Blarrgh, I posted the next vignette, then immediately realized I'd fucked up my files somewhere and lost a few tweaks along the way. So here it is again, fixed. >>86 Yeah, I wish sometimes that more of the characters had (canon) names so I'd have more descriptive titles to fall back on. Writing that battle scene with three soldiers (and two of a lot of other classes) was sort of nerve-wracking. Here's another shortish update. I haven't forgotten about all the other characters, honest! If I hadn't run out of backlog, I'd probably upload these in longer chunks, but some things take me longer to write than others (especially when there's no booze in the house). ______________________________________ The jury-rigged contraption didn't take long to mend the worst of Soldier's injuries. As he did a few stretches and got re-accustomed to standing on his own two feet, he could feel his strength return. After hours of lying prostrate, suffering through fever-dreams and spectacular, bone-grinding agony, Soldier found himself suddenly in perfect health. The arousing sense of invigoration was something everyone on the team knew well; it always came when extensive, painful or debilitating wounds were reversed by the Medi-gun, or similar technologies. He felt ready to charge off into the jungle and dismember the first enemy foolish enough to cross his path, so knowing that it would soon be too dark to travel safely was rather frustrating. As Engineer busied himself packing up his toolbox, Soldier took a survey of the area they were in. The collapsed embankment was a troubling sight, but with his mind free from the distraction of terrible pain, Soldier was now capable of piecing together the events that had lead to his awakening in a concrete stream-bed. “Did you see my backpack while you were picking through that mess, private?†he asked, scanning the foliage for his precious belongings. Engineer glanced over his shoulder for a moment, frowning pensively. “Mighta' been near the spot my toolbox was buried... your rocket launcher wouldn't have been in it, though.†Soldier started towards the cascade of debris, glowering at it. “Dammit! That's my most important tool! If someone made off with it while I was unconscious, I will find that son-of-a-bitch and I will personally SHOVE IT UP HIS-“ His voice broke off into an embarrassing yelp of surprise, as he snagged his foot on something in the undergrowth. Soldier managed not to fall, thanks to his lightning-fast reflexes. As he half-staggered, half-pirouetted to a stable position, he looked down and realized it wasn't a booby trap that had nearly tripped him. “Call off the search! I have located the missing ordinance!†He found his backpack soon after, which was a great relief as well- there were some more weapons in there. After securing his muddy jacket to the underside of his pack, Soldier was ready to move out. He absentmindedly turned Engineer's cold-water flask in his hands, and watched as the Texan disassembled the healing unit into neat, easily packaged modules. “Need any help with that?†Engineer looked up from his work, then smiled sheepishly. “Nah, I'm pretty-much done. Although... if you don't mind packing an extra few pounds along, could I strap this casing to yer rucksack? It ain't essential, but it'll protect the healin' machine when I set it up again. I just don't have room for it in my toolbox.†A wide grin tugged at Soldier's face. “Private, I would be willing to carry around two of you if I had to! Strap it on, we've got to find cover before nightfall.†The two men began their journey along the same route Scout had travelled, slopping their way down the long drainage trough to its source. Soldier was desperately hoping to find an enemy along the way, but the renegade who had attacked them was apparently making himself scarce. With no animals larger than a bird or an opossum on the island, his chances of getting to fight something before dark were disappointingly low. As they came up on the large culvert, Soldier frowned, squinting into the gloom. “You have a flashlight, Engie? I can't see a Goddamn thing in there.†“Of course,†the little guy said, smiling. He propped the toolbox against his hip, then fished a flashlight out of his pocket and handed it to Soldier. “Hang onto that, I gotta' use both my hands to lug this toolbox around.