Tango Uniform Tango

“Wait.” I stopped her, pointing to a junction on the diagram. “This relay. It’s not spec’d for the throughput we’re pushing through it.” I glanced at her. “It’s a choke point.”

Her eyes widened. “You’re right.” She leaned closer, her arm brushing mine. “I can’t believe I missed that.” A faint flush colored her cheeks. “Good catch, Roland.”

*There it is.* That spark, the connection we’d always shared over the work. *The thing that brought us together in the first place.* “We make a good team, Vica.” The words slipped out before I could stop them. *Idiot.*

She froze, her gaze locking with mine. The air crackled between us, the unresolved tension from the night before rising to the surface. *Say something, Roland. Fix this.*

“Vica, about last night—”

“I think we should keep things professional.” She cut me off, her voice tight. “We have a job to do. The past... it’s complicated.” She turned back to the schematics, her posture rigid. “We need to focus on the mission.”

*Right. The mission.* I swallowed down the words I wanted to say, the questions burning on my tongue. *Why did you leave? Why didn’t you answer my emails?* “Understood, Lieutenant.” My tone was clipped, formal. *Back to business.* “I’ll get a replacement relay from supply. We can have this fixed in an hour.”

“Thank you, Captain.” Her reply was equally formal, distant. *Like I was just another officer, not the man she almost married.*

I pushed away from the table, striding toward the door. *Space. I need space.* But as I stepped out into the bustling command center, I couldn’t shake the image of her face, the hurt in her eyes when I’d pulled away last night. *What the hell are we doing, Vica?* I headed for supply, my thoughts churning. *One problem at a time, Roland. Fix the comms. Then... then you can fix whatever’s broken between you.* If it’s not too late.

The supply building loomed ahead, a squat concrete structure buzzing with activity. I pushed through the double doors, the familiar scent of canvas and metal washing over me. *Just get the part and go.* I found the comms section, scanning the shelves for the relay we needed. *There.* I grabbed the box, turning to leave—and nearly collided with Lieutenant Grayson, my old squad mate.

“Tango!” He clapped me on the shoulder, grinning. “Heard you were back. How was the sandbox?”

*Same shit, different day.* I forced a smile. “Hot. Sandy. You know how it goes.” I held up the relay. “Gotta run. Comms are down, and the colonel’s breathing down our necks.”

Grayson’s expression sobered. “Heard about that. Bell’s working on it, right?” He leaned in, lowering his voice. “Rumor is you two have history. Bad breakup?”

*Fucking grapevine.* I kept my tone neutral. “Ancient history, Lieutenant. We’re professionals. That’s all that matters.” *Even if it feels like a knife to the gut every time I see her.* “I’ll catch you later. Drinks at the O-club when this exercise is over.” I brushed past him, ignoring the curious glances from the other Marines in the room. *Just get back to Vica. Fix the comms. Fix this.*

The sun beat down as I jogged back to the command center, the relay box heavy in my hand. *Focus on the mission. Don’t think about her. Don’t think about last night.* But her face flashed in my mind—the hurt in her eyes, the way she’d trembled in my arms. *I should have talked to her. Really talked. Instead of running like a coward.*

I pushed into the comms room, the cool air a welcome relief. Vica looked up from the server rack, her expression guarded. “Did you get it?”

*Right down to business.* I held up the box. “Got it. Let’s get this done.” I set the box on the table, pulling out the new relay. “Talk me through the swap. I don’t want to screw up your system.”

She hesitated, then nodded. “It’s pretty straightforward. We just need to isolate this section of the network, swap the relays, and reboot.” She pointed to the server rack. “I’ll handle the software side if you can manage the hardware.”

*Just like old times.* The thought slipped through before I could stop it. *We always made a good team. Until we didn’t.* I pushed the memory away, focusing on the task at hand. *One problem at a time, Roland.*

We worked in silence, our movements synchronized from years of practice. Her fingers flew over the keyboard, lines of code scrolling across the screen. I carefully removed the old relay, slotting the new one into place. *Almost there.* “Alright. Your turn, Lieutenant.”

