[FIC] And in This Corner (Conclusion) {Chapter 31}

[dd]

Melissa sat by herself, tapping her cane against her good leg. The other leg still throbbed painfully now and then...but, the doctors thought it would stop serving as a good weather prognosticator in about a month or so. Yes, before too long she ought to start feeling pretty good. Realistic as always, she realized that there were worse alternatives.

Memories of her time in Pakistan fooded her unannounced and uninvited. She thought back to the kaleidoscope of battle, recalling small bits of action, flashes of excitement, and intermittent pins and needles of fear and pain. She remembered the darker, slower times of captivity, and the seemingly endless boredom of her recuperation and rehabilitation.

Conrad would have enjoyed being here today. Melissa mourned his loss.

Switching her thoughs from the then to the now---and settling on a more pleasant target for her attention---she watched the antics of her young companions. What an intersesting medley! That was putting it mildly!

Two young Whispered. An Armslave pilot who was also a world class marksman...still shy of his twentieth birthday. A young ace pilot...who had been a soldier at an age that she had spent experimenting with make-up and playing with dolls.

And, today, they were watched over by a hard-boiled ex-marine with an impressive collection of scars inside and out....and they were the guests of a grizzled veteran of a messy war, a man with more tales to tell than the rest of them combined.

This most certainly was NOT a group to mess around with. And, they were a fine group of friends in the making....

Her thoughts switching lanes without signaling, Melissa smiled when she reminisced about the time she had spent with orphaned children. It had been rewarding work. It made a difference in peoples' lives...just as Mithril and its members had made a difference in her life. Watching Sousuke, Kaname, Tessa, and Kurz, she smiled, realizing the parallel. Sousuke was an orphan, and had been one for most of his life. Kaname had lost her mother, and her father was far overseas and out of sight. Kurz had left his family to strike out on his own, not wanting to be shackled by long-standing traditions and over-bearing restrictions. Tessa was estranged from her parents, who had seemed more concerned about her and her brother's duality of abnormality and freakish potential than they were about the hearts and minds of their children.

They were all lost sheep in their own way. Melissa considred herself to be a good shepherd.

The hands continued their never-ending race around the dial. It was approaching the point where a fine and enjoyable day would transform into a less pleasant drudge of imposition and unfinished business. Everyone was wearing down some, starting to reach their fill.

Tessa was rubbing weary eyes. Kaname's focus faded in and out. Kurz had gone without saying "Oh Yeh" for a few minutes. Sousuke was letting his guard down and came close to smiling.

"One more round to go, boys and girls...unless of course we end in an overall draw. We will be playing a game of TIMED LONG SHOT. Rifles will be the weapon of choice. There will be one target per shooter, and each target with have ten areas to hit. The winners will be the team requiring the least time to hit all of their marks." Joe nodded to Tessa.

Tessa took out her targets and passed them around for everyone to see. They each consisted of a large airbrushing of Tessa and Sousuke locked in tender embrace, leaning towards an expectant kiss. Orbitting around them---and each possessing a facial expression indicating extreme shock, distaste, or unhappiness---were ten replicas of Kaname's face.

"OH YEH, even against 10:1 odds, Tessa wins the day!" Kurz obviously had SOME energy left.

"Deja vu?" Tessa asked innocently.

"It hasn't happened YET!" Kaname said, with more heat than she intended. She shook her head when she realized she was taking things a little too seriously.

"Oh...I see..." Tessa said with a twinkle in her eye, "Let's just call it a premonition, then..."

"Go Tessa...go Tessa...go Tessa...go Tessa." Definitely...Kurz had too much energy left.

Kaname squeezed out a smile. She leaned back against Sousuke, and rested a moment, her eyes half closed. She then stood up, ready to play the last card she had hidden up her sleeve.

Kaname whistled, and looked towards Kurz, stopping him in mid dance. "Kurz...you long-haired handsome devil..." she started.

"Kaname?" She certainly had his attention.

"I will give you one kiss for every shot you miss this round!" Kaname sounded serious.

Kurz eyed her warily. "No jokes....?"

"None."

His hope grew. "No tricks....?"

"Not a one."

Kurz started shaking ever so slightly. He turned to Tessa with a growing flame in his eye. "Captain?"

Tessa just sniffed, and turned her head away from him.

Tessa?!" Kurz was down on his knees.

Tessa "hmmpf'd" and that was all. She fought hard not to smile.

"Tessa...PLEASE!!!" Kurz was down on all fours.

"Sergeant Weber" Tessa started with a very business like voice. "Let me make this perfectly clear to you. You may have as many kisses as you want...."

Kurz jumped and punched the air. "O-o-o-h Y-e-h-h-h."

"...However," Tessa continued, "For every shot that you miss, I will instruct the barber to remove three inches of your own hair. After we get down to scalp, every miss will keep you completely shorn for an additional month. It you annoy me sufficiently, I may make the crew cut the official haircut of Arm Slave pilots. Melissa excluded."

Melissa applauded. Kaname laughed. Sousuke walked over to Kurz and put a hand on his shoulder. Kurz had to know what was coming when he asked "Uh...you are my friend, aren't you Sousuke?"

Sousuke said nothing. Kurz waited.

Sousuke remained quiet. Kurk started to fidget.

Sousuke examined his finger nails...one at a time. Kurz couldn't take it any more....

Say it!!!" Kurz said, barely refraining from shouting.

"Bar-ber...." Sousuke complied. That was the final blow.

Kurz was caught between Scylla and Charybdis...a rock and a hard place...his mane and his libido. He bowed his head and said "Never mind, Kaname."

"Go Sousuke...go Sousuke...go Sousuke...go Sousuke..." Kaname had some energy left too, it seemed. She was dancing around the way Kurz had, wearing a long blond wig similar to his.

"Kaname...a wig?" Sousuke had not been informed of this preparation.

"Oh...yeh...I had gotten it to pester Kurz in the early rounds...but I forgot all about it."

"I see."

"Sousuke?" Kaname aksed.

"Yes, Kaname?"

