"You don't need to be afraid of him," I told Bitsui with a slight smile as he breathed deeply at the sight of Speirs' back leaving us to head to our training. "I mean, most people are, but he's not as intimidating as he makes himself seem."

"I'm just…" he paused and swallowed hard. "I'm not comfortable around them."

"Officers?" I had an inkling of what he really meant by 'them.'

"White people." He confirmed.

"I've noticed." I looked him over, his muscles strained and pulled tight like he was about to jump free of his own skin. "You've not had good experiences with your company." It wasn't a question.

"We're different than them. They don't like us." He affirmed.

I wasn't stupid, I knew how incredibly lucky I had been to find myself in the company of the men I was in. The men of Easy were a mix from all different backgrounds and ethnic origins. We had our differences in the beginning, but we had found a strength in each other that allowed us to form a familial bond. Many others did not get that chance and I had my suspicions that the Private had been through more at the hands of some of the men in his company than he let on.

"I know it seems like that, but I want you to listen to me," I placed my hands on his shoulders and looked him square in the eyes. "no matter what's happened to you, what they've done to you, you can trust me. Right?"

He nodded his head.

"Then trust me when I tell you Captain Speirs will not hurt you, you don't need to be afraid of him." I squeezed his shoulders to emphasize my point. The private nodded hesitantly and we both headed to our training.

"What about Capitan Puck?" he asked and I snorted.

"I wouldn't trust that man if he paid me to, I don't call him Fuckwit for nothing," I looked towards to mountains and traced the snow capped peaks with my eyes. "My grandpa used to say you could tell when a man had a man streak, it's a darkness that you can see hiding just behind their eyes. That's why you always look a man in the eyes when you speak to them, their eyes can't hide the truth."

"I was taught not to look anyone in the eyes," Sherwin answered hesitantly.

"I know," I sighed. The Diné believed that it was rude and disrespectful to look a man in the eyes, a fact that many a white man saw as a sign of weakness instead of respect. "But this is not the reservation and you've got to learn to play by their rules if you want to survive."

He nodded and the rest of the walk was continued in silence.

0000000000000000

"What the everloving fuck in space happened to you?" I caught sight of the blackened eye and still oozing cut on Bitsui's cheek. I grabbed his face and turned it so the injury was clearly highlighted by the sunlight. His already dark skin was tinged red and purple with the fresh wound. I gently pressed along his high cheekbone and he hissed air through his teeth. "Who the fuck did this to you? I'll fucking kill them"

"Captain Rhodes," he answered with a weary sigh, referring to his handler.

"I'm going to kill that mother fucking racist shit bag son of a whore," I nearly growled. In truth, I had always had very little in the way of self preservation instincts to begin with, but what little I had would be thrown out the window for the people who I cared about. I supposed that made me a good soldier, and damned lucky I had the people I did looking out for me, no matter how exasperated they would get.

"It's not worth it," Bitsui grabbed my shoulder as I tried to stalk off towards the room the "intelligence" officers shared.

"I'll break that stick of his in half and shove it so far up his ass it he'll sneeze splinters!" I growled and tried to shrug off the Private's hand. Captain Rhodes was from a wealthy southern family, his grandfather had fought for the confederate army and the mentality of white superiority had been passed down to the Captain. His "old money" attitude was added to by the fact that he carried around a cane stick that used to be his grandfather's of which he used to beat his slaves with when slavery was still legal. I forgot how close this era was to the pre emancipation era, but Rhodes made sure that I never forgot about it when I was in his presence.

"Beat the color out of him" he had said to Puck the first time I had mouthed off to my handler in front of him. "My grand daddy would have beat him black and blue if that half breed had dared to speak him that way." I knew at that moment I was in fact lucky to have Puck as my handler and I felt disgusted at the very thought someone like Rhodes was allowed to exist in this or any time.

"Please, Jo" Sherwin begged. "Just leave it." I growled but nodded tightly in affirmation.

