Chapter 1: May 2, 2024
No one likes red-eyes. Especially after coming home from another deniable op in some other hell-hole-shit-stain of a country only to be shipped off again with another assignment in hand. This was not how the Major liked to operate, getting the standard leave first was more his cup of tea before galavanting off again to another of the worlds problems.
Why was "HE" of all people chosen for this assignment kept echoing in his mind, a ground pounder through and though not some spook. He didn't do soft missions, he went behind enemy lines to remove the high valued targets that are considered a threat to King and Country, with the occasional civvie rescue op that cropped up every once in a while. Those he always enjoyed in the end because he actual got to see the faces of people he was helping.
The man sighed as his taxi drove him to his intended destination, before exhibiting a yawn while going over intel forwarded to his notebook. Having just past thirty-four hour mark for hours without rest. Sleep deprivation was only now starting to get to him as reviewed MI6 and Langley's findings. The reason he didn't sleep on the flight here was rather simple or noble if you were feeling dramatic. The commando was stuck in coach with a single mother and her six month old baby, and as luck would have it for Ms. Wasser she was sitting next to a bona fide gentlemen.
What makes him a bona fide gentlemen you may ask? Well…unlike most men born to this era who are spineless winners that snivel in their incompetence while slinking away from their responsibilities as men. The young Major's going on 28 this coming fall actual helped the young mother look after little Albert all nonstop from London to Tokyo.
Bet you never thought you would see the day when tier one operative who is trained to kill with his bare hands properly handle a baby with zero difficulties. Doing everything form changing "widdle" Albert's diaper to burping and feeding the wee lad while his tuckered out mum got some well deserved beauty rest. Not that she needed it mind you, Ms. Wasser was quite the looker even when she was fatigued in the Scotsman's mind.
The flight ended with the tired soldier receiving a kiss on the cheek from the young mother for his services, and a phone number in his pocket for uh…well what do you think? Kind of obvious right? What he failed to notice or perhaps wisely ignore was the number of "favorable" glances he was receiving from both single and married women in the cabin.
It is a rare thing to find a man who actual acted like a man in todays world thanks to the development of the Infinite Stratos. It was rather odd reaction to the technology, in less than a decade men became more recessive while women became more domineering. He even saw it in his little sister at times. Though it seems she new better than to talk down to her older brother which was a good sign at least.
88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 88888888888888888888
Ever since she was little she got what she wanted to a point she was practically spoiled rotten. Cecilia was basically your typical aristocrat. It was only when she was around HIM or his mother that she would act like a proper lady and not like the royal pain in the arse his worthless father was known to be.
Gazing out he could see the hanging tramway leading to island academy parked a few miles off the mainland of Japan. He smirked to himself, he would've been lying if he had said he that didn't miss her. It had only been a month and he was worried sick. Sure she called every other day and he had his work to keep him occupied but it wasn't enough. Ever since that damn Ceph attack on Manhattan he had become more wound up tight with worry than constipated mule.
Then a foreign nervousness impacted his stomach SHE was going to be there as well. He had not seen or heard from her in almost five years. An all this time he still couldn't figure out what he did wrong as far as he knew he was a perfect gent. Was there a Japanese tradition he violated? Or a taboo he was unaware of? To say the questions had been eating away at him was an understatement. It was pure TORTURE! One thing was for certain he was going to get answer from the STUBBORN WOMAN one way or an OTHER! "Hope your ready for a surprise you two."
88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 88888888888888888888
Cecilia Alcott the one an only IS Representative Cadet for Britain of Class One sneezed in her regally embroider pink silk hanky in near synchronization with her homeroom teacher Professor Orimura who was directing the class out on the practice field. 'Strange I don't feel a cold coming along, or maybe someone is talking about me,' Cecilia thought to herself. 'Hope he's handsome'
This week had been a rather odd one to say the least for the blond Brit as she mentally reviewed the events that had lead to today. First there was the transfer student from France and yesterday another from Germany. Charles Dunois seemed like a well mannered young man plus her BFF Shizune Takatsuki had taken a liking to him which was a plus for the Frenchy in her book. The problem was that damn German Laura Bodewig!
