Authors Note: People are begging me to update eh? I'm doing research for the story. Which is not limited to...reading historical novels, and that sort of stuff, and research of locales, and other things. I didn't make up those clubs Kurz mentioned in Chapter 2, same thing with the beer. I am indebted to the reviewers, but sometimes I get a bit disenchanted with myself. In those instances reviews are the ultimate remedy. I'm really trying to make this seem plausible. So I'm going a little slow, because I have no idea what I'm doing, (in addition I'm trying not to screw up the romance...). The events in this story will funnel into the next installment, which will be much darker in tone and events (nobody significant dies...I think). I want to make 4 errors clear: 1st and most significant, I've been spelling Kurz's name wrong. It isn't Kurtz, its Kurz. 2nd Melissa is actually his CO and not his NCO, Sergeant Majors are COs, Kurz was born in Edogawa, not Wiesbaden, and Melissa is actually 26 not 25.

If perchance any person had stumbled into Melissa's quarters in the morning after the bar-fight that had obliterated the bar, or rather everything but the bar, everything would have seemed ordinary at first glance. Large numbers of cigarette butts in the ashtray, a colossal pile of empties thrown haphazardly into a wire cage; more suited storing poker chips than aluminum longnecks. The bedding disheveled and vomit collecting in a trash can, directly outside the head, and usual similarities ended there.

Sheets covered two roughly humanoid outlines, meshed closely together and sprawled out on the floor.

At a predetermined time each day (usually 600 hours), the lights were automatically switched on in all of the quarters of the TDD-1 which were not part of the night shift duty roster.

Melissa awoke to stabbing pain in her head, and twin beams of agony near her forehead. She struggled to open her eyes, reluctantly the muscles complied with the order, but the entire process was like opening a rusty gate: painfully slow. In this case pain was used in literal sense. Arising like some zombie from the grave, knees bent and back hunched, she groggily stomped over to the panel that controlled illumination in her room, and slid both sliders down. She then stumbled back over to her sleeping area, and hit the ground. It was strangely padded in some areas and moving up and down.

The engineers must have done some upgrades to the flooring, she thought to herself. This flooring was warm, padded, and cuddly. She snuggled closer to it, throwing her arms around its raised surface. Lulled by its rhythmic rising and falling, Melissa fell asleep quickly.

The "raised flooring" was in fact Sergeant Weber. He was having the best dream he could in the situation.

He was on the beach, just drinking a beer, and sunning himself. All was peaceful, and he was content, but not happy. As he was falling asleep, a figure was walking along the beach. He groused to himself, this was supposed to be deserted, where he could simply relax. As the figure came closer he recognized it. Only one person could wear a lime-green bikini like that, and do it justice: Melissa. He rubbed his eyes to make completely sure of the reality of this bewitching mirage. She was coming closer, hips swaying and a foxy smile on her face. Had he not kept his composure of being a gibbering mush, his eyes would have rolled into the back of his head from the sheer glee of this encounter. She wrapped her arms around him, and brought her face to his ear.

"Remember this Kurz; The longest journey you will ever take is the 18 inches from your head to your heart." His dream-Melissa had said. This had turned out to be disappointing; as he reached for the strings that held her Bikini in place...he awoke.

Melissa did have her arms around his neck, and was using his shoulder as a pillow, with a content look on her face. He had hit the big time! He looked to see her nak-DAMNIT, she had clothes on, and so did he for that matter. At the very same time, he realized he was not in his own quarters.

'If I can think straight, I will treasure this moment. At least until something better comes along.' He fervently hoped something better came along.

One last proverb came into his mind before his head split. 'There are better things in life than alcohol, but alcohol makes up for not having them.'

Kurz was then engulfed by twin spires of pain. One was rising from his head, pulsing with a throbbing pain in every region of his skull. The other came from his back; apparently sleeping on the floor had done wonders. Wonders for the pain carrying neurons that is, it was not everywhere, and was at the boundary where his shirt met his pants. About right where he kept his waist holster, his right arm inched closer to removing the offending object. With one fluid motion, similar to a bear snagging a salmon, he loosed his SIG P210 from its holster and flipped it onto the couch.

