Chapter 3: Nemesis.

Deep within the hollow core of Deimos base the great shipyard of Mars lurked like a termite mound that only seemed calm. Inside the next generation of system defence craft were being constructed form the latest generation of hybrid materials and using the latest hybrid technology.

However the star of the show was still Nemesis. Her sleek blade like cross-section and oversized engines giving every appearance of the huntress she was. Turrets blistered her surface, and the mouth of her central meson accelerator cannon stood wide like the proverbial dragon's mouth. She had been painted with sensor resistant matt colours, designed to slip below almost any type of detection. She bore no identifier, no number only a ten-foot tall picture of a sword-bearing angel with black wings.

As the Hermes swung along her side the sheer size of the beast came home to many for the first time. She was huge, easily the match for a full sized aircraft carrier, and her docking bay swallowed the Hermes with very little trouble indeed.

"That's no moon" muttered one man, and was slapped for his effort.

"I'll give you a disturbance if you so much as breathe another line!" warned the man's friend, a pretty redhead in an X-Com interceptor pilot's dress uniform.

"Imperial scum" the man replied, ducking away into the crowd.

"There you are hero," Nabiki said, wrapping an arm around her husband-turned wife. She too was dressed in full number one order. Of course she had had the practical trousers swapped for a sexy skirt and had the jacket altered to follow her form better but rank hath its privileges. Of course she also wore an array of medals and the bright shiny insignia of a full Colonel. "Who were you talking to?"

"Han bloody Solo" Ranma replied, still grumpy. Nabiki kissed him once more and together they watched the final set down. Soon everywhere around them the occupants began to file out, organised offloading looking very like chaotic shoving.

"Last chance babe" Ranma whispered, holding the love of his/her life.

"Wherever you go" she began.

"There you'll be" Ranma finished, kissing her.

"What about you?" Nabiki asked, "second thoughts?"

"Only about the bloody bra!" Ranma groused, fidgeting. "Don't know how you lot do this all the time"

"What can I say we're the best" Nabiki teased. Ranma favoured her with a mock scowl and chased her to a wall before tickling her mercilessly.

"Steal my line will you?" the cursed man demanded, going in for her ribs.

"Mutiny! Insubordination!" she cried, around the giggles "Infamy, Infamy they've all got it in for me!"

"Ooh" Ranma moaned, "that's older than you!"

"UH!" Nabiki complained, grabbing her by the pigtail, "what did you say lieutenant?"

"You are more beautiful than anyone I have ever met," Ranma rushed, "and get more beautiful every day. I just wish I had your looks!" Nabiki silenced her with a kiss.

"You do dummy!" she offered, giving the smaller girl's left breast a squeeze for emphasis.

"Er' Colonel?" asked a tentative voice. A marine was stood not two feet away, trying hard not to stare at the two beauties fooling about and silently damning his own professionalism for making him interrupt. "They are waiting to pipe you aboard."

"Carry on marine" Nabiki ordered, not letting go of her partner. "I'll be right there.." Ranma kissed her one more time and left to collect their gear and child from the couple who had been minding them.

o

o

Nabiki stood just inside the open hatch that led to the hangar deck. Ranma had left just ahead of her and would already be taking his place among the pilots below. Nabiki could hear the hushed murmurs of the crowd below and forced herself to be calm. She knew this ceremony was important to them and knew that for many of them the next few minutes would decide forever how they treated her forevermore.

She straightened her jacket, sucked in a large breath and stepped out. Immediately the bosuns' whistles piped up and the marine fifers and drummers joined seconds later. Nabiki strode down the ramp as if such things happened to her every other day, her face an unreadable mask of calm.

The crowd at the bottom consisted of all the assigned crew that would make up the Dark Angels of Earth. There were pilots, marines, scientists and techies, sailors and engineers, psychics and shrinks. All of them were arrayed in their best ceremonial dress, watching their commander take possession of the most dangerous weapon Earthmen had ever built.

