A Web Serial by M.C.A. Hogarth
| 18. Not Like Us. | 20. Confrontation. |
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19. The First Mistake
Armory. Claws is already suited up in preparation for relieving Hairball and Scythe. Spots is working into hers.
"****ing luck's gonna run out, I know it. Half of the Varmints are down, didya hear?"
"I heard, Claws."
"You'd think the damned things get high on blow-torches and metal shavin's, Jesus!"
"Claws—"
"****, Spots, sorry—"
"Not that." She leans forward, touches his shoulder. "Turn around again." Pause. "You're at half power."
"****!"
"It's the right power pack, it's empty." Helping him strip it off. "Didn't you see the indicator when you took it off the rack?"
"I looked..." He glances at the rack where the swappable power modules are stored and pales. The last empty socket is yellow, not green. "****! I almost went out half-empty. With the ****ing crabs eatin' us ****ing alive."
"Don't tear yourself up over it. We're all tired."
"We can't afford to be tired, Spots. The game's awake or dead, there's no ****ing in-between."
She grasps his arm, meeting his eyes. "Well, then, good thing we do buddy-checks, isn't it."
"Yeah." He breathes in. "Yeah. Thanks."
"Let's get going."
Map Room. Peaches is pacing beside a table with a map of the Warren, marked up in red pencil. The gunny watches.
"There's a pattern here, I know there is. And it's changed. But we're not going to get any more information out of our friendly."
"Probably not, no, ma'am."
"So we're going to have to get it directly from the source."
"Ma'am?"
Peaches points at the map with her red wax pencil. "There. From the new shells. I'm going out there."
Gunny, not quite alarmed but approaching it. "Ma'am, I'm not sure that's wise. You already know what the Warren's like, you went through it when you landed."
"That was before the crabs started getting so aggressive. Gunny, I have to look at them myself. I have to..." Struggles. "Just talking about it doesn't help. I want to face these new crabs, look them in the eye. Watch how they work. Second-hand reporting isn't doing it."
Gunny. "Lieutenant, you're the only officer on station. If you're incapacitated..."
Peaches. "Then they'll just drop-ship you another second lieutenant, hopefully a smarter one than me. Who's on patrol?"
Gunny, resigned. "We've got three teams out right now, ma'am."
"Pick one and tell them they've got company."
Team Kitty Common Room. The two Fangs, Spots and Claws are still out. Whiskers enters.
Whiskers. "Hairball! You look like ****."
Hairball, standing. "Yeah, well, some of us are ****ing working. Glad you finally decided to join the rest of us slobs."
Whiskers, clasping his hand. "Got tired of Spots rescuing my ****ing candy bars from you. Boss out with the team?"
"Nah, he got called away. It's the Fangs and Claws and his newb out there."
"****. Wonder what's up."
"Guess we'll find out. Game before rack-time?"
"You gonna wipe the mat with me?"
"Yep."
"****. Sure, deal."
Some time later, Scythe reappears, looking dour.
"What's up, boss?"
"Whiskers! Glad you're out."
"Glad to be out, even if Hairball's ****ing cleaning my clock. Again."
"I get all the ****ing luck, I know it."
Scythe. "Maybe I should send him to these meetings instead of me."
"Bad news?"
"Bonny Peaches is going out, and we're ****ing babysitting."
"Aww, ****, I'm going to miss it?"
"Not funny, Hairball."
"Sure it is. Fang-Bigger-Balls-Than-You-1, Fang-always-****ing-around-2, Mother-Hen-Claws and Pollyanna? Didn't they make that movie?"
Whiskers, snorting. "****ing Mr. Smith goes to Washington. The all-crab edition."
| 18. Not Like Us. | 20. Confrontation. |
|---|
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