Warning: Rated for language, violence and references to adult behavior.
The main characters of this story are based on characters from the cartoon 'Code Lyoko.' I do not own, nor do I claim, any copyright to these characters.
Something nudged Yumi's hip. She stirred in Ulrich's arms. It nudged her again. She fussed.
"Okay you two, rise and shine. Master Gunnery Sargent Thompson wants to have a word with you," came a female voice.
The couple's eyes snapped open to see GySgt. Grace standing over them, her hands on her hips.
"C'mon, pull yourselves together and let's go," she said.
Yumi and Ulrich looked at each other. They both were naked under the jackets they used as covers, having drifted to sleep after their lovemaking. That was how GySgt. Grace had found them.
They groaned and got up.
"If you're thinking about making a break for it, I wouldn't," she told them, "there's about twelve Marines out there now, shadowing us. It's going to be bad enough walking back in with me; I'll at least let you have some semblance of dignity. If you run for it, they'll drag you back in bare-ass naked."
Yumi and Ulrich's eyes got wide at that. They quickly dressed.
Grace smiled as they did. They were so scared right now they'd believe her if she said the sky was green! There wasn't anyone else in the area, she made sure of that before confronting the couple.
When they had dressed, GySgt. Grace said, "pick up your mess. You pack it in, you pack it out."
The couple wondered what she was talking about, then realized what it was. Sheepishly, Ulrich picked up the foil wrapper pieces and used condom that were lying on the ground. He put the mess into his pocket.
"Hm, I don't think I've ever seen a glow in the dark green one before," GySgt. Grace said. She then pointed back along the path they had come down. The group set off.
When they got back to the log obstacle, it was deserted.
"When you two vanished, MGySgt. Thompson called off the exercise," she explained, "everyone else is back at the barracks. Whether or not you will be joining them is up to Master Guns."
They walked back through the obstacle course, to the buildings where they started the day. They went to the entrance they originally came in, but were redirected by GySgt. Grace to another building, next to the first one.
They entered and were led down a hallway. This building was some kind of office building, there were offices all around. They were led to a room and shown in.
"Wait here for the Master Gunnery Sargent," GySgt. Grace said, and left, closing the door.
Soon after she left, they noticed two shadows under the door. She had posted a guard.
"Ulrich, I think we're in deep trouble this time," Yumi said. Ulrich nodded in agreement.
Soon, the door opened, and a Marine stuck his head in. "Master Guns will see you now," he said.
They got up and the Marine led them to another room. This was an office. Within were GySgt. Grace and MGySgt. Thompson, their prosecutor and judge.
"Sit," Thompson said with out preamble. The Marine that escorted them backed out, closing the door.
"You disappeared from the obstacle course against direct orders. I explained the rules before we set out; no one was supposed to leave the course. Do you have an explanation?"
The two sat in silence.
"I thought so," Thompson said, "let's just cut to the chase then. Would you care to explain this?"
He produced an 8 ½" x 11" picture. The picture showed Yumi and Ulrich together in full color and extreme detail.
Both teens faces got very red.
"GySgt. Grace exceeded her orders in this case," he said, "she was supposed to stop something like this from happening. But her inaction does not excuse your actions. The two of you have violated the primary tenant of teamwork: never, Never! leave your teammates."
He continued, "I will not comment on the right or wrong of what you were doing. If I chewed out every Marine for chasing tail, that's all I would be doing, when I wasn't getting chewed out for it myself."
"But you do not let your little head do your thinking when you are on a mission! I know this was just a little training exercise, but for all practical purposes, it was the real deal. One you had to complete successfully and come home with all of your team. I assume GySgt. Grace told you the exercise was canceled when you two disappeared. If this were combat, or your 'game,' your team would have probably been out looking for you. And doing that may have gotten them all killed."
"If you two want to screw your brains out, fine. Personally, I'd cool it down a lot. But if you're going to play hide-the-sausage whenever you participate in whatever 'game' you play with Jeremie and the rest, you might as well quit and call it done, 'cause you're no good to them like this."
"Now, I've got one other dilemma. What do I tell the others? What do I tell your parents?
Ulrich and Yumi's eyes got wide at that statement.
"I am definitely telling Jeremie," MGySgt. Thompson said, "he needs to know about his weak links and compensate for them. As for your parents... It's against my better judgment, but we'll leave them out of this. I won't tell them, you should."
"GySgt. Grace will escort you back to the holding area. Do you have anything to say for yourselves?"
"Sir," Yumi said, afraid to ask what she must, "what about the picture?"
"It was never my intention to humiliate you or any of your friends," MGySgt. Thompson said, "that's why I wanted GySgt. Grace to stop things before they went too far. I can assure you that I will revisit my orders to her once we're done here."
