IKC FHew 7C6110
Allegiances 2 – Time to bite the bullet
by Soghla' Marie St. Helene & HoD Ro' Matlh
Post Details
Marie stood at the foot of the ladder up to the bridge. She breathed deeply, trying to psych herself up.
She put one foot on the ladder then one hand. You can do this, she told herself. Go on. What's the worst he can do?
The other foot hesitated. Spread you all across the bridge decking, another voice reminded her.
Yeah, there is that. But you won't get a promotion any other way. You know you deserve it but you still have to earn it.
She climbed. At the top she hesitated again but forced herself to continue. The doors to the bridge parted for her.
"Hey you!" she called across the bridge. "Yes you, you surly Klingon bastard. Yes you, Matlh, I'm talking to you."
Ro' turned see what the new commotion was about.
She strode over to where the captain was standing. She stood, feet braced, staring straight into Matlh's eyes. "Why didn't I get a promotion? I sprang you from goal. I risked my life to get those bike things. I've saved your sorry arse more times than I care to recall. And do you repay me? No! You pass me over. I notice the Klingons get promotions but not me. No, I'm a human so you think you can ignore me." She tiurned on her heel and strode back to the ladder. At its head, she turned back. "Next time you want a favour, you piece of Klingon filth, go find some other patsy!" With that, she moved to the doors again.
"Ne St. Helen. you have not been dismissed," Ro' growled quietly, burt with enough menace for Marie to take the warning that he was serious. She stopped and turned to him again.
"Perhaps I have not been clear enough with the humans on the ship as to how promotion works. If that is the case, then allow me to rectify the mistake. You can hold whatever rank you can defend. You can be Captain... if you think you can take the post from my cold, dead fingers. As a Ne, you have no one under you watching to make sure you do your job right, and ready to kill and replace you if you fail."
"If you would like a position of authority you will have to defend it, and you will have junior officers watching you like a hawk. I thought that might compromise your... particular style of management. Why don't you tell me what rank you feel would suit you best. Feel free to use starfleet roles and I will asign the equivalent KDF tag."
Ro' folded his arms and waited to see how well Marie's attitude lasted under the new challenge.
She turned slowly to face Matlh. She could feel all eyes on the bridge on her. It's now or never, girl. You can't back down now.
"Take it from you? You think I want to fight you? You think you're even worth fighting? I wouldn't sully my hands with the experience. And before you go accusing me of cowardice; that's not the reason. I can do my job perfectly well at whatever rank you choose to assign but only I can do my job. There won't be any junior officers trying to take my position away because no-one else on this ship can do what I do. I will tell you this though, with rank comes respect – not because I beat the living daylights out of someone to get the position but because I earnt it. That might come as an odd concept to you, Klingon, but you'd better get used to it. Just in case you missed it the first time round – I earnt it!
"Now let me put this in easy to understand words for you. I'll try to keep them to three syllables or less. Whether I'm scrounging spare parts for the engines or food supplies so we can stay alive, my job is made all the easier if I have a suitable rank. Lieutenant will do just fine for now. We'll discuss something a bit grander when I deem the time appropriate.
"I suggest you give this careful consideration. Would two minutes be enough to get your thick Klingon head around this concept?"
This time she did not turn to leave. She stood there, rigid, her eyes firmly fixed on Matlh.
Matlh was impressed by the fact that Marie was willing to stand up for herself, "All right, Lagh St. Helene. I will let you be a juniior Lt. Since you feel that respect is so important, I will promot you to full Sogh as soon as you get one of the current Lagh to call you, 'Sir', in my presence."
"They will call me Ma'am. That's Ma'am as in 'ham', not Ma'am as in 'palm'."
He bellowed over his shoulder, "Beq YIghegh! You are to watch and learn from the Lagh. We can't afford for her to be the only one who can do her job."
So you're my patsy. You'll do to start. We'll work on the others later.
"Dissmissed, Lagh."
