Blades Posted February 8, 2000 Report Share Posted February 8, 2000 Just so I donÔÇÖt get stale while working on the update of Preemptive Strike, IÔÇÖve decided to Post something of a brief follow up story to properly introduce some of the Orion Commanders and put to bed the rumor that Fleet Commander Blades is a bumbling fool.ItÔÇÖs a tad different from my usual approach, and is in a much more serious vein.The story is, in part, tied in to the Wargames scenario. It borrows from events described in that story (Specifically the Gammulan War) and takes part shortly after things begin to quiet down.It is only a brief episode, so donÔÇÖt expect it to be of the same size as my usual rantings.Enjoy.Location : Orion Starstation, Office of Fleet Commander Savage Stardate 12.25.3005, 1730hrsÔÇ£Merry Christmas.ÔÇØ Queitly said Savage, offering a toast to himself with the glass of still water held loosly in his hand. He took a sip, tilted his head back, and with his other hand, dropped a small capsel into his open mouth. Quickly he swallowed, felt the gelletine pill descend down his throat and allowed a little time for the stimulant to kick in to liven up his weary body and mind.Moments later when his office door chimmed, he began to feel the weariness dissipate from his weakened body. He rubbed his eyes, then half heartedly began to straighten his tunic before giving up and called for the door to open.Leutenant Reynolds, the recently assigned chief of station communications hobbled through the Fleet Commanders office door and saluted his superior.Savage half returned the gesture with a wave of his hand, and forced a smile to the young Leutenant. ÔÇ£As you were Pete. IÔÇÖm too tired to adhere to protocol.ÔÇØÔÇ£Aye, sir.ÔÇØ Replied Reynolds sympathetically. ÔÇ£If you donÔÇÖt mind me saying so, you look terrible, sir.ÔÇØSavage smiled, and involunterily his mind drifted back a few years to a time where he knew he looked worse. ÔÇ£This is nothing. You should have seen me at my bachelor party.ÔÇØReynolds reguarded him quizically. ÔÇ£You were married, sir?ÔÇØSavage scoffed. ÔÇ£Hell no. The morning after the party, I awoke with a new found appreciation for being single.ÔÇØReynolds grinned. ÔÇ£I bet your fiance wasnÔÇÖt very impressed with your sudden change of heart.ÔÇØÔÇ£I didnÔÇÖt stick around to find out. That same afternoon I signed on with GalCom and spent the next 15 years hiding in requisitions.ÔÇØÔÇ£If you donÔÇÖt mind me saying so, sir, it sounds a little extreme running off and joining the Navy just to avoid facing your fiance.ÔÇØSavage shook his head. ÔÇ£Oh god no, she was terrible. A real shrew and ugly as a mutts butt. The worst thing was, I only got involved with her originally as part of a drunken dare. Little did I know she was the daughter of a very prominent head of state at the time. Before I knew what was going on, we were getting married, rubbing shoulders with all sorts of important people ÔǪ.. it was really messy.ÔÇØReynolds scratched his head. ÔÇ£I still donÔÇÖt understand why you wouldnÔÇÖt just tell her though, sir. I mean, how bad could it have been?ÔÇØSavage frowned, and failed to surpress a shudder. ÔÇ£Lets just say, the family wouldnÔÇÖt have been too impressed at seeing their dear daughter jilted at the last minute. The last guy that did that ended up as reactor shielding somwhere.ÔÇØReynolds looks horrified. ÔÇ£Oh god, thatÔÇÖs terrible!ÔÇØSavage nodded vigerously. ÔÇ£Yeah, and in that example, she wasnÔÇÖt even that keen on the guy!ÔÇØÔÇ£Are you not worried that one day they might catch up with you? Especially now as you are a well known public figure.ÔÇØSavage shook his head. ÔÇ£Not really. I changed my name the day I enlisted. During my time at GalCom HQ, I systematically eradicated every trace of my former life. Simon Murry ceased to exist.ÔÇØÔÇ£Ah, Simon Murry, sir?ÔÇØÔÇ£I always wanted to be a Karl Savage.ÔÇØ Said the Fleet Commander. ÔÇ£Up until that episode, IÔÇÖd never had an excuse to go ahead and do it.ÔÇØReynolds nodded. ÔÇ£But your face, sir. Isnt it possible that your fianceÔÇÖs family will recognise you through the holovids.ÔÇØÔÇ£Unlikely,ÔÇØ started Savage. ÔÇ£since they were all killed a few years ago while en route to the Vesperon homeworld for some state affair or something.ÔÇØFor a moment, Reybolds looked visably appaled. Then, as he noticed the wicked grin spreading over the Fleet Commanders face, his expression changed to one of embarissed relief.ÔÇ£Is any of that story true, sir?ÔÇØSavages grin broke into a laugh. ÔÇ£More than IÔÇÖm willing to admit, Pete. Lets just say I do whatever I can to stay away from Earth these days.ÔÇØReynolds shook his head, but remained smiling. ÔÇ£Aye sir, understood.ÔÇØÔÇ£Anyway,ÔÇØ started Savage, pushing the brief, yet ammusing distraction from his duties aside. ÔÇ£what can I do for you, Leutenant?ÔÇØÔÇ£Status reports from the Tsunami Battle Group, sir. Hard copies, as requested.ÔÇØÔÇ£Ah, yes.ÔÇØ Said Savage, leaning towards Reynolds without getting up from his chair and extending an arm to receive them.Reynolds took a step forward and handed them to him. ÔÇ£And you are due for a conference call with Fleet Commander Bishop at GHQ at 1900hrs.ÔÇØSavage sighed. Great, yet another earbashing from Bishop. Just what I need right now.ÔÇ£Are we expecting any more ion interference in the stations vicinity within the next couple of hours?ÔÇØÔÇ£IÔÇÖm afraid not, sir.ÔÇØÔÇ£Damn.ÔÇØ Said Savage. ÔÇ£There wouldnÔÇÖt be a cloaked invasion force standing by to attack us, by any chance? Or maybe a spacial anomoly threatening to rip open the fabric of space/time that needs investigating?ÔÇØReynolds shook his head. ÔÇ£Sorry sir, everything is green. No anomolies, no invasion forces, no ion storms. YouÔÇÖre going to have to talk to him this time.ÔÇØSavage groaned. ÔÇ£All he ever does it criticise me. Always points out how un-millitaristic I am and constantly questions my competance. ItÔÇÖs unnerving.ÔÇØÔÇ£If I may, heÔÇÖs just pissed at you because you were assigned command of Orion instead of him. And he only questions your abilities the way he does because he knows that despite your rather, uh, unauthordox methodology in running the fleet, you have done a very respectable job.ÔÇØSavage frowned at his junior officer. ÔÇ£You think?