Even the Finest Captains Make Mistakes
By Oddish - Written in response to the Nov/Dec 2024 Challenge - Rules and Regulations
Author's Note: The following takes place about three weeks after the events of "Endgame".
Captain Kathryn Janeway felt a grim sense of deja vu as she walked briskly through the multi-story JAG Office complex that served as Starfleet's primary legal arm on Earth. Following Voyager's return to the Alpha Quadrant, Kathryn had spent two long and hard weeks in these offices, while over a dozen captains and admirals had discussed, questioned, and occasionally denounced her actions over the course of the previous seven years, all the way from her decision to destroy the Caretaker Array through her active participation in the alternative Admiral Janeway's highly illegal plan to return Voyager home sixteen years ahead of schedule. Considerable attention had been paid to separating Tuvix into his original components; Kathryn knew that she had escaped serious charges only because there was no legal precedent for transporter fusions of that nature. Her ill-fated alliance with the Borg, had also drawn considerable ire. Even her decision to enlist the Maquis in leadership positions when there were qualified Starfleet personnel onboard had drawn some scrutiny. At this point in time, with the hearings completed, the powers that be in Starfleet were probably deciding whether they wanted to court-martial her or promote her to admiral.
It hadn't helped that her first officer was a former memeber of a terrorist organization, so any questions he answered or testimony he gave would naturally be taken with a large grain of salt. Also, her second officer was still on Vulcan, taking medical leave. Tuvok's mental degeneration had been stopped cold when he mind-melded with his eldest son, Sek, but neurologists on Vulcan were still evaluating him. They hoped to ensure that there wouldn't be any lasting effects, but if there would be, they wanted to make Tuvok and his family aware of them in advance. Tuvok had had access to a computer and his ship's logs, and had sent several megaquads worth of exhaustively compiled data to Starfleet command, but that wasn't the same as being present in person.
She wondered why she had been summoned on this occasion, though. She knew that she was also slated to give testimony at the trials of Marla Gilmore and the other four Equinox survivors, for multiple crimes including mass murder and egregious Prime Directive violations. However, official charges had not been filed against them as of yet; the powers that be were probably deciding if a formal trial was warranted, or if it would be better to just offer the five and their assigned council a quiet plea bargain. Given the considerable extenuating circumstances to their crimes, and their satisfactory service on Voyager afterward, it was possible that Starfleet would be satisfied with just quietly cashiering them.
She found the appropriate room, one of the smaller ones used for smaller and less formal hearings. Upon entering, she saw a pair of familiar faces: one of them was Commander Banning, one of the lower-ranked JAG crew who was used to adjudicate minor transgressions or disagreements. Kathryn had shared a class with her at the Academy, and she had been present for a few of the recent questioning sessions. The other familiar face, looking uneasy and embarrassed and basically like he would have rather been serving as a Gorn host than sitting in a courtroom, was the youngest member of Voyager's former bridge crew: one Harry Kim.
Banning, a cheerful dark-skinned human woman who always had trouble managing her poofy hair, addressed her as she entered. "Oh good, captain, you're here," she said. "I just have to take these documents to Commodore Shirak on the fourth floor, then we'll begin." Without further explanation, she hurried out, several padds under her arm.
Kathryn eyed the young officer the commander had left behind more closely, making him look even more embarrassed. He looked about the same as he had before: a little more seasoned and worn from his seven-year ordeal, he was no longer the optimistic kid Kathryn had welcomed aboard and gently admonished not to call her "sir". The only other difference was the hollow pip that his collar had sprouted. It did not surprise Kathryn to see him finally advanced to a higher rank; nearly every other non-Maquis officer on the ship had been granted a promotion within a week of Voyager's return. Once the red tape had cleared and Starfleet confirmed their status as Starfleet personnel, any Maquis who chose to remain in service would likely receive the same.
Still looking uncomfortable, Harry addressed her. "Captain."
"Hello, Harry," Kathryn said gently. "What brings you here?"
