Polite Conversation
Posted on Wed Jun 3rd, 2020 @ 6:07pm by Lieutenant Theodore Winslow & Lieutenant Colonel Shaun Bradley
1,604 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
Equivalent Exchange
Location: Winslow's Quarters
Timeline: MD2 0800 Hours
Being a Marine on a Starfleet ship was easy. Wake up, take a morning run, go to your area, maybe work out, do some weapons drills, and then spend the rest of your day finding ways to avoid doing any work that wasn't actually important. If you were a pilot, you'd fly a patrol sortie a week, maybe do a combat mission, and then drink in the evening. Now, Shaun Bradley had spent the last six years on a Marine Camp, specifically Camp Falkirk, in which he had worked as the Air Group Commander, a task that meant he had not only had to look out for the craft directly on the base, but also the eight ships that operated Marine fighters in the group itself.
Temporarily being assigned to Admiral Matthews had meant that he had found himself in the presence of both Marines and Starfleet, sitting between them and all the while sitting with the Admiralty like a pseudo-Flag Officer. So while he could run and drill with the Marines, and fly with the Starfleet officers, all the while drinking harder than any of them, but it also meant there was a slight watchful eye involved, and everyone was on edge. Him, to avoid saying something to ostracize his other officers, and them, so as to not end up on the end of a hearing on their behaviour. So, more and more, he had taken to running alone, skimping on his firing drills, and eating dinner with his wife.
So, when they had arrived in orbit, he had ordered the star fighters and the Marines both on leave, to blow off steam on the planet, and taken the time to truly get his honest to goodness run in, and then had flown his own fighter to the planet. A brief run down to a planet, landing at the spaceport, and a run into town to snag coffee, all in the comfort of his flight suit. Was it technically regulations? No, he should change before meeting with people, especially in any formal manner. But, who was going to actually tell anyone? So, cup of actually brewed coffee from a small shop, a few looks from locals that would have earned him a swat on the head from his wife, and Lieutenant Colonel Bradley had finally found himself at the residential district, with a sparkle in his eyes and a warm smile on his face. A couple flights of stairs,"Always take the stairs when they're an option," Naeris chided in his ear, and at long last, the Marine stopped in front of a unit. Pulling his knee board off his leg, he double checked in info, and pressed the buzzer.
Theodore heard the first chime and ignored it, he did not have visitors but the second and third time it went off was hard to ignore. He moved through his quarters grabbing on a shirt as he went and opened the door. "Can I help?" He asked.
Placing the PaDD next to his knee, it clipped to his thigh and offered a warm smile. "You must be Lieutenant Winslow. I am Lieutenant Colonel Shaun Bradley, Marine and Infrastructure liaison to the Admiral Matthews." He paused, mentally once overing the man, then looking behind him. "May I come in?"
Theodore looked the man over himself. It was one man if he chose to pick a fight or something more the security chief was pretty sure he would be a watch. "Cannot exactly say no to a liaison to some brass now can I." The man commented on. He stepped back enough to allow the man into the stark and bare quarters.
"You could," replied Shaun with a smile, before taking a few steps inside, his usual quiet gait carefully replaced with firm steps. People didn't like people who walked quietly, it was just a simple fact. "I am not here to make your miserable Mr. Winslow, I was just hoping to have a short chat." Bradley's eyes scanned the room, before he spun on his heels and faced back towards the man. "Nothing formal, nothing scary, I just was hoping to better get to know you." Pausing, the Marine tapped his head and added, "I will tell you I am a telepath, but don't worry I will stay out of your head. I know it may seem weird, but seeing as I don't need those skills to see I make you uncomfortable, I felt it would be better if you didn't find out later."
"That speaks the words of someone who has never been on this side of brass wanting to discuss things." The security chief remarked with his usual wit and charm. "Are you not human?" The man looked human and walked like a human but now he was doubting his skills. "And you can be in my head if it clears up this mess." Theo was at that point where he did not mind who was in his head as long as he could get back to normal or at least the routine and structure he craved.
"Worse," Shaun replied to the first statement, "I have been on the side of Marine Brass. They are far angrier than any Fleeter I have ever met," he said with a laugh. "As for the human aspect, half right. I'm part Terracian, who are a wonderfully telepathic species. That's a conversation for another day." Finding a spot on the couch, Shaun sat comfortably and eased himself into a good sitting spot in his flight suit. "I do want to help clear things up, if I am being honest. Before I was wearing big wig ranks I hunted pirates and other criminals, the kinds of people the Federation likes to pretend aren't out in space praying on people. I like to think I have a real good understanding of them." Shaun's grey-blue eyes locked onto Theo and his face appeared to suddenly lose some of the softness. "Either you are the stupidest terrorist this side of the Cardassian border, or you are being framed."
"I see." Theo sat down opposite the man and just stared at him waiting for the penny to drop. It certainly did not take long and Theo appreciated that the man did not keep him waiting long to discuss what he wanted and it was the same thing everyone wanted. "I am not a stupid man Lieutenant Colonel. If I was stupid I would not have stayed here to be caught. I love Starfleet and I love the Federation I am a loyal man." He said simply. "And you can use your telepathy to delve in to get me back out there and finding the true culprit because they still have to be down here to be framing me."
"Alas," replied the Marine, "it's not that easy. Sure, I could pull the truth out, but the problem is that there are people that believe they are innocent, and actually rooting through one's memories is an incredibly uncomfortable experience for my people on non-telepaths. Like someone trying to drill your eyes out. My mother was nasty for it," he said, remembering his own childhood and his untrusting mother. "I want you to tell me your side of the story. From what I understand the only evidence is a locker code used."
Theo shrugged. He was sure there were ways and means but he was not going to argue"Yes and the fact I do seem to be on any of the camera footage that had been discovered." The man was no more privileged to the information than that to his own case. "That is all I know." He shrugged.
"As a security Officer one would imagine you had inspected weapons cases, much without a need to be offering explanation. Seems rather flimsy to me," replied the pilot. "That doesn't sit right with me, I've done combat missions that were called off with more serious evidence than that. You learn the hard way if you put warheads on foreheads and it turns out you're wrong, that things are going to be a lot worse." He drummed on his leg and shook his head. "Nope, something else is wrong," he added, before offering a smile. "Not going to lie Lieutenant, I was hoping this wouldn't add layers of mystery that have me interested. But it did, and I am." Standing from the couch, the Marine gave another look about the quarters and then back to the Lieutenant. "My comm is tied into Haumea for the time being, though I will be in and out of meetings all day but if you need my, I will be available for you, though it may involve landing a fighter in your front yard there to get there quickly." He extended a hand to the man and smiled again. "Deal?"
Theodore had used to inspect weekly on the Io but the colony meant he did fewer inspections but relied on others to do them and report to him. It was hard to change his routine but he had been attempting, this whole drama was throwing him. Maybe it was how someone was being able to frame him. "I appreciate the sentiment of the deal but I believe I will be fine," Theodore said taking the offered hand and shook it.
"If you change your mind Lieutenant," replied Shaun stepping for the door, "I'm around for a few more days. Should you need anything, I'm only a short ring away." With a polite nod, the Colonel stepped out of the quarters and carried on about his planned morning.
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