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ORIGINS: USS Hood November 2009: Difference between revisions
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==[ORIGINS] USS HOOD: The Boss is REALLY On Your Side== | |||
===by Scott Lusby=== | |||
SD: 2260.333, just before Steele briefed the senior staff in "Mission Brief" | |||
Vice Admiral Joseph Carstairs really hated his job somedays... | |||
...usually that happened when politicians got in the way of operational | |||
things. | |||
Such as right now. | |||
"You're assigning an Internal Affairs person to the HOOD? What on Earth | |||
for?" he asked. | |||
The Chief of Starfleet Operations didn't look all that pleased with | |||
Carstairs' tone. [[[The fact that you asked that questions makes me wonder | |||
whether you truly know what is going on with the ships under your command, | |||
Admiral.]]] | |||
Carstairs reigned in his anger- somewhat. "That might work on some people, | |||
Admiral, but not on me. I've been around this game too long to miss a power | |||
play when I see one." He paused, then added, "This is about Campbell, isn't | |||
it?" | |||
JT Comsol said nothing. | |||
Joe pursed his lips and held back a curse. "Are you kidding? He's a menace | |||
to the fleet; every place he's been assigned, and he's caused trouble and | |||
been passed along. Captain Steele does what's right- cashiers his butt for | |||
what he did instead of making Campbell someone else's problem- and STEELE | |||
gets the IA treatment? What about Campbell? He should be doing hard labor | |||
on some penal colony for what he did, not a back way back INTO the fleet. | |||
What kind of fleet are we running here--" | |||
[[[That will be quite enough, Admiral,]]] Comsol said. [[[The fact is that | |||
Steele and his senior staff bullocksed the entire mission to Velorum, and | |||
I've heard about what they do after hours--]]] | |||
"I've endorsed the actions on Velorum completely," he said. "As for the | |||
other stuff, you don't think that it's possible it's exaggerated?" | |||
[[[That's what the IA officer will be determining: its affects on the senior | |||
staff's performance.]]] | |||
Carstairs shook his head. "And all this from a rumor, a little word in the | |||
ear from some disgruntled sailor's mother--" | |||
[[[Tread carefully, Admiral--]]] | |||
"Not a chance, Admiral; I will see this in front of the Commander-in-Chief | |||
himself...and if that doesn't work, I will have it in front of the | |||
Federation Council in 36 hours. Count on it; this is a gross | |||
misappropriation of resources without cause, and I'll see to it that | |||
everyone knows why." | |||
The two Starfleet admirals stared at one another, each one's eyes ablaze, | |||
each one ready to pounce through the viewscreen on which they were viewing | |||
each other. | |||
Comsol blinked first. [[[OK- I can see to it that IA stays away until you | |||
are ready to launch in 10 days' time. I can also see to it that Campbell | |||
never sees the decks of a starship again. I can't promise he'll stay | |||
cashiered; there are too many friends in high places for that. But I can | |||
guarantee he'll stay grounded.]]] | |||
Carstairs hesitated; he didn't like the idea of Campbell being anywhere near | |||
a Starfleet facility where he could endanger other lives...but IA poking | |||
around with them on Arcturus could get very sticky... | |||
"I want it in writing," he finally said. "The IA thing, not about Campbell. | |||
I don't want to see hide nor hair of an IA officer until the ship is ready | |||
to leave Starbase 10. If I do, I will go to the CINC-ESS-EFF." | |||
The Chief of Starfleet Operations said nothing, save [[[Comsol, clear.]]] | |||
As the screen in front of him turned black again, he let out a heavy sigh. | |||
Comsol was his superior officer, and Joe knew he could have gotten into big | |||
trouble for pushing like that. | |||
He still could, conceivably...but he didn't think so. Comsol had more to | |||
loose than Joe did, in the end: currying favors, especially when the | |||
circumstances were so plain for all to see, would not sit well with the | |||
straight-arrow CINCSF. | |||
<<NRPG>> | |||
Just a little something to bridge Andy's post and Daniel's. | |||
Respectfully Submitted, | |||
-- Scott Lusby | |||
/\ VADM Joseph Carstairs | |||
COMORIGINS | |||