"I just want you to know, this wasn't my idea," Harry said, reddening and avoiding her eyes.
Kathryn started to ask what hadn't been her idea, when a new voice interrupted: "It was mine."
As the voice spoke up, its owner flickered into being in the center of the office. Voyager's still unnamed Emergency Medical Hologram no longer had his mobile emitter (it was in the possession of Temporal Agents, who were undoubtedly having a spirited discussion as to what should be done with the futuristic technology). However, with the advent of Emergency Medical Holograms in multiple locations and their need to give testimony in certain cases, most courtrooms were outfitted with basic holo-emitters.
Kathryn nodded. "Doctor. What is this about?"
"Perhaps Mr. Kim can provide an explanation," the doctor replied. "I am here on his behalf, after all."
"Harry?" Janeway queried.
Harry's red color had faded a bit, but he still looked like someone who would have rather been somewhere else. "About a week ago, I heard about an opening for a Chief of Operations aboard the USS Orion."
"Orion," Janeway mused. "She's a Constellation Class, unless I'm mistaken." A Constellation Class starship was considered to be one of Starfleet's better assignments: 594 meters long, 27 decks, and 480 crew. Although the job was most commonly assigned to a lieutenant commander, a full lieutenant could hold it. And, while Harry was currently merely a junior grade, that promotion had been automatic, irrelevant of merit. If Captain Hua'r (the Orion's commanding officer) decided that Harry was the best candidate for the job, he would speak to Starfleet command, and Harry's stint as a JG would be as short as his time as an ensign had been long.
At Harry's nod of confirmation, Kathryn continued: "Well, congratulations, Harry. I can't think of anyone more suitable for the job."
"Unfortunately," the Doctor said a bit snippily, "Mr. Kim's application for the position was turned down, as were two others that he made the previous day. It seems that between his excessively long time spent as an ensign, and the formal reprimand on his record, he is deemed an unsatisfactory candidate."
"Surely, in light of the lack of replacement personnel for Voyager, allowances would be made."
"Only if there were no other promotions among the senior staff," Harry said wearily. "You and I both know there were."
"The formal reprimand that you placed on his record only exacerbates this," the doctor added crisply. "With it in place, Mr. Kim would be rejected for many if not most Starfleet billets, even those for a junior grade lieutenant. Indeed, he would be lucky to find a posting on a California Class."
A brief silence as they all weighed this. Starfleet had a number of classes of vessel, and some were more prestigious than others. Despite being good-sized and suited for a variety of tasks, the California Classes were closer to the bottom of the totem pole than to the top.
"So you're challenging the validity of the reprimand," Janeway finally guessed.
"Mr. Kim, undoubtedly in light of his considerable admiration for you, was more than content to ignore the matter and take any posting he could," the EMH stated. "However, he let his circumstances slip to Lieutenant Paris, who in turn told his wife, and they... did not agree with his decision."
Janeway said nothing but nodded mentally. While she knew that Tom and B'Elanna both respected her considerably, but they had strong personalities, and questioning authority was in their nature. If anyone would persuade Harry to challenge her decision, it was them. "So how did you get involved?"
"Mr. Paris contacted me. Because I evaluated Mr. Kim's physiological condition during the unfortunate episode, I volunteered to serve as an expert witness."
A silence, as there seemed to be nothing more to say. Harry finally spoke. "I'm sorry about this, Captain."
"You have nothing to be sorry for, lieutenant," Janeway replied. "Starfleet has procedures in place for settling disputes between personnel, which you've followed. You've done nothing wrong." She opted to move to a less touchy subject. "I heard you looked in on your former girlfriend. How'd that go?"
Harry was only too happy to change the subject: "It's gone really well, Captain. Strange as it may seem, even though we both tried to move on... I think Libby was just as unlucky in love here on Earth as I was in the Delta Quadrant."
"Ouch," the doctor commented. Courtesy of shipwide gossip, he was aware of Harry's numerous romantic misadventures during Voyager's long journey.
