Chapter Four:
More Than Meets the Eye-Part Two
Hanna looked through the cupboards for something to cook. She eventually found something actually worth the effort. She found some rather large steaks, potatoes and the ingredients to make a Greek Salad. She decided that she'd marinade the steaks in her own homemade sauce and make some mashed potatoes.
She put a big pot beside the sink and began to peel the potatoes. After she peeled, she cut them into small bits and dropped them in the pot. She carried on peeling and cutting until the estimated amount of potatoes were gone.
Eienno glared at Chikara. He was really starting to envy him.
'What am I thinking?" he asked himself. 'I've got Yukkarie.' After saying that, Eienno realized that he was slowly falling for Hanna. He didn't like the idea at all, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to deny loving her if it ever happened. All he could do was hope that he was wrong.
Chikara looked over at him with an uncomfortable gaze.
"Why are you starring at me?" he asked.
"Because," started Eienno, "I think you're acting like a jerk. Especially since you consider yourself 'going out' with Hanna."
"That's a crock," said Chikara defensively.
"No it's not," retorted Eienno.
Sebastien looked at Chikara, then Eienno. 'There's going to be a problem here,' he thought, getting up and leaving the weight room.
Chikara looked at Eienno, "I act the way I've always acted and you haven't known me long enough to tell."
"Fine," said Eienno, a smirk crossing his face, "But um why do I bet I could nail Hanna before you?"
"I doubt it," said Chikara. "She hates you, man. She seems to feel that you are an asshole and someone who really needs to get over himself."
"Yeah," he said, sarcastically, "then why don't you agree to the bet?"
"Sure," Chikara mused, "but only because the likelihood is in my favour."
"Good, settled." Eienno walked away to go see what everyone was up to. He spotted Hanna in the kitchen and decided that he'd play some head games before he turned to responsibility.
He peered over at her.
"What are you doing?" he asked sternly.
"Nothing that involves you," replied Hanna.
"Is that so?" he walked past her, just as she backed up to yell at him. She turned walking right into his rock hard chest. She looked up at him; he looked down at her. They frowned.
"Why are you in here?" she said strongly.
"To bug you," said Eienno.
"Why do you want to bug me?" she chided.
"Because you look funny when you're annoyed," he looked down at her then walked to the table, sitting down near the wall where he could stare.
She felt him watch her. Part of her enjoyed it, but the other screamed at him for groping her with his eyes.
"Is there a problem?" she asked him, looking in his direction.
"No," he replied.
"Then look at something else," she said bitterly.
He continued to look at her. What Yukkarie had said about her was right. Hanna had a perfect body. Her curves were in just the right spot to make Eienno wish he'd waited before he married Yukkarie. Her hips swayed slightly as she put spices on the steak. They made such an erotic motion that Eienno found himself almost drooling.
'Why do seem to want her so much?' he thought to himself. 'I only met her three days ago.'
Hanna could feel that Eienno wasn't about to stop starring at her. She tried to ignore it, but the feeling of his eyes on her skin was making her wish that she was in his arms, standing as close to him as she was a moment ago.
'Why do I enjoy him watching me?' She turned around and decided then and there that she'd respond differently, whether her mind liked it or not.
"Would you stop starring at me!" she yelled, making her voice echo through the shuttle.
"No," he chided in return.
"Do you have nothing better to do?" she said, calmly.
"No," he chided again.
"Go away," she turned and returned to her cooking.
Karameki watched them from outside the door. She realized that they looked as though they were depriving themselves of something that both of them really needed. She couldn't tell what, but she knew it had something to do with each other.
She thought about for a few minutes while they bickered in the kitchen over him starring at her.
'Maybe,' she thought, 'maybe they just need to be close to each other.' She smiled inwardly and walked in.
"Hanna," she said mischievously. "How about you sit down and relax for a few minute? I'll do some of the cooking while you rest."
"Sure," said Hanna, handing over the cooking utensils she was holding and sat down beside Eienno. She gave Karameki a suspicious look.
Karameki looked over at Eienno and Hanna. They looked oddly comfortable or at least more so then before. She noticed them eyeing each other through the corners of their eyes. She could see Hanna's eyes look Eienno up and down a couple times.
She couldn't understand his actions though. He sat there and occasionally looked over at her, but for some reason looked away for seconds at a time, and then he'd look at her again. He closed his eyes, resting his head on the table and covered his face with his arms.
He looked as though he was trying to avoid the thought of someone or something. Karameki couldn't figure out why he was hiding.
She decided she'd talk to him later, when Hanna was having dinner with Chikara and wouldn't be able to hear anything.
