It was cool that day.
Disclaimer: Nadesico's not mine.
Nadesico: Oysters and Pearls
Chapter 1
Sail On Sailor
With no trees or other buildings in the immediate area, there was nothing to stop the wind from blowing across the runway but a single, rusty outdated hangar housing gear and parts of aircraft that hadn't seen the sky in two hundred years.
As the cool wind blew steadily, it carried upon it the sounds emanating from that hangar; wrenches turning, light hammer taps, and the occasional sound of a tool hitting concrete and the muttered curse that went with it.
Sitting in the middle of an ocean of concrete, Jun Aoi heard his father's triumphant cry. "It's finished!"
Looking up from the lone ant that had been making its way slowly across the tarmac, the seven year old boy looked up and smiled as his father's obsession rolled out of the hangar, pushed by the man he idolized and a group of his friends.
"Obsession" was the name his mother had suggested for it, but Jun's father had laughed and said he had something better for his two year old hobby. Two blades stuck out perpendicular to the nose of the vehicle while long wings spread out from either side in a straight, almost unnaturally rigid lines. Despite that, it looked almost organic resting on three wheels, its nose pointed at the sky. Along the side, his father had painted the name he had chosen for it.
"Spirit of Hiroshima."
His father hopped into the cockpit and donned a replica of an old leather flight cap and goggles. His father's friend, Masao, chuckled as he handed him a cooler.
"You're crazy, you know," Masao pointed out.
"Crazy!? Ha!" his father replied pointedly. "A plane just like this one flew across the Atlantic! And that was back in the early twentieth century! The Sea of Japan will be nothing!"
Masao shook his head. "You're a crazy son of a bitch, Jubei."
"The crazy ones are the pearls, Masao," Jubei pointed out. "It's boring old codgers like you that remain oysters all their lives." He continued with the preflight.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Masao said.
"Oi! Jun!"
Like a shot, the seven-year-old was at the plane, looking up at his father. The man pulled two yellow flags out of the cockpit and tossed them down at him.
"Now listen, Jun," he said quietly, almost like the two were sharing a conspiracy. "You have the most important job in the world right now. I want you to take these flags down to the very end of the runway and hold them over your head. If you see any smoke coming out of the plane while I'm taking off, wave them. Understand?"
Jun nodded, wide-eyed.
The airplane started with a roar that made the boy jump.
"Off you go!" Jubei ordered. Jun picked up the flags and ran as fast as he could to the end of the runway. He was panting and out of breath by the time he had run the quarter mile to the end of the provincial Okayama airstrip. He raised the two yellow flags over his head and watched as the Spirit of Hiroshima taxied to the other end of the runway.
He was grinning broadly as the engines revved up all the way and the small plane shot toward him. He was so giddy, he almost forgot to watch for smoke like his father told him.
The plane got bigger and bigger in the young boy's vision, but still no smoke. Suddenly, without warning, the plane began its ascent into the sky and shot over Jun's head. The wind nearly knocked him over, but he still managed to drop the flags and run after the plane, laughing.
The plane was out of sight before he ran out of breath, and he knew his father had just realized his dream.
***
20 years later.
Two forces of interior decorating were at war in this room, the result of a poorly planned but long expected invasion, an invasion that was still "fifty miles from Baghdad," as the old Army saying went, bitterly fought but close to conclusion. Boxes lined two of the walls. Models and awards warred with knick-knacks and dolls. Black and white photos of a boy, his father and an ancient-looking airplane shared an uneasy truce on the dresser with color holos of an older couple with a small girl between them.
On the walls, a bitter battle was being waged. On one side, framed photos and newspapers were being contested by signed anime posters.
The framed newspaper was emblazoned with the headline: "PEACE!" and a photo of several people on the bridge of a battleship, some in UE uniforms, some in Jovian garb, shaking hands. The drop head read, "Jovians, UE sign armistice aboard HMB Nadesico."
The posters that encroached on its territory were not the posters of a rabid otaku, but memoirs from a forgotten career. At the forefront of the assault was a poster of a cute magical girl holding a staff. The handwriting under it, scrawled in pen, read "For love, justice and peace! Megumi."
This war, like the one recently won, would end soon, and like the last war probably without a clear victor but a compromise. After all, the owners of the two were determined to live with each other for a long time. The awards, photos, knick-knacks, dolls, posters and newspapers would just have to learn to live with it.
In the meantime, the war raged on silently as the most early morning light began to peek through the window.
Silently except for the door chime.
Receiving no answer from the first, the caller chimed again.
This time, there was a response. A dark-haired man rolled over in bed and put his arm around a purple-haired woman.
A third chime.
This time the woman responded, groaning and lifting her head from the pillow. "Jun chan," she said with a yawn. "Someone's at the door."
"What time is it?" he asked through the pillow, muffling his speech into "Wum tum iz um?"
A fourth chime.
The woman blinked sleep from her eyes and looked at the clock. "Seven," she replied with another yawn.
Jun groaned and rolled over. "It's SATURDAY," he growled.
"It's probably the Space Scouts selling cookies," the woman said sleepily, dropping back down to the pillow he was abandoning. "Get a box of caramel for me."
He eyed her with amusement as he put on his slippers. Reaching over, he found her tickle spot and moved his fingers across her lacy purple shift.
The result was dramatic.
"AAUGH!" she cried, hopping up to a sitting position in a second. "JUN!"
A fifth chime.
"Awfully pushy for Space Scouts," Jun noted, rising to his feet. He started for the door.
"You're in trouble when you get back, Jun Aoi!" the woman cried, sticking her tongue out at him.
A sixth chime.
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Jun called out, putting a robe on. He reached the front door of the house and opened it, genuinely shocked at what he found there.
Two men in uniform stood there, but they weren't the cut of the UE. Rather, they were a familiar white uniform that officers on board Nergal vessels were known for wearing.
Jun felt a stir of anxiety well up in him. Whatever this was, it had little if nothing to do with cookies.
"Captain Aoi?" one of the officers asked. He nodded. "Sir, we're here from Ms. Wong's office."
Jun said nothing, and the officer didn't immediately elaborate, somehow assuming that Jun would catch the drift. When it was obvious he wasn't, he went on.
"Sir.we're here to inform you that you've been reactivated."
He said nothing, looking back and forth between the two of them for a moment. "And she sent TWO of you?" he asked skeptically.
"Actually, she sent me," the officer said.
The other one spoke up for the first time. "I'm here to present the same notice to your wife, Sir."
The corners of Jun's mouth quirked up. "Good luck."
The officer seemed to understand what he meant. Jun sympathized. His wife was very anti-war despite her service in the last war. She hadn't been thrilled to find that her contract had included a clause where she was listed in the inactive reserves.
The first officer handed Jun a folder. "There are details and travel arrangements inside. You're to report to Ms. Wong's office in Tokyo as soon as possible."
Jun nodded absently and stepped back. "You guys want some coffee or something?"
"Well," the second officer began.
"Trust me, you'll need the bracer," Jun told him.
They nodded and came inside.
"I'll go get her," Jun told them, making his way back to the bedroom. "Just make yourselves at home."
When he entered the room, his wife already asleep again. He sat on the edge of the bed and sighed, wanting to give her just one more minute of peace before he did this to her. Finally, he reached down and shook her ankle.
"Hey," he whispered.
The woman opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Did you get my cookies?"
He actually cracked a smile at that before his expression became more sober. "Get dressed, Megumi chan," he said. "We've got company."
***
Havana, Cuba.
Salsa music was playing from some nearby tavern jukebox that gave an aquamarine-haired woman an odd soundtrack as she marched angrily down the wharf road. Behind her, she dragged a burlap sack, its contents bulky but otherwise unknown, though the way the locals moved out of her way as she stormed down the pier, it was obvious that there were those who wouldn't be at all surprised to find a body in there.
She stopped before a large hacienda and tossed the sack down in front of her. The contents made a muffled "Oomph!" as it hit the pier. The woman put her hands on her hips and glared angrily through the cast iron gate up at the second floor balcony. The look of absolute fury looked out of place on a woman in a short blue skirt and halter top, but somehow Ryoko Subaru made it work.
"DIAZ!" she screamed up at the balcony. "GET YOUR LOUSY, SABOTAGING ASS OUT HERE!"
The balcony doors opened and a squat Cuban man in a colorful shirt emerged, complete with stereotypical cigar hanging from the right side of his mouth.
"What?!" he asked, playing into the role of the hapless victim. "Ryoko! Senorita! What you doing causing such noise, eh?"
Ryoko kicked the sack, which replied with another grunt. "I found one of your scumbag toadies putting sugar in the ship's plasma tank again!" she accused him.
"Ryoko, Ryoko, Ryoko!" he said, beseeching her. "Why do you assume it's me, eh? Why you assume I'm the ONLY other freight craft owner out there who wants your business to fail, eh? Why does it always come down to me, eh?"
Ryoko knelt down and opened the sack. Reaching in, she pulled out a young boy no older than thirteen, holding by the scruff of the neck.
"Because you sent your own fucking nephew, el stupid ass!"
Diaz stared and blink. Finally, he decided to just shift gears. Taking the stogie out of his mouth, he pointed it at her. "Listen here, Senorita! You think you can just come in here and start making money off MY action!? You think just because you some kind of big war hero, you can take food off MY fucking table!?"
"Yeah, you look like you're in REAL danger of starving to death, you fucking fat ass!" Ryoko shot back.
"Hey! We don't want no slope bitch telling us how to do things! NO ONE fucks with Diaz!"
Ryoko was silent for a moment. "What the fuck did you just call me?" she asked quietly.
Diaz took another drag before responding. "I said 'SLOPE!' Slant-eyed, slope-headed, fish-eating, Pearl Harbor bombing BITCH!"
Diaz's nephew looked up at Ryoko fearfully as she stood there and nodded. "I see," she said. With a scream, she pushed the boy back in the sack, swung it around and launched it over the fence!
The freight owner cried out just as the sacked boy hit him, knocking him through the balcony door.
"YOU KEEP YOUR FUCKING STOOGES AWAY FROM MY SHIPS, EL FAGGOT!" she screamed before turning on her heel and storming away.
The salsa music continued to play.
Ryoko must have walked a quarter mile down the pier before she started to actually cool down. When she finally did, she rested against the guard rail and looked out at the Caribbean.
Sighing, she checked her note book and crossed off the line that read, "Fuck up Diaz." Then she checked her watch and nodded in satisfaction. That had been her only real chore of the day and it was only 1:25 in the afternoon.
Time for a siesta.
It was only a short walk to a nearby pier-side restaurant and bar where they served good conch salad. Ordering one for herself and a beer, she pushed Diaz out of her mind and went back to enjoying why she liked basing her company out of Havana. Warm sun, blue ocean, and with the exception of punks like Diaz, friendly people.
