"Baker, there you are! Where have you been? We were looking everywhere for you!"
"Look who's talking," Carter muttered.
But Baker looked thoroughly dumbfounded. "Where have I been? Well, right here. Where else could I have been?"
"You were supposed to fix the speaker system!"
"Why? Is it not working properly?"
"Is it not..." Newkirk gave him a friendly slap over the head. "You must have missed out on half the announcements, mate! Got a secret hide-out with a Fräulein, have you?"
Baker just looked puzzled. "I don't know what you're talking about. I was in the office a moment ago, and the girl was going to announce the winning snapshots, and then I went out and joined you here. Didn't I?" he asked as he saw the disbelief on his friends' faces.
"Not exactly," Carter said. "Most winning stories have already been announced. You really didn't hear that?"
Baker shook his head. But his face turned slightly pensive. "How long have I been away then?" he wanted to know.
Newkirk checked his watch. "At least 45 minutes. So where were you?"
Baker checked his own watch. And compared it to Newkirk's. And Carter's. His was over 50 minutes behind.
"I wasn't anywhere," he said softly. "I just..."
"What?" Carter asked.
"I don't know." Baker shook his head. "Now that I'm thinking about it, I do remember something about slimy lizard monsters. Must have been a dream. But then, how can I have fallen asleep on my feet?"
"And with no one noticing?" Carter added.
Newkirk stared hard at their young radio operator. "Maybe it was something like we had a while back, too. Remember, Carter? When we saw those strange lights. And came back to camp much later than we intended, and all our watches were behind."
Carter frowned. "Now that's what I call a crossover," he said.
"We don't have crossovers anymore - we're at the slash stories." Newkirk pulled the still daydreaming LeBeau the beret over his eyes. "And I know who is going to read those."
"Louis?" Carter's eyes widened. "Why him?"
Newkirk smirked. "Because he's so busy being in love with Miss Houlihan here, that he won't even notice what he's reading." He pressed LeBeau the next paper in his hand and directed him up the porch. "Come on," he mouthed to Katie. "We need you, too. Go stand somewhere where LeBeau can easily see you."
Katie did as she was told, and in the husky voice of a lover, LeBeau announced,
BEST SLASH STORY
.
Gold:
STAFF CAR SEDUCTION
by Khylara
.
Silver:
Reunion
by BradyGirl_12
and
The Chessmaster Says Checkmate
by booey875
and
Warmth
by orphan_account
.
Bronze:
Plus Jamais le Front
by Psychoslasher
and
Storm Clouds Gathering
by BradyGirl_12
"Katie, je t'aime..." With those words, LeBeau ended his recitation, and in front of all his mates, he fell into Katies embrace.
"So." Newkirk said with a satisfied smirk. "That's taken care of. What's next?"
(To Be Continued!)