“But you can’t do this. You were a Fucking civilian 4 or 5 days ago!”
“You just don’t get it do you Lieutenant.” Mark leaned over the consol. “It is the UNIFORM stupid and believe it or not someone higher ranked than you decided that I EARNED THE RANK! Whether you like it or not.” As a Sgt. stepped up beside the lieutenant.
“But Sir I thought. The Chief said.” Lieutenant Reeves came to attention and looked around as his world crumbled. “I did not mean to. To... I have spent my life in service to this ship and I was just trying to do what I was told was best for the ship Sir.” Sweat beaded around his face running down his cheeks. “My family Sir! I have four kids Sir!” He pleaded.
“Well while you are restricted to your Cabin make the most of your time with them and if I where you; I would not have their last good memories be of you crying in your cabin or drifting in obit without a suit kicking and screaming like the coward you have turned out to be. You will also provide a written report on who ordered you to matinée against a superior officer. It may keep you from a death sentence if you can convince the court you were just following orders. Now get out of my sight.”
“But Sir! I beg you please don’t...”
“Mr. Reeves, don’t make me have you dragged out of here. You are an officer of the Star Queen. Act like it if that is even possible Sir.”
Taking a deep breath Lieutenant Reeves stiffly walked from behind the console and down the passageway towered the elevator fallowed by the Sgt.
“Lieutenant Reeves!” Mark said loud enough for his voice to carry down the passageway as the elevator hatch opened.
Turning around and coming to attention the Lieutenant said. “Yes Commander Collins Sir!”
“Come here.”
The Lieutenant swallowed and stiffly walked back down the passageway to stand in front of Mark. Saluting, he came to attention.
Mark returned his salute. “Lieutenant give me 20 pushups and then run around the engineering core on the truck deck 10 times. When you are done with that; stand exactly 20 feet from me where ever I am and recite ships regulations concerning obeying orders and the chain of command until I tell you to stop.”
“Sir! Will that reduce the charges against me sir.”
Mark stood there and took a deep breath and then growled looking up at the overhead and a higher authority. “Since when the hell do deals have anything to do with OBEYING ORDERS LIEUTENANT REEVES?” Mark was surprised when his words from deep inside his gut bellowed across the compartment and echoed back from the engine rooms. He had not been trying to yell but simply get his point across. “I am wasting my time here? You make me sick, get out of my...”
The Lieutenant dropped to the deck and started counting pushups in a clear carrying voice that could be heard throughout the engineering spaces. Mark was pleased that all of the ones with big shit eating smiles a few minutes before now looked shocked while the majority of the crew where either showing signs of at least being impressed or were out right smiling.
The two crewmen stunned a few minutes before started to move. The 1st class rolled over and sat up. Looking over at the Lieutenant doing pushups he got a disgusting look on his face before looking up at Mark. “Why you little piss ant cadet. You will regret stunning me.”
“God star! You will never learn will you 1st class Wolfe.” Squatting down on one knee so he could look him in the eye, Mark smiled. “For years I have watched you Bully Cadets, ensigns and even lieutenants into getting what you. Even arranging accidents to those that don’t see things your way. Even slapping them around when they did not please you and you thought no one important could see. No wonder you found it easy to assault an officer and your fellow crewmen feel safe ignoring orders. But that is about to change here and now. While I think some of your crewmates may be worth saving with a lot of work. I cannot in my wildest imagination even dream of you actually becoming a worthwhile human being let alone a worthy crew mate. So you my dear 1st class Wolfe, will be taking up residence in the brig until your court-martial that I will do my best to make sure results in you at least walking dirt if not the plank or out a lock without a suit for mutiny.”
“Sgt. Miller, get this bilge scum out of my sight. And use extreme prejudice while you are at it. Your criminal deeds are coming back to haunt you Wolfe.”
The 1st class’s companion sat wide eyed rubbing his numbed legs and arms as 1st class Wolfe was led away on unsteady legs in hand cuffs behind his back.
