Hi! Sorry for the delay. I'm back in school, and this early in the game I
already have a lot to study. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about this
fic. ^^ When you have a fan of your work who is your classmate and your
groupmate, you don't forget about a fic, ne, Hikari-san? Replies next
time. Hopefully I'll have internet of my own by then. Sabbie-chan and
tesuka-chan, Taming a Tiger is also up.
..........
"Say WHAT?!" Jura exclaimed.
"What I said, Jura," Misty tried again. "They're meeting tonight! They're doing something weird tonight, and he's actually going to teach them!"
"Who's he?"
"HIM."
"Him? You don't mean....are you sure?" Jura's eyes bulged. "Of all people? Why would he do that?"
"Beats me-but don't you see?! We have to get a scoop!"
"You're worse than Paiway nowadays, Misty, you know?" Jura sweatdropped. "Oh, great. Just when we have all this work to do for the party yet....."
"We'll finish it this afternoon, and tomorrow morning, no problem. We'll be ready."
Ready they definitely were not. Someone had only remembered at the last minute to lock all the Nirvana's exit points, to keep Meia from escaping again. Many were in a state of panic, hounding and searching the interplanetary shopping networks for party dresses. The cake was not chosen, the turkey still alive, the decorations still unhung. And most of the time, they forgot to keep an eye on Meia. The Dread pilot definitely knew that something was afoot for her.
"Aren't YOU men in on the plot as well?" Meia asked them in quiet exasperation.
Bart could not reply. Duero only rubbed his chin. "Um, well, the girls didn't give us anything to do," Hibiki calmly answered for them.
In the meantime, the girls responsible for communications were hard at work, finding a way into the male quarters.
"Why did we have to have a leak last week..." Parfet grumbled.
"Isn't there any other way to get to there?" Amarone asked.
"I'll try to get a camera in, but there's no way we can get audio.....unless....unless....wait, that just might work....."
"What?"
"You'll see. I'll be back," and Parfet headed to the supplies room.
Parfet had pulled out the stops. She drew her trump card.
Romantic influence.
Duero enjoyed a calm afternoon at the medical ward. Paiway was helping the other women prepare for the party, and fortunately, nobody was getting injured. It was about to get better. The chief engineer had just popped her head at the door.
"How's your day, Doctor?" Parfet asked with a smile.
"Boring, for once," Duero returned a smile. "Taking a break from engineering, I see?"
She nodded. With hands to her back, ponytails bobbing, she approached him. "Doctor.."
He looked up from the computer, ever so slightly.
"I have a little something for you, it it's alright, Doctor." Parfet opened her right hand. It held a collar pin. The doctor sat quietly as she pinned it on, his eyebrow raised as a question. "I made it myself," was all the explanation he got. "I hope you'll wear it always."
"I don't see any reason not to," he answered, somewhat not himself. Then again, he was always somewhat not himself when Parfet was concerned.
"Thanks a lot, Doctor!" and Parfet with a short look back exited the medical ward. So far, so good.
Duero shrugged. "Omoshiroi..." He then returned to his computer files.
Soon the pin was quite forgotten. And quietly recorded any and all audio from the medical ward.
"You mean, Duero didn't suspect a thing?" Amarone asked in surprise, when Parfet told her.
"I don't think so," she replied. "It works to our advantage, ne?" She gave Amarone the peace sign.
"Well, we ARE desperate...but won't he get mad at you for being tricked?"
"So I'll disable the recording mechanism when we're done!" Parfet protested. "I did want to give him that pin."
For now, at least for the next twenty-four hours or so, it would tell Parfet about all Duero's conversations for the day. Hopefully, including the ones he would be having that evening.
Eight o'clock arrived.
A passive doctor leaned on his bed, reading a medical book. A cynical pilot had his arms folded and eyes closed while waiting. A nervous navigator wrung and unwrung his hands twice every five seconds.
Their mentor eventually appeared. Still in uniform, and looking very sharp.
"You were always a great dresser," Bart praised. It was ignored.
"What about the girls?" Hibiki asked.
The officer calmly raised a small device hidden in his right hand. "A scrambler," he explained. "Signals from here will only come to them as static."
"You are underestimating Parfet," Duero said.
"You are defending her work," the officer retorted. "I know quite well what she is capable of. I will not be surprised if they manage to get past this defense. But let us not worry about them, shall we?"
Duero was quite correct in his defense. The recorder on his collar was anti-static, for the frequencies the officer employed.
After a few minutes of scratching over the speakers, audio to the male quarters was restored.
"Can't we have a little video over there, too?" Jura begged.
"I've tried, but she knows that we do that, and the scrambler thing works against it," Parfet explained.
More than 10 girls grumbled. "He's too good for your tricks, girls," Gascogne grinned.
This evening, even Meia was intrigued. Hidden in her own room, she had the audio links open to the live feed.
"Let us begin," their mentor for the night began, slightly scratchy to the listening audience. "We have to pair up. I will pair with Bart, Hibiki will pair up with Duero."
