King's Rook-ie

Posted on 06/16/2021 @ 2:02am by Colonel Jack Patton & Master Sergeant Robert Schiano & Sergeant Audie Fitch

1,994 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: The Mirror’s Edge
Location: Marine Quarters

One thing that Audie could say for having grown up on and around ships, was that she was comfortable padding through the decks, and had a knack for finding her way around and remembering where things were. And now that she was actually on SB50 'Poseidon', she needed to check in with her CO, store her gear and jump though whatever hoops were in store, she just hoped any pranks weren't too juvenile or destructive. She liked a good joke as much as anyone, but sometimes it got out of hand and frankly was annoying.

Of course, she'd do what she had to, and smile doing it, she had that dichotomy that was pretty much requisite for a medic, to put on a steady front while your head was screaming in terror! So it was the same with pranks, or initiations or whatever you wanted to call it...Smile sweetly while you were internally rolling your eyes...and plotting your revenge!

She had some time, so she followed a meandering path, finding the different areas, wandering into some of the less traveled corridors...and it was in one of these that she met the cat.

A gruffy one-eyed ginger, it was more than happy to share the jerky she was munching on, and, for the cat, that seemed to cement the relationship, and he followed her, despite her encouraging it to go back, and it was still there when she reached the Marine quarters.

Shrugging, she rolled her eyes, then squared her shoulders and stepped into the barracks, noting how, pretty much, if you'd seen one, you'd seen them all!

The Throneroom had been abuzz with commotion the past few days and things had still not died down. The influx of personnel had everyone on their toes. Not the least of which was the First Sergeant Robert Meatball Schiano. He had thought that he had finally got everyone when the doors to the Throneroom swished open and yet another doe eyed Corporal was standing there. He blew out his cheeks and made for the new comer. He slapped his most genial smile on his face. "Afternoon Corporal welcome to da Throneroom. I am Master Sergeant Schiano the First Sergeant around dese parts but youze can call me Meatball. Do youze need any help?" His thick New York accent could be a little jarring at first but most of The Kingsmen had grown used to the way he spoke.

Throneroom? At that, Audie raised an eyebrow, but she didn't say anything, although her use of the term was apparently quite different than theirs.

"Sergeant. Corporal Audie Fitch reporting." She maintained an 'at ease' stance as she looked over the man, finding that his accent actually took the edge off her nerves. The cat was sitting beside her, patiently observing, but she paid him no heed. "Give me the grand tour or just point me to a bunk?" While she could find her own way around if need be, a bunk assignment was something else, there was no sense making a great first impression in the group by encroaching on someone else's territory.

"Da station is big enough that we all have our own quarters. My suggestion is ta go report in ta BlackJack err I mean Major Patton. Once dat is done we can get youze some quarters." Meatball pointed to the door to Jack's office with a slight head nod.

"Oh, great!" Audie smiled brightly, glad to hear that she wouldn't be bunking in barracks with a host of other people, and would have her own space. "Hear that?" she addressed the cat that as padding after her, "own quarters...that means you can go home now." The cat wasn't impressed!

Jack had begun to finalize the promotional paperwork for the original Kingsmen. They would now serve as his senior staff and platoon commanders. He noticed that he seemed to be one Corpsman short. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed heavily. The one thing he hated about command was all the paperwork. The door chime was a welcome change of pace. "Please come in..." He said almost too eagerly.

Taking a breath, Audie stepped through the hatch and into the office, snapping to attention and saluting as her eyes darted around, taking in the room, then finally settling on the man. He wasn't what she had expected, but she had learned early in life that that wasn't a way to judge a person, and the mere fact that he was here spoke a great deal.

"Corporal Audie Fitch, reporting, sir..." And the stupid cat that was standing beside her, his tail almost as straight as her back!

Jack rose and returned the salute. "And friend I see..." He said with a smirk. "Corporal have a seat. Can I get you anything? I hope your journey here was not too arduous."

"No, sir, I'm fine. Depends on what you consider 'arduous'," Audie answered, relaxing a bit as she settled into a chair, glancing down at the cat. "He's not mine, sir, he just followed me...isn't that right, buster?" Her attention went back fully to the CO. "The trip was...dull more than anything, not that I was expecting non-stop excitement. I amused myself by dazzling kids with my amazing juggling skills!" She laughed.

Jack chuckled. "I am sure that was quite the sight to see. As for the cat if it is bothering you we can make sure that the shelter gets a hold of it. Somehow these stray animals come aboard the station from traders and the like and then they get stuck here. Well I am glad you are here, you are the last of the Corpsmen that we needed. Would hate to have to engage an enemy without enough Corpsmen. So, tell me why have you decided to join our beloved Corps."

