Shakeup on the Bridge

Posted on 17 Dec 2015 @ 8:36am by Commander C. Kos & Commodore Harvey Geisler & Lieutenant Commander Roget del Rosario

1,144 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Rude Awakening
Location: USS Black Hawk || Deck 15
Timeline: MD 9 || 1140 hours

The transporter beam around Harvey's body disappeared, revealing a nearly vacant Transporter Room, save for the Transporter Chief and Second Officer del Rosario. Harvey didn't even skip a beat nor even start to step down from the platform when he locked eyes with the Lieutenant Commander and asked, "What the hell is going on, Commander?"

"You are dismissed," Roget said over his shoulder to the transporter operator. He waited until the doors closed before continuing. "Commander Kos has been placed under arrest for sabotage."

It was official. This wasn't Harvey's day. So far, his ship had been sabotaged, he had an unexpected reunion, and now his Executive Officer, one of two women he'd grown the trust in the past few months was named responsible. "Bullshit."

"The evidence I've collected thus far is very clear. The code that was used to disable the ship's power was input from the desktop terminal in Kos' quarters. Earlier in her career, she was a power systems engineer, giving her the necessary knowledge to carry out such a plan."

There were times that Harvey respected del Rosario. But, right now, his straightforwardness was downright disturbing. "And just why the hell would she do that?" And why the hell did she think the blackout would have lasted longer than it actually did?

"The only motive that fits, given the timing of the sabotage, is that she is working with the Consortium. That would give her a vested interest in preventing us from apprehending the Commodore and the O'Carroll."

Harvey stepped down from the pad and stopped just a couple paces from the Security Chief. "I want to see her."

"She's in Detention. I'll take you there."

Harvey nodded. Too many thoughts and emotions swirled through his head, much more than he was used to having in the past few years. And he'd thought he'd gotten past this during the altercation with the Syndicate. Just like how Emily Carter had treated him, Harvey now saw this matter as personal. "Lead the way, Commander," he said, nearly gritting his teeth, fighting to keep himself under control.

The two officers left the transporter room and walked down the corridor of deck 15. Fortunately, both the security complex and transporter room 3 were on the same deck. They were at opposite ends though, with the transporter rooms closer to the leading edge of the ship and the security section being to the aft.

He choose not to speak. He knew that Geisler and Kos were close; they were both the kind of people who developed friendship based on proximity and frequency of work-space. Roget, on the other hand, preferred to limit his 'friends' to people he didn't work closely, or often, with. It made it easier for him to separate his work life from his personal life.

After several minutes of walking, del Rosario took a few quick steps to get ahead of the Captain so he could usher him into the security complex. They passed through the antechamber and walked directly to the door to Detention. They entered and Roget led Geisler to the small alcove outside of the interview room where Kos was currently being kept. Roget waved away the guard, who took up a position several meters down the hall.

"Do you want me to come with you?"

Though he knew she couldn't see her, Harvey looked through the one way mirror at Kos. His fists tightened at his sides as Harvey did his best to quell his rage. "No," he said at last. It would be a smart move to have del Rosario there. Or at least to be accompanied by someone else. "Besides, someone's got to keep an eye on both of our ships."

He stared at Kos for a moment more before telling del Rosario, "I left Bast in charge of the O'Carroll. We need to move both ships back to the convoy. Get them back on their feet."

Roget nodded and walked away, knowing that Geisler had other things on his mind.

Harvey tapped the control stud by the door. It slid aside, granting him entrance to the Interview Room. He stepped inside, but didn't move any further as he waited for the door to close behind him.

When the doors finally opened again, Mac looked up to see Geisler standing there. Overcome with emotion, she jumped to her feet and ran to him, throwing her arms around him. "Thank the Great Bird you're here Harvey!" she cried.

He pushed back, breaking her hold and taking a couple steps inside the room and away from her. "Is this how you all do it?" He demanded. "Gain someone's trust and then stab them in the back when your number is called?"

"You think I did it," she choked out between sobs. "I thought you knew me better than that."

Harvey stood there, uncomfortable with the distance between him and Kos. Unlike with Yeoman Carter, conflicting emotions and thoughts circulated in his mind, neither of which he trusted. "I don't know what to think," he confessed with a firm tone. "Though I guess I was stupid to think that in chasing the Consortium that my ship would be free of the treachery."

Mackenzie looked at the deck under her feet. It hurt that Harvey could believe she was capable of sabotage. "What evidence?" she asked quietly.

"What?" Harvey asked. Kos' speech was too quiet to be heard in the already silent room.

"What evidence is there against me," she asked again.

He sighed. "There's a command string with your signature on it. It was even traced back to your terminal in your quarters. You'd think someone who's savvy enough to do that would be able to cover their tracks." While that statement was meant to be a general statement, Harvey did note after the last words left his mouth that it did appear that it was a slight against her.

Harvey's words, his emotional lashing out, hurt. Mackenzie had strong feelings towards the the normally reserved captain. She had felt like they were growing closer, personally. But now, that relationship had likely evaporated.

"Harvey," she said calmly, somehow keeping her tears at bay, "I didn't do it. I can't explain it, but someone set me up."

He stood there, studying her. Some part of him wanted to seek forgiveness for how he reacted. Of course she was framed. But why her? Why go after the Executive Officer? Why not Dicon or Kij or Bast or whomever?

Harvey shook his head as he turned to look at himself and her in the one-way mirror. He didn't know what to think anymore. Sighing again, he turned back to look at her. If she was indeed guilty, Mac was doing an excellent job of playing the damsel in distress.

"I'm sorry, Mac," he said, unconsciously forgetting her rank. "I hope you're right."

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