“I wouldn’t tangle with Captain Walton, sir.”  Lieutenant Commander Milton Ford replied, seated at the far edge of the briefing room table.  Captain Leopold Halsey sat at the opposite end.  He had assembled the senior staff to discuss the path forward.  He’d boldly stepped into it with Walton and worried he’d done the same with the crew.  “Her reputation is one of loyalty and less of forgiveness when it comes to serious types of things – like a mutiny.”  Ford shrugged, “That being said if only one of us gets to go through…I’d rather it be the Dragonfly, sir.”

Halsey had heard from most of the faces around the table.  He gestured to those who had remained silent, “I want to allow you to speak your peace.”  The vote so far was tipping towards finding a way to get Dragonfly home.

McKee stood from her seat, “There is the practical matter of the unknown damage that could happen if we go through.  I know science is making progress on a bunch of things, but we still have damage to the decks and the hull across the ship.  We’re still working on returning the warp core to full capacity.”  She held up the PADD, “I can’t promise we’ll come out the same way we went in.” A low cloud of concern fell over the table.

Halsey watched her sit and turned to his Science Chief, Lieutenant Fowler.  Sadie’s face flushed, and she looked around the table at each of her fellow department heads.  “Going home is important.  Getting out of here is important.  Surviving whatever this is…is important.”  Her eyes searched the faces around the table again, and her voice wavered, “We know friends on the Dragonfly.  We know they can make it back and find a way to get us home.  Whatever’s happened – it happened in three quadrants so far that we know of – Alpha, Delta, and Gamma.  If we’re picking up the disturbances…it’s likely it’s not just a one-off.  The sensors are picking up readings for these momentary apertures – all kinds of sizes and all over the place.  Someone needs to get back home and report what we’ve found.”

Leopold broke the silence that had held after Fowler had finished, “The majority opinion is that we find a way for the division flagship to go home.  We’re edging pretty close to mutiny by most standards.  If you desire to make a report and not participate in…whatever this is, you have the right to do so.  You will be confined to quarters.”  Those who had spoken in opposition were Atega, Tir, and Reid.  

Atega, her eyes wide, replied, “I will accept the decision of the senior staff, Captain.”  Reid and Tir both nodded their heads.

Halsey stood, and they followed suit.  He gave one last order, “Meet with your departments.  Give them the same message and choice.  Mr. Prentice, turn us around.  Let’s help the Dragonfly get home.”

“You magnificent bastard.”  Captain Helena Dread smiled up at Captain Leopold Halsey, “She’s going to kill you for this.”  She had woken up, and Reid had called the interim captain to meet with the captain herself.  “I don’t disapprove.  The reports from McKee aren’t subtle – she’s downright convinced it might rip us apart – even we fiddle with the shields.”

Halsey had read the report on her condition.  She was going to be in intensive care for a few more days.  Her injuries would need further care beyond the level the Douglas could give.  “I don’t think Wren’s going to listen to me.”

She scoffed, “We both know Wren Walton – you’ll have to throw her in before she goes in herself.”

“I’ve considered it.”  He had thought long and hard about using a tractor beam or something to push the Dragonfly through an aperture.  Walton’s fury would already be simmering with his arrival.  He had resolved to find a way to convince her to take the first ride home.  McKee’s full report would give him an advantage.  He turned his attention to her, “You’re going to need the care of the Dragonfly and a station.”

He saw a sliver of curiosity, and then her face reddened with annoyance, “You’re going to move me over there.”

“We’re both doctors, Helena.  You may be stubborn, but medical orders are not something either of us should think about ignoring.  There’s enough of the crew who need higher level care…Wren won’t be able to ignore the humanitarian need.”  He held up a PADD, “There are a few regulations I can stretch.”

The eyes of Helena Dread widened, a sly smile creeping across her lips, “Captain Leopold Halsey as I live and breathe…I have taught you a thing or two.  You may be able to force her hand, but she will throw those regulations back at you – you still need an XO.”

He had wondered about it.  “You don’t think she’ll let me field promote from within?”

A cackle was her answer, and she winced from the painful reminders of her injury.  She explained, “You clearly haven’t studied Wren Walton enough, Leo.  She’ll want someone who’s your opposite.  Commander Hargraves would be my pick – rule follower in every way.”  She sighed, “You aren’t wrong, Leo.  I’m a doctor first…and the patient’s life is more important.  I’ll tell Reid to get us ready for transport.  Your conversation with Captain Walton should be…fun.”

“You came prepared.”  Captain Wren Walton sat in Leo’s ready room, his detailed report before her on the PADD he’d handed to her.  He’d just finished his informal verbal report.  She’s taken her time reading, he observed.

“Given our conversation that preceded this…I thought I should bring everything to the table, Captain Walton.”  He kept his tone even, and his posture in his own chair was at attention.

She scoffed and tossed the PADD back on the table, the thunk sound resonating.  “I take my position as Division Commander seriously.  You thought to openly attempt to countermand me on an open channel on both of our open bridges?  That, Captain Halsey, isn’t something I had expected from you.”  Her posture was straight, and her eyes bore into him as she spoke firmly, the barely contained fury bubbling just below the surface.  He had taken it too far with her, and the consequences and payment had come due.  “I spent too damn long coaching officers on their failures to just let that slide.  I’ve made a formal note in your dossier.  You can consider this your one and only verbal warning.”

Leo felt his throat threaten to close up in the face of the rebuke.  It had been some time since he’d been called out by a superior officer, and it never felt good.  He swallowed carefully and replied, “I accept…and I apologize.  I’ll handle it differently in the future, captain.”

She’d kept her eyes on him the entire time as if to remind him that she was the one in charge.  Wren sighed and held up her PADD, “Regarding your proposal.  I’ve provisionally accepted your plan – with some adjustments.  Mostly minor.  There is one that is not up for negotiation.  You will need an XO.  I’m assigning Commander Charlie Hargraves to you.”  She followed that statement with a less than subtle threat, “If you do not listen to him, if you do not engage with him, and if you in any way push him to the side, or mistreat him in any way – that formal verbal warning will become a written document of disciplinary action.”  She stood, and Leo belatedly did the same, pushing his posture to one of attention.  She warned him, “You can only do this so many times, Captain Halsey, before my patience runs out.”  Walton walked out of his ready room.

Halsey sat down in his chair, the full weight of his decisions becoming clear.  He had won against Wren Walton, but at what cost?