#155 Unexpected

Posted on Wed Jan 25th, 2023 @ 9:43pm by Major Jackson "JJ" Barnes {Meji}

Mission: BUGS OH NO!!
Location: USS Amandora
Timeline: current

OOC: Post done with the CO's permission

ON:

After the triple-S (Shower, S**t, and Shave), Corporal Barnes felt much better. Three hours running hardcore combat simulations in the holodeck at the phaser range had had the marines doing urban warfare and shipboard assaults and defense. One after the other, after the other, after the other. Now, muscles eased and relaxed after a dousing of hot water and lather he felt human again. Just as he reached his rack and got comfortable, with back against his pillow and the wall to sit up and read, Jack stretched his legs a out and crossed them at the ankles, taking up the book he had been reading before the exercises. MARINE SNIPER, the true story of Carlos Hathcock, the marine sniper who had racked up 93 confirmed kills in the Vietnam war. After a couple of pages had been read his communicator warbled so he picked it up and opened the flip top. "Barnes, here. Go ahead."

"Corporal Barnes, this is the Bridge. You have an incoming transmission from Marine HQ."

The book was immediately closed and set atop his rack, his legs lifted enough to swing them over the side and plant his boot soles on the deck. "Send it through, Bridge."

"You got it." A few moments went by. "You're on, Corporal."

"Corporal Barnes, here." Jack said, into the comm.

"This is General Narla Long, Corporal. Are you alone?"

Barnes found that to be an odd question but he was not about to tell a General that. He glanced around and to either side, seeing no one. "Aye, Sir. Just me sitting on my rack."

"Move to a private location and then let me know. You have five minutes. I'll be holding."

~Shit!~ Thought Jack, closing the communicator and getting to his feet. He hauled jets out of the marine berth, finding a conference room not too distant from it. Stepping within he locked the door behind him and went and sat down, moving the transmission from his hand comm to the monitor in the room. Opening his communicator he then spoke. "Ready, General Long. Visual is set if you desire." He tapped a few keys and transferred the signal, with the face of Major General Narla Long coming into focus. He closed his comm and slid it into his pouch on his belt. "Good evening, General. What can I do for you?"

"That only took you 3 minutes, Corporal. Good job." She smiled. "Your record has been under review for the past several months. You have seen your fair share of action in the past with boarding actions and hostage rescue, earning your place as a squad leader. Which means a future leader of the SFMC. That is why I am calling."

Jack's face scrunched a bit in confusion but he let it settle back to normal as he responded. "You've got my attention, Sir. Though, to be fair, I just did my duty. What was asked of me."

Narla's smile became more friendly in appearance. "You are so much like your father. It's just duty. What is expected, nothing special. That kind of attitude is what got the man elevated to Colonel. And, personally, when he retired I was a bit upset. He could of at least took a desk job to see to the future of the SFMC officer corps. But," she held a hand up to stop herself. "This isn't about him. As his son you had a slot available for the Academy, yet you took the enlisted route. May I ask why?"

Barnes began to relax, even leaning back in his chair. He gave a shrug. "I wanted to get out there, Sir. Make a difference and not spend years in school. I had had enough schooling at that time and just wanted to get out here, in space, serving the Federation. Dad was upset but he understood my drive. I excel, General, because I want to excel. I lead because I want to lead, and have had in my life a perfect example to emulate; Colonel Jack Barnes." It was a basic explanation but the meat of the facts were there.

"I see," said Long, glancing off-screen for a few moments. Her eyes came back to him. "We've had one warrant officer promotion on Amandora, already, so why not another. No Academy means no extra training, except for the basics of being an officer. If you will accept it we at HQ are offering CWO-2, or Staff Warrant Officer, to you. Or, if you feel that is not what you want then we will skip two slots and grant you Gunnery Sergeant. Which do you choose?"

Barnes almost had to catch his jaw from landing in his lap, but was able to close the slack-jaw appropriately. I...well I...warrant officer, most definitely, Sir."

"Good," said Long. "That provides you an officer status of a kind, and also leaves you available to fill senior NCO slots. With Hurd coming back to you, and West as unit XO, you'll be third in command simply by rank. How they divvy that up is for them to decide, but your new status will give them something to work with."

"Thank you, General." Barnes could not help but smile, and his thanks came from the heart. His old man would be proud as hell over this.

"Don't thank me, Chief. You earned this by your own merits. Every unit you served with gave you high marks on leadership and quality of character. It seems the Barnes clan has made a name for itself within the SFMC." Long gave a warm smile. "Congratulations, Warrant Officer Barnes. The rank is effective, immediately, so you can don the pin once we close."

"Aye, Sir." Jack gave a nod and a smile in return. "Anything else?"

"Not right now. I have a staff dinner to attend so I will let you go. Be well, Mister Barnes." The transmission cut that quick.

Once she was gone Barnes stood and did a jig. "Hot damn!" He clapped his hands together once, happily, before going to the replicator and creating his new rank pin. He removed the adhesion patch for his corporal chevrons, pocketing them to put into his 'I love me' box. If his rank was already in play that meant that both West and Hurd would get a message informing them of his new rank. He had no need to go to them, which was fine, because he wanted to go have a drink to celebrate. Maybe Money was around to come along, he would have to check. As he left the conference room he almost clicked his heels as he went.

OFF: