FanFic

CHAPTER 4

Torie was exhausted. She hadn't completely understood just how hectic and draining her job on the Saratoga would be. In the few days she'd been on board, she'd already worked harder than at any other time in her life, including the hellish first year residency all doctors went through. The only thing there never seemed to be a shortage of was wounded. That made the idea of an actual schedule pretty ludicrous. They all worked when needed, slept when they could, and covered for each other whenever necessary.

She finished her rounds, stopped by the nurse's station to drop off her latest updates and then left sickbay. Things seemed to be fairly quiet at the moment and Torie headed back to her quarters to sleep. Halfway there she realized that work and sleep were the only things she'd been doing. She hadn't seen Ty again nor had she seen her father. Maybe it was time to forego a little sleep. She really needed to settle things with both men…and she didn't know which confrontation she dreaded more.

After a quick shower, she decided to try and locate Ty first. Her relationship with her father was by far the more complicated one and she wasn't at all sure any of it could ever be solved. She loved the prickly old man but that didn't guarantee they would ever truly like each other enough to get along without fighting.

Lieutenant Colonel TC McQueen was another thing totally. Torie knew how she felt about Ty. She'd always known how she felt about him, from that first moment she looked into those remarkable blue eyes of his. One look and she'd fallen in love in a way that told her, even at the tender age of 14, that it was a permanent condition. His being an In Vitro hadn't matter any more than his age had. There was simply something about him, something that made him different from any man she'd known or ever would know and it was that difference that still held claim to her heart.

She knew that all he'd seen in the beginning was an awkward kid who always seemed to hang around whenever he was visiting. That didn't mean he treated her like an awkward kid, he hadn't. He had always shown an interest in her opinion and never questioned the fact that she was included in the adult conversation. He'd even listened to her rant and rave about her father on more than one occasion and Torie knew that none of it had ever gotten back to her father. Having him to talk to had been wonderful and there were times when Torie was absolutely certain it had kept her sane.

The first time he'd asked her to take a walk with him was one of her most precious memories. Her father had been off God only knew where and Ty had stopped in to check on her and her mother. He'd ended up staying for dinner and after they'd finished the dishes, he'd asked her if she wanted to go for a walk. She couldn't remember what, if anything, she'd actually said in response; she had the vague impression that she had stammered out her acceptance without sounding too much like an idiot.

It had been a beautiful spring evening and they'd walked for what seemed like miles, very little making an impression on Torie besides Ty. They'd discussed her schooling, his assignment, the base, the people, everything. Torie had known he was a pilot before that walk; after it she knew that flying was as much a part of him as breathing. She'd also found out that he liked reading, classical music, and WC Fields. He'd discovered that she hated school but wanted to be a doctor some day, liked all kinds of music, and loved poetry…

The knock on her hatch brought her out over reverie and she immediately glanced at her watch. It had only been 25 minutes since she'd left sickbay, so whoever was outside probably didn't have much to do with work. Maybe it was Ty. Her heart started to pound at the mere thought of having him at her door. She took a deep breath, tried to calm her nerves, and opened the door.

It wasn't Ty. It was an ensign, one she didn't know. Her smile vanished.

"Dr. Meese?" The young woman looked uncertain.

"What is it, Ensign?" Her disappointment made her tone sharp and unfriendly.

"I have a message from Commodore Ross, ma'am. He would like you to join him for a drink at 2200 this evening."

Torie swallowed her first, caustic reply. It wasn't the girl's fault that she was bringing the right message from the wrong man. And it was just like her father to make an invitation sound like an order.

"Thank you, Ensign. Did the commodore say where this was to be?"

"His quarters, ma'am. Shall I tell him you'll be there?"

"Yes, thank you. I'll be there." Torie stepped back and closed the door, not waiting for the girl's response.

This was just perfect - the perfect ending for a perfect day. Torie had no idea why she hadn't simply sent her regrets. She was too tired to deal with her father and she didn't want to end up arguing with him. She wanted to find Ty and have a quiet drink with him; maybe find out that some sort of common ground still existed for them. What was her father anyway, psychic? If he wanted to keep her away from Ty, his timing couldn't have been better.

***

Vansen left McQueen's office feeling remarkably good. His faith in her was as unshakable as it had always been, in spite of what had happened. The man had a way that left her believing she could do just about anything. It was totally amazing.

