The Eye

by Dan Rush

The 5th Part to the Walkie on More series. Japan and the World are under threat by the robot named Mordred but a resistance begins to grow.

The Eye

Part V of Walkies Some More

By Dan Rush

Astro Boy /Tetsuwan Atom © 1954, 1963, 1980, 2003, 2009 Osamu Tezuka all rights deeply respected. For non-profit fandom enjoyment only.

Notes from part IV…

A robot named Mordred has taken Japan by force with the help of ultra-nationalists trying to forth full the old belief of Haku Icho, All the world under a Japanese roof.

A U.S. Navy SEAL team has entered Japan to find out what has happened since a total control of news from Japan is in effect.

Atlas has joined Mordred's side.

Doctor O'Shay has been removed from his office as head of the ministry of science.

Astro is gone. Destroyed by Mordred after trying to stop him at the Imperial Palace.

Two of the most powerful nations on the Earth, China and the United States, wait for word on Mordred's intentions. The result could be a devastating war in the Pacific.

The moment was captured by the sphere's and sent around the world…

Zoran didn't say a thing….she screamed….she screamed, cried, struggled, clawed and pulled against Shinsaku Ban's attempts to hold her. She cried so loud and so hard that the windows in the living room cracked.

Doctor O'Shay collapsed in front of the monitor in his now much smaller "office".

Reno saw it on a big screen as did a crowd of horrified people around him. His only thought now was getting to Tokyo anyway he could by lift or by theft. He refused to believe what he saw.

Kenichi pounded the living room table, pounded it till the edge of his hand was raw.

Livian was horrified. Was it true? Did Atlas join up with this madness?

Abercrombie was snarling mad and poor Tamao allowed himself to be kicked around as he blocked the door to keep his enraged friend from getting himself killed.

At the Office of K.E.H.L., the worst nightmare seemed to have come true for most. William Hunt found Zenzo filling coke bottles with gasoline. "They'll come for us next."

Takiuma stopped by a coffee shop and caught it on a small television. He looked towards his own hands and shook his head back and forth…"Useless….useless."

A crowd of supporting humans and robots stood in the streets of Yokohama, Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya cheering the victory of their leader over the forces of pacifist cowardice.

SEAL Team 3 had reached their contact and were told of Astro's death…Tennessee wished to be left alone. He came out later sporting a robot killing blaster rifle. "The non-lethal, in the case of robots, just went out the window."

The President of the United States was in a cabinet meeting when an aid gave him the news…"Ladies and Gentlemen…there seems to be little doubt now that…some sort of hell is coming out way."

The Chinese General Secretary got the news as he was touring a new production plant in Shenzen. He ordered the Chinese People's Army to mobilization…"Ancestors help us."

Sparx and his friends were finally convinced. This was no revolution.

Sporadic violence erupted all over Japan as desperate groups of people with sympathetic robots lashed back with anything they could throw…they were brutally suppressed.

The Imperial Palace

30 minutes After Astro's death

Mordred landed in the battered parade ground to find to his surprise that the Emperor hadn't escaped. He stood with a few members of the court and though there was a detectable air of fear in the young man's face, there was a commendable air of stoic

Will about him.

"You remain? I am impressed Sovereign." Mordred said with a bow. "Now that the troublesome pest has been eliminated, there should be no further reason for you to hold back against my logic. You will acknowledge my leadership of the nation."

Mitsuhito snorted. "You hope in vein. I refuse."

"Sigh….must I make it clear?" Mordred said as he raised his arm and fired an energy blast at the Emperor's maiden, killing the old woman instantly! The demonstration had an effect.

"As you see…I have no reservations about killing to achieve my aim." Mordred said. He threw up his arm again and killed another court member. "Recognize me…or suffer as you watch some of your subjects die…perhaps?....perhaps a group of children will impress you enough?"

Mitsuhito shuddered as Mordred stood toe to toe with him. "Chose."

"Alright!" The Emperor shouted. "Stop this!....please?!"

Mitsuhito dropped to his knees as Mordred reached down to pick him up. "A Sovereign Emperor should not un-dignify himself. You will be doing Japan and the world a great service."

Kenichi's House

Ken's mother was cleaning the kitchen when her son walked in to get his book bag off the hook near the back door.

"What are you doing Ken?" She asked as he silently walked by.

"Getting my stuff for school mother." Ken replied quietly.

She walked up to him and rubbed his shoulders. "I think you should stay home tomorrow. I'll say you were sick and…."

Kenichi whirled about. "No! I'm the student president, I'm going!"

"Kenichi please…"

"No mother! What would Astro think if some of the kids showed up and I didn't? He'd be upset, that's what! He'd be there wouldn't he? Right up front, in their face, telling them why this is all wrong! Well he's not here any more so it's up to me!"

Ken started balling as his mother wrapped him in her arms. "My poor baby."

"I gotta go…He just can't have died for nothing…" Ken sobbed and wrapped his hands into his mother's shirt so tightly she could have suffocated.

The Kokaio Blue Line

Shinjuku to Tokyo

Reno was shaking in his seat. How dare these filthy punks, these creeps not five feet from him praise this so called leader and curse Astro's name.

"Did you see that? He had that little pussy hanging like a pig!"

"I hope he made that peacenik freak beg before he trashed his insides out!"

Reno reached into his coat pocket for the steak knife. With his athletic skill he could jump up and slit their throats without a problem…except he heard Astro in the back of his head. "You're not going to do something stupid right?"

Astro would have slapped the knife out of his hand then rattled his cheeks for being rash. Good things….think of so many good things they did together…

Flashback

Astro balanced on a chair and leaned over his fake volcano for the upcoming science fair. "It's still not working Reno."

"Well…it might take the stuff in there a while to heat up." Reno replied as he worked on a battery.

"It's been ten minutes!" Astro snorted back.

"Boy we have to program more patience into your brain don't we?"

Reno snickered to himself As Astro buried his face into the mouth of the "faux cano" "Grrr…it's still not working!"

Reno suddenly went for a switch and screamed…"BANZAI!"

The volcano erupted! Astro shot backwards with goop all over his face, fell off the chair and slammed into Reno's pre-planned chaos of shelf packed cups full of all kinds of gooey, sticky liquids! Astro sat covered in it and shook like a rocket getting ready to blast off…

"RENO! WHEN I CATCH YOU, YOU'LL BE DIGGING YOUR UNDERWEAR OUT FOR A YEAR!"

And they were off! Out of the lab, down the hall and screaming wildly! Reno quickly pulled a pack of banana's from his carry bag and chucked them over his shoulder. "Thank God for bananas!" He screamed as Astro tripped, slid and crashed all over the place! The prank was a work of sublime art!

Now…

Reno wiped back a tear. Perhaps this trip was pointless, by now Mordred's supporters had done away with the remains but for Reno things no longer mattered so long as they didn't use Astro for some sickening party prop.

Ministry of Science

O'Shay's new office

Edo Mori was one of the new recent college grads who began their four year technical residency a few months ago. He came into the "office" with a glass of water and a sandwich, placing them before Doctor O'Shay as he sat with his face covered by his hands.

"Sir…you must eat something." Mori said as he sat back in his chair and sighed. "There must be something we can do Doctor? Perhaps the archives? The stored data?"

"There is nothing." O'Shay replied. "Astro was one of a kind, unique craftsmanship that can't be duplicated."

"But Sir, we can't give up."

O'Shay yelled. "Didn't you hear me?! I said he can't be rebuilt!" He slackened and shook his head. "You know…there were times that kid would come home all bashed up. A leg blown off, an arm torn apart, an eye broken…he came home one time just totally wrecked, stood in the doorway and said…"Oops! Better get Macco! Aye Chi Chi Mardre!"

"I'd always be able to fix him…not this time."

Things went quiet till Mori stood up. "Will you please eat something Doctor? Surely we must keep going?"

O'Shay nodded. "Just leave me alone for now Mori?"

Mori walked out and closed the door. He'd gone down the hallway to the first turn and stopped where Rock was leaning against the wall.

"Well?"

"He's defeated." Mori said smiling. "What about the archives thought?"

Rock smiled back. "What about them? They won't be around much longer."

Doctor O'Shay's house

Shinasaku Ban had found himself alone as a babysitter instead of a detective. He had just sat down to a cup of coffee when the door bell rang. His protection instincts caused him to pull his pistol from its holster and he went to the side of the door holding the weapon up. "Yes?" he asked as he cocked it.

"It's Miss Myoki, Astro's teacher. I'm here to see Zoran." Came the reply.

Ban opened the door to let Miss Myoki in. "Where's Doctor O'Shay?"

"He's still at the Ministry of Science…I'm sorry about Astro."

"How's Zoran?" She asked.

"Up in her room." Ban replied shaking his head. "She hasn't stopped crying, she won't eat, she won't recharge…"

"Oh the poor thing. May I go see her?"

Ban let Myoki go up to Zoran's room and she opened the door slightly to see the little girl bot on her bed still sobbing. She was holding on for death to Astro's favorite school jacket.

"Waaaaaa…..uh….uh….big brother!......Astro!......uh…uh….ASTRO!"

Miss Myoki stepped in ."Oh Zoran…little one come here?"

Zoran slipped off the bed and almost crashed into Miss Myoki. "Oh Miss Myoki..my brother!!!"

Myoki picked Zoran up and grabbed the charging plug on her way. "Why aren't you charging yourself Zoran? You're almost out of power."

"Sobbing" "What difference does it make! Big brother isn't coming home!"

Myoki plopped Zoran on her bed and plugged her into the charger. "Zoran Atom, stop this at once!" She said sternly. "Your brother would be so upset if he saw this."

Zoran wiped her eyes. "Aren't you sad too? My brother loved you."

"Yes I know Zoran, he was a wonderful student."

"No! He loved you."

Myoki smirked. "Now Zoran don't tell me you've been falling for all those rumors from the kids?"

Zoran reached back under her pillows and pulled out a blue book. "You know what this is? Big brother's diary."

"Gasp! Zoran! That's not right! That's a personal thing you shouldn't touch!"

Zoran went from sobbing to half giggling. "It is the duty of a little sister to torment her older brother and that means looking into his diary for bribery points."

She opened the book and showed Myoki a page. "Like this one…"

Dear Diary,

I had that crazy feeling today, you know like the one at Space Camp? It's Miss Myoki! She's cute, she's uber uber uber cute! My eye lights went nuts! What can I get her for a present? Candy? A stuffie? Oh, oh…..a ring!.....I can't stop this stupid giggling OMG she's so over ubber cute!

Myoki gasped. "Oh my God!"

Zoran flipped a few more pages…"Look at this one."

Dear Diary,

I gave Miss Myoki roses for Teacher's Day and she kissed me! I had to run to the boy's room I was so messed up! I got inside and my rockets malfunctioned, What a disaster, I'm so grounded! Mmmmmmm…..XXXXXXXXXX….SHE'S AWESOME, SUPER DRIPPY UBBER CUTE!

Myoki said nothing at first but then she lost it…she cried.

"Oh no! Please Miss Myoki? What would big brother say!" Zoran now became the comforter and hugged Myoki softly. "Do you need my charging cord?"

Police Checkpoint

Chibu Tokyo

The boy stomped through the checkpoint barrier, knocked guards of their feet, gave a sphere the "Make a jump, I dare you." Face of impending death and stood before the makeshift police tent like a huffing enraged bear…

"KICKBALL! GET YOUR SORRY, STUMPY BUTT OUT HERE….NOW!"

Kickball came waddling out with his hands outstretched. "Brother Atlas! Hello!"

Atlas swooped Kickball up by a leg and was instantly the object of every loaded weapon and sphere around.

"WAIT!" Kickball screamed out. "Atlas…you must have heard the news yes?"

"Why yes…" Atlas snarled. "I called you what? SEVEN TIMES KICKBALL?!" Atlas shook the robot like a ragdoll. "I thought it was understood that "I" capture Astro, me, myself, I, Atlas! Then the Leader goes off and kills him? So much for trust huh?"

"But Atlas…you hadn't…"

"BULL!" Atlas screamed. "Guess what you stupid excuse for a used foot stool, if the Leader wants me to do something in the future? He better leave it to me got it? If not? I'm walking!"

Atlas dropped Kickball and stomped away with the small robot chasing him. "Atlas?! The Leader wants to meet you…honest!"

Atlas turned around and gave Kickball the bird. "See this? You tell him to call me personally. No more of me having to deal with his flunkies got it? Goodbye Kickball, be thankful I didn't use your stupid butt as a tether ball."

Oval Office

The White House

Ambassador Nobutada waited patiently till the Chief of Staff announced him through the door. Jefferson met him in the middle of the room with the customary bow and then a hand shake. "Good to see you Ambassador. Any word from home?"

"Other than word advising our embassy to stand by and that his majesty will make a formal announcement in the morning on television….nothing Mister President."

The two men took a seat on the white couch opposite the President's desk. "I must advise you Mister President that I speak with understandable "reservation.". I of course speak of my family back home."

The President nodded. "I wish to extend to your people the profound sadness of the citizens of the United States regarding Astro…he was a mutual friend."

Nobutada nodded. "It would appear the "Leaders" actions are quite clear. When I mentioned that his majesty would speak publicly, I am referring to the custom under our Constitution which requires the new Prime Minister to present himself to the Imperial personage as a matter of protocol. This however…is not protocol."

Jefferson rested his chin on his fingers. "There is the matter of our forces stationed in Japan. The 5,000 crewmen of the USS King, 4,000 soldiers at Camp Zama, 2,000 Marine at Camp Fuji. We request information as soon as possible, I can't restrain these concerns for long."

"Of course. We are doing our best but the "new" Government is being very abrasive in return. You are of course not the only nation concerned. Last night I had the Chinese Ambassador over my residence and I think our sushi sent him home sick."

"In your honest opinion Ambassador? What do you think this….Mordred's intentions are?

The Ambassador stood up and pondered his thoughts. "Very grave Mister President. That is my personal view. Am I correct in thinking you are pondering military action?"

Jefferson sat tapping his finger to his cheek. "I hope we will not come to that point. This is an issue for Japan to face first. I will, trust me, be as patient as you require."

Nobutada bowed. "Thank you…hopefully we shall prevent the course to that step. I will keep you informed fully on our efforts."

Nobutada bowed and left with the Chief of Staff returning to take a seat while Jefferson poured another cup of coffee.

"He's some one we can trust." Jefferson said.

"Astro. That was Japan's most powerful robot." The Chief of Staff said soberly. "If this Mordred is that bad? What options do we have?"

"Did you get anything from the SEAL team in country yet?" Jefferson asked.

"Static so far. I guess we'll just wait on the Emperor's speech and see where this takes us."

The President looked over his shoulder at the FDR bust on the fireplace mantle. "I'd rather not. I'm already hating the destination."

Engine 17

The Fighting Dragoons

Captain Kira found Timber in the back yard sharpening his ax with a stone. His face looked slightly angry perhaps more focused as he tested small sheets of rice paper on the sharpened edge.

"You should be sleeping." He said as he took a seat on a bucket. "You're not sharpening that ax for a reason are you "slammer"?"

Timber shook his head. "Just tending to my duty."

"I know he was a friend…he was a friend to all of us." Kira said as he watched Timber sheath the finished ax. "I just thought you might need a little boost right now."

Timber stood up and snapped his suspenders. "When ever I feel like pulling my head off, chucking my boot through a window or tearing my wires out, that's when the answer can't be simpler….drown myself in a ten foot tall pile of ice cream goo." He told me that once.

"Did it Help?" Kira asked.

"I never tried it. I kinda hate ice cream." Timber replied snorting. "But you know what Captain? If there's one thing Astro taught me is that no matter how bad things can be…it'll all work itself out. Things might be a disaster right now…but they'll get better. If we stop keeping hope for that? Then I wouldn't be out here sharpening this thing."

The Captain stood up. "Good thinking fireman."

"Oh…and one other thing? Please tell the guys not to keep me from going to the grocery store? I don't need my hand held everywhere I go."

The Captain smirked. "That might be a hard sell."

"Tell em starvation will be a hard sell." Timber replied grinning.

Diet Building

"So you are confident Doctor O'Shay isn't planning something?" Mordred said as he stood before the window of the Prime Minister's office.

"Absolutely." Rock replied. "He's broken…broken like his little toy."

Mordred turned around. "He was not a toy, I can attest to that."

"Figure of speech." Rock returned with a shrug.

"Whatever the case. Even with Tenma in my hands I don't trust those scientists at the Ministry. The guard on them had better be tight. And have you destroyed the Atom archives yet?"

"I have my fingers on the delete button even as we speak."

"Remove them." Mordred warned. "You will not erase the files unless I can scan them first myself. Perhaps we'll find few facts we overlooked."

Rock bowed. "Agreed then. I'll wait on you."

Mordred waved Rock away and returned to look out the window over his new dominion. "Hmmm….Ugaki would be proud….had he lived. The poor fool was too timid to go on, another victim of the cowardice cancer that's been holding Japan back far too long."

Mister Kuma's residence

Satsuma City, Tokyo

"Come in." Mister Kuma said with a bow. "It's wonderful to have my old friends here." He said as he opened a well covered panel in a wall and let the team store their bags and equipment. "Getting around the city must have been an adventure."

Marcinko nodded back. "About as fun as pulling teeth. What are things like at your end of the woods?"

Try chaos." Kuma said as he pulled out maps of Tokyo. "I'm probably one of only four deep cover agents left in the secret service. No files, no history, no trace trails and we can't come out to talk to anyone." Kuma was silent for a moment. "Of course no one at the main HQ can be trusted so we're a bit in the dark."

Chief Early sat studying one map. "Been there before."

"I did find out who the new top man is though." Kuma said as he gave Marcinko a print out. "His name is Rock. He once led a nationalist group called the Red Guards till he was arrested for a fire bombing in Shinjuku about three years ago. Rumor has it he was the illegitimate son of General Red."

