Christmas Cake (part eighteen)

[dd]

There was little light.

There was no sound except for his rough and rasping breath.

Still, he knew he was in great danger.

He was anxious. Afraid.

There were no smells other than his acrid sweat and the scent of dried blood.

There was only one possible way out of the chasm.

Something might be waiting for him there. Something definitely approached from behind.

The sense of despair wore heavily on him.

His mouth was dry. He could still taste the morning?s meager rations? not what he would have chosen for his last meal.

The hairs on his skin stood up. The cold air stung his face. He fought hard not to cough. His breath looked like trails of smoke spiraling up from a cigarette.

His lungs cried out for more air. His body needed water. Somehow, he needed to gain control of his situation. This was his territory. He had fought hard for it. There was no way he was going to surrender his independence. He would have vengeance on anything that sought to take away all that he had worked for.

Hate began building up within him. His pride threw out its chest. Consternation was a near palpable thing.

There was a sound. Something had stepped on a stick. No movement was seen on the wet clay slopes around him. The fog rose swiftly, almost malevolently. The ground began to tremble. Why?

A great mass of shambling forms appeared at the crest of the surrounding hills. They sighted him. Horrid undulating cries filled the air as they descended like a living avalanche, knocking each other down in their need to reach him first. Mud flew off of their feet. Arms were outstretched, hands held like claws.

Run.

He had to run. If he stood still, the ravenous pack would take him to ground, covering him within moments. It would be the end.

They must not reach him!

If he could reach safety, he could keep it all.

He ran. His legs pumped fiercely as he jumped over obstacles and dodged around dangers that seemed to come out of nowhere. Fear ran in his veins. Panic beat in time with his heart. They were closing in. There were too many of them to avoid.

His doubt clung to him like a second skin. He tried to shake off the feeling of shame. This was not a matter of courage. It was a matter of survival.

Why?

Why were they doing this? Why did they single him out?

?Stop asking questions. Run!?

The loping shapes cut off his route of escape. Their numbers grew as they formed a ring around him. They walked forward, slowly, step by step. They wanted him. He could taste their eagerness. He could smell their killing lust.

?Back! All of you get back! Go away! Just leave me alone?.?

Faces.

He could make out faces.

Somehow, they seemed familiar?. a rugged face with a beard?. a laughing face framed by long blonde hair?. a scowling face with a hawk like nose?. a fresh soft face flanked by a thick braid?. a pert young face framed by ponytails?. a brazen face with a cigarette?. so many different faces? and that last one? that last one? the hungriest looking one?. the one hidden by the swaying blue hair?.

?NOOOOOO-O-O-O-O-O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o?.?


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


?Sergeant, are you OK? Sergeant Sagara, please wake up. You?re in the medical area. It was just a nightmare.? Tony Damaio shook Sousuke gently. He disconnected some wires and removed the hood-like device from the younger man?s head.

?What?? Sousuke was disoriented. He tried to move his arms. He couldn?t. They must be holding him down. His throat was exposed. ?Let? me? go?.?

The technician pushed a button on his intercom. ?Sorry to disturb you again Dr. Schacher, but he?s going through another episode. This one is worse than before.?

?I?ll be right over. Turn the dial down to 1200 until I decide otherwise.?

Tony looked down at Sousuke, feeling pity for the writing form. The young man was having a rough time acclimating to the process. He couldn?t imagine what he must be thinking or feeling.

?Any idea what this one is centered on, Tony?? Dr. Schacher walked in the room, putting on his white coat. Walking over to a monitor, he ran through Sousuke?s vital signs. ?Draw some venous blood, if you please. Run the same panel as last time.?

?Yes, doctor. I think he sounded afraid. I would bet this one is centered around fear.? The medical technician drew some blood from a port in Sousuke?s left antecubital fossa, making certain to swab it with alcohol first.

?No? please?.just stay away?.? Sousuke opened his eyes. He looked uncertain of his surroundings at first, but slowly began to settle down.

?Sousuke. Can you hear me Sousuke?? Dr. Schacher shined a light in the young soldier?s eyes. He took the stethoscope out of his coat pocket and auscultator the shivering boy?s chest. ?Sousuke, it was just another dream. It?s OK. We won?t let anything happen to you.?

?I? I?? Sousuke let out a long sigh, then clenched his teeth. ?I? I am back, Sir.? He looked around the room as much as his position allowed. The surroundings were familiar. There was nothing out of the ordinary. The last vestiges of his night terrors ebbed away, without leaving a single trace or residue.

?Neurotransmitter levels are elevated, doctor. They are appropriate for the third stage.? There was a definite hint of concern in Tony?s voice. The process was only in its second phase.

?OK. Dial it down to 1000 and leave it there.? Dr. Schacher looked down at Sousuke after passing along his instructions. ?You?ve got some awfully strong walls up, young man. We?re doing our damnedest to tear them down, but your defense mechanisms keep trying to build them back up again.?

?It? it is not a problem.? Sousuke?s voice sounded worn and subdued.

?I wish we could give you something to ease your distress, but you reactions are all part of the process. Hopefully that was the worst of it. You should sleep like a baby when the sequence is finished.? Dr. Schacher?s voice would have sounded reassuring to anyone other than Sousuke.

The young sergeant?s hearing seemed abnormally keen. There was a slight sibilance. The doctor was concerned? he smelled of sweat? a small vein in his neck pulsed.

?Affirmative.? Sousuke closed his eyes, hoping to fall back to sleep.

?When his EEG shows slow waves again, trigger the next program Tony. I?ll be on call for the next hour. Contact Dr. Cannon-Bard after that if you need someone. This is has been difficult for all of us.?


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

The prey thought it was safe.

He could tell by the way its ears flickered about. The drooping tail was another clue.

The prey sniffed the air. Reassured, its soft muzzle dipped back down into the tender long grasses. The subtle sound of its contented grazing thundered in his ears.

The scent was tugging at him, enticing him.

He could not resist.

Hunger. Need. Uncontrollable urges.

?Now!? He sprang out from his concealed position, mind running as quickly as his body. His every sense was screaming for attention.

?It? will? break? that way!? He was correct. The prey wheeled to the right, churning up the soft ground with its frantic feet. This way and that way it darted, unable to gain any distance. Froth bubbled at the corner of its mouth.

A song of great joy rang in his ears. This was the proof of his existence. Even nature could not doubt his prowess. He was in awe of his own abilities. He was grateful to be at the apex of the natural hierarchy. He felt no compassion or sympathy for the one he chased.

?AH HAH HAH HA hah hahahahaha haaaaaaaaaa?.?

His every bounding step felt as if it were in slow motion. Every breath of the clean crisp air encouraged him, spurring him on. The closer he came to the prey, the further he moved from conscious thought.

Kill.

He had to kill.

The acquisition of food was paramount.

Eat.

He would feast, before his prey was even dead.

Nothing would take his kill from him. He would protect it at all cost.

Live on.

He would continue onward, well served by his unchallenged supremacy.

Perpetuation. Independence. Physical need. Power. They all called to him. They pushed his eagerness to new heights.

He struck. A fierce blow to a leg tripped the prey, bringing it hard to the ground. He sank his long sharp claws deep into its flesh, holding it with no chance for escape. Remorseless, he clamped his jaws over its trembling neck and shook, breaking the spine.

Dragging the prey to a more suitable spot, he caught a glance of its lifeless face.

It was familiar.

It should be.

It was his own.

?No no no no no no no nooooooooooooooo?.?


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


The cold water felt good going down his throat. The cool towel on his forehead helped draw his attention away from the throbbing at his temples.

Sousuke?s vision had cleared, and his ragged breathing had returned to normal. He looked up into the concerned face of Dr. Cannon-bard.

?It exhausted me just watching you, Sergeant. You certain are a bundle of energy. The monitors had quite a workout too.? Sophia smiled, but her eyes gave hint of her concern.

?Can I turn the alarms back on, doctor? He?s dropped far below the threshold again.? Tony looked at a long strip of paper, noting the trend of Sousuke?s more crucial parameters.

?Yes. It looks like he?s over this hurdle.? Sophia smiled down at Sousuke, amused by his exaggerated response to her proximity. She stepped back, not wanting him to trigger any adverse conscious response.

?I saw?. Doctor, I saw?.?

?Shhhhhhh. Let the memory go. Don?t hold on. Don?t try to think. Just let it slip away. It was only a dream.? Sophia smiled. She almost had the urge to sing the troubled young man a lullaby.

?I? I? as you command.?

?You?re doing fine. You have nothing to worry about. Just close your eyes and relax. Drift back to sleep. I know you must be exhausted.?

