Chapter 50: Negligence and Disorder
(Takeru's POV) (U.N. camp) (December 30, 2001 Sunday) (02:15 PM)
We followed the captain for awhile to the main camp at our temporary headquarters of the U.N. Army. I know that it's not what it seems but I can't help but feel like a prisoner for some reason. Having MPs guarding my back reminded me of the first time I went to Yokohama Base to start this loop.
Marimo chan seems to be taking this calmly. Maybe she had her own experience being taken in for questioning.
…
…
…
Oh! He stopped. Are we supposed to go in that mobile command post? It's the same model as the one back in my camp so why bring us all the way out here?
"Please step inside" I knew it. We followed his instructions and entered the mobile command post. There was no one inside. The only things there were the computers, tables, chairs and spare bunk beds.
I turned to look at Marimo who had the same expression as me. She looked back and quickly asked. "Excuse me… but may we know what this is all about?"
The captain didn't even flinch to the question. "I was only ordered to escort you to this area. I do not know of anything else"
"Can you at least tell us where we're going?"
"I do not have time to entertain all of your questions. All will be explained once you reach there. I have to leave you now. Good day…" He walked off to the MPs, closing the mechanical doors behind him.
"Ah! Hey wait a minute! (Beep!)" What the? The door won't respond. Did he lock it from the outside? "Hey!"
"Stop it, Shirogane. You're just wasting your breath on it. (But still…!) We don't know why we're here. For all we know this could be a simple misunderstanding. (…) Don't worry. I don't think this is an arrest of any kind"
"What makes you so sure?"
"They didn't take our side arms" Oh that's right, we still have our pistols with us. If they were going to apprehend us they'd at least take that with them. "And if they were going to interrogate us, they'd put us in different rooms, not together like this, so we can easily rule that out"
"But if so, why all the secrecy? It's… uncomfortable"
Marimo chan nodded. "I agree. This doesn't sound like something the military would do. But considering the circumstances with Japan as it is… standard protocol might not be—ah!"
"What's wrong!-?"
"No… nothing… it's just a thought. But… Shirogane. (Y… yeah?)" What's wrong with her? Her face is all serious all of a sudden. "Did Yuuko tell you anything about this? (Eh? Yuuko sensei?) Haa… I guess judging by your expression you know just as much as I do. But looking at the situation we're in, I can't help but wonder if Professor Kouzuki had something to do with this" Now that she mentioned it, this does seem to fit the bill of Yuuko sensei's work. She keeps people out of the loop and at the last possible second, she drops everything down on them. Seeing how things are happening around us and the incident in Tokyo… I can understand why Marimo would think that.
"Do you think Yuuko sensei would have something to do with this?"
"I'm not 100% sure but looking at it from this angle, that seems the most likely possibility. (…) Well it's not like we can do anything about it now. (Whirrrr…) It looks like the command post is moving. You may as well get comfortable while you still can. This may take awhile"
(Tokyo) (Honor Guard Headquarters) (Ikaruga's temporary office) (03:14 PM)
Ikaruga sat in his quarters in complete silence. His mind pondering on the mark left to him by the Shogun, earlier. He thought he had her cornered but instead she retaliated in a way he didn't see possible. The very thought of that slap burned into his mind followed by that confession irritated him to no end. He thought that by bringing that name up it would only make her reveal a weakness, but instead, it made her stronger.
She described the boy like he was her saint, an angel in her eyes.
Ikaruga had known the Shogun for years longer than the emperor himself but not once had she reacted in such a way.
"Were it not for these chains I am bounded with… were it my choice… were it ought in my power to do so… I would gladly cast away this crown and my status if it means spending one lifetime with him!"
Love…
Such a simple word yet it is not the word itself that makes the meaning but what the word implies that shows its true colors.
The man wondered if that was what Yuuhi felt when she delivered that blow. Such a childish thing… yet she had the luxury to experience it.
"Your Excellency" His train of thoughts broke when a knock came from the door.
"Enter…" His bodyguard entered with a folder in hand. "What word do you have for me, Makabe?"
"Sire. We've just confirmed that the U.N. has begun marshaling their forces around Tokyo. (…) It's just as you said, the Prime Minister requested their aid almost immediately when he went into hiding"
"Was there any doubt? A man like Sakaki is nothing more but a politician. When he sees the last bit of power he has slipping from his grip he would go to desperate measures to keep it. The fool is like a cornered animal. He must've given the U.N. a condition that they cannot refuse. What is the outline of their forces?"
"They've stationed forces in Saitama and Yamanashi. The main bulk of the U.N. Armed Force is still rallying in Yokohama base. We also have word that they have a fleet stationed just outside of Tokyo Bay. Judging by this formation they may be attempting to overwhelm the city by attacking us on different sides"
"This is common tactic. Tokyo City is a fortress after all. They must be trying to stretch our forces to keep us from mounting an effective defense. So long as we hold the city, the people will rally to our side. I have no doubt that they will try to kidnap Her Highness to decease our morale"
"Should I move her to an underground facility? I can make the arrangements" Makabe advised.