Normally Cecilia wouldn't let the small affairs of the commoners not bother her so much, but this was no normal affair. 'HOW DARE she slap my precious Ichika-san! Well I! Cecilia Alcott! Will not to stand for this! No sir!' Revenge is a dish best served cold and what Bodewig does not know is her precious big brother taught her every trick in the book and some outside it for laying a trap. She just need to pick a prank, one that was not too severe but the perfect degree of humiliation as well.
'Maybe the horrid glue and feather pit or the classic bucket full of paint trap door?' she conspired to herself. The list of mischievous acts were growing as Cecilia couldn't help but smile as the devilish thoughts just seemed to pile on. Her thoughts soon wandered to her "saintly" sibling the very person she looked up to. A MAN who had a bit of a devil's streak when tempted and Cecilia was proud to keep that mischievous tradition alive and well.
A sudden incessant taping had shaken Cecilia from her malignant plotting to curiously observing her left. It was her friend Shizune, her prussian blue eyes had a look of shear terror as she directed the little Brit to their less than pleased Professor Orimura staring her down with a vein on her forehead clearly popping as she was readying to break her clipboard of the day on the young maiden's noggin.
"Thank you for finally joining us Ms. Alcott now would you please be so kind as to answer this simple question for the class."
"Umm…could you repeat the ques-" Cecilia paled as she saw her homeroom teacher raise her trusted new Mjölnir with the rest of Class One.
"BAKA!" The blond squeaked in fear as she shielded her head from the coming blow. The few seconds that went by without no pain cause Cecilia to, 'huh?' but remain still for fear of smiting.
"Oi Chifuyu…. If we're going to be working together again I'd appreciate it if you reframed from bludgeoning the students. Especially this one, okay?" a stronger than average male voice teased the Amazonian teacher in English while Cecilia's heart skipped a beat. 'It couldn't be?'
Tears were already forming in her eyes as she looked up to see her sensei's newest board mere inches from her face. She watched Ms. Orimura's hand shake a little as if trying resist whatever was staying the blow before relaxing enough to allow the color return to her hand. Following the hand she found larger-stronger looking one that was calloused and weather holding the arm of her fair skin teacher gently in place. Then she saw it. The unforgettable scar partially hidden by the sleeve of his army fatigues.
'How could anyone fail to recall such a day?' she thought. Little Cecilia had wandered too far off from camp despite her brother's warnings. It was on that fated day a ravenous she-wolf crossed her path while she was weaving wild flowers into a tiara for herself. Like a knight in shining armor he had come to her rescue at the last moment shielding her from death.
Here he was again, that timeless scar it was all the proof she needed. "Big Brother?" she spoke in their native tongue while peeking around the clipboard of death to get a glimpse of her savior.
"Hey Goldilocks did ya miss meh?" her eyes widened in disbelief as she spotted the dirty blond hair that was more brown and keen grey eyes. IT WAS HIM! Cecilia could recognize those grey eyes anywhere they were always so soft, unimaginably soft when they rested on someone he held precious. Those he did not never receive the same warm welcome. Instead they would switch to an icy cold metallic setting that was chilling in nature inspiring fear in the bravest of souls. The young Alcott had been present for a few of those instances and when it came to being terrifying her Brother had Professor Orimura beat and then some. She mentally frowned as she noted the shadows under his eyes and five o'clock shadow before she tackled him regardless.
"Charles!" she cried in joy as he caught her while keeping his footing. His eyes never left the little blond who buried her face so deep into his chest to cry up a joyous storm. Charles merely smiled as he gently patted her head while simultaneously rubbing her back her head to calm the waterworks.
"C-Charles…." Chifuyu almost whispered as she stared at the Scotsman before her and the rest of her class. Her heart was a whirlwind of emotions she had thought to be long since buried. The most prominent one was hate, hate for the man in front of her. 'Do you really hate him or yourself for running away?' a voice in the back of her head berated her for ever considering passing the buck on HIM of all people.
