The Good Doctor
Posted on Mon Sep 7th, 2015 @ 5:17am by Captain Melody Windsor & Staff Sergeant Sandrine White
Mission:
First Strike
Location: Marine Barracks
Timeline: Immediately following -First time on board -
Melody stowed what must have been the ten-millionth crate into a cargo rack in the back of the main barracks area of the Marine section, then found the nearest seat and flopped down into it, "If I have to move one more box for you slack ass goldbricks, I'm gonna need a doctor!" She called out to her men who were still mulling about. She knew they were all putting in equal work, and they knew she was teasing. They were all showing signs of being worn out. This was always the worst part of getting moved into a new place: unpacking.
Walking in, Sandrine smiled briefly at the chaos before her. Nothing like settling into a new assignment to remind yourself that no matter how much discipline you’ve learned, some things just stay messy.
The Staff Sergeant stopped a passing private asking for directions. She nodded when he pointed in the direction of a red haired Captain. Moving in closer she heard the Captain's remark and forced in a laugh. This CO had promise. Regaining proper marine composure she walked up to the officer, dropped her bag and gave a rigid salute.
“Staff Sergeant White reporting for duty SIR!”
Melody lulled her head around to look at the woman and a smile cracked her face, "See... now... I like this ship. I say I need a doctor, and my field medic shows up," She said with a wry chuckle as she stood up and returned to salute, "At ease, Sergeant. Make yourself at home," She said, dropping her salute and offering the other woman a warm smile and a hand to shake.
Sandrine returned the handshake and an attempt at a smile before handing the Marine Captain the PADD containing her orders. Easing into parade rest, she looked the woman over trying to asses what type of leader she was. She could only hope she wouldn’t be one of those ‘I want every bloody detail at every bloody minute of the bloody day’ type of commanders. The jest she had heard earlier would seem to indicate otherwise, but she had been taken by surprise before.
Melody looked over her PADD and reached out casually and started shaking her field medic by the shoulder, "Too much starch in that uniform, lady. It's moving day, you don't have to have the stick that far up your ass until we're dustin' up, okay?" She said, looking at the woman out of the corner of her eye and smirking as she tapped in the approval sequence with her thumb.
The staff sergeant nodded and acknowledged with the appropriate "Yes sir", yet stayed in parade rest awaiting after the captain.
"So... we're mostly unpacked here," She said, nodding to her boys moving the last couple of boxes to their official resting places, "Why don't you tell me about yourself?" Been a while since we've had a face on the team. Every had gotten used to grumpy old Tucker yelling out them about getting busted up again," Melody said with a fund chuckle. "He had the bed side manner of an angry billy goat, but he could put a person back together like he built 'em in the first place," She said, motioning for the doc to follow her to her office (which looked like a storage room for all the boxes in it).
Following her captain into her 'office', Sandrine kicked her bag out of the way. "Nothing much to report you won't find in my record sir. Joined up at 17, learned how to patch people up or take them out, and have been doing both ever since." This was the part of every new assignment she had never understood. What was it exactly officers expected to get from these chats. It was all there on file, up to her psych profile. Taking parade rest once they where in, she awaited the inevitable slew of follow up questions.
"Sit, sit," Melody said, flopping down behind her desk, "Would you stop being so rigid?" She offered with a chuckle. "When we're on the ground, you be rigid, you listen to me. You do what I order any day of the week, but you're allowed to move like a human being," Melody told her with a laugh
"Yes sir." Sandrine sat, at first with a straight back and chin held high, but quickly attempted to adjust and rest on the chairs back. One might say she looked uncomfortable, another might say she look as cold as the marble floor that once graced a generals office.
Melody laughed and tossed the PADD aside, "You do remember how to relax, right?" She asked with a smile, sitting back in her chair. "Because you don't look relaxed right now."
Trying to hide a sigh, she tried to 'relax'. "I do believe that's somewhere in here sir." Finally she managed to find a position no one could really call relaxed, but that wasn't exactly rigid either. She waited patiently for the captain to continue with the inquiry.
Melody laughed, "Welcome to the front lines, soldier. What's your active combat experience?" She asked, tossing the PADD aside, "In your own words. I'm not a big fan of Starfleet records. They lack in personality," She replied with a grin She'd read the report later, but getting an active dialogue going with her new troop was more important.
Nodding, Sandrine shifted in her seat gathering her thoughts. "Seven first years were spent on the Cardassian front lines. Next five was with a joint task group special operations HTR team. First three under Starfleet Intelligence, the next two pretty much breaking up fights before they happened, or resolving hostage situations. A few disaster relief efforts along the way. Past two years I spent teaching youngins how to keep a marine fighting pass his expiration date. That's all of it."
Sandrine stared at her superior, eyebrows slightly raised, hoping this would be the end of it. But somehow this one seemed to enjoy torturing her for information. "I've held my Expert Rifle Qualification Badge since year one if that helps."
"So you can put holes in someone and then patch 'em up? Awesome," Melody replied with a grin. "Now, onto more important questions," She said, rubbing her hands together. "How are you at poker?"
Closing her eyes for a minute, she breathed in deeply. One could almost imagine there was a hint of a smirk there for a moment. "Sorry sir. I don't play Officers." Looking back up, her face held the same 'almost' annoyed look she'd had for the past minute.
Melody sat back, "You're killing me, smalls," Melody teased. "I've never met a Marine this all-work, no-play," She said, arching an eyebrow.
Sandrine permitted herself a half smile. "That's what thirteen generations of military drills will do to you sir." Actually keeping the almost smile on she continued " As for poker, I suggest you check my file, there s a note in there from a General Anders refusing me permission to play poker with officers for the duration of my enlistment." Observing her superior closely, Sandrine shifted slightly in her seat. "Seems the brass don't want me to have fun sir."
"Ah, no problem then," Melody said, waving her off. "When I'm off duty, I'm not an officer... and I could use a challenge," She said with a wicked grin, eyes glinting.
"So how come you're not off commanding your own division? You've got tenure on me, that's for sure," She confessed. "I got here fast, but not that fast."
"I'd need to be an officer for that sir." Her eyebrows lifted halfway as she tried to figure where the captain was going with all this. "Last time I checked, I wasn't. Damn good thing at that." She stared at the marine captain, a hint of defiance in her tone.
"Easy killer," Melody said, raising a hand and smirking a little. "I'm not trying to ride your ass, just curious. There's a lot of CO spots that an enlisted trooper can take. Just curious why you weren't in charge. Command sucks, you made the right choice, "She said with a laugh. "I won't keep you, Doc. Go get settled in. And meet us in the mess at 1900 hours tonight. We're going to have a hell of a party before tomorrow," She said with a devious smile.
Sandrine nodded firmly, stood and gave her as rigid a salute as the first time. "Yes Sir."
Melody stood, and gave a salute and a wink, "Dismissed, Staff Sergeant. Welcome aboard," She said with a smile.
"Thank you sir." Striking her heels together, took a sharp turn, and left the office. She grabbed the bag she had left outside, and went hunting for her bunk.
Staff Sergeant Sandrine White
Medic, First Platoon
Delta Company
USS Manoora
Captain Melody Anne Windsor
MCO, Delta Company
USS Manoora
