This Man's Army

[Scribe]

EDEN PARK
Stardate 30.08.2166


As parks went, there were probably more elaborate ones somewhere, like Bajor or Betazed but the residents of Gaia didn't mind. This one, Eden Park and all its accoutrement had been built on the backs and the sweat and the love of the colonists. Everything, from the playground to the picnic tables, had been created out of salvage, forged into symbols of peace and prosperity.

In one corner, at one such picnic table, three men, two of them young, stood near the grill, nursing beers. At the table, a woman stood, unwrapping a dish and keeping a watchful eye on the blonde toddler dancing circles on her tippy toes. Maybe it wasn't the picture perfect, 'nuclear family' but they were still family, come hell or high water. The woman was determined to make her boys remember that. Still, she was proud of them both. Her boys, Sharks. Their father would have been proud, too.

"Serena..Oh, honey.. No," Moira's voice sounded disgusted as she hurried to grab whatever that was in her daughter's hand. Laughing, Serena did what all toddlers did; she ran the opposite direction, chortling and mumbling in that language only 20 month olds could understand. "Oh Christ..." With a sigh, Moira placed a hand on her again-blossoming belly and looked over her shoulder. "Sean, would you please get your sister?"

Looking up from the discussion he was having with Luke and Ron (well, Luke and Ron were having), Sean Randolph got to his feet. "Sure, Ma..." he said, putting down his beer (Ron's congratulations) and getting to his feet. He stretched for a moment, making a show just for the giggling rugrat. A fun little thing, Sean loved making her laugh, especially that -from-the-belly cackle. "Alright... Serena...." he said starting forward, breaking into a jog.

Screaming in delighted amusement, Serena's short little legs ran in place for a moment before still developing skills got everything coordinated for her to RUN! RUN!! With her eyes lit up like fireworks, she ran as fast as she could for a huge 'twee'.

Laughing, Sean followed, making growling noises as he closed in on her.

Shrieking, Serena headed for the tree and rounded it when something tangled her up and down she went. OOPMH!! Little hands barely caught her as she tripped over something and belly flopped right onto the ground, her face bumping against the ground. Stunned into not moving, into silence that seemed to hang for a second, Serena's lip trembled as she sniffed, right before crying out in a little bit of pain, mostly surprise and a little indignation.

“Oh hey,” Mackenzie ‘Mack’ Brook looked at the little girl who had started to sob at her feet, dropping down to her knees to help her up. “Are you okay, sweetie? There’s no reason to cry. Come on, be a big girl for me, say screw it and I’m proud to have fallen on my as… uhm tush.”

Mackenzie had just arrived on Gaia, two days as a matter of fact and so far, hadn’t had a chance to track down Cori. She was staying at a place called the Outpost where a sleazy dude and an extremely hot bar tender ran the joint with an iron fist and made sure weirdoes didn’t knock on her door at night, looking for tail. Today, she had taken to wandering about the colony, walking the length and breadth of it because she liked to know her terrain. The daughter of a Starfleet officer, Mack had learned it was always important to know the terrain.

In any case, New Earth Colony was a hell of a lot prettier than Hadley’s Hope and as Mack walked through the park, enjoying the sunshine and the sight of families going about their business, she decided she was going to like it here.

The lady was very pretty and smelled nice too, kind of like Mommy. Her lower lip sticking out, Serena looked up at her, assessment as judgmental as innocence could be. "Swoo it..." she announced finally, with a big grin for her new friend as she dusted off her hands and the tears magically disappeared.

"Serena!" Rounding the tree, Sean pulled up short at the new face. "Oh, hi," he managed before Serena wrapped her arms tightly around his knees and slipped behind him to peek out at Mack.

"Serena!" Sean gave Serena's new friend a lopsided smile as he squatted down next to his sister. "You okay, Toots?"

"Yup," came the reply.

"Good," he said, lifting her up and turning his attention to Mack finally. Very pretty, in that girl next door way, she had an easy smile and as Luke would put it, a body he could die fucking. "Are you okay? No hurricane ran you over?"

“I can deal with hurricanes,” Mack said to the guy, who was dropped dead gorgeous in a kind of intense way. He was what she deemed ‘mackable’ all sexual connotations inferred. “I think she’s more surprised than hurt.” She said tweaking the little one’s nose.

