You Might Very Well Think That |
Summary: | Shortly before Orion comes out of refit Amos gives Penta a not so subtle heads up about things to come. |
Date: | 09/04/17 |
Related Logs: | None |
Amos' House - Caprica |
Highend Military Housing |
September 2028 |
September 2028. Cassie's 12th birthday has arrived, and John is one of a few family friends invited. He'd arrived early - just in time to see a 12-year-old going through all the nerves you might expect of a preteen girl. After all, this is her first birthday where boys will be making an appearance. As he knocks at the door, Penta can hear sounds of the usual chaos brought by 3 kids inside.
Amos would love to spend more time with his kids, he really would, but he's been head of the Colonial Marines for about eighteen months now, so really, being here and free at all is not something he could have been certain of up until only a few days ago. There's been no great disasters though, and here he is, even if his wife has done most of the planning and prep work. It's about half an hour before the other kids are expected though, mostly other military brats, and so far his brood seem content enough in the garden so he can lead Penta relatively unmolested into the kitchen, where there is an open bottle of fine Leonese wine that just won't keep if it isn't drunk. Such a shame. He already has a glass, as does Sarah, his wife, but another is poured for Penta and handed across. "Major," he offers, not actually being a stickler for formality, but merely attempting to subtly indicate that there is business to be talked if Penta feels so inclined, "thank you for making it. I know Atticus is looking forward to seeing you at least," poor lad, being out numbered so by his sisters.
Penta grins. "You're welcome. I'm happy to see all 3 of em, yeah, but I could tell he was looking at me like he needed someone to get him away from all the girls." He was close to all 3 of Amos's kids, or as much as his own deployment schedules allowed, but Atticus had especially begun looking up to his 'Uncle John' in recent months. Normal for a 9-year-old boy, especially one who so often risked getting lost amid his two sisters. Middle kid life sucked like that. "I'll poke him in a bit," he offers as he sips at the wine. "Wow, you manage to find the good stuff."
"Rank has its privileges," Amos replies with an amused smile. "Mostly rank has meetings, and press conferences, but occasionally there are privileges too. Major isn't a bad balance point, make the most of it, trust me, there's only more desk from here on up." Penta will no doubt remember just how much Amos was in his element when hiking through mud with a rifle. "Have they told you your next assignment yet?" he then asks, not hiding the fact that he knows what it is, he's just asking to check where he needs to start the 'talk' that he's about to inflict on the younger officer.
Penta grins for a second in response. "I know to expect more desk time, yeah. They haven't told me my next posting yet, but I figure any of the likely will still have me behind a desk at least half the time, if not more." Pause. "I know you know, so I figure I'll let you decide whether you really want to tell me." There was an equal probability of battalion command or a staff job, and it really wasn't up to him - Battalion command was centrally-selected, like promotions beyond Captain, by a board of senior officers. Senior officers appointed nominally by Amos, but still.
Amos glances round almost conspiratorially, as if looking for people behind the kitchen counters with notebooks recording their every word. "Our conversation for the next few minutes can not go beyond these walls," he notes with an almost alarming casualness, "but you are going back to Orion. Things are in motion, and I need a man I can trust at the reins there. You'll have a lot of support, especially in your senior NCOs, experienced marines I'd trust to Twin Rocks and back, but you're going to be the one in charge of giving them direction. I can not go into too much detail at this point, but you are not going to have much time to get things running once you are onboard, so I feel it is only fair to give you as much warning as I can."
Penta nods. "Understood, sir. So the rumors are true, aren't they?" he asks. Orion was going hunting, hence why the vets were being recalled. It wasn't quite an open secret, but there was enough rumors. "How much time before I ship out?"
"I could not possibly comment on any such rumours," Amos replies with a smile which Penta can almost certainly interpret as a yes, "things are in motion, that is all I can say." He takes a sip of his wine as the major continues before considering the question for a few moments, "it is yet to be finalised, but I do not see any realistic opposition. Enjoy your time off, make the most of it, you have at least a week, possibly two depending on how hard I feel I need to lean on people to get everything pushed though. Do not expect more than that though, and be ready should the schedule be moved up."
Penta nods. "I'll plan on one, be happy if I get more, got it." Pause. "Can I have a moment to say, completely informally, how much the notion of me commanding a battalion would have made a younger me think you were insane? I'm used to it *now*, but after Aerilon post-cease-fire?" He'd come very close to resigning his commission back then, Amos would well remember. And considering the depression he had, quite informally and away from any Fleet doctors, battled over the years since? It still felt kind of shocking.
"You know," Amos replies with an amused smile, "it has been a while since I last met a Corp Psych…" Taking a little more wine onboard he then nods a serious nod to indicate that he understands the serious nature of what's been said and replies, "if you had told a younger me he would survive a war with the cylons and go on to lead the Corp he would have told you that you were insane too, but that is the way of things. Even with the Arpay with us, what is to come will be hard, steel yourself for that, hence my advice to enjoy your time while you have it. I can not tell you when you will get any more." Not that he seems willing to be drawn much beyond what he has already said though, and as such abruptly changes the topic, "Sarah was thinking of taking Amelia to the archery club on base latter by the way, if you were interested in tagging along. She has been side-eyeing my rig for a few months now, but I have a meeting at 1800 I have to attend."
Penta grins. "Good idea. Better if I'd actually learned archery, but first time for everything," he quips. It's at that point that Cassie pokes her head in, followed by Atticus. "Uncle John!" Cassie greets. "Daddy, how come you didn't tell me he'd gotten here?" She's only mildly accusatory to her dad, especially after John hugs her. "Hey, birthday girl." The kids' chatter dominates from then on.
"Two learners together," Amos notes with a smile, "it will be better for her confidence then if I was hitting the gold all the time next to her. It's also the best hint I can give you for taking time out to sort your thoughts while onboard. People do not disturb you as much if you are in the range, and it takes focus and concentration to do properly. Helped me sort my head out on multiple occasions." As his eldest appears he gives her a big grin and a hug before confessing, "because I needed to talk to him about work before I could release him to your mercy. We are done now though, so he is all yours. Do with him as you will."