The Cauldron and the Tempest

Posted on Sat Mar 7th, 2020 @ 3:26am by Lieutenant Colonel Tienn Nerra & Colonel Brianna Hobbs
Edited on on Sat Mar 7th, 2020 @ 3:27am

Mission: Mission 69: Tienn's Fall from Grace
Location: Various Locations - USS Argonne
Timeline: 1000Hrs - March 25th, 2392

Captain Maximilian Rhodes sat quietly across the desk from Colonel Brianna Hobbs. Hobb's office was empty of other personnel.

Rhodes looked up at Hobbs. "So Colonel Hobbs, tell me about Lobox VII."

Hobbs gave a confused look. "Captain, there is a lengthy report on what happened. That was completed several weeks ago."

"I read the report Colonel." He told her. "I want to hear it from you."

Hobbs grimaced. "It was a slaughter. Colonel Nye opened fire before everything was in place. He then didn't follow the plan and launched the ground attack too soon. He also failed to stand down when he was ordered. We had to retake the Argonne."

"So most of the blame should be taken by Colonel Nye?" Rhodes asked.

"Yes."

"So did he go before a tribunal for his actions?" Rhodes asked.

"No, he was murdered." She replied.

"How convenient his death must have been." Rhodes speculated.

Hobbs face was red with anger. She spoke through clenched teeth. "What's that suppose to mean?"

"Colonel Nye had a long history of running successful operations. It is entirely out of character for him botch an operation." Rhodes told her.

"It's all in the report!" Hobbs shouted.

"Yes, in a report you wrote." Rhodes retorted.

"It was looked over and signed by my commanding officer." Hobbs told him.

"Yes, a one Commodore Zara Tane?" Rhodes asked rhetorically. "Commodore Tane is a rogue. How she even remains in Star Fleet, let alone holds a command, is beyond the greatest minds at Star Fleet Head Quarters."

"Are you saying the report is a fabrication?" Hobbs asked.

"I am stating facts." Rhodes told her coldly. "Nye was a respected and decorated war veteran with a history of victory. In one operation he makes several unsound decisions and is later assassinated. Explain that please."

"His victories were against weaker forces and he used unethical methods. He was a glory hound and very arrogant. He surrounded himself with toadies. He finally threw the dice and lost." Hobbs explained.

"And where are these 'toady' officers?" Rhodes asked.

"Well, with the exception of Snee, they are all dead." Hobbs confessed.

Rhodes raised an eyebrow. "How convenient."

"So what really happened if it didn't happen the way in the report?" Hobbs asked.

"That is not for you to know at this time." Rhodes replied.

"Are you shitting me?" Hobbs yelled out. "What the fuck is the issue here?"

Rhodes had a sour look on his face but remained cool. "Your leadership Colonel. You run a suspect ship."

"What! How dare you!" Hobbs was besides herself with rage!.

"Can you explain what 'the pit' is?" Rhodes asked.

"That is where the marines go to blow off steam and resolve issues." Hobbs replied.

"They beat each other unconscious." Rhodes corrected her. "Leadership is suppose to resolve issues. Do you think what your doing is appropriate?"

"It keeps the marines in line and unified." Hobbs told him.

"It ruins discipline. You marines are nothing but thugs." Rhodes told her.

"I think you are wrong Captain." Hobbs replied back with a scowl.

"Your acting Executive officer was insubordinate towards me." Rhodes informed her. "If she is acting in that manner I can imagine what the other ranks are doing."

Hobbs had no reply. "Silence Colonel? That is alright, we will continue this conversation latter." Rhodes informed her as he got up out of his seat. "I'll inform you when we will talk again." He told her as he left.

Hobbs was seething. "Tienn, report to my office ASAP!"

Tienn was busy with Tragg Highmountain as they were going over some paperwork, for the turnover of the command, he was already running the battalion and she was finishing the last of the details.
She slapped her combadge. "Yessir. I'm on my way." and with that she handed the PADD to the massive being next to her.

Tienn reached her destination a few minutes later, she tapped the door chime as she waited to be admitted, for she knew this was coming so she focused on thinking about her brother when he accused her of apostasy. To her kin she was an apostate and this defined her, she allowed the rage and anger to well up inside of her as she was going to use it as a shield. The black look in her eyes gave much away.

"Explain what happened between you and Captain Rhodes?" Hobbs asked as calm as she could.

Tienn paused as she cast her recollection back. "Captain Rhodes... The JAG Officer I presume... He was rather cold and questioned me on various things." she explained. "I was trying to deal with three issues at the time and .... I got none of them resolved, he also intervened with a dispute between two marines which got stupidly out of hand as a result." she answered.

"The Captain stated that you were insubordinate. Explain?" Hobbs ordered her.

