Setting Parameters

Posted on Thu Sep 11th, 2025 @ 4:28pm by Lieutenant JG Christian Rogers & Lieutenant JG Adam Taggart
Edited on on Tue Sep 30th, 2025 @ 9:46pm

1,839 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: What was Lost is Found
Location: Security Chief's Office
Timeline: immediately after "Still a Job To Be Done"

Rogers waited until the Captain and executive officer left and the door to the Security Chief's office closed. Then he tossed his PaDD to the desk as he moved around to the other side.

"Let's get a few things settlered here and now," he said to the other lieutenant, the one forced upon his as an assistant chief. "First, when we're alone, I expect to hear your honest opinions and thoughts, no matter how much you think I may disagree with them. Second, I expect that you will conduct yourself as befits a Starfleet officer and a department executive officer when we are not alone. Third, I expect there will be some settling in to be done, but I'm warning you now, I will tolerate only so much insubordination or attitude. Clear?"

Adam watched as Rogers stalked around the desk, his eyes narrowing. "I know my job, sir. " his tone rather heated. "I didn't ask to be your assistant chief. And also sir, I expect the same from you where I am concerned as well. Respect. One other thing i will point out, I am not a yes man." Taggart shifting his stance, keeping his eyes on Rogers.

He was still angry about the whole situation and it emanated from him.

"And you heard me asking for you as the department executive?" Rogers growled. Then, he took a long, deep breath. He knew it was on him as the department head to set the tone for leadership and accountability among his subordinates. He couldn't call out bad behavior if he was engaging in it himself. "I'm not asking for a "yes man". I would prefer that you're not. I am saying that we will not have dissension in command for this department out there and in front of others."

He glared at the lieutenant. "I prefer that you're not a 'yes man' in fact. As long as your disagreements are honest, for the better of the department and appropriately presented then you are free to disagree with me all you want. In private. In fact, let's make that a standing order that you are given permission to speak freely. And, I've seen the boxing ring over there," here he waved vaguely in the direction of the gym and physical training area of the security complex, "so that's always available to us if we need wall to wall counseling. Clear?"

Taggart quirked up an eyebrow. "Wall to Wall counseling" his eyes narrowing. "Sir, I am professional, and I do not intend on making disagreeing remarks in front of the rest of our staff. I'm quite willing to keep it behind closed doors. I know that we need to show that we are working together, out there. "

Taggart shifted his stance.

"I am going to consider this talk to be one of you making certain that I know where you stand. Bear in mind, sir, I am not someone who is a goldbricker. I hope you will realize that."

"I'm sure you'll make that obvious as we go forward," Rogers said.

He picked up his PaDD. "Put out a schedule starting with A shift tomorrow for four hours holodeck training time. I'll send Brownie to set up the details. Every member of the department is mandated to attend. Then," he pushed a few buttons on his PaDD, "I"m going to send you some replicator files. I'll let you know when we've got permission to use the cargo replicators to recreate them. They're weapons so I have to speak with the Captain about it. Start going through personnel files, I want to do a full review of the department. Not just so we know who we have but I want to make sure the people are in the best positions possible. We'll also need to identify the first wave of advanced combat training for the regular Starfleet personnel."

He looked up at his forced upon him XO. "Any ideas or suggestions you have?"

Taggart looked at the listing of weapons and felt that there were some missing. "These are well and good, I though feel there is something lacking. And that is getting fighting skills with what is known as Archaic weapons. Staffs, bows and rope usage. And projectile weapons, such as rifles." meeting Roger's eyes

"You didn't look at the next file," Rogers said. "Though, we'll need to make sure to get the captain's permission since they are hard calibre projectiles. Starfleet R&D started them for the Borg, then we tested them on the Jem'Hadar. Energy fields are so much less effective unless you're willing to pay a massive power cost for the shielding."

Specs for a gauss/phaser rifle were in the second file. "They're pretty much a nightmare on bulkheads as well. Counterproductive when outside of atmo. Holodeck parameters will need to be reset so that they align better with the operation. Not much of a kick to them since their magnetic, but enough that newbies feel it and it tends to throw off aim. This is the main reason for the four hours of training. If Captain approves them, we'll begin replicating the weapons and issue them prior to transport. SWAT/S will be included in every transport group and will be the security in charge until we eradicate the threat."

