Kobyashi Marine

Posted on Thursday 1 April 2021 @ 00:19 by

Mission: A Cry from the Darkness
Location: Marine Training Holodeck, Deck 12
Timeline: MD04 - 0800
5887 words - 11.8 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

It had been a few days since Corporal Bijoux had come aboard the Merlin and had 'introduced herself' to the underside of Alex's boot. As she'd been instructed, she had placed all her personal belongings in storage and had performed every single menial task that could be found. If it was low, degrading, humiliating or insulting - that was where she was to be found. All things being considered, she was very lucky she hadn't been busted down in rank for her behaviour, but Richards wasn't an unkind man and on inspection, he didn't think Lieutenant Scarlet was either.

He'd taken the time to really dive into her service record and had rather quickly surmised that she'd had rather poor luck when it came to commanding officers in her time in the corps. It often was a bit of a lottery what type of officer you'd get - as well Richards knew from his own time in the ranks - but you had to make do with the deal you had. Often as not, it was mitigated by having amazing sergeants to look up to and filter out the crap from the 'butterbars' that got sent your way. The one's who insisted you salute them all the time or threw their weight around. It seemed that Pearl had not been fortunate in her time thus far and often let her temper dictate her actions or deciding to use her fists to solve problems. She was clearly a gifted fighter, but her head-piece was not adjusted correctly.

The decision to keep her on in the Knights was ultimately the correct one. Transferring a misadjusted marine around wasn't the remedy for resolving the problem, merely moving the problem around for someone else to deal with. Often as not it would cement a mindset of miscontent that had ultimately led to a potentially exceptional marine developing these behavioural problems that Pearl clearly had. Well, it was now Alex's problem and he wasn't going to give up on her like so many others had.

He'd sent orders to have Lance Corporal Bijoux report herself to the main combat training holodeck for 0800 in full combat gear. A service record told him something of what other people thought of her - he needed to evaluate her himself - and there was only one sure method of doing so; trial by fire.

Pearl was aching all over, but to her it was a good ache. It was due to hard work, even though it was the most disgusting things they could have her do, it wasn't anything new to her. When living near the swamp, one dealt with stink, slime, mud and sludge. Pearl knew that she deserved it. Heck, she didn't know why she hadn't been busted down to a lower rank, than what she was now. She threw a punch at the CO! She could have been, should have been tossed in the brig, a place she was all too familiar with. Why, why wasn't she busted down a rank?

When she heard the summons from Richards, after finishing her task she jumped in the shower, cleaned up and got geared up in full combat gear. Pearl felt nervous, didn't know what was going to happen. The man had the beginning of her respect, he could have hurt or killed her, in one fell swoop. She's heard the rumors, felt firsthand his skill, the man with special forces training.

Pearl stepped inside where Richards told her to be, feeling her legs tremble. What the heck? She was probably going to fall flat on her face. Pearl mentally shrugged, whatever happens.

"Reporting in Sir!" She barked out, standing at attention, trying to stop her knees from shaking. What was wrong with her?

"As you were Bijoux." Richards said, acknowledging her arrival, then gestured to a chair he'd had the holodeck create for her. "Take a pew."

Pearl nodded, carefully moving to chair and gratefully taking a seat. She rubbed her hands along her legs, wiping the perspiration that formed. Her heart was beating rapidly. She took a bit of a breath to help calm herself down.

In the otherwise empty vast holodeck, with the bare metal around them of the holo-grid, there was only Pearl's chair and now a workboard which Alex was walking up to stand next to.

"I know this is a bit old-school, but I like using this to a display terminal. Hope that's okay with you?" He asked casually.

"I-It works for me sir." Pearl responded. "Definitely Sir. " she swallowed hard, this was how she had gotten her book learning, before she joined up.

