Red vs Blue and its characters are the creation of the crew at Rooster Teeth. It is itself inspired by Halo, owned by Bungie and Microsoft.

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From Tucker. From Grif. Even Simmons stammered it out:

"Never leave Kimball alone with Wash."

Carolina knew some of Wash's battles had been against real New Republic soldiers. Wash was a good egg but a better shot. The answer was obvious: He'd killed someone the Commander knew. This alliance could not be risked.

She helped Simmons drag Wash out of the vehicle bay mid-rant, just as Kimball walked in. She only caught part of it:

"The fate of this planet literally depends on us maintaining our supplies," his voice pitched up like an exasperated cobra, "and Grif raids the mess hall for bacon-burgers?!"

Kimball had paused, as if watching a mirage.

One day when Tucker got the training schedules mixed up, they lured Wash off as Kimball got into it:
"Private Palomo, just how do you expect to defeat Charon-supplied space pirates if you can't even make it to the range on time?"

Wash turned his head, as if trying to remember a melody. Carolina was pleased; they'd prevented disaster. But why did the boys look so nervous?

One day, testing the camo unit, Carolina followed Kimball down to the algae pools ...only to see Wash already there.

"Oh!" Wash tilted his spine forward, ever the beta dog in the face of authority. "I'm sorry, Commander."

"Not at all, Agent. I'm sorry to interrupt."

"It's just ...so easy to think down here. Away from the... um..."

"Distractions?" Kimball suggested.

"They're good kids, really. They just need training and structure and—"

"—discipline," they said together.

When you lived in your armor, you learned to read body language instead of faces. And Wash's posture was completely unfamiliar ...on him.

"Aw shit, we're too late!" came a loud whisper. How had Grif snuck up behind her, and with three of the other stooges in tow?

"I think it's all right," said Carolina. Kimball didn't look like she'd recognized Wash as an enemy. "They're just talking."

"Yeah!" said Simmons. "They're talking!"

The lake rippled with a low, vocal noise.

"Oh fuck. He made her laugh!" muttered Tucker

"Hang on," Carolina held up both arms. "Why didn't you want Wash to meet Kimball?"

"'Cause she's the last female of his species!" snapped Tucker.

"The next thing we know she lays like seven hundred eggs in the reactor core and the planet gets overrun by their uptight, broody spawn," Grif said glumly.

Wash's voice moved liked cold honey. "I ...didn't know you enjoyed organizing drills, Commander."

"Perhaps we could ...compare notes."

"It begins," muttered Caboose.

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Originally posted as Darkfrog24 under the title "It Begins."

drf24 at columbia dot edu