Prelude to the Judgement

Posted on Sat Mar 7th, 2020 @ 3:08am by Staff Sergeant Ian McKnight & Lieutenant Colonel Tienn Nerra

Mission: Mission 69: Tienn's Fall from Grace
Location: Various Locations - USS Argonne
Timeline: 1000Hrs - March 24th, 2392

Tamara and Massi had just finished moving some extra assault phasers to the ship's security department armory from their own. When the got back the new platoon leader, Lieutenant Sternwald was leaning against the wall staring at a mug of coffee left unattended by Bug.

Sternwald looked at the two marines. "Just be quiet and stay over there." he ordered them.

"Why?" Tamara asked.

"Just shut up and do as your told." Sternwald snapped at her. Tamara turned to look at Massi and just shrugged.

A moment later Werner, Fender, and Bug came out of the weapons looker. "Okay, now that inventory has been checked I'd like to do some maintenance on personal armor." The other two NCOs nodded in agreement.

Werner looked at Sternwald. "Nice of you to join us Lieutenant. I hope you enjoyed your beauty sleep." Werner commented on the platoon leader's absence during the morning formation.

"I still had my woman over. That was more important than your formation." Sternwald bragged, oblivious to the subtle insult Werner threw out. Werner just shook his head and wondered how this guy earned a commission.

Bug went over to his coffee mug and picked it up. This drew Sternwald's attention. He was staring at Bug and Bug noticed this. Bug gave Sternwald a confused look and didn't bother to ask why the Lieutenant was so interested in his coffee.

Bug took a sip of his coffee. Sternwald immediately started to howl laughing. He bent over to catch his breath because he was laughing so hard.

"What are you laughing at Sir?" Bug asked.

"I dipped my testicles in your coffee and your drank it!" Sternwald laughed at Bug. "You drank my man-slime mother fucker!"

Bug throw down his coffee and punched Sternwald. The other marines present broke up the fight and restrained Bug.

"I want this man brought up on charges!" Sternwald shouted at Werner as he pointed at Bug.

"Are you kidding me?" Werner asked. "Hell no I'm not doing that."

"I'm kicking your ass!" Bug shouted.

"You aren't doing shit!" Sternwald shouted back. "I gave you an order Werner, do you want to keep your rank?"

"Don't threaten me son." Werner coolly replied. "Your new here and you don't know how we resolve personal issues between marines. I think both of you guys need to work it out in the pit."

"I'm sorry but I'm an officer in Star Fleet and your just glorified cannon fodder. I don't take orders from you and I don't care how you low lives settle your differences."

"Sir, we are all going to the pit and you and Bug can work your issues out there." Werner told his platoon leader.

"You lost your military bearing." Sternwald told Werner. "Both you and Bug are going up on charges."

It was then that Tienn and Skoboleva entered.

Tienn smiled brightly. "Ahh the comradeship of men at arms.." she cheered the fight on with her words. "Get him... KILL him!!" she called. "I love this place... people always want to kill each other." as she grinned widely. "I want to see BLOOD people!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. "IMPRESS MEEEE!!!!!!"

A smile crossed Werner's face. "Does this mean you are ordering the good Lieutenant and Bug into the pit?"

Tienn grinned at Werner. "Yes... Into the pit boys." she called loudly.

"I'm not going anywhere." Sternwald stated before Unx came up behind him and grappled the obstinate officer. Unx carried him over to the pit and unceremoniously threw him in.

The pit is looked in the marine area of the Argonne. When the Argonne was first laid down it was intended to be a science vessel. The pit was originally suppose to be a large pen for lifeforms. The chamber was in two floors, the bottom of which only had one entrance. The upper floor had a causeway circling the chamber.

The marines put the odd chamber to good use. It is mostly used to train for zero gravity operations. The bottom was lined with fall pads. When not being used for training it was used as an impromptu fitting pit for marines to resolve their issues between each other in an unofficial capacity.

As Sternwald stood up Bug climbed down into the pit. Fender threw two large pugil sticks into the pit. Werner stood at the edge of the pit. "Alright gentlemen, the rules are simple. You can only hit each other with the sticks. You must stop when told or you get a face full of phaser fire. And last, two men enter and only one is allowed to leave walking out on his own."

Werner looked at Tienn. "Want them to start?"

Tienn grinned like a cheshire cat as she spied a bowl of milk. "Please do." she responded, her tone almost purring. "Now gentlemen I expect this to take all day... and I want blood... gallons and gallons of it!." she called down to the two men, a wide grin on her face.