"Good." He said and produced a whiteboard pen. "Right, I bet you're itching to know what you're doing here. Well, it isn't to clean the latrines, that's for sure." He gave her a look. "I'll level with you Bijoux, I've read your file from cover to cover. You know what it tells me? That you're extremely skilled at pissing people off. The number of assault and battery charges filed against you is astounding. You've been bounced back to Private so many times yet you keep clawing your way back to Lance Corporal, only to do something stupid to get your ass busted back to Private again. It's as if you're determined not to hit Corporal at all. What's the matter Bijoux? Don't like life in the corps?"

She clenched her fists, then made them relax. "Sir, I do like life in the corps, I did at first." Pearl stopped, couldn't do the lame excuses. He didn't need them. She wriggled somewhat to get a little bit more comfortable, working to stay on task, with what he was saying.

"Well, your recent career highlights suggest you're not very fond of your commanding officers all that much. Frankly, I couldn't care less about stuff that happened before. I know their type. They were not your superior officers - merely a higher ranking ones. Superiority is much like respect, it has to be earned, it isn't granted with a gold bar on your collar." Alex explained. "But you made a very poor tactical decision to attempt to strike the company commander before you'd even had the chance to get to know him. However, he's not your CO - I am. So, for now, you're going to act like an actual marine, because deep down inside you - I think you still want to be one."

Her jaw dropped open at that, she'd never thought she'd meet no wait, it was she never thought she'd ever serve under the command of someone like him. Pearl closed her mouth, not wanting to look like a gaping fish. She nodded emphatically at what he said.

Turning back to the whiteboard, Alex began drawing a very rough map using squares to dictate buildings. "Today, you're going to be put into the position of a Fire Team Leader. Your fellow marines will be holographic characters, but for the purposes of this exercise, you should consider them as real as you or I. You are the team leader, you are responsible for them. You're an experienced marine, you know how important that level of trust and support is at the basic fire team level is." He turned to face her. "Don't treat this like a game, it might be a simulation, but very soon this could be the real deal."

Pearl swallowed hard, "oh boy" going slightly pale, as she examined the drawing. Any of the training she had gone through decided to pack its bag and headed south. "I will do my best." she stated.

"Your assignment is to search and secure a small population centre. There will be eight buildings to secure, some bunched together, and a few out lying buildings. Once the scene is secure, you'll radio back to the CP and the simulation will be over. Simple right?" Alex said, as he drew blue lines on the board to show where her team will be approaching from. "However, Battalion S-2 has received reports of unknown numbers of hostile agents in the area. Best information says that it's maybe one or two hold-outs with small-arms. Rules of Engagement dictate that you may not fire unless fired upon and that you must do all in your power to prevent collateral damage. Area should be devoid of civilians, but we can't rule out stragglers or squatters. If you meet significant resistance, your orders are to fall back and report in to the CP for support. The loss of your fire-team is a simulation failure. All understood?"

"Yes sir." the answer came out somewhat like a squeak. She cleared her throat and tried the answer again. "yes sir." this time it sounded normal.

"Oh, final point - should you or your team kill a civilian, that is also an immediate simulation failure." Alex said. "I shall make a deal with you, Bijoux. If you pass this simulation, I will return three of your personal items from the storage locker. You will have three attempts at passing this simulation. If you fail all three, you have to pick one of your personal items to go into the waste processer." He gave her a stern look. "After all, if there's nothing to gain or lose, what motivation do you have to try hard, am I right?"

Pearl nodded, "Yes, you are correct, Sir." starting to feel her pulse slow to a normal rate. Then it picked back up again, she had a test to pass. Maybe she'll make it, she didn't know. Nonetheless she had to try.

"Alright then. Computer, one standard marine issue combat rifle." He instructed. The computer beeped and a moment later a marine standard issue compression rifle appeared in his hands. He passed the weapon over to Pearl. "Stand to, Corporal. I'm beginning the simulation. I will be observing everything and scoring you accordingly. Try not to think of this as a test, but as the real-deal. You don't know what I'm going to be grading on other than the rules I've already outlined. Just do what you'd do in that situation, that's all I'm looking for." He gave her a small smile. "Relax. Remember your training. You're not a person - you're a marine. Ready?"

