| Arresting Refresher |
| Summary: | Constin makes sure that Cerberus MPs know how to do their job; the Areion MPs are discussed. |
| Date: | 12 Apr 2042 AE |
| Related Logs: | _cylonhunt logs. |
| Players: |
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| MaA's Office - Deck 6 - Battlestar Cerberus |
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| This smallish styled office is typically made use of by the Master-at-Arms to conduct his business and oversee the MP's. A large desk sits in the center of the room, to which a secured cabinet can be seen immediately to the left of it. Across form the desk, two simple chairs are present for those who visit, while behind the desk, a much larger and more comfortable chair can be seen. |
| Post-Holocaust Day: #410 |
Nataly- fresh off guard duty had been prevented from crashing into her bunk by a loud drill sergeant. This same drill sergeant had ordered that she get her books and fall into step. "You can sleep in Elysium, recruit," he had barked. The present question of jurisdiction raised by Kepner is being elaborated upon. We join our lecture, already in progress: "…subsection One-One-Three. Which is why, to enforce any detainment order within the fleet, the detaining Em-Pee requires authorization from WHO?"
Nataly eyes have bags under them, but damned if she isn't paying close attention. Not too long ago she had volunteered herself as bait in a trap over this issue… she is quite aware of it. "The command staff of the vessel in question, Sergeant. Starting with the Master-at-Arms."
"STARTING with the ship's Commanding Officer," Constin corrects, giving the girl's answer a nod, despite his forceful correction. "Excepting in cases where the ship's commanding officer is considered compromised, in which case the chain of command goes from Executive Officer, to Marine Commanding Officer, to Ess-Two, to Master-at-Arms." A drawn breath, "Detainment would be carried out by the Military Police of the vessel in question. Anything outside that structure constitutes a breach of the Uniform Code of Military Justice."
Nataly nods, and jots down a note in her notebook to be sure she holds on to the distinction. Top down, not bottom up. Fair enough. Jot, jot, jot. Then she raises her hand.
Constin nods, inviting the question. "Recruit?" The sergeant is standing behind his desk, habit when lecturing. In the service long enough, you get used to hearing from authority figures on their feet.
"What is the penalty for violating that code, sergeant?" Nataly's question is plainly pointed… what is left of military law, anymore? Still, it is what she is going to be specializing in, assuming Constin does't tear her apart in the process."
As the lecture goes on, the hatch opens and closes as quietly as one can expect a heavy, squeaky metal hatch to open and close. Through the hatch steps Madilyn, curious as to the sudden change in lecture topics to illegal detainment procedures. The beige uniform isn't out of the ordinary, and the sidearm isn't eyebrow-raising. The main difference here is that a shower after meeting with Areion's marine CO has left her with her hair in a ponytail, rather than the usual tight bun.
"The standard procedure in such an instance is a military review," Constin answers narrow blue eyes intent. "If it is discovered that the enforcing personnel knowingly violated the Uniform Code of Military Justice, then a Court Martial is convened, with penalties ranging from citation for minor offenses, through treason for bigger ones. For example, in the arrest of Admiral Abbott, if-" His words pause as the hatch opens, and the sergeant's boot heels click together, posture stiffening. "Officer on deck."
Had the sergeant yelled 'the Cylons are coming,' it could not have had a harsher effect on the young recruit. Proper respect to officers has been so deeply drilled into young Natalya that she reaches full attention almost before Elf does, frozen, awaiting permission to exist.
"Whoa…at ease. Gunny. Recruit." Madilyn gives each a nod in turn, encouraging them both - or at least the one of them - to resume their seats. "I'm here to observe only, given the topical nature of this lecture. I can only wish the crew of the Areion are listening to the same lectures from their sergeants. Please, continue."
"Sir," Constin returns crisply to the 'as you were' order, boots again going to shoulder width, as he resumes, "In the case of Admiral Abbott, if the Executive officer had not followed the chain of command through Fleet Command and the the Military Police, the detainment would have been illegal, and likely subject to charges of treason and the attached penalty of execution by firing squad." He lets the answer stand for a moment, inviting further questions before carrying on.
Nataly relaxes much more slowly than she snapped to attention. Her muscles are so tight they take a second or two to unwind. "Understood, thank you, sarge." She is, of course, also curious about the penalty for withholding critical evidence from a trial such as Abbott's, but this is clearly not the time. Marine Nat gives Reporter Nat a bit of a bat to the head, and returns to her attentive note-taking. Please, please, PLEASE no stair runs.
