In Search Of Some Personal And Legal Advice
Posted on Wed Nov 1st, 2023 @ 7:56pm by Commodore Tyler Malbrooke & Ensign Rachel Sinclair
Edited on on Wed Nov 1st, 2023 @ 8:22pm
0 words; about a 1 minute read
Mission:
Episode 14 - The Poseidon Adventure
Location: Captains Ready Room - Deck 1 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD012 1000 hrs
Stepping into the bridge from one of the aft turbolifts, Rachel was heading for the CO’s Ready Room in hopes of speaking with Commodore Malbrooke. Due to some recent events, Rachel was in need of some advice on a legal matter and one of the councilors, Lieutenant Amelia Zano, had directed her to speak with the CO.
Stopping just in front of the door to the Ready Room, Rachel quickly straightened up her uniform before tapping the door chime.
Tyler had been sitting in his Ready Room going over reports from the entire fleet. His ship and crew had been on shore leave for quite some time. Too much time if Tyler were to be honest with everyone. However, this far the fleet had not orders for the Pioneer. Sitting on the sidelines as it were made Tyler antsy. When the door chime rang he sighed heavily and tossed his PADD on to his desk. He actually welcomed the distraction from his thoughts. "Come on in..."
Taking a quick breath in to hold her nerve, Rachel opened the doors and stepped through, quickly standing up straight afterwards, “Sir, May I have a moment of your time to discuss a personal matter?” She asked as her face began to turn pale white from her still holding her breath. She didn’t mean to keep her breath in, but it was simply due to how nervous she felt right now.
"Of course my door is always open to my crew. But before you do so you have to relax and take a seat. That is going to be an order." Tyler smiled to ease her nerves somewhat. "Can I get you something?" He pushed the work which perplexed him off to the side. At the moment a member of his crew, his family needed him. Those reports could and would wait.
Taking in a deep breath then slowly releasing it, Rachel took the offered seat before answering Tyler’s question, “um, yes please sir. A mug of tea would be great”
Tyler headed for the replicator and glanced over his shoulder as he spoke. "I have the perfect tea. A storied member of Starfleet recommends it whenever deep thought is needed." He turned to the replicator. "Computer. Coffee hot, pumpkin spice flavored, with cream and sugar. Tea, hot, earl grey." Within second everything appeared in the replicator and Tyler served it up on his desk.
Giving Tyler a moment to settle, Rachel began to lay it out, “well sir, I need some advice. I was contacted recently by my biological father. He didn’t have a great deal of time to talk, but he did send both his and my mothers bio signatures which the CMO compared to mine and confirmed the parental connection” she said in one long breath before pausing to breath. Right now Rachel felt that she needed to explain everything as fast as possible so Tyler could give her the best advice he could, “so right now I’m unsure what to do and I think I need to talk with a JAG officer”
"Why don't we start with the reason that you feel you need a JAG officer. From what you have said so far there was no crime committed." Tyler said with his brow furrowed in curiosity. He sipped the coffee and although there was much to discuss he could not resist to savor the flavor of the coffee.
“I’m worried that Papa may get in trouble for adopting me. He didn’t know who or where my parents were as he rescued me from an Orion Slaver and even if he did, my biological parents were listed as missing presumed dead, at least by the Federation. So I’m worried that the Romulan Republic may charge him with something. I don’t know, accessory to kidnapping or something.” Rachel explained, looking up at him for answers, “I don’t want Papa to get in trouble for saving me”
"Well if what you are saying is true then you have little to worry about. Your father cannot be held accountable for something he did not know. Besides I have a feeling that the Romulans are going to be busy trying to clean up their backyard instead of trying to prosecute someone for no reason." Tyler paused to sip his coffee as he pondered something. "All of that said if Romulans try to contact you and get Starfleet information in exchange for leaving your father alone. Then you must tell me and JAG immediately. Are your birth parents looking for you?"
