Post by Scribe on Aug 29, 2009 4:10:29 GMT -5
THE BARN
NEW EARTH COLONY, GAIA
Stardate: 01032169
Tom stared at Ren across his desk at his office at the Barn.
"You're having me on." He said after a long pause because she had to be insane if he thought he'd agree to this.
Ren Richards now Hayes stared impatiently at her commanding officer. "You need a secretary."
The war was over and while Ren had often taken on that duty during her pregnancy, she knew that since she'd returned to active service and with the war ended, the MACO life was over for her. She had two children at home and duties as the Governor's wife. It was time to be a full-time mother to them. When she learned the Colonel was burying himself in paperwork since he returned from his bereavement leave, more than he had to, Ren knew she'd have to take matters into her own hands. Not only was Tom Merrick her commanding officer, he was a good friend. She felt bound to help him before she signed out of the Sharks for good.
"I'll get one of the maggots to do it."
"You're company commander," she gave him a look of impatience. "It was hard enough for me to figure out this bureaucratic junk when I was your secretary, let alone some poor recruit who joined up to fight the enemy not file." She pointed out.
"Well how come Gabe gets Celine?" Tom bit back. How was it that the Iron Colonel got to have a cute, pert secretary and he got… well no, he hadn't got anything because he wasn't agreeing to this.
Ren rolled her eyes, "Colonel, Gabe didn't get Celine he inherited her from Langley and Gaia has a civilian population that needs jobs." Ren reminded him not only as one of his subordinates but as the Governor's wife. "This is a position that does not need a military background."
Tom winced because she was right. He was often bogged down in paperwork and Gabe's remarks about the quality of his reports, was like getting a fail from a school teacher. Still, that didn't mean he was about to agree to Ren's suggestion. As it was he peered through the window on his door and saw the woman seated there. She was about 60 years old, with white gold hair and looked like one of those birds that would rap you on the knuckles if you misbehaved.
"No."
"She used to work for Lau," Ren pointed out. "She's very good at what she does."
"I don't care if she can do bloody cartwheels," Tom snorted. "I said no."
"Alright," Ren shrugged standing up with that sigh that would have put out an all points bulletin for trouble if it were employed on a certain Iron Colonel. "I'll go out there and tell her she doesn't qualify for the job because you're ageist."
"What?" Tom burst out in protest. "I'm not ageist!"
"Then hire her. Of the applicants she's the best one. She worked for Lau so she knows how this place runs. You need that right now. You can't be bogged with the paperwork you used to when I worked for you." She said firmly. "Furthermore, you need someone who can do the work and not get hit on by every MACO in the place."
"I'll get a bloke." Tom said defiantly.
"Colonel…you're being a baby and considering I sit for your child on occasions, that saying something."
Tom eased back in his chair and made a face, one that was clearly petulant, "but, but…"
Ren was already getting out of the chair and walking towards the door.
"What are you doing?" He demanded.
"I'm asking her to come in," Ren replied firmly. She knew enough strategy to make her fucking Napoleon if she wanted something done right. "If you're not hiring her, you can tell her yourself."
"What…" he stood up trying to stop her but Ren was already gone.
She appeared a moment later, with the lady entered the room.
"Mrs. Victoria Baker," Ren looked at Tom and made appropriate introductions. "Lt. Colonel Thomas Merrick."
Tom would have shot Ren a look of daggers except it would mean that that the woman would see and so he had to swallow his annoyance and be polite. She stared at him with blue eyes, holding him up to such scrutiny that when he stood, Tom found himself clearing his throat and nervously extending a hand.
"Uhm.. nice to meet you Mrs. Baker."
"Do call me Victoria," the woman spoke smoothly and as her voice left her, Tom was struck by her accent. She was English.
"Hullo Victoria," he replied, taking cue from that. "You're from England."
"Yorkshire, to be exact" she nodded. "And you're from Norfolk."
Most people didn't spot that. "That's right, me mum and dad was, I was born in Alpha Centauri." It surprised how he was slipping into the accent thicker than normal, "seems there was a migration about 40 years ago abouts."
"Its nice country," Victoria replied, "my husband and I holidayed once there."
"Really?" Tom looked at her, not wanting to admit that her voice sounded familiar, reminding him of someone long forgotten in his memory. "You're married?"
"Widowed actually," she said with a little hint of sadness casting a shadow in those blue eyes "Nigel passed six months ago."
"I'm sorry," Tom suddenly found himself thawing a little…not much. Just a little. He was still against this but saw Ren starting to make a strategic retreat out of the room. She stood at the doorway, letting things unfold on their own.
"I lost my wife not long ago so I sympathise." He said sincerely.
"Yes Captain Merrick," Victoria nodded, having heard of the Saratoga's demise in the Rumblings and Starfleet Info Bands, "I am sorry for your loss. Fortunately, we have the children they left behind to comfort us and that does soothes the pain, if not just a little"
"That they do," Tom nodded, agreeing with her on that point. "Right then Victoria, take a seat, let's talk about this job eh?"
