Title: Conversation 11: Approval and Disapproval

Author: Tayla

Fandom: The Sentinel

Pairing: J/B implied

Rating: PG

Category: Drama

Status: Completed January 12, 2003

Archive: Yes to WWOMB/Peja. All others please ask

Feedback: Yes, please. All constructive criticism will be graciously accepted

Series/Sequel: The "Conversations" Series
01: Back to School
02: Money and Guilt
03: Buff
04: Rent
05: Hair
06: Bruised
07: Trouble Coming
08: Overheard
09: Support
10: Schemes
11: Approval and Disapproval

Disclaimers: The Sentinel and its characters belong to Pet Fly Productions and Paramount Network Television. No copyright infringement is intended. The author makes no profit and exists solely on the accolades from fellow fans.

Authors Notes: It just keeps going and going. I'm not sure where it's going to end up.

Summary: A conversation between the Chief of Police and the Commandant of the Police Academy

Warnings: None

Conversation 11: Approval and Disapproval
By Tayla

"Chief Harding. You're looking well, old man."

"Commandant Lewis. Good to see you again. And who are you calling old?"

"What brings you all the way out here to the Academy on such a fine day?"

"Maybe I'm just down here to visit my old partner."

"That's a nice thought, Hardy, but for some reason, I doubt it's true."

"You still have that bottle of scotch in your desk drawer?"

"Oh, that bad, huh?"

"Maybe not. Let's sit down and talk about it."

" 'It? Or 'him'?"

"Then you have heard the rumors?"

"It's my Academy. I hear everything."

"Yeah, well it's my Police Department and I hadn't heard a thing."

"They say that hearing is the first to go."

"Lewis, knock it off with the 'old' stuff. I'm only five months older than you. Now let's get to it. Is there any truth to the rumors at all?"

"Absolutely not. I'm not in the habit of getting involved with the cadets. Not that I would mind."

"Lewis!"

"Come on, Hardy. He is a very attractive young man."

"Don't go there, Lew. He has a very big, very mean boyfriend."

"Then it's true? About him and Ellison?"

"I don't know for sure, and I don't want to know. If it's confirmed that they are, then I wouldn't be able to let them partner."

"So you'll let them break the rules?"

"Yes I will. Ellison was a fine detective all by himself, but since Sandburg started riding with him, he's been amazing. They've got the highest clearance rate in the department three years running."

"That doesn't surprise me. Sandburg probably the smartest man I ever met."

"How is he doing in his classes?"

"He's right at the top of the class in the academic courses. But we expected that. After all he's practically a professional student, and he has an insatiable curiosity. He's breezing through Policies and Procedures, Forensics and Basic Law. He's even started a study group for other cadets that aren't as comfortable in the classroom as he is."

"Really? That's surprising."

"Not really. He's a natural teacher. Of the students that he's coaching, I would surmise that at least three of them would have washed out by now if it weren't for his help."

"Any funny business going on there?"

"No, he's not helping them cheat. Just tutoring them."

"So he's smart and he's helping his fellow students. What about the physical courses?"

"Now, that's the surprising part. He's at the top of the physical classes too. He's doing well in self defense."

"Really? Isn't he the smallest guy in the class?"

"Yes, he's smaller than the female cadets, too. But you know that the self defense class is more a matter of flexibility and agility than pure brute strength. And apparently he's already familiar with several forms of martial arts."

"And the rest of it?"

"He runs the obstacle course every morning. You should see him go up the wall. Just like a monkey. Up and over, no problem. I've never seen anything like it."

"Anything else?"

"I was worried about firearms at first. Here, look at this. This is the target from his first class."

"He didn't even hit the target?"

"No, but he did hit the paper. See, right down here on the lower corner."

"Well, that sucks."

"Chief, look at the grouping. He's got six shots there all within two square inches. That's good shooting."

"Yes but Lewis, he has to be able to hit what he's aiming at."

"I think he did hit what he was aiming at. He didn't want to hit a man shaped target."

"But that's the standard."

"I know that. Look at these. The firearms instructor switched him over to round targets for a while."

"I'm seeing lots of bulls eyes here."

"That's the point, Harding. He's a really good shot. And he's gotten over his squeamishness. Here's his target from yesterday's class."

"He's back on the man shaped targets then."

"Yes, and look at the groupings."

"Six in the head, six in the heart. All kill shots."

"Nobody else in the class can do that. Not even Wilkins and Jennings."

"And how are they doing?"

"They're doing piss-poor in the academic classes. They've both failed two Policies and Procedures tests; they refuse to take help from anyone. They're bullies and troublemakers. I saw one of them deliberately hit Sandburg during a self defense class."

"What did Sandburg do?"

"He just shrugged it off. And he still asked them if they wanted in on the study group."

"He's a good kid."

"He's five to ten years older than any other cadet. He's a good man."

"How good?"

"Hardy, if I were still on the streets, I would trust him to have my back."

"And Wilkins and Jennings?"

"I wouldn't trust them to walk my dog."

"Well, maybe we ought to do something about that. Can you wash them out?"

"Sure, but what about their fathers? Won't they cause a fuss?"

"I hope they do. It will give me an excuse to step on them like the bugs they are."

"That bad?"

"They've got their whole department stirred up. I've got three detectives trying to get out of Homicide because they don't like the games. But the rest of them, they’ve turned into rabid homophobes that are more worried about what Ellison and Sandburg are doing than solving there cases. The solve rate for Homicide last month was twenty percent. Twenty!"

"That sucks. You gonna do something about it?"

"I'm going to rake them over the coals. And if they don't shape up, I'll reassign them."

"Captain Hendricks in supply is getting ready to retire, isn't he?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact he is. There's also a Lieutenants position open in document control."

" 'Document Control'? That's a fancy way of saying 'file clerk' isn't it?"

"Yep."

"So, who are you going to promote to Captain of Homicide? Hasn't Ellison been a Lieutenant for like seven years now?"

"I'm not promoting him and I doubt he'd take it if I offered. That man belongs on the street. He would wither and die if I put him behind a desk."

"Yes, I suppose your right."

"Of course I'm right. I'm the Chief."

"So the plan is, I wash out the younger Mr.'s Jennings and Wilkins and you step on their father's necks."

"And Sandburg breezes through the rest of his training with flying colors and I get my two best detectives back on the streets."

*

The next day at the weekly assembly at the Police Academy. . .

"As you all know, we've reached the halfway point in your course of studies, and based on midterm grades, we will announce the leaders in the class, and also dismiss some of you from the program

"First, the leaders. Currently, number three in the class is Cadet Hazel Ashwood. Number two is Cadet Michael Garvey, and number one is Cadet Blair Sandburg.

"Now for those of you that wash out today, Lieutenant's Beck and Rosen will be counseling each of you on where your weaknesses are so that you can be better prepared if you decide to apply again. After I read your names, please quietly move to the back of the auditorium until the end of the assembly, when you can go clean out your lockers and talk to the Lieutenants.

"Brody, Harris, Jennings, Masters, Quinn and Wilkins. Sorry, ladies and gentlemen, better luck next time."

*

The next day, at the weekly Captains meeting . . .

"Okay, now that we've reiterated the discrimination and harassment policies, I'd like to cover various concerns that I have with each of your departments. Captain Wilkins. Suppose you explain to me and your fellow Captains why your department only had a twenty percent solve rate last month . . .


End