Disclaimer: see part 1.

Aoi

Part 10

Deep Blue Sky

By Random1377

Misato stared at the far wall of her living room, keeping her breathing even as she pondered the meaning of the words 'history repeats itself.' It seemed to be a fitting expression, she thought, shifting minutely to allow her houseguest to get more comfortable, and she wondered – not for the first time – if the knife wound and subsequent infection had addled her brain somehow.

She had never been this insecure before – never! Even in college, with Kaji, she had been the one to lead, and while he had been the one with the experience, it was she that led HIM to her bed, not the other way around. But now she was clingy, and needy, and impossibly reliant on a teenager she had barely known before Shinji's death.

"Can you spend the night?"

What made things the worst was the blurring of the lines between emotional need and physicality.

Rei shifted in Misato's arms, concentrating on making her left hand rise and move into her lap – a process that took far more effort than she wanted it to – before whispering, "If you want me to…"

Misato relaxed a little, realizing just how tightly she had been holding the First Child. "I do," she said levelly. "Let's just… sit here for a minute, though…"

"Alright."

Maybe something IS wrong with me, Misato thought dismally, leaning a bit closer and drawing in a deep, appreciative breath. Damn, she smells so GOOD to me! Why? Why is it only with her? I've never… liked women before, so why do I keep inviting her over and… and trying to get her in bed with me…?

The operations director bit her lip, thinking that in all fairness, all she had in mind was to sleep with the blue-haired girl next to her.

…and what if I can't control myself?

She had come close to doing things with Rei twice so far – once the first night she had invited her over and once less than a week before, when she had actually brushed her lips against Rei's before quickly pulling back and apologizing.

Of course, the fact that Rei never protested these moments of weakness did not make it any easier for Misato to fight her urges, and she was starting to think that it was more a question of 'when' than 'if' she would break down and seduce Rei – not that it would much of a seduction, of course, as the First never once tried to push her away.

As for herself, Rei was torn. On the one hand, Misato's intensity and increasingly erratic behavior was a bit alarming, making the First wary and uncertain in the older woman's presence. On the other hand, these little encounters were the most physical intimacy Rei had experienced in her life, and her emotions felt like a dry sponge, sucking the contact up greedily and hoping for more, no matter the inappropriateness or awkwardness of it all.

"Where is Pilot Souryu?" Rei wondered, shaking her hand as it began to tingle.

"Hell if I know," Misato sighed, disappointed by this sudden change in topic, "she only sleeps here now – sometimes not even that. Section Two has her under surveillance, so she's not exactly neglected, but where she is and what she's doing, I don't know, or care."

Had she actually spent time reviewing the reports Section Two put on her desk, Misato may have cared quite a bit. After all, repeated visits to a rundown hotel in the oldest district of Tokyo-3, coupled with long hours at the shooting range, working with a pistol of the same make and model as the one missing from the armory, would be enough to raise red flags in even an incompetent guardian's mind.

It is easy, with the advantage of hindsight, to say that Misato acted irresponsibly… but it is doubtful that anyone outside of her unique situation could ever truly appreciate the pressure and stress she was under in coping with the loss of a surrogate son, the increasing psychosis of a troubled teenage boarder, and increasingly confused attraction to a girl half her age.

Though on this last note, anyone that had taken note of Rei's offhanded comment, 'It smells like Ikari in here,' during the cross-synchronization experiment, may have eventually deduced the true reasons behind Misato's unusual fixation.

So tired, Misato thought, resting her head against the back of Rei's neck, God I'm so tired… of everything. I just want something – anything – to take me away from all of this…

"Rei…?"

"Hmm?"

"…come with me."

"Alright."

Silently, Misato rose from the couch, taking Rei by the hand and leading her slowly into her bedroom. Carefully, she guided the girl to the bed, arranging her on the edge before walking back to the door and sliding it quietly closed. Don't do this, she thought, leaning against the door for a moment as she gathered her flagging defenses. Don't let this happen, Katsuragi… you're scared, and lonely, and confused, and way, WAY fucked up – but don't drag Rei into this. Don't make her into your outlet, for god's sa-

Brutally, she cut her thoughts off, refusing to think any more as she reached out with a shaking hand and slowly locked the door.

