Rico took his team to the VR rooms. As they suited up the Sim, Phillips called Gossard over.
"I'd really appreciate it if you keep out of my way during these Sims."
"Me? Stay out of your way? You better be the one staying out of *my* way."
A sly smile formed on her lips. "You talk big, but lets just see how big you are after I kick your butt six ways to next Thursday."
"Bring it on."
The two exchanged determine looks before stepping into the VR room. Doc, Goodrich, Higgins and Philip just stood there in stunned silence.
"What's gotten into him?" Doc asked.
Higgins just shrugged. "Who knows."
"C'mon you Apes." Zim started as he walked into the prep room. "The Sim. starts in two minutes."
"Right Sir." Goodrich grumbled as she headed out towards the Sim. room.
When all were there the Sim. started. The room suddenly came alive. Phillips raised her rifle and placed her finger on the trigger. She looked over at Goodrich who motioned for her and Philip to spread out.
Out of the corner of his eye Doc caught site of movement. Turning he clicked the safety off and let off several rounds into the simulated bug.
"That was my kill!" Goodrich shouted.
"First come first serve." He yelled back.
"Less yapping more shooting!" snapped Zim.
Philip used a grenade to get rid of several warriors while Phillips and Goodrich reloaded. All around them the bug carcasses were piling up.
"Incoming!" Zim yelled as a plasma blast came towards them.
The teams quickly jumped out of the way of the blast. Unfazed, they picked themselves off the ground and started shooting again. Rico watched them closely from the control room, memorizing every movement they made. As the Sim. ended they all relaxed.
"That was good guys, but you didn't do what I asked. You didn't even attempt to work as a team." Began Rico. "And we're gonna run these Sim.s until you do."
The Wildcats and Roughnecks let out a collective sigh of discontentment.
Outside Wilson and the rest of the group were running the obstacle course. Solitario stretched out before her run. She looked over her partner and sneered. He was just some hotshot, wet eared pup. Though they were the same age, give or take a few months, she had been fighting since Hydora. He was still new, barely scared by this hell.
"Sol, Brutto, your up!" Wilson called out.
The two came up to the starting line. Each twitched with eagerness and unease. When they heard Wilson yell 'go' they took off.
Solitario had a lead over Brutto as they ran rough the tiers but as soon as they came up to the rope climb, Max quickly closed the gap and pulled slightly ahead. From the rope they lifted themselves onto a platform that stood over a pit filled with mud. Taking hold of a rope they swung across the pit and landed on the opposite side. As soon as their feet touched the ground they ducked under the razor wire and started to crawl, clear of the wire they both put on a last burst of speed towards the finish line. Clark stopped her watch as the both ran over the finish line.
"Brutto, 2 minutes 35 seconds, Sol, 2 minutes 36 seconds." She called out.
Max looked over at Solitario and gave her a very smug smile. Sol simply sneered at him and gave him the bird. The Wildcats chuckled; Wilson sighed and shook his head.
"Pvt. Solitario seems to have a slight attitude problem." T'Phai stated to Dizzy.
She raised an eyebrow. "Slight problem? I think it's a bit more then slight."
Fox let out a low growl to let them know that he was in earshot of their discussion. The two turned around to see him glaring at them. Fox didn't say a word, but his dark eyes seemed to burn a hole right though them. He walked past them, lightly pushing T'Phai aside.
"Hey! What's your problem!?" Dizzy yelled.
"What are you talking about?"
Fox looked over his shoulder at Dizzy; he would rather have her as a partner over that damned skinny any day. But at that moment she was pushing all of his wrong buttons.
"Why did you push T'Phai?" She demanded getting up into his face.
"He was in my way."
"You ever hear of saying excuse me?"
Fox didn't falter answering her question. "I don't talk to Skinnies."
Dizzy had to restrain herself as Fox walked away. She heard T'Phai come up besides her.
"It is okay," he said putting his hand on her shoulder.
"No it's not!" She clenched her fists. "That guy needs some serious sense pounded into him. And I'm just the one to do it!"
"Physical violence will not solve anything in matters like this," he started. "It would make things worse if it was to do anything at all."
"It would make me feel a hell of a lot better. Ugh! I can't believe that guy! You've proven yourself more then a thousand times over."
"But I have not proven myself to him."
"You shouldn't have too."
Before T'Phai could respond Sgt. Clark called for Flores and Clerk to get to the starting line for their run. The two ladies exchanged glances as they came up to the line. As soon as they were off, the others started cheering for them.