"Do you think I look good as a blonde, Sousuke?"

"Uh--"

"Sousuke."

"Uh--"

"SOUSUKE!!!"

"You look perfect the way you normally are, Kaname."

"Ahh...how very sweet...I think I might just keep you after all!" Kaname tossed away the wig and tossed her own hair.

"Women!!!" Kurz exclaimed, half in anger and half in jest.

"Not a problem" Sousuke said, following Kaname.

*************************************************************

"Kaname, you're up...."

As Kaname took her place on the firing line, Tessa thought of the questions she had dreamed up to rattle her nerves:

*..."Kaname, have you given any thought to who you might like as your next guardian..."
*..."Kaname, would it please you if it were a girl...you could paint your nails together..."
*..."Kaname, how about a gentleman from a fine family..."
*..."Kaname, might you prefer a handsome young man with a sparkling personality and a dislike for explosions..."

As Kaname began her shooting, Tessa was content to remain silent. She smiled, feeling better about herself.

***Kaname's time: 55 seconds***

"Tessa, you're up..."

***Her time: 53 seconds***

"Sousuke, you're up..."

***His time: 10 seconds***

"Kurz, you're up..."

***The time: 4 seconds***

"Victory to 'Team Tessa.' " Joe mouthed. "A draw for the contest. Folks, why did we DO all that stuff earlier?!!"

"It gave them something to do while we were enjoying the beer!!!" Melissa answered happily.

"Very good point!" Joe conceded.

"And it kept us off the street!!!" Kurz added.

"An excellent point!" Joe laughed. "Well, let's head on over to the final arena...what do you say ladies?" He smiled at Tessa and Kaname. "We'll let each pretty little filly see what it's like to be a warhorse."

Joe walked over to a circuit breaker, and flipped a number of switches. He walked over to an opposing wall, threw a couple more, and dialed up a rheostat. He unbarred a door, opened it, and signalled everyone to follow him down a short and narrow hallway.

"We're headed into the basement of an the old abandoned warehouse next door. I bought the place and turned it into a combat arena. It's a popular place, keeps me out of trouble, and helps keep my business out of the red. Today it will help decide young Sousuke's fate." Joe sounded purposefully melodramatic. Sousuke showed no appreciation for the building drama.

"Be certain that you bring all of your stuff with you...we don't want to leave any of THAT unattended!" They were not certain weather he meant weapons and ammunition...or the props from the day's shenanigans.

They made thire way into a small waiting area with chairs, a magazine rack, a coffee machine and a small color TV. Wartime memorabilia was framed and on the walls, along with photos of veterans and a bunch of old John Wayne movie posters.

Joe opened a door, and allowed everyone to look in. "We spent a lot of time, money, junk, and elbow grease putting together replicas of a number of battle environments. You ladies will make your way through them all, and back out that door." He pointed to a different doorway. "Miss Tessa...Miss Kaname...if you'll come with me a moment, please.'

Tessa and Kaname followed Joe a short distance through the entry door. They saw an unfolding mazeway of plywood walls, styrofoam blocks, and assorted refugees from a lumber yard. Everything was painted like buildings, streets, and things one would expect to see in a nameless city.
"I want you to pay attention to these openings" Joe said, pointing to large slots in the floor, walls, and ceiling. "Some of these will be occupied. I'll tell you more about that when we get back with your friends." They rejoined the others.

"You will enter the door, and make your way through a series of encouters. Consider yourself the last able-bodied soldier from your squad. I will follow behind you---unarmed---as a severely wounded comrade. Scattered throughout the various areas will be a total of ten hostiles. They may be soldiers...they may be terrorists...banditos...even street scum. They will each of them be painted carrying a weapon. And they all mean you no good."

"That part is easy enough, right?" Both girls nodded their heads. "Well, it gets more complicated. We also have people you do NOT want to shoot. Women. Children. You might see a preacher. Maybe a blind beggar. None of them will have a weapon. We will ALL consider it a VERY bad thing if you hit one of them." Tessa and Kaname signalled that they understood.

"I'll pause a moment and say this: if I were the first shooter, I would keep very quiet about what I see inside there. The set-up today will be the same for both of you." Kaname and Tessa looked at each other. They each knew what the other was thinking.

"You will gain one point for every hostile sent to his coffin within three seconds. After three seconds, a kill brings no points. If you have not killed an enemy within five seconds, you will be considered dead or disabled. Today, that also means you are disqualified. And, for every innocent you bring even the slightest discomfort to, you will have two points deducted from your score. We will play today until we have a winner. Or until its my bed time. Whatever comes first." Joe didn't have the look of a man who got much sleep.

"Sir" Sousuke asked "What weapons are they allowed to use and how much ammunition may they carry?"

"You're way ahead of me, boy" Joe chuckled "I was getting to that. They can carry anything and everything. As long as I have seen it, consider it OK. You don't have any grenades on you, do you Sousuke?" Joe was only joking.

"Uh--" Sousuke showed Joe a fragmentation grenade he had been carrying. "I did not intend it for the competition, Joe."

"Damn if that don't beat all! Kids these days?" Joe was feigning surprise. "I guess I'm very fortunate you didn't use that on those toughs earlier today!"

"Joe...at great risk to my personal safety...I would be glad to make certain that Tessa and Kaname are not concealing any grenades." That, of course, was Kurz.

Joe, smiling, turned to Sousuke. "You know lad, we DO have a room in the back that would probably withstand a grenade blast. If you would like to take Mr. Kurz there and play---while you wait for the ladies---I'll glady give you the key...."

"I..uh...withdraw the offer!" Kurz spat out quickly.

Joe just smiled. "Miss Tessa, as a new guest today, you will be given the choice to go first or to wait."

"I will go first, if I may"

"Good girl! I'll give you ten minutes to get yourself ready. When you hear the alram, head into the arena and I will follow you. Defend freedom, and show the world you deserve to live."

"Tessa," Kaname said, thinking of something just then. "If you see a boy...if you see Takuma...don't forget to take him out this time. It will save the rest of us a LOT of trouble!" She laughed, Kaname level two.

