The Stories We Could Tell

Posted on Tue Jun 16th, 2015 @ 8:50pm by Marine Captain Olex & 1st Lieutenant Eva Watson & Lieutenant Commander Antos Lev

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: USS Charleston - Enroute to SB900

* USS Charleston *

The Charleston had been on its voyage to the Delta Quadrant for over a week and now it seemed they were entering the home stretch. In a few hours they would enter the new wormhole, something Lev was anxious to see. He was also anxious to be somewhere he could walk more than a dozen or so steps in any direction when he was in his quarters. The trip had been rather uneventful, however, and he’d caught up on reports and some last minute transfer orders. The idea of starting a colony was an exciting one and in an area like the Delta Quadrant, it would certainly have its challenges. He’d taken the time en route to relax, but now there was some business to attend to and he sent a message to a fellow officer who would be helping to build that colony. She had also been busy during the last few days with something far more interesting than reports, he guessed. He checked himself in the mirror and, satisfied, picked up his padd and set off to meet her.

* * *

“No, Eva,” Olex said as she looked through the list of personnel assigned to the Marine company on Valhalla. “He’s still not qualified for the position. We’ll need to find someone else, train him or someone else or request additional personnel through Marine Command.”

Marine Captain Olex and her XO, 1st Lieutenant Eva Watson, had spent most of the trip trying to get everything ready for their arrival at the colony, along with a bit of down time for some fun. Olex had a strong work ethic and was determined to get everything ironed out prior to her arrival and leave little by way of surprises once she did. This wasn’t her first company command, however, and she had some idea on how to do things. Eva, however, had just been promoted and had commanded nothing more than a platoon, so Olex took care to make sure that this was a good learning experience and didn’t berate her or try to bring her down for not knowing. Olex the Andorian may have been a hard charger, but she knew everyone started new at some point and she was going to make sure Eva learned the right way.

“Okay,” Eva replied, refilling her ice water from the replicator, “I’ll check the list of alternates for a replacement. Failing that I’ll see who we can get trained up or how long it would take to get someone else out here.”

The observation lounge had been somewhat quiet since their arrival an hour prior. When Olex received word from Lt. Cmdr. Antos to meet them there, she was satisfied that they were already set up and working on what they needed and waited for him to arrive.

“Let’s shelve this for now,” she said, standing and stretching. “The Commander will be here soon.” She looked around at the mostly empty lounge. “I should eat something. You should too. I don’t think he’ll have issue with that and may join us.”

Eva had known Olex for a few years now and never really got used to how direct she was. But she also found it somewhat refreshing knowing that her immediate supervisor wouldn’t pull punches and told you exactly what she wanted. Sometimes it sucked, but for the most part, she and Olex were pairing together well.

As they sat with their meals they heard the doors whoosh open and turned to see their new colony XO enter.

Lev crossed the lounge and stopped by their table. “Captain Olex, Lt. Watson. It’s nice to see you both.” He sniffed the air and smiled briefly. “That smells very good.”

“Options 591,” Olex said, pointing to her meal, “and 842,” she said as she pointed to Eva’s. “Both look good and I know mine is excellent. Have you eaten?”

Lev checked the time and was surprised to find it was much later than he thought. “Actually, I got sidetracked and missed lunch entirely. Excuse me a moment.” He stepped to the replicator and ordered, deciding on 591. It appeared and he carried the tray back to the table, taking a seat. “Commander Gunnar sent over some specs and I got buried. How are things shaping up for the Marines?”

Olex ignored his question but raised an eyebrow to Eva, expecting her to be able to give a full report to their XO. Training was training.

Eva caught the look, put down her fork and pulled up her PADD’s information. “So far we have one hundred and fourteen personnel, the Captain and I included, for the start. We should be getting another hundred within the month to put us at maximum for this deployment. This trip will have much of our equipment, but will primarily consist of the personal armament for each Marine, some backup materiel and stores. The next run will provide us with ground vehicles and any heavier armament that Captain Olex deems necessary, along with the additional personnel.”

