A/N: Thank you everyone for the reviews! I'm glad you like the story so far. I had a few different ideas of how this chapter would go, so it took me a little bit to work out the kinks. Originally this was going to be a longer chapter, but I hopefully you can understand why I end it where I do. Enjoy!
1969
"Guys, I'd like you to meet our new supply officer," Hannibal said as he led Peck into the team's hooch. "Lieutenant Templeton Peck, meet our pilot, Captain HM Murdock."
"Howlin' Mad at your service," Murdock grinned and waved from his cot where he was lounging with a comic book.
"Captain Ray Brenner, my XO," Hannibal continued. The man cleaning his rifle gave the kid a smile. "The two guys arm wrestling over there are Sergeants Antonio Reyes and Marcus Combs, our medic and radioman."
The two men called out "Hey", but neither looked away from the other as they continued their match as if there had been no interruption.
Hannibal smiled at the last man, who had frozen in the middle of tinkering with a transistor radio when the colonel and lieutenant had walked in. "And of course, you've already met Sergeant Bosco Baracus, our mechanic and demolitions expert."
To his credit, whatever hesitation or fear Peck may have had seeing the fury on BA's face was completely buried under a cool, nonchalant demeanor. He even had the gall to smile at the big sergeant.
"What's he doin' here Hannibal?" BA asked in a slow growl.
The threatening tone evoked a curious expression from the pilot, and gained the interest of the other two sergeants enough that they paused their competition to look over. Ray was watching the whole scene, but otherwise did not react.
But Hannibal grinned. "I told you BA, he's our new supply officer." The sergeant looked like he wanted to argue, but the colonel continued before he got the chance. Addressing them all, Hannibal told them, "Headquarters agreed to give us a few days on stand down to run through some team building exercises with our new lieutenant here." The words 'team building exercises' had elicited groans from Reyes and Combs, an exchange of amused expressions between Murdock and Ray, and a confused look from Peck at their reactions. BA was still glaring at the blond. "Cheer up guys," Hannibal chuckled. "Wake up's at 0400. Now, I gotta go get things ready."
With that, Hannibal left the hooch. Ray went back to cleaning his rifle, and Peck dropped his things on the empty cot, seemingly oblivious to the curious, or furious, in BA's case, looks from the rest of the occupants.
"So…" Murdock drawled in a singsong voice as he sat up on his cot to face the new lieutenant. "How do you and the big mud sucker here know each other?" he tried to ask casually, but couldn't quite conceal his eagerness.
Peck gave Murdock a quick glance, before going back to unpacking his things. His reply was indifferent. "Ask him."
Murdock, Reyes, and Combs all looked over to BA, whose gaze had not left the lieutenant.
"Watch it sucker," BA snarled, standing up. "Next time you won't get so lucky."
"Lucky?" Peck scoffed with a chuckle. Turning to face the sergeant, he gave him an arrogant smirk. "If you're so sure it was all luck, then why don't you come over here and we'll finish what we started? See who's lucky then."
BA started towards him with a growl, but stopped in his tracks when Ray snapped out, "BA." His voice was calm and quiet, but there was a firm authority there that BA didn't argue with.
Once Ray saw BA was listening, he continued quietly, "Let it go. Don't let him get to you."
Taking a deep breath, the big sergeant growled at the lieutenant one more time before walking out of the hooch.
Peck was still smirking.
"You shouldn't bait him," Ray warned the kid. "Might end up with more than a black eye and busted lip next time."
But Peck just shrugged and started to turn back to unpacking.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Murdock was up off his cot and over by the lieutenant's in a flash. "You're the guy that busted BA's nose?"
"So?" Peck retorted, his eyes meeting the captain's in a challenge.
Murdock started laughing.
"What's so funny?" Peck snapped, not understanding why the captain was doubled over in laughter, or why Ray was smirking at the pilot's antics.
"You got cojones, mano," Reyes said with something akin to admiration.
Peck looked over at the medic, and saw Combs nodding his agreement.
0
"Hannibal!"
The colonel looked up and smirked as the sergeant reached the crates he was sitting on. "I wondered how long it'd take you to show up," he commented lightly, puffing on his cigar that was only half-smoked.
BA paused in confusion for a second, but then continued in anger. "What's he doing here man?"
Hannibal sighed. "He's not as bad as you think, BA. Give the kid a chance."
"I think you crazy Hannibal," BA retorted. The colonel just shrugged. "He a liar and a cheat, and God knows what else," the sergeant continued seriously. "What makes you think you can trust him?"
"You know what people told me about you?" Hannibal asked, a thoughtful expression on his face. BA glanced down, but shook his head. "They said I was crazy to think I'd ever be able to trust you. Everyone thought you'd be sent home to a stockade before that first month was over. But you know what, you proved them wrong." BA looked back up at Hannibal and saw the sincere look on his CO's face. "You proved to be one of the best, most trustworthy soldiers I know."
BA sighed heavily. "But what about what happened with McKinney?" he asked quietly. There was no more anger in his voice, just concern.
Taking a deep breath, Hannibal looked BA in the eyes and said, "If you wanna know what happened between Lieutenant Peck and Sergeant McKinney, then I suggest you ask Lieutenant Peck." Standing up, Hannibal patted his sergeant on the shoulder. "Try having a conversation with him. Never know, ya might just learn something."
A/N: Hope you liked that chapter! I'm gonna try to make the next chapter longer, but we'll see how that goes. Hopefully I'll be able to update soon! Will try to have the next chapter up within a week or two at the latest. As always, reviews are greatly appreciated!