"We're actually going to see each other again tonigh..." Harry began, but was interrupted by the door opening and Commander Banning bustling back in, now minus her cargo of padds.
The JAG officer in question hurried back to her desk and seated herself. "Excellent, you're all here," she said. "Do you all know why you're here? Does anyone have any questions?"
"I think we can proceed," Janeway said. Because rank was not prevalent in the matter, Banning turned her gaze to the other two; both nodded agreement.
"Very well," Banning said. "Then let's state why we're here for the recorders. This is a disciplinary review hearing, concerning the formal reprimand issued by Captain Kathryn Janeway to Harry S. L. Kim, ensign at the time, on Stardate 52636.8. Mr. Kim has asserted that the reprimand was not justified. Is that correct?"
"Yes, Commander," Harry said.
"Can you explain what happened on that date?"
"Yes. It was Startdate 52625, and I'd just come on watch," Harry explained. "Sensors detected a vessel off the port bow, motionless in space. Captain Janeway told Lieutenant Paris to lay in a course and asked me to hail them."
As Harry went through the events of the initial encounter with the Varro, Kathryn allowed her thoughts to drift back to their time spent working alongside the intelligent but decidedly xenophobic wanderers, and their enormous generational ship. She had periodically wondered why Voyager never followed a similar course, with the crew pairing off, marrying, and having children. Odd as it seemed, while Janeway had performed a handful of marriages among the crew, none of said unions had produced children until Miral.
Harry's tale continued into the more relevant subject matter. The memory of his ill-fated romance with Tal was obviously painful and humiliating for him, but his description of the events was both detailed and accurate, typical of the reports from him that had crossed Kathryn's desk for the past seven years. The story ended with Voyager aiding in the safe dismantlement of the Varro mothership, and his and Tal's decision to go their seperate ways. He did not discuss the weeks of misery he had gone through afterward, stubbornly refusing treatment for what he had still believed was a broken heart.
Finally, Banning spoke again. "Mr. Kim, by your own admission you were guilty of pursuing an unauthorized relationship with a member of another species, and continuing that relationship in violation of your captain's explicit orders," she said. "While I sympathize with the adverse effect your Starfleet career has suffered, I still need to know why you feel that you were unjustly reprimanded."
"Perhaps it would be best if I shed some light on that subject," the doctor cut in smoothly. "That is why Lieutenant Kim brought me along, after all."
"Very well, doctor," Banning replied.
With permission given, the doctor launched into a lengthy description of all of the varied biochemical changes that his time spent working with Tal had introduced to Harry's body (most notably his brain chemistry), even before he had begun glowing in the dark like a bioluminescent fish. He demonstrated both the extraordinary accuracy inherent in his sophisticated AI matrix, as well as a considerable ability to simplify his conclusions. The former was in his programming; the latter borne of seven years of having to explain his findings to organic patients with no medical training.
"In conclusion," the holographic physician stated, "According to Starfleet Code of Conduct Section 27, Subsection 12, an officer cannot be held responsible for unlawful actions committed while under direct alien influence, whether the influence is hostile or not. The changes I recorded in Mr. Kim's neurology meet four of the seven primary criteria for direct alien influence. Under SCC rules, even one is sufficient to claim extenuating circumstances."
"Very well, doctor," Banning stated. Unlike the two other officers present, the medical technobabble had not stymied her much; she had been chosen for this hearing because she specialized in cases where medical matters were likely to come up. "Mr. Kim, do you have anything further to add?"
"No, sir," Harry said, remembering that despite Janeway's disdain for the term, it was still the proper honorific.
"Very well. Captain Janeway, is there anything you care to add?"
Kathryn considered, then shook her head. "No, Commander. Mr. Kim's description of the events was quite comprehensive, and he was far closer to the relevant ones than I was."
"Very well. Captain, were you made aware of your doctor's findings in this matter?"
"I was."
