Ronin; being the third part of Rae's Story: a work of Battletech fan fiction by Dave "saganaki" Mooney
All setting elements are copyrights of Wizkids, LLC (http://www.wizkidsgames.com). This story takes place within the confines of the classic Battletech setting, as originally envisioned by the FASA corporation. If you'd like more information on the setting, I'd suggest checking out http://www.classicbattletech.com, as it is the official information site of the Classic Battletech universe. All non-canon characters are copyrights of myself. If you wish to use them in fan fiction works of your own, please email me at dave@fgc.every1.net
-Ronin
Classes at the Sun Zhang Mechwarrior Academy had begun for the first years, fresh from their basic training. The setting in the Academy proper was far more comfortable than Kurosawa's training camp, though the atmosphere was still quite strict. Students were expected to adhere to a strict schedule, to the point that missing classes without a reasonable excuse could be grounds for dismissal. Free time was scarce, limited to the brief periods between classes and an hour before lights out.
Hiroji, Katsunosuki, Yu, and Rachel, who insisted her friends call her Rae, were two months out of basic training. The four shared a few classes, though they mainly saw each other in the evenings, drinking tea together and generally enjoying the company. On nights that neither of the men were available, Rae enjoyed painting, and Yu a more than willing model.
13 March 3034 was one such evening. Katsunosuki had received an urgent message from his father and raced to the local ComStar Hyperpulse Generator facility. Hiroji had a midterm exam the following morning and was reviewing. Rae had set up her easel and was working on a likeness of her friend, begun the previous week. Neither spoke, with Rae being engrossed in her work, and Yu holding her pose.
Rae had stepped back from her easel to survey her work as Katsunosuki charged into the room the women shared. Quick action on the part of Katsunosuki averted a collision. Rae was far from impressed.
"Dammit, Katsuno," she said, palette and brush still in hand, "did you forget how to knock?" She wiped her brush upon the palette. She hated interruptions while she painted. It ruined her concentration on her work. She looked at her friend, still standing near the doorway, a confused look upon his face.
"Well?" Yu asked, trying to defuse the situation, "Where's the fire?"
"Rasalhague, actually," Katsunosuki said, closing the door. "They've declared independence. The Coordinator has apparently recognized them as a state, and so has ComStar. The FedCom'll probably recognize them soon, too."
"And?" Rae asked, cleaning her brushes in irritation.
Katsunosuki adjusted his glasses. "For one thing," he said, "the Warlord of the Rasalhague district was assassinated, and my father told me that some of the other tai-shu are already planning a retaliatory attack."
Rae stopped. "But the Coordinator recognized the new state. What could they possibly hope to accomplish?"
"Could any of the tai-shu be so reckless as to attempt rebellion?" Yu mused, "Surely they're more careful than that."
"Maybe," Katsunsuki said, sitting on Rae's bed, "but a few of them have been at odds with the Coordinator since the Fourth Succession War. This could be their breaking point. All things considered, if a rebellion were to happen, things would certainly change here."
Rae resumed cleaning her brushes as the three sat in silence. The thought of open rebellion amongst the tai-shu should be inconceivable, but the Coordinator had been erratic since the Fourth War. That the environment at Sun Zhang would change in such a situation was beyond doubt.
Something permeated the air in the following day's History class, a sense of apprehension mixed with excitement. Their professor broke from his planned lecture to speak with the students regarding the Rasalhague situation. Participation by the students was high, most of whom were expressing confusion in the Coordinator's decision. Rae and her friends were silent save for proclamations of loyalty and expressing confidence in the Coordinator's wisdom. They knew all too well that the ISF, the dreaded secret police of the Draconis Combine, would be watching their statements. Dissent was not encouraged among the elite students of Sun Zhang.
The only student to say nothing was Akira Shiratori. Rae had kept an eye on him since the incident during basic training, and made note of his outspoken nature. After word came through of the Rasalhague secession, however, he became quiet and withdrawn, lacking even his usual belligerence towards Rae.
Strangely, she was concerned about the man who was her enemy.
A week passed with no further news, until another evening with Katsunosuki called to the HPG. Rae, Yu, and Hiroji were gathered in the room shared by the two young men, idly talking over tea. It was not long before the topic turned towards this metamorphosis.
"Have any of you noticed anything odd about Shiratori lately?" Rae asked, filling a gap in the conversation.
"You mean that he hasn't said a single word to you in over a week?" Yu replied with a smile, "You should be glad for it."
"Yu's right," Hiroji added, pausing to sip from his mug, "Shiratori is really only worth paying attention to if you think that he's going to do something, and he'd have to be an idiot to try something now. The ISF'd be all over him, and he'd be lucky to only be discharged from the academy."
"Maybe," Rae said, "but I can't help feeling nervous around him."
"Rightly so," Katsunosuki said, walking into the room, "seeing as his father's just become involved in a fairly major war."
Rae, Yu, and Hiroji stared dumbfounded at Katsunosuki. "What?" Rae asked, voice muted by shock.
"Well," the new arrival began, "It seems that Marcus Kurita and Vasily Cherenkoff have been declared Ronin by the Coordinator. The DCMS is moving against them as we speak."
Hiroji eyed his roommate, try to discern whether he was hearing a joke. "Civil war in the Combine? Those tai-shu couldn't possibly be so idiotic as to throw away their honour, are they?"
"Apparently so," Katsunosuki said, pulling a bottle of sake from his closet, "My father doesn't joke." he passed a printout of an HPG message to Rae.
She scanned it quickly, reaching a list of students at Sun Zhang who were children, or grandchildren, of the ronin tai-shu and their officers. The first name on the list was Akira Shiratori's. He was the son of tai-shu Kurita's executive officer.
"Does this mean what I think it does?" Rae asked, passing the printout to Yu.
Katsunosuki nodded. "It does," he said. "Our friend Shiratori is on the ISF's watch list. Since Rasalhague happened, he's been keeping understandably quiet."
"So what do we do about this?" Hiroji asked. "Shiratori may be quiet for now, but the stress must be getting to him, and he's bound to fly off the handle eventually. We know that he sees Rae as a convenient scapegoat, so that makes her a prime target. There's safety in numbers, so I suggest that at least one of us be with her whenever he's around." He looked at the clock, then turned towards Rae and Yu. "Either way, you two should return to your room. Curfew's soon, and I don't like the idea of you two being caught violating, especially since the ISF's around."
"You're right Hiroji," Yu said, standing and turning towards Rae. "Shall we?"
"Let's," Rae replied. The pair returned to their quarters, well in time for curfew.
The next day saw Rae and her friends in Battlemech Training. The class of twenty-four had spent months learning the academic side of controlling the giant machines of war. This lesson marked the first actual attempt at piloting.
The students were instructed to form lances of four members each. Unsurprisingly, Rae, Yu, Hiroji, and Katsunosuki joined together. Across the room, Shiratori glared at the quartet from within his group of friends. Rae felt a shiver travel up her spine.
"Today, class," Instructor Ryu Torii barked, "you will be applying what you have learned in the classroom. Each of you will be assigned a simulator unit and passcode. Do not forget these. A simple obstacle course has been devised for you to pilot your 'mechs through. Points will be taken for errors in piloting. Also, you should all remember that the simulated 'mechs carry simulated weapons. Should your lance finish the obstacle course before the class is finished, you may engage in skirmishes with other lances."
Each group was lead to the simulators, which were simultaneously powered up by Instructor Torii. As the lights within the confined space changed to simulate a small canyon, Rae became aware that she was in the cockpit of a Jenner, a 'mech which formed the backbone to the DCMS's light units. Looking at her lancemates, she saw that they too were in light 'mechs: Katsunosuki was at the helm of a Panther, Hiroji in a Javelin, and Yu in a Wasp.
A quick scan of her HUD revealed the path Rae's lance was to take. The on-board communications system crackled with Hiroji's voice as his Javelin took the lead.
"Follow me," he said. The other three did as commanded. Hiroji simply seemed too natural a leader for them not to.
The course passed over hills, through caves, and at one point, up the surface of a sheer cliff passable only by grace of the jump jets with which each 'mech was equipped. They were the third unit to arrive at the destination, followed shortly by Shiratori's group of a similar composition. Rae felt her stomach clench.
