Congratulations and Motivations
Posted on Mon Apr 27th, 2015 @ 10:28am by Major David Lorenz & Marine Captain Quentin Harrison & James Holbridge
Edited on on Tue Apr 28th, 2015 @ 12:35am
Mission:
Breaking New Ground
Location: Marine Command Center, 3rd Marines CO Office
The office had just been barely vacated by Colonel Harris, and Dave stepped into the recently-cleaned office and sighed. After all of the rule-breaking, shooting, clandestine fighting, guarding, and bullshit for 33% of the profits, Lorenz was back in his uniform; green long-sleeve t-shirt, duty vest with SMC commbadge on his tunic, pistol belt and a shiny new 3p hanging on his hip. He was back where he belonged, home in the mean green machine.
"Morning, sir!" a middle-aged man said brightly as he entered the room. "Warrant Officer Doyle Brooks, your administrative liaison NCO. I get to do all the paperwork and administrative bullshit you don't want to do. I also am the keeper of your schedule, the guy who gives the masses an audience with the king, and the second-most senior enlisted man you have. In short, sir, you may be in command, but I run the office!" MSGT Brooks said with a big grin.
"Damn, D-Man, I thought I was rid of you in the War! Heard you were in the CP on Nimuriko when the Dominion broke through." Dave said, sipping at coffee Brooks had poured for him.
"Yes, sir; the Jemmies poured in like honey in July and most of the office weenies put up a helluva fight before being killed outright. I took a blade to the gut, and the fun part was the Jemmies laced it with anti-coagulants. I was on my ass in sickbay for nine weeks. When I got out I asked to be transferred to a Fleet combat unit, but they stuck me at Heywood pushing paper." The disgust in Brooks' face was evident.
"Now you are here," Dave smiled, crossing behind his desk, taking a moment to admire the model of the USS Oppenheimer on his desk. "What's my situation?"
"Full troop compliment, good aviators under Major Smith, equipment is on the south side of shitty but serviceable; we're hoping that your friend can help us with that area; all the troops were pulled off their forward areas for the big shakeup and I guess the general has begun the weeding out process by firing six officer above colonel-grade." Brooks reported, not bothering to consult a PADD
David stared at Brooks, realizing that his admin NCO had the place wired, which any good NCO always managed to do. "Good to know. I'm not gonna do the usual Mickey Mouse bullshit, I wanna get to work. One thing; I need you to get an 'emergency reserve activation order' ready and put Quentin Harrison's name on it, along with a request to transfer his commission to the Corps."
"I assume this will affect a certain lumbering maniac that tore the Nexus Club apart a few days ago?" Brooks arched his eyebrows. "I am not a punching bag, sir."
"Relax, he won't even know you are involved!"
TWO HOURS LATER
LORENZ'S OFFICE
"....three....two...one...and..." Dave pointed to the doors as they opened admitting a very-irritated-looking Quentin Harrison.
"I assume ye are responsible for this bullshit, Davey?" Quentin demanded, slamming down the padd in his left hand, making it crack loudly on the desk.
"Indeed I am, big boy!" Dave shot back. "You are a Marine now, so quit your crying, tell your Orion sex slave you will be moving out, and get your ass to the Recon Platoon in 2/256. They need an experienced squad leader and with your time in Security and your hand-to-hand skills you will fill the bill nicely. I know you aren't gonna cause any problems because if you do I will keel-haul your ass in a molten lava lake!"
"I told yer brother yes, ye know!"
"I told him to go back to sodomizing the statues in the aviary, you are my friend and no pal of mine is gonna work for that asshole." Dave looked at Quentin. "The best I can do is a non-commissioned officer's billet for you. You'll be a very senior NCO and won't have to take a bunch of shit from the officers, but you need to respect the ones who have done it as much as you have. Your rep as an ass-kicker with no morals is gonna get you noticed. I will give you two brawls to assert yourself then I have to slam your nuts in a vice if you fight any more. show the new kids how its done, what works and what doesn't. Any one who gives you shit will deal with me, but if you started I will let Oz put you in the brig so deep you will never see light again."
