Tuesday
12:00am
Tokyo Standard Time
Kaname's Apartment

"Okay guys, I didn't have a problem when you guys asked me to carry him." Kaname yelled and paced circles around her dining room table. "I even fronted his fare for the train ride here. But why the hell does he have to stay here!?" She shouldn't have yelled; complaints from her neighbors were sure to be brought to her attention by her landlord the next morning.

"Well...we checked his bag, wallet, and pockets, but we couldn't find his address." Ren was caught off guard by Kaname's sudden outrage. Her voice lowered. "...And your house is the closest to the station so..."

"My parents would totally freak out!" Kyouko said honestly, bouncing out of her chair. "I'm sure it'll be fun Kana. Just think of it as a slumber party...with an unconscious guy on your couch...that could possibly be...An axe murderer!"

All of the women looked at Rune. He slept silently on the couch. Still completely out cold. He did not even move when Kyouko loudly made her ignorance known or Kaname vented her frustrations via her mouth. The tan face towel Kaname placed under his injury was damp with blood. Despite being smacked with an aluminum baseball bat, he was unscathed. Rune's hair was mussed messily around his face, his white dress shirt was damp with mud that splashed onto him when the assailants fell to their knees, demanding to know what witchcraft he used to easily defeat them.

"He fought really well though." Kaname revistited the fight in her mind. "For a person he didn't even know."

"Yeah." Ren and Kyouko agreed.

"Why did he have to be so nice and call those guys an ambulance though?" Kaname questioned. "First he beats them up, then he tries to help them recover." She shrugs and looks to her friends. "Maybe nice guys do finish last in this world."

"It isn't right, I know." Ren shook her head and sighed. "That's how it happens sometimes."

"Wow, we need to go home and get some sleep," Kyouko reminded and placed her hand on the door nob that would lead to the brisk, cool breeze of the apartment buildings hallway. "you can stay at my house if you want Ren. I think Kaname wants to be alone with her guest." She giggled. "Sousuke won't be happy about this."

Ren gathered her belongings and walked to the door. "Good night Kaname, Rune." The duo departed.

'Why couldn't Sousuke have been there, then they would have begged to live.' Kaname silently let her mind wander. 'Sousuke.'

"I guess he's not completely useless without a sword." Rachel said, switching off the speakers in Rune's sunglasses. "Still, I did warn him. I'll wake him later, he's in a rather favorable position." She laughed. "He got to the girl's apartment on the first date. So what if it's after he got his ass whooped for being the 'nice guy'. I'll tease him about it later. I need to catch some shut eye too. Going into stand by in three...two...one." Rachel went to "sleep."

Kaname arose. She went to her closet and grabbed a thick blue cotton blanket from her closet and returned to Rune. Kaname draped the blanket over him. 'It would suck if he caught a cold.' She thought. Kaname then retrieved one of her four pillows from her bedroom. She lifted his head and placed her hand on his neck. 'Good, the bleeding stopped.' Kaname placed the pillow where Rune's head had been just a few seconds earlier, then gently set him down. She yawned and went back to her bedroom, closing her door. 'Sousuke...'

Monday
3:00pm
Pacific Standard Time
Tuatha de Danaan

The militarily advanced war submarine ascended the subzero waters of the pacific at a 45 degree angle. The Tuatha de Danaan surfaced from the turquoise ocean to blue sky. The two plates atop the Danaan opened to reveal a flight deck. Three helicopters arrived from the west, all carrying precious cargo. Two choppers held two M-9 Gernsbach, the standard issue arm slave of the mercenary organization known as Mithril. The second contained the one and only Arbalest ARX-7, and the personnel that accompanied these mechs into combat.

"Damn, I didn't have a problem with the mission, it was pretty damn easy." Sergeant Kurz muttered, the scent of beer on his breath. "But when they made us fly past the Danaan aaaall the way to the States was hell."

"Shut the fuck up." Sergeant Major Melissa Mao spat. "They might make us fly back to Turkey if you keep bitching."

Sousuke absently stared at his white mech. His black and blue combat suit shook, showing his worry.

"Sousuke whats up with you?" Kurz Weber ran his hand through his blond hair. His blue eyes seeking awkwardly seeking answer.

"He's worried about Kaname I bet." Mao hit the nail on the head. "What is it this time?"

"We recently received a new exchange student." Sousuke said. "Something about him I don't like. He has an average build, calloused hands, and is surprisingly graceful in his movements..." Sousuke rattled off his list of observations. "I had to cancel dinner with Kaname because of the mission."

"Uh oh sis, Sergeant oblivious here is in a lot of trouble." Kurz chuckled.

"Quiet, let him finish." Mao shook her head. Her short black hair hung freely along her face.

Sousuke continued. "She invited the new student to replace me...Runako Afriston." Sousuke clenched his fists. "Even after I expressed my severe objection. I cannot call her because it is late in Tokyo, and Kaname would be upset if I woke her." Sousuke continued. "She can be very moody when she does not get her rest."

The three transport helicopters landed on the Tuatha de Danaan's exposed upper flight deck. The three man Urzu team disembarked. Captain Teletha Testarossa and Commander Mardukas awaited them a few feet away from runway one. "Tessa" was dressed in her orange captain uniform, consisting of an orange blazer and skirt, and various medals and decoration. Mardukas wore his tan uniform with more medals than one could count. His signature "TDD-01" cap sat proudly atop his head.

