Chapter Twelve
"Well, this is getting us nowhere."
Imaguchi sat back in his chair, casting his companion a helpless look. "It's no good, Ryou. No matter how I feed this into the computer, it's not giving me anything but gobbledigook in return. I hate to admit it, but even if Nakabito's cipher is crude, it's not something I can crack."
"Let me look." Takamura bit his lip, coming to stand behind his colleague as he gazed at the text on the screen. "Oh. Ouch. Yes that doesn't make a lot more sense, does it?"
"Kanemitsu's dialect isn't programmed into this thing. Noone uses it any more, not even the people there as a rule." Imaguchi rubbed his temples. "We're up against another brick wall, aren't we?"
"And after Kiyone went to all that trouble." Takamura grimaced. "We have the evidence but we can't read it and make it back up the suspicions we all have."
"So then we need to find a second plan of action." Imaguchi reached for his communicator. "I'm going to see if I can get a hold of Kiyone again. I know we said her role in this was done, Ryou, but I have a feeling we might need her connections. Most specifically, it would help to speak to this Professor Hakubi after all. She's the only one who saw that document, after all, and I want to know more about that evidence. Since it came from Nakabito, it might be something we can use. And Kiyone did say she was friendly with some of Jurai's royalty. Perhaps we can get her to persuade them to let us go back there again - surely someone on that rock must be able to decipher Kanemitsu script?"
"I guess." Takamura frowned. "It's sort of pathetic, in a way, that we have to keep calling on a Regular Detective for help like this."
"True, but I wouldn't say Kiyone was an ordinary Regular Detective." Imaguchi admitted. "Whatever her reasons are for not becoming an elite, it's a criminal waste of natural talent."
"Rather like Seiryo, then." Takamura reflected, sinking down into his seat, and Imaguchi grimaced, nodding his head.
"Another person whose help we could use right now." He agreed, keying in the number to contact Kiyone's communicator. He waited for a moment, but no connection was put through, and he frowned, shaking his head.
"She's not answering." He murmured. "She did say she was going back to her office, right?"
"She did, but she might be on her ship. Yagami." Takamura suggested. "Try that."
"Call code for Yagami." Imaguchi scanned down the screen, selecting the option he wanted. "True enough. I forgot about that...I'm really not on the ball today."
"You're tired. We both are. And pressure is mounting." Takamura told him. "And there you are - Yagami's call sign. You can connect to that, right?"
"I can try." Imaguchi nodded, typing in the relevant digits and hitting the connect button.
He frowned.
"Connection not available." He murmured. "Ryou, I'm getting a bad feeling about this. If she isn't in her office and she isn't on Yagami...the ship is definitely still in dock, and noone's taken any kind of steps to shift it out into space or asked for clearance to travel. It's docked. See? But she's not on board - or if she is, she's not answering her communicator."
"That doesn't sound like Kiyone." Takamura's brows knitted together. "Let me see that...Yagami is fully docked?"
"Yes." Imaguchi gestured to the screen, and Takamura's eyes narrowed. He gestured to the bottom of the diagram, pursing his lips.
"Yagami is." He murmured. "But Nakabito's ship the Inazuma is not. Look, Hide. He's snuck out without or noticing it."
"So he has." Imaguchi acknowledged, bringing up a closer diagram of the Elite landing bay and clicking on the list of clearances. "Without official designation to leave...he's just upped and disappeared from base without even logging his departure. I know we can come and go as we please, Ryou, but we are at least meant to log in when we're planning to pull out just in case of collisions. He's not done that. He's just...gone."
"I have a bad feeling about this." Takamura admitted, and Imaguchi nodded grimly, getting to his feet as he flicked off his screen.
"Me too." He owned, reaching down to disconnect the hacked data drive and slipping it into his pocket. "Come on. If Kiyone's put herself in danger on our account, it's up to us to make sure no harm comes to her."
"We're going to have a job tracking the Inazuma without knowing what the hell is on that file. We only have a vague, theoretical idea of Nakabito's plans as it is." Takamura objected. Imaguchi nodded.
"True for you, but desperate times call for desperate measures." He said frankly. "We're going to take a little trip to Juraian air space, Ryou. Whether they arrest us or not, I don't care. We're going to speak to Seiryo and we're not taking no for answer - we need his encryption skills, no matter what the hell has happened to his mental state of late. Nakabito's making his move and it might be more than Kiyone's life that's at stake if we hesitate."
Takamura was silent for a moment, then he nodded his head.
