In the clink

Posted on 05 Jul 2020 @ 1:15am by Captain Jonathan Reynolds & Lieutenant Commander True Keading & Ensign Gwen Leighton

Mission: Mission 4 - Race against the machine
Location: The brig
Timeline: MD5
1959 words - 3.9 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Jon had woken up yelling out. His link with his son forcing him awake. Eddie was in pain. He had been dreaming he was in trouble now it seemed it had been real.

"Computer, locate Eddie Reynolds," he yelled out immediately knowing his son was not in his bedroom.

~Eddie Reynolds is currently in Jefferys tube intersection 15 alpha B~ The computer informed him.

"What in the hell," Jon growled starting to pull clothes on. "He's hurt ..." he slumped on the bed.

True instantly came awake when Jon moved. She was a light sleeper generally. She sprang from the bed and put some clothes on quickly to go with Jon and find out what had happened.

=^=Captain this is security. Your son has been found stunned in Jefferys tube intersection 15 alpha B. We have moved him to sickbay and arrested the perpetrator=^=

=^=Have someone meet me in sickbay=^= Jon ordered. =^=I want to know what this is all about.=^=

=^=Yes sir =^=

The only thing softening his mood was Eddie was okay. Charlotte being notified and appearing in hysterics didn't help one jot. After calming down his ex-wife and leaving Eddie sleeping it off with her, he got around to speaking to security.

"Who shot him?"

The man said quietly, "A civilian Amiltia Hawkins. We have her in custody."

"In the brig, a teenager in the brig. She didn't shoot my son. Shes ... well shes .." he looked at True not being able to quantify it.

"Close friends." She answered for him, not wanting to use the term girlfriend and freak out Jon and or his ex wife. True had quietly remained on the sidelines while the flurry of activity had gone on around Eddie.

"She confessed sir. We brought her in for questioning,"

"That's ridiculous." True said completely confused and yet, she had never known Tia to lie about anything. "I'll talk to her. Have her parents been informed?"

"They are in security Counselor," the man said sensing he may have handled this wrong. Neither of them seemed too happy. "Ermmmm theres more Captain. The mirror version of Amelia Fox has escaped. We were in pursuit when we ran into your son and miss Hawkins."

Jon grimaced. He pulled out his PADD. There was messages to that effect. Clearly they had decided to let him sleep and try sort the problem first.

"Right well I'll be needing to speak to your supervisor but first I want to see Tia." He looked at True, "This isn't as open and shut as it sounds. No way. I suspect MU Fox was involved. I mean how would Tia even get a hold of a phaser? …"

"Good point, we don't leave those lying around for anyone to just pick up." True commented as if that lessened the burden of Tia's troubles.

"This needs straightening out," he said trying to stay calm as he looked over in the direction of Eddie unconscious on the biobed. "Will you help me talk to them especially with the parental factor?" he asked his girlfriend/Counselor. This had the possibility to blow up and he hadn't even met these people yet.

"Of course," she said quietly, meeting his eyes and then moving toward the door to wait for him.

"Charlotte," he walked back to his ex wife who was sat next to Eddie fondling his hair while he slept.

"I will get them to alert you as soon as he awakes Jon. Go sort out whatever crazy is going on," she simply said a lot calmer.

---

"Captain, Sir ...." a lieutenant on nightshift jumped to attention not expecting them clearly at this hour. "Counselor ... I guess you heard ...."

"Theres a teenage girl in one of the cells," Jon just wanted to get this done, "have her released and bring her and her parents who are I believe ....."

"Speaking with a senior officer Sir in one of the offices," he told him.

"Right ... okay well we are commandeering that office. Have Tia Hawkins brought to it," Jon decided. It wasn't the nicest environment but it was better than the brig itself.

"Yes sir,"

"And get Ensign Leighton up and up to speed with our missing escapee. I want to speak with her as soon as this is sorted out," he added.

"Yes sir," he nodded. "The office is this way .." He led them to it.

Jon hesitated for a moment outside the door. He could sense the occupant's were not in the best of moods. But what parent would be dragged from their bed and informed their child had been roaming the ship and shot someone. He shot a glance to True, squared his shoulders and stated "open."

"Captain," whoever was speaking with them stood to attention.

"Myself and Counselor Keading need to speak with Mr and Mrs Hawkins now. I think there has been an .... " he chose his word careful. "Over reaction perhaps. I must apologise. Tia is being brought to here now."

Richard glanced up at the man as he began to stand up but the Captain waived him down. "We were told Tia shot someone. If that's true . . . I don't know how she got a phaser but I did do some training with her, she knew the seriousness of it. She wouldn't have shot unless . . . life was in danger. I don't know why she was out in the middle of the night though." Was it possible he didn't know his own daughter as well as he thought?