She gulped, what was with her? This guy certainly wasn't a moron, and he made her nervous, she didn't want to end up on the receiving end of his boot either. Right gotta concentrate. She accepted the gun and held it correctly and definitely away from him. "Okay sir, ready as I'll ever be. " which she thought I'm probably not ready enough, just got to make it to the end.

"Computer, run program, Richards Juliet Bravo." He said and moments later the holodeck changed from its metallic deck to that of a harsh desert climate with the wind blowing up whisps of dust in its wake. There were patches of scrubby plant-life and rocks on the otherwise featureless terrain. Ahead were a series of squat white single-story buildings that gave off a very sad and desolate air. It was clearly a settlement of some kind as there were the usual indications of habitation - fences, abandoned animals of the domesticated variety, other homely touches on the buildings. In the centre was a large well-like structure that seemed to be a focal point of the settlement.

"This place looks like it's seen better days." Came a gruff voice to Pearl's immediate left.

"You can say that again. Looks like these people picked up in a hurry." Replied a voice to Pearl's right.

"Well, the El-Tee did say that the kooks came through here recently and took what they wanted." Commented a third man on the far right.

"Let's just get this done, shall we?" The first gruff voice said. "Your orders Corp?" Everyone turned to look at Pearl at that moment.

Pearl gasped slightly, the place looked all too familiar to her. She'd lived in areas like this, her heartbeat picked up, her breathing labored for a moment, then she snapped out of it. She was a marine, not some helpless little girl anymore. There were people that needed to be saved. How many times has she gone over situations like this when a girl, feeling helpless wondering just how to help. It wasn't too difficult for her to get fully immersed in this program.

"Spitfire, Mongrel, Bear, we'll be checking the buildings to see if there are any stragglers and survivors, clearing the area as we work our way to there." Pearl responded, nodding towards what she figured was a fort of some kind, definitely the place that supposedly would offer more protection.

"Yes Corporal." Bear acknowledged and began leading the team forward towards the first house.

Pearl was right alongside Bear, her head on a swivel, looking at the evidence of those who had bolted when the marauders had come swooping in. She stepped carefully over a doll that had been abandoned, worked her way around an overturned wheelbarrow. The first thing that would be done was to stealthily move to peek into the first window, pressed against the wall of the building then looked to see if there was anyone, there. She motioned for them to follow suit. She also looked to see if there were any indication of a cellar as a few of the homes in the settlements had them. A good way to store food.

From out of no-where a green bolt of disruptor fire struck the wall beside them, exploding outwards and taking Spitfire off his feet and throwing him three feet back and against a far low wall.

"CONTACT!" Mongrel shouted and jumped through the window they'd just been looking through to hide behind the wall.

Not again not again ran through Pearl's mind, "Bear, Mongrel cover me, I'm going to go check on Spitfire!" she called to her team. She crouched low and moved quickly to go check, kneeling down to see what sort of condition he was in. "Spitfire, are you okay?" reaching out to touch him. Don't be dead, don't be dead

"Ugh... I've had worse beatdowns from my father..." Spitfire grumbled. "Still... that smarted like hell..."

"Well, lets get caught up with Mongrel and Bear before they take all the fun." she quipped, "Will you be able to walk on your own or do you want an assist?" offering a hand to Spitfire. "We gotta stay low though. don't want to catch one of those things in our backside." giving a bit of a grin. She looked towards the house giving a quick thumbs up. "C'mon, they're waiting for us. "

"I can manage I reckon." Spitfire said, grouching as he got up and they crawled into the house. "Still, I reckon the shooter is at our two'o'clock... some kind of high powered disruptor rifle. Certainly ain't civi issue... that one kicked like a Rommie sniper..."

"Just glad you didn't get a direct hit. Would hate to lose you." Pearl replied as they neared the building. She helped Spitfire into the house, the place between her shoulder blades cramping slightly as if someone were aiming something right at her back. Just as she joined the others, where she had been there was another blast, sending shards flying about. "Okay we need to take out that pest." she remarked, ducking.