Warning buzzers sounded in her cockpit as Rae saw the missile lock from Shiratori's Panther. A volley of short-range missiles collided with her Jenner, scoring damage to her 'mech's right leg. A blast of blue light flashed from the Panther's PPC, narrowly missing her left side. She returned fire, ignoring the heat warnings that blared throughout the cockpit as four spears of light slammed into the Panther's torso, knocking Shiratori's 'mech backwards.
Shiratori's lancemates gathered between Rae and her target, blocking any further attacks upon the damaged Panther. The three light 'mechs then opened fire on Rae's lance, missiles and lasers shearing through light armour.
Behind them, Shiratori was having problems regaining his footing.
A sudden flash of light and a recorded voice told Rae that her left side laser hub had been destroyed. Another alert warned of a minor reactor breach. Heat within the cockpit climbed.
Hiroji's SRMs tore into the torso of the enemy Wasp. The striken 'mech lurched forward, fell to the ground, and vanished from the simulation.
As the Wasp fell, the opposing Jenner scored a hit on Katsunosuki's ammo bin, causing more than enough damage to cripple the Panther. Katsunosuki's 'mech faded.
Hiroji began trading salvos with the opposing Javelin, while Yu kept herself busy with the Jenner. Shiratori's Panther was finally struggling to its feet, relatively undamaged when compared to the other 'mechs on the virtual field.
A stray laser blast from the opposing Jenner removed Rae's right laser hub. She saw with certainty that the battle would be over if Shiratori's 'mech regained its footing. She punched her jump jets, soaring over the enemy "blockade" that stood between her and the Panther.
The heat in Rae's cockpit raised further as the Panther's PPC scored a hit on her torso, damaging the engine further. She closed her eyes as she brought what was left of her 'mech crashing down upon Shiratori's. The Jenner's foot punctured the defensive shielding on the Panther's fusion reactor. The heat in Rae's cockpit became blistering, intense light penetrating her tightly shut eyelids.
When the dancing motes of light began clearing from Rae's vision, she realised what had happened. The Panther's engine had exploded, taking her and Shiratori with it. Wiping sweat from her brow, she stumbled from the simulator. She saw Katsunosuki and another student speaking with Instructor Torii.
"Ah, welcome back, heishi Sakamoto," the instructor said. "You did well out there, especially considering the cowardly attack made by your opponent. Next time, however, I'd suggest not performing such a dangerous manoeuvre, unless as a last resort." He looked in her eyes. "Understand that there is little to be gained from losing your own life to defeat a single foe. You and Akita are dismissed."
Torii then looked in the direction of Shiratori, who was slowly climbing from his simulator. "You should learn to be a better judge of your targets," he said, "if you wish to become a true samurai, heishi Shiratori. Report to your quarters and think about that."
Shiratori frowned and visibly fought to keep his anger in check. He stalked from the room, making a point of pushing past Rae.
"That," Katsunosuki said with a smirk, "was more like him. Tea?"
Rae nodded. "Sure," she replied.
As the pair exited the simulator room, Rae found herself nose-to-chin with Shiratori. "Ah, Sakamoto," he said, voice oozing disdain, "just who I had hoped to encounter."
"What do you want?" Rae said bluntly, raising her gaze to meet her opponent's.
"Meet me in the gymnasium at 2300, if you value your honour," came Shiratori's reply, "I shall be waiting for you there." He stalked towards the students' quarters.
Rae and Katsunosuki walked the rest of the way to his room in silence. As they entered, Katsunosuki plugged in his kettle. He turned to Rae.
"You're going to do it," he said, "I know all too well that you will."
Rae flopped onto Hiroji's bed. "What else can I do?" she asked. "If I don't show, he'll be sure to call me down as a result. Besides that, I'm sure that I can handle myself against him."
"I'm sure too," Katsunosuki replied, "but keep in mind that you will most likely be caught. He stands at the top of the ISF's watch list. It would be foolish to believe that you wouldn't be caught violating curfew."
"I know," Rae said, "but I don't really see myself having any choice in the matter. On top of that, lashings and a few days in the brig are a lot easier to deal with than knowing myself to be a coward."
"I thought that you might say that," Katsunosuki said, pouring each a steaming cup of tea. "Just be careful. I'd hate to see you get hurt."
Rae smiled, sipping her tea. "You don't have to worry about me, Katsuno. I'm able to take care of myself."
