Disclaimer: I do not own Red vs Blue. All characters belong to Roosterteeth.

Also this is my first fan fiction so comments would be appreciated.

Aftermath

"Dismissed" exclaimed Kimball as she kicked Tucker and Felix out of her office. Two more dead soldiers of Chorus. All they had to show for it was a flash drive that may or may not turn out to have valuable information on it. Two more families that had to suffer the pain of losing a loved one. Two more that should not have had to. Two more dog tags to add to the pile of soldiers who have given their lives to this war. All because these so called "heroes" were brought in to this war. Her war. She was the one who asked Felix to deliver them to her. If she knew how little of war that they actual knew she would have paid him double to just make sure the COs of the Reds and Blues were brought in. It just didn't make sense. Pacing in her office helped clear her head when she had bad days, so that is what she did as she began to let her mind wonder if this was all really worth it.

The stories of the Reds and Blues were stuff of legends. About simulation troopers that were nothing more than cannon fodder to the infamous Project Freelancer that fought back and helped bring the whole thing crashing in to the ground. Maybe it was all nothing more but dumb luck, maybe the project started to unwind itself and just needed a little push to go all the way, or maybe it was their COs leading the charge and these four were just along for the ride. But the question still stuck out in her mind, how did these four manage to help bring down the project. No matter the reason, they were at the right place and the right time, but what they actually did in ending the project is what she needs to know.

Perhaps she would have gotten her answer had she only listened to them when they first got in to the camp. They had warned her that they didn't know how to be leaders and she thought that the heroes of legend would be fine. But perhaps legends are just stories to be told to others to be inspired to do everything that they can and believe in themselves.

These last few months have been some of the longest since the civil war started. Trying to have the heroes jump into leadership positions based on their most likely fabricated history. They were not the worst soldiers she had ever seen but this was not what she was expecting. These guys had been together for over ten years, mind you Grif and Simmons used to "fight" Tucker and Caboose, but still. For the last four or five years they have been working together, there should be some kind of cohesive unit, but no. That does not exist with these soldiers. They try their best, but it is just not good enough. In the beginning of every training session they come up with a plan, they coordinate team positions and duties with how to obtain their objective. That never seems to work. As soon as they encounter a few members of the opposition, the captains just crumble and fall apart. If this was only one captain then she could focus on getting that one where they needed to be, however it as all FOUR of them.

Captain Tucker seemed to be her best bet at getting any advantage she could out of them to try and tip the war in her favor. This latest mission proved however that he was willing to risk the lives of the men that she out put under him to save the life of his former CO, Agent Washington. What if the file he brought back comes up with nothing? He just contributed to two men dying for nothing. Two young and very inexperienced soldiers. Their numbers were dropping more and more every day. Losing some in strategic battles that were necessary in order to attempt to take strongholds to further their progress in this war. Some of these kids were just losing faith in the war and going AWOL to attempt to spend the little time they have left with their families and loved ones. Not that Kimball could blame them. She might have done the same thing if she was in their position. She knew that they did not have the manning in order to chase them down and bring them back. Once the young troops decided to leave and then acted on that, they were gone forever. Unless they choose to come back, and they never did. They were all disappointed in the Reds and Blues. The new recruits they had acquired since they joined the cause were doubting that they could ever win this war. After seeing the four in action most of the troops were feeling just like Kimball was right now. How could they do this?

She thought that they would be lucky if they could fight their way out of a paper bag with destroying it. Caboose would probably think that the night came early and it was time for bed. Grif would try to eat it. Tucker would get out of the bag, but he would pull out his sword, while making sound effects the entire time, and just obliterate it. Simmons would spend an hour trying to figure out the best possible way out, and then wonder what his Sarge would want him to do and then just not doing anything for fear of disappointing a man that was not ever here. This day just seemed to be an abysmal failure all the way around. The disappointing mission that Tucker and Felix were sent on that got the information that they wanted to acquire, but not at the expense of two good men. Then the capture flag training exercise that ended with Caboose, Grif and Simmons falling apart once they encountered the enemy. After months of training they still could not work together to the end of a mission. It just did not make sense.

Suddenly this office that calmed her was now feeling smaller and smaller and felt like it might begin to choke her if she didn't get out of it soon. She headed off to her barracks and took off her armor. As she looked in the mirror she noticed the faint line on the side of her head. From just below her right ear up to her eyebrow, one of many scars that she had received early on in this war. Her sun kissed carmel skin glistened with streaks of scars all over her body from this war. The most prominent one she received was the one on her left shoulder. That wound almost took her arm off, and it would have too had it not been for her old CO at the time.

