Bypassing the Brig

Posted on Sat May 9th, 2015 @ 2:36pm by Lieutenant Eric Edwards & Jackson Banning V

=^= Deck 31 =^=

Lieutenant Edwards audibly groaned when the signal from the Admiral’s temporary office sounded, causing Crewman Slandala to give him a healthy dose of side-eye.

“I know, I know,” he huffed, “just doing our job. That doesn’t mean I have to like it,” he answered the Crewman’s unspoken protest before straightening his uniform tunic and stepping through the doors Jackson Banning had so recently entered.

“Lt. Commander Banning, you are hereby remanded into custody for obstruction of justice and will be locked away until such a time as you feel like you can loosen that tongue of yours and actually answer a question with a direct answer, instead of side-stepping.” The Admiral looked to the security staff. “I understand his wife is the Chief of Security?” Slandala nodded. “She is to have no contact with him in any professional manner whatsoever. Audio and visual recordings for any and all visitors. I will send the order for his incarceration momentarily.”

Jackson looked to the two men, and nodded to the closest one. “Evenin’ Eric.”

Eric, for his part, remained impassive. He didn’t want to give the Admiral anything to use against Jackson. She already had every reason to think most of the Security staff was going to be too close to their boss’s husband.

“You don’t need to worry, my wife is off-station. As for my tongue, it gave you plenty to think on, if you choose to listen.” Jackson turned back to the security officers. “A’right men, let’s get this over with.” Nodding, Eric placed a hand on Jackson’s shoulder and ushered him out towards the turbolifts, departing the Admiral’s office.

“Well...that was fun,” Jackson commented as they waited for the lift to arrive. “Sorry y’all had to get pulled into this little...whatever the hell it is.” He paused a moment as a thought occurred to him. “Think she will ask you what I said when I left the room?”

As the lift arrived, Eric tilted his head back towards the Admiral’s office while looking to the Crewman. “Best stay here. She may have someone else she wants to arrest.”

“Sir, I’m not sure that…”

“That that was an order, Crewman?” Eric replied flatly.

Slandala frowned, but straightened up and headed back to his post. Eric stepped into the waiting lift with Jackson and shrugged. “It’s fine, Slandala. Jackson’s no flight risk. He stands to lose too much if the Nexus goes under.” The Lieutenant smiled as the doors finally hissed close and called for Deck 13. “That, and Oz would probably kill you for making her hunt you down. Also, were you talking? I seem to have gone selectively deaf for the next several minutes,” he half-answered Jackson’s query. “I should probably have sickbay look at that.”

“Probably.” Jackson smiled finally. “I’m sure Will or Dr. Crane can come up with somethin’ to explain it.” Eric’s order suddenly hit him. “Deck 13? Did we move the brig?”

“I didn’t hear the word brig,” Eric said, smirking as he crossed his arms and leaned back against the lift’s wall. “Remanded into custody, locked away. The Admiral really should choose her words more carefully. I can do that in your quarters.”

“I see.” Jackson considered those words then shook his head. “Look, Eric, I ‘ppreciate the consideration but she’s on a witch hunt and I don’t want you gettin’ caught in that particular bonfire.”

“I fully expect her to issue a new order that does include the word ‘brig’ once she hears, but at least this should give you a few hours to be comfortable and put your affairs in order,” he said. “Besides, I was 13 when the war started. If she could pull me into it, then Starfleet does a shit job of guarding its secrets. And I think this is what Oz would have done, were she here.”

That brought a laugh from Jackson. “No doubt she would. An’ if that old bat gives ya a hassle over it, well...I’ve gone one round with ‘er, I wouldn’t mind goin’ another. This whole mess is just nuts. Makes me wonder who has a hard-on to see the Admirals go down. That’s the trail she needs to be followin’.”

“No doubt,” Eric agreed, “but based on who she’s been calling into that office, I’m not so sure she’d agree.” The Lieutenant sighed. “I really don’t know everything that’s going on here, but I’m pretty confident that the Admirals wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize the fleet, and the worst thing I’ve ever seen you do to Starfleet is get its officers good and drunk. Public service, if you ask me.” As lighthearted as he was trying to be about this, he found himself shifting uncomfortably in the turbolift and passed a concerned look to Jackson. “You are going to be all right, yeah?”

“Let’s just say that what you don’t know can’t get ya in trouble. And yeah, I will. Us old men have friends, Eric. I can’t see this really endin’ badly, no matter how it looks right now. I gotta admit though, it does look pretty awful.” That was an understatement but Jackson kept the thought to himself.

“Well,” Eric was trying to sound more upbeat, “I’m sure you’ll come through it. All of you.” The lift slid to a halt and deposited them amidst the senior officers’ quarters. The lieutenant motioned for Jackson to lead the way as they stepped out into the corridor. “I’ll need to subject your quarters to surveillance if you receive any guests, so I’ll be waiting outside until I hear from that charming lady downstairs. You might want to pack a bag. She sounded like she might let you stew a while.”

“I suspect so,” Jackson answered. He keyed in the code to open the door to the quarters he and Oz shared and the doors slid open. “You wanna check for secret exits? She’ll swear I have one in here somewhere when she learns I was home and not in the brig.”

Eric rapidly had both hands in the air, waving off the question. “Nooooo,” he insisted. “The last thing I want to do is have to search my boss’s bedroom. I’m going to lock you in and hope you meant what you said about not wanting me in the middle of this bonfire, thank you very much.”

Jackson laughed heartily. “I’m sure Oz will be happy to know the bedroom wasn’t searched. Don’t wanna have to explain the trapeze….” His laughter subsided and he grew serious. “You do what you gotta do to cover yer ass, Eric. Sorry ta drag ya out like this and keep ya standin’ at my door. I am gonna call Ray, so he’ll likely be here soon.”

“Occupational hazard, I guess,” Eric replied with a shrug. “But it still beats getting shot in the ass and stung by a bunch of lavaflies, let me tell ya.” The officer gave one final smile before reaching out and keying the command to seal the doors for confinement to quarters. “I’ll expect Lieutenant Benson, then. Be good, Jack.”

“Always. An’ if ya need dinner, just knock.” He watched as the doors closed and sealed, then let out a sigh. He suspected Eric was right in that Admiral Azoulay was goign to let him stew. She smelled blood in the water and wouldn’t stop till she found what she was looking for or what she thought she was looking for. Either way, he had a lot to do and little time to do it.

First up was a call to Janice to let her now the situation, then one to Ray. It was going to be a long night.

********************

Lt. Eric Edwards
Reading Between the Lines

Jackson Banning V
Owner With A Very Literal Friend
The Nexus Club