Just Rewards - Part Two

Posted on Tue Mar 17th, 2020 @ 2:46am by Lieutenant Commander Ouros Yamaguchi & 1st Lieutenant T'Kera "Demolitions" Duval & Company Sergeant Major Jeffery "The Mountain" Duval & Division General Donovan Garibaldi & Colonel Brianna Hobbs & Major Daisy Rohr-McKnight

Mission: Mission 98: Building Our New Home
Location: Taurus Reach, sickbay
Timeline: 1330Hrs - June 6th, 2393

A few moments later, the small gathering entered Sickbay. Captain T'Nae Duval was sitting in the waiting area, she looked calm and at peace but Duval knew her better than this. "Excuse me please," he said quietly before moving to his mate's side, he sat down next to her before he gently took her hand in his own. "Hey," he said softly. "It's going to be okay."

"I hope so." the Vulcan female answered softly.

Meanwhile, a nurse came over. "Can I help you fine people?." the young Bajoran female inquired in a rather jovial tone of voice.

"We are here to see our marines, thank you." Garibaldi said while he patiently as the nurse showed them through.

The first bed the two past was occupied by Gunnery Sergeant Vaal. "You can't get rid of me that easily Garibaldi," Olga told him. "I bet you would have given Sternwald a medal if he got me killed?"

"That would have been the only act of competence displayed on his part. I can see you're going to hound me until I'm in the grave." Garibaldi replied with a straight face. Olga gave Garibaldi a mischievous smile.

Just then another female tried to laugh but what ended up happening was the officer in question began coughing instead. "Easy El Tee." the nurse nearby flew over as if she had sprouted wings to check on the wounded marines condition. "Speak... speak for yourself, Olga. I hope Sternwald is being dealt with properly." Ouros Yamaguchi commented in a quiet tone of voice which was clearly the best she could manage.

The door to the left of the General and out stepped a smaller than average female, one wearing a medical uniform and the rank of Commander. "Lo General. At last, we meet amidst the ruins of noble men and women. A pity that we must endure the clumsy patter of imbeciles right?" Autumn Yamaguchi inquired with a wide smile. "I've called in all of my medical officers and nurses for this effort."

"Thank you, Dr, Yamaguchi for all your efforts and those of your people. How are our marines?" Garibaldi asked Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi paused. "We should talk in my office. General" the smaller woman simply backstepped as she reentered the office she had emerged from not thirty seconds earlier.

After they were both seated. Yamaguchi started her report. She knew she was dealing with a man who had a massive level of authority and she was not about to start any sort of crap with him. "Well, they are all in rough shape but some are worse than others. The Andorians are particularly bad, had rescue not come with it did, They would have been dead within hours." she paused. "I have them all on a strict liquid diet but they are going to need some serious time off before anyone asks anything from these men and women. Lieutenant Yamaguchi also brought back some kind of liquid in her thermos that she all but demanded we look at, I have the lab running tests now and several marines look like they have been attacked by overly large bugs." the small female cringed "Bugs with spikes by the look of them." the small female explained. "Also they are very badly burned and dehydrated, the environment they were in did that but we haven't lost anyone, other than the two marines who are presently in our morgue." Yamaguchi paused. "I finished the autopsies on them and what killed them was dehydration and exposure, what I expected," she explained as she let out a soft sigh. "Damon Stevens's will said to bury their son in the nearest Starfleet memorial whereas Harris Djervik was an orphan, he had no kin." Yamaguchi paused. "Except the Corps but he left no will stating anything about the body," she added.

"Thank you, Doctor." Garibaldi nodded. "We'll find a proper resting place for Private Djervik. I do need to talk to Lieutenant Ouros Yamaguchi. Is she up to it?"

Yamaguchi nodded, in response to his first statement but she gently frowned before she gently bit her lips. "She is, but I highly recommend not taxing her, the fact that she is awake is almost a minor miracle in itself." the small female explained. "The first words out of her mouth was 'see to my people, they come first.'." Yamaguchi added. "She's on biobed three, next to Ms. Vaal," she added.