"No. We cannot force her to comply with anything at this point. Besides, the palace the most secured facility in the whole city. It can withstand any kind of direct attack. I do not think the allied armies will be so careless to shoot that place. If the Shogun dies, this country will be of little use to anyone"
"So what do you suggest we do, sire?"
"Have Lt. Colonel Tekoro handle the frontlines. An open field is more suited for them who have been battling the BETA on a daily basis. Unlike the Eurasian Ground Forces that specialize in urban combat. They can hold the inner part of the city with whatever tactic they find suitable. Their fleet is still stationed in the ports of Chiba, correct? (Yes sir…) The U.N. has far more ships than we do and have better class war vessels than us. A direct attack is suicide on its own but as long as our perimeter defenses on Odaiba Island hold then we can hold them"
"Yes sir. I've assigned another ground unit to tighten the perimeter around the island. Shall I issue an evacuation order, my lord?"
"No… leave the people be"
"B… but my lord! This city could turn into a battlefield at any given moment. If we don't evacuate them, civilian casualties may skyrocket! At the very least we should let the children…"
"They will serve to buy us more time in this battle! (…!) We've already sacrificed much for the betterment of this country. The only thing we need is time… and if a single child can buy us even one second more, then at the very least their lives will have some measure of meaning. (…) You understand that neither you nor I can revert what we've done in Shikoku Island. We've come too far now, too far to turn back. If we fail… well… justice will serve its purpose"
"My lord…"
"Removing the grip of our enemies on this country is the first step of ruling this world. Even for a brief moment… we can finally focus on what is truly at stake here"
Makabe gave out another sigh and quickly shift the topic. "As you wish sire. I will relay orders to the rest of the men. (…) On one final note, I did a thorough check on the soldier you wished the Ministry of Intelligence to investigate. Apparently the boy was already under surveillance long before the order was issued after the Sadogashima Campaign. (…?) One particular agent had great interest in him and began a journal which dictates his daily activities" He took out a small pocketsize journal from his suit and handed it over to his lordship. "I skimmed through the pages of the journal and nothing seems to stick out other than the boy's training regime. He keeps saying that his abilities are beyond that of an ordinary human"
Ikaruga took the journal and skipped through the pages. "Do you happen to know the name of the agent that was investigating him?"
"Yes sir… apparently it was the head of the department of foreign affairs. Section Chief Yoroi Sakon himself…"
(Takeru's POV) (Mobile Command Post) (Somewhere along the road)
It's been over an hour now since this car began driving. There were no windows in this mobile command post so we couldn't tell where we were going. I'm still getting that uneasy feeling around my chest and I'm pretty sure Marimo chan's feeling a bit restless too. It's like we're being moved inside a cage transferring from one prison to another.
"Shirogane… (Eh?) Here… coffee. (Ah… thank you) It's a good thing they left the coffeemaker here otherwise the tension would be unbearable"
"Aren't you worried at all Marimo sensei?"
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't. But worrying over the little details is just going to make things worse for everyone around you, that's why I try to remain positive in these kinds of situations. (…?) Besides, weren't you incarcerated in a cell before?" That's right… back when I faced up against those two Eishis when I was a cadet. But I already predicted that event so it wasn't a surprise for me to be imprisoned. "I thought you would've gotten used to it by now"
"Well… that situation was different" I reasoned. "Back then I'd at least know when I would be leaving the cell and where I was… in this situation… you don't even know why you're in here or when you'll be released"
"Hmm… that is true. But like I said: Worrying about the little details will get you nowhere. If you allow yourself to be consumed by all the theories that you're building in your head you'll only blow yourself apart"
"It sounds like you're speaking from experience"
"Ahuhu of course. Everyone has their moment in life. But it's mostly because you remind me of someone I knew for awhile. (Oh…?) Back when I was a cadet I always got into a fight with my squad leader about the smallest thing. You could say that it was a disagreement between genders. (Huh?) He was thoughtless, reckless and stubborn like you. (Geh!) Always charging head first, like a stubborn mule. But he and I were quite alike"
"Heeh? So you were a cadet like us too, Marimo sensei?"
"Of course. But unlike you, I was drafted at a much older age so the people there were a lot harder to deal with than children" Ho? I guess this shouldn't come as a surprise. Seeing how she handled a Gekishin so well during the coup d'état she must've had training in that arts.
"Wait… if you were an Eishi like us, why did you become an instructor for the training school?"
"Ah… well…" Her eyes softened like she was recalling a feint memory in her head. "After my first mission… I don't think I was ever suited for the battlefield. (…?) Let's just say that I'm not cut out to be a soldier at the frontlines. My team and I separated for a long time now so let's just leave it at that. And besides… when I was your age I actually dreamed of becoming a teacher one day. So you could say that it all worked out well… in the end"
"Uh… yeah… that's true" That's because you're the only teacher I've ever had since high-school. I guess being a teacher must've been her destiny in any universe.
Bang!
