Command Debrief

Posted on Sat Jan 19th, 2019 @ 2:19am by Captain Enalia Telvan & Lieutenant Alex Sexton

Mission: Section 31-B
Location: USS Hera, Deck 5, Conference Room 9
Timeline: 2396

Alex stood stoically looking out the window of the senior briefing room. With his pad in hand, after action report ready for the Captain. He knew they were going to roast him, but he didn't care. The loss of his team weighed heavily upon him.

The report read as follows;

After action report:
Lt Jg Alex Sexton
Security Investigator
USS Hera

Our mission was to provide security for an information gathering / demolition of an outpost. With limited gravity and five security operatives including myself, we deployed via shuttle to the secret outpost.

Upon opening the hatch, he were set upon by what can only be described as monsters with shark like mouths and teeth floating through an atmosphere. With no gravity. We began by clearing the area immediately around the shuttle.

We accomplished this by phaser fire. And we're doing a great job up until we entered the corridor just outside the shuttle bay doors, where Asec Smith was attacked by a single deformed monster shark thing and was dispatched. We killed the shark thing but Smith had expired. We got over the shock and carried on down the corridor, were the teams split. Our mission was to find the over ride for the self destruct, set it and get out whilst providing security for Dox who was tasked with setting the over ride.

We accomplished this a great loss of life to the security team. Having lost Johnson, Smith and Reynolds in the process, after losing Jones,This was a very costly mission.

At the very end, I made a judgement call that can only be characterised as an act of extreme compassion for my fellow man.. Seeing and realising that Smith and Reynolds had compromised themselves in the line of duty, and knowing there was no possible way to save them, As the team leader, I did what I'd hope someone would do for me in the same circumstances. I Relieved them of suffering by terminating their life signs.

Signed:
Alex Sexton
Security Investigator
USS Hera

Just then, the door opened and Captain Telvan arrived.

Sitting at her customary seat at the head of the table, she set aside her mug of coffee and PaDD, bringing up the data analysis of the surviving members' suit sensors. Since the MACO EV suits had full tricorder suites and HUDs built in, there were many questions she had to ask and none of the answers were going to be easy. "Computer, begin full recording mode."

"Lieutenant Alex Sexton..." Began the spotted Captain. "If you would please be seated, we can begin."

Alex took his seat. He waited as he knew he would be given a chance to speak.

"First off, I have to know why you and your people had their heads up displays disabled. The MACO EVA suits are designed with enhanced functionality and full tricorder capabilities so not using them to monitor the status of your teammates, for fire control, target acquisition, mission planning..." Looking up at the man, Enalia waited for that answer first.

“For me Captain, it was simple personal preference. I’m old school. I believe what I see in front of me. The suits were new and in order to use every aspect of the suit, I thought we needed more training. In hindsight had I known what I know now it would have been a different story,“ replied the usually upbeat Investigator.

The morose Trill nodded solemnly as she cycled through the data before her. "This mission was very traumatic and stressful. I will not deny that. However, if you had that data up, you would have seen that your two men were panicking when their suits had not yet been breached. On a ship like this where missions like this will happen, that shows a severe lack of training and discipline across potentially the entire department. While they were panicking, your suit's sensors showed that you shot each of them while their suit's structural integrity was just below eighty percent with a... chemically propelled firearm? What are your comments on this?"

“Captain, May I be frank with you?” He asked still trying to hold back tears as he knew this was coming.

Enalia motioned for him to proceed. "That's why we're doing this. Speak your mind freely."

“I’ve been in combat before. There is no machine that can tell you what a human being in combat is going to do, over experience. Under the circumstances Smith and Reynolds bless their souls did what we asked them to do in the face of certain danger. Had we done anything different, the outcome would have in my professional opinion been ten times worse than it is. My actions were that of a compassionate leader, not wanting my men to suffer. But I take full responsibility for the loss of my team. And more importantly I don’t regret any action that I undertook on this mission. Even on one occasion trying to put myself out front and was challenged by Johnson. Any one man on his own would have perished. Listening to him was good leadership. As I was trained. And yes Captain, if I had to. I’d do the same again and would hope that someone would deprive my enemy of the joy of victory by taking me out if the same situation arrived.“ Said Alex tears now visible on his face through a cracking voice.

"Unfortunately, normal combat and the combat the members of this crew tend to face is a wide margin. We're not fighting Cardassians or Klingons. We're fighting demons, monsters, gods... You've seen only a taste of the things we've been sent to exterminate for the Federation." Enalia was cold and emotionless as she spoke. She'd lost a lot of people over the years and she mourned for them in her own way, but right now was not the time or the place to do so. "Six lives lost. I can't say I've never lost more. I have several times. However the lack of training, teamwork, and discipline... What do you propose the solution is?"

“By your own admission Captain. I’m not qualified to make that call. But I will tell you this for free. The men who trained me would understand what I did. The men who trained me in some cases have had to do the same. I’ve studied War for a long time. Snipers in Vietnam would shoot a GI in the open. He would fall. And that same sniper would continue to shoot him until they died or until one of his comrades put him out of his misery. In Japan on Okinawa. Marines became delirious and would scream out at night. On many occasion a buddy would have to permanently silence a sick comrade to avoid giving away their position and getting more men killed. No I don’t regret my actions. I only wish they were understood form a combat soldiers point of view.” He said as he straightened himself up and regained the pride he had lost over the last 24 hours.

Hearing all that - war tactics from a barbaric twentieth century Earth rather than the modern tactics used in at least the Dominion war or the more recent wars with the Klingons or Romulans or even the Cardassian Border Wars... Perhaps the Vulcans were right about some of the Humans, at least. Either way, Enalia's decision was made for her. "You're right. You're not qualified to make that decision. Based on what I've heard, you're also not qualified to be a Starfleet officer. You failed to use the tools provided to accomplish the stated mission, you risked and lost lives needlessly, and you disrespected your commanding officer while doing so. Effective immediately, you are stripped of rank and confined to quarters pending a hearing. Your case will be forwarded to Command and you will be afforded all opportunities to defend yourself. However, your career aboard this ship is more than likely over. Do you have any closing statements?"

Alex just laughed. “What can I say to that? Thank you? Or may I be dismissed?” Replied Alex

"You are. Security, please escort Mister Sexton to his quarters." As the two female Amazonian security guards she had stationed just outside the conference room entered and escorted Alex out, Enalia closed down the files she had open and leaned back in her chair. She had more reports to file and letters to write. She also had to ensure the entire crew were actually trained. In the end, the failings were hers and she couldn't help but wonder what she could have done to prevent this loss of life.