Artist

== Revised text ==
Date/Timing: 4 May 2017
Setting: Anchorage Shatterdome; Anchorage, AK, USA
Raleigh shuts the door to his room and straddles his desk chair. "Hey, AGNIS? What're Jackson's hobbies?"
""This base employs sixteen Jacksons. Please be more specific.""
"Ranger Jackson Jones. From Sydney."
""Extrapolating from his requisition and purchase history, Ranger Jones shares your enthusiasm for drawing with pencil on paper.""
"Drawing? /Really?"
""In addition, his media file indicates he holds a baccalaureate degree in art and design.""
"Hmm. I never would've guessed." Brightens—"Thanks, AGNIS!"—drapes himself over the edge of the mattress, pulls open a drawer. He swings himself to his feet, small box in his hands.
A quick wrap with plain brown paper and Raleigh skips off for the guest Ranger quarters.
Outside the door, though, he hesitates. He takes a deep breath, squares his shoulders, leans the little package against the door, then hoists himself into a nook in the overhead cabling.
It's not long before Australian accents tickle his ears and Jackson rounds the corner into sight, leading Logan, who limps every third step.
Raleigh treats himself to a grin for that.
They stop in front of the door—and the package—Jackson halting Logan behind him with a gesture.
"Looks like we got ourselves a secret admirer~!"
Jackson tilts his head from side-to-side to examine the parcel, drawls, "Yea, /that's it. 'cause we have so many of those."
"Ooo ... it's addressed to you." Logan ribs his brother. "When'd you find time to try your charms on the locals?"
Jackson scowls at the box.
"Soooo ... think it's safe?"
"Dunno." Jackson shrugs. "Better check. AGNIS?"
"Yes, Ranger Jones?" crackles a nearby speaker.
"This li'l gift cleared by the folks in Mail?"
"It was hand-delivered directly to your door by your 'secret admirer'."
Jackson and Logan step back.
"Who delivered it?"
"Telling you will ruin the surprise."
Logan rolls his eyes. "If Jack opens it, will it hurt us? By, say, /exploding?"
"The contents are nonexplosive, largely nonflammable, and mostly nontoxic."
"That's not real reassuring, AGNIS."
"It is, however, real accurate, Jackson."
He sighs. "Guess there's nothing for it if we want rest." Crouches—
"As it has been several months since you have reviewed them, you may wish to update your last wills and testaments, Rangers."
—grumbles—"Very funny."—picks up the box.
Pauses.
Carefully tears part of the brown paper wrapping.
Pauses.
Rips the paper off, opens the box.
"/Surprise!"
Jackson startles so hard the box flies and the contents scatter.
The speaker snickers.
"You /suck!" hollers Jackson.
The speaker continues snickering.
Logan peers over his shoulder. "What'd ye get?"
Jackson shrugs him off. "Charcoal pencils, looks like." He plucks one from the floor and examines it. 
"Nerd," says Logan.
Jackson elbows him.
Logan hisses, pushes past and into the room.
Jackson gathers up the rest of the scattered pencils, the wrapping and box, and the note with the map to the bunker Raleigh'd included. He studies the paper, heads inside.
The door slams, lock clunks into place.
Raleigh waits, softly tapping the lyrics to "Taking a Chance on Love" in Morse code on the conduit. 
And waits.
And waits.
AGNIS says, ""Ranger Jones has resumed his recurring role as blanket burrito filling. Past experience suggests his position will not change any time soon.""
Raleigh sighs and lowers himself back to the floor. A last glance over his shoulder as he rounds the corner—
No movement or sound from the guest rooms.
—and he slinks back to his quarters.
"Where've you been?" calls Yancy over the book with which he's sprawled on the sofa.
"Wasting my time," Raleigh grumbles.
"I told you trying to adopt a Ranger was a bad idea."
Raleigh flops into the cushy chair. "I was only trying to make friends."
"With those guys?" Yancy makes a dismissive sound. "I don't think they 'do' friends."
Raleigh slouches lower. 
