Star Trek: Terra Alpha

Ethan sat in his dark office reading situation reports. The sun has long since set, and normal bustle of the day had become silence.

"Private Jackson what are we going to do with you?" He asked himself staring down at the report. This was the second time this month, and the third time this name had landed on his desk.

Private Jackson, of Bravo Company from David's 18th, had gotten into a bar fight with some Navy guys in Capital City. In the scuffle he brought three more marines from his company into the fray, and Corporal Jennings was sent to the infirmary with a cracked skull.

Sighing Ethan set the PADD on his desk, and went to the replicator for a cup of coffee. He had just taken his first sip with the door to his office parted to reveal Trinity. Smiling, "Hey."

"Private Jackson huh?" Trinity said as she gestured to the padd. "I'm thinking he needs either therapy or a size 7 high heel to the buttocks." she winced. "A couple of the girls are not exactly thrilled with seeing the boys peeing in the shrubs. Perhaps we need to get these boys on Synthol. As wretched as it is."

"I'm thinking more like a discharge. He took two other Marines down with him this time." He shrugged, "Of course these guys often make the best Marines. As far as the peeing goes, I'll talk to our commanders. But, those girls should probably just get used to it. They're going to be peeing in the bushes right next to the guys in the field."

"Well there's peeing because you're in the field and there's peeing so someone sees your wang." Trinity said as she crossed her arms. "There's a latrine not more than what? Two? Three meters away. Unless your boys are all suffering from some nasty UTIs, it's inappropriate. And I was entirely thinking discharge. Or the brig. But hasn't he already practically lived in the Brig?" she sighed. "I hate to put a discharge on someone's record, especially a volunteer, but... we can't have that happening and we can't let others think we condone it. My Uncle Marcus... spent almost as much time in a brig as he did his fighter. At least that's what my grandfather jokes, course I've seen his record, it's not far off. Although that was before he got put into Ethan Riddic's unit and had him ride herd on him. Straightened him up and we DO have an Ethan Riddic living not far from our land." she tapped her chin. "Could give him one more chance, but he's Riddic's bitch or... we save ourselves the hassle and just dump him."

Trinity leaned against the doorframe. "Remember what our mothers always told us... sometimes you have to be the heavy when you're in command. Guess this is where we earn this flash on our shoulders huh?"

Ethan rubbed his chin, "A dishonorable discharge would follow him for a long time. And with how Terra Alpha feels about our military it'll haunt him. I'll talk to David. It's his call anyway."

"Well, we could remove him from our unit, put him on the reserve list. Although he could have killed someone in that fight." Trinity replied. "What do we always tell them? Save it for the enemy or for the training simulations."

Ethan chuckled, "We are the reserves. Well, sort of," he added judiciously. "I'll let David know we support his decision, and I will recommend that he either transition to regular Marines under Colonel Roddick, or he can have his separation papers. We'll make it a medical discharge so that it's honorable, but it will preclude him from future service. As far as the others the rest of the division will have their weekend and evening passes revoked. Extra PT for everyone. Let's nip this horse crap in the bud right now."

"I entirely agree... either he shapes up or ships out and the others need to know we're not screwing around. We're facing some very real threats and the last thing we need is casualties before they even see combat." Trinity said and crossed her arms. "It's like we have to be parents to grown adults."

"I believe my mother expressed a similar sentiment a few times," he replied dryly. "How's Colonel Remokov settling in?"

The new regimental commander had turned out to not be what he expected. Though, to be fair he didn't know exactly what he expected, but Colonel Anika Remokov was not it.

Ethan had never met a Hylon before, and was surprised how small they were. Not that Colonel Remokov was petite, but she wasn't Narlin sized. She stood just a few inches taller than Trinity. Her short pointed ears poking out from her straight blonde hair. And that exotic Russian sounding name... A lesser man would get himself into trouble , he concluded.

"I think she's still finding her footing, not easy being thrown into a camp full of weird Terran Marines." Trinity said as she pulled a package of mints out of her pocket and offered him one. "Maybe we should invite her home for dinner or something, figure out how we can get her settled in a bit better. Half the men are intimidated by her, half the men have a hard time hiding their boners." she raised an eyebrow. "Something tells me she wasn't always the 'popular' one in her last posting."