Volunteers
Posted on Sun Jan 31st, 2021 @ 4:44pm by Major Cornelius Tremble & Sergeant Miranda Schultz & Corporal Adélaïde Moreau
Edited on on Fri Feb 5th, 2021 @ 12:15pm
918 words; about a 5 minute read
Mission:
Episode 11 - Family Matters
Location: Marine Country
Timeline: MD002 0900 hrs
Neil was working at a bench in the Vault when the door cycled and he Corporal Moreau and Sergeant Schultz entered. Straightening, he put down the disruptor he’d been working on.
“Thanks for coming, ladies,” Neil told them. “Captain Malbrooke and myself appreciate you volunteering for an incredibly dangerous, off the books mission. The Detachment is Proud of you.”
At their surprised looks, he said, “Yes. I volunteered you. You can back out without any hard feelings.”
Adelaide had wondered why she had been called by Captain Tremble's request. Now she knew why. It was definitely a shock but as a SAR Specialist she was used to being thrust into action so to speak. "No, sir. I am happy to go on a secret mission filled with danger. There are no better kind..."
Miranda was primarily a communications specialist. There was no need for a sniper on the Pioneer, so she had no idea why she'd be needed for an assignment. Still, she smiled. "So what were we foolish enough to volunteer for this time?"
"Lieutenant Commander Vaebn tr'Hwersuil's sister was kidnapped and Captain Malbrooke is going after her. Into Romulan space. And we can't let the Captain go haring off without chaperone," Neil said without preamble. Running a hand through his short shorn hair, he sighed and said, "I really don't know the Lieutenant Commander well, but I do know Captain Malbrooke. I'll take his word for the fact that this is how things need to get done. All you two can do is trust me the same way. But again, if you have reservations: no harm, no foul. You can exit now and do what you need to with the information."
"No, sir. Not backing out of a mission like that," Miranda replied. "I'm in."
"Same goes for me Captain." Adelaide replied. "We trust you, and Captain Malbrooke. If it was Hannah I'd be haring off to get her myself too." she admitted.
Neil regarded both women evenly and then simply nodded. "I'm sure I speak for both the Captain and my self when I say thank you for the trust. We'll work hard to deserve it."
After a few beats he continued, "How this works is you both request vacation time, update your retirement packages and will both be under sealed orders by my hand. If any of this goes pear shaped, you were acting under orders. You might catch a rip or an ass chewing, but the weight will fall on me."
A smile touched his face then and he related, "I'll either be dead or retired. My letter resigning my commission is already on the XO's desk. I'm telling you both so you know how this goes, because there's some things they don't teach at boot or NCO schools."
"Sir?" Miranda asked. "I can see the need for a letter of resignation in case this goes pear-shaped, but do you really mean to retire?"
"If things go right, no," Neil told his Communications Specialist. "If we retrieve the sister and don't cause an Intergalactic Incident by invading Romulan space in an unsanctioned mission, then things will go back to as normal as they ever are around here."
The Captain's grin widened slightly as he continued, "However, if we succeed and come back the Federation can blame it on rogue officers who have already left the service, i.e. my resignation and retirement. It gives the Federation and Fleet an out which will lower tensions and prevent a possible war."
"Understood, sir. I'll have my paperwork in order before I hit the rack tonight," Miranda said. "Now that I think of it, my folks could use my help for a while. Too long to just take leave."
Neil considered Miranda's words for a few beats and said, "It's up to you, Miranda, however those sealed orders should cover the both of you enough that you won't be forced to make that choice."
"With all due respect, I'm not going to let you take all the blame," Miranda said obstinately. "I do this because I choose to. Sor."
"The blames going to fall on the officers and the Corp needs you both, so don't walk that plank until you're forced to," Neil said, pride tinging his voice. "Like I said, I'm proud of both of you volunteering for this."
After a few more beats he said, "We'll be staying in contact with Pioneer by piggybacking signals through the maintenance traffic we get for the suits. Corporal Shy will be handling this end and be the only other marine in the know besides the Gunny and the three of us. Make up lists of gear you want and we'll run it through the RECON replicators or otherwise source it so it's untraceable back to Pioneer. That's the quick brief. Any questions?"
"No questions sir." Adelaide said. "Ready to face what we need to so we can get Vaebn's sister back." she added with a contemplative tone.
"No, sir. No questions," Miranda said.
"Alright then," Neil acknowledge, a smile tracing his lips. "Lets get to work, marines."
A joint post by:
Captain Cornelius Tremble
Marine Commanding Officer/Second Officer, USS Pioneer
Sergeant Miranda Schultz
Communications Specialist, USS Pioneer
Corporal Adélaïde Moreau
SAR Specialist, USS Pioneer
RSS Feed