Surefoot 82: Persona Non Grata

That wouldn't do for you, Captain, would it? That wouldn't do at all. What, stuck here, at this little outpost of mine, and under my command too, a constant reminder of one of your more prominent failures? How could you salvage the situation?"

He took a step forward, his voice lowering. "Well, for starters you can accentuate the publicity of the court martial. You can order public broadcasts and give interviews. You can get your Strongarm Lt Nizig to parade Beaudine through a public area like some prize. You can secretly order my Station Security Chief to spy on me, to find evidence to use against me... imagine getting a second shot at the Beast, as well as crucifying Beaudine.

And you can contrive to assign an inexperienced officer like Sasha as the Defence Counsel, someone less likely to win the case, because a win for Beaudine, no matter the justification, wouldn't be popular in your eyes... not to mention having the petty satisfaction in making my daughter squirm.

Or so you thought would happen, because you didn't reckon on Sasha having a hundred times your strength and integrity... and a massive set of balls, to boot." He paused and asked, "Did you order Nizig to breach data security protocols and access her medical records, to find something to use against her?"

She offered him a look of bare indignation. "What? How dare you ask me that?"

"I dare very well, Captain," he countered, his voice a low growl now, "I'm very good at it. So... did you know?"

"I don't have to answer that, Hrelle."

He bared his teeth, his eyes narrowing. "You just did." He raised his paw, pointing a finger with an extended claw at her. "Were you aware of the contents of the classified data on the Kalandra VII operation before it was revealed by Sasha?"

Louvois bristled. "How could I know? I don't possess the required level of security to view it!"

He lowered his paw again, pacing now around his office. "No, but as Chief Judge you would have had the authority to request that a Flag Officer with sufficient Security clearance view it, in order to determine if it would have a bearing on the case, and if it did - as it certainly did with Beaudine - you could have made a summary judgement before the court martial even began.

But that wouldn't have suited you: a low-profile ending, and one that would have generated ill feeling despite the obvious evidence that he wasn't responsible for his actions."

"I deny having such information beforehand, Hrelle, or making any request to obtain such information!"

He faced her again. "Oh, I see, then you weren't acting in a criminal manner, you just couldn't be bothered to do it? You were just lazy and negligent? Oh, that's so much better.

I really don't care about your reasons, to be honest. I do care that you put a young man, a decent man who had undergone much, through unnecessary suffering."

He took a step forward, teeth bared again, all of his claws extended. "I really, really care about that."

She took a step back, before visibly fortifying her stance, her eyes flaring with righteous anger. "You've made some highly slanderous accusations, Commodore, but you have no proof to back them up, do you?"

"No. Any more than you have proof that I interfered in the court martial. Nor will you ever find any."

She offered him the hint of a cold smile. "Then I guess we're at a stalemate then."

Hrelle stepped back, retracting his claws again. "Not quite, Bubulah. One of the advantages of being me is that along my merry way you get to make a lot of friends as well as enemies.

For instance, did you know that when I commanded the Surefoot during the Battle of Khavak, among the survivors that we rescued from the USS Iberia was a Commander Lydia Bennet, the daughter of Rear Admiral Patrick Bennet?" At her reaction he added, "I see you recognise his name from the top of all those reports you get from JAG Command Office.

Well, while I am normally loathe to call in favours for selfish purposes, in your case I couldn't resist, so I asked Bennet for your immediate transfer to... well, anywhere, really. You could be shipped to the Andromeda Galaxy to set up office among the Kelvans, for all I care.

Funny that, when I asked him to get rid of you, he didn't seem all that surprised. As if it wasn't the first time such a request has come through.

Your staff can stay; your Lt Cmdr Maraud will replace you as Salem One's Chief JAG Officer, as I'm told that he is conscientious and honourable, so clearly you were never an influence on him."

Louvois made a sound. "Well, then, I'm glad I haven't unpacked... and I'll be glad to see the back of this place, and you. Has it been decided where I'm going from here?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact: Deep Space Twelve and then JAG Headquarters on Starbase One."

Something like a smile returned to her. "Really? Starbase One..."

"Yes... but you're not being assigned there now. Apparently my request has been the final proverbial straw, and prompted Bennet to suspend you from active duty pending an investigation into your past casework, looking for irregularities, reasons why you don't play well with others, that sort of thing."

The smile dropped.

He looked past her through the window, catching Salvo's eye and prompting her to approach and enter. "There's a transport ship taking the former Lt Nizig to Deep Space Twelve within the hour, and you'll be accompanying him there, so you'd better get your bags." To Salvo, he added, "Make sure she doesn't get lost or steal souvenirs or anything else."

The colour drained from Louvois' face. "This isn't over, Hrelle. I'm very, very persistent."

He nodded in agreement. "Most irritants are. But if you have any sense, you'll know not to cross my path a third time, because twice was two times too many, and I have precious little patience with irritants.

Dismissed... forever."

