WAH WAH WAH WAH

Taz groggily looked up at her clock. 5 AM? Probably just another training drill, getting everybody prepared for an actual fight. It had been two months since she had been in battle. Up had left for a few skirmishes every now and then, but whenever she would ask him to go, he was increasingly telling her 'no'. In fact, when he left last week for a battle, she almost begged on her knees to go. Of course, Up muttered something about not wanting to lose his best lieutenant. He didn't even look at her this time. Just looked away while telling her no.

Maybe when Up returns they can work on their friendship more. Things weren't that tense, were they? She was always so worried about falling for him. If her madre was still alive, she knew that she would be getting the scolding of a lifetime. Fifteen years isn't that much of an age difference. Not really. Up just looked old because of his wartime experience. And they were both adults! No. She wasn't thinking about this. They were friends. Buenos amigos. The best of friends. Romance wasn't going to ruin it. No time to think of this now. It's time to get ready for the drill. Oh, por favor ser una batalla. Up can't stop me from going this time!

Up slowly looked at the decadent ruins around him. He and his men killed the ten robots terrorizing the village, but the cost... He was the only survivor. Well, they knew what they were doing. Up was so glad that Taz wasn't along. He couldn't bear to lose his best friend. His girl. No, not his girl. He had to stop thinking she was his girl. They were friends. They could tell each other anything. He just didn't want her to get hurt or killed in battle. That was a purely friendship sort of thing, wasn't it?

Of course, they'd be picked on by other members of G.L.E.E. if they did go out. Taz, so small and tomboyish. She fought better than any of his men though. And him, the toughest, meanest commander, 40-years old, and instead looks like he's 60, falling in love. The fire-truckin' 40-year-old virgin. Wait. No. He and Taz were friends. Just friends. Only friends. "This is Commander Up," he talked into his communication device, "Los Angeles is now safe, but my troops were killed by robots. I request a shuttle to come and get me within the next hour. If robots come back- hello? Anyone there?" Up looked at the device again. It was broken. Something must have happened to it when that last robot threw him to the ground as it melted. The base was a minute away by ship, but a half hour away by walking. Better get walking now, thought Up, Taz will help you recover from this.

The base's hall was filled with rangers. Taz found an empty seat near the front. She wanted to get picked for this mission, if it was a mission. If not, she'd get more practice in. Taz looked around for a familiar face. It was an empty thought, hoping for Up to be there, but he was her only friend. She guessed that it was her bossy demeanor and violent temper that scared people away from her. It was just her and Up, the misfits, the strong ones. Up could do anything; he wasn't scared. He was almost like an idol to her, a mentor. They'd spent years together now. Ten years of friendship. Blowing up robots, saving cities, saving towns, tending to each other's wounds… For a 40-year-old, Up had a helluva body, minus the prematurely graying hair. His biceps, his chest gleaming, that six-pack. His face wasn't bad either. And those eyes. No, he's a friend. You can't think like that. You have got to be tough!

Taz thought about the last robot she destroyed two months ago. Up had congratulated her, and they watched The Karate Kid together. Taz had never seen it before, but Up had told her she would like it. And she did, even if it was an ancient movie. They slept in Up's bed that night, since he had the equipment for DVDs. They had slept together before on missions, but this was the first time she had been in his bed. When she finally woke up, she saw that their faces were almost touching, and he had his arm around her back. She was afraid to move, but at the same time, didn't want to because something felt right. Taz shut her eyes and heard Up mutter something in his sleep, and his embrace tightened. Then, as if had never happened, the moment was over. Up let go of her, saying "Sorry Lieutenant, not sure what happened there. I'll see you later in the day" Taz had left the room, quietly, as Up looked embarrassed at what had happened. Looking back on it now, she realized that he had muttered her full name, Tasalinda.

Up had been walking for fifteen minutes now. His transmission had never broken before, and usually when that happened to other men, the base thought they were killed. He walked quickly, because how else was he supposed to alert that he was alive and well. Up thought about Taz. He had to get there before they told her that he was missing or dead. When her emotions swelled up, though she tried to hide them, she was a very deadly person. She was no more than five-feet tall, and she had lovely raven hair that fell to her waist. Of course, she kept it back in a pony tail or bun, but she could use it as a weapon like no man had seen before. Up remembered her last mission, where she had used her hair to strangle a robot. It was pretty impressive. They had watched The Karate Kid together in his bed, and fell asleep apart, but somehow ended up in an embrace. He let his guard down. Her body, so small against his, felt like it was supposed to be there. To protect her, he had to let her go. They couldn't get involved. So they'd stay friends. No distractions. Love made you weak. And he was the toughest son-of-a-bitch around. Up started jogging. The sooner he got to the base, the better.