ÔÇØÔÇ£Yes sir, without doubt. Orion was a shambles before you got here. Your own brand of reorganisation has brought the fleet back from the brink of being scrapped in the year youÔÇÖve been in command. You should be proud.ÔÇØSavage mulled it over. It sounded reasonable enough as far as explanations went. And yes, he had done a bang up job as far as reorganisation was concerned. Still, Bishop was a constant nuscience.ÔÇ£I just wish heÔÇÖd go and pester Tac for a change. That guy gets away with murder, and I cant even send a ship out on patrol without getting hell from the miserable git.ÔÇØÔÇ£If itÔÇÖs any consolation sir, itÔÇÖs his job to liase between the active Fleet Commanders and the Supreme Commander. HeÔÇÖs paid to be, uh, a git. IÔÇÖm sure all the other fleet commanders have a reason to grumble about him.ÔÇØSavage folded his arms and put on his best pout face. ÔÇ£ThatÔÇÖs not the point. IÔÇÖm being picked on.ÔÇØReynolds grinned. ÔÇ£I wouldnÔÇÖt let commander Polovoski see you pulling that face. You know what sheÔÇÖll say.ÔÇØÔÇ£Brrrrrrrr!ÔÇØ said Savage, in a mock shudder. ÔÇ£I donÔÇÖt want to think about it. When is the GCV-McKendrick due back, anyway?ÔÇØReynolds quickly accessed his datapad, and pulled up a list of assignment details and return estimates. ÔÇ£Providing she doesnÔÇÖt run into anything unexpected on her way back, she should dock by 2100hrs on the 27th.ÔÇØSavage nodded. ÔÇ£Schedule a meeting for the morning after her return.ÔÇØReynolds took note. ÔÇ£Anything else sir?ÔÇØSavage again rubbed his weary eyes, and failed to surpress a small yawn. ÔÇ£No, that will be all Leutenant.ÔÇØReynolds nodded, and began to turn away to leave the Fleet Commanders office. ÔÇ£Sir?ÔÇØSavage looked up into his junior officers face. ÔÇ£Is there something else?ÔÇØÔÇ£Well, theres a new Jazz band playing in the lounge tonight, sir. I hear they are pretty good. I was wonderin, youÔÇÖve got some time before you have the conference call with Bishop, why not take a break and clear your head?ÔÇØSavage sighed. He didnÔÇÖt really have the time, and he still had to read over the Tsunami Battle Group status reports, but he hadnt eaten, sleapt or done anything other than administer the Orion monster for close to 36 hours. The stims kept him going, but didnÔÇÖt give him a chance just to ÔÇÿmellowÔÇÖ for a little while.ÔÇ£IÔÇÖll take it under advisement.ÔÇØ Said Savage, offering a weary smile to Reynolds. ÔÇ£Thanks for the suggestion.ÔÇØReynolds smiled back. ÔÇ£Any time, sir.ÔÇØWith that, the head of station communications left the office and resumed his duties.Savage pondered what to do next. ------------------ F.C KARL 'BLADES' SAVAGE ORION FLEET TSUNAMI BATTLE GROUP GCV - TSUNAMI Ôäó www.orion-hq.fsnet.co.uk 'For Queen and country'[This message has been edited by Blades (edited 02-07-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blades Posted February 8, 2000 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2000 Location : GCV - McKendrick, Centris Status: En route to Orion Starstation Stardate 12.26.3005, 1830hrsIn the 15 months since Neena Polovoski had been promoted to the command of a Battle Cruiser, she had never felt so weary of her duties. True, the GCV ÔÇô McKendrick was still undergoing itÔÇÖs shakedown cruise, and as a result, was still experiencing all the little bugs that plagued every new ship, but this was starting to get rediculous.The McKendrick was at itÔÇÖs commision, state of the art. Fully upgraded with the finest equipment, materials and tactical systems available. It was easily one of the most advanced ships in the GalCom fleet, but even a ship as advanced as the McKendrick shouldnÔÇÖt experience the volume of hitches that it was.She was starting to feel as if he had been given command of an advanced dud.If all the technical problems were not troublesome enough, she had been on restricted patrol duty since hostilities had broken out with the Gammulans. She hadnt seen so much as a single engagement since the Chikuma incident.Neena figured that a lot of it was political. The actions of her and the original crew of the Chikuma had become something of modern day legend, and since she was reguarded as a symbol to the common man, putting her in the line of fire wasnÔÇÖt considered a very good idea by command. In an uncertain galaxy, a symbol of hope was a greater asset than another ship in a warzone. At least, thatÔÇÖs how she believed command saw it.Makes me mad as hell! Thought Neena. IÔÇÖm no legend, IÔÇÖm just another officer doing her duty. If command really wants a symbol, why not put me on the front line to bolster moral?ItÔÇÖs because yourÔÇÖre a *****! Said the other voice in her head. YouÔÇÖre no hero, and command knows it. Joe public back home might regard you as being special, but every officer in the fleet knows you were just lucky.Neena brushed aside these conflicting thoughts, and decided to retire to her quarters and review the most recent system break down reports. At least there, she wouldnÔÇÖt have the constant reminder that she was just playing a galactic game of join the dots, going from one assigned waypoint to another, always evading enemy patrols, hot zones and anything of potential interest to her and the crew.It was almost too depressing to think about, and even the prospect of relaxing in her plush commanders quarters could do little to aleviate her boredom or brighten her mood. Still, at the very least she could sleep. If she was lucky, she could go undisturbed until they reached Fleet Headquaters. A quick debriefing from Savage and then a weeks needed R&R for herself and crew.ÔÇ£Jensen, you have the bridge.ÔÇØ Said Neena as she got up from her command chair.The McKendricks executive officer and helmsman acknowledged and gave up her console to a junior officer.ÔÇ£IÔÇÖll alert you of any changes, commander.ÔÇØ Said Jensen, making her way over to the vacant command chair.Neena nodded at her and left the bridge without another word.Reports, then sleep. She thought. Debrief, then debauche.When she was gone, a hushed conversation broke out between the Tactical officer and Ailsa Strang, the ships navigator.ÔÇ£The commander looks bored.ÔÇØ Said Broek, leaning over from his console.ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖre all bored.ÔÇØ Said Ailsa, not turning her attention away from the navitron readout she was pretending to study. ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖve been bored for the last 12 months.ÔÇØLeutenant Broek murmered something and pulled back over his console. Ailsa rounded on him. ÔÇ£What did you say?ÔÇØ she asked sternly.Broek shook his head. ÔÇ£Nothing, sir.ÔÇØÔÇ£That didnÔÇÖt sound like ÔÇÿnothingÔÇÖ to me.ÔÇØ Said Jensen, who had quietly stepped up behind the Tactical officer.Broek turned to face Jensen, then back to Ailsa. He suddenly felt very uncomfortable being the only male on a predominantly female bridge.Oh shit, this cant be good.ÔÇ£Well, sirs ÔǪ ItÔÇÖs just that when I applied for this position, I wanted to be where the action was. Where experienced vets such as yourselves would make a difference. And so far, all we have done is limp around the quadrent, occasionally picking up a diplomatic party or wandering colonists and not a lot else. I mean, this ship is meant to be crewed by experienced comabt vets, and since IÔÇÖve been here all weÔÇÖve done is turn tail and run away at the first sign of a Gammulan or Raider ship.ÔÇØÔÇ£Uh huh.ÔÇØ Said Jensen. ÔÇ£So our assignment bothers you, ensign?ÔÇØ ÔÇ£Well, yes sir.ÔÇØ Said Broek. ÔÇ£I guess it does. I mean, how much shakedown time do we need?ÔÇØJensen sighed and nodded at the Tactical officer. ÔÇ£I understand what you mean Darren, but we have our orders.ÔÇØÔÇ£Our orders suck, sir.ÔÇØJensen smiled at him. ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖre not in the habit of questioning our assigned orders, ensign. We do as we are told, just like everyone else.ÔÇØÔÇ£But not every ship is told to avoid every combat situation that comes along, sir.ÔÇØJensen shrugged. ÔÇ£Like I said, everyone has their orders. The Fleet Commander has made it very clear that he doesnÔÇÖt want us to get our feet wet, so we steer clear of puddles.ÔÇØÔÇ£Hrumph. The Fleet Commander is a buerocrat. He doesnÔÇÖt understand what itÔÇÖs like to actually be out here.ÔÇØÔÇ£ThatÔÇÖs a bit harsh.ÔÇØ Said Ailsa. ÔÇ£He might not be the most experienced officer in the fleet, but heÔÇÖs spent a good number of years in the field.ÔÇØÔÇ£Yeah, but heÔÇÖs no Foss or Gallion. What has he ever done to deserve being put in charge of an entire fleet?ÔÇØJensen thought for a moment before responding to his question. Although a lot of what he said made sense, he was ignoring the most blatant point.ÔÇ£Broek, after Stiles virtually totalled the fleets logistical and administrative infrostructure during his defection, the fleet virtually fell to pieces. Command needed someone to take over and put things back in order, and although the choice was strongly contested by several senior commanders, Savage had the administrative background neccesary to salvage things. And he did. Now, as far as what he did to deserve it, thatÔÇÖs probably more to do with politics than anyone is willing to admit. The TsunamiÔÇÖs involvement with the incident last year brought him to the attention of command, as well as the public. So, his assignment to take command of the Orion fleet was both a good idea as far as rescuing the fleet was concerned, as well as excellent PR.ÔÇØÔÇ£I can understand that.ÔÇØ Said Broek. ÔÇ£But now the fleets been stabalised, wouldnÔÇÖt it make better sense to assign a more experienced field commander?ÔÇØJensen shrugged. ÔÇ£Probably, but that would be political suicide. The public are still very much enamered with him. Cutting him off now wouldnÔÇÖt go down to well with the folks back home.ÔÇØÔÇ£Besides,ÔÇØ added Ailsa. ÔÇ£the fleets losses to the Gammulans havent been as bad as projected, so he seems to be half capable of leading the fleet during wartime.ÔÇØBroek scoffed. ÔÇ£That will be Hamblin, I tell you. Everyone knows heÔÇÖs the real strategist in the Orion Fleet.ÔÇØÔÇ£Rubbish.ÔÇØ Said Jensen. ÔÇ£IÔÇÖm sure he helps with the fleets deployment and mission planning, but itÔÇÖs always been up to the fleet commander to make the big calls. If he wasnÔÇÖt up to the job, he would have been replaced ages ago.ÔÇØÔÇ£Yeah well,ÔÇØ continued Broek. ÔÇ£you do hear things.ÔÇØJensen decided it was time to end this discussion. It was one thing to have grumbles against policy, but attacking the man directly and voicing his opinions to others wasnÔÇÖt sensible, espechially in times of war.ÔÇ£Well, next time you hear something like that, ensign, keep it to yourself. And I suggest you donÔÇÖt go expressing your opinion to anyone else. That kind of talk can be dangerous, and the last thing the fleet needs is itÔÇÖs confidence in itÔÇÖs C.O to be undermined. Is that understood?ÔÇØBroek nodded in acknowledgement. He wasnÔÇÖt used to being chastised, especially by the executive officer. ÔÇ£Perfectly, sir.ÔÇØJensen retook the command chair, and stared into the vast bridge viewscreen. Within moments, boredom overtook her again. Like Neena, she longed for real duty. She could do without desperate life or death struggles, but a minor skirmish, perhaps even an internal emergency or something would be welcome. Then again, they were only a few short hours from the Orion starstation, and 7 days of welcome R&R. Perhaps it would be better to ride out the boredome for the time being. An emergency of sorts could be fashioned after shore leave was over.ÔÇ£Garren? Whats our ETA at Fleet Headquaters?ÔÇØLorane Garren, the GCV ÔÇô McKendricks chief of communications spun in her chair and faced the executive officer. ÔÇ£At present course and speed, we should arrive within 27 hours.ÔÇØAilsa, at the navigation console began to make some quick calculations. ÔÇ£Sir?ÔÇØ she offered. ÔÇ£If we increase speed to maximum, we could shave 6 hours off the travel time. We could arrive in time for happy hour at the GalCom lounge.ÔÇØJensen smirked. ÔÇ£We could do that, but I think we will be breaking some shakedown regulation or something.ÔÇØÔÇ£Oh, without doubt. The chief will be mad as hell, and the admin guys back at the ship yards will be spittin nails at us for a month.ÔÇØÔÇ£And we wouldnÔÇÖt want that, now would we Ailsa?ÔÇØAilsa smiled. ÔÇ£Hell no, sir. We would not want that.ÔÇØJensen chuckled and shook her head. ÔÇ£Very well. Helm, increase speed to maximum.