A New Unit
Max woke up the next morning to the sound of someone knocking on her door. She recognized the voice of her new CO "Breakfast, 452. I'll take you down and introduce you to the rest of the unit. You've got 5 minutes to get ready." Max grabbed a uniform out of her dresser and headed for the bathroom. 4 ½ minutes later showered and dressed with her hair pulled up in a ponytail, X5-452 opened the door and stepped out into the hallway, ready to face the world and her new unit.
As they neared the mess hall, 494 slowed his pace and 452 did the same. Something was bothering her; she knew when she met him that he seemed very familiar, but she couldn't figure out why at the time. When he'd walked her to her new quarters last night he had walked slightly in front of her so this was the first time she'd really had a chance to study her new CO. She gasped when the recognition hit, "Ben". 494 stopped dead in his tracks just outside the mess hall door.
His eyes were cold as he turned towards her, "I am assuming you are referring to the psychopath who escaped with you in '09. 493 was my twin and he has made my life a living hell twice. However, I won't hold that against you personally. Let me give you some advice, 452. Everyone already knows that you are an 09'er. Our whole lives we were taught that ya'll were traitors and not to be trusted. If you want to make it in this unit, especially if you want to make it as 2IC, I suggest go out of your way to prove the trainers wrong. Are we clear?"
"Sir, yes, sir" 452 responded with a salute.
"Good. Now let's go eat. I'm starved." 494 turned and headed into the mess hall. After taking a few deep breaths to calm her nerves 452 followed.
The noise in the mess hall was no louder than usual but after months in the quiet of a Psy-Ops Solitary Confinement cell, it was deafening to 452. 494 picked up two full trays and handed one to 452 before heading over to the noisiest table in the room.
That must be Unit 7. 452 hung back a moment to observe her new team. Unit 7 consisted of 3 males and 4 females plus 494 and herself. She was pleased to see that one of the females was none other than her sister, Brin. No, not Brin. She's X5-734 now. And I'm not Max anymore either, I'm just 452. Taking another deep breath and holding her head high she walked over to join her new unit.
494 motioned for her to sit her tray down next to him. He then stood up and called his team to attention. "Listen up, guys. This is X5-452. She's been assigned to our unit. She's also been assigned to the position of 2IC by direct order of Director Renfro. I expect all of you to show her the same respect you show me. Understood?"
The team nodded, then waited for their CO to continue.
"452, allow me to introduce your new team. When I call your designation, please stand and explain your role within the unit." 494 motioned to his left.
"X5-510" 510 was a good looking young man with dark brown hair and dark eyes. He had a soldier's build, lean but with nice muscles. Like 494, he exuded confidence.
"510, excelled in Special Operations...and seduction." 510 winked at 452 and she rolled her eyes making everyone at the table laugh. 494's opinion of her increased ten fold, maybe she would be able to hold her own after all.
"X5-323" 323 had long blonde hair and blue eyes. She kind of reminded 452 of her sister, Syl.
"323, specializing in Surveillance and Military Iintelligence."
"X5-119" 119 was short, for a guy, only about 5'3". He had curly brown hair and glasses and he had a nice smile. 452 smiled back at him and he blushed a little.
"119, Computer Tech" He sat down quickly.
"X5-412" 412's appearance did not fit her personality at all. She had shoulder length wavy red hair and stunning green eyes. She was beautiful and you would have expected her to be very outgoing and fiergy but instead she was mild mannered and quiet with a bit of a stutter when she was nervous. Max liked her immediately.
"412, F-F-Field Medic, Ma'am."
"X5-275" 275 was a little on the stocky side, kind of tomboyish. She had short spikey brown hair and hazel eyes. She looked at 452 as if trying to decide whether 452 was going to be a threat to the team. 452 knew she'd have to be careful not to let her guard down around this girl.
"275, specializing in Strategy and Statistics."
Oh, a strategist. That explains the look, 452 thought.
"X5-411" 411 and 412 may have had adjoining test tubes but the similarities ended there. Whereas she was quiet and shy, he was loud & boisterous. He had sandy brown hair and big blue eyes that twinkled when he smiled. His bangs had a tendency to fall down over his forehead forcing him to brush them out of his eyes constantly.
