RahXephon Fan Fiction ❯ Compensation ❯ Account ( Chapter 1 )

Compensation

 

By: A-Z Mark II

 

Notes: Don't own. Rated NC-17/X (depending on your preference)

 

Chapter 1: Account

-

Commander Kunugi stared impassively over the ocean as the carrier Lilia Litvyak steamed back to port, the Mulian Artifact apparently known as `RahXephon' strapped to the deck. Operation Overlord - a throw-back code designation - had had mixed results. While it was overall successful, it had been costly in lives and machines, and the catch was still unknown.

True, the machine had managed to `leap' past the barrier that kept the Mu in Tokyo, and the humans outside. Also true was that Captain Shitow had managed to nab the pilot for the mecha, a young Tokyo Jovian called Ayato Kamina. Even now, that young man was being checked over by Medical to see if he was a Mu or not. “Her report should be interesting.” murmured the Commander of TERRA.

Jin Kunugi knew about mixed results. His own circumstances were proof of that. But whatever else might come of this, he had gotten a piece of Mu technology, and now, he had to find a way to fully utilize it. For the moment, he was not informed enough about the nature of the beast to make any firm plans, but he did begin to lay out two paths: the `good' path that would allow TERRA to use the man and machine against the Mu, and the `bad' path, where they would find a way to destroy this `RahXephon' and Ayato Kamina.

“What are you thinking?” came the soft, somewhat odd voice of Quon. The Commander turned to look at the strange woman. “Are you wondering about Olin?” she promoted. Kunugi frowned.

“I don't know anyone named `Olin'.” he said honestly. Quon just smiled that eerie smile of hers and hummed.

“You will.” she said. “Olin will tune the world.” she said before wandering off. Kunugi sighed.

“Still making as much sense as ever.” he muttered. In another time and place, he was sure that Quon must have been a shaman, mystic, priestess or seer. He had yet to hear a normal, logical sentence out of her. It's like being surrounded by lunatics: you eventually start to understand a little of what they say, but that only makes you wonder if you aren't the lunatic! he thought sourly.

Pushing his mind away from the strange woman and her cryptic remarks, he turned to his temporary bridge crew. “Call down to medical and see if they have the results on that Kamina guy yet. And if Captain Shitow is there, tell her I will be expecting her debriefing report within the hour.”

“Yes, sir.” replied the man, punching up the right extension. Kunugi leaned back in his chair in the ops center of the special-duty carrier. While technically a ship in the UN Navy, the Litvyak was on permanent `loan' to TERRA, as it was the only ship that had been built and launched with the express duty of launching strikes against the Mu and acting as a mobile base for intelligence gathering. Commander Kunugi had a whole level near the main bridge to himself and his staff. Home away from home. he mused darkly.

-

“Difficult young man.” murmured Itsuki after hearing the initial report from Captain Shitow. “His attitude could be the biggest problem to finding a way to utilize RahXephon.” he mused.

“Ayato has had a very bad couple of days.” defended Haruka. “He lost a friend to a Dolem, he found out that all he thought he knew is useless, and he discovered that he's suddenly in the war. Anybody would be a bit distant and suspicious if that happened to them.” Itsuki silently wondered why Haruka was so eager to leap to this boy's defense.

“Is he human or Mulian?” asked the Commander evenly. “His attitude is less important than that question.”

“Well,” replied Itsuki, checking his clipboard. “His blood is red, not blue, but he possesses the Mu-phase.” Kunugi quirked an eyebrow.

“And that makes him which?” he paraphrased his initial question. Haruka and Itsuki shared looks, though Haruka's eyes showed she was wondering which it was as well, while Itsuki's eyes reflected that he wasn't sure how to answer that one.

“It makes him…unique.” said the doctor.

“Which makes him something of a valuable asset.” summed up Kunugi. Itsuki nodded.

“Yes, it does.” he replied evenly. So, then, how do we make use of this unique item? he wondered to himself. Of course the UN will have a chance to snatch him from us, but I suspect that they will be more interested in the artifact. So, if we simply call him a `Tokyo Jovian', they will likely turn up their noses at him. Not much I can do to make the artifact unappealing to them, though.

“Ok.” he said, making his plans. “For now, he is to be considered a Tokyo Jovian.” he directed his subordinates. Both nodded. Haruka suspected why the commander was listing him that way, but didn't say anything, as it suited her goals for him to be considered as `normal'. Itsuki had no issues with it, since he would be pursuing a more precise measurement once they got back to Nirai Kanai.

“And the RahXephon?” prompted the Captain. Seeing his temporary aide waiving his hand, he frowned slightly.

“That might not be our worry much longer.” he muttered. “For now, let's focus on the kid's connection to the mecha.” he deflected. “You said that he piloted it?” asked the commander. Haruka nodded.

“Yes, but he seemed to be in a trance when he entered it. I kept screaming his name, but it was like he couldn't hear me. There was a high-pitched whine in the chamber where the RahXephon was that made it impossible to be heard over long distances, but I don't think that he would have heard me if I had been next to him.” she clarified.

“It is possible that his connection to RahXephon is subconscious, or it could be that his Mu-phase is what allows him to pilot it.” postulated Itsuki. Quon is unusually interested in him as well, and if he is the Olin for RahXephon, then… his thoughts were interrupted.

“Either way,” pressed Haruka, “we need to get him on our side.” The two men looked at her. Maybe that was a bit too obvious. she thought. “I mean, what if he is the only pilot for RahXephon? We need him to join us, rather than oppose us, right?” she prompted. “He took down a class 1 Dolem like it was a tin can, Commander.” she baited.

“We aren't certain that it was destroyed. Damaged, yes - destroyed, no.” pointed out the commander. “In any event, that was inside Tokyo Jupiter. We need to know if he can do it outside as well.” he mused.