Laughing, Serena wrinkled her nose, turning her head this way and that. "She's got your nose now," Sean said, chuckling and extended a hand towards Mack. "Sean Randolph."

The introduction was belated, usually because he was used to letting Luke do all the talking. Without him around, Sean had to think a moment.

"Sun," Serena announced proudly and tapped her chest. "Sweena."

“Well nice to meet you Serena.” Mack said taking her little hand and shaking it. “My name is Mack,” she lifted her brown eyed gaze to Sean and replied with a little smile. “And I just got into town.”

"Macked!" Serena chirped, grinning broadly from her throne.

A chuckle escaped Sean before he could contain it and he offered Mack that half-lopsided smile again. "Mack? Is that short for something? I mean, don't tell me your parents were cruel enough to name you 'Mack'?"

“Mackenzie,” she straightened up, eyes grazing over him from top to foot. Very nice. “Mackenzie Brook, Mack.” She replied.

"Macked, macked, macked... Sun, burder. Wan' a burder.."

Did she... Sean blinked, his concentration exploding into little pieces all over the place because this hot chick with the great smile just reconned him. As a result, he wasn't able to translated. "Wait.. you want what?" he said, looking at the toddler annoyingly.

"Burder." Serena looked at Mack. "Wan' a burder?" she asked, leaning out of Sean's arms towards Mack, her faith unshakable that she would be caught.

"Whoa.. Serena..." Catching her, Sean tugged her upright. "I think she means burger," he told Mack. "I was in boot camp when she started this.. talking..." he explained, glancing back across the field before turning back to Mack. "And...uh.. " Luke would be so much better at this. "If you're not doing anything, you can join us. My family, I mean. We're having a cookout." Right. "My mom and step-dad and my brother.." He looked at Serena, whose look seemed to say 'Bro, stop it, you're embarrassing me'. Rolling his eyes, Sean smiled in self-deprecation. "It's not as dorky as I'm making it sound..." he laughed.

Oh he was adorable, Mack thought as she watched him trip over himself trying to make words. The little girl was better at it than he was. “Cookout huh? Well,” she swept her gaze around the park, “I’d love to.” She smiled at him (he was so Mackable) and added, “if I’m not imposing that is.” Looking to Serena she tweaked the little girls nose, “Can I go cookout with you, little Miss?”

Good God. Sean blinked again at her, all speech ability pouring right out to the grass with that smile. Time could have stopped and he wouldn't have noticed, not in all the bright, shiny lights going off in his vision.

To answer, Serena leaned out again, arms out as she took advantage of her brother's momentary loss of motor function.

“Do you mind?” She asked as Serena reached out and Mack picked up the infant in her arm. “So tell me Little Miss, your brother this quiet all the time or is he’s just not allowed to talk to strangers?” She teased.

"Bafwit cozzit vviif," Serena said knowingly, heaving a deep sigh as she peered at Macks' earrings. "Sun an' Luke cawafftz shebut."

"I'm allowed," Sean added defensively as he led them back across the field. "I'm the strong, quiet type."

“Strong silent type,” Mack smiled carrying the baby in her arms (she was a darling little thing), “I like that. Kind of mysterious, hidden depths kind of way huh? I could get used to that.” She winked.

The only thing that kept Sean from falling out on the ground was his close association with it over the last four months. Allowing himself to steal a glance at her as they walked, he was about to reply when his attention was directed to Ron as the older man spoke up.

"I swear to god. You and your brother are the only two guys I know that can go after your sister and bring back another girl," he chuckled, smiling at the newcomer.

"Ron!" Moira laughed, getting to her feet to take Serena. "Thank you," she said, smiling at Mack. "Moira Bender, did Sean invite you to eat?" she asked, knowing that stance Sean had taken. She called it his castle mode, able to make walls out of silence.

“Yeah he did,” she smiled, thinking that it was kind of nice seeing a family together like this. She had so wanted this when she was little but was denied. “Mackenzie Brook,” she introduced herself, “people call me Mack. Nice to meet you.”

Luke’s attention was caught the instant the girl showed up. Hell even before because his girl radar was dialed up to received from Antares. Very fucking hot, Luke thought and then noted the glance she gave Sean. Oh hello, she likes Sean and immediately pulled back any attempts to go in guns blazing. Girls always tended to gravitate towards him so when one was interested in Sean, it was unusual and Luke was big enough to stand aside.

