Decorum

== Revised text ==
Date/Timing: 15 January 2019
Setting: Marshal's conference room, The Shed; Vaucluse, NSW, Australia
.
Chantell looks up from the storm of papers on the conference room table. "You guys're early," she says. "Great job, Derek!"
Derek ducks his head, slinks into a chair at the far end of the table.
Pietr waves with the hand [not clutching a tall takeout coffee], sits next to Derek.
Chuck grumbles along behind him, slouches into place between Pietr and Chantell.
"I /think I've worked out what we need to do to get you caught up, Pietr," explains Chantell, "but I want to go over it with you and make sure I've got it right. Then we have to figure out /how to get it all done before the SE launches. Following?"
Pietr thumbs up.
"Now, I've got your [Academy] transcript around here ...."
"Chan—uh, Officer—"
"We miss anything?" asks Jackson, claiming Chantell's other side.
"Would've been here sooner, but /someone didn't tell us where to meet you," adds Logan.
Derek cringes, hides behind his tablet.
Pietr scoots his chair closer to Derek, raises an eyebrow at the other Joneses.
"He's talking about Jamie," says Jackson. To Chantell: "We're here to help."
"We don't need /your help," growls Chuck.
"Sure you do, Shortstack—" 
Chantell starts on a silent ten count.
"—we've got real life experience with all of this, unlike yourself."
"Just ... just behave."
"Of course, Officer."
"You wound us, Nguyen."
Chuck rolls his eyes.
Chantell sighs. "You were saying, Derek?"
"I ... I can, umm—if you want—send you a c-copy?"
"That'd be /awesome!"
Derek flashes a tiny smile, taps away.
"Got it! Lessee what we have here ...."
Jackson leans over to see her screen. "You colour-coded it?"
Derek cowers.
Pietr glares.
Logan leans across Jackson, whistles. "That's a /lotta failures. You sure he can—"
"Oi! /You try taking those classes blindfolded. Think /you'd pass?"
"Thought he was deaf, Shortstack, not blind."
Pietr sighs.
"You're missing—"
"So, Pietr," Chantell says loudly, "looks like they sorted you into J-Tech at the start and then, about halfway through, started emphasizing the hand-to-hand combat stuff."
Pietr nods.
"Why'd they think you'd be a tech?"
Pietr taps at his mobile.
Chantell's chirps.
p_a_vos: Mechanic
"Really? What kind of mechanic?"
p_a_vos: Mostly diesel engines
p_a_vos: N e thing w/ moving parts tho
Derek, peering over Pietr's arm, makes a note.
"So we can put you to work on /Vulcan if you fail at—"
"Why would he wanna touch your piece 'a—"
Pietr rolls his eyes, bangs his palm against the table.
Everyone jumps.
'If you will, Officer.'
"Uh, thanks, Pietr. Soooo, you've got some of the basic J-Tech stuff, but everything else ...." She frowns. "/And I've got a memo here that says until we find a replacement, you're still on the schedule as a Fightmaster—"
"You're fuckin'[—" Ducks a poke from Pietr. "—]kidding!"
"So he has to work his way through school." Logan shrugs. "Lots of folks do that." He nudges Jackson.
"And what would /you know about that? Thought you failed outta uni."
"[I quit 'cause I was bored." Logan leans back. "I] thought /you didn't make it outta kindergarten."
Chuck lunges across the table.
Pietr grabs his shoulder and pushes him back into his seat.
Chantell grinds her teeth and snaps, "What're you even doing here?"
Jackson points his chin at Chuck. "Makin' sure /he treats our little brother right."
"Gotten that lecture already, asswipe," snarls Chuck.
"Only 'bout twenty more times 'til you get it, then."
"Okay, that's it." Chantell hauls Logan to his feet, grabs Chuck, and marches them both to the door.
"Nguyen, th' hell—!"
"Aww, is the baby Ranger—"
Chuck snarls and—
"Shut it!" Chantell snaps.
They shove apart.
"If you guys wanna fight, go for it, but do /not sabotage Pietr's chances."
"I wasn't—"
"Leave, stay, whatever, just—we've got a lot of work to do and you're not helping."
She plants her feet and crosses her arms.
Chuck pulls himself up straight and crosses /his arms.
Logan puts his shoulders back.
Gerry from Mail comes around the corner, "Chantell, if you could—Is this a bad time?"
"Yep," replies Chantell. "If you could email me ...?"
"Sure thing."