Garibaldi moved over to Ouros. "Glad to see you, Lieutenant," Garibaldi told Yamaguchi with a gentle smile. "Major Rohr made a report. According to the survivors, you're the one who brought them through. I have to say, the rest of the officers and especially myself are very proud of you."

"General," Yamaguchi whispered. "The major... is too ... kind," she added as a soft hiss before she clenched the glass of water before she brought it to her lips, she took a sip. "They thought I was working with Sternwald." she added with the same whisper. "How many did we lose sir.?" she added quietly.

"We lost two, Stevens and Djervik. Both of them new privates." Garibaldi answered. "And no one thinks your working for Sternwald now. The marines we have talked to have nothing but praise for you."

Ouros closed her eyes as she processed the details of her losses. "Stevens and Djervik were good men, they will be missed at dinner," she responded in a quiet tone. "I'd like to say a few words at the memorial service?" she asked in a quiet tone before she finished her glass of water, quietly and slowly she poured herself another glass. "What now sir?" she added a moment later, sounding a little stronger.

"When we have a service arranged, yes, we will make sure you can say something," Garibaldi assured Ouros. "I do have a proposal for you. Now that Sternwald is on his way back to Star Fleet Headquarters for a trial, we need a company commander. I would like to offer you this position. You will be promoted to Captain to go with the position, of course."

Yamaguchi smiled. "I accept. I can clean up his mess and help his former unit, all in one go." The large female then slowly drained half her glass. "I look forward to it, It'll be a privilege in removing his presence from the base, let alone the corps." she left unsaid 'and the realm of the living' but she left that little detail alone. "When do I start General?"

"From this right now your the official company commander. You'll get your rank as soon as we clear the paperwork." Garibaldi smiled. "You'll start as soon as your released from medical."

"Yessir," Yamaguchi answered quietly. "Thank you, sir, for the rescue," she added quietly.

"Don't thank me, thank the crew of the Coral Sea. They pulled you out of the sand." Garibaldi told Ouros. "Anyways, Major Rohr will stop by tomorrow to give you a quick briefing."

"I intend to," Yamaguchi answered quietly before she nodded. "Yessir. Hopefully by then I'll have been released." but Yamaguchi ran her tongue over the burns on his lips and she knew she wouldn't be, she'd be among the last to be freed of this place but then she was not going to complain, as were this her home reality, she would have been given some medication and sent on her way. She nodded to the General as the nurse came over with a fresh jug of water. "Lieutenant, for you."

Yamaguchi smiled. "Thank you, Heidi. I'm going to enjoy this."

"Drink up, I got more for you." the young woman responded. "General." and with that, she withdrew in silence.

Garibaldi nodded at the nurse before returning his attention to Ouros. "I'll let you rest now. Take some time off to rest before returning to duty."

"Thank you, General," Yamaguchi responded quietly as she sighed softly, she felt weaker than an infant as the nurse came by again, this time with a platter of several bowls of what Yamaguchi assumed was soup. "General." she nodded to the man with the stars on his collar.

Garibaldi nodded to Ouros then to the nurse as he left. He then looked for Sergeant major Duval.

Meanwhile, Sergeant Major Duval was seated at the bedside of another marine, one who was sitting up while she recounted her tale to the third person, one who was wearing the uniform of a Starfleet Captain. "Lieutenant Yamaguchi saved all of our lives. Without question, neither myself or anyone else... would be present if not for her," she explained.

"Her file reads that she is a malcontent," Duval answered in a quiet tone of voice.

T'Kera shook her head. "Her reputation is undeserved Dad. She donated all her water and kept none for herself. It's a minor miracle she's even alive."

T'Nae nodded her head. "The medical report on all of the Marines present makes for grim reading." the Vulcan female explained. "I have no doubt the General will be most displeased with this exercise."

