CHAPTER ONE: HELLO!
Timeline: Pre-Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
Date and Time: May 5, 2067, 1115 hours
Location: Cloudbase
POV: 3rd Person
"I don't know who cooked this, but this is great!" Captain Magenta said around a mouthful of food.
"Don't talk with your mouth full, Pat, it's disgusting." Grumbled the man standing at the coffee machine. "Frankly, I'd rather not throw up my breakfast on my day off…"
"Sorry."
"That's Captain Black, right?" A low voice asked Captain Ochre as he entered the Officers' Lounge.
He turned to face a young woman around the age of twenty-four in a violet color-coded Spectrum uniform standing right behind him. She was gesturing to the man in a white long sleeved shirt and black denim pants beside the coffee machine. Ochre squinted, studying the man's face before he responded. "That's him. Why?"
"Doctor Fawn asked me to deliver a message to him and I wanted to make certain that was him first." She replied.
"Well it is." He replied before starting over to where Magenta was shoving food in his face.
"Danke." She said before walking up behind Captain Black. "Captain Black? I have a message for you."
The black-haired man didn't even turn to face her. "What is it?"
"This." She drew back her booted foot and slammed it into his ass.
He yelped loudly as he jumped in surprise, spilling his coffee. Black spun around to face the violet-clad younger woman who smirked at him as she stepped back. His eyes widened in surprise. It was her!
"Catch me if you can, Old Man!" she taunted before running past a gaping Ochre and Magenta.
Black barely contained a bellow of rage and slammed his almost empty coffee cup down on the counter before taking off in pursuit of the violet-clad woman that kicked him. Violet color-coded boots thudded heavily down the hallway as the young woman dashed through the corridors. She couldn't go full speed just yet – she didn't want to lose him, as that wasn't part of Doctor Fawn's plan. That and running in heeled boots wasn't very good on her feet.
It was when he was coming upon Sickbay did he realize that he had been played. He came to a halt several feet from the entrance and was about to turn and leave when the violet-clad woman stepped out of Sickbay.
"What kept you, Old Man?" she snickered. "Here I was worried I'd have to bring Doctor Fawn to help revive you from a heart attack!"
Black's left eyebrow twitched and his lips thinned in annoyance before he snarled, "Why you little brat! When I get my hands on you, I'll bust your ass so hard, you won't be able to sit down properly for a month!"
Inside Sickbay, behind the younger woman, out of Black's view, Doctor Fawn was stifling his laughter, while Colonel White's alabaster eyebrows shot up to his hairline in amusement.
She faked a yawn and turned her back to him. "Are you all talk or are you actually going to come on over here and try?"
He strode forward and grabbed hold of her shoulder, intent on shaking some sense into her when it happened. White and Fawn saw her eyes narrow and a satisfied smirk cross her face when her hands lashed out and grabbed hold of the larger man's forearm. She promptly rolled her shoulder and turned her upper torso to draw him fully into the judo throw. Black yelped as he suddenly found himself flying over her shoulder and landing hard on his back, the air escaping from his lungs. Black's wide eyes started up at the younger woman.
"I'm a third dan brown belt in judo, Captain Black." She stated with a self-satisfied smirk. Her pale lavender eyes lifted to Doctor Fawn's face. "As promised, one Captain Black to Sickbay, whatever means necessary short of actually killing him. Now where's that weekend pass you promised me?"
Fawn snickered and the Colonel nodded in approval before giving her the pass.
Date and Time: May 8, 2067, 1230 hours
Location: Cloudbase
POV: 3rd Person
Delightful aromas wafted from the galley and into the officers' lounge, catching the nose of the black-haired man in the magenta color-coded Spectrum uniform, causing him to sigh appreciatively.
"That smells even better than those leftovers I heated up the day before yesterday!" Captain Magenta exclaimed with a grin.
"That was rather rude of you – what if the owner of those leftovers was planning to eat them later?" The man sitting across from him chided grumpily from behind his London Times.
"Oh, come on, Conrad, I asked and no one knew who the owner was so I ate it before it spoiled!" The younger man grumbled. "You're still upset about that sweet little filly literally kicking you in the ass to get you to chase her down to Sickbay so Doctor Fawn could treat that ulcer of yours. If you think about it, that was rather funny…"
"You weren't the one on the receiving end – her boots were pointed at the tip." Captain Black said sourly. "And I think they were steel-toed…"
"And here I thought I'd never see the day Conrad Turner would give up and say die." Came the dry voice of their commanding officer from behind Black.
"Hello, Colonel!" Magenta said cheerfully. "Did the delightful smell coming from the galley entice you down from the Control Room?"
"You could say that." The Colonel said as he sat down beside Captain Black.
"Food's on!" called out a cheerful female voice from the galley.
Out of the galley's swinging double doors came a form clad in a white tee-shirt, faded denim Capri pants and white socks and loafers, covered by a white apron which proudly declared in red and orange flames 'Too HOT to handle!' that hugged the frame of a decidedly female form. Magenta's mouth dropped open slightly at sight of the woman walking towards him, carrying a tray of steaming food – it was like something out of his dreams. Long, well-proportioned muscular legs streamed into wide, shapely hips – which seemed to unconsciously sway seductively with each step – and a tiny waist connected to a well-developed upper torso. Thick, dark auburn-brown hair cascaded down her back and swirled around her hips with every step she took. Pale lavender eyes were lit up with good humor as she stopped beside Colonel White. There went that dream! Magenta mentally grumbled.
