[Ranma][NGE][HPL][AMG][Fusion][Fanfic] Sic Semper Morituri Chapter 25 - The
Cooking Contest
Disclaimer:
I do not own any of the characters from Ranma 1 / 2, Neon Genesis
Evangelion, Ah My Goddess, or the Lovecraft Cycle involved in these
stories. And I'll put them back when I've finished with them.
Note:
Thanks to Sniper for help with the German. Asuka is no jelly doughnut.
C&C , MSTs are welcome
E-mail: dan_s.comments@worldnet.att.net
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http://www.cs.ubc.ca/cgi-bin/ftp/archive/anime-fan-works/Ranma/type/Sic-Sem
per-Morituri
(these are the original versions)
What has gone before:
About Book 11, Akane and Soun Tendo throw Ranma out of the house.
Nabiki, in the guise of a wish, follows him. They meet EVA pilots Shinji
Ikari, Rei Ayanami, Asuka Soryu Langley and Jeffrey Davis.
Asuka and Jeff begin deriving the equations to manipulate the AT
field. Asuka solves the equations, but is unable to explain them to the
others.
The Scholarly Dragon sees a battle between mythos creatures, he
reports this to Jeff and Asuka, Toji `overhears`.
Search and Rescue training continues. The fogs and mass absences from
school are explained by an attack by the Lliogor, sentient energy. The
pilots and their schoolmates fight them.
Meanwhile, Misato learns Asuka and Shinji are being moved out of her
apartment, and that one of Ritsuko's kids is also going to leave.
Jeff admits his attraction to Ritsuko. New security guards are
recruited.
The pilots react to the rearrangement, none like it.
Nabiki finally goes over the pilots bios, including her own. She is
shocked by some of the things she finds there.
Ritsuko and Jeff finally have it out over their feelings, they agree
the separation is probably necessary.
The meetings between the pilots and their new guards goes well. Ranma
gives Shinji, Rei, Nabiki and Ritsuko the first lessons in Martial Arts.
Captain Ramsey encounters the cults of the pilots, when Nabiki's High
Priest walks into his office.
The pilots, and Toji go into the realm of spirits to rescue Hikari
from the legacy of the Lloigor's spell. Rei leads the rescue, while Asuka
and Jeff destroy the spell.
A crust eaten in peace is better than a banquet partaken in anxiety
The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse - Aesop
Chapter 25 - The Cooking Contest
May 31, 1947
I stare out across the school yard, the clouds and birds hold a
greater interest than the activities of my fellow students. Greater is a
subjective term, in truth I am waiting for the Commander's call again, to
do what they created me to do. To fight and, if necessary, die for the
mission. To destroy our enemies. Eye, weapon, trigger, that is what I am,
that is all I am.
"This isn't a school. It's a warehouse," one of the students laments,
oddly mirroring my own thoughts.
"You take that back! _RIGHT_NOW!_" Roku-kun's voice silences the
others. I turn back, Nabiki-kun is trying to placate him, but he is too
angry.
"Langley!" he advances on the cause of his anger, "You can insult my
piloting skills, you can insult my intelligence, you can cast aspersions on
my parents. Because you can't top anything I've ever thought about them."
He is advancing, a storm front, fists clenching and unclenching. Every eye
in the tent-classroom follow him, the Second's are wide with terror.
Roku-kun doesn't fight with the Second, he never lets himself be drawn in.
Now it looks like this could only end with bloodshed. The Fourth is
standing, I stand too, it will take both of us and more to separate those
two, without injury. The guards glance around warily, uncertain at what
point to intervene. The rest of the class just clears out of their way,
both combatants are arguably larger than the Japanese students in the
class, and are absolutely the most aggressive.
"You never, _never_ insult my cooking," Roku-kun says right in her
face, "You haven't the skill or the right."
The Second has been backing up during his approach, now she rallies,
"Fine! You want a contest, let's have a contest!"
"Is that a challenge?" Roku-kun smiles. He always smiles.
"Yes, I challenge you!"
