Chapter Nine: How About a Raincheck For the Next Life?
When Lieutenant Graham and I arrived at the company command post, the captain looked anything but pleased. He said the extra supplies that we hadn't used were already stored for the shuttle ride into orbit; now he'd had to coordinate the release of the weapons, ammo, food, water, and medical supplies because of the delay.
"I know it may seem like a drastic measure for just a few hour's difference," Captain Kingston explained. "But I've seen this happen too many times: Covies see us packing up and they'll get you at the eleventh hour. Now, at least, we'll be prepared for anything."
Graham and I still placed our bets on nothing happening at all; the team at the OP had reported little activity in the alien camp for the past few days. Kingston, the lieutenant and I believed, was just a tiny bit paranoid.
Because of the release of supplies, the other two lieutenants and I were ordered to spend the rest of the day redistributing everything to our respective platoons. I didn't let my frustration show in front of my subordinates---bad discipline---but inside I felt it was just a waste of time. I ordered my platoon to store their supplies in whatever way they wished, and watch the line carefully. By the time it was all done, it was the evening of day four. Tomorrow we would leave.
I knew walking into the medical tent that night that there was a strong possibility I'd be scolded by Doc Reynolds; rank or not, he was still in charge when it came to medicine and healthcare. And I knew he'd have a definite problem with my not showing up at midday.
"Lieutenant---" he said when I walked in, tone indicating his disapproval. I held up my hands to stop him.
"I know, I know. Missed it."
"Let me ask you something, ma'am, with all due respect," he said, almost glaring. "Do you value your health, or not?"
"I most certainly do, Doc."
"Then why the hell, ma'am, would you jeopardize it in such a manner?"
I was so damn tired of people overreacting today. I snapped.
"Listen, Doc, I know you run this joint, but remember who the fuck you're talking to, huh? I missed one check. One."
The medic's jaw worked for a moment before he decided to back down. "Yes, ma'am. I apologize for any disrespect…but I am here to make sure my platoon members stay alive. All of them."
"Fair enough. I'm here now, so let's just get this over with." I sat on the cot, as usual.
"Roger, El-Tee."
The medic had removed the bandages on my ribs the day before, and found them to be healing well enough that I didn't need them checked daily anymore. The grenade blast from the first night patrol had only bruised my right side, so now the visit was left strictly to making sure the heat hadn't killed me yet.
"Getting ready for the changing of the guard, Lieutenant?" Reynolds asked, this time in a completely different tone.
"As ready as you can get with mister 'I've-got-a-funny-feeling' breathing down your neck," I answered. I hadn't realized how bitter I felt at Kingston's paranoia; I was glad we'd be heading to safer waters in several hours.
"Yep, that's the captain for ya," the medic replied with a smile. He looked up at me. "Well, as usual, you check out just fine."
"So all your bitching was for nothing then?" I asked, smirking.
It was the first time I'd seen Doc Reynolds blush, and it took all my self-control not to laugh. "Mostly," he admitted.
"At least tomorrow you'll only have to do these checks one last time," I said. "Then you're freed of me and everyone else…till we get wounded." I stood and turned to go. "Thanks, Doc."
"Uh, Lieutenant?"
"Yeah?"
"I realize how very inappropriate this is, but tomorrow we'll be on Sigma Octanus IV, with maybe a couple days' liberty…"
"So?"
He took a deep breath. "So I was wondering if you'd like to have dinner with me."
Honestly, I was surprised. I could tell that Doc Reynolds had an interest in me, and he had probably figured out that he was attractive himself. But I hadn't thought that anything would come from it, especially not when we were still in a war zone and on-duty. It had "bad" written all over it.
When I'd finally regained speech some moments later, I sighed. "Listen, Doc, this is all wrong. We're professional soldiers in the middle of a war, and you wait for the right time and place for other stuff. This is neither."
"I know, ma'am. I know it's stupid to ask now and I know it could get me in trouble, but I just needed to find out. But…if I asked you when we get leave, would you consider saying yes?"
"First of all, the 'when' is actually an 'if.' Secondly, no. My dating years have been over for a long while now." I walked back to the desk he was sitting near and leaned my hands on it, making sure he could clearly see my wedding ring. I watched him look at it but couldn't decipher his expression.
"Point taken, El-Tee," he said after a pause. "I'll remind myself to never do this again."
I stood straight and glanced down at him; he looked like a scolded child, sitting in the chair with his hands in his lap.
I sighed and folded my arms across my chest, assuming the role of undaunted leader once more. "You know we can't act weird now, right? The platoon's perceptive, and I've got a feeling they suspect something already."
"Yes, ma'am. No awkward moments."
An awkward silence followed.
Finally, I just grinned.
"If that was our first test, we failed miserably."