Title: Nameless
Author: ishala8
Genre: Sci-Fi/Adventure/Romance
Rating: T (content suitable for teens, 13 years and older)
Word Count: 479
Disclaimer: Full Metal Panic! belongs to its respective copyright owners. I do not claim ownership, nor do I make any profit from this fanfiction.
Summary: Names are given based on characteristics and properties. When something new appears in the world, it appears without a name. When under those conditions, where did 'Mithril' and 'the Whispered' originate from? A twisted love story of past and present.
Last Revised On: 17/12/09
Prologue
The night was dark and silent, illuminated by the scarce light of the crescent moon. Forested land and mountains occupied the vast landscape but no sign of life was present. It was as if the nighttime visitors of the woodland were hiding from an unknown and dangerous predator.
Quiet rustling near the foot of the mountains was the only sign of life in the lifeless setting. The source of the noise and disturbance of nightly activity was one and the same, originating from the metallic machine running through the forest.
In an experimental stage and still unstable, arm slaves were the stuff of science fiction for the general public. Yet, here was the human-made monstrosity, zipping through the undergrowth with a crumbled figure lying in its right palm.
She was a young girl – woman really – of unimaginable beauty. With incredibly long, straight hair the colour of cold coals swaying around her petite, yet shapely figure and eyes shut as if in sleep, she was the picture of peace. Yet, the silent partakers observing the proceedings from a bird's eye view could not help but marvel at her beauty and pity her cruel fate.
A closer look revealed her lightly tanned skin to be deathly pale and covered by a thin sheen of sweat that seemed to be created through the staggering effort it took to keep her heart and lungs in functional order. From time to time, her expression broke into that of a struggling being. A soft tremble appeared on her lips and a shallow furrow on her delicate brow.
The fight in which she was engaging was one with the drugs she was under, her own body and her giant kidnapper. Against all odds, she still refused to surrender and that drew the attention of the transparent figures hovering above.
"Don't bother," drawled a voice coming from the AS's pilot, "escape is impossible, unless you want to end up like the rest of your family."
At those words, an anguished expression crossed the girl's face and her cry echoed around the empty forest.
"How–" started the previously smug pilot only to be cut off by the thunderous explosion of his AS.
Propelled through the flames and debris was the unconscious figure of the girl, who landed with the sickening thud of a dead weight on the ground more that ten metres away. Trees all around burst into flames and columns of smoke rose up to taint the clear summer sky and blind the transparent apparitions.
Coughing through the suffocating smolder, the silent spirits of a blue-haired girl and a pair of silver-haired twins descended to land by the motionless figure it had been observing. A hand twitched, and the eyes of the girl opened just as the three specters of her onlookers were propelled back into their respective bodies.
The seventeen-year-old Kaname Chidori stared up at the white plastered ceiling groggily. Blinking once, then twice, she gave a resigned sigh and crawled out of bed.
"That dream again…"
"Madam Captain," the Tuatha de Danaan's Executive Officer broke through the girl captain's light slumber.
Rubbing her eyes to clear them from sleep, Teletha Testarossa looked around the bright room and then took note of the piles of documents that had given form to her impromptu pillow for the night. Once again, she had fallen asleep in her office and dreamed about the same girl that had continuously visited her subconscious in the past month.
"Mr. Mardukas," she acknowledged after deeming herself ready for yet another day of work, "please come in."
Upon entering the scarcely decorated, yet sun-bathed office of his superior, the seasoned officer saluted and then assumed the 'at ease' position when given permission.
"Your presence is requested at the de Danaan, ma'am," he stated gravelly. "Intelligence just contacted us with your brother's location, a straight course to Japan, Okinawa."
"Our old family home?"
"It would appear so, ma'am," confirmed the aide as he watched his captain gather a folder of documents and make her way to the door.
That was weird. Her brother wasn't one for family and sentimentalities, yet what other motive could he possibly have for visiting the family's old retreat?
"Right," Tessa commander shaking herself from her brooding and making sure her trusted advisor was following, "have Sergeant Sagara and Miss Chidori board the de Danaan when we pass Tokyo on our way to intercept my brother. That way we can assure Miss Chidori's safety no matter what the circumstances."
"As you wish, ma'am."
Golden eyes opened to the dim light filtering through the jet's windows and carefully searched for the source of their owner's disturbance. Locating the bothersome beeping that accompanied the red blinking light of his communicator, Leonard connected the line with Mithril's ex-officer, Andrei Kalinin.
"Yes?" he asked impatiently and in a sour mood to have been pulled from his reoccurring, yet fruitful dream.
"We will be landing in Okinawa in approximately forty minutes," announced the older man from his position at the pilot's cabin. "Also, Mithril Intelligence has been informed of our movements."
"Oh, thanks."
Terminating the call, the platinum-haired boy took a minute to look at the ceiling and progress this new information in his sleep-weighted mind. When he finally made sense of the words, he smiled. All invitations had been sent out, now all he had to do was wait.
Explanation: This fic is primarily set before Kaname's kidnapping by Leonard and in a slightly varying timeline. Lieutenant Commander Kalinin has defected over to Leonard's side, the 'Whisperer' Sofia has already been discovered and NAVSPECWAR officer Roy Seals has been introduced. All other events after The Second Raid anime season play no part in this plot line.
Overall, these previous scenes take place at a time where the Tuatha de Danaan Battle Group has suffered no casualties, the base at Merida Island is still intact and Sousuke is back to guarding Kaname at Jindai High School together with Wraith. Leonard has deserted Amalgam and is apparently headed towards Okinawa together with his Alastor bodyguards and Lieutenant Commander Kalinin.