Marine encounter of the flirty kind

Posted on Sat Oct 22nd, 2022 @ 5:19am by Sergeant Trent Busby (Kosugi) & Corporal Briar McKinnon (Bailey)

Mission: The Goddess
Location: Messhall
3615 words - 7.2 OF Standard Post Measure

As he was newly arrived, Trent was making the rounds of getting to know the Marines. He found though that there was someone who was even more newly arrived than he. It was a Corporal Briar McKinnon. Tapping on his commbadge, Trent sent out a call, "Corporal McKinnon, would you meet me in the messhall, this is Sergeant Busby."

Then Trent headed to the Messhall to get something to eat, and a coffee. The tall broad shouldered marine sat down and started in on his meal, not knowing when the Corporal will arrive, besides would be best to have something on the belly before she arrived.

Briar was still trying to get her bearings around the ship and was thankful for the invite to come dine with another Marine. She had only been on the ship for a few hours and hadn't had a chance to meet anyone else yet aside for the CO; and that had gone down like a tonne of bricks.

Walking into the mess hall, she spotted the Sergeant sitting off to the side already eating so she made her way over. "Sergeant Busby? Corporal McKinnon, or Briar, whichever you prefer." She had a happy smile on her face as a she snapped a quick salute before taking a seat in front of him. "Thank you for the invite, by the way."

"If you are good with me calling you, Briar then I'm Trent. And you are welcome." flashing a smile. "Grab some chow if you've not eaten as of yet. " scooping up an other forkful of his mish mash food. He tended to like mixing his food together, mashed potatoes, corn and today it was chopped up chicken. He even mixed his salad with the whole mess. It depended on his mood. Today was mishmash.

She eyed his food and took a moment to process the thought of food before realising she was actually hungry, "Yeah, I might do that. Back in a bit." She went off and got a bowl of Irish stew then came back and sat down. "I find it funny how these meals can taste exactly how they're meant to, but at the same time it tastes nothiing like it?" She added the salt and a bit of pepper to the dish before she started eating it.

Trent gave a nod before he swallowed the food he had been chewing. "Yup, that is when you carry your own flavorings with you, like what I do." pulling out a container from his pocket. "Right here is the essence that makes things more flavorful. Its called Emeril's Essence, it gives the bam that is needed to make these meals more palatable." giving a grin. "want to try it?"

"Oh I've heard of this stuff before but haven't had a chance to try it yet, so yes please." She added a bit of it to the stew, even though it was a completely different flavour, and turns out Trent was right. "Should I even ask why you carry this around with you or is that just going to be a dumb question?" Briar laughed and continued eating.

"Not a dumb question at all. You see not only do i carry this to flavor up what I eat, it is also a secret weapon. If your weapons are taken away from you but your spice packet has not been taken away such as this. Inside this essence is something that can blind your enemy or even make them cough and choke. And it is the Cayenne pepper, the black pepper and the salt that will cause them to wheeze and not see either. Hence my saying it is a secret weapons." Trent replied, just a touch more to his food.

"Ah, see that makes sense." She nodded in response. "So remind me never to get into a fight with you, because you'll fight dirty." She liked that having something so simple was so effective and grinned at it. "So, Sergeant, what's there to know about you that would be interesting to hear?"

Trent gave a laugh at her comment, then he thought over her question then stated with a straight face. "I'm sexy and I know it." then took another bite of his food. Then a wide grin crossed his face "I particularly don't know how to answer that question, like something personal I like to do on my spare time? Or my skills as a marine? Where I am from? Which of these would you like to know?"

Briar rolled her eyes with a smile at the first comment: it unfortunately wasn't the first time she'd heard that comment, it was a regular thing her brother always said to annoy her. But still, she laughed, "I'm a very curious person and I like to know everything, so whatever you want to tell me... I already know you're skilled with demolitions as a Marine, so that's something. And I bet you wouldn't guess that I'm a fully qualified mechanic, right?" She continued to eat her food as she had the grin on her face.

