Last revised: 01/15/00

*** WARNING - SPOILERS
*** FOR THE FUSHIGI YUUGI manga, TV, and OVA series

This is a substantial revision of my GW/FY xover fic.  A couple of the
characters were rather OOC and I had managed to paint myself into a
corner plot-wise, so I decided to rework the story.  ^_^  Hope you
guys like this version better.

The major changes:
  (1) opened up the plot a bit and gave it some room to breath
  (2) tweaked Hotohori's lines to make him more IC
  (3) rewrote Relena so she's not a TOTAL ditz <sweatdrop>

<sweatdrop> I still haven't quite figured out the tone of this story. 
The Suzaku side is probably going to be a bit on the light-hearted
side, while the Seiryuu side is probably going to be distinctly
darker....

For the curious, you can find info on the FY characters and story at:
    http://members.tripod.com/~JayLiz/index1.html

======================================================================
    A THIN LINE BETWEEN
        A Gundam Wing/Fushigi Yuugi crossover fanfic by Madamhydra
======================================================================
    Part 1 (v2)
======================================================================

WARNING:  shonen-ai, yaoi,

Short Disclaimer: (Full Disclaimers at the end) Gundam Wing and
Fushigi Yuugi copyrighted by their respective creators and all
distributors of their work and used without permission.

--------------------------------------------

    Hotohori, flanked by Nuriko and Mitsukake, with Chichiri standing
off to the side, stared at his Miko and the two friends who had
suddenly become total strangers to him.  He had seen Miaka ecstatic
with joy and he had seen her distraught with despair, but he had never
known her display such intense hostility as she glowered at everyone
in barely controlled fury.  Tasuki, usually so talkative and
hot-headed, had barely said a word, much less utter a single obscenity
or curse... and then there was the unnerving emptiness in the bandit's
usually lively green-grey eyes.  As for Tamahome... instead of being
worried about Miaka's strange behavior, he had merely uttered a curt,
"Get a hold of yourself, Wufei," to her before turning to watch
Hotohori and his companions with cold, suspicious eyes.

--------------------------------------------

    Heero glared at his fellow pilots in their unfamiliar physical
forms.  With full access -- perhaps *too* much access -- to their host
bodies' memories, they could have had a chance to conceal their
presence in this strange world.  That would have been the optimum
solution.  But now with Wufei's outburst, any opportunity to maintain
a low profile was totally blown.

    Not that he hadn't done his own part to screw up the situation. 
Heero knew quite well that he was not acting the least bit like
Tamahome.  Why hadn't he been more cautious?  Perhaps it was because
Tamahome trusted these people and considered them friends.  It wasn't
a comforting idea to think that his host's memories and emotions could
affect his own judgment and behavior so much.

    Nuriko said anxiously, "What the hell's wrong with them!?  Why are
they acting like this!?"  He glanced worriedly at Chichiri.  "Is it
some sort of spell Nakago's cooked up?"

    The magician took a step closer to Wufei who backed up and
reflexively took up a defensive posture.

    Chichiri blinked at the sight of Miaka move with the assurance of
an expert martial artist and said hastily, "Miaka... or Wufei... or
whoever you think you are, no one's going to hurt you!  We just want
to figure out what's going on, no da!"

    Heero and Trowa exchanged a long look and came to a mutual,
unspoken agreement.  At this point, it was useless to waste time and
energy in an obviously futile cover-up.  A quick glance at Wufei got a
reluctant nod.

    The Wing pilot stepped forward and said flatly, "You've
undoubtedly realized that while these bodies are familiar, we....,"
Heero made a sharp gesture to Tasuki and Miaka, "are not the people
that you know."

    "What the hell have you done to the Miko and the others?" Hotohori
said in a tense, even voice.  His white-knuckled grip on his sword and
the stiff set of his shoulders were the only clear signs of his inner
turmoil. 

    Heero snapped irritably, "Don't ask me.  I have no idea how we
ended up in this world or in these bodies."

    Chichiri quickly blocked Nuriko's path as he took an angry step
forward.

    "Stay calm, no da.  We can't do anything until we've figured out
exactly what we're dealing with here, no da!"

    Trowa folded his arms and said quietly, "In our world, a deranged
scientist was attempting to break through interdimensional barriers in
an insane quest for power.  We tried to stop him, but it was too late.
 There was an explosion and we woke up here. That's all we know at the
moment."

    Nuriko eyed the redhead uneasily.  It was rather unnerving to see
Tasuki acting and talking in such a controlled -- one could say
'overly controlled' -- manner.

    Chichiri rubbed at his chin and said, "I see, no da.  Now, if you
don't mind... errr, Wufei, is it?... I just want to see if I can
figure out what's going on here.  I promise that I won't hurt you, no
da."

    Wufei gave the mage a long, assessing stare, then nodded slowly.  

    "All right."

    A soft greenish glow appeared around Chichiri's staff, then slowly
flowed outward to fill the room.  Heero tensed as the green light
touched him, but when nothing else happened, he gradually relaxed.  

    Several long minutes passed in complete silence before the green
glow abruptly faded.  Chichiri took a deep breath.

    "Well?"  Hotohori asked in an unusually sharp voice as he gazed
worriedly at Miaka and the others.

    "Hmmm... there's good news and bad news, no da."

    Nuriko muttered, "How did I know you were going to say that?"

    Chichiri shrugged helplessly, "That's just how things go, no da!"

    "What's the good news, then?" the emperor said.

    "Our friends are basically intact and whole -- mind, body, and
soul.  Nothing seems to be missing.  The only problem is each of their
bodies appear to be carrying an extra soul... and it's this extra soul
who's currently in control of their physical bodies.

    "Then what happened to Miaka, Tamahome, and Tasuki!?  Why aren't
THEY in control of their own bodies!?" Nuriko demanded.

    "I'm just guessing, no da, but it could have be that the shock of
having another soul entity forced into their bodies somehow stunned
the resident soul... a temporary effect, I hope, no da."

    "And you call that good news?  Then what's the bad news?" Nuriko
exclaimed.

    "When you have two souls in the same body, all sorts of strange
things can happen, no da."

    "Chichiri!  What sorts of things?" Mitsukake said with a worried
frown.

    "That's more good news and bad news."

    Nuriko flung up his hands and yelled, "Argh!  Just spit it out,
okay!?"

    "Well, since those ARE our friends' bodies to begin with and
they're all linked by fate and destiny to Suzaku, I don't think that
it's likely that THEIR souls are in any danger of being cast out of
their bodies or otherwise erased, no da.  Now if the interlopers were
ordinary souls, it would likely that the these invading souls would
eventually be forced out, rather like a body fighting off a
disease...."

    Nuriko heaved a sigh of relief.  "Great!  If all we have to do is
wait...."

    "But I don't think any of these people have what you could call
ordinary souls, no da."

    "Oh great...." Nuriko muttered.

    Hotohori thought, (No. I don't think there's anything at all
ordinary about these three souls, as Chichiri calls them.  They have
the eyes of warriors who have suffered and yet endured... people who
refuse to surrender or give up, no matter the odds.  They're *not*
going to just conveniently fade away.)

    "And if they're not ordinary?" the emperor said aloud.

    Chichiri continued in a somber voice, "In that case, the longer
their souls occupy our friends' bodies, the more likely that the
invading soul and the resident soul are eventually going to merge
together... a process that's likely to be irreversible, no da!"

    "But... but if they merge... does that mean that Miaka...
Tamahome... Tasuki... they won't be...."

    The mage nodded and sighed softly.  "She won't be the same Miaka
that we all know and love.  Something within her will be fundamentally
changed, and the same goes for the rest of our friends. "

    Wufei waved Miaka's -- now his -- hands wildly and shouted "NO!  I
utterly refuse to be stuck with a weak, gluttonous, nitwit female like
HER for the rest of my life.  I won't!"

    "How dare you speak of Miaka like that?" Hotohori said in a low,
dangerous voice.

    Wufei glared back angrily and retorted, "Oh, perhaps you're ready
to fight and die for your precious Miko, but would you like the
prospect of literally BECOMING her!?"

    Hotohori, Nuriko, and Mitsukake flinched rather guiltily at the
prospect.

    The Chinese pilot smiled sourly and said, "I didn't think so."

    Heero's scowl told everyone just how much HE liked the thought of
merging with Tamahome, whose passion and willingness to express his
feelings -- to the world, if necessary -- left the Wing pilot both
annoyed and strangely envious. 

    Trowa characteristically kept his thoughts to himself, but Heero
thought it was safe to assume that the Heavyarms pilot wasn't too
thrilled about the possibility of being assimilated by the personality
of an impetuous, pain-in-the-butt ex-bandit who took an unholy joy at
'accidentally' torching *him* at the least provocation....

    Heero gritted his teeth when he realized that the last thought was
much more Tamahome's opinion than his own.  

    (Damn it.  I can't afford to relax.  It's too easy to get caught
up Tamahome's emotions and memories,) the Wing pilot cautioned
himself.

    Even as Heero was doing his best to keep his thoughts straight,
Trowa was finding that it took a conscious effort to remain still and
centered.  He firmly suppressed the urge to stomp around the room and
start yelling at exasperation.  Throwing a temper tantrum would be a
mere waste of energy, but still....
    
    "Then we've got to get these extra souls out of Miaka and the
others right now!"

    "That's obvious, Nuriko.  But the important question is how are we
supposed to accomplish that?" Hotohori said, discretely rubbing the
bridge of his nose in an effort to massage away what promised to be a
nasty headache.

    With a slight shrug, Trowa said, "I have no desire to steal
anyone's identity.  Nor do I have any desire to lose my own.  Since we
have no idea how we ended up in your friends' bodies in the first
place, I don't have any suggestions on how to leave."

    "Why not?" Nuriko said in a rather suspicious voice.  "If you're
seriously about what you say, why don't you just... up and leave?"

    "Because that's not how it works, you fools!" a cackling female
voice said as an extremely old, extremely ugly, and extremely wizen
old woman popped into their midst, her face only a few inches away
from Heero's.

    He recoiled wildly and landed on his rear, even as he
automatically grabbed for his gun before realizing that guns didn't
even exist in this world.  Not that firearms would do any good against
the old crone....

    "Taiitsu-kun!" they all shouted.

    The old woman who was also THE Creator glared around her, then
finally let her gaze settled back on Nuriko.

    "You think I'd be here if this mess was so easy to take care of? 
If they were ordinary souls, they never would survived the trip."  She
then glared at Heero.  "Why are mortals such fools, to tamper with the
walls between worlds just for the fun of it?"

    He didn't bother to reply, but simply gave her a hostile stare.

    She snorted, then continued, "As no ordinary souls could have
survived to reach this world, no ordinary human body could have housed
such souls.  That's why these outworlders ended up in the bodies of
the Suzaku Seishi.  Some of them, anyway."

    Heero abruptly sat up.  "What do you mean, 'SOME of them'?  You
mean that there are more of us here?"

    "Yes.  But of the nearly hundred souls cast into the void, only a
handful survived the journey to this world."

    Trowa stiffened and quietly asked, "How many?"

    "I'm certain there were at least eight souls who crossed the
void... maybe a few more."

    "If three of them are here, that means that...," Nuriko said.

    "At least five more remain at large and undiscovered," Taiitsu-kun
muttered grouchily.

    "But where are they?" asked Hotohori.

    "Don't you fools ever listen to a thing I say?  No ordinary human
body could host such souls.  So where else would you expect to find
bodies with powers on par with the Suzaku Seishi!?"

    Nuriko grew abruptly pale.  "You don't mean the Seiryuu Seishi!"

    "Perhaps.  Then again, perhaps not.  Remember, there are FOUR gods
of this world.  But for certain some of the outworld souls now reside
within the bodies of those dedicated to Seiryuu and its miko."  She
nodded significantly, then turned toward Heero and his companions. 
"Go seek out the other souls from your world.  Only then will I be
able to determine whether there's any place for you to return to." 
She smiled toothily.  "Be warned.  Your world might exist no more.  In
which case....  We shall see."

    Wufei snapped, "Wait a moment!  I somehow KNEW Heero and Trowa the
moment I saw them -- or at least I knew there was something strangely
familiar about Tamahome and Tasuki.  But I can't sense the others'
presence at all."

    "Of course not.  You can detect each other's presence only because
you're in the bodies of the Miko and her Seishi, who are all linked
together in the service of Suzaku," the Creator snapped.

    Trowa quietly said, "But we don't have a similar link with the
Seiryuu Seishi or the Seishi of the other gods, so we have no way of
telling whether they contain a soul from our world or not.  And vice
versa."

    Taiitsu-kun peered at Trowa and muttered, "You've got a good set
of brains... which is more than I can say about that red-haired idiot
whose body you're occupying."  She smiled slyly, "But his heart is
definitely much better shape than yours, so you might learn something
from him."  

    The old crone shrugged impatiently and said, "Locating the other
souls is your problem, not mine.  I have enough to do trying to get
things back in order."

    Hotohori stepped forward and said urgently, "But Chichiri said
that if these strangers' souls stay in our friends' bodies, there's a
serious risk of...."

    "Of the souls merging.  Quite right, pretty boy."

    "And we have no idea how long it's going to take for them to find
the other souls," Mitsukake said anxiously. "If the search takes too
long...."

    "Then I suggest you hurry.  Because if their souls merge, then the
issue of returning to their world becomes totally moot.  They'll
become one with their host, never to be separated."

    "But isn't there any way we can separate their souls from Miaka's
and the others' bodies right now?"  Nuriko was starting to sound a bit
desperate.

    "No.  At the moment, they're well and truly stuck in your friends'
bodies.  And before you ask, a wish from Suzaku or Seiryuu might force
them out of Miaka's and the others' bodies, but the summoning won't
work as long as there's a foreign soul within the Mikos.  Of course
that won't be a problem if the two souls fuse together."

    And on that encouraging note, Taiitsu-kun disappeared.

    "That's fucking great."  

    Heero and Wufei both turned to stare at Trowa, who blinked at them
in faint surprise.  Then his eyes widened a bit as he realized what he
had just said.

    Wufei said in a disbelieving voice, "Trowa, did I just hear you
utter an obscenity?"

    The pale skin that was the curse of redheads made it impossible
for Trowa to hide a faint blush of embarrassment as he nodded curtly.

    "I was... concentrating on something else."

    (Probably worrying about Quatre...,) thought Wufei.

    Heero snorted, then turned to Wufei, "We'll just have to try to
keep ourselves as separate from our host's personality as possible." 
He then glared at Wufei.  "And whatever you do, do NOT start calling
me 'Tamahome' in that... that voice of hers."

    Wufei flushed and retorted, "Then stop staring at my chest,
Heero!" as the Chinese pilot very belatedly pulled Miaka's bedrobe
over her exposed breasts.

    Trowa interrupted the developing argument with a calm, "We have
other problems to worry about."

    "Which are?" 

    "How to locate the other souls and what to do once we've found
them.  Taiitsu-kun stated that several souls from our universe are
contained within the bodies of the Seiryuu Seishi.  But we have no
easy way to determine which of them harbor an extra soul or not."

    "We can wait and see if they try to kill us or not," muttered
Nuriko.

    "That's not a perfect test," the Wing pilot said harshly.

    "What do you mean?"
    
    In a cold precise voice, Heero replied, "When the dimensional
breach occurred, five of us were in the middle of infiltrating an
enemy base that contained at least a hundred OZ personnel. There's
significant chance that any soul entities we encounter are going to be
hostile enemies."

    "Terrific," Nuriko muttered.

    "Do you think your two missing friends managed to... make it
here?" Mitsukake asked tentatively.

    Heero said flatly, "If I survived, Duo would have."  

    (If we're talking about the strength of soul, spirit, and heart,
then Duo and Quatre are probably the strongest of us all...,) the Wing
pilot thought to himself.  The alternative was unacceptable.  Not that
he wanted Duo to be trapped in the same precarious situation as he,
Trowa, and Wufei currently were, but given a choice between that and
possible oblivion....

    Apparently Trowa's thoughts followed the same path as Heero's,
because he simply stated, "The same with Quatre."

    As for Wufei, he said nothing aloud, but within his own mind, he
knew that Treize also would have survived.  There was no question
about it.

    "Then it gets even worse, no da," Chichiri said quietly.

    "How could it get worse?" Wufei muttered.

    "I'm sure you're well aware that the Seiryuu Seishi and their Miko
are in sworn opposition to Miaka and the Suzaku Seishi.  That's not
even mentioning issues of personal revenge, especially between
Tamahome and Suboshi."  He glanced significantly at Heero.  "If any of
you get overwhelmed by the memories and emotions of your host
body...."
    
    "We could end up fighting each other... possibly to the death,"
Wufei said in a taut voice.

    The monk nodded somberly.

    With a slight frown, Hotohori said, "Luckily, we had Taiitsu-kun
and Chichiri to explain what happened to our friends.  I'm certainly
not happy about the situation, but I understand that you are certainly
not to blame.  We'll do everything in our power to help you, and not
only for our friends' sake.  Unfortunately, we don't know if your
missing friends will have similar good luck dealing with the Seiryuu
Seishi.  Somehow, I don't think that the Seiryuu Seishi will react
kindly to discovering that some of their members have been possessed
by souls from another world."

    "Duo's like a cat.  He'll find a way to land on his feet,
somehow," Wufei said with a sour smile.

    Heero gave his fellow pilot a cold stare and snapped, "Certainly,
IF someone else doesn't do anything stupid to ruin his chances of
keeping things under control."

    Wufei blushed furiously and glared back at the Wing pilot.

    Unsettled by the exchange of nasty looks between Miaka and
Tamahome, Hotohori hastily interrupted by saying, "So now what are you
planning to do?"

    Heero merely shrugged and said flatly, "We go hunting for the
Seiryuu Seishi and their Miko."

--------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------
[ Kutou royal palace ]

    As he dressed in Nakago's clothes and armor with unconscious ease,
Duo was carefully sorting through the warlord's memories of the Kutou
Emperor's court, trying to get some idea what kind of mess he was
getting into.

    (Sheesh!  What a den of rats.  Half these nobles would just love
to stab this Nakago guy in the back if they could and the other half's
too busy sucking up to him.)

    Strangely, the situation wasn't completely unfamiliar to Duo.  The
politics in the court of Kutou weren't all that different from the
street gangs of his childhood.  There were the same sorts of power
games and dirty dealings, only differing in the scale of things.   

    Duo sighed quietly to himself.  It was a bit disconcerting to
realize that he and Nakago had basically used the same tactic to
survive... and even thrive.

    Masks.  It all came down to masks... masks that hid the darkness
and pain inside... masks that deceived and lulled suspicions... masks
that allowed just the right amount of strength to shine through, but
concealing one's true power....

    He had developed the reputation of a jokester, cheerful and
easy-going, but no pushover -- but that happy-go-lucky surface hid the
ruthlessness and determination that gave him the strength to do
whatever was necessary to achieve his goals.  Few people had ever seen
that side of him and all of them were dead, mostly at his hands.  Not
even Heero knew....

    As for Nakago, he was one smooth bastard, hiding the bitterness
and hatred from years of humiliation and abuse behind a facade of cool
control and politeness.  Even the damn emperor, who damn well should
have known better, bought Nakago's act. And the nicely calculated show
of power -- enough to instill respect and fear in the people around
him... but not too much fear.  That would have been just as bad as too
little fear.  Those fancy-dressed idiots would be pissing in their
robes if they only knew how much power Nakago truly had....  

    However, Nakago's carefully constructed mask left Duo with a bit
of problem.  Because if that mask cracked or if Nakago's act faltered
in the slightest, everything could easily go straight to hell, one way
or another.  Basically, Duo could not afford to let anyone in Kutou
know that anything strange was going on with their Shogun.

    (That's right.  Gotta play it cool.  These guys are like a pack of
starving alley dogs.  They're just dying to rip him apart or get him
under their control the first chance they get.  Let them catch the
smallest sign of weakness and everyone's screwed.  Friggin' terrific! 
And I thought infiltrating into OZ bases was bad....  I could really
use someone I can trust at my back.  Hell, I wish Heero was here! 
Damn it!  He was just starting to open up... to trust me and my
feelings for him, but now this shit has to happen!  Although... maybe
it's better that he's not trapped in this crazy zoo with me....)

    There was a sudden knock on the door.  

    "Enter," said Duo in Nakago's deep, rich voice.

    A guard opened the door and dropped respectfully to one knee.

    "Lord Nakago, there's something wrong with Lady Soi."

    Sapphire blue eyes narrowed, Duo said, "What do you mean?"

    "The servants heard hysterical shouting and things breaking inside
her chambers just now.  We thought it might be an assassin, but when
we opened the door, there was no one in the room.  She threw a vase at
us and we... errr, left her alone."

    Duo suppressed the urge to grin.  With Soi's lightning powers, it
was no wonder the guards and servants didn't want to piss the woman
off and risk being turned into a charcoal briquette.

    "Anything else?"

    "She was babbling something about... a hero, I think, my lord."

    (A hero?  What the...?  Wait, can she be talking about Heero!? 
Shit!  I remember hearing that stupid shout of Relena's, but I thought
it was all a bad dream!  Damn it, she could blow everything if I don't
get her under control NOW.)

    "Fine.  I'll deal with it.  You may go."

    "Yes, Lord Nakago," murmured the guard as he backed out of the
room.

--------------------------------------------

    Before he stepped out of Yui's chambers, Treize tried tugging the
blasted schoolgirl's skirt down a bit more.

    (This is ridiculous!)

    As he checked his appearance in the mirror one more time, he
pondered what he had learned about Yui in the last hour.  Although she
was a girl, he was gratified to find out that Yui was in excellent
physical shape and a born athlete.  However, for a man raised from
birth in an atmosphere of intrigue and deceit, he found the girl's
naivete, obtuseness, and stubborn blindness to the truth appalling. 
In his experienced eyes, Nakago's manipulations were fairly blatant,
but it was equally obvious that the real Yui couldn't see beyond her
own sense of betrayal and anger. 

    (She's really not that much in love with Tamahome.  It's more a
nasty combination of infatuation, jealousy, and vindictiveness.)

    And while he can understand Yui's anguish over being raped, he
didn't consider it to be sufficient excuse for her foolishness.  It
wasn't as if she was unique.  Unfortunately, rape was one of the most
frequent violent crimes committed against others.  At least she
doesn't even remember the actual event.

    Treize smiled grimly to himself.

    Some people are not so lucky.

--------------------------------------------

    As Duo took the familiar way to Soi's room, a passing courtier
smirked lewdly to his companions and said in a clearly audible voice,
"Off to bring your pet bitch to heel, Lord Nakago?"

    Duo stopped, then slowly turned to stare at the courtier.  The
foppish man had been chuckling at his little verbal jab, but his smirk
abruptly disappeared from his face when he saw Nakago's sinister
little smile.  It was Duo's favorite
'I'm-busy-now-but-I'll-deal-with-you-later' grin.

    It suited both the occasion and Nakago perfectly.

    Then Duo continued on his way, leaving the offending nobleman
sweating and quivering nervously in his elaborately embroidered boots.

--------------------------------------------

    When he arrived at Soi's chambers, it was clear that she was still
on her own little rampage. As he dismissed both the guards and
servants, then watched them hastily scurry away, Duo absently thought,
(I suppose there *are* certain benefits being a ruthless powerful
bastard.)

    He calmly entered Soi's bedroom and locked the door behind him. 
As soon as he saw her, he knew that he was right.  Although it was
Soi's body who was yelling incoherently and tossing things around, he
was certain that Relena was running the show.  And knowing what Nakago
did about Soi's life, he had a pretty good guess why Relena was so
totally freaked out.

    With a silent snort of amusement, he thought, (Not so easy to
ignore the dirtier aspects of existence, is it, Relena?  Not when you
can remember every cold, hungry, terrified, and painful moment of
Soi's life....)

    She abruptly whirled around, vase in hand.  But she froze in
mid-throw as soon as she recognized Nakago... and more importantly,
the fact that the man in front of her really wasn't the Shogun. 
Before she could do or shout out anything stupid, Duo took several
swift steps, grabbed Relena by the throat, and pinned her firmly
against the wall.

    "Well, imagine meeting you here, Relena," he said with a wicked
little grin.

--------------------------------------------
madamhydra@aol.com         /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/:E
http://www.geocities.com/~madamhydra/
--------------------------------------------

=====================================================================
The Full Disclaimer
    All rights and privileges to Shin Kidousenki Gundam Wing are
trademarks and property of Sunrise, Bandai, Sotsu Agency, and
associated parties. All rights and privileges to Fushigi Yuugi and all
characters are created by Watase Yuu and are property of and owned by
Flower Comics, Shogakukan, Studio Pierot, Bandai Visual, TV Tokyo, and
Movic. The characters of these works are used WITHOUT permission for
the purpose of entertainment only.  This work of fiction is not meant
for sale or profit.
    Original portion of the fiction included here is considered to be
the sole property and copyrighted to the author.
=====================================================================