She was just a regular trooper back then. Joined up with some best friends to change Chorus for the better. That is what they all thought they were doing at least, little did they know that war changes people, and usually not for the better. It has been a long time since she thought about her friends. Bitter memories buried under the need to win battles to be able to put an end to the war. How the four of them had joined together and one by one Locus took them away from her. Always just missing her. Why is she so lucky to be able to survive anything this planet and this war could throw at them? Once all three had fallen, she had almost lost the will to continue. She thought that she would go on one more mission and then run home. Fate had other plans in store for her. This was the battle that it seemed that Locus would take her as well. He tried and almost took off her left arm. He had come up from behind her and shot at her with his famous rail gun. Lady luck must have been smiling down at her down because she had moved at the moment he shot and instead of getting hit in the back, it hit square in her left shoulder. The blast was powerful enough to knock her on the ground and almost remove her arm from the rest of her body. Almost immediately she noticed the amount of blood loss and thought that this was it. Kimball remembered just lying on the ground thinking that this was the end of the war for her. She was waiting to greet death with open arms fading in and out when out of nowhere her CO picked her up and carried her back to base over his shoulder. She was told she was in surgery for hours to attempt to reattach her arm. The surgery was successful; however she had to remain in the med bay for at least a week so they could monitor the status of the reattached limb. During this time no one came to visit her because she had become so angry since her last friend was taken that no one wanted to communicate with her outside of the missions. She would snap at anyone for anything. It was better to just let her be. After three days, the CO that had saved her life came in to speak with her. When he first walked in he just stared at her lying there, useless in her bed. She wanted to ask why he had saved her, why waste his time and energy when she had given up lying on the ground going in and out of consciousness. He stood silent and watching her reaction to his appearance. When he finally approached he asked her the question that would change her attitude and hopefully the war.

"What do you fight for?"

Kimball just stared back and could not come up with an answer. She didn't fight for anything anymore. What had happened that changed this hopeful young woman in to the dead shell that she had become. He gave her time to think about it and still nothing came to mind. He then began to tell her that he has had his eyes on her for quite some time. He thought that she had some untapped potential in her. She just thought that was going senile because that did not make any sense. He did however to be more perceptive that she thought that he could be given his position in the base as the CO and her position as a front line infantry. He told her that when she first joined this war that she was so full of life it was refreshing, but now, since her three closest comrades had fallen she was closed off and bitter. He noticed this drastic change and came to her with an offer. He could help her leave the war and go home, or she could learn all she could and maybe one day take over the war effort. He needed someone who was young and had some life and energy in them to be his replacement. Someone who was dedicated to the cause to save their planet. He told her to come and find him when she was released from med bay to give him her answer. For four days she was lost in thought. She had no idea what she should do, or what she wanted to do. She knew that the cause was worth it, but could she continue on fighting after what she had lost, knowing that she was going to lose more. Four days later she walked up to her COs office and reported in.

"I have an answer for you sir." She exclaimed.

"Okay then Kimball, what do you fight for?"

"I fight for those who cannot. I fight for the innocent lives on this planet so they may not have to see the horrors of war. I fight for the comrades that have fallen in battle so their sacrifice may not be in vain. But most of all, I fight for the lives of the soldiers around me, that they may continue to live, prosper and make it to see the end of this war. I had lost my way when my friends were lost, but when you saved me, you gave me a second chance to do this right. If given the chance, I WILL NOT let you down sir."

"Okay then, you will start achieving your potential right now."

As of that moment her real training began. She was pushed herself harder than everyone else physically and mentally. She learned all that she could when it came to tactics and the basics of war. When it came to physical training she would never give up and worked herself in to the ground. Her efforts did not go unnoticed by those around her. Everyone could tell just how determined she became after her near death experience, but she still kept her distance. She had made that mistake once and had no intention of doing it again. She was no longer that bitter, cold, closed off individual. She was on a mission. Her determination paid off and in just a few short years she was in charge of the rebel army after the CO that had changed her life was killed in a routine supply run. The whole base mourned him and welcomed her to the mantle of leadership in the same afternoon. That was just over a year ago. How times have changed. It has been months since she thought about him and her life changing near death experience.

As she snapped out of her memories, she realized what she may have to do for her four naïve captains. She got changed out of her armor and began to walk over to the mess hall to oversee how the captains were taking the events of the day in. She knew by now that Caboose, Grif and Simmons must have heard about what happened to Tucker and his team. Tucker may have even heard about the capture the flag failure. She knew all of the troops have heard of both. Information travels fast in the lower ranks. People love to talk. As she walked to the mess hall she passed several young recruits. So full of life, like she had been once but also some darkness that only seeing death in war could bring. She still kept her distance from them, from everyone. She was never going down that road again, especially since she was the one untimely responsible for getting them home safely. Too many lives lost to get emotionally drained by every life lost. She did grieve and mourn for every life lost, but not to the point where she shut down. They still rendered proper customs and courtesies as she passed and she did the same. But that was the most she would ever do directly. On her walk she heard the rumor mill whispering in the shadows everything that just went through her own head. Could they really do this? Are these really the "heroes" that have made history? She needed to make the Reds and Blues live up to their potential that they had. Give them the same chance she had been given. A second chance to do things right.