Hanna thanked Karameki for finishing her cooking for her. She fed everyone but herself and Chikara, then threw everything else in the oven and looked around the shuttle for a better place to eat. She found a sliding balcony door and opened it. When she saw what was up the stairs behind the door, she sighed in disbelief. It was too perfect. It was a rather large room with the entire ceiling made of glass and a small two-person table in the middle. She smiled when she noticed that there was a boom box was sitting in the corner. She looked through the CD's for the perfect selection. She almost wanted to toss all the 'romantic' stuff into space, but stacked them in a pile close to the back of the box they were stored in. She found some jazz, and even though she found it old and more so, boring, she thought it perfect for the occasion and popped the CD into the carousel. She pushed play and listened to parts of a few of the songs and decided that the songs were better then most and she'd use that CD to dance to later in the night.
She jumped at the chance to impress Chikara and fought with herself to quickly set up for dinner. Surprisingly, she had everything set up in a matter of minutes.
She used the white dishes from the cupboard because they would reflect the stars the best and then found some glass utensils in the drawers that she picked. She dug around for napkins, or at least really pretty dishrags. She did manage to find some cloth napkins and folded then so they stood elegantly on the dishes. She put the food on serving dishes and set them up on a small nightstand like table. She looked at her creations and congratulated herself, removing the apron from around her waist.
Hanna began to look around the shuttle for Chikara. When she found him, she gently took his hand in hers.
He looked at her, "Hi."
"Dinner's ready," she said softly. He smiled at the news. She kept her hand locked in his and led him to the room she'd found to eat in.
He looked her over. She had dressed in simple clothes that flattered her in every possible way. Even though she was only dressed casually, she looked elegant and pretty. She looked better then Chikara could've ever imagined.
He looked around the room. It was gorgeous. She had done a beautiful job and was very concise with everything she'd done. She sat him down, anxiously awaiting his expression when he tasted her food. She dished it out and then sat herself down.
She smiled when he began to eat and congratulated herself on how pleased he looked.
Karameki found Eienno in the weight room by himself. She walked in a closed the door behind her, locking it as well.
Eienno gave her a strange look.
"Sorry if I'm coming off weird," she explained, "but I need to talk to you about something."
"What?" he remarked.
"Is there something on your mind you need to tell someone about?" she asked concernedly. "I'm a good secret-keeper."
"No," he replied, effortlessly lifting his weight.
"Are you sure?" she questioned again. "I saw the look on your face when you were sitting beside Hanna today."
"I'm sure," he frowned, glaring at her. He saw the concern she was feeling for him. "Swear on your life you won't tell a god damned soul."
"I swear," she promised with her fingers in the 'scout's honour' salute.
"I mean it," he growled.
"So do I," she emphasized.
"I have a tiny, itty, bitty, little crush on her," he explained, expecting Karameki to know whom he was talking about.
"Oh," she said.
"The real problem with that though," he started, "is that I like her more and more every time I see her. Her movements, the way she talks, what she says, the way she looks, she's perfect."
"Sorry," she said, "but I don't know why that's a problem."
"I'm not ready to say why it's a problem," he corrected. "If and when I tell you, you'll know why it's a big problem."
"Okay," she sighed, happy that he'd trusted her enough to say anything. She hesitated for a second then looked at him, "Why don't you tell her you feel that way?"
"Because," he said, "not only is she with someone already, but she probably wishes I would die."
"I know that's wrong," she comforted. "Have you seen how she looks at you and acts around you?"
"No," he answered, looking at the wall.
"She looks at you with care and compassion, as well as passion and love," she informed, "she acts like she should belong to you and you should belong to her. When you're not around her, she's a lot more quiet and shy. You are already a pillar of strength to her."
"Yeah right," he mumbled sarcastically. "She wouldn't already love me or feel passionate about me."
"Haven't you heard of love at first sight?" she wondered.
"I don't believe in it," he answered.
"I didn't," she said, "until I met you and Hanna."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he said, irritated at her remark.
"I mean I've never seen to people click like you and Hanna have," she said. "When you walked in behind Hanna, she had a confidence about her. I remember thinking, 'my gosh those two are the cutest and best matched people I had ever imagined.'"
"That's bull," he muttered bitterly.
"No," she said, "and I'm sure that everyone thought the same thing until she asked Chikara."
"Exactly," he expressed loudly, "I'm of not importance to her. Proof being, she asked Chikara about dinner with her."
"That says nothing," she contradicted hastily. "That could mean she's confused about her feelings."
"You know what?" he remarked, "Who cares? I'm not interested in being with her; or at least my mind isn't."
