Threid
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Tachiagare, GANDAMU!
Posts: 385
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Post by Threid on May 28, 2010 21:51:42 GMT -5
Lt. Gerard was antsy, though one wouldn't know it from looking at the stolid-faced man, sitting alone at the long table. His muscles still burned from leading the recent punishment PT, but not half as much as the muscles of those he'd been drilling, he suspected. He checked his watch; KCT MS-02 / MST-077 "The Beam Team" was late. His insides twisted as he read the unofficial team name printed onto the front of his briefing sheet. The higher-ups had decided that unofficial team names would be good for morale, and while Lt. Gerard wasn't one to discount the value of positive morale, he also believed himself able to discern between good morale and unwarranted arrogance and disregard for protocol; his team was in the latter category, as far as he was concerned, and that needed to change.
He needed some of them to falter in battle - not fall, falter. It would teach them that they weren't invincible, and that they needed to listen to orders. Problem was, there was only one other mobile suit team on Orange Base. He browsed the combat records of the members of KCT MS-01 / MST-076 briefly, and began to smile. It would be perfect.
He had begun mentally composing his official challenge to spar, when he was startled by the sudden appearance of 1/2 of MST-076: private Senaiha and...
"Lieutenant!" He snapped out of his seat, to attention, as the man of equal rank strode in. They had never met before, but Lt. Gerard was very perceptive when it came to a man's rank. "I would like to request a spar between our two MS Teams. Mine, at least, could use the practice and I think it would be good for morale."
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Post by dj1678 on May 28, 2010 22:11:04 GMT -5
Lieutenant Maximilian Reaves moseyed into the room containing the always stuffy looking Lieutenant Gerard. The two had never met before, but rumors were abound. Liked protocol. No absolutely loved protocol and would marry it, if such an obscene notion were possible. The degree in the various rumor mattered very little to him though.
Aurem followed his newly appointed MS team commander into the room. The two had only met a few hours before, after their first sortie together, which seemed strange and even a little dangerous to him. But after the past couple hours together, Aurem wasn't sure whether he was sure he was going to die under his new leadership, or if the man was shear brilliance incarnate. Either way, Aurem found himself liking the man and not at all upset to be under his command. Arieta seemed to feel the same way, though she was off filling out extra paperwork in Aurem's stead while Aurem aided Lieutenant Reaves until he was more familiar with his own team.
"Please, Lieutenant is such a stuffy title. Call me Max."
Max pulled out a chair and sat down with one arm draped over the back of the chair and neither of his legs going off the same side of the chair. He looked extremely relaxed for a guy surrounded by people he'd only know for hours at best.
Aurem moved to stand behind Lieutenant Reaves in a more formal position, but was stopped short.
"Pull up a chair, Aurem, can't have you standing there looking uncomfortable for such a stuffy discussion as this promises to be." Max said gesturing to his left.
Aurem was startled but quickly followed 'orders.' "Yes sir, Lieutenant Reaves."
"Max. Call me Max. Don't make me make this an order."
Aurem merely nodded he understood.
Turning his attention back to Lieutenant Gerard, Max finally addressed the spar.
"A spar you say? Well that could be a little interesting. Care to make it more interesting?" Max said putting a $100 bill on the table and winking knowingly.
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Threid
Full Member
Tachiagare, GANDAMU!
Posts: 385
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Post by Threid on May 28, 2010 22:36:05 GMT -5
A wager on a military operation?! Lt. Gerard did his best to pull his popping eyes back into his head, succeeding only because of his decades of military discipline. And a wink?! Lt. Ptolemy Gerard had never winked, at anyone - at least not since that time in the bar 30 or so years ago, but those had been special circumstances that would not be replicated ever again, or recalled, if Ptolemy had anything to say about it. Afraid that his hesitation might be interpreted as indecision, he just said the first thing that came to his mind:
"No!" That wouldn't do; it was too terse, and not polite enough - especially for a fellow officer. "Betting on military operations is strictly against protocol." He spoke loudly and clearly, so that everyone present in the group could hear, but not so loud that he would make a scene. He wondered at the gall of the man across the table from him. He didn't look young, but neither was he old. Perhaps they could have a chat later, in private, about the behavior becoming of an officer. He didn't want to bother Lt. Ferdinand with something as insignificant as what he assumed Lt. Reaves had intended as a friendly gesture - but he would, if it became necessary.