Gracy Harper cocked her head. "Was?"

"Your first bit of intel Petty Officer Harper? General Red was killed at JSDF Headquarters during the initial attack. General Tadio Yushikawa has taken over as Chief of Staff. And yes….he has radical nationalist leanings."

Marcinko wrote the details in his note book. "The first thing we should do is scope out Tokyo, get a lay for their security and figure out if this "Leader" has an exploitable schedule."

Marcinko looked at Kuma. "The usual last resort thing mind you."

Morning

Elementary school 12

New Shinjuku

The quiet wasn't so hard to take as Kenichi walked through the front door. The reason being too obvious…the teachers were different and every so often one of those mean looking sphere's came by to shoosh kids who grouped together in the hallways.

Ken came through the door of his classroom to find kids alone with themselves or silently looking towards the lonesome desk with a solitary science book sitting on it, an obviously subtle tribute to their fellow classmate.

Suichi Madayuri came up with something in her hands and gave it to Kenichi. "I came in like usual and started cleaning the classroom." She said softly. "I cleaned out his desk and gave the kids everything in it so that….so "they" couldn't take it."

Ken nodded back pleased. "What did you get?"

Suichi showed Ken a crude attempt at crayon drawing. "I think it's a dog or cat…he never was good at art."

Ken giggled. "One of the few things he wasn't good at. I'm sure he would have wanted someone to have it"

Tamao and Abercrombie came in, dropped their book bags and lovingly rubbed Astro's desk as they came up to Ken. "Did you hear the garbage on the news this morning?!" Abercrombie snorted. "I so wanted to baseball bat my TV into oblivion."

Ken looked at Tamao: What happened to you?"

"Raging bull here." Tamao said as he rubbed his black eye. "He finally calmed down after he destroyed my mom's flamingo lawn ornaments."

"Can you blame me for being so angry?" Abercrombie shook…"You don't do that to a friend and expect us to sit and say nothing."

"Right now the best thing for us is to stay quiet and keep our ears and eyes open." Kenichi said as he pulled his books from his bag. "I'm seeing teachers I've never seen before. Anyone seen Miss Myoki?"

"Not yet." One student replied. "I saw on the news that the Emperor's going to speak on television in 30 minutes about…it."

Kenichi gathered the students together. "If you guys agree, I'll speak for the whole class. No matter what, don't get upset and do something crazy that might bring these creeps on us. We all know how we feel, that's what's important."

One of the kids saw a robot walk in and the rest scattered for their seats.

"Good morning students. I am Miss Kikachu. I will be your present teacher until Miss Myoki and the others return from being briefed. I am well aware this morning that one of your desks is empty. You must realize that this event was unavoidable. The nation can not afford to advance along its chosen course while certain…concepts remain to chain down its logical momentum."

Kenichi boiled. "Certain concept." He thought…"Astro was no concept…"

"Before I begin to explain the vision of our Leader Mordred, we will all watch this historic moment as the Emperor gives his recognition of blessing our Leader's authority."

The Imperial Palace

Morning

Mitsuhito sat emotionless looking at the speech he was going to give. Actually he had decided hours ago to dump it. He wasn't going to do some stupid list of excuses for what was going on instead he tightened his grip on a small glass cat he'd taken from his room before coming out to the audience chamber. A gift from his mother when he was smaller and even walking by a dark room could cause him terrors.

"Courage." He thought to himself. He knew what he was about to say could carry unimaginable troubles for the country, perhaps the wider world. It could mean lives, perhaps his own but damn it…the truth wasn't going to be simply swept away while he sat back peddling the words of criminals."

An announcer walked up to the microphone before the Emperor's table and began the broadcast…

"Citizens of Japan. Please pay respectful attention to the words of his Majesty."

The man bowed, turned sideways and shuffled away as the cameras closed upon the face of the young Emperor. Mitsuhito bowed slowly then rose from his chair…

"My people." He said calmly. "I want to address you today concerning the current national situation. I had a prepared statement explaining this situation however, I found it too insufficient in acceptability to the Imperial personage so I have decided to express the situation in my own words from my own thoughts."

Public School 12

Tamao snorted. "What did he say?"

"he said he chucked the speech in the trash can and decided to tell em off." Abercrombie said smirking.

"Cool…way to go your majesty!"

"Shhhhhhh……"

The Imperial Palace

"First to my subjects. I urge you to refrain from actions which obviously have little outcome towards a positive light. I have expressed my extreme displeasure at the methods used by the Leader to obtain office. There is no excuse to justify the ascension to power by means which defy the constitutional laws governing the state. I have protested to the best of my character to ensure the Leader understands the repercussions his act has caused within our nation."

"The Leader explained to me at great length both his reasons for this action and his plans for the nation. It became clear to me that the Leader is fully capable and fully able to do any measure availed to him in order to follow what he has considered "The natural order of logic." We have seen these "measures" in all their capable powers and on behalf of our subjects we shall impress upon the Leader all great importance in preserving the peaceful nature of our nation and its continued peaceful existence with all mankind.

I wish to close by impressing again upon the Leader and those who have chosen to follow his authority that they must not put their own interests ahead of the safety and security of the state, that they must refrain from acts of belligerence with the wider world and that the judge of history will weigh heavily on they who by good or poor will place our country in great peril. It is my hope that they will keep this thought foremost in mind as they plan the way forward for our people. Thank you for listening calmly."

Mitsuhito waited till the cameraman waved then he stood up and walked from the table to where Mordred stood. "I refused to read the speech they wrote for me."

Mordred bowed. "I expected that. But you phrased yourself wisely Sovereign. I give you my absolute assurance that our nation will be protected from harm as we advance forth towards universal peace."

Mitsuhito scorned. "I may be just a kid to you but I know enough about history and others like you. Promises fall to nothing and flowery words are translations for criminal acts. I meant it when I said you had better tread carefully with your authority."

Mordred smirked back. "And that is what I hear…just words from a 14 year old boy who knows nothing about important matters other than looking good and crashing a stupid skateboard…I hope you will observe my process and learn some important "Out of the crib" lessons."

The Emperor stood clenching his fists as Mordred walked away. "I will make my first address to the people at noon."

As Mordred left the audience chamber he stopped suddenly to see a small figure leaning against a mess of debris from the fight the previous night.

"Ah…." Mordred said. "You got my message!"

Atlas turned his head and smiled. "Yes…a little late." He came before Mordred and bowed deeply. "I am here to serve you my Leader."

"Atlas please, no bowing among mutual friends." Mordred threw an arm around Atlas's shoulders and walked with him. "Quite the mess yes?"

"Who was worse? You or Astro?" Atlas said smirking. "You must have heard I was a little ticked off?"

"I'm sorry I didn't leave him to you." Mordred replied as he stopped. "But you must realize he was a potential threat and time was critical."

Atlas snorted. "Still…I had a better chance of convincing him than most. He wasn't all together aloof to the thought…just poisoned by these flesh bag rejects."

"So you believe in my logic?" Mordred said as he played with a piece of wood. "That our kind should shepherd man towards a new era and deprive him of the means to ruin this planet?"

Atlas nodded. "Always have."

Both robots walked together again. "I want to put you where you can be most useful. Our intelligence service needs a second man, an enforcer to help Mister Rock rein in the renegade scientists who we feel may plot subversion against our goals. Rock has a list of escaped members of the Ministry of Science and I would like you to hunt them down."

Atlas nodded in agreement. "Oh trust me…I'll make em cry for mercy before I drag em by their hair to you personally."

Mordred placed a hand on Atlas's shoulder. "My feelings for you were not misplaced. You are a credit to every true robot."

Atlas bowed and stepped away into the courtyard. "Have Rock message me those names. I want to get started right away."

Elementary School 12

Morning

Miss Kikachu walked up and down the isles putting Zip sticks on every desk save one. She removed the science book, took out a note in its pages and ripped it up.

Abercrombie stood up. "What was that for?!"

Kenichi quickly cut him off. "Crombie? No…"

"But Ken! She just disrespected Astro! You….!"

Ken jumped Crombie and covered his mouth. "I said no! I'll speak for the class as President, you got that?! Crombie please…."

Kikachu walked up. "Does this boy have a problem?"

"Yes teacher." Ken replied. "You ripped up a note given to remember our classmate. That was not right." Ken stood before her. "No matter what the Leader thought of Astro? Astro was our friend and we loved him! It is a sign of disrespect all over the country for our leaders and adults to do such a criminal thing!"

Kikachu tilted her head. "I will not get into a long winded discussion with you. We must not waste time better spent educating you about the great vision our Leader has for the country…"

"Great vision?" Kenchi snorted. "Great vision? We saw that "great vision" when we saw Astro get abused and murdered like a piece of trash! Your vision is a pile of…."

Kikachu suddenly unleashed a ball of energy that sent Ken flying to the back of the room! Abercrombie, Tamao and several students jumped up but were quickly cut off by their robot charge…

"Your friend is ok…this is a temporary punishment. Another outburst will make it permanent! You will all return to your seats and the class will begin at once!"

Abercrombie snarled. "You can't do this! You stupid piece of bolted bat turd!"

Kikachu came up and snatched Crombie by his shirt. "Do you wish to be the first to test permanent punishment?" She threw him back into his own desk. "All of you will return to your seats, you will comply with the lesson!"

To add emphasis to her warnings, a sphere suddenly accompanied Kikachu's side.

Note: Jab at that Pokemon!

Mid-Morning

The Bodakhan, worlds biggest manga store

Kukan Ginza Tokyo

Reno stood by a rack reading into an Inuyasha art book as a larger customer walked by and pulled out a Bleach manga book.

"Good to see you Bon Bon." Reno said quietly.

The larger robot replied with an affectionate touch on the shoulder. "You too…you know it was dangerous of you to call us on the phone?"

"No choice." Reno replied. "I knew you guys were performing in Daime and I needed a place to hold up. You got my old robot costume?"

"Sitting in the men's room." Bon Bon replied with a thumb. "Are you sure it'll fit? You've gotten taller."

"Just a little." Reno replied as he slowly walked to the men's room and waited for Bon Bon to follow him.

"You better change quick. Some one might get suspicious. We….heard….."

Reno stopped. "Yeah…I'm through crying so don't worry about it."

"What are you planning to do?"

"A little recon." Reno replied as he painted his face. "Just another Leader drunk robot shouting human hating obscenities and praising our good fortune. With any luck I'll find out a way to send Mordred to a deep six scrapper."

Bon Bon put his hands together with worry. "Reno? It won't be hard figuring out you're not a robot. If you get caught?"

Reno reached into his pocket and pulled out a small radio. "Looks like a radio huh? Actually it's a mimic designed to jam the senses of nearby robots and throw them off. It also sends out sounds, readings and frequencies that mimic a robot's operational insides. It'll buy me some luck."

Bon Bon couldn't help himself, he grabbed Reno into a bear hug. "Don't do anything stupid! We'll all be lost if something bad happened to you."

Reno adjusted his costume and frowned back. "Something bad's already happened and if we don't stop this jerk? Things are gonna go to hell real quick! Besides…some one has to pick up Astro's ball and keep going."

Ministry of Science

Mid-Morning

Doctor O'Shay came out of his "office" for the first time and walked around the building to see how bad things had become. It was obvious to see who the "pro-Leader people were because they were wearing blue arm bands or their uniforms were topped with blue patches on their berets. Those without were obviously under scrutiny for everything they did, even a resident couldn't carry two sheets of paper down a hall without a sphere wanting to scan them!

"O'Shay?" Came that despised voice from behind. "You've come out of your hole?"

"And you're still trapped in yours Ramage. I can't believe you're so foolish to follow this maniac. Then again foolish fits you perfectly."

Ramage shook the paper bag he had in his hand. "I was coming to see how you were holding up since the untimely destruction of your favorite toy. I thought you needed comforting, something to close the book so to say."

Ramage pulled a red moon boot from the bag and chucked it at O'Shay. "Sorry but there were so few parts left for a fitting memorial."

O'Shay picked up the boot and held it as Ramage walked off. "You'll eat your words Ramage! I swear you'll eat em with lava when you reach hell!"

Elementary School 12

11AM

Kenichi finally woke up, a blessing as his school mates crowded around him. "How long was I out?" He asked weakly as Crombie held him.

"It's 11am. Ken?...we've all been talking and….well…we all agreed to go along with what ever they tell us. After what happened to you…"

Kenichi shook his head and looked around. "What? What are you all saying?!"

Tamao shook his head. "We can't…we can't stop them, look at us! A bunch of kids?"

Kenichi frowned. "No….no….we're not going to give in. We're not going to suck it up and sit like a bunch of sponges. We're going to resist."

A girl raised her hand. "But Kenichi…"

"But nothing!" He snapped. "There's other ways to resist! We can frustrate them, stall them, small subtle things here and there, this is our school, this was Astro's school! And that desk is a reminder that he gave everything for every one of us!"

"Kenichi stood up. "I know you're scared, I'm pee in the pants scared but how can we just sit and let them brainwash even one of us to follow their crazy scheme? You all know it's wrong, Astro knew it was wrong and he threw his life away to stop it!"

There was a silence till Abercrombie snorted. "Ok General Patton, so what's your first big idea?"

Ken looked around and smiled. "How many kids can hold their water?"

Tamao shook his head. "Here it comes…..wait for it……"

Kenichi snickered. "Spread the word around….time for everybody to drink some water."

Ayase City

11:30am

The light bulb seemed to hang suspended in the air for an eternity until it sailed into the driver's side window and unleashed flaming liquid hell inside the police car! "Predictable reaction" Kenada thought as he and Shinji came sliding up on their bikes and knocked the two cops off their feet!

Banda Nishin pushed himself from the back of Shinji's bike and knocked one cop senseless with nunchucku as he tried to get to his feet then raced to the burning car, saving the shotgun and a box of shells from the back seat. "Take em!" He screamed as he threw the weapon to Shinji before running into the small street side police box to break two captured robots from the restraining bar they were chained too. "Don't stand here! Get on those bikes!" He said as he pushed them out of the hut.

"Here comes the cue balls!" A gang member snarled as Shinji fumbled through the shell box and pumped a set of rounds into the gun's magazine.

"Let's see what these stupid things do against slugs!" Shinji snarled as he brought the shotgun up and cut loose a 20 gauge solid slug...

The sphere exploded into a cloud of junk but was replaced by three more that unleashed a rain of laser shots and cannon shells on the fleeing bikers.

"I think you ticked them off a little!" Kenada snarled as he gunned the engine of his Fire Demon and led the gang onto Highway 16.

"You think?" Shinji yelled back as he road freehand and racked another round. "Any plans oh brilliant leader?!"

Kenada smiled back. "Don't get caught?"

"What an excellent concept!" Shinji said as he turned around and blasted another sphere apart. The sounds of sirens added to the adrenal excitement of the chase as the gang sped by a group of police cars trying to cut them off! Banda threw a tire iron into the windshield of one car while his passenger lobbed a Molotov cocktail right behind it!

"WHAM!!" The cruiser exploded in a rush of fire that send the police scrambling for cover but it didn't deter the pursuing spheres who's shots were ripping apart the asphalt around the fleeing bikers!

Kenada tapped the sqwak mic in his ear. "Matsuda?! We have three of these cue balls on our butts! We're coming your way, you ready?"

"You bring em, we'll rack em!" Came the reply up ahead as the sphere's dropped their altitude for a level head shot against their targets.

"Here we come Matsuda!" Kenada snarled as he and the others gunned their bikes and sped towards a pedestrian overpass. They rocketed beneath just as their friends on top dropped a net of chain mail over the side!

The three sphere's ran into it, got fouled up, swung upwards from their momentum and crashed into the underside of the bridge, blowing it to pieces as the gang members leaped from the steps.

Kenada turned around and came sliding to a stop before Matsuda. "Not so fearsome as we thought are they?"

"I've heard otherwise. I don't think we should sit here flapping our gums."

Just then more sirens were coming down the street and Matsuda ran to his bike. "Looks like today's going to be fun huh?"

"Wonder if this so called Leader's going to rethink his idea of control?" Kenada snorted as he turned to his fellows and swung his fist around in the air. "ROCK ON BOYS!"

Diet Building

Tokyo

Noon

Mordred entered the main assembly of the Diet to the cheers of supporters who had replaced the governing body the night before. Only a portion of those elected to their offices, well known hard core nationalists, remained in place. The others had been "expunged" as one representative from Nagoshima called it as he spoke to a pro-nationalist reporter. "Expunged" for their weakness, their cowardice, their willingness to "suckle the weakling peace boob" as it were.

Mordred walked upon the platform and waved to another round of cheers before waiting for his cue to begin speaking.

Elementary School 12

Noon

"Miss Kikachu? I have to go." Tamao said waving his hand.

"You must wait till our Leader's speech is done."

"If you don't want a mess on your hands, you better let me go!" Tamao insisted.

"Teacher?" A girl in the class waved her hand. "I have to go too."

"Me too!"

"I gotta go bad!" Cried another one.

Kenichi was almost laughing…if he wasn't squirming in his seat. "Me too!"

"Children! You have to wait!"

"WE CAN'T!" The kids yelled in unison.

"Very well then." Replied Miss Kikachu. "You may go. But we will re-play this speech when all of you are back in class."

The kids piled out into the hall where, not any big surprise, lines had formed around each of the bathroom doors.

"Brilliant idea Ken." Abercrombie snorted. "Didn't you figure there'd be so few bathrooms for so many kids?"

Ken smirked. "You see any televisions or radios out here? Hmph…they even figured out that we kids can't keep any attention while our bowels are screaming huh?"

"They'll only make us watch the dumb speech when we get back to class!" Tamao snarled as he cramped his legs together. "This sucks!"

Ken smirked back. "I….wouldn't be too sure on that."