"As to the photograph..." He took the picture and tore it to shreds. He then put the shreds into an ash tray, pulled out a lighter, and lit them. They quickly burned up. He then pulled out a small memory stick, like the ones used in digital cameras, and gave it to Yumi.
"That stick contains every picture GySgt. Grace took. The picture I just tore up was the only hard copy in existence. Before you were shown in, I told GySgt. Grace if any picture of you two from that stick shows up anywhere in the world, I will personally have her ovaries for ping-pong balls. As I said before, it was never my intention to humiliate you."
"Gunnery Sargent Grace, escort these two back to the holding area, then return."
"Aye-aye, Master Gunnery Sargent."
After Grace left with the two teens, Taylor Thompson sat back and exhaled.
Damn, what was she thinking! You'd think she never saw two people making out before!
Someone knocked at the door, then GySgt. Grace stepped back in.
When she had closed the door, Thompson asked her, "Ann, explain to me how things got out of hand. What part of 'break it up' didn't you understand?"
"Master Gunnery Sargent, permission to speak freely," Grace replied formally.
"Granted. Now talk."
"That wasn't just two hormone besotted kids in lust, that was Love, full stop, period. Two kids found what I've been looking for my entire adult life! When I saw them, I couldn't interrupt them. I tried, I really tried, but my heart wouldn't allow my body to obey my mind. Watching them made me feel like a beggar, looking in the window of a fine restaurant, watching people inside eating. You saw the other pictures on that stick. Did you see the look on their faces, Tay? The only other time I've ever seen that look was on my parents faces. And yours."
"Ann..."
"Don't 'Ann' me! I love you, Taylor Nathan Thompson. I've loved you since I first laid eyes on you. I've known for years that you were The One. And I know that you love me. God, there's been times when I just about quit the Corps because of it. I've thought about transferring out, but never did for fear of being posted somewhere away from you and never being near you again. And now this happens, the very thing I've wanted all my life has been thrown up in my face. Those two kids did what I've wanted to do for a long time, but never had the guts to."
She then surprised Taylor by taking him into her arms and kissing him. He struggled for a microsecond, then melted into her embrace.
When they separated, she said, "we've been dancing around it for years, but damn near everyone knows we have a thing for each other! I'm surprised you haven't had your ass hauled up on Frat Regs, or I haven't been transferred. The only reason we haven't been caught is the men..."
"There's another reason, too," came a voice. General Allen Maxwell stepped into the room.
Both NCOs snapped to attention.
"At Ease. GySgt. Grace, the reason why neither of you has had their asses kicked out of my Embassy is because, up to now, discipline hasn't been affected. MGySgt. Thompson has never shown even a hint of favoritism towards you. You may or may not know this, but I have written all of your FitReps since you two came here, at the Master Gunnery Sargent's request. He provided input, but it was my opinions of your performance that were written down."
"I was afraid that it would come to this," the General continued, "that's the real reason I came along this weekend, Taylor. The two of yours interest in these kids is unusual, and I thought it might just be a cover for your own indiscretions. I was wrong about that, but right also. I heard about the Dance."
The two NCO's eyes got wide at that statement.
"None of the men told me, Jeanie did. Of course, she didn't know she was implicating you in a Fraternization Violation. She just said it was wonderful that you two were finally together. As your friend, I agree. As your Commanding Officer, I'm in a bind."
"Since I don't like being constipated, I decided to solve my problem. GySgt. Grace, effective seventeen hundred hours yesterday, you are no longer a member of my Embassy Guard Detail. I am detaching you to the Diplomatic Protection Service Detail. You will still report to me, but you will report directly to me. MGySgt. Thompson is no longer in your chain-of-command, do you understand?"
GySgt. Grace got a smile on her face when she realized the implications of the General's statement. "Yes, Sir!" was her reply.
"Don't go thanking me yet, Ann. You are to be assigned to the protective detail of our Miss Wilkerson. She likes the both of you, so maybe you will be able to keep a better eye on her than her current detail has."
"Now, since that order was dated seventeen hundred yesterday, what I just saw here does not constitute a violation of the Frat Regs, and I'm no longer in a bind. My foresight has saved my bowels, and your careers."
"Now, dinner is set for a couple of hours from now. Other than the three of us, and our wayward lambs down the hall, there's no else about. Now, I would not recommend emulating their example, but I think the two of you could spend a couple of minutes enjoying each other's company. Carry on."
As the General turned to leave, Ann softly said, "thank you, sir."