Karameki looked at him. He looked as though his mind was tearing itself apart. She knew she shouldn't have bothered him and left on the spot. She felt a little embarrassed that she'd interfered on the wrong grounds like she had.but she still knew she was right about them. They were the perfect pair, she was sure of it. She was going to help them become something to each other and not to come off as right, but for her Hanna and Eienno.
Hanna looked at Chikara. They'd eaten dinner in a comfortable silence, and were now ready to talk to each other.
"So," he sighed contentedly, "how did you come to be in the military?"
"My mother and father were both high-ranking military officials," she explained, sipping her wine. "They had so much fun doing their jobs, that they wanted it to be an option for me."
"That's interesting," he said truthfully.
"How about you?"
"I decided that I wanted to be in the military when I first found out that the colonies became a 'nation' of their own," he started. "I heard on the news one day, that they needed men and women to join the military ranks, just in case a war broke in the solar system."
"That's why I became a doctor," she informed, "I've always wanted to be someone to help or even save other people, no matter where they are from or what they were doing when they were injured. I think wars are possibly the weakest form of negotiating I've ever come to see."
"Then why did you join?" he wondered.
"Same reason I'm a doctor." She looked into his eyes, noticing he was a little confused, "I wanted to help save people and being in a battle, where lots of people are being killed. That way I could help at least one person to come back to his or her family."
"You're a very loving person, aren't you?" he asked, as though he had just realized it.
"I don't know," she replied as she began to blush. "Are you?"
"I guess I don't know either." He smiled at her.
She reached across the table and put her hand on his. She looked over to the boom box and pressed play on the remote.
"Would you like to dance?" she asked, as soon as the music started.
"Sure," he said, "but you're going to have to teach me what to do."
"That'll be fun," she said happily. She almost jumped out of her seat towards the biggest spot in the room.
She gestured Chikara to come to her and took his head. She placed one hand on her waist and the other, she held in her hand.
"Let the rhythm control your feet and let me control your movements," she instructed.
Chikara did as he was told and was quickly dancing with her. He smiled at her when she pressed hers elf against him.
She looked over to the door and saw Eienno walk by. She rolled her eyes in displeasure, but she didn't know just what she which she was more displeased with, the fact that Eienno was outside the door or the fact that he wasn't in the room with her, dancing with her in his arms. She closed her eyes and daydreamt about what it might be like to dance with Eienno. She smiled as she did, but somehow still managed to maintain herself while dancing with Chikara.
Eienno could hear the music from outside the door and could see that Hanna was showing major signs of liking Chikara.
He couldn't figure out why Karameki would think that he had something with Hanna. He could tell that she'd figured out why he liked to pick on Hanna so much, but he dreaded that she'd tell her about it. He knew she was the type to keep her word, by was still afraid that she would big mouth someday.
He desperately needed to phone Yukkarie and get the thoughts of Hanna out of his mind. He took one of the satellite phones from the control room and locked himself in his room, making doubly sure that both doors were locked.
He dialed the number and waited impatiently for her to answer.
"Hello."
The sound of her voice released the tension from ever muscle in his body.
"Hi, Hun," he said in reply.
"Hi, Eienno," she said happily. "How are you?"
"I'm fine," he said, "how about you, you doing alright?"
"Of course," she replied, "I just miss you. That's the only thing bothering me right now."
"I miss you too," he said, "I swear, if I could I would turn back time to when I agreed to going on this godforsaken mission, if I could hug you right now.
"It's that bad, huh?" she remarked. "Are you getting along with everyone, or is something bothering you?"
"I'm getting along with almost everyone." He looked at the wall that separated Hanna's room from his. "There's just a lot of stuff that's really bugging me."
"Do you want to talk about it?" she questioned concernedly.
"I'm not exactly getting along with that Hanna chick you told me about," he started. "No offence to you, but she has a way of tranquilizing me without even coming within a metre of me. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love you and if I had the chance, I'd die for you, but something she does makes me feel the same about her."
"You know," explained Yukkarie, "that's always what's happened. I can't get mad at you or her for it. I'm fully aware that she's got that something about her that makes her completely irresistible. Ever boyfriend I've ever had has told me that. I can't fold you against it either."
"Thank you for understanding," he said. "Your understanding is what made me fall in love with you."
"What's brought on "I love you" all of a sudden?" asked Yukkarie suspiciously.
"I don't know," he said, "I guess I feel that since I can't show you anymore, I have to tell you more often."
Yukkarie laughed pleasantly, "You're so good with words sometimes."
"Am I?" he asked.
"Yeah," she giggled into the phone. "I'm sorry, baby. I have to go."
"So soon?"
"I have work in the morning and you called me a little late," she explained.
"Oh," sighed Eienno looking at his watch. "I'm sorry, I didn't really realize I'd called that late. I'll let you go."
