Debt of Honor
Chapter 9
Japan
On the evening of November 27, 1996 a record snowfall hit the island Kyushu of Japan. 24 centimeters of snow collected on the ground, canceling most outdoor activities and closing schools. The unbalanced storm front had soon moved across Japan, distributing snow to parts of the country that routinely saw not a single snowflake all year.
===============
"Why the hell did it have to snow now?" Ranma asked as he rubbed his arms vigorously. He gazed at his surroundings and shivered.
"Be glad that we are not in North America this time of year, it can be quite unpleasant," Ishii replied.
Ryoga remained silent but he was as cold as the others.
After news that the 82nd Heavy Tank Battalion had set up a temporary base in Nagasaki, Ishii had proposed the idea that they should go down and visit Phillip. Ranma and Ryoga hadn't been very enthusiastic about the idea, considering the fact that there had been an American and Chinese fighter attack ten miles off the coast of Japan.
Akari and Akane had opted to stay at the house (an idea that was strongly indorsed by Ranma and Ryoga) while they made the trek towards Nagasaki, school would be starting soon and neither of them wanted to leave Tokyo and end up further behind in their studies.
The three of them had been forced to new means to get to Nagasaki, all private and commercial flights had been cancelled due to the Pacific War.
Ishii had explained to them that taking a train to the border of Kyushu and then to drive to Nagasaki would be the easiest and fastest way.
But they had forgotten about the storm that had hit Kyushu earlier, rendering all roads inaccessible. At that point, it would have been faster to just walk to Nagasaki and then wait the storm out and take a car back to Tokyo.
For the past seven miles Ryoga had been sensing something. He couldn't put his finger on it, but it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.
Ryoga was snapped from his thoughts when he heard Ranma shout.
"Hey! Look there's something coming up," Ranma shouted and pointed towards something in the distance.
At a closer inspection Ryoga could see that the area Ranma was pointing at was fenced off. Inside the fence was a large row of barracks, the sort of thing a soldier lives in during wartime. There were tanks and some very odd looking vehicles that rested on four wheels. Some men could be seen, they were holding very large guns.
As they approached the fenced off area, they heard some shouting. There was a soldier in a large lookout tower that was pointing at them and shouting down to some other soldiers.
They watched, too interested to really consider what was happening. A military jeep came through the fence that had been opened by two soldiers and came barreling down the road towards the three of them. A soldier got out and stood before them.
"Stop!" he said in badly accented Japanese. "Restricted area, you must leave the premises immediately!"
Ishii looked at the soldier for a moment before replying.
"We are friends of Colonel Parker; please tell him that we are here."
The soldier looked surprised for a moment, but decided that the Chinese were not clever enough to send two Japanese teenagers and a young man to come spy on them.
He motioned for them to hop into the back of the jeep and sped off down the road. He entered the area and quickly explained to the duty officer what Ishii said and brought the three Japanese to the officer's barracks. He got out of the jeep and banged on the door.
"I shall personally shoot whoever wishes to disturb my sleep!" the reply came from the inside.
The door was wrenched open and a very large, very black man, dressed in a too tight sweater and a blanket draped over his shoulders stepped through.
He took one look at the sergeant that had knocked on his door and then looked over to where the jeep was still running idle.
"Oh my god!" Lieutenant Colonel Phillip Sheridan Parker IV shouted before he came down the steps and enveloped the three Japanese that had been standing in the cold snow in a giant bear hug.
He set them down and turned to the sergeant.
"You can leave now."
"Right away, sir," the sergeant replied and got in the jeep and drove away from the barracks.
Phillip turned to Ranma, Ryoga, and Ishii and gestured for them to follow him.
"What the hell are you guys doing down here?" Parker asked once the door had been closed.
Ranma and Ryoga looked at each other and then at Ishii.
"When I heard that your battalion had been stationed here I thought we might come down to see you. But because of that air force battle a couple days ago we were forced to walk from the border to here," Ishii answered.
