Ch 2

The hangar bays' hatch opened and a group of dropships landed, unloading the troops inside. Joab stepped out of the cramped troop compartment and stretched. Picking up his bags, he followed his squad up to the barracks. They walked by a group of women and Graves whistled. When they looked over, Graves pointed at Joab and held up his hands. Joab waved nervously and slugged Graves in the arm after they were out of sight.

"Hey, just helping you get a girl," Graves said with a grin. "Might as well use that pretty face of yours, eh?"

Joab shook his head and sighed. "Uh huh. Next thing I know, you'll be telling me to bed one. I'm 18 for Gods' sake."

"19 this year, and damn naïve. And c'mon, you ain't a man until you get laid."

Joab rammed his head into the wall and Graves laughed.

Rhea turned to Graves and said, "If you weren't there to scare all the women away, he'd already have a girl."

"HEY!" Graves put on a hurt look and pouted. Rhea laughed and smacked him in the face then kept walking. Joab shook his head. Ringe came up from behind and looked at Joab.

"Is it just me, or do they constantly argue like a married couple?"

Joab laughed. "I thought that was just me."

Ringe raised a brow. "Nope. Definitely not just you."

Joab bumped into Graves when he stopped abruptly.

"What's going on?"

Graves scowled. "Grigorian 183rd. Stupid, damn Grigorians are on the same fucking ship as us. Don't they have their own fucking transports?Stupid stuck up pricks are Goddamn useless on the fucking field and they think they're doing the most in the fucking war. Stupid bastards"

Ringe chuckled. "Give the man a prize. I think he swore more than some people in a sentence than they can in a week."

"Shut up and let me rant."

"Alright," Ringe said, holding up his hands in submission. "Rant on."

"As I was saying, they left an entire planet to die just because they're all 'royals'," and turning to the group of purple and gold clad soldiers, he screamed, "WELCOME TO THE RETRIBUTION, FUCKING TURDS! IF THE FUCKING BALAFITE DON'T WIPE YOU OUT TO THE LAST MAN, I FUCKING WILL!"

Joab and Ringe simultaneously grabbed the demo mans arms and dragged him to the barracks. Graves cursed the entire way there, and the rest of the squad pretending not to know them.

"...DAMMIT!"

"Are you finally out of breath?" Joab asked, wrestling Graves onto the top bunk with Ringe.

"LIKE THE FUCKING HELL I AM! I'LL FUCKING CASTRATE THE MOTHERFUCKING MURDERERS LIKE FUCKING COWS! I'M GONNA-"

"Shut the fuck up!" Ringe exclaimed, dropping back onto his single bunk. "I know most of us dislike the Grigorians, especially you, but holy crap, I've never seen you explode like that."

"I agree. What do you have so much against them anyways?"

Graves looked away and took a deep breath. He closed his eyes.

"The 183rd left my brother to die on Revcan," he said quietly.

The two other occupants in the room froze.

"What?"

"And you didn't tell us?" Ringe said, frowning.

"Wait, wait, wait. Graves has a brother? Why don't I know about this?"

"Had. And you didn't know because you were recruited into our squad on Revcan. I never mentioned him after his death. I never told the squad because I would have broken down."

Ringe nodded slowly, though only Joab was facing him. "I see."

Graves turned over and faced the wall on his bunk. "Anyways, enough depressing talk. I'm done. I'll be sleeping if anyone needs me."

"Alright. Good night, I guess."

Graves grunted and went quiet.

The door hissed as it unlocked and Rhea came in with Troas.

"How is he?" Rhea asked.

"Well, asleep, now. He was pretty pissed before," Ringe answered.

"Ah."

Troas sighed. "I didn't tell him in advance because I was hoping to avoid all contact with the 183rd."

Joab snorted. "That worked well."

"I guess it did, eh?" Rhea said. "We'll see you tomorrow morning."

Joab nodded. "Night."