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The assassination of Emperor Michal tore a rift between the military and ruling class that led to the largest war in seven generations. Empire loyalists flocked to the struggling military to help restore the authority of the throne while powerful aristocrats used their wealth to hire brutal mercenaries to terrorize citizens into submission. Soon, the entire world of Tanos was locked in a battle for supremacy with neither the loyalists nor aristocrats holding any significant strategic advantage over the other.

_ _

In a mere two years whole cities were reduced to rubble and the vast plains became the currency of war as farmland grew more valuable. Fierce gunfights broke out on a daily basis as defenders fought off wave after wave of attackers in an effort to preserve the precious source of food. The fertile Plains of Path were both the best farm real estate and had the unfortunate distinction of being directly between the main strongholds of the Empire and the Aristocrats.

---

Colonel Miranda Kapp looked down at the map of the plains on the large battle room conference table and held her face in despair. The mercenary force was striking hard on the left flank which contained the bulk of new recruits and untested commanders. To withdraw meant to give up acres of land leaving a strong defensive position in the hands of the enemy. The Colonel foresaw many months of covert operations just to regain what they were poised to lose should an attack come in force. Reinforcements were difficult to come by and she couldn't throw away able soldiers in an unwinnable battle. The only option was to fall back prematurely; it would save lives and give the new recruits an opportunity to set up some defenses.

Miranda was the commanding officer of the 71st infantry brigade made up of Crow, Fox and Hawk companies. The Plains of Path contained valuable fertile ground that provided the Empire with a steady flow of food thanks to the processing plants she guarded on the west side of the main encampment. Even though Miranda was still quite young, central command assigned her this duty based on her past exceptional performance in the field, both as a soldier and as a leader of troops. Miranda took her post very seriously since losing any land could spell potential famine for the Empire.

The bullet-proof armor weighed heavy on the Colonel's shoulders, all she wanted was to lie in her cot and get a few hours sleep. Regrettably, such luxuries had to wait until after the evening briefing. The daily tally of casualties and captured enemy soldiers had to be accounted for and her circle of commanders must be made aware of the dire situation. Colonel Kapp rubbed the back of her neck and looked up from the map at the empty room. A wall clock showed that she had about 3 minutes to herself before the commanders were scheduled to arrive.

Miranda walked to a small sink filled with cloudy water and splashed her face to restore a bit of life to her features. She almost didn't recognize her reflection in the cracked mirror; the blank expression on her whiskered face bore the mark of leadership in a too long war. Miranda's milky white fur was marred by streaks of dirt and grime many days old. Her feminine panther form was indiscernible under the layers of gear and the uniform that befitted her station.

She flicked her ears in annoyance as yet another blast from the air horn signaled incoming mortar rounds. The commander's bunker provided shelter enough to ward off a stray mortar but she had never known a round to come within two miles. It was just another hardship of war she had to endure. The wall clock struck 19:00 and the first of her commanders strode into the room.

"For the Empire!" Major Ben Bree saluted the Colonel smartly as he entered taking his usual seat at her side. Bree was her best advisor and closest friend ever since she had pulled him to safety after he had taken a gun wound to the leg. They had progressed up the ranks together with Miranda promoted to Colonel due to her outstanding leadership qualities.

"For the Empire." Miranda saluted in response.

Captains Roxanne Kam, James Poole and Robert Worthington followed behind and took their respective seats. Special Advisor Clinton Cale entered last and sat at the far end of the commanders table regarding Miranda with his inquisitive wolf eyes. Once they were settled in, Colonel Kapp began her report.

"We've gained some ground on the right flank but need to relieve some of the soldiers who have been on the front lines too long. Our focus should be on establishing a strong defensive position and pressing our advantage by probing forward with precision strikes. Captain Poole, I leave this task to you."

The brown bear accepted his assignment with a slight nod. One of his best qualities was in organizing sneak and surprise attacks, Miranda knew he'd enjoy his duties and perform them well.

"Our forward position remains strong and has held off many advances with ease. We will continue to hold there as we expect a large push in the next few days. Special Advisor Cale may have more information for us."