The women could not believe their ears. Bart with, with, with HIM?!
"But Duero is too tall!" Hibiki complained.
The officer pointed to a pair of heeled boots.
"No, thanks."
"I thought so."
On the other hand, Bart was positively shaking.
"What's the matter with you?" Bart's dancing partner asked easily. "It's just a traditional way to favor your mate, nothing to it."
"He's going to teach them mating rituals?!" the girls deduced.
"The video links! The video links!" Others clamored. "Male mating rituals! This we gotta see!"
"The static is too strong!" Parfet responded, already in her undershirt and sweaty.
"Are you sure about this, sir?" Hibiki asked again.
"I've known them for quite a while," he answered. "This is one of the best ways to get their attention. Now, left hand on partner's waist."
"Absolutely not!" Hibiki turned from Duero and folded his arms.
"Ahem, Hibiki," Duero interrupted, "Orders are made to be followed."
"Besides, you want to do something SPECIAL for tomorrow, right?" Bart added.
"Don't involve me in your problems!" Hibiki protested.
The officer shook his head. "Once again, left hand on partner's waist...."
The men complied.
"Other hand on partner's shoulder...
"No way.." Hibiki complained.
Bart was still shaking, with a hand each on the platinum-haired officer's shoulder and waist, his face only a foot from his partner's, his eyes quite forced to stare intently once again at his partner's beguiling features.
"Don't be afraid, Garsus. This will not hurt," his partner assured.
"They're crazy!" Jura commented.
"Now, follow after me," the officer's voice was heard again. "One-two- three, one-two-three, one-two-three..."
The women heard the step of boots. "One-two-three, one-two-three, one-two----OW, DUERO!"
"My apologies," the worthy doctor said.
"Dita never realized male mating rituals hurt them so much....poor Uchuujin-san..." Dita noted.
"I never thought it was so....so....numerical," Barnette added.
Misty, the only one on board that could possibly explain the situation, was also confused. "Does it mean that he also knows about heterosexual mating rituals?"
"Aren't they just learning how to dance?" Gascogne reasoned.
"THEM?!" was the unanimous answer, followed by unanimous laughter.
Alone in her room, only Meia Gisborn thought that it was possible. It could only be for tomorrow's festivities.
She was not escaping her fate this time. She wanted to know what the navigator planned to do.
.........
Again, I'm still being careful with the pronouns, just in the opposite way. I told the big spoiler to my cousin who hasn't seen it, and still her jaw dropped. She's the last person I'm telling the spoiler to.
Thank you for waiting. There are rumors that we're having Anatomy next. That means even harder studying coming for me. Hopefully I'll get some time in and work on the next chappie. Hikari won't leave me in peace until I do... ^^ See you all!
..........
"Say WHAT?!" Jura exclaimed.
"What I said, Jura," Misty tried again. "They're meeting tonight! They're doing something weird tonight, and he's actually going to teach them!"
"Who's he?"
"HIM."
"Him? You don't mean....are you sure?" Jura's eyes bulged. "Of all people? Why would he do that?"
"Beats me-but don't you see?! We have to get a scoop!"
"You're worse than Paiway nowadays, Misty, you know?" Jura sweatdropped. "Oh, great. Just when we have all this work to do for the party yet....."
"We'll finish it this afternoon, and tomorrow morning, no problem. We'll be ready."
Ready they definitely were not. Someone had only remembered at the last minute to lock all the Nirvana's exit points, to keep Meia from escaping again. Many were in a state of panic, hounding and searching the interplanetary shopping networks for party dresses. The cake was not chosen, the turkey still alive, the decorations still unhung. And most of the time, they forgot to keep an eye on Meia. The Dread pilot definitely knew that something was afoot for her.
"Aren't YOU men in on the plot as well?" Meia asked them in quiet exasperation.
Bart could not reply. Duero only rubbed his chin. "Um, well, the girls didn't give us anything to do," Hibiki calmly answered for them.
In the meantime, the girls responsible for communications were hard at work, finding a way into the male quarters.
"Why did we have to have a leak last week..." Parfet grumbled.
"Isn't there any other way to get to there?" Amarone asked.
"I'll try to get a camera in, but there's no way we can get audio.....unless....unless....wait, that just might work....."
"What?"
"You'll see. I'll be back," and Parfet headed to the supplies room.
Parfet had pulled out the stops. She drew her trump card.
Romantic influence.
Duero enjoyed a calm afternoon at the medical ward. Paiway was helping the other women prepare for the party, and fortunately, nobody was getting injured. It was about to get better. The chief engineer had just popped her head at the door.
"How's your day, Doctor?" Parfet asked with a smile.
"Boring, for once," Duero returned a smile. "Taking a break from engineering, I see?"
She nodded. With hands to her back, ponytails bobbing, she approached him. "Doctor.."
He looked up from the computer, ever so slightly.
"I have a little something for you, it it's alright, Doctor." Parfet opened her right hand. It held a collar pin. The doctor sat quietly as she pinned it on, his eyebrow raised as a question. "I made it myself," was all the explanation he got. "I hope you'll wear it always."