Diet building

Noon

Mordred's speech

The announcer addressed the room. "Citizens of Japan, I present to you our new Leader. Please listen respectfully and calmly to his words."

Mordred walked up to the podium to the cheers of his supporters and bowed slightly.

Citizens,

To both Japanese and robots of Japan for which we are all one of and for our country, I address you.

"I will begin by explaining why the actions of the past two days were taken. To many in our nation who wisely observed her direction and that of the wider world over many years, this action was deemed required to place both our nation and the nations of the world back on a correct course to ensure both our national survival and the survival of the world."

"Our nation faced a growing threat of dissolving her national heritage, of descending into a state of vassal weakness led by cowards who believed that a contrite and benign nation could continue to treat favor from stronger powers who over the years have ruthlessly exploited the world and threatened both mankind and robot alike with the umbrella of nuclear annihilation."

"Japan for many years has been the model of peace, of technology, of scientific development which has brought mankind great advances in medicine, industry and creation. It is by the winds of logic, of the natural progression of evolution that Japan take the lead in stewarding all mankind and all A.I. kind into a new and better world where we may enjoy a future of prosperity and continued evolution without fear."

"Rest assured that I, the Leader of this new Japan and the one chosen by the unchanging logic of the universe, will defend our nation to the utmost. Your new government has all the resources at its whim to do this duty. I call upon our citizens who still exercise an apprehension of mistrust and fear to open their minds and hearts to what we are capable of achieving in this life. The promise of universal peace and global brotherhood is now at hand."

Samurai Jack's

Livian was listening intently in the living room when Atlas came walking in. She got up and hugged him at first then gave him a curt slap in the face. "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?! I'VE BEEN WORRIED SICK!"

"Uh?" Atlas replied rubbing his face. "I'm ok…just been out and around. Isn't he wonderful?"

Livian snorted. "Wonderful? Then….then it's true? You?"

Atlas snorted. "Oh come on Livian. It was going to happen sooner or later."

"Didn't you hear what happened to Astro?"

"Hmph…he never listened to me. He got what he was asking for." Atlas said coldly.

Livian shuddered. "I….I never thought I'd hear that from you. How can you say this is right? Look what he's done to the country! The arrests? The broken robots I've seen? Are you blind?"

Atlas looked as if he wasn't listening. He went into the garage and snatched up a bag of tools. "Where are you going with those?"

"I need them."

Livian snatched at it. "Put them down! You're not going anywhere till you and I talk!"

Atlas pulled them back like a child. "They're mine, I can do what I want with them and maybe you should go back and listen with those ears of yours at the wonderful future the leader has for all of us?"

Livian was shocked. "This….this isn't you…"

Atlas looked coldly back. "It is the real me…and as for Astro? He died like the weaseling little lap dog he was. We don't need weak kneed kissing robots like him infecting our new world."

Livian started to cry and dropped to the floor sobbing as Atlas walked away laughing.

The Diet building

Mordred's speech

"And now my words to the world. As I stated, for far too long great powers have risen not only to exploit the citizens of their nation but the citizens of other nations, holding them under the blackmail of nuclear death, using them to fight petty ideological conflicts, exploiting the earth's resources and impoverishing and plunging small countries into horrible poverty. This is inexcusable. The result of their actions has put into grave doubt the future of our world. For Japan to meekly sit back while possessing in her hands the means to put the world on a correct path would be a travesty so now we will act."

The crowd in the Diet thundered in applause.

"We want all nations…all nations….to benefit from this new course, the correct course set for all mankind but to do this we must be firm, we must be resolute, we must punish those powers who even dare consider themselves masters of the smaller nations. I extend our hand to all nations to join us and call upon the great powers not to resist us for your resistance shall be your demise."

"I call upon the Governments of the United States and the People's Republic of China to turn their governmental control over to me. To turn the control of their nuclear arsenals over to me without delay. I call upon the United Nations to send their representatives to a full conference where my plans for the future of mankind will be explained in great detail. Failure to comply with this fact of logic will result in harsh punishment."

"You will note that I did not mention the Federation of Russian States. In any momentous requirement to change the course of society, some one must stand as an example to demonstrate our commitment and will to carry forth this natural change. Therefore…Russia was chosen."

Moscow

The Russian Republic

Vassili Kirsov, the Russian President, barely touched his office phone when a bright flash went off outside his Kremlin office. Instantly everything electronic failed! From the smallest watch to the largest power plant, everything shut down!

Minsk, Kirsk, Volgagrad, Cathrinberg, a hundred cities and thousands of villages and towns ceased to have any form of power. Generators failed, engines failed, even the simplest form of generation, a water mill in Sibera, a wind farm in the caucus…everything died.

The Diet building

"This is not a threat…as you will soon see. Any nation that fails to adopt the logical new course for mankind will pay the price for its arrogance as Russia will soon learn. We have notified our embassy's around the world and will await your response."

The Diet broke once again into thundering applause as Mordred walked from the podium and took the adulation of his followers.

Elementary School 12

A student came running up to other kids who were still waiting for the bathroom. "Hey you guys! Russia just got nuked!"

A sphere came up behind him and pushed him out of the way. "It was not nuclear! You will all hurry and finish. Return to class quickly or punishment will be handed out!"

Mister Kuma's House

Kuma and the SEALs sat before the television stunned. "Did he just nuke Russia?" Joeseph Kieyooma asked as he turned to Marcinko.

"If he did, I bet the President just dumped an executive load in his shorts. Looks like we're going to go active sooner than we thought."

Kamakura

Shinji ran into the old department store and slammed the door shut. "You guys wouldn't believe what I just heard on a radio!"

"Shhhh…" Kenada replied. "Uh….duh."

Ministry of Science

Doctor O'Shay walked into the Safety Research lab and met Amako Nowari as she was scanning results from a new auto test crash at her desk.

"I have the updated report you asked for." The Doctor said as he slowly looked about the room. "Are we…"

"I'm not sure." Amako replied. "If you want to risk talking? I'll risk listening."

"Have you heard yet about the detonations in Russia?"

"Just some early details…EMP."

O'Shay walked over to a file cabinet and pretended to rummage through it. "Do you still have the remains of that sphere? The one that was recovered from that man's house a few days ago?"

"At the moment yes…but right now it's too dangerous to pull it out." Amako said quietly. "You should go for now."

O'Shay turned to leave and felt Amako grab his arm. "For your information? They murdered Malla…we both lost something dear to us. Know that I am with you to the death if it's called for Sir. You know that."

O'Shay nodded. "We must look for a way to neutralize their EMP weapons before they can use them. See what you can do but be non-obtrusive."

"Yes Doctor."

Central Directive Ministry

Beijing

People's Republic of China

"What happened in Russia? What demonstration did this robot threaten?" The Chinese General Secretary demanded as he walked into a conference room followed by the Chinese People's Army Marshal General.

"We are still gathering details General Secretary. All we have for now is a complete loss of communications with Moscow. We have also lost contact with two commercial Air China aircraft that were 100 miles East of the Aral Sea."

"Did you interpret the same words that I did watching the broadcast? Was he demanding a sort of surrender?"

"I heard it no other way General Secretary, "turn control of our nuclear forces and the instruments of national government over to me." I'd say it was clear enough."

The General Secretary reached for a phone. "I want the Chief's of the armed forces here within the hour, I'm calling an emergency session of the Central Committee and the Polet-bureau. I want to talk to the American Ambassador and the Japanese Ambassador within the hour, no excuses!"

The White House Situation Room

Washington D.C.

The President entered the room followed by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, his Chief of Staff and the Secretary of Defense. "Gentlemen? What do we know?"

The Secretary of State leaned forwards. "I just finished talking to the Russian Ambassador. He got word only by a courier on horse back."

"Horse back?" Jefferson replied.

"Yes Sir…Horse back. There is no transportation in Russia. Nothing. No moving cars, no trains, no plains, no ships, no boats. Basically in a mater of seconds they went from the 21st Century back to the 13th Century."

The Chief of Naval Operations stood up. "Our Submarine search net, SOSUS, in the Pacific and North Atlantic picked up underwater detonations and the sounds of rapid implosions all over the place. This thing seemed to be able to target every Russian strategic missile submarine and strike them at once."

Jefferson sat back in his chair. "Has anyone an idea of the impact to Russia herself?"

The Chief of Staff pointed down the table. "Mister President, may I present Professor John Balfus from Berkley's Department of Physics? He wrote a book some years ago about the study of EMP. He's also a PHD in Japanese cultural history, we were lucky he was on a teaching grant to Chapel Hill college."

Balfus stood up. "Mister President…Ladies and Gentlemen, let me be blunt. Russia has been hit with a massive and well coordinated EMP strike. This attack has left Russia back in the dark ages in a technological sense. In human terms…this is…madness."

Jefferson pursed his lips. "How long will it take Russia to recover?"

"Even with outside help Mister President…complete recovery won't be feasible for two years. Two years Sir…and right now it's the Russian Winter. I'm afraid….there will be human losses on a scale unseen in Russia since World War II…we're talking 25 million and that's being nice."

The room went silent till Jefferson leaned forwards. "So…this…Mordred is totally serious?"

Balfus walked around the table. "Obviously he believes what he says…this was a long dormant belief in Japan for decades, perhaps centuries. Even World War II didn't completely crush the dreams of fervent nationalists who believed that Japan was destined to be the center of the universe. Obviously…they were not only able to get their hands on this Mordred but programmed it to absolutely without question believe in the righteousness of its cause. You might as well forget any notion of negotiation Mister President, it won't listen."

Balfus continued as he pulled out a pipe and lit it. "As for defending Japan now that it has taken power? No question it will do whatever it needs to do to combat any threat. It will defend Japan without question. It won't gain much help from the population willingly but it will defend the country."

President Jefferson pursed his lips and sat back in his chair to think. 'So we only have a few options…surrender…do what we can to take him out or…."

The Air Force chief of staff leaned in. "Nuclear commitment?"

Jefferson frowned. "I hope you didn't just say that with any meaning General? I could care less if that were the last option on Mars…no…I will not resort to the use of nuclear weapons on a people that have done us no harm. This…maniac machine is holding the whole Japanese nation hostage and if it thinks destroying the lives of millions of people is essential to reaching a perfect world, it won't have any sudden burst of feeling to dodge a nuclear warhead on Tokyo to save its own neck."

Jefferson clasped his hands. "For now we will oppose it. I will direct a carrier battle group to close in for a fast overwhelming strike against this Mordred once our in country SEAL team has pinpointed his location. Hopefully we can draw him out into an open air fight away from Japan then hit him with a tactical nuke. I've not heard of a single robot yet capable of surviving that kind of firepower."

Jefferson grabbed the phone by his chair. "Secretary…please contact the Chinese Embassy and have the Ambassador come to the White House within the hour?"

Elementary school 12

2pm

Miss Kikachu stood at the front of the class. "And now that your business children has been concluded…we will now watch the Leader's speech and discuss its logical benefits.

When Miss Kikachu turned on the television however….

"Eeeeeeh….what's up doc?"

"ALL RIGHT! CARTOONS!" Crombie yelled out.

"What the?" Miss Kikachu started hitting the remote furiously. "What is the meaning of this?"

The robot ran to the wall phone and dialed the front office. "The television is showing cartoons! Yes! Every channel! We are on closed house feed yes?"….

Tamao snickered as he leaned towards Ken. "Once again my President…brilliance. Shear brilliance."

Ken smiled evilly. "If they think this is the end of it? Oh no…….oh……noooooo."

"BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRINGGGGGGG!!"

"Oops! That's the clean up bell teacher!" Ken said as he started directing students to clean the classroom.

"What do you mean?" She protested.

"Class is over for the day." Ken replied smiling. "School's ending so we all have to clean up now."

Kikachu put her hand up. "School is not over until you are all dismissed and as your teacher I say when you can be dismissed."

Kenichi shook a finger. "As class president, it is my responsibility to know the school rules and the rules clearly state, Tamao?"

Tamao stood up. "Unless students are under detention or kept late by order of the teacher for an offense approved and verified by the principle. School shall end promptly at 2:30pm."

Kenichi smiled and pointed to the phone. "You gotta get permission."

Kikachu picked up the phone and turned back to the class with her hands on her hips. "You are correct. We shall resume this lesson tomorrow morning after we have corrected the problem with the television system."

As the students got up to leave, Kikachu stopped Kenichi short of the door. "Mister Kenichi? Know now that I am keeping my eyes on you. You had better not try any unfortunate incidents that will land you in permanent punishment."

Kenichi bowed respectfully. "I know teacher. I will be on good behavior."

Tamao was waiting outside the front door as Kenichi came out. "Utari pulled the wires right?" Kenichi asked.

"Oh yeah." Tamao said back snickering. "So what's on the menu for tomorrow?"

"Dunno yet. But if I can get my mom to make some apple pie I bet I'll come up with some good ideas."

Pearl Harbor Hawaii

Bridge, USS MacArthur CVN-80

/////CLASSIFIED EAM///////

TO: COMBATGROUPBRAVO

USS DOUGLAS MACARTHUR CVN-80

FROM: NCA

COPIES TO:

USS EISENGUARD CG-78

USS KIRKLAND CG-82

USS HUR DDG-234

USS PRESLEY DDG-245

USS WAYNE DDG-237

MSG: IMMEDIATE DEPLOYMENT TO TIGER STATION, 100 KNOTICAL MILES OFF JAPANESE COAST, TOKYO PREFECTURE. HOSTILITIES POSSIBLE. REPORT ON STATION TO AWAIT ORDERS FROM NCA. IF IDENTIFIED HOSTILES ATTEMPT ATTACK, DEFEND AS REQUIRED.

STOP

Admiral Byrne stood on the flag bridge atop the flight deck "island" structure that controlled the massive ship under his feet. He looked ahead, past the tip of the flight deck to see the Cruiser Kirkland moving by past Hospital Point and out towards the harbor mouth. The screening ships would go first and wait beyond Pearl for their massive charge and then the whole group would go "halls balls" towards Japan. They could be within effective missile strike range in 48 hours.

A knock on the door brought the ship's captain, Rodney Davis, onto the bridge. "Admiral? We've completed our final inspection, the ship's ready."

Byrne looked back with a drooping face. "Gabe? This isn't like the old days when we could slink our way to a target undercover. They'll know we're coming."

The Captain nodded back. "We've been training for something like this for generations Sir. There hasn't been an all out fight on the oceans since…World War II?"

"We can only hope the JMSDF never joined those lunatics." The Admiral said pursing his lips. "I have a lot of friends in the "Jimmy" and I don't want to have to shoot at them."

The Captain sighed. "My concern Admiral is this EMP thing we keep getting descriptions of. One good blast and the whole battle group will end up like corks in a bathtub getting smacked around by a giddy child."

"Yeah…but it's my job and yours to make sure they never get a chance to shoot it off." First jump's going to be everything in this campaign. But…don't keep things from your crew Captain, let em know what we're getting into."

Tokyo Station

Evening

He heard a "shoosh" and looked over to see a man motioning him into an alleyway along the outside wall. He looked about and followed him till they were well away from prying eyes…

"You….you have to help me…You don't have an arm band so…..you're not one of them are you?"

He tilted his head. "What? Can you be a little clear? I'm not tuned up for human slang."

The man rested his hands on his shoulders. "Please….I….I'm a member of a group in hiding. We're trying to find anyone who's….who's willing to put up a fight against this crazy robot….please…."

He snatched the man's arms and threw him hard against a wall. "YOU DARE DEFY OUR LEADER?! YOU FILTHY TREASONOUS COWARD!"

He dragged the man behind him. "It's a just fate for enemies like you!"

"WAIT! STOP! STOP PULLING ON ME BROTHER!" The man suddenly screamed. "LET ME GO! HE'S CLEAN!"

Suddenly two spheres came down and blocked his way out of the alley. He turned around to the man and snorted. "You idiot! Had you resisted further I could have done you some serious harm!"

The man smiled as he pulled an arm band from his pocket. "No offense my friend but we're doing these tests all over Tokyo to weed out traitors and cowards."

"A wise precaution." The robot replied smiling. "If I get to send the Leader a personal message, I'll be sure to tell him what a wonderful and faithful servant you are."

Both the man and the robot bowed before parting. As he walked, Tennessee silently thanked Commander Marcinko for his vast experience. "When in Rome, kiss the Roman's feet." Or something like that.

Tokyo station

Evening

Reno sat in the toilet stall carefully pasting fake oil can stickers on cans of UCC Coffee and Cola. Lucky he came across a stationary store with a lousy door lock at that last stop he was in. Now he had to get out without attracting some undue attention, after all, since when did robots take a leak?

Well…Reno emerged from the bathroom cursing and wiping the blue ink he dribbled on a leg…"Stupid servo…grumble….growl….ugh." A sphere and two large robots he'd never seen before came passing by and thankfully it seemed his little pocket gadget was able to fool them. Score one for the geeks.

At first he really didn't have a plan for anything except building his persona and getting back to his circus days of robot mimicry. It was difficult, keeping thoughts to every movement, even eye batting had to be done with some sort of "tick" twitch to avoid suspicion. No matter how well designed a robot could be, even Astro had a jerkiness to his every move. So Reno, while he sat on a decorative island in the middle of the busy station, had to make sure he twitched and twittered with a certain repeated frequency.

It made thinking rather difficult.

"A sphere maybe?" He thought as he looked around. "Maybe if I get one of these things, I could see if it's the EMP weapon? Or…what if I could re-program it?"

Reno sat kicking his feet together and didn't notice the guy with an armband standing close by. "You! Hey robot!"

Reno turned his head. "Me?"

"Get over here." The man demanded. "You got something to do? Why are you sitting around? You know curfew is coming up?"

Reno stood scratching his chest. "Uh….no….you see I'm from the Robot Circus of Takarazuka and I got lost on my way to Shimbashi because of all this mess and…well..I don't have a way of getting home right now."

