Once more into the breach - Part 2

Posted on Tue Jan 5, 2021 @ 9:58pm by Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas Means III & Major Travis Stone & First Lieutenant Gordon Blue & Second Lieutenant Sh'Zera & Master Sergeant Miranda Schultz & Master Sergeant Jian Zhao & Gunnery Sergeant Terry Henderson

1,616 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Si vis pacem, para bellum
Location: Various
Timeline: Prior to MD 1

Previously...

Captain Miller gestured to his XO and grinning again she explained. "Well I did some checking myself and assumed you would want to do that very thing. But we both know how hard it can be to get things out that far from the heart of the Federation so we called in a few favors. Since headquarters has yet to replace you..."

"...and technically you and the Puller are still assigned to the SFMC IG..." The Captain interjected.

"...I suggested we volunteer to take you to DS5 by way of the supply depot at Camp Falkirk to get what you need."

Now he knew what she had been up to. "Well I better start putting together my shopping list."

A few days later he and Brianna were beaming down to Camp Falkirk requisitions and orders in hand.

...and now the continuation.


[DS5]

Miranda was in the weight room, working her legs when she overheard two Marines at the free weights talking.

"I heard from a buddy at Falkirk that the new CO's bringing in a bunch of troops."

"For what? We're basically bodyguards here. What does he think more men can accomplish?"

"I dunno. Scuttlebutt said he's getting fighters."

"Fighters?" Miranda asked, finishing her set and sitting up. "The station just beefed up the air group and now we're getting Marine fighters?"

"That's what my buddy said. The guy's bucking for something, I'm just not sure what."

"Something's got the brass worked up." Said the other. "But we're sitting on top of the biggest strategic asset in three sector zones in any direction. Maybe they're going to start using it."

"Can't. That science lady has the placed so locked down with paperwork no one without at least two PHDs can get near it." Peter said.

"It's under Federation Sciences," Miranda corrected. "Wells and Soran are both in charge."

"For now," Dupinder pointed out.

"Well, unless DS5 falls to the Cardassians," Schultz countered. She wouldn't put it past them to try.


[Camp Falkirk]

Materializing at the SFMC installation Means looked about as a Lieutenant approached greeting the two officers, the Fleeter first. "Greeting Commander, Colonel it's a pleasure to see you again."

Smiling at the obvious lie, he handed the PADD to the fellow Marine. "Well not to worry, no surprise inspection by the IG this time. I need the equipment and personnel transferred to the USS Puller." Motioning to the Puller's XO, "Commander Williams here will be supervising the transfer as they off load the ships larger shuttles to make room for the Transports, fighters, and Stryker vehicles. The remaining vehicles and gear, not already issued to, transferring personnel will get shoe horned into all available cargo space."

Listening to the Colonel, Rathix felt himself paling. "Sir. This will take some time to..."

Interrupting the poor officer that had turned white, an interesting trick for a Bolian. And he wasn't surprised he didn't know what was going on...poor kid was probably new here and now the butt of someone's sense of humor. Casing a glance to Brianna she was doing well to hide her smirk but he knew better. "I've already spoke with the General and the bases quartermaster while we were en route."

Coming to the rescue Brianna stepped up. "Come on Lieutenant, let go get the ball rolling on equipment and leave the Colonel to handle the troops."

Means grinned as the pair walk off in to the mountain’s caverns that made up Camp Falkirk. Leaving the transporter room himself he headed off to meet with a former shipmate.

Any Marine who had been in this sector knew that Hula Pete's was the place to go for relaxation. The atmosphere was always more upbeat, and noisy, while the food was (arguably) not as good as what you could get at Ryder's, but the air of quiet in that establishment dissuaded most Marines from stepping foot inside. While most of the patrons were off duty and having some fun, Travis was quietly sitting at a table, projecting an air of tranquility. Holding most of his attention in his left hand was the ever present PADD, while the right hand was drifting between what looked like a real half coconut containing a pale blue liquid and a plate filled with what looked like chicken wings, lightly drenched in a spicy sauce.

