Written By Lisa Grey
Developed by Lisa Grey and James R. Axelrad
Chapter 5
November 2008...
Ranma walked into the White Dragon and sat down at the table that was the unofficial property of Skull Squadron.
"Hi Ranma," the young bubbly waitress chirped as she bounced up to the table. Ranma smiled at the dark haired girl whose cheerful attitude was infectious.
"Hey, Minmei," Ranma said pleasantly. "How are you today?"
"I'm fantastic," Minmei smiled stunningly as she slipped into the booth opposite Ranma. Ranma giggled as she glanced around at the other customers. Minmei would have been a fantastic waitress but she was a bit flighty, often neglecting her other customers for ones she found interesting. She had determined that Ranma fell into the interesting category. "School is wonderful. The boy's are so nice. Gee, I wish Uncle Max and Auntie Lina would let me date. I bet it's great to be surrounded by so many men all day, huh, Ranma? I think it's so cool that you're a pilot. You're the first female pilot I've ever met. Some of those guys you come in here with are so cute. Are they all nice to you? You're so gorgeous, they better be nice to you or they'll never have girlfriends."
"Um, thanks, I think," Ranma laughed as Minmei wound down.
"Oh! What am I doing?" Minmei exclaimed in embarrassment. "Can I get you something? Would you like a menu?"
"I'd just like tea for now," Ranma smiled at the enthusiastic young girl. "I'm meeting some friends here and they're dragging me out shopping."
"Shopping!" Minmei squealed in feminine glee. "Oh I love to go shopping. It's so much fun to try one all those pretty clothes..." Ranma listened to another couple of minutes of girlish gushing with a look of pure amusement on her face. For some reason, Minmei always seemed to raise her spirits.
"Um, Minmei, your other customers..." Ranma said with a large grin.
"Oh my god!" Minmei said in panic. "I forgot all about them. I'm sorry Ranma but I guess I have to get back to work!" Ranma laughed and waved her off.
"She's a lovely girl, but a bit flighty sometimes," Lina said apologetically as she came up to Ranma's table with a pot of green tea and a cup.
"She's just young," Ranma smiled. "She'll be a force to be reckoned with when she finds something to focus her."
"True, true," Lina smiled warmly. "So how are you today, Miss Ranma?"
"I'm about to be dragged out on a grueling day long torture session, if I know my commanding officers," Ranma grinned.
"Oh? More training with the boys, huh?" Lina smirked.
"Oh, no, that I could handle," Ranma replied. "My American girlfriends, who happen to be my commanding officers, have decided that my wardrobe is too limited. They are dragging me off shopping for something special to wear to a party they are having in honor of this American holiday, Thanksgiving. Apparently it's a holiday to give thanks for having food to eat throughout the year. It's celebrated by getting together with friends and family and stuffing yourself to the gills. My kinda holiday really."
"Heh, you're a strange one, Miss Ranma," Lina said smiling to take the sting out of her comment. "Most women need less of an excuse than that to go out and buy themselves something nice. You act like Minmei does when it's her turn to clean the bathroom."
"Yeah, well, I'm a bit of a tomboy," Ranma said blushing. "I was raised on the road with by my Pop who didn't have the first clue about girls. All he thought about was martial arts and stuffing his belly. If it didn't have anything to do with either of those then it was a distraction from the art."
"You poor dear," Lina said sympathetically.
"That's why we're here," said a voice from behind Ranma. Ranma looked around and saw her tormentors had arrived. "We've made it our mission to make sure she gets caught up on all the girl stuff she missed out on," Claudia grinned wickedly while Lisa's eyes danced with mischief.
"You see?" Ranma said after rolling her eyes. "I'm doomed, I tell you." Lina laughed.
"It looks to me like you're in good hands, dear," Lina replied. "I'll get you some menus and leave you to it."
"Gee thanks," Ranma said with mock sarcasm. Lina laughed as she got them their menus and left.
