STF

Counselor's Office - Can You Read the Unreadable?

Posted Feb. 25, 2021, 11:13 p.m. by Lieutenant Casela Synthi-er (Counsellor / RTF) (Jennifer Ward)

Posted by Chief Warrant Officer Kodek Vonn (RTF Commander) in Counselor’s Office - Can You Read the Unreadable?

Posted by Lieutenant Casela Synthi-er (Counsellor / RTF) in Counselor’s Office - Can You Read the Unreadable?

Posted by Chief Warrant Officer Kodek Vonn (RTF Commander) in Counselor’s Office - Can You Read the Unreadable?
Posted by… suppressed (10) by the Post Ghost! 👻
The Breen RTF Commander walked up to the Counseling suite door and the chime dinged. Vonn stood motionless, the helmet fixed forward on the closed door. Two crew walked past and stared as they slowed down to get a good look at the new arrival, but if the Breen was aware of the staring, they gave no indication.

Vonn, RTF Commander

It was several minutes before the chime was answered. When it was Casela stood just past the door way as another officer left her office, having to wait for Vonn to step back in order for the man to vacate her office. “Chief Warrant Officer Vonn.” Casela turned and walked back to her desk and took a seat allowing him to enter or stand in the door way, his choice. “Normally I would offer you a drink, but I doubt you would accept it. Have seat or stand as is your preference.” Her office was birghtly lit, unadorned except for her degrees and credentials: a requirement of regulations. Her desk and then a few chairs and a couch to sit on.
Lt Synthi-er, CNS

Vonn entered and stood motionless for a moment and then took a seat, slowly easing themself down into the chair. Placing their hands on the top of their thighs, Vonn sat straight-backed; the helmet facing directly towards the Counselor. “I am required to report to you for clearance to begin my duties.” came the roboticized voice. No tone, no inflection. It was as if someone was typing responses into an very old voice-synthesizer.

Vonn, RTF Commander

Casela nodded, “Yes you are. To ensure you are mentally fit for duty. Let’s get the most important one out of the way. People are going to hate you, they are going to refuse to follow your orders, and they will attempt to make your life difficult. You can’t kill them, you maybe have the means and skills, but you aren’t allowed. And corporal punishment is against Star Fleet regulations. How are you going to handle that?”
Lt Synthi-er, CNS

No movement, just voice. “I fail to see how this is applicable to my mental state. I will answer as directed, however. If people hate me because of what I am, then they are the issue. I have always been told that the Federation abhors such primitive ideas as racism. I see now that that is not the case. If someone refuses to follow my orders, they will be removed from my team permanently after one such breach of protocol. If their failure to follow directions is during an operation, and such failure jeopardizes the safety of the team , I will eliminate the threat. Small minded people attempting to provoke a reaction by making unnecessary difficulties are of no concern to me unless such actions jeopardizes the mission. Does that suffice as an answer, Lieutenant?”

Vonn, RTF Commander

“Chief I’m not going to lie to you and tell you that the Federation lives up to it’s ideals. Beyond the standard veneer of upright actions coupled with lofty ideals is a deep and wide chasm of the rot that permeates all cultures in one way or another. The problem for you Chief is that the RTF is a team of highly skilled individuals who’s flexibility is by necessity. Someone disobeying your orders could very well save the lives of yourself and the team because we’re not ever dealing with the predictable. You wonder how this is applicable? Well lets start with the idea that you are under the opinion that by nature of your position your word is absolute law shall we? I’m here to assess your mental state yes but I’m also here to check on how you’re going to handle being the boots on the ground with an enemy you have no experience with, and will never learn as they are ever changing. How much do you know about the Anomalies? We have some that are apocalyptically dangerous and others that will simply turn anything you eat into oatmeal. There are no battle plans, there are no set protocols. Your team needs leadership, but they need to be trusted for they each bring something valuable to the table. I am not doubting your zeal and desire affect change Chief, I’m trying to make sure you’re really up to the task.”
Lt Synthi-er, CNS

