"Spend the day with the guys." That was what Skipper had said to her. He was planning some kind of surprise… and she wasn't entirely sure how she felt about that. Sure she loved Skipper… and she trusted him… but what sort of surprise might the commando penguin come up with?

As she swam over to their island base she could see Kowalski waiting up top.

"Ah, Marlene!" He looked up as she pulled herself out of the water. "I was hoping you could help me complete my anatomical diagram for the North Asian otter."

"OK," she agreed. "How far have you got?" He unfurled a poster with a rough outline of an otter. There were no labels.

"So…" he glanced at it. "Where exactly should I put your brain?" Marlene sighed.

*

"Rico?" Marlene entered the HQ cautiously. She found it was best to treat the crazy penguin with care. "What did you want to do?" He grinned and gestured across the floor. It was covered in odds and ends. He thrust a list at her.

"We're doing a stock check?"

"Uh huh," he nodded enthusiastically and pointed to the first item on the list.

"Let's see… it looks like… a rubber mallet?" She glanced round at the mess on the floor. She grabbed what looked to match the drawing. "This the one?"

Rico grabbed it from her and swallowed it whole.

"BURP!"

"Eww!"

*

"Alright," Marlene sighed. "What do you want to do?" Private looked up somewhat surprised.

"Well, I thought we could have a chat."

"A chat?"

"If you don't mind?" Marlene smiled and sat down.

"Sure. What would you like to talk about?"

"Oh. I want to find out everything about you! What was your childhood like?" She stared at his eager expression.

"My childhood?"

"Or we could start with your parents if you prefer. What were they like?" Marlene sighed again.

*

"Alright Skipper!" She stormed across their island base to where he'd just arrived. "I've spent the day being prodded by Kowalski, identifying weapons for Rico, and discussing my whole life with Private! It better be worth it."

"Don't worry Marlene. It will be," Skipper reassured her. Then he pushed her off the base into the water.

Seconds later she came up spluttering and very, VERY angry. Before she could climb out though, Skipper turned to the team.

"Boys. I want you to welcome our newest recruit." Marlene stopped dead, dripping wet, inches from throttling him.

"Recruit?" He turned back to her.

"You passed the medical, the practical and the psyche evaluation. You're officially one of us." Marlene glanced at the other penguins in turn. Kowalski nodded confirmation, Rico grinned and Private looked close to tears. She frowned.

"Why did you have to push me in the water?" Kowalski explained.

"It's a tradition known as 'wetting' for welcoming new recruits."

"It makes it official," Private added. Skipper nodded.

"Officially you're now our sapper."

"Sapper?"

"A sapper facilitates movement and communication of friendlies and impedes that of enemies," Kowalski informed her.

"Does that mean I have to do your training exercises?" Skipper glanced at the men.

"I think we'll agree you're a special operative. More like a back up."

"Good because I can get pretty grumpy if I don't get my beauty sleep," she grinned.

"Party!" Rico announced.

"Good thinking, Rico!" Skipper agreed. "We should celebrate."

"You're going to throw a party?"

"Hey! We may not party as often as some people but believe me, we know how to have a good time!" Already Private had begun mixing up his classic smoothies, and Kowalski was wiring up their hi-fi.

"Kaboom?" Rico hopefully held out a stick with stars painted down the side. Skipper eyed Marlene up and down before agreeing.

"I think so."

"Uh, Skipper?" Marlene quavered as Rico began surrounding the habitat with more explosives.

"Wait for it," he replied putting a flipper about her shoulders. As she saw the crazy penguin light the fuse she instinctively held onto Skipper. Moments later an explosion of stars lit up the sky as the stereo began belting out Bon Jovi.

Marlene laughed.

In the distance the angry shouts of the lemurs could be heard in between the explosions of fireworks and the beat of the music.

"Serves them right," Skipper grinned. "Now, Marlene. We'll show you what real party animals are."

I'm taking a break from this story to concentrate on another one entitled "Skipper's Log" (.net/s/5122489/1/Skippers_Log). Thanks to everyone who's reviewed.