“Hey, how you doing?” He flashed her one of his smiles, just to test the water. “I’m Luke.”

Mack looked at the guy who just introduced himself and saw some similarities with Sean but a whole different vibe. This one was TROUBLE. With a capital T. She had him pegged with just that smile. “Hi Luke,” she greeted.

Moira had to hide a smirk as she glanced over Serena's head to Ron. "Well," she said, looking back to Mack. "Join us, we've got plenty. Hope you like homemade potato salad and coleslaw."

"Oh god, you didn't use Dr. Rickman's recipe, did you, Ma?" Sean glanced at Luke dubiously.

“Relax Sean,” Luke smiled charmingly at Mack. “Only the best ingredients for this family and guest.” He eyes Mack.

“Ohhh dial it down there baby,” Mack threw at him with a smirk. “I’m your brother’s guest.” She gave Sean a smile that said ‘he’s cute but not that cute’.

“Right,” Luke laughed and appreciated that fact.

Shooting her one more of those intense half-smiles, he didn't say anything as his gaze shifted to his brother. Taking the dish his mother held out to him, he set it on the table.

"I swear, they read each other's minds," Moira told Mack as she set Serena down in her booster seat. "And for the record," she gave Sean a pointed look. "I used store bought, not Dr. Rickman's." Automatically used to her son going silent around new people, she didn't force him to talk.

"Well, Mack how do you like your burger. These are almost done but I can leave one on a bit longer, if you want," Ron offered.

“Almost done works for me,” she said joining Moira, “can I do anything?” She asked.

Luke went to Sean and nudged him. “Dude, she’s fucking hot and she likes you.” He said quietly.

Shooting his brother a grin, Sean nodded. "I know," he whispered back. "Wait..she does?" Not that he was a wallflower, but Sean was accustomed to Luke getting 90 per cent of the girls.

“Yeah,” Luke rolled his eyes. “It's not like everyday a woman turns me down. You play this right, you’ll be riding her tonight.”

Smiling, Moira handed over another dish. "Deviled eggs, if you can just open it and set it on the table along with those two dishes," she said, indicating one with an automatic warmer on it. "Corn on the cob. I'm so glad they were able to finally get corn to grow here. I was born in Iowa, back on Earth. Where are you from?" she asked, starting on a plate for Serena.

“Hadley’s Hope on Acheron.” Mack answered opening the container with the eggs, “I arrived here two days ago. Looking for a friend of mine and I’ve wanted to see the other Colony. I gotta say it’s a lot prettier than Acheron which is pretty dreary. I guess that’s why the Romulans let us settle there – no one else wanted it.”

"Ha!" came the reply from Ron, who just shook his head.

"Well, I'm sure the Romulans had more in mind than that," Moira said. "Serena, honey, use your spoon for the mashed potatoes."

"Poon." Brandishing it proudly, Serena went back to eating.

"Sorry," Moira continued. "Not all that impressed with the pointy-ears. So if you just got here, you don't know the news."

"Ma...." Sean inhaled and let it out in frustration.

"What? I am proud of you two and I'm going to say so to anyone who will listen." Moira smiled at Mack. "You are looking at the newest graduates to join the Starfleet Marines."

“Going Shark huh?” She was smiling even brighter now because this meant these two were going to be very much in her face. “I don’t suppose you know if there’s a Cori Hardwood there would you?”

That did get Sean's attention and he actually looked her in the eye this time. "Prudence? How do you know her?" he asked, glancing at Luke. "She was.. she's in our squad."

“Oh great,” Mack smiled with relief. “I was praying she wasn’t posted to a ship or something. We’re old friends from Acheron. She left not long ago and I thought I’d catch up with her here. We were kind of like peas and carrots.” She said fondly not about to reveal anything else.

“Really?” Luke came forward, “so she was always such a tight ass?”

Mack’s brow raised. “Who Cori? The original party animal?”

Sean glanced at Luke, a smirk of disbelief on his face. "That can't be Hartwood," he said, chuckling. "We must have got the evil twin."