†Dark, confined spaces weren't Soldier's favourite thing in the world, but holding the light gave him a reassuring sense of control. He illuminated the dingy tunnel and stooped a bit, then steeled himself and pressed onwards. The flashlight reflected off the cold, dirty water, sending back beams of light that dazzled his eyes. A rather large snake wriggled in the spotlight for a moment, and Soldier choked back a yell of surprise; he suddenly wished he knew what the dangerous ones looked like. Were there poisonous snakes on the island? Or anacondas? There was an article about anacondas in his last issue of “Patriot's Life Magazineâ€, advising that they could squeeze the life out of even the hardiest man, or swallow him whole while he slept. “...those devious commie reptiles,†he murmured. As Soldier balked, a reassuring voice cut into his paranoid fantasies. “Somethin' wrong over there? Y'see anything?†He swallowed audibly. “No, it's- there's nothing. Nothing here.†Engineer was closing in from behind him, cutting off his escape route. With no alternative, Soldier summoned his courage and kept going. After an uneasy slog through the creeping darkness, he was relieved to exit the culvert and find they were at the bottom of a pit. Specifically, a pit with obvious means of egress: a ladder, and a door. “Well, well, well... if we want to find those bastards, I don't think we'll have to search much longer. See that door, Engie?†With the sun rapidly making its departure for the evening, the flashlight was becoming more and more useful. Soldier turned its beam on the keypad by the door, which was coated in a patina of grime and dried blood. “I reckon they've been usin' that one pretty recently,†Engineer said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “Wonder how hard it'd be for me ta override that...†Soldier squared his mastiff jaw, frowning at the obstacle. “With all due respect, private, I think blowing the door down would be quicker.†A smile creased Engineer's lips, and he set his toolbox down, then firmly patted the older American's shoulder. “Too true, Sarge. But think of it this way- once we kill those- those people, whoever they are- we're still gonna' have the BLU's ta fight. Y'see the logo under that peephole? "RED Company". This's gonna' be OUR base.†The frown persisted on Soldier's face, deepening as Engineer began to argue against solving this problem with the quick, satisfying use of explosives. As he continued to listen, though, his irritation began to fade... the Texan opened his eyes to a different perspective, one that took the long term into account. “I see... This is a war we're fighting, after all! Not just a few skirmishes. If we're going to take this island and hold it against the BLUs, we'll need a good, defensible position to do that from!†Soldier nodded slowly as his mind worked, and he decided it really would be best to leave this to the mechanic. He looked to Engineer and clapped a hand against his back. “Good thinking, Engie! This one's gonna' be yours.†“I'll get right on it, Sarge.†Engineer looked back at Soldier, smiling warmly, then stooped down and started rifling through his toolbox, gathering supplies. With nothing else to do, Soldier held the flashlight and watched him work. As Engineer degloved the Gunslinger and began fiddling with wires, Soldier's mind was free to meander wherever it pleased. His thoughts wandered back to the conversation with they just had, then continued its leisurely stroll further back along the day's events: The dreadful moment where he let go of Engineer's hand, and watched him vanish into the undergrowth... The wretched fever-dreams that Engineer rescued him from, with a gentle touch and ice-cold water... That indescribable surge of vitality he felt when Engineer restored him to health... A weird sensation flared up in his chest, sending waves of warmth that rolled down his back and his thighs, down to the pit of his stomach, and the root of his hardening cock. It wasn't the first time this had happened, by any stretch of the imagination. Despite what he'd been told in his formative years, Soldier had eventually determined that it wasn't a precursor to blindness, or even petrification. While that was a great relief to his adolescent mind, it didn't help him understand it any better. As he metamorphosed from boy to man, Soldier's concept of arousal developed into something close to normal - at least, it had never earned him any jail time - although he had the most success in following through with partners who barely spoke English. Women who understood everything he was saying usually turned the other way. Fleeting sensations were acceptable for a military man. But when the emotions persisted long after such an encounter, or worse - when the object of his desire was inappropriate, politically suspect, even deviant – that was when Soldier found himself troubled by the things that went on underneath his uniform. He frowned a bit, even as pleasure was tingling through his