Huh? Did the truck just lifted a few centimeters up?
"It looks like we've stopped" Marimo added noticing the sound of the vehicle's engine dropping. The vehicle came to a complete halt. That could only mean that we're here. But where is here… exactly? I can see the driver's silhouette in the front car doing something but I can't see anything else outside of this room. "Wait here. I'll go and see what's going on"
"Yeah… sure…" I followed Marimo's instructions and waited as she slowly moved to the door connecting to the driver's seat.
"Excuse me. Are we here yet? (…)" There was no reply. "Excuse me… driver, are you there? (…)" I don't like this. We should've heard something by now. Are they purposely keeping us out of the loop or something? "It's no good. There doesn't seem to be anyone in the driver's seat"
"Then… where are we? (Whirrrr…) Hmm? What's that sound?" I hear something loud… like a rocket… coming from the outside. It seems… distant yet at the same time close by. But I can't be too sure since this room has a high density sound barrier to cover it. But it's odd… I feel like I've heard this sound before?
Marimo seems to hear it too. "This noise… I recognize it. It's… an engine! (Rumble!) Kya!"
"Marimo chan!" I caught her right as she fell in my direction. But this is strange. The whole command post is shaking. "An earthquake?"
"N… no. This is… (…?) This feeling is… we're… we're flying…" Flying? Can the mobile command post fly at all? But she's right. This is the same G-Force pressure I felt when a plane lifts off. That explains why most of the chairs and tables are being pushed in the same direction. I lost footing there for a moment. "Geh… are you alright, Shirogane?"
"Yeah… my suit took most of the impact. What about you? Can you stand?"
"I'm… a little dizzy… but I'll manage. What is going on out there?" Her answer came when the door of the command post opened up. Has someone unlocked it? I can hear footsteps… a lot of footsteps.
"Freeze! (…!)" A squad of armed soldiers appeared from the doorway and aimed their rifles at us. "Don't move!" Neither Marimo nor myself could even reach our sidearm before they got to us. They had high beamed flashlights pointed at us as well, blinding us from their faces.
"W… who are you!-?" Marimo demanded, but they didn't listen.
"Standup" The leader of the group ordered which we quickly obeyed. "Put away your sidearm and put your hands behind your head! Now!"
…
"Do as they say… Shirogane" Marimo whispered to me as we slowly stood back up. I don't know what's going on but it's clear that they had us at a disadvantage. I'm pretty sure these people have every intention to kill us if we don't comply. Slowly, we put down our pistols to the floor and had our hands placed on our heads.
"Now step away from that area" The man who seemed like the team leader added which we also followed. "That's good enough. Now stay right there and don't move" Another group of armed men entered the command post and began checking the other areas of this place.
"Room clear…"
"This side is clear…"
"No one here either"
Were they expecting someone else to be on board this thing? They seem like professionals doing a security sweep of the whole place.
"All rooms clear, sir" One of the soldiers stated to his commander.
"Understood" He nodded before calling someone from behind. "Major… the room's clear"
"Thank you lieutenant" A woman walked in. She walked in front of the soldiers revealing her figure. She seemed to be in her mid 20s, skinny, pale, tall with light blue long hair and wearing thin lens glasses. She also appears to be an Eishi judging by that exosuit she's wearing. The markings on her shoulder guard also states that she's from the Imperial Army. Just what is going on? "Are you… 1st Lt. Shirogane Takeru and 1st Lt. Jinguuji Marimo? (…!) Well?"
"H… how do you know us?" I asked unconsciously. "What do you want? (Don't move!) Keh!"
"I suggest that you stand still for a little while longer. Otherwise my men will have to shoot you" She warned me before turning to her men. "Search them. (Yes ma'am)..." We were quickly patted down for belongings in our pockets. Obviously the only thing I had were the box of bancha tealeaves that Kyouzuka gave to me and my military ID. This is really starting to remind me of the first time I came to meet with Yuuko sensei. Now I'm beginning to recall how incredible my ID card was.
Once we were patted down twice for inspection, the soldier confirmed it. "They're clean ma'am…"
"Good…" The Major then turned her head back to the person who was waiting outside. "You can come in now Sergeant Isumi"
Isumi?
"Yes, thank you, captain" Eh? Who is… this? (Flash) A woman roughly the same age at the Major entered the room next. She was tall, colorful skin with excellent figure and long green hair that goes just above her waist. But unlike the captain, she wore a business uniform instead.
Wait… where have I seen this woman before? (Flash) I feel like, I should know her. Like… a part of me is remembering something… from a long time ago. I'm getting these images in my head but I don't recognize any of it.
"Please confirm who they are, please" The Major added pointing at us.
"Of course…" The green haired sergeant then slowly approached us with nothing but a notepad by her side. "Excuse me…" She looked at both of our faces and compared it to the notes she brought in with her. Just what is she looking for? "Facial recognition confirmed. There's no need for alarm. These are the two we are looking for. (Are you sure?) I have no doubt" The Major seems uncertain to let us go just yet. "... or would you like me to get the chief to confirm them?"
