Bonding time

Posted on 05 Nov 2024 @ 9:35pm by Sergeant Major Bronco (Bronc) Hardway & Captain Patrick Jackson & Lieutenant Matthew Thompson & Lieutenant Paul Winchester & 1st Lieutenant Gavin Ross Dr. & Sergeant Major Christopher "Chris" Kildare & Master Sergeant Thomas Zang & Gunnery Sergeant Ernst Rommel

3,236 words; about a 16 minute read

Mission: S04 Episode 01 Captive State Part 2 (Incidentals)
Location: Various
Timeline: MD: 15.1

[ON]

Bronc watched as Mazal left the room, and then his deep blue eyes went towards Captain Jackson and the others.

"Well now, Captain Falk has gone, how do you want to go about this getting to know your part? We watch a game, go drinking? I am all ears with what can be done." he leaned back in his chair and had his arms folded over his chest. "Or even go do a BBQ on the holodeck?"

Looking skeptical at Bronc "And this by you is a good idea?" Kildare said deadpanned and folded arms "Would one not think that this bonding session could be about how we are *using sarcastic air quotes* Supposed to act during our missions on the planet, in case you did not know Bronc Arth is a Matriarchal society where men are Second Class Citizens?" Kildare said in a neutral tone.

"Well. Sirs. I am getting hungry. Should we just replicate the moose meat and venison and begin a BBQ right now on the holodeck? Would seem fitting for a nice woodland shore beach." He suggested. He was ready to get this eating session and beer session on the tap.


"I think it's a way for us to get to know each other so we can work together better," Thomas said. "As for a bonding activity, we could go hunting on the holodeck. My father and I used to do that." He looked from Bronc to Kildare. "I'm just as anxious as you are about being on a matriarchal planet but if we can't work together then we might not succeed in our mission." He knew he was close to the bottom of this group's ranks but felt his input might help. He smiled towards the group, hoping he wasn't overstepping his position.

Gavin waited for his turn to speak. “I would add to our fine discussion that bonding cannot be forced.” Ross looked to Sergeant Major Hardway and Master Sergeant Zang.

“I believe it comes from shared experiences within our duty and missions. However, not to say we can’t…” Ross was inexperienced in this so-called bonding. “As far as I know, I bonded with Marines in past scenarios playing hockey and sharing experiences of being a Marine.”

“But. A BBQ sounds nice, and a few brews. Maybe on a sun-drenched beach…” Ross grinned at Bronc.

Considering what was said Chris nodded "That also sounds good a BBQ, not bonded with this crew since I have been posted here, but then again for a long time we did not have an MCO or MXO and the Rifles were not as numerous as we are now. You know El-tee the ship's holodeck has many Risa versions and settings, plus lots of other beaches that could be used, I am sure if needed I could speak to Colonel Somers who could get us some real alcohol!" Kildare said.

Patrick was sitting on the edge of the CO's desk, silently observing the suggestions. "Sounds to me like the BBQ is in the lead unless someone else can come up with another idea that Kildare can use to sweet talk the Colonel into letting us have real booze?"

“Booze and bonding…” The Medic mouthed… “Bonding and Booze.” He continued. “Brotherhood. Beer. Beering the Brotherhood.” Gavin twiddled his thumbs. “We could use some of those sweet hard hats with the cans and straws on 'em. That would go over… real well eh.”

Thomas sat back and waited for the senior personnel to figure out what was being done. He shifted slightly in his seat as he was the lowest member here, so he didn't have much of a say as the rest in what was done. After all his only job was to follow orders and not suggest things. He pulled a small knife and a small piece of wood and began carving small pieces off.

Bronc heard what Kildare said and then remarked "Of course it is a matriarchal society however I can't deny the aspect of what Captain Falk said as to the matter of bonding time." he looked over at Zang. "Zang, got any suggestions?" noting the man carving the piece of wood. "As this is considered bonding time, ranks are not being flung around." cocking up an eyebrow. "Right?" glancing at the others.

Thomas glanced up from what he was doing and looked at Bronc. "I had suggested hunting as a bonding activity as my father and I did that back when he was alive. It's what we did when we wanted to bond." He shrugged his shoulders though. "But that might not be best for this group." He returned his attention to his knife and pieces of wood.

Chris looks at Jackson. "Maybe, but she would need more notice than she would currently have, it is the Captain you would have to worry about, but I will see if Alex has a few she has been holding back, however, cannot guarantee this or if she has what booze she has available!" Kildare said.

Patrick shook his head. "Beggers can't be choosers. If we can get the go ahead for real booze, doesn't matter what it is."

Gavin thought Thomas’s idea of hunting was also interesting. He liked these guys; they seemed okay. “Perhaps light beer. We don’t want to abuse our privileges. As a medic, I have some real high-proof stock, but that’s all-medical grades.” Gav shook his head at Thomas, Jackson, and Bronc.

"Don't worry Lieutenant Ross, I'm not a drinker. I prefer coffee to alcohol as it doesn't mix well with weapons and my senses." Thomas said with a grin. He hated driving as it took away his sim and made his head too fuzzy to do anything.

