"Why not begin here and now?  The battlefield does not always find you as ready or not ready." Iku paused, hoping they did not realize that she did not think about hiding the hostage.  The idea of making this some sort of contest did not appeal to her. "Victory is understanding each other and thriving as a team.  Defeat is ignorance and inevitable defeat and death on the field of battle.  That is why I intend for all of us to win."<br/><br/>She looked at both of her teammates grimly, hoping that they understood what was really at stake here. Winning a night's dinner or the right to humiliate your teammates was not the point at all.<br/><br/>Most of all, Iku had already chosen a handicap for herself that her teammates would likely not stick to.