"No… that won't be necessary. I'll take your word for it. Lower your weapons" She ordered her men in quickly with a gesture of her hand. "Escort them to the 1st Cargo hold. I'll be there shortly. (Yes ma'am) And destroy all trace of this mobile command post and dump it off the plane. We can't risk getting tracked"
"Yes ma'am" The guards then came around us in formation. "You two, move" There was no other choice but to comply.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
We were quickly brought to the third room following the doorways. There was no doubt about it now. We were definitely on board a plane. The structure of this place reminds me a lot of an airplane. But it was a lot bigger, roomier than I imagined. It was even better guarded than Yokohama Base. Out of all the three rooms, I counted at least two dozen armed guards in every corner and enough cameras to make an action movie. This is like trying to break into Yuuko's lab without proper authorization.
"Sit down" The soldier continued to berate orders. He didn't even need to ask when he pushed us down. "Secure them. We don't want to take any chances"
"Yes sir…" Handcuffs? Not just the hands but the feet too. They're using steel chain bonds, not the usual plastic material. Now I'm really getting the sense of dejavu. If they took a cavity and blood test then the memory would be complete. "Both subjects are secured, sir"
"Alright, let's go…"
"Oi! Wait a minute!" I wanted to say something but the guards left before I could even make a statement. "Keh… why is this happening? Marimo sensei, do you have any idea what's going on?"
"I'm not certain. But this seems to be the standard procedure for bringing outsiders to inner sanctum like these. It's best not to resist but just in case… let me do the talking" Kuuu… I really don't have a choice in this matter. I'm not good at playing a game of questions and answers.
"I'm afraid I can't have you do that. (…!) You see in this case… I require both of you to speak up freely"
"Who's there?" I blurted out. (Clang!) Ahh! The light! They opened all at once. It's so bright that it's hurting my eyes.
"Ahaha… I apologize for that, son in law. Perhaps I should've waited a bit for you to adjust"
…!
"Ah! You! Yoroi!" I recognize the man instantly. "What are you doing here?"
"Ahaha… I'm just chaperoning for someone. Please don't take it the way it is. There is a perfectly logical explanation on why you are brought here" There was no way I'd forget that speech demeanor. That's definitely Yoroi Sakon. But there was something wrong. He wasn't wearing his usual brown jacket anymore. He had a cast around his left arm and a walking cane-stick at the other and a few cuts and bruises on his face. It's as if he's been through a fight of some sort.
"What happened to you?"
He threw a small laugh. "Ah… it was a terrible incident. I had to fight against assassins that came to kill me in America. (Eh?) They were quite good and professional. They blew up half a city block to make sure I would die and chased me all the way from the restaurant to the airport. They were quite rude to interrupt a meal like that. Ah… but you need not worry. As you can see I emerged from that firefight quite unscathed" Like hell you did! You have more bruises than any of us here.
"Where are we?" Marimo asked out loud. "Why did you bring us here?"
Yoroi Sakoi simply tilted his head in return. "Your first question is simple. (…) You're onboard a plane. (Huh?) As for where you are exactly… I would say somewhere above the skies of Japan, roughly 20,000 feet from the ground. The temperature up here is below 6 degrees and…"
"Cut it out with the nonchalant!" I roared.
"Then what are you trying to ask? Please be clearer with your questions, Shirogane kun" You're the one being unclear about this! And I wasn't the one, asking it was Marimo!
"Excuse me… Section Chief" Marimo interrupted us. "But you do realize that you illegally detaining 2 U.N. Commissioned Officers. The Ministry of Intelligence has no authority over this"
"Ah… right. I knew I was forgetting something" Don't forget something like that! "I apologize for the rough treatment but the security procedure was necessary. With the people we have on board, we cannot be too careful"
"But that still doesn't give you right to detain us" Marimo added. "If the U.N. catches wind of this they'll…"
"Ohhh… scary. I can see now why Professor Kouzuki tends to avoid you. (…?) But you may put your minds at ease. I won't hurt you. Even if I wanted to, I doubt I would be a match for the Witch's Guard Dog at my current condition. I assure you: None of you are here because of any harmful or spiteful intentions. As a matter of fact, I was hoping that you would help us instead" Eh?
"Does this have anything to do with the coup happening in the capital?" I barked out.
"Ah… finally you start to ask the right questions. This shows that you are maturing, Shirogane kun" Huh? What is he going on about?
"Chief. Please don't confuse them anymore than necessary" It's the two officers we met earlier. "It took quite a lot of effort to bring them here without raising suspicion"
"Ahaha… forgive me. It's just been so long since I had a fun conversation like this. It's quite refreshing to see someone react to my jokes" Guuu… he's making fun of me, I know it. "How goes with the procedure?"
