Call of Duty
Travelling through space can get incredibly boring. There is a limit to how many stars can pass a window before it gets old. As such, the crew of any Starship has to find ways to occupy themselves during particularly long flights. Starship 15AII is no exception.
On the trip back from Bug World the crew was even more bored than usual. You would think that having a new crew member in the form of a large orange bug, the prospect of explaining Space-Claws plot to the G.L.E.E. and the aftermath of the wedding of Tootsie and Megagirl could provide some source of conversation, and for about seventeen time-cycles it did, but by the time they had reached the first refuelling station boredom had set in once more.
At this point I suppose I should explain refuelling stations. These are like a cross between a gas station and a space station. Ships are refuelled and, when necessary, repaired whilst the crew stops off to pick up supplies from the small shop. Things like food and such can be purchased from the smaller ones whereas larger stations can go as far as pillows or, in this case, video games.
Busy with their relevant tasks and glad of something to actually do, it wasn't until the evening that the crew found out about Krayonders solution to their boredom. Gathered, as per usual, in the living area of the ship, Specs, Tootsie, February, Bug and Taz sat watching a truly epic game of chess between February and Bug.
Neither party knew the rules.
Megagirl was watching the ships controls, Up was nowhere to be seen and Krayonder?... Well, Krayonder had crawled behind the view screen a half hour ago and his presence was evident only because of the occasional curse being thrown.
All at once there was a cry from the corner and Krayonder appeared looking slightly singed and with his hair stuck up at weird angles but there was triumph in his expression as he turned the screen on to display an options menu. Specs was the first to voice the most obvious question.
"What is that?"
"Call of Duty! I figured we could use some entertainment." Krayonder whipped out a couple of handsets and grinned around the room.
"Anyone want a game?"
As it was, everyone wanted a game. Specs, ever organised, whipped up a rota on her spectrometer which ended up being ignored as Tootsie and Taz took up the controls.
"Jou're goin' down, idiota."
Now, you would think that the toughest son-of-a-bitch Lieutenant in the Galactic League, hero of the robot war and youngest ranger ever accepted into the Academy would never be beaten at a shooting game by a country pumpkin like Tootsie Megagirl. Well, you'd be wrong. In fact, Taz lost all five of the games she played against Tootsie, her face growing steadily redder as the game went on.
But it was losing to Krayonder that finally made her snap. She let out a scream and hurled her controller at Bug who caught it with ease and set it carefully on the coffee table. As though summoned by the scream Up appeared in the doorway.
"What's all this then?"
He glanced from Taz to the screen and back. He put two and two together as only someone who has known Taz for as long as he had can.
He laughed at her.
Taz stood in the middle of the room, anger and frustration coming off her in waves. If looks could kill then no-one would have left that room alive.