"Long time no see Chifuyu," the foreign soldier looked up to the ebony haired Valkyrie with rosy claret eyes. If it wasn't for his seasoned poker face he would be sweating bullets right now. Lucky for him they literally beat that out of him in during his RTI (resistance to interrogation) training, 'an yet why do I feel like I'd rather endure that hell all over again than this?' He put on the sincerest smile he could manage despite his racing heart.
"Yeah…." 'Damn,' the eldest Orimura mentally cursed she was sure she was blushing right now as she attempted to stared down Major. She had forgotten how handsome he was in his own ruggedly animalistic kind of way. This was going to be more difficult than she first thought, 'ya think genius?' She chastised herself, 'you should have been honest with him then instead of retreating to your next assignment, now it might be too late.'
'Who the hell ist das (is that)?' Laura Bodewig thought to herself as she resisted the urge to draw her combat knife. HER Instructor had already confiscated the first one she pulled on that imbecile of a brother of hers along with the few dozen others she had hidden on her person. Now she was down to three and she wasn't going to spend them carelessly. She was a Supersoldat (Supersoldier) after all not some mindless grunt. But neither was her new opponent for accomplishing her vendetta. Laura was on edge, she neither sensed or noticed his approach. AT ALL! It was almost like he deliberately stayed in her blindside…no she was SURE of it he was aware of her presence at the academy.
The young Captain tried to calm herself, but her heart sank when she spotted the patch on his shoulder and the emblem resting on the tan beret. She never anticipated things becoming this complicated. The emblem was simple but striking like most special operations groups symbols. It was the unmistakable winged dagger (technically it's Excalibur on fire but most people don't recognize it as such) with the famous line, "Who Dares, Wins."
'Scheiße (Shit)! SAS this just became complicated,' she did not even need to guess why he was here. This Major was clearly here to protect Ichika. Ever since his discovery he had been labeled as a person of extreme interest by the leading nations of the world. The younger Orimura could very well be the key to unlocking the genetic gender secret behind Infinite Stratos. The need was only heightened with the Ceph's recent assault on New York.
In the instance of crossed gazes Charles gave Laura a brief knowing look that said only one thing to her, 'I know who you are Laura.' Oddly there was no predictable look of disgust from the Major only a glimmer of pity and disappointment. That only served to infuriated the young Captain's even more to no end. To be pitied was a wound to her pride as soldier. It wasn't clearly documented but her Schwarzer Hasen (Black Hares) were look down upon by the Spec-Ops community, as an abominable joke. The prestigious SAS were just more vocal about it than most. Refusing to work with the genetically altered supersoldiers during joint operations only stung more when they agreed to operate with the KSK (Kommando Spezialkräfte) instead.
"Uh Chifuyu-nee wh-" Ichika lasted not even a millisecond before his sister's clipboard "kissed" his forehead killing a few million brain cells in the process.
"Is that really necessary Chifuyu?" Charles wore a look of concern for the young man on the ground who was according to his file already struggling to keep his grades up as it is.
"You got a problem with the way I teach Whytelaw?" she practically growled.
"It's just not the Chifuyu I know and remember," he responded nonchalantly looking off into the distance for a moment.
"Oh and what might you remember?" her hands where on hips daring him to continue. He secretly loved it when she was angry, 'Christ that woman is sexy when she's mad.'
"Well for starters you smiled more and you had better reflexes," he didn't hesitate as he gesture to a confused Cecilia to give them a little space.
"Brave words for a MAN," Orimura wore a sinister smirk, Laura was beginning to enjoy this while all of Class One were hanging on their words. "Do you still have a death wish Whytelaw?"
"Well call me crazy Meh-Little-Chi," he used her pet name. A very dangerous weapon when used correctly.
"…." Chifuyu was dumbstruck while her heart flew beyond her reach as she tried to regain her composure and rein it in back into her chest. OH how she hated that devilish smirk he was wearing and yet…. "Did you bring it?"
