A waltz across the midnight landscape was just what Shipwreck needed. It was so different in in the dark. Even with the full moon's ghostly face haunting the starry sky. The shadows of change tailed away from the pale white light. Well known shapes and features by day took new forms at night. The buildings making up the headquarters complex were ominously black, lit like a Christmas tree. Silent if not for the occasional whir of a patrol jeep.
Shipwreck strolled with a slight skip at the thought of escaping the base long enough to think. He could never pass up the opportunity to appreciate the starry beauty of a cloudless clime -- undisturbed by his team mates. The base was a long way from the sea. He often found weeks would pass without a breath of fresh sea air. At least the stars of the night remained comfortably famaliar. It would remind him of lying on the deck of his yacht and looking up at the night. A night sky his Uncle Al had taught him to read like maps.
He smiled to himself as he cast a glance back at the complex he was leaving behind him. The light contorted everything into a contrasted version of the once famaliar. The open fields that surrounded the headquarters were had a strange serene magic that was masked at day.
Tonight Shipwreck was on perimeter patrol, which meant he was able to return to his favorite spot in the grove. He had come to call it his own, though he had never mentioned it to anyone of his fellow Joes, for fear of being given a month on KP duty. The problem was that he used the place to sit and write, and whenever he could find enough time, he would take a compulsory nap. Could he help it if the place had an aura of drowsy solitude. It lacked a seascape view of course, but it was still a quiet spot where he could think to himself and drop his jerk act that was how most outsiders perceived him.
It was a long walk and bordered near the perimeter of the base. The shrubs and trees almost made it feel like a park, but it was a welcome addition to the surrounding environment of an oppressive Command Center. The huge cannon, as usual, stood proudly erect and defiantly toward heaven. Shipwreck had joined the Joe team shortly after they had been moved to the Command Center, so he had known it in through the early days. Back then it was a barren undeveloped wilderness. Dirty tan-brown rocks and earth stretching tiredly into the distance. Much of the surrounding area was eventually tar-sealed having spread outward from the air strip. Thanks to waves of budget increases in response to Cobra's grander and more ostentatious conspiracies.
Years had past and the base stretched back across parade grounds and parking lots. The large central courts were enclosed by rows of hangars and motorpools giving the base the feel of an ancient Mesopotamian citadel. While the front was a secondary open air field, the entire sprawl was made of harsh gray slabs of concrete. To off-set this drab industrialized desert, the Joes had embarked on a green program.
Shipwreck had at first thought it felt awfully like a committee meeting. But after hearing Lifeline out, he had agreed it was a good idea to discover his green thumb and foster some plant life around the base. Of course, the glare Roadblock had given him had helped him fall in line, but he that's not something he told the ladies. Everyone had been eager to help, even Beach Head plant a small fern -- It died within a month. The majority of Shipwreck's work was done while sleeping. However, he did consciously pitch in to seed the grove in which he now sought.
Sometimes he would find a spot closer to the sports fields where the others might be spending a free afternoon at a game of baseball or football. He could watch them while he scribbled in his log book, and pet Polly affectionately when no one was looking. He had originally been a one man operation, fighting Cobra and supplying arms and aid to the suffering in war torn africa. Now his mission had broadened, and he fought Cobra together with the world's finest. Despite this, he was used to standing alone and felt locked up if he could not be given a moment to himself.
He would visit his spot in the grove in his spare time once or twice a month, but tonight he was shirking duty to be there. It was not often that he would do something so unbelievably callous, but he had been feeling especially weary of late. It was the day after an airstrike made on the base by Cobra. It had been foiled, naturally, but Hawk had come up with a leftfield notion to have half the Joes camped outside the base under camoflage as a precautionary defensive measure. It seemed like pure paranoia, yet the General probably knew something he was not telling - as was his way. In any case, Shipwreck knew that with everyone on alert, his tired eyes would not be missed.
He adjusted his dark blue overcoat as the cool night breeze blew a chill through his bones. Ignoring it, he trudged carelessly into the grove. He was by now unconcerned about making an effort to remain inconspicious. After all, he was on patrol and he had the cover of darkness.
