Chapter Six

Dee

I was surprised. Two days ago, Reece had still been her usual un-Marine self, but over the last two days she turned into something actually resembling a typical Marine. Determined, to the point, at times even rigid and gruff. The more we progressed in the lessons, the more she grew into a Marine. After one and half days I noticed that Reece does have leadership qualities, only not when she isn't the one in charge. As soon as she had to take over she developed impressive skills. Wonder if the Major saw that, too.

Now the two days are over, and once again we are standing before the 'Gate, this time all of us wearing Marine corps BDUs It feels a bit… off. I'm Air Force through and through, and wearing Marine uniforms… For a second I catch Laura's eye, and she gives me a little reassuring smile. Huh?

Before I can start thinking about whatever prompted that motion, the 'Gate wooshes open, and from the control comes the go. On Moore's signal we step forward, and suddenly, shortly before finally stepping through I feel a feather-light touch on my left hand. Right were Laura is standing beside me… Suddenly there's only the sensation of traveling from one planet to another at light speed.

And then I stumble and for a second I feel disoriented, like after every 'Gate-travel. Then I get a clear view of our surroundings. We are standing in the midst of miles and miles of hip-length grass swaying in a light breeze. It looks like the plains back home.

"Okay, people, we are supposed to walk five miles south. Get going.", Moore orders, and the group forms up with the Major in front, Laura behind him, then me and Reece in the rear. For at least two miles there's nothing but swaying grass and gentle hills, but then there's some kind of building right in front of us. Coming nearer it looks like some abandoned ruins.

Moore is about to order us to continue when Reece murmurs something like "Now, that's strange." The Major gives her one of those looks full of contempt he usually reserves for civilian scientists.

"What's so strange about a pile of rubble, Lieutenant?" Reece pretends not to hear the undertones of contempt and arrogance in the Major's voice, but I'm pretty sure she did notice them.

"It looks like someone was here just recently." The Major cocks his eyebrow, and I catch a short glimpse at Laura. The look she throws me says very clearly: "Get the popcorn, this is going to be one hell of a show."

"Someone was here? How can you tell that, Mouse?" He's deliberately using her call sign to shake her self-assurance. Bastard.

"See those light traces over there? The rocks have been moved, and that lighter color is showing because that part of the stones was not exposed to the weather for a long time." Impressive. The change of her personality we witnessed during those last two days is still enduring.

Moore says nothing but walks forward to the rocks, all the time moving very careful and slow. He's expecting booby traps. So I did teach him at least something. Crouching down before the stones in question he examines them closer. He really didn't have to do that.

"You're right. Here are more traces of people moving through. Very easy to spot. Anyone else get a bad feeling?" Was that sarcasm I heard in his last sentence?

"Sir, with all due respect… but I think there's strong evidence we should take this serious." Oh God, that look on the Major's face… priceless. Beside me I hear a choked sound, sounding a lot like Laura trying to force back a laugh. I only can absolutely agree. Until now Reece never spoke up against the Major, never ever questioned his decisions. Seeing how he reacts to the first time ever… a classic. I really should take a camera with me for occasions like these.

"And… why is that, Lieutenant?" He still hasn't fully recovered from hearing his timid linguist sound like an actual soldier.

"Because… because it looks like these people were carrying heavy equipment with them, sir. This here looks exactly like someone dragged something very heavy." She points to a groove on the ground which is paralleled by another. The look on her face says very clearly "Yes, they do teach us things like these down in Quantico. And yes, I did listen to them.", and the Major looks right about to explode. Well, who wouldn't if he was in his position? First he gets a crash course in Marine behavior where his linguist turns out to be a soldier after all, then he gets forced to wear Marine BDUs and now said linguist is practically doing his job for him.

"As much as you don't like it, Tom, she's right. The tracks do look suspiciously. And they are leading towards the ruins. I say we have a look at them. Guess that overrules you." Ah, so Laura decided to back up Reece a little. I bet, the Major's not liking it the least.

"Since when is this a democracy? I'm the one in charge here and I…"

"Should better listen to us. There's something strange about the tracks, and we should have a look." Laura puts her "Don't mess with me, Thomas Moore."-faces on. It usually works with him, but usually she's not openly questioning his authority when she's wearing it.

