The party was in full swing by the time Taz strode in to the darkened mess hall; the music pumped as cadets swayed against each other, the fairy lights flashing above their heads in time with the bass from the track. It was full to bursting. Every cadet that had graduated that day had piled into the hall, as well as most of the senior officers, making for a crowded, noisy atmosphere that Taz wasn't entirely sure she liked very much. She edged her way over to the bar and ordered a margarita, hoping that the bartender wouldn't notice that she was two years under the legal drinking age.
Taz sipped at her margarita and wrinkled her nose. She'd never been allowed alcohol before - she'd been too young when she was at home, her parents had only allowed her a sip occasionally, and alcohol was very tightly controlled on the Starship. The last time she'd tasted alcohol had been at her quinceañera, and that hadn't ended well at all. She shook her head and took a deep gulp, shuddering slightly but beginning to appreciate the taste at last. Her eyes roamed the hall, picking out friends and colleagues for someone to talk to. Her roommate Specs was dancing with a pretty female Ranger Taz knew by sight, but not name, while Private Krayonder sulked on the other side of the room looking sullen. Another one of her fellow officers, Junior - whose father was tipped to become the next head of the Galactic League - was stood next to Krayonder chatting to Private Howard. She studied Howard for a minute; he was the only Ranger who could match her in skill. Taz was smarter and slightly quicker, but he had strength on his side and a devious nature. They'd come to blows more than once with no clear winner and as much of an asshole he was, he intrigued her somehow.
Howard glanced up at that moment and caught Taz's eye. She slopped some of her drink slightly and looked away quickly, scanning the hall once more and eventually settling her eyes on Lieutenant Up, her senior officer. He was sitting at a circular table near the edge of the room with four other officers, laughing and drinking. She watched them for a few minutes as she drank, studying his dimly lit face; the way he looked when he laughed, how the twinkling lights reflected in his chestnut coloured hair, how his lips-
"Hey Taz!"
Taz was pulled out of her reverie by the sound of Specs shouting at her excitedly. Evidently tired of dancing, Specs had tugged her dance partner over to Taz at the bar.
"Hey," Taz replied, draining the last of her margarita and turning to Specs. "Havin' fun?"
"This is great!" Specs shouted, waving her arms around to indicate the hall. "Do you want another drink?"
"Sure," replied Taz with an amused smile at the tipsy Specs. She made eye contact with the girl Specs had brought over and they both giggled.
"Nina," the girl said, sticking out a hand.
"Taz." Taz took the hand and shook it.
"Oh, I know who you are," Nina said smiling. "The best Ranger in the graduating class; top of everything and gorgeous to boot!"
Taz blushed and grinned. "I try my best!"
"That outfit looks amazing by the way," Nina added, indicating Taz's clothes. Taz herself didn't think they were anything special, she'd just bought whatever was cheapest and didn't involve a skirt, meaning she'd ended up in a pair of smart black pants, a red silk top that was rather lower cut than she felt comfortable with and a pair of ballet pumps she'd borrowed from Specs for the occasion. Specs had also attempted to style her hair, but after several disasters with a curling iron and a can of hairspray Taz had simply pushed it off her face and tied it with her usual red bandana.
"Gracias, you look very pretty too," she replied, and Nina gave a little twirl to show off her dress, giggling the entire time.
"Right, that one is yours, Nina, and that one is yours, Taz ," Specs said, turning back to them carefully holding three drinks.
"Gracias," Taz said taking the drink Specs offered her and taking a sip. They stood in silence for a few minutes, sipping their drinks and Taz found her eyes straying to Up once more.
"You know, I'm actually available," a voice whispered in her ear causing her to jump and curse. She looked around to find Private Howard leaning against the bar looking amused while Krayonder and Junior chatted with Specs and Nina.
"Don' do that!" Taz said angrily, rubbing at the sticky drink that had spilled onto her chest and shooting Howard a filthy look. He raised an eyebrow and held out a handkerchief to her. Taz snatched from him and began rubbing furiously at her chest and blouse, ignoring the fact that Howard's eyes were following where her hands were going – she didn't want to get thrown out of her graduating party for breaking his nose.
