Cats and Dogs – Green Eyed
Kat nibbles the end of her pencil. Her fangs don't break through but leave several craters along its length. It's preposterous, she thinks to herself. Still, this doesn't stop her from standing at the door of her lab, staring out the window and bouncing her leg compulsively.
"So, that's the European SPD liaison? Where's she from?" Boom asks, oblivious to Kat's distress over the matter. He glances out the window to see a blond touching Cruger's shoulder.
"France."
Boom stops dead at the utterance. It's heavy enough to kill all other atmosphere in the room, making time itself stand still. He turns to the Felina. "What, uh, what's goin' on, Kat?"
"Nothing," she dead–pans, though the edge in her tone and the fire in her eyes defies so.
"Really, 'cause you don't look too happy to have her here," Boom murmurs before going off on his own.
Kat swoops out of the lab like a wind, ending up by the side of Cruger so quickly the blond has barely a moment to look put off. "Commander Cruger, how's everything going?"
"Well, thank you, Dr. Manx," he spares with a warm tone, always having time for Kat. "Lieutenant Ohara has been most helpful in updating our status overseas."
"I see," Kat offers a strained, fake smile at the blond, who returns the gesture.
Doggie is oblivious to how Kat and the blond turn their gazes on each other, eyes battling to the death. His senses do pick up Kat's vigilance, though. "Would you please join us, Dr. Manx, in our next status update with SPD Europe Base?"
"Of course, Commander," Kat smiles at him. He goes into the conference room, followed by Ohara, followed by Kat. Ohara spares an icy look over her shoulder at Kat, who glares passive–aggressively back. "Lieutenant... "
"Doctor," the taller woman mentions just as coldly, if not, more so. As Kat comes to rest by Cruger's side Ohara stations herself at Cruger's opposite side (maybe a little closer).
"Come in, SPD Europe Base," Cruger says. The screen flickers and soon they're greeted by the face of a lion on an upright body. "Commander Narnus, it's good to see you."
"And you, old friend," the more aged alien greets in a friendly voice. "How are things?"
"Good; Lieutenant Ohara has briefed me on Europe Base's status. It seems that the transport problems can be resolved easily," Cruger steps slightly back and Kat automatically knows it's her cue to approach. "Dr. Manx has developed a teleport system that keeps the molecular structure of the subject perfectly in tact."
"Well, that's quite impressive, young lady. I don't suppose we could borrow you sometime?—we have the best in the area—"
"You might have the best in the area, Narnus, but Dr. Manx is the best—period," Cruger smirks, taking pride in bragging over his top technician.
"Yes, I've known that since you both got your command center there running from the ground up," the old lion laughs heartily again. "How are you, Dr. Manx?"
"I am well, thank you, sir," Kat smiles at the old friend of hers and Cruger's. He was a Major when they came to earth in hopes of constructing a SPD base.
"That's good to hear, now tell me about these teleporting systems."
"With, respect, sir, I think our base is just fine without unauthorized personnel there," Ohara salutes and snaps to attention. Her gaze sneaking over to Kat is filled with resentment and something else.
"With respect to you, Lieutenant, you don't have the rank to tell me whether or not I am unauthorized," Kat meets, challenging the blonde's fiery green eyes with her own. Kat is technically a technician, but as Cruger's immediate replacement, she outranks the less–than–outstanding foreigner (with her wide shoulders and unfortunately dark lipstick).
"Ladies, please; Cruger, I would like the systems up and running as soon as possible. I could lend you my lieutenant in exchange for Dr. Manx," Narnus suggests.
"I'm happy to let her do as she pleases, really; if she has the time to spare, she can leave at her own convenience." Cruger, again, doesn't notice Kat's form bristling at Ohara's. "That being said, we would not require the exchange of Lieutenant Ohara's." Kat smirks to herself.
"Very well, then; how about it, Manx, y'ready for us?" Narnus asks with a riling smile. His overly large fangs hang out his furry muzzle.
"I'll have to make some arrangements here but I could be there as soon as tomorrow at twelve hundred hours, sir," Kat nods.
"Excellent, though, could I ask to see those morphers you developed? Activity has skyrocketed in our sector and we could use the reinforcement."
"Delta Base?" Kat asks the air. A computational noise responds. "Call the rangers to block B, conference room 12; repeat, conference room 12, block B, please" Kat says. The computer com in the wall responds to her voice and an announcement is made.
"Voice command built right into the base's system?—very impressive, Dr. Manx. Are you sure I can't tempt you over here?" Narnus smiles.
"Narnus, I don't think we made this conference call so you could try and steal my people," Cruger half–smiles–half–frowns at his old comrade. "Dr. Manx is not for sale."
"Darn," Narnus sighs and everyone laughs (minus Ohara).