"And you still chose to issue a formal reprimand to Mr. Kim."
"I had already logged Mr. Kim's reprimand at the time the doctor briefed me as to the cause of his misconduct," Kathryn said.
"But you could have reversed it in light of the obvious alien influence," Commander Banning said quietly. "Is there a reason why you did not?"
"I wanted to make a lasting impression," Kathryn explained. She tried to come up with more, but there really wasn't much to say. By her own admission, the severity of her actions had been based largely in the fact that Harry's conduct had been so outside the norm for him, and she knew that would only weaken her case.
"Do you have anything further to present? Additional evidence, or further rationale for your decision?" Banning queried.
Kathryn shook her head, knowing pretty well that it didn't matter at this point. Harry had been an earnest and impressive witness, and the science in the doctor's testimony was eminently valid. "I do not."
"Very well," Banning stated. "Captain Janeway, I think I can speak for the others present when I say that your accomplishment in bringing your ship home against impossible odds was a most impressive one. However, even the finest captains are capable of mistakes, and quite frankly, you made one here. It is the judgment of this court that the reprimand issued to Ensign Harry Kim on Stardate 52636.8 was not justified given the circumstances, and I am ordering it stricken from his Starfleet record, retroactive to time of issue."
Kathryn eyed the other two present. Despite their victory, neither smiled, and she understood why. Both had respected her greatly, and having to challenge her had been difficult. Harry just exhaled and lowered his head, obviously relieved that it was over. The doctor patted his shoulder.
Banning continued: "I will forward a copy of this finding to Starfleet Command within the hour. Unfortunately, two of the three postings Mr. Kim applied for have been filled at this time, but the posting on the Orion remains vacant, so I will also forward my verdict to Captain Hua'r." She gave Harry a smile. "In light of this change in your status, he might want to give you a second look. This hearing is adjourned."
Kathryn was briefly delayed in departure by nature's call, though not by much: thanks to the long and grueling hours spent in JAG headquarters, she knew where the facilities were. When she emerged into the San Francisco daylight, she observed that Harry had seated himself on a bench on the pavilion, and was dividing his attention between the ocean it overlooked and a padd in his hands. Since there were no holo-emitters present outside, the doctor was not able to be present. Kathryn walked over and sat down next to him. For a long time, she stared at the water while listening to Harry's padd beep periodically.
Finally, she spoke: "Checking for additional postings?" There were always potential billets circulating on the Starfleet server, for everything from newly enlisted crewmen to experienced fleet captains.
"No, I'll do that later," Harry said. "Libby and Tom and B'Elanna all asked me to send them a message as soon as the hearing was over."
"I'm sure they'll be happy for you," Kathryn assured him. "Give them all my regards. And tell Tom and B'Elanna that I'm glad they convinced you to stand up for yourself."
Harry looked a bit confused at that. "Even though...?"
"Even though," Kathryn confirmed. "Harry, given your restored record, your bragging rights as a Voyager crew member, and most of all your impeccable service... you're probably going to rise through the ranks a good ways in the course of your career. And as you do, your decisions are going to carry more weight and affect more people. And sometimes, you'll make a decision that was wrong. Maybe you'll realize it yourself, maybe your first officer will point it out to you: that's part of their job. Or, you might have it pointed out the way it was here. When that happens, you acknowledge that you were wrong, and you make what reparations you can make. Which is why if Captain Hua'r or anyone else comms me about you, I'm going to tell them they would be an idiot not to choose you."
Harry smiled. "Thank you, Captain."
"And once you've done that, you learn from your mistake and move on," Janeway finished. "And consider learning from my experience of a few years back: don't spend too much time brooding over your past mistakes."
Harry, remembering the events of the ship's journey through the patch of irradiated null-space three years earlier, nodded. "I understand."
"Good," Kathryn said, rising gracefully to her feet. "I'm headed back to Bloomington to spend some time with my family, but I expect we'll see each other again at some point."
"I know we will," Harry said. "See you later, Captain."
