Chapter Six: The Distant Battle
The early morning sun paints a cargo plane a strange hue as it comes in for a landing. When it comes to a halt, a young man, a photographer, opens the side door and takes a look around.
"Well, this is it, buddy. Take a good look. Area 88 is the roughest place in North Africa. You'll have a real fun time keeping yourself alive here." The pilot muttered, as the photographer got out. He watched as the pilot of the cargo plane tossed his suitcase out after him.
"Here's your luggage. If you're still alive a month from now, give me a call and I'll come and get you." The pilot said, as he quickly shut the door and made ready to take off.
"I've finally arrived. Hell in North Africa……Area 88." The photographer murmured, as he watched the sun rise to its full glory in the east.
"I am commander of this base, Saki Vashutarl. I'm a Lieutenant Colonel in the Asran National Airforce. And you are……." Saki muttered, as he glanced down at the photographer's papers, "Goh Mutsuki, twenty-eight year old Japanese correspondent from the NP News Service."
"Call me Rocky. That's what everyone called me back in Europe. I got to be known as 'Fireball Rocky'. I guess I'm pretty famous there." The photographer said, confidently. Saki smirked.
"I'm sorry, but I don't keep up on what's happening in the outside world. I'm afraid I've never heard of you." Saki replied, getting a rather deflated look from Rocky as a result.
"This really is a provincial place……" Rocky muttered, as he looked around the sparse office of the highest ranking officer of Area 88.
"Yes, but why would the world famous NP send a reporter to such a 'provincial place'? I imagine there are many other places where you could find news." Saki commented.
"Yeah, there are, but this is the only place using a mercenary airforce. Besides, I heard there's two Japanese pilots here." Rocky stated, as Saki arched an eyebrow.
"Actually we have three Japanese pilots now. There's Kazama, Hidaka, and Kudou. Kudou got here just recently." Saki said, as he put some paperwork away and glanced out the window.
"Are they still alive?" Rocky asked, eagerly. Saki shrugged.
"I don't know. They should be back soon. If they're still alive, they will be parking in spots 18, 19, and 22." Saki replied, then soberly added, "Rocky, you are free to collect news here, but let me warn you. This is the edge of hell……I can't guarantee you'll survive here. Please fill out this form so we'll know where to send your belongings in case something happens." It was Rocky's turn to smirk.
"The only thing a war correspondent ever leaves behind is a broken camera. If this camera survives, so will I. But I will fill out your form anyway." Rocky consented, getting a grudging look of respect from the young commander.
"All right. Whenever you need anything, go to McCoy's warehouse at the end of the aviation sheds. He has almost everything." Saki informed.
"Does he have film?" Rocky asked, point blank.
"Of course. He has everything from toilet paper to nuclear payloads." Saki replied, before Rocky left the office.
The scream of jet engines were usual sounds at Area 88, as were the sounds of foreign pilots cursing to high heaven.
"Watch out, McCoy! It looks like you're gonna get your ears chewed off!" Ken shouted, watching as an infuriated German (namely Harlock) stormed over to him, snarling about a part in his jet that had just turned out to be scrap.
"He has a foul mouth." Youji muttered, as he descended from his jet.
"Can you really understand half of what he's saying?" Ken asked, a little surprised by this.
"Yeah. And then some. He just said something unfavorable about McCoy's mother." Youji said, as they watched, with identical deadpan expressions, Harlock berate the shifty weapons supplier about the part.
"Here comes Shin. At least he made it through today's sortie." Ken mused, as the jet belonging to Shin Kazama came to a halt in its parking space. It wasn't until Shin had the cockpit canopy open and his helmet off that he, Ken, and Youji, heard a voice call out to them in their native tongue.
"Look this way, you three, so I can get a better shot!" the male voice shouted, getting startled and surprised looks from the three in response.
"That's Japanese!" the three thought, at the same time, as they all looked to the source of the voice. They were all surprised to see what appeared to be a photographer standing there, his camera pointed directly at them.
"That's it! Great! Three samurai, fighting for tomorrow in the red-hot desert…….you three have nice faces for photos." The photographer said, with an easygoing and somewhat self-assured grin.
"W-who are you?!" Shin asked, speaking for all of them when he said that.
"You haven't heard Japanese in a while, have you?" the photographer asked.
"Not outside of our group, no." Ken answered, honestly.
"The name's Goh