HIGGINS:
"Hey, Higgins," Rico said quietly so that only somebody right next to us could really overhear. "I'm really sorry, but FedNet had to give your report to someone else who'd be around here, but you're supposed to cover some of what goes on down on the Islands. Just, don't let your camera and gun get mixed up, alright?"
"Yeah, no problem LT," I nodded. "Thanks Rico." I don't know if I was more relieved or upset. There went my big opportunity, but then again I was getting really stressed over it so this was probably better, right?
"You OK?" Dizzy asked me as Rico stood and left to catch up on any last minutes of rest he could get.
"Yeah," I nodded, not wondering how she knew. "It's just kinda annoying, you know? Like you study for a week for some stupid test and your teacher suddenly says 'don't worry about it'. It's good 'cause you don't have to do it and risk failing, but you wasted an entire week stressing and worrying over it and you don't get the opportunity for the 'A'."
"Yeah, I know," she patted my back comfortingly. "But don't worry, you'll get other opportunities."
I smiled up at her and she stood to leave. However before she could go I said, "Diz?"
"Yeah, Bobby?"
"Does this whole thing sound really vague to you or am I just paranoid?" I asked.
She grinned, "A little bit of column 'A', a little but of column 'B'."
I rolled my eyes, "oh gee, thanks, I feel way better now."
"Anytime," she replied, turning once again to leave.
DIZZY:
"How much time do we have?" I asked the room.
"15 minutes," Rico replied from where he lay in his bunk, eyes closed.
Grinning I moved over to his bunk, which happened to be on the top, and rested my chin on its edge. "Man, Rico, I think Lieutenants must have built in timers."
He opened his eyes and propped himself up so that he was facing me. "Yeah? Well, what can I say?"
I shrugged. "How does it feel? You know, to have the stripes and all?" I asked, glancing at them. I couldn't say I wasn't a bit jealous, but I had to admit Rico was cut from the same cloth as Razak and I really couldn't think of anyone who could do a better job. . .that is, when he can get his act together.
"Like a huge responsibility," he replied. "One I shouldn't have, but since I do," he shrugged.
"Oh come on Rico, it can't be all that bad."
Rolling his eyes he changed the subject. "Diz how are you not totally exhausted and ready to kill me for getting us stuck with this mission?"
"It's not YOUR fault," I replied quickly. "If anything we'll probably go after Intel."
He grinned. "And I'll do my job and try to stop you," he said insincerely.
I grinned back, "of COURSE."
Closing his eyes he groaned as he began to climb out of his bed, "we gotta get - OW!"
"OW!" I stumbled backwards rubbing my forehead. "For something so hollow your head's as hard as a rock!" For a second I forgot who he was now and exclaimed loud enough for everyone to hear.
As Rico was getting up he'd slipped and lost his ballence, tipping forward just enough to crack foreheads with me.
"Yours isn't exactly soft either," he fired back, equally forgetful. "Despite what people may think!"
The whole room erupted into laughter as they realized what had happened. Rico and I looked from one another to the rest of the squad in surprise.
Oops!
RICO:
Oops!
Oh, yeah, that was real smooth. I couldn't help but grin sheepishly at her and everybody else as I climbed down from my bunk.
"Eh-hem," I cleared my throat. "Troopers, lets move."
The laughter stopped and everybody was up on their feet in seconds, rushing out the doorway and down the hall towards the equipment and change rooms.
"You OK?" I hissed to Dizzy as I caught up with her.
"Yeah, you?" she asked.
"Somehow I think I'll survive," I said.
"Thank God, I was worried," she replied sarcastically with a playful nudge.
I grinned, "Good to know."
"Hey, Higgins," Rico said quietly so that only somebody right next to us could really overhear. "I'm really sorry, but FedNet had to give your report to someone else who'd be around here, but you're supposed to cover some of what goes on down on the Islands. Just, don't let your camera and gun get mixed up, alright?"
"Yeah, no problem LT," I nodded. "Thanks Rico." I don't know if I was more relieved or upset. There went my big opportunity, but then again I was getting really stressed over it so this was probably better, right?
"You OK?" Dizzy asked me as Rico stood and left to catch up on any last minutes of rest he could get.
"Yeah," I nodded, not wondering how she knew. "It's just kinda annoying, you know? Like you study for a week for some stupid test and your teacher suddenly says 'don't worry about it'. It's good 'cause you don't have to do it and risk failing, but you wasted an entire week stressing and worrying over it and you don't get the opportunity for the 'A'."
"Yeah, I know," she patted my back comfortingly. "But don't worry, you'll get other opportunities."
I smiled up at her and she stood to leave. However before she could go I said, "Diz?"
"Yeah, Bobby?"
"Does this whole thing sound really vague to you or am I just paranoid?" I asked.
She grinned, "A little bit of column 'A', a little but of column 'B'."
I rolled my eyes, "oh gee, thanks, I feel way better now."
"Anytime," she replied, turning once again to leave.
DIZZY:
"How much time do we have?" I asked the room.
"15 minutes," Rico replied from where he lay in his bunk, eyes closed.
Grinning I moved over to his bunk, which happened to be on the top, and rested my chin on its edge. "Man, Rico, I think Lieutenants must have built in timers."
He opened his eyes and propped himself up so that he was facing me. "Yeah? Well, what can I say?"
I shrugged. "How does it feel? You know, to have the stripes and all?" I asked, glancing at them. I couldn't say I wasn't a bit jealous, but I had to admit Rico was cut from the same cloth as Razak and I really couldn't think of anyone who could do a better job. . .that is, when he can get his act together.
"Like a huge responsibility," he replied. "One I shouldn't have, but since I do," he shrugged.
"Oh come on Rico, it can't be all that bad."
Rolling his eyes he changed the subject. "Diz how are you not totally exhausted and ready to kill me for getting us stuck with this mission?"
"It's not YOUR fault," I replied quickly. "If anything we'll probably go after Intel."
He grinned. "And I'll do my job and try to stop you," he said insincerely.
I grinned back, "of COURSE."
Closing his eyes he groaned as he began to climb out of his bed, "we gotta get - OW!"
"OW!" I stumbled backwards rubbing my forehead. "For something so hollow your head's as hard as a rock!" For a second I forgot who he was now and exclaimed loud enough for everyone to hear.
As Rico was getting up he'd slipped and lost his ballence, tipping forward just enough to crack foreheads with me.
"Yours isn't exactly soft either," he fired back, equally forgetful. "Despite what people may think!"
The whole room erupted into laughter as they realized what had happened. Rico and I looked from one another to the rest of the squad in surprise.
Oops!
RICO:
Oops!
Oh, yeah, that was real smooth. I couldn't help but grin sheepishly at her and everybody else as I climbed down from my bunk.
"Eh-hem," I cleared my throat. "Troopers, lets move."
The laughter stopped and everybody was up on their feet in seconds, rushing out the doorway and down the hall towards the equipment and change rooms.
"You OK?" I hissed to Dizzy as I caught up with her.
"Yeah, you?" she asked.
"Somehow I think I'll survive," I said.
"Thank God, I was worried," she replied sarcastically with a playful nudge.
I grinned, "Good to know."