"Very well," he pulls his handkerchief from his coat pocket, and slaps
her across the face with it. The traditional European response to a duel.
"Accepted. As challenged I demand choice of weapons. The judges will be
the NERV command and senior research staff, acceptable?"
The Second nods, I retake my seat, so does the Fourth. The guards
relax. Shinji-kun looks at me, shrugs. He does not understand either.
Nabiki-kun is already calculating odds and considering the possible bets to
be placed.
"The weapons: Captain K's instant heartburn collection."
The Second blanches, "Are you crazy? How can we make decent food from
that swill?"
Captain Katsuragi's ability to select and mix inedible instant food
had become legend among the class.
"As I thought, Second Children, you're all mouth and no guts, when it
comes to a real contest."
Her color returns and then some, her face and hair are briefly the
same red hue. "Anything you set up I can do! We have to be able to use
more ingredients."
Roku-kun considers, "Okay, we prepare menus and lists of ingredients
for the competition exactly a week from right now. Rei-san?"
I am startled to hear my name, Roku-kun is addressing me, "Would you
be willing to act as tiebreaker? All you'd have to decide is if a quantity
of something is more than reasonable, using Captain K's `stuff` as a base."
He seems to be asking, imploring my agreement.
"Wondergirl? What does she have to do with this?"
"Can you name _anyone_else_ in this room who can be impartial? Really
impartial?"
" . . . Hai." Every eye in the class room is on me now. I am not
comfortable with the attention. I wonder what I have accepted.
Roku-kun turns back to the Second, "As for our dueling seconds. Three
each, you pick your first, I pick my first, then your second, then me
mine," he smiles malevolently, "Then you pick my third, and I pick yours."
The Second is sweating, "That's insane."
"Bist du aus Berlin oder bist du ein Berliner?" he asks the Second
politely: Are you from Berlin, or are you a jelly doughnut?
The Second goes red again, "We'll pick at lunch!"
"Fine!"
"Fine!"
Roku-kun and the Second return to their seats. The teacher makes his
presence known, he'd wisely stayed out of the fight between these two, now
he reasserts his authority. The class President almost forgets her 'Stand,
bow, sit' command, the traditional beginning of our class day. She and
everyone else are buzzing about the contest and that they'd survived a
confrontation between the two gaijin.
Are they stupid? I wonder, The Fourth, Nabiki-kun and I could have
separated them before anyone was seriously hurt. The guards wouldn't even
have had to intervene.
Nabiki-kun soon finishes her calculations and is taking bets on who
the seconds will be.
Roku-kun and the Second periodically turn and glare at each other,
even I am curious about this odd contest between the two, and the
convoluted rules. Why the Second agreed to them so easily. Does she
desire an answer to the supremacy question so badly she can be that easily
manipulated? I wonder. The Captain's lack of cooking skills is well known
by all the class, and the staff at NERV. Her onetime wards, Shinji-kun and
the Second have lamented it time and again. Likewise, both the Second and
Roku-kun have great pride in their cooking skills, and both have repeatedly
proven it.
I find the contest actually interests me. I am hoping for the
Second's defeat, but Roku-kun has asked me to be impartial. The level of
whispering and note passing disturbs the teacher, yet everyone seems so
intense. Perhaps he considers the lesson, his most often repeated, holds
their attention again. A warehouse indeed.
The breaks between classes are times of intense lobbying. Many girls
want to be on the Second's team, others want to be on Roku-kun's. Or for
the Second or Roku-kun to pick them as the third for the other. The
Fourth, Shinji-kun and the boys in the class are amazed that Roku-kun
picked such a contest, and that he would actually challenge the Second. I
find I have a question for him as well.
"Why?" the other girls retreat at my approach.
"Why what, `Moses`?" Roku-kun asks, a joke about my `parting` the
crowd.
"This contest."
"I've never done this before, and why cooking?"
I nod.
Roku-kun smiles evilly, "Langley doesn't have a prayer. I cooked for
thirty people regularly, never had anything except compliments. She thinks
cooking for a large group is the same as cooking for a few. Industrial
kitchens don't work that way. By the way, are you willing to convince
Commander Ikari to participate?"