*

Beaudine sat amidst the lush green foliage in the station's Arboretum, certain he could identify the bird that was currently chirping like a malfunctioning combadge in one of the larger trees behind him, but the breed eluded him. So he just leaned back against another tree, breathing in the lush scents and touching the fresh moist grassy soil under his fingers, as peace seemed to seep into his body, despite his mind remaining tumultuous. It reminded him so much of the park near his house in Louisiana. That seemed like a hundred lifetimes ago-

"Bill?"

He opened his eyes, hastily helping himself up. "Captain- I mean, Commodore! I'm sorry!"

Hrelle walked along the narrow, snaking path to approach him, smiling. "For what?"

Beaudine stepped onto the path, self-consciously dusting himself off as he faced the Caitian formally. "For- For sitting down and closing my eyes-"

Hrelle's smile widened. "You're off duty, and if you want a place to sit down and close your eyes, this is probably the best place." He closed his own eyes, turning slightly as he breathed in through his snout. "Yes..." When the bird chirped again, he opened his eyes and looked up at the tree. "Betazoid Starwings. Every time I hear them, I feel the need to check my combadge to see if I've spilled sauce on it or something." Now he looked at Beaudine, approaching further and offering his paw. "I'm sorry I haven't had a chance to greet you sooner, but I was ordered to stay away and offer no official help."

The young human accepted the paw, remembering the heat and the carefully-controlled strength behind the grip. "I understand, Sir, Sasha told me everything." More confidentially, he added, "Thank you for your unofficial help."

"I have no idea what you're talking about. What is it with people asking me that? I always mind my own business, never interfere..." Hrelle stepped back and looked around again. "I'm sorry, Bill. I'm sorry about all the terrible things that have happened to you, all the hardships you've faced, the guilt and fear you've carried all this time. I wish- well, I could go on wishing all year long about that for everyone, for all the good it would do."

"Thank you, Sir. I'm... I'm glad I made it through, more or less. So many others didn't. I'm lucky." He tried to sound convincing, if only to himself.

Hrelle began moving slowly along the path, silently inviting Beaudine to accompany him. As they walked together, Helle continued. "From now on, you'll focus on healing: on coming to terms with what you've experienced, what you've faced and learned, about yourself and others. Kami will be your primary Counselor; I know from personal experience how proficient she is at that.There's no rush for you to get back to Active Duty." He paused and clarified, "Assuming you wish to stay in Starfleet. No one would blame you in the slightest if you had second thoughts."

Beaudine breathed out, admitting, "I have had them, Sir. I mean, not because I want to go, but... I can't imagine any commander who'd want me under them."

"Well, then, you're not being very imaginative. I would, for one."

Beaudine let his gaze drop to the path. "That's very nice of you to offer, Sir-"

"Nice? I'm not being nice, I'm being smart! I know all of my Cubs' skills and talents, and I know that any commander would be privileged to have you under them, so I'm just jumping the line!" More soberly he continued, "We also have support groups running here, for those who have looked into the Abyss, feel the guilt clinging to them like a parasite, and need to know that there are others who have their backs."

Hrelle stopped them at one point, turning to the side to indicate a large plaque mounted on a wall unhidden by foliage. Beaudine saw the inscription and the list of names below. "The USS Furyk?"

The Commodore nodded. "A former command of mine, based here. Fifteen years ago, it was attacked by a criminal organisation, I was captured and sold to the Orions. All hands onboard were killed. And so were people on the station, including Sasha's mother."

The Ensign's eyes moved across the names. There were so many. "I'm sorry, Sir."

Hrelle continued to stare. "I spent nearly seven years in slavery, before escaping. When I did escape, though, I was still trapped by the thoughts that I had lost everything. My wife, my ship, my crew, my daughter's childhood. At the time, I felt like my life was over, too.

But my life wasn't over. Only a chapter or two of it."

He faced Beaudine directly, holding out his arms. "Now, all these years later, I command here, and am about to go attend my son's tenth birthday in a Holosuite, in what I am certain will be a raucous, sugar-ridden affair. At my lowest point, I never would have guessed at where my life would end up. That's how it works. You never know what you're going to encounter ten years from now... or ten seconds." He looked past Beaudine and smiled. "Ah! We've been waiting for you! Bill, this is Ensign Peter Boone, your Station Liaison. He'll show you around, get you settled, get you anything you need."

Beaudine turned, seeing a tall, lanky... very attractive blonde-haired man with bright blue eyes and a rugged chin draw up, smile and hold out a hand. "Great to meet you, Bill."

He smiled back and shook the offered hand. "Great to meet you too, Mr Boone."

"'Pete', please."

Hrelle nodded at the two men... scenting the initial attraction between them. "I'll let you two get to know each other better. I'd better go while there's still birthday cake."

Hrelle turned and departed, letting his smile broaden uncontrollably.

THE ADVENTURES OF THE SUREFOOT UNIVERSE WILL CONTINUE