She started into her conch salad but paused mid-bite when she heard someone clear their throat. Looking up, she found a uniformed man standing at her table.
"Colonel Subaru?"
Ryoko replied the way she knew she would if ever called back to duty.
"Ryoko no es aqui!"
***
Io.
Colonel Makoto Rikari's cell was probably the most comfortable, well- decorated room in the Io Maximum Security Military Prison. Around the tiny cot was a whole fleet of bouquets of flowers from all over the Jovian moons.
For the hundredth time that day, Makoto cursed fate. After four years of war and what was arguably the most brilliant career in Jovian military history, the secret had gotten out due to nothing more than an accident.
A plasma injector in the hangar next to Makoto's Gekigangar had exploded and the colonel, a two-year squadron commander and winner of the Jovian Legion of Worth, had been caught in the blast.
Drifting in and out of consciousness, Makoto was only aware of the med- techs kneeling down, the sound of tearing fabric, and startled gasps.
The secret was out.
The med-techs, tearing the flight suit off their patient to treat the burns had discovered it, and like good Jovians, had reported it.
Colonel Makoto Rikari, hero of the fleet, was a woman.
She cursed herself again. Even now that she had been caught, even now that her status was that of a criminal and not a hero, they still treated her like a dainty female unable to take care of herself.
Running her hands through her short, cropped red hair, she stared at a bouquet of blue Callistan roses sitting across from her and wondered if the stems were dry enough to rub together and start a fire.
Before any further thought of escape could cross her mind, the cell door opened, and in stepped a familiar face.
Her secret may have been out, but until a board of inquiry said otherwise, she was still a colonel in the Jovian Superior Male Forces. She snapped to attention in a heartbeat.
"Good morning, General," she greeted.
"Stand at ease, Colonel," the general, a gray-haired man who stood a foot over her, told her.
She eased her stance, but didn't sit.
The general didn't look at her. Instead, he brushed a finger against the blue roses. "They're treating you well?" he asked. "You're comfortable?"
Makoto didn't want to hear it. "What's going to happen to me, Sir?" she asked.
"Well, that is the question of the day, isn't it?" he asked. He shook his head. "You understand this complicates things," he told her.
"Sir, I'd like to explain why.."
He held a hand up, stopping her in mid-sentence. "I know what you're going to say. Even Nanako felt the desire to fight in Episode 23."
"It's not just about that," she blurted out. "What difference should my sex make?!" she demanded.
"It makes all the difference," he countered. "Women are supposed to be taken care of, protected. If the people were to ever learn that we sent a woman to the front lines in our war with the Earthers.." He shook his head. "Our entire society would be called into question!"
She grabbed a nearby bouquet and squeezed it so hard, the stems cracked. "This has nothing to do with 'protecting' women!" she bit out. "You and your generals just can't stand the thought that a meek, dainty female could fight better than ninety percent of the fleet!" She punctuated this by throwing the flowers in his face. "I'm a woman!" she cried. "Not some delicate porcelain doll you have to keep on a pedestal! Did it ever to occur to any of you that these are OUR worlds too!? That maybe WE'D like to share in the sacrifice!? Contribute!?"
"Women DO contribute," the general argued softly.
"Oh, sure, by sewing uniforms for their men and taking care of the children back home! Forget about the wasted potential!"
"One of the justifications for the war was the way Earthers treat women," he growled. "How are we supposed to argue against that with a WOMAN at the had of one of our Gekigangar squadrons?!"
"So what now?" she asked, folding her arms over her chest. "Take me to trial, and I go to trial as a woman. You'd be stupid to assume I'd continue to hide my gender now. It gets out anyway. Unless you kill me."
"We're not going to kill you," he assured.
"Then what?" she asked. "Hold me in this cell until I day of old age? Your options are running thin."
"No," he said with a shake of his head. "We're going to transfer you."
Makoto was silent for a moment. "Pardon?"
The general produced a data pad from his jacket pocket and handed it to her. "Reassignment. A Gekigangar squadron on a special mission."
Makoto couldn't believe her ears. She checked the pad over. Sure enough it was a reassignment order with her name on it for a squadron commander slot. She looked at him and her eyes narrowed.
"What's the deal?" she asked warily. "You're up to something."
He shrugged. "We can't sweep it under the rug. We can't try you. So we're going to hide you."
"What do you mean?"
He sat down. "The Earthers have come to us with a rather ambitious proposal. In the interests of peace, they have proposed a joint exploration mission to another part of the galaxy. One of their ships and captains, half the crew and some of their Aestivalis'. One of our officers will be the executive officer. Chief engineer and most of the support staff. We've also promised a Gekigangar squadron."
Her expression could have melted iron. "You're going to exile me," she whispered.
"It is the only option where both you and we can maintain honor."
She looked down at the ground. "When do I leave?"
***
Tokyo, Japan.
Jun sighed quietly as Megumi played with his hair. He could never understand her fascination with it. All he knew was that every time his head got within range, her fingers would somehow find his hair.
Lightning flashed briefly outside, illuminating the hotel room for a moment. He was lying on the king-sized bed, his head in his wife's lap, just thinking.
They hadn't seen Erina Wong since the armistice, but he could tell that Megumi still didn't like the woman. She never really had, and never really trusted her.
Which was fine by Jun. He never really liked her either.
But this opportunity she was offering..
Originally, he thought she wanted him to go looking for pirates or renegades. He never would have thought in a hundred years that she would have made the kind of offers she had.
A chance to command the first extra-solar system exploration mission.
A chance to command Nadesico again.
Presented the way Erina had, there was little reason to turn it down. It was the kind of mission Jun dreamed of. A chance to travel among the stars instead of battling among them. As a matter of fact, there was only one factor in the world right now that would keep him from taking her offer.
***
Megumi Reinard Aoi slowly ran her fingers through her new husband's hair and sighed inwardly. She knew what it was he wanted. She saw it in his eyes after Erina made her pitch. Because of the nature of the mission, she couldn't force them to go. Reactivating their commissions was just a way to get them to listen. If they didn't want to go, they wouldn't go. The end.
But she had made the offer, and she could see how much Jun wanted to go.
She didn't trust Erina. The woman only did things when they benefited Nergal and herself. She didn't buy into this idea that it was Nergal's way of promoting good will between the UE and the Jovian Union.
She was up to something.
"You want to go, don't you?" she whispered.
"Do you?" he asked.
"That wasn't the question."
He was quiet for a minute. "Yeah, I wanna do it."
"Why?"
"What do you mean?" he asked, not immediately understanding her question.
She sighed. "I thought it was supposed to be over. We were done, remember? The Nadesico, Nergal, the war, all of it."
"This isn't quite the same, Megumi chan," he replied quietly. "We're not talking about a war with humans or even aliens. This is a chance to see things no one else has ever seen."
"Then why send a warship?" she asked. "Why send Nadesico?"
"Because we have no idea what we'll find," he explained. "I can see the logic of it. It's called 'gunboat diplomacy.' We come in peace but show them we're prepared to defend ourselves."
She didn't say anything. "But why do YOU want to go?"
He was quiet for several moments. She merely waited and continued to play with his hair with her fingers.
"It's a chance to be a pearl, I guess," he whispered finally.
"Hmmm?"
"My father used to say that there were two kinds of people in the world; oysters and pearls." Megumi listened as he went on. "Oysters are like your average Joe. Guys who don't really want to do anything with their lives beyond getting an okay job and a duplex, who didn't WANT to do things spectacular. Kinda like Akito was when we first met him."
Megumi nodded.
"Pearls are the kind of people who take the lead, do things that no one else will do. He was like that, you know. People used to call him crazy for doing stuff like flying across the Sea of Japan in an old airplane or climbing Mt. Hood. Things like that."
"You're already a pearl, Jun chan," Megumi told him.
He shook his head. "Not really. Remember when they signed the armistice on the Nadesico?"
"That's exactly what I mean," she argued. "You commanded the ship that ended the war. You should be proud of that."
"And I am, but it wasn't really mine," he told her quietly. "I inherited it from Yurika. If she hadn't disappeared, it would've been her standing on the bridge, overseeing the signing. I was just her stand-in."
"Jun chan."
"This time, though," he said. "This is something that could be mine. My contribution to Earth. They came to ME, Megumi chan. Me AND you."
"You really want to do this?"
"Yeah," he said. "I really do."
She continued to play with his hair, silent for several minutes.
"Okay," she said.
"Huh?"
She nodded and caressed his face. "Let's do it."
"You're sure?" he asked.
She looked down and gave him a smile. "Jun chan, I promised to stand by you. That doesn't mean I get to hijack your dreams. It's only for a year, and if you're really passionate about this, then I want to help you do it."
He reached up and took her hand in his, not saying anything.
He didn't have to. She leaned down and kissed his forehead. "Come on. Let's call Erina before I come to my senses."
***
Trinity Orbital Spaceyards, Earth Orbit.
The first thing Jun thought when he saw the Nadesico again, the first time in two years, was "Where did all that crap come from?"
He must have said it out loud, because Erina Wong, Nergal's CEO, looked up from the controls of the shuttle to answer him. "That crap is about thirty trillion yen of the best sensor and scientific arrays Nergal could develop over the past six years." She paused to make a course correction, and the shuttle began a slow circle around the warship.
Jun looked out the window and could now see the "crap" clearly. Sensor dishes and antennae of ever size shape and configuration festooned the ship, including a long, stinger-looking antennae that jutted out the stern of the ship, giving Nadesico a wasp-like appearance.
"Thirty trillion yen, huh?" he asked. "Does it work?"
Erina pursed her lips. She was piloting them up to the ship as a way of showing them how important she considered this mission, not so that they could score points off her. "Yes," she bit out. "It works quite well."
"We've been testing equipment like this on several planets in the inner solar system, Inez Franssenge piped up from the back of the shuttle. "Every bit of data collectable by man can be scooped up by the Nadesico. She truly is a vessel of science now."
Jun smiled. He hadn't heard Inez would be traveling with them, let alone the centerpiece of the whole mission, but he was glad she was along. He hadn't encountered any situation in the past five years that COULDN'T be explained away by Inez, and explained away in a tone that made you feel really stupid for asking to begin with to boot.
Still, there was something off about her, something that he couldn't wait to get Megumi alone to ask about. She had been quiet, reserved, almost reluctant to give out information. She looked tired. He wanted to see if Megumi noticed it too.
"You should see the other modifications!" the shuttles other passenger broke in. Aurora Dayne was a mousy, bespectacled woman who looked about two years out of grad school. She wore her blonde hair up in a style that seemed to contrast with her exuberance, kind of like the way one might feel if they saw a librarian playing air guitar. Erina had introduced her as Inez's student.
