<USS Avalon> "Prisoner in the Brig"

"Prisoner in the Brig"
Captain Skyler, Captain Phillips, Ensign Jackson, Ensign  Erridim
 
 
"Captain, if you will walk with me, I will attempt to  explain the situation 
as best I can." Nodding to Walker, Skyler proceeded to  move toward the main 
security area. She wanted another look at Ensign Jackson  
to see how he was handling his current situation.

Adrian followed  Skyler, keeping an eye on her to make sure she didn't 
stumble or fall over.  "I've read the reports thus far, Captain. Needless to 
say, 
I'm sorry that my  security team did not react sooner to the 
situation." He nodded to the  marine standing at the entrance to the 
cellblock as they passed, headed towards  Jackson's cell.

"There is no need to worry about your security team,  Captain. Everything was 
handled efficiently enough. My main concern is that it  happened at all. I 
would never have believed that anyone would say something as  
degrading as what Ensign Jackson did in this day and age. It just galls me  
to think that someone like that is serving on board this ship."

Stopping  outside his cell, Skyler looked at Ensign Jackson who was just 
sitting on the  bunk. He still had the look of a frightened child. /Good, maybe 
now he will  think twice about what he does and what he says./ "I 
have sent a subspace  message to the nearest Starbase, where he will be sent 
for punishment, and if I  have anything to say about it, removal from 
Starfleet."

Ensign Jackson  didn't look up, although he heard the statement. He had 
already admitted his  actions had been indefensible. What more did they want? 
His 
depression from  having done the second act was riding him especially hard. His 
friends had all  abandoned him, too, which he didn't blame them for.

The look on Jackson's  face was almost too good to be true. He did indeed 
look like a lost soul. "So .  . . Ensign. Have you come to your senses yet? I 
do 
hope you realize that barring  some miracle, your career in 
Starfleet is over. It's such a shame to see a  young man such as yourself 
being sent off to a prison camp. From what I hear  they can be very," she 
paused 
for a little, to add effect, "very nasty. Is there  anyone you 
would like us to contact to let them know of your current  situation?"

"Captain Skyler, with all due respect, ma'am . . ." Ensign  Thomas Jackson 
sighed. "I freely admit I acted wrongly in both cases. Really,  really stupid 
of 
me to do that, too. I'm not even protesting my 
innocence,  when, doubtless, half of the blasted ship knows by now of what I 
did." This last  was in a remarkably calm voice, although the words themselves 
were bitter  indeed. He turned toward Captain Phillips 
and stated caustically, "And to be  carried in here by a goofball who had a 
phaser set to Stun-5, when any fool  knows normal Security procedure is to use 
Stun-One unless ordered otherwise, Sir  . . ."

He inhaled deeply, then let it out before commenting, "My family  would-be 
less than pleased, and their methods of administering justice are even  worse 
than the Regellians' means. God, I'd rather get the maximum number of  lashes 
with the force-whip and risk death thereby than face my family after  this! 
It'd 
be more merciful, I expect. They don't suffer fools, and I've been  one in 
spades, clubs, hearts and diamonds, ma'am, Sir. So much so, I doubt my  
family's 
barristers would want anything to do with my defense." This last  sentence 
was incredibly bitter, because he knew already what the verdict was  likely to 
be, given the evidence against him and his past history.

Adrian  just watched for a moment, not hiding his anger very well. "Oh, 
lashes with a  force-whip are the first thing you will be wishing for after 
your 
transfer off  this ship, assuming you remember it." He looked 
over at the Captain and  nodded knowingly before returning his glare at the 
man across the cell. "And as  for your little situation with stun-5? Well, let 
me refresh your memory on how  marine securities operate. As 
soon as my personnel are informed that there  has been a crew member 
attacked, the phasers all go to stun-5 unless ordered  otherwise." He cracked 
his 
knuckles before continuing with, "But no worries  there. I'm 
sure there are more than enough people on this ship who would  love to take 
out some aggression on you. Do you really think, Captain, that just  a court 
martial will teach him his lesson?" The marine finished, looking  
over at Skyler.

Talea happened to overhear Captain Phillips'  question, and turned. "With all 
due respect, Captain Phillips, violence against  Ensign Jackson is not the 
answer. Why sink to his level, Sir?" Without waiting  for an 
answer, she walked off, back stiff with her steadily increasing  struggle to 
stay calm.