Cale stood up and recited his report: "The enemy is gathering here, here and here." Cale marked the areas on the map. "Our scouts have reported seeing heavy caliber artillery guns being transported in pieces and constructed in a shielded position where they can barrage our central defenses. My recommendation is to launch a strike at the engineer's camp to disrupt construction."

A strike that far into the enemy lines will be risky, but Miranda could not afford to let the artillery to set up and rain terror down on her troops. She saw a route around the enemy to launch an attack and decided to let Captain Kam handle it.

"Take care out there Roxy, we'll need your covert ops team at full capacity so don't take any unnecessary risks."

The ageless tiger nearly took offence at the mere mention of a slip up. Captain Roxanne 'Roxy' Kam always displayed caution on the field of battle and Miranda meant no disrespect by her comment, it was simply her duty as a Colonel to ensure that all her bases were covered.

"Now for the bad news: our left flank is failing badly. As you are aware, most of the new recruits we get are folded into that division and they are wholly unprepared for a focused assault. I've looked at our options and I believe it will be for the best if we make a premature withdrawal to regroup and..."

"Colonel Kapp," Cale interjected. "Must we be so hasty in retreat? Surely the troops can hold if we can provide the necessary support."

"Our resources are stretched too thin already, we cannot reallocate anything fast enough to salvage the entire left flank. Withdrawing and establishing a defensive position will give the troops the best chance to reacquire the land at a later date. If anyone has any other ideas, I'm open to hear them."

The room remained quiet. Miranda then issued her remaining orders.

"Captain Worthington, the withdrawal is in your hands. You may leave a skeleton force on the left flank to maintain a show of force, but do not leave them exposed too long. Have them fall back before the enemy gets too close."

The imposing bull snorted an agreement. He was blunt but effective in getting his soldiers in the correct formations. The retreat might hurt his pride in the short run; however, his actions will save many lives in the days to come and most likely earn him a medal in the process.

"Is there anything else?" No one spoke. "You are dismissed."

Major Bree and Special Advisor Cale remained in the room as the rest of the commanders took their leave. Based on the looks in their eyes, Miranda could only guess that more bad news was on the way. She looked at the wall clock again and it read 19:19, she needed a few hours to herself to write reports and any more discussion will only serve to delay her sleep. Resigned to another late night, she beckoned them to speak.

"Mir, we got a problem." Ben spoke informally when not in front of the other commanders. "The lowlands need reinforcements so we'll have to make do with what we have until the next round comes through."

She counted on having those reinforcements to relieve some of the more battle worn troops. 'Making do' with less was a formula for failure in her mind. Miranda respected the strong, orange furred fox greatly, but Ben's revelation really tried her patience.

"Doesn't central realize we're short on fresh bodies here? Maybe we should just stuff the extra uniforms they insist on giving us with grass to scare the enemy into retreat." Miranda's frustration was apparent in her tone.

"That's not a bad idea." Cale admitted.

"Shut it Clint. I'm not joking here, we're hurting all over and even the hardiest soldier can break under this constant stress." Miranda's long tail twitched as her anger grew.

"Maybe they'll back off once Poole and Kam's teams do their work. They might be able to distract the enemy until reinforcements arrive." Ben withered under Miranda's penetrating glare, his ears flattened against his head in mild fear.

"There's always hope that the enemy will make mistakes." Having Clint say those words assured Miranda that tough days were ahead. The grey wolf had a keen sense of tactics and seemed to have an uncanny ability to 'feel' whenever the enemy was about to strike.

"Yeah, right. Maybe peace will break out and I can sleep for a full 8 hours too." Miranda's head ached with all these unforeseen problems. It would take more than sleep to ease her pounding head and sore body.

"Speaking of sleep, we should get out of your fur. Briefing at 06:30 as usual Miranda?"

"Make it 06:00 Ben. I want to be sure that everyone has a plan in order."

"You got it boss. See ya tomorrow."

Ben and Clint left her alone in the large room. A wooden divider separated the conference table from Miranda's small cot and living area. The duffle bag at the base of the cot contained all of her clothes and meager belongings. She took out the cleanest shirt and shorts she could find and began to take off her armor and uniform to get comfortable to write all the reports that needed to be filled out tonight. Once down to just a pair of underwear, Miranda's hidden appendage was clear to see.

