Aeris - Guardian Force - 7. Interlude 2: Debrief Report

Official Debrief Report

Date: February 15, 2214

Time: 13:00 Ship’s Time

Officer: Lt. Michael Hawkins, Naval Intelligence

Transcription: Hawkins: “Thank you Commander Aeris and Warrant Officer Jeffers for agreeing to a joint session. I’ll remind you that a recording of this session, is already in progress, and these proceedings are SCI classification. In your previous individual sessions, you’ve indicated that there wasn’t much to tell. Though, there are some irregularities in your versions.”

Aeris (interrupting): “What irregularities are you speaking of?”

Jeffers: “I would like to know as well because I hate to think that you’re calling us Liars.”

Hawkins: “No, we are not calling you liars. We just feel that something is being omitted from the official records.”

Aeris: “Get to the point Lieutenant.”

Hawkins: “Well, Sir, there is the matter of the Battlefield Promotion, of Warrant Officer Jeffers, and how you came to trust this Thorian that helped you escape. The analysts are not sure that the full reasons behind this are clear.”

Jeffers: “What exactly, are you meaning?”

Hawkins: “To put it bluntly. Our records indicate that you Warrant Officer Jeffers, are Bisexual, and Commander Aeris is Homosexual. Some are wondering if some sexual favors occurred while in captivity, that caused the jump in ten grades of rank, from Private to Warrant Officer. Commander Aeris exercised his full right in the promotion, as both the Ground Forces Commanding Officer, and as an officer in the Guardian Force, under the Naval Charter. We know that no liaisons have occurred since your return to the ship, as the monitors have been watching…” (WO Jeffers stood up and looked like he was about to assault Lieutenant Hawkins, but was restrained by a hand from CMD Aeris.)

Aeris: “Stop right there Lieutenant Hawkins. The full details of the reason why William was promoted are in the report I gave yesterday. Along with the promotion paperwork submitted to Admiral Franks, and formal reprimands I logged against the assignment commission at Marine Corp headquarters. It’s simple, and I’ll state it again. Some fuck up at HQ, instead of doing their fucking job, assigned one Private William Jeffers, an E-1 to the Marine Detachment slated for the Prometheus. If they had done their one fucking job and read his file, they would have seen Jeffers was to be sent to Demolitions MOS training. After which he would then proceed to Officer training. Shall, I bring his file up, for your review? Please tell me, that Naval Intelligence doesn’t actually believe, I would promote someone just because they gave me a blowjob?”

Hawkins: “I’m sorry Sir, but the situation just begs additional scrutiny, with both of your sexual orientations, and the fact you’ve both stated, you were naked for an extended period of time.”

Jeffers: “Lieutenant, let me make this clear to you, Sir. Until this conversation, I did not know Commander Aeris was gay. Yes, he’s good looking, and if we weren’t in the service and of different ranks, I would date someone like him, but at no time did anything inappropriate happen between us.” (There was a five seconds pause.) “Sir.”

Hawkins: “You both testified that ‘You physically, and visually, observed each other's bodies looking for abnormalities'.”

Aeris (interrupting): “That is correct. I was looking for implanted devices, which might have explained why Jeffers was in a coma. After I searched him, he searched me. As we have stated prior.”

Hawkins: “Do you not see how that is unusual?”

Jeffers: “What’s unusual is for Naval Intelligence to be grilling us, over an incident with no facts, and only speculations. Seeing as this is treading into the accusations territory, instead of being a debriefing, I hereby invoke my right to JAG Counsel, and I will not say another word.”

Hawkins: “There’s no need to get lawyers involved.”

Aeris: “This debrief is over. Please remember making false accusations, against an Officer carries with it stiff penalties. Especially, when we’re in a time of war.”

Hawkins: “Commander, wait. We still have the alien Zirsi to discuss.”

Aeris: “No, we don’t. Lieutenant, I’m suspending this debrief. I’m going to give Naval Intelligence forty-eight hours, to assign a new investigator, and the local JAG officer to do a review of your department. You’re damn lucky that these debriefs were assigned by Admiral Franks, otherwise I wouldn’t even bother with them.” (CMD Aeris, and WO Jeffers, then left the briefing room, without any further words.)

Investigator’s note: Admiral Franks was contacted with a copy of this transcript, and a request for CMD Aeris to be relieved of duty, and confined to quarters for the remainder of the voyage back to Sol system. The Admiral’s response was short, “You’re lucky he didn’t kill you where you sat; which, would have been within his right to do so, as a GFO on assignment.”