"You really shouldn't have come," Parker said as he poured each of them a cup of coffee. "It's supposed to be a secret that were down here."
"We won't say anything, when people asked where we were going I just told them that we had some more items to work out at the firm," Ishii told him.
"Well, I know I shouldn't be, but I'm happy to see you," Parker said as he handed the coffee out. "It tastes like piss but I was unable to receive a care package from Toni yet."
"Speaking of the bride, do you think it might be possible for us to meet her in the interminable future?" Ishii asked.
"Actually, I sent her a letter that gave the address for your new bachelor pad, and the message that she should go visit you soon. I doubt she could have gotten over before the air traffic ban was put in place but who knows."
They moved into a temporary living room, and Phil handed each of them a blanket.
"Sorry about the temperature in here, but the army has seen fit to reward the 82nd with comfort rations and frozen testicles."
"Speaking of the 82nd, you guys have become quite the heroes these past few weeks," Ranma said. "What was it like over there?"
Phil suddenly looked uncomfortable.
"Same as always," Phillip replied.
Ryoga saw Phillip's discomfort and decided to change the subject.
"When do you think this war is going to be over?"
"Quite soon actually," Phillip said. "The Chinese lack the resources that are needed when you are going to send amphibious invaders to take over an island country. Now that the navy has blocked the China seas the forces on Taiwan have been completely blocked off. All that's really happening now is the Chinese are figuring out why they have suddenly found themselves on the verge of retreat."
"Do you think they will surrender?" Ranma asked.
Phillip shook his head.
"No, the leaders of China are insecure and very frightened old men. The way they see things is, if China is forced to surrender, then they're going to be facing a revolution," Phillip explained. "Most of the men inside the Politburo are unqualified to run a corner shop, let alone a country. They're gangsters, they will use there power and I don't see them calling a ceasefire any time soon."
"Then why don't you just go after the leaders?" Ryoga asked. "If you take them out then it seems to be likely that the citizens will revolt and a new government can take power."
Phillip and the others looked at Ryoga for a moment.
"Don't let anyone ever tell you that you're an idiot Ryoga," Phillip said.
"Huh?" Ryoga said, not understanding.
"I received a report the other day from my father; he had proposed that exact idea to the President. They are still deliberating if they should consider it or not."
"Are you going to sit out the rest of this war?" Ishii asked.
"No, the Allies are now setting forth with a plan to invade the PRC; the 82nd has been named a strike force for the first soldiers onto the shores."
"Then why don't you let someone else command this battalion Phil?" Ishii asked. "For god's sake, you've more than paid your debt to your country."
Phillip looked sad for a moment.
"This is what I have spent my life doing Ishii," Phillip replied sadly. "I don't expect any of you to understand, but I'm a soldier, and if I'm going to die fighting this war then fine. As long as I'm leading troops in combat, I know where my place on earth is, down in the dirt shooting the enemy and destroying their land."
No one replied.
"Look, I'm real happy you came down to see me, but I'm not too sure when were supposed to deploy to China, and I don't want anyone else to find out you're here."
Ishii took a deep breath.
"There's another reason why I wanted to come down here Phillip," Ishii said. "I want to come with you."
"What!?" Parker shouted.
"All cargos and planes to China have been rerouted, and I need to get into China."
"Why the hell do you want to go to China!?" Phillip demanded furiously.
"I want to get my father's remains back," Ishii answered so quietly that the others could barely hear him.
Parker looked absolutely stunned for a moment before being able to reply.
"Goddamnit Ishii, China will release Seiji's body once were through thrashing them," Phillip said.
"How do you know that?" Ishii countered. "What if they just decide to torch all the bodies they have collected? I don't want my father to be buried in China."
Phillip looked, Ryoga saw, like a very sad six year old.
"Ishii," Phillip said calmly, almost pleadingly. "I cannot take you with the 82nd, were going to be landing right on the goddamned beaches once we go over. I'm pretty sure that the 82nd will be used to test the enemy's strength."
