By: Pat Vergis
Being called to Nambu's
office could sometimes feel like a summons from the principal. As much as Joe
could intimidate the Galactor into having endless nightmares, there was only
one who could have that effect on him; Hakase Kozuburo Nambu. Over and over he
searched his memory for some clue as to why he alone had been sent for. It
usually meant he was in trouble. And he hadn't missed Ken's accusatory look
either when the Eagle had dutifully delivered Nambu's request. Then and now he shrugged. As far as he was aware of he'd
done nothing in the last week. At least nothing outstanding.
He
entered the office silently and stood before Nambu's desk. Whatever real or
imaginary offense he was accused of he had no intention of playing the
penitent. He stared hard at the top of Hakase's head, which, as usual, was
buried into mounds of nameless paperwork. There was no need to clear his voice
for attention because like themselves Nambu was a ninja. The moment Joe stood
outside his door he not only knew of the arrival but who his visitor was. Nambu
would acknowledge him only when he was ready.
It
didn't take long so Joe knew he wasn't in too much trouble. Had he been Nambu
out of sheer perversity would have ignored him another five minutes. Yet
another clue was Nambu's smile. It was no small wonder that his face didn't
crack. The man rarely ever smiled. He must be a Vulcan. A real life throw back
to Spock.
"Good
morning Joe" "Sir" "And how are you doing today?" "What's the favor?" Nambu
chuckled. "Right to the point then"
"Well if you're smiling I'm not in trouble. If it was a mission you'd
have either just Ken or all of us in here. So you must want a favor." "And
couldn't this just be social?"
"Please." OK Sherlock you're
right, I do have a favor to ask." "Let
me guess, your chauffeurs sick." "No,
and if he was I am perfectly capable of driving myself." "Not as Galactor's number one target you
wont! At least not without ample escort." "As if that would deter them! No Joseph it's not that. In fact you'll be
pleased with this assignment" He didn't miss the use of Joseph as opposed to
Joe. If he wasn't mad then the proper
name must mean that whatever he is going to ask has special importance to
him. "An assignment for me and not
Ken?" "Well yes and no. It's not what
you think. It has nothing to do with Galactor."
"Figures."
"One day you'll get your chance for glory, its just that for the
majority of the missions Ken is better qualified. Anyway let's not get into
that old argument. You really will like
this particular assignment." "How
so?" "It involves a really fast car and
the upcoming race that I had previously asked you not to enter." "You've changed your mind?" Then Joe thought, uh-oh, last time he did
that was when his old friend Lucy wanted to betray Galactor secrets.
It had cost her her life, whatever life that was. He still had a hard time coping with the
revelation that she'd been turned into some kind of cyborg. He had entered that particular race only to
obtain the information. "So what's the catch?
Another old racing buddy turned Galactor slash cyborg?"
Nambu
looked at his adopted son sadly. Joe's
luck with women caused him to wonder if the boy hadn't been cursed by a gypsy
at birth. "Nothing like that, and again
I really am sorry how that turned out. What I have in mind is for you to test
my science departments latest project."
" A racing car?" " Not as such.
It's a new engine design and an alternative fuel system . If it runs smoothly enough I'd like to adapt
it to home use and cut down of high gas prices and demand. If you want you can
read my whole project file on it. Interested?"
"Enter your car and not the G2?"
"It's a challenge! An unpredictable car means an unpredictable outcome.
Just think you can stick your nose up at Ken's suggestion that its the G2 that
wins not the driver." "He only says
that to push my buttons" "Well now he
wont be able to." "It would be like
committing adultery with another car, but your right. It would be a challenge."
"Then you'll do it?" "Sure."
"One other favor." " Should this be
where I say uh-oh?" "Probably. I could order both you and Ken to comply on
this one but then I'd have to deal with the lousy attitudes later. I prefer
that you would both do this voluntarily."
"To do what?" "Prior to the race
there is a social event that ISO..."
"No way!" "Some very important
foreign dignitaries will be there..."
"No" "I'd like to show off two
of my older foster children...." "I
said no!" "Especially the one who will
be testing our prototype the next day."
"You're deaf!" "If you say yes
the I'll attend the race the following day."
"No...You will? You hate races!"
" No more than you hate black tie affairs." "On one condition." "Ill
probably regret this but what?" "Serve
on my pit crew? If I have to don a
monkey suit its only fair that you give me the satisfaction of seeing you in
overalls!"
Nambu
sighed. He really did hate races. The crowds, the noise and the smell. And to serve on a pit crew? "I wouldn't know one piston from
another" "The pistons should be fine! Anyway it'd just be for show. No way would I
even trust you with a monkey wrench! You may be a rocket scientist, but I've
seen you with your own car. I have a
good pit crew who will handle everything.
Like Ken and the others you'd just be there." "All right. Fair is
fair. If I can expect you to step into
my world I should be willing to do the same."
"Then I'll do the social thing."
"You have a month to enter, qualify and practice with the new car." "This will be fun!
Here's to hoping Galactor stays quiet!"
A
month later both Ken and Joe, on either side of Nambu fidgeted. One of the few
things the two top leaders of the KNT had in common was their strong dislike of
tuxedos. Sitting in the back seat of a
stretch limo they pulled at this and tugged at that. On occasion they managed to elbow Nambu's ribs. One by accident, and the other with devilish
intent.
"Will
you two please quit squirming!
Honestly! I don't know how either of you can dace down death each day,
tolerate high levels of pain , and endure missions that can last up to
forty eight hours and yet having been
in those suits for all of twenty minutes and you're ready to break!" "Just don't let Katse find out. If he puts these on us or even threatens to
you can kiss your top secrets goodbye!"
"Not funny Ken." " If Katse
promises to eliminate every tailor who designs them I'll trade our
secrets!" "Joe!"
Nambu
rolled his eyes and gave up. Teenagers
will after all be just that. It didn't matter whether or not they were also
superheroes. Special ops team aside his
boys were just that; boys. Nothing more
nothing less. He was proud of them just
the same. And not just for saving the
world day in and day out. But in their
personal lives as well. Joe, at
nineteen was a world famous stock racer who in his brief two-year exposure to
the sport boasted an armful of trophies and a sizeable bank account. No mean feat for his young age!
His
slightly younger commander though often broke and not as well off financially,
was an accomplished test pilot and owned his own airfield from which he managed
a small but successful airmail delivery service.
Nambu
couldn't be prouder if they were his real sons. So if they hated tuxes?
Oh well. And yet that humored
him tonight. And tonight he intended to
show them off. Of course not as
KNT. Their identities as such had to
remain hidden. But as Ken Washio and
Joe Asakura, his foster children, he could!
The
limo rolled in front. At the sight of
the old and jaded rich both Ken and Joe groaned audibly. This would be the worst battlefield they'd
ever engaged. They took a deep breath
as they filed out, all three nodding thanks to Nambu's chauffeur bodyguard, who
was a ninja as well. Not in their
league, but quite adequate to the task.
He was a former Yakuza. One of
the few to successfully leave that society.
His name was GoJu . Both Ken and
Joe had known him for ten years now.
Though Joe no longer even remembered that night it was Goju along with
Nambu that had rescued the injured eight-year-old off of B.C. Island.
Once
inside the grand ballroom they put on a mask of sorts as they dutifully shook
hands smiling and nodding in interest as dignitary after dignitary examined
them as if they were an exotic species.
The only highlight to the evening being Director Anderson himself. They genuinely liked the older man. He was like a grandfather to them and the
only one in the room besides Nambu who knew them for the Eagle and Condor of
the KNT.
To
relieve boredom Joe snuck a little more champagne than he probably should have
with tomorrow being a race day and all.
Gut it was afterall the only way one could tolerate these affairs. Even Ken relented and drank a glass after
the fifth rich widow pinched his cheeks or swatted his behind. Joe snickered as the last one, a very round
bottomed and buxom brunette sauntered off.
"It's your chubby cheeks!"
"Nani??" Ken punched his arm
hard as Joe continued to laugh. "YURERO!"
"Ken!" Ken turned and looked at
Nambu who had never been so mortified in his life and nodded an apology at
Anderson who stood just behind their mentor.
The older man laughed it off and they all joined in, even Nambu.
One
dignitary watched them from afar. Until
recently the night had been a waste.
Undercover for Galactor he'd been assigned to snoop. Surely, Katse had thought, a bunch of tipsy
ISO members would let something slip.
Especially with as much of the spiked champagne as they imbibed. But no! The only thing that had managed to
slip thus far was their sexual inhibitions. Until now. The gem of the evening
was the news that Nambu would be serving on the pit crew of his eldest foster
child during the race tomorrow. That child
was none other than the famous driver Joe Asakura. All of ISO were raving over the prospect of seeing the stoid Hakase in overalls and elbow deep in grease. Katse would rave at the chance to finally
get to Nambu once and for all.
The
night finally ended. In the limo on the
way home, bow ties and cummerbunds flew in wild abandonment as half undressed
ninjas finally relaxed. "It really
wasn't that bad was it?" "I don't know,
can I file a sexual harassment charge in the morning?" "Now Ken they were just slightly drunk is
all." "Slightly horny you mean!" "They're just fascinated with your
chubby....Ow!" Ken glared at Joe staring
with satisfaction at the trickle of blood from Joe's lip. "Not one more word Joe!" "Why you..." "That's enough! Ken that
is no way to discipline and Joe, shut up!
Their frustrated growls in response made Nambu's head ache. He had drank more champagne than he was
accustomed to and was grateful for the silence
the rest of the way home.
As
they got out Joe couldn't resist "Tomorrow morning 7 a.m. sharp! And in overalls Hakase!" "Why so blasted early?
The race isn't until ten." "Pit
crew and drivers need to check in early!
Be glad I didn't insist on being there for the coffee and donuts at
six!" "Fine. Just please bring me some
Excedrin and earplugs!" Joe laughed and as he got within inches of his car he
couldn't resist a parting shot to Ken as well.
"See you in the morning chubby cheeks!"
"What? K'so! YOU....." All Ken
got was the roar of engines and the squeeling of tires in response. Shouting curses he got on his bile. Joe had better just hope that this
particular pit crewmember didn't screw with his car in retaliation.
The
next day it was everything Nambu expected.
A lot of noise and the nauseating smell of car fumes and grease. Lots of both! It would have been intolerable on a normal day let alone one on
which he wass hung over. He was not
totally unaware that Joe had drunk way too much more than he should have either
and so was both surprised and annoyed that Joe wasn't hung over. The annoyance increased when he purposely
spoke louder than necessary and revved the car needlessly just to torture him.
"I
hope you're happy Joe. All of ISO is in
the bleachers today enjoying this!" Ken
spun around. "All of ISO! Who told them
you'd be here?" "I did" "Are you crazy! What if a Galactor agent
overheard?" "That was an ISO function
Ken." "Like ISO has never been
infiltrated?" "You have a point. It's a
moot point now however, the damage is already done." Joe looked annoyed. "Ease off Ken. And here everyone thinks I'm
insubordinate!" "Joe this is important.
An attempt could be made on him here" "Aniki there's too many people here, even
Galactor has to realize that" "Jinpei
since when has that been an issue with them?
How many cities have they laid waste already? Do you really think crowds are a deterring factor to them?" "Well
duh! You're right Ken." "If all of ISO
is in the stands?" "You've got the
picture Jun. If an agent of Galactor
was there last night and overheard Nambu today is a prime opportunity that
Katse will not let pass him. Everyone
will have to be on their guard today."
"I'm sorry Ken" "It's alright
Hakase. In the future though I think
alcohol should be banned from such affairs."
Joe gave an amused snort. "Aw
Ken, just cause some tipsy ladies saw fit to pinch your cheeks?" "Joe!"
"All four of them!" Ryu played
in perfectly at this point. "Four? He's
only got two, a right and a left cheek."
"Your forgetting the butt cheeks."
Ryu and Jinpei both cracked up at this while Jun gave Ken a questioning
look. Blushing a nice shade of red
Ken's eyes narrowed. "You're dead Joe" Joe merely laughed as he rolled up his
window to join the other cars lined up behind the lap car. After staring daggers at him a few minutes
longer Ken addressed the others. "I
mean it, stay frosty!"
Katse
wasn't playing around. This was his
once in a lifetime chance to eliminate the entire worlds leadership. To hell with the civilian lives that would
also be affected. He ordered up the
biggest mecha their factories had on hand.
In that huge oval with thousands of panicking spectators and press, the
pit crewss and racers it would be easy to get Nambu and the other ISO members
trapped in the stampede. Even if
Gatchaman was down there they'd find it very difficult to get out. If the idiots were expecting a single
assassin this was sure to shock them to reality.
Half
way through the race Joe pulled over for a quick check and joked with his pit
crew, especially its chief, Steve. Over
the last two years they'd formed a close bond.
Outside of the team and Ken he could be counted Joe's closest friend.
Although
being a part of the pit crew was honorary only Nambu was nonetheless covered
with grease and he didn't look happy which made Joe immensely happy. Steve agreed that Nambu was way out of place
here. "This father of yours looks more
like the suit and tie type to me Joe." "Add a lab coat and you've just
described his daily attire." "Man must
love you then." "Nah, he just owes me
big time!" "My father owes me big time
too but you wouldn't catch him dead down here." Joe laughed something he was
doing a lot of lately and something he wasn't too used to. Steve closed the hood of his car. "She's doing just fine Joe so you can go
back out any time you'd like!" "I
figured she was but she's not my car so I thought I better be sure." "You must love your foster father too to
have given up your car in favor of this one."
"I'm in third now so for an experimental nightmare she's not doing too
badly." "That's more a testament to
your driving skills if you ask me." Joe
glanced at Ken who stood with the others some distance apart. If he won this race he could make his
brother eat his words. "Time to finish
this race, see ya later Steve!" Steve
waved as mere seconds later Joe was already a distant spot on the track.
Nika
ran playfully up and down the stairs of the bleachers. Her long dark hair streamed out behind
her. Sitting at the end of the row
Nika's parents smiled indulgently.
After all, the track was no place for a little girl. That she was this well behaved was a
blessing. She waved up at them and they
returned it with one of their own as laughing she again raced the wind upwards.
Not
so far away in the stands Anderson and his fellow ISO seat holders watched
alternately the blur of cars and the stats board. Joe had inched up now to number two, and in an experimental car
to boot. The boy really was good! Yet the real entertainment was below and to
the right as Nambu looked aghast at the
spreading grease over most of his torso.
His nose was wrinkled in distaste and they all trained binoculars on him
like sick voyeurs enjoying his discomfort.
Nambu
looked up to the stands feeling that sixth sense that he was being
watched. "They're enjoying this!" "Of course they are. This is so far out of your comfort zone who
wouldn't?" Nambu shook his head that
was spinning from way too much champagne the previous night combined with the
smell and noise of fifty plus engines.
He regarded Ken solemnly. " I am
sorry about last night. Normally I'm
not so loose lipped and never drink that much if at all. I'm usually a lot more discreet." "It was the champagne." "That's what I said." "No, I mean even after one I felt strangely
compelled to drop my mask and cuss those ladies out." "You think the champagne was spiked?" "Are those ladies usually given to pinching the behinds of young
men? Or is that the normal activity of a diplomats wife?" "If your suspicions are well founded..."
