Exit Stage Left - Chapter 7

NOTE TO READERS: There is no such thing as “The Starfleet Command Guide” nor the code quoted from therein. It exists only in my fertile imagination, and is allowed to peek out every so often. This was such a time . . . . .


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Free Enterprise  - Exit Stage Left - Chapter #7




It was T'Marr's 10th day in purgatory when she decided she'd had enough! Despite the fact that she was fuming inside, she decided she was not going to scream, shout or use profanity (in any language or dialect). Nor was she going to go in “swinging”. T'Marr determined that she was going to handle the whole matter both professionally and logically.


The first step was to summon Lt. Commander Gilgamesh to the bridge to relieve her at the comm. Immediately upon her subordinate's arrival, she stood smartly, made a textbook military right and headed for the door of Captain Anasazi's Ready Room. Which by the way had been formally dubbed “The Lion's Den” by the crew.




* * * * *




The Insurrection's Captain was currently in the midst of studying a complicated set of quantum physics problems, on his desk console screen. He was doing this because his Chief Engineer told him this equation described a method which would improve the Insurrection's engines optimum output by 40%.


Tyr was checking because Nietzscheans were firm believers in exercising their minds as well as their bodies. He was also checking because he didn't want his ship to blow up, after his Engineer made said adjustments.


His mind screeched to a halt in the middle of his computations, as Khan spoke:


“Remember I warned you 2 days ago T'Marr was going to confront you?”


“How could I not?” Tyr rumbled. Ticked off that his concentration had been disturbed and was now scattered like a frightened flock of chickens. The answer was just a hair's breath away, too ........


“It's show time.” Khan said, as the door chime sounded. Both Katay and Nietzschean stared at one another.


“Someone's knocking on the door. Someone's ringin' the bell. Do me a favor, open the door and let 'em in. . . .” Khan sang, part of a stanza from a very old Earth song recorded by a group called "The Beatles".


Tyr utterly detested when Khan sang. It wasn't fair that Khan, a giant cat, who occasionally licked himself to keep clean (when sonics were unavailable), had a better singing voice than him.


“Enter.” Tyr said, after standing and giving Khan a warning gaze letting him know “this is not yet over.”


When T'Marr stepped into the room she found both Tyr and Khan staring disinterestedly out of the viewport.


“Damn!” she thought to herself. For she was looking forward to speaking with the Captain WITHOUT his flunky. The Nietzschean Captain, who had not mastered the art of pleasantly greeting people in the morning, merely turned to face T'Marr and crossed his powerfully muscled arms, and displaying his boneblades. A defensive posture Khan noted, and pulled his whiskers back in the Katay equivalent of a smile.


"All of this to impress a mere kit of a woman." Khan thought.


“Captain Anasazi. I request permission to speak to you in private, Sir.” she said, as she stood at attention. Silently, Khan made as if to leave. However, Tyr's voice stopped him.


“Permission denied. Khan stays. In addition to him being my Yeoman, he is officially designated as the Insurrections Counselor. I assure you that what you say here, will stay here.” Tyr intoned.


“Very well. Then I ask permission to speak freely and off the record, Sir.” T'Marr replied. Seemingly nonplussed by that revelation.


“Speak.” Tyr said.


“Oh-oh!” Khan thought.


“I arrived on the Insurrection 10 days, 15 hours, and 27 seconds ago. Since then I have only been allowed 3 hours between 10 to 12 hours shifts. . . .” T'Marr began.


“Commander! Spit it out in plain English please!” Tyr demanded. He was not in the mood for the verbal jousting Vulcans reportedly enjoyed.


“You should not have said that either......” Khan thought.


“Sir, I have not had time to get squared away, nor take proper meals, rest, or engage in personal training. As I recall, the Starfleet Command Guide specifies that no officer, commissioned or non-commission should serve no more than 2 consecutive shifts without at least 7 hours of rest in between, unless under attack, during war, or planetary/intergalactic disaster(s).” T'Marr quoted to the “t”.


“And what, Commander do you propose I do about it?” Tyr challenged.


"Ops!" Khan thought.


“Not a thing, Sir. I've already taken the liberty of ordering Lt. Commander Gilgamesh to take over the comm, and I've placed myself on sick leave for the next 72 hours. At such time, I will return to my duties, or to the brig if you so desire, Sir.” T'Marr replied. Then turned on her heel, and exited The Lion's Den without so much as a bye your leave, Sir.


After the doors hushed closed, Tyr's immediate response was to sit back down his chair and place his forehead into his left palm.


“Need some ice for that?” Khan asked.


“For what?” Tyr asked. Disgruntled that T'Marr had marched right into his Ready Room and had completely turned the tables on him in less then ten minutes. Showing him SHE had the upper, hand not him. A challenge no Alpha Nietzschean male could ignore.


“That headache she gave you.” Khan said, as he chuffed.


“Ouch!” he continued, then fled because Tyr was up out of his chair and seconds away from attempting to throttle him. It was the Katay's lightning quick reflexes which thwarted the Nietzschean's attempt.


“Ah, ah, ah!” Khan said, as he wagged his index finger at Tyr, as if he were a bad boy. “Always remember, four legs are faster than two.” he continued. Reminding Tyr that in an emergency Katay arms and hands could be pressed into service to either fight or flee. It didn't stop Tyr from trying, though.


Tyr crossed his office and sprawled himself on his sofa, thereby signaling the conflicts end.


“So, what plan to do with Commander T'Marr, the Vulcan Firebrand?” Khan asked. Tyr tilted his head back to look up at Khan, smiled then roared with mirth.


“Finally, a Commander who is not afraid to stand up to me!” Tyr said. “If those others had only asked, I would've given them quarter. But, no one did, that is why they are no longer under my command. I refuse to be a leader of people who are terrified of me. I will do nothing to T'Marr. In fact, I will increase the 72 hours to two weeks. She deserves the rest.” he continued. Captain Tyr Anasazi was all smiles.


“Tyr, are you sure you are not starting to favor T'Marr a just a wee bit?” Khan asked, as he pulled his whiskers back. Tyr's face immediately went dark and sour.


“Khan?” Tyr growled.


“Yes, Tyr?” Khan replied, totally without guile.


“Drop it.” Tyr warned, coldly.


“Like a hot rock I will.” Khan replied. "For now. . . . . ." the Katay thought.