by Gatkowski » Sun Jul 28, 2013 9:22 am
- Motto: "Victory needs no explanation, defeat allows none."
- Weapon: Nuclear Charged Fusion Cannon
Training Hall
Well, Beretta, I think I'm in the mood for a drink. Care to join me?
‘Sure. I could use a little lubrication,’ Beretta replied. She pressed a few buttons on a control board, and the dummy placement mechanism slumped back into inactivity with a receding hum. The lights switched back to default auxiliary, casting the hall in dim blue.
Scratch that, looks like I've got an assignment. One of your girls is coming with me. Dragunov, I believe. I'll look after her.
Beretta looked at Arcee, a notch baffled at the sudden turn. But she wasn’t surprised. Assignments had that habit of catching you out of the blue. Beretta just wished it was out of her own blue.
But at the mention of Dragunov’s name, a mischevious smile creased the squad leader femme’s faceplate.
’Dragu, huh? Well, you got some work cut out for you, then.’ She chuckled. ’You have my permission to rustle her up, if she forgets to behave.’
Arcee waved her off and left. After the noise of her footsteps faded away, Beretta opened a channel to her subordinate.
>>’Dragu, this is Beretta. You’ve got an assigment. Move your aft before your slacking off gives all of us a bad name.’<< Beretta smirked. By the tone Dragunov responded with, she could tell the sniper was, too.
>>’I received the summons from Arcee just three astroseconds ago... nothing escapes your notice, does it, chief?’<<
>>’S’pose it doesn’t. That’s my job, after all. Smacking some discipline into that thick heads o’you gals.’<<
>>’Understood, chief. It will be a most pleasant excursion,’<< Dragunov acknowledged.
>>’Right. I hope I don’t need to point out that on this mission, you’ll jump at Arcee’s every word just as you would do at mine?’<<
>>’Understood.’<<
A few microns of pause followed, but Beretta didn’t break the link.
>>’And Dragu...,<< she then said, her tone serious, >>’I need you to do me a favor. Keep an optic out. I want to know what the girl’s got.’<<
>>’Chief?’<<
>>’Arcee’s very good. I haven’t actually served with her, but she is very good. Has a reputation. I need an assessment on how capable she really is. I trust you can help me with that?’<<
Silence was the immediate answer. Dragunov certainly had experience in measuring people from her vorns as a high-profile enterpreneur and business owner and was the best judge of character on Beretta’s team. But the request came all of a sudden, even for her.
>>’A recruit assessment, chief? You plan on expanding the squad?<<
>>’Not exactly. But we’re in a war zone, Dragu. Ain’t livin’ forever, none of us. Never hurts to have backup prospects. You get my meaning?’<<
>>’You would crawl your way back even after getting smelted in the Kaon pits, chief.’<< Beretta was surprised at the concern she clearly heard ringing in Dragunov’s voice.
Nevertheless, an officer did well to keep in mind her own possible replacement.
>>’Thanks, Dragu. But you do get my point, right?'<< Beretta repeated.
>>’Yes, chief. By the end of the cycle, I'll know her better than she knows herself.’<<
>>’Good. Enough dawdle, then. Get a move on.’<<
She cut the link.
Well, where to now? Enjoying a drink by herself wasn’t that bad an option. Maybe Ingram was around, her shift was likely to be already over. Or she could go and see how Remy was doing with that secondary training in the medical field.
After a few moments of pondering, Beretta decided that she’d grab a can of Kremzeek first. That ought to sparkle her up a bit.
Setting her air intakes to output, she began imitating a very human habit: whistling. Many Earthern songs slumbered in her memory banks, just waiting to be recalled. So she recalled them. The tunes drifted through the air about her as she left the training hall.