Bronc looked over at Thomas. "Hunting sounds good as well, a combination, hunting, then cooking the meat over a fire, good combination." giving a nod. "I could go for a good piece of venison."

Looking at Bronc "Dammit Bronc, why did you have to go and mention Venison? I now have a craving for a Big juicy Medium Rare steak?!" Kildare said with a smile.

“Give me a nice moose strip loin. Braised in butter and whiskey. Onions and mushrooms.” Gavin grinned at Thomas. “Now I’m...” Ross’s stomach grumbled audibly. "Hungry."

"I am very hungry myself," Bronc answered with a grin.

The Marine Captain piped in. "Ok, Zang, Dr. Ross, you both are on kitchen detail when we bag something. One thought though, wouldn't this feel a little like work? I mean, they aren't what we normally hunt, but the concept is the same. Not that I'm against hunting, just throwing it out there."

Thomas smiled over at Ross, "I'll cook the meat, and you can handle the rest of the meal. But we will both share in the cleanup duties."

"This is going to get interesting!" Kildare said with a smile his mouth already watering.

"Sounds good. Can we start preparing this now?" Gavin turned to Kildare as he took out his medical PADD and turned it into food/vent preparation. He counted the marines in the room at the table: "Five plus me, that makes six. Hah! I can count." He said, "Is there Anyone else we can expect to attend our cookout?"

Bronc commented, "Captain Jackson, I could do the cooking if Thomas here can take up the hunting. I'm not bad at the grill myself."

"Sold Bronc." The Captain answered. "I've got no doubt in your grilling skills." He thought a moment. "Need some sides. I'll see about getting some kind of potato salad recipe. Always goes well with a cookout."

"If we don't have any fresh potatoes, I know we have fresh Cabbage, I can always make a good coleslaw," Matt said.

“For hunting moose or deer, I recommend using a shotgun with a gauge suitable for large game, such as a 12-gauge or 20-gauge. Moose are typically more active during the early morning and late afternoon hours. I assume we will add these heuristics in the holodeck main computer; where will our hunt be?”

“Swamps, marshes, and forests. They prefer areas with a good water source nearby and a mix of open fields and dense cover for feeding and hiding. “Shouldn’t be too hard if we arrive in the great marsh plains of Northern Ontario, Canada, Earth.” Gavin knew enough about hunting as he used to hunt with his father. It was an activity he cherished, and it helped turn him into the man he is today, bonding with his father.

A beep on Bronc's PADD and he read the message looking at the others. "Captain Falk says two others will be joining us, Lieutenant Winchester and Lieutenant Thompson."

"I'm already here," Matt said.

A message from Falk is sent out to the two men. It read as follows, Lieutenants please report to Holodeck and meet up with the other men going on the away mission-Mazal

Bronc gave a start then laughed at his reaction. "Dang it man, you are rather quiet. Are you a part ninja?" holding out his hand towards Thompson to shake it.

Paul said," I prefer a Bow myself, due to its silent nature," looking around the group as he had done some training with the Coenoel some time back.

Thomas stood up. "So what are we going to hunt? I've never hunted moose before but I have hunted elk as well as deer, turkey, boar, and a few other animals in the Washington area."

Chris got the notification too and sighed "Well, I am looking forward to Bonding time, but not to the upcoming mission briefing" Kildare said with a sigh.

“Or. We can replicate the meat. Go to the nearest holodeck and fire up the grill. We’d eat in about an hour and have a few brewskis.

“I can set up a bonfire. Maybe we can tell some stories of our shared backgrounds, being Marines. We have seen it all, well, more seasoned veterans of us.” Ross was a newbie, and he was okay with that. He wasn’t there to put up a front but to listen and learn from his fellow officers, which he thought was an A-Ok gang! Gavin grinned. “Let's kick the tyres and light the fires, baby!” He was ready to bond on the holodeck and escape this stuffy board room.

"Shame we cannot get real booze, Colonel Somers and Commander Sharpe are the only ones I know with the connections to get the real stuff, but they are back on the Starbase!" Kildare said.

Thomas moved to a corner and sat down. He resumed the whittling of the piece of wood he had started earlier. He felt that he could be doing something more productive than just sitting here discussing stuff to do when they could be doing it seemed like a waste of time, especially when he thought that having his question ignored and the idea he thought they liked being completely thrown out the window suddenly showed that it must have been a horrible idea. He would do what he was told by his superiors but not put any other ideas out unless directly asked. He wished he was in the armoury caring for his TR-116 sniper rifle, making sure it was ready for the upcoming mission instead of sitting here twiddling his thumbs as the saying goes.

Paul entered the room and asked, "What's going on?" as he looked around the room "And can I join in to keep you all out of trouble," looking at Jackson as he noticed some of his flight students in the room.

Patrick shook his head. "Minimal trouble since it will be a dry hunt. Just as well. Will need everyone on their toes and their A-game when we arrive."

"Then let's get to the holodeck and begin the hunt" Bronc announced, leaving the briefing room.

Gavin felt like Thomas. When he spoke, nobody listened or heard him. He was a young Marine anyway. He didn’t feel sorry; the Marine Medic just thought that was the hierarchy of how things were run, or rather, not run.

