Zero Tolerance: Waiting

[diabolicalfiend]

Title: Waiting
Author: diabolicalfiend
Characters, pairing:
Rating: G
Summary: Things need to move quickly now.
Warning: post-series
Length:
Disclaimer: Do not own.

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Zero gazed down at the reports, his horse walking lazily so they wouldn't leave the convoy behind. Even while they were moving, they had performed drills. Razor was standing before him, waiting patiently. He nodded at his lieutenant with a smile. "These times are much better. Keep working them. Two more days before we reach the Pass. We should be hearing from the Browncoats soon."

"Yes," Razor agreed.

"There's only one thing I hate about convoy duty. The waiting!" Razor smiled at that. Zero was never patient. "Ya'd think, after all these years, I'd be used to it." He grinned. Razor found his smirk contagious, keeping it even as Zero let his slip a little. "'Course, nothing is better at breaking a little tension than a good brawl..." he quirked an eyebrow.

Razor let his horse slow more. "You heard about the fight at the tables."

Zero gave him a significant look. "But not from my second. I lost him the moment his son joined my group."

Razor corrected his speed. "You think I acted improperly?"

Zero gave a half-shrug. "It's not easy for a father to watch someone injure his son." Gods know I used it often enough myself, he thought, Cain's distinctive eyes flashing before him.

Razor stared at his mug. "Colin was no match for Bradshaw. He would have killed the boy."

Zero snorted. "Bradshaw woulda cut him a little... maybe broken a few of his bones... but we don't condone murder around here." He smiled. It dropped. "You say Colin never wanted to be a soldier. Yet, he's here." He sighed. "You're his CO. Teach him to survive. The Browncoats aren't likely to be as forgiving as Bradshaw."

Before Razor could respond, the envoy's alarmed sounded. The watchmen had seen the enemy.

Both men manoeuvred to meet up with the watchman in question. It happened to be Colin. He was gazing at another of Ambrose's inventions, the Enemy Spying and Oddity Detecting Viewing Apparatus, ESODVA, which after DG heard it, got the nickname 'Tricorder'. "Report," Zero ordered.

"Browncoat Battalion, five o'clock. Estimate weapons range... twenty two seconds."

Zero galloped ahead, Razor at his heels. Looking from a better vantage, he saw nothing. "Where is it?!" he shouted back to the young man.

Glinda looked at her own tricorder. "I have no target on my device," she frowned at it.

"Work off Wise's coordinates," Razor ordered, barely registering the lump in his throat when he referred to his son.

"Yes, sir." Wise moved to get closer to her when his eyes widened. "The Browncoats have launched two rockets."

"At us, or the convoy?"

"Us, sir," he replied, after a beat. "Impact in ten seconds."

"Be ready," they began to scatter to lessen the blow.

"Four... three..."

"Brace yourselves!"

"Two... one..."

They waited. And waited. People began to show their relief at the miss but where was the explosion. Razor moved out from his position to Colin's. He took the tricorder from Glinda. Pressing at it, he frowned. He glared in disgust at Colin. "Reboot the tricorder."

"Rebooting... The Ev have gone!"

"Of course they've gone. You've forgot to wipe the battle simulation from the display." Colin's head met the tricorder's display.

Razor and Zero exchanged a glance of complete exasperation. "Stand down from alert," Zero called out. "Resume course."

Bradshaw grinned over at Colin. "Keep a close watch," he stage whispered to him. "There may be more hostile simulations out there." He looked around for hostile simulations, before slamming a rough hand on his back and barking out a laugh.

Razor glared at him and moved to intercept, but Zero grabbed him before he got very far. "Wait," he whispered. By now, those nearby had picked up on Bradshaw's laugh and it spread. "He'll never make this mistake again," Zero continued to Razor. "It's better for us to be too ready than not ready enough."

Bradshaw gripped Colin and playfully shook him. "At least you're keeping us on our toes!"

Zero laughed at the echoed statement and Colin managed an uneasy smile. "You see? They've accepted him," he whispered to Razor.

"As the company's fool," Razor retorted.