[ This thing really took on a life of its own and I'm trying to catch up my chapters on here with the others I have finished so this story can be finished in the next couple installments. There may be an original follow up story involved, but only time will tell and only if anyone out there wants to read it ;). Reading and not reviewing is the leading cause of age spots and wrinkles too did you know? Review for your health!

And is it weird to anyone else that the same voice actor that does Marcus does Bender's voice for Futurama too? Just a thought. ]

Wow. Just wow.

I know …

Fucking Baird of all people.

I know, we did not see that one coming.

Her mind bantered to itself idly as Sam went on with her current task at hand, smiling the whole time. One by one she was loading pallets of left over ammunition and arms back onto the sub Dizzy had taken to the surface. The clean up was only beginning now at Azura but she could have been scrubbing toilets and cared less. Was this a genuine moment of uninterrupted happiness? She wondered to herself but let the thought go quick enough and manipulated the loaders joystick to place the last complete palette in the cargo compartment with a tune humming under her breath. Dizzy had been sitting at the edge of the pier with the stub of a cigar in his hand watching the woman work so diligently but with seemingly no effort and smiled to himself. He loved Sam like a daughter and was happy to see her in a good mood, innocently figuring their victory would be the cause of such a saunter in her step. Had he known Baird were the reason he would have had cause to take the Corporal below deck for a long long talk. She gave him a small salute as the job was done and stepped out of the loader.

"Anything else I can help you with Diz?" Sam asked over the sound of the water lapping against the wooden pier.

He puffed out a few smoke circles and tipped his hat to her. "Just stay thirsty Sam. Something says we've earned a drink or two tonight."

Her face visibly brightened at the sound of such a good time. "Count me in Diz. I'm going to go see if the Gorasni need any more supplies, wanna come?"

"You go ahead hun, I'm going to make sure this old can will make the trip back off this island."

She rolled her eyes as if the answer where so obvious. "Well if you didn't drive it through a mine field on the way here…."

He would have chastised her but she had started off, her boots thunking on the wooden planks as she sprinted away. Dizzy tossed the cigar stub into the shallow bay and went to shut the cargo hatch on the sub thinking something about the vitality of the young. It must have been true because she didn't slow her pace, Sam kept running. She was in no rush but her body still just wanted to go. The sand gave her resistance and to her another reason to run faster. Other Gears and UIR gave her a look as she darted past, kicking up sand and still smiling but they didn't think much of it for long. Everyone had a different way of celebrating, so they supposed. When she was finally out of breath she collapsed onto her knees and hands panting heavily and then when she could breathe she laughed. Oh life was good and she watched the sand pour out of her hands from between her fingers thinking so.

"Having fun?" Someone asked from behind.

It was Jace Stratton who's mood seemed as good as her. She nodded to him, feeling a bit silly now and started to stand back up, brushing off the sand the whole time. "Sorry I just-Well, you know."

"Yeah I gotcha." He chuckled, giving the woman a nod and helping hand. "Hey, I thought they took care of your leg."

She looked down and saw the blood starting to stain the inner thigh of her pant leg again. Shit, she must have just torn a stitch running like a mad woman. Dumb ass. Sam sighed.

"I did. Sorry Jace, wouldn't have made you get me a new pair of knickers if I was just gonna ruin these ones too. Figures the Gorasni's did a second rate job."

He clapped her shoulder. "I think I just saw Anya up on the mezzanine, I bet she can help you."

"Thanks. Drinks tonight? On me." She beamed at him.

"Of course."

Sam bumped his knuckles and they continued on their ways. Now she was aware of the blood running down her leg and forgot about the Gorasni, she needed to get this fixed and headed back inside the building. Like Jace had said Anya was in the mezzanine handing out orders and files to a never ending line of little cadets, Marcus was a few feet to her side doing the exact same thing. It seemed like a bad time but Anya saw and waved her over. She sent off one soldier, stopped the next from walking up to her and quickly addressed the brunette, indifferent to her time of appearance.

"Everything okay Byrne?"

"Oh yeah. I'll talk to you later Anya, I didn't realize you were so busy." Sam said, looking around. She couldn't believe how many people had shown up until now.

Anya saw the blood on her leg and frowned. "You haven't taken care of that?"

"I did. I just tore a stitch or something. Really, it's fine. I'll talk to you later okay? You look busy." Insisted Sam, still smiling.

She insisted a little too much. Anya got the distinct feeling that her friend was hiding something from her too and Samantha had never been one for secrets. She shoved her clipboard into Marcus' hands, whispered something in his ear and grabbed Sam by the hand to lead her away by towards the closest first aid kit and private area they would find in the buzzing nest. They ended up quite a few yards down the south wing before there was an empty room they could use. Anya shut the door behind her not realizing it failed to latch completely and opened back up just an inch or so.

"Pants down." She instructed opening the med kit. Sam didn't question her, undid her armor to make it easier and just pushed her pants down past her knees. It was too much effort to get her boots off.

Her thigh was marked with streaks of dried blood and it seemed the wound had stopped until she pulled her pants and the scab it had formed off. Then it was bleeding again. She grabbed a random piece of paper lying near by to try and mop up the mess. Anya sighed, exasperated.

"Don't use that! Just…just sit."

