A/N: I had no idea this story would get so popular. Thanks for all your reviews, but a note of interest: I have decided to write a prequel detailing Wolf Company's formation, training, and early battles including the 'founder' and first CO of Wolf Company. Would you folks like that? Let me know in your reviews.
Ch. 7 Unexpected yet not Unwanted
Most units of the Imperial Guard wake up to the sound of a bugle-playing Reveille, however Ron didn't care much for it so he picked a different tune…
Kim awoke to the sight of the rose on her nightstand and the sound of another strange song; an instrument that she had never heard before played the opening. After a long intro, the lyrics finally came.
Out here in the fields
I fight for my meals
I get my back into my living
I don't need to fight
To prove I'm right
I don't need to be forgiven
Kim rubbed the sleep from her eyes as the song continued to play, she got out of her bed, went over to her footlocker and gathered the things she would need to take a shower. As she left her quarters, she noticed the small amount of Guardsmen awake. Sure, the song wasn't the traditional bugle call but Reveille was still Reveille. She shook her head in exasperation, 'There is a distinct lack of discipline in this unit,' she thought.
Don't cry
Don't raise your eye
It's only teenage wasteland
Sally, take my hand
We'll travel south cross land
Put out the fire
And don't look past my shoulder
The exodus is here
The happy ones are near
Let's get together
Before we get much older
Kim came to the showers and was happy to hear that none of the showers were on at the moment. She stepped into the small hut and closed the door behind her, wishing there was lock. She undressed, placed her clothes on a nearby shelf, stepped into the cubicle and turned the water on. That's when she recalled the band-aid. She tentatively removed the bandage and inspected the wound. She was surprised to find that the cut had completely healed; it was if it never had occurred at all. As she cleaned herself, she became lost in her own thoughts and failed to notice someone step inside.
"So how's the water this morning?" a male voice asked. Kim immediately snapped out of her thoughts, wrapped her arms around her chest and went as far to the wall as the cubicle would allow. The guardsman was tall and broad, with blond hair and green eyes, and on his shoulder where three chevrons to signify the rank of Sergeant.
"What are you doing here!" Kim nearly shouted. "I came to take a shower," the Guardsman said, still looking at Kim. "Turn around!" Kim yelled. "Why?" the Guardsman asked, suddenly turning his head back and fourth and looking worried. "Is there a bee?"
"No," Kim said. "Just give me that robe." She pointed to her small pile of clothes. "You mean this?" he asked holding up a robe that was the same color as most of her clothing: red. She turned off the shower, took the robe, and wrapped it around herself. As she tied the sash around her waist, she asked the Guardsman, "Which building is Lieutenant Stoppable's quarters?"
"The one behind the Garden," answered the Guardsman. Then he stuck out his hand and said, "Hi, I'm Brick Flagg. Lieutenant Stoppable's Vox Officer." Kim reached out and shook his hand, saying, "Kim Possible." The Emperor's Daughter, right?" "Yes," Kim nodded. "So after all these years," Brick said. "The Emperor can still get it up." Kim's fist clenched in anger but then released it. 'I don't have time for this,' she thought. She brushed pass Brick and went out the door.
Teenage wasteland
It's only teenage wasteland
Teenage wasteland
Oh, oh
Teenage wasteland
They're all wasted!
She marched from the showers, passed the Rose Garden, and saw a hut that was a little larger than the others she had seen and had the words 'Company CO: Lt. Ron Stoppable. 10 creds for a small. 20 creds for a large. 100 creds for a box' painted on a sign that hung from the door.
'A box of what?' Kim thought. She quickly expelled this thought from her mind and knocked on the door.
Nothing. She knocked again, this time louder.
Still no reply. Angrily she threw open the door and stepped in.
The first thing she noticed was the smell; it was a mixture of Lho smoke and cheap booze. In the back corner there was an assortment of beakers, tubes, Florence flasks, and Bunsen burners sitting on a table. Under the table was a large supply of mason jars; some empty, some full of a clear liquid. Next to the table was a desk with a lamp, what she assumed was a disassembled pistol a cleaning kit, and an ashtray.
Adjacent to the 'chemistry set' was a bunk that beheld the snoring Lieutenant; his back toward her and wearing the same clothes (and boots) from last night, and a nightstand. Concentrating for a moment, she unleashed a wave of psychic energy at the Lieutenant, causing him to fall from his bunk. As he fell he took a few empty mason jars that he had been laying on top of with him and spilled some small, orange horns from a box he was holding. The impact had awoken him but in some kind of stupor. He looked about, confused and unable to speak coherently; he looked down at the box he was holding and smiled. "Hey," he said, reaching into the box. "Bugles." He placed a few into his mouth and bit down with a loud crunch.
Still chewing, he looked up at Kim, then back at the box. He held the box out to her, offering her some. She shook her head and he placed the box back under his arm. "Well this is unexpected," he said, taking in her appearance. "But not entirely unwanted." in response to this, Kim closed the robe as much as possible, trying to maintain as much dignity as possible.
"So what can I do for you today, Princess?" he asked. Kim crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "You could've informed me that the showers are shared by both male and female personnel." Lieutenant Stoppable looked at her with raised eyebrows before standing up. "I thought it was implied," he said making his way to the other side of the hut, to the 'lab station'. "So who walked in on you? Monk? Reaper?" He turned and smiled at her. "Aggie?"
