Chapter 5 - The Chicken Leg
The dining hall had cameras.
Not hidden.
Ordinary facility security.
The footage showed the entire interaction.
Jake approaching.
Speaking.
Me ignoring him.
His hand entering my tray.
The bite.
My order.
The chicken falling.
Ethan grabbing my shoulders.
No audio from every angle.
Enough from one microphone near the serving station.
“Pick it up and eat it.”
Recorded.
Jake later said he thought I was:
“another staff petty officer.”
As if that helped.
The investigating officer asked:
“Would it have been acceptable if she were?”
Jake answered:
“No.”
Good.
Then:
“Would it have been acceptable if she were a civilian employee?”
“No.”
“Another recruit?”
Silence.
That silence was the problem.
His idea of acceptable behavior changed with status.
May you like
Discipline based only on rank is not discipline.
It is calculation.