"Tessa's eyes opened wide momentarily, then narrowed to slits. She frowned. "I thank you for your timely analysis. I might add, that YOU would be better off not struggling with him when it's time to escape."

Kurz and Tessa put their heads together to discuss strategy and weapons management. Tessa wisely chose to carry only her submachine gun. She put in a fresh clip, and put on a belt Kurz provided. She added four additional clips to the belt. "If you drop a clip, Tessa, just let it lay. Don't bother fumbling after it...you have plenty on the belt."

Tessa took off her confining dress shirt and put on a spare olive green T-shirt that Kurz had brought along. She thought a moment, then wiped off all of her make-up.

"Good luck, babe." Kurz offered. "I'll be rooting for you big time!"

"Thank you." Tessa walked to stand by the door.

The alarm sounded, strident but short. It was now or never. Her destiny was in her hands. Tessa headed into the arena, Joe on her six.

The first zone was a city street. Lights kicked on, triggered by motion sensors. Steam streamed upward from vents in the fake road surface. Neon signs glowed, some flickering eerily. Shingles, window frames, doors. gutterwork, and downspouts gave an air of autheticity to the environment. There was a bench with two manikins...frightened looking women, huddled together. There was another manikin, and old man, frozen in his rush across the street.

**A soldier popped out from Tessa's left.**

Briefly shocked, Tessa maintained her composure, and gunned it down. She continued.

**From the right, another soldier**

Her heart pounding, Tessa made quick work of that one too. She walked and looked around corners, scanning the road ahead of her.

**A door opened, and the wooden painted shape of a young woman rushed out**

Caught off guard, Tessa jerked around, finger spasming on the trigger. She was just able to direct the spray of fire away from the friendly figure. She gasped. That was TOO close. And she had only faced two opponents! She would pay more attention to doorways, windows, and the like. Joe had said nothing about a time limit...she had no reason to rush into trouble.

She stepped past an old city mailbox, and under a low hanging plastic tree branch. The pathway lead down a narrow branch of the avenue.

**An old man leaned through an open window, a painted bottle in his wooden hand**

Tessa, hyper-alert, took in everything quickly, holding her fire.

**Another figure leaned out the same window. This one had a gun!!!**

Tessa carefully shot the soldier, placing her shots as far away from the elderly gentleman as possible.

"Very good squad leader, very good" Tessa heard Joe say. She didn't pay any attention. No time to get over-confident!

She walked around a corner.

**A man popped out slowly around a corner, continuing to move...he was wrapped in rope! Behind him, his captor...another soldier!**

Smiling ever so slightly, Tessa took out the soldier, sparing the captive. "Well, you might show SOME gratitude" she said to the captive quietly. She had figured out that one quickly. For a moment, she marveled at the power of the gun in her hand, felt like the master of all she surveyed. Was this what real combat felt like?

The lights in the ersatz city area went completely black. Another set of lights went on, displaying a dirt path leading between closely spaced trees. Jungle noises played from hidden speakers. An occasional mechanical arm made a rustling sound up in the tree branches.

The path led to a more open area...she could see what looked to be two ramshackle huts up ahead. A stuffed burro grazed on plastic grass. An actual old rusted car chasis sat in the middle of the path.

Tessa surveyed the car from behind a tree. She then made her way from tree to tree, making certain there were no hidden recesses along the way.
She was ready for what came next.

**The trunk of the car opened, giving Tessa a partially hidden view of a man with a gun.**

A short burst of fire took out the target, but also sent ricochets whizzing about the room. "You'll want to take that kind of thing into consideration, little lady." Joe put in helpfully.

Tessa continued on carefully, seeing if she could go around a part of the huts that showed no windows. The arena did not allow that choice. She ran quickly to the opposite side of the road.

**Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of movement on the top of the second hut**

Braced against the side of a plaster and wood tree trunk, Tessa emptied the remainder of her clip into the painted bandito. She reloaded quickly and successfully. She continued carefully along the side of the trail.

**A door in the first hut opened. A padre leaned out to see what was happening. He did not carry a gun**

Tessa held her fire. It must be a tough job being a padre in these parts. Far be it for her to make it any tougher. The lights went out again. To her right, another set of lights lit up, but lit up dimly.

She looked down a dirty and decrepid alley way. Garbage cans had fallen over, spilling forth an assortment of non-perishable trash. Rubber rats sat near the feast. The fruit of someone's sense of humor, a chalk body outline was present, reminiscent of something from a detective movie.

**An old woman popped into the alley. There was a recording of a cat screaming**

Tessa brought her gun up quickly, but didn't fire. "You shouldn't be out here all alone at night, mam!"

But, she was NOT alone. **The sound of a woman's scream. Two assailants popped out, flanking the old woman, turning towards Tessa**

Both targets fell. The old woman remained standing, whole. The lights went off again. And stayed off. "Not afraid of the dark, are you Missy?" Joe asked behind her. Tessa jumped...she hadn't heard him approach. "Not every battle takes place out in the sun or under street lights. But today, we don't need to worry about that."

Lights came on, showing a replica of the inside of a pair of connected subway cars. Grafitti filled the walls, inside and out. A couple of abandoned newspapers sat on empty seats. Trash was on the floor. The car was deserted. There was a button to push to open the door to the next car. The window was too dirty to see through.

Tessa pushed the button, and stepped away from the opening. She thought a moment...it probably wasn't necessary, but why not try it. She took her small mirror out of her skirt pocket and used it to look around the opening. She saw a manikin of a woman sitting on a far bench. She heard the sound of crying. She saw another door at the end of the next car.

**The door opened. A woman's cry of "Nooooo..." rang out. The figure of a tall mugger made its way through the door...

Tessa fired quickly, before she had taken everything in.

...The figure of a small child was being pushed in by the wooden attacker.**

Both the assailant and the boy were caught by Tessa's burst. Shocked, Tessa stood still, as if glued to that spot on the floor. She put a hand to her mouth. Her eyes grew very wide. She started to shake ever so little.

