Sneaking to the Marine Gym

Posted on Wed Aug 11th, 2021 @ 2:28am by Lieutenant JG Elizabeth Stone & 1st Lieutenant Dahlia Acker

1,964 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Out of Time

Siren was clad in plain black lycra shorts that went modestly to mid thigh. She had a low cut sports bra on, that left her mid drift bare. But the stealth with which she made her way to the Marine gym showed that she was not interested in flaunting her assets, but more in getting in a workout.

She was tired of the main gym being more of a social event than a place to actually work out, so thought she'd try her luck sneaking into the Marine gym. Once a marine, always a marine after all.

The gym itself was quiet, just the sound of fists and feet hitting a punch bag. Acker's hair was tied back into a ponytail and she wore a black v-necked sports bra and black leggings. She wore trainers as well and her hands were wrapped so she didn't cause damage to herself as she hit the bag. She stepped back, not because she had heard anything but because she was going to hit the next bit of her exercise regime. She frowned, tilting her head slightly. She lifted her left hand to her mouth, her teeth gripping the hand wrap to loosen it, so she could unwrap her hand. "Hullo?" she called out, giving a small smile.

'shit' Siren thought. The place was not empty. Oh well, she was here now. "Hullo." Siren replied in kind. "Just going to work out." She said, casual as anything, and made her way towards a stack of mats.

"Uh-huh..." Acker looked at her, taking her in for a moment before she sighed. "You know, this place usually is just for the Marines here..." she said before she moved to her. "But seeing as my boss isn't here or any grunt that might feel slighted...don't see why it has to stand empty because they're not here." Besides, she always felt motivated when others were there too.

"Once a Marine, always a Marine." Siren replied. She stuck out her hand. "Siren." She introduced herself without preamble.

"Dahlia," she took the hand, giving her a small smile. "Pleasure to meet you, Siren. And yes...Once a Marine, always a Marine." Not that she wouldn't check up to make sure that was true, but that was just Dahlia's suspicious brain always doubting things. She pushed it aside. "So what are you planning to do?" It was more to get a read on her...if she wanted someone with her, or wanted to put her head down and do it alone.

"Just some stretching to warm up, and then it's leg day." She made a gesture with her head towards the heavy bag Dahlia had been working on.
"You've got good form. I actually have a heavy and a light bag in my quarters. Never know when you'll need to punch something." She grinned.

"Thanks...and yes I know the feeling," Dahlia said with a smile and nodded towards the leg press. "I'd double check the settings. I caught a corporal tinkering and it's now showing more than the weight actually is. Not gotten around to fixing it yet."

Siren snorted. "Sounds like something the runt of the litter would do. Thanks for the heads up."

She nodded and moved to the treadmill, smiling to herself. "He think he is smarter than he is. He'll quickly realise that isn't the case and grow up..." she started it up, just a walk. She stayed silent for a moment, eyes focused in front of her. "Siren's a beautiful name."

Siren had pulled out a mat and put her legs together out in front of her, then grabbed her toes. Siren looked up. "Thank you. It's my call sign actually. At the time, it wasn't meant as a compliment, but more a comment on my language, with a heavy side of sexual innuendo of course."

"Wow, and here I thought sexism died with chivalry..." Dahlia said with a weak smile, looking ahead. "I didn't have a callsign, we were usually a small team and would have a general call sign for all of us. Sometimes it was something really creative like 'bulldog three two'..." she shook her head and turned up the speed, to a jog as she warmed up. "And if the enlisted have a nickname for me, I don't know it."

Siren chuckled. "Pilots are an old school bunch sometimes, and you should pay attention to the gossip train." She teased. "It's always nice to know if you need to hold impromptu fitness test after a night of drinking."

Dahlia laughed and shook her head as she picked up speed. "Can usually judge that by now. And yes...pilots are old school. I admire them because I couldn't do what they do...what you do."

"Used to." Siren said, a note of sad nostalgia in her voice. "Flying this mini city isn't quite the same thing. I couldn't do your job either. I'd be in the brig within a week the first time some second lieutenant gave me grief and I boxed them about the ears."

Dahlia couldn't keep the giggle at bay and she grinned. "I don't know, I think it is all different. Once we are done with basic and go to our specialist training or OCS...that is when the cultures change. I have wanted to...box someone about the ears, but in reality it wouldn't do any good. If it is another officer, you keep an eye and go up the chain. If it an enlisted, you let the Sergeants cope with it...if it is a Sergeant? Get the Sergeant Major..." she winked and looked ahead. "Recon Marines have it easy for that. Besides...Semper Gumby right?"

