Private Mortimer Toynbee hoisted a wooden crate onto a supply cart and shifted it into place.
When not on scouting missions, Toynbee was responsible for managing the shed housing supplies for Staff Sergeant Fury's full compliment of troops. Squads would send orders for what they needed and Toynbee would trudge back and forth to make deliveries across the camp. It was the definition of grunt work, but he enjoyed it. He had certainly had worse jobs in the past. Being in the army at least made him feel useful and, occasionally, appreciated.
Toynbee squatted next to the cart to secure the crates with a long strap. Once that was done, he removed the large goggles covering his eyes and checked the new supply order again to make sure he did not miss anything.
He never took the goggles off when he was around others. His mutation was apparent enough without the other soldiers taking note of his slightly over-sized and strangely colored eyes. He had re-purposed the old pair of Korean War era lenses to help improve his near sighted vision and shield his eyes from bright light. Since the goggles enhanced his skills in the field, Sergeant Fury had never given him a hard time about them. He got snarky comments sometimes from the other soldiers but he had learned to ignore them.
Toynbee placed the goggles back over his eyes and shoved the cart forward out of the shed's main double doors. It was strange to be unloading supplies when he had spent the past month or so packing them up to be shipped back to the States. He still did not really understand what he and the squad would be doing with the arriving research team. Fury had been vague about what the researchers were planning to do. But Toynbee's squad had been requested so he supposed they might need mutants for whatever they would be doing in the jungle.
When he arrived at the researchers' assigned building, Toynbee found the front doors propped open and could make out a group of four people standing inside. He wheeled the cart in and saw Staff Sergeant Fury speaking with two men and one woman.
"I hope these barracks will meet your needs, Professor Song," Fury said, standing at attention with his hands clasped behind his back.
The woman who Fury addressed smiled graciously and replied, "Oh yes. Thank you, Sergeant. This will do quite nicely."
Her English inflection caught Toynbee's attention. He had become accustomed to feigning an American accent since enlisting in the U.S. army (with a few easily forged documents). Her voice, while not unpleasant, caused him to think about times in his past he would rather forget.
Fury gestured the group to look toward Toynbee and the arriving crates.
"If there are any additional supplies you need, send a requisition form to Private Toynbee at Shed 4 and he'll get you what you need," Fury said.
The Private glanced at the newcomers and gave a quick salute before crouching behind the crates. He was not comfortable with the attention Fury had directed toward him and tried to keep his focus on unpacking the cart.
"I suppose he's one of the soldiers who will be assisting us?" one of the men asked and Fury nodded.
"Yes, Captain Harkness. Private Summers will be along at 14:00 hours to introduce you formally to the squad," Fury said.
"Sounds good," Harkness replied.
"May we inspect the sleeping quarters, Sergeant Fury?" Professor Song asked, then added apologetically, "We've had a long trip and will want to settle in so we can make an early start of it tomorrow."
"Of course," Fury replied, "Please follow me."
Toynbee glanced up as the Sergeant and Professor headed toward a door in the rear of the long room. Captain Harkness spoke to the second man before following the pair.
"You mind staying here and waiting for Malloy?" Harkness said, "She was checking in with the head clerk to get her desk assignment."
The second man nodded, "Sure. I've seen military sleeping quarters plenty of times before. I'll bring her back with me when she gets here."
Harkness gave the second man a quick grin and headed toward the rear door. The man wandered slowly around the building and Toynbee could see a dark frown creasing his face. He noticed the man wore only one glove covering his left hand and flexed the fingers repeatedly. Toynbee's movements as he unpacked the crate seemed abnormally loud in the quiet building. The man did not seem to notice though, lost in his own thoughts.
Toynbee jumped slightly as someone else entered through the open doors, breaking the quiet. When he turned to see the new arrival, Toynbee stopped what he was doing and stared.
A young woman wearing the same style military dress as Professor Song half ran, half stumbled into the barracks. She was a little out of breath and carried a large pile of document folders in her arms. When she spotted the second man from the team, Toynbee saw her face light up in a wide and beautiful smile. Toynbee felt his face flush as he watched her move further into the building.
"Bucky!" she announced, sounding relieved, "Thank god. This camp is like a maze. I must have tried half a dozen other buildings before I found you guys."
The second man's frown lifted, replaced by a small, amused smirk.
