Rabbit scraps

[For our reporter showing up, he can do so in Chantell's office the day after the team photo's published, expecting to interview the Joneses; he's a little annoyed because no one told him there were new Rangers and PR hasn't heard anything so he volunteered to clear things up. Chantell's fielding zillions of phone calls from all sorts of people demanding to know why they're weren't told of the new Rangers, and when she tries authorizing an interview the system whines and doesn't let it through.]

[Andrea overhears the kerfuffle, slinks down to the Jones' quarters and tells them there's a reporter in the Marshal's office so now would be a good time to take care of 'that thing' with Chantell.]

[Nguyen has emerged from his office to ask the reporter to leave. Chantell keeps her frown to herself until the reporter's gone.]

"What the hell?"

Nguyen doesn't know. "I received a call from Command asking me to have him removed from the premises."

"Even with protocol." Chantell crosses her arms, sits back in her chair. "This is getting really weird."

"To put it mildly."

.

Jackson knocks, peers into the office.

"Hey, Ranger!" chirps Chantell.

He smiles cautiously, says, "I was told someone wanted to speak with me?"

Chantell grins, leans against her desk. "Kudos to them!"

"Officer Hill."

"Smarty pants."

Jones smiles softly.

"She was correct, there was someone here to see you and we had to kick them out because of reasons."

Jones' face falls.

"But I'm gonna try really hard to arrange something."

Jones looks a little less like he's going to cry.

"I know technically you're not supposed to talk to people because of the Code Violet thing--which I'm not totally supposed to talk about, either--but protocol says to waive that for the meet-and-greet thing so I'm gonna try really hard to work something out."

"Thanks."

"You're very welcome! Anything else I can do for you?"

"That's all, thank you."

### Farewell

[Andrea's packing up her room]

Waimarie greets, "Hey--"

Andrea shrieks and leaps a foot in the air.

"'Hi' from behind: bad thing," Waimarie cringes. "Sorry."

"It's fine, it's my fault, sorry." Wipes her hands on her pants. "How are you?"

"I'm well, thank you. Where were you yesterday?"

Andrea freezes.

"Answer when you have words, k?"

Thumbs up.

"Are you packing up?"

Andrea nods.

"Are you leaving?"

Andrea doesn't know how to answer that.

"Since when?!"

Andrea replies--closes her mouth to avoid standing there like a fish.

"Hold off until tonight, k? I have tell people."

Andrea croaks.

"For the party, silly!"

"You don't--"

Waimarie smushes Andrea's cheeks. "We are having a party for you."

Andrea nods.

.

""Chantell's gone?!""

Andrea nods, gulping tea.

.

"Are--"

Andrea shrieks, whacks her elbow on the sink.

"Sorry," apologizes [admin #1].

Andrea waves it away. "Sorry."

"Are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"This is, like, the fifth time you've used the washroom."

"Lotta tea."

### Charlie and Andrea

"Childcare rates," Charlie mutters.

"You don't have--I have a pension--"

"I'm paying you." No room for argument. "Your visa?"

"My Visa--my visa!" [action break] "it's a wartime thing--won't expire until the PPDC's disbanded."

Charlie nods, motions Andrea to follow.

They go to the office.

"You'll sleep here until we can move Derek down here and you upstairs."

"Okay."

"Do you have a computer?"

"A laptop, yea."

"I'll get it on the network once the beans're asleep."

"Thank you."

### Brown Paper Packages

The photos, swaddled carefully in brown packing paper, sit in Andrea's backpack for a couple months before she works up the courage to head to Point Piper (while Dame Eadith's actually there, of course).

Cue cards at the ready, she takes a deep breath and walks up to the gate.

""Name and business,"" crackles the intercom.

"Andrea Hill, daughter of Valencia Hill. I found some pictures of my boss and Dame Eadith as I was clearing out his office and thought perhaps [her ladyship] might want them."

*“Dame Eadith has plenty of pictures. Scram, kid.”*

""One moment, please.""

“Of course,” Andrea squeaks.

So she waits.

Birds chirp, a gentle breeze teases the leaves, the sun warms her hair—

""Please come in.""

The gate beeps, slides open.

"Thank you," says Andrea.

.

"Thank you," says Dame Eadith.

"Th..." Andrea forces on a grateful smile.

The attendant bows, leaves.

"Are you still working there?" asks Dame Eadith.

"No," Andrea replies softly, looking at the teapot. "Chantell, but a while ago, some friends got hurt. One died--" Feels her shoulders crumpling. "--and the other's in a coma." She looks only at the carpet to the side of Dame Eadith's chair.

"And it's not the same, no matter how many friends you have."

Andrea deflates further. "Yea."

### Find

A person in a crisply pressed suit plants themselves in former marshal Nguyen's path.

