Say What You Mean

Posted on Sat Jul 25th, 2026 @ 2:25pm by Colonel Jack Patton & Captain M'Mira

1,739 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Mission 5 - The Cold War Ends
Location: Captain's Office
Timeline: MD05 - 1000

M'Mira was displeased. She had quite the enjoyable party. From everything that she could ascertain, it was a rousing success, except for some of the complaints about the very tight security. However, she did not regret that. Her memories of the sabotage on the planetary station still stuck in her brain.

However, what did upset her was that she discovered that her XO, Colonel Jack Patton, had caused Candy's report to be diverted so that nobody at the party could see it. Now, she was a half day behind on important information within the Sector. She also would have to discuss them all with her new Strategic Ops Officer at some point.

So, M'Mira put on her best annoyed Captain look and called out on the Comm, =^= Colonel Jack Patton, can you please rrreport to my office? =^=

Jack had a feeling that he knew what this was about. So, he felt it best to not delay the inevitable. Moments after she called Jack stepped into the Ready Room. "Reporting as ordered Captain." He stood at attention and awaited furthers.

M'Mira's tail stood stiff upwards, nearly parallel to her body. She herself, stood at attention, which was unusual for the Caitian. "I know that we have not known each otherrr long, Colonel, but I learrrned that durrring the parrrty, therrre was a rrratherrr imporrrtant news rrreporrrt that was put out by Miss Templeton. Why was this diverrrted?"

"Ma'am your order was that neither you nor your guests were to be disturbed. In order to follow that order the report was diverted only from the party. It still broadcast without delay elsewhere on the station." Jack sensed this was going to come. He believed that the Captain may have something for Candy, probably the reason that Candy got away with as much as she did.

M'Mira opened her mouth, then shut it, and then opened it again, "I do not rrrecall giving any such orderrr. When do you believe that I gave such an orrrderrr?

"When you stated that your party should be secure and not disturbed. The report broadcasted uninterrupted everywhere save for the party. No need to disturb your guests with troubling news. Additionally, I made the judgement call to not allow potentially polarizing news to be aired in the party. For this could have led to arguments, and unrest. I reviewed the broadcast and if there was something that needed your immediate attention you would have been informed." Jack remained at attention as he answered the question. Fact was at the moment Jack suspected his Commanding Officer may be up to something that was unsavory to say the very least. He also believed that Candy may be part of this unsavoriness. However, he had no proof, and so no accusation. For now he would play everything by the book, answer the questions and await for the dismissal.

M'Mira took a deep breath and then exhaled. Her breath smelled of fish and cream. She did not hide any of it from Jack, which was unusual for the Caitian Captain. "Firrrst, that was not an orderrr, though I can appreciate why you may have interrrprrreted it in that manner. We will definitely have to worrrk on ourrr communication. Second, I am a big believerrr in the Frrreedom of the Prrress. Beings should not have their inforrrmation diverted. So, what I meant, not disturrrbed, is not have anotherrr incident like we did on the planetarrry station. No beings coming in orrr out without being scrrreened. Safety was my prrrimary concerrrn. A news rrreport does not rrrise to that level."

She looked at the XO and said, "I'm not cerrrtain whetherrr to be angrrry or amused. You and Ms. Templeton operrrate by similiarrr rrrules, it seems."

Jack did not immediately respond as he processed the stench that emerged from the Captain's mouth. The disgust he felt did not show on his face or his demeanor. He was stoic and rigid as ever. After a moment he spoke. "Yes ma'am. I agree about our communication and about the freedom of the press. Had I stopped the broadcast entirely that would have been criminal, and an attack on the press. However, making sure that it did not broadcast in a secure area is perfectly fine. Additionally not broadcasting was part of preventing an incident. Ms Templeton's reports have a history of creating incidents, unintentionally of course but incidents nonetheless. No Ma'am Ms Templeton believes she is above the law and without reproach. While being a member of the press does afford a person certain leeway, they are not above the law. I am here and willing to take whatever you believe is worthy. I do appreciate the freedom to tell you my side of the story."

At the moment Jack wondered one thing. What did Candy have on the Captain, or was the Captain in on some unauthorized information sharing. Something sure smells here and it was not just M'Mira's breath.

M'Mira laughed. "Candy's trrrouble often works out in the end. You would do well to learrrn how she operrrates. She is an asset, though a trrricky one."

