Two character challenge
Title: Intelligence by the Barbecue
Author: ingvild
Characters: Catherine, Pagan, Une
Rating/Word Count: G, 470 words
Notes: While this fic is stand-alone, it fits in with the events depicted here.
Catherine didn’t feel entirely at home with all these people, which was why she’d sat down as far to the outskirts of the area as she could get without seeming rude. She’d come along because Trowa had, in his very quiet and subtle way, indicated that it would mean a lot to him if his friends and his sister could get along, and a friendly barbecue get-together was as good a place as any. She watched (and heard, because his voice really carried) Duo talk about the goodness of meat, she watched Heero roll his eyes and stick to salmon, she watched Hilde give Commander Une an embarrassed look at something she said. She giggled when huge Rashid picked Mariemaia up by one leg, held her high in the air and demanded that she relinquish the last strawberry - and the groan theatrically when the girl popped the berry in her mouth.
“Quite a party,” came a soft, cultured voice from next to her elbow. She glanced over at Pagan, who stood looking straight ahead. After a moment, his gaze shifted to her and he gave her a short nod. Catherine paused for a moment before she replied.
“It is. I hope it doesn’t get too lively.”
“Let us hope nothing blows up.”
“I know who to blame if something does.”
Pagan smiled behind his moustache. “Gazelle? No, not that one. Lioness?”
Catherine inclined her head. “And you are...Badger?”
Pagan chuckled. “German Shepherd.”
Catherine looked at him with newfound respect. “Impressive.”
“I must return the compliment. Ah, here comes the boss.”
Commander Une had made her way over to them, after scolding Mariemaia for hogging the strawberries. She tapped herself a glass of water from one of the big tanks next to them, then said: “I see you’ve met. Good. What do you have?”
Always directly to the point, Catherine thought, before she answered: “Addis Abeba.”
Pagan nodded. “That’s what my sources tell me as well. He’s in Addis Abeba, and has been there for two days now. My sources believe he’s about to move on tomorrow, but I don’t know where.”
Catherine smiled. “Cairo. I didn’t know when, but I know where. The airport in Cairo is down for repairs; he’ll have to take the train.”
Une’s smile could have cut paper. “We’ll grab him on the way, then. I’ll notify Po and Chang. Excellent work, people.” She nodded and moved back to the large group again. Catherine shook her head.
“I almost feel sorry for the Rattlesnake. She’s going to roast him slowly over a campfire.”
“She does come across as vaguely terrifying,” Pagan agreed. He let his breath out with an almost inaudible sigh, before seeming to deliberately change tracks in his mind. He smiled at Catherine. “Now for more pleasant matters. Would you like a corn dog?”
Author: ingvild
Characters: Catherine, Pagan, Une
Rating/Word Count: G, 470 words
Notes: While this fic is stand-alone, it fits in with the events depicted here.
Catherine didn’t feel entirely at home with all these people, which was why she’d sat down as far to the outskirts of the area as she could get without seeming rude. She’d come along because Trowa had, in his very quiet and subtle way, indicated that it would mean a lot to him if his friends and his sister could get along, and a friendly barbecue get-together was as good a place as any. She watched (and heard, because his voice really carried) Duo talk about the goodness of meat, she watched Heero roll his eyes and stick to salmon, she watched Hilde give Commander Une an embarrassed look at something she said. She giggled when huge Rashid picked Mariemaia up by one leg, held her high in the air and demanded that she relinquish the last strawberry - and the groan theatrically when the girl popped the berry in her mouth.
“Quite a party,” came a soft, cultured voice from next to her elbow. She glanced over at Pagan, who stood looking straight ahead. After a moment, his gaze shifted to her and he gave her a short nod. Catherine paused for a moment before she replied.
“It is. I hope it doesn’t get too lively.”
“Let us hope nothing blows up.”
“I know who to blame if something does.”
Pagan smiled behind his moustache. “Gazelle? No, not that one. Lioness?”
Catherine inclined her head. “And you are...Badger?”
Pagan chuckled. “German Shepherd.”
Catherine looked at him with newfound respect. “Impressive.”
“I must return the compliment. Ah, here comes the boss.”
Commander Une had made her way over to them, after scolding Mariemaia for hogging the strawberries. She tapped herself a glass of water from one of the big tanks next to them, then said: “I see you’ve met. Good. What do you have?”
Always directly to the point, Catherine thought, before she answered: “Addis Abeba.”
Pagan nodded. “That’s what my sources tell me as well. He’s in Addis Abeba, and has been there for two days now. My sources believe he’s about to move on tomorrow, but I don’t know where.”
Catherine smiled. “Cairo. I didn’t know when, but I know where. The airport in Cairo is down for repairs; he’ll have to take the train.”
Une’s smile could have cut paper. “We’ll grab him on the way, then. I’ll notify Po and Chang. Excellent work, people.” She nodded and moved back to the large group again. Catherine shook her head.
“I almost feel sorry for the Rattlesnake. She’s going to roast him slowly over a campfire.”
“She does come across as vaguely terrifying,” Pagan agreed. He let his breath out with an almost inaudible sigh, before seeming to deliberately change tracks in his mind. He smiled at Catherine. “Now for more pleasant matters. Would you like a corn dog?”