"One plate of Chicken Cacciatore, a side of broccoli smothered in cheese sauce, as well as fresh spring peas, just as you requested!" she said in a husky soprano as she bent over to place a plate in front of Colonel White. The action gave Magenta a wonderful, if brief, view of her cleavage as her shirt and apron top gaped. "If you're still hungry after all that, I have some brownies cooling in the galley, Colonel White."
Black stiffened and turned in his seat to glare at the woman. "You!"
"How's your ulcer, Captain?" She asked, her full lips curving up into a smirk as she straightened up, the tray still in her hands.
Black's long hands twisted and tore his napkin to shreds before he slammed the palms of his hands down on the tabletop and stood up. The American-raised Englishman towered over the petite frame of the much younger woman and his eyes promised her extreme discomfort. She set her tray down on the table beside the Colonel and placed her slender hands on her shapely hips and glared up at him. Electricity seemed to arc between the two. Colonel White sighed, shaking his head, seeing what those two couldn't – or wouldn't just yet.
"Colonel, this is the one I was telling you about, the one who struck a superior officer." He growled.
"Colonel," she mimicked mockingly, "this is the one Doctor Fawn was telling us about, the one who refused treatment for an ulcer."
"That's enough you two." Colonel White warned. "Doctor Fawn did order Lieutenant Violet to bring you to Sickbay in anyway short of in a body bag, Captain Black – however, neither of us were prepared for her unorthodox methods, which shall prove to be useful in the upcoming future. Both of you are to report to the Control Room in three hours, I recommend you make the best of them. And, Lieutenant Violet, I think I'll take some of those brownies back for Lieutenant Green."
"Of course, sir! I'll fix him up a lunch plate right away." She said cheerfully, picking up the tray she had set down and with a sharp turn on her heel, she headed back to the galley.
The two older men jumped in surprise when Magenta fell from his chair and hit the floor face first from overextending in his chair to stare at the departing Lieutenant's rear. The Irish-American gave them a sheepish grin as he climbed back into his chair. Nothing was going to stop him from looking, especially at a lovely filly like that.
Date and Time: May 8, 2067, 1530 hours
Location: Cloudbase
POV: 3rd Person
The doors of the Control Room slid open, allowing the entrance of a petite woman garbed in a violet color-coded Spectrum uniform. Her dark auburn-brown hair was neatly done back in a bun at the nape of her slender neck and her pale lavender eyes scanned the control room and when they landed upon Lieutenant Green, a smile lifted her full lips.
"I hope you enjoyed that lunch plate, Seymour!" She said as she stopped by his terminal.
"You better believe it! I better be careful so I don't let a word slip about the attractive woman who can cook as well as my dear sisters can, or they'd each tell me to snatch you up if you weren't already taken." Her comrade teased. "The Colonel's still waiting for Captain Black – you are a few minutes early."
"Better too early than too late, as my grandfather told me often before he passed on." Violet said, a look of sadness in her pale lavender eyes.
"He's still with you, just as my parents are with me." Green stated solemnly.
"Amen to that." She said softly as she fingered the silver cross hanging from around her neck.
"Better not let the Colonel see that, he's a stickler for regulations about no visible jewelry and crucifixes do count under that category, unfortunately." He informed her as his hand reached up and gently touched the front of his green color-coded vest.
"S.I.G., Lieutenant Green." She slipped her crucifix under her turtleneck jack and repressed a shiver as the cold metal came to rest between her breasts.
"Better hurry or you'll be late." Green warned and with an appreciative nod, made her way to where Colonel White sat behind his large circular desk.
"Hello, Lieutenant."
"Sir."
Footsteps behind her announced the presence of Captain Black. She had to keep from smirking as he shot her an annoyed glare.
"You asked to see us, Colonel?" Black asked.
"Yes, Captain. I am certain you are aware of the threat to Arch-Bishop Doventry."
"Latest thing in the news, sir, couldn't miss it." Violet stated.
Colonel White gave her a look of approval and continued, "We have discovered the identity of those behind his attempted assassination. They are a mercenary group called Akito, and have targeted the Arch-Bishop and at this time we are attempting to determine the identity of their client."
"So they have no religious reason for going after him?" Black asked.
"So far, none have been found – Akito has members of all religions within their organization." The older man informed them. "The Arch-Bishop has asked for two undercover agents to be provided for his protection, and I have chosen the two of you."
"Sir?" Confusion was evident on Violet's face.
"You, Lieutenant, are one of the best snipers the world has ever seen, and you, Captain, are one of the best field commanders I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Lieutenant Violet is in need of more field experience and you are one of the calmest and most sensible men I know of that won't take advantage of the role you two will play." Colonel White said and they could have sworn his eyes twinkled in amusement.
Both junior officers paled slightly. What had their commander cooked up for them to do?
"You two will be going undercover as a pair of newlyweds that are on vacation and are hoping to have your union blessed by the Arch-Bishop." He informed them.
Violet blushed straight to her hairline and Black chuckled slightly.
"Don't worry, Lieutenant, I'll be certain to restrain myself around you." Black said with a straight face.
"Are you certain we shouldn't pose as father and daughter instead?" She asked acidly as she cut her pale lavender eyes over to the older man.
"While I am several years your elder, Lieutenant, I'm not quite that old!" he replied good-naturedly as he quirked his eyebrows up in amusement.
"I had both Lieutenant Green and Captain Magenta come up with your false identities," the Colonel interrupted as he handed them two portfolios. "You are now Anita and Conrad Ferguson, please do review the material before you arrive in Venice."
"S.I.G., sir!" both officers said in unison.
"Dismissed."
Both Spectrum officers turned and walked out of the conference room, with Lieutenant Violet already opening her portfolio and looking over the information inside.