“Sir, I believe…” began Haruka. Kunugi waved her off.

“For the time being, we will keep him under observation. Captain Shitow, begin to inform him of what he needs to know. We will discuss this in greater detail once we reach Nirai Kanai.” he ordered, standing and moving over to his aide.

-

“Unbelievable.” breathed Major Yagumo. “He took that Dolem out as easy as swatting a fly.” Beside him, Kunugi nodded silently. “Well, I think that makes a pretty convincing case for making friends with him.” said the younger man. Once more, Kunugi nodded.

“So it would seem.” he said simply.

“There might be a slight problem with that, though.” said Itsuki. “Since then, the RahXephon has been…well, petrifying.” interjected the doctor. Pressing a button, he showed the other two men some video of the mecha, as well as the spreading patches of dead-white. “Nothing I have tried has stopped or even slowed it, so it is my hypothesis that it is being caused by something related to Ayato.” said the man.

“His reaction to Captain Shitow when she tried to show him off the bridge would support that hypothesis.” noted the Major.

“So, if it is something wrong with Kamina, do you have any ideas about how to fix it?” asked the Commander. Itsuki sighed.

“Yes, but it is not exactly scientific.” he replied. Seeing that Kunugi wanted more details, he went on. “It is my belief that Ayato's emotional state is affecting RahXephon through whatever it is that allows him to pilot it. If that is the case, then we have to find a way to enhance his feelings about being here, and about working with us.” said the doctor.

“And you have a plan.” finished Major Yagumo. Itsuki nodded.

“What is the easiest way to change a teenage boy's focus from negative to positive?” he asked rhetorically. Seeing that neither of the other men hit the answer, he supplied it. “With a pretty girl, of course.” he said. Or more than one. he silently amended. Kunugi frowned.

“Try it.” he said simply.

-

“Sayoko, do you have a minute?” asked Itsuki, approaching his devoted assistant. The woman turned to look at the doctor, her eyes warm with anticipation. That she had a major crush on him was not missed by the doctor. He, however, did not return the crush; at least, not to the degree Sayoko did. Some men would have some qualms about doing what he was about to do, but with his background, it really didn't bother him that much. Besides, it would be the least damaging way to accomplish our goal. he reasoned.

“Yes, doctor?” she asked intently. For a split second, he was sure that she was breathlessly awaiting his confession of his imagined feelings for her. Pushing that aside, he got to the point.

“You know about the petrifaction of the artifact, right?” he began simply. Seeing her nod, he went on. “Well, it is my hypothesis that it is due to the emotional state of Ayato. You have met the young man, have you not? Yes? Good.” he moved on. “As we need the unit to fight the Mu, we have to find a way to soothe Ayato's anxiety about being here.” he paused, watching the doe-like eyes of his assistant. “This is where you come in.” he continued a moment later.

“Me?” asked Sayoko uncertainly. Itsuki nodded.

“Yes, my dear Sayoko.” he said softly, taking a half step toward her. “It would be a tremendous help to me if you would do what you can to reassure him and perhaps even convince him that we are the good guys here.”

His assistant blinked. “What exactly do you mean when you say `reassure' and `convince'?” she asked, her tone a bit confused.

“Ayato is feeling very tense and out of place right now. I think it would help him and us both if you were friendly to him and spent time with him.” danced Itsuki. “After all, even when surrounded by strangers, he couldn't help but feel more at ease if such a beautiful and intelligent woman such as yourself were to show an interest in him.” he baited discreetly. “Of course, if I can't get him calmed down before RahXephon completely petrifies, it would be bad; very bad. And not just for me, mind you, but for the anti-Mu effort.” he paused theatrically before continuing his pitch. “Naturally, the personal embarrassment to myself would be most painful, as I have convinced the Commander that I can salvage the artifact by helping Ayato relax. I would look a perfect fool to TERRA and the UN if this doesn't work.”

Sayoko's luscious lips tightened into a determined line. Seeing that his approach was working, he moved to the next stage. “Ideally, Captain Shitow would be tending to this matter, but since she made a rather unfortunate miscalculation, he isn't likely to respond to her in a positive way right now.” he mused as if to himself. “If there were anyone else he might open up to, I would gladly as them, as I hate the idea of asking you to do this for me.”

“No, Doctor Itsuki!” protested Sayoko. “It's fine! Really!” she assured him.

“Well, I'm not sure if I should be relieved that you would help me with this, or upset that I have to share you with him.” smiled the doctor, watching her begin to glow at his words.

“I will always be your assistant first, Doctor Itsuki!” she assured him honestly. I'll get Ayato calmed down, Itsuki! I swear I will! she vowed to herself. Itsuki went on.

“I'm not sure how hard it might be to get him to open up, Sayoko.” he feigned concern. “I'm sure you can handle getting his attention, but I should mention that he might not be very…receptive at first. I trust you will do what you feel needs to be done to convince him you - and by extension, us - are his friends, and to that ends, I have arranged for some added resources to be available, should it be necessary.” he said.

“Resources?” wondered the woman. Itsuki nodded.

“Yes. Commander Kunugi has agreed to provide me with some techs to help out so you can spend as much time as you need working on Ayato. And there will be some extra funds in your checks while you do this.” he added. “Oh, and I have already gotten permission for you to draw an extra stipend if the necessity arises.” he added, his words and meaning vague. Sayoko's eyes got a little bigger.

“T…thank you, Doctor!” she said. More money and time off from work? How did he manage to get that past Kunugi?! she wondered. A sigh from Itsuki distracted her from her thoughts.

“I feel bad about putting you in this position, Sayoko.” he said. “It is vitally important that we win over Ayato at any cost, but it should be the Intelligence branch doing it, not us. With Haruka having messed up, though…” he let himself trail off. Seeing Sayoko's bright look, he knew he had her. “I suppose it falls to us, right my dear Sayoko?” he said. She nodded enthusiastically.

