Chapter 39

The Swallow and the Owl approached their teammates cautiously, trying to figure out what had just happened. The pile of motionless green uniforms on the catwalk and the floor below gave testimony to their grisly efficiency.

"Uh… guys?" Ryu asked, hesitantly. "Is everything all right?"

"Everything's just fine." Joe replied, pulling away from Jun. "We accomplished our objectives."

"All of them." Jun smiled.

"Where's Aniki?" asked Jinpei.

"Right here." came Ken's voice. The Eagle was running back into the room as he spoke. "Katse managed to slip through my fingers, but I saw him setting the self-destruct. We've got to go… now!"

They didn't need to be told twice. The Science Ninja Team leapt off of the catwalk and onto the God Phoenix. Ryu was departing the base within seconds.

It was none too soon. Even as they pulled away, the base exploded in a spectacular display of pyrotechnics. They could see the shape of the bull-mecha emerging from the wreckage, and mounting a pursuit.

"I forgot about that damn thing." Ken muttered in a tired voice. "Joe, send it a Super Bird Missile."

"With pleasure." the Condor grinned. He targeted the mecha, and depressed the firing mechanism. The bull's destruction was simply the icing on the cake, to a successful mission.

There was only one problem.

"What the hell were you thinking, Jun?" Ken whirled to face the Swan. Now that the team was safe, and on the way back to base, the Eagle allowed himself the luxury of giving in to his emotions.

"I was thinking that you guys needed help!" Jun retorted. "Silly me, for assuming that a Birdscramble indicated that you required assistance!"

"And what about you?" Ken continued, turning to Ryu. "Why did you let her do that?"

"Let her?" Ryu exclaimed, "I told her no, Ken! But she pulled rank on me!"

"So why didn't you contact Dr. Nambu?" seethed Ken.

"Oh… uh… I didn't think of that…" Ryu admitted, his face turning red.

"You were supposed to stay onboard the God Phoenix, Jun!" Ken argued, facing his third again. "You could have died!"

"I thought it was a fair trade: my life, if I could save you three." Jun replied. "Besides, I knew that I had to stay away from you! I wasn't anywhere nearby when you deployed the virus!"

"Ken is right." Joe added grimly. Everyone whirled to face the Condor. Was Joe actually agreeing with Ken?

"You shouldn't have risked your life like that." Joe stated. Jinpei nodded emphatically.

"What?" Jun was furious, now. "So in other words, you didn't need me? You guys had everything well in hand, didn't you?"

Ken was about to blast Jun again, but he realized that she had a point. If Jun hadn't destroyed the emitter, they might still be trapped inside of those electrical charges. And it had been the Swan who had sent Katse running right into Ken and Joe's viral vapor cloud.

"I just…" Ken sat down heavily, his head in his hands. "I don't know what I would do… without you…" he admitted. "When you were gone before, this team fell apart. Taking an unnecessary risk like that…"

"In my judgment, it was necessary." Jun insisted. "I couldn't let you guys down."

"That's an admirable sentiment, Jun, but…" Joe didn't get to finish his sentence.

"I lay my life on the line with every mission." Jun interrupted him. "I would be willing to sacrifice myself for any of you. And I know that you would all do the same for me." Looking around the bridge, Jun saw reluctant nods of agreement.

"You were in trouble. You needed help. To me, that was the most important consideration." she finished.

Ken pulled off his helmet, running his hands through his hair in frustration.

"I…. I just don't know what I'd do without you, Jun." he whispered again.

"I'm not going anywhere." Jun insisted. "Besides, you're a fine one to talk. Why did you go running after Katse, when he had already been infected? You could easily have been trapped again!"

"She's got you there, Ken." Joe drawled. "Running after Katse wasn't the brightest thing to do."

"I thought I had a chance of capturing him." Ken retorted. "The information he could provide to us would be invaluable…"

"Stuff it, Ken." Joe replied. "You just wanted to beat the crap out of that purple bastard. Admit it."

The Eagle looked up at the Condor, his blue eyes blazing brightly.

"I admit it." he said angrily. "After what he's done… after what he's put Jun through… the idea of him living even another three months…"

Jun knelt down, so that she was at eye level with the Eagle, and placed her hands into his.

"Thank you, Ken." she said. "That means a lot, coming from you."

"I'd do anything for you, Jun." Ken said quietly. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Ken." Jun smiled.

The setting sun was displayed on the main viewscreen, and its brilliant colors lit up Jun's face.

Gently, Ken pulled off the Swan's helmet, then brought his mouth to hers for a tender kiss.

The other three members of the Science Ninja Team stood gaping at the pair for a moment. Jinpei was the first to react.

The Swallow walked over to the Owl, and held his hand out flat, palm up.

"Ahem." Jinpei cleared his throat.

"Yeah, yeah." muttered Ryu. "I don't have it on me, okay?"