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current_story:these_are_the_times_part_1 [2023/01/08 00:44] – cromwellcurrent_story:these_are_the_times_part_1 [2023/10/01 01:52] (current) – cromwell
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-====== These Are The Times ======+====== These Are The Times, Part 1 ======
  
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 Their leader is one Lieutenant Commander Hendrix.  He's from a little place back on Earth named Texas, and prides himself on being a descendant from some sort of unique family of shepherds called "bull boys", or something like that.  Hendrix should've been a Starfleet Marine, but I get the impression he's not a fan of the Corps, so he stayed in the military operations branch, becoming a hazard trooper for most of his career.  What he is now, no one really knows, and they're not telling me. Their leader is one Lieutenant Commander Hendrix.  He's from a little place back on Earth named Texas, and prides himself on being a descendant from some sort of unique family of shepherds called "bull boys", or something like that.  Hendrix should've been a Starfleet Marine, but I get the impression he's not a fan of the Corps, so he stayed in the military operations branch, becoming a hazard trooper for most of his career.  What he is now, no one really knows, and they're not telling me.
 \\ \\  \\ \\ 
-He's got a pair of ensigns under him assigned as team leads for two separate squads of about eight enlisted troopers each.  They're all infantry, through and through; not your typical security guards.  They've been training together for a long time and are pretty tight-knit.  They don't really socialize with the rest of the crew.  Every single one of them is human, either by chance or design -- I don't know which.  Republic is supposed to be a diverse crew by Starfleet orders, but these guys have a bond that doesn't leave much room for anyone who's not like "them", and wouldn't you know it?  I'm the ONE person on the ship who's been assigned to work with them.+He's got a pair of ensigns under him assigned as team leads for two separate squads of about eight enlisted troopers each.  They're all infantry, through and through; not your typical security guards.  They've been training together for a long time and are pretty tight-knit.  They don't really socialize with the rest of the crew.  Every single one of them is human, assigned either by chance or design -- I don't know which.  Republic is supposed to be a diverse crew by Starfleet orders, but these guys have a bond that doesn't leave much room for anyone who's not like "them", and wouldn't you know it?  I'm the ONE person on the ship who's been assigned to work with them.
 \\ \\  \\ \\ 
 Hendrix isn't happy about it, which is probably why I've been given a temporary grade reduction to lieutenant for this detached duty.  Even at that rank, a small team like this wouldn't need much more than an enlisted medic.  But for some reason, headquarters sees it necessary for me to be ready to hit the trenches with the rest of these grunts.  Ever since Captain Roth-Dorian handed me these orders, it's been non-stop training, training, and more training.  I've had to re-learn a lot of my basic infantry skills from my own enlistment courses almost two decades ago.  It didn't take me long to remind myself why I went into medicine...// Hendrix isn't happy about it, which is probably why I've been given a temporary grade reduction to lieutenant for this detached duty.  Even at that rank, a small team like this wouldn't need much more than an enlisted medic.  But for some reason, headquarters sees it necessary for me to be ready to hit the trenches with the rest of these grunts.  Ever since Captain Roth-Dorian handed me these orders, it's been non-stop training, training, and more training.  I've had to re-learn a lot of my basic infantry skills from my own enlistment courses almost two decades ago.  It didn't take me long to remind myself why I went into medicine...//
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 It was nighttime, and the rain was coming down in sheets, soaking Leon's black tactical jumpsuit as he lay face down in the mud. It was nighttime, and the rain was coming down in sheets, soaking Leon's black tactical jumpsuit as he lay face down in the mud.
  
-Leon fished his phasor rifle out of the puddle in front of him as the squad of troopers ran past him, their boots splashing water in his face with each step.+Leon fished his phasor rifle out of the puddle in front of him as the squad of troopers ran past, their boots splashing water in his face with each step.
  
-"C'mon, Cromwell!  You're putting us behind schedule!" echoed the angry Texan voice as it moved away from him with the troopers.  "That looks VERY bad on my report!"+"C'mon, Cromwell!  Yer puttin' us behind schedule!" echoed the angry Texan voice as it moved away from him with the troopers.  "That looks VERY bad on my report!"
  
