Starship: Rogue

Chapter Seventeen

 Rowan slept fitfully, the night they traveled back to the Hub. She didn't want to be babysitting army newbies; she wanted to be out in the field, working the case, tracking down the Red Night. So, when the shuttle entered San Francisco airspace, she hurried to dress as neatly as she could. She pinned up her braid into a bun and even polished her boots.

Then, as Jase, who was piloting, announced that they were circling, waiting for a docking space, Rowan flicked the lights of the bunk room on and off until the cadets stumbled sleepily out of bed. "I hope you all packed your dress uniforms," she said tartly. "The Hub is not the place to be wandering around like a country bumpkin. Get dressed!"

Then, she slipped out of the room to let them do as ordered. In the lounge, she made herself a coffee, wishing it wasn't so ungodly early. According to the clock on her comms bracelet, it was four o'clock in the morning, San Francisco time.

Levi was sprawled on the couch in the lounge, writing something on his tablet. When Rowan plunked down next to him, he gave her a smile and said, "Stark wants you and me to have a nice little chat with our new friend, Vail," he said, grinning ferally. "He know we're... good at getting to the truths other people might miss." For that, read: he and Rowan had their advanced interrogation qualifications.

"Oh, good," Rowan mumbled, still not quite awake. "Something to look forward to. But I need breakfast first."

"Yeah," Levi said, chuckling a bit. "I really want pancakes. You know what, I'll make them. We can swing by my place after whatever debriefings Stark's got scheduled. How's that sound?"

Rowan grinned, taking a gulp of her drink. "Sounds perfect. God, I haven't had pancakes in... No, I can't remember when I had pancakes."

Levi laughed. Then, Jase's voice came across the inner-ship comms. "Listen up, people. We're docking in ten minutes, so get ready. And, cadets? Behave. The Hub is no place for fooling around."

Levi rolled his eyes, and Rowan couldn't help mirroring him. "Fucking Jase," she muttered, and she had to hide a smile as the first cadets traipsed into the room.

Levi heaved himself to his feet then helped Rowan up. "Brace yourself," he muttered to her, and she snorted.

"Always the drama queen," she teased him, ruffling his hair affectionately. They waited by the door as Jase guided the shuttle into its berth. As the door slid open, Rowan stepped forward, Levi at her side, and they smiled as the cadets fell into formation behind the Rangers.

In the hangar bay, Stark waited with the two Colonels who had taken her report all that time ago, Colonel Knightley and Colonel Schuyler. The rest of Fox and Ocelot squads waited with them, all of them dressed to perfection.

In the berth next to theirs, Major Kramer led the rest of his cadets out, and Rowan was relieved to see that they all wore their dress uniforms, even though they didn't look half as intimidating as Rowan and the Rangers, in their all-black uniforms.

When Rowan set foot on solid ground, Gerrit launched himself at her, wrapping her up in a bear hug. "Yay! The boss lady's back!" Rowan shoved him affectionately, but couldn't help beaming. From behind him, Carter gave her a little wave, and Holden and Prescott smiled too.

Stark just rolled his eyes, but that was good enough for her. If Colonels Knightley and Schuyler hadn't been there, she might have flipped him off, but instead she just made a face. "Okay, Gerrit, let me go. You're the scientist. You should know humans need oxygen to survive."

Gerrit stepped back, whacking her lightly on the shoulder. "Bitch," he muttered, but he was grinning. "Okay, everyone!" he bellowed. "I have presents." He nodded to Carter, who opened a big, black box, smiling slightly. "New weapons: knockout guns!"