"Good morning, Ranma," Lisa purred as she slide into the booth beside her and gave her a hug. Claudia raised an eyebrow at Lisa's tone but didn't say anything as she slid in opposite the other two.
"You ready for an exciting girl's day out?" Claudia grinned.
"You both take an inordinate amount of pleasure in tormenting me, don't you?" Ranma deadpanned.
"Oooo, is that the word of the day, Ranma?" Claudia teased. "I didn't know you knew words that big."
"What, torment?" Ranma asked. "I'll have you know I'm VERY familiar with the word torment. It's played such a big part in my life, particularly with the both of you!" Ranma didn't mean that to sound as harsh as it did and seeing Lisa's hurt look, she immediately feel guilty.
"You don't really mean that, do you, Ranma?" Lisa asked sadly.
"No, I guess not," Ranma sighed. "You guys are my two best friends. I know you're just playing and trying to help me fit in. It's just..." Ranma blushed and trailed off.
"It's just what?" Claudia asked. Ranma looked around and then leaned forward conspiratorially.
"It's just the PMS talking," Ranma whispered.
"Oh!" the two women smiled knowingly at her.
"Okay, Ranma, we'll try to take it easy on you today," Lisa said. "I remember how bad that could get for you." Turning to Claudia, "She gets some real doozies. I remember her laying in bed all day curled up around a hot water bottle in abject misery."
"They're not so bad anymore," Ranma commented. "I do tend to get pretty bitchy though."
"I remember," Claudia laughed. "Worst mood swings I ever saw." Lisa giggled, remembering her experiences.
"You're one to talk, Miss Hayes," Ranma commented. "I remember you being pretty grumpy too. God, poor Karl. After a while, our cycles synced up and we were both hell on wheels, at least when I wasn't bed bound with cramps. We had some real screaming matches, let me tell you. Karl avoided us like the plague."
"Sounds like a smart man," Claudia laughed and changed the subject before Lisa started to dwell on Karl. "So how was training, Ranma?"
"It was fun," Ranma answered. "I didn't do as well as I wanted but I think Skull Squadron has really gelled for the most part."
"Oh, please, Roy can't stop talking about you," Claudia grinned. "He says you are the best pilot he's ever served with and we were looking at the future CAG."
"Wow, that's high praise coming from Roy," Lisa commented.
"Oh stop," Ranma said blushing. "I mean, I am pretty good, but I have my problems."
"Roy says your problems are performing down to the level of the other pilots," Claudia commented. "He said even he couldn't keep up with you in a one on one fight. He's very impressed with you. If we didn't know certain things, I'd be worried." Claudia smirked.
"Yeah, well, we know there's nothing to worry about with that," Ranma said sourly.
"Seriously, though, he wants to give you your own squadron already," Claudia said. "He's already bought your name up to the Brass and said you should be looked at closely when they consider expanding the number of squadrons."
"I wouldn't be looking for it to happen any time soon," Lisa commented. "We are barely getting enough interest in transferring to the RDF as it is. In fact the last few squadrons will be filled with ensigns just out of flight school. You would think there would be more interest in being a part of a space based unit. Most of the initial squadrons are slated for planet bound duty on the Prometheus."
"Maybe you guys should have a demonstration team like the American's Blue Angels or the Thunderbirds," Ranma suggested. "That way you could get the RDF some publicity and get people to thinking." Claudia and Lisa looked at each other.
"That’s not a half bad idea," Claudia grinned.
(oOO/Oo)
"So is there something you want to tell me?" Claudia asked Lisa casually as they waited for Ranma to emerge from the dressing room.
"I haven't a clue what you're talking about," Lisa said with a completely straight face.
"Don't try that on me, Girly," Claudia snorted. "I've never seen you this playful, and I for sure have never seen you actually FLIRT with someone."
"You must be mistaken," Lisa dismissed. "Ranma is my best friend, so yes, I'm a little more relaxed around her, but I am NOT flirting with another girl."