I am taken aback, "Why?"
"He deserves a home-cooked meal as much as anyone else." Roku-kun's
antipathy for the Commander is nearly equal to my devotion, his statement
rings false, my expression must betray that.
"Okay, it will bend his mind, that's why I am doing it. After
everything lately, the others deserve a good meal, a little camaraderie,
maybe he does too. I don't want to not-invite him just because of my
feelings, that would be petty."
I consider this, it is more in character with `Raccoon`, the Second's
failed attempt to insult the Sixth, "You need industrial kitchens. NERV
has them. For the staff, isn't it better to have it there?" I manage to
surprise Roku-kun.
"Excellent, Ayanami-sama. If you can arrange it, that would be
wonderful," he bows, not the mocking bow he often gives, but real
admiration.
"I will do it."
"My thanks."
I head back to my seat, then consider. I approach Nabiki-kun, "Two
hundred on Pilot Langley." I set the sum in yen on her desk.
She is shocked, "Okay, do you need a receipt?" she stammers as I walk
away.
I think I've seen his plan within a plan, playing out my part will not
be easy. Roku-kun will throw the contest, but in a way that will throw a
deep shadow on the Second's victory, in the interim he has ample time to
plumb and pick at her insecurities. Perhaps that is the root of his
antipathy to the Commander, they are too much alike. And Pilot Davis is
one of the Commander's `tools` rather than the one who is manipulating.
--------------------------------
Lunch is chaos. Lobbying, betting, demands, pleas made and countered.
News of the contest has spread throughout the school. The Second is very
popular, but Roku-kun has a certain following as well. Many students have
consulted the other pilots. One of the student teachers from the Home
Economics department has tried to get one of the coveted six positions. I
choose a place where I can watch without being inside the crowd. I find
myself critiquing the choices.
"Hikari is my first choice." That is obvious, the Second picking her
best friend.
"Matsuda Natsumi." Roku-kun picks the girl from the Chemistry Club
who helped make the bombs, she whoops at her good fortune, I am curious at
the strange choice.
"Suzuki Neri." The Second picks another of her inner circle. Hikari
and Matsuda are good cooks, one of food, the other explosives, and both are
imperturbable people, Suzuki is merely the Second's friend.
"Ibuki Maya."
"Hey! That's not fair," the Second loudly protests, "She's not in the
school and she'll be one of the judges!"
"Neither of us stipulated they had to be from school and not judges."
"But that's . . . Wondergirl! What's your judgment?"
Having over three hundred people suddenly staring at you, waiting for
your words, your judgment, is disconcerting beyond words. I understand why
Shinji-kun always wants to run away. I am supposed to be unbiased counsel,
and Roku-kun is correct. "Ibuki Maya," I say.
Roku-kun smiles, the Second fumes, her mistake I believe.
"Saotome Ranma!" she shouts, then realizes what she has done.
"Hey! I don't want no part a this!" he protests.
"Not manly enough to be a chef? All the great chefs are men,"
Roku-kun tells him. They catch the Fourth, challenged by his own ego as
much as by Roku-kun and the Second.
"Hai," he murmurs, "I'll do it."
Roku-kun gives the Fourth a warm smile, and a cold one to the Second,
who is sweating. Actually, the Fourth is an excellent choice, neither
Roku-kun nor Nabiki-kun has ever complained about their once and current
roommate's cooking, in fact both prefer it to their own. But the Second
doesn't see it that way, now she awaits Roku-kun's `revenge`.
"I didn't mean it, please don't say Misato!" then she clamps a hand
over her mouth.
"Misato," Roku-kun cleans his glasses, slowly, "Misato would _ensure_
that I won, wouldn't she?" He puts a hand on the desperate Second's
shoulder, "I will be merciful. Suzuhara Toji." Whether the Second or Toji
squawked louder will remain a subject of contention. The Second's cry was
definitely shriller, and they seemed the same, so I assume Toji was louder.