Solitario and the rest trotted up to Clerk as soon as the run was done. Clerk had mopped the floor with Flores, beating her by a full 3 seconds.
Fox gave his squad mate a good pat on the back. "I guess you weren't braggin' when you said you were fast."
She smiled at the compliment. "Thanks." Sitting down she let out a heavy sigh. " So, how do you think the others are doing?"
"Better then us I hope," he continued. "They didn't get paired up with the Skinnie."
"I'll trade with you." Solitario said, "I wanna dump the jerk I've got."
"That's enough of that." Clark began. "Everyone's keeping the partner they've got." She looked them over with dissatisfaction. "You know what, since you are all just standing around, lets take a nice little jog."
"Oh C'mon Sarge," Clerk protested, "Give us a little break."
Clark shook her head. "Come on, get up."
With a groan they stated stretching out. Clark looked over at the Roughnecks hearing someone chuckle. "That means you too. You're not getting out of this."
"I can't wait till this is over." Dizzy mumbled.
Clark led them in a brisk pace. By the time they were done, all of them were covered with sweat and were leaning up against one another for support.
"You guys ain't so high and mighty now are ya." Clerk said with smug satisfaction as she looked over at Max, Dizzy, and T'Phai.
Dizzy glanced at her partner. "Just can it. I'm not in the mood to mess with you."
"Why don't you try and make me."
"Please, don't tempt me."
Clerk huffed slightly. "You aren't even worth my trouble."
Something snapped in Dizzy just then. In a matter of seconds she and Clerk were at each other's throat. Each managed to get 2 or 3 good hits on the other before they were separated.
"What the hell is going through your heads!" Wilson yelled as Clark and T'phai held onto the fighting troopers, keeping them a safe distance from one another. "Well!"
Neither of them responded, they just glared at one another. Dizzy felt something warm trickle down her face. She put her hand to her nose and flinched as pain raced through her head. Pulling her hand away she saw her fingertips covered with blood.
"I think my nose is broken," she mumbled.
"Aww, did the Roughneck get a little bloody?" Solitario taunted.
"Pvt. Solitario! That is enough!" Wilson snapped. "T'Phai, please take Pvt. Flores and Clerk to the Clinic and get them cleaned up." He walked over to Solitario and looked her straight in the eyes. "If you ever provoke anyone like that again your butt will be mine! Do you get that?"
"Yes Sir."
He took a deep sigh and calmly turned back to the others. "Show's over people. Pvt. Brutto, go and tell Rico that he'll be able to find us in the mess tent when he's done with the sims.
"Right."
He quickly jogged away happy to be doing something that would get him away from his psycho chick of a partner. Coming up to the VR rooms he heard a commotion. Going inside he saw Doc holding back Phillips, who looked like she was about to choke Gossard.
"What happened?" He asked going over to Higgins.
"Gossard accidentally shot Phillips in the last sim. He says that she stepped into his line of fire while she says that he did it deliberately."
Max just shook his head and listened to them yell at one another while Rico and Zim tried to get everyone to shut up.
"That is it!" Rico screamed. "What the hell has gotten into you?"
There was just silence from everyone. Phillips relaxed and shrugged off Doc's grip. Gossard took a step back but didn't divert his eyes from her.
"All of you are acting like children so I suggest that you grow up!" Suddenly Rico noticed that Max was in the room. "Why are you here?"
"Lt. Wilson wanted me to let you know that you'll be able to find us in the mess tent once your done."
Rico nodded. "Fine, tell him we'll be there shortly."
"What do I look like a gopher?" Max mumbled under his breath as he walked out of the VR room. On the way to the mess tent he caught sight of Solitario, judging by the scowl on her face he figured she had seen him too.
Going into the tent he took a seat on the far side of the tent, across from Dizzy. A piece of tape had been placed over the bridge of her nose and her cheek was slightly swollen.
"I'm gonna make her pay." Dizzy hissed. "If it's the last thing I ever do, I'm gonna make her pay."
"I think you have done enough to one another." T'Phai stated.
"Shut up!" She snapped. "Ugh! T'Phai, I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to-"
He held up his hand. "I understand. I have seen this with my own troops on Tophet." He'd seen it happen many times before. When two different units were forced with one another it would bring out both the positive and the negative aspects of each unit. But if all were dedicated to what they were trying to accomplish then it usually worked out for the best.