She now turned her attention to Megumi. "You should see the leaps and bounds we've made with the communications array, Ma'am!" she squeaked. "We've done miracles with psycho-linguistic technology during the early war years, when we were trying to communicate with what we thought were non- human, Jovian lizards and not actual human beings. It's only now that we're just starting to get the kinks out! And the long-range communications system is the absolute best Nergal and UE coul..."
"That'll due, Aurora," Inez told her with a slight smile. "No need to overwhelm them just yet."
Aurora blushed a bit and nodded, turning quiet.
Jun turned back to the window and idly addressed Erina. "So who else did you manage to con into this idea?"
Erina actually smiled at the dig. "You'd be surprised."
***
Nadesico bridge.
The woman sitting at the ops console must have grown six inches since the last time they saw her.
"Ruri chan!"
Ruri Hoshino turned and actually smiled at them. "Miss Megumi, Miss Wong, Dr. Franssenge, Kanchou, lady I've never met before.."
Simple greetings weren't enough for Megumi. She rushed up and hugged the young girl, young WOMAN, Megumi had to remind herself. Ruri was thirteen years old now, and rather than grow bitter in her "old age," she had actually lightened up a bit, allowing a smile to play across her lips more often and more naturally than she would have five years ago. Part of that, of course, was time spent on the Nadesico with the likes of Megumi and Minato, naturally free spirits who played the role of big sisters for her. She had given up on the uniform she wore when she was younger and now wore something akin to Yurika's old uniform, something she could call "more adult."
"I thought you were planning on going to school?" Megumi asked in confusion.
Ruri looked up at her and answered matter-of-factly. "School is for bakas."
Jun, meanwhile, was looking over the bridge. Aside from a few additional consoles, it was the same battleship he had commanded and relinquished two years ago. He walked up to the command deck and looked out across the ship's command section. If he closed his eyes, he could almost see Minato painting her nails at the helm, eight-year-old Ruri playing video games with Omoikane, and hear Yurika squealing at the sight of Akito on the viewscreen.
But that was a long time ago.
And that man at the helm didn't seem the type to paint his fingernails.
Erina, seeing that his interest had turned to the sandy-haired man, gestured to him. Captain Jun Aoi, Chief Warrant Officer Chase Warren, ship's helmsman."
"How do you do?" Jun asked with an arched eyebrow. The man wore the standard beige uniform with orange jacket, but looked like he'd be more comfortable in flip-flops and a Hawaiian shirt. Shoring up this belief was the guitar propped against the side of the helm.
"Just fine, Sir," Chase replied, his speech tinged with an American accent.
"Where were you before this?" Jun asked.
Chase smiled. "Helmsman for the Dauntless," he said. "But when I heard there was a spot on the Nadesico, I jumped."
"Heard about the girls onboard, huh?" Jun asked deadpan.
Chase just smiled.
"Forget it." He turned to Megumi and tried to hide his grin. "How do things look?"
Megumi was sitting at the communications console now. "I'll let you know as soon as I remember how to boot this thing up."
"You'll be able to leave as soon as the supply ships are finished offloading and the final checks are made," Erina told him. "In the meantime, would you care to join Inez, Aurora and I for dinner? We have a few things we should probably discuss."
"Of course," Jun told her. "Megumi and I would be glad to."
Megumi tried to hide a grimace, but didn't put much effort into it.
"Excellent!" Erina replied, throwing a glance to Megumi that spoke volumes.
***
Nadesico Hangar Bay.
No sooner had the shuttle come to rest on the flight deck did the starboard side hatch open and an orange duffel bag was tossed to the deck. Ryoko poked her head out after it and took off her mirrored sunglasses, hooking them in the top of her uniform shirt. She stepped down and took a look around.
The Aestavalis' ringing the hangar in their own individual cages looked a little different than the ones she, Izumi and Hikaru had piloted during the war, but not so different that they questioned Ryoko's ability to fly them. What bothered her was the state of disrepair several of them seemed to be in.
Kneeling down, she picked up her duffel bag and tossed it over her shoulder before heading toward the exit. As she passed a technician, she gave a quick, dissatisfied grunt as the man stood straighter and saluted her.
"Colonel Subaru, I.."
"Don't salute me," she said curtly, not even bothering to stop.
She hated that. Moreso than anything that mildly annoyed her in the past. Ever since the armistice when some damn fool reporter interviewed her and labeled her a "hero of the Earth," people had insisted on saluting her and calling her "Ma'am." It was more formality than she liked in her life. That's why she worked out of Havana. Diaz and his crew might be punks, but at least they called her by her name the way she liked.
So caught up in her annoyance was she, that she didn't even notice the woman who stood near the door she was about to use as her exit. She stopped dead in her tracks and stared.
The dark-haired woman stared back. For a good three minutes, the only sound that could be heard on the flight deck were the sounds of tools and frustrated mechanics.
The two continued to stare.
Finally, Ryoko spoke.
"Lieutenant Colonel Maki," she said quietly in greeting.
"Colonel Subaru," Izumi replied.
More silence.
"So you're a squadron commander, huh?" Ryoko asked.
Izumi nodded. "45th Space Combat Squadron. I'll be reporting to you."
Silence.
"Fine. See you at the meeting," Ryoko declared, walking through the door past the brunette.
Izumi didn't turn her head to watch her go. Instead, she lit a cigarette. "Yes, Ma'am."
***
When Erina Wong went out to impress you, you were guaranteed not to miss it. This was a fact Jun and Megumi were just coming to grips with as dinner was served in the Nadesico's officer's lounge. A well-dressed Nergal waiter had just finished filling Erina's glass with wine while two others placed boiled lobsters in front of them. The two sat at the opposite end of a long mahogany table from the Nergal CEO. Sitting in chairs between them were Inez and Aurora. A third place setting was set out, but the intended diner had not shown up yet.
Erina took a sip and set her glass down. "Now we come to the crux of the matter," she announced.
"I must admit to having several questions," Jun told her, picking at the lobster staring back at him accusingly from his plate.
Erina smiled and sat back. "Please," she urged. "Ask away. I'll be as forthright as I can."
"There's a switch," Megumi muttered. Erina frowned. Aurora looked uncomfortable. Inez smiled.
"At last record," Jun began, ignoring his wife's jab, "There were about fifty-six TRILLION star systems in the galaxy. Yet by the time you came to us, you had already picked out a destination. Now I've done some research.."
Erina raised an eyebrow.
"And from what I've heard from quite a few astronomers is that there are systems much closer and much more likely to support life than Epsilon Eridani."
The Nergal businesswoman smiled uncomfortably. "I'm afraid I don't really understand..."
"We want to know why, in Nergal's infinite wisdom, you chose THIS system," Megumi put in.
Aurora gave a stifled cry and held her breath.
Erina stared at Megumi and Megumi stared right back.
From her seat, Aurora started to sweat.
"They'll find out eventually," Inez said casually.
Inez's assistant was starting to turn blue.
Erina arched an eyebrow and, not turning her stare away from Megumi, said "Tell 'em."
Aurora let loose the answer like a pack of wild dogs she had been trying to hold on a dozen leashes. "Because we KNOW there's life in Epsilon Eridani!"
Megumi's eyes went wide. "'Know?' How?"
Aurora reached into her labcoat and pulled out a small digital recorder. Placing it on the table in front of Jun and Megumi, she explained. "We picked this up a few years ago, during the war. We've confirmed it's point of origin." She pressed play, and the group listened.
What followed was several minutes of static and odd noises that they couldn't make out. Jun shook his head, as if trying to shake away a mosquito. There was definitely a voice in there, a voice he couldn't understand.
But he'd swear it was familiar.
"Our analysts have confirmed it's speech!" Aurora announced.
"But what does it mean?" Megumi asked, arms over her chest in an obvious challenge.
The scientist began to twiddle her thumbs. "Well..You see..We can't quite.."
Inez placed a hand on the young woman's shoulder and guided her back to her seat. "Aurora and I are working on cleaning it up," she said. "The point, however, cannot be denied. There is intelligent life in the Epsilon Eridani system."
Jun nodded. He'd asked the question not really expecting a satisfactory answer and had gotten one regardless.
Megumi, however, wasn't convinced. "So what's your angle?" she asked Erina.
"Exploration, the betterment of mankind," Erina told her.
"Bull!"
The CEO's eye twitched, and she growled. "Okay, fine," she bit out.
It was just at that moment the door opened and a slender woman with straight, sandy blonde hair walked in. She adjusted her glasses and sat down at the empty table.
"Sorry I'm late," she said to Erina without preamble.
Erina shook her head and smiled. "No problem. We were just coming to your part in this little enterprise." She gestured to Jun and Megumi. "Captain Jun Aoi and Lieutenant Megumi Aoi, this is Kimberly Tenzca. She's one of our negotiators from our Warsaw office."
"How do you do?" Kimberly asked.
"A negotiator?" Megumi asked, obviously puzzled.
"You asked me to be truthful, so here it is," Erina told her. "No one explores for the hell of it. Columbus didn't discover the new world to fulfill some bullshit dream, he did it for money, moolah. Explorers have always been financed by companies eager to establish new trade routes and discover new products."
Jun laughed.
The rest of the table looked at him in puzzlement.
He shook his head and wiped a tear away. "I get it!" he cried. He looked straight at Erina and laughed again. "The war's over! We're at peace with the Jovian Union! And all that Jovian technology you've built your entire corporation on will soon be available in every store in the UE because of new trade with the Jovians!"
Megumi looked at Erina aghast. "Is that what this is?! You're looking for a newer and better TENNIS SHOE?!"
Erina took a breath. "I will admit," she said slowly. "Nergal is in for a rough patch when trade with the Jovians normalizes, but there's more to this than that."
"Aoi," Inez began, "You're reading too much into this. For whatever reason Erina wants this mission to succeed, it does not change the fact that YOU will be there and YOU will be the one making the decisions."
"I'm not going to get in your way," Kim told him.
Jun looked sideways at her. "No offense to Ms. Tenzca here," he began, speaking to Erina, "But back during the war, I never told you how much having a Nergal watchdog constantly checking to make sure we stayed inside some tiny budget truly and royally sucked."
"Ms. Tenzca is not here to do that," Erina assured him. "She is merely along to protect and promote Nergal's interests. In the event that you encounter intelligent life forms willing to do business, she'll conduct negotiations."
Jun said nothing.
"Unless of course," Erina continued, "You've received your MBA in the last year and would like to take on the responsibility yourself?"
Jun and Megumi both digested this.
Erina smiled at both of them. "Look, no matter what happens, this is still a peaceful exploration mission. Once you're there, Jun, you will be in sole command."
Megumi continued to glare at Erina and fume.
Jun contemplated everything he had heard so far.
"Okay," he said. "When do we go?"
