When Worlds Collide
Chapter Two: Pitstop in Hell
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Adara dreaded the shack: it was musty, and while it was perfectly neat and tidy, it oozed this disgusting feeling that she couldn't really describe. It made her hackles go up, in a sense. When she entered the small front-room, she clenched her jaw at the weapons-master, who waggled his eyebrows at her. "Well good morning little lady. What can I do you for?"

"Just get me four quick-loaders." She approached the desk without taking her eyes off of him.

"Fire-arm?" He grinned evilly and leaned over the desk a little. His breath stank of something near enough piss to make her grimace, and then glare.

"You know what fire-arm." She yanked her gun out of the holster at her side. "Standard military side-arm M6D pistol. Jeesus." She slammed the gun on the desk and glared at him some more.

He flinched visibly at the noise of the metal smacking the plastic desk. Normally Adara was incredibly careful with her firearms, but she did it this time just to get the satisfaction of seeing his face twist into such a pained expression. "C'mon now sweetums, don't be so rough."

"Just get me the fucking ammo."

He sighed, eyes rolling until they were conveniently staring down her shirt. "Alright, sign here."

Adara, muttering things about how she'd like to shove his head up his ass, grabbed the pen he offered without making any contact with his hand, and signed her name with such ferocity that she might as well have been using a knife. Meanwhile, the weapons-master disappeared through a cloth flap into the back, and returned half a minute later with not four, but nine of the already loaded cartridges of ammo. He shoved them across the desk at her, and when she made to scoop them up, he put his hands over hers.

There was a moment of complete silence. Then, in a whisper that was not quite a growl, Adara hissed, "Get your fucking hands offa me you pasty mother fucker."

The man put his hands up, as if he had been caught at the scene of the crime. He was grinned however, and Adara thanked whatever God ruled here that there was a desk seperating them. Otherwise she'd have had to kick him in the nuts and otherwise pummel him to a bloody pulp. He smiled pleasantly at her. She snarled at him, quickly scooped the rounds up, and marched out of the shack as fast as she could. She actually did growl when she heard a whistle and a "Nice buns honey!" trail after her.

The assignment board wasn't that far of a walk away, but it was enough to help her cool her temper to something manageable. Stomping on any wildflowers that had managed to survive the arrival of the military outfit helped.

When she reached the little building, she found Keren facing the desk-man, discussing ID's and looking as though she'd found the gold at the end of the rainbow. Noticing the movement at the doorway, the red-head turned to glance over her shoulder. With a bright grin, she announced, "Found an ocean one! It was thae best one left, anyway."

"It was probably the first one you found, wasn't it?" Adara's mouth twitched into a smile. Trust Keren...

Her friend gave her an innocent look, "Ah, nae, there was when goin' tae th'desert, but ih' 'twas nairly full."

"Yeah, right. Well, when are we leaving?"

"In a coupl'ahv days, or 'tleast thah's what it says." Keren shrugged, looking more excited just to be going then to be worrying when. "Sounds good." She nodded at the man at the desk, who was watching them with detached interest. "You've got me down, too?" she asked her friend.

"Yea, though thayr's still a few spots left..."

Adara raised an eyebrow at Keren, hearing the undertones, and then smiling broadly at her, "Let's go find the other Cadets, then!"




Chapter Three

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