Chapter 3:

The Armour Cracks.

"Come on Sousuke wake up!"

Sousuke moaned. He hurt, he felt like he was on fire and someone kept shaking him.

"Sergent Major! He is in no condition to be-" Carter started hearing the commotion in the ward.

"We have a situation!" Mao half shout half whispered back.

"I don't care! We have a boat and island full of soliders. Pick someone else!" Carter whispered back.

"We can't! We are cut off from the island now!"

"Gunso-"

"We are in a hostile situation. The deDanann is in enemy hands. The teicho, a civilian and the two Commanders are been held hostage on the bridge. Sousuke I'm sorry but you gotta wake up!' with that Mao slapped Sousuke hard across the face. Kurz held back Carter.

Sousuke moaned again trying to turn away from Mao.

"Sousuke who was on the island? Was Gauron in the Cordeal? Sousuke!"

"Iie." Sousuke tried to swat away Mao, burying his head into the pillow. Mao shook him again.

"Iie, no-one, lemme...bontu-kun..."

"Niisan he's not making sense."

Mao looked at Kurz and Carter.

"How bad is he?"

"Thirty nine point five degrees."

"Good enough for me." Mao pulled back the bed covers and started to pull Sousuke out of the bed. Sousuke was mumbling incoherently while whining at the same time. Mao got him sitting up but he flopped into her chest. She felt a pang of guilt, feeling the heat of his forehead against her chest. Brushing back his damp hair and slapping his cheeks gently she spoke.

"Gauron wasn't in the Cordeal AS?"

"I...ie, amature...decoy..."

Mao looked at Kurz who nodded in agreement. Both took Sousuke under the arms and lifted him up off the bed.

"And just what to plan to do!" Carter demanded.

"If it's Gauron, use Sousuke as bait, if not...use Sousuke as bait." Kurz pipped up.

"What!?" Carter was horrified. "He is of no use! He can barely stand!"

"That's why you are going to give him something to give him a bit of energy."

"I point blank refuse!"

"Fine. Kurz dress him while I find some paracetamol.

Carter stood back as Kurz dressed Sousuke. She had tried to stop Mao but was overpowered.

"You should prepare your team for possible casualties."

"So what is the plan niisan?" Kurz asked as the three of them carefully navigated their way through the deDanann. Sousuke was still leaning heavily on Kurz.

"...eliminated the outside threat, cut the power to the bridge and hope for the best?"

"That...plan sucks!"

"Strap a blade onto him. We lead him into the bridge. If Gauron's there, the girls will kick up enough fuss to either distract and or delay Gauron. It'll be the same if he's not."

"Playing with young love, how cruel!"

"Listen Sousuke, you're gonna most likely get roughed up...more. Get the blade to Kalinin or Mardukas, that's all. Leave the rest up to them. You hear me?"

"Unnnn."

"Good boy." Mao smiled ruffling his hair. "Drop him near the bridge and meet me at the armor room."

"Hai Hai!"

Sousuke wasn't sure what was going on but he found himself been dragged towards the bridge and thrown heavily down on the metal grated floor. It was so cold it was nice so he didn't mind much.

"Sir we found him lurking outside."

"Kill him."

"Hai!"

"Sousuke!!!!"

Gauron urned around slowly as his subordinated placed the metal barrel to Sousuke's temple. Chidori screamed again. Gauron's eyes narrowed seeing the familiar scruffy head of brown hair and notable scar on his chin.

"Matte."

"Sir?"

"I'll do it."

"So what's the real plan nii-san?"

"The bridge is separate from the rest of the boat. Take the bridge out and your dead in the water. With the bridge out he'll be forced to leave and that'll be our chance cause there is only one way off this tub without, engines and firepower. So we are going to do some re-wiring."

"Re-wiring?"

"He's wants to fire torpedoes but the toilets are going to flush instead, if you catch my drift."

"Heh I like your style niisan!"

"Yoshi! We have a skeleton crew to find and put to work."

Sousuke groaned. He was been pulled up by the scruff of his shirt.

"Kashim."

Hearing the name invoked a deep sense of dread in Sousuke, his feet finally finding the ground. He knew his own body better than anyone and he was in no condition to challenge Gauron physically nor mentally. He could feel the paracetamol and whatever else Carter had given him beginning to take affect. He struggled to make clear what Mao had told him to do. Gauron had truly a firm grip on the front of his uniform holding up most of his weight.

"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes?"

"Unnnn."

"Teicho is this what your miserable operation has resorted too? Sending out unfit soliders?"

Tessa and Chidori were bound hand and foot sitting beside each other on the floor in front of the main viewing screen. Their hands bound behind their backs. Kalinin and Mardukas were equally bound but off to the right near the communications station. Gauron and Sousuke were at the captains chair where Gauron had previously been sitting but was now standing with Sousuke in hand. Tessa looked up regretfully seen her officer been treated so roughly. Chidori had come alert haven seen Sousuke been dragged in. She had been literally dragged from her room in the compound, across the dock, the deDanann and thrown into the bridge where the others were already there some one hour earlier. She was shivering still dressed in her blue and white stripped pyjamas. Seeing Sousuke had lit up a glimmer of hope only to be as quickly quashed when seeing the state he was in.