"Fine, but if he lays one hand on you again I kick him in the balls so hard he won't be able to tell his dick from his tongue." I growled and Sherwin bit back a laugh.

"That's very… scary." He grinned, wincing as the cut on his face pulled. "You know your eyes turn black when you are mad?"

"I've been told," I sighed and rubbed my forehead. Sherwin nodded, suppressing a grin. In the weeks we had know each other he had started to open up to me and I could start to see the person he really was start to shine through. He, like many of the tribal members, had a wicked sense of humor and when he was relaxed laughter came easily to him, an important attribute for anyone in a tribe that celebrated the first laugh of a baby with a huge family gathering and party.

"Come on, we have training." Sherwin guided me to the tree we were told to meet our handlers at. They felt that we (meaning they) were not fighting fit so they wanted to start running drills with us to prepare us for war ("not like we haven't done this all before," I had groused to Bitsui when we were first ordered to start this additional training).

We passed Speirs and Doc who were speaking quietly to each other. Sherwin didn't look away when the Major nodded in greeting, but he didn't meet the eyes of the officer either.

It was a work in progress.

I could feel the eyes of both Easy men on me as we passed. Doc had informed me just the day before that I had again started to drop weight and the dark circles that had nearly disappeared in the weeks prior had come back in full force. To say he was angry when I told him of the hours Puck and Rhodes kept us in training would be an understatement. In fact, I had to hold the Cajun back from marching into the Intelligence HQ and giving the men what for. I had not doubt that I was the current topic of discussion between the two men and my suspicions were all but confirmed when I glanced over at them to see them both staring hard at me. I groaned before forcing a cheery smile to my face and waving at them with a detectable amount of forced enthusiasm. Roe rolled his eyes so hard I thought they may get stuck in the back of his head and Speirs just watched me pass with a hint of exasperation in his face.

"What was that about?" Sherwin slowed and looked between the two men and I. Stopping myself from running into the taller man I nudged him forward.

"Dunno… white people stuff." I mumbled and we continued on our path.

00000000

When we arrived Puck was nowhere in site, but Rhodes was leant against the large elm tree staring at his watch.

"You're late." He drawled lazily but I could see the fire burning in his blue eyes.

"Yeah, we got held up." I answered back, he looked over at me expectantly. "Some deep south inbred asshole decided it was in our best interest to waste our time with issues that had nothing to do with us. We politely informed him the South had lost the war before moseying our way onward." I bit out and Rhodes nostrils flared as he gripped the cane he held so tightly it squeaked in his hands. I glanced around "where's Fu-uh-Puck?"

"Captain Puck will not be able to make it to training today, his duties call him elsewhere." The southern man drawled and then pushed off from the tree. "Y'all are stuck with just me today," he stalked closer to us until he was bearing down over me. "And I am not one to be trifled with, just ask your friend over there."

I felt myself tighten in preparation of a fight as he motioned towards Sherwin. The dark haired man beside me cleared his throat and I saw his head shake slightly from the corner of my eye.

"I will be taking over Puck's duties as handler for you, as well as keeping charge of Bitty here until he returns from his current business. As such, you will offer me all the courtesies expected of a man in my rank," the Captain continued.

"Rank is right," I mumbled to Sherwin, just below the range of Rhodes hearing. Sherwin snorted quietly.

"I will not tolerate your backtalk, is that understood?" Rhodes stared hard at Bitsui who swallowed audibally and answered in affirmative. The Captain's gaze refocused his gaze on me.

"Yes," I answered in contempt.

"Yes, what?"

'Yes cock banana'

"Yes, sir," I stopped myself from saying the first thing that came to mind and answered as he expected.

"Good," he was so smug I fought to control my temper. "Let's move out."

0000000

It had been three days since the last time Puck had joined us in training and with each passing day Rhodes become more unbearable. Each time Sherwin or I did or said something that he perceived as incorrect he would strike us with his cane. A sharpe, swift smack that he performed with a practiced ease and I wondered just how many people had been on the receiving end of his displeasure since he made it seem so effortless.