Yancy turns a page.
Raleigh taps his toes.
Yancy turns another page.
"Hey, guys!" Kili pops her head in the open door.
Yancy waves.
Raleigh straightens, smiles. "What's up?"
"You're apparently going soft on us, Rals."
He raises an eyebrow.
"Logan Jones stopped me in the hall a couple minutes ago and asked if I knew where Zeke and Ilisapie are. Well, technically, he asked where the 'Eskimos' were, but."
Raleigh blinks.
Yancy sets his book down. "Is he /nuts?"
"Certainly possible."
"Doesn't know when to stop, at least." Goes back to his book.
Raleigh chews his lip. "Was Jackson was him?"
"Raaaay ...."
"Just the one Jones." Kili tilts her head. "Are you trying to adopt a Ranger?"
"Not you, too!"
"You've got a reputation."
Raleigh grins, shrugs helplessly. 
Kili shakes her head "You guys need anything from me?"
"I'm cool," replies Yancy.
"Nothing for me," answers Raleigh.
"Then I leave you to it. Don't forget you have to be in DriftSci at eighteen-hundred." Kili waves and strolls off.
Raleigh counts to ten, then pushes to his feet, ducks into his room, grabs his pastel kit and latest project, and strolls back into the main room.
"Where're you going?"
"Heading somewhere quiet to work on that aurora sketch, bro. Gimme a break."
"Be back in time for our appointment with Doctor Lightcap," Yancy says absently. "And put on a coat if you're going outside."
"Will do." With a mock salute, Raleigh's out the door and on his way to the guest rooms. A mental kick and he knocks on the Joneses' door.
The lock clunks and the door swings open.
"What," says Jackson, frowning.
Raleigh offers a sheepish smile. "A little bird told me you like to draw?"
Jackson gives him a Look.
"Peace offering?" Bobs his head toward his art kit. "No hard feelings about anything?"
Jackson rolls his eyes, but bows Raleigh into the suite.
Raleigh pads over to the kitchenette table, takes the chair kitty-corner from the open sketchbook.
Jackson sighs into the other seat, picks up one of Raleigh's gift pencils and applies it to paper.
Raleigh arranges his pastels next to his boards, hazards, "The pencils working out for you?"
Jackson ignores him.
"They're my favorite blend." Flicks in the subtle curve of the beach in front of his favorite bunker from memory. "It's been a long time since I've had a chance to share it with someone."
Nothing but pencil and pastels scuffing.
"Us artists gotta stick together."
Jackson huddles closer to his sketchbook.
Raleigh adds green curves to imply the aurora.
Scratching and /shuffing; Jackson's working quickly, pencil flicking across page.
"Had a good sketch binge lately?"
"Nope."
"Too busy with patrols?"
Jackson shrugs.
"I'll, uh, show you mine, if you show me yours?"
Gets a dubious Look for that.
Raleigh holds up his drawing.
Jackson keeps his eyes down.
Raleigh sighs, sneaks a peek over Jackson's arm. "Wow," he breathes. "Who're they?"
Jackson blinks at his work, scowls—"Nobody."—turns decisively to the next page.
"They're pretty enough to be a model."
A scoff.
Raleigh switches to white, adds a line of surf to his beach.
A twisted tree takes shape on Jackson's paper.
Raleigh adds a shrub to his. "You and Logan were at the top of your Academy class, aside from /Shaolin Rogue's pilots."
"Yea."
"I really got to him with that crack about psych exams."
"Hmph."
"He's always looking for a fight, isn't he?"
'No, really,' says Jackson's eyebrow.
Raleigh chuckles. "What about you? You looking for one, too?"
"Nah." Frowns, drags the pad of his thumb across his page, smoothing his shading.
Raleigh adds a swirl of pink to his project.
They draw for a while, silent.
Jackson breaks the quiet. "You made these pencils, ay?"
"Yup."
He grunts, goes back to sketching.
Raleigh picks up a purple pastel and feathers the color down to the barest wisp.