"All right." He said quietly. "Let's go."
--------
So far, so good.
Nakabito glanced impatiently up at the flickering lights of the abandoned space complex, drumming his fingers on the dashboard of his spacecraft as he waited for the signal that seemed to never come. Akihiro had always been the more laid back of the brothers, he reflected darkly as he resisted the urge to pace about the deck of his ship, but in a situation like this, time was surely of the essence.
He flashed his lights once more in the agreed signal, and at last, an answering flare came from the southern-most tip of the asteroid-beaten metal shell. Within a few moments, Nakabito could make out the distinctive shape of a transport pod hazing through the battered cargo bay doors and out towards the Inazuma's more sophisticated landing point. He sighed, reaching across to release the airlock.
"You take too damn long sometimes."
As his brother stepped into the drive room, unbuttoning his jacket, Nakabito rounded on him, sending him a reproachful glare. "I thought you understood we were working to a specific timescale – I've got a lot on the line here, and so have you."
"You're always in such a hurry. Slow and steady wins the race." Akihiro reflected, eying his brother keenly. "You're more agitated than usual, little brother. What's the problem? Is the pressure getting a little too much in that police-infested base of yours? Some of your colleagues getting ready to turn the screw? Because shortly they'll have a whole new investigation on their hands – I wouldn't worry too much."
"It's more complicated than that." Nakabito snapped, grabbing his brother by the arm and forcibly pulling him through the drive room doors and down the steps to the ship's engine room. "It's not just a matter of turning the screw, Oniichan. I think it's already been turned – what I don't know is by how much."
As he finished speaking, they entered the engine room proper and at the sight of the huddled form against the wall, Akihiro let out a curse.
"What the hell have you done, little brother?" He demanded. "I thought we agreed that this wasn't going to involve hostages and all of those messy things?"
"It wasn't exactly by choice, but I had to do something." Nakabito retorted. "The girl was spying on me – I found her prints in my office and God knows what she's already dug up. I had to bring her with me…as it is, I don't know who she's working for or who she's reporting back to. But I'm fairly sure it's probably Jurai…in which case, we need to move fast."
Akihiro's eyes narrowed, and he crouched down at the hostage's side, reaching out to touch her cheek gently.
"She's not dead." He murmured, and Nakabito shook his head.
"No. I want to ask her a few things first." He acknowledged. "There's nowhere she can go, though. She fell foul of her own stun weapon, and it seems to have knocked her for six quite adequately – but she'll probably start to come to, soon. And then we can find out what exactly she's taken from my office. And who she's reporting to."
"She's pretty." Akihiro reflected. "But she doesn't look much like a spy. That's Regular Division clothing, isn't it? Junichi, you're getting to be a lax fool if you can let one of your inferior officers run you this ragged."
"It's more complicated than that." Nakabito responded, and Akihiro snorted.
"You don't mean you fell for her and she double-crossed you?"
"No, of course not!" Indignant anger flushed through Nakabito at this. "You know that there's only one woman that I'll ever love and it's not this one! No…it's something else. I don't understand her motives – but I'm pretty sure she's working for Seiryo Tennan in some respect. In which case…"
"In which case, you want to slit her throat to pay him back for Yuriko's death." Akihiro sighed, rubbing his temples. "So you have made it personal, after all. What did I tell you, Junichi – if you lose your focus, the game is up. As it is…"
"As it is, the plan's still in operation." Nakabito said softly. "Tennan sent her a message asking her to make contact, on a matter of some urgency. Which suggests that, as yet, Kiyone here hasn't made a formal report to him or Jurai about my actions. Or yours, for that matter. But we don't have a lot of time. So the best thing is to shift our plans forward and act as soon as possible. Before anyone notices Kiyone isn't at Headquarters in her office where she should be."
"I suppose there's no choice." Akihiro said heavily, getting to his feet as he sent his brother a resigned look. "Considering. I should have known better than to trust you with so many secrets, shouldn't I? As it is…"
"As it is, you've needed my connections as much as I've needed yours, Oniichan." Nakabito said darkly. "Don't forget that. This is a team effort and it still is. Between us, we'll achieve what Mother never did – Kanemitsu's freedom."
"Let's hope so." Akihiro said soberly. "Considering that it involves slitting the throat of a pretty girl just because she got in the way."
"You're not so squeamish about blowing up the Earth."
"The Earth is different. Call its people martyrs to the Kanemitsu cause." Akihiro turned back towards the drive room. "It's sad, but a necessary sacrifice for the future of our planet – it's not personal, it's political. On the other hand…"
He gestured to the unconscious form of Kiyone, shrugging his shoulders.
