Warning: PG-13 for innappropriate language

Ara’s muscles were sore as she went through the same exercise again.  She grit her teeth, snapping her head up to see Taeyeon standing victoriously a few feet away with a smug grin on her face.  Ara sent a menacing glare as the other let out a lovely laugh, contradicting the strength she had shown only moments before.  At the corner of her vision, Taehyung, Jongin and the other ROMANS were sitting behind the protective glass of the arena they were in, observing their every move.

“How does the dirt taste, Southern ?  Like home?” Taeyeon sneered.  “You can’t expect everyone to treat you fairly on the battlefield.  Slit throats and drink blood if you have to.”

Ara wiped the blood from her lower lip.  “You’re sick.”

“That’s how I’m still alive,” the other pointed out.  “If I had been going at my hardest, you would’ve been dead already.”  She scoffed.  “You’re in the North now.  We’re not going to spoonfeed you.  If you want, I can just shoot you and end it.”

Rage surged through Ara’s body as she lunged forward, her hands outstretched and reaching for the other’s pearly neck.  She could see Taeyeon’s eyes widen just before Ara knocked her over.  Before she could struggle, Ara pinned the ROMAN’s arms down with her knees.  Her fingers wrapped around her neck and squeezed.

Taehyung sat up in his seat, a single eyebrow raised with interest.  At the same time, Jongin stood up and pressed a button on the intercom.  

“Surprising, but well done, Juno,” his voice boomed over the speaker.  “Now, kill her.”

Blood drained from Ara’s face as her grip slackened, realization dawning in her expression.  “I…”

“What?” Taeyeon rasped.  “Don’t have the guts?”

“Kill her, Juno,” Jongin ordered again.  “That’s an order.”

Ara pursed her lips as she released Taeyeon and stood, facing the window, her eyes staring straight at the commander.  “With all due respect, I cannot and will not terminate Venus,” she said.  She turned and glanced at Taeyeon.  “It’s not my place to take her life, but the enemies in the South you seem to be fantasizing about.”

As she beheld the commander’s look of shock and anger, a force knocked her over.  

“Think twice before letting your guard down,” Taeyeon breathed in her ear.  “Or I’ll make you eat .”

Ara let out a yell of frustration as she threw the other off, flipping her over her head.  Taeyeon landed on her back with a dull thud and was awake long enough to see Ara climb on top of her and punch her unconscious.

“Enough,” Jongin said.  “Juno, you’re dismissed for the day.”  He turned and nodded towards Taehyung and the other ROMANS before walking out of the observation room.

“Ara!” Sehun called as he ran over, with Yoongi and Seulgi following close behind.  He stared in horror at the blood dripping from Taeyeon’s nose.  “Oh my God…”  A small grin slowly crossed his lips.  “No one’s ever been able to knock Taeyeon out so easily like that.  I guess you’re MVP for the day.”

Seulgi elbowed him.  “Sehun, this is serious,” she scolded.  “Help me take her to the lab.”

The younger ROMAN rolled his eyes before hooking his arms under her shoulders, dragging her away before Seulgi grabbed her feet and carried her away.

Yoongi exhaled.  “You ed up this time, sweetheart.”

“Don’t call me that, either,” Ara said, wincing from touching her bleeding lip.  “As much of a as she is, I can’t bring myself to kill her.  It’s just not right.”

“But you disobeyed orders,” Taehyung said coldly as he walked up.  “For that, you don’t know what kind of consequences you can suffer from.  When the commander has a certain image in mind, people tend to go as far as moving mountains to carry out his orders, no matter how simple.”  He reached forward and grabbed her arm.  “Come with me.”

Yoongi grabbed her other arm and glared at the officer.  “Where are you taking her?”

“Let go, unless you want to be permanentl