"We should be arriving at the Sakado in a few short hours" The Major answered. "Our makeshift airfield should be large enough to accommodate this plane and its cargo. My company has already secured the area. There are no complications in sight"
"Very good. We will have little trouble on the way" Yoroi nodded with his trademark smirk. "Ah… but where are my manners? Allow me to introduce to you, my associates. On my left is the beautiful and charming Yayoi Isumi who works in the same department as I am. And on my left here is… Major Komaki Sayoko. Commander of the 2nd TSF Armored Division of the 1st Regiment. I hope you will all get along fine"
…
Ok… that guy is starting to irritate me. If this were a regular meeting I'd gladly shake their hands but right now I'm kind of tied up. I feel like I'm supposed to be in an interrogation but Yoroi is just making everything so casual. A turn for the bizarre is probably the best term I can find for this situation.
"It's a pleasure to meet you at last, Shirogane san" Yayoi greeted me politely which made me blush. She's kind of pretty in her own way too…
"Ah… pleasure to meet you too…" Wait… what am I saying!-?
"I heard so much about you from my sister. I do hope you continue to care for her as you have" Eh? Sister? (Flash) Wait… she couldn't possibly be…
"Are you… talking about the captain?"
"Correct. She is the officer that you serve. But I also hear tales of you from Akira" Akira? (Flash) Wait… that girl I met during the battle of Sadogashima. "Both of them spoke highly of you but I never imagined I would actually get to meet you in person"
…
"Impressive… even as a captive you continue to charm women at every corner. I underestimated you, Shirogane kun" Hey! I get the impression that he meant something with that last sentence. "But jokes aside. Major… please release their cuffs"
Major Komaki's eyes widened. "But Section Chief. Are you sure that's wise? We're still…"
"It is fine" He added. "Don't you think it's inappropriate to treat those we are asking for help as prisoners?"
The officer darted her eyes for a moment before nodding. "Very well…" She took her keys from her pocket and removed our cuffs. My wrists and ankle feel strangely cold from that.
"Now that we have the pleasantries out of the way, let us get to business. I'm sure you're both dying to know why you were brought here. (…) Yayoi… please take Jinguuji san to the com room and have them explain it from there"
"Of course… 1st Lt. Jinguuji. Please follow me…" Marimo darted her eyes untrusting to both of them but followed nonetheless. I guess she still doesn't trust them. I probably would've had the same expression if I didn't know Yoroi personally.
Once they were out of the room, Sakon returned his attention to me. "You look like you have questions, Shirogane kun"
"Normally I would, but it's clear to me that you just wanted her out of the room. (Hooo?) Yuuko sensei did something similar to that awhile back"
"You're getting sharper. Very good. But that is not why I brought you here. I took the liberty of bringing you to this place because I have need of your… special skills. (…?) To be more precise, I… we… require your talents in piloting a TSF" The Major beside him made a gruff noise. "As I have no doubt that you've heard that another coup has occurred in the capital"
"Yeah… it was explained to us. They say that a faction of the Imperial Army is part of it along with a foreign military group"
"That's only half of the truth. (Eh?) I'm sure the government is hiding this information to avoid confusion and panic but to be more precise, the coup was instigated by the Imperial Household Honor Guards"
"The Honor Guards? No way! Why would they…?"
"The reason behind that is unclear…" Yoroi stopped me from asking more questions. "But it is without a doubt certain to us that they are the ones responsible for this coup. We discovered that more than 1/3 of Japan has already sided with the rebels. A group that resisted their rule attempted to recapture the capital but were all decimated before they could even reach the city"
"Wait… is this group… the same people aligned with Sagiri?"
"That was my first suspicion" He admitted. "When they made their demands, I was opted to point my finger at him as well. (Demands?) Yes… though they are keeping much of the information hidden from the public, the rebel army had made a demand for all foreign influence to leave Japan immediately" That's the same demand that Sagiri gave out during his speech. "But those suspicions were cleared when my contact told me that Sagiri in still in his holding cell. (…?) So it's possible that there is another who is trying to uphold his ideals. A copycat if you will…"
"A copycat?" So there are other people like Naoya?
"Correct, which is why we're going to need your skills, Shirogane kun. (Me?) Yes… I have seen your abilities first hand. Though others may have doubt I know that you have a habit of making the impossible, possible"
"But wait. Isn't there still negotiations happening?"
"The attempts of communication with the rebels broke down 10 minutes ago" Komaki answered back for the first time since this conversation started. "The negotiations were doomed to fail from the beginning. They were placed there to buy us some time to move our troops to position. They were never planned on succeeding" A talk that had no plan to go anywhere. That's not something you'd hear every day.
"Martial law was declared yesterday by the remaining members of the government, including Prime Minister Kurechika" Yoroi continued. "As of right now, the country is split between the ruling class and the sovereignty. Only a stray few are left undecided. This incident can only end with the complete annihilation of one side or the other"
"Then… what do you need me for?" I asked. "I'm not a member of the Imperial Army"
"That… is a rather difficult thing to explain and not a lot of time to explain it in detail. (…?) Time is not our friend either because I have a feeling that members of my organization may have also joined side with the rebel army. (…!) It's only natural seeing that are the Royal Ministry of Intelligence after all"
"Then… why are you on our side?"