Ishii looked at Phillip with contempt and set his coffee mug down. He got to his feet.
"Fine, I shall find another way to China," he said and walked to the door. He stopped and turned around.
"You know something, I used to think that you and my father had been friends, but it seems you're just like your father, abandoning him when he needed you the most. You're content with leaving Seiji in China," Ishii said angrily and turned to leave.
Phillip stood quickly and ran towards Ishii; he grabbed the smaller man and threw him roughly against the wall. Ishii tried to throw a punch but Phillip ducked it and hit Ishii with a mighty punch to his stomach and then hit him across the jaw. Ishii collapsed unconscious.
"You stupid little shit!" Parker said angrily as tears escaped his eyes. "Seiji is dead!"
He reached down and picked Ishii up off the ground and carried him into his bedroom and set him down on the bed.
Ranma and Ryoga walked into the room, looking very uncomfortable.
"He had been acting weird ever since we got that report from the government," Ranma said quietly. "I just thought he was depressed."
Phil took a glance at the two young martial artists and sighed.
"Seiji was Ishii's only relative, he was probably his only friend as well. I should have expected him to do something like this."
"What did he mean when he said that you were just like your father?" Ryoga asked.
Parker threw Ryoga an angry look. But his features softened.
"I'll go get a doctor for Ishii and then I'll tell you."
A medical doctor arrived and checked Ishii out, he didn't ask any questions, just said that he would regain consciousness in about an hour or so.
"My father and Seiji were together during the Vietnam war. They were in one of the 'A' groups that the Green Beret's had sent over early in the war. I never could get the story from Seiji but after my father had had one to many, he told me about it."
"When the 'A' team had been deployed in a reconnaissance mission outside of Hanoi they encountered a regiment of NVA troops (North Vietnamese Army). A firefight ensued and the 'A' team was forced to pull out. During the retreat Seiji was shot in the shoulder and he fell off a steep incline. No one saw where he went and they returned to base. My father discovered Seiji's absence and immediately ran back into the bush to try and find him."
"The base commander ordered the 'A' team to go and bring my father back. They came and had to bring him back with brute force, and he was detained. It was a week before Seiji found his way back to the base. He had lost a lot of blood and he only had seventy percent motor function in his right arm. He blamed my father for simply running back to go look for him. Seiji told him that he should have taken a helicopter to try and find him."
Phillip sighed audibly. "I realize that it my not seem like a very big deal, but my father and Seiji were soldiers and they had mutual respect for each other. By disobeying the order of command and trying to find Seiji by himself, my father broke an unspoken bond between them."
Ryoga and Ranma couldn't think of something.
Phillip got to his feet. "I'm going to go get some food; I'll bring some back later."
He started walking towards the door.
"If Ishii wakes up don't let him leave."
===============
"Christ, I'm the biggest idiot there ever was," Parker said to himself as the carrier Nimitz pulled away from the docks.
"It was either this or keep Ishii sedated until the Chinese government decided to give up Seiji's body," Ryoga said reasoning.
"It's not like anything bad will happen," Ranma said.
"Do you even have a clue where the Chinese may be keeping Seiji's body?"
The two young martial artists shrugged.
"Ishii said he has some idea where the body might be," Ranma said.
Phillip turned and glared at the two young men.
"I still don't understand why you two came along," Parker admonished them.
Ranma shrugged. "Ishii couldn't do this on his own, and I certainly didn't want to be sitting at home while you and Ishii were in China."
Parker shook his head. "What are you going to tell Akane and Akari?"
"Nothing," Ryoga said. "The less they know at the moment the better."
"Don't you think they're going to get a little suspicious when you don't come back?" Parker asked.
"I sent a telegram telling them that they set up a temporary field hospital in Nagasaki and that we will be helping out," Ranma said.
"You realize that there might not be a ride home," Parker said. "It could take months before we even see Japan again."
"We took that risk when we decided to come over here," Ryoga said and there was something in his voice that made Parker drop the subject.
"Someone go get Ishii and bring him up here," Parker ordered.
