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Title: Tapes From Beyond: Gunny and Tiner Author: Ali Cherry Summary: Disclaimer: Okay I don't own these people and this is an addition to my story Tapes from Beyond. Tapes From Beyond: Gunny and Tiner"Petty Officer." "Gunny." Tiner replied without looking at the man. Both men stood at attention in the cramped confines of the elevator in the early morning hours of a Thursday. "So what brings you in this early, Petty Officer?" The Gunny asked stiffly. "I'm always here this early, sir. What are you doing here?" "I have some paperwork to finish up and Commander Imes and Mattoni are due to check in soon." "Oh." Silence filled the car as the door opened with a relieved bing. The Gunny and Tiner separated towards their respective desks. Tiner turned on his computer and turned on the e-mail program before turning to his overflowing In-box. He had those special chit sheets to get out before this afternoon and they still needed a lot of work. Tiner picked up the designated folder. Opening it up he didn't find the papers he had worked on already, he found a note, actually half a note waiting for him in large typed print. He scowled at the half words mocking him. Two seconds later the Gunny entered with murder in his eyes. Tiner matched him glare for glare. "How could you, Gunny? I've been nice, well since that first week. I have to have those Chits done before this afternoon or I don't go on Personal leave and you know it!" Tiner raged, his normally placid blue eyes biting like the cold of a deep freeze. "Me? What about you, Mr.-Hide- the- damn- Postal- Meter- and- the- confidential- Trash-can-goes- there? I need that order form complete, or else Jag doesn't get their allotment of Copier ink. How well do you think that will go over?" "I don't have your damn order form! And what's the hell up with only half a ransom note you.. You!!!!" "Go ahead and say it petty officer. You've wanted to from the start!" "You Jarhead!" "Oh come on petty officer, is that the best you can do?" The gunny taunted. Tiner visibly calmed and slowed his breathing. "Please, Gunnery Sergeant Galindez, may I please have my chits back?" "I don't have them, Tiner. Really." The gunny pulled out another half note. Tiner looked at his own. Tiner/ Gunny Something you should hear to "clean" up misunderstandings. Some things shouldn't stay hidden in the "closet." Tiner looked at the Gunny warily. "You're not homosexual are you, Sir?" Tiner asked weakly. "That's none of your business, Petty Officer." The gunny took a breath. "But no I'm not. Why does everyone ask that?" "Its just well, you haven't hit on the Colonel yet. Most guys do within the first week or so." "She my superior officer and deserves my respect not my gaze, Petty Officer. Beside Rabb doesn't hit on her." "He doesn't have to." Tiner muttered under his breath. The gunny shot him a look. Tiner looked back innocently. "Well whoever the hell played this trick, obviously wants us to adjoin to the cleaning supplies closet." "Obviously." Tiner said as he walked around his desk. Following the Gunny out into the hall to the closet in question. The gunny opened the door of the closet to find a tape player sitting on a shelf, the pause button depressed. The gunny stepped in, Tiner just after him. The door slammed shut. Both men groaned. The door was firmly locked. A paper to the backside of the door said will open after message has played. Tiner shrugged his shoulders as the Gunny removed the pause. "Hey, Gunny. Tiner. I guess if you're hearing this, I'm dead or missing." Commander Rabb's voice drifted among the ammonia smells of the bottles. "Your probably wondering what this is and why I put you two together. Tiner may know, but I don't think you do, Gunny." Tiner nodded his head while the gunny wanted to slap him. "My dad sent letter tapes home from Nam, before he was shot down, you know just life around the ship, advice that he wanted me to remember. We use to send some back, I remember telling him all about going to visit Marine Land. Oh sorry, that was a place like Sea World only further north of San Diego." The gunny nodded, he remembered going there when he was little. "Anyway, I put you together, because well you two make the office run. Gunny you smooth things over for the attorney's making sure they have all the facts they need, all the support and jarhead coffee they need." Harm laughed on the tape. The Gunny did not. "And Tiner, well you smooth over the Admiral's temper for us. That's a big part of making the office work. I don't know how many times it's made me feel better, just to have you smile sympathetically after I've lost my six to the admiral's bite. Thanks." "That's basically what this letter, or tape, or whatever this is, is about. I want to say thank you. You two have made Jag life so interesting, whether it was listening to Mac tell the tale of the missing postage meter or learning Tiner's e-bay name is Cavalier. Thank you, for the hundreds of things you two do, to make our lives interesting and fun and running smoothly. "Now I have two