"I never doubted that for a second," Rae's friend responded, "but there's far too much out there that could cause you problems. You could end up in over your head, and I know that Hiroji, Yu, and I would be shattered if something did happen. All I ask is that you watch yourself."
Rae set her teacup on Hiroji's bedside table and stood. "I will," she said, "don't worry. And please don't tell the others anything. I know that they'd both try entirely too hard to stop me."
"Don't worry, Rae," Katsunosuki replied, "I won't breathe a word of it to them."
"I appreciate it," Rae said. "Either way, I think I'll get some food and then a nap. Care to join me at the mess?"
Katsunosuki smiled. "I'll have to pass on that. I'm meeting a friend of mine in town for dinner this evening. I hope to see you tomorrow, and that you're still a student here then."
Rae left the room and made a beeline for the mess. She ate a small meal before retiring to her quarters. Yu was out when she arrived. Rae showered, trimmed and cleaned her nails and retired, the small alarm clock next to her bed set for 2215.
The beeping of Rae's alarm clock was silenced quickly. The room was dark, though she could hear Yu breathing. Thankfully, the alarm hadn't roused her friend. She quickly dressed in black training fatigues and slipped out the door.
The women's quarters were a considerable distance from the gymnasium. The hallways were pitch-black and noiseless. More than once upon her route was Rae almost caught by upperclassmen who also served as enforcers of curfew. Gradually, she made her way to the gym, where Shiratori waited for her, alone.
The only light in the room came from New Samarkand's two moons, illuminating the figure of Rae's foe. She narrowed her eyes when she looked at him.
"So," Shiratori said, "you decided to come. I was starting to worry. Twice now, you've defeated me with honourless tactics. Tonight, I will show you honourable combat." He assumed a ready position.
"You've already lost, Shiratori," Rae replied, standing opposite her foe, "I hope that it doesn't take you long to realize that."
Shiratori responded with a yell, his fist hurtling towards Rae. She sidestepped the punch and tripped him. He hit the ground in a roll, springing to his feet in preparation for her counterattack.
Rae punched. Shiratori caught her fist and threw her to the ground. Pain shot through Rae's left wrist as she brought her arm up to break her fall. An audible crack broke the silence in the room. Shiratori paused, Rae didn't. She rolled sideways and kicked up, connecting with his nose. She rolled backwards to her feet. Adrenaline was pulsing through her, dulling the pain from the fracture. She grinned.
"What's the matter," Rae asked tauntingly, "never see a woman who could take a little pain?"
Shiratori leapt towards Rae, arms out to tackle. She rolled backwards and caught his stomach with her foot, kicking hard. He flew over her, hitting the ground, unable to breathe. She stood and walked towards him.
"Get up," Rae said. "Get up so that I can knock you down again. Get up so that I can avenge my honour that you have taken from me, without giving up more. Get up, or surrender."
Shiratori propped himself from the ground, still gasping for breath. He stood with hate burning from his eyes and blood flowing from his nose and mouth. Rae felled him with a brutal kick to the stomach.
Shiratori gagged and coughed up blood. Rae looked at him.
"You are no better than your father," Rae said. "An honourless dog. Destined to be ronin yourself, I'm sure." She turned and walked towards the gym's exit.
Before Rae could leave the room, the lights sprang to life. As she looked around, she saw ISF agents surrounding her and her semiconscious foe. Tai-sho Koan Yamura, headmaster of Sun Zhang, stepped within the circle of agents.
"I believe that congratulations would be in order, heishi Sakamoto," Yamura said, emphasizing her rank. "Or they would be so if this were sanctioned. You have violated curfew, and have engaged in a brawl with heishi Shiratori. Combined with the actions the two of you participated in during basic training, I should see you both expelled." Rae's heart sank.
"However," Yamura continued, "there are certain extraneous circumstances to be seen here. Suffice it to say, heishi, that you should consider yourself quite lucky to be confined to quarters, with no visitors allowed, until further notice. If you are caught outside your room without a very good reason, you will be expelled. You should also know that Shiratori does not share in your good fortune. I suggest that you head to the infirmary, as a broken wrist can lead to no end of problems in the cockpit if it fails to set properly. Dismissed."
Rae bowed respectfully, trying not to show her happiness as she left the gymnasium. She was lucky, to be certain, and she had no desire to ruin her luck by appearing disrespectful. As quietly as possible, she went to the infirmary, leaving Shiratori behind.