"I'll get him," Ranma said. "This ship is huge and Ryoga would probably wind up lost."
Ranma chuckled and dodged the punch Ryoga threw at him.
He returned with Ishii ten minutes later.
"Were going to land on Shanghai early in the morning, you better get some rest," Parker said. "And remember that if anyone asked you what outfit you're in; just tell them that it is classified."
Ishii nodded and walked away. He had not talked to Parker at all since Parker beat him up back in Nagasaki.
Parker turned from the others and stared back at the receding land.
===============
The DCI of the Central Intelligence Agency smiled at the man sitting before him.
"They're still undecided about going after the Politburo, but I'm pretty sure the President is already sold on the idea."
"That's good," Phillip Sheridan Parker III, General (retired), said. "But with the way we kicked the Chinese asses right back out of Taiwan, I'm afraid they wont see it as necessary."
"Actually," the DCI said, pulling a report from his desk. "I received this message earlier today."
He handed the report to Parker.
Top Secret
Langley, Virginia
Central Intelligence Agency Headquarters
To: Director of Central Intelligence
In response to Presidential Memorandum to the Director, Subject: "Chinese Leadership", dated 22 November 1996, the following information is furnished:
(Reliability Scale Five) (From CIA Beijing) Chinese leaders discussed the use of tactical missiles against Allied forces in the Pacific. Leader's undecided upon usage of weapons.
(Reliability Scale Four) (From CIA Taiwan) President Lee has urged that the use of nuclear weapons upon Taiwan will need to be answered with a strike by America.
Howard O'Connor
Top Secret
"Oh shit," Parker moaned. "How could anyone be so stupid?"
"You have to understand they're state of mind right now Phil, the DCI said seriously. "At the moment they're invasion has been repelled and they are now faced with an enemy that is very powerful and has nearly the rest of the world backing them. All the countries that have offered their support for China have taken them back. Right now the only thing that China has right now is a large population and a large quantity of nuclear tipped warheads, and when you have got more of something than your enemy, you're going to want to milk that as much as possible."
"China has more warheads than us?" Parker asked surprised.
"After the disarmament treaty we struck with the Russians yes," the DCI said.
"Okay, I guess it makes a little bit more sense but still, they cannot expect America to sit by while they throw the nuclear option in our faces. If they do that for too long, than were just going to figure that they're really going to use them and that will not be good for anyone," Parker said.
"Yes," the DCI agreed. "That's why I'm going over to the White House today and setting in the proposal of taking out China's nuclear weapons."
"Really?" Parker asked, amused.
"I don't know if the President will go for it, but at least I'll succeed in putting the plan out there."
Parker nodded.
The DCI decided to drop the other bit of news.
"I received another report as well."
"Oh?"
The DCI hesitated and then decided.
"The 82nd is on route to China at the moment."
"With Phillip?" Parker asked quietly.
"Yes."
Parker bit back on the lump that had formed in his throat.
"What support are they getting?"
"As of now, they are going in without any support."
"Then they're being used as a goddamned test battalion," Parker said angrily. "When you go see the President you tell him that I want the goddamned entire Third Army in there!"
"Control yourself Phil!" the DCI shouted.
Parker looked at him for a moment as if the DCI had been speaking a foreign language.
"Sorry," Parker said.
"I understand," the DCI said. "Have faith in Phillip, he is the best man for the job. If anyone can come out of such an attack, it's him."
"I know," Parker said sadly. "It's just that I am one of the few people that understand the things the army does and I'm also one of the few that have first-handedly dealt with the mistakes that the army has made. I don't want Phillip to end up as a blunder in the history books."
The DCI couldn't think of anything to say so he just gathered up his reports and patted Parker on the shoulder and left the office.
===============
Author's Notes: This is the chapter that will set up the final chapter of Debt of Honor. I realize that some people may be scratching their heads at the moment but I wish for you to be patient. I promise that the last chapter will be the best yet.
Thanks to all of you who have read the story so far and a special thanks to those that have written a review.