"Oh Ranma, that looks just delicious on you," Claudia said mimicking Lisa walking around her and dragging her fingers lightly over Lisa's hips and butt and fluttering her eyelashes. Lisa blushed and pushed Claudia's hand away. "I know flirting when I see it, girl, and YOU'VE been flirting shamelessly with Ranma all day. So spill it, is there something going on between you?"
"It's not like that, Claudia," Lisa protested. "Ranma is my best friend. Around her I just feel free to be something I almost forgot I was, myself. I'm not attracted to other women."
"Uh huh," Claudia, looking skeptical, and then got mischievous glint in her eye. "So your not attracted to other women, just Ranma, huh?" Lisa's blush told Claudia everything she wanted to know.
Seeing Claudia's smug look, Lisa opened her mouth to begin issuing denials but at that moment Ranma came out of the dressing room wearing the slinky black silk cocktail dress they had cajoled her into trying on. Claudia, who was looking at Lisa at that moment, saw the brunette's eyes widen then glaze over slightly. It took everything Claudia had not to burst out laughing at the look on Lisa's face. She looked over at Ranma who was standing before them having struck a glamorous pose that just dripped with sex appeal and giving them a dark smoky look.
"Wow," Claudia commented reaching over without looking and closing Lisa's mouth by way of placing her finger tips under the brunette's chin and gently pushing up. Ranma gave them a small smile and twirled around. The smooth raven silk clung to her curves, accenting them with shimmering highlights as the light caught the fabric. It was sleeveless with a sweetheart neckline that plunged down and would tastefully display Ranma's generous cleavage once she was wearing the right lingerie. (Currently, she was wearing a sports bra that ruined that effect.) The hem of the dress fell to just passed the swell of her calves, but it had a slit in the side that ran to her hip and flashed a generous amount of her leg when she moved. "I think we found your dress for the dance," Claudia said. "Of course, we might have to have it registered as a lethal weapon."
"Is this really necessary?" Ranma whined. "I mean I know it looks good and all, but I don't see why I can't wear something with slacks."
"Oh, it's necessary alright," Claudia grinned and darted her eyes meaningfully at Lisa who was still staring, spellbound. Ranma's gaze followed Claudia's prompt and she noticed that Lisa remained standing stock still staring at her with that slightly glazed look in her eyes. Ranma blushed and looked demurely at the floor. "What do you say, Lisa?" Claudia snapped her fingers several time in front of Lisa's face. "You think that dress is necessary for Ranma?" Lisa blinked with a start, coming out of her fugue. She nodded her head vigorously.
"She must wear that dress to the party," Lisa said firmly.
"See, I told you," Claudia grinned. "Now we just need to get you the proper lingerie and shoes for it. You probably don't have any jewelry either do you?"
"You know," Ranma said in a low tone with a hint of menace, "if it was anyone but you two, you would have this dress shoved where the sun don't shine."
"Ranma, I..." Claudia began, thinking that maybe they pushed Ranma too far today.
"No, Claudia," Ranma interrupted. "I know already. I know you are trying to help me, to teach me things I never had a chance to learn, never should have had to learn, and I appreciate that, I really do. I might have gone nuts long ago had you and Lisa not been in my life at the right times. Lisa taught me some basic things I needed to know to cope with who I am and how to fit in. You taught me I could and should still be a person, not just some biological aircraft control system. But, please, don't try to turn me into something that I'm not."
"I don't want to change who you are Ranma," Claudia said, shaking her head in negation. "I love who you are and how you dress and present yourself doesn't have to change that. Lisa and I are pushing you a bit, but we just want you to be everything you can be. We want to show you the joy and power of being the woman you are." She dropped her voice to a barely audible level that didn't carry any further than Ranma. "Even if it wasn't what you were born as." Lisa stepped up to Ranma and took her by the hands.
"Ranma, back in school, I helped you learn to tolerate it and to accept enough of the things expected of a woman to fit in," Lisa said. "You weren't ready for more than that then. You are now. Being a woman can be a hassle at times, but it can also be a lot of fun. You are a radiant creature, Ranma. You should experience the power you can have over people when you embrace that. You look so elegant and exquisite in this dress.