All setting elements are copyrights of Wizkids, LLC (http://www.wizkidsgames.com). This story takes place within the confines of the classic Battletech setting, as originally envisioned by the FASA corporation. If you'd like more information on the setting, I'd suggest checking out http://www.classicbattletech.com, as it is the official information site of the Classic Battletech universe. All non-canon characters are copyrights of myself. If you wish to use them in fan fiction works of your own, please email me at dave@fgc.every1.net
-Ronin
Classes at the Sun Zhang Mechwarrior Academy had begun for the first years, fresh from their basic training. The setting in the Academy proper was far more comfortable than Kurosawa's training camp, though the atmosphere was still quite strict. Students were expected to adhere to a strict schedule, to the point that missing classes without a reasonable excuse could be grounds for dismissal. Free time was scarce, limited to the brief periods between classes and an hour before lights out.
Hiroji, Katsunosuki, Yu, and Rachel, who insisted her friends call her Rae, were two months out of basic training. The four shared a few classes, though they mainly saw each other in the evenings, drinking tea together and generally enjoying the company. On nights that neither of the men were available, Rae enjoyed painting, and Yu a more than willing model.
13 March 3034 was one such evening. Katsunosuki had received an urgent message from his father and raced to the local ComStar Hyperpulse Generator facility. Hiroji had a midterm exam the following morning and was reviewing. Rae had set up her easel and was working on a likeness of her friend, begun the previous week. Neither spoke, with Rae being engrossed in her work, and Yu holding her pose.
Rae had stepped back from her easel to survey her work as Katsunosuki charged into the room the women shared. Quick action on the part of Katsunosuki averted a collision. Rae was far from impressed.
"Dammit, Katsuno," she said, palette and brush still in hand, "did you forget how to knock?" She wiped her brush upon the palette. She hated interruptions while she painted. It ruined her concentration on her work. She looked at her friend, still standing near the doorway, a confused look upon his face.
"Well?" Yu asked, trying to defuse the situation, "Where's the fire?"
"Rasalhague, actually," Katsunosuki said, closing the door. "They've declared independence. The Coordinator has apparently recognized them as a state, and so has ComStar. The FedCom'll probably recognize them soon, too."
"And?" Rae asked, cleaning her brushes in irritation.
Katsunosuki adjusted his glasses. "For one thing," he said, "the Warlord of the Rasalhague district was assassinated, and my father told me that some of the other tai-shu are already planning a retaliatory attack."
Rae stopped. "But the Coordinator recognized the new state. What could they possibly hope to accomplish?"
"Could any of the tai-shu be so reckless as to attempt rebellion?" Yu mused, "Surely they're more careful than that."
"Maybe," Katsunsuki said, sitting on Rae's bed, "but a few of them have been at odds with the Coordinator since the Fourth Succession War. This could be their breaking point. All things considered, if a rebellion were to happen, things would certainly change here."
Rae resumed cleaning her brushes as the three sat in silence. The thought of open rebellion amongst the tai-shu should be inconceivable, but the Coordinator had been erratic since the Fourth War. That the environment at Sun Zhang would change in such a situation was beyond doubt.
Something permeated the air in the following day's History class, a sense of apprehension mixed with excitement. Their professor broke from his planned lecture to speak with the students regarding the Rasalhague situation. Participation by the students was high, most of whom were expressing confusion in the Coordinator's decision. Rae and her friends were silent save for proclamations of loyalty and expressing confidence in the Coordinator's wisdom. They knew all too well that the ISF, the dreaded secret police of the Draconis Combine, would be watching their statements. Dissent was not encouraged among the elite students of Sun Zhang.
The only student to say nothing was Akira Shiratori. Rae had kept an eye on him since the incident during basic training, and made note of his outspoken nature. After word came through of the Rasalhague secession, however, he became quiet and withdrawn, lacking even his usual belligerence towards Rae.
Strangely, she was concerned about the man who was her enemy.
A week passed with no further news, until another evening with Katsunosuki called to the HPG. Rae, Yu, and Hiroji were gathered in the room shared by the two young men, idly talking over tea. It was not long before the topic turned towards this metamorphosis.
"Have any of you noticed anything odd about Shiratori lately?" Rae asked, filling a gap in the conversation.