Sousuke closed his eyes. Dr. Cannon-Bard waved her hand, and held up seven fingers. Tony dialed the one machine down to 700. He bushed a number of toggles, switching amplitude and mode.

?The next stretch is critical. I?ll sit here and watch, if you want to grab some coffee or a bite to eat.? Sophia took a novel out of her lab coat and pulled up a chair. ?I could use a latte if they have anything like that on board.?

?I won?t be long.? Tony left in a hurry. Slowly spinning his way down to sleep, Sousuke could smell the man?s relief. His footsteps seemed to stretch on forever.


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


The images were more specific. They were identifiable. He just couldn?t place them.

No.

He couldn?t be bothered.

His entire body literally trembled with need and anticipation.

That smell. It drew him. It excited him.

He took a step closer.

How had he held back this long.

Where had he seen those images before. It was something he had been given. But how could he be in the scene?

It didn?t matter!

The warmth spread throughout him. His nostrils flared. His feet pawed at the ground.

The need was there. The drive urged him forward, but he still had some control.

Lust.

Uncontrollable lust.

He was still able to reason. Somewhat.

Something seemed out of place. Why was he down on all fours? Was it him? How? Why?

There was a nebulous memory of droning words, continuing on and on. Descriptions. Explanations.

The low rumbling in his throat drowned them out.

The timid bleating ahead of him set his brain on fire. He began walking forward, slowly.

Suddenly, he couldn?t hold back any longer. There was no way to resist the biological imperative. He was a mindless animal with only one primal need.

Mounting the object of his attention, he thrust over and over again, a layer of sweat forming on his woolen coat. Snorting, he slid his hooves further up, forcing his full weight down as his rear legs pushed him along.

Woolen coat?

Hooves? Why would he have hooves?

Just what had he been doing?

Oh. It had to have been a ram, not him. He would never? no not at all? not with a sheep! He hadn?t been feeling the movement. No, he had merely been watching.

Why would he want to do that?

Uh.

That movie. The movie Kurz gave him. The one about the sheep breeding program. Why did he think about that?

?Kaname.?

What? Why was he thinking about her now? She wasn?t in that movie!

No. No need to see a vision of her now. Not after that! No. I don?t know that she looks like that. I haven?t seen her naked. Well, not actually. That white bikini did leave little to be imagined, though. The projected image of her during the hijack attempt was only minimally censored.

?Stop!?

It was too much.

He hadn?t even grown comfortable thinking about the possibility of love. How could he deal with thoughts of physical pleasure? There was no way he could give into lust. How could he even be feeling such a thing?


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


Sousuke startled himself awake. A quick look around the room reassured him that Kaname wasn?t present. There were no sheep to be seen. His breath caught in his throat. His eyes widened.

A part of his anatomy was still under involuntary control. His hospital gown formed a tent over his groin area. How long was that erection going to last?

Hopefully no one would be paying close attention to him. The machines were all quiet. Mr. Damasio was busy leafing through a magazine, facing in the other direction.

?That must have been some dream.? Sophia?s words caused Sousuke to flinch. They did not cause a decrease in elevation.

?Uh?.I??

Turning his head, he saw Dr, Cannon-Bard seated in a chair, a book on her lap. She made it a point to keep her eyes on his face. For now.

?It?s nothing to be ashamed of. If anything, you should be quite pleased. Are you an overachiever n everything?? She tried not to laugh. The look on the young soldier?s face was classic. ?If it goes on much longer, we might need to worry about priapism.?

?Uh?what??

Watching Sousuke?s face turn dark red, Sophia couldn?t resist a moment of mischief. ?Tony, put that magazine down for a moment. There are some measurements you need to make.?

Tony turned around, then swore. ?That?s just not right. Lucky bastard.? He quickly turned away. There are some things men are not supposed to look at. There are unwritten rules.

?Uh??

Sousuke tried his best to fall immediately back to sleep. His mind would have nothing to do with it.

?Was she pretty?? The doctor hid a smile behind her hand. The young man?s innocence was so charming. And, she wasn?t being unkind. He needed to be distracted while the next stage of the process began.

?Uh? it wasn?t really about her?uh? it was from a movie I saw.? Sousuke swallowed. He was glad Kurz wasn?t there. No doubt his considerate squad mate would have happily run down to Sousuke?s quarters and looked for that tape. Why hadn?t he thrown the thing away?

?OK. It must have been some movie? What was it called? I might want to get a copy of it?.?

?Uh?.?

A series of alarms went off.