"411, Explosives and general mayhem," he grinned at 452.
"411 is our resident court jester. Watch out for him, 452. Everything's a joke to him and he likes to make life interesting. Last but not least, X5- 734, whom you already know."
734, her sister Brin. Being of Asian descent, 734 had long black hair and pale skin. As a child Brin had always been on of the guys, excelling in sports and physical activities. She may have grown into a woman now, but she was still all soldier and apparently she'd learned how to hold a grudge.
"734, Special Operations and Martial Arts." She stared at Max and said coolly. "Welcome home, Baby Sister."
The words may have sounded gracious but there was a definite challenge in them. The last time they met, Brin tried to prevent Max from blowing up the Genetics Lab. There was obviously still bad blood between them at least on the part of 734. The rest of the team held their breath and waited to see how 452 would react.
A challenge had been issued and whether she liked it or not 452 knew she had to respond or risk losing face in front of the rest of the team. She stood up with her head held high and stared her sister down. "Thanks for the warm welcome, 734. It's good to be home." 452 softened her tone a little and continued "You know I'm probably a little behind on some my training, perhaps you could do a little sparring with me later, show me a few new moves."
734 lowered her eyes and nodded, sitting back down. She knew what had just happened; even without being at Manticore all this time 452 could still kick her ass. She'd proven it the last time they met, but Max had given her sister an opportunity to save face in front of the unit while still enforcing her superior rank and letting everyone else know that she fully intended to be in charge.
494's opinion of the 09'er was going up by the minute. He could see now why Renfro put her in this position. 452 was a born leader.
A bell sounded announcing the end of breakfast. As the rest of the X5's filed out of the mess hall X5-494 gave his team their orders for the day. "We'll be training in Yard A for most of the morning, people. After that you're on your own, work on your personal strengths and weaknesses for the remainder of the day. 452, you'll follow me. Let's go, everyone!"
The team stood as one and made their way towards the training yard.
Max woke up the next morning to the sound of someone knocking on her door. She recognized the voice of her new CO "Breakfast, 452. I'll take you down and introduce you to the rest of the unit. You've got 5 minutes to get ready." Max grabbed a uniform out of her dresser and headed for the bathroom. 4 ½ minutes later showered and dressed with her hair pulled up in a ponytail, X5-452 opened the door and stepped out into the hallway, ready to face the world and her new unit.
As they neared the mess hall, 494 slowed his pace and 452 did the same. Something was bothering her; she knew when she met him that he seemed very familiar, but she couldn't figure out why at the time. When he'd walked her to her new quarters last night he had walked slightly in front of her so this was the first time she'd really had a chance to study her new CO. She gasped when the recognition hit, "Ben". 494 stopped dead in his tracks just outside the mess hall door.
His eyes were cold as he turned towards her, "I am assuming you are referring to the psychopath who escaped with you in '09. 493 was my twin and he has made my life a living hell twice. However, I won't hold that against you personally. Let me give you some advice, 452. Everyone already knows that you are an 09'er. Our whole lives we were taught that ya'll were traitors and not to be trusted. If you want to make it in this unit, especially if you want to make it as 2IC, I suggest go out of your way to prove the trainers wrong. Are we clear?"
"Sir, yes, sir" 452 responded with a salute.
"Good. Now let's go eat. I'm starved." 494 turned and headed into the mess hall. After taking a few deep breaths to calm her nerves 452 followed.
The noise in the mess hall was no louder than usual but after months in the quiet of a Psy-Ops Solitary Confinement cell, it was deafening to 452. 494 picked up two full trays and handed one to 452 before heading over to the noisiest table in the room.
That must be Unit 7. 452 hung back a moment to observe her new team. Unit 7 consisted of 3 males and 4 females plus 494 and herself. She was pleased to see that one of the females was none other than her sister, Brin. No, not Brin. She's X5-734 now. And I'm not Max anymore either, I'm just 452. Taking another deep breath and holding her head high she walked over to join her new unit.
