Changes...
Posted on Tue May 22nd, 2018 @ 2:10am by Commodore Tyler Malbrooke & Major Cornelius Tremble
Edited on on Thu May 31st, 2018 @ 10:04pm
2,143 words; about a 11 minute read
Mission:
Episode 3 - Weary Travellers
Location: Ready Room - Deck 1
Timeline: MD002 1100 hrs
Tags: SD 71397.1100
Tyler sat with his XO he went for the less formal setting of the couch and sitting area of the Ready Room for this conversation.
"Well Number One the orders are in and confirmed Jack Cunningham is going to be transferred to the USS Firebird as soon as we get back to Empok Nor. The blasted corps cannot see fit to send us a new command officer for the Marines just yet." Tyler smiled and nodded his head. "You're in charge of staffing here. What do we do?"
Darf thought about it. He didn't know anything about the old Marine CO. He himself had mix feelings on the use of Marines on ships. "Well we are only alloted like a dozen greenshirts maybe we just offload them and fill in our Security ranks."
"If we didn't go through what we just did I might be inclined to agree with you. But having a Marine unit, even a small one on board is worth it. My thought is the First Sergeant Cornelius Tremble has proven to be a fine command officer. I was thinking of offering him a field commission to second lieutenant. If he accepted it would fall on you and I to begin his OCS and then the rank would become official. But I don't know I have always been on the fence about using the Captain's rank in that manner." Tyler was of two minds on the one hand he loved the idea on the other it reached just a bit.
"He deserves it. From the after action report it shows him leading the team through the shit on the station." Darf paused to look at things. "I don't think it would be a stretch at all for you to issue the field commission."
"This is not just one rank that we would be giving him, it would actually be two. I just don't want to ruffle feathers. But it is good to know that you support the idea. I feel having a member of the crew take over, would be better than bringing someone from the outside onto the ship." Tyler said as he sipped his coffee.
"He is proven his leadership and team follows him already. It really does make the most sense." Darf tried to put Tyler's nerves to rest.
Tyler nodded his agreement with the XO, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He was happy that the XO was on the same page as him when it came to something like this. Tyler summoned the Marine in question to the Ready Room. "Well it is time to see if the man is up to the challenge." He said with a smile.
About Ten Minutes Later
Tyler tapped his comm badge. "Gunnery Sergeant Tremble please report to the Captain's Ready Room.
Tremble paused as he jogged the treadmill in his quarters, surprised by the call "Aye aye, Captain" he responded, sliding into the sonic shower and pulling on a clean duty uniform.
It took him a few minutes to navigate his way to the bridge and then he paused briefly before the door to the Captain's ready room, keying the annunciator.
Once admitted, he was thrown slightly by the informality of the senior officers, but turned smartly on his heel and snapped to attention.
"Reporting as ordered, sir."
"Yes Mr Tremble please have a seat. There is something that we would like to discuss with you. Is there anything that I can get you." Tyler responded.
Darf watched intently as the young warrior man came in was so formal with them. He showed discipline and that was one thing Brikarians valued much more then their Klingon counterparts.
Tremble sat automatically, though still at attention as his mind worked at what this could be about. Being addressed in the famliar by a ship's Captain he'd met maybe three times was odd, as was the fact that Tyler had called him Mister, rather than by his rank.
Then there was the fact that the XO was present, but not Cunningham. The fact that the XO was a Brikarian was interesting, but Tremble was starting to get an uneasy feeling in his gut.
"I'm fine for now, sir. Thank you." He replied, after a few beats.
"First off I want to say that the you did brilliant job on the station. Really well done. Which leads me to the second point something a little less happy. Jack Cunningham is being transferred to the USS Firebird. While we wish him well and all of the luck. This unfortunately leaves us here on the Pioneer in a quandary." Tyler sat down as he spoke and began to gauge the man before him. He realized he never got to know Tremble and perhaps now was as good a time as any.
Following the Captain with his eyes, Tremble remained kept his rigid posture and debated silently. He wasn't sure if the Captain had been making a general statement, asking him a question or was waiting for the XO to weigh in. Deciding silence was likely his best course, he said nothing.
"Quarry is a good way to put it. Darf said smiling at the Commander. "Our small band of Marines need a new head of the snake."
"Well put Number One..." Tyler realized that the Marine was staying rigid awaiting the order. "At ease Sergeant at ease. In fact for the duration of this conversation consider permission to speak freely to be granted. How are the Marines handling the losses and everything else?" Tyler sipped his coffee he wanted to get the man to loosen up a bit.
Tremble's was trying to decide if the XO was confuse him on purpose when the Captain's order caught him by surprise. His posture eased and he slid back in his chair as he took it all in.