Olex said nothing but did grunt in approval as she spooned more food. “I would like to get the lay of the land before calling in anything too heavy,” she added for Antos’ benefit. “If we don’t need it, it may be of use elsewhere in the galaxy instead of just sitting there taking up space.”

“That makes sense,” Lev agreed. “And what of General Thompson? Is 900 in a position to send out temporary supplies if a shipment is delayed and you get caught short?” Lev took a bite of his dinner and nodded to himself. Not bad for replicator fare. Olex’s tactic of having her XO field the question wasn’t lost on Lev and he approved. So, he looked to Eva, expecting an answer.

Managing to get another bite in quickly, Eva swallowed and cleared her throat. “I know that the Marines on 900 have quick response abilities with their gunabouts as well as fighter backup, not to mention stores and stores of anything else that they might need. With that in mind, and since we are actually under General Thompson’s command, I would think he would be able to send temporary supplies. The only issue being that it’s a three or four day ride from the station, so we would have to factor that into any decision we make.”

Again, Olex nodded approval and continued eating.

“Agreed, but in an emergency, that will be closer than this side of the wormhole.” Lev smiled, a bright one that momentarily relaxed his stern features. “It sounds like you two have it all under control.” He put down his form and pulled out the padd he carried. “I have the latest updates on construction and it will interest you two particularly. The report from Dr. Sala indicates that construction is proceeding on schedule. The focus is at first on the senior staff quarters and the Marine and security facilities, for obvious reasons. This will allow us to get the senior staff on-base as soon as possible, with defense capabilities, while the rest is being constructed.”

“Temporary housing for junior staff and enlisted, then?” Eva asked. “Or are we holding off on their arrival until that housing is completed?”

Lev nodded. “It will be suitable but not as pretty as we might want for them, at least short term, likely no more than three months. Given that the planet is within an area of rebel activity, we wanted you up and running at full speed.”

Eva looked to Olex who said nothing and stood to return her plate to the replicator, ordered a strong, dark beer that she’d never heard of and returned to the table. “Well, that sounds sensible to me. The Marines are used to having to rough it for a while and, from what I hear, the climate isn’t all that bad there. Oh,” she said, having a thought, “I know the industrial replicators are on site for the building project but have they installed personnel replicators for food stuffs and clothing or will we need to bring MREs for our personnel?”

“The specs show personnel replicators installed in all quarters. You won’t need MRE’s at least on the base. We figured that the rough quarters for the enlisted would be enough of an inconvenience,” Lev answered. ‘There will be enough to do with moving in, getting situated and settled.”

“I, for one, am excited about getting the colony going,” Olex said, finally attempting to contribute to the conversation. “I would very much like to get my teams started on sweeps of the area, along with some scientific personnel, further beyond what was initially reconned. We may be able to find some defensible positions a bit further out that could be useful in case of rebels.”

“Agreed. I’ll see that the initial exploration reports from the 900 team are sent on to you as well.” Lev paused to enter a note to that effect in his padd. “There is one flag on the landscape that you need to be aware of.” He turned the padd around and pushed it over to Olex. On it was an image of a large pink flower. “That is to be avoided unless you want your men attacking each other or giving in to delusions.”

“I’ll make a note of it, if you’d be so kind as to forward it to Lt. Watson.” She drank of her beer and asked, “Have we heard an approximate ETA for Commander Gunnar, or if we’ll be having some senior staff meetings on 900 prior to departure?” Olex asked.

Lev took the padd and sent the note to Eva’s padd. “Sent and the 900 team is working on a way to counteract that flower.” He checked the padd once more. “Commander Gunnar is scheduled to arrive about eight hours before we do and yes, we’ll be having staff meetings on 900 until such time as the primary facilities are ready for us. You’ll be able to visit the site as needed, of course. It will also be a good chance to enjoy the 900 facilities before shipping out and those facilities are extensive. As for the Marines, is there anything you need from me or that I should know about?”

