Soldier's Forge Chapter 6, a sakura wars fanfic

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Soldier's Forge, Chapter 6:

The ride back to the theater was one of oppressive silence and heavy-heartedness. When they finally returned, Kanna, Iris, and Orihime went in their directions to rest while the others spent their time alone. Oogami followed Yoneda and Kaede into the Manager's office. Entering the dark room, Oogami always felt that the antiquities and the wooden overtones reflected the long, difficult years Yoneda had seen as a fighter for the Kouma squad, the predecessor of the Hanagumi. The atmosphere of the room commanded respect, although Yoneda himself often belied the fact with his oftentimes-carefree behavior.

Kaede proceeded to close the door quietly, and then took her place at Yoneda's side. As the assistant commander, it seemed unlikely that someone so young could be given the burden of a task so great. This contradiction she did not show often, that of the young woman who wanted the life befitting for those of her age, and that of the hardened battle veteran that carried responsibility beyond expectations.

"Oogami, today the others were caught in something that has been recently happening more often. Kaede already told you that they were caught in an explosion. Right now we don't have a lot of information, but an investigation is underway," began Manager Yoneda.

"Who would have done this, and why?" asked Oogami.

"We don't know, but this terrorism is the first of an escalating level of violence in Teito, targeted at the foreign population and their establishment. The police are doing their best, but this is an enemy that has no face easily identified. Oogami, the city is under siege and they don't even know it."

"No suspects, no motive, nothing?" said Oogami skeptically.

"When we have more, we will let you know. Until then, be alert. There isn't too much that we can do at the moment," Yoneda informed. "One more thing, Oogami. You will be escorting Kaede tonight to an important meeting. Hopefully more will be shed on this situation there. Dismissed."

Oogami saluted, and then quietly left the room. Kaede turned towards Yoneda, a look of surprise on her face.

"Commander, are you sure that is wise?" she asked.

"He will decide what he needs to know. Right now, that is probably the best way to prepare them for may come to pass," Yoneda replied. Pulling out his bottle of sake, Yoneda poured himself a cup. "I only hope that it's enough."

Oogami sat in the salon, staring distractedly at the book he held in his hands, The Art of War. He could not concentrate on it, however, and the book spent most of its time warming his lap. Other Hanagumi members were preoccupied with solitary activities, as if each had to find their own way of dealing with the events of today. Maria and her group had not returned yet, and when they did, Oogami would have to be the one to bear the bad news; he felt guilty at having to share his burden with them. Oogami did not realize it, but he sat in the very chair Sumire always sat in during her teatime. Reminiscing over her attempts to teach him the elaborate method in which tea was prepared, Oogami was taken by surprise when a hot cup of tea was placed on the table next to him.

"Kasumi? Thank you very much," thanked Oogami as Kasumi came around from behind, clad in her usual blue office dress.

"I was just worried about you, Oogami, that's all." Kasumi took a seat across from Oogami. "All of the Hanagumi are disturbed by this. Is there anything you want to talk about?"

"Nothing really. Sorry," replied Oogami. "No new gossip fodder from me." Oogami managed a half-hearted smile. "Although, if you would do me a favor?" he asked.

"No problem, Oogami," said Kasumi.

"Would you please let me know when Maria and her group gets back? I want to arrange a meeting with everyone as soon as they return, usual place."

"Alright, Oogami, I'll let the others know."

"Thanks Kasumi."

"Squad leader, I heard from the others as soon as I got back. What happened?" asked Maria as Oogami was entering the cafeteria. The other members of the Hanagumi were gathered there already, in addition to Yuri, Kasumi, and Tsubaki. Maria and her group had arrived late in the afternoon.

"Oogami, let me know the truth. Is she going to be okay?" added Kohran.

"Sit down, everyone. I don't have much information, but I will try to answer as much as I can." Oogami took a seat at the table. The others waited patiently for him to begin.

"This morning, Kanna, Sumire, Iris, and Orihime were involved in an incident at a French café. Apparently, an explosive device was left behind. Many people did not survive; we're lucky all of you are alive. Unfortunately, Sumire didn't fare as well. It seems she has a head injury. It may be nothing but a mild concussion, and she may regain consciousness at anytime, but as it stands right now she has lost a lot of blood. We can only hope she'll pull out of this one."

"Who was responsible?" queried Maria.