Nabiki walked straight onto the raised area that comprised the loading level, where the interim commander stood waiting. She briefly turned to face the assembled mass and let a smile come to her face, adding a modest nod of acknowledgement. The music stopped, the commander offered her his hand. Nabiki shook it firmly and let him step away before turning back to the crowd. They burst into applause, and Nabiki quietly waited it out, (idly noting that the wolf whistles seemed to be coming from the pilot's area).

"Warriors of Earth" she began in a clear calm voice, "for all who serve aboard this vessel are truly worthy of that title, I thank you for your welcome and for your confidence.

There is an old tradition from the days of wooden hulls that a new Captain should be 'read in' when they take command of a vessel. I will not be doing that, each of you has already been briefed on the seriousness of the threat we face, and each one of you already knows what will be expected of you. I will not question your devotion to duty nor your dedication to the cause. Instead I will tell you about the great thing that we are doing right now.

Today we are assembled for the first time as a full crew, and it makes me very glad indeed to see this come to pass. From this moment on we are no longer individuals struggling alone but instead we are a team. A solid unit dedicated and resolute. Today we forge a weapon to strike the enemy harder than they have ever been hit before. There is a new power in the universe and it is the Dark Angel Nemesis!"

The crowd burst into wild applause, hooting and whistling their approval. Nabiki accepted their praise and held out her arms to offer it back to them. As she turned through the half circle she caught Ranma's eye and received a big smile and a 'thumbs up' and at that moment she knew she had told the truth.

o

o

o

The crew quickly broke up back to their duties, Nabiki was quickly, and unnecessarily, guided to the officers' mess, where a reception was laid on. Of course Misato was there ahead of her, and already had a drink in each hand by the time Nabiki stepped through the doors. One by one she was formally re-introduced to the ship's officers. Each one parading in front of her for just long enough to exchange a few words and a handshake. She knew them all by report of course but the pictures provided never did any justice to the subjects' faces so Nabiki had to use every trick she knew to put the names to faces.

Some people immediately stood out. First there was Lieutenant Colonel Everett, in charge of the marines. The dossier had mentioned he was older but she really hadn't expected this grey haired throwback. He had earned a reputation for being 'gung ho' and hard to get along with but Nabiki had been sure that he would fall into line soon enough. Instead she had been met with thinly veiled scorn. Whether it was chauvinism or ageism she didn't know, or care. He was definitely going to be a problem. The next was an officer called Kaji Ryoji, he was going to be a problem for completely different reasons. The guy was smooth, real smooth, and had taken all of six seconds to start to hit on her. But Misato's glare was all the warning Nabiki needed to know that there was more going on than just one guy who thought too much of himself.

As the operational officers made way for the support staff Nabiki had to face another meeting she had been dreading, Kuno Kodachi. The doctor had pulled a wide array of strings and Nabiki had been given little choice but to accept her as crew. The crazy woman ay have been a few bricks short of a stack but was still by far the smartest, most versatile scientist X-Com had.

"Nabiki" the Black Rose purred. "You are looking….exquisite!"

"Thank you Doctor" Nabiki replied, "You are looking well yourself."

"You like it?" Kodachi replied, waving a hand down the slinky black dress and extending one flawless leg to show just how far up the side slit went. "Its just something I had lying around" she lied.

"It is suits you" Nabiki replied, wondering what was going through the madwoman's corkscrew mind. "It goes well with your eyes." Kodachi leaned in closer.

"And with your carpet" the doctor whispered breathily.

"Really " Nabiki answered, trying to but some time. She had honestly thought this phase over with. "Maybe I'll ask to borrow it sometime?"

"Of course Nabiki" Kodachi replied with a twinkle in her eyes "after all friends should share." It was then that Nabiki connected the dots. Kodachi obviously knew that 'Ranko' was aboard and more than that, seemed to know that the redhead and her were an item.

"I'll look forward to it" the madwoman continued, and Nabiki had just enough time to wince before the laugh arrived, "OHOOOHHOHOHHOHOHO!" fortunately by the time the girl stopped for breath Nabiki had managed to slip away, and the doctor was chasing another 'toy.'

o

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o

o

Having dropped Kimiko off at the 'crèche.' 'Ranko' was setting up in the pilot's quarters. And was not having a good time doing it. In the time it had taken to pick a bunk near the door and acquire a locker already three separate guys had hit on 'her' and a fourth was clearly lining up his shot.