( 0 0 0 )

The crack of .22 caliber gunfire was soft and almost understated in the empty range, barely even echoing as the tiny rounds punched through the paper target. The redhead holding the small gun nodded in grim satisfaction as she easily controlled the kick, keeping her shots neatly cropped and close together, emptying the clip and pulling the trigger twice to ensure that every cartridge was spent.

When the time came to use it for real, she was going to make damn sure the job was done right.

"Miss?"

The girl lowered the gun as the proprietor of the pistol range tapped her on the shoulder. "What?" she asked flatly, "I paid for an hour."

"It's been an hour and a half," the proprietor said evenly. "I let you stay past closing time cuz you've been a regular for the past few weeks, but my dinner's getting cold."

Glancing at the wall, the girl frowned. "Your clock stopped," she muttered, engaging the pistol's safety and handing it butt-first to the proprietor. "Sorry."

The man shrugged. "No sweat," he said lightly, taking the gun and ejecting the clip. "See you tomorrow."

Watching the girl march out, the man shook his head. She gave him the creeps. He did not mind staying a few extra minutes – especially not when the redhead paid nearly triple the usual fee to make sure she had an entire range to herself – but she was so fixated that it made the man nervous.

Shaking his head, the man glanced at the target hanging halfway down the range. "She's getting good," he muttered, frowning as he noticed that every one of the girl's shots was directed at the target's head. "Damn good…"

Heaving a sigh, he walked over to the side of the building and grabbed a push broom, murmuring under his breath as he set about the task of sweeping up the small pile of spent casings the girl always left behind.

( 0 0 0 )

Rei stared at her ceiling, doing her best to ignore the tremors in her arm as the doctor examined it closely. "And does this hurt?" he asked, pinching a bit of skin between his thumb and forefinger and giving it a light tug.

"No," Rei replied, shaking her head, then pausing, "yes… wait, it is… coming and going."

"Mm hmm, mm hmm… I see," the doctor said importantly, "and how long have you had these symptoms?"

Rei brought her gaze back down from the ceiling.

"Commander," she said quietly, ignoring the man as she turned her attention to Gendou, "why is this… person here?"

Gendou waved a hand dismissively. "He's a fully qualified physician, Rei… don't ask needless questions."

"Yes sir."

Feeling very, very tired, Rei outlined her history, from the detonation of Unit 00 to the chronic problems she had suffered since then. The doctor – Rei doubted very much that the man truly deserved this title – made careful notes, nodding and 'mm hmm'-ing thoughtfully before concluding… that he needed to consult another physician.

As he excused himself, the room fell silent.

Things had been very strained for everyone since the last angel fight, but Rei was still supremely confident in her commanding officer's abilities… and while the continual deterioration of the muscle control in her arm concerned her, she was comforted by Gendou's complete lack of worry.

He would never willingly hurt his favorite, after all.

"Commander?"

"Hmm?"

"May I ask you something?"

Gendou rubbed his eyes. "What is it, Rei?"

Rei hesitated. "Am I a… desirable woman?"

There was a long, ominous silence.

"No, Rei," Gendou said coolly, "not to me."

Nodding as if this answer was expected, Rei pressed, "To others?"

"Most likely," Gendou answered airily, "I haven't really asked around. Why do you ask?"

Rei gazed down at her arm.

"I had a… confusing encounter several days ago."

Gendou folded his arms, feigning ignorance. "Oh?" he replied, acting as if he had not had security cameras installed into each and every high-ranking NERV officer's home.

Nothing – nothing – went on inside NERV that Gendou Ikari did not know. When his people were on the streets, their lives were their own… but within their homes, and the halls of NERV, they belonged to him.

Especially Rei.

There were, admittedly, only so many hours in the day, so inconsequential things like keeping track of the increasingly useless Second Child, or rounding up and executing the errant Fifth, he left to the Major. A child molester she may be, he mused as he waited for Rei to speak, but damned if the woman doesn't have a talent for killing angels and running a tight ship.

"Yes," Rei continued, finally gathering the nerve to say, "I… would like to ask you about it, if I could."

If there was a topic Gendou wanted to discuss less than the sex life of his wife's clone, he could not think of it. It nauseated him to think that Rei had become sexually active in the first place, but he had restrained himself from storming into Major Katsuragi's apartment and killing her on the spot, reminding himself forcefully that in the grand scheme of things (and he did have some rather grand schemes) this little tryst meant less than nothing.

It did not, of course, mean that he had to be regaled with details on the event.

