Marine Corps Ball - Part 1
Posted on Fri Jan 23, 2026 @ 3:05am by Captain Brina Tracy-Hall & Colonel Nicholas Means III & Lieutenant Bronwyn P’ril & Senior Chief Petty Officer Alexander Rylan & Civilian Thavas Th'Omtala & Civilian H'Miia
1,731 words; about a 9 minute read
Mission:
Chicken Run
Timeline: MD3 or 4
H'Milla walked the side of the cargo bay before stepping out into the corridor the area outside the bays had been blocked off as a place for people to mingle and the crowd was already forming. Bar areas were set up on both end of both the cargo bays as well as the outer areas. She smiled and nodded to those she passed the bars were open and she greeting people as they arrived.
A tall red-headed woman dressed in an emerald green evening dress which had a slit which hit just above the knee, stepped into the cargo bay where the Marine Birthday Celebration was being held. Her arm was in the crook of the arm of a tall broad shouldered blonde haired man with mist gray eyes. It was Marine Captain Brina Tracy-Hall and her husband Nicholas Hall. Their boys were in their temporary quarters upon the station, and they also had permission to take in the sights of the promenade. He was dressed finely with a dark blue suit looking rather sharp in his outfit.
"I wonder where we can find Colonel Means, Nicholas, after all, he is the CO of the Marines here. We definitely need to pay our respects to him. After all, he did extend an invitation to us."
Nicholas gave out a chuckle, nodding his head in agreement. "I do wonder where Cara is and does she have a date for this event? "
Brina answered "She hadn't told me anything, though I will hazard a guess that she does have a date. She did have one when Colonel Patton and Aer got married."
She happened upon someone and gave an inquiry, "Excuse me do you know where I can find Colonel Means?"
"May I ask who is asking for him?" the man asked.
"Let him know that Captain Brina Tracy-Hall is here." Brina answered.
Alex, decked out in his dress whites and 'armed' with a corsage for Bronwyn, stood outside his date's quarters and settled himself. Alex didn't often wear his medals or even his ribbons. He had a somewhat impressive array of them but didn't like to show off. A medal usually meant that you did something monumentally stupid and somehow, often by a miracle or divine intervention, you survived.
Alex shook himself free of his inner thoughts, put one of his famous winning smiles on his face, and rang the chime.
Inside, P’ril looked herself over in the mirror. She didn’t know why, but the dress made her nervous. Was it the style, or just the fact that she had never worn anything at all like it before?
Or maybe it was Alex Rylan.
She shook her head as if to clear it and turned to find her cat sitting prim and proper on a chair watching her. “What do you think?” she asked him.
He licked his nose, gave her a slow blink, and said, “mrow!”
P’ril grinned. “Thank you,” she said as the chime rang. “Come in,” she called.
Alex entered... and was blown away. "Wow," Alex said. "Um... yeah... wow. You look amazing Bronny! Er... Can I call you Bronny? I wasn't sure which short name, if any, you liked. And your name has many short versions, as you probably know. Sorry. I'm babbling. I know I already said this, but you look amazing!"
P’ril blinked, momentarily disoriented. Only her brother had ever called her Bronny. Not that she minded. She had never been attached to her name like some people were. But hearing that name from a different voice was strange to her. “Thank you,” she answered after only a moment’s hesitation. “And… you look very handsome.” Why did this feel so awkward? “Oh, yes. You may refer to me as Bronny.”
"Excellent," Alex said. He held out his arm. "Before I forget, I have this for you!" He held up the corsage.
It was as much a surprise to P’ril as it would be to anyone else how delighted she was by this. She had never had a corsage before. She wasn’t entirely sure what to do with it. But that didn’t stop her being pleased to see it. “Thank you,” she said, then her brow wrinkled. “Where… what do I do with it?”
"Well," Alex said. "This one is a wrist corsage. I figured you'd rather not risk sticking a pin through a Thavas Omtala original. You wear it on the wrist of your non-dominant hand. I can put it on for you, if you'd like."
P’ril gave him an almost grin. “I am ambidextrous,” she replied almost bit cheekily.
Alex laughed and when he did, there was a sparkle in his eye. "Okay then," he said. "Lady's choice!"
P’ril considered her left hand for a moment, then her right. “Right,” she answered, finally, holding out her right hand.
Alex gently and carefully put the corsage on P'ril right wrist. "There you go," Alex said. He offered his arm. "Shall we, Lady Bronwyn?"