On the evening of November 27, 1996 a record snowfall hit the island Kyushu of Japan. 24 centimeters of snow collected on the ground, canceling most outdoor activities and closing schools. The unbalanced storm front had soon moved across Japan, distributing snow to parts of the country that routinely saw not a single snowflake all year.
===============
"Why the hell did it have to snow now?" Ranma asked as he rubbed his arms vigorously. He gazed at his surroundings and shivered.
"Be glad that we are not in North America this time of year, it can be quite unpleasant," Ishii replied.
Ryoga remained silent but he was as cold as the others.
After news that the 82nd Heavy Tank Battalion had set up a temporary base in Nagasaki, Ishii had proposed the idea that they should go down and visit Phillip. Ranma and Ryoga hadn't been very enthusiastic about the idea, considering the fact that there had been an American and Chinese fighter attack ten miles off the coast of Japan.
Akari and Akane had opted to stay at the house (an idea that was strongly indorsed by Ranma and Ryoga) while they made the trek towards Nagasaki, school would be starting soon and neither of them wanted to leave Tokyo and end up further behind in their studies.
The three of them had been forced to new means to get to Nagasaki, all private and commercial flights had been cancelled due to the Pacific War.
Ishii had explained to them that taking a train to the border of Kyushu and then to drive to Nagasaki would be the easiest and fastest way.
But they had forgotten about the storm that had hit Kyushu earlier, rendering all roads inaccessible. At that point, it would have been faster to just walk to Nagasaki and then wait the storm out and take a car back to Tokyo.
For the past seven miles Ryoga had been sensing something. He couldn't put his finger on it, but it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.
Ryoga was snapped from his thoughts when he heard Ranma shout.
"Hey! Look there's something coming up," Ranma shouted and pointed towards something in the distance.
At a closer inspection Ryoga could see that the area Ranma was pointing at was fenced off. Inside the fence was a large row of barracks, the sort of thing a soldier lives in during wartime. There were tanks and some very odd looking vehicles that rested on four wheels. Some men could be seen, they were holding very large guns.
As they approached the fenced off area, they heard some shouting. There was a soldier in a large lookout tower that was pointing at them and shouting down to some other soldiers.
They watched, too interested to really consider what was happening. A military jeep came through the fence that had been opened by two soldiers and came barreling down the road towards the three of them. A soldier got out and stood before them.
"Stop!" he said in badly accented Japanese. "Restricted area, you must leave the premises immediately!"
Ishii looked at the soldier for a moment before replying.
"We are friends of Colonel Parker; please tell him that we are here."
The soldier looked surprised for a moment, but decided that the Chinese were not clever enough to send two Japanese teenagers and a young man to come spy on them.
He motioned for them to hop into the back of the jeep and sped off down the road. He entered the area and quickly explained to the duty officer what Ishii said and brought the three Japanese to the officer's barracks. He got out of the jeep and banged on the door.
"I shall personally shoot whoever wishes to disturb my sleep!" the reply came from the inside.
The door was wrenched open and a very large, very black man, dressed in a too tight sweater and a blanket draped over his shoulders stepped through.
He took one look at the sergeant that had knocked on his door and then looked over to where the jeep was still running idle.
"Oh my god!" Lieutenant Colonel Phillip Sheridan Parker IV shouted before he came down the steps and enveloped the three Japanese that had been standing in the cold snow in a giant bear hug.
He set them down and turned to the sergeant.
"You can leave now."
"Right away, sir," the sergeant replied and got in the jeep and drove away from the barracks.
Phillip turned to Ranma, Ryoga, and Ishii and gestured for them to follow him.
"What the hell are you guys doing down here?" Parker asked once the door had been closed.
Ranma and Ryoga looked at each other and then at Ishii.
"When I heard that your battalion had been stationed here I thought we might come down to see you. But because of that air force battle a couple days ago we were forced to walk from the border to here," Ishii answered.
