Sleeping with the Enemy

Zack had arrived on DS9 only three hours earlier and now he was heading out once more onto another ship, the USS George Patton. The Patton was an unusually vessel, crewed and manned entirely by Federation Marine personnel. Zack wasn't looking forward to his trip, but the Patton was due to make a rendezvous with the USS Taurus, his new vessel.

Zack had had one or two run-ins with Marines before and the two services saw themselves as rivals. The Marines thought of Starfleet personnel or 'Fleeter' as they were known, to be uneasy about going into battle, looking for diplomatic solutions to their problems. The Marines on the other hand knew exactly how to go into battle, they were highly trained and disciplined. Every Marine was 'born' to fight and many that started their careers in the Marines dropped out and joined Starfleet instead. Another reason for the Marines to see 'Fleeters' as being soft.

It was going to be a rough trip, like sleeping with the enemy, but at least they wouldn't slit his throat as he slept. But if the reports were correct, then the trip was going to take at least five days, five days of being ridiculed and spoken about. It was going to be like being back at school.

At the age of nine, he'd started to lose his hair, which had led to him being bullied at school. The school did it's best, but because Zack wouldn't give-up the names of those who were bullying him, there was little they could do. The bullying continued until at the age of thirteen, Zack had had enough and snapped. He fought back, the rage inside him going out. He managed to severely injure the three boys all eighteen and far larger than Zack. When the bullies' parents complained about their sons' injuries, the school did not believe that Zack had been to blame. He got away with the attack and no-one ever bothered him again.

He walked towards the docking pylon where the Patton was docked and arrived at the airlock.

"What do you want 'Fleeter' ?" A young Marine, with Second Lieutenant insignia on his lapel enquired. The Marine was dressed in a uniform very similar to Zack's, except that the undershirt was dark green, the colour of the Marines.

"I believe this vessel is to rendezvous with the USS Taurus in the Gamma quadrant." Zack replied.

"Do you now." The Marine replied. "And who might have told you that ?"

"Admiral Marcus Devore." Zack replied. "I'm to ask for a Major Jon Phanan, formally of the USS Leviathan-A."

"So you want to see the Major do you ?" The Marine stated sarcastically. "Let's see what we can do."

The Marine tapped his comm badge and said. "Lieutenant Gibs to Major Phanan. I have a young 'Fleeter' says Admiral Devore told him to ask for you."

[That would be Lieutenant Dare I presume.] The voice on the other end of the comm channel enquired.

The Marine looked at Zack, he'd not asked who Zack was and now found himself stumped whilst talking to his superior. Zack realised the predicament the Marine was in and nodded.

"That is correct Major." The Marine replied.

[He can come onboard.] The Major replied. [Assign him some quarters, preferably away from the new recruits.]

"Yes Major." The Marine stated. "Gibs out."

The Marine looked Zack over once again before speaking. "Sorry about that, security and everything."

"That's OK." Zack replied. "Lieutenant Zack Dare."

Zack reached out his hand in friendship, but the Marine just looked at Zack as if he was scum.

"Second Lieutenant Michael Gibs." The Marine stated. "If you will follow me, we'll get you some quarters."

Zack picked up his luggage and followed the Marine onto the ship. They passed a few rooms, filled with Marines before reaching a vacant room.

"This bunkrooms unassigned." Gibs announced. "You can stay here."

The room was sparsely decorated, there were two sets of bunk-beds against two of the walls, four large lockers against the third and a desk with four chairs in the middle of the room. Beyond the main room, there was a small shower room and two 'heads'.

"Thank you." Zack said, turning around to praise the Maine, but he was already gone. Zack slung his luggage into a corner and lay down on one of the lower bunks.

He must have dozed off, because the next thing he knew was the sound of the door chimes ringing in his head.

"Enter." Zack said, rising from the bunk.

The doors opened and a Marine officer stepped into the room.

"I'm sorry Lieutenant, Did I wake you ?" The Marines enquired, in a mocking voice.

"I've just made the trip from Earth in three days and then transferred to this ship almost upon my arrival." Zack replied. "I guess you could say that things have started to catch up with me."

Zack had by now rose into an upright position on the bed and was looking at the Marine. He noticed the Marine's rank insignia and guessed who this might be.

"Won't you take a seat Major Phanan ?" Zack offered.

The Marine smiled and walked further into the room and sat down at on of the chairs.

"I'm sorry if your arrival on this vessel wasn't what you were expecting, but we're on a high state of security." Phanan stated. "How much do you know about the USS Taurus's current assignment ?"

"The Taurus has been assigned to search for a couple of Federation scientists that were kidnapped by a group of rogue Jem'Hadar. So far they've come up with nothing very concrete. The last report stated that the Taurus was heading for Boxial IV." Zack replied. "Something about a distress call."

"The distress call was a ruse." Phanan explained. "The Taurus was really heading for Mirisam V because they believe that the rogue Jem'Hadar will attack there next. They're hoping to track them back to their base and then strike. Only a handful of people know about the ruse, because Starfleet Intel believes that someone has been passing classified information from Starfleet onto these rogue Jem'Hadar."

"So we're not heading for Boxial IV ?" Zack stated. "But to Mirisam V."

"That is correct." The Major replied. "But please don't say anything to anyone else, for many of these Marines this might just be their first taste of real action and I don't want them all hyped up. Most of Foxtrot Company, my men are veterans from the Leviathan, but we have a couple of new recruits. "

"Understood Major." Zack stated.

The Major rose from his chair and headed out of the room. Just before he left, the Major said. "Welcome aboard the Patton."