Meeting The Cure
Posted on Tue Jun 25th, 2019 @ 7:32am by Major Cornelius Tremble & Corporal Adélaïde Moreau
Edited on on Wed Jun 26th, 2019 @ 12:37am
1,151 words; about a 6 minute read
Mission:
Episode 7 - Home Again
Location: Marine CO Office USS Pioneer Deck 9
Timeline: MD003 1500 hrs
Adélaïde had threw her duffle bag into where she was staying, a bunk bed in a room she'd share with someone she had yet to meet but she was happy to be in new surroundings. Usually as soon as she gets on board she would call her mother but there hadn't been time for that yet and she knew her mom would be sitting be the 'phone'.
The door read '1st Lieutenant Cornelius Tremble, Marine Commanding Officer' and she smiled as she pressed the chime to enter.
Neil sat in his office, working on a brief for the Cure. There was a lot coming to the unit in the near future and his people were going to have to get flexible minded.
At the annunciator, Neil glanced up then considered. "Enter," he called out.
When the Lance Corporal entered and saluted, Neil hunted out a flimsy he'd printed and looked up at her. "At ease, Lance Corporal."
"Thank you sir." Ade relaxed a little and stood at ease. "Lance Corporal Adelaide Moreau, SAR Specialist reporting in. It's an honor to be here Lieutenant." She said with an honest smile.
"It would almost have to be," Neil said deadpan. Tapping the flimsy, he said "Good record. We're glad to have you aboard, Moreau. I have pretty much the standard expectations of my marines and you don't have anything in your jacket indicating problems, so we don't need to go over that."
He dropped the flimsy onto his desk and looked his new lance corporal over. "SAR work is a big bit of our duties aboard the Pioneer; working with damage control parties. As you can see from the state of the Pioneer or if you've seen any of her after action reports, we tend to get a lot of practice in that mission."
"I'll be expecting you to work in hand with Gunny Wilson and I in keeping the rest of our people sharp and up to date with that training. Start thinking about that and we'll work up scenarios for training after all the kiddies get back from shore leave."
Neil paused then and gestured toward the chair opposite his. "Alright, take a pew. That's the official bit out of the way. Now tell me something about yourself and your future goals with the Corp."
Adélaïde moved forward and sat down in front of her new CO, he truly was no nonsense and from the chatter she'd heard she wondered what else was true of him. She admired the attitude, all business was usually her style as well and especially when SAR was in question.
"I don't really have an interesting story sir. I come from a mixed background, my father is French and mother is Irish so I have a unique family I think most of the time. My grandad was the one who made me want to join, Major General Xavier Moreau Sr." she paused for a moment to take breath. "To be honest sir it's a bit of a cliché but I've always wanted to help people, SAR was what I was suited for even before the marines, or so I'm told."
Adélaïde could feel the mans eyes on her. She didn't usually feel pressure but something about opening up about herself made her feel vulnerable. "I was on Lancor IV when their government was decimated and to be honest my goals within the Corps have always been the same. I don't go home until the last person is found, alive or dead. I cant leave souls behind, I just cant. I don't care for rank or privilege, just the responsibility and trust to do what I'm good at. Search and Rescue."
Neil let the silence weigh in the office for a minute, before he said "A noble, easy answer, Corporal. Just keep in mind that rank is a recognition of trust and competence of those non-com's and officers appointed above you. In the corp, we are constantly training for the job of the being ahead of us while training and leading those who follow on behind. So, that means if you're competent enough the goals you told me don't quite match up with the competency your testing suggests. And you wouldn't have been posted to a starship detachment like the Cure if you weren't thought to be more than some-being who is good at treading water."
Neil left his eyes fixed on the Lance Corporals, "I have higher expectations of you then that. I trust the efficiency reports that have been written about you weren't done by bad marines. So, that should give you something to think upon."
"It does sir. I've never thought about it like that before, just always done my job to the best of my ability and let the chips fall where they may." Adélaïde's eyes shifted to the side for a moment as a thought flashed through her mind.
The Lieutenant reminded her of her Grandfather, he pushed her to join the Officers track and she could have... just didn't want too. She felt the Lieutenant was of the same ilk, he'd push her to be better and that made her let out a little smile.
"I know I am capable of more and you'll get that sir. I'll push myself to be the best SAR Specialist you've got."
"Just don't limit yourself with the thoughts of your specialty, Corporal. Keep your mind open to being the best marine you can and don't get comfortable in what's easy, or what you know. One thing that bothered me as a non-com was officer's that didn't listen to the ranks. My door is always open and if you have ideas, gripes, or thoughts beyond what you think the non-com's above you can handle per the chain of command, come see me."
"I wont sir. I promise to keep an open mind to other opportunities and learning platforms to keep myself 'in the loop'. Thank you sir, I have noticed a few closed doors over the years but I am glad you are more progressive. I'm glad we have a former non-com as our commanding officer. You know what it's like, being one of us."
"I do. And it also means I have higher expectations. Alright, Corporal, you're dismissed. Go get settled in and get to know the rest of the Cure."
Adélaïde gave a small smile, stood and saluted her new boss. "I wont let you down sir." she said as she turned and walked out the room.
It was time to meet her new family.
A Joint Post By
First Lieutenant Cornelius Tremble
Marine Commanding Officer, USS Pioneer
Lance Corporal Adélaïde Moreau
SAR Specialist, USS Pioneer
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