<USS Avalon> Log: Questionable Punishments

Questionable Punishments

-Dodge Thomas

 

 

Oh Song of Songs! Thy eyes, my love, are gentle, and the fullness of thy lips 
is soft and firm. Thy neck is ivory, and the smoothness of thy shoulders like 
warm ivory. The softness of thy breasts against me is like fine wool. Thy 
thighs are firm and strong like the cedars.

Oh Song of Songs! My love, thy bed is fragrant as boughs of pine tree, and thy 
body is warm. Thou art Ashtoreth. Thou art Aphrodite, that keepest the gate of 
Love. Now my strength is upon me. Now the rivers are pent up. Now is my hour. 
Oh receive me in thy infinitude.

 

 

Dodge smiled and opened his eyes. It was late morning, probably eight thirty or 
nine, ship time. He sighed and slyly slid his hand across the bed, expecting to 
encounter the warmth of the prior night?s date.

However, the sheets were cold. Leila was gone.

Feeling somewhat dejected, Dodge sat up and looked around. All of her clothing 
was also gone, as he expected. She wouldn?t hardly be strolling about the ship 
in the nude?or would she?

?Leila? Are you out there?? He called, into the main room hoping perhaps she 
was making breakfast.

But she wasn?t. She was nowhere to be seen.

?Well great then.?

After showering and replicating something quick for a meal, Dodge pulled on his 
uniform and prepared himself for a shock. He hadn?t been in engineering for 
almost two weeks and he fully expected to find the warp core on the verge of a 
breach, the coolant systems about to explode and the power grid on the edge of 
failure. He had left Anilla Aguatequa in charge after all.

The turbolift car was quiet, giving Doge ample time to consider the previous 
night?s conversation with Leila Criswell. 

She did indicate that she was interested in me, didn?t she? Wasn?t that what 
the whole match thing was about? Why would she?and my dreams, what of them?

He paused for a moment. He had never been one who believed in the authenticity 
of dreams. Although he knew many people who claimed to have had premonitions or 
visions of the future, Dodge had never shared in their enthusiasm, often 
finding that such visions were purely coincidental.

The turbolift arrived, interrupting Dodge?s train of thought. Down the 
corridor, he could see the alcove where engineering?s main entrance lay. 
There?s no smoke, that?s a good sign. He smiled to himself. Of course, he would 
never have left Anilla in charge if he had not had full confidence in her 
ability, but it was still fun to anticipate just what state he would find 
engineering to be in.

With a pneumatic whoosh, the doors to engineering slid apart and Dodge was 
pleasantly relieved to see that all was well. Anilla glanced up to see who had 
entered, returned to her work, then looked up again. Her eyes shone with a 
mixture of excitement and relief. 


?Dodge, er, Lieutenant Thomas! I was wondering when I would see you in here 
again.?

?Ensign.? He nodded to her. ?How did everything go??

?Wonderful. Nothing new to report. I?m sure you?ve got dozens of messages on 
your computer, and lots of things that you need to get done in your office.?

?And?? Dodge asked with a knowing smile.

?And?If you wanted, I could cover engineering for a day or two more, if you 
wanted of course!? She blurted out rapidly.

For a moment Dodge eyed her, nodding slowly. ?All right Ensign, the engines are 
yours, but don?t let it go to your head!? He smiled broadly. ?And just between 
you and me, thanks a million. I?m sure things have been hectic around here.?

?No, not really, but all the same, it is nice to have you back.?


?Thanks. I better get started on my paperwork.? He left her and headed to his 
office.

Inside, everything was as he left it. No stacks of PADDs awaited his approval, 
no hastily scrawled notices for him to read. He settled down into his 
comfortable chair and turned on his computer. A cascade of messages inundated 
the screen, covering everything. With a sigh of dread, he set to work.

 

Three notices about medical checkups?Delete, an invitation to a Ensign Valk?s 
birthday celebration?Delete, one two three four five six messages regarding 
ship policy changes (He skimmed these and then deleted them all) a nasty-gram 
from Ensign Valk for missing his birthday celebration?Delete, two event 
notices, two messages regarding the ?temporary administrative dismissal of both 
Commander Skyler and of Commander Sierra?Delete, and?what?s this?

