<USS Avalon> "Legal Disposition"

Legal Disposition
By Lieutenant First Class Jayden Cross
and Warrant Officer Alexander Gibson


"Don?t do this, Michael," she said, rather petulantly as she untangled herself 
from the embrace.

"I don?t have any choice, Jayd," he attempted to pacify her, running his hand 
down the side of her face.

"I like it here... with you."

He kissed her gently, "It?s not like I want you to go. But some ambassador got 
wind of the Avalon?s firefight and the Marauder destruction. The Ferengi 
government is in an uproar already and it?s going to come down on the 
Federation?s head. You know how slow these councils move. This ambassador... 
Ja?Reth, I think, has applied some pressure to some important people to already 
launch this investigation. It?s all political, babe, you don?t want to hear it."

"Oh, yes I do. If I?m going to be stuck out on some... starship, I want to know 
exactly why."

"You say that like it?s torture. It could be fun."

"I hate space travel. I?ve been on this starbase for the last eight years."

"And your tour with the Avalon isn?t permanent."

"Send Simmons."

"He?s dealing with that former Maquis issue."

"I?ll take that case."

"No, Jayd, I need you to deal with the Avalon. We need a bull-dog to go after 
them. If there?s any holes that the Ferengi can poke into their story, they 
will. I need you to wrap it up all nice and neat. If there was no malpractice, 
then make damn sure they can?t find any to even insinuate it. If there was... 
well, you make sure that whoever is responsible is going to take the fall for 
the Federation. Here?s the catch, though. Ketchum is one of the other 
ambassador?s sons. Ja?Reth knows this and I think that?s one of the reasons 
that she?s pushing for a pre-emptive strike. If the issue goes before the 
Council it could get too complicated - conflicts of interest - which could tie 
up the Council for months. She wants this all taken care of before the Ferengi 
come knocking on the Federation?s door. Have to say, it?s a smart move."

"I can?t believe Valdez is going along with this. No official investigation?"

"Oh, it?s official, it?s just way under the table. Valdez has enough pressure 
on her in this matter to crack even the toughest person. She?s doing it 
reluctantly."

"Great, so no one really wants the investigation."

"Not true. Actually, this will benefit them in the long run. I just doubt 
they?ll see it. There?s going to be an investigation regardless. We can either 
get it done now or wait until the Ferengi are breathing down our necks."

"Michael..."

"Jayd, it?s already ordered."

"Your wife getting suspicious?"

"Now that?s low. See why I chose you? You?ll be back in no time and I promise 
to make it all up to you." Kissing her once again, Captain Scott pushed the 
PADD with her orders on it into her hands. "There?s orders there for Gibson 
too. He?s a good assistant. The Avalon should have everything prepared for you. 
You have full authority of Vice-Admiral Grey, so don?t let them push you 
around, not that you would," he smiled.

"I am thinking up a hundred little ways to pay you back for this."

"And I?m sure they?ll all be just delightful. Now go, babe. I?ll be here when 
you get back."

***

"No! Not that one, did I point to that one?" Alexander rushed over and grabbed 
the large trunk from the removals man, his cultured voice ringing out over the 
bustle of the mayhem previously known as an office. A touch of a South African 
accent crept into it as he shouted at another man about the proper procedure 
for packing their personal affects. "What kind of an idiot packs heavy 
equipment on top of breakables?" 

He dumped the heavy case down and flopped on top of it. His normally perfect 
uniform was crumpled and the pocket was ripped. Wiping sweat from his forehead, 
he checked his chronometer, cursing slightly when he realised he was going to 
miss his lunchtime appointment at the gym. No one was paying attention to his 
instructions. It was almost as if these morons had never packed up an office 
before. He slipped his PADD out and sent a quick memo to his training partner 
as an apology and glanced up just in time to see one of the incompetents 
dropping Lt. Cross's favourite vase. It was antique, almost a thousand years 
old, totally irreplaceable and now in a million pieces on the floor. "What in 
all the Galaxy do you think you are doing? By Christ, I'm going to have your 
head for this!"



With an indifferent shrug, the removals man said, "Just replicate another, the 
Battle Axe won't know the difference."

"Won't know?" Alexander was stunned, totally speechless. "You total, complete 
and unrelenting moron. That was an ancient relic from Earth's history. It is 
irreplaceable. 'Replicate another,' what sort of an idiot says that?"

The man shrugged again and turned back to the packing. He muttered something 
about enlisted knowing their place but was ignored by the now frantic Legal 
Secretary. Alexander was down on his knees, sweeping up the pieces when he 
heard the door behind him swoosh open. 

"Alexander, save that for Support Services. Is everything ready?" Jayden Cross 
asked, her presence seeming to dominate the room.

"Well, if by ready you mean in total disarray because we've been assigned the 
most incompetent removals people in the whole of the Federation, then yes, sir, 
everything is in order." He straightened his uniform the best he could as he 
rose from the floor. "Is everything ready for us aboard the Avalon, sir?" 

"It better be. Bad enough we?re getting ousted to a starship, but they better 
welcome us with happy, smiling faces or there will be hell to pay."

"Yes, sir," he said and muttered, "or at least some comfortable quarters and 
running water," under his breath.


                
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