fundament, conjuring idle fantasies and lascivious, half-formed desires. Still holding the flashlight for his working companion, Soldier began muttering to himself. He had a hard time with internal monologues. "I'm a soldier, dammit. A military man. I must be focused on the mission during my every waking moment, and exert all my strength towards completing our task in this mosquito-infested tropical paradise." "You say somethin' back there?" Engineer asked absentmindedly, not looking back. His attention was centered on a jumble of wires, connecting the Gunslinger to the grubby keypad beside the door. Soldier almost jumped, but immediately assumed a professional deadpan. "Nothing, private! Just contemplating the implications of Federalist paper No. 29 on present-day legislation restricting the rights, freedoms and legal concessions granted to organizations such as-" "Oh, ah see. Don't let me distract ya," Engineer said, glancing back to Soldier with a wink. He then returned to his work, humming quietly. The older American slouched a little, and felt his mind start wandering again. A pang of longing struck him as he remembered the night before; frustration had been his overwhelming emotional state most of that evening, but when he drifted off to sleep with Engineer by his side, he had been warm, dry, and thoroughly relaxed. He frowned. (Why would I want to be back in that hotel?! A soldier's place is out in the field! Physical comfort is a luxury that only sissies need to get by! Real men are ready to fight anytime, anywhere, regardless of insignificant things like hunger or fatigue.) Soldier was in the midst of convincing himself he didn't need sleep, when a sudden noise sent sharp stabs of alarm through his heart. It was Engineer, giving a yell of pain as sparks exploded from something he was working with. Soldier dropped the flashlight in a panic and lunged to grab the other man's shoulders, before realizing that the Texan's yelling had progressed to much less worrisome sounds of anger and irritation. “Damn- dammit- dagnabbit! Goddamn incompatible power spectral density-†Engineer seemed to be thrashing a little, but in the dying light his problem was unclear. After fumbling to retrieve the flashlight, Soldier discovered the source of Engineer's troubles: the Gunslinger, his robotic right forearm, was twitching involuntarily and smoking. There was smoke coming from the keypad on the wall, too, and the occasional spark. “You alright there, Engie? What's your status?†Engineer groaned wearily and reached out with his real hand, clutching the wall for support. “Dammit, Sarge, I... Somethin' went wrong, it seems like the voltage that facility's running on up and changed for a moment there. I dunno, maybe the generator's been pushed too hard... they mighta' redistributed the flow of electricity, or...†He cursed and pounded the wall with his fist, while the prosthetic went still and silent. “Whatever happened, I don't think I'm gonna' be good for anything needin' the use of both hands, not until I can sit down and take a look at my Gunslinger. Probably just a burned-out diode, or an actuator that needs tuning... dammit!†A rumbling growl of frustration rose from Soldier's chest. “That's all for tonight, then, isn't it... ...well, here. Let me climb up out of this hole. Think you can lift your toolbox up one-handed? I can reach down, take it the rest of the way.†“Yeah,†Engineer said, looking remorseful. “Yeah, I can do that.†Soldier's brow creased pensively as he climbed out of the pit, then set the flashlight and his pack to one side, and reached down to take Engineer's toolbox up for him. He had seen this expression on Engineer's face before, when the little guy had made a mistake, or a miscalculation. After the heavy toolbox was safely on the ground, Soldier looked back to see his teammate, who was struggling with the ladder. He crouched by the edge of the hole, and leaned over, extending his grasp to Engineer's damaged prosthetic. “Here, Engie. I can give you a hand.†Engineer shot him an uncharacteristically moody look, hesitating for reasons that weren't apparent to Soldier. After an awkward pause, he sighed, and finally lifted the immobile hand into the other man's grip. “...alright, I guess I'll get out faster with yer help.†Once both men were out, they found themselves in a patch of thin forest. Off to their right, Soldier could see some outdoor sodium lamps and the dark shapes of buildings. He hefted his backpack on, then glanced uncertainly at Engineer before taking the toolbox, too. “You want to lead the way, private? Looks like we've got a courtyard off to our three o'clock.