"Shouldn't be too hard, Corp." Mongrel replied casually. "Pretty poor sniper if you ask me, revealing their location but not hitting anything. We should be able to track the SOB down pretty easily by triangulating his firing position."

"I got a bad feelin' about this one..." Bear said, gruffly.

"Oh, you always have a bad feelin' about anything involving going outside." Spitfire teased, moving his aching muscles.

"What's the play Corp?" Mongrel asked, turning to face Pearl.

Pearl took a quick look outside barely peeking out, then dropped back down. "There seems to be a small ditch and some cover we could work our way around, but it will be tricky. Also a building or two we can utilize. Going to have to move in a flanking maneuver and one of us to get behind, to take the guy out. Mongrel you're the best at moving silently so the three of us will be the distraction. You okay with that or do you have a better idea. I'm open for options."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Mongrel said. "Better than sitting here anyway."

"You're the TL..." Bear said, as if that summed it up.

"Lets do it." Spitfire replied. "I wanna give that guy some payback."

Pearl looked behind them, and noticed another door. "We've got to check that way first then proceed. " Pearl moving towards the other door. "We see if it is clear, then we start taking shots at the guy. Hmmn I'm asking for a volunteer to shoot at that guy while two others shoot from the corner of the house. " she looked at Spitfire. "I'm giving you a choice. Yes I'm the TL but, gotta get your opinion."

"Check out the Corporal!" Mongrel teased. "Sheesh, thinks the corps is a democracy or some'it... if only the Sergeant heard that..."

"I'll provide cover fire." Bear said, hefting up his heavy assault gun. "It's what I do after all..."

Pearl laughed, "Laugh it up Mongrel." then looked at Bear. "You are right, well looks like its time to soften them up then. Spitfire, you're with me. And boys, when we get out of here I owe you a drink, sound good?"

Pearl was definitely fully engaged in this scenario, as it had echoes of a mission she'd been on before and her mind clicked in on that.

Mongrel chuckled. "You better make it a pack, Corp."

"We got movement!" Spitfire called out.

Pearl looked out and cursed under her breath, "No, no, no!"

As she saw to her horror, a little girl who had wandered out from who knows where. "Mama, mama? Where are you?"

"Charlotte get back here." a woman shouted towards her daughter.

"Change of plans boys! We've got civies we have civies. " Pearl leaping out through the window.

Bursts of fire began raining around, the girl screaming as dirt kicked up around her, the little girl running to get back to her mama, who was screaming in fear for her daughter.

Bear started firing back to provide cover, for the zig zagging, Corporal. "We've got bogies coming from the back side!" she heard Mongrel yelling.

Pearl couldn't answer, as she dove towards the little girl to hopefully provide her cover. Pearl feeling a searing pain as she was in mid leap...

Suddenly the simulation ended and Pearl was dumped onto the hard metallic floor of the holodeck, with Richards standing above her.

"Well, looks like you got yourself killed there, Princess." He said, looking down. "Certainly not the worst way to go by any means, but you're dead none the less."

Pearl groaned, wiping away some unbidden tears, looking back up towards Richards. "Couldn't let the girl die." moving to a seated position, then rose to her feet, somewhat unsteadily as she was still feeling the effects of the blast from the program.

"Okay, let's do this again." Pearl stated, squaring her shoulders. She didn't know what Richards had in store for her next but whatever it was, she'll face it.

"Would you rather a fifteen minute break before we begin?" Alex asked. "These are some pretty intense simulations..."

"Just give me long enough to... " Pearl stopped. "I'll just get a swig of water then we can move forward. In real time do we really get a chance to have longer time than just five minutes? Maybe even less, its a gotta shake it off and move on." and she pulled out a water flask and downed some water, then placed the cap back on. "Okay next!"

"Alright." Richards said, and turned back to the computer arch. "We'll restart the simulation from the moment you're discussing tactics with your fire-team in the house." He tapped the console. "And begin..."

