DIZZY
''Don't play with fire or you're going to get burnt', isn't that what people always say?' I mentally chastised myself. 'That was stupid Flores. We're on a mission, we've got a baby with us, we've got serious problems and we can't get off of the island or communicate with the other squads that are supposed to be around here somewhere and you manage to do something stupid! Of course! Damn Rico.'
I felt so ridiculously helpless. Sure, Doc and Gossard were checking out the ship, but I could already tell you what they were going to find. I almost hopped they would find a trace of the bugs, at least then all this wouldn't feel so eerie, like a horrific nightmare that just keeps coming.
"Aww, look at you," Sandrine crooned. She couldn't possibly be talking to Eddie.? "The big strong Lieutenant with the baby."
I cocked an eyebrow, well at least the made more sense. The next thing I knew she was going to be fainting and fanning herself with an elaborate fan, that she would just magically produce from her back pocket, and be saying things like 'fiddle-dee-dee'. Well, why not beat her to it? I needed something to do, after all, and what better way to make yourself feel better after doing something stupid than to humiliate yourself more?
"Eeek!" I cried meekly, albeit not very loudly. I put on my best southern- belle accent. "Is that a-a creature?!? Oh, my, I-I feel feint." With the back of my hand to my head in true drama queen fashion I toppled over backwards into Zim, who, somehow only seeming vaguely surprised, managed to catch me nicely.
I fluttered my eyes open again, almost immediately, to the sound of good- humored clapping and a few chuckles. Continuing my mockery I 'allowed' myself to be lead to a rock just beside us and sat down promptly. Grabbing a nearby, evergreen branch from the ground I swept it by my face in a dramatic fanning motion.
"Well, fiddle-dee-dee! That ain't no creature," I looked pointedly across my 'fan' at Sandrine for a brief moment, meeting her menacing look squarely. "I do declare I must have imagined it."
More applause.
Grinning I took the appropriate bows.
Well if this isn't the most bizarre drop I ever have or ever will be on then I don't want to know what's to come in this war.
HIGGINS
I grinned and shook my head as I finished clapping and Dizzy took her seat again. That had been interesting, to say the least, although from my quick glance at Sandrine I could see it definitely hadn't missed it's mark.
Rico was trying to stifle a laugh so as not to shake Eddie and get a little distance between him and Sandrine at the same time. Meanwhile he only looked slightly less uncomfortable and scared of the tiny thing he still held in his arms.
Poor Rico, he was stuck between more than a rock and a hard place. He currently resided between a wall, a rock, a hard place, an ocean of water and a baby. Just which of his many present problems were symbolized by what I still wasn't sure, but they all fit in there.
"Roughnecks?"
I spun around in surprise, my muscles tense in anticipation. I was positive that hadn't been anyone in our squad.
Slowly, cautiously almost, troopers began to file out of the woods.
"Lieutenant Possick, Predators." The woman in the lead said calmly. "We saw your retrieval ship go down."
I glanced back at the LT, baby still in hands. 'Oh, great, this isn't awkward at all!'
"Lieutenant Rico," he said with as much dignity as possible. "We're glad to see you."
''Don't play with fire or you're going to get burnt', isn't that what people always say?' I mentally chastised myself. 'That was stupid Flores. We're on a mission, we've got a baby with us, we've got serious problems and we can't get off of the island or communicate with the other squads that are supposed to be around here somewhere and you manage to do something stupid! Of course! Damn Rico.'
I felt so ridiculously helpless. Sure, Doc and Gossard were checking out the ship, but I could already tell you what they were going to find. I almost hopped they would find a trace of the bugs, at least then all this wouldn't feel so eerie, like a horrific nightmare that just keeps coming.
"Aww, look at you," Sandrine crooned. She couldn't possibly be talking to Eddie.? "The big strong Lieutenant with the baby."
I cocked an eyebrow, well at least the made more sense. The next thing I knew she was going to be fainting and fanning herself with an elaborate fan, that she would just magically produce from her back pocket, and be saying things like 'fiddle-dee-dee'. Well, why not beat her to it? I needed something to do, after all, and what better way to make yourself feel better after doing something stupid than to humiliate yourself more?
"Eeek!" I cried meekly, albeit not very loudly. I put on my best southern- belle accent. "Is that a-a creature?!? Oh, my, I-I feel feint." With the back of my hand to my head in true drama queen fashion I toppled over backwards into Zim, who, somehow only seeming vaguely surprised, managed to catch me nicely.
I fluttered my eyes open again, almost immediately, to the sound of good- humored clapping and a few chuckles. Continuing my mockery I 'allowed' myself to be lead to a rock just beside us and sat down promptly. Grabbing a nearby, evergreen branch from the ground I swept it by my face in a dramatic fanning motion.
"Well, fiddle-dee-dee! That ain't no creature," I looked pointedly across my 'fan' at Sandrine for a brief moment, meeting her menacing look squarely. "I do declare I must have imagined it."
More applause.
Grinning I took the appropriate bows.
Well if this isn't the most bizarre drop I ever have or ever will be on then I don't want to know what's to come in this war.
HIGGINS
I grinned and shook my head as I finished clapping and Dizzy took her seat again. That had been interesting, to say the least, although from my quick glance at Sandrine I could see it definitely hadn't missed it's mark.
Rico was trying to stifle a laugh so as not to shake Eddie and get a little distance between him and Sandrine at the same time. Meanwhile he only looked slightly less uncomfortable and scared of the tiny thing he still held in his arms.
Poor Rico, he was stuck between more than a rock and a hard place. He currently resided between a wall, a rock, a hard place, an ocean of water and a baby. Just which of his many present problems were symbolized by what I still wasn't sure, but they all fit in there.
"Roughnecks?"
I spun around in surprise, my muscles tense in anticipation. I was positive that hadn't been anyone in our squad.
Slowly, cautiously almost, troopers began to file out of the woods.
"Lieutenant Possick, Predators." The woman in the lead said calmly. "We saw your retrieval ship go down."
I glanced back at the LT, baby still in hands. 'Oh, great, this isn't awkward at all!'
"Lieutenant Rico," he said with as much dignity as possible. "We're glad to see you."