Straighten Up Soldier

Posted on Fri Sep 25th, 2015 @ 11:54pm by Captain Melody Windsor & Master Sergeant Daniel Browden & Staff Sergeant Sandrine White & Staff Sergeant Augustus Deakin & Corporal Valerie Parks

Mission: First Strike
Location: Marine Barracks

The Marines were all geared up and ready to go, each one weighed down with packs, equipment, and arms, each one of them knowing exactly how to move with the extra weight on their backs. There was an odd silence around the barracks, as the prepared for the fray below. Melody stepped into the room, outfitted and ready for her role as CO and sniper.

"Captain on deck!" One of her senior Marine's yelled, and her boys snapped to attention.

"Marines. How are we feeling today?" She asked.

"Oorah!" They all shouted.

"I'm a Marine! I'm invincible, ma'am!" One of the Marine's shouted afterwards. Melody's eyes darted to the officer and she marched over to the man who immediately started looking nervous.

"What's your name, Soldier?" She asked, sharply.

"PFC Alex Winslow, ma'am!" The young man replied, suddenly looking like he didn't feel invincible anymore.

"Winslow, let me tell you something," She said, punching him in the chest hard enough to hurt. He staggered back, but regained his footing before he fell over, and kept his eyes locked on her as she kept talking, "You're as much flesh and blood as any of the civvies or Fleeters out there. You most certainly are not invincible. No one on my team is invincinble. If we were, you wouldn't need a god damned medic," she said, jerking her head toward Sandrine. "No one is damn invincible. You can die. And you go on the field feeling like you're invincible, you will. Don't you ever let me hear that word come out of your mouth again," She barked.

"Ma'am, yes ma'am!" The man - boy, really - yelped, saluting.

Corporal Parks let a smile form on her face. She was that young once. So was Windsor, even if she didn't act like it now. But war had an effect on people, as many of them were going to find out today. Winslow may have been young now, but if he made it back to the ship in one piece, the scout guaranteed that he wouldn't be the same.

Deakin looked sideways at Winslow, making sure the kid saw his fearsome platoon sergeant's steely gaze before returning his eyes front. Being on the receiving end of that kind of attention from the skipper would go a long way to setting Winslow straight, but Gus made a mental note to make sure the captain's lesson was backed up with his own, provided the kid made it back in one piece.

Melody backed off and looked down the assembled men and women before her, "Let me make something very clear right now. Some of you are new. Some of you haven't seen me any other way than laid back and easy going, but you also haven't seen me at war. I run a lose ship when we're not on the ground. I feel like it should be that way. I feel like - with all we have to deal with on the field - it has to be that way. But when it's go time, when we're in the heat, when we're on that field of battle, you damn well better be giving me all the best. You better be hearing my orders and you'd better be following them exactly. You'd better be paying attention to your life and the lives around you. And you better be damn well aware of how very, very easy it is to die out there. I don't want any of you to come back in a bag, and the easiest way to keep that from happening is to remember that you very easily can, and so can your brothers and sisters in arms," Melody replied, sharply.

"We've got a mission to do, boys and girls. I have the utmost faith in you and your training. We're state of the badass art, and we're going to drop down on these damn Dominion ass holes and let them know what the crap kickin' boot of the Federation Looks like. Oorah!" She barked, followed by a chorus of like responses.

"Everyone load up and let's get on those drop ships," She said. "Delta Company, move out!"

Valerie checked her gear one last time before boarding the drop ship. She had that pre-battle high, the kind that was a mix of adrenaline, nerves, and fear. Unlike Private Winslow, she knew she wasn't invincible. But she did know that the lives of her squadmates depended on her doing her job, just as her life depended on them. Her scope was fully attached to her rifle, the power cells charged, and spare packs on her belt. She was as ready as she was going to be, and took her place on the drop ship.

Sandrine moved to the side and watched her platoon embark. One by one she imprinted their faces to memory. When the last of them had passed, she nodded at the Captain and Platoon Sergeant, and followed suit. They weren't immortal. But if she did her job right, they sure as hell would look like it. Sandrine looked momentarily annoyed as she stepped into the transport. Gal had a way with words. Had to give her that.

Deakin nodded back to White before falling in behind her, the last of the platoon. The louie was up front - keen as always - which left Gus to make sure everyone was where they needed to be. He climbed aboard and commenced his rounds, checking that everybody was strapped in, that their weapons were secured, that they had all their gear. "Volkov - you better have those charges in that pack of yours. Manohari - secure that rifle before I secure it where you don't want it. Dooley - quit fuckin' around and get your arse in that seat!" He surveyed the others and nodded, pleased with what he saw. No better crew to kick arse with than this lot.

"Never knew anyone who could tell people they stood a good chance of dying and inspiring them with it," Danny teased with one of his standard giant grins.

"I'm one of a kind, Danny," Melody replied with a grin and a wink.

"That you are, kiddo. That you are."

---

Captain Melody Anne Windsor
Marine Commanding Officer

Corporal Valerie Parks
Scout, 1st Platoon

Staff Sergeant Sandrine White
Medic, 1st Platoon

Staff Sergeant Augustus Deakin
Platoon Sergeant, 1st Platoon