Bad Memories

Posted on Wed Aug 17th, 2022 @ 9:13pm by Petty Officer 1st Class Jackie King & Captain Fergus Williams

Mission: In-Between (S1:E2-S1:E3)
Timeline: Mission Day 10 at 2030
619 words - 1.2 OF Standard Post Measure

With a thump, the shot glass hit the bar again as another load of rum fell down the devil dog's throat. Looking up at the bar tender he gave the slave behind it a simple " Just leave the bottle lass. "

The slave paused not use to such a polite command before scurrying off into the back just as the doors slid open.

Petty Officer Jackie King stepped through the doors and made a beeline for the nearest replicator. Though she wasn't an officer and technically didn't have personal access to this mess, her position as Command Yeoman gave her cause to come in here on more official business on a regular basis. As a result, people tended not to look at her twice as she entered now for a drink and a time to relax. The Enlisted Messes she tried were all too full for her present mood and she knew this one wouldn't be. As she ordered a glass of milk, her eye caught the lead Devil Dog himself. She smiled a boyish smile.

"Hey, Cap. Good to see you. How are the boys doing down there in the barracks?" she asked rather casually, stopping next to his table.

"As happy as devil dogs can be. A warm meal and something resembling a bed and they'll be happy." The marine said as he poured himself another rum.

"They sound easy to please then. Can't be that simple." she commented with a smirk. "Don't they need some heads to smash in as well?"

"First thing you learn at boot camp is how to be happy with eight hours of undisturbed sleep. " the devil dog smirked. " Not me though. Not today of all days."

"What's on your mind, Cap?" she said, quirking a brow. "Trouble in paradise?"

" Memories. It's the anniversary of Orionate station. " He said downing another shot of rum. " Yeah, I was there on that pit. My first deployment and I was thrown into hell itself." He added seeing the look on her face.

“Oh, that was a bad one.” She said, crossing her arms under her chest. “You must have lost a lot of good men?”

" Forty dead on the first day almost double that wounded. It was the definition of a meat grinder. The alliance would send in reinforcements and throw themselves against us then we'd do the same. Took us two mouths just to push them into the station's inner sanctum and another two to finally flush them out. Then in less than a year, we abandoned the place." The devil dog replied downing another shot.

"Too hard to hold, sir." Jackie said plainly. "I guess the Emperor felt we were wasting ships protecting it. Damn shame though, especially for people like you, right?"

The marine nodded as he downed another shot. " I take it you've never been in such an incident?" He inquired.

Jackie shook her head. “No sir, I’m a Command Yeoman. I push PADDs for a living and bother people like you. I wouldn’t be the first to see combat.”

" Well, lass you should make sure your self-defence is up to date. We're in a right Xenophon and the ten thousand situations here. " The devil dog replied.

“I stay trained, sir. I know I’ll need it. And even if I didn’t, I’m a Terran Soldier, paper pusher or now.” Jackie said, grinning. “We have to be fearsome.”

" That we do." The Marine said as he poured two shots and slid one over to her. " To the most fearsome crew in the fleet and the long march home."

“May it be shorter than we think.” Jackie said, and then she picked up the shot and threw it back.