Shade felt like he had died and gone to heaven. Sure, the training fields that Holsworth had set up were decent enough, not to mention a few fields and mock up towns in northern Queensland near Shoalwater Bay. But this, this was so much better in his opinion.

The primary weapons range was split into two halves, the first half being static plate targets at varying ranges in and out of cover, from fifty meters all the way to three hundred. That part was pretty stock standard. The second half was like the first, but with moving and rotating targets, all at various speeds and in different directions. There were also a few pop-up civilian targets mixed in as well, which added a layer of complexity. The same range was duplicated and scaled down for use with sidearms and secondary weapons instead.

The sniper course, which didn't greatly interest Shade but still proved impressive in its own right, was a lot narrower but a lot longer to compensate. Much like the primary range, it also had targets in and out of cover, though pushing out to four hundred meters in distance. It would've gone further, he recalled Roach telling him, but the government wasn't keen to grant a kilometer long space to facilitate super-long range engagements.

Lastly, and this was were Shade very nearly squealed like a teenage fangirl, there were the dynamic combat ranges. Set up inside a pair of interlinked warehouses, the range consisted of three different close-quarters environments with a modular room layout system that could be used to set up any kind of internal structure. He could only imagine the different environments he could be facing each time he ran the courses.

"I told you, it's amazing," Roach said, stirring Shade from his wonderment, "I nearly had to change my pants the first time I tried it out."

Shade grimaced at the comment, playfully shoving the Brit aside. "Dude, too much intel… guess we should give the course a try, right?"

"Sounds good, pick a course and I'll run it through the control station." Roach said as he gestured towards the three areas that were set up. One was made up to resemble a single-floor house, whilst the other two were set up as a garage and storage complex respectively. Shade walked over towards the single floor range and Roach quickly climbed the stairwell to man the target controls. "Okay Shadey, rules of engagement are pretty simple: shoot the bad guys, don't shoot the civis. I'll be timing this run and for every target missed, I'm adding five seconds. Every civi hit, I'm adding fifteen."

"Sounds fair," Shade said through his radio headset, his newly configured HK416D with a Aimpoint red dot mounted on the top rail, recommended by Royce a day ago. "Ready when you are!"

Roach watched as Shade kicked the first door down and quickly made short work of the two targets in the first hallway. Moving rapidly, and with a level of speed and focus that Roach had never seen, he quickly cleared the first two rooms on the right of the hallway, before checking the corner to engage a fifth target.

The sound of footsteps momentarily distracted Roach and he turned to see a grimacing Dash enter the control station and take a place beside him. "You feelin' alright?"

"Regretting life, but yeah," Dash groaned, rubbing at her back as she looked over at the screen and watched with an appraising eye.

Roach quirked an eyebrow at her, looking back at the screens to watch Shade clear the fifth room in a surprisingly rapid time. He quickly keyed up the records of previous runs and saw that Shade was a good three seconds ahead of the current leader, Royce. "What exactly did you do?"

"Sprinted about forty meters with ankle weights…" Dash smiled sheepishly then frowned, "Never again. If I try, whack me."

"Gladly," Roach chuckled, "though I've gotta ask: why?"

"Well, I was working on my sprint distance, but after thirty-five Shade dropped back and it would've looked rude to stop just after he did. Like I was only holding it to say I beat him," Dash shrugged and sighed, "I should'a just dropped…."

Roach sighed at this, and watched as Shade prepared to breach the last room, still four seconds in the lead now. "I know that he said some shit that rubbed you the wrong way, but it's not worth hurting yourself to prove a point."

Dash shrugged, "I'm just sore, it's not a big deal. Besides, he seems to have enough against me, not gonna spite him into having more."

"If you say so…" Roach said as the buzzer rang out indicating the last target being dropped, "... wow, is that a new course record?" He asked, nudging Dash's side as he pointed up to an LCD that had all the previous times and Shade's run time beside it.

"Looks like it," Dash nodded, "Not bad at all."

Roach started to chuckle as he saved the time and watched Royce's own time drop down one slot. "Heh, Royce's not gonna be too pleased about that. Took like four attempts for him to get it down that low, and Shade's just wiped off four seconds on his first run."

