<USS Avalon> "Learn By Example"

“Learn By Example”
by Major Bryce Quinn
& Lieutenant Vevay Davis



It was a bad morning. The reports hadn't been filed, his office was a mess - still - and he was fed up with the total incompetence of his crew. Treason Research. It was the heart and soul of the ship. Without them the filthy mutineers of another ship, the cowards lurking in the shadows of some worthless rebellion, and other threats to the safety of the principles they all held so dear would be in jeopardy. This lack of filing was just the first card to fall - the rest of the house of cards would soon follow.

"Listen up, and gather around," Bryce said with a snarl on his face as he moved out of his office and into the center of the room. His team, all seven of them, stopped what they were doing and gave him their attention; there was a first time for everything. Vevay Davis was there among others. She would benefit most from this display. "Second Lieutenant Damien Rodriguez, front and center."

He bolted forward, his back going rigid as he assumed his at-attention stance. "Damien Rodriguez reporting as ordered, sir."

For a brief second Bryce felt a shred of compassion to the young man who was, no doubt, trying as hard as possible to make a good impression. Well, Bryce was about to make his own impression. "Lieutenant, why don't I have your weekly report on new interrogation techniques on my desk?"

Damien's face twisted briefly with confusion and then went pale in fear. "I - I - I'm sorry, sir. I spaced it, I will have it on your desk by the end of the day. Of course, if you'd - "

Bryce's hand lashed out and connected with the side of Damien's face. The backhand landed perfectly and the subordinate flew backwards, stumbled over a chair, and clattered to the floor scattering equipment and other items across the room. "You have one hour," he said, turning to the rest of the group, "Does everyone see what just happened here? Mr. Rodriguez didn't do his job. I suggest you take note of this and make sure you do yours. Now, get back to work. Someone get him to Sickbay."

"Aye, sir," a faceless voice called. The female walked over, without emotion and filled with duty, and helped Damien to his feet, a red mark on the right side of his face and cut above his left eye causing blood to trickle down his left.

He smiled wickedly and headed back to his office. That impression he intended to make was left; it was just left on Damien's face. "I'll be in my office any of you need me." His voice was etched with viciousness that told everyone that he didn't want to be disturbed.

A cruel smile played over her face as she observed her CO marching away. There was something deeply attractive about a man who knew how to handle incompetance. Sliding out from behind her desk, Vevay shot a disgusted look at teh shamed Lieutenant. "You should know better by now," she said as she grabbed a PADD and headed to Quinn's office. A quick knock and she poked her head around the door. "Sir, do you have a moment?"

"Apparently," he said irritated, not looking up. He put his arm on his desk and slid it to left quickly. The stack of ten PADDs (or more, he'd lost track) slammed to the floor and Bryce didn't bat an eyelash as he grabbed another PADD. He glanced at that one quickly and then tossed it towards Vevay just because. "What do you want?" Catching it in mid-air, she smiled. Reading the first few lines, it occured to her that this was almost exactly what Rodriguez was supposed to have written and submitted. She placed it carefully on the desk and looked up at him. "You look harrassed."

"You look badgered, what's your point?"

Shrugging, she said, "Just that." She dropped into a chair and crossed her legs out in front of her. Sexy as hell, she thought with a slight smug grin. "He's a real fuck-wit, you know. He's gonna undermine everything you've worked so hard to put together." She didn't want to push too hard but it was her distinct opinion that that tosser should be transferred the hell out if he couldn't keep up.

"I would thank you for your opinion, but I didn't ask for it and I sure as hell don't need it," he paused from what he was reading and looked up, "Are you questioning my ability to run my department? Because, if you are, I have no problem putting you in the same position that I just put Mr. Rodriguez in."

Fuck you. "No, of course not, sir. I apologise for clearly over-stepping my bounds." She sounded sickly sweet as she indicated the PADD she'd brought in with her. "Got that report you wanted on Williams. He seems normal enough, kind of geeky, but he's a scientist so it's hardly anything out of the ordinary. He doesn't appear to have ever expressed any anti-establishment opinions." She shrugged again. "I just think he's a stuck up knob with too high an opinion of himself."

