[Ranma/NGE/HPL/AMG][FanFic] Sic Semper Morituri Chapter 9: Revelations Aren't Victories

[Ranma][NGE][HPL][AMG][Fusion][Fanfic] Sic Semper Morituri Chapter 9:
Revelations Aren't Victories

Disclaimer:
I do not own any of the characters from Ranma 1/2, Neon Genesis Evangelion,
Ah My Goddess, or the Lovecraft Cycle involved in these stories. And I'll
put them back when I've finished with them.

C&C , MSTs are welcome
E-mail: dan_s.comments@worldnet.att.net
Stories are available in HTML and Rich Text Format at:
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(These are the revised versions)

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(These are the original versions)


What has gone before:
About Book 11, Akane and Soun Tendo throw Ranma out of the house,
Nabiki, in the guise of a wish, follows him. They meet EVA pilots Shinji
Ikari, Rei Ayanami, Asuka Soryu Langley and Jeffery Davis.
The Pilots and the EVAs board the CVB-43 Coral Sea to sail to Tokyo,
the Great Old Ones Chaugnar Faugn and Rhan-Tegoth escape, are captured, then
killed. Another Angel is killed by Asuka and Jeff in Unit 02's entry plug.
With the arrival in Tokyo of all six pilots, the battle against the
school 'mafia' goes entirely the pilots' way, with the assistance of the
U.S. military, they are arrested, leaving Nabiki and her allies in complete
control. The new housemates settle in, with quite a few rough spots for all
concerned. The worst is between Ranma and Jeff, although Jeff has no
problem with Ranko, Ranma's female form.
Ranma decides to face his fears and nightmares directly. Something
defends Misato's group from a rat-thing. Ranma's incredible hair growth
surprises Nabiki, Jeff, and Ritsuko. Photos of Nabiki and their popularity
surprises her completely.

We fight rather to keep something alive than in the expectation that
anything will triumph.
Thomas S. Eliot - Francis Herbert Bradley

Chapter 9: Revelations Aren't Victories
Ranma walked along the fence to school, with Nabiki and Raccoon walking
along behind him. Rei arrived, looked at the trio and said nothing. Asuka
and Shinji arrived, Asuka shook her head in disgust and said nothing.
That's new, Ranma thought as he walked along.
"So, Asuka are you training Shinji in dreams?" Nabiki asked.
Ranma noticed Shinji cringed slightly at the mention.
"I don't discuss the training of students," Asuka said firmly,
"Besides, it was that or strangle him, and who wants to do the paperwork."
"Thanks," Shinji managed to sound sarcastic.
"So who's training you, Saotome?" Nabiki asked, "I've noticed no more
screaming fits and thrown shoes."
Ranma nearly lost his footing, barely avoiding a fall into the drainage
ditch.
"Well, I'm training Ranko," Raccoon supplied, "It doesn't take a genius
to work out the rest."
"Oh?" Nabiki asked.
"Of course," Raccoon replied, "She's not interested in me, that's
obvious, she's _really_ not interested in Toji. And unlike Langley and
Captain K, she's not hung up on Kaji."
"What are you talking about?" Ranma asked.
Raccoon sighed, "SHE'S IN LOVE WITH _YOU_,
_YOU_SELF-ABSORBED_JACKASS_!_" Raccoon jumped off the fence, "I don't know
why I even bother," and stormed off.
"Well, he is right," Nabiki said, "Nobody loves you like Ranko does."
She started laughing, nearly losing her balance.
"You know Saotome," Asuka began, "It's good to see you help him let his
emotions out, he hasn't been that angry in a looong time." Asuka turned her
attention to Rei and Shinji, who were walking side by side. "Not like that
Wondergirl!" she arranged them arm-in-arm, "Like that." She took up
Shinji's other arm, "Now left right, left right, your _other_ left! Your
_OTHER_ left!! Left right, left right. See much better." They marched
away, Asuka calling a cadence in German.
Ranma watched Nabiki jump down from the fence, she was laughing at him
again, and hiding it badly, "You'd better start treating Ranko better, or he
may beat you up." She was laughing as she walked after the trio.
"Why me?" Ranma asked as he started walking along the fence after them.

----------------------------------------

"Boss?" Hiroko approached Nabiki and Ranma as they entered the school
yard, "You asked me to tell you if he gave me some more pictures. Well,
I've already got a few nibbles about these, but I remembered what you said."
Hiroko handed over the negatives.
Ranma's squawk was nearly as loud as Nabiki's. Remember Nabiki, there
are such things as double exposures! she reminded herself. Nearly every
picture was Ranma _and_ Ranko. One or two were Ranko and Jeff. Nothing
risque, about as racy as they got was Ranko with her gi pulled open and the
T-shirt underneath exposed. There were even a few pictures of Misato and
Gendo.
"How did he -?! I never thought -?! When -?!"
Nabiki's hand covered Ranma's mouth, to keep his stammering from
distracting her. "These are fine, the prices are as noted," Nabiki told
Hiroko, her factor nodded and charged off to earn her boss money. Nabiki
turned to Ranma, fixing him with a glare as she removed her hand, "Just
when, how, and why, did you arrange _those_ pictures, after all the
whining I had to sit through about _me_ taking your picture?" Nabiki
asked as sweetly as she could.
Ranma cringed, a loud click interrupted his defense or escape.
"Perfect!" Jeff called, as he rewound his camera and walked away.
"Can we kill him first?" Ranma asked desperately, hoping to deflect her
anger.
"I can kill him anytime." She poked Ranma in the chest with each
question, "How? Where? When? Why?"
Ranma smiled, realized his charm wouldn't work, "During training, he
asked Ranko if she'd agree to take some pictures, told me what they were
for, charity. Well, Ranko agreed, he asked 'her' to ask Ranma. Well,
the next day, Ranko told him that Ranma insisted all the pictures would
be of both of them. I thought that would end it. I really did." Ranma
stood still, tried to smile, failed. Closed his eyes, and calmly
awaited his execution. I mustn't run away, I mustn't run away! he
thought, She'll just be madder when she caught me anyway.
He opened one eye to stare at Nabiki, peering at him very closely,
"Only you, Saotome, could be that stupid. Nobody else could come up with
as feeble-minded an explanation as that one, so it must be the truth."
Ranma decided surviving the next few minutes was worth taking a few
insults.
"How did he get those pictures?" Nabiki asked sweetly.
Why can't the Angels attack right now? Ranma thought, "Well, Ranko
posed for the three with Jeff, and that one alone, I don't know how he
got the others. Spy camera maybe?"
"He used a spy camera, to get pictures of Ranma _with_ Ranko?" Nabiki
let the question hang in the air. "At the same time, in the same place?"
"I guess," Ranma admitted, and was very relieved when Nabiki turned on
her heel to stalk after their roommate. Better you than me Raccoon, Ranma
thought as he hailed Kenta and Seisuke, two boys in the karate club, who'd
expressed an interest in really mastering martial arts.

----------------------------------------

Nabiki waved to Hiroko, who sat under a tree, surrounded by customers.
She noted that the bodyguard was keeping the crowd composed. He nodded to
Nabiki once, then continued his job. Nabiki's prey was elsewhere.
Part of the crowd Nabiki had expected to find around Hiroko, were
surrounding Davis, who sat at the lunch tables. No Raccoon here, she
thought, Too serious. Kensuke, Toji, and few of the weirdos from the occult
and photography clubs, a few other marginal people. She noted with
satisfaction that there were boys and girls in the group, he didn't show any
favoritism, and was delivering a stern lecture to these 'eyes and ears'.
Most were staring fearfully at the typed sheets he'd passed out.
I'll find out about that later, she thought as she closed to
eavesdropping range.
"As I said, look for anything unusual," Davis told them.
"But you've got contradictory things here," Kensuke pointed out,
"Increase in animal activity, _decrease_ in animal activity, strange new
construction, building or structures being removed . . . well, how are we
supposed to find out these things?"
"I expect you to keep your eyes and ears open," Davis replied, "Look
around your usual haunts. Remember, you are not combat troops. Use your
experience to see what others might miss. If old lady Yamashima always buys
a few daikon and starts buying five bags full, if little 4-year-old Sakura
Aoi starts delivering stacks of books on Quantum Physics to a derelict, report
it." He nodded to Nabiki, who'd taken one of the sheets, and was looking it
over.
"Initially you'll get a lot of false trails, false alarms. Don't worry
about it. Not everything will be heralded by demons rampaging through the
streets. Sometimes, it may start as innocuously as being called to the
principal's office, and you end up walking across a bone pile 90 meters
tall, that has been accumulating unknown for 300 years."
Nabiki noted that if he'd meant to scare them, he'd done it. A few
were considering putting the paper back and walking away, or running away at
their best speed. What stopped them, were the photos he laid out, evidently
for them to take. Most were of the EVAs, some in combat, some just sitting
or standing, that and the other Leica he'd mentioned. Kensuke was practically
drooling over the possibility of borrowing that camera.
"So remember, if you see something unusual, no matter how trivial,
report it to Tendo-san or myself, or Hiroko-san. Get good details, where, when,
unusual sounds, smells, impressions, anything and everything is important."
He paused, "And don't try to be a hero, most of the things you'll be facing
will be regular humans. However, the dirty little secret about those
'Angels' is: most are not native to this planet, they have to be invited. Think
of the mind of a person who would _call_ one of those things."
Even Nabiki shuddered at that thought, she obviously wasn't the only
one who reasoned that those things woke up and charged in.
"As for the critters themselves, don't assume you can talk, reason or
bribe your way out. This was _their_ planet for a long time," he told them,
"They see us as usurpers."
"It's ours now," Toji replied, got some support from the others.
"How would you feel, if you went on a vacation and found some_thing_
had moved in and was redecorating," Davis replied, "You would get rid of them,
wouldn't you?"
"You mean that Goldilocks story is based on them?" a girl from the
Chemistry club asked.
"Not exactly, Matsuda-san, but close enough for our purposes, if you
remember that bears eat _anything_."
The group dispersed, taking the pictures and the camera with them.
Nabiki walked up, "This is pretty mundane stuff, habits of animals, patterns
of weather, buildings, noises, smells."
"If we wait for someone to report flying monsters or huge footprints,
it is already too late," Davis replied, "Better to catch the small stuff early.
No one reports it, for obvious reasons, but when Hitler went into Poland,
the Germans had to commit not only the Lightning War part of their army, but
most of their heavy siege guns off the western defenses as well. The French
and British could have lunged into Berlin before the Wehrmacht could have
disentangled itself, they could have chopped off the snake's head and left
Germany intact, instead of in the middle of a devastated region it may take
a generation to fully rebuild."
"So you hit early?" Nabiki asked.
"And burn them out while it's just people and a few minor creatures."
"Kind of ruthless, isn't it," Nabiki asked, she'd always thought _she_
was ruthless.
"Not for war. In war, you hit now and kill a few, or you hit later and
kill a lot, after they've killed a bunch of _your's_." He collected the
rest of the papers and a few other things and headed inside.
Nabiki read over the very prosaic descriptions of things to look out
for, it read like a Literature lecture, Boring. She was very suspicious that
anyone would know enough to make such a list, complete, but shorn of all the
danger.

----------------------------------------

Queries and Repose
As the entire class headed outside for lunch, "Hey, Langley!" Jeff
hailed his fellow pilot in German, she stopped, waited for him.
"I thought you were eating lunch with Wondergirl," Asuka replied in
German, as they changed to outside shoes. A custom neither understood, but
acquiesced to.
"She asked to spend today alone, possibly with my chessboard, amazing
isn't it?"
"Do you always have to pick-up strays?" Asuka asked disgustedly, as
they headed outside.
"We picked up you." He ducked under her half-hearted punch, "Seriously,
I would like your analysis of our happy, little group."
"Nabiki only likes you for your camera," Asuka replied, picking out a
shady spot to eat her lunch.
"And the pile of money she thinks I have, tell me something I don't
know." Jeff sat down next to her, noted the look of disgust when she opened
her Misato-prepared lunch. He exchanged boxes without asking, he'd made the
lunches this morning.
Asuka watched his pained expression, as he tasted Misato's 'cooking',
"Since you're buying the information, General Tembris's command that first
year, that's what it reminds me of."
"Not good." Jeff managed to choke down more of the 'food', "We damn
near lost the war right off the bat."
Asuka nodded.
"As for the people, Ranma reminds me of Canver, that hulking barbarian
from the northlands, you remember him? Powerful, dumb, but not stupid," she
said selecting another morsel, "Shinji and Rei are dual robots, they do what
they're told, by anybody." She frowned, "You haven't changed. You've
already got your intelligence service up and running in what, two weeks?
Counterintelligence and assassination bureaus are, how far behind?"
"I don't think they're practical right now, I just don't have the
operatives or the troops, but I am making inquiries."
"Kavon's unofficial chief of intelligence for how many years?" she
smirked at that, who were really the 'experienced veterans' around here.
"Eighteen in dreams, but who's counting. What about you, following in
the Meliorist's footsteps? Recruiting fighters, knights, men-at-arms?
Hikari is a good choice, with her you get Toji. Kensuke wouldn't be worth a moldy
bucket of yak milk in a real fight."
"You seemed able to use that rotten yak milk," Asuka laughed at the
memory. "El Nureenen was _furious_! I laughed so hard I fell off my horse.
'Who has done this foul thing?!'" Asuka giggled at the memory. "No, I don't
think we'll be getting any help here, we're on our own, I wouldn't push most
of our colleagues too far."
"You were serious about them being Tembris's people." Jeff felt the
bottom dropping out of the world.
"Misato is a slob, personally and militarily, Gendo's a creepy,
know-it-all martinet, Ritsuko isn't much better." She angrily stabbed at
her lunch, "Do you know how many we lost in the first four months to the stupid
mistakes they made? Six _thousand_!_ Six thousand knights and squires
because the camps weren't tidy, because patrols weren't organized, because
of mismanagement of intelligence assets? Why do you think The Meliorist had no
trouble allying her five squadrons to _your_ crazy idea? Pike and longbows
in the hands of 'refuse', indeed. El Nureenen deserved to get killed right
then and there. If we'd had half those lost knights, it would have ended that
day!" Asuka told him angrily, "You know that as well as I do."
Jeff nodded, Asuka looked around, wondering who'd seen or overheard her
outburst. "Look, I've met those two. Misato was with Kaji in Germany.
Gendo was there once or twice, after the war, poking his nose into
everything, everywhere, lording his new authority over everyone." She
smiled nastily, "Like when you were assigned to be Inspector General."
"I knew the hows and whys a Roman camp was set up, that's all," Jeff
countered, "How many fewer did we lose to disease and infection that second
summer."
"_I_ didn't disagree. As I remember, I supported you, on several
occasions. But Gendo is, how you were thought of." She finished her lunch,
noted Jeff still battling through Misato's 'cooking'. Stubborn, she
thought.
"What about the EVAs, you've been with them the longest, except perhaps
Rei, and I don't know if she has the perspective."
"It's hard to qualify and quantify, a lot of the things you've pointed
out, I became aware of. I half-suspected them before, but, well I always
bought or captured my warhorses, usually from you."
He nodded. "Great, leaving it for me to ferret it out." Jeff
complained, "Why should here be any different?"
Asuka chuckled at his hangdog expression.
A shadow fell over both of them, Nabiki stared down at them, "What are
you two conspiring about? So grim and then laughing."
"I could not believe Misato's cooking was this bad," Jeff said.
"I bet him 500 yen he couldn't finish it, two more bites and I think
we'll call it a draw," Asuka stared at Jeff, who managed two more bites,
then handed the box back. "I'll give the rest to Ranma, see which of you is
really tougher."
"You hate him don't you." Jeff stood as she did, Asuka stuck her tongue
out at him and left.
"Seriously, what were you two talking about?" Nabiki asked, obviously
interested.
"The war, what happened, how it affects what we are doing now."
"Oh," Nabiki said, disappointed.

