The Commander's Lieutenant

Part 16

'Listen here Up- you are the toughest son-of-a-bitch I ever met. You can do dis- like you say to me. It's not the age, it's the ability.'

She let him go, and Up took her words to heart. He nodded, and put her arm over his own. They walked to Taz's room, and he wished her a good night. Taz smiled, brushing the single strand of hair behind her ear. 'Goodnight Up.' They parted ways, somehow managing to get to sleep.

'NO! MAMA! TONI!'

Up jumped to his feet, ran to his door and straight across the hall to Taz's room. He quickly punched in the code and ran to her side, grabbing her shoulders as she sat up. Taz was shaking, and Up pulled her into his arms as he sat on the bed beside her. He placed one hand on the back of her head, and the other on her shoulder.

'Shh, Taz. It's okay...' Up tried to hush her before the others heard.

There was not a single sound on the ship, except Taz's heavy breathing. She was extremely sweaty, and her chest was heaving in and out dangerously.

'Need some water, Taz?'

She nodded, but wouldn't let Up go. He put his chin on her head, and pulled her up with him as he stood. His arm now wrapped tightly around her shoulders, and her arms were stuck tight around his waist. They made their way to the kitchen and Up grabbed her a glass. He filled it up and she took it gratefully, sculling it down in seconds. Taz wiped her lips with the back of her arm and thanked Up, starting to walk back to her room.

'Taz wait.' Up clenched his fists by his side. 'I gotta keep an eye on the control room tomorrow after the trainin' session, and I was hopin' you could join me? It's mighty borin' all alone.'

Taz turned slowly with a bright smile. 'I'd love to, Up.'

Considering the fact that is was 5:30 in the morning, both Taz and Up gave in and couldn't get back to sleep. They headed to the kitchen and had breakfast like always, Taz chattering excitedly (in Spanish and English) about how much she loved space.

After breakfast, they made their way to the control room (bypassing the dorms to wake up the three ensigns).

'Get up, you alféreces perezosos!' Taz banged on the door with her foot.

Kitt and Ruth scrambled to their feet from their beds and ran into the hallway, saluting Taz as she looked them up and down.

'Uh, Lieutenant? What does "alféreces perezosos" mean?' Ruth asked, imitating Taz's Spanish perfectly.

Taz, impressed with Ruth's Spanish, prepared to answer. But before she could, Alex burst into the hallway with scruffy light brown hair all over his face. 'Uh, morning lieutenant...'

Immediately, he was pressed hard against the wall as Taz grabbed his shirt and pulled him down to her level. 'You listen to me, niño. When I say get up, you better listen!' She spat the last word, ensuring the message stuck in his brain.

He nodded eagerly, breathing a sigh of relief as she released his shirt. 'Now go eat and change- you idiotas got training dis morning.'

She sneered as Kitt and Ruth whined, but Alex didn't want to push his luck. As Ruth passed the lieutenant, Taz leaned in and whispered to her.

'Lazy ensigns.'

Ruth smirked and ran after the boys, Taz shaking her head. 'Dat girl is gonna have a big surprise if she thinks I'm gonna take it easy on her.'

'What'd ya say, Taz?' Up chirped from the control room.

'Nada, Up. Just those estúpido ensigns.'

Up nodded and turned back to the main screen. He flicked a few dials and sat down in the chair, slightly spinning it to face Taz.

'It's gorgeous, ain't it Taz?' He asked, smiling into space.

'Nunca pensé que viviría para ver esto, Up.' Taz looked down into her cup, then back at Up.

'Uh, I'm still a little behind, Taz.' He knew most of what she had said, but he needed to completely understand her. He had to.

'I never thought I'd live to see dis.' She smiled pathetically, remembering her only thoughts during her party were worrying about tripping on a dress and being unable to go to the academy (let alone Space) if a ranger saw her trip. In a dress.

Up stood and walked over to her, placing his hands on her shoulders and pulling her back slightly. 'And I never would have if it wasn't for you.' She finished.

He could see how much this meant to her- his friendship, Space- everything. This was all she had now- he couldn't ruin it.

They turned and stared out the front window, Taz becoming lost in the millions and millions of stars as they flew past. She started feeling dizzy and tired, but the door behind them flew open and the three idiots burst in.

'Ruth! You have to- it was a dare!' Alex chuckled playfully, nudging her.

'No I don't! You don't have to do a dare Alex that's the point!' Ruth groaned, crossing her arms and dropping into the middle seat. She huffed and blew a strand of hair out of her face, clearly agitated.

'HEY! What de hell are you talking about?' Taz interrupted, turning away from her incredible view of space.

Suddenly aware of the senior officers before them, they stopped talking and took their seats.

'Alright you three. Dis morning, you are doing basic combat with me. After lunch, you'll be doin' maintenance with Up. Den, you get the rest of the day off for doin' your duties which Up will now assign.'

They nodded quickly, not wanting to get on Taz's bad side. Before getting changed after breakfast, Ruth received a call from her brother warning her about Taz. He, unfortunately, was the first example of Taz's "knife throwing accuracy" class.

Up turned around with a sneer on his face, sending terrified shivers down their spines. He and Taz both used the same sneer to assert their dominance, trying to make people forget that they were young.

'Alright boys and girl- Here are your duties for the next few days. Alex, you'll be on kitchen duty and bedroom inspection. Ruth, you're on hallway sweeping and drop-pod maintenance. Kitt, you're on bathrooms and wiping off the gym equipment. You'll swap each day, but break a rule and you'll do everyone's duties for a week.'

The three of them shuddered, but agreed- not that they had any choice. 'Alright, people! Let's get to training!'