?Doctor, his pulse is high and his blood pressure is rising at an alarming rate. There is increased muscle contractility in all leads. It looks like he?s going into respiratory alkalosis.? Tony gave Sophia one of his disapproving looks.

?OK. I get the message. At ease soldier.? She hadn?t meant it as a joke. She had to laugh when Sousuke stared down at the sheet.

?It?s time you settled down some. Emotionally. We?re moving into the home stretch. You might dream a little more, but should ease into a refreshing sleep after that. We?ll add some medication to your I.V. to help things along.?

Sousuke was still red in the face when he fell back to sleep.


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


?Sousuke, please don?t go. I want you to stay with me. Let someone else go on this mission.? Kaname was wearing her white bikini. That didn?t make much sense, as she wasn?t standing out in the cold rain watching him walk away.

?You know I can?t do that. This is too important.? For some reason, he no longer had his weapon?s bag in hand. Night had changed to day. He was standing with guys from a number of clubs, preparing for the girl hunt.

He felt driven by a sense of honor. He needed to behave in accordance with the warrior?s code of conduct, no matter what temptations he was faced with.

?You have to come back, you big jerk! Do you hear me?.? Kaname, dressed in her mother?s kimono, held the picture he had given her, gasping as she saw the patrol car start chasing their bicycle.

?I will do my best to come back, Kaname. I would never want anyone else to protect you!? Dressed inside of a biological protection suit, he stared down into Kaname?s eyes. Holding a large carp in her arms, she smiled back at him, ignoring the crazed man with a chain saw.

He felt a strong urge for her company. He didn?t want to be alone. He was also curious. What might to the two of them share together if he did come back to her?

?You better not. Moron!? Putting down her sketch pad from art class, Kaname stepped within the circle of Sousuke?s arms, looking for another kiss.

Silent, Sousuke leaned over to put his lips on hers, prevented from doing so by the Bonta-Kun suit he wore. Stepping out of the small mechanized craft, he handed Kaname the assignment book he had borrowed. The water trickling into the Onken was the only sound louder than the beat of his heart.

He realized how much he wanted positive attention. Kaname seemed drawn to him. She wasn?t likely to reject him if he let himself care.

A giant hand reached down from the sky, grabbing Kaname and lifting her away from him just as he was about to pull her close again.

It was Codarl.

?Hmmm.? The amused utterance was followed by satisfied laughter. ?This is a nice surprise, Kashim. How?s Kalinin. What?s that old chicken doing these days??

It was Gauron! He had Kaname?.

?It?s fantastic to see you. It?s fabulous, really great. I?ve got this new job, where I get to play around in the young girl?s brain. It?s like a treasure hunt.?

Why did he have to take Kaname now?

Pain and anxiety flooded him. He couldn?t just ignore those feelings now. What could he do?

?Treasure hunt?? Sousuke asked.

Looking at the towering Arm Slave, he saw that it was not alone. There were three men standing near it. One was dressed as a gardener. He carries a crossbow. Another was dressed like a chef. He brandished a wicked looking knife. The third looked like a fancy butler. He had a strange bolle-type hat.

?Is that news to you?? Gauron chuckled. ?I?ll let that be my parting gift.? Codarl turned and began to walk away. Kaname sat surrounded by its fingers.

?Kaname!? Sousuke ran after the retreating Arm Slave. His path was impeded by a group of Yakusa.

?I?m not scared,? Kaname called down to him. ?I?ll be alright on my own.?

She did look frightened.

A ftying pan fell to the ground near Sosusuke.

He ran, ignoring the nearby man with a pony head. He didn?t want to lose Kaname. He had finally realized that he had feelings for her.

?You?re not a burden, Kaname. I?m here because you?ve been here for me.? He reached out his hand. She reached out her. Then she was gone.

No! Why? He wanted to be with her. What was wrong with that? Things began to fade to black.

?Did I wake you?? It was Gauron?s voice again.

Safe inside of Arbalest, Souske looked with growing anger and hatred at the waiting form of Venom. Kaname was nowhere in sight.

?I?ve had enough?..? Sousuke growled.

The need for vengeance boiled within him. He felt a great urge to move and to act. He could not afford to be powerless, now.

?I?m so delighted, my Kashim.? That maniac sounded ecstatic.

Shit head!

?Look Gauron, I?m sending you straight to Hell!!!?

?What are you going to do, honey? Do you think that I will let you finish me off in one blow like some mythical hero?? The arms of Venom were wrapped tightly around the ARX-7.