Inwardly Travis was more than a bit curious as personnel had issued rather vague orders, listing only the station, position, and rank. Naturally this had set off an alarm bell in his mind, and despite calling in a few favors, all he knew at this point was to be here on Falkirk to be picked up by his new CO. Barring some idiot deciding to show up in the middle of the night, Travis knew to be ready for just about anything. The Camp's system would be able to track his comm, so now all he could do was wait, and enjoy a little shore time around something of civilization since the listing for the new assignment seemed to be out in the middle of nowhere.

After confirming Stone's location Means made his way to Hula Pete's. The walk there reminded him how much he really had missing being in the thick of things and how much he was looking forward to getting his hands dirty again.

Entering the bar and getting his own drink he turned leaning back and scanned the room full of off duty Marines...some looking like they'd had one too many. He continued to look about until he saw who he was looking for and grinned as a bone was dropped unceremoniously to the plate and Stone sucked the sauce from his finger.

Pushing off from the bar he made his way to Stone's table hovering there as he picked up another wing. "Well I see some things haven't changed."

Naturally Travis had spotted the man entering the place, and going for a drink. There was something familiar about him, but Travis couldn't begin to place it. Turning back to his plate, another bone was taken as the man came up, and then the comment. The bone was in his mouth, stripped clean in a moment, and then dropped to the plate. Travis took a split second to wipe his hands on the provided moist towelette to get the sauce off, then PADD was put down so the clean left hand could extend for a shake.

"No, some things haven't. It's been a few years, Sir. What brings you all the way out to Falkirk?" As soon as the shake was completed, he would motion to the opposite chair, inviting Means to sit, and then sit himself. Some protocols just couldn't be trained out no matter how long one worked at it.

Taking the seat he sipped his drink before setting on the table smiling knowingly. "New orders. Seems my time with the IG is done and you?"

"About the same. Was told to get here and wait for a ride to a station of all things. Career Manager warned me the CO I'm going to be working for is a serious trial, insubordinate, bull-headed, so on." Travis sipped from his drink and went back to the wing he had dropped, polishing it off. A sudden thought hit him, but he made sure not to let it show, since a lot of those traits were displayed by none other than the man in front of him.

Smirking throughout the silence that followed Means mouth clicked slightly as his mouth opened an closed, his eyebrow arched. His smirk changing to a smile before he laughed. "'Insubordinate', now that's one I hadn't heard before. Unless your planner was talking about the CO for DS5. I understand she can be a bit of a hard ass."

"So that all but confirms it. I'm working for you this time. How else would you know to reference the DS5 CO?" Travis stated with a half smirk, and finished off another wing, then pushed the plate towards his new CO. "Eat, you're getting thin." The joke was an old one between the two, but comfortable after a badly setup competition back on the Archer. Means had always been the only other person about his size and height, the old question of who was faster or stronger never quite decided.

Together they polished off another plate of hot wings and their drinks. After cleaning off the mouth and finger Means dropped his napkin to the table just as his communicator chirped and tapping it he replied. "Means here."

Brianna's voice came across the comm. =^= Nick, just thought you might like to know that everything has been off loaded from the Puller to make room and we are about to start loading the fighters, and transports. The quartermaster is still staging both weapons and ground vehicles but they are making good progress. =^=

The news was surprising but then again he knew she was one to get things done. "Good deal. We should be there shortly. Means out."

Looking across the table to his new XO, "What do you say we gather the troops, and get this show on the road?"

"That may take us a bit, they are scattered throughout and in an off-duty status. Guess we'll see how efficient they are at using the recall rosters, huh?"
Travis stated as he stood up, wiping his hands on the wet-napkins before drying them and straightening out his shirt. "After you, Colonel." Travis motioned to the exit, and then once Means was moving, fell right in step slightly behind and to the right.



TBC

 

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