"Right," the woman took the seat formerly occupied by Ren.
The former Sergeant, soon to be First Lady of sorts to New Earth Colony Gaia, took this as her cue to leave. "You two can handle this on your own I've got things to do."
"I'm sure you do," Tom gave her a look and Ren's response was a wink before she headed out.
Facing Victoria again, Tom replied. "So you used to work for Captain Lau?"
"Yes that's right," Victoria answered, "I worked for him since the Barn was built but a few years before he retired, I was forced to retire. Nigel's health was failing and I needed to be at home."
"And now you want to come back to it?" He asked, not feeling the desire to ask about her husband's demise any more than he wanted to talk about Alex's passing, three months ago.
"I want to keep busy," she stated firmly. "My sons are grown and gone. I'm starting to think the only things I've got to look forward in my day is knitting things or watching soap operas. Either I find a job or I'll start to go a little dotty."
Tom laughed knowing exactly how she felt and understanding the older woman more than he liked to admit. "You do know this crowd is pretty rough, right luv. We're not known for our finesses." He glanced at the window at the maggots running drill. "For that matter neither am I."
"I am sure I'll get accustomed to it again Thomas," Victoria said firmly. "I was born in Yorkshire, where the men are chauvinistic louts who do nothing better than having a pint on a Saturday night and getting into a brawl."
She just described his idea of a good time and called him Thomas.
His mother used to do that.
Maybe this wouldn't be so bad and he could try it out, for a few weeks at least. How bad could it be right? "I'll warn you now that I'm not the easiest bloke to work for. I'm a recovering alcoholic which means I'm bad tempered and I swear a lot."
"I've raised boys," Victoria gave him a look. "I'm certain I can cope without fainting at the first sign of foul language. Besides, I was accustomed to the charm of the place when I worked for Lau and I've been married for 40 odd years to a bad tempered Yorkshire man who liked his pint and his cigars and felt the urge to scratch his testicles a lot."
Tom who was sipping a glass of water almost choked on it. "That's not always a bad thing luv."
"I'm old enough to be your mother," she pointed out with a smile. "Don't call me luv."
"Oh here we go, already giving me grief." He smirked.
"Well if you're going to be a pillock about it…"
Tom laughed shortly. "You're the first person I know who's ever actually used that word."
"Well," she replied. "With your charm, I'd thought it'd be a regular occurrence."
Tom stared and shook his head. "Alright then Vicky my girl, I guess I'll see you in the morning. Can I expect scones at least?"
Victoria smiled. "Only if you're good Thomas, only if you're good."
NEW EARTH COLONY, GAIA
Stardate: 01032169
Tom stared at Ren across his desk at his office at the Barn.
"You're having me on." He said after a long pause because she had to be insane if he thought he'd agree to this.
Ren Richards now Hayes stared impatiently at her commanding officer. "You need a secretary."
The war was over and while Ren had often taken on that duty during her pregnancy, she knew that since she'd returned to active service and with the war ended, the MACO life was over for her. She had two children at home and duties as the Governor's wife. It was time to be a full-time mother to them. When she learned the Colonel was burying himself in paperwork since he returned from his bereavement leave, more than he had to, Ren knew she'd have to take matters into her own hands. Not only was Tom Merrick her commanding officer, he was a good friend. She felt bound to help him before she signed out of the Sharks for good.
"I'll get one of the maggots to do it."
"You're company commander," she gave him a look of impatience. "It was hard enough for me to figure out this bureaucratic junk when I was your secretary, let alone some poor recruit who joined up to fight the enemy not file." She pointed out.
"Well how come Gabe gets Celine?" Tom bit back. How was it that the Iron Colonel got to have a cute, pert secretary and he got… well no, he hadn't got anything because he wasn't agreeing to this.
Ren rolled her eyes, "Colonel, Gabe didn't get Celine he inherited her from Langley and Gaia has a civilian population that needs jobs." Ren reminded him not only as one of his subordinates but as the Governor's wife. "This is a position that does not need a military background."
Tom winced because she was right. He was often bogged down in paperwork and Gabe's remarks about the quality of his reports, was like getting a fail from a school teacher. Still, that didn't mean he was about to agree to Ren's suggestion. As it was he peered through the window on his door and saw the woman seated there. She was about 60 years old, with white gold hair and looked like one of those birds that would rap you on the knuckles if you misbehaved.
"No."
"She used to work for Lau," Ren pointed out. "She's very good at what she does."
"I don't care if she can do bloody cartwheels," Tom snorted. "I said no."
"Alright," Ren shrugged standing up with that sigh that would have put out an all points bulletin for trouble if it were employed on a certain Iron Colonel. "I'll go out there and tell her she doesn't qualify for the job because you're ageist."
"What?" Tom burst out in protest. "I'm not ageist!"
"Then hire her. Of the applicants she's the best one. She worked for Lau so she knows how this place runs. You need that right now. You can't be bogged with the paperwork you used to when I worked for you." She said firmly. "Furthermore, you need someone who can do the work and not get hit on by every MACO in the place."
