Face of the Team Lead

Posted on 26 Oct 2014 @ 10:19am by Major Richard Sharpe & Captain Darren Bishop

1,021 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: M12: For Duty or Honor
Location: USS Achilles Marine Country
Timeline: tbd

Darren waited as the turbolift whisked him to his desired destination. There was still discomfort in his back, but the doctor's assured him that it would pass. The events at the refugee camp disturbed him, more so, the loss of his friend and old comrade Vardilan. He had been waiting for a new posting since the Draconis crew was reassigned. He stepped through the doors as they slid open and found himself on familiar ground.

Making his way through the decks, he looked for the Commanding officer trying to get a gauge for how the man ran his company.

Sharpe was in his office, preparing everything for the upcoming mission. The roster was tight, and with a shortage of officers, he was trying to make do with non-coms to fill vital positions. It was going to be a long mission, that was for damn sure.

The marines were working on a myriad of assignments given to them by their squad leaders. Training, weapons maintenance all standard. Seeing them brought back memories of his time on Obsidian Colony.

'Those were good soldiers.' He thought to himself. 'Especially Vasili.' He chuckled to himself at the memory of his gruff Russian master sergeant. He came to a halt in front of the Marine CO's office and tapped the chime.

"Come." Richard replied, absently. His focus really wasn't on the door, but on the reports and paperwork he was trying to organize. People came and went all the time in this office, and he'd really stopped paying it much attention.

Darren stepped in as the doors slid open and came to full attention. "Captain Darren Bishop, reporting sir." He said sharply.

"Bishop eh?" Sharpe asked, raising his head to have a look. "New transfer right? Take a seat, Captain, have a load off."

"Yes sir." Darren said coming out of attention and taking a seat. " The admiral enlisted me while in sickbay. I was at the refugee camp when it was attacked, sir."

Sharpe nodded and picked up a PADD he'd earlier discarded. "So, you're here to take over the Recon unit as her OIC?"

"That's what I was told, sir." Darren nodded.

Sharpe browsed through the man's service jacket as they sat there. "Says here you were enlisted, and made the jump to commissioned after you made Master Sergeant. Any specific reason for that?" He asked, curious. Being officer candidate school all the way, he was always curious about OCS from the ranks.

"I watched too many people die from commanders who lacked practical experience in the field, sir." Darren explained. "I decided that having a non com with experience go up the ranks would do some good rather than not."

"Always a wise decision." Sharpe agreed. "So, why the change to the Achilles? You were posted to the Draconis prior to this and Obsidian Colony prior to that. Problems in those commands?"

"No sir. The senior staff of Obsidian Colony was transferred to the USS Draconis. We weren't there long when the word that we'd be distributed amongst postings in the fleet came down the line. My transfer to the Achilles was more of a field appointment than it was from command." Darren said. "I was visiting an old comrade in arms at the refugee camp when the attack came."

"Any experience with the Recon element of marine corps operations?" Sharpe asked.

"A few years." Darren nodded. "Though the last few years, I've found myself attached to standard units despite my sniper training."

"Well, as Recon OIC, your role will be more supervisory than active participation. That's what the team-leaders are for." Sharpe explained. "You'll be in charge of both of Alpha and Omega Teams, with their respective team Sergeants reporting to you. In a large scale operation, you'd be deployed as the active field commander, but for localised missions, you'd be running the mission from the ship. Can you accept that?"

Darren nodded his head. "I can sir. Do we have a dedicated operations room?" He asked.

"Marine Operations located here on this deck." Sharpe replied. "That's both general marine operations, and Recon."

"Ah, that's very convenient, sir." Darren smiled. "The Admiral told me that you might require my services as executive officer? Is that still true?"

"For the time being, I'd like you to perform both functions, if you don't mind." Sharpe replied. "You're the only other commissioned officer in the detachment, apart from myself."

"Very good sir. I shall get myself familiar with the company and your standing orders." He nodded. "Am I to prepare physical training and combat training schedules as well?"

Sharpe nodded. "Also keep in mind that the Admiral has left standing orders that marine units are to be rotated into security on a week-by-week basis. Make sure you speak with Sergeant Major Valenz about that."

"Understood, sir." Darren nodded. "Does the Recon unit often partake in training with the company or separately?"

"Yes and No." Sharpe replied, carefully. "I have instructed more integrated training, but a lot of what the recon units do is specialized, so that training is done individually. But I do want both the regular units and the recon to be able to co-ordinate, and I feel the best way to achieve that mesh is to train together in specific areas."

"Of course sir," Darren nodded. "If I may, I may have some new tactics strategies that could improve the coordination of both groups. With your permission I'd like to write up a training plan."

That brought a smile to the marine CO. "By all means, Captain. Submit it, and I'll certainly review it and give it serious thought. New outlooks on problems are always appreciated."

"Thank you sir." Darren nodded. "Are there any other specific things you'd like me to do?"

"Well, unless you're volunteering to clean the head, no, I think that's all Captain." Richard chuckled.

Darren chuckled and nodded. "I shall leave that for the bottom performing squads in our combat trials sir."

"Carry on, Captain." Sharpe smirked, and dismissed his newest... and only... officer.

"Thank you sir." Darren nodded as he stood, giving him a crisp salute.

 

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