***
Inez knew who was knocking the second she heard the staccato tapping. Only one person knocked like that, a woman full of pent up energy and enthusiasm who rapped her knuckles on the door at roughly the same speed a hummingbird flapped its wings.
"Come in, Aurora," she called out, not moving from her horizontal position on her tiny couch.
The door slid to the side and her boisterous student entered. "Doctor Franssenge?" she asked.
"Over here," Inez called, raising a hand in the air. A few seconds later, Aurora was at her side, bowing politely.
"Doctor Franssenge, I hate to bother you, but I was wondering if you could tell me something."
Inez smiled inwardly. "And what would that be?"
"Well, I mean, only if it's something you want to talk about, I mean..." Aurora flustered.
"Aurora, just ask the question."
The young student took a breath. "Ma'am, why aren't we being more forthcoming with what we know?" She waited for some sign of acknowledgement from Inez. Receiving none, she pressed on. "I mean, wouldn't the mission have a higher chance of success if they knew all the information currently available, I mean?"
Inez said nothing for a moment, exploring every facet of the question as she would a mathematical problem, rolling it around in her mind before finally stating what, exactly, X equaled.
"Aurora, knowledge is power."
Aurora nodded quickly. She knew that. Of course she knew that. Everyone knew that. She waited for her teacher to continue.
"Applying the power of information is no different than applying electrical power to a circuit," Inez went on. "Too much applied in the wrong spot can cause it to fry out, and then it isn't doing anyone any good at all."
"But how is applying it here a danger?" the mousy woman asked, adjusting her glasses.
Inez sighed only loud enough for herself to hear her. "Because, if I gave them too much knowledge, they would never go through with this."
***
"These are the Aestivalis V models," the stocky red-head explained as they walked past the maintenance bays in the Nadesico hangar bay. Her Scottish brogue was not tempered by years of living and working with Japanese, but still decipherable. "Faster, stronger an dey have a miniature transpositional engine, which means dey'rena limited in range by battery pocks or the range o' an energy field creat'd by another ship like the earlier models."
Ryoko, back in her flight suit after four years, nodded along. She paid close attention to the woman. Unlike so many other new faces on the Nadesico, she knew and had flown with Maj. Moira Taggart during the final year of the war. She knew what she was talking about, and Ryoko was willing to bet her life on that.
She had been pleasantly surprised to find Moira's name on the roster as commander of the 343rd Space Combat Squadron, one of the three combat squadrons in Ryoko's 55th Space Combat Group. Izumi was in command of the 45th SCS, a fact that bothered her more than a bit. She hadn't spoken to Izumi in the past five years unless absolutely necessary, and then it was something to be done quickly and gotten over with. She wasn't sure she liked the idea of her in charge of a squadron.
The third squadron commander, she had learned, was not on board yet and was certainly floored when she learned that it was a Jovian Gekigangar commander. Col. Makoto Rikari was slated to command a Gekigangar squadron, the 38th SCS.
Ryoko wondered what he was like. She had never spoken with a Gekigangar pilot outside of Minato's assassinated boyfriend. Minato and Megumi seemed to have liked him, but he always bugged Ryoko. He was always a little too quick to make judgements on someone based on her sex. Minato had eaten it up, playing the demure woman.
With Ryoko, it just pissed her off.
"Do all V models come in so many pieces?" Ryoko asked sardonically.
Moira shook her head and lit a cigarette. "I dinnae know what the foke Nergal is think'n, but it's like they gave us the shite Aesti in every squadron in the UE. No shite, Royoko, there's twenty-fer units here from as mony squadrons and not a one of 'dem is goi'n without some koind 'a patch job."
"How many fly?"
"Eighteen, if all ya want 'dem ter do is fly somewhere," the red-head told her. "Ten if yer look'n for 'em to fight when dey get dhere."
Ryoko ran her hand along the side of a familiar pink Aestivalis and fought down a sense of nostalgia. "Well," she said, not turning to the Scot, "I hear we're getting a Jovian chief engineer. I'm sure he'll be able to get them into shape. The Jovians have a way with robots you wouldn't believe."
"A'd prefer note ta believe it, if it's all da same ta you, Royoko," Moira replied, her arms over her chest. "I dinnae like one bloody bit da idea 'a one 'o dem lazards tinker'n wit MA Aesti."
Ryoko sighed. She knew there was still bad blood on both sides about the war. Hell, she felt it herself, but as the group commander, she had to take a position counter to her feelings, and it looked like it was going to start with Moira.
"Moira, the war is over," she said sternly. "We're going to have to live with half a Jovian crew for a whole year, and the last thing I want right now is a squadron commander stirring that kind of shit. You copy?"
Moira took a drag on her cigarette, but more to hide the sheepish look on her face than anything else. She nodded. "Aye, Ma'am. You will'na here ano'der word aughta me aun it."
"Okay," Ryoko told her. She smiled. "Come on, let's check one of these pieces of shit out. I want to know what we're up against."
***
"I don't like it! I don't like it one bit! Jun chan, she's up to something!"
Megumi hadn't even waited for the door to their quarters to close completely behind them before making that statement, whirling on the re- minted captain the second she thought they were out of earshot of anyone who might be listening.
"Did you see that smug, arrogant smile?!" she asked. "Erina Wong only smiles like that when she's manipulating the hell out of someone! She's setting us up!"
"Meg chan, I don't think you're being completely fair here," Jun said, taking a seat on the fold-out couch. "Don't get me wrong, I think she's got another angle here too, but Erina's never actually tried to get people killed."
"She doesn't have to! Whatever's in Epsilon Eridani might do the job for her!"
"I'm not worried about Erina. We know what kind of person she is. It's Inez that's got me thinking."
Megumi blinked. "Inez?"
"She different. Haven't you noticed?"
The Comm Officer stood there a moment in thought before nodding slowly. "Now that you mention it......"
"It's....I don't know," Jun went on. "It's like she's waiting for something."
"But waiting for what?"
Jun shook his head. "I don't know. But I get the sense that she's doing little more than waiting down clock."
Megumi sighed. "Erina, Inez..... Who else is going to hide stuff from us on this trip?"
"With any luck, Meg chan, no one who means us any harm."
***
The most exciting part of Christmas, in Jun's opinion, had always been when his father had plugged in the lights of the Christmas tree. One by one, a different strand of lights would ignite into brilliant life, and Jun's heart would leap with each one. Now, with the Nadesico going through her final pre-launch sequence, the control boards were lighting up as each system were booted up and brought on line. Standing on the command deck, Jun felt that familiar thrill.
"All stations, give go, no-go for launch," Ruri ordered. "Helm."
"Go launch," Chase announced.
"Comm."
"Go launch," Megumi replied, switching on her board.
"Engineering."
"Go launch."
"Science Station One."
"Go launch," Aurora confirmed.
"Science Station Two."
"Science Station Two is ready," Inez intoned.
Ruri turned to Jun. "Kanchou, the Nadesico is prepared to launch."
Jun suddenly found himself the focus of attention of everyone on the bridge and it occurred to him that they were waiting for him to say something profound. He opened his mouth, but words failed him. Finally, he composed himself enough to say, "Mr. Warren, take us to Mars."
"Aye aye, Sir."
There was a barely imperceptable shift beneath Jun's feet as the Nadesico's engines came alive and moved the warship forward. Jun leaned forward and watched the view window as the Nadesico moved past the other ships in the star harbor as if he could leap out in front of his ship and lead it forward.
His reverie was disturbed by Ryoko's face.
"Oi! Jun!"
Jun gave back a pace in startlement.
"You and me gotta talk," she said. "I don't know what kind of fight you're expecting, but I wouldn't trust these Aesties to beat a couple of wild geese in a fair fight."
The captain sighed. He knew it was only a matter of time before the everyday problems of running a warship crept to the forefront. "I'll be right down, Ryoko." He leaned over the rail to look down at Ruri. "Ruri, you have the bridge." With a nod from Ruri, he walked to the lift and left his nostalgia behind.
"Things broken? On this ship? The devil you say!" Megumi said to Ruri with a knowing smile.
Ruri returned the grin. "The more things change,"
"The more they stay the same," Megumi finished with a sigh. She looked up at the starfield. "Is this a good idea, Ruri chan?"
Ruri shrugged. "Since when has Nergal EVER had a good idea?"
Megumi sighed again. "I'll be honest, Ruri chan. I never wanted to see this ship again."
"Whoever does?" Ruri asked her. She turned back to her station. "After all, this ship attracts nothing but bakas."
"Now don't be mean, Ruri," Chase said, turning his seat to face them. "It attracts women too...." He picked up his guitar and strummed a few notes. "Besides, LT," he went on, pronouncing Megumi's rank "El Tee" and strumming a few more notes, "What are you complaining about? This is....like.....HISTORIC! I mean, true blue hero kind of stuff! This ship is stopping at Mars for gas and sandwiches and then we're going where no man has gone before!"
Ruri stared at him for a moment before turning to Megumi again. "While I don't share his enthusiasm, I must admit this IS unlike any mission anyone has ever been on before."
The random notes from Chase's guitar began to coalesce into a song. "See? Even Ruri is excited."
"Baka."
"C'mon!" Chase tried again. "We're on our way to the far side fo the galaxy to meet REAL LIFE ALIENS! Let's see a little optimism here!" He strummed a bit more and began to sing.
"Ramadan is over! The new moon's shown her face! I'm halfway round the planet In a most unlikely place! Following my songline Past bamboo shacks and shops, Behind a jitney packed like sardines With bananas piled on top!
I ran away from politics It's too bizarre at home! Away I flew tuned into Blue, 'Maybe Amsterdam or Rome.' Awakened by a stewardess, With Spain somewhere below, On the threshold of adventure, God, I do love this job so!"
As he played, his elbow bumped the throttle, and the Nadesico lurched forward.
"So while I make my move On the big board game Up and down a Spanish highway Some things remain the same! Girls meet boys, And boys tease girls! I'm heading out this morning For the far side of the world!"
***
In the Nadesico's galley, Houmei suddenly lost her step as she felt the ship accelerate beneath her feet. Out in the dining facility, she heard two of her waitresses cry out and fall, followed by the sound of breaking glass and clanging pots.
She sighed and smiled. "I think things just got back to normal around here."
***
"Back at home it's afternoon, Six thousand miles away. It will still be there When I get through attending this soiree, There are jobs and chores and questions, And plates I need to twirl! But tonight I'll take my chances On the far side of the world!"
Megumi pressed her headset against her ear to hear over the singing and raised her voice to be heard over the racket.
"Control says we're clear and free to navigate!" she called out.
Ruri was shaking her head. "Bakas.....More bakas....Always bakas...."
Chase bumped the throttle again and finished.
"Yes that's the way it happens On the far side of the world!"
Soon, the twinkling lights of Trinity Spaceyards were far behind.
Author's Notes:
The song "Far Side of the World," is the property of Jimmy Buffett.
