Assignment Spectre

Posted on Wed Jun 27th, 2018 @ 5:16pm by Major General Thomas Jackson & Cadet Senior Grade Marcus Mattson

1,731 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 95 - Helping Old Friends
Location: General Jackson's Office, SB400
Timeline: MD 5, 1623hrs

It hasn't been long since Jackson placed the Division on ThreatCon Bravo. He took a lunch break at his desk. Sometime soon, he was to meet the Marine Intern who was assigned to the fighter wing. Since the CAG was abruptly reassigned, he had to assume some of the wings administrative functions.

Markus had spent some time reading over the fighter specs that was available to him as a cadet and not being assigned to a fighter yet. But he figured all the red tape stuff had to be finished before he got that talk with the brass. His PADD indicated that he had got a message to go and see the Marine CO, not the CAG but the top rooster in the hen house. Straightening his uniform and inspecting it to make sure it was presentable, he headed for the office of Major General Thomas Jackson. After a quick sigh, he entered the Marine C&C and spoke to a private at the desk that he was expected by the general.

The orderly gave Markus a nod, and told him to wait. After contacting the general, he spoke again, "Cadet, the General will see you now." He stood up, and opened the office door for Markus.

"Thank you sir." the cadet saluted, after the salute was returned the young man entered the office. "Cadet fourth grade Marcus Mattson reporting as ordered sir." again he saluted sharply. This was a General and speaking to the top man for a cadet was as far as he knew, unusual. So he expected to get an earful so mighty that they had to pry him away from being implanted in to the wall.

Jackson noticed how tense this Cadet was. He also noticed how damn tall this young man was, for a fighter pilot. He was going to need a ship with either a modified seat, or a roomy cockpit. "Relax Cadet Mattson, before you end up straining a muscle. If fact, have a seat."

The cadet took the 'at-ease' stance. "Is that an order sir? If not I would like to stand." his experience of sitting down while talking to the brass was being yelled at, told that he was inches away from being paraded out of the academy. So standing was a way to make it easier for him.

"Sit down Cadet." Jackson said. The boy was tense, and needed to tone down a little to survive the real galaxy.

"Yes sir." Marcus said and sat down, he was almost sitting in attention. He was sure he was going to get yelled at. 'I don't want your hot shot ass in my core! You will swab my toilet with a toothbrush before I let you even close to my fighters!' where just some of the words he was expecting to come out of the mans mouth. He wasn't a small man either, he looked like he had the mark as well as the bite. Not a standard paper pusher.

Jackson got up, and walked to his food replicator as he spoke. "So Mr. Mattson, how do you like it here so far?" Looking at the replicator, "Computer, Kona Coffee, black." Turning to face the cadet, "Do you want anything?"

"No sir." he started, his time had been... Interesting to be the least. He had been asked to join in a maiden voyage of the USS Falcon as a pilot, he wasn't sure if that was set in stone yet, he had talked to the lovely counselor that was to good for her own good. "Fine sir. Been keeping busy keeping my body in shape, reading up on the fighters that is assigned to the station and standard station fighter operation procedures."

"Very good. But find some time to relax as well. You can't learn everything in a day. By the way, your CAG was abruptly reassigned. So until the 181st gets a new CAG, I will be managing it. Have you been assigned yet, and what ships are you checked out on?"

"Yes sir. I have been approached by Commander Ezekiel Bagwell to join the U.S.S. Falcon on her maiden voyage, I am still waiting for the call to come onboard. I have yet to have any assignment after that voyage." he responded.

"Consider that a secondary operation, with my blessing until needed with your squadron. Speaking of, have you been checked out on the Scorpion?"

Marcus knew about the fighter in question, he had read extensively about it. "Theoretical tests and simulator only sir. The fighter in question does not come standard at the academy and they didn't want me in the special trainer fighters sir." he responded truthfully.

