Copyright: June 2001 By Robin R. Neher

THIS STORY IS WRITTEN FOR PLEASURE AND IS NOT INTENDED TO INFRINGE ON ANY PREEXISTING COPYRIGHTS THAT MAY BE VIOLATED. FEEL FREE TO SHARE WITH FRIENDS, BUT NOT FOR PROFIT.

THIS STORY IS FICTIONAL, A WORK OF THE WRITER'S IMAGINATION. THE CHARACTERS AND INCIDENTS USED IN THIS STORY ARE PURELY FICTIONAL AND ARE NOT BASED ON ANY PERSON AND/OR PERSON'S ACTUAL EXPERIENCES.

Title: Orderly inspection

Author: Robin R. Neher

E-mail:NRobin1027@aol.com

Rating: R

Pairing: N/A

Fandom: Emergency!

Archive: Yes

Summary: It's inspection time again at station fifty-one.

Content Warning: Harsh Language

Orderly Inspection
By Robin R. Neher

As station fifty-one's A-shift arrived for work on a cloudy Thursday, all knew the Chief would pay his visit again. The guys also knew that when the Chief came, so did Cap Stanley's paranoia, which was bad news for all.

"Roy, here we go again! Inspection!" Johnny Gage moaned as all began changing for work in the station's lockeroom. "Cap's gonna be his usual, crazy self!"

"Not if we get organized this time." Roy snickered. "We don't know if and when McConnikee's coming, but we must be ready when he does."

"How?" Engineer Mike Stoker asked, tucking in his shirt.

"First, I want the hats handed out." Roy answered.

"What are we gonna do about Cap?" John wondered. "He's gonna make us all nervous wrecks!"

"Lock him in his office." Chet Kelly laughingly suggested.

"Chet, this is our Captain we're talking about." Marco Lopez reminded him. "All we can do is appease him."

Just then, the Captain entered.

"Okay, McConnikee's coming. I want this station spotless!" Cap told them. "Let's get started."

______

Later that afternoon, Johnny finished washing the squad for the third time. Cap came over to check his work.

"Gage, do it again!" Cap ordered. "Kelly, Lopez, Stoker, rewash the engine!"

"Cap, enough is enough!" Roy yelled, coming in from the latrine. "We have cleaned this station three times! It'll never be good enough! We're done!"

With that the guys all walked outside with Cap at their heels.

"I'm the Captain! I gave you all orders!" Hank yelled.

"Do it yourself!" Mike said. "The hell with your fucking orders!"

With that, Mike and the rest all got into their vehicles and left the station. The only ones who stayed were Roy and Johnny.

"C'mon, partner, let's go to Rampart and get some supplies." Roy said.

"Guys, this station has to be cleaned!" Hank cried.

"Hank, you're not our boss." Roy told the older man. "Looks like you've lost your crew."

"LA, squad 51, 10-8 to Rampart for supplies." Johnny reported.

Squad 51, Sam came back as Roy joined Johnny in the squad and they left the station.

Hank looked around the station and began to cry as he sank onto the bumper of the engine.

_______

An hour later, the squad returned to the station. Hank looked up from his seat on the engine's bumper. John and Roy felt bad about what they'd said earlier when they saw the tears coursing
down Hank's cheeks.

"Cap, we're sorry about what we said earlier." An obviously ashamed Roy said. "Aren't we, Johnny?"

"Yeah," Johnny sullenly replied.

"I appreciate that, boys, but I've lost control!" Cap sobbed. "All because I wanted things to go perfect! Tell me, Roy, John, was I doing a bad job as Captain? Be honest."

"Cap, Hank, you're good at your job, but this McConnikee obsession has got to stop!" Roy answered.

"You're letting your past influence today." Johnny added. "Okay, so you burned his dress hat as an Engineer, big deal! You were young then!"

"Besides that, it was just a hat!" Roy took back over. "You make it sound like you murdered someone!"

"Cap, let it go!" Johnny finished. "That happened a long time ago!"

"You can say that, Gage. You aren't the one who has his career in McConnikee's hands." Cap argued. "He'll ruin me, I just know it!"

"How can he possibly ruin you?" Johnny asked. "It was just a hat! A worthless hat!"

"Johnny, that incident is in my record." Hank told the young Paramedic.

"And it will be evaluated along with everything else." Roy cut him off. "I'm sure that the promotions board will see the burned hat for what it was, an act by a young a nieve Engineer. Hank, we've all done things like that."

