fanfic_name = Target Party

chapter = 2

author = Dwparsnip

dedicate = Everyone

Rating = AP15

Type = Humor

fanfic =

 

Rick's teeth were chattering.

 

Loudly.

 

Still.

 

He'd been out of the water for nearly an hour and his teeth were still slamming together with a rhythm that was slowly driving him insane.

 

Of course his burgeoning insanity could have been a result of hypothermia…he had no way of knowing really (he wasn't a doctor after all). All he really knew for certain was that his revenge on Max for making the water glacial cold would be sweet.

 

Rick looked to his left to see the devil himself speaking to a young female lieutenant from Eagle squadron. Rick smiled despite his discomfort, and absently filed away a mental note to needle his friend later about the way the young lieutenant fawned all over him. Rick was dense when it came to women, as even a cursory study of history would prove. Max was just naïve.

 

Rick was startled slightly when a blanket draped around his shoulders. He grabbed the edges and pulled the blanket tightly around him as though his life depended on it. After several seconds he looked up to thank his guardian angel and found the sympathetic eyes of Max's wife, and Rick's new best friend.

 

"Thanks…Miriya", managed Rick in between chattering. "I would…would have gotten…it myself but…I don’t think I can…I can feel my legs."

 

Miriya smiled and leaned down to whisper in his ear. "Max said not to give you any blankets, coffee, tea, hot chocolate or anything that would take the chill away." She screwed up her nose in confusion and added, "He said it was vitally important to the ritual."

 

Rick was about to thank her again when the object in question was quickly, and very cruelly, ripped off his shoulders.

 

Rick's head snapped around with white hot (or was that ice cold?) anger in his eyes. His eyes narrowed in a harsh accusatory gesture when he found the dancing eyes of his ex-best friend Max, wagging his right index finger at Rick and slowly shaking his head in admonition.

 

"Sorry, Rick", said Max in a tone that told Rick and everyone within earshot that he wasn't the least bit sorry at all, "but you can't have anything that will warm you up." He smiled widely. "It's vita…"

 

"Vitally important", finished Miriya and Rick simultaneously, drawing a round of laughter from those who heard.

 

"Max", began Rick as authoritatively as his frozen vocal chords would allow, "I order you to…to give me back that blanket."

 

The damnable smile got bigger. "Sorry, Boss." With no further explanation Max turned on his heel and walked off with Rick's blanket.

 

Rick turned to look at Miriya, who was watching Max disappear into a nearby room with the blanket. When he was out of sight she turned to Rick and shrugged her shoulders.

 

"I'm sorry, Rick." She genuinely sounded sorry.

 

"It's okay, Miriya", said Rick as he hugged himself and rubbed his arms in what turned out to be a feeble attempt at generating some warmth. "Just remind me when I get the feeling back in my fingers to take Max out of my will."

 

Her warm hand on his shoulder brought a very brief respite from the cold, and her laughter as she walked away made him wonder what he said that was so funny.

 

He wished, not for the first time since he lost all sensation in his toes, that Lisa was there with him. The thought of his wife, his beautiful and incredibly sexy wife, brought a smile to his face and a blanket of warmth to his chest. Just the thought of her could do so much, and it was that realization that gave him the need, want and burning desire for the feeling to come back to his feet so he could go to her.

 

Max's slap against his shoulder and totally mischievous "How are you, Boss?" brought Rick out of his warm fantasy and crashing back to a very cold reality.

 

"I'll live", grated Rick through teeth so clenched that he thought he heard them crunching together. He looked up at Max, whose smile was now in danger of covering his entire face and made a noise that was sounded like a groan of frustration

 

He had meant it as a growl of anger, of course, but the fact that that damnable smile got even wider told Rick that that was not how it was taken by his intended target.

 

"Come on, Rick", laughed Max as he sat down next to his friend and longtime commanding officer. "Show some backbone. You're supposed to setting an example of strength and fortitude for these youngsters." Max took a gulp of his drink that had been waiting patiently for him on the table. "Besides, you did this to me back on the SDF-1. Did I complain about it?"

 

Rick turned oh so slowly to Max and fixed him with a knowing look.

 

The look from Rick forced Max to amend his statement. "Okay…did I complain as much as you’re complaining now?"

 

"No", conceded Rick, "but I never had the water flown in from the closest planet's arctic cap either." Rick shivered as the thought reverberated throughout his body. "The water I put in the tank for you was nice as I recall…tepid even."

 

"Right!", snorted Max in mock disgust. "The water in my tank, my friend, was far from tepid. More like…frigid."

 

"Frigid!", exclaimed Rick indignantly. "Why I ought to…"

 

"Hold that thought", interrupted Max as he bolted up out of the chair and all but ran to the lieutenant he was talking to earlier.

 

Rick looked on as his friend totally ignored him and once thought to himself, 'Yep…very, very sweet….'

 

State = Continuará/To Be Continue

feedback = Sí/Yes

email = dwparsnipATyahoo.ca