"How's that for you? Can't be anyone else as stealthy as yours truly," he muttered, striking a sailors grin.
"And suave!" Polly sqwauked.
He nodded with a smile to himself, his ego stroked by his joking narcism. They sure wouldn't spot this sailor in the night. He moved in silence. Unseen, invisible, mysterious.
"Don't mock me, bird," Shipwreck took a playful swipe at the parrot's beak. "I'm just like Snake-Eyes... when he's not goofing off break dancing and playing Boy George."
Cracking a joke was one of the only ways Shipwreck knew to deal with many of the extremely dire situations that the team faced on a weekly basis. Some pretended that it was annoying, but at the end of the day, it was reasurring to have the sailor on their side -- grinning from ear-to-ear as he habitually did. Beach Head did not see it that way, and had told Shipwreck so personally. Apparently, Hawk felt the same way, though Shipwreck only had Beach Head's word for it. He didn't find it hard to believe. Hawk seemed to catch his bad side all the time and never his good. But that was just the way of the sea.
Hawk had taken back active 'top shirt' duty and Duke humbly stepped down to second-in-command. Now Beach Head was trying to muscle his way up to that position at the same time. Stalker had almost no say or even presence on the team anymore, where he had once been third in command. Everything seemed such a convoluted mess, when it was once clear-cut and simple. Just like Duke, he thought, chuckling to himself.
Shipwreck had not felt like fullfilling his Joe duties this evening. It was his quiet rebellion in which he hoped to get time to think.
Not about Hawk, Beach Head or Duke. That was not really bothering him.
It was something that happened a few months ago, before Hawk and the new Joes were brought in. What had happened, was still hard for him to shake off, and he wondered if he ever would. It was about a woman he had loved and lost all within a few short days of his life. As if it were out of some fairy tale, she was a beautiful blue-skinned 'mermaid'.
His log book had been filling with his scribbles and poems about Mara ever since she had left him with those final words, "I belong to the sea." He would mix fantasy with reality without even knowing it, and sometimes he wondered if it had happened at all. For this reason he wanted to find Mara again, and know it was real.
Shipwreck had been thinking about it during his walk. The sight of the full moon alway reminded him of that last night they spent together on the island shore of Konatonga. As he finally neared his hideaway his best friend chirped into life with a whistle and a sqwuak. Shipwreck looked in the direction that Polly was flapping his wings and saw a bunch of rather uninteresting shrubs and bushes. He was about to turn away and continue to the foot of his favorite tree trunk when from the corner of his eyes he saw something moving behind the pale blue leaves. Polly went to sqwuak again but Shipwreck put a hand over the green parrot's beak and hushed him. "Quiet bird, we're not alone in the woods tonight!"
Shipwreck crept closer to the bushes and then he heard the moans. It became apparent immediately that whoever, or whatever was making the noise, was not a threat. The moans were weak and feminine, and suggested a possible 'deep' wounding. Then there came a much deeper groan and heavy breathing. Shipwreck gave a massive frown to himself. It sounded disturbingly famaliar to his experienced ears. Plucking up his naval courage, he peered over the tops of the bushes to see what lay on the other side. His eyes widened and nearly burst out of their sockets.
It was Flint and Lady Jaye!
His eyes instantly shut tight as he retreated back down behind the bush. He only had the briefest of glimpses, but he knew the image was going to haunt him. Checking to see if his hand was securely over Polly's beak, he edged as slowly and quietly away from the scene as possible. Unfortunately for Shipwreck he was unable to escape the area in time to miss hearing Lady Jaye cry in delight, 'oh Flint!... Yes!... YES!'. Shipwreck slapped a gloved hand to his face and dragged it down his cheeks with embarrassment. He didn't waste anymore time and scurried off in any direction that would take him away from the two impassioned lovers. As they got out of earshot he let go of Polly who sqwuaked in annoyance at the treatment he had been given by his master. "Peeping sailor! Peeping sailor!"
