Emiko's gaze swung over to Jinpei -on the couch and looking nervous- then at the TV.

"News announcement?" she asked.

"Yes," Ken bit off.  "Apparently, Joe put in quite an appearance."

And here I thought Ken was the showman.

"Ken, it was for your own good," Jun implored.  "We didn't want the stress to make your condition worse, and-"

"Make it worse!?"

"I'll dish out the sushi," piped Jinpei.

"Never mind the sushi!  Why wasn't I told?"  Ken demanded.

"Because, as Jun just said, you might get stressed out –even though you are anyway," snapped Emiko.  "I personally promised Joe that I'd sit on you to keep you from going."

"So did I," said Ryu.

"What!?" Ken yelled.

"We all agreed," Jun said, putting out plates.  "Attending the UN meeting would have been too stressful.  Now sit down.  You need to eat."

"Don't nag me!"

Emiko cocked her head.  "Sounds likes Joe's coming.  From his walk, I'd say he's pretty mad."

"Big surprise, after that meeting," answered Jinpei as he finished serving the sushi.  "He was right there when the UN reps kicked us off the budget." Then he blinked.  "How'd you hear him? You’re no ninja."

Emiko shrugged.  Like I'm telling the truth.  "Survival."

Exasperated, Ken began:  "Emiko, you're not living on the streets now-"

"-that frikgin', blasted...if I could just get my hands on a bird missile..." Jinpei scrambled out of the Condor's way as Joe stomped in and flung himself down on the couch.

Ken opened his mouth.

"Say one word...," Joe snarled.

Jinpei brought him his dinner, while Jun quickly guided Ken to a chair and handed him the plate she had prepared.

The team ate for a few minutes in silence.  Then Emiko looked at Joe.

"So, Condor," she asked, "are those ungrateful twerps going to pay for the treatment Ken needs?"

Joe growled.  "No."

"What?!" gasped the team.

Emiko's eyes narrowed.  "I've thrashed people for less..."

Joe looked up, his expression unreadable.  "Vohnyer's going to pay for it."

Everyone looked stunned.  Then Ken rallied and asked, "Who's Vahnyer? Does he have any idea what he's getting into?"

Jinpei piped up, "He's the rich guy who's taking over funding, right?"

Joe glared.  "How'd you-?"

"The UN meeting was newscast," Ryu answered.

"Yeah," agreed Jinpei.  "Ken was too ticked off about the KNT's being disbanded to catch Vohnyer's details."

Joe snarled and slammed his fist into the arm of the sofa.  "Anyway, he's taking over everything to do with us.  He's got top clearance and knows about your leukemia, my being a cyborg...everything.  I checked after I shook him off.  The only person he didn't know about was Emiko."

Jun giggled nervously.  "Then he hasn't checked the files closely for three months, has he?

"Obviously not," grinned Jinpei.

"Which is kind of weird, if he's that interested," Ken mused.  Then he straightened and glared.  "Joe, why didn't you let anybody tell me about the UN meeting?"

Joe swallowed.  "That's none of your business."

Ken growled, "I'm the team leader.  Anything affecting the team is my business!"

"You don't want the UN to think you're playing for sympathy, anyway," Joe said.

"Sympathy!" Ken cried, stunned.

"Sure," Emiko agreed.  "The mighty hero, dying from a fatal disease, appears before the government heads who used him while they needed him, then cast him aside like garbage when the need was over... of course there'd be those who'd think that you were playing for sympathy!"  She stood up and started collecting the empty plates.

Ken was speechless with indignation.  Ryu tried to change the subject.

"Emiko, what did you mean when you said you've pounded people for less?" he asked.

Emiko shrugged.  "Exactly that.  When I was on the streets and some slime threatened me, Kazzie, or Trev too closely, I beat 'em up or slit their throats or otherwise took care of them.  You know, it's not that hard to kill somebody without getting blood all over yours-"

"You JUST slit throats?!" Ken interrupted.

"Sure," Emiko replied, shrugging.

"Why?  You're a civilian."

"And what was I supposed to do, let my sister be raped?  She was my SISTER.  And Trev may have been a drug dealer and a sleaze in most people's eyes, but he helped protect me and Kazzie when he could. He was the closest thing we had to a brother."

Further discussion was interrupted by a soft knock on the door.  Grateful for any distraction, Jun opened it.

A messenger handed her an envelope, saluted, and left.  Jun unsealed the envelope and read the contents, than looked up.

"It's from Alex Vohnyer," she said.  "He wants to meet with us."