A Ball to Remember

Posted on Sun 5th Nov, 2017 @ 2:27pm by Lieutenant Colonel Brooklyn Wellington

972 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: A Phaser as Deadly as a Candlestick
Location: Lower Lounge

Brooklyn shifted in her dress Blue uniform as she stared at herself in the full-length mirror.Her hair was worn professionally painstakingly up Her white pants were perfectly pressed as she tugged at the stiff collar around her neck--she hated wearing the Marine Dress Uniform. Captain bars adorned the top of the shoulders with the Starfleet Marine emblem on the left side of the front neck collar. She adjusted her Black Dress belt to align perfectly center. She then checked over her gold flight wings on the left breast side of her uniform jacket. She sighed, finally satisfied with her uniform.

The chime of the door startled her. Composing herself, she turned and called. "Come in."

In the doorway stood the figure of Second Lieutenant Rose O'Malley, dressed identical to Brooklyn save for the rank and the absence of Fighter Wings. "Well, you look great ma'am," she said with a smile as she entered. You'll have all the men drooling."

"Oh save it, lieutenant!" Brooklyn snapped with a grin as she grabbed two small blue boxes off a nearby counter. "Are you ready?"

O'Malley chuckled. "Ready? Are you kidding me? What's more awesome than going to the Starfleet Marine Corps Birthday Ball?! I've always wanted to attend one!"

O'Malley's response caused Brooklyn to laugh. "Ah, that's right. This will be your first Birthday Ball."

"Yes, ma'am," O'Malley replied, smiling brightly.

"Well then I promise you'll have loads of fun, lieutenant," Brooklyn said as she headed for the door of her quarters. O'Malley fell in step beside her, making their way into the corridor, heading for the Lower Lounge where the Ball had been scheduled for the night.

"By the way, Ma'am. What's in the boxes that you have in your hand?" O'Malley asked.

"A surprise, lieutenant. Corporal Smith doesn't know it yet, but he's passed his final flight test. These are his Second lieutenant Bars as well as his wings," Brooklyn explained.

"That's great!" O'Malley exclaimed excitedly as they continued their walk.


**Lower Lounge**

The turbolift doors opened to a well sized lounge area with the opposite wall adorned with large windows that looked out over the garden. The lounge itself was decorated with round tables with red/gold table cloths that could sit six each which many were now filled with Marines talking, joking, and laughing. At one end of the lounge, the small elevated stage area was reserved for a live band and was currently occupied by four musicians also dressed up in Marine Dress Blue Uniforms preparing their instruments. Immediately to the right was an empty table draped in a black cloth with a single empty chair, and a single lit candle in the middle to represent those Marines who had died in the line of duty and the flame of the candle represented eternal life and that the memory of fallen comrades would be with everyone always. Wellington paused for a moment to look at the table as she recalled all of the Marines and Fleeters she had known and lost in the line of duty. "Too many..." she whispered.

"Ma'am?" O'Malley questioned, not hearing what her CO had said.

"Nothing," Brooklyn sighed. "Come on, let's go in and get started."

Following the filing of command personnel and the cake cutting ceremony, Brooklyn stood on the stage just in front of the band, looking out over all of the attendees whom she currently had their attention. "Good evening everyone! Normally, we would get right to the fun part of dancing, drinking and celebrating but first I wanted to express a few things. Ever since day one, I have been impressed of the effort put forth by our pilots and ground crews. You have helped to keep this base and it's people safe from external threats. But I wanted to take the time to recognize a particular Marine. This Marine has shown tenacity, courage, and has striven to improve himself. Corporal Ben Smith, could you approach the stage?"

The young Marine stood slowly from his table, unsure of why he was being called up and approached the stage as ordered. "Aye, ma'am!"

"Corporal Smith. This will be the last day you ever wear that uniform," Brooklyn began that seemed to quiet the room that you could have heard a pin drop. She then opened the two small boxes in her hands. "It seems you have passed your tests and are now a qualified Marine Starfighter Pilot. As such, you also hereby receive a field commission and are promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant. Congratulations Lieutenant Smith," she said, handing him the boxes.

"Thank you, ma'am!" he said, fighting back tears that came with months of hard work and studying along with a life long goal of being a pilot.

"Now have fun everyone! That's an order!" Brooklyn said as the room erupted with cheers and clapping. The band began to play a musical number as a few people moved to the dance floor.

As Brooklyn stepped down from the stage, she shook Smith's hand. "Again, congratulations Mr. Smith."

"Th--thank you, ma'am. It's just so unreal at the moment," Smith responded.

"Are you here with your wife?" Brooklyn asked.

"Yes ma'am. She's decided to stay and we're working on resolving our marriage issues," Smith replied. "I suppose I should get back to her. Again, thank you, ma'am."

Brooklyn smiled as she watched Smith walk off back towards his table. Brooklyn made her way to the bar as the bartender was busy making drinks. "Andorian Ale," she called out to the bartender.

A moment later, Brooklyn picked up her drink the bartender had handed her and took a long slow sip and she turned to the dance floor just into to spit it out in laughter at catching the sight of Lieutenant O'Malley doing the robot on the dance floor.

 

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