"Your side? Whoever said I was ever on your side? (Huh?) I never take sides, Shirogane kun. You should know that by now. It just so happens that I can benefit from this by fighting on this side. We cannot do this unless we know that we gain something in return. Don't you agree? (…) Anything else you would like to inquire?"
"I get the situation… but there's still one thing I don't understand. (…?) Aren't the Household Honor Guards supposed to obey the Royal Family? Why isn't Yu—the Shogun, doing anything about it?"
Yoroi's smile grew even wider. "At last… you're starting to ask the right questions, Shirogane kun. (…) But are you really worried about them… or are you more concerned of something else entirely? (…) Heh… but to answer your question, I believe you're mistaken about one thing. (Eh?) The Imperial Household Honor Guards do not take orders from the royal family. Though on some occasions where a company is assigned under the command of a family member, they are still a different force entirely. Out of everything their primary mission is to ensure the safety of the royal family. It is… difficult to understand but that is how they are described. Should the royal family have a tendency to risk their lives due to their honor… the Honor Guards will ensure that their lives are not wasted on the battlefield"
"So… in the end they don't obey orders from the Shogun? (Correct…) Kuh..." Then what about Tsukuyomi? Why did she obey the Shogun during the coup?
"Shirogane…" Hmm?
"Ah Marimo sensei. What happened?"
"I just confirmed things with high command. We're ordered to cooperate with Yoroi Sakon for the duration of the operation. (Eh!-?) I know that this is highly unusual but I guess we have to bear with it. It was part of the agreement for the U.N. intervention of the Japanese political changes. Negotiations were carried out between both sides and the only request the Japanese Government was to have both you and me cooperate with them" That is extremely unusual. For the government to make such a request is unheard of… but I guess the U.N. Consulate couldn't resist such a bargain either. 2 soldiers for the price of increasing their influence must be a special discount deal.
"In other words, you two were sold out to us until this situation is resolved" Yoroi finished. "So… do we have your cooperation in this?"
I darted my eyes to Marimo. I should probably leave the talking with her.
"I suppose so…" Was her answer. "It's not like we're being given much of a choice. I've been told that I will be acting as Shirogane's operator in whatever task he will be assigned in. (Correct…) But one thing still bothers me. Why only two of us? You could've asked for a whole squad yet you specifically just asked for two"
"The details of the mission hold many secrets of the Tokyo Defense. The less people who know about it, the better. The mission I will be assigning also has certain risks involved that I cannot share at this moment"
"And what would that mission be?"
"There will be time for that. For now, I have briefed both of you of the situation. We will be arriving at a temporary military base in Sakado City, Saitama. From there we will meet up with the rest of the 1st Regimental Army where we will conduct a series of attacks. In the mean time, please stay in the quarters we've provided on this plane. I have no doubt that all of you are still restless from what occurred earlier. Once we've arrived, I will explain the details of your task. That will be all. Thank you for listening" And just like that, the man left. It must be hard for Yuuko sensei to deal with him. I can understand why people would actually try to kill him.
(Tokyo) (Royal Palace) (Shogun's Room)
Silence…
The only thing that Her Royal Highness could hear was the blissful sound of the wind passing through the flowers of her fauna collection. The snow continued to fall overhead, covering the country in a near endless white-blanket. It was…a marvelous-scenery, one that she'd hope that she would see again by tomorrow's sunrise.
But despite the harsh weather and the cold still night, her thoughts drifted to the words she spoke out of conscious. This was the second time she lashed out to someone out of anger and the second time she delivered a slap. The hint of that anger still lingered under her chest, crying out to be unleashed again. She knew that it was wrong to show such childish emotions but deep down inside a crackling feeling of joy remained.
It was immature, childish, and selfish even. But even so, there was no way to deny the smaller bit of sweet happiness that she felt from it. She thought that she had locked up all her anger in her head and threw away the keys. She believed that she could take any form of insult and still stand strong. But when Ikaruga mentioned that boy and smeared his name, something just… clicked. She barely even had any control over what she said and done… and by the time she even realized it, the man was already gone. It was like a separate persona of hers took over and let out her deepest thoughts in one swift movement.
"How you define my words is your own doing. Spit on my lineage, my name, my standing in this country if you must… but do not dare mock his name in front of me ever again. If so… it will be my sword that will take your life"
Those words returned to her like a surreal dream. She played the role of a Shogun perfectly until the last moment. From that point on, everything around her shattered like she was waking up from a world made of glass. All the reflections showing of a woman she didn't recognize was gone… completely. All she could see now was her own eyes looking back at her with clear crystal star glittering in them.
But her dream ended abruptly when she felt a pair of hands covering her coat with a fresh warm towel. She turned back to see the face of the Chamberlain with the same smile she always had for her.
