Terran Resistance

Alex Chou's Log for: 1/20/2352 20:19

Hot Damn, we did it! It's taken us almost 3 days of 'round-the-clock drills, but we did it. This crew and ship can be ready for combat in 1 minute and 53 seconds. After Creyer was keeping the time and after he announced the prep time everyone in the command center cheered. I cast a brief glance at Cheng and Steele during the celebrating. Earlier in the morning Lee and Steele started openly questioning if it was possible to meet my 2 minute goal. It's very satisfying to be proven correct.

In the afternoon I received some more good news. It appears that the Vinak had all but given up on their search for us. All of their patrols were leaving and only a couple ships remained behind. Looks like my 1 week prediction came true a day early. I was in the Command Center when Chavez reported the good news. Unfortunately, so was Cortez. He wanted us to immediately dash for the exit.

I, of course, had to be the smart one. I told him,"Don't be foolish. Send a scout through first. What if there's an ambush on the other side?"

"Fine. I'll order a scout", he said, "but you need to remember your place, Lieutenant", he emphasized my rank.
The anger in his voice took me by surprise. I guess he didn't like being called foolish. Oh well. If he'd quit doing foolish things I wouldn't call him that.

System Command: End Log.

Alex Chou's Log for: 1/19/2352 20:39

My first semester at University was the hardest for me. I was only there because I didn't know where else to go. Most of the people there were nice, but I soon found out that not everyone understood my traditionalist upbringing.

My beliefs got me into a lot of trouble. The first time it happened was on the first day of my first class. It was an early Earth history class. The professor kept going on and on about different gender roles and how it's so different from today's equality. I didn't understand. So I asked, "What's wrong with having different 'roles'? And why would a guy marry someone that wanted to be my equal." Well, that pretty much set the entire class on fire. I was told how humans have "moved" beyond that thinking.

The rest of the semester was all about how silly and backwards Alex Chou was. At one point, someone suggested they all visit the martian village where I grew up. "So they could study 'ancient culture' up close." Well, today I wish I was back in that classroom. If I knew then what I found out today I could rub their faces in their society's hypocrisy.

Steele asked Cortez why women aren't allowed in the marines. She didn't like his answer.

"I always thought it was some dumb tradition, but the other day you said there's a reason.", Steele said.

"Well, Ramona", Steele and I both took a deep breath when he used her first name again. "Women aren't supposed to be in combat."

"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard", Steele responded. "There have been millions of women in the fleet who've been allowed in combat. You're making that up."

"If you don't believe me, look it up yourself. It's right in the Unified Uniform Code. Chapter 1, Article II, Section 23."

The 2 of them continued arguing. While Steele looked like she was trying to keep from exploding, I could tell Cortez was loving it. He got to go and on about the marine corp. I also learned that everyone in the marines is considered a foot soldier while no one in the fleet is. I remember that because Cortez repeated it no less than 9 times.

The conversation perked my curiosity so I looked it up. Cortez was right. It's something that's been around since the beginning of the H.A.F. and was never changed. What I wouldn't give to go back 10 years and rub that fact in those teenager's faces. "Yeah, I might be from a "backwards village", I would tell them, "but at least we aren't pretentious hypocrites."

System Command: End Log.

Alex Chou's Log for: 1/19/2352 2:39

I've discovered the secret to becoming the most hated person on a spaceship.

Step 1: Wait until everyone who outranks you dies and become Captain by default.

Step 2: Change around people's roles without asking for their input.

Step 3: Work your crew to the breaking point and possibly even death.

Step 4: Change peoples roles around -- again!

Step 5: Run a standard drill.

Step 6: Berate your crew for doing poorly.

Step 7: Run the drill 5 more times.

Step 8: Tell everyone no more drills until tomorrow.

Step 9: Completely unnanounced, run the drill 30 minutes after midnight.

Step 10: When someone complains, tell them that, "technically" it is tomorrow.

That about does it. I'm now probably the most hated person on the H.A.F. Constant today and I did it all before breakfast!

System Command: End Log

Alex Chou's Log for: 1/18/2352 19:25

How many times does a person have to do something before they get it right? So far, the answer is more than 6. Running the exact same drill 6 times and people still don't know where to go or what to do. Our response time is still almost 10 minutes. All I can say is that we've been lucky that we've picked the time and place of our battles instead of the Vinak.

I told everyone to pack it in. No more drills for the day. We would start again tomorrow. What I didn't point out is that 0030 is technically tomorrow. The crew, and maybe even some of my officers might hate me, but if this crew really is going to start a human resistance, it needs to be ready for battle at a moment's notice.

