Taming of a Marine

Posted on Friday 12 March 2021 @ 20:57 by Major David Scarlet

Mission: A Cry from the Darkness
Location: Marine Country
1654 words - 3.3 OF Standard Post Measure

The USS Merlin, Pearl took a look at the ship before she was brought on board. She smirked, wondered if she was going to be transferred once again to another ship, or just booted out of the Marine Detachment and sent home. Home, she snorted derisively, her family were still on the run and she had no idea where they were. And her adopted uncle, he told her that if she didn't make this time, she was on her own. Pearl shrugged, it will depend on just what her new CO was going to be like. Will he actually be someone worth following into battle or will he just be a wash up like the others were, who thought they knew everything and knew nothing. Pearl placed her gear where she'd be bunking, decided to wander about and get a feel for the place. She found herself not too far from where others were gathered, saw two individuals whom the others were paying a deference to. Could those two men be ones she'd serving under?

A marine passed by and Pearl stopped him for a moment, "Say who are those two over there? " nodding towards Richards and Scarlet.

"Oh them? 1st Lieutenant Scarlet, and the other is 2nd Lieutenant Richards." was the reply.

Pearl nodded, "Thanks." well now she had her targets, well make that her goal, wanting to talk to them or even challenge them, just to get things over with and she'd be on her way out of here. Best to save herself the trouble of serving under someone who could get herself or her marine family killed. First though have to get close enough to see in their eyes. And make introductions. got to get a sense of them before she did challenge the head honcho.

Squaring her shoulders Pearl went to them and stated. "Lance Corporal Bijoux reporting for duty Sirs." giving them a smart salute.

Scarlet glanced at the Lance Corporal and quickly snapped to attention before returning the salute. "Acknowledged Lance Corporal." He gave the young woman a quick look over and then looked at Richards. "She's one of yours. Once she is settled away add her to the training roster."

Looking back at Bijoux with a visage that seemed carved from stone, Scarlet continued. "Welcome aboard."

Pearl gave Scarlet a long gaze at his rock hard, stoic face. And sized up the rest of him. Burly, shoulders set strong, then she took a particular long look into his eyes as if searching for something.

"Sir, I've got some questions for you to answer...." Pearl began, then was distracted by the 2nd lieutenant.

Alex acknowledged the comment and remembered the transfer paperwork that the HQ section had sent over. Her file had rather a number of notations from her previous commanding officers, some were not repeatable in polite company - or any company for that matter. It seemed that Miss Bijoux had been branded a trouble-maker, something that had hung with the woman for quite some time and had seriously hurt her fit-reps as a result. For a marine of her age to only be an E-3 was pretty damning.

"Welcome to the Knights, Lance Corporal." Alex said, offering a warm smile and his hand. "Lieutenant Richards, Bravo platoon leader." Okay, sure, it wasn't the common thing for a marine officer to warmly welcome someone like that to a command, but then Alex wasn't your typical marine officer. "Got your gear squared away?"

Pearl raised an eyebrow, and somewhat warily, reached out her hand to shake the 2nd LT's hand, then quickly moved it back. "Yes Sir, I've got my gear stowed. Thank you for asking..." this could be a trap though.. Oh hell with it. Enough with the dancing around, just be done with it girl, she said internally.

Pearl pivoted with great alacrity and threw a punch at Scarlet. A tiny part of her was screaming for her to stop, as there was something that she had seen in the 1st Lieutenant's eyes, that hadn't been in the eyes of her other commanders. It was too late though. A part of her stood and watched as the fist drew near, its target his jaw.

Almost reflexively, Alex's hand came up and caught the fist before it intercepted Scarlet, who had stood unflinching the entire time. He turned her momentum against her, twisting the wrist and arm until it caused her body to become unbalanced and sent her tumbling to the floor, her arm and wrist twisted at a painful angle, still in his grip. He placed a foot against her throat, pinning her to the deck. Once he was sure she was subdued, he turned his attention to Scarlet; "My apologies for the conduct of my marine, sir." He said, calmly, twisting her arm again.

