Shouts to both of my Betas. You know who they are Sentinel103 and CajunBear73. I especially want to thank Sentinel for his plug in the latest chapter of Separate Lives. You guys rock
Chapter 15 Of Meetings and Toasts
Enroute to Merida Island
16:00 Hours Local
05:00 Zulu
True to her word Kaname gave Ron the shotgun position after they took off from Drakken's lair in the Caribbean. The fact she got to snuggle with Sousuke had nothing to so with her content smile. As the Sloth got closer to the base and made ready to land on the Merida Island field, Sousuke and Ron had traded places in the car so Sousuke could get to the built-in radio.
Fifty miles out they were intercepted by a wing of Mithral modified AV-8B Harrier Jump Jets. Two of the planes took positions to the left and right while the other pair were flying about 1000 meters back both above and below them. Looking out the windows, Team Possible started to become a little nervous because these aircraft were obviously carrying live ordinance with orders to splash anything that violated the island's airspace. These guys weren't playing around.
After landing, they were met by a Follow-Me truck with it's distinctive checkerboard sign on the back. They were led to a hangar containing more AV-8B's and several newly acquired A-10 Thunderbolts, along with a squad of hard looking men in body armor and weapons on body slings. Even if they let go, the assault rifles they had would still be attached to the Soldier.
They didn't have the weapons aimed at them, but Kim and Ron had no doubts that they could have them in action in a split second. These guys were NOT Dementor's hired Henchmen or part of Drakken's goon squad. These were Soldiers and the difference was obvious. These men had trained to act as one and would not hesitate the shoot them if they weren't who they were suppose to be. They weren't even an Honor Guard. This was a Ready Reaction Force, prepared to lay a serious hurt on an Enemy.
Once they were stopped, Sousuke said, "Wait here." and opened the door. He stepped out of the Sloth and approached the waiting squad. As he got closer he was recognized by the team leader, Staff Sergeant Zimmer.
"Sagara! You dog, what are you doing back here? I thought you'd been sent to the States."
"I was. My detail and I are here for Escort duty."
Mithral used the term 'Escort duty' for one thing. If it was for a living person, it was always 'prisoner escort' or 'VIP escort' or some variation. But the blank 'Escort' meant one thing and one thing only. When the men heard Sousuke, they instantly snapped to 'Attention' and the best semblance of 'Port Arms' they could.
"Sergeant, if there is any assistance my team and I can offer, it would be an Honor."
"Thank you Sergeant. We are to report to Captain Testarossa immediately. Do you know where she is?"
"She should be in the command shack outside the Da Danaan."
"Could you have our gear sent to our quarters?"
"Be glad to Sergeant." He looked at the rest of the squad. "Harrison, Turner. Fall out and bring those jeeps around, drop one of the jeeps to Sergeant Sagara, then both of you take the bags to the VIP quarters and unload, report back to the squad bay after that. The rest of you men, fall out and head to the squad bay."
Staff Sergeant Zimmer looked back at Sousuke, "You're being bunked in the guest quarters over by the Da Danaan's dock. You know where, right?"
Sousuke answered, "Affirmative, thank you, Sergeant." and walked back to the Sloth. The rest of the team started exiting the car as a pair of old fashioned jeeps pulled up. Sousuke and Ron passed the bags to one and the driver of the other said, "Here ya go, Sergeant. Just drop it off over at the hangar when you leave. Alright?"
"Roger, Specialist."
The two heavily armed men climbed in and it left for the VIP quarters.
Kim and Ron looked at each other. They were definitely not on some freelance or GJ base. And Kim's suspicion that Sagara would take charge if the sitch required it, was confirmed. Sousuke sat back into the passenger seat again and got clearance for the Sloth to leave and return to the garage on autopilot. Kim set the Sloth to autopilot, pushed the key fob to activate it and the car tore down the runway and took off at a high angle for a sub-orbital return.
The team boarded the jeep and Sousuke drove them to the docks on the far side of the island. They arrived at the dock to see a huge sleek shape sitting in the cavernous underground dock. Ron only had one thing to say. "Whoa."
Kim was a little more eloquent "What is that?"
A gruff voice behind them said, "That is the TDD-1, the Tuatha de Danaan. She was designed by her Captain Teletha Testarossa and she's the most advanced assault landing submarine on the planet."
Sousuke turned and saluted. "Commander Mardukus."