Nadesico: Oysters and Pearls
Chapter 1
Sail On Sailor
With no trees or other buildings in the immediate area, there was nothing to stop the wind from blowing across the runway but a single, rusty outdated hangar housing gear and parts of aircraft that hadn't seen the sky in two hundred years.
As the cool wind blew steadily, it carried upon it the sounds emanating from that hangar; wrenches turning, light hammer taps, and the occasional sound of a tool hitting concrete and the muttered curse that went with it.
Sitting in the middle of an ocean of concrete, Jun Aoi heard his father's triumphant cry. "It's finished!"
Looking up from the lone ant that had been making its way slowly across the tarmac, the seven year old boy looked up and smiled as his father's obsession rolled out of the hangar, pushed by the man he idolized and a group of his friends.
"Obsession" was the name his mother had suggested for it, but Jun's father had laughed and said he had something better for his two year old hobby. Two blades stuck out perpendicular to the nose of the vehicle while long wings spread out from either side in a straight, almost unnaturally rigid lines. Despite that, it looked almost organic resting on three wheels, its nose pointed at the sky. Along the side, his father had painted the name he had chosen for it.
"Spirit of Hiroshima."
His father hopped into the cockpit and donned a replica of an old leather flight cap and goggles. His father's friend, Masao, chuckled as he handed him a cooler.
"You're crazy, you know," Masao pointed out.
"Crazy!? Ha!" his father replied pointedly. "A plane just like this one flew across the Atlantic! And that was back in the early twentieth century! The Sea of Japan will be nothing!"
Masao shook his head. "You're a crazy son of a bitch, Jubei."
"The crazy ones are the pearls, Masao," Jubei pointed out. "It's boring old codgers like you that remain oysters all their lives." He continued with the preflight.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Masao said.
"Oi! Jun!"
Like a shot, the seven-year-old was at the plane, looking up at his father. The man pulled two yellow flags out of the cockpit and tossed them down at him.
"Now listen, Jun," he said quietly, almost like the two were sharing a conspiracy. "You have the most important job in the world right now. I want you to take these flags down to the very end of the runway and hold them over your head. If you see any smoke coming out of the plane while I'm taking off, wave them. Understand?"
Jun nodded, wide-eyed.
The airplane started with a roar that made the boy jump.
"Off you go!" Jubei ordered. Jun picked up the flags and ran as fast as he could to the end of the runway. He was panting and out of breath by the time he had run the quarter mile to the end of the provincial Okayama airstrip. He raised the two yellow flags over his head and watched as the Spirit of Hiroshima taxied to the other end of the runway.
He was grinning broadly as the engines revved up all the way and the small plane shot toward him. He was so giddy, he almost forgot to watch for smoke like his father told him.
The plane got bigger and bigger in the young boy's vision, but still no smoke. Suddenly, without warning, the plane began its ascent into the sky and shot over Jun's head. The wind nearly knocked him over, but he still managed to drop the flags and run after the plane, laughing.
The plane was out of sight before he ran out of breath, and he knew his father had just realized his dream.
***
20 years later.
Two forces of interior decorating were at war in this room, the result of a poorly planned but long expected invasion, an invasion that was still "fifty miles from Baghdad," as the old Army saying went, bitterly fought but close to conclusion. Boxes lined two of the walls. Models and awards warred with knick-knacks and dolls. Black and white photos of a boy, his father and an ancient-looking airplane shared an uneasy truce on the dresser with color holos of an older couple with a small girl between them.
On the walls, a bitter battle was being waged. On one side, framed photos and newspapers were being contested by signed anime posters.
The framed newspaper was emblazoned with the headline: "PEACE!" and a photo of several people on the bridge of a battleship, some in UE uniforms, some in Jovian garb, shaking hands. The drop head read, "Jovians, UE sign armistice aboard HMB Nadesico."
The posters that encroached on its territory were not the posters of a rabid otaku, but memoirs from a forgotten career. At the forefront of the assault was a poster of a cute magical girl holding a staff. The handwriting under it, scrawled in pen, read "For love, justice and peace! Megumi."
This war, like the one recently won, would end soon, and like the last war probably without a clear victor but a compromise. After all, the owners of the two were determined to live with each other for a long time. The awards, photos, knick-knacks, dolls, posters and newspapers would just have to learn to live with it.
In the meantime, the war raged on silently as the most early morning light began to peek through the window.
Silently except for the door chime.
Receiving no answer from the first, the caller chimed again.
This time, there was a response. A dark-haired man rolled over in bed and put his arm around a purple-haired woman.
A third chime.
This time the woman responded, groaning and lifting her head from the pillow. "Jun chan," she said with a yawn. "Someone's at the door."
"What time is it?" he asked through the pillow, muffling his speech into "Wum tum iz um?"
A fourth chime.
The woman blinked sleep from her eyes and looked at the clock. "Seven," she replied with another yawn.
Jun groaned and rolled over. "It's SATURDAY," he growled.
"It's probably the Space Scouts selling cookies," the woman said sleepily, dropping back down to the pillow he was abandoning. "Get a box of caramel for me."
He eyed her with amusement as he put on his slippers. Reaching over, he found her tickle spot and moved his fingers across her lacy purple shift.
The result was dramatic.
"AAUGH!" she cried, hopping up to a sitting position in a second. "JUN!"
A fifth chime.
"Awfully pushy for Space Scouts," Jun noted, rising to his feet. He started for the door.
"You're in trouble when you get back, Jun Aoi!" the woman cried, sticking her tongue out at him.
A sixth chime.
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Jun called out, putting a robe on. He reached the front door of the house and opened it, genuinely shocked at what he found there.
Two men in uniform stood there, but they weren't the cut of the UE. Rather, they were a familiar white uniform that officers on board Nergal vessels were known for wearing.
Jun felt a stir of anxiety well up in him. Whatever this was, it had little if nothing to do with cookies.
"Captain Aoi?" one of the officers asked. He nodded. "Sir, we're here from Ms. Wong's office."
Jun said nothing, and the officer didn't immediately elaborate, somehow assuming that Jun would catch the drift. When it was obvious he wasn't, he went on.
"Sir.we're here to inform you that you've been reactivated."
He said nothing, looking back and forth between the two of them for a moment. "And she sent TWO of you?" he asked skeptically.
"Actually, she sent me," the officer said.
The other one spoke up for the first time. "I'm here to present the same notice to your wife, Sir."
The corners of Jun's mouth quirked up. "Good luck."
The officer seemed to understand what he meant. Jun sympathized. His wife was very anti-war despite her service in the last war. She hadn't been thrilled to find that her contract had included a clause where she was listed in the inactive reserves.
The first officer handed Jun a folder. "There are details and travel arrangements inside. You're to report to Ms. Wong's office in Tokyo as soon as possible."
Jun nodded absently and stepped back. "You guys want some coffee or something?"
"Well," the second officer began.
"Trust me, you'll need the bracer," Jun told him.
They nodded and came inside.
"I'll go get her," Jun told them, making his way back to the bedroom. "Just make yourselves at home."
When he entered the room, his wife already asleep again. He sat on the edge of the bed and sighed, wanting to give her just one more minute of peace before he did this to her. Finally, he reached down and shook her ankle.
"Hey," he whispered.
The woman opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Did you get my cookies?"
He actually cracked a smile at that before his expression became more sober. "Get dressed, Megumi chan," he said. "We've got company."
***
Havana, Cuba.
Salsa music was playing from some nearby tavern jukebox that gave an aquamarine-haired woman an odd soundtrack as she marched angrily down the wharf road. Behind her, she dragged a burlap sack, its contents bulky but otherwise unknown, though the way the locals moved out of her way as she stormed down the pier, it was obvious that there were those who wouldn't be at all surprised to find a body in there.
She stopped before a large hacienda and tossed the sack down in front of her. The contents made a muffled "Oomph!" as it hit the pier. The woman put her hands on her hips and glared angrily through the cast iron gate up at the second floor balcony. The look of absolute fury looked out of place on a woman in a short blue skirt and halter top, but somehow Ryoko Subaru made it work.
"DIAZ!" she screamed up at the balcony. "GET YOUR LOUSY, SABOTAGING ASS OUT HERE!"
The balcony doors opened and a squat Cuban man in a colorful shirt emerged, complete with stereotypical cigar hanging from the right side of his mouth.
"What?!" he asked, playing into the role of the hapless victim. "Ryoko! Senorita! What you doing causing such noise, eh?"
Ryoko kicked the sack, which replied with another grunt. "I found one of your scumbag toadies putting sugar in the ship's plasma tank again!" she accused him.
"Ryoko, Ryoko, Ryoko!" he said, beseeching her. "Why do you assume it's me, eh? Why you assume I'm the ONLY other freight craft owner out there who wants your business to fail, eh? Why does it always come down to me, eh?"
Ryoko knelt down and opened the sack. Reaching in, she pulled out a young boy no older than thirteen, holding by the scruff of the neck.
"Because you sent your own fucking nephew, el stupid ass!"
Diaz stared and blink. Finally, he decided to just shift gears. Taking the stogie out of his mouth, he pointed it at her. "Listen here, Senorita! You think you can just come in here and start making money off MY action!? You think just because you some kind of big war hero, you can take food off MY fucking table!?"
"Yeah, you look like you're in REAL danger of starving to death, you fucking fat ass!" Ryoko shot back.
"Hey! We don't want no slope bitch telling us how to do things! NO ONE fucks with Diaz!"
Ryoko was silent for a moment. "What the fuck did you just call me?" she asked quietly.
Diaz took another drag before responding. "I said 'SLOPE!' Slant-eyed, slope-headed, fish-eating, Pearl Harbor bombing BITCH!"
Diaz's nephew looked up at Ryoko fearfully as she stood there and nodded. "I see," she said. With a scream, she pushed the boy back in the sack, swung it around and launched it over the fence!
The freight owner cried out just as the sacked boy hit him, knocking him through the balcony door.
"YOU KEEP YOUR FUCKING STOOGES AWAY FROM MY SHIPS, EL FAGGOT!" she screamed before turning on her heel and storming away.
The salsa music continued to play.
Ryoko must have walked a quarter mile down the pier before she started to actually cool down. When she finally did, she rested against the guard rail and looked out at the Caribbean.
Sighing, she checked her note book and crossed off the line that read, "Fuck up Diaz." Then she checked her watch and nodded in satisfaction. That had been her only real chore of the day and it was only 1:25 in the afternoon.
Time for a siesta.
It was only a short walk to a nearby pier-side restaurant and bar where they served good conch salad. Ordering one for herself and a beer, she pushed Diaz out of her mind and went back to enjoying why she liked basing her company out of Havana. Warm sun, blue ocean, and with the exception of punks like Diaz, friendly people.