"You mean this old thing?" He said while drawing a Claymore a little over four feet long from his rucksack now resting at his feet a few students gasped at the frightening weapon, "You wouldn't believe the hassle I went through just getting this through customs. I swear there is more paperwork with every passing year."
The blade was a fearsome weapon completely composed of tempered steel the only part not made of metal was the black leather grip (think Glamdring from Lord of the Rings). Chifuyu recognized the sword forged by Charles's grandfather immediately. Apparently his Grandad was a rather well respected black back in his day. Good old Grandad named the blade after his spitfire of a wife Sophia for kicks. (Good thing she never caught on to that little tidbit of information or Charles wouldn't be here right now.)
"Sophia," Cecilia mumbled in shock at the sight of the broadsword. She had witnessed Charles shattering rapiers and humiliating almost every noble that was skilled with a blade on her mother's side of the family with that brutal weapon. Now the tip of the blade rested in the dirt while the pommel supported the weight of her brother's hand ready for more.
"Ichika!" Professor Orimura barked to her younger brother she was holding out a key while staring the highlandman down with a confident smirk on her face.
"Yes nee-san?" She ignored the thoughtless remark.
"Go to my room and retrieve Juttetsu."
"Wha-!?"
"You have five minutes," she deadpan. Ichika didn't need to be told twice as he sprinted off at full tilt knowing full well the consequences for being late.
88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 88888888888888888888
Just a little over five minutes later Ichika nearly collapsed handing Juttetsu to his sister. Juttetsu was a simple matted black katana with bits of yellow decoration with a black braid over the white and gold grip (visualize Beatrix Kiddo's Katana from Kill Bill). Juttetsu was a terrifyingly graceful weapon in the right hands and now the hands were in the eldest Orimura's. The heavens were sure to split under the force of her titanic wrath. Chifuyu unsheathed the katana while perspiring a miasma killing intent so strong it could overshadowed the presence of a greater demon.
Charles kick-flipped his Claymore into an upright position in his hand maddeningly undaunted by the task before him. Compared to Juttetsu Sophia dwarfed the Katana by nearly a foot trading off speed for power and precision for durability that Juttetsu did not offer.
Both warriors stared each other down for a few minutes calm, collected, and confident in their ability to seize victory. Eventual Chifuyu's patience wore thin as she started with casually approach before bolting at break neck speeds till her movements were obscured by the blur of her after image as she began to pound away her built up frustrations away on Sophia. Her only thought was to make the stupid man before her cry uncle. The Scot on the other hand seemed almost content to block all her strikes.
Charles would simply give and take ground as he observed the woman before him trying to get a read on her emotions. For the spectators of Class One it was like witnessing a battle between an unstoppable force and an immovable object. Chifuyu an unstoppable wind carving its way through the battlefield and Charles an immovable mountain range seemingly blocking her way forward. Unfortunately for Orimura the beneath the smoke screen of a mountain a volcano was waiting to erupt.
The past twenty minutes had been all the time he needed to see how much her style had changed and where she had made improvements to her form over the years. It was time to get serious now as he lured Chifuyu in closer and closer with each strike and counter.
"Is it my imagination or do your movements seem much more sluggish since the last time we meet?" the homeroom teacher sneered.
"…." Charles remained silent his face neutral knowing that would infuriated the Japanese woman to no end.
"Answer me damn it!" she swung Juttetsu down hard on the man tugging at her heart strings. *Clang!* He blocked… but not with his sword but with his forearm, Chifuyu backed away in shock a strike like that should have severed his arm but it didn't.
"That's a bit hypocritical don't you think?" the Scot deadpanned. A chill went down Chifuyu's spine, Charles was furious she knew it. He never raised his voice when he was angry he was just cold and emotionless. On the sidelines Class One felt a chill of terror run down their spines as well, Cecilia was merely thankful not to be the one in trouble this time around. It's kind of ironic how the some of the nicest people you will ever meet can become the scariest when they are ticked off.