The tall almost bird-faced man returned the salute saying, "You know, Sergeant, you technically don't have to salute me anymore."
"That would be disrespectful, Sir. You've earned it by both your rank and time in service."
Mardukus looked over the rest of the group and said, "It's good to see you again Miss Chidori. Sergeant, who are the rest of your people?"
"Sir, this is Stoppable-san and Possible-san of Team Possible. Stoppable-san, Possible-san, this is Commander Richard Mardukus. The de Danaan's XO." Neither Kim nor Ron felt like trying to correct him about the status of the team.
"Well, I heard a bit about you two. I'd like to thank you. You saved us from having to take out that blue skinned mad man and those aliens."
Both Kim and Ron were surprised to hear that. Kim asked, "You had a plan to stop Drakken?"
"Yes, we did."
"But how, the military was caught and couldn't do anything."
"That, young lady, is why we carry Tomahawks and SLBM's. I doubt seriously if he could have stood against a nuclear strike."
Kim and Ron both looked at the old Warrior with horrified expressions. Ron stuttered a question. "Yoyoyoyou're joking right?" At the time of the Diablo sitch, they had no idea they were in the crosshairs of a nuke.
"No sir, I'm quite serious. If it was a choice between the five square miles around his headquarters or allowing him to take over the world. We weren't about to let that happen."
Kim almost didn't want to ask the next question. "What about the aliens?"
"Same thing. If that failed, our plan was to have the ARX7 launched inside a missile body to just outside of the site and have Sergeant Sagara self-destruct within 10 meters of the aliens."
The Americans looked aghast at the blank-faced Sousuke to see him standing there like they were talking about whether or not to have tea or coffee for dinner. Kaname had shimmering eyes because she knew that he would have done it. The invasion was one of the times she really thought he was going to die.
"But thanks to the two of you, both of those actions were avoided."
"How can you stand there and casually talk about setting off nuclear weapons?"
"There's nothing casual about it, Ma'am. But we have a responsibility to the world at large, not any one region, nation or individual. If it's a choice between a city or the world, the world wins. We do everything we can to avoid the options. That's why Mithral isn't nationally based. We don't answer to any one government. In the end, we answer to humanity, to history. In 50 or a 100 years when historians look back on us and our actions, we can only hope that they look upon us with honest eyes."
Kim suddenly realized where Sagara learned to be so ruthless and she just couldn't wrap her mind around it. The sacrifice required was more than mind-boggling. The concept that you should, not could, but should sacrifice people to save more was as incomprehensible to her as Mandarin Chinese.
Ron was a little better off then Kim. He knew about sacrifices, more then she did. The kind of sacrifices one had to make to protect others. And strange as it might sound, all of the online strategy gaming he had done had shown him that sometimes you have to make unwanted sacrifices to win. There had been more than one occasion when he had been forced to send a part of his forces to make a stand and be killed while he flanked his virtual enemies. As empathic as Ron was, it wasn't hard for him to imagine they were real men being sent on a suicide mission to save the rest of his electronic forces. It had also taught him about preserving his forces as much as he could. Yes, as strange as sounded, Ron Stoppable was much more aware of sacrifice then his ex was.
Sousuke interrupted the thoughts of the two them with, "Commander, we were to report to Captain Testarossa upon arrival. Do you know where she is?"
"This way, Sergeant." He turned and started towards a small building near the gangway leading to the sub. "How are you settling in at your new posting, Sergeant?"
"Quite well, Commander. Thanks to Miss Chidori, the living quarters are nearly complete and the rest is coming along. Once we complete our duty to LT Wiseman, I expect it will only take a few more days to finish."
"Good. Sergeant, I know we didn't always see eye to eye, but you've done very well for yourself. Just don't let your guard down. We've been seeing some disturbing reports from Intelligence. There was a really strange one from Northern Japan a day or so ago about a group of mercenaries digging around some old temple dedicated to the worship of something called the Yono. It didn't make any sense because they shot their way out when the Japanese police tried to ask them some questions."
Both Kim and Ron stiffened at the mention of the Yono. Ron broke in asking, "The Yono, are you sure about that?"
Mardukus turned and said, "Yes, Mr. Stoppable, quite sure. Do you know something about it?"
"You might say that. Both of us do. We had to fight it about five months ago. It nearly killed everybody there. It took Monkey Fist as a sacrifice after its defeat."
"Monkey Fist?"
