A few days after the dinner, Duke had scheduled his first one on one meeting with Scarlett to discuss the chain of command. While waiting for her to get to his office, he kept readjusting trinkets on his desk to calm his nerves. He hoped the meeting would run smoothly and no problems would arise, especially since they declared a truce. There was a knock on the door.
"Come," he commanded noting her punctuality.
"Lt. Hauser," she addressed with a salute.
"Scarlett, you can call me Duke." he acknowledged as he saluted her back.
"Yes, Lt. Hauser." She quipped emphasizing the word lieutenant. Duke sighed with frustration and ran a hand through his hair. He hoped the whole meeting wasn't going to be confrontational, but he had a feeling things were only going to get worse. They both sat down facing each other with Duke's desk in between them.
"I want to thank you for coming in, Scarlett. This won't take long. I know you have a few meetings on your schedule this afternoon, but I wanted to get together and discuss a few personnel shifts." Duke informed her of the agenda.
"Of course, Lt. Hauser," she nodded very subserviently. She studied his face and watched him grit his teeth, knowing the formal addressing was getting under his skin.
"I know Beach Head is your current second in command, but I was thinking it may be time for a change in that position." Duke pulled a file out from his lower desk drawer.
"What?" Scarlett cried in disbelief.
"Nothing against Beach Head, but I had always thought Roadblock would be a great second in command. He's got the leadership and the team respects him greatly. So I am thinking we may make a change there and make Roadblock your second in command." Duke added flipping through the file.
"With all due respect, Beach Head's my second in command and I'd like to keep it like that, Lieuteniant." Scarlett argued.
"I thought you and Roadblock were on good terms? " Duke asked lifitng his eyes from the paperwork to her face.
"We are. This isn't a 'personal' thing, Lieutenant. This is a matter of being loyal to a soldier who's had my back the last few years. Beach Head may be gruff, but he's diligent and I trust him to do his best for me and the team. I'm sure Roadblock would do great, but I don't see any reason to change." Scarlett countered.
"Well I know Hawk probably gave Beach Head the promotion because of rank and time." Duke mused thinking about the two candidates for second in command.
"Actually, I chose Beach Head over several other choices." Scarlett informed Duke. She watched as his eyes narrowed. Clearly he was annoyed that Hawk let her have a vote for who became second in command.
"I see" Duke replied picking up some papers and straightening them.
"You don't approve of my choice?" Scarlett asked blatantly.
"No, I don't. Roadblock has been here longer and has strong leadership qualities. Beach Head needs some lessons in people management." Duke frankly stated. If Scarlett was itching for a fight, he'd give her a knock down drag out one.
"Maybe you're right, Lieutenant, to question my choice. I mean if you take a look at my last romantic relationship, it doesn't show a real great example of my judgment." Scarlett snarled in a voice laced with hatred.
"Well, I'm sure he questions his judgement too. Probably not one of his finer moments getting involved with a psychotic redhead." Duke responded rising out of his chair.
"Oh, so we are resorting to name calling?" Scarlett furiously stood up.
"We could. I can easily come up with several more choice phrases to describe you." Duke smuggly answered.
"Hmm, and I just have one for you." Scarlett retorted and stuck up her middle finger in his direction as she opened the door. . She noticed a lot of joes were in Duke's waiting room, most likely spying and taking bets on who would survive the meeting.
"No, thanks, I already had some." Duke responded to her gesture, unaware they had an audience.
"Eat shit!" Scarlett responded to his comment. She turned towards the spying joes and demanded, "Get back to work!" She continued walking out of the office. The joes turned toward Duke who retreated back into his office and slammed the door.
Damn that woman! How could she be so aggressive and down right rude when he could easily slap her with insubordination? He couldn't do that though, he was just as guilty for adding fuel to the fire. She just had this way of getting under his skin and now he felt like shit for losing his temper and having the other joes who were in the waiting room witness just how aggressive and confrontational things had gotten. He concentrated on straightening up his desk again. Things had gotten knocked over and pushed out of place during the course of the argument. He went over to the top of the filing cabinent and started filing papers that had been in need of filing for several days. With the transition between Hawk and himself, no one had done it. Once the filing was completed, he felt a little better that his office was more organized. He didn't have much control over organizing his personal life, but he reveled in the fact of having complete control over his office. He sat and thought about Roadblock and Beach Head. Although he still thought Roadblock would be a great choice for second in command, Beach Head had proved himself to be worthy of the position too. Even if he did have a hard time making good repore with his fellow soldiers. A knock at the door startled him from his thoughts.
"Come," he commanded wondering who came to see him, hoping he could muster up some energy for the person. Scarlett entered looking a little tired herself. Duke sighed, she was the last person he wanted to see.
"I'm not in the mood for round two. Can we reschedule?" Duke asked warily.
"Yeah, about that. I just wanted to say I feel I was out of line, Lieuten-Duke," she corrected her way of addressing him.
"Yes, you were, but so was I. I lost my temper. I knew this wasn't going to be easy, but I don't think I realized how hard it was going to be either." Duke sighed walking behind his desk and taking a seat.
"Same here, but we owe it to the team to suck it up and move forward." Scarlett sat down in the same chair she had used earlier, "which is why I'm giving you an out."
"An out?" Duke asked puzzled.
"I'm giving you a chance to ask me to step down. So you can name someone else to be first in command. I don't want our issues to affect the team as a whole." Scarlett explained rationally.
"No" Duke firmly shook his head.
"No. what?" Scarlett asked wanting him to clarify his statement.