Miranda was born a hermaphrodite meaning that she had a penis and testicles in addition to a vagina. Her doctors had declared her sterile as a youth before the war and offered to perform a procedure to make her female or male depending on preference. Unfortunately, the war denied her the opportunity of undergoing surgery instead she was drafted into the service of the Empire without ever experiencing the love of another. Miranda had wants and desires but suppressed them in favor of dedicated military service.

Miranda's supple d-cup breasts stretched the fabric of her mostly clean shirt, still pert as she celebrated her 23rd birthday just a few months ago. Her battle trained body was firm with muscle and no traces of fat remained on her frame. Miranda took pride in the power of her legs which allowed her to sprint short distances faster than any troop under her supervision and leap to heights much greater than one would expect.

She sat at the desk sifting through various papers to gather the necessary information for her nightly report to central command. List after list of inventory counts, injury and casualty numbers, prisoner transfers and troop movements overwhelmed the panther causing her to pound the desk in frustration. Most other Colonels would have an orderly or clerk to help write these tedious reports, however Miranda's last helper had accidentally stepped on a landmine and central hadn't sent along a replacement. She could barely keep her eyes open, let alone write a coherent report. Leaning back in her chair, Miranda stretched out her arms and yawned deeply. Whenever Miranda got this tired and frustrated her body responded by pumping blood to her groin causing her member to grow and poke out from the waistband of her shorts.

'Not now!' She thought, looking away from the shame that grew between her legs. While Miranda prided herself on the rest of her body, the aberrant appendage caused her no end of grief. Taking a few relaxing breaths, she ignored the engorged piece of meat and focused on finishing the reports. The repeated scratches of pen on paper became a soothing rhythm and soon Miranda was re-reading the completed reports to ensure they included no errors.

Her final recommendation was clear and could not be misunderstood.

'Given the condition of the troops, our lack of sufficient resources, and news that our reinforcements will be delayed by some weeks, the battle lines on these plains that I defend will be redrawn in the enemy's favor within the month. Unless concessions are made from the surrounding Colonels, the supply of food generated from our processing plants will be greatly reduced due to the imminent loss of farmland.

_ _

Your faithful servant, loyal to the Empire,

Colonel Miranda Kapp'

She sealed the final report in a 'Top Secret' envelope and sent it through the vacuum tube to the communications room where it will be hand delivered to central command in a few hours. Putting aside her fears that the report will be less than well received, she got up from the hard wooden chair, stretched out her back, and wearily walked back to her cot. Miranda curled up in the too-thin, and very itchy, woolen blanket and fell into a deep sleep.

Later that night...

Miranda was naked and surrounded by laughing girls who pointed at her deformity. She was maybe 12 or 13, still in grade school, still trying to find out who she was, and all at once her confidence was shattered due to her carelessness in the girls' locker room. This moment was both a memory and a nightmare for Miranda as her classmates discovered the hidden secret between her legs. Even her friends joined in the laughter, many of them laughed harder and longer than the rest. It was a humiliating experience and one she would try hard to forget. But it also steeled her resolve to not let mere words hurt her; she would work hard and show everyone that Miranda Kapp was someone they needed, someone they could depend on, someone that mattered.

A series of rapid pops, bangs and ricochets woke Miranda; she could shed sleep like a snake shedding its skin and become immediately aware of the situation. The sound of gunfire echoed in the room and made her jump out of bed in alarm. Whoever was doing the shooting was far too close for comfort; the front lines where these sounds were a daily and nightly occurrence was too far away for this to be a normal push from the enemy. Something different must be happening and Miranda was determined to find out. Wasting no time to don her armor, she grabbed an M-16 rifle from the side of her desk and ran out of the room into the chaos beyond.

Uniformed and non-uniformed soldiers were everywhere. A few were taking cover and shooting into the night at random. Some carried the wounded away from the unseen battle while others ran aimlessly in fear and confusion. Miranda grabbed the collar of a lieutenant and demanded to know what was going on.