"There you go again with the unwanted opinions. The PADD would do quite nicely. I'm sure you can show yourself out?" Bryce said, his eyes still on his reading. He leaned back in his chair and put his feet on his desk. Why did everyone insist on a personal commentary? Was it that hard to deliver a PADD and walk away? He assumed so, but paid little attention to it anyway.

Standing in one fluid movement, Vevay couldn't help the look of complete annoyance on her face. Arrogant wanker, she thought as she openly glared at him. "Again, my apologies." Saluting once, she turned to the door.

"Now, did you mean that?" He called after her. It was one thing to storm out of one's office and back to work, it was another to apologize sarcastically and huff out. And, finally, it was one to say it and not mean it. Every different scenario said something different about one's personality. Bryce was going to test his theory. "Well?"

Freezing, she pivoted to look back at him, her face expressionless. "To be perfectly honest, sir, no. I respect your ability to run this department; I just believed that you would appreciate my impression of the man in question. I was trained to analyse someone from their facial expressions and body language. You were trained in a similar manner. Thus, a verbal report will always tell you considerably more than a written one. From such a report, you can tell what I think not just from my opinions but from the way I express them." She knew that he knew all of this, but she needed to prove a little something if only to herself.

"So, in essence," he began, finally raising his eyes to meet hers, "you were testing me by offering me the information that I needed to make a solid judgement of the type of person you are. I don't know if I should consider you deceptive or ambitious." A sly smile formed on his face as he looked her. Her own smile mimicked his. "Well, that would be your opinion to make, sir. I would like to believe that I am ambitious but I have been known to be deceptive when the job calls for it."

He nodded approvingly, "Very good. I'm glad that I can rely on you to have that ability. It is more than I can say for your fellow officers, but that will come with time and training. I would like to think that by now you know that I don't take crap from anyone. I'm here to do a job and it will get done. As long as you abide by that, you'll be OK." He fought the urge to narrow his eyes, but it had become commonplace and he did. "Understood?"

The smile became a grin. "With absolute clarity. Your orders?"

"Just follow the rest. Look for ways to inflict pain and ways of extorting information so long as the subject doesn't die or go into a medical condition in which we are required to call for medical services." It was almost diabolical what he was trained to do. The skill of torture was an acquired skill that took time to hone. He had done too much to get where he was; most of it would make normal people sick. "I hear the Obsidian Order has some interesting interrogation habits. Perhaps you can start there."

"I have researched their methods extensively, although I am particularly fond of mid-twentieth century German and Japanese techniques." Pain, an old friend. She'd spent a very long time both researching it and experiencing it first hand. "You will find that I can be quite skilled."

He nodded, almost evilly. "Very, very good. Ambitious, yes. Well, other than that, I don't have much else to have you do. Why don't you take the rest of the day off? Sounds fair since you've put a lot of work into adapting here. Dismissed." It was about God damn time that someone showed a real knack for things. Perhaps the newbies wouldn't be completely worthless after all.

"Thank you, but no. The only way I would consider taking the rest of the day off would be if my Commanding Officer considered joining me." Saluting for the second time, she stood to attention and made ready to leave.

Another sadistic smile crossed his face as he watched her - her ass most specifically - as she walked out the door. There was more to that one than meets the eye. Bryce knew that things would be a bit more exciting with someone who actually gave a damn. "Maybe some other time I'll take you up on that offer," he said to himself as he watched her move back into the center room. "Maybe someday."

"All hands, this is Colonel Shimbrodus... Red Alert, Battle stations", came the voice over the comm, "Major General Murgo to the bridge. We have engaged the Risans."

"And here I was about to get lost in a cozy story of slow dismemberment," Bryce stood up and straightened his uniform. He reached over and tapped the communications panel on his desk. "Insurgency team, report to HQ."



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