"I love you," she said.
"I love you, too," he replied.
"I miss you so much."
"I miss you too."
"Bye," and with that, she hung up the phone. Eienno was in no rush to hang up the phone, so he kept it against his ear for a few seconds. When he finally realized she was gone, he hung up the phone and flopped down on his bed. He moved his body close the edge of the bed and put his arm out over the rest. He wished Yukkarie were there. Deep down, he knew that he would prefer Hanna in his arms, but it was an impossible dream.
Hanna and Chikara had finished their "date." Hanna was in her room, changing into her orange pajamas. She'd had a great time with Chikara that night and was looking forward to the next get together they'd have. She danced around her room until she flopped onto her bed.
'That was probably the best time I've ever had,' she told herself. 'And he didn't step on my toe once.'
She looked at the wall next to her. It was the same wall that Eienno had been looking at a minute ago. She knew that he was on the only side of the wall, sleeping right beside her. It kind of bothered her, though, and she didn't know why she felt that way or what made her feel that way.
She rolled over and pulled the covers onto her body. She was slow to fall asleep, but when she did, she found herself undisturbed.
Eienno felt strange. He had a weird feeling that something was going to happen. Usually when he had these feelings, there really was a happening on the way. He had the same feeling when he first saw Yukkarie, as well as before he'd gotten the phone call from Meeko-Bei. Of course, this feeling was a bad feeling, opposite of the one he had when he met Yukkarie.
Something pulled on his stomach and gave him one of the worst headaches he'd ever had. He got up and once again, went to the control room to look at everything around him. The excitement he'd felt when he left on the way had already gone and turned into loneliness and heartache. Even the thrill of being in charge of everyone was gone. He wanted to be equal with everyone else. He didn't want them to call him 'sir' anymore. He missed the days when he was lowest in rank and had nothing to go by. Those were the days when he had friends who were always around him and Yukkarie was always around him. Then he heard Hanna bump the wall and his train of thoughts were interrupted.
He looked at the part of the wall were Hanna would be lying in her bed. He wanted to be on the other side, cuddling her and soothing the part of her body that had hit the wall.
He couldn't understand how his own mind could be having such a fickle war with itself. He loved Yukkarie, then liked Hanna, then loved Hanna, then wanted to be with Yukkarie, and then wanted to be with Hanna. His mind was now massively confused.
He looked at the stars outside and found that the asteroid belt was approaching soon. That took his mind off the Hanna and Yukkarie predicament he was in and he finally was able to go to bed and sleep.
Karameki was starting to fell like the mother of everyone. She knew she was one of the oldest, but she didn't want to feel like she was really old.
She looked at the ceiling. So far, she'd looked after and learned a lot about everyone. She found out that Hanna had a problem with being stared at, and that Eienno was the only person that Hanna didn't react the same way to. She found out that Eienno had a very covered background that he wouldn't be able to talk about for a long time. She found out that Hanna could cook, clean, and command in very organized fashions. But one thing really confused her, the fact that getting love to know love is a hard thing to rush. It would take a long time for Eienno to realize that Hanna wanted him as much as he wanted her.
Chikara was jealous that everyone seemed to think that Eienno and Hanna would end up together. He didn't like the way they couldn't admit that he and Hanna had become something and were going to stay something for a long time to come. He looked at the crevasses in the walls and the ceiling. They always seemed to change on him. Maybe it was that he'd gone to bed every night with a different mood. The first night, he was excited and scared, but saw happy things in between the stucco. But tonight, he felt like there was something up there that was out to get him and kill him when found. The little green monster of jealousy was hovering over him with a vengeance that no crush would hide.
Eienno and Hanna would become something, and Chikara knew it. He hid it from himself, though, so that he could at least imagine that he had the woman all men would portray as perfect.
Hanna woke the next morning, and was the first to rise. She took advantage of being the early bird and intended on having a shower long enough to use up the majority of the warm water.
That was until Eienno managed to get up and somehow beat her to the shower. She sat outside the door and waited for the shower to turn off. She knew he was being slow to get her angry. She stood up and looked the door from top to bottom.
"Would you please, hurry the hell up?" she said, getting irritated that he'd take a long shower, just when she needed to relax.
She heard him say something from inside, "no freaking way."
She growled to herself and perched herself on the door. The shower turned off. She didn't expect he'd be out until he'd finished everything he needed to do. To her shock and his amusement, he swung the door open and she flew backwards, right into him. She narrowed her eyes into a frown that could kill a donkey.
"Asshole," she mumbled, getting up and shoving him out. "Thank you for hurrying."
"Your welcome," he chided.
She looked at him, closing the door as she did.
"Stupid ass," she said aloud to herself. "Sometimes I just wish you would die."
