Over Protective Sister

Posted on Mon Mar 18th, 2024 @ 4:46am by Lieutenant Penelope Bardot-Jannetty Ph.D & Commodore Samantha York

1,577 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Broken Mirror
Location: USS Calypso | Ready Room

Lieutenant Penelope Bardot-Jannetty had practically worn down the luxury carpeting in her quarters from all the pacing she had been doing, a good chunk of an hour's time and you would have thought someone's life was hanging in the balance. She didn't mean for it to happen certainly not like this, but what was done was done. Surely her career in Starfleet could survive this? Striking a superior officer was bad, but he had asked for it, no he practically begged for it. 

"He antagonized you," she said looking in a mirror at her wash station. That was a factual statement and there were at least a few witnesses that overheard the conversation the two were having, and the escalation in the tones of their voices before he challenged her. He was being a jerk about the whole thing, and her brother was not there to defend himself.  
She felt absolutely awful about the whole thing. Never would she ever intentionally harm another living soul, but the Chief Engineer had pushed her buttons and in doing so, he pushed the wrong one at the wrong time. Her brother was her world, the one person in her life that stood up for her. The least she could do was stand up for him. 

Sebastian Bardot was light-years away across the galaxy aboard the USS Majestic as the starship's top helmsman, right where his jerk of a ex-boyfriend left him. Of course it had the be Penelope's luck that the guy she once thought would eventually become family, a bonus brother for her would transfer to the USS Calypso and become her boss. 

Well, her 'boss' was now getting stitches and by the way he was wincing with labored breathing when she called for medical assistance, probably getting some rides mended and a punctured lung repaired. Absolutely nobody was going to say the things about her brother that Lieutenant Washburn had said. 
Peaceful as a bunch of tulips swaying in the morning breeze, that was who Penelope Bardot-Jannetty was. At least until you pushed her, and Wash had pushed her. "I'm sorry, I did not mean for it to happen the way that it did. I really did not mean to break his ribs," she practiced what she was going to say. 

Lieutenant Casey Washburn had said the words Anbo-jyutsu and it was practically etched in stone from that point forward. Even with protective gear, the combat sport wasn't without risk. Now Wash knew that but Penelope did not like that she had to be the one to prove that to him. 

She took a deep breath and made sure there was not a wrinkle on her uniform as she stood outside the Ready Room. I can do this she thought to herself as she pressed the chime. This was going to be an interesting meeting. She had expected to be requested to meet with the First Officer, not Commodore York. Penelope was not even sure if York knew who she was beyond a name among hundreds that served aboard the Galaxy class starship.

"Come." Of all the people to get in a fight, Sam's chief and assistant chief engineers were not on the list. Remy, yes, but Penny and Wash? Sam still wasn't sure what really happened. Scuttlebutt often got it wrong. But she would get to the bottom of this and she would see that Wash got the help he needed.

She stood and waited for the door to open.

Penelope stepped forward, crossing the threshold of the entrance knowing and acknowledging where she was and who she was meeting with. "Commodore York," she said addressing the woman. "Doctor Penelope Jannetty, Assistant Chief Engineer" she said introducing herself. She was uncertain if York remembered her. Penelope still used her deceased husband's name out of respect for him.

"Penny," she added simply. "Ma'am, I am sincerely sorry. I hope Wash isn't too banged up. They weren't exactly thrilled about letting me into Sickbay to visit him."

"Can you blame them?" Sam asked. Then she indicated the chair in front of her desk. "Please, have a seat and tell me why."

Penny took the seat as offered or instructed, offers were options and she really did not feel walking away was a choice. "Well, for starters ma'am, Wash and I have history. Not like that" she said with a blush. "If you knew him you'd know I wasn't remotely his type. My baby brother though..."

She had hoped York read the room and saw the between the lines boldly. "They had history. History that Wash ended before he transferred here. I don't think he realized I was here until it was too late. We got along well enough at first but" Penny shook her head.

"Wash can be a real jerk," she said. "A sweetheart at times, but sometimes just a grade A Angus beef jerk, and I don't eat meat. I did not take kindly to him bad mouthing my brother. We got into an argument and he challenged me. I accepted his challenge."

"Why didn't you stop it before it went too far?" She did get the underlying inferences, and not just because she was part Betazoid. She was aware of the history behind the two engineers and hoped it could be kept in the past. Now, she wanted to know why.

"Because he is my superior officer, Commodore. I know it's the twenty-fourth century and we aren't the Ferengi Alliance, but Engineering aboard a starship is still a man's world," explained Penny. "He challenged me to meet on the recreational deck for
Anbo-jyutsu. A challenge in front of dozens of engineers."

She shook her head. "It wasn't as though we were throwing right hooks in Engineering, not that I'm excusing what happened, but when a shark bites into you like that, you can either give in and let him tear you apart, or smash him right on the nose to let go."

"Yes, I accepted that challenge. It was about more than just defending my brother, it was also about standing up for myself. If I had not accepted that challenge those men in Engineering would never take me seriously again or at least not as seriously. Sure, they'd do their duties because they are fine officers, but I needed to make a satement and take a stand."

"There's taking a stand and making a statement, and there's sending your opponent to sickbay. Did you know he's leaving the ship?"

"I'm a pacifists, Commodore, I swear. I don't event replicate things that look like meat" she said apologetically. "He just hit the right...er wrong button. I'll see a counselor about it, that's probably for the best anyways, but leaving? Why is he leaving because I broke a rib or two, or because I bruised his ego?"

"Yes, you will see a counselor. I think you have some unresolved issues you need to deal with. There's defending your brother's honor and there's assaulting a fellow officer. You took it too far." Sam didn't pull her punches. Disagreements happened, but this should have been dealt with long ago. "He's leaving in part because of what you did, and partly because he got a better offer and is going to a starbase."

Sam paused to watch the engineer for a moment. "And regardless of why he left, that comment is out of line. I do not tolerate brawling on this ship. Not from the Marines and definitely not from my engineers. I need to trust that you can work together without bringing personal grievances with you. I've also spoken with Wash about his part in this."

She weighed her options and choice of words carefully. It was Wash that chose Anbo-jyutsu. "I can work anyone, Wash included. I don't like that he's leaving the ship. I understand your stance clearly about brawling" she added though a combat sport was not exactly what Penny would consider brawling.

Penny did not want to be dismissive. "You deserve an Engineering department that is going to have your back and run smoothly, and you'll have that. I will work with Wash's successor."

"Until someone better comes along, that will be you," Sam said. "As of now, you are the acting chief engineer." She paused. "However, if there are any other issues with members of this crew, you will be on the next shuttle off this ship. I still say that you should have stopped sooner than you did once you made your point."

Penny nodded "Understood. There won't be any incidents going forward, Commodore. You can check my service record, this is an anomaly. One that should not have happened, and I'll ensure it stays that way."

"Good, because it should not have happened." Sam looked at Penny for a moment, then nodded. "Let's see how you do going forward, shall we? You're dismissed."

Standing as straight as could be and looking at the Commodore, Penny nodded. "Yes, ma'am. Going forward, I will not disappoint you, Commodore. Thank you" added Penny and she was grateful not to be tossed out for the transgression. She was ready to leave, following the Commodore's dismissing her.

Sam nodded. She hoped this really was a one-off, but only time would tell. "I'll leave it to you to inform the other engineers. I'll also give you a week to adjust to alpha shift."

"Very well" Penny said on her way out.

 

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