Ruth's Diary No. 8 (2.8)

[JHyde]

This entry needs a preface, I'm afraid.

I have omitted discussion of Harry's birthday, even though it is a major point of 2.8's action, as it is completely out with the continuity established in both the personnel files and Harry's Diary and we will want to talk about Harry's birthday elsewhere in this project at a later date.

I have, moreover, tinkered slightly with the dates used in both those publications, either because they didn't fit in with the timelines used on the show, or because they had weekday events happening on weekends. (Yes, I am little tinkering Tom.)

Hope you'll excuse me showing you a little of how the sausage was made this once, but I didn't want to incur the wrath of anyone who wanted Ruth's take on Harry's birthday or who quibbles with continuity.

Big thanks to almh, without whom I couldn't have written this entry. Some months ago when we were planning this project, she typed up Ruth's entry in the personnel files. It has proved invaluable in writing Ruth's Diary. 'Fanks almh!

Enjoy!
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[19th April 2004]

A truly horrible day at work. This morning I was greeted with an email from GCHQ control telling me that my "secondment is under review" and that I "may be returned to GCHQ".

To add insult to injury, the damn thing wasn't even put together properly. Proper nouns, split infinitives and misused apostrophes all over the place.

It's petty, I know. But if they want me back so very much, I would hope that they could at least format a standard reply letter properly.

[20th April 2004]

I confronted Harry today about the GCHQ missive. He protested that "no final decision has been made", but I know Harry when he's stonewalling by now. He forgets that I've seen him lie to his own staff too many times. It's not just his loss if I go - I'm getting through an obscene amount of work as it is; without me I don't know what they would do in Section D. They need a full time analyst in each counter terrorist unit and I gave it to Harry in as many words and in writing too. I'm too good to go back, arrogant though it is to admit it. Even in my diary.

I told Zoe that I might be leaving. She was very kind and tried to convince me that Harry would keep me on. She's really come into her own this last week or so with Tom doing his annual stint with the SAS. She's a slightly louder leader than Tom with his quiet, authoritative manner, but perhaps she needs to be a little. She's young and pretty and filling in. She's been my champion though - in her words, she wants me to use this mission to "show Harry how indispensable [ I ] really [am]". I fully intend to do so.

With the union and industrial strikes, the news from Tom that his army Major might be planning a coup was frightening news. Operation Stick began, in which we needed to make sure a containment of nuclear waste reaches its drop off point in the south of England safely before industrial action begins in earnest.

The Major in question, Sam Curtis, is a hero amongst the rank and file and has a history of trying to get the establishment to listen to his complaints regarding military pay, arms and service equipment. It remains to be seen how much of a threat he really is. I'm not really involved with Tom's reports or the inner workings of this particular mission, but my assessment is that the young soldier who complained about him smell a rather like an MOD mole. I know that my appraisal could be seen as my being a very black pot pointing at the kettle, but perhaps that's why I am able to see it for what it is. However, I'm not really involved and hardly in the mood to pander to Harry right now. It's just a hunch anyway, and regardless of why Nightingale (the informant) is in there, it doesn't change what Curtis may or may not be up to.

There's been some interesting talk about the office of late about what would happen if we, at Five, went on strike, My main memories of strikes and unions revolve around Brixton and the early 80s around the time when Dad died. Zoe joked several times to different people that nobody would really notice if we went on strike (she must have thought it funny because she said to me, to Danny and to Malcolm!) Harry has mumbled a few things about understanding their complaints, but being uncomfortable with the action of striking. Angry though I am with him, I like that Harry is the same when we or anyone else is on the other side of the coin too. Our mistakes too often end up splashed on the front pages, but our successes are usually hidden. He likes to say we don't take curtain calls.

I shouldn't be thinking about what Harry says. Unless he approves my application I don't stand a chance.

[22nd April 2004]

Things rather came to a head yesterday quite spectacularly. Tom missed his scheduled call-in and Danny was sent to the barracks as part of the contingency plan. In the end both of them were kidnapped by Curtis and his merry men, who really were planning industrial action on a grand, violent scale. The hijacked nuclear waste (driven by one of Curtis' old cronies from his Desert Storm days) was parked next to huge barrels of oil, which was potentially catastrophic. In the end, Harry ordered Special Forces to take the kill shot for Curtis, rather to Tom's chagrin. They seemed to have an unpleasant confrontation in Harry's office later.