“The evil twin?” Mack questioned and then decided to let it go for now because she had no idea what Cori was like now. The whole baby thing with Cori had changed her a bit. She didn’t want to spill any beans without consulting Cori first. “Nah only her. So you two, Sharks. How was Boot? Was it hard?”

"Kind of," Sean shrugged. "But it's supposed to be. Physically and mentally and you have to get used to being yelled at," he said, looking to his brother for input.

“Which we’re kind of used to anyway,” Luke smirked, “since we’re always in trouble.”

“Oh I have no doubt about that,” Mack said guessing which one was trouble. To Sean she said, “So I’m guessing that aside from being the strong silent type, you’re the one who gets him out of trouble most of the time?”

She eyed him appreciatively. Goddamn he was sweet to look at.

Luke smirked, Hell Sean had this one sewn up and probably didn’t know it.

"Mostly," Sean replied with a smirk that matched his brother's.

"Alright, burgers are done," Ron called, bringing over the plate with the still sizzling meat on it. "McKenzie, you're our guest, please serve yourself first," he offered, indicating the spread.

Moira patted the seat next to her. "Here, sit," she said, smiling at the younger woman. "So how old are you? Sean won't ask."

"Ma...." Giving Mack a long suffering look of patience, Sean sighed and claimed a seat across from his mother.

“Well turned eighteen about three months ago,” Mack answered the older woman, thinking to herself that this was what it was like to have a mom. It wasn’t something she had been able to experience in her own life. Turning eighteen was what had caused her to hop a ship and head out to Gaia. “All nice and legal,” she said coyly in Sean’s direction.

Luke kicked Sean under the table, the look in his eyes stating clearly.
Definitely got this one sewn up.

"Really?" Moira feigned casual understanding but she looked at Sean who only groaned as he tried not to curse or kick his brother back. "Sean and Luke will be twenty in about six months. Twins," she added, passing a tray with condiments on it to her. "It seems like just yesterday, I was dressing them in identical sailor outfits," she told Mack in dead seriousness though really Moira was teasing them.

Luke winced. “Aw mom….please….”

Mack tried to suppress the smirk but she couldn’t help it, it slipped out anyway. “Cute.” She chuckled. “Hey if it makes you guys feel any better, my dad wanted a boy so I didn’t know what a dress was until I went to high school.”

"What?" Dropping the act and messing with her boys, Moira looked at Mack. "That's just not cool," she said, one hand automatically taking the big lump of bread Serena had grabbed from the baby and breaking it into smaller pieces. "What about your mom?"

Looking at his brother, Sean rolled his eyes. Ma just went into total Mother Hen Mode.

“Oh she didn’t make it off Earth,” Mack shrugged. It was so far away in the past now, Mack had trouble remembering her and since dad almost never liked to talk about the woman, Mack grew up remembering her vaguely and being unable to learn anything about her either. “Just one of those things.” She sighed.

"I'm so sorry," Moira replied in earnest, patting Mack's hand with a look that said, consider yourself mothered now.

Sean actually looked Mack in the eye over that, giving her a slight smile as he assembled his burger. Cheese, BBQ sauce and tomatoes. Their father hadn't made it off Earth either. "Ma, you're being depressing, change the subject," he prompted. Beside him, Ron laughed at that. "He's right, honey."

"Oh fine..." Rolling her eyes, Moira gave the men a narrowed look. "I don't see you speaking up, now do I?" she eyed Sean pointedly, who only smirked. "So, did I hear right? You're a friend of Cori's?" Moira continued, thinking on the young woman with the hardness of someone twice her age.

“Yeah,” Mack replied, reminding herself to be guarded about what she said about Cori. This woman was all together too likeable and that warm maternal smile was a little like Kryptonite. “Since we got into our first spit ball contest when we were in kindergarten.”

Her eyes shifted slyly to Sean even as she was talking to Moira. He was so damn cute.

Luke was starting to roll his eyes and whispered to Sean. “You should ask her if she wants to do it behind the bushes. I think she’d totally go for it.”

Sean nearly choked on his burger and elbowed Luke, hard as Ron thumped him on the back. The older man cast a dull look at the one twin and shook his head.

"Spitballs?" Laughing, Moira shook her head. "Why am I not surprised?" she grinned.

“Well we weren’t your regular little girls,” Mack replied, giving Sean another come hither smiles.