"You mean that he hasn't said a single word to you in over a week?" Yu replied with a smile, "You should be glad for it."
"Yu's right," Hiroji added, pausing to sip from his mug, "Shiratori is really only worth paying attention to if you think that he's going to do something, and he'd have to be an idiot to try something now. The ISF'd be all over him, and he'd be lucky to only be discharged from the academy."
"Maybe," Rae said, "but I can't help feeling nervous around him."
"Rightly so," Katsunosuki said, walking into the room, "seeing as his father's just become involved in a fairly major war."
Rae, Yu, and Hiroji stared dumbfounded at Katsunosuki. "What?" Rae asked, voice muted by shock.
"Well," the new arrival began, "It seems that Marcus Kurita and Vasily Cherenkoff have been declared Ronin by the Coordinator. The DCMS is moving against them as we speak."
Hiroji eyed his roommate, try to discern whether he was hearing a joke. "Civil war in the Combine? Those tai-shu couldn't possibly be so idiotic as to throw away their honour, are they?"
"Apparently so," Katsunosuki said, pulling a bottle of sake from his closet, "My father doesn't joke." he passed a printout of an HPG message to Rae.
She scanned it quickly, reaching a list of students at Sun Zhang who were children, or grandchildren, of the ronin tai-shu and their officers. The first name on the list was Akira Shiratori's. He was the son of tai-shu Kurita's executive officer.
"Does this mean what I think it does?" Rae asked, passing the printout to Yu.
Katsunosuki nodded. "It does," he said. "Our friend Shiratori is on the ISF's watch list. Since Rasalhague happened, he's been keeping understandably quiet."
"So what do we do about this?" Hiroji asked. "Shiratori may be quiet for now, but the stress must be getting to him, and he's bound to fly off the handle eventually. We know that he sees Rae as a convenient scapegoat, so that makes her a prime target. There's safety in numbers, so I suggest that at least one of us be with her whenever he's around." He looked at the clock, then turned towards Rae and Yu. "Either way, you two should return to your room. Curfew's soon, and I don't like the idea of you two being caught violating, especially since the ISF's around."
"You're right Hiroji," Yu said, standing and turning towards Rae. "Shall we?"
"Let's," Rae replied. The pair returned to their quarters, well in time for curfew.
The next day saw Rae and her friends in Battlemech Training. The class of twenty-four had spent months learning the academic side of controlling the giant machines of war. This lesson marked the first actual attempt at piloting.
The students were instructed to form lances of four members each. Unsurprisingly, Rae, Yu, Hiroji, and Katsunosuki joined together. Across the room, Shiratori glared at the quartet from within his group of friends. Rae felt a shiver travel up her spine.
"Today, class," Instructor Ryu Torii barked, "you will be applying what you have learned in the classroom. Each of you will be assigned a simulator unit and passcode. Do not forget these. A simple obstacle course has been devised for you to pilot your 'mechs through. Points will be taken for errors in piloting. Also, you should all remember that the simulated 'mechs carry simulated weapons. Should your lance finish the obstacle course before the class is finished, you may engage in skirmishes with other lances."
Each group was lead to the simulators, which were simultaneously powered up by Instructor Torii. As the lights within the confined space changed to simulate a small canyon, Rae became aware that she was in the cockpit of a Jenner, a 'mech which formed the backbone to the DCMS's light units. Looking at her lancemates, she saw that they too were in light 'mechs: Katsunosuki was at the helm of a Panther, Hiroji in a Javelin, and Yu in a Wasp.
A quick scan of her HUD revealed the path Rae's lance was to take. The on-board communications system crackled with Hiroji's voice as his Javelin took the lead.
"Follow me," he said. The other three did as commanded. Hiroji simply seemed too natural a leader for them not to.
The course passed over hills, through caves, and at one point, up the surface of a sheer cliff passable only by grace of the jump jets with which each 'mech was equipped. They were the third unit to arrive at the destination, followed shortly by Shiratori's group of a similar composition. Rae felt her stomach clench.
Warning buzzers sounded in her cockpit as Rae saw the missile lock from Shiratori's Panther. A volley of short-range missiles collided with her Jenner, scoring damage to her 'mech's right leg. A blast of blue light flashed from the Panther's PPC, narrowly missing her left side. She returned fire, ignoring the heat warnings that blared throughout the cockpit as four spears of light slammed into the Panther's torso, knocking Shiratori's 'mech backwards.