By Oddish - Written in response to the Nov/Dec 2024 Challenge - Rules and Regulations
Author's Note: The following takes place about three weeks after the events of "Endgame".
Captain Kathryn Janeway felt a grim sense of deja vu as she walked briskly through the multi-story JAG Office complex that served as Starfleet's primary legal arm on Earth. Following Voyager's return to the Alpha Quadrant, Kathryn had spent two long and hard weeks in these offices, while over a dozen captains and admirals had discussed, questioned, and occasionally denounced her actions over the course of the previous seven years, all the way from her decision to destroy the Caretaker Array through her active participation in the alternative Admiral Janeway's highly illegal plan to return Voyager home sixteen years ahead of schedule. Considerable attention had been paid to separating Tuvix into his original components; Kathryn knew that she had escaped serious charges only because there was no legal precedent for transporter fusions of that nature. Her ill-fated alliance with the Borg, had also drawn considerable ire. Even her decision to enlist the Maquis in leadership positions when there were qualified Starfleet personnel onboard had drawn some scrutiny. At this point in time, with the hearings completed, the powers that be in Starfleet were probably deciding whether they wanted to court-martial her or promote her to admiral.
It hadn't helped that her first officer was a former memeber of a terrorist organization, so any questions he answered or testimony he gave would naturally be taken with a large grain of salt. Also, her second officer was still on Vulcan, taking medical leave. Tuvok's mental degeneration had been stopped cold when he mind-melded with his eldest son, Sek, but neurologists on Vulcan were still evaluating him. They hoped to ensure that there wouldn't be any lasting effects, but if there would be, they wanted to make Tuvok and his family aware of them in advance. Tuvok had had access to a computer and his ship's logs, and had sent several megaquads worth of exhaustively compiled data to Starfleet command, but that wasn't the same as being present in person.
She wondered why she had been summoned on this occasion, though. She knew that she was also slated to give testimony at the trials of Marla Gilmore and the other four Equinox survivors, for multiple crimes including mass murder and egregious Prime Directive violations. However, official charges had not been filed against them as of yet; the powers that be were probably deciding if a formal trial was warranted, or if it would be better to just offer the five and their assigned council a quiet plea bargain. Given the considerable extenuating circumstances to their crimes, and their satisfactory service on Voyager afterward, it was possible that Starfleet would be satisfied with just quietly cashiering them.
She found the appropriate room, one of the smaller ones used for smaller and less formal hearings. Upon entering, she saw a pair of familiar faces: one of them was Commander Banning, one of the lower-ranked JAG crew who was used to adjudicate minor transgressions or disagreements. Kathryn had shared a class with her at the Academy, and she had been present for a few of the recent questioning sessions. The other familiar face, looking uneasy and embarrassed and basically like he would have rather been serving as a Gorn host than sitting in a courtroom, was the youngest member of Voyager's former bridge crew: one Harry Kim.
Banning, a cheerful dark-skinned human woman who always had trouble managing her poofy hair, addressed her as she entered. "Oh good, captain, you're here," she said. "I just have to take these documents to Commodore Shirak on the fourth floor, then we'll begin." Without further explanation, she hurried out, several padds under her arm.
Kathryn eyed the young officer the commander had left behind more closely, making him look even more embarrassed. He looked about the same as he had before: a little more seasoned and worn from his seven-year ordeal, he was no longer the optimistic kid Kathryn had welcomed aboard and gently admonished not to call her "sir". The only other difference was the hollow pip that his collar had sprouted. It did not surprise Kathryn to see him finally advanced to a higher rank; nearly every other non-Maquis officer on the ship had been granted a promotion within a week of Voyager's return. Once the red tape had cleared and Starfleet confirmed their status as Starfleet personnel, any Maquis who chose to remain in service would likely receive the same.
Still looking uncomfortable, Harry addressed her. "Captain."
"Hello, Harry," Kathryn said gently. "What brings you here?"