Exhausted from such a simple motion, he tried not to focus on his hangover and tried to remember what happened. 'I was having a drinking contest with Melissa? Yeah, that's it and we had been marking whenever we had started a new bottle. I can't remember who won though.' His memory only was worth so much in the alcohol induced fog his mind was lost in.

The pain was getting to him and so he tried to focus on the rather pleasant sensation of personal contact between Melissa and him. Before she woke up, he'd try to remember every contour, every part, and memorize the features on her face, because chances were he'd never see this combination again. She was warm, and Kurz brushed a lock of hair that fallen in front of her face.

'Why so tender Kurz? Trying to forget about Lorelei? Your real girlfriend? Are you that cruel to both of these women?'

'What part of the hellhole I call my mind did you crawl out of? Nobody invited you to my little slice of paradise, and to interrupt and harangue my thoughts. Just where did you come from?'

'The little used part of your brain you call a conscience'

'That much is apparent, and I still didn't invite you to this peaceful moment. Something you haven't been able to let me have.'

'Ah but Kurz you can't not invite yourself. Why are you even trying to have a relationship here, on this ship with your CO? Lorelei is waiting for you when you can finally get yourself and her out of debt.'

'That relationship is basically over! She dumped me in the motherfucking hospital last time I visited! She said she didn't want to be unfair to me and her, and she wanted someone closer. Besides she's doing fine with that doctor she decided to get involved with, after she got discharged from the Hospital.'

'She said she was sorry about that, and she broke up with the guy 6 months after her discharge, she would have said if she was involved with someone else. You do remember that too, don't you? Can't you for once not be self serving, and observe the actions of others?'

'Lorelei can just go find another guy to go crawling to. At least this way I'll actually see my girlfriend. Instead of seeing her twice a fucking year! Besides, I do have feelings for Melissa! I've said that to her already, only in terms that make me look like an oaf'

'The fact that you were responsible for Lorelei's injuries doesn't even make you feel guilty? Because of you, that tetrodotoxin got into her system, and she suffered a reaction while you two were skiing, and collapsed. That tree she plowed into broke her back! You did the just thing in paying for research and implementation of that nerve knit, but the least you can do is comfort her. She wanted comfort, and she was alone, did you expect her to just wait for you?'

'Damnit, she wouldn't have been able to fuck that doctor, much less kiss him without the hell I've gone through for her! I wasn't hungry, and the guy was a certified chef!'

'But it was only a sample, and you actually liked puffer-fish, so why did you let her try it? You know the dangers of puffer-fish, and she didn't.'

'It was an honest god-rotting mistake and no matter what my guilt tells me that's the truth!'

'But don't you feel responsible, and aren't you cheating on her? You're probably hurting Melissa more, seeing as you're using her as a temporary crutch and heat sink. You selfish bastard, you don't want to be alone, and you didn't when you went back home to Weisbaden alone. So you charmed your way into the heart of a girl, and now you're going to leave her, after all you've been through!'

"Get the HELL out of MY MIND!" Kurz's cry had a desperate tone to it.

Melissa awoke for the 2nd time that day, this time to a harsh scream. One that was very familiar...

She sat bolt upright, and realized that she had been sleeping near Kurz; she gave a quick survey of her room, and then checked herself. Kurz had done nothing, which was unlike him. She had half expected him to try and sneak something, but he had done nothing.

'It's not like I had any reason to suspect that he wouldn't. But he didn't and I'm glad he didn't. It would have ruined any hope I had for the guy.'

"Sure you aren't gay Kurz? You scream pretty loud for someone who realizes they have a beautiful woman on top of them."

"Errr...No Melissa, but who won the contest?" Kurz managed to slip out.

"From the looks of it," she looked at the dashes and diagonal lines that marked completed beers, "You won by five beers before you conked out. Not bad, although you better choose your favor carefully. 23 to 28, say Kurz you got more backbone that even I thought. Ole Sousuke would prolly agree, but seeing as he's been turned to mush by Kaname I can't trust his judgment." Melissa smoothly concluded.

