Reliving Manticore

Disclaimer-I don't own anything that can be found on Dark Angel. The only things I own are some of the transgenics and the parts of the storyline that I make up. So don't sue!

Summary-Max was captured at the end of season 1 but in my story she wasn't shot in the heart and Zack didn't shoot himself, but he was captured as well. And Max never escaped or burned Manticore down. So basically this story is about Max being back at Manticore with missions, transgenics and all. M/L at first but it will become M/A.

Chapter Four-Arguing, Sparring, Just Gettin' to Know Each Other

"Alright Unit 6," Trainer Anderson barked at the transgenics. "Today we're going to be doing basic sparring. When I call your designations, step onto the mat and get ready to spar. Your Unit has an uneven amount of members so one of you will be going twice. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir!" All nine transgenics shouted.

Trainer Anderson lifted a clipboard to his face and read out, "X5-511 and X5-567!"

511 and 567 stepped onto the mat. "Do you want me to hold back, 567?" 511 asked smugly. 567 glared at him. She dropped into a fighting stance, as did 511.

"No, thanks 511," 567 replied coldly as she threw a punch and followed with a swift roundhouse kick. "If you hold back," Kick, kick, block, punch, block. "Then I won't have the ability to say that I kicked your ass fairly." Block, block, punch, kick, punch. "They'd just say that I gained up on you."

"Okay," 511 said, slightly out of breath. "Then I won't." He blurred a little as he began his own series of attacks. 567 blocked some but soon was thrown backward by a surprising left hook.

Trainer Anderson blew his whistle before 567 could get back up and attack. 511 smirked widely but still offered his hand to her. She glared at him but took it anyways.

"Alright, next up is X5-494 and X5-452," Trainer Anderson read off his clipboard.

Max groaned inwardly but stepped onto the mat. The other transgenics watched eagerly. Seemingly wanting to see the 09er get the crap beat out of her. I'll show them, Max thought angrily.

Alec was glad to spar with Max. Maybe I can get her back for sending me to Psy-Ops. I know she said I don't know anything about pain but I can still be pissed off right?, he thought happily. He smirked as he saw Max grimace.

"Let the fun begin," he said to her. Both went into their fighting stance.

"Bring it on," Max replied. Alec consented to her request and blurred as he attacked her. He was surprised when she blocked every move he threw at her. Neither one got the upper hand. Even though Max blurred as well.

The other transgenics watched in awe as their CO fought the 09er.

"Wow," 522 whispered quietly. 654 nodded his agreement.

"She's kicking his ass," 633 said amused. "Compared to anyone else who tries to fight him, at least."

"He'll get her back," 511 replied stubbornly.

"I doubt that," 543 and 654 replied in unison. But Alec was finally able to land some of his moves on his target. Max seemed unfazed, though.

"Gotta hand it to her, she's a great fighter," 567 said surprised.

"She seems to fight a little differently, though," 499 commented as Max landed a series of punches on Alec's chest and then tried to drop him with a swift kick aimed at his ankles. He easily jumped over her legs.

Trainer Anderson blew his whistle. He had let them spar longer than the other two because he was amazed that an 09er was fighting equally with a CO.

"Excellent job X5-452 and X5-494," he told them. Max nodded her thanks and then turned to see what Alec thought of their sparring, a smug look on her face. He narrowed his eyes and turned to walk off the mat. Max smirked.

"What's the matter, Alec? Can't convince your ego that a girl kicked your ass?" she said quietly so the others wouldn't hear.

He stiffened and whispered over his shoulder, "Don't think so, Maxie. You didn't technically kick my ass. I'm sure it was a real pleasure for you though. My ass is pretty fine and you couldn't help but try to ruin it. Out of jealousy of course. Can't have a boy being prettier than the queen. No ma'am." Max cocked an eyebrow. Amused.

