It was a rare, peaceful moment when the cadets were granted an afternoon off. Taz sat under her favourite tree in the quad, reading a book of Mexican folk tales. It was an old book, tattered and well-thumbed, but it had been a gift from Up upon his return from one of his frequent short-haul missions to the South, where the robot invasions were growing worse. It had been her sixteenth birthday, the anniversary of the day they'd met, the day she'd lost everything. Taz traced the familiar words with her finger. She'd managed to wait until Up had left to cry. Her mama had told her these stories each night since she was a little girl - it was a beautiful gift.
"Hey lookie here, guys, it's Tazia."
Taz didn't have to look up to know that Pedro and his gang of second-year zoquetes, as she called them, were lumbering in her direction. "Ahora no," she muttered into the pages of her book.
"Whatcha readin', Taz?" The way he said her name, in a drawn-out singing tone, made her want to throw up. "Anything good?"
One of Pedro's matones snatched the book from her hands. "Hey," she said sharply.
"Now now, my hermana mexicana," Pedro said. "We're only looking."
The thug dangled her book precariously by the binding. "Give it back," she said.
"Whatcha gonna do about it, Taz? Aren't you on probation already for fighting in the quad?"
She was, and it was the only reason she hadn't already smashed his smug face in. "You mean for that time last week I beat you so bad you ran crying for your mama? Awfully brave now that you know I can't do it again, aren't you?"
One of the thugs covered up a laugh with a cough and Pedro sent him a deadly glare.
"You wish, niña pequeña," he said. "You're so little you can't even reach high enough-"
He stopped mid-sentence, and a look of apprehension crossed his face. Taz frowned in confusion, and then let out a yelp of surprise as she felt herself being lifted off her feet and plopped unceremoniously onto Up's shoulders.
"Is this high enough for you?" he drawled.
Pedro and his crew turned tail and ran. Taz chortled in delight and hung on for dear life as Up gave chase and most of the quad turned to watch. They yelled together, a wordless battle cry, as their prey headed straight for the Academy dumpsters.
-oOo-
Up's combat boots felt heavier than usual as he left the Admiral's office that night, the mirth of the day's events a distant memory now. He wasn't heading in any particular direction, but soon found himself in the gym. It was nearly deserted at this time of night, except for Taz, of course. She stood with her back to him and one of the practice ceremonial rifles in her hands. She was muttering to herself as she alternately spun, tapped, and clumsily shouldered it. As he approached, the rifle fell with a clatter to the floor.
"You've got to find your rhythm," Up said, and she jumped.
"This is the cosa más estúpida I have ever had to do," she said, picking up the rifle. "It's completely useless for combat – when I meet a robot, I'm not going to stop to twirl my gun, I'm going to shoot the bastardo."
Up laughed. "You're absolutely right, but when we're not at war, pomp and circumstance is what being in the military is all about." He took the rifle from her and demonstrated a neat change. "Has young Pedro recovered his pride from the garbage pile yet?"
She smiled broadly. "A quién le importa? Who cares?" He handed the rifle back to her and she gave it a half-hearted turn.
"Think of it-" Up paused. "Think of it like dancing. You've got to feel the beat."
"I don't dance," Taz said quickly.
"Is that right?" he said, taking the rifle back.
"Yes, that's right. You've never mentioned your previous career as a bailarina, yourself."
"Okay, fine, I don't know the first thing about dancing," Up admitted. "But come on, didn't you ever learn as a kid? Isn't a girl supposed to know how so she can dance with all the boys at her quinceañera?"
He wished he had the words back as soon as they left his mouth. A dark look clouded her eyes. "Si," she said, after a moment. "My mama tried to teach me, but I hated it. I was podrido."
"Show me," he said, setting down the rifle.
She eyed him warily, then held out her hands. He took them in his own. They were tiny, and cold, but strong.
"The basic salsa step begins like this," she said, and her eyes were focused over his shoulder at something far away in time. "I step back, you step forward. No, no, el otro pie, the other foot."