"I'll get a bloke." Tom said defiantly.
"Colonel…you're being a baby and considering I sit for your child on occasions, that saying something."
Tom eased back in his chair and made a face, one that was clearly petulant, "but, but…"
Ren was already getting out of the chair and walking towards the door.
"What are you doing?" He demanded.
"I'm asking her to come in," Ren replied firmly. She knew enough strategy to make her fucking Napoleon if she wanted something done right. "If you're not hiring her, you can tell her yourself."
"What…" he stood up trying to stop her but Ren was already gone.
She appeared a moment later, with the lady entered the room.
"Mrs. Victoria Baker," Ren looked at Tom and made appropriate introductions. "Lt. Colonel Thomas Merrick."
Tom would have shot Ren a look of daggers except it would mean that that the woman would see and so he had to swallow his annoyance and be polite. She stared at him with blue eyes, holding him up to such scrutiny that when he stood, Tom found himself clearing his throat and nervously extending a hand.
"Uhm.. nice to meet you Mrs. Baker."
"Do call me Victoria," the woman spoke smoothly and as her voice left her, Tom was struck by her accent. She was English.
"Hullo Victoria," he replied, taking cue from that. "You're from England."
"Yorkshire, to be exact" she nodded. "And you're from Norfolk."
Most people didn't spot that. "That's right, me mum and dad was, I was born in Alpha Centauri." It surprised how he was slipping into the accent thicker than normal, "seems there was a migration about 40 years ago abouts."
"Its nice country," Victoria replied, "my husband and I holidayed once there."
"Really?" Tom looked at her, not wanting to admit that her voice sounded familiar, reminding him of someone long forgotten in his memory. "You're married?"
"Widowed actually," she said with a little hint of sadness casting a shadow in those blue eyes "Nigel passed six months ago."
"I'm sorry," Tom suddenly found himself thawing a little…not much. Just a little. He was still against this but saw Ren starting to make a strategic retreat out of the room. She stood at the doorway, letting things unfold on their own.
"I lost my wife not long ago so I sympathise." He said sincerely.
"Yes Captain Merrick," Victoria nodded, having heard of the Saratoga's demise in the Rumblings and Starfleet Info Bands, "I am sorry for your loss. Fortunately, we have the children they left behind to comfort us and that does soothes the pain, if not just a little"
"That they do," Tom nodded, agreeing with her on that point. "Right then Victoria, take a seat, let's talk about this job eh?"
"Right," the woman took the seat formerly occupied by Ren.
The former Sergeant, soon to be First Lady of sorts to New Earth Colony Gaia, took this as her cue to leave. "You two can handle this on your own I've got things to do."
"I'm sure you do," Tom gave her a look and Ren's response was a wink before she headed out.
Facing Victoria again, Tom replied. "So you used to work for Captain Lau?"
"Yes that's right," Victoria answered, "I worked for him since the Barn was built but a few years before he retired, I was forced to retire. Nigel's health was failing and I needed to be at home."
"And now you want to come back to it?" He asked, not feeling the desire to ask about her husband's demise any more than he wanted to talk about Alex's passing, three months ago.
"I want to keep busy," she stated firmly. "My sons are grown and gone. I'm starting to think the only things I've got to look forward in my day is knitting things or watching soap operas. Either I find a job or I'll start to go a little dotty."
Tom laughed knowing exactly how she felt and understanding the older woman more than he liked to admit. "You do know this crowd is pretty rough, right luv. We're not known for our finesses." He glanced at the window at the maggots running drill. "For that matter neither am I."
"I am sure I'll get accustomed to it again Thomas," Victoria said firmly. "I was born in Yorkshire, where the men are chauvinistic louts who do nothing better than having a pint on a Saturday night and getting into a brawl."
She just described his idea of a good time and called him Thomas.
His mother used to do that.
Maybe this wouldn't be so bad and he could try it out, for a few weeks at least. How bad could it be right? "I'll warn you now that I'm not the easiest bloke to work for. I'm a recovering alcoholic which means I'm bad tempered and I swear a lot."
"I've raised boys," Victoria gave him a look. "I'm certain I can cope without fainting at the first sign of foul language. Besides, I was accustomed to the charm of the place when I worked for Lau and I've been married for 40 odd years to a bad tempered Yorkshire man who liked his pint and his cigars and felt the urge to scratch his testicles a lot."
Tom who was sipping a glass of water almost choked on it. "That's not always a bad thing luv."
"I'm old enough to be your mother," she pointed out with a smile. "Don't call me luv."
"Oh here we go, already giving me grief." He smirked.
"Well if you're going to be a pillock about it…"
Tom laughed shortly. "You're the first person I know who's ever actually used that word."
"Well," she replied. "With your charm, I'd thought it'd be a regular occurrence."
Tom stared and shook his head. "Alright then Vicky my girl, I guess I'll see you in the morning. Can I expect scones at least?"
Victoria smiled. "Only if you're good Thomas, only if you're good."