*****************************

   Onboard the forward Drakh cruiser/carriers the sensor console operators 
saw the jump point forming aft of their ships and notified their commanders.

   The Drakh commanders started to maneuver their ships to bring their forward 
batteries to bear on the Ares. Unfortunately the damage to their engines and 
power systems made the attempt futile as the sluggish systems fought to respond.

   As the Ares exited the jump point, the weapons operators saw two Drakh 
capitol ships exposed broadside to them at a distance of less than two 
thousand kilometers. They fired without hesitation. The first ship attacked 
lost its stern section, containing its engines and power generating reactors. 
The second Drakh ship had just enough time to see the effects of the attack on 
its sister ship, before it suffered a similar fate. The beams from the forward 
main batteries on the Ares kept raking both ships even though they could no 
longer defend themselves. Sometime during the attack the missiles impacted 
both ships and they broke up into small pieces.

   "Navi...," began Susan. She was cut off by the navigator's response.

   "Jump point initiated, captain."

   "Very well," Susan replied, grumpily. 

   "We will be at our next jump point in ten minutes, captain."

   "Very well," she answered.

   "You don't seem too happy, Susan," noted Leftcourt, from the flag area.

   "They're taking all the fun out of it. This is akin to using explosives 
to kill fish in a swimming pool," she responded.

   She heard laughter from her contemporaries as a response. Then, she 
thought about the young lawyer and felt much better. She would get her 
enjoyment later.

   She was lost in thought when the navigator said, "Initiating jump point, 
captain."

   "It's your show, men. Show the generals how real professionals do it," 
replied Susan.

    "I heard that," came from someone behind her that she couldn't immediately 
identify.

   The jump point opened to show the space station less than ten kilometers 
away. It was virtually point blank range by outer space standards. The forward 
main batteries of the Ares were firing even before the jump point could fully 
form. The secondary and tertiary batteries that could be brought to bear on the 
station began to pour continuous streams of fire onto the station. The Drakh 
sensors on the side of the station receiving the fire were completely useless. 
The station sensor operators could not see who or what was firing on them.

 *****************************

   The Drakh commander looked at the display, such as it was and saw the 
trashy sensor returns from the other ships fade off the console screen. A 
few moments later they saw the flash of the explosions on the displays from 
their external video cameras. They knew it was over for their comrades. 
Following the flashes, they observed a jump point opening and closing.

   "That didn't take long, commander," noted his intelligence officer. "How 
long do you estimate until they get here?"

   "Ten minutes, maybe twenty at most."

   Ten minutes later the sensor console operator reported, "Commander, there 
is a jump point forming almost on top of the station on its far side."

   "She is punctual," noted the commander.

*****************************

   The station commander was in his Command and Control Center (C&CC) watching 
the video display feeds from external cameras and the displays being fed from 
what parts of the sensor network that were still functioning. The jump point 
openings and closings coupled with the brilliant flashes observed in that area 
told their own story. He sounded the Drakh equivalent of 'General Quarters'. 
The Drakh, who had taken a break during the lull, in the conflict were still 
in the process of returning to their stations when the jump point began 
forming very close to the side of the station away from the cruiser/carriers.

   In his quarters the senior Drakh official listened to the sounding 
of 'General Quarters' and poured himself another drink. He was thinking how 
frustrating it was to end his career in this manner. He took the drink and
relaxed in the most comfortable chair in the room. [It shouldn't be long now,] 
he thought.

   As the jump point reached about seventy-five per cent of its maximum size 
four brilliant beams of focused energy poured out of it and onto the station. 
They were so intense that they burned their way completely through the 
station in less than thirty seconds. Wherever they sliced and stabbed they 
severed power conduits, water, steam and sewerage lines and control cabling of 
all types. The C&CC immediately lost all power except battery powered emergency 
lighting. The station engineering officer was attempting to contact his 
emergency parties and make a report to his commander when the missiles with 
nuclear warheads detonated. In several very brilliant flashes the station 
ceased to exist except as fragments varying from dust size to several hundred 
metric tons which sped away from the center of the explosions many at many 
tens of kilometers per second. It was as if someone had detonated a two 
million metric ton grenade.

*****************************

   Seeing the station blown to pieces less than a hundred kilometers away 
prompted the paranoid Drakh commander to give the order to make for life pods 
and abandon ship. As he gave the order, he knew there would be no survivors. 
This Earthforce captain had a personal grudge to settle, and letting any Drakh 
in the sector escape with its life was not part of her plans.