He had barely managed to keep his dinner down as he turned away from the security camera's feed, unable to watch the actual event for fear that it might render him insane.

"If it is a personal question, perhaps you would be better suited speaking to someone else about it."

Rei considered this evasive reply for several moments before whispering, "May I ask you a general question, then?"

Gendou pursed his lips.

"If you must."

"In general," Rei said carefully, "after… spending time with someone in an… intimate capa-"

"Get on with it."

Rei wet her lips.

"Is it normal to be… shunned by someone you have nearly been intimate with?"

Gendou's attention was immediately refocused.

"Nearly?" he asked cautiously.

"Yes," Rei said, still speaking in general terms to avoid being too specific, "if you were… very nearly intimate with someone, and they decided that it was not for the best – is it a normal thing for them to avoid you thereafter?"

Nearly chortling at this fortuitous turn of events, Gendou calmly replied, "No it is not… unless the person has decided that they no longer have any interest in you."

The corners of Rei's eyes tightened.

"I see…"

Perfect, Gendou thought gleefully, she has been untouched, and knowing that she is disliked will KEEP her untouched. I don't know your reasons for keeping your hands to yourself, Major, but I assure you, I-

It was then that the angel alarm began to sound.

( 0 0 0 )

Asuka sat in Unit 02's entry plug, brooding like a Rhodin sculpture. Oh sure, she thought furiously, launch Wondergirl to fight the angel – because she's been so fucking fantastic in every other battle we've had. What a goddamn joke.

"Has the target moved?"

"No, it's just sitting there… twisting."

Rolling her eyes, Asuka resisted the temptation to break into the cautious chatter on the tac-net and scream, 'Just kill the fucking thing – don't wait for it to come to you!'

Idiots, she thought, resisting the urge to reach behind her back and triple-check the tiny slit in the fabric of the pilot's seat.

Smuggling a loaded weapon in a plastic bag into NERV itself had been child's play – quite literally. No one really checked the Children for weapons, and bypassing the metal detectors at the security checkpoints in the facility had been as easy as pointing to her neural connectors and saying, 'Do you want these to get messed up so I can't fight?'

Getting it into the plug with her had been a bit tricky, but after careful consideration, she had reached the following conclusions: first, a small cut in the pilot's seat would not be noticed unless pointed out, and thought nothing of if there was nothing in it, and second… the large, backpack-like lifesign monitor that her plug suit boasted made it very easy to hide something against her vertebrae.

Uncomfortable as all hell, but easy.

"Rei," Misato's voice came over the network, "just smoke the damn thing for God's sake!"

That's more like it, Asuka thought, pushing thoughts of her concealed firearm aside, finally, a decision I agree with.

She wrapped her hand around the control yokes, listening for her order to launch.

"Come on," she muttered under her breath, once again considering 'accidentally' letting the angel kill Wondergirl so she would not have to get her hands dirty. "Come on!"

As Rei announced that she was approaching the angel, Asuka knew that she would never let the girl die by another's hand.

Rei's life belonged to her.

…she would be taking it soon.

"The angel has stopped moving!"

Yukiko's cry brought Asuka out of her pleasant fantasy of wringing the First Child's neck. "Launch me," she said flatly.

"Not yet," Misato replied calmly, "I'm not taking any risks on this one – the fewer EVAs we have on the field, the fewer causalities we risk."

"Oh bullshit!"

"That's enough, Asuka, we-"

"Launch me, you stupid whore! Christ, what do you keep me around for if you won't let me fucking fight?"

"God damn it, I am sick of your whiny fucking mouth!" Misato shouted. "You do what you're told and shut the fuck about it, or-"

"It is coming…"

Rei's quiet announcement cut into the angry exchange as effortlessly as an elephant stepping on a cockroach.

"Damn, it's fast," Misato gasped, watching with wide eyes as the angel swiftly uncurled from its helix shape and resolved itself into a long, white snake-like creature. "Don't let it hit first," she called out, "Rei, open fire!"

"Yes."

Curious, Asuka leaned a bit closer to the small screen marked 'feed from main surveillance system,' watching intently as Unit 00 brought its rifle to bear and sent two shots towards the angel.

