« Prev 1 Next » Reply Share Thread Facebook Twitter Tumblr LinkedIn MySpace Email Go to Previous Thread Next Thread Please make a selection first Author Topic: Reporting for Duty (Headmaster Johnson) (Read 382 times) z Guest [send pm] Joined: January 1970 Posts: 0 Reporting for Duty (Headmaster Johnson) « May 25, 2009 20:13:49 GMT -6 » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Staff Sergeant Fightmaster let out a low sigh as he stood outside of the Headmaster's private office door. He had very little interaction with the man up to this point, and for good reason - frankly, the man scared Max to death. This worried him even further, because Max was well aware that he wasn't an easy man to scare. He had served multiple tours of duty in Iraq and other less hostile places around the world in his time with the United States Marine Corps. He had been fired upon, he had fired upon others; Staff Sergeant Maximus Fightmaster was not the least bit ashamed to say he had killed men before. And yet, the sole intrigue behind the Headmaster still bugged the Staff Sergeant the way nothing in his life prior had prepared him. The hefty blank spots in his files, the fact that top military intelligence officers knew next to nothing about him, the fact that their sole FBI informant could give Fightmaster no instructions but to wear fucking sunglasses, all of these weighed on his mind. Regardless, the general had placed him in this spot to glean as much info as he could about the man, and Fightmaster, though by no means an intelligence operative, figured the best way would be to take the straightforward approach - get to know the man first. Another sigh escaped his lips, and Fightmaster adjusted the sunglasses upon his face. Truth be told, he felt a little silly wearing them indoors like this, but there was no way he wouldn't take heed of what little advice he'd been given. Sharply, his fist rose to the door, and he gave three quick reports of his knuckles upon the wood, signalling his intention and request to enter the room. Back to Top   dm Guest [send pm] Joined: January 1970 Posts: 0 Reporting for Duty (Headmaster Johnson) « May 26, 2009 17:36:51 GMT -6 » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Stephen was in his office behind his large Oak desk. A pile of papers sat in front of him, routine things mostly, a few case files on some of the students he was keeping an extra eye on. And a closed folder labeled MAPP lay on his desk. His office was fairly simple, in addition to his desk there were three chairs besides the one he sat in. Two were on the other side of his desk and one was in the corner by the door. Behind him were two very large windows overseeing the campus, but he paid no attention to the grounds behind him. On the far right side of the room was a large book case full of books on a large variety of subjects, many of which would contain his own hand written notes. On the left side of the wall was a large portrait of J. Edgar Hoover with a very stern look on his face. The decorations were modest to say the least, but he had no use for luxary, he had a job to do and he was constantly sending progress reports to the Director of the FBI on the progress of the MAPP building as well as profiles on key students that he has observed. When he heard the knock at his door his head rose up from the paper he was filling out, a progress report on one of the students that had really caught his eye, one he thought would make a perfect subject in the future. "Enter." He said firmly before going back to filling out the report, eager to finish it and fax it back to Headquarters in DC for evaluation. " Back to Top   z Guest [send pm] Joined: January 1970 Posts: 0 Reporting for Duty (Headmaster Johnson) « Jun 4, 2009 0:44:38 GMT -6 » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Fightmaster's hand closed aroudn the knob, and as he turned the device to release the latch upon the door, his eyes scanned the room, taking in the modest office decor, and noting the large picture of former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover with an unseen, interior smile. It fit, really, considering what little information Fightmaster knew about the man. Fightmaster's eyes caught sight of the Headmaster looking at him, and he nodded a hello, saying nothing at first. In truth, Max wasn't sure how to go about this. He did not know if he should treat Mr. Johnson as a superior officer, or merely as a superior. In his eyes, one was vastly different than the other. "Staff Sergeant Fightmaster reporting, sir," Maximus spoke finally, opting for a mix between the two by using the correct words for a superior officer, but in a tone more befitting one would use when just speaking to another man. He did not salute, as one thing Fightmaster would never do is mistakenly salute to a man who did not deserve it. Once he knew the exact decorum, he might change his mind. He had never saluted to anyone other than his true commanding