"Is that what you think the reason for me almost kicking your ass is?" she asked, half laughing. Alec shrugged and smirked. "Sorry to disappoint, pretty boy, but I just had to get my yah-yahs some way. And I figured what better way than raining on your ego?"

Alec just shook his head sadly. "Keyword. 'Almost'. But please, Max, the first step to a relaxing life is to admit what you would rather not. Don't be in denial, Maxie. It'll hurt you later," he said seriously and wiggled a finger at her. "And did you just call me pretty?"

Max couldn't the stop the smile from spreading across her face. He looked slightly surprised at her reaction. She didn't want to disappoint what he had originally thought she would do so she gave him a swift punch to the shoulder and stepped back outside the mat as 522 and 654 began to spar.

Alec rubbed his soon-to-be-bruised shoulder. I didn't expect her to smile. I guess there more sides to her than just 'bitchy', he thought.

If he had been more aware, he would have noticed that 511 was studying him intently. He had heard what 452 and 494 had called each other. And he was confused. Why would he have a name? What had that 09er told him? It's not like they're on a mission. He doesn't need a name. We aren't supposed to have them. What's going on? He pondered.

After each transgenic had sparred, Unit 6 headed over to another part of the Manticore training field. They were ordered to run 5 laps around the field and follow up with push ups and crunches. When they were finished, they could go back to their cells.

Max went off on her own while the others paired off. She was the first one done, not having someone to talk to. 522 and 567 were next. Max didn't acknowledge them as they walked back to their cell. She knew that they would be sharing a cell, along with the other females in Unit 6, but she figured that if they were going to be civil to each other, then they should be the ones to make the first move. Which they did.

"Hey 452!" 522 yelled to get Max's attention. Max visibly tensed but turned around to face her.

"Yes?" she asked politely. But 567 and 522 could tell that it was just a mask.

"That was some great fighting skills earlier," 567 said shyly.

"Yeah. No one's fought that well before with 494. That was damn amazing suga," 522 added. Max looked surprised with that bit of information. She quickly hid it.

"So, were you like the CO of your unit back in 09?" 567 asked curiously. Max looked warily at her. "Seriously, I just want to know," she added after seeing her reaction.

Max sighed. "No, I wasn't CO. I wasn't even 2IC. Just a regular transgenic that apparently betrayed all the others that were too afraid to stand up to what was being done to them. Just a reason for transgenics to get sent to Psy-Ops," Max ranted sarcastically. "Yep, that's me."

"Sorry," 522 said quietly. Max looked at her in surprise. "Yeah, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that we didn't accept you right away. It's just...we were taught to think you 09ers were traitors. I mean, you did leave us. But you was only kids then. You couldn't have known how to get all 'o us to escape. I'm sure some of us wouldn't even wanna leave."

Max nodded and smiled slightly. The three females walked the rest of the way to their cell. "I am sorry for whatever trouble we caused. We just wanted to get away. And Zack actually told us to split up on our way out so..." Max suddenly realized that she had said Zack instead of his designation and looked at 567 and 522 warily.

"You guys had names?" 567 asked in awe. Max mistook it for something else.

"Um, sort of, yeah...I mean, um...no, we just...well..." she stumbled over her words as she tried to find an explanation.

"Cool," 522 said nonchalantly. "What was yours?" Max was once again surprised at her questions. Manticore wasn't big on humanity.

"Mine was..." Max hesitated. "Just promise you won't tell anyone alright?"

"Of course," 567 answered. "But on one condition." She turned to 522 for confirmation. She nodded her consent. "Could you give us names?" she finished bluntly. Max was taken aback.

"Uh, sure. I'm not really good at it but I'll try," Max answered, still in shock. "My name is Max, by the way." 567 and 522 grinned.

"Now that's a kick-ass name suga," 522 laughed. Max smiled.

