Sign The Permission Slip

Posted on Wed Oct 19th, 2022 @ 12:26pm by Lieutenant Commander Finnley Keating VII & Commander N'Garzi Zora & Lieutenant Xavier Leiko

Mission: Character Development
Location: Zora's Office
Timeline: MD02 [Right after Promotions, Rum, and Eggs]
1174 words - 2.3 OF Standard Post Measure

"Uhm, Commander? I hope you don't mind the interruption, but we have urgent news. Benedict is hatching. We need to take a shuttle to the nearest group of pilgrims so that he can hatch and join their herd. We've already hooked him up to portable power and have transported him to the shuttle. We just wanted to stop by to get your formal approval and we'll be on our way," Finn spat out the words at almost lightning speed. There was no time to waste, they needed to get Benny to safety!

Zora stood up from her desk. She hadn't expected this level of urgency and information from the two senior officers and standing made her feel almost on their level, even if she had only caught a few words of Finn's ramblings. "You want a shuttle for Benedict, the egg?" She didn't try to hide her confusion.

"That's right Ma'am," Xavier said, slightly calmer but still with a panicked edge to his voice. "He's hatching and we have to get him off of the ship. We figured a shuttle would be the best way, we can catch up with the ship in a few days."

"Is that so?" Zora said, also with an edge to her voice but on a different scale. "And you believe it's a good idea for two senior officers to be missing during an important mission Commander?" She directed the question to Finn.

"We're his parents!" Finn blurted out. "I mean, we're like his surrogate parents, Commander. We know him better than anyone else and we know what he needs. We need to be there. So, yes. I recognize that it's not a convenient time, but I've been working overtime to make sure my department is prepared for anything. I know they'll be able to handle anything that is thrown at them while we're gone for a day or two."

"Mine too," Xavier said, "you'll barely notice that we are gone."

Zora turned from the Betazoid to the human, expecting one of them to break into a grin and declare the whole conversation a joke. However, she was starting to realise that the punchline wasn't coming. "And which part of your side mission would you consider light duty?" She asked, her eyes lingering on Finn's once again.

"Who said anything about light duty? I've been working overtime here as it is. Besides, he's my responsibility! I have to be there Commander. We're the only two that know him well enough to hatch him and he needs to be with his own kind while it happens," Finn pleaded. Her heart ached as time slipped by. Every moment counted and she only hoped her petition was enough to sway Zora in their direction.

Keating's flippant attitude was enough to send Zora over the edge. What is it about this crew that like to push me to my limits? She thought as she rubbed her temples. "I believe I did, Lieutenant Commander," she growled, standing straight to exaggerate her height. "I told you to take it easy for a few days, and then you come to me with this... this ridiculous request and act surprised when I say no? And you..." she turned to face the Betazoid, who at least had the grace to be turning red in the cheeks, "you should know better Lieutenant, you call yourself a friend?"

Xavier hung his head, the Commander was right. As much as he wanted to do right by Benny, his first priority had to be with Finn, wasn't that the reason he had gone to her quarters tonight in the first place? "I'm sorry Ma'am," he mumbled.

"It's too late for apologies," Zora continued. "Request denied."

"What?" Finn's eyes were wide with shock and she almost doubled over as if a dagger had been thrust into her gut. "What do you mean request denied? How else are we going to make sure Benny hatches correctly? And safely? Who the hell is going to take care of him? It has to be us, we're the only two that know him well enough, Commander." Finn continued to make her case.

"Watch it, Commander," Zora said, struggling to maintain her usual zen exposition, "I can very easily take that pip off your collar. Apart from the fact that I have already explained my position on the matter, you both have clearly been drinking and would probably be more harm to the Pilgrim than good." She wanted to say to hell with the creature, throw it out of the airlock and be done with it, but that wasn't the most Starfleet answer, besides, it wasn't the space cow's fault he had idiots for parents.

"I know this means a lot to you both but my answer stands, and I know the Captain would agree," Zora continued. "However, you both have skilled teams, I will allow representatives to take a shuttle and do the job, we need you here. That's my final word," she added before Finn could interrupt again.

"That might not be the worst idea," Xavier said, seeing they weren't going to win this argument.

Finn was noticeably redder than normal and she felt a fire running through her veins. It felt as though nothing could hold back the anger she felt in not getting to see Benny through to joining his family. She'd left behind Silnan and now she was being forced to abandon Benny too and she didn't like it. Not at all. But, it was clear that the Commander wasn't changing her mind.

Knowing it would do no good to continue to lash out at a superior officer, Finn took a deep breath and mustered every ounce of control she had left. "Understood, Commander. We'll assign representatives to complete the task. If there's nothing else, I'd like to return to my quarters." She said through gritted teeth. She had lost the battle, but it wouldn't be forgotten. Finn neatly filed the incident in her mind, adding to the pile of reasons pointing to the idea that perhaps Starfleet wasn't the right place for her anymore.

"Good, you're both dismissed," Zora said, relieved that this was the end of the matter.

Xavier gave the Commander an apologetic nod and also skipped after Finn who had left the second the words had escaped Zora's lips. He had never seen her like this before and he knew that more than ever she needed a friend, if she knew it or not.

Zora watched the pair leave, and as the door swooshed close she shook her head. She felt a great deal of pity for the chief engineer, going through what she had, had to be hard. The El-Aurian wanted nothing more than to help her, but the healing had to start with Finn, something Zora knew wouldn't be happening anytime soon. With a heavy sigh, she made a note to speak to the Captain and Counsellor about Commander Keating in the morning.