"I just want you to know, this wasn't my idea," Harry said, reddening and avoiding her eyes.
Kathryn started to ask what hadn't been her idea, when a new voice interrupted: "It was mine."
As the voice spoke up, its owner flickered into being in the center of the office. Voyager's still unnamed Emergency Medical Hologram no longer had his mobile emitter (it was in the possession of Temporal Agents, who were undoubtedly having a spirited discussion as to what should be done with the futuristic technology). However, with the advent of Emergency Medical Holograms in multiple locations and their need to give testimony in certain cases, most courtrooms were outfitted with basic holo-emitters.
Kathryn nodded. "Doctor. What is this about?"
"Perhaps Mr. Kim can provide an explanation," the doctor replied. "I am here on his behalf, after all."
"Harry?" Janeway queried.
Harry's red color had faded a bit, but he still looked like someone who would have rather been somewhere else. "About a week ago, I heard about an opening for a Chief of Operations aboard the USS Orion."
"Orion," Janeway mused. "She's a Constellation Class, unless I'm mistaken." A Constellation Class starship was considered to be one of Starfleet's better assignments: 594 meters long, 27 decks, and 480 crew. Although the job was most commonly assigned to a lieutenant commander, a full lieutenant could hold it. And, while Harry was currently merely a junior grade, that promotion had been automatic, irrelevant of merit. If Captain Hua'r (the Orion's commanding officer) decided that Harry was the best candidate for the job, he would speak to Starfleet command, and Harry's stint as a JG would be as short as his time as an ensign had been long.
At Harry's nod of confirmation, Kathryn continued: "Well, congratulations, Harry. I can't think of anyone more suitable for the job."
"Unfortunately," the Doctor said a bit snippily, "Mr. Kim's application for the position was turned down, as were two others that he made the previous day. It seems that between his excessively long time spent as an ensign, and the formal reprimand on his record, he is deemed an unsatisfactory candidate."
"Surely, in light of the lack of replacement personnel for Voyager, allowances would be made."
"Only if there were no other promotions among the senior staff," Harry said wearily. "You and I both know there were."
"The formal reprimand that you placed on his record only exacerbates this," the doctor added crisply. "With it in place, Mr. Kim would be rejected for many if not most Starfleet billets, even those for a junior grade lieutenant. Indeed, he would be lucky to find a posting on a California Class."
A brief silence as they all weighed this. Starfleet had a number of classes of vessel, and some were more prestigious than others. Despite being good-sized and suited for a variety of tasks, the California Classes were closer to the bottom of the totem pole than to the top.
"So you're challenging the validity of the reprimand," Janeway finally guessed.
"Mr. Kim, undoubtedly in light of his considerable admiration for you, was more than content to ignore the matter and take any posting he could," the EMH stated. "However, he let his circumstances slip to Lieutenant Paris, who in turn told his wife, and they... did not agree with his decision."
Janeway said nothing but nodded mentally. While she knew that Tom and B'Elanna both respected her considerably, but they had strong personalities, and questioning authority was in their nature. If anyone would persuade Harry to challenge her decision, it was them. "So how did you get involved?"
"Mr. Paris contacted me. Because I evaluated Mr. Kim's physiological condition during the unfortunate episode, I volunteered to serve as an expert witness."
A silence, as there seemed to be nothing more to say. Harry finally spoke. "I'm sorry about this, Captain."
"You have nothing to be sorry for, lieutenant," Janeway replied. "Starfleet has procedures in place for settling disputes between personnel, which you've followed. You've done nothing wrong." She opted to move to a less touchy subject. "I heard you looked in on your former girlfriend. How'd that go?"
Harry was only too happy to change the subject: "It's gone really well, Captain. Strange as it may seem, even though we both tried to move on... I think Libby was just as unlucky in love here on Earth as I was in the Delta Quadrant."
"Ouch," the doctor commented. Courtesy of shipwide gossip, he was aware of Harry's numerous romantic misadventures during Voyager's long journey.