"I'm sorry," he said, though he didn't sound sorry at all. "I just thought I'd come and be friendly."
"I don' need a friend like jou, Howard," she retorted, thrusting the handkerchief back at him. He shoved it back in his pocket and raised his hands in mock surrender.
"C'mon, Taz, do you wanna dance? Or can I get you a drink since I'm the reason you spilled most of that one?" he asked, shooting her a winning smile.
Taz rolled her eyes but found herself faltering, then tipped back the remainder of her cocktail and nodded. "Una bebida, and no funny business," she warned.
"No funny business," he repeated, smiled again and turned to the bar, waving over the bartender. Taz stood in silence as she waited for him, occasionally sticking her finger into her glass and wiping up some of the margarita and sucking it off, while she again stared over at Up. Howard turned back to her, noted where she was staring, held out the drink to her and sighed.
"You're wasting your time," he said, nodding a head over at Up. "Even if he was interested it'd never be allowed; he's your senior officer and he's about ten years older than you."
"Nine," she replied softly. "And I don' know what jour talking about. He's my friend."
"He's your teacher, not your friend. You've got to be careful, Taz, Up is the best Ranger in the whole Galactic League and if you get him chucked out-!"
"Like jou care about Up! All jou care about is yourself, Howard," she spat viciously. "Jour just pissed cus I won' go out wit jou!"
Howard looked as though she'd slapped him in the face. Taz seemed to realised that she'd overstepped the mark because she shook her head and gulped down some of the drink Howard had brought her.
"Ugh, what is dis?" she asked in disgust. Howard smiled a little at her expression.
"It's called a Cheeky V – blueberry alcopops, port and vodka. I thought you'd like it," he said disappointedly.
"It's very dulce," she said taking another tiny sip. "I guess it's okay," she shrugged.
Howard laughed. "It's an acquired taste I think, and they did slip rather more port in than usual I think."
They stood in silence, neither one of them wanting to give in and start a conversation. Eventually Howard attempted to put his arm around her waist, received a face full of cocktail and watched, spluttering, as Taz stormed across the room to join Up.
Taz threw herself down into the chair next to Up, causing all five of them to jump, and Commander Miller to curse loudly.
"Well, if it isn't my star pupil! Taz! How you doin'?" Up exclaimed, grinning at her.
"Better than Howard," laughed a portly Commander, Galaxy-Foot. "Poor boy looks like he's just had a shower!"
Taz smirked slightly and took a swig of Up's whisky and grimaced, noting that she was feeling rather drunk by this point.
"He should keep his hands to his-self," she said, shrugging. Galaxy-Foot, Miller and Up all laughed. The other two officers merely smiled in a strained sort of way.
"Excuse me, gentlemen. I think I'm going to turn in for tonight," the robotic voice of Doctor Space-Claw came from across the table and he stood, saluted and left the table. The final member of the table leaned forward and Taz realised it was Doctor Price, a medic from the hospital of the Starship. Price was once a great soldier himself, but after a couple of injuries he'd decided that healing the sick was where his talents lay and had left the battlefield to fix the young soldiers that were wounded on it.
"Young Howard bit off more than he could chew then?" Price asked interestedly, his eyes flicking from Up to Taz.
"I don' like Howard," Taz shrugged, now taking over Up's drink and sipping from it while Up lounged back in his chair, watching her grasp his glass.
"Lucky for you, eh, Up?" Galaxy-Foot laughed, nudging Up. Taz froze, the glass halfway to her mouth, and Up came back to the ground with a bang of chair legs.
"I hardly think that's appropriate," Up said quietly. Galaxy-Foot seemed not to have noticed how uncomfortable he had made the rest of the table and laughed loudly.
"I'm just yanking your leg, Up." Galaxy-Foot stood, swaying a little. "Hmm, I think I'll head to bed." And with a slight hiccup and knocking over the chair next to him, Galaxy-Foot left the mess hall.