"That's personal." He concluded. "You messed up. It's different."
"Well, you needn't worry. I'll be the one doing the killing." Nakabito said quietly. "You don't need to get your hands dirty at all – if you're so concerned about it, I'll do it when we're well away from this place. I had thought of ditching her on the Earth, but it's too risky, in case she comes around before I have a chance to hit the laser button. So I'll kill her on board the ship and jettison her into space or something – don't worry. It will have nothing to do with you."
"If you say so." Akihiro frowned. "All right. So you're saying that you want me to fix the weapon to the Inazuma now, then? That you're determined to carry out the final stage of our plan? The weapon is finished but I haven't completely run through all the rigorous testing – are you sure you want to do this without my having completed the safety checks?"
"I have faith in your construction and in Jurai's weapon planning." Nakabito said grimly. "Don't worry. It will be all right."
"I have made changes from the original Juraian plans, though." Akihiro admitted. "It seems that what they were working on was designed to obliterate space debris – but I've made it stronger. Strong enough to destroy the Earth in one, maybe two blasts. However…the power required is tremendous. Your ship might well support one, or even two attacks. But no more than that. You try and you'll be stranded in space without a power source – so use it carefully, okay? Don't let yourself get emotional and distracted, Junichi. I'm going to be counting on you to pull this off."
"Don't worry. I'll be just fine." Nakabito said firmly. "I know what I have to do and now I'm twice as determined to do it. Everything will be fine, Oniichan. Leave it to me."
---------
"So that's everything I've been able to find on the Sumire, just like you asked for."
Takeru spread the documents out on the table and Sasami frowned, peering at them one at a time as she digested the information.
"Everything?" She murmured. "This is the list of all the people who died, yes? This one here?"
"Yes." Takeru confirmed. "All the members of Kumashiro-san's party, plus the Galaxy Police Agents who were in escort. I don't know what you're looking for, Sasami-chan, but that's the best I could do."
"Tsunami is sure it has something to do with Kanemitsu. She feels strongly that people there are unhappy and that they have been since Yugi's attack." Sasami said softly. "And I'm sure there's something that is a clue here, only I don't know what I'm looking for. The Agents who came to speak to us were called Imaguchi and Takamura. But there's noone on this list by that name, so I guess maybe they did come to help after all. Still, even so, digging into Seiji-sama's death is not a good thing."
She sighed, glancing up at her brother-in-law in frustration.
"I want to be useful and help, like Ayeka does." She admitted. "But I feel like even with Tsunami's help, I don't know what's going on."
"I think I know how you feel." Takeru said ruefully. "I feel rather the same myself about this case, to be honest. We've taken steps and shut the Galaxy Police out of Juraian affairs as much as possible although perhaps in some respects we should be working with them, not against them. You're certain all of this is connected to the Sumire? And that someone in the Galaxy Police is connected to it, too?"
"Yes." Sasami sighed. "Takeru, did you manage to get a list of the Galaxy Police agents who are from Kanemitsu, too?"
"Somewhat." Takeru pushed forward a separate sheet of paper. "The Commander didn't really like my question, and he was loath to give me much of an answer. But I told him it was a political Juraian matter and that the Emperor needed his cooperation."
He sighed.
"I feel like a co-conspirator in some dark plot, since Azusa-sama doesn't know anything about this yet and nor does Lord Haru." He added. "But you asked, Sasami-chan. And I don't really feel I can refuse the Goddess of all Jurai."
"I don't feel much like a Goddess right now." Sasami responded sadly. "But if I can at least be a good friend and keep Suki and Seiryo safe from harm, that's what matters to me at the moment. And the Earth, if the Earth is in danger. I want to help them too."
She lay the two documents side by side, running her finger alongside the names as she digested the information. For a moment there was silence, and then she gasped, her eyes widening as she glanced up at her companion.
"Sasami-chan?" Takeru looked startled, and Sasami pointed, excitement flaring in her crimson eyes.
"Look, Takeru." She murmured. "Arisa Nakabito. And look. Junichi Nakabito. Those two names connect. A dead negotiator on the Sumire and a living Galaxy Police Agent. Is it too convenient? Do you think it could be important?"
"You think Jurai should extend an invitation to this Agent Nakabito and find out?" Takeru asked softly, and Sasami hesitated, then nodded her head.
"I think it might be best." She agreed. "And we'll talk to Father, too. This is his department, after all. He should be involved, so long as we don't mention Seiryo's father in all of this."