"We don't have time to check on him or offer medical assistance." Joe said opening a door painted to look like part of the subway car. "This way, Miss Tessa. There will be time to mourn later."

The door lead into a well lit hallway. The hallway lead to a small room, only partially visible from where Tessa stood. She could see some chairs sitting in front of a fake instrument panel with glowing lights. Christmas tree lights taking the place of warning lights. The closer she walked, the more she could make out. There were schematics on the wall. Drawings of cooling towers and other areas she recognized as parts of a nuclear power plant. Looking carefully around the door frame, she saw a manikin in a chair, and a wooden gun at his head. She did a quick count. She knew this wouldn't necessarily hold true in a real encounter, but there could only be one hostile left. She stepped into the room.

**There was a terroristist holding the hostage at gunpoint. But, there was also another similarly dressed man with a gun**

Tessa gunned down both men. It was an instictual reaction. And the correct one. "Very good. Very good indeed. There were eleven hostiles. I must have forgotten about one." Joe said. "You did very well for a beginner, Tessa. Don't let an understandable mistake bring you down too much, now." He patted her shoulder, and showed her the way out.

Everyone looked up when she entered the room. They focused their attention on her, their looks curious. Kurz walked up, holding a cold drink for her. "Well, how'd it go Tessa? Smoke some terrorist ass?" He began to grin very widely...he stopped altogether when he saw Tessa's face.

Tessa didn't say anything. She did not acknowledge anybody. She walked over to a chair, hung her head, and sighed deeply. They could all hear what she said to herself. "I hit a boy. A little boy..." She fought back tears.

She was angry at herself. She had felt excited and animated earlier. She felt numb and depressed now. This was only a game, and it still made her feel this way. War wasn't a game. She sent people into this kind of situation. And there were more people at risk than the ones she sent in. But that was immaterial, now.

She may have slaughtered her chance here today.

She had hit a little boy.



*************************************************************

Kaname watched Tessa. She was very depressed, almost in tears. That had to be very good news for the next contestant, right? Somehow, however, Kaname did not feel very happy.

She heard Tessa say something about hitting a little boy. For a moment, she felt a quick stab of guilt, remembering what she had said about Takuma. She shook that thought away...it was unlikely that anything she had said or that she had done was responsible for Tessa's predicament. She should prepare herself mentally...no doubt she had a good chance to win if she played things smart and careful.

Kaname looked back at Tessa. She wouldn't have thought earlier that she would feel sorry for her---but she did. She considered what Tessa must have been hoping for today, and what she had been faced with throughout her time in Mithril. It didn't take too much imagination or an over-developed sense of empathy to get an idea of just what she must be feeling now. Kaname had suffered through a number of hard times in her life when things she had hoped for---or had taken for granted---came crashing down around her. She was very much grateful that her world was a much better place these days. She was very grateful for Sousuke.

She felt regret for some of the things she had done to Tessa recently, whether or not she felt they were justified. At that moment, it did not matter that many of those things had been done in good fun.

Sousuke tapped Kaname on the shoulder, seeing that she was lost in thought. "Kaname...is there anything wrong?"

Kaname fought back tears when she looked up at Sousuke. She took his hand. "No, Sousuke...something is very right." She smiled when Sousuke kissed her on her forehead.

"Are you ready, Kaname?"

"Yes."

"I have faith in you. I know you will do well." Somewhat illogically, he added "Please come back alive." He blushed slightly, remembereing this was just a game.

"You bet. Who else could keep you in line?" She leaned against him for a moment, drawing strength. She then stood up and took her place by the door.

The alarm sounded.

The contest would be decided by what happened next.

*************************************************************

Kaname looked like a natural, Joe thought. She moved well. She planned well. She used the environment to her advantage like a seasoned veteran. Watching her with a mix of pride and astonishment, he thought that Sousuke must be rubbing off on her.

Every threat was properly evaluated, and handled with the level of punishment fitting the crime. The subway scene had been tight, and she almost followed in Tessa's footsteps. She pulled her shots high enough to miss the child, and said a quick prayer...she now knew what had happened to Tessa. She also knew that Tessa could have no more than eight points...she herself had nine.

She put in a new clip.

Kaname was determined. Very determined. She had a plan...and she was sticking to it. One more bad guy to go. She was almost finished. This long contest would soon come to an end.

When she reached the door to the nuclear plant control room, she stepped boldly into the center of the room boldly. She raised her gun and pretended to pull the trigger. "Shit!" she yelled, taking out a clip and throwing it on the floor. She fumbled her replacement clip. Joe called "time!" before she got the next clip in.

Joe went to retrieve the thrown clip. He tossed it in his hand judging the weight. He compared Kaname's actions in this final room to her spotless performance up to this point. She had not been shocked to see an extra man. He remembered her loading a full clip in the subway car.

"I guess you must be very disappointed in me, Joe" Kaname said, making it a point to hang her head low and speak quietly.

"No girl...in a way, I am very proud of you. I have to admit I am very angry, though."

"Angry?" Kaname asked, the sparkle mysteriously back in her voice.

"Yes, young lady. Old Joe is not THAT old. And I'm not senile. You could have simply told me that you wanted to throw the contest for Tessa's sake. I would have understood....I probably wouldn't have recommended it, but I would have understood."

"Oh...I see. I apologize." Kaname sounded truly sorry.

"It's OK, gal. It's OK. It certainly was a pleasure to see you in action. And it did my heart good to see what kind of heart you have inside you. I can tell why that young fellow likes you so much, even if he doesn't always show it!" Joe squeezed Kaname's shoulder tenderly.

"But, I have some good news and some bad news for you...which would you like to hear first?"

"The good, I suppose" Kaname said, curious and concerned at the same time.

"Between you and me...I consider YOU to be the winner of this contest, no matter what the rules say. And for that reason, I still plan to give you something towards college." Joe handed Kaname a check. Kaname held back tears and gave Joe a long hug, not knowing just what to feel.

"Thank you. Thank you very much."