I myself was on the receiving end of the stick more often as my poor self preservation skills and smart mouth combined easily as I made great effort to keep Sherwin out of the Captain's focus. My shoulders were red and blue as fresh and old bruises intermingled where Rhodes knew no one would see. I stood tall, however, refusing to back down to the man who took such pleasure in making our lives miserable. I knew one word to Speirs would find the Captain's body hidden beneath the depths of the lake, but pride and hatred boiled too deep in me to admit to the treatment I had allowed myself to receive from this so called man.

"Wrong, wrong, WRONG!" Rhodes yelled at Sherwin as he completed the coding exercise on the chalkboard. "How the hell do you expect to win this war if you can't do this simple thing."

I felt anger the likes I had never felt before as Rhodes tried to correct Sherwin's translation.

"That's not correct, sir." Sherwin spoke so fiercely that my head snapped up in surprise.

"What did you say to me darkie?" Rhodes seethed.

"That's incorrect, that word doesn't mean turtle, it means hawk," Sherwin stood firm and I felt pride swell as the shy and worn man I had come to know held his ground.

"Don't you tell me that I'm wrong, I have been studying this non stop for the past month and -"

"And I've been speaking it my whole life." Sherwin cut him off and I felt the shift in the air. The color of Rhodes face changed to an angry redish purple and his eyes pinched, taking on a viper like quality.

"How dare you," he seethed barely above a whisper. "How dare you correct me! You are a nothing more than a spec of shit on the bottom of my sole," he raised his cane above his head. "And I will show you your place is on the ground in the mud with the rest of the shit stained creatures like yourself."

A loud crack roared through the room followed by a strangled cry, in an instant Sherwin was on his knees as the blow landed on his shoulder. Rhodes raised his cane once more and brought it down with all his strength.

The crack thundered through the small windowless room and the searing sting of the blow ran down my hand and shot through my arm. Before I could comprehend what I was doing I was out of my chair and in front of the Captain, shielding Sherwin with my own body and catching the sturdy reed cane with my own hand.

"You do not get to treat him like that," I hissed in a tone so deadly that even I didn't know I was capable of. Rhodes was momentarily stunned, but that didn't last and before I could realize what was happening, he had wretched the cane from my hand and brought it above his head once more.

"You filthy creature!" He ground out. "You think you have the right to touch me!" His eyes were crazed beyond reason and I knew what was to come. I held firm, knowing I wasn't strong enough to fight back the blonde man who towered well above me. I braced myself as the cane made a high pitched whistle before a loud smack echoed against the walls of the barren room. The pain was instant and piercing. I grunted but stayed standing, glaring hard at the man which only seemed to raise his ire. The next stroke hit my forearm, then my shoulder, my wrist, my hand. Eventually my arms were so tired and pained from shielding my head that they dropped of their own accord. The next blow landed across my face and stars danced before my eyes. I could feel the trickle of blood as it slid down from my forehead. Another hit landed on my head and I was brought to my knees. Another hit my shoulders, my back and then my head. This time I fell to the ground as a wave of dizziness fell over me. The blows kept coming as he screamed at me in hysterics, demanding me to show him the respect he deserved and calling me every foul name in the book. I barely remember using my arms to shield my head once more but that did not deter him, he continued to beat me with his cain. I couldn't hear anything but the rush of blood in my ears and the crack of the cane as it hit me over and over.

Then suddenly everything stopped.

All I could hear was the whoshing of my own pulse and all I could feel was the sting of pain all over my body. A hum started to tickle my ears and I fought to focus on it's source. I dropped my arms to the cool concrete floor and let it absorb some of the heat from my reddened skin. I breathed deeply, an action that hurt my bruised back, and opened my bleary eyes to see a figure standing over me. My pain addled brain came to the conclusion that the figure was Rhodes, gloating as he surveyed his handy work. I decided I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing me bowed before him and I slowly and shakily forced myself to my feet. I blinked hard, trying to clear my blurry visions as the hum grew louder.