"It's the first drop that destroys you, there's no harm at all in the last. The Irish know as much about drinking as we Germans do brewing." Kurz remarked.

Melissa abruptly got up, flicked on the lights and pulled something from her personal fridge.

She had two glasses, and handed one to Kurz. It plopped and fizzed, and smelled vaguely like Seltzer Water.

"Here Kurzie, Take this for your hangover. I've got plenty left, so drink it all. Bottoms Up"

"How about a toast Melissa?" He had a hopeful look, which momentarily flickered over his pain ridden face.

"Why the hell not? I've never seen an idiot be so formal about a hangover. " Melissa was only joking about the idiot part. She usually was, but sometimes Kurz deserved that designation.

"Alright, to idiots and their COs, past, present, and future. May each be better than the one that came before it." Kurz had no idea why he said that, but it had seemed fitting.

"To idiots and their COs." They clinked glasses and both downed their drink, coughing on the way down, the taste was revolting, but the relief was anything but. The toast was rather poignant for Melissa, and she shed a few tears.

"Melissa, What did I do now? We never did get to talk, you wanna go first?" Kurz was becoming more perceptive as days went on, plus he didn't want to invite his conscience back into the fray.

"You did nothing Kurz. I guess I should begin where you will. I was born in Brooklyn as you might know."

"Certainly explains your way of doing things, and Gung-Ho attitude." Kurz cracked. Melissa calmly drew her pistol, and pointed at the German's head.

"Wanna hear me pour my heart or not? I'm not gonna take wisecracks on my childhood from my friends, and tolerate it." Melissa was all business, and Kurz got the idea, rather quickly.

The moment that passed between them was strongly akin to that of when the Finns and the Russians fought over the Mannerheim line. You had to acknowledge when you were beat, or both parties would suffer. Kurz did the right thing.

"It was inconsiderate of me, I'm sorry." Motivation was aplenty, seeing as a gun was pointed at his head.

Melissa continued, resolute to tell this story to a friend. 'It needs to be told anyway, someone else needs to hear it, Kurz is just the guy. He's also the only one besides Sousuke and Tessa I'd tell it to.'

"Being born in Chinatown, my family was associated with the Jung Ha Triad. My father was a Jung Ha enforcer, and my brothers had no smallest brother to pass knowledge unto, so I became somewhat of a tomboy. An extremely good looking tomboy, which later caused me some grief. My friends and I were lucky to survive 2 months together. They were usually deported or vanished, because the Triad viewed them as failures. Most of the Chinese that came over were illegals. My parents were lucky, and were nationalized citizens." Melissa paused and waited for any comments from the usually garrulous Kurz. There were none, he had a rather intense look on his face, and motioned for her to continue.

"Eventually I turned 18 and was pursued quite aggressively by suitors, and Triad officials. I shucked them all off, I had no interest in hustlers or shallow assholes at this point. The last straw was one of them demanded I be a 'working girl' of his. You can imagine the consequences. I shot him, and castrated the bastard. This didn't endear me to his associates, who tried to murder my parents as revenge. My brothers and I lead a NYPD taskforce to the Headquarters of the Jung Ha. Anyone who had a grudge against us was in that building, and we wiped 'em all out. My brothers became employed in the NYPD as consultants, and instructors. It fit them, they had been teaching combat ever since I could walk. My parents moved to White Plains, and enjoyed the solitude that was there. I lacking a community or place to go joined the Marines. I hoped that they would serve as my new family. My parents disapproved of my methods, and were disappointed I was not the proper Chinese daughter, and my brothers eventually got involved in their work. We sort of drifted apart." She paused again, to gather her thoughts and to the next and most painful part of her story.

"Believe Melissa, I can sympathize with having no family, or not being close enough." Kurz remarked. 'More than you'll ever know, Kurz Weber has been a loner.'