"I'm off," announces Logan. "Have fun in kindy."
Chuck growls.
Chantell clears her throat.
Chuck sulks off.
Chantell returns to her seat, takes a deep breath. "Now, I happen to know Dad—" Twitch of her lip. "—the /Marshal is calling in favors to have Lachlan provisionally certified early so he can take over."
Pietr flashes thumbs up.
"So, SE's tentatively launching at the end of October. Between now and then, you've got to get through most of the Academy's Ranger track, your duties as Fightmaster—until Lachlan's ready—as well as PR prep which includes, Jackson?"
He slumps in his seat. "Decor—"
Chantell makes a 'not me' gesture.
Jackson faces Pietr.
"PR prep fer Rangers includes decorum among your peers, interview rehearsals, dealing with fans, addressing the public, etiquette ...." He rolls his eyes. "Am I missing anything, /Officer?"
"Nope. You'll still be retaking the course, though."
"The fuck /why?"
"First reason." Chantell doesn't smile when she says it. Addresses Pietr: "I'll work with the folks at the Academy and Derek to get a schedule for you so you can get everything finished in time. Hope you like homework."
p_a_vos: Yr confident I'll pass
"You're /definitely gonna pass," assures Chantell.
"'course you will," says Jackson. "You've flattened all of us fair and square at least once. And—I didn't say this—Chuck's been in your head and thinks you can." He shrugs. "Good enough for me."
Derek's tablet hits the floor.
Pietr blinks.
Chantell raises an eyebrow.
"What?" asks Jackson. "Don't have a problem with /him."
"You didn't say that, either, did you?"
"Nope." Tips his chair back. "How's that for decorum, Officer?" Smirks.
"You're still retaking the course."
Jackson huffs.
Derek /pings.
"Umm ... Pietr has to get to—"
"Ranger workouts," volunteers Jackson, standing. "I'll get him there in one piece."
Derek goes grey.
Jackson rolls his eyes. "Stop worrying. I won't hurt your Cadet."
Pietr nods 'it's okay' to Derek, stands, tilts his head 'lead on' to Jackson.
Derek exhales.
"Bye, guys!" calls Chantell. "Okay, Derek, let's see if we can wrangle this schedule and leave the poor guy some time to sleep."
== Original text ==
Decorum
January 2019
Sydney, NSW, Australia
Chantell looks up from the storm of papers on the conference room table. "You guys're early," she says. "Great job, Derek!"
Derek ducks his head, slinks into a chair at the far end of the table.
Pietr waves with the hand not wrapped around a tall coffee topped with whipped cream, sits next to Derek.
Chuck grumbles along behind him, slouches into place between Pietr and Chantell.
"There won't be any actual schoolwork this morning," explains Chantell. "It's more to figure out what schoolwork you need to do and how best to do it. Following so far?"
Pietr thumbs up.
"Now, I've got your transcript around here ...."
"Chan—uh, Officer—"
"We miss anything?" asks Jackson, claiming Chantell's other side.
"Woulda been here sooner, but someone didn't tell us where to meet you," adds Logan.
Derek cringes, hides behind his tablet.
Pietr scoots his chair closer to Derek, raises an eyebrow at the other Joneses.
"He's talking about Jamie," says Jackson. To Chantell: "We're here to help."
"We don't need your help," growls Chuck.
"Sure you do, Shortstack. We've got real life experience with all of this, unlike yourself."
Chantell silently counts to ten. "Just ... just behave."
"Of course, Officer."
"You wound us, Nguyen."
Chuck rolls his eyes.
Chantell sighs. "You were saying, Derek?"
"I ... I can, umm—if you want—send you a c-copy?"
"That'd be awesome!"
Derek flashes a tiny smile, taps away.
"Got it! Lessee what we have here ...."
Jackson leans over to see her screen. "You color-coded it?"
Derek cowers.
Pietr glares.
Logan whistles. "That's a lotta failures. Ye sure he can—"
"Oi! You try taking those classes blindfolded. Think you'd pass?"
"Thought he was deaf, Shortstack, not blind."
::I'm right here.::
"Yer missin'—"
"So, Pietr," Chantell says loudly, "looks like they sorted you into J-Tech at the start and then, about halfway through, started emphasizing the hand-to-hand combat stuff."
Pietr nods.
"Why'd they think you'd be a tech?"
-Mechanic-
"Really?" chirps Chantell. "What kind?"
-Diesel engine-
Derek makes a note.