“I think so, my father contacted me through our Intelligence Chief. From what Commander McGowan told me, he said that he used his contacts in Starfleet to determine what ship I was serving on and then used Republic Intelligence to contact her. I’m not sure why he didn’t contact the ship directly but maybe he was worried about someone else listening in”
"That is distinctly possible, Romulans are extremely cautious when it comes to security. All in all unless it becomes a quid pro quo situation I do not see any legal issues here. It seems to me that you are in the clear. For the time being I would suggest to allow things to develop and unfold as they would. If things get worse or change then let me know and we can go from there. I even know an attorney should you need one." Tyler would not allow anything to happen to any member of his crew. Especially if it was something that was outside of their control.
At that, Rachel seemed to relax. Although it did t completely remove all of her concerns, Tyler’s explanation did relieve enough of them that she knew now that most of her worries were unfounded. “Thank you sir, I will keep your offer in mind” she said as a new question came to her, “um, would it be ok if I tried to contact my biological family? Or should I try going through diplomatic channels first?”
"There are no Starfleet regulations against an officer tending to some personal matters when they are off duty. Heck you have me intrigued now so I say yeah track em down and see what they are like. Remember that should you need I am here, and Counselor Vura is of course at your disposal if you need. That leads me to an interesting question. How do you feel about this news? About the prospect of meeting your birth parents? Does it change the way you see the parents who raised you?" As an impending father Tyler had quite a lot of questions in this department.
“How do I feel?” Rachel asked rhetorically before giving a pause to think, “confused. worried. I guess I am happy to know they’re both alive, but I also feel angry towards them. I think I'm placing blame on them for what happened to me after I was kidnapped. Is that normal?”
"I am no counselor but I would think that yes it is normal. There is a part of you that thinks your parents did not protect you well enough and here you are. That is something that you should sort out with Vura. I am sure that she can help you get to the bottom of it and allow some healing to occur before you meet your parents. Although, perhaps the largest question to ask is do you feel that the people who raised you are more your parents." Tyler was both saddened and gladdened by this conversation. He was sad that his officer had to go through this but glad that Rachel felt safe enough to come to him to discuss this.
Sitting back in her chair, Rachel was unsure how to respond. She always wanted to meet and get to know her biological family, but after a while she gave up on that ever happened and simply accepted her new life with her adoptive father, but now that her biological family had literally reached out to her, everything was up in the air again.
“I’m not sure. I still don’t have any memories of my early childhood so Papa is the only family I remember” she said, trying to give the question some thought, “in fact, Papa has been the only family that I’ve ever known. I do get flashes now and then of a house on a planet somewhere, but I couldn’t tell you where the house is”
"Well then you have your answer. While it is important to meet your birth parents they are not your parents per se. For it is not those that give you life that make parents. It is those that are there for you through the hardships of life that make parents. It sounds to me like your Papa is your parent. I suggest meet your birth parents but perhaps give it a little less importance then you are. For you know who your parents are." Tyler leaned forward on his desk as he spoke. His tone took on a more fatherly tone. This conversation was important to him for he would be a parent soon himself.
Taking in Tyler’s ‘sage advice’, Rachel took a moment to take in couple of breaths and slowly release them before responding, “ok. Ok I’ll do that” she said in a resolute tone of voice, “I’ll call my birth parents and organise to meet them somewhere and hear them out, but whatever the outcome, I’ll always have my Papa there for me. Thank you sir, for your advice and your patience”
"Thank you Rachel for confiding in me. After all what are Captain's for." Tyler said with a smile before sipping his ever present coffee. As she left the Ready Room Tyler was filled with joy that one of his newest crew members would feel comfortable enough to come to him with this.
A Joint Poset By
Commodore Tyler Malbrooke
Commanding Officer, USS Pioneer
Ensign Rachel Sinclair
Assistant Chief Security and Tactical Officer, USS Pioneer
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