"The hard part was mail call for the recruits. Everyone else got something from home in my barracks. I was one of the few who didn't. It was a real heartbreaker hearing people talk about their families, and then asking me. I mostly ignored them, or gave them some BS answer. I was too prideful to tell the truth. After the joke they called basic training, I was actually transferred to a men's combat unit. I was inundated. When you've got hormonally driven men around, hitting on you, you sort of develop a keep away nature. Any kind of flirtatious attempt is met with a fist or some cold words. It sorta carried over into Mithril, and I'd like to apologize for some of the more unprovoked smacks I've given you."

"Not a problem." was all Kurz said in reply.

"One of the many things I did well in Basic Training was get into trouble. I was hotheaded, cocksure, and skilled. My instructors quickly gave me challenging stuff and leadership opportunities. It helped my maturity level greatly being in command. I felt a huge sense of responsibility, and it helped more than I admit sometimes. Although they were not happy about me hot-wiring an APC from the motor pool, to use in a supposedly infantry exercise. I didn't feel like crossing barbed wired that day, so I did for the next 3. The guys respected me after that, left me alone too: didn't wanna associate with someone who pissed the brass off. "

"Anyway, I had vehicle skills unparalleled in boots, so they decided to include me in the power armor test program. Sorta the little brother to the Arm Slave, no black technology, it was more like an Exo-suit than anything. Pretty effective too, States has been pretty vigilant in guarding its tech though, only sharing it with Israel and other NATO nations. Haven't been in one of those things since systems testing, so when the next upgrade to the M-6 came out, I signed up to be a test pilot. Got some valuable experience there, and requested a transfer to a Commando/M-6 squadron. I was accepted, and I met Joseph Drake, The stupid bastard."

Melissa stopped to wipe some tears away, but Kurz proffered a handkerchief instead. She took it gratefully. Since when was Kurz so openly sympathetic and understanding?

"Melissa, I may be a bit of a flirt, but I know when to shut-up and respect someone. This drake guy still around? I need to track him down compare notes, and then beat him up." Kurz was being the friendly lecher, again. He winced, that probably was not the right thing to say.

"You wouldn't need to compare notes much Kurz. He had an approach that was pretty similar. Instead of being insulting, he was a complete gentleman. He never went to fast for me to handle, and was very understanding. I fell in love with him. I was the cool and composed one, and he was full of passion and zest. He was dogged in his pursuit of me. I must have turned him down 20 times, before I finally relented. He made me loosen up a little, come out of shell y'know? It was one of the reasons I cared so much about the guy. I might have been content without him, but I wasn't happy. We experienced so much together, just normal relationship things, that I had never done. I thought it was a match made in heaven; until Iran."

Kurz remained deep in thought. Melissa was a little restrained, but she could let go and have fun.

"He snapped in Iran. It was a search and destroy mission, in exchange for intelligence from the Israelis, we'd run S&D on those targets. One of these was a radical Iranian cleric who stirring up trouble in Turkey, and a city about 50 miles east of Tehran was his home-base. We had to eliminate him, his supporters, and his successors. Joseph and I were paired together for this mission, and when he saw children with AKs and RPGs he started babbling about his family in Poland. He instinctively wiped that group of young suicide soldiers out, and never came out of the hole the alcohol dragged him into." Melissa looked pensive.

"He had barely escaped genocide at the hands of Anti-Jewish fanatics. He got lucky; He was at a Rammstein concert. The soviets were looking for enemies of state, and had every Jew in his city executed. He was one of the few survivors. His entire family was killed, like Sousuke's." Melissa paused. "Only he handled it better than Sousuke. Sousuke just let his humanity fall into disrepair, and it's now finally coming out. Joseph kept his emotions and feelings intact. Only he was an alcoholic when he needed to forget what happened. This ended up ruining the both of us." Melissa looked like she was ready to break down for an instant. She quickly shoved the pain away, and saw Kurz had a worried look on his face.

"Look Sis, You can stop anytime you want. Besides I don't want my overactive imagination to start to dream of cliché possibilities although pleasant, would be inappropriate." Kurz was telling the truth. 'In the movies after this sort of talk, the characters would comfort each other and have hot sex! Yah!'