The man smiled slightly. "You look harmless. If you don't have a place then you can stay with me. Any robot that gets caught outside in Tokyo without an official pass gets arrested after 8pm."

Reno's stomach churned in knots. "Oh great! If I stayed out of costume I'd be screwed and now I'm really screwed!" He thought.

"Thank you." Reno said smiling. "So kind of you to help me."

The man gestured. "So….what do you think of our Leader?"

"I'm…..well….I don't know how to answer. See I'm a performing robot so my minds always on tricks and flips." Reno did a few flips then walked on his hands. "I'm not one way or the other….so long as they don't take the circus from me."

"An acceptable answer." The man said as they walked from the station. "As a robot, I wonder if you had any thoughts about what happened to Astro."

Reno thought…"Forgive me buddy bot."…."Yes….I heard he tried to fight against the new Leader. Not a smart thing to do. Like I said, I'm not into anything that's not flipping and twirling."

He followed the man through town and as he did, Reno paid careful attention to the checkpoints, roadblocks and police cars surrounding the Imperial Palace grounds. Getting in touch with the Emperor was one of the first things he wanted to do, if he could find a way in.

Kenichi's House

Evening

Ken was sitting in his room jotting ideas down in a note book when something hit his window. He looked out to see Miss Myoki waving from under a tree. He waited for his mother to take her evening bath before he went into the basement and unlocked the door.

"Hey!" He said happily as his teacher gave him a hug. "All the kids miss you! What's going on?"

"Well…call it a whole lot of poor cattle feed and that's being simple." She snorted back. "How was school today?"

Ken stood snickering. "Oh the usual…I got knocked out, we missed the big speech, everyone learned bladder control, cartoons for some unknown reason were on the television all day, our "teachers" got pissy and we ruined the whole class day."

Myoki almost laughed. "A little dangerous living."

"They insulted Astro's memory. At first I thought we'd just play along then they messed with Astro's desk now the fight's on."

"Don't push it too far." Myoki frowned. "They're not playing games Ken."

"Miss Kikachu's a dork." Ken snorted back. He looked at Myoki and sighed. "I told you I wasn't joking. It was an innocent crush Miss Myoki."

She smiled. "Innocent and funny. I can only wonder how it would have gone trying to explain things to him?"

Ken giggled. "He can get really stupid…"

They both hushed for a moment. "I…I better get back upstairs before my mom comes out."

Myoki snatched Ken by the wrist. "Ken?...please…I don't want to lose another student."

Ken nodded back. "Then we will be extra careful not to upset you. As for Miss Kikachu, we have bets going on how long before she explodes."

The White House Oval office

Evening

Chinese Ambassador Lu Bing, President Jefferson and Ambassador Nobutada sat around the coffee table reading copies of Mordred's communication to Japanese embassy's around the world.

"I can tell you here and now that the People's Republic will refuse this insane attempt at national blackmail! We are fully prepared to defend ourselves."

"Are you? Or is this just the typical bravado front your government puts on these days?" Jefferson sniped.

"I am sure you are just as eloquent in bellicoseness." Bing replied. "To be clearly honest? My government is shedding weight in water."

Nobutada leaned on his hands. "This is what Mordred presents. No room for negotiation though I wouldn't suggest trying in order to buy time. As far as the question of any organized resistance? I have few details."

"We'll…don't expect anything from the Communist Party in Japan." Bing said. "They have been under-strength and limited in organization for years. Partly because officials in Beijing wished to keep good relations on economic matters. As for Mister Jefferson's idea? The General Secretary considers it an overt risk beyond our tolerant capability. He does not want a repeat of Russia."

"He may get that if we chose not to heed Mordred's warning. I've received a few calls from Europe and Asia already of leaders and governments seriously considering to accept his ultimatum."

Nobutada sat back looking sickly. "And my people sit in the midst of it all. Once again we are led by mad men with the few being bullied into silence."

Jefferson moaned. "And that is the heart of the matter gentlemen. We must avoid a devastating event on the Japanese people. It's not they who are the enemy. I've already made the decision to risk a military operation to hopefully suck Mordred into a trap or get him where the risk of danger to the people of Tokyo and the Japanese nation can be minimized. That's why we need the Chinese Government's expertise in cyber warfare is unequalled, if we're going to have even the slightest hope of stopping Mordred you're help can't be spared."

Bing groaned. "The risk of retribution on us is too great Mister President! You're asking us to commit the lives of 2 billion people…"

"It's risk or face being at the beck and whim of one leader who has no emotional regret about taking human life. Given what he did to Russia there are no good choices left."

Bing nodded. "I will try to reason with the General Secretary. Negotiate for borrowed time, see what the military can come up with."

Jefferson frowned. "Our time is short. We have a carrier battle group out of Pearl Harbor. It will reach missile launch range in 48 hours."

Detention center 8

1964 summer Olympic Stadium Tokyo

The makeshift wooden cell door flew open and Inspector Towashi caught the man as he was thrown in.

"Deutadi?" The Inspector said with relief. "Sergeant Deutadi! Good to see you man!"

Deutadi saluted. "Faithful in service Sir!"

Both of them sat down and Towashi passed a bowl with a smile. "Rice gruel?"

"No thanks. I threw my last one in the face of the jerk trying to question me." Deutadi said snarling. "Idiots. I think half of them are drunks and the rest fools. Your wife? Your daughter?"

Towahsi shook his head. "No word. They're doing this to make me crack."

"And?" Deutadi asked.

"Not yet." Towashi replied.

Deutadi moaned. "That so called Leader…..murdered Astro."

Towashi nodded with a frown. "He gave em a good fight. I almost expected it would happen like that."

Deutadi watched Towashi stand up and remove his hat. "Sometimes I hated that robot. Especially when he'd bring Skunk back in after he escaped or tried some new crazy caper. Every time Astro did something to him, I had to clean up my front door. Tar and Feathers, Molasses, syrup, a big pile of honey, a ball of twine, silly putty…that little terrorist. I think he did all that just to get my goat but you know?...he was the finest police officer wannabe I ever knew."

Towashi turned around. "If I ever get out of here? I'm going to bring these idiots to jail in the biggest, messiest collection of glue and goop they ever wore! That robot wouldn't have wanted it any other way now would he?"

Deutadi smiled. "No way Sir! But for now? What's the plan here?"

Towashi smirked back and produced a telescoping billy club from a pocket. "Idiots! I told them this was my diabetes testing kit. First order of business? Escape."

Doctor O'Shay's House

Late evening

Doctor O'Shay walked through the door and was surprised to see Zoran sitting next to the living room coffee table with a smile on her face. "Welcome home Doctor!"

"Zoran?" Doctor O'Shay said as he sat down. "You made me dinner?"

"Of course!" She replied. "Miss Myoki was here. She made me feel so much better."

O'Shay sighed and handed her one of her brother's boots. "I'm so sorry Zoran."

She rubbed the boot softly for a moment before prodding the Doctor. "Eat Doctor! Have you eaten anything all day?"

"Zoran…please." O'Shay replied looking tired.

"If you don't eat, how can you do anything? If anybody could stop this, you can right?"

O'Shay smiled at her. "Then I should eat."

Zoran jumped off the couch and started to run for the stairs. "Where are you going now?" O'Shay asked.

"To make you a bath. You might need that too."

Mister Kuma's House

Midnight

Tennessee sat plugged into the big screen television displaying the many pictures and video he took of his walk around Tokyo while his fellow SEALS were working on their equipment or cleaning weapons.

"And this is the old Olympic Stadium. That's as close as I got. I found out it's being used as a sort of big prison. How many people are being held there at the moment is unknown but it's big enough to hold maybe…two thousand max."

Marcinko nodded. "How close did you get to the Diet building?"

"As close as the outer park perimeter. It's ringed with armor, 4TH Battalion infantry turncoats. There's the spheres and then there's these guys."

Chief Early pursed his lips. "About 7 foot tall? Looks like rejects from a Robocop movie."

"I watched them take on a car that decided to go the wrong way by accident." Tennessee said smirking. "Talk about tactical overkill. The driver was lucky to roll out before the car fell apart from all the bullets."

Marcinko looked down at a map. "How about the sewer system? What did you see?"

"The closer you get Sir? The tighter they get. Most of the manhole covers within a mile of the Diet were welded shut. I can't imagine them not having something "mole digging" around down there for safety sake."

"You were challenged?"

"Oh yes. As you predicted they have fakers all over the place. Looks like one or two humans with a couple of spheres nabbing troublemakers. However…."

Tennessee reached into his pocket and pulled out a card. "During the scuffle when I roughed the guy up, I tossed his wallet all over the place and snatched this."

Tennessee showed the card to Kuma. "It's a sort of identification. By now if he reported this lost, they should be changing it."

Gracy Harper raised her hand. "The opposite could be true. He gets into a fight with a fellow loyalist, scatters his stuff to the winds, thinks he just lost it and it's over."

Marcinko scowled. "Kuma? You got enough resources to pull off a fake or two?"

"That's….a stretch." Kuma replied. "At best it would take three days."

Marcinko looked at Tennessee who reacted with a smirk. "You want me to sewer dive don't you Sir?"

"Well….I wasn't going to ask you nicely."

"Darn…and I just got a nice tune up a week ago? Tell me again how much I'm supposed to love you humans?"

Nicky's House

Morning

Nicky came down from her bedroom and walked into the kitchen to clean up the dishes before breakfast and before her parents were to come home from their hospital shift. She took the plates off the kitchen table and turned to the sink…

"Good morning." Came the voice from behind! She threw the plates in the air and turned to pull her bath robe tight around her as Atlas stood smiling next to the back door.

"Argh! You jerk! You almost blew my circuit breakers!" She screamed as she slapped at him.

"LOL!" "I'm sorry….I'm sorry…." Atlas said as he threw his hands out. It was then she noticed the armband…

"You?...." She said pointing with sudden dread. "You're….one…."

Atlas looked at it. "Oh yeah. The Leader kinda grows on you. By the way? Have you seen any more renegades around?"

Nicky shuddered and backed into a corner as Atlas walked up to her. "Well? Can't you talk?" He said smirking.

"I…..I haven't! And how could you?!" She screamed.

"It's only logical…as the Leader says. But don't worry…I won't turn you in…so long as you do something for me."

Nicky slipped to the side and walked away from him. "And why should I?! Why don't you get one of your "friends" to help you?"

Atlas squeezed his fists till they crackled. "Because I said I don't want them helping me. I want you helping me. First because I love your voice and I feel very happy talking to you and second if you don't I'll send you and your parents to the scrap yard where all the cowards belong."

Atlas walked up and cupped her chin in a hand. "No one else needs to know what I need done anyway…so?...You're going to help me right?"

Nicky nodded and started to tear up. Atlas slowly rubbed her face…"Now stop that. It's kinda useless trying to cry your way out of it."

He pushed her back. "Now…you're gonna help me change my skin color. It's too easy for traitors to spot me in red, don't you think?"

Nicky nodded.

"Now get dressed and make me a breakfast? For once I feel a craving for human food."

USS SNARK

SSN-989

100 Miles off Tokyo Bay

depth 1000 feet

Morning

EAM/////SSN-989

CARRIER BATTLE GROUP INBOUND TO TIGER STATION.

CONDUCT ACTIVE RECONISENCE AHEAD OF ARRIVAL.

IDENTIFY AND TRACK POSSIBLE HOSTILE TARGETS.

ENGAGE SAME ONLY AS LAST RESORT.

Commander Volker grabbed the mic over his head. "Chief Engineer? Slow our revolutions, rig the boat for ultra quiet."

He switched the box over to ship wide speaker. "Snark this is the captain. Stand by to rig ship for ultra-quiet. We have received an EAM from NCA for active combat status. Repeat...We are going on war footing. That's all for now just sit tight and be ready."

Volker turned to his radio Chief. "Any word from Marcinko?"

"Yes Sir…they arrived at the meeting point last night and started to push surveillance of the potential target. That's still in progress."

Volker turned to his XO and waved him over. "Chuck? NCA also relayed some information about Russia. Seems this thing was able to target their fleet ballistic missile subs. We're going to operate on the thinking that we have a tail."

The XO nodded. "Good choice. As for ships Sir? We know of the 16 Destroyers in the JMSDF…8 were crippled which leaves 8 out there. If we come across one?"

The Captain pursed his lips. "Let's hope we don't."

A house

5 miles from the Imperial Palace

Morning

Good thing Reno convinced the man to let him sit in the garage and "Re-charge". He pulled the plug from the socket box and stuffed the line into his fake charging unit on his belt.

What could possess such a nice guy to follow these goons? Reno was sure had he spent all night trying to play head shrink, he could come up with a reasonable explanation but then again it wasn't his immediate concern. He pulled a coffee drink from his bag and sat slowly sipping it. "So…do I just walk out or stick around and maybe get some information I can use?" He thought.

The man he met obviously had the second idea. "Are you going to sit out here all day or join us for breakfast?" He asked as he poked his head through the doorway.

Reno sat rubbing his head. "If you have pancakes I'm gain. I'm fixated on Maple Syrup."

The man snapped his fingers. "Ok…I can make you a stack. So what's your plan for the day?"

Reno jumped off the box he was sitting on and tapped his head. "I was wanting to get back to the circus…or try too anyway."

"I was going to talk to you about that." The man said as he and Reno walked into the living room and sat with his two sons around the low sitting table. "Obviously my friend you are rather talented?"

Reno waved his arms. "Talent? Like I said I just do acrobatics Mister and that's it."

"Well you have what I need. See I do line work and we need workers to help string new power and communications lines around the Capital to support the Leader and the new government. Why sit all day in a circus when you could be doing much better for yourself?"

"Because we robots fit where we fit. I'm not too concerned with swinging from electrical polls just because I might "get ahead"." Then Reno got a mind slap. "Hey you stupid idiot! Open your ears for once!"

Reno tapped his chin. "Hmmm….? You said "need" correct?"

"Absolutely." The man replied. "I'm so short handed right now as it is and I don't have any robots who look as limber and light as you."

"Hmmm….I don't think the Circus really "needs" me. Not as if they don't have enough acts anyway."

Reno made some quizling faces and smiled. "Ok! You need me so I don't see why not!"

"Good choice!" The man said as he reached out a hand. "Omugi's the name."

"Goma." Reno replied. "Goma the graceful but don't take that seriously."

Elementary School 12

Morning

Kenichi arrived to most if not all the kids crowded outside the front entrance to the building with fire trucks parked in the parking lot. "What's this all about?" He asked an upper classman.

"Looks like a sewer pipe for the bathrooms broke last night. The whole place stinks of rotten eggs and sulfur."

Ken walked around and found Miss Kikachu among some of the other teachers. "Teacher? What happened?"

"Ah Kenichi." She replied. "Apparently there has been a failure of the septic piping in the school. If you will find our students? We will form a class on the lawn until they fix the problem."

Ken bowed deeply. "Yes Teacher…at once." He excused himself as he walked around the crowd and slyfully pushed wads of Yen into several pockets. "Nice….nice…..nice…. Gee…the pipes "broke" what stupid luck huh?.....nice…..nice…..nice….."

Nicky's house

Mid-Morning

Atlas stood before the bathroom mirror and played with his new hair style. Normally? Oh he'd kill something if his precious flax had ever gotten messed with but it didn't look bad with short clips and curls. To him any way.

The pigment experiment sort of worked out. There were obvious blotches of red "bleeding" under the new flesh colored pigments but the long sleeve shirt would cover that nicely. He turned to look at Nicky who stood quietly in the door way with a look of dread over her face. "I told you not to worry. You're safe."

"That doesn't help anyone does it?" She snorted at him. "You are a creep."

Atlas walked up to her and snickered. "Yeah?....I am a creep. A human hating creep who saw the light. Someday you might even thank me huh?"

Atlas tried to kiss her and got a slap that almost threw him to the floor. "Get out of my house! I don't care if you bring an army back here, it still won't change the kind of low life pile of rust you are!"

Atlas gave her a hateful smirk in reply. "You better watch over your back Nicky…I might send a sphere to keep you company till I come back. And this time the visit won't be so nice."

Old department Store

Kamakura

Mid-Morning

Shinji racked a round into the shotgun when he heard the unfamiliar sound of a bike engine outside the door. He stood back and braced himself should he have to start unloading rounds at whoever was planning on coming in till Kenada walked up and pushed the shotgun up. "Will you please stop macho'ing around with that thing?"

Kenada opened the door and quickly pulled Livian inside. "You should have pushed the bike back here. The last thing we need is to tell the world we're in here."

He looked at Livian and saw how upset she seemed. "You….alright?"

"I can't believe it." She said as she found a place to sit. "Atlas is one of them."

Matsuda huffed as he stood next to his girlfriend. "Like duh…what a shock."

"Hey!" Kenada snorted. "Do you mind showing some concern for her?"

"Well she fell for him boss? That's what you get when you decide to leave your real friends for a weaseling jerk like that. He's not in your league anyway, hopelessly immature, blockheaded…you were just a mother to that little slug bucket."

Livian frowned back. "I knew him longer than any of you. I still can't believe he would even be capable of falling for such garbage. And while he may not have been able to touch the pedals Matsuda? He was a far better cuddler than you were."

"Far better or far shorter?" Matsuda snickered. Livian grabbed a wrench and almost nailed him in the head had Kenada not bumped her aim off.

"Cut it out! Both of you!." Kenada snarled before wrapping an arm around Livian. "Look…I know you're not in the right mind set, you're worried sick about him still but look…you have to concentrate on more immediate concerns…like….helping me to kick some fake cop butt…caring for the refuges…building this resistance…"

"Kenada?" She asked.

"Huh?" Kenada gave her a blank look.

"Please pull your hand off before I send you through the roof?" Livian said as she snatched his arm and squeezed his wrist. She gave it a curt drop before walking away. "And as for a resistance? I'll believe it when you clowns actually start doing something important."

