Marines on board

Posted on Mon Jul 19th, 2021 @ 3:51am by Major Chiyo Shimada & Captain Elizabeth F. "Liz" Beurling & Alice Shimada & Sergeant Major Leonardo 'Lenny' Fortunato & Gunnery Sergeant L'oshux 'Squiggy' Son of Ashuth
Edited on on Mon Jul 19th, 2021 @ 3:54am

1,655 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Operation Romulus Return
Timeline: 2 days before 'Breakfast Debrief'

After an uneventful flight to Utopia Planitia, the shuttle with the first of the Tokyo's new marine compliment touched down in the shuttlebay. Among the Marines and munitions was the new Marine Commander, Captain Chiyo Shimada, as well as her chosen second in command, 1st Lieutenant Liz Beurling. The two had served together on Chiyo's most recent posting, and Chiyo was confident enough in Beurling for her to take her new assignment seriously.

"Alright, people:" Chiyo ordered once the cargo ramp was down. "We have a very limited time to get everything offloaded before the next group is expecting us back. So, let's get a move on."

Liz exited the shuttle not too far behind Chiyo.

"Captain; if I may volunteer to fly the return flight." She proposed.

"Request denied, Beurling." Chiyo responded. "I need you here to help coordinate the setup."

"Aye, ma'am." Liz nodded without further argument.

A large Klingon walked down the ramp, holding two large crates over his shoulders. He seemed to be carrying them with ease as he stepped off the ram and turned slowly behind him to observe another marine walking down with a service bag over his shoulder.

The other Marine was chatting up two other officers. Joking and laughing softly,
with them. Engulfed in the conversation, getting them to agree to something, before they walked away. As he approached the large Klingon, grinning ear to ear, he placing his bag down in front of him and bowed his head slightly.

"I know what you're thinking, my large scowling friend, and the answer is no. I haven't gotten us into any mischief, just yet." Lenny replied as he crossed his arms over his chest and chuckled slightly. "But, I have done us both a favor, so feel free to hold the applause. Well... not applause but I am sure you'll be pleased."

The Klingon grunted, looking down at his friend, keeping to his serious scowl. The kept his eyes focused on Lenny. He didn't speak much, if at all, but he was always sure to listen to his friend whenever he spoke. He wasn't sure whether whatever Lenny was saying would lead them to trouble or open up a chance to prove his worth as a Marine and Klingon.

"I've managed to arrange us getting the same bunk assignment so you don't have to worry about dealing with someone you don't know and, you know, we can avoid what happened last time." Lenny replied as he released a bit of a sign. "I am pretty sure, that Private, still can't breathe properly. However, he did learn an important lesson. Don't ever get to know a Klingon when he has no desire to know you. Who do you love and who do you trust?" He chuckled, holding his arms out and bowing slightly.

L'oshux grunted and turned back around, walking away with the crates again. He wouldn't say allowed he appreciated his friend watching out for him, but he knew Lenny would understand. Whether he spoke or not, his friend Lenny, always seemed to know without him ever saying a word.

Lenny immediately grabbed his bag and quickly swung it over his shoulder, briefly losing his balance, before regaining it and following his large friend. As he got to his side, Lenny tapped his friend on the back, and continued to follow him. "That's why I like you, Squiggy. You don't have to say a thing in order for me to get where you are coming from."

Out of the corner of her eye, Chiyo watched her first sergeant depart. However, she was more preoccupied with supervising the offloading of the supplies. She wasn't worried, though, for she would be expecting him to report in after they had gotten settled.

As the last pallet was dragged off the shuttle, the few remaining stragglers were also compelled to disembark, among them a pubescent girl in civilian clothing. Though she had blonde hair, the girl was otherwise a striking image of Chiyo.

"Come on, Alice sweetie." Chiyo called to the girl as she made her way down the ramp. "Let's find our quarters and get you settled in."

"Okay..." The girl, Alice, responded, barely looking up from the PADD she held in her hand.

"Private:" Chiyo stopped a private disembarking behind Alice. "She's all yours for the return trip. Remember; not a scratch."

"Aye, ma'am." The private nodded before turning and re-entering the shuttle.

"This will be great, Buddy." Lenny said as he stopped with L'oshux who placed one of the crates he was carrying on top of another. "We'll have the same setup as before. You on your side and me on mine, so there would be no need to mix things up..."

As Lenny spoke, the Klingon stood back up, still holding the other crate. As his friends voice began to fade away, his allowed his eyes to wonder around. As if wanting to be aware of his surroundings.

