Yes, Sir?

Ayane walked slowly away. It would be so easy. All she had to do was turn around and tell Leen what she wanted to hear. Then Leen would turn cross the wall with her. Wouldn't she?

The Problem was Leen "Knew". She regretted telling her, now anyway. At first it had been great to have some to share her burden with. Her parents called it a gift. She saw it as a curse, so had Leen. She knew what it was to be different.

Looking back that could be why it had happened. Hot tears welled up in her eyes and then it occurred to her she didn't miss the girl who she had just walked away from. She missed the girl she had been before.

Leen her self had no such moral issues. She tried to imagine life with out her friend then it struck her, for the last year she had not been Ayane's friend. Not that she cared of course, and the tear in her eye was just because of the wind.

She wished she could be like Ayane and know how to deal with other people's feelings. Maybe then she wouldn't have spoken so sharply with out thinking. Maybe she wouldn't have to bear this guilt, maybe she wouldn't have to go in to service to make up for it. Maybe she could have discussed it with her friends. Swimming in this sea of maybes and " What if's ?" she made her way to the J-base, little she know the evil that slept within.

General Baal studied the files of those that he had chosen for Mullen's regiment. Most of them were just the usual: kite pilot, engineer and so on.

One file caught his eye, it was a young girl fifteen at the oldest. She was reasonably attractive, but what he noticed about her. What he noticed was her hair, it was blue.

An evil smile crossed his lips. He didn't need to get the parts to complete his plan. They were coming to him. One by, one they fell into his grip.

He stroked the green stone in his hand and felt Gaia's power, greed and ambition welling up inside him.

Ayane stared into the misty forest. Only then did she realise her mistake. It would have been so easy to send a letter to Rapp, told him to expect her. Maybe even meet her in Luc.

She cursed what she saw as her stupidity. She knew kicking her self wouldn't get her over the wall. so she turned her mind to more practical matters.

She had to set up camp before dark. She couldn't set up camp in the forest. It would be too difficult and much too dangerous. She looked up at the sky and decided that she could risk it she pulled her cloak tighter around her, bowed her head and walked into the foreboding forest.

As she walked forward she tried to be practical, she needed a place to sleep, food and water. Its not that easy to be practical when the sticks are crunching under your feet, the winds blowing in your face and strange animals are howling all around you.

Just then it started to snow, small white flecks falling through the trees.

How

Slash!

Could

Slash!

She

Slash!

The training dummy exploded, white feathers flew every were. Mullen brushed the sweat of his brow and stood back to catch his breath.

How could she expect him to pay child support? She refused to tell the child that he was the father, cut him off from all contact.

His own fathers voice interrupted his train of thought.

"Mullen, come to my office" He tried to find something that voice, it was caring but emotionless.

As he walked down the corridor he wondered why his father wanted him and felt that old anxiety, like he was going to be punished.

" This girl" said General Baal holding a picture of that blue haired girl " What is she?"

Mullen stared at the picture. It took him a while to answer, when he did his own voice sounded strange to him.

" She's the Icarian!" He couldn't believe how stupid, how unbelievable that sounded.

General Baal went on to say how this would effect the Garlyle, his plans and the future. Mullen wasn't listening.

As he walked away he started to plan himself. If she did join then maybe she would have a room just down the corridor, he'd walk past her there arms would brush ad he'd kiss her, then maybe she would return his kiss...

All that from one glance at a bad photo! Besides she was so much younger than him. I've obviously been working to hard he thought to him self as he settled down to sleep. He closed his eyes and was dead to the world.

Ayane found her self in the cold, in the forest and lost. She had no choice but to set up camp. As she put up her tent it occurred to her how horrible it would be to sleep in a tent by her self in the middle of the forest. She wished Leen could be there. She remembered Leen, eating Sushi.

Ayane's mother brought in a plate of raw fish for the girls dinner. Leen had given it a funny look and refused to eat it. Ayane laughed and accused her of being scared to eat it.

Leen said that she would eat some, but with her eyes closed. She picked one at random and popped it in her mouth. Then she screwed up her face an said

"I just ate something and I don't now what it was"

" Don't worry they're not mass produced"

The two girls giggled at their own joke. After that Leen had admitted to likening most humanoid food.

Ayane smiled at the happy memory. She prayed for her parents, she prayed for Leen but most of all she prayed for herself.

Leen lay in the hotel bed and slept a dreamless sleep.