After the mission was completed and before Tom came back, Harry pulled me aside into his office and gave me some exciting news. He has approved my full time secondment to MI-5. Needless to say I'm thrilled and this early birthday present makes me inclined to find myself a better place here in London. I'm not keen on the flat I'm currently rattling around in, it's a little too suitable for a woman approaching middle age with two cats.

[23rd April 2004]

I have to undergo a barrage of tests as part of my official acceptance onto Five's payroll. I'm off from work the rest of this week to get a crash course in the physical requirements of my job and then to sit for the subsequent tests in early May. It all seems a little odd given I'm a desk officer, but although I'm unlikely to do terribly well on any of them, I relish the challenge.

[9th May 2004]

I did brilliantly on the intellectual side of things for my final tests this last day or two. The practical...not so much. Let's just say that if I took Jeremy Clarkson's celebrity driving challenge I would sit well my myself at the bottom of the board. Surveillance, shooting, physical endurance - I'm not built for any of them, although I do rather think I could learn how to use a firearm properly if I really trained well. I was also assessed on other 'Core Competencies' and did better on those than above average, although I was disappointed with my 1.3 out of 5 possible points for being 'calm under pressure'. This is something I must improve upon, as it really is something I need to master in what I do. A legitimate aim, I think.

Something interesting though. While I was in HR signing off on bits of my file, I was left alone for a few minutes. (Bit silly leaving a spook alone in an HR office, but ah well, my practical skills weren't brilliantly rated, after all.....) I had a quick look through at some of the new additions to my file since my formal application....and found something very interesting.

Harry approved my full time secondment on April 20th. The same day I confronted him about it. I'm angry that he didn't tell me sooner but....it's nice to know I got through on some level. It's nice being needed in Section D and doing something that matters.

I need to be careful though. My working hours are getting longer and longer and I'll have no time to make my new place look more respectable. The cats like the garden, although I wish they'd come inside promptly. I hate chasing after them in the dark and damp.


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Please review!

[Tea Lady]

(27-02-2010 07:33 AM)JHyde Wrote:  Our mistakes too often end up splashed on the front pages, but our successes are usually hidden. He likes to say we don't take curtain calls.

It couldnt be more true 6 years on!

Liked the fact that Ruth basically failed the calm under pressure test. Again she still has trouble with that now, bless.

She seems to be getting what she wants for a change though.

You guys are getting good at this.

[Nia M]

Very good entry - I like the idea that Harry had approved her transfer already

Also, Ruth being pernickity about the letter's grammar etc. made me really smile; I can absolutely imagine her doing that

[lwhite53]

Only Ruth could get huffy about mistakes on the letter that might send her back to GCHQ -- there is something of the "school marm" about her! Loved the rehash of her exam scores and competencies -- so Ruth-like, and her snooping in the HR files was great. I'm loving these entries.

[YourFutureMuse]

thank you, for taking the time to do this it is appreciated

[JHyde]

I'd like to make a point about Ruth having a go at GCHQ for not formatting the letter correctly. I don't think Ruth would think any less of people simply because they couldn't spell or use grammar correctly. Or correct them under ordinary circumstances.

I do think that if they had a go at her about something inconsequential she might bring it out as a means of defence. i.e, you're giving me a hard time, you can't spell, bollocks to you.

That makes sense to me for her.

[Nitrus]

Finally got around to reading it, and what a great entry it is.

I loved her critiquing the grammar in the email she was sent, classic!

[Silktie]

Very nicely done. I like how you guys are subtly building in Ruth's increasing notice of all things Harry. And how she refuses to acknowledge to herself at this point that she may be developing a crush on her boss. The grammar thing makes sense to me - Ruth was very stressed about her future at this point and when one is stressed you tend to fall back on the things you can control. In Ruth's case that's her intellect and noticing every small little detail about everything.