494 motioned for her to sit her tray down next to him. He then stood up and called his team to attention. "Listen up, guys. This is X5-452. She's been assigned to our unit. She's also been assigned to the position of 2IC by direct order of Director Renfro. I expect all of you to show her the same respect you show me. Understood?"
The team nodded, then waited for their CO to continue.
"452, allow me to introduce your new team. When I call your designation, please stand and explain your role within the unit." 494 motioned to his left.
"X5-510" 510 was a good looking young man with dark brown hair and dark eyes. He had a soldier's build, lean but with nice muscles. Like 494, he exuded confidence.
"510, excelled in Special Operations...and seduction." 510 winked at 452 and she rolled her eyes making everyone at the table laugh. 494's opinion of her increased ten fold, maybe she would be able to hold her own after all.
"X5-323" 323 had long blonde hair and blue eyes. She kind of reminded 452 of her sister, Syl.
"323, specializing in Surveillance and Military Iintelligence."
"X5-119" 119 was short, for a guy, only about 5'3". He had curly brown hair and glasses and he had a nice smile. 452 smiled back at him and he blushed a little.
"119, Computer Tech" He sat down quickly.
"X5-412" 412's appearance did not fit her personality at all. She had shoulder length wavy red hair and stunning green eyes. She was beautiful and you would have expected her to be very outgoing and fiergy but instead she was mild mannered and quiet with a bit of a stutter when she was nervous. Max liked her immediately.
"412, F-F-Field Medic, Ma'am."
"X5-275" 275 was a little on the stocky side, kind of tomboyish. She had short spikey brown hair and hazel eyes. She looked at 452 as if trying to decide whether 452 was going to be a threat to the team. 452 knew she'd have to be careful not to let her guard down around this girl.
"275, specializing in Strategy and Statistics."
Oh, a strategist. That explains the look, 452 thought.
"X5-411" 411 and 412 may have had adjoining test tubes but the similarities ended there. Whereas she was quiet and shy, he was loud & boisterous. He had sandy brown hair and big blue eyes that twinkled when he smiled. His bangs had a tendency to fall down over his forehead forcing him to brush them out of his eyes constantly.
"411, Explosives and general mayhem," he grinned at 452.
"411 is our resident court jester. Watch out for him, 452. Everything's a joke to him and he likes to make life interesting. Last but not least, X5- 734, whom you already know."
734, her sister Brin. Being of Asian descent, 734 had long black hair and pale skin. As a child Brin had always been on of the guys, excelling in sports and physical activities. She may have grown into a woman now, but she was still all soldier and apparently she'd learned how to hold a grudge.
"734, Special Operations and Martial Arts." She stared at Max and said coolly. "Welcome home, Baby Sister."
The words may have sounded gracious but there was a definite challenge in them. The last time they met, Brin tried to prevent Max from blowing up the Genetics Lab. There was obviously still bad blood between them at least on the part of 734. The rest of the team held their breath and waited to see how 452 would react.
A challenge had been issued and whether she liked it or not 452 knew she had to respond or risk losing face in front of the rest of the team. She stood up with her head held high and stared her sister down. "Thanks for the warm welcome, 734. It's good to be home." 452 softened her tone a little and continued "You know I'm probably a little behind on some my training, perhaps you could do a little sparring with me later, show me a few new moves."
734 lowered her eyes and nodded, sitting back down. She knew what had just happened; even without being at Manticore all this time 452 could still kick her ass. She'd proven it the last time they met, but Max had given her sister an opportunity to save face in front of the unit while still enforcing her superior rank and letting everyone else know that she fully intended to be in charge.
494's opinion of the 09'er was going up by the minute. He could see now why Renfro put her in this position. 452 was a born leader.
A bell sounded announcing the end of breakfast. As the rest of the X5's filed out of the mess hall X5-494 gave his team their orders for the day. "We'll be training in Yard A for most of the morning, people. After that you're on your own, work on your personal strengths and weaknesses for the remainder of the day. 452, you'll follow me. Let's go, everyone!"
The team stood as one and made their way towards the training yard.