"Your arm…?" Chifuyu was in shock trying to figure out why Charles was still a righty. He slammed Sophia into the ground and began rolling up his sleeves revealing. "…Wrist weights…?"
"For almost five years I waited for an answer," he removed the right one first allowing it to drop to the ground and kick up dust and dirt then his left.
"How much?" Chifuyu mentally choked a little as she maintained a cool facade.
He took a knee to reveal another set of weights strapped to his ankles hidden under the pants of his fatigues, "Forties on the legs. Twenty-fives on the arms. I want an answer."
He rose slowly loosening his joints along the way while taking off his fatigues jacket leaving him in a tight tucked in grey T-shirt that had Army imprinted in regulation black on the front. He then drew a now lighter than air Sophia from the earth and stared her.
"Wha-what question?" she stammered while trying to contain the hard blush that she now had on her face as she tried and failed to resisted the urge to ogle the thick cords of muscle on his arms and clearly defined chest. Charles was a god among men, she had nearly forgotten how well he took care of himself and her….
"You mean after the part I confessed my love for you?" he slowly approached her ignoring the deafening screams of envy and excitement from the class of pubescent girls…and one boy (Charlotte in disguise of course had you going there for a second, for obvious reason Ichika has remained silent throughout this drama). Charles was less than three feet from the instructor now, "and then left me hanging for five years?"
"There must have been other women?" she said as she went for a fierce vertical strike. But he parried it like it was nothing before erupting into an inferno of movements that Chifuyu struggled to block and avoid.
"I'll admit I did humor this one GIGN sniper named Claire," Charles said causing her to fumble with her sword in shock before fury returned to her eyes.
"YOU WHAT!" she launched a furious storm of lighting fast attacks with thunderous finishes, that Charles return in equal force but never exceeding it. Her safety was still his top priority even half a decade later.
"One date in the span of five years. Please don't get holy with me Chifuyu," his voice remained impassive.
"That's ONE more than I ever HAD!"
"Why won't you admit you love me?"
"BECAUSE I DON'T!"
"Look me in the eye and say that."
"NO!"
"Because you can't say it with a straight face can you?"
"BAKA!"
"Liar."
"CHARLES NO BAKA!" there swords lock and their eyes meet and Chifuyu's wavering heart was now begging for her confession, to give in. She absorbed the sorrow, the heartbreak, and finally the hope bleeding from Charles's eyes into her own soul it was becoming to much for her to bear alone. What came next was a shocker for all the spectators present and even the combatants.
*Clank* Juttetsu drops to the ground.
*Clank* Sophia soon followed suit.
"Nee-san…." Ichika was dumbstruck.
"Brother…." Cecilia said in sync with the object of her affections equally lost. Both them and the rest Class One wore crimson cheeks as they watched the heated exchange of saliva between the two adults. Their tongues explored the recesses of each others' mouths for the first time in years as if checking if everything was as they had last left it before involuntarily coming up for air. For every year separated they lasted a minute. Five in total, it wasn't their best record but it certainly wasn't their worst.
Charles was cradling her in his arms unwilling to let her go now. Afraid that as soon as he did she'd slip away again. Chifuyu just rested her head on his chest listen to the soothing rhythm of his heart. Oh how she missed this warmth, this feeling of being the most precious thing in the world to him as everything around them just faded away. This undying unyielding feeling that was love.
"Surrender." He whisper sweetly into her ear.
"Never." She growl.
"Pleeaase." he said more playfully, earning a sigh of defeat as she buried her head into his chest to hide her crimson cheeks.
"?" She mumbles incoherently into him.
"What?"
"I?lo?ou?t?" she mumbles again
"Say again Chi?"
"I SAID. I LOVE YOU TOO! DAMN IT!" Chifuyu yelled at the top of her lungs. Charles merely chuckles as he kisses her forehead while wiping away the river of tears running down her face.
