Blanket of Stars

Posted on Tue May 17th, 2016 @ 5:24pm by Captain Melody Windsor & Staff Sergeant Sandrine White

Mission: First Strike
Location: Starbase 375
Timeline: [[BACKPOST]]

Looking out to the stars, Staff Sergeant White let her mind wonder. This ... lull was making her nervous. Shouldn't she be out there? Shouldn't they all be? Why the wait? The ship had been up and ready for a few weeks now, their personnel had been replaced and their people were ready. Why the holdup?

Her peripheral vision caught movement. Looking across the large bay window, Sandrine spotted her Captain. The woman had been somewhat withdrawn following their return. From the small talk she'd had with their fallen comrade, she understood the pain to be very close to home. The medic in her urged her to go see the woman. Perhaps offer her help. But that would have been improper. Enlisted didn't go running to officers. Did they?

With a sigh, she turned back to her view, trying to find the star she'd been staring at in her revelry. Contrary to many medics and doctor's she knew, the Staff Sergeant didn't waste time on idle thoughts of what could have been. Once the mission had been over, she wrote her report, and concluded, as she had done on the planet, that there was nothing she could have done for the man. But somehow, she figured the Captain wasn't that kind of woman. Glancing back quickly at her, she again wondered if she should go and talk to her.

Melody was lost in the stars. She's maintained her day to day, but much to her own disappointment in herself, had largely separated herself from her boys. She'd found herself in her quarters finding her way to her bed early or watching old holovids. All of that, though, was just a distraction from all of the different ways she thought she could have save Danny. It was a futile effort, and she knew that there was no way anything could have gone differently given how things went down... but there they were.

Motion next to her caught her attention and she looked over to find herself locking eyes with her medic, White. She gave the woman a smile and a wave. No time like the present to attempt to be social.

Forcing a smile, Sandrine nodded back. The woman had caught her glance. Which put her in a precarious situation. This was a door, yes? She had promised the old man she'd look after her. Then again, that in no way implied she should make friends with her but... Would it really be that bad?

Making her way to her superior slowly, Sandrine tried to find something decent to say. Skipping the late unpleasantness would probably be best. What else could she talk about? Somehow she doubted the Captain was a baseball fan. What did one talk about with their superiors? "Sir!" She offered once she arrived besides her. not knowing what else to hide, the Staff Sergeant simply turned and looked back out at the stars.

Melody let out a little chuckle, "We're off duty, Sandrine. Mel will do just fine," She said giving the woman next to her a friendly nudge. "How are you?" Melody was forcing her self to be approachable. She liked Sandrine, but losing Danny... that had been a level of hurt she wasn't expecting. She desperately wanted to crawl back in a hole and hide, but she knew that would get her nowhere.

She also knew that Danny would kill her for that. So... onward and upwards.

"Doing just fine Sir." This was the part where people would ask if the other was fine... but Sandrine had always found that asking when the answer was obvious... a little dumb. So she just skipped it and pressed on. "We do seem to have a little too much time on our hands though.. I was thinking that perhaps... perhaps we should take the opportunity to do some training... group workouts and whatnot." Sandrine glanced at her superior. She had opened the door... perhaps she could help nudge the Captain back to her marines. The platoon sergeants had been doing their jobs of course, but she felt a show of unity could go a long way.

"Probably a good idea," Melody said, nodding, as she brought the cup of tea she'd been holding up to her mouth and took a sip, "Got something specific in mind, or just a general idea?" She asked. It would do her some good to get the cobwebs off and work on getting back into the swing of things.

Sandrine nodded. "The platoon sergeants should have something for you if they followed my suggestion." Starring out, she wondered what brought people out here. Just a few inches between herself and certain death. People back home called Australia the most dangerous place on earth. They were right. But it was nothing compared to the dangers of space. You couldn't get more inhospitable than that vaacuum.

"At least the bloody thing doesn't move." She grumbled to herself, not entirely aware she ad muttered it out loud. "I did touch base with the marine's stationed here. They have a nice space set up for training exercises. Might be a good idea to organise something with them."