Enraged, and running out of time, Sousuke used his Arm Slave to repeatedly punch at Venom. Kaname activated the TDD-1?s steam catapult system. He could see her spectral form. It was naked. But again, certain areas were blurred.

Damn!

Feelings churned inside of him. He was embarrassed. Looking down, he saw the hospital gown tent up. He began to fantasize about Kaname, until that despicable voice drew his attention again.

?My child, you have come to me my son. For who is your father if it is not me?? Gauron was dressed in an intricately carven metal breastplate. Long dark hair fell down across his shoulders. He looked a great deal like Thulsa Doom in ?Conan the Barbarian.?

Sousuke tried to think about his real father. It was too hard. He couldn?t push aside the current image.

?Who gave you the will to live? I am the wellspring from which you flow. When I am gone, you will have never been. What would your world be without me?? The voice was hypnotic, soothing.

The sword almost dropped from Sousuke?s hand. He had almost given in. Instead, remembering the deaths of people he cared about, he grabbed Gauron?s hair and was about to chop off his head at the neck.

He drew his sword arm back.

Something distracted him. He saw the spectral form of Kaname fade away.

?Kaname. Come back. Please!?

The flooring tilted beneath his feet. Great splashes of water came crashing over the open flight doors. It was up to him and Arbalest. Everyone was depending on him.

He felt a need to restore order. There had to be organization in his life. He grew weary of uncertainty and chaos. He also felt a need for independence. When would he have a chance to make his own decisions?

?Twenty seconds left? oopsie, I meant to say fifteen.? Gauron laughed again, happy to take Sousuke and the others down with him. ?It?s sad. Just five seconds. I love you Kashim.?

That bastard. If anyone were to say that to him, it should be Kaname.

?Uh?.?

What was he thinking about? Love? He didn?t even know what love was. He was simply a soldier. His job would always take him away. What business did he have thinking about love? He had only begun exploring his feelings for her.

The catapult fired. Gauron was already gone. He was the only one flung far off into the darkness. Naked, he tumbled through the air, watching as the receding form of Kaname grew smaller and smaller.


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


Sousuke sat upward, grabbing for something to hold onto. The room was poorly lit, but his eyes still felt sensitive to the light. The restraints were off. His eyes looked down between his legs. There was no longer a reason to feel self-conscious.

A loud crunching noise filled his ears, like the sound of countless feet marking on a battlefield strewn with skulls. What was going on. Looking over towards the banks of monitors, he saw Tony Damasio spooning cereal into his mouth. For some reason, Sousuke found the noise offensive.

He was indignant. For a moment, he was filled with contempt.

?He?s awake, doctor.? Tony spoke into an intercom, spilling a small amount of milk in the process. He turned to Sousuke, a shy smile on his face. ?Welcome back to the land of the living!?

Sousuke didn?t answer. He was sniffing the air. It had been a while since the other man showered. There was a hint of perfume in the air. Dr. Cannon-Bard had been in the room not to long ago. One of the machines was running very hard. The smell of hot metal and heated plastic tickled his nose.

?If you like, you can get back into your clothes. We?ve done all we?re going to do here. As soon as you feel able, you?re free to go. I?ll call your Squad leader for you if you like.? Tony pointed, showing Sousuke his neatly folded uniform.

The young soldier still did not reply. Goosebumps ran up and down his exposed skin. The examination table felt rather chill to his touch. His hospital gown hung loosely on him, but he was very aware of its weight and texture. The laundry personnel were apparently overly fond of start.

He looked around the room. He found himself strangely interested in all of the machines and medical equipment. His curiosity was rarely this strong.

?Mr. Damasio, could you hold off on your phone call, please. I would like to eat before I resume my briefings.? Sousuke felt ravenous, as if he had just spent a week living off grubs and lichen. The urge to eat was strong, distracting him. He had heard the footsteps far away, but didn?t realize that Dr. Scacher was in the room until he spoke.

?Good morning, Sergeant. I hope you were able to get some rest. Your readings have all moved back into a normal range over the past couple of hours. If it wasn?t for your eye movements and the ECG, we wouldn?t have known you were dreaming again.? Dr. Schacher began performing a repeat routine physical examination.

?Well, your reflexes are certainly hyperactive.? The doctor narrowly escaped a foot to the groin after testing a deep tendon response.

