“They’re recruiting from our prisons, Hakase?” Joe whistled low as he gave the idea some thought.

“When you’ve hit rock bottom, where else is there to go?” Ken shook his head as he looked at his second. “We’re talking about maximum security prisons where the convicts with life sentences’ and no hope of parole would be sent.”

“Right, the ones with convicts who have nothing left to lose.” Nambu nodded to the team as he pulled up a picture of one such institution. “This is one of the suspected recruitment centres.”

“But, Hakase, how could the Galactors have set up a relationship? The prison directors—” Jun started to protest.

“Most personnel at the big facilities are honest and strong people. And the management is rotated fairly often to maintain security.” Nambu agreed, as he started to flash some pictures of various directors and heads at the particular facility they were focusing on. “But all it needs is one corrupt cog with well hidden subordinates...”

The pictures stopped at two particular shots. “For the past three years, we’ve received private information at the ISO pointing to these two men as suspects at this facility; Officers Ives and Carson, second level administrators in the prison. But official evidence is lacking. The last director was close to exposing them, but had to be removed for his own safety after several failed assassination attempts.”

Joe’s eyes narrowed as he started to glare at Nambu. “You have got to be kidding me! You’re thinking of sending us in undercover? Now?!” He waved angrily at his sprained knee, a casualty of his recent spill from his last race.

Ken’s eyes widened as he too glared at Nambu. “You’re not sending Joe—”

“No! He’ll send you in instead! And that’s worse!” Joe struggled to his feet before hopping forward to shove Ken back in his seat and stand right in Nambu’s face. “Ken will not last a day—!”

“What?!” That statement knocked the wind out of Gatchaman’s sails while Jun and Jinpei’s jaws dropped at the unexpected direction the argument took.

Nambu spared a glance at the stunned Ken and gave Joe a dirty look. “I would not ask this of him if the timing wasn’t so crucial.”

“Hakase? Look at him!” Joe pointed at Ken. “You’re never going to pass him off as a—an axe murderer or—or—a psychopath who’d deserve to be thrown into something like that.”

Ryu looked at Joe then turned to study their leader thoughtfully. He barely kept his snort of amusement to himself. The truth hurts. For sure, Ken looked far too much like a clean cut boy next door to pass as a hardened convict. Then again, most of the world’s renown serial killers looked like harmless ordinary citizens too, that’s why many could get away with it long enough to be considered legends. And Ken certainly could count on his ‘harmless’ image as a great cover to protect his identity as Gatchaman.

“Now wait a min—” From Ken’s expression, it was apparent that he wasn’t sure if he was being insulted, but he did understand the assessment Joe was making was far from flattering. And he was getting mad at the idea that Joe didn’t think he could handle the undercover mission.

“What makes you think I’d try to pass off any of you as a convict transferred to the facility?” Nambu waved him off. “Convicts aren’t the only ones being recruited. There have been young men kidnapped or missing over the years, and we believe that this is one of the processing centres too.”

“This is getting better and better.” Joe was really winding himself up into a temper. “You’re actually considering sending jail-bait-butt into a maximum secur—”

“Enough.” Ken’s voice was soft, but it was one which Nambu and the team recognised immediately as the tone Gatchaman used when he wanted everyone’s attention. *Immediate* attention. Joe’s teeth clicked almost audibly as he shut up to give Ken his full consideration.

“Now then, Hakase, you said this was a timing issue, and since Joe is temporarily out of action I’m assuming that you intended to have Ryu and I go in as ‘victims’ picked up for recruitment?”

“This facility is currently one of the oldest maximum security prisons in the country and will be decommissioned in ten weeks time. Most of the convicts will be moved to a new facility which should be finished in three weeks, but some will be dispersed to other facilities starting two weeks from now.”

“So, it would be an ideal opportunity for Galactor to winnow out the convicts they want to keep and have their transfer intercepted?”

“That’s correct.”

“Hakase, just give me another week!”

“Condor, just what is your problem?” Ken turned towards his second in annoyance. “You’d have me believe you don’t think I can defend myself.”

Joe visibly winced at that plainly ridiculous idea. They never ‘competed’, but Joe knew that Gatchaman’s kill records far exceeded his. Not to mention Ken could usually pin him three times out of five. Still, Joe wasn’t going to back down on this. He’d hung out with the rough crowd and enough ex-cons to know what kind of attention a man—boy like Ken would attract in a testosterone filled environment which saw very little female company.

Dressed in his civilian gear, in relaxed and unguarded moments, with his large blue eyes and long lashes Ken could appear effeminate. It was an observation some of his pit crew had made jokingly in Joe’s hearing whenever Ken visited to watch him race or helped out in the pit. Gatchaman’s deadly grace in battle came across much like a dancer’s grace when he wasn’t in uniform.

“It’s not a question of how well you can defend yourself, Ken” Joe gritted out as he threw a glance at Ryu. “You can’t kill your opponents here and—with you holding back, enough numbers can wear you down...”

Ken frowned at him, clearly not understanding what Joe was trying to awkwardly say. “You’re not making any sense, Joe. You make it sound as if I’ll be attacked from the moment I appear in the facility.”

“You could very well be.” Joe ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

Ken raised an eyebrow at that. “I’ve handling bullying before when we were in high school, you know? And I was fine on my own at Flight School.”

“It’s not the same! Look, don’t get me wrong but—some guys—” Joe shot a quick glance at Jinpei and Jun. “I’ve heard some of the scuttlebutt around the track and some guys think—”

Joe looked towards Jinpei again and gave Jun a worried look, making her huff and pull the boy from his seat. “Okay, tough guy. I’m guessing you’re expecting me to kick your butt if you introduce certain concepts to the young and impressionable?”

“Hey!” Jinpei protested as he was dragged out of the room. “I’m not that young and I can hold my weight in the team!”

“It’s got nothing to do with fighting and technical abilities, Jinpei!” Joe called after him grateful for his absence.

*Ahem* Ken coughed quite impatiently drawing everyone’s attention back to him after Jun and Jinpei’s departure. “Has this got to do with your earlier comment of my looking like, I quote ‘jail-bait-butt’?”

Joe swallowed uncomfortably. “Er—something like that and ‘yes’ I can count, I know you’re less than a year younger than me, and we’re already half way to twenty.”

Nambu coughed as well and looked uncomfortably at Ken. “Believe me, Joe. I know what you’re getting at and if we could wait for you—”

“Well—would you all mind explaining to me why you consider Joe more suitable in this set of mission specs?” Ken gave them his wide eyed sincere look of promised violence if they didn’t stop beating around the bush. “Most of the time, we’re perfectly and equally capable of switching roles.”

Ryu sighed and decided to take pity on the surrogate father and brother trying to work up the nerve to tell their still so innocent commander the facts of life. “Ken?” Bright blue eyes turned towards him, their depths filled with confusion and a desire to understand.

“I promise you this has a point behind it, so can you tell me what comments you hear from others around us when they describe—Joe?”

Ken looked at Ryu as he seriously gave the question his consideration. “Hot?”

Joe’s demeanour perked as he caught on to Ryu’s line of thought. “And? There must be something more.”

Ken shot Joe an annoyed look. “Rugged... handsome... Masculine... Which I thought was a stupid description since you are a man.”

“Okay, that’s good.” Ryu drew Ken’s attention back to him. “What about me then?”

“Solid.” Ken told him immediately. “Strong... Muscular...”

“That’s enough.” Ryu interrupted him. Those were good enough descriptions for him to work with. “Joe, what have you heard as descriptions for Ken from around your pit when he visits you? Be honest here.”

Joe’s eyes went wide in almost comical fear as he threw a look towards Ken. “Ahh—it’s not stuff I’d repeat—”

“The truth, and don’t sugar coat it, Joe.” Ryu shook a finger at the Kagaku Ninjatai second. “Even I know ‘jail-bait-butt’s’ one of the tamest. And they only call him that because you managed to convince most of them that Ken’s barely sixteen.”

“You did what?!” Ken gave Joe an incredulous look.

“I only did that to make sure the perverts kept their hands off you!” Joe protested his innocence.

“Say what?!”

“And while we’re at it—Ken, you know I love ya. But please do not *ever* do a strip tease down to white shorts in the pit again, no matter how hot it gets.” Joe gave him a very pained look. “I don’t want to remember how many heads I busted last summer stopping guys from grabbing your ass.”

Ken went fire engine red with that statement. “I—It’s hot in the coveralls! And I didn’t want to get my white jeans messed up in gunk and oil.”

“Whatever. No tiny white shorts this summer. Someone’s going to tumble the fact soon that I’ve been saying you’re fifteen for over two years now.”

Nambu covered his eyes. And for a moment Ryu was hopeful the man was going to call off the mission and save them from the trauma he was suddenly sure it would bring to their innocent commander. Unfortunately, that wasn’t to be.

“Joe?”

Joe gritted his teeth as he glared at Ryu. “The tamer stuff will do. I’m not repeating any of the rest, especially since I’ve stopped them from using those words too.”

“Joe?” Ken’s tone was one they hardly ever heard anymore; younger, almost uncertain. “What are you all getting at?”

“Slender... Graceful... Pretty... F—feminine...”

“Feminine?!”

Joe took a deep breath and let it out again. “Ken, don’t take it to heart, but—I’ve heard it among the Galactors as well when we’re undercover. New people to the track who see you for the first time always ask if— if there’s anyone f—fucking you.”

This time Ken was left completely flabbergasted. “But I—I’m not—”

“There are a lot of shallow people in the world, Ken. What you are or are not doesn’t matter to those who are going to make judgement calls on looks alone.” Nambu strode from around his desk to stand beside Ken’s chair. “It’s what keeps your identity as Gatchaman safe. What makes you a better undercover operative than Joe.”

“But in this case, that look of youthful innocence will put Ken in danger, Hakase.” Joe told him firmly. “What he’s getting into—”

“But Ryu shouldn’t go in alone.” Ken interrupted Joe softly. “He’ll need back up and—what better cover have we as—a frightened boy with his elder broth—No... that’s not going to work, is it?”

Ryu swallowed hard as Ken looked up to lock eyes with him. “A brother’s not going to cut it in this environment. You’ll have to be a— the dominant lover.”

Joe’s eyes went wide at this. “Now wait a minute here!”

“Ken...” Ryu’s eyes widened in fright as Joe swung around at him with an unreadable expression on his face. Fortunately for them, Ken was no longer paying them much attention.

“Joe, Ryu, this needs to happen and I won’t let Ryu go in without backup. Hakase, I’m in.” Ken told them firmly.

The evening before he and Ken were to set off, Ryu sat in meditation on his bed waiting for a visitor. Joe did not disappointment him. The man hobbled into his room without knocking while juggling a pair of crutches and a six-pack. Waving towards the sofa and another six-pack he had taken out himself, Ryu got off the bed and reached for a bottle.

“Ryu...” Joe struggled to get his words out.

“You didn’t know I was Bi.”

Joe almost spat his beer across the table. “Shit! Ryu, you’re blunt.”

“Better than wasting time,” Ryu sighed as he took a swig of his beer. “And ‘no’ I’m not holding a candle for our commander, though ‘yes’ I’ve ‘looked.’”

“And?”

Ryu gave Joe a look. “You, of all people, know that ‘sexual’ and ‘Ken Washio’ are words that do not get along when he’s conscious of it.”

“Spare me, Ryu. If he was a girl at the pit...” Joe took a long swig of beer. “I could have strangled him over the shorts debacle last summer—”

“Only he’s completely oblivious of the effect he has on other people,” Ryu grinned at him. “Male or female.”

Joe sobered up. “It’s gonna be bad in there, big guy.”

“I know—least—least—Damn it, Joe! I never gave myself hope—never thought—” Ryu leaned over his knees. “It’ll be hell—letting—letting myself believe we’re lovers.”

“Ryu—If—If push comes to shove—” Joe looked at him seriously. “Promise me you’ll be gentle. *Promise* me, you’ll treat him right.”

“You don’t need a promise, Joe. I won’t hurt him. If I can help it, I’ll not let *anyone* hurt him.”

Joe stared into his beer. “The—the problem is—you may not be in the position to be of help if—if things go south.”

“Does Ken realise this?”

“He won’t care if he’s the only casualty.” Joe growled. “He— he’d just rationalize it as being for the sake of the mission.”

“Yeah... He’s stubborn like that...”

“Hey?” Ken looked upon his evening visitor around the edge of his door.

“I’ve already put Jinpei to bed.” Jun told him softly as she gazed up at him. “Would you let me in?”

Ken took a deep breath and stood aside, allowing Jun to intrude upon his ISO apartment. It brought a grin to her face to see the perpetual mess of magazines, newspapers, dirty clothes and old food cartons which Ken used to deliberately ‘decorated’ the living area. She wasn’t sure about his bedroom, or bath, but his study in sharp contrast was always immaculate. Ken had tried to explain it to them once, about his life being too orderly and his needing a place of chaos to relax in sometimes. It wasn’t something he carried over to his airfield though. That place wasn’t the mess that was his ISO apartment but a comfortable relaxed neatness befitting a struggling young pilot trying to run a courier business.

“Drink?”