Shiratori's lancemates gathered between Rae and her target, blocking any further attacks upon the damaged Panther. The three light 'mechs then opened fire on Rae's lance, missiles and lasers shearing through light armour.
Behind them, Shiratori was having problems regaining his footing.
A sudden flash of light and a recorded voice told Rae that her left side laser hub had been destroyed. Another alert warned of a minor reactor breach. Heat within the cockpit climbed.
Hiroji's SRMs tore into the torso of the enemy Wasp. The striken 'mech lurched forward, fell to the ground, and vanished from the simulation.
As the Wasp fell, the opposing Jenner scored a hit on Katsunosuki's ammo bin, causing more than enough damage to cripple the Panther. Katsunosuki's 'mech faded.
Hiroji began trading salvos with the opposing Javelin, while Yu kept herself busy with the Jenner. Shiratori's Panther was finally struggling to its feet, relatively undamaged when compared to the other 'mechs on the virtual field.
A stray laser blast from the opposing Jenner removed Rae's right laser hub. She saw with certainty that the battle would be over if Shiratori's 'mech regained its footing. She punched her jump jets, soaring over the enemy "blockade" that stood between her and the Panther.
The heat in Rae's cockpit raised further as the Panther's PPC scored a hit on her torso, damaging the engine further. She closed her eyes as she brought what was left of her 'mech crashing down upon Shiratori's. The Jenner's foot punctured the defensive shielding on the Panther's fusion reactor. The heat in Rae's cockpit became blistering, intense light penetrating her tightly shut eyelids.
When the dancing motes of light began clearing from Rae's vision, she realised what had happened. The Panther's engine had exploded, taking her and Shiratori with it. Wiping sweat from her brow, she stumbled from the simulator. She saw Katsunosuki and another student speaking with Instructor Torii.
"Ah, welcome back, heishi Sakamoto," the instructor said. "You did well out there, especially considering the cowardly attack made by your opponent. Next time, however, I'd suggest not performing such a dangerous manoeuvre, unless as a last resort." He looked in her eyes. "Understand that there is little to be gained from losing your own life to defeat a single foe. You and Akita are dismissed."
Torii then looked in the direction of Shiratori, who was slowly climbing from his simulator. "You should learn to be a better judge of your targets," he said, "if you wish to become a true samurai, heishi Shiratori. Report to your quarters and think about that."
Shiratori frowned and visibly fought to keep his anger in check. He stalked from the room, making a point of pushing past Rae.
"That," Katsunosuki said with a smirk, "was more like him. Tea?"
Rae nodded. "Sure," she replied.
As the pair exited the simulator room, Rae found herself nose-to-chin with Shiratori. "Ah, Sakamoto," he said, voice oozing disdain, "just who I had hoped to encounter."
"What do you want?" Rae said bluntly, raising her gaze to meet her opponent's.
"Meet me in the gymnasium at 2300, if you value your honour," came Shiratori's reply, "I shall be waiting for you there." He stalked towards the students' quarters.
Rae and Katsunosuki walked the rest of the way to his room in silence. As they entered, Katsunosuki plugged in his kettle. He turned to Rae.
"You're going to do it," he said, "I know all too well that you will."
Rae flopped onto Hiroji's bed. "What else can I do?" she asked. "If I don't show, he'll be sure to call me down as a result. Besides that, I'm sure that I can handle myself against him."
"I'm sure too," Katsunosuki replied, "but keep in mind that you will most likely be caught. He stands at the top of the ISF's watch list. It would be foolish to believe that you wouldn't be caught violating curfew."
"I know," Rae said, "but I don't really see myself having any choice in the matter. On top of that, lashings and a few days in the brig are a lot easier to deal with than knowing myself to be a coward."
"I thought that you might say that," Katsunosuki said, pouring each a steaming cup of tea. "Just be careful. I'd hate to see you get hurt."
Rae smiled, sipping her tea. "You don't have to worry about me, Katsuno. I'm able to take care of myself."
"I never doubted that for a second," Rae's friend responded, "but there's far too much out there that could cause you problems. You could end up in over your head, and I know that Hiroji, Yu, and I would be shattered if something did happen. All I ask is that you watch yourself."
Rae set her teacup on Hiroji's bedside table and stood. "I will," she said, "don't worry. And please don't tell the others anything. I know that they'd both try entirely too hard to stop me."
"Don't worry, Rae," Katsunosuki replied, "I won't breathe a word of it to them."
"I appreciate it," Rae said. "Either way, I think I'll get some food and then a nap. Care to join me at the mess?"
Katsunosuki smiled. "I'll have to pass on that. I'm meeting a friend of mine in town for dinner this evening. I hope to see you tomorrow, and that you're still a student here then."
Rae left the room and made a beeline for the mess. She ate a small meal before retiring to her quarters. Yu was out when she arrived. Rae showered, trimmed and cleaned her nails and retired, the small alarm clock next to her bed set for 2215.
The beeping of Rae's alarm clock was silenced quickly. The room was dark, though she could hear Yu breathing. Thankfully, the alarm hadn't roused her friend. She quickly dressed in black training fatigues and slipped out the door.
The women's quarters were a considerable distance from the gymnasium. The hallways were pitch-black and noiseless. More than once upon her route was Rae almost caught by upperclassmen who also served as enforcers of curfew. Gradually, she made her way to the gym, where Shiratori waited for her, alone.
The only light in the room came from New Samarkand's two moons, illuminating the figure of Rae's foe. She narrowed her eyes when she looked at him.
"So," Shiratori said, "you decided to come. I was starting to worry. Twice now, you've defeated me with honourless tactics. Tonight, I will show you honourable combat." He assumed a ready position.
"You've already lost, Shiratori," Rae replied, standing opposite her foe, "I hope that it doesn't take you long to realize that."
Shiratori responded with a yell, his fist hurtling towards Rae. She sidestepped the punch and tripped him. He hit the ground in a roll, springing to his feet in preparation for her counterattack.
Rae punched. Shiratori caught her fist and threw her to the ground. Pain shot through Rae's left wrist as she brought her arm up to break her fall. An audible crack broke the silence in the room. Shiratori paused, Rae didn't. She rolled sideways and kicked up, connecting with his nose. She rolled backwards to her feet. Adrenaline was pulsing through her, dulling the pain from the fracture. She grinned.
"What's the matter," Rae asked tauntingly, "never see a woman who could take a little pain?"
Shiratori leapt towards Rae, arms out to tackle. She rolled backwards and caught his stomach with her foot, kicking hard. He flew over her, hitting the ground, unable to breathe. She stood and walked towards him.
"Get up," Rae said. "Get up so that I can knock you down again. Get up so that I can avenge my honour that you have taken from me, without giving up more. Get up, or surrender."
Shiratori propped himself from the ground, still gasping for breath. He stood with hate burning from his eyes and blood flowing from his nose and mouth. Rae felled him with a brutal kick to the stomach.
Shiratori gagged and coughed up blood. Rae looked at him.
"You are no better than your father," Rae said. "An honourless dog. Destined to be ronin yourself, I'm sure." She turned and walked towards the gym's exit.
Before Rae could leave the room, the lights sprang to life. As she looked around, she saw ISF agents surrounding her and her semiconscious foe. Tai-sho Koan Yamura, headmaster of Sun Zhang, stepped within the circle of agents.
"I believe that congratulations would be in order, heishi Sakamoto," Yamura said, emphasizing her rank. "Or they would be so if this were sanctioned. You have violated curfew, and have engaged in a brawl with heishi Shiratori. Combined with the actions the two of you participated in during basic training, I should see you both expelled." Rae's heart sank.
"However," Yamura continued, "there are certain extraneous circumstances to be seen here. Suffice it to say, heishi, that you should consider yourself quite lucky to be confined to quarters, with no visitors allowed, until further notice. If you are caught outside your room without a very good reason, you will be expelled. You should also know that Shiratori does not share in your good fortune. I suggest that you head to the infirmary, as a broken wrist can lead to no end of problems in the cockpit if it fails to set properly. Dismissed."
Rae bowed respectfully, trying not to show her happiness as she left the gymnasium. She was lucky, to be certain, and she had no desire to ruin her luck by appearing disrespectful. As quietly as possible, she went to the infirmary, leaving Shiratori behind.