She headed back to the Tun to join the others, feeling guilty about her argument with Paul. He'd only been trying to help, and in an unexpected way, he had. If he hadn't gotten her angry, she wouldn't have dealt with James. That made the entire thing worth it.

Once there, she stopped at the bar and bought a round for all of them before heading for their usual table. They all accepted the drinks without comment and Shane sat down.

"Hey, Shane, everything okay?" Paul spoke quietly as he toyed with the glass she set in front of him, seemingly unable to look at her.

"They're getting there, Paul. Thanks. For everything." Her smile erased the tension between them.

"No problem. What'd McQueen want?"

Shane responded with a slight shrug. "He had some questions about our last mission. Nothing, really. You know how McQueen is about detail."

The conversation flowed around her after that, leaving her with a feeling of comfort. In spite of the uncertainty they all faced every time they went out on a mission, they had somehow managed to become a family. Even West and Hawkes had settled their differences and Nathan had taken on the role of big brother to Cooper with few qualms. That made what James seemed bent on doing that much harder to take. Shane was determined not to let him succeed.

When the easy-going conversation suddenly lagged, Shane glanced up to see James walk in, accompanied by a couple of pilots she didn't recognize. Everyone at their table watched as the trio made their way to the bar.

"Who's that with James?" Cooper looked at Shane expecting her to have the answer. He always seemed to think she'd have the answer.

"I don't know, Coop." She turned to try and get a glimpse of the patches on their flight suits. "Do you guys have any idea, Cassie?"

"Nope. I've never seen them before. Maybe they're with the 128th? I heard they were going to lay over on the 'Toga for a couple of weeks."

"They're with the 128th. The one on James' right is Lt. Bobby Myers." Even though Grant spoke quietly, Vansen was left with the impression that his opinion of Myers wasn't a good one.

"Anything we need to know, Grant?" She took one more look at the trio before turning her back to them.

"No. Nothing besides the fact that he's as big a bigot as James is. Cooper, stay clear of them, okay?"

Cooper glared across the room at the trio, a gesture that went unnoticed by its targets. "I'm not afraid of them, Grant. I know how to handle myself."

"I know you do, Coop, and I don't doubt that you could handle one or two of them. But it might not be just one or two and you might not know that until it's too late. If you won't stay clear, be careful, okay?"

"Yeah, okay." Cooper sat back and folded his arms over his chest. "What I don't get is why'd he come here? I mean, he don't like In Vitros, he don't like Shane…he don't like anything…why'd he even transfer to the 58th? It doesn't make sense, does it?"

"No, Cooper, it doesn't make sense and you shouldn't try to make it make sense." Shane took a sip of her beer, leaving the last part of her statement unspoken - I will.


***

Torie arrived at her father's quarters at precisely 2200. She'd debated what to wear before finally settled on civilian clothing. Her father didn't need a visual reminder of the hierarchy that now existed between them. She took a deep breath and knocked softly on the door. The hatch was immediately opened, which surprised her; she'd been expecting his normal gruff acknowledgement. In the momentary silence, Torie took the time to actually study him. He looked tired, tired and care worn, and there was more gray in his hair. He stepped to the side and motioned for her to enter.

"I'm glad you came, Victoria. Please, come in." He was in uniform, everything perfectly correct and spit-polished. She always pictured him like that - she'd never seen him any other way when in uniform.

"Thank you." She moved inside and glanced around. She hadn't paid much attention on her first visit. There were touches of her father every where and the soft sound of the blues playing in the background brought a slight smile to her face. It was one of the sounds from her childhood that could make her smile. "I'm glad you invited me, Pop."

"I thought it was time we talked." He shut the door and moved inside.

"Pop, I don't want to argue." Torie followed him once more on-edge. They rarely 'talked' about anything. He usually issued orders and expected her to obey them.

"Neither do I, Victoria, but this situation isn't going to go away by itself. It needs to be discussed."

"Pop, I…" Torie breathed deeply and took hold of her fraying nerves. What was there about being in the same room with this man that drove her absolutely crazy in a matter of minutes? "Okay, Pop, we'll discuss it, but only if it is a discussion and not an argument."

"I think we can do that." Ross accepted the truce for what it was. "Would you like a glass of wine?"

