Due Diligence
Posted on Wed Dec 17th, 2025 @ 4:20pm by Deirdre Arlen & Vice Admiral Sidra MacLaren
971 words; about a 5 minute read
Mission:
Second Light
Location: SB 369
=/\= Fleet CO's Office =/\=
Commander Elara Hale entered Admiral MacLaren's outer office. She was the head of the Internal Affairs team assigned to review Security's operational practices over the past few months.
She had already met with Admiral MacLaren when she first reported in. This time, though, she had requested an immediate meeting.
The Admiral's yeoman, a young Bajoran ensign, lifted her eyes from the console with a quick smile. "Commander. Please take a seat," she gestured to a few chairs by the wall. "The Admiral will see you once she finishes her current meeting."
Hale nodded and sat down.
It was a few minutes before a few Admirals exited the inner office. Elara immediately rose to her feet.
"Just a moment," the ensign said.
She entered the office and returned quickly. "She'll see you now."
"Thank you," Elara said.
Moments later, Hale was standing across from the Admiral's desk. "Commander Hale, Internal Affairs. I apologize for the interruption, but we’ve come across information that I believe warrants your immediate attention.”
She handed MacLaren a PADD.
"A civilian freighter was involved in a firefight several weeks ago. The incident was reported, but never made it to Fleet level. We, of course, started an investigation to check why."
Sidra accepted the PADD without comment, her expression neutral as she skimmed the header. She didn’t sit back immediately; instead, she read standing, thumb scrolling with practiced efficiency. A faint crease formed between her brows as she reached the incident summary.
She glanced up briefly. “Please, Commander, have a seat.”
Only once Hale had done so did Sidra return her attention to the report.
Several weeks ago. Civilian freighter. Weapons discharge.
That should have tripped at least two escalation thresholds.
She set the PADD down on the desk, folding her hands loosely in front of her.
“I see,” she said evenly. “This was reported locally.”
It wasn’t a question.
Her gaze remained on the screen for another moment, already mapping the path it should have taken, and where it hadn’t.
“That gap is what we need to understand,” Sidra continued. “Not just who handled it, but when, and under what criteria it was deemed resolved.”
She tapped the edge of the PADD once, a precise, thoughtful motion. “Have we contacted the freighter’s owning company directly yet? I want their official after-action report, sensor data, and crew statements. I also want to compare what they submitted locally against what reached Fleet channels.”
Her eyes lifted back to Hale, calm and unflinching. “And I’d like a full timeline. Engagement to present. Every handoff. Every decision point.”
Sidra straightened slightly in her chair
Hale nodded. "Understood, Admiral. We are in the process of contacting the freighter's owners." She paused, a slight hesitation. "Our mandate is to check whether there were any procedural issues within Fleet Security. Can Internal Affairs to also check the details of the engagement? The report, as you can see, is lacking in that regard."
Sidra inclined her head once. “If you have the bandwidth to do so,” she said. “I know your team already has a full plate.”
Hale gave a brief, tight smile before she turned serious again. "Admiral, if the report didn't reach Fleet-level review, it might be negligence. But as Internal Affairs, we also have to consider whether the reporting pathway may have been influenced.”
“As I said, I realize this falls outside my original mandate,” Hale continued carefully, “but understanding the incident itself may help us determine whether anyone within Station Security or—” she hesitated, just a fraction, “Fleet Security had reason to prevent escalation.”
“This incident may have broader Fleet implications and, at present, I believe it would be prudent for Internal Affairs to retain investigative oversight."
“Then I want you to do your due diligence. You will receive no hesitation from myself, if anyone under my command offers any, bring them here.” Sidra replied.
"One more point, Admiral. Our review is going to take time. I understand the freighter itself is off-station at the moment, and so we will not be able to check the vessel directly until it returns."
“That’s understood,” she replied. “The absence of the vessel limits direct verification, but it doesn’t stop the work. Document that constraint clearly in your findings. I don’t want assumptions filling in where access is lacking.”
MacLaren leaned back slightly, fingers steepled, a subtle shift from intake to command. She was impressed at the speed at which this Commander had found the report and where it had fallen off the tracks. It said a lot about her and her diligence.
“Proceed with reviewing the engagement details as far as the available data allows,” Sidra continued. “Focus on actions taken, rules of engagement applied, and reporting decisions made afterward. If something doesn’t line up, flag it. Don’t smooth it over.”
Then, deliberately, she changed tack again.
“You’ve been on the station a short time now,” Sidra said. “How are you settling in?”
The question wasn’t casual, but it was genuine.
"Fine, Admiral," Elara answered. Her job took her to many ships and starbases, where she and her team were usually seen as the outsiders stirring up trouble. She didn't usually have an Admiral who was interested in her findings.
“Do you have the access, personnel, and logistical support you need to do this properly?” she asked. “If there are bottlenecks, clearance, data access, space, I want to know now, not after the review stalls.”
Her gaze held Hale’s, steady and direct.
"Yes, Admiral. I'll notify you if there's anything else I need."
“Very well, I look forward to your findings,” Sidra said honestly as the meeting came to a natural conclusion.
=/\=
Vice Admiral Sidra MacLaren
Fleet Commander
Epsilon Fleet
&
Commander Elara Hale
Internal Affairs
Starfleet Command
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