She started into her conch salad but paused mid-bite when she heard someone clear their throat. Looking up, she found a uniformed man standing at her table.
"Colonel Subaru?"
Ryoko replied the way she knew she would if ever called back to duty.
"Ryoko no es aqui!"
***
Io.
Colonel Makoto Rikari's cell was probably the most comfortable, well- decorated room in the Io Maximum Security Military Prison. Around the tiny cot was a whole fleet of bouquets of flowers from all over the Jovian moons.
For the hundredth time that day, Makoto cursed fate. After four years of war and what was arguably the most brilliant career in Jovian military history, the secret had gotten out due to nothing more than an accident.
A plasma injector in the hangar next to Makoto's Gekigangar had exploded and the colonel, a two-year squadron commander and winner of the Jovian Legion of Worth, had been caught in the blast.
Drifting in and out of consciousness, Makoto was only aware of the med- techs kneeling down, the sound of tearing fabric, and startled gasps.
The secret was out.
The med-techs, tearing the flight suit off their patient to treat the burns had discovered it, and like good Jovians, had reported it.
Colonel Makoto Rikari, hero of the fleet, was a woman.
She cursed herself again. Even now that she had been caught, even now that her status was that of a criminal and not a hero, they still treated her like a dainty female unable to take care of herself.
Running her hands through her short, cropped red hair, she stared at a bouquet of blue Callistan roses sitting across from her and wondered if the stems were dry enough to rub together and start a fire.
Before any further thought of escape could cross her mind, the cell door opened, and in stepped a familiar face.
Her secret may have been out, but until a board of inquiry said otherwise, she was still a colonel in the Jovian Superior Male Forces. She snapped to attention in a heartbeat.
"Good morning, General," she greeted.
"Stand at ease, Colonel," the general, a gray-haired man who stood a foot over her, told her.
She eased her stance, but didn't sit.
The general didn't look at her. Instead, he brushed a finger against the blue roses. "They're treating you well?" he asked. "You're comfortable?"
Makoto didn't want to hear it. "What's going to happen to me, Sir?" she asked.
"Well, that is the question of the day, isn't it?" he asked. He shook his head. "You understand this complicates things," he told her.
"Sir, I'd like to explain why.."
He held a hand up, stopping her in mid-sentence. "I know what you're going to say. Even Nanako felt the desire to fight in Episode 23."
"It's not just about that," she blurted out. "What difference should my sex make?!" she demanded.
"It makes all the difference," he countered. "Women are supposed to be taken care of, protected. If the people were to ever learn that we sent a woman to the front lines in our war with the Earthers.." He shook his head. "Our entire society would be called into question!"
She grabbed a nearby bouquet and squeezed it so hard, the stems cracked. "This has nothing to do with 'protecting' women!" she bit out. "You and your generals just can't stand the thought that a meek, dainty female could fight better than ninety percent of the fleet!" She punctuated this by throwing the flowers in his face. "I'm a woman!" she cried. "Not some delicate porcelain doll you have to keep on a pedestal! Did it ever to occur to any of you that these are OUR worlds too!? That maybe WE'D like to share in the sacrifice!? Contribute!?"
"Women DO contribute," the general argued softly.
"Oh, sure, by sewing uniforms for their men and taking care of the children back home! Forget about the wasted potential!"
"One of the justifications for the war was the way Earthers treat women," he growled. "How are we supposed to argue against that with a WOMAN at the had of one of our Gekigangar squadrons?!"
"So what now?" she asked, folding her arms over her chest. "Take me to trial, and I go to trial as a woman. You'd be stupid to assume I'd continue to hide my gender now. It gets out anyway. Unless you kill me."
"We're not going to kill you," he assured.
"Then what?" she asked. "Hold me in this cell until I day of old age? Your options are running thin."
"No," he said with a shake of his head. "We're going to transfer you."
Makoto was silent for a moment. "Pardon?"
The general produced a data pad from his jacket pocket and handed it to her. "Reassignment. A Gekigangar squadron on a special mission."
Makoto couldn't believe her ears. She checked the pad over. Sure enough it was a reassignment order with her name on it for a squadron commander slot. She looked at him and her eyes narrowed.
"What's the deal?" she asked warily. "You're up to something."
He shrugged. "We can't sweep it under the rug. We can't try you. So we're going to hide you."
"What do you mean?"
He sat down. "The Earthers have come to us with a rather ambitious proposal. In the interests of peace, they have proposed a joint exploration mission to another part of the galaxy. One of their ships and captains, half the crew and some of their Aestivalis'. One of our officers will be the executive officer. Chief engineer and most of the support staff. We've also promised a Gekigangar squadron."
Her expression could have melted iron. "You're going to exile me," she whispered.
"It is the only option where both you and we can maintain honor."
She looked down at the ground. "When do I leave?"
***
Tokyo, Japan.
Jun sighed quietly as Megumi played with his hair. He could never understand her fascination with it. All he knew was that every time his head got within range, her fingers would somehow find his hair.
Lightning flashed briefly outside, illuminating the hotel room for a moment. He was lying on the king-sized bed, his head in his wife's lap, just thinking.
They hadn't seen Erina Wong since the armistice, but he could tell that Megumi still didn't like the woman. She never really had, and never really trusted her.
Which was fine by Jun. He never really liked her either.
But this opportunity she was offering..
Originally, he thought she wanted him to go looking for pirates or renegades. He never would have thought in a hundred years that she would have made the kind of offers she had.
A chance to command the first extra-solar system exploration mission.
A chance to command Nadesico again.
Presented the way Erina had, there was little reason to turn it down. It was the kind of mission Jun dreamed of. A chance to travel among the stars instead of battling among them. As a matter of fact, there was only one factor in the world right now that would keep him from taking her offer.
***
Megumi Reinard Aoi slowly ran her fingers through her new husband's hair and sighed inwardly. She knew what it was he wanted. She saw it in his eyes after Erina made her pitch. Because of the nature of the mission, she couldn't force them to go. Reactivating their commissions was just a way to get them to listen. If they didn't want to go, they wouldn't go. The end.
But she had made the offer, and she could see how much Jun wanted to go.
She didn't trust Erina. The woman only did things when they benefited Nergal and herself. She didn't buy into this idea that it was Nergal's way of promoting good will between the UE and the Jovian Union.
She was up to something.
"You want to go, don't you?" she whispered.
"Do you?" he asked.
"That wasn't the question."
He was quiet for a minute. "Yeah, I wanna do it."
"Why?"
"What do you mean?" he asked, not immediately understanding her question.
She sighed. "I thought it was supposed to be over. We were done, remember? The Nadesico, Nergal, the war, all of it."
"This isn't quite the same, Megumi chan," he replied quietly. "We're not talking about a war with humans or even aliens. This is a chance to see things no one else has ever seen."
"Then why send a warship?" she asked. "Why send Nadesico?"
"Because we have no idea what we'll find," he explained. "I can see the logic of it. It's called 'gunboat diplomacy.' We come in peace but show them we're prepared to defend ourselves."
She didn't say anything. "But why do YOU want to go?"
He was quiet for several moments. She merely waited and continued to play with his hair with her fingers.
"It's a chance to be a pearl, I guess," he whispered finally.
"Hmmm?"
"My father used to say that there were two kinds of people in the world; oysters and pearls." Megumi listened as he went on. "Oysters are like your average Joe. Guys who don't really want to do anything with their lives beyond getting an okay job and a duplex, who didn't WANT to do things spectacular. Kinda like Akito was when we first met him."
Megumi nodded.
"Pearls are the kind of people who take the lead, do things that no one else will do. He was like that, you know. People used to call him crazy for doing stuff like flying across the Sea of Japan in an old airplane or climbing Mt. Hood. Things like that."
"You're already a pearl, Jun chan," Megumi told him.
He shook his head. "Not really. Remember when they signed the armistice on the Nadesico?"
"That's exactly what I mean," she argued. "You commanded the ship that ended the war. You should be proud of that."
"And I am, but it wasn't really mine," he told her quietly. "I inherited it from Yurika. If she hadn't disappeared, it would've been her standing on the bridge, overseeing the signing. I was just her stand-in."
"Jun chan."
"This time, though," he said. "This is something that could be mine. My contribution to Earth. They came to ME, Megumi chan. Me AND you."
"You really want to do this?"
"Yeah," he said. "I really do."
She continued to play with his hair, silent for several minutes.
"Okay," she said.
"Huh?"
She nodded and caressed his face. "Let's do it."
"You're sure?" he asked.
She looked down and gave him a smile. "Jun chan, I promised to stand by you. That doesn't mean I get to hijack your dreams. It's only for a year, and if you're really passionate about this, then I want to help you do it."
He reached up and took her hand in his, not saying anything.
He didn't have to. She leaned down and kissed his forehead. "Come on. Let's call Erina before I come to my senses."
***
Trinity Orbital Spaceyards, Earth Orbit.
The first thing Jun thought when he saw the Nadesico again, the first time in two years, was "Where did all that crap come from?"
He must have said it out loud, because Erina Wong, Nergal's CEO, looked up from the controls of the shuttle to answer him. "That crap is about thirty trillion yen of the best sensor and scientific arrays Nergal could develop over the past six years." She paused to make a course correction, and the shuttle began a slow circle around the warship.
Jun looked out the window and could now see the "crap" clearly. Sensor dishes and antennae of ever size shape and configuration festooned the ship, including a long, stinger-looking antennae that jutted out the stern of the ship, giving Nadesico a wasp-like appearance.
"Thirty trillion yen, huh?" he asked. "Does it work?"
Erina pursed her lips. She was piloting them up to the ship as a way of showing them how important she considered this mission, not so that they could score points off her. "Yes," she bit out. "It works quite well."
"We've been testing equipment like this on several planets in the inner solar system, Inez Franssenge piped up from the back of the shuttle. "Every bit of data collectable by man can be scooped up by the Nadesico. She truly is a vessel of science now."
Jun smiled. He hadn't heard Inez would be traveling with them, let alone the centerpiece of the whole mission, but he was glad she was along. He hadn't encountered any situation in the past five years that COULDN'T be explained away by Inez, and explained away in a tone that made you feel really stupid for asking to begin with to boot.
Still, there was something off about her, something that he couldn't wait to get Megumi alone to ask about. She had been quiet, reserved, almost reluctant to give out information. She looked tired. He wanted to see if Megumi noticed it too.
"You should see the other modifications!" the shuttles other passenger broke in. Aurora Dayne was a mousy, bespectacled woman who looked about two years out of grad school. She wore her blonde hair up in a style that seemed to contrast with her exuberance, kind of like the way one might feel if they saw a librarian playing air guitar. Erina had introduced her as Inez's student.