Shipwreck nodded as he decided he was a safe enough distance to go into a slight jog, "Shut up, feather brain! We'll have to find some place else tonight."
Polly shrugged and flapped into the air to fly alongside his partner as they ran out from the trees onto a short stretch of field. It was the best the little bird could do to stay balanced on Shipwreck's shoulders, but when he was running Polly liked to trust his wings. Shipwreck doubted he would ever return to the grove now. He felt like Flint and Lady Jaye had just corrupted his private Eden, and then he grinned as he wondered how he would avoid telling anyone what he saw. As they hurried along together, Polly was about to sqwauk to warn Shipwreck, but it was too late. He had run into the encampment and missed seeing one of the support ropes pegged tightly to the ground. He only realized he was falling after he hit the ground. He yelled a four lettered expletive, beginning with 'f' and rolled onto his back to sit up. All this to Polly's sqwauking amusement.
"Ah, can it you stupid bird!"
"Are you alright?" came a famaliar voice from behind him.
Shipwreck turned and looked up from the ground to find Cover Girl standing above him. He glanced around quickly expecting to find an audience of Joes about to laugh. He did not mind making them all laugh on purpose of course, but he was harboring a bruised pride from the unexpected impact. For once he found fortune was with him, in the form of Cover Girl -- by herself. The rest of the area around the pitched tents seemed deserted. He looked back to her and patted the peg which had been pulled out of the ground when he tripped.
"Sure. I'm fine. Just checking to see if the tent was correctly secured."
"By tripping over it with your legs?" she asked him with a smile.
"Uh..." Shipwreck managed a nervous laugh, as he realized she must have seen the whole thing. "I guess..."
He lied badly, so badly that it was cute. Cover Girl offered her hand, which he hesitantly accepted. She gave his arm a yank and haul, for a moment expecting to be pulled down into his arms and hit on with some corny line. No such luck. Instead he got to his feet and dusted himself off quietly.
"I thought you were out patrolling the perimeter tonight?"
Shipwreck nodded in response, but Cover Girl wondered what seemed to have gotten him in such a hurry. "The other guys went back to get some Yo Joe Cola. We could finish patrolling the perimeter together if you liked?"
"The perimeter's fine. Believe me," he quickly told her, the image of Flint 'n Lady Jaye haunting him vividly.
Cover Girl shrugged and then nodded, "Okay, well don't trip over any more tents while you're doing your inspecting."
Shipwreck gave a half smirk, both amused and embarrased. He barely gave her a nod as he hurried off with his hands in his coat pockets, while Polly circled above his head like an hungry buzzard. Cover Girl watched him walk off towards the perimeter fence and return to his 'patrolling', before she decided to go back to her tent. She could hardly believe he passed her up. He had tried to win her company for what seemed like eternity. She had capitulated a few times, but only flirtatiously. The moment she offered it seriously, he seemed to have something other than women on his mind.
As she turned back to the tent she felt her foot thud. To her surprise, a book lay face-up, beside her boot. Stooping to pick it up she caught sight of the heart with the name 'Mara' written in messy handwriting. She realized it could only be Shipwreck's log book. Closing the book as she picked it up she noticed the cover. She smiled at the bare-breasted mermaid sketched lightly on it next to a sailing ship. It belonged to Shipwreck, alright.
Shipwreck sat down by the tree near the perimeter fence. It was hardly secluded, being very open, but at least it was a good distance away from anywhere. He had a great view from his position facing towards the base with his back to the tree and fence. Ahead of him he could see the gargantuan shape of the Joe Headquarters rising into the sky an imposing and mountainous silhouette. The moon continued to glow quietly, adding a lonely reminiscence.
It pained Shipwreck that he alone sat a bewondered witness to the beautiful image. It was something that he felt like sharing. At least he was not completely alone. Polly had settled on his shoulder again, and his eyelids were beginning to hang heavily as the little parrot's need to sleep began to take its toll.
Shipwreck petted Polly and smiled, "Night night bird brain."