?That?s not surprising. Things should stabilize over the next few hours.? The ex-SEAL finished up the neurological portion of the exam.

?When you?re up to it, I want you to sit in your Arm Slave, getting a feel for it. Things may seem somewhat different to you, and it?s best to become acclimated before things get busy. Do not engage the Lambda Driver, however. That will have to wait until the hour before launch. We need to prolong the final linkage as long as possible.?

?Yes, doctor.? Sousuke looked like he wanted to say more.

?Is there a problem, Sergeant?? Dr. Schacher had a suspicion what it might be.

?My senses, doctor. They are magnified. It is not a good thing, as I find myself greatly distracted. That is not all, it seems. I find that my emotions are growing more intense as well. That, and certain bodily reactions.? Sousuke looked more concerned than embarrassed.

Sousuke was greatly confused. He began to doubt himself. A profound sense of sadness began to envelope him.

?Ahhh. I heard about that last part. I do not think it will prevent you from performing your mission, soldier.? The doctor smiled. ?I told Dr. Cannon-Bard to leave that out of her report. Hopefully she will not mention it to that young Captain of yours.?

Sousuke?s eyes went wild. He began to sweat.

?I?m certain she?ll be discrete, Sousuke. Patient confidentiality is a big thing in the medical field. That bit of information doesn?t qualify as ?Need To Know.? The young lady would have to find that out on her own.? The doctor asked Tony to summon Sophia.

Souske began to tremble ever so slightly. The thought of CaptainTestarossa witnessing certain things left him feeling mortified. Worse, part of him felt as if it might be fun.

His anxiety was overbearing. It threatened to blank out all of his thoughts. But, part of him held it off, establishing its own beach head. Eagerness. Interest. Desire. Hope. Why was he beset by all these things?

What did any of that have to do with the Captain?

For an instance, lust raised its head again.

He had a vision of Cmdr. Mardukas with a large knife. He laughed as he fired one of the aft torpedo tubes. It had been loaded with something other than a torpedo.

?It is not a problem.? Sousuke clenched his teeth. He wanted that to be true.

Dr. Schacher ran through the results of the night?s tests with him. When Dr. Cannon-Bard joined them, the two physicians talked to him about things he might expect to experience as a result of the procedure. They were hopeful, but couldn?t completely reassure him.

When he was released, Sousuke went straight to the mess area. There was no one there at the moment, which was fine by him. A large number of meals were lined up on the counter in preparation for the upcoming shift change.

The hungry young soldier stacked a number of trays on one another and took them over to a table. He chose a seat in the corner, making it easier to defend his food.

He put his pistol and knife on the table in front of him. He left a stun grenade sitting in his lap. If he had access to barbed wire or warning tape, he would have used it.

Sousuke was usually a slow and neat eater. Not today.

His fork, knife, and spoon only slowed him down. He tossed them side. His hands would do fine. He practically shoveled the food into his mouth, unconcerned by the fragments falling all over his shirt and the floor.

One tray.

Another tray.

A third tray.

One of the cooks looked out, startled by what he saw and heard. He had big dogs at home. They had nothing on the young sergeant!

Sousuke sat back after cleaning the fifth tray. He was sated. No, he was uncomfortable. Why had he eaten so much? What was going on with him?

Suddenly, without warning, he let go with a loud and prolonged belch. He looked around, embarrassed. He couldn?t recall the last time he had belched. He had never done one like that!

?Great. I can only imagine what would happen if I did that again in front of Sgt. Major Mao.?

Or Cmdr. Kalinin? How would he react?

Captain Testarossa? At least it would be better than something else he could imagine.

Cmdr. Mardukas? Sousuke gulped. The queasiness in his stomach wasn?t the result of the food he ate.

He needed to get himself under control.

[TimeShifter16]

That medication sure has some weird effects! Who knew he could put away that much food?! I sincerely hope he gets other (cough) feelings under control. Especially when around the Captain. It would be funny to seem him fighting the feelings, but if something (cough again) actually happened between them that would jeopardize his relationship with Kaname, it wouldn't be cool anymore. Just thought you should know. Anyway, awesome chapter! Post the next one soon! Or my super sence of anger will be UNLEASHED!!! :evil: -GRRR!

[Perfect Soldier]

...damn scary you are, TimeShifter16, though i do agree. While I don't have lots of wrath, I will be ever so pissed. Please update soon, this is turning into a real doooooooooooooozy. Thanks, dd. ^______^

Zero