"Too slow," the redhead muttered, itching to join the fight as Unit 00 threw itself to the side, barely avoiding the angel's sudden charge, "you don't have a chance, Wondergirl…"

As if confirming this assessment, the angel arched backward, making a perfect one-hundred-eighty degree turn and racing in the opposite direction, catching Unit 00 off guard and burying its leading edge in the blue mecha's back.

"We've got intrusion," Yukiko reported tensely, "the angel is… it's trying to burrow into Unit 00. MAGI confirm ninety percent chance that it is trying to capture Unit 00, ma'am."

"Fuck," Misato hissed, "launch Unit 02. Asuka – don't fuck this up!"

"Just get me up there," Asuka growled, "that thing's as good as dead."

As the catapult's restraints were released and Unit 02 was sent rocketing towards the surface, Misato's orders filled the plug. "There is a weapons tower immediately to the right of your exit point," the woman said coolly, "I'm sending a pallet rifle – just grab it and knock out that angel as soon as you get there, do not play around on this one, Asuka… just kill it."

"I'm not stupid," Asuka grumbled, feeling the familiar sensation of pre-combat excitement working through her stomach as she raced towards the surface, "don't worry, Misato – I'll kill it faster than your last boyfriend left your bedroom."

"Fu-"

"Unit 02 has reached the target area."

Asuka smiled wickedly, anticipating the feel of the progressive knife in her hand. The pallet rifle was a waste of time, in her opinion – the only angel it had even scratched was the stupid acid-drooling one, and that was because it was weak and pathetic and they had been using all three EVAs to neutralize its AT field.

Shinji was with us then, Asuka thought, tightening her hold on the controls as the elevator snapped open, this one's for you, Third Child… I'll-

"Asuka, what are you doing?"

"Huh?"

"Attack!"

"Shut up, I'm…"

Asuka trailed off.

Unit 02 was not moving.

"What the hell?"

"Major!" Yukiko's voice called as Asuka shook her head and concentrated on making Unit 02 move. "We've got a problem, ma'am… Souryu's sync rate is… it's…"

"Oh God damn it," Misato cried, "Asuka, what the hell is wrong with you? You're under ten fucking percent!"

"Move," the redhead snarled, ignoring Misato questions as a trickle of sweat slid down her face, "move, you stupid piece of shit doll – MOVE!"

She yanked at the controls, cursing and hitting the command console with all her might, but no matter how she tried, Unit 02 remained immobile.

All of her rage meant nothing when held up to the cold, impassive butterfly controls.

"Infection is spreading," Yukiko's voice announced, "Unit 00 will be completely taken in… four minutes."

Lashing out, Asuka kicked the controls as hard as she could. "God DAMN IT!" she shrieked, clutching her head with both hands, "FUCKING MOVE!"

"This is pointless," Misato's contemptuous voice rang in her ears, "she's just a target out there, bring her back in."

"No!" Asuka shouted, fear replacing anger in a heartbeat, "No, I have to save Unit 00! I have to save Sh-"

"He's GONE!" Misato roared. "Bring Unit 02 back in now!"

Asuka slumped in her seat, barely breathing, "…no! No, don't take him away from me."

No one heard her.

"Launch Unit 01," Gendou ordered smoothly. "Pilot Suzuhara, retrieve Unit 00 at all cost."

"You got it."

Asuka's teeth clenched, and a moment later, she was moving.

"What the… Unit 02's pilot just ejected!" Yukiko reported, "Should I-"

"Concentrate on the fight," Misato cut in sharply. "We'll retrieve her later."

"Yes ma'am."

( 0 0 0 )

Rei could not recall a time in her life when she had experienced such pain. Every nerve in her body felt as if it was burning as the angel dug its way into Unit 00. She was peripherally aware of the orders and conversations flying back and forth over the tac-net, and she knew Unit 01 was on its way to engage with the angel… but it was all distant, muted – thoughts and sounds belonging to another person.

Someone who was not in agony.

"Huuhhh!"

Her right arm was the only part of her body not vibrating with pain, laying limp and still at her side as she shook in the pilot's seat, trying to fight the angel's invasion… but failing as the world – and the pain – fell away, leaving her standing at the side of a wide pool, seemingly filled with LCL, and currently occupied by a mirror image of herself with its head down so that its bangs obscured its eyes and face.

"You wish to be one…?"

Rei shook her head to clear it of the last lingering clouds of pain. "Do I wish… no, no I do not wish to be one…"

"It is too late," the mirror image told her gently, "we are already merging."