   He thought about the attempt to destroy her and her last ship. They had 
failed. She wouldn't.

   "Aren't we giving up too easily, Commander?" asked the intelligence officer.

   "What do you think our chances of destroying that ship are? Give me your 
best estimate."

   "After what I have seen, I don't think we have one."

   "Then why stay and die unnecessarily?"

   "Do you really think they will let any of us escape?"

   "Not if they can prevent it, by using our hibernation techniques some of us 
may just make it. Besides, pieces of the station will be arriving in a few 
seconds. If a large piece of it hits us, survival will be a moot point. "

   "Then let's get to a pod while we still can."

*****************************

   As the Ares exited the jump point, Susan found herself and her ship less 
than a hundred kilometers from the remaining Drakh warship. The Ares opened 
fire on it immediately. Its main batteries were slicing through the hull, and 
inner bulkheads and decks like sharp knives through a thoroughly cooked turkey.

   "Captain, he isn't offering any resistance," commented the S.W.C.

   "Communications, can you shut down our jammers? Scan for life pods. They 
are probably trying to escape that way."

   "Missiles launched, captain," said S.W.C. "Trying to scan for life pods now."

   "Navigator, how long until those runaway fighters get here?"

   "Less than three hours, Skipper. We don't want to be here when they do."

   "S.W.C., as soon as you have destroyed that cruiser/carrier, concentrate 
on those incoming fighters," ordered Ivanova.

   "Already on it, captain. They're easy targets, since they are constant 
bearing decreasing range (CBDR)," replied S.W.C.

   "Well, 'easy target' them into very little pieces if you please."

   "Yes sir!" he replied.

*****************************

   The Drakh commander and his intelligence officer made it into a two person 
escape pod and launched minutes before his ship exploded into small pieces. 
Almost two-thirds of his crew managed to escape in similar pods. His sister 
ship commander was not as fortunate. His entire crew died with him and his 
ship, when they were hit by a four-hundred metric ton piece of the recently 
destroyed space station. At a relative velocity of more than twenty kilometers 
per second, his ship was virtually disintegrated by the impact.

   The escape pods were spreading out in all directions from their mother ship.

*****************************

    "Captain, we need to get closer to our jammers to disable them," noted 
Susan's communications watch.

   "Air Boss. I have a job for your pilots. I want them to launch. They are 
to destroy any fragment of the ships or station that are a meter or larger in 
size."

  "What about the life pods, sir?"

  "What about them, commander? Was there something about what I just said that 
you didn't understand?" retorted Susan.

   "No, sir," replied the air boss. Then, he began talking into the microphone 
suspended in front of his mouth.

   "Commander, make sure your pilots are aware of the approaching fighters. I 
don't want to lose someone to speeding debris."

   "Yes sir, captain."

   Susan swiveled her chair and faced the flag area. Her facial expression 
dared anyone to question the orders she had just given. She was met with 
silence for a minute, then, Sanchez said, "We haven't had a chance to learn 
from a live Drakh. All of them we have been able to get our hands on, up until 
now, were already dead. Could you see your way clear to haul in a couple of 
those life pods, intact. It would be a real boon for our intelligence people."

   "You have a valid point, General," she replied. Then she called the air 
boss on her intercom. "Commander, General Sanchez has requested that we bring 
in a few of the life pods intact. Have your men bring in half-dozen or so."

   "Yes, sir!" he responded.

   "General?" asked Susan.

   "That will be plenty," he replied.

   "Navigator, as soon as we finish launching our fighters, take us to our 
buoys. I see no reason to waste perfectly good equipment. Also, set condition 
two as soon as the launch is complete. There's no further reason to keep 
everyone a full GQ."

   "Yes, sir."

   Looking at the generals, Susan stated, "If you gents care to come, I am 
having drinks in my mess in a few minutes. It's the good stuff."

   She didn't have to repeat the offer.

   Walking down the passageway toward her mess with Charley's arm around her 
waist, Susan tossed back at the men behind her, "Since I took out five ships 
and a space station in one battle, does that make me an ace?"

   "Your crew took care of the ships and station," shot back General Ames.

   "They surely did, but I trained 'em," she replied.

   "Touch�," answered Ames.

*****************************  

   Susan was back in CIC watching as her crew retrieved the last of the buoys 
they had deployed.

