Adea: Once I have all the facts, Commander. ::he let out a sigh:: There will be no official record on this - I have already spoken to Starfleet Command about it, and the device will be heading back to Sol. Once there, I suspect it will be returned to our friends from Romulus via clandestine means, and no damage done.
Alex was surprised and started to get a little upset as well.
oO No report? No record? And yet here I stand, being called to account. That is a line worth understanding. Oo
It made Alex angry and sad at the same time.
oO Is this what the Federation has become? Surely not under my very nose, and not my captain?! Oo
Williams: I find myself a little lost, sir…
Adea: You’re in luck, Commander, ::The captain smiled, but Alex could tell he was far from happy:: because there will be no formal reprimand for Braya, there will be none for you, either. But note this - if you cover for any more of her enfant terrible behaviour, ::he held up a hand:: whether intentionally, or by omission, there will be serious consequences.
oO Luck? That Starfleet is bending the rules? I don’t think so! Oo
Williams: Permission to speak freely, sir.
Adea: Response?
Williams: Earlier, you made it clear that withholding information, intentionally or otherwise, undermines the integrity of the crew and the chain of command. I understand and accept that completely. And if I or anyone else should be reported or punished for what happened, I understand that too and will accept it without a doubt. BUT…
He held his breath for a moment. In all his years of service, he had never challenged a superior officer—not like this. Not out of defiance, nor out of wounded pride… but because something far more fundamental was at stake. This was not about the reprimand, formal or otherwise. It was about what it implied. Everything he had built his career on—honour, integrity, adherence to the chain of command—now stood, implicitly, in question.
And if that were truly the case, then either he had failed more profoundly than he realized, or he was no longer being seen clearly at all, and then it was time to resign.
He could handle thinking his response over once more. He was going to question his CO, who had just told him he would be off the hook. But as far as Alex was concerned, he had acted within reason. He was at the start of a mission that could not wait. He had decided to give Braya a day to come clean, knowing she could not fly away because she had been given another task. And now he was about to get his butt kicked in the process, while he had been in control of the situation.
Williams: I may well be risking my career by saying this, sir. But if you know me at all—and I believe you do—you know that I value honour, dignity, and the chain of command above all else.
His voice remained steady, though the weight behind it was unmistakable.
Williams: To have that loyalty… that integrity… called into question by my Commanding Officer is not something I take lightly.
A brief pause, controlled this time.
Williams: Especially when my intent was not to conceal the truth, but to give Lieutenant Braya the opportunity to uphold those same principles herself… and come forward of her own accord, once our immediate mission was complete.
The more Alex thought about it, the more he realised why this upset him so much. He decided to throw it all out. Either he was regaining the captain’s respect and they found common ground, or he was close to digging a massive grave for whatever future he wanted to have in the organisation he had dedicated his entire life to.
Williams: Which is why I find myself struggling, sir.
He felt himself starting to shake a little, a strange passion that had not been kindled for a long time. Alex’s core had been hit, and he wanted to protect it with everything he had in him. He almost felt sorry for the man he was talking to. This was not what he wanted to talk about when he asked him out for a cup of tea. But if this man was telling him he was not doing his duty, he was going to find out he did not have the right to tell him that, if he represented the very organisation that chooses to ignore the rules as well.
Williams: You ask me to uphold those principles without compromise, sir. To report, to be transparent, to trust the chain of command to carry that responsibility forward.
A slight pause.
Williams: And yet… in this instance… we were BOTH choosing not to. In fact, you are telling me Starfleet as a whole wants to cover this up? Yet I get to be questioned? Even off the record, that doesn’t add up in my book.
He hoped he had too far simply stated facts and not accused his captain, but at this point he wasn’t sure anymore. But he couldn’t stop, not now.
Williams: I do not question your authority, nor the circumstances that led to this decision. But I would be failing in my duty if I did not acknowledge the contradiction I am seeing. If withholding information undermines the integrity of this crew, then I need to understand how Starfleet’s choice not to put this on the record does not.
Adea: Response?
Williams: Not for my sake alone, sir, but because whatever answer you give me now… will define how I act the next time I am faced with a similar choice.
Adea: Response?
Williams: I do not seek to avoid consequences. I know the rules, and if I break or violate them, that’s on me, but I need to understand the line I am expected to hold. Especially now that my behaviour is questioned.
Adea: Response?
TAGS / TBC
======================
With great pleasure written as:
Lt. Cmdr. Alexander Williams
Chief Tactical Officer
USS Eagle - A
https://wiki.starbase118.net/wiki/index.php?title=Alexander_Williams
A239006AW0
((2 km north of the Merchant District, Bokitu City, Bolarus IX))
Adea: I disagree. Williams, I won’t stand for any kind of lone wolf nonsense on board my ship. We are a crew, and we must work together. As it is, if this knowledge reaches the pointed ears of certain representatives, we, Starfleet, could be in a lot of trouble.
Alex knew his excuse for not reporting it sooner wasn’t exactly solid proof. He could have run to the captain the moment he found it, delaying the shuttle’s inspection and causing a slight delay in the departure towards the moon.
Perhaps he should have, as now it seemed it wasn’t just Braya’s career that was on the line. But given the captain’s rather direct approach—which probably wouldn’t be far from his own reaction had the roles been turned—it made it clear Alex had some serious explaining to do as well.
