OOC: This take's place some time before we all get booted off the ship. Not sure when, just sometime before.
=/\= Marine Commander's Office, USS-Charon =/\=
Sam had spent the last 30 hours or so organizing Lt Warren's office. She had his requistion forms filled out and ready for his signature, and had waded through the numerous Padds that had been littering the office. Then she had polished his desk by hand and even wiped down the chairs. It had been a relief to do the mundane, ordinary task. With everything done she had curled up under desk, without any conscious thought about it, and fallen asleep
Brent had just arrived back from Vulcan once again. This time however he was a bit happier, as Sakarra was awake. He made his way into his office looking over a few of the messages that had come in for him. Apparently those few reports he had sent out had been interesting reading for the higher ups, as there was several requests for more. It took him a moment before he realized that his desk was looking perhaps better than he had ever seen it before. He blinked a few times, smirking as he remembered the new orderly he had.
Well it would seem that she definately was worth the effort of bringing on board. He smiles and moved behind his desk... IT was then that he heard the light but rythmic breathing coming from under his desk... And behind his chair. He pulled the chair back to find his newest Marine curled up in what looked like the most vunerable fetal position he had ever seen. Not quite sure what to make of it, Brent leaned down and gently nudged her. "Hey. Marine. Private Davis. You alright," he asked with a smirk.
Sam immediately woke up, banging her head lightly on the top part of the underneath side of Warren's desk. She blinked, taking a moment to orient herself. "Sorry sir." She blushed, hoping she wasn't in too much trouble. "I'm fine. I finished the requisitions, they just need your signature, and the rest of the paperwork is on your secure storage core." She went straight into work mode, quite use to being busy immediately after waking.
He offered her a hand out of the bottom of his desk before he watched her immediately move into work mode again. It was getting late out, he had only left at this time because Sakarra had finally collapsed into sleep again. "It's past time for day shift to be done with Private. Why don't you go back to your quarters for the evening? Catch up on some reading," he asked before he moved over to the replicator and began to make himself up a large plate of seafood alfrado.
Sam took his hand, a bit warily, but without hesitation. She dusted herself off once standing, though it was hardly necessary. "Yes sir, I'll find the quartermaster." Sam hadn't bothered, as she'd been busy within these 4 walls for over a full day.
Brent almost nodded and didn't respond any more but then he realized exactly what she had said and he looked at her. "Wait you haven't found the quartermaster yet? Where did you sleep last night or whenever it was that you slept. Don't tell me you slept under my desk.." he said the hint of disbelief quite clear in his voice.
She pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, and looked down. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again sir." She mentally chastised herself for screwing up so soon after being assigned. "I'll let you eat." Sam figured the best thing she could do would be to just get out of his hair and leave him to the privacy of his office.
"Oh no you don't," Brent said as he took her by the hand again as she tried to leave. He lead her back and motioned for her to sit before putting his plate of food in front of her. "Are you allergic to seafood of cheese or anything? If not then dig in, I'll get one of my own," he said before he moved back to the replicator. "I don't want to hear I'm sorry from you Marine. I want to hear why you did it."
Sam tensed as he took her hand, but she didn't resist. She also sat obediently when he motioned to the chair. It wasn't until he mentioned the food that her stomach made itself known. She hadn't eaten since he'd fed her last. A small sigh escaped as she realized her mistake there. She would never make the physical requiremnents for a Marine if she didn't eat.
The normalcy of the paperwork had lured her back into old habits. She was several bites into old eating habits as well, shoveling it in as fast as she could so she didn't lose it, before she realized and stopped; returning to a normal eating pace. "Habit sir." She told him. "I was a slave on Olympus IV until several months ago. I'm not use to having a place to sleep. I use to curl up under the desk all the time, it was safe. I just got busy wanting to make a good impression for you and I forgot. Really, it won't happen again." She tried to assure him, though her nerves shown through.
Brent was about back to his desk with his own food when he nearly dropped it down onto the floor when she mentioned what she was in the past. He gave her an incredulous look for a moment, not sure if she was pulling his chain. The peices fit though, the way she had jumped when he had awakened her, her inability to really look him in the eyes. Her lack of any hobbies. He nodded then sitting down. "I see. That's why you tensed when I touched you then to have you sit down," he asked, beginning to pick at the food in front of him.