The scene turned back to the house they'd just been in, her marines surrounding her, just like before...

"I got a bad feelin' about this one..." Bear said, gruffly.

"Oh, you always have a bad feelin' about anything involving going outside." Spitfire teased, moving his aching muscles.

"What's the play Corp?" Mongrel asked, turning to face Pearl.

"Okay, Bear provide some cover fire while we head out the back and try to get him in a pincer move, Whilst Mongrel sees about maneuvering in from behind. And we need to keep watch of our six. Are you ready?" Pearl asked, before heading towards the door to the back of the house. "Check for bogies out back as well." moving to stay away from the windows until up close to the wall to peer outdoors. They still needed to check for civilians most definitely. She opened up the back door slowly, just a crack to see if there was any incoming, then opened it little by little until there was room to slip out. So far not seeing anything yet. She may be the person in charge but she didn't feel that she was one to lead from the back end. She led from in front.

"Let me check to see if it is clear for the rest of you to come out." Pearl moving forward a bit more and to the side. So far so good, still there might be someone waiting out there, she could almost feel it in the pit of her stomach.

As the group moved out cautiously, from all around them, the buildings erupted into a storm of plasma fire as bluey-green bolts flew from almost every single angle. Spitfire took a hit straight away and went down hard. Mongrel tried to move up to drag Spitfire out of harms way, but took a bolt to the face and fell backwards unmoving. Bear was laying down heavy suppressive fire from his position but an explosion from the house quickly ended all phaser-fire from within the building.

Once again, the holodeck appeared as the simulation ended, leaving a stunned Pearl standing in the middle of the room.

"Two down - one to go." Richards said, emotionless from the side. "Ready for your third run?"

Pearl went down to her knees, then her hands in front of her, she took in gulps of air, panting, waiting for her senses to clear. She sat back to where she was just kneeling, then she hit the floor with the side of her fist. She wasn't going to quit. She couldn't, was there a solution? She didn't know. There never was a true solution but except to keep trying. Once more she pulled out her water flask, and took a drink, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, then putting the cap back on. Taking one more deep breath and letting it out slowly, Pearl rose to her feet and turned to look at Richards. "Okay, ready." she could feel the aches coming on, she was certainly going to feel later on.

"Remember, last try." Richards warned her as he went over to the arch and tapped on the controls. "Simulation restarting in... three... two... one..."

The house returned yet again, the marines surrounding her again, just like before...

"I got a bad feelin' about this one..." Bear said, gruffly.

"Oh, you always have a bad feelin' about anything involving going outside." Spitfire teased, moving his aching muscles.

"What's the play Corp?" Mongrel asked, turning to face Pearl.

Pearl realized something, that she hadn't had her people even clear the house they were in. Every time they have gone outside they would get totally slaughtered. "Men, we need to clear this house, we've not done this so far. Don't even know what or who might be still in this house. Lets get this taken care of then deal with that guy outside. " Pearl starting out to make sure the house is clear. "See if there is a basement, we've not checked, Spitfire, Bear, keep an eye out, Mongrel come with me to check the place out. Then we can deal with that other guy. Don't want to get taken by surprise where we are taking cover in."

Pearl heading down the hall to check the house. Room by room, so far nothing, except for the signs of people having ransacked the place. "Clear here!" she stated, heading to the next room. She also checked through other doors, tapping on the floor to see if it was hollow.

"Looks like the house is secure, Corporal." Mongrel reported. "Exterior looks good too."

Pearl relaxed but only for a moment. "Okay, no bogies here, now to deal with that guy out there and anything else." She stated, thinking, "Okay, instead of out the back, we need to do cover fire and go after that guy, pin him down, and move low. We already know where the cover is at, lets do this, can't let us get trapped in here like rats waiting for slaughter. Low wall there where Spitfire hit, ditch, we're going to have to cover fire then drop and crawl." Pearl surmised. "Bear give us cover fire, we go out the window and then we provide cover fire for you. Do it in segments. Maybe the best way to take out that sniper."