He pulled up his PaDD again. "In the meantime, change the duty rotation to make sure that regular and SWAT/S security are working side by side. Those who are not currently on a posted assignment will begin training exercises for two hours of their shift and then relieve those on post orders for two hours so they can get in their training. We have to make sure that each group is familiar with the tactics and reponses of the others. I don't want there to be mistakes or confusion that will jeopardize our personnel or anybody else on the ship."

He sighed. "There is one other thing. We've got officers left behind. I hate that and will push to retrieve them so they can go home." He looked directly at Taggert. "I didn't know them well and would appreciate if you wanted to write personalized letters to their families, that you let me know and have them ready by the day after next. And that goes for any other member of the department that might want to include anything personel to go along with the official communiques." His jaw clenched. "Their families should get something more than just the standard form letter I'll have to send out."

"I'll do the letter writing, Sir but- There are no remains to be recovered. I saw the feeds, they were eaten. You can ask Lambert he was there. It won't matter on how hard you push for us to go back, its not going to happen." Taggart grimly said. "All that will be said as to how they died, Killed in Action, unless someone wants to give details as to how they died."

He went back to reading. "We could definitely get the holodeck programmed to the lowest safety protocols, just to get more of a feel. Though, we do need to get to a place off the ship to get more practice with real time."

Rogers looked at the other lieutenant with a perfectly blank face. "I don't believe we'll be letting someone's dear, sweet mother know they were "eaten". Those kinds of details can be left out."

"Contrary to what you might think, that isn't something that I will be putting in." Adam raising an eyebrow towards Rogers. "Do we include Lambert in the rotation or is he going to be out of action for awhile?"

Rogers glared at his XO for several moments. Did the man not have a shred of humor in his body? If not, they were definitely in trouble moving forward. "Lambert," he finally said. "We don't have a choice there as he's under medical orders at this time. When he's released, make sure to get in contact with the counselor and make sure he has a clearance there as well."

He wished he had his ball with him. "Pass it around that visits to medical are authorized, and encouraged, once the quarantine is lifted and it doesn't interfere with duties. Those that can relief others so they can visit are also authorized to do so." Rogers picked up the PaDD but it wasn't the same. He looked directly at Taggert. "He's one of ours and I want that absolutely clear to him and the department that we stand together as a team. I'll be...okay...with getting complaints from Medical about the foot traffic, as long as the visiting groups are kept relatively small. Be sure to file a progress report with the morning briefings."

Taggart gave a solemn nod, picking up his PADD and making a note on that. He did notice that Rogers was seeming to be a bit antsy.

"Sir are you needing some sort of medication? When was the last time you had what you are needing?"

Rogers glared at Taggert, his dark eyes grown darker. "That is the last time you cross that line, Liuetenant," he growled. "You have your orders, carry them out. Dismissed."

Adam gave a pointed look towards the new Chief of Security. "Sir, as your second in the command structure of Security I was well within my right in asking that."

Rising up from where he had been sitting, heading towards the door. "May the rest of the day be good for you." Adam stated stepping through the door,the door closing behind him. Once he was out of the room he had a pleasant smile on his lips.

As what Rogers had said, they needed to show a better front when in the view of the rest of security.

"Prat," Rogers mumbled then he pulled out the chair as there was work to be done. But...he looked around the office. This was another man's space. A man who was alive just hours ago and now it seemed like a mausoleum. The Chief's things would need to be collected, packed and stored for when they could be shipped to his next of kin. Not something he had time for now. "Lamber," he muttered to himself. The only surviving member of the planetary security team. He had to go speak with him to get what information he could get on what happened and why. Pocketing his PaDD, he left the office shortly after Taggert, giving him just a few minutes to have cleared out. Though, seeing the few in the security offices, he was glad the change of command notification was automated once Captain Baas officially appointed him as SecChief.

And, well, he'll just have to see what kind of prat Taggert is as they moved forward. It would be a test of Fleeter versus Marine composure, wouldn't it? The doors opened and Rogers made his way to Medical.


LTjg Christian Rogers
Chief of Security

LTjg Adam Taggart
Assistant Security Chief

 

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