"We don't know exactly. Kanna did file what she saw to the police, but the details are sketchy. As you may know, this incident is part of a string of escalating attacks against foreigners and their establishments. The motives are unclear, nor are the perpetrators. It may be a random act, or it might be the working of a larger organization. I have no information as to that regard. In light of this and other incidents, I am issuing an order to remain in house unless I authorize otherwise. The Hanagumi is a unique division; because of this, we all might be in danger. This order stands until this gets resolved—if it can be resolved."

"Can I see what the police have, Oogami? What about the crime site?" asked Kohran.

"I am interested as well, but truthfully, it's not our jurisdiction. And I don't know if we can find anything they haven't found anyways. If you can, however, manage to get information, I wouldn't object to it."

"What about Sumire? Shouldn't we go see her?" suggested Sakura.

"She's safe; besides, the only thing we can do right now is hope she recovers. I have no doubts she will. Are there any other questions?" Seeing none, Oogami dissolved the meeting. Motioning to Maria, he met up with her as the others were filing out.

"Maria, I'm going to be out tonight, on Yoneda's orders. I'll need you to look after them for me, alright?"

"Understood, squad leader. Be careful," she advised. Oogami nodded, and then went to the main office where Yuri and Kasumi worked.

"Yuri, Kasumi, can I have a word with you two?" he asked.

"Sure, Oogami. You know you can talk to us anytime, we're always looking for more goss—I mean information," smiled Yuri.

"It's not any gossip really. I just wanted to ask you to try to find out what's happening out there in Teito. Sometimes, the Hanagumi isn't in touch with the outside world all the time, and you're the link to that. I know you've got an extensive information net, Yuri," complimented Oogami.

"Thanks, Oogami. It gives Kayama's a run for his money—at least I think so."

"Why don't you ask him?" grinned Oogami.

"I've tried. He said if he told me, he'd have to kill me. He's the hardest person to get information out of, Oogami. I've done everything short of getting him drunk, you know."

"Yuri!" gasped Kasumi in surprise. Oogami chuckled.

"Well, please let Tsubaki know that I wouldn't be adverse to information if she can come across it."

"No problem, Oogami," answered Kasumi.

"Thanks for the help, you two."

Maria hated not being able to do anything. She was usually a cool person, but she was also one that needed to be in control. If there was anything that she learned in her time spent with Oogami, however, was that it was sometimes better to be patient than to waste energy doing something ineffective. Recognizing this did not ease her mind, however.

"Maria? Are you in here?" Kohran popped her head into the doorway of the game room.

"Yes, come in, Kohran," Maria said while she lined up a shot on the billiards table.

"I'll get to the point. I was thinking about what Oogami said, and was monitoring the radio waves. There isn't any news about this anywhere. Don't you find it strange?"

"Now that I think about it, I find it very odd that all the increased activity isn't reported. What did you have in mind?" Maria knocked a ball into the corner pocket.

"I don't have any theories about that right now, but I think I can get some additional information."

"How are you going to do that? You know we're not allowed outside without the squad leader's approval." Chalking up her cue, she walked around the corner of the table for another shot.

"I wouldn't have to leave, Maria. But it would involve something I thought I should let the squad leader know, but I couldn't find him." This got Maria's attention; she straightened up from taking her shot.

"What's this about?" she asked suspiciously.

"I need Tsubaki's help for this. We'd be using the command computers for…let's say we're using them outside regulatory procedure."

Maria reflected on this for a moment, and then nodded. "Do what you have to do, Kohran. We need something to go on."

"Thanks, Maria," replied Kohran as she went in search of Tsubaki.

"Alright, Oogami, let's go," said Kaede at the lobby. Earlier, she had given him instructions to meet her here, dressed in street clothes. Oogami wore a dark red shirt, complemented with brown khakis. Kaede was in her usual yellow blouse with matching red jacket.

"Where are we going?" asked Oogami.

"You'll find out when we get there. We're taking the trolley."

Oogami nodded and followed her out into the darkening city.

"Tsubaki! Glad I caught you. Did you have any plans for tonight?" asked Kohran inside the gift shop. Tsubaki was in the process of closing and was preparing to go home.

"No, not really. What did you have in mind?" she asked curiously.

"Nothing really, just you, me, delivered dinner, and a computer. How about it?" offered Kohran.

Tsubaki grinned. "Sounds like fun to me."

