Alex Chou's Log for: 1/23/2352 11:45


I was just about to fall asleep. My eyes were closed and i had just gotten comfortable. Next thing I know, BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM... I was startled out of my sleep and woke up yelling.

The door opened and Steele ran in with her weapon drawn. Here eyes were darting around the room. "What is it? What's going on?"

My eyes were fixed on her. "What the hell are you doing?", I shouted.

Steele lowered her handgun and looked at me. "I heard you yelling. I thought that you might be in trouble."

"I was yelling because a crazy second lieutenant was banging on my door in the middle of the god damn night."

Steele lowered her weapon. "Sorry. I... Sorry."

"What are you doing here?"

Steele closed the door to my quarters before responding. "It's about Cortez".

I climbed out of my sleeping bag and started putting on my boots. "What about him?"

"He. is. out. of. his. fucking. mind." Steele enunciated each syllable fully and loudly as if talking to a person who's half deaf.

"Duh", I said, "But what can we do about it? He's in charge."

"There are protocols to arrest and remove a superior officer from duty."

It was at that point that I begun to realize that she wasn't just venting. "Steele", I whispered, "are you serious about this?" I don't know why I started whispering. The walls are sound proof. It just seemed natural considering the direction the conversation was heading.

Steele started whispering too. "You've been working with him more than me, does he seem normal to you?"

"Well... yes and no."

Steele looked at me with a confused look.

"Sometime he'll be normal. Then, all of a sudden he'll do something crazy... like..."

"Like assault a fleet officer?" Steele said completing my sentence for me.

Steele pulled out her PID. "Look, all that's required to justify an arrest", she started reading from her PID, "...repeatedly gives orders that put people and/or equipment in danger without reason."

I rolled my eyes. "I know the regulation, Steele."

"So you know that we can do this."

"It's not that simple. He's yet to stand by an order that really put us in harm for no reason. I've been able to talk him out of doing anything dumb."

"So far", Steele said. "What happens when you can't?"

"Well. I ... uh..." I was dumbfounded. I guess I'd always assumed I'd be able to talk Cortez out of doing something stupid. The thought never occurred to me that there may come a time when I couldn't.

Steele quit whispering. "Chou, you've got to be ready to relieve him of command if he does something that could get us killed. You are the Captain of this ship. Our well being is your responsibility."

"What if he resists?", I asked.

"Then you need to make sure he understands that it is not optional."

I quit whispering too. "And what about Cortez's marines? If we were to do this, do you think that they'd stand by and let us. I've seen them. Those guys are loyal to each other. You think they'd just stand by while a couple fleet officers arrest their C.O.?"

"Do it when there aren't any around."

I turned away from Steele. "This is crazy. Removing a commanding officer is a quick way to getting yourself sent to the firing squad."

"Chou," Steele moved behind me and put her hand on my shoulder. "We're officers, not drone enlistees. Our duty is greater than just mindlessly following orders."

Steele removed her hand from my shoulder.

"Here's what I'm going to do. I'm not going to try and arrest Cortez from duty."

Steele took a breath and started to speak.

I held up a hand to stop her.

"Yet. Tomorrow you and I, and only you and I, are going to create a plan that would quickly and cleanly remove Cortez from the chain of command. So that if I decide it's necessary, we can make it happen." I emphasized the 'I' to make sure she knew that the final decision would be mine.

My decision must have satisfied her. She said "goodnight" and walked out of my quarters. Whatever plan we come up with, I hope it stays on paper. I don't want the last thing I see to be a marine firing squad.

System Command: End log.