Zero Tolerance: Moving Forward

[diabolicalfiend]

Title: Moving Forward
Author: diabolicalfiend
Rating: G
Characters: Zero, Razor, OCs
Word Count: 636
Disclaimer: Do not own Tin Man
Summary: Following Zero.

In case you're interested: The OCs (Image heavy)



Cass and Cain bade Zero goodbye. Azkadellia never came out, mostly because she didn't want to think about him not coming back. He had said goodbye to her earlier.

Zero wrapped his arms around his sister. She kissed him on the cheek. Before leaving, Zero smiled at Cain. "Try not to get too comfortable lounging about in the Palace, Cain," he smirked.

"You a betting man, Zero?"

"One of my many pleasures."

"There's a ten year old brandy that says I get to the minefield first."

"Done!" he smiled, grabbing Cain's arm at the elbow, a warrior's shake. Cain reciprocated the gesture with an iron grip, a multitude of things racing through each other's eyes. They broke it off and with a swift nod, Zero joined his men.


"General, I've just received word," Razor reported. Everyone had taken to calling him General since the war began. Eventually, as all things do, this got back to the Queen who, with barely a raised eyebrow, decided to make it official. Zero had blushed and nodded. It seemed to mean more coming from her. "The reinforcements from Boxwood have arrived."

Zero smiled. They had made camp here so that the reinforcement could rendezvous with them. "Good. How many?"

"Five," he grumbled.

"Five? I requested fifteen!"

"Her Highness could only spare five."

Zero groaned as he worked out the kinks he'd gotten from poring over his latest plans. "We keep falling back and Hawk keeps pushing forward. I tell ya, Razor, war is much more fun when you are winning! Defeats make my back ache." Razor signalled outside. "Ah, the replacements."

They shared a look of disbelief as the sorry lot filed in. Two of them had barely started shaving, if that, two of them were women, still in pimples and the last was so old that he was hunching over.

Pushing the sea of doubts aside and his aches, he stood up straight and did the inspection walk. Razor stayed behind him, at a distance of several steps. "I am General Zero. Welcome! May you prove worthy of this battalion and bring honour to its name.

"We are in a pivotal moment in history. Fight well, and you will be remembered. Fail, and nobody'll be left to sing anything. For the Queen!"

"For the Queen!" they echoed.

"Who offers their life for the cause?" Razor asked, picking up the ceremony where Zero had left off. He walked along each one, scrutinizing them.

"Nora Beatty!"

"Kevin Meyers!"

"Keith Cook," the old man called out, hoarsely.

Zero eyed each one, silently challenging them to be worthy. "Dora Lemming!"

"As in Adora?" Zero had to ask.

Dora gave him a funny look. "No, sir. As in 'Dora Lemming', sir." Zero smirked.

Razor arrived at the last one. "Colin Wise!" Razor stared at him, silently aghast that he was here.

"Colin?"

Colin just continued to stare ahead. "Wise? Do I know you?" he asked, he'd heard it somewhere, didn't he?

"No, sir. I know no one." Razor looked hurt. Zero eyed him, but couldn't think why that would wound him so.

Zero shrugged. "Well, I'll get enough time to get you know you all. I accept your lives into my hands. Glory to you and the O.Z.!" Razor pulled himself back and dismissed the five. Zero waited for them to leave before speaking. "This Colin Wise? You know him?"

Razor nodded, gazing in the direction they had gone. "He is my son."

That's where he'd heard it. "You gonna be ok? I mean, the way things are, getting him reassigned's gonna be a pain in the, uh, regions."

Razor looked at him. "No, sir. I'll be fine."

"Ok, then. Dismissed." Razor nodded and let himself out.

Zero sat a moment before taking out a pen and paper. Maybe Cain could give me advice.