She nodded. She wasn't concerned about people knowing her past, it was just a fact. But she was concerned about her future. "I can do the work. I'll make the physical requirements." She managed to look him in the eyes briefly as she gave the short version of how she'd helped with Aria and the Marine boarding party.
"If you've overcome the adversity that I think you have, I wager this will be no trouble for you given the right amount of time," Brent said as he began to eat. "I had heard that you were a part of that boarding action. I'll remember to set up a few drills for you when you start getting closer to the physical requirements."
He thought about everything for a few moments. "How long ago was it that you were liberated," he asked. "Your service record indicated that you had just graduated from the three month long enlisted course. How long was it before that, that you were freed."
"Two months. It's been seven months now." She swallowed then. "What kind of drills?" She asked. While she hadn't minded, had actually wanted to help liberate the Charon, she was happy with organization and paperwork. She didn't want to go into battle again, not unless she absolutely had to.
Seven months total since liberation. "I'm going to recommend to the quarter master that you be given your own quarters for a while. Once you have settled in more to ship life and what goes on here, we'll see about bringing you back into the barracks," he said, eating a little bit more before responding to her question. "Probably combat drills. Retaking of ships, urban combat, the various different areas we might fight in. I put the Marines through their paces a lot. Eventually I'll slide you into some of that with them."
She smiled. It was a relief to hear she would have her own place. The smile left as he explained the types of drills, but she squared her shoulders and nodded. She wanted this, she wanted to give back to Starfleet. She could do this, all she had to do was keep telling herself that. "Thank you sir."
"I want you to go talk with one of the doctors here. Ask him to help you come up with a diet that will help you gain weight and improve muscle mass. As soon as things return to normal around here you'll be joining the other Marines for PT every day," he said. "You don't have to do it, that's not an order Samantha. However if you want to become a full Marine it will help," he said quietly, looking at her before he spoke up again.
"However. You should definately go talk to the councilor. I'll leave that up to you for your own convinence. That one is an order. I need you to begin integrating into the unit. I am not sure if you can do that if you can't meet my sergeants in the eye."
"I was working with Dr Anderson while we were on the Fury." She told him. "I'll find him again." She then made herself look him in the eyes again. "I'll join the Marines for PT, and I'll ask Auden about who to see." She didn't know who the Counselor onboard was, but she guessed that Auden would, since it was within his department. "I can do this" She told him more firmly than she was actually feeling. But she held his eyes a tad longer, forcing herself, and hopefully him as well, to believe it.
He nodded, pleased that she had already begun to see someone about this. "Good!" he said and began to work on the last of his food. When it was all gone he motioned at her plate. "How do you like seafood pasta? I prefer the prawns over scallops myself."
Sam hadn't actually tasted any of it. She'd been too concerned with getting the food eaten to appreciate it, but she wasn't above lieing, well little white lieing anyway. "It was good, thank you sir." His empty plate then had her on her feet, clearing both plates from his desk and putting them back on the replicator to be recycled.
"Alright then Marine let's get you some quarters. They'll probably be really small, but it will be better than under my desk," he said with a smirk. "Once your in your room, and stituated you can sack out in a proper bed while I take in whatever new busybody paperwork I need to have done. I leave it for you here on my desk, and give you permission to come in here. You can fill it out and when I return we can work on whatever else we have. Sound good?"
Sam nodded enthusiastically. "Yes sir. But your desk is nice." She blushed slightly, realizing she probably shouldn't have tried to joke with a superior officer. But his friendly manner had put her at ease, and he reminded her of the Marine Major who had rescued her.
Brent smirked chuckling at her little bit of humor. Well that was good, she could have a bit of humor at her own situation. "Hopefully your room will have a desk of your own. Just try not to sleep under it alright," he said winking at her before he motioned that they should leave to go get her some quarters.
___________________________________________________________
Brevet First Lieutenant Brent Warren
Marine Commander
USS-Charon
&
Private Samantha Davis
Marine Orderly
USS-Charon