"Just because you're beautiful doesn't mean you can't be a mechanic. Its the old you can't judge a book by its cover. If you know how to take things apart and put it together more power to you." Trent giving a shrug. I'm sure you can't tell I know how to play the violin."

She blushed in response to the compliment and almost choked on her food but covered it up with a cough, "Now that is something cool to know! You're right though, don't judge a book by its cover, because I wouldn't have guessed you play the violin. Maybe you could teach me some time?"

"I could also teach you piano." he said with a straight face taking a drink of his juice. He lowered his cup. "Tell me something else that may or may not surprise me?" quirking up an eyebrow.

"I own an old Cessna plane, and also three horses at my family's holiday ranch, and in case you haven't noticed, my eyes are two different colours." She shrugged, secretly thrilled at the opportunity to learn piano but instead she just mirrored him and raised an eyebrow with a smirk.

"I didn't want to look too close, didn't want to get into your personal space. If you don't mind my taking a look though?" Trent replied. "I do try to be a gentleman at times."

Briar laughed again and moved her bowl out of the way before she folded her arms on the the table and leant in towards with a cross-eyed look and a smile before uncrossing her eyes again, "And there you go, complete heterochromia of the eyes, with less than 2% of the population having it."

Trent looked closely, "That is amazing and your eyes are beautiful." he sat back to resume eating. "And I was a complete gentleman, I didn't steal a kiss from you." giving her a wink. "A Cesna hunh that's a small plane right? I have a vague recollection about a plane like that in one of the books I read."

Briar was slightly taken back by the comment and felt an instant pang of guilt over the comment Trent had made but kept smiling, "Maybe down the track you could... but yeah, it's a small propeller plane and I've been working to finish the restorations on it so hopefully I'll get it certified soon." She leant back into her seat while keeping an eye on him.

Trent noted the slight change in her gaze. "Say sorry for the comment. I was just teasing you. I wouldn't steal a kiss." it hadn't clicked in what she said. "So okay maybe you have some images you could show me of your Cesna?" his ears going a light shade of red, feeling just slightly embarrassed.

"Honestly, don't stress too much about it!" She waved it off and shifted in her chair while playing with the spoon. "I guess it does warrant a bit of an explanation though. Up until halfway through last year, I was engaged to a Starfleet pilot and he was, um, killed in action and yeah.. He was the one who gave me the Cesna that I'm restoring. I haven't really had many opportunities to show off my little pride and joy, so I'd be more than happy to show you a few photos whenever you want." She went back to smiling again and was half tempted to start laughing at the shade of red he was going.

Trent had just taken drink and was barely able to keep from spitting out the drink, he swallowed quickly and starting coughing. It went down the wrong tube. When the coughing fit stopped he gasped out. "Sorry for your loss." an honest expression of sympathy in his eyes. "That is really rough. Definitely I would like to see it even more."

"It's really appreciated, but in the past and I feel like it's time to move on now." Briar moved the bowl off to the right of her and leant back onto the table with her arms folded and her chin resting on them, "Maybe next time we get some shoreleave, you could join me at the ranch and I could show you the plane in person rather than some photos? Anyway, enough about me and my little sob story. What do you like to do for fun besides blowing things up?"

"I would like that." Trent stated, thinking over his past and where he had come from. " I was raised on a ranch so it would be really great to see where your roots are from." Trent giving a smile. "You are really probing to find out what makes me tick aren't you?" giving a laugh. " I actually have a program I go play in, a rodeo from home. I do rope tricks, herd cattle, and keep up to date on using old fashioned firearms. And one more instrument I play and that is the guitar. I, er, play cowboy songs."

"So you're a country boy turned Jarhead? I can deak with that." She nodded her approval. "And yes, like I mentioned before, I like know things about people. So be prepared for random questions! Let me guess, am I right in saying you're from the mid-West?"

"Yup Jackson Hole Wyoming, claiming to be the last true western town." He stated. " My mom and my uncle run the ranch while I am out here being a Marine, following in the footsteps of my dad." Trent said with some pride tinged with a touch of sadness as well. He looked down at his now empty plate. "There my mom will be proud I polished off all the food and left nothing behind." he quipped. "So you are from where?"