"You want an example of the power of your beauty? How's this; Ranma, seeing you in that dress, for the first time, I actually want to get over Karl and I would be unreasonably proud to be your escort for the evening, and to hell with whatever that says about me."
Ranma's ocean blue eyes searched Lisa's emerald one's for any hint of insincerity. She found none.
"Okay," Ranma said in a soft voice, blushing and looking down demurely once more. Searching her feelings, she found that her friends were right. If this was the power of being a woman, to ignite this sort of desire in someone she was attracted to as well, then perhaps it was something she could live with, even enjoy.
Ranma made no further protests the rest of the shopping trip. She knew Lisa was going to be making a statement about herself by being her escort to the party and she vowed that in return, if Lisa was going to be seen with another woman, then it was going to be a woman that would stop hearts and have tongues dragging the ground. She didn't even complain when they insisted she have her ears pierced, twice in each lobe.
On the other hand, she did do quite a bit of blushing when Lisa picked out some lingerie for her. It was small black and lacy, and she caught herself wondering how Lisa would react to seeing her in it, causing her to blush nearly as red as her hair and slap herself. One thing was clear, as she looked at herself in the mirror while trying it on, it would be hard for her to feel anything but sexy and feminine while wearing it.
(oOO/Oo)
Ranma stood in her living room pacing nervously. She was turned out for the party and waiting for Lisa to come by to get her. In addition to her black dress and lingerie, she was wearing thigh high sheer black stockings, the lacy tops of one of which could be seen through the slit in the dress as she moved as well as a brief glimpse of creamy bare thigh. On her feet were what Claudia had teasingly referred to as three inch fk-me pumps. They were delicate and shiny black with gold metallic tips on the narrow heels. There was a gold anklet around one ankle. Around her neck was a fine gold necklace with an opal and onxy yin-yang pendant in a gold setting hanging just above her traffic stopping display of cleavage. The first hole of each ear sported a tear drop shaped opal dangling from a fine gold chain while the second holes each had an onyx stud. Her hair, in its typical French braid, somehow looked more elegant and had a gold clasp holding it near the bottom. Around one wrist was a diamond tennis bracelet, but the piece-de-resistance was the golden dragon with ruby eyes that coiled possessively around her upper arm on the opposite side.
Ranma nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the knock on the door. She resisted the urge to run to the door and tear it open, instead, moving gracefully. She opened the door and froze as she caught sight of Lisa.
While Ranma was all darkness and fire, Lisa was light and earth in her pearlescent white sleeveless dress. The dress clung to the soft curves of Lisa's body that Ranma was so familiar with from their trips to the beach. But while those curves at the beach were raw and enticing, the dress made them breathtaking. The hem of the dress was cut at an angle from just above one knee to her mid-calf on the other side and had a slight flair to it. She had on white heels and sheer white stockings. Her auburn hair hung loosely around her shoulders and gold hoop earrings peeked out from with in it. A gold necklace also graced her long slender neck and had a gold and diamond heart shaped pendant which hung just above her more modest cleavage. One delicate wrist featured a fine gold bracelet.
Ranma blushed as she realized she was staring, but when she met Lisa's eyes, she realized that Lisa was equally dumbstruck.
"An angel," Ranma breathed softly.
"A goddess," Lisa said at the same time in a matching tone.
"Alright, alright," Claudia said as she approached them. "I hate to break up the moment, but our ride is here." She too looked resplendent in her emerald green backless dress and gold heels, but Ranma and Lisa barely noticed. They only had eyes for each other.
"Shall we go, Beautiful?" Lisa smiled and offered her arm, assuming the male role.
"I could never say no to someone as gorgeous as you," Ranma replied with her own dreamy smile and hooked her arm through Lisa's.
Roy was waiting for them beside a blacked out government Crown Victoria in the driveway when they walked out of the building. He did a double take and stood transfixed as the three elegant women swayed up to the car, heels tapping on the concrete with each step.