As Rico's team came in they separated, each squad keeping to different sides of the tent. Higgins attempted to sit next to his partner, but the glares and scowls from the other squad quickly made him pick up his tray and join the Roughnecks. The Lt.'s knew that they could order their squads to work with one another, but for them to function was a totally different thing. After their meal the teams reversed places. Rico's team would do the obstacle course while Wilson's team took on the VR sims.
To say that it didn't go well would be an understatement. Fox wouldn't listen to T'Phai, Clerk and Flores argued non-stop While Brutto and Solitario ignored one anther completely. Slightly discouraged, the two Lt.'s called it a day.
Higgins and Fox had pulled first watch that night. Higgins gulped slightly as he looked over at the other Trooper. Higgins wanted to start a friendly conversation but he didn't know where to start exactly.
"So," he started "Where are you from?"
"Why do you want to know?"
He shrugged. "Well, we've got a long watch a head of us so I figured we could use the time to get to know one another a little better."
"I really don't want to get to know you." Fox replied dryly.
Higgins gave a sigh and looked back out at the surrounding area. It was a beautiful night. The sun had just set behind the mountains and the stars were just starting to come out, the prime time for an attack.
"Corning, New York."
Higgins froze at the sudden sound. He looked over at Fox who had a smug look on his face.
Fox burst out laughing from the look on Higgins' face. "Well you did ask me where I came from. So now that I've told you, you tell me where you come from?"
"Akron, Ohio." Higgins relaxed. Fox seemed like a pretty good guy, a little rough on the outside but an okay guy.
"So how'd you pull the short straw and get stuck pulling first watch?" Fox inquired.
"Rico wanted to do it. I'm a little surprised that he didn't want T'Phai to do it with you. To keep the partners together."
Fox's face darkened at his words. "I'm glad he didn't."
"Why don't you like him? T'Phai is a really nice guy once you get to know him."
"First off, that skinnie is not a guy and second, I don't care if he's so damn nice he's a candidate for sainthood!"
"But why?"
Fox growled slightly. "You ask a lot of questions."
"I'm a reporter, it's my job."
Fox leaned against the retaining wall. "I don't like Fed Net. Their field reporters get in way too much trouble."
"You don't like a lot of people do you." Higgins commented.
"I've got my reasons." He looked over at Higgins. "But I keep my personal feelings out of my work, so you don't have to worry."
"That's not what I heard."
Fox gave Higgins a cold look. "Do you think you can keep that annoying trap of yours shut for the next 3 hours or am I gonna have to shut if for you?"
Higgins nodded. "Yeah, sure."
Gossard groaned and put his head against the marauder. He was working in the maintenance hanger with Phillips, giving the Marauders a thorough inspection. When they had stated she asked if they could listen to a little music while they worked. Now Gossard was all for that, but what she had put on was a far cry from what he considered music. This was the stuff they played in elevators at retirement homes. In his personal opinion whoever was singing the lyrics to the song were high on something-other then love.
He grimaced as she turned the sound up another notch. That was it! Dropping his wrench Gossard stormed over to the stereo and turned the power off.
Phillips looked p and scowled at him. "I was listening to that."
"How could you? It was putting me to sleep!"
"Look, just because I've got good taste in music doesn't mean you can get your tights in a bunch."
"My *tights* as you put it, are not in a bunch! All I'm saying is that we could try to listen to something else."
She raised an eyebrow. "Okay? What do you think we should listen to?"
"How about a little classic rock and roll, maybe some Jazz? Anything other then what we were just listening to."
"You mean noise."
Gossard's eyebrow started to twitch slightly. He was coming very close to loosing his self-control and lashing out. Taking a deep breath he tried to calm himself.
"You know what, since we can't decide on anything, how about we listen to nothing?"
Phillips shrugged and turned back to the Marauder. "I don't care." She glared at him as he walked back over to his work. "Jackass."
"I heard that."
"Does it look like I care?" She responded.
"Look!" Gossard snapped. "I really don't care for working with you, or the rest of your screwed up squad, but I have to! So I suggest that we both keep quite and do our work."
"Looks like the newly weds are having another fight."
Both Phillips and Gossard looked up to see Zim standing in the entranceway of the hanger. He had a slight smile to his face.
"If we're married then I want a divorce." Phillips muttered under her breath.
"What's up Sarge?" Gossard asked, happy for the distraction.
"I just came by to tell you that we have patrol at 07:00."
The tech nodded his head. "Thanks."