She dimpled, offering him a smile.
"Thank you for keeping Suki's secret." She added. "I'm glad you understand."
"Well, I won't pretend that acting politically without Ayeka is easy." Takeru admitted. "And knowing a secret of that nature is problematic, too. But Suki...I don't think that it would be right to drop the law on her right now. Especially if she's right and Seiryo would try to take responsibility. He would never forgive me, if I launched some kind of attack on his sister and brought this all into the open now."
He bit his lip.
"It's difficult in some ways, given the past, but I don't want to be at odds with him any more." He added. "I'm determined to respect him and keep him as an ally of our family. Now I know about the Prince to come, its more important to me than ever to squash this rivalry. I don't want to have a divided court for my son as he grows up. And Seiryo is your advisor. I'm Ayeka's husband. Conflicts in interest will occur if the bad blood between the Tennans and the Imadas is allowed to continue."
He groaned, rubbing his temples.
"I suppose this is what it means to be a Prince Consort and not just another noble son." He admitted. "This is the overview I've always lacked - the ability to be neutral and work alongside all for the benefit of Jurai's stability. It's complicated and full of pitfalls, but I won't have my wife worried by anything at the moment. So I suppose the sooner I learn about things like this the better it will be."
"We'll learn together, Takeru-niisan." Sasami grinned. "Won't we?"
"Lady Sasami!"
Before Takeru could respond, the door of the chamber was flung open, and Sasami's eyes widened as she registered Azaka in the doorway.
"Azaka?" She murmured, getting to her feet. "What's the matter? What's wrong?"
"I'm sorry to interrupt your private conversation, Hime." Azaka said gravely. "But it seems we have some unwanted guests...agents from the Galaxy Police who Lord Takeru informed had no right of entry here. They're demanding an audience with Lord Tennan - or with you yourself, my Lady. They seem quite determined."
"They have been told." Takeru said darkly. "Restrain them by force if need be - they have no right to be here."
"No...wait." Sasami held up her hands. "Imaguchi and Takamura...yes?"
"Yes, my Lady."
Sasami's brows knitted, and Takeru sent her a surprised look.
"Sasami?" He murmured. "Are you changing your mind about these men?"
"No." Sasami shook her head. "But I want to speak to them, I think. I'll come with you to them, Azaka. They're not allowed to be here, and they will get into a lot more trouble if Father finds out they're here."
"As you wish, Sasami-hime." Azaka agreed. "This way."
Sasami nodded, following the Knight through the hallways of the palace towards the landing bay, where a minor commotion was in play. In the midst of Jurai's guardsmen she recognised the blue of the Elite uniform, and she bit her lip, then she held up her hands.
"Enough!" She exclaimed, and at her voice, silence fell. As one person the guards swung around, dropping in a bow before her and the two agents, finding themselves freed from indignant Juraian grasps pushed forward, bowing their heads before her.
"Lady Sasami, we're sorry for the intrusion." Takamura said quietly. "But this is a matter of urgency. A matter of life and death."
My brother in law Lord Takeru issued orders to you both about your coming here." Sasami said quietly, inwardly hoping that she appeared more composed and decided than she felt inside. "Why have you chosen to challenge that order? My Father won't look kindly on people who come here against Imperial orders, you know."
"Your Lord Father is a wise man." Imaguchi said evenly. "However, my colleague is right. Lady Sasami, I understand that you and your honoured family seek only to protect Juraian interests. In this, I think, we may well be the same. Only our interests are not only Jurai's. Once more, I must beg of you - we need to speak to Seiryo Tennan."
"You have already been told..." Sasami began, but Takamura shook his head.
"Please, Sasami-hime, hear us out." He said urgently. "We've been conducting an investigation into the spy who was here on Jurai and a matter of grave corruption within the Galaxy Police. It involves Kanemitsu extremists and we have reached a point where we know the guilty party by name. But we cannot do anything to stop him and we do not currently know where he is. All we have is an encrypted file, and we are unable to decode it. Even with Seiryo's personal circumstances, we need his help."
"I..." Sasami faltered, then she frowned.
"Seiryo isn't an Agent of the Elite any more." She reminded them. "Surely there are other agents with encrypting skills?"