"Yeah, he used to called Monty Fiske. He had some really strange illegal gene splicing work done to give him monkey hands and feet. Uuuggghh!" Ron shuddered.
"Monty Fiske? Lord Montgomery Fiske?"
"That's him."
"But he was one of the most respected academics in the Commonwealth. What happened?"
"I don't know about respected, but the man was totally whacked. All I know is, when I met him I knew he was 500 miles of bad road. But nobody wants to listen to the Ronster." He looked pointedly at Kim when he said it. She had the decency to blush, because Ron was right. He had told her within five minutes of meeting the 'Respected archeologist' that the man was bad news.
"I heard he dropped out of sight a few years ago, but no one knew what happened to him."
"Well the last we seen of him, he'd been turned into a stone statue and dragged underground by the Yono. If you go to the Kim Possible website, you can check out the mission logs."
"I think I just might. It's curious though, why would someone be trying to dig up a stone statue of a dead man?"
Ron looked the officer in the eyes and said, "Who said he was dead?" Mardukus paled at the thought of being turned into a living statue.
Kim broke in saying, "They may not be trying to get Fiske back. Wade had a report that DNAmy was dragging the statue around. Maybe they want the Yono instead. Sir, do you think we could get that report forwarded to our tech guy? He might be able to make more out of it than your people. We're a little more used to weird sitch's than most. And if someone is trying to bring back either Monkey Fist or the Yono, then we might have to stop them again."
Ron growled, almost under his breath, "Oh I'll stop 'em alright." Mardukus was looking at Kim and missed it. But Kim had glanced at Ron just as he said it and she saw his eyes flash blue for just a second. "If he tries to go after my sister again, I'll stop 'em. One way or another." Ron was also wearing his serious face.
Kim gulped. She had seen that face a few times. 'Ron in the clutch.' Twice at Wannaweep, all the times he had faced Monkey Fist, the Yono, the night of the Diablo's and most recently the invasion by Warhok and Warmonga. She knew Ron was through playing with Fiske. He was one of the most dangerous people on the planet now. A blooded Warrior whose family was threatened. Somehow she knew the next time the two met would be the last. She could only hope Ron would remain sane when it happened.
Sousuke got them back on track, "Commander, the Captain?"
"Miss Possible, ask the Captain about the report, she can send it to your agent."
"Please and Thank You, Sir."
"This way Sergeant."
They were led to an office inside the building to see a head bent over a desk, with one hand rubbing her temples and the other holding the phone. "You're not hearing me Lieutenant Commander. My people might have to be deployed at sea for six months or more. I will not have them eating combat rations except in an emergency. I don't care about some bean counters budget. You will get me the supplies I need or I will have you counting paperclips at the Sydney Headquarters. Is that clear?"
Kim and Ron were instantly reminded of Tara. From the platinum blond hair to the contralto voice. The difference in the voice was the note of command that never entered their former cheerleader teammate. But the hair and voice was where the similarities ended. Where Tara had curves many a woman would either kill or have surgery for, this girl was slender and petite, yet with the same pale clear complexion that spoke of time spent indoor, or underwater considering the submarine outside.
She looked up and saw the group entering. At the sight of her friends she grew a huge smile and said, "Look Lieutenant Commander, I have other things on my desk today besides arguing with you about the fresh fruits and vegetables I need before we castoff. Just get me those supplies. Out."
She hung up the phone and bolted towards the group grabbing Kaname, then Sousuke in a hug with a bubbly Tara-like, "Kaname-san, Sagara-san, I'm glad you're here."
"It's good to see you too Tessa." "Madam Captain"
"Now, would you introduce me to your friends?"
Kaname handled the introductions this time. "Tessa, this is Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable, of Team Possible. Kim, Ron, this is our friend Tessa Testarossa."
The three shook hands and Tessa said, "It's a pleasure to finally meet the two of you. I want the personally thank the two of you. You both saved us from having to make a terrible decision on two separate occasions."
Kim and Ron looked each other then back at the diminutive young officer. Kim asked her, "Would you have really launched?"
The bubbly Tara-like personality was gone, leaving behind a grey-eyed hardened little Warrior. "Yes, both times we had already removed the safety interlocks from Dana's nuclear weapons and entered the coordinates. On the second occasion, I had Sergeant Sagara standing by with Arbalest inside a SLBM body just in case."
Ron gulped, "You people really don't play, do you?"
"Not when it comes to protecting the world from tyrants and thugs. You have to understand Mr. Stoppable, we're not a police force like Global Justice. Their mission is to capture and hold criminals for prosecution. Ours is to eliminate a threat to world safety by any means necessary."
She moved back to her chair at the desk and changed from a hard-eyed Warrior to a somber Senior officer. "Now then, Sergeant, about why you're here." Sousuke instantly snapped to Attention and a few seconds later the other three realizing that she was about to talk the Escort duty snapped to as well.
"Tomorrow, at 15:00 hours, you and your detail will report to the A.S. hangar in dress uniform. LT Wiseman is there now. She is being watched over by an Honor Guard. Her remains are currently covered by the Mithral Shield and Sword. At 15:30 hours, custody of LT Wiseman will be transferred to you. At that time, there will be a small ceremony and the Shield and Sword will be removed and replaced with the Stars and Stripes. You and your detail then board a Mithral undercover aircraft for transport to the United States. Your aircraft will be one of our surplus C-130's and will land at Guam, then LAX for refueling."
"At neither of these stops will you have to deplane. Your destination will be the Global Justice Base in Middleton. While you are on the ground at LAX you are to call ahead and inform G.J. of your arrival time. After you arrive in Middleton, you will deplane with LT Wiseman and have an overnight layover. The following morning, she will be transferred to a GJ hoverjet that will take you to the Global Justice base in Butte, Montana. At Butte, LT Wiseman will be transferred to a hearse. You and your detail will follow the hearse by car to her home of record, Porters Corner. Both the hearse and the car are already prepared and will be standing by on your arrival. Your duty to LT Wiseman will not end until she has been passed to her Next of Kin, her younger sister."
"From the time you take custody, you will be in dress uniform at all times, except for scheduled sleep shifts. She is to be attended at all times unless she is in a secure area, such as a secured cargo area. You do not have to remain at Attention or Parade Rest, you may sit and read, converse with others, even use a laptop to study or watch a movie. But the person on duty will remain in the presence of LT Wiseman until relieved."
"Any time she is transferred, she is to be moved feet first and you will render Honors. A bearer detail will be provided at each transfer location so that you able to render the Honors. If any of you wish, you may remain after custody is transferred to the Next of Kin for the interment. The uniform for the interment will be Mess Dress with covers. Do you have any questions as to your mission, Sergeant?"
"No Ma'am."
"Good." Then she came from behind the desk and like flipping a switch, the teen-age girl returned, "Come on. Despite what I told that idiot on the phone, I'm nearly done for the day. The rest can wait. Let's get you settled. There's a small party tonight." She looked at Sousuke and Kaname, "Melissa and Kurz are here. I'm sorry Sousuke, but Lieutenant Commander Kalinin is in Sydney for the next few days."
"It's not a problem, Madam Captain."
"Sousuke, am I your friend?"
"Of course."
"Well, you're not under my command any more. So please call me Tessa."
"Very well Tessa-san."
She grabbed his and Kaname's hands heading to the door. "Well I suppose that's a start. Come on."
**********
Tessa led them to a bungalow just outside the entrance to the underground docks. It had two bedrooms with two full sized beds each, a large living room, a small kitchenette and a screened in porch that wrapped around three sides of the building. Tessa left them with instructions to meet at the base club around 20:00 hours. They all caught a few hours sleep, then showered and changed and Sousuke drove them to the club.
The place was like most any rec club on a ground forces base. There was a bar serving drinks and DJ booth and a juke box in one corner with a small stage in front of the dance floor that had various instruments ranging from an old synthesizer keyboard and a set of drums to a couple types of guitars. The instruments all had the look of having been used by more then one player.
There was more than 60 or 70 people inside the club doing the things people do in such a place. Drinking, talking, shooting billiards or throwing darts or even trying their hand at an ancient pinball machine. There was the hubbub of voices through the place that made for a strange form of privacy because the overlapping voices made it hard to overhear another conversation.
They found Tessa sitting with Kurz and Melissa and, surprisingly, Commander Mardukus at a set of tables in one corner that had been placed to make for a single large circle with an opening at one end. It was big enough for ten or even more if they wanted to get cozy.