Scarlet watched the exchange impassively. Once she was pinned, he glanced toward Richards and then knelt down on one knee next to Bijoux. He didn't look down at her face, instead he kept his eye on things going on around them.

"You were welcomed into this unit. I was aware of your history but wanted to give you a fresh start. Instead you threw a temper tantrum like a spoiled princess." Scarlet sighed. "You probably think you're going to get off lucky and get removed. Not going to happen."

He stood up and looked over at Richards. "Every extra duty, that's the job for the princess. Double up on the training sessions, back to back. First duty will be packing up her kit and locking it in storage until I decide otherwise. For every infraction, we remove something from storage... and torch it."

"Let me once again welcome you to the unit Princess."

The speed at the way her punch was stopped and the skilled takedown done by the 2nd LT was both impressive and worrisome. Oh she was in for a whole lot of hurt, more than what her shoulder was feeling. She grimaced with the pain then chased it away, looking up at the 1st LT hearing his words, oh yeah she was in for it. Well bring it. She will see who was going to be the toughest out of this. She gave a briefest of a smirking smile, then it disappeared. Right now,2nd LT had her pinned. Any other moves would send her to the infirmary. Won't do at all. With the boot still at her throat, Pearl croaked out. "Princess? You've got to be joking."

Alex sighed and twisted her arm harder against the physical tolerances of the human body. "Corporal Bijoux, I would strongly advocate taking a much more subdued approach in handling this scenario. Both Lieutenant Scarlet and myself are aware of your historical need to 'assert dominance' over your superiors. I can assure you that won't work in this case. You may believe that physical violence is the way to solve all your problems or that having a bitchy 'princess' attitude will earn you respect. It won't."

"I have no real desire to break your wrist, arm or dislocate your shoulder, but if you require me to do so, I will." Alex said, softly. "I am nothing like any officer you have ever worked with before. If you'll work with me, I promise you, you'll be a better marine for your experiences here. But if you are hell-bent on staying a problem-child, I hate to break it to you, 'your highness', but the only way out of this unit is through death." To emphasise his point, he pressed his boot down on her throat a bit harder. "Care to roll the dice? Or do you want to become a proper marine?"

She let out a groan of pain. "You, don't know who I really am yet." she grimaced, ticked off that the stupid tears rolled down her cheeks. "A marine can only be a proper one under good leadership. You got me fair and square, get off!" she choked out.

Releasing his hold on her, Alex stepped back and crossed his arms over his chest. "Get your gear and report to storage locker eight in line with the company commanders orders. Then you are to report to Sergeant Holheim over in support services. The combat transporters need to be degaussed and I want you to do it by hand using a micro-deguasser. All thirty six pads. Only once that's complete will you be allowed chow. Am I clear, Corporal?"

The release was sudden, and she lay there sucking in air, flat on her back on the floor. She made to sit up, rubbing her shoulder with her other arm. "Crystal, Sir." she replied before rising to her feet. She looked at the 1st LT, not making a move towards him.

"Anything you want to add, sir?" Richards asked Scarlet.

Scarlet glared at Bijoux. She claimed they didn't know who she was and in nearly the same breath made an assumption regarding marine leadership.

He'd seen her type before and there was no set way to handle them. The fact that he saw the punch coming from a mile away and allowed it was a tactical move. He could roll with a punch literally as well as figuratively.

Scarlet looked square at Richards and clenched his jaw. "In regards to the Princess, no. But I've heard the heads aren't draining properly and it'll be a while before engineering can send someone to fix them. I'll need you to find a volunteer to clean up the mess in the meantime."

Richards turned back to face Bijoux. "Dismissed, your highness."

END

| 1st Lieutenant David Scarlet
Marine Company Commander
USS Merlin


| 2nd Lieutenant Alex Ricahrds
Bravo Platoon Leader
USS Merlin


Lance Corporal Pearl Bijoux
Marine
USS Merlin