StarGate: Traditions

[reveal]

Colonel Johnson smiles again.

"I'm glad you've done your homework. You'll also see, from my file, that I can be a hardass. I treat my team like I treat my children; you can get away with a lot of things up to a point. There's a point where my experience and knowledge overrides your impulses."

"I'm impressed, Ashley. Your file doesn't do you justice. Hopefully my notes will help alleviate any misconceptions about you."

The Colonel stands and extends his hand. "I'll let you know my decision as soon as I make it."

"Oh. And call me Bubba."

 

[Kemrain]

Score! she thinks to herself, standing to shake the Colonel's hand. "Thank you, sir," she says, a big grin on her face, sure she's done well enough to at least be a final contender.

"Oh. And call me Bubba."

She raises an eyebrow quizzically. Bubba? she thinks to herself, oh, god, please be joking. She recovers her composure quickly and nods, adding, "Sure thing, Bubba. I'll call you anything you'd like if it'll help me get on your team." She smirks, giving him a quick salute even though it isn't required of her, and heads for the door to return to her work.

 

[RandomUsernamehmimo71]

Anderson's Recruitment.

As Julian watched, the Colonel's door opens, Willingham stepping out with a scowl on his face. He can see two men in airforce uniforms, their rank obscured both by angel and shadow.

Shaking his head, Willingham steps away, letting the door click shut behind him. He'd look over at Julian, scowl a little, and step to his desk.

"We need to talk..."

"Anderson, right now, there are two men standing in my office, stopping me from getting any work done. Where I come from, that's a problem. Now, between them they have enough stars to make a Van Gogh painting, and they want to talk to you. That makes it your problem."

Over the noise of the office, Julian can make out the sound of the Colonel's teeth grinding. Gripping the back of Julian's chair, he speaks, projecting a calm he doesn't feel.

"If they..."

He'll stop, sighing and restarting with less vitriol.

"I don't care what they offer. We need you here. You're working on importaint stuff, Sergent. Changing the world stuff. Nothing they can offer you can compete with actully being here, actually making a difference. Just keep that in mind."

The Colonel shakes his head, stepping back and pointing at the room with a dour expression.

 

[Jaeden]

Julian rises, a look of uncertainty on his face. "Sir... If there are as many stars as you say there are in there, I don't know how much say I'll have." He checks his uniform for powdered doughnut dust, sighing as he realizes that's not a very good impression to be making. The Colonel said something about an offer -- was he to be given a new assignment? Figures. He just started getting used to the mainland again. Where was he off to now, Alaska?

Julian liked his job, he just hates his employer, both the Air Force in general and Colonel Willingham in specific. The guy was just too uptight. Hell, the Air Force was too uptight. He'd be graduating from MIT this semester, if only he'd had the cash. Still, the video enhancement gig wasn't bad. It was easy work, and he occasionally got to see some nifty stuff. The only problem was, he had worn out his welcome with Colonel Willingham. One more screw-up, no matter how minor, and he'd be getting paperwork again at the least. He was trying to get better about it - really, he was, but zero tolerance is hard to live by for anybody. Especially somebody who was biding their time until separation day.

With all of this running through his head, he walked maybe ten steps from his desk before stopping short and rushing back to his keyboard. In his rush to not keep the small galaxy of Air Force brass waiting in Col. Willingham's office, he had almost left his classified workstation unsecured. His eyes fire about, hoping the Colonel had already walked off to pester somebody else. Leaning over his desk from a standing position, he hurriedly closes down programs, logging out with the keyboard while shutting down other programs with the mouse. Even one-handed, his typing rate is faster than everyone else in the shop.

People stared at him watching him work. Everything about his work style is different than theirs. His completed his tasks effortlessly, whereas they often struggled to perfect the images they got back. His cubicle walls were barren - he had no need of the keyboard shortcut cheat sheets and Systems tech support numbers splattered across them. Even his posture at the keyboard was arcane to them, being the only lefty in the shop. Typing single-handed, they simply viewed as showing off. Which it was.

He rises to his full height when finished. With a smirk, he wondered how long it would take the new guy to realize the keyboard is mapped to Dvorak. Couple days, at least. Removing the crypto key strip from the reader, he slides it into the shredder, its usefulness now expired. He secured the PC with his password, waiting for Windows to finally get around to processing it. He couldn't wait for Windows 2000 to get installed on this machine. From the beta he snagged online, it looked pretty good. Unix would be better, but Uncle Sam's still a little squeamish about training their 18-year-old recruits what to do with a black console prompt.

Straightening his uniform, he slips an uneasy smile to the Colonel. "I'll do what I can, Sir." It was a lie, of course. He could do a lot worse as posts go, but the Colonel was out to get him. and steps into the office. As soon as he reaches the doorway, he snaps into a salute. It's not as great as it ought to be, but sufficient.

"Good morning, Sirs. TSgt Julian Anderson. The Colonel tells me you need to speak to me. What can I do for you gentlemen?"

 

[RandomUsernamehmimo71]

SG14 Team Interview

Walter will show another candidate into the room as Ashley leaves.. Looking almost apologetic as he holds the door for the newest applicant.

She'll step into the room confidently, her 26 years of life still allowing her the cautious optimism of youth, but tempered by a desperate fear of failure. She smiles as she sits down, crossing her legs and taking out a clipboard.

"Let's make this easy, Colonel. I'm the best person for this job, and you and I both know it. I graduated from Mt. Holyoke college, in North Hampton, Massachusetts with a four-oh average with degrees in Women's studies, and Comparative Cultures. I never missed a day of classes, and have recommendations from 6 out of 8 professors I worked with."

She breaths for a second, and takes a sip of a diet Dr. Pepper that she must have brought with her.