He tried to follow her instructions, but the truth was he'd always been rubbish at dancing. He was suddenly glad they were alone, and fervently hoped that no one else was planning a late-night workout tonight.
"Uno, dos, tres- no, la izquierda! Left!" Taz dropped his hands in exasperation. "You're useless!"
"At least I'm making you look good," he offered. Punching him lightly in the stomach, she took his hands again. "Okay, left, right, left – no, move back. Try again."
Up tried, but somehow managed to misstep so spectacularly that his legs entangled in hers and they both toppled to the mat. For a moment, Taz looked annoyed, but then she started to giggle. It was such a funny, girlish sound coming from her than he laughed too, and soon it became hard to stop. Both of them lay on the floor, gasping for air and clutching at their sides.
Taz finally pushed herself up, still taking deep, shuddering breaths. "That – is the last time – I try to teach you anything, Lieutenant Up!"
Reality, and the reason he'd subconsciously come looking for her tonight, came crashing back to him. He got to his feet, slowly. "It's Lieutenant-Commander Up now."
Something in his voice must have caused her to turn to him with such a searching look. "You got a promotion?"
"I got a new assignment," he said.
"You get new assignments every other week," she said.
"This one – this one's different, Taz." He swallowed. "It's a recon mission, into deep space. This is top secret, so don't go spreading it around, but they think they've found the location of the robot's base star."
Her eyes widened. The G.L.E.E. had been looking for the heart of the robot's rebellion for years, since they'd picked it up and moved it out of their own solar system. "They've found it?"
"Based on new intelligence, they think so. But it's far, Taz, farther than any of us expected."
She digested that. "How long?"
"A few years for a return trip, at least." He didn't mention the distinct possibility that it might not be a return trip.
He watched her slump, and remembered why he pushed people away, kept them at arm's length. It was so he didn't have to do this part. He sat next to her against the sweaty gym wall.
"Why does it have to be you?"
He wasn't expecting that question. He'd never asked it himself. "Well - I have recon experience. And they like to keep the family men close to home. Soldiers like me – well, I haven't got a wife, or kids, or family to speak of. There aren't too many people here to miss me."
"I will," she said, but just barely. They didn't speak for a long time.
-oOo-
The night before Up was due to leave, Taz knocked on his door. It was past lights out.
"You're not supposed to be here," he said, but he stood back to let her in anyway.
It was the first time she'd been there. The single room was sparse by most standards but downright luxurious compared to the bunk of questionable odours she shared with her eleven classmates. Up's bed was fully made and a duffel bag containing all his worldly possessions was propped at the end of it. The vid-screen was on, and paused on Jackie Chan's face.
Up sat back down on the bed and patted the spot beside him. "Karate Kid?"
"Always," she said.
They finished the movie, and then she read him some of the folk tales from her book. He didn't know much Spanish but insisted that he liked to listen to her read anyway. After a while, her eyes grew droopy, and she struggled to keep them open. Tonight, of all nights, surely she could stay awake! The words on the page started to swim together, and she felt herself saying things she hadn't meant to say.
"I wish you didn't have to go, Up," she said, her head falling toward his shoulder. "You're all I've got."
Through the dimness of near-dreams she felt him take the book out of her hands, put his arm around her, and draw her closer. "Same here, Taz."
She felt the gentle pressure of his head resting on top of her own, and felt herself give in to sleep. Here, with him, she would always be safe.
-oOo-
He'd meant to leave her sleeping there, curled and somehow smaller than ever, when he hoisted his duffle onto his shoulder and turned to make the long walk to the docking station where the Starship Eagle waited for him. But as he turned back, just for one more look, she stirred and opened her eyes.
Confusion, then comprehension. She sat up. "It's time," she said, and her voice wobbled a little.
Up nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Instead, he crossed the room in two swift strides and cupped her sleep-creased cheek with his hand, pressing his lips to the top of her head. She closed her eyes.
"I'll be back," he whispered, and she nodded. He would do everything in his power to make it true.
