Getting to know the CAG

Posted on Sun 6th Nov, 2016 @ 2:34am by Lieutenant Colonel Brooklyn Wellington

695 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Cloak & Dagger
Location: Variable Running Track Four
Timeline: MD03--1800 Hours

Dressed in black/green shorts and a black SFMC t-shirt, sweat glistened Brooklyn's body as she pushed herself along the trail at a steady pace of the base's variable gravity running trail. The trail was designed to increase or decrease gravity on various track courses. Some courses offered alternating gravity which made for an interesting workout. The track was surrounded in a large clear corridor fifty feet over the gardens, which offered a nice scenery and was currently set at 1.5 Earth Gravity. Her legs and lungs burned from the increased gravity which caused her body to work harder. As she passed her fifth mile, she heard the sound of feet hitting the track from behind her and was closing. She took a glance back to see her Adjutant, 2nd Lieutenant Rose O'Malley coming up behind her.

"Good morning, ma'am," Rose called out as she caught up with Brooklyn. She had hoped to catch up with the CAG though a part of her wanted to avoid her even though she knew that as the unit's Adjutant, that would be impossible.

"Good morning, lieutenant," Brooklyn replied. "You're running an impressive pace."

"Thank you, Ma'am. C-can I talk to you for a moment?" Rose asked, matching pace with Brooklyn as the track began the shallow descent towards the deck.

Brooklyn slowed her pace to a walk, placing her hands on her hips. "Alright, lieutenant. What's on your mind?"

Rose was unsure how to begin. "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for my actions yesterday during the explosion...I've never been through anything like that. How do you act so calm?"

Brooklyn looked over at Rose next to her. "I've been doing this for years. I've seen alot during my time and during the Dominion War. Lieutenant, I know you just graduated the Academy, but you need to realize you're a Marine now. Not a civilian lawyer. What made you want to be a Marine?"

Rose took a deep breath. "I wanted to challenge myself, ma'am. To get out and see the galaxy."

"To get out and see the galaxy, lieutenant?" Brooklyn repeated. "You should have joined the Fleet. The Marines are here to protect the galaxy, not to sightsee."

"If I may ask, what made you join the Marines?" Rose responded, casting a curious look at the CAG.

"Honestly?" Brooklyn asked with a raised eyebrow. "To piss off my parents."

"You're serious?" Rose asked, shocked.

Brooklyn smiled. "Yep. I grew up in a high standard political family and my parents wanted me to get a prestigious job and marry some wealthy stiff someday. Now...now the Corps is my home, my life."

"Why become a pilot? Why not something safer such as an engineer or even security? Aren't you scared, ma'am?" Rose asked.

This caused Brooklyn to chuckle. "Of course I am. You'd have to be crazy to want to strap yourself into a single or twin seater starfighter, with just a few inches between you and the vacuum of space, throwing yourself against other starfighters or capital ships, at near light speeds. I became a pilot because I enjoy flying, lieutenant...it's a sense of being free."

"I sometimes wonder if I made the right decision. I mean, I hate violence and killing," Rose replied as they neared the bottom of the descent.

Brooklyn had read about Rose's poor performance in self-defense and marksmanship courses in the Academy. "Lieutenant, you joined the Marines for a reason and you did earn the title. However, you should know that Marines are not bloodthirsty killers--we're the knights of the Federation. We protect those that cannot defend themselves. When the Federation is pushed, we're the ones that push back. I want you to work on your self-defense skills and marksmanship. Warrant Officer Moklor should be able to help you with that should you need it."

"The new Klingon? Aye, ma'am...and thank you."

Brooklyn nodded as they reached a stopping point in the track that allowed runners to enter and exit the track and grabbed a towel folded on a nearby rack., tossing it around the back of her neck. "You're welcome, lieutenant. See you bright and early tomorrow."

 

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