Aiden
Posted on Sat Sep 19th, 2020 @ 7:44am by Major Cornelius Tremble
Edited on on Sat Sep 19th, 2020 @ 11:58am
1,315 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission:
Episode 10 - New Home, Same Pioneers
Location: Marine CO's Office, USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD008 1100hrs
Looking about his desk, Neil realized he was missing one of his reports.
He wasn’t surprised, necessarily. With the pile of flimsies he’d printed out and worked on over the past few days he half-suspected more than one of them had made a run for it and had been pleasantly surprised not to run into a situation until now.
Casting about, he stood and realized his muscles were tired from sitting so long and he checked the chrono and discovered it was later than he thought. His stomach took that moment to chime in, reminding him that he’d worked through lunch and hadn’t eaten anything except that protein bar after his morning run, which had been nearly twelve hours ago.
Pushing his stomach's protestations away, Neil crouched down and found the hiding report under his desk. He proof-read it, then added a thumb print signature and endorsement to it and fed it into a reader.
The reader also recycled the document and it made a satisfying whirring noise as the document was added to the file that was open on his HUD. Standing behind his desk, Neil stretched out slowly and called out, “Tremble to Private Pearce. Report to my office.”
=/\= Acknowledged, I'm on my way Sir, Pearce out =/\=
As he waited, Neil drummed his fingers on the desk blotter and looked at the wall and trophy case he'd stored some of his mementos from his career in the corp.
After a minute or so he murmured, "Alright private, where in the clot are you?"
Aiden hastily hit the door chime, he had run to the office and it had taken him slightly longer than he had anticipated, perhaps his fitness was slightly falling, but to be honest, his heart hadn't been in it since Dana...it had thrown him, a woman he had feelings for, killed in the line of duty. He had pondered on resigning his commission and returning to earth. After all he had been offered several good offers of employment within the medical field.
The motion sensors had altered Neil to Pearce's approach and as the annunciator went of, he triggered the door control. Neil waited until Pearce had presented himself and said, "Better late than never, Private. At ease and take a pew." He gestured to one of the green leather and wooden framed guest chairs that sat across from him.
"We'll get to it then," this is the random evaluation point for the year. How are things going for you in the Cure and aboard Pioneer? I have the reports from Sergeant Flarn of course, but I'd like to hear your views on both the Detachment and your own progress."
Aiden saluted his superior before doing as ordered, he sat in the chair and pondered "Sir, I would say my performance of late is subpar." he replied, some honesty in his tone.
He knew deep down, at the minute his heart wasn't in it, his confidence had been knocked and things had started to slip, what had happened to Dana had shaken him at the core, he was young, nieve, believing he was invincible. Then the death of a close colleague, hell someone he had loved and then that darn message she had left him. He lifted his chin and looked at the Captain, his face clam, his emotion in check.
Neils stare skewered the private, though his tone was mild. "Subpar? Did you get that word from Sergeant Flarn or did he tell you to get your head out of your arse and get to work. As a gunny, I would have used those words and worse, Private."
The marine captain let that sink in for moments, then continued. "I've reviewed the tapes. On the last mission it was like you weren't even there; stumbling along, your mind totally not on the matter of hand. Drahk like that gets people killed, Private. If you're lucky, it's only your life you're screwing around with. Unfortunately, it's usually your teammates and, with the suits, a billion in Federation credits."
"So, even though I really don't want to hear them, what's your excuse," Neil asked, regarding Aiden incuriously.
The Captain was right, in the lass mission his mind wasn't there, he knew he had let his team down and afterwards, the devastating news about Dana had caused him to further questions his abilities, his effectiveness.
"No excuse sir." he replied "I let my unit down and put them at risk, I was distracted by a personal matter, but it will not happen again sir."
Aiden really didn't want to get into it, no doubt the Captain had seen many a junior officer distracted by women, after all he was young and nieve, but after hearing his frank words, Aiden knew he now had a lot to prove. Dana wouldn't want him moping, she would want him doing his best.
"Well, Private, I think we have to help you get past yourself. Your family, the Corp, The Cure, and the Federation need you to get your drahk together and yourself squared away or you're no use to us," Neil said. He paused, then fired for effect, "Having someone special rip your guts out happens. Marines Adapt. We overcome. We persevere."
Neil now softened his voice and used the carrot, "Lots of lessons have to be learned through contact and exposure. Sometimes we get hurt but we have jobs to do. I spoke of family before and we're here for you. Don't forget that, son. A wise gunnery sergeant once said that there's very little you can go through that someone senior hasn't gone through first."
After letting those words sink in, Neil said "Sergeant Flarn and I aren't ready to give up on you yet. Speaking to that, I'm approving your promotion to Lance Corporal."
Aiden looked like a rabbit caught in headlights, he was still absorbing what the Captain had said, about the unit being family and that they were not giving up on him yet, and then what wait, a promotion.
"But sir, my performance, actions of late are not becoming of a promotion. I mean, I will and I shall do better, not for myself but for the unit, my colleagues, my....." he hesitated before regaining his composure. "My family."
"Well Aiden, to hold up a promotion based on laxity at this stage in your career would be detrimental to the later stages," Neil informed the private. "I'm here to ensure you go as far in the Corp as you want; and to kick your behind when needed. I think I've done both here today and that makes everything that's happened before a wash."
He held up a finger then and said, "It's up to you what you do with it. Remember, I can take those stripes back easier than you can get them." Deciding he'd given the young man enough to think about for now, he said. "You'll get the full promotion at the open house we're having in a couple of days."
Neil checked his chrono and said, "And now, I've got a few more of these to get at, unless you have something else you'd like to go over, you're dismissed Lance Corporal."
"Yes Sir." Aiden said, getting to his feet and standing to attention. "I will not let you or the unit down again sir, you faith in me is appreciated."
With a slight smile, Aiden turned and left the Captain's office, if only Dana was here to see this, to help him celebrate, perhaps he would raise a glass in her memory later.
A joint post by:
Captain Cornelius Tremble
Marine Commanding Officer/Second Officer, USS Pioneer
Private Aiden Pearce
Corpsman RFT 1, USS Pioneer
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