Tertia Optio (TPF)/Short Stories

Tango's Pen

 * Team Tango Barracks - Camp Currahee - Onyx - June 19, 2540

“Jonah, give me back my pen,” Mathilda growled at the older kid.

He continued to twirl the pen in his fingers, giving Mathilda a smug smile. It has been amusing to him for how fast she can get mad at him. It even gets better when Samuel comes around with his threats.

Roland glances at his partner then back out the window of their barracks on Camp Currahee. “Just give her the pen back, Jo.”

He glances back, seeing that Jonah rolls his eyes. “I don’t want to spend more time locked down.” Jonah doesn’t like lockdown as well, but he might as well have some amusement before going back to punishment. The stupid pen that she prizes still dances around his fingers as he twirls it. Seeing her eyes follow, it gives him a plan.

Once the pen stops in his palm, he rolls it to his index finger and thumb. Resting it, then throwing it at Mathilda. He watches it smack her in the face and howls in laughter, clutching his stomach and rolling on his bed as he hears Mathilda scream in surprise. Roland ignores his partner and counts down the time until an Instructor comes to find what is going on.

“You!” Mathilda charges the howling Jonah and slams her shoulder into his chest.

Knocking him down onto the ground, she makes a fist and starts flailing her arms at his face. He continues to laugh and giggle as she tries her best to hurt him. Mathilda sees no progress then pushes her knee into his groin, making him yell in pain. Seeing Jonah is pissed now, Mathilda smiles at him and lands her other knee into his crotch.

“You bitch!” Jonah tries to buck her off but fails. He resorts in slapping her hard. Samuel snaps his head to the slap and hears the quiet whimper from Mathilda. He grabs his tablet and charges Jonah, striking him and forcing a yelp from Jonah. Roland runs in to stop Samuel and pins him to the ground, getting the broken tablet from his hand.

“Let me go!” Samuel struggles to break from Roland’s grasp and continues to see Mathilda hold her cheek. “Get off me fatty!” Roland glares at Samuel at the remark.

Roland focuses on Samuel and continues to hold him down. “Control your girlfriend.” Samuel glares at his team leader and stops squirming.

He brings his knees in and pushes them into Roland’s chest, knocking him off and attacking Roland.

“She’s not my girlfriend!” Samuel screams as he connects a strong punch to Roland’s gut.

Roland counters with a backhand slap to Samuel and coughs as he pushes Samuel off of him. Samuel gets up first and grabs a pillow to use as a shield while Roland throws the book at him. Deflecting the book with the pillow, Mathilda jumps onto Roland’s back and starts smacking at his head while Jonah tries to pry Mathilda off his friend.

Samuel seizes the opportunity to tackle Roland, Samuel lunges at Roland’s legs and wraps himself around them. Mathilda pushes her weight to knock Roland over, and Jonah tumbles down behind.

Jonah grabs Mathilda’s hair and yanks hard, forcing Samuel to untwine from Roland and attack Jonah. He bites Jonah’s wrist powerfully, forcing Jonah to let go and allow Mathilda to kick him in the head. Roland grabs Mathilda’s leg and pulls her down; she turns to bite him and hears Roland scream. Samuel grabs Jonah by his shirt and headbutts him, leaving him dazed and immediately regretting the decision as the two of them clutch for their head.

Roland holds his wrist as Mathilda grabs Roland’s shirt, ready to hit him as she balls her fist. SPARTAN Instructor Lynn-A392 walks into the barrack to see the ruckus.

“He started it!” Mathilda points at Jonah then snaps to attention after.

The other three follow suit directly after Mathilda as they stand before the SPARTAN Instructor. Lynn is not extremely excited to see that Team Tango is another bout, especially at 23:49.

“All of you are being punished for the rest of the night.” Lynn glares at the four, seeing if she can add any more time for their complaining.

Jonah looks at Roland then back at Instructor Lynn-A392. “I didn’t do it.” Roland smacks Jonah across the head without thinking twice. “Ok, I did start it. But they bit us!”

Lynn looks at Samuel and Mathilda, seeing if they have anything to add. “Anything to add, Samuel?”

“No, Instructor.”

“Mathilda?”

“No, Instructor.”

Lynn folds her arms and studies the four SPARTAN candidates; guard duty doesn’t seem fit for them. It hadn’t worked for them before, so she has to create a new punishment to suffice the problem at hand in Tango.

“Samuel and Mathilda, you will clean the classrooms.” Lynn looks at the two to not see them flinch.

“Roland and Jonah, you will clean the NCO rooms.” She watches them not hesitate, but she can see the life in their eyes drain away.

“Report to your locations at 24:00 and do not be late, or you will be doing it all day.” She watches as they give her a salute and a yes ma’am. Leaving the area, Mathilda turns to Samuel as he grabs his boots to put on.

“Sorry.” She mutters quietly, feeling the guilt of the punishment rest on her shoulders more than his. "I'll try not to do it again," she whispers while slipping her boots on as well.

He shrugs his shoulders as they leave their barrack and head to the classrooms. “Is your hair ok? I tried to get over fast, so Jonah didn’t pull on it more.”

“I’m fine now. Thanks for asking.”