Singing in the Brig
Posted on Sat Mar 16th, 2019 @ 10:51am by Commodore Leon `Lee` Pike
1,980 words; about a 10 minute read
Mission:
Episode 97 - Cultural Exchange
Location: Starbase 400 Brig
Timeline: MD03 1845 (& Memory Post)
ON:
James lay in his cell looking up at the lights above his bed. He sighed. He'd heard nothing for days. It had been days since his statement and the rumour was that a lot of people were away on Cardassia. He didn't envy them, not one bit. At least Braxton was away too.
There in the quiet cell James went over the happenings of a few days ago.
James paced back and forth. He had really stepped in it now but the hell he was going down along. "Can a man get some food in here!" It was the waiting that was hard. It was the waiting that was killing him. The brigs, while designed with some comforts, were too confining. They made him claustrophobic.
Lee had entered the brig area, he decided he would speak to the prisoner "Is there a problem?"
"I am a Commander in Starfleet. I will not be treated like this." The man spoke with no authority but a whining voice of a sniveling child.
Lee raised an eyebrow looking at the officer in front of him "And I am a Commodore in Star Fleet, you have done something wrong for you to be put in here."
He huffed out a breath. He wondered If this was the man sent to interrogate him. James began to pace back and forth like a caged animal.
Lee stood there watching the officer for a moment then folded his arms across his chest "So...what did you do Commander to land yourself in here?"
He stared at the man for a moment. "I did nothing. I was just helping someone who needed it..." Or at least that is what he convinced himself of. He had hidden the truth though, Braxton was unharmed although his memory wiped of some key factors and, yes, James had allowed it.
His eyes widened at the sight of a familiar face who entered the brig. "Commodore?" The deep voice intoned with a slight hint of a southern accent.
Lee stood there looking at the man "You did nothing huh?" He reached out to sense any motive from the officer, but hearing something else he turned his head and looked "Hello Mr. Braxton."
"I had hoped to be present for the interview." He looked at James who he was pretty sure was afraid.
James went white with fear. Braxton had once been his greatest ally but now he feared if he knew the truth that he'd toss him out of the airlock. "No! I don't want him here." The guilt was streaming off him.
Lee raised an eyebrow "And why do you not want Mr.Braxton here Commander?"
"I....I..." He couldn't find the words. "He's not....I didn't do anything."
Braxton approached the brig. "But you admitted that you sabotaged the escape pod. Nicole is dead because of you! "
James paled. "She most certainly is not! You were there when she died we just wiped your ...."
Braxton's features darkened. "You wiped what?"
James looked at Pike. "I'll talk just not to him!" He pointed at Braxton.
Lee stood there watching the two "So Commander, what did you wipe?"
James sputtered. "I will not respond while he's here! I value my ability to breath!" He unconsciously tugged at the collar of his shirt.
Lee blew out a breath "Very well, Mr. Braxton go ahead and leave me to speak to the Commander." He paused for a second "And before you protest, that's an order."
Braxton sighed. He felt like punching a wall but decided he just needed to walk it off. He'd find out sooner or later. He turned and went out of the brig area.
James seemed to sigh with relief. He leaned against the wall.
Lee stood there waiting for a minute to allow Braxton to leave then glared at the officer in the brig "Ok Commander spill it, and before you speak just to let you know don't try to lie as I am half Betaozid."
He rubbed the bridge of his nose, "God help me with all these Betazoids." He sighed, "Can we sit somewhere more comfortable. I wont' run." At this point maybe it would be good to get things off his chest.
Lee stood there looking at James for a moment then nodded "Very well." He reached over and tapped the controls to lower the field "Ok Commander, we can go to my office."
Seeming resigned to his fate he followed Lee. When they arrived he slid into an empty chair very much, for the first time devoid of bluster and looking like a defeated man. "I told them not to scramble his brain."
Lee had sat down behind his desk then listened to the officer "What do you mean by that?"
He sighed, "I never wanted to be a Starfleet officer you know? My parents insisted on it. I wanted to be an artist." He sighed, "I was nothing but coasting by on my father's name. When our CO went crazy I had to take command. I wasn't ready! The only person to seem to think I was, was Braxton. He ..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "He told me what to do it was like command came easy for him."
"There are plenty of people out there who didn't want to be in Star Fleet..." Lee sat there looking at the other officer "Continue with your story Commander."
I've known Braxton for a long time. I was a Lieutenant when I met him. It didn't take me long to figure out that where he went I needed to be because I was always promoted. I didn't like him much but his advice was gold. Nicole, his wife figured it out. She accused me of using him. Can you believe her!" He stood and began to pace.
