Jor had only the time to throw his duffel into the barracks assigned to him before his commanding officer shuffled him back through the hallways, eventually depositing him in a large room filled with other soldiers. A little disoriented from his flight, and a little nervous in the face of such unfamiliar territory, Jor quietly took a seat in the back and managed to avoid speaking to anyone until an officer took the podium in front and rapped sharply for attention.

"Listen up! I am Captain Versetti. Take a seat, now, so that we can get started." There was a general riot as everyone tried to find a seat, but they were all accustomed to military order, and it wasn't long before the room was silent and everyone focused on the captain.

"Now then. Law enforcement in the International Fleet has been steadily evolving, and this training program represents our most recent designs to produce the officers that we require. Our jurisdiction resides beneath the general mein of the Internal Alliance, yet above that of the I.F. Marines. You will be trained as military enforcement, in command of investigations that are not of the classified nature that the I.A. concerns itself with. When necessary, you will use the Marines, and they will answer to you. We work in the fine line between these two companies of the International Fleet."

"As you are all tactical or Marine AIT graduates of Command School, you are already in possession of the basic skills needed to perform your function. This training course will provide you with the specifics. During this four-month program, you will be partnered with an officer of Military Enforcement, or as we call it, M.E., and your partner will act as a mentor and teacher. If you successfully complete this training program, you will be promoted to the rank of second lieutenant, at which time you will receive commission to either an outpost, or an Earthside facility. Any questions?"

No one raised their hand, but from the glances about the room, it was obvious that everyone wanted to know who they would be partnered with. The captain wasted no time. "Good. I will call the pairings now. When you hear your name, please follow your partner outside; they will escort you to the next segment of your orientation."

"Aikens, Lieutenant Wilhelm."

"With Sergeant Morris, Andre."

It was tedious, listening to the names drone on and on, and Jor settled back into his chair to wait. Soldiers and officers gradually filed out of the room, leaving fewer and fewer seats occupied, and there were only three other soldiers left when they finally called his name.

"Windhaven, you're with Lieutenant Bentham."

Jor nodded gratefully and pushed up from his chair to survey the room. When he looked at the person in the doorway, he paused, and the captain took notice of his hesitation and stopped his recital. "Is there a problem, Windhaven?"

"No sir," Jor managed, but his gaze was fixed on the officer who motioned to him. It was a woman, a tall, slender woman almost the same height as he, and he was beset with an unwelcome image of Bianca Westermin as he slowly made his way across the room.

Closer examination revealed her to be about five-foot-nine, with shoulder-length, choppy blonde hair and wide hazel eyes. He was about to resign himself to four months of torture at the hands of this bimbo when she smiled at him, and the smile was not what he expected. It was sharp and appraising and altogether unsettling, and Jor straightened, a little anger giving him back his imperious tone when he finally reached her and spoke. "You're my partner," he drawled, not bothering to hide his disdain, and he was waiting for her to be taken aback by the coldness in his voice.

He was disappointed when all he got was a minimal reaction, as she narrowed her eyes at him and gave a disarmingly cheery grin. "It's nice to meet you too, Jordan Windhaven." He glowered at her, disliking the sarcasm in her voice, but she only held out her hand. "I'm Lieutenant Lorelei Bentham."

"I noticed." Jor was in no mood for friendliness, but he shook her hand, squeezing harder than necessary. She only squeezed back, and they stood staring at one another in a little contest of will, before he noticed that her other hand was resting on the fletchette pistol holstered at her side and decided to let it go. That got him an even wider grin, and she dusted her hands off and gave him a once-over that made him uncomfortable.

"Not bad. Hopefully you have brains to go with all that brawn. I suppose we'll see." That made him fume to himself, but he managed not to make a comment. "So I have some rules. Don't give me shit, and I'll stay off your back. Play along, and I'll help you through, easy as pie. That's about it. You got questions?"

Jor shook his head, but his sullen anger was evident, and she leaned closer until their noses were almost touching before she spoke again. "No questions, but you do have a problem, don't you, Windhaven? What is it?"

You're a woman. You're smaller than I am, probably younger, and why should I take orders from a little airheaded piece like you? Shit, I might as well be partnered with the likes of Dante. Or Swede. Christ. Jor had recently developed a very serious case of dislike for anything female, as a means to forget Wick, and finding himself saddled with someone that he considered to be only one step higher than Commander Westermin left him feeling less than pleased. I'm going to ask for a real partner, next chance I get. You can go on and flitter your way with someone else, but not me.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Lieutenant Bentham."

Bentham obviously didn't believe him, because she poked a finger into his chest and shook her head. "That ain't it. You got a problem cause I'm a girl?"

Yes. And don't fucking touch me. "No, Lieutenant Bentham."

"Cut that Lieutenant Bentham shit out, Windhaven. I know you're just seething cause I'm a cute blonde chickadee and you're supposed to be a big, tough guy. That's it, isn't it?"

He finally broke. "Yeah, that's it. How the fuck did you get to be in charge?" His own insubordinance surprised him, but it felt good, to finally say whatever the hell he meant, and a happily superior grin grew on his face. Bentham smiled back, just as nastily, and tilted her head. "You're a dick, aren't you, Windhaven?"

"Yes, Lieutenant Bentham," he repeated automatically, just to infuriate her, but she took his words at face value and nodded. "Thought so. Well, see, Windhaven, I'm older than you, probably smarter, and I've got this little fletchette and a nifty badge that says you have to shine my boots if I say so. And that's why you have to listen to me."

He considered this for a moment before shrugging and decided to just go ahead and speak. "You gonna be a bitch, Bentham?"

"My name is Lei."

"What?" Jor was startled by the sudden change in her tone, and blinked, looking down into her upturned face as she regarded him seriously. "I said, my name is Lei."

"Oh." He thought about this, and held out his hand again. "I'm Jor."

She shook his hand again, lightly this time. "Nice to meet you, Jor. Are you going to stop being an ass?"

All these questions. Jor paused for the third time to consider her query and then shook his head. "No." Lei grinned at him. "Well fuck, at least you're honest. And I'll keep being a bitch, thankyouverymuch. Unless you got a problem with that, Windhaven."

Jor smirked. "Not at all, Lieutenant Bentham."

"Good. Now let's skip this pansyass introduction shit and go see all the nifty weapons we get to play with. Big man like you, I bet you like guns. All that compensation jazz, right?"

He followed her down the hallways, listening to her animated chatter and her sarcastic jibes, and giving back as good as he got. Somewhere along the way to the firing range, he decided that maybe he wouldn't ask for a new partner. This wasn't quite as bad as he'd expected.