All four had some kind of beverage in front of them and when she saw the newcomers Tessa signaled the server. After everything that happened, Kim and Ron were still a bit uncomfortable around each other in a social setting and sat on either side of Sousuke and Kaname, paired by gender. The seating arrangements had placed Ron beside Tessa and Kim on the other side near Kurz, with Mao beside him and the Commander sitting at his usual spot beside Tessa. Once everyone was settled the server took their orders. Kim and Ron asked for sodas and were shocked when Sousuke and Kaname both ordered Japanese beers.
Just before she left to place the orders at the bar, Mardukus called the server over and signaled her closer. He whispered "Absent Companions" in her ear and the server looked first at the head of the table, then at everyone sitting there for a second. She said, "You got it." and headed to the bar.
Kaname introduced Kim and Ron to Kurz and they met Melissa in person. They talked for a bit with Kaname filling the Mithral personnel in on what she and Sousuke had been up to for the last few days. Kim and Ron noticed a strange ripple going through the room. The other servers were moving rapidly through the room stopping at each table and group for a few seconds, saying something and moving to the next. The conversation level never dropped, but for some reason, everyone was suddenly heading to the bar for refills . The bartender was filling shot glass after shot glass and setting them for people to pick up.
When the server returned, her tray was fully loaded. She passed through the opening to the inside of the circle and placed the beers and sodas in front of the newcomers and then set a shot glass full of an amber colored liquid in front of everybody. There was a single chair and a place set at the head of the table inside the circle that the civilians didn't notice until the server set an empty shot glass there, upside down, then she quickly exited the circle and headed back to the bar. Kim and Ron looked at each other then back around the group. They could see that Kaname didn't know what was going on, but the Combat Veterans did.
Tessa as the ranking officer stood, picked up her glass and held it slightly in front of her. When she did so Mardukus, Mao, Kurz, and Sousuke were right behind her. Something strange happened. The rest of the room went absolutely, utterly silent. It was so quiet, they could even hear the slight buzz of one of the fluorescent light behind the bar thirty feet away and the humming of a water fountain near the bathrooms. Kim, Ron and Kaname looked around to see EVERYONE on the room standing and holding a shot glass looking in the direction of their table, including all the servers and the bartender.
Tessa looked at the still seated trio and silently gestured with her shot glass. They realized that everyone was looking at the empty place setting, holding their glasses in a form of salute. They took the hint and stood picking up the shot glass in front of them.
Once the civilians were ready, Tessa waited one minute. Even Ron, as random as he could be, knew there was something very solemn happening and remained silent. Then in a clear ringing voice, Tessa said, "To absent companions." Her words were echoed by the rest of the club and everyone quaffed the glass.
Being Japanese, Kaname was used to alcohol, but Kim and Ron weren't. And they were so caught up in the moment, the thought of not drinking never entered their minds. The single malt scotch felt like liquid fire and it was only the thought of preventing embarrassment that allowed them to maintain their composure. It was a very close thing though.
As long as they had been around newbie drinkers, Melissa, Kurz and Mardukus knew what they were going through. They were wearing sly grins and Mao said, "Well I think that's enough for the two of you tonight."
Kim was breathing deeply and Ron pounded his chest, coughing slightly and wheezed, "What do expect, we underage."
Mao got serious and said, "You might be underage in the States, but you're not here. You're old enough to risk getting killed fighting bad guys, you're old enough to have a few drinks. I'm not saying you should get hammered every day. But if you wanna have beer or two, knock yourselves out. Besides with your metabolisms I'll bet the two of you can have a beer an hour all night and still stay sober."
Kim said, "Think I'll stick to soda, Please and Thank You." Sousuke immediately reached across Kaname and put the keys to the jeep in front of her.
Ron on the other hand looked around, seeing a stein of Lager in front of Mao, Kurz with a bottle of strong German beer, the two Japanese teen with their beers, the stern Mardukus had his Guinness and there was even a fruity girly drink in front of Tessa.
"Ya know, think I'll have a beer myself."
Kim was on it instantly, "RON!"
"What?" He gestured at Melissa. "Like she said, we're not in the U.S. When in Rome and all that. It's not like we have to drive anywhere." Ron looked around and asked Sousuke, "What do you recommend, Dude?"
Sousuke was a little wide-eyed at being but on the spot. "Stoppable-san, my experience with alcoholic beverages is far from extensive and I refrain from excess. I suggest you ask either Mao. Kurz or Commander Mardukus."
"All right, what about you three?"
The Mithral people glanced from each other to their disparate drinks. Melissa said, "Why don't you stick with an American brand for now."