He says nothing, instead turns around. To face me. Together with the two women. What the…? "Well, Sergeant, you want to place your vote, too?" Uh-oh. I know that tone. He's seriously pissed by now. He's gonna kill me if I agree with the women. Which would make no real difference since they look about to kill me if I agree with him. Dammit. Always pick on the NCO-guy, why don't you?

"Sir… with all due respect…" – ah, I just signed my own death sentence – "I think, Lieutenant Reece is right." One… two… three…

"Okay. Who are you? And what have you done to my team?" Oh. That face. Priceless. Laura's on the verge of bursting out laughing again, and even Reece is showing signs of an actual smile on her face. And I mean, who wouldn't think the slightly paranoid expression on the Major's face absolutely funny?

"Tom… stop being ridiculous.", Laura says matter-of-factly after getting herself enough under control to speak without occasional assaults of laughing. Everyone's now looking at the Major. If you look close enough, you can see that his mind is working at light speed. To the inexperienced it just looks like the Major's usual stoic face, but someone who knows him longer can see very clearly that he's feverishly trying to make a decision.

"Alright, people… we're gonna get in there, break by pairs and methodically search the compound. Reece, you're with me," – the Lieutenant doesn't look what I would call happy, to say the least – "which leaves Laura and Dee as the second pair. Now, get going, you have ten minutes."

Greenspan

I knew he'd decide this way. Just fractions before he spoke up again, I saw that little twitch in his hand and the tighter grip on the P90, and I knew we had won.

Now he and Reece have stalked off, leaving me and Dee to search through the other half of the ruins. When we're climbing over the tumbled down walls, he's constantly checking for hidden booby traps. And trying to make conversation. "Poor Reece. Why'd he take her, of all people?"

I shrug, try to find tracks like those outside and answer him: "To keep her on a short leash. She scared the living daylights out of him, speaking up like that." I still can't fully ban the sniggering out of my voice. I mean, it was kinda funny seeing Reece butt heads with Tom. I knew the girl had it in her.

"Well, it surely was a sight to see. Wait, let me check that before you go there." He bends down to examine a suspicious looking piece of dirt in front of my left foot. Hm, nice rear you have there, Sergeant. Oh, wait, I'm on a mission, and I'm clearly not supposed to ogle the resident NCO on it. Oh well, I'm not supposed to ogle the resident NCO anywhere. Tom would have my hide if he knew…

"Dammit." That's not what I like to hear on a mission.

"What?" Very carefully he clears the floor before us and leaves only a the piece of dirt in the middle. If that's what I fear it is…

"Booby trap. Pretty skillfully hidden. That was a professional. I guess, we won't have to walk these five miles after all." Okay, that definitely deserves a "Dammit!". I pull out my radio, but before I can use it, Dee grabs my hand. "I'd advice you not to. There could be traps around that react to that radio's waves. We should go and find the Major and Reece as fast as possible." Uh… he's still holding my hand. I guess, a short clearing of my throat should be hint enough. Well, or not.

"Right. Lead the way, Sergeant." At the mentioning of his rank he pulls his hand back as if I burnt him or something. I knew that would work. Men are just too easy to read. I just hope he doesn't take it personally, because it was purely self-preserving.

"Yes, Ma'am."

He leads us back the way we came, now silent. Maybe pulling rank was a bit too harsh. For a while we walk in silence, when suddenly I can hear Reece say: "Sir, I wouldn't touch that… sir, really… Would you please…", and then the sound of two bodies and something wooden hitting the ground.

Dee and I look at each other, most probably with the same thought on our mind: You leave them two seconds on their own, and they're wreaking the whole mission before it even really began. Mutually sighing, we make our way to where the voice came from.

A/N: Um... first of all: Sorry to my beta-reader PlanetKiller for not waiting for her answer, but I was really itching to get this online and see if there maybe is a bit more interest in this story than before. And second: Please give a starving writer a little Christmas present. Even writing a tiny little review wouldn't hurt you, I promise. So... please::makes puppy dog eyes: