Catch up [Part One]

Posted on Sun Mar 31st, 2024 @ 4:31pm by Sergeant Trent Busby (Kosugi) & Corporal Briar McKinnon (Cortez)

Mission: Just Another Day on Gladiator
Location: Workout room/Holodeck
2087 words - 4.2 OF Standard Post Measure

The heavy bag moved as Trent was taking out his frustration upon it. The chain rattled as his blows connected again and again. He had been going at it for a little while, his head was wet with sweat, he spun around and nailed it with his elbow, turning back around to connect with his fists. His dark grey teeshirt was plastered against his body, wet from the exertion he was putting in. In his mind he was trying to remember what happened when he and others went to go rescue someone. Just that flash of light then when he woke up, he was on a shuttle heading back to the Gladiator. Deciding he would take a rest, Trent walked over towards the bench, to take his gloves off and have a drink of water from his bottle then mop his perspiring brow with his towel.

Coming down to the work out room, Briar hadn't expected anyone to be there at this hour, let alone Trent. She'd come prepared to do a basic workout and was wearing a loose fitting tank top and pants rolled up at the waist with slip on shoes, nothing that would be constricting. Ever since she found out that the Marine she'd met over a drink was her superior, Briar had kept her distance a bit but there was still something unresolved between them, and now she would have to face it all it seemed.

"Oh hey, I didn't realise anyone else would be here at this hour." She gave him a friendly smile while noticing that he obviously been working out hard.

Trent's face had been buried inside the towel when he heard Briar's voice. He slowly lowered the towel to get a view of her. He took in her outfit and her, remembering their last conversation before the assault on the planet. How he had switched his attraction towards her, off. He gave a small smile, then greeted her.

"Hey Briar." deciding to dispense with the ranks at this moment. He was too tired to care. "Yeah I came down here to work off some steam. What about you?"

"Gotta keep fit somehow." She shrugged and slipped off her shoes, flexing her feet and feeling the cold ground. It was a kind of calming effect on her. "Its not as if there is a wide open field I can run through to tire me out like back at home. So I use the next best thing."

"That is true, I miss that, as well, running out in the fields." Trent answered. "Just even rolling up my pant legs and dangling my feet in the waters of a stream." he paused to suck in a bit more water from his bottle, replacing the cap he rubbed the back of his neck with his towel once more. "Glad you survived that rescue mission on that planet." Trent deciding to bring up that subject.

Briar thought back to the last time she was able to just chill by the stream and it made her heart ache for that. "I only followed the orders I was given and made sure I didn't get caught in the crossfire of anything, I'm not really one to go all Hero Mode." She sat down on the floor and crossed one leg underneath her while she stretched her whole body out with the other. "How are you after it? Mentally, I mean? You disappeared on me."

"I am still trying to figure that one out. Me and the others were facing off a few of the Trinity Zealots when we found our way to the main machine. Was getting into a bit of a fight and next thing I know I woke up on the shuttle landing into the shuttlebay of the Gladiator. What happened after I lost consciousness I do not know." Trent frowned just a little bit as to that memory or lack of memory.

Briar stopped stretching and sat upright, frowning. What he just said concerned her, "I'm gonna take a guess and say you were probably knocked out, but the main part is that you're here and you're safe and that's what really matters." She then stood up and stretched one leg behind her, then the other. "I'll be glad if we never have to go up against enemies like that again."

Trent gave a nod. "I remember having a sore head when I woke up, and a flash of white light before. Anyhow, I must agree those people we saw were just so foul and also very sad, in their fanatical beliefs and ways. It just sickened me." he stated. "Nothing will ever prepare anyone to see such, complete disregard for another's life all in the name of their beliefs." He put his gloves back on and walked back towards the heavy bag and slammed his fist into it.

"Um," For all the cheerfulness and outward happiness she displayed, Briar wasn't a fan of outwardly displayed anger and aggression from other people. In fact, it actually made her recoil slightly: she didn't know him on that kind of level yet but didn't want to be on the receiving end of it. Then she took a small step forward and in a soft voice said, "Thankfully, we won and no one should ever have to witness that again. Even I have anger at what I saw, I'm just not displaying it." She moved her hands to push some flyaway hairs back behind her ears.

Trent glanced over towards Briar, him taking his gloves off again. "Just what I saw, it was... horrible." He walked back over towards the bench and took a seat. "There was this woman, she was attached to the machine-" he stopped. " I don't think you want to hear what I had witnessed. I am probably going to be talking to the counselor as to what happened." He had a haunted expression in his eyes at the rememberance of it. He ducked his head down placing his face in his hands, supporting his elbows upon his knees.