Kurz had an agenda though. "Naw, babe. My friend, if you're going get in the water, jump in with both feet. Try out the EKU 28 or they even have Samichlaus Bier in bottles." he snapped his fingers, saying, "Ya know, I think they even have a few bottles of Kuhnhenn Dark Heathen Triple Bock " Weber was drinking a Augustiner Bräu Heller Bock.
Mao was aghast, "Weber, are you out of your mind?!"
Mardukus shot him down with, "I think the young man should stick with something a little lighter than a doppelbock, Sergeant Weber. We don't need him getting three sheets to the wind before his mission tomorrow. Mr. Stoppable, I'll buy your first. A Live Oak Hefe-Weizen."
"Aw come on, Commander. That stuffs like water, barely qualifies as a beer. Only like 8 proof."
"Precisely, it's an excellent tasting beer with a low alcohol content for a novice drinker. It's a superb summer beer especially if we decide to adjourn to the patio later on." He pointed outside the windows to a large screened in porch. "Also the club just received several cases of it yesterday. The young man was not raised in Germany. This is the end of the discussion, Sergeant Weber. Mr. Stoppable, I believe you'll enjoy it."
"Alright, sounds good. Thanks."
"You're welcome, Mr. Stoppable."
"Dude, please call me Ron. You call me 'Mr. Stoppable', and I start having flashbacks of the vice-principal in high school."
"It would be a pleasure."
**********
Commander Mardukus left shortly after the toast and the night progressed with Ron carefully sipping his beer while Kim glowered at him from time to time. Kim was so caught up in her glower she didn't really catch what Tessa said when she offered her a special house tea. Kim accepted without thought.
Just before he left, Ron commented to the normally stern Mardukus. "Dude, except for the slight taste of bananas, this isn't bad. Thanks!"
"You're quite welcome, young man. I have informed the barkeep that yours and Miss Possible's drinks tonight are on my tab as a thank you seeing to it that we didn't have to launch. Ladies, Gentlemen, Madam Captain, if you will excuse me. I have rounds to make before I turn in for the evening. Good Night!" He left before either Kim or Ron could object.
Things really started to get interesting when Tessa, not so subtly, started flirting with Ron. By now Ron had had a few beers and was feeling a slight buzz. He remembered the same feeling from when his Uncle Roger had got him drunk a few months ago, so he tapered off his intake by switching to sodas for a while. He didn't want a hangover again. But the buzz he was feeling was enough to let him start running off at the mouth a bit.
Tessa was almost cooing at him "I understand you played football in high school. Were you any good?" Ron naturally completely missed the tone. Kim on the other hand DID NOT.
"Oh yeah! I broke, like I don't know how many state records. Most yardage, most carries, most yards per carry, most touchdowns by a single player in a season, most touchdowns in a game. Ya know, I even promised my girlfriend at the time I'd get her a touchdown for every month we'd been dating. At the time it was five months."
"Did you make it?"
"Oh hell yeah! They called me Unstoppable Stoppable."
"But how'd you get to be that good?"
Ron looked blearily at the slightly younger girl and said "Lady believe me, when you've had doom lasers firing at you, Spinning Tops Of Doom trying to smash you, Monkey Ninjas trying to rip you apart and the Goon Squad after you trying to beat you to a pulp, you learn to do two things. Dodge and Run! After that, the defensive lines not that bad." Now Ron might have missed the flirting coming from the girl beside him. But the flirting coming from a male directed at a certain female on the other side of the table was all too obvious.
On the other side of the table another drama was in play. "So you're the famous Kim Possible. Huh? I'm Kurz Weber. How does a beautiful woman like you get to be so good at martial arts?"
Kim was thinking snarky thoughts 'But how'd you get to be that good? Grrrr!' But she was answering absentmindedly, "Huh? Oh, I don't know, it just comes natural. I see a move and I can copy it."
"Does that only apply to martial arts or does it work for other things?"
"I don't know, I've never tried it!"
Ron was in the same boat as Kim 'OTHER THINGS? rrrrrrrr! What other things you got in mind, blondie? Oh wait, I'm a blond. Mullet-head, naw, that's Motor Ed. Can't call 'em Monkey-boy, that's Mankey. Pretty-boy, that'll work! What other things you got in mind, Pretty-boy'
Tessa kept cooing "Monkey Ninjas? Spinning Tops Of Doom? You seem to have led a fascinating life! Have you meet many interesting people?"