Hanna looked through the cupboards for something to cook. She eventually found something actually worth the effort. She found some rather large steaks, potatoes and the ingredients to make a Greek Salad. She decided that she'd marinade the steaks in her own homemade sauce and make some mashed potatoes.
She put a big pot beside the sink and began to peel the potatoes. After she peeled, she cut them into small bits and dropped them in the pot. She carried on peeling and cutting until the estimated amount of potatoes were gone.
Eienno glared at Chikara. He was really starting to envy him.
'What am I thinking?" he asked himself. 'I've got Yukkarie.' After saying that, Eienno realized that he was slowly falling for Hanna. He didn't like the idea at all, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to deny loving her if it ever happened. All he could do was hope that he was wrong.
Chikara looked over at him with an uncomfortable gaze.
"Why are you starring at me?" he asked.
"Because," started Eienno, "I think you're acting like a jerk. Especially since you consider yourself 'going out' with Hanna."
"That's a crock," said Chikara defensively.
"No it's not," retorted Eienno.
Sebastien looked at Chikara, then Eienno. 'There's going to be a problem here,' he thought, getting up and leaving the weight room.
Chikara looked at Eienno, "I act the way I've always acted and you haven't known me long enough to tell."
"Fine," said Eienno, a smirk crossing his face, "But um why do I bet I could nail Hanna before you?"
"I doubt it," said Chikara. "She hates you, man. She seems to feel that you are an asshole and someone who really needs to get over himself."
"Yeah," he said, sarcastically, "then why don't you agree to the bet?"
"Sure," Chikara mused, "but only because the likelihood is in my favour."
"Good, settled." Eienno walked away to go see what everyone was up to. He spotted Hanna in the kitchen and decided that he'd play some head games before he turned to responsibility.
He peered over at her.
"What are you doing?" he asked sternly.
"Nothing that involves you," replied Hanna.
"Is that so?" he walked past her, just as she backed up to yell at him. She turned walking right into his rock hard chest. She looked up at him; he looked down at her. They frowned.
"Why are you in here?" she said strongly.
"To bug you," said Eienno.
"Why do you want to bug me?" she chided.
"Because you look funny when you're annoyed," he looked down at her then walked to the table, sitting down near the wall where he could stare.
She felt him watch her. Part of her enjoyed it, but the other screamed at him for groping her with his eyes.
"Is there a problem?" she asked him, looking in his direction.
"No," he replied.
"Then look at something else," she said bitterly.
He continued to look at her. What Yukkarie had said about her was right. Hanna had a perfect body. Her curves were in just the right spot to make Eienno wish he'd waited before he married Yukkarie. Her hips swayed slightly as she put spices on the steak. They made such an erotic motion that Eienno found himself almost drooling.
'Why do seem to want her so much?' he thought to himself. 'I only met her three days ago.'
Hanna could feel that Eienno wasn't about to stop starring at her. She tried to ignore it, but the feeling of his eyes on her skin was making her wish that she was in his arms, standing as close to him as she was a moment ago.
'Why do I enjoy him watching me?' She turned around and decided then and there that she'd respond differently, whether her mind liked it or not.
"Would you stop starring at me!" she yelled, making her voice echo through the shuttle.
"No," he chided in return.
"Do you have nothing better to do?" she said, calmly.
"No," he chided again.
"Go away," she turned and returned to her cooking.
Karameki watched them from outside the door. She realized that they looked as though they were depriving themselves of something that both of them really needed. She couldn't tell what, but she knew it had something to do with each other.
She thought about for a few minutes while they bickered in the kitchen over him starring at her.
'Maybe,' she thought, 'maybe they just need to be close to each other.' She smiled inwardly and walked in.
"Hanna," she said mischievously. "How about you sit down and relax for a few minute? I'll do some of the cooking while you rest."
"Sure," said Hanna, handing over the cooking utensils she was holding and sat down beside Eienno. She gave Karameki a suspicious look.
Karameki looked over at Eienno and Hanna. They looked oddly comfortable or at least more so then before. She noticed them eyeing each other through the corners of their eyes. She could see Hanna's eyes look Eienno up and down a couple times.
She couldn't understand his actions though. He sat there and occasionally looked over at her, but for some reason looked away for seconds at a time, and then he'd look at her again. He closed his eyes, resting his head on the table and covered his face with his arms.
He looked as though he was trying to avoid the thought of someone or something. Karameki couldn't figure out why he was hiding.
She decided she'd talk to him later, when Hanna was having dinner with Chikara and wouldn't be able to hear anything.
