Spots: Entrapment

A Web Serial by M.C.A. Hogarth

39. Under Tension.	41. Conversations 2.

40. Entrapment

Warren. Peaches is crouching next to one of the two traps left open by the Seabees.

Peaches. "Little more complicated than I expected. What's this?"

Scythe. "Looks like they gave it a retractible floor, ma'am."

Peaches. "Why? Do they think... uhm, mm. What, to trap some of them in it so they can't get out?"

Claws, peering into it. "They did give it metal walls." Adds, distracted. "Ma'am."

Peaches. "That's—" Stops herself. "Did they give this cage wheels so we could get it safely into the base for dissection? Because that's the only way we're going to get a crab out of these tunnels without killing it."

Scythe. "Maybe they're expecting us to neutralize it some other way."

Peaches. "Like a tranq gun?" She glances up. "Guitart? Want to ask the Fiddler about that?"

Spots. "I can do that, ma'am." Quieter. "I'd rather not."

Peaches, frowning. "Why?"

Spots, heart-beat pause. "He's a weapons-designer, not a biologist or doctor, ma'am. Designing something more complicated than "puts holes in it" might be beyond him."

Peaches. "Good point. Ask him anyway."

Spots. "Yes, ma'am."

Peaches. "Sargeant, give me a hand here. I'd like to see how this thing works."

Scythe. "Yes, ma'am."

While he and Peaches puzzle out the mechanism, the rest of the squad takes points along the corridor.

[ Squad ] Flea : So it's true you're in bed with the Fiddler, Spots? I hear you spend enough nights there.

[ Squad ] Claws : I'm thinkin' Team Kitty guests oughta be more polite.

[ Squad ] Flea : What's wrong, can't take the truth? How about it, Spots? How come you don't wanna ****ing talk to the Fiddler about helping us out?

[ Squad ] Spots : I'll be glad to talk to him about helping us out, on things he can actually help us with.

[ Squad ] Silverfish : Ohhh, right. It's too complicated for us stupid varmints to get. A kitty thing, getting friendly with the ****ing enemy.

[ Squad ] Hairball : Thought the enemy was in front of us, not back at base.

[ Squad ] Claws : I'm thinkin' Team Kitty Guests oughta be a lot more ****ing polite. You guys got a problem?

[ Squad ] Flea : Wow, you her nanny or her lover?

Claws looks down the corridor in Flea's direction, almost taking a step—

[ Squad ] Spots : Enough.

Silence on the squad channel.

[ Squad ] Spots : I'm doing my job to win this fight, just like the rest of us. You have a problem with that? You go down there and give up your rack time to play diplomat to aliens. I'll be interested to see how far you get.

No comment. Then:

[ Squad ] Scythe : I could use a hand over here.

Claws, closest to him, troops over to help out. While he's holding the grid ceiling steady:

[ Buddy-to-Buddy ] Claws : Hey, Spots? What gives?

[ Buddy-to-Buddy ] Spots : What do you mean?

[ Buddy-to-Buddy ] Claws : I've got your back, but it would help knowin' why. How come you don't want to ask Sam Colt 'bout the tranq gun?

[ Buddy-to-Buddy ] Spots : *sigh* It's one thing to kill a brother, Claws. It's another thing to arrange for him to become someone's science experiment.

[ Buddy-to-Buddy ] Claws : We have to play this one to win, Spots. Or else there ain't gonna be any other games, ever.

[ Buddy-to-Buddy ] Spots : I know that, Claws. I'll ask.

Peaches finishes inspecting the trap to her satisfaction and leads the patrol further up the corridor, toward the next. On their way:

[ NCO ] Claws : I know that walk. You're pissed. Think I didn't handle it?

[ NCO ] Scythe : It's fine.

[ NCO ] Claws : So?

[ NCO ] Scythe : That damned trap. Is way too clever.

[ NCO ] Claws : Think it'll break?

[ NCO ] Scythe : I don't know. But the way things are going, I won't be ****ing surprised.

39. Under Tension.	41. Conversations 2.