The New CAG

Posted on Wed Dec 7th, 2016 @ 8:15pm by Major General Thomas Jackson & Major Edward Maxwell
Edited on on Wed Dec 7th, 2016 @ 8:21pm

791 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Episode 93 - Warrior VS Warrior
Location: MG Jackson's Office
Timeline: MD4-1500hrs

It was a day since their return from Arcanus IV, and Jackson had alot of pieces to pick up. He spent the morning reviewing casualty reports, writing some letters to the families of the fallen, and studying initial readiness reports. He intended to give the marines of both MEUs some Leave before he would stat their refit and retraining.

Then there were some tasks that had to be done immediately. He lost one Field Grade Commander, and a Wing Commander. He would need time to find a suitable replacement for the 327th. However, after the action over Arcanus IV, he had a pretty good idea who would be the skipper of the 181st TFW.

=/\=Captain Maxwell, please report to my office.=/\=

Ed was in his office, still nursing the busted ribs he'd picked up in the fighting above Archanis. It was usually just a constant ache, but there were times it spiked and reminded him not to bend that way or other. Hearing the summons from the General, he stifled a groan. No doubt he was about to answer for the Wing's losses while under his command. "On my way sir."

It was a bit of a trip from the Deputy CAG's office to the General's but all in all he thought he made good time. The General's aide waived him through when he arrived. A small benefit of being summoned to his own beheading he supposed. He stepped inside, went to the prescribed place two steps before the Generals desk and saluted smartly. "Captain Maxwell reporting as ordered, sir."

Jackson returned the salute. "Have a seat Captain." Jackson's then continues to read his computer screen. "That was a hell of a fight we just came from. And unlike the Battle of Death Valley, we had air support, thanks to your aerospace groups. It's unfortunate that we lost our CAG, again. But you handled the fighters well when no one else could do it."

Ed took a seat in the chair opposite the General as instructed. He was unfamiliar with the fight the General mentioned and made a note to look it up when he got back to his office. "Thank you sir, but the credit doesn't belong to me. The Wing knew what needed to be done and the crews did it. All I did was point them in the right direction and turn them loose."

"And that small act of directing them saved countless lives, both on the ground, and in space. On Grenarisa III, my marines attacked a Borg base, while the CAG at that time decided on her own to sit the battle out. I swore to myself, while laying on a bio bed, that I would never permit that to happen again."

"That won't happen on my watch sir. When the grunts on the ground need air support, my pilots will provide it." Ed confirmed. "I spent some time as a forward air controller, I know how vital air support can be."

"That is exactly what I want to hear from you." Jackson said.

"Pardon me for being so blunt sir, but I get the feeling I'm here for more than just a pat on the head for a job, I won't say well done, but done anyway."

Jackson gave a faint smile. "Yes, I do have a few whammies to spring on you." Jackson has developed a strange sense of humor over the past couple of decades in the Marines. "Whammy Number 1, I took the liberty of nominating you for the Distinguished Flying Cross. It will only be the matter of red tape to make it official."

"A DFC?! Hell General I didn't do anything extraordinary!" Ed exclaimed and shook his head. "If you want to give out awards, give them to my pilots I'm writing condolence letters to the families of." Ed protested.

"And Whammy Number 2, the 181st Tactical Fighter Wing is officially yours. You are now CAG. Which comes up to Whammy Number 3. By the way, this isn't too much to take in, it is, Major?"

"That's a damn lot of whammies General." Ed said and shook his head in resignation. He may as well have kept his protestation to himself for all the good it did him. "I guess that means I'm currently out of uniform." He said dryly.

Jackson rolled his eyes, "Of course you are." He pointed at a small box on his desk, "These are for you."

"I suppose a thank you is in order then, huh?" Ed smirked as he picked up the box and opened it, with a gold oak leaf looking back at him. "Shit General, I just got here before we left for Arcanus."

"Believe it or not Major, I know exactly what you mean."

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