ÔÇØÔÇ£Aye sir!ÔÇØ said the young ensign who had replaced her at helm.ÔÇ£Just one thing Ailsa.ÔÇØ Said Jensen.Ailsa swivveled in her seat. ÔÇ£Yes, sir?ÔÇØJensen beamed. ÔÇ£You get to buy the first round.ÔÇØAilsa returned her seat to itÔÇÖs normal position. ÔÇ£Figures.ÔÇØ She said. ------------------ F.C KARL 'BLADES' SAVAGE ORION FLEET TSUNAMI BATTLE GROUP GCV - TSUNAMI Ôäó www.orion-hq.fsnet.co.uk 'For Queen and country'[This message has been edited by Blades (edited 02-08-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blades Posted February 9, 2000 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2000 Location : Orion Starstation, Galcom Lounge Stardate : 12.26.3005, 2315hrsLong day, thought commander James Hamblin as he sipped his chilled drink and looked across the crowded lounge. Even longer night, hopefully, his mind added after viewing the attractive and well proportioned female comms officer from the GCV ÔÇô Deliverence giving him the once over.Right, got to play this cool. Smile gently, but not too enthusiastically. Let the eyes soften, but allow a look of weariness to shine through. Now, lower the head slightly, look embarised, but not too shy. Eyes up again . . . thatÔÇÖs it! SheÔÇÖs smiling now, playing with her non regulation hair .. smile a little more and .. bingo! Here she comes!Hamblin watched as the goddess of communications began to saunter over towards his solitary table. He watched her figure intently, but tried not to make it too obvious. He noticed things about the way she walked, wiggled, deftly stepped that sent a spurt of adrenalin surging through his body.This is good, he thought to himself. This is very, very good.Suddenly, the goddess stopped in her tracks. Her smile vanished, and just as abruptly, she turned on the spot and returned to where she had been previously.Puzzled, Hamblin looked around himself in an effort to determine what had so suddenly changed her mind to come over and talk to him.Inwardly, Hamblin groaned as his eyes settled on the only reasonable explanation as to why she had suddenly bolted.ÔÇ£Ah, good evening, sir.ÔÇØKarl Savage stepped up and nodded towards him. ÔÇ£Evening, James.ÔÇØ He said, taking the spare seat and resting his arms in front of him on the table. ÔÇ£Having a good night?ÔÇØI was about to!ÔÇ£Uh, yes sir.ÔÇØ He responded, while trying to peer past the Fleet Commander at his goddess.ÔÇ£Hows the ship?ÔÇØ asked Savage as he summoned a waiter to quickly take his order.Hamblin didnÔÇÖt really hear him. He was too busy being mortified at the sudden appearance of a taller, darker and more handsome young officer crack a joke at the woman of his dreams. What was worse, it seemed to have been a bloody good one.ÔÇ£James?ÔÇØHamblin snapped back. ÔÇ£Uh, the ship? Oh! The ship! Ah, repairs are almost complete, sir. The chief has assured me everything will be at full operational capacity within the next 24 hours.ÔÇØSavage nodded a smile at his executive officer, and then attended to the waiter who had arrived to take his order.Hamblin too this oppurtunity to stare past the Fleet Commander again, and was appaled to find the tall, young and better looking officer buying the goddess a drink.This guys going to be a problem, he thought. If I could only make our his ships insignia, I could probably have someone in operations recall him back to his ship.Hamblin briefly considered the morality of having the off duty officer recalled back to his ship just so he would get a second chance with the goddess, but dismissed his misgivings immediately after viewing him touch her gently on the hand.The guys toast, he thought to himself. But first I have to get rid of Savage.It wasnÔÇÖt as if he had a problem with his commanding officer or anything, in fact, he considered Savage to be one of his closets friends. It was just that the Fleet Commander had the uncanny knack of always being in the wrong place at the wrong time, at least where he was concerned.Somehow, Savage had sabotaged three separate dates, two birthday partys and even a scheduled video conference with his folks back home. And that was just in the last month!However, for all his apparent faults, he had given James Hamblin a chance to really make a difference in the Orion Fleet. He had been promoted above several other more likely officers to the position of Orion exec, and despite the tremendous workload the responsibility incured, it had been the single biggest boost to his career he had ever received.So, he couldnÔÇÖt really begrudge the guys accidental, if infuriating poor timing, even if it did mean missing out with the GalCom Lounges goddess.Or could I?ÔÇ£So, is there anything I can do for you Fleet Commander?ÔÇØSavage grimmaced. ÔÇ£You can start by not calling me Fleet Commander when weÔÇÖre not on duty.ÔÇØHamblin nodded. ÔÇ£Ok, is there anything I can do for you, Karl?ÔÇØSavage shook his head. ÔÇ£No, that still sounds too official. You trying to get rid of me or something, James?ÔÇØHamblin felt his stomach tighten. Perhaps he had sounded a little too curt.ÔÇ£Ah, not at all Karl. I mean ÔǪ. Ah, ..ÔÇØÔÇ£What?ÔÇØ demanded Savage. Hamblin decided that the truth was better than a hammed up falsehood. Besides, the Fleet Commander could appreciate his objective. Despite it being somewhat innapropriate for a senior officer to be chasing women around the station, it didnÔÇÖt stop it going on. And as far as Hamblin understood it, Fleet Commander Savage was just about as innapropriate as they come.ÔÇ£Why do you think they call me Blades?ÔÇØ he had remarked with a sly grin one drunken night, just before leaving with a rather large female officer from the GCV ÔÇô Obenbone.Hamblin didnÔÇÖt really want to know.ÔÇ£Well sir,ÔÇØ started hamblin, leaning past Savage and casually gesturing with a nod of his head.Savage casually turned, looking gingerly around the room and trying not to look too obvious. When his eyes settled on what must have been the correct target, he found himself inwardly growling.ÔÇ£See what I mean?ÔÇØ said Hamblin.ÔÇ£Oh yes, indeed I do.ÔÇØ Said the Fleet Commander without turning back. ÔÇ£I see perfectly, perfectly well in fact. Oh yes.ÔÇØHamblin cleared his throat. ÔÇ£Sir?ÔÇØSavage turned back. ÔÇ£Hmm? Oh, oh right.