"Perhaps there are, but we're in a hurry." Imaguchi said frankly. "Sasami-hime, a man named Junichi Nakabito has been plotting with others against Jurai. They plan, we believe, to blow up the Earth using stolen weapons intelligence to make it look like the attack was Juraian. The scapegoat in all this seems likely to be Seiryo himself. More to the point, a Regular Division detective who claims an acquaintance with you has put her life in considerable danger to help us - and we are now unable to track her whereabouts. We believe that she is probably aboard Nakabito's spacecraft and that wherever they have gone is some secret hideout, but we have no way of finding it without cracking the files on that disk."
"A Detective?" Sasami whitened. "Kiyone?"
"As you say, my Lady." Takamura agreed. "We don't know at this point whether Kiyone is alive or dead. All we know is that she's not in her office or anywhere at Headquarters. Both of us believe Nakabito has taken her as a hostage. We also believe he won't kill her until he's extracted information from her. However, time is running out. Seiryo's encryption expertise is needed. I understand the demands we're putting on you and that our behaviour is unreasonable...but we want to prevent bloodshed if we can. We want to protect the Earth and Jurai - and we want to recover Kiyone Makibi alive."
"Kiyone." Sasami's eyes flickered with dismay. "I see. I didn't...I knew she was involved, but I didn't...but you have to realise, Seiryo..it's been..."
"It's all right, Sasami-sama."
A fresh voice joined the discussion at that moment, and Sasami turned, her eyes widening as she saw her advisor standing a few feet away. There was an impassive, unreadable expression on his face, but Sasami knew her friend too well and she could see the faint flickers of both anxiety and anger burning in his teal gaze.
"Seiryo!" Imaguchi exclaimed, and Seiryo turned, inclining his head slightly.
"It seems that I've been kept in the dark rather a lot of late." He murmured. "I'm unsure whether to put it down to my own carelessness of observation, or your skill in protecting me, Sasami-sama."
"Seiryo, we..." Sasami faltered, then, "We didn't want you to be put under pressure while things were so...awkward." She admitted.
Seiryo pursed his lips, offering her a faint smile.
"I see." He said softly. "I understand your concern, and I realise that my sister has probably had something to do with this, too. However..."
His eyes narrowed.
"Kiyone's life is in danger." He murmured. "Isn't that what you said, Ryousuke?"
"We fear so." Takamura agreed. "It's the only thing that fits - that both Nakabito and Kiyone left Headquarters together...destination unknown."
"It seems that, wittingly or not, I have been somehow the cause of this?" Seiryo asked, and Sasami shook her head.
"It's not your fault." She began. "Anyone who wants to blow up the Earth is obviously nuts to begin with!"
"Perhaps so." Seiryo's expression darkened. "But I heard your conversation just now. Junichi Nakabito is the man suspected of perpetrating these crimes. Correct?"
"Yes." Imaguchi said frankly. "It's more than suspicion. We have the evidence, we just can't crack it."
"That man..." Seiryo paused for a moment, and Sasami saw the anger flare in his malachite gaze once more.
"Seiryo?" She murmured, and the noble turned towards her, offering her a resigned, troubled smile.
"It is not ideal." He admitted. "But if this is somehow connected to me then I have no other option. Regardless of my personal situation - I must do what I can to rectify it."
"Are you sure about that?" Sasami looked anxious. "Suki will be worried."
"Yes, maybe, but I'm quite sure." Seiryo agreed. "If my skills can be of some use, then I will use them with pleasure. I am not so weak as maybe people think, Sasami-sama. I appreciate your attempts to protect me...but I won't stand by if Kiyone's life is in peril."
He took a couple of steps forward, holding out his hand to Imaguchi.
"Give me the disk." He said briskly. "If Junichi Nakabito is involved in this then I've twice as much reason to be involved. And if he's hurt her..."
A dark look flickered into his expression, as Imaguchi passed him the data drive.
"We'll go to the Unko." He said quietly. "Sasami-sama, with your permission, I will do what I can to assist Agents Takamura and Imaguchi in bringing Nakabito to justice."
Sasami gazed at him for a moment, seeing a flicker of the Galaxy Police Agent in his demeanour, despite his fine Juraian clothing. Slowly she sighed, nodding her head.
"Suki is going to kill me, but I can tell I won't talk you out of it." She said sadly. "All right. But Seiryo, be careful. Don't get hurt. And make sure Kiyone doesn't, too. Please."
Seiryo's lips thinned at this, and Sasami's eyes widened as she interpreted the genuine distress in his gaze.
"I will do whatever it takes to ensure Kiyone's safety." He murmured. "Have no fear, Princess. I will find her - and all will be well. Junichi Nakabito will not get the better of me...on that you have my word."