She now turned her attention to Megumi. "You should see the leaps and bounds we've made with the communications array, Ma'am!" she squeaked. "We've done miracles with psycho-linguistic technology during the early war years, when we were trying to communicate with what we thought were non- human, Jovian lizards and not actual human beings. It's only now that we're just starting to get the kinks out! And the long-range communications system is the absolute best Nergal and UE coul..."
"That'll due, Aurora," Inez told her with a slight smile. "No need to overwhelm them just yet."
Aurora blushed a bit and nodded, turning quiet.
Jun turned back to the window and idly addressed Erina. "So who else did you manage to con into this idea?"
Erina actually smiled at the dig. "You'd be surprised."
***
Nadesico bridge.
The woman sitting at the ops console must have grown six inches since the last time they saw her.
"Ruri chan!"
Ruri Hoshino turned and actually smiled at them. "Miss Megumi, Miss Wong, Dr. Franssenge, Kanchou, lady I've never met before.."
Simple greetings weren't enough for Megumi. She rushed up and hugged the young girl, young WOMAN, Megumi had to remind herself. Ruri was thirteen years old now, and rather than grow bitter in her "old age," she had actually lightened up a bit, allowing a smile to play across her lips more often and more naturally than she would have five years ago. Part of that, of course, was time spent on the Nadesico with the likes of Megumi and Minato, naturally free spirits who played the role of big sisters for her. She had given up on the uniform she wore when she was younger and now wore something akin to Yurika's old uniform, something she could call "more adult."
"I thought you were planning on going to school?" Megumi asked in confusion.
Ruri looked up at her and answered matter-of-factly. "School is for bakas."
Jun, meanwhile, was looking over the bridge. Aside from a few additional consoles, it was the same battleship he had commanded and relinquished two years ago. He walked up to the command deck and looked out across the ship's command section. If he closed his eyes, he could almost see Minato painting her nails at the helm, eight-year-old Ruri playing video games with Omoikane, and hear Yurika squealing at the sight of Akito on the viewscreen.
But that was a long time ago.
And that man at the helm didn't seem the type to paint his fingernails.
Erina, seeing that his interest had turned to the sandy-haired man, gestured to him. Captain Jun Aoi, Chief Warrant Officer Chase Warren, ship's helmsman."
"How do you do?" Jun asked with an arched eyebrow. The man wore the standard beige uniform with orange jacket, but looked like he'd be more comfortable in flip-flops and a Hawaiian shirt. Shoring up this belief was the guitar propped against the side of the helm.
"Just fine, Sir," Chase replied, his speech tinged with an American accent.
"Where were you before this?" Jun asked.
Chase smiled. "Helmsman for the Dauntless," he said. "But when I heard there was a spot on the Nadesico, I jumped."
"Heard about the girls onboard, huh?" Jun asked deadpan.
Chase just smiled.
"Forget it." He turned to Megumi and tried to hide his grin. "How do things look?"
Megumi was sitting at the communications console now. "I'll let you know as soon as I remember how to boot this thing up."
"You'll be able to leave as soon as the supply ships are finished offloading and the final checks are made," Erina told him. "In the meantime, would you care to join Inez, Aurora and I for dinner? We have a few things we should probably discuss."
"Of course," Jun told her. "Megumi and I would be glad to."
Megumi tried to hide a grimace, but didn't put much effort into it.
"Excellent!" Erina replied, throwing a glance to Megumi that spoke volumes.
***
Nadesico Hangar Bay.
No sooner had the shuttle come to rest on the flight deck did the starboard side hatch open and an orange duffel bag was tossed to the deck. Ryoko poked her head out after it and took off her mirrored sunglasses, hooking them in the top of her uniform shirt. She stepped down and took a look around.
The Aestavalis' ringing the hangar in their own individual cages looked a little different than the ones she, Izumi and Hikaru had piloted during the war, but not so different that they questioned Ryoko's ability to fly them. What bothered her was the state of disrepair several of them seemed to be in.
Kneeling down, she picked up her duffel bag and tossed it over her shoulder before heading toward the exit. As she passed a technician, she gave a quick, dissatisfied grunt as the man stood straighter and saluted her.
"Colonel Subaru, I.."
"Don't salute me," she said curtly, not even bothering to stop.
She hated that. Moreso than anything that mildly annoyed her in the past. Ever since the armistice when some damn fool reporter interviewed her and labeled her a "hero of the Earth," people had insisted on saluting her and calling her "Ma'am." It was more formality than she liked in her life. That's why she worked out of Havana. Diaz and his crew might be punks, but at least they called her by her name the way she liked.
So caught up in her annoyance was she, that she didn't even notice the woman who stood near the door she was about to use as her exit. She stopped dead in her tracks and stared.
The dark-haired woman stared back. For a good three minutes, the only sound that could be heard on the flight deck were the sounds of tools and frustrated mechanics.
The two continued to stare.
Finally, Ryoko spoke.
"Lieutenant Colonel Maki," she said quietly in greeting.
"Colonel Subaru," Izumi replied.
More silence.
"So you're a squadron commander, huh?" Ryoko asked.
Izumi nodded. "45th Space Combat Squadron. I'll be reporting to you."
Silence.
"Fine. See you at the meeting," Ryoko declared, walking through the door past the brunette.
Izumi didn't turn her head to watch her go. Instead, she lit a cigarette. "Yes, Ma'am."
***
When Erina Wong went out to impress you, you were guaranteed not to miss it. This was a fact Jun and Megumi were just coming to grips with as dinner was served in the Nadesico's officer's lounge. A well-dressed Nergal waiter had just finished filling Erina's glass with wine while two others placed boiled lobsters in front of them. The two sat at the opposite end of a long mahogany table from the Nergal CEO. Sitting in chairs between them were Inez and Aurora. A third place setting was set out, but the intended diner had not shown up yet.
Erina took a sip and set her glass down. "Now we come to the crux of the matter," she announced.
"I must admit to having several questions," Jun told her, picking at the lobster staring back at him accusingly from his plate.
Erina smiled and sat back. "Please," she urged. "Ask away. I'll be as forthright as I can."
"There's a switch," Megumi muttered. Erina frowned. Aurora looked uncomfortable. Inez smiled.
"At last record," Jun began, ignoring his wife's jab, "There were about fifty-six TRILLION star systems in the galaxy. Yet by the time you came to us, you had already picked out a destination. Now I've done some research.."
Erina raised an eyebrow.
"And from what I've heard from quite a few astronomers is that there are systems much closer and much more likely to support life than Epsilon Eridani."
The Nergal businesswoman smiled uncomfortably. "I'm afraid I don't really understand..."
"We want to know why, in Nergal's infinite wisdom, you chose THIS system," Megumi put in.
Aurora gave a stifled cry and held her breath.
Erina stared at Megumi and Megumi stared right back.
From her seat, Aurora started to sweat.
"They'll find out eventually," Inez said casually.
Inez's assistant was starting to turn blue.
Erina arched an eyebrow and, not turning her stare away from Megumi, said "Tell 'em."
Aurora let loose the answer like a pack of wild dogs she had been trying to hold on a dozen leashes. "Because we KNOW there's life in Epsilon Eridani!"
Megumi's eyes went wide. "'Know?' How?"
Aurora reached into her labcoat and pulled out a small digital recorder. Placing it on the table in front of Jun and Megumi, she explained. "We picked this up a few years ago, during the war. We've confirmed it's point of origin." She pressed play, and the group listened.
What followed was several minutes of static and odd noises that they couldn't make out. Jun shook his head, as if trying to shake away a mosquito. There was definitely a voice in there, a voice he couldn't understand.
But he'd swear it was familiar.
"Our analysts have confirmed it's speech!" Aurora announced.
"But what does it mean?" Megumi asked, arms over her chest in an obvious challenge.
The scientist began to twiddle her thumbs. "Well..You see..We can't quite.."
Inez placed a hand on the young woman's shoulder and guided her back to her seat. "Aurora and I are working on cleaning it up," she said. "The point, however, cannot be denied. There is intelligent life in the Epsilon Eridani system."
Jun nodded. He'd asked the question not really expecting a satisfactory answer and had gotten one regardless.
Megumi, however, wasn't convinced. "So what's your angle?" she asked Erina.
"Exploration, the betterment of mankind," Erina told her.
"Bull!"
The CEO's eye twitched, and she growled. "Okay, fine," she bit out.
It was just at that moment the door opened and a slender woman with straight, sandy blonde hair walked in. She adjusted her glasses and sat down at the empty table.
"Sorry I'm late," she said to Erina without preamble.
Erina shook her head and smiled. "No problem. We were just coming to your part in this little enterprise." She gestured to Jun and Megumi. "Captain Jun Aoi and Lieutenant Megumi Aoi, this is Kimberly Tenzca. She's one of our negotiators from our Warsaw office."
"How do you do?" Kimberly asked.
"A negotiator?" Megumi asked, obviously puzzled.
"You asked me to be truthful, so here it is," Erina told her. "No one explores for the hell of it. Columbus didn't discover the new world to fulfill some bullshit dream, he did it for money, moolah. Explorers have always been financed by companies eager to establish new trade routes and discover new products."
Jun laughed.
The rest of the table looked at him in puzzlement.
He shook his head and wiped a tear away. "I get it!" he cried. He looked straight at Erina and laughed again. "The war's over! We're at peace with the Jovian Union! And all that Jovian technology you've built your entire corporation on will soon be available in every store in the UE because of new trade with the Jovians!"
Megumi looked at Erina aghast. "Is that what this is?! You're looking for a newer and better TENNIS SHOE?!"
Erina took a breath. "I will admit," she said slowly. "Nergal is in for a rough patch when trade with the Jovians normalizes, but there's more to this than that."
"Aoi," Inez began, "You're reading too much into this. For whatever reason Erina wants this mission to succeed, it does not change the fact that YOU will be there and YOU will be the one making the decisions."
"I'm not going to get in your way," Kim told him.
Jun looked sideways at her. "No offense to Ms. Tenzca here," he began, speaking to Erina, "But back during the war, I never told you how much having a Nergal watchdog constantly checking to make sure we stayed inside some tiny budget truly and royally sucked."
"Ms. Tenzca is not here to do that," Erina assured him. "She is merely along to protect and promote Nergal's interests. In the event that you encounter intelligent life forms willing to do business, she'll conduct negotiations."
Jun said nothing.
"Unless of course," Erina continued, "You've received your MBA in the last year and would like to take on the responsibility yourself?"
Jun and Megumi both digested this.
Erina smiled at both of them. "Look, no matter what happens, this is still a peaceful exploration mission. Once you're there, Jun, you will be in sole command."
Megumi continued to glare at Erina and fume.
Jun contemplated everything he had heard so far.
"Okay," he said. "When do we go?"
***
Inez knew who was knocking the second she heard the staccato tapping. Only one person knocked like that, a woman full of pent up energy and enthusiasm who rapped her knuckles on the door at roughly the same speed a hummingbird flapped its wings.