   "It wasn't really cost effective, Susan, to pick up that hardware," 
commented Ames.

   "No it wasn't, General Ames, but the reason for not leaving it behind is 
twofold. First, it�ll make it very difficult for the Drakh, who come to 
investigate, to determine exactly who�s responsible for all this destruction. 
In the second place, they�ll be unable to determine what tactics were used to 
accomplish this task. I don't intend to leave them anything to work from. 
That's one of the reasons I had the life pods destroyed. There�s and old axiom, 
and I�ll paraphrase it for you, "Dead Drakh tell no tales". The other reason I 
had them destroyed is the golden rule, do unto others, as you would have them 
do unto you. They got the first two tries at doing it to me. So, in response 
to their trying to do to me, I have done unto them, to the best of my ability."

   "Yes, you have. I hope they appreciate your efforts."

   "Somehow, General Ames, I really don't think they will."

   "Captain, we have the last of the buoys. I�m going to return and pick up 
our fighters," noted the navigator.

   Susan got up and walked to the door, commenting, "They don't need me in 
here. Navigator, when we have retrieved our fighters and stowed the life pods, 
set a course for home, and make the jump to hyperspace. Also, as soon as we are 
underway for home, secure completely from General Quarters, and set the normal 
underway watch." 

   "Yes sir, skipper!" he replied, sharply.

   General Ames sat down in Susan's empty chair and looked around, then looked 
at her. "I�m retiring when we get back to Earth, this is the last time I�m 
going to get to do this."

   Susan just smiled at him, turned, and walked through the open door.

*****************************

   "So tell me again," inquired Charles, "When is this little match of yours 
supposed to happen?"

   "General Marsh has set it up for tomorrow morning, just before Colonel 
Munoz's troops start their hand-to-hand combat drills. I�ll warm up with his 
marines and then Marsh will bring in the lawyer," replied Susan.

   "And, this is going to be no holds barred hand-to-hand combat? What�re the 
rules?"

   "No rules, Charley. It ends when one of us is carried out unconscious or 
dead."

   "And, you think this is a good idea?"

   "I've probably had better, but let's face it, I should�ve had him shot. At 
this rate, he gets back alive, even if he is crippled for a while. Besides, 
he�ll have a chance to use a staff or nun-chucks if he wishes. If he grabs a 
weapon, I�ll use the denn'bok Marcus left me."

   "I understand this guy has a black belt in karate and he�s bigger than you 
are."

   "If you knew me as well as Michael Garibaldi does, you wouldn't be fretting 
so much."

   "It's been a few years since you were involved in a brawl."

   "You watched me fight with Colonel Munoz's marines. Do you think I can't 
take care of myself?"

   "They were pulling their punches."

   "You�ll just have to trust me."

   Charley looked at his wife and began to wonder if he really knew her at all. 
[Probably not,] he thought to himself. 

   "I promise not to let myself get hurt too badly."

*****************************

   Susan and Lieutenant Colonel Munoz's marines were just finishing their 
warm-up exercises when Marsh and Robert arrived. The generals had arrived 
early and watched the warm-up exercises. They all agreed, Susan looked like 
a million credits.

   Susan walked over to Marsh and asked, "Did you explain to him that this is  
hand-to-hand combat, no rules, and it ends when one of us is carried out of 
here on a stretcher either unconscious or dead?"

   "Oh yes, I was perfectly clear on those points. He wants you to sign a 
release form absolving him of all responsibility for your injuries," responded 
Marsh.

   With a wicked smile, Susan replied, "Really. Was that his idea?"

   "Yes. He insisted."

   "Did he sign one?"

   "Most certainly," said Marsh with an equally wicked smile.

   Susan signed the release form, then turned to Robert and asked, "You do 
understand that I could have you shot? In fact, I still think it's a good 
idea. We need to set an example for the rest of the troops. However, Generals 
Walsh, Sanchez and Leftcourt have convinced me that this fight is a much better 
way. I understand, that if you don't fight, they�ll court martial you for 
cowardice, attempting to instigate mutiny and treason. If you fight and lose, 
you�ll be dismissed from the service without prejudice, and if you win you�ll 
be allowed to resign your commission under honorable conditions. Is that about 
it?"

   "Yes it is," he replied.

   Susan caught his disrespect of not ending the statement with sir, and 
resolved to break every bone in his body, unless someone stopped her. The 
others noted it, but said nothing. Robert's roommates were present to watch 
the fight.