----------------------------------------

Shinji was certain he was being watched as he practiced, the school's
auditorium was empty and he liked the acoustics. The rows of empty chairs
didn't seem to mind the impromptu recital. The cello did what he told it,
made the music he wanted to hear. Sometimes it was Western Classical, other
times he adapted traditional songs, although he had to pluck the strings to
make music for a koto or samisen sound right. A guitar might not be a bad
accompaniment, he thought, but he treasured the time alone. No one bothered
him, he didn't have to worry about Asuka barging in to demand her favorite
pieces, or Saotome telling him playing an instrument was dumb. Or Misato,
who would start remembering where she'd heard a song, or what it reminded her
of, or what she thought the music 'meant'.
It was hard work, sometimes he wished he had the courage to play some
of the pieces he'd written, in front of an audience. He wasn't good enough to
score for a whole orchestra. However, he could for the cello, Asuka's and
Ayanami's violins, maybe Raccoon's guitar, bagpipes were too loud, but as a
private joke he'd studied their range too, and written a piece. He didn't
even know if it was playable, and he didn't have the courage to show it to
Raccoon, but that wasn't the point.
This is what I wanted to do, he thought, I never wanted to fight, not
anything or anybody. If the Angels gave up and went home, that would be
fine with me. Music doesn't fight back, and it _does_ come naturally.
Maybe the only thing in my life that does.

----------------------------------------

Rei heard the faint click of a camera, caught a glimpse of suit coat as
she turned, she hoped it didn't disturb Shinji-kun. She thought she was the
only one who would sneak into the auditorium to play.
She could play at her apartment, but it never sounded as good there as
it did here. And her playing had never sounded as good as Shinji-kun's, which
was why she didn't resent the usurpation of 'her' place, playing here. It
was different from her style, he was different than he usually was. She
wondered why nobody else stopped to listen, to simply enjoy the soft music.
Rei had to admit, the Second was a better violinist than she was. But
she must have action and motion and great crescendoes, Rei thought, I prefer
the quieter, contemplative pieces, so does Shinji-kun.
She sat unseen, on the floor, concealed between the seats of the
auditorium, and let the music take her wherever it wanted. Eyes closed, she
could let the world go by if necessary, only the nagging thought that she'd
never told Shinji-kun she liked his playing, interfered.

----------------------------------------

Cooking Surprises
Jeff walked through Ritsuko's kitchen, sniffed the dinner he was
preparing. The notes are blending, he thought with satisfaction, The only
disappointment is - the vegetables, they aren't adding as much as they
should. Stir fry? No, he thought, It won't give the right effect.
Ginger! he realized, Okay, the sugar crystallized or fresh? He
sniffed, let the sounds blend in his mind, and tried to determine which
would result in the better mingling.
"That smells great," Nabiki came in the kitchen, from the dining room,
where the others waited. "It was my turn, you know."
"I don't mind," he told her.
"What were you humming?"
"Humming? Oh, nothing, just something to help me concentrate." He
sliced the vegetables and put them and the sugared ginger in some water.
"I've never seen anyone do that before," Nabiki commented.
"It is a simple infusion, like making tea. Except without the heat."
A sniff, Now the tones are blended properly. "Another perfect meal," he
told her.

----------------------------------------

"This is delicious," Dr. Akagi said.
"I wonder how much my services as cook would be worth to the Captain?
A room of my own, some EVA training time? Hmm?" Jeff asked.
"Don't forget your friends," Nabiki snuggled up beside him, making calf
eyes.
"Friends should never get in the way of profits," Jeff said gravely.
Ranma snorted at this, but didn't slow down shoveling down dinner.
"If you made a bunch of potstickers out of cement - " Nabiki watched
Ranma, "Would he even notice?"
Ranma, 'safe' behind the wall of cats, frowned at them both, but didn't
pause.
"A meal is a symphony, tastes, textures all coalescing and contrasting
to form a whole greater than the sum of its parts," Jeff explained.
"Like that tune you were humming," Nabiki said, trying to change the
subject. Smiled knowingly at him.
"Perhaps," Jeff replied noncommitally, "I just wish he'd slow down
enough to actually taste the food. At the speed he's eating, he could eat
Misato's food and not notice or mind it."

----------------------------------------

They were in the dojo again, in dreams.
"No, your hand goes on top, make me take the weight." Raccoon was
showing Ranko the weirdest hold in history. "Then step, and step." He
matched her pace and step off. "No, you walk normally, I have to match
you."
"You actually had to learn ta let a girl hold your arm?" It was the
most ridiculous thing Ranma had ever heard of.
"It was all part of a Ballroom Dancing class. Remember Harvard was
trying to turn out gentlemen. I not only had to take the class, I had to
pass. Etiquette is merely a set of rules, it helps if both sides know what
to expect."
"I still think it's stupid, but I have to learn it," Ranko admitted.
She was glad Raccoon didn't argue, although the smile implied he knew
'she'd' be teaching Ranma. And isn't that weird?
"Okay, the next lesson, cosmetics and application." Raccoon led her to
a bench with it's end against the wall.
"Do we have to do this?" Ranko whined, "I really don't see how learning
this girly stuff helps me fight."
"Sit on the bench, back straight. Okay close your eyes, take as deep a
breath as you can, and hold it, now throw your shoulders back, as far as you
can. Now, open your eyes and look down."
Ranko straddled the bench, then did as ordered, looked at her breasts,
"What does that prove?"
Raccoon sat down, straddling the bench about half a meter away. "You
_are_ a girl. I know this comes as a big shock, but it is the truth."
Raccoon slid a few centimeters closer. "Now I can cook." He slid a little
closer.
Ranko flattened herself against the wall. She hadn't noticed before,
but while she'd had her eyes closed, he'd 'moved' the pillars in closer,
trapping her between them, and him. He slid closer. Ranko was afraid,
This can't be happening. She struggled to get her breathing under control.
"I can measure you, cut out the fabric, and make a dress, a very good
one."
What kind of gibberish is he spouting? she wondered if he'd gone
insane, she'd been afraid of the dream where 'she'd' seduced him. Now it
seems as if he'd drawn her here, to rape her. He kept getting closer,
ratcheting up the fear, bit by bit.
"And use make up, and style hair."
She realized legs spread, breasts heaving was _not_ the signal she
should be sending in this situation. She should have pushed him back immediately,
but she was too frightened now, I can't fight him, not here, not yet.
"And I am a man, do you agree?"
"Yes," she squeaked, Just do it and get it over with! She had accepted
his help because she had felt helpless, now she was totally at his mercy.
She had mistakenly thought she'd seen the worst, now she was at the mercy of
a greater nightmare than anything she ever considered. Ranma or Ranko could
beat him up in the Waking World, and he'd have days and weeks in dreams to
pay her back in full, doing whatever he wanted to either or both, until he
finally broke her.
"So what is this idiot nonsense about 'girly' things and 'manly'
things?" Something about Raccoon's tone had changed, slightly.
She looked at him, he was mere centimeters from her face, staring into
her eyes. "I . . . I guess . . . "
"You are afraid." It was obviously a statement.
"Yes." She turned away, ashamed.
"Of me? For what?" There was no sympathy in his voice, he was angry,
and wanted an answer.
"That you were . . . going to . . . "
He slid to the far end of the bench, his embarrassment covered by his
need to reassure her, "I would never do that. I was trying to frighten you,
for what I made you think, I apologize. I thought you needed to remember, I
_do_ all the 'girly' things you and Ranma have mentioned. None of it has
any effect on my manhood, why should it affect anyone elses?"
"I guess it doesn't," she admitted, "It's just that . . . " I don't
want to tell him, I don't want him to know, to laugh at me, to have him tease
me about it, like Nabiki does, she sighed, realized she had no choice, "I had
a dream, a nightmare, involving you." Ranko told him the dream, all of it,
and was ashamed. She expected laughter, jokes, something.
"So you seduced me to hurt Ranma?" he asked quietly.
She nodded.
"Then why did you ask me to train you?"
"Because you aren't afraid of those things! You aren't afraid of
anything!" she shouted back, squirmed under his gaze. She felt like a bug.
"Ranko, please come sit over here." He tapped the bench beside him, "It
is a request, you are free to refuse. It will have no effect whatsoever on
your continuing to train."
She glanced around, then nervously sat next to him. She was petrified
again, when he leaned close, but he only touched his forehead to hers.
"There is absolutely nothing wrong with being afraid. I told Shinji,
I'll tell you, fear is a warning that you are in danger or about to be hurt.
The technical term is inferential information, it's a guess based on
instinct and half-remembered things. It isn't silly, it isn't 'unmanly', or
any other such nonsense, it's just a message that something is not right,
look around, think about what's going on." He smiled at her, "Okay?"
"Yeah, okay." She smiled back, "I bet you think I'm being a dumb girl."
He sat back, "Ranko, someday I'll tell you a little about how I met
Captain Katsuragi and Commander Ikari, and you are going to conclude, for my
being here - with them, that I am the stupidest thing on God's green Earth,"
he paused, "And you'd be right. But I don't have to tell _you_ about duty,
do I?" He waited for her to shake her head before he lifted the make-up case.
"And let me tell you something about fear. Our Mister Saotome announces
'I'm a guy!' until most of us want to yell back, 'We got it the first hundred
times, SHUT UP!' The conclusion? He's the only one not convinced."
Ranko shuddered at that, wanted to protest, but saw the lesson within.
Then she looked at the case, "Let me guess, I can say no, but the lessons
end, right?" she asked.
"Of course not, we go on to the next lesson, I let one of the
nightmares in, and let you confront it. But since you don't need my help, you
face it alone."
Ranko blanched, "Okay, sensei, what's in mind?" She smiled nervously as
Raccoon pulled out the paints and powders and brushes and pencils. He
started in to work, having her move this way or that. Purse her lips, relax or
tighten certain facial muscles, all the while explaining correct use,
various nuances and effects of color and shade. Ranko stood it in good grace,
until he was finished, because he never let her conjure a mirror to let her see
what he was doing to her.
"Now imaging walking into class tomorrow, and giving Toji a sloppy, wet
kiss, looking like that," Raccoon told her as the mirror formed.
She didn't have to repress an involuntary shudder, when she saw what
was in the mirror looking back, she screamed and jumped 10 meters.
"So you like it?" he asked, grinning at her obvious trauma.
Ranko walked back and stared at the mirror, what she saw wasn't
hideous, but had been totally unexpected. "That's me?" She examined the
streaks of gray in her now dull, red hair, the deep crows-feet at her eyes
and mouth, the deep lines across her forehead, blotchy complexion in places,
sallow in others. She looked like a woman who lived a very hard and
unforgiving life, she was maybe late forties or early fifties. "That's
crazy, can you change me back?"
"You want to be young and beautiful, and sexy again?"
That stopped her, Ranma had never been vain about how Ranko looked, she
was beautiful, everybody and his brother told 'her' that. To lose it so
thoroughly, and then to want it back . . .. "You can do this in the real
world?" she asked.
"Waking World," he corrected, "Yes, I was in the Harvard Theater
Company for five years, I can do make up, sew costumes, paint sets, stage
fights, run and repair the electrical and lighting systems. 'Hey Davis!
It's broke, crawl in there and fix it!'" he added disgustedly. "Why? Are
you planning to give Toji a good scare? A fight scene?"
"Naw, yeah, maybe something like that, naw something different, just
asking," Ranko paused, "What's next, more make up?"
"No, fears. I've felt some of them out there. From what you told me,
I think we push things ahead on that front. I picked one out, I'll bring it
in, I want you to deal with it, I'll stay to back you up, initially. But in
the end, it is your problem, the solution has to be yours as well."
Ranko swallowed and nodded, she wasn't happy about going head-to-head
with a nightmare this early in her training.
"It isn't weak, but it seems strangely, I guess gentle is the best
word." Raccoon gestured, and a small white cat with black feet appeared and looked
around.
It mewed piteously, then looked up at the rafter Ranko was hanging
from, and mewed again.
"Ranko get down here!" Raccoon ordered as he picked up the cat, holding
it tightly, so it couldn't escape.
"Nononononononononononono!" Ranko suddenly realized the rafter had
vanished, and the floor was coming towards her, she'd run when her feet
touched down.
"Ranko STOP!" She heard and felt the compulsion he'd used on Ranma,
she froze involuntarily.
"Now SIT DOWN!"
She sat of her own free will, facing the ca ca ca ca cat. It was
already trying to escape Raccoon's grip.
"You calm down too!" he told the cat. It subsided, staring at Ranko,
and continuing to make plaintive mews.
"I know you are afraid of cats, but I want you to consider why you are
afraid of this cat in particular. I think it's trying to be friendly, it
hasn't used its claws on me, it seems clean and free of disease. Why is
this cat separate from your general fear of cats?"
Ranko didn't know, but she was _especially_ afraid of this cat. She
shook her head.
"Very well." A cage materialized around the cat, "Sit as close to the
cat as you can, for as long as you can."
"Where are you going?" Ranko said desperately.
"I have an appointment."
"What about the dojo?" she stared at the cat pleadingly staring at her,
"What about the cage?"
"You want them to continue?"
"YES!"
"Then hold them yourself. It's easier to maintain something than
create it, all you have to do is believe it will continue." He tipped his hat and
vanished.
Ranko believed as hard as she could, in the dojo, in the cage. She sat
less than two meters away from the cat, it kept reaching through the bars
and mewing, as if being distant from Ranko was unpleasant or painful.
Ranko finally had to stand up and hide behind a pillar, or out of sheer
terror, she would have thrown up all over the floor.