“Yes, sir! I won't let you down, Itsuki!” she promised. Just then, the man's phone rang. Pulling it from his pocket, he answered the phone. Sayoko recognized the voice on the other end as Itsuki's creepy sister, Quon. After a brief conversation, he ended the call and pocketed his phone.

“I'm sorry, Sayoko, but it seems that Quon needs to speak to me about a small matter. I will leave this matter to you, then.” he said, turning and moving toward the door. Sayoko waited until he left before she wilted a bit, though a happy smile covered her face. Oh, don't you worry, Itsuki! I'll have him eating out of my hand in no time! she silently gloated. Realizing that she could get started on it immediately, she swiftly reviewed her options as she moved toward the temporary quarters where Ayato was staying.

-

“The Olin.” said Quon, without preamble. “He will not be so easy to bend.” she added. She and Itsuki were heading toward their home over their `workshop' as it were. Behind them, the main base for TERRA receded across the bay.

“I have asked Sayoko to convince him.” said Itsuki candidly. “She shouldn't have too much trouble.” he assured his `sister'. Quon turned to smile at him.

“Sayoko is overmatched in Olin.” she warned him. “A warm heart he may have, but a bond is needed that she lacks.” said the woman. “More will be needed than a physical form.”

“Do you think so?” he asked her. Quon nodded.

“It is certain.” she said simply.

“How do you know that, Quon?” wondered Itsuki. “Another dream?” he guessed. Quon shook her head.

“I have heard it. The sound of Olin's heart.” she said. “From his past it calls to him. Without the bond, he will not be bound.”

“What sort of sound is it you hear from the Olin?” wondered the doctor. Any clue he could get from Quon was another step closer to understanding the situation. Quon considered that.

“Olin is Tuned.” she said softly. “And he will tune the world. He, and RahXephon.” she murmured. Itsuki failed to catch the last part, so softly was it spoken.

-

“You mean that you're leaving Itsuki and Nanamori in charge of this…plan?!” gaped Haruka. The Commander nodded.

“Yes.” he said simply. “Unlike you, Ayato has no reason to distrust Nanamori, and Doctor Kisaragi has already made friends with the pilot.” he frowned at his subordinate. “Something that seems to be beyond your abilities.” he sniped. Haruka gritted her teeth.

“Sir!” she said forcefully. “I volunteer to recruit Ayato!” she said. “I will convince him to join us!” she urgently insisted.

“Nanamori is already tasked with it, Shitow.” said the Commander. Haruka chose to switch tactics.

“The Commander knows that having a back-up plan is always a good idea.” she said carefully. “I volunteer to be that backup plan. In spite of my earlier mistake, I can assure you that I know Ayato better than Nanamori, and I will get him on our side, sir!” she promised once more.

“Captain,…” began Kunugi. Haruka pressed her attack.

“I will do whatever it takes to successfully recruit him, sir. Anything at all.” she said distinctly. “I will not fail, sir.” she said softly. Kunugi watched her.

“And you propose to do this alone?” he asked her. I don't know what is going on in her head, but she seems supremely confident that she has an edge. This could prove to be a good insurance policy against Itsuki getting too great an amount of control over the pilot. Haruka nodded to his earlier statement.

“Yes,” she said simply, “though a bit of assistance couldn't hurt.” she added truthfully. Kunugi nodded to himself.

“Very well. For the time being, I am assigning you to this mission. It has priority over all else.” he directed her. “I am giving you limited command over Trainee Shitow and Operator Hotal. I will review any requests for additional resources, but you are on a short leash, Captain.” he cautioned her. “I expect to see results. And I expect to see them swiftly.” he warned her. “Furthermore, you are to take care not to interfere with Nanamori's efforts to this end, are we clear?” he asked her.

“Yes, sir.” said the captain crisply. “Results are of primary importance.” she repeated back to him. He nodded.

“Dismissed.” said the Commander. Haruka saluted and turned to exit the room. Once she was out of his office, Haruka leaned against the wall and considered what her next move should be. Ayato, you might not remember me, but you are still my boyfriend, and I will not let Sayoko take you from me! she vowed. Twelve years had not dulled her love for him, and it had been difficult for her not to tell him who she was once they were free from Tokyo Jupiter. Now, though, things are different! I caught you once, so maybe I can do it again, in spite of the difference in time! she vowed.

Pushing off from the wall, she made her way toward the bridge. There were things to be done and plans to be put into motion. And first was recruitment.

-

Sayoko paused outside the door to the room where Ayato was staying for the moment, doing a swift check of her appearance. The assistant had taken the time change into a short skirt and a tight top. Before entering his room, she took the time to make sure that the top three buttons on her blouse were loose, allowing an impressive amount of cleavage to be seen.

Satisfied that she was prepared, Sayoko touched the button to open the locked door. It's easy to see why he might be distrustful of us when we keep putting him in locked rooms. she thought, frowning as the panel flashed a green light. As the door slid open, she looked inside, spotting him standing near the break-proof windows, looking out over the bay. Glancing at the table, she saw that the meal that had been sent to him was untouched.

“Ayato?” she asked, putting a little something extra into her voice. “Is the food not to your liking?” she asked him. Ayato turned to look at her.

“Miss Nanamori.” he said, remembering her name from earlier. “Have you come to bring me back for more tests?” he asked her, his tone cool and distant. Sayoko kept a smile on her face.

“No. You don't like tests, do you?” she asked, knowing the answer. “Actually, I wanted to check on you and see if you are comfortable.”

“Never been more comfortable.” he replied sarcastically. “I just can't bear not to be locked in rooms with exploding doors.”

“I see.” she replied. Man, this is worse than I thought it would be. she thought to herself. Well, let's see if I can make friends with him. “Well, how about I show you something that you might find relaxing?” she suggested.

