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Disclaimer: I do not own Full Metal Panic

Chapter 3: A New Day Rises Part2

The chill of the air at night…

the dim hallway…

the faint white glow…

and the vending machine…

and him….

Why?...

Thoughts from last night raced through Capt. Teressa Testarossa's mind as she walked along the lighted corridor heading Dana's control room. Scenes flicked through her memories… weaving in and out of her psyche…

She remembers scolding Sagara and leaving him behind, and after that, she went to her own room. The moment she reached her bed, she can no longer hold back the tears… she spent most of the night crying her heart out until she fell asleep.

Still walking and keeping her focus, Tessa rubs her eyes for a moment wishing they didn't look red or puffy, blinking them once or twice. She finally reached the door. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the room.

"Good morning captain." was everyone's greeting. Some of them gave the formal salute while the others seated at the controls gave a respectable nod. Capt. Testarossa returned their greetings as she stepped towards her place at the center. Lieutenant Cmdr. Andrei Kalinin was waiting. "Good morning Kalinin," she greeted him. "A good day to you too captain." Kalinin bowed as Tessa took her seat. The old veteran was quite surprised. It was the first time the captain greeted him first since Tuatha de Danaan was attacked. After the horrible incident, Captain Testarossa would come at the control room looking very pale like she didn't have enough sleep or something. She walked in small heavy steps. Words coming from her were few. Every morning she would be at the control, often not saying a word. And she often left to be at her office managing a lot of paperwork regarding the damages to be dealt. Kalinin was of course worried, same with the other officers. And Mardukas had pointed out that Kalinin worries like as if he was the young captain's father.

But this day was different. Kalinin sensed it, and he is sure the staff did too as most of them looked a bit shocked when Tessa said "Good morning" back. He could feel something different; Tessa looked as if a heavy weight has been lifted off from her shoulders. Even though Tessa did not smile like the usual, Kalinin was thankful that she was slowly regaining herself back together again. He smiled, with a hope that things will now turn out for the better.

Meanwhile in another part of the base, Sousuke and Kurz were both busy attending to Melissa Mao's orders.

"Weber! What is this? Why is my Armored Slave's feet splattered with mud!" Melissa's loud voice filled the large space of the hangar. Her foot impatiently tapped the floor and her right fist trembling to give Kurz a big knuckle sandwich.

"Kurz Weber! You letch! Where are you!" The woman's temper was dangerously rising.

It was then that Sergeant Sagara approached the steaming Melissa. "Sergeant Major…" he greeted but was suddenly cut off.

"Sagara! Do you know where that wretched friend of yours is?" Melissa screams directly at the young man's face. Sagara as usual seems not bothered and replies in a relaxed tone.

"I believe he is here." Sousuke then steps aside to reveal a cowering blonde guy, Kurz Weber, holding up his hands to form a cross. And in a split second, as he probably expected, receives a nice blow from Mao.

"What do you think am I? A demon spawn?" Melissa tells Weber after the punch.

"I just took your AS outside for testing as you ordered me yesterday. The ground was muddy due to the rain these days," Kurz reasoned as he stroked his head to lessen the pain, messing up his golden locks.

"Well, grab some soap and water and scrub it up! I want it clean and shining come this afternoon," Sergeant Major Mao ordered without batting an eyelash, her hands planted at her hips.

Kurz sighed and replied. "Yes boss…" And moved towards the supplies room to get some cleaning materials.

"And you Sgt. Sagara, have you checked Arbalest? Make sure that it's in top shape."

"Finished ma'am, as you ordered yesterday," Sagara declared stiffly in his usual tone.

"Then check again, being prepared for battle is one of our best weapons. But don't forget to help Weber clean my AS, just make sure he doesn't do something awful to it, I just couldn't trust him with my machine." Mao orders Sousuke just the same. "I will have to leave you now. Tessa and Lt. Cmdr Kalinin wants me at the control room." After that, the dark violet haired woman turned her back and immediately proceeded to the hangar's exit having finished what seems to be her business.

Sgt. Major Mao has left, but Sousuke wasn't moving from where he stood. Apparently something struck his thoughts the moment Melissa mentioned the word …"Tessa…."

As the captain's name echoed through his head, he recalls what happened last night. The young woman he saw by the soda machine…

But in a moment his thoughts were disturbed by the loud bang of a steel door. Sousuke spots Kurz coming out of the supplies room, carrying buckets filled with water. Sagara went on to help him carry one of them.

"Man, was life better when she was at the hospital wing." Kurz complains and puts down his pail, and began to soak a rag in the water.

"She just doesn't want to feel as if she were useless; you know she hates being in the hospital bed." Sagara gives his opinion.

"Yeah… you're probably right Sagara."

And both of them continued to take out the brown hardened mud that covered the leg of the AS.

"If that is what you want Captain," said Kalinin. "We will support your decision."

"Thank you Kalinin." Tessa smiled a bit. "I'm glad that you approved. I think it is about time that I do this. Tuatha de Danaan needs a stronger captain."

"Alright!" Mao exalted, pushing her fists into the air. "I can't wait for this to start. We will begin tomorrow right?"

"Manners, Sergeant Major." Kalinin reminds the eager woman. "And remember that there is something that we could not disclose to all fellow officers."

"Roger," Mao replies.

"Yes, Mao. The three of us will meet at the field tomorrow. 5:30 a.m. sharp," said Tessa. Her grey orbs brightening up. "I can't wait either."

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pls. read and review!

p.s. Just made an edit in the last part. Changed Kalinin's line: "should not disclose to some" to "could not disclose to all."

I realized both meant different things. Ahhh... words..., how fragile, a slight change could mean otherwise..