----------------------------------------

Ranma opened his eyes, looked around the darkened bedroom. He hadn't
told anyone, but since he fought Nyogtha, his night vision had gotten
better, a lot better, like being able to read in a pitch-black room better.
He looked over at Raccoon who was standing next to his closet, completely
dressed: suit and tie, walking stick. He silently closed his closet and
headed out. Ranma slipped out of his bed and decided to follow him.
Raccoon got his boots and hat from the entryway, slipped out on to the
balcony, and started climbing to the roof. Ranma hopped up on the railings,
saw Raccoon struggling over the parapet of the roof. He walked over several
balconies, and jumped up to the roof, hiding behind a chimney once he'd
arrived there. He glanced around it, looked at the entire roof, there was
no one else up there!
I saw him go over the edge to get up here, Ranma started searching the
area, And mine was the only real hiding place! His search found nothing,
not even footprints in the gravel, Raccoon, yeah that's it. He climbed back
into Dr. Akagi's apartment. He saw the 'crenelation' they called it.
Alternating short and tall cats, arranged in a wall around his place at the
table. Bits of ceramic, cloth, glass and metal, he could smash all of them
with barely any effort, but what they looked like made him afraid of even
touching them.
What do you expect, they'll come to life and attack you? he asked
himself. He hadn't considered that there actually was a technique, to
combat phobias. Nabiki and Raccoon only talked about it right in front of
you, why would you know it exists? He picked the smallest, least realistic cat
piece, only the color and the collar that read 'NEKO-CHAN' made it a cat, it
could have been a panda bear without the collar. He carefully picked it up,
What did you expect?! he cursed his own fear, That it would come to life? He
carefully set it aside, and reached for the largest. It was terribly
realistic, Terrible is a good word. His trembling hand inched closer, he
was ready to snatch it away at the least sign of danger or movement, his gut
rumbled its displeasure as his tension rose. His breathing was faster now,
his heart beat was racing, If I faint, he thought, No one will see.
He closed his hand on its neck, if it came to life now, he could
strangle it, or break it's neck. More like throw it away, and run screaming
from the room, he admitted. But it hadn't moved, hadn't gotten warmer, or furry,
or meowed. He moved it to the center of the line of cats. When he released
it, he felt like he'd just run a dozen marathons, his knees almost collapsed
beneath him, he was exhausted. He also noticed, to his shock and shame,
he'd wet himself. But I _did_ it, he thought triumphantly, as triumphantly as
his condition allowed. He sighed, no one else was awake, he'd rinse out his
shorts and get a clean pair. Then I am going to come back here, and
rearrange these statues, he thought, Then I am going to sleep for a week. He
hadn't felt this tired and shaky since he fought Nyogtha.

----------------------------------------

First Cthonian Attack
Rei sat upright in her bed, she didn't want to. With all her might,
she was trying to break free, to call for help, or to escape. It was too
difficult, they were making it too difficult, she could feel them making it
too difficult. The walls were closing in, horrible things lurked in every
shadow, things that would appear if she spoke, or moved. She hugged her
legs closer to her, and tried to hold on. Voices whispered that she could
escape, by telling what she knew, revealing it now would only save time.
They would win eventually. The runes on the walls could not save her, she
could see they were dark, adding to her feelings of hopelessness.
She felt ashamed that she might reveal what she knew, before they
destroyed her. She did not want to betray what had been confided to her,
what she knew, it would be wrong, but they were strong. Individually she
was stronger, but they came as a group, fought together, burrowing into her
mind, poisoning her personality, weakening her resolve. She felt it slipping
away, if she could only cry out, the Commander would hear, and send help. She
knew she was watched, monitored every day and minute of her life, she accepted
it. She lived within her own mind most of the time, but now that was being
violated by her enemies. When they violated her last stronghold, they would
have the means to attack the others, Commander Ikari, the pilots, Maya. She
balled her fists in frustration, she had to hold out, to do something to
attract the attention of those who watched continuously.
She felt their strength fade, their grip slacken, then she screamed. A
howl of boiling agony, she felt their pain, and reveled in it, even as she
screamed in mirror anguish. They should die for what they had planned.
Galvanized, she leapt out of the bed, and staggered to the door. The pain
was weakening, as the link dissolved. She threw the door open, and looked
down.
Two of them, massive worms nearly 15 meters long, with tentacled
mouths, dissolved under the shifting streams of two columns of water. A
third, some 25 meters long, writhed sinuously, caught by some unseen force,
even as she had been. She could still faintly hear the howls of death
coming from the pair that crumbled away, and the sheer terror from the third.
It knew it was next, pounding on the walls of its own mind, just as she had.
To order its body to escape the exact fate it had planned for her, revelation
of all it knew, followed by its destruction. Rei had no sympathy, they had
touched her mind before, they looked on the entire human race as mere food
stocks. The third refused to surrender, locking its secrets away. Thus,
preventing it from warning its brethren of the method of this ambush and
murder. Now it screamed audibly, the water hadn't touched it, something else
was killing it. Tearing it apart, stripping it down to its core, to sift
through its secrets at leisure. She wondered if the EVAs did the same,
felt the same. It began falling to gray powder, chunks falling in the mud.
Rei turned away. She hated these things, for what they had tried to
do, for what they planned to do, but their torture was beyond her ability
to accept. A few moments later, it was over, all three were dissolved.
She was safe, saved, help would be arriving soon. The Commander would be
arriving soon, she would have to provide him with an account of what had
happened. She stared down as the water columns from the hydrants reduced
and disappeared. Her vision through darkness was one of the many things
that set her apart. She would report what she saw, accurately. She
stared at the scene for a moment, shook her head in disbelief, and it
was gone. She wondered if she had been hallucinating. As the first
NERV Security and Technical Services arrived, to secure her and examine
the corpses, she returned to her apartment, to get dressed and await the
Commander. He would need to know everything she saw, or even thought she
saw.

----------------------------------------

Ranma felt too shaky and exhausted to stay awake, but his victory over
the cat statues made his mind race too much for him to sleep. He lay in
bed, meditated on what he had done, what he'd learned and what it enabled him
to accomplish. Maybe Nab-chan and Raccoon aren't so stupid, wanting me to
learn stuff. He heard the bedroom door open and close.
Ranma opened an eye, as Jeff quietly took off his coat and hat.
"You're wet."
Jeff touched the coat as he hung it up, "Not as much as others."
Ranma froze, wondering what the other boy knew.
"Not very, it must be something in the local water. I decided that
since everyone else was talking about you and water, I would try some experiments.
Nothing really happened, so don't worry about being a pilot, one has nothing
to do with the other."
"Look Raccoon!" Ranma hissed, "I didn't ask for this. I can't control
it."
"It's not that bad." Jeff climbed into the top bunk, "You could turn
into an alligator, or a banana slug, or just a banana. Or you could really be
Ranko, stuck turning into Ranma. That would be a curse."
Ranma growled at the other boy, he just didn't understand the torment
that Ranma went through, how horrible the curse was. Ranma didn't see Jeff
examining the back and front of his hand, opening and closing it, wondering
what had changed, and when.

----------------------------------------

Dream of Fire
Misato enjoyed the fit and feel of the plugsuit. It showed off every
curve to perfection, she wondered if Nabiki and Asuka, who were running in
front of her, knew how good they all looked. Probably not, they're just
kids. She also enjoyed the feel of the material sliding over her skin and that it
was tight enough that she didn't bounce as she ran flat out.
The fire behind them was still closing, the pilots were all running at
their best speed, the fire ever faster . . . No, she realized, Not all the
pilots, Davis and Rei were off to one side, drawing off the bulk of the
fire, taunting it, teasing it, somehow holding it off, even while they held its
attention, "Here I am!" they shouted between cries in other languages that
drove the fire back.
Ranma and Nabiki vanished, safely beyond the fire's reach, then the
fire cut off that exit, Misato and Shinji halted, Asuka dove through the flames
to safety, a moment later, Rei followed her. Misato glanced around, Davis held
out a hand, soliciting her help.
She drew the pistol from her shoulder holster, and smoothly shot the
boy, as Shinji called for her to help him. The shot meant to kill, didn't.
Davis went down in a scream of anger, pain and betrayal. The fire rushed
towards him, like a pack of vultures or jackals, ripping at his flesh, searing
and scorching. Misato ignored the screams, and pushed Shinji to safety, then
left as well. The flesh charred from the bones, the stench of roast pork was
her last image as she moved to safety, to other the pilots. Asuka had a strange
expression on her face as she raised a strange polearm, and ran Misato
through, spilling her guts all over the floor. Rei seemed to approve,
Shinji looked disappointed.

----------------------------------------

Captain Katsuragi screamed and threw off the sweat soaked sheets.
Asuka opened the door to Misato's room. Misato froze, the girl had the
exact same odd expression.
"Not you too," Asuka glared for a moment then returned to her own room
to go back to sleep.
Where had _that_ come from? Misato knew that when she faced a tactical
or strategic decision, her mind would play out dozens, if not hundreds of
scenarios in her dreams, with her mind as a detached observer, watching the
outcome of the plan, and all the permutations. Being able to use this
ability gave her a reputation as a tactical genius. That dream had a feeling
of a memory, something that had occurred, something she'd already done. "But
what?" Misato said quietly, "And why?"

----------------------------------------

Nabiki savored the end of another school day and felt ambivalent about
being refused EVA testing, as she walked into the apartment she shared with
Ritsuko-sensei, Ranma-kun and Roku-kun, Boy had that ever blown all out of
expectations. She didn't announce herself. Ranma and the Doctor were at
late testing with Asuka, Shinji and Rei. Dr. Akagi had dismissed her and
Jeff, after it was confirmed their sync rates were the two lowest of all six
pilots. Jeff had simply wandered off, while she had caught a ride home with
a NERV car. She was surprised to see her roommate already home, sitting on
the upper bunk wearing shorts and a T-shirt, That looked like they'd been
slept in, she thought. It amazed her that the boy who insisted on wearing
a three-piece suit to school, and kept it clean no matter what happened
around him, managed to look instantly rumpled in anything else he wore.
She was about to hail him, when she saw he was crying, a large book
clutched to his chest. No sobs, no sounds, just head bowed, occasional
tears rolling down his face, his eyes squeezed shut. She hadn't made
enough noise to attract his attention. She retreated to the living room,
then thought better of it, and went to the kitchen. Sitting out of sight
on the floor. She removed her ever-present notebook, and quickly sketched
the description of the book she'd seen him holding, and a note to
investigate it later.

----------------------------------------

The little man looked at the gutted cat. Toodles had been an old cat,
he rationalized, he'd tried to make his pet's passing as painless as possible.
SEELE was offering enough money to retire on, he could always get another
cat.
The gate opened, powered by the lifeforce of the animal, he'd been told
a child would be better, but he hadn't been able to find one quickly. The
huge bear of a man stepped through, leading his followers.
The little man was practically dancing with glee, "General Tembris, I
am so pleased to finally meet you. I think we can assist each other."
The General regarded his Waking World counterpart with undisguised
contempt, which the little man seemed to miss completely.

----------------------------------------

Ranma laid on the table in the medical lab, at least they'd left him a
towel to cover himself. They had released Shinji, Asuka and Rei to go home,
he had to stay behind. He'd watched Maya and Nancy using calipers and tape
measurers to measure everything, from his skull dimensions to the arch of
his teeth. Finally they had reached his feet, measuring from the heel to the
arch, to the big toe. It isn't as painful as the range of motion experiment
they did on him and her, a few days ago: 'How far can you move yourself, how
far can you move without pain.' Or as embarrassing, they needed DNA
samples, Nancy, Lt. Thompson, had gotten that. He'd protested, and been
told Shinji had been similarly sampled, and so had Davis. Then they
turned her into a girl, and took other samples, by scraping inside her,
very gently. Ranma wasn't sure how anything could embarrass him after those
two experiences.
"Well, Mr. Saotome, we're all done with that part of the experiment,"
Nancy told him.
"Can I leave?" Ranma eagerly asked.
"I'm afraid not," Ritsuko entered with a cart with two large metal cans
on it, "That's only the first part of the experiment. This part might
actually interest you."
I don't see how, Ranma didn't say.
Ritsuko took a small bottle out of the metal can, it had an eyedropper
in it, "This is normal saline solution, completely harmless. Think of it as
artificial tears. Open your eyes, hold your lower lids down."
Ranma did as ordered, he still flinched as the cold liquid hit his
eyes. He blinked, shook his head. He took the wash cloth she offered to blot
his face.
"That wasn't so bad?" Ritsuko asked, Ranma glared at her. "Well that
was cold water, and it had no effect."
"I'm cured!?" he asked delightedly.
"No, I'm sorry, but cold liquids have no effect on your eyes. I
wouldn't recommend trying to deflect liquids that way, but, open you mouth."
Ranma did, tasted the icy cold salty water.
"You might simply swallow the liquid, as long as you know it's safe,"
Ritsuko told Ranma, "Evidently cold liquids _inside_ you have no effect
either."
Well, that's something, Ranma thought, "What if it isn't safe?"
"Don't let it hit you, you're going to hate this next part," Ritsuko
told him.

----------------------------------------

The Meliorist stalked through the Dreamlands palace of Kuranes, in
Celephais. None of the knights wanted to face her rage. She composed
herself as she let the seneschal announce her to the King and Court.
"The Meliorist, Asuka Soryu Langley, General of the Red Dragons, Lion
of Celephais, King's Medal for Valor, Ulthar Gold Sunburst . . . "
She let the list of awards and honors wash over the court. She locked
eyes with King Kuranes, he knew she needed the time to calm down, and it
also gave lie to the slurs that had made her so angry.
"And the Pilot of EVA Unit 02," the seneschal gave her a slight smile,
they were aware of things occurring in the Waking World.
"You are welcome here," the King said, gestured her forward.
"My thanks, your Highness. Blessings on this place, and all who dwell
and deal here in peace and honesty. Now I must ask, where is that one who
has rarely dealt in peace or honesty?"
"General Tembris's allegations have been investigated, and _again_
found without merit," the King assured her, "Walk with me," he commanded.
She nodded and followed, the court murmured at the closeness of the
bond.
"Your knighthood was never in any danger, there was no need for you to
respond, although you'll probably pass the courier actually carrying the
summons, on your way back. But he has vanished," the King laughed,
"Understandable, considering both you and the Dragon are after his head, he
must have gone into hiding.
The Meliorist nodded, "I am willing to get my vengeance second-hand,
please sire, don't risk your guards or knights bringing him in for a
challenge, as long as you understand that if the dragons catch him beyond
the River Cities, they won't hesitate either."
The King agreed, they walked in silence for a while, "So what are you
doing in the Waking World?"
"Fighting and training mostly," the Meliorist told him, "It isn't
easy."