†The mechanic had been sullenly examining his robot arm, but at Soldier's suggestion, he sighed and nodded. “Alright... guess I oughta try and make myself useful, somehow.†He picked up the flashlight from where Soldier had left it, and began trudging through the undergrowth, towards the lights. Engineer's change of mood hadn't slipped past Soldier's radar. It was actually sort of troubling to him; even in dire situations, the Texan always did his best to keep his chin up. To see him lapse into morose silence at something comparatively insignificant, well, it confounded Soldier. (He didn't get anyone killed, or lose a point we'd been holding... hell, I'm not even chewing him out! Why's he so unhappy? That mechanical mitt of his isn't even broken that badly, he said so himself.) He scratched his monumental chin, brow knitted with concern. The artificial lighting was stark, showing the courtyard in pale yellow and making every shadow pitch black. Muddy footprints on the ground- traces of Scout, Sniper and the BLU Spy- were indistinct, and all Soldier could see of the alcove where they met was a filthy, dark hole. Kitty-corner to the old BLU headquarters was a wooden building, and when Engineer's flashlight showed the entrance to be clear of traps, he gestured to it. “Might as well pop in there an' take a look. I'll go first... Worst thing that might happen is you lose a little dead weight.†As Engineer slipped into the doorway, Soldier hurried after him, feeling an unprecedented flare of anger in his chest. Just past the entryway, the building opened up into an empty mess-hall, with a few closed doors on the far wall. As he caught up to Engineer, Soldier dropped the tool-box on a wooden table, then grabbed the smaller man's shoulders from behind. He gave him a good shake, and snarled, “ I don't want to hear ANYTHING like that from a member of MY TEAM. If there is a problem, private, you will do what's necessary to sort it out, or- or so help me God, I will...†Engineer cringed in surprise, then shook himself free and turned to face Soldier, his face pinched in an expression of bitterness. “Where the hell do you get off sayin'- dammit, of course there's a problem! Look, I ain't no good to anyone with this mechanical hand busted.†“Are you right-handed, private?†Soldier asked, squaring his jaw. The little guy glowered at his teammate. “No, I was born a southpaw. They tried to beat it outta me in school, I can more-or-less work with either one.†“Then how can you look me in the eye and say you're useless?!†With his helmet ajar, Soldier really was seeing eye-to-eye with Engineer – literally, if not figuratively. “You say you're dead weight? Then do something about it! You said you could fix the problem, right?†Engineer heaved a sigh, then spoke in a voice that was more hoarse than usual. “That could take hours. ...I guess there's no reason it's gotta' occupy your time, now that I think about it. You're fixed up and you've got your weapons- you'd be better off goin' on without me.†Soldier hesitated. The thought of leaving Engineer hadn't even occurred to him. It only took a moment's consideration for him to reject the idea, though. “Negatory on that, private, I'm staying with you.†“Why'd you do that?! I'll only slow you down, dammit. You might get somethin' done out there, if you leave me now...†Now the Texan's brow creased, and he fidgeted, clutching at the flashlight. The older American clasped his hands over Engineer's shoulders and stared at him for a long moment. Up until that point, he knew exactly what to say, but now words were failing him. He swallowed with an audible click, cleared his throat, then finally forced himself to start talking again. “I won't leave you. You... you've never abandoned me in the field. This afternoon, when anyone else would have put me out of my misery... you stayed. Got me back on my feet, even though it took hours of your time to do it.†He paused to take a deep breath, and tried to ignore the pain in his throat. “This is a warzone, private. Too dangerous for you to repair that thing without someone watching your back. And even if it wasn't, I- I still couldn't leave you.†Engineer had an odd expression on his face, as he looked up at Soldier with uncertain eyes. “Why's that, Sarge?†Grimacing, Soldier had the nagging impression that he barely knew what the hell he was about to do. There was an ache in his chest which was most certainly not a heart attack in process, and deep inside him, he could feel that heat continuing to steadily brew, creeping out over his body in thrilling little tendrils. Unable to articulate himself or hold back any longer, he reached out and crushed Engineer against his chest in a rough bear-hug.