Meeting the MACOs

Posted on Thu Dec 8th, 2022 @ 2:27am by Gunnery Sergeant Michael Sloan (AU) & Commander Bethsabée Leroux (AU)

Mission: What If?
Location: Maco Quarters, Deck F
Timeline: 10:00, MD 01
1420 words - 2.8 OF Standard Post Measure

Leaving Earth was just unnatural, Michael thought as his detachment of MACOs had been called up to serve on the Atlantis. The time between the news of the deployment and settling into their barracks on the new starship had not done much to change his mind. Already they had been inspected by every Starfleet officer who thought they meant something, injected by about every doctor who wanted to protect them against every Denobulan flu, and neglected by their Vulcan overlords who wanted to make sure they were not advancing too much.

At least he could justify it in his own mind knowing that they were ultimately out here to protect Earth from threats. As he sat in the armory calibrating his phase rifle, the attention on deck order came from the entrance. It was time for another inspection it seemed. Michael placed his rifle safely on the worktable behind him then stood at attention.

Beth hated how the MACOs instantly came to attention as she walked into the barracks but could not help grin as the familiarity of most of them. They had been the last group she had been working before she had left Earth herself for her current posting. “Looking good Ma’am.” A MACO said who Beth had turned down many times making Beth smile and shake her head.

“At ease. Where is Sloan?” She demanded and several people pointed towards the armoury.

"Right here, Ma'am," Sloan spoke from his position. His eyes pointed forward as he waited. As the visitor approached, Michael introduced himself, "Gunnery Sergent Michael Sloan, United Earth Military." He stopped short of giving is soldier ID as it would probably have been perceived as rude to give so much detail.

Beth held her tongue as he stood there in the doorway. “Good afternoon Gunnery Sergeant. I am fully aware of who you are after all.” Beth said brightly trying to sound the exact opposite of him. “At ease.” She instructed hoping he would sound less clipped that way.

As if the magic words were given, Michael released the tension in his posture and took a more relaxed stance. Knowing that being requested by name only meant that they had a job for him, Sloan asked, “How can I help?”

Beth still looked up at the man but was relieved when he relaxed so that allowed her to not look up quite so much. Why did everyone have to be so tall in the MACOs. “I am looking at how many of your MACOs finished the course when I left.” Beth asked. “The file from head quarters was corrupted in the latest data stream so it’s easier to just come and ask you.”

"That should have been in the report," Michael replied. Not knowing the number, he pulled a PADD that was beside him to find the exact number. "We are looking at a seventy-five percent participation rate," he replied as he placed the PADD back on the table.

“And finished?” Beth questioned.

"Sixty-five," Michael replied.

“Could have been better but understandable with how the course tapered off at the end.” That was not Beth’s fault but someone should have been able to step up to cover what she had not been able to teach due to her assignment.

"We are the only detachment above half," Sloan replied, thinking they were doing pretty well considering.

“Very much the best detachment. But you had me.” Beth answered with a smile as she glanced back at the people watching from the common area. “Any of them interested in resuming the course as a side quests gunny.? Get those scores up for our reputations?”

"I wouldn't count on it," Michael replied. As one who had not yet taken the course himself, he saw little need in pushing the issue with the others. "We'll be taking our orders from the Captain, you, and Armory in a pinch, so learning commands in an alien tongue seems a little problematic," he pointed out.

“So what if something happened to incapacitate myself or Captain Morgan? Armoury has not been filled it could be an Andorian or Vulcan we are part of the exchange program after all. We had an Andorian in line to be on our medical team.” She had eventually pulled out due to medical reasons but it could have happened.

"Wouldn't they have learned an Earth language to have qualified to be part of the exchange program?" Michael asked. "If they want to be aboard a United Earth vessel, they should learn to speak with us on our terms."

Oh so he was one of those types? Every part of the world had them but she had not expected him to be xenophobic. “But what if it’s not a language you speak?” Beth asked in French waiting to see if he understood her.

"Brand! Huǒ a! Au feu! Ruko! Fuego! Fire!," Michael replied. It was a translation of the order to fire in Afrikaans, Mandarin, French, Hindi, Spanish, and of course English. As part of the United Earth army, they were required to learn commands in various languages of Earth. "Those are the top five spoken languages on Earth plus Afrikaans. I would doubt any alien would bother to learn Occitan without at least knowing French."

“You would be surprised but glad to see something stuck from our training sessions.” She said in Afrikaan still not sure exactly what chip he had on his shoulder but it was bigger than anyone else’s that she had seen in a long time. “I hear you might be having a Vulcan joining MACOs?” Beth finally ventured.

Giving an extended breath so that he did not say anything that would be worthy of a court martial, Michael replied, “Are we sure that we should allow Vulcans total access to our military?” It was one thing for Starfleet to give Vulcans access, but MACOs were United Earth only.

Beth raised a eyebrow again and spoke very lowly in Afrikaans so none of the MACO's who were outside could understand as she knew for a fact they were the only pair onboard that would even have an inkling of what was being said. "Talk like that will get you booted back to Earth," Beth said in unusual compassion for the man's viewpoint and the struggles he was feeling despite how misplaced she felt it might be. It was well-known people were struggling with Vulcan's being there and the way that they felt they were being held back.

Understanding the warning that was given, Michael nodded. Staying in Afrikaans, he did also give her a warning, “If reports are true and these Romulans are more than just the boogeyman of the day, who can we trust if not ourselves?”

Beth just patted his arm and turned to leave. “Going to have to trust others eventually,” Beth said simply leaving him with the question whether it was her, the Vulcans or something more out there in the universe. It was for him to decide.

"I trust everyone aboard this ship and down below," Michael replied. Deciding that it would be bad to get off on the wrong foot with the First Officer, he replied in a way that showed that he was more open. "Though I guess we are going to have to sit down and make the first move if we are going to be taken seriously out there. Are you still teaching the class?"

His words were short and tempered but she knew deep down they came from somewhere, where he had only ever had himself to rely on. It was a hard mindset to get out of. "If anyone wants me to then yes why I came to see if any of the MACO's were wanting to raise their scores," Beth said glancing back in surprise as she made her way out.

"If you'll set up the course, I'll make sure you have your one hundred percent," Michael offered as a big olive branch. He may not like it, but there would be situations where they would be confronted with aliens. Purely out of opportunism, it would give his group a bit of an advantage if they understood a little of what an opposing force had to say amongst themselves.

Beth said nothing but nodded. It was a big olive branch but she could see the man was at least trying which was better than many people with his mind set. Maybe there was hope for him yet.