"Some warm tea, Your Highness? (…) Against the cold and the stress… you will need all the help you can get"
Yuuhi reluctantly accepted the teacup, the warm smell reaching her nose ticking her senses. "Oba san… I… I'm sorry I did not say anything about this"
"You need not apologize" She stated sharing a sip from another teacup. "Though to admit… I was a little surprised at first"
"I did not want to trouble you with my errors. It is my selfish of me to have done such a thing without your knowledge"
"Keeping secrets is just another part of being human, Your Highness. (…) We cannot expect to reveal everything about themselves to the people around us. But I must admit, I never expected something like… this" Yuuhi felt a tinge of guilt and shame. A part of her wishing she could just turn into a flower and hide herself among the faunas. "I don't suppose you're willing to share who this particular person, will you? Perhaps it is just the grandmother in me but I am curious to know what kind of person he is to make you spout such things"
"I… I'm afraid not. Even I am puzzled to what I said earlier…"
The Chamberlain nodded, understanding what the girl was going through. "Only the heart can speak the truth. (…?) That was something my late husband once said to me when he first confessed his love many years ago. The mind can twist tales, the eyes and ears can only see and hear lies, and the mouth can follow a script. But the heart cannot lie no matter how much it tries to hide it. Our senses are limited to what we see, hear, think, taste and feel… but deep down in our stomach, the truth lingers below. (Oba san…) I know that it may sound illogical. Sometimes I can barely understand half of what he says. But even so… I always believe in his words. Foolish they may be… but it has always brought me some measure of hope in these dark times. (…?) What do you think your heart is saying, Your Highness? What does it say when you picture that boy in your mind?"
Yuuhi looked down to her breast and held her hand onto it. An image of Takeru popped up unconsciously to her head like reflex. It was then she felt it. Her heart began to beat faster and faster. Her body feels hot and all doubt that she had with her, melted away like the snow at the first light of summer.
"It says… everything I wanted to say to him…" A smile came upon her face.
(Ikaruga's office) (Honor Guard Headquarters) (07:10 PM)
"Bring it on! I'll take you all on!" The voice of Shirogane boomed over the television that evening. His face has been playing on that giant screen along with his simulator and mock battle training that had been secretly recorded by Yoroi Sakon prior to his personal investigation of the boy on camera.
Ikaruga watched with some measure of interest flickering in his mind. Every video that came with the journal had the same boy playing over and over again like he was the star of a movie series that never seemed to catch the attention of any audience. But despite the lack of a story, Ikaruga found it to be quite… intriguing.
The boy was undoubtedly headstrong but also very skilled. If the records on the files were as half as accurate as they are then it was possible that the soldier he met was more dangerous than he had anticipated.
"My lord?" His bodyguard garbed in red entered.
"Ah Makabe… good. You're here"
"Is there a reason why you called for me, sire? It's almost time to make your announcement"
"I wanted your opinion on something. (…?) I've been viewing the records of Shirogane Takeru all afternoon and I find it… quite… interesting. (Interesting… sire?) Yes… apparently there are two sets of public information about him. (…!) One side here says he lived abroad all his life and only recently came back to join the U.N. The other one here states that he… is dead"
"Then it's clearly obvious that the latter information is false since the boy you spoke of is clearly still alive"
"True… I thought of the same thing until I read the journal. (…?) That Yoroi is clearly top notched. He doesn't miss a single detail of a person. It's the very thing that makes him so frightening. He treated the boy as if he was an object to be studied rather than a person to be followed. In his journal, Yoroi continues to mention one thing… (…?) He states at the end of each report… 'A Dead Man Walks Among Us'. (…!) What do you make of it, Makabe?"
"The philosophical implications are near limitless, my lord"
"Philosophical? Yes… that does sound like something the man would play in his journal. You can never understand what he's thinking. It'll take a miracle just trying to follow the man in his own sense of mind. But even so… I find the boy… even more interesting than before. (…?) What kind of boy would possess such talents and yet be so unknown to this world? (Sir?) Never mind. It doesn't really matter at this point. The boy may be a robot for all I care. But Yoroi's report does make a compelling argument"
"Does this boy require any special treatment, my lord?" Makabe questioned. "No matter how powerful he may be, he is still just one soldier. There will always be limits to what a single person can do"
"Are you including me in that factor, Makabe?"
"Of course sir" The guard answered without hesitation. "No matter what we do, humans are simply humans. There are a few that far exceeds the normal conditions but in the end… they will always have a limit. No matter how much you try to modify their bodies with technology or psychology… they can never exceed what they were capable from the start. It is the limit of humanity. That is why we have each other. (…?) Where many are flawed, there are those with strengths. If humanity can stand shoulder to shoulder for just a few minutes… they can achieve that which is beyond a person's reach. That is the principle we believed in… that is why we are fighting, are we not?"
