Work Text:
Scarlet and Mahogany
2090
It’s amazing what you think of when your face is being ground into a training mat.
He really should apologize to Fermat if he ever saw him again…
No, fuck that, the little nerd was still sleeping with his sister, while he may have put a ring on it and done right by her, and Kallen was still honor bound to make sure Matt kept doing right by her.
Although the how, he make sure of that, was pretty elusive right now…
Better focus on what’s happening to me at this moment, Kallen thought.
“You didn’t put up much of a fight there, boy,” Colonel Scarlet growled as he pinned Kallen to the ground. “Do I have to send you back to Koala base, for more training?”
Kallen snarled, as he pushed back against Scarlet’s hold swinging an elbow as he did so, “Get off!” he snapped.
Scarlet dodged the elbow and let Kallen up, “Were you holding back there?” he asked, as he and Kallen stood up. “Or does International Rescue set a low bar in the training of their security officers?”
“I didn’t realize I was meant to try and kill you,” Kallen snapped.
“Boy, are you forgetting who you are talking to?” Scarlet replied. “I am not afraid of getting hurt or killed, I want to see what you can do.”
“Okay fine,” Kallen growled, as he lunged for Scarlet.
There was a flurry of fist’s, knees and elbows, and Kallen smacked into the floor with Scarlet on top of him, again, “Boy, you are really starting to get on my nerves,” Scarlet snarled. “How can I expect you to protect the kids on your team if you can’t kick my ass?”
Kallen growled, Scarlet was right in that regard, the other two members of his team would be considered high value targets, if people realized who they actually were - Turquoise was Colonel Blue’s son, his death or capture could potentially cripple Spectrum’s senior command, and Coral…
Coral was Scarlet’s daughter, and the only Mysteron/Human hybrid known to exist, both the Mysterons and greedy immoral humans were a danger to her, even Skybase the safest place for her to live, was not 100% safe, and Kallen was determined to make that she got the opportunity to live a life that didn’t trap her on Skybase 24-7.
He knew Scarlet wanted his daughter to be able to live a life without him constantly protecting her, but he wasn’t about to entrust her safety to someone who could not stand up to him.
The thought of Clara being trapped on Skybase for the rest of her life…
Kallen suddenly shoved hard against Scarlet, knocking the older man off balance, and the two men wrestled around on the floor for several minutes.
Kallen had just got Scarlet into a chokehold, when a sharp whistle blasted through the air, “That’s enough you two,” Colonel Blue snapped. “You may not be afraid to die, Paul, but Burgundy and Fawn do not like people going through medical unnecessarily.”
Scarlet growled softly.
“Oh, don’t give me that,” Blue growled. “The boy has already proven himself, the only difference between you and him is that you have thirty years more experience than he has,” Blue looked at Kallen. “Let him go, son.” He ordered Kallen.
Kallen hesitated for a couple of seconds, before loosening his grip, “Like you couldn’t have broken out of that,” he muttered to Scarlet. “And you’re one for scolding me for holding back.”
“I am not assessing my fighting ability,” Scarlet growled back, as he stood up. “I want to know yours, so I know what I need to focus on, to get you up to scratch,” He offered a hand to Kallen. “Killing you doesn’t tell me what I need to know.”
Kallen cocked an eyebrow, as he took Scarlet’s hand, “To get me up to scratch?” he asked.
“I know you have experience in working in the field from your time in International Rescue,” Scarlet answered. “And Koala base gave you the training you need to know for working in Spectrum,” he sighed, “But if you think I am going to let you out in the field with two wet behind the ears Lieutenant’s, before I’m sure you’re ready, boy, you have another thing coming.”
“So, I take it you are going to personally mentor Mahogany’s team then, Paul?” Blue cut in before Kallen could reply.
“That was always going to happen,” Scarlet snapped back. “Someone’s got to keep an eye on this, boy, after all.”
“I have a name you know,” Kallen muttered.
“You say something, B-O-Y?” Scarlet snarled.
“Nothing sir,” Kallen replied.
“Good,” Scarlet replied as he turned to Blue. “Permission to send this, boy, to the change rooms?”
“Since when do you ask for permission to do anything, Paul?” Blue muttered. “Get out of here Mahogany, get changed, and go find Coral and Turquoise, I want to talk to the three of you in my office in one hour.”
“S.I.G.” Kallen acknowledged, as he left for the changing rooms.
*
Adam looked at Paul after Mahogany left, “Okay what’s with you?” he asked. “You have been short with Mahogany ever since he got back from Koala base.”
“Did you see the way he and Clara were looking at each other?” Paul growled.
“Yes, I did, Paul,” Adam replied. “Is that going to be a problem?”
“For as long as he keeps it in his pants, it won’t be,” Paul snarled. “I knew his uncle, remember? That boy looks at Clara like Scott did Piper Taylor.”
“But didn’t he end up marring her?” Adam pointed out. “Pretty sure there were a couple of kids there as well.”
“And he died in a building collapse.” Paul grumbled. “I don’t want him breaking Clara’s heart, that’s all.”
“Heartbreak is an unfortunate part of life, Paul,” Adam replied. “Some relationships are going to end in tragedy, you know that better than most, we don’t always end up with the first or second people we meet and fall for.”
Paul was quiet for a few minutes, as he stared out the gym’s window, “I want her safe Adam, but I can’t keep her here all the time either,” he sighed. “Not that is always safe here at the best of times, if it’s not the Mysterons, it’s bastards like Brass, wanting to exploit her,” he looked at Adam. “I know Kallen is her best bet on having a relatively normal life, and I should be happy that he does deeply care about her, but…”
“She’s your little girl and you don’t want to let her go,” Adam nodded. “But Paul she is going to fly eventually, and you want her to soar, not clip her wings, or put her in a cage.”
“She saw a different world at Koala,” Paul murmured. “A life different to Skybase, she wants to see the world and what it has to offer, and she is at the age that she doesn’t necessarily want her dear old dad following her around, I just hope Kallen is up to the task of keeping her safe,” he grimaced. “I hope I’m not making a mistake in trusting a boy I hardly know, with my daughter.”
“You will get a chance to get to know him, over the next year,” Adam replied. “It might go better, if you are a little nicer to him, Paul.”
“And run the risk of him forgetting who exactly I am?” Paul growled, as he turned to walk to the change rooms. “Not on your life, Adam.”
Adam watched Paul as he left the gym, “I don’t think Mahogany is going to forget who you are anytime soon, Paul,” he murmured. “Of that, I am sure of.”