Only the class president seems pleased at the selection of her would-be
boyfriend.
"I can't do it! I won't do it."
"Very well," Roku-kun sighs, "Katsuragi . . . "
"Wait!" Hikari shouts, she and the Second drag Toji away from the rest
of the crowd. Roku-kun, the Fourth, Shinji-kun and Kensuke prevent anyone
from following. From her expression, the Second is pleading with Toji to
accept. I doubt Captain Katsuragi's cooking skills would doom the Second's
chances, but if the Second believes, then they would.
The Second returns, Hikari taking Toji's arm, she looks very happy.
Toji looks as if he had received a sentence of death, for a crime he hadn't
committed.
"We'll survey Misato's cupboard tonight, together," the Second says in
a subdued voice, her chances of success severely reduced in her mind.
As an impartial observer, I don't feel she has done badly. All in
all, Roku-kun believed himself the Second's superior, Hikari and Matsuda
would be about equal, both clever, capable subordinates. Hikari the better
cook, for Matsuda: Roku-kun said 'industrial cooking', a chemist should
have the advantage there. Ibuki Maya put Roku-kun's team farther ahead, if
she could serve at all, or even serve all the way through, that is a risk,
typical of Roku-kun. The Fourth isn't as inept in the kitchen as the
Second thinks, he just isn't as good as Roku-kun, or their now and former
guardian Akagi-sensei, and Toji is quite skilled. I find it amusing, I had
smelled the food they all had for lunches, listened to their commentary
about who had prepared it and why, even watched the trading that often went
on. But I never before correlated the data together. Now that I have, I
feel a bit of pride at my own discernment. The `meeting` breaks up, Nabiki
and her bookies paying out the few winners. The Fourth and Toji hadn't
even been in the running for the third spot.
I look up as the shadow falls across me.
"King's rook to King's bishop six." Roku-kun hands me the paper as he
sits down. "Check I believe."
I nod, we play chess `by mail` as Roku-kun calls it. He is correct,
that move put me in check, I had several counter moves already prepared,
but the rules do not require me to give him my counter until tomorrow.
"You like the game?" Roku-kun asks.
I nod, then decide he is playing another of his games of messages with
many meanings. "Please explain it."
Roku-kun smiles again, "Some of the important moves were at the
beginning, with less bearing on the ostensible contest. See if you can
puzzle them out."
I remember the look on Hikari's face as she led Toji back. "Toji and
Hikari, that's one." I consider, shake my head. I am no good at this
game.
"Maya and . . . "
"Akagi-sensei?"
Roku-kun nods, "To try to heal the rift that has grown up between
them. The last one. Drag them apart, so they snap back together of their
own accord."
"The Second and Fourth."
Roku-kun nods again, I don't see the pattern. "Those two can only
exchange emotions when one must lift up the other. They can only be nice,
as pity. Either way, it happens."
I wonder if Roku-kun realizes that I am perhaps the only one who fully
understands both his plans, and Commander Ikari's, and that I am their
confidant because I will never divulge their secrets to anyone else. If
either does, I wonder if either appreciates the irony.
----------------------------------------
June 2, 1947
>From the Journal of Ayanami Rei
The weekend came and went. The menus were presented, and the arguing
began. The Second had less than 15% according to Roku-kun, 60% by her own
accounting, of Misato-type ingredients. They wrangled and arrived at 75%
as the minimum acceptable amount. I was glad they had achieved the
agreement without directly involving me, the Second had to go back,
rethink, and return tomorrow. Roku-kun was already winning the
psychological game. He nearly lost an important aspect when he had to talk
to Maya. The coincidence was, that was the day I went to present my
request to Commander Ikari.
----------------------------------------
"Commander, Pilot Davis and Pilot Langley have proposed a cooking
contest, with the NERV command staff and senior researchers as judges.
Pilot Davis confided in me, that it was an excuse to let the proposed
judges enjoy a home cooked meal together, he seemed to set a great deal of
importance in it. This Saturday," I tell the Commander as we stand in his
office.
The Commander considers my words. "Rei, what is your assessment of
this idea?"
"I believe he is sincere. He specifically asked me to ask you to
participate as well."
"He did?" the Commander smiles, my world brightens. "I suspect he
wanted something."
"No, I suggested that using the banquet hall kitchens would allow them
to reduce the disruption of proper operations." I remove the paper from my
pocket, "These are the names of the team members in the contest. All are
at the school, NERV, or both."
The Commander smiles again, enjoying a private joke. I know he will
approve, but he must settle the matter with himself. "Has he appointed
himself morale officer now?"
"I suspect that he is 'Trying to be useful', as he mentioned when he
and Pilot Tendo began training for Search and Rescue."
"And all the changes to procedure he's suggested," he smiles again at
the joke, "Perhaps I should let him take over for a while."
"No Commander!" the suggestion horrifies me, "He could never take your
place." Then I realize he is joking, I smile too.
"Make it clear I am agreeing only so long as their `contest`, doesn't
interfere with the responsibilities of NERV personnel, pilots included."
"Yes, sir."
"Do you approve of his using you to communicate with me, rather than
doing it himself?"
I consider, remembering Roku-kun's feelings to and about the
Commander. "I believe he couldn't have done it, he thought it important,
and I was glad he asked my help to make sure they included you, Commander."
"Thank you, Rei." It is a dismissal, I leave.
I am happy. I do wish I could remove whatever kept these two apart.
The Commander's glorious vision should be shared with those who could
understand. But the Commander hasn't taken any of the other pilots or most
of the staff into his confidence. It is not my place to suggest it.
'No. It would be embarrassing.' I hear Ibuki Maya's voice.
"Maya," Roku-kun soothes, "Can you think of a better excuse to let her
try your cooking? To pour oil on the waters?"
"But, I, what happens if there's an alert?"
"The whole thing gets canceled. I can't think of an alert that
wouldn't call the bridge crew, the pilots _and_ SAR. That takes out the
two contestants, my numbers two and three, and all the rest go to the
shelters."
"I don't know."
I believe I can help, so I enter the lab.
"Rei-san, can I help you?" Analyst Ibuki asks, eager for the
diversion.
"Ibuki-san, Roku-kun. The Commander has approved your request. There
is a banquet hall kitchen that should fulfill your requirements."
"There you have it," Roku-kun says to Maya, "Even our fearless leader
approves, how can you disappoint all these people?"
Maya sighs, "Oh all right, but it can't interfere with my duties."
"The Commander has also stipulated that, for all participants," I tell
them.
"Just don't go _looking_ for extra duty, remember who I used to live
with, and I'll tell on you."
"You wouldn't!" Maya is shocked.
"He would," I assure her, for some reason, both stare at me.
"You're getting good at that," Roku-kun says.
Now I am confused, I know Roku-kun well enough, that he would have
already cleared this with his previous guardian, Dr. Akagi.
"Okay, I surrender," Maya manages.
Roku-kun smiles, "Thank you, Ayanami-sama, you said there was a
kitchen we could use."
"Hai." I take him to the place I remember from the plans for the
headquarters.
"It's perfect," Roku-kun beams. The kitchen is huge with stoves and
ovens forming a U shape at the far end. "Two equal preparation areas and
plenty of space." He examines the utensils, pots and pans. I cannot
understand what he is looking for, but he is obviously satisfied with what
he finds.
"Completely stocked as well. Excellent. Thank you again for this."
I nod.
"And thank you for talking with the Commander. If I tried, we'd just
have gotten into another fight."
"I do not understand why."
Roku-kun sighs, "The way he treats people. His own offspring, you,
Captain K, all the others. Where I'm from, you don't treat people like
property. We killed 600,000 of our own people about eighty-two years ago,
affirming people aren't property. We're still coming to grips with that.
