Marine, Security and Ops
Posted on Monday 11 October 2021 @ 23:10 by Major David Scarlet
Mission:
First Contact
Location: The Round Table
Timeline: Sometime During the journey to a new area
2944 words - 5.9 OF Standard Post Measure
[ON]
Mathias had a thought and didn't know if Scarlet and the new Chief of Security had a chance to even meet. He himself hadn't really had the chance to get to know Morgan either what with the whole mess with getting Caroline back as well as doing the diplomatic endeavor. He seated himself at a table to where he could see the stars moving by as well as to get a good view of those that came in. Then he sent a message to Scarlet and Morgan.
He sent a message to them both.
Major Scarlet and Lieutenant Morgan, please join me in the Roundtable, I would like to have a meeting, over drinks. Lieutenant McPhee, Second Officer. " Then he waited for them to arrive. He added his position as an indication of this being somewhat important. As to him it was important for this meeting to take place.
Scarlet sighed heavily before tapping his badge. "On my way." Standing up from his desk he tossed the padd down and made his way to the turbolift.
Gregor tapped his combadge to respond. Message acknowledged, I'm sitting at the bar at the moment so if you raise your hand I'll join you at your table. Morgan out. "
McPhee looked around to see if he could spy Morgan, then decided to raise his hand to indicate it was he who called for this little meet up. "Over here, Morgan." he also stated aloud.
Gregor nodded and sat down at the table with a large tankard of Ale and a decent sized bowl of pretzel sticks. " I guess I can wait until the Major shows up so you don't have to repeat it twice. Pretzel? " he offered, as they awaited the arrival of Major Scarlet.
"Pretzel sounds good to me." Mathias responded. "I do recognize you from the away team endeavor. Just hadn't had the chance to speak to you." taking a couple of pretzels and popping on into his mouth.
Gregor nodded. " Yeah I saw you down there as well. Didn't know who you were at the time, but we were kinda busy." He took a drink of his ale. So what's this Major Scarlet like? I know he's a marine, I take it he's a good man have around then.
Scarlet seemed to appear from nowhere at that point and took an empty seat at the table. He barely made eye contact with either of the two men. Instead waving over toward the bar and motioning for a drink. Without saying a word he reached into the bowl and grabbed a pretzel before popping it into his mouth.
Gregor looked at the new comer and nodded. " Well I guess we're all here, So is this a briefing or just a meet and greet? Balls in your court Lieutenant. " As he turned his attention to McPhee. " So what's this all about? "
"its a combination of both, Morgan. Before you came to the Merlin we had a bit of trouble. " Mathias looking at Morgan. "I am thinking that we need to have a meeting of the minds between Security and Marines as all of us are part of one team one crew and in that particular aspect we're going to have to work together. Quite a few times, Starfleet and the marines tend not to mix with each other, staying in their own territories and just create a wall that doesn't seem to easy to traverse. This causes some problems. Think we can get something worked out to where we've got a bit of a combination of shared duties and such?" Mathias looking from Morgan to Scarlet.
" I got no problem with that. " Said Gregor. " We're both in the same line of work, with a sew minor differences. We both go where we need to protect life and the interest of the federation. In fact I wouldn't mind our groups working together in a joint training mission. Be nice to shake up the status quo, what do you think Major? "
Scarlet slowly looked over at the Lieutenant and stared at him for a moment before nodding. "Agreed." He took another pretzel and popped it in his mouth. "The safety of the ship and her crew are our main concern. Rivalries and segregation don't accomplish that goal."
"I've been Security for a long time, remustering to the Marines recently." Scarlet continued. "Get me a proposal and we can work something out."
Gregor stroked his beard. " I was thinking we could do a combined team holodeck combat drill with modified phasers, or a combat drill in a cargo bay with an EOD disarm. Unless you'd like to use some of the empty rooms and do a room to room intruder search scenario. Any or all of them would be valuable training for our people. I'm looking forward to this. "
Scarlet was silent in his thoughts for a moment. His background was in training and tactics so Morgan was speaking his language. He wondered if the pips made him itch as well?
"Agreed." Scarlet said firmly. "All good options and I don't see why we can't do it all. I've had the idea for a while that the Marines could benefit from doing the occasional round with Security to learn more about the processes and tactics that are employed."
"And also,maybe do some cross training and get some of the Marines knowledgeable in operating the security and tactical station on the bridge? I really don't want us to be caught with our proverbial pants down in case something dire should happen." Mathias responded.