"It's too bad about the LT, sir," he started, giving himself time before answering. "The troops are dealing with it; with a small detachment, we'll have to keep an eye on everyone and give them opportunities to greave and say goodbye, like the funeral ceremony and likely a wake once we hit our next port of call."
Rubbing the back of his neck and trying to push his discomfort away, Tremble continued. "We live and die together. We'll remember and honor our dead, and then get back to work."
"As far as a head to the snake," he said, addressing the other subject, "Every marine knows their place in the chain of command and are taught to lead. Until BuPers send us another officer, the non-com's can do the work and keep the detachment ready for duty."
He didn't add that the non-com's do most of the work anyway, since they probably wouldn't quite agree with the sentiment.
Tyler nodded, Tremble hit the proverbial nail on the head. "It is exactly that living and dying together that brings you here to us. I have read the after action reports and there is one thing that they all have in common. They all speak of your ability to lead. There is only one way to get at this and that is to simply say it." Tyler reached over to his desk and picked up a small wooden box. "After speaking with Darf here we have come to the conclusion that the best way for our Marines to proceed is to have one of them lead permanently. As Captain I am hereby granting you a field promotion to Second Lieutenant, and giving you command of the Marine Unit on this ship. That is if you feel you are up to the challenge." He handed Tremble the wooden box with a smirk. He also gave the floor over to his exec. if the man had anything else to add.
"While I am still new to the crew I can say by merely watching how the Marines and Fleet staff interact with you, that you are a perfect fit for this spot." Darf chimed in. "This commission would be contingent on you completing Officer training which lucky for you I am a certified instructor." He said with a smile.
Tremble had nearly relaxed, but his spine automatically snapped rigid again at the Captain's words.
An officer? Him? For the first time in years he felt cornered and wasn't sure which way to jump. He bit off a laugh, deciding it was't appropriate and that the Captain and XO weren't kidding. The golden bars in the wooden box glinted in the rooms light, reminding him of all the 2nd Lieutenant's he'd worked with over the years.
He opened his mouth. Closed it. Thought about it and finally said, "Uh. That's quite the honor, sirs. I don't know what to say.," he hedged, resisting the urge to get to his feet and pace.
"I appreciate the confidence, sirs. But aren't I a bit of an old dog to be learning tricks?", he said, thinking of he'd he would react to a 37 year old second lieutenant. On the other hand, he was a really good NCO, was he stagnating?
Various thoughts flashed through his head, warring with each other as he looked from Captain to XO.
"I don't see it as you learning new tricks. You already are a leader of the men. This would just require you to take on some of the administration roles that come with being a commissioned officer." Darf let his words hang for a second. "Your after action report was very well done and shows you have the ability to not only lead from the front but in the admin world. I am sure the Tyler agrees, with a group this small we are not taking you out of the field what so ever."
"It's not the field I worry about, sir." Tremble replied, "It's the social factor. Most of the time, we marines keep some distance from the rest of the fleet. My father always claimed things seemed happiest when the Fleet used an "In case of emergency Break Glass" mentality. A lot of beings get a bit nervous around us, given the peaceful nature and intent of the Federation as a whole."
He smirked slightly then, "Not many like to think about what is sometimes required to keep the darkness at bay."
Tyler looked at his new Marine CO thoughtfully. It seemed that the man was taking it rather well. "As I said at the memorial service. We are out here on the edge, all we really have is each other. When I think of the Marine Corps I am reminded of two very old quotes. The first is from The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien. 'May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out.' To me that is the Corps, just when you think all is lost, there is a Marine there to pick you up and tell you to crack on as it were. The second is 'People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.' that was said by another author George Orwell. The point is if we do not rely on each other to boost us up when the time is right, then what can we do. I know that you will be the right man to lead those rough men, and to stand ready to protect this ship. Congratulations Second Lieutenant." Tyler smiled broadly he had a good amount of admiration and respect for Tremble. "If you think the we are going to go easy on you for your OCS you have another thing coming." He added with a chuckle.
At the mention of OCS, Tremble winced and said "I always preferred the Serenity prayer, modified from Reinhold Niebuhr. "God grant me the serenity to accept things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the firepower to make the difference."
"That works equally as well." Tyler said with a chuckle. "Speaking of the OCS, I would think that we will give you a few weeks to settle in and then begin classes. What do you think Number One?"
"Sounds like a grand scheme." Darf said with a smile that things were progressing well.
Finally, Tremble snapped the wooden box shut and nodded. "All right sir. If you both are prepared for the growing pains, I'll do my best."
A Joint Post By
Captain Tyler Malbrooke
Commanding Officer, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Commander Darf Krackden
Executive Officer, USS Pioneer
Second Lieutenant Cornelius Tremble
Marine Commanding Officer, USS Pioneer
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