Sam laughed, "Sorry. I guess this is why you're the one that does this right?"

Anya took a small alcohol cloth and swabbed up the area on Sam's leg so she could see what she was working with. The stitches were good, Gorasni or not. It wouldn't be much work to fix it.

"So how did you do this?" Anya asked, curious since Sam always had fantastic explanations for the simplest things.

"I was running."

She got an inquisitive look, one that dared to call her on any bullshit.

"Seriously! I don't know Anya, I was helping Dizzy with cargo and the sun was out….I mean we fucking just won right? Well not completely but … we're here. I felt so good, and I just started running." Sam insisted dreamily, her mind other places.

Delicately Anya was clipping and retying the stitches, trying to keep her concentration. There was no ignoring Sam's tone however. The clues were all right in front of her. Anya kept her satisfaction to herself for the time being but went on..

"So what you're really saying is you finally took my advise and did it."

Sam feigned ignorance. "Did what?"

"You slept with Baird."

Her eyes widened and she protested weakly. "I did no such thing Stroud!"

"Don't lie to me Samantha. He left a hickey on your leg."

"What, really?" Sam looked down to Anya's work area and realized she'd been outsmarted. There was no hickey there at least, but she'd admitted to her actions. There was no turning back now and Stroud gave her a proud look. "Fine…I did…"

There was a shit eating expression she couldn't hide, she'd been trying to get Sam on that train forever much to the woman's defiance. She finished mending the stitches, removed her gloves and took a seat across from her friend. Understandably from the outside Anya realized how vain and self fulfilling her interest in Sam and Baird must have seemed, but that was from the outside. They were all far different people on the inside than the uniforms made them out to be, Samantha especially so. Of course she wouldn't deny a bit of projection and need to hear tales of another woman's vivacious sex life.

"In a Gorasni Medical room too." Sam had waited to tack on that detail, knowing it was one of the better parts..

Anya's eyes couldn't help but widen. She demanded, "Shut up and tell me every filthy sexy detail. Was it good?"

Still dreaming, Sam pushed the toe of her boot into the ground and started out modestly, "Well, yeah….Oh fuck Anya it was great, I can't lie. I mean he took his time, he was generous….He knew exactly what spots and when…"

Anya was happy for her, a little jealous and slightly shocked. She asked to confirm, "And this is Baird we're talking about right?"

Sam nodded. "Oh I'm just as surprised as you are about it. And you were right about that other part."

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah?"

Sam lifted her hands and placed them a fair bit apart implying something clearly, both women started to bust up there after.

"So, what does this make you two?" Her Lieutenant asked.

This question struck the other female as rather odd because it wasn't something she had taken a lot of time to think about. She was Samantha Byrne, born in Anvil Gate, a Gear for the Coalition of Ordered Governments and a thousand other things. She didn't see how sleeping with Baird changed an identity. It was just an action. "It doesn't make us anything Anya, we're still the exact same two people we were before."

It was a stupid response and the look on Anya's face said she felt just about as much. "You know I'm the one person you don't have to act tough in front of all the time right?"

Sam grit her teeth. "Look, it was a one time thing that yes, needed to be done, but we were in the heat of the moment. I don't want to get a wrap as a girl who sleeps with her superiors and what do you really expect Anya? Baird and I aren't going to walk off hand and hand into the sunset in love just because we had sex. They're two different things, which I am able to separate. Just because it was good sex doesn't mean I'd want to date him any more than I did before, he's a child."

She pulled her pants back up from under her knees after hopping off the table. She was so anxious to talk to Anya she'd almost forgotten she had problems of her own. It wasn't for a minute or so til Sam understood she had wedged her foot in her mouth. Sure Sam had a good poker face when it came to emotions but Anya had a harder time. Now she just remained silent and threw away the wrappers for Sam's dressings, trying not to let those words about separating emotions hanging in the air weigh on her. Sam put a hand on her shoulder, knowing what would make things better.

"Come on, there'll be drinks when the days over and I've got me, Diz and Jace in attendance so far. Bring yourself and Marcus, it'll be fun." She offered but Anya simply thought it over in silence. Sam would have none of that and spun the woman around so she could take her by the hip and hand in a mock ballroom waltz. "Please? You know I don't want to have to dance by myself once I've had a couple of drinks. And you're the only one that doesn't step on my feet!"

Anya was unable to resist, laughed and freed herself from Sam. "Alright! But Sam, you have to do me a favor."

"Anything sweetheart." And Sam sincerely meant it. She wouldn't if she knew what was about to be asked of her of course.

"Give Baird a chance," Anya said. The look she received was immediate and sharp, prompting her to continue sternly. "I mean it! He's good for you whether you know it or not."

The thought was bewildering to Samantha but not entirely unexplored. The man in question was like a rash she'd decided Now that she had it, it wouldn't be going away any time soon and while most of the time it was just of a minor annoyance sometimes it drove her crazy, but when she gave in and scratched it now and then it was pure ecstasy. Besides the fact they pissed each other off Sam didn't understand what her and the blonde really had in common, but it was more than she knew. Unfortunately she couldn't deny her friend's advise as much anymore, but still she took it with a grain of salt.

"Fine Anya, but just for tonight and only so I can prove you wrong."