P’ril hesitated only a fraction of a second- she had forgotten what to do when a man offered his arm- before slipping her hand into the crook of his elbow. “We shall,” she replied.
Alex grinned and the two of them exited P'ril's quarters.
Nobody had believed that Lance Corporal Joel Wiseman would actually have the guts to invite the pretty Viza to the ball, but he had proven them all wrong by doing exactly that. Shooters gotta shot their shot and his had landed at the target. Bullseye. Whatever. Anyway, now it was time for the ball, so he asked the computer for directions to her quarters. Once there, he pressed the chime and waited patiently.
Viza, dressed to the nines, in a gorgeous, ornate blue gown, sleeveless and low cut enough that she was prepared to give her date a pass on looking her in the eyes the whole time, and with significant bling around her neck, allowed herself a gleeful, giddy smile, before schooling her expression and calling out. "Enter," she said.
The doors slid open and Joel stepped through them. His eyes scanned the room very briefly before locating Viza. He gave her an appreciative look and said, “wow. You look amazing,” in the same sort of tone in which one would discuss the weather.
Viza grinned, a twinkle in her eye. Some women might have been underwhelmed by Joel's tone, but Viza was excellent at reading people, a skill her master was teaching her. She was a long way from having Joel all figured out, but she was on that path and looking forward to seeing what there was to see. Viza saw that her beau had brought her a wrist corsage. He'd chosen well. She'd spared him some stress by telling him what colors to get, while letting him have someone arrange them for him so the corsage would still be his accomplishment. "That looks lovely," Viza said about the corsage. She elegantly held out her left wrist for the corsage. "If my lovely Lance Corporal would be so kind?" Viza wondered if the florist had shown him how to put it on or if he knew from his... what did humans call it? Oh yes, his high school prom. She'd already decided not to be mean if he needed help.
“Of course,” Joel replied. He had decided to go with a wrist corsage just inn as edge didn’t want his hands anywhere near her chest. “Which is your non-dominant hand?” he asked, carefully removing the corsage from the box.
Viza smiled and chuckled at Joel's nervousness. "You're sweet," she said. "Let's go crazy and say the corsage probably goes on the wrist I'm holding out to you."
Joel grinned wryly. “Of course,” he said, slipping the corsage into place. “Well, at least I am just as observant as the stereotypical human male.”
"Yes," Viza agreed with grin. "But at least you have a sense of humor about yourself. That's a very attractive quality."
“Thank you,” replied Joel. “I figure, I may as well laugh at myself before everyone else can. Anyway, are you ready to go?”
"I am," Viza said, taking his arm before it was offered. "Let's go!"
Means approached the cargo bays in his dress alphas, he had considered the mess dress but decided for a more traditional look. Added to the uniform was his ceremonial sword and he wore his dress cover as he moved through the station...alone.
Once inside the bay he nodded approvingly at the setup as he removed his cover and pulled the sword from the 'frog' and placed in on the table as he wouldn't need them until it was time for all the pomp and circumstance. Right now, he needed a drink...and to find Captain Hall.
As if on cue a Marine came up to him. "Colonel, sir. There is a Captain Tracy-Hall looking for you."
"Ah, perfect where is she?"
The Marine looked out over the grow mass of people finally spotting her near one of the bars. "There she is sir, red hair green gown."
"Excellent. Thank you Sergeant."
Making his way over to the bar he noticed the man working that bar was the same that usually worked the cigar lounge. Locking eye briefly he nodded and got the Colonel his regular bourbon and had it ready for him has he neared the bar. "Here you go Colonel."
Brina walked alongside Nicholas as they wended their way through those who were gathering. She felt her skin prickle up as she could 'feel' something in the air. A matter of excitement and yet there was something else. She couldn't place a finger on it. " I do know that Cara is here, but don't see her as of yet. I am sure she's picked up on me being here as well. Right now, let’s get a drink."
To be continued...
H'Milla
Manager - Box of Delights
Troubleshooter of Geral Lasuma
Captain Brina Tracy-Hall
Marine XO
Guest on Deep Space Five
Nicholas Hall
Guest on Deep Space 5
Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman Alex Rylan
Independent Duty Corpsman
Deep Space Five
Lieutenant Bronwyn P'ril
Chief Engineer
Deep Space 5
Lance Corporal Joel Wiseman
Marine
Viza
Apprentice to Thavas Omtala
Assistant Manager
Sartorial Splendor
Colonel Nicholas Means III
MCO - 21st MEU
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