Classified Imperial Base
Messhall
Daro
LST: 02:35:18 // DAY: 19
RC-5570
To keep up appearances, Captain Mech continues training with the recruits and filing his daily reports. Mech tries sleep again but the bunk is uncomfortable. His stomach is in knots knowing Tapcaf and Hardcopy are prepping for Operation Codex. Worry fogging his mind. He's confident Sparkstick can handle leading RYNO if the surgery goes wrong but can they handle Taipan? She's still a wild card especially when it comes to working as a team. They know what the other is going to do when bolts start flying. The gladiator is still an unknown factor.
Mech rounds the corner to the messhall in his search for the former gladiator. When he had told her to keep her distance she really took it seriously. He needs her to know about the prelude mission to ECHO-2. If he's being honest with himself he just needs to see her in case he doesn't wake up. She's one of them now, she deserves to know. He also wants to set some things straight if this is the last night he's got.
The Captain nearly bumps into another commando.
"Watch it, soldier," Mech says.
"Captain! Wait," says the other commando. He grabs Mech's arm keeping him from entering the maintenance doors into the messhall.
"Sparkstick?" Mech says recognizing his comrade's vocal demeanor. "What are you doing?"
"Just wait," he says peering through the horizontal slit windows in the doors.
Mech follows his gaze and sees a stormtrooper. Her unmistakable red and black skin. She presses a couple of buttons on the caf machine setting the pot under the spout. She looks over the counter moving aside her helmet, opens and closes a cabinet beneath the counter, and tip-toes to open the upper cabinet.
"What is she looking for?" Mech says.
Sparkstick laughs mischievously. "I put all the cups on the very top shelf."
"You're messing with Tai'ika?" Mech says in disbelief.
"Now she'll have to get the closest commando," Sparkstick says hiking a thumb at himself, "Which is me, to get them."
"You've got gutt'se. I'll give you that," Mech says looking back through the window.
Taipan stops moving, looking at the top of the open cabinet. Her shoulders sag in a sigh. She glances around.
"That's my queue," Sparkstick making sure his helmet is on straight.
Mech stifles a laugh seeing Taipan climb up on top of the counter.
"Looks like your brilliant plan backfired," Mech says smirking behind his helmet.
Sparkstick hits his head against the doors.
Mech watches Taipan stand on her toes and reach to the very top of the shelf. For a second he thinks he spoke too soon but Taipan's hand comes out of the cabinet with a white cup grasped in her fingers. Still standing on the counter she takes the pot of caf and fills the cup.
"That is kinda cute though," Sparkstick says.
Taipan sits down on the counter and drinks the remaining caf right out of the pot and puts it back under the machine. She holds the steaming cup in her hand and takes out a datapad from her belt. Her feet slightly swinging as they dangle off the counter.
"Agreed," Mech says, a warmth spreading in his chest, and glances over at Sparkstick, "But I'd never say it to her face."
"Oh yeah. Never." Sparkstick straightens his shoulders nodding at Mech. "Okay. New plan. Just play along."
YOU ARE READING
THE RECRUIT
FanfictionBOOK 01 They were all fighters, but what distinguishes a warrior from a killer is what they fight for. Bred for combat. Built for war. Republic Commandos braved the impossible. So, when they were ordered to turn their sights to the Jedi, most did wi...
