Mobile Suit Gundam: Lives on the Line
Chapter 8: Time Well Spent
"As much as I regret doing this I grant you, the 4th team a weekend pass into town, on the basis of your recent success out in the field." Major Fossey was tired, and a little worried. It was a common practice throughout the military to grant leave to teams that do well in battle, so as to keep morale high. Sort of like work benefits, only in a different context. The 4th team was, as hard as it was to believe, was the best team he had at the time, having just won another battle against the Zeons. What he was most worried about was what they could, or would do without any form of supervision. Oh well, at least they would be out of his hair for at least a day.
The team had returned from their last mission, and was so happy that they almost literally tore the base's small bar to bits in their celebration. Not only did they party like animals, they pulled nearly the entire base into fervor. Sending them off into the city to get wasted and do whatever the hell else they wanted to do was necessary if he wanted the base to stay standing. He had to be honest, he had never seen troop morale get as high as it was now, despite the catastrophe at the village, and the fact that the war looked like it would drag on forever. Irregardless, they had only had two successful missions and as miraculous as the victories were they were by no mean finished. He would have to keep his eyes on them. Who know what kind of chaos they'd cause if they were allowed to run roughshod as they pleased, considering how they act now.
"Ha Ha Ha, can you guys believe this?" Tenser whooped, a wide grin stretching across his face. "A whole weekend to spend as we please." The team was walking in a big group towards the vehicle bay that would provide them with the transportation they needed to get away from the boring military base. They had argued all morning over what they were going to do. Gatey suggested that they go and sleep all day and not do anything at all. This idea was quickly shot down. They came to an agreement that they would probably spend Saturday drinking and partying and then spend sleeping off the hangovers they were all sure to have, which was Eve's idea.
"This is going to be one hell of a blast, you know what I 'm gonna do?" asked Brian. He was probably the happiest out of the group, next to Eve who couldn't be any more proud of her boys.
"Besides getting wasted off your ass, Brian?" Eve answered. It was ironic that she was never really much of a drinker herself, but it seems that whenever these got the opportunity to drink, or party, or hell even sleep in they took. To her it, it looked like that to these three men; fighting in this war was nothing but a way to pass time, and have as much fun in the process as possible.
"Well that too of course, but for some reason, I feel like I want to start a fight." He responded, scratching his head. He still had some pent-up anger and he felt like he had to waste it on some poor bastard's face.
"Well's that certainly an odd goal, Brian but remember we're all behind you in case you start getting your ass kicked.
"Thanks a bunch Rob; I feel sooooo reassured now that you've got my back." Brian chided his larger teammate. If he did get into a fight, it would not have been his first, and it would not be the first that his comrades would have to jump in to help, although it was Rob that usually got in over his head.
"Shut up!" Rob yelled back
"Boys, boys, there's no need for us to fight, we've got a whole night of fun ahead of us" Eve stepped hurried her pace so she could walk between the two men. She was used to their sometimes constant bickering and arguing, it was just each one was so opinionated, and they just loved to fight with each other. She actually though it was kinda cute how all three of them would yell at each other like they were feuding brothers, though she rarely got involved. They never seriously stayed mad for very long at each other, and would always be laughing hysterically a few minutes later.
"Alright now who's riding in what?" She was referring to the jeep they had "acquired" with a little help from Brian's cousin "Gorgeous" Gerbels. Rob wanted to drive, so they all piled in and tore off into the bright afternoon sunlight. As usual Rob drove with absolutely no regard for the speed limit, but to the eager soldiers it didn't matter. They had been given an open invitation to let it all lose and they were going to take full advantage of it. The drive itself was a long one, since big cities or for that matter even small towns don't exactly spring up in rainforest or jungles. Their destination wasn't a big city, like say New Yark, but it was an average one. As time dragged on the city became visible in the distance, and the team slowly grew more and more excited.
"Let's hit the first bar we find!" Brian shouted, standing up inside the roaring jeep and pumping his fist.
"Uh sir, I don't think it's safe that you do that sir" Raj squeaked. The young man had never met people like these, and frankly he didn't really know how to act. They were so free, so uncaring about authority; honest to say he was a little jealous of them, since he had always been a quiet guy. A drop of alcohol had never passed his lips prior to that point.
"How many times do we have to tell you Derik? Loosen Up!" Rob shouted over the combined roar of the engine and the wind. "Before tonight is over you are gonna get wasted, HA HA HA!" Raj shuddered, and began to wonder what he had gotten himself into by joining the MS forces. After a few more minutes of driving, they entered the town, Rob eased the jeep into a spot and the team jumped out. They filed into the bar and lined up at the counter. A greasy looking bartender came up to them and took each of their orders. Brian had a gin and tonic, Rob a beer, Eve a margarita. Pat never drank so he passed. Brian ordered a beer for Derik, who stared at it like it had something swimming in it.
"He needs some motivation, watch this Rob." Brian whispered into his ear. In one swift movement Brian leapt up on to the bar and held his glass up high. The bar itself was filled and he noticed that one or two other people in the bar were wearing federation uniforms. "Can I have your attention please? I would like to offer a toast to my comrades here in our recent victory over those bastard Zeons!" By this time all the heads in the bar were looking at him. There were even a few cheers from the other Fedy patrons. "And I would also like to toast the Federation itself." More cheers. He stepped down, and downed his entire glass, declaring that the team would buy a round for the bar also in celebration of the recent victories. Time passed, drinks were passed, but not everything was fine. Little did our heroes know that some of the patrons in the bar weren't exactly Federation friendly. A small group of off-duty Zeon pilots had been in the bar since before the fun-seeking 4th team arrived and had sat through Brian's impromptu toast to the hated Federation. One of them, their leader had decided that he had heard enough. With a sneer on his face, he motioned to his three comrades and slinked his way to the bar and stood behind Rob, who was at this point downing shots almost as fast as the bartender could pour them. The zeke tapped Rob on the shoulder, and as soon as he turned around, landed a punch deep into his stomach. Suffice to say, Rob's stomach is his least vulnerable spot, and the former Gm sniper responded by grabbing the man and head-butted him right between his eyes. This prompted the other three to tackle to rush forward and tackle the portly pilot. At the same time Brian also leapt into the fray, nonchalantly smashing a bottle over the head of one of the three Zekes. Pat and Derik, stood back neither wanting to get themselves involved. Why did I think this was going to happen, Pat asked himself ducking to avoid another flying bottle. He grabbed Derik and pulled him behind the bar.
"What are you doing" the bewildered young man asked.
"I've learned to let the two of them handle the fighting, Derik, in the interest of personal health, but don't worry they can take care of themselves" he grinned at the still wide-eyed Derik. He was right; the others were dominating the Zeon pilots. Brian was toying with one of them by staying out of his range and peppering him with jabs, whilst Rob had knocked another out with a chair. Even Eve got some action, unleashing a surprising spinning kick to defeat the commander of the four, who had pulled a knife and charged her.
'Where the hell did you learn that?" Brian asked, after throwing the only remaining conscious Zeon through a table to end the fight.
"Basic defense training" she responded a grin lighting up her face. "What about you two?"
Rob laughed out loud. "What, you think this is our first bar brawl?" Brian snickered. By this time Pat and Derik emerged from their hiding spot behind the bar, surveying the damage caused. The group apologized to the bartender for the damage, telling him to send his bill to the local Federation base. After a few more hours of drinking and carousing, the team finally decided to call it a day and began their long drive back home. Despite the flak they would obviously get the next day, they all believed that the day was all in all time well spent.