“Diet coke, if you have it?”

“I’m afraid it’s probably already gone flat.” He showed her the half filled 1.5 litre bottle.

“It’ll be fine.” Jun sighed inwardly as she shuffled his things around to find a seat on the sofa. They all knew that if they wanted a proper drink when visiting Ken, they’d have to bring their own. When Ken bought soft drinks, he always got the economy sized bottles which were cheaper. As a result, unless he was opening a fresh bottle for them, the drinks were more often than not quite flat.

He handed her the glass and sat on the coffee table facing her expectantly. At the least, he waited for her to take a sip of her drink before he spoke. “I’ve heard Joe and Ryu.” He told her frankly. “I suppose it’s your turn?”

“Yes, it is, now that I’ve read the complete mission specs.” Jun set aside her drink to grip his arm. “Ken! You can’t take this mission! How could you think—?”

“Jun—”

“No! Listen to me!” She growled at him angrily. “What if it was me? What if *I* was the one about to be exposed to the same level of danger? Of— you could be raped, Ken! Gang raped even. You’d *never* let *me* take on a mission like this. Why—?”

“It’s not the same!” Ken interrupted her. “Because for you, rape could be worse!”

“How can you say—?” She was getting angry.

“*I* couldn’t get *pregnant*.” Ken stopped her rant in its tracks. “And *I*—would have no worries about risking the loss of the ability to carry a child to term.”

This instantly deflated her memorized argument on stubborn male protectiveness and out dated rape myths. She had no counter for this argument.

“Jun.” Ken sighed as he briefly glanced up at his ceiling before looking her in the eye. “I’m not trivialising the consequences to me psy—psychologically. Hakase has given me the reading material. Hell, we’ve all had the classes and lectures on sexual assault and what it could do to us mentally and emotionally. And—about the existing support groups in Utoland, because we all know we’d have to resort to those available to the public like any other ordinary citizen.”

“Yeah.” She answered, her whole being cold and afraid for Ken. “‘cause we can’t—we can’t let Galactor trace our civilian identities by using the best doctors or psychologists money could buy if we get caught that way. But Ken, support for males are—”

“Pretty abysmal.” He finished for her. “Jun, it’s not like I didn’t think about it too. And I’m prepar—”

“No one can prepare for being ra—!”

“No! You’re right of course.” He interrupted her, not willing to let her say the word again. “But this mission is *important*, Jun. Have you read the complete mission specs?”

“Ken, why do we care about the scum of the earth?!” She asked him angrily. “They’re convicts. Put away for life or more. So what if they join Galactor?”

“Jun, there’s more to it than that.” Ken got up to briefly nip into his study and come out with his briefing package. “So far, the major crime families have stayed clear of Galactor and the war. From what we know, the majority of the people in the Galactor armies are made up of Citizens of Hontworl and their allies.

“The Kagaku Ninjatai have seen and fought these soldiers, and killed hundreds whenever we take down a mecha or a base. So how are Galactor able to men these mecha and bases? They’d have to be practically striping their citizenry of every able bodied man and woman to fill the ranks, and it’s clear that they’re not.”

“So the convicts...?”

Ken shook his head. “Not yet. Including the men and women who have been kidnapped and brainwashed into service, right now, it’s just a trickle of men who are being filtered out of the prison system into Galactor.” Ken pointed to the pictures of the facility he was infiltrating. “With this particular prison being decommissioned, the Galactors have a chance to stage a massive prison break and absorb these convicts straight into their ranks. This could be the Galactor Empire’s big production to the crime families to overthrow the justice system and join Galactor who will embrace their ‘kind.’

“Ryu and I have only this chance to ‘join’ that prison break and gain access to their processing centre.” Ken told her earnestly. “If we can break up the operations and furthermore try to do so without too many of the convicts losing their life in the mix up, it’ll embarrass Galactor. And the existing Criminal empires will continue to stay out of the war.”

“Ken...”

“I can’t let Ryu go in alone, Jun.” Ken told her sincerely. “If—if anything happens to me, Ryu’s got my back. And—it’ll be an exceptional masquerade.”

“Ken!” She looked at him, outraged at his suggestion of accepting rape to better establish his undercover identity.

“I’m not going to change my mind, Jun.” He told her firmly.

Jun closed her eyes and counted to twenty. She knew well enough when Ken used that tone of voice that he wouldn’t be shaken from his path. “You’re insane.” She told him softly.

“Sanity’s over rated.” He gave her a sad smirk. “Public opinion is still out on the mental health of the Kagaku Ninjatai over the missions and stress we face.”

Jun couldn’t stand to speak any more of Ken’s misguided decision, so she decided to continue with the second reason behind her visit. “I saw Joe heading in Ryu’s direction just now.” She looked up at him, noting as she did so that Ken started to relax again.

“Probably to read him the riot act.” Ken gave her a wry smile.

“Ken—” He gave her a questioning look at her hesitation. Sometimes it killed her to see so clearly how truly innocent the older youth was. “You—know that I love you, right?”

“I love you too, Jun.”

“But do you love me the way I want you to?”

Ken cringed as he abruptly released her hands; his actions driving a sharp spike of pain in her heart. “Why Ken? I really—”

“Jun—Jun-hime...” In spite of her pain, she couldn’t help smiling a little at hearing her childhood nickname. “We were—we were practically raised together like—brother and sister.”

“I never wanted to—just be your sister.” Jun looked down.

“Like Joe never really wanted to be suddenly lumped with a set of siblings either.” This brought a grin to her lips at the memories the statement invoked. But the smile faded again with his apologies. “I’m sorry Jun-hime, but I—I don’t think I could ever not think of you as my little sister; my little princess.”

“And Ryu—is different because?”

“He has existing family.” Ken confessed to her. “We never— *shared* Hakase as a surrogate father with him. I never thought of him as anymore than a friend staying over with us when he did.”

“And so it’s—really all right for you to—ask him to—”

“Juunnnn.” Ken started to blush madly. “You’re only sixteen. Should we really be—”

“And not a virgin anymore.”

“What?!” Ken yelped at her pronouncement. “Who—?!”

“None of your business.” She looked at him superiorly. “You were away at flight school, I was really curious and had a huge crush on the guy.”

“But that would make you—?”

“Ken!” Jun looked at him dangerously, and with a saccharine sweet voice gave him fair warning. “Yes, it was a mistake to experiment so young back then. But I’m older now and legal. *And* it’s my body, my life, and *my* decision what I want to do with it.”

“But he—”

“Was younger than I was.” She gave him a wicked grin. “So who was taking advantage of who? We’re still friends.”

Ken’s eyes boggled at this revelation, and he remained in a daze until Jun shook him by the arm. “Hey—so... It’ll be Ryu?”

The blush which had been lightening on Ken’s cheeks flared to life again. “Yeah...”

“Ken, are you sure...?”

“Jun, there’s no one I would trust more. And—” Ken looked at her shyly. “I would never have approached Joe, or you.”

“And why not?” The cogs were turning in Jun’s head. “Why—”

“Because—” Ken looked at her, clearly missing the meaning of the gleam in her eyes. “Remember the day we first got our birdstyle?”

The grin on Jun’s face nearly split her face in two. “Do I ever.”

Ken gave her a sharp look then groaned as he caught on to what she was referring to. “Oh yeah... The first time we saw your nudie flash before your birdstyle appeared.”

“You should have seen the look on your faces.” Jun laughed as she mock preened. “You and Joe turned such a lovely shade of purple and I thought Hakase was going to have an aneurism.”

“Yeah, you and your bright ideas...” Ken grumped as he glared at her. “But you got what you wanted. We were distracted enough to pass over the design you insisted on for your birdstyle to focus on getting that nude transition removed.”

“Hey, you’ve got to be fair.” She punched him on the arm brightly. “It’s for the same reason Hakase insisted I have white wings too.”

“That’s different!”

“Yeah, in that he insisted on it so that in the heat of battle I could sometimes be mistaken for the great Gatchaman and thus be avoided.” Jun rolled her eyes at him. “But I didn’t want to look like a miniature version of you either!”

“And the hip high slits on your birdstyle was because?”

She sniffed at him superiorly. “Most men carry their brains in their groins. If they’re going to be focused instead on my legs and catching a flash of my panties, it makes it all the easier for me to kick their heads in.

“Come on, Ken. I was being realistic. I don’t have your skill, Joe’s passion or Ryu’s strength. I have to seize an advantage in battle any way I’m able to.”

He gave her a dubious look. “And when the tech boys couldn’t get rid of the nude transit?”

“Hey, at least they reduced it to two seconds.” She shrugged it off as immaterial concerns. “Besides, it’s not like I’d ever transmute in public.”

“No comment.” Ken shook his head at her reasoning.

She grinned at him impishly. “Okay, enough about me. What else happened that day?”

“It’s—something I only realised in hind sight.” Ken flushed lightly. “Honestly, just a few hours ago actually.”

“Don’t keep me in suspense, Ken. What was it?”

“Ryu looked at me.”

Jun cocked her head at him in puzzlement. “I don’t get you.”

“I mean—” Ken glared at her for her obtuseness. “Okay, I didn’t understand his expression then, but now that I’m putting it in another context... He *looked* at me and this isn’t like the way Joe and I reacted to your bird style. More like—”

“The way Joe’s eyes stray when he sees a pretty girl.” Jun caught on, but she was put out by Ken reasoning. “Then what about me, Ken. What about the way I look at you?”

Ken cringed at her guiltily. “Jun... It’s definitely going to be different when it comes time to—perform and I—I can’t get it up because of how I feel about you. Whereas with Ryu, I don’t need to—be arouse to— to...”

Jun’s blood went cold. “Ken, you can’t... Don’t go on that mission, Ken. Please!”

“I *can’t* not go.” Ken told her softly. “I’ll be okay, really.”

“I don’t believe you, Ken. Please!”

“I have to do this, Jun. I can’t shirk this duty.”

“Ken!”

“I trust Ryu, Jun. He’ll treat me right and we’ll be together on the mission. He’ll be my support just as I’ll be his.”

Jun couldn’t hold herself back anymore and seized Ken in a fierce hug. “As much as he can... Yes I trust that Ryu will try to be there for you as much as you will be for him. But he can’t be everywhere, Ken. And neither can you. Be careful...”

“Never.”

Jun snorted in laughter at his cheeky answer, but her arms tightened around Ken as if she didn’t want to let him go. She feared for him on this mission.

Ryu’s second visitor of the night was unexpected to him. He opened the door to the polite knocking and was surprised to find Ken standing outside. Ryu let him in and headed for the mini-bar to pull out the beer Joe and he didn’t finish. “Something I can do for you?”

“P—probably...”

“Ken, Hakase’s not going to respect you any less if you want to pull out.” Ryu told him honestly. “It’s for sure going to get rough and Hakase is having second—”

“We’d never have a better chance to get in and—” Ken interrupted him, but his head remained bowed and his hands were tangled in the tie strings trailing from his sweater’s hood.

Ryu sat back patiently waiting for Ken to say his piece. He didn’t have to wait too long. “Ryu? I—I’ve never—”

“Shit, Ken? Not at all?” Ryu’s alarm was rising as he read Ken’s embarrassed expression. “I’d have thought—I mean you were a wild kid. And when you got away from Hakase to military school...”

“I completely passed over the sex circles, Ryu. I was having too much fun in the cockpit and in the air.” Ken blushed harder. “I—” He looked up at Ryu at last. “We’ll be drugged near the beginning and—You and Joe seem to think I’m—that I’m in a high rape-risk situation...” Ken’s hands twisted at the hem of his sweater nervously. “Ryu, I— I want my first time to be with— with someone I trust.”

“Ken—”

“I—know you’re Bi, Ryu and that I’m probably not your type, but—”

Ryu placed a finger on Ken’s lips to stop his babbling. “Ken, lets not rush things. I know we’ve got to—practice our roles as—”

Ken pulled Ryu’s hand away from his lips and spoke firmly. “Kiss me.”

“Ken!”

“Like you said, we need to practice.” Ken gritted his teeth as he tried to hide the tremble in his body. “You’ve got to take the role of a dominant lover to—to protect me. So do it now, Owl. Get used to the idea and I—I’ll try to learn how not to pull away.

“Pre—pretend that I look like one of your type of—”

Ryu’s hands closed over the sides of Ken’s face. He could not help but be aware of how frightened Ken was, or of the trembling he could feel in his commander’s body. “I’ll start this slow, okay, Ken? If you feel uncomfortable, *tell* me and I’ll stop.”

“Ry—”

“I won’t rape you, Ken. Don’t make me rape you.” Ryu ordered him firmly. “‘Stop’ means stop to me.”

“That’s a lousy word to use.” Ken’s hands came to rest over Ryu’s. “Who—whoever else I’m with won’t respect it like you will... I—I can’t allow myself to believe—Another safe word, Ryu, we’ll use ‘Nambu.’”

Ryu grimaced. “Way effective to cool ardour of any sort, Ken.” He agreed immediately, then got to his feet and pulled Ken after him. “Go use the bathroom and I’ll get the bed ready for us, okay?”