"Fresh eyes fresh mind," Dash commented, frowning as she watched her own score drop off the top five board, "Queue me up. See if I can't knock Roach down some."

Roach smirked, resetting the range. "Heh, will d-... heeeey!" He exclaimed in fake offense.

Dash smiled and laughed, "Seriously, though, queue me up, I need to try to top my best."

"Good luck! She's all set, ready for you." He stated as he reset the timer and watched Shade exit the range through the cameras.

Shade walked through the front door and closed it behind him with a wide smile on his face. It was probably one of the faster runs he's made on a course like that, and with how the rooms and hallways were set up, it all felt extremely fresh yet also very familiar.

His smile didn't drop even after seeing Dash pass by him as she made her way to start on the course herself. He simply nodded in acknowledgement and then made to climb the stairs into the control station.

"Dude, you made that course your bitch!" Roach exclaimed as he pulled up the records on a side screen, Shade's smile growing even wider. "And on your first go too. I hate to imagine what the bad guys will see when you storm their castle."

"Oh I know," Shade replied smugly, "muzzle flash." The pair of them shared a laugh before Roach turned back towards the control panel and prepared everything for Dash's run. He called through the desk mike into the PA system of that range. "Okay Dash, we're gold when you are."

Dash rolled her shoulders, working out some of the tension there as she got into ready position with her trusty SPAS-12 with it's foregrip and a factory-standard M9 pistol. She set off into the course, pivoting as she checked corners and shot down targets, swapping to her side arm when convenient. She used her superior agility to twist and snap through the rooms, movements precise and calculated. She reached the end shy of Shade's score by three seconds, coming in just over Royce. The result left her pleased, it was a good run, especially considering how sore she was from the run. She trudged up to the control center, intending to congratulate Shade on his excellent run.

Shade waited with a level expression on his face, his mind reeling with the fact that a woman had done almost as well as him on a clearing course, with a shotgun and sidearm of all weapons. Still, he restrained himself as Dash returned with a smile on her own face. "Gotta ask you, why the Spaz?"

Dash shrugged, "I'm admittedly not the best shot," she confessed, "You did great on your run, Shade, especially considering it was a first attempt."

A cocky smirk started to form on his face. "Of course, it's one of the things I excel at. Commandos also fill the nation's domestic counter-terror role, so fighting in someone's house is one of the things we train heavily for," he looked down to his rifle and then glanced to her shotgun, "what are your times like with a rifle? I mean, you get a few more shots, less risk of catching civi's with the shot spray, don't have to transition to a sidearm unless it jams…"

Dash shrugged, "I grew up usin' small bore, but I dunno, just not good with 'em. My times on assault rifles are awful."

"Ever consider a sub-gun perhaps?" Shade said, before realising exactly what he was doing. Was he being helpful? "Smaller size, smaller calibre, less recoil, yet still effective in CQC when compared to a shotty. Probably a fair bit easier to carry and reload, too."

Dash nodded, "I practice on the UMP 45 with a red dot and grip, but my times on it aren't up to par, so I stick with my shotty and get some practice in with it when I can."

"Fair enough… good work out there though…" Shade said, his brow not quite level but not quite frowning either. He left the room with one last glance at Dash, then quickly dropped out of sight as he headed down the stairs. It was a quick stop to the armoury to turn in his gear and weapon, before he made a beeline to the gym to work out a bit of stress that had been building up since the morning.

Walking in, he saw a few heavy bags and contemplated laying into those, but thought better of it and instead pulled a few padded posts from a storage rack and set them up in a random order all around him. Centering himself, he lashed out; striking some of the posts with his hands and palms, and others with his knees and feet. There wasn't any real method or madness to his technique, which is what made it somewhat effective; the defending party or parties didn't know what to expect next.

It didn't take long for him to burn off the excess energy and the built up frustration that he desperately needed to vent. He was practically dead to the world by the time he finished up his 'routine', packed everything up, showered, fed himself and returned to his bunk, passing out fast asleep in a matter of seconds.

