Tense Discussion

Posted on Tue Dec 23rd, 2025 @ 6:48pm by Commander Maxun Spello & Major Clay McEntyre III
Edited on on Wed Dec 24th, 2025 @ 11:58am

1,517 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Peril at the Unification Accords
Location: Astrea - Wardroom
Timeline: MD 08, 1940 Hours

Clay was angry.

Rightly so with the XO.

Commander Spello had railroaded an interview with a pilot who had attempted to flee the scene of the ambassador's murder. Clay was supposed to have been the one conducting the interview, had Commander Spello not railroaded every part of the interrogation.

He had cut of any attempts that Clay made to speak with or build rapport with the suspect and then, by the end, Spello ordered the pilot arrested for the crime with barely any shread of evidence against them.

It had been alot for the Caitian Major, who now found himself staring at the coffee pot in the wardroom.

Clay had gone off on the Commander at the end, as he was escorting the prisoner, calling him "A Horse's Ass'.

Clay was right though, Spello had acted like a horse's ass but still, Clay could had handled it better.

The doors leading out of the wardroom slid apart, and the Astrea's executive officer stepped inside. He could feel the Caitisn's anger out in the corridor. "Clay," he said politely. "Now that we are alone, is there anything you wish to say to me? And, for the purpose of this conversation, there are no ranks here, just two men. So please, feel free to speak openly."

Clay didn't turn when he heard the Commander enter. Kept waiting for the coffee pot to fill.

"I stand by my prior..." He started before he paused.

"Actually, let me revise my prior statement." He started again, turning to look at Spello.

"You are the Biggest horse's ass on this ship!" Clay punctuated his remark.

"We barely got a word in edge wise in that interview. We barely have any shred of hard evidence against that little gal, and more than likely, we're goin' to have to release her." Clay continued.

"In that case, we'll have to apologize to whatever government they got left and then, deal with the MASSIVE with a capital S shit show that'll come after. So yes, Commander, I am rightly pissed off!"

Maxun listened calmly as Clay laid into him. When the bigger man was sermedcto be finished, The El Aurian replied. "First of all, should any repercussions come down, I will take them fully. Secondly, let me ask you a question. "How much, hands-on experience have you had with dealing with Romulans?"

Clay glared at the commander with a deadpanned look.

“Extensive. Most of my career has been on the Romulan Frontier. Garrison officer in the Romulan Command. Assisted with evacuation efforts.” Clay elaborated.

Maxun nodded. "I've read your file, Clay. I know you were on our side of the border for most of that time, and that you were also on the Romulan honeworld, pulling embassy duties. However, as a Starfleet officer, you were never allowed to truly be out among the people of Romulus on a day-to-day basis," he paused as a sly grin crossed his face, "Unless of course, your history is a fiction created by Starfleet Intel, which I also have experience with." He shook his head as he let out a breath.

"I'm not asking you to answer that. It's none of my business. All that im saying is that, during the sixty years that I was listed as inactive reserves, I travelled the galaxy. Nearly thirteen of those years, ended up being on one of the Empire's outlying colonies. I held a job in the capital city as shop keeper, living as my neighbors lived. I even had a Romulan lover for a time. So, believe me, when I tell you, I know how Romulans think."

He took a breath, then continued. "Between that knowledge, and my El Aurian senses, I knew that that woman was not going to say anything to you. I saw it in her eyes that she felt you were nothing more than a bull in a uniform." He raised a cautionary hand between then as he continued. "I do not think that way about you, Clay. In the time we have served together, I have come to know you to be intelligent, honorable and completely loyal to both Starfleet and the UFP, and I have zero doubt that, like me, you would give your life to protect the Federation, if required to do so."

"I reacted to her like I did, to confuse her. In acting unlike a Starfleet officer normally would, she will be off balance now. Now, when she is interviewed. She should be more open to speaking." He finished with a sigh and tilt of his head, as he added, "Unless I've become so old now, that I've completely lost my read on people. In either case, I will take the full brunt of any negative consequences that come from above." He took a step closer as he added, "As both your friend and superior officer, that is my promise to you."

Clay nodded attentively, listening to what the commander had to say.

“All I know, is that both Captain Auvery and Captain Johanssen will not be pleased with the way the situation has been handled.”

Maxun nodded in agreement. "Probably not. However, I'm hopeful that they both will trust me and my experience, both as a Starfleet officer, and a former member of the Starfleet J.A.G." he offered his right hand to the larger man.

Clay was skeptical, with everything going on, he had no time for blind trust. "Very well, Commander "

Maxun stood there, his hand still extended. A spike of annoyance rose in his mind, but he did not let it show on the surface. "We have served side by side for a while now, Clay," using the junior officer's name instead of his rank, in an effort to keep things civil. "In that time, have i ever shown you any reason to doubt me or my methods of doing my job?"

"No, Sir." Clay replied professionally. He still didn't like how the events had turn out.

Maxun lowered his unshaken hand, suddenly feeling that a split had started to grow between himself and the Caitian officer. Taking a breath, he spoke, "Then, i hope you will maintain your military decorum when others are present, Major," his tone had changed from one that was friendly, to his official tone of the senior officer correcting a junior officer. "While the Captain allows a more relaxed atmosphere when we are among ourselves, in a non-emergency situation. However," his tone took on an edge of sharpened steel. "The next time you behave aa you did earlier, in front of the prisoner and other officer, I will ensure you are busted down to a junior Lieutenant and assigned to guarding the furthest post from HQ. Do I make myself clear, Mister?"

"Sir" Clay stood to attention if Spello was going that route. Though, busted down to Junior Lieutenant seemed unlikely as the rank didn't exist in Marine Parlance. Clay was also one who was not easily intimidated, as he stood his full 6 foot 9 inches, towering far over the Commander. It was intimidating without being intimidating but still, Clay knew that if things went south, it'd be the Commander facing the music.

Seeing that the conversation had nowhere else to go for now, Maxun sighed inwardly. He respected Clay and all of his accomplishments. However, if he decided to be openly insubordinate and disrespectful again, the El Aurian knew that he would have no choice but to bring forth charges.

Looking up at Clay as he straightened to his full height, clearly in an attempt to intimidate him, Maxun mere arched my eyebrow slightly. After all he had seen and experienced in his long life, he was not easy intimidated. "Carry on, Mister McEntyre," he finally as he stood facing the large officer.

Clay saluted before turning promptly to depart.

Maxun watched the Caitian leave. After the doors slid shut, he exhaled heavily. How had things gone so wrong so fast? They had to find the real motive for the ambassador's murder, and the real players involved. He doubted the Romulan that they had in custody was the sole responsible party. There were far too many moving parts for this to have been just one assailant.

Turning to look out the viewport, Maxun began to think, hoing over every but of evidence they had collected thus far, comparing it all to everything he had experienced during his life in Starfleet, both in J.A.G. and Intelligence. This was one of the positives of having hyperthymesia. He could recall every fact that he had ever been exposed to. Unfortunately, it also meant that he could remember every single pain in the same exquisite detail.

Only time would tell how this experience would be remembered.

-----

Major Clay McEntyre III
Marine Commanding Officer
USS Astrea


Commander Maxun Spello
First Officer
USS Astrea

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