A Green Invasion

Posted on Wed Sep 22nd, 2021 @ 4:10am by Captain Calypso Skyie & Gunnery Sergeant Reishi Hijani & Captain Natalya Markova

Mission: The Boneyard Heist
Location: Shuttlebay

Natalya Markova had been alerted of the arrival of the Marine Company, as well as her own unit. Checking herself in the mirror in her quarters, Nat tried to brush her hair back with her hand. Criticism aside, she figured she was as ready as she was gonna be. Leaving the room that she had been slowly making her own, Nat headed for the turbolift.

With the lift down, Nat took a deep breath. Time to act like a Lieutenant of Marines again. Time to have a command again. The very thought caused a minor twitch to run through her. On Earth, she was merely acting in an administrative function, not direct command decisions. Here, she would be. The senior-most Marine on board. That thought was a small amount of scary for her.

The lift doors opened, cutting off the train of thought. Nat stepped out, and headed for the Shuttlebay. Voices spilled out into the corridor. Rounding the corridor, Nat saw an array of Marine personnel, supply crates, and what was affectionately referred to as a cluster-fuck. Raising an eyebrow at the scene before her, Nat headed for a Gunnery Sergeant she could see. "This looks... fun."

"It very much is." Reishi Hijani said offhandedly, hands clasped behind her back as she oversaw the offloading of the shuttle, then glanced over, noting the silver bar of insignia, "Ma'am." She added before looking back. Quick judgement made, no need to call for attention, the troops were occupied. Instead, she drew herself up rapidly and deliberately to attention, "Apologies, ma'am, I intended to report in after getting the troops tucked in. Gunnery Sergeant Reishi Hijani, formerly of Bravo Raiders, ma'am."

Nat's eyebrow went up at that Bravo Raiders, she mused. How'd this woman end up here. "Lieutenant Natalya Markova. At ease, Gunny." She surveyed the work being done. "I heard the troops were here, so wanted to come down and take a look for myself. I understand we're to be dropping the Company off when we reach the starbase, and keeping a unit for our own?"

"Sixteen of them, well, fifteen plus me, ma'am." Rei relaxed back to her at ease position, "I've got the roster for ours already, but four of them didn't make this bird, we were full up, so they're coming on a smaller shuttle later. Sergeant Imley is with them." Throughout the recitation, no hint of a smile crossed her face, "The plan I have is to get the company settled into one of the cargo bays for transit, have them set up like a barracks. Do we have a section for our own troops that you know of, ma'am?"

"We currently do not, Gunny." Nat gave her a look. This was quite a serious woman. She sensed a shadow of herself - humorless, all business. "Though the Captain has given me permission to secure an area for all Marine Operations. I was eyeing a couple of the Cargo Bays. Deck 11 has 8 of them, as well as Cargo transporters to go with each, and even the Industrial replicators. That would likely be our best bet - to keep everything on one deck as much as possible."

Rei nodded slowly, considering the schematics she’d memoriWd quickly, “No holodeck for training, but we can take a quick jaunt to get there. Convert one of the cargo bays to a shooting gallery, should be plenty of space even if we only take over half of them.”

"My thoughts exactly," Nat concurred with a nod. "Need to clear the idea with the Captain first, but it's a solid start for now." Her mind switched tracks for a moment. "Quick question. Company of Marines. They got an officer in charge?" That would just 'absolutely' make her day, to have to deal with a fellow Officer.

“No, ma’am.” Rei remarked definitively, “Major Harseman designated me as oversight for their transit to the Starbase. It’s mostly Privates with a scatter of Corporals of both flavors and a single Staff as their Top. According to my listing, about half of them are designated for assignment to the Starbase while the rest are going to be distributed in penny packets for standard replacements and rotations to other ships in the Fleet. Colonel Hart or his adjutant will take receipt of the whole bunch once we get there, but I can handle that, ma’am.”

Nat nodded. The woman definitely seemed to have everything in hand. Plus, she did somewhat suspect the Gunny wasn't fond of the idea of herself having oversight. "Very well, Gunnery Sergeant. Tell you what, I'll go dot the I's, and cross the T's with the Captain, regarding our barrack situation, and let you get back to handling things here."

