Changes a plenty [Open]

[Marion "MAC" Carroll]

    It had been two weeks since Marion had arrived in France, and already everything he knew about the war had changed. On D-Day he had been the single survivor from his entire platoon. Adding to that the actions he had took on that day, it had seemed the obvious choice to the higher ups that Marion should be promoted to sergeant. What he didn't know was that with that promotion he was assigned to a new unit. The 3rd ID, first platoon, Baker company.
    
    Marion was sitting in the bunk house of his new platoon trying to get a handle on things. Firstly, he recognized that Baker company had no standing company commander at present. That had him slightly concerned. He hadn't met anyone yet. Carroll was the silent type preferring to let his actions speak instead of his words, not to mention the fact that he wasn't very good at talking to people seeing as he was on his families farm most of the life. Reading through his bible, Marion looked around the bunk house. There were a few men here and there scattered all around. Most were in small groups of two and three. One group was playing a card game that looked like craps. Carroll began to pray for guidance.


    "Lord, I ask you for help in my time of need. I am in a new place with people I've never known before. All of my old friends are with you know and I ask that they be content being in your grace. Im scared Lord, I feel isolated and alone. Please give me the strength to get through this and learn a thing or two to gain the trust of these men who I am about to lead into battle",  Marion prayed.

   Looking around, Marion decided to go for a walk. He had a few hours before roll call so he decided to go work out his frustrations by exercising. Leaving the barracks, Marion began to stretch. Working his legs for the run, and breathing in the cool moist air, he began to jog. First rounding the mess hall, he smelled the breakfast that was being cooked. "Looks like bacon, and eggs today. Wonderful", Marion thought as he continued his run. continuing onwards, he began to round the officers barracks. A small group of men were standing outside. Some were smoking the last bits of lucky strike cigarettes, while others were conversing silently. One gruff looking sergeant had a cup in his hand and as Marion passed by he immediately noticed the scent of alcohol. No mind, alcohol was allowed in small quantities so nothing to worry about.

    After passing the Officers barracks Marion came upon the parade ground, or at-least what was supposed to pass for one. It was a town square. not much bigger that the front yard back home on the farm in Indiana. Arriving here Marion decided to stop and take a break. Sweat beading on his brow, Marion found a box to sit on and decided to light a cigarette. Smelling the tobacco from earlier had forced a craving that he had been trying to ignore for the past two days. Lighting the strip of tobacco, Marion inhaled deeply. The heat of the smoke filling his lungs. He had learned in basic fairly quickly how much these were hurting his performance in calisthenics, but after his father passed this was the only way to relax. Marion was always serious and to the point. Not one to beat around the bush, he was constantly tense due to always having something to do. Sitting there he began to ponder how the day would go. 


    OOC: JT, Gordon, etc. This is up for grabs with anyone. Just saying.
                 

[MAJ Patterson]

As Patterson finished washing his face he paused for a moment to take a glance out he window. Not something he normally did but tried to when he had a free second or two. There was a little chatter outside, the quick blur of someone taking a morning run, standard operations around the base as of late. The Major made his way to his wall locker and retrieved his uniform jacket before swinging it around and over his arms, a few quick buttons and he was ready to head toward his office.

As he opened the door to his quarters, his close friend Giles was walking toward him. "Unexpected Sergeant, usually find you out front by the jeep..." With the faint smell of bourbon drifting about Patterson paused and gave his Sergeant a curious look, "...think you're coffee has gone bad Dean." he remarked as he turned to shut the door behind him, locking it and placing the keep into his breast pocket.

"Ah, yes sir I think you're right, just wanted something warm in my stomach to start the day." Giles responded as he took one final gulp and poured the small remainder into a nearby water-fountain. He watched as his commanding officer started to make his way toward the front area of the structure and picked up is step to catch up. "Sir, do you remember the file on the new Sergeant we received late last week?" Giles asked.

Patterson's pace never slowed. "I think so, Marvin wasn't it? transferred in after his platoon was lost on D-Day, got himself a set of stripes for it. Yeah I remember the file. Why you find out he lived because he ran away and hid or something?" Patterson wasn't overly concerned with the man or his file, it could have said anything, they had been in the war for years now and all the 'new guy' stories had been heard.

Giles caught up and continued. "Actually it's Marion sir, Marion Carroll..." The Sergeant could see his commander's head snap upward for a second as he also raised his hand and shook a finger in the air as if to say 'That's right!' then Dean went on. "Well he actually did earn the stripes, lead a maneuver that neutralized a Nazi pill-box, gave the men on the beach a foot-hold to crawl into." Patterson just circled his hand around to hurry this along. "Right. Anyway we placed him into Baker Company, first platoon..." Patterson stopped in his tracks.

