[This story includes bodily functions as well as significant discipline. If any of this offends you, please read no further. This chapter will make more sense if you read the previous chapters first, but you don't have to in order to enjoy it. All characters are well over 18. My thanks to Leslie Jones for encouraging me to use her Women's Republic characters.]
CPT Nicole and 1LT Cynthia had essentially been living together for the year since they were named as Commandant and Deputy of Hergolia Camp, which long had and continued to have the reputation as the toughest retraining camp for men in the Women's Republic.
There was no rule against women having same-sex relationships; women also were permitted to have two spouses in marriage, one male and one female. Men were not so empowered.
However, the Corrections Service did not want commissioned officers to cohabit publicly because the leadership felt that it conveyed a bad image of the service. Ever since Nicole and Cynthia had assumed command of the camp, some of the long-serving officers felt that their sharing a bedroom was violative of the Service's ethos.
1LT Jones was qualified as a psychologist and she thought that Nicole and Cynthia had been doing an excellent job in maintaining the strong performance standards that had been the camp's sine qua non for a long time. However, she knew that the two in command shared Nicole's bed most nights. She was worried that there would be a scandal, even though the Service was never totally clear about the rules.
She was at headquarters a few weeks later and stopped by to chat with COL Rachel, who had evaluated the leadership at the camp in her capacity as chief of the internal affairs unit. She told Rachel that she was nervous about the situation where Nicole and Cynthia were obviously having an intimate relationship at the camp. She observed that this was only because such a relationship between the two top officers risked stirring up bad feelings and attitudes among the officers and the cadre.
"Have you observed any bad feelings or morale declines caused by this situation?" Rachel asked her.
Deirdre thought for a moment and responded, "Honestly, no. Not at this time."
Rachel thanked her for coming to her about this situation. She said she would look into it and might make some further recommendations to the Chief of Staff.
After leaving her office, 1LT Jones started having recriminations. She now felt she was getting her commanders into trouble. Deirdre was a highly ethical officer, but she sometimes felt like an outsider in the Service, because she was professionally trained and certified as a psychologist.
Rachel decided that she needed to take some action. She wasn't going to take this to Annette, the Chief of Staff. She instead would make it clear to Nicole and Cynthia that they needed to stay in their own quarters for a while. She decided to speak with her protΓ©gΓ©, the head of the Disciplinary Unit, LTC Kate.
She phoned Kate's office and when they spoke, asked her to come to her office to discuss a matter.
Kate said she would be over right away. She knew that Rachel would not ask her to discuss something unless it was important.
When she arrived, Rachel told her that an officer on the Hergolia staff had mentioned to her that camp morale among officers and cadre could be suffering from the clear awareness that CPT Nicole and 1LT Cynthia were engaged in a close intimate relationship.
"There are lots of same-sex relationships in the Service," Kate responded.
"Yes, there are," Rachel said, "but they shouldn't cause morale problems like this one appears to have. And there's a regulation that commissioned officers shouldn't cohabit.""
"Have you determined a course of action?" Kate asked.
"No," Rachel answered, "but I have some ideas. I told the officer I would look into this and then report to the Chief of Staff for action. I will call the two of them in, but I doubt I want to report this. Instead, I'd like to tell them they need to cool it, and that in lieu of anything further happening, I want them to submit to disciplining. This is where you come in."
"Oh?" Kate said with a bit of surprise.
"Yes," Rachel said. "I want them to be disciplined by you at your unit. Not the toilet box, but severely. And yes, you may have one of your cadre or officers participate with you."
Kate owed her career advancement to Rachel, and she admired her intensely.
"I hope this doesn't backfire," she said.
"I will let the informing officer know that I'm taking action," Rachel said. "I'll tell her that I hope she will feel this is an appropriate resolution. I will advise her that if this goes further in official channels, she would be required to appear at a proceeding."
"I think that will square it for your less formal approach," Kate said.
Rachel contacted Deirdre, who was still at headquarters.
"I'm pleased that you are taking action," she told Rachel. "I think this will solve the situation if you have them speak separately to the officers and then to the cadre about what has occurred."
"I'll think about that, Lieutenant," Rachel declared. "I'd prefer to let them disclose what has occurred at their discretion."
"Thank you," Deirde said calmly. She rose, saluted Rachel, and walked out.
Rachel now asked 1SG Louise to travel in from Hergolia to speak with her about this matter. Louise wasn't sure what was involved, but she knew that COL Rachel had visited Hergolia and had the ear of the Chief of Staff.
Louise took the transport to headquarters and reported to COL Rachel's office at the appointed time. Rachel welcomed her and took no time getting to the point.
"I've been told that morale at the camp could be affected because there's general awareness that the Commandant and Deputy share their bed on a continuing basis," she began. "As you know, there's no issue with same-sex relationships in the Service. However, when because of the positions held, the practice is discouraged, because it is felt that morale suffers."
"Yes," Louise responded. "People will talk. It's fairly common knowledge at Hergolia that Nicole and Cynthia sleep together. I don't think it has affected operations or morale, for that matter. I assume you have received reports?"
"Only from one observer," Rachel answered. "I don't intend to proceed formally on this. I wanted to hear from you because besides being the senior noncom, you have long experience at the post and with the Commandant."
"I do feel I know CPT Nicole reasonably well," Louise declared. "I think her leadership has been excellent and I don't feel that this has caused any significant problems. I'm afraid some people look for problems, however."
"As I said," Rachel confirmed, "I'm not disposed to proceed further on this. I will call them to discuss it and may suggest some informal discipline."
"That, of course, Ma'am, is your call," Louise replied.
"Very well," Rachel concluded. "Thanks for taking the time and trouble to come here and I do appreciate your input."
Soon, Rachel had Nicole and Cynthia report to meet with her in her headquarters office. She explained to them that following her report, she had been informed that their cohabiting had been causing morale problems that they may not have been aware of.