His eyes soon observed the girl wondering away from her mother, the Marine CO. Her eyes locked on the PADD with no real understanding of where she was walking. She stopped by a stacked pile of crates which L'oshux observed was not aligned properly. On the other side a few marines were still placing crates down.

The Klingon narrowed his eyes as he saw them bump one of the crates against the stacked pile the girl was standing by. Her eyes were still focused on the PADD so she wouldn't have noticed the danger she was in. L'oshux let out a growl as he immediately dropped the crate he was holding and began to run towards the little girl, shoving a few marines out of his way, keeping his eyes locked on the top crate in the pile that was beginning to slide out of position.

"Squiggy... what the..." Lenny soon noticed where his Klingon friend was running towards. "Not good." He said quickly before running in the same direction.

Once the crate slipped off it began to fall towards the girl, but it was soon thrown out of position as L'oshux ran his shoulder with a mighty growl into it, stopping it from landing on the girl. He stood there, breathing heavy, holding back the urge to attack the marines on the other side who placed the girl in danger. Slowly he looked around before finally looking down toward the girl. His anger turned to relief and soon his breathing slowed.

After hearing the crate hit the ground next to her, Alice finally looked up from the PADD, looking around at what had just happened, and up at the Klingon who just saved her life, unsure as to whether or not she should thank him.

For a moment, Chiyo had been distracted, watching the private prep the shuttle for departure, and hadn't noticed Alice wandering away from her. However, she did hear a mighty crashing sound, and looked up in time to see a crate just barely miss Alice, its trajectory changed by one of the marines, though clearly not the one who had knocked it over in the first place. Regardless, Chiyo's maternal instinct kicked in, and she approached the scene of the commotion.

"WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED?" She shouted angrily. "NEED I REMIND YOU ABOUT THE LIVE ORDINANCE IN THESE CRATES?? YOU COULD HAVE GOTTEN SOMEONE KILLED!"

Having done her yelling, Chiyo looked up at the Klingon who had saved her daughter's life, making note of his rank:

"Gunnery Sergeant;" She addressed him. "What's your name, son?"

Lenny approached the scene, huffing slightly, before placing his hand on his friends back. "Damn, brother. You should warn me next time you're going to run like that. For a second I thought I was going to have to strap a rocket to my aaaa-" He quickly noticed the Marine CO and stood at attention, saluting. "Captain Shimada, Ma'am." He brought his hand down quickly.

"Sergeant Major." Chiyo responded, returning the salute and noting the other man's rank. "You know this man?"

"Absolutely, Ma'am. This is my Marine brother from a Klingon mother. L'oshux, Son of Ashuth. From the House of Klar." Lenny responded with a smirk before clearing his throat. "Ma'am, he may not say much but he is a Marine through and through. Loyal and Honorable. He's run into live fire to save many fellow Marines Asses. Sometimes, even my own, Ma'am."

Chiyo nodded.

"Well, you can now add my daughter's name to the list of asses L'oshux here has saved." She said. "She means the galaxy to me, and I'm not sure what I'd do without her..."

"Mom, you don't have to gush over me..." Alice muttered.

"Safe to say, I'll see what strings I can pull for commendation;" Chiyo explained. "Bravery such as this doesn't deserve to go unnoticed."

"No needed, Ma'am." Lenny replied firmly, still reaming at attention, hands behind his back. "Squiggy was doing what Squiggy always does. Protecting his own."

Chiyo nodded.

"Liz!" She beckoned as Liz approached. "I want all marines involved in this incident interviewed and a report on my desk tomorrow morning. I want to know how this act of carelessness happened, and how we can prevent it from happening again."

"Understood." Liz responded.

"Now, Alice sweetie," Chiyo said, turning to Alice. "Why don't we go find our quarters?"

"Yes, mom..." Alice sighed. "Hey, can you-?"

"Yes, sweetie;" Chiyo responded. "I'll make sure the marines you were talking to know about your campaign. Session 0 and character creation tonight?"

"Yes, mom." Alice said with a smile as the two made their way towards the nearest corridor access.

Posting by:

Captain Chiyo Shimada
Marine Company Commander

1st Lieutenant Elizabeth F. "Liz" Beurling
Marine Company Deputy Commander

Sergeant Major Leonardo 'Lenny' Fortunato
First Sergeant
1st Platoon Commander

Gunnery Sergeant L'oshux 'Squiggy' Son of Ashuth
Marine

Alice Shimada
Child

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