"We're actually going to see each other again tonigh..." Harry began, but was interrupted by the door opening and Commander Banning bustling back in, now minus her cargo of padds.
The JAG officer in question hurried back to her desk and seated herself. "Excellent, you're all here," she said. "Do you all know why you're here? Does anyone have any questions?"
"I think we can proceed," Janeway said. Because rank was not prevalent in the matter, Banning turned her gaze to the other two; both nodded agreement.
"Very well," Banning said. "Then let's state why we're here for the recorders. This is a disciplinary review hearing, concerning the formal reprimand issued by Captain Kathryn Janeway to Harry S. L. Kim, ensign at the time, on Stardate 52636.8. Mr. Kim has asserted that the reprimand was not justified. Is that correct?"
"Yes, Commander," Harry said.
"Can you explain what happened on that date?"
"Yes. It was Startdate 52625, and I'd just come on watch," Harry explained. "Sensors detected a vessel off the port bow, motionless in space. Captain Janeway told Lieutenant Paris to lay in a course and asked me to hail them."
As Harry went through the events of the initial encounter with the Varro, Kathryn allowed her thoughts to drift back to their time spent working alongside the intelligent but decidedly xenophobic wanderers, and their enormous generational ship. She had periodically wondered why Voyager never followed a similar course, with the crew pairing off, marrying, and having children. Odd as it seemed, while Janeway had performed a handful of marriages among the crew, none of said unions had produced children until Miral.
Harry's tale continued into the more relevant subject matter. The memory of his ill-fated romance with Tal was obviously painful and humiliating for him, but his description of the events was both detailed and accurate, typical of the reports from him that had crossed Kathryn's desk for the past seven years. The story ended with Voyager aiding in the safe dismantlement of the Varro mothership, and his and Tal's decision to go their seperate ways. He did not discuss the weeks of misery he had gone through afterward, stubbornly refusing treatment for what he had still believed was a broken heart.
Finally, Banning spoke again. "Mr. Kim, by your own admission you were guilty of pursuing an unauthorized relationship with a member of another species, and continuing that relationship in violation of your captain's explicit orders," she said. "While I sympathize with the adverse effect your Starfleet career has suffered, I still need to know why you feel that you were unjustly reprimanded."
"Perhaps it would be best if I shed some light on that subject," the doctor cut in smoothly. "That is why Lieutenant Kim brought me along, after all."
"Very well, doctor," Banning replied.
With permission given, the doctor launched into a lengthy description of all of the varied biochemical changes that his time spent working with Tal had introduced to Harry's body (most notably his brain chemistry), even before he had begun glowing in the dark like a bioluminescent fish. He demonstrated both the extraordinary accuracy inherent in his sophisticated AI matrix, as well as a considerable ability to simplify his conclusions. The former was in his programming; the latter borne of seven years of having to explain his findings to organic patients with no medical training.
"In conclusion," the holographic physician stated, "According to Starfleet Code of Conduct Section 27, Subsection 12, an officer cannot be held responsible for unlawful actions committed while under direct alien influence, whether the influence is hostile or not. The changes I recorded in Mr. Kim's neurology meet four of the seven primary criteria for direct alien influence. Under SCC rules, even one is sufficient to claim extenuating circumstances."
"Very well, doctor," Banning stated. Unlike the two other officers present, the medical technobabble had not stymied her much; she had been chosen for this hearing because she specialized in cases where medical matters were likely to come up. "Mr. Kim, do you have anything further to add?"
"No, sir," Harry said, remembering that despite Janeway's disdain for the term, it was still the proper honorific.
"Very well. Captain Janeway, is there anything you care to add?"
Kathryn considered, then shook her head. "No, Commander. Mr. Kim's description of the events was quite comprehensive, and he was far closer to the relevant ones than I was."
"Very well. Captain, were you made aware of your doctor's findings in this matter?"
"I was."
"And you still chose to issue a formal reprimand to Mr. Kim."