One good thing is that I haven't had to talk to Cortez all day. As it turns out, Cortez's marines are as ill-prepared as the fleet crew. In between each drill I've heard him screaming at his people. He's so busy putting people into their place that he's barely spent any time in the Command Center.

I'm going to grab some shuteye before harassing everyone with another drill.

System Command: End Log.

Alex Chou's Log for: 1/18/2352 9:37

Yikes! We are in trouble. We just ran a battle readiness drill. The damage control teams weren't sure where to go. Some sections had double or even triple coverage while others had none and It seemed like nobody knew where their equipment was. Our elite fighting force marines panicked when some of their guns had a (simulated) malfunction. When we finally sealed and compartmentalized the different ship sections, people got trapped because they didn't have the updated mobility codes. The worse part was that all of the panic made the general comm channel a garbled, incomprehensible mess.

After a bit I just couldn't take it anymore. We were 20 minutes into the drill and we still weren't at full battle ready status. If an admiral had been around to see this disgrace I, and the rest of the officers would've been thrown in jail for gross negligence. I ordered the alert level down. Once the comm traffic subsided I got on the intercom and let the entire crew have it.

"This is acting Captain Chou. If this hadn't been a drill we'd all be dead by now. That has got to be the most pathetic performance I've seen from an H.A.F. crew ever." My voice kept getting louder. "If we're the best the HAF have to offer no wonder we lost the gawd damn war. It took us more than twenty minutes to get battle ready. The average Vinak warship can be battle ready in 3 minutes. Are you really going to tell me that some mish-mashed Vinaken crew full of alien draftees can beat the best that the Human race has to offer? Since it takes our enemy three minutes, I want us ready in two. And we're going to have 'round the clock drills until we can do it. Now pull your heads out of your asses. It's time for this crew to get it's act together. The next drill is in 45 minutes. Chou out."

I threw down my headset and looked at Steele, "Set a clock. I want the exact same drill run 30 minutes from now."

She looked at me with a confused look. "But didn't you..."

I cut her off. "You heard me Steele. 30 minutes." I turned around and stormed out of the Command Center without waiting for her to acknowledge my order. The next drill better be flawless... for the crews sake.

System Command: End Log.

Alex Chou's Log for: 1/17/2352 20:14

You know I really thought that I'd get a chance to relax this week. With the Vinak pointlessly trying to search the system for us, I figured there'd be nothing much to do. Boy was I wrong.

Steele asked if I had anything to keep the crew busy while we wait.

At first I shook my head no. I wanted everyone to have a chance to relax. Then I reconsidered. With all the staff changes, I decided that running some drills couldn't hurt.

Steele, for some reason, was thrilled with the idea. She immediately started working on different scenarios to "keep the crew on their tows".

That's when Chavez had to chime in. "What about funeral details?" Until that point, I had completely forgotten about my promise to have an individual service for each fallen member. I really don't want to do it, but I'll be damned if I break a promise.

"In between drills we can start", I told him.

I figured 2 major projects for the week was enough for the crew and me. That was until Miller showed up early for his shift.

"Captain", he said, "if you're going to run combat drills, we should also run some wargames to drill Cortez's marines too. Give 'em some practice protecting a ship. Ya never know when we could be boarded again."

I really liked the idea. Mostly because it would keep Cortez doing something besides bugging me or my crew. I told him that I'd take the idea to Cortez.

System Command: End Log.

Alex Chou's Log for: 1/17/2352 11:02

Does that guy ever sleep? Commander Cortez claims to have read the service files of all the ships officers. Those things are the size of epic novels. I have a hard time believing he's read more than a dozen of them in the last 5 days. I have to admit though, he appears to have known what was in mine. The moment I walked into the Command Center at 0700 he ambushed me with a barrage of facts directly from my service file.

"Alex!", he said, "you don't give yourself enough credit."

I stared at him for a moment while I tried to figure out what the heck he was talking about.

"You said you didn't know much about guerrilla warfare. I read your service file last night. Your background was custom made for it."

I'd nearly forgotten about that.

Steele was at her station and responded before I could. "Really?"

"Oh yeah", Cortez said with a smile. He then proceeded to go over a list of relevant courses I'd taken in my lifetime.

"Chou, I had no idea.", Steele said.

"That's pretty cool", Chavez said.

"I'm impressed", Lee said.