"Yeah," Johnny added. "I remember when I wrecked engine 8 as a rookie."

"Johnny, that story is what's made you a legend in the fire service!" Roy guffawed. "It's also part of the reason why I rarely let Junior here drive."

"Do tell." Hank insisted, his eyes filled with glee.

EIGHT YEARS EARLIER.........

Rookie fireman John Gage was board out of his mind. Here it was his very first day as a firefighter, yet his station still had yet to be toned out. This eighteen year old had just graduated the academy and was eager to put all he'd learned there into practice.

As Johnny got up for what seemed like the hundredth time, his fellow fireman watched in amusement.

"Just look at Gage. Fresh out of the academy and eager to please." Smiled Captain Charles Winchester. "Chomping at the bit for his first call."

"Cap, you did warn him not to mess with my engine, didn't you?" Worried Engineer Vince Scott.

Before the balding Captain could answer, the tones went off.

Engine 8, truck 103, squad 2, battalion 9, structure fire. 758 N. Myers St. 758 N. Myers St. Crosstreet: 5th. Timeout: 8:05.

"Engine 8-10-4, KME-444." Cap Winchester responded, then climbed aboard the engine. As Vice started to guide the engine out of station eight's apparatus bay, Johnny came running in from the dorm.

"Hey, wait up!" The new fireman called, clamoring for his place on board.

Johnny dove in through the driver's window of the engine.

"Sorry." Johnny grinned, stepping on vince's foot, which unknown to him, was planted on the engine's gas pedal.

"Gage!" Vince yelled.

"Oh shit, we're moving!" yelled the lone fireman from his seat in the back.

"Look out!!!!" Cap Winchester screamed as the gunned engine sped toward the unopened bay door.

With a loud crash, the engine impacted, ejecting all it's firefighters, then exploding in flames. Young Johnny, being the only one not hurt, rushed to the station's base radio.

"LA, Station 8, we have a code I at this location!" The young rookie screamed into the Mic. "Please, I need help!"

First, you need to calm down! The dispatcher came back. Second, you must use proper radio discipline! We do not scream into the Mic, understood?

"Yes, Sir." Young Johnny acknowledged, fighting to get himself under control. "LA, station 8, we have an accident at this station with five code I's, please respond a first alarm assignment, along with three ambulances."

10-4, station 8. LA responded.

After hanging up the Mic, Johnny did what he could with his EMT training for his injured comrades. Seconds later, the first ambulances arrived along with an engine, truck company and squad.

Knowing that they were there, Young Johnny quietly snuck out back to cry, realizing the seriousness of what he'd done. Johnny realized he may have just killed four of his fellow firemen.

As Johnny sat crying on the back stoop, Battalion Chief Hout came out to join him.

"We could use your help in there, Son." The Chief said.

"Sir, I'm the one that caused all this!" The young rookie cried, then told the Chief what had happened.

"I see." Hout nodded. "How long have you been out of the academy?"

"A couple of days, Sir." Johnny sniffed. "Today was my first and last day as an LA County fireman!"

The boot then took off his badge to hand to the Chief.

"That won't be necessary." Hout smiled. "This was an accident and I'm sure the investigators will agree if you tell them what you just told me. In the meantime, are you hurt?"

The young fireman quickly checked himself over.

"I don't think so, Chief." Young Johnny answered.

"Well, let's get you checked out anyway." Chief Hout said. "You may have injuries, but because of your adrenaline pumping, you may not feel them. When you get to Rampart, ask for Nurse McCall, she's one of the best."

PRESENT TIME........

"It turned out I'd broken three of my ribs in the impact." Johnny told Roy and the rest.

"What about the others? Your record?" Hank asked.

"The Engineer and Captain Winchester were discharged for not following procedure." Johnny replied. "They tried to leave without making sure that we all were on board and that the bay door was open. Me, I wound up with a reprimand from the Chief Engineer in my record and a stern lecture from Dixie on why firemen must follow procedure, as if the busted ribs weren't
bad enough!"

"Hey, John, it was partly your fault." Roy reminded his partner. "Even a boot should know better then to dive in through the Engineer's window."

"Roy, Johnny was just excited about his first run." Cap stepped in. "Excitement is the major cause of rookie mistakes. John, you haven't tried to get in the squad that way, have you?"

END PART 4