ÔÇØHamblin smiled at him. ÔÇ£So, if theres nothing else you need of me ÔǪ.. ?ÔÇØSavage nodded. ÔÇ£Right you are James. I was, ah, just stopping by to drop off these orders for you anyway.ÔÇØHamblin was quickly handed a data crystal. He frowned at it. ÔÇ£Whats this about?ÔÇØÔÇ£Nothing that cant wait until the staff meeting in the morning. We can review it then. Just thought you might want a head start on it ÔǪ.. but I see you have plans tonight.ÔÇØÔÇ£Thank you, sir.ÔÇØ Said Hamblin as Savage got up from his seat. ÔÇ£Have a good evening.ÔÇØÔÇ£Will do.ÔÇØ Replied the Fleet Commander. ÔÇ£And, uh .. donÔÇÖt do anything I wouldnÔÇÖt do.ÔÇØHamblin laughed. ÔÇ£Not a chance, sir. I have more respect for myself than that.ÔÇØSavage laughed then walked away from the table. A moment later, he stepped through the double doors of the GalCom lounge and dissapeared from sight.Just then, the waiter returned from the bar and settled Savages ordered drink in front of hamblin. The waiter stared at him intently, awaiting payment.Hamblin sighed. Savage was always doing this to him. ÔÇ£Here you go.ÔÇØ Said Hamblin to the waiter, handing over his credit chit. ÔÇ£Have one on me.ÔÇØÔÇ£Thank you sir.ÔÇØ Said the waiter, who debited the cost from Hamblins credit chit and handed it back to the annoyed executive officer.Now then, thought Hamblin, time to get ride of a little deadweight.With that, Hamblin called up to operations, and arranged for the goddesses new ÔÇÿfriendÔÇÖ to be recalled back to active duty.Less than half an hour later, Hamblin and the goddess were talking shop, exchanging misty glances and discussing sleeping arrangements.It would turn out to be a long night, after all ÔǪ.***** Incidently, if there are any opinions, I'd welcome them, as per usual. *****------------------ F.C KARL 'BLADES' SAVAGE ORION FLEET TSUNAMI BATTLE GROUP GCV - TSUNAMI Ôäó www.orion-hq.fsnet.co.uk 'For Queen and country' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blades Posted February 10, 2000 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2000 Next installment is in place. Are any of you guys readin this, or am I just doing it for fun now? Location : Orion Starstation, Tsunami Battle Group Briefing Room Stardate : 12.27.0900hrs, 3005On schedule, executive offiver James Hamblin and fleet recruitment officer, Greg Miller stepped into the near vacant briefing room. Within they recognised the now familiar sight of the Fleet Commander and station communications chief, Peter Reynolds in a hushed debate.Stopping just in the doorway for a respectable moment, the two officers made their presence known through a hushed clearing of throat, and then took their regular seats when invited to do so.Once the four officers were assembled, with the Fleet Commander taking the head of the elongated table, the mornings briefing began.So then, started Savage. Hows our current recruitment drive, Greg?Much like Reynolds, Commander Greg Miller was a relatively new member of the growing Orion Station staff. He had spent the vast majority of his career charming his way up through the ranks and eventually landed himself command of his own. Savage noticed the man shortly after taking control of the Orion fleet, and was immediately impressed with the mans presence. After observing him for a few weeks, Savage had concluded that Miller, or GMAN as he prefered to be called, could sell snow to an Eskimo and argue that day was night. And win.Greg was a miricle of sorts, a combination of a used car salesman and a diplomat. He was perfect recruitment officer material. Savage had snapped him up immediately.Well, with the war winding down, sir, Im expecting a lot of the the activated reservists to return to pre war standing. However, Ive been in discussions with several of the commanders, and it probably wouldnt take an awful lot of sweet talking to get them to reknew their service contracts.Numbers? asked Savage.Three, maybe four. Said Miller. Savage frowned. Thats not good enough. We lost a lot of ships to the Gammulan advance, and if we cant convince more of those reservists to sign on full time, its going to take close to a year to recoup our losses from command school graduates.Well, started Miller.Savage cut him off. Ah, no you dont Greg. Ive said time and time again, we are not going to request support from Prime. Its like admiting we have a recruitment problem, and you know how much Bishop and Gudihl would love to hear that.Hamblin leaned closer towards Savage over the table. Joe still teasing you about his fleet being bigger than yours, sir?Savage glared at him. Wipe that smirk off your face, James, or Ill have you reasigned to SCID.Hamblin backed off, and put his hands up in a mock show of submissivness. Sorry, sorry, please dont send me to SCID. Ill be good.Savage couldnt help but smile. See that you are, and keep the wise cracks to a minimum next time, mister.Aye, aye, sir! said Hamblin, winking to the bemeaused looking chief of communications. Anyway, started Miller, attempting to bring the meeting back to some semblence of seriousness. the fact of the matter is, we are significantly weakened right now.Savage nodded. You wont get any argument from me there. I went over the specifics a couple of days ago, and wasnt too impressed.Im not surprised. Said Hamblin. I didnt get to go over the report in too much detail, but from what I gathered, it looks like two thirds of the fleet is out of commision one way or the other.Savage nodded. Over 30% of our ships were destroyed outright, and the rest are in various states of repair. As you know, the TBG took a helluva pounding during the last major engagement, and the Deterrence BG was almost completely devestated covering our six.How is Commander Foss? asked Miller.Hes recovering well. Said Reynolds. Hes still restricted to the stations hospital facilities while his ship is undergoing radiation cleanup, but hell be fit for duty again in a few days.Well, thats something at least. Said Miller. Shame about the rest of his people.Everyone in the briefing room nodded in agreement with him.Its never an easy assignment to fly escort for the strike group. Said Savage. And considering the majority of his people were first or second year command graduates, they did an outstanding job.Just a pity