"They're decent work," Jackson mumbles.
Raleigh cheers internally. 
""Ranger Becket,"" says AGNIS, ""you have ten minutes to reach the Drift Science laboratory before your scheduled meeting.""
Raleigh eeps, hastily packs his gear, and hops to his feet.
"You should thank her," reminds Jackson.
"Right! Thanks, AGNIS!"
""You're welcome.""
"We should do this again."
"Whatever," Jackson grunts, waves Raleigh toward the door.
Raleigh grins, bounces out and jogs to DriftSci, art supplies tucked under his arm.
.
== Original text ==
Artists' Union
(Beckets Bite Back: Two)
4 May 2017
Anchorage, AK, United States
Raleigh hesitates outside the guest quarters assigned to Vulcan Specter's pilots. He gives himself a mental kick and leans the little package against door. Then he wiggles into the cabling along the ceiling to wait and watch.
Jackson turns the corner first, just in front of Logan, who limps every third step.
Raleigh treats himself to a savage grin at the sight.
"Looks like we got ourselves a secret 'mirer," sing-songs Logan with a smirk.
Jackson huffs, tilts his head from side-to-side to examine the parcel.
"Think it's safe?"
"Maybe." Jackson shrugs.
"Should we have Jamie open it ... just in case it's like th' ones [in] January?" >I think it's 2017 January they're talking about?<
Both brothers shudder.
"Rather not hurt th' Squire if I kin help it." Jackson sighs. "Guess there's nothin' for it if we wanna git some rest." He gives his brother a look, nods, takes a deep breath, picks up the box.
Nothing happens.
Carefully tears part of the brown paper wrapping.
Nothing.
Rips the paper off, opens the box.
Nothing.
"Huh."
Logan peers over Jackson's shoulder. "What's that?"
"Charcoal pencils, looks like." Jackson plucks one from the box and examines it. "Handmade. Nice work, too."
In his hiding place, Raleigh smiles. It's not often he has the chance to make his own charcoal mix, mold it, and press it into pencils and Jackson seems to appreciate his efforts.
"Nerd," says Logan, rolling his eyes.
Jackson elbows him, nails one of the bruises Raleigh left.
Logan hisses, steps back.
Jackson opens the note Raleigh included.
-Figured you could use a break. Quiet's hard to find in the Icebox, so go here or here. Respectfully, GD-
"Huh. Looks like Mini Becket likes me."
"'Mini Becket?' He's big as us, ye dingus."
"'s what th' locals call him fer some reason." Jackson swipes one of the charcoals against his palm. "Good stuff. This'll hold up."
"'n ye kin git back t' yer nerdery." Logan shoves past Jackson and into the room, bouncing him a couple of feet down the corridor with his shoulder.
Jackson glares at his back but steps inside.
Raleigh waits.
He's given up and started easing himself down when Jackson reappears, nearly cocooned in a parka, a knitted cap, and a scarf pulled up to his nose.
Jackson studies Raleigh's hand-drawn map and sets off in the direction of the bunker.
Raleigh scoots to a gap in the cabling and slips through, dropping lightly to the ground. He hums forties songs as he takes a shortcut to the bunker which passes his quarters.
"Rals, what are you doing?" Yancy asks over the book he's reading.
"Heading out to sketch the great Alaskan wilds, Yan. Gimme a break." Raleigh grins as he picks up his pastel kit (battered and covered with streaks in a rainbow of colors), the thick Bristol board he likes to use, and some cardboard backing.
"Sure. Be back in time for our appointment with Cat," Yancy murmurs absently as he buries his nose back in his book.
"Will do." Raleigh gives a mock salute as he strides out to the bunker.
Jackson's there, a content look on his face and his hand flicking lightly over a page of a sketchbook.
Raleigh settles down a short distance away; close enough Jackson can feel his presence but far enough not to intrude on his peace and concentration.
"S'pose I have ye t' think fer this." Jackson gives Raleigh a look that says he doesn't quite appreciate the other Ranger's persistence.