favors. Since I'm gone, you can't refuse, not that you'd refuse a superior officer a favor." The Gunny snorted. Tiner hit him upside the head, only to look chastised a minute later. "Sorry sir." "It's fine, Petty-" "Tiner, Sir." "You can stop bickering now, boys." Harm's voice cut in on their conversation, they both looked to the door, but realized that the voice came from the tape. "The first is to look at the good job the other does. Tiner I know you hated it after Harriet left. Taking care of all the office details, don't think of it as someone usurping your position, he took a job you didn't want. Gunny you'd never be able to sooth the Admiral or keep up with all the meetings the SecNav destroys just to scream." Harm laughed over the tape, the sound sounding hollow. "And the second favor I ask, is that you look after my close friends. Tiner, you have my arrangements folder; don't let the Admiral or Mac handle them. I gave them to you for a reason. Gunny, I want you to make sure that Colonel Mackenzie eats lunch that she goes home before 1900 every night, for at least a month. Don't forget, she likes the soft Kleenex on her desk, and make sure that Chloe calls at least once a week. I want both of you to make sure the Admiral goes home to sleep every night. That will take both of you. Trust me. Tell him it's an order. Actually it is. I'm hoping that I'm in heaven, therefore I'm an angel and my orders supercede an Admiral's. You can try that tactic, not sure that it'll work though. And Tiner? I expect you to inundate Bud's e-mail with wacky messages, jokes, quotes whatever, just let him know that you care." "Can you handle it? I'm counting on you, to make sure that everything goes great at my wake. If not, you know I can always come back and haunt the building. And I know you're both there early all the time. Wouldn't that be fun?" "Take care you two, and remember, you aren't enemies." The tape clicked off. The door opened. Tiner and the Gunny just stood there a moment and absorbed what the Commander thought would be his last words to them. Tiner sniffed and walked out of the closet. The chit sheet, left on the shelf next to the tape player. He headed for the head, not caring if the Gunny followed. The Gunny picked up both their paperwork and the tape and left the closet the way it was. Closing the door behind him. He placed Tiner's work on his desk and moved to work on those order forms. Tiner came back into the bull pen and headed for his desk, his face a slight red but nothing else amiss. An hour later, the attorney's all filed in and the Gunny got up and motioned to Tiner to join him at Commander Rabb's office. They knocked. "Enter." Harm was unpacking his briefcase as the two entered. "What can I do for you Tiner, Gunny?" Harm smiled at them both. "Sir, when we came in this morning, this was waiting for us." Tiner started. He bumped the Gunny with his shoulder. "We believe that it's yours, Commander." The gunny held out the tape, Harm took it with one hand, a sigh of exasperation on his face. "How the hell did this get out? Dammit, Mac!" Harm pounded on the wall between their offices. "Sir we listened to it, well we didn't really have a choice, sir." Tiner began nervously. Mac opened the door. "You bellowed, Commander?" Mac asked innocently. "Did you do this?" Harm asked as he held up the tape, Mac slid around the two in front of Harm's desk and took the tape from his grasp, looking at the label. "No, I didn't even know you made the Gunny and Tiner one." Mac looked at the two men in front of her. She could see Tiner's red eyes, and the Gunnery Sergeant's attention was not so erect. (AN: Get your minds out of the gutters!) "Sir, if I may." The Gunny gestured with his eyes. "Go ahead, Gunny." "It was a very elaborate set up. It was like someone was playing spy games with us." "It's alright, Guys. Go back to work, forget you heard this." Tiner and The Gunny nodded, but their eyes betrayed them. Forgetting wasn't an option. Harm sat down with a sigh as Mac leaned against his desk. "What's with everyone listening to dead tapes, if they were letters no one would think of opening them. What? Tapes are different?" "Tiner and the Gunny didn't have a choice, and well I thought I was listening to, well I was listening to find out what it was, exactly." "Yeah, yeah. Go away, Marine, so I can get some work done." "Sure, first you holler for me, then you send me away! Make up your mind flyboy." Mac smiled as she headed for the door. "We still on for Chinese tonight?" "Your place or mine?" Harm leaned back in his chair. "Depends? Do you mind sharing with the dog or not?" "Mine it is." Mac closed the door to Harm's office, she notice Tiner approach the Gunny cautiously; those tapes had changed everything, whether they were meant to be heard or not. "Ummm. Gunny?" Tiner asked cautiously. "Yes, Tiner?" "The Security personnel and I shoot pool on Thursday nights. We were wondering if you'd like to join us." Tiner asked "I'd be happy to Pet-Tiner." "Oh and Sir?" "Yeah?" "After hours, its just Jason." "We'll see, Tiner." "Yes, Sir." |