He stops, shoulders square.

"Thomas Nguyen?"

"I am."

"Come with me, please."

Nguyen nods, says, "Took you longer than I expected."

The Suit inclines their head toward the black ute pulling to the kerb. "You were unexpectedly difficult to find."

Nguyen snorts, climbs into the backseat.

The Suit closes the door, slides into the passenger seat.

The ute pulls out and is quickly swallowed by traffic.

### Lieutenant General Nguyen

(In the style of "Major Harry" XD )

Logan and Jackson arrive for their meeting, Chantell shows them in, comes back with Major Harry and drops him in Jackson's lap. "Seems like you need him." Shoots from the room.

Jackson smiles to himself, fiddling with the Major's hat.

Chantell returns a moment later with a tea service, zipping around the desk like an energizer bunny. "And, hot chocolate."

Jackson shutters.

"Telly," says the Marshal.

Chantell puffs out her cheeks, eyes flashing.

The Marshal holds his ground.

Chantell hmphs out.

### Stay Away

Based off your scrap, "Stay Away"

[Logan appears in the quartermaster's office, Andrea asks about...Chantell finding them on-site housing.]

"Ranger Jones!" greets Jayaraman, putting her hands on Andrea's shoulders, leans down. "What did I tell you about bothering our Rangers."

"Not to."

Straightens. “Sorry about her, Ranger. Officer Hill's got a good heart, but she's a nosy little thing." To Andrea, "What do you say?"

"Sorry for bothering you, Ranger Jones."

"Good girl." Claps her shoulders. "Off with you."

"Yes, ma'am." Lifts her eyes somewhere around Logan's shoulder. "Have a good day, Ranger." Andrea slinks away.

"How can I help you, Ranger?"

"Supposed to talk to you about a [blank]."

"Of course. Right this way, please."

(It's supposed to be a bit creepy)

I wonder if this could be a prompt for "Research" if Andrea (almost catatonic she's so scared of how Jayaraman's gonna punish her) gets found by Chantell and speaks of bothering the Rangers--

"How are you bothering them?"

"Talking to them." Hugs her knees more tightly. "Not supposed to."

"Why aren't you supposed to?"

"They're erratic and viscous and hurt people for fun."

"Where'd you hear that?"

"Quartermaster."

## Evaporated/Freeze

### Icicle

Logan shakes off his guards the minute he steps into Medical, strolls to Jack's bedside. "How's my wittle Jacksicle doing?"

Jack grunts, opens an eye.

Logan gives his most winning smile.

Jack grunts again, pulls a blanket closer to his nose. "So it is you." Tucks himself in "Couldn't tell under all that--"

"I happen to think the clean-shaven buzz cut looks good on me. Makes me look like a regular convict."

Jack rolls his eyes.

[They dragged Logan off to the barber while Jackson thaws.]

### Freezing

(In the cafeteria, Logan's been demanding an extra layer for Jackson since the shower. The Uniforms have sat them down at a table near the door, dropped trays in front of them, and took up position by the door.)

"Can someone get my brother something warm so he doesn't fucking freeze?" Logan yells,

Two people across the room're thinking about it--

A quintet of Uniforms marches up.

"'bout time," Logan grins.

Two of them grab Jackson--

He stumbles like he's pissed, trying to shove his hands under his arms.

Two of them yank Logan from his seat, and the fifth picks up their trays.

"That's some top level servant shit," remarks Logan.

That Uniform pays him no heed.

Logan finds his feet more quickly than Jackson, lets them lead him along.

The Uniforms march them down a bunch of bland hallways; one of them opens an unremarkable door, and they're thrown in.

Jackson doesn't get his hands up in time, lands against the desk, and falls stiffly to the floor.

The Uniform with their trays steps over Jackson, puts them on the desk, and leaves with the other Uniforms.

Logan tries to lighten the situation, but when he notices Jackson not moving and that he's gone as pale as paper, Logan tries to help, yelling for help and rubbing Jackson's arms.

[Alas, I don't remember how Logan actually gets someone to pay attention. Does he leave the room and wander until he finds someone who hasn't been told not to listen to them? Does he switch tactics and pretend like nothing's wrong until the Uniforms come back and find Jackson mostly dead on the floor?

### Lightcap and Jackson

"Cadet Jones," greets the blonde doctor from the Drift test whose name Jackson still can't remember, so.

He pushes himself up to sitting--

"Oh, gosh, stay put." She enters. "I heard what happened." Sympathy. "That's gotta suck."

Jackson smiles weakly.

"Oh! Got you something." Doctor Drift puts a large paper shopping bag on the bed.

"Thanks," Jackson croaks. "Seat?"

"Thank you." Sits.

Jackson pulls out a soft, heavy, pure wool jumper and tears up.