Jackson just smiled. "Cadet, one thing about Star Base 400, and most of the Federation units in our sector. 'Experimental' back home could very mean 'In Service' here. We have a full compliment of Scorpions, and a few training versions to get pilots checked out. " Jackson picked up a PADD from his desk. "When he returns from the mission in Delta Quadrant, I am going to stick you with Lieutenant Gunther, call sign "Frogger". He might be considered soft spoken, but he is an experienced combat pilot who became a double ace in his first fight. He will also be your squadron commander, since you are assigned to Spectre Squadron in Alpha Group. All the fighters are in their assigned hanger bay, since Gunther's detachment were ordered to fly Eagles on this mission. For now, your orders are to familiarize yourself with the Scorpion, and (reading his PADD) Scorpion ST103SN. That will be your ship until Gunther assigns you a permanent service version. Let us know when SOG brings you along on their joy ride. Any questions?"

Marcus was a little dumb struck. At the academy he was treated like he was radioactive and rightfully so. Now he was assigned to a highly advanced interceptor, a craft that had both Dominion and Klingon tech on her. "Yes sir, may I have a look at her now and may she be personalized if she becomes my personal craft?" he was hoping he could get a chance to maybe put some nose are on her, make her special. But he doubted it, he just wanted to make her more than just a collection of tech and what ever else. She would keep him self and he would keep her in perfect condition. "I will report to Lieutenant Gunther A.S.A.P. sir."

"Remember, what you put on your plane, you need to take off when you get your permanent ship. So if you choose to do so, make her as pretty as you desire. And as I said, Lieutenant Gunther is on a milk run. You can report to him when he gets back. I am sure you want to get acquainted with your ship, and her maintenance crew. "

"Yes sir. Thank you sir. I like to think of them as more than just a collection of tech. So I will care for her." he didn't know why he told the General that, he probably would be flagged as weird or worse. Maybe because he felt that the General understood what he was trying to say, even if it was a little.

"Very good. Oh, one more thing. Since she is a trainer, you won't be assigned a back seater until you get a service version. She doesn't have the exact same avionics. But she handles like a service version. Hits like one too if needed." Jackson appreciates a Marine who takes care of his equipment, a mindset that he shares with the Cadet. He knew it to be a gamble to put him in Spectre, but the one thing in his file that stood out was that he does not give up, the mark of a true warrior. "You will see me from time to time. I don't occupy this office unless I have things that need to be done here. Until then, dismissed. And welcome aboard."

"Yes sir." Marcus said. The idea of seeing the highest ranking marine around often was a scary thought. There were two sides of this coin, one side was the age old saying: Friends in high places. The other side was that if something where to happen, things could get out of hand extremely fast. This General was highly unusual, to even take his precious time to handle a simple cadet when he probably had a billion men and women under him, untold masses of Sergeants who just LOVED have a go at the fresh green recruits. The sergeant he was assigned to at the academy was quite the screamer. A Master Sergeant Donelley, he was sure Sgt Donelley had notches in his belts from the number of eardrums and crying fits he had selisited from young recruits.

"Thank you sir. I have one question as well sir." the cadet said, standing up again, ready to leave in an instant.

"Ask away." Jackson said.

"May I bring this training vessel with me on my assignment to the Falcon? I believe it would be a perfect way for me to get hands on feel for the interceptor in a more controlled environment." Marcus asked, he wasn't sure if the General would agree. It would mean more paperwork to temporarily transfer the craft to another ship and by how the General was holding himself, we wasn't the most active of paper pushers. Unless he was lifting bales of it to exorcise.

"Well, you can't go to a party without your cloths on, unless it is one of THOSE parties. From my understanding, your ship is your skin, so the answer is yes. Just try not to have it captured." Jackson said jokingly. "Assuming she will fit in that ship's shuttle bay."

"Thank you sir. I will make sure to fold her so she will fit." The cadet added to the new comical scene of it. To him the ship was in a way an extension of him, so the general was right about that. He gave a sharp salute and was ready to leave when the General gave one back unless he wanted to have another word in before he left.


Jackson typed some orders on another PADD after the Cadet left. hen he looked at the clock. He decided to call it a day.

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