“Now for you 2nd class Dexter. “I am busting you down to space man for being stupid bit pray that you will smarten up with the proper supervision. You will also fallow the Lieutenant. Doing everything I told him to do except while he is reciting regulations you will confess your and 1st class Wolfe's sins into this recorder." Mark placed a small button on his forehead. "Making penance by apologizing for all those you have ever wronged and whenever you run out of sins and or penance, you can do pushups until you remember additional new sins and acts for as long as I choose is a fitting punishment. And if I fail to hear you confessing new sins or counting pushups you will immediately be taken to join your buddy and his fate. That is if you agree to this punishment Second Class Dexter. Otherwise you will be taken immediately to the brig to stand trial for mutiny and assaulting an Officer that could result in death. Do you understand me spaceman Dexter? What is your decision?”
“Sir! Yes Sir! Commander Collins Sir!” Rolling over he immediately started counting pushups as a Patrolman took up residence next to him.
“May Godstar be with you Spaceman Dexter. It has not been two seconds and already you are disobeying orders.” Pure terror filled Dexter’s eyes as he looked up at Mark. Not a clue to what Mark was talking about as he tried doing pushups faster to appease him. “Spaceman Dexter. You are out of uniform.” Dexter froze for a few seconds then started trying to pull his stripes off while doing pushups making Mark smile. “You can stop your pushups long enough to fix your uniform Spaceman Dexter.”
Mark did not need to turn around as an officer stepped off the elevator. Except for the officers, not one enlisted man was in the control room or hatches, though he could see them just inside the engine rooms out of sight trying to keep track of what was going on. “Very good; does anyone else have any comments?” When most smiled and said no while some said nothing with obvious shock or even hostility Mark continued. “Does everyone understand the chain of command now?” With the smiles saying yes, some continued to frown in silence as Mark shook his head. “Gentleman that was a question and it required an answer. Failure to answer constitutes failure to carry out orders.” Looking around at each of the men and women Mark tried again. “Do you understand the Chain of command Gentlemen?”
“Yes” they said with a couple adding sir halfheartedly. Not sure what he wanted."
“That is... Sir! Yes Commander Collins Sir.” Mark demanded bellowing from his gut again without trying. “And you damn will better come to attention while you are at it and clearly enunciate your answers! I am a superior officer and you will damn well start acting like it.”
The Lieutenant Commander from MP-1 just stepping off the elevator and starred without saying a word while the others snapped to attention and repeated. “Sir! Yes Commander Collins Sir!”
The Second lieutenant was the next senior and the worst bad ass officer in the department and impossible to predict what he would do, how to control him or how to change his mind. With him around and his outright hostility he could make it impossible to do what Mark needed to get done. While Mark was ecstatic that he did not need to get rid of half the officers and men like he had been afraid of. The little voice of the Admiral told him that he definitely needed to get rid of the Second Lieutenant as fast as possible echoing Marks sentiment. But something did not sound right about doing that to Mark, but he had to admit it made sense.
Without turning around. “Second Lieutenant Johnson, since you do not seem to understand the chain of command. You can confine yourself to quar
ters until charges are brought. You are not to talk or contact anyone about what is going on down here on the Engineering Deck until I instruct you otherwise. Sgt. Morris, make sure he stays there or put him in the brig and take all communication devices from him or let him near any. Gentlemen you will please assemble your men out in front of the emergency escape hatch of MP-3 on the Truck deck please. Any man not there in 5 minutes will be considered AWAL and taken to the brig when found. That includes the officers. Is that understood?”
“Sir! Yes Commander Collins Sir!” All the officers echoed in unison except Lieutenant Johnson who continued to stand there as Sgt. Morris stepped up beside him.
“Commander Collins Sir!” Sec. Lt. Johnson spoke up as he looked around the control room at the other officers. “You know that now that everyone knows how unstable you are after the little incident on the mess deck and then the cargo hatch along with the news reports yesterday afternoon of everything else you have done. Your ass is cooked as soon as the Chief finds out whatever you are trying to do. Besides, the Chief says you will be gone by tomorrow anyway.”