“What? Maybe a locking closet?” he shot back. Sayoko moved closer to him.

“Not exactly, though if you would like, I'm sure I can think of something.” she replied reasonably. “I should ask you something first, though. Do you swim?” she asked him. Ayato turned to really look at her for the first time. Leaning forward a bit, she tried not to make it too obvious that she was giving him a show. When she saw his eyes flicker toward her generously displayed breasts, she knew she was making progress.

“Yeah, I swim.” he said, catching the faint impression of her nipples against her top's thin material. Sayoko smiled. Reaching out, she took his hand.

“Good!” she said, tugging on his hand. “Then you should like this.” she said. For a moment, Ayato thought about resisting. Seeming to anticipate him, Sayoko moved to reinforce her status as a supporter. “I'm not in TERRA, Ayato.” she reminded him. “And in spite of the first impressions you got of them, they really aren't your enemies; they just…tend to be stiff and suspicious.” she said. Ayato grimaced.

“Yeah, whatever.” he muttered. “So, where was this place?” he asked, changing the topic. Sayoko smiled at him warmly.

“It's just a few levels down and a ways over there.” she said, tossing her head toward the right wall. Leading him out, she moved toward her first objective: the pool in the old wing of the lab areas. Hardly anyone ever went there, and it was fairly private. Just the kind of spot for some recruiting! she thought.

The two had been gone about five minutes when Haruka came to see if she could entice Ayato into having a meal with her.

-

“Wow.” was all Ayato could say when he saw the pool. It wasn't all that big, really; it was just that it was built into a cozy area and had a nice, relaxed atmosphere about it. It's like this place isn't even in the same area as that bridge thing is. thought the young man. Everywhere he had been until now had felt tense and uncomfortable.

“So, feeling any better here?” asked the assistant. He nodded.

“Yeah; it feels a lot better here.” he replied. “And I like swimming.” he added. “Not enough to join the swim club or anything, but I like it.” he amended the earlier statement.

“Well, what say we go for a dip?” suggested the woman. Ayato frowned.

“I don't have a swim suit.” he sighed. Sayoko giggled. Leaning over to him, she whispered in his ear.

“Well, I think we can work around that.” she said softly. “Watch this.” she invited him, turning to point to the door. It had an access panel like the room he had been locked in. Touching a button, a small pad slid out. Tapping some commands into the pad, the light went from green to red. “Locks can be helpful sometimes.” said the woman, smiling at the young man. “Now, only three people can get in here; and I am one of them.” she said. Ayato blinked.

“Why would…?” he wondered. Sayoko moved back to him.

“I have a small confession to make.” she said. Seeing him tense, she smiled. “It's not like that, Ayato.” she assured him. “My confession is that I don't have a swimsuit here either.” she said, reaching for her blouse. “Is it ok with you if I just pretend to have one on?” she asked innocently. Ayato stared in disbelief as the woman calmly unbuttoned her top, tugged it out of her skirt's waistband and set it over the back of one of the chairs along the edge of the pool.

Seeing her impressive chest in nothing but a thin, lacy bra, he felt his dick stir. Ayato had not been a `player' as the terminology went in his day. He had dated a time to two, and ninety percent of his time was spent with Asahina when he was with anyone. That Mamoru was there too was a given, but he had liked spending time with Hiroko. The girl was fun to be around, and, he would admit to himself only, easy on the eyes. So, while he was not unfamiliar with girls, he wasn't used to seeing one so casually undress in front of him.

Certainly not one as stacked as Sayoko. As if he wasn't standing there gawking, she unzipped her short skirt and stepped out of it, revealing a tiny thong under it. Reaching behind herself, she unclipped her bra and set it aside before beginning to roll her hose off her legs. Ayato found himself standing there with a pitched tent in his pants.

As if she just recalled that he was there, she glanced at him. “Don't be shy, Ayato.” she encouraged him. “Since we don't have a change of clothes, we need to have something dry to put on later, right?” she reasoned. Unable to argue that logic - nor wanting to argue it, he nodded.

“Um, right.” he managed. The light-brown haired woman smiled and dropped her hose on top of her bra before hooking her thumbs under her panty's waistband. Peeking at him to make sure he was watching, she skinned them down her legs and stepped out of them. Pausing for dramatic effect, the woman saw the young man's pants twitch. Smiling innocently, she straightened, revealing her bare sex. She had started to shave her pubic hair in high school, and found that she loved the way that it felt. Currently, she used a chemical means that kept the hair from growing back for months at a time, leaving the skin soft and silky, unblemished by the touch of a razor.

“Don't be shy, Ayato.” she said, removing her hair band, allowing her hair to fall from the usual pony tail she wore at work to rest loose against her back. Tossing her head, she moved past him, her hips swaying enticingly. Pausing at the edge of the pool, she winked at him before diving cleanly into the water.

Ayato stood there, stunned, for a few seconds before he could get his mind into something resembling gear. Since he had a healthy liking for girls - especially naked girls - he wasn't about to let this opportunity go to waste. Grabbing his shirt, he pulled it over his head, dropping it as he reached for his pant's button. By the time that Sayoko had surfaced in the middle of the pool from her dive, she saw him struggling with his boxers. That's more like it! she thought smugly.

Sayoko had learned a long time ago about using her gifts. In high school, she had used her looks to get what she wanted. Several teachers had `tutored' her, and she had several `mentors' who saw to it that she had plenty of green in her hands and that her bills were always paid. If that meant that she had to share herself with them to varying degrees, well, it was just that way. While the other girls complained of lack of money, or living with their parents or of failing classes, Sayoko had a small but nice apartment, a nice scooter, spending money and good grades. To her, there was nothing wrong with using her femininity to support herself.

