ST:END109 | "MACO - Many Absolutely Crazy Officers Part 2"

Brie walked into the ready room and saluted. The room was very familiar to her by now, almost as much as her own quarters. Spending the last few weeks getting to know the Captain, she had been in and out of this ready room often. She had a good working rapport with him, but even she knew she had crossed a line.

"Valencia. Sit down," Sam said, looking up from his desk. He pushed the PADD he was working on to one side. Brie followed his orders. "You know why you are here?"

"Yes sir," Brie looked straight ahead.

"Your activities on Risa have reached my ears. Now, normally what happens on Risa, stays on Risa, but when they don't, I start having a problem,"

Brie wondered what Sam had heard. She didn't have long to do so.

"I do not make it a habit to get in the way of my officer's relationships. But when you act in such a way that is unbecoming of a Federation Officer, it is totally unacceptable and I will have none of that on this ship, do you understand?"

"Yes sir,"

"Now, we come to the matter of you lying and buying drinks under my name on Risa, even after there was a limit placed on how much you were able to drink due to your excessive drinking,"

"I apologise sir, it was wrong of me,"

"It was indeed. You have a problem, Valencia. Even though you had the option of synthehol which was not restricted to you, you decided to use my tab to drink. This led to a number of other incidents that I have heard on Risa, including your various relationships,"

Brie remained stoic throughout. He wasn't wrong there.

"I do not take offences such as this lightly and it is because of this, I am ordering to report to mandatory counselling with Commander Larson about your alcoholism,"

Brie looked at Sam. "Sir...that is not necessary, I am not an alcoholic,"

"That may be so, but your incidents show otherwise,"

"Sir, I know what my limits are,"

"If you know what your limits were, then why did you break the enforcement placed on you on Risa?"

"That was...because I like to drink..." Brie said and Sam raised his eyebrows. "That's not what it sounds like sir. I carefully control my alcohol intake and do so in my own time. I have never turned up to work drunk or otherwise impaired,"

"This is not about your conduct on duty Valencia, this is about your conduct off duty and how it reflects on the institution you work for,"

"Sir, please trust me," Brie looked at Sam. "I know what I did was wrong and I am deeply sorry for it. I will reimburse you for those drinks. I won't make the same mistake again,"

"This is not about money, Gabriella," Sam's voice was softer. "I don't care about the action you took. What I do care about is that you did so to get around the ban that was put in place to keep you safe. I don't want to see my officers come to harm,"

"I'm not addicted sir, I promise. I just like drinking, it makes me feel good..." Brie's face slipped for an instant. It was enough for Sam to see what she was not saying. He leaned back.

"Okay, so I won't order you to get some counselling,"

Brie smiled. "Thank you si..."

Sam put his hand up to silence her. "But I am placing a ban on all alcoholic drinks for you for the foreseeable future. I will inform all the bar staff that they are not to serve you alcohol at all and if you do order it, that I be informed,"

"Sir," Brie protested.

"If you do break this ban, I will consider a harsher punishment," Sam said sternly.

Brie opened and shut her mouth. "Yes sir," she said.

"If you are not addicted, then this will not be a problem for you. If you begin to struggle, you can always go to see Commander Larson,"

Brie glared at Sam. "How long is this ban in place for?"

"Until I deem it necessary,"

"Am I dismissed sir?" Brie said through gritted teeth.

"You are. Good day Valencia," Sam pulled his PADD back. Brie stood up, saluted, and then left, straight for her quarters. As soon as the doors shut behind her, she sank to the floor. She needed to drink. Without it, she was alone.