 It took Leon a few more seconds to shake the excess mud off his weapon and check for its operability by tilting it on its side and analyzing the readouts.  He really didn't have to, since Starfleet hand weaponry were designed to handle the most brutal conditions, but his decades-old training on the older Type 3 rifles in the 2260s told him to double check.  As he could hear Hendrix's gruff diatribe to the hazard team down the path, Leon was hesitant to move on before slogging himself out of the muck.  After a moment, he clumsily trotted up to the assembled troopers, taking his place near one of the ensigns who formed the lead end of a squad formation. It took Leon a few more seconds to shake the excess mud off his weapon and check for its operability by tilting it on its side and analyzing the readouts.  He really didn't have to, since Starfleet hand weaponry were designed to handle the most brutal conditions, but his decades-old training on the older Type 3 rifles in the 2260s told him to double check.  As he could hear Hendrix's gruff diatribe to the hazard team down the path, Leon was hesitant to move on before slogging himself out of the muck.  After a moment, he clumsily trotted up to the assembled troopers, taking his place near one of the ensigns who formed the lead end of a squad formation.
  
-"That was PITIFUL!" shouted Hendrix angrily, walking back and forth in front of the line of soldiers standing at attention.  "Absolutely PITIFUL!"  The rain did not let up, and as it collected on the commander's wide-brimmed ranchers hat, it poured off the back in a steady current while he whipped his head from side to side, glaring at each trooper in front of him.  "Your approach to the bunker was slow, your battle wedge formation was broken up in three places, and some idiot blew up the wrong cave!  Who WAS that?  Johnson?" he targeted one of the troops.  "Was it you YOU?  Were YOU the one who tossed that photon grenade in the wrong direction??"+"That was PITIFUL!" shouted Hendrix angrily, walking back and forth in front of the line of soldiers standing at attention.  "Absolutely PITIFUL!"  The rain did not let up, and as it collected on the commander's wide-brimmed ranchers hat, it poured off the back in a steady current while he whipped his head from side to side, glaring at each trooper in front of him.  "Yer approach to the bunker was slow, yer battle wedge formation was broken up in three places, and some idiot blew up the wrong cave!  Who WAS that?  Johnson?" he targeted one of the troops.  "Was it you YOU?  Were YOU the one who tossed that photon grenade in the wrong direction??"
  
 "No sir!" the nervous youth shouted back.  The burly young man was hardly in his late teens, but bore a stolid demeanor. "No sir!" the nervous youth shouted back.  The burly young man was hardly in his late teens, but bore a stolid demeanor.
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 "You pull a stunt like that again and I'll throw you in a hole so deep it'll take someone a MONTH to reach you!  DISMISSED!" "You pull a stunt like that again and I'll throw you in a hole so deep it'll take someone a MONTH to reach you!  DISMISSED!"
  
-Nervously, the assembled soldiers came to attention and began filing out of the holodeck in a column of twos.  As they left, the lieutenant commander turned to the doctor.+Nervously, the assembled soldiers came to attention and began filing out of the holosuite in a column of twos.  As they left, the lieutenant commander turned to the doctor.
  
 "Lieutenant Cromwell," Hendrix called over to Leon.  "A moment please." "Lieutenant Cromwell," Hendrix called over to Leon.  "A moment please."
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 With confusion, Leon turned to look between the departing columns and Hendrix a few times before walking towards the commander, who was already taking a leisurely swagger in his direction. With confusion, Leon turned to look between the departing columns and Hendrix a few times before walking towards the commander, who was already taking a leisurely swagger in his direction.
  
-"I suppose you're wondering what this is all about," he softened his tone as the holodeck doors groaned shut.+"I suppose yer wondering what this is all about," he softened his tone as the holosuite doors groaned shut.
  
 "Now that you mention it..." Leon replied leerily. "Now that you mention it..." Leon replied leerily.
  
-"I'm from the Ess-Oh-Gee," he said quietly, crossing his muscular arms and holding a finger to his chin.  His demeanor remained subdued even though the rain was still muffling their conversation and the rest of the troopers had already left the holodeck.  Why he was acting so covertly remained a mystery. +"I'm from the Ess-Oh-Gee," he said quietly, crossing his muscular arms and holding a finger to his chin.  His demeanor remained subdued even though the rain was still muffling their conversation and the rest of the troopers had already left the holosuite.  Why he was acting so covertly remained a mystery. 
  
 "I don't understand," Leon admitted, clearly at a loss.  "What's the 'SOG'?" "I don't understand," Leon admitted, clearly at a loss.  "What's the 'SOG'?"
  
-"Studies and Observations Group," the commander explained.  "Your captain doesn't know.  I told her we're from the See-Oh-Eee."+"Studies and Observations Group," the commander explained.  "Your captain doesn't know.  I told her I'm from the See-Oh-Eee."
  