Polly fidgeted sleepily then shut his eyes. Shipwreck smiled and imagined his companion would soon begin dreaming of crackers, millet and dried cuttlefish. Perhaps exploring some idillic tropical paradise, full of lush green plants and boasting colorful red and yellow fruit from a dense jungle of trees and vines. The thoughts that began with Polly dissolved into a colorful daydream of the island's sandy shoreline. Shipwreck could feel the golden sun and it's heat on his face as it seeped through his shirt and skin. He squinted up at the glowing orb in the clear blue skies, and shielded his dark brown eyes with his hand. There were no clouds in the sky, making it one huge blue canvas stretching across the island and the ocean as far as he could see.
His feet suddenly felt cold and wet. He looked down to see the waves splashing and rolling gently up the shore, sweeping in between his toes and gushing around him. He wriggled them in his boots as he imagined the sensation and chuckled to himself. He missed the sea. The fresh smell of the cool sea air, with that hint of salt and sea spray.
The island was quiet, except for the soothing and methodic splash of waves and the dim chirping and screeching of birds and monkeys from within. He padded up through the firm wet sand untill it became white and sun baked -- untouched by the tidal movements. It collected like powder on his wet feet as he plodded through the miniature dunes until he found a piece of drift wood to drop down beside. He sat with an arm over one knee, his head resting across it as he stared out at the toiling waves. They disappeared until they touched the horizon and melded with the blueness of the sky. He looked about, and no matter how perfect it all felt, something was missing.
As he stared at the otherwise empty sky, Shipwreck could see Polly swirling in the distance over the waves. The parrot fluttered about on his tiny wings, amusing himself between the sun and the sea as he beckoned his master to join him. The little bird cast a hypnotic spell on the sailor and his eyes could not be drawn away. Dog fight maneuvers, figure-eights and impossible loops were performed effortlessly. Shipwreck finally snapped out of his enchantment as Polly flew down the beach and into the jungle. He found himself staring back out at the empty sea once more.
No matter how hard he tried to forget her, he found she would always be there. He clenched a fist full of sand in his hand angrily. Why couldn't he dream her there with him now? This was the perfect place, the perfect romantic setting, the perfect dream. They had kissed while splashing about in the water by the beach. They had cuddled and lay beside one another in the sand, gently caressing each other as their eyes melted their souls into one. They made love that night. The night she had said told him that she was leaving. All on a beach as edenic as this.
On Konatonga he had said a reluctant farewell. She had gone, and he had thought he would never forget her tearful face. Shipwreck felt himself drift into sadness as thoughts of what might have been, flooded his mind. He had been given a glimpse of what life might have been like, had Mara been healed and Cobra defeated. He would never forgive them for what they did to Mara, or how they lied to him. Finding her again seemed as remote as the island on which they had fallen in love.
The sea seemed to pull back down the shore in retreat, as if it were rushing away from him. He suddenly felt the urge to chase after it, to dive into the water and look beneath the waves for his love. He leapt up and sprinted madly through the sand. As he stumbled awkwardly through the half dunes and made it to the hard wet sand, he found himself skid to a halt. A rolling mountain of water rose from the waves. He looked up in terror as it came crashing towards him and swept him away into the jungle.
Shipwreck snapped back to the sight of the full moon and the black shaope of the fortress. He remembered what Doc had regretfully told him. Cobra could not reverse the procedure even with their sciences, and neither could anyone else in the medical world. He trusted Doc. The man was a veritable genius. And yet he had argued and shouted in anger that he was wrong. In his heart he felt it was true. She had left him for the sea. She knew it was the only way they could have parted. He could never have left her. Thoughts of the heartless things people had said to him, 'man and fish', came to his mind.
She was a woman. She had been through so much. She was a lady. She deserved that respect. Shipwreck cursed under his breath at the callous remarks.
He had loved Mara. He had said goodbye to her with a lump in his throat that he wished could have been wrenched out. He had gulped and weakly waved as she swam away into the sea, to be swallowed from him for eternity. He stared out at the sea that whole night, with his heart aching. He thought he would never see her again. He had dashed down the beach, and into the waves, recklessly hoping to find her and bring her back. He had splashed his fists against the oncoming waves in fury. Torn and wounded in a place that had never known the power of this pain before. Staring at the waves into which she swam he had borne witness to a part of his soul disappearing forever.
