Best Regards,
firewolf
April 2000

The KNT apartments, in Crescent Coral base, were considered by most of its members as a *temporary* safe haven to rest and recuperate when needed.  One member was, unfortunately going to see more if it than he ever wanted to for a long time to come.

An all mighty sneeze rang through apartments followed immediately by a string of curses.  Joe winced sympathetically as he handed his commander a freshly opened box of tissues as he clutched his bandaged ribs.  "Well, did that clear the cobwebs between the ears?"

Ken just grabbed the tissues and carefully blew his nose, not even dignifying the question with a retort.  "Ah wanna die."

"Can't do that, the world depends on Gatchaman's survival."

"Soh i' ah quid, you led meh die 'n peace?"  Ken sank back into his pillows willing his aching ribs to stop throbbing.

"You're drunk!"

"Ahm not!"

"Your cold medicine's 15% alcohol, you're drunk."

"Story o' my life.  Still ged carded ad bars, but Ah cn ged wasded on medicine.  Ah wanna die."

"Oh lay off it, Ken.  It's not that bad.  And I *am* sorry for breaking--"

"Lefd mahself wide open ad practise."  Ken interrupted.  "Only doin' whad you bin trained tah do.  Ad id *is* dat bad!  *You* dry sneezin' wen ya hav a couple o' broken ribs."

At that point, the door to Ken's room swung open to admit Dr. Nambu.  "Well, it's so good to see you know what you did wrong."

Unfortunately, even the slight draft from the opening door was sufficient to draw another sneeze from the suffering teen.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow." Ken cursed again as he bent over in the bed.  His face pale from the pain.

Nambu shook his head as he lifted Ken's chin and stuffed a thermometer in his mouth.  "Honestly!  What made you want to come to practise with a head cold?!"

"Id wa an early morning session.  Thod Ah didn' ged enough sleep lasd nighd, dhad's all."

"Joe could have killed you!  You're lucky you got away with only a few broken ribs."

<Ahhh Choo!>  Nambu caught the thermometer without missing a beat.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow."

"Serves you right.  I trust you'll remember to take better care of yourself."  Nambu stared down at him unsympathetically.

Ken just looked at him with watery eyes and sniffed miserably.  "So, ow long am ah here for?"

"At least a week," Nambu growled at him sternly.  "We have to let the virus run its course.  So you're staying here, and in bed where I can keep an eye on you.

"If you went to the infirmary for your flu shot like I told you to, you'd have been fine."  Nambu glanced at Joe as he hovered behind him in interest. "You did go for--"

"Of course I did!  He sneezed all over me when I kicked him."  Joe stuck his tongue out in disgust at the memory.

"Sorry."  Ken dropped another neatly folded tissue into the overflowing waste bin beside his bed.

"Hey, Ken!" Ryu's voice herald the swing of the opening door.

This time, Ken was prepared and wrapped himself up in his blankets before the draft hit him. However, he was not prepared for the evil smelling mug Ryu shoved under his nose.

"My mom made this for--"

Ryu expected Joe and Nambu's reactions when they caught a whiff of the black concoction.  Ken's response was a little extreme, but considering his current delicate constitution, it wasn't surprising.

In the bathroom, Joe had one hand over his nose, while the other helpfully held Ken's hair out of the way as he hugged the toilet bowl and reacquainted himself with breakfast.  "Ryu... you know, I could have sworn that we were supposed to cheer Ken up and help him feel *better*."  He winced at the sound of Ken's heaving. "He's *already* sick as a dog.  No need to make it worse."

Ryu looked hurt as he looked at the mug in his hands.  "But this *is* supposed to cure Ken.  Mom made it for him.  I know it smells and looks terrible, but it works."

"Ryu..." Nambu's voice was understandably muffled as he was speaking behind cupped hands in an effort to block out the smell. "I *am* familiar with the Flu/fever cooling tea.  My grandmother used to prepare it to me when I was sick.  <urg> But we're in the modern world.  Please thank your mother, but I think Ken would appreciate us using modern medicine on him."

"Oh, all right."  Ryu pouted as he shuffled out of the room to pour the offering down the sink.

"J--Joe?"

Joe turned his attention back to his suffering brother.  "You need another piece of tissue?"

"Yes, an' can ah borrow your gun?"

"It's not that bad!"

"Ah'm sick, ah'm in a world o' hurd because o' dhese god damn ribs.  Shoot me now!  Pud me oud o' my misery!"

"Didn't know Gatchaman could be such a whiney bastard."  Joe rolled his eyes as he helped Ken back to bed.

Nambu brushed the sweat drenched hair out of Ken's eyes to feel his forehead.  "Well, congratulations, Ken.  Looks like it's not just a cold.  I'm relieving you of all duties until you get better.  Joe can step in for you."

"Me?"

"Joe?"

"What?"  Joe shot an annoyed look at Ken.  "You think I can't handle it?"

"Don' know whad you're in for, bro."  Ken blinked at Nambu who had a calculating gleam in his eyes.  Ken decided then that no matter how miserable he was feeling, he wouldn't trade places with Joe for anything in the world. He debated warning Joe of his impending doom when Nambu started getting back at him for all the counts of insubordination which Ken, in his capacity of commander, had managed to spare Joe from receiving.

On the other hand, misery loves company.  Joe was going to learn that payback was a bitch by the time Nambu was done.

<Ahh Choo>  "Ow, ow, ow,ow,ow."