Faraday Reporting For Duty

Posted on 11/21/2023 @ 9:45pm by Colonel Jack Patton & Sergeant Lance Faraday

1,659 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Pages...
Location: Patton's Office - The Throneroom - Command Tier Deck 19 - Poseidon Station
Tags: Jack Patton

A long flight, that was what was promised, and it seemed that it was no exaggeration, but the Powell Class WS-07R Long-Range Warp Shuttle was comfortable.

So it was that Rigel Ten had slipped far behind the ship in the blackness of space with its most recent passenger, Marine Lance Faraday, who had stretched out in his seat to catch some sleep.

An instructor for the past two and a half years at what was affectionately known as “Combat College,” was granted his wish, reintegration into the Fleet. Serving as a Critical Skills Operator-Explosives, though he was trained for more than just that.

There had been numerous stops along the way with people and beings getting on and off along the way, but he would be the last one to get off whenever they arrived at his destination was a distant space station, Starbase Fifty, known as Poseidon Station, located in the Carlson Nebula, things Faraday discovered while learning of his new posting. This one was as far from the classroom as one might get.

Some time, and a couple of stops later:

=^=Starbase Fifty coming up.=^= The pilot's voice exploded over the system, jolting Faraday from his rest. The pilot had put the visual up on the screen, but the station was just a growing dot. Yet Lance got his gear together and straightened himself up for the arrival, which would not be long before the shuttle dropped out of warp. As with the other stops, the shuttle would land and he would be sparred beaming anywhere. Not one of his favorite things.

He stepped off into the shuttle bay, looking around, and though all starbases were similar they were never the same as the last one, or the next one. He approached a crewman.

“Excuse me, checking in, where to?” Lance asked, knowing that it could be anywhere.

“Hey man, welcome aboard, Cashwell here. Ah, Marine, maybe you best see your C.O. first then he’ll direct you from there.

“Glad to meet you, Faraday, Lance Faraday. And point me in a direction and I’ll find my way. None of these things are alike, except maybe the mess hall for sure. An’ the Skipper’s name, my C.O. that is?”

“Oh yeah, lessee, Colonel Patton, Jack Patton. I’d try the Marine Barracks first, it’s listed through those doors, and you’ll find ‘em no problem.” Cashwell explained, but not all that clearly, as if he didn’t really know where the Marine C.O. might be. Lance started for the doors.

“Hey, Faraday! Try his office, he’s also the X.O. of the station as well.” Cashwell called. “Sorry, I’m new here too.”

“Thanks.” With that, gear in hand, Faraday headed toward the first doors he saw and stepped through onto the station and to the first turbo lift. He smiled, it had been a while. “X.O.’s office” In moments the door slid past with that familiar hiss. He stepped out onto highly shined floors and looked around when another crewman, well, crew woman stopped.

“Help you?” She asked, a petite brunette with a rating of third-class petty officer. Things were looking up.

“Faraday, checking in, looking for the Exec’s office.” He replied with a smile.

“Well, you’re on the right deck, Colonel Patton’s office is down the passageway, maybe five hundred feet on the left.” She directed.

“Thanks.” That was all he got out before she was on her way again. So, he headed in the direction given and stopped in front of the door, swallowed, and pressed the chime.

Jack Patton took a moment to eye the bird on his chest. He loved that he got promoted, however, he hated the events that caused his promotion. His wife Aer hated that he outranked her now as well. The one thing Jack hated more than anything was paperwork. It seemed that with the disappearance of Captain Harrington and Cara taking command of the station he took over the duties she had as XO. With that came more paperwork. He had done what he could in trying to locate the Captain for now he would have to resign himself to keeping the station running as best he could.

At the moment he read a maintenance report from Lieutenant Commander Jezka. The door chime was a welcome change of pace and allowed him to leave the paperwork hell he was in. He tossed the PADD on the pile on his desk. "Come on in..." He called out and then sipped his coffee.