"You might not be as thankful after I tell you the next thing. I won't lie to anyone about what happened here. As a favor to you, I won't tell them something they don't ask. And I can't promise that my reactions won't give me away. But I won't go out of my way to spoil a very generous gesture."

Kaname thanked Joe again and followed him into the waiting area.

*************************************************************

Melissa was watching when Kaname walked out. Her step was measured, and her face was set...but she did not look saddened or disappointed. She watched Joe as well. He was very guarded...he did not make an effort to speak...and that was surprising given his behavior all throughout the day.

Even though no one had said a word, Melissa was certain that something was not on the up and up.

Sousuke also watched Kaname intently. He was no less observant than Melissa. His assessment of Joe also followed along similar lines.

"Sooo...Kannnaaame...how'd it go babe? Will you be bowing down before Tessa, begging her not to steal away Sousuke's innocent little heart...or, will you be ripping Tessa's heart from her chest like an Aztec priestess, sharing a bite with all of us before you throw it at her feet...c'mon babe. we GOTTA know!!!" Kurz looked like he was ready to jump out of his skin.

Kaname, beginning to wonder if she would regret her decision, slowly said "I froze at the end. I did not get a shot off in time. Tessa wins." She hung her head, and walked over to congratulate Tessa.

"Joe," Sousuke asked "Is this true?"

"Yes, lad, it is" was all that Joe answered.

Sousuke thought a moment. "Joe, is there something you could tell us that is making you uncomfortable?"

Joe's eyes and mouth answered long before he did. "I'd rather not, lad. If I may." Joe's eyes asked Sousuke to stop. He did. He could find out what he needed later on.

Kurz was too oblivious to catch the significance of that exchange. He was dancing along happily, singing at the top of his lungs. It may not have been top 40, but it was a familiar tune: "Oh...Tessa and Sousuke...sitting in a tree...K-I-S-S-I-N-Geeeeeeee..."

Melissa decided at that moment. Absolutely NO MORE caffeine for Kurz.

Melissa, as one would expect, was NOT oblivious. Neither was Tessa. They both started to speak at the same time, stopping when they heard the other. Melissa nodded to Tessa, yielding the floor. "Joe...did I truly win the contest?"

"Yes" Joe answered truthfully. His body gave clues to a truth his mouth did not wish to speak.

"I see" was all that Tessa said in return. She looked at Melissa, and shook her head briefly, seeing Melissa nod in return. She looked at Sousuke, and immediately knew that Sousuke was tracking the same thought she was. She could tell that Joe realized that the cat was out of the bag, but was not going to dirty the moment any further by saying anything.

Tessa had won, but it didn't feel the slightest bit like a victory.

*************************************************************

Tessa walked sedately up to Kaname, wanting to take say what was on her mind and what was in her heart.

"Congratulations again, Tessa" Kaname said, trying to maintain a smile. "Please take good care of Sousuke on your date...you know how he is...he requires a lot of supervision...a lot of w-work." Her smile cracked a tiny bit, despite her effort.

"I'll bring him back in one piece...I promise!" That part was simple enough. "Kaname, thank you."

"You don't have to thank me, Tessa. That was all part of the bet. You won, and you get to enjoy a well earned prize. Just remember this. This is a loan. I expect him back again!" Kaname was getting a bit of her natural spunk back.

"I understand, Kaname. I understand very well. But that was not what I was talking about..."

"What, then...?"

"Kaname...I think you know what I am talking about..." Tessa was kind, but firm.

"You must be mistaken. There is nothing here to talk about." Kaname tried to sound very insistant.

"Oh...I see...let me put it this way..." Tessa spoke in a very convivial manner, smiling. "Let's just say a certain young lady were to purposely lose a contest...letting another young lady win something that meant a great deal to her...it would only be natural that the second lady would feel very thankful towards the first." Tessa winked. She winked a second time, just in case Kaname missed the first one. "Hypothetically speaking...of course."

"Oh...yes...VERY hypothetical." Her secret discovered, Kaname found her self blushing and smiling inappropriately like a schoolgirl caught in the middle of a lie.

"I did NOT see that smile, Kaname!" Tessa said evenly, trying to fight back a smile of her own.


*************************************************************

Sousuke walked up to Kaname, his eyes intent upon her face. He was curious, suspicious, and concerned.

"Kaname..." Sousuke started.

Kaname put a finger over Sousuke's mouth and said "Shhhh...I know what you are worried about Sousuke, and I'm pretty certain I know what you are going to ask. We'll talk about it later, after all of the others have left. You should go and talk to Tessa, now. She is, after all, the winner today." Sousuke was wise enough now to understand she was not talking entirely about THIS contest when she said 'winner.' And he did not miss the emphasis on the word 'today.'

"As you wish, Kaname. I will just say that I am very proud of you. Every time I look, I see more reasons why I l--...like you so very much." Kaname was clever too...she caught his hesitation, and had a good idea what he almost said.

"Thank you."

*************************************************************

Joe walked up to Tessa holding a box. A small, old, frayed jewelry box. When he got up to her, he spoke quickly. "Miss Tessa, I would like very much for you to have this." He opened the box. A small gold pin was inside. The pin was in the form of a seabird in flight.

"Joe...I can't...I didn't..." Tessa couldn't get her words out in time.

"Please, missy. Stop. Don't say anything more." Joe looked very determined, and looked like he was not going to be denied. "Don't say anything that we both know doesn't need to be said." He looked very intently at Tessa who blushed and nodded her head in assent.

"This is not about winning or losing, gal. This is about feeling. I am very proud of Miss Kaname, that much is true. There is a lot in that young lady to be proud of. But I am proud of you too!"

"Me...but..." Tessa was honestly perplexed.

"Yes...you" Joe pointed at Tessa, leaving no room for futher doubt, "Like I said, it's not all about winning. It's like the old cliche...it's how you play the game. I was impressed with the way you played the game. You walked in here a little girl...no offense...but I think you walk out of here a lady."

"Joe..."

