Posted by Captain John Tiberius Glen (Captain) in Main Sim - Starfleet Academy - Red Squad’s Surprise Inspection
[snip]

Red Squad Cadets scrambled to get to their assigned lockers, one who eventually stood by the one with Bradbury’s wife looked particularly nervous and already beads of sweat were just beginning to hint on his forehead. Eventually though silence fell across the room of the 50 odd cadets as they finished their hurried line up.

Cross did not move while scrutinizing closely and thoroughly every face, every posture. The doctor wondered where their instructor was, Where’s the darn counsellor when you need one!.

The female doctor hoped that the Captain and CoS would keep the charade of absurd pretence intended to create intimidation and respectable appearance. After all there was too many of them and just three of themselves.

Once all the cadets had arrived, Glen came forward from behind Nkosenye. The cadets were out of full uniform and the locker room was small, but Glen thought he might question a few during his review. By questioning several, it would also allow him to especially question one, without appearing to be particularly interested in any single individual.

“Good morning Red Squad!” Captain Glen announced. “I have been given the great honour by Rear Admiral Bradbury to inspect you today, and to see the future of Starfleet for myself.”

He walked forward again to the start of the line, allowing Nkosenye room to come to his side.

“Are you graduating this year, cadet? ....Where you going to next?” Glen asked the first cadet he came to.

”..Yes sir I am, my current assignment after the Academy is unknown currently.” He replied.

“Are you an Upper Classman? …Where is home?” Glen asked a second cadet.

”..No sir I’m a junior in Red Squad, my home is Mars Demios Colony..” He asked.

“We found several shooters of hard liquor in your locker, cadet,” Glen told a third. “Do you have a drink problem?”

”..No sir!” The cadet replied simply.

“Ah! The cadet who likes to keep time,” Glen told the cadet with the watch, “Looking at the contents of your locker, it must be party time?”

”..I don’t know sir!” this one replied.

Glen moved along the line, doing the same with each until he reached the one with Bradbury’s wife’s photo.

Kord entered the room after the last cadet had arrived. He took a place standing beside the door in much the same way he stood to the right of the command chair on the bridge.

Glen noticed Kord arrive. His position would block the exit should any cadet try to do a runner. Glen was clearly enjoying this inspection and hoped that the others were too.

When he reached the cadet in who’s locker they had found the photograph, he had expected that the cadet might have been unaware. After all, it could have easily been planted there by someone else, to incriminate him, and to leave a false trail. However, from the reaction of the cadets, he had to assume that their inspection had remained a total surprise, and the beads of sweat on the forehead of this cadet spoke volumes about his culpability.

“Your locker contained some interesting materials, cadet!” Glen told him, “We are going to have a little chat about those once the others are dismissed.”

Glen thought he was about done with this charade, fun though it had been, it was also a little cruel. The cadets had now been standing to attention for quite some time. He didn’t know if his officers had more to say, so he gave way to them to ask their own questions, or for Nkosenye to formally dismiss the cadets as he saw fit. He thought they would keep the photographer behind to question further in private.

Cross with arms crossed over her chest while casually leaning against the wall was more interested in the men who worked on the Merrimack, first Nkoseyne who bellowed at the cadets to enforce obedience. Kord blocking the doorway which she knew well what would happen if someone dared to make a run for it and last but not least the Captain whom she had never seen him behave with such authority, especially because of his commanding manner and one’s recognized knowledge about something.

Nkosenye took the cue from the Captain and made a most obvious movement of looking around the room. “Well? Get this place cleaned up! You are potential officers in Star Fleet! If this is how you think your quarters will be kept on s star ship, you are quite mistaken. No move! Get your kits squared away and then fall out to clean the grounds!” he barked at the assembled students, but then took up position next to the one whose picture had now become a focal point.

At the command the cadets moved to clean up in straight order.

Glen looked across the room to Kord, standing to the right of the door. Glen wanted to be certain that all the other cadets had left before they spoke with this one. They didn’t want anyone to overhear.

Kord let the cadets pass without incident. It was apparent that Kord understood that Glen wanted privacy with the one he was standing in front of.

Glen looked at the locker door for the cadet’s name.

“Cadet Jameson!” said Glen. “We noticed your keen interest in photography. Does the phrase, ‘To the real man who puts the fire in my bed,’ mean anything to you?”

As the Cadets filed out Jameson turned at his speaking looking pale at the words, “..I um....yes sir.” He said.

The big Zulu Security Chief didn’t say a word. He simply kicked a chair out from under one of the center tables so that it spun towards the Cadet and pointed for him to sit. The look on his face was one that said not doing so could possibly result in the Cadet being in an even worse situation than he was in at that particular moment.

Making an audible gulp the before sitting down.

And Cross from where she stood kept silent simply looking on as if all this was a stage rehearsal, wondering what skeletons were about to fall from the closet.

“As a general rule, first Impressions are everything,” Glen mused as he turned and walked towards the chair.

“When I walk into a barrack room,” said Glen, “I get an immediate first impression. Do you know what the impression I got in here might be, Cadet Jameson?”

”..Uh that we were messy?” He said nervously.

“Actually… No,” replied Glen. “Cleanliness is the least of my concerns. If I were to run a white gloved hand over the top of this locker, then I’m sure it would still be brilliant white… inside your locker is another world though. You have a PADD just thrown in there. A PADD containing some highly incriminating information that could possibly break families and end careers. No, my impressions are of your total lack of security, but also a complete lack of camaraderie… you know, that kind of brotherhood that I remember from my own Academy days? I’m wondering why that might be so? Keeping secrets and hiding behind lies… they both eat away at what is good in your soul like a tumour. So… my Security Chief will now ask you some questions and I need you to be completely open and honest in your replies. Is that clear?”

Glen, CO

Nkosenye simply stared at the young Cadet while he waited for him to acknowledge what Glenn said.

Nkosenye, CoS