And then, in college, she had met Itsuki. He had just lost his girlfriend, and was `free' as she saw it, but before she knew it, she was in love with him. He - so far! - had not confessed his love of her, but she was willing to be patient. His brilliance and insight were unparalleled, and without him, TERRA would be lost. So, if he needed her to cheer up and recruit Ayato, then there was nothing wrong with her using her any means to do so, right?

Smiling as she saw his hard length, she waved at him. “Come on in, Ayato! The water's perfect!” Ayato straightened and moved to the edge of the pool, his hands nervously hovering near his hard dick. He's bigger than I thought he would be. she thought, seeing him crouch to dive in. Looks like this could be fun! she decided. Even if he had been below average, she would have done what she had to in order to support Itsuki's rise to fame; the fact that he was a bit better than average was just icing on the cake to her.

Ayato surfaced next to her. “You're right,” he said, “the water is perfect.” His eyes picked out her hard nipples, stimulated by the sudden submersion in cool water. Sayoko giggled.

“Isn't it, though?” she purred. “Want to swim laps or just play around?” she asked him. Ayato forced his eyes back to her face.

“What?” he asked her. Sayoko moved closer to him, her bare form occasionally brushing against his as she treaded water. Men are so simple. she thought.

“I said, `how about a game of tag?'” she said. “Do you want to be `it', or should I?” she asked him.

-

“Doctor, look at this!” came the voice of one of his lab monkeys. Itsuki looked up from his reports, and saw the man pointing to RahXephon. Looking at the giant artifact, it took him a moment to realize what the man was talking about. When he spotted the change, he smiled.

“It's fine.” he said. “Looks like we found the solution to the problem.” he dismissed the issue. I knew that Sayoko could make this work. he thought, leaning back in his chair. While the petrifaction is slowing to a stop, will she be able to do whatever it is that will reverse the situation? he wondered. Stopping the process was only half the battle. Reversing the already-affected areas was a different issue.

“Which is why I have a back-up plan.” he murmured. Turning back to his terminal, he typed a swift message to the Commander, appraising him of the situation and making a few new proposals.

-

Ayato and Sayoko were sitting side-by-side on the edge of the pool, panting a bit from their swim. Ayato had swam faster and longer than he had ever swum before chasing the naked form of the lab assistant around the pool. Surprisingly, Sayoko had pursued him just as aggressively as he pursued her. When they caught one another, it tended to end up in something of a petting session.

Now, nearly an hour later, they were resting. Even as they sat there, Sayoko's hand rested on his hand. His dick had softened to half-stand while he rested, but when she leaned over and kissed him, it sprang back to full stand like it was spring-loaded. For several heartbeats, she leisurely kissed him. When she finally eased back from the kiss, Ayato managed an almost normal question.

“Wha…was that for?” Sayoko pretended to think about it.

“Because I think you're sexy, and all that chasing got me feeling affectionate.” she said. “And you did save us from that Dolem.” she added. Seeing him swallow with some difficulty, she reached over and touched his hard length with her fingertips. “How about it, Ayato?” she husked into his ear. “Want to get to know TERRA better?” she invited him, shifting to face him directly, her breasts pressed to his side.

Ayato paused for a split second to consider the woman's words. While TERRA was not making a good impression on him so far, this was something different. Like any teenage boy, he was horny, and Sayoko was hot. Unlike other teenage boys, Ayato had certain concerns like not getting roped into a war just because he was the only one who could pilot a giant robot. This might be their way of trying to get me to join. he realized, his dick throbbing as Sayoko began to stroke it expertly. His hormones were gaining ground on his rational mind at an exorbitant rate. Well, as long as I don't join, I might be able to beat them at their own game. he decided.

With his choice made, he smiled at the older woman. “I don't know about TERRA,” he said, his voice rough with lust, “but I would like to get to know you better!” Sayoko smiled and leaned in to kiss him. Ayato braced himself and moved his hands to her full breasts, caressing them. Sayoko moaned as he explored her breasts.

“Mmm.” she hummed, breaking the kiss. “That feels good, Ayato.” she purred truthfully. While not the most technically skilled lover she had ever had, he had a delicate touch and some good instincts. Her already-hard nipples reached full arousal within seconds. “Have you done this before?” she asked him hungrily.

Ayato shook his head. “Not really.” he replied, ducking his head to latch onto one of the woman's pink nipples. A gasp sounded from the assistant as he began to lick and suck on the hard nub. But that doesn't mean that I haven't dreamed of it! he silently amended the statement. And there were those few times with Hiroko, too! he recalled before discarding thought in favor of instinct. Pushing forward, he laid the woman out on her back, Sayoko automatically pulling him between her legs.

Quite the aggressive one! thought Sayoko admiringly. It would seem that Ayato would be more fun that she had initially thought. Leaning a bit to her side, she kept pumping her fist on his hard cock. From the growls and gasps coming from him as he savaged her breasts, she suspected that he would blow soon. To her surprise, he pulled back, sliding his hard length beyond her reach as he crouched between her legs.

Watching him, she saw him studying her bare sex intently. The woman smiled. “Like what you see?” she purred to him. Ayato nodded, unconsciously licking his lips. “She won't bite.” encouraged Sayoko. Seeming to take her word for it, Ayato reached out and touched her puffy, slick lips with his fingertips. Humming in pleasure, Sayoko waited to see what he did next. For a few minutes, Ayato simply explored her wet pussy, swiftly finding her clit and experimentally stroking and rubbing it.

Nanamori was liking this a lot. It had been a while since she had last had a lover, and she had been feeling a bit uptight, since she had only had her fingers to relieve her itch. Now, though, it looked like she would have a hard dick in her on a fairly regular basis. Feeling Ayato's fingers slip down from her clit to her leaking entrance, she took a deep breath and eagerly waited for his next move.