"Agree to disagree Captain. Most if not all of what Candy reports can be learned through the proper channels of Starfleet Intelligence. In fact I would not be surprised if they know more than what Ms Templeton reports." When Jack spoke the only thing that moved was his jaw. He remained at attention without moving a muscle. As far as he was concerned this conversation was going as far as the word dismissed.

The Caitian Captain snickered. The Colonel had a lot to learn. "I think that what Ms. Templeton rrreporrrts completes many gaps that Starrrfleet does not have. If you have been herrre as long as I have, you would have found that things out herrre arrre not always so simple. Frrrankly, I would encourrrage both intelligence and strrrategic ops to make contact with herrr. Knowing herrr, though, she prrrobably already did that. Morrre than likely, she alrrready upset one orrr both of them. Howeverrr, whomeverrr she befrrriended, will benefit morrre often that not."

The Caitian's tail swished from lightly from side to side. "You will have to trrrust me, just as I have to trrrust you."

That was something that Jack could agree with the Captain on. He would have to trust her at least for now, at least until proven otherwise. Jack took a note that he would have to talk with his wife, and with Kaylee to see if M'Mira was right about Candy making contact. He also made a promise to himself that he would do what he could to prove that a tabloid reporter is not a valid source of intelligence. Since he could not prove that in the here and now, he kept his mouth closed and waited for the dismissal.

"Yourrr wheels arrre turrrning, Colonel. Speak whateverrr it is that you arrre thinking. I will not take offense."

Jack tried, he tried to remain silent. This was his commanding officer, the Captain of a Starfleet space station. However, there was only so much he could take, and permission to speak freely is given here. "No commanding officer has ever won anything by reading the morning edition. If the press knows more about the enemy than you do, you don't have an intelligence problem, you have a command problem."

"Interrresting," M'Mira replied while stroking her chin, her tail swishing happily behind her. "Wherrre exactly do you think that command gets inforrrmation frrrom to apprrroprrriately make decisions? Strrrategic Ops is one sourrrce, cerrrtainly. Intelligence anotherrr. But do you think that command should be so limited?"

"No I do not think that command should be limited. Command should get its information from Strat Ops, Intel, officers in the various departments, and finally from their own eyes and ears. A reporter, especially one who skews their reports as they see fit is not a source of command level intelligence let alone a reliable one. I will expound upon my previous statement. If the press knows something before you do, then you have a bigger problem than anything we have discussed here."

"Perrrhaps," M'Mira replied considering matters. "The Strrrategic Ops position was open for some time and we've gone thrrrough a few intelligence chiefs. We also have some rrratherrr unique intelligence officerrrs like Adam Burns. Have you interrracted with any of them? Obviously, you know yourrr wife, but anyone else?"

"I would be a poor Exec if I did not make the rounds and get to know the staff. I have met most of the Intelligence department. Lieutenant Serra served with me aboard Poseidon Station. She is more than a competent officer, she is one to be trusted with one's life. This proves my point. You have these officers at your disposal and yet you still lean on Templeton. If I may Captain, this relationship with the reporter may one day bite you in the proverbial tail." Jack softened his voice as he spoke the last statement. He did worry about the Captain getting caught up in whatever pot Candy decided to stir.

"Rrrely is not quite the worrrd that I would use. But I have met all of the new memberrrs of ourrr crrrew. In addition, I've known Candy a lot longer than you have. I also know that she has value. You would be wise not to discount herrr." The Caitian gave a polite shrug. "You don't have to like herrr. The Cat Lorrrd knows that she has given me morrre than enough headaches. Howeverrr, I do rrrecognize herrr value. Hopefully, some day, you will as well. It will likely make everrryone's jobs easier."

"As I stated earlier agree to disagree." Jack said without any indication of emotion. A Vulcan would have looked at Jack and understood with the lack of expression on his face.

"I will continue to hope," M'Mira answered with a knowing, but helpless shrug. "I suspect that you arrre waiting forrr a forrrmal dismissal, so if therrre is nothing else that you wish to discuss, you arrre dismissed."

Jack performed a military about face and left the Ready Room. The conversation did not ingratiate himself to the Captain, nor did it ingratiate the Captain to Jack. This was an uphill battle and Jack knew it. In the immediate jack would have to prove or disprove the theory that the Captain was not on the up and up.

 

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