Classroom Aftermath: Part I

Posted on Wed Aug 16th, 2023 @ 12:24am by Commander Chalan Kendri

1,506 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Mission 1: Campor III - Resupply
Location: XO Office: Deck 1
Timeline: After Classroom Scuffle (MD 12)

Kas walked up to the first officer's office, it seems that the parents of the children Keena had injured made good on their threats to report him to command. The Hybrid paced as he waited for the commander to answer. He was annoyed that these parents were honestly trying to put the blame on his daughter… He would protect his daughter. Maybe he was better at this parenting thing than he thought.

"Come in," Kendri called out, triggering the doors to open. "Please have a seat, Mr. Razka," Kendri said, putting her PADD aside, and gesturing to the guest chairs in front of her desk. 

Kas nodded and took a seat, "I assume this meeting is about the incident in Keena's classroom? I understand that Ensign Douglas and Petty Officer Eason filed complaints and Keena's teacher is concerned as well."

Kas's face and tone were neutral, "I do not understand why I'm here. Keena told me two boys took her doll and put their hands on her when she asked for it back. No one disputes that, Keena protected herself and retrieved her property."

Kendri sighed. "Well to be candid, I'm not sure why command staff are being asked to get involved in an incident that happened between children at school. I would think that the teachers should be able to handle what goes on between the kids, but apparently, it has escalated to a personnel issue now," she explained. 

"Tell me about your interactions with Ensign Douglas first," Kendri requested. 

"Yesterday was the first time I met him," Kas said. "He got up in my space and demanded an apology for his child's broken nose, which I did not and will not give. This may be a cultural difference among my people this would have been over once it was established that my daughter didn't instigate violence and was retrieving her property. We are more self-regulating and follow a code that is taught from the time a child learns to walk. Possessions and space are respected. Had Douglas faced me that way on a Quath’Mar, I'd have laid him out on the deck for his disrespect."

Kendri took a controlled breath before speaking again. "Is that the entirety of your interaction with him, or was there more?" 

"He told me he'd be taking things to command," Kas shrugged.  "So here we are. I'm more concerned with the teacher"s concerns than anything else."

"Well let's talk about what happened with Petty Officer Eason, and then you can tell me about what your concerns are with Keena's teacher," Kendri said as she made some notes on her PADD.

"She showed up at my door and asked to speak to Keena's mother. I guess she doesn't think I'm competent to raise my child." Kas said. "I told her she doesn't have one and asked her to leave."

Kas the sorrow and frustration bled into his tone and he looked away from the Commander. Showing vulnerability was something he rarely did.

"I guess she was more upset than I realized if she filed a complaint." 

Kendri looked up, "It doesn't seem like her child was hurt. Are you sure she was there to complain?" Kendri asked.

Kas furrowed his brow, "that was my assumption. I guess that was a bit hasty. I'm just trying to protect my daughter. We haven't really talked about her mother, I didn't want her to hear that woman's question."    

Kendri nodded. "But surely she's aware her mother is not present?" Kendri asked. 

"According to her grandmother, she barely remembers her mother," Kas said. "She was four when her mother died. She hasn't asked me about her yet, I don't know what to tell her. The last time I saw Rahl was almost eight years ago. We didn't part on good terms, she didn't tell me she was pregnant."

"I wouldn't know what that feels like, Kas. I'm sure you must have felt very betrayed. But as someone who remembers her childhood very well, I can tell you that Keena probably remembers more than she is saying," Kendri suggested. "I wouldn't assume she didn't hear Eason's question, either. It's more likely that she is afraid to ask, or doesn't know how to bring it up." 

"Anyway," Kendri continued, "I'm honestly not here to tell you how to parent. You have more experience than I do in that regard. But something that I did learn from sparring with you is that Klingons are much more powerful than most other races that they encounter. This is something that children who go to a diverse school need to learn so that they don't hurt someone." 

Kendri put a hand up to keep Kas from speaking. 

"I'm not saying that you need to discipline her for this incident. Like I said, I'm not here to parent your child, and it doesn't mean she instigated the trouble. But a teacher can't teach, and parents are going to be frightened to send their children to school if this behavior continues," Kendri explained. "Even Klingons who choose Starfleet over the Klingon Defense Forces have to learn a certain code of conduct. Does that make sense?"

"She's more Bajoran than Klingon, unfortunately she has her father's Klingon temper and her mother's Bajoran tenacity." Kas smiled, thinking of how much Keena looked like her mother. "I've spoken to her about striking other children and told her she needs to speak to the teacher in the future."

Kas paused. "If Eason didn't file a complaint what did she want?"

Before Kendri could answer the door chimed.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting anyone," Kendri said apologetically. "Come in," she called out, triggering the doors to open.

Ensign Dougles entered the room, if Kas noticed the glare Dougles gave him he didn't react. Petty Officer Eason smiled at Kas as she entered behind Douglas, Kas didn't know what to make of her…

"Let's settle this," Douglas said in a gruff voice. 

Kendri stood up and went around to the front of her desk. "Officer Douglas, your meeting is scheduled for 0700 tomorrow morning, and Ms. Eason, your meeting is scheduled for 1300," Kendri reminded them. "If your intentions aren't civil, then  I suggest you depart and return for your scheduled meeting time, so I can speak with everyone separately before coming to any conclusions." 

Eason turned to Douglas, "Brian! You told me we were expected."

Kas spoke up, "Commander I think it is in everyone's best interest to resolve this quickly. I will step into the hall and you can get their side. Then we can all talk."

The large hybrid stood and began moving to the door.

Kendri looked disapprovingly at the two officers who just crashed her meeting with Kas. "Normally, I would meet with each of you separately, but since you've obviously been talking, I don't know what good that would do at this point. So how would you like to proceed, gentlemen?" She asked, taking her seat behind the desk again. 

"My son and her son were just horsing around with the new girl like boys do. " Douglas began. "That girl broke his nose and sprained her son's wrist! That Klingon prick won't even apologize, I can see why his daughter's a little savage!"

"Watch your mouth, Brian! You're talking about a senior officer and my son got what he deserved," Eason said as she turned to Kendri. "Look commander as a mother it's hard for me to say this, my son was in the wrong. That little girl can't go around hurting children, but she was just trying to get her doll back. My son is already on the mend and so is his."

"Ms. Eason, I think that Mr. Razka is in agreement with you. Klingon children, especially in a mixed race school, don't often realize how much stronger they are than the other children," Kendri said calmly. "Mr. Douglas, setting your feelings for Mr. Razka aside for now, can we agree that children are sometimes going to get into scuffles like this, and it may not have been Keena's intent to hurt your son so badly?"

"I still think he should apologize," Douglas said.

"If your son hurt someone who took something from him, would you be keen on apologizing?" Eason asked.

"I don't know," Douglas spat. "I don't like his arrogant attitude!"

Kendri stood up again and walked around to the door of her office. "Officer Eason, you can remain seated. Ensign Douglas, I think it would be best if we continued this tomorrow morning, 0700 hours." Kendri opened the door, intending to escort Douglas out so that there would not be any issues with Kas still in the hallway. 

The Ensign looked like he wanted to argue, but the look on the Commander's face was enough to change his mind. He got up and moved out the door. He looked at Kas, but he said nothing. Kas gave Kendri a curious look.

Lt. Commander Chalan Kendri
Executive Officer
USS Columbia

Lt. Razka Kas
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Columbia

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