"OH NO! ICHIKA!" the younger Orimura's harem wailed in near perfect pitch harmony. His first childhood friend Houki Shinonono was now cradling his head on her lap with the rest of the group fanning him.
"He…fainted…?" Charles said after checking the boy's pulse by his side was a slightly relieved Chifuyu though she figured as much as she elicited a sigh. "Lets get him to medical just to be safe. Chi you lead I'll carry."
"Right…. Yamada-sensei!" Professor Orimura bellowed as Charles did the fireman's lift with Ichika's unconscious form.
"A-ah yes?" a bespectacled young woman with short green hair around the same age as Chifuyu spoke up. Charles made a mental note to review her file along with the other half of the school faculty information given to him.
"Continue the lesson without me I will escort Whytelaw-sensei and Orimura to the medical wing."
"Hai!" she gave a mock salute before turning to the class to continue the lesson.
"Whytelaw-sensei?" Questioned the Scot once they're out of ear shot of the others and were passing through the halls of the pristine academy.
"It is our responsibility to remain professional on campus and in the presence of our students," mentally she was kicking herself for the little display of pent up sexual frustration and affection in front of her class.
"Alright anything else I should know about for this assignment?" he said as they entered the nearest elevator to their left. Chifuyu leaned back against the wall as they waited for the three to glow signaling their arrival.
"You'll be receiving a teachings assistant like myself and accommodations on campus," she stares at him with concern as she decided now was the best time to bring up the shadows under his eyes. "How long has it been since you last slept."
"Not since my departure from Heathrow," he lied no need to worry her that he had been going for almost than a day and a half now. "So when do my classes begin?
"Charles…" she wasn't buying it as she approached him to rest her hand on his cheek enjoying the rough tickle of his growing facial hair. "If were going to do this again no more white lies to spare my feelings."
"Completely?" he toyed a little as she role her eyes before staring in to his grey ones.
"With in reason of course," their noses nuzzled briefly before she ever so lightly kissed him on the lips. Charles only smiled with amusement, "What?"
"Figures…. The world is quietly going to hell in a handbasket and my life starts turning out for the better again."
She simply nods while wondering what had happen to him in the last five years. Chifuyu already noticed the almost transparent scar running down the side of his face along with a few a little more subtle ones. "What happened?"
"You want the tale for each one or the generalized version?"
"Short and sweet for now - you can go over the details LATER," she emphasized the last bit a little causing Charles to nearly have a heart attack.
"The Ceph…mostly."
"But I thought…?"
"You didn't think the Yanks were the only ones playing with the calamari did yah?"
She stayed silent the answer was obvious as she stood in place wondering what it was like facing creature from the great void known as space. The doors slid open and she continued to escort Charles to the Nurse's office.
The drop off was more troublesome than Chifuyu anticipated for obvious reasons as soon as her little brother Ichika was safely placed down on one of the various beds lining the walls of the state-of-the-art infirmary. The highlander was practically swarmed by the nurses on station. It seemed that no woman could resist the unconscious charm of the ruggedly handsome man that she somehow reacquired in the last fifteen minutes. It took every ounce of her strength not to knock the harlots into the next millennia Charles was HER'S after all.
Sensing Chifuyu was on edge Whytelaw did what any good boyfriend would do in the situation and pulled his squeeze in closing by the waist in an intimate fashion that sent a clear message. The blush that had crept on her face by the bold act soon was replace with a look of complete superiority, as the staff begrudgingly broke off their advances for the God among men. Charles was hers again and she could help but do a mental victory dance before Orimura flush at her childishness and immediately berated herself.
"Chi?" Charles shook her from her thoughts.
"Yes?" she was confused and embarrassed now. Only the Scot could do this to the proud Orimura
"You all right?" Chifuyu looked over his shoulder towards the peeping physicians trying to at least absorb every last drop of the juicy gossip for them to cackle-sulk about later. Like adding salt to their own wounds Chi decided to weave her finger into his own before pecking him on the cheek while taking in his musky-saltwater scent.