* * *

The ride was uneventful, but the locale that Kaede chose to get off at worried Oogami. It was in a seedier part of the city, the kind that Kaede probably would not have wanted to walk around alone without an escort. Oogami always carried his sidearm with him when he was in the city; being military personnel authorized him to do so, and he knew Kaede did as well. The dark, night sky was being obscured by heavy clouds, which reminded both of them of their presence when the low rumblings of thunder could be heard. The street the two walked down in was littered and dirty, the only beacons in the darkness being the brief intervals of the dim, rundown streetlights. Although the street looked empty, Oogami caught glimpses of the inhabitants of the neighborhood, usually out of side behind some building or in some hovel. Kaede continued walking until she reached a dingy establishment. Pushing the door open, she was greeted by the stench of alcohol in a poorly lit bar. Oogami followed Kaede inside. Trying to look around without seeming out of place, Oogami saw several patrons nursing liquor, passed out, or gambling.

Sitting at the bar, Kaede motioned for the bartender.

"Two drinks, one for me and my friend here. Sake with a touch of cherry blossoms." Nodding, the bartender went to the shelf to fetch some. A second bartender, polishing some glasses, exited the back room and approached Kaede.

"We're out. Follow me around the back," said Kayama. Motioning for Oogami, Kaede followed Kayama to the wine cellar. Closing the door, he pushed on a wine rack to reveal a small, tight corridor that lead down.

"Ladies first," smiled Kayama. Kaede entered, followed by Oogami, and then finally Kayama, who closed the door shut.

* * *

Tsubaki sat in the command center, shrouded in darkness except for the flickering lights of several computer terminals. A hanging overhead lamp provided scant additional illumination. Kohran was in a circuitry pit she created by removing several floor panels, and was busy rewiring them with her tools. The distant rumbling of thunder permeated the room, followed by the incessant sound of rain pounding the roof.

"Hey, Kohran, are you sure the power's going to hold out?" asked Tsubaki.

"Yeah, we run off a separate power grid. We've got our own steam generators, and if they go down we have several auxiliaries. Ok, Tsubaki, check the new links."

Peering at several monitors, she replied, "All the links look normal, except the one between nodes five and six."

"Okay." Kohran went back into the pit.

"What are we looking for?" asked Tsubaki as she grasped several strands of noodles out of the cup she was holding. The roll of thunder punctuated her question.

"Well, you know that Teito police, civilian records, and military all had computer systems developed after the original Kouma War. During the rebuilding of Teito, there was a lot of talk about a rapid response system, which is basically an integrated network of all the systems. The wiring was connected because it was feasible to do so, since so much ground was dug up anyways, but the software development never really got up to speed. This theater—" Kohran climbed up and took some more equipment, "—is one of the most advanced computing systems in the nation. That's why we can do real-time simulation and data analysis. Only a few other installations have things of this caliber, including the military, Kanzaki Industries, and several foreign countries."

Tsubaki listened attentively. The history of the systems she used so frequently surprised her. She was fairly proficient at operating it, and knew the ins and outs of it, but she never really delved into its development. "Sounds neat, but what are we going to do with it?" she asked.

"As soon as I get the nodes up, we're going to be spending a lot of time searching. Recent police reports, news media files, military logistics, things like that. Sorry about dragging you in this, Tsubaki, but this might take a while. If I can decipher a correlating pattern on the outset, thought, I'll be able to automate it."

"It's okay, Kohran. The three of us don't live too far from here, and even if we left we couldn't sleep, with everything that's happened. Besides, when we have to work late, there are spare rooms around. We practically live here half the time," grinned Tsubaki. Lightning flashed outside, causing minor interference on the display.

"Thanks. Just to let you know, it's not going to be cut and dry. I'll have to break through some high level security. As far as Maria and Oogami are concerned, we never did this."

"I'm fine with that. It's just…there really isn't a word to describe this is there?" asked Tsubaki thoughtfully.

"No, not really. I don't think anyone's really done something like this that I know of, aside from some office pranks my lab coworkers try. I've heard of an English word for it, though: 'hacking'. Kinda means cutting."

"Hacking? I guess we're cutting through a jungle or something."

"Yeah, something like that."

* * *

A hanging ceiling lamp flickered briefly as lightning cracked outside. Under the solitary lamp was a circular table where Oogami, Kaede, and Kayama were sitting. They were in a small underground room, barely large enough for this table and a desk where Kayama worked. Underground pipes ran through the stone walls, and what little paint that remained on the walls was peeling. The incessant drip of water into a pail provided the only ambiance.

"Sorry about the place, but it's all I have to offer," smiled Kayama.

"We're not worried about it," replied Kaede. Kayama turned to Oogami.

"I got word that you were coming along, although I'm sure you expected that you were going to meet me." Oogami nodded, as he had suspected it from the beginning.

"Fill us in, Kayama. Oogami needs to know what's going on," said Kaede.