Claudia had to snap her fingers under her nose to break the spell. Roy shook himself out of it and looked them all over again.
"My god," he said in wonder. "You all look so...so...etherial."
"Oh please," Claudia snorted. "Those two make me look positively dowdy."
"Oh no," Roy denied wisely. "You are, all three, different aspects of loveliness, none surpassing the other." Roy began to wax poetic. "Lisa's beauty is pure and innocent, unattainable by the hand of lowly man. Ranma's beauty is that of fire and smoldering darkness, searing and dangerous yet worth the risk to tame it for the promise of warmth. But I prefer your own beauty, that of the huntress, graceful and passionate, savage yet elegant, powerful and poetic, a beauty that men have fought wars to possess. Come, my Helen of Troy."
Claudia blushed and took Roy's hand as he opened the door for her and assisted her into the car. Lisa opened the back door and handed Ranma into the car. Before Ranma stepped in, she met Roy's eye.
"Good answer," she said, smiling at him.
He sketched a bow after closing Claudia's door and ran around to the other side. Lisa giggled and handed Ranma in, not missing the glimpse of lovely thigh that briefly emerged from the slit in Ranma's dress. Gulping with the feelings of confusion and desire she felt, she walked around to the car and allowed Roy to hand her in.
(oOO/Oo)
Ranma had entered the hall on Lisa's arm. The brunette had insisted, though Ranma had offered to spare her the fall out this would generate. They caused a quiet but definite stir when they had entered together. There were about a hundred people there that had no family or way to make it to family for the holiday and every head in the room had been locked on the two women, either in undisguised admiration or surprise at the statement the pair seemed to be making.
After dinner had been eaten, Claudia and Roy took the stage.
"Hi everyone," Claudia said into the mic. "Last time Roy and I did this it went over surprisingly well so we thought we'd treat you all to a little musical performance tonight."
The audience clapped in approval. Claudia grinned and took a seat behind a piano will Roy sat down on a stool with his guitar. They proved to be accomplished musicians with good voices. Claudia had a really good Motown sound while Roy was equally at home doing folk or blues. They played a few songs, delighting the assembled group and then Claudia stood.
"I happen to know we have some real...er...talent," Claudia smirked as she looked directly at Ranma, "in the house tonight. Let's see if we can get Lieutenant Ranma Saotome to come up here and as do a few songs for us."
The audience began to clap to urge Ranma to comply. Ranma blushed and shook her head.
"Come one, people, she needs a little more urging," Claudia said cheerfully.
The applause and whistles became deafening and Ranma started to shake her head again, but Lisa smiled at her and poked her in the side gesturing her up on stage with a toss of her head. Ranma slumped in defeat but then rose and smiled brightly at the still clapping and cheering crowd. She climbed the stairs to the stage and walked across toward Roy and Claudia. Still smiling she gave a small wave to the crowd before joining the pair.
"You know you're gonna pay dearly for this, don't you?" Ranma said to the merry minstrels, still grinning for the audience's benefit.
"I'm sure we will," Claudia laughed, "but not before you grace us with that great voice of yours." Ranma kicked herself for ever agreeing to do karaoke with Claudia.
"So what do you want to sing?" Roy asked.
The three talked about it and decided on three songs that they all knew. Then Claudia resumed her seat at the piano and Ranma stepped up to the mic on a stand near the front of the stage.
"The first song I'd like to do for you is my favorite," Ranma said. "It hold special meaning for me and those that know me will understand why. The song predates even old man Fokker over there and was originally done by a band called the Eagles. The song is called 'Desperado'."
High clear piano notes began to fill the room as the applause from the audience died down. Ranma began to sing in a silky mezzo-soprano voice filled with emotion as she stood before the mic with closed eyes, obviously looking inward.
Desperado, why don't you come to your senses?