"We were in Tibet, running a commando mission to capture the infrastructure of a Chi-Comm base. We needed to hit the communications tower, ammo depot, and the motor pool. Then we could help a border town effectively declare independence. With the supplies from the base, it could have held out long enough for international aid. The Chinese would have folded, and Tibet might have taken a step closer to becoming a free nation." She paused and began to shudder. Kurz became very concerned. Melissa was the veritable rock, and was even more imperturbable than Sousuke.

"Joseph had nightmares before the mission. A pal had unwittingly put Feuer Frei on over the loudspeakers. Combined with memories of the Rammstein concert, and the lyrics message, Joseph was severely shaken up." Kurz had heard this song, he thought of the song as Melissa continued.

Whoever knows pain is dangerous

from the fire that burns the soul

bang bang

the burned child is dangerous

with fire that separates from the life

a hot cry

bang bang

Open fire!

Your happiness

is not my happiness

it is my misery


"I had to comfort him that night before the Mission. I loved the man, and couldn't stand to see him like that, and Joseph was integral to that mission, he and I each had command of a platoon, and he was demolitions. The mission was proceeding as planned until our CO got hit by a sniper's bullet. We were all wearing NVGs and Joseph in his drunken haze, ran out to confront the man. He was noticed and mortar fire ripped our squad. I was lucky, as I was leading the platoon away because Joseph blew away our position. I was the only survivor of that platoon. I managed to save Joseph and drag him outta there. Then it came time for the debriefing and court martial. I couldn't let Joseph take the fall for what happened. It would make him a husk of what he once was. I...I...loved him too much for that. So I said I assumed command and ordered Joseph out to get rid of the sniper. That lie earned me a dishonorable discharge. And then...Joseph scorned me...the goddamn fool believed my testimony, and was too goddamn drunk to know the difference. So I chucked out that period of my life, and made a vow, never to lose any men due to command negligence again. That's why I was desperate to rescue you and Sousuke in Khanka. I couldn't let you two die Damnit!"

Melissa started shaking uncontrollably and sobbing. This was a tumultuous period in her life, obviously one which had influenced her future actions and behaviors.

Kurz grasped that Melissa needed comfort, and the only thing that mattered was to alleviate her sorrow. He hugged her to himself and let her tears flow, all the while whispering comforting words into her ear. Kurz had his arms wrapped around her waist and shoulders, and had let her cry unto his shoulder. He moved gently as if one might rock a child. She continued to clutch at him as if he was the only thing there. He moved his right arm up, and ran his fingers through her hair unconsciously. All of this was unconscious for Kurz, none of this was planned, and he found himself reacting in manners he thought he never could. He also found he cared for Melissa a lot more than even he had thought.

'Guess I should give myself more credit. The great Kurz Weber can be more than a lecher eh?'

As he thought that, his hand started to creep towards Melissa's absolutely sublime rear. He was on the verge of pinching it, when he found himself thrown across the room and landed on his head with a thud. With a rather surprised expression on his face, he managed to squeak out. "Sorry Sis"

Melissa wiped her face, and snuffed. She her eyes were still puffy and red from her crying but she had a grateful smile on her face.

"I should thank you Weber. Not only did you comfort me in my time of weakness, but you shocked me back into reality. For that I won't beat you to a pulp." Melissa glared at the dumbfounded sergeant.

'Melissa looks so different when I'm upside down. I can see more of her cleavage!' Kurz mused and remembered he needed to close his jaw, before Melissa did it for him.

He did, and righted himself, with his knees crossed. He wondered if Melissa was going to ask him to tell his side of the story.

"So Sergeant Weber...I would like to hear your side of the story now. Please indulge me..."

He began haltingly "It all started with a bureaucratic mix-up when my father moved to Edogawa..."

Author's Note: I'll get to Kurz's story soon enough. I just had to truncate this chapter. It was getting pretty long, and I had finished the first part. For those of you who really wanted to have the next chapter. It would have been done by Friday, but I went over to a LAN party, and then got sick, so I slept all of yesterday and most of today. I needed to catch up on sleep. I changed my formatting slightly. Thoughts are now all in Italics, and empathsis is in Italics also. Lemme know if it works.