"Alright. Oogami, you know that there have been several attacks recently, mostly targeted towards foreigners. It's not only them, however. Anyone that has dealings with them is included, and since the peace treaties that includes almost everybody. Apparently, they are organized. We've managed to infiltrate the lower levels of the organization, and this is what we came up with." Kayama reached over to his desk and tossed several pamphlets onto the table.

"National Japanese Liberation Army," read Oogami. The pamphlet was filled with national symbols, small anecdotes, and patriotic songs.

"It's basically a rebellion against globalization. A lot of the population, especially those that were hit hard during the last battle, buys into this. Most of their claims are fairly ludicrous or unsubstantiated, but the leaders sell it otherwise. If you recall your history, it's pretty similar to the rebellion near the end of the Samurai reign."

"What about the police? What have they got?" inquired Oogami.

"Not much. They're not equipped to handle something like this. How do you fight an enemy that hides among the population? In addition, the police force is at the back end of the budget. The government doesn't have enough resources now to maintain its armed forces. It's estimated that it will take about ten years before we recover from the recent disasters here."

"Maria said this wasn't showing up in the news. You have any idea why?" Oogami placed his hand under his chin.

"The news agencies around here are influenced pretty heavily by the politicians. It seems that they don't want to alarm the public, but it isn't working too well. The general population gets it worse because now they hear these things as rumors or second hand accounts. When you do that, the events are going to be distorted. Basically, in trying to preserve the public confidence, the politicians are making it worse."

"Alright, I kind of see what's going on, but is there anything we can do?" pondered Oogami.

"Not your unit. It's a relatively autonomous unit, outside of formal military jurisdiction. The funding you receive is typically separate, and made up heavily of the Kanzaki Industries consortium. In return, they usually have exclusive rights to military contracts, projects, and construction operations. But more importantly, the purpose of the Hanagumi is defense against supernatural threats. There is a clause within the constitution that deals with your unit, and prohibits it from being used outside of that mandate. Besides, marching your Koubu up and down the streets won't make things any better."

"I see," acquiesced Oogami.

* * *

"National Japanese Liberation Army?" asked Tsubaki was reading through screens of information.

"That's interesting. Here's one about a recent attack. Police investigation: inconclusive. Suspects: inconclusive. Motive: inconclusive. I guess Oogami was right—the police really don't have much on them." Kohran quickly punched a couple commands into her terminal.

"Hey, there's one file here that must have been recently added. It's a detective's report," declared Tsubaki. "'Although there is little evidence otherwise, I remain convinced it is the work of the organization previously uncovered to be the NJLA. It appears that it may be a greater threat than the department realizes, but unfortunately my commanding officer, citing budget deficiencies, has demanded that I terminate this investigation; he believes there is nothing more that can be done.'" Tsubaki scanned further. "Kohran, the investigation has been closed by several higher ups."

"Hmm, now that seems interesting. I guess we'll pull up their files and start following the chain of command," suggested Kohran.

* * *

"There are several more pieces to the puzzle that affect you, Oogami, although we're not exactly sure if they're related," continued Kayama. "First, there was a meeting between Yoneda and several high ranking officials in the army. Kaede can tell you about that."

"Their purpose was to remand the clause about non-interference. It would have put the Hanagumi under the jurisdiction of the Army, to be used under their discretion. I suspect it had more to do with exerting more control over a unit that they always have viewed as being theirs. There are some who resent what the Imperial Assault Troops have done to the Army's image," Kaede told Oogami. "Since Yoneda refused to endorse the measure, it has been more difficult for the coalition that supports it to gather the forces needed to push it through, but they have been working constantly to do that. We fear that it is only a matter of time before it gets passed. The situation now isn't helping either—the power base of the politicians is being sorely strained by a gradual decline in public confidence. They will try to pass anything that makes them look like progress is being made."

Oogami pondered Kaede's words, and wondered if the Hanagumi could ever face an enemy other than the supernatural. The mere possibility of having to attack human forces, or perhaps turning on civilians, sickened him.

"Oogami, you remember our trip to the docks, right?" reminded Kayama. "That person was part of the NJLA. The most disturbing thing coming out of that was that we managed to track a large quantity of supplies, weapons, and money coming in. The Tsuki-gumi isn't the police, so we can't seize them all, but we did managed uncover the fact that a lot of items are going straight to the NJLA. It means two things; first, they're well funded. Some of the items that are coming in are military grade hardware. Secondly, they're funded from outside, which means that some organization, be it a state or whatever, is also involved. This complicates things by a large magnitude. Something big is happening, Oogami, and I don't know if anyone in Teito is going to be there to stop it."