Practice Run

It was a clear, calm night; the sort that gives the impression of a world at peace. How could the Earth be in the midst of a war on a tranquil night such as this? Yet, whilst the majority of people slept soundly in their beds, there were men and women awake; awaiting the next move of the Mysterons from Mars.

Captain Burgundy was sitting on the Promenade Deck, staring out at the moon through the big, floor to ceiling windows before her. She should have been asleep in her quarters, having been on duty for most of the day, but she was far too restless. The Mysterons had made no move for almost a month, and everyone on Cloudbase was becoming tense. The captain adjusted her camera and attached it to the tripod beside her, preparing to try a long exposure photograph of the night sky. She was just about to press the button on her SLR's remote control when the door opened behind her, making her jump slightly. "Who's there?"

Captain Scarlet frowned at her as he entered. "What the devil are you doing up?" he demanded sharply. He felt a grim satisfaction when she looked guilty. He noticed the camera beside her and his curiosity was piqued. "What are you doing? Trying to spy on the Mysterons?" he chuckled dryly. "I don't think you'll see much through that tiny lens - you need a telescope."

She smiled and shook her head. "It's been a while since I took any night photos and I thought... seeing as it's a nice night..." she lowered her gaze and fiddled with the camera. "It's not as if I could sleep anyway," she grumbled. "I've been awake ages, waiting for something to happen - it's too quiet, isn't it?"
When she raised her eyes, Scarlet was frowning at her. She apologised quietly and immediately began to grumble again, proving that she was much more tired than she was trying to let on. "I mean, I feel as if they're watching us, waiting for us all to go out of our minds with boredom!"

"I think you should be careful what you wish for," he remarked with a frown. "In any case, what good will staying up all night do? You'll just be completely exhausted by the time they make their threat!"
Burgundy looked pretty upset and he relented a little.
"I'll tell you what, Captain, I'll get you a cup of tea in the lounge once you've finished playing with your camera. Perhaps you'll feel more like sleeping then," he smiled at her. There was something about women with sad faces that made him feel compelled to cheer them - he couldn't live with himself after upsetting Burgundy, however much he felt that he was right.

"All right then," the captain returned as she pressed the button on the remote. She watched quietly as the photograph was taken, being careful not to move for fear of knocking the tripod and ruining the picture. She enjoyed photography - it made her feel as if she hadn't changed as much as it so often seemed. It was as if having a camera about her neck or beside her on a tripod meant that all was right in the world.
The screen on the back of the camera lit up, displaying the photograph that had just been taken. She smiled as she studied it. "Mm, not bad. I t seems I'm not as out of practice as I thought."
She heard Scarlet approach as the screen turned itself off. Knowing what he was about to ask, she unclipped her SLR from the tripod and handed it to him, telling him how to switch the camera back on to view the picture.
"I think I'm ready to go now," she told him. "I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't too out of practice - and a relaxing hobby is a good cure for cabin fever."

"You like showing off, you mean," he retorted. "Come on, I'll get you that drink."
He yawned into his hand as he lead the way towards the Officers' Lounge and smiled apologetically at his colleague when she asked if he was alright.
"I'm fine," he assured her. "I do get tired as well, you know. Funnily enough, more so when it's quiet. Perhaps it's because I don't tend to regenerate, when I'm stuck here idling."
He opened the door to the lounge and permitted Burgundy to enter first. "Is there anyone here?" he asked cheerfully. "I hope there's tea on the boil for two weary officers..."

"No, but I just made some coffee," Captain Canary said, smiling. "What are you doing up so late? I thought that you both had the early shift, in the morning."

"I have," Burgundy admitted, practically throwing herself into a chair and tucking her feet up beneath her. She stifled a yawn and sniffed, finally beginning to feel drowsy.
Captain Scarlet made his way to the little kitchen section and took two cups from the cupboard, setting them down and tossing a teabag into each.
"What time do you have to be up, tomorrow?" Burgundy asked him.
He turned to frown at her. "At 0600, the same as you," he turned away and yawned. "Excuse me."
"Then why were you so annoyed about me being on the garden part of the Promenade Deck?" she demanded, becoming annoyed with him.

"I already told you - I'm too restless! I feel as if something's about to happen, but they're hanging it out as long as they can - just to see how we react!" Burgundy shivered. "I've been dreaming these past few nights, that they made a threat but didn't say what they'd do - they just said that they were going to see if we could manage without them telling us anything... and we couldn't, of course..." she trailed off, realising that Captains Scarlet and Canary were staring at her. "I'm glad it was only a dream, but after the third time I had it... well, I didn't feel like trying to sleep again, after that."

Captain Burgundy took a sip of her drink and tried to calm herself. Captain Scarlet could have been right about anxiety, if the idea wasn't ridiculous - she didn't get anxiety! She was a secret agent - a calm, cold killer - even before she'd joined Spectrum; anxiety was certain death, in her line of work.
Captain Scarlet touched her arm and leaned toward her ear.
She brushed him off, not wanting to hear what he might have to say. "Thank you for the cup of tea, it's nice," she told him in an attempt to change the subject. She didn't want to get angry with him; he was a nice chap and she knew that he'd meant no harm - but he had just insulted her. "It's a bit sweet, though..."
"Sugar is good for your retrometabolism," he told her. "If you won't rest, you can at least give your body a boost."
She smiled and nodded, feeling happier now that she'd changed the subject.
Scarlet narrowed his eyes at her over his own steaming cup. "But you can at least go to the Room of Sleep - you'll have no dreams there."
"Right you are," she replied cheerfully. "I'll do that - but there's no need for me to see Doctor Fawn; I don't get anxiety - that's preposterous!"

"If you lean on me and I lean on you..." Burgundy began, putting down her empty cup.
"I'll have you over," he replied with a slight smirk. "No, I'm more than capable of staying upright - I haven't been depriving myself of sleep in the way that you have."
She permitted him to take her arm - well, she didn't push him away when he did - and fell into step with him easily as he directed her in the direction of the simulated sleep room. She was tired; much more so than she could remember being before - even before her mysteronisation. She leaned on him.
"You really should have said something," she heard him say quietly.
She shook his head. "What if everyone thought that I was going mad?"