"Heh… you're getting better with your words, Makabe"
"I learned from the best, sir"
"Hahaha! You flatter me so. But you shouldn't underestimate the will of a single person. Though I agree… we are stronger when united… it is our very differences that interfere with our unity. I will continue to study this boy at a later time. For now… we have more important things to do…"
(Takeru's POV) (Somewhere in the skies)
It's been over an hour since we've been abducted here onboard the plane of the Imperial Army. I'll admit I am a bit uneasy about all of this. The war, the coup, even the Shogun. I'm so confused that I don't even know where this world is turning anymore. I need to do a recap. The only things I changed in this loop was the coup which altered in the survival of the political group of Sakaki's old man and Sagiri Naoya. During the XM3 trials I saved Marimo chan. But I can't seem to figure out how the small changes affected the future so much. Back in Sadogashima, I didn't know about the BETA Carrier nor did I know anything about the ALTERNATIVE II facility hidden under there.
The flawless victory from the Hive must've had something to do with the BETA attack but what could've triggered a second coup? I'm piecing the things that I've changed but there's just so many that it's hard to keep track on all of them.
Haa… my brain is already packed with so much information. If I put in anymore it'll probably explode. Maybe it'll be best that I just rest until I get the full story from Yoroi.
The room they provided us was pretty spacious considering that we're onboard an airplane. Two beds, a table with two reading lamps and chairs—it reminds me a lot of the barracks back at Yokohama Base. But unlike that place I can't be entirely certain if we're being monitored here. They could have a camera hidden somewhere among the shelves or a listening bug under our beds. Geh! Damn it! I'm exerting myself again. This is probably what I get from watching too many movies back in my younger days.
Marimo is already fast asleep. She seems to be experienced about unusual military activities considering that she's been with Yuuko sensei half her life. I really want to talk but I don't want to disturb her either. I'll just follow her example and…
Knock knock…
Huh?
"Excuse me. Jinguuji san, Shirogane san. May I come in?" That voice… Yayoi?
"Wait one moment please" Wah! Marimo sensei? Was she awake this whole time? She got up from her bed and opened the bulkhead door not even showing a hint of her exhaustion. "Is there something you need?"
"I apologize for disturbing. I know that this might be a bit sudden, but I was wondering if you'd like some dinner. I was able to whip up something for you in the kitchen. It just occurred to me that we took you from your base without even realizing the time. I'm certain that you must be famished"
Food? Now that I think about it… I don't recall having dinner at all. I remember having lunch back in Kyoto base but it was nothing more but soup, rice and fish. You can probably call that a meager ration as it is.
"Of course. Please, come in" Marimo allowed the woman in who produced two trays for us from a food cart. If you looked at her from my point of view, she looked a lot like a flight attendant serving the passengers their in-flight meals.
"It's not much but please try to make it last"
"Oh… thank you…" I gave a small bow in appreciation to her. Yayoi looked more like a businesswoman rather than a soldier. Her stance resembles a lot like 1st Lt. Piatiff, Yuuko's secretary.
"The Chief also wanted me to give this to you" Hmm? Are those… military uniforms? "We do not wish to cause unnecessary misunderstandings. Though this is a joint operation with the Imperial Army and the U.N. Armed Force, it is better to have you act as part of our force rather than the U.N. Once we arrive at Sakado and cleared you back of your usual profiling you can return to your regular uniforms"
So I guess they don't want to cause any kind of commotion while we're there. But she does have a point. I mean earlier when we first came in they had guns trained on us. I don't want that kind of experience again and my U.N. Eishi suit sticks out like a sore thumb.
"Thank you for your hospitality" Marimo thanked her with a silent nod before letting Yayoi back out. I guess she wants to be left alone until we get a better understanding of things. "You'd better eat up, Shirogane. This might be the only thing we get until the operation starts"
"Ah… y… yeah"
"Don't be nervous. I don't think they'll try to poison us after everything that has happened. (Geh!) At situations like these you need to learn how to keep yourself calm. Being all erratic and you make it easy for others to read you. Even now I can read your face clearly"
"Eh? Am I that easy to read?"
"Sometimes I hardly understand what's going through your head. But when you're so uneasy, I can tell what you're thinking just by asking you a simple question. (Geh…) It's nothing to be ashamed of. Even I have a hard time controlling how I feel about the situation as it is"
"You look pretty calm to me"
"That's only how I appear. In truth I'm actually quite uncomfortable. When dealing with outsiders, it's best to keep your relations to be strictly professional. (…?) But considering how Yoroi spoke to you, I can only assume that this isn't the first time you've had a proper conversation before"
"Ah… well… it's a long story"
She shrugged her shoulders in reply. "Well… considering that you work under the Vice Commander, it shouldn't surprise me that you meet with such a man on a regular basis. But always remember to keep your relationship professional. Just keep acting as you have when you're in the base but keep watch on what you say. As long as you follow these rules, you'll be just fine. (Yes ma'am). Don't worry about your friends too much either. I'm sure they can handle well even without you. Besides, 1st Lt. Hayase probably won't forgive you if you allowed yourself to be distracted"
"Ahehe… yeah… you're right. That does sound like something she would say"
I have to remain calm. First priority is surviving this. I can't afford to die now. If I do then… Sumika would be all alone again. I can't allow that. No matter what happens now… I will see it to the very end!