"That would be nice." Torie sat down as Ross poured them both a glass of wine. "Since when do you drink wine, Pop? I thought you didn't like it."

"It's not my favorite, but I do appreciate the fact that your mother went through all the trouble of…civilizing me." Ross sat down and studied his daughter. "You look tired."

"I am tired. So do you, by the way." Torie was actually able to smile as she sipped the wine. It was surprisingly good. "Well, she'll be happy to know that all her hard work wasn't in vain. This is very good."

"Thanks. How is she?" Ross sat back and tried to relax. He'd had conversations with admirals that were easier.

"Busy. She's up for re-election and the campaign has been hectic."

"I'd forgotten all about elections coming up. Any chance she won't be re-elected?"

"Pop, this is Mom we're talking about. Can you honestly see her losing an election?"

Ross laughed and shook his head. "No, I guess not. She attacks elections like we attack Chigs - all out, without mercy."

"Yes, she does, with better results." Torie regretted the words the moment she said them. It sounded a little too much like one of the caustic remarks her mother had hurled at him right before their marriage ended. "Pop, I didn't mean…"

"I know, Victoria. I can't very well get upset over the truth, can I?" He tried to smile but failed.

Torie realized that the pain was still there, in spite of the years that had passed. She knew her parents stilled loved each other but by the time they'd gotten divorced, it had been painfully obvious that their marriage was no longer working. Torie tried to think of something to say that would end the awkward silence.

"Is she responsible for your being on the Saratoga?" Ross spoke quietly, trying to live up to the 'terms' of their truce. He didn't want to argue any more than she did.

"Mom? I don't think so. Why?"

"Because when I heard you'd enlisted, I tried my damnedest to keep you off the Saratoga. I figure your mother used her congressional clout to get you assigned here."

Torie set her wineglass down and stared at her father. He'd tried to keep her off his ship? She hadn't thought things between them were that bad.

"And you think Mom stepped in and got me assigned here to what? Spite you?" Torie stood up clearly furious. "It's good to know that you don't think I'm good enough to serve on your ship, Pop. I…"

"Oh, for crying out loud, Victoria! That's not what I meant! Sit down and let me explain." Ross also stood up, surprised by her reaction. "Please, honey, give me a chance."

She sat down reluctantly. Ross knew he'd only have one shot at getting through to her.

"It's not about your being good enough to be here, Victoria. I knew you were. I know you are." Ross sighed and sat back. "I didn't…I don't want you here because it's just too damned dangerous. I tried to keep you home, Victoria, where it's safe. I didn't want my daughter serving in a war zone. I still don't."

"Well now you know how Mom and I always felt, Pop, every time you went off to fight. It's not much fun, is it?"

"No, it's not and I always knew." He sat back and picked up his glass. "So, are you sure she didn't pull some strings to get you assigned here?"

Torie didn't answer him immediately. She hadn't thought much about it…but now that he'd brought it up, it did sound like something her mother might do.

"I don't know, Pop. I suppose she might have. Did she tell you she did it?"

"Your mother rarely tells me anything these days, Victoria. She contacted me to tell me you'd enlisted, which is my fault by the way, and that you were going to be assigned to the Saratoga. She also demanded that I keep you safe."

"I'm sorry, Pop. She wasn't…thrilled by the fact that I'd enlisted. She doesn't understand why I did it and I can't explain it to her."

"So explain it to me and maybe I can explain it to her. You've always made it pretty clear how you feel about the Navy. Why would you suddenly up and enlist? Is it because of Allen?"

"Meaning, did I enlist to get away from him?" Ross simply nodded. "No, Pop. I'm not that self-centered. I decided to enlist because I'm a damned good trauma surgeon and I knew I could help. And thanks to you, I felt duty-bound to help. Allen encouraged me when I started talking about enlisting. It's one of the few things he's supported me on, actually. Mom did her best to talk me out of it. She said I could serve my country better if I stayed home and donated some spare time to the rehab hospitals."

"Spare time?" Ross shook his head. Simone's inability to accept the idea that serving in the Navy was as much a calling as her desire to serve in congress was, had been the one thing they couldn't overcome. She'd wanted Ross to resign and embrace the life of a politician. It hadn't been something he could even consider much less do. "She still doesn't get it, does she?"

