<USS Avalon> Aim For the Throat

"Aim For the Throat


by Commander Javan Sierra and Ensign Mary O'Donnell



Standing outside the door to Chief's office Mary adjusted her holdall strap, 
squared her shoulders and pressed the chime. Try to keep a lid on it, girl.

"Come in! You're just going to stand there and keep ringing anyway, so you 
might as well enter." Javan was busy trying to figure out just how to go about 
his crisis with Elissabeth Marksbury. Her searching around was threatening his 
secret and concealment. Those two things were always easy to handle with normal 
people, but he knew that she was different. Something had to be done. But what? 
Either way, another distraction was exactly what he didn't need. 

Passing through the door she saw a surprising sight. I thought Commanders were 
supposed to be all approaching forty?. "Ensign Mary O'Donnell, reporting as 
ordered sir" She pulled herself as close to attention as she could manage with 
the heavy bag.

"Please, sit." He gestured to the chair, still not looking up from his work. It 
seemed to be a typical type of introduction by now. Half paying attention to 
the people actually standing in front of him and avoiding eye contact. It 
wasn't that he was nervous, not by any means, it was the sheer fact that he 
felt that the introductions were frivilous and a complete waste of time.

Removing the bag, she did as asked. And waited. We'll conduct this eye-to-eye 
sir.

"Not if I choose not to, Ensign." He looked up, "Welcome aboard. You're 
immediate supervisor will be Lieutenant Elijah Dareth. If you have any 
questions, concerns, complaints, whatever, you'll take them to him. 
Understood?" He blinked once, and then dropped his eyes once again to his work 
and began tapping away incessantly on a new and empty PADD.

Momentarily she was knocked off guard. Fuck, a Betazoid! "I'm sorry sir, but I 
was always told that when holding a conversation of any kind it was good 
manners to maintain as much eye contact as possible. Otherwise you give the 
impression you're hiding something from the person you're conversing with."

"Congratulations on your first reality check, Ensign. There are a lot of things 
that I'm not telling you; with rank comes the ability to hold more knowledge. 
The Lieutenants out there are probably more informed than you." Javan tilted 
his head up and gazed at her again, "Fresh out of the Academy? I have not had a 
chance to review your profile extensively."

Clenching her fists, she tried to hold her thoughts in check. Her voice as 
level as she could make it, "Almost a year. All of it here on Betazed attached 
to the UFP Consulate. I am well aware of my place in the 'Chain of Command', 
sir. My mother would be the one to call you ill-mannered. Because of our 
respective positions I will not."

"Is that your way of insulting me and not taking the blame, Ensign? Because, if 
it is, then I will be the first to let you know that that won't stand again. 
Ever. I don't know how my people do it on the surface, but we're responsible 
here for everything that comes out of our mouths regardless of who said it 
first." He stared a hole through her, his deep eyes penetrating her sole with a 
degree of fierce tenacity unrivaled. "Now, why do I see problems in our future?"

"Maybe because I'd like to know why i'm here. sir? Less than two hours ago I 
was told to report to you. I have just over six months of my tour at the 
Consulate to go." Matching the stare with one of her own, just as intense. " I 
was told by my previous commander you would know why." 

"Maybe, just maybe, you were like this to them?" He looked up, a bite of 
sarcasm stinging in every word.

Green fire flashed in her eyes. "This is just lovely. You don't bloody know 
either. I know my attitude has been troublesome in the past, but have you 
considered that maybe, just maybe, you are the reason I'm acting this way sir?"

Javan looked down at the lady's orders, "With no clear reason your immediate 
transfer, I'm guessing that it wasn't me in the first place that has been 
causing you to act this way. So, take your sarcasm and stow it. You're in my 
department now. If you don't like it, or can't handle it as the case may be, 
then you are more than welcome to ask for a transfer."

Hmmm...fair point "No sir, I'll grit my teeth and stick with the hand I've been 
dealt, if only to prove to you that I can handle it." She continued the stare, 
but relaxed her shoulders slightly. Dismiss me then, its clear you don't want 
me here anymore, sir.

"I know you can handle it, Ms. O'Donnell. It's whether or not you think you can 
handle it that I'm worried about. This is the finest security department in the 
fleet. You'll fit in, even if it takes time. If I personally didn't think you 
could handle it, I would never have approved the transfer from the consulate." 
He looked up, a bit of compassion in his eyes, "You're a fine worker with a 
bite to her talk, I like that. Just make sure to remember that I'm still the 
commanding officer in this department. Wait until I'm off shift before you 
verbally berate me, all right?" He actually smiled.

Flattery won't work. " If I wait 'til you're off shift sir, you are entirely 
within your rights to set me on my arse without the paperwork." If you can! " 
I've been taught true respect goes both ways, you've shown some, I will do the 
same, however when I find out who sent me here, their days are going to be 
numbered." She raised an eyebrow, and returned a slight smile.

"Only if I can watch and give you pointers." He chuckled slightly.

"Accomplished fighter are you Commander?" Could go for you in a big way. Little 
problem of 'distance between the pips' Shit! Fuck! Bollocks! A blush brought 
out the freckles round her nose. "I'm sure you've got many things that are far 
more important than this to do." She looked at the hands in her lap.

He laughed a bit. Was she inadvertantly flirting? "You're quite right. Welcome 
aboard again, please report to Lieutenant Dareth for further instruction, and 
dismissed."

Standing up, she felt flustered, turned and made for the door.

"And, remember, aim for the throat." 

"Pardon sir?" Looking back at him, she noticed her bag and quickly retrieved 
it.Dozy cow!

"My door is always open... well, sometimes." He smiled again, looking down at 
his work.


                
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