Ayato slowly spread her soaked lips, seeing the wet passage into her inner sheath. Just like those pornos that Mamoru had! thought the boy. It was those porn mags that had first kick-started his interest in girls. Well, that and Asahina's swift development. Ayato recalled something he had seen in the pornos and carefully pushed a finger against Sayoko's entrance. It slid in easily, given her copious amount of fluid. Pumping it in her passage a few times, he added a second, then a third.

“Ayato…!” breathed Sayoko, feeling his fingers run over G-spot on each stroke. The older woman was panting and a faint sheen of sweat was forming over her body as her temperature rose along with her arousal. Taking her panted outburst for an invitation, he withdrew his fingers, finding them to be heavily coated with her juice. Spreading his fingers, he watched the thick, slick fluid form heavy strands linking the three fingers.

Moving forward, he settled between her legs and felt her shift her hips slightly before the tip of his dick encountered her hot, soaked flower. Leaning down, he kissed her as he pushed forward, his hard length sliding into her with minimal resistance. “Ugh!” he grunted, his hips meeting her. Sayoko got her heels behind his ass cheeks and began to urge him to pump into her. With his tongue in her mouth and his arms under her shoulders, he began to move in her passage, lost in the slick, hot feeling of his first time with a woman.

“Oh, yes! Like that!” begged Sayoko, feeling a pulsing rod of flesh in her greedy snatch for the first time in months. “Harder, Ayato! Do it harder!” she growled, feeling her first orgasm approach. Ayato began to hammer into her with all his strength. Sayoko gasped as she felt his member grow slightly inside her. “God, yes!” she howled, falling into her first orgasm.

Feeling her snug glove go wild, Ayato's balls tightened in preparation for his first onslaught. Throwing back his head, he gasped, the gasp turning into a hummed aria as his eyes began to turn red. In Sayoko's still-clenching passage, a resonance began to build as the first wave of cum slammed into her cervix. Three more salvos completely filled her as the resonance moved through her bones, spreading to her whole body. When they reached her orgasmic mind, Sayoko Nanamori was rendered unconscious.

As the last of his orgasm stuffed her passage, Ayato stopped humming, gasping for breath as he slowly collapsed onto the woman beneath him. For several minutes, the only sound in the room was the panting of the young man. Eventually, he managed to roll off of her, his soft length pulling free of her slack vessel, releasing a small flood of cum. It was another half hour before he managed to sit up and look over to his first lover. “Sayoko?” he called, touching her.

Other than some soft sounds, the woman remained asleep. Ayato frowned. “Don't think that is supposed to happen.” he muttered to himself. Shaking her shoulder, he called her name again. “Wake up, Sayoko.” he said. “I don't have the code to get out of here, you know.” he added. He got a little more response from her. Deciding to be a bit more aggressive, he leaned over and kissed her.

That finally got a reaction. Before she was even fully awake, she was kissing him back. When the young man finally pulled back from her, breaking the kiss, she was awake and blinking at him. “Ayato.” she breathed, her bare chest jiggling. Ayato saw color rise on her cheeks.

“Well, glad to see you're awake now.” he said humorously. “I'm getting hungry, so what do you say we clean up and get something to eat?” he suggested. Sayoko nodded.

“Of course, Ayato.” she said, climbing to her feet with his help. As she did so, more of his cum seeped from her pussy. Without thinking about it, she collected it with her fingers and licked them clean, hungrily swallowing every drop of cum. Seeing this, Ayato felt his dick twitch. Sayoko caught his look.

“What?” she asked innocently, even as she collected some more of his cum from her lower lips and sucked her fingers clean again.

“N…nothing.” managed Ayato. “I've just never seen a woman do that.” he admitted. Sayoko licked her lips.

“Do what?” she wondered. Spying his dick, she saw it was still coated with their mixed cum. “Ayato!” she said hungrily, “Can I have that?” she asked, pointing to his mostly-flaccid dick. Ayato frowned.

“Have it? What do you mean?” he asked her. Sayoko sank to her knees, grabbing his hips with one hand and his dick with the other. Immediately, she swallowed him to the root, eagerly sucking and licking his member clean of their mingled cum. A groan escaped the young man as he felt her tongue swirl around the crown of his half-mast dick. “Fuck, Sayoko!” he managed, taking her head in his hands and firmly pushing her off his dick. “Save some for later.” he suggested. Sayoko licked the drool from her lips.

“There's plenty to be had.” she said, her eyes warm. “Feel free to have some whenever, wherever and however you want, Ayato.” she invited him. Ayato blinked.

“Rea…are you serious?” he asked her. She nodded.

“Very serious.” she confirmed, reaching for her panties. Ayato had a sudden idea.

“How about a little test?” he suggested to her. Sayoko turned to look at him, quirking an eyebrow.

“Sure.” she agreed. “What do you want me to do?” she asked him. Ayato smiled.

-

Many levels up and several over, Quon closed her eyes and listened. “Olin has broken the seal.” she said, surprising Commander Kunugi. “Yet the sound is not tuned.”

“What do you mean by that, Quon?” asked the commander, studying the strange sister of Itsuki. Quon turned one of her odd smiles on Jin.

“Without tune, music is mere sound.” she said. “Olin needs to find his song.” said the woman. The commander silently gritted his teeth.

“I see.” he lied. Would it kill the woman to give me an answer that I can understand?! he silently railed. “Here.” he said, dismissing the topic. “I wanted you to look at this.” he said, handing her a manila envelope. Taking the envelope, she opened it and pulled out a sheaf of sheet music. Looking it over, she turned her gaze back to the Commander of TERRA.

“Quon does not follow.” she said. Jin kept his face impassive.

“I wanted to know if you can play that.” said the man. Quon looked the sheets over again swiftly.

“Yes.” she said. Jin slowly let out a breath.

