"Where Do You Want It?"

Posted on Tue Sep 8th, 2015 @ 8:58pm by 2nd Lieutenant Robert Lancaster & Captain Melody Windsor

Mission: First Strike
Location: Deck 7, Marine Staging Centre
Timeline: MD02, 1500 Hours

[ON]

Though most of his day so far had been taken up by the departure from the Dromodon, the rendezvous and landing on the Manoora, Bobby managed to find the time to head up a couple of decks from where the fighter pilots were birthed to where the Marines were located. It hadn't been easy. He'd needed to secure his fighter when first coming on board, and wasn't about to trust a new ship's technicians with his baby like that, not without him hovering about and supervising their every move. Bobby supposed they were competent enough, even if they had glared at him some when they thought he wasn't looking, but surely they understood. For a pilot to just blindly let someone else take care of his fighter was the same as a Marine who let someone else break down and clean their rifle. It was unheard of, and he was both of those things as his green uniform collar showed.

That was part of the reason why he was here now, searching over the tops of heads for the red-hair of the Company Commander amidst the organized chaos of Deck 7. The pilots weren't the only ones bringing new gear on board, dealing with Operations in getting set up with quarters and equipment, Engineering for last minute glitches and repairs before the ship met up with the rest of the fleet, but the only difference between Deck 8 and Deck 7 was that it was a lot louder up here. Oh, the Fleetie pilots were a rowdy lot too, at least compared to others, but Bobby grinned as he heard the loud, good-natured, boisterous insults and boasting being tossed around by the Marines. It sounded perfect.

Eventually, with his tall height and searching eyes, he caught sight of Captain Windsor in the crowd. One quick glance down at his uniform assured him that he'd gotten things right after his stint in Sickbay when he'd gotten changed into a fresh uniform after his physical - how he hoped that little fiasco didn't become common knowledge. Bobby took a breath, pushed his way into the fray, and as soon as he was in front of the woman and had caught her eye just enough, he snapped to attention, eyes focused on some bulkhead behind her, posture ramrod straight, right hand raising to salute.

"Second Lieutenant Robert Lancaster, ma'am," he introduced himself in a loud, clipped voice. "242nd Peregrine Squadron. I was hoping to take a minute of your time, Captain, if you are able to spare it."

"Always got time for the flyboys. Don't want to piss one of you off and take a photon charge to the head," Melody replied, casually, throwing the man a salute as she stowed another box of equipment in the bulkhead. She wasn't the pristine poster image of a Starfleet Marine at the moment, uniform pressed and pips shiny. No, she was far from that. Her red hair was beyond frizzy and matted with sweat in some places, and her uniform top was tied around her waste leaving her in just her slate-blue, standard issue tank-top undershirt.

She stood and clapped her hands together to knock off any dirt that may have lodged there and offered the man before her a hand to shake, "Melody Windsor, Commanding Officer of these bunch of yahoos. What can I do for you Lieutenant?" She asked, sounding a bit winded.

Bobby had lowered his hand from his brow after the salute, then took the offered handshake with a smile appearing on his face, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Captain. And don't you worry about our photons, ma'am, we know right where to put 'em." He had that kind of youthful cockiness that wasn't uncommon, but wasn't too annoying arrogant he hoped. "Can I offer you a hand, Captain?" Bobby gestured to the supplies being moved around. "Another pair of hands might make things a little faster, and despite some vicious rumours I can talk and work at the same time."

"I'll take an extra hand any time someone has time to spare it," She told him brightly, nodding to a large crate in the corner, "Been trying to talk one of my useless marines into helping me move that crate of ordinance," She explained, puching the words 'useless marines' loud enough for anyone in the room to hear. "Want to show them what an airman can do?" She asked with a devious grin.

The young pilot got to work at the challenge, a smirk on his face. It would be good to see if he could show up some of the grunts, show them that the pilots were strong as they. What was a crate of ordinance anyways? It's not like it was going to go off while he moved it, right? Bobby wrapped his arms around the crate and lifted. It didn't budge at first, and then, straining so much that veins started to pop out in stark relief on his arms and the cords of his neck were so visible, he got it.

"Where do you want it, Captain?" Bobby gasped.

Melody narrowed her eyes at him and crossed her arms, "The part where I said... "helping me move the crate of ordinance", not... "moving the crate of ordinance"... That's a two man job, soldier," She explained, very calmly. She wasn't moving to help... though her eyes showed that she was very, very amused past her completely blank face.

Bobby managed to take a few steps. It really wasn't so bad once you had it up. Not. His face was turning red from the strain, and he looked at the Captain desperately for her direction. But she didn't tell him where to put it! "Okay," he admitted. "Maybe some little help. Not that I can't...manage." Bobby felt like his arms were about to pop out of their sockets. It really wouldn't do to drop this. Marines would be diving for cover all over the deck.

Melody cackled as she rushed over to help him, hefting her half of the weight with a surprising amount of ease, "Over in the lockdown room," She told him, leading the way. "You flyboys," She said with a genuine smile, "Always trying to show off."

The young man was grateful for the help, but even more for the kidding around. He laughed and shrugged his shoulders as best he could with the weight they carried, and as they talked over to the lockdown he said, "Well, you know, we like things really fast and flashy. Explosions are good too, but I figured probably not in here."

"No," Melody said with a laugh. "No, definitely not in here."

"So anyways," Bobby said as they were finally getting close. He'd come here with a purpose, and it was about time he asked Captain Melody Windsor if she might consider using him from time to time for her operations; Bobby had trained hard to be more than a pilot. "I wanted to talk to you about maybe coming along on some away missions, Captain. You know, to show your dirt-eaters how things are supposed to be done..."

[OFF]

Captain Melody Windsor
Delta Company Commander
USS Manoora

2nd Lieutenant Robert Lancaster
Red Flight Fighter Pilot
USS Manoora