Lee sat there watching as the man paced "Are you angry cause maybe Nicole was right?"
He sighed seeming to deflate. "I couldn't let her tell Braxton. Then all hell broke loose."
"And what do you mean by all hell broke loose? What actually happened Commander?"
He sighed, "Well I was in Engineering leaving a nasty surprise for Nicole when Braxton called me. The CO had...gone nuts. I ran to the bridge. Hell if he hadn't been there I wouldn't have...." He rubbed the back of his neck, "known what to do. We evacuated the ship and he went to Engineering to make sure Nicole got on the POD." He seemed to hesitate. "Through it all he still kept telling me what I needed to do. It worked for me but then we lost contact. I left the ship."
"So what was this surprise that you was leaving for Nicole?" Lee sat there watching the other officer, sensing everything that he was saying was the truth.
He rubbed the back of his neck again. "I....short circuited her escape POD. It would leave the ship but she'd pretty much be stuck in it for hours."
Lee raised an eyebrow "And from the report that I have read, Nicole died. So almost sounds like you got your wish and killed her?"
"I had nothing to do with that!" He stood. "She was just suppose to be stranded and it was a falling beam that killed her. Braxton was there...even though he doesn't remember all of it."
"So why was his memory wiped? And where did the beam fall at?"
He sighed, "Braxton was there, in engineering when the beam fell on Nicole and crushed her. He was trying get her out but there was no way. To save him his brother in law had to do that thing Vulcan's do. Dragged his unconscious body out and to the shuttle." James sighed. "When he woke up he went mad. He was trying to get back to the ship. When the ship went he felt her die. It's the Vulcan mind connection thing. He flew into a rage and had to be knocked out. Took five marines to subdue him." He shook his had. "After that at the medical facility...."
"So Nicole was dead before she got to the pod then?" Lee sat there "I am quite aware of Vulcan things as I have a cousin who is half Vulcan." He sat forward a little bit "What about the medical facility?"
"I went to visit him...his brother in law was there an the big furry guy. Called himself Sticky Nicky. They had their hands on his head and were mumbling something. I interrupted. The big guy was pissed but the Lieutenant explained what they were doing."
"And what was the big guy mad about? So what did the Lieutenant say?"
"Apparently Braxton was in neuro shock. Nicky was trying to bring him back and...the only was to block the memory, supress it. Braxton thought he was on the bridge an then saw the ship go from outside but....he was in the room." He sighed, now that he'd com this far. "I asked them to erase the fact that he was the one who saved the ship evac and got the crew off....this way I looked like the hero and in return I would allow them access every year to reinforce the memory block."
"And what made you decide to do that so you ended up looking like the hero Commander?"
"Yes. Braxton is a dumb marine. He's not worthy of command credit." There it was. James hated Marines. His father was one and he never let him forget that he wasn't good enough to be one. The only way he could atone was to be a hero.
Lee sat there for a moment then shook his head "That wasn't too smart saying that but that's your choice on hating Marines." He shrugged "I have no problem with them, as I have a cousin who's a Marine and my oath brother is one too."
He shrugged, "What's the use. I'm done for anyway." He slouched down in his chair. "The big buy...Sticky Nicky I came to figure out that he was Nicole's father. Braxton doesn't know that yet. He told me it was Best if Braxton didn't remember anything. I just used the opportunity to make sure He didn't remember what a whimp I was and that he was the one who saved the crew."
Lee nodded "Yes that you probably are done in Star Fleet Commander, but that's not my call to make. Ah I see that the big guy did." He tapped a few buttons on a pad "Is there anything else that you wish to add to this Commander?"
He sighed, "I guess not. Just don't let Braxton at me. He'll ring my bell and then some."
Lee slide the pad across his desk "This is everything that we just talked about. I need you to sign it Commander. And Mr.Braxton won't get near you, as you're going back to the brig and I am ordering them to only allow Admiral Bremer, Admiral T'Lar and myself to be in there."
He sighed. He read over the statement briefly and affixed his signature. His fate was sealed the only comfort he had was that Nicky and that meddling brother of Nicole's were going down with him.
Lee took the pad and put it away then stood up "Ok Commander let's go." He headed to escort the officer back to the brig.
James snapped out of his memory. He sighed. What was the use in remembering. He'd said it all, not hidden anything.
As the doors hissed open he looked up. "Who are you?"
"Your JAG rep." The man said, clearly not happy to be there.
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