Stepping Up

Posted on Thu Apr 16th, 2026 @ 4:01pm by Captain Andre Hunt & Gunnery Sergeant Antonio Lopez

830 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: New Years on Denobula
Location: USS Meridian in Orbit of Denobula

The USS Meridian had arrived in orbit of Denobula four hours ago. While the ship was picking up supplies to deliver to Vega IX, Hunt had authorized the crew to take a few days of shore leave. Before the Meridian arrived, Eli McEntyre had informed him that he would be stepping down as the Marine CO and would remain on Denobula until he could find transportation back to Earth. Andre was sad to see the man go but understood his reasons to be with family. Being in space for almost a year had taken its toll on him. The truth is, most MACOs didn't sign up for space duty. Plus, the Federation had decided to begin phasing out the MACOs after 2170, to be integrated into the Armory division.

Before heading down to the planet to begin shore leave, there was quite a bit of business to address. And it was at this moment, he was interrupted by the sound of the door chime. "Come in."

The door open and in stepped Gunnery Sergeant Antonio Lopez. Immediately snapping to attention in front of the desk. "You requested to see me Sir?"

"Yes, Lopez, at ease," Hunt responded. "Please have a seat. Can I get you anything to drink, water, or lemonade?"

Easing up a bit, Antonio sat down. "Water, please."

Pouring the water into the glass, he handed it over to the Sergeant. "I'm sure that you are aware that the Major will be leaving the Meridian immediately."

"Yes, Captain."

"And with us being so far out, it could be a while before we take on any crew transfers. So, to get to the point, I have been looking over your record, which has been exemplary. The Major tells me that you like to jump in headfirst at times, but overall, you are a good leader and highly respected among the other MACOs."

Lopez couldn't help but smile. "Thank you for the compliment. I make it a point to lead by example."

Hunt sat back down in his chair. "To get straight back to the point, I would like for you to lead the MACOs."

"I'm not really sure what to say about that," the Sergeant managed to reply. "Honestly, those were the last words that I expected to hear today, an enlisted running things."

"It wouldn't be the first time in the history of the military," Andre chuckled. "The Department is yours to run, but you will report directly to Commander Carey."

"Yes Sir."

"You still have this look of shock on your face Sergeant."

"My apologizes, Sir," Antonio replied as he tried to get his thoughts in order. "Leading is not an issue for me. But I have never had a MACO CO or XO, not to report to. And to be honest, word out right now is that the Federation is phasing out the MACOs and giving us the option to transfer into armory positions."

The Captain was silent briefly as he took in those words. "I understand completely. No one wants to operate from the position of the unknown. It's been agreed upon to begin phasing out the MACOs within the next two years. The majority duty assignments will not be assigning MACOs. Ships, stations, and other postings such as the Meridian that already have MACOs in place will likely integrate them into the armory or other positions."

Lopez wasn't just shocked, but clearly a little hurt by the news. The very way of life; he had been a part of since enlisting at the age of 18 would become a thing of the past. "Must admit that it's tough hearing that news. The MACOs hasn't just been my life, but also an extended family."

"Technically you're not losing your family," Andre assured the Sergeant. "Your family is being integrated into the Starfleet family. This making your family so much larger. In all honesty, I believe being in Starfleet will present more opportunities. Moving to the Armory Department isn't the only option."

"Never really thought about things from that point of view," Antonio mentioned. "I've been trained to defend and fight my entire career as a MACO. Not sure what that would lead me outside of security."

Smiling at the enlisted man, Hunt shook his head. "That's where I have to disagree with you. Fighting isn't your only skill. Leadership is written all over your record. I didn't pick you to lead the MACOs because you were simply a fighter. But you have the ability to lead those under your command and inspire. You don't have to make a decision regarding your future in Starfleet. But I want you to seriously consider what your future goals will consist of within the next two years."

If there was one thing that the Gunnery Sergeant loved was a challenge. And there was no greater challenge, than determining one's future goals. "I will do that, Sir."

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Captain Andre Hunt
Commanding Officer
USS Meridian

Gunnery Sergeant Antonio Lopez
First Sergeant
USS Meridian

 

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