Jeremie and MGySgt. Thompson had a private conversation before dinner. Thompson told the boy about Ulrich and Yumi's little escapade, giving him enough detail to know what had happened, but not so much as to embarrass the boy or his friends. Jeremie's face did turn red when they were finished, though.
"I know about the both of them," Jeremie said, "I'm willing to bet you know about Odd and Sissi, and Aelita and me."
"It is rather obvious," Thompson replied, "but you four didn't duck out on the rest for a roll in the hay."
"I see what you're saying," he replied, "but I still can't blame them. 'But for the Grace of God, there go I' and all that."
"Well, you're going to have to handle it somehow. Maybe they weren't taking the exercise seriously. Maybe when they play your 'game' they'll have their heads screwed on straight. But teenage hormones does seem to be your problem."
"And the only way to cure that is to get rid of either the teenagers or the hormones," Jeremie said, "not a possibility."
The parents that came with the gang that day had spent the morning and afternoon touring the base, led by General Maxwell and Ambassador Wilkerson. Impromptu demonstrations were held of the various units capabilities, each trying to outdo the other in order to please the visiting Brass.
The parents also had the opportunity to meet and socialize with each other. Most had only heard of the other students their children went to school with, now they had the chance not only to meet their children's friends, but their friends families as well. Mrs. Ishiyama in particular was making a point of meeting all of the others parents.
By the time the families were reunited with their young, it was almost 5 pm. General Maxwell told them that dinner would be at 7 in the Officer's Mess, with a band playing for entertainment and dancing afterwards. Since MGySgt. Thompson and his crew were invited, the order prohibiting NCOs and Enlisted Personnel from the Officer's Mess was lifted for the for the evening.
Ulrich spent the first part of the evening sitting with his mother. The entire day, she had been withdrawn from the other parents, and no one could figure out why. Mother and son talked for a while, then Ulrich motioned to Yumi to come over and join them. The three sat and talked for a while, until finally Mrs. Stern reached over and hugged Yumi, a beaming smile on her face.
Yumi and Ulrich then took Mrs. Stern over and introduced her to her parents. The two families spent the rest of the evening getting to know one another.
Jeremie's father and MGySgt. Thompson talked for much of the evening. Mrs. Belpois spent her time talking to GySgt. Grace, who had changed into civilian dress for the evening.
The Della Robbias were deep in conversation with Principal Delmas, much to horror of their children. Every now and then one of the other parents would say something that would cause the others to laugh and Odd or Sissi would wince and blush.
The Wilkersons welcomed Herve into their fold like a long lost son. Ambassador Wilkerson spent quite a lot of time talking to the boy, much to Jeanie's dislike. By the time the evening ended, Herve was totally at ease in his surroundings.
Desmond Hopper, his wife Marie, Jeremie and Aelita spent the evening talking among themselves. Except for Ulrich and Yumi getting chewed out, the day had been wonderful.
It was late before everyone went to bed. Adults and children both danced and twirled to the sounds of the Air Force quartet that entertained them that evening. Then the Last Dance was called, and they all retired for the night.
Back in Paris, an interview was held that evening.
"I am very impressed by your resume," the first man said.
"Thank you. I've had plenty of management experience and..." the second man said.
The first man interrupted, "tell me, what of Mr. Kline?"
"Kline? I, ah, haven't heard that name in years," said the second man.
"I'm sure. Isn't he still serving a sentence for the crime you committed?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," said the second man, visibly shaken now.
"I know all about it," said the first man, "you attempted to broker an arms deal for some Swiss acquaintance, and it backfired. You had to leave your well paying job, lost most of your fortune, and somehow managed to have your best friend in the world implicated, charged and convicted for illegal arms trafficking. Such quick thinking is very impressive indeed. So much so that my Master had me specifically seek you out."
"Master?" asked the second man.
"Yes, Master. One who demands obedience, and rewards it well."
The first man opened a briefcase he had brought with him. In it were packets of thousand Euro bank notes, bound together.
"There is more where this came from, if you agree to join us," the first man said, "my Master is away at present, but I expect him soon. If you agree to join us, this briefcase and its contents are yours, though, as soon as he is available, my Master will want to interview you himself. Call this a retainer."
"I would more than happy to call it whatever you like," said the second man as he reached for the briefcase. The first man pulled it back.
"One more thing, once my Master has interviewed you, and if you are acceptable to him, you will be one of us. This is not a decision to be made lightly. Once you join us, there is no turning back. Think carefully before making your choice."
"I think my choice is made," said the second man, "I'm in. You just tell your master that I'll meet him anytime, anywhere. I'm his man."
"Good," said the first man as he slid the briefcase to the second man, "then let me be the first to welcome you to our organization, Mr. Stern."