I felt a hand softly touch my shoulder and I flinched at the pain but held firm. I blinked several more times and the picture before me started to come into focus. What I had thought was Rhodes gloating over my prone form was not the crazed Captain, but was in fact my crazed Major. I planted my feet as a wave a vertigo passed over me and nearly brought me to my knees once more. The humming became voices and soon I could make out what was being said.

"You can't! I'm an officer!" Rhodes voice was frantic with fear. I blinked once more and my vision cleared enough for me to see the gun that was currently pointed directly in Rhodes' face. "Please, please don't hurt me! Don't kill me!"

The gun clicked as it was cocked.

"Major Speirs," I croaked out, blood dripped from my mouth were my lip had been split open. Speirs' back tensed but that was the only sign that he heard me. "Speirs." I spoke again, my voice slightly stronger. I used every ounce of strength I could muster to bring my arm up and clasp my hand over his that held the gun steadily pointing at Rhodes.

"Major," His head snapped towards me and I could see the absolute fury in the depths of his eyes. "Major, it's not worth it." His eyebrows bunched together. "I'm not worth you losing everything for."

His jaw clenched and I could hear the clicking of his teeth.

"Sir, please. Just drop your weapon," I held his hand firmly and slowly pushed the gun down.

"Yeah, just listen to the Sergeant." Rhodes gasped as the gun shot back up to his face.

"You need to shut the fuck up now," I growled to the Captain and moved to stand between him and the Major. "You are worthless." I hissed. "You are less than human and if it wouldn't cost Speirs his life I would let him kill you right here and now. You are nothing, you will always be nothing. You've just ruined your career in a fit of childish rage."

He scoffed.

"You think anyone in this here Army will give a shit that I beat the life out of a half breed?" Rhodes seethed. I could feel Speirs tense up behind me.

"No," I answered honestly. "I know no one gives a flying fuck about me. But they will care about the testimony of a well respected officer," I gestured at the man behind me. The color drained from Rhodes' face and his eye widened.

"You-you can't!" He aqueaked, the full weight of what he had done to himself in doing what he did to me crashing down around him. "Please," he begged. "Please, I'll do anything." All sense of pride and superiority left the Captain and he dropped to his knees, pleading with the Major. "Please."

I breathed deeply and turned around, facing the Major. His brown eyes met mine and he slid his sidearm back into his holster. "Bitsui, get the MPs and bring them back here. Tell them to arrest this man under my orders."

"Yes, sir." I glanced around the Major as Bitsui saluted the man and rushed off. I nodded to the Major and used what was left of my strength to exit the room of my own validity.

The sun was so bright it hurt my eyes and sent a wave of dizziness and nausea shooting through my body. I stumbled slightly and instantly felt a firm but soft grip on my arm. I leaned slightly into the touch in effort to boost my balance.

"Come on, Jo. Let's get you to Doc Roe." Speirs steered me towards the building that served as a medical unit and sat me on one of the clean beds. It was dinner time so the place was devoid of any signs of life. He called out for a medic but received no answer and in my pain addled state I didn't once think of the secret that I needed to protect. He growled when his continued calls were met with only silence.

"Jo," His voice was low but firm. "Jo, I'm going to go find Doc Roe. I'll be right back, okay?" I closed my eyes as the darkness started to creep into my mind. "Jo."

"Yes, sir." I was finally able to answer though my voice came out slow and sluggish. "You'll be right back." I felt a cool hand brush against the bleeding cut that ran across my eyebrow.

"Lay down," He commanded and I followed his orders, laying on my stomach as my back was too pained to handle my own body weight. Speirs lifted my feet gently up and slid them onto the bed. His hand touched my hair softly. "I'll be right back."

The last thing I remembered before the darkness engulfed my mind was the sound of Speirs' boots as he jogged out of the room.