only three ships from his group made it back. Said Miller.Well, that was because Intel screwed the pooch when giving us the numbers. Said Hamblin. There was almost twice the number of craft in the engagement area as predicted.Thats an understatement. Said Miller. With the exception of the disaster in Polaris, it was the most devestating loss of the war.For a moment, the room went deathly quiet. It was as if the mere mention of the aborted strike against the Gammulan resupply convoy in Lennen was enough to bring a curse upon the Orion Fleet.Finally, Hamblin broke the silence.Whats important people, is that we regrouped two days later, and with the assistance of Gallions Corsairs drove those freaky *******s right out of the system. In the end, we won.Hardly. Said Savage. We achieved our objective, and it cost us a lot of good people.Look, started Miller, interupting again. we all know what happened. We went through this debrief three times already. I dont think its a good idea to depress ourselves any further.Savage leaned back in his chair and scrated the back of his head. Youre right. He said to Miller. And were getting off track anyway. Once this war is officially declared over, we can curse intel until we are blue in the face. Right now, we have more important things to worry about, like upping our repair schedule.Hamblin groaned. I dont see how we can do that, sir. The repair crews are already workin double shifts, and a lot of the materials required are hard to come by on this station.Yes, I was wondering about that. Said Savage. We still not getting a lot of civillian trafic coming through, Pete?No, sir. Said Reynolds. Not everyone is convinced that the Gammulan threat to the Terran quadrent is over. Theres not a lot of movement anywhere in the quadrent.What about supplies direct from headquaters? Cant we get any more shipments in?Reynolds shook his head. Everyone and their mother is screaming for equipment, sir. Since the majority of Gammulan activity was centered around Wraith, they are getting most of the supplies.Wonderful. Said Hamblin. Doesnt HQ remember the armada that hit us from the rear? Dont they understand that it was mostly the Orion reserve that held them at bay?Uh, yes Commander hamblin. Said Reynolds. They are fully aware of that fact. Its just that Hamblin glared at Reynolds. Yes leutenant?Reynolds swallowed, feeling slightly uneasy under the fleet XOs glare. Well, most of the ships in the reserve are older, less valuable craft. Priority is being given to bringing the BattleCruiser fleets back online.Oh. Said hamblin, looking disgusted.The official line, sir, is that since over 65% of the combined GalCom Battlecruiser fleet is salvageable, and the largest concentration of Gammulan ships are still in the systems adjacent to Wraith, they get resupply and repair priority.Hamblin snorted. Well, thats about the biggest load of hog shit Ive ever heard. Maybe you should try that line of reasoning out on Foss!Savage held his hands up. Thats enough James, hes just the messanger.Hamblin took a deep breath, let it out in a grumbled sigh and patted the tables surface gently. Youre right. My apologies, leutenant. I should go and bite the jerkoff requisitions chief back at headquaters.Savage looked up at his XO and gave him a surprised, and quizical look.Ah, no offence, sir. Quickly stammered Hamblin.None taken, Im sure. Replied the Fleet Commander. Greg, he continued, we need those supplies, and we need them badly. If we cant get civillian traders to bring them in, were going to have to squeeze the guys back home.Miller nodded. And you want me to work the old GMAN magic?Savage smirked. Something like that. Be diplomatic about it though, and dont sell them my ship or anything, ok?Right you are, sir. Said Miller.Savage looked around the table at each of his officers. Each of them had played a major part in the recent hostilities with the Gammulans. Hamblin had taken a small fleet of reservists and held the line against the Gammulan rear strike armada at Centris. Miller had served in the TBG along with himself in the engagement at Lennen, and station bound Leutenant Reynolds had coordinated the movements of the two active battle Groups and the defence fleet in Centris with Fleet intelligence back on GalCom HQ.They all deserved a break, and despite a week long ceasefire with the Gammulans, none of them had had a chance to relax.With the withdrawl of every major Gammulan strike group out of the terran quadrant, with their supplies running low and their heavily damaged ships in dire need of repair, headquaters had determined that for now, the Gammulans were ill equipped to continue the war.Many of the senior officers back at headquaters had pushed to advance into Gammulan territory and further limit their ability to wage war, but with the damage already inflicted on the GalCom fleet, thanks to both the Gammulans and a misguided effort to launch a surprise raid on the Insurgents, the Supreme Commander opted to allow his ships to return home, repair and prepare for the next attempted Gammulan invasion.A war of attrition was the last thing GalCom needed.A chime from the Fleet Commanders wrist comm brought him back to the briefing room. He quickly shut the chime off, then stood from his chair. Thank you gentelmen, that will be all for now.As the officers began to stand and make way to leave the briefing room, Savage called out to Hamblin. James? he said.Hamblin turned on the spot and faced his superior.As Greg Miller and Reynolds left the briefing room, Savage stepped up to the taller man and regarded him with a wide grin. So? he asked.Hamblin look quizically at his commander. Sir.?Savage folded his arms. Dont play coy with me, commander. Last night, in the bar?Understanding suddenly dawned on Hamblin. Oh, you mean the hot little comms tech?Savage bobbed his head enthusiastically. Uh huh. What happened?Havent you got an appointment or something? said Hamblin. I mean, your wristcom went off and you hurried everyone out.Yeah. Said Savage, smiling. I sent a reminder to myself to ask you about it.Hamblin abscent mindedly scratched his left eyebrow with his hand. Uh, sir, an officer and a gentelman never tells.Spill it! insisted Savage. For starters, you are no