"Huh, uh yeah, met a few of the richest men in the world. Martin Smarty, Nakasume-san, Senor Senior Senior. Even met Brittina a few times. She's given rides to missions in her plane before."
Sousuke and Kaname had carefully picked up their drinks and moved to the other side of the table with Mao. Kaname made sure to take a seat between the two Combat Veterans. They were watching in horror as the drama played out.
Kurz continued to lay on the charm. "Maybe you should think about that. You might be able to do a lot of things you never did before."
'Fascinating life, she said. Interesting people, she said. I'll show her something fascinating and interesting, like the bottom of my size six upside her head, rrrrrrr!' "Yeah maybe."
"I mean there's a whole world of possibilities there. You seem to have a visual/physical eidetic memory. That's truly remarkable ability."
"I'm just your average typical girl."
'Things you never did before? Dude, you'd better not even be thinking about what I think your thinking about thinking! What a minute, brain pain! Dude, I'll show you a remarkable ability 'cause I'm about to go full Mystical Monkey on you! Even the aliens didn't get to see what you're going to!'
If Kurz was laying on the charm, Tessa was spreading honey, "OOOO, Brittina, I think we have some of her music on the juke box."
"That's nice. You know I had a hit song on American Starmaker. The Naked Mole Rap."
And the cooing never ceased, "That was you? I have that song on my MP3 Player!"
'I'll stick that MP3 player where the sun don't shine!' Kim tried to break in to the flirt-fest going on between the clueless and the obvious. Which pair was which was anybody's guess. She held up her glass rattling it and as sweetly as she could she asked, "Tessa, what did you call this again? I'd like to have another." Kim didn't know it, but she was definitely feeling the effects of a Long Island Iced Tea.
Ron might have been clueless as to other girls, but he was an expert in nearly all things Kim. He instantly caught that sickly sweet tone. His head popped up like a prairie-dog's and he went wide-eyed as he thought 'Uh Oh, she's about to lay some smack-down on somebody. We haven't been talking so it's not me. Oh Man, who's she gonna hurt. Oh crap, it's Tessa! But why? I have to de-stress this sitch fast. Besides, it'll get her away from Pretty-boy.' He stood up and grabbed Kim's hand saying, "Come on, lets dance!"
Kim barely had the chance to set the empty drink down, saying "Dance? Huh? What?"
If they would have been looking back at the table, they would have seen Tessa and Kurz wearing huge grins, bumping knuckles.
Mao asked through gritted teeth, "Are you two out of your minds. She's tough enough that we'd have to call the RRF to subdue her and there's no telling what we'd have to do to stop him. Probably deploy the ASes. What the fuck's wrong with you?"
Tessa told her in a very smug tone, "Relax Melissa, how often do you know one of my plans to fail?"
"A little warning might have been nice, Tessa."
"But you would have just tried to stop us. Besides, it worked! What's the problem?"
"The problem is you nearly gave me a heart-attack." She waved absently towards the couple sitting beside her, "Not to mention you've probably scarred these two for life."
Kaname and Sousuke both looked a little shell-shocked and Kaname stuttered an answer for the two of them, "We're fine, Melissa. But a little warning would be nice next time Tessa. Come on Sousuke, let's dance."
For some reason, all the music that night was slow dancing stuff. Probably because Tessa had ordered everything else taken out of the juke box for the night. Kaname and Sousuke had drifted to a darkened corner and just swayed in each others arms. Sousuke wasn't much for dancing, but he definitely liked holding her in his arms. On the other side of the dance floor, a conversation was happening.
Ron didn't realize what the music was when he grabbed Kim. But now that he was here, his natural stubbornness kicked in. Besides, he wasn't about to let her get back in range of Pretty-boy.
The music forced them to stay close inside each others arms. "I thought you'd rather not be around me like this, Ron?"
"Well it was either this or I let you get in trouble for beating somebody up."
"What are you talking about?"
"Don't try to play me Kim. After fifteen years, I know when you're about to unleash 16 kinds of Kung Fu on somebody. But why you'd wanna go after a nice girl like her I'll never understand!"
"A nice girl?! Ron couldn't you tell what she was doing?"
"Kim, this is the Ronster here. How often can I tell why girls do anything?
She couldn't argue with that. He had her there. "Ron, she was flirting with you!"
"She was? But why? Never mind that! What about Pretty-boy?"