Hanna thanked Karameki for finishing her cooking for her. She fed everyone but herself and Chikara, then threw everything else in the oven and looked around the shuttle for a better place to eat. She found a sliding balcony door and opened it. When she saw what was up the stairs behind the door, she sighed in disbelief. It was too perfect. It was a rather large room with the entire ceiling made of glass and a small two-person table in the middle. She smiled when she noticed that there was a boom box was sitting in the corner. She looked through the CD's for the perfect selection. She almost wanted to toss all the 'romantic' stuff into space, but stacked them in a pile close to the back of the box they were stored in. She found some jazz, and even though she found it old and more so, boring, she thought it perfect for the occasion and popped the CD into the carousel. She pushed play and listened to parts of a few of the songs and decided that the songs were better then most and she'd use that CD to dance to later in the night.
She jumped at the chance to impress Chikara and fought with herself to quickly set up for dinner. Surprisingly, she had everything set up in a matter of minutes.
She used the white dishes from the cupboard because they would reflect the stars the best and then found some glass utensils in the drawers that she picked. She dug around for napkins, or at least really pretty dishrags. She did manage to find some cloth napkins and folded then so they stood elegantly on the dishes. She put the food on serving dishes and set them up on a small nightstand like table. She looked at her creations and congratulated herself, removing the apron from around her waist.
Hanna began to look around the shuttle for Chikara. When she found him, she gently took his hand in hers.
He looked at her, "Hi."
"Dinner's ready," she said softly. He smiled at the news. She kept her hand locked in his and led him to the room she'd found to eat in.
He looked her over. She had dressed in simple clothes that flattered her in every possible way. Even though she was only dressed casually, she looked elegant and pretty. She looked better then Chikara could've ever imagined.
He looked around the room. It was gorgeous. She had done a beautiful job and was very concise with everything she'd done. She sat him down, anxiously awaiting his expression when he tasted her food. She dished it out and then sat herself down.
She smiled when he began to eat and congratulated herself on how pleased he looked.
Karameki found Eienno in the weight room by himself. She walked in a closed the door behind her, locking it as well.
Eienno gave her a strange look.
"Sorry if I'm coming off weird," she explained, "but I need to talk to you about something."
"What?" he remarked.
"Is there something on your mind you need to tell someone about?" she asked concernedly. "I'm a good secret-keeper."
"No," he replied, effortlessly lifting his weight.
"Are you sure?" she questioned again. "I saw the look on your face when you were sitting beside Hanna today."
"I'm sure," he frowned, glaring at her. He saw the concern she was feeling for him. "Swear on your life you won't tell a god damned soul."
"I swear," she promised with her fingers in the 'scout's honour' salute.
"I mean it," he growled.
"So do I," she emphasized.
"I have a tiny, itty, bitty, little crush on her," he explained, expecting Karameki to know whom he was talking about.
"Oh," she said.
"The real problem with that though," he started, "is that I like her more and more every time I see her. Her movements, the way she talks, what she says, the way she looks, she's perfect."
"Sorry," she said, "but I don't know why that's a problem."
"I'm not ready to say why it's a problem," he corrected. "If and when I tell you, you'll know why it's a big problem."
"Okay," she sighed, happy that he'd trusted her enough to say anything. She hesitated for a second then looked at him, "Why don't you tell her you feel that way?"
"Because," he said, "not only is she with someone already, but she probably wishes I would die."
"I know that's wrong," she comforted. "Have you seen how she looks at you and acts around you?"
"No," he answered, looking at the wall.
"She looks at you with care and compassion, as well as passion and love," she informed, "she acts like she should belong to you and you should belong to her. When you're not around her, she's a lot more quiet and shy. You are already a pillar of strength to her."
"Yeah right," he mumbled sarcastically. "She wouldn't already love me or feel passionate about me."
"Haven't you heard of love at first sight?" she wondered.
"I don't believe in it," he answered.
"I didn't," she said, "until I met you and Hanna."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he said, irritated at her remark.
"I mean I've never seen to people click like you and Hanna have," she said. "When you walked in behind Hanna, she had a confidence about her. I remember thinking, 'my gosh those two are the cutest and best matched people I had ever imagined.'"
"That's bull," he muttered bitterly.
"No," she said, "and I'm sure that everyone thought the same thing until she asked Chikara."
"Exactly," he expressed loudly, "I'm of not importance to her. Proof being, she asked Chikara about dinner with her."
"That says nothing," she contradicted hastily. "That could mean she's confused about her feelings."
"You know what?" he remarked, "Who cares? I'm not interested in being with her; or at least my mind isn't."
Karameki looked at him. He looked as though his mind was tearing itself apart. She knew she shouldn't have bothered him and left on the spot. She felt a little embarrassed that she'd interfered on the wrong grounds like she had.but she still knew she was right about them. They were the perfect pair, she was sure of it. She was going to help them become something to each other and not to come off as right, but for her Hanna and Eienno.