Jeff Duval sighed softly. "Tell me about it, I have no idea whats going to happen to Sternwald, but I'm leaving that for those above my pay grade."

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything Sergeant Major, Lieutenant?" Garibaldi asked as he approached.

T'Nae merely turned her head. "Not at all General. We were just talking about you." the Vulcan female then smiled.

T'Kera sighed softly as the younger woman shook her head as she glared at her mother. "What can I do for you General.?"

Duval regarded the General. "Other than my relatives and their usual banter. No General. Whats up?"

Garibaldi smiled at T'nae and T'Kera before returning his attention to Duval. "I'm going to visit with some of the other troops before I head out. I'm considering this the end of the workday. As of tomorrow morning, your on leave. I'll have the paperwork ready. There is no need for you to head back down planetside. Stay here with your family."

Jeff Duval smiled, he had not been expecting such news but it was T'Nae who answered first. "Thank you General," she commented. "We appreciate that." Duval added a moment later.

"Your welcome. I'll be back in tomorrow also for another update. Until get better young marine." Garibaldi told T'Kera.

"Thank you, General." T'Kera answered, a gentle smile playing at her lips.

Garibaldi smiled as he left sick bay.

He was back at marine headquarters at Camp Ostia. He quickly finished the paperwork for Ouros' promotion and generous leave for all the marines involved. It was then a marine orderly knocked on his office door and Garibaldi admitted him. "General, I have a message from Undersecretary Wheeler. He is signaling us on a secure channel."

"Do you mean the Undersecretary of Star Fleet, Alfred Wheeler? Put him through." Garibaldi ordered.

An older man dressed in a formal suit appeared on Garibaldi's display. "Mister Secretary, how can I help you?"

"Hello General Garibaldi." The man replied in a polite voice. "Sorry to call you on such short notice but we have an issue."

"And what issue is that Mr. Secretary?" Garibaldi asked although he had a hunch what this was about.

"It is about one Lieutenant Sternwald, General." Wheeler told him. Garibaldi felt the tension rise as he knew where this talk was going. "You need to drop the charges."

"So why does Sternwald get such special treatment?" Garibaldi asked.

"Sternwald comes from a long line of accomplished statesmen. The incident in question would cause quite the scandal if it became public. It would ruin the young man's career and cause much embarrassment for the political establishment. For the good of the Federation and the good name of Star Fleet, you must have the charges against him dropped." Wheeler ordered Garibaldi.

"Your kidding me right?" Garibaldi was incensed. "He's obnoxious and stupid behavior caused two marines to lose their lives and many more are in sickbay now in serious shape. And you just want me to turn a blind eye? I can't do that even if I wanted to."

"Of course, there have been casualties so someone has to pay." Wheeler stated. "There are others that can take the fall. His commanding officer, a one Major Ruhr?"

"You want me to put the blame on her? First off, she had nothing to do with this. Second, it will ruin her career. The answer is no." Garibaldi told him.

"Major Ruhr has a husband. We can also arrange it for her to have a nice pension." Wheeler replied. "And if you need to someone on the ground to blame. You can have Gunnery Sergeant Vaal take ownership. She has a long record of disobeying orders and being a loose cannon. This time, Gunnery Sergeant Vaal disobeyed Sternwald's instructions and people died. She's a perfect scapegoat and from what I know you find her disagreeable."

"Your information is right, I don't like Vaal. That said, I'm not putting the blame on her or Ruhr. Sternwald will suffer for what he did. And I'm surprised you as Undersecretary have taken such an interest in a mid-level NCO and field grade officer." Garibaldi replied.

"Your decision is disappointing General. You had a brilliant career. You just threw it away." Wheeler told him.

"At least I can look at myself in the mirror," Garibaldi replied. Wheeler gave Garibaldi a sneer before breaking contact. Garibaldi pulled a bottle of Bourbon from his desk and took a shot. "Well, I just unleashed a shit storm."

re: