I just had to write this; it's a kind of response to "Eclipse"
and "Bangalore Falcon."  The HRA shall not be thwarted!

As usual, the Quest kids and their little dog too don't belong to
me but to HB and the immortalized Doug Wildey.


Rebuttal; or, Resolution
by Winnie Lim


        Jonny Quest and Hadji Singh came pelting out of the house
as Race Bannon's sleek black car glided up the driveway.  Bandit
followed them, barking in excitement.

        Jessie Bannon got out of the passenger side almost before
the car came to a complete stop and ran to greet her friends.
After the usual whirlwind round of greetings and Jessie's bag had
been taken up to her room, Race said, "I gotta go run those
errands for the Doc now, honey.  I'll see you this evening,
okay?"

        "Sure, Dad," Jessie said, reaching up to hug him and kiss
his cheek.  "Thanks for lunch."

        "Anytime, sweetheart," Race said, hugging her.  He went
around the car and got back in.  The three teenagers watched as
the car rounded the fountain and disappeared down the driveway.

        Then Jonny said, "I was just about to take Bandit for a
walk.  Wanna come along?"

        "Sorry, Jonny.  I have to finish recalibrating those
instruments for Dr. Quest,"  Hadji said.

        Jessie glanced surreptitiously at Hadji.  "Um... I think
I'll pass too, okay?"

        "Sure," Jonny said.  "I'll see you guys later."

        He put the leash on Bandit, and the two of them headed
off down the path to the beach.

        Jessie turned to Hadji.  Suddenly she felt awkward and
shy.  "Um, so how have you been?" she asked, wincing inwardly at
how lame that sounded.

        "Jessie," Hadji said.  His face was serious.  "I think
... we need to talk."

        "Okay," Jessie replied.  Her heart began to beat a little
faster.

        "Let us go to the conservatory.  We will have more
privacy there."

        Jessie followed Hadji into the conservatory, where he
motioned to her to sit down.  He remained standing, however, and
started pacing in front of her, as if trying to figure out what
to say and how he should say it.

        "Jessie, I know you believe you have ... feelings for me.
I know my mother believes so too.  But there is something you
must know."  Hadji took a deep breath.

        "First of all... you have to know that I love you."
Jessie's heart leapt.  He quickly went on, "But not in that way."

        Jessie's heart went cold.  "What do you mean?" she said
in a small voice.

        "Jessie, I am truly honored that you have chosen me as
the object of your affections.  But I do not have the same
feelings for you."

        "Is there... is there someone else?"  Jessie said
quietly.

        "No.  Not at the moment," Hadji said.  "Please understand
that you are as a sister to me and I love you dearly in that
fashion.  But nothing more."

        "I see," Jessie said, her voice still low.

        "I thought that I should tell you now, before things
could go any further," Hadji said. "Jessie, you are a very lovely
young woman, and someday you will make a fortunate man very
happy.  But I am not that man."

        Jessie couldn't speak.  Hadji placed a hand on her
shoulder briefly, and then turned and left the conservatory.

        When he had gone, Jessie took a long, shuddering breath.
There was an empty, hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach, and
her face felt both hot and cold.  Her heart thumped like lead in
her chest.

        There was a rustle at the entrance of the conservatory,
and she looked up quickly, hoping that he had returned, that he
was going to say that it was all a horrible mistake, and he had
not meant what he had just said.  That he loved her the way she
...

        But it was just the wind blowing through the ivy.  She
was still alone.

        In the distance, she could hear Bandit barking.  Jonny
and the little dog must be back from the beach, she thought.

        Before long, Bandit came bounding up the hill.  He
bounced into the conservatory, his tongue lolling out happily.
As he approached Jessie, though, he seemed to sense her mood and
proceeded more slowly.

        "Hi, Bandit," she said.  He came up to her, wagging his
stumpy tail so hard that his whole behind wiggled.  She put out a
hand to pet him, and he licked her fingers.

        "At least you still love me," she said, her voice
trembling.  A tear trickled unbidden down her cheek.  She wiped
fiercely at it, but more followed in quick succession.  Giving
up, she buried her face in her hands and let the tears flow.
Bandit whimpered.

        "Jess?"  she heard a voice say.

        Oh great.  Jonny.  She scrubbed ineffectually at her
face, trying to pretend that she hadn't just been weeping her
heart out.

        "Jessie, are you all right?" he asked.

        "I'm fine," she said, but her voice broke and betrayed
her.  A fresh flood of tears welled up and out, streaming down
her face.

        Jonny came up to her and knelt in front of her.  "Jessie,
what's wrong?  Are you okay?"

        "It's nothing," she lied, drawing her forearm fiercely
across her face.

        "Did Hadji say something to upset you?"  Jonny said
suddenly,  turning to look out the conservatory door towards the
main house.  For a moment, she saw real anger in his eyes.

        "No," she said quickly.  "No."  She paused.  "Yes.  He
just told me the truth.  And the truth hurts."  She folded her
hands in her lap.

        Realization dawned visibly on Jonny.  "Oh.  So he finally
told you, huh?"

        Jessie nodded.  Then her eyes widened suddenly.  "You
*knew*?!"

        Jonny shrugged.  "It was kind of obvious how you felt
about him.  Actually, he didn't have a clue until I filled him
in."

        "*You* filled him in?"  Jessie didn't know if she should
feel grateful or mortified.

        "Sure.  He's super-smart and metaphysical and all, but he
can be awfully dense when it comes to down-to-earth stuff like
this,"  Jonny grinned briefly.  Then his face grew sad.  "But I
really didn't know that he didn't feel the same way until he told
me.  You know him, he's awfully hard to read."

        Jessie nodded, feeling her throat tighten up again.

        "I'm sorry,"  Jonny said.  "I never meant for you to get
hurt."

        Jessie gave him a watery smile.  "It's all right. I guess
you sort of saved me from making a total fool of myself any
longer."

        Jonny returned her smile, but his eyes were still full of
concern.  "Are you gonna be okay?"

        "Yes," she said.  Her smile grew wider.  "Yeah.  I'm okay
now."  She gave a shaky laugh.  "It's nice to have it all in the
open, actually.  And over with.  I kept switching between wishing
and dreading that something like today would happen."  She looked
at him.  "Thanks for speeding things up."

        "Well...glad I could help," Jonny said.

        Jessie ruffled his hair.  "You know...you're the best
friend a girl could ever ask for."

         "'s'okayfineyeahwhatever," he mumbled, looking slightly
embarrassed.

        Jessie stood up, and looked at Bandit.  "Do you suppose
Bandit could use another walk?"  she asked.

        Jonny got to his feet as well.  "I don't think he'd
mind," he said, handing her the leash.

        Reaching out to take it, Jessie grasped his hand.  "You
know...I'd really like it if his master came along too," she said
quietly.

        He looked at their joined hands, surprise evident on his
face.  "Yeah...okay...sure," he said.  A smile began to form on
his face as, still hand in hand, they exited the conservatory.


END

...and thus, the objective of our existence remains intact.;)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
© 1997 Winnie Lim