"Colonel, it's the enemy! They are in the camp!" His eyes were wide in terror.

"Look at me soldier! Where are they?"

"Tunnels. They dug tunnels under our front lines and surfaced near the processing plants. We were totally unprepared!"

"Tell your troops to fall back here. I was to secure a perimeter now! No one gets through, we will survive this night! Go!"

Miranda picked up a radio from the body of a dead fox. She wondered if she knew this soldier, but instead pushed the transmit button and spoke in a clear, authoritative voice.

"Soldiers of the Empire, this is Colonel Kapp. Fall back to the main compound. Secure the perimeter. Switch to frequency gamma-gamma-beta. Kapp out."

The alternate frequency was a contingency against these kinds of surprise attacks. Even if a radio had been salvaged by the enemy, her troops could switch to a secret channel and maintain an open line of communication. Miranda sprinted toward her captains' tents to learn more about the incoming attack.

Two large rats wearing the dark uniform of the enemy appeared in front of her and leveled their guns at her preparing to fire. Without breaking stride Miranda leapt over them and fired her rifle directly at the rats' heads. They went down in a heap, bloody and unmoving, as she carried on to her destination.

She saw Ben giving orders to a few soldiers in front of his tent and called to him as she approached. He was shirtless but carried a large machine gun that hung from a strap around his shoulders. Miranda admired the way he remained confident and in charge in the face of the unknown. She came to a halt beside him and demanded a briefing on the situation.

"The rebel force is coming in from the west. It appears that our processing plants are lost. Scouts have reported two tunnel openings near the factory's loading docks and a large garrison is gathering there for their final push. I'm organizing the perimeter defenses here, here and here." Ben pointed out the locations on a map of the compound.

"Good, good. We'll make it through this yet. Have you been in contact with Captains Kam, Poole or Worthington? And where is Clint?"

"Clint's in my tent sending coded radio messages to central regarding this attack. Captain Kam and Poole checked in and are busy setting up the perimeter, as you ordered. Captain Worthington has not been located."

Miranda shouted for a runner and told the responding soldier to find the missing captain as soon as possible. She then turned her attention to the location of the gathering enemy force and tunnels.

"Ben, we need to disrupt that force and close those tunnels. Suggestions?"

"Concentrated mortar fire should make them hesitant to attack and seek shelter. Fortunately for us there is little shelter around those factories. But it also means we're going to be shelling our own buildings." Ben didn't like to lose a valuable resource, however he didn't see any other way.

"What about the special ops team? Can they rig up some sort of demo to blow those tunnels up?" Miranda wanted to save the processing plants as much as Ben.

"It will take some time to call them back from the right flank. Maybe more than 30 minutes. Who knows if we have that long to wait."

"Shit!" Miranda only swore when her emotions got out of control. "We'll have to make do with what we got. Gather some troops you can count on. Make sure they are quick on their feet. And set up those mortars but don't fire on the buildings. Keep the shells short to make them wary of attacking. Here's what I got in mind."

Miranda sketched a quick plan using the map to show Ben where to strike back at the growing rebel garrison. In relatively short order the perimeter was established and her troops appeared to show the mettle she was used to seeing from battle tested warriors. No enemy breached the perimeter from then on and a counter attack was well underway with Miranda taking the lead.

Captain Kam took charge of the mortar team and personally called out the range at which to fire. Her aim was deadly accurate and no one would want to cross that field of death. Captain Poole led the perimeter defense, ensuring that the line held and the troops had the necessary ammo to fend off any enemy who dared enter their sights. Even with the situation in hand, the battle was far from in their favor. A large force was poised to attack at a moment's notice and from a direction that provided the enemy with the advantage of terrain. It was only a matter of time before the perimeter would be broken.

"Colonel Kapp!" The runner Miranda had sent earlier returned and tugged urgently on her shirt. "Captain Worthington had been hit. He's in critical condition and the doctors are working on him now."

"Noted soldier. Keep Special Advisor Cale informed of the commander's condition. On your way."

