Indications of Selective Reasoning

Posted on Sun Dec 7th, 2025 @ 4:29am by Fleet Admiral Sevlek

851 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Episode 120 - Guardian at the Gate
Location: Beta Quadrant Command Center
Timeline: Concurrent

IC:

Sevlek stood in front of the comm screen in his office in the Beta Quadrant Command Center. His hands clasped behind his back as one of the 15 flag officers spoke, "The improved Fleet Coordination System does not suffer from the same problems as Fleet Formation Mode did on Frontier Day!" The voice rising defensively as the finals words were spoke; then, a pause, "I can assure you that we have not made the same errors."

Sevlek spoke, "Which errors, precisely, do you speak of?" A rhetorical question as he continued, "The error which prevented non-compromised crews from retaking control of their vessels?"

The Tellarite vice admiral who had been speaking snorted, "How could we have predicted a Borg attack?" Another snort, "Who among us had the forethought to think of an attack on such a scale."

Sevlek raised an eyebrow and was about to respond when Admiral Bello spoke, "You had access to the same reports as the rest of us Ghesh." He tapped a command on his console and another holographic visual was displayed, this one depicting reports of the Fleet Formation Mode's failure to disconnect during emergencies, thereby allowing the crew of the ship to take direct action. An error which was discovered to have been intentionally installed into the system, an error that went undetected until after the tragedy of Frontier Day.

Bello continued, "This wasn't found in the months leading to deployment for Frontier Day. Months, hundreds of ships taken out of service while repairs, replacements, and refits were conducted. Thousands of lives lost, and you're saying it can't have been noticed?"

Ghesh sneered, "How can it have been noticed if it wasn't considered."

Sevlek finally spoke, "This is pointless, the Frontier Day Inquiries were conducted and recommendations followed." The Vulcan walked around his desk and sat down. It was an old desk, a gift from another Starfleet Officer when he first ascended to captaincy of the Prometheus Class U.S.S. Gladiator. "This conference is to determine how to proceed in regard to further adoption of a fleet synchronization system, and to what extent it should be adopted."

Stonn, another Vulcan, spoke, "If I may?" Sevlek nodded, and Stonn continued, "Rear Admiral Ghesh, to what extent has this new and improved system been tested? On what scale, and with what limitations have your most recent trials been conducted?"

Ghesh leaned back in his seat, relaxing to some degree, at least as much as an angry Tellarite could. "The system was tested on a coordination size as small as a five ship task group, and as large as a 25 ship interdiction task force." He paused as commands were entered and the display of code was replaced with data from the various tests. "Command crews were given access to override the system, and the simulation presented various circumstances which could warrant disconnection from the system."

Ghesh entered commands to highlight a section of the test data, "The Fleet Coordination System performed exceptionally well. Well enough that I' am recommending we implement it at the fleet level, beginning with the 5th Fleet, since the majority of it is currently docked at Beta Antares for repairs, refits, and resupplies at the conclusion of their deployment."

The meeting had been going for nearly 2 hours at this point, Ghesh had spoken the same points, and shown the same data at least 4 times during the proceedings. The same voices had spoken against it, 14 of those present had voiced their concerns and opinions against an implementation of any system similar to the one that had been the fulcrum of the damage done during Frontier Day.

Sevlek spoke, "At this time, I will not authorize the installation of the Fleet Coordination System into large scale use. Continue to use it in your current test environment for 12 more months, we will reconvene at that time."

Sevlek filed the meeting's recording, and leaned back in his chair.

Andrenicus spoke from his seat on the couch, "Admiral Ghesh is very passionate, I doubt he'll let this go."

Sevlek nodded, "It is likely that the admiral will attempt to circumvent my authority in this matter in an attempt to achieve the outcome he desires." A brief pause as Sevlek stood and straightened his tunic, "It will be a futile endeavor, as those at my level and above are in agreement where it concerns the coordination system. Though, that will not prevent him from trying."

"Is it true he once showed up at the President's Office because he didn't like what the Starfleet CnC decided?" Andrenicus stood as he asked the question.

"Indeed, he did." Sevlek answered as he left his office.

Andrenicus sighed as he followed, "Sometimes, sir, it'd be nice if you spilled the tea just a little bit."

Sevlek tilted his head and raised an eyebrow, "It would be highly illogical, and wasteful, if I were to intentionally spill tea."

The human colonel chuckled, "Yes, sir. It would be." Andrenicus knew Sevlek knew what 'spilling the tea' was, and as long as he'd been trying to get him to do it, the Vulcan just wouldn't participate.

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