X-Com's Finest (An X-Com 2 play through)

Operation Witch Breaker

Shen looked up happily. "By all means Gunner, don't let me keep you!" As Gunner got up and left, she saw Shen's plans of what exactly what she was going to do with another engineer.

***

Svagerko pushed off against Ranger Van Dyke again giving her just a bit of distance as he came at her hard once again. "Good thing I'm taking it easy on you..." The axe came down hard but Svagerko was able to barely block it, the ionic axe humming with power just inches from her face. "It's going to take more than a few bravado words to beat me here loser boy!" She slid sideways allowing the axe to continue its path to the ground and Svagerko swung, planning to tag the Ranger across the midsection, hopefully spilling his guts out on the floor. The Ranger was prepared though, dropping one of his axes and bouncing backwards, just out of reach.

He stepped back, breathing hard, and infuriatingly, just smiled at her. "Not bad for a beginner."

Svagerko looked around for her rifle, but forgot it was in its locker. It was a good thing too. The Ranger wouldn't have lasted.

Ranger Van Dyke smirked, "I tell you what newbie. Next mission, we'll have a contest. Whoever kills the most on this next mission wins. Easy enough right?"

"Done."

Corbin sat by the doorway, the gouge in the wall a present reminder she really shouldn't interrupt these two, "Good, because you're both needed on this next mission. On the double! Commander wanted you ten minutes ago!"

***

Gunner Van Dyke was suiting up when the Doctor finally arrived.

"Gunner Van Dyke, you have NOT been released from Med Bay. You will go back there this INSTANT or I will permanently assign you to desk duty!"

Gunner looked down at her auto-cannon. Then looked up at the doctor. Looked down again, then back up again. For just a second she contemplated exactly what she could do here.

"Put. It. Down."

Gunner indicated to her body, "You see this! THIS IS NOT CONTAGIOUS!"

"You MUST be quarantined inside the med ward for a minimum of 14 days after exposure to potential alien matter!"

"I have come back COVERED in alien blood and guts, but alien FRUIT is what you're worried about?"

"You were breaking out all over your body!"

"And it's GONE!"

"There's one right there!"

Gunner paused and looked at her arm, "THAT'S A FRECKLE!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"IT IS NOT!"

Having heard all the shouting, the Commander walked into the prep room.

"Just what on EARTH is going on here ?!?"

"Gunner has NOT been released to go on this mission!"

"I am PERFECTLY CAPABLE of taking my freckle on a mission!"

The Commander looked at both of them as if they'd grown a third eye. "I didn't ask for Gunner. I knew she was still in Med Bay. I asked for Bomber."

They both stood there staring back at him.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Get out of here! And when Gunner is back in Med Bay, go get me Bomber on the double! Sheesh."

***

Zalewski took a quick review of Bastion's scan and looked up. There were three aliens, right up the street. He looked over to Ranger Van Dyke and held up three fingers, then pointed the general direction.