Give It Yer Best Shot, Straya

Date/Timing: 25 January 2019
Setting: In and around The Shed; Vaucluse, NSW, Australia
.
Max trundles around his favourite section of scrub along the 'Dome's perimeter, then stops to thoroughly investigate a patch of grass.
Chuck rocks on his heels, squints in the bright sun and humid air.
Max barks, wiggles his way into thicker brush.
"Maaaaax," Chuck whines, trudging in pursuit, "where're you going?"
Happy barking.
""Way to go, Waddles, you scared 'em all off.""
Chuck shoves past a final shrub into a little clearing.
Scarface waves from a perch on a pile of scrap concrete. "Shortstack!" 
"Jones." Chuck crosses his arms. "The hell're you doing out here?"
Max woffles back over, flops at Chuck's feet.
Scarface bobs his chin at a canteen take-away box beside him. "Catching lizards." Glowers at Max. "Well, I /was."
"The fuck why?"
"I figure the marshal should have an authentic Australian experience while she's here." Grins. "These'll help her out."
Chuck smothers a snicker.
"Care t' join me?"
Chuck scoffs, "Why'd I help—"
"Didn't she make you /file the other day?"
Chuck sniffs.
"You can't tell me you don't want at least a /little payback for that."
Chuck shifts his feet.
"'course a serious type like /you would probably rather do homework for those Ranger classes they're making you take again."
Chuck scowls. "Got another box?"
Scarface grins, tugs an open box from around the closed one, lobs—
Chuck nabs it from the air.
—makes an appreciative noise. "You might be fast enough to catch a few. Had my doubts."
Chuck flips him off, stomps to the far end of the rock pile.
Max whuffs, pads along after him.
""Shortstack!""
"What."
""Since you're gonna work here, I"m heading to another spot. Meet you back here in a half-hour.""
"Fine."
Brush rattles as Scarface heads out.
Chuck sighs, turns to Max. "Stay right there, boy, and stay quiet."
Max plunks down, rests his chins on the ground, closes his eyes.
Chuck takes up a position near a largish flat slab where his shadow lands on the grass and waits—
Max snores quietly.
—and waits—
Birds chirp.
—and waits—
Max snuffles.
—and—
A lizard creeps out, tastes the air, hunkers down to bask.
—lunges, cups the creature in his hands, dumps it in the box, tucks it closed.
Skittery noises.
Chuck smugs, carries his captive to a new spot a couple of meters away, settles in to wait for the next customer.
Which is just as easy to nab and stash as the first.
"Still got it," Chuck says to himself. He rounds the end of the rock pile, chooses his spot, and gets comfy.
""'ey!""
Chuck twists around.
Scarface ambles over. "I got two more. How'd you make out?"
"Caught three." Chuck pushes to his feet, box in hand. >Chuck's lying 'cuz no /way he's gonna admit Logan caught the same number or more<
"Awe/some." Strolls toward the nearest entrance. "Now you just have to deliver 'em."
Chuck matches step. "Why do /I have to do it? This's /your idea!"
Scarface rolls his eyes. "Be/cause, Shortstack, I show my face in the admin area, folks get suspicious. My reputation tends to precede me."
Chuck snorts.
"All you gotta do is stroll in, open the boxes, and stroll out. Should be no problem for you."
Chuck sticks out a hand, sighs, "Give it here."
Scarface passes his over. "Thanks, Shortstack. This'll be /totally worth it." Thumps Chuck on the back, peels off for who-knows-where.
At the last turn before the admin area, Chuck ducks into a side corridor. "AGNIS?"
""Cadet Hansen?""
"Is the Marshal in her office?"
""The Marshal's schedule is not visible by someone with your security clearance.""
Chuck rolls his eyes. "I don't care about her /schedule, I just want to know if she's physically in her office right now."
""The Marshal is not currently in her office.""
"What about her Squire?"
""What about Officer Lo would you like to know?""
"Is the Marshal's Squire in their office?"
""Officer Lo is currently elsewhere, as well.""
"Cool. Thanks, AGNIS."
""[AGNIS snark]""
>chuck opens the first box--Irwin's cartwheeling pet, which Logan wandered off to 'borrow'--Chuck drops both boxes and NOPES outta there at supersonic speed, so fast he leaves Max in the dust, right past Nang and Xiong, who don't even blink, a bit later they pass Max flopped down at the side of the hallway, Nang stops to pet him, and NOW they're a little suspicious, even moreso when Nang finds the two open and empty takeout boxes behind the desk, Xiong shrugs, Nang puts them in the recycling settles in to work on the couple of files in the inbox, only to be distracted by the huntsman.<
「Ma'am, there is a cartwheeling spider.」
「「We have a cartwheeling Jaeger. Carry on.」」
「Yes, ma'am.」 
>the Squires meet with Nang to finalize the Australia Day schedules for the Rangers—it's Team Vulcan's turn to make the appearance at the government gala and Jamie's assuring them he's got the 'date' thing set /perfectly this year.<
>The meeting breaks up and Nang pulls Henry aside, asks who would know how to best deal with a cartwheeling spider, since they're obviously common; Henry points out they're not, BUT there's a nurse in Medical who keeps one as a pet (Henry makes a point of knowing the location of all pet arachnids in the 'Dome). Nang calls down to Medical to ask if Irwin's missing a pet. Irwin laughs and says even if he's not, he'd love another and he'll drop by after his shift to capture the thing. Is it worrisome? It'll hurt but it won't kill you, he says. Nang is sorta reassured, still decides against working on Chantell's filing space.<
「「Nang?」」
「Yes, ma'am?」
「「Would you be so kind as to bring over a cup and some cardboard?」」
「Right away, ma'am.」 Nang comes over. 「Marshal, were you bitten by that spider?」
「Yes, and I appear to be having an allergic reaction. Will you bring it to Medical please?」
「Of course, ma'a-AAHHHm!」
「That will have to do. Come along.」
.
Xiong and Nang enter Medical; Xiong's arm swelling and Nang walking rather robotically.
"I have reason to believe I am in need of antivenin."
The duty nurses gape.
"Where would I find it?"
Nurse Irwin splutters. "Which kind?"
"Nang?"
"Spider: small, black and red, somewhere in my clothes."
"A redback, then! Mighty fatal, them. We've got just the thing! Nurse, if you will. I have me a spider to catch!"
.
"Right then," says Nurse Leslie.
""GET BACK HERE, YE BLIGHTER!""
"I've applied an anti-histamine—"
""CLOSE THE DOOR!""
"—as well as antivenin."
""IRWIN IT'S OVER HERE GET IT AWAY FROM MEEEE!""
"Your symptoms should clear up—"
/CRASH
"—within the hour."
""AHA!""
"Thank you very much, Nurse. Am I free to go?"
"If, in fifteen minutes, you haven't had another reaction, yes."
"Excellent. Nang, my tablet please."
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