"I don't see any reason not to," he answered, somewhat not himself. Then again, he was always somewhat not himself when Parfet was concerned.
"Thanks a lot, Doctor!" and Parfet with a short look back exited the medical ward. So far, so good.
Duero shrugged. "Omoshiroi..." He then returned to his computer files.
Soon the pin was quite forgotten. And quietly recorded any and all audio from the medical ward.
"You mean, Duero didn't suspect a thing?" Amarone asked in surprise, when Parfet told her.
"I don't think so," she replied. "It works to our advantage, ne?" She gave Amarone the peace sign.
"Well, we ARE desperate...but won't he get mad at you for being tricked?"
"So I'll disable the recording mechanism when we're done!" Parfet protested. "I did want to give him that pin."
For now, at least for the next twenty-four hours or so, it would tell Parfet about all Duero's conversations for the day. Hopefully, including the ones he would be having that evening.
Eight o'clock arrived.
A passive doctor leaned on his bed, reading a medical book. A cynical pilot had his arms folded and eyes closed while waiting. A nervous navigator wrung and unwrung his hands twice every five seconds.
Their mentor eventually appeared. Still in uniform, and looking very sharp.
"You were always a great dresser," Bart praised. It was ignored.
"What about the girls?" Hibiki asked.
The officer calmly raised a small device hidden in his right hand. "A scrambler," he explained. "Signals from here will only come to them as static."
"You are underestimating Parfet," Duero said.
"You are defending her work," the officer retorted. "I know quite well what she is capable of. I will not be surprised if they manage to get past this defense. But let us not worry about them, shall we?"
Duero was quite correct in his defense. The recorder on his collar was anti-static, for the frequencies the officer employed.
After a few minutes of scratching over the speakers, audio to the male quarters was restored.
"Can't we have a little video over there, too?" Jura begged.
"I've tried, but she knows that we do that, and the scrambler thing works against it," Parfet explained.
More than 10 girls grumbled. "He's too good for your tricks, girls," Gascogne grinned.
This evening, even Meia was intrigued. Hidden in her own room, she had the audio links open to the live feed.
"Let us begin," their mentor for the night began, slightly scratchy to the listening audience. "We have to pair up. I will pair with Bart, Hibiki will pair up with Duero."
The women could not believe their ears. Bart with, with, with HIM?!
"But Duero is too tall!" Hibiki complained.
The officer pointed to a pair of heeled boots.
"No, thanks."
"I thought so."
On the other hand, Bart was positively shaking.
"What's the matter with you?" Bart's dancing partner asked easily. "It's just a traditional way to favor your mate, nothing to it."
"He's going to teach them mating rituals?!" the girls deduced.
"The video links! The video links!" Others clamored. "Male mating rituals! This we gotta see!"
"The static is too strong!" Parfet responded, already in her undershirt and sweaty.
"Are you sure about this, sir?" Hibiki asked again.
"I've known them for quite a while," he answered. "This is one of the best ways to get their attention. Now, left hand on partner's waist."
"Absolutely not!" Hibiki turned from Duero and folded his arms.
"Ahem, Hibiki," Duero interrupted, "Orders are made to be followed."
"Besides, you want to do something SPECIAL for tomorrow, right?" Bart added.
"Don't involve me in your problems!" Hibiki protested.
The officer shook his head. "Once again, left hand on partner's waist...."
The men complied.
"Other hand on partner's shoulder...
"No way.." Hibiki complained.
Bart was still shaking, with a hand each on the platinum-haired officer's shoulder and waist, his face only a foot from his partner's, his eyes quite forced to stare intently once again at his partner's beguiling features.
"Don't be afraid, Garsus. This will not hurt," his partner assured.
"They're crazy!" Jura commented.
"Now, follow after me," the officer's voice was heard again. "One-two- three, one-two-three, one-two-three..."
The women heard the step of boots. "One-two-three, one-two-three, one-two----OW, DUERO!"
"My apologies," the worthy doctor said.
"Dita never realized male mating rituals hurt them so much....poor Uchuujin-san..." Dita noted.
"I never thought it was so....so....numerical," Barnette added.
Misty, the only one on board that could possibly explain the situation, was also confused. "Does it mean that he also knows about heterosexual mating rituals?"
"Aren't they just learning how to dance?" Gascogne reasoned.
"THEM?!" was the unanimous answer, followed by unanimous laughter.
Alone in her room, only Meia Gisborn thought that it was possible. It could only be for tomorrow's festivities.
She was not escaping her fate this time. She wanted to know what the navigator planned to do.
.........
Again, I'm still being careful with the pronouns, just in the opposite way. I told the big spoiler to my cousin who hasn't seen it, and still her jaw dropped. She's the last person I'm telling the spoiler to.
Thank you for waiting. There are rumors that we're having Anatomy next. That means even harder studying coming for me. Hopefully I'll get some time in and work on the next chappie. Hikari won't leave me in peace until I do... ^^ See you all!