“Me unstable?" Mark turned around to face the lieutenant. "No Lieutenant. Not at all. I am Commander of Engine room 3 at least until tomorrow and the Chief has little he can say or do as long as I confine my activities to Engine room 3 carrying out the Captain's publicly stated orders in front of witnesses directly to me. Even if he was here at this moment. Though he could prevent me from using the additional crewmen from the other engine rooms.” Mark walked up to the 2nd Lieutenant and placed his nose about an inch form Mr. Johnson’s nose. “But luckily, with the Chief and the Commanding officers of the other engine rooms at the pre-launch meeting; I am also ranking officer of Engineering at this moment and as long as I do not countermand any of his logged orders I can do pretty much what the fuck I want until the meeting is over and he returns to the engineering spaces.”
“What logged orders?”
“Exactly 2nd Lieutenant Johnson. He has no orders logged in the Engineering spaces log book at this time.”
What? We have not used that log book for years except to log duty watches and major events while under way. Never orders.” Lieutenant Johnson said in disbelief.
“Mr. Johnson. Ship's regulations clearly state that orders not logged into the daily log are not legally binding beyond the officer that personally received such orders. That means Lieutenant, that none written or none recorded verbal orders are merrily suggestions to officers not given the orders directly by a superior officer and subject to change or interpretation or even to be ignored suggestions. Now I know you will find that hard to understand from the way things have been run around here for so many years but you can understand orders of a superior officer restricting you to your cabin and forbidding you to contact anyone in anyway concerning these orders or what is going on down here, including the Chief and Engine room Commanders until I give you permission to do so after we are finished down here. Good day lieutenant.”
Mark turned. “Officer of the Deck Announce muster for all engine room spaces in front of the Engine Room 3 emergency escape hatch on the truckdeck please.” And walked down the passageway and out into the truckdeck as the officers scattered. A few seconds later an announcement over the engine room PA system blared calling for all engineering personnel to muster on the truck deck in front of Engine Room 3. Sec. Lieutenant Johnson made the announcement to Marks surprise in a voice that demanded immediate compliance.
On the truck deck, a group of Cargo Mates stood formed for muster in neat rows. Their officers standing at easy in front of them. Tables lined the curved inner hull to port of three hatches. The emergency escape hatch to MP-3 (Main Propulsion room #3). The hatch to the chain room and the passageway running across to Main Engineering Control. Then MP-4’s (Main Propulsion room #4) emergency escape hatch all in a row. That part of the truck deck had been blocked off from truck traffic including the truck parking slips on that side of the ship, but being on the back side of the deck from the main Airtruck entry hatch, dispatch office and elevator with the hundred foot diameter inner hull core blocking any prying eyes, Mark felt confident he did not have to worry about unwanted guests or word making it up ship by someone headed up the truck deck elevator.
The fact that the Admiral was monitoring all comm signals from the lower part of the ship ready to cut the connection eased Marks mind as well. Several yeomen carefully stacked tablet sheets on the tables grouping them according to color and numbers and occupation for the work gangs. A couple of technicians finished setting up a 3D projector in front of the tables and turned it on. A holographic reduced sized propulsion engine sprang to life towering towered the overhead that began to disassemble itself in stages turning different parts different colors for each stage.
The men coming out of the engine rooms gawked at the hologram as they milled around the truck deck. Some of them started looking over the stacks of sheets on the tables.
“Ok men line up for muster.” Mark tried to get some order but was ignored by most.
“Mark remember your sleep training, relax and let yourself go.” The Admiral’s voice whispered in his ear. “Use the months of training we have given you on how to use your officers and the chain of Command.”
“Mr. Clancy (MP-4’s Second Lieutenant), Form the men up please.”
The lieutenant started screaming at the men to form up. To get in line with little better luck.
