A Web Serial by M.C.A. Hogarth
| 43. Guesting. | 45. Live or Dead. |
|---|
44. Rehash
Team Doggie and guests continue their patrol with some grumbling, much banter and no incident. Halfway through the shift finds them back near base.
[ Squad ] Dusty : Time for your drop-off, Kitties. Thanks for filling us out.
[ Squad ] Claws : No problem.
[ Squad ] Coyote : And next time bring your canary with you!
[ Squad ] Spots : We'll tell him you asked for him.
[ Squad ] Fang : He'll love that... 'My legend grows.'
[ Squad ] Claws : Hell, you sound just like him!
[ Squad ] Fang : Shu—SHIELDS!
A knot of crabs with one King, so sudden. Spots's shield flares with a golden ripple, Claws's comes up in blue; they flicker green where they intersect in front of Fang. Her shot brings down the King; the Wild Dog sniper is fast but not as fast as this ex-Dragon. The rest of the team mows through the enemy.
[ Squad ] Fang : ****! ****! ****! What the hell? She wades through the bodies to kick the King in the abdomen. What is this ****? They insulting us?
[ Squad ] Claws : ****!
The entire squad is looking at the downed bugs. The King, the soldiers... all the earliest models, from before the new carapaces Fang brought down.
[ Squad ] Dusty : ****, this is not good.
[ Squad ] Fang : ****ing target practice, what this is.
[ Squad ] Claws : They're cookin' somethin, and I reckon we ain't gonna like it when they're done.
[ Squad ] Dusty : You Kitties get back, and send us your replacements pronto. I don't know where this is heading, but I'm not happy.
[ Squad ] Claws : You got it.
The Varmints replacing Claws, Spots and Fang are already entering the Warren. The Kitties nod in passing and get inside.
Fang, sitting, helmet off. "****. What does it mean?"
Claws. "Like I said. No good."
Spots is looking at the markers next to the first locker. "Fang?"
"Yeah?"
Spots picks out the black one. "Turn around, let's get your newest King painted on."
"What? Oh, right. I stopped keeping count." She hesitates.
Claws. "Scared we'll catch up to ya?"
Fang snorts. "Hell no. Come put that star on, and let's see if I can remember the rest."
Spots winks at Claws when Fang turns her back and crouches to do the honors.
Later, preparing for bed:
"That was good thinkin' back there."
Spots. "I noticed her kill count wasn't incrementing. I thought it was because no one wanted to paint them for her."
Claws. "You were right."
Spots. "You know, Fang might have been a pain when she first came on, but you didn't exactly make it easy for her to integrate either."
Claws. "Hell, we're Marines, Spots. We don't do easy."
Spots, turning in her bunk to look at him. "That's an excuse and you know it."
Claws, uncomfortable. "She was a *****, Claws. A real *****, and there's no other word for it, sorry."
Spots. "Yeah, and? When she joined Team Kitty, she became ours. Attitude and all."
Silence.
Then Claws nods. "Yeah. Guess we shoulda tried harder."
Spots nods and turns out the light.
In the dark: "****, Spots, you are one hard mother."
"Claws!"
"I know, I know. I'll soap up in the mornin'."
"Actually, I'm just glad you didn't finish that."
"Finish...?"
"Mother-... you know. I mean, what would that make me?"
"One very dangerous lesbian."
"Claws!"
"Or bisexual, I guess, what with the kids and the husband and all...."
"Claws!"
"I guess I'd better stop now or I'll have to eat that bar in the mornin', won't I."
"Yes!"
"Night, Spots."
| 43. Guesting. | 45. Live or Dead. |
|---|
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