"Just listen!!! I'll put it simple. You came in a shy little horse. You leave a little less shy. You ran a race with a mighty tough bunch today, and you did yourself proud."

He paused, rubbing his head. "Do me one favor in return for that pin...never forget that!"

"OK, I won't forget. Thank you."

"Oh...and another favor...I'm feeling greedy today."

"Yes?"

"I'd like you to wear that pin when you go out walking with that young man. It will look good on you. And you will look good with him. But, take proper care of him. And don't forget the young lady who made this happen for you. Deal?"

Tessa held out her hand. "Deal!!!"

*************************************************************

Sousuke walked up to Tessa. This was the moment that she had been waiting for. This was also the moment she most dreaded. What could she say? He KNEW!!!

"You did very well today, Tessa. You should be very proud. You should be very happy." Sousuke sounded very open, very kind. There was no hint of anger...no hint of disappointment.

"Thank you Sousuke, but I do not deserve your congratulations. You and I both have suspicions regarding the victory, don't we?"

Sousuke stopped and regarded Tessa. He chose his words carefully. "You know how I feel about Kaname. And both you and she know what I must think through. I cannot make you any promise that you might want to hear...but that does not mean I cannot see how hard you tried today." He paused, trying to corral some fast moving thoughts.

Tessa waited patiently. Sousuke continued "You cannot win if you do not try, Tessa. I have learned that much myself. A team cannot win if the members don't contribute. You tried today. And you contributed."

"I understand that Sousuke, but it doesn't stop the victory from looking like Fool's gold....from feeling like...like..."

"Tessa, I will honor our wager. But I will not honor it because of the bet. In fact, suspecting what I do, I would be personally forced to view the results as invalid..." Sousuke was very serious.

"Then, why....?"

"I will honor our wager Tessa, and I will join you on a date. Not because of winning or losing. You tried hard. You contributed well. You let people see you for who you are. You let me see you for who you are" Sousuke was struggling with his feelings, caught on the horns of a dilemma.

"I see...does this mean...?"

"I am not sure what it means beyond my being proud of you. I have always been proud to have you as my Captain. I now think that I might be proud to have you as a friend."

" I care very much about Kaname, and that will probably not change. That does not alter the fact that I may be able to care very much for you too. It just may not be in the same way." Sousuke looked like he had committed a crime by saying that. He somehow felt that he was letting Kaname down.

Tessa correctly interpreted his expression. "Sousuke, thank you. Thank you very much...it's hard to keep from crying now..." she made her point by wiping away a few tears. "You've said more than I hoped to hear, and probably more than I truly deserve. But I want you to know something..."

"Tessa?"

"I don't think you have done anything to hurt Kaname today. I think *she* will be proud of *you* when she thinks about your actions today. She might not be happy, but I'm certain she would be proud. Remember, we are having this conversation because of something SHE chose to do." tessa paused before continuing. "Maybe I'm weak, but I don't want to let go of this opportunity."

"I see."

"And," Tessa continued, "I intend to play fair. I think Kaname expects that. I owe her that. I owe you a lot too, Sousuke, for the things you have done for me in the past. We can talk about things more, another day. I think you should go back to Kaname now."


*************************************************************

Melissa walked up to Kaname with a very purposeful stride. "Kaname," she said very firmly. "That was a fine thing that you did! Stupid...but fine."

"Melissa, I..."

"Enough, Kaname...I'm tired...my leg is sore...Kurz' ass needs to be kicked...and I am NOT in the mood for any games right now."

"Oh"

"Exactly!!!" Melissa had her hands on both hips, her cane under one arm. Her look was rather frightening for someone paying a heartfelt compliment. "Let's just say I am very proud of you"

"Thank you..."

"And! You have a favor coming. Whatever you need...ask!"

"I will."

"Good!" Melissa smiled then and squeezed Kaname's arm. "I know what Sousuke means to you."

She said in a more subdued voice. "And I also know how Sousuke feels about you, even though he may not show it to your satisfaction. I cannot guarantee that you have no reason to be concerned...but I would be surprised if things turn out bad for you in the end."

"Yes. I hope so."

"Don't just place all you bets on hope. That's something Kurz would do. This is still a race, no matter how far you are ahead. You better not trip. You better run your best!" Melissa's look was very intense.

"I will!"

"Be sure you do..." Melissa said with a laugh, tossing her cane in the air and catching it. "If the race looks like it can be won...you can never tell when ANOTHER horse might enter the race!"

Kaname was almost certain Melissa was not referring to herself. If she was, Kaname knew what she would do with that favor.

*************************************************************

Kurz stopped bouncing around long enough for Joe to find him without the need of a radar screen. Carrying a grocery bag, Joe trapped Kurz in a corner, looking to say what was on his mind. Kurz looked a little uneasy.

"Son, you are trouble waiting to happen!" Joe started. Kurz braced himself for the worst until he saw Joe smile. "Yes, you are a lightning rod for trouble, but you handle it very well!" He held up the bag to Kurz.

"What's this...a bag full of trouble...I think I have enough of THAT!" Kurz laughed, taking hold of the bag.

"It's those books I promised you..." Joe laughed. Kurz remembered. His look soured a bit.

"Look..." He started.

"You like the ladies, right?" Kurz was forced to agree. "But maybe the ladies don't like you as much as you might like." Kurz shook his head 'no.'

"Boy!!!" Joe said loudly. Kurz nodded his head 'yes.' "That's better. It's not good to try fooling people too long. Especially yourself...I know I know..." Joe laughed when Kurz held a hand up. "Just listen. Take the books. Give it some thought. Tone the act down a bit. And who knows..."

Kurz smiled. "It's better advice than Melissa gives me! Her advice usually ends with a kick to the groin or a slam into the wall."

"That's good advice too, son!" Joe did not seem like he was joking.

"Don't stop being yourself, lad. You're a character, and the world can use as many of those as it can get. I'm just saying that some day you might think that being with somebody is better than just having fun. Know what I mean...long hair?" Joe was still smiling.

Kurz took off his wig. "Do you feel more comfortable talking to me like this, Joe?"