"Never better," she said with a smirked while his celestial greys intertwined with her devilish vermillions. He could see it in Chi's eyes there was no hesitation this time despite her cheeks matching the hue of her eyes.
"Because I'm in love," she switched to Deutsch (German) just to torture their observers.
"And…?" he played along Charles was not as oblivious as he tried come off as sometimes (it kept him out of trouble).
"And you got a rather large package in the mail yesterday," she switched to French while nuzzling her nose against his. The envy was so think in the air now that the renewed couple was sure they would need a jackhammer get through it.
"Really? Well we better go take care of THAT," he said devilishly knowing full well which direction the girls listening in on conversation from the other side of the curtains would take it. The nosebleed soaking through the medical fabric confirmed it.
"Your horrible," she teased before giving her unconscious little brother a goodbye kiss on the forehead so they could take their leave.
88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 88888888888888888888
Charles couldn't help but feel things were out of place once they entered the IS launch-bay. Why you ask? Well it couldn't have anything to with various weapons crates addressed to him. Charles whistled as he took in the names of the weapons manufacturers like Lank & Linder, Lisunov Arms, Scrutch Industries. Hell even a collection of the new FY-71M from Korea his personal favorite.
"It's not my birthday is it?" He muttered while approaching with Chifuyu in tow before his eyes stopped at a laptop resting on rather large a crate labeled Hargreave-Rasch Biomedical. On the computer was a note, 'Please boot me up.'
"Odd?" he said as he checked the thing for all the tell tale signs of being booby trapped. The device was clean as far as he could deduce. So he started it up, "Nothing ventured…."
A minute past till the machine finished warming up and a spinning CryNet Systems logo appeared with a login bars. Charles simply shrugged as he typed in his name and serial number in before hitting the enter key. Immediately a program started up and the Scot instinctively took a few steps back just in case while shielding Chifuyu much to her annoyance and subconscious joy. A synthetic voice that could only belong to a non-sentient AI finally broke the silence.
"Processing…
Establishing satellite uplink…
Processing…
Establishing satellite uplink…
Processing…
Satellite uplink established…
Connecting to Hargreave-Rasch Biomedical headquarters, München branch…
Processing please wait…
Processing please wait…
Processing please wait…
Processing please wait…
Connection established…"
"A video chat?" Charles muttered inaudibly to himself as they approached the image of aged man of European decent with a thinning crown and colorless hair both signs of the long weathered road known as life that contrasted against his blue green eyes that still held much inquisitiveness and youthful curiosity.
"Ah Guten Tag Major Whytelaw. Allow me to introduce myself…. Karl Ernst Rasch, at your service. Ah and you must be Frau Orimura this is an honor."
"Mister Rasch forgive me for skipping the pleasantries but you mind telling me why there is enough ordnance to outfit entire platoon resting in the heart of the IS campus?"
"Ah straight to the point and disciplined just as Jacob described you during the nanoshell's first trials gute Ich (good I) respect that kind of objectiveness." Charles crossed his arms waiting for the genius of another era to get to the point, "Your primary objective if I remember correctly is the protection der (the) younger Orimura and his fellow students."
"Your point Doctor?"
"Like meine (my) late freund (friend) Jack once said, 'The Ceph are coming - You think we'll defeat them with ordinary human soldiers? This isn't a war ordinary humans can win. This is the future - death's an inconvenience now, nothing more.'" He recited a quote Charles had never herd before continuing, "As skilled as you are Major you will not have your team to watch your back this time. You will need an edge, a game changer."
"So you think the Ceph will eventually attack the academy as well?" he questioned.
"The IS still our best weapon against the Ceph but it is not invincible and their numbers are too small to win a war against this enemy. If the academy is lost we loose the latest generation of noble valkyrie protectors for this world. Wir (we) cannot allow that to happen"
"I'm assuming your plan has to do with all these weapons?"
"Those?" he asked rhetorically. "Those are merely the frosting on the cake to help you to achieve your goal. The real weapon is underneath this notebook."
"It's not what I think it is….is it?" Charles said with a level of distaste.