Kim instantly stiffened, wildly looking around. The only one Ron had ever called Pretty-boy was Syntho-drone 901 AKA Eric. "Pretty-boy? I don't see Eric."
"Eric? I'm not talking about Syntho-dude. I'm talking about der Nordic Vunder-hair."
Kim glanced over at the table and saw everyone talking. She looked back to see Ron glaring at the table and specifically Kurz.
CLICK!
He was jealous. He'd called Eric a Pretty-boy and he'd been jealous. Now he was glaring at someone they barely known an hour and calling him Pretty-boy. AFTER said Pretty-boy had been talking to HER! He was jealous.
'YES!' She was doing cartwheels inside her head. But she knew she had to play this hand real soft. "Who, Kurz? He's harmless. Besides, he's old. He has to be at least 23."
"Maybe I ought to show 'em the first 23 strikes of Tai Sheng Pek Kwar."
"Tell ya what, Ron! You don't go all Mystical Monkey on him and I won't try to demonstrate the Top Five Countdown to her. Deal?"
"Rrrrrr, I guess."
'He's really jealous.'
After a few more minutes where Kim enjoyed the slow dancing and Ron was glaring at the table, something occurred to Kim. The timing of what happened was strange. She carefully thought back and soon decided that neither Sousuke nor Kaname knew what was happening. The look they were wearing said that. Melissa seemed to be out as well, because she looked furious right now. Mardukus, too stuffy. That left……Kurz and Tessa. She and Ron had been caught in a well coordinated pincer attack, planned by an unlikely pair of conspirators.
After a few more minutes, they returned to the table and picked up their drinks. Sousuke and Kaname were close behind them. There was a slight change in the seating arrangements though. Kim and Ron unconsciously moved in toward Kaname and Sousuke old seats and they traded sides. Now Ron was closest to Kurz and Kim was closest to Tessa. (This could get ugly.)
The server came back and set a new round of drinks in front of the people returning from the dance floor. Kim still hadn't realized what she was drinking and Ron now had a fresh Hefe-Weizen.
Shortly after the server left Tessa excused herself to go to the restroom. Kim was right behind her. After they finished their business Tessa was adjusting her makeup in the mirror and Kim was looking at her with crossed arms.
"You think you're pretty smart don't you?"
"Miss Possible, there is a submarine sitting in the dock that says that. I designed it from the keel up. Including the reactor. I'm a genius. Ask anyone on this base. But that's not what your talking about is it?"
"That little game you and Weber just played. It could have easily backfired."
Tessa had her lip-gloss out and was pursing her lips. "Oh there was very little chance of that."
"I've known Ron for close to 15 years and he's not always the brightest bulb in the box. But he's been my best friend for as long as we can remember. The happiest times of my life have been with him. But I screwed up and lost him. I'm hoping that I can earn his friendship and trust back. But your little game could have messed that up, badly."
"Like I said, there was very little chance of that."
"How can you be so sure?"
Tessa turned and Kim saw the same grey-eyed hardened little Warrior she had seen back in her office earlier. "Miss Possible, last year, I had to re-plan, not plan, but re-plan an operation on the fly with pencil, paper and corrupted communications. The enemy was listening in, while dozens of my people were pinned down in an underground deathtrap. I had to figure out where the enemy was, what their intentions were, and how they intended to do it. Then use my people to stop them, then get out safely. I succeeded, with minimal causalities."
"Planning what would happen between Mr. Stoppable, Sergeant Weber, you and myself was child's play by comparison. Besides, it worked. The two of you looked good out there on the dance floor."
"Let's go, I need to call it a night. I have to get up early tomorrow and get ready to supervise an A.S. training exercise. Why don't you have Sergeant Sagara show you and Mr. Stoppable to the lookout peak around 08:00 hours. It should be a good battle. Melissa and Kurz are acting as OPFOR against the QRF." (Opposing Force Quick Reaction Force)
She left Kim behind in a bemused state wondering just how it had changed from a confrontation to a lecture. She seemed to be getting a lot of those from these Mithral based people.
A.N. The beers Kurz suggested are double or more in alcohol content compared to most American labels. Most American labels run 6-7 percent or 12-14 proof. EKU-28 is 11 percent or 22 proof. Samichlaus Bier 14 percent or 28 proof. Kuhnhenn Dark Heathen Triple Bock 13.5 percent or 27 proof