Rei came back to a semi-attention position. This officer could definitely be one of the good ones. Knew when to just let the NCOs roll with things and to take care of the paperwork. Of course, since this was going to be a tiny unit in the scheme of things, Reishi also knew that the Lieutenant would be in the thick of any combat as well, but that couldn't be helped. It did bring a slight smile to her face, "Of course, ma'am, I figure we'll be offloaded and organized before you return, then we can really get to work."

"Carry on, Gunnery Sergeant." Nat said with a nod, leaving the woman to her work. Heading out of the Shuttlebay, Nat headed for the turbolift, and stepped inside. "Computer, locate Commander Skyie."

"Commander Calypso Skyie is in the main lounge, Deck 3."

"Then Deck 3." She waited a few moments as the gentle hum of the turbolift was the only indicator the system was, in fact, working. As she stepped out, Nat took a deep, heavy breath. The last time she had set foot in anything even remotely close to a bar, she had had her nose broke. Squaring her shoulders, the Marine set foot through the double doors, and scanned the room. The commander was there, at a table.

Approaching, Natalya cleared her throat. "Am I bothering you, ma'am?"

“I think that I’m going to have Anara put a sign up where everyone can see it as they walk in saying ‘No rank in the lounge’.” Calypso said as she looked up from where she was leaning back at the table, sipping the Shirley Temple she’d had refilled post-lunch, “Not bothering me in the slightest, Natalya, grab a seat, need something to drink?”

Nat mulled the question for a moment as she sat down, before shaking her head. "No thank you, ma-- Calypso." If she was to make this work, she needed to cut the drinking. Entirely. "I was just down in the shuttlebay, watching the Marines get unloaded."

“Oh?” Cally raised her eyebrows at that, “Good to know they’ve gotten here, they bring an officer to round you out or to shepherd the troops in transit by chance?”

"No, they came without an officer." Nat answered with a smile, glad to not have another one to deal with. "The Gunnery Sergeant in charge reports that Colonel Hart will be meeting the Company once we arrive at the Starbase."

"That's good, I think I've heard of Hart... It would have been a long time ago, so it could have been someone else." Cally chuckled, "Do you know who your senior NCO is yet? I'm sure I've got the download somewhere, I just haven't been able to find it."

Nat leaned back in her chair. She always held a small amount of tension in her body when dealing with a superior officer, a background anxiety that any moment the shit would hit the fan. Natalya took a breath, tried to force her body to relax. "The woman I spoke to, Gunnery Sergeant Hijani has been assigned as senior-most NCO. Competent, diligent, I have a feeling she will do well."

That name got Cally to sit up straight in her chair, “Hijani? Reishi Hijani?” She asked/demanded and got a sharp nod, then leaned back in her chair again, voice now changing to wonder, “Reishi Hijani is on board Chimera and she hasn’t told me? She was part of the team that rescued me after I got shot down on an insertion with a shuttle… Then did it again when I got shot down while flying fighters. Why did she end up with us?” The last question was quiet, curious.

"Perhaps she wanted to keep an eye out, in case you needed any more... rescues?" Nat pondered. She too had wondered what the woman had done to deserve coming here.

"Somehow, Natalya, I get this feeling you're not too far off the truth." Cally shook her head slightly, "She's never been the type to screw up, at least not from what I've seen or heard of her. It looks like you've got a good one there, hold onto her, listen to her. Unless she's gone off the rails, she's got more experience in ground combat than everyone on this ship combined and that includes the both of us in that picture. But, I'm sure you had some other reason to come hunting for me?"

"I'll keep that in mind, Calypso." Nat offered with a smile. "And yes, I came because we had previously spoke of finding a place for the Marines - that is the permanent unit - to be housed on board. I was hoping I could get your permission to convert a couple of the Cargo Bays for that purpose. I don't yet have a complete plan set down, just a concept of it right now. I wanted to get your initial go-ahead before tasking a few people to getting the exact details of what we'd need."

"We've got cargo bays in plenty, far more than I think we will ever need, so take as many as you need." Cally waved at the idea, "Well, up to half of them as need be, we do need some space at least for SOME cargo perhaps." She smiled, "You know, to keep the ship going here and there."

Nat offered a nod, and rose to her feet. "By your leave, I'll get started, and let you get back to your drink."

"Of course!" Calypso smiled and lifted her drink in salute, "Remember, if you ever have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!"