Nothing to worry about here, nope, not a thing. Especially not when Madilyn literally takes a seat from in front of Constin's desk, drags it back a few feet across the metal floor, and sits. While she listens, she rubs her temples and closes her eyes a bit, for the thousandth time today, it occurs to her. "A good example of chain of command in situations where the commanding officer is thought to be compromised," Madilyn interjects, reiterating unintentionally.
Constin nods once, curtly to Nataly's word of 'Understood'. He sniffs once, dryly at Madilyn's interjection, but does not comment on it. "Now. If Commander Laughlin were to order the detainment of a civilian aboard the Elpis, what is the chain of command that would need to be obeyed in order for the detainment to be valid?" The big sergeant is eyeing Nataly pointedly. It's the look he gets when throwing her a curveball.
Nataly's brow furrows. This is new territory for her, so far unmentioned in her lectures. "But, Sarge, Civillians are by definition outside of the chain of command." She strains her memory. "Practically speaking, he would work through the MPs, but… the civillians are not bound by military law, and so cannot be held or tried according to it."
Madilyn sits and listens with interest. A curveball here or there isn't unexpected, but this one has a decidedly personal nature…given that she would eventually like to see the civilians able to establish their own civilian panel for justice. Circumstances being what they are, it'd be difficult if not impossible to bring to fruition until certain parties are dealt with. She does lift her eyes to look at Constin as he waits for an answer.
"Under subsection Eight-oh-seven, article Ten Civilians aboard a military vessel CAN be detained under the Code of Justice," Constin answers, ten dollar words tarnished a bit by his lowbrow drawl. "The Elpis, although primarily occupied by civilians, remains a military vessel, Recruit, within the command hierarchy. This is why the chain of command would have to be obeyed from Laughlin, to the Elpis' commanding officer, to the detaining personnel, the marines of Bravo Company." A drawn breath, before he gives the recruit a chance to redeem herself: "Under what circumstances could a member of the military police enforce a detainment without prior approval?"
Nataly nods as she accepts the correction, then answers the new question without hesitation. "Sarge, an MP may enforce a detainment without prior approval when they personally witness a breach of regulations."
"Correct. Regulations which bind all personnel aboard the military vessels of Battlestar Group One-Three-Two, from every civvie up through the head of Fleet Command," Constin re-iterates. "And should you be accepted into the Colonial Marine Corp as a member of the Military Police, who is entrusted with the defense of law and order, what is your duty if you are issued an illegal command, Rassavet?"
"To arrest the officer giving the command under the same regulations as was mentioned before, sarge." Nataly had never the question put that way to her before, but seemed like a good way to go.
"Your duty is to refuse to obey an illegal order," Constin replies flatly. "You are to state clearly your grounds for refusing this order, and why you feel it to be illegal. And for calling it an 'arrest' again, you owe me one flight of stairs." Damnit. "Military Police are empowered only to DETAIN personnel, it is the role of the detained individual's commanding officer to order an arrest, upon being presented with the facts of the case."
Madilyn remains silent through all of this, simply looking between Constin and Nataly. It sounds like a prep course specifically tailored for keeping security matters on this vessel aboard this vessel. When she slips and calls it an arrest, however, and earns a flight of stairs as punishment, Madilyn gives a sympathetic little smile. Everyone has to learn, somehow, and those getting the full-on MP course moreso.
Nataly winced almost as soon as she said it. It was 0200, and a stupid semantic slip up! Her complexion doesn't change in the least, though. That would only earn her even more godsdamned stairs. "Yes, Sergeant."
She learns quickly. "The sixth element of the Credo of the Military Police is 'I am proud of the Military Police Corps Regiment and fully understand the awesome responsibility given to all military police soldiers'. The seventh is 'At the same time, I am humble because I know that I am a servant of the Colonies'." He draws a breath. "We wear the uniform to serve, Recruit. Whether or not other folk thank us for it, it is our oath and honor to execute these duties well. That will be all for this session, Recruit."
Nataly stands back to attention. "Yes, Sergeant." She then turns to Madilyn and salutes, again. You know, just in case, waiting to be dismissed by the highest ranking officer in the room. "Sir."
The session concluded, Madilyn stands and returns the salute. "You heard the sergeant, recruit. Dismissed. And don't forget your, ah, stairs." The exuberance Nataly shows is hardly returned by Madilyn, the stress of the job wearing on her in strange ways.