He checked his watch again, half for show and half to confirm that it still was, in fact, mid-morning. "In any case, we shall meet in the hangar at 1530 hours sharp, ready to commence operations immediately - at least, if that is amenable to you and your pilots." He caught a glimpse of Kyle, Karol and Kelly coming in through the side door, and judged it best to tie things up as quickly as possible. He did not want his team to view the behavior of MST-076's team leader; it would give them ideas.
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Post by dj1678 on May 28, 2010 22:47:40 GMT -5
Max noted the three new pilots entering the room and motioned for Aurem to lean his head in for a private conversation.
"We have 4 in our team, including you and me, right?" Max asked in a voice only barely audible to Aurem.
"Yes sir, but Private uh... crap, what was his name again? Um... Sender... Slither... Siggurdson! Private Siggurdson's unit is still repairing, so he won't be able to participate." Aurem replied just a little too loudly, just as Max had planned.
"Hmm, so we're short one. Think we can take them anyway? Oh and you can drop the sirs too. Too stuffy. Too stuffy."
"It would certainly be a challenge without Private-"
"Can we or can't we? Make a decision and be a man!"
"War isn't absolute, Max. All I'm trying to say is we have a chance."
Max considered this a moment before re-addressing Lieutenant Gerard. Aurem and MAx had had a much more in depth conversation earlier about this, but part of it had been carefully scripted for just such a moment as this. 'Gamesmanship' Max called it.
"So what you're saying is that you're afraid to bet on your own team when you're one man up on us? Wonder what your pilots think of that?" Max said while glancing over his shoulder to make sure they heard too.
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Threid
Full Member
Tachiagare, GANDAMU!
Posts: 385
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Post by Threid on May 28, 2010 23:32:04 GMT -5
"I am not afraid; I am unwilling, and surprised - surprised that another officer would break protocol for a trite little bet, and that he is not afraid of the consequences, were his superior officer to learn of his behavior," Gerard said firmly. He had known people like Lt. Reaves before, and he knew it would be pointless to try any verbal sparring; it wasn't really his thing. It was better to be perceived as a stick-in-the-mud than trying to backtrack or exchange witticisms.
"A bet?! I'm in!" Kelly yelled, as Karol and Kyle gawked wonderingly. Obviously, their warnings about Lt. Gerard's love of protocol had fallen on mostly-deaf errors. Kyle groaned inwardly, but in the spirit of teamsmanship, and with a quick nod at Karol, he spoke up.
"Me too," he said simply.
"And I as well!" Karol rounded off the rest of The Beam Team.
Lt. Gerard did his best not to gawk, managing to remain impressively stone-faced as his thoughts roiled beneath the surface.
"I had thought that your time in the brig would have taught you to respect the regulations of the command you serve, staff sergeant Slater. But I see that it has merely whetted your taste for punishment. All three of you will report to the hangar immediately for 2 hours of PT, under my supervision. After a brief lunch, we will finalize preparations for our spar with MST-076."
He turned to Lt. Reaves with a polite smile, saluting smartly.
"Remember, Lieutenant: 1530, sharp." He barked at his unit, "Now, march!" He walked out of the room, the rest of the Beam Team marching loosely behind him.
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Post by dj1678 on May 28, 2010 23:40:35 GMT -5
Max smiled devilishly as Lieutenant Gerard left the room with his team.
"At least you have some men with spine in your team!" Max called cheerfully after the group.
Turning back to Aurem, still smiling, he said "Good work, Aurem, you'll make a fine aide, and with a little coaching, a good leader someday should I ever leave you. Now come on, let's go find that woman of yours and relieve her of her paperwork. I hear she's quite the little fireball. Gonna need someone like her if I want to win that bet!"
They left the room with Max's arm over Aurem's shoulder and Max giving Aurem tips on how to handle 'lively' women.
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