Spots: Guesting

A Web Serial by M.C.A. Hogarth

42. Objectifying.	44. Rehash.

43. Guesting

Corridor. Spots, Claws and Fang are heading to the Armory.

Fang. "How come we're the lucky ones who have to pull an extra half-shift?"

Claws. "It's the sleep thing. Moms don't need it and ex-Dragons are too hardcore for it."

Fang, snorting. "And you?"

Claws. "I'm the poor sod who has to keep up with you two."

Spots grins as they enter the Armory. Team Doggie's suiting up.

Dusty. "Hey, Kitties. You have Guest Channel 4. Squad channel's inclusive."

Claws. "We copy that, Sergeant. Channel 4, all kitties, all the time."

One of the Wild Dogs: "Meow."

Another: "Woof."

Fang. "Oh, shut it."

Claws. "Ex-Dragon. Ya know how they are." He ducks Fang's swing.

Dusty. "Enough horsing around, we got crabs to kill. Into your armor, dogs. And guests."

After suiting up, the Wild Dog squad, augmented by the three Kitties, heads into the Warren.

[ Guest ] Fang : Seriously, Claws. I know everyone's supposed to filling out the squads... but do you know why Scythe sent us? Us in particular?

[ Guest ] Claws: Cross mah heart, Fang. I got no idea. We'll probably rotate through, next time it'll be Whiskers, Hairball and Fang2 if he's outta sickbay.

[ Guest ] Fang : At least it's the Doggies and not the ****ing Varmints. Caressing the barrel of her rifle.

[ Guest ] Spots : For now, anyway.

Fang shoots her a look.

[ Guest ] Claws : Let's just concentrate on givin' good support, eh?

[ Guest ] Fang : Right. The band of brothers ****. I can do that. As long as they do it back.

The squad begins patrol duty. After weeks of escorting engineers, equipment and materiel, the Warren is very quiet.

[ Squad ] Coyote : So, I hear we got the Alien-Whisperer with us.

[ Squad ] Claws : You have got to be ****in' kiddin' me.

[ Squad ] Spots : You mean me?

[ Squad ] Coyote : Yeah, so... can you tell us when they're gonna attack? That would be handy.

[ Guest ] Spots : Anticipating. Don't, Claws. It's an honest question. Switching channels. I don't know, I wish I did.

[ Squad ] Fang : Yeah, for that we'd need my tumor, Fang-****ing-two. He can feel them coming through his boots. I swear. You hear Fang2 saying 'I feel something' and next thing you know there's a crab in your ****ing face.

[ Squad ] Coyote : ****! When's he guesting?

[ Squad ] Fang : When he gets out of sickbay. Two of us got caught between two breakthroughs. Rough ****.

[ Squad ] Coyote : We'll kill a ****ing crab for him.

All the Wild Dogs chant on the channel: We'll kill a ****ing crab for him!

[ Squad ] Claws : Woah.

[ Squad ] Coyote : We kill a ****ing crab for every Dog who's down. We'll do one for you kitties, since we're rubbing elbows.

[ Squad ] Spots : Hey, thank you.

[ Squad ] Dusty : Now if there were only some crabs to kill... where are they?

In the Command Center, Peaches is scowling at the live-cam footage.

"She's right. Where the hell are they?"

42. Objectifying.	44. Rehash.