Duke and Lady Jaye managed to avoid each other for the next few days. The team settled down into normal routines again, and she had even managed to spend quite a bit of time with Flint. They had had a minor argument about Duke; she could tell he was torn between his long-time friendship with the man and the behavior he had been exhibiting lately.
She had simply told him she was sick to death of arguing with anyone, Duke or otherwise, and Flint had changed the subject.
The start of week four meant the start of the final step in the plan.
Lady Jaye started "accidentally" misplacing paperwork, spilling drinks in Duke's lap, and sleeping through morning PT. This made Beach Head furious, and his tirade when he caught up to her later could be heard across the base. She finally told him to piss off and walked away, leaving the drill sergeant sputtering and speechless.
Duke had a hard time dealing with Beach Head over that. The man had stormed into his office and demanded a court marshal.
"I've talked to Hawk about it," Duke lied. "There are certain steps to take, as you well know. One or two incidents don't-"
"One or two? Duke, she's had it in for you for the past several weeks. I can't even count the number of times she's been insubordinate to you."
"Hawk knows about it. He's going to come down and see for himself next week. Until then, just try to keep from pinning her down and gagging her."
Beach Head stormed back out, muttering about what exactly he might do to her other than gag her. It made Duke wonder if the man really was repressed.
By the third day of the last week, Lady Jaye had been called into Duke's office five times. He was running out of punishments to give her; there just wasn't enough time in the day. She was even doing the dishes and cleaning up the rec room every night, a task that would make the strongest man feel faint, especially after movie night.
They held their meetings in between rounds of shouting at each other. Duke could no longer keep the hallways clear. Every time she walked into his office, there were at least three other people near the door at all times, trying to look like they had business there.
Her first outburst had actually made him jump. She had been going over the most recent computer logs. "Shipwreck tried to get around the firewall again to download some pictures of naked women. But that's not surprising. ONE MORE NIGHT OF WATCH DUTY!" She ended with a yell.
He looked stunned. "What was that?"
She looked a little sheepish, but explained, "If they don't hear the occasional raised voice, they'll get suspicious. But people rarely yell at the top of their lungs for an entire sentence. Just bits and pieces of it."
He tried not to laugh. "Oh. Like this? WATCH DUTY IS THE LEAST YOU'LL-"
"Right," she said with a smile. "Let 'em wonder what the rest of it is."
They continued to go over paperwork, one of them occasionally bellowing out a few words at top volume.
"Well," she said after a while. "Once again, nothing here. I'd better go. Any argument longer than this is going to have them really worried."
She calmly walked to the door, then jerked it open and stalked out.
Duke just barely remembered to put a furious expression on his face when Cover Girl walked in.
She sat in Jaye's vacated chair. "Um, Duke? What's going on? Do you want to talk about it? I've tried to talk to Lady Jaye, but she just blows it off. You two used to get along. Did something happen?"
"How did you get elected spokesperson?" He growled. "Nothing is wrong except that Lady Jaye's attitude is going to get her kicked off the team if she doesn't calm down."
"Well-- may I speak freely, sir?" He nodded, and she continued. "Don't take this the wrong way, but… She's been given a lot of extra work lately, and she has to go through PT twice a day to our once, and… Um, isn't it maybe just a little unfair?"
He had to give her credit for saying it. Most of the men wouldn't challenge him about anything he said or did, the notable exceptions being the last few weeks, of course. No one had visited his office for several days, though, not since the yelling had started.
Duke regarded her over steepled fingers. "I appreciate your concern, Cover Girl. But everyone on the team is expected to follow his or her orders. Even if they're unfair. Snake Eyes is always at the front of a battle because of his skills, and you don't see him complaining that it's unfair."
Cover Girl bit her lip. "But this is different. You're singling her out for more work than the others, and giving her more punishments, too. It's—you're not being very nice!"
Duke had to swallow a laugh. He scowled at her instead. "My job is not to be 'nice.' My job is to give orders and see that they're obeyed."
She sighed and stood. "Fine. But… Just talk to me if you need to, okay?"
He watched her leave, wondering if they could make it even the three days left until the month they had given themselves was up.
Lady Jaye was also aware that time was running short. She read her teammates' profiles, histories, and psychiatric evaluations until she knew them by heart. She poured over written reports, leave requests, and phone logs until they didn't even make sense any more. There was nothing there.
That night Lady Jaye lay next to Flint, trying to think of any files they might have missed. Flint noticed her distraction, and pulled her closer. "You okay?" he asked quietly.
She snuggled against his chest. "Yeah. Just frustrated." That was the truth, at least. The thought that she would be leaving him in just two days made her heart ache.
"Dash, you and Duke have been friends for a while, right?"
"Yes. You know that."
"Don't be mad at him," she whispered. "Whatever happens, just… don't forget how long you've been friends."
He leaned on an elbow and regarded her quizzically. "What aren't you telling me?"
She met his gaze for a moment, but couldn't hold it. "I… can't talk about it. There's more to this than stupid arguments, but… Just promise me you'll stick with the team if I get transferred, or…" she let the sentence hang.
He put a finger under her chin and raised her face up to meet his. His eyes were troubled and hurt. "Alison… The thought of you leaving makes me want to curl up in the corner. I started out on this team fighting for the ideals I believe in. But I'm fighting for more now. I'm fighting for us." He kissed her softly. "I know I can't ask you to let Duke walk all over you… but do you think maybe you could bend a little?"
She closed her eyes. "I've tried," she said. "It's just not in me. Believe me, I'm not keen on the idea of leaving. I…" she squeezed him tightly. "You make me deliriously happy. I'd miss you so much…" She put her head down on his shoulder. "I'm just so tired of all of this," she whispered.
He stroked her hair as her eyes closed with a sleepy sigh. "Whatever happens, Alison… I love you," he said quietly. But she was already asleep.