On a warm spring day you'd think that driving across the countryside in a 4x4 would be fun, right?
What I didn't tell you is that, at present the marines in said 4x4 were running out of ammo and, by the look of the several banshees bearing down on them, Time too. Ramirez swung her turret round from her latest victim and brought the three spinning barrels of the LAAG up to speed. Plasma bursts splattered on the soft earth all around, lighting the dry grass and melting small glass craters into rocks, as the Warthog Hurtled on while its withering stream of semi armour piercing lead was smashing into the lead banshee, disintegrating its forward armour, Sending Fragments tumbling to the ground.
"This is Major Jonas Reed of the UNSC Corvette Icarus, Call sign Theta Two-four, we're requesting Air support. We are nine klics north by northeast of your position and gotta squadron of banshees flying Right up our ass!"
"Negative Theta Two four, we have no available air assets at this time"
"Goddamnitt!" Jonas cursed before he threw the transmitter off the vehicle
"Okay, first you can't damn god you're an atheist" butted in Jacobs" and second we needed that Handset…"
"Can it marine!" shouted Ramirez over the deafening bursts of her chain gun fire.
"Major Reed, this is Captain Blake we're pulling you out, get to the Evac point ASAP."
Ramirez Hollered as she struck down the last banshee then she leaned over. "What he say?"
"We're being pulled out."
"But we just took that motherf**kin ship down!"
"I know and we lost all of Delta Company doing it, we're pulling out, Now Step on it!"
As the warthog raced onwards Ramirez looked back to where they'd come from and seeing the blue plasma fires Erupting from every part of the Corvette's wreckage, She couldn't help but smirk.
A few hours later the last of the pelican drop ships had touched down in the Icarus' hanger and the wounded being carried out. The Colonel Met Jonas halfway across the deck, "I see you succeeded in your mission, but how many survivors were there?"
"Just us Sir, the Corvette fired on the convoy before the charges blew" Admitted Jonas, with his head hanging low.
"Well, I'm Assigning you to Zulu, Maybe your luck will rub off on them."
"Yes sir." then they saluted and turned to leave.
"Oh and while I remember Don't Aggravate the Rookie, I pulled her record, She's good."
They left Splitting up to go to the Barracks or the showers.
As Jonas walked into the barracks, after being ditched by both Ramirez and Jacobs, He looked around; it seemed empty so he pulled a Picture out of his Pocket. It showed a woman with blond hair and green eyes sticking out her tongue at the camera, he couldn't help but chuckle.
"That's a fine picture ya got there." Jonas froze and went completely silent "eh um, I said that's a fine picture ya got there."
He looked around the room slowly, zilch. No movement, no people, no nothing.
"Down here dumbass" the voice laughed He Leaned over and there sitting on the bunk right below him was a woman
"Mm Hi?" he replied
"Hay, who was that?" she questioned
"What do you mean?" He stared blankly.
"Ya know the photo you were just laughing at?" She encouraged.
"Oh my girlfr... My ex." He sighed
"Oh sorry, you break up recently?"
"We didn …" he sighed "our home was glassed she… she didn't make it."
"Oh, I'm sorry, I…I shouldn't have asked." She stuttered awkwardly.
"No its fine, you couldn't have known"
"Well I'm Teri, your Name?"
"Jonas and it's nice to meet you Teri."
"That's an unusual name" she sniggered
"And Teri isn't?"
"True, so what are you going to do in your spare time?
"Lift weights, read, listen to music that kinda stuff, you?"
"Prettymuch the Same"
They sat there for a while in silence, neither really knowing how to start a conversation.
"So you said you liked reading?" she queried, "what kind of stuff do you read?"
"What do you mean by stuff?" he asked obviously clueless.
"Come on. Action, adventure, romance what do you read?"
"Um…Most really, I don't really like books that are to mushy though."
"I know where you're coming from, but I do enjoy a good romance novel sometimes."
They both smiled In agreement.
Suddenly the sprawling mass of Ramirez and Jacobs fighting barrelled in through the Door crashing into a Bunk, Collapsing to the floor in Fits of laughter, Where once Jonas would've been alarmed, now he just sat back as Jacobs Resumed Tickling Ramirez Promptly earning himself the most painful punch a Man could ever possibly Receive, Leaving Him Groaning on the Floor in Agony.
Ramirez stood up, straightened out her uniform, and bowed to her audience. Then went about Finding the Bunk that she'd been assigned.
"Well I'm going to the Gym," Jonas stated whilst stepping over Jacobs, "Anyone want to join me?"
Teri, still staring wide eyed at Ramirez's Handiwork, Replied "Mm O-kay Yeah I'd love too."
Jonas saw Ramirez' Curious expression then he winked, probably confusing her even more so.
Jonas and Teri walked slowly to the Gym Talking the entire Time.
"Jonas? When those two were fighting earlier you didn't even seem surprised, why?"
He thought about the answer for a few moments then replied blankly "I was honestly surprised that the lasted that long."
Her Brow furrowed as if she was trying to comprehend what He meant.
He continued "They were best friends in high school, and they'd probably be dating if they hadn't enlisted, together I might add, they're as close as ever, even now through this."
"Good for them but are they always fighting? It ended up pretty serious." she added, remembering Jacobs lying on the floor groaning.
"That's nothing compared to last time, Jacobs got off with a concussion, I got sent to the med bay."
She looked shocked "You got sent to the med bay, Because of them fighting?"
"Yes, that pretty much clears that up."
She walked over and started working the smaller weights, that he'd put down.
Then Jonas Stood up and walked over and started on the Treadmill.
She continued working on the weights then after a brief conversation they left together heading to the showers.
Once they arrived, they began to undress. He suddenly began to feel really self-conscious.
But why do I feel like this, He Thought to himself, over a hundred men and women have seen me like this in the showers so why Her?
He turned around to go into the under the shower "Jonas you…" Her eyes Lowered and she blushed crimson, "I…um…I'm sorry." she stuttered shyly.
Jonas Stepped under the shower and started the flow. She did the same further down the Row,
Every now and then He'd steal glances at her well-toned body, Damn-near perfect he smiled to himself. Then he looked again and noticed her gaze, he quickly became quite aware of his…Situation. He turned Away Embarrassed
He'd just began to enjoy the Shower when the allotted five minutes ran out, so he walked over to the bench picked up a towel and started drying himself off, about this time Her Shower Time had also ended so she went and sat on the bench opposite. "Hey Jonas, Do ya know why the put a limit on how long we can shower?"
"It's something about reserving water through slipspace, I think." He looked over and again caught his eyes running over her body, which by her position while drying her hair was in plain view.
She smiled, "Busted mister." Apparently she'd noticed his gaze too.
"Oh um sorry I mm…"
"It's okay to look ya know."
His jaw dropped
They both began to get dressed he hurried as he hadn't had a decent meal in days.
That and he was getting too many explicit thoughts.
He checked his watch 2200 hours "s**t, missed dinner."
So he slowly and hungrily walked back to the Barracks.
That Night, as usual he couldn't sleep. But something made it worse.