Faraday operated the sliding door and stepped inside, and the doorway slid shut behind him with that familiar hissing sound. Snapping to attention, and rendering a salute, he said, “Sir, Sergeant Faraday reporting as ordered, Sir.”

He presented his PADD to his new commanding officer. This was where he would get billeted, and a rundown of his new assignment, though explosives was a rather cut and dried operation, although he had training in other MOS’s, he was always available to follow whatever order was given. Also, he would learn of any mission they might have underway, or coming up.

He waited for Colonel Jack Patton to address him, that was the name on the desk plate, as was the custom. Reporting in at any new station, ship, or base was always the same. With the Corps, seldom did anything change in the way that things were done, he liked that, and he knew what to expect.

Jack stood up and returned the salute. He was pretty sure that would be the last formality of this meeting. "Morning Sergeant. At ease and have a seat." He pointed to a seat in front of his desk as Jack sat down as well. He took a moment to read the PADD and all the information. Faraday was the first person in a long time that came to The Kingsmen without Jack picking them. He was assigned by the Corps as part of the unit's expansion. As such the traditional interview would be administered. "Your file is fairly impressive, but what is on paper is only one piece in a large puzzle. Let me start by asking you two things. The first what do you know about The Kingsmen?"

“Morning Sir,” One of the things about space, it was dark all of the time, so mornings, evenings? They were all subjective. Lance sat as directed while the C.O. read the PADD, “The Kingsmen, Sir? Why, nothing, nothing at all. I assume it’s the name of a unit aboard this station. Not unlike other units I’ve been part of.” He was taken aback by the question, but, as in all things, he supposed that there was a reason for the question, “Should I have?” He asked, realizing other questions would follow, as this was an interview.

Well that answer was new... Jack thought. No one had ever come to join the unit without knowing something. The the fact that he had not heard anything would have to place the next question on hold. "The Kingsmen are a unit with some reputation, they are the unit that you are joining. We started as a strike team. The kind of force that would get in, get the job done and get out. However, time and necessity make us who we are now. This unit only takes those who we choose are worthy. There is an initiation of sorts but we will get to that a little later. First allow me to give you a little explanation on how the unit is run. When on an OP or in public the chain of command is to be followed to the utmost. However, behind closed doors especially during briefings we sit the round table. Myself and all my officers sit on the same level and all have a say. Is this something that you can handle Sergeant?"

“Sir, yes Sir.” He responded. “Sir, my history, even when instructing, is to follow orders to the letter. Improvise, adapt, overcome, got that early on with the Raiders. Otherwise, well Sir, I am open to how things are run outside of operations, and as you say, when we might be in public, as in, with the rest of the crew, I expect?”

"You expect correct. I want you to know that in the Kingsmen we do not want people who simply follow orders. Every person in this unit is encouraged to think for themselves and contribute to the final decision. Now if you have no further questions. I will give you the rest of the day off to settle in. However, we muster at 0700 for briefing and physical." Jack smiled, he rather liked the idea of having someone who had never heard of his or this unit's reputation.

"Aye Sir, Thank you, Sir," Faraday said as he got to his feet, stood tall, and snapped a salute. He turned on a heel and marched to the door, which slid open, he stepped out, the door hissing shut behind him, and with that, he breathed a sigh of relief. But then that was common for Lance Faraday, Commanding Officers usually had that effect on him, and for good reason, as far as he was concerned.

The rest of the day off? That should find him locating a berth, maybe checking what the station had to offer, once he was settled. That may well be adventure enough for the first day, but then again, it would all depend on what he found and who he met along the way. And from the looks of things, there would be a lot of beings to meet, human and otherwise for him to meet, both ships company as well as fellow Marines.

Colonel Jack 'BlackJack' Patton
Commanding Officer, The Kingsmen
Executive Officer
Poseidon Station

Sergeant Lance Faraday
Demolitions, The Swords
The Kingsmen
Poseidon Station

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