----------------------------------------

Admiral Simson's Edge
The house in Kyoto was small by American standards, but his daughter
and her husband loved it. His instinct as a father, was to send both of them
back to the United States, and safety. But his instincts as a military man,
told him that he needed them close, but not too close. Besides, if he didn't
win this war, there might be no safe place left on this planet, maybe not in
all Creation.
"Father, mother," the frail, flame-haired woman greeted him and his
wife, his second daughter. Polio and rheumatic fever had sapped the strength
the little girl had once had, she would give him no grandchildren, not here
anyway. It pained him to know that four healthy, happy children heard tales
of their seafaring grandfather, and they could never meet. Neither the
Admiral, nor his wife, were Dreamers.
"Admiral," the small swarthy man approached, offered his hand, which
the Admiral shook. When the Admiral had met the man a few years earlier, a
mere Army Air Corp Captain, he'd never understood how such an 'unhandsome'
man had so quickly and completely captured his daughter's heart.
"I'm not in civvies for my health, Lieutenant - "
"Daddy!" she said in the tone of disgusted daughters the world over,
"If you walked in without any shirt, I'd expect to see 'Admiral' and your
three stars tattooed on your chest. Besides, it _is_ business, we called you,
remember?"
He nodded. The unlikely pair had courted for an indecently short time,
and married. Less than a year and a half ago, he'd learned why, and nearly
made his daughter a widow. The man had asked a very simple question about
Asuka Soryu Langley, while the British were putting together an operation to
get her and Unit 02 away from what was left of the Germans, and the
approaching Russians. An operation so secret, that almost no one knew about
it, except the British who carried it out, the American officers who
debriefed Anna Alice, and his son-in-law, who was Stateside inspecting radial
engines for the Army Air Force, and therefore shouldn't have had the slightest
inkling.
Under arrest, and under truth serum, the then-Major revealed a lot more
than how he knew. Enough to reveal that he was an invaluable asset, the
Admiral had covered up the arrest and the interrogation as war jitters, a
funny coincidence. Like the poor crossword puzzle maker arrested for
putting 'Overlord' and 'Utah' in one of his puzzles prior to D-day at Normandy.
The four people moved into the drawing room, closed the door. This
room had no windows, no entry or exit of any kind, except the one door. Only a
locked desk, and a table with three chairs stood in the room, not even a
mouse could sit in that room undetected. The man, a Lt. Colonel looking after
supplies for the Occupation now, pulled a map from a hidden drawer in his
desk, and put it on the table that dominated the room. Everyone sat or
stood around it. The Admiral had never understood why this man wasn't in
cartography school, he hand-drew the finest maps the Admiral had ever seen,
and two other people agreed with him. They had the wisdom to make him their
chief cartographer.
"The Meliorist left about two days ago, the Dragon took her directly to
Ulthar and then to Celephais." He indicated the locations on the map, a map
of a land far 'realer' to the younger pair than the Waking World, "General
Tembris has been making noise again about casting her out of the knightly
orders, 'Expunging her stain on our good name!' A fair number of German
knights are getting that kind of persecution, but after Tembris's failed
assassination attempt, he's trying to make sure she can't bring charges
against _him_."
"Why doesn't somebody just kill him, and get it over with?" the Admiral
asked.
"There are rumors that is exactly what the Dragon had planned. Except
the day he returned, he got a report from a spy, and he took off within the
hour. I've never seen him that shaken up, and nobody knows why, or will
admit to knowing."
"What do you mean, Anthony?" his wife, Susan, asked her son-in-law,
"Are they keeping it a secret, or hiding their ignorance."
"My best guess, mother," his daughter told them, "Is whatever the
report was, it only made sense to the Dragon, and he swore everyone else to
secrecy, without revealing what he knew, or what it meant. The Dragon often plays
things close to the vest. Even Alwyk and Altara didn't know, and none of
the other dragons could keep up with him. He outpaced all of them by the time
he was, feet-wet? Over the ocean."
"Yes, that's the phrase," the Admiral admitted, "What course?" he
looked closely at the map.
"Assuming he didn't outrun his pursuers, and change course when he was
out of sight." Anthony drew his finger across the map, "He could be headed
for Sarkomand or Inganok, but I'd guess the Plateau of Leng. If I was going
way out on a limb, the Valley of Spiders, or the Prehistoric Monastery,
would be my guess."
"Why there?" the Admiral had to accept that these places were as real
and pivotal in this war, as any place he could go and touch, and possibly, just
as deadly.
"If I didn't want someone going somewhere, those would be on the top of
my list."
The Admiral sat, considered, there was almost nothing he could do.
There was absolutely nothing he could do without revealing this intelligence
source, and neither of these two would act to betray their patrons on either
side of the divide. "I thought you said the Dragon confronted the Spider-God,
and beat him."
"No sir, I said he met with him, exactly what happened is unknown. The
Dragon is sensitive to his troops' feelings about dealing with the Great Old
Ones, even if he could have eaten that one alive. He may growl and bluster,
but he tries to make everyone believe it's an act, how a dragon is
_supposed_ to act, not the real him." Anthony stared at the map, considering
something, "He also could have headed into the Eastern Blank lands, or to
another star. No one knows."
"Anything else?" the Admiral asked.
"Tyler and Carey send their love, James announced that 'No vessel of
that size could ever be constructed, I'm too old for fairytales,' he's
going through that phase," his daughter told her father.
"And Bea got her commission," Anthony told him, "Lieutenant of Horse
Artillery."
"Following in her grandfather's footsteps," Susan teased him, "She's
probably filled with barely workable ideas of how to do things better."
The Admiral blushed at that, he was a maverick too, came up through the
ranks. He remembered the 90-day wonders who ate, drank, and slept the
manual, and their horror when he didn't. Chiefs, and ex-Chiefs knew better.
"Other than that?"
"No," his daughter told him.

----------------------------------------

Shinji walked among the temples and small shops, down a dirt road that
had wandered through the forests and hills. It was like a bonsai garden,
enlarged to human scale. "And I spent all that time just riding the train,
around this place and around." He smiled at that. He'd been shocked the
first time he'd seen Rei waiting for him with a picnic lunch, and the train
out of service.
He blushed at the thought of their first 'date'. The two of them
enjoying the lunch under the cherry trees, saying nothing, later she'd
wanted to see how the locomotive worked. They'd spent hours lighting a coal
fire, and getting up enough steam to actually get the train moving. Then they
got filthy recoaling the tender.
It had been a lot of fun. He wondered why she wasn't here. Probably
doing something for my father, he thought. He was vaguely surprised that he
hadn't populated the villages and towns he'd passed through. There were
animals, birds and bugs, the shops were stocked, the streets clean and the
buildings repaired, but never any people. No. I came here to _hide_ from
people. If I put people in here, they'd be mean to me. He walked on,
examining his handiwork, and feeling absurdly pleased by it. It was _his_,
he'd created it, all of it. As odd as it was, it all seemed to work.

----------------------------------------

"Are we done?" Ranko asked Ritsuko. They'd been in the medical lab for
hours and hours, it seemed like days, and days, and days.
"Aside from the measurements of your female form, yes," Ritsuko told
her enthusiastically.
Why didn't you just say 'no'? Ranko wondered.
"At least you know the temperature that activates and deactivates your
curse."
I only had to sit here while you dripped water on me for three hours,
Ranko thought, "Of course I'll always know the temperature of water coming
at me."
"At least you know the amount that creates the change," Ritsuko said
defensively.
"Doc, I wouldn't know half a millimeter - "
"Milliliter."
"Whatever, except it isn't much." Ranko couldn't manage to gather any
enthusiasm over this, sitting almost naked in a lab for hours. The hope of
a cure held out, and ripped away with almost no concern for his feelings.
"Ranma, these experiments are important. They'll help us discover the
nature of your curse."
When you find a cure, then I'll be enthusiastic, Ranko noted the return
of Maya and Nancy, and their measuring tools, "I'll let you do this, and I
don't complain." She was tired, hungry, and these exams did nothing she
understood, and they went on for hours. Hours she could be practicing,
hours she didn't have to be stuck as a girl.

----------------------------------------

Ritsuko sat in her lab and looked over the data. She had bolted and
locked the door, she didn't want anyone walking in on her. She didn't like
lying to Ranma, but she could never tell him the truth. I'm using you for
my salvation, and I may have to deny you what you think is yours, she thought
that would go over well. The synthesis from his and 'her' blood samples was
five times more effective than any extract she'd ever tested. The pain went
away faster, and the loss of mental acuity was almost unnoticeable.
She looked at the violet liquid, she was glad his blood was the key
element. She could imagine the protests if his or 'her' gametes had been
the key. She knew he was growing more comfortable with the transformation,
and she knew she had the Commander's orders not to actually research a cure,
none of that made her feel any better about her activities.
But when it came down to his comfort, versus her survival, the choice
was obvious. She could try to make the other aspects of his life more pleasant.
She just wished she had enough faith in him and his honor, to let him make
the decision, she suspected how he'd decide.
"Still, I cannot take the chance," she said as she made the injection,
the pain was a sharp stab, and over in seconds, instead of a dull, screaming
agony that lasted nearly an hour. The results would last for nearly a week,
instead of a day or two. During that time, she'd have to watch Ranma go
through the uncertainty of his or her day, that pain never seemed to go
away.

----------------------------------------

Hiroko looked up at the apartment window, the lights were still on,
she'd seen Dr. Agaki and Saotome-san drive into the lot in her car. Hiroko had
walked by the door to Akagi-sensei's apartment, enjoyed the delicious smells
coming from within. She'd stood there a few moments, wondering what it must
be like, to be with them, trading insults, but still affectionate, eating
the cooking she smelled, sleeping together, sharing a bathroom. Then her
nerve failed before she could so much as knock on the door, so she slunk
away in shame, both from having come here, and for having turned away
without doing what she'd come here for. She hadn't planned to profess her
love, like in a bad shojo story. The boss would never tolerate such
cowardice, not in one that close to her. But she, at least, wanted to see
her boss's home.
Considering Nabiki-san had seen her apartment already, it seemed
strange she barely knew where her boss lived.
I am going to get in so much trouble! she thought of her family's
reaction to her sneaking away, They probably think I'm seeing a boy, . . .
or worse. Her mother had been suspicious of the groceries she'd been bringing
home. She'd explained she'd gotten a job with NERV, Kamis only know what
they think I'm doing!
"You should have gone up."
The voice made Hiroko jump. She turned around to face Rei, "You
frightened me."
"You should have gone in," Rei repeated, her expression never changed.
Most of the people in class, in all of Ayanami-san's classes, thought
she was creepy. But since the other pilots had arrived, she was different
around them.
"She'd - I'd never, I couldn't - "
"Why?" Rei interrupted her stammering denials.
"I'm a girl, so is she," Hiroko told Rei.
"And?" Rei asked, as if it wasn't perfectly obvious.
"I don't want her as a . . . well you know, and she loves Saotome-san,
and Raccoon-san is always with her, so I . . . "
Rei took one step, was now inches from Hiroko's face, stared into her
eyes with those red eyes. "And?" she sounded slightly miffed.
Hiroko had no answer, she looked away, hung her head.
"Then you will die lonely," Rei told her, eliciting a flash of anger
from Hiroko. Rei continued in a softer tone, "There is a problem. There is a
solution. Work through the fear."
Hiroko nodded, anything to get away from the strange girl. She watched
Rei standing there, staring at her, as she retreated. She did wonder why
Rei was outside the boss's apartment, Instead of Shinji-san's.

----------------------------------------

They were in the dojo, in dreams again. This time Ranko had formed it
and was waiting for Raccoon. Her sense of conquest and control vanished as
the lessons began again.
Raccoon had a firm grip on the cat, as Ranko edged toward it, she
reached out a hand. Raccoon had assured her that the cat wouldn't hurt her.
She wondered if that was due to his AT field, or the cat's nature, or both.
"Stop," Raccoon ordered.
Ranko was glad to follow that order, the cat mewed quietly, Ranko still
had the impression that it was disappointed in him. Raccoon reformed the
cage and put the cat inside. It seemed to take this treatment with resignation.
"I could have done it," Ranko told him.
"Not when you were going from white to purple and back, with each step,"
he replied, "It took a long time to get your fear, it will take some time to
unlearn it."
"What do you know about dating?" Ranko asked. Secretly pleased she'd
thrown her mentor for a loop.
"A bit, are you asking for yourself, or Ranma?" he smiled at her.
Ranko wanted to pound that smile down his throat, "Both, I guess. What
should a girl expect, what should a guy do?"
"Too bad you can't use the curse everybody talks about," Raccoon
lamented, "You'd be the one person who could really explain it, to both
sides."
Ranko shook her head at that, the idea of actually using the curse that
way, gave her the creeps, it would make her, him, a real pervert. She could
charm people, girls mostly as Ranma, guys and some girls as Ranko, but it
wasn't the same.
"I guess you could find out what interests the other partner, find things
that you both like, do them. Shinji and Rei just sit together quietly, I can
only guess what Misato and Kaji do, I don't think it's talking.
That was one the great mysteries around NERV, both denied they were doing
anything, except Kaji would disappear and Misato would come home very late.
Ranma hadn't considered the problem important enough to follow either of them
at night, to see what really happened.
"Typically, there's a place in public where some privacy can be expected,
a play, a movie, a dance, you'd be a good dancer. Then dinner or a snack, and
then, who knows."
"That's not very helpful," Ranko lamented.
"Take him to a fencing match, or a gymnastics meet," Raccoon suggested,
"Just remember not to let him challenge the participants."
"Him, who?" Ranko asked.
"Never mind," Raccoon smiled at her again, "There's one thing I do need
to talk to you about." An image of an anthropomorphic winged ant appeared.
"Byakhee," Ranko hissed, then blinked, How did I know that?!
"Nyogtha and Rhan Tegoth knew," Raccoon explained, "You're going to have
to accept that their knowledge is part of you. The battles we'll be in, will
require you bring everything to the table, no matter how uncomfortable it is.
No matter how icky, frightened or confused it makes you feel."
Is he talking about the Great Old One's in my head, or the curse? Ranko
wondered, Or both. "I won't do spells, that's too horrible," she rubbed her
chest, remembering the feeling of Ranma having his heart crushed inside his
chest.
"You'll still need to know what it feels like, and how to counter it,"
Raccoon retorted, "Unless you've got another answer?"
"No, not really," Ranko admitted. I've got to find one.

----------------------------------------

Captain Ramsey was waiting for the Admiral as he and his wife boarded the
plane back for Tokyo.
"Pleasant trip, Admiral?" his flag Captain asked.
"Family is very important," he replied.
"You look worried, sir."
"Just something new I have to worry about," he replied as he climbed the
stairs to the plane, "And after a few hours and a good meal, you're reminded
that the rest of the world doesn't know about the war being fought under their
noses."
"Yes, sir."
Simson didn't like holding things back, but his children would never
trust or cooperate with anyone except him, and there were things he and Ramsey
shared he'd never mention to others. All of it compartmentalized and secret,
even from his superiors, who often had no need or desire to really know.

----------------------------------------

School Mafia
Nabiki and Jeff were walking home after school when the limousine pulled
in front of them, and a second car pulled in behind. Nabiki tensed, not
knowing what to expect. Several men with guns got out of the car, followed by
an older, gray-haired man climbing out of the limo.
"I believe you will come with us," the old man said. Nodding
meaningfully at the armed men surrounding them, none had drawn their weapons,
but that was a mere formality.
Nabiki glanced at Jeff, who shrugged, surrender now gave a chance of
survival later. Security wasn't doing anything. Jeff offered his arm, which
Nabiki took. "You have a plan?" she asked in German, as she climbed into the
limo.
"Staying alive," he replied in German, as he climbed in behind her.
That's _really_ helpful, she considered, as the old man climbed into the
limousine after them, and closed the door.
"You are in no danger," the old man assured them.
He didn't say _yet_, Nabiki considered that understood, hopefully Ranma
or one of the others saw what happened, and reported it. Jeff's calm demeanor
infuriated her, armed men had just kidnaped them, and he acted like they were
on a Sunday drive with old friends.