“Will you play it for me?” he asked her. Quon considered the man for a while, then flipped through the music once more.

“I cannot.” said the strange woman. Seeing Jin open his mouth, she elaborated on her reply. “It is incomplete.” she said, turning the last page to face him. “A wounded song with no final form.” she murmured. Olin would understand. she thought. Jin suppressed a curse word.

“I…understand.” he said. So, she has the last part. he thought. Quon seemed to pick up on the commander's thoughts.

“Quon will see if it can be mended.” she said, tucking the music under her arm as she picked up her umbrella and turned for the door.

“Wait…” began Kunugi. Quon turned to look at him.

“Ra Ra?” she inquired. “There was something else?” she asked him. Jin shook his head.

“No, Quon.” he said softly, turning to look at his bird, “It was nothing.” Seeing Quon still looking at him, he managed a small smile for her. “Thank you.” he said, seeing her slowly turn and exit his office. Sighing, he took some birdseed and fed his bird.

-

“So, what is going on that you had to drag me off for coffee an hour before my shift ends?” wondered Kim, accepting the cup of steaming coffee from Haruka. Haruka waited until her own cup was in hand, then turned to look at her friend.

“You know about the situation with Ayato, right?” began the Captain. Kim nodded.

“Oh, I saw the whole thing go down, Haruka.” she assured the other woman. “What did you do to make him so upset?” she wondered. Haruka bit her lip.

“It wasn't me.” she said, her tone unhappy. “From the moment that we were retrieved, they treated him like an enemy - against my recommendations! - and that soured him on us fairly fast. The attempt by the UN to hijack RahXephon didn't help any, especially when that Dolem hit us.” she explained.

“He pilots it, right?” pressed Kim. “And he seems to be able to call it to him, as well. We could use a robot with the kind of power he's shown us.” she noted. And he isn't hard on the eyes, either; once you get past that attitude of his. she silently added. Haruka was looking at her intently.

“That's what I wanted to talk to you about, actually.” said the Captain. “You said yourself that we need him to fight for us, rather than against us, so…” Kim interrupted her.

“I said `we could use a robot with the kind of power he's show us', Haruka.” she corrected her friend. “I never said we needed him.”

“We do need him, Kim. You saw how our best defenses didn't even slow that Dolem down. Ayato destroyed it in less time than it took us to launch the Adalon system. We need him, Kim.” she argued. Kim shrugged.

“There isn't much to argue on that front, I guess.” she said calmly. Haruka sighed.

“Not really.” she dismissed the issue. “But getting back to the point, we need to show him that we are friends, not enemies.” she watched Kim, seeing that the woman was watching her. “Doctor Itsuki has suggested that if we be nicer to him, he would join us, which would preserve the functionality of the artifact as well as give us a truly effective weapon against the Mu.” she pitched. “To that ends, Commander Kunugi has directed me to head up the efforts to recruit him. He has given me partial command over you and Megu to help with this.”

Kim smiled. “You and Megu working together? With you in command? Oh, this should be precious!” she goaded mirthfully. Haruka frowned.

“Why would you say that? Megu and I are sisters, after all!” she protested. Kim waived it away.

“Never mind.” she said grandly. “We will see what I mean.” she murmured. “You were saying?” she prompted the Captain.

“Um…oh, right!” Haruka forced her mind off the issue of what Kim might have meant by her recent comments and got back to work on the pitch. “Anyway, our mission is to convince Ayato to join us, and the best way to do that is to be nice to him.” she said. Kim sipped her coffee.

“How nice, exactly?” she asked suspiciously. Haruka plastered a fake smile over her face.

“What? Don't you think that being nice to him might be fun?” she asked.

“How nice?” repeated Kim. Haruka slowly let the smile fade into a serious expression.

“As nice as we have to be.” she said simply. Kim studied her expression. “We're not the main team, so it shouldn't be too involved.” continued the woman, her tone getting harder. “However, if Sayoko isn't able to convince him, we will be the last shot at recruiting him.” she cautioned. Kim took another sip of her coffee.

“Sayoko, huh?” she murmured. “And I take it these are orders from Commander Kunugi?” she guessed. Haruka nodded.

“They are.” she said evenly. Kim sighed.

“Ok.” she said, draining her cup and tossing it into the recycling bin. “So, what's the plan, Captain?” she asked, her voice a bit curious. Haruka laughed weakly.

“Well, I was wanting to see if you had some thoughts on that, actually, Kim.” she admitted sheepishly. Kim shook her head.

“God, Haruka,” she sighed, “how you got into Intelligence is beyond me sometimes.”

-

“You wanted to see me, sir?” asked Megumi eagerly. Major Yagumo nodded. He has asked to speak with her privately, and she had eagerly agreed. That she had a crush on him was not unknown; it was just unknown to him.

“Megumi, I need a favor.” he said seriously. Megumi stiffened into an approximation of attention.

“Yes, sir!” she agreed. The young Major smiled at her.

“I had actually planned to ask Haruka, but she seems to be off on some errand or other.” he admitted, missing the slight flinch of the younger Shitow sister.

“That's fine!” assured Megumi. “I can handle it, sir!” she promised.

“Well, I like your enthusiasm, Megumi.” he said. “I need you to help me and the Commander out on a project.” he said. Megumi waited, her heart beating hard in anticipation. I'll show him that I can handle any task that Haru can! she vowed.

“What's the mission, sir?” she asked him. He smiled at her.

“I need you keep Ayato at your place.” he said, his tone upbeat as always.

“Yes, sir! I can…WHAT?!” she demanded, shocked. The Major quirked an eye at her.

“Something wrong, Megumi?” he asked her. She swallowed hard.

“N…nothing, sir.” she said. Yagumo smiled at her, and she felt her heart skip a beat. Oh, he is so handsome! she thought longingly. Her groin grew warm.