Quentin saw his friend was being serious, and he had no doubt the assclown controlling the nanites in his body could see as well. "Aye, . I'll do it." Quentin said in a quiet voice.
Dave simply nodded. "Report to Captain Tripplehorn, Q-Ball!"
Quentin turned and left the room, as Brooks came back in. "That went well, sir. Shall I alert the medbay to expect casualties?"
"His own ferocity is going to be his making or undoing. I know he can show the greenhorns how to kick ass Marine style."
"Even though he was never a Marine?" Brooks asked.
Lorenz faced Brooks squarely. "Jim Holbridge, Harrison, and I turned down commissions in the new SOCOM they put together a few years ago. They asked Quentin Harrison three times to reconsider, then he was sent there by NGSC as a trainer. Our very own Lunatico de Large-O taught the SOCOM guys the doctrine that Kmarov and fulton came up with. Yeah, Q-Ball can do the job."
"What was his highest ranking, sir?"
"He just made full lieutenant when he resigned." Dave asked. "I'm making him a warrant-3rd. He can lead a squad if he has to. I would prefer he do it without mangling someone."
"You're the boss, o commandant!" Brooks said, doubt in his voice.
FOUR HOURS LATER
Lorenz typed away on the padd, polishing his wish list from Holbridge Enterprises. It was quite a list, with items ranging from Arrow-class transports for Marine squads, new type IIIc rifles, combat tricorders, new field mess gear, and improved medical supplies so each Marine had a complete "blowout" kit. The supply mess was being remedied before any long-term deployments occurred.
The doorbell rang. "Brooks, tell 'em I'm busy!"
"I bribed him to let me in with passes to Nocturna's Pleasure Pit!" the voice of Jim Holbridge said as the smiling man walked in. "Besides, my new creds let me access new areas of this floating Tinker-Toy in space!"
Dave rose from his seat and clasped Jim's hand. "You haven't left yet?"
"Postponed the trip to deal with your supply situation, with special dispensation from your new general." Jim took out a padd and handed it to Dave. "This here is a blank requisition order sent by the general to my offices. I came to tell you it's gonna take at least a week on the munitions and smaller stuff, but I do have a few airframes sitting on the ways that your bunch can use in the interim. The shipyard is 75% built, I just need to get the staff in place, and I can't get them until I go to the Alpha Quadrant." Jim sighed. "The good news is I have a letter of credit from Starfleet, Federation Commerce Guilds, and a bunch of other idiots who don't know any better. The raw materials will be on station in a few days and I can get hammers banging on your Arrow-class transports ASAP. It's the best I can do until I get back."
Dave read through the detailed list, smiling wider. "Who woulda thunk it, you and me, making deals to supply a regiment?!"
"Not the small units we have been used to is it?" Jim asked, hunting for the bottle of booze he knew Dave kept on hand. "Any rotgut in this slum?"
"Bottom shelf," Dave replied hauling out two glasses. "Just so you know, I brought Quentin into the Corps."
Jim stood up, holding a half-full glass of amber-colored whiskey. "That is good! He will do well in the Corps. as long as he stays away from my wife."
Lorenz nodded. "You have to let it go. We have been friends too goddamned long for you to let some indiscretion with your woman and brother-in-arms get under your skin. We're past it, yes?"
Jim nodded, pouring two glasses worth of whiskey. "Okay, he's golden." Jim gunned down the liquor in a gulp.
Lorenz stared at Jim, doubting his words as he stared at his friend's icy eyes. "Thanks for getting back to me about my requisition orders, which I am still submitting."
Jim shrugged. "All part of the service. Also, you can pass the word to Patrick that there are creds to be made testing out my flying machines!"
"Done, now get lost! I have real work to do now!"
"Dave," Jim said suddenly. "Promise me you won't leave."
Lorenz looked at his friend's eyes, seeing a shared past flicker across them. "Done."
A Post By:
The Three Stooges
Jim (Moe) Holbridge
&
Major Dave (Larry) Lorenz
&
CWO3 Quentin (Curly) Harrison