As soon as he was sure that he’s safely muffled by the sounds of the running shower, Ryu flopped back on the sofa and softly cursed a blue streak. Ken had just given him explicit permission to touch him intimately; to tease and taste and—fuck him... He’d never dared to let his dreams lead him in that direction, ever. This mission was going to kill him before they started.

Ryu was already sitting on his bed in his boxers when Ken returned to the room wrapped in a white towel. Looking at Ken’s tensed posture, Ryu knew that this was going to be bad unless he got the man to relax. Patting the mattress beside him, Ryu beckoned Ken forward.

“You have had make out sessions before, right?” Ryu asked quietly as he took Ken’s small hands in his.

Ken blushed shyly. “I—I’m not entirely innocent, Ryu.”

“Then you know what’s involved.” Ryu smiled encouragingly at him. “Just that it’s with a man, and not a woman.”

“Well...”

“I won’t hurt you, Ken.” Ryu let go of one of his hands and slid an arm around Ken’s waist to pull him closer. “I’m one of your oldest friends, you can relax. It’ll be just fine.”

Ken looked up into his eyes. In such close quarters, the Kagaku Ninjatai Pilot had to observe that Ken did have pretty long lashes for a man. Still, Ken’s lashes pale against the bright blue of his eyes as they gazed upon him full of trust and acceptance.

“I know.”

The words were said softly, almost inaudibly, but Ryu heard and took that as permission to draw closer and lay a soft kiss on Ken’s lips. He drew back to look at Ken to catch his reaction for that tiny start. From the spark in Ken’s eyes, Ryu guessed that Ken must have come to some decision in his head after that first kiss. The smaller man’s eyes fluttered closed and he leaned towards Ryu again, offering his lips for another kiss. Ryu was happy to oblige, giving Ken a longer and much more thorough kiss.

Perhaps it was Ken’s nervousness coupled with Ryu’s anticipation and eagerness to know a partner he never thought to have, but impatience fairly boiled between the two lovers to consummate the act. It hadn’t proceeded as slowly as Ryu would have liked with a virgin. Somehow, Ken had managed to work him into an impatient enough frenzy that Ryu quickly had the smaller man on his hands and knees with himself embedded in Ken’s exquisitely tight ass and suddenly afraid that he may have nearly torn his lover to pieces.

Ken’s gasps and the almost crushing clench of muscle over his cock screamed to Ryu of the man’s pain for this first penetration. But before Ryu could gather his wits to think of offering to withdraw, the punishing grip over his cock eased and Ken started a tentative attempt to move.

Keeping a tight rein on his own body, Ryu carefully moved with Ken, rocking his body gently to meet his backwards thrusts. Soon though, Ken’s moans and gasps took on a different tenor and the heat between them escalated.

Ryu carefully moved Ken with steadying hands around his chest and belly into a position where the smaller man could straddle his thighs, giving him a little more control of their love making. Ken was quick to show his appreciation by reaching behind him to clutch at Ryu’s hair, and pull on it while offering his neck for his lover to ravage. And Ryu was all too eager to seize the invitation to feast upon his hitherto unrequited desire. His mouth freely roamed from ear to shoulder to nip and suck and tease uncontrollable moans of needful noises from Ken’s panting lips.

It did not take long for them to lose it, thrusting and slapping eager buttocks against firm thighs at an almost breakneck speed. Ryu barely kept enough cognisance to move his possessive hand from Ken’s belly to his cock, intending to stroke him off and hope he wouldn’t come into the smaller man before Ken hit his orgasm as well. Ryu needn’t have worried. His gentle touch was enough to set Ken off in a howl of release. And that ripple of clenching muscles sucked Ryu’s orgasm out of him, prompting him to grab Ken’s hair to turn his face towards him just so he could ravage the younger man’s mouth while his cock spasmed and pulsated within Ken’s sweet warmth.

It took a long moment for them to come down from that high. Ryu calmly turned the flavour of his kisses from hungry and devouring, to gentle and exploratory as his satiated cock slowed in its spurts of release. Ken lay trustingly limp in Ryu’s arms, responding quite languidly to the bigger man’s kisses. Much to Ryu’s delight, he made no effort to lift himself off Ryu’s cock or extract himself from the encircled arms.

Ryu’s cock was still quite firm and erect within Ken’s ass and Ken’s awakening awareness of it made the smaller man wiggle upon his perch experimentally. Ryu had to muffle his moan of arousal against Ken’s shoulder. Once would not cut it for the big man, and Ken could probably see it in his eyes when he blinked open his own eyes to gaze at Ryu.

“Again.” Ken’s tone was almost commanding, and Ryu was very happy to oblige him.

A second round was all Ken was up for. His irritating sense of responsibility curtailed any request Ryu had for more in favour of a good night’s sleep before they set off on their mission. Still, Ryu managed to get the last word on their sleeping arrangements. He lay spooned behind Ken, chest to back with an arm possessively wrapped around Ken’s waist and his spent cock nestled in the cleft of the smaller man’s ass. It was the Kagaku Ninjatai Pilot’s thought that Ken might be persuaded into a morning quickie if he woke feeling Ryu’s morning wood poking him intimately.

As he settled in for the night to bask in the afterglow of sex, Ryu gave thought to his earlier dreams and expectations. Ken certainly fulfilled them all. For all that Gatchaman was clearly a consummate commander on the field, Ryu was extremely pleased to note that he made an excellent uke in the bedroom.

Joe frowned when Ken and Ryu came down to breakfast together, but he didn’t comment on it. He in fact, steadfastly pretended not to notice Ken’s slight limp and how carefully he sat himself down at the table. His attention turned instead to Nambu who was delivering their final briefing before they set off towards the Prison centre in a car which would ‘breakdown’ just ten miles away.

It was a surety that they would be divested of all their belongings the moment they reached the prison. As such, there was no way they could bring in the bracelets or their clothes, so their armoured leathers would be denied of them for the duration they were on the mission. It was not a situation that anyone liked, but there was no choice. The most which Nambu could do was to hide tracers with concealed skin patches under their arm and along one rib. Ken also insisted on secreting at least one lock pick on their person. It was only prudent. Otherwise they were on their own.

“There’s a particular resident at the facility you should take note of.” Nambu passed some pictures to Ken and Ryu of a scruffy looking unshaven Asian with unruly shoulder length black hair. Despite the apparent lack of care to his personal appearance, he was still clearly a handsome man with a strong square jaw and aquiline nose. A long jagged scar leading from his left temple and across his cheek marred the clean lines of his face. But that surprisingly wasn’t his most arresting feature. The man’s golden brown eyes stood out, filled with the gaze of hard uncompromising experience and maturity which seemed unequal to his thirty-something appearance.

“Furikata Kimiya. He is a special— ‘guest’ of the facility. If you can, I want you to get close to him.”

Nambu actually flinched under Joe, Jun and Ryu’s glares. “I did not mean to imply anything by that!”

It took a little longer for Ken to understand what the others were on about and break into a full blush. Fortunately, Jinpei remained blissfully clueless over what the rest of the room was referring to and so unconsciously carried their meeting past the awkward moment. “What’s so special about him?”

“He is Yakuza, apparently a favourite of an influential Don.”

“He can’t be that favoured if he’s been left in the slammer.” Joe protested.

“No one really knows why he’s there.” Nambu shrugged at them. “He’s not been convicted of any crime, or charged with any misdemeanour. All we’ve got is that his Don has connections and left him there. And he’s been given privileges and facilities that are unheard of in this type of prison.

“The last Prison Director has stated that if there’s a man of influence among the convicts, he’s it.”

Ken took a moment more to commit the face to memory then nodded. “He’s probably been approached by Galactor before.”

“But apparently, he’s never accepted an invitation to ‘talk’.”

“Let’s hope it stays that way. We’ll sound him out if we can.”

“Ken?” Nambu made sure he looked him in the eye. “I’m not expecting you to— Don’t think you have to— Just— please don’t do anything foolish.” Nambu told Ken gruffly.

“I’ll think it through.”

“Ken.” Nambu’s eyes went stern as he stared at the younger man.

“I’ll think it through.” Gatchaman told him firmly.

It was clear to all of them that Nambu wasn’t satisfied with Ken’s answer, but he let it go. The others weren’t any happier, but when Ken was determined about a course of action they knew they’d be wasting their breath if they attempted to sway him.

“Then dismiss, Eagle Ken, Owl Ryu. We’ll begin radio silence when you’re dropped off with your vehicle. You have your emergency wire. And I *expect* you to *use* it if you need it.”

“Roger.” They saluted him and turned to go.

Joe caught Ken’s arm before he could leave. Anyone could have seen from his expression that he was plainly worried as he regarded his brother and best friend. “Are you sure you won’t reconsider this mission.”

“I won’t, Joe. And I’ll be fine.” Ken gave him a reassuring smile before he brushed off Joe’s hand and headed for the door.

“Joe...” Ryu slapped a hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “I swear... whatever I can do to protect him. I will do it.”

“You—took care of his innocence last night, didn’t you?” Joe quietly challenged Ryu before he’d let him leave.

“Yes, I did, Joe.” Ryu met his eyes. “He asked, and I agreed that his first time should be with someone he knows and could trust.”

Joe just nodded and let him go without anything else said. He hated the war.

Three days later, Ryu sat in solitary cursing Nambu for ever bringing the mission up and offering it to them. It was as bad a fuck up as Joe had initially feared, probably worse.

However much Ryu had spoken to Ken about the possibility, nothing prepared the younger man for rape. As much as they had anticipated being drugged by their captors who stopped to give them a ‘ride’ after their car broke down, before it became a reality it still hadn’t quite sunk into Ken that he would be helpless in an assault, nor that he might be completely alone and without Ryu’s assistance. Then Ryu had been drugged completely senseless while Ken had been dosed with a different drug which left him in a dream like state though aware of his surroundings.

Ryu had been furious when he regained consciousness to find Ken nude, come encrusted, and curled into a shivering ball beside him. It did not help that Ken had taken ill from the drugs used on him to make him compliant. Ryu had to be thankful his dosage was just to knock him out for a few hours with no lingering side effects.

Holding his devastated friend in his arms, Ryu had to wonder again at the priorities of the ISO. They’d known before setting out on the mission that Ken stood a high risk of rape, had known that it probably was more likely to take place than not, but they still did nothing to discourage his participation. Worse, Ken had been gang raped before they even reached the prison. Meeting the convicts for the first time looking like he did now, haunted, afraid, clearly in shock... The predators could smell blood immediately.

Ryu hadn’t allowed their captors to separate them again, but later dressed in prison greys and incarcerated deep inside the prison compound, Ryu was again reminded of how bad their situation was. Beside his larger muscular bulk, still in a daze from recent sexual abuse and sick from the drugs used on him, Ken never looked more vulnerable and small.
   
They were to quickly learn that just having Ken stick close to Ryu wasn’t enough. Within a day of their arrival, it was clear to them that some of the convicts intended to get them into fights just so they could be separated by having Ryu sent to solitary. Not even demonstrating that Ken could fight and handle himself alone was sufficient to stop the casual harassment and opportune flitting ‘attacks’. As Joe had warned, Ken had to hold back from his usual lethal skill and sufficient numbers could overwhelm him. It made them realise that they needed allies.

Nambu had wanted them to make contact with the yakuza, but Ryu wouldn’t have wanted to attract his attention the way they did. It about killed Ryu to have the man approach and casually point out to him his inadequacy in protecting Ken, and that they needed friends in high places; someone with clout who Ryu could trust to ensure Ken wouldn’t be ambushed and shared by the entire cell block the moment they were separated. They needed an offer like the one which had been conveniently laid out to them by this man, Kimiya.

The ‘price’ was something Ryu balked at, but which Ken was pragmatic enough to accept. And it came at an opportune time too since Ryu got himself slapped into solitary that same evening. However, even though he heard the howls of outrage and failure echoing behind him as he was marched off when Kimiya must have obviously stepped forward to stake his claim on Ken, Ryu couldn’t master a smile.

Joe had sworn Ryu to protect Ken. Yet for all his strength and ability... for all that Ken was really Gatchaman while he was the resident strong man in the Kagaku Ninjatai... He had been found severely lacking in the task. Within two days of their incarceration, Ryu had handed Ken into the protection of Kimiya, yakuza thug, and current prince of the cellblock.

The following morning when the guards brought Ryu breakfast, they had taunted him with news that Kimiya had very publically and vocally claimed his new cellmate the previous night. There was nothing Ryu could do but clench his fists and whisper apologies to the absent Joe for his utter failure.

Lights out that first night of Ryu’s sentence in Solitary found Ken in a different cell to the one he shared with Ryu when they arrived. As the yakuza had promised, his transfer was easily and smoothly accomplished seeing how the man hadn’t had a cellmate previously. As they had agreed, some hours before Ryu’s fight which saw the big man being escorted away like his attackers, Ken was now under Kimiya’s protection with all the consequences associated with the privilege.

