Classroom Aftermath: Part II

Posted on Wed Aug 16th, 2023 @ 1:34am by Commander Chalan Kendri

1,568 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Mission 1: Campor III - Resupply
Location: XO Office: Deck 1
Timeline: After Classroom Aftermath Part I (MD 12 - MD 13

"Lieutenant, why don't you come back inside and hear what Officer Eason has to say," Kendri said, using her arm to hold the door open for Kas.

Kas entered the room with a neutral expression and took his seat, he looked at the two women expectantly.

"Mister Razka I'm sorry my son took part in bullying your daughter, Asher was grounded. He's been acting up lately." Eason shook her head, "I hope your daughter will talk to the teacher if anything else happens."

"Don't be too hard on the lad, I think Keena taught him a valuable lesson." Kas smiled. 'I've spoken to Keena about striking other children, I will need to speak to the teacher as well."

"I'm sure the children can figure things out on their own," Kendri added. "I'm more interested to hear that my officers have worked things out. But if you need anything else, or if there are problems with the school, please feel free to reach back out." 

"Brian will cool off eventually," Eason said. "His wife works the Delta shift so she couldn't be here. I'll tell her what's going on and she'll reign him in."

The woman paused for a moment. "Mister Razka have you considered counseling yourself and your daughter?"

"We will find our path," Kas said. " Thank you."

"It's not easy raising a child on your own," Eason said, as she rose from her chair. "I'm a mechanic in the shuttle bay, so it would be easy for you to find me if you want to talk. Or we could share a meal sometime"

"Thank you, Eason," Kas nodded with a neutral expression on his face.

"You call me Maya," She said as she left.

"Thank you Eason," Kas repeated.

He turned to Kendri when the door closed. "That one is surprisingly friendly." Kas shrugged. "Looks like I only have to deal with one difficult parent."

"I'm speaking with Ensign Douglas at our allotted time in the morning," Kendri responded. "Why don't you find me at the end of your shift tomorrow, and we can debrief?" 

Kas nodded, "So you're not going to order me to counseling?"

Kendri tilted her head inquisitively. "I haven't seen or heard anything that would trigger a counseling requirement. But if you feel it would be helpful, I can't say I've ever heard of counseling hurting anything," Kendri responded. 

He paused."I see, I'll make an appointment with a counselor. Things have improved between Keena and me since this scuffle with her classmates, I guess we just needed a common enemy. There are still things I don't know how to talk to her about."

Kendri took a breath and thought carefully about what she would say next. "Kas, I have to remain impartial until this issue is resolved, but that doesn't mean I don't consider you a friend. Let's get through tomorrow and see this investigation through. But once it's over, maybe hearing a little bit about my childhood might help you with Keena. And I'd really like to meet this special young lady you are raising." 

"I understand, Commander," Kas said as he got up to exit. "We'll talk tomorrow."

*** MD 13 0655 hrs ***

Before 0700 hours, First Officer Chalan was waiting in her office for Ensign Douglas to report for his meeting. She was hoping he would be a little more... calm today. The door chimed.

"Come in," Kendri said, standing to greet her visitor.

Ensign Douglas entered the room with his head down, "I'm here for our meeting, I'm sorry for crashing your meeting with Lt. Razka. That was out of line."

"I appreciate that, Ensign. What was more out of line was the attitude with which you crashed it," Officer Chalan said firmly. "Please have a seat and explain to me how it is that I became involved in the first place." 

"My child was injured and nobody wanted to do anything about it. The  Lieutenant wouldn't talk to me and he's the head of his department. So I  filed with his superior," Douglas explained motioning to her.

"What do you mean no one wanted to do anything about it?" Kendri asked. 

"Well the Lieutenant took his daughter out and refused to talk to me and the teacher wasn't any help." Douglas sighed. "I wanted somebody to make them answer for my son's injury. I guess I've made a mess of this."