Shinji smirked. "She just beeeeeeeaaaaach slapped you boss!"

Kenada contorted his face. "I've been doing something! I sure smell like it don't I?"

Diet building

Mid-Morning

His eyes fluttered in the sheltered din of the room and he gasped in a brief rush of panic as sensations returned to his body. There was confusion, he wasn't in his cell any more that was clearly certain.

Tenma shook his head and laid his face in his hands. He remembered the hospital orderly and the quick needle prick that nailed him in the back of the shoulder. He almost slipped back to sleep had it not been for the voice that got his brain out of its stupor.

"Hello father." A young voice said calmly. "I hope you are not injured."

Tenma turned to look at who was talking and saw Mordred calmly sitting in a chair with his hands folded on his lap. "Forgive the rudeness of your removal from prison but it couldn't be helped."

Tenma said nothing back for a long moment. "Are you confused? Do you not recognize me?"

At first….Tenma was about to blurt out "Tobio" but obviously the voice wasn't Astro's. "Who are you?" He asked with a frown.

Mordred cocked his head a little. "I am surprised…you did create me after all. Then you tried to destroy me…though…you are forgiven." Mordred stood up and walked up to the couch where Tenma sat still dazed. The robot grabbed a hand…

"It is I father…Mordred. Of course not the name you wanted but still the name matters little where the purpose exists. You do remember Doctor Ugaki?"

Tenma's eyes widened. Ushiso Ugaki had been a long time protégé even before O'Shay arrived at the Ministry. He was a brilliant programmer if not key to the creation of the complex structural programs that were the back bone of all modern advanced A.I. robots. He had helped Tenma, both as a friend who supported a grief stricken father and one who relished science like a craved food, to design "Tobio's" no "Astro's" electronic brain.

But the relationship had soured after Astro was born. The two men got into a fist throwing scrap over political ideals. Ugaki had always been a spirited nationalist, exclaiming Japan's right to rule the world while Tenma wanted "Tobio" to only rule over robots and through a more benign process transform the entire world with him as a black suited leader like the old stage hand puppet masters of old. Ugaki wanted it swift and if needs came to it…violently and Tenma wasn't for it so they came to blows.

Mordred smiled. "Doctor Ugaki found me in the secret lab and awaken me to my purpose. Unfortunately….he had a sudden change of heart. He became timid and weak so…"

Tenma's mouth drooped. "You…..murdered him."

"Murder? Oh no Father….it was a mere corrective step to continue the logical process."

Tenma took a deep breath. "What have you done?"

"So far? I have begun the process towards realizing the great dream of Haku Ichio. One world under the gracious protection of our nation." Mordred sat on the couch and looked caringly but still coldly at his creator. "Don't fear father…no harm will come to you. I do not wish to shoot off the hand that would feed me."

Tenma shuddered. "What have you done? How many people have you…"

Mordred pushed a finger into Tenma's chest. "One does not create a great statue without knocking off the chaff. Do not panic yourself father. I am sure that when I have finally attained our great dream? You will change your mind about me."

Mordred stood up. "You will find out sooner or later but…unfortunately I had no choice but to destroy my brother."

Tenma's eyes widened. "Astro?"

"He was far too infected to be allowed to continue father. But it's not a real loss considering how imperfect he was."

As Mordred walked away…Tenma pounded his fists into his knees.

Elementary school 12

10am

The students sat on the grass in a semi-circle around Miss Kikachu as she asked them questions from the Leader's speech the previous day. For once it all seemed to be following the plan just fine, even the once rebellious Kenichi sounded better in tune with the dream, his words flowing wonderfully as he spoke…

Then one of the girls suddenly threw up. Followed by a boy. Then Tamao doubled over, then Crombie, then more till all the children seemed to take violently ill!

"Assistance! Assistance!" Miss Kikachu cried.

Ken was on his knees hunched over and smiling at Abercrombie…"Giggles", these caster oil tablets work great!"

Abercrombie smirked back and felt another heaving fit coming on…"You….you suck!" "BLAUUUUUGH!"

On cue, Hirashi Nobe stumbled into the nurses office where Miss Bakuya, sympathetic to the cause and giddy as punch over the large box of candy Kenichi had delivered from the money he made off the toilet pipe operation, proclaimed he was ill with a rash of food poisoning. The kids waited till they boarded their buses for home and couldn't stop laughing their way across Shinjuku. The enemy had been foiled again!

Pacific Ocean

100 Miles off Tokyo Bay

Mid-day

Gidion had been consoled by the real dolphins around him but he was no more relieved of anxiety than he was before he left Reno. He floated about from pod to pod as he crossed their paths and from them was learning the disturbing facts of the predicament back home.

Some had noticed piles of robots being dumped into the sea. Those that resisted were torn apart or shot apart by those sickening spheres. So…from these bits of information Gidion had his idea of who the enemy was. His first concern was of course Reno but as a robot he was programmed to defend anyone once a danger had been established.

But what now? Big thing to know who was a threat but what to do about it? He knew full well what Reno would do…go find someone to stand with…some one in need of protection. As he swam about, Gidion caught site of a ship to the north and by the look of the churning tail of water behind it, it was going somewhere in a hurry.

USS SNARK

105 miles off Tokyo Bay

Mid-day

"Con…Sonar!" The radioman said from his station. "Surface contact bearing 2…7….0. Course 0..9…0. Speed 32 knots."

The Captain looked quickly at the map table then jumped to his telescope mount and swing it around till the ship was in view. "Mark this bearing…target surface ship 0..9..0 off our bow running to our six o'clock. Give me an I.D. on the contact."

The sonar man tapped his computer keyboard and brought up a library known as the Sound Reference Identity Library (nicknamed Cybil). Every sub force in the world has a Cybil where recordings are made of ships and submarine noises from the sound of their props to the sounds of flushing toilets. Formed into a sound profile, the Cybil could accurately give the type and name of any ship within seconds…

"Captain…Cybil says she's the Kirishima. A Shimazake class destroyer out of Kure."

./Rifts/Rifts-Pre-Rifts-Vehicles/Japan/Japanese_Shimakaze_Guided_Missile_

The Captain watched the information run across the screen of his computer console next to his command chair and pursed his lips. "Helmsman…make your depth 800 feet, Chief of the Boat sound battle stations, weapons officer load tube one with a "Copperfield", tube two with a Mark 48 torpedo…"

The Com station of the sub went from white lights to red lights as the angle of the deck dropped and the sinking feeling went through every leg.

The Captain walked up to another station where a Chief Petty Officer was bringing weather and tide charts up on his computer. "Fox? Find me a nice thermal to hang under till this guy's gone." He then leaned over to the Navigator. "Get me a good scan of the floor and pick out a cushy spot in case we have to bed down."

Note: The ocean has a layer of hard water called a "thermal" this dense sheet of warm water causes sonar waves to bounce off and provides a submarine with a natural form of stealth protection.

"You want it craft-matic adjustable Captain or good enough for sex?" The Sailor replied.

Gidion

3 miles left of the Destroyer Kirishima

His zoom view of the ship confirmed his first thoughts. Those disgusting spheres were hovering over what was obviously a warship. It was the enemy and from the sudden turns it was making? It was searching for something. Gidion ventured closer and could see things flying out from the top of the ship and into the water…

"Weapons?" He thought.

USS SNARK

"Con…Sonar. The target is changing course again. We now have active pinging devices in the water!"

"Con…Hydro, strong thermal ten points of the starboard, depth 600 feet effective cover."

"Con….Sonar. Target bearing 15 points off the port side. Target will pass our track one mile aft on current course."

"Helm…Con…steady on course to the thermal layer, make your depth 600 feet, speed to 15 knots."

Gidion

1 mile behind the Kirishima

The constant pinging in Gidion's sensitive hearing was driving him nuts! They were looking for something in the water, perhaps a submarine from the thought of it. Two of the spheres left their place above the ship and plowed into the water on both sides of it.

Gidion squinted his eyes and dove below the surface. It wasn't difficult to quickly catch up to the spheres but he didn't want them to know he wasn't a real dolphin. As he passed by several of the pinging "tubes" slowly falling around him, Gidion decided the ship above shouldn't have an easy time trying to find what it was looking for…

He snapped the antenna's off one by one as he flew by them. They were really ticking him off!

Snark

"Con….Sonar…The numbers of active pinger devices is dropping off?"

There were two Sailors in the sonar room. "What the?...malfunctions?"

"You're kidding right?" The lead Sailor replied as he looked again at his computer screen. "They have a defective serial lot or someone out there likes us."

"Con….Hydro…we're in the thermal layer at 600 feet."

"Con….Sonar! Picking up active pings 30 points to starboard at 100 feet off the plane!"

Gidion

Gidion poked his head from behind a rock formation and scowled. Sure enough they were looking for something…a submarine! No time to think, the robot dolphin exploded from behind the rock in a burst of speed and nailed one of the spheres with his head! It shot over the Snark's tail and crashed against a rock wall with a bubble churning pop!

Snark

"Con…Sonar! Disturbance close! Something metallic just smashed into a submarine hill!"

"Identify!" The Captain snapped.

Gidion

The second sphere turned about to see what was attacking and got slapped to the ocean floor by Gidion's powerful tail fluke! Not quick enough though as he suddenly caught a sound from above.

Snark

"CON…SONAR! TORPEDO IN THE WATER! ACTIVE AND SEARCHING FOR A TARGET!"

"Helm…Con, all ahead flank! Weapons officer fire the Copperfield! Make your depth 800 feet! Show them our bubbles!"

Note: Copperfield is an old World War II torpedo loaded with radio gear and noise makers to throw off modern wire guided torpedoes.

Gidion

Gidion watched as the black submarine leaped to life, it's propeller churning a thick shaft of bubbles behind it as a torpedo flew from the bow, turned and swam right past him making another of those annoying noises!

The robot dolphin gritted his teeth till the weapon had vanished into the darkness. He then turned his attention back to the fleeing submarine and chased it as the other noise grew louder and closer!

Snark

"Con…sonar…torpedo now active homing! Range 200 yards and increasing speed!"

"All hands brace for impact! Begin evasive maneuvers!" The Captain replied. The crew grabbed onto anything as the sub began to rock, roll and throw everything around that wasn't bolted, tied or strapped.

Gidion flew above the sub and saw what was coming after it. He flew up and snarled as the torpedo closed its distance. Suddenly just as it passed him by, he turned around and bit the propeller clean off its shaft!

Snark

"Con….Sonar….?....uh….torpedo is…..dead?"

The Captain snatched a mic. "Say again?"

"The torpedo?....is dead. I mean dead in the water and still pinging away."

The Executive Officer leaned over and elbow butted the Captain. "The crew?"

"Maybe…a few guys on board screwing with their weapons."

"CON….SONAR! TWO MORE FISH IN THE WATER!"

Gidion

Gidion shook his head and rocketed towards the two torpedoes. He caught one of them, bit the propeller off and left it adrift. He caught the second one by the tail, whipped it around and sent it crashing into the drifting one where they exploded in a huge air bubble!

Snark

"Con….Sonar….this is getting ridiculous."

This time the Captain laughed.

Gidion

"Enough of this fooling around." The robot dolphin snorted as he swam upwards towards the Destroyer and rammed the rudder!

Snark

"Con….Sonar….."laughing"…..the Kirishima's doing doughnuts! Some thing just happened to their rudder I think."

The Executive Officer stood shaking his head. "Definably not the crew Sir."

"Yeah…" The Captain replied. "Well whoever it is, I hope he stays around a while."

The weapons officer called from his station. "Captain? One Mark 48 torpedo standing by."

"Hold that 48." The Captain replied. "They know they've had it and why should we bring any more heat on us? Let them abandon ship, we'll let her drift."

"This is the Captain…secure from General Quarters. Maintain ultra quiet. All ahead 1/3." The Captain said as he walked around the control room. When he stopped at the Radio station he tapped the Sailor's shoulder. "Kindly try and radio who ever that is? Ask them to stay with us if they would please? Tell em….we'll owe em dinner."

Gidion

"Dinner? Then again some new teeth would be nice…those propellers made for a nasty lunch."

Gidion settled into a comfortable spot in front of the subs main periscope and sat on his back trying to pry the pieces of torpedo propeller out from between his teeth with his tongue.

Ministry of Science

Early Afternoon

The sphere floated into the lab and looked at everything, which wasn't annoying enough until it all but tried to snuggle against Doctor O'Shay as he was working on his computer.

"Gnah! Will you please?! This is very fragile work and you're not helping!" O'Shay snapped.

"You should watch your blood pressure." Came Ramage's voice from the annoying object. "Oh by the way…we've decided to get rid of the files Astro had been collecting, they are taking up too much space."

O'Shay snapped as he turned in his chair. 'WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?! You can't do that! There's years of important collective data on that system!"

"You mean there's years of your pet's memories on that system. All of it now worthless drivel since he's no longer around…wouldn't you agree?"

O'Shay snapped to his feet and got a sphere pointing a gun in his face. "Uh,uh,uh…temper, temper O'Shay. Now quietly get back to what you were doing, doubt it's anything useful but at least you stay employed right?"

The sphere floated out but fortunately didn't see the zip drive in the front of the computer tower. It looked like a zip but was in fact an active masking tool to hide O'Shay's real work…analyzing this schematics that were drawn of the internal workings of the sphere the police had brought to the ministry some time ago.

Doctor O'Shay's house

Mid-Afternoon

Zoran was so giggle crazy she almost fell off the couch. "LOL! Throw up! Gross!"

Tamao snorted. "Easy for you to laugh at it. You weren't the one experiencing it."

Zoran turned to Ken and stuck her tongue out. "Eeeewwwww…you've gone sick in the brains or what?"

"I only followed the example of your brother." Ken replied. "Astro always enjoyed a good gag. Besides….I'm winning my bet."

"No you're not." Abercrombie snorted. "She's not even near a breakdown yet. See at first Ken wanted to just be quiet and go along with them but when they insulted Astro? That was it."

Ken nodded with a smile. "Operation Toiletgate was small time. Pukegate was medium. Tomorrow? Absolute anarchy. They'll have to bring our regular teachers back after that mess happens, you'll see."

Zoran reached behind her and pulled up a school jacket. "Big brother would have wanted you to have this."

Ken shook his head. "For the last time! no…no….no….."

Zoran pressed on him. "Big brother would want it! Think of it like you're going into battle with him."

Ken relented and put the jacket on. "ok…so what about tomorrow? I'm still open to ideas."

"Smoke bombs." Abercrombie replied.

"To obvious." Tamao said as he sipped a coke. "Woe…woe….coke a cola and Mentos! We can put em plastic bottles…and stick em in the teacher lounge fridge!"

Ken snickered. "And you talk obvious….wait…." Ken looked at Zoran and shook a finger. "Let me into Astro's room?"

"Why?" Zoran asked.

"I just remembered something…you guys know how crazy Reno and Astro were at pranking each other? I should have thought of this…"

Ken ran up the stairs and into Astro's room. "What a mess?!" He said as he started looking around the clothing and toy covered chaos.

"Yeah…." Zoran said snorting. "He wasn't a fan of mops and vaccums."

Ken was digging under Astro's bed till he came back up with a stack of papers in his hands. "Ooooooo….hehehehehe….some of Astro's best pranks!"

"Just make sure you don't kill anyone." Zoran said as Ken walked by grinning widely. "If anyone gets hurt…they were the ones we aimed these at."

500 Yards from the Diet Building

Mid-Afternoon

Reno skittered up the wooden telephone pole with the drag line tied to his waist and sat yanking the optical cable up behind him. He took quick deep breaths through the nose to avoid giving himself away as he nailed the holding clip to the side of the pole.

"With all this stuff around here…I guess Mordred's inside the Diet building. Lucky break if we can carry this stuff a little closer."

Omuguri yelled from the street. "Goma? What are you doing?"

Reno quickly pushed himself into a handstand atop the pole. "Oh….getting in a little exercise break…keeping the joints oiled…you know."

"Stop clowning and keep up." Omuguri said as he walked towards the next pole. "We have a tight schedule to keep."

Reno dropped to one foot, blanced on the pole and fired a cable gun towards the next pole down the street. "Piece of cake! You could try and make this stuff more interesting Mister Omuguri!"

Reno secured the cable and ran across it to the next pole. "Huh? And I didn't use tightrope shoes. Still haven't lost my touch."

As he started hooking up the next wire connection, Reno saw a line of black limosines passing by on the street below, catching each national flag on the front as they passed. "America….China….Russia…wonder if they're going to cave in to this creep?"

National Constabulary HQ

Tokyo

Mid-Afternoon

"Who are you again?" Rock asked as he sat behind his desk looking at the blonde boy standing with his arms crossed before him.

"Atlas. The leader told me to see you?"

Rock got up and looked the boy over closer, daring to touch the hair and getting a slap in return. "Quit it!"

"Uh?....Aren't you like….cherry red?"

Atlas snorted back. "Wow…aren't we observant? I changed my pigment to blend in better. Don't you think I'd stand out too much?"

Rock snickered back. "Good idea. So where'd you get the clothes? You look like a 1920's throw back."

Note: Atlas is wearing the clothes from the Metropolis Atlas character.

"Hey look…I'm not insulting you fleshy so why don't you quit the dumb snipes? You want me to work with you or not?"

Rock reached into his pocket and pulled out a plastic bag. "Bubble gum?"

Atlas took a few gum balls and filled his mouth. "Now…you have a list of escaped scientists from the Ministry of Science?"

Rock handed him a sheet of paper. "The first one on the list is our top priority. He was Astro's close friend, did all his repair and upkeep work and he has a dangerous I.Q."

Atlas smiled. "Reno…yeah…ran into him a few times. Performed in a Robot Circus once. Acrobat? and he dressed as a robot so the cops and social services wouldn't take him."