----------------------------------------

Old Misha had been selected for this assignment because of his political
reliability, and his long experience in the Dreamlands. An adventurer and
spell caster, it was assumed, that of all the agents State Security had in the
Dreamlands, Misha was the best teacher for the young pilots of the new Ogromniys.
He'd never expected the byakhee to have descended in such numbers, to
overpower the guard force and spirit the five fledgling Dreamers away. He'd
made pursuit of course, a flying crystal sailing ship, with a picked crew.
With moonraker sails, as fast as the wind, he'd once proudly claimed. Now,
that was the problem. Time and again, the byakhees' spells would snatch the
wind from the ship's sails, and he would lose time breaking the spells. They
would pull a little farther away with each attempt, and they had others
waiting to take up the burdens, so Misha pursued a nearly tireless enemy
across Cerenarian Sea dodging the grazing Cloudbeasts and other avian troubles.
"There, sir," the lookout pointed to the speck of darkness against the
clouds and blue sky, that for almost two hours, only his sharp eyes had been
able to pick out.
Misha studied the seemingly endless clouds for what had so troubled the
young sky sailor. "Bozhei moi!" he breathed, "That's pursuing us?"
"Yes, sir. It will overtake us in three hours," the lookout reported.
"How soon will our quarry make landfall?" Misha demanded of the
navigator.
"Ten hours, unless they land at the Nameless Rock, then three, three and
a half," the academician turned skyfarer told him.
"If that dragon overtakes us before we can reach the pilots . . . Iron
Felix and Dzerzhinskiy Square will be the least of our worries," Misha
admitted.
"He would still try to interrogate a pile of dragon shit, just to be
thorough," the navigator, an analyst for State Security in the Waking World
agreed.
"Sir, wouldn't it have descended? To come after us?" the lookout asked,
dragons were rarely enough seen, rumors about them were vastly more common.
"Perhaps we could bribe it, somehow."
That earned him chuckles from the more senior crew.
Misha gave him a grandfatherly smile, "What exactly would we offer? A
king's ransom in rubies. A truck load of gold? Perhaps a dozen nubile
virgins? Dream your dreams, but remember even here, there is reality."
The young man returned to the crow's-nest to avoid further laughter,
Misha was left with the problem of what to do, even if the dragon didn't
attack, did he have enough men to snatch back the pilots from the byakhee?
Worse yet, if they sold them to the Moonbeasts, they'd be facing an entire
army. He almost wished the dragon would catch him first.

----------------------------------------

Admiral Simson had just returned from Kyoto when he got the news that
sent him running into General Tomlinson's office, commander of one of the U.S.
Army's Armored divisions.
"You don't have to tell me," Tomlinson said, "The FUBENS(2) screwed the
pooch, again. Let Tendo and Davis get snatched right off the street. One of
their school chums actually called it in, he even got pictures of the cars and
the kidnappers. My recon people are processing the film now."
Simson visibly relaxed, "I keep forgetting, we do have some competent
people around here."
"Considering the security arrangements, I wouldn't get my hopes up,"
Tomlinson joked, "Have you considered letting the Army, or the Marines," he
said the last with mock distaste, "See to their security?"
"I can see that: surround each pilot with a company of Marines.
Supposedly they need to keep a 'common touch', at least that's what that
headshrinker Fuyutsuki says. Unfortunately, Dr. Samuels agrees with him."
"Paul," the General began, "Your experience with security is limited to
guarding ships in port, or battle groups at sea. Leave the arrangements to
someone with a little experience." Tomlinson had been an M.P., before
transferring to Armor, and never looking back. Until now.
"Throw the Army a bone, you mean," Simson smiled at that.
"Oh, I'll let your Marines play too, have to be ecumenical about this, or
we'll have Marines having crying jags all over the place, might scare the
locals. Besides, I wouldn't mind Marine Corps close air support if things get
sticky, not to mention help from those oversized bathtub toys you've got
floating in the harbor."
"Okay, what do you propose?"
"Let's get Tokyo P.D. in here, to identify who these jokers are. Then I
send a few Chaffees and Sherman Flame tanks, to real politely ask them to
explain what they're doing. I could use a company of your best sharpshooters
while you're at it."
"Done, what about later?"
"Let's worry about later, later," Tomlinson picked up the phone and began
issuing orders.

----------------------------------------

The Scholarly Dragon's speed had carried him through the Dreamland's
skies, until he had overtaken and passed the crystalline air-sailer, he didn't
have time to trifle with them. Or the hordes of byakhee he passed through.
They were wise enough to simply make a hole, and let him through. He saw what
they were carrying, he could have attempted a rescue, but that wouldn't have
dealt with the real problem.
There ahead, dozens of the Moonbeasts' cumbersome slave aerial-ships,
from their base on the Nameless Rock. He'd heard a Dreamer had cleaned this
place out, with an army of ghouls and nightgaunts. Too bad they hadn't held
it, he thought, as the ships deployed their 'anti-dragon' weapons. He
laughed, the systems _were_ very good, and clever, which is why every dragon
in the Red Dragons practiced against them. Always compare yourself to the
best, he thought as he gained altitude, and swung wide to attack from behind,
Then you know if you're any good. He would let them do most of the work,
after all, all he had to do was prevent the transfer. Once the byakhee
realized their clients were too busy dying to pay them, they would become far
more amenable. "Surrender or die," he rumbled to himself, and watched the
first net pass near him, he caught it, and quickly accelerated to foul the
sails of the lead ship.
This is always a good game, he thought, The arrogant against the clever.
He also reminded himself that those two appellations could quickly reverse
themselves, if he wasn't careful.

----------------------------------------

Nabiki was not pleased about how vulnerable she felt. Despite the lack
of armed men in the car, she knew they were only a moment away. Despite
Ranma's fervent belief that Martial Arts trumped any weapon yet known to man,
she was not so delusional. That the one person she expected to be shooting
flames and tossing cars around to protect her and himself, was sitting
watching the scenery, and discussing the Japanese tea ceremony with their
chief kidnapper, didn't fill her with warm, soothing thoughts. On the other
hand, having Ranma raise a fuss and get shot, would have been worse, she
reminded herself, tried to remain calm and collected, or at least appear to
be.
They arrived at a large house with a traditional wood and stone fence
around it. Trees grew behind, giving the impression that the top of the fence
was an immense bonsai garden. The lawn was neatly kept, it hardly looked like
the place a group of kidnappers, or murderers would use. The man, surrounded
by large bodyguards, at the end of the driveway dispelled that illusion.
The old man gestured for them to get out of the car. Neither of them
were frisked, the first mistake she'd seen them make.
Or maybe they don't expect us to be armed or dangerous, Nabiki hoped, all
they needed was a few mistakes on the bad guys' part, and a little luck. And
a miracle or two, she added.
"Mr. Shimurata," Jeff bowed, "I was wondering when you'd ask us over. I
must apologize for our rudeness in not bringing a welcoming gift."
Terrific, Nabiki thought, as she straightened up from her bow, He's in
'Kuno-mode' again.
"You disrupted our operations," the man said, trying to get the
conversation back on rational ground, "Operations that would have been very
beneficial to Japan."
"May I?" Jeff asked her, she considered deeply, nodded, let her
subordinate field the question. It also confused the yakuza, That's the only
people they could be. 'An American deferring to a Japanese girl?' she could
almost hear them asking themselves.
"The destruction of Japan would not have served your interests, not in
the long-term," Jeff began.
"So you killed not only your schoolmates, but their families as well?"
oyabun Shimurata was aghast. Nabiki was more so.
Jeff shrugged, "Treason is treason, your country and mine have similar
penalties. There were better ways to deal with your concerns."
Nabiki's blood ran cold, He said 'Killed'! I only wanted them arrested,
gotten out of the way. But they're dead! And he's acting like this is all a
tea party! He must have known what was going to happen! Why didn't he tell
me? I could have found another way. Nabiki glanced down at her shoes, to
hide her expression, she'd tuned out the 'discussion' between the other two,
she'd caused people to die, she as much as killed them. Why hadn't anyone
told her this?
She felt Jeff take her arm and lead her towards a small table.
"Does she have a voice?" the question penetrated Nabiki's consciousness.
"Actually, I'm a ventriloquist's dummy," Jeff said with all seriousness.
The oyabun nearly cracked a smile.
"Only your chosen surrogates, were disrupted," Nabiki commented. "My
associate has already arranged, tutoring and study sheets," she added, "But
there will be no more theft of answer sheets. Photos and betting are still
very profitable. More so now, with the pilots at the school. I think we can
continue to do business."
The oyabun asked, "Why should I agree?"
Jeff looked at Nabiki, she nodded, "I can offer a gift, a demonstration
of what friendship will benefit you, honored sir."
Nabiki noted the interest on the oyabun's face, swiftly and skillfully
hidden, but it had been there. "I think we should offer him a _powerful_
example," she told Jeff, who nodded.
"Your wife suffers from polio," Jeff said, "I can cure her."
Nabiki barely kept a straight face, the oyabun was shocked. He realized
he'd lost the advantage, but he still held some cards.
"How do you know this?!" he demanded.
"Research," Nabiki said quietly, "Do you agree to accept?" Raccoon, I
hope you know what you're doing.
The man sneered.
He thinks we're lying! Nabiki thought, Well, time to educate you. "Do
you agree to let us gift you?"
The man nodded, he was staring daggers at the two youths. Nabiki was
beginning to realize what a dangerous game she was playing. If it didn't
work, even if the man hadn't intended to kill them before, he was considering
it now. She also couldn't get away from the idea that the dethroned 'mafia'
had been killed, how many, were they just taken out and shot? And why had she
not heard any of this? Not from Davis, not from Ritsuko, not from anyone at
school?
The woman was brought out in her walker. Nabiki noted she was a pretty
woman, careworn, but from the way she and her husband look at each other ....
If this works, we've got him, she thought, If this doesn't, we're dead. Why
doesn't that worry me more?
Jeff stood, bowed, "I apologize in advance for your discomfort," he
explained, "The nerves will all report in, what is normal sensation, you
aren't used to, and it will be very distressing."
She looked to her husband, who nodded, she agreed.
Nabiki noticed the tension in the oyabun and his gunmen's faces, as she
moved up to Jeff's side, as he knelt to touch the older woman's feet.
Nabiki expected fireworks, a bright glow, something. Instead the woman
cried out and stood straight up. Nabiki's shock wasn't too great to keep her
from catching her, before she could topple, She's wobbly, Nabiki thought while
supporting the oyabun's wife, But she is able to remain upright, Nabiki and
the woman remained that way for at least a minute, the woman sobbing
hysterically. Nabiki motioned the stunned men forward. The oyabun took his
wife back in the house. Nabiki stared in shock at Jeff, who seemed to be
unable to stand up himself. Okay, it's real, she hadn't been absolutely
certain until now, she wasn't sure what to do next. She had proof, and a
totally inappropriate setting to begin demanding answers and explanations.
She had to stay cool, nonchalant, and in control, At least on the surface, she
admitted to herself, I'll browbeat the answers out of you when we get home!
she silently vowed.
"Listen," Jeff told her, "Ground vibrations too."
She heard odd sounds, "Those are tanks," she said, and looked around,
"And there are snipers on some of the roofs. I think we've better tell them
we're all right, _before_ they start shooting," she told the old man, and the
gunman who were all realizing how outnumbered they were.
"Good plan." Jeff still seemed unable to stand.
The old man quickly led her to the gate, she opened it just before a very
large American soldier knocked.
"Miss Tendo? Are you all right?" the man lowered his hand, gazed inside,
to plan how and where to assault, to rescue the two pilots, if necessary.
Nabiki noted the small tanks not quite aiming their guns at the gate, and
the tank commanders leaning on their machineguns, with the air of men who
could wait forever, Waiting to attack, or fall back, Nabiki thought, It's all
the same to them. "We're just fine, making some new friends. You are our
friends?" she asked the old man, who wisely nodded, "Thank you for caring,"
she told the soldier, "We'll be out in a few moments. We will need a ride
back." She closed the door before the man could reply, turned to the older
man, she now realized he was the oyabun's majordomo, and possibly the woman's
father or grandfather, "They worry so, the dears."
The man seemed as shocked as his boss had been, she realized he was
thinking he was dealing with two sorcerers, not one. Nabiki was realizing
that in Nerima, she made up for a lack of offensive power by bluff and guile,
but here, she could call down Hell, Death and Destruction beyond the dreams of
any of the martial artists, for real. She frankly wanted to go back to the
old system, it was more responsibility than she wanted, she held lives in the
balance, the lives of people she didn't even know. And she was terribly
uncomfortable with that.
Nabiki returned to the table, helped herself to some of the tea. The
warmth kept her from shivering, and her grip on the cup gave her something
else to focus on.
Jeff clumsily ambled over, sat next to her.
"What did you do?" she asked in German.
"Magic," Jeff admitted in German, "Transference healing."
She was amazed, "So you weren't lying when you told Ritsuko in St. Louis,
you are a wizard."
"No, I wasn't, I don't lie," Jeff admitted.
Nabiki knew _that_ could easily be a lie, If it's true . . . she
abandoned the speculation, it led down too many dark paths.

----------------------------------------

Misha wasn't sure what the Hell was going on, so he ordered the sky ship
to turn into the wind to slow down, while they shortened sail. The lookout
had reported the byakhee had slowed and were milling about. Something else
was going on, on the far side of them, but he couldn't see through the mass.
"We could strike while they are distracted," the navigator told him, both
knew he was joking, but the byakhee had lost interest in them as well, as they
closed in slowly.
"Be ready for anything," Misha ordered. What worried him the most, was
that they would put on a sudden burst of speed while he had many of his ship's
sails furled. He didn't like when his enemies did the unexpected.

----------------------------------------

The Dragon was having a fine time. Two of the Moonbeasts' ships were on
fire, and a half-dozen were fleeing back to the Nameless Rock, to escape or
summon reinforcements. Only a few stalwarts were still trying to make the
pick up, probably they had paid earnest money, or whatever, to the byakhee or
whoever had summoned them. And people think Dragons and Scotsmen are
cheapskates! the Dragon thought, "There comes a time to cut your losses and
run!" he bellowed at them in their own language.
The Moonbeasts may have wanted to keep fighting, but their slaves had
other ideas, like survival. Moonbeasts began dropping from all the remaining
ships, and the few that weren't tangled together, broke away and fled.
Neither Saotome would approve, the Dragon turned his attention to the
byakhee, now that _they_ were caught between two forces, instead of himself
and the Russian captain being trapped. I shouldn't have to eat more than half
of them to get them to be reasonable. Byakhee were a special treat, like fugu
to humans, a lovely tingle all the way down, but without any risk of
paralysis, and the dragons made sure the byakhee knew it.