   Susan turned to the marines and spoke in a loud clear voice, "Everyone will 
clear the gym floor. This an anything goes fight. There will be no tapping out. 
The staff and nun-chucks on the floor are for the lieutenant's use, if he 
wishes to use them at anytime during the fight. However, if he takes a weapon, 
my husband will toss me my denn'bok which is known to most of you as a Minbari 
fighting pike. It�s similar to the quarter-staff. Also, as long as both of us 
are conscious, you will refrain from approaching either of us, no matter how 
badly injured we may be. This fight does not end until one of us is unconscious 
or dead. I will court martial anyone who interferes." Then she turned slowly 
and glared at everyone around the floor to make sure they understood that she 
meant every word she had just spoken.

   Charley was standing on the right side of Colonel Munoz. He said, "I watched 
her work out with your people. They all treated her as if she were made of 
crystal. She�s going to get hurt doing this."

   Munoz turned his head and looked at Charley. "You�ve never seen her in an 
all-out fight, Mister Wayne. She can take care of herself. Let me hold that 
thing." He said nodding at the collapsed denn'bok.

   Charley handed him the Minbari weapon. Munoz took it and said, "I venture 
she will encourage him to grab one of those weapons. Then I�ll toss her this 
thing. And then, she�ll beat him to death, if we don't stop her in time."

   Charley was appalled and said, "You can't be serious."

   "As a heart attack, Mister Wayne."

   "Call me Charles or Charley, Colonel. Mister sounds so damned formal. Why 
is Susan wearing leather gloves?"

   "To keep from skinning her knuckles when she hits him with her fist."

   Robert had walked about eight meters out onto the gym floor. The floor 
wasn't padded as was customary for hand-to-hand combat matches or martial 
arts practice and training. He turned to face Susan. The smile on her face 
confused him. He was several centimeters taller than she was, and must have 
had her by at least fifteen kilograms in mass. She walked toward him in a 
determined manner. When she was about two meters away he threw his first kick, 
but his foot only passed in front of her face, because she had deftly back-
stepped out its path. 

*****************************

Earlier that day:

   Looking up from her morning coffee, Susan asked, "What are you finding so 
interesting?"

   Charles, sitting at her in-port office desk, replied, "I was doing a search 
on the kid who�s antsy to kick your skinny butt. It seems that his name is 
Robert J. Arkland, the fourth. His family is awash in money and influence."

   "And?"

   "They have a lot of political clout. They could make a lot of trouble for 
you."

   "Not before I can have that worthless piece of crap they call a son shot."

   "You can't be serious?"

   "You think I'm joking?"

   Looking over at his wife, he realized she meant every word she had uttered.

   "You are supposed to fight him later this morning."

   "So I am. I can beat him to death. Somehow, I find that idea very 
satisfying."

   "You seem to forget that he might fight back."

   "Really," she said sarcastically, "the thought never occurred to me."

   "I�m looking at his records. It seems that his parents have bought his way 
out of a lot of trouble situations in the past."

   "I plan to do my damage before they have a chance to intervene. If they 
intervene, I�ll go after them. Money can buy a lot, but not absolute safety."

   "You scare me, sometimes."

   "As Kosh would say, �Good�."

   "Knowing Lyta will hire you in a minute seems to have made you a bit 
reckless." then looking at her expression, he continued, "I know. Good."

   She just smiled very sweetly at him. It made him feel like a canary being 
carefully scrutinized by a hungry cat.

*****************************

In the ship's gym:

   Susan deftly sidestepped several more kicks from Robert. She was sizing him 
up and came to the conclusion that his martial arts training had been a waste 
of time. On his next kick, instead of stepping back, she stepped forward, 
grabbed his kicking leg and quickly pushed it up throwing him off balance. 
Then, while he was off balance, she threw a short straight punch into his nose, 
breaking it and splattering the front of his face with blood. Then she quickly 
danced away, all the while leading Robert toward the weapons laying on the gym 
floor.

   "I bet that smarts," noted Mackenzie, watching the blood flow from Roberts 
nose.

   "She isn't even started yet," commented Daniels. "I've seen her fight the 
marines, she�s much better than this."

   "I think she just wanted to get his attention," said Juan.