Marie unclenched her muscles. As slowly as she could she turned to the ladder and climbed down. At the bottom she took a deep breath. That could have gone a lot worse. At least you're still alive, girl.
by Soghla' Marie St. Helene & HoD Ro' Matlh
Post Details
| Title | Time to bite the bullet | |
| Mission | Allegiances 2 | |
| Author(s) | Soghla' Marie St. Helene & HoD Ro' Matlh | |
| Posted | Mon Feb 28, 2011 @ 9:51am | |
| Location | Bridge |
She put one foot on the ladder then one hand. You can do this, she told herself. Go on. What's the worst he can do?
The other foot hesitated. Spread you all across the bridge decking, another voice reminded her.
Yeah, there is that. But you won't get a promotion any other way. You know you deserve it but you still have to earn it.
She climbed. At the top she hesitated again but forced herself to continue. The doors to the bridge parted for her.
"Hey you!" she called across the bridge. "Yes you, you surly Klingon bastard. Yes you, Matlh, I'm talking to you."
Ro' turned see what the new commotion was about.
She strode over to where the captain was standing. She stood, feet braced, staring straight into Matlh's eyes. "Why didn't I get a promotion? I sprang you from goal. I risked my life to get those bike things. I've saved your sorry arse more times than I care to recall. And do you repay me? No! You pass me over. I notice the Klingons get promotions but not me. No, I'm a human so you think you can ignore me." She tiurned on her heel and strode back to the ladder. At its head, she turned back. "Next time you want a favour, you piece of Klingon filth, go find some other patsy!" With that, she moved to the doors again.
"Ne St. Helen. you have not been dismissed," Ro' growled quietly, burt with enough menace for Marie to take the warning that he was serious. She stopped and turned to him again.
"Perhaps I have not been clear enough with the humans on the ship as to how promotion works. If that is the case, then allow me to rectify the mistake. You can hold whatever rank you can defend. You can be Captain... if you think you can take the post from my cold, dead fingers. As a Ne, you have no one under you watching to make sure you do your job right, and ready to kill and replace you if you fail."
"If you would like a position of authority you will have to defend it, and you will have junior officers watching you like a hawk. I thought that might compromise your... particular style of management. Why don't you tell me what rank you feel would suit you best. Feel free to use starfleet roles and I will asign the equivalent KDF tag."
Ro' folded his arms and waited to see how well Marie's attitude lasted under the new challenge.
She turned slowly to face Matlh. She could feel all eyes on the bridge on her. It's now or never, girl. You can't back down now.
"Take it from you? You think I want to fight you? You think you're even worth fighting? I wouldn't sully my hands with the experience. And before you go accusing me of cowardice; that's not the reason. I can do my job perfectly well at whatever rank you choose to assign but only I can do my job. There won't be any junior officers trying to take my position away because no-one else on this ship can do what I do. I will tell you this though, with rank comes respect – not because I beat the living daylights out of someone to get the position but because I earnt it. That might come as an odd concept to you, Klingon, but you'd better get used to it. Just in case you missed it the first time round – I earnt it!
"Now let me put this in easy to understand words for you. I'll try to keep them to three syllables or less. Whether I'm scrounging spare parts for the engines or food supplies so we can stay alive, my job is made all the easier if I have a suitable rank. Lieutenant will do just fine for now. We'll discuss something a bit grander when I deem the time appropriate.
"I suggest you give this careful consideration. Would two minutes be enough to get your thick Klingon head around this concept?"
This time she did not turn to leave. She stood there, rigid, her eyes firmly fixed on Matlh.
Matlh was impressed by the fact that Marie was willing to stand up for herself, "All right, Lagh St. Helene. I will let you be a juniior Lt. Since you feel that respect is so important, I will promot you to full Sogh as soon as you get one of the current Lagh to call you, 'Sir', in my presence."
"They will call me Ma'am. That's Ma'am as in 'ham', not Ma'am as in 'palm'."
He bellowed over his shoulder, "Beq YIghegh! You are to watch and learn from the Lagh. We can't afford for her to be the only one who can do her job."
So you're my patsy. You'll do to start. We'll work on the others later.
"Dissmissed, Lagh."
Marie unclenched her muscles. As slowly as she could she turned to the ladder and climbed down. At the bottom she took a deep breath. That could have gone a lot worse. At least you're still alive, girl.