----------------------------------------

The oyabun returns to the table where both Nabiki and Jeff are sipping
tea. Jeff pours him a cup, while the oyabun explains his doctor has
pronounced his wife cured. He is having trouble processing it all.
"Does this indicate the benefits of a partnership?" Nabiki asks, setting
her tea aside, and staring at the man.
"Would you be willing to heal my daughter as well?" the man asks
hopefully.
"I apologize," Jeff bows, "There is a limit to how many times I can
perform the rite in a given time period. However, if you should consider an
appropriate cultural outing, and dinner, on Sunday, I should be able to
deliver on my promise."
The man bows low, "The school is yours, is there anything you need of
me."
"Excuse us," Nabiki says, takes Jeff a small distance away. "We have to
ask for something, something big, or he'll lose face," she tells him in
German, "Just follow my lead."
They return to the table, "I and my associate may need to 'expedite'
things through customs, and through the bureaucracy, your expertise in such
matters would be greatly appreciated."
He bows and agrees. "I fear your friends are becoming impatient. Please
go, with my thanks, and humble apologies for having treated you poorly."
Laying it on a little thick, Nabiki thinks, Well his wife and daughter
returned to health by one, and a couple of companies of tanks and
sharpshooters called off by the other. Maybe he _isn't_ overreacting. Nabiki
is not at ease with that thought, and the implications.
The two are escorted back to the gate. The soldiers are still there,
still waiting, the two pilots are led through the curious soldiers to a
command car, that takes a place in the center of a convoy back to Dr. Akagi's
apartment. The soldiers make them lie down on the floor, so a sniper can't
get a clean shot at them. Nabiki isn't happy about that, either. She glares
at the accepting expression on Jeff's face, a few inches from her own.
"Why didn't you tell me about the deaths? Did you know?" she asks as
they ride back to the apartment.
"I knew."
"Did they get a trial, did they get any due process?" Nabiki demanded
over the noise, "Or were they just dragged out into the street and shot?"
"They received a swift trial, you are assuming the investigations weren't
ongoing at the time of your intervention. You've seen the incomplete sections
of headquarters."
She nods.
"This isn't all about you, Miss Tendo. There are tests that have not
been done, there is data that wasn't transferred to NERV Massachusetts and
NERV Bristol. Information that might have saved some of the British pilots
lost to Unit 03, it might have saved one or both of the American pilots. What
penalty is the appropriate levy for murder? If things had happened
differently, what is the punishment for Omnicide, the death of all?"
Nabiki moves away from Jeff, she feels very cold. She could appreciate
his chutzpah, they need intelligence from many sources, and even criminals
realize that you can't do business if you're dead. But the idea that people
would die because of what they, what she, had done, even if they deserved it,
made her nauseous.
She'd been amazed by the magic, and his overtness in using it. Now she
wants nothing to do with him, his easy condemnation of those who'd opposed
them. The ready acceptance of death in this world.

----------------------------------------

"Here they come!" the lookout shouted.
Misha stood behind an immense harpoon. Several of the crew who were
aircraft pilots in the Waking World had appreciated the skill of the battle,
now the byakhee were approaching slowly, the few carrying the pilots were in
front. The huge creature circled lazily behind them.
If they drop them, what then? Misha wondered, the much reduced force
could still overwhelm his crew.
"Stand ready, but stand easy," Misha ordered as the ant-like monsters
dropped one, then another dazed pilot on the ship's deck, then dove for the
sea far below. Once all five were aboard, the byakhee seemed to be
reassessing the situation, they could outwait the dragon.
"Go home!" it ordered in tradespeech, the lingua franca of the Dreamland.
The message was quickly translated, the byakhee fled. The dragon turned his
attention to the ship and crew, "That goes for you as well. Idiots, bringing
such, here! _FOOLS_!_!_" it roared the last, the entire ship moved from the
force.
Misha hadn't lived this long arguing with angry dragons, "Set course for
Ulthar! Get the pilots below!"
"The steps!" the dragon corrected, "Do not bring them here again! Or you
will suffer!"
Misha nodded, "Yes, Comrade Dragon." He bowed to the scowling brute,
frankly he thought it was a good idea, as they were taken below decks for dry
clothes and a hot meal. At least until they learned to conceal themselves
from even this monster.

----------------------------------------

Secret Techniques
Ranko looked at Nabiki, who'd just drenched her hand, "Akagi-sensei was
right, 24øC is the lower threshold," she said happily, "Next time don't bet
against me."
Ranko growled at her, as she preceded Nabiki out of Akagi-sensei's
kitchen. Nabiki had just gotten home, and was immediately picking on her,
again.
"Hello, Ranko-san," Davis entered the apartment, and started removing his
boots.
Ranko noted Nabiki slipped past her and shied away from him, They must
have had another fight, she thought.
He walked to the dining room table, and carefully spread out dozens of
pieces of paper. "We need a different table, so we don't have to close up our
homework for dinner."
Something had been bothering Ranma for several days, ever since _he_ had
been defeated in dreams. "Uh, Raccoon, do you have some time?"
"Sure," he looked up and smiled at her.
She relaxed a bit, the smile was no where near what Toji, or even Shinji,
gave her on a regular basis, and nothing like Nabiki's smile. "What Ranma did
that first fight, he said," she stopped, the stricken look on Raccoon's face
worried her, "Doing something like it in dreams. Do you think you could - "
"Auugh!" Raccoon screamed, looked at the ceiling, "Can't you give me a
break?! What do you think I've been doing for the past few weeks?" he
gestured at the papers. He sighed, "Why do you think I've been
researching?"
Ranko retreated into the kitchen, as Raccoon grimaced and hit his head on
the table a few times. She and Nabiki were looking over the counter into the
dining room. "I was just asking."

----------------------------------------

The GRU man looked at the motley collection of concrete and sheet metal
huts, high in the Ural Mountains, the twin, parallel rail lines running
through it. Compared with the bustle of the shipyards trying to prepare naval
vessels as carriers, the last major supply depot between Moscow and the
facility, was nearly abandoned. If he'd been human, he would have felt like
screaming. As it was, he looked at the laborers: convicts mostly, or
ex-Wehrmacht; and searched for a way to get them to do their jobs in more than
a half-hearted fashion. Might as well wish that none of this was necessary,
he looked over the sullen, frightened eyes of these people, he could
understand why many considered humans little different from cattle. He'd seen
more intelligence and drive from things he'd eaten, than what he saw here,
looking at him, Especially one.
"We simply need more workers, Comrade Colonel," the Major commanding this
rabble wheedled. It was clear he thought of himself as much a convict as
those working for him, and took as little pride in himself and his command.
"I see a large number of men idle, I see the perimeter is not guarded, I
see large amount of valuable State property left out in the open to rust.
That is what I see, Comrade Major."
The little man paled and began dry washing his hands.
The stench of fear from this fool sickened the GRU man, he wondered if
killing and eating him on the spot would motivate the others. The stomach
upset from so much grease might actually be worth it. An alarm interrupted
his considerations, suddenly the little man beside him came to furious life.
"That stupid Cossack! Jumping at nothing again!" he bustled off to vent
his fear and anger on a junior officer.
The GRU man was not so sanguine, his hearing and eyesight were much
better, and complacency did not blind him. "Everyone to alert stations!
Issue rifles and ammunition to anyone able to fight!"
"Comrade Colonel!" the Major was shocked, "Some of these men are
criminals. Some are Germans!"
The GRU man was concentrating on one point in the sky, and what occupied
it, "They are all humans, and if they want to live, they'll stand and fight!"
The rest of the crowd watched the dim shapes getting bigger as the alarm
was taken up. Not crabs, nor scorpions, nor bats, but a weird mixture of all
three.
Mi-Go! the GRU man thought, wished for some real weapons instead of the
rifle a sergeant handed him. "Flamethrowers, or at least incendiary
ammunition or tracers?!"
The sergeant shook his head sadly, then went to arm the others.
"Aim for their weapons first," the GRU man shouted, "Their bodies are
resistant to bullets, their machines aren't!" It might not do any good, it
might save all of their lives. He noted with satisfaction that none of the
dreadful convicts, or the frightful Germans, was pointing his weapon anywhere
but skyward. A few light machine guns on the perimeter were already opening
up.
Twenty times their number, or a few flamethrowers, he thought, and
wondered how the Americans and Japanese dealt with such things.

----------------------------------------

The GRU 'man' looked over his devastated command. Convicts, misfits and
Germans, he shook his head, The unwanted. "You!" he pointed to a man, he
didn't care who or what he was before, he'd led three counterattacks
personally, and not from the very front, like the poor Cossack lieutenant, who
was carefully added to the heap of corpses, or none at all, like their Major,
whom they had thrown in a lime pit already.
"Do you speak Russian?" he demanded, the man tried to stand, he waved him
back down, A proud one. "Can you not answer a simple question without saluting?"
"Yes, I mean no, sir. I speak good Russian," the man told him.
"Gestapo, SS Trooper?" the GRU man asked.
"Alpine Division," the man said tightly. Still proud of what that meant.
"Well, Captain, you are now a spy for the GRU, and a loyal servant of the
Rodina, do you have any problem with that?" Stalin can only kill me _once_,
he thought as he surveyed the other prisoners and workers, no one seemed to
resent the man's promotion, in fact they all seemed to think 'Better you than
me.'
"Is my job to kill these things?" the man asked. There had been no
reason to bury the enemy. They moldered away within moments of death, leaving
a putrid stench in the air, that not even the mountain winds could scour
away.
"Indirectly, I want a report on the reasons why this camp, which is a
linchpin in the Rodina's attempt to destroy these things, could not be
defended from a small raiding party." He raised his voice, "Other commands
have had to fight off hundreds of these things, and they succeeded." He left
out the last two attacks had cost nearly six battalions of tanks and almost an
entire motor rifle division, losses they could ill-afford. "If there are
simple things to fix, part of your cover is to fix them," he told the man, who
had already collected his cadre, Germans, Ukrainians, a few 'politicals',
another Cossack.
He let the man nod, then told the entire camp, "If any of you wondered
why you are out here, instead of in the pleasant climes of Siberia," he let
them laugh at that, "Somebody thought you could do the job. You are still
prisoners, but would you rather be prisoners," he gestured to where a
makeshift flamethrower had incinerated the Mi-Go's only vehicle, "Or mulch?"
"What are your orders?" the man said.
"What is your name?" the GRU man demanded.
The man smiled, "Piotr Ramius."
"East Prussian?" the GRU man knew a fair number of Lithuanians had fled
to Germany to escape Stalin, well this one was back. "My first order is see
to the wounded and the dead, get the defenses reestablished, they may come
back. _I_ am going to find a radio and get some reinforcements up here." He
raised his voice again, "Then I'm going to find something to drink in this
shithole!"
More laughter, after that battle, he suspected everyone wanted to get
drunk. He headed off to the radio shed, he wondered what they had wanted.
They seemed to concentrate on the construction material. Since the Mi-Go were
intelligent and logical, they must have attacked what they thought was
important. Like the Germans bombing electrical plants, because that's where
they were weak, and the Americans attacking 'vital' industries and the British
enemy morale, because that's what they were afraid of. He was going to have
to look at where they were vulnerable and what were the Mi-Go's
vulnerabilities, Unless they were trying to _steal_ cement and rebar, nails
and wood? That made no sense.

----------------------------------------

"He still follows," the skyship's lookout reported.
"The byakhee?" Misha saw the coastline and the Enchanted Wood
approaching.
"He ate them all, I think he knew I was watching." The lookout climbed
out of the crow's-nest.
Misha noted the lookout was looking fairly green, as cruel as many of the
'monsters' were, Misha knew what real monsters looked like. "He was playing
with his food?" Misha asked mildly, and was amused that the lookout rushed to
the rail and threw up. The Seven Hundred Steps, then to safer dreams, he'd
make the recommendation himself. With that monster taking such a personal
interest, the pilots just weren't safe.

----------------------------------------

The rushing wind tore at her skin and hair, the smoke from the stack made
her cough. Rei wasn't quite sure how she should react. She had been
'visiting' Shinji-kun in his dreams lately. It allowed them to be alone
together, without the others interfering.
Shinji-kun had wanted to be 'adventurous', so they were sitting _atop_
the train as it raced along. It made eating impossible, and talking
difficult. She wasn't certain if she should be frightened, she knew
Shinji-kun wouldn't _intentionally_ hurt her, but was he in control, as much
as he thought/hoped he was?
She sat next to him, holding his hand, he enjoyed it, and it gave her
something else to focus on, rather than focus on the wind, smoke and speed.
He smiled at her. She let the wind ruffle her hair, brush her skin. She
didn't like it too much, but she enjoyed being with Shinji-kun, doing
something more risky.
"I think we cannot eat lunch up here," she managed over the noise of the
rails and engine.
He nodded, the train slowed it's breakneck pace, the wind shifted,
blowing the smoke away. They were still covered in soot, but that was a
nuance that hadn't been there before. She wondered how much was the Second's
training and how much was his natural talent. She felt some jealousy at that.
The Second was not a good teacher, she was too harsh. But Shinji-kun was a
natural Dreamer, the same way he was a natural pilot. That thought worried
her.
"How about now?" Shinji-kun asked her.
She nodded, brushed the soot off her hands and the basket of food, and
began carefully setting out the lunch. It had been a successful pattern,
she'd wanted to do something different from her ordinary life. However,
everyone else stayed away from her. Until recently. Shinji-kun took a wet
cloth and dabbed gently at the soot on her face. She wanted to stop him, but
she dind't wnat to send him away, or make herself unwelcome here.
She was still learning to set limits on the others' interaction with her.
Some was fine, even delightful. Too much, and she wanted to do _anything_ to
drive them away, even Shinji-kun. Finding the mix, and more importantly the
signals to tell them to go, was proving more difficult than anything she'd
ever done.