   Robert wiped the blood from his nose on his left sleeve, and in doing so 
momentarily obscured his view of Susan. She didn't hesitate to execute a 
roundhouse kick that hit him just below his left armpit. The kick landed with 
a solid thud, and elicited a cry of pain from Robert. As he moved to position 
his arms to protect his ribs, she kicked him in the left shin, twice in rapid 
succession. Robert hopped backward and Susan kicked him in the upper right 
thigh. Robert felt like he had been hit with a club and his right leg ached 
from the kick. He quickly looked around for the weapons and was rewarded with 
a kick into the left side of his head for his efforts.

   [This bitch is crippling me,] he thought to himself. [Jesus, this was a 
mistake. Where are those weapons?]

   While he was trying to shake the stars from his head and get a fix on the 
weapons, Susan landed half a dozen kicks into his ribs and legs. Everyone of 
them brought a grunt or whimper of pain. Robert was hurt in both legs and, 
unknown to him, already had three cracked ribs and a mild concussion. Susan 
was relentless in her attacks. Finally, she knocked Robert to the floor with 
a spinning backfist to the left side of his head. All he could see were stars 
and he felt excruciating pain as he tried to shake off the effects of the blow. 
He managed to get his hands on a weapon. It was the nun-chucks. He swept them 
in an arc around himself. Susan stepped back a few steps and gave Robert time 
to get his bearings and to get to his feet, as she motioned for Charles to 
throw her the denn'bok. Colonel Munoz smoothly tossed it to her.
 
   "She�s beating the crap out of him," observed Charles.

   "She hasn't even got started yet, Charley," replied Munoz.

   "Is she impressive, or what?" asked Mackenzie.

   "You haven't seen anything yet," commented Daniels.

   "She could kick my ass," noted Juan, "with both hands tied behind her back."

   Susan caught the denn'bok, but didn't open it immediately. She seemed to be 
waiting for Robert to regain his feet and sensibilities. Her feet and hands 
hurt where she had hit his head with them. [His damned head must be solid 
concrete,] she thought to herself, as she continued to wait. [I'm going to let 
him get in a few swings, then, 'sianara senor', lights out time.] 

   "Looks like he�s going for her bait," said Sanchez.

   "He�s dumber than we thought," replied Marsh.

   "The stupid bastard is going to get up, and with a weapon. He'll be lucky 
if she doesn't kill him," chimed in Leftcourt.

   "We could always stop her," offered Fitzgerald, in an obviously joking tone.

   "Not if we want to get back to Earth in one piece," offered Ames.

   "That part isn't even a joke," replied Leftcourt.

   Robert regained his feet and made several passes with the nun-chucks. His 
head was splitting with pain, but he could focus on Susan. She had the weapon 
she had given her husband in her hand, but it didn't look like much. Feeling 
better now that he had something in his hands, he made advances on Susan. She 
danced away, just out of reach of the nun-chucks. She was smiling at him, but 
it was the kind of smile one would see on the face of someone who was torturing 
a helpless victim.

   Susan stopped dancing away and let Robert take several serious swipes at 
her with the nun-chucks. They barely missed their marks. Then she flicked her 
wrist and extended the denn'bok. The next swipe of the nun-chucks was rewarded 
by Robert feeling one of his ribs break where Susan hit him with the Minbari 
weapon. She had watched his movements and timing and hit him when he was 
vulnerable.

   Over the next ten minutes, Susan deftly beat Robert very severely in the 
upper body area with the denn'bok. She broke most of his ribs and his upper 
left arm bone. He was reduced to defending himself with one arm.

   "I think she�s getting serious," noted Mackenzie.

   "Most definitely," replied Daniels.

   "I suppose this means we'll have the room to ourselves for the remainder 
of the trip," commented Juan.

   "I do think Robert�ll be in some casts before the day is over."

   "Either that or a coffin," added Juan.

   "General Leftcourt, shouldn't we put a stop to this?" asked Charles.

   "Not quite yet, Charles. I'm sure he still has some bones she hasn't broken 
yet. She could have had him shot. I would have under the same circumstances. 
However, as much as she damages him, he gets out of this alive," answered 
Leftcourt.

   "Are you willing to wager on that, General?" inquired Munoz.

   "Actually, no," replied General Leftcourt.

   "Colonel Munoz, just because he�s CJCS doesn't mean he has money to waste," 
laughed Sanchez.

   That remark got a chuckle out of the rest of the observers who heard it.

