Marine Woes

Posted on Sat Mar 26th, 2011 @ 7:53pm by Major Leroy Mangalia & Lance Corporal Jennifer Guntold & Lieutenant JG Erin Tal

1,512 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: The Forests of Mythraeli
Location: Erin Tal's Office
Timeline: Before the Away Team's Mission

ON:

Leroy and Jennifer, straight from a meeting with the Captain and Damon walked down the halls together. They seemed comfortable, stress free. That wasn't the case, but it never hurt to look that way in front of others. Jennifer had been given the rank of Private First Class after the meeting with the Captain and Marine CO, and she now wore it. Only because Leo could make almost any rank he wanted from any replicators, it was good to be a prince. They had traveled down to Medical, searching for the office of Lieutenant Junior Grade Erin Tal. Leroy didn't know anything about her, only that she was the shrink on board. Finding the door, Leo chirped for entrance then waited.

''Come in.'' Erin called. She was sitting at her desk in the large office, working away on some files, which she put aside as the door slid open.
''Officers.'' She greeted with a smile, waving them in. ''Sit down, how can I help you.''
She didnt personally know either of the people in front of her, but knew them from the files and from around the ship.

"Lieutenant," Leo and Jennifer said as one. Leo looked over, and Jennifer stepped back. "Got something the Marines need you to do. I need a full work up on Private First Class Guntold here." Smiling he looked around the room. "So I'm wondering if you have any time to help us out."

Erin nodded pleasantly. ''Of course, I'm free now.'' The work could wait- it was just evaluation timetables anyways.
''Just a run-of-the-mill evaluation, yeah? Or is there anything particular?''

"The enlisted woman here decided to ignore orders and go down to a planet where they were holding the Captain with a TR series weapon." Looking at her, Leo explained. "It's a slug thrower. Instead of the normal phase energy rifles that Marines use. Now, instead of even firing warning shots, she killed four 'civilian' guards, who later turned out to be Mercs, but she had no way of doing that." Looking at Jennifer he smiled. "I'm also trying to lessen the impact from a very angry Captain right now."

Erin raised an eyebrow. ''Okay, this may be a very simple and over-asked question but I need to know. Why did you do it?'' She asked Jennifer directly, taking down the womans information on a PADD simultainiously.
''What prompted you to disobey orders and kill four people? What were you thinking at the time?''

Jennifer sighed and looked at Leo who nodded and slipped back out the door. He didn't need to hear this. "I was thinking there was more to them then met the eye. They were too well armed, too together to be a civilian unit of any type. I aimed for the shoulder and knee, but I guess falling out of a guard tower tends to kill people too." Sighing she moved forward, then sat down. "That and I can't use a phase weapon for crap."

Erin nodded with a small smile. So it as an unfortunate incident brought on by coincidance and lack of planning. The threat of psycosis was relivingly small.
''Dont worry, neither can I.'' She replied, then paused.
''Now in your own time, tell me how you felt after you had killed them, and what you feel now.''

Jennifer sighed and looked back. "I didn't feel anything, it's my job." She said with a shrug looking at the other woman. "I still don't, they're dead, it's the way of life." Thinking for a second she smiled. "But that's what we're trained to do, feel nothing after taking someone's life." If Erin was looking, she could see Leo nodding his head.

Erin's face was blank but inside she felt like frowning. This complicated things slightly.
''I know something about that myself.'' She said, leaning foreward and propping her chin up on a hand. ''You're trained to feel nothing, even when you kill someone. Are you thought to feel anything when you disobey an order?''

"Not really, but I don't feel like I disobeyed an order. I didn't shoot to kill, and I wouldn't have." Her face was blank, but she didn't seem to care. "I was told non lethal, I shot for the shoulder and the knee, it isn't my fault that they couldn't keep their feet after being shot. Is it my fault that they fell?"

''Its not my job to tell you that.'' Erin said gently. ''Its yours.''
She sat back and waved a hand at the chair adjacent to Jennifer. ''I want you to imagine that your past self is sitting in that chair. I can use a hologram if talking to empty space makes you feel uncomfortable. Given the chance, would you advise her differently? Warn her? Or not. Do you even know why you're sitting in my office right now, or do you think that you did your duty?'' She needed to know what made this woman tick before she could solve anything.

"I did my duty. I wouldn't want to warn her, only because if I did, how do I know that the Captain would have been saved? Or that the away team would have even gotten in the building. By taking the shots I did, they got in, Rescued Captain York, and got home safely. Nothing is more important with the completion of a mission."

''So why have they sent you here?'' Erin asked bluntly. ''Your actions took and saved lives. Why do they think you need to be councelled?''

Leo stepped forward at this point, looking the woman over. "Lieutenant, this is from the Captain herself. Well, it was my idea, but I think that you're running down the wrong road. What does it matter what she thinks about the orders for counciling?"

Erin looked up at the Marine expressionlessly. ''It matters.'' She assured him.
'' Theres no point being here if she doesnt think she should be. I dont know if you've ever tried to physcoevaluate a person who isnt willing to be evaluated, Lieutenant, but unless you're a Betazoid, its pretty impossible.''
''But since you brought her in for evaluation, maybe you should tell me. What do you think I need to cover in my session today?''

"Ms. Tal," Jennifer said looking at her. "I don't think you understand what he's saying. He ordered the evaluation, I could have said no at any time for it. I don't mind the evaluation, but I am answering the way I would even if you were a Betazoid. I did my job, I don't feel I disobeyed orders, and I saved lives."

''I know.'' Erin said gently. ''But the simple fact, Jennifer, is that you dont need an evaluation. You did your job and you did it well. You did save lives, even if a few were lost in the process. Its part of your job risk. From your file, you're a good worker of sound mind. I dont usually get a chance to say this, but you're coherent, show no signs of paranoia, excess guilt or symptoms of a mental breakdown. You're clean.''

"So in other words, the Lieutenants order was a waste of all our times?" Jennifer said looking back at the man. He shrugged and sighed. "I was trying to give you the chance to get your Lance back Guntold, instead of being stuck at PFC for the next ten years."

Erin sighed and sat back. ''The leiutenants order was a good call and a necessary precaution- but I deal with the mentally unstable, and your not one of them. Surely if I pronouce you of sound mind, that will clear up the evaluation issue? You've been evaluated, and you're fine.''
She looked at Leo. ''I dont understand though, how could an evaluation determine what happens to her afterward, when the results are good?''

"What if the results had been bad Lieutenant? What if you had found her wanting in the mental area?" He sighed and shook his head. "A marine is nothing without a firm head upon their shoulders. If you had said that she had some sort of problem, then she would be stuck as a PFC for the remainder of her contract, then drummed out as a Section Eight at the first chance."

''Of course.'' Erin said calmly. ''I was actually asking-'' She paused and checked her PADD screen.
''Nevermind. I'll update your medical status. You're not a danger to the fleet. Not as demonstrated here.''

Jennifer nodded and looked up at Leo, who only looked down and shrugged. "Am I clear to go then Lieutenant?" Jennifer asked looking back to the shrink.

''Ready and able and clear to go.'' Erin looked up with a smile.
''Thanks for your time, Jennifer.''

OFF:

Lance Corporal Jennifer Guntold
Marine Sniper/Sapper
USS Calypso

First Lieutenant Leroy Mangalia
Marine CO
USS Calypso

Lieutenant JG Erin Tal
Cheif Councellor
USS Calypso

 

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