"So we can put you to work on Vulcan if you fail at—"
"Why would he wanna touch your piece of—"
Pietr rolls his eyes, bangs his palm against the table.
Everyone jumps.
'If you will, Officer.'
"Uh, thanks, Pietr. Soooo, you've got some of the basic J-Tech stuff, but everything else ...." She frowns. "And I've got a memo here that says until we find a replacement, you're still on the schedule as a Fightmaster—"
"You're fucking kidding!"
"So he has to work his way through school." Logan shrugs. "Lotsa folks do that." He nudges Jackson.
"An' what would ye know about that? Thought you failed outta uni."
"'n I thought you didn't make it outta [kindy]."
Chuck's knuckles whiten and he lunges across the table.
Pietr grabs his shoulder and pushes him back into his seat.
Chantell grinds her teeth and snaps, "What're you even doing here?"
Jackson points his chin at Chuck. "Making sure he treats our little brother right."
"Gotten that lecture already, asswipe," snarls Chuck.
"Only 'bout twenty more times 'til you get it, then."
"Okay, that's it." Chantell hauls Logan to his feet, grabs Chuck, and marches them both to the door.
"Nguyen, th' hell—!"
"Aww, is th' baby Ranger—"
Chuck snarls and—
"Shut it!" Chantell snaps.
They shove apart.
"If you guys wanna fight, go for it, but do not sabotage Pietr's chances."
"I wasn't—"
"Leave, stay, whatever, just—we've got a lot of work to do and yer not helping."
She plants her feet and crosses her arms.
Chuck pulls himself up straight and crosses his arms.
Logan puts his shoulders back.
Gerry from Mail comes around the corner, "Chantell, if you could—Is this a bad time?"
"Yep," replies Chantell. "If you could email me ...?"
"Sure thing."
"I'm off," announces Logan. "Have fun in pre-K."
Chuck growls.
Chantell clears her throat.
Chuck sulks off.
Chantell returns to her seat, takes a deep breath. "Now, I happen to know [Dad—" Twitch of her lip. —the /Marshal] is calling in favors to get a new Fightmaster ASAP."
Pietr flashes thumbs up.
"So, Striker's tentatively launching at the end of October. Between now 'n then, ye've got t' get through most of the Academy's Ranger track, your duties as Fightmaster, as well as PR prep which includes, Jackson?"
He slumps in his seat. "Decor—"
Chantell makes a 'not me' gesture.
Jackson faces Pietr.
"PR prep fer Rangers includes decorm among your peers, interview rehearsals, dealing with fans, addressing the public, etiquette ...." He rolls his eyes. "Am I missing anything, Officer?"
"Nope. You'll still be retaking them, though."
"The fuck why?"
"First reason." Chantell doesn't smile when she says it. Addresses Pietr: "I'll work with the folks at the Academy and Derek to get a schedule for you so you can get everything finished in time. Hope you like homework."
-Confident I'll pass-
"'course you will," says Jackson. "You've flattened all of us fair and square at least once. And—I din't say this—Chuck's been in your head and thinks you can." He shrugs. "Good enough for me."
Derek's tablet hits the floor.
Pietr blinks.
Chantell raises an eyebrow.
"What?" asks Jackson. "Don't have a problem with him."
"You didn't say that, either, did you?"
"Nope." Tips his chair back. "How's that fer decorm, Officer?" Smirks.
"You're still retaking the course."
Jackson huffs.
Derek pings.
"Umm ... Pietr has to get to—"
"Ranger workouts," volunteers Jackson, standing. "I'll get him there in one piece."
Derek goes [grey].
Jackson rolls his eyes. "Stop worrying. I won't hurt your Cadet."
Pietr nods 'it's okay' to Derek, stands, tilts his head 'lead on' to Jackson.
Derek exhales.
"Bye, guys!" calls Chantell. "Okay, Derek, let's see if we can wrangle this schedule and leave the poor guy some time to sleep."
Category:Ficlet
Category:Skeleton Key
Category:Chantell
Category:Chantell's POV
Category:Chantell (ficlet)
Category:Derek
Category:Derek (ficlet)
Category:Pietr
Category:Pietr (ficlet)
Category:Pietr's mobile
Category:Jackson
Category:Jackson (ficlet)
Category:Logan
Category:Logan (ficlet)
Category:Jamie (mention)
Category:Gerry
Category:Gerry (ficlet)
Category:Nguyen (mention)
Category:Lachlan (mention)
Category:Ficlets with images