The helmet did not move, nor the body. “That is not your job, Counselor.” the voice said. “It has already been determined that I am, and by individuals with far more authority than you or I. I have the same clearances you do, so I am educated into the malleable nature of our foes. Indeed, I have hunted some of them previously… and by myself, not with a team. My abilities are not in question, therefore it does not fall to you to render an opinion on them. Your job is to determine if I am psychologically capable of handling the pressures of the role to which I am assigned. A job I find you ill-suited for as you have no basis upon which to make such a determination. Unless I am mistaken, you have no background in Breen psychology… nor do you posses an advanced understanding of Breen culture or social norms. Therefore, this task is administrative at best. I grant that after a time you may perhaps, depending on your talent as a doctor, develop some nuanced understanding of my kind. But until then you are wholly out of your element. So approve me or do not. It makes no difference. I will still be here.”

Vonn, RTF Commander

“Ah but it is my job. Given by those higher and with more authority than you or I. However it is not my place, nor my intention to tell you can’t have the position. What is my job is to ensure that you stay fit for the position. I can not do that without a base line. And as you say I have no degree in Breen psychology nor experience with your culture. So we shall create a base line for you, as an individual. I have no intention of declaring you fit or unfit for duty. With any luck I’ll never need to have you in my office to determine if you are or not. I don’t know you so the questions may appear inane or frivolous, but they are not. So you tell me Chief Warrant Officer, what should I know about you so should I need to make that determination in future, I make the correct one?” She’d already made up her mind. Akirel Ross might scare her, but he was no fool, and based on their brief interaction, she had no current objections. She’d learned to use the behavior of others to make determinations. Did she trust Ros or Vonn, not one bit. Time and experience would tell her that. Was he stable enough for his job, probably. And as he said those above their pay grade had made the determination. She simply needed to be able to tell if he was no longer fit if something happened. She’d learn soon enough if he was worthy of taking orders from.
Lt Synthi-er, CNS

“You should know I am not stupid. Nor am I some mindless machine bent on violence. Nor am I to be trifled with. Your file expresses a disdain for protocol and rank structure… yet you enforce it with me. Why is that?” the synthetic voice asked.

Vonn, RTF Commander

Hmmm she liked him, or her, or it, she didn’t know. No ONE had bothered to ask her that except Remington. Some had thought it but none were brave enough to ask it. “That Chief is a very good question. To say I have a disdain is maybe to strong a word, in actuality. I have no desire to stand on rank. I prefer to judge someone on their ability to do their job. In this particular situation, the use of rank juxtaposed to what my files says, allows me to see how your mind works and how prepared you are. There are other reasons for it, but you aren’t cleared to know why, just like I don’t get to see your file. Now tell how I would know if you need to be removed from duty? You know yourself best. And I don’t want a ‘if I’m not fit I’ll know it and take care of it’ answer. I’m talking about, you aren’t able to take care of it yourself. Perhaps it is strange for you to consider telling someone such a thing, I know it was for me. However consider it, what you know about what we do here. If you don’t have an answer you can tell me another time.”
Lt Synthi-er, CNS

The Breen didn’t speak for a long time. Whether or not they were thinking was unknown, but nothing indicated anything.

And then Vonn spoke.

“I would assume, having studied the nature of the targets we are pursuing and the chaotic natures of those already on the RTF… if I am not fit I will probably be killed by one or both of those factors.”

Vonn, RTF Commander

Casela nodded conceding the point. “Hopefully it doesn’t come to that. Now as long as you don’t needlessly put lives in dangers, please not the ‘needlessly’ I don’t see where there will be any concerns from me. Speaking of which, I am your AARM KAI9 handler. So when you are ready I will come by and program you as a secondary handler for him. It only takes a few moments. That does pose a question, what type of bio security protocols do you want to use, so I can me sure he is equipped with the correct readers. Palm scan, voice, iris, dna?”
Lt Synthi-er, CNS

The Breen replied “None of those options are feasible. It will be an encoded sub-frequency transponder with a modulating crypto-algorithm. I will program it to an isolinear chip for upload to the asset.”

Vonn, RTF Commander

“I’ll make sure he has the appropriate equipment added. Now unless you as RCO have something for me as RTF, you’re cleared for duty as far as I’m concerned.” That was easy, maybe too easy, but only time would tell.
Lt Synthi-er, CNS.


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