“Tia according to my official report shot my son Eddie,” Jon said taking a seat. “I have no idea why either were out in the middle of the night or how she got hold of a phaser. But I find it hard to comprehend especially going by this bond between them that she would do something like that so I think the smartest thing to do is for us to talk to her. I’m sure she’s frightened,” Jon said, “and I apologise I didn’t get down here sooner meaning she’s been held in a cell.”

Tia entered with security personnel who had a hand on her back, driving her forward. Her green eyes were wide and they darted from her parents to the Captain. It looked as if she'd shed a few tears a while ago but they had since dried upon her cheeks.

Catherine got up and held out her arms for her daughter who went straight into them without uttering a sound. "Okay, what happened Tia? Did you really shoot Eddie?"

Tia let out a sob but sucked in a breath. "Yes, I was afraid she was going to take him so I stunned him after he tried to ram her and she dropped the phaser. Is he okay? I wanted her to take me instead."

"Eddies going to be fine. He's sleeping it off in sickbay," Jon said. "But I have questions. First up why were you and my son in a restricted part of the ship. A Jeffries intersection specifically. And in the early hours of the morning?

2- who is She? Did she look like the XO?"

"Yes, exactly like her almost . . . . except it wasn't her. It was the woman you had in the brig right?" The next part was not as easy to say, she bowed her head a bit. "I mentioned to Eddie that it would be nice if we had a spot that we could meet and talk about things with a good view and he found that place. We knew we weren't supposed to be there. He left though and I guess I must have fallen asleep. He came back for me when she showed up."

"It was another version of the XO from another place," Jon said not going into science specifics. "And yes shes completely different. And dangerous. You two are meeting up in secret places in the ship," Jon spluttered. Oh Eddie was so grounded.

"How did he .. even .... he doesn't have access to the schematics. Ohhhh ... oh he is in so much trouble," Jon stated angrily.

"How did you end up stunning my son if you picked up the phaser?" Jon pressed.

"She dropped it when Eddie ran into her and I picked it up instead of running. By that time she had Eddie in a headlock. I thought it would save him if I stunned him unconscious. She wouldn't want to drag him off after all. Then she decided she wasn't taking me either when the alarms started to sound. It's not Eddie's fault, it's really mine. I'm the one who asked for a spot. I didn't know he was going to pick a spot that we weren't allowed in though."

Catherine tightened her arms around her daughter. "Let's not worry about whose fault it was right now, just answer the Captain's questions Tia, truthfully."

"Oh she is don't worry Mrs Hawkins," Jon stated in reference to his empathic abilities. "But Tia don't defend Eddie. He is responsible for his own behavior and he will face the consequences for it. I need you to tell us everything the other version of Fox said to you both please."

Tia thought carefully about it. "She said at first that we were her insurance for getting off the ship. And then Eddie tried to tell her that he could give her dirt on you to distract her, then he ran at her. After she got a hold of him she kissed him because I had the phaser pointed on her. And when I shot him she said that it would show him his place." Tia felt a little bit sick to her stomach now. Then she said I was okay and I would only slow her down before she disappeared."

“Kissed him, she kissed my son,” was all it seemed Jonathan Reynolds took from that. “Know his place. He’s a teenager, he doesn’t even know himself yet let alone his place in the galaxy,” Jon stated defensively, “You take no heed from that woman Tia”

Tia blinked up at him. He didn't seem to be mad at her. He always had this authority stance about him but he wasn't yelling, he wasn't holding back anger that was directed at her.

"Where is ensign Leighton,” he demanded determined this woman was to be apprehended as soon as possible.

"Here!" Gwen chimed in, hearing her name as she came onto the scene, "Apologies I was in Sickbay tending to ..." She went quiet and cleared her throat, "No excuses. I'll do better next time."

"Can I go home?" Tia asked. "I'll stay in my room. Eddie probably won't want to see me."

"I do not believe you are a danger to the ship Tia," Jon looked at his security chief for agreement. "You can go home and you do not need to stay in your room. Just no more going in unauthorised places. And the chief here may need to take some statements. As for Eddie, he will not be able to see you for a while as I will be grounding him," Jon said firmly.

"Okay," Tia nodded. "I'm not sure he'll want to see me after this anyway." She had shot him, whatever her reasons might have been. She was sure he was going to be really upset with her.

"Tia, if he did come see you what would you do?" Gwen asked.

She shrugged, she was going to have to think about that and come up with an answer.

OFF:

●●●● Captain Jonathan Reynolds
Captain
USS Andromeda


● Ensign Gwen Leighton
Apprentice Chief Security / Tactical Officer
USS Andromeda


●● Lieutenant True Keading
Chief Counselor
USS Andromeda