"No, but I do, Pop. Finally. I don't hate the Navy any more. I still wish you'd been around more often when I was growing up, but I finally understand why you couldn't be. This is more important than any one person's life. This is about all life, all freedom. If we don't succeed out here, there'll be nothing left worth going home to." Torie reached across the table and covered his hand with hers. "I get it, Pop, and I'm damned proud of you."

Her words left Ross speechless, overcome by an emotion he couldn't even name. He got up and poured himself some rum, buying a few moments to regain control. Torie watched silently as he moved restlessly around the room. Several minutes passed before he finally turned to face her again.

"Thank you, Victoria. That's nice to hear."

"I'm sorry it took so long for me to say, Pop." She also stood up and moved over to look out his port. "So what else did you want to discuss?"

Ross studied her, wondering whether he really needed to pursue it. He was certain McQueen would respect his wishes and that would take care of the problem. Mentioning it now would certainly destroy the new-found peace between them. He moved over to his desk and sat down, automatically picking up his guitar.

"Ty."

Torie closed her eyes for a moment before turning from the port to face her father. It was what she'd expected.

"What about him, Pop?" She managed to keep the irritation from her voice.

"I want you to stay away from him…"

"No." Torie angrily cut him off. "You have no right to ask that. None. TC and I are adults, Pop. Both of us. If we want to spend time together, there's no reason we shouldn't."

"Yes there is, Victoria, and you damned well know it. So does he and I've already asked him to stay away from you."

"You what??" She was completely stunned.

"I asked Ty to stay away from you."

"Why? My God, Pop, why would you do something like that?! Ty's my friend! You had no right to interfere like that!" Torie wanted to be ill. He'd just destroyed everything…and he'd done it so casually. Ty would never agree to anything now, not if it meant being disloyal to her father.

"Victoria, I'm not that stupid nor am I that blind. You're in love with Ty. You have been since you were just a kid…"

"So what if I am? What can you possibly object to? He's one of your closest friends. You know how good and decent he is! You can't possibly have a problem with his being an In Vitro…" Torie stopped and stared at him, her hand on her stomach. "Or can you? God, Pop, please tell me that's not what this is about!"

Ross stood up, every bit as angry as Torie was. "No, damn it, that is not what this is about! I am getting just a little tired of being called a bigot by the two people on this ship who damned-well should know better!"

"Two? You mean he…"

"Yes, he did." Ross cut her off. "He jumped to the same asinine conclusion you just did!" He took a deep breath and reigned his temper in. "When have I ever given either of you reason to think so poorly of me, Victoria?"

"I'm sorry, Pop. You're right." It took her a few seconds but she finally relented. He was right. She did know better.

"You're damned right I'm right." Ross paced the length of the room, his hands on his hips. When he reached the hatch, he turned back to face her. "Would you like to know what my real objection is?"

"Truthfully, Pop, no. But, I know this won't be settled until you've had your say, so go ahead."

Ross shook his head with a laugh. That was so like her. She'd been saying things like that since the age of ten. She'd let him talk…and then do whatever she wanted anyway.

"Look, Victoria, if things were different I'd be the first one to tell you not to give up. Ty is a good man and his ex-wife was a fool for bailing out on him. He deserves to be happy."

"So what's the problem, Pop?"

"You're married, Victoria. The vows you said mean something…"

"That didn't stop you and Mom from getting a divorce, did it?"

"No, it didn't. But, your mother and I had almost 18 years together before we gave up on each other and those vows. Good years and bad years, Victoria. We tried and when we ended it, we both walked away knowing that we'd tried our best. You and Allen have been married less than two years. It's too soon for you to be thinking about giving up. I can't encourage you to pursue Ty when I feel you should be giving your marriage more of a chance. It's that simple."

Ross crossed back over to stand in front of his daughter. He loved her more than anything and he truly wanted her to be happy. He just didn't think this was the way for her to achieve that happiness. It didn't feel right to him.

"Did you love Allen when you married him?"

It was a simple question on the surface. Torie found herself unable to meet his gaze as she gave her answer serious thought.

"I…yes, Pop, I loved Allen when I married him. I still love him but I…it's just not that simple." She closed her eyes and fought back the tears that suddenly formed. Why couldn't he understand?