"I do not accept it," Rei said quietly.

"If you do not, there will be pain."

Rei nodded. "I am used to pain," she said, raising her right hand – which seemed to work fine in this place, "more used to it than one such as yourself could understand… angel."

The other Rei smiled… but it was not a pleasant sight.

"It does not matter… we will be one regardless of your wishes…"

Slowly, the angel lifted its head… and Rei drew an involuntary gasp.

"It is inevitable," the angel breathed, "we are already one."

It was not a mirror image.

…the angel bore Misato's face.

"The pain will be gone soon," it said almost maternally. "All of your pain will be ours… all of your desires will be ours… everything that you are. Soon, we shall-"

"You can't have her."

Rei felt strong arms – one around her waist, one around her shoulders – dragging her back away from the surprised-looking angel. The pool of LCL faded from view, and while Rei tried to turn around to see who was holding her, she could not make her body respond.

Not that she needed to look to know who had helped her, of course.

Breath exploded from the First's lungs as she found herself staring down at Unit 00's control yokes. "Shinji," she gasped, whipping around in her seat and fully expecting to find the other pilot smiling warmly as he faded back into the giant mecha's core… but there was nothing behind her but empty space.

Empty space, and a small, unobtrusive red ball, recessed to avoid accidental contact.

Wiping absently at her eyes, Rei's face set into a determined mask.

She reached for the ball.

"Unit 00's self-destruct system just engaged!"

"Rei, no!" Misato ordered. "Eject now!"

"I cannot do that," Rei's voice replied calmly, "if I release my AT field, the angel will escape…"

Ritsuko was dead white. "Call it off," she rasped, "override the command – stop it now!"

Yukiko shook her head. "That system's locked out, ma'am…" she said nervously, worried by the look of panic on her superior's face. "Only a direct override from the Commander-"

The blonde was no longer listening. "Stop it, Gendou," she begged, whirling on the command dais and swiping a droplet of sweat from her upper lip, "please… sir – the L-"

"You were directed not to engage that protocol, Doctor," Gendou cut in smoothly, "besides… it is too late."

All eyes turned to the main screen.

"Her core is collapsing, ma'am," Yukiko reported, her voice soft and helpless, "seven seconds until total-"

"I've got a synchronization spike!" Aoba cried with sudden excitement. "Ninety-eight, ninety-nine – entry plug is ejecting!"

"PLEASE!" Ritsuko screamed, clutching her head in her hands and staring at the image of Unit 00 as the entry plug rocketed away from it. "Please, Gendou – for the love of GOD!"

The Commander remained impassive, his lips curved in a cruel smile as the countdown finally reached one. "Ashes to ashes," he whispered.

Ritsuko fell to her knees.

"N-"

The roar of the explosion seemed to drown the world, sending a column of fire straight up into the air as trees and buildings were incinerated for miles around. Water rushed in from the shattered lakebed four miles to the south, producing huge plumes of steam as much of it was instantly vaporized by the superheated earth it poured over. When it was finally over, a new lake had formed on the spot of Unit 00's detonation, bubbling around the edges as the agitated ground slowly cooled.

"S-status…?"

Misato had to repeat herself, forcing her voice not to shake, before Yukiko replied, "Unit 00 is gone, ma'am… Unit 01 reports minor damage to armor plates."

"And the angel?" Gendou rumbled.

Yukiko tapped on her keyboard, slowly shaking her head as she reported, "Gone, sir – it… the MAGI report that Unit 00's AT field stayed active after the pilot was ejected."

"Impossible," Futyutsuki said quietly, "that should be impossible."

"You idiot…"

Everyone looked at Ritsuko.

"You stupid, stupid idiot," she whispered hoarsely, "you stupid, stupid, stupid moronic man! I was this close – this close! All I needed-"

"Security," Gendou cut in flatly, "remove Doctor Akagi from the bridge."

Misato could only watch in mute horror as her friend was led kicking and screaming from the bridge, leaving the operations director to wonder what, exactly the blonde was ranting about.

It was easier to think about that, she knew, than what the loss of Unit 00 really represented. He was gone long before now, she told herself firmly, forcing herself to believe it and barely hearing Yukiko report that it would be an additional fifteen minutes to retrieve Rei due to the upheaval Unit 00's destruction had caused in the surrounding area. Goodbye, Shinji…

Shaking her depressed thoughts off, Misato turned her attention to the aftermath… but she made a mental note to visit Ritsuko as soon as she got the chance. The good doctor was hiding something, and it was high time she found out what.