"Oh, no, sir, the cat's fine!" Audie reached down and scratched the ginger's ears, not wanting to sentence him to a shelter. "I'll take care of him. As for joining the Marines..." She sighed and shrugged. The information would be in her records, of course, but there was always more than the sterile 'official' information.

"Honestly, I was on a bad path after I lost my parents, but I was given a chance to straighten myself out, and I was smart enough to take it." She shrugged, grinning. "I think I needed the structure the Marines give, and once I gave in to that, I kinda was hooked...at least for now. I don't see it as a career, I'm a pilot at heart and I want to have my own freighter one day...a long time from now, of course!"

"Well the Corps has need for hot shot pilots just as much as we have need for medics. I can arrange our First Sergeant to train you up in Marine avionics. Meatball is the best pilot the Marines can give, and an EVACC Specialist to boot. Would be good having someone as his back up. That is if that sort of scenario interests you." Jack spoke with a smile. He rather enjoyed giving his people what they wanted if he could. A happy soldier would go to the end of the Earth and back again for you. His ancestor taught him that. "As you can see the Corps means the world to not only myself but all of the Kingsmen. What does it mean to you?"

"Thank you, sir, I'd like that!" Audie grinned. "I love the medical stuff, but piloting...that soothes my soul!" Then she shrugged, thinking for a moment before answering his other question.

"Family," she finally replied, "people who look out for you, help you, regardless of how they feel about you." She shrugged again. "And it's something to take pride in, a reason to really do your best, even when you don't feel like it." It was so easy to become complacent, to not care and just go through the motions, so it was a good thing to be pushed beyond that, to really care about maintaining, or even exceeding, a standard.

"Besides, people look at you with respect, even if you haven't personally earned it." Of course, that just meant another standard to maintain!

"That respect comes with the uniform and a long storied history that comes with it. A legacy to up hold. There has been a Patton serving in some way as far back as the Second World War on Earth..." Jack pointed to the uniform in its case. "That is the legacy that I have to uphold. If you could change one thing about our beloved Corps what would you change?" Jack asked the question as he tried to get a feeling for the new member of The Kingsmen.

Audie's mouth twisted into a frown as she pondered the question..one of the variety she really didn't like...

"I really don't know," she finally replied, not really having an answer, "the things that are annoying -- rules and regulations, running endless miles with a ton of equipment on your back, getting blasted out of bed at O'dark thirty -- but that's part and parcel of being in the Corps, necessary...and if I wasn't willing to accept that, I wouldn't have joined."

She shrugged again. "So, I'd have to say my answer is questions with no real answer." She grinned.

"Well said... Well said indeed. You know I have gone over your record and it seems that every patient you have tended to has survived with little issue. Some would say that is because of your skills. I would say that it is because of your skills and your dedication. It will be a very sad day when we loose you to the pilot's chair." Jack beamed, he was glad that he had not made any mistakes with the people he chose to flesh out the platoon. "You know it is a tradition of sorts here in The Kingsmen. Everyone is given a call sign or a nickname when they join. I am BlackJack..." He went over to the replicator and produced a small case bearing the logo of The Kingsmen.

"Blackjack," she repeated with a nod, "and I met a Meatball!" She had no idea what a call sign for her might be, although she had been referred to a time or two as 'Doctor Death', or 'Black Cloud', because she tended to attract the odd cases.

Jack placed the case in front of Audie and opened it. As usual the case contained a patch bearing the logo of the unit and a name bar that was to be sewn onto the uniform. "I dub thee Magic Hands. Welcome to The Kingsmen...." Jack punched his chest and recited the oath that all members recited. "Brother to brother, yours in life and death."

"Magic Hands..." Audie couldn't help but grin widely at that, knowing that there might be some who would see a double-entendre there, -- well, triple, taking into account her sleight-of-hand skills -- and not caring one whit!

"Brother to brother, yours in life and death!" she proudly repeated the oath, then took the patch and respectfully fingered the material. "Thank you, sir. Magic Hands it is! I'm sure Buster will appreciate my fingers of fury!"

Laughing, she picked the cat up and scratched his ears, eliciting loud purring.

"Well it seems that you have made more than one friend today Corporal. I expect you have a lot to attend to before settling into your duties. So if there is nothing else, you are dismissed." Jack said with a warm smile. There was something about this Fitch. Something that he could not put his finger on, but he liked it.

Major Jack Patton
CO The Kingsmen
Chief Strategic Operations Officer
Second Officer
Poseidon Station

Master Sergeant Robert Schiano
First Sergeant/EVAC Specialist
The Kingsmen
Poseidon Station

Cpl. Audie Fitch
Corpsman
The Kingsmen
Poseidon Station

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