As Nambu had suggested when he told them about Kimiya’s special privileges in the prison, the yakuza’s cell was very different to the Spartan quarters he and Ryu shared. It was, Ken recalled hearing, double the size of the other cells and specially furnished to have a queen sized bed instead of a set of bunk beds, and a separate sink and toilet instead of a combination one like the other cells. There was even a well filled set of bookshelves against the wall and a desk beside it equipped with a mini-combo and a rack of CDs. As irony would have it, aside from the lack of a wardrobe and desktop computer, Kimiya had more things in his cell than Ken owned in his own bedroom at his air field.

Still, despite the quite homely feel to his new accommodations, Ken was as nervous as a scalded cat. And the situation was so patently ridiculous Ken knew that if he were to start laughing he would be unable to stop until he cried. He was Gatchaman. He had handled greater odds in battle, faced down more opponents than was housed in the prison without fear or raising a sweat. He could kill as many men in a concerted attack in a matter of minutes. But he dared not to defend himself within these grey walls.

In the heat of battle, he couldn’t trust that he would remember to hold back and refrain from seriously injuring or killing his opponent. That was not SOP in the field. He had been trained since young to kill his opponents. One strike, one kill. A dead opponent could not get up to attack again. In his current state, still sick from the trauma of his gang rape by the guards, Ken could not be sure that he had the control to consciously hold back.

So... would it still be rape then? Since in refusing to defend himself he was then giving consent to any abuse enacted upon him? Just like he’d agreed to this arrangement to be Kimiya’s cellmate; to in effect be his bitch... Joe— Jun and Hakase would be furious when they found out what he allowed to happen to himself.

He nearly jumped a mile high when Kimiya’s hand touched him on the small of his back to nudge him towards the bed—*their* bed. “Strip, kid. Let’s see what you have to offer.”

Swallowing the bile rising up his throat, Ken numbly shucked his shirt and reached for his pants. Large callused hands closed over his, and warm arms drew him back against a muscular chest. “Slowly, kid. We’re not in a hurry.” A breathy whisper ghosted his left ear making him shiver as a stubble-covered chin rubbed against his cheek.

Under the guidance of the hands, Ken’s pants were slowly guided past his hips and down his trembling legs, leaving him nude in the cold cell. Ken could feel his face paling in humiliation and fear as Kimiya’s hands swept over him in gentle exploration. His ordeal in the truck had been barely two days past. The bruises his rapists left on him were still starkly apparent even in the darkness of the cell. And despite the long shower the Galactors had allowed him to take before he changed into prison greys, Ken was sure he was still stained by their semen and sweat; that he still didn’t manage to wash the stink of them off his skin.

A soft kiss on his shoulder brought him back to the present to find himself leaning back against the yakuza’s chest and encircled by his arms. “Not bad at all.” The deep throated purr was enough to turn the butterflies in Ken’s stomach into snapping alligators.

He was released and the hand was against the small of his back again nudging Ken towards the bed. Stepping out of his pants and shoes, Ken stumbled more than walked to the bed, then fell on his hands and knees on the mattress to present himself for his new lover. A dry chuckled and a push against his ass toppled Ken on his side, surprising him.

“Don’t be in a hurry kid. ‘sides I like to see the face of who I’m fucking for the first time.” The yakuza sat on the end of the bed at Ken’s feet.

The situation was confusing Ken. “Face to face?”

Kimiya frowned at him. “Never tried that before?”

Ken flushed, trembling in the memory of his few remembered encounters. His initiation into homosexual sex with Ryu was on his hands and knees, a position he’d been told was easiest for a first timer and which also offered the deepest penetration for the seme. He had been promised a try of a position on his back with their next time. They never had that chance. And during the gang rape—Ken had refused to tell Ryu, but his rapists had laid him stomach over the big man’s unconscious bulk.

It was less than a dozen men. Gatchaman had faced and killed more in single combat, but Ken had been completely helplessly to do anything to stop them because of the drugs which robbed him of all his strength. For over three hours, Ken had cried and writhed helplessly over his teammate’s drugged body while the Galactors took turns shoving their cocks up his ass and down his throat again and again. Joe had warned him of the possibility when he tried to talk him out of the mission. And just like Joe had predicted, Ryu had been drugged senseless so that he couldn’t interfere in Ken’s gang rape.

Intellectually, Ken understood that Ryu couldn’t have done anything to help him. Still, Ken knew it affected him subconsciously and he wasn’t ever going to feel safe in Ryu’s arms again, not like that first night they shared together.

Soothing croons slowly brought Ken back to the present, making him suddenly aware of his current position nestled in the embrace of Kimiya’s arms and chest. Ken ducked his head further into the crook of Kimiya’s neck, embarrassed and ashamed of his weakness. “It’s s’okay, kid. ‘ol Kimiya’s promised you his protection.”

Ken took deep breaths to gather himself determinedly and surreptitiously wiped his tears away before pushing himself away from Kimiya’s chest. As much as he was grateful for Kimiya’s compassion, there were still appearances they needed to keep up.

“Good lad.” The yakuza laid a brotherly kiss on his forehead in recognition of his bravery. “But we’re setting you up for a lot of pain if you stay this tensed.”

“Then how—”

“Let’s try this then, I want you to touch yourself.”

“Touch?”

“You have masturbated before, haven’t you?”

Ken blushed. “I—I’ve not exactly been—”

“Not even—What a little prize you are, kid.” The yakuza shook his head in exasperation. “Listen. Lie back, close your eyes, and do what I tell you, okay?” Ken swallowed and did as instructed, lying on his back and closing his eyes.

“Breathe deeply for me, kid. And listen. Listen to your heartbeat.” Ken allowed himself to sink into the warm, whiskey roughened bass of the yakuza. It was like being led into meditation. “Now take your right hand and touch your cock. Hold it lightly and stroke it gently from root to head.”

Ken could feel his skin growing heated as he ran his hand lightly over his hardening erection. “That’s good, kid. Just like that. Now take your other hand and touch your cockhead lightly right on the slit.” A slight moan escaped Ken’s lips for this teasing sensation. “Not too hard now. Just circle the opening with your finger. You can feel your wetness spreading over the head, can’t you?”

The heat was growing suffocating; Ken could feel his breath growing sharper with the sensations coursing through his body. “Shhh. Keep that finger circling the tip, kid. You feeling relaxed now?” Ken mewled softly, the voice was mesmerising and making him hardly aware of anything else apart from Kimiya’s voice and his sex.

“I’m going to touch you now, kid.” The roughened voice ghosted over his face. “It’s just ol’ Kimiya , no one else is here with you.”

Ken turned his face into the gentle caress against his flushed cheeks. “That’s a good lad.” The hand moved to stroke down his face to his chest.

He jerked slightly to feel something warm and wet circling a nipple. A tongue and then a sweet sucking mouth which moved to map his chest up to his neck. Ken moaned as nibbling teeth joined those lips to feast upon his neck. He’d by now completely forgotten his cock to wrap his arms around Kimiya’s neck, his fingers tangling in the man’s shoulder length hair to urge the press of the talented mouth to his throat.

He almost missed the words whispered softly against his skin. “Open your eyes, kid.” He looked up just as Kimiya settled his body on top of him, surprising Ken with the sudden observation that his legs were already spread to receive him.

It made Ken very conscious of his smaller, willowy stature in contrast to this broad shouldered giant of a man. Kimiya kissed him deeply then, distracting Ken from his nascent uneasiness of being smothered. The rub of another’s cock against his distracted him even further.

“What?” Ken opened his eyes to stare down between them. The man’s cock was, as he had anticipated, huge. However, there was more to it than its massive size which caught Ken’s attention. Along the shaft of the man’s penis were several abnormal looking bumps and ridges. That was what he had felt against his own smooth cock.

“It’s called pearling, blue eyes. In my culture, we insert a pearl or a glass bead for every year that we enter prison.” Ken’s eyes were drawn to Kimiya’s face as he grinned wickedly down at him. “It is also said to enhance the sexual pleasure of the partner.”

Ken blushed bright red and looked away, but his eyes were drawn to the man’s erect cock again. There were so many bumps on the enormous organ... “No, I did not spend that many years in prison, kid.” Ken blushed even harder as the yakuza answered him as if he read his mind. “My—ex-lover enjoyed them. And I indulged him then, inserting a new one for every half year we were together.”

“It—” Ken gulped. “It looks quite enough to me.” Kimiya did not comment, instead gripping Ken’s chin to tilt his face up so that he could claim his lips. Kissing him deeply and making Ken forget about his surroundings again.

Perhaps it was the lack of oxygen from being kissed so breathlessly, coupled with the heavy press of the yakuza’s still clothed body over his, but Ken had been completely unaware of the fingers which found the pucker of his ass and were pushed in to stretch him until he felt the firm rub against his prostate gland. A deep shaking moan escaped his lips as he arched his body against the bigger man, shoving himself against the intruding fingers. Ken could feel Kimiya smile against his skin as the man continued his nibbling assault against his neck while he firmly rubbed that mound of pleasure within Ken.

The sudden absence of fingers and the press of a cock against his ass, however, made Ken tense up again. Memories of pain and humiliation flooded him before a sharp pain in his neck pulled Ken out of his flashback. Soft lips and a warm tongue ghosted over the bite mark on his neck. “Are you with me again, kid?” Kimiya’s deep bass rumbled beside his ear.

It surprised Ken that Kimiya was already all the way within him and it wasn’t— painful. The cock inside him was just a presence, something which made him feel stuffed up and filled. However, perhaps that was because Kimiya hadn’t started moving yet.

The haze of his flashback threatened to seize his senses again, but Ken blinked his eyes rapidly to focus on what he could see in the darkness of the cell. His eyes were drawn to Kimiya’s collar and the tattoos which peeked out from beneath the yakuza’s shirt. He could just barely make out the patterns of Sakura flowers and leaves which appeared to cover the whole of the man’s back and shoulder. However, Ken didn’t recall seeing tattoos on the man’s chest through the open shirt. It made him think of a traditional Irezumi; that perhaps Kimiya kept a blank strip of flesh down the front of his chest...

It was an excellent distraction. Ken had for that moment completely forgotten the cock embedded within him until the man tentatively moved to twist his hips slightly. A loud moan escaped Ken’s lips and his eyes rolled back into his head when he felt the liberally textured cock rub him intimately. With that encouragement, the yakuza started to pull out carefully before thrusting into Ken at a faster pace.

Ken arched and wrapped his legs about Kimiya’s hips, unconsciously assisting his rapid and increasingly forceful impalement. His ordeal at the Galactors hands was the last thing on his mind now. Ken’s entire focus was on the maddening rub of that gloriously textured cock within him which was setting off vari-coloured fireworks behind his eyelids.

It did not take Kimiya very long to have him moaning uncontrollably and clutching at the bed sheets for dear life; gasping and shuddering with every thrust and drag of that pebbled length in and out of him. Somehow, Kimiya had made Ken unwrap his legs from around the yakuza’s waist, and his thighs were now in the grip of large calloused hands which were holding his knees over his head. Ken lay practically bent double under his lover. This was like nothing he had ever experienced before. A tiny bit of sense intruded into Ken’s consciousness that if he opened his eyes, he would be in the perfect position to stare around his rigid cock and taut balls to where the massive cock was plunging in and out of his ass.

Ken could feel himself losing all capacity to form coherent thoughts. The build up of tension within him was growing unbearable. A keening, mewling wail appeared to grow and resound in their tiny cell, and it took Ken a few minutes to realise that he was the source.

Ken shattered with the ghosting touch of a large warm hand over his cock head. His shriek of ecstasy cut through the air as piercing and sharp as his alter ego’s namesake. Ken was barely cognisant of anything else around him save for his spurting cock, the hot splatter of come over his chest and the mind numbing rub of the yakuza’s cock thrusting and finally pulsating deep inside of him. He came to in the warm afterglow of great sex to the feel of Kimiya playfully lapping his come off his chest. Ken could feel himself hardening again in anticipation of more activity to follow. He was quite sure the yakuza wasn’t done with him.

A light flashed over them. The call which accompanied it verified the source as being one of the night guards. “Kimiya! Shit! Did you kill the kid?! What did you do?!”

“Go away!” Ken’s embarrassed shout was breathy, but immediate.

“It was just a ‘little’ death.” Kimiya chuckled. He gave Ken a placating kiss before allowing him to hide his face against his neck. “He is still breathing, guard. Now go away.”

“Kid! Are *you* sure about this?”

“Yes! Go away!” Ken’s yell was muffled against the yakuza’s neck, but still clear enough to be heard. He could feel his face burning in embarrassment, so hot that he wondered if Kimiya could feel the heat of it too. It was not improved by the barking laugh of the departing guard or the growing cheers and cat calls from the convicts in the surrounding cells.

Then suddenly Ken was back in the truck surrounded by laughing and jeering Galactors, and he was ineffectively struggling to escape the firm hands holding him down. “Kid!” A sharp nip and a harsh whisper in his ear brought him out of the flashback to stare up at Kimiya. “With me again?”

He couldn’t speak, instead burying his face in Kimiya’s nearly shredded shirt. Warm arms held him supportively until he stopped shaking. They were surrounded by blessed silence, which told Ken much about his lover’s authority in the prison to have so swiftly curtailed the cheers and the taunting of the other convicts.

