A Corpsman's Eyes
Posted on Wed Jul 16th, 2025 @ 8:18pm by Rear Admiral Timothy Rice & Sergeant Audie Fitch & Brigadier General Francis 'Judge' Sobel
Edited on on Wed Jul 16th, 2025 @ 8:19pm
1,776 words; about a 9 minute read
Mission:
The Amalgamation Interrogation
Location: Wardroom 1 - Habitat Ring Deck 11 - Empok Nor
Timeline: MD002 1500 hrs
Rice rubbed his temples in an effort to massage away some of the stress of all these interviews. He sipped the water in front of him. "Well, Francis it seems that The Cure's Corpsman Sergeant Audie Fitch is up next. Anything I should know about them before we bring them in?"
"Good war record. Good barracks record," Francis said, sifting through the flimsies in front of him. "Solid evals, though she's new to the Pioneer. She followed the herd when it came to the business with species 626D. So, she witnessed that. "Probably going to give us the freshest look at Tremble. New eyes and all that."
"Her former CO a Colonel Patton speaks highly of her. I would be curious to see what she thinks about her duties aboard the Pioneer, outside those of a Marine. According to Malbrooke's reports and his own answers all members of the Cure have duties aboard ship. Well, no time like the present. Lets get her in here, then perhaps a break." The saying was heavy was the collar that wore the brass. For Tim at the moment it seemed that his, and Sobel's collars were so heavy there was a danger of severing their heads.
It felt like being called into the principal's office, and Audie had plenty of experience with that back in the days before she just ditched school completely. But at least now, to her understanding, she wasn't here because of something she had -- or hadn't -- done. Not that she could think of, anyway!
Entering the office, she stood at attention until she was acknowledged.
Glancing her over, Francis gestured toward the loan chair facing them and said, "We're going to go light on the formalities, Sergeant. Take a seat if you've a mind." Adjusting his own seat slightly, Francis glanced at the flimsy before him, touching one corner to scroll through her file. "Thank you for attending us today. Admiral Rice and I are speaking to a selection of the Pioneer's crew to see how something I, with tongue in cheek, call the Great Experiment. It's not new to the Fleet or Corp. But that doesn't make it any less unique. Namely, the placing of FMC officers into traditional Fleet roles. Case in direct point: Colonel Tremble."
"Yes, sir." Audie nodded, taking the seat proffered and indicating that she understood why they wanted to talk to her...and relieved that she wasn't in trouble!
As he spoke, Francis was able to define better what he wanted to actually say as he continued, "The Colonel, as you may know, has been on the Pioneer for a number of years. He came aboard as a Gunnery Sergeant and with a relatively short amount of time, became XO. You came aboard most recently among the marines so we'd like your perspective on how he's doing. I'm not sure how much contact you've had with the Colonel, but there's always rumors and the NCO network almost always knows everything going on no matter the station."
"Aye, sir, I've only been here a short time," Audie admitted, "and I've had little chance to see him at work, besides the routine operations." She shrugged. "It's hard to comment on a leader until...well, he has a chance to really lead. I've been under the command of officers who seemed good, like they knew what they were doing, and then, in battle, they fold..."
That was a round-about way of saying she really didn't know how he was doing! She added, "The men here speak well of him, though, I've not heard any grumblings..." Not that she would say so if she did. Such things were kept among the Marines, dealt with among themselves.
As for trying to combine commands with Starfleet, she had her own thoughts on that.
One did not rise through the ranks of Starfleet without learning a thing or two about reading body language. Admiral Timothy Rice was no different. Right now it seemed to him that this Sergeant had a lot to say but for one reason or another decided not to say it. So, he decided to take a different tact. "Sergeant. What about yourself? How do you feel about your duties on the Pioneer? Having to take orders from fleet personnel and perform extra tasks outside the work of a typical Marine. This experiment of ours is a lot more than just Colonel Tremble."
"Oh, well..." For a moment, Audie paused, trying to organize her thoughts so she could say what she wanted without offending anyone. "I don't mind, it keeps me busy and I don't mind helping where I'm needed." That was the easy part, but it got more complicated after that, and it was hard to judge, considering that, so far, nothing had come up.
"So long as it doesn't interfere with my duties, and there's where I see a problem." She shrugged. "I'm either a Marine or not. I can't be under conflicting commands, and, push come to shove...well, I'm a Marine."