What remained a mystery to his fellow Joes was what happened in Springfield. What Cobra had subjected Shipwreck to in their mock town had crippled him. They had prayed on the knowledge of his affection for Mara and had struck him even more deeply than her original loss. It was a content blissful happiness that he could hardly believe and yet it felt so real. Cobra's deception convinced him that he had amnesia, making it possible for him to begin accepting that the war was over and a 'healed' Mara was now his wife. They had a daughter, named Althea. He was a father! Something he never imagined he would be. As strange as it all was, he could not believe how happy it made him. But it was all too much to accept and he nearly went insane.
He uncovered Cobra's plan and destroyed most of the town via their own explosives -- only to race back 'home' to what he knew was just another of Cobra's lies. Mara and Althea melted alive before him in the flames of the burning house. An explosion knocked him out of the house and he stood motionlessly watching as the Joe team arrived to help. It did not matter that Mara and Althea had been synthoid creations. They had been killed.
"What's the matter Shipwreck? You look like you've lost something," Jaye had asked him.
"Oh nothin'... Just a dream, or two...."
The Joes dragged him safely back to the USS Flagg, puzzled over what had happened. He never told them about Mara's synthoid, and Althea. They were works of fiction, but that did not change the impact of seeing them 'die'. He couldn't bring himself to speak of it. For this reason, the exact details of what happened were known only to him. The Joes knew only as much as was 'needed'. Unfortunately, he still received the occasional comment about mermaids, which he responded to in a flash with his fists.
He sat under the tree in the Joe compound, Polly asleep on his shoulder. Shipwreck hung his head and held his eyes tightly shut. He absently rubbed at his cheek with his dark gloved-hand and then propped his head mournfully upon it. Dreams could be so real.
Polly shifted slightly, still asleep, though only lightly. It was the sound of footsteps that caused Shipwreck to spring from his sorrows and look to their source. Through his teary eyes he saw the silhouette of a woman standing before the large round shape of the moon. "Mara?" he whispered absently.
Cover Girl looked at him sitting at the base of the tree, in his dark blue pants, and navy blue coat. She had never really seen him in anything other than a jovial and energetic mood. They had been friends long enough for her to know his mask covered a deep complexity. He had always been so indomitably cheerful, and his repeated hitting on her for a date was something she had come to enjoy. Seeing him look so sad, and his glassy eyes reflecting the white glow of the moonlight, was painful.
"I didn't mean to disturb you. You just dropped your log book back at the tent," she explained quietly.
Shipwreck cleared his throat and Polly awoke, "Oh... Thanks. I didn't realize..."
Cover Girl handed him the book. He took it weakly and held it, saying nothing. She bit her lip and watched him for a moment as he stared across the field, like he had forgotten her presence. Hesitantly, she sat down beside him, frowning at her troubled friend. Polly's eyes half-opened sleepily but did not seem alarmed by the new found company. Cover Girl was silent for a moment as Shipwreck turned the book in his hands fiddling with it uncomfortably.
"I can't remember seeing you look so sad. What's the matter?"
Shipwreck was quiet for a while, then he went to speak, but somehow he could not find the words. He didn't know what to say, so he said nothing. Instead staring vacantly at the field leading toward the fortress. Cover Girl followed his gaze. The Command Center was set against the twinkling backdrop of stars and looked both eerie and beautiful in what little light illuminated it. Shipwreck was supposed to be on duty but at that moment she did not care, or know what to say. She had seen the name Mara, but it meant nothing to her. All she could see was a teary-eyed sailor, sitting in the moonlight under an expanse of stars.
She placed her hand on his, on the ground at his side, hoping to comfort him if only in a small way. As she did, he turned to her and gazed at her eyes longfully. She could feel him searching her soul for comfort and she only wished she could give it. Her body felt strangely warmed by his gaze. It had a strange effect. His eyes were a silver azure and so gentle she felt her lip tremble and a teariness whelming inside.