Joe shook his head violently. "Hell no...you look too much like my son that way! Keep it on...keep it on." He then adopted a very serious looking face and tone of voice. "Let me give you one more piece of advice that has always served me well."

"And that is...?"

"Don't ever judge a book by it's cover, boy...there's more to a man than appearence!!!" They both laughed, remembering the way Joe reacted when he first saw Kurz. "Seriously, son...you're welcome back here any time you like."


*************************************************************

Kurz walked back into the room whistling happily, tossing a box up into the air and catching it, repeatedly. "Aha...there you are Tessa!" He ran up to speak with his team mate.

He neglected to notice that Melissa was nearby. Melissa had recognized what kind of box he carried. It was the box of left-over condoms that had survived the shooting match.

"Don't even BOTHER, sergeant Weber!" Melissa called out, brandishing her cane.

"This is none of YOUR business, Sis." Kurz made the risky move of turning his back on Melissa while he cornered Tessa. "Tessa, babe, with your date coming up, I though you might have a need for these. Right? Right!!!"

Tessa did not blush. She did not say a thing. She knew she didn't NEED to.

Melissa grabbed the box of condoms from Kurz' hand. "Tessa doesn't need these!" she said out loud. "We need these" she whispered in Kurz' ear.

"Sis? You're not tricking me again, are you?" Kurz looked eager...but even more worried.

"Of course not. I mean exactly what I say now. We NEED them." Melissa was smiling.

"Oh Yeh!!!...but... WHY do we need them, babe?"

"How smart of you to ask...when I'm done with you, Kurz...I can ship you back home in these!!!" Melissa started walking towards Kurz.

"Melissa...Sis...babe...you wouldn't!!! It's been a LONG day." Kurz started backpeddling quickly.

"It's OK, I still have some energy left and you won't need to worry about anything for much longer. Want to use that card you won?"

Tessa laughed.

*************************************************************

Kaname and Sousuke had said their goodbyes to Tessa, Kurz, and Melissa. They had also said thank you to Joe. Kaname waited apprehensively. She did not know what Sousuke might want to say. She was not certain how he would react to what she had to say.

"Kaname, " Sousuke walked up silently, not allowing Kaname any time to check his face for clues. "You said we would talk later. It is later." Sousuke looked relaxed, expectant.

There was only one course of action. Kaname would not play dumb: each day that passed, she grew more and more aware how sharp Sousuke's mind could be, despite the fact that he often appeared clueless over the simplest things. Even more important, this was not the time for games.

"I threw the contest Sousuke...I held off firing at an easy target so that Tessa would win." She chose the direct approach. Sousuke would respect that.

"I see. Would you explain, please."

"I hadn't planned it before today...quite the opposite, actually. Near the end...seeing Tessa...it just felt like something that needed to be done.

"I see."

"Sousuke...I was the only one who could do it...." Kaname tried not to sound anxious or concerned.

"I understand that point, Kaname." Sousuke walked over to Kaname and briefly touched her cheek, a feathery caress. "I would like to understand why. Are you having doubts about me?" Sousuke's voice and facial expression were neutral. He eyes looked vulnerable.

"No Sousuke...not really. I know what I want...that part is easy." Another transient caress, this time Kaname's fingers over Sousuke's hand. "You're that part."

"I'm glad of that." Sousuke's eyes were neutral now.

"Some of the things Tessa said today---and some of the ways she acted---it made me wonder how I would feel if our roles were reversed." Kaname looked compassionate, and sounded caring.

"Yes. You have a kind heart, Kaname." Sousuke rubbed the back of his head in recollection. "Except when you have the halisen...."

"Sousuke!" Kaname's pitch went up. The caring and compassionate side of her was placed into suspended animation.

"It's not a problem."

"IT had better NOT be!!!" Kaname's eyes then went from incipient rage to blessed calm. "In any case, I also thought about things that Tessa had said during our...uh...misunderstanding on the submarine. Things she said about me. And especially things she said about you."

"Kaname?"

"Let me make something perefectly clear up front, sergeant! Are you paying attention? You have a way of missing the obvious sometimes."

"Do I, Kaname?"

"Yes, you do! Are you questioning me?!" Magma, pushing up against a seam in the crust.

"Of course not, Kaname!"

"Very good. I want to say that I am NOT giving you away. I have NOT grown even the least bit dissatisfied with you. I will NOT give up on you, even if the impossible happens!" Kaname sounded very intense.

"The impossible?"

"If by some miracle you were to become...interested...in Tessa..." Kaname sounded dyspeptic.

"Uh---me?"

"Even very interested..." Yes, very dyspeptic.

"Uh---how?"

"Possibly even very very interested..." Extremely dyspeptic.

"Uh---why?"

"SOUSUKE! Are you just going to stand there making THAT noise?!!" Irritation trumped dyspepsia.

"Is there a better noise, Kaname?"

"SOUSUKE!!!" Anger outbid irritation.

"Please continue, Kaname."

"Sometimes, Sousuke...SOMETIMES!!!" Exasperation won the hand.

"Yes, Kaname."

"As I was trying to say before you interupted me: even if it looked like Tessa would take you away from me, I wouldn't give up on you. There cannot be very many moody AND young military maniacs running around Tokyo!" Her determination was so strong, it threatened to shake the fillings from her teeth.

"There are not, Kaname."

"Sousuke...you told me the insight about the big fish, right?" Sousuke had talked about Bobbo's pearls of wisdom with Kaname.

"Yes."

"Well...I have a hook in you, and I do not intend to let you go. And, I do not feel like throwing you back...at least not today!" She smiled.

"I see." Sousuke nodded his head. "I find no reason to try and throw the hook, Kaname. But what should I do on my date with Tessa? Fish with hooks in their mouths do not usually go looking for more bait to bite."

"Be open with her, Sousuke. And with yourself. Try to understand Tessa and make her as happy as you feel able to. And as much as you want to."

"Kaname?"