"I don't think it's a probable thing, I think its more of a definite thing that you're going to be talking to the counselor about what you've witnessed. They'll be able to give you some insight on your feelings and get you some help." Now she didn't feel like training at all and instead went over to sit next to him. Leaning into his sweat soaked arm, more in a friendly way than flirty, she added, "And I'm always here for a chat too. Of course I can't give you all the answers you're after though."

Trent raised his head from his hands and looked at Briar. "Well just the offer of chatting works as well." with Briar leaning against his arm, Trent became rather aware of the sweat soaked shirt he was wearing, besides awareness of her contact with him. It helped to snap him out of his current mindset. "I need to go get a shower, and scrub down" him wrinkling up his nose at his own scent. "Do you want to grab something to eat after you are done with your work out?"

Briar straightened up and shook her head, "I can work out any time, it was just something to do because I was bored. I'm happy to wait for when you're free and we can get some food."

Trent took a look at Briar, then gave a nod. "Okay now where we will eat depends on you. Canteen or something more quiet?" quirking up an eyebrow towards her. He slung his towel over his shoulder and went to stand up. "So meet up after I get showered, uum where or I can pick you up at your quarters?"

"I'm honestly not too fussed where we go, maybe somewhere a bit quieter where there aren't as many prying eyes to think that a Sergeant is giving preferential treatment to a lowly Corporal?" Briar replied with a bit of cheek as she slid back into her shoes. "But swing by my quarters when you're ready and I'll be waiting."

"Okay, I'll be there in a fifteen." Trent replied."And I know of a place that there won't be too many prying eyes. I'll take you to it when I come get you." with that Trent turned and moved to leave the area. He paused turned to look at Briar once more before stepping through the door.

While Trent was getting cleaned up, the sonic shower cleansing him from the dirt and sweat, Trent wondered if he was treading into some dangerous waters where Briar was concerned. However he did like her, wanted to get to know her better. He dressed in a dark grey, short sleeved button up shirt and a pair of comfortable dress slacks with a pair of slip on shoes. He glanced at the time and his eyes widened, he was going to be late if he didn't hurry.

Briar had changed out of the loose fitting pants and into blue jeans but had still kept the slip on shoes and top and was braiding her hair back into a low pony while conversing with one of the other female Marines she shared the quarters with. "I'm looking forward to some down time and maybe getting to explore Memphis Island a bit, I've never been there."

"Apparently it's not that special from what I've heard," came the reply as the door chime dinged and Briars roommate answered the door, giving the Sergeant a once over and calling out, "Sergeant. Briar, it's for you."

She came back out and was brushing the stray hairs out of her face and into place when she saw Trent and smiled kindly. "You scrub up good, Sergeant. Shall we go?"

"Yes lets. And you look great as well." Trent having had given Briar the once over had a ghost of a smile, as well as twinkle in his eyes. Once they stepped away from the door, it closing behind them. "Are you going to be interrogated later on by your bunkmates?" a lift to the corners of his mouth.

He led the way to the turbolift when they stepped in, Trent gave pause, "You know something lets see if a holosuite is free, I've got a hankering to see home for a few. Then we can talk there, even get a facsimile of some home cooking. I've been working on the program to get the flavors just right."

"Yeah, I'm going to get the third degree about it: what's going on with you and the Sergeant? Are you two an item? Questions like that that are going to do my head in," Briar nodded and laughed as they waited for the turbolift. "I've passed through Wyoming on a trip but never actually stopped in it before, and I'm sure you can use those spices you told me about to get the flavours right."

"Yes I can." Trent giving a laugh. He looked to see if there was a holosuite open and gave a satisfied grunt. "Ah yes there is an opening, and I have booked it. Lets go." him leading the way.

He was going to reach out and take her hand, however Trent's instinct held off that thought. He didn't want to make the grapevine have more fodder for it to send out.

Once at the holosuite door, Trent paused, "Well now ready?" keying in the code, then the doors opened and he stepped through, taking in a deep breath against the swells of homesickness, looking at the front of his home, in Wyoming. It was two stories tall, a wrap around porch, green grass of a lawn and a stone path leading up to the steps to go up on the porch. On the porch were two rocking chairs which rocked back and forth slightly due to the breeze that was present. "Okay, lets go inside." Trent said, looking back towards Briar. Then he opened the door to the house the screen squeaking slightly as he did so.

This was the dream that Briar had in mind when she thought about owning a house in the future and she let out a contented sigh, "This is beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. Is this where you grew up?" She stared in awe at it and followed Trent inside.

"Yes it is."Trent replied, looking down at the well worn carpet runner they both stepped on, and he led the way to the kitchen.

TBC