gentelman, and for another . I out rank you. Dont make me quote regs on you, mister.Hamblin scoffed. Pah, you couldnt, sir.Maybe not. Said Savage. But I can have you reassigned to waste extraction in a nano second. Choose.Hamblin sighed and failed to surpress a smile. You a swine, you know that Fleet Commander, sir?Savage beamed at him. Hell yes. How else do you think I got this promotion?Hmm. Murmered Hamblin. Im still having my people investigate that.Briefly, both officers laughed. If anyone else had been present, they would have appreciated what had been the first genuine display of good humor in a long time.Hamblin told his tall tale. ------------------ F.C KARL 'BLADES' SAVAGE ORION FLEET TSUNAMI BATTLE GROUP GCV - TSUNAMI  www.orion-hq.fsnet.co.uk 'For Queen and country' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GREG MILLER Posted February 10, 2000 Report Share Posted February 10, 2000 [rp]Leaving the Senior Staff Meeting, Commander GMAN was very disgusted with the current fleet reports. At this point, being the Orion Recruitment Officer really didnt mean all that much.Whats the purpose of being the recruitment officer when, if things dont improve, there wont be a fleet left to recruit to. Miller thought as he head back to the GCV Sark. There must be something, somebody can do.Just at that moment, a wild thought crossed Millers mindIf those supplies cant come to us, then I will go to the supplies and bring them here.Without hesitation, Greg immediately stopped and activated his commlink.Miller to Collins!Collins here sir.What is the current status of the Sark.We are about at 82% sir.Is there anything keeping us from a immediate departure if need be?No, not really, all main systems are fully functional, only a few minor systems still need repaired.Carry on, and stand by for further instructions. Miller out.Miller again activated his commlink.Recruitment Officer GMAN, to Fleet Commander Blades.Blades here.Sir, I need to meet with you at your earliest convenience.[rp off] ------------------ CMDR GREG MILLER (GMAN) ORION FLEET RECRUITMENT OFFICER TSUNAMI BATTLE GROUP GCV- SARK'The righteous care about justice for all, but the wicked have no such concern.' [email protected] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blades Posted April 10, 2000 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2000 Location : Orion Starstation, Office Of Fleet Commander Savage Stardate : 12.27.1300hrs, 3005Savage crinked his neck, and massaged it gently with his spare hand while sitting at his polished mahogany desk. The last forty five minutes had been spent in discussions with Commander Miller reguarding the requisition of supplies from GalCom headquaters. Despite needing his Recruitment Officer on station, Greg had stressed the point that spending the time going through official channels to get their supplies would take significantly longer than was required. By going direct to GalCom headquaters, Greg believed that he could oil the machine enough to redirect some of the supplies from Prime and into Orion.So, Savage agreed. Besides, he was tired and in no mood to argue further with any of the command staff. He wanted to do nothing other than sleep, massage his aching body and drink himself into the kind of stupor that would make him forget who he was for day or two.However, duty wouldnt allow it. Nor would his eager leutenant, Peter Reynolds.As if on queue, his office door chimed and after a moments hesitation, Reynolds stepped through. Afternoon Commander. Said Reynolds, beaming.Savage glared at him, still massaging his knotted neck. Oh my god, Reynolds. Why are you so cheerful?This made Reynolds beam some more. We just got a mail delivery, sir. Christmas wasnt as late as we first expected.So I see. Said Savage, gesturing at the armful of parcels in his communications officers arms. Any of those for me by any chance?Yes sir. Said Reynolds, stepping forward and unloading his burden onto the Fleet Commanders desk. All from earth, even a package from headquaters.Savage frowned and looked at the large parcel marked from GalCom HQ.This is odd, he thought. A package from headquaters, marked for the attention of Fleet Commander Savage. Hmmmm.A christmas hamper from the Supreme Commander, perhaps? offered Reynolds.The very idea was almost enough to make Savage laugh. Almost. Something like that. he said. Yet another perk of the job.Reynolds bobbed his head. Well, Ill just be happy to get some real milk n cookies from home, sir. Its been a while.Savage nodded. Yes, it has. Arent you due some R&R soon leutenant?Well, I was, sir, but with the war and everything, I didnt really want to bring it up.Savage sighed. The wars over, at least for now Pete. Youve pulled enough double shifts recently to warrant a few days back home, so make sure you put you application for leave on my desk by the morning. Ill have you on the first BC headed home by the end of the .A thought suddenly entered Savages mind. Pete, can you be packed up and ready to leave in an hour?Reynolds looked a little surprised. Sir?Ive got Miller heading off to headquaters to try and speed up the requisition process. Hes likely to be there for a few days, so why dont you go with him and spend a few days with your folks?Reynolds didnt look too sure about what he was being offered. Ah, I dont know sir. Things are still a bit hectic around here.Savage dismissed it with a wave of his hand. Nonsense, we got everything under control here. Broek can take over from you for a few days. Besides, I hear Millers Comms chief is down with the flu in his medbay. They could use a magician like you for the trip back. Think of it as a working holiday.Reynolds pondered for a few moments, then began to smile. I can be ready to go in thirty, sir.Good man. Said Savage. Miller is leaving at 1400 hrs, so make sure you on the Sark by then.Reynolds nodded enthusiastically. Ill be out of your hair before you know it, sir. Ah, is there anything else I can do for you before leaving a Reynolds shaped dust cloud in your office?Savage drew in a deep breath. Nothing springs to mind Pete, except make sure you have a good time. Oh, and if you can swing it, Id love to have some milk n cookies from your mothers kitchen.Reynolds saluted. Consider it