Williams: I fully understand, sir. And knowing the position this puts you in, I don’t want to stand in your way, even if I could. But I do believe she deserves a chance to explain herself, at the very least, and not be put in irons immediately… though I can imagine there may be restrictions or consequences once we have all the facts…
Alex didn’t envy the captain. He had a duty to uphold, and in a way, so did Alex. Giving up the secret hadn’t been easy, but he was glad it was out in the open now. Adea had clearly known about it… but not that Alex had been aware as well. All in all, it only reinforced that coming clean when he did had been the right choice.
Adea: Once I have all the facts, Commander. ::he let out a sigh:: There will be no official record on this - I have already spoken to Starfleet Command about it, and the device will be heading back to Sol. Once there, I suspect it will be returned to our friends from Romulus via clandestine means, and no damage done.
Alex was surprised and started to get a little upset as well.
oO No report? No record? And yet here I stand, being called to account. That is a line worth understanding. Oo
It made Alex angry and sad at the same time.
oO Is this what the Federation has become? Surely not under my very nose, and not my captain?! Oo
Williams: I find myself a little lost, sir…
Adea: You’re in luck, Commander, ::The captain smiled, but Alex could tell he was far from happy:: because there will be no formal reprimand for Braya, there will be none for you, either. But note this - if you cover for any more of her enfant terrible behaviour, ::he held up a hand:: whether intentionally, or by omission, there will be serious consequences.
oO Luck? That Starfleet is bending the rules? I don’t think so! Oo
Williams: Permission to speak freely, sir.
Adea: Response?
Williams: Earlier, you made it clear that withholding information, intentionally or otherwise, undermines the integrity of the crew and the chain of command. I understand and accept that completely. And if I or anyone else should be reported or punished for what happened, I understand that too and will accept it without a doubt. BUT…
He held his breath for a moment. In all his years of service, he had never challenged a superior officer—not like this. Not out of defiance, nor out of wounded pride… but because something far more fundamental was at stake. This was not about the reprimand, formal or otherwise. It was about what it implied. Everything he had built his career on—honour, integrity, adherence to the chain of command—now stood, implicitly, in question.
And if that were truly the case, then either he had failed more profoundly than he realized, or he was no longer being seen clearly at all, and then it was time to resign.
He could handle thinking his response over once more. He was going to question his CO, who had just told him he would be off the hook. But as far as Alex was concerned, he had acted within reason. He was at the start of a mission that could not wait. He had decided to give Braya a day to come clean, knowing she could not fly away because she had been given another task. And now he was about to get his butt kicked in the process, while he had been in control of the situation.
Williams: I may well be risking my career by saying this, sir. But if you know me at all—and I believe you do—you know that I value honour, dignity, and the chain of command above all else.
His voice remained steady, though the weight behind it was unmistakable.
Williams: To have that loyalty… that integrity… called into question by my Commanding Officer is not something I take lightly.
A brief pause, controlled this time.
Williams: Especially when my intent was not to conceal the truth, but to give Lieutenant Braya the opportunity to uphold those same principles herself… and come forward of her own accord, once our immediate mission was complete.
The more Alex thought about it, the more he realised why this upset him so much. He decided to throw it all out. Either he was regaining the captain’s respect and they found common ground, or he was close to digging a massive grave for whatever future he wanted to have in the organisation he had dedicated his entire life to.
Williams: Which is why I find myself struggling, sir.
He felt himself starting to shake a little, a strange passion that had not been kindled for a long time. Alex’s core had been hit, and he wanted to protect it with everything he had in him. He almost felt sorry for the man he was talking to. This was not what he wanted to talk about when he asked him out for a cup of tea. But if this man was telling him he was not doing his duty, he was going to find out he did not have the right to tell him that, if he represented the very organisation that chooses to ignore the rules as well.
Williams: You ask me to uphold those principles without compromise, sir. To report, to be transparent, to trust the chain of command to carry that responsibility forward.
A slight pause.
Williams: And yet… in this instance… we were BOTH choosing not to. In fact, you are telling me Starfleet as a whole wants to cover this up? Yet I get to be questioned? Even off the record, that doesn’t add up in my book.
He hoped he had too far simply stated facts and not accused his captain, but at this point he wasn’t sure anymore. But he couldn’t stop, not now.
Williams: I do not question your authority, nor the circumstances that led to this decision. But I would be failing in my duty if I did not acknowledge the contradiction I am seeing. If withholding information undermines the integrity of this crew, then I need to understand how Starfleet’s choice not to put this on the record does not.
Adea: Response?
Williams: Not for my sake alone, sir, but because whatever answer you give me now… will define how I act the next time I am faced with a similar choice.
Adea: Response?
Williams: I do not seek to avoid consequences. I know the rules, and if I break or violate them, that’s on me, but I need to understand the line I am expected to hold. Especially now that my behaviour is questioned.
Adea: Response?
TAGS / TBC
======================
With great pleasure written as:
Lt. Cmdr. Alexander Williams
Chief Tactical Officer
USS Eagle - A
https://wiki.starbase118.net/wiki/index.php?title=Alexander_Williams
A239006AW0
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