And she was a Marine on a roll! "It's a different mindset," she added, "Starfleet is diplomatic, Marines...break things." Well, that wasn't completely true, but it summed up her opinion. "An engineer can't really give commands to, say, a doctor. Completely different disciplines and mind-sets."
It occurred to her that she'd probably said enough!
"And yet they do..." Rice began as he jumped on her comment about engineers. "An Engineer who has a higher rank may take the Doctor's words under advisement. However, ultimately when said engineer makes a decision the Doctor must follow it. Have you been given any orders that go against your mindset?" Now that he had the Sergeant talking Tim wanted to keep her talking.
There was a loaded question! But Audie shook her head. "No...no..." She wanted to be honest, so she wracked her brain to make sure. "Can't think of anything, and I guess that would be something that I wouldn't have to think on." She grinned. "As much as I think on anything!"
She grinned, but then shook her head. This was serious, she knew, they were earnest in their questions, and it wasn't right to make light of it. "Might have been a thing here and there I didn't exactly agree with, but nothing that I wouldn't do."
It was something that anyone under the command of another fretted over -- what to do when ordered to do something that you knew was wrong...
Sobel cocked his head at that and said, "Sergeant, to be clear. Have you been given an order you didn't agree with. Was that order against regulations, rules of engagement or Federation Law? Are you referring to the Pioneer's taking missions off book and the entire crew deciding to take part in Captain Malbrooke's piracy of his own ship? Which Colonel Tremble was a willing participant in?"
"I'm willing as well," Audie answered evenly, "we were all given the chance to walk away without ramifications." She shook her head. "No, I'm here of my own will, and I agree with the..."
For a moment, her nose wrinkled up as she thought. "I suppose what we are doing is just what we're talking about, isn't it? Defying Federation law because we have a conviction? So, it's true that we can all agree on something, despite our specific discipline."
Rice raised an eyebrow. From the mouths of babes. he thought. In a rare moment in these proceedings Rice turned to Sobel. "She does have the right of it. We are all here because of our convictions. The methods may be different but we all agree on the bigger picture. Peace in our time as it were."
Nodding, Sobel said, "I couldn't have put it better. Though the word conviction...well." Smiling, Francis finished, "Maybe we'll all share the same cell." Looking to Rice he said, "Peace in our times. That sounds like a toast."
Tim raised his coffee mug in toast. "Sounds like it. Although not sure if you want to sip that swill that Tempest wants you to drink."
Looking toward the sergeant, he asked, "Sergeant Fitch. How was your first deployment in the suits?"
"Took a little getting used to," Audie commented, shrugging. "Kinda makes you feel invincible...until you don't!" She chuckled a little, then shook her head. "Can't account for everything...we didn't know that bug goo might chew through the material."
Eyeing the cup, Sobel sighed, "That bug goo couldn't have been much worse than Tempest's tea. Surprised it hasn't worked it's way through the cup." Looking up, to meet Audie's eyes he said, "Trials and tribulations of a Fleet Marine. The suits are supposed to be force multipliers but I think the Colonel bit off a little more than the Cure should have chewed on. Sealed records and all...there was a lot of damage to those suits."
"The Commodore will have to answer for some of that damage." Rice added as he thought about Tyler taking his ship for a joy ride of sorts. "But that is a conversation for another time. Sergeant have you any questions for us?" Tim shifted the meeting back on topic as he realized that they had not asked anyone if they had any questions or suggestions. All of these conversations had been a fact finding mission.
"No one can account for all possibilities," Audie defended her superiors. "I don't think there was any way to anticipate that type of acidic chemical and it's impossible to make a material impervious to everything." She shrugged. "Now we know better, but chances are good we'll never run into that again. The fun of encountering new species, new elements and new traditions...you were always in danger of big surprises!"
"Never say never, Sergeant," Sobel said with a smile, "But we do plan for everything. Thank you for sharing your thoughts."
"Yes, sir." Audie smiled and nodded. "Thank you for asking." Many officers didn't care what their subordinates thought or had to say, so that, these men, by asking, showed the sorts of leaders they were.
A Joint Post By
Brigadier General Francis Sobel
Commanding Officer, 258th Starfleet Marine Expeditionary Brigade
Empok Nor
Rear Admiral Timothy Rice
Sector Commanding Officer, Trivas Sector
Empok Nor
Sergeant Audie Fitch
Corpsman Team 2, The Cure
USS Pioneer
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