When he was finally ready to push himself away from the broad chest, a brief thought touched Ken then to wonder when the yakuza had torn his shirt. As if he read his mind, Kimiya supplied him with the answer. “You just had things a little upside down there, Blue eyes. Usually, the crying and clawing comes before the forced seduction and sex.”

Ken flushed and playfully thumped a fist on his lover’s chest. Embarrassing or not, the attempted levity drew a smile to his lips. With a couple more breaths, he regained his balance.

“We’re not done, Blue-eyes.” The yakuza caught his attention again as he kissed him coaxingly. “I have a reputation to uphold.”

Ken’s eyes gleamed in mischief as he looked up at his lover. “Good.”

With a forceful push aiding his pounce their positions were reverse. Ken looked down upon Kimiya’s shocked expression, smug at the thought that Joe would be absolutely mortified if he ever found out he had used a trick learned from him during practice to do this.

“Cause if the sex is always this fantastic.” Ken moaned as he shifted upon his seat expectantly, rapidly reawakening the cock still buried deep inside him. “I think I could really learn to like this.”

The yakuza’s answering grin was wicked as his firm hands closed about Ken’s hips.

Stuck in Solitary, Ryu could not help worrying about Ken. He berated himself again and again for not banding with Joe and being more firm in insisting Ken not take the mission. It had been obvious to Ryu the night Ken gave him his virginity that his commander was innocence incarnate with respect to sexuality. Yet in a mere three days, Ken had had sex for the first time, was gang raped by who knew how many Galactors, then been given into the hands of a yakuza to be his bitch in return for protection against being sexually preyed upon by the other convicts in the prison.

The guards had regaled Ryu with enough stories for him to understand that Kimiya had lived alone in his privileged-decorated cell for over two years, rejecting social interaction or company of any sort ever since he was sent into the slammer. Two years was a long time to be without a lover and the guards expected Ken to richly reap the ‘benefits’ of the yakuza’s undivided attention and built up need. It was the guards’ opinion that Ken’s innocence had grabbed his attention and that Ryu could expect his *former* lover to be well tutored in the art of making love by the time he was released.

The first time Kimiya fucked him in the showers allowed Ken his first good look at the man’s body. At the least, it gave Ken something else to focus on other than the ‘hidden’ crowd of convicts for whom the public demonstration of his possession was for.

As Ken had noticed earlier in the darkness of their cell, the man had a traditional Irezumi; a tattoo which covered arms, back, upper legs and chest but left an un-tattooed space down the centre of the body. What he did not expect, however, were the designs Kimiya had chosen. There was a Phoenix on his back and a pair of Golden Eagles on his front flanking the bare strip of skin.

The man’s tattoos fascinated Ken, making him think less of Ryu’s absence and instead become more aware of the yakuza’s ‘required’ presence in his current existence. Somehow, seeing the majestic eagles as he was being fucked made it easier for Ken to accept his position as the man’s lover. It added a sort of ‘rightness’ to Kimiya’s possession of him, given that Ken knew a traditional Irezumi was often a representation of the desires or the possessed characteristic of the wearer. If Ken was a romantic, he might even have thought that fate purposely caused the path of the yakuza and him to intersect.

The one piece of good news Ryu could say he received while biding his time in Solitary was the report that Kimiya steadfastly refused to share. The bit about the other convicts being acceptingly envious of Kimiya and his new lover received Ryu’s mixed feelings.

It sounded to Ryu like Ken was fitting into his role as the yakuza’s lover very well if he could be confident enough to be unselfconscious when having shower sex with an audience. Ryu really didn’t know how to feel to hear that Ken had apparently accepted and moved on so quickly.

Ten days into their mission, Ken lay securely wrapped in increasingly familiar arms with a limp cock still embedded in his ass, listening to his lover breathe against his ear. There were still a couple more days till Ryu would be freed from Solitary, but at the moment Ken felt strangely comforted and safe for the first time in days.

The subtle attacks had dried up completely after he had been taken under the wing of the yakuza, and Ken was supremely grateful for that. Given space to breathe again, he regained the balance within to take a step back and appreciate the complex pecking order within the prison.

It was fascinating to Ken that strength and fighting prowess alone wasn’t enough to gain status among the convicts. Ryu’s bulk and training certainly gave him the edge in the area of strength. And Ken knew that he could wipe the floor with any of the convicts given a chance. But their physical talents and skills had meant nothing to the other convicts.

Kimiya, however, was Yakuza and this stint in prison was apparently a period of rest and retreat for him. In truth he was expected to be release anytime he felt like finally leaving. He was obviously respected for being a part of a crime family (which Ken didn’t know anything about.) Plus, though just in his mid or maybe even late thirties, the heavily scarred and tattooed man carried with him an aura of age, maturity and experience far beyond his years which the other convicts clearly respected.

Once he got over his initial skittishness and fear of this towering man who he couldn’t allow himself to injure, Ken had to admit that Kimiya wasn’t a bad sort. The yakuza wasn’t given to being overly social, but he was a talented and considerate lover. Ken still blushed to remember that first night the whole cellblock received concrete proof of Kimiya’s skill when he took a nervous and frightened Ken to bed and had him screaming with pleasure less than an hour later. Additionally, over the entire period of their association the man had been like a rock to Ken. He was supportive and always subtly comforted Ken through the flashbacks and nightmares which still plagued his days and nights.

Earlier that night, Ken had finally worked up the courage to ask the unsocial yakuza why he had offered Ken his protection. Ken hadn’t expected to be told that he resembled a dead lover. And he understood then that Kimiya was treating him as such to recapture old cherished memories. However, Ken couldn’t be sure about his own feelings and reactions regarding this piece of information. He wasn’t sure if he was glad or not to be considered just a substitute and not have to worry about the yakuza becoming attached to him.

After ten days, Ryu came out of Solitary anxious to find out how Ken was coping. Spotting Ryu’s return to the common area, Kimiya had given his friend a gentle nudge to approach and let Ryu inspect him, which the big man did by gripping Ken’s face to look in his eyes. His commander looked back at him, offering him an encouraging smile before shaking Ryu’s hands off and ‘obediently’ returning to Kimiya’s side while pulling Ryu along.

The yakuza gave Ryu an acknowledging nod then snaked an arm around Ken’s waist possessively, clearly reasserting his claim. Ryu took a deep breath and accepted it, burying all hope he had earlier tried to keep alive that he could just take responsibility over Ken back with his return. If Ken had indicated reluctance, Ryu might have tried to challenge the yakuza for him. But his friend appeared to be at peace where he was snuggled against the towering man’s side. It contrasted sharply with his last memory of how haunted and agitated the younger man had looked when they were separated.

Like it as not to admit it Ryu had to recognise that in his absence the yakuza took better care of Ken than he could have ever hoped for. So— Ken was to remain the yakuza’s cellmate and lover. This was just how it had to be until the mission was over; until they got out of there...

Ken couldn’t begin to describe the turmoil in his head and heart to have Kimiya hold him possessively in front of Ryu. He couldn’t even be sure what he had been expecting on the day of Ryu’s release from Solitary.

Given what Kimiya had told him about his resemblance to a dead lover, Ken truly thought he had just been a temporary distraction for the yakuza. Now though, Kimiya had distinctly staked his claim right after he allowed Ken to greet Ryu on his return.

Ken didn’t know if he should be dismayed or elated that Kimiya wanted him to remain by his side. Guilt certainly ate at Ken for the tiny flutter of joy in his heart which responded to the idea that the yakuza might actually be attached to him.

As for Ryu... Ken knew he was being grossly unfair, but though he didn’t blame his friend for not being able to lift a finger while he was raped, Ken also knew his faith in the man had been badly shaken. He couldn’t forget that Ryu had been just as helpless as he was during the assault. Furthermore, as soon as they entered the prison it had become very quickly obvious that Ryu was inadequate to watch Ken’s back while he was still unsteady and reeling from his earlier ordeal. Unfortunate as it was, Ken didn’t feel safe with Ryu anymore; at least not on this current mission and in their present environment.

A light tremor gripped Ken’s frame, prompting Kimiya to pull him up on his lap. As usual, the yakuza did so without fanfare and the other convicts used to his possessive ways paid little notice to them. However, it of course grabbed Ryu’s attention, so all eyes were on him for his reaction. It was an excellent distraction ensuring Ken’s sudden uncontrollable shivering went unnoticed.

Whatever you could say about Ryu, he wasn’t slow. He had noticed Ken’s eyes go blank and the man start to tremble. So he quickly caught on to Kimiya’s actual intention but played up the role of a frustrated ex-lover afraid to challenge the superior party. At the end of the day, the situation worked out well to Ryu’s advantage to attract the kind of attention he and Ken were at the prison to meet.

The stage was set now, and Ryu had to privately marvel at how air tight their covers had become. Still, Ryu thought the price Ken paid for it was much too high. And if Ryu had any say in it, they were never going to allow their commander make that great a sacrifice again.

As much as he couldn’t stand to see Ken relegated to a position of the yakuza’s bitch, to be fair, Ryu couldn’t say that Kimiya wasn’t good to Ken. He clearly brooked no ill treatment of his lover, and Ryu was thankful that for the most part, Ken was left alone. The man was also protective and possessive, and he was not shy about demonstrating this behaviour. He proved it often enough when Ken had a sudden flashback or appeared agitated by his surroundings. Before it’d get too noticeable, Kimiya would have caught the smaller man about the waist to pull him into a one armed hug, or deposited him on his lap where Ken could snuggle against his broad chest without anyone noticing the tremors which would occasionally grip his frame.

Still, it was difficult for Ryu to turn a deaf ear to the envious gossip regarding the pair’s sex-ploits. And harder yet to avoid the voyeuristic thrill of watching the yakuza fuck Ken at various public and secluded locations in the prison. It was practically a game among the convicts to find the pair when they frequently slipped away during the day. It made Ryu think back to the guards’ comments that Kimiya hadn’t taken any company for over two years and was making up for loss time. His stamina was certainly greatly admired among the convicts. As was Ken’s for keeping up with him.

On the upside, his inclusion in the ranks of the convicts to indulge in this daily peep show gave Ryu some relief that he had been accepted by the convicts. Still, he rather hoped the Galactor agents would make their move soon. Maintaining an expression of heartache as he watched someone else making love to Ken was not difficult. And it really was killing him to carry on with this charade.

In his weak moments, Ryu could imagine himself as Ken’s partner instead of Kimiya. That he was the one causing Ken’s nightly moans of orgasm. Or the one often covertly watched as he fucked Ken at several areas in the prison compound; the one— responsible for Ken’s current shy smiles and glowing radiance.

However, if he was to be brutally honest with himself, Ryu knew that Ken would never be his now; especially not after his failure to protect him like he had promised. If anything, Ryu had to count himself fortunate that he was gifted with Ken’s first time.

The entire situation sucked. Ryu wanted this mission over so that he could flee from his commander and nevermore be faced by the temptation of having him as a lover. And so that he could escape the daily confrontation of the fact that in reality someone else enjoyed this position.

“Kimiya? Officer Ives is looking for you.” One of the guards stepped up to where the yakuza was working out at a weight machine with Ken spotting for him.

“Told him before. ‘m not interested.” The scarred man muttered, not even deigning to look at the guard.

“He said that you’d want to talk to him this time.” The guard shrugged. “He also said to bring the kid.”

Kimiya dropped the weights on the stand and glared at the guard while Ken nervously passed him a towel to wipe away his sweat. “I’ll come, but the kid doesn’t need to.”

Kimiya pulled Ken into the showers with him when he returned from his conference. After nearly three weeks as his lover Ken was used to his moods and needs, letting the man ravish him hard and sweet against the tiles. The yakuza would talk when he was ready, though showing some consideration always made him loosen his tongue a little faster.

“I—Have I caused you some problems?” Ken asked softly shortly after they finished up with the man’s face buried in his neck and his back still plastered against the wall.

“The prick thinks he can use you.” Kimiya lifted his head to look at Ken.

“Why? And how?” Despite being an inexperienced virgin thee weeks earlier, Ken had always proved to be a fast learner and he showed off his new skills now as he leaned forward to kiss Kimiya’s eyes then nose, moving down to his mouth. “Like—like I’ve told everyone, I’m not in the system. It’s—it’s all been some horrible mistake. He’s got nothing on me.”

“That just means you’ll eventually be let out.” Kimiya’s arms tightened around Ken’s waist, his strong arms sliding Ken’s pliant body down again to have his renewed erection enter Ken’s body once more.

Ken’s arms unconsciously wrapped around Kimiya’s neck. “Kimiya?” This was unthinkable. It stunned Ken that the yakuza was forming an attachment to him and—just what did he really think about it?

Fingers combed into Ken’s short hair to pull his head back, and Kimiya’s lips were on his, the yakuza’s tongue insistent and possessive of Ken’s mouth. Ken’s legs automatically wrapped around his lover’s hips as the yakuza started a sweet rhythm driving him mad. “And I don’t think you want to leave me either—as much as you may earlier have thought you wanted to.”

Ken couldn’t help his tears of confusion. He didn’t understand what was happening to his emotions. He was Gatchaman. This was just a mission, why was he feeling pain inside of him at the idea of leaving the yakuza.