"I can't help but feel..." he whispered, looking down at her hand on his, "like I only loved her... because I pitied her. I wanted to help her so much!" He sighed and glanced back at Cover Girl's eyes. "I never had the chance to really find out." His eyes returned to the moon. It was so far away. Untouchable, yet glowing so brilliantly. "I'll never see her again. But I think she found happiness. I sort of feel it there in my heart... But it hurts."
As she began to make sense of his torment through his awkward words, Cover Girl felt herself swept with a sorrow that was not even her own. Yet Shipwreck's pain was so powerful she could not hold it back. Her heart beat faster and her breath drew shorter. She surprised and shocked herself with her next, almost crass, question. It was more from envy though she hoped he would not detect it.
"Tell me who she is."
Shipwreck's tone changed and he turned to her with a smile. It was vaguely reassuring in its famaliarity. Before he even came to speak she had mirrored it with a faint one of her own.
"Her name was Mara..." he seemed to pause for her reaction. She said nothing, just waited quietly for him to explain. He sighed again, not knowing where to begin. "...Cobra destroyed her life and there was nothing I could do about it. Then they brainwashed me into thinking she was better and we'd been married... They pulled the wool over my eyes and I liked what they were making me believe. I wanted it so much." His smile widened and his eyes seemed to flash. "I was a father, Courtney!" She frowned at him and he just grinned back. "You don't know how much I wish that had been true."
"I..." she tried to strengthen her smile. She was confused. "I think I can."
It was not clear to her exactly what happened or when, but it had effected him profoundly. More than any of the Joes had known. More than she knew. His spirit seemed to lift, while she felt her own lull. Was it pity? Was it something else?
"Why are you so sad?" he smiled.
Cover Girl went to speak, then paused and scrunched up her lips and nose in frustration. She laughed with a sigh and gave him a shove on the shoulder.
"You're the one who's supposed to be sad!" she reminded him with a grin.
Shipwreck recovered himself quickly and ruffled her short auburn hair into a mess. She beamed and pulled a face.
"You barnacle brain. You had me really worried!"
"And I didn't think you cared!" he grinned stupidly.
She shook her head smiling at him, then looked away quickly. He had a joker's charm that could not be kept down. She loved it. Perhaps more than she wanted to admit. In a few moments he had put her through a range of emotions and she was not sure how. She felt a little better, but she could not pass his lament off as easily as he now did.
"I guess I do care." Annoyed she had to say it.
Shipwreck let his smile fade a little. "It's just, you helped me realize something."
She failed to hide her puzzlement, narrowing her eyes expectantly. "What's that?"
"Well look at you. Aren't you pitying me?" he smiled, enjoying it as she rolled her eyes. "You just don't like to admit that you like me."
Cover Girl scoffed. "Well it's just pity, sailor-boy, so don't get excited."
He covered his eyes and sighed. His memories were still fresh. Springfield discovered only a few months ago. It still felt like yesterday. Yet Courtney was helping him in a way she could not understand. For a moment slipping back into her stand-offish self.
"Thanks for listening. I didn't mean to bring you down with the sinking ship."
Putting her arm around him, she pulled him close. "Hey, It's okay. The ship hasn't sunk and I won't let it."
Shipwreck looked at her curiously. She was looking peacefully around them, her eyes slightly downcast. Her auburn hair looked so soft and her lips gently curved in a content smile. He wrapped an arm round her, too. She squeezed him in a hug without meeting his eyes or saying a word. Star dust was falling around them, but no one else could see it.
In his mind, Shipwreck saw the burning house. The fire destroying every last bit of what Cobra had given him. Dreams that dissipated into thin wisps of smoke. But what Cobra had given him was a lie. Mara, as much as he cared for her, was gone. With his arm was around Cover Girl, he felt a strange ambivalence. He had older dreams and newer dreams and a good friend happily at his side.