She looked at those with her. "Agreed?"

She then said "Ready? let's do this"

Once Bear started firing, she went out a nearby window, hitting the ground and was up in crouched position firing towards where that first blast hit. Waiting for the others to follow suit, with them firing it would hopefully allow Bear to get out of the building as well. "Start crawling for that low wall" Pearl still firing rapidly.

" Next phase!"

When it was Pearl's turn to move forward she doing so keeping an eye on their backside, can't let someone come up from behind.

"On your six Bravo One!" Spitfire called out to Pearl before he shot and hit a bogey coming up behind her. "Tango down."

Pearl whirled around seeing the guy drop, "Thanks Spitfire!"

"Multiple enemy contacts, bearing eleven, one and four. I count nineteen tangos, sixteen with longs, two heavies and a hitter." Mongrel called from his vantage point. "They're pushing into the village.

"Bravo One, this is Papa Bear, we have significant inbound to your location." Came the overwatch recon shuttle for their area. "Thirty six tangos inbound to your location, eleven klicks out, riding high on trucks and armor. Strongly recommend exfiltration to your south south east, over."

"We leave and the village gets slaughtered." Pearl remarked, "They're headed for where the civilians are holed up." She looked at those with her. " Men, we're outnumbered, and we've got people holed up there, I'd like to see if we can stop them I just can't leave them there, What if my family was there, they are someone's family. What do you say? We've got to stop them. However what means necessary."

"Overwatch can't leave those villagers defenseless, you better send in some back up, as we are going in. Bravo One out."

Pearl looked at them, "Lets do this! Mongrel start firing, lets take them down!" Pearl moving into position to begin firing at the incoming enemy troops, hoping they can hold on long enough for backup for the villagers.

A constant barrage of weapons fire lit up the area. The building nearby exploded outwards as a photon grenade exploded, sending Mongrel tumbling through the air as if he were a rag doll, until he came crashing down onto the ground, where he lay perfectly still.

Pearl could feel herself choke up but was soon dodging out of the way, "Mongrel" she whispered moving towards where he lay.

"INCOMING!" Bear bellowed as a micro-photon torpedo ploughed straight into the building they had just been occupying, causing a massive blast wave and debris to shower everywhere. In the chaos, Bear took a plasma bolt to the shoulder. He grunted and spun as he went down.

"We gotta get outta here Corp!" Spitfire shouted at her.

"Getting Bear!" she shouted moving to help Bear up.

Civilians came out of places that they had been hidden scattering. And a little girl got separated from her parents, Pearl gasped, it was a nightmare one she'd lived through before. "Not again!"

"I'm going for the kid!" He shouted, dashing across the sea of fire to reach a little girl who'd come out of one of the buildings crying. As he reached her, the little girl looked at the big marine and plunged a knife into his neck, sending him crashing to the deck, clutching the wound.

"What?" She went towards Spitfire with Bear leaning on her shoulder, and moving towards Spitfire as that demon child ran. She set Bear down by Spitfire, She put her hand on his neck to try to stop the blood flow. "Sorry guys sorry" she murmured.

The deafening sound of heavy armor could now be heard in the distance as more and more fire rained into the alleyway that they were trapped in. There was no where to go...

Pearl just wrapped her arms about her comrades, pulling them close as the barrage hit....

The simulation ended abruptly, fading back to the metallic holodeck. Standing above her as she lay curled up on the floor, Richards looked down at her with his arms folded. He then squatted down next to her and placed his hand reassuringly on her shoulder. "It's over Princess."

Pearl was weeping, not hiding her tears, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." she jumped a little when she felt his hand upon her shoulder. "Guess I failed. Sorry Lieutenant, I'll have my things ready for the furnace." wiping her tears away on her uniform sleeve. "I tried I really tried."