Doctor Drift smiles kindly. "Figure your spouse wants you back unfrozen."

Jackson, head ducked, nods, discretely wipes his eyes.

"Tea?"

He takes a deep breath, straightens. "I'm not allowed anything with caffeine for a few more days."

"Ah, that's why I brought green tea!" Brandishes a thermos.

"Sure, thanks."

Doctor Drift pours them each a cup. "How long have you two been married?"

Jackson thanks her, wraps his hands around the cup. "Five years."

"How'd you meet?"

Jackson's ears heat up. "I spilled her cocoa on her."

Doctor Drift winces.

"Yea..."

"Big wedding?"

"The reception wasn't huge," says Jackson. "We did the civil ceremony thing instead of a traditional wedding."

Doctor Drift nods. "Lot quicker that way. Same with kids?"

"Nooo. Book didn't come for a few years."

"Book?"

Jackson grins, miming 'hair'. "From *Firefly*?"

"Oh!" Doctor Drift laughs. "That's very clever. What're they like?"

"Loud," Jackson chuckles. "All over the place but contained in this little tiny human."

"They're two and half or so?"

"That obvious?"

Doctor Drift grins.

Jackson 'flops' back. "The places we find cars..."

"Your Book's a fan of toy cars?"

"Yea. Has a whole army of them, led by the most regal Empress Eighteen."

"Now /that's a name."

"Impressive, eh? 'Wom-wom', ehh... But Book named 'Wom-wom' which makes it just as special."

"Who's Wom-wom?"

"Right. Book's toy giraffe. Logan bought it, actually. Got a plush for Baby, too?"

"Your second born?"

Jackson nods. "Will be eight months at the end of July."

Doctor Drift goops. "They're so cute at that age."

Jackson glows.

## Jamie

### Be Prepared

(From Citiesville)

"I called about an interview with Ranger Macrossan on--yea, that's the one. I'd like to cancel it, please."

Eyre hovers in his peripheral.

"Thanks a bunch. You, too. Bye." Hangs up.

"You no longer get to complain about how long it takes to get interviews with Rangers."

"I don't think I have enough intel yet."

"Then you reschedule, you dolt!"

"I know that! I just don't know when I'll be ready."

Eyre stifles a snicker and it comes out like a snort.

Jamie doesn't get it.

"Isn't there a pill for that?"

"Oh--" Lobs a ball of paper. "--can it, Yellow!"

She skips out of range, laughing.

### Drive

(Just until we sort the timing out as to when Chantell tells Jamie to look for Major Harry and Jamie asks Liu about him.)

Jamie's phone chirps.

blocked: Best I can tell, Major Harry is a toy drop bear.

jaywalker: how'm I supposed to "know more" from a stuffed animal?!

But Wei doesn't reply.

.

Jamie yawns, moves the papers around on his desk.

"It's a hard drive," says Wei.

Jamie shrieks, jumps, whacks his desk.

Wei catches the pencil holder by the rim with a tissue, returns the cup to the desk and the tissue to a pocket.

"How d'ye—what're ye—"

"Why /wouldn't I be in Australia?"

"Because ye were in Hong Kong, like, a day ago!"

Wei just smiles.

Jamie huffs, straightens the pencil holder. "What's this about a hard drive?"

"Major Harry was smuggling one in his back." Wei places a hard drive-shaped knit pouch on Jamie's desk. "Here's your clone."

"/My clone?"

"One for you, one for me, and the original stays with the Major."

"Don't you already have all this?"

"Wouldn't you like to know."

"Uh, yea, I would."

Wei almost laughs, turns away. "Have a nice evening, Mr Walker."

"/Thanks, Wei."

### Press Release

"--press conference and Lilo's out. Who wants it?"

Jamie, mid-sip, questions.

"Shatterdome's holding a meet at one o'clock today." The editor tosses over packet. "You're covering it."

Jamie sighs, flips it open.

[Jamie's preferred mode of transportation when going to what he thinks is likely to be a hairy parking situation

Driving: flashes his badge at the gate leading to the drive, again at the parking garage (but he's directed to an assigned spot, so that's nice), parks, joins the stragglers/like-minded early arrivals strolling to the press stage.

Train: gets off with a few score other reporters, feeds the badge into the gate, gate unlocks, heads through, follows the crowd and the signs to the press stage]

Jamie finds his spot, plunks down.

"We are pleased to announce the breakdown in command structure caused by the sudden resignation of [title] Thomas Nguyen is at an end. We would like to welcome [Title] Nathan Wills as Marshal of the Sydney Shatterdome." (Or something.)

Jamie's reporter sense tingles.

The person beside him leans over. "[You think there's something fishy, too]?"

"Hesitate to say 'fishy' yet." Tips an imaginary hat. "Jamie Walker, Guardian Australia."