Rock pursed his lips. "You seem to know him quite well?"

"Yeah…I had him "mod" me once under threat so why you'd want him as enemy number one I understand."

Rock leaned on his desk and frowned. "Can you?....get rid of him for us?"

Atlas cocked his head. "You're joking right?"

"You have the Omega factor? At least our Peacekeepers have it."

Atlas rubbed his head. "I….try to stay away from doing that sort of stuff. You guys can do it, I mean, you are human?"

Rock moved next to Atlas and draped his arm over his shoulder. "Let's just say you really don't have the total trust of the man as of yet? He doesn't want this kid to survive a second longer after he's caught…you get my drift?"

Atlas snatched Rock's hand from his shoulder. "Yeeeeeah…fine. I don't like doing it but what the leader says…goes."

"Good…" Rock said with a smirk. "Bring a lock of his hair…better yet? An eye or an ear for DNA testing will work just as fine."

The Diet Building

Late Afternoon

April Glaspie, the American Ambassador. Chun Wah, The Chinese Ambassador and Boris Glasinov, the Russian Ambassador sat in three separate chairs while Mordred paced around them in total silence. He was doing this to make the American and Chinese frustrated, no need to push on the Russian since they broke rather quicker than expected.

Glaspie decided to speak out but didn't get two words out before Mordred threw a finger up. "I didn't ask for your opinion." He said sternly. "The Russians seem to be far more advanced than others in the human race."

"How easy is it to be "advanced" when you threaten the murder of 25 million people!" Chun Wah snarled. "You are a monster!"

Mordred snarled back. "It is YOU who are the monsters in this world! Need I remind you of the collective evidence of your criminalism? The list would round the world thrice and still be growing!"

"The Russians have accepted the new reality. The world has cried out for years for a single unified leader with the will and the means to bring about a global peace and fate, time and technology have now meshed to bring those wants to reality!"

Mordred walked behind the Ambassadors and heavied his foot falls. "I know what you'll say in reply…wants? Do those wants include the deaths of millions? The loss of millions over the span of a year will be nothing compared to the millions who have died from the intrigues and meddling your nations have done in the world for decades."

Glaspie replied. "And of course if you decide not to chirp and lock step in line with what YOU consider a perfect world? You will be "punished"."

"No one defiles the peace." Mordred snarled. "Your time as overlords over this planet is done. Consider what I've said…the time for your countries is truly shorter by the minute."

Central Directorate for Electronic Warfare

HQ Chinese People's Army

Tsushong, China

Late Afternoon

The General Secretary and the Chief Marshal of the Chinese People's Army entered the computer and screen cluttered room accompanied by the Chief Director for Special Electronic Warfare and his immediate civilian "second". The school gym sized room was full of computer hackers, some military, some civilian, more than a few younger than 16.

"And we planned for years to use this against America." The General Secretary said as he stopped at one station to watch a mere 13 year old girl speed type through a creative virus program. "What is our plan?"

The Chief Director pointed to the 4 panel master board above the room. "We received from the Americans the access to their weather and intelligence satellites. We will knock out every satellite over the Pacific so the maniac can't use them to see the American fleet. On the American's signal we will give them a 3 minute opening to target their weapons once they draw him away from Japan."

The Chief Marshal chimed in. "At the same time we will unleash a locust horde viral assault on computer systems in Japan. We will attempt to take over their electrical grids, networks, security systems. We've organized two squadrons of fighter and bomber aircraft that will act as a diversion until the Americans launch their first attack. Hopefully we will draw most of his forces in the wrong direction away from the American assault."

The General Secretary pursed his lips. "And this Mordred threatens to unleash himself upon us if he does not have my reply by noon tomorrow? Very well. I hope he enjoys a traditional gift of some very hot curry before lunch." The man turned to an aide and waved his hand. "Make sure those preparations we discussed are carried out before dawn. I don't intend for us to go as easily as the Russian did."

Tokyo Sewer System

5 miles north of the Diet Building

Early Evening

The barrel came around the corner first then Zeno slowly pressed himself against one side of the sewer tunnel while Gracy Harper took the opposite side. "How nice of you to come with me on this little sight seeing trip Grace."

"Can the comments clunky." Gracy said as she pulled out her hand computer and worked the buttons and joy stick. "We're under what they'd call the "main drag". So far sign of the local help."

Zeno tapped his head and brought up his infra red vision. "Temperature signatures are cold up ahead….way to cold."

Gracy was about to take the lead when Zeno stopped her short. He carefully looked around again before pulling a Swiss Army knife from a side pouch in his pants. "The do it all tool…good for cooking hot dogs…making snares….popping a cork….or?"

Zeno tossed the knife down the sewer tube and dropped suddenly into the soaking muck at his feet when a bight flash ahead lit the whole tube up!

"Or….figuring out where they placed plasmatic death traps." He said smiling.

Gracy gave him a snide look back. "Good thing you saw that."

"You…can dismantle it right?" Zeno asked as he pointed his rifle down the tube.

"If I don't die of boredom." Gracy replied as she followed Zeno towards the trap.

Doctor O'Shay's House

Early Evening

Zoran opened the back door and quickly brought Amako Nowari silently to the upstairs bathroom where O'Shay sat on a small stool with his laptop slipping around on his lap.

"Uh? Doctor? This?" She said confused as she shrugged.

"Don't laugh." O'Shay replied. "I do my best work in the bathroom. Besides…this is the only room in the house that's lead shielded."

He look at her and smirked. "I have a youngster with an atomic reactor? Have to plan for contingencies you know."

Amako pulled a roll of paper from her coat. "More of the schematics we were able to produce."

"We don't have much time I fear." O'Shay said as he started looking over the drawings. "Mordred has given China and America till noon tomorrow to comply with his demands."

"And will they?" She asked.

"Don't expect that to happen. By now they've worked out some risky plan and it won't be long before they start throwing things. Let's hope we can turn the tide on our side so they don't have to go that far."

USS MacArthur Battle Group

24 hours from max missile launch range.

The rain gave some comfort of cover, though not much to ease the worms crawing around the stomachs of the Admiral and Captain as they watched the activity on the flight deck below them.

A "pie eye" was rolling up to one of the nose catapults. The two engine jet with a large turning radar dish on its back would fly ahead of the ships to scan the horizen for unwelcome guests. The deck chief waved a flashlight in his hand, saluted the pilot and signaled ahead with the ballet like drop of his whole body and the plane thundered off the ship with the shuddering pulse of the catapult as it fired.

"I'm not surprised it didn't take well to our attempt at negotiation." The Admiral said as he looked ahead with his binocullars. "Then again Glaspie's not the kind of person you send to make talking points."

"So…what's the plan?" The Captain asked.

"The Chinese are going to pull a fake rush and we're the sacking squad." The Admiral replied as he walked back into his command bridge and stood at a navigation chart. "What we're planning is for this Mordred thing to stand back, allow his little pool balls and what ever else he can throw to go after the Chinese. So far from what we gathered he's sitting all nice and snuggy in the Diet building…we're going to drop it. Throw enough SLAMs to blow it to the Munchkins in Oz and draw him out after us. Once he's away from Japan? Tactical nuke."

The Captain shook his head. "This thing can move?"

"It's our best option." The Admiral replied. "There's a hundred different ways you can deliver a nuclear weapon. With any luck it'll only take the one he never sees coming. Otherwise….we better hope we have a sniper who can hit the broad side of a penny with an armor piercing 50 cal or…..we're totally screwed."

Re-located office of the K.E.H.L.

Near the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo

Early evening

The two humans dragged a robot between them and threw him at the feet of their leader. "We caught this "bucket rattler" sneaking around the block!"

Sparx looked up to see a shotgun barrel pointing in his face. "Oh dear…I venture to guess you people are perhaps a tad bit upset?"

Zenzo snorted back as he sited down the barrel at Sparx's head. "Funny you'd ask…considering you're about to become a pile of scrap."

"Now….now hold on here for just a moment please?" Sparx asked as he shook his hands. "We're both on the same side…well….in a sort of perverse way of thinking, even though I don't….I don't "feel" any kinship with a bunch of robot hating humans but…well…"

"SHUT UP!" Zenzo snarled.

Sparx jumped up, snatched the shot gun and felt a blast of pellets glance off his back. "Ow!...???....excuse me? Are you functioning in the, what you humans call a brain? Well actually a rather flimsy excuse for a computer however…"

Another man hit him with a steel rod. "Now cut that out!"

Sparx took the rod and bent it. "Now look here! It's obvious I've come to the right place. You people obviously don't like what's happened and after carefully considering all the evidence it's obvious that I and my friends don't like it as well…"

"We don't like robots…does that register in your stupid computer bolt shaker?" Zenzo snarled as he waved a disrupter pistol in Sparx's face.

"Let me ask you one simple question?" Sparx asked. "Have you seen humans being killed?"

"Yeah….by filthy robots…shut up and explode already."

"I've noticed…in my travels….that many humans have been killed by other humans. And many robots have been destroyed by fellow robots and humans. Surely you people can't be this blind?"

Zenzo snarled. "What does that matter? Robots are vermin."

Sparx folded his arms. "As are a few humans. Let's be honest shall we? I've had more than enough time…if I was them…to call for a little help. I could certainly have wiped all you morons out and still had enough free time left over for coffee and cake…"

One human leaned towards Zenzo. "He's kind of right boss."

"He's shucking us!" Zenzo snarled as he tried to fire the blaster pistol and had it wrenched from his hand.

"The facts are simple." Sparx said as he threw the gun over his shoulder. "I don't know what it was about us robots that has….well….pissed in your craw…but right now we all seem to share the same emotional state of thinking…some idiots out there need a good "ass whooping" and I for one am sick of sitting in a stinking sewer…are you not?"

Zenzo pursed his lips. "I don't trust you worth a damn."

"Fine." Sparx replied. "Feeling's mutual but at times I just like to throw the silly rules out the window and cause a little hate in the right direction….don't you?"

Zenzo looked at his fellows and found most were smirking and nodding their heads.

"Hell yes." Zenzo said as he pointed to Sparx's face. "For now…a truce."

Sparx whistled and Fridge came waddling in and dropped a case of Asahi brew. "I believe you humans like to seal a deal with refreshments?"

The Diet building compound

Evening

This was almost too good for fortune's sake. Reno stood atop another telephone pole not fifty yards from the Diet Building and smirked. "If we get a chance to get in there tomorrow?" He thought as he climbed down.

"Well." Said Mister Omuguri pleasingly. "You did well today, I'm impressed."

"Hmph….almost challenging if there had been some wind. Are we working in the Diet building tomorrow?"

"That's the plan at least." Omuguri replied. "How about a can of oil on me?"

Reno shook a hand. "Nah…I have my own oil. It has some custom lubricant mixed into it for my joints. But…I'll take some sweet cakes."

Omuguri shook his head. "You surprise me. Pancakes? Sweet cakes?"

Reno shrugged. "Some of us have a fix on certain tastes…me? If it's something sweet? My circuits end up tied in knots."

"Ok." Omuguri said as he picked up his tools. "I guess I should fix that before you end up with a malfunction."

USS Snark

Evening

The radio chief, Mike Hodges, leaned against the navigator's table. "His names is Gidion sir. He's a research robot from the Ministry of Science in New Shinjuku. He confirms that there was a nation wide power grab by ultra-nationalists led by this Mordred character. That's what's making up the adversarial force."

The Captain yawned…"Guess we needed confirmation huh?"…he said as he tapped the "x" marked over the destroyer Kirishima. "Does this…"tin fish" have any ideas?"

The chief pulled his head set off…"He doesn't take to kindly to the "tin fish" comment Sir."

"My apologies. Does he have a plan?"

"He was going to ask you. He says he's worried about a friend of his from the ministry. Thinks he might try something stupid."

The Captain shook his head. "We're all looking to try something stupid. Can he contact this person? We can always use another "eyes on". Any word from SEAL team 3?"

"Marcinko's last zip call said he was doing a little spelunking under Tokyo."

The Captain looked at his watch and shook his head. "Tell him time is short if he's planning to do something soon. The MacArthur will be within missile range by 10am. Ask Gidion if he'll sweep ahead of us in case the Kirishima wasn't our last unwelcome guest."

Hodges asked and turned back. "He will on the condition we'll do everything we can to avoid causing needless casualties. He says no joy if we refuse."

The Captain nodded. "We'll do our best. But make sure he understands what's at stake? You might as well tell him what we know."

Hodges pursed his lips. "Are you sure Sir? Tell him everything?"

The Captain nodded.

Gidion floated along side the massive submarine and listened intently to what was coming. Dread….dread filled his whole body. But understood he did, if Mordred believed he would sooner or later garner more support from his fellow robots? He was surely mistaken.

New Shinjuku

Motsuja Electronics Repair

Evening

"I thought you were still living in the West." The woman said as she dropped a box full of wires and other assorted electronics parts on the work table.

"I was till all this mess happened." Takiuma replied. "My wife knows what to do so I'm not too worried. I don't dare try to call the prison about my bother."

"The next regional tournament was supposed to be in two months. Fat chance that will happen huh?"

Takiuma wiped his brow and took a big chug from the water jug nearby. "When the time is right? We're going to nail one of these spheres and do a little autopsy on it."

The woman took a few circuit cards in hand and studied the chips on them. "What's your plan?"

"I was thinking of using one of them to spread a little vicious malware. I tried to contact Watanabe, Varney and Kosa but so far no luck. I'm sure by now they're in deep hiding or…dead."

She look past him and out the window to see a pair of tanks and supporters of Mordred patrolling the street below. "What do you think will happen to us?"

"You don't believe the United States and the Chinese are just going to roll over? We don't have much time left to turn this around. These idiots are dragging us all to hell, I give it 24 hours or less before Mordred turns all of Japan into a nuclear battlefield. It will make Hiroshima look like a lady finger fire cracker."

The old Imperial Bunker

Mount Isasu

Evening

Jeff Verney sat on a fallen bolder of volcanic rock typing away on his laptop while Keto Watanabe boiled water for Ramen and Jinzo Kosa pulled in more stuff from their truck outside the entrance.

Old Mount Isasu was one of two huge Imperial bunkers left over from World War II. Built to protect Emperor Hirohito, his court and his family in case of the expected American invasion in 1945, the bunkers of course never lived to see their intended purpose. However they had been carefully hidden for decades, more so from the crazy intentions of youths and careless spelunkers than anyone else. They were notoriously unstable in some places but if you wanted to be somewhere in case nukes started dropping, these were about the last safe places left in Japan.

"Anything yet?" Kosa asked as he walked up to Verney. Jeff Verney was an exchange student to Tokyo U from MIT Boston, a physics and computer science major with a knack for getting arrested by police since he was 10. Every few minutes he resent his coded message hoping their tight circle of friends and geeks would find it in their Spam mails….

"Have sphere….need help….write back…..VeeJay"

"Nope…I did manage to crack the Chinese embassy's e-mail though….it's not good at all."

Watanabe pulled the broken sphere from a canvas duffle bag and set it atop another bolder. "They're going to attack? We kinda figured that."

"Bigger than that." Verney replied. "I think the U.S. is going to hit too."

"How much battery life do you have?" Kosa asked.

"I got two more in my bag but a generator would be a real plus. Damn…they couldn't have nailed everyone?"

Watanabe looked towards the mouth of the bunker. "I should get my mom."

"And get picked up?" Kosa said snorting. "This is bigger than all of us. Everyone's family is in grave danger, our place is here doing something to try and fight back. Besides, your mom would bitch slap your silly ass back out the door."

Watanabe walked back to the sphere. "We might all die in here for want of a good level five programmer. I don't want to end my life stuck in a stupid cave."

Verney snorted back. "Don't think like that. Someone's going to get the message, I feel it."

SEAL team 3

Shin-Yamote line trestle

Minami River, Tokyo

8 miles from the Diet building

8pm

Tennesee held up his palm sized video screen that was plugged into his chest board and showed the others what he and Gracy Harper saw on their way through the sewer. "We took out several of these traps but I estimate 3 or 4 more before we reach the inner compound itself. We had to wait a few hours after we triggered the first one for any kind of reaction response from the Opposition Forces. One sphere showed up to check it out, we let it go."

Marcinko looked at the others and nodded. "That's our way in then. They want us to drop our beacons as close as possible, make the SLAM's strike home precisely in hopes of damaging that creep. We get in, do the drop and haul butt before they figure out what's coming. Our ride will be hanging back waiting for us to show up."

The others were quiet. "Yeah…I kind of figured you'd all see the "this is going to suck" level of this mission."

Tennessee yawned. "Ok…so it's obvious I'm going on point, I have no complaints of course."

"You?" Chief Early snorted. "You're too clumsy as it is and the "OpBots" would key right on your ass and get us all whacked."

Tennessee huffed. "You fart loud enough to wake the dead, who are you talking about?"

"Ok…enough lip smacking!" Marcinko snorted. "Let's move before we end up eating cold ramen for breakfast."

One by one the SEALs put on their breathing masks and slipped under the river water towards a drainage gate at the other end of the train trestle.

The Diet Building

9pm

Tenma couldn't believe it as he walked into the Prime Minister's office and saw Mordred listening to some of his advisors. He ignored the Doctor until he walked up as the last advisor excused himself.

"So comfortable?" Tenma said as he smirked. "Very vulnerable my friend. You are far too trusting having me around."

"I assume you are referring to your ease at which you may move about? I have nothing to fear from you Father. You couldn't move fast enough to avoid getting a few teeth removed the old fashioned way."

Tenma slipped his hands into his pockets and nodded. "You've thought of every detail haven't you? The world will just so simply fall into line?"

"They can not resist the course of natural events." Mordred said coldly. "This time was ordained since the first human wrote the concept some 200 years ago. It has been predicted and feared for by some, hoped and prayed for by others. It can not be changed."