"It was neither Lieutenant Mankey nor Sergeant Grimm and I don't even know who this 'Aggie' is," Kim said. The Lieutenant pulled a valve on one of the many nozzles and the clear liquid poured into an empty mason jar. "Private First Class Agamemnon Skouros," he said turning the valve off when the jar was full. He picked it up, brought it to his lips and took a sip. He smiled a bit. "Just right," he said before turning back to her. "I believe he would like to 'ride' you."
Now it dawned on her, 'Aggie' was the Guardsmen who insulted her yesterday. "It was Sergeant Flagg," Kim said. The Lieutenant took another sip before turning his eyes downcast and saying, "Lucky bastard." He looked back at Kim, then held a second drink out to her and asked, "What some?" Kim was by no means thirsty but she was curious as to what the Lieutenant was making. She took the beverage, placed it under her nose, inhaled, and immediately wished she hadn't.
The Mason jar fell to the ground, spilling its content on to the hardwood floor. Kim's hands flew to her face to cover her nose and mouth as she began to cough violently. "You okay there, Princess?" Ron asked, placing a Lho Stick into his mouth. "It feels as if my sinuses are on fire," Kim managed to say in between coughs. "That's why you drink it instead of sniffing it," Ron said, lighting his Lho. Kim glared at him as her coughs began to subside. The Lieutenant bent and picked up the Mason jar and said, "I'm trying to decide whether or not to charge you for that one."
"What was that anyway?" Kim asked. "What our grandfather's grandfathers called White Lightning," he answered. Kim gave him a confused look. "Its alcohol," Ron answered again, going over to what Kim now identified as a distillery. He set the empty jar on the desk and then checked his watch. "You know Breakfast is in twenty minutes you could go get dress but I don't think anyone would be upset if you went just like that." Again Kim narrowed her eyes at the Lieutenant, prompting him to say, "You know if you keep doing that you face will stay like that." This caused Kim to glare even more at him. "Fine but don't say I didn't warn ya." Kim turned around walked out the Lieutenant's quarters and headed back to the showers.
On the way back, she mentally prepared herself for the possibility that Sergeant Flagg had already begun to shower. 'I'll be in then I'll be out.' she thought to herself. 'He won't even know I'm there.' She couldn't have been more wrong. The moment she opened the door to the showers was the exact moment that Sergeant Flagg took off his boxer shorts. He smiled and said, "Hey, your back." Kim immediately averted her eyes. "Yes, Sergeant Flagg," she said. "I've come to retrieve my clothing."
"They're right where you left them." Sergeant Flagg said. Even though Kim was able to get her clothes, she had a hard time acquiring them because her eyes were downcast.
When she had finally gotten her clothes, she quickly turned and left the showers quickly. 'This place is a madhouse,' she thought. She returned to her quarters and dressed quickly. She was wearing the same type of dress as yesterday; it was red and it had gold cracks stemming from the hem and traveling upwards and ending just above her knee. As she was finishing getting dressed, a voice on the P.A. system announced, "Attention! All personal, Breakfast is ready. Today's menu is sausage and eggs with hash browns," then he added somberly, "Emperor be with all of us."
"Why would he say that?" Kim thought aloud. Then she remember the distinct aroma she was introduced to yesterday and concluded that the P.A. announcer had a good reason to say that. Kim sighed, getting the feeling that this was going to be a trying day. Just as she stepped out of her quarters, she heard the sound of thunder in the distance. She continued towards the Mess Hall, passing a few Guardsmen on the way.
The Mess Hall was sparsely populated; by her estimate it was half full with Guardsmen eating their breakfast. On the wall to her left, Kim noticed a group of pictures taped to the wall itself that she hadn't seen yesterday. Below the pictures was a table that beheld a single framed photograph and above it was the words 'Wall of Fallen Wolves' carved into a wooden plaque that was obviously homemade. Kim went for a closer look and saw that the photos were of members of the 23rd that she assumed had been killed in action. In the framed photo she saw what must have been the 23rd when Lieutenant Stoppable had first started his military career. She recognized Lieutenant Mankey, Sergeant Major Rockwaller, Sergeant Flagg, and Sergeant Grimm.
She also recognized Lieutenant Stoppable, who was standing next to a man who was much older than him as evident by his brown beard that was already turning white on his chin. She could also tell he was a veteran of past battles by the scar over his left eye. He wore a trench coat, a peak cap and what she assumed was the standard fatigues underneath the coat. 'Who is he?' Kim thought to herself. "Caleb Campbell," a voice said from behind her. She turned around and saw Lieutenant Stoppable smoking another Lho Stick. "He was Wolf Company's drill instructor as well as its first CO before I took the helm."
"What happened to him?" Kim asked. Ron looked fondly at the man who had not only been a mentor but a second father to him. "He took a desk job, got promoted. Same old, same old." Kim nodded, then got into the serving line with Ron following. Just before Kim grabbed a tray, a siren began to blare at a high pitch. Ron sighed, exhaling Lho smoke while he did. "What's that?" Kim asked. "That Princess," Ron said. "Is the PDF alarm. It means that the Planetary Defenses have been breached and that the forces of Chaos have made planet fall." He turned and began to walk out as other Guardsmen left the their half-eaten meal behind. Ron turned back to look at Kim and said, "Looks like you're going to have to skip breakfast."
Lyrics by Pete Townshend