The next time Kimiya went off for a conference, Ryu came looking for Ken. The big man found him sitting on the queen sized bed with his arms wrapped around his legs.

“Ives approached Kimiya.”

“Carson approached me.”

Ken buried his face in his knees and started giggling almost hysterically. “L—let me guess, h—he offered to help you get me out of this hell hole too, a—and promised that I’d be yours again.”

Ryu flushed guiltily at the statement. After these few weeks, it was clear enough to them that if Ryu had been alone, or even if Joe had been on the mission instead of Ken, they’d never have been approached or accepted so quickly. Ryu even began to doubt they would have made it into the prison. Ken’s looks and vulnerability was a prize the Galactors liked and gleefully exploited to the max. Ryu was quite sure Kimiya and he weren’t the only two to be offered Ken’s pleasures as a reward.

“Kimiya was the last holdout. Galactor wants commanders and his influence in his organization more than they want cannon fodder.”

Ryu’s statement did nothing to halt Ken’s laughter. “I c—can’t see Kimiya in a fish head get up.”

“Is that what Galactor fashion is like?”

The two swung their heads to look upon the yakuza standing at the door to the cell. Ken flushed guiltily at Ryu. “I—I thought you were talking with Ives.”

“Said ‘yes.’ Then came back to talk to you two.” Kimiya shrugged and motioned for them to drop their voices while he reached for and turned up the volume of his CD player. “I think it’s time you kiddies came clean with me. Why are you here exactly, kid?”

“I am nearly *twenty*, you know?” Ken glared at him irritably.

“And I was already a yakuza enforcer when you were still in diapers.” Kimiya smiled at him condescendingly. “Out with it, Blue-eyes. You’re not just a pair of kids accidentally shuffled into this prison yard.”

At lights out, Ryu had to return to his cell and Kimiya’s hand on Ken’s shoulder turned him towards their bed. He pulled Ken’s back against his chest and started stripping him, much like he did every night. “Let’s just say—I believe that you kids—are ISO agents like you said.” Kimiya whispered against Ken’s ear between licks and nibbles which he knew drove his lover wild with need. “That—I could believe, your bosses—were so arsed faced as to deliberately send a kid—looking like you—into a situation where—he was practically guaranteed to get raped.”

Ken shivered as he turned within the encirclement of Kimiya’s arms to bury his head under the man’s chin. “They warned me, but— I agreed. Wasn’t it good— cover? Galactor would never have suspected I’d deliberately choose to be—that anyone would agree to be raped.”

Kimiya picked him up and laid him on the bed. “Was a stupid stunt, kid. If I hadn’t claimed you, you could have been gang raped on a daily basis.”

“I know that now.” Ken confessed softly, arching his body into the yakuza’s as he settled over him. His arms reached around to encircle Kimiya’s neck and pull him into a kiss.

“You’re good, kid.” Kimiya broke the breath stealing kiss to murmur against his lips. “You nearly distracted me.”

“From?” Ken moved in again, reluctant to relinquish the older man’s lips.

“You—left out something—when you told me your mission.” Kimiya didn’t bother with further preparation beyond smearing his pre-come on his cock and at Ken’s opening, and began pushing steadily into his welcoming heat. They’d done this frequently enough that Ken didn’t needed to be stretched every time Kimiya wanted sex. Ken could even handle taking Kimiya dry if he was particularly impatient. “What— didn’t you tell me, kid?”

“U—under oath n—n—not to tell.” The filling heat and long rough slide against his prostate was almost making it impossible for Ken to think coherently. Gods did he *love* the man’s pearling decorated cock. “Kimiya— please— don’t—”

“Suppose I can respect that.” Kimiya’s mouth covered Ken’s again and they said no more that night.

Two days later, the air bus was there to pick up the prisoners for the transfer. Per normal procedure, all prisoners were secured in wrist cuffs and leg irons before being escorted aboard.

Kimiya kept Ken near him. Officer Ives may have made a deal with him, but the yakuza didn’t believe the man above double crossing him and stealing Ken away. As the newest bit of ass in the slab ‘prematurely’ claimed before anyone had a chance to share and taste him, Kimiya knew that his young lover was a ‘hot’ piece of commodity.

There was also an additional concern regarding the guards which stiffened Ryu’s shoulders and prompted Ken to move even closer to Kimiya. The yakuza made sure to memorize the faces of this set of guards and ensure he never allowed them near his lover.

Half an hour into their flight to the new facility, Galactor made their move and the whole party of over two hundred convicts and Galactor agents felt the shudder of grapplers clamping over the body of the plane to pull it into the awaiting mecha. Amid the resulting cheers of the convicts who were expecting the ‘rescue’, Ken felt the eyes of the rapist guards on him again. He just knew that they’d try something as soon as they were herded off the plane. Keeping his bound hands close to his body, Ken loosened a few buttons on his shirt and reached for the patch of fake skin under his rib.

Joe sat in his trailer rubbing his now fully healed knee and brooding. He stared hard at his bracelet, which he had taken off and placed on his coffee table, as if he could will it to come alive.

This was the part he hated the most about undercover missions. Especially the undercover missions Nambu would so frequently send Ken out on with someone other than him. This mission though was a hundred times more nerve wracking than any other mission he could ever remember. Even Nambu was looking guilty and miserable in the radio silence which followed Ken and Ryu setting off to be deliberately captured.

And at the end of the day, why did the ISO care so much about the dregs of society, Joe snorted to himself? What did he care if the sod in the Galactor uniform was a citizen of Hontwol or a convict? The way Joe saw it, if they didn’t want Galactor recruiting from the ranks of earth’s convicts, a bird missile could easily take care of any prison transport which dared to stray. They didn’t need to send Ken into the pit of voles.

God damn it, if it had been Jun at risk, no one, not especially Ken, Joe or Ryu, would have allowed Nambu to persuade them to send her into a situation where she might be required to have sex with a target, or have it forced upon her. So why then had they allowed Ken to go off on a mission where he was even more vulnerable? Just what the hell had they been thinking...

The communicator on the bracelet started to blink and Joe sprung into action, grabbing it off the table and strapping it on immediately. “It’s about fucking time!” He called into the communicator as he flung the tarp off the G2.

“Good to hear from you too, Asakura.” Nambu’s bland voice answered him. “Ken’s signalled us and I’m having the course sent to the phoenix. Jun should have a heading for you by the time you get here.”

“Fuck!” Joe turned the G2 around with a squeal of tires and a billowing cloud of dust. He’d about forgotten neither Ryu nor Ken were there to pilot the God Phoenix to pick him up per normal; yet another fucking reason why Ken shouldn’t have been sent off with Ryu. Joe was the backup pilot after them. This detour was going to add a half hour to their team up time. “Fuck!”

“Move it along. We’ll have the cuffs off and uniforms ready for you at the next station.” The Galactors efficiently herded the convicts down the ramp and through the corridors of the base.

Despite Ryu and Kimiya’s close watch over him, Ken still found himself separated and unexpectedly snagged around a corner and dragged into a dark room. He grunted as he got thrown against the far wall.

“Well, well, well. Fancy meeting you again.”

“Remember us sweetness? We certainly do.” There was a fair crowd of Galactors in the room with Ken, more than he remembered encountering when he and Ryu had been captured.

“Yeah, we called in a few more friends when we saw you in this mob. You gonna be good for us again, aren’t you?”

“Kimiya—” Ken swallowed hard as he stared around him, picking out their positions lounging around the emptied store room.

“Don’t worry none, kid. We’ll offer him another toy.” One of the men bent over Ken and leered as he gripped Ken’s chin to make him look at him. “You, on the other hand, are destined for some different sort of training which we can get you started on right here.

“So, just relax, sweetness. No one’s gonna interrupt us in this room for *hours*.”

Ken’s lips pulled into a dangerous smile, suddenly unnerving the men. “That’s good to hear.” With a quick jerk, the iron cuffs fell off his wrists and ankles.

It took Ken just seven minutes to execute his rapists and their eager friends. The activity wasn’t even exerting enough for him to break sweat. However, at its end when he stood surrounded by the dead men, Ken was disappointed to realise that even though he had killed the bastards who hurt him, their deaths weren’t as satisfying as he had thought they’d be.

They were dead, but— nothing had changed for him. Their deaths didn’t reverse their actions upon him. It didn’t take away the hurt or the memories.

It wasn’t fair! The bastards paid the ultimate price, but-- it didn’t make up for the pain and the sick feelings he still carried in his heart. It wasn’t fair...

Ken angrily brushed his tears away and straighten out his prison greys. He was determined to not break down. The chains were off. This would be the most satisfying part of the mission for him now. He had to bury his emotions and come back to ‘it’ later when he had the luxury of safety and time. It was show time.

“Ken!” Ryu rushed to his side when he slipped into the room where the convicts had all gathered to change into the uniforms given to them. “Where—?”

“Kid.” Kimiya materialised at their side interrupting Ryu’s interrogative. “I was about to come look for you with all guns blazing.” The yakuza hefted the laser canon he had just been issued over his shoulder. “What happened?”

“Just took care of some—old acquaintances and their friends.” Ken tried to act nonchalant, but the delayed reaction from his close call was catching up to him. Despite the attentive watch of his protectors, he had still been spirited away. His fate could have been very different if he hadn’t had the foresight to conceal a set of lock picks on him, or if the Galactors had bothered to drug him like they did the last time.

Kimiya beat Ryu in stepping forward to pull Ken into a comforting hug. “Have we got to worry about them being missed?”

“N—not for a few more hours.” Ken silently berated himself for falling apart this easily as he forcefully got his trembling under control. He un-tucked his head from under Kimiya’s chin. “Our signal’s already gone out and our friends should be looking for us soon.”

Kimiya lifted Ken’s face and looked him in the eye. “You’re going to need to slip away, aren’t you?”

“Kimiya—”

“Be safe kid.” The yakuza kissed him softly and turned his attention to Ryu. “Trusting you to take care of him, Sumo.”

“Believe me, Kimiya.” Ryu gave him a wry smirk. “Now that the bonds are off, Ken doesn’t need protection.”

“Kimiya...” Ken looked up at him pleadingly. “Get out of here. When our allies reach this base it will be neutralized.”

The yakuza quirked a smile at him. “You really don’t want me to be dressed in a ridiculous fish head get up?”

Ken thumped a fist against his chest. “I’d rather see you in nothing at all.” Kimiya gaped at him for that statement making Ken realize what he had unconsciously allowed to slip out.

The loud guffaw of laughter behind him told Ken that he had said it loud enough for Ryu to hear it too. For what Ken acknowledged would be the last time he could indulge in it, he hid his burning face in the warmth of the taller man’s neck and hugged him tight.

Kimiya wrapped Ken in his long arms, equally reluctant to let him go. Eventually though, they had to release each other, but that was to share an almost equally long kiss.

“Promise me this will come off soon.” Ken demanded as he clutched at the offending green-black uniform. “Promise that it’ll just be temporary.”

“Easily, Blue eyes. Was never serious about it.” The yakuza assured him. “Not when there’s a good chance I’d meet Gatchaman at the business end of his boomerang.”

Ken almost stiffened at that statement, but he managed to hide it in one last desperate kiss with the yakuza. “God speed, Kimiya.”

The yakuza shook his head sadly. “I lost faith in the Almighty a long time ago, Blue eyes. Goodbye.”

The note of finality in their parting caused something to break in Ken’s heart. But he quickly moved on and didn’t look back. Joe would be meeting them soon and he needed to prepare himself mentally to don the mantle of Gatchaman. It would be good to be in armour again.

Joe hugged the shadows as he flitted through the base following a signal he’d been waiting for weeks to go off. Coming at last to a corridor just off the main passageway, Joe looked over his surroundings in approval as he slipped into the room. “Good place to meet, Ken.”

“The room really wasn’t my idea.” Ken’s subdued voice came from the shadows as Joe’s eyes adjusted to the dim light and he started to gape in shock at the carnage which surrounded them. “They were the ones who said no one would notice this room being used.”

He counted about eighteen dead Galactors strewn around the room; Joe turned a questioning look at a grim faced Ryu who stood hovering to one side of their commander. The Owl wasn’t given a chance to enlighten Joe though before Ken took command of the field.

“Condor, you have our gear?”

“Right.” Joe threw them their packs and stood guard while they changed. In minutes, three fully armoured Kagaku Ninjatai stood in the room ready for the next part of their mission.

Ryu flexed his fist in appreciation. “Gods, it’s good to be back in this.”

“We’re glad to have you back, big guy.” Joe nodded to him and Ken.

“Ryu--”

The Owl moved to stand before his commander. “I hear you. Back to the ship, but Ken—”

“I’m okay.” The statement was snapped out defensively.

“I don’t believe you.” Ryu told him unwaveringly in a determined stance.

Ken glared at him from beneath his visor, but he understood the root behind Ryu’s protectiveness. As a result his voice softened when he spoke again. “Let it go, Ryu. I can push it to the back of my mind and handle myself for now. That’s got to be enough until after the mission.”

“Ken...”