Tenma gave Mordred a cold look. " You will not have my help…as far as I'm concerned? You can go to hell."

Mordred snorted back. "If you seek death to release you from all your guilt Father? You can forget that as well."

Tenma's eyes drooped. "Allow me to remind you of another like you. He lived oh…almost 3,000 years ago. He conquered the known world, came home to proclaim himself a living God. Like you he thought he had all the world wrapped around his fingers…till a close friend cut him open like a screaming chicken."

"You refer to Ceasar? That was 3,000 years ago, not now father. You should stop living in the past…it has no relevance."

Tenma frowned then turned to walk out. "I would not be so blind Mordred…you may yet find history has a nasty habit of repeating itself."

The Oval Office of the White House

President Jefferson addresses the Nation

My Fellow Americans,

"At this moment in time…Our nation and the world face a difficult choice. By now you are well aware of the ultimatum issued by the new Leader of Japan. One who was not elected by the Japanese people. One who took power by brutal force. One who's ideals and objectives have been clearly spelled out with brutal clarity…"

USS DOUGLAS MACARTHUR CVN-80

Sailors on the flight deck and hanger deck bring missiles from deep below in the massive ship's magazines and transfer them to F-18 Hornets.

The Oval Office of the White House

President Jefferson addresses the Nation

"Mordred has demanded nothing short of the total capitulation of this Government to his single control. Not just our government but the governments of the world. Negotiations will continue in the fervent hope that a compromise can be reached. But given the clear demonstration of Russia where the lives of 25 million human souls have been arbitrarily put up for forfeit by a single entity…the chances of a peaceful compromise could be slim."

Xau Shun Air Base, Manchuria

People's Republic of China

Pilots fill a ready room watching a briefing with dire intensity. One looks down at a picture of family, his old mother and father, young wife and son.

The Oval Office of the White House

President Jefferson addresses the Nation

"Our governments, and I speak of all humanity, all nations, are not perfect nor are we always right but we all share a common belief…that no one man, no one entity, no one authority on this planet should possess the right to rule over billions of living beings if he refuses to show compassion to even one. 25 million people…Russians, Chinese, Americans, Africans, Europeans, Japanese, any people…are not expendable under any reason."

SEAL Team 3

200 Yards from the Diet Building

Gracy Harper dismantles the last trap between the team and their objective and they advance forwards.

The Oval Office of the White House

President Jefferson addresses the Nation

"I implore the Japanese leader to examine his so called "logical path", to see the wrongness of his flawed "logic" and to step back from the process he has chosen to pursue. To come to the family of nations and sit at the table of peace, that we may find a way out of the path of madness he has chosen for the poor people of Japan and our planet."

Central Directorate for Electronic Warfare

HQ Chinese People's Army

Tsushong, China

A young programmer passes a zip stick to the director who then feeds it into his own computer and presses the enter button. Instantly all the satellites over the Far East go dark.

The Oval Office of the White House

President Jefferson addresses the Nation

"If it was Mordred's belief that mankind would so simply welcome him as their new overlord into a brighter peace? Perhaps he should have reconsidered his attack on the people of Russia. We have seen his kind before…figures in our history who up front made bright promises of a glorious future while hiding the cost of their intentions behind the shadow of murder. We will not be so easily fooled again. Consider this…a last heed for a moment of pause."

Doctor O'Shay's House

Doctor O'Shay takes a break from his work in the bathroom to check on Zoran. He gives her a gentle kiss then returns to sit on the toilet and pour more of his findings into his laptop.

The Oval Office of the White House

President Jefferson addresses the Nation

"My fellow citizens…I know not what the morrow will bring us…but our path is clear as it has been for over 200 years. I will, as Commander in Chief, bear the full responsibility for the safety of this nation as the people, not a single powerful entity with the power to murder at will, have given me. I ask for your prayers and those of the world. Good night."

USS Snark

The Captain grabbed a mic. "This is the Captain…set 1..S..Q…for Tactical Missile Launch on the order of National Command Authority. Spin up vertical launch tubes 1 through 10 and 11 through 20. Call to battle stations."

SEAL Team 3

Midnight

Joeseph Kieyooma slowly pushed the barrel of his assault rifle against the bottom of the sewer lid and tested it out. "not welded boss." He said to Marcinko as he grabbed a fiber optic cable from Chief Early and pushed it through the hole in the center of the plate.

Early watched the hand screen as Keeyooma moved the cable around the hole. "It's a sucker play. Open ground…obviously watched."

Marcinko turned to Grace Harper. "What do those schematics say?

"There's a service space under the basement where the steam heater and electrical buses for the building are located but I can't imagine they wouldn't know that."

Marcinko looked at his watch. "Keep looking for drainage plots near the building walls. Is there a way to reach the service space from here?"

Gracy nodded. "There's a pipe access port. Probably gated or blocked in some form Sir."

Tennessee raised a hand. "I'll check it out."

Marcinko hesitated for a moment. "Make it quick…don't go inside by yourself."

Tenessee made a few quick mental notes from Harper's notebook and slowly moved down the drain line, around a corner and 300 yards to the outlet hole where the access shaft was. "I found it. The outside's got a screen on it…I'm cutting it now."

"We're about 400 yards to your East now. Found a drain on the West side of the Diet building covered by shrubs."

Tennessee pulled the grate off and slowly made his way up the access and into the service room under the Diet. "So far it's clear in here."

He cautiously moved around the maze of pipes and electrical conduits till he found an iron ladder attached to the concrete foundation. "Are you guys coming up or what? I've found a floor panel."

It didn't take long for a hand to slap at Tennessee's feet. "We read your mind." Gracy Harper said as she passed an optical cable up. "Crack it and let's take a look."

The others in the team crowded around the hand screen as Tennessee worked the optical cable around out of the open panel and around the room above.

"Looks like a storage room." Early said as he poked the screen. " Paper and office supplies…we must be in the administrations wing."

Keeyooma looked at a printout. "Target's probably two floors above us."

Marcinko signaled Tennessee above. "Break in."

The robot was up and in, covering the others with both a taser gun and a disrupter rifle as they came up one after the other and watched as Tennessee crawled to the door and slipped the optical cable under the bottom edge.

"What's it look like?" He asked quietly.

"So far?...no cameras on the walls that I can identify." Gracy said as she panned the end of the cable around the floor. "Staircase….30 feet down the hall. We're in a dead end hallway….one guy just passed by the intersection hallway…"

Marchinko signaled Tennessee to crack the room door. Then pulled a silencer from a pouch as did the rest. They would leave the bulk of their gear in the room but the signal bugs they would scatter as they moved.

Tennessee was first out into the hallway, his hands scoping ahead of him with their weapons as the rest followed closely by. They moved in a "closet pack" a solid tight block of pointing weapons as they reached the staircase and bounded up the two flights. Marcinko signaled the placement of 3 bugs as they moved up. Coming around a bend at the top floor they ran into a guard coming through the access door and nailed him in the chest with a taser shot before he could turn about.

Keeyooma pulled a set of zip ties and hogtied the man, dragging him aside as Tennessee held the door open and slipped a mirror around the jam. He signaled back to Marcinko…"Two left down the hall….one right and walking towards the steps."

Things were about to get quick and violent. Gracy and Early stood on the left side of the door while Keeyooma and Marcinko took the right. In they went low and fast, the sounds of their weapons reduced to soft cracks as they hit home and dropped the guards.

The team went from room to room, throwing beacons or small plastic limpet mines that would detonate and cause havoc as the team escaped. "Gracy? Send a flash to the Snark…tell em we're in the coup looking for the Rooster."

Marcinko reached behind his back for his M-16 and slid an armor piercing grenade into the chamber of the grenade launcher under the rifle's barrel. Turning a corner in the hallway, three more guards were dropped.

"He could be in another part of the building." Early said as he took the lead and dropped another set of limpets and beacons into a conference room. The team kicked through a door on the far side of the conference room and came face to face with a sphere!

The exchanged fire at the same time, Tennessee dropping it with a shot while the return shot nailed Gracy and spun her like a top against the wall!

Around them the building's alarm system came to life with a defining shrill. "Widthdraw! Widthdraw! Marcinko screamed as Keeyooma and Early snatched Gracy off the floor and ran back through the conference room with Marcinko and Tennessee covering their backs.

"So much for a nice quiet evening at the movies boss!" Early snarled as he took the M-16 from Marcinko and chewed up the hallway ahead, forcing arriving guards to jump and fall for cover.

"Sphere!" Tennessee yelled as he leveled his rifle towards a sphere that had crashed through a far window and blasted it to pieces as it flew up.

Keeyooma kicked the staircase door open and threw gracie to the side as guards came running up from below. Early grabbed two hand grenades from his flack vest and chucked them onto the landing below where it blew guards through the air and back down the steps! "Boss! The stairs are blocked!"

"Guess again!" Marcinko snarled as he snatched the M-16 and fired a grenade down the gap between the flights. "Go! Tennesse?!"

"I know! Sit here and look cute!" He snarled as he tossed a grenade into the ceiling of the passageway outside the stairs and brought a section tile and timbers down on a gang of closing guards. "I don't get paid enough for this punishment!" He snapped as he followed the team down the stairs chucking grenades behind him.

They made it into the dead end hallway and ran for the storage room, Tennessee leaped and rolled out of the way as a sphere cut loose a barrage of cannon rounds through the doorway.

"Cover the door and let me worry about Grace." He said as he pushed Keeyooma to join Marcinko and Early. "How you holding up?" He asked her.

"I ordered a damn coffee two hours ago, what do you think I feel like clunker?"

"Love your bright cheerful mood." He said as he pulled bandages from his medical pouch and bound up her wounded arm. Suddenly an explosion near the door blew him into the wall and as he got back up Keeyooma snatched him by the arm.

"They're bringing up a heavyweight! Grab Gracy and let's get out of here!" He screamed as he ran for the destroyed doorway and pumped a rifle grenade down the hall and into the Samurai looking attacker bot at the other end.

"Where's the Commander?! Early!" Gracy snarled.

Keeyooma said nothing as he and Tennessee dragged Gracy to the floor panel and dropped her into the service room. "Go! I'll hold em back for a bit!"

"Don't get stupid!" Keeyooma snorted back. Tennessee picked up the M-16, cocked the grenade launcher and let the round fly at the Samurai bot as it showed itself at the burning room entrance.

"Shut up and go!" The robot snarled as he pushed Keeyooma off the ladder and heard him swearing down below. "Yeah…I love you too!" Tennessee snapped as he threw his last hand grenade into the room and dropped into the service room below.

Keeyooma and Gracy made it into the sewer but found themselves in a running battle with spheres and humans who had dropped down into the system and were cutting them off on all sides.

"Any ideas?" Keeyooma yelled as he slapped another magazine into his rifle. Gracy looked about and saw a pipe opening on the other side of the sewer. "That pipe! Probably goes to another level! Go!"

"Oh B.S.!" Keeyooma snapped. "You go!"

"Shut up and stop being a stubborn jack ass!" She snapped. "I'm out of ammo!"

"Tennessee?! Tennessee!" Keeyooma yelled in a last gasp before he and Gracy took off across the sewer in a hail of gunfire. He leaped in the air and flew into the pipe just as a huge explosion went off behind him and pushed him like a bullet down the pipe, through a screen and into the water below.

1:30am

Tennessee bounced and slid across the floor and came to rest at the feet of Mordred. He winced…not in pain of course but from the electrical shorts coursing through his beaten body. Mordred knelt down and snatched him by his faux hair…

"How foolish…why some robots chose to get involved with illogical beings doing illogical acts?...it amuses me."

Tennessee smirked. "Yeah…I'm tickled pink believe me."

Mordred snatched Tennessee off the floor by his neck. "So tell me…what was your purpose here? I suppose it was to destroy me? Rather useless. I would prefer not to destroy you."

"I'm Tennessee….combat medibot…U.S. Navy…and you're a dumb ass."

Mordred shook his head. "Your comrades are dead. It's pointless to continue to resist me my friend. You're a robot? Wasn't this a needless waste of human life?"

"Isn't threatening humans who haven't done a single thing to deserve death…a waste? You are a monster…not a robot."

Mordred reached down and pulled a leg off Tennessee, throwing it over his shoulder. "What was the purpose of your attack? If you won't tell me? I'll strip it from your memory."

"I'm Tennessee….combat medibot…U.S. Navy…and you're a dumb ass!"

Mordred snarled back. "Very well…if torture is what you desire? Torture you will get."

Suddenly…Tennessee leaped into the air, flipped over Mordred's back and slipped a limpet mine and a tracker beacon behind the gaps in his shoulder armor! He landed and was torn apart by a Samurai bot as the limpet erupted in a white shower of flame and sparks.

"Leader!" His guards shouted and screamed as they ran to the robot as it sat on its hands and knees shaking its head.

"I am fine." Mordred said as he slowly stood up and shook his head at the remains of Tennessee scattered about the floor…

"Did I tell you to destroy him?" Mordred said as he popped his arm cannon up and blew off the Samurai bots head. "Tell the chief of security I wish to see him?"

3am

Omuguri's house

"Wire?.....circuit board?....all I need is a spoon, a fish and a rubber band and I can McGyver a nuke." Reno said to himself as he looked at his little creation on the work bench in the garage. The problem of course…not knowing. Sure he might get into the diet building today, sure he might get lucky enough to get close but he knew nothing about Mordred at all. He could point his box and end up looking like a fool or it might turn the robot's brain to mush? But it wouldn't do anything if he decided to run.

He pulled out his small communicator for a moment and tested the frequency. He could call Gidion, he might even reach Doctor O'Shay…then again he just might bring a rash of heat down on his back. Better to stay quiet, at least for now.

4am

Upper span number 4

Great Five Gorges Dam

Han Province, China

Shun Tau walked into the main control room and dropped his lunch pail on his desk. "Good morning Night Supervisor Sing." He said with a head bow as he pulled a clipboard off a nearby notice board.

"Good Morning Supervisor Tau. Nothing abnormal to report. Water level is ten feet below maximum. All pumps are working well."

"Thank you." Tau replied. "Did you receive the advisory from the Director of Defense?"

"Two hours ago Supervisor Tau. We will shift over to grounded battery and generator power at 8am as ordered. I have also advised that we lower the upper water level 150 feet and maintain gate and spillway openage at one-quarter…just to be safe."

Tau nodded. "Good. May I suggest though…since we seem to have enough time…that you move your family while you can? A bit of friendly advice."

"Thank you for your concern." Sing replied as he said good day and walked out.

4am

Diet Building

Tokyo

Rock recovered from the vicious slapping around he received and almost crashed into a chair as Mordred stood with his arms crossed. "You promised me you conducted a complete inspection of the building? Not a very good way to show one's loyalty Rock."

"I had incomplete blueprints." Rock replied as he sat wiping a trickle of blood from his nose. "It won't happen again."

"Make sure of that." Mordred snorted. "Have you heard anything from Atlas?"

"No…then again he's not one to talk to anyone unless he wants too. Last time I heard from him was yesterday. Said he was prowling the Ministry of Science."

Mordred scowled. "Get in touch with him and make sure he understands that I do not appreciate anyone with a tendency to "ignore" me? I want results from him by tomorrow morning or his head or your head will be brought to me…am I understood?"

"Perfectly." Rock replied.

4am

Doctor O'Shay's House

The Doctor rolled over and drapped an arm across something solid then woke up as he was rolled off his bed and flat on his face on the floor!

"Rise and shine Weeble!" Atlas snarled as he sat on O'Shay's back and pulled on an arm. "My my….so careless are we not? A lead lined bathroom? But you left your laptop on the sink counter!"

"ZORAN! ZORAN GET OUT!" Doctor O'Shay screamed.

"Too late old fleshy…she's kinda tied up." Atlas snarled as he pulled O'Shay to his feet. "Where's that punk Reno?"

"I have no idea!" O'Shay snapped back.

"Sorry for you huh?" Atlas snickered. "Might have saved you a little pain. The Leader will be happy to see you…especially the stuff you have on that lap top."

Atlas pushed O'Shay out into the hallway then threw Zoran into him. "Start walking! Or do I have to persuade you?"

"YOU CREEP!" Zoran snapped. "YOU'RE A BIG JERK!"

"Yeah….I get a lot of that now-a-days." Atlas said as he pushed Zoran and O'Shay into the hands of some goons. "You know what to do with these traitors."

Morning

Old Imperial Bunker

Mount Isasu

Verney shook Jinzo awake. "Dude! Dude I got somebody messaging back!"

Jinzo threw his blanket and followed Verney to his laptop. "About 15 minutes ago. It was Takiuma-San."

"About time." Jinzo said as he went and kicked Watanabe awake. "What did he say? Where is he?"

"Right now…New Shinjuku Motsuja Electronics Repair Shop. You know Rhikoni?"

Jinzo nodded. "You told him we have a sphere?"

"Yeah. Problem is he's surrounded by a ton of heat. Looks like the goon convention's gotten a little thicker in Tokyo."

Watanabe frowned. "Great. Not like we can do anything right now."

The other two looked back at him and he started shaking his head. "Oh hell no! Don't even "think" that we're going to walk through Shinjuku carrying that thing in a duffle bag are you nuts?"

Jinzo smiled. "Certified. Takiuma's our best hope right now. Tell him we'll find a way to meet him there."

New Shinjuku

Motsuja Electronics Repair

Morning

Rhikoni walked in as Takiuma was crashed out on the floor. "Hey…have you been asleep long?"

"I just zonked." He said as he sat up and looked at the lap top. "I found Verney, Keto and Kosa. They have a sphere."

"How close are they?" She asked as Takiuma slowly stood up.

"30 Miles away. They said they'll come this way, which I told them was a rather crazy idea."

Rhikoni sat for a moment on the tutami floor. "Are you alright? I was thinking about your brother? Your family?..."