The news sounded dire since a severe wound being treated in the heat of battle would often turn out for the worst. Miranda tried to keep from worrying about poor Worthy, instead she focused on her plan to destroy the tunnel entrances. Ben presented her with a small group of soldiers who appeared to be light on their feet and able of mind. Miranda turned to face them and laid out her plan pointing out various important steps using the map as a reference.

A few of the younger soldiers tried to avert their gaze from Miranda's unarmored body. The light green tank top barely covered her breasts, the clear outline of her nipples on display for all to see. Fortunately, given the darkness of the night and the dark green boxers she wore, no one could make out the bulge between her thighs. In truth, Miranda hardly noticed her meager clothes or the stares from the men and women under her leadership. All she cared about was the plan and to save as many lives as possible.

"Does anyone have any questions or concerns about this mission?" Miranda waited a beat and got no reply. "Fall out!"

Ben took a hold of her arm before she could leave and whispered: "Be careful out there. We don't have another Colonel around to replace you."

Miranda patted his arm and smiled confidently to assure him that she would be fine. With a final look of resolve, she led the small group of soldiers around to the covered emergency trench at the far end of the camp. The trench went half way to the factory complex and provided the necessary cover to avoid all fire from the enemy's position. Miranda had also informed Captain Kam to not target the trench area with her mortar team ensuring that the small strike force was safe as they made their way across the field.

As far as Miranda knew, she was the only Colonel who personally led her troops into battle. She had earned the nickname "Bullet Dancer" on account of her near supernatural quickness and sixth sense in avoiding bullets, shrapnel and explosions. She was both the best leader and the best soldier in any situation. The men and women under her command admired her for the skills she possessed and the reasoned directions she gave.

The dark, dirt lined trench angled up with the low hill that surrounded the factory complex and turned sharply toward the front lines. There was a hatch that opened up to the top of the hill and would prove to be the most dangerous part of the strike team's journey. When they exited the trench they would be exposed to any enemy who happened to look in their direction. Like usual, Miranda chose to go out first and survey the land.

The hatch creaked in protest as it was opened for what was quite possibly the first time. Miranda looked through an angled scope to see if the coast was clear. Dark as the night was, Miranda's night vision improved sight could make out no figures roaming the outskirts of the processing plants. She crawled out and looked for some form of shelter for her soldiers to take cover in once they were out in the open. A pile of grass cuttings and dead shrubs provided that cover and Miranda beckoned to her team to follow. They gathered behind the mound and awaited further orders.

"Thompson, Beckett. Set up your machine gun here and provide cover fire. Private Mason, stay with the gunners and wait for the signal to come up with your explosives. The rest of us will make our way around the complex and find the tunnels. Do not open fire unless it's absolutely necessary. Clear?"

Each soldier nodded their comprehension. Miranda made sure that the machine gun duo was set up first, and then led her 6 remaining troops down the hill and around the edge of the buildings, sticking to the shadows wherever possible. They could hear the shouted orders of the enemy commanders to hold formation echoing through the empty buildings but did not meet any resistance. Roxy's mortar barrage must have been effective in making the enemy cautious and unwilling to stray too far out from the safety of the buildings. Miranda hoped that their caution held long enough to avoid a direct confrontation.

It was a short distance between the trench exit and the tunnel openings. Two medium sized tunnels marred the earth beside the loading dock as enemy soldiers, mostly rats and badgers, wandered around waiting for an opportunity to charge. Amazingly, the rebel commanders had issued no scouts or lookouts to warn them of exactly what Miranda was planning to do. Equally amazing was the fact that most of the enemy soldiers lined themselves up between two large warehouses. If Miranda could position her force correctly, they could do a lot of damage in very little time.

A low shed about 20 yards from the tunnels gave Miranda the best possible view of the enemy and cover to launch her attack. She sent one soldier back to fetch Private Mason with his explosives and bid the rest to crawl on their bellies around the last building to the semi-exposed shed. The team crawled and held their breath for fear of attracting the notice of the opposing force. Miranda finally sensed how few clothes she had on, especially considering how her soft member pressed against the ground with each forward movement. She peered over her shoulder to see if anyone was giving her strange looks, but all she saw was a mix of fear and anticipation.