done sir!Savage nodded to the young leutenant, and dismissed him with a wave of his hand. A moment later, Reynolds was on his way back to his quarters, thoughts of family and home most prominent on his mind.Back in his office, Fleet Commander Savage began to open the package from head quarters. By the time he had finished pouring over the boxes contents, his previously gloomy mood had degenerated into something far more glum. With genuine annoyance, he thumbed his comm. Panel and requested that Executive Officer James Hamblin immediately come to his office.This wasnt going to be pleasant. ------------------ F.C KARL 'BLADES' SAVAGE ORION FLEET TSUNAMI BATTLE GROUP GCV - TSUNAMI  www.orion-hq.fsnet.co.uk 'For Queen and country' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GREG MILLER Posted April 10, 2000 Report Share Posted April 10, 2000 Location : Orion Starstation, Office of Commander Greg Miller Stardate : 12.27.1302hrs, 3005Miller entered his office and immediately contact his XO aboard the Sark, Miller to Collins, Status report!Collins here sir, we are now at 91%. Repairs are currently being performed on the tractor beam, although, it is functioning.Recall all personnel from leave, we depart at 14:00 hours. Destination will be Galcom HQ., chimed Miller.Sir, Comms Officer Lt. Sandy Banes is currently in the Sick Bay with the Flu., exclaimed Lt. Cmdr Collins.Why wasnt I notified of this before?, inquired Miller.I just found out myself about 30 minutes ago, sir., claimed Collins.Just at that moment a message from Flt. Cmdr Savage, appeared on Cmdr. Millers Commlink, Ah, I just got a message from Fleet Commander Savage.It appears we will be traveling with a guest. Lt. Peter Reynolds, Orion Station Comms Officer will be accompanying us to Galcom HQ for leave on Earth and return to Orion HQ with us. If he comes aboard before I do, show him is quarters and the Comms station. Now, I want ALL cargo cleared out of our cargo bays, except the cargo listed on this list that I am sending you following this transmission. Also get in touch with Chief Davoe, and see if he needs any spare parts for this trip, but tell him he is only limited to 25 pieces, NO MORE, you know how he is. I will need this done no later than 13:50 hours. Expect my arrival with in the next 20 minutes. Miller out!And with that, Commander Miller, sent the Cargo Manifest along with his message.Aye Sir, message and Cargo List received sir. See you soon, Collins out!Now being a little concerned for the well being of his Comms Officer, Miller now felt the need to contact his Chief Medical Officer, Katharine Gates, Dr. Gates, I have just been informed of the condition of Lt. Banes, how is she?She is resting comfortably, with a mild sedative I might add. , said the good Doctor.We are departing for Galcom HQ at 14:00 hours, would you like to transfer her to the Medbay onboard Orion HQ?, inquired Miller.No, she will be fine here, I really dont want to move her if I dont have to. Replied, Dr. Gates.Youre the Doctor..If you have a change of heart, you must notify me by 13:45 hours. One other thing.If you need Medical supplies aboard ship, contact Lt. Commander Collins immediately. I ordered empty cargo bays for this trip, other than the necessities. Tell him what you need. Miller out.Understood sir, Gates out.With the conclusion of that conversation, Commander Miller headed to his quarters aboard Orion HQ to pack for this important trip. Location : Orion Starstation, Command Staff Quarters Deck, Turbolift 5 Stardate : 12.27.1317hrs, 3005Commander Miller approached the turbolift that would take him to his ship, duffel bag in hand. The doors opened, and it was empty. And with a vote of confidence he announced his destination, Launch Bay 3..Suddenly the car started a downward movement and with in seconds came to rest and did a exit stage right maneuver. Continuing along this path for several more brief seconds, the car finally came to a stop, and the doors opened. Miller stepped out and was au struck by the massive structure that lay motionless outside the window in front of him.The GCV Sark.Walking toward the boarding ramp, Miller turned and looked at his ship again and thought, How ya doin old girl? HmmI never really come to appreciate the bulk these ships carry until now. Rounding the corner and transversing the ramp, Commander Miller entered his security code in the touch panel next to the door. With a shift motion, the double doors opened, and now found himself being greeted by two of his own Marines. *Salute* At ease men, carry on., said Miller, as he headed for his quarters aboard ship.Finding his quarters as always, Miller only stayed long enough to drop off his duffel and then headed to the bridge.Entering the Bridge, Miller greeted all of his command staff, minus one Comms Officer.Status report Number One., spoke Miller as he turned to his XO.Cargo clearing is currently on-going, and we will be ready for departure, come 14:00 hours. Tractor Beam is still under repair but Mr. Davoe has assured me that it will be fully operational before we get to Galcom HQ., replied Lt. Cmdr Collins.Has Lt. Reynolds reported in yet?, inquired Miller. Not yet sir, I have instructed the duty guards of his arrival., Collins said, as he made his way to his Tactical Station.Well, no fear, he will be hear shortly., with that in mind Miller Contacted his Chief Engineer, Mr. Davoe, warm up that reactor, and get ready for departure.Aye sir, tell me, why was I only allowed 25 spare parts in the cargo hold? Ya no I cannot run a tight ship with that we little bit of cargo., bellowed Chief Davoe.Trust me old friend, you shouldnt even need that much on this run, we are goin to Galcom HQ and bring back Spare Parts for the whole fleet. Consider the small sacrifice you are making as your contribution to the well being of the Orion Fleet. Oh and be glad I let you have that much. Miller out. ------------------ CMDR GREG MILLER (GMAN) ORION FLEET EXECUTIVE OFFICER TSUNAMI BATTLE GROUP GCV - SARK ICQ 64202480 www.orion-hq.fsnet.co.uk'The righteous care about justice for all, but the wicked have no such concern.' [email protected] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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