Luke was seriously impressed at whatever sex appeal his brother was generating.

Although he caught the look, Sean didn't return it, instead just ducking his eyes with that smirk on his face.

"I'm not surprised about that either," Moira chuckled. "Well, eat up everyone. You too, Mack. Where are you staying?"

Well I'm staying at this place called the Outpost, clean enough and the bartender there keeps the drunks out of my room." She replied, liking Mrs. Randolph a lot. Who knew there were moms like her around?

"The Outpost?? Good lord," Moira shook her head. "That won't do. We have a spare room, you can stay there if you want," she said, knowing enough not to make it a demand. Girls like this were the independent sort and didn't like it when you went too motherly on them.

"Oh," Mack said totally touched by this woman. How come Cori's mother could be a psycho bitch and this woman could be so cool? It just wasn't fair. Mack wondered if her own mom could have been like this. "It's okay, I'm actually going to sign up with the Marine in a day or two."

"Really?" Moira gave her a proud smile. "That's wonderful, honey. Boys?"

Sean gave his mother a pained expression and nodded. "It's cool," he said, typically understated and actually looked at Mack long enough to smile at her.

His smile was like the dawn breaking through the clouds and Mack said somewhat coyly. "I guess I'll see you around up there."

"For sure," Luke said with a straight face.

"Cori will be stoked," Sean added, nodding to Luke.

"I hope so," Mack said thinking deeper thoughts than just catching up with her friend. "She needs her friends around her." She said enigmatically, capturing Luke's interest immediately.

Moira, whose mothering instinct had picked up on that, nodded. "She certainly does, and I know she'll be stoked. She'll be.. totally fly with it."

"Ma..." Sean eyeballed his mother. "You're doing it again."

"Boys," Mack gave Mrs. Randolph a look that said to ignore them because in her book the lady was totally cool. "What do they know?"

Enough it seemed to keep Mack's presence a secret from Cori a few days longer. During the course of the meal, Mack impressed upon the duo that she'd like to surprise Cori and Moira made certain that the boy's obeyed. All in all, a good start to her life in Gaia.

She couldn't wait until she ran into Cori. She was like, Sean said, going to be stoked.

*******

TWO DAYS LATER AT THE BARN

She was really doing this.

Why was she doing it again? Because her dumb ass best friend had run off from everything that she knew and decided to start life on Gaia alone. Okay that's one reason but why was she Mackenzie Rihanna (could kill my mom for naming me this) Brook doing here? The old man hadn't been too upset at seeing her go, especially when he knew why. His little girl was going to be a Shark, which wasn't much better than hooking.

Mack's dad has always wanted a boy and the fact that she was a girl, didn't really sit well with him. He tried to be a good father, but he just didn't see the value in girls. Her mother dying when Earth blew hadn't helped so Mack was your classic neglected little girl looking for daddy's approval. After awhile Mack had stopped trying and her dad stop bothering. Not that he had bothered much in the first place. The only time he seemed to care what she was doing was when Mack decided to join the Starfleet Marines formerly known as MACO, instead of Starfleet proper.

He didn't think much of ground pounders.

It was all the more reason for Mack to join them.

So Mack had two reasons to come to Gaia, one to be with the only person in the whole of Acheron that knew her better than anyone else, who had stuck with her through all her old man's crap and because she wanted to do something her father could have as little input into a possible.

***

"So you want me to give the fifty credit tour again, sir?" Cori stood at attention in Captain Rickman's office. Had it really been four months or so since she'd stood here last, half expecting him to turn her down for the Sharks? And now look at her. Cori's gaze moved to her reflection in the picture above and behind the Captain. That girl there wasn't the same one from earlier. This one…hell, she could almost see the Sergeant rockers on her uniform.

One day.

"Kind of," Derick replied, unaware of the self-contemplation, as he looked up from the message he was sending to Tom. "It's a pilot program that Fleet..." No doubt Hartwood here had the same distaste in his mouth over that. "Wants us to run for the recruits. A sponsorship type thing. Basically, you'll take this new female recruit while she's in holding, get her prepped for maggot life, that kind of thing. There's a schedule you'll have to keep but it's basically set around your training."

"Okay." Cori supposed that was a cool thing to do, even if some pussy Fleeter suggested it.