"You really shouldn't have come," Parker said as he poured each of them a cup of coffee. "It's supposed to be a secret that were down here."
"We won't say anything, when people asked where we were going I just told them that we had some more items to work out at the firm," Ishii told him.
"Well, I know I shouldn't be, but I'm happy to see you," Parker said as he handed the coffee out. "It tastes like piss but I was unable to receive a care package from Toni yet."
"Speaking of the bride, do you think it might be possible for us to meet her in the interminable future?" Ishii asked.
"Actually, I sent her a letter that gave the address for your new bachelor pad, and the message that she should go visit you soon. I doubt she could have gotten over before the air traffic ban was put in place but who knows."
They moved into a temporary living room, and Phil handed each of them a blanket.
"Sorry about the temperature in here, but the army has seen fit to reward the 82nd with comfort rations and frozen testicles."
"Speaking of the 82nd, you guys have become quite the heroes these past few weeks," Ranma said. "What was it like over there?"
Phil suddenly looked uncomfortable.
"Same as always," Phillip replied.
Ryoga saw Phillip's discomfort and decided to change the subject.
"When do you think this war is going to be over?"
"Quite soon actually," Phillip said. "The Chinese lack the resources that are needed when you are going to send amphibious invaders to take over an island country. Now that the navy has blocked the China seas the forces on Taiwan have been completely blocked off. All that's really happening now is the Chinese are figuring out why they have suddenly found themselves on the verge of retreat."
"Do you think they will surrender?" Ranma asked.
Phillip shook his head.
"No, the leaders of China are insecure and very frightened old men. The way they see things is, if China is forced to surrender, then they're going to be facing a revolution," Phillip explained. "Most of the men inside the Politburo are unqualified to run a corner shop, let alone a country. They're gangsters, they will use there power and I don't see them calling a ceasefire any time soon."
"Then why don't you just go after the leaders?" Ryoga asked. "If you take them out then it seems to be likely that the citizens will revolt and a new government can take power."
Phillip and the others looked at Ryoga for a moment.
"Don't let anyone ever tell you that you're an idiot Ryoga," Phillip said.
"Huh?" Ryoga said, not understanding.
"I received a report the other day from my father; he had proposed that exact idea to the President. They are still deliberating if they should consider it or not."
"Are you going to sit out the rest of this war?" Ishii asked.
"No, the Allies are now setting forth with a plan to invade the PRC; the 82nd has been named a strike force for the first soldiers onto the shores."
"Then why don't you let someone else command this battalion Phil?" Ishii asked. "For god's sake, you've more than paid your debt to your country."
Phillip looked sad for a moment.
"This is what I have spent my life doing Ishii," Phillip replied sadly. "I don't expect any of you to understand, but I'm a soldier, and if I'm going to die fighting this war then fine. As long as I'm leading troops in combat, I know where my place on earth is, down in the dirt shooting the enemy and destroying their land."
No one replied.
"Look, I'm real happy you came down to see me, but I'm not too sure when were supposed to deploy to China, and I don't want anyone else to find out you're here."
Ishii took a deep breath.
"There's another reason why I wanted to come down here Phillip," Ishii said. "I want to come with you."
"What!?" Parker shouted.
"All cargos and planes to China have been rerouted, and I need to get into China."
"Why the hell do you want to go to China!?" Phillip demanded furiously.
"I want to get my father's remains back," Ishii answered so quietly that the others could barely hear him.
Parker looked absolutely stunned for a moment before being able to reply.
"Goddamnit Ishii, China will release Seiji's body once were through thrashing them," Phillip said.
"How do you know that?" Ishii countered. "What if they just decide to torch all the bodies they have collected? I don't want my father to be buried in China."
Phillip looked, Ryoga saw, like a very sad six year old.
"Ishii," Phillip said calmly, almost pleadingly. "I cannot take you with the 82nd, were going to be landing right on the goddamned beaches once we go over. I'm pretty sure that the 82nd will be used to test the enemy's strength."
Ishii looked at Phillip with contempt and set his coffee mug down. He got to his feet.