When they reached the back of the shed, Miranda held out hands to serve as a foothold for the team to climb up to the roof. She signaled them to wait for the returning two soldiers before continuing with the plan. Miranda used this time to casually dust flecks of dirt from her chest and legs, ensuring that her tell tale bulge stayed hidden, which it did. She was glad that it wasn't overly large or her secret would have been known to everyone by now.

Miranda saw that Private Mason and his companion had made their way to the edge of the building and she motioned for them to crawl over. They reached the shed without incident and Miranda helped them climb up to the others. She stopped Private Mason and took his explosives; getting close enough to the tunnels to collapse them would be better suited to her skills. A few more hand signals were passed between Miranda and the strike force, and then they were ready.

Miranda crept slowly toward the tunnels, keeping low to the ground and making no sudden movements, and readied the explosive charges for quick timed blasts. She had to crawl through a shallow brown-black puddle of smelly liquid before reaching the top of one tunnel. The directional explosives were designed for just this purpose, all she had to do was half bury them in the soft dirt pointed in the correct direction and physics would do the rest. The first charge went in the ground easily enough; however, the distance to the second tunnel roof was further than she had estimated. Miranda turned to her team and made them ready to fire should she be noticed. She crawled on to the second tunnel making it more than halfway before a shout rang out from the night.

"HALT! WHO GOES THERE?"

So much for stealth.

Miranda yelled out: "OPEN FIRE!"

Miranda jumped to her feet and aimed her rifle at the mass of furs in front of her. At once a deluge of bullets rained down between the warehouses catching the rebel soldiers completely off guard. She fired the clip empty then reloaded in a blink, all while making her way toward the second tunnel opening. Bullets seemed to graze her head coming down from the top of the shed, but she had complete trust in her team's aim and didn't bother to duck. She didn't sense many bullets coming from the other direction which steeled her resolve to finish the mission.

Miranda slammed the explosive charge down into the dirt wall of the tunnel and pressed the button to initiate the 30 second countdown. Both charges were linked remotely so she didn't need to set the other timer. She backed up to the shed, aiming and firing the whole time, and cried out an order to fall back over the din of noise. More bullets were sent their way, and desperate shouts from the enemy commanders could be heard as they tried to locate Miranda and her small attacking force. Miranda smiled despite having to dodge bullets, the mission was more successful than she had expected: the charges were set to collapse the tunnels, they had caused major casualties to the enemy garrison, and they hadn't sustained any losses.

Then, the young Colonel did something she never thought was possible. She slipped and fell. Miranda's superior feline reflexes would normally have made this impossible, but the shallow puddle of fluid turned out to be her downfall. No sooner than having hit the ground did a flash of pain register in her mind. Several more burning points of agony pierced her leg, thigh and abdomen. Miranda the "Bullet Dancer" Kapp had been hit. She felt arms carry her away from the noise of gunfire but passed out as the pain took over.

Hours later, back in the camp...

A bright light shone overhead as Miranda awoke and cracked open an eye. Dull pain permeated her body from head to toe and she couldn't quite place where she was. Her throat was dry and she wasn't able to call for help. It was a miserable feeling. Miranda reached out with her least tender arm and knocked over a tray of surgeons tools.

"Colonel! Sir! You are awake already?" A disembodied voice spoke from the darkness, a voice she didn't recognize. "Sir, my apologies. My name is Dr. Richard Tannen. You have sustained 4 gunshot wounds to your left leg, left thigh and lower abdomen. The bullets were successfully removed and I expect you will make a full recovery in a few weeks time. You were incredibly lucky to have survived."

A sudden fear gripped Miranda as she realized her clothes were removed and all she wore was a thin gown. Had they seen it? They must have. She began to weep, not because of pain, but out of shame.

"Colonel? Are you in severe pain? The morphine drip is maxed out, it is dangerous to exceed the dose given your condition."

Miranda shook her head slowly and tried to speak.

"You... saw... my..." She couldn't finish the sentence.

"Oh, sir... I saw your medical file when you were brought in. Your... particular... physique, while rare, is something I have read about. You should feel no shame." Dr. Tannen turned her fears into a reality.