She nodded, her attention fixed on the monitor. “Rebooting now.” The server lights flickered, then glowed a steady green. “We’re back online.” A faint smile touched her lips. “Good work, Captain.”

*There it is again. That spark.* Her smile drew one from me in return, the tightness between us loosening a bit. “Team effort, Lieutenant.” I held her gaze a beat too long, the air crackling between us. *Say something, Roland. Anything.*

“Vica, I—” The alarm blared, cutting me off. *What the hell?*

Vica’s eyes widened, her gaze snapping to the monitor. “The exercise. It’s starting early.” She toggled her headset. “Command, this is Comms. We have a situation. Unplanned simulation initiation.”

The colonel’s voice crackled over the line. “All units, be advised. We have a simulated hostile incursion on the north perimeter. Comms, I need you online now.”

*Shit.* I met Vica’s gaze, the urgency of the moment pushing everything else aside. “We need to go. Now.” I grabbed my gear, slinging my rifle over my shoulder. “You ready for this, Lieutenant?”

She nodded, her jaw set. “Ready, Captain.” She snagged her own gear, following me out into the bustling command center. *Just like old times. Except this time, the stakes are real.* I pushed the thought away, focusing on the mission. *One step at a time, Roland. Get to the perimeter. Keep her safe.*

We raced across the base, the sounds of simulated gunfire and explosions echoing in the distance. The north perimeter loomed ahead, a haze of smoke drifting across the battlefield. I spotted Captain Hayes, the infantry commander, hunched behind a barricade. “Hayes! Sitrep!”

He glanced up, his face streaked with dirt. “Tango. ’Bout time you showed up.” He gestured to the tree line. “We’ve got hostiles in the woods. Snipers and RPG teams. They’re pinning us down.” He nodded to Vica. “Comms are spotty. We keep losing signal.”

*Just what we need.* I turned to Vica. “Can you boost the signal? We need to coordinate with the other units.”

She was already pulling out her tablet, her fingers flying over the screen. “I can try. But I need to get closer to the antenna array.” She pointed to a small building near the tree line. “There. If I can get to that structure, I might be able to reroute the signal.”

*Too exposed.* I shook my head. “It’s too dangerous. We’ll find another way.” *No way in hell I’m letting her run into the line of fire.*

She met my gaze, her green eyes fierce. “It’s the only way, Roland. You know it is.” She shouldered her pack. “I’m going. Cover me.”

*Goddammit, Vica.* I gritted my teeth, nodding to Hayes. “Lay down suppressing fire. Now.” I turned to Vica, gripping her arm. “Stay low. Move fast. I’ve got your six.” *I won’t lose you. Not again.*

She nodded, her expression determined. “Don’t get dead, Roland.” She took off, sprinting toward the building. I followed, my rifle up and ready. Bullets whizzed past, kicking up puffs of dirt around us. *Almost there. Just a little further.*

We reached the building, pressing close to the wall. I covered her as she worked, her fingers flying over her tablet. “Talk to me, Lieutenant. What’s the situation?”

“I’ve almost got it.” She focused intently. “Just need to bypass the damaged node—” A explosion rocked the ground, debris raining down around us. *Shit.* “Vica!”

“I’m okay!” She shouted back, her voice tight. “Just... keep them off me!” Her fingers flew over the screen, lines of code scrolling past. “Got it! Signal’s rerouted. You should have clear comms now.”

*Thank God.* I activated my headset. “All units, this is Tango. Comms are back online. What’s your status?”

“Tango, this is Alpha-One. We’re pinned down on the east ridge. Heavy contact.”

“Roger that. Bravo-Two, move to support Alpha-One. Charlie-Three, flank west and cut off their retreat.” I turned to Vica, my heart pounding. *We did it. Together.*

She met my gaze, a flicker of relief in her eyes. “Comms are stable. For now.” Another explosion shook the ground, closer this time. *Too close.*

I grabbed her arm, pulling her behind me. “We need to move. This position is compromised.” I scanned the battlefield, spotting a drainage ditch nearby. “There. We can take cover and reassess.”