You been out ridin' fences for so long now
Oh, you're a hard one
I know that you got your reasons
These things that are pleasin' you
Can hurt you somehow
Don' you draw the queen of diamonds, boy
She'll beat you if she's able
You know the queen of heats is always your best friend
Ranma opened her eyes and smiled directly at Lisa when she sang that last line.
Now it seems to me, some fine things
Have been laid upon your table
But you only want the ones that you can't get
Desperado, oh, you ain't gettin' no younger
Your pain and your hunger, they're drivin' you home
And freedom, oh freedom well, that's just some people talkin'
Your prison is walking through this world all alone
The tempo changed and Roy sang the next verse in harmony with Ranma.
Don't your feet get cold in the winter time?
The sky won't snow and the sun won't shine
It's hard to tell the night time from the day
You're loosin' all your highs and lows
Ain't it funny how the feeling goes away?
Desperado, why don't you come to your senses?
Come down from your fences, open the gate
It may be rainin', but there's a rainbow above you
You better let somebody love you...
Claudia's Motown voice repeated the line in the pause.
...before it's too late
Ranma held the last note and as it faded the audience exploded in applause, moved and impressed by the emotional and very well done rendition of the song. Ranma opened her eyes and smiled at the crowd while waiting for the applause to die down.
(oOO/Oo)
"Chrikey, I've never seen her look quite so...so...exquisite," a certain Russ Newton said in awe as he looked at the redhead on the stage.
"Who is she, Sir?" a woman with short midnight blue hair asked from beside him.
"That, Sergeant, it the 5-42 Marine's very own guardian angel. That, Sergeant, is the Dragon Lady to whom we owe our continued existence too," Newton said reverently. "And I must say she is looking particularly angelic tonight."
"It doesn't bother you that she appears to be with that other woman?" the Sergeant asked him.
"Nah," Russ grinned. "In all the time we've know her and hung out with her, she's never shown the slightest interest in any male. We sort of figured she was that way for a while now. I'm happy for her that she seems to have found someone to share her heart with. She's got good taste to, I might add. Lucky woman, that one the Dragon Lady is with."
The female Sergeant looked thoughtful as she watched the redhead up on stage.
(oOO/Oo)
"Thanks," Ranma said as the clapping and whistling subsided. "The next one I'd like to do is a little more playful and upbeat. It's also an old song but not as old as the other one. It was originally done by a band called Six-Pence-None-The-Richer and it's called 'Kiss Me'."
Ranma proceeded to sing a very credible rendition of 'Kiss Me' with Claudia some how harmonizing with her at the appropriate times. The audience again exploded in applause.
"I'm gonna do one more then give you guys a break from my caterwauling," Ranma grinned. The crowd made disappointed sounds. "The last one I'd like to sing for you is by an older band called Roxette. It's called 'Listen to Hour Heart'."
Again, strong clear piano notes rang out, quieting the last vestiges of the applause. On cue Ranma's voice joined the piano once again demonstrating her considerable vocal talent as her voice seemed charged with emotion. This time she seemed to be singing the song to a certain brunette beauty in a white dress.
I know there's something in the wake of your smile.
I get a notion from the look in your eyes, yea.
You've built a love but that love falls apart.
Your little piece of heaven turns too dark.
Listen to your heart
when he's calling for you.
Listen to your heart
there's nothing else you can do.
I don't know where you're going
and I don't know why,
but listen to your heart
before you tell him goodbye.
Sometimes you wonder if this fight is worthwhile.
The precious moments are all lost in the tide, yeah.
They're swept away and nothing is what is seems,
the feeling of belonging to your dreams.
And there are voices
that want to be heard.
So much to mention
but you can't find the words.
The scent of magic,
the beauty that's been
when love was wilder than the wind.
It was easily the most powerful song of the night with both Roy and Claudia adding back ups in the right places. Lisa herself heard the message of the song and seemed to be wrestling with something as the audience gave Ranma a standing ovation and the redhead took her bows.
Lisa seemed to come to a conclusion and she gulped down her three quarters full glass of champagne and rose before approaching the stage. She reached Ranma as the redhead descended that stairs.