After putting away her gear, Dash headed for the barracks and the shower. She stood with her back under the hot spray for a while before turning it off and changing. Dash, refreshed but sore and tired, proceeded to fall face first on her bunk.

Dash was awake bright and early the next morning, only feeling the lingering results of the run of her demise. She dressed, put her hair up, and headed to the Mess Hall for breakfast. Never really hungry in the mornings, Dash settled with some fruit and sat down to chat with the other team members. Dash chuckled as Royce bragged about his score on the course, apparently he hadn't seen the updated board yet. She kept that bit of information to herself, sure that Shade and Roach would want to see his reaction.

A shadow cast over her, "Is this spot taken?" A familiar, but slightly unwelcome, voice asked quietly, "I can sit somewhere else if you want, but I just wanted to talk for a bit."

"Go for it," Dash shrugged without turning around, "Was just talkin' to Royce here about his record score on the course," she smiled and laughed.

Shade chuckled, and sat down beside her, casting a glance at Royce. "Oh, you mean that pissy two minutes and thirty seconds? Amateur hour, if you ask me."

Dash cackled, "Too right. Suzy could run it faster, 'n she's a cow!"

"Oh really," Royce called out, leaning forward towards the pair, "and remind the court what your times are like, Lil' Missy?"

Dash smirked, "Two minutes twenty-nine," she shrugged and looked at Shade, "You wanna tell 'im or should I?"

"Two twenty-six, and change." Shade stated simply, more focused on his bacon and egg burger he had on his tray. "Don't believe us, you can ask Roach. He's our witness."

Dash nodded, crunching her apple, "N let's also remember I was sore as all fuck as well?"

Meat took the perfect opportunity to lean in as he was walking past. "From what, pray tell?" He said in a leering tone, bouncing his eyebrows.

Dash threw the apple core at him, "A forty-meter sprint with ankle weights, ya nasty."

"Just askin', but you know me," he said proudly, standing back upright and unphased by the core, "I'm all about endurance and lasting longer. More fun that way."

"Let us take this moment to remind ourselves that I outrank you Meat, and you're digging yourself a hole," Dash remarked casually.

"Not to mention, mate, but you're more than likely way out of her league," Shade added on, chuckling to himself, "why don't you find someone your own level, you horny bastard."

Dash turned her head and simply looked at him, "Come again?"

Shade raised his hands defensively, leaning back away from her slightly. "I'm just saying, you don't strike me as the type to settle for a bloke him him. I'd give you four or five weeks before you either slit his neck or chopped his balls off to calm him down."

Meat reached for his crotch protectively whilst the other men around started laughing. "Jeez, buddy, feelin' the love and the solidarity between bros here."

Dash turned back and nodded, "Fair enough," she shrugged, "I'd probably murder him within the first week."

"Note to self," Royce started mock-writing on an invisible notepad, "never date Dash."

Dash chuckled, "Damn straight, you couldn't handle this."

"But we can always die tryin'," Meat chimed in, before stepping away with his empty tray.

Dash was relaxing in the rec room after breakfast, before it was time to hit the sparring mats, staring at the tv, but not really paying attention to what was on it. Considering the previous grief she'd been given from Shade, his friendly behavior left her confused on where he stood.

On the range he'd seemed okay with her, he'd looked a little stormy when she first approached, but when she'd congratulated him he treated her like 'one of the guys', like everyone else, rather than as if she were different, like she didn't belong. Dash sighed, now that was a wonderful thought to have. With ridicule came self-doubt and with self-doubt came underperformance. Dash shook the thoughts off as quickly as she could. She had worked hard to get here. She earned her place on the team. She had proven time and time again that she did belong. She sighed. It wasn't enough, it was never enough.

Shade would come around eventually, but until then, it wasn't enough to simply say she'd earned her place, or that she'd proven herself to the rest of them. She still had to prove herself to him. Dash caught herself wondering why she even cared. Her brow furrowed. Because doubting and not trusting your teammates in the field is dangerous, you ninny. She reminded herself. And Shade did not trust her. Not yet. She would prove she could be counted on. She'd done it before, she'd do it again. She would do it time and time again. She was not the weak little girl who would break at the slightest hit that everyone believed she was growing up. No. She was strong and determined and hardworking and loyal. She would not break. She'd prove it.

