Nothing Good Happens In The Brig

Posted on Tue Mar 30th, 2021 @ 4:15pm by Lieutenant Kurt Bishop & Gunnery Sergeant Philibert "Fender" McCord

Mission: S2:3: Snow Drift
Location: Brig, Canopus Station
Timeline: current

Entering the brig always gave Gunnery Sergeant Fender McCord a "pit of your stomach" feeling. In his long career, he had spent too much time in brigs. Fender had broken nearly every Starfleet regulation that wouldn't get him thrown out of the marines. At least this time he was there to pull marines out rather than getting pulled in himself. It was an odd change of roles for Fender. He now understood the uncomfortable position his former NCOs and officers were in when they bailed him out.

At the desk was a young, attractive, female petty officer. "Hello Chief." Fender gave the young woman a friendly smile.

"Hello, Gunnery Sergeant. How can we help you?" She replied in a friendly tone.

"Some of my marines seem to have gotten themselves in trouble and I would like to have them released into my custody." Fender informed her. "Here," Fender displayed a PaDD, "Is a list of the offenders."

The security officer looked over the PaDD. "Yes, we have them in custody. I can't release them. I'll inform Lieutenant Bishop that you're here."

"Lieutenant Bishop? He sounds like a stiff. I'd rather work this out with you. You come across as a competent officer." Fender smiled at the woman.

"Thank you, Gunny." Her face blushed. "Regulations do state that a senior officer must sign off on the release."

"Why? Starfleet has way to many regulations, many of them don't make any sense or are overly formal." Fender told her.

"Regulations are why Starfleet works, Gunnery Sergeant." Bishop interrupted. "Thank you, Petty Officer Mapleton. I'll take this from here."

Fender took note of Bishop's collar pips. "You must be Lieutenant Bishop? Good, I'll take the marines into my custody and they'll no longer be your problem."

"To be frank, Gunnery Sergeant, I'm reluctant to turn them back over to you. The lack of discipline in the marine detachment is what made them our problem. So if I turn them over to you, why should I believe they will no longer become our problem again?" Bishop asked.

Fender was a bit dumb struck. "I'm sorry. What did we do to piss you off?"

"Your attitude towards regulations and discipline offend me. We are expected to behave like the professionals that we are. We are only as strong as our weakest link. And the marine detachment, because of the sloppiness of their work and poor attitude, are Canopus Station's weakest link." Bishop lectured Fender.

Fender was resisting the urge to punch Bishop. "Are you joking? These marines just rotated out from guarding Camp Sunshine. You know, the penal slash plague colony? Always working in a armored vacuum suit on an oven planet. That's a hard tour down there. They were just blowing off some steam."

"Remind me, Gunner Sergeant, what regulation states that disorderly conduct is permissive if they are coming off a hard tour?" Bishop asked.

"Yeah, it doesn't." Fender's lips curled in a sneer. "It's what normal people do to release tension. Like having a little too much to drink. I'm not sure what point your trying to make lieutenant. I've read the blotter, the charges look mild. No one broke anything, no one threw a punch, no one got hurt. The worst charge is is disorderly conduct. Not exactly penal colony material."

"Nothing happened because the patrol prevented the situation from escalating." Bishop interjected. "The marines where out of control. It is a reflection of poor leadership, your leadership. Go back to your commanding officer and tell him he can take his marines into custody. Not his lackey."

"She has has a name, Major Skobelova. And she can't because she is away on a mission. You know, a mission. The things real Starfleet officers do, not desk jockeys." Fender replied in frustration. Fender couldn't believe that this guy both got him this angry and made him defend Skobelova.

Bishop made a mistake by not looking over Skobelova's file first. For some reason, Bishop thought she was a male. At this point he wasn't making any progress with this rock head marine. Bishop decided he had had enough with the marine NCO's presence.

"Alright I'll turn the marines over to you. But until Major Skobelova turns in a list of corrective actions she will take to ensure this doesn't happen again, the Medina is off limits to all marines." Bishop instructed Fender.

"I don't think you're authorized to do that, Lieutenant." Fender replied.

"As acting head of security, I most certainly can and that is what is happening. Discipline at this station has become too lax among certain departments. Out here we are not only the face of Starfleet, but also of the Federation. Remember that, Gunnery Sergeant." Bishop advised Fender.

Fender clenched his fists as there was one face in Starfleet that he wanted to rearrange. "I'll inform Major Skobelova. I'm sure she'll get back to you when she finds the time, Lieutenant."

"Do that, Gunnery Sergeant. Also, inform the Major that I'll be sending patrols into what your department calls 'Marine Country'. You marines get it into your heads that you have special privileges. You don't." Bishop curtly told Fender.

Fender was wondering if this guy was actually trying to start a fight. If so, he was doing a good job. "Lieutenant, I'll take the marines and go."