Kendri looked at the ensign carefully. "No one is accusing you of anything, but it is helpful to take a step back. Children do sometimes fight with one another and get hurt, but we don't know that Keena actually intended to hurt your son as badly as she did. Klingon children often don't realize how much stronger they are than non-Klingon children until something like this happens. And from what I am hearing - from more than one person, your son maybe have been one of two initial aggressors, picking on a child who is much younger and smaller than they are." 

Kendri looked carefully at Ensign Douglas. "Have you heard that as well, Ensign?" she asked. 

"My wife and I talked about it this morning, she's been concerned about his behavior for a little while," Douglas said. " She wanted to punish him for what happened in class, but I think a broken nose was enough."

Kendri looked at Ensign Douglas for for at least thirty seconds without saying anything. The quietness in the room speaking for itself. 

She stood up, "I'm sorry, where are my manners, Ensign. Can I get you something to drink?" 

"Coffee, please."

"One coffee, and one red leaf tea," Kendri spoke into the replicator. She handed Douglas his coffee on her way back to her seat behind the desk.

Kendri took a careful sip of her hot beverage before setting it down on her desk. She clasped her hands in front of her resting them on the desk and leaned slightly forward. 

"Ensign, if you agree that your child was an instigator in what happened with Lieutenant Razka's child, why did you not approach him for a civil conversation?" Kendri asked. She continued before he could respond. "Think carefully about your response, because I have already spoken with several people about what happened in the classroom. And I was here yesterday to observe for myself." 

"When I came into that room my son was bleeding, because that little girl took things into her own hands. She should have got the teacher involved." Douglas explained. "Then the Lieutenant was just going take his daughter out without any acknowledgment of the damage she caused." 

"And I could certainly understand a heated exchange in a moment like that," Kendri said nodding understandingly. She unclasped her hands and placed her palms firmly on the desktop. "But what possessed you to come into my office yesterday and address a superior officer in such a disrespectful, emotionally charged, and unnecessarily brash manner? You had plenty of time to think through the situation, learn your son was an initial instigator in the incident at school, yet you still seemed intent on waging some kind of war with Lieutenant Razka. Explain yourself, Ensign." 

"After I got Joshua home, I went back to talk to the teacher." Douglas sighed. "I asked for that girl to be put into another class, but she said that she wasn't planning to do anything until she spoke to Razka. Some crap about a cultural misunderstanding, I don't care what my kid did, he doesn't deserve a broken nose. That girl doesn't belong in a classroom with other children."

Kendri sighed impatiently. "No one has said that your child deserved a broken nose, Ensign," She stood up came around to the side of her desk, looking down on the still seated officer. "Lieutenant Razka is not saying your child deserved a broken nose, and he has spoken to his daughter about being more careful around other children, since she is stronger than most of her classmates," Kendri looked into the Ensign's eyes, her eye contact was piercing. "However, you wouldn't know that because instead of trying to have a civilized conversation like a rational adult, you've done nothing but shout accusations at the Lieutenant. I know, because I witnessed one such incident yesterday, which should have been after you had plenty of time to cool off." 

Kendri turned around and took a spot behind her desk, but did not sit down. "I don't expect that kind of behavior from most adults, much less Starfleet officers. I was just going to order you to an anger management session with Counselor Drylo, but after hearing you speak further on your concerns, I am adding a three hour course on interspecies diversity and inclusion awareness." 

She typed the orders into a PADD. "Those hours can be completed at your convenience, but I am relieving you of duty until these requirements are fulfilled, and you have reported back to me." She handed the PADD to the ensign. "I am sure you will be eager to get back to your duties, so feel free to comm me directly once you have finished, and I will review the Counselor's report, and set up a meeting with you as quickly as possible." 

"Do you have any questions, Ensign?" Kendri asked. 

Douglas took the PADD and glanced at it,  he paused before he spoke. "No ma'am I will report for training as ordered."

 "You are dismissed, Ensign."

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