***
Cover Girl finished her coffee, while Shipwreck twiddled his half empty cup round on its saucer. He had related most of the story to her about Mara and the USS Nyrka incident in which they had met. He shared something of what had happened at Springfield with her as well, but he avoided detail. After the other night's intimacy, she was glad Shipwreck was back to his boisterous self. They had talked a lot since and she now shared something new with him. She had never pictured him settling down, and being in love. Cobra exploited his feelings for Mara for their own ends. Yet in doing so, they had made him discover something about himself.
He had gained her trust and suddenly she wanted to be around him. Recently when they had been assisting in the shooting of the Hollywood movie, "The G.I. Joe Story", she had flirted with him. She just didn't like to hitch herself up so quickly like Scarlett and Lady Jaye had. This was supposed to be a team of military professionals afterall. And she was determined to be a professional G.I. Joe. Shipwreck on the other hand always seemed like he wasn't fully commited, more like he had fallen in for the ride and could jump out anytime. She hoped he never would leave, but now she was worried that such a time might be approaching.
Shipwreck took a sip of his coffee at last and then looked into Cover Girl's eyes. "You threw me an life saver last night. I appreciate that."
Cover Girl smiled at him, "I hope I you'll be there to throw me one, someday."
"Let's hope I won't have to. But I'll be there, all the same--" Flint and Lady Jaye walked by their table causing Shipwreck to fall silent and in doing so, catching their attention. The two of them were clearly trying to act like they were not an item -- as usual. Both Cover Girl and Shipwreck, along with the rest of the base were well aware of how close they were. Flint would give jealous and possessive glares at Shipwreck whenever he chatted to Jaye, and it always bugged him. Few knew how close Flint and Jaye had become, and he tried to cut out the mental image in mis mind. The couple still seemed to get into a mood every so often where they would act as if there were nothing going on.
"Is everything okay, Shipwreck?" she asked, giving him a very concerned look.
"Oh yeah, just went down the wrong way," he lied, pointing at his cup. He gave a loud cough into his fist.
"Remember to extend the pinky," smiled Flint.
"That's with tea, not coffee, Flint," Lady Jaye pulled a face at him. "So?" The commanding officer glared at her and then nervously at her neck. Shipwreck tried to look like he hadn't noticed the hickey and rubbed the bristles on his chin. Suddenly Polly chirped up, having been quiet all day in anticipation of the right moment. "Sqwuak, oh Flint!"
Cover Girl laughed at how adorable Polly could be, but Flint's smile faded. And slowly, Lady Jaye's did the same. Polly sqwuaked some more, then spoke again, "oh Flint! Yes! Yes!" The parrot sadistically repeated itself and Lady Jaye felt a hot flush coming over her. Cover Girl looked puzzledly at the couple, and Shipwreck took a swing at the green-bird but it flew into the air and flapped its wings until it landed safely on an empty table in the far corner of the room.
Flint coughed into his glove and angrily hurried off, pulling Lady Jaye behind him. "Get better soon, Shipwreck. Hope you're eyes aren't too sore!"
Shipwreck gave a nervous laugh as Cover Girl eyed him suspiciously. Now Lady Jaye would probably never speak to him, and Flint would probably give him all the bad assignments. Cover Girl had a cheeky smile on her face as she tilted her head curiously at Shipwreck, wanting him to explain. He tried to silently tell her curiousity to go to hell with his shrugs and smiles, and she finally looked away without asking. They sat quietly together for a moment, just looking around the cafeteria and watching other Joes talking away to one another.
Cover Girl smiled back at him and they stared at each other. She had such a beautiful face, with shiney red lips that looked so smooth and appealing when they stretched into that smile of hers. He was more used to seeing it accompanied by a laugh after he had done something foolish or silly, but this time it seemed to stand alone and be especially for him. He couldn't stare at her forever, though he almost wished he could, so he pulled away and left the table. He called out to Polly, who flew obediently back to him and nestled on his shoulder. Shipwreck tipped his cap to Cover Girl and left the cafeteria, causing her to cast her eyes shyly away while her smile turned into a grin.
"You're cute," she whispered to herself...