“Well, that's good to hear!” he replied. “And it would be really great if you could be friends with him, too.” continued the young man. “He's going to need friends, Megu, and you are closest to his age. It would really help me out if you could soften his view of TERRA by showing him that we are not as bad as his first impression of us makes him think. Think you can do that?” he wondered.

Unwillingly, she nodded. “I'll do my best, sir!” she promised. How did this happen?! I don't even like that jerk! she thought bitterly. I bet stuff like this doesn't happen to Haru! she fumed.

“I feel a lot better now that you will be helping me.” Major Yagumo said easily. “He should be coming by your place about supper time.” said the man, turning toward the bridge. “Until tomorrow, Megumi!” he said, waving. Megumi slumped.

“Wah!” she said dejectedly.

Yagumo moved past the bridge and over to the lounge not too far from the main bridge. Seeing Kim sitting at the table she had been at when she first asked him to help her out, he approached her and sat down opposite her. “Well, I asked her and she agreed; exactly as you said she would.” he reported to her. Kim smiled at him.

“Thanks, Souichi.” she said, smiling at him. The man waved it off.

“No problem, really.” he assured her. God, she's so cute! he thought. Of late, he had found himself dreaming of the Korean girl more and more often. “We have our orders, after all.” he murmured. Kim nodded.

“True.” she said easily. Yagumo decided to ask her about something that had been bothering him some since this whole thing came down.

“Um, Kim, can I ask you a personal question?” he asked her softly. Kim quirked an eyebrow.

“Sure, but I can't promise I'll answer.” she replied, her lips twitching into a small smile. The Major nodded.

“Fair enough.” he said. “Do you…I mean, are you ok with this plan?” he asked her directly. Kim considered the question.

“Yes, I am.” she said at last. “It is reasonable, considering the circumstances, and has an excellent chance of succeeding.” she analyzed the situation. “And besides, with Nanamori taking the lead, we probably won't have much to do.” she said easily. That girl has `slut' written all over her, after all. thought the younger girl without malice. Kim was no uptight schoolgirl, but she had seen girls like Sayoko before, and knew the behavior patterns. Of course, that is good in this case, right, Kim? she asked herself. Then again, that Ayato boy is cute... she reconsidered.

“Is that why you decided that moving him in with the Shitow sisters and their uncle was a good idea?” he asked her. Kim blinked, then smiled.

“Partly.” she said simply, smiling warmly at some inner thought. “But some of it was just to mess with Haru.” she admitted gleefully.

-

Sayoko smiled as she moved down the hallway. Considering some of the things she had done in the past, Ayato's little `test' wasn't even on the board. In fact, it kind of turned her on. I wonder what he would say if he knew that I routinely go to work without any underwear on? she mused to herself. Then again, I don't usually have a pussy full of cum to worry about, either. she thought.

The reminder seemed to increase the feeling of his cum in her clenched passage. Feeling it in her, she smiled a bit more, feeling her nipples harden a bit. The possibility of some of the fruits of her project leaking down her legs was making her horny again. Sayoko frowned slightly at that thought.

Actually, I have been aroused since Ayato fucked me. she thought, mildly curious as to why. Oh, well, she decided a heartbeat later, it's better than being frustrated! Humming, she turned the corner and almost walked into Haruka.

“Oh! Sorry, Haruka.” she said, smiling briefly. She and the Captain had a cool, slightly tense working relationship due to the Shitow woman's prior involvement with Itsuki back in college. “I didn't see you there.” she said.

Haruka eyed the woman's rumpled outfit and the faint smell of sex. In her stomach, she felt a knot begin to form. “I'm sure you have a lot on your mind.” replied the Captain. Sayoko nodded, her smile insincere.

“Yes. Work is just so…entertaining.” she sniped casually. “In fact, my new project is likely to prove most rewarding.” Haruka's lips twitched into a taunt, fragile smile.

“Is it?” she said. “Well, I'm glad they finally found a use for your unique…talents.” she sniped in return. Sayoko's eyebrow twitched.

“Yes, well, finding the right woman for the job can be difficult with the limited choices available.” shot back the tech. Haruka's smile mutated into a brittle rictus.

“At least they found someone.” she said. “Well, I have to get going now.” she said, stepping past Sayoko. “I have to tell Ayato about his new residence.” she fired her parting volley.

Sayoko blinked. New residence? she wondered. I haven't heard anything about that! He's supposed to be here at headquarters where I can be available for him! “What new residence might that be?” wondered the tech innocently.

Haruka's smile turned vicious. “Oh, he's been assigned to live with me.” she purred. Sayoko bared her teeth.

“I see.” she said tightly, feeling an angry, jealous feeling whelm up from her belly and into her chest. “Say, you wouldn't happen to have a pair of panties I could borrow, would you, Haru-chan?” she purred venomously. “Mine were…mislaid.” she whispered sweetly. Behind her, back to the other woman, Haruka felt a stab in her chest at the words of Sayoko. Closing her eyes, she fought back tears at what the tech's words meant.

“No. Sorry.” said Haruka, moving off swiftly. Damn it! cursed the older woman bitterly. I knew that I might not be his first, but to hear it like that from her is too much! she snarled silently. If she thinks that I will just sit back and let her take my Ayato, she is sorely mistaken! she vowed.

So wrapped up in her thoughts was the woman that she literally ran into Elvy. Both women caught themselves before they fell. “Damn, Haru, watch where you're going, will you?” said the fighter pilot. Haru blinked.

“Sure, Elvy.” she said. “My mistake.” she apologized to her friend. Elvy looked the Intelligence Captain over.

“You look upset.” she said. Haruka looked into Elvy's eyes.

“Elvy, let's grab some food and some beer.” she said suddenly. “My treat.” she added. The two changed course and headed for their favorite watering hole.