Sternwald picked up his stick and looked at Bug. "I'm going to crush your face you little runt."

Bug, with uncanny speed and agility that belied his small stature, moved on Sternwald and took several quick blows to the larger mans head. Sternwald fell to his knees. Bug struck the left side of Sternwald's head then the right side. The obnoxious lieutenant simply slumped onto the ground. Bug was about to strike again when Werner called out.

"Stop!" Werner shouted. "He's done Bug." Bug sighed as he threw down the stick at Sternwald's unconscious body.

Tienn peered down at the fallen Lieutenant and Bug. "So... What was this about?" she inquired as she looked at the blood dripping from the Lieutenant's face.

"A poor choice of a practical joke." Werner replied.

"Is this normal practice for this unit?" A voice asked.

"This is marine business." Werner replied as he turned around to see a man in a Captain's uniform. "This is marine business Captain." Werner corrected himself.

"No Gunnery Sergeant, that is Star Fleet business." The Captain corrected Werner. "Who are you and who is your commanding officer?"

"I'm Gunnery Sergeant Werner and Major Rohr is my commanding officer." Werner told him.

"And are you Major Rohr?" He asked Tienn.

Tienn raised an eyebrow. "Who's asking?" Tienn responded bluntly.

"I'm Captain Rhodes from the Judge Advocate General. Now, what is your name Major?" He inquired.

Tienn looked unimpressed. "Oh.." she responded flatly. "Why are you here... I mean why now?" she inquired.

"You do understand that I hold a superior rank to you?" Rhodes asked.

Tienn glanced down at the PADD in her hands. "I noticed." she responded. "I'm also busy.." as she waved her hand at him. "Werner... You sure we only got two dozen stun grenades in inventory?" she asked Werner.

"I'll take note of your insubordination Major." Rhodes told Tienn in a cool tone. "Gunnery Sergeant, " He turned his attention to Werner, "Is this normal behavior for the marines here?"

"Well, we don't have to many JAG officers here Captain." Werner replied.

"That's not what I asked Gunnery Sergeant." Rhodes told Werner. "I'm going to have a chat with your commanding officer Colonel Hobbs. I'm going to bring up what I witnessed here. Maybe she can offer a better explanation."

"We'll meet again, Major." Rhodes told Tienn.

"Yeah yeah." Tienn responded as she read her PADD. "Please go away." she added a moment later. "Werner. How many grenades we got?" she added a moment later as she took note that Werner didn't answer her.

Rhodes said nothing but took some notes on his PaDD. He then turned and left.

Tienn tapped at the PADD some more. "Werner?" she inquired as she regarded him. "Stun grenades... how many do we have?"

"Major, I spent several years on a prison world on the whim of a few JAG officers." Werner told her. "I don't like the idea of being a JAG officers personal project."

"He won't go for you." Tienn responded. "You kept out of it... Besides... I have work to do... I think JAG is the most worthless department in existence.. I don't care if they know that.. or not."

"Yah well I don't like JAG-off officers either but I don't stir the shit with them." Werner replied. "And I just ran the inventory numbers and sent them to you."

Tienn regarded him, a rather annoyed look on her face but she wasn't angry with him, or any of them really as she had been feeling out of sorts due to recent events. "Let me check." Tienn admitted as she tapped at her PADD some more. "Mmmm... Okay... so we have twenty two stun grenades in inventory." she said in an almost robotic tone. "Stupid worthless weapons that never work anyway... All they do is fuck people's brains up and fry their faces for good measure." she growled before she turned to Bug and the Lieutenant who was only now getting medical attention. "Did you two get your problem sorted out?"

Bug looked up. "I got no problems." He then looked towards the supine Sternwald. "I don't think your going to get an answer from sleeping beauty any time soon."

Tienn nodded her head as she regarded the Lieutenant, a soft sigh escaped her lips. "Thats almost a shame..." she paused. "Almost.." as a rather cruel smile appeared on her face. "If he's not up in ten minutes... throw him in the brig... for... sleeping on the job."

Fender looked at Werner for conformation. Werner silently shook his head no. "Bring him to sickbay Fender."

Tienn grinned softly. "Take him there slowly, don't rush on our account.." she then turned to depart, ignoring many of the looks she was getting.

"What the fuck is her problem?" Corporal McKnight inquired of everyone present as he indicated the hatch that Major Tienn had just departed through.