----------------------------------------

Opening Moves
Rei studied the board. After a week of watching Jeff playing chess, and
then several days of her playing against him, she was playing a slower, more
contemplative game. School was over for the week, Dr. Akagi was collating the
test results, she had until this evening.
"You are playing differently," she told Roku-kun. She had at least six
possible moves, all of which were traps which would tear open and destroy her
carefully constructed defense. She tried to ignore the other pilots and a few
of their circle members as she played, it was extremely difficult.
She stared at the situation on the board, to ignore that she was again
the center of rapt attention. Even the Second was staring at her and the
board. Is the discomfort part of the greater game? To disrupt my
concentration? she glanced at Roku-kun as his eyes scanned the board.
Whatever she did, did he have a counter ready? The others were silent,
watching, waiting. She nearly smiled at that, the Second was almost bursting
to shout out advice, suggestions, warnings, but the 'etiquette' of the game
precluded that. Nabiki had dragged the Fourth's female form back by her
pigtail, with a hand clamped over the Fourth's mouth, to watch the game.
Nabiki and the Second had then glared the rest into silence.
She decided on her move, made it, he made his move almost as a reflex,
the Second gasped.
"Sorry," Asuka apologized quietly.
It was not a move she'd been expecting and she had to pause, concentrate
on the board. While _I_ study the board, he studies it, so he can seem to
instantly react to my move, to further distract me.
She'd won the game on Thursday, and after school on Friday, but this was
different. She surveyed the board, the traps were still there. She couldn't
see what he was doing, other than luring her into a series of ambushes that
would destroy her force, for little loss to his own.
She looked at the Second, "Asuka, what do you suggest?" By asking for
advice, she was admitting defeat. She couldn't see another alternative.
"Resign, mate in six," the Second said grimly.
Rei couldn't imagine surrender at this point, I still have almost
two-thirds of my forces. Yet she is so sure. Rei wondered if the Second was
trying to make her lose, but she had seen Asuka in her 'analytical' mode. In
that posture, Rei and the others could trust Asuka to be factual, if not
always polite. Rei set her king down, indicating surrender.
"Thank you," she told Roku-kun. She couldn't think of anything else to
say.
"You will accompany us on Sunday, won't you?" he asked in return.
She had not considered it, neither Dr. Akagi nor the Commander had told
her of anything requiring her attention, Dr. Akagi and her staff were going as
chaperones. The outing was with Shinji-kun, and all the other pilots. The
last part was the cause of her hesitation, she could see the necessity of
Shinji-kun placating the Second, they lived together, and once placated, she
would be quiet for a while. She could not see the reasoning behind including
the Fourth in on a trip to hear a concert, he would announce it was girly or
boring, or some other nonsense. And if forced, he would set out to ruin
everyone elses' enjoyment, as he did in so many other things.
"If my duties allow," she said, collecting the pieces . . . to _her_
chessboard. That also was new, something that was hers, not issued, not
borrowed, abandoned or neglected. The owner had transferred its title to
her. She carefully put it away.
"Wait a minute, Wondergirl," the Second demanded, "Aren't you going to
give someone else a chance."
Rei stood, put a serious demeanor on, "No," and walked off to the general
laughter of the pilots, even the Second chuckled. Their circles were
mystified by the reaction.

----------------------------------------

Ranko was in a poor mood when she arrived at back at Dr. Akagi's
apartment.
"Problems?" Raccoon asked, "Dodging Toji again?"
Ranko nodded, Ranma was still stuck as Ranko for until Sunday. Unless
NERV required Ranma. Toji had located, her, after the chess game, and Asuka
and Nabiki had seemed bound and determined to embarrass Ranko as much as
possible.
"I think I have a solution to one problem, and a problem I don't think
you know you have," Raccoon told her, "There is a martial art technique you
don't know, or you haven't shown me you know."
"What is that?" she asked, she didn't believe Raccoon could know a
martial arts technique she didn't.
Raccoon stood, opened the closet, pushing the coats aside, "Actually I
noticed this a while ago, but you were too skittish to test this. If you
please."
Ranko noticed Nabiki had wandered in, to see the latest loony Raccoon
idea. She walked into the small area Raccoon had cleared, Raccoon squeezed in
in front of her. She was nervous about that. She glanced over at Nabiki
sitting at the dining room table, staring at them.
"Assume there is a wall, instead of this opening, how would you fight
someone?"
Now that it was fighting, she ignored the close physical contact between
them. She tried a punch, kick, the coats and the close quarters hindered her
a lot. She tried to shove him away, the coats pushed him back at her, he
tumbled at her feet.
"I think I proved my point." He crawled out, stood, and offered his
hand.
"I'm confused," Ranko said, walking out behind him.
"I watched you and Tendo-san fight, and realized you have a minimum
range, if someone gets within about three-quarters of a meter, you stop
punching or kicking them. Instead you do a sweep or throw. If you are out in
the open, where you both prefer to fight, so you can jump around, that's fine.
But - " he gestured at the closet.
"In a phone booth, or a shower stall," Nabiki added.
Ranko shuddered at the idea of Toji catching her in a shower stall,
alone. While Raccoon was wrong, Ranko could have pummeled him unconscious,
but it would have taken a longer time than Ranko was comfortable with, and
Toji might have fallen _on_ her, not in front of her.
"Try this, put your fists just below and on either side of the hollow of
your throat. Now strike using your elbow. Now make an uppercut using your
elbow."
Ranko practiced the moves, it was clumsy, but she could adapt many of her
strikes to this method.
"Now if you can jump up, but not side to side, use your elbow to attack
the collarbone. This gives you a strike about 30 centimeters long, no more
someone getting too close."
It was hardly a 'new' technique, but it was an important variation, she
tried kicks, using her knee or upper leg. Very useful. "Okay, what's the
price?" She knew Raccoon never gave anything away, you had to earn it.
"Just the way to put Toji off, hopefully for good," Raccoon told her,
"One kiss, in front of the whole class."
IS HE CRAZY?! Ranko shuddered at the thought of kissing Toji, ever, "I
ain't doin' it, no way! Pick something else! No way am I kissing Toji!"
"Who said one word about Toji?" Raccoon asked.
Nabiki instantly burst out laughing, then Ranko realized what Raccoon was
proposing.
"It was your idea, you asked me about staging a fight." Raccoon kept
having to raise his voice over Nabiki's increasing laughter. "Why not a love
scene?"
Ranko blushed pure crimson, This time, Raccoon doesn't have the faintest
idea what he's asking! She expected Nabiki-chan to laugh her head off about
it, what she didn't expect, was Raccoon's reaction.
"Tendo-san, if you do not have something constructive to offer, SHUT YOUR
MOUTH!" he angrily shouted at her. She glared at him, he stared back.
Ranko wanted to leave the room, she hated being the subject of
Nabiki-chan's glare or Raccoon's stare. She swore she saw a fly caught
between them, fall screaming to the ground in flames.
Nabiki looked away first, "Okay. I'll behave."
"I was not demanding anything, I was suggesting a course of action. If
you think you could convince Ranma to kiss you, then go ahead and do that."
He glared at Nabiki who started chuckling at that, she fell silent. "We don't
have to do anything tomorrow, think about it, come up with a course of action
you are comfortable with." He looked at Nabiki, "I'm going to go practice on
the roof, before 'Biki-chan does herself an injury from not laughing."
Nabiki kept a straight face until Raccoon closed the door behind him.
Then her laughter nearly knocked her out of her chair. "One kiss and all your
frogs become princes!"
Ranko frowned at her, it was a good plan. Toji was afraid of Raccoon, if
Ranko started 'chasing' Raccoon, was Raccoon's girlfriend, Toji would leave
her alone. So would the other girls, they'd quit thinking she was poaching on
_their_ boyfriends, they'd all leave her alone too. The other pilots would
recognize it for what it was, an attempt to put off Toji. Although Asuka
would never let him live it down, But was that any different from how she
acted about Ranko and Toji right now?
Nabiki was still laughing too hard to be of any use, except as a
noisemaker.
She knew he was offering it as a game, an acting scene, of no importance,
to him. Except it did mean something, it meant something to Ranma. He didn't
want to encourage his girl side, he also didn't like how it would make him
feel. 'She' liked the way Raccoon treated 'her', as a friend and student,
always friendly and patient, but equally proper and respectful, never
romantic. He'd seen Shinji looking at Ranko _that_way_, even though he knew
who Ranko really was, and he and Rei seemed to enjoy each other's company.
Raccoon didn't mean anything by this, he was just trying to help.

----------------------------------------

Sunday Concert
"I don't want to go," Ritsuko heard Ranma say. The invitation, by a
'group of business men' to the Philharmonic on Sunday, had been eagerly
received by most of the pilots. With one notable exception.
Nabiki was building up to a counterattack.
"You don't have to come," Davis walked out of the bathroom, hair combed,
teeth brushed. "We cannot expect you to." He adjusted his tie.
"That's right," Ranma said.
"Expect him to - what?" Nabiki asked.
"Behave like a civilized man, we cannot expect him to do something he
does not want to. Just because everybody else will enjoy it, just because
it's the thing a man would do," Davis told Nabiki, "So don't force him."
"What are you saying?" Ranma demanded. "What does listening to music
have to do with being a man?"
"Accompanying your friends, accepting that they might want to do
something you don't," Davis said, "And _not_ spoiling their good time."
"You're right, we can't expect him to just sit and enjoy that we're
enjoying the music." Nabiki nodded. "Very wise," she added, "Bye, Saotome."
Lt. Thompson stood with Ritsuko and Maya, "I thought you were kidding
about those three."
"All right, I'll go!" Ranma said, giving up on the issue.
"Oh, good for you," Davis said, patting his shoulder.
Ritsuko and Maya hid their smiles, Lt. Thompson just shook her head, "Do
we have time to have them do that with Captain Katsuragi?"
"Unfortunately no," Ritsuko admitted, she adjusted her dress, noted that
her two assistants were well-dressed, neither in a uniform, just three
attractive women, and that Ranma headed back into his room to change into
better clothes.
Shinji, Rei and Asuka arrived, followed almost immediately by Hikari,
Toji and Hiroko. No Kaji and no Misato, despite the invitation specifically
inviting them.
Ritsuko was disgusted, she suspected what Misato and Kaji were doing,
despite their vehement denials. She'd expected them to bow out, so she let
Nabiki invite Hiroko, and let Asuka invite Hikari and Toji. She suspected
Shinji and Hikari had forced Asuka to include him. She'd been tempted to
include the Commander as a chaperone, most of the tests run today could have
been run without his presence, and although she didn't like Rei, she knew the
Commander's presence would please her. She also suspected he'd be better able
to keep Saotome in line, Tendo and Davis sometimes went too far when they did
it. She led the group to the limousines, the businessmen had provided the
limos, the U.S. Military had provided the drivers, and the escorts.

----------------------------------------

"Handel, Mozart, Verde," Asuka sat in the car, almost chirping with glee,
"If the orchestra is any good, this will be great."
"I look forward to the violin solo," Rei commented.
"Oh, I forgot, Wondergirl," Asuka continued, "You play the violin too.
So, Spineless, your cello, we just need one more for a proper quartet." She
stared pointedly at Davis. "Guitar or bagpipes doesn't work."
"I'll play the guitar with a bow then, and there _are_ pieces for those
four instruments," Jeff told her.
"So are you my date, or Ice Princess's?" Asuka asked.
"I wasn't aware this was a date," Jeff replied, "If it was, we would have
needed an artillery division to get Toji-san and Saotome-san to accompany us."
"What does she see in him anyway?" Asuka wondered.
"Well Shinji's a nice guy, and quieter than the rest of us," Jeff
replied.
"Ice Princess, not Wondergirl, you goof!" Asuka shouted.
"I thought you were talking about Hikari."
Shinji and Rei smiled at the banter.

----------------------------------------

Nabiki was uncomfortable, which for her, was almost unheard of. Here she
was, in a limousine, sitting next to Ranma, on what could only be a date.
Part of her nervousness was her traveling companions: Hikari and Toji, and
Nancy Thompson. Toji was ambivalent about the whole concert idea, but he was
willing to go, with Shinji's and Hikari's urging, he was behaving himself.
Unlike Ranma, who was nervously fidgeting. Nabiki and Hikari had nothing to
say to each other. Hikari had been elevated from open joke to real leadership
by Nabiki and the pilots, but it was clear to Nabiki, she wanted the top spot,
and wouldn't tolerate Nabiki-style 'antics'. Leaving out that those 'antics'
would keep her and her austerity alive, when they found something.
And the top spot is mine! Nabiki thought.
She also realized that this wasn't the place to settle things. She
wished Raccoon or Hiroko had accompanied her, but Asuka had been firm, her
group was 'Musicians all, and only', and Nabiki had thought being alone with
Ranma was all right, then Akagi-sensei dragged Hiroko away to ride with her.
Leaving this, the only combination left. Then Lt. Thompson had squeezed in
next to Toji, incidently pushing him against Hikari, neither complained.
Why couldn't she have sat over here? Nabiki wondered, thinking about
being pressed up against Ranma . . . but she hadn't offered the seat, had been
vaguely glad when the woman had chosen the seat she had.
Why isn't the universe doing what I want? she silently asked, Better
question: Why aren't I? All she had to do was slide over a little, but she
couldn't make herself do it. It wasn't Hikari's presence, the girl wouldn't
gossip and wouldn't blackmail her. It couldn't be Lt. Thompson, from what
Nabiki had overheard, and she believed it, the Army nurse had gotten medical
'samples' from all three of the boys. She wouldn't have anything to say if
Nabiki slid over and held hands with Ranma
So why aren't I doing it? she asked herself, They practically handed you
a perfect opportunity, and you _sit_ there, like an addled schoolgirl!

----------------------------------------

The pilots, their guests and their chaperones arrived at the orchestra
hall. Nabiki noted the oyabun was waiting with his wife, And several other
members of the organization, Nabiki thought the men were too old and
distinguished to be gunmen or mere functionaries.
Nabiki bowed, "Shimurata-san. I am pleased beyond words you could
arrange this for us." She ignored the shock of the others.
He bowed low, introduced the members of his syndicate. They all wanted
to know that despite some hard feelings towards the pilots now, in the past,
and possibly in the future, "You are welcome here, honored guests, and honored
sons and daughters of Japan." The men bowed.
"Thank you," Ritsuko said, "That is welcome news." The NERV group bowed
in turn.
"Davis-san, could you help me collect my daughter. She wasn't pleased
about coming here," the oyabun explained.
Nabiki wanted to follow them, but it had fallen to her to make the
introductions.
The 'business' men were shocked when Jeff, oyabun Shimurata, and his
daughter walked in. The girl seemed as astonished, leaning heavily on her
father. She was shocked about meeting all the EVA pilots. She shook hands
and got autographs from all six, even Rei.
Nabiki also noted the Boston Red Sox cap on her head, I know how she got
that, Nabiki thought, she also thought she looked a lot like Akane, Or mother.
Nabiki hadn't known their grandmother's maiden name, she felt a chill, Could
this girl be my grandmother in the 'Nerima World'?
"I heard you played baseball with the Navy on the carrier!" the girl
chirped.
Better personality, Nabiki thought, Like mother.
"Please respect their enjoyment of the concert," the oyabun's wife
commented, the girl nodded, fell silent.
The group took their seats. Nabiki sat next to Ranma, she noted Roku-kun
sat next to her, then Asuka, Shinji and Rei. Nabiki hadn't expected the
pilots to all sit together. Ranma, trapped against the wall, shifted uneasily.
Then the concert started. Nabiki let herself enjoy the music, between
the pieces she heard an animated discussion among the four musician-pilots,
then silence as the concert restarted. She even heard Rei speaking
occasionally, usually a statement, simple and to the point.

----------------------------------------

Hiroko sat in the second row with Hikari, Toji and the chaperones. She'd
not expected the pilots to all sit together. She understood that they, well
some of them, knew music, but the boss evidently wanted to trap Ranma, so
Hiroko sat behind him, to complete the trap. If she couldn't be with her,
she could at least support her. The three chaperones were spread out, one,
Maya, between her and Toji, Lt. Thompson on the far side of Hikari, and Dr.
Akagi with their 'distinguished hosts'.
Hiroko knew they were yakuza, Even they couldn't stand against the boss.
Although she wasn't happy about _how_ the boss had managed that, she didn't
want to know. She didn't use it on trivial opponents, Hikari's continued
existence made that evident. The school mafia had sabotaged NERV, however
slightly, these yakuza must have moved in and been brought to heel.