"B–Squad, reporting, Commander, Dr. Manx," Jack reports officially. Sky had it drilled into him that a meeting with other bases required his best behavior. As tempting as it was to screw with him instead, Z reinforced the sentiment, for Cruger's sake.
"At ease, cadets," Kat greets fondly. "Commander Narnus would like a demonstration of your morphers." Kat turns to Cruger with one raised brow. He nods reluctantly; "I made a morpher especially for Commander Cruger, which he will demonstrate along with them."
Kat stands back while they transform, beaming with pride over her work and the users of her work. When they're transformed Narnus is appropriately speechless. Ohara, however, looks at them flatly, looking uninterested. At this, Kat tenses.
"Cruger, you didn't tell me even old farts like us could do this too!" Narnus exclaims excitedly.
"That's because I am not an old fart, like you, you crazy, old lion," Cruger's smile is in his voice, unseen behind his visor.
"How does your head fit in there, ears and all?" asks Narnus.
"Dr. Manx is an expert, and converts the morphers to be custom made for the users, accommodating our strengths and weaknesses flawlessly," Cruger speaks with pride.
"I think the morphers are a good idea, sir, especially given the combat–practical..." Ohara's eyes go over Cruger's suit appreciatively, "...design."
Z and Syd see Kat through their visors, who is practically ready to tear right through Ohara piece by piece. They scuttle over to the older woman as subtly as possible. Z clears her throat, "Ahem...uh, Kat?" She gets an unsettled grunt in response. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Kat growls, now crushing the pencil in her hands. Her digipad is also suffering, starting to spark in her grip. Soon it breaks, glitch noises and fried circuitry marking its death, though it could burst into flames and Kat wouldn't notice; she's too busy being furious at how Ohara looks at Cruger in his ranger suit.
"Really, 'cause I see a green eyed monster," Syd says in sing–song.
"Have you just noticed my eyes are green?" Kat asks dryly, not at all concerned over whether or not her rangers know her eye color.
"Your eyes are greener than usual," Syd points, "Miss–Jealous."
Kat's bristling form jumps now. "J–jea..." Kat rolls her eyes, "I am so not jealous."
"Really?" Syd wishes Kat could see her expression properly.
"What..." Kat watches Ohara running her hands over the contours of Cruger's suit armor, just getting a little too close to where his muscle bulges through the micro–mesh. Her tone becomes a little testier: "What do I have to be jealous over?"
"Maybe because that French lady is checking out Cruger the way Jack checks out a ten pound steak?" Z suggests lightly, also wishing her expression could be seen properly.
"You two are drawing conclusions too quickly," as Ohara lets out an obviously fake giggle and puts her hand on Cruger's biceps Kat hisses quietly to herself. Her form is bristling again, hair and microscopic furs standing on end. "I am not jealous!"
If the way Kat hisses her useless denial is any indicator, it's more than enough for the two girls. Z shakes her head, "Y'know, Kat, for a genius, you're pretty transparent when you're jealous. I'm sure Cruger can hear you."
"Which is why I wish you would stop insisting on this..." Kat waves her hands around her face furiously, reflecting her frustration perfectly, "nonsense!"
"If we're so wrong, then why have you crushed your digipad with your bare hands?" Syd asks with a swerve of her head.
"That is not important!" Kat is properly disheveled now. "I don't care how that blond she–devil looks at Cruger! I don't care how she watches his ass, or how she laughs weird, or how she touches him all the damn TIME!"
The girls exchange looks as Kat continues to rant to herself in a hushed, hissing tone. She murmurs something about needing a new digipad and excuses herself. The girls exchange unseen looks of worry before turning as Cruger addresses them: "Ranger, you may resume your posts."
"Sir!" they chorus, elbow–saluting dutifully before filing out, passing Kat in the doorway.
"Dr. Manx, if you could, I'd like to see about getting some of those for our forces here. I wouldn't ask you to design new ones for us, but to at least demonstrate the technology for our scientists," Narnus suggests.
"No offense, Narnus, but I'm not confident your scientists will be able to," Cruger looks at Kat, "understand, the technology of Dr. Manx's design."
"Then she'll just have to come design them herself," Narnus laughs. "See you then!"
"Goodbye, sir," Kat nods respectfully. Once he's signed out she sighs, "I guess I should start packing. I might have to take Sophie, to help the EB technicians along."
"That's doable," Cruger says as he demorphs. He looks to Ohara, who looks anticipatory until he excuses her. Then, he looks at Kat with a smirk. "So, you're not jealous at all?"
Kat blushes fiercely and looks at her new digipad; "...she didn't have to be all over you."
Cruger chuckles and nuzzles her hair in affection. "Green is a good color on you."
"My eyes have always been green," she pouts cutely.
"Beautifully so, Katherine. Today, more green than normal, hm?"