Gregor stroked his beard as he thought. " I don't see any problem with training some of the Marines to work at tactical. They could be posted with the security officer on the bridge and get some good hands on experience. I can work up a schedule with the Marines who are interested in learning tactical. " Gregor grabbed and munched a few more pretzels and took a swig of his ale. " I have one other suggestion as well. How about a joint boarding party mission in EVA suits from either a shuttle or entry through an airlock on the outside. Most Security or Marines don't get to much EVA training outside of the academy. " Gregor laughed for a moment. " Our boys are either going to be well trained or hate us for what they have coming up on they're plate. "
"Well I can say that some of us have already been out on the hull of the Merlin, both Scarlet and I have and another security personnel. Maybe not being trained in repelling boarders but, we were dealing with something like a stone skin which was covering the Merlin, and sucking the energy from the ship." Mathias remarked.
Gregor looked surprised for a moment and then reached for some more pretzels. "Hadn't heard about that one yet. Sounds fascinating, guess I'll have to read the file on that one. But working with the EVA suits could be a duel purpose training. It could be used for either boarding action or repelling boarders. I'm not suggesting that we do this all at once, but when we can coordinate the time for a group exercise. Both of our units still have our normal work loads as well. The group exercises I think we could limit to one per month, But the cross training we could work into our normal duty rotation. Your thoughts Major? "
"I'm good with the specialized training." Scarlet replied as he popped another pretzel in his mouth. He chewed it slowly, taking his time.
"And to limited cross training. I don't want to overload the Marines and end up clouding what they're good at." He put his hand down on the table in a closed fist. "There's already a lot of tactics and arms training they have to work on."
Scarlet looked back and forth between the two officers and for a moment wondered if this had been an attempted ambush to force his hand into agreement.
" I agree. " Said Gregor. " Security has quite a bit on it's plate as well. Several ideas have been put forth, But what are your thoughts? we can scale back and start small and see where it goes from there. I may have gotten a little excited of the prospect of our teams working together, but the Marines is your unit and you have the final say in that. I'm sorry if I appear to be a bit over eager. " he then took a healthy swig of his ale as he waited for a response and feeling a bit like a foolish school boy.
Mathias chuckled slightly. "Relax Scarlet, I do know somewhat all that you have going on with the ship's marines. And this was just a proposal of integrating the whole crew." and his smile went into a firm look. "And I mean whole crew, of the ship, all men and women onboard. I don't want anything else to happen like it did earlier. It isn't my intention of overloading any member of the crew." he tapped the table with his index finger. "I don't want anything happening like what it did earlier, never again. I am so done being caught with the proverbial pants down around the ankles."
Gregor was snapped back to the present as he listened to the current course of the conversation. " Whatever your talking about must have happened before I arrived. I could read about it, unless someone cares to enlighten me. "
Scarlet bristled. The memories of that mission were still raw and tender. He looked at Gregor and remembered the state the last CSTO had been left in. "We were fed false and incomplete information. What started as a humanitarian assignment turned into a complete clusterfuck and we were ambushed both on the ground and on the ship. Lots of good people went down during that... mistake."
Scarlet only then realized that his fists on the table had turned white from clenching and he slowly relaxed his hands and took a deep breath. "To that end, that's why I'm agreeing to the training. Keep ourselves alert and keep that shit show from happening again.
"And why I had Morgan and you come so we can be on the same page, Scarlet. Never again. Can't have it happen ever again." his hand going to the arm that had been injured. That arm may have healed but the memory of that shot, Mathias can still feel it from time to time. Granted it was psychosomatic but still it hurt from time to time.
With a grim determined look upon his face Gregor nodded in agreement. " Then to make sure that something like that never occurs again, I will do whatever I can to safeguard the lives of this crew, But I'm glad to have the help of someone with your experience and knowledge. We both want the same thing, To serve the Federation and protect what is important to us. "
"Then I think we've gotten a bit of a plan made, gentlemen. I thank you both for coming to this impromptu meeting. Now that is done care to just relax here for a few or do the two of you need to go about your business." Mathias remarked with a smile.
" Well I could stay for a synth ale or two. " Replied Gregor. " Afterwards I need to get back to my office and catch up on my reports. " Gregor sighed. " Well we all know what happens when you become a department head. You gain privilege, rank , and paperwork. " He said with a laugh and grabbed a few more pretzels.