"I can do 57 pushups in under 5 minutes, and know 7 languages, including Goa'uld. I interned last summer with Warren Beatty, who's should have been the frontrunner for president, if it weren't for party politics. "

"I know that you think I'm probably not capable, just because I'm a girl, but you're going to have to deal with it. I'm just as capable as anyone on this base, and I welcome the chance to prove it to you and every other jackass.. Excuse me sir.. Every other Officer who doubts me."

"I'm the best person for this job, and you know it, and don't you think for a second that I won't do everything I have to to prove any discrimination that might have occurred."

She'll breath again, awaiting the poor Colonel's response.

 

[RandomUsernamehmimo71]

Anderson's Recruitment.

Anderson enters the room, watching as one of the men sits at his commanding officer's desk, the other remaining standing, each watching as Julian enters the office.

"Go ahead and close the door", the man behind the desk suggests, "Let's have a chat."

The second officer smiles, offering a hand
"Nice to meet you. Lieutenant General Warren Mitchell." He pumps twice, squeezing firmly.

"Major General Grey." The man behind the desk leans back a bit, his heavy frame stressing the metal chair. "I here you're quite the expert in computers... Hacking into WorldCom, adding frames to Ku band broadcast, purchasing ISO-7816 Smart Cards for illegally decoding copyrighted content. You've got quite the rap sheet."

Warren shakes his head dismissively. "That doesn't matter. What matters is what you're doing now. Tell me this, Why are you working here? What is it about this job that drives you? Willingham told us that you like working with things that matter. But why don't you explain to me what is it that makes this," he waves around at the office, and by implication the base, "worth so much."

 

[Jaeden]

Julian enters the room, shaking the hand of Gen. Mitchell, then closing the door and leaning over the desk to provide Gen. Gray with the same courtesy. He remains standing, clasping his hands behind his back and 'standing easy'.

"What makes it important? Jeez... Intel is... well, you've gotta realize..." <takes a deep breath, trying not to focus on the rank of the people glaring at him>

"Intel lets me use my skills in a meaningful way. When I signed up for the Air Force, I did so because it had the most opportunities of any branch for me to find a technical position as opposed to grunts-with-guns stuff. Let's face it, I'm no Rambo. My recruiter in high school fell all over me for acing the ASVAB, and here I am. I love working with bleeding-edge stuff and I'm always trying to learn about any new technologies I can.

It's nice just being back on the mainland, after a year at Kwajelein."

Julian's eyes flash between the pair, seeking any sort of indication as to whether his answers are what they wanted, or what this is all about. The generals probably don't need much in the way of a Sense Motive check to realize he's extremely nervous.

"With all due respect, Sirs... I strongly doubt the Air Force sent five stars' worth of brass here to ask me about my job satisfaction. What's going on?"

 

[reveal]

SG14 Team Interview

*snip* She'll breath again, awaiting the poor Colonel's response.

Colonel Johnson stands up, smiles, and extends his hand.

"Thank you for coming in today, ma'am. I've read your file and, honestly, you've answered all of my questions up front. You will be informed once I have made my decision."

 

[RandomUsernamehmimo71]

SG14 Team Interview

The woman stands, giving the Colonel a curious look.
"Don't you want to see my work?"

She takes two steps toward the door, feeling confident that she'll get the position, but surprised she doesn't need to finish her speech.

"You have my number, but don't you dare call it to ask me on a date. I know you're thinking it, but I'm not interested. I know that won't affect my chance."

She forces a smile, and opens the door, heading out without another word.
Walter looks in apologetically, and mouths "4 more" as he holds up 4 fingers on his right hand.
A man in fatigues steps through the door into the room, letting Walter close it behind him. He approaches Colonel Johnson, and stands at attention.

"Sir, Sergeant Ronald Harrison reporting as ordered, sir. US Marine Corps. I've received numerous commendations at Parris Island, and have faithfully defended this base for the last two years against invasion. I've fought the Goa'uld and I look forward for the chance to take the fight to them, sir."

"Sir, I know that the incident with Private Bennett may look bad on paper, sir, but I assure you that the incident wasn't reported accurately. It was consensual at the time, sir, and the harassment suit was dropped."





{{OOC: Feel free to make up your own reasons to disqualify someone, or what 'incident' happened. I mean, I only mentioned it was sexual harassment to give you an excuse against the guy, if you wanted something from me. I would have been just as happy with a banana throwing contest. Don't feel bad about making up back story for other people you have files for here. This is for fun, while Aeson finishes his character, and we get Julian to the SGC.}}

 

[RandomUsernamehmimo71]

"What's going on, Sergeant, is that you're answering the General's questions."

General Grey will sigh a little, and wait for Julian's answer. While he obviously wants more of a reply, it's clear from his face that he's more interested in getting on with it than endlessly wasting time in introductions.

As Julian starts to reply Grey interrupts, excusing himself.
"Excuse me for interrupting, but you're right, there is something more I want. I'm here by the authority of the President of the Unites States and the Joint Chiefs of Staff."

He waits for a second to let his words sink in.

"I'm here because I here you're one of the best experts in signal processing that we have, and because your file indicates that you're the sort of character who's not afraid of getting his hands dirty."

The other general clears his throat. "If you're qualified, We're willing to offer you the chance to participate in a top-level, high security, cutting edge project, critical to the safety of the nation, and perhaps even the entire world."

The General smiles, "You said you wanted Bleeding-Edge..."

"I have in my possession papers authorizing your immediate transfer, upon your acceptance of this offer. Your selection in this project is entirely voluntary and if you refuse this offer you will not be contacted again. Furthermore, you are ordered by your Commander in Chief to deny that this conversation ever took place, that we were ever here, or that you have been tendered this assignment.

Warren Smiles, and as Julian thinks, he whispers "It's a good deal. I'd take it."