----------------------------------------

The intermission was a welcome break for Ranma. Nabiki and Jeff had to
restrain him from jumping over the back of the chair. He headed out into the
lobby, into a smoke-filled room. Nabiki hadn't considered that with no
smoking in the theater, everyone smoked like a chimney in the lobby, including
Akagi-sensei and the yakuza, and some Marine and Army minders.
Ranma didn't find anything to eat, and the smoke probably ruined his
appetite.
During the second half, Nabiki watched Ranma actually allow himself to
relax and feel the rhythm of the music, she was a little put off that he was
making small movement of his hands and feet.
'Translating' it into martial arts, she thought, At least getting him to
go to the next concert won't be so difficult.

----------------------------------------

"I could eat a whole cow!" Ranma announced as they trooped out of the
concert hall.
"Me too!" the girl, Mirei, announced.
The same name as my grandmother, Nabiki was getting worried about this,
The timing and the age are about right. She didn't remember her grandmother,
she died before her mother.
"Well, it will be entertaining to see you two try," Shimurata told them.
"Don't challenge them," Ritsuko warned, "I've seen them eat. Three cows
a piece is about right."
"Ha!" Asuka announced, "You won't beat me Saotome!"
"Are they always so, combative?" one of Shimurata's allies asked.
"We've managed to prevent them from spilling each other's blood," Nancy
told them very seriously. The yakuza were shocked.
The ride over to the restaurant was quieter. Ranma and Mirei were
talking about softball. Nabiki noted that the wife was a bit unsteady on her
feet, and tired easily, although she tried to be an ideal hostess. Ranma's
discussion of martial arts impressed Mirei. Ranma seemed to open up to her.
Nabiki noted the subjects that interested him, and what he closed up
on.

----------------------------------------

Hiroko had enjoyed the music, this time she'd managed to get to Nabiki,
Ranma and Mirei, and with Maya, had gotten in one limo, while Hikari and Toji
were with Dr. Akagi and their 'hosts'. She noted that Ranma was ignoring the
boss, talking sports with Mirei instead. How blind can he be?!
She hoped the restaurant was interesting, and that she'd get the nerve to
talk to the boss.

----------------------------------------

By the time they arrived at the restaurant, the musicians were dissecting
the concert, rating the various musicians, the direction of the orchestra.
Nabiki glanced at Ritsuko and smiled. Asuka was keeping a low noise level,
even Shinji and Rei were in the conversation, giving as good as they got.
Nabiki felt a little isolated. Ranma was talking sports/athletics; Rei,
Shinji, Asuka and Raccoon were discussing music; Ritsuko was talking parenting
with Maya and the Shimuratas. She stayed close to Ranma, and managed not to
sound like a complete idea when she tried to participate.
The meal was served.
"Steak!" Asuka called, "I thought you weren't allowed to have steaks."
"Of course," Nabiki said, "I heard they fed them beer and massaged them
before they served them up."
"Maybe that's what Kaji had in mind," Jeff said. Earning a glare from
Asuka.
"That would be very expensive. Who'd pay for that?" the oldest yakuza
man said.
"There will be people who would pay," Jeff added, "For tender enough
steaks. Where are they doing this?"
"Kobe," she told them.

----------------------------------------

Toji squared off against Ranma in speed eating, polishing off five bowls
of rice. Toji never had a chance. Ranma sat back and poured a cup of tea
while he waited for Toji to catch up, then tossed his last morsel, and the
last bite from Toji's bowl, in his mouth. Much to Hikari's and the Nabiki's
disgust. Hiroko still found she was too tongue-tied to do more than nod,
besides sports and music didn't interest her as it did the others. It was
painful to watch the boss struggle to try to be part of the conversation.
Hiroko cursed her own fear, and noted Rei periodically looked pointedly at
her, then rejoined her own conversation.
Why can't I just talk to her? Hiroko asked herself, Because you don't
know what she's interested in, besides photography, business and Ranma, and
you haven't bothered to find out.

----------------------------------------

Ritsuko noted that Ranma won the eating contest, although Davis and Asuka
weren't far behind. She was worried that they had many different varieties of
vegetables and rice dishes for Rei. Rei's dislike for meat was not
well-known. The girl nearly packed away as much as the other three, she
obviously enjoyed the variety, and that she was part of the conversations.
Even Asuka occasionally queried her.
Ritsuko found the parents were a good source of knowledge, their oldest
and middle sons were killed in the Pacific War. She remembered that Professor
Fuyutsuki had wanted to keep the Children in contact with normal people,
normal situations. The Navy had told her who these people really were, but
getting the kids out on a Sunday was worth the risk. Considering the number
of discreetly armed U.S. Military, she doubted anyone would be foolish enough
to try anything. She did wonder about the links between Nabiki and Davis and
these people, the Navy had told her not to worry about it. They could have
scarcely told me something to make me _more_ worried, she thought.

----------------------------------------

The reporter thought he'd gotten a perfect spot to take the photographs.
He even had one of the weird pilots looking straight at him. NERV consorting
with criminals, with the tacit acceptance of the U.S. Occupation. It was an
incredible scoop, no one would believe it. They might try to suppress this,
but there were governments who'd pay good money for the pictures, even if the
newspapers wouldn't run the story.

----------------------------------------

Gambit Refused
Fuyutsuki was meeting with the Committee. He noted that the monolith
numbered 12 was missing. None of the committee seemed to want to acknowledge
the lack, or the asymmetry of their formation. Fuyutsuki listened to the old
men pontificate.
He smiled at that, Most are younger than you, but Ikari's appellation
fit. Old women would be better, they were so terrified of their almighty plan
going off the rails if someone sneezed at the wrong time. They thought he was
unaware of the source of their power, and their goals.
As dark as our plans are, they don't compare with the ends you hope to
achieve, he despised them, for both their cowardice, and their attitude 'Some
have to be sacrificed to serve the greater good.' They never put their necks
on the line, it was always others who did the sacrificing.
"That concludes this meeting," Monolith 01, probably Kehl ordered, before
Fuyutsuki could bring up half the items he needed to speak to them about. The
other monoliths faded, Monolith 01 remained, "You are being insolent, the work
must continue."
"I was considering a report that the Dead Sea Scrolls are a forgery,
perpetrated by the Americans," Fuyutsuki countered, Davis had him and Gendo
going for nearly ten minutes with this story, it was time to share the
misery.
Kehl's continued silence encouraged him, "Supposedly General Patton
passed through Middle East under official censure. We should check with the
Americans, see if they retain the originals, or the truth of the reports. It
is curious he was killed in a traffic accident so soon after hostilities
ended." Fuyutsuki knew of the wild leaps of logic and conspiracy the
Committee jumped to on thinner evidence than this.
"Thank you, Professor, we will look into this." The Monolith faded.
Fuyutsuki stood and stretched, these sessions always felt like hand-to-hand
combat.
Gendo was waiting for him outside, "They'll be chasing their tails over
that for a month."
Fuyutsuki was glad his friend approved, and was concerned they didn't
bring up his absence, again, "Since there's nothing to it, they'll look even
harder. They denied the increases we requested, and access to the data.
Thought suggesting that their holy guidebook was a clever forgery, was
adequate recompense."
Gendo nodded, "The Occupation forces will take up the slack in the
Children's security, reducing the chances the Committee will be able to
observe them at all times. We may be able to accelerate the process,
without the Committee knowing why."
"Are the Children ready for that?" Fuyutsuki was uneasy about the idea
of changing the plan so radically.
"We only need six, we have ten. A few casualties will only strengthen
their resolve, make them more suitable."
Fuyutsuki nodded. If the Children or the Americans ever find out,
they'll have our heads on a platter.

----------------------------------------

"I'll get you all tickets when my team wins the Championship," Mirei told
all the pilots as they left the restaurant.
Nabiki thought she was going to explode, it had been a long time since
she'd eaten like that.
The yakuza had not realized the pilots could put away food like that.
The superb quality helped, Nabiki thought, Asuka and Shinji must have been
stocking up.
"Why don't we do this next week?" Jeff suggested to the pilots, "Get
together to study," he smirked at Asuka and Shinji, "Get you three a decent
meal."
"I'd like that," Shinji said, glanced at Rei.
"Just so you don't think you can monopolize all the cooking," Asuka shot
back.
"Is there anything you two don't argue about?" Mirei asked incredulously.
Asuka and Jeff stared at each other, "NO!" they shouted in tandem, then
broke out laughing.
Mirei shook her head, whispered something to Ranma, who nodded sagely, or
disgustedly.
The group broke up, Nancy went with Shinji, Asuka and Rei. Maya and
Ritsuko squeezed into the other limo with Ranma, Nabiki and Davis. Nabiki
made sure she sat between the two boys.
"So, do you have a new girlfriend?" Nabiki asked.
"No," Ranma replied.
"Easy Tendo, she was just excited about meeting the pilots, all the
pilots, and someone who was interested in the things she was," Jeff added.
"She wasn't the only one," Maya commented, "I've never seen Rei so
animated, I think she was actually arguing with Asuka."
"More of a polite disagreement," Ritsuko corrected her, "But it was
surprising."
"And Shinji," Ranma said, "Never knew he had it in him."
"Everyone fights when they're backed into a corner," Nabiki didn't like
being left out of the conversation _again_.
"It wasn't like that," Maya missed Nabiki's irritated tone.

----------------------------------------

The cavern is dark, they need no light, and no voice to deliberate these
decisions. Consensus is approaching. The splinters have either joined one of
the major divisions, or lay torn apart in the middle of the council floor.
The God has ended, Long live the God.
That accepted, the divisions must now deal with their differences.
Others still require servants, and despite the reverence of serving the One
Above, the lesser Others would accept service.
The young, enraptured prophet had drawn a different conclusion: the God
was dead, but had not remained that way. The disagreements over the
legitimacy of this belief fueled the debate. The young one is skilled in
manipulation of the elders, the assessment is simple enough, the shaman and
followers would investigate the dreams, discern the truth of them, determine
if the Great Old One was awake, was in need of their service.
All consider the proposal. Then there is consensus. Some agree because
the plan is wise, others to get rid of a clever and troubling upstart, many
other reasons. The important point is consensus had been reached, and the
shaman and followers would now have to journey where the dreams lead.
The perils of such a journey paled in comparison of what would come
after. None knew how they would react to the loss of this dream, still worse,
what would happen if the dreams were true?

----------------------------------------

They'd dropped Maya off at her apartment before returning home. Now
Nabiki noted that Akagi-sensei was showering in the bathroom, and Ranma had
gone to the roof to do his evening practice. "I want to learn how to do
that," she told Roku-kun, "Whatever the cost I'll pay it."
"A laudable desire, but this isn't something you can pick up overnight,"
Roku-kun replied.
"I'll study, you'll find me a good student," she assured him.
He seemed to be considering, "There are a few questions I have, the most
obvious is, why?"
Nabiki was nonplused, she didn't have an answer, "Doesn't everybody?"
"No," he replied, "Most people act like Mister Saotome, trying to stay as
far away from it as possible. Your answer is no answer, so I shall try a
couple of easier questions. First, why should I trust you? Apart from the
fact that our countries were recently at war, I know next to nothing about
you."
"You said you'd read my biography," Nabiki told him, she wondered why she
hadn't bothered to do the same, read hers, his, and all the others. She
expected a response, all she got was a flat stare that wouldn't have looked
out of place on Rei. Not even a raised eyebrow as the silence dragged on, not
a smirk.
"The second is, just how stupid do you think I am?"
That caught Nabiki by surprise.
"I have seen the way you treat Saotome, the way you treat Langley, the
rest. Your desperate need for power and control. Since you obviously don't
know how to properly use the power you do have, why would I give you more?
Your anger taints your every move, your every act, your every word. I can
practically smell it, like gangrene. I don't know who or what you're angry
with or at, and I don't care why. Until you can deal with it, no real mage
will give you the time of day, except out of pity."
"Is that why you've been helping me?!" Nabiki was furious, "Out of pity!
Poor, helpless little girl can only get by with a big strong gaijin!"
"I needed you to further my designs. Evidently I have more faith in your
potential than you do."
Nabiki hated being patronized, "Maybe I should tell Akagi-sensei why we
got that invitation. Or maybe Gendo?"
"Do as you think best," he told her calmly, tipped his hat, and left for
a walk.
Nabiki closed her eyes, Oh, Nabiki, you really blew it, why am I _still_
so angry? I'll never see my family again . . . and I still want to hurt them
for what they did. And I'm taking it out on Ranma, and Asuka, and everybody
else. Soun didn't throw me out of the house, my home, I left. I didn't get
dragged here kicking and screaming, I didn't think about what I was getting
into. She sighed, looked around the place, she was also afraid. Of all the
pilots, she was the only one who hadn't piloted, she was the only one who
hadn't been in combat with one of those things. She _assumed_ they held her
in contempt because of that, she _assumed_ . . . she assumed wrong, Shinji
wanted to never pilot again, it disturbed Ranma, Roku-kun treated it as giri,
a duty he didn't ask for, Asuka and Rei were the only ones who actually were
eager about it, and both would be just as happy if _only_ they had to do it.
If anything, they're relieved or jealous I haven't, she thought.
She didn't want to admit it, but her anger was clouding her judgement.
She'd lashed out when thwarted, instead of taking her usual, subtler route to
solve problems, and she hadn't examined the effects of her lashing out.
People had died, she hadn't pulled the trigger, I aimed the killers at them.
I should have suspected, but they made me angry. So I took it out on someone
who had what I wanted. If I'd wheedled and cajoled, cried and begged, I would
have gotten what I wanted. Or at least something other than a flat 'no'.
She looked around and wondered how else she could screw things up
tonight.

----------------------------------------

Jeff heard the two people approaching. He'd almost expected this,
considering the troubles he'd been having lately, "I don't see how you could
tell me to trust him, he thinks with his muscles. You're asking a lot, to
trust our ultimate plan on someone we barely know."
The gray-haired man wearing the uniform of a Navy Master Chief spoke
first, "He'll be a strong Dreamer, stronger even than you and Miss Langley."
"He can help you, if you let him," the silver-haired woman in the uniform
of a WAC sergeant told him, "We ran the divinations, 12 times, each, using 5
different methods. 99.6% chance it's only him, '15 nines' he's the only one
in Japan."
"Terrific," Jeff commented, No emotion, they're just being factual.
"I've already started training him."
"Accelerate it as much as you dare," the man told him as they dropped
away.
Jeff shrugged inwardly, disasters never came singly. At least the
question of Miss Tendo was solved. She wasn't the enemy, at least not
intentionally, but she'd never be a useful ally either. The best he could
hope for, was she wouldn't be too large a hindrance. If she told Gendo about
her suspicious, considering what Rei must have reported, it wouldn't be _me_
Gendo would be going after.

(2) FUBENS: Fouled Up Beyond Even NERV Standards, NERV security, especially
the pilots' bodyguards. Partially due to incompetence, partially due to their
constant jokes about the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) [Ogre in
Japanese]. Not a term of endearment.