"No, I don't want someone else being first in command. You are the best choice for top kick. You were a good second in command and you have always been a good team leader. The others look to you for leadership and find it. That's what I need in my first officier." Duke dismissed all ideas of someone replacing her.
"Are you sure? I want to do what's best for the team. Don't get me wrong. I don't want to step down, but the decision is yours." Scarlett gave him another chance to change his mind.
"You're the best. How could I settle for something less than that?" Duke again dismissed the idea.
"Thank you, Duke. I try to honor and serve this team to the fullest of my abilities." Scarlett acknowledged his compliment.
"And I've been thinking about Beach Head. Although he's not my first choice for second in command, he's being doing a pretty good job at it so far. I don't think it would be fair to demote him when he's been performing at an above satisfactory level." Duke replied as a peace offering.
"I also think you're suggestion for Roadblock to be second in command would be a fine change as well. I wouldn't hesitate at the change." Scarlett added showing her change of heart as well.
"I don't think it's necessary to shake up the troops right now. We'll leave the chain of command as it stands." Duke decided. Scarlett nodded in agreement. "I guess that's all then. Thank you for meeting with me, and coming back." Scarlett saluted and left his office.
As she entered her quarters, she was immediately attacked by Falcon and Diva. They swarmed around her like bees attracted to honey.
"We heard that you and Duke exploded at your meeting!" Diva exclaimed obviously wanting details.
"Is it true you flipped my brother off?" Falcon asked wanting details as well.
"Wow, news sure travels fast around here." Scarlett commented as Diva and Falcon practically salivated for details.
"So what happened?" Diva asked.
"We just started pushing each other's buttons until there was no turning back. It got really out of hand at one point and I left. I was half way back here when I finally got off my high horse and went back to his office to try and work things out. We're both too stubborn for our own good and we know how each other ticks." Scarlett explained without giving too much detail about the actual argument.
"So what now?" Diva asked concerned about her roommate.
"Now, we try to focus on the team and do what is best for everyone, even if it means bending over backwards for each other." Scarlett sighed thinking of the long road ahead of her.
"Did you flip off my brother?" Falcon asked again.
"Falcon, I do not condone flipping off a commanding officier. You should always be respectful." Scarlett lectured.
"So you did." Falcon assumed by her indirect answer.
"I did, but he deserved it." Scarlett grinned. Falcon nodded his head with satisfaction that the rumor was true.
Just then Scarlett's beeper went off, vibrating against her waist. "Shoot, its Duke. I have to take this." She informed them before dashing into her bedroom for privacy.
"So what do you want to do now?" Falcon asked a little disappointed that the gossiping session was over.
"Oh, I can think of a few things..." Diva trailed off taking his hand and leading him towards her bedroom.
"I really hope they're the same things I'm thinking about." Falcon prayed as Diva pulled him inside and shut the door.
Scarlett emerged from her room after getting off the phone with Duke. He was sending her on an assignment and she had to pick an away team ASAP. She scanned the room for Diva and Falcon and was a bit confused that they had disappeared so quickly. Her attention was drawn to Diva's bedroom door after hearing shuffling noises and giggling coming from behind it.
"Just like the old days." Scarlett sighed with a faint smile at the déjà vu feeling. She had spent many nights clutching her pillow over her head to try and drown out noise from Allison and Dash. She knocked on Diva's door and had to stifle a laugh when Diva answered looking disheveled.
"This better be good!" Diva exclaimed tight lipped.
"I'm sorry for interupting. I just wanted to let you know I'm going on assignment for at least a few days." Scarlett informed her roommate.
"Oh, ok. Be safe." Diva replied very appriciative of the heads up.
"Always. Have fun." Scarlett winked.
"I plan on it." Diva answered with a grin and closed the door.
Scarlett grabbed her hastily packed duffle bag and departed for Duke's office.
When she got there, the door to Duke's office was open as an invitation for her to walk right in.
"Have you put together a team?" Duke asked when she arrived.
"Yes. My team will consist of Ace, Slip Stream, Wild Bill, Roadblock, Gung Ho, Beach Head, Rock and Roll, Sci Fi, and Mainframe." Scarlett revealed.
"Sounds like a solid team. Did you get the latest intel from Dial Tone and Mainframe?" Duke checked. Scarlett pulled out a map and unfolded it.
"Yes, we tracked down their refeuling port to this area here in lower-state." Scarlett pointed on the map, "It takes a ton of diesel so it wasn't too hard to find it."
"Same as always. Do you have enough backup for this?" Duke inquired as he studied the map.
"We should. If we're timing things right, we'll get to them when the air-ship is still hard-docked to the ground for re-fueling. It should be a cakewalk to take it out." Scarlett calculated.
"It should be, but sometimes things get sticky. Put a second team of Conquests on station just in case you need help. No telling how well protected they'll have it." Duke mused.
"Will do. Anything else, Lieutenant?" Scarlett asked making sure everything was covered.
"No, just do it. And give Tomax and Xamot a headache picking up the insurance premium." Duke scowled at the thought of the enemy.
Scarlett nodded and gathered her papers to go and mobilize her team. She and Duke stood up signaling the end of the meeting.
"Oh, there is one more thing," Duke blurted right before she left the office.
"Yes, Duke?" Scarlett asked turning around.
"Be careful and come back safe." Duke counseled with a glimmer of worry. A silent moment passed between the two, both of them knowing the comment had just a bit more meaning than what was on the surface.
"Understood," Scarlett nodded and flashed him a soft smile before exiting.