"But... I'm a... freak."

"Sir, you are definitely not! You are an exceptional leader and soldier. Above all, you are a hero. The whole camp is buzzing with news of your exploits."

"Where is... Ben?"

"I'm right here, Colonel." Ben's voice was tense with concern.

Miranda turned her head to face him and saw that she was not alone in the room. Captain Robert Worthington lay in the next bed, still unconscious but showing signs of life. A whole assortment of bandages and hard casts made him look more like a mummy than a bull. The repeated beeps from the heart monitor assured Miranda that the captain would pull through.

"My troops... did they make it... back to camp?"

"Your team rallied around you when you fell. Private Beckett took a piece of shrapnel in the foot but you took the worst of it. From what our scouts tell us, the remaining enemy soldiers are retreating back to their front lines. You and your team wounded or killed about half of them. It was an amazing show of force on your part."

"Until... this happened." Miranda pointed to her blood stained dressings. "I guess you were... surprised... to find out about me."

"You've never been injured before, I was more than surprised." Ben's face was creased in worry.

"That's not what I... was referring to." Miranda felt her face flush in embarrassment.

"Oh... we can talk about that later. You need your rest."

For the second time that day, Miranda cried. Ben stooped low and whispered into her ear: "Everyone is proud to have you as their commander. No one cares about anything else. In fact I..." Ben trailed off.

"Ben... what is it?" Miranda sniffed and wiped away a tear with the back of her hand.

"Please, just sleep for now. We'll talk later, I promise."

After hearing those soothing words, Miranda fell into a deep dreamless sleep.

Later that evening...

"Doc, how are they doing?" Captain James Poole paced the small triage tent waiting to see if the injured panthress or bull would wake up.

"Captain Worthington is in stable condition. We put him in an induced coma to avoid further injury. I'll wake him up in a few days if his recovery goes as planned. Colonel Kapp is still sleeping, and I'd appreciate it if you spoke quietly." Dr. Tannen's tone was final.

"Sorry Doc."

"Let's go Jim. The doc will let us know if anything changes." Roxy pulled him from the tent and they returned to their duties.

Ben hadn't left Miranda's side all day. He made sure she was comfortable, going so far as to interrupt the nurse as she tried to attach a catheter to both of Miranda's genitals. Ben had heard of hermaphrodites before but hadn't seen one until yesterday when Miranda's bullet ridden body was carried back to camp. Only the strike team, Roxy and Jim, the medical staff and Ben himself saw the out of place member and sack above Miranda's feminine opening. They took the news well as their concern was more for her injuries than her additional parts.

It didn't need to be said that Miranda's privacy was to be protected and not used as a source of gossip for the troops. Besides, Miranda's prestige had climbed to new heights which left no room for idle discussion. However, this revelation was far from lost in Ben's mind. For her to have an additional part meant there was more to discover about his leader and best friend. Why hadn't she told him? He trusted her with all his secrets. Maybe she wasn't as comfortable around him as he previously thought. Then again, when would the subject of her genitalia ever come up in casual conversation?

A slight change in her breathing and stirring of her body indicated that Miranda was gradually regaining consciousness. A low moan of pain escaped her lips and Ben jumped up to help her.

"What do you need Mir? I'm right here."

"Water..." She groaned.

Ben handed her a canteen which she took and drank deeply. Water dripped down her chin as she upended the canteen completely; the last few drops went down her too-parched throat and satisfied her thirst momentarily.

"Thanks Ben. I really needed th... OW!" Miranda grabbed at her crotch feeling the catheter tube entering into her vaginal urinal tract. "What the hell is this?"

"Uh, the nurse came in last night and did that to you. She said if you could manage on your own, the tube can come out."

"Tell her I can manage, thank you very much! Get this thing outta me!" Miranda was returning to her old self.

"Ok ok. Let me call the nurse over." Ben searched for signs of the nurse or doctor outside the tent. He recognized the nurse and brought her in.

"This will be a little uncomfortable when I remove the tube. Brace yourself." The nurse pulled up the blankets and started to remove the catheter.