He looked at a letter addressed directly to him from Starfleet Command. The 
heading read: 

Thomas, Dodge D. Lieutenant. Engineering Department, USS AVALON. In regards to 
recent violations of current Starfleet policies and safety regulations. URGENT.

He looked at the heading as it flashed red and felt a pang of anticipation in 
the pit of his stomach. What ever it was he had done, it was bad enough to 
warrant direct intervention by Starfleet. Didn?t they usually go through the 
captain or first officer or something. He looked at the date on the letter. 
yesterday. That explains a lot. If they had sent it to the first officer, it 
wouldn?t have gotten to me, as she is on executive leave or whatever it is the 
notice had said. He opened the message.

Lieutenant Thomas:

It has recently come to our attention that you and several crew members were 
involved in an accident that directly or indirectly resulted in the destruction 
of a Federation (or Federation affiliated member) space craft (Shuttlecraft 
Lancelot of the Federation Starship Avalon). It has also been reported that 
there were two crew fatalities from the Avalon, not to mention several more 
from two research stations on the planet Vargas II.

Furthermore, it has come to our attention that you, as the commanding officer 
of the mission, are not in possession of a shuttle piloting license. This 
constitutes a violation of Starfleet safety regulation four nine seven point 
three: The commanding officer and the second in command in any given mission 
involving the piloting and/or maneuvering of a Starfleet registered craft shall 
both be registered pilots, having been tested and approved by a Starfleet 
official instructor either directly or via subspace communication.

This has been recorded on an incident report in your permanent record. To 
prevent further reports and/or possible citations or demotions, we must insist 
that you obtain a shuttle piloting license within one month (thirty standard 
days) of receiving this message. As your ship is currently on mission and it is 
unlikely that you will be in the vicinity of Earth or any other official 
testing locations, we have included with this citation a holodeck program that 
is approved by the SFPA (Starfleet Flight and Pilot?s Association). It is 
highly recommended that you complete this program before the above prescribed 
date.

Thank you for your immediate cooperation.

Commodore Bradley, Chief in command of the SFPA

SECOND MESSAGE ATTACHED: Regarding illegal interference with official Starfleet 
scientific studies and research.

PROGRAM FILE ATTATCHED: Shuttlecraft trainer



Dodge opened the second message immediately, unsure of the exact nature of his 
?illegal interference? with Starfleet research.

Lieutenant Thomas:

You have been cited for direct and illegal interference with Starfleet 
scientific research on planet Vargas II. You have also been cited for direct 
interference with a species of key importance to the medical and scientific 
communities of Starfleet and it?s affiliates. As such, we have been forced to 
order the immediate evacuation of Vargas II by all Starfleet personal, and we 
have seen fit to put the planet under a class nine quarantine. It is unlikely 
that such an important medical and scientific find will appear anytime in the 
near future and due to your illegal activity, the people of Starfleet and it?s 
affiliates will be unable to reap the massive benefits that said species could 
have provided. We are all very disappointed in you. It is suggested that you 
take more care when involving yourself in matters that do not concern you.

This is your final warning.

Admiral Garrett

Admiral Lambert

Admiral Jonas.

Commanding staff of---

The message blanked out, apparently deleting itself. Dodge sat back in his 
chair and stared that the screen of his computer as it flashed:

PROGRAM FILE ATTATCHED: Shuttlecraft trainer

There was no way he could check the authenticity of the report or even his own 
permanent record without involving the captain and first officer, not to 
mention security. The captain had enough on his hands as it was, so Dodge 
decided to ignore the second message. Starfleet would never sanction medical 
research on sentient beings, and why would he be cited for interfering with a 
culture that was obviously polluted enough as it was by outside interaction?

He shrugged.

?Computer, download program ?Shuttlecraft Trainer? to an isolinear chip. He 
could always mess with the program later. More pressing engagements weighed 
heavily on his mind. He checked the clock. Almost noon. I wonder what Leila is 
up to?

 



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