They both looked around them uneasily. "Then we're in trouble sir because with
this many people there is no way we can guarantee the safety of all of
ISO." Ken turned to the rest of the
team who were horsing around. "Ryu,
Jinpei I want you two keeping tabs on Anderson now." He addressed Nambu then. "Jun and I are sticking with you. The
rest of ISO will have to depend on their own bodyguards. You two have priority. Lets just hope no one in the crowd gets
caught in the crossfire."
A
strange fluttering of nerves made Nambu's stomach do flip-flops that had
nothing to do with a hangover. Ken was
right. None of the diplomats had been
themselves last night. And if the
champagne was tampered with he could be sure a spy was in place to catch the
secrets loosened lips would spill. What
else might have been said? He looked to
the innocent bystanders with more than a little guilt. Stray bullets could just as easy take out
quite a few lives here today. Damn my
mouth!
No
one had seen its approach at first.
Every one was so enrapt now in the race. The drivers were at the last five laps and their favorite Joe
Asakura had taken the lead! The crowds
went wild! Especially the female
contingent. In the hubbub no one even heard its approach. Not until the ominous shadow covered the
track did heads turn. There were no
storm predictions where did the cloud come from? In disbelief the masses screamed in panic at the sight of the
huge mecha.
Joes
ears had been conditioned to distinguish between the roar of the G2 engines and
the sound of enemy craft that he automatically looked up. By the time he brought his wrist
communicator up it had already fired the first volley. "K'so!"
Joe slammed the gas pedal and did a fast 180-degree turn heading back to
the pit and the others. Most of the
racers had frozen in panic. Those few
who didn't have enough sense to anything but continue forward were easy to
dodge. He was almost about to make it
when a missile landed a little too close to the car. The impact sent him in an uncontrolled roll toward the stands.
Nika
fell down the steps from the vibration of the stands. Up above her the top half of the bleachers were no more. Everything was engulfed in flames and
smoked. She screamed and cried as frantic
people kicked or stepped on her, oblivious to everything but their need to
escape.
Ryu
bodily grabbed Anderson and another ISO member and rushed toward the back of
the stands where he'd have a straight run to the edge of the woods where he had
hidden the phoenix. Jinpei ran ahead of him clearing a path through the
frightened people. More explosions and
screams of the dying filled their ears.
Ken
and Jun likewise pulled Nambu behind them, also rushing toward the
phoenix. Nambu hesitated and looked back
toward the track where flames danced high in the sky. He remembered the wreck of racing cars piled one on top the other. "Joe!"
Ken was insistent. "Well come
back for him later. It's imperative to
get you out first!" "But what about the
people?" "We can help them better from
the Phoenix." As they ran Goju appeared
ahead of them. "Goju find Joe and get him out of there!" "Yes sir!"
Nambu allowed himself to be pulled along then confident that if anyone
could do it it would be Goju.
Steve
watched with eyes frozen in shock as the car bearing Joe's trademark number
careened into the stands nothing more
than a junk pile now. Already its back
end was in flames. He rushed madly to
get to his friend's side and pull him out before the inevitable explosion. He could see when he reached him what bad
shape he was in. "Joe?" No
response. Blood was everywhere! There
was no time to be gentle about this, if he didn't get Joe out now they would
both go up in smoke with the gas tank and have a wild ride to hell
together. He tugged. There was resistance at first then Joe
slipped free of the harness. Steve
didn't get him far before the car blew.
He covered Joe with his own body then as a tremendous force hit his back
and something sharp tore at his neck. And
yet another missile hit the stands its explosion rocking the entire
vicinity. But this Steve was unaware
of. For him the ordeal had ended.
Goju
saw it all. Both Steve and Joe were
covered in flames. He reacted quickly
choking back the fumes. Using his
jacket he managed to douse the fire. He screamed Joe's name in an effort to
rouse him. The pain already had. Blearily Joe tried to focus his eyes. There was a weight on him that he rolled
under to dislodge. Something rolled
away from its main mass. He followed
the shape to where it rested face up.
Eyes stared unseeing at him.
Steve's eyes, Steve's head! He
screamed as he realized that the weight had been his friend's lifeless
body. It was charred beyond
recognition. Other screams joined his own. The screams of a panicked people. Screams of
pain, death cries, cries for help as the mecha above continued its assault.
Damn you Ken get airborne already and stop that thing! He focussed lastly on Goju who looked almost
unrecognizable from the soot. "We've
got to help them!" "There's nothing we
can do Joe san."
"Not down here we can't! But get me to the Phoenix and I'll blow the shit out of it!
They're dying damn it! Look around
you!"
They
both did. Wherever their eyes fell the
story was the same. Hundreds lay pinned
under debris, or ran about like living torches. Bodies were strewed about like broken dolls while the living
crouched in fear crying for deliverance or lost loved ones. Among the cacophony a small voice rose above
the others. Joe craned his neck
glancing wildly about to locate its source. Goju watched him concerned. The boy was fast going into shock from the
trauma and burns. The scene took him
back to ten years ago on the beach and a badly burned eight year old held in
Nambu's arms. Who would be cruel enough
he had wondered then to have thrown a bomb point blank at a child? He was angry
now. Some of the dead here at Galactors
hand were also children! Gingerly he
scooped Joe up in his arms. He needed
to get him medical attention now!
In
Gojus arms Joe continued to scan the area.
One cry pulled at him above the others.
All the cries had a desperate quality that Joe knew he's never be able
to block out from his memory for the rest of his life. Neither could he ever hope to shut out the
sight. This is what our bombs do? This is wars reality! It was something they had never seen from
the Phoenix' cockpit. "Mamma,
Pappa!" The cries echoed his own. The present faded into the past as yet again
he was a small child playing blissfully on the edge of the shore. Trying to finish his sandcastle before the
waves did. His world was turned upside
down when two single gunshots announced the end of his parents. The assassin had laughed. He couldn't remember what happened
next. Only the pain, then and now.
"Momma!
Poppa!" Where was that cry coming
from?? Joe searched his head craning as
far as he could in Gojus firm grasp. It
sounded like a little girl. There!
Among the fallen dead at the ruins of a section of bleachers a small
child sat crying and dazed. His voice hoarse from the smoke he pleaded with
Goju. "Save her!" "Nani?"
"To your left, the little girl."
"There's no time for that Joe san, you are my priority!" "That's an order Goju! If you can't than I will! I'll carry her!" "You can't even carry yourself!
We cant save them all." In a
small voice reflecting his sadness Joe concurred. "But we can save her."
Goju nodded in understanding for the terrible tragedy in it all. He set Joe down gently and retrieved the
girl.
Nika
kicked at the stranger like momma had told her to. Never go with a stranger anywhere she had said. But the man was very strong and ignored her
efforts. She continued her struggles
until he set her beside a badly burned racer.
She knew him! He was the man on
the poster her mom had in her bedroom!
It was Joe Asakura! Her mom was
his number one fan. His blue grey eyes,
much more vivid in person entreated her to stop. She did. In a voice that
was almost gone he asked her to go with them to safety. Mom said she shouldn't go with strangers but
she knew Joe so he couldn't be a stranger.
Timidly she nodded and allowed herself to be carried piggyback by the
man who drug her over here while he carried Joe.
High
above the Phoenix engaged. But the
mecha proved uninterested as it continued its assault on the track below. Ken slammed his fist on the panel in front
of him. "Damn it Katse! Its us you
want, leave them alone!" In answer
Katse's face filled their screens suddenly.
As usual he laughed like a maniac as he revealed in his latest
attack. "Watch them all die Gatchaman!
Your precious Nambu and every last member of ISO, including Anderson! Whatever will you do without their
leadership?" At that moment Nambu and
Anderson came to the forward screen for Katse to see them. Nambu angrily shouted up at his visage, "I'm
right here you idiot! Its me you want, so come and get me!" "Nani? Oh well, at least we are sure to have
eliminated some of the delegates."
"What you've done is kill hundreds if not thousands of civilians!" "This is war Nambu Hakase." "Yes, and
innocents lay dead because of you!" "Au
Contraire! Because of you Nambu
Hakase. We are at war and you are a
prime target, or did you forget that when you chose to present yourself in
public? It is past time that your
children received a wake up call on what war is really about! Never mind, it would seem our targets are no
longer accessible so we will retreat now."
"What?? Like hell you will! Turn around and fight us you coward!" Katse laughed at Ken. "Another day Gatchaman. This one is mine! I have no intention of letting you spoil it by defeating my
mecha. Do you know how hard these are
to come by? You have two choices chase me or rescue the survivors."
The
transmission ended then as they watched a rapidly disappearing mecha. Ryu looked over to Ken. "Orders" Filled with
impotent rage Ken shook his head. Katse
was right damn him! They had a duty to
the survivors. And there was still
Joe. He was still in that inferno. "We
do what we can for the survivors Ryu.
Joe?" There was only static at
first then Gojus voice could be heard.
"I have him! We are boarding an ISO evac copter now." Nambu grabbed at Ken's wrist speaking into
the communicator. "How is he?" "Alive but hurt badly." "Take care of him Goju. We'll assist the rescue units as much as we
can then head back ourselves. Thank you
old friend." They all sighed in
relief. Anderson lay a heavy hand on
Nambu's shoulders. "It's not your fault."
"Oh but it is." "I refuse to
allow you to bear this burden." "You
can't refuse whats already there."
Hours
later parked in the hospital's waiting room the tired ninjas watched as news
reports filtered in. Nothing official
yet, but the estimates were bad enough.
300 dead so far and well over 2000 injured, half of that were critical.
Yet another 500 were still unaccounted for.
The team, those of ISO present, including Anderson and Nambu bowed their
heads. The atmosphere was heavy. One of those critically injured was their
own Condor. According to Goju one of
the dead was Joe's best friend Steve.
Of the 500 missing one that they had accounted for lay dozing in Jun's
arms. What to do about Nika was in the
back of all their minds.
In
deference to the way the team felt one of the nurses shut the TV off. It was at that time that the facilities top
surgeon entered the room dressed in bloody scrubs. By mutual consent the rest hung back as Nambu and Ken addressed
him. In deference Ken let Nambu do the talking. "How is he?" "Stable.
There were some internal injuries that had to be repaired, nothing major. Some deep bruising to the spine, but again
nothing to be concerned over. Mostly
what we are concerned with is the extensive amount of burns to his legs. Most are third and fourth degree. He'll
require debriedment and a series of skin grafts. As soon as he comes out of anesthesia and the recovery unit
announces him stable enough we'll be transferring him to the burn unit." "Can we see him?" "Just yourself for now until he is in his room and only for a few
minutes." Ken looked as though he were
about to protest and Nambu put a restraining hand on his shoulder. "There are things the staff will need to be
doing for him until he wakes up. Too
many visitors will only get in the way."
Ken nodded in reluctant understanding and returned to the rest to give
them the news while Nambu followed after the surgeon.
Though
he knew what to expect Nambu was still taken back. Mostly it was a case of Deja Vu.
He found himself staring at a small boy instead hooked up to the same
amount of machinery suffering from the same amount of burns. It was as though they had both come full
circle. Lightly he ran a hand through
Joe's hair while studying the monitors.
The readouts were all good. In
the long run Joe would be all right. If
he could get past the painful debriedment process that lay ahead of him that
is. He'd done it before, he'd do it
again. Again. Guilt overwhelmed Nambu as he remembered what landed the child
here the last time. My fault. It was my urging that caused his parents to
defect and my tardiness that caused their deaths. It was my mouth that caused Joe to be in this race and my mouth
that let it slip that I'd be there watching!
My mouth that bragged in him as my son and my mouth that put him here!
Again! Silently he cried.
Joe
came to a good three hours later and having been pronounced stable enough was
transferred to his room. The burn unit
had a smell of its own that his memory never erased. Back again. His whole
world was pain. Within that pain was
the memory of other peoples suffering.
Echoes of blood curdling screams tore at his mind as well as the sight
of the many dead. As well as
Steve. This was the flipside of
war. God I want out of it! He blinked his eyes against the bright of
the hospital lights and got his bearings.
He was lying sideways to relieve most of the pressure off his badly
burned legs. Beside him he found
himself staring at Nambu who was stretched out in the chair next to him. In another chair Ken was sound asleep and
snoring loudly. Ryu was curled into a
ball on the floor also asleep while Jun and Jinpei amused themselves on an
adjacent bed playing cards.
Damn,
he thought my throat feels like sandpaper. "K'so, Ken! Ken!" His normally deep bass was a whispery
croak. Ken continued to snore but he
had managed to successfully rouse Nambu.
"Joe?" "Can I have some
water?" "I think your only allowed ice
chips right now. Here try this." Nambu took a spoon and placed some small ice
chips in his mouth. That was
better. "How many?" "How many what?" "How many died?" He
looked into his sons troubled eyes and averted his own. "Too many." was his only quiet answer. Joe didn't press. "When's the funeral?" "Nani?"
"Steve's. I want to go." "You're in no shape for that Joe, your burns
are way too severe and you just came out of surgery." "Damn it! He was my best
friend outside of this team, he died saving my miserable life when it was my
stupid enemies that got him killed, my stupid fault and your telling me I can't
even go to the funeral??" "Its not that
I don't want you to you just simply wont be well enough to." "Why?
Damn it all, why did Galactor have to attack? They were innocent, civilians!"
"Why do they ever?" "This wasn't
some strategically located town or military base! It had no factories and wasn't an ISO facility, it was a race
track!" "It had one thing Joe. Thanks to my mouth it had all of ISO and
myself." "Right, You , me and your
prototype! A brief look of anger and grief clouded his features followed by
guilt and self hate. "Is this what
happens every time we fire a bird missile?
"You hardly fire on civilians."
"No, but sometimes the missiles go astray don't they?" "The cities threatened by mecha are
generally evacuated before you even arrive."
"Wrong! I've seen the dead
bodies on reconnaissance. They're not
100% evacuated are they?" "To the best
of our knowledge..." "To the best
of...This is what happens isn't it? Those who are left who aren't killed
instantly are either burned or buried
alive in the aftermath of either their missiles or ours! How many of ours Hakase?" "Joe calm yourself! No one ever said war was pretty. You know
better. You know the Galactor and what they did to your parents. You've always known the dark side of it even
if it hasn't always looked you directly in the face. Today you saw what its like on the front lines and it is bad! I've been there myself. I fought in the third world war and I know
how ugly it can get! It hurts and I know this is cliche but time will heal
it. And it is not your fault! That
infamy lies with me."
Joe
controlled his breathing. He wanted to
cry and hated himself for it. He was
stronger than that. Who was to blame?
He wanted to blame Hakase but would that be fair? So he was loose lipped, I'm the one who
asked him to serve on the pit crew. I'm
the one he came to see. Aren't I as
equally deserving of the blame?
Ken
began to stir. As he did Joe forced himself to calm. For once he was glad of
his smoke-damaged throat, it would hide the huskiness of emotion. "About time you woke up sleeping beauty,
your snores were beginning to sound like that of a pigs!" "Hello yourself!" Another commotion revealed Ryu finally stirring as well. Jun and Jinpei who had respectfully remained
quiet throughout his and Nambu's emotional outbursts joined them at Joe's
side. "Aniki's voice sounds like mine
did when I hit puberty!" "You haven't
hit puberty yet you little runt!"
"Aniki's just fine, he's his usual charming self!" Joe took an affectionate swing at Jinpei's
head wincing at the pull of the IV in his arm and the protest of his sore back
muscles. "You'll have to take it easy
Joe." As the anesthesia wore off Joe
was experiencing the full brunt of the pain now. "What's the damage?"
"Some internal injuries that were surgically repaired as well as a badly
bruised spine. Third and fourth degree burns over most of your legs." "Great down time in the burn unit! I missed
it so much! I can feel it too!" "I'll
ask the nurse to give you something for pain."
"Make sure its morphine and lots!"
"I don't know about the lots part of it but we'll see what she can
do."
As
he left Joe turned his eyes toward Ken.
"Great! This is going to be so
much fun. I really had a blast the last
time." "You got through it then and
you'll do it again." "Again?" Joe laughed at Ryu. "Yes again." Ken explained a bit further.
"The last time was when his parents were killed and he was caught in the
explosion." "Was that when the
kindhearted pilot picked you up?" "What
kind hearted pilot are you talking about Jinpei?" "You know, the one that picked you up. When you were hurt saving that puppy Ken told us all about
it." Joe gave Ken a lopsided look one
eyebrow raised wondering at that.
Besides Nambu, Ken knew the real story, so why bother fabricating
it? Back then it made sense because
there were those who wanted him dead, actually there were plenty who wanted him
dead without all of that so what was the difference if any one knew or
not? Joe shrugged, if Ken still felt
there was a need to hide it, "Oh that
pilot." Ken smiled at him before
continuing. "Anyway he had some real
nasty burns then and spent the better part of the year recovering. But they have new methods of regenerating
the skin so it shouldn't be as long a stay this time around." "They still have to debrieded and that's a
son of a ..."
"Ah,
you're awake!" "Speaking of deja vu, if
it isn't the same doctor I had back then."
Joe glance up at Dr. Brascole surprised to find the old coot still alive
and working. "You must have a
predilection for serious injuries, its either that or you enjoyed our company
so much you had to pay us a visit."
"Same old wry sense of humor."
"I know you all would love to talk with him longer but I need to examine
my patient." "This could wait you
know." "I said examine so you can
relax, none of the ouchy stuff at this time."
"I'm not nine years old any more, you don't have to sugar coat it!" "You'd be surprised. Some of the worst babies are men." "Not this one!" "Howsoever, I Do need to
take a look and this is not for the squeamish." He looked pointedly at Jun and Jinpei. The former took such umbrage with this that Joe was forced to
chuckle at her obvious chagrin against his inference that merely because she
was a woman she'd be particularly squeamish.
"Jun don't go off on him ok?
Burns not only look repulsive they smell bad as well, even I get
sick." She smiled warm encouragement to
Joe and led the others out giving the doctor one of her frostier looks
satisfied when he got the message.
Weeks
later the repercussions began to be felt.
Anti war groups rallied around the tragedy maintaining the KNT and ISO
were just as guilty as the Galactor.
Enraged families picked up on this and demanded satisfaction from
Anderson. Every news bulletin on TV
vilified Nambu. How dare such a
prominent target present itself in public?
Meanwhile
security continued its investigation of the party while Anderson held numerous
press conferences allaying the allegations and fears of the masses. Security had no problem in tracking down the
spy, nor in acquiring samples of the residue in the champagne glasses to
discover the presence of sodium penathol, otherwise known as the truth
serum. In spite of this revelation and
Anderson's encouraging words Nambu refused to be consoled. It was a serious breach of security and
security was but one of his many functions.
He stubbornly refused to have either the blame or weight of what
happened taken off of his shoulders.
Joe
also began to sink even deeper into depression. Instead of opening up and talking about the deaths he
withdrew. Some of it could be
attributed to the lengthy and painful process of debriedment or to the amounts
of morphine offered to help with it. It
could even be chalked up to the normal response of a typically active individual
cooped up in a hospital bed surrounded by the same white walls. Either way his friends did their best to
shake him out of it. But Joe refused to
either be cheered or to even discuss its cause.
Another
dilemma was that no one still knew what to do about Nika. Obviously Crescent City was no place for a
little girl unless she was a ninja, and Nambu was adamant that he would not be
doing that again. Raising them had been
a challenge enough for him to last a lifetime!
So the hunt for a suitable family began. Institutions were out.
The constant strikes by Galactor had overcrowded the majority of them,
and while most agencies were good there were always those ones that boasted
horror stories of abuse and neglect.
Having been there and done that both Jun and Jinpei were strongly
opposed to the idea. Besides which they
had all become attached. It was going
to be hard letting their little sister go.
Currently
Nika sat on the barstool at Snack J sipping a chocolate shake while Jinpei
packed a lunch for Joe. Now that the
doctors upgraded his diet to regular his appetite had faded. Since hospital food wasn't enough to
stimulate a healthy person's taste buds, Jun suggested home cooked meals. Jinpei promised Nika she could go with him
to see Joe. Maybe if he could focus on
their one victory that day.....
Ryu
burst in then. "I'm starving!" Jinpei rolled his eyes. "And this is
news?" "Ha-ha! Where's Jun?" "In the kitchen." "Oh no,
she isn't cooking is she?" "She's doing
inventory. Relax I'm still the
cook!" "Whew! Scare a guy why don't you.
What's that?" "Take out for Joe
so quit drooling. It's nothing fancy,
just a deli style sandwich, dill pickle, home made chicken noodle soup and a
tossed salad. Oh and a chocolate cake
for desert!" Ryu licked his lips. Through the whole dissertation he had done
nothing but drool. Nika tugged at his
sleeve and he looked down at her. "I got to frost it!" "Did you save some for me?" "There's lots left!" "For paying customers Ryu." "Hey don't confuse me with Ken!" "So order already, but eat fast because Jun
and I are closing shop to take this to Joe."
"Fine! Give me the
special." "Which one?" "All of them!" "Pig!" "Oink oink. I'm a sumo. so I have to eat big." "That's an excuse for overindulgence if you
ask me." "I didn't. Gotta keep up my
strength!" "Yeah. To tote around that
big belly of yours." "Keep it up
squirt!"
The
door opened again and Ken entered.
Having just come from the hospital and having endured Joe's oppressive
gloom he was elated to see some one with some spirit. "I'm hungry! How's my
bill?" "Large! As in as large as the empire state
building!" "I paid last week!" "That amounted to only 5% of what you
owe! Jun will kill me if I give in
Aniki." Nika gave him a hug. "You can
have my lunch Aniki" "Nika you're sweet." "Nika you're nuts! Ken's a mooch!" "But he's your big brother and your boss
too." "He's still a mooch."
Jun
came out than with her hands on her hip. "Uh huh Ken. Don't you dare intimidate
Jinpei again. Pay up or scram." "You're cruel. What if I pass out from starvation the next mission? Who will lead you then?" "We'll break out the violins and let Joe go
missile happy!" "Joe's still laid up in
the hospital and you wouldn't let him fire those missiles anyway." "Then I'll get my chance to shine, won't
I?" Jinpei chose that moment to set a
plate heaped high with steaming hot food. "You're feeding him!" "He pays!
Eat up Ryu we want to go see Joe sometime this year."
Joe
stared up at the ceiling morosely. How
many? They've fought now a full year
and how many of those battles ended up this way. How many innocent people lay dead because of him and his
much-joked about itchy trigger finger on the bird missiles. How many orphans did we help Galactor
make? While the Phoenix had finally
arrived to confront the mecha it had continued its reign of terror on the
people below. He had watched the video
footage replay over and over again on every news channel. How many of the missiles fired by the
Phoenix were deflected off the mecha and found its way into the crowd? Did a bird missile take out Nika's parents
or Steve?" He squeezed his eyes shut
against the pain while the haunting echoes continued to play itself out in his
head. Help us, please! Stop firing! Put out the fire! Dear
God I'm burning! Save us somebody!
"Shut up! Shut up!"
A
nurse walked in. "Are you alright sir?"
"Yes.... I'm just.... fine." He
turned his head away the very act causing him to flinch. "Do you need anything for pain?" "No damn it! Can't I have a nightmare without someone walking in pushing
pills? Can't I have a little damn
privacy?" "I'm sorry sir!" The door closed behind her and Joe sighed. It wasn't her fault. He'd have to apologize later. Why? How many? They were questions he couldn't get out of his head. He wondered at something else that he had
never thought of before. Largely
because of his thirst for vengeance against them, but just how many orphans had
he made of the children of Galactor.
Weren't they humans too?
Soldiers following orders the way that we do. Isn't that the argument on CNN now? Aren't we as equally to blame in this war? Doesn't it take two to fight one? And how many dead before both parties give
up. And because we can't and they won't
how many more will pay the price?
His
friends entered the room having been forewarned by the nurse of his general
mood. Ken had nodded in
understanding. He had been here for the
start of it. Joe quickly put his guard
up. He was getting quite good at
masking his feelings. "Ciao" "Chow?
Funny you should say that because that's just what I brought you." "Jinpei ciao is Italian for hello." "I knew that!" Ryu smacked the back of his head. "Sure you did!" They all took various seats next to his bed
while Ken took the closest one. By the look
in his eye Joe could sense an impending lecture so focussed his attention on
the food Jinpei lay before him with feigned interest. "So what did you bring?"
"Behold a feast fit for a king, or at least a hungry condor!" Nika gazed at her hero with adoring
eyes. "I frosted the cake all by
myself!" "You did? Well I'll be sure to eat that first!" "No!
You have to eat the main course first.
That's what momma always use to say!"
For a few moments her face fell at the memory of her mother. Joe smiled sadly. How she was holding up was beyond him. She was only nine, just a year older than he'd been when he lost
his parents. He never remembered being
this brave. He spoke up to divert her
mood. "Well if momma says then that's just what I'll have to do!" He took a bite of the sandwich to humor
her. He really had no appetite.
After
a time and several light hearted banter Jun sensed that Ken wanted to be alone
with Joe. "As much as I enjoy the break from the bar we won't earn any money by
keeping it closed any longer. We have
to make up the difference for certain non paying customers in any case!" "Jun if I did pay up you'd have a coronary
and I would be down one team member so in the interest of the global good my
tab will have to stand." "At least you
get credit for the worst excuse of the month. We'll see you two later. Come on Ryu!" "I don't have to work."
"I'm sure you're still hungry."
"Actually..." Joe cut in. "Ken
wants to lecture my head off so Jun is being tactful in trying to get you to
leave." "Oh!" He left behind them in a hurry closing the door behind him.
"Am
I that obvious?" "You do get this
certain look." "So what's up with
you? Why don't you snap out of it
already!" "Snap out of what?" "It's not your fault!" "The hell it wasn't!" "Not yours or Hakase's." "Isn't it?
We go around flaunting ourselves in public knowing that we're walking
targets and take the shooting gallery to a densely populated place and we're
not to have some sense of responsibility?"
"There was a spy at that function and the champagne was spiked. No one could have foreseen that. Hakase wasn't thinking when he told some of
ISO that he'd be at that race. He was
proud of you and wanted them to know it.
Are you, he or any of us suppose to live the lives of a hermit? We sacrifice enough as it is! You'd add more
restrictions than what we already impose on ourselves?" "As opposed to what happened, yes!" "What happened was a tragedy but it wasn't
your fault!" "Those deaths were
senseless!" "So is this whole goddamned
war! Just remember Joe that we didn't choose this, they did." "It takes two to make a war though." "You're listening to way too much media
Joe." "They have a point." "So the next time a mecha attacks and we
choose not to go because it takes two to fight what do you think will happen?
Do you think they'll turn around because it takes two? Be rational! How many during World War 2
hold back with that in mind as long as they did while Hitler marched the Jews
through his gas chambers? Sometimes it
only takes one Joe. Just one
meglomaniac and what you have is terrorism.
You have two choices, you either surrender to it, or pray that your new
master is merciful, or you fight back.
You can call it war or whatever but its really just choices. It's not a question of right or wrong
often. It's survival. Shades of gray. Sometimes to both sides its as clear as black and white but most
often it fades somewhere in between and innocent people die. They're the gray that gets caught in
between. The children drafted by their
country's leaders don't get say on either side as to what's right or
wrong. They're the soldiers who obey
orders and die for the cause, whether its the right one or not, whether its clearly
black or white or not they're the ones and civilians that pay with their
lives. Our job in this war Joe is to do
the best we can to minimize the damage to the civilians, be they Galactors or
ours. But we're only human, we can't
save them all! In this war we have to
focus on what's black and white. That's
defending earth from Katse and whomever the mysterious power behind him
is. While doing that we can only do our
best to protect whoever gets caught between us. Don't confuse the issues Joe and blame yourself for something
that was out of your hands."
"Was
this my lecture of the day then?" Ken
lay back in the chair looking at him with a tired expression. "Call it what you
want Joe. In the long run only you can
resolve this in your mind. You've got
to deal with your grief in your own way.
But please don't let it consume you. Don't let it eat at you and destroy
you because there's been way too much destruction already."
Joe
watched quietly while he left. He then
closed his eyes as tears ran freely down his cheeks. A lot of what Ken said made sense and got through, but it didn't
lessen the pain or erase the voices in his head. Neither did it make him feel any less guilty. But it was food for thought. And thinking was beginning to be a habit now
with him. Before this he'd have never
given the missiles another thought.
Now? He not only wanted to
rethink priorities but also debated his whole role on the team.
Within
the following three weeks Joe was released.
The latest regeneration methods of his tissue had proved to be a success. There was still some grafting needed and his
muscles were weak and required therapy but all that could be done on an
outpatient basis.
His
first act out was to visit Steve's gravesite.
As he neared the grave a young woman lay a bouquet of flowers down. He started to leave and give her privacy but
she called out his name surprising him.
He noticed that it was Janet, Steve's fiancé.
"Joe?" "Janet."
"I heard you'd been injured." "I
only just got out." "It's been almost
two months, you must have been hurt bad!"
"Some major burns. I'm sorry
about Steve. He died saving my life you
know." "No I didn't. No one said." "They should of! He was a hero! That
should have been me in that grave!" "He
loved you, you know." Joe turned away
to hide the emotion on his face.
"Outside of my family he was the closest....K'so! Damn Galactor to
hell!" "There are those who say damn
ISO and your father." "And you? Would Steve have?" He asked suddenly with a burning need to know. She looked down at her feet unsure at first
how to answer him. She didn't miss the
pain in his voice or the self-hate. "At
first I got caught up in the popular tide of pointing fingers and laying blame. But why?
We didn't ask for this war or for a bunch of terrorists and a would be
Hitler to destroy our cities in a vain attempt at world domination. And is it really fair to say that just
because he's a wanted man that Kozuburo Nambu should drop out of the society
he's dedicated his and his team's life to protect? There's only one man who gave the order to attack and only one
man in the long run whose really to blame and that's Berg Katse! Steve would never have assigned blame to
anyone but him. No I don't blame either
your father or ISO or the KNT. And I
don't blame you! Neither would
Steve. It's war Joe, and it just hit
home. That's all. And blame doesn't bring back the dead. It won't bring back Steve."
Joe
was silent at first, fingering the tombstone.
"Nonetheless I'll never race again."
"What? Why?" "I'm Nambu's son,
wasn't I as much a target as him? He was there to watch me!" "I just told you
whose to blame Joe, don't be ridiculous!
How many races have you entered with no mishaps?" "It was inevitable that it happened. And it will happen again. They know our relationship now, what if they
try to get to him through me? My very presence could endanger any one I'm
around." "Then do what you feel is
right. But personally I feel your being
drastic. Racing is your life! If you listen hard can't you just hear Steve
rolling over in his grave? You're not
the only one hurting you know! And its
not just the thousands of lives effected here, but the whole world felt this
tragedy! We're all survivors and that's
all we can do is survive. Think about
it Joe before ruining your life. Racing
is too big a part of you to throw away for the likes of Galactor!"
Nambu
sat in ISO's officers lounge drinking. Like Joe, he too was haunted by the
memories of the dead. In his nightmares
they all rose up and pointed accusing fingers in his direction. But that was all right because his own
finger was pointed at himself.
"So
compound things why don't you and drink some more!" He whirled around angrily and somewhat unsteadily at the
speaker." "Anderson!" "This is how you address your
superior?" "Ah yes. I'm sorry." "Not as sorry as you're going to be if this
continues any longer!" "I do have time
off you know." "You also have a
position to respect and a reputation to uphold. Part of that is maintaining a high profile and upstanding
appearance at all times!" "Well I've
blown that recently! Too much of a high
profile at others expense." "Damn it
Kozuburo you've been exonerated from all that!" "Not in my eyes." "You've
been through enough battles to have accepted this as part of war." "There are dead people who'd descry
that. Survivors who would reject that
as just another excuse." "And there are
enough dead war heroes, your friend Kentaro included, who'd come back from the
grave to kick your self-pitying ass too!"
Nambu's
eyes red from too many tears, too much alcohol and not enough sleep met
Anderson's cold gaze, which suddenly softened and filled with a wisdom that
could only come from age. "We've known
each other a long time my friend. You
tend to shoulder things that aren't yours to shoulder. You needlessly blamed yourself for the
Asakura's deaths. Even to the point of
taking on the responsibility of raising their kid." "And damn near cost him his life too! He wouldn't have been racing this prototype if it weren't for
me. He'd have been in the G2 and
safe." "Nonsense! The prototype was a good design. A good concept and he was more than up to
the challenge." "I could have stayed
home." "You could have. But think how proud inside your son was to
have you there. No one could have
predicted the outcome of that day." "My
lips should never have let it slip."
"Sodium penathol will do that.
It was unavoidable." "I could
have stuck to the soda." "Which may
also have been tampered with." "A lot
of could have's but it doesn't change what did." "Exactly my point! So
quit kicking yourself in the head. Do
you want to atone? Then start with
Joe. That boy has been wallowing in
self-guilt worse than you. On board the
Phoenix it's easier to cope with the battles.
On the ground as a bystander in the midst of the thick of it one gets to
see another side of war. It's not
uncommon for even the toughest and most seasoned vet to be shell shocked." "I hadn't realized..." "No, you've been too busy holding down
barstools! If you weren't you'd have
read the hospital reports. Major
depression. And if you had made
yourself more available you probably would have gotten the same report from
Ken. Quit closing yourself off and stop
this nonsense at once! Go do your job,
starting with Joe."
Joe
worked out with the weights re-strengthening his legs while watching the others
go through their usual routines. A part
of him itched to back up to par, but there was another part that never wanted
to see action again. He was no coward. Fear had never entered his mind, at least
not that kind of fear. He just didn't
want to be in the position any more of choosing who gets to die with a push of
a button. He no longer wanted the
responsibility or conscience. Good
thing he wasn't the leader then, they'd all be in trouble! Rationally speaking what they did had to be
done. How does Ken shoulder it
all? It made him suddenly want to be
less of the jerk he'd acted in the past and listen more. He thought of every time his finger went to
the bird missiles as the first course of action, and every time that Ken had
stopped him with a better way.
Laughter
drew his attention to a corner of the gym where Nika was practicing a few
simple tumbles mimicking them. In spite
of himself Joe's spirits lifted a little.
If there was any joy to be claimed at all these days she was it. "Watch
me! Watch me!" she cried. Everyone stopped what they were doing to
comply as Nika attempted a headstand.
Her first efforts were awkward, but she did it. She received an exaggerated round of
applause. "I'm going to get better at
it, you'll see! And then I'll be just
like you!" Everyone laughed loudly but
Joe. Just like us huh? And just what is that? Killers, soldiers? We carry on half the time as if we were a bunch of normal teens
but we're not. Killing people for a
living isn't the normal activity of an adolescent.
Above
them Nambu stepped into the observation room.
He watched Nika's antics and the team's reactions. They were getting attached. Another thing he observed was Joe's
reactions and facial expressions.
Anderson was right. The hospital
staff had diagnosed it correctly then.
He was depressed. Patiently he
waited until their session had ended before making his presence known.
"Joe?" They all looked up in surprise. His absence of late had been felt very
deeply and to see him there now took them back a bit. "Sir?" "I'd like a moment
alone with you please." "Here? Or in
your office?" "Here will be fine. Join me in the observation room please. The rest of you can see about overhauling
your vehicles." "Roger."
He
counted the seconds it took Joe to reach him.
"What is it?" "How are
you?" That question momentarily threw
him. "My legs are better. Their stronger each day. If I keep this up I should be back to work
in two weeks." "I really didn't mean
physically Joe. How are you...How are
you handling Steve's death?" Joe
answered cautiously. "It hurts
still. We were good friends." "Do you want to talk about what happened on
the track that day?" "Why? Is talking about it going to change what
happened?" "No. Nothing will ever do
that. But it might help you to sort it
out. The doctors say you're
depressed. From what I've seen from up
here I believe their right." "Aren't I
entitled to be?" "Sad yes. On a temporary basis that's normal
especially given these circumstances.
But continually for as long as its been going on isn't healthy. You've got to resolve it before it destroys
you." "The way you are? By drinking every damn day??" The words were out. Joe hadn't meant to say them but there it
was.
Nambu
looked as if he'd just been struck. "I
didn't realize that you were keeping tabs on my social life." "Nothing social about it! Ken says you sit alone daily and
drink." "Ken says! And if I do? Need I remind you that I am an adult!" "So this is how adults deal with depression? You want me to deal with this then when are
you going to?" "Would you disagree that
the blame for all this sits on my shoulders?"
"You wouldn't have even been there if it weren't for me." "And you wouldn't have been there either if
I hadn't asked you to drive my prototype.
Did you even want me there?" "
That's my point, I shouldn't have."
"But did You?"
Joe
thought back to that day. Beyond just
being happy at Nambu's discomfort there was something else. Pride.
He'd never had what anyone could call a good relationship with Nambu.
Growing up he's always been overshadowed by Ken, the golden child. For all intents and purposes this man
legally anyway, was his father. While
racing had been everything to Joe it had been a constant sore point with
Nambu. He'd long frowned on his career
as being unnecessarily dangerous. To
have finally had Hakase acknowledge it by being a part of it that day filled
him with an emotion the days events never gave him an opportunity to
explore. He was overflowing with pride,
happiness, love and a sense of accceptance from Nambu he'd never felt before. These were priceless things that the attack
had marred. If he could turn back the
hands of time and trade those feelings to have averted it, would he? A part of him cried yes! But he also knew that if someone had arrived
that day with a crystal ball his cynical nature would have waved them
away. He wanted Nambu there. The child in him that had long watched Ken
bask in the attention needed that day in worst way! It may have indeed ended in the worst way, but that's not how it
was intended.
He
chose his words carefully. "I was very
happy you were there. And proud. Racing was always the one part of my life you
never understood or approved of. An
important part of my life and who I am.
It wasn't planes or science or any of the things that always made you
proud of Ken and Jun, or even Jinpei
and Ryu. Those were areas of their life
that you always took part of and had .... For you to have stepped in to my
world for once......I would never have traded that day for anything!"
Nambu
felt his heart go heavy with emotion and love.
This was the closest Joe had ever come to him, the most he had ever
opened up. "It's not your fault
Joe. Those were things you've been
entitled to your whole life. Things I
should have been doing long before now."
"It's not your fault either Hakase.
It's Katse's." "Maybe. But a part of me will always shoulder it any
how. For your sakes I need to handle
the weight better. You need to do the
same." "That's not the only guilt I'm
struggling with." "What else?" "The bird missiles. Where do they land? Whose lives do we play God with?
Nambu
nodded in deep thought. It was a
question many a general often had in battle.
No matter what decision was made, either right or wrong, someone
invariably always paid the price. "If
you don't fire them Joe, someone else will.
And if they don't then whose lives do we play God with when a mecha
destroys entire cities? We do our best
to evacuate the cities around any appearance of a Galactor attack. Sometimes we don't always have enough
warning or maybe someone is missed.
There is one given Joe. If you
don't arise to the defense that includes at times the use of your missiles
lives will be lost in any event. Risk
the lives of a few or damn millions."
Joe
absorbed that. It was an old argument
but very true. There was no debating
its logic. He listened patiently while
Nambu continued. "Joe what you've seen down there was horrible beyond
words. I never wanted any of you to be
exposed to that but I've known that was incredibly naive of me. Sooner or later you were bound to discover
the real ugliness that war is. And
maybe some good will come out of this.
It might temper your recklessness and thirst for vengeance a
little. But as ugly as it is, war is
here nonetheless. If we were all to
turn suddenly pacifist I've got news for you.
Slavery and tyranny are just as ugly!
You are all fighting to prevent that.
Death will continue to take its toll on both sides whether you
personally step back or not. You're
hard to replace Joe. You're damn
good! If you do step down over this and
I have to replace you with someone less skilled your very act of resignation
could be said to cause deaths. Any of
the choices you make in life can cause mishaps and death. If you walk the wrong way you might have
missed an attempted murder you could prevent, if you turn the wheel of your car
the wrong way you could hit and kill someone.
I'm admittedly stretching a point here, but if you get wrapped up in the
odds you'll become obsessed. Especially
when it comes to war. I want you to
start seeing a councilor on a regular basis to discuss this." "Optionary?" "No. I'm going to make
this an order. Whether or not any of
what I said got through I don't know. I
can make you hear me out, but listening is a whole different thing." "I listened. And I will think on it. I've been doing nothing but."
"I don't want you obsessing on it though. We've both been doing way too much of that. I need to get it together and so do
you. Dismissed." "Sir."
Weeks
later Katse struck again. The city of
New Detroit was under attack by what appeared to be a beetle. Nambu dispatched the team having
reservations yet about Joe's readiness.
The doctors had declared him physically fit and while the therapist
stated there was progress he still seemed down to Nambu's trained eye. He raised the boy and could see beyond the
various masks he erected. Silently he
said a prayer for this mission as he did for everyone since the whole stupid
war had begun.
Ken
was tense as well. It was no secret
that Nambu made Joe go to a shrink as he himself jokingly called the
therapist. Nor was it any secret how
Joe now felt about the war in general or the bird missiles. Often a lot of their missions depended on
his aim with him. What if he
froze? He couldn't afford for any of
his team to do that. Especially Joe.
Ryu
did a low swoop over the edge of the city.
The attack came at night and the forces had no time to completely or
quickly evacuate everyone. The sight
was grim. Joe dug his fingers deeply
into his console. They were dying down
there. The city was in flames just like
at the track. Joe's face was pale and
his breathing ragged. He hoped Ken
didn't notice. He did. "Joe hold it together." He just had to bring everyone's attention to
me. I'll get him later for that. He responded rather tersely. "I'm fine Ken." "Bullshit! You're wound
up tighter than a spring. Keep it
together. Jun get me a closer visual on
the screens. I need to know how many
are left down there." "With the
buildings collapsed around them I can't get you an exact....." "Estimate then, we need to radio ISO for a
rescue op!" "Roger" "Ryu fly a recon over that mecha I need to
look for a weakness so we can end this quickly."
What
Jun pulled up on the screen was chilling.
Hundreds lay dead. Still more
were wounded and many more unaccounted for under the wreckage of the ruined
city. "If ISO pulled out the majority
of the people what's this?" "It's a big
city Joe, there wasn't enough warning or time." "Russian roulette with lives Ken." "That's enough Joe! Get over
here and scan this baby for a weak spot."
There was no smart mouthed reply but quiet compliance.
Ryu
stated the obvious. "She's coming around to fire on us!" "Evasive action until we've finished
scanning." The Phoenix banked neatly
avoiding the fire of the mechas twin laser cannons. Joe's eyes were sharp as usual.
"There Ken, just behind the mandibles.
If we slip in..." "No time for
all of that!" "The firebird then." "Joe!
The debris would kill the people below..." "So would the debris from a bird missile." "....and the heat from the hinotori this
close could fry them as well!" "Then we
can get it to follow us up higher!" "There's
no need when a bird missile can..."
"What if I miss?" Here it comes
Ken thought. The moment he'd dreaded. "You won't!
But if Ryu or I have to do it for you there's a possibility that we
will." Joe tensed. Ken was right. Their precision firing wasn't as accurate as his. If the damage was to be minimized it would
have to be him to make the shot. "But
the people..." "Are going to die anyhow
if we waste more time in discussion!"
Joe
closed his eyes only briefly in resignation that steeled himself with
determination. Choices. Right or wrong one had to be made. Inactivity could be just as much a death
sentence to the innocent as making the wrong choice. The mecha had to be stopped.
He took aim and fired.
Ken
watched him reach a resolution and knew he had his gunner back. "Good shot
Joe!" When the brilliant flash of the
explosion ended Joe's eyes traced the fall of the debris. It rained harmlessly on the buildings
missing the exposed people below. "And
so it continues." "Not quite as before
Joe. We have an opportunity to do
something we've never done before. If
any good has come from that race track its the wake up call we had. ISO hasn't responded yet so we're going down
there to aid those people. Ryu fly down
closer and release some CO to douse those flames!" "Roger." "Who knows Joe
maybe there's another Nika down there that we can salvage." Joe smiled sadly. "Who knows?"
They
buried themselves in exhausted activity.
Using what medical equipment they had they went from survivor to
survivor. In the process of doing Joe
found that he no longer dwelt on it.
All they could do was their best.
The blame was on Katse's head.
The people cheered them. The
only curses were reserved for Katse.
Many would stop them and thank them for destroying the mecha that had
destroyed their city. Many more thanked
them for their aid and for caring about what happens next.
Joe
moved on to the next one. A young woman
who held a body, a dead child. His
stomach clenched as he knelt beside her looking into her hollow eyes. "They killed my baby! When does it stop? Who will stop them? How
many more babies pay the price before someone stops them!" The echo of that
question that had been in his mind. How
many? No more if he had anything to do
with it. In the face of another tragedy
he found new resolve. "We will" He held her then. "We'll stop them."
The
team attended the funeral in full regalia.
The woman was stunned at the honor accorded her little Trina. She was alone now she told them. Trina was all that she had left. That was when they introduced her to
Nika. Now they had each other.
As
Joe prepared for another race he was excited.
Racing was right. And if
Galactor did show up? Attack after
attack proved that whether he was there or not, if it was meant to be it would
be. The media praised Nambu after New
Detroit. Not just for saving the world
yet again, but for the humanitarianism demonstrated by the team as they
personally tended to the wounded saving lives yet another way. How many?
Not many more if the Kagaku Ninja Tai had anything to do with it.
The End.