"Thank you," Lisa said softly and gave her a quick hug. "I want to do one now."
She shooed Ranma on to the table and mounted the stage to speak with Roy and Claudia. They both nodded and resumed their positions while Lisa took Ranma's place.
"Well, I must say I'm pretty surprised," Claudia announced. "Lisa Hayes has decided to try her hand at singing for us. Everyone give it up for our favorite XO!" The audience applauded.
"Now, I don't have much experience at this, and I'm certainly not in Ranma's league, but then not many are," Lisa grinned. "That's what the song I'd like to sing is about. It was one of my favorites and I think it was originally done by Carly Simon. It's called 'Nobody Does It Better', and it's dedicated to our lovely and talented Ranma Saotome."
The music started and Lisa began to sing in a surprisingly lovely voice.
Nobody does it better
Makes me feel sad for the rest
Nobody does it half as good as you
Baby, you're the best
I wasn't lookin' but somehow you found me
It tried to hide from your love light
But like heaven above me
The spy who loved me
Is keepin' all my secrets safe tonight
And nobody does it better
Though sometimes I wish someone could
Nobody does it quite the way you do
Why'd you have to be so good?
The way that you hold me
Whenever you hold me
There's some kind of magic inside you
That keeps me from runnin'
But just keep it comin'
How'd you learn to do the things you do?
Oh, and nobody does it better
Makes me feel sad for the rest
Nobody does it half as good as you
Baby, baby, darlin', you're the best
Baby you're the best
Darlin', you're the best
Baby you're the best
Ranma was blushing like mad by the end of the song and continued to blush with a silly grin as the audience applauded and whistled for both Ranma and Lisa. Lisa was also blushing as Claudia and Roy came up and each took one of her hands and bowed with her.
"Thank you, everyone," Claudia said happily. "We hope you enjoyed it. I mean, it's not often that the brass is entertaining in quite so positive a manner." The audience laughed appreciatively. "We had fun. Now we're going to play the canned music and open the floor for dancing. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone."
Ranma and Lisa declined several offers to dance each, but when the first slow song came on, Lisa, who was a bit lit, stood abruptly and grabbed Ranma's hand, dragging her up out of her chair.
"You sure about this?" Ranma asked her. "I mean we still had a little bit of deniability before but this will eliminate that. People will be talking."
"No," Lisa said, "I'm not sure about this, but I'm listening to my heart and my heart says it wants to dance with you."
"Okay, but one question," Ranma said, smiling demurely.
"What?" Lisa asked.
"Who leads?" Ranma giggled. Lisa pondered this for a moment and reached an answer.
"I lead now," Lisa said with seriousness. "You can lead the other way." Ranma gave her a heart-stopping smile and nodded as she was swept into the taller woman's arms. They began to sway about the floor with matching smiles.
(oOO/Oo)
Dictionary of Acronyms and other Jargon
(As requested by Lerris)
2IC--Second In Command
AMRAAM--Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missile
APU--Auxiliary Power Unit
ATC--Air Traffic Control
AWACS--Airborne Warning And Control System
BDU--Battle Dress Uniform (fatigues)
BOQ--Bachelor Officer's Quarters
CAG--Commander, Air Group
CAP--Combat Air Patrol
CAS--Close Air Support
CBU--Cluster Bomb Unit
CO--Commanding Officer
ETA--Estimated Time of Arrival
GBU--Guided Bomb Unit
HARM--High speed Anti-Radiation Missile
JSDF-- Japanese Self Defense Force
LAV--Light Armored Vehicle
SAM--Surface to Air Missile
SDF--Super Dimensional Fortress
UNEDF--United Nations of Earth Defense Force
UNEDC--Untied Nations of Earth Defense Command
RDF--Robotech Defense Force
XO--Executive Officer (second in command)
Angels in reference to altitude is a navy thing, and is a way of saying flight level, which basically means adding three zeros on the number for the altitude reference. (JRA)
Port--left
Starboard--right