I shrugged and said, "It was all classroom. Nothing practical." Until now, I'd thought I'd kept my expectations pretty low. The last thing I want is everyone getting attached to me. Nothing has changed, I still plan on getting the hell off this ship and going home the first chance I get. If there's anything that my education has taught me it's the short life span that rebels tend to have. Not to mention that the Vinak still occupy every species that they've conquered.

I have to get back to the command center. The day isn't even half over. I just had to clear my head after Cortez blabbed about my record.

System Command: End Log

Alex Chou's Log for: 1/16/2352 20:00

Yesterday, when I told Miller about reducing his security force, he didn't take the news very well. "You're gonna let a buncha jarheads protect the ship? ", he said. "They aren't even proper jarheads, they're a buncha prissy pilots." It was the most emotion I'd seen from him since... well... ever. The problem was that we had the conversation in the Command Center in full hearing range of Cortez's XO, Lieutenant Taylor. Well, he must have told Cortez because Cortez spent all morning in the Command Center trying to convince everyone how great marines are.

I arrived at the Command Center at 0700 and Cortez was already there. He was talking to Miller loudly. "I know you're about to leave. But let me ask you one more question, Steve. Did you know that when the United Human Government was founded, the first thing they did was create and fund a Marine Corp?"

Miller didn't answer him. Instead he walked over to me and handed me a PID. "I got a list of people I don't want moved from security."

Cortez walked up behind Miller. "Do you know why they founded the marine corp first?"

Miller, without turning around, took a deep breath, rolled his eyes, and walked out of the Command Center. "Steve, wait! It's because-"

I held a hand up to stop him. Chief Steven Miller needs to get some sleep.

That's when Cortez gave me a dirty look. I thought he was about to start yelling. Instead he put on a smile that looked about as authentic as a politician. "All right Alex, Then I'll tell you", he said which annoyed me. An officer shouldn't be referred to by his first name while on duty. Cortez told me story after story about famous battles that were won or loss because of famous marines.

At one point I couldn't help but let out a yawn.

"I don't believe it", he said. "You're yawning at some of the most brilliant military maneuvers of all time."

That's when Steele walked in just in time to save me. "Lieutenant Steele, you're just in time. Commander Cortez here was just telling me about 'the most brilliant military maneuvers of all time'."

Cortez turned his attention on her. "Nah... I'm done with telling stories", Cortez said. "Instead, let me ask you something, Ramona. Did you know that women aren't allowed in the Marines?"

"Duh", she responded.

"But do you know why?"

"Because they're afraid we'd beat up the men?", she said.

I let out a big laugh.

Cortez looked at me. The smile he had been forcing was gone. "I want a detailed report of the Vinak patrols by 1900 tonight." He then stormed out of the Command Center.

Lieutenant Steele must have felt bad that I was being punished for her joke because she offered to write the report for me.

I refused her offer. I had the a computer spit out an analysis. I spent 20 minutes arranging the information to make it look like a human wrote it. I didn't bother really reading it. At over 5,000 words, I doubt Cortez will either.

System Command: End Log.

Alex Chou's Log for: 1/15/2352 20:14

Two strange things happened today. The first one was that Cortez actually had a good idea. He caught me on the way to the Command Center this morning. He suggested that he and his marines take over ship's security. "That could free up people to work at some of your understaffed areas", he suggested.

I was about to tell him that "I'd have to be dumber than a Trojan accepting a Greek gift to agree to that". Instead, I paused and thought about it for a moment. I don't want marines in charge of policing my crew, but we are really short on manpower. I countered with a suggestion of a divided plan: One where Miller, with a greatly reduced staff, would continue to take care of internal security. In the event of an external security breach, however, Cortez's marines would be in charge of defending the ship.

Cortez didn't say anything right away. I could tell by the look on his face that he was disappointed. "I'd need a marine in the Command Center to coordinate efforts."

I agreed and told him that he could use one of the auxiliary stations.

Then the second strange thing happened. After talking to Cortez I went straight to the Command Center. When I got there I found Lieutenant Taylor already at an auxiliary station. I asked him what the hell he was doing.

"Commander Cortez told me you'd agreed to let us use an auxiliary station", he said.

"I had that conversation 2 minutes ago", I said.

He just looked at me, shrugged his shoulders, and said, "Marines work fast".

I hope I don't regret this.

System Command: End Log

General's Log for:

I spent all this weekend with my my fiance` at a couples retreat and didn't have time to write and edit a new post. I apologize to, you, my readers. Posting will resume on wednesday and this notice will disapear.

Thanks for reading,

-DustinM