Melody nodded, "Probably so," She replied. "At least what doesn't move?" She asked, in response to Sandrine's mutterings.

For the first time since high school, Sandrine's cheeks took a rosy tint as she realised she had spoken out loud. "I ... It's .. it's nothig sir." Her eyes darted from star to star, as if one of them could offer her a place to hide. but they couldn't, and so she forced herself to calm. "I simply prefer solid ground sir." Which was an understatement.

Melody laughed - really laughed - for the first time in a few weeks, "Oh, honey, I don't know of a Marine that doesn't. I've gotten used to these musty old stations already, but there's nothing better than the smell of sweet atmosphere and mud under your boots," She replied, grinning broadly. Her smile turned sad for a moment, but it didn't falter, "Danny used to call it Ground Lust. Said all the best Marines got it. 'Mel, we're not made for floatin' around in space like a bunch of damn sea monkeys. We're made for kickin' up dirt and bustin' heads'," She repeated in her best Danny impression, her smile turning happy again as she remembered the good times. The times that mattered.

Sandrine nodded. "Wise man if I ever heard one." She glanced at her superior and noted the smile. Good! She was crawling out of it. Nodding once more, the staff sergeant went back to staring at the stars. "Don't get me wrong.. sights like these are as breath taking as the first time I looked up at the sky in wonder. I just rather do it from down there, than up here."

Melody seemed to consider that for a moment, then nodded slowly, "Yeah... but... have you ever seen a nebula?" She asked. "Up close I mean? From a Starship?" She asked.

Sandrine shook her head. "No sir. Can't say that I have." She glanced at the Captain. "They sure look pretty in holodecks though."

"I had an engineer take me on EVA when we were near one once," Melody explained. "When you're sitting there, staring at it with nothing but the plastisteel faceplate between you and the unbridled power of the universe... there's something amazing about it. Makes every thing you do feel simultaneously big and small. I hate being stuck on star ships, but... I've loved some of the things I've gotten to see when I have been," She said, smiling a bit. "There's usually less death and loss up here in the stars, than when we're down in the dirt."

Unconvinced, Sandrine raised her eyebrows. "I'm not sure about that sir. At least down there I get to choose how I leave. Up here... we can get sucked out and never know what happened." She shook her head. "In any case, I go where I'm told."

Melody laughed at that, "Me too. Sometimes, it's kicking and screaming, but I go anyway. Space, middle of a bullet storm, you name it. I'm there if I'm told to be," She said. "And I'm too stubborn to die, so why not."

What was there to add to that? Sandrine simply nodded her agreement and stared out again. The Captain was turning out to be.. better than she had expected so far. She still had miles to go, but this conversation had been rather revealing.

Suddenly the Staff Sergeant snapped to attention, turning to her Captain. "Permission to got set things up for tomorrow sir?"

Melody gave her an odd look, smirking just a bit, "Only if you promise to stop being so damn formal when we're off duty," She said with a chuckle.

"Would you also like me to bark and pretend to be a targ sir?" The words came out a few seconds before her mind registered them. To her credit, she remained as impassive as Tarkalian Whale. She obviously needed some time off.. or a counselor.

Melody let out a laugh at that, "Maybe!" She replied, grinning brightly. "Want to go grab something to eat? I hear the cook makes a mean banana split, and I could use one tonight before we get back to serious work," Melody offered with a grin.

Feeling a little caught, Sandrine struggled to find a way out for a moment. She did want to get the other sergeants on track... but that could always wait another hour. "I'm more of a frozen yogurt gal myself sir. But banana split's can be fun once in a while." Turning towards the stations interior she waited politely for her superior officer to lead the way.

"C'mon, Sandrine. Let's go be crazy," Melody replied, melodramatically. Yes, this was definitely better than sulking.

Captain Melody Anne Windsor
Marine CO
USS Manoora

Staff Sergeant Sandrine White
Marine Medic
USS Manoora