This isn't duty

Posted on Sun Jul 24th, 2011 @ 10:11pm by Master Sergeant John Deal & Captain Jackson Hawkins & Senior Chief Petty Officer Delilah Nethercutt
Edited on on Mon Jul 25th, 2011 @ 2:31am

1,186 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Winds of Change
Location: Captains Waiting Room/ Office
Timeline: Prior to Hawkins/Von Hackleberg post

ON:

John was mentally kicking himself in the ass. Some how his name had popped up on the roster to stand guard at the new Captains office, something he was sure wouldn't happen to the Colonel. The new Yeoman was older than expected, and had an almost school teacher look to the way that she worked on files.

"Who did I anger this time," John muttered to himself.

Delilah smiled pleasantly. "Well I wouldn't assume there was a need for anger to get assigned to the Captain."

John chuckled and looked over. "We placed this position... as a punishment Senior Chief. So I was wondering what I did down on Exeter that had me pull this duty."

"Well then I'm the twit that opted for this position voluntarily and you're considering it punishment. I wouldn't worry much about your actions on Exeter Master Sergeant, I would worry about my sanity." Delilah grinned slightly as she glanced at a few items on her monitor.

"Then you're one crazy old Broad," John said out of the corner of his mouth before snapping to, and saluting with the Combat shotgun he held. "Good morning Sir."

Jackson strolled into the office complex with a scowl on his face.

"Tough day Jackie?" Delilah quizzed, giving a wry wink towards the Marine.

The Captain looked towards the Marine. "At ease." Quickly refocusing his attention on Delilah he continued. "Yes, it is." The man sighed. "Seems like there is always something wrong."

"That could be any number of reasons Sir," John said standing stock still. "Some could be because of changes in command, old tensions coming to head, and about a thousand other reasons. Sometimes it's something as simple as a hundred thousand newly battle hardened Marines coming home and being told to act as if everything was normal."

Hawkins returned his attention to Deal. "Elaborate." To be honest the Captain was a bit taken aback that the Marine would have the audacity to use such a tone without so much as being asked for coffee, let alone the man's opinion of his command style.

"Out of the men and women that returned home, over ninety percent of them were fresh from Basic," John said, still staring ahead, at the position of attention. "They have never seen war before, just what is simulated. They had never known the terrible power it is to kill someone, and then they were sent to Exeter. Fighting the Breen was enough to make anyone wonder what was going on. These children that were turned into men," John swallowed, knowing he was walking a fine line. "Are now asked to behave as if nothing happened, and they are no longer the innocents they once were. It would be the position of any one else that a battalion of headshrinkers would be called in to help these people."

John looked at the Captain feeling his age. "It may also help if they were given something to do, to help keep their mind off of what they just had to do, witness, and leave behind. The eight platoon had made a few friends in the EDF, and they feel like you made them abandon those people. If I had the permission to speak freely, I would feel the same way too... Captain."

Hawkins gritted his teeth. "In my office Sergeant. Now." Hawk walked into his office, even more frustrated with the Marine.

John winked to the older woman, grinning, then set himself as hard as stone. Grabbing the weapon he turned quickly and followed, stepping just inside the door and slapping the butt of the rifle down on the floor, snapping to rigid attention. He could feel the door close behind him, and it almost sounded like his grave closing.

"I can't say that I'm really surprised that you got assigned to me. I have a feeling that someone wants you punished or gone. And with that little display out there," Hawk raised his arm pointing towards the outer office. "I can't say that I blame them." Hawkins turned to pour himself a glass of water, trying to calm down before blowing a full head-gasket. "Sergeant, I don't know what the Colonel allows you to get away with, but I would be shocked if he tolerated the same sort of outburst in front of others." Hawkins paused for a moment, took a drink of water and moved to sit behind his desk. "If you think for one minute that I tolerate that sort of behavior, you are sorely mistaken. I don't expect you to understand the rationale for my decisions, and frankly, you don't have to understand. All that is required of you Sergeant is to follow orders. If you have a problem with the methodology the Colonel is using to manage the post-conflict situation, you take those matters to him. Bringing them to me and subverting his authority is inappropriate. If you still feel that the Colonel has not properly exercised his authority, you can lodge a formal complaint. There is a process Sergeant, and making smart remarks to the CO outside his office is not the method of getting things done." Hawk took a deep breath. "So you're telling me that the Colonel has not provided for counseling services? That is a problem. I cannot help the fact that you made buddies there. Sometimes Sergeant, we don't like the outcomes associated with our orders. I can tell you first hand as a veteran of the Dominion War, occasionally our duty is to lump it."

"Permission to speak freely, and without possibility of reproach Sir," John said simply.

"Quickly." Hawk nodded.

"Lumping isn't the problem, nor are the Marine head shrinkers, but I don't know if you've ever dealt with one of those. They are the type of people to throw the tissue box at you, call you a cry baby, and then berate you even more for showing weakness. What we need is fleeties. At least they care half way what happens. I have a full platoon on suicide watch as it is Captain." John took a breath and continued. "I'd show you what the Marines do, if I weren't so happy to be out of the brig."

Hawk nodded, granting some understanding. "I will explore the possibility of freeing up fleet psychiatric staff. If it is possible, I will make them available to the Colonel, but it's generally not my policy to run over the head of the Marines on my station. He didn't become a Colonel and the head of my detachment by accident."

"I agree," John said with a nod. "But sometimes the Officers don't know what it's like to be one of us. The young guy, the recruit, the man or woman that just left their mother and father months ago. Sometimes, Sir, Officers forget what it's like that first time someone that you knew would protect you if it came to it, dies in your arms."

"Crewman Diana Garza, USS Lakota" Hawk paused. "Not all of us forget..."

__________

Captain Jackson Hawkins
Commanding Officer
Starbase Typhon

Master Sergeant John Deal
First Sergeant
Starbase Typhon

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