"No answer teicho?"

"I don't have to answer the likes of you!"

"Oooo burn!" Gauron sneered focusing his attention on Kalinin and Mardukas who were looking considerably more uncomfortable at Sousukes arrival.

"Thought you would have raised the boy better than this Kalinin."

"I did raise him, as such I know him better than anyone, especially you."

Gaurons face darkened as he raised Sousuke up off the ground "Baka." He flung Sousuke to the side. Both Tessa and Chidori shut their eyes tight looking away but with their hands bound they could not block out the muffled anguish as Sousuke hit the metal grilled floor with a sickening thump.

"Masahiko how is the download coming?" inquired Gauron bored of the distraction.

"Twenty minutes left, we have sixty percent of the codes."

"What do you plan on doing with the codes once you have them?" Tessa asked desperate to get the attention off of Sousuke who was curled up in a ball near Kalinin and Mardukas.

"Surely you've seen enough navy films to know what basically the bad guy is going to do?" Gauron replied annoyed.

"Who are you trying to attack!?"

"Wait and see, Akira set a heading twenty-two minutes, twenty seconds north, a hundred and fourteen minutes, eleven seconds east, ahead full speed."

"Sir!?"

"What is it?"

"Engines aren't responding." Akira replied.

"Fuck!" Masahiko growled from the tactical station.

"Keep you hat on-" Gauron was cut short.

"I've been fucking locked out of the mainframe, I lost all the data!"

Gauron frowned. "Can you access it manually?"

"Yea but it's gonna take more time."

"Do it."

The bridge was thrown into sudden darkness. Chidori yelped in fright. The emergency lights kicked in.

"Somebody talk to me." Gauron roared in frustration.

"We've lost complete bridge control!!"

"Seems your dead in the water now." Tessa quietly voiced Gaurons thoughts aloud.

Infuriated Gauron looked over to Sousuke who was lying in from of Kalinin. In a few quick strides Gauron had Sousuke by the throat and flung him back in front of the girls. Grabbing his hair he yanked Sousuke's head back. Behind them Chidori whimpered.

"What are you planning Kashim?"

"Unnnnn"

"Answer me!"

Sousuke cracked his eyes open trying to focus on Gaurons face. He knew he had to by a little more time. He moved his lips his voice barely audible. He knew his head was a little clearer than before but it wasn't going to last long.

"What did you say!?"

Sousuke began to mouth it again, waiting for Gauron to make the rookie mistake. Gauron drew Sousuke near to hear what he was whispering, Sousuke chin resting on his shoulder.

"To...fuck...you...over!" Sousuke whispered as his fingers of his left hand wrapped around the hilt of the knife in Gauron's belt.

"Kashim...what kind of fool do you take me for?" Gauron grinned back as his hand clamped down on Souske's, drawing the knife out of its sheath. In his present state Gauron easily overpower him in strength. Grasping Sousuke's right shoulder tightly he tightened his grip on his right hand over Sousuke's.

"I would have raised you better than that old fool. I would have made you somewhat worthy."

"I would rather have died." Sousuke replied lowly.

"So be it." Gauron drove Sousuke's knife encased hand into his gut, pushing hard so the knife which slid in so easily went the whole way. Sousuke gulped in air as his right hand now clawed and clung to Gaurons chest.

Chidori looked up confused at Sousuke's form. Tessa tensed more reading the faces of her fellow officers. Sousuke let out a little cry.

"I'll ask you again Kashim, what are you planning? Who else is on board?"

"And I'll-ugh-say it again-fuck you!"

"Suit yourself." Gauron sighed, with as much force as he could muster he pushed his weight down on Sousuke's hand forced the knife embedded in his gut to cut down. Sousuke let out a blood chilling scream as Gauron shoved him away, him now the soul person holding the blood covered knife.

Seeing the bloody knife Chidori freaked and started screaming and struggling. Akira who was nearest to her backslapped her across the face to shut her up. Growing increaslingly frustrated at the situation Gauron drew out his handgun, taking the safety off.

"Now teicho you are going to kindly tell your subordinates to bring us back online or there will be casualties."

"I can't the communications are offline, there is no way."

"Find a way."

"There is none! Face it Gauron, it's over!" Tessa pleaded.

Gauron went over to Sousuke heaped body, grabbed him by the front of the chest again he drew the boy to his feet and him at arms length.

"Do it the old fashioned way teicho."

"Gauron!"

Gauron drew the gun up to arm level pointing it at each of the girls and then Sousuke watching each of the girls reactions, before bringing it back on Tessa.

"Then choose."

"N-nani!?"

"The boy that will never love you in return or the girl he loves, the whispered?"

Tessa recoiled in pain. Tears streaming down her face. Gauron had spoken a more painful truth. Chidori's face flushed, her eyes wide with fear. From the corner both Mardukas and Kalinin shouted out in protest. Gauron shot of two warning shots in their direction.

"Choose now or I'll shoot them both."