When she arrived at the mess hall she walked up to the second floor. Not many people knew this was here and even fewer knew how to get up here. She had figured it out and used it to watch and listen to her army. Here they are honest with each other. No commanders listening in. It was the best way to gage the morale of the recruits and see what they were really thinking. The first thing she noticed was the four Lts sitting together, away from prying ears and eyes, eating and trying to figure how to salvage the image of the captains. So caring, they were good for each of them. The Lts complimented and respected their respective captains very well. They had been chosen for their potential as well as how well they have demonstrated teamwork. Hopefully they can show their captains how to do this well.

At the far end of the facility she found them. Surprisingly they were not sitting next to the teammate they share colors with. That is a first. Simmons and Grif always sat next to each other, same with Tucker and Caboose. But today they were sitting across from each other. Odd. It seems that today might have actually done some good. When incidents like this happen, you must look on the bright side of things. No matter how dark the night may be, day will always come. They didn't appear to be eating much at all, even Grif. That was the most shocking because he is an "emotional eater" as he likes to put it. They had to close the mess hall their first day because of just how much he could eat. Today he appears to have no appetite, just like the other three. They are all just whispering to each other with low hanging heads. Caboose, Grif and Simmons seemed to be attempting to cheer Tucker up, but it does not seem to be working. Maybe their hearts were just not in it because they were also dealing with inner demons of their own. They may not have lost two of their men, but they might be realizing that if they can't get better then their new teams would be impossible to keep safe and their old team would be impossible to save from the Feds.

As she strolled out of the mess hall she realized that they must be thinking the same thing that she was as soon as Tucker and Felix told her how the mission went. That they can't do this. She needs to change their minds. If she can convince them that they are capable, then they will become more confident without taking pointless risks to prove themselves and safe their COs. They just received a hard dose of reality today and without failure you cannot learn or grow. It was a harsh lesson learned in the worst possible way, but here is the silver lining. They have experienced loss, their first. It may have been Tucker and his squad; the other three realized it could just have easily been any one of them with the two dead squad members.

She needs them to work on their strengths. Make them incorporate that in to their squads and teach them what they know. Strengths. What were they all good at? Simmons was smart, not as smart as he thought he was but still above average. The fact that he is a cyborg helps that he knows how to maintain weapons and equipment. He also understands the importance of this. His team can specialize in weapons and armor enhancements and upgrades. Caboose is strong, loyal and caring to a fault. His men would die for him without a second thought. Cohesive units in battle are critical to ensure victories. Men who will never leave another behind, or stop them from doing something that may not be the smartest thing, even when it is Caboose who has the idea. Caboose and team can attempt to teach the importance of teamwork and standing by each other, since they are the only team to have learned this. Grif is very creative. His men can get in to any building on the base and the guards will never notice. He does use this to his own personal advantage when they get in to the mess hall to steal him food, but it is good practice. His team can be infiltration specialists. Tucker is driven, not disciplined but driven. He knows what he wants and now he might just understand the cost of getting that. He knows what can happen when someone goes off the mission and how important it is to be able to handle anything. This is war and anything can happen at any moment. He has the techniques to be able to teach his team this to the best of his ability. He knows how to run them till they drop and then make them go further. To make them push past their limitations to realize how much farther they can actually go. His team can be our main infantry, and with the right techniques, they can be unstoppable. However, every soldier needs to be well rounded, so the squads can work with a different captain one day every week to enhance their all-around skills as soldiers.

Strengths are important, but she must work with them on acknowledging their weaknesses as well, Kimball thought. This might lead to her breaking her vow of never getting close to people again, but they need to learn their weaknesses and get past them. Only by accepting all parts of themselves are they going to be able to move on and get stronger. Caboose will need work with understanding everything that is at stake. Grif must get over his laziness. Simmons needs to be able to communicate with his squad; maybe talking with a female on a regular basis will help that. Tucker must get disciplined, though after today thought that probably won't be a problem.

As she headed back to her barrack she thought this might actually work. She would let them sleep, or rather attempt to sleep off their failures of today. She knew that they might not actually be a lot of sleeping from the Reds and Blues tonight, but that is war. Tomorrow she would put her plan in to place. Rebuilding them so they could live up to the legends that are told about them. Give confidence to their men, and women the command. Tomorrow is a new day after all. New days are chances to do better. There is nothing more that she can ask right now. Just that they do better.