officers before. It would be a change. "May I sit, sir? I felt it prudent to speak to you before we were too far into the school year, in order to find what you desire me to do as your Military Director." Maximus would stand behind the seat, awaiting his permission to sit, just like a good soldier. He would leave the words hanging, hoping Johnson would throw him a bone and let him know, either directly through words or indirectly through gestures and mannerisms, the level of casualness this meeting would take. Back to Top   dm Guest [send pm] Joined: January 1970 Posts: 0 Reporting for Duty (Headmaster Johnson) « Jun 8, 2009 10:18:58 GMT -6 » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top One of the first things that The Headmaster noticed about Fightmaster was the choice of dark sunglasses indoors. A very odd choice, a style he also chose, even if it wasn't chosen for fashion. A small smile crept across his face, he could only imagine the warnings he must have received to actually be wearing glasses. The possible breach of the confidentiality of his identity didn't phase him much though, if there was an issue then he was more then capable of solving it himself, what he needed to know now was what kind of man Fightmaster was. The Headmaster wouldn't answer when Fightmaster asked if he could sit down, instead he stood up and looked over the man briefly, the smile from before gone, his face once again as cold as stone. His back would turn to the large windows, looking out over the campus, students walking around doing their business. All of them in uniform. "Tell me what you see out here." He said, giving Fightmaster his invitation to approach. He needed to see what made him tick, how he thought. If he couldn't figure that out then Fightmaster would be of very limited use as a tool, and a possible liability, that was something he did not want to see happen. Back to Top   z Guest [send pm] Joined: January 1970 Posts: 0 Reporting for Duty (Headmaster Johnson) « Jun 9, 2009 1:19:30 GMT -6 » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top At first, Headmaster Johnson said nothing, and simply turned about to face the window instead of his company. As he turned, Fightmaster's mouth twitched downwards slightly into a frown. It was like the man knew what Fightmaster was trying to ask via his slight physical cues, and was intentionally withholding an answer. As if in answer to Max's unspoken anger, however, the Headmaster finally spoke up, asking a question of the staff sergeant and beckoning him to come look with him at the window. Fightmaster did not hesitate, an order was an order, despite its unorthodoxy. In a few short, cropped paces, the marine stood side-by-side with his de facto commanding officer, looking out the window at the students, going about their business. What did he see? In true military fashion, Fightmaster would reply: "I see negligence, sir. That one there," he said, pointing at a boy walking towards the complex, "his jacket isn't buttoned correctly. That girl," his finger shot towards a girl walking away from Knox, "her pants aren't being held up by a belt, you can tell by the sag. "Furthermore," he continued, lowering his finger and continuing to survey the children about, "there is a lack of discipline. These students, they don't walk like soldiers. Some slouch, some slink, some of them have the guts to swagger, sir," Fightmaster paused, his self-consciousness alerting him to the fact that he was almost starting to sound poetic, the fact clamming him up slightly. "If you'll pardon my saying so, sir, these young men and women are supposed to be trained to be soldiers, the best this nation can provide, just shy of West Point. However, their attitudes and actions are not uniform; hell, even their uniforms aren't uniform!" Once again, a slight pause, as Fightmaster was slightly embarrassed at his sudden outburst over the situation. "My apologies, sir," he would apologize, but his jaw and head would remain firm, and the only outward signs of apology the Headmaster would be able to perceive would be from his words alone. "But, from my understanding, I was sent here to oversee standard military doctrine, and it appears the school is in dire need of it., sir." Back to Top   dm Guest [send pm] Joined: January 1970 Posts: 0 Reporting for Duty (Headmaster Johnson) « Jun 11, 2009 12:54:04 GMT -6 » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Uniform, duty, it would seem that Fightmaster would be easier to use then the Headmaster thought at first. He points out the flaws in the students, how they hold themselves and dress. The small flaws that break from the mold. It didn't take more then a moment to figure out what he was going to have The Fightmaster do. "I am glad that we are in agreement Fightmaster. Like you I see the lack of discipline that my predecessor allowed to run rampant. Lack of respect to my faculty and myself." His body didn't shift as he spoke, his eyes still watching the