Code Violet

## Meta

**Timing:** 26 September 2022, a Monday, the first day at the Sydney Shatterdome for the Joneses

**Setting:** Sydney Shatterdome; Team VS quartermaster's & Jones' quarters

## Text

"/**Hill!**"

"Yes, ma'am?" squeaks Andrea, poking her head into Quartermaster Jayaraman's office.

"Take those," points to a stack of boxes taller than Andrea, "to the Rangers' rooms."

"We have Rangers, ma'am?"

"Yep. Fresh off the plane from Kodiak."

"O-okay." Andrea worries the cuff of her coveralls.

"Hill?"

"Sor-sorry, ma'am. Ha-have you heard, uh, Ja— Ranger Egan? How he's doing?"

"They're Code Violets, Hill. Take care of yourself."

"H-has there ... His status?"

"I know you're being nice, Officer Hill, but it's not your job to ask questions."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Listen, these two are erratic and vicious and they will tear you apart if you get too close. Keep your head down and get out, understand?"

Andrea swallows. "Yes, ma'am." She retrieves a hand truck, loads it with boxes, and sets out for the Ranger suite.

Andrea peeks in the doorway.

A person in a warm, chunky, navy blue sweater sits at the standard-issue kitchenette table with a standard-issue box of tissues under the standard-issue painting opposite the standard-issue couch.

"Umm, Ranger? Excuse me?"

They startles and glances up from the tablet propped up before them.

Andrea's heart stutters.

They look terrible, like they haven't slept well—if at all—in days.

Code Violet.

"Yea?" they prompt.

"Oh! Sorry, Ranger! Where would you like me to put this?"

They blink as if no one told them to expect stuff.

Andrea glances at the item list taped to the box. "Clothes? Full kits in team grey?"

"Oh. Uh, closet, I guess. Thanks," they reply absently.

"O-okay."

They shift their focus back to the screen.

"Ranger?"

Doesn't look up. "Yea?"

"There're more boxes?"

Waves a hand. "Just drop 'em wherever they make sense. We'll sort 'em out later."

"Yes, Ranger."

"Hey, darling," they say.

"Y—"

""Hey, Jones,"" says the speaker in tablet-land.

Almost awkward. Andrea heaves a duffle bag from its box and lugs it towards the back.

""—some toast down.""

"How're the beans?"

A beat. ""Baby's fine.""

Andrea levers open the first door and trips inside.

"Book?"

Silence.

"Charlie ...."

""Book's—"" A pause. ""—asking why you left."" Another pause. ""I don't know what to say.""

Quiet from the entertaining space.

Might as well put stuff away?

"I don't know, either."

""They—"" A sound of disgust. ""Gotta remember how to talk out loud.""

Ranger Jones chuckles weakly.

Three kit rolls to the dresser- who has this much Academy gear? Did they bring nothing with them?

""I love you? That's ....""

"I love you, too."

A beat. ""I love you I love you I love you, why couldn't this weekend be 'this month' or 'this year'; just never go back—""

"I know. 'm so sorry, Firefly. I want—"

""I know, Jackson, I know. It's not your fault.""

"I hate this. I /**hate** it." Their voice is small and hopeless.

Code Violet.

Close dresser.

""Will you be able to visit soon?""

Ranger Jones makes an awful, sad, and angry sound.

Andrea creeps for the other bag.

"They fucking better," they growl.

Keep your head down and get out.

Arms for toiletries, too!

""Is there ... Are there any families on-site? Could they work something out?""

"Charlie, you don't want to be here."

""Of course I don't want to be there. I want to be with you and if that means I'm stuck there then so be it.""

Toiletries in the washroom.

"I ... Maybe?"

Second door's easier to manage.

"This place seems deserted."

Hasn't been to the caf—

Code Violet.

Dumps the bag, scurries to the boxes.

""I'll see what I can find on my end.""

Ranger Jones takes a deep breath. "We can do this."

Kitchenware!

""We can do—""

The tablet /*bings*.

"What the fuck?"

""What was that?""

"A ... timer? They're ... they're gonna cut the connection."

""They can't—""

"Of course they—," Ranger Jones snarls. "Charlie?"

Andrea sets a box of cutlery next to the hotplate, four pre-made meals in the fridge.

"/**GodDAMMIT!**"

Plastic and glass shatter against the far wall.

Andrea squeaks.

Ranger Jones winces, turns slowly to her, rubbing their neck. "'m sorry. I didn't- I—" They crumple into a kitchen chair, buries their face in their hands.

Code Violet.

They will tear you apart if you get too close.

"'m sorry, Ranger. I need to get back to work."

Andrea flees.