Resumed from Part 4 **************


        "Ever wonder what the old gang is doing these days?"  Harjit 
asked leadingly as Blake handed her the tea she had requested.
        "Yeah, come to think of it..."  he replied, sitting in his easy 
chair.  "But, I haven't seen or heard from any of them since our 
wedding." He continued, sipping his own tea.
        "Well, I heard that Mike got his Admiral, finally, and he's 
still flying the Raiders."
        "That figures... with his ego, he'll probably fly till he dies."
        "Probably."  She grinned.  "And I hear that Susan is heading the 
new Medical Research Facility on Mars, and Mikati got promoted to the 
Explorer Class."
        "How do you find out all this stuff?  You've been on Medical 
Leave for the last three months.  I'm there every day, and I never hear 
anything."
        "Easy." she grinned, retrieving a folded Comm from beside her.
        "Okay, Miss Detective... What about Laura?"
        Again, Harjit grinned smugly.  "Do you really have to ask?"  she 
replied, regarding him reprovingly.
        "Still with SE, huh?  Damned if I know what she sees in that 
job..."
        "OW!"  Harjit blurted, almost dropping her teacup.
        "What?   Blake asked, quickly sitting up in his chair.
        "Oh, just your girls fighting for space again."  She observed,
resting her hand gently on her large tummy.  Blake smiled warmly and 
moved beside his wife, placing his hand near hers.  Gazing lovingly into 
her eyes, he leaned over and kissed her gently.
        "So, are you happy with the names?"  He whispered into her ear.
        "They couldn't be better.  I think 'Leona' and 'Aikea' will suit 
them just fine."  Harjit smiled again, sighing happily and nestling her 
head into her husband's shoulder.
        
