About legs, and duty
It was just going worse.
Janice wasn't just miffed, she was actually hurt, and more and more unpleasant every day. What Jim hoped was just a temporary crush was turning into a deep resentment, and was putting into danger their professionnal balance.
Why couldn't she understand Jim's duty came first ?
A captain couldn't afford that kind of madness.
As he reminded Bones recently, he already had a beautiful woman he needed to look after, and she required all his time.
The Enterprise would always come first.
There was just no room for this kind of relationship into his life, not anymore.
And he would have loved to, truly. Janice was kind, brave and beautiful. Loyal to the core, and surely able from far much more than just serving him coffee, if the opportunity arose. But she also was young, and in love, and not totally mature yet, and Jim knew keeping her at his sides would only lead to disaster.
She had been turned down several times already. What else was he supposed to do, apart from putting her on an official report, and risking her future career ?
Once it would be written officially the young woman wasn't able to behave professionnally, nobody would give her a chance.
And Janice had so much potential.
Who else would have thought of heating coffee with a phaser, in the middle of a battle ?
(seriously, though)
Who, without real training, would have succeeded in hiding a violent sickness for several days, before the pain became too strong and fear would take over ? Would she only have revealed him her real state if he had not followed her in that dark, disgusting corridor ?
Janice was stronger she let on.
She was able of so much more than her actual job, with the proper training, and it was one of the most frustrating things for the captain.
Jim didn't reach this level without sacrifice.
You didn't become the youngest captain in Starfleet's history by mixing personal and professional life.
Jim had his own faults, no doubt, and he still had a lot to learn as a captain. But one thing was certain: he would never, in any circumstance, put into danger his job, and his ship, for anybody's pretty eyes.
The captain of the Enterprise had a duty towards his people, and his ship.
Janice's behaviour was interfering with the smooth running of their mission, and was a growing danger for the crew's stability.
As Spock reminded him during this bloody mission on Alpha 177, a captain couldn't afford to look less than perfect. Any weakness, any mistake, any doubt about favouritism, and he would lose his crew's respect.
If the rumor started to spread that the captain and his yeoman had anything less than a professionnal relationship..
But wasn't that already true ?
Wasn't the damage already done ?
How many people saw them talking on the bridge ? How many of them heard him telling her off kindly, as discreetly as possible ?
Janice wasn't exactly discreet.
The whole bridge knew about her feelings, and what was worst, her inappropriate attitude.
And that was where the danger laid.
His officers were amongst the best, and no doubt true professionnals, but (apart from a very notable exception), they stayed humans.
And humans talked.
Jim wasn't naive.
One didn't achieve that level of responsabilites without understanding the way people, and as a whole, a crew, thought, and what was even more important, how a rumor mill worked.
He had to nip that problem in the bud, right now, before things got out of control.
He had tried to tell things quietly, kindly. He knew Uhura, bless her heart, had too. His Chief communication officier was a professionnal at the heart, in addition to being completely loyal and able to terrify the entire bridge with a single look.
So he had of course being logically mortified to learn by a half-amused, half-annoyed McCoy she wasn't far from putting Janice on a rapport he could guess would be pithy.
« Nothing against you, Jim. On contrary, I think she is hoping to make things easier for you. This woman is nothing less than terrifying ». The doctor sighed, before staring at him from behind his desk. « I wish I could tell the same from Janice. She should have gotten the message a long time ago. »
The captain stared at him from the other side of the desk, his lips thinned from frustration, as he paced, agited.
« This isn't about me, Bones. I did nothing wrong, we both know ». He stopped, before pivoting on his feet to stare at him. « There is no way I can let her career being destroyed. Her behaviour is improper, but she can still evolve. Janice is young, she is immature. That kind of report would destroy her future, you know that.
Then do something, captain. Before someone else does. »
No surprise here, Spock had not been truly helpful. His First Officer was brillant, but inter-species relationships – relationships, actually – stayed the one subject upon which the Vulcan possessed as much smoothness as an otter lost in deep space.
« Yeoman Rand's behaviour is a source of tension and an increasing risk for your personnal ethic, captain. I can only remind you about our precedent talks on this subject ».
Spock, or this frustrating ability to hit right in the heart.
Jim knew if it were up to him, his First would have transfered the young woman a very long time ago.
But Jim was an hopeful man, and one who didn't believe in no-win scenarios. He wished to give Janice her chance, and hoped than by offering her a neutral and professionnal example, she would be able to regain the professionnalism required from every Starfleet personnal.
He failed, and that frustrated him more he could explain.
Perhaps, he should have had an honest talk with her from the start.
Jim sighed, before rubbing his temples, trying and failing to get rid of the explosing headache. In front of Jim, Janice's transfert was laughing at him, staring at him from his screen computer. All that was needed were him signing it, and Spock. The blond woman would leave the vessel in a month, during the bi-annual crew turnover. She would leave with a recommandation, and a new job on another ship, led by an older, less attractive captain.
Jim could only hope she would flourish.
Janice wasn't a bad person. She just needed time to grow up, and realize the true extent of her responsabilities. Jim was young, once, too, and sometimes quick to be dominated by his emotions. He wouldn't let her destroy her future because of a single mistake, which might totally damage her reputation.
Jim had seen on other starships what could happen, when young people fell for older officers.
There was no way he would let this happen on his ship.
The captain sighed, before straightening. Frowning, he pushed on the intercom, his voice showing none of his personnal doubts as he ordered :
-Mister Spock. Please, report to my quarters immediately.
The Vulcan's voice answered him immediately, neutral and professionnal as ever.
-On my way, captain.
Jim nodded, before cutting off communication and straightening a bit more, his face determined.
His choice was made, and wouldn't change anymore.
He could only hope it was the best for himself, the Enterprise, and Janice Rand.