Pushing the limits

Posted on Tue Oct 25th, 2022 @ 1:16pm by Captain Samuel Woolheater & Captain Gary Taylor

Mission: Season 5: Time Warp
Location: DECK NINE - Gymnasium 3
Timeline: MD03 - 0700
2307 words - 4.6 OF Standard Post Measure

[ON:]

"C'mon Captain - you can do it. They don't call it leg day for no good reason. OK now, lower next rep. Lower. Squat. There you go. Now, up slowly. Don't rush...yeah...feel that burn? Yeah man....keep your knees straight. Flat feet on the stand....yup. There you go. There you go...yeah! High five. Whew! Look at that. Feels good ay? If you're sore tomorrow then you know you did it right today." Sam smiled and passed a clean hand towel to the XO. He helped secure the Smith weight machine, 'the squatter'. Sam said, "Good job. Ten, good, solid reps. Getting lower and then slow stand to burn your glutes and calves.

Sam wiped down the handle bar and prepped for his turn. He joked with the XO and said, "When I tell someone to kiss my ass; I want them to pucker up and say...."Mmmmm....he does have a nice ass. OK. I'll do it!" Sam said with pursing his lips and using his finger to explode in a kissing gesture - as if it was good enough to eat.

Sam racked another ten pounds (4.5kg) on either side of the Smith weight set. He wore a marine green t-shirt that said on the back, "EMBRACE THE SUCK" and the Starfleet SFMC logo over the left pec. He had on black gym shorts with a red stipe and gym shoes. He stepped into the Smith weight machine and said, "Ready? Can you spot me XO?"

"Certainly Sam." Gary answered as he wiped the sweat from his brow and took a position at the head of the machine. He wore black shorts and a red USS Elysium t-shirt. He and Sam had met this morning for an early morning workout. It was nice to have someone to workout with, to push to do more and keep you safe to make sure you didn't overextend yourself and end causing serious injuries to yourself. "Ready when you are." He told the marine captain.

"Yut" was Sam's reply. He positioned himself under the weight bar and then made his feet as flat as he could. This was the second time around for Woolheater. He exhaled and then inhaled and lifted. The bar came off the rack and onto his shoulders. Slowly, Sam lowered as he managed the weights. As he lowered himself, he slowly exhaled. He got into a low squat. He started his ascent and slowed it down. His thigh and calves stressed in the exercise. Sam looked over at the XO and said, "Congrats. Sir. On the promo."

Gary didn't take his eyes off of Sam and the weights and he edged closer ready to intercede in a moment. Disaster could strike in an instant if one wasn't paying attention. "Thanks Sam. I have to say it was a complete surprise. Wasn't expecting it at all. Now comes the hard part. Do I take command of the Arizona, or do I stay here? Have a lot to think on an consider. Of course, Lia figures into this a great deal.

Standing tall, Sam finished the ascent. Legs in full standing position. He adjusted his feet and took a few more breaths, "Hell's yeah sir. Of course she does. Your new command? It's a spook ship, yeah? Intel I mean. No marines...but you could fix that huh? As her skipper? How is the missus by the way? I only ever see Gluestick around doing the cop-on-the-beat thing." Sam started the next rep. Down, down...down.

"Not sure if she is a spook ship Sam but she doesn't have a marine detachment. I'm relatively sure if a put in a request for marines I'd get a small detachment of between 35-85. Which I would be happy with. However, for now it's federation security." He smiled as he talked of Lia, "Lia is fine. This decision affects her as well and if leave, she would want to leave with me. She supports my decision totally whatever I decide." Gary finished and then turned his attention to Sam as he began his next rep.

Sam finished another rep and asked, "Yeah. But. You all been here for a while I take it? A long time with the Commodore? So. No matter. What - - it's going to be a tough decision." He grimaced on the way down on the fifth rep. He laughed twice, "I think. It's CLASSIC that you don't yet even know what mission OP the Arizona might be in. If it is...INTEL...its still a SECRET." He said though strained. He took a moment at the top of the rep, in full standing mode to move his arms and shrug his shoulders. The weight bar was digging into his traps and my shrugging a little that helped move some of the bar around. Sam had hairy legs and the muscles of his thighs, knees and calves were bulging from the workout. Seat glistened on his forehead and neck. He took a breath and went down faster than before. He realized that he was faltering and slowed his descent. His leg muscles straining. He got to the bottom and grunted, "Mmmmmmuuunphhh!"

Gary smiled, "Of course keep the potential incoming captain in the dark. Don't want to give away any secrets." Gary grew silent as Sam strained with the weights. He saw the perspiration beading on his forehead and the muscles in his arms and legs quivering. "Okay, no more. You're pushing yourself too far. Take a break."

Sam had just reached the end of the rep and it was a good idea. "Ya" he said. Sam felt the weights being guided into the lock and set. He stepped out from the Smith machine and shook out his shoulders and legs. "Ohhh gawd..." he said as he let his body recover. "I could really feel the burn that time. Thanks. Take a break. Good call. That's why we spot each other." Sam said as he caught his breath and walked around the Smith machine his hands on his hips. He asked, "If you don't take command of the Arizona what happens? We've been talking like its a choice...is it?"

"Exactly why we spot for each other. As each other's best interests in mind." Gary answered and then went to Sam's other question. "I have the choice to accept command of the Arizona or to decline it, if I decline it, I will in all likelihood stay as executive officer of the Elysium."

