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Post by John Elsven on Feb 22, 2021 3:47:34 GMT
Colonel had a feeling he knew exactly where he’d find Timothy Smith. If he wasn’t on mission, he was in the Aegis lab, working on a new innovation to help keep their agents safe or stop the villains they fought faster and more safely. Colonel knew that if Mr. Smith let himself, he would do those things to the detriment of his own health. But after a recent incident where several people had reported he hadn’t been getting enough sleep, any sleep, really, the Pillars had stepped in, and he was doing much better now. Mandatory therapy sessions with Aegis’ resident therapist, Colt, were helping him at the very least identify his issues, with the goal of working through them eventually. Colonel had also heard that he had a girlfriend that was also helping him be less of a workaholic and take more time to care for himself.
Colonel watched Tim, working in the lab as expected, for a few moments before really making his presence known. He saw something in the young scientist. As cliché as it sounded, Tim reminded Colonel of himself when he was younger. He had a burning passion for keeping others safe, that was clear. Colt had gotten out of him that he on some level considered it something of a penance for what he believed to be his role in the deaths of his parents, but Colonel could see that even if that guilt wasn’t there, the passion for protecting others still would be.
Tim puzzled over equations and wiring diagrams on a computer terminal wordlessly, dead to everything else in the world until Colonel tapped him on the shoulder.
“Oh! Sorry, I didn’t see you there, sir. Was there something you needed? Sir?”
Colonel chuckled at the excessive formality. He could tell Abraham had been riding the poor boy’s case a bit lately. “You can just call me Colonel or John, whichever you’re more comfortable with. To answer your question, yes and no. I have a proposition for you.”
“Oh, um, yes si- uh, yes, Colonel. What do you have in mind? Whatever it is, with enough time I can probably make it.”
“No, no, not a new project like that.”
Colonel glanced around, making sure they were alone, before speaking again. “Alice, I’m going to have a private conversation with Mr. Smith here. You know what to do.
“Right away. See you guys later.”
After the beep confirming that Alice’s presence had left, a new feature that had been added once her sentience had been revealed to everyone at Aegis, Colonel turned back to Tim. “I think you’ve got the potential to be a very good field commander, Tim. I’d like you to do some additional training, and run some simulation exercises with me, if you’re willing.”
Tim was a little surprised. From the way Abraham talked to him, he felt he was on thin ice with all the Pillars, but this sounded more like a promotion. “I— are you sure? I mean I don’t know. I definitely could do it but I know you guys want me to get enough rest and—“
Colonel put a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll work with you to adjust your schedule accordingly. Maybe we’ll get you an assistant for the lab to help out up here. I think it would be good for you. I’ve been talking with Colt about your sessions, nothing personal, mind you, that’s private, but just to get a general view of how you’re doing. You’re a very other-centered individual, Tim. You’re at your best when you’re helping or supporting someone else. It’s one of your strengths, but it can also be a weakness. I’d like to help you hone that, and I think eventually becoming an Aegis field commander of your own squad of heroes would be good for you.”
Tim was still a little shell-shocked, but everything Colonel said was right on the mark. And this would be a good way for him to be more helpful in general. “Okay. Okay yeah. Sounds good.”
Colonel smiled broadly. “Good. I’ll meet with you, and Alice of course, on Monday so we can start getting the scheduling sorted out.”
Colonel turned to start to leave, but paused in the doorway and turned back. “I think you’re going to be an amazing leader, Timothy. I’m already proud of everything you’ve accomplished. You’ve taken great strides towards making yourself and the world healthier. You’re only going to improve.”
Tears threatened to slip from Tim’s eyes, but he stubbornly kept them in. He had to stay composed.
“I’ll see you Monday, Tim!”
END
Colonel watched Tim, working in the lab as expected, for a few moments before really making his presence known. He saw something in the young scientist. As cliché as it sounded, Tim reminded Colonel of himself when he was younger. He had a burning passion for keeping others safe, that was clear. Colt had gotten out of him that he on some level considered it something of a penance for what he believed to be his role in the deaths of his parents, but Colonel could see that even if that guilt wasn’t there, the passion for protecting others still would be.
Tim puzzled over equations and wiring diagrams on a computer terminal wordlessly, dead to everything else in the world until Colonel tapped him on the shoulder.
“Oh! Sorry, I didn’t see you there, sir. Was there something you needed? Sir?”
Colonel chuckled at the excessive formality. He could tell Abraham had been riding the poor boy’s case a bit lately. “You can just call me Colonel or John, whichever you’re more comfortable with. To answer your question, yes and no. I have a proposition for you.”
“Oh, um, yes si- uh, yes, Colonel. What do you have in mind? Whatever it is, with enough time I can probably make it.”
“No, no, not a new project like that.”
Colonel glanced around, making sure they were alone, before speaking again. “Alice, I’m going to have a private conversation with Mr. Smith here. You know what to do.
“Right away. See you guys later.”
After the beep confirming that Alice’s presence had left, a new feature that had been added once her sentience had been revealed to everyone at Aegis, Colonel turned back to Tim. “I think you’ve got the potential to be a very good field commander, Tim. I’d like you to do some additional training, and run some simulation exercises with me, if you’re willing.”
Tim was a little surprised. From the way Abraham talked to him, he felt he was on thin ice with all the Pillars, but this sounded more like a promotion. “I— are you sure? I mean I don’t know. I definitely could do it but I know you guys want me to get enough rest and—“
Colonel put a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll work with you to adjust your schedule accordingly. Maybe we’ll get you an assistant for the lab to help out up here. I think it would be good for you. I’ve been talking with Colt about your sessions, nothing personal, mind you, that’s private, but just to get a general view of how you’re doing. You’re a very other-centered individual, Tim. You’re at your best when you’re helping or supporting someone else. It’s one of your strengths, but it can also be a weakness. I’d like to help you hone that, and I think eventually becoming an Aegis field commander of your own squad of heroes would be good for you.”
Tim was still a little shell-shocked, but everything Colonel said was right on the mark. And this would be a good way for him to be more helpful in general. “Okay. Okay yeah. Sounds good.”
Colonel smiled broadly. “Good. I’ll meet with you, and Alice of course, on Monday so we can start getting the scheduling sorted out.”
Colonel turned to start to leave, but paused in the doorway and turned back. “I think you’re going to be an amazing leader, Timothy. I’m already proud of everything you’ve accomplished. You’ve taken great strides towards making yourself and the world healthier. You’re only going to improve.”
Tears threatened to slip from Tim’s eyes, but he stubbornly kept them in. He had to stay composed.
“I’ll see you Monday, Tim!”
END