Hanna looked at Chikara. They'd eaten dinner in a comfortable silence, and were now ready to talk to each other.
"So," he sighed contentedly, "how did you come to be in the military?"
"My mother and father were both high-ranking military officials," she explained, sipping her wine. "They had so much fun doing their jobs, that they wanted it to be an option for me."
"That's interesting," he said truthfully.
"How about you?"
"I decided that I wanted to be in the military when I first found out that the colonies became a 'nation' of their own," he started. "I heard on the news one day, that they needed men and women to join the military ranks, just in case a war broke in the solar system."
"That's why I became a doctor," she informed, "I've always wanted to be someone to help or even save other people, no matter where they are from or what they were doing when they were injured. I think wars are possibly the weakest form of negotiating I've ever come to see."
"Then why did you join?" he wondered.
"Same reason I'm a doctor." She looked into his eyes, noticing he was a little confused, "I wanted to help save people and being in a battle, where lots of people are being killed. That way I could help at least one person to come back to his or her family."
"You're a very loving person, aren't you?" he asked, as though he had just realized it.
"I don't know," she replied as she began to blush. "Are you?"
"I guess I don't know either." He smiled at her.
She reached across the table and put her hand on his. She looked over to the boom box and pressed play on the remote.
"Would you like to dance?" she asked, as soon as the music started.
"Sure," he said, "but you're going to have to teach me what to do."
"That'll be fun," she said happily. She almost jumped out of her seat towards the biggest spot in the room.
She gestured Chikara to come to her and took his head. She placed one hand on her waist and the other, she held in her hand.
"Let the rhythm control your feet and let me control your movements," she instructed.
Chikara did as he was told and was quickly dancing with her. He smiled at her when she pressed hers elf against him.
She looked over to the door and saw Eienno walk by. She rolled her eyes in displeasure, but she didn't know just what she which she was more displeased with, the fact that Eienno was outside the door or the fact that he wasn't in the room with her, dancing with her in his arms. She closed her eyes and daydreamt about what it might be like to dance with Eienno. She smiled as she did, but somehow still managed to maintain herself while dancing with Chikara.
Eienno could hear the music from outside the door and could see that Hanna was showing major signs of liking Chikara.
He couldn't figure out why Karameki would think that he had something with Hanna. He could tell that she'd figured out why he liked to pick on Hanna so much, but he dreaded that she'd tell her about it. He knew she was the type to keep her word, by was still afraid that she would big mouth someday.
He desperately needed to phone Yukkarie and get the thoughts of Hanna out of his mind. He took one of the satellite phones from the control room and locked himself in his room, making doubly sure that both doors were locked.
He dialed the number and waited impatiently for her to answer.
"Hello."
The sound of her voice released the tension from ever muscle in his body.
"Hi, Hun," he said in reply.
"Hi, Eienno," she said happily. "How are you?"
"I'm fine," he said, "how about you, you doing alright?"
"Of course," she replied, "I just miss you. That's the only thing bothering me right now."
"I miss you too," he said, "I swear, if I could I would turn back time to when I agreed to going on this godforsaken mission, if I could hug you right now.
"It's that bad, huh?" she remarked. "Are you getting along with everyone, or is something bothering you?"
"I'm getting along with almost everyone." He looked at the wall that separated Hanna's room from his. "There's just a lot of stuff that's really bugging me."
"Do you want to talk about it?" she questioned concernedly.
"I'm not exactly getting along with that Hanna chick you told me about," he started. "No offence to you, but she has a way of tranquilizing me without even coming within a metre of me. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love you and if I had the chance, I'd die for you, but something she does makes me feel the same about her."
"You know," explained Yukkarie, "that's always what's happened. I can't get mad at you or her for it. I'm fully aware that she's got that something about her that makes her completely irresistible. Ever boyfriend I've ever had has told me that. I can't fold you against it either."
"Thank you for understanding," he said. "Your understanding is what made me fall in love with you."
"What's brought on "I love you" all of a sudden?" asked Yukkarie suspiciously.
"I don't know," he said, "I guess I feel that since I can't show you anymore, I have to tell you more often."
Yukkarie laughed pleasantly, "You're so good with words sometimes."
"Am I?" he asked.
"Yeah," she giggled into the phone. "I'm sorry, baby. I have to go."
"So soon?"
"I have work in the morning and you called me a little late," she explained.
"Oh," sighed Eienno looking at his watch. "I'm sorry, I didn't really realize I'd called that late. I'll let you go."
"I love you," she said.
"I love you, too," he replied.