Sam nodded and wiped his face with a fresh towel, "What does Mrs. Taylor want to do?"

"Lia says she will support any decision I make, and I believe that. However, deep down if push comes to shove, I believe Lia wants to stay here on the Elysium and I can't fault her for feeling like that." Gary answered as he took a sip from his water bottle.

Sam put his muscled arms out in front of him and leaned onto the Smith machine. The gym was busy but nobody bothered them. Sam said, "So, its all on you then. The decision on what to do. People, not in command, who have never been in command, they don't understand the pressure. You make a good call, nobody notices. You make a bad call and thousands of people are affected and everybody notices. Understand, XO, I'm not comparing us - no way - I just...understand a little, about the pressure."

Gary nodded, "Yes, all on me. My decision after all." He offered a weak grin. "Your observations about command are correct and I am not complaining. You, Col. Naxea, Phoenix, myself we're in command positions because we can make the hard decisions, right or wrong and accept the consequences that come with those decisions."

Sam saw in Gary's face a truth that he hadn't seen there before. That the man understood the terrible burden of command decisions. All of the senior staff did; they had to or they wouldn't be good officers. But to connect with someone higher up on that chain than you, well, it was a special moment. Sam rested his head on his forearms. Whether from trying to rest or from feeling the heavy weight - heavier than any deadweight in a gym - of making decisions that you don't want to make and making them look easy. Sam simply said, "Yeah...". He lifted his head and said, "Two more reps for me? That makes me twenty for the day? I'm sore yes - but I want to look good in bed." He jested to relieve the tension and got into position. Feeling the weights go back on his shoulders, the muscles of his legs began a protest. "So? I don't know if this helps any...but I'd rather you stayed. Trust is earned; not given away. And this crew trusts you. That's not something to just...throw out. Continuity. You know how the crew works and what they can do. Same for marines. You know? If the order ever comes down the chain. To take that hill and its the chain of command that we've had time and time again. No matter how shitty the deal; you can count on us."

Gary positioned himself as Sam's spotter and chuckled at his comment of wanting to look good in bed. "Why Sam. I didn't know you were a narcissist." he continued on. "Oh, it helps a great deal and I appreciated it and yes, trust is earned, and I hope the crew trusts me. This crew is a well oiled machine, they trust each other and as you noted the command team and that is one thing I and Phoenix will never take for granted or betray is their trust. You are right Sam. Trust brings belief. You trust your commanders; you believe you can
accomplish anything."

He laughed out loud, "Me a narcissist?" he laughed and grinned. "It's not narcissism XO, I don't think the world revolves around me. I'm just confident. I know my job; I'm pretty good at it and I like it. I hope that doesn't sound narcissistic or arrogant? Its just the way it is. I wasn't always confident, I didn't always know my shit y'know? If you're a marine then you kinda want to be a marine y'know XO? You gotta either love this job or you hate it. Forgive me, but I work hard and I earned it." Sam said that as he did the last two reps. And he was done. His legs were shaking and he would be sore in the morning for sure if he didn't walk off the stress. He wiped the bar down and offered it to Gary, "You're up man. Second time for you. C'mon? Let's both get to twenty? You can do it man. Then you can tell Lia that you're staying yeah?" He smiled at his attempt to manipulate the man.

Gary positioned himself and brought the weights down as he listened to Sam explain. "I think that's true in anything you do. If you're an accountant, you do it because you love it. To be not just good but exceptional you have to not only love what you do but be committed to it as well. Only then will you see that all the hard work you put, all the sacrifices you made, were truly worth it." He lifted the bar and began doing the reps. "Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen." He counted. "If you can't commit 110 percent to your job, duty than you are never going to reach your goal." He added as he continued the reps, "Fourteen, Fifteen. Sixteen, Seventeen." He paused again, as his legs and arms were beginning to tremble. He gave Sam a look, "I haven't made my decision yet Sam. When I do. Lia will be the first to know, then Phoenix. Then I will tell the crew." Gary wasn't going to be rushed into making a decision. " He began the reps again, "Eighteen," A strain to get the weights up, "Nineteen." His legs were trembling and burned, but he would not be denied. Taking a deep breath, he powered the weights up. "Twenty!" His legs felt like jelly and his arms were in the same state. He got the bar back in place and looked over to Sam. "Whew! Quite the workout, thank you Sam."

Easing the weight bar back into the resting slots on the weight machine, Sam said, "Good job! Woo hoo!! That's the way we do that!" he wiped down the weight machine for the next person and offered it to them. They were done for today. Sam would walk around for a while. He would shower and go to sleep. His shift was at 0000 hours and he still had time to relax. "Thanks XO, I'm not trying to rush you in your decision. All I'm saying is that you'd be missed if you left here. And I rather think that would be sad. Thanks for the workout and the spotting. Next time ay? Chest day is next."

Gary grinned at the marine captain. "Thanks for the workout, Sam. It was a good challenge and thank you for spotting for me. I know you aren't trying to rush me, and I appreciate your opinion, it means a lot to me." He grew silent for a moment thinking on what Sam had said about him being missed and it being sad. Pushing the thoughts aside, Gary turned to Sam. "Sure thing, next time is chest day and oh Sam, my name is Gary, not XO." he finished with a smile.

Sam smiled back, "Yes sir...Gary. Gary it is."

And they left the gym.



[OFF:]

Captain Gary Tailor
Executive Officer (signed off by Woolheater)

&

Captain Samuel Woolheater
First Platoon CO