"I-I can't!"

Gauron cocked his gun.

"Tei-cho...aghh...Tes-sa..." Sousuke coughed, semi-conscious.

"Choose or tell the others to get us back online." Gauron re-iterated.

"I can't, I can't, I can't!!!!" Tessa repeated over and over.

"CHOOSE!" Gauron roared aiming the gun at Chidori who was shaking in fear.

The gun click and he began to depress the trigger. Both girls looked at the gun with tear stain eyes and briefly at each other. Tessa screamed loudly.

"SOUSUKE!!!"

Time slowed as Gauron shoved Sousuke away training the gun on his chest. Chidori screamed out trying to move from her spot, her eyes glued between Gauron, the gun and Sousuke who was stumbling backwards. Tessa wept as the air cracked with the first shot. Sousuke's chest depressed slightly, the air cracked with the second shot. Chidori watched the wisp of smoke rise from the barrel of the handgun as Gauron began to lower it. Her eyes now focused as Sousuke fell back, blood already staining his shirt. She scream again, her tears floating in the air in front of her mixed with her hair. That when her eye caught it. The blue dolphin that was falling alongside Sousuke. The necklace she had bought for him and had waited outside his apartment for hours for him to return from his mission. It was broken from the chain now, stained. Both it and Sousuke connected finally with the metal grating of the floor and time resumed.

Chidori roared with anger and anguish. The lights cut out again. The deDanann took a sudden dive throwing everyone's balance. It was the effect of the combined whispered of Tessa and Chidori. There was clanking of metal as laptops and other material dropped in the sudden shift in gravity. The lights came back on. Kalinin and Mardukas were standing, free from their bounds, Kalinin armed with the knife Mao had sent in with Sousuke. Mardukas armed with Gauron's handgun. Kalinin proceeded to free both girls. Mardukas shot without hesitation at Akria and Masahiko who tried to make a move.

"My oh my!" Mao's voice rang over the intercom. "That wasn't planned! Teicho everything's under control here, seems like everything's under control there?"

"Hai, good job sergent major. Please restore control to the bridge." Tessa answered her face perfectly serious as well as her tone of voice.

"Ummm that's gonna take a while!"

"Very well, please opening the emergency doors and alert the medical team to the bridge."

"Hai hai!"

"Commander the gun please."

"Teicho!?"

Tessa held out her hand and Mardukas reluctantly gave the handgun to Tessa and proceeded to follow Kalinin's lead by taking Masahiko's gun, Kalinin who already had Akira's.

"Oh!? Aren't we all serious now! Did I say something to hurt the little teicho?" Gauron sneered.

"What was in Hong Kong that you wanted to destroy?"

"Hmmm? In all the excitement it seems I forgotten!"

"I see, well be sure to remember in the brig."

"Well that's if I stay there this time."

"Yes...yes your right." without a change of expression Tessa aimed the gun and shot out both of Gauron's knee's, "we wouldn't want you running off again."

Gauron howled in pain. Kalinin summoned fellow officers as the door to the bridge opened up and dragged Gauron off.

Chidori watched horrified from Sousuke's side at Tessa's sudden lack of emotion and rash action. Looking down at Sousuke she found it hard to keep her sobbing at bay, especially at the fact that Mardukas, Kalinin and Tessa were going about as if Sousuke was lying, bleeding to death on the bridge floor. The medical team arrived soon after Kalinin had left with Gauron. Chidori was promptly pushed out of the way as Carter set about her work.

Chidori remained sitting in Sousuke's blood, her hand clasping tightly the retrieved dolphin necklace. As a side note, or what felt like it, Tessa had ordered a medic to look at Chidori, but Chidori had gotten the feeling Tessa wanted her gone. She was taken to a different section and given a quick run over before been shown the showers and given clean scrubs. She had over heard what Carter had said to Tessa, that if they did not port soon, Sousuke would die. They weren't equipped because of the upgrades the deDanaan was going under. It was originally meant to be a skeleton crew, it was not meant to leave port, as such the med bay wasn't stocked unlike the compound on the island. Chidori stood in the warm shower, the water running over her. She still held the dolphin but she was watch the water run down the drain hole, watching it change from red, to pink and finally clear. A sob escaped as she wrapped her arms around herself and sunk to the floor, the water still running. She felt so cold and lost.

Mao found her a while later, in the same position. The water had long since turned off. Taking a towel Mao wrapped it around the shivering girls shoulders pulling her to her feet. Mao dried and dressed Chidori leading her to the guest quarters. Sitting on the bunk Chidori grasped Mao's wrist as she was about to leave. Looking at her for the first time. Mao's pale face done nothing to reassure her. Chidori curled up on the bunk, the room now empty. Chidori did not sleep, she stared at the metal walls blankly the weekend playing over in her head. In the distance she heard the engines finally coming to life. Was it too late now for Sousuke?

The next, final chapter: The boy behind the armour. The deDanann races back to Meridan Island but is it too late for Sousuke? Will Chidori admit her feelings or more like will Tessa allow her as Chidori see's the true reality of Mithril.