        *********

        No one noticed the pop can sail off the tool box in the Raider
Preflight Area, and it was just as well.  Aikea didn't want to be 
bothered being discreet.  Since she had lost Leona, she stopped caring 
about such trivial things.  In fact, she often wished for her own 
demise, feeling as though there was no longer any reason to exist.
        She had discovered during her time alone that she had become one 
with Leona in ways far beyond just sharing a body... and now, with her 
gone, she felt empty, incomplete, and terribly, horribly alone.
        She had loved Leona even more that she had Mikati, and now, six 
months later, was still reeling from the shock of her loss.  The time 
that had passed all seemed like a blank to her, her pain still as fresh 
as if it had all happened yesterday.
        In the distance, sitting forlornly on the tarmac was the very 
Raider that everything had happened in, it's battered condition and 
unused status echoing Aikea's own feelings.  Seeing it invoked painful 
memories of that terrible day, but somehow, she could not tear herself 
away from it... it was as if she was connected to it in some bizarre, 
inexplicable manner.
        Again, as they had done so often lately, the tears came to 
Aikea's eyes, and the sadness enveloped her heart with a weight beyond 
description.
        "Leona... I miss you..."  she sobbed, breaking into an open cry.
        "You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear you say that!" a 
voice from behind her responded gushingly, startling Aikea half out of 
her protoplasm.
        "What..?"  Aikea stammered as she turned toward the voice, 
shocked that anyone would be addressing *her*.  As she caught sight of 
the smiling Japanese woman before her, her jaw dropped.  She was looking 
at *herself *... all decked out in a crisp Guild Command uniform.
        "Ohaio Gozaimasu, Aika-chan!"  the woman greeted, bowing deeply.
        "Ano..."  was all the stunned Aikea could muster in reply. 
        "Baka ne... You don't recognize *me*?  It hasn't been that long, 
has it?"
        Aikea stared open-mouthed at the woman who stood demurely on the 
tarmac, hands together in front of her, and not a hair out of place.  
Slowly, through the fog of her emotions, she began to sense a familiar 
aura.
        "Lee... Leona?  LEONA!?!" she screamed finally, diving off the
toolbox and glomping on to the small woman.
        "Hai!  It's me!  I got to come back...!"  Leona replied, 
laughingly returning the glomp.
        "Leona... I missed you *so* much..."
        "I missed you too, Aika-chan..."  Leona echoed, softly.  "But 
I'm back now, and we can be together again."
        "What?  How?   I don't..."  Aikea sniffed, wiping her reddened 
eyes.
        "I got a second chance!"
        Aikea looked up at her questioningly, and started to shake her 
head.
        Leona smiled, sighed, then reluctantly released Aikea and 
stepped back a bit, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
        "Okay... You better sit back up there... it's a long story."  
she began, taking a deep breath.  "It turns out that because I 
sacrificed myself so that the crew and your girlfriend Mikati would 
survive, the 'Fates' decided I was to be given back my Chi.  There was 
only one little problem we had to solve... my body was vaporized in the 
engine bay, and there was nothing left to recover.  Come to think of it, 
I believe that fact got Mike in trouble, since he reported what 
happened, and they couldn't find a body!" she grinned, sheepishly.
        "You mean..."  Aikea stammered, still too shocked to think 
straight.
        "Hai!  I was offered a choice of replacements, and there was 
only one that I wanted.  Yours!  I figured that since I wanted to try it 
again with you, there was no better choice.  Mind you, it took a while 
to put this thing back together." she continued, happily.  "And, since 
your body happened to be Japanese, I 'inherited' all the optional 
extras... like the language, as you may have noticed, and being able to 
wear a size three!!"  she explained, giggling with delight.  "Well, what 
do you think?" she concluded, smiling expectantly.
        Aikea could only stare at her, absorbing all that she had just 
been told.  After a few seconds of silence, she finally found her voice.
        "I'm just so happy you're back..."  she finally whispered, 
floating down off the toolbox again to hug Leona tightly.
        "I'm happy to be back... if you want me, that is..."  Leona 
replied, her voice trailing off.
        "What??  What do you mean, if I want you?"  Aikea echoed, moving 
to regard Leona's flushing face.
        "Well, I did what I did because I could see how much love there 
still was between you and Mikati... and how much you cared about those 
people.  I realized, in the few seconds that I had to make the decision, 
that I couldn't let them die when you tried so hard to save them.  And 
besides, I thought that you belonged among the people of your time, and 
with the person you seemed to love so much."  Leona began, regarding 
Aikea with her now moistened eyes.  "I wanted you to be happy, 
Aika-chan... and it seemed like saving them was the best way to make 
sure it happened.  I didn't care what happened to me."  she sniffed, 
lowering her eyes.
        Aikea stared back at Leona, scarcely able to believe what she 
was hearing.  Grabbing the small woman's shoulders, she gave her a quick 
shake.
        "You mean... you thought I loved Mikati more than I loved you?
That's why you sacrificed yourself?"  Aikea whispered, the words 
shocking even her.
        "Hai."  Leona replied, quietly.  "And I thought she was perfect 
for you... not like me."
        "Leona... no Baka.  I love you... not Mikati."  She began, her 
face a mixture of happiness and pity.  "Yes, I loved her once... when I 
was still alive.  But that can't ever be again... I've met you, and 
you've taken over my entire being.  I've spent all this time in a grey 
daze without you, not caring if I existed or disappeared forever."  She 
continued, sniffing.  "How could you ever think that I could love anyone 
else?" she sniffed in disbelief.
        Leona at first said nothing, her body motionless except for the 
odd tremble.  Slowly, she raised her head, then reached out to wrap 
Aikea in a gentle hug.
        "You really... love me that much?"  she sobbed into the fabric 
of Aikea's blouse.
        "Hai.  More."  Aikea replied emphatically, giving her a little
squeeze.
        "Domo Arigato, Aika-chan.  I needed to hear that... I insisted 
on coming back to you because I love you more than I've ever loved 
anything in my life... and if you had not wanted me, then I would have 
given you back your body, and allowed myself to be dissipated.  I 
wouldn't have had any reason to exist without you as part of me."
        "That's exactly how I felt, Leona... I missed you so much it 
hurt." she sniffed again, placing a hand on Leona's head and holding it 
against her chest.
        "Then kiss me, no Baka..."  Leona groaned, suddenly moving to 
kiss Aikea with all the pent-up passion their separation had created.
        As soon as their lips met, a warm, reddish glow enveloped them
completely, creating within it a merging of their souls; not only 
through the body they now shared, but though to the very fibre of their 
beings.
        "What was that?"  Aikea stammered upon breaking the kiss, the
experience leaving her somewhat weak in the knees.
        "That made it official."  Leona replied brightly, stepping back 
slightly from Aikea and smiling as she wiped her eyes.  "We are now 
complete.  By telling me you loved me and wanted me back, you gave the 
go-ahead for us to become united again... just like we were before.  
Only this time, you win the body." she continued, reaching out and 
taking her soul-mate's hands.
        "Lee... you have no idea how happy that makes me..."  Aikea 
barely responded, her voice choking off.
        "I'll bet I do... probably almost as happy as it makes me." she 
winked, again stepping forward and pulling Aikea into her arms.
        "Leona..."  Aikea began, sniffing softly.  "Promise me you'll
*never* leave me again." she blubbered, sobbing into Leona's shoulder.
        "I promise, Aika-chan... I promise. You'll never be alone 
again." she affirmed, feeling her own eyes welling with tears.



==================================================================
END - Unlikely Hero - Part 4  -   An Original Fiction by V. Coutu

Comments welcomed, Flames Extinguished!
coutuva@hotmail.com

Well, there it is... my first attempt at an Original Fiction.  Please 
let me know what you thought... as mentioned, this could become a 
serial.  Thanx to all who responded to the earlier parts, and who 
patiently waited through my mail troubles.  I appreciate the 
considerations.

Coutuva.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Catch all my 'Fics (and more!) at Water's Edge!
http://home1.gte.net/teseract/archive/Vic

Main Address: coutuva@vecdev.com
Backup Address: coutuva@hotmail.com

"No, we don't broadcast animation live anymore... it puts too much of a 
strain on the Artist's wrists."



---------------------------------------------------------
Get Your *Web-Based* Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
---------------------------------------------------------