There was silence around the table. Up picked up the chair that Galaxy-Foot had knocked over and set it back on four legs. Taz realised she had been holding the glass halfway between her mouth and the table for the past minute, and drained the glass hurriedly. Unfortunately there was more whisky left in the glass than she had calculated, resulting in a coughing fit as the alcohol burned her throat. Up slapped her on the back in an attempt to help, but all this did was cause her to cough even more as the air was pushed out of her lungs. Eventually she managed to stop coughing enough to grab Up's hand to stop him hitting her anymore and bent his fingers back until he whimpered in pain.
"I-Idiota," she gasped, face-planting the table. Price pushed a glass of water over to Up, who nudged Taz and forced the water into her hands. She sat up and drank gratefully, still gasping slightly. Price and Miller raised their eyebrows and smirked as she sat up, her eyes streaming.
"I'd stay off the whisky if I was you, Private," reprimanded Miller. "And don't call your senior officer an idiot."
"Sí, sir," Taz said in a slightly hoarse voice, gulping down some more water. "Sorry, sir," she said to Up, sarcastically. He grinned at her and ruffled her hair. Miller and Price exchanged a knowing look.
"Up, have jou got un cigarillo, por favor?" Taz asked suddenly, turning to face him.
"A- what?" he replied, confused.
"She means a cigarette," Price informed him, looking disgusted. "Filthy habit, you'll be dead before the robots can kill you."
Taz just shrugged and smiled. "I'll quit. One day." Up rummaged in his pockets and pulled out a battered box.
"Two left, I think I'll join you," he said peering into the box. They got to their feet and bid Price and Miller goodbye.
"Think about what you're doing, Up," Price warned as Taz and Up turned to leave and Taz realised (with a little flutter in her stomach) that Price might not have just been talking about Up's health.
They crossed the room not speaking. As they passed Howard he looked as though he wanted to say something, but Taz shook her head warningly so he just shrugged and turned to speak to Junior instead.
As they left the hall Taz darted ahead to find an available smoking pod. "Dis one's empty," she said, her eyes sparkling, as Up arrived.
"Taz…" he began dubiously, but she'd already opened the door and skipped inside. Sighing, Up followed, closing the door behind him.
The smoking pods were small, designed for a maximum of three people, but there was no real need for Taz to be standing that close to him, Up thought as he fumbled in his pocket for the cigarettes and a lighter. She was gazing up at him like he was some kind of fascinating piece of artwork, and blushed when he passed her the cigarette and lit it for her.
Taz began spluttering as she took the first drag, but waved him away when he motioned to help her. "It's dat stupid whisky," she said when she'd stopped coughing. "I'm fine."
They stood next to each other, leaning on the wall and smoking in silence. Taz began attempting to blow smoke rings, but gave up after Up blew five in perfect succession and watched him instead.
He ignored her for a little while, but when she finally flicked her cigarette butt into the garbage he turned to face her. She looked up at him and he swallowed nervously.
"Taz, what are you-" he began but was cut off as she plucked the cigarette from between his fingers and threw it after hers.
"Price was right," she practically purred. "It is a filthy habit."
She reached up and pulled him down by his shoulders to meet her lips, before putting her arms around his neck and kissing him softly.
Up's mind was in chaos. He knew this was wrong. He could lose his job. Could he be arrested? She was drunk, he was drunk, this was very, very bad.
But he also liked Taz, a lot…
"No," Up said suddenly, standing up straight and gently pushing Taz away. "I'm sorry, Taz, I can't. This is… it's not right," he said shaking his head.
Taz looked as though she was about to cry. "Dis isn't fair," she said angrily, her lip wobbling. "Why de hell not?"
"You know why, Taz," he said softly. He tried to hug her but she jumped away as if he'd burned her.
"Jou're pathetic," she spat and made to slam her hand on the door release. Before she could move, however, Up had grabbed her, span her around and pushed her against the wall.
"Don't," he said in a threatening tone. "Call me pathetic."
Their lips met. Taz seemed momentarily surprised, then again snaked her arms around his neck and began exploring his mouth with her tongue.