"Ensign Erridim is correct, Captain. Violence does  beget violence. This man 
will be punished according to Starfleet rules and  regulations. Your job is to 
make sure that is what happens and that no one  attempts to use their own 
sense of right or wrong on this man. Is that  understood? I will not have any 
more attacks on ship's personnel by anyone."  /Talea, I wish you could hear and 
understand me! You are safe on this ship, and  I hope in time you will learn to 
trust me./ Turning away from Adrian, Skyler  turned toward Thomas. "Ensign 
Jackson, if you were in my position, what would  your recommendations for 
punishment be? I am sorry that you feel your family  will have nothing to do 
with 
you or that their legal representatives will do the  same. You may request 
representation from JAG if you wish. I would like to think  that through 
counseling 
and some other help, that in time you would be able to  return to Starfleet. 
However, it won't be on this ship."

Thomas didn't  even have to think about it. "Starfleet regulations are quite 
clear on the  matter, ma'am. Mandatory prison sentence for the assault, and 
three-grade  minimum demotion. And that is for a first 
offense. The name-calling isn't  defensible either, but there's no regulation 
forbidding it." He held up both  hands before either senior officer could 
round on him for that. "I didn't show  common sense for 
either action and am not seeking to plea-bargain. Or even  try to defend 
myself. There is no defense for what I did, Sir, Ma'am. Pure and  simple, I 
violated her civil rights and, with the second act, her privacy and  
very nearly something else." He was careful not to state it, because he felt  
that it wasn't necessary or wise.

Hearing Talea's voice was a little  startling for Adrian, as he had thought 
that he had seen her in the main  security room and that she was heading out. 
He did not know how keen Regellian  hearing really was. 
Regardless, he nodded and looked back over at the  prisoner and the Captain. 
"Yes ma'am, watching over this one shouldn't be an  issue." He turned back and 
looked at the prisoner and smiled simply. "But  violence 
wasn't exactly what I had in mind. I'm sure there are some duties  on board 
which our prisoner can find entertaining until he is transferred.  Unless of 
course," Phillips looked back at the Captain for a moment, 
"you  prefer him to sit in his cell and ponder over what he did for the next 
few  days?"

Thinking for a moment, Skyler looked at Jackson and at Phillips.  It was true 
there were duties that he could perform, allowing others to be freed  up for 
the initial cruise of the /Avalon/-C. "Just what duties did 
you have  in mind, Captain? Mind you, he would have to be kept under watch at 
all times.  Are you sure you want to waste security on such a detail as 
this?" /I wonder how  Talea would feel, knowing he was 
wandering about the ship?/ "Actually,  Captain, before we actually release 
him for his "assignments", whatever they may  be, I feel that I need to speak 
to 
Ensign Erridim about this. Especially as it  concerns 
her and her need to feel safe. Which is, first and foremost, the  most 
important thing at this point."

Talea realized the two Captains had  to be discussing her and probably her 
near reprimand to the Marine Captain, but  deliberately ignored what else she 
was hearing from the conversation as she went  out this time, 
needing to get out of the relatively noisy environment,  worried she had 
damaged her career by the reminder to the man, however correct  it actually had 
been. She did not realize it, but the fact that she felt uneasy  in Security 
was 
a sign her abilities were beginning to unlock, and she could  sense, albeit 
very dimly, the emotions of those around her.

Ensign  Jackson knew he was probably in for some of the dirtiest work he'd 
ever even  envisioned, and that under guard, given the discussion he was 
hearing 
between  the XO of the vessel and the Security Chief. He 
didn't mind. It would keep  his mind off the events that would doubtless 
transpire during and after his  trial. His statement about his family hadn't 
been 
just idle chatter, either. He  knew that they would be less 
than pleased. He had to be brutally honest with  himself. They'd be enraged. 
His life would be worth nearly nothing to them; they  had done something 
similar to a third cousin of his who had accidentally killed  a 
young lady during a bar brawl. He shuddered as the memory hit of what his  
folks and the man's own parents had done to the guy. Had it been done on Earth, 
 
the whole lot of them would have been in prison, but it 
was done on a planet  where families were permitted to discipline their 
errant children (even the  adult children) in any way they so pleased. While 
his 
cousin was still alive, he  knew the man didn't want to be, 
since he was permanently disabled from the  injuries received.

Sensing that Talea was going to be out of earshot  soon, Skyler excused 
herself momentarily and ran out to find the young woman.  She really needed to 
talk 
to her. Find out what and how she felt about what was  
going on. 

Now that Skyler was gone, Adrian turned his attention  to the man in the 
cell, if he even was a man. Marines had their own way of  handling such 
offenses, 
and normally they were not the nicest, especially if the  unit 
was out on assignment. "So then Jackson, do you find your  accommodations 
comfortable?"

Ensign Jackson shrugged. "Whether I do or  don't, Captain, the fact remains 
that I deserve to be on this side of the force  field. Am I happy or easy with 
it? No. But then, I don't deserve to be easy or  really happy.

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