Meeting the general

Posted on Tue Feb 28th, 2023 @ 9:29am by Commander Antonia 'Tony" Stoffels & General Richard Stoffels (Stoffels)

Mission: Evacuation
Location: Station bar
Timeline: Current.

Richard was sitting in the bar. It was too hard to sit in their quarters waiting on news about the family. Aleck had gone out to help with the evacuation but she had told him to go and try to relax for a bit in the bar. Funny his wife thought he would intimidate the poor civilians while in his opinion she was much more intimidating. Yet he had learned long ago not to argue with his wife.

So donning a pair of fading jeans and a loud shirt he made his way to the bar. His blond greying crew cut still made him look like a marine out of uniform although his moustache was a bit less regulation. Richard had always loved hanging out in bars, especially when nobody knew his rank. And he hoped not everybody on the ship knew who he was yet. It had not been widely announced they had a general on board. Right now he was playing a game of poker with a couple of crewmembers and some petty officers while sipping his beer and Aleck had been right. He was enjoying himself.

Finchley walked into the bar, a little trepidation in his step. He was about to meet with a full blown Colonel, not that he minded, it was just an unusual circumstance, one that he hadn't foreseen happening. He scanned the area, looking for someone with a Marine uniform on, but couldn't see anyone dressed in such. Was the Colonel late, had he been held up or was he actually there, just Finchley couldn't see him?

Richard was sitting so he could see who was coming in and he spotted the chief straight away. But the poker round was just getting good and he did not want to get up. So he put two fingers in his mouth and whistled to get the man's attention.

When Kerr looked in his direction he raised his voice slightly to reach him. "Be right with you, son. Just need to clean out my buddies here first."

Which was met with good natured mutterings.

Hearing the whistle and what the General then said, Finchley made his way over to him "It's alright General, I'll come over."

He made his way towards the table and took a seat at the empty one behind where the card players were. Sitting down, his subconscious started having a conversation with him ~What on earth are you doing here, you have nothing in common with this Marine General, except you've both served in combat...how's that related to you re-sitting your officers exam, I mean, can't we just get up, make our excuse and leave?~

"No!" Finchley said out loud, then suddenly realised what he'd done when a few of the players looked in his direction.

"That's it pay up gentlemen." With a grin Richard put his cards on the table, gathered his money and came to his feet. "I will be back later if you have not lost your nerve."

"Let's find a quieter place to chat." He then said to the chief warrant officer.

"Yes General" Finchley replied, looking around to see if there was anywhere. "There's a free booth by the bar Sir, would that suit you?"

"That's fine. Oh and I am off duty so Richard is fine." He said casually while ordering another round of beer. "Now, Tony said you want to become an officer?" He asked as they sat down.

"With all due respect General, even when talking to you off duty, I'd find it very difficult to call you...Richard, it doesn't seem right" Finchley replied.

"As to your question, yes Sir, I want to resit the Officers exam and I was wondering if you had any pointers or words of wisdom for me?" he added.

He took a sip of beer as he eyed the young man in front of him. "Let's start at the beginning. Why did you fail the first time."

"Well, then were extenuating circumstances Sir" Finchley began "Namely that I was dating the Chief Examiners daughter...and he didn't exactly like that, or me. We uh...we were having a quiet night in, just the two of us, we thought that her parents were going to be out all evening, turns out they weren't. It had gotten to the 'passionate' part of the evening with us when her Father came into her room wondering what the noise was...that was when all hell broke loose. I sat the exam a week later and guess who was the marker?"

Richard could not help but grin. "That's bad luck. But not very professional of your examiner. That means that your work will show if you could have passed the first time. No weak spots in your learning, you are confident you will pass this time?"

"I was confident I passed the first time General" Finchley replied "However, thinking about it, being failed the first time wasn't as bad as I thought, if fact, I'd say I'm better prepared this time round than I was before. Had I passed first time, I'd have been on the Security/Tactical track and that's really all I'd have concentrated on, becoming an NCO, working my way up through the ranks to Chief, I've covered just about every position there is on the bridge of a Starship. I'm a more rounded individual, with a broader learning capacity, so that's a big plus."

"How long ago was it that you had your first try. And what is your career goal." The general asked really listening to the younger man. "You would have to work your way up through the ranks again. With your experience you would not start at the bottom rank but still in a way you would be less senior then you are now. For some that is a shock." He had seen NCO's make a very successful change to officer but he had seen it go dreadfully wrong as well. That was why in his opinion mentoring was so important.

"It's been twelve years since I finished the Academy and sat the test Sir" Finchley replied "As for my career goals, well, being a Department Head is the First, being an Executive Officer is the Second and finally, being able to have my own Command is my Third. Seniority has never been a bother to me General, seeing the job done to the best of my ability has, the same as I expect from those I serve with."

That took the general by surprise. "You waited twelve years. Wait you attended the academy? So you did the full training to become an officer? And those are pretty high goals. It usually takes many years to walk that path and only a few make it."

"It took me twelve years to reach Chief Warrant Officer General, that's pretty good going by anyone's account" Finchley replied "And yes, I did do the full Academy training course. As for my goals, I think they're achievable, I work hard, I study, I learn, I practice and then put to good use what I learn. I'm thirty four, by the time I'm forty four, I can see me looking at being an Executive Officer and by fifty having my own Command. That's not to much to expect if I apply myself."

"You having done the full academy course may actually help." Richard mused. "You can't have failed all of it. Tell you what. I happen to have a friend on board who is an academy professor. He may be able to pull your files. He would make a really good mentor for you as well if you want one." Most officers had one but not all wanted it. It could do wonders for ones career though.

"I'd appreciate that very much Sir, thank you" Finchley replied "The other plus is that I do also have bridge experience, including from time to time taking the Centre seat. Granted, it was mostly during Charlie shift, the 'graveyard shift' if you will, but it's still experience...and you can't buy or teach that, you have to do it to gain the knowledge and foresight."

"That will all help." Richard said. "Why don't you compile a file of all this and then go see my friend. He can guide you on the best and fastest path for what you want to achieve. As a professor he knows so much more about the details than I do."

"That's great General, I will certainly do that" Finchley replied. He couldn't help feeling though that he was being passed around though 'for people who could help. First it was the Resolution's Executive Officer Commander Stoffels passing him onto her Father, General Stoffels, the General Stoffels now passing him on to an Academy Professor. All he wanted was for someone to make the time to speak to him, take an interest in getting to know 'him', not to be passed off onto someone else.

He stood up and held out his hand "Well General, I shan't keep you from taking money from your friends at the cards, thank you for your time and the opportunity to have a brief chat with you. I look forward to hearing from your friend the Professor."

"Do keep me updated." Richard said. "And you are free to pick my brain as well. And I am sure Tony's as well. It's just that with all that is going on we are not the most reliable people to lean on. I will have Wain contact you as soon as he is able."

"Thank you Sir, and I certainly will do, I look forward to hearing from the Professor in due course" Finchley replied. He gave a warm smile, the n turned and left the General to go back to his friends.

TBC.