Alex shook his head. "Belay that, Princess." He said, keeping himself at her level. "You can't fail a no-win scenario. There was legitimately no way out of that one. Although, you completely disregarded valuable intelligence from Papa-Bear and should've bugged out once you had that information. Four marines might be formidable, but not against what was roughly in the region of a company sized unit with heavy infantry and armor. Sometimes the best decision is to live and fight another day."

He sighed and sat next to her. "Remember your instructions right at the start? If you meet overwhelming force, you are to withdraw?"

"I had forgotten." her face crestfallen, "I will remember from now on." she was feeling low and stupid. She had so much to learn it was pitiful.

"Wanna know a little secret?" Alex asked her, conspiratorially.

Pearl looked at him raising an eyebrow, "A secret? Okay, what is it?"

"That scenario you just ran, that's based off a mission I actually ran. That location, those marines, they're all from my past." He said, leaning back and looking up. "That was the first mission I was in command as a Fire Team Leader. I'd just made full Corporal, so I thought that my crap smelt of roses and that I could do no wrong, because I'd passed the junior leaders assessment and had been given a Fire Team of my own. It was my first independent command, simple recon mission, just like you had."

"Wait what?" she was shocked, utterly dumbfounded, "There is no way that could have happened with you."

He looked back down, his face darkened and full of emotion. "That last run you did... that was what really happened at Hoonai Theta Six. My team came under hostile fire, I ordered an exfil as per our orders when we met heavy resistence. We were taking heavy fire, but this little girl came out of a house and into the firefight. Spitfire spotted her and despite my order, he ran out to protect her. Big lug had a sister back home around this kids age, must've seen her there, anyway - the kid turned around and stuck a big knife in his neck."

Pearl gasped, knowing what he was talking about, She would have made the same decision. She shuddered at that thought. She looked at Richards as she continued to listen. She had no words at this time.

"Of course, we ran to help him, but we were taking heavy fire. Bear took a hit and went down and then Mongrel caught a blast. Everything was falling apart. I was huddled up in a doorway with Spitfire bleeding out in my arms as I tried to stop the bleeding. I was convinced we were all going to die..." His voice was heavy with emotion. He swallowed hard. "...at that moment fighters from the four eleventh struck with air support, hitting the gomers hard. This was followed up by ground support from the 2nd MEU. We were airlifted out and back to the FOB... but Spitfire, Mongrel and Bear were all KIA."

Pearl's stomach clenched, as she was reliving what she had just went through her face rather pale, as she continued to listen

"Of course, I got heaps of praise for doing my damnedest in the hardest of conditions. I got medals and glory galore." Alex said, bitterly. "But I never forgot. I've run this simulation five hundred and sixty two times. I have never once completed the objective. This is my personal Kobiashi Maru."

"I am sorry... I.. I.." Pearl was at a loss for words.

"Anyway." Alex said, pushing himself up off the deck and holding out his hand to help Pearl up. "Since I cheated, our deal is null and void. What I do hope is that you have a new appreciation for tactical command decisions in a heated crisis, and a better acceptance of your leaders."

She accepted his hand up. "Oh I do and I am such a.. moron. I owe you and Scarlet a huge apology. So...lead, guide, whip me into shape. I make you a solemn vow, whatever it takes." she placed her fist against her chest then touched his right shoulder. "I want to be better and I promise to do my best not to let you down, I am willing to follow you into the very gates of Hell. " Pearl was serious, deadly serious on that point.

"Be careful what you wish for, Princess. I'm going to make you live up to that promise." He said, with a smirk, then tapped something into a PADD and passed it to Pearl. "My permission to withdraw your kit from storage. You earned it. Just don't pull a crazy ass stunt like that again, or I'll use you as a knife practice target for the greenies. Dismissed, Princess."

She saluted him, rather smartly. "Thank you Sir. Thank you very much" feeling more respect and gratitude for Richards. For the first time ever she didn't feel like just a piece of trash to be tossed aside.


OFF:

| 2nd Lieutenant Alex Richards
Bravo Platoon Leader
NPC by Godding


Lance Corporal Pearl Bijoux
Marine
USS Merlin