Disclaimer: I don't own G.I. Joe or Murphy's Laws...
Opening Author's Notes: Reviews, already? Let's see...
MariaShadow: Probably would be.
Tirya King: Well, I'm trying to keep it where you don't need to know the details to enjoy it.
To all my readers, I can only hope that this chapter lives up to the last...
---
A Greenshirt's Guide To G.I. Joe Life
By J.T. Magnus, Turbo
Part Two: Wargames
---
The G.I. Joe team had existed, off and on, for the past forty years, the U.S. Military as a whole for five times that, and rivalries were sure to develop - Army and Air Force, Navy and the Marines, each saying they could beat the other.
And after the last brawl that started as round number who-knows-what of Leatherneck versus Wet-Suit that escalated, G.I. Joe command had reached it's limit on tolerance. That was why a special meeting had been called.
At the head of the table, General Lawrence James Flagg, the third, known to friend and enemy alike as the Tomahawk, commanding officer of G.I. Joe. On one side of the table sat his Second in Command and honorary Marine, Major John T. Magnus, codename: "Turbo", Air Commander Colonel Bradley J. Armbuster, "Ace", and the team's Chief-of-Staff Corporal Charles Fine, "Sparks." Facing them from the other side were the Top Shirt, Sergeant Major Jessica Parker, "Athena", Chief Drill Instructor Staff Sergeant Wayne "Beachhead" Sneeden, and the head of the Motor Pool, Corporal Lance Steinburg, codename: "Clutch."
"We all know why we're here," Tomahawk began the meeting, "So I don't have to explain that... What I want is ideas on how we're gonna deal with this problem."
Over the years, Beachhead had learned how to lighten up slightly and it showed in his own response, "Back in Alabama we'd send 'em out behind the barn and let them fight it out."
"We'll... keep that in mind, Sergeant."
"No, wait... I think he's right," Turbo added, "What if WE'RE the problem? Maybe we should just give them a chance to beat each other senseless and see if that helps."
Under his breath he muttered something about wishing he could have done that to some of his old classmates.
"I see... and how were you thinking of doing this?"
"How about a war game? Capture the flag or something?" Ace asked.
Turbo gave a nod, "Sounds good to me. How about Marines and Army against Air Force and Navy, that way we have the opposing services against each other?"
It was no secret that Turbo and Athena rarely agreed on anything except fighting Cobras, so it came as no surprise when she muttered...
"This is bound to end well..."
---
The week before the war game had been filled not with trash-talk and attempts to eliminate the competition, this was G.I. Joe, that wasn't needed or wanted...
But the 'you're gonna lose' looks and the like were pervasive. Even Leatherneck and Wet-suit were almost... cordial to each other.
There was gonna be a showdown.
---
The standard issue weapon for the day was the XMLR-1A Laser Rifle, with modifications to each service's so that they shot colors corresponding to their branch. It was decided that Daina, Big Ben, Windcharger, and Warden would be the judges, since they weren't from any of the service branches taking part in the war game. The Navy/AF team was good, but the stealth of the Army's LRRP-trained members and the plain stubborn refusal to lose of the Marines had put them on the defensive after the first couple of hours had thinned their numbers.
Now Ace and Wet-Suit as leaders of their respective branches' teams were trying to decide how to turn the tide back in their favor.
"No, that wouldn't work... Windcharger and Kamakura might have been disqualified since they're not in the military, but Jinx and Snake-Eyes are on the other team... And I think Windcharger's been teaching Turbo about stealth, so he's another threat..."
"Thanks. I try to be."
The two leaders turned to look through the doorway of their command center and got the surprise of the game; as if summoned, the three they had been discussing were standing there.
"Don't bother with the alarm," Jinx told them, "Everyone's having a nice... nap."
Snake-Eyes turned and looked around the room before leaping overhead and upon landing on the other side of the room snatching the two-tone blue flag from its stand, causing a buzzer to sound on the Gauntlets of every Joe team member.
Just then, Ghostrider, Topside and several others came running down the corridor of the pre-fab field headquarters and stopped at the sight of their three enemies with the flag in their position.
Ace did a double-take, "I thought you said-"
"We bluffed. You just never tried to call it."
---
Three days later...
"HE CHEATED!"
"HE IMPROVISED!"
"CHEATED!"
"IMPROVISED, ADAPTED AND OVERCAME! IT'S NOT HIS FAULT YOU'RE AN IDIOT!"
"I'M A WHAT?"
"EXACTLY!"
Walking by the door to the mess hall, Turbo groaned, "It seemed like such a good idea two weeks ago..."
---
Murphy's Law of Warfare: Never underestimate the ability of the brass to foul things up. (fyi: Brass officers)
---
Author's Closing Notes: In case you weren't able to tell, the foul up was that instead of answering the question, they just ended up having another reason to fight.