Up tasted of smoke and whisky mixed in with something that was indescribably Up-ish. Their tongues slid over each other desperately, even angrily when one or the other remembered how much trouble there would be if they were discovered, but neither one seemed inclined to break the kiss any sooner than they had to.
Taz's brain was fuzzy. She wanted to stay in that tiny room and kiss Up forever; forget the Robot Wars, forget the G.L.E.E., it was just her and him and that tiny, smoky room and-
The door slid open. They jumped apart and looked over at the door just in time to see Howard's shocked face as he backed out of the room.
Quick as a flash, Taz leapt on him and dragged him into the smoking pod, pressing him against the wall by his throat.
"If jou say anything, anything! I will sneak into jour room with my nutcrackers and I will crack jour nuts into tiny pieces, jou got dat ese?"
Howard jerked his head slightly, making a funny gurgling noise. Up put his hand on her arm.
"Taz, if you don't let go that boy is going to choke to death," he said in an unconcerned voice. "And that will take some explaining and a lot of paperwork."
She shrugged, but let go anyway and Howard fell into a crumpled heap on the floor, whimpering.
"You probably shouldn't have choked him so much," Up said disinterestedly, nudging Howard with his toe.
"Maybe." She glared down at Howard who had managed to sit up and was now massaging his throat.
"Now, jou listen to me. Jou are going to leave dis room and go back to de party or jour room or somewhere dat I'm not, and jou are going to keep jour mouth shut and run away when jou see me coming towards jou, sí?"
"Sí," he whispered as he got to his feet. He gave them one quick glance then escaped quickly through the door and disappeared down the hallway. Up gave Taz a nervous look.
"You don't think he'll tell anyone, do you?" Up asked Taz uncertainly.
"No, cus I will kill him if he does," she said determinedly before standing on her tiptoes and kissing him once more.
"Taz, no, we can't," Up protested, pushing her back down with his hands on her shoulders. "We almost got caught once, this isn't a game-"
"I never said it was a game, Up!" Taz said angrily. Then realisation dawned on her face. "That's what jou think, isn't it?"
"What?" Up asked exasperatedly.
"Jou think, dat I think dat dis is a game, because jou think I'm a little kid!" she shouted angrily.
"Did I say that?" Up said raising an eyebrow. "I don't think you're a kid, Taz, don't be stupid."
"Den why? Why are jou acting like dis? Don' you… don' you like me, Up?" she trailed off into a whisper.
"Hey! Hey, of course I like you," he said, gathering her in his arms and holding her. "You're my favourite cadet and my closest friend, but you know we can't be public about this, Taz! You saw Miller's and Price's reactions! You stopped Howard telling people yourself! And-" he stopped abruptly. Taz looked up at him.
"An' what?" she asked curiously.
"Nothing," he said hurriedly, shaking his head and hugging her a little tighter.
"Tell me," she said. It was not a request, it was an order. He sighed.
"I can't go out onto the battlefield worrying about you, Taz, I can't. I can watch my men get gunned down in front of me. I can watch a Robot rip a cadet in half. But I can't think about you getting injured, Taz. A soldier who is worrying about other people doesn't make it in the G.L.E.E. nowadays, Taz, you know that. I need you to stay safe and you can't do that if you're wondering if I'm alive and I can't do that if I'm thinking about you, do you understand me?"
She sniffed and looked up at him. "So, jou are telling me dat jou want me to stop caring about jou?" she asked quietly. "Cus I won'. And if jou think dat I give a damn about what anybody else says-"
Up let go of her and stepped away, shaking his head.
"I'm sorry, Taz, but this ends here. My priority right now is to eliminate those Robot bastards and I can't get distracted by anything! You're a soldier, you understand, don't you?"
Taz didn't respond immediately. She was looking at the floor and taking deep, shuddering breaths. Up thought she might have been crying, but when she looked up her eyes were quite dry.
"I understand," she said quietly. "I'll see you in training, sir."
She let herself out of the room and disappeared back into the crowds of people in the corridors outside the mess hall before Up had time to realise she had left. He looked around for a flash of scarlet, but finding no sign of her he returned to the table with a terrible feeling in the pit of his stomach.