Clearing the Air

Posted on Fri Dec 30th, 2016 @ 1:48pm by Commodore Samantha York & Lieutenant Commander Damion Wolfe

1,315 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Shadow Dance
Location: Conference Room

ON

Sam stopped Damion from leaving the briefing. "I would like to have a word with you, Lieutenant."

Damion stopped in mid stepped and turned to face Sam. He watched as the last person left the room before walking over to her. "As always, Captain, you have my ear. What's up?"

"That's what I'd like to know," Sam said. "You've shown a marked lack of restraint of late. In the last two briefings you've lost your temper. Just now you treated Lieutenant Hirasawa like she was responsible for the death of King Mrowen. So, I would like to know why."

"Stress." Damion answered quickly. "You know, with the baby and all, I've had a lot on my mind. Mainly about my capability as a father, or if that's even possible." He paused slightly, crossing his arms over his chest. "All I've know is my work. The mission at hand. Prepare for that and make sure there are no surprises, but with the baby, there is no real way to prepare." He looked away for a moment, clearing his throat. It was a lie, well most of it was. He was concerned about being a father for the first time and it bothered him that this would be a big change, but with everything that was going on with Tate and his plans, he had a lot more on his mind than just the baby.

Sam raised an eyebrow. They were both telepaths. She knew he was lying to her. Yes, he was concerned about the baby, but that wasn't what caused his lack of self-discipline.

"Yes, you're right." Damion replied softly. "I shouldn't have jumped to blamed Hirasawa without evidence. I was out of line. I'm sorry."

"Thank you," Sam replied. "As much as I'd like to go down to Jenefra in force and get answers, we have to proceed very carefully. The Jenefrans do not understand our technology. There was no way they could have used our replicators to make that poison. We have to find where it came from and who poisoned the King. That includes proving that Tate could not replicate the poison herself and it wasn't available on the Calypso."

Damion opened his mouth, as if preparing to say something, than stopped. He cleared his throat a bit before saying "I agree. Whatever you need me to do in order to help, I will do. My team and I are at your disposal."

"I need you to not do anything rash," she said. "Don't force my hand. I'm walking a fine line as is. I can't afford to have any of my crew go rogue." She paused for a moment. "And I would like you to show more restraint in briefings. Apart from that, work with ops and engineering to find out what else the Jenefrans have on Tate. Intel is filtering all data and hopefully looking into how the poison was introduced. You can help coordinate the two teams."

Damion let out a bit of a laugh, as if to hide the fact that he was already in the middle of doing something rash.

Sam just shook her head. "If you get caught, I will have to discipline you. Better to wait until we have the proof we need. Then we'll have the law on our side."

"I think we've reached the point of this conversation where there is no more of a need for cryptic talk." Damion replied softly as he removed his combadge from his shirt and placed it on the table. "I won't keep playing these games with you, Sam. So, if you really want to know whats going on, then put away the rank and ask me as a friend. Not my superior."

"I'm not playing games, Damion," she said. "But I can't ask you if you were planning on breaking Tate out without authorization. If I did, and you told me, I'd be obligated to stop you -- until we have just cause." She folded her arms across her stomach. "I have to follow the rules. Right now, I have you, Batiste, and Vance trying to go on your own while I'm trying to keep this from turning into an intergalactic incident. King Keelan is too clever. I need Kali and I need proof. What I don't need is you deciding the rules don't apply and going off on your own. And I don't need you deciding that a briefing is the right place to take one of my senior officers to task."

"Are you absolutely sure that's what I'm doing? You can't find proof that Tate isn't responsible for killing the King, I'd imagine finding proof of what you think I am doing is equally as complicated." Damion paused slightly, shaking his head slightly as he took a hold of his combadge from the table. "What you think and what you know aren't always what is."

"You're right. I don't have proof. But that doesn't mean that I don't have my suspicions -- backed by being Betazoid," she said.

"And unfortunately for us, A Betazoid's intuition and readings can't be used in court. If it were, this would have been dealt with a long time ago." Damion replied before crossing his arms over his chest. "Do you honestly think, if I was forming a plan to break out Tate, that I would put you and everyone else in danger by executing it without your knowledge? Why wouldn't you assume that its just a case of the devil you know verses the devil you don't? Despite what many people may think, my loyalty and respect for this crew, hasn't been altered in any way. I would still give my life for it. Second Officer or not."

"And you can honestly tell me you aren't making plans?" Sam countered.

"If you really wanted to know the answer to that question you would ask me as my friend, not my superior." Damion replied quickly.

"You're right. I don't want to know," she said. "I can't know. Not with Starfleet Command practically giddy about the potential of opening up this sector. Just think before you act, and watch your temper. Okay?"

Damion hesitated a bit before answering. "It's not my temper you need to worry about. Trust me."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Sam muttered. She waved a hand dismissively. "I've said my piece. I won't keep you further."

Damion unexpectedly slammed his fist against the table. He stood there with his head down and his eyes closed, restraining himself as much as he could. After a few seconds he moved his fist and raised his head, opening his eyes and looking to Sam with a disappointed look on his face before speaking softly. "I don't know what I did to kill your faith in me, but whatever it was, I am sorry you can't see passed that mistrust." Without another word Damion left.

Sam sat down at her desk and closed her eyes, rubbing the back of her neck to relax her tight muscles. She did trust him, but she also knew that she couldn't let him go off the grid this time. Too many people were paying attention to Jenefra. She had to play this by the book. She knew Jennifer was innocent, but regulations forbade her from ignoring planetary law. Not only did she have to find out who really killed the King and why, she had to find out who was killing the Qunari. The two had to be related somewhere. Only by finding all the pieces to this puzzle would she be able to make the happy ending she hoped for everyone. She looked at the closed door. Even Damion.

____
OFF

Commodore Samantha York
Commanding Officer

Lieutenant Damion Wolfe
Chief Security/Tactical Officer

 

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