This time Olex spoke up. “Not as of yet, but I’ll make sure you’re kept in the loop. Oh--,” she said, turning to Eva, “make a note to get with Colonel Harris, or even the General, about some training time with 900’s marines once ours arrive. We could take a field trip to Valhalla and make it us versus them, just for fun. Hell, we might even be able to make it a regular thing if it works out.”

Eva nodded and added the information to her own PADD.

“If there is nothing else work-related,” Olex asked, “may I ask what you’ve been doing to keep yourself occupied during this trip? The Charleston is sizeable but even trying to get time on the holodeck is laughable and it seems like everyone has been flooding the gyms for workouts. By my record, if the crew workout when they’re bored this must be the most fit ship in the fleet.”

Lev laughed out loud at her comment. “I used the pool. I’ve also been buried in more details on the colony than you’d believe, including design layouts, transfer orders, endless reports and a few loose ends to tie up from my previous post. As for the overly-zealous crew, well...I suppose they have to work off that energy somehow. They’d been on this ship a week already when we picked up you two.”

“When Olex and I haven’t been trying to best each other in pushups or a five mile run,” Eva added, “I’ve just been hanging out in my quarters reading and watching what few movies they have in the ship’s database. Honestly, they should have more than they do. These computers have so much more room in them.”

“I enjoyed a few documentaries over the past few days. Some hero from the American military in the 1980’s, I think?” Olex smiled and nodded her approval of him. “This Rambo person, he seemed pretty tough. If he were alive now, I might have sought him out to father children with.”

Lev blinked at such a direct statement. He really could have gone forever without hearing that or seeing the mental image it brought. “Captain? I hate to break it to you but Rambo was a fictional character. But I’m sure that, if he existed, he would be flattered.”

She leveled her gaze at him. “Are you...certain of this? I found it in the documentary section of the database. And as far as flattery, he should be. We would have made fine warrior babies.”

Lev bit back a smile and nodded. “My last post, our chief of security had been transplanted to the current time from the 1980’s. He was a big fan of Rambo. He had all the movies and they ended up as the choices for movie night on the station several times. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Captain. I am certain however that you….yes, well. Anything else?” He decided to let that subject drop before he was in too deep to get out.

While Olex was giving consideration to this Rambo person being fictional, Eva spoke up. “I believe we’re as ready as we can be, sir. At least until we actually get all hands on the station and take roll call and equipment checks.”

“Good enough. I’ll send out meeting announcements on 900 as needed.” He pushed his tray away and a thought occurred to him. “Would you like me to schedule some time for you in the gym here uninterrupted?”

“I have been making do with my quarters and running on less populated decks,” Olex replied, finally snapping out of the mental dream sequence of she and Rambo making warrior babies. “I will be fine until we arrive at 900, then I will take full advantage of their facilities.”

“Same here,” Eva said. “And the Captain has been helping me quite a bit.”

“Very well. If business is concluded, perhaps you would join me in the lounge for a drink? I’m sure you have some interesting stories to tell.”

Olex looked to Eva and nodded. “I could tell some stories, yes,” she said, slugging the last of her own drink and standing.

“Oh, can she,” Eva added. “You should start with the one about the grain hopper on Alderra II.”

The trio began walking and the ladies continued talking. “No, no,” Olex replied with a dismissive wave. “Too boring. I would think the Commander would like to hear something with some true bravery and action. Maybe the one with the twin Ferengi and the lost cat?”

Eva bust out laughing. “That one is hilarious! Okay, start with that one. I could definitely hear it again.”

Lev smiled as they departed to the lounge. “If you’re telling stories, then the drinks are on me.” It would be a pleasant way to pass a few hours.

-----------------------------------
Lt. Commander Antos Lev
Meeting The Marines

Captain Olex
Passing the Buck

1st Lt. Eva Watson
Learning on the Fly