Good people
Posted on Mon Sep 7th, 2015 @ 5:44am by Master Sergeant Daniel Browden & Staff Sergeant Sandrine White
Mission:
First Strike
Location: Manoora Lounge
He'd been meaning to talk to her all night, but hadn't had the opportunity with all of the festivities. Once he spotted Sergeant Sandrine White at the bar, getting a refill, Daniel made a Beeline for her.
"Nothing like the night before a battle, huh?" He said, setting his glass on the bar, "Root beer, please," He asked with a warm smile to the bar tender.
Nodding respectfully at the man Sandrine picked up a pint of thick black beer. "Sir." She raised an eyebrow at the man's choice of drink, but didn't add to the gesture. "You can only go over your gear so many times." Mustering something that looked like a smile, she gestured at the farthest table in the room. "Care to join me sir?"
"It'd be my pleasure," Daniel said with a smile, motioning for her to lead the way.
Walking up to the table, Sandrine nodded in the direction of a young faced ensign with a blue and black PADD sitting at a nearby table. Taking place at the table, back to the wall, she invited the Master Sergeant to take a seat. "You've seemed rather busy Master Sergeant. I've barely seen the tip of your hat these past few days."
Daniel gave her a friendly smile as he sat and chuckled, "Danny, please. We're off duty. I've had a lot on my mind, and lot of prep work to do. Melody and I work well together, we know what each other need and expect done, so we don't have to rendezvous much to make it happen," He said.
"A marine is never off duty sir." She returned his smile, if only momentarily. "He's only getting ready for the next war. Or so our instructors would tell us." She paused for a moment and looked beyond the master sergeant. "Anything I should know about the Captain? She seems rather . . . sure of herself."
Danny looked over his shoulder with a grin, "She is sure of herself," He replied, almost proudly. "I served with her father. He was a great marine, top of his game in just about every way. And that little girl worshiped him. She'd run drills with him, asked him to teach her his Marine things from an early age. She was an artist, and he didn't want to take that from her, but he also couldn't tell her no," Danny explained. "She took to it like water in a bucket. Just came natural. When her dad was killed in action, it hit her hard... real hard. And she decided to come be a marine. To do him proud. And it was water in a bucket all over again," Danny replied with a chuckle. "She's got an eye for battle tactics and coordination. She's got leadership in her veins... If anything, she's too confident. She needs someone to reign her in every once and a while," He told her. "She believes she can do anything, and so do I... but there's some stuff, I keep her from trying just in case. I'm trying to teach her the phrase 'there's always a better option'... she's resisting," He explained with a wink.
Sandrine smiled for a second there, and produced a sound that almost sounded like a chuckle. "I'll keep that in mind. To be honest I find her a little too laid back. But I'll reserve my judgement for later, once I've gotten to see her for real." Nudging in the direction of the marines behind the Master Sergeant, the staff sergeant asked. "What about them? Many seem like they've been around a while, although 3rd platoon all look rather green."
"She's not laid back when it counts, Sergeant. Trust me, the boys learn quick. She'll give you a mile, but you shoot for a mile and a half, and she'll shoot you," Daniel told her with a chuckle. "3rd is new," He replied. "1st platoon and her command staff have been here for a while. We all know her, we all respect the hell out of her. She's green, as far as years go, but she's proven herself. 3rd will too. They just gotta learn how she runs things," Daniel explained. "They'll be okay. For tomorrow, they're good soldiers, they'll do okay."
Sandrine looked at the men and sighed. She knew some of them wouldn't be coming back on board alive. There wasn't much she could do about it. It was the nature of their duty, seek death so others can enjoy life. Didn't make her job easier though. But sitting here, watching them yell and cheer like the children they attempted to pretend they weren't, made her proud. She was proud to be with these men and women. The only other people in the galaxy she might actually understand, if only a little. It took a very special kind of someone to become the very thing your society despises. It took a very special kind of someone to train day after day to take another sapient life, and fight just as hard to keep a hold of your humanity, or whatever variant each species held.
"I know some won't come back," Daniel told her, his own feelings about his own personal fate not seeming necessary at the moment. "But they're all good people," He said. "So are you. I can tell."
"I do my job. And I give it all I got. Like every single one of them will tomorrow." She stiffed up, closing in on herself for some reason. Color drained from her face. "We are marines." As if that statement alone explained everything, it also seemed to close the conversation for her. "If you'll excuse me sir, there are a few marines I wished to get acquainted with."
Danny nodded and stood, "I'll join you, Sergeant. Can't be the old bastard sitting alone in a corner, eh?" He said with a grin.
Sandrine nodded and stood up. "Sir." She cursed the pilot for hundredth time and made her way as steadily as she could among the marines. She might not be good with people, but she still needed to get a feel for those she'd be fighting with.
Staff Sergeant Sandrine White
Medic, First Platoon
Delta Company
USS Manoora
Master Sergeant Daniel Browden
MXO, Delta Company
(NPC'd by Melody)
