Training

Posted on Friday 18 June 2021 @ 16:15 by Major David Scarlet

Mission: A Cry from the Darkness
Location: Marine country
Timeline: Mission Day 10
1528 words - 3.1 OF Standard Post Measure

Evening came and Mathias was already showered after crawling through the Jefferies Tubes to check for some anomalies. He dressed in sweatpants and a tee shirt, and joggers. If he needed to dress in the green he would. However right now it was neutral grey. He arrived in Marine Country and checked in at Scarlet's Office to see if he was there.

The door slid open and Scarlet's frame filled the doorway. He looked at McPhee with his usual grim visage before brushing past him and walking out into the hallway. He'd taken a couple of steps before he turned and scowled.

"Hurry up. I'm not carrying you." He said quietly, almost threateningly. There was a slight growl under his words as he spoke. Something menacing bubbling up from deep within him.

Mathias was right on his heels, and had to step back to keep from literally running into him. He had a grim smile when Scarlet made his remark. "I don't expect you to." was his only remark. Following after Scarlet when he resumed walking. This evening, Mathias wasn't in the conversational mood. Not like he usually would do. This was some serious business that needed to be done. In fact he hadn't shaved, there was the five o clock shadow that could be seen.

Reaching the training room, Scarlet motioned to the lines which ran against the interior wall. "Five laps. Now." He said without really looking. There were other marines already running and keeping up a decent pace.

Mathias knew he shouldn't have been doing the training so soon after being injured like he had, but, he just couldn't sit there in his quarters and stare at the walls driving himself crazy over worry about Caroline. He ran at a decent pace. He wasn't as hard fit like the marines but he was fit. The running was helping him though. The adrenaline to flow, and make the pain he was feeling go to the background.

Scarlet watched Mathias, but also kept an eye on the marines. They were trying harder. Pushing themselves. None of them liked being caught unawares and everyone was now pushing and training to make sure it didn't happen again. For his part, Scarlet planned on developing a 'minimum state of readiness' regardless of the mission parameters. It was their task to get the job done with minimal losses.

As Mathias came around the final lap, Scarlet walked over and grabbed a practice rifle and threw it to the man before pointing to a set of targets. "Hit those now. Then another five laps, carrying the rifle."

Mathias nodded, barely catching the rifle, but he had it. When he reached the targets he fired, missed three of them. He frowned at that and resumed running. The rifle definitely was awkward at best and as he did the laps he could feel the rifle start to get a bit heavier. He firmed his resolve to keep moving. On the final lap, sweat was pouring down his face, patches of his shirt were becoming dark with perspiration.

Scarlet watched as Mathias was getting winded already. When the man approached after his fifth lap, Scarlet held out his hand to stop him.

Without a word, Scarlet picked up his own rifle and and hit the targets in succession. He took a second to line up each target and a single shot to each.

"Now you." Scarlet said firmly. He studied Mathias carefully to see how he moved and how he reacted.

Scarlet would observe that Mathias was watching his movements with a rather intense gaze, as if he were searing the movements into his mind. When it was his turn. Mathias readjusted his grip, gritting his teeth, a trickle of sweat going down the side of his face. This time, he hit the three targets he missed previously, but missed the last one. The shots were not dead center but he did hit. He grunted slightly at the miss but that was all the sound he made.

"Not adequate McPhee." Scarlet said bluntly. "You didn't use your head and as such your body failed." He walked over and took the rifle from Mathias before placing it back on the rack.

Mathias just listened the only acknowledgement that he heard was a nod. He had no excuses either.

"At no point did I give you a time limit or a pace." Scarlet said with a sigh. "And you didn't ask for clarification. So you over exerted yourself so that when you were supposed to execute your task you weren't able."

Mathias spoke up this time. "Question for you, do your marines ask for clarification when they start out in their training or do you all ready have it spelled out for them to follow. I offer no excuses for what I did. Now that you have taken my mettle and found me wanting, what are we going to do about it? And don't tell me to drop this idea either. Its not happening." His Scottish obstinance starting to show even more.

Scarlet shrugged. "Most handle it the same as you did. They rush in and make assumptions without having the full scope. Some... well, some are able to brute force their way through it."

Mathias nodded, Scarlet was right, and he did do things like a wet behind the ears recruit. He had to do better. He just had to.

"Remember what we just went through on the away mission. We went in without all the information and frankly, we barely got out of it intact. If you want to be trained I'm going to need you to work on the way you think as much as your physical prowess."

"As for giving up, that is your choice. But I'm not going to hold your hand either way." Scarlet smiled a fiendish grin. "You're going to repeat the exercise. This time with six laps and we'll continue until you can hit all the targets."

Frowning, Mathias nodded, remembering what had happened. "I am not expecting you to hold my hand." Mathias stated. "and you are right, i need to get my head out of whatever space it is in. Pace myself, focus on what is at hand." he said mostly to himself. He paused, "First laps without rifle and then you throw the rifle to me and I shoot the target or. I am doing the full six with rifle." he wanted to make certain.

"Same as before. Six without and six with. Focus on your pacing." Scarlet said with a nod.

Mathia nodded, this time he paced himself, finding his own natural pace. When the time came for the gun to be tossed, Mathias caught it. however he winced slightly but muscled through it. He adjusted his pace, going slower. The gun weighing heavy, and as the laps continued he adjusted the weight to the arm that hadn't been injured. He could feel himself losing the energy he had through sheer stubbornness. He came around to the end of the last lap, raised his weapon to fire it and felt sheer pain race through his arm. Causing him to drop to his knees, the rifle dropping in front of him. Silently cursing himself. He rose from the floor, picking up the rifle with the hand that wasn't injured. He walked over to Scarlet, and handed it to him. His face pale, cold sweat running down his face.

"We'll have to resume this later." he said in a matter of fact tone.

Scarlet's face contorted into a visage of anger and then sadness. "You're still injured. This is a mistake. Training is over until I hear from medical that your clear."

Taking the rifle back and putting it in the rack, Scarlet gritted his teeth against yelling at McPhee. It wouldn't do any good in the man's mindset. "As with on the planet, you're no good to anyone in your condition and you should have known that."

Mathias nodded, feeling a wave of shame waft its way over him. He disappointed Scarlet and it didn't feel good. It was also the wake up call he needed. "Right, sir. You are correct." he took in a deep breath then let it out. "Thanks Scarlet." he said quietly. "I think the message is getting through this thick skull of mine."

"Go get yourself checked out to make sure you haven't made your injury worse." Scarlet replied. "Don't report back here without medical authorization." The disappointment was obvious in his voice as Scarlet walked away from McPhee and back down the passageway.

Mathias was silent as he watched Scarlet walk away, feeling some inner anger at himself. He messed up and definitely hurt Scarlet in a way. He growled at himself, and walked towards the turbo-lifts. He needed to see a doctor, and.. looking back in the direction that Scarlet went, and he, Mathias, needed to get his head realigned.

OFF

●● Lieutenant Mathias McPhee
Chief Operations Officer
USS Merlin


* Major David Scarlet
Marine Company Commander
USS Merlin