"Okay, so let me think for a second," Max replied. The others waited quietly but anxiously. Max's face lit up. "I got it." She pointed to 522 first. "You remind me of someone I used to know," she was using a normal voice but her eyes were somber. 522 smiled uneasily. "Don't worry, she was, is, a great person. How do you feel about 'Cindy'?" 522/Cindy brightened.

"I love it," she replied. Max smiled sadly but quickly hid it when Cindy and 567 looked at her concerned.

"What about me?" 567 asked eagerly.

"Well, you kind of strike me as a 'Justine'. I don't know if you like or not but I think it fits you," Max rambled uncertainly.

567/Justine nodded enthusiastically. "I like it, Max. Don't worry. You're a lot better at this name thing than you think you are."

"Thanks," Max said proudly.

All three females were sprawled out on their cots when the other two girls came in.

"Hey 522, 567, 452," 633 greeted before flopping on her own cot. Cindy and Justine greeted them but Max remained silent.

"Hey, 452. That was great fighting back there," 499 complimented. Max just waved a hand vaguely.

"I already got the compliment and thanks," she answered half-heartedly. 499 looked uncomfortable.

Cindy cleared her throat. The others looked at her expectantly. "Suga, if you want to fit in more in Manticore I suggest you be a little more hospitable. Now you named Justine and me and we grateful and all, but I think you should name these ones," she gestured to 499 and 633.

"You guys got names?" 633 asked, enthused. Max looked uncomfortable. "I want one," she said wistfully.

"Great, 'cause Max here's gonna give you one," Cindy said and looked at Max pointedly. "She'll name you too girl," she added to 499. A huge smile lit 499's face.

"Just give her a few minutes," Justine instructed the two females as Max began to think of names for them.

'How's Lana for you?" Max asked 633. She nodded happily in agreement. "And Natalie for you?" Max asked 499. She smiled shyly and nodded her head as well.

"Then it's settled," Justine said. "All of us have names."

"Hell yeah," Lana cheered.

"What should we call the guys?" Natalie asked. Max grimaced.

"You guys think of theirs," she replied tiredly. "But oh, 494 already has one. I call him Alec." The other girls looked confused. "For smart-aleck," Max added.

"Oh yeah, that definitely fits him," Cindy remarked.

"Well, we can figure out the guys' names tomorrow, I'm beat," Lana replied and she crawled under her blankets and closed her eyes. "Night ladies."

All the others went to sleep but Max remained awake. "Shark DNA," she told the others when they questioned her.

You know, this may not turn out to be so bad, Max thought. These girls accepted me pretty quick. The only worrisome factor is the missions I'll be going on. But that probably won't be for a while. And I hear off-hours are pretty awesome.

A/N-Heya! Hope you liked this chapter. I know it was long compared to the other ones but I had a lot to fit in. It would have gone even longer but I'm too tired. In the next chapter the males are named, they get ready to go out on their first mission together, and Max mopes over Logan, who has stopped bothering Manticore due to their lack of response. There will be more detail in the later chapters. I have a few ideas for their first mission, but I'd like to hear what you think it should be. Review please and let me know what you thought of the names! ;o)

XxInsanityxX-Don't worry, he'll be more in the story later, right now I'm focusing on Max and her new unit.

lakergirl08-I'll probably put Alec in Special Ops too. I'm not sure if he'd be the CO but I won't know 'til I actually get to writing that part...I might bring in some of Max's other siblings, too...hehe

Angel of Darkness231-Lol, thanks. If lots of people think that Alec should go to Special Ops then I probably will have him do that. I'll try to keep up the good work. Just keep letting me know what you think. ;o)

ontheDL-Thanks. It means a lot that you guys like this story because it's only my first... Max should be kicking ass soon. Zack will probably like Alec, maybe not right away but I will try to make Zack's personality less stiff than it was in the first season. Although I did like how he irritated Logan...hehe. Speaking of which, Max will probably forget about him soon. Possibly after the first mission. Not totally forgetting though, just, she may begin to have feelings for someone else...gee I wonder who that could be...;o)