The Ranch

Carrier Pigeon (4)

Used like a child with fighting parents that refuse to talk it out with each other and use their child as a messenger bird, Tih is stuck between this idiot sandwich for the next week.

Tih spends all his free time go back and forth between Major Jax and Private Scott. Kai's group eventually finds out about Tih's new job. They start discussing it during breakfast in their usual spot.

"They act more like children than we do." Sherlock comments.

Kai looks at Tih with a quizzical look," You don't have to do this, you know? There's nothing in it for you, and it doesn't look like their fight is gonna end anytime soon."

"It does make me curious as to what exactly their enmity is sourced from? The current fight seems surface level at best. There must be some deeper reason..." Sherlock analyzes the situation.

"I found it." Lucien speaks up in a hushed voice. They look over at him. He's looking at a holographic screen and just finished typing something.

Lucien just finished hacking into the headquarter's side branch networks. During the others conversation, he was looking through files titled "islander surveillance". He finally found the files for Jax and Scott and hacked into them without the headquarters finding out.

He slides the holographic screen over to Kai to let him read it out loud. Kai takes the screen," Subject:72hE6k91 Name:Jax Subject dependent on large amount of talent. In short amount of time, subject has gained some reputation among fighters.

In a couple years, subject became fairly well-known and is admired for pure talent. Subject has become arrogant and rarely trains.

Subject has won multiple tournaments in a row. It has been observed that he doesn't rely on teammates. Remark: subject has no allies.

During annual tournament, subject lost to new recruits. Subject's mentality and pride has taken a blow. Subject has come to the conclusion that "there's different levels of goddamn talent".

Subject has started training. After losing three more tournaments to younger generations, subject seems to have given up.

Subject has become subjected to mocking by peers. Subject has stopped participating in tournaments. Subject's reputation has dropped, but soldiers still acknowledge his talent.

Final analysis: Subject is well-known and lacks ambition to grow. I believe subject should be given a promotion and position in the dormitories."

"...So he wasted his youth and realized too late." Sherlock says.

"Talented huh?...I wonder what they'd use to describe him." Kai looks at Tih with a smile.

"Well, if I had confidence in my fighting skills and lost to Tih, I'd probably feel like giving up too." Sherlock adds.

"I'll read Private Scott's now." Kai slides a different folder on screen and click on it.

"Subject 8hS25lk1 Name: Scott

Subject has no discernible talent for any subject. Subject's qualities include pushing body and mind to limit, resolute mentality, and hard-working.

Subject has worked his way up to high position within district offices. Subject is expected to be promoted as leader of district A.

Relationship with subject 72hE6k91: Subject is a generation younger than 72hE6k91. When Subject first arrived, 72hE6k91 fairly well-known. Subject had favorable impression until

72hE6k91 was assigned to position of district A leader. Relationship quickly deteriorated.

Subject's health continue to decline. Can be observed with the following symptoms: sleep deprivation, dizziness, skipping multiple meals in a row, fainting spells.

Will continue observation."

"So... Private Scott resents Major Jax for getting to his position when he gave up on himself and became trash?" Sherlock concludes.

"Wait, So he got the job without trying? That gotta hurt Private Scott's pride as a hard worker." Kai comments.

Sherlock nods," He was supposed to take over as Major of a district, but headquarters gave it to the useless Jax."

Lucien takes back the hologram and quickly gets out of the system's files before anyone notices and erasing all tracks, disappearing without a trace like he was never there in the first place. He does so while listening to the others.

Tih also listens to Sherlock and Lucien's conversation without butting in.

"Well, I can see where both sides are coming from..." Kai grumbles.

"But they refuse to hear each other out." Sherlock adds on.

"Can you blame them? They're like polar opposites." Kai shrugs. Sherlock and Lucien silently stare at the talkaholic sitting next to the mute Tih.

Kai sighs," We can't let things continue like this or Tih will be their messenger bird slave forever!"

"Then, what if we force them to hear each other out?" Sherlock suggests.

"What do you mean?"

"Just hear me out. The first thing we're going to need is evidence from the people involved. This should be relatively easy, since Tih is with them every day. We just have to hide a mini recorder on Tih." Sherlock continues explaining the rest of the plan.

The rest quickly agree to help out. Lucien and Sherlock go to their friend to order a micro-recorder. After a couple days, it's finished.

Kai moves close to Tih to put the device on him. The listening device fits on the bottom of Tih's hoodie string. Kai picked out today's hoodie to match with the black recorder.

Tih continues to be Major Jax's and Private Scott's carrier pigeon. At the beginning of each day, during breakfast, the group will sift through all the recording to try to salvage anything useful.

A couple days go back and the group is still unsuccessful. The listening device is filled with hours of banter and complaints about each other, but there's nothing else they can do. Kai's group just has to wait for the right words to come out of Major Jax and Private Scott's mouths.

The group did try to get Tih to influence the two to talk about what Sherlock and Kai wanted, but the silent Tih wasn't able to do much.