"Mr. Sagara!" Tessa yelled and ran to the three tired soldiers. Mardukas followed slowly.

Sousuke snapped to attention and formed a salute. "Captain!"

Mao and Weber mirrored Sousuke's movements half heartedly.

"You can call me 'Tessa' Sousuke. It's alright." Tessa remembered who she was talking to and corrected herself. "That's an order."

"Ungh, Tessa I'm going to my room." Mao said and walked drowsily toward the crew elevator.

"Ya babe, me too." Kurz waved ran to catch Mao.

"Sousuke, come, quickly." Tessa grabbed Sousuke's hand and ran fervently to the door that said "stairs".

Tessa ran full throttle, but as a result of his military training, Sousuke easily kept up. Somehow, a fruit fly made its way onto the sub and landed on the concrete. Unnoticeable, even if one stood over it. Tessa ran, and tripped over the fruit fly, killing it (A memorial service was held later that day =P). Sousuke acted on pure reflex. He interposed himself between the Captain and the concrete floor of the flight deck. They hit the ground, Tessa landing on top of Sousuke. However, with Tessa's terrible coordination, her food clipped the carcass of the deceased insect and caused the two to roll. They stopped and no one had been hurt. Sousuke was on his hands and knees over Tessa. Her face grew red. "Mr. Sagara...not here." She put her hand to her face.

"No, Sergeant, not here." A stern masculine voice said above him. "Not ever if I have my way."

Sousuke turned. Commander Mardukas was wearing his "watch the fuck out, dangerous waters" face that Sousuke could recognize from a mile away. Sousuke began to sweat. There were few things in the world that could cause Sousuke to become nervous, and they did not include staring down the barrel of Lamba Driver equipped AS, fighting five Venom AS's Type-A simultaneously, or being trapped in the desert with no canteen (although condoms served as a makeshift replacement). Amongst the few scenario's that could cause Sousuke to sweat bullets were, disappointing Kaname; his number one priority, Japanese history class, and situations such as these.

"Sergeant. Attention!" Mardukas shouted. Everyone on the flight deck turned and looked at Sousuke now. They were all stifling snickers fearing that Mardukas could hear them. "Help your Captain up."

Sousuke did as he was told.

"I apologize on behalf of the sergeant Madam Captain." Mardukas spoke solemnly, thinking of possible punishment for Sousuke's actions. "As a teenage male, his hormones are raging, and they show themselves in rather embarrassing ways."

"Oh, my" Tessa drew her hands to her mouth again. She read the look on Mardukas' face, and was well aware of his pastime: Making hell for Sousuke. "Punishment is unnecessary Commander. Sgt. Sagara saved me from impending injury. He acted for my well being. Now please excuse us. Mr. Mardukas."

"Right away Ma'am" Mardukas said and walked to into the crew elevator.

Monday
3:34pm
Pacific Standard Time
Tessa's Quarters

The Tuatha de Danaan closed the large iron doors to its flight deck and submerged. In Tessa's room, Sousuke and Melissa sat on the white couch linen couch cushions. Weber felt the need to sate his craving for alcohol, and left ten minutes ago. Sousuke shook with anxiety. There was no telling if Kaname was still alive, or what predicament she could have gotten herself into. Tessa entered the room.

"Capta..." Sousuke caught himself. "Tessa, is the name Runako Afriston on Mithril's list of most wanted fugitives?"

'Sousuke called me Tessa' Captain Testarossa thought to herself. "Um...The name does ring a bell. Maybe thats where I saw it."

Sousuke continued to shake, more intensely now.

"Why?" Tessa asked, eyeing Sousuke's perpetual jitters.

"Sousuke thinks that the new student in their class is out to get Kaname." Mao answered. "I told him it was nothing to worry about."

"Wait. Afriston...Afriston..." Tessa repeated over and over again. Then she snapped her fingers. "Afriston Corporation is where Mithril buys its parts and AI's for the mechs. The Arbalest and M-9 to be more exact."

"See Sousuke, you have nothing to worry about." Mao reached for her beer can on the glass coffee table. "Just a spoiled rich kid."

"It does add up." Tessa continued her deductions. "I am Mithril's representative when it comes to the Afriston Corps. The owner likes me. Said he has a son around my age and wouldn't mind him settling down with a nice respectable girl like me." Tessa boasted.

"Ooooh. Tessa and Runako sitting in a tree." Melissa began the age old rhyme.

"No!" Tessa shouted, and her face sported the same color red it had earlier. She tugged her sole large, ash-blond braid. "Maybe...I should return to school in Tokyo...To make sure this is the same Afriston..."

"Ahah, you are interested Tessa!" Mao laughed, half was from the irony of the situation, half because she was drunk out of her mind.

Tessa ignored Melissa and spoke directly to Sousuke. "Yes, I will arrange for transport back to Tokyo, be prepared to leave shortly. I will be travelling with you." Tessa left her room. No need to lock up because everyone on board the Danaan respected and feared their captain...When she acted as their captain.

His palm in his face, Sousuke sat quietly and drifted to sleep. He prepared to force his fatigued body into the air again. 'Kaname...'