"Supply Base 901, come in please. Zis is Lieutenant Deveraux requesting permission to dock."
[This is Supply Base 901. You are clear to dock at docking bay four.]
Paul piloted the shuttle to the docking bay and collected up all his gear. He headed for the science lab and deposited it all in the science lab. He would have loved to have just stayed there and got back to work, but it was time for him to accept responsibility for what he had done and go and meet Commander Wallace.
He stepped out into ops and looked about. There was definately a lot more activity hear than the last time he had been here.
"Ahh, Mr. Deveraux, I see you've decided to return," said Call walking up.
"What happened to you?" he said, looking at Paul's torn and dirty uniform.
"Ohh, zis.... zis is nothing. I'll explain to you later. Is Commander Wallace back yet?"
"Yes, he's in his office and is eager to meet you."
"I bet he is," said Paul taking a deep breath and heading up to his office.
He rang the chime and was invited in. Commander Wallace was sitting behind his desk sipping a cup of coffee and reading over a PADD. Paul came in and stood to attention. Commander Wallace continued what he was doing oblivious to the fact that Paul was standing before him. Paul cleared his throat to get the Commanders attention. "Mr. Deveraux I assume?" asked Wallace.
"Yes sir."
"Lieutenant Junior Grade Paul Deveraux?"
"Yes sir."
Wallace threw down the PADD and looked Paul directly in the eyes.
"Who the hell do you think you are?"
"Excuse me sir?"
"You show up three weeks late for duty with very little explanation as to why! You refuse to remove that stupid damn claw which by station regulations is a security risk! And then, to top it all off, you steal a runabout, obey direct orders and head off into unknown territory in an underpowered, undermaned runabout? I think you have a bit of explaining to do!"
"If you'll allow me mon amis, my lateness of arrival was of no fault of my own. I was in possesion of an artifact that a couple of Klingons wanted. I thought I would lie low for a while until zey gave up. As for ze claw, like I said to Lieutenant Call, it aint comin off. I had it since I was a kid and it have saved my life many a time. If it wasn't for zis claw, I would have been killed a few days ago."
"You shouldn't have been out there in the first place!"
"Look mon amis, I was bored out of ma mind ere goin over sensor log after sensor log tryin to find a better way to navigate through ze patch. I was born to investigate ancient ruins and relics, I saw an oppurtunity, and I seized it!"
"You obeyed direct orders to return to the station and attempted no communication with the station in days! That is not the kind of attitude I expect from a Starfleet officer under my command!"
"Maybe I is not a Starfleet officer?"
"I read your file, I know you didn't particularly want to be a part of Starfleet to begin with, but like it or not, when you wear that uniform, you will act and think like one! Do you understand me?"
"Look mon amis, I personally don't like bein in Starfleet! Ze only thing keepin me ere is to do what I have just done and to explore where no man has gone before"
"You can do that! But you need to go throught the proper channels. Lieutenant Call would have been more than happy to let you go on that survey mission and would have assigend someone to fly with you."
"There was no time! E wouldn't ave let me go anyways."
"Look, mister, I don't like your attitude! You have been assigned to this station for four weeks! Six hours of which you have spent on the station! What you just did was a demotable offense! I can bump you down to crewman so fast!"
"Well why don't you zen huh?"
Wallace refused to be provoked by Paul and sat back down.
"This is a warning. You are never, EVER to leave this station without either mine or Commander Loran's permission. If you do, I WILL courtmartial you. Further more, I want you to report to Commander Nevar three times a day so that he knows where you are at all times. Now get out of my sight, get yourself cleaned up and get back to work."
Paul left Wallaces office and headed for the turbolift. Zat didn't go too well.....