"I know that, Victoria. Please believe that I do. Nothing is ever that simple. I know you wouldn't have married Allen if you didn't love him. I also know that you love Ty. And, I know that now that you're here, with Ty, you want to reach out and grab onto him with both hands. You see a chance you never thought you'd have and you're afraid if you don't take it, you'll never get the chance again. What I'm trying to tell you is that this is not the time or the place for you to be deciding anything about your marriage. Everything out here is too…unsettled. We're all just living for the moment and praying there'll be another moment tomorrow. To decide something this serious under these conditions…" Ross stopped and gently shook his head. "Allen deserves better, Victoria. Hell, you all do."

He saw the tears forming in her eyes and reached out to her, only to have her turn away in an attempt to hide her pain. He remained silent as she wiped the tears from her face and took a deep breath, regaining control over her emotions. It was an ability she got from her mother. When she turned back, the tears were simply gone. She was once again fully composed.

"Well, Pop, whether we deserve better or not, you've taken care of it, haven't you? Ty will never give us a chance now, will he? That would be disloyal…and we both know he'll never be disloyal to you." The bitterness in her voice startled him. "Thanks, Pop, thanks for thinking you know more about my life than I do, especially since you've rarely ever been a part of it."

"I just don't want you to regret anything, Victoria. Can't you understand that?"

"Yes, I can understand that. I can even understand that you think you're doing what's best for me. But, Pop, you don't know me well enough to know what's best for me. I'm the only one who gets to make that decision. You don't and neither does Allen…and if Ty thinks he's going to make any decision about us unilaterally, he's in for a rude awakening."

"Victoria…"

"No, Pop. I've heard your objections. I'm not discussing it any more. Thanks for the drink. Good night."

She made it to the hatch before he spoke.

"Just a minute, Captain Meese. We're not through here." The emphasis he placed on her rank stopped her cold. She couldn't believe he was willing to take it that far. She turned back slowly, her hand still on the handle.

"You can't be serious, Pop. What makes you think I'll listen to this garbage coming from the commodore if I won't listen to it coming from my father?"

"Your father may not be able to get through to you, Victoria, but I can guarantee that the commodore will. Lt. Col. McQueen is a vital part of this ship and her readiness. It would be detrimental to that readiness for him to be…distracted by a problem of this nature. Therefore, you will not distract him. You will leave him alone. Is that clear?"

"Pop…"

"Is that clear, Captain?"

Torie had never heard him use that tone of voice before. It left little doubt that he wasn't speaking as her father any more. He was speaking as Commodore Ross and fully expected her to obey his order. She searched his face for any sign that he wasn't serious, that a compromise was available. She found none.

"Sir, yes, sir!" She snapped to attention and barked out the reply with as much sarcasm as she could muster. "Thank you for clearly defining the nature of our relationship, sir. Will there be anything else, sir?"

Ross sighed tiredly. He'd obviously done the wrong thing, again. It was all he seemed capable of doing where this situation was concerned.

"No, Captain. That's all. Dismissed." He spoke softly and was thankful that she didn't snap off a salute before leaving.


***


When Shane went over to select some music to listen to, Nathan followed her. She glanced at him briefly before turning her attention to the playlist.

"Something wrong, Nathan?"

"I hope not, Shane. What's happened between you and James?"

"Nathan, you know as much as I do about it. He doesn't like me. Maybe it's my lipstick or maybe he doesn't like women in the Corps. I don't know and frankly, I don't care." She thought about selecting Patsy Cline but didn't. "What do you feel like listening to?"

"I don't care. Come on, Shane. This isn't just about him not liking you any more. It's more than that."

Shane finally looked up at him and could see the concern in his eyes.

"What are you talking about, Nathan?"

"I'm talking about the fact that if looks could kill, Shane, you'd be dead. James has been eyeing you with less warmth then he would a Chig. What is going on?"

"I set him straight. My guess is he didn't like the fact that I gave him a dressing down. Okay?" Shane found it hard to keep the irritation from her voice. "I'm done worrying about James, Nathan. Can we just drop it and drive on?"

She selected several songs randomly and went back to their table, her good mood gone. When were they all going to realize that she was capable of taking care of herself? It was getting ridiculous. If it weren't for the fact that they had a mission briefing at 0900, she'd seriously give getting drunk more than a passing thought.

The second song she'd selected was a slow, torchy one that she didn't even recognize. It certainly wasn't her normal style. She reached over and punched Nathan playfully in the arm.