"I had already logged Mr. Kim's reprimand at the time the doctor briefed me as to the cause of his misconduct," Kathryn said.
"But you could have reversed it in light of the obvious alien influence," Commander Banning said quietly. "Is there a reason why you did not?"
"I wanted to make a lasting impression," Kathryn explained. She tried to come up with more, but there really wasn't much to say. By her own admission, the severity of her actions had been based largely in the fact that Harry's conduct had been so outside the norm for him, and she knew that would only weaken her case.
"Do you have anything further to present? Additional evidence, or further rationale for your decision?" Banning queried.
Kathryn shook her head, knowing pretty well that it didn't matter at this point. Harry had been an earnest and impressive witness, and the science in the doctor's testimony was eminently valid. "I do not."
"Very well," Banning stated. "Captain Janeway, I think I can speak for the others present when I say that your accomplishment in bringing your ship home against impossible odds was a most impressive one. However, even the finest captains are capable of mistakes, and quite frankly, you made one here. It is the judgment of this court that the reprimand issued to Ensign Harry Kim on Stardate 52636.8 was not justified given the circumstances, and I am ordering it stricken from his Starfleet record, retroactive to time of issue."
Kathryn eyed the other two present. Despite their victory, neither smiled, and she understood why. Both had respected her greatly, and having to challenge her had been difficult. Harry just exhaled and lowered his head, obviously relieved that it was over. The doctor patted his shoulder.
Banning continued: "I will forward a copy of this finding to Starfleet Command within the hour. Unfortunately, two of the three postings Mr. Kim applied for have been filled at this time, but the posting on the Orion remains vacant, so I will also forward my verdict to Captain Hua'r." She gave Harry a smile. "In light of this change in your status, he might want to give you a second look. This hearing is adjourned."
Kathryn was briefly delayed in departure by nature's call, though not by much: thanks to the long and grueling hours spent in JAG headquarters, she knew where the facilities were. When she emerged into the San Francisco daylight, she observed that Harry had seated himself on a bench on the pavilion, and was dividing his attention between the ocean it overlooked and a padd in his hands. Since there were no holo-emitters present outside, the doctor was not able to be present. Kathryn walked over and sat down next to him. For a long time, she stared at the water while listening to Harry's padd beep periodically.
Finally, she spoke: "Checking for additional postings?" There were always potential billets circulating on the Starfleet server, for everything from newly enlisted crewmen to experienced fleet captains.
"No, I'll do that later," Harry said. "Libby and Tom and B'Elanna all asked me to send them a message as soon as the hearing was over."
"I'm sure they'll be happy for you," Kathryn assured him. "Give them all my regards. And tell Tom and B'Elanna that I'm glad they convinced you to stand up for yourself."
Harry looked a bit confused at that. "Even though...?"
"Even though," Kathryn confirmed. "Harry, given your restored record, your bragging rights as a Voyager crew member, and most of all your impeccable service... you're probably going to rise through the ranks a good ways in the course of your career. And as you do, your decisions are going to carry more weight and affect more people. And sometimes, you'll make a decision that was wrong. Maybe you'll realize it yourself, maybe your first officer will point it out to you: that's part of their job. Or, you might have it pointed out the way it was here. When that happens, you acknowledge that you were wrong, and you make what reparations you can make. Which is why if Captain Hua'r or anyone else comms me about you, I'm going to tell them they would be an idiot not to choose you."
Harry smiled. "Thank you, Captain."
"And once you've done that, you learn from your mistake and move on," Janeway finished. "And consider learning from my experience of a few years back: don't spend too much time brooding over your past mistakes."
Harry, remembering the events of the ship's journey through the patch of irradiated null-space three years earlier, nodded. "I understand."
"Good," Kathryn said, rising gracefully to her feet. "I'm headed back to Bloomington to spend some time with my family, but I expect we'll see each other again at some point."
"I know we will," Harry said. "See you later, Captain."
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