What Do They Know That We Don't?

Posted on Thu Jan 7, 2021 @ 2:56pm by Commander Caleb Ryan & Captain Maritza Soran & Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas Means III

1,352 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Si vis pacem, para bellum
Location: DS5 Commander's Office
Timeline: MD01 0800

[ON]

Maritza and Caleb were sitting in his office going over the morning briefing when her yeoman knocked. "There's a marine in Ops to see you, ma'am. Lieutenant Colonel Means."

Maritza glanced at her XO. "I wasn't aware we were getting a new commander. Especially not someone that high. It's just a sentry job and boot polishing out here." She gave him a query look to see if he knew more.

Caleb raised an eyebrow. “Ah wasn’t either,” he said. “It ain’t like Starfleet ta not overburden us with paperwork on a new arrival,” he joked.

Martiza nodded. "Alright, Evikkan, show him in."

Fresh from setting his people to work, Means walked into the XO’s office. He had read up on her, including the scuttlebutt that tended to circulate on any officer commanding an installation, but preferred to rely on experience than rumor.

He smiled as he introduced himself. "Captain Soran, Commander Ryan,” he nodded to the XO, “Lieutenant Colonel Means."

“Welcome ta Deep Space Five,” Caleb greeted in his slow Texas drawl. “Can Ah get ya some coffee or anythin’?” He gestured to the replicator. “Ah must say you’re given us a bit of a pickle. We weren’t told you were comin’.”

Shaking his head, Means huffed slightly. "Why does that not surprise me? If there is one constant in the universe, it's that the left hand at headquarters doesn't know what the right hand is doing. What makes it even stranger is that the Marines here knew I was coming. One was even there to greet me when we docked.

"A coffee will be great, Jamaican...cream, double sweet."

Looking to the captain, Means dropped another surprise in her lap. "Well, Captain, I hope you like surprises, because if you didn't know I was coming, you probably also didn't know about the three hundred plus Marines, fighters, transports, vehicles, weapons, and other equipment I brought with me to bring the MEU up to full strength."

Maritza blinked. "Forgive me, Colonel, but have you got your orders?" She knew Marines were an uncommon breed, reserved for the few extreme military moments that occurred. But even guarding an interdimensional travel exchange surely didn't need three hundred of them, plus kit.

Means could see that something wasn't sitting right with the captain, but he would let her lead the discussion, being their first meeting. However, before they got it anything major he'd open up things for Q&A. "Absolutely." He handed over the PADD he held. "My apologies. Given the lack of advance notice, and that you couldn't look over my records ahead of time, is there any information you'd like, any questions I can answer?"

Soran checked the names on the orders. The immediate issue was from names she didn't know, but the offices that had instigated them were highly placed. Admiral Ch'dan of Starfleet Security, and Lieutenant General Kerrigan. That was a long way up the tree from her. Raising an eyebrow at the origin, she passed the PADD to Commander Ryan.

"Why, after months of wanting nothing more than a token force here, is Starfleet Command wanting to bulk us up? It's a bit sudden, isn't it?"

Means grinned. "Well, I gave up long ago in trying to figure out what higher headquarters is thinking or even up to. As I was on the IG side of things when I got this assignment, I saw that it was significantly undermanned and underequipped, especially for an MEU, and I mentioned as much. I laid out the facts to Headquarters Marine Corps: the station's remote location, proximity to unexplored space, other hazards, and recent regional incidents, and that, from an IG perspective, those were more than enough justification to get the 21st properly inline with their T/O & E.

"I may have also hinted that if something did ever occur, and improper manning or resources were a factor, there could be issues. Especially after having been ignored and left with improper leadership, officially requested by the new commanding officer, with the support of the IG office, and previous request by the station’s CO for relief personnel."

Caleb glanced over the padd and then placed it on his desk for later complete review. “Seems in order,” he told Maritza. “Ah’ll make some calls up the chain later. He ain’t wrong, though, about our Marines bein’ underequipped. We’ve only got a handful stretched coverin’ the caves, the colony, an’ the station, along with Starfleet Security. That many more Marines would allow a full complement, each with a three week rotation at the caves, at the colony, on station as a quick response unit, an’ the last quarter on R&R.”

"We're all under-equipped and undermanned here," Maritza observed dryly. "Very well, Lieutenant Colonel. I don't currently have a head of Strategic Ops, so you can temporarily report to me until I ever manage to find a suitable candidate. The unit is currently being managed by Lieutenant Sh'Zera. She can brief you on the current situation, and the nature of the reconnaissance mission."

Nicholas could tell that his arrival wasn't sitting well with her, and he had enough to do without having to worry about a CO second guessing his every move. "No problem. I will be meeting with troops following this. Personally, I always hated the pomp that comes with a change in command, but one of those necessary evils, I suppose.

"With the MEU now up to par with its staffing, if there is anything we can do to help out..." Means lifted his hands, parting them. "We're here, use us."

"Without disrespecting your chosen career, Colonel, if I need you, then things have gone so far to shit it doesn't bear thinking about," Soran said. "I sincerely hope your time here is thoroughly boring. In the meantime, I'm sure Commander Ryan can organize an ensign to give you a tour of the station, show you the basics."

"With all do respect, Captain.. I began studying the basics when I was first told of my assignment, and I wouldn't want to burden one of your officers and waste their time with a tour. If need be, I can get one of the Marines that has been stationed here for a while to show me and the Major around.

"I don't know how familiar you are with Marine history, but as a student of history myself I can tell you that Marines are more than just fighters and drinkers.

“One traditional role has been security; and with your permission, I can speak with your Chief of Security about the detailing of some Marines to augment her security staff. Additionally, I brought pilots for your CAG to put to use." A smile spread on Nicholas’ face, remembering one other little factoid. "And back on Earth, when there was the United States, Marines played on their organizational acronym of USMC to refer to themselves as Uncle Sam's Moving Company from time to time."

The grin remained as Means returned to a more serious subject. "Ma'am, I can't speak to the breakdown at Starfleet and why you weren't informed, but I'm here. This is your house, Captain, and I am just here as another link in your chain. You tell me and my Marines to jump.." glancing to his XO and back "we'll just need to know how high."

Caleb chuckled. “That’s the attitude,” he said, offering Lieutenant Colonel Means his hand again and walking him to the door. “Let us know if ya need anythin’. Mah door is always open.

Taking the station XO's hand firmly, Nicholas allowed himself to be escorted out of the CO's office. Once he was in Ops and the door had closed behind him a growl rumbled in his throat. It had been a looong time since he had been shown the door, any door. As he took a deep breath and headed to the nearest lift, "This is going to be interesting..."

[OFF]

Captain Maritza Soran
Commanding Officer

Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas Means
Marine Commanding Officer

Commander Caleb Ryan
Executive Officer

 

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