Strategic Beginnings

Posted on Wed Oct 12th, 2011 @ 9:31pm by Admiral Ricky Wegener & Lieutenant James Holbridge

Mission: In Our Time of Need
Location: Wegener's Office - Deck Six

HOLBRIDGE FAMILY QUARTERS

Jim carefully inspected his new Marine green undershirt before donning his duty vest. He wore a long-sleeve t-shirt under the duty vest along with his rank pins and communicator. He had accepted the job of Chief Strategic Operations Officer after a long, soul-searching debate. This coincided with the recall of Major Kamarov to the Alpha Quadrant, leaving Jim to deal with his friend, David when he returned from Divitia Prime.

One of Jim's new assistants had put together a briefing document outlining the activities on Divitia and on the station itself. Commander Kh'ali's disappearance was worrisome, but LCDR Oz Zeferino was on the case. Jim blinked twice when he saw the name Jackson Banning V. That old pirate is here? Hot damn! Jackson Banning advertised himself as a simple bar owner, and if you believed that he would try to sell you some Cardassian bloodstones as well. There was nothing that Banning didn't know about the goings-on wherever he was. Lorenz thought the world of him, often regaling Jim about some of the crazier exploits he and Jackson had pulled off during their time in a covert unit.

Jim took the padd and pressed his thumb to it, signing it and acknowledging receipt of the report. There was still a chore that needed to be done and Jim was looking forward to it.

* * *

Admiral's Office - Deck Six

Jim sat down in the outer office, loking at the Admiral's 'I Love Me' wall. The old fox certainly had been around, Jim nodded his head at some of the older artifacts in Wegener's collection. The old man was good to his people, hopefully to ex-Marine fighter pilots, too!

"The Admiral is ready for you, sir," Lt. Beckman said as she remotely opened the doors to the office.

"Thank you, lieutenant," Jim turned and entered the admiral's office.

"Come in, Captain. Have a seat," Ricky said. "So, are you ready for this? It's a big chance from the Corps, and I can tell you one thing, I do not run a marine base. I run a Starfleet base. If you're thinking of holding on to any Fleet versus Marine grudges, get it out now because there'll be none of that with my senior staff."

Jim looked at the admiral with a tired smile. "I would have died in a Cardassian prison camp along with sixty-three others had it not been for a scrawny operations chief named Sheamus Flynn. My respect for Starfleeters has always been high afther that and during the Wars when I flew CSAR missions for commando units behind the lines. I'm here to tell you, admiral, I can play nice with the others." Jim smiled. "What exactly do you want me to do, admiral?"

"You are being reassigned to the Chief Strategic Operations position," Ricky said. "I'm sure you know the ins and outs of the position, but what I need you to do, since you've been in the corps for a while, go down to the academy and get brushed up on the policies and roles of that position so you'll be on top of your game when you get started. I have faith that you can fill the role, but I just don't want to send you in unprepared."

Jim looked at the admiral's face, seeing the sincerity in his eyes. "Thank you, sir. I will get on it immediately. Is there anything you need from me at all, sir?"

"Do you job to the best of your ability. That is all."

Jim grinned. "I just want to thank you for keeping me around, sir."

"I would have been remiss to remove all of my good leaders, Captain. Many are being assigned elsewhere. I was at least able to retain a few of you." Rick smiled. "But, if there is nothing else, you are dismissed."

"Just one more thing, sir. Do you want a Fighter Corps officer as your Strategic Operations chief or would you rather have a Command officer?" Jim said with a grin.

"Well, Lieutenant," Ricky said, using his new fleet rank, "I think you know the answer to that. Next time I see you, I assume you'll be in red."

"You better believe it, sir! Thanks again!" Jim grinned, this time without the smart-aleck accents.

-----------------------------------------

A joint post by:

Lieutenant Jim Holbridge
Chief of Strategic Operations

&

VADM Ricky Wegener
CO, Starbase 900