   Out on the floor, Susan was losing interest in Robert and decided to end it 
quickly. With a flurry of blows, delivered at maximum power, she managed to 
break his right arm and fracture both his legs before connecting one blow with 
the left side of his head, fracturing his skull and giving him a serious 
concussion.  Robert collapsed onto the floor unconscious and bleeding from 
both ears, his nose and his mouth. Susan had broken several of his teeth with 
a kick to the mouth.

   Stepping away from the unconscious Robert, Susan ordered the medics, who 
were standing by on the side of the gym floor,  to get him to sickbay.

   Walking over to Charles and the generals, Susan took an offered towel, 
wiped the sweat from her forehead and then the blood from the denn'bok.

   "You�re pretty good with that thing, Susan," said Sanchez.

   "I had a good teacher, and the other rangers on Babylon 5 let me practice 
with them when I was the XO there. Since then I�ve kept myself in shape with 
my, or rather Colonel Munoz's marines. It seems to have been worthwhile."

   "You did know he had a black belt in karate, didn't you?" asked Fitzgerald.

   "You could have fooled me, general."

   "General Leftcourt said he would have had him shot under the same 
circumstances, sweetheart," noted Charles.

   "I'm going to tell you a poorly kept secret in Earthforce, Charley. General 
Leftcourt is a hardass," answered Susan.

   "Only when necessary, young lady," retorted Leftcourt. "I thought you let 
him off too easily."

   "Easily, hell! I broke every bone I could without outright killing him. As 
it is, he'll probably be undergoing physical therapy for the next year or so, 
if he�s lucky. His mental condition may take a bit longer to recover."

   "Honestly, Captain Ivanova, I've never seen anyone beaten so badly without 
being killed before," observed Munoz.

   "That was my intent, colonel. Alive, he makes a good poster boy for keeping 
one's mouth shut when one is full of crap."

   Daniels, Mackenzie and Juan watched the medics carry Robert away before 
leaving the gym.

   "I feel sick," said Daniels.

   "You and me, too, Jeff," said Juan. "I've never seen anyone beaten that 
badly before. I hope I never see it again."

   "Before you feel pity for the dumb bastard, just remember this, he would 
sell out any one or all of us to get whatever he wants. And, he did incite 
mutiny. He got what he richly deserved," commented Mackenzie. "I just hope the 
captain doesn't get in hock over this. His parents have tons of money and 
clout."

   "Somehow, I don't think Captain Ivanova gives a rat's ass about his parents, 
their money or their clout. If I were them, I'd leave well enough alone."

*****************************

   "Susan, was what you did necessary?" asked Charley.

   "You would rather I had him shot?"

   "No, but that beating..."

   "I�m responsible for this ship, the crew and any other people aboard. I 
will brook no questioning of my authority or decisions concerning any of them. 
No responsible ship's captain would."

   "I just hope there isn't too much flak from his parents."

   "Don't worry about. Nothing is going to happen."

*****************************

   "Captain, we�re ready to jump into Earth's space," said the navigator.

   "When you�re ready jump, and put us into a synchronous orbit above 
Earthdome," replied Susan.

   A few minutes later the ship settled into orbit above a beautiful blue 
ball covered with white clouds. Susan thumbed her 1MC switch and 
announced, "This is the captain speaking. For those who may be interested, 
we are now in synchronous orbit above Earth. We�re home."

   "Captain, I have Earth space control center on the horn. They want us to 
assume a low orbit. There are some shuttles full of VIPs wanting to come 
aboard."

   "CRAP!" 

   "Captain?" asked the navigator.

   "We're going to be overrun by the damned press, and every other clown who 
thinks he can make points by being seen with the brass we're carrying. Take 
whatever orbit they assign, after all, it is their parking lot."

   "Yes, sir."

*****************************

   "Aren't you going down and meet our guests, Susan?" asked Leftcourt.

   "That's your job, general. Mine is running this ship, and operating a 
tourist concession isn't in my job description."

   "Well, you better get used to it, General Ivanova. You will have to deal 
with them and worse in your new assignment."

   "I hate it when you're right." Then she got up and put on her jacket, 
saying, "Don't expect me to be too nice."

   Laughing, he replied, "The thought never crossed my mind."

   "Come on, Charley. You married me for better or worse. It's time you shared 
some of the worst."

   Together, she and Charles followed Leftcourt down the passageway.

*****************************

END PART 5

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