A Meeting
by:A.Gulbrandsen

Sergeant M'Darsk's boots resounded like thunder as he sprinted towards his destination, down the long corridoors of the Battle Cruiser Stormbringer. He was called away from guard duty to assemble an honor guard for an arriving VIP in transporter room zero-one. He turned the corner and slamed into a crewman carrying a toolkit. The crewman was knocked off his feet and dumped unncerimoniously onto the floor, the toolkit spilling its contents across the hallway. "K'hest'n idiot! Watch yourself!" Sergeant M'Darsk growled. He didn't have the time to play with this one though, he had an assignment to see too.

Corporal Voras had four marines standing at attention outside the door to the transporter room. He was looking over their uniforms and weapons, ensuring that they looked strack. Sergeant M'Darsk came up to Voras, and he snapped to attention.

"Are you ready corporal?" Asked M'Darsk.

"Detail ready Sergeant!" Voras answeared smartly.

M'Darsk hit the panel on the bulkhead, and the door slid open with a satisfying hiss. "Detail forward!" As he uttered the command, the detail stepped forward, and entered the transporter room in single file. "Detail halt! Left face!" The troopers turned towards him and stomped a foot in unison. M'Darsk turned to his commanding officer, "Major M'Tov, detail is prepared for inspection!"

Major M'Tov returned the salute and gave a quick glance over the assembeled marines. "Take your position Sergeant." he responded, aparently satisfied.

Sergeant M'Darsk moved to the head of the formation and stood at attention. He noticed Major M'Tov whisper something in the ear of the Task Force Commander, Colonel Goss. Goss was a different type of commander. Discipline was doubled lately. A certain amount of trouble was to be expected during a cruise. With a large number of marines cooped up inside a ship, with little to do, there will always be trouble of some sort. Either the marines begin fighting with the crew or each other, it is an recognized, if not accepted, fact. But not Goss. No, he wants total discipline at all times. All times mind you. He even went so far as to contact the Reshtarc Linelord himself, and got an entire company of troops transfered off the ship.

Major M'Tov was another matter though. His had not changed his attitude one bit. Maybe he drank a little more, but his orders and drills were basically the same as they ever were. Colonel Goss seemed to go easier on him than the other Battalion Commanders. The Major has friends in high places perhaps. He did serve the Linelord personally at one time, as executive officer or something, years ago. But there seemed to be a familarity between the two officers. They had only met a few months ago, yet they seem at times to be old allies.

M'Darsk looked at Colonel Goss only to see him staring back. Sergeant M'Darsk realised his mind had wandered off his task, and he quickly snapped back to attention.

"Do you find me attractive Sergeant?" questioned Colonel Goss. "Would you like to confess something me?"

"NO SIR!" Hollered M'Darsk, as he locked his eyes straight ahead.

"If your mind cannot stay in this room then maybe you would be happier cleaning toilets at Strikebase Vengeance!" Snapped Goss. M'Darsk could feel his commanding officers eyes burning into him like hot pokers.

"Colonel, visitors arriving." Said the transporter tech. M'Darsk breathed a silent sigh of relief as the attentions of his officers were turned away from him.

The pads shimmered and glowed brighter as seven persons began to materialize into the room. M'Darsk allowed himself a quick glance, the first person that stepped off the pad was a klingon, the other six were Kelranni, he actually smelled them before he saw them. The Klingon swaggered towards Colonel Goss. He wore a camoflauged command cloak, probably the new Legion Marine Force Leader.

"Sir, Colonel Goss, Task Force five-six-one Commander. This is Major M'Tov, commanding officer of my first battalion."

The officer looked Colonel Goss over, then with a slow arching motion, slammed his fist into Goss' jaw. Goss staggered a half-step back and resumed attention. It was so deliberate an attack that someone could have told Goss it was comming five minutes ago. The officer was baiting Goss for some reason.

"Would you like another Colonel Goss?" asked the officer. Even before he finished his question his left fist jabbed Goss in the face, knocking him back another step. But as the attacker's momentum carried his body away from its target, Goss swung his fist in an uppercut and caught the other officer in the solarplexus, he then took a quick hop back and kicked the officer in the chest, sending him back against the bulkhead.

A trickle of blood ran out the corner of Colonel Goss' mouth as he resumed attention. "What! No oaths to the Emperor! No cries of the Emperors Vengeance upon me? What is this Goss?" questioned the officer.

"I serve the Emperor, that much is true, but he is not at my beck and call Mas'ich!" answered Goss angrily.

"Good! I cannot have my Task Force Leader's question my every order with threats of reprisals from the Emperor. Lord Marrik assured me you were different, but I had to be sure." added Colonel Mas'ich, "Are your troops prepared for inspection?"

"All has been made ready."

"Excellent, afterword we need to speak about future battle plans. And possibly a drink?"

M'Darsk could see the smile cross Major M'Tov's face, and the tension in the room seemed to drop some. Colonel Goss let out a laugh. "I have just the bloodwine we need." he added.

The three officers and the Kelranni left the room, as if nothing had happened, followed by Corporal Voras and the detail. Sergeant M'Darsk simply shook his head, "Officers." he moaned to no one in particular and followed the formation out of the transporter room.

The End

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