BD4
Disclaimer: Not mine, except for the lab techs.
Author's note: Ok already, more Ian POV coming up! BTW, I know the series says Cathain, but there was a real warrior queen who lived on the Isle of Skye. Her name was Scathan, and she trained King Conchobar .
Ian stood there at parade rest, his peripheral vision still focused on the female scientist. He wished he had paid more attention during the speech, he would have liked to know her name. As it was, he was reduced to conjecture. Would she have an Irish name? Did she know any Gaelic? He could speak and read Gaelic, mostly because several of the Witchblade legends Irons was fascinated with were from an era when the Christian Church had only begun to influence the Gaelic culture. Indeed, when he was young they had gone to Ireland to examine an archeological dig on the Isle of Skye. Irons had been particulary pleased with that venture, as it had yielded to him personal artifacts of the wielder Scathan. She had a famous school, and had trained all Irish warriors of note from her time. He had felt very comfortable there, focused and at peace. The mighty King Conchobar himself had even trained there, although Ian thought he had behaved disgracefully over Deidre. Well, that was not the fault of Scathan, a man must master his own emotions or be mastered by them. Her focus had been the arts of war, not love, and there she had excelled.
"Move out!" The strident voice of the sergeant cut through Ian, snapping him out of his idle thoughts.
Ian turned and followed his new brethren toward the doors on the left. He knew that they were being taken to their new quarters for the duration of the study, but he felt his shoulders tighten. It took him a second to realize it was not anxiety, someone was staring at his back It was odd, he felt no hostility, just extreme focus. Using the reflective surfaces of the lab equipment and the doors, he finally found the source. The dark haired lady was staring in his direction, but her eyes were low. What was she looking at? Before he could try to figure out more, he passed through the doors and lost the angle on the reflection. He filed the question away, he knew he would come into contact with her eventually.
They were assigned bunks, and Ian felt a moment of glee. They were not going to be isolated from each other! He would finally have a chance to talk to others like him. As they all stood next to their new beds, the sergeant gave them their orders. It was all pretty standard, until the last sentence.
"All right men, you're in for a long confinement. You knew that, but signed on anyway. As a reward for volunteering, you are being allowed one last night of liberty. Be back by 0400, or I will personally bust your ass, and you will be out of the project! Am I clear?" Sargeant Leamon growled.
"Yes, Sir!" they all replied as one, and with great enthusiasm. Ian wondered what the others would do with their night. He hoped he could find a bookstore still open, it would be nice to read some more of the 'Secrete de la Chevalier'. If not, perhaps a nice dinner?
"All right my brothers, we have been given our freedom. Let us make our own first mission. Our orders are to get drunk and laid, but don't miss the bus Cinderellas! I do not want to start our first day with a mark against us." The black man that had been briefly introduced to him at roll call as Mobius said, and it was obviously meant for all of them.
Ian watched as the men slapped backs and made teasing comments. It was clear that they all intended to go. Perhaps the book could wait, he wanted to join the rest of his unit.
Disclaimer: Not mine, except for the lab techs.
Author's note: Ok already, more Ian POV coming up! BTW, I know the series says Cathain, but there was a real warrior queen who lived on the Isle of Skye. Her name was Scathan, and she trained King Conchobar .
Ian stood there at parade rest, his peripheral vision still focused on the female scientist. He wished he had paid more attention during the speech, he would have liked to know her name. As it was, he was reduced to conjecture. Would she have an Irish name? Did she know any Gaelic? He could speak and read Gaelic, mostly because several of the Witchblade legends Irons was fascinated with were from an era when the Christian Church had only begun to influence the Gaelic culture. Indeed, when he was young they had gone to Ireland to examine an archeological dig on the Isle of Skye. Irons had been particulary pleased with that venture, as it had yielded to him personal artifacts of the wielder Scathan. She had a famous school, and had trained all Irish warriors of note from her time. He had felt very comfortable there, focused and at peace. The mighty King Conchobar himself had even trained there, although Ian thought he had behaved disgracefully over Deidre. Well, that was not the fault of Scathan, a man must master his own emotions or be mastered by them. Her focus had been the arts of war, not love, and there she had excelled.
"Move out!" The strident voice of the sergeant cut through Ian, snapping him out of his idle thoughts.
Ian turned and followed his new brethren toward the doors on the left. He knew that they were being taken to their new quarters for the duration of the study, but he felt his shoulders tighten. It took him a second to realize it was not anxiety, someone was staring at his back It was odd, he felt no hostility, just extreme focus. Using the reflective surfaces of the lab equipment and the doors, he finally found the source. The dark haired lady was staring in his direction, but her eyes were low. What was she looking at? Before he could try to figure out more, he passed through the doors and lost the angle on the reflection. He filed the question away, he knew he would come into contact with her eventually.
They were assigned bunks, and Ian felt a moment of glee. They were not going to be isolated from each other! He would finally have a chance to talk to others like him. As they all stood next to their new beds, the sergeant gave them their orders. It was all pretty standard, until the last sentence.
"All right men, you're in for a long confinement. You knew that, but signed on anyway. As a reward for volunteering, you are being allowed one last night of liberty. Be back by 0400, or I will personally bust your ass, and you will be out of the project! Am I clear?" Sargeant Leamon growled.
"Yes, Sir!" they all replied as one, and with great enthusiasm. Ian wondered what the others would do with their night. He hoped he could find a bookstore still open, it would be nice to read some more of the 'Secrete de la Chevalier'. If not, perhaps a nice dinner?
"All right my brothers, we have been given our freedom. Let us make our own first mission. Our orders are to get drunk and laid, but don't miss the bus Cinderellas! I do not want to start our first day with a mark against us." The black man that had been briefly introduced to him at roll call as Mobius said, and it was obviously meant for all of them.
Ian watched as the men slapped backs and made teasing comments. It was clear that they all intended to go. Perhaps the book could wait, he wanted to join the rest of his unit.