( 0 0 0 )

Rei stared up at the impossibly blue sky, her arms out to her sides, unconsciously angel-like as a soft breeze ruffled her bangs. Though it had been mere minutes since Unit 00 had exploded, she could already hear birdsong sounding from the nearby tree line, and though her nostrils were filled with the acrid stench of burning metal and plastic, she could still smell the faint, underlying fragrance of chrysanthemums in full bloom.

It was a gorgeous day – a beautiful day – the likes of which every romance author dreamed of capturing. It was a day Rei knew, no matter how long she lived, that she would never forget.

"It should not be so pretty," she whispered, unaware of the tears slowly running down her face, "not today…"

Indeed, considering the pain in her heart, it seemed almost a travesty for there to be such beauty in the world.

After some time (Rei did not know – or care – exactly how much) a shadow fell over her, partially blocking the warm summer sun and sending a faint shiver down her spine. Looking to her right, Rei found the Second Child standing over her. The sun made a fiery halo around the redhead, obscuring her features from Rei's sight and giving her a soft, almost ethereal glow.

In her right hand, Rei could see, a small pistol was clutched, glittering brightly in the merry sunshine.

"He is gone, Souryu," Rei said simply.

"I know," Asuka whispered, her statement punctuated by the sound of the pistol's hammer clicking back, "no one will be here for at least five minutes, and by then…" she let the thought trail off.

"Yes…" Rei whispered, returning her gaze to the sky above, "by then… I will be with him."

Asuka said nothing.

Slowly, she raised her hand, aiming down at the placid First child and slowly bearing down on the trigger. He saved her… the thought flashed through her mind. Shinji wanted her to live…

Shaking her head, Asuka forced her resolve to harden, trying to quash this last misgiving.

"Goodbye, Wondergirl…"

Rei closed her eyes, imagining the smile on Shinji's face when she finally saw him again… and answering it with her own.

I'm coming…

The gunshot echoed loudly in the small valley, whispering to the trees of pain and loss and love that could never be returned… reverberating through the fields and hollows for what felt like forever as a weak sob pierced the afternoon air.

Rei's eyes opened in shock as she heard the bullet whir past her cheek. Slowly, she craned her head, looking for Asuka and finding her walking away with her head bowed and the still-smoking gun dangling loosely at her side.

Rei got laboriously to her feet, relying on her good arm for balance as she stared uncertainly at the redhead's back.

"Why?"

The gun slipped from Asuka's numb hand and fell to the ground, barely making a thump as it hit the soft earth barrel-down.

"Why?"

Asuka ignored the desperate cry, images of the exploding Unit 00 filling her eyes as she walked away, leaving it all behind. How could she ever even look at Unit 02 again? There was no way. Shinji was truly gone now – vaporized in a nanosecond because she couldn't get her Unit to move, and fight. If only she had been part of that fight! She could have beaten the angel, she was sure of it!

Then – oh then – she could have pulled the trigger without remorse… but at this point, she would be damned if she took away his last gift – the life of the First Child. He had saved her… he had ejected the plug and held the angel until the core detonated… he had protected one of his loved-ones even unto the end.

What kind of hell would she condemn herself to by cheapening his sacrifice for the sake of vengeance?

Rei slowly sank to her knees as the Second Child continued to walk away, never once looking back. She tilted her head back to stare up at the deep blue sky… closed her eyes… took a deep breath… and screamed – all of the emotions she had so long repressed tearing free and pouring out in a torrent of agony and loss.

Asuka just kept walking.

To be continued…

Author's notes: the ending sequence of this chapter has been written for over 3 years. Yeah, that's how slow I work – I wrote this first, even before the first chapter, if you can get your mind around that… and it's taken me this long to finally get it out. Hope it was worth the wait. If not, there's more angst coming in the next couple chapters… more angst than I ever would have thought myself capable of producing.

Hang on, kids… you ain't seen nothin' yet.

None of my usual pre-readers were available to tackle this chapter, so I'm posting it unassisted. Here's hoping it didn't suck.

Feedback is always welcome on any site with reviewing capabilities or by e-mailing me directly at random1377(at-sign)yahoo(dot)com.