students below him. Going about their day, unaware of the plans that The Headmaster, and be extension the Government had in store for them. Unaware that soon the peaceful existence of Chula Vista would be disrupted as MAPP starts to emerge. "Fightmaster, you are to turn these students in to perfect soldiers. Disciplined, dangerous, loyal. I want these students to be ready to fight if an army was to invade Chula Vista. Is that understood?" He asked in a tone that said it had better be understood. His face turning to look at the Staff Sergent. He couldn't see him disobeying an order, but it was best to be ready, that was something he had learned overseas. Never let your guard down, even around those that serve you. Maybe especially around those that serve you. Back to Top   z Guest [send pm] Joined: January 1970 Posts: 0 Reporting for Duty (Headmaster Johnson) « Jun 13, 2009 1:22:58 GMT -6 » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Fightmaster gave his answer to the man he was to be serving under for the next school year, at least. The Headmaster's reply seemed to indicate his pleasure at the reply, though the Staff Sergeant neither showed nor felt much in the way of appreciation for it. As far as he was concerned, he was simply following an order, and he followed through correctly. No reason to get happy over doing something one was supposed to. The headmaster continued to speak, instructing Fightmaster in what he was to be doing, in so many words, he was giving Max his over-arching orders. Max clasped his hands behind his back and listened to what the man was asking of him. It seemed that Johnson simply wanted Fightmaster to do his job. Max was hired on here, partly to keep tabs on the Headmaster, but also to be the military mind behind this facility, and oversee the more day-to-day activities, whereas Johnson would take care of the administrative side of things. And so, to simply be told that his orders were to do his job, and to do his job well, were redundant. Fightmaster didn't believe in not doing what he was told, and certainly never went about doing it poorly. "Sir, yes sir," Fightmaster would reply as Johnson spoke, giving a crisp bark of agreement. After a moment of silence, he would speak up again. "If you don't mind my asking, sir... you aren't expecting an army to attack Chula Vista anytime soon, are you?" Fightmaster tried to keep his composure, but a slight grin cracked through his rigid exterior anyway. He wasn't mocking the Headmaster, he just found the thought amusing. Even if there was no army on the horizon, however, Staff Sergeant Max Fightmaster would put his all into training his young soldiers, regardless. Back to Top   dm Guest [send pm] Joined: January 1970 Posts: 0 Reporting for Duty (Headmaster Johnson) « Jun 13, 2009 20:31:31 GMT -6 » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top The Headmaster actually let out a small amused laugh at Fightmaster's comment. Did he expect an army to attack the school? Well, yes and no really. He thought it was very possible that someone would attack the school, after all they were working on top secret government projects. He was sure that agents of more then one nation would love to get their hands on the data that the Headmaster would be collecting. "Honestly Fightmaster, it wouldn't surprise me. You said yourself that these students are supposed to be among the best trained in the nation, did you not? I could see far less valuable targets for terrorists to strike then a school full of future soldiers. Depriving America of both a future resource as well as striking at the moral by killing children. Should some kind of attack happen on the school I want to ensure that the students don't come to harm." It was a half lie, he wasn't worried about suicide bombers or anything like that, but he wanted to know that the students can and will be able to fight off anything that may try and stop the progress of the MAPP project. "One more thing Fightmaster, there is going to be another tournament coming up. This one is open to the whole city, I expect a Knox student to win it. Is that clear?" He said looking back out the window, his tone left no room for rebuttal. He expected a Knox student to win, and he expected Fightmaster to train them so that there was no chance of them losing. He would pick his test subjects from this tournament, and he would prefer having subjects that he can monitor all day everyday. However, on the same hand he wanted the strongest subjects period, hence the tournament. Back to Top   z Guest [send pm] Joined: January 1970 Posts: 0 Reporting for Duty (Headmaster Johnson) « Jun 13, 2009 21:04:51 GMT -6 » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Fightmaster took in Johnson's words silently, considering the actual threat of an attack upon Chula Vista. While it seemed relatively unlikely, the Headmaster brought up many good points on the subject. And besides, even if something weren't happening, the Henry Knox Academy