"Ah, there you are. Been lookin' for you for a while now." A harsh British voice called out from the doorway. Dash looked up to see Ghost leaning against the open door frame, mask on his face like always. "Going around and checking on the squad, your time has come."

Dash chuckled, "Hello to you too LT. I'm good, was just about to head out to the gym."

"Is there ever a day that you're not in there?" Ghost joked as he entered the room and made his way to her, pulling up a nearby stool to sit in front of her. "Any more time and you'll have to register your change of address details."

Dash chuckled, "I got a reputation to keep. And also a form, among other things."

"Understandable," Ghost started, sitting up slightly before his voice dropped into his 'serious' register, "though on the topic of reputations…" He let the sentence hang, giving Dash the opportunity to start before having to force the topic himself.

Dash straightened up a bit, "Now don't you go thinkin' I got a problem with Shade. At least one I need help with," she shrugged, "It's no worse than Rook, at least I know why he doesn't like me this time. He'll come around."

"It took three rounds of armour-piercing ammunition to his lower chest and a near miss from an RPG for Rook to come around, Dash," Ghost stated plainly, shuffling a little closer, "not to mention that he wasn't nearly as vocal or as… what's the word… as much of a dickhead about it."

Dash shrugged, "Won't come to that with Shade… hopefully…. And honestly? I would have prefered the vocal version first, he freaked me out with the avoidance n' all."

Ghost shrugged as well, "We're all human, we all react differently to things that we don't like or don't agree with," his mask shifted a bit as he grinned evilly, "besides, if all else fails, we could just beat it out of him."

Dash chuckled and smirked cockily, "Today is sparring day after all," she agreed, then frowned, "Of course, training and the real thing are different…" she shook her head, "Whatever. I'll kick 'is ass 'n we'll see what he's got to say about it."

Ghost stood up and kicked the stood off to the side. "That's my girl," he said with a chuckle.

"We came and we conquered, they praying to poppa. They claiming they want to, they really don't want to. You ain't maiming a monster so don't bother with offers, till the day that I die, I ain't steppin' aside for one of you…" Shade was subconsciously hitting and striking along with the song that was blasting in his earphones as he moved around the heavy bag with a focus so sharp that he had effectively blocked out his surroundings. He went on as the song played and continued onto the next one, time effectively passing in a blur as he pummelled the bag for all its worth with a mixture of punches, slaps, elbow and knee strikes, and kicks.

It wasn't until an earbud fell out that he returned to the world of the gym, and stepped back from the battered bag to catch a few minutes as a breather.

"I recognise the style," a voice said from behind Shade as he gulped down water from his bottle, "that's the 'hit them until they drop' method, right?"

"Developed by First Commando, and pioneered by Second Commando. You should know that, being a Sassy prick, right mate?" Shade responded, turning to face his fellow Aussie teammate Rook with a small smile.

Rook chuckled and shook his head. "Well, I've seen what you Commandos can do in a tight spot, but I'll take our own hand-to-hand program over your bar brawling any day."

"Pussy," Shade stated simply before taking a seat on the bench to unwrap his hands and assess any possible damage. "Mate, you have no idea how good it is to be with another Aussie. How haven't you not gone bloody berko yet?"

"The way you say that makes it sound like we're the only two on base," Rook sighed, shaking his head once more, "but that's far from the truth. There's a few guys from the Regiment scattered around, a couple of JTACs from Four Squadron as well, and I think there's also a Clearance Diver around here somewhere."

"Fuckin' anchor wankers," Shade muttered.

"Not to mention," Rook continued, unfazed by Shade's remark, "there's also a number of Aussie staff from all three branches in support or logistics roles. This place is truly multinational, not just us gunfighters."

Shade hummed in agreement, then frowned as he watched a certain someone enter the gym. Rook saw this change in expression and looked over to where Shade was, and groaned audibly when he realised who it was. "Oh come on, seriously?"

"What?" Shade started, jumping to the defensive as he sat up and frowned at Rook instead. "What is it?"