I know you don't mind, but you're his - his sidearm, I guess. His trusted
weapon of last resort." Roku-kun rolls up his pants' leg, exposing the .22
revolver he always carries in his boot. "For the Commander, that's you, he
trusts you, depends on you. However, you and everybody else is a tool to
be used. If it breaks, you get another. I was taught, and I believe, you
can't replace people that easily, once they're gone, you've lost something
precious and unique forever."
"If we could replace them?" I ask, Is this the whole cause of the
dispute? Something so basic?
"It can't be done with current technology. There are supposedly ways
of returning life to the dead, but only in legends, and those are fraught
with peril." He relaxes, "Well, Ayanami-sama, I am in your debt. Name
your reward, anything your heart desires. You'd be surprised what I can
arrange."
I don't understand, I have my heart's desire, don't I?
After my long pause he smiles again, "Don't worry, you'll think of
something."
----------------------------------------
June 7, 1947
The day of the actual contest is far more hectic than anyone expects.
Roku-kun had evidently drilled his crew at some point before. Everything
is going swiftly and smoothly. Roku-kun drifts from person to person,
making small suggestions.
The Second's team is very different. Hikari and Toji seem to work
well, Neri is not as skilled. The Second is already working herself into a
frenzy, falling further and further behind Roku-kun's team, making her more
nervous.
I wait in the kitchen, despite the repulsive smell of simmering meat.
In case they fall into dispute, and need the tiebreaker. The Fourth is
Roku-kun's edge, he moves with a speed that is almost inhuman, with
equivalent precision. Only his concern for the Second's perturbed state
hinders perfection on his part. His sensitivity to the Second's distress
is something I would not have predicted.
"All personnel, Yellow Alert! Yellow Alert!" the loudspeakers blare.
Maya looks around.
"Maya, go," Roku-kun tells her, "Better you find out if this is a
false alarm or real, then we can continue, or run for our stations."
Maya leaves.
"Lost a member of your team," the Second teases.
"Figures they'd hit us now. They couldn't wait three hours, or have
come in yesterday," Roku-kun laments, "I want to file a grievance with
their union." Roku-kun walks over to me. "Are you all right with the meat
we're cooking? I know you don't like it."
"I am needed here," I tell him.
Roku-kun nods, lifts the phone handset, "Pilot Davis calling SAR, if
we scramble you can reach me at 3322. I'm going to hang up, please call
back to verify the number." He hangs up, the phone rings. "Davis. Good."
He hangs up. "Well, SAR knows where I am. I'm praying this is a false
alarm."
It wasn't.
----------------------------------------
"Pilots Saotome, Ikari, Ayanami, and Langley to your EVAs, pilot Tendo
to standby." Captain Katsuragi's voice comes over the loudspeakers.
"Left out again," Roku-kun mourns as the Second dithers.
"It isn't fair, you're nearly done, I'm not even half finished."
"I can sync with Unit 02," Roku-kun offers.
"No chance!" the Second runs from the room. The Fourth and I follow
immediately after. Save Roku-kun, the others are terrified.
'Hey!' I hear Roku-kun yell, 'Who told you to stop working?' as I walk
down the hall. As we leave him alone with both teams, Roku-kun's plan
becomes more clear.
----------------------------------------
>From the Journal of Ayanami Rei
The Angel, if it were to be classified as one, hardly required one of
our EVAs, let alone all four. Admiral Simson finally had an opportunity to
use the 'fire team' concept, that had been proposed repeatedly. The Second
and I attacked from one side, the Fourth and Shinji-kun from the other.
Hit and fade, wearing it down, before it could effectively attack. Then
Shinji-kun held it while the rest of us closed in and killed it.
Once we had destroyed it, we waited for the clean up and technical
crews to arrive and verify it was really dead. All that time on tether
power, waiting, the Second bemoaned her chances at beating Roku-kun. She
prophesied all manner of disasters overtaking her cooking, while he was
still there to supervise his. The Fourth and Shinji-kun tried to reassure
her that her friends would never allow that to happen. She was
inconsolable.
When the order to return finally came, the Second practically ran back
to the bays. Unfortunately, the creature had managed to inflict a minor
injury on her EVA, so she had to go through complete decontamination. That
Roku-kun and Nabiki-kun had the duty, did nothing for her mood.