"I miss you so much."
"I miss you too."
"Bye," and with that, she hung up the phone. Eienno was in no rush to hang up the phone, so he kept it against his ear for a few seconds. When he finally realized she was gone, he hung up the phone and flopped down on his bed. He moved his body close the edge of the bed and put his arm out over the rest. He wished Yukkarie were there. Deep down, he knew that he would prefer Hanna in his arms, but it was an impossible dream.
Hanna and Chikara had finished their "date." Hanna was in her room, changing into her orange pajamas. She'd had a great time with Chikara that night and was looking forward to the next get together they'd have. She danced around her room until she flopped onto her bed.
'That was probably the best time I've ever had,' she told herself. 'And he didn't step on my toe once.'
She looked at the wall next to her. It was the same wall that Eienno had been looking at a minute ago. She knew that he was on the only side of the wall, sleeping right beside her. It kind of bothered her, though, and she didn't know why she felt that way or what made her feel that way.
She rolled over and pulled the covers onto her body. She was slow to fall asleep, but when she did, she found herself undisturbed.
Eienno felt strange. He had a weird feeling that something was going to happen. Usually when he had these feelings, there really was a happening on the way. He had the same feeling when he first saw Yukkarie, as well as before he'd gotten the phone call from Meeko-Bei. Of course, this feeling was a bad feeling, opposite of the one he had when he met Yukkarie.
Something pulled on his stomach and gave him one of the worst headaches he'd ever had. He got up and once again, went to the control room to look at everything around him. The excitement he'd felt when he left on the way had already gone and turned into loneliness and heartache. Even the thrill of being in charge of everyone was gone. He wanted to be equal with everyone else. He didn't want them to call him 'sir' anymore. He missed the days when he was lowest in rank and had nothing to go by. Those were the days when he had friends who were always around him and Yukkarie was always around him. Then he heard Hanna bump the wall and his train of thoughts were interrupted.
He looked at the part of the wall were Hanna would be lying in her bed. He wanted to be on the other side, cuddling her and soothing the part of her body that had hit the wall.
He couldn't understand how his own mind could be having such a fickle war with itself. He loved Yukkarie, then liked Hanna, then loved Hanna, then wanted to be with Yukkarie, and then wanted to be with Hanna. His mind was now massively confused.
He looked at the stars outside and found that the asteroid belt was approaching soon. That took his mind off the Hanna and Yukkarie predicament he was in and he finally was able to go to bed and sleep.
Karameki was starting to fell like the mother of everyone. She knew she was one of the oldest, but she didn't want to feel like she was really old.
She looked at the ceiling. So far, she'd looked after and learned a lot about everyone. She found out that Hanna had a problem with being stared at, and that Eienno was the only person that Hanna didn't react the same way to. She found out that Eienno had a very covered background that he wouldn't be able to talk about for a long time. She found out that Hanna could cook, clean, and command in very organized fashions. But one thing really confused her, the fact that getting love to know love is a hard thing to rush. It would take a long time for Eienno to realize that Hanna wanted him as much as he wanted her.
Chikara was jealous that everyone seemed to think that Eienno and Hanna would end up together. He didn't like the way they couldn't admit that he and Hanna had become something and were going to stay something for a long time to come. He looked at the crevasses in the walls and the ceiling. They always seemed to change on him. Maybe it was that he'd gone to bed every night with a different mood. The first night, he was excited and scared, but saw happy things in between the stucco. But tonight, he felt like there was something up there that was out to get him and kill him when found. The little green monster of jealousy was hovering over him with a vengeance that no crush would hide.
Eienno and Hanna would become something, and Chikara knew it. He hid it from himself, though, so that he could at least imagine that he had the woman all men would portray as perfect.
Hanna woke the next morning, and was the first to rise. She took advantage of being the early bird and intended on having a shower long enough to use up the majority of the warm water.
That was until Eienno managed to get up and somehow beat her to the shower. She sat outside the door and waited for the shower to turn off. She knew he was being slow to get her angry. She stood up and looked the door from top to bottom.
"Would you please, hurry the hell up?" she said, getting irritated that he'd take a long shower, just when she needed to relax.
She heard him say something from inside, "no freaking way."
She growled to herself and perched herself on the door. The shower turned off. She didn't expect he'd be out until he'd finished everything he needed to do. To her shock and his amusement, he swung the door open and she flew backwards, right into him. She narrowed her eyes into a frown that could kill a donkey.
"Asshole," she mumbled, getting up and shoving him out. "Thank you for hurrying."
"Your welcome," he chided.
She looked at him, closing the door as she did.
"Stupid ass," she said aloud to herself. "Sometimes I just wish you would die."
