The departure of Captain Wallace left Tarik as second in command aboard the station. While he'd had the position of the station's second officer since after the raid on Thermopylae, this was the first time the position had meant anything more than staff meetings and the occasional night watch on the command deck.
In addition to planning a full-scale invasion on a world occupied by forces of unknown strength (a scenario he was beginning to find just a little too familiar), Tarik was now responsible for a mountain of administrative tasks related to running the station; the things that Garek had been doing all along as first officer.
If this is what the XO has to deal with, the gods alone know what Wallace has had to put up with! Tarik thought as he looked over the agenda. Regardless of what may or may not be going on in space around SB901, the daily business of the station had to be attended to.
An hour after the Arizona departed (with Kassia, Tarik thought with more than a little concern that he squelched immediately--you'll have to get used to it, just like she had to get used to you, he thought), Tarik had approved twenty-seven maintenance orders and eighteen requisition requests, and was fielding complaints from self-appointed "community leaders" amongst the station's displaced personnel. Many of these had no legitimate authority but were rather the bullies inherent in any population coming to the forefront in the absence of authority. Reports of fights and extortion of food and other goods from other station refugees had been rampant.
[I understand your position, Colonel, but Captain Wallace specifically promised us that we would be put up in the best hotel in the New Canada colony when we left!] one of these "community leaders" was complaining.
"Mr. Collins, the only hotel in New Canada is being used as an emergency field hospital right now. The only way anyone not a medical officer is getting in there is if he or she makes it through triage. You've been given the very best accomodations available under the circumstances; my advice to you is to deal with the situation. You'll be back aboard the station in the next few days."
[The next few days??? This is intolerable! We can't live like---animals!!!!!]
Tarik sighed, trying to resist the urge to travel down to the surface and strangle the officious Collins with his bare hands. "You're not living like animals. Right now there are a lot of people who would consider your situation an improvement," he said, noting that Collins had somehow managed to grab quarters in the construction shack. "Would you prefer a tent, or perhaps open-air accomodations? It can be arranged, mister!" Tarik replied angrily as he cut the circuit. He turned to a yeoman at the communications station. "If that jackass comms us again, disconnect him and blame it on subspace interference. On my authority."
"Aye, sir!" the yeoman replied with enthusiasm. He'd had to put up with Collins for half an hour before Tarik could address the situation.
"Smooth move, Colonel," Garek Loran said as he stepped onto the command deck.
"These idiots infuriate me to no end. How many good men and women have to die just to continue his contribution to the gene pool?"
"Hard telling," Garek said, "especially with that one. Collins is usually calling us six times a day bitching about something or other. Hopefully your charming bedside manner hasn't extended to the other civilians."
"Nope, just him--so far," Tarik said. "I wish we could spare some people to keep order down there! Right now all of my people are mobilizing for Morristown and Security's tied up with station defense."
"Deputize someone," Garek suggested. "It's in the regulations and you've got the authority to do that right now."
"Good idea; wish I'd thought of it sooner. In fact, I think I might have the perfect idea..."
"You want me to do what? Major Boyle asked.
"Deploy the Hammerheads planetside. We'll need a point defense for the colony until we can establish a permanent presence down there; and this is your base that's being built, after all." After that, I want you and your squadron to take control of the situation on the ground. I've got some infantry down there but they're a little thin on the ground and they were mainly there as part of a punishment detail. I wish I didn't have to use them at all. I am deputizing some of the more reliable civilians to assist you.
"With all due respect, Colonel, this is insane!"
"Good--that means this station is maintaining its reputation. From what I've read of your service record this squadron should fit in quite nicely," Tarik replied. "I'll send down some Security people and extra supplies, but right now you're the only ranking officer we have who can take control down there. I'm not worried so much about an attack getting through as I am about some of the predators amongst the colony population."
"Understood, sir."
"I have every confidence in your ability to see this situation through, Major. After all, who better to deal with one miscreant than another?"
"Those sound like the words of still another miscreant to me," Boyle grinned. "Where's your list?"
"I'm glad we've reached an understanding," Tarik said, smiling a very wolfish smile as he handed Boyle the PADD.
The fighter landed on the dirt strip, a thin cordon of Marines and colony police standing between the crowd and the landing site. The rest of the squadron followed in order. Boyle climbed out of his cockpit. A police official handed him a bullhorn.
"Now hear this! My name is Major Boyle. I and my squadron are assuming command here on the ground. This area, though still under construction, is still a Starfleet activity and Starfleet regulations will be enforced and adhered to! The following individuals will step forward and present themselves."
"And who put you up to this? What gives you the right?" Collins, one of the leading instigators, yelled back.
"Oh, shut the hell up!" a woman yelled at him. "We're sick of your whining!" A large segment of the crowd cheered as Boyle smiled.
Boyle began reading from the list. "Ali, Kareem. Anthony, William Lee. Bannister, Naomi...."
Troy almost fell asleep under the hot sun as he heard his name called. "Nevalla, Troy Mikahil." Troy stepped forward through the crowd, not knowing what to expect.
Before long twenty of them stood before Major Boyle. "You men and women have been deputized as Security officers under Starfleet General Order 329, providing for such deputization in an emergency. Under that order, you have full authority to enforce the laws of the Federation until that order is rescinded by its originator or an officer superior to that person. Any questions?"
"Who might that person be?" Troy asked.
"Lieutenant Colonel Tarik, acting executive officer, SB901," Boyle replied.
Troy didn't know whether to thank Tarik or strangle him once he saw him again.
[The situation on the ground is secure,] Boyle reported. [Only two minor disagreements since we've arrived.]
"Excellent. I'll be sending some real Security people down by the end of the watch to back you up," Tarik said, noting that the comm traffic from the colony had been minimized to the construction team, the medical facility, and the legitimate civilian government. "How is your shakedown going?"
[Until I actually get these people in the air I won't really know. Do you have an estimate on when we can stop being MP's and start being pilots again?]
"Not yet. I'll let you know. Once the Security team arrives you may begin flight drills at your discretion."
[Aye, sir. Thank you, sir!]
Collins was attempting to raise the station when the door to the construction shack opened behind him. "What do you want," he asked angrily.
"I want for you to get the hell out of here!" Troy said. "This facility has been declared off limits for all except pregnant women, children under ten, and the infirm and elderly only!"
"By whose authority?" he asked.
"You know damn well whose authority!" Higgins, the construction foreman and another of the deputies, said. "Now get out or do we have to throw you out?"
"I dare you! You try it and I'll see you in court--" Collins started to say as Troy frog-marched him out the door in classic bouncer fashion, tossing the man on his ass as they crossed the threshhold.
"Sorry! Don't you remember what the Major said? This is Starfleet territory--you'll have to go before a military court! I don't think they'd look kindly on violating the orders of the base commander!" Troy said, grinning ear to ear.
"Well, glad to see that got resolved," Tarik said to himself as he read the first report from the camp. "Now, to plan that invasion..."