Buffy kicked off her shoes as Jon carried her into their hotel room. "150 years later and shoes still pinch." He chuckled and let her down to stand on her own feet. "Hey, you shrunk." He frowned then 'oomphed' as she thumped him. "Har har." She said and pulled the crown of flowers from her hair and flung it like a frisbee.
He laughed and pulled her close, "I still can't believe that we're married." His eyes shone with love and Buffy kissed him.
"I don't see how, you made it happen." Buffy pulled back and walked over to the curtains, throwing them back, letting the moonlight flood in.
Turning to Jon she smiled, "Make love to me."
His eyes turned dark amber, "If you really insist Mrs. Archer."
The honeymoon was necessarily short and the next morning found Buffy and Jon at the shipyard, both admiring the Enterprise. There was the hustle and bustle of the weapons refit, supplies being loaded and support personnel scurrying around on various errands. Jon nodded in satisfaction, "Well Mrs. Archer, we are about to go into space as the first married couple."
Buffy remembered the other Enterprise with a grin, "Hopefully not the last."
Jon watched as a pallet of boxes went by, all with MACO emblems on them. He turned to Buffy, "Do me a favor? A squad of 10 space marines is augmenting us, though the Admiral told me to quit calling them that. Malcolm is going to be unhappy. Can you find him and talk to him?"
She looked her husband in the eye, "Is he still in charge?"
Jon looked surprised, "Of course. He has the experience, the new people don't. I haven't even met the new squad leader but plan to later today."
"I'll let Mal know he is still needed. I'll also try to find T'pol and brainwash her into staying."
Jon cupped her face, "I knew that you would make a great Captain's wife. I love you Mrs. Archer."
She turned her face and placed a kiss in his palm, "I think you proved that last night Captain." Her eyes twinkled and she walked off.
Jon watched her go, her lithe body in tight pants, a crop top and the pony tail that made her look like a cheerleader. God he loved her.
Buffy was headed toward the Armory when a voice barked, "Why aren't you in uniform?"
She stopped, turning to face the ferociously frowning man. He was about 6 foot, on the muscular side, (for all of you JAG fans the guy that plays Webb, 'Steven Culp' is going to play this guy), short brown hair, sharp blue eyes and lots of attitude.
"Hi, you must be the MACO Squad leader. I'm Buffy. I don't wear uniforms because I'm a civilian."
"I'm Major Hayes. What exactly do you do on board?" he asked suspiciously, arms crossed, legs spread in a fighter's stance.
Buffy got a mischievous twinkle in her eye, "I teach hand to hand combat, tai chi and pre-tech weapons."
He looked her up and down with a condescending male smile, "Really. Well it just so happens that my squad is going to meet me in the gym. How about you show us what you've got before I have you replaced."
She smiled back sweetly, looking as innocent as a lamb. "Of course Major. Let me get our Armory officer Lt. Reed and we'll meet you there in 10 minutes." With a wave she left him standing smugly in his male superiority and headed to her quarters. As soon as the door shut she pressed the comm. "Buffy to Lt. Reed."
Watching the new armory take shape Malcolm smiled as he heard Buffy's voice. He answered her hail, "Welcome home Buffy."
"Hey you, come to my quarters right away. It's important."
Malcolm was puzzled but replied, "Understood, Reed out."
Buffy changed into her exercise clothes and started to stretch when the chime rang. "Come in."
Malcolm walked in, "What do you need Mrs. Archer."
"Let's not call me that quite yet. A certain MACO named Major Hayes just let me know I am going to be replaced."
"What? Who in the bloody hell does he think he is?" Malcolm railed. It already rankled that the Captain was not confident in his abilities, and to top it off the bloody Major already presumed himself in charge.
Buffy straightened and looked at him seriously, "Jon fought to get the MACO's Mal, he knows we're going to need muscle. You need to look at it this way, Jon knows that you have the experience in space, they have none. You are the expert. You do the math." She was rewarded with a smile.
"Thank you Buffy. Did the Captain send you to talk to me?" He asked.
"Yep, but I also thought you might want to watch me kick the Major's ass. Are you game?"
"Oh, absolutely."
Buffy walked into the gym with a cheeky smile, her ponytail swinging behind her, for all the world looking like a teenager. Malcolm followed, swallowing a smile at the looks the men gave her, interest and incredulity on their faces. There were a few whistles and catcalls as well, causing her to roll her eyes.
Major Hayes swaggered over as the rest of his squad watched. "Hiya Major, this is Lt. Reed our Armory and Security Officer. Mal, this is Major Hayes."
"Sir." Malcolm replied coolly.
"Lieutenant." The Major replied, making sure Malcolm knew he was lower in rank to him. Buffy watched the Major turn, dismissing Malcolm with his body language. 'Oh he was going to pay,' Buffy thought.
"Buffy," he shot her an incredulous look at her name, "states that she is the hand to hand combat instructor." There was outright laughter from the squad but Buffy stayed serene. Malcolm did smile now and walked over to lean against the wall to watch the show.
The Major pulled off his uniform blouse, then took off his boots, his dog tags jingling around his neck. Dog tags were really not necessary anymore with DNA coding but he liked the nostalgic feel of them.
"Gonna get your ass kicked Blondie." And "Too bad this is your last day on board!" were a couple of the catcalls Buffy heard and she smiled.
"Are you ready ma'am?" Major Hayes asked and Malcolm winced. Buffy absolutely hated to be called ma'am.
"Come and get me." She made a bring it on gesture and as he rushed her, she did an aerial over his head, landing behind him to plant a hard kick on his ass and knocking him flat on his face.
Malcolm chuckled in the silence, "At least I received a kiss when she kicked my ass the first time." He said, a smile on his face.
"Now Mal, that's not fair. I like you!" She watched as the Major leapt up, fire in his eye.
"I thought this was hand to hand, not cheerleading." He growled.
"Oooh, I'm so hurt." Buffy placed a dramatic hand on her heart.
The Major went into a martial arts stance and the battle began in earnest. He threw a flurry of punches, which Buffy avoided easily. He then spun kicked her but she caught his heel and flipped him over completely. Now he tried every devious combination that he could think of, punches, jabs, kicks everything, all blocked by Buffy. He was starting to realize he was in over his head when he managed to almost connect a kick to her stomach. She back flipped, spun kicked him knocking him on his back, and was on him in a flash, a knee on his chest and his dog tags wrapped so tight around his neck, twisted in her fingers that it cut off his breath.
"So, Major Hayes." Buffy smiled down at the gasping man, "You're pretty good but you telegraph your moves so I could read you like a book. Don't worry, we can break you of that." she said cheerfully.
He nodded, grudging respect in his eyes. She slowly loosened the dog tags and was amused to find him trying to attempt to flip her off. She stopped that nonsense with a well placed knee to his nuts, making him go pale, not moving a muscle.
"Where did you get your training?" he asked, color moving back into his face as she moved off of his crotch and gave him a hand up.
"Call it natural ability." There was a stifled laugh in the squad which was quelled by the Major's glare.