"I'm aware that you previous experience with the first Nanoshell left a poor flavor in the mouth…. But, you und I both know next to the ISs these suits are the best chance we have at turning the tide against the Ceph."
"Exempting Ichika Orimura we both know that the Infinite Stratos is incompatible with male physiology and not all women have a natural affinity for the machine as well. That being said the Nanoshell is probably our best universal option."
He sighs, "I heard a rumor that these suits have become symbiotic. That they may eventually kill their wearer."
"You are correct meine freund (my friend) previous models did burn out the human body that was the flaw with Nanosuit 1. Ich bin (I am) sure you are familiar with the events of the Ling Shan insertion and Raptor team's encounter those particularly of you former squamate Sergeant Sykes?"
"Yeah…." Charles looked down blaming himself for not being there to back his mate up, "You said pervious models explain?"
"Glad to see du (you) are paying attention. Vhile Jacob was finalizing and improving the mark Zwei (two) prototype Ich (I) was expanding upon its systems and abilities even further so it would be weapons grade when it became mass produced. Sadly in my over zealousness I created a prototype far too expensive and advance for production."
"Is it safe?"
"Safe…?" Rasch chuckled, "For you maybe. Your enemies…not so much. Allow me to introduce the Nanosuit 3.0." An image of the schematics replaced the face of the German, "Thanks to the Manhattan Ceph incursion we had all the samples we needed to improve and refine Jacob's design."
"It looks more like a streamline armor now than a suit…."
"Ja (yes) the nano weave artificial muscle will no longer act as the primary defensive measure but a tertiary one for the wearer. The interchangeable plates of armor are composed of the same alloy and composite density as that of a Ceph Guardian Unit."
"What! How?" Charles was rather surprised those things were tough to kill even with a team backing him up.
"Like I said plenty of samples Herr Whytelaw. The success of your new underling made this possible."
"Pardon?"
"Your partner during your stay. Were you not notified?"
"Vaguely I know he's an American but that is about it. The Yanks were being awfully tight-lipped about it."
"Yes well I'm sure you'll get a long, I think…."
"You think?"
"Well it's just because I know of the rivalries between army and marines."
"So I'm working with a Yankee-Oorah? Lovely…any more good new?"
"Well he is a Force Recon Marine if it makes it any better."
"I'm guessing there is another reason why he being sent.'
"You are correct Major. Currently Sergeant Alcatraz's suit is the only countermeasure we have against the Ceph's MV Dispersal Spears. Which is why he is being sent although your suit is superior to his in many ways. He is still hold humanities bests hope."
"Can't the countermeasures be replicated?"
"Ve are trying. But the complexity is far greater than we original predicted. With time the code Vill be cracked but for now es ist (it is) for the best that Alcatraz and his suit remain on station should need for the countermeasures arise."
"When will he get here?"
"Tomorrow I believe, I will be forwarding all available data I have on him to your notebook shortly for assessment. For now I recommend rest Major Whytelaw and the familiarization of your new suit tomorrow."
"One last question."
"Yes?"
"Am I going to be able to take this thing off without the aid of a surgical team?"
"Yes of course. Perfect symbiosis as powerful as it is useless if it eventual kills the wearer so logically the suit had to be removable."
Charles glanced towards Chifuyu who had been absorbing everything said like a sponge and squeezed her hand unconsciously, "Glad to hear it Doc."
"Yes well… unlike Jacob I never really approved of the concept of sacrificing your humanity for the greater good. Too messy and melodramatic I prefer having your cake and eating es (it) too. Well if that is all ich (I) must be going auf wiedersehen (goodbye) Major Whytelaw und Frau Orimura."
Charles and Chifuyu just stood there a moment not sure what to do next until a yawn from the Foreigner shook them from their thoughts. "Bed?"
"Follow me…" an amused Chifuyu weaved her arm into his as she sashayed Charles the way to his quarters for the remaining three year. Strange how bliss can find you at the oddest times. Must be love.