“I need you back with the God Phoenix, Ryu.” A small smile pulled on Ken’s lips. “Don’t lie and say you’re not eager to be reunited with the old girl again, especially after Joe’s been at the helm.”

“Hey! I did not crash her on takeoff this time.” Joe protested his innocence. “But— it would be a good idea if you got back there.”

Ryu stiffened as he rounded on the Condor. “You let Jun land her? After—”

“Of course not!” Joe huffed and rolled his eyes as if insulted. “She still crashes the phoenix in the simulator. I handed her to Jinpei.”

Ken laughed as he slapped Ryu on the shoulder. “Don’t pout, Ryu. You know Jin’s better than even me with landing her when you’re not available to take the helm. He can be frighteningly good in whatever he sets his mind to excel in just to show us that he can pull his own weight in the team.”

“Let me be the judge of that when I see the old girl.”

“So take off, big guy.” Joe raised his fist to knock knuckles with him. “It’s my turn to take the circuit with the commander.”

“You do that, Condor.” Ryu was gratified to note that when they stood face to face, Joe’s eyes had flickered towards a thin heavily stained mattress that had been kicked against the wall near the bodies of the Galactors. However, even behind the visor, Ryu could read the grim almost accusing expression in Joe’s eyes.

Ryu couldn’t continue to meet Joe’s eyes. He knew it was a clear acknowledgement of his failure, yet Joe didn’t deck him like he expected. But the firm grip the Condor delivered to Ryu’s shoulder before he headed in Ken’s direction told the man that the two were going to talk a lot later. For now, Gatchaman was in the fore and they would have to support him as such like Ken wanted; as always, they’d deal with the fall out of whatever the hell happened *after* the mission.

There were many times when Joe would be hell of impressed with Ken for his acting ability. Now was one of those times. If Joe had not seen the room of bodies and noticed the stained mattress, and if Ryu had not avoided meeting his eyes, Joe would never have guessed that Ken had met with—difficulties when they were undercover.

It was clearly apparent that for now Gatchaman could hide his trauma and Joe knew better than to force a confrontation in the middle of a mission. Still, he worried for his little bro, and it wasn’t a feeling he was used to having over the last year or so. At least not like the few months after they formally debut the Kagaku Ninjatai to the world and made their first face to face kill.

That first mission when they returned after killing their first army of Galactors also saw the first and last time Ken freaked out in that uniform. The younger man had calmly given their report to Nambu, then promptly became violently ill.

He wasn’t, however, the only one to react so after the mission adrenalin was over and the reality of what they accomplish sank in. Joe had felt a little ill himself for the wholesale slaughter the five of them brought down upon their enemies, but this was something he had been preparing himself for all his life. This was his time to extract the vengeance for his parents’ death. The others had no such motivation beyond a desire to protect and defend their planet. Ryu had gone into a stupor for a while, and Jun and Jinpei clung to each other in comfort as they confronted the realization that they took real lives this time, and it was not holographic opponents and robotic drones which fell to their attack.

For all that Joe had been initially upset that Ken was given the leadership of the Kagaku Ninjatai instead of him, at that moment he was also suddenly struck by the enormity of the responsibilities Ken carried as the team’s commander. It was then that he realised he didn’t want to be the leader any more. And he had been afraid that Ken might fold under the stress of command and of having to kill at the rate they had been taught to within their holographic training arenas.

He needn’t have worried. Thereafter, Ken appeared to embrace the role of Gatchaman. Only Joe was to accidentally discover weeks later, that Ken would still get violently sick after difficult missions when they’d practically be wading in blood to halt the fanaticism of the Galactors. However, he’d do so in the privacy of his ISO apartments where no one would see him.

Joe couldn’t even remember why he had gone looking for Ken that day after debriefing when he stumbled upon him in his bathroom before Ken had finished his post mission vomiting. Ken swore him to secrecy that day, saying he was coping and would eventually stop. It was the moment Joe realized that when Ken was Gatchaman he became an excellent actor.

It started Joe keeping a careful eye out for Ken and staying with him for a short while after most of their missions to make sure he didn’t get too sick. When the situation didn’t seem to improve after another month Joe almost tattled on Ken. But eventually, as Ken promised, he finally hardened his heart to the deaths Gatchaman was directly and indirectly responsible for. Joe would admit only to himself that he mourned for Ken’s loss of innocence with this acceptance.

As he followed Ken through the Galactor base, Joe had to wonder what new damage was done to Ken’s psyche. As Gatchaman, Ken had accepted dealing out death as an integral part of the role. If Joe had any say in it, he wasn’t going to let Ken start to think that he should make ‘strategically allowing abuse on his person’ be something he accepted as a matter of course as well.

For the Kagaku Ninjatai, the mission had proceeded so well it seemed too good to be true. With most of the base’s attention being taken up by the ‘new’ recruits, Ken and Joe found almost no challenges in their exploration of the base which turned up a conveniently secluded information centre whose mainframes were easily and quickly coaxed into unloading a gold mine of useful information. The mission could be considered beyond successful if they could get the data back to the ISO intact.

That they were shutting down the base they were currently in, was without question. But as it turned out, the distribution centre for personnel was actually a roaming designation. Any of the other satellite bases could be reassigned to the task, and therefore the loss of one base ultimately wouldn’t have been crippling. However, with this infiltration mission, they now had in their hands the coordinates for these over twenty-five other bases. This was indeed the mother lode.

With their hard won treasures safely tucked away in secure and shielded compartments of their uniforms, they were soon set to leave. To Joe’s consternation though, Ken had different ideas on how they were going to shut down the base.

“What do you mean we’re not going to blow it up?” Joe looked longingly at the miniature nuclear device Ken had confiscated from him. “It’s not like anyone will miss it?”

“Joe!” Ken hissed at him as he quickly reversed the arming sequence. “About two hundred fifty convicts are still at this base. We’re not killing them along with the Galactors.”

“Why the hell not? Joe huffed at him angrily. “They’re the hardcore cases and it’s not like society will be any poorer for their demise.”

Ken counted to ten before he answered. “And we want the criminal empires to remain neutral and stay out of the war, not flock to Galactor out of revenge for the deaths we cause.”

“They—” Joe started, but retracted what he wanted to say. He suddenly remembered the yakuza Nambu had told them about before the start of the mission. “Shit, that yakuza Don’s favourite, Kimiya, is here too, isn’t he?”

Seeing that Joe understood their situation, Ken threw the device back to him. “I tried to advise him to leave, but something tells me he’s not the kind to follow orders.”

Joe groaned and reached under his visor to pinch the skin between his eyes. “And here I was thinking this was turning into a nice and easy milk run. Why do you always want to do things the hard way, Gatchaman?”

“Where’s the fun of a milk run, Condor?” Ken smirked at him and dashed out of the room towards the armoury.

Joe just cursed under his breath before he followed his commander. “How about adding years to our lives rather than taking them away?”

It didn’t take long for Joe to catch up to run beside Ken. “So? How are we going to handle this?”

“I pulled a notice from the database that Berg Katse’s due a visit pretty soon.” Ken twinkled at him. “What say we put the fear of the Kagaku Ninjatai in him right in front of the new recruits?”

“I like the way you think, Bro.” Joe smiled at him wickedly.

Berg Katse gazed proudly at the men arrayed before him. This would be his largest batch of new recruits yet. There was still a marked distinction between his Galactors and the newly clothed convicts, but he was sure that a bit of training would straighten that out. Still, there was one little bit of bother which marred his ultimate triumph.

His two agents had promised him that the yakuza hold out had finally agreed to throw his lot in with Galactor. Katse desperately wanted to impress Furikata Kimiya, and to have him connect him with the main brunch of the Japanese underworld. However, despite the descriptions given to him of the towering man, Katse still couldn’t pick him out among the sea of green. Maybe if the soldiers didn’t fidget and mill around so much, it would be easier for him to spot the man. Embarrassingly enough, it appeared that it was his men who were moving around so muc...

Katse stiffened as he became suddenly aware of the whistled tune which was starting to echo in the auditorium; a tune which his Galactors were quickly taught to identify to put them on their guard. Katse’s personal guards fanned out around him with their guns held ready. That, however, immediately jacked up the tension among the convicts who started regarding their Galactor hosts warily.

“Where is he?” One of the Galactors in the crowd started swinging around his rifle making the convicts surrounding him back away from him.

“Hey, watch where you’re pointing that thing, man!”

“He’s here!” Another of the Galactors looked around him desperately. “We’re taught to watch out if we hear that whistle!”

“Whistle? You’re afraid of someone whistling?” The convicts started to distinctly separate themselves from the Galactors.

Katse gritted his teeth as he could see his Galactors quickly losing face among these hardened criminals. “Show yourself, Gatchaman!”

A laugh echoed through the auditorium and a bird styled shadow loomed over Katse’s stage. “Your Galactors still like to jump at shadows, Berg Katse. What is it about that uniform which turns men into *cowards?*”

“Bold words, Gatchaman.” Katse snarled in what he hoped was the direction the commander of the Kagaku Ninjatai stood. “My ranks have swelled with brave men and you are grossly out numbered. It is you who should show fear.”

“And are your new recruits truly firm in their decision to become Galactors?” The voice seemed to drift and surround them, making the Galactor soldiers more agitated and causing the convicts to give them a wider berth. “To stand among your cowards?”

Katse knew he was rapidly losing respect with the way his men in the crowd were fearfully staring at the shadows surrounding them while swinging their guns about dangerously. “Why don’t you step out and stop hiding in the shadows! Show yourself, Gatchaman!”

Gatchaman laughed again. “Because I am the white shadow which slips in unseen, and I bring death as my friend to greet your Galactors. But-- I do not believe all here should greet their maker if they are still uncertain.”

“They are Galactor and they belong to me!”

One of the said green uniformed goons started laughing at that pronouncement. “You put too much faith in the attractiveness of your offer.” The tall Galactor pulled the mask and top part of the uniform off, and Kimiya stood before them resplendent in his traditional Irezumi and the green pants. “I believe the life expectancy and privileges which my organization offers are far more attractive.

“You have no honour and bring only death to all who would associate with you, Berg Katse.”

In the shadows, Joe’s jaw fairly fell at that declaration. It was as good as a public affirmation that the Yakuza would never form an alliance with the Galactor Empire. This was what Katse understood too as he raised his gun at defiant man. White wings flashed between them before the gun fired.

“Gatchaman!” Kimiya cried in astonishment as he caught the lithe figure which was thrown backwards and into his arms by the force of the intercepted shot. The sight caused the surrounding convicts to start in shock.

“He— the Eagle took the shot?!”

“For a criminal?!”

“For a yakuza?” More murmurs of surprised exclamations rose among the green uniformed men as the said yakuza gently turned the Kagaku Ninjatai in his arms to face him.

“Gatcham—!” Ken’s pained glare met his eyes making the yakuza freeze.

Ken winced as he tried to untangle himself from the man’s arms. “I have armour with this uniform.”

“That was still a fool move.”

“It was a calculated risk.” Ken snapped back at him, allowing the taller man to give him a hand to stand beside him. “*You* didn’t have any protection at all.”

“What did you care? You could still have been killed!”

“And you *would* have been killed if I hadn’t blocked that shot.” Ken hissed at him.

This was a fact the ‘freed’ convicts clearly recognised. Berg Katse realised too late how badly he had miscalculated when a good four fifths of the men arrayed before him started to pulled off their masks and shirts.

“It appears,” The yakuza turned to face Katse as he inclined his head back towards Ken. “Many of us have reconsidered our options, Gatchaman.”

It was too obvious Katse had lost all of his recruits. “Kill them all!” Berg Katse tried to raise his gun to fire upon the yakuza again, but Joe’s feathered shuriken took his attention instead. And Katse had to give up his target and duck to avoid death even as some of his guards died around him.

“Bird Go!” Ken sent his boomerang flying to cut down the row of Galactor gunners surrounding Katse’s stage, affording his new allies time to dive to safety or get up close and personal with the now heavily outnumbered Galactor soldiers.

“Katse!” Joe roared as the Galactor leader ran and disappeared behind a closing steel door before anyone could stop him.

“Condor!” Ken glanced around him noting how their allies had already subdued the remaining Galactors with hardly a shot fired. “Back to the God phoenix, they’ll launch the mecha and turn it around to destroy this place and everyone with it.”

However, before Ken could follow his own orders, a deep booming bass called him. “Gatchaman!”

Ken swung towards the approaching Kimiya, his impatience to leave fairly radiating from him. “Come back safely. We have unfinished business between us.”

“We’ve already removed the two ISO agents, Yakuza. Our business should be finished.”

“I’m not talking about them.” The tall man looked him in the eye. “*You* just saved my life not more than five minutes ago. So *we* have unfinished business.”

“But—”

“Commander!” Jason called urgently, impatient to go.

“Later than, Gatchaman.” The yakuza’s tone was firm and unwavering.

“Later— Kimiya-san.” Ken gave him a nod before hurrying after his second in command.