"Artists gotta stick together," Raleigh replies with a genuine smile. "Besides, when did you last have time to spend on a piece?"
Jackson's lips press thin, but he shows Raleigh his pencil sketch. "Bin a while fer charcoal. Work keeps gettin' in th' way." He sighs. "An' keepin' Logan from startin' fights he can't win."
Raleigh offers his outline of the Alaskan Aurora Borealis, faint green pastel implying the famous lights. "Y' know, when you eventually sync up, it's gonna be 'we' comin' out of your mouth."
"An' how'd y' know that?" Jackson asks as he adds a few wildflower seedlings to his landscape.
"Experience. Yan an' I started Ghostin' three months in. You c'n ask [Cait] if you want a second opinion, but she's gonna tell you the same stuff I am in a lot more scientific terms," he quips with a wry smile.
"How bad does it get?" There's no fear in the question, only interest.
"If your CORO scores are close enough, it's usually doin' something he's good at while he does something you're normally good with, like that." Raleigh tilts his head toward Jackson's sketch. "You might wanna get him his own kit if you c'n find one."
Jackson cocks his head, studies his drawing, adds another seedling. "Wha' d'ye trade off?"
"Yan's good with th' ladies an' I carve figurines or desk ornaments. We switch our strengths an' ... in the really Compatible pairs ... you switch ...," Raleigh hesitates, not sure whether he could be giving Logan more ammo to use after his next Drift with Jackson.
A frown tugs at Jackson's lips. "Ye mean we could switch personalities if we're Compatible enough."
"Could, yeah, but it doesn't happen to every pair. Doctor Gottlieb an' I noticed it among the ones who do most everything in sync. You two ... you're not there yet. You turn at different times and react differently in certain situations. You're still individuals," Raleigh admits frankly.
"So we need t' Drift more t' make it happen." 
Jackson's to-the-point statement has Raleigh wondering about his chess game. "Exactly. You guys were at the top of your class, aside from the Shaolin Rogue pilots."
"Checkin' up on us, Becket?" Jackson growls.
"Nothin' personal, just your Academy stuff," Raleigh explains sheepishly. "I had my friend in LOCCENT look you up."
Jackson snorts.
Raleigh weighs his next words, unsure of how far to push the conversation. He goes for it. "Logan's always looking for a fight, isn't he?"
The resigned sigh from Jackson sounds very much like Yancy's before they started at the Academy. "Yea. Bin like that since he was a kid. He went fer you two 'coz y' looked like a challenge on paper. If ye hadn't taken th' bait, he woulda gone for Chrome 'r th' Gages. 'r anyone else he felt like."
"Heh. Should I be honored he thought we'd be a good fight or still be pissed about the way he started it? We woulda fought him fair 'n square if the idiot had just asked." Raleigh rolls his eyes as he goes back to filling in the Aurora Borealis, switching out the green pastel for streaks of vibrant pink and purple which fade into wisps of color.
"Pretty sure he doesn't know how t' ask."
Raleigh chuckles.
They sit for a while, not touching, but very aware of one another.
Raleigh glances at his flip-phone and yelps.
"Y' gotta go?"
Raleigh grins at Jackson's perceptiveness. "Got ten minutes t' get to [Cait]'s office. Think you can find your way back from here?"
"I got yer map, Becket. Go."
Category:Ficlet
Category:Raleigh
Category:Raleigh's POV
Category:Raleigh is an artist
Category:Raleigh (ficlet)
Category:AGNIS
Category:AGNIS (ficlet)
Category:Jackson
Category:Jackson (ficlet)
Category:Jackson is an artist
Category:Jackson is always cold
Category:Logan
Category:Logan (ficlet)
Category:Caitlin (mention)
Category:Yancy
Category:Yancy (ficlet)
Category:Chuck D (mention)
Category:Ficlets with images
Category:Icing and Heat storyline
Category:Zeke (mention)
Category:Ilisapie (mention)
Category:Kili
Category:Kili (ficlet)
Category:Lin brothers (mention)