"Thing Two has the men and you can help him but I want you to be specifically responsible for this female." Derick plucked a padd from a stack on his desk and pushed it over. "Here's her stuff. She's down in holding, Bravo building, right now. Just came in last night so first thing, I want her kitted out and uniforms."

Taking the padd, Cori barely glanced at it. She'd read it later and nodded to Derick. "Yes, sir."

"Good," Derick replied, giving her a smile that was warm. "Dismissed."

"Yes, sir..."

Two minutes later found Cori walking into the holding area and approaching the sergeant that ran it. Generally, 'holding' was fluid. Incoming recruits were assigned to whatever bay was empty and were put under the watchful of a sergeant who made sure they went to the right places, didn't get in trouble and got tucked in at night. Once the class was ready, the drill instructors would take over, but the group never actually moved. Saved space that way with the incoming recruits.

"Good morning, Sergeant," she said dutifully. "Recruit Hartwood..." He was giving her a funny look. Not like she'd grown a second head but more like he was damned amused. "Sergeant?"

"You're not a recruit anymore there, Private. You can speak in the first person," he said with a grin.

Cori grinned despite herself…just as she was attacked by something really loud and grabby.

"Cori!" Mack was off the bed the minute she saw the brunette striding into the room. Wow, Cori wore that uniform so well and she had just gotten to the Sergeant that ran the joint when Mack was on her. "Oh my god! You look so cool in that uniform!"

"MACK?!" Cori's eyes nearly bugged out as she stared at her friend, having pushed her out to arms length initially. That's when it sunk in. Mack, her best friend in the whole universe, who'd stuck by her side through Baby and not said one condescending or derogatory word about anything. Who had been there the day Bethany McKenzie Hartwood was born. Mack, who had been there the day she made the decision about the unborn child.

"Oh my god!!" Almost shrieking, she pulled her friend into a huge hug, nearly dancing her around in a circle. "Oh my god, what are you doing here? I missed you terribly!" she grinned, pushing her back again to stare. "Wait…did you join up?" The smile that appeared could have lit Gaia for a week as she hugged her friend again. "I'm so glad to see you!!!"

And she was. Cori would never admit it but she'd been sort of homesick.

"Of course you are dumb ass!" Mack beamed, hugging her and thoroughly happy to see a familiar face. Despite herself, the course which had been so clear earlier had become a little daunting when Mac realised that she was on a new world, alone. However, now that she had found Cori, that fear had evaporated. "And yes I joined up? You think I'm going to let you have all these sweet...sweet…looking Sharks to yourself?" No way!"

Actually, she had an eye on one particular Shark whom she had met in the park a few days ago with his family. A real hottie who had given her the heads up that Cori was indeed here at the Barn.

Laughing, Cori hugged her back. "I missed you so much... only some of them are sweet looking," she retorted. "Some of them are too damn…full of themselves to be sweet. Only over sweetened," she chuckled as something else dawned on her. "Oh guess what?! I get to be your sponsor, it's this totally pussy Fleeter thing but the Captain assigned me to be your sponsor and help you while you're in holding." There were so many things to cover but Cori would leave those for a private talk and not the ears of a nosy sergeant. "So come on, are you hungry?" Grinning again, she hugged Mack one more time and started to lead her out. "I have to take you to get your kit and uniforms for boot but we can stop at the chow hall…"

"Uh…Private Hartwood?"

Cori turned to the sergeant. "Yeah…Yes, sergeant?"

He tapped the padd on the counter. "Your friend there has to sign out."

"OH.. right!" Laughing, Cori pointed to it. "You heard him..." she grinned.

"Where do I sign?" Mack stepped up. "Do I need to give my bra size too?" She looked over her shoulder and winked at Cori.

The sergeant cast a wry eye over to Cori and she grinned in return. Who cared? Mack was here!! "Well, it's not 32A," she said, giggling.

OH great, the sergeant thought to himself. Like Hartwood needed any one to egg her on. "Only when you get to uniforms. Just sign your name, only, there on the screen, recruit and mark the time. You'll have to sign back in when you come back, alright? Thems the rules."

"No worries Sergeant," Mack said throwing Cori a wink, "I'm all about the rules."

And that was pure bullshit really.

"Oh..." Cori nodded, feigning dead serious agreement. "All about them," she nodded to the sergeant, who gave her a bland look.