Long after the Galactor mecha was destroyed, new transport arrangements were well under way for the convicts awaiting their interrupted transfer to the new prison. It seemed quite remarkable that none of the convicts gave any thought to escape. Then again, the Galactor base was surrounded by miles of inhospitable terrain and the convicts had been privileged to witness an aerial battle between the God Phoenix and a Galactor mecha. With the victorious God Phoenix currently ‘parked’ on top of the Galactor base, there were few who showed any desire to attempt to leave. The ISO cleanup crew were, however, surprise when the Eagle and the Condor left their ship to approach the crowd of convicts.

As he and Joe walked down the respectful aisle the convicts formed to lead him to their quarry, Ken couldn’t help but feel amusement for the awe and respect the hardened criminals accorded to him. It was a huge difference to how he’d been treated when he lived among them. To be fair though, Ken also understood that much of the respect given to Gatchaman was because he risked his life to save one of ‘them’ and because he showed concern for their lives. Ken hoped somehow that the story would spread, and that the avenue for Galactor recruiting among the convicts would be permanently closed. Despite the personal trauma it cost him Ken really thought the mission had been worth the sacrifices which brought about this glowing success.

“He wears a phoenix?” Joe’s low whistle awakened Ken from his reverie to see the yakuza with his back to them and standing under the shade of a tree a distance away from the other convicts.

Looking upon the magnificent gold, red and green bird reminded Ken of the first time Kimiya fucked him in the communal showers. And it made the Eagle glad for the blue visor which hid most of his face and thus shielded the prominence of his blush. Still, Ken felt himself unconsciously lighten his pace. He kept telling himself that it was a mistake for him to seek out the Yakuza when the mission was over. But Ken also felt somehow, that he owed closure to Kimiya and himself.

The man turned towards them when he heard their approach. “You look much older in your uniform.”

“Kimiya-san—”

The raised hand stopped Ken from saying more. “Don’t insult me by trying to pretend we’re only meeting for the first time, Blue eyes.”

“And *you* intended to get yourself killed with that foolish stunt.” Ken countered accusingly.

The yakuza smirked at him. “Busted.” Ken couldn’t help but return the smile.

“Damn... You could’ve wiped the floor with us anytime, couldn’t you?” Kimiya shook his head as he regarded the Eagle. “Fact is, you could have killed the whole lot of us if you so minded. Guess you’re responsible for the room of dead Galactors the boys down there found in the base.” The yakuza smirked. “You don’t pull your punches.”

Ken gave him a wry smile and did not comment on the statement. It made him reconsider the obedience and respect the Kagaku Ninjatai was accorded. That it could well be given to them with a healthy dose of fear.

The yakuza didn’t return Ken’s smile but instead leaned towards him to look him in the eye. “Then you show uncommon dedication and commitment to allow your enemies to rape you for the sake of a mission.”

Kimiya’s words took Ken by surprise. “I—”

Kimiya gripped his shoulders firmly. “Please don’t think yourself so insignificant as to let that happen to you again.”

“I—” Ken couldn’t hold his gaze. He looked down in embarrassment and confusion, suddenly unsure of his earlier conviction that his sacrifice had been worthwhile.

“He won’t.” Condor stepped up to firmly remove the yakuza’s hands from his commander’s shoulders. “Never again, we’ll make sure of that.”

Ken looked nervously between Joe and Kimiya. Though tall, the Condor was still two inches shorter than the yakuza. And Kimiya was clearly not intimidated nor impressed by the Kagaku Ninjatai gunner’s attempt to loom.

“Then I leave him in safe hands.” Kimiya said at last giving Joe a nod. “Eagle?”

Ken easily accepted the hand offered to him. “Thank you.”

The hand tighten on his and pulled Ken into a hug. “I would kiss you.” Kimiya murmured against Ken’s helmet. “But your visor would probably poke an eye out.”

Ken hugged him tight. “I— I’ll miss you.”

“Truly?” Kimiya looked at him questioningly as they pulled away from each other.

Ken swallowed hard before looking up into his lover’s eyes shyly. “Yes.”

“Then—” The yakuza smirked as he looked over at the glowering Condor. “Perhaps you would not be adverse to my looking you up.”

Joe had heard enough. “*If* you can find him.” He grabbed Ken by a shoulder and practically dragged him away, very much to the yakuza’s amusement.

It was inevitable that Ken’s ordeal during the undercover mission come to light during debriefing. And predictably, Nambu had everyone on the team talk to counsellors to deal with the psychological ramifications.

One thing Ken was very firm with from the beginning was Nambu and Ryu’s exoneration from guilt for what happened to him. Ken steadfastly stood his ground on his acceptance of the risks when he agreed to go undercover. And he restated Ryu’s helplessness in offering assistance during his rape. His relegation to a position of cellmate and lover to a yakuza was also waved off as a necessary evil to protect him from a worse experience within the prison. Plus as a bonus, it allowed him to forge an important alliance which would ensure the Yakuza stayed clear of Galactor in the foreseeable future.

The arguments presented were, of course, well thought out, persuasive and rational; as to be expected of Eagle Ken. The reality, as they were to later discover, was a lot more difficult to deal with.

Fortunately, Nambu hadn’t wanted Ken to stay on his own for a few months following this mission. Agreeing with him, Joe had insisted Ken accompany him on his next few races. Ken only did so reluctantly.

Ryu and even Jun had surprised Joe. He’d thought the big guy would try to build a relationship between them, but the man had only given Ken a kiss on his cheek and let him go. And Jun? It seemed like she had seen something in Ken’s eyes when the team had sent him off in Joe’s care. She too withdrew and stopped her subtle pursuit of the man.

During the first few days, Ken was all right. He seemed little different to Joe and his crew as he helped out in the garage and stood with them as he cheered Joe on in his races. Joe couldn’t be sure what had been the trigger, but the middle of that particular day saw one of his pit crew warn him to check on Ken whom they thought had suddenly taken ill.

For the first time anyone could remember, Joe had leaped out of the G2 and abandoned it to his engineers after the punishing circuit rather than stay on to take care of his baby. He found Ken huddled at the foot of his still running shower curled into a ball, his shoulders shuddering with heart raking sobs; long swaths of red decorated Ken’s pale skin showing Joe where he had scrubbed himself raw trying to wash away phantom stains of dirt and semen.

The gunner spent much of the evenings for the following three weeks sitting with or hugging his surrogate younger brother as Ken weathered the storm of nightmares and flash backs that plagued his mind. For a while, Joe had worried for Ken’s mental health, wondering if he may have lost his nerve to continue as Gatchaman. But those concerns were put to light when he eventually realised Ken was mostly able to act ‘normal’ among his crew during the day. And when missions came up for the Kagaku Ninjatai, Ken was Gatchaman. There was no compromise when he was on duty.

It was the nights after they’d retreat to the privacy of Joe’s trailer that the barriers cracked, and the floodgates usually broke when Ken slept alone. Joe honestly didn’t mind sharing his bed with his ‘kid brother’, much like he had done when Ken was eight and had just lost his mother. It comforted him too to indulge in this needful cuddle which allowed him to be the protective elder brother of old. A position he hadn’t realized he missed until that first night when he had Ken clinging to him and sobbing against his chest.

The prisons mission had clearly changed Ken. One change which Joe would admit liking though was Ken’s decision to let his hair grow out. It seemed so unlike him at first, but harkened back to Joe’s memories of him when they were growing up and he was more of a rebel. However, that playful, wild boy didn’t re-emerge.

Joe also noticed that he avoided the 1.5 litre drink bottles now, opting for the more expensive 375 ml plastic bottles, the tetra-packs, or cans. If Ken accepted a drink from them, it would only be when he unsealed them himself or if he witnessed someone else opening the bottle fresh. Joe could only suppose this phobia developed because he had been offered a drugged drink from a similar bottle on that mission.

Three months after that mission, Joe had to admit to still being more than a bit worried for his brother. Since he returned from the mission, Ken never again neglected to wear the baggy red coveralls he’d always been provided with whenever he visited the track. However, even in the height of summer when most everyone else had removed the top, or just stripped down to jeans and T, Ken’s coveralls stayed on. With many in Joe’s crew fondly remembering Ken’s innocent strip tease to a pair of tiny shorts the previous summer, this complete cover up stood out. It had a couple of his crew softly asking Joe why Ken was risking heatstroke by keeping the coveralls on, and if something had happen to his kid brother.

Yeah, Ken had become a whole lot more self conscious and body shy since that mission, but Joe wasn’t about to reveal why to casual acquaintances. He just told the guys to let him be and to not bother the man while he quietly mourned Ken’s lost innocence.

It was nearly four months after the mission that Joe’s workshop received a trio of unexpected visitors. A jet black limo stopped just outside his repair yard to disgorge a tall, broad shouldered man in a steel grey Armani and two black suited bodyguard types. The whole image screamed Yakuza and Joe’s attention was grabbed immediately as he moved to the forefront to face the trio.

For a moment, Joe was touched by worry that he’d attracted the attention of some crime family who wanted to exert some control in the rather lucrative business of racing. Then, the man in the Armani removed his dark glasses. The recognition was instantaneous.

Ken upon noticing and seeing the man immediately strode to Joe’s side to face him. Joe just stared in stunned amazement at Kimiya. He looked nothing like the long haired, unshaven yakuza thug they had met at the prison. The man looked completely transformed appearing as he did beardless, hair neatly coiffed, and dressed in a six thousand dollar suit.

Ken was the first to break the silence which had fallen over them. “You— found me.”

“Are you disappointed?” Kimiya gave him a studied gaze as he tucked away the sun glasses.

Ken moved forward to stand before the yakuza. “No.”

Kimiya smiled as he reached over to run his fingers through Ken’s now shoulder length tresses. “You grew it out.”

“Do you want me to cut it off’” Joe wondered what the significance of the question was as he could sense the sudden tension in Ken’s shoulders. But that stiffness just as quickly melted away with the yakuza’s immediate answer.

“No.” The large hand closed over Ken’s long hair to pull his face closer. “I like this.” And he bent to very thoroughly and decisively claim Ken’s lips right in front of Joe.

Joe only threw off his spluttering outrage to witness his ‘little bro’ French kissed in front of him when the man broke the said kiss to sweep Ken up into his arms. “Now wait one fucking minute!”

He rushed forward to stand between them and the limo. “You can’t just stroll in here an—”

“You challenged me to find him, and I did.” Kimiya tilted his head at Joe, not in any way intimidated by his stance. “And I do believe I’m owed more than this tame little kiss after our long separation.”

“But—”

“Joe!” Ken interrupted him. “It’s okay. I—I *am* really glad to see him.” Ken’s arms moved to encircle the neck of the man carrying him.

Having noticed the new radiance in Ken’s entire being, Joe covered his eyes and allowed them to pass. He muttered under his breath loud enough for just them to hear his thoughts of the matter as they drew close. “If you thought Nambu was mad with me and my penchant to pick up Galactor girls, how do you think he’ll react to hear you’re dating a yakuza?”

“The difference is I would never kill him.” Kimiya gave him knowing grin. “And the Kagaku Ninjatai now has an additional level of protection.” Joe stared at him sceptically. “Your civilian identities will remain unknown to Galactor forevermore, Condor. That, I have the clout to promise you.”

“You already pulled rank on our behalf?” Ken looked at him in mild reproach for his assumption.

“Why not? I was on a break at the prison for so long after— after a difficult time before you brought me out of it...” Kimiya smirked at him. “I had to try and flex my muscles when I came out to take up my old ‘job’, so to say.”

“I— I’m glad you came looking for me.” Ken told him shyly.

The yakuza’s smile turned wicked as he carried Ken into his limo. “You can show me how glad you are.”

Joe didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as the yakuza’s bodyguards closed the limo door after their charges and drove off. All around him, his friends and crew pounced on him for gossip.

“The hell, Asakura. How and where did your kid bro meet up with the Society Sub-Head of the whole West-end.”

“West-end? Society *Sub-Head*?” Joe turned his attention to one of his engineers. He knew the yakuza was a favourite of the ruling Don, but he hadn’t realized the man was *that* highly positioned.

“Well his rank may have dropped a notch after his time in the slammer, but I doubt it.” The ex-con shrugged. “I’ve heard scuttlebutt from the old crowd that’s said the old man was pretty fond of him and had him sent in to get his head straightened out after he lost a lover in a gang war.

“Come to think of it, Ken would have been a dead ringer for the guy if he had kept his old hair style.”

Joe blinked. Was *that* the significance behind the question about the hair? The *real* reason why Ken let his hair grow out?

“He was in the slammer?” One of Joe’s other crewmen stepped up beside them. “How the fuck did Kenny boy meet up with the guy?”

“Not that *you* can really do anything now that he’s set his sights on the kid, but fuck! That’s a dangerous place to be, Joe. The guy supposedly lost his lover in a messed up assassination attempt. From what I heard, the poor sod was just in the way.”

Joe groaned out loud, burying his face in his hands. With Ken being Gatchaman... what other man would be so well suited to protect himself and his lover? Joe almost felt sorry for any future assassins who might be stupid enough to try and target this particular yakuza. Ken could be very possessive and protective when he put his mind to it.

At the least, Nambu would be pleased to know for certain that the Yakuza would never throw their support behind Galactor. Still, Joe was quite sure the security chief was gonna have a cow when he finds out Gatchaman now had a yakuza for a lover.