THE LAST SHIP 8

HOT BLOODED

Bianca was standing at the counter by the coffee machine sipping on her cup of coffee when the door of the ward room opened. She turned around to see who it was. It was Mike. He closed the door behind him. "I thought I might find you here."

"I just came to get myself a cup of coffee."

He walked up to her and noticed she was feeling slightly down. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah. I'm good. Why shouldn't I be?" she replied faking a smile.

"Bianca...is something bothering you?"

"It's just..." she wanted to say something, but paused. "Nothing. Would you like a cup of coffee?"

"I already had two cups, but it would be nice."

Bianca poured him a cup and handed it to him. "Here you go."

"Thanks. Just what the doctor ordered," Mike said before he took a sip. "I should probably head back to the bridge."

"I guess me too."

*****

During his lunch break Chase Ashton joined his fellow navy officers in the mess hall and slammed his tray of food down on the table before he sat down. Evan Harding who was also a newly enlisted officer sat across the table from him and looked at him with a big frown on his face. "Who stole your breakfast this morning Ashton?"

"Captain Slattery put me on a two week double shift. The bloody asshole. I just came to get something to eat then I'm back on duty again. He's a bloody tyrant."

"You probably broke the navy protocol or the uniform code."

"How?"

"I don't know, you yell me."

"It's personal. I got his girlfriend's daughter pregnant. Now he has it in for me."

"Oh snap. You forgot to use a condom," Harding chuckled.

"Shut up Harding. It has nothing to do with the navy. I didn't break any of the navy rules. The way I feel now he can go..."

Julie Lawrence, one of the female seals seated next to Chase suddenly interrupted him. "Okay Ashton."

"What Ginger?" he snapped back with an attitude referring to her red hair.

"Language."

"Screw himself," Chase continued. "And you too."

"I've got plenty of batteries for that," she replied with a snicker.

"Yeah I wonder what Slattery would do if he knows about your antics with the sailors on this ship. He'll throw a hissy fit."

"Geez," she replied and shook her head.

"What? I'm just expressing how I feel."

"If Slattery wants to have me suspend me let him," Julie replied. "I don't give a crap. He's just another rank in the navy. So what the hell do you care Ashton?"

"He made it personal. I'm going to complain about him using something personal to punish me. It's unfair. My father's an army General. He will hear about this."

"The way I see it you should talk to him and explain to him why you think it's unfair."

"He won't listen. And he's already pissed at me as it is. He's looking daggers at me every time he sees me. Damn if looks could kill."

*****

Back in the gym set up in one of the helo bays Bianca and Sancha were both walking on the treadmills that stood side by side near the entrance.