“Ready to hunt.” He stood up, showing his face from sitting on the sidelines.

- Holodeck -

The archway led into a forested area, a prime place to hunt and just also relax. A fire was already burning with logs surrounding it at a safe distance complete with a cooking area.

in the distance the sound of a large animal bellowing, Bronc perked up his ears and looked at Zang and the others. "Boys, don't know if you are familiar with the bellow of a moose, however, there is one and you've got to be careful going after it. I suggest you get a move on and get that thing, it is mighty fine cooking." he paused looking at the things that were prepped ready for the meat to be brought in. "The fire can be left unattended, let's do some hunting!"

"What's your weapon of choice? A Winchester? Or A Springfield. The choice is yours." He called for a Winchester slung it over his shoulder and looked at the others. "Let's roll out." being rather excited for the hunt. "Yo Zang, time to use the skills." cracking a smile.

Thomas entered the holodeck and looked around. He took a deep breath of the fresh cold air of the north. He felt at home instantly and smiled broadly. He looked at Bronc. "Actually, that's not as accurate as the rifle my father and I used when hunting large game." He approached the arch and with a few taps had his rifle in hand. He turned to show off his TAC-30 30-06 sniper rifle. "This is the best for the large game according to my father. Now we just need to find the herd and bag ourselves a nice bull moose." He listened again for the bellow as he determined the wind direction in relation to the sound source.

Gavin added, his voice low and steady. "We need to grunt to him, but it’s all about technique."

He drew in a deep breath, ready to share his knowledge. "First, we want to mimic the sound of a cow moose in estrus. It's essential to let him know there's a potential mate nearby. I'll start with low, throaty grunts. Think of it like a conversation. We’re not just calling; we’re enticing him."

Gavin demonstrated, letting out a series of soft, guttural grunts that rose and fell in rhythm. “Hear that? It's a mix of longing and invitation, just enough to pique his interest without sounding over-eager. You want to sound relaxed yet alluring.”

Ross paused, gauging the reactions of his teammates. “The key is to be patient. If he responds, we wait for him to approach. If he doesn’t, we repeat a few times, keeping it varied."

After a short moment passed, as Doc Ross finished, the deep call of the bull rang out again, closer this time. Gavin smiled, adrenaline coursing through him. “Looks like he's interested. Get ready, boys. Time to show him we’re here.”

Thomas looked at Ross then stepped back. Evidently, he didn't know what he was doing so he placed his rifle down and stepped to the back of the group. He glanced towards where the arch had been, thinking about just slipping out and going to find Cassandra.

"Hey, Thomas." Ross furrowed his brow, confused. "You get back here bro!"

Entering the holodeck and being greeted by a lush forest with woodland sounds "Here we go" Kildare said quietly to himself adjusting his backpack and tightening his grip on the other bag he was carrying.

Bronc glanced around, taking an assessment of what was going on. "Now hold on, we were supposed to be doing some hunting and that requires some skill of us all going into the woods and stalking our prey. I guess we all have our own sort of ideas of hunting. " he paused then said. "Computer freeze program." turning towards the others. "I like to hear the sound of the prey creeping in and then going after it. Wish I had thought of asking all of you what you liked to do. But I'm not that good at it." giving a wry laugh. " I'm more of a man who wants to get in there and do a bit of fighting. Now I know that Captain Falk had intended on this being some bonding time between us, what do you think, call it a day on this?"

Approaching the group "Well Bronc if this were a real forest I would agree with you on the hunting, but I am happy to make this a wilderness camping session, also I brought some real alcohol, eight bottles two Whiskey, Brandy, One of Rum, the other of Vodka, and at the bottom is twenty-four cans of beer, all real stuff, it pays to know people who know people" Kildare said putting the bag he was carrying down and felt a relief at to having to carry all that weight.

"We could do that as well." Bronc is looking at the others. Deep inside though he was feeling that this may not turn out as good as what Captain Falk had pictured the way this was supposedly supposed to do so. He looked towards Captain Jackson for a little bit of help.

Patrick looked around and did a quick head count. "Stow the hard liquor Sergeant Major, let's save that for after the mission. We'll need it at that point. Can't have everyone hungover when we report to stations. Still gives us 3 beers each. Plenty for this trip." The Captain said and reached his hand out for a beer.

“Beauty is in the eye of the Beer Holder,” Ross stated.

"I hear that!" Kildare said passing out the beers,

Thomas held up a hand, declining the beer. "I don't drink so if it's all right with the group, I'll just bow out." He said with a smile. He was much on just sitting around. He needed to be doing something active and had been looking forward to the thrill of the hunt. He was a sniper and was used to being alone and hunting his targets. He was out of his element in just sitting around and doing nothing.

Taking a beer and relaxing with the boys, Ross cracked the can top open. He took a drink of the cold brew. It tasted not bad.

"Not Synthehol. That is for sure."

Thomas moved over to a tree and with ease scaled it to a branch about fifteen feet up. He sat down with his back to the trunk as he looked out into the forest.

The bonding time wound down and whether it was a success or not at the very least it was done.

[OFF]

 

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