"The clerk's office was right at the end of this row," the man identified as 'Bucky' stated, "How did you get lost?"
The young woman scowled, "Everything here is green, brown and then more green. It's not that easy to tell what is what."
"You'll get used to it," the man said and gestured toward the woman's pile of documents, "What is all that?"
The woman shrugged and shook her head, "Reports... requisitions... records. The smeg if I know. Though it seems this is what I'll be doing while you get to explore the jungle. Secretaries, beware. I've entered the typing pool."
The man chuckled and pointed toward a nearby table, "Why don't you set that stuff down while I go find out where River and Jack went?"
He turned to leave, but then paused and turned back.
"Oh, and Malloy," he said, "Make sure you call me 'Barnes' while we're here."
The woman named Malloy nodded, "Right. Sorry. I forgot. I'm so not good at this covert soldier stuff."
Barnes shrugged, "I outrank you in our little research team. I've gotta be tough about the rules to keep you on the 'straight and narrow'."
Malloy winced, "Oh, please, no. I've already got one Rimmer, I don't need another."
Barnes chuckled, and said, "I'll be right back. Don't wander off."
As he left in search of the others, Malloy shifted the stack of papers onto the table and sighed. Toynbee was still watching her from behind the crates, uncertain of what to do. She and Barnes and spoken candidly and it was a conversation Toynbee was not sure he had been meant to hear. He was worried that the woman would get angry if he made himself known. Or worse, report him to Fury. Or even worse, get that disgusted look on her face that so many women did when they saw him for the first time.
Toynbee tried to get his feet to move so he could quietly exit without her noticing, but remained frozen to the spot. Malloy tugged on her uniform to straighten it and then ran hands over her head to smooth her red hair which trailed down her back in a long braid. He watched as she turned and lifted herself to a seated position on the table, legs crossed and swinging. She picked up a folder from the top of the stack and paged through it. After a moment, she returned it to pile and sighed.
Her gaze shifted toward the supply crates. Toynbee felt his stomach twist as she spotted him. Malloy blinked in surprise and tilted her head slightly, brow creased. Then, to the Private's complete astonishment, she smiled at him. It was simple and friendly but it made Toynbee's legs feel a bit unsteady.
Malloy seemed to be about to say something to him, when another voice called out.
"Hey, Pudding Brain," Barnes called from the rear door, "Let's go... River and Jack are ready to review the plan for tomorrow."
Malloy gave Barnes an annoyed look, "Yeah, yeah. I'm coming."
She gave Toynbee another quick grin, then hopped off the table and headed out. Toynbee could hear her scolding Barnes as they left.
"And who are you calling 'pudding brain'? I told you one Rimmer is enough..."
The door closed behind the pair and Toynbee let out a breath he had not realized he had been holding. He rose to stand, bracing himself against the supply crates, still feeling a bit stunned. He could not quite believe what had just happened. There had been no anger, no disgust. Not even a flinch. The young woman had just... smiled at him. His face still felt hot and he shook his head, trying to clear it.
From the front doors, Private 'Haze' Smith entered the building. Toynbee barely noticed until the other Private spoke.
"Oh, hey," Haze said, "Thought I'd find you here. Summers was looking for you."
"Yeah..." Toynbee replied, still staring toward the rear door, "I was just... with the supplies... for the research team... bringing stuff over."
Haze gave Toynbee a quizzical look, "You alright, man? You're acting like you got hit in the head or something."
Toynbee blinked and shook his head, "No. Sorry. I was just here as the researchers were coming in. And... then there was this girl... she's their clerk... she smiled and..."
"Oooh," Haze said with a grin, folding his arms, "Now I get it. Was she pretty?"
Toynbee scowled at him, "No. I mean, yes. I guess. I don't know."
"Well," Haze said, "Maybe this assignment will be more interesting than we thought if they're bringing pretty ladies in to camp. Though any femalewould be an improvement on all us grunts, huh?"
As Toynbee continued to scowl, the other Private laughed and jerked his head toward the door.
"Come on, man," he said, "We got a brief with Fury before getting together with these researchers. And now I can't wait to meet your girl."
"She's not my girl," Toynbee protested.
"Okay fine," Haze replied, "I'll take her off your hands then."
"What, no! That's not what I meant!" Toynbee replied and, realizing Haze was teasing him, muttered "Oh, shut up..."
Haze continued to chuckle as he followed Toynbee out into the mid-day heat.