----------------------------------------
"I lost," the Second wails as Roku-kun, in an isolation suit, tilts
her head back. They stand in an empty shallow pool, near the EVA bays.
"I don't see your problem," he puts in the eyedrops. "Hikari and Toji
had everything under control when I left. It smelled good to me."
"You're just saying that."
"Close your mouth." Roku-kun thoroughly irrigates her eyes and face.
"You either trust your friends, or you don't. I wasn't completely done
when I left, I trust Matsuda-san."
"What's Wondergirl waiting for?" the Second grimaces as Roku-kun
changes to a stronger decontamination solution for her suit and hair.
"If you disagree about rescheduling the contest."
"Langley won't do that." Roku-kun combs the decontamination wash
through her long hair, "That would be admitting defeat."
"_You_ won't defeat me," she reiterates, without her full conviction.
It strikes me how they act here, the Second would _never_ have let the
Fourth or Shinji-kun do what Roku-kun is doing, wash and comb her hair.
Yet he seems to do it with a professional and detached demeanor, and the
Second thinks nothing of it.
"You stand there staring at my body, thinking perverted thoughts."
So much for my analysis, I think, I need more practice.
"About the closest I come to that, is wishing this was Con Sulfuric
and Aqua Regia, dissolve your suit all right, and your flesh and bones.
Much quieter universe. Step one foot up."
She raises one leg, Roku-kun rinses it thoroughly. She steps out of
the pool and down on the plastic sheeting leading to Nabiki-kun and the
body wash station. The other foot done, the Second hurries into the
partitioned alcove.
"Jeff." Nabiki-kun calls, Roku-kun takes the bucket containing the
contaminated plugsuit from her over the partition. Then Roku-kun returns
to have his isolation suit decontaminated by another isolation suited SAR
team member. The Second leaves in a sterilized robe for the showers,
Roku-kun goes through second stage decontamination with Nabiki-kun's help,
as the others help him out of the suit and it's enclosed airpack.
"Rei-san, would you mind checking if the food's been served and the
vote's been taken?"
"I do not mind." I head off as Nabiki-kun teases Roku-kun about never
being able to `properly` decontaminate him.
----------------------------------------
Roku-kun is wearing issue coveralls, so despite the delay for
decontamination, he is not far behind the Second when she enters the
command deck.
"Congratulations, Asuka," Maya tells her, "You won, 15 to 12." The
others salute her, plates of food on carts or desks, everyone obviously
enjoying the efforts of both pilots.
Roku-kun comes in behind her, "Well, let me be the second to
congratulate you." He offers his hand, the Second shakes it, looking smug.
He pulls away, "I have to pay my respects on high."
The Second opens her mouth to launch a scathing remark, when Hikari
suddenly drags the Second away from the congratulations, whispering
something fiercely to her. The Second's composure vanishes. She looks at
Roku-kun, who blows her a kiss, she shakes her head, Hikari nods back.
Toji takes an intense interest in the wall and it's paint. Roku-kun smiles
broadly, and waves to the Second before he leaves.
I quickly decide to follow Roku-kun, he proceeds to the Commander's
balcony of the command deck. 'I wish to thank you for your indulgence in
this matter, Commander.' Roku-kun even sounds as if he is bowing. I
position myself so I can see Roku-kun, but the Commanders cannot see me
through the door.
"Did you achieve your desired objective?" the Commander's question
startles Roku-kun.
"I think you might be a better judge than I am. I arrived rather
late."
"Don't make a habit of this," the Commander warns.
"That was never my intention, Commander. I might acquiesce to Pilot
Langley's demands for a rematch, in six to eight months."
"Rematch?" Commander Fuyutsuki asks, "She won."
"By three out of 27 votes, 11% is not enough to declare a definitive
victory. If you will excuse me, I promised the SAR crews they could help
finish off the leftovers, and we should return the kitchens to status quo
ante. I should see to that also." A nod and he leaves the command
balcony.
