Command

Posted on Tue Mar 24th, 2026 @ 11:01am by Captain Rhenora Kaylen
Edited on on Tue Mar 24th, 2026 @ 11:10am

547 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Beholder
Location: Ready Room

Captain Rhenora Kaylen had spent a good number of hours preparing the mission report for Starfleet Command. She had gone in depth, praising the talents of the Engineering teams, as well as the junior crew who had held their own against Naussican thugs. Said thugs were still in their brig and would be offloaded on Earth. The medical teams who had tended Captain Batel diligently also garnered honourable mentions.

Not more than an hour after she had transmitted the report, an incoming communication from Command demanded her attention. The wisened facd of Admiral Gjyn graced the small screen, confusion clear and obviously wanting explanations.

"Captain Kaylen we have received your report" he stated simply, folding his hands in front of him.

"You're a quick read" Kaylen retorted dryly, matching his dry wit with her own.

"We have...concerns." the Admiral said simply. "By removing Batel from her position as Beholder not only released the Vezda, but endangered the entire quadrant. " his tone bordered on accusatory.

"For the record Sir, we did not remove the Beholder she retook her human form and collapsed in front of us." Kaylen kept her tone civil, not rising to the bait so clearly being dangled. "We recaptured the Vezda, then attempted to heal Captain Batel. Unfortunately her time as the Beholder was too much for her body to handle."

The Admiral made some notes, grumbled, and launched again.
"So you decided, that rather than leaving her with the people of Skygowan where accodding to your own log entries, may have stabilised her physical condition, you took her away, heading back to Earth, effectively killing a woman who was a decorated Starfleet Captain AND someone the Skygowan people considered a God!" His face reddened with the outburst.

"Captain Batel...Marie, made those choices for herself. Under no duress and with no outside influence. She wanted to return home, and she knew very well what it would cost her." Kaylen replied, struggling to keep her tone even this time. It felt like she was being roasted for giving someone a choice.

"Captain Batel should have remained on Skygowan. You have completely destabalised their reglious order!" Gjyn retorted hotly.

"By offering their supposed God, a woman who didn't want to be there in the first place, who made a sacrifice that saved the entire quadrant, the choice to - for once - control her own fate and destiny." Kaylen rose to the bait, emotion charging her words, but she didn't shout. No, her words were dangerously quiet.

"You're on notice Kaylen, we're watching you closely. One more false move..." the threat was very evident.

"So shall you be telling Marie's descendants and relatives that we will be finally bringing her body home to rest, or shall I? They have been in limbo for over a hundred years. Your own records until 5 minutes ago had her as 'Missing in action'. I'm sure it will be a relief for them to finally be able to grieve and lay her to rest." there is was, the emotional heart string most Admirals denied having.

"We will make the necessary arrangements. Starfleet funeral with full honours" he closed the channel, leaving the screen only with the Starfleet Command logo emblazened across it.

Sometimes good choices didn't have the equivalent consequences.

 

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