(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/9/9a/Tony_Leung.jpg)(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/5/5e/Sarna_reserves_kamakura_s_hussars_spider_by_viereth-d585zvf.jpg)<br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Hiro Kagekaze</span></span><br/><strong>Location:</strong>In the cabins of the Kurita children<br/><strong>With:</strong>Yamina<br/><br/>While Yamina cuddled her way into the hearts and minds of some of the children, others required action and distraction, such as a game of Battlemechs that I remembered playing when I was a boy.  While there were many castes within the Draconis Combine, everyone loved to play Battlemechs.  I added my own twist based on current events.<br/><br/><strong>"Aff!  I am Hiro, Star Commander of the 2nd Elemental Stars of the First Binary.  I serve House Kerensky, faction Clan Ghost Bear.  Surrender to my superior might, for I will crush House Kurita and restore Star League to what it was!  What say you, Kurita scum?"</strong><br/><br/>The group before me was made up mostly young males along with a few tomboy-ish girls.<br/><br/>The children looked to each other, and one by one their faces of fear turned to sinister smiles.<br/><br/>One of the boys spoke up.<br/><br/><em><strong>"We of House Kurita and the Draconis Combine choose to fight and make <em>you</em> surrender, you... big... Teddy Bear!"</strong></em><br/><br/>Then the sound effects started happening.  The sounds of autocannons, missiles, machineguns, lasers, and even flamers filled the cabin.  The kids were coming at me from all sides.  After one "attacked me" I turned toward them, only to get flanked by another child.<br/><br/><strong>"Your tactics are sound, Kurita scum!  But you cannot beat our technology!"</strong><br/><br/>More playfighting happened.  They "dodged" my attacks.  One of them climbed a bunk and jumped on my back.  The others joined in, and the "firefight" degenerated into a "melee."<br/><br/><em><strong>"Use your hatchets everyone!"</strong></em><br/><br/>Pillows were passed around and I was getting pummeled with them.<br/><br/><strong>"No!  The clans are superior!  This should not be happening!"</strong><br/><br/>I "fell" to one knee, then the other, and finally flopped onto my back, where the kids started climbing on me, pinning me down.  One of them was sitting on my chest, a pillow threateningly held up.<br/><br/><em><strong>"Surrender to Kurita, Teddy Bear!"</strong></em><br/><br/>I made a fierce face, then sighed heavily.<strong>"Very well, Kurita scum.  Teddy Bear yields to your superior skill."</strong><br/><br/>The children cheered at their victory.  They were tired out, and would sleep well.<br/><br/>As Yamina and I left, we walked side by side, the backs of our hands brushing against each other until I put mine on tops of hers and interlocked her fingers with mine.  I had us both straighten our fingers so that my fingertips ran along the lengths of the palm-sides of her digits.  When we heard voices nearby, I gave her hand one last squeeze before breaking contact.<br/><br/><em><strong>"We should visit the others.  Now that time enough has passed for the initial emotions and reactions to cool.  Do you agree?"</strong></em><br/><br/><strong>"That's a good idea, Yamina.  Perhaps decisions regarding command have been made, and criticisms tempered to a more reasonable degree."</strong><br/><br/>We went where most of the Mechwarriors were congregated, whether it was the briefing room, the mechbay, the mess hall or a lounge.<br/><br/><br/>