A Web Serial by M.C.A. Hogarth
| 27. Solidarity. | 29. Girls. |
|---|
28. Half the Story
Gym, late night after the wake. Scythe is moving through iaido forms with sword. Spots enters and watches in silence until he's done.
Scythe, without facing her. "Up late again."
"I don't sleep well after funerals."
Scythe, turning now. "You been to a lot of them?"
Spots, faint smile. "My husband's a miner. I live half the year on an asteroid. It's dangerous work."
Scythe. "Ah." He slides his sword back into its sheath, formal. "You're not here because of that, though."
"Not entirely. I was looking for you."
"...because?"
"What's going on with Claws?"
Scythe glances at her. "I don't like to talk about other people's business."
"...but?"
"But you work with him. You need to know."
"Know what?"
Scythe sits on a bench, sword on lap. "You'll have noticed we're understrength."
"Yes."
He nods. "And you know Peaches is new?"
"Yes. I came in on her transport."
"She was replacing the LT who died flinging us at the bugs. He was convinced we had to take the offensive."
Spots, cocking her head. "Isn't that sound tactics?"
"Maybe against humans. Against bugs? You need to know the location of the lab and the nest. Otherwise you might as well never have gone."
Spots. "And you didn't know."
"No. And we died for it. I lost one man, Fang2's partner Scratch. But Claws was my assistant squad leader and he lost his entire team. Rosey, Snarl and Hack... all of them gone. We almost lost him too when he tried to go back for them."
Spots, paling. "God."
"He's still assistant squad leader, but you're it, Guitart. Fang rotated in for Scratch but we never got enough to fill out his half of the squad."
Spots, thinking. "He still acts like the assistant squad leader sometimes."
Scythe nods. "He's good at it. I don't want to lose him because I pushed him too fast. He needs to come around on his own." As Spots turns away, pacing, "You were a piece of luck. You're nothing like the men he lost. And you're easy to manage."
"So I don't remind him of them."
Scythe, smiling a little. "You don't remind anyone of anything, Guitart."
Spots, making a face. "Gee, thanks."
"You already know that or you wouldn't be having problems. You are having problems, aren't you?"
"Nothing serious."
"This business with the Fiddler... you're not careful, it'll make things worse for you."
Spots. "I know what they say about people who like the aliens too much, Scythe."
"It goes a little beyond name-calling in the Marines."
Spots, eyeing him. "Are you saying someone's going to beat the tar out of me because I'm talking to the Violinist, Scythe?"
Scythe. "No, just warning you. Tension's running high."
"I noticed. I'll handle it."
He nods, getting up. "Gym's all yours."
"Thanks. Hey, Scythe?"
He pauses.
"Thanks for not saying 'don't tell him I told you.' "
Scythe smiles. "You're not the type."
| 27. Solidarity. | 29. Girls. |
|---|
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