"Hi there, do you want a hand with that?" the blond man offered, trying to unobtrusively stare at her breasts.

"My bag or my tits?" Ranma asked, "and no thanks."

"OW" the man recoiled.

"Look mate it ain't personal" Ranma continued, wary that she had to get on with these people.

"It isn't?" he asked.

"I just don't swing that way…" Ranma explained. The guy had to think about it for a moment then broke into a big smile.

"Hey no worries" he replied, "Only difference between a dyke and a hottie is six inch-

"And where are you going to find that much?" Ranma demanded, twisting the idiot's tackle in a vice grip. "Go away!" she hissed and dropped the man, who waddled for safety as fast as he could..

"Nice put-down!" came a girl's voice from behind Ranma, it also had a decidedly Japanese lilt to it. Ranma turned to see who talked, to be rewarded by the sight of a very fetching dark-haired asian girl, wearing a tight muscle top and flight pants. "Hikari" the girl said, offering a hand in the western fashion.

"Ranko" Ranma replied. "Please tell me he learns fast."

"Fraid not" the girl disagreed. "He'll be back."

"Damn, and I so wanted to avoid the brig for a few nights" Ranma lamented. The girl snorted in reply, a half smile appearing.

"Then just make sure you don't get caught," Hikari offered, "or you could hide in my bunk…."

"Damn! What are they putting in the water 'round here" Ranma thought. "Uh, I'm sorta spoken for…"

"Oh well" Hikari replied. "If you ever need a shoulder or a sympathy screw…."

"Er thanks, I think." Ranma answered. "Okinawa was not like this!" he muttered.

"How would you know" came a voice with a Scottish lilt, "your face was buried in Shampoo's so much I doubt you could even tell me the colour of the walls."

"Laura!" Ranma exclaimed happily, throwing her arms around her friend.

"Hey!" Laura objected, "That sort of thing can get a girl a reputation you know!"

"Shuddup bitch" Ranma ordered with a smile
"What was that Lieutenant?" Laura demanded.

"I said shut up sergeant!" Ranma answred.

"That is Master Sergeant Major to you little puke!" Laura yelled back.

"Yes ma'am" Ranma replied with a formal salute.

"Less of that, I work for a living" Laura stopped him. They stood for a few moments sharing a smile, and a memory.

"So how are the troops?" Ranma asked

"Honestly, they are so wet behind the ears I wouldn't be surprised to find their mummies here washing them" she groused. "What I wouldn't give for a few Alpha's."

"You got me" Ranma offered.

"Don't joke about it" Laura argued. "The first time these kids get stuck in we are going to lose half of them."

"Ow"

"And there's worse, guess who's got the baton" she continued

"Nabiki told me but I didn't know the name" Ranma answered.

"That's cuz we usec to call him something else," Laura prompted.

"Wait, you don't mean?" Ranma guessed with disbelief. "but I thought they took him off active service!"

"That's right we got Colonel 'enemy action' Everett," Laura confirmed, "and they fixed his damn leg"

"Shit"

"Double shit" Laura agreed.

"We gotta do something" Ranma asserted.

"I am" Laura replied, with a smile "I'm telling you!"

"What happened to shit rolling downhill?" Ranma asked ruefully.

"Don't apply to Alpha's" Laura replied. "Your ego attracts it instead."

o

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o

Nabiki had finally found the time to take her seat behind her desk in her very own ready room. She sank into the cushioned seat with a sigh, genuinely relieved that for the moment the meet and greet seemed to be over. It was only then that she noticed her computer was flashing a marker for a waiting message.

With a raised eyebrow she called it up, but even as she did she knew it wasn't going to be good news.

I did everything I could.
You have to take her.
Really not my fault.

Did I mention I did everything I could?
And that its not my fault!

It was unmistakably Jack's message and Nabiki had a really bad feeling that she knew just who it referred to.

The comms chimed.

"Captain I have a message from a Doctor Weir requesting leave to embark her party."

"Damn!" swore Nabiki and she really meant it.