"Thanks for wasting my credits on this…stuff, West!"

"Me? You're the one who picked it, Vansen."

"Yeah, with your help. I…"

She stopped as Myers approached their table. He stopped in front of Cassie, a cocky grin on his face.

"Hey, beautiful, let's dance." He held out his hand. Witt simply stared at it, making no move to take it.

"No, thanks. I don't feel much like dancing." Her tone was cool but polite.

"That's 'cause you haven't danced with me yet. Come on. This song has us written all over it."

"If you're reading my name on anything in connection with yours, Lieutenant, I suggest you get your eyes checked. You're obviously seeing things. I'm not interested." The politeness was definitely gone, replaced by a layer of ice that was unmistakable.

Myers reached out and took hold of Witt's wrist. "Listen, sweetheart, you're the only woman in this place up to my standards so…"

Cooper was out of his chair before Shane even realized he was moving. He took a step closer to Myers, which immediately brought James and his other friend over to the table. Their arrival brought everyone to their feet and Shane knew they were one word away from a fight.

"She doesn't want to dance with you, so let her go." Cooper was certainly itching for a fight.

"Coop, it's…" Witt pulled free and stepped between the two men in an attempt to placate them both.

"Or what?" Myers totally ignored Witt and took a step closer to Cooper. "You think you can take me, Tank? Let's just see…"

That was definitely the word. Cooper reached around Witt to grab a fistful of Myers' uniform and Shane could only pray that no one ended up breaking anything important.

"C'mon, Chig shit, I'm not afraid of…"

"Get your fucking hands off me, Tank…"

"What the hell is going on here?!" McQueen's voice, cold with fury, brought complete silence to the bar. Cooper immediately let Myers go and turned to face his CO.

"Colonel, I…"

"Stow it, Hawkes. I've already heard it from you more times than I care to." McQueen turned to face Myers. "Explain yourself, Lieutenant…"

"Bobby didn't start this, McQueen, Hawkes did. Or can he get away with it because you're both Tanks?" James pulled Myers back and stepped up to confront McQueen.

"Is that right, Lieutenant?" His voice was soft, almost casual. Anyone knowing Ty knew it wasn't a good sign. He glanced at Myers and the other pilot standing a step behind James. "You two disappear. Get back to your squadron before I change my mind and throw your sorry asses in the brig." When they hesitated, McQueen took a step forward. "Now!"

The bark in his voice had its intended affect; they both responded as if they were back in boot camp, snapping to attention for a brief moment before heading for the door. McQueen waited until they were gone before turning his attention back to James. He studied James for several long moments, his hands on his hips, his manner seemingly relaxed.

"Tell me, Lt. James, did the Corps change the rules and forget to inform me?" Ty's voice was once again deceivingly soft.

"What…" James was obviously confused.

"That's the only conceivable explanation I can come up with for your total disregard for protocol…Lieutenant." He stressed the rank just enough to make his meaning perfectly clear.

James closed his eyes for a moment before coming to attention, his gaze suddenly focused somewhere over McQueen's shoulder.

"Sir, no, sir. There have been no rule changes that this lieutenant is aware of, sir."

"I didn't think so, Lieutenant. If you ever fail to give my rank the proper respect again, I will make your tenure in the Corps very short and very miserable. Is that clear, Lieutenant?" The softness was still there but the edge behind it was unmistakable.

"Sir, yes, sir. The lieutenant would like to apologize to the Colonel for his…unintentional disrespect, sir." James clearly knew he'd gone too far.

McQueen remained silent for a moment, his gaze never wavering from the face in front of him. He finally took a step back and folded his arms across his chest.

"At ease, Lieutenant." James relaxed minutely. Ty ignored it. "I won't pretend to know how things were in the 128th, James, nor will I pretend to know how things were in the 35th, but I will say this once and only once - you are now a member of the 58th. You will not waste your time and energy fighting each other when there is an enemy out there more than willing to oblige you. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir."

McQueen glanced at Cooper. "Is that equally as clear to you, Hawkes?"

"Yes, sir."

"Excellent. That means we won't be having this discussion again. Ever. James, with me; the rest of you, get back to your quarters and get some rest. You've got a mission briefing in 11 hours."

McQueen turned on his heel and left the tavern, James right behind him.

***

TO BE CONTINUED