"Semper Gumby indeed." Siren chuckled. Always flexible. "So you run a pretty straight Command I take it?" Siren seemed pleased at the idea. She liked to mess around as much as the next person, but sometimes the structure of the Marines was comforting, even in its roughness.

"Yes...I am still somewhat adjusting to being on a ship. It's only my second permanent posting on one," Dahlia said as she gave a nod, adding more resistance to her running. "I like a simple structure, where everyone has their roles...but where teams are feeling confident to voice their ideas and suggestions."

"Sounds like heaven." Siren said wistfully. She was done stretching, and went to the leg press. She remember what Acker had said, and checked the weight. Sure enough it was set 20 pounds over. She chuckled. "20 pounds, he was certainly compensating for something."

"I look forward to seeing what he was compensating for later," Dahlia said as she slowed the treadmill down, breathing deeply. "Are you happy doing what you do, Siren?" she asked suddenly. She knew many Marines who had gone across to the regular fleet and she was...curious.

Siren snorted. "It's one step from throwing myself out the airlock." She teased, or not, it was hard to tell. "I miss the Marines, but when life gives you lemons and all that jazz."

"Once a Marine, always a Marine. You miss us, you come and hang out with us. We could always use a spy in the enemy camp..." Dahlia teased and walked to the mats to do her stretches. After this was pull-ups, but she wanted to ease her back a bit.

Siren guffawed. "God, there's nothing to spy about, they can hardly make their gossip juicy. But I'll take you up on the use of the gym, and if you ever need a guinea pig for something, I'm happy to help."

"I will most likely take you up on it," Dahlia admitted openly and straightened, rolling her shoulders with a groan. "You know what I miss about my old posting? That I was on solid ground most of the time. Used ships like my own taxi service, mission to mission...being on one twenty four hours a day? I am still getting used to it even after these years."

Siren made a face. "Solid ground is for wussies." But she was obviously teasing. "I miss the only thing between me and a quick but painful death was about a 1/4 inch of reinforced hull and my own reflexes."

"Well, you rocket jockeys are the insane ones, not us ground pounders..." she shook her head and went to the bars. "It's a fear of mine. Not being able to breathe, to suck vacuum...small fear now, tucked behind layers of training to suppress it. But dying in space is how I am going to go out. I am going to go out on the ground, phaser in my hand...and hopefully a lot of lives saved."

"Hooo ahhh!" Siren barked. "Now that's a good death." She slipped out of the leg press and started lifting up on her toes, warming up her calves. "If I'm going out, I'm taking as many of them with me as I can. I don't want to die asleep in my bed at 100."

Dahlia looked at her, feeling that the Marines had lost something precious when Siren had moved to the regular fleet. "My father always says that he'll go out at 130, in his sleep...only waking up to shout at a nurse before flatlining...my uncle however has your attitude."

"Work hard play hard. And when you can't do either, what's the point, right?" Siren grinned. "I think I'd like your uncle."

"I suspect you would," Dahlia said and jumped up on the bars, her hands gripping it before she pulled herself up, counting in her head before lowering herself and repeating the motion. She always had to practice her upper body strength. Had to make sure she didn't let anyone down.

Siren went to the hamstring machine. She always hated this one, face down on the machine with her ass in the air, but it got the job done. She was content to work out in silence, not feeling the need to fill the space with chatter when she didn't have anything to say. She finished up, then started her post work out stretch. She was rather proud of her flexibility. Something she had not lost at all. She could do the full splits and lay her chest flat on the ground, but if she didn't use it she would loose it, and she made sure to stretch daily, even if she didn't work out. She did think of a question for the woman though, and spoke up again. "So when is it usually slowest in here?"

Dahlia dropped, landing lightly on her feet. She was sweating but smiling. "Usually from 01:00 to 04:00...no one here then. Chow time as well, you're safe. But if you want to get into it with the others here? Come when I come, I'll remind them that you don't stop being a Marine just because you put on a different coloured uniform." She swallowed, catching her breath. "If you want the company I mean."

"Yeah, that would be nice actually. The main gym is a little...well it's a little too Starfleet grey, and ummm plastic. "They have pale blue 5 pound dumbells." Siren rolled her eyes dramatically. "Every day this time?" She asked.

"Sounds good," Dahlia nodded as she held her eyes. "If only to get you away from pale blue light dumbells...." she added teasingly.

Siren chuckled briefly. "Thank. I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Tomorrow," Dahlia said and gave a firm nod, smiling warmly. "Let me know if you want to work out some annoyance with hand to hand as well...depending on your day," she winked and walked to the bench to grab her towel to wipe her face.

Siren nodded with a little smile. She might just have to take the other woman up on that.

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