"I'm sure. Just like you are," he said dryly, making sure Mack had signed the right place. "Now the two of you get out of here."

Cori's smirk was barely contained as she led Mack out, stopping outside the door only to throw her arms around her friend again. "I am so glad you're here!!"

"Me too," Mack said utterly thrilled as they left the rather resigned sergeant. "I could just kill you for running out on me like that!" She shoved Cori gently but no so hard that she was angry just annoyed that she had gone on ahead without her.

With a little smile, Cori shrugged. "I am sorry but .. I had to go, before I talked myself out of it and besides, you know how my mother is. If I told her, she just would have griped more and I just couldn't stand it any longer."

Mack did know and she understood. Cori's mother was a piece of work. As much as she missed not having her own, meeting Cori's mom made Mack grateful that she was spared. It was bad enough with her dad. "Okay, I'm hip." She nodded her shoulders and then broke into another happy smile, hugging Cori again. "So we're here, on Gaia, together. Two hot chicks with no ties and too much spirit. How much fun is this going to be!"

Giggling, Cori grinned. "Tons! Duh...!" she chuckled. "Come on, let's get something to eat and get you kitted out," she said. "The next few months are going to be hard but once you're on the other side, the fun will begin."

"Fun's already begun," she smiled. "I met two friends of yours." Mack replied, thinking back on the twins she had met at Eden Park two days ago.


"You did?" Cori chuckled. "Who? And if you say Lorio and Anderson, I'm going to slap both of them."

"No, no, twins." Mack grinned. "And one of them is a total heart breaker. My God, so hot he could burn!"

Twins...? "You mean, Thing One and Thing Two? Luke and Sean?" She was going to slap them anyway for not telling her. For the hell of it. "And watch out on Luke. He's nice under all that swagger but he's like.. the skirt chaser from hell," she said, automatically assuming that's who Mack meant.

"Not him!" Mack made a face. "Are you kidding me? You know I can't stand the ones who think just because they smile at you, that means your thong is going magically drift to your ankles... I mean the other one, the one who has trouble making words."

"Really?? Sean?" Cori chuckled, thinking god she'd missed her friend. To have another girl around that wouldn't fall for all that like the other girls seemed to. Which also meant one girl that wouldn't come crying to her in his wake. "He actually..." She laughed. "He actually doesn't have trouble once he warms up to you., he just doesn't say much. I think he's just content to sit back and let his brother do the talking. So Sean huh? He's Thing Two."

"Thing Two?" She stared. "What the hell kind of nickname is that?"

Laughing, Cori explained. "From Cat in the Hat," she said. "Thing One and Thing Two were the Cat's helpers. Lieutenant Rickman named them that. I think he's been reading Dr. Seuss to the Colonel's baby..." she chuckled.

"Cat in the Hat?" Mack stared, "is that like a Korean dish?" She smirked. "Anyway, don't be pissed at them, I told them to keep it a secret. I wanted it to be a surprise when I caught up to you."

"Alright..." Cori replied. "It's the best surprise ever!!" she grinned, happily squeezing her friend's hand again. "Come on. Let's get some food."

"Cool," Mack grinned, "and you can tell me all about Sean and Luke who doesn't have the kind of smile you just love..." She winked.

"Oh shut up!" Cori made a face. "I do not. Besides, he's just.. annoying. He keeps trying to guess what kind of panties I wear."

"You wear panties?" Mack smirked, "since when?"

"Since they make you," she grumbled. "And you know I can't stand that butt floss you call thongs," she grinned. "So I got the sexy ones."

"Don't knock the thong," Mack said seriously and then gave her a look. "Sexy ones huh? Sure...you're not at all interested in that smile."

Giving her a look, Cori frowned. "I know. I had a weak moment."

"Just as long it's not when you're wearing the sexy ones," Mack winked. "Guys like that, they know when the zebras vulnerable."

"Well, he prefers the easy kills," Cori said. "And besides. He only does it to annoy me. I think he's finally realized it just ain't gonna happen."

"Yeah," Mack snorted. "That's what it is."

"Come on. You hungry or not?" Cori grumbled. "Sean might be there..." she laughed.

"Then it won't be food I'm eating," Mack laughed. "Where's the mess?"