Alternate Realities

Prompt: Piggyback Rides, Mare & Kilorn

"What's got your panties in a bunch?" Farley sucked the marrow out of the chicken bone and kicked Cal out of his trance.

He snapped away from the window and cleared his throat. "I was just thinking through the rations report. Did the count on the small ballistics seem small to you?"

"Small ballistics? You mean the seven million rounds that Montfort shipped, or the ten million they're working on currently?" She raised an eyebrow. Nothing about the rations report had seemed off, except for maybe the coffee, but as the only woman with a nursing infant, maybe she was overly sensitive about the caffeine supplies.

"I dunno, seemed low. That's all," he cleared his throat again and crossed his arms, stepping out of the room Command had taken over for planning.

Farley looked out the window onto the garden below. His territorial hackles must have been raised by the loitering Guard soldiers enjoying the sun in their conquered Archeon palace. Childish, she thought. Then squeals erupted, drawing her attention back.

From one corner, Cameron with Ada perched on her back, gripping with her legs around her center loped forward. Ada held a stick high above her head, screaming with glee. From behind the trees, another pair emerged. Mare swung wildly from her position aboard Kilorn. He twisted and turned nearly dropping her, but she righted herself and they circled Cameron whooping as they struck.

Childish, she thought again, but this time with a broad smile.