"Originally? My family comes from country Ireland, but my parents inherited the ranch in Silverthorne, Colorado, and that's where we've been for the past few generations." Her eyes lit up in response. "It's honestly one of the most beautiful places I've ever been to and if my brothers don't take it over, I will in a heartbeat. Like you, I've followed in the footsteps of my father and brothers, and my mother has retired there to look after everything. I bet yours is really proud of you, regardless of what you do in life."

"Well then Howdy Neighbor" giving a huge grin. "Yes she is proud of me, samne with my uncle, my aunt and my grandparents. How many is in your family?" she was definitely getting Trent to talk.

"Immediate family? Two brothers: the older one is a Staff Sergeant and the younger one is a Lieutenant, then just my parents and me, so it's five now. How about yourself?" She grinned and took a sip of the water that she had largely neglected

"So, Family, There's me and I am the oldest, my sister Martha she's the next oldest, then there is Henry." Trent was keeping track on his fingers as he looked in the distance. "My Uncle Ted and Aunt Susie with my cousins, Beau, Jessy, and Rachel. Plus there are the ranch hands which keep the place running and then Grandpa Joe and Grandma Louisa. That is what is on my family's ranch."

"That's definitely a lot of people! I honestly couldn't tell you how many cousins and whatnot there are, but I will admit that I have got the cutest niece and nephews in San Francisco with my brothers. I feel lucky to be able to spoil them whenever I can." Briar was enjoying the banter between herself and Trent.

"Well takes a bit to run the place, sounds like you'd have quite the family reunion. I think my mom's dating someone now, she's been acting well, happy. She won't say anything yet though, maybe cause she is afraid of jinxing things." Trent giving a shrug. "Or she is worried that I'd get in his face to make certain he is the right fit for mom?" Trent giving a bit of a laugh.

"There's nothing wrong with her being worried about something not working out, but getting up in their face would be more of a protective kinda thing, right?" Briar nodded in understanding, taking note he didn't mention his dad, "Honestly though, if I was to bring someone home, my brother Spencer would get up in their face, then dad would too so too bad if you don't pass the vibe check!" She started laughing, maybe a bit too loud.

"Ooh tough crowd that would be a gauntlet that anyone would dread. I think that Mom waited to get into a relationship until well she felt ready. Dad died during the Dominion War. I barely have memories of him." Trent stated.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Briar replied with sincerity and an understanding nod, "I'm sure the memories you do have of him though are good, right?" She placed her hand on his arm lightly.

Trent smiled at the touch of comfort. "I do have some memories. He was the first one to put me on the back of a horse. Even took me out for rides before he got called away. I remember him getting me a pony to ride. It was great fun. Would have liked to have had him around longer but i had my grandpa and grandma who told me stories about my dad. They said I was a lot like him then they'd have some sort of smile, as if lost in memory. My uncle said dad was a wild one though so" he shrugged "Who knows." giving a laugh.

"So you've taken up the mantle of being the wild one and following in his footsteps by becoming a marine and specialising in demolitions. That's a good way to honour him." She smiled in reply. "What made you get into demolitions anyway?"

"I like to see things go boom?" Trent giving a bit of a cheeky smile. "I don't know just something about I just like, besides I now know how to make fireworks too. When I was back home did a firework display for my mom. She loved it and so did the town. You can get rather creative with the things needed to make those firework shows. Though there are other ways to do the firework shows by using small drones which can do a light show as well." leaning back in his chair. "I also wanted to learn how to disarm the bombs too. It all a matter of perception right?" he crossed his arms over his chest. "Though animals tend not to like the big booms, scares the crud out of them so I only did that firework display one time."

"I don't even remember the last time I saw a fireworks display, to be honest... I tihnk it was when I was a kid? I was still little enough that I remember my dad putting me on his shoulders so I could see better? I have, however, seen a drone display and thought it was cool." She pondered the thought, clearly overlapping it with some other event before laughing, "You know the line of 'I like to see things go boom' is such a typical guy response, right?"