"Come in, Aurora," she called out, not moving from her horizontal position on her tiny couch.
The door slid to the side and her boisterous student entered. "Doctor Franssenge?" she asked.
"Over here," Inez called, raising a hand in the air. A few seconds later, Aurora was at her side, bowing politely.
"Doctor Franssenge, I hate to bother you, but I was wondering if you could tell me something."
Inez smiled inwardly. "And what would that be?"
"Well, I mean, only if it's something you want to talk about, I mean..." Aurora flustered.
"Aurora, just ask the question."
The young student took a breath. "Ma'am, why aren't we being more forthcoming with what we know?" She waited for some sign of acknowledgement from Inez. Receiving none, she pressed on. "I mean, wouldn't the mission have a higher chance of success if they knew all the information currently available, I mean?"
Inez said nothing for a moment, exploring every facet of the question as she would a mathematical problem, rolling it around in her mind before finally stating what, exactly, X equaled.
"Aurora, knowledge is power."
Aurora nodded quickly. She knew that. Of course she knew that. Everyone knew that. She waited for her teacher to continue.
"Applying the power of information is no different than applying electrical power to a circuit," Inez went on. "Too much applied in the wrong spot can cause it to fry out, and then it isn't doing anyone any good at all."
"But how is applying it here a danger?" the mousy woman asked, adjusting her glasses.
Inez sighed only loud enough for herself to hear her. "Because, if I gave them too much knowledge, they would never go through with this."
***
"These are the Aestivalis V models," the stocky red-head explained as they walked past the maintenance bays in the Nadesico hangar bay. Her Scottish brogue was not tempered by years of living and working with Japanese, but still decipherable. "Faster, stronger an dey have a miniature transpositional engine, which means dey'rena limited in range by battery pocks or the range o' an energy field creat'd by another ship like the earlier models."
Ryoko, back in her flight suit after four years, nodded along. She paid close attention to the woman. Unlike so many other new faces on the Nadesico, she knew and had flown with Maj. Moira Taggart during the final year of the war. She knew what she was talking about, and Ryoko was willing to bet her life on that.
She had been pleasantly surprised to find Moira's name on the roster as commander of the 343rd Space Combat Squadron, one of the three combat squadrons in Ryoko's 55th Space Combat Group. Izumi was in command of the 45th SCS, a fact that bothered her more than a bit. She hadn't spoken to Izumi in the past five years unless absolutely necessary, and then it was something to be done quickly and gotten over with. She wasn't sure she liked the idea of her in charge of a squadron.
The third squadron commander, she had learned, was not on board yet and was certainly floored when she learned that it was a Jovian Gekigangar commander. Col. Makoto Rikari was slated to command a Gekigangar squadron, the 38th SCS.
Ryoko wondered what he was like. She had never spoken with a Gekigangar pilot outside of Minato's assassinated boyfriend. Minato and Megumi seemed to have liked him, but he always bugged Ryoko. He was always a little too quick to make judgements on someone based on her sex. Minato had eaten it up, playing the demure woman.
With Ryoko, it just pissed her off.
"Do all V models come in so many pieces?" Ryoko asked sardonically.
Moira shook her head and lit a cigarette. "I dinnae know what the foke Nergal is think'n, but it's like they gave us the shite Aesti in every squadron in the UE. No shite, Royoko, there's twenty-fer units here from as mony squadrons and not a one of 'dem is goi'n without some koind 'a patch job."
"How many fly?"
"Eighteen, if all ya want 'dem ter do is fly somewhere," the red-head told her. "Ten if yer look'n for 'em to fight when dey get dhere."
Ryoko ran her hand along the side of a familiar pink Aestivalis and fought down a sense of nostalgia. "Well," she said, not turning to the Scot, "I hear we're getting a Jovian chief engineer. I'm sure he'll be able to get them into shape. The Jovians have a way with robots you wouldn't believe."
"A'd prefer note ta believe it, if it's all da same ta you, Royoko," Moira replied, her arms over her chest. "I dinnae like one bloody bit da idea 'a one 'o dem lazards tinker'n wit MA Aesti."
Ryoko sighed. She knew there was still bad blood on both sides about the war. Hell, she felt it herself, but as the group commander, she had to take a position counter to her feelings, and it looked like it was going to start with Moira.
"Moira, the war is over," she said sternly. "We're going to have to live with half a Jovian crew for a whole year, and the last thing I want right now is a squadron commander stirring that kind of shit. You copy?"
Moira took a drag on her cigarette, but more to hide the sheepish look on her face than anything else. She nodded. "Aye, Ma'am. You will'na here ano'der word aughta me aun it."
"Okay," Ryoko told her. She smiled. "Come on, let's check one of these pieces of shit out. I want to know what we're up against."
***
"I don't like it! I don't like it one bit! Jun chan, she's up to something!"
Megumi hadn't even waited for the door to their quarters to close completely behind them before making that statement, whirling on the re- minted captain the second she thought they were out of earshot of anyone who might be listening.
"Did you see that smug, arrogant smile?!" she asked. "Erina Wong only smiles like that when she's manipulating the hell out of someone! She's setting us up!"
"Meg chan, I don't think you're being completely fair here," Jun said, taking a seat on the fold-out couch. "Don't get me wrong, I think she's got another angle here too, but Erina's never actually tried to get people killed."
"She doesn't have to! Whatever's in Epsilon Eridani might do the job for her!"
"I'm not worried about Erina. We know what kind of person she is. It's Inez that's got me thinking."
Megumi blinked. "Inez?"
"She different. Haven't you noticed?"
The Comm Officer stood there a moment in thought before nodding slowly. "Now that you mention it......"
"It's....I don't know," Jun went on. "It's like she's waiting for something."
"But waiting for what?"
Jun shook his head. "I don't know. But I get the sense that she's doing little more than waiting down clock."
Megumi sighed. "Erina, Inez..... Who else is going to hide stuff from us on this trip?"
"With any luck, Meg chan, no one who means us any harm."
***
The most exciting part of Christmas, in Jun's opinion, had always been when his father had plugged in the lights of the Christmas tree. One by one, a different strand of lights would ignite into brilliant life, and Jun's heart would leap with each one. Now, with the Nadesico going through her final pre-launch sequence, the control boards were lighting up as each system were booted up and brought on line. Standing on the command deck, Jun felt that familiar thrill.
"All stations, give go, no-go for launch," Ruri ordered. "Helm."
"Go launch," Chase announced.
"Comm."
"Go launch," Megumi replied, switching on her board.
"Engineering."
"Go launch."
"Science Station One."
"Go launch," Aurora confirmed.
"Science Station Two."
"Science Station Two is ready," Inez intoned.
Ruri turned to Jun. "Kanchou, the Nadesico is prepared to launch."
Jun suddenly found himself the focus of attention of everyone on the bridge and it occurred to him that they were waiting for him to say something profound. He opened his mouth, but words failed him. Finally, he composed himself enough to say, "Mr. Warren, take us to Mars."
"Aye aye, Sir."
There was a barely imperceptable shift beneath Jun's feet as the Nadesico's engines came alive and moved the warship forward. Jun leaned forward and watched the view window as the Nadesico moved past the other ships in the star harbor as if he could leap out in front of his ship and lead it forward.
His reverie was disturbed by Ryoko's face.
"Oi! Jun!"
Jun gave back a pace in startlement.
"You and me gotta talk," she said. "I don't know what kind of fight you're expecting, but I wouldn't trust these Aesties to beat a couple of wild geese in a fair fight."
The captain sighed. He knew it was only a matter of time before the everyday problems of running a warship crept to the forefront. "I'll be right down, Ryoko." He leaned over the rail to look down at Ruri. "Ruri, you have the bridge." With a nod from Ruri, he walked to the lift and left his nostalgia behind.
"Things broken? On this ship? The devil you say!" Megumi said to Ruri with a knowing smile.
Ruri returned the grin. "The more things change,"
"The more they stay the same," Megumi finished with a sigh. She looked up at the starfield. "Is this a good idea, Ruri chan?"
Ruri shrugged. "Since when has Nergal EVER had a good idea?"
Megumi sighed again. "I'll be honest, Ruri chan. I never wanted to see this ship again."
"Whoever does?" Ruri asked her. She turned back to her station. "After all, this ship attracts nothing but bakas."
"Now don't be mean, Ruri," Chase said, turning his seat to face them. "It attracts women too...." He picked up his guitar and strummed a few notes. "Besides, LT," he went on, pronouncing Megumi's rank "El Tee" and strumming a few more notes, "What are you complaining about? This is....like.....HISTORIC! I mean, true blue hero kind of stuff! This ship is stopping at Mars for gas and sandwiches and then we're going where no man has gone before!"
Ruri stared at him for a moment before turning to Megumi again. "While I don't share his enthusiasm, I must admit this IS unlike any mission anyone has ever been on before."
The random notes from Chase's guitar began to coalesce into a song. "See? Even Ruri is excited."
"Baka."
"C'mon!" Chase tried again. "We're on our way to the far side fo the galaxy to meet REAL LIFE ALIENS! Let's see a little optimism here!" He strummed a bit more and began to sing.
"Ramadan is over! The new moon's shown her face! I'm halfway round the planet In a most unlikely place! Following my songline Past bamboo shacks and shops, Behind a jitney packed like sardines With bananas piled on top!
I ran away from politics It's too bizarre at home! Away I flew tuned into Blue, 'Maybe Amsterdam or Rome.' Awakened by a stewardess, With Spain somewhere below, On the threshold of adventure, God, I do love this job so!"
As he played, his elbow bumped the throttle, and the Nadesico lurched forward.
"So while I make my move On the big board game Up and down a Spanish highway Some things remain the same! Girls meet boys, And boys tease girls! I'm heading out this morning For the far side of the world!"
***
In the Nadesico's galley, Houmei suddenly lost her step as she felt the ship accelerate beneath her feet. Out in the dining facility, she heard two of her waitresses cry out and fall, followed by the sound of breaking glass and clanging pots.
She sighed and smiled. "I think things just got back to normal around here."
***
"Back at home it's afternoon, Six thousand miles away. It will still be there When I get through attending this soiree, There are jobs and chores and questions, And plates I need to twirl! But tonight I'll take my chances On the far side of the world!"
Megumi pressed her headset against her ear to hear over the singing and raised her voice to be heard over the racket.
"Control says we're clear and free to navigate!" she called out.
Ruri was shaking her head. "Bakas.....More bakas....Always bakas...."
Chase bumped the throttle again and finished.
"Yes that's the way it happens On the far side of the world!"
Soon, the twinkling lights of Trinity Spaceyards were far behind.
Author's Notes:
The song "Far Side of the World," is the property of Jimmy Buffett.