"Fine, I shall find another way to China," he said and walked to the door. He stopped and turned around.
"You know something, I used to think that you and my father had been friends, but it seems you're just like your father, abandoning him when he needed you the most. You're content with leaving Seiji in China," Ishii said angrily and turned to leave.
Phillip stood quickly and ran towards Ishii; he grabbed the smaller man and threw him roughly against the wall. Ishii tried to throw a punch but Phillip ducked it and hit Ishii with a mighty punch to his stomach and then hit him across the jaw. Ishii collapsed unconscious.
"You stupid little shit!" Parker said angrily as tears escaped his eyes. "Seiji is dead!"
He reached down and picked Ishii up off the ground and carried him into his bedroom and set him down on the bed.
Ranma and Ryoga walked into the room, looking very uncomfortable.
"He had been acting weird ever since we got that report from the government," Ranma said quietly. "I just thought he was depressed."
Phil took a glance at the two young martial artists and sighed.
"Seiji was Ishii's only relative, he was probably his only friend as well. I should have expected him to do something like this."
"What did he mean when he said that you were just like your father?" Ryoga asked.
Parker threw Ryoga an angry look. But his features softened.
"I'll go get a doctor for Ishii and then I'll tell you."
A medical doctor arrived and checked Ishii out, he didn't ask any questions, just said that he would regain consciousness in about an hour or so.
"My father and Seiji were together during the Vietnam war. They were in one of the 'A' groups that the Green Beret's had sent over early in the war. I never could get the story from Seiji but after my father had had one to many, he told me about it."
"When the 'A' team had been deployed in a reconnaissance mission outside of Hanoi they encountered a regiment of NVA troops (North Vietnamese Army). A firefight ensued and the 'A' team was forced to pull out. During the retreat Seiji was shot in the shoulder and he fell off a steep incline. No one saw where he went and they returned to base. My father discovered Seiji's absence and immediately ran back into the bush to try and find him."
"The base commander ordered the 'A' team to go and bring my father back. They came and had to bring him back with brute force, and he was detained. It was a week before Seiji found his way back to the base. He had lost a lot of blood and he only had seventy percent motor function in his right arm. He blamed my father for simply running back to go look for him. Seiji told him that he should have taken a helicopter to try and find him."
Phillip sighed audibly. "I realize that it my not seem like a very big deal, but my father and Seiji were soldiers and they had mutual respect for each other. By disobeying the order of command and trying to find Seiji by himself, my father broke an unspoken bond between them."
Ryoga and Ranma couldn't think of something.
Phillip got to his feet. "I'm going to go get some food; I'll bring some back later."
He started walking towards the door.
"If Ishii wakes up don't let him leave."
===============
"Christ, I'm the biggest idiot there ever was," Parker said to himself as the carrier Nimitz pulled away from the docks.
"It was either this or keep Ishii sedated until the Chinese government decided to give up Seiji's body," Ryoga said reasoning.
"It's not like anything bad will happen," Ranma said.
"Do you even have a clue where the Chinese may be keeping Seiji's body?"
The two young martial artists shrugged.
"Ishii said he has some idea where the body might be," Ranma said.
Phillip turned and glared at the two young men.
"I still don't understand why you two came along," Parker admonished them.
Ranma shrugged. "Ishii couldn't do this on his own, and I certainly didn't want to be sitting at home while you and Ishii were in China."
Parker shook his head. "What are you going to tell Akane and Akari?"
"Nothing," Ryoga said. "The less they know at the moment the better."
"Don't you think they're going to get a little suspicious when you don't come back?" Parker asked.
"I sent a telegram telling them that they set up a temporary field hospital in Nagasaki and that we will be helping out," Ranma said.
"You realize that there might not be a ride home," Parker said. "It could take months before we even see Japan again."
"We took that risk when we decided to come over here," Ryoga said and there was something in his voice that made Parker drop the subject.
"Someone go get Ishii and bring him up here," Parker ordered.