"Sousuke...I won't place any limits. That will be up to you and Tessa. I want you to be happy, Sousuke. I want to know what's in your heart. I want you to find out what's in your heart when you have other choices available." Kaname was completely sincere.

"Kaname...are you saying..."

"Tessa wants badly to see if there can ever be something between the two of you. You owe it to yourself to answer that question too. You owe it to me as well, because I need to know." There was almost a pleading quality to Kaname's voice.

"You trust me? You are not afraid?" Sousuke was staring directly into Kaname's gaze, holding her captive with that look.

"I trust you completely, Sousuke. But, I am still afraid. You know I hate uncertainty. You understand how I feel about losing people close to me."

"Do you think I might choose Tessa over you?"

"I will admit the possibility, Sousuke." Kaname's heart felt like it was in her throat.

"I do not think that will happen...."

"I'm very happy to hear that! But, I cannot afford to take anything for granted. There is something I heard that makes a lot of sense." Kaname's smile returned.

"What was that, Kaname?"

"If you let something go...and it returns to you...it's yours!" Kaname made it a point to grap both of Sousuke's hands very tightly, then let go of them.

"I am very impressed, Kaname. You are certainly someone worth coming back to."

"Thank you Sousuke. I hope so. I really hope so." Kaname took Sousuke's hand again, much softer this time.

"Are you ready to go home now, Kaname?"

"Yes...but not alone, Sousuke." The look she gave him was very direct.

"Kaname?"

"I was the real winner today, wasn't I?" She smiled.

"Yes..." Sousuke was wondering where this was headed.

"And the winner deserves the prize, doesn't she?" The smile grew.

"Yes."

"What was the prize, Sousuke?"

"Me?"

"You're uncertain?" The smile wavered ever so slightly.

"It was me, Kaname!"

"Yes...it certainly was!!!" Kaname was thinking about Sousuke's first awkward kiss with her. Sousuke definitely needed some work there.

"There are things we need to practice, Sousuke" It didn't sound as if she was allowing any alternative choice.

"Uh---Kaname?"

"Nothing wierd, Souske. Nothing dangerous...unless you don't get it right!!!" The sound of a cell door locking. The sound of a key being dropped down a endless flight of stairs.

*************************************************************

Joe was feeling his age. The noise...the shooting...the countless surprises...it almost felt like being in battle again. The contest had taken a lot out of him. But it had certainly been fun!!!

"That was quite the bunch of kids!" he said to himself, chuckling and rubbing his brow. To him, someone Melissa's age still graded out as a kid.

He certainly was not going to forget this day anytime soon. Unless he missed his guess, none of the others would either. Of course, no one else would believe a thing that he said if he told them ANYTHING that happened today, much less everything. His friends at the Veteran's Association wouldn't pull any punches: they would call him a bald-faced liar!

Joe thought about ways he could prove his claims. He remembered the security cameras...they covered each shooting area from various angles. He usually just erased those tapes and used them again.

He thought a bit more. He gave up worrying about proof. Remembrance became his new objective. He would like some photographs for the big board out in the office area. And those crazy kids might get a kick out of a photo book.

Joe decided to take the tapes into a photo shop and see what lind of stills they could make from them. As he turned off the last of the lights, he found himself hoping those kids would all come back some day.

*************************************************************

Lt. Cmdr. Kalinin shut off the radio after he had completed his converstaion with the away team. It appeared that the mission had been completed with no casualties. He hadn't expected any wounded...but one could never predict what might happen in that type of encounter.

He had been somewhat uncomfortable having the Captain off of the ship along with two of the best Arm Slave pilots. Doubly so, given the fact that Sgt. Major Mao had not been cleared to resume active duty yet.

Not every mission followed a standard blueprint! And, he was a firm believer in getting things done that needed to be done.

He was looking forward to that report.

*************************************************************

Finis

[HELLFIRE]

...I SHOULD be sleeping right now, but I HAD to read...

TESSA & SOUSUKE, SITTIN' IN A TREE, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!!! *ROTF *

So we talking the big date next chap, dd?




Regards

[dd]

Depends on what my life expectency is without it!

Still have a little bit more to add to this chapter. will get to it when I can. Was at a soccer tournament all day yesterday, and have to go back again today. Will still try to finish things off tonight.

Would a date chapter be anti-climactic? I mean, nothing romantic would come out of it, right?

Good thing we don't have any Tessa fans around here....

[darkbane]

**eagerly awaiting next chapter**

[dd]

Darkbane...you need to get that nuclear arsenal back out from under lock and key...I'm gonna need it to power back up again!

Might be a while before I can beat the brain drain....

[grahf]

tessa fan? anyone call?

[darkbane]

**nukes grahf into oblivion** nope, no tessa fans in sight.... i'd still want to see the date tho... especially if kaname and kyoko start tailing sousuke... i'm sure she's suspicious/jealous.

don't worry dd, i got some for you too.. here's some stomach freeing medicine to help with your writer's block

[dd]

***Chapter 31 is finished now. S & T date may be Chapter 32***

Have the basic big framework for the date.

Tessa and Sousuke at the opera (havoc)
Tessa and Sousuke fishing (something living flops somewhere it shouldn't. Sousuke needs to help get it out...)
Tessa and Sousuke go out for ice cream (the rowdies show up)
Things don't happen they way they do for most folk.
Kaname is giving them space. No tails. At least not THIS time. Then again...she might seem less confident or willing to be so open when Sousuke is actually with Tessa...

Now just need time and energy....

[HELLFIRE]

Would a date chapter be anti-climactic? I mean, nothing romantic would come out of it, right?

Good thing we don't have any Tessa fans around here....

...neither Tessa nor Kaname fan, but I DO think they should each get
their turn at Sousuke...

I'd go for a Tessa gets her wish for one date with Sousuke... he ACTUALLY
softens up, more so than he does around Kaname -- don't leave out his
uncomfortness of dating his CO though... MAYBE have Kaname tailing him
discreetly, doesn't butt in though... end it somewhat sweetly with Sousuke
honoring Tessa's wish / request for a kiss (on the cheek)

Just my 0.02c




Regards