I wait until he's closed the door behind him, before I confront him.
"It was a fraud. The whole contest. Unless you took over completely,
which you did. The Second's team could never have caught up or even
finished, in the time available to them. Unless you intervened. They told
her."
Roku-kun shrugs.
I continue, "This should be made known, the contest was between what
you intended and what the Second did. Instead it was you against you."
"Sensei," Matsuda hurries up, a guard trails behind, "We're done
cleaning, and the cart is on the observation deck. How did that plate stay
hot?"
Roku-kun looks around theatrically, "Magic," he confides, she laughs.
I wonder why no one believes him.
"Tell the Search and Rescue crews that the leftovers are ready, and
get some for yourself."
"We lost, sensei, I'm sorry." Matsuda bows, she seems ashamed.
"Nothing for it. As long as you learned how to organize a process,
you won."
"Hai, sensei," she runs off.
"Sensei?" I ask, "Teacher or Master?"
"Follow me." Roku-kun takes the stairs to the observation level three
at a time.
I walk up them more sedately, I suspect he is going to do something
else theatrical, and will need a moment or two to deliver it properly.
They built the observation deck when the military still believed they
could have an effect on the Angels with conventional forces. It allowed
observers to see the entire multilevel command deck at once.
I walk up to him, as he stands next to a serving cart with a single,
large, covered dish on it. He removes the cover with a flourish.
"Garlic noodles with mushrooms, in wine and pesto sauce," he twirls a
fork through the noodles, raising the filled fork. "None of Misato's stuff
in this." He offers it to me, holding a hand under to catch any dripping.
I carefully take the noodles off the fork. The smell is intoxicating.
It had also been on the command deck, only the smell of meat kept me from
partaking.
"Look here," he points down to the stacked levels of the command deck.
The Commander is patting his stomach as Commander Fuyutsuki chuckles as he
leaves that level. Staff and pilots surround the Second, enjoying being
the center of attention, then Hikari spots us and points up. The Second
has the same vaguely stricken look she had when Hikari had talked to her.
Roku-kun gives her the odd two-fingered salute Nabiki taught him. She
returns it, and returns to being the life of the party. Roku-kun is
offering me another forkful of those delicious noodles.
"Think about what you're seeing," he says.
I take the noodles, then the fork. Roku-kun picks up the plate, so it
is easier to get at. I savor and think. "A bribe," I take another
forkful.
"Langley knows who won, so do I, so does her crew and more. Hikari
won't say anything. I told Toji if he said anything, he'd be eating cream
of sister soup for the next year. Why is it ridiculous threats are so much
more effective?"
I watch the SAR people arrive and help themselves. Commander
Fuyutsuki returns to Commander Ikari with two heavily laden plates.
"We are all here," I realize.
"For a moment, it's just us. No duty, no responsibilities, just us
together, a community. Tell me I lost. If that isn't worth some teasing
from Langley, then the Great Old Ones have cost us our humanity, and
they've already won. If we forget what it means to be human, how can we
fight for it for all those others outside these walls?"
I take another forkful of noodles to answer him, "I shouldn't tell."
"The guy who cared enough about his teammates to let `Victory or
Death` Langley not lose, and let Rei the Loner be an important part of it,
is asking you to file this as 'undecided' or 'experimental error'. If Maya
and Ranma hadn't left, if _I_ hadn't left, maybe a different outcome."
"It is dishonest," I express my disturbance with this.
"Do you tell anyone what you and the Commander privately talk about?
Do you tell him what you and I have talked about?"
"No."
"You don't want to burden him. Don't burden them. No acrimony
tonight. Hikari will keep her honest, and in a few months, I may give her
a rematch. If I think everybody needs it."
"You picked this fight, intending to lose."
"No, I won," he smiles.
A secondary goal that only he sees.
"Victory or defeat, not important. 'Cause I always get what I really
want."
I think I understand the difference, what separates Roku-kun and the
Commander, the Commander can't lose, he doesn't dare, or the world will
die.
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