"You mean we have a new guy running a platoon with no C/O...that lost his entire platoon before coming here?!" The Commander questioned firmly as he turned to face his friend. Giles just nodded as he moved passed Patterson and pushed the door open out toward the dirt patch they used as a parking lot. "Peter?! If HQ calls looking for me tell them I'm on my way but I had to handle some business before I got there." Henry told the Private manning the front desk. The soldier just nodded and made a note. Patterson walked by his Sergeant and out the door. "Do you know where this guy is right now?" he asked.

Giles cleared his throat and said. "Just saw him a minute ago out for an early run."

Patterson climbed into the passenger side of the vehicle. "Was he headed north or south?" He asked his sergeant who had made his way into the driver side and cranked up the Jeep. Giles relayed that he saw the man heading north. "Alright, he might stop at the parade grounds but most likely went on to the barracks. The parade field is on the way so we will find out." Ordered the Major and away they went to find the newly acquired Sergeant.

OOC: I meant to add more to this Covi so that you would have more to go on but unfortunately atm I seem to have caught some bug and am feeling like pure crap. If someone else joins maybe they can add more, if not feel free to RP our arrival and an intro, maybe we don't find you at the field or something which would allow you more RP before our uneventful arrival...or you can wait until tomorrow and I will add more to this post.

[Marion "MAC" Carroll]

Finishing his cigarette, Marion stood up and looked around. It was quiet, but that was to be expected this early in the morning. Breathing in deeply, he began to go through a routine of calisthenics. Starting with push ups, he would go through a repetition of fifty then move on to jumping jacks, followed by sit-ups. Not a really serious workout but it got the blood flowing and gave Marion something to do.

Going through the exercise five times, Marion stood and stretched his back. The camp was starting to wake up. He could hear jeeps off in the distance turning over and men finding their way to the mess tent. Marion was starting to get hungry but wanted to continue his jog. He had much on his mind and wanted to resolve the issue at hand before mingling with the other men of baker company. Looking for a direction to run, he decided on continuing north.

Stepping off at a brisk pace, Marion observed his surroundings. The unit was currently acting in a reserve roll, and as such was located behind the main lines. Even with this, Marion could see the affects of heavy fighting everywhere. Buildings were in ruins. Down one street he saw a German half-track, or atleast what used to be one. Its entire engine compartment was on the other side of the road. "I wonder what happened over there", Marion thought. His interest rising, sergeant Carroll decided to go and investigate. Hanging a left at the intersection he walked towards the pile of warped metal, that had once been a fine piece of engineering. Looking around he saw craters everywhere. "Probably mortars. Bracketed the area before infantry moved in. Doubt that's what caused this though", Marion pondered as he approached the half-track. Getting up close he could see multiple bullet impacts along the whole of the metal machine.

"Poor thing, Fritz pushed you too hard didn't they", Marion whispered to the dead machine. It was an odd habit that he had. Back on the farm sometimes he would be by himself for hours on end. Looking for something to do, he just started talking to random things. Some thought it was strange of Marion for doing that but he didn't mind. "To each, their own, I guess", Marion chuckled.

Walking around to the front side of the thing, he began to observe the damage that had been the final blow to the heart of the machine. In his mind all Marion could come up with was a wreck. A bad one at that. But he'd never encountered something that could shear of the whole front end of something this tough. Sighing silently, Marion said a pray for the crew of the half-track, and moved on.

Going back to the intersection from where he had spied the German machine, he decided it was about time to head back. Looking at his watch, Marion saw that roll call would be in an hour and a half. "Better be getting back to the war ehh Dix", Marion spoke, instinctively talking to his dog before realizing that he wasn't there. Dixie was his black Labrador retriever. Marion had had him for six years. Got him when he was just three weeks old and had never left his side since. Everywhere Marion went, Dixie went too. Thinking on this Marion was dishearted. He missed home, but more importantly he missed his dog. He had seen dogs around the camp and had made up his mind that if he ever got the chance he would get his hands on one.

Breathing in deeply one more time, he looked to the sky. Listening to the wind pass by he could hear the faint drone of machine gun fire and artillery in the distance. Opening his eyes he looked forwards, back down the path he had come. off in the distance by the parade ground he could see someone there, standing by a jeep. Not thinking anything of it, Marion began the trek back to the barracks to grab his gear. Moving at a good pace he soon reached the parade ground. The jeep was still there, accompanied by two men. One appeared to be the grizzled sergeant from earlier, who Marion had seen drinking alcohol. The other was someone he had never seen before. Looked like an officer from the way he carried himself, Marion observed as he neared the other end of the parade ground.

As Marion passed by he heard a shout go out. Curious to know who was shouting Marion stopped and turned around. The sergeant from earlier was waving at him and motioning him to approach. Sighing, because he didn't want to deal with anyone this early, especially when he hadn't eaten yet, Marion approached the duo. Rounding the jeep, Marion stood face to face with a Major. Training kicking in, Marion came to attention and saluted the man. First giving him the order to stand at ease the Major eyed him warily almost as if he was examining a piece of equipment. Marion didn't know what to think of this, but waited patiently for him to speak. The alcoholic sergeant behind the officer with an odd smile on his face.