"I'll get him," Ranma said. "This ship is huge and Ryoga would probably wind up lost."
Ranma chuckled and dodged the punch Ryoga threw at him.
He returned with Ishii ten minutes later.
"Were going to land on Shanghai early in the morning, you better get some rest," Parker said. "And remember that if anyone asked you what outfit you're in; just tell them that it is classified."
Ishii nodded and walked away. He had not talked to Parker at all since Parker beat him up back in Nagasaki.
Parker turned from the others and stared back at the receding land.
===============
The DCI of the Central Intelligence Agency smiled at the man sitting before him.
"They're still undecided about going after the Politburo, but I'm pretty sure the President is already sold on the idea."
"That's good," Phillip Sheridan Parker III, General (retired), said. "But with the way we kicked the Chinese asses right back out of Taiwan, I'm afraid they wont see it as necessary."
"Actually," the DCI said, pulling a report from his desk. "I received this message earlier today."
He handed the report to Parker.
Top Secret
Langley, Virginia
Central Intelligence Agency Headquarters
To: Director of Central Intelligence
In response to Presidential Memorandum to the Director, Subject: "Chinese Leadership", dated 22 November 1996, the following information is furnished:
(Reliability Scale Five) (From CIA Beijing) Chinese leaders discussed the use of tactical missiles against Allied forces in the Pacific. Leader's undecided upon usage of weapons.
(Reliability Scale Four) (From CIA Taiwan) President Lee has urged that the use of nuclear weapons upon Taiwan will need to be answered with a strike by America.
Howard O'Connor
Top Secret
"Oh shit," Parker moaned. "How could anyone be so stupid?"
"You have to understand they're state of mind right now Phil, the DCI said seriously. "At the moment they're invasion has been repelled and they are now faced with an enemy that is very powerful and has nearly the rest of the world backing them. All the countries that have offered their support for China have taken them back. Right now the only thing that China has right now is a large population and a large quantity of nuclear tipped warheads, and when you have got more of something than your enemy, you're going to want to milk that as much as possible."
"China has more warheads than us?" Parker asked surprised.
"After the disarmament treaty we struck with the Russians yes," the DCI said.
"Okay, I guess it makes a little bit more sense but still, they cannot expect America to sit by while they throw the nuclear option in our faces. If they do that for too long, than were just going to figure that they're really going to use them and that will not be good for anyone," Parker said.
"Yes," the DCI agreed. "That's why I'm going over to the White House today and setting in the proposal of taking out China's nuclear weapons."
"Really?" Parker asked, amused.
"I don't know if the President will go for it, but at least I'll succeed in putting the plan out there."
Parker nodded.
The DCI decided to drop the other bit of news.
"I received another report as well."
"Oh?"
The DCI hesitated and then decided.
"The 82nd is on route to China at the moment."
"With Phillip?" Parker asked quietly.
"Yes."
Parker bit back on the lump that had formed in his throat.
"What support are they getting?"
"As of now, they are going in without any support."
"Then they're being used as a goddamned test battalion," Parker said angrily. "When you go see the President you tell him that I want the goddamned entire Third Army in there!"
"Control yourself Phil!" the DCI shouted.
Parker looked at him for a moment as if the DCI had been speaking a foreign language.
"Sorry," Parker said.
"I understand," the DCI said. "Have faith in Phillip, he is the best man for the job. If anyone can come out of such an attack, it's him."
"I know," Parker said sadly. "It's just that I am one of the few people that understand the things the army does and I'm also one of the few that have first-handedly dealt with the mistakes that the army has made. I don't want Phillip to end up as a blunder in the history books."
The DCI couldn't think of anything to say so he just gathered up his reports and patted Parker on the shoulder and left the office.
===============
Author's Notes: This is the chapter that will set up the final chapter of Debt of Honor. I realize that some people may be scratching their heads at the moment but I wish for you to be patient. I promise that the last chapter will be the best yet.
Thanks to all of you who have read the story so far and a special thanks to those that have written a review.