has been singled out as being one of, if not THE, foremost military academies in the nation, having been hailed "The West Point of Preparatory School", numerous times. It would do well to live up to that reputation, no matter what the cost. Johnson spoke further about an upcoming tournament. Fightmaster was vaguely aware of the one recently underway, preferring to stay away from that. He wasn't a terribly big fan of competitive combat. Being a military man his entire adult life and even a good deal of his teenage years as well, the Staff Sergeant couldn't help but see combat for what it really was: Survival. Fightmaster could understand the appeal and wisdom in using the fights as training; he just preferred to keep his fighting on the battlefield as much as possible. However, it seemed that Headmaster Johnson held an opposing view to the tournament. While he didn't seem overtly interested in the tournament itself, he was, it seemed, much more interested in the outcome, specifically as it pertained to him and the school in general. He wanted a Knox student to win. "Yes, sir, I understand," Fightmaster would reply, nodding his head. "Do you have any ideas about this tournament, sir? Should I pick out a student or two and give them extra training, or would you rather me work them all equally hard so that any Knox student could beat any other student?" He knew what answer he preferred, but this was Fightmaster's turn to get inside the head of Headmaster Johnson. Fightmaster wanted to know exactly where this man's loyalties lay, and his answer to the question would hopefully spark a good enough reaction to glean that information from him covertly. Back to Top   dm Guest [send pm] Joined: January 1970 Posts: 0 Reporting for Duty (Headmaster Johnson) « Jun 13, 2009 21:15:59 GMT -6 » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top "Train them all, if you see any that deserve special attention you have permission to give it to them, but I want every student in Knox to be strong. A unit is as strong as it's weakest link. The tournament is important, but it is city wide, I want us to show everyone that the new administration intend to make these students the best we have put out in years." He said, he didn't even think about his answer, he had no students in mind for special treatment, and he wanted to make sure all of the students could handle themselves. It was logical to train them all, and then give special attention if needed to any shining stars. The last Headmaster had been far to lax, it showed. The students were strong, but not up to the standards he had hoped, even Fightmaster seemed to agree that they were not yet up to par. They would change that, and change it fast, the building was almost complete and he needed his first batch soon. "One more thing before you go Fightmaster. I am sure you are aware that we don't coddle our students here. And I know you are aware that we have younger students. Remember, treat all students as if they were adults and soldiers. I don't care if they are Seventeen or Seven. I am expecting great things from you, don't let me down." He said, ending with a tone that should let the man know that he was dismissed. He said what he wanted to say, and the man had his orders. He had no desire for idle chatting with Fightmaster, and he was sure the feelings were mutual. Back to Top   z Guest [send pm] Joined: January 1970 Posts: 0 Reporting for Duty (Headmaster Johnson) « Jun 13, 2009 21:25:22 GMT -6 » Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top The Staff Sergeant nodded internally as Johnson replied to his query, giving the answer he had hoped he would hear. This tournament truly was not about saving face with the rest of the world, it was really about strengthening the group as a whole, just as Fightmaster had intended to do from the start. This would make things easier, for the two leaders of Henry Knox were on the same page, if at least for now. The Headmaster would speak one last time, clearly dismissing him with his tone rather than direct words. What he said, however, demanded a reply, at least in Fightmaster's eyes. "Understood, sir. As far as I'm concerned they're all soldiers if they are here, and where I'm from, a soldier is meant to share everything. Every bit of success, every bit of failure, every bit of joy, and every bit of pain." Fightmaster turned to leave, briskly turning on a heel and walking crisply, but just short of an actual military march, towards the door. Before he left, however, he called over his shoulder a final parting sentence to his superior. "If you need anything else, sir, do not hesitate to ask." And with that, he left, knowing he had no need of a reply. If Johnson wanted something, he would come to him, and Fightmaster would do what he could, as such was his way, and the way of a true soldier. Back to Top   Reply Share Thread Facebook Twitter Tumblr LinkedIn MySpace Email Go to Previous Thread Next Thread Please make a selection first