Tienn regarded Hobbs. "He didn't tell me who he was... Yes I was insubordinate.." as she regarded the large human woman before her before a rather evil look appeared on her face. "He was actually looking for Major Rohr at the time.. and I was busy dealing with pre existing issues which I judged to be more important at the time."

Hobbs rolled her eyes. "What the fucking hell is wrong with you? You had an absolutely brilliant career and you pissing it away! Why the bloody fucking hell do you insist on destroying yourself?"

Tienn finally exploded with violent force. "What the fuck does it matter to you!." Tienn's self copntrol melted down in truly frightening fashion as she snarled at the other woman. "You have a family, you have a wife and a baby in your arms... All I have is my fucking shame... I have NOTHING LEFT!" Tienn added loudly in an enraged tone.

"Because I'm your friend Tienn!" Hobbs yelled back. "What shame could you possibly have? Your a Star Fleet officer of the highest caliber. Your a credit to your people."

"My people..." Tienn's rage dissipated as she indicated the chair. "Sit down Colonel... let me explain my shame... and my plans for retribution for what my brother did to me.." as her right hand went to the large blade on her chest. "You are aware of what happened to my twin, yes?" she inquired. "Well... I lost my faith when I questioned why my peoples religion-" there was a rather evil grin on her face. "-I asked my brother... about it and he accused me of Apostasy... so I am an Apostate.... One who has abandoned their faith and in my peoples eyes.. I am less then nothing.." Tienn explained with a voice that sounded like two bricks being ground together to create friction and dust..

Hobbs remained silent for a moment. "We need to discuss this Tienn. Not officer to officer but friend to friend. Would you mind taking a seat and explaining what happened?"

Tienn sighed as she felt thirty pounds lighter, she fumbled into a chair as she let out a sigh. "There isn't anything to discuss... My ass is in a sling and .... well that.... my apostasy I will deal with... When I go to face my brother... because I am going to kill him for this.."

"I'm not familiar with your culture, can you explain?" Hobbs explained.

"My people are highly religious and my sect of the Bajoran faith stipulates that one does not question their faith... my sisters and I however do that all the time because we left home, the ideals of our sect were too strict for us... we were looking for mom where as dad and our brothers wrote her off.. she was a 'comfort woman' before she disappeared all those years ago..." Tienn sighed. "I made the mistake of talking to my brother and he asked about Iteela.... I didn't think he would start shit with me about it... Considering I am used to a certain level of religious freedom in life..."

"And how does being an apostate effect your life in Star Fleet?" Hobbs asked. "I thought you more or less broke away from Bajoran culture."

"Its not quite that simple." Tienn responded. "I still have family on Bajor..." she explained. "I tried telling him.. Koll that is... about mom.. But he wasn't getting it."

"Yeah, I'm sorry for not completely understanding." Hobbs admitted. "Why are you less than nothing?"

"Because I abandoned my faith because of what happened to my twin... and now I don't even recognize her anymore either... she talks like a Vulcan.." Tienn explained. "A Bajoran without his or her faith is like a Ferengi without profit."

Hobbs sighed. "I'm not sure I know how to help you. Do you need a leave to sort this all out?"

"No..." Tienn responded. "Considering the level of my crimes.. I suspect that I won't be getting leave time for a long time yet... I'm about to loose my post and my rank." she then shrugged, as if to say she didn't care.

"Okay, go to your quarters and stay there for now." Hobbs told her. "If you need to leave for any reason ask Sorvok or myself."

"Yessir." and with that she rose to her feet except she stumbled and nearly faceplated into Hobbs's desk, catching it at the last second.

"Whoa, are you okay Tienn?" Hobbs asked with concern.

Tienn felt mortified that her body had stopped working before she burst into tears. "No.."

Hobbs embraced Tienn. "Alright, sit back down and I'll get you a refreshment. Coffee or tea?"

Tienn let out an exclamation of surprise as Hobb's gently enfolded her arms around the smaller female. "Umm... Coffee please.." she said quietly. "two creams and three sugars." she added as she sat back down in the chair, she breathed out and then back in, all in an effort to control her breathing.

Hobbs went and produced the drink and brought it to Tienn. "Drink slowly."

Tienn grasped the mug, as she let it warm her cold fingers before she took a sip. "Mm... thank you.. I fucked up good."

"Yes you did." Hobbs replied sadly.

"You have to fire me Brianna... I just ruined my command and yours too.." she sighed. "I can.... fix it but... it'll take time. But I don't think its going to matter."

"Let's not worry about that now. Go to your quarters and get some rest." She told her.

Tienn drained the entire thermos of coffee slowly. "Yessir." she responded before she hauled herself to her feet, she came to attention before she departed quickly and quietly.