"Nah is it?" Trent putting on a shocked look. "I was telling the truth though. I never thought of myself as a typical guy, glad I can join the ranks of my brothers." nodding sagely.

"Glad you put me in that category, I am liking the feel of that niche." Trent joked.

"And you do realise that, even though we've just met, you're stuck with me in this detachment, right?" Briar grinned a cheeky response.

"I am? There is no escape for me is there?" giving an answering smile. "I think I can deal with that." Trent laughed, then he asked. "Have you met Lieutenant Walken? He doesn't seem to be that bad of a guy." he remarked. "I'm looking forward to seeing how he is in the field."

"He shouted at me first thing because he was bored, but he seems like a pretty decent guy, and I kinda read up on him before I got here so I knew what I was getting into and wasn't too phased." She shrugged a bit and added, "I'm looking forward to this posting, to be honest. It's gotta be better than my previous one though."

"What was your posting before here? Care to give a bit of information there?" Trent asked, he was interested in finding out what it was like.

"I was on the Sojourner from Private to Corporal, so about three years in total, as a dedicated Marine Mechanic where I fixed the majority of the fighters and whatever broke, with like four other people?" She reflected for a moment on the first time she met Andy. "I kind of felt like I didn't really belong with the rest of the detachment because we were so specialized in our trade? I guess? I mean, there were some good memories there: I met Andy when I was assigned to fix his personal fighter and look where it got me, so I'm not complaining too much."

Trent gave a nod,"It is definitely interesting the paths a person takes to get to where they are in the here and now. I became a sergeant, newly minted due to the loss of the one in command of our team. I was able to get our people out of the sticky situation we were in. Won't go into detail but, hey I am here now." he gave a shrug with his broad shoulders. It wasn't something Trent really wanted to get into, not at this time.

"Another story for another time then?" Briar suggested, hoping that there definitely would be another time. She liked him and saw herself getting along with him really well. "Clearly someone decided that you were worth it, so I'd take it as a win."

"i suppose so, just the way i feel I got it makes me feel just a bit off. I was just doing my job to make sure we got out. But yes I'll tell you the story later on." Trent stated, he looked at his cup of coffee realizing he hadn't even started drinking it. "well I need to get a new cup of coffee or something else" he laughed. "I got so caught up in our conversation I hadn't payed attention. I'll be back once I clear these away and come back with a different drink. That is if you want to do some more talking."

"I'm happy to keep talking, unless there are other things you're wanting to do?" Briar replied as she finished the last of her own drink. She was thankful she only drunk hot drinks on a rare occasion. "Good to know I've occupied your attention for that long though!"

Trent did a sidelong glance noticing several people just glancing their way, looks of jealousy from a couple. "Well we could continue this talk somewhere else, though I'm getting looks that could kill if I am not careful. Seems I may have preoccupied your time too much." giving a chuckle.

Briar looked around as well and discounted the stares he was referring to, "Well, I've got nothing but time to kill, so whatever you want to do or wherever you want to go, I'm up for it." It didn't help that he was a handsome guy, albeit quite flirty. She chuckled a little bit and went slightly pink in the cheeks as well.

"Look, what man wouldn't want to spend time with a beautiful woman like you." Trent stated.

Trent decided to get himself a lemonade. "Come on lets find a quiet place to talk more." he shook his head at one guy who had motioned to him to walk away. "I don't know if you want to be swarmed right now by those hounds." giving a laugh. "They have an eye for the ladies. And you would certainly be the center of attention." cracking a huge smile.

"You're a flirt, you know that?" Briar chuckled in response as she stood up and paid no attention to the others around, just Trent. "I don't mind being the centre of attention, I just don't like it being mistaken for flirting." She picked up the bowl and utensils and waited for him. "I'll follow your lead."

Trent gave a nod and so the two of them left, the tall marine taking a glance behind them giving a laugh at the disgruntled faces.

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