Mark finely called him back over. “Mr. Clancy you have lieutenants and Ensigns; use them.”
Within a few seconds the lieutenants and ensigns where yelling at the men trying to get them to line up according to their MP Space.
“Mr. Clancy you are embarrassing me in front of the deck crews. Will you please have your Lieutenants tell the Ensign’s to tell the first classes to please have the men form up according to engine room, please?”
That did little better. They were still spread half across the truck deck even if they were finely in loose groups according to MP space as 2nd Lieutenant Johnson walked up to Mark.
“Commander Collins Sir. If you will allow me Sir.” Without waiting for permission 2nd Lieutenant Johnson grabbed 2nd Lieutenant Clancy and using specific orders he went down each step one at a time waiting for each step to be carried out before going to the next. Who, where and how and in less than a minute the 1st classes had the men grouped and lined up half way decently in decent ranks. Then he got down to work. “Attention!” 2nd Lieutenant Johnson Barked at the other lieutenants who continued to bark at the ensigns who barked at the 1st classes who ran around barking at the men to finely get a damn nice looking formation.
Second Lieutenant Johnson finely walked over to Mark, saluted and smiled and said at a whisper. “That is what years of experience teaches an officer. Sir.” And then load enough for the rest to hear. “I understand what you are trying to do Commander even though I think it is impossible in one night. Discipline has been a joke around here for years and if you are going to get these engines up rated tonight, you are going to need all the discipline I can get you. That is if you will accept my humble apology and my oath to follow your orders to the letter Commander.
Mark suddenly realized that the 2nd Lieutenant actually had never commented or done anything derogatory to him since he was made MP-3’s Commander though he had stood back stone faced with the occasional none specific growl as other did all the deeds of mistreatment. Even as a cadet the 2nd Lieutenant had only demanded discipline, obedience and competent work out of Mark though he had little control over Marks assignments. Mark came to a decision. “I am only worried about doing one engine today Mr. Johnson. That will prove it can be done and that it works. The rest can wait for the rest of the week. Carry on Mr. Johnson.”
Turning around Mr. Johnson surveyed the men. “Company! At easy!”
Lieutenant Reeves came running around the truck deck on his third lap, breathing hard fallowed close by a tail.
“Mr. Johnson. What do you think abo
ut Mr. Reeves?”
“Commander Sir. He gets a bit carried away and does not think beyond his orders but he is a good man and we can use him Sir.”
“Thank you Mr. Johnson.”
“Do not let them gang up Mark.” The Admiral said in Marks ear. “The two of them have a long history of cooperating at the detriment of superiors. He is right, Mr. Reeves does not think beyond his orders. I thought he would grow out of it when I promoted him but he hasn’t. My mistake.”
“Ok, so why haven’t you Promoted Mr. Johnson to full Commander of the MP-3. He certainly is capable. Or am I missing something after 10 years.”
“Lieutenant Johnson and Lieutenant Reeves are twins psychologically, following orders to the letter with gusto. Though Mr. Johnson believes in discipline and would run a much tighter engine room not letting half of what the men get away with. But he would turn into one holly terror of discipline if he was made the Space’s full Commander and in time maintenance would suffer. Not to mention, he would never go against the Chief’s specific orders not to install the engine upgrades and I needed someone that would. You are that someone. That is why you need to get rid of Lieutenants Johnson and Reeves.”
Mark studied the two men for a few seconds and then turned. “Twenty some years ago Gentlemen.” Mark took another deep breath as he thought about what the Admiral had said but decided that he needed every good man he could get and Lieutenant Reeves was a damn good engineer when he wasn't trying to be a lieutenant. As for 2nd Lieutenant Johnson, he was still trying to make up his mind about. “The Star Queen was ready to Split into 2 crews and purchase a new ship. And then we were taken and lost almost everything including many crewmen with the ship being almost destroyed. We have been playing catch up ever since."
Tramp Wars: The Enemy Page 65