"You can't still be hung up over that bloody nonsense!" Rook crossed his arms after pushing Shade aside a little.

"Mate, you of all fucking people should know why I feel the way I feel."

"I do, but that's no bloody excuse to act like a tool about it," Rook said, standing up with Shade and getting almost in his face, "which you're completely mastering if I may say so myself."

Shade shoved Rook away slightly, generating a bit of distance lest he swing out or do something he might regret later. "Oh yeah? Tell me, did you not have the same concerns about it when you came here?"

"No shit! But I wasn't a fucking whiney little bitch about it like you are!"

"Oh please, do tell me, what's the light like down there? 'Cause it seems like the sun shines out of her ass the way you're defending her!" The two Aussies hadn't noticed that their shouting match had seized the attention of mostly everyone else in the gym. Rook paused for a moment, letting Shade's last comment sink in.

"Because I owe her my fucking life, that's why!" Rook all but screamed at him, his arms outstretched to further exclaim his point. "About a year and a half ago, we were on an op and I got nailed by a burst of belt fed gunfire. Rounds penetrated below my carrier and I dropped like a ton of bessa bricks. She carried, carried, me and all my gear back, all whilst dodging gunfire and the occasional RPG. Hell, a rocket impacted the building beside me when she started trying to pick me up!" Rook was panting at this point, but was far from finished. "Nobody else tried to get me as they were suppressed. But she fucking risked it all," Rook sat back down, visibly exhausted from the argument, "risked her fucking life and saved mine. If that isn't bloody proof enough for you, go speak to one of the medics or docs who patched me up. They'll tell you that if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be here today…"

Dash shoved through the crowd gathered around the two Australians, "You know you don't have to defend me," she offered simply, "I've proved myself before, I'll do it again. Hopefully without the near death experience?" she gave Shade a pleading look.

Shade glanced between the two, then fixed Rook with a level stare. "Yeah, let her fight her own battles mate, if she's the big girl she claims to be."

"Oh you say what you want about me," Dash practically growled, "but you leave the rest of 'em outta this petty shit you got goin' on, mate," she mocked, "You got no business goin' after them."

Shade quirked an eyebrow at her, and then bent down to pick up his strapping and started slowly re-wrapping his hands. "Y'know, I'm of the sort that believes that actions speak louder than words," he stepped through the crowd and towards one of the sparring rings, "and I'll let you know; whilst I don't generally hit women, as it's a dog thing to do back home… I'll make an exception in your case."

"What a coincidence, I just so happen to be a woman of action…" Dash grabbed the wrap from her bags and wrapped her knuckles closely, "That a promise, Shadey?" She asked, batting her eyelashes for the extra effect, she hopped the rope into the ring, "Bring it on Greenie…"

Shade simply laughed it off and cracked his neck, getting into his own 'stance' across from her. "To quote a classic, 'as you wish'."

Dash frowned at him and took her defensive stance, watching him carefully.

Shade gestured her forward. "Ladies first, I'm still a gentleman after all."

Off to the side, Meat, Royce, Rook and Ghost, who had entered the gym as the two fighters climbed into the ring, exchanged looks and a handful of dollar bills. "This gon' be good," Royce stated quietly, trying not to chuckle.

Authors' Notes:

(Shade)

Whelp! And here's the flashpoint we all knew was coming sooner or later. Place your bets people! And as you can plainly see, us Aussies are real stubborn pricks at times. I am loving this collab more and more with every word, every paragraph, every line of dialogue, and every chapter we finish. (And the fact that Spitty is a night owl and has complete disregard for timezone differences is a plus, I think… pst, Spitfire, go to sleep, it's like 6am for you as we type this AN, and we've been at this for three hours!)

(Spitfire)

We are grinding through these chapters like nothing else. Number one way to get Dash to hold a grudge, go after her friends. Rip Shade lol. Let us know who you think is gonna win the fight? I am enjoying the hell outta this collab. (Night Owl Extraordinaire at your service. Sleep be for the week. Lol, but seriously, I'm gonna die tomorrow if I don't sleep, byeeee)

Thanks for Reading, Fly High Aim Higher

~Spitfire out