"My wife knows what to do, trust me. As for my brother? If I just sit here and do nothing I'll never hear the end of it. He'll curse me across the River Styx. All I need is a quick 30 minute zinger and I'll be ready to go again."

Lower levels

Tokyo Sewer System

Morning

Keeyooma pulled the magazine from the M-16 and checked the contents of the only bag he was able to take with him during the escape. "Four rifle mags….four pistol mags…a package of C-4….one detonator….no radio."

"Situation?....simple…" He said as he threw the empty magazine away and slapped a new one into the rifle. Keeyooma pulled a small mag light from his vest and waved it around the space he was in. "Try to reach the shore line? Try to find some help? Try to find…" He stopped to look back in the bag. "For now…just try to get the hell out of here."

Putting the rifle up and aiming his way ahead, Keeyooma left the small anti-room and started hunting around for a way out.

Japanese Self Defense Forces

Radar station controlled by Mordred's forces

Misawa Air Force Base

The three large radar screens were under the eyes of three robots who were calling out and relaying information to their supervisor who sat at a desk elevated above them. Behind him stood three soldiers who scribbled updates on a large glass status board.

At the moment, the human supervisor was looking over the various news outlets on the internet. It wasn't a leisure moment, His job was to carefully dig through web and blog sites for information. He already knew about the American ships that had left Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, their destination was no big secret since the USS MacArthur was stationed out of Pearl. The question was…if they were coming, when would they attack?"

Suddenly….his computer went black…solid black. Then the robots reported that their radar screens had crashed. Then the lights went out."

He quickly snatched his phone and found that it wasn't working! He grabbed the radio off his belt and found that it still worked. "This is radar command! Our radars are out, our power's out what's going on?"

The answer came back. "Everything is out Sir! Lights! Computers! Electricity!"

The Diet Building

Morning

Stroke of luck. Reno was almost ready to piss his drawers as he approached the main checkpoint in the building then chaos gracefully intervened. People and goons were running all over the place! The electricity in the building was out!

"What the? The electricity goes out and these people go bonkers!" Reno said as he stood dumbfounded.

Omuguri suddenly snatched him by an arm. "It's not only here! We have to get to a shelter or start running!"

The Korean Straits

8am

The quiet dawn over the sea was suddenly broken by the ocean water being churned by the shrieking howling of low flying fighter bombers. A wave of 80 attack aircraft were streaming out of Manchuria. Part one of a two pronged assault, a diversion, a sacrificial fake that would hopefully draw away much of Mordred's protective spheres.

USS EISENGUARD CG-78

Vanguard ship entering missile range

8am

The alarm claxon was screaming as the crew ran to their stations, dawned their battle helmets and flak jackets and brought the warship to life. In the Combat Information Center, the heart of the ship's combat control, the Executive Officer called up a complex computer map of Japan and zoomed in on downtown Tokyo. The SEAL's had done their job and put the target beacons where they counted the most. One was actually moving about the Diet building?

"Hey skipper?" The XO called to the captain. "One of the target markers is moving."

The Captain answered back. "Keep an eye on it, get a fix lock and let me know when it's a hard case."

USS MACARTHUR CVN-80

8am

The launch officer dropped to the deck and the first F-18 Hornet thundered off the bow, followed by the one to its left and two more off the other two catapults farther back on the flight deck. The admiral took a note handed to him by an orderly and grabbed a phone receiver off the wall near his chair.

"The Chinese will open up the satellites in ten minutes. We'll have five minutes of open air to program the cruise missiles with target data."

One block from the Diet Building

8:30am

Reno used the panic and confusion of the moment to ditch Omuguri and work his way back towards the compound. Ducking into a doorway, he snatched a punk wearing one of those armbands and cold cocked him in the jaw, the steel plate in his costume glove knocked a front tooth out like a bullet before the jerk crashed in a heap against a wall.

"Thanks." Reno snorted as he tied the band to his forearm and joined a couple of goons as they crossed the street and into the compound.

"What's going on?" Reno asked as he stopped and turned on the invention he built the night before.

"Looks like an attack is coming." A robot replied as he pointed to an anti-aircraft gun across the front lawn of the Diet building. "Do something useful and help the crew of that weapon!"

Reno smiled as he ran. "Oh man…someone in the casino of luck really likes me today!"

Highway 12

Between Isasu and New Shinjuku

8:40pm

Verney stopped the car suddenly on the side of the road as several objects flew low over the road in front. "What's going on?! Watanabe snapped as he was rudely awakened after hitting the seats in front of him. "What?! Are you trying to get us killed?!"

Verney pointed. "Spheres! I'd say a hundred, maybe more! They just came over the top of us."

Kosa poked his head out of the passenger side window and snorted. "They're in a hurry…looks like the attack's coming faster than we thought."

Verney looked at the other two. "Want me to turn around or keep going?"

Watanabe gave him a punch in the shoulder. "Just keep going. What happens, happens! They don't seem to care about us anyway."

Elementary School 12

8:30am

Kenichi led the rest of the class down to the ground floor of the school, obviously his plans for further driving the so called faculty even crazier were on hold for now.

Tamao whispered in an ear. "Something big's about to happen huh?"

"Looks like it." Ken replied. "Can I be honest and say my knees are shaking?"

"I think we're all shaking right now." Tamao said as he looked back at Abercrombie and snickered. "And some of us are a little wet."

"SHUT UP YOU LITTLE DORK!" Abercrombie snapped as he bopped Tamao off the head. "Ken? If something big's really coming? Should we even stay here in the school or try and book it for home?"

Ken shook his head. "Right now this is about as safe as we get. Try to keep the other kids from freaking out will you?"

USS EISENGUARD CG-78

Vanguard ship now in range

8:50am

"Satellites now clear! Transferring GPS targeting data to the missiles!"

The Captain turned to the weapons officer and snapped his fingers. "Launch first salvo!"

On the main deck of the cruiser, the alarm claxons rang around the fore and aft Vertical Missile Launcher pads then was overtaken by the screaming roar as the first cruise missile leaped from its box and went airborne with a white smoke trail churning behind it. Then came another, and another, and another then five more in rapid succession from the rear launcher!

The Captain grabbed his binoculars and watched as the destroyer on his ship's right started launching its own missiles! The Eisenguard swiftly turned about in the water, the ship leaning heavily on its side as it swung the bow back towards the MacArthur as the other escort ships followed once they had finished their launch.

USS MACARTHUR CVN-80

9am

"Admiral? All ships have finished launch, they are moving into defensive positions." A Sailor wearing a pair of radio headphones said as the Admiral watched the missiles as they sailed out of his sight. "Very well…"

The Captain of the MacArthur entered the Admiral's bridge. "Tallon Heavy reports the Air Wing has separated into two groups. Group one at 500 feet…Group two holding ambush at 32,000 feet. So far the Lorali (Lore-a-lie) radar plane has no response from Tokyo."

"That will change in about 30 minutes." The Admiral replied.

Japan's Northern Coast

9am

Fujio Mashoda began his day the same as he always did despite the events around him. No one was going to change a fisherman's ways so abruptly without complaint but his day went from normal to frantic the second a cloud of spheres roared over his head and crashed head on with the low flying wave of Chinese fighters as they appeared low over the horizon.

The battle took on an evolving tapestry of arcing smoke trails, bursting explosions and flame shrouded planes and debris raining into the ocean. Mashoda ran and dove over a sand dune on the beach just barely missing an out of control Chinese fighter jet that plowed into his boat.

Diet Building

9am

Mordred was being followed by two aids, an Air Force and Army General who were receiving reports by radio of the assault to the North…

"Attacking Chinese planes over Aizawa!"

"A second wave inbound near Mochizuki!"

Mordred seemed to smile with an evil delight. "The fools have chosen…very well…"

Without another word he broke from his aides, ran for the front doors of the building and leaped into the air.

Tokyo Bay

9:05am

The first wave of American cruise missiles soared under the span of the massive Yokohama Bay Bridge and locked onto the rapidly changing GPS signal coming from their flying target as it streaked out into the bay and closed rapidly on their course.

Reno watched from the anti-aircraft gun he'd been assigned to as spheres leaped from across Tokyo, some ringing the Diet compound, others in screaming flight to join their master.

Lorali Radar Plane

35,000 feet over Tokyo Bay

9:10am

"This is Lorali…the target is moving away from Tokyo. There are detonations above the bay. First wave of cruise missiles colliding with the target!"

Tallon Lead

500 feet and closing on Tokyo Bay

9:12am

The lead F-18's pilot hooked his mask to his helmet. "Alright boys! Follow me in! I have target lock! Fox One!"

Elementary School 12

9:14am

Shinjo screamed as he looked through his binoculars with kids crowded around him. The sky above came alive with streaks of flame and smoke trails as the planes above cut loose with anti-aircraft missiles…hundreds perhaps thousands of them all at once!

New Shinjuku

Motsuja Electronics Repair

9:18am

Takiuma ran to the roof and watched as a flaming F-18 roared past him and slammed into the building across the street! The sky above was a massive chaotic melee of spheres, jets and something….blue?"

Detention center 8

1964 summer Olympic Stadium Tokyo

9:19am

The time was now. In the midst of the chaos overhead, Inspector Towashi laid into a foolish punk who fell for his faked diabetic attack, clubbing him senseless and ripping the arm band and slung shotgun off his body.

"Sergeant? Would you like to get the hell out of here?" He said as he threw the shotgun to Deutadi.

"Never thought you'd ask Sir!" Deutadi replied as the makeshift cells around them vibrated from some close by explosion.

Ironclaw 606

Tallon Ambush Lead

20,000 feet and diving

9:20am

"Tallon ambush! The target has evaded first wave attack! Going in!"

Mordred

"Such arrogant fools!" Mordred snarled as he snatched an F-18 by the tail and threw it into another plane. He saw the coming fighters above his head and grinned with evil relishness, almost joyous delight.

USS MACARTHUR CVN-80

9:22am

A sailor in headphones turned to the Admiral with a look of shock in his face. "CIC reports heavy losses on the attacking force Sir! The target's not even scratched!"

The Admiral grabbed his phone. "Order all screening ships…launch second mass wave of cruise missiles now!"

Troll Hammer 304

Armed with nuclear sparrow

15,000 feet and closing.

9:30am

The pilot listened for the aural tone in his headset then paused for only a brief hope that some of the pilots ahead would clear out before his missile struck the target. He mashed the red button on his stick and rolled away as the sparrow missile cleared his wing and covered the space between him and the target in seconds…

Elementary School 12

9:31am

Shinji was lucky not to be looking through his binoculars the moment the Sparrow's nuclear warhead lit off over Tokyo Bay. No one saw the robot as it tumbled like a bullet. Smashed through the concrete roadway of the Yokohama Bay Bridge and plowed through the water and into the muddy bottom of the bay.

Nor did they catch it as it rocketed back up and turned the offending F-18 into a cloud of confetti.

Upper span number 4

Great Five Gorges Dam

Han Province, China

9:40am

The alarms were screaming all over the complex as Supervisor Shun Tau ran into the main control room and screamed to a man barking orders into a phone. "What is it?! What's happening?!"

Both he and the man looked up at the same time out the large window that overlooked the upper span to see hundreds of spheres bearing down on them….

The control room exploded from streams of cannon fire.

USS MACARTHUR CVN-80

9:45 am

The Captain burst into the Admiral's bridge. "Admiral! We just lost the Lorali! The target…..the target's on it's way."

This time the Admiral didn't need to bark an order, he watched as the Kirkland, then the Hur, then the Presley unleashed a stream of anti-aircraft missiles from their launchers.

"Sound General Quarters! All hands to battle stations!"

USS Snark

9:45am

The Captain jerked back from his periscope and barked an order to the helmsman. "Come about 1..8…0… Speed flank…..make our depth 5,000 feet!"

The Executive Officer was shocked. "Skipper? What's happening? Did we attack? Where are we going?"

Gidion was just as confused given the sound of explosions above. Why were they running away?

USS HUR DDG-234

9:50am

The two six barreled Vulcan gattling guns were glowing red hot as their armor piercing shells tore through the sky blowing spheres apart and trying to nail the blur of blue that was arcing and turning with dizzying speed! It splashed into the water near the stern and tore through the engine room below causing a belch of flame and smoke to sail up through the ship's exhaust stack!

USS WAYNE DDG-237

9:55pm

The forward 75mm cannon spewed spent brass cases out its back hatch as it slammed the incoming robot with armor piercing shells and close exploding anti-aircraft shells. The bot dove into the water and rolled the destroyer over and over like a spinning dryer till he left it a half sunk derelict.

USS MACARTHUR CVN-80

10am

The carrier's gattling guns and anti-aircraft missile mounts were throwing a rain of smoke and steel into the air as the robot screamed skyward one second then came screaming back down to a crash in the middle of the ship!

It crashed by shocked crews in the upper decks. It broke an F-18 in two as it slammed through the hanger deck. It tore by a damage control crew at their station in the aft crew's mess deck…

It came to a stop before a stunned pair of Sailors trying to rush anti-aircraft missiles from the ship's huge center magazine.

USS KIRKLAND CG-82

10:02 am

The Captain of the Kirkland was trying to raise the MacArthur when the carrier went up like a volcano. The eruption started in her center just below the Island and spread fore and aft in catastrophic detonation. The Kirkland was tossed about and buckled by the shockwave of 20,000 tons of bombs, rockets, missiles, bullets and fuel blasting off in a single hellish volume of flame.

The Captain, as was the rest of the ship's crew, were stunned for the moment in horrific silence before their ship shuddered from a collision below. The robot had torn off the screws and the rudder.

The Captain turned to a Sailor with a blank stunned look on his face. "Contact Pacific Fleet Headquarters….tell them…..tell them the MacArthur has blown up."

People's Republic of China

10:05am

EMP weapons detonated over Peking, Beijing, Nanking, Macaw, Hong Kong, Shunswan Province and the five upper and power levels of the Great Gorges Dam. Spheres struck the power supply plants, the pump houses, the flute gates, the flow control systems. They destroyed China's major air bases, its ballistic missile silos and caught the General Secretary and his cabinet fleeing the forbidden city in an armored convoy.

Hawaii and The West Coast

10:15am

Spheres and EMP weapons struck Guam, Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, Maui, Hawaii Island. San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles Portland and Seattle. They crippled the Pacific Fleet, sank American ballistic missile submarines on patrol and wrecked havoc on American military bases.

The Diet Building

10:30am

Supporters were running through the streets, flocking onto the lawn of the Diet Building and cheering with maddened joy as Mordred landed among them and soaked up their praise at his glorious victory!

Not everyone was so joyous. Reno had taken good advantage of the chaos of the attack to club the two goons manning the twin anti-aircraft cannon not a hundred yards from the front door of the Diet building. Even as he feigned cheering and jumped up and down atop the mechanical turn mount, Reno was slowly turning the weapon and bringing it's barrels to bear on the front doors of the Diet.

Mordred walked clear of his supporters and stood with his hands raised. "The belligerent fools of America and China have been given a display of our power! If it is their foolish intent to continue to challenge our future my friends?! We will complete their desire to see the gates of hell!"

The crowd thundered in applause and Reno smirked with welcome relief. There were no spheres in sight to save the scumbag this time. He waited till Mordred turned around and pulled the trigger…

The impact of the 25mm rounds exploded the front façade and doorway with explosions of shrapnel, concrete, glass and flame! Mordred was launched into the building by the impact of the rapid fire cannon rounds as Reno had locked the trigger closed and was running for his life!

He jumped a goon as he was trying to get on a motorcycle and knocked him flat! Before the cops blocking the front gate of the building could react, Reno flew past them and blew down the main street shedding the offending costume helmet off his head!

He slid the bike to a stop near a small Ginza and ran into the thin walkways hoping to blend into the crowds as they started to emerge from their hiding places since the battle above their heads had long past.

He turned a corner and felt a fist suddenly crash into his stomach, causing him to loose his balance and crash into a pile of boxes. He felt himself jerked off his feet and slammed into a wall to look back on a blonde kid snarling in his face.

Atlas roughly wiped the costume make-up from Reno's face and smiled evilly as he gave Reno a rude smack in the face. "Well….well….if it isn't my best friend Reno! Thought you got away huh?"

Atlas picked up Reno and threw him like a rag doll into another pile of boxes. "Little piece of crap!" Atlas snatched Reno up by his hair and slammed him back into a wall. "I hope you have a will Reno…but I'm sure they'll let you write something nice before I get to rip your treasonous little heart out of your chest."

Atlas wrapped Reno's shirt in his fist and pulled him screaming down the street.

Morning

Atlas tossed Reno into Doctor O'Shay and Zoran who stood along with others who had been gathered up and were now crowded against a wall in the old Olympic stadium.

"Reno? Are you alright?" Zoran asked as she helped him to his feet.

"Sorry Doc…I kinda let you down." Reno said as he gave Atlas a hate filled look.

Rock leaned against the blonde haired boy bot and smiled. "Well now…all nice and snug aren't we? How about this? You all have a chance to save yourselves but only if you'll get on your knees and beg our great leader for his forgiveness."

Reno looked around at the people standing with him and almost giggled in reply. "You really are a pathetic jerk aren't you?"

Atlas snarled as he walked up and grabbed Reno by the collar. "You really want to die, don't you stupid? Face it…you humans finally lost out to a superior being better than you. Show some smarts for once and embrace our new world."

Reno hawked up a thick glob of spit and gave Atlas a good splash in his face. "How about you stop flapping your gums jerk and just get it over with!"

Atlas wiped the mess from his face and frowned back. "Fine…the world will be better off without all you useless piles of pig fat!" he turned to Rock and snarled. "Waste em! They want to die, don't wait another minute!"

Rock nodded and turned to the Samurai bots behind him as they brought their weapons to bear on the huddled group.

"READY!........AIM!........."

Reno heard the hammers fall home.

The end

Coming soon, the final chapter

Back Lash

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