...except it can't be Josephine 'cause they meet.

"Source?"

"Inside the 'Dome."

"Says everyone and their cat."

The person concedes.

"Fishy how?"

"Unethical fishy."

Jamie mulls this over. Nguyen, apparently, was a great boss. Good friend, too, of Dame Eadith Hackett who publicly lacked the patience for anyone not up to her moral standards, and she'd been knighted for her humanitarian work.

### Follow / Follow / Follow

Eyre asks, "Hey, Jamie?"

Spins around in his chair. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"You got the Nguyen thing, yea?"

"Word travels as fast as ever."

"That's PPDC?"

"Specifically the Shatterdome."

Eyre perches on the corner of his desk, fiddling with a sticky note. "So, a few months ago, a woman called claiming they kidnapped her husband."

"We get, like, a million of those calls a week."

Eyre shrugs. "She sounded really upset. Either she's a really good actress, or..."

"Go on."

"Thing is, she called the police a couple weeks earlier, said her house had been broken into, her children left unattended--"

"And her husband was missing."

Eyre nods. "I glanced at the police report--brother was a career criminal so they figured it was related and never really went anywhere."

"What aren't you telling me, Yellow?"

"Remember a while back--"

"How long a while?"

"Seven years ish? Worldwide crackdown on illegal fighting?"

"Vaguely."

"Well, there was a worldwide crackdown on illegal fighting, here included. Brother fought for a ring run by 'the Professor'. Didn't look into much more than that, but."

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</noinclude>

Jamie rolls up to Nate's table at her third-choice hunting ground. "What tribute shall I bring you, my queen?"

"Vodka and cranberry."

Tilts his head. "That's ... that's a little stiffer than usual."

"It's necessary," declares Nate.

Jamie's back in a minute or two with the beverage, sets it in front of her.

She takes a deep drink.

Jamie waits.

Another.

Jamie rolls his bottle between his hands.

"Fawn's missing," says Nate.

"One of your colleagues?"

She nods, drinks.

Jamie waits.

Nate places her glass precisely atop the condensation ring on the tabletop. "Four days ago, I drove her to the women's clinic for an appointment. I came back to take her home and the staff told me she'd already left with another car. I haven't heard from her since I dropped her off." She sips.

Jamie waits.

"Fawn and I have an agreement: we contact each other every three days to make sure the other is alright. She hasn't called and my calls go straight to her voicemail."

"Why tell me this?" says Jamie softly.

"I tell you because she went to the clinic for an abortion." A deep and shaky breath. "The other parent was /Halcyon Cobra's oh-one."

"Oh."

"What are a Fly and her fetus to an organization that kills its best soldiers?" Catches and holds Jamie's eye. "They /**did** kill him, ay?"

"They didn't hold the knife, but."

Nate slumps.

"I don't have enough pieces yet, but it looks like someone there's really interested in kids, especially Ranger kids."

"So it's likely they kidnapped Fawn to prevent her ending her pregnancy, rather than killed her."

"That's my hope, Nate."

"I'll cling to that hope, then."

**Later**
"I heard from Fawn," says Nate.

"Good news?" asks Jamie.

"She's taking the pregnancy to term at a care center--wouldn't tell me where--and if I wanted to earn a whack of cash, I should talk to the PPDC and have my implant removed."

"You considering?"

Nate snorts. "Not a chance."

### Prep

Macrossan yelps and collapses face-down in the pillows, wheezing.

Nate pulls out, pats her hip—

Macrossan sighs contently, flops onto her side, one hand still between her legs.

—sits back and undoes the straps, chuckling low in her throat the whole while. Sets the kit on the towel at the foot of the bed.

"I need to put you on my mobile," slurs Bubbles. "Speed dial. You are waaay too good to leave to chance."

Nate tucks up against her [chest], drapes an arm across her middle. "Bubbles, honey, surprise adds to the thrill."

Macrossan concedes with a laugh, languidly plays with Nate's hair.

Nate traces aimless paths on the small of Macrossan's back.

"And all I have to do to pay you back for this is talk to my 'old friend' Jamie."

"Mmhmm."

"About Blossom and Buttercup?"

"Mmhmm."

"That hardly seems fair."

"Hmm?"

"I think you deserve a little more."

Nate smiles into her neck. "What do you have mind for me, Ranger Macrossan?"

"I have this new rig I've been /**dying** to try out."

"Tempting, Ranger, very tempting."

Macrossan rolls Nate onto her back, straddles her hips, smirks.

Nate raises an eyebrow.

"First, though—" Leans down, pins both of Nate's hands to the pillow with hers. "—we need to get you good and ready."

"I do like the sound of that."

Macrossan laughs, dives in for a kiss.