 "Corps of Engineers?" Leon completed the acronym himself, causing Hendrix to offer a short nod in confirmation.  "So, you told her you were with the combat engineers?  Why would you do that?  Most of the crew already thinks you're Starfleet Marines." "Corps of Engineers?" Leon completed the acronym himself, causing Hendrix to offer a short nod in confirmation.  "So, you told her you were with the combat engineers?  Why would you do that?  Most of the crew already thinks you're Starfleet Marines."
  
-"Agreed," Hendrix replied slyly.  "Which is exactly what I wanted.  More importantly, it threw off Roth-Dorian and made her think that I'm from the See-Eye-See."+"Agreed," Hendrix replied slyly.  "Which is exactly what I wanted.  More importantly, it threw off Roth-Dorian and made her think I'm from the See-Eye-See."
  
 "The CIC?" Leon asked, even more dumfounded than before.  "Fleet Admiral Kaito's command group to the president?" "The CIC?" Leon asked, even more dumfounded than before.  "Fleet Admiral Kaito's command group to the president?"
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 "Where ARE we going?" Leon responded in an even quieter tone than Hendrix was using, hoping glean a pearl of wisdom from the Texan's subterfuge. "Where ARE we going?" Leon responded in an even quieter tone than Hendrix was using, hoping glean a pearl of wisdom from the Texan's subterfuge.
  
-"It's right up your alley," smiled Hendrix with a grin that bordered on toxic.  A flash of lightning flickered across the sky and reflected off his teeth.  "We're taking you home to Cestus Three, doctor.  We're taking the colony back from the Gorns."+"It's right up yer alley," smiled Hendrix with a grin that bordered on toxic.  A flash of lightning flickered across the sky and reflected off his teeth.  "We're taking you home to Cestus Three, doc.  We're taking the colony back from the Gorns."
  
-The registration of thunder rumbled across the holographic valley as a swelling emotions roiled within Leon.  Strangely, it didn't matter to him anymore that the invasion may have violated some sort of obscure interstellar law or Starfleet directive.  What mattered to him was that he was finally going home... making everything that he had sacrificed up to now worth it.+The registration of thunder rumbled across the holographic valley as a swelling of emotions roiled within Leon.  Strangely, it didn't matter to him anymore that the invasion may have violated some sort of obscure interstellar law or Starfleet directive.  What mattered to him was that he was finally going home... making everything that he had sacrificed up to now worth it.
  
  
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 "Leon, why are you doing this?" Pakita addressed the eight-hundred pound Mugato in the room.  "Why are you bothering to work with Roth-Dorian and Hendrix?  Even Hawk doesn't trust them." "Leon, why are you doing this?" Pakita addressed the eight-hundred pound Mugato in the room.  "Why are you bothering to work with Roth-Dorian and Hendrix?  Even Hawk doesn't trust them."
  
-With an exasperated sigh, the doctors let his head fall back into the headrest of his chair.+With an exasperated sigh, the doctor let his head fall back into the headrest of his chair.
  
-"I TOLD you Maria, I'm not doing this for myself," Leon looked at her with irritation.  "I want to bring my dad home... I'm doing it for HIM."+"I TOLD you Maria, I'm not doing this for MYSELF," Leon looked at her with irritation.  "I want to bring my dad home... I'm doing it for HIM."
  
 "At some point," warned the Republic's ACE soberly.  "They're going to betray you.  Trust me... It WILL happen..." "At some point," warned the Republic's ACE soberly.  "They're going to betray you.  Trust me... It WILL happen..."
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 As the door slid shut, Leon stretched his aching muscles to get himself out of his chair with intensions to head to sickbay and help with battle preparations.  Unfortunately, fate had other plans for him. As the door slid shut, Leon stretched his aching muscles to get himself out of his chair with intensions to head to sickbay and help with battle preparations.  Unfortunately, fate had other plans for him.
  
-=/\= //"Ragnar to Cromwell."// =/\= the comm system beeped to life.+=/\= //"Ragnar to Cromwell"// =/\= the comm system beeped to life.
  
 "Cromwell here, lieutenant," the doctor tapped his combadge.  "Go ahead." "Cromwell here, lieutenant," the doctor tapped his combadge.  "Go ahead."
  
-=/\= //"Commander Hendrix needs you geared up and in transporter room two in five minutes."// =/\=  +=/\= //"Commander Hendrix needs you geared up and in transporter room three in five minutes."// =/\=  
  
 "Acknowledged." "Acknowledged."
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 "He hasn't got hours!" "He hasn't got hours!"
 +
 +//([[current_story:these_are_the_times_part_2|to be continued]])//
  
 **OFF** **OFF**
current_story/these_are_the_times_part_1.1673138661.txt.gz · Last modified: 2023/01/08 00:44 by cromwell

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