Skipping Watch

Posted on Mon Oct 17th, 2011 @ 5:29pm by Provisional Lieutenant Commander Narayn Ballard & Lieutenant JG Dylan Tyler & Ensign Donald Bertram
Edited on on Mon Oct 17th, 2011 @ 6:11pm

Mission: Kingdom Come
Location: Security Offices - USS Endeavour, Planetside - Nevarra

Dylan was thankful that he had gotten through the dinner, if not just barely. Fortunately, the King was good humored. Dylan technically did not have to be on duty until the next shift, but he decided to see how his staff had been doing, particularly his newly appointed Assistant Chief Tactical Officer. Dylan had felt unsure about the decision to make Ensign Donald Betram to be his assistant. However, of all the available personnel that had transferred aboard at the same time he did, he was the only one qualified. Best to give him the benefit of the doubt, and hopefully his experience as the Assistant Tactical Officer on board the Endeavor will be slightly less of a headache than Dylan's was.

Dylan came into his office and found several reports, this was to be expected after all, Dylan had asked that several phaser arrays and tactical systems to have a diagnostic done on them. However, one report came back with a complaint from one of his crew man. Dylan read the transmission that simply stated that the crewman wanted a moment with him regarding an "issue". Dylan found that the crewman was on shift and called him to his office.

The crewman came in and Dylan gestured to the seat across from him. "What seems to be the problem, Crewman Cole," Dylan asked waiting for undoubtedly a problem with his own personal commands. Dylan had been quite hard on the tactical crew trying to get everything in running order, though Dylan stood by his orders by doing as much, if not more, than his own crew.

"Lieutenant, I do apologize, I hate to bother you with this but it is a slight personnel matter that I have brought to Ensign Bertram but he said that it was not his call. The other security officer I work with, Crewman Taylor is continuously late for his shift and to be honest sir, when you are one of two officers posted to guard Engineering when there are guests aboard...may I speak freely, sir?" The crewman seemed rather embarrassed and was even blushing.

"By all means," Dylan said leaning back in his chair, relaxing a bit knowing that at least the complaint wasn't against him.

"Sir, I waited for three hours for him to come on shift and by hour two, I needed use the restroom," the crewman, once it was said, stopped his blushing. Dylan nodded, trying to hide the smirk and doing rather well. It was a serious offense, though the crewman's method of sharing his concerns was quite humorous.

"Did you contact Ensign Betram and inform him?" Dylan asked him.

"I did after the third hour he finally arrived. This has happened three times in the last week, sir and each time it takes Ensign Betram contacting him to get him to his post," the crewman said.

"Thank you for bringing it to my attention. I will speak to the other crewman and it will be resolved. Is he on with you tonight?" Dylan asked.

"No sir, I was able to exchange shifts with another crewman during the beta shift and that is why I am working the Charlie shift," Dylan wondered if some fenagling had occurred in order for that to happen.

"I will handle it, crewman, thank you," Dylan said as he dismissed the crewman.

Dylan went through the reports to see if perhaps Ensign Bertram had already put him on report. IF he had, then Dylan would be giving harsher punishments. However, Ensign Betram had not put the crewman on report. There was a report from the ensign stating he wanted to speak to Dylan about the crewman's complaint. Dylan looked at it again and recalled Crewman Cole's complaint.

"Lieutenant Tyler to Ensign Betram, please report to the Chief Tactical Office," Dylan was greatly concerned that his assistant, who has the ability to put someone on report, had not taken the initiative to do so. Dylan wondered what other matters the Ensign needed to discuss with Dylan so they could be handled. Hopefully it would not put them behind. Dylan went to the replicator, "Coffee, black, 90 degrees," Dylan watched the steaming cup materialize and he went behind his desk to wait for his XO.

It took Donald Bertram exactly two minutes and two seconds to appear in the doorframe of Dylan's office. He strode in with respectful care, stopped half a pace into the office. "Sir," Donald announced himself. With an attempt at a casual gesture, Bertram straightened out his uniform jacket. He attempted to stay collected under his superior's gaze, but simply lacked the routine. "Ensign Bertram reporting for duty."

"At ease, Ensign," Dylan said as he looked over another data pad of reports. "I see you've done quite a bit of work while I was on planet side. Even got the torpedo tubes prepped for emergency launch. Well done," Dylan said. Dylan had been told that when he was about to rip a crewman for something he should try to start with something positive. This will have been the first time he has done that. Of course, since taking command of Tactical, this will be the first time that he will have to deal with one of his crew in a disciplinary action.

"Ensign, were there any notable incidents while I was away?" Dylan asked in a matter of fact tone.

Bertram's eyes wandered over Dylan's face as the Ensign raised an eyebrow at the question, lending the compliment little more than a brief smile. "Notable, sir, perhaps. Unusual, not so much. The usual murmurings, I suppose, unpopular shifts and the like. Apart from that, no disturbances at all." He cleared his throat, the look on his face unchanged. "Unless there is a specific minutia you wish me to address, sir."

"Have you had any issues arise between a couple of crewman? Taylor and Jones in particular?" Dylan kept his eyes on the ensign's face. It was an inquisition, best to keep eye contact during these times.

"I ask because Crewman Cole brought up a group of incidents concerning Crewman Taylor being late for his duty shifts. According to Crewman Cole, he brought these concerns to you as I was on planet side. I was wondering how you addressed the situation with Crewman Taylor," Dylan asked still keeping his eyes on his XO.

"Ah." Bertram leaned forward. "I am aware of that situation, Sir, but it presented itself quite differently to me."

"Truth of the matter is, Sir, Taylor came to me first. He had been working that shift for quite a while before. He wasn't looking all that good, sleep-deprived if you ask me. Surely you will have spoken to him, so you know what I am talking about, Sir." He paused to clear his throat. "Turns out Cole was present only part of the time. When questioned, Cole referred to Taylor's watch reports, which all clearly stated that Cole had been present. I asked Crewman Jones, who worked the previous shift and he told me that Taylor was the one missing. Surveillance didn't yield anything conclusive, and when Cole came to me after the next couple of shifts and told me what he probably told you, I was sceptical, to say the least. Jones didn't show either and was replaced by Crewman Lavell, which I assume may be connected."

Bertram spread his arms and shrugged. "My impression is, Sir, that Cole had been missing out on his watch before we went to high alert, but Taylor covered for him. He had a falling-out with Taylor, Taylor complains, we go on high alert and Cole uses the situation to clear his name and show up for once. I can't account for Taylor not appearing yet, but my honest opinion on this, sir, was that any undirected disciplinary action on account of any single party's statement would be unjustified. Both obviously expect us to take disciplinary action, but the only harmonic way to get out of this... this mess would be to reassign them to different shifts. Cole escalating this supports my thesis, and I suggest to act with respect for the fact that we have three crewmen telling us three different stories, Sir."

"Agreed." Dylan replied. "Leave it with me and I'll look into it."

[OFF]