Ben pulled the bedside curtain closed to give Miranda the privacy she deserved. Cries of pain echoed from the bed as the tube was removed. Ben could only imagine how much it must hurt for the catheter to come out, worse yet if she had required one in her penis as well. He shook his head and scoured that image from his mind, Miranda was his commanding officer and those kinds of thoughts would only lead to further embarrassment.

But Ben felt something change in him. Miranda was his closest friend and seeing her on the brink of death made him realize he liked her more than friendship allowed. The thought nearly staggered him, was he crazy? She was his commanding officer! Miranda had never showed anything resembling affection for him, simply respect and a shared friendship. Ben pushed these new feelings aside in case they made him do something stupid.

The nurse opened the curtains and walked to Robert's bed to check on his status. Ben waited for Miranda to compose himself and her permission to enter.

"You can come in now Ben." Her voice wavered as she was in obvious pain.

"Do you need anything?"

"I'm giving you a direct order: do not mention my condition to anyone. Tell the troops who know of my deformity that any gossip will be met with the harshest of punishment."

"Mir... I don't think..."

"Are you disobeying a direct order!?" Miranda's face turned red in anger.

"Colonel, please hear me out!" Ben waited for her nod before continuing. "The whole brigade thinks that you're a hero. No one, I repeat, no one is going to betray your trust by talking about you behind your back. You've earned the troops' respect many times over today, and they hold you in too high esteem for idle gossip to have any effect. I beg you, please retract that order, you will never need to enforce it, I promise you!"

"I'm sorry Ben. I... overreacted. I'm just so... ashamed of what I am."

"You're ashamed of being the best commanding officer in the whole Empire military? You're ashamed of being the best soldier in the brigade? You're ashamed for being wounded under harsh conditions, during a surprise attack? Mir, don't be unreasonable!"

"Please, just... leave me alone for a while. I... need to think." Miranda turned away from him and closed her eyes. A tear rolled down her cheek that Ben was sure he wasn't meant to see. He did as he was told and left her side for the first time in nearly 24 hours.

He exited the triage tent and into the cool evening air seeing Roxy and Jim standing a few yards away. Ben walked over to them and gave them a brief update on the Colonel's condition.

"I knew she'd be ok! She's too strong to succumb to a few measly bullets!" Roxy bounced from foot to foot, punching at a mock opponent.

"Hells ya Roxy! Now we can bet on who will be back on their feet faster, the Colonel or the surly bull. My money's on Rob!" Jim joined Roxy in their very physical celebration. Ben wanted to join in but it didn't feel appropriate considering how Miranda was stewing in her own brand of misery.

"I'm going to update Special Advisor Cale on the situation. We'll have a formal briefing at 20:00 in the commander's battle room. Dismissed." Ben usually wasn't this formal with the captains; however, he was going to be in charge until Miranda returned to duty. If she returned. That thought sobered him and made him fear the worst. Did he misjudge his friend? Was she weaker than he'd dared imagine?

Ben found his way to the communications room where Clint was busy filing reports and sending status updates to central command. He beckoned to Clint to follow him to the side of the room where they could speak in private.

"Clint... Miranda's not herself. She's miserable. I think she's lost sight of who she is."

"I should have prepared you for this news. But I didn't know if you needed to know..." Clint's eyes showed a hidden understanding.

"You knew the whole time? No, wait... you always know things before the rest of us. I... don't know what to do to help her."

"Give her time to recover. She is still very injured and the shock of her secret finally coming out must be hard to bear. You did tell her that the whole brigade thinks she's a hero right?"

"Of course I did!" Ben said in exasperation. "It didn't even faze her. Miranda's not one to boast or need her ego soothed."

"Leave her be for now. There will be time tomorrow to decide what to do. Right now I need to finish these communiqués to central. When's the briefing?"

"20:00 in the battle room. Bring us good news for once."

"I'll see what I can manage." Clint returned to the transmitter and continued with his work.

Ben had no choice but to prepare for the briefing, so he returned to his tent to gather his things. The soldiers he passed saw his grim face and didn't stop to congratulate him on a job well done. They may have won the battle, but Ben feared they may lose the war, and his best friend.