"Private First Class Panos will verify your run on the stairs, Recruit," Constin notes to Nataly in passing. "Or, if you prefer, you can put off the stairs tonight, and give me two runs in the morning." That particular devil's choice offered, the sergeant voices to Madilyn, "Major. What's the word?"
Nataly doesn't hesitate, but heads straight for the stairs to run them. Always run them now, several people had told her. There was no room for procrastination, and besides, after the stairs she'd be a sleep even before her head could hit the pillow.
"Had an interesting little chat with my evil clone on Areion today," Madilyn says. The tone of her voice says that absolutely no attempt is being made to hide or slant the obvious dislike of the man. "He's one silver-tongued bastard," she concludes after a slight pause. "Had an answer for everything, amounting to a breakdown in communication."
Constin doesn't crack a tight smile as Nataly refuses to delay her exercise, until AFTER the Recruit isnt looking. The tight grin doesn't live long, as Madilyn starts talking. The scowl emerges shortly thereafter. "What's the official answer for enforcing illegal detainment, then? They can't a breakdown in communication to cover it. If nobody else, Em-Ay-Ay Oren had to know authorizing this would break regs."
"Oh, the usual explanation for when shit hits the fan: pass the buck UP. Claims Command would handle all the red tape. That he was told he was go, after their ship's XO told Mathers. Everyone was under the impression that this was on the up-and-up, at least, everyone on their end. And that's before he got into the holier-than-thou attitude that, because Areion is clean of potential Cylon infiltrators, the leaks must come from Cerberus. No mention made of Praetorian or Corsair," Madilyn explains While she talks, Madilyn crosses her arms over her chest and talks low, just to Constin. "The wool got pull over everyone's eyes, if you ask me, with Areion command in on the whole thing. They knew who they wanted to test…they've known for some time. Only the relevant personnel knew the real deal, and all the grunts were told everything had been cleared. Plausible deniability, for those directly responsible."
"Bullshit," Constin snaps back, sharply, the scowl becoming engraved even moreso as Madilyn goes on. "Unless Mathers authorized the detainment order- in which case it's STILL illegal for bypassing Pewter and you- Somebody on their end is still holding the frakking buck. When the Areion boys came for me, straight up told them it were an illegal detainment, and they tazed my ass when I tried to report it to the Security Hub. Twice," he adds, pointedly. "They disregarded procedure on so many levels, there ain't no mix up about, Major. This don't just get swept under the rug, sir."
"I'm telling you what they told me, and what they're likely to tell others. Someone there is definitely holding the buck, but good luck finding it; I think the frakkers share a wallet." She pauses again, pressing her hand over her mouth, then continuing. "Their marine cee-oh spouted some jingoist bullshit about ridding the fleet of the fear of Cylon agents, then promised us a copy of their list of suspects. Funny how they seem to know everything there is to know about our crewman, and our stacks on them are thinner than a gnat's hair."
"You giving me clearance to look, sir?" Constin asks, pointedly when Madilyn bids him good luck finding the metephorical buck. "Yeah, they're good at spouting bullshit. Fella questioning me- when I quoted him chapter and verse about how I was being held as a hostile prisoner? All he said was 'this is war'. Frak's sake, Major there's gotta be order. Now more than ever."
"Give me…a day, sergeant. I need official statements from the four of you who were treated to all the 'hospitalities' that Areion had to offer. Last I checked, we weren't at war with each other, but, if they want to bring it to that…" Well, lets hope that Cerberus is hardened against the Gun and its effects, if it comes to that. "Needless to say, plans are being drawn, should the need arise, and I'm prepared to become very, very paranoid indeed when it comes to unwelcome visitors on this ship."
Constin nods once. "Understood, sir. Look forward to hearing in a day, Major." A breath drawn and released in a bullish exhale through the nose. A second nod, as the big man wills himself back into a semblance of patience. "Can give my report now, or put it to paper, formal like for the records, if you prefer."
"Put it on paper, for the record, and to get the facts down next to the other reports. Unlike some of the outfits in this fleet, I'm trying to keep things as close to normal as possible. I just wanted you to know that you're not the only one around here who's concluded that something over there stinks, which is quite odd for a ship that's supposedly so squeaky clean." Apparently, this task is finished, as she turns for the hatch. "I found your lecture topic for the recruit to be extremely topical. It's good to know that our Em Pees, at the very least, will know what the frak they're doing when it comes to detainment procedures."
"I'll never vet a Recruit who don't, sir," Constin returns to Madilyn's compliment. His offered thanks for the words amount to a nod, and a short exhale. "It'll be on your desk tomorrow morning, Major."