[center][h2]Paige Kennedy[/h2][/center]

Somewhere in the myriad of paperwork associated with her transfer to Sol City, Paige had seen a random city flyer advertising, [i]Drive Nights![/i] A golfing venue at something called the Luna Sports Facility. While she sat in various orientation meetings and briefings over the previous two days she would occasionally glance down at her phone where she kept the page saved and made a reservation for a bay.  The rates had been reduced slightly for the apparent weekend celebrations, but were still more than a little on the pricey side nonetheless. Her plot, high on the third level, looked out over something like a combination of a driving range and a gameshow. Beyond the high netting that bordered the facility was a picturesque view of downtown Sol City bathed in neon light and the fading orange-red haze of evening. Music played in the background and conversations from the other bays could only just be heard. It seemed a more polished venue than she expected, which was a plus. A ball came up from an automated tee under the floor and she sent it flying with a crisp [i]thwack![/i] 

“Holy shit,” A voice commented from the lounge behind the driving platform. “You sure you never played this before?” He teased. The ball struck the target firmly in the distance causing it to shimmer in a circular cascade of LED lights. Xi Ko Wen was transferred up from the sunny Southwest. A former Marine Corps sniper and the child of second generation Taiwanese immigrants, he was Paige’s new partner. Most people just called him, [i]Ko[/i] for short. He glanced up at the score screen overhead as he put down a leather-wrapped tablet and reached for his driver.

“Nope,” Paige replied. She turned with a smirk. “First time,” She sat down as he took the platform and got his target assignment from the computer. The lounge seating was luxurious for an “outdoor” venue with leather couches and hardwood grain veneer, some sort of ambient heat system kept the bay warm. In golfing shorts and polo, she was completely comfortable despite the dropping temperature of the night. She took her own tablet from the table between them and glanced through the notes she collected from the previous two days. Thanks to their new eyes in the sky, Customs had already stopped one longboat full of drugs and weapons out on the open water. ATF was way ahead in their field work, but she knew they’d only tell so much to the Marshal Service. Thus was the competitive nature of the entire operation. Even though all three services were working together, each one would want to take the most credit for success and if that meant withholding a little to get the edge on making a big score, then that was just the nature of the beast. Xi drove his ball sharply and struck the target equally as firm. Paige cocked an eyebrow as she glanced up. She was fiercely competitive.

They traded the platform once again. Xi sat down taking a bottled beer from the ice bucket on the table. Paige watched her target come up on the score display. “So are we going to the, ‘fancy-dress’ party?” Xi chided. 

“I don’t know, do you have a fancy dress?” Paige said. The ball came up and she sent it away again in a long arch. She leaned slightly to watch it, mildly concerned, but it still struck the side of the target. 

“Afraid not,” Xi chuckled. “Nothing in my size” He took his club again and glanced up at the display. 

“How about if I beat you, we find you one that fits?” Paige replied. She took a sip of a clear cocktail with a lime and didn’t sit down, merely leaning on her driver like a hiking-stick. He seemed a good type to her. He hadn’t been a Marshal for as long as her, but looked to have a level head, even for a Marine. She didn’t want any Robocop or GI Joe and he’d been classy enough not to bring up the terms of her transfer so far. She knew it was something they’d half to discuss eventually. For now though, the golf range had given them both a much needed release and they appeared to have good chemistry.

“I would take you up on that, but I think you’re some kind of target-golf hustler,” Xi said looking back. He squared his shoulders and swung. He leaned back tracking the shot to the farthest target, the same one she had just struck, the ball carried too much power and overshot into the netting, “Fuck.” 

She grinned, “Fine, we’ll get your measurements later,” She knew she could take the round with the next shot and it was an easy one, distant and dead ahead. She smacked the ball off the tee and it shot like a laser beam directly into the target. Such was the force, they could hear the clap of the ball impact from the stand. The display shimmered in an animation declaring her the winner.

“[i]Fine[/i],” Xi said, mocking her southern accent. 

“Listen you,” She said pointing the driver at him. She blushed a little and smirked. People had made sport of her accent since she was a child. It seemed to be more prevalent for her than other girls and never got any better with age. She liked it as one of her distinguishing features, but also hated to hear recordings of herself. “Just meet me in front of the complex in a couple hours.”