Scarlet sat in silence for a moment in deep thought. He wasn't urgently needed at the department. This wasn't an ambush. And he was trying. He really was. "Fine with me."
Popping another pretzel in his mouth and crunching down on it, Scarlet leaned back in his chair. "I want a hole in the wall style pub. This is a bit too fancy and open for me. A nice small pub, maybe a pool table. Darts even. That would be nice."
Gregor stroked his beard. " I've got a nice program of a little English country pub with a few billiards tables and several dart boards. They serve a very nice lamb stew there, And if you'd like I can bring along a bottle of real Irish whiskey. Your call. "
Mathias lifted up his drink to his lips and paused. "Honestly, I can fix something like that up. Won't take much room. I do miss the pool table and dart boards. Something that seems cozy. Not everyone likes to be in Ten Forward. I'll speak to the Captain and find out if she'll approve it." he took a drink then added. "Sound good gentlemen?"
" Sounds good to me. " Gregor agreed. " There are times I don't want to be around a large crowd and just want to unwind a bit by myself or a few others. If you can make it happen, I'm all for it. "
"Agreed." Scarlet said as he took a single pretzel. He crunched it between his teeth and studied the pair of officers for a moment before shifting in his chair. "I might be able to acquire some of the real stuff as well." He motioned to the glasses on the table.
"And so can I, I can't drink the fake stuff." Mathias replied. "However if Captain Jones is agreeable, we need to come up with a name for it. Unless you just want to call it The hole in the Wall." giving a laugh.
" I think we can do better then hole in the wall. " Said Gregor. " Merlin being a mage of great power from ancient England, How about something like the Rams head inn or the Gryphon's nest? and make it look like a English country pub with one or two billiards tables and maybe a dart board or two, with seating for not more then twenty to thirty people. What do you think? "
"Rams head." Scarlet replied decidedly. He clasped his hands on the table in front of him. "We'll find a space that is being under utilized. That'll fall to Ops. Then we get the crews to work together as a team to build it."
Gregor turned to Mathias. " Well Ops is your department, So I guess it falls to you to find the space, as long as we can get approval for it's use that is. I know I can round up some of my team to help with the work in the Rams Head, So count me in. " As he took a few more pretzels and took a swig of his ale.
"I have the feeling that the Captain won't mind at all. I do know, like what Scarlet here has said there are places that are not being utilized for much, so, yes let's proceed and get the Ram's Head brought into reality." Mathias taking a good swig of his drink, then setting it down, having a huge smile. "A place to unwind."
" Indeed, A place to unwind. " Repeated Gregor. " It will even be more satisfying after we get it built and get the labor done, then we can truly relax. " He stated stroking his beard. " Any objections to having a single poker table tucked off in a corner? Or do we just want to keep it billiards and darts? " He asked in general.
Mathias could only look at Scarlet and Morgan. "I don't know about a poker table but." he shrugged. " A table is a table to be honest."
" Tomorrow after I get off shift, if we're not working in here I'll start programming the replicator with some of me Mums authentic English recipes for the experience of a country pub. "
"Then it's a plan. I'll get volunteers to start working on things." Scarlet said with a nod. He shifted slightly in his chair. He'd been in one place too long it seemed. Being more personable didn't come easily to the man. "If that is all..."
Scarlet began to stand, signaling his intent.
Mathias nodded, "Sounds great to me, and thanks for coming to this impromptu meeting, I think we've accomplished quite a bit here. As it is I've got things I need to get back to doing. Still can't believe I'm a second officer." just shaking his head.
Gregor chuckled. " Well I think it's quite handy having you as the second officer, it will make getting supplies a bit less of a chore. All said, it will be good when we're done. I'm looking forward to having some of Mums mutton with taters and lamb gravy with a couple pints to wash it down . "
"Well then we'll reconvene when we start the work on our pub. Sound good gentlemen?" Mathias remarked, rising from the table once his drink was finished.
"Yes." Scarlet replied. He gave both gentlemen a quick nod of acknowledgement and then turned to briskly walk away. He needed to recharge after all of those niceties.
" I'm in agreement. I'll see you both later. " Gregor watched the two men walk away, He finished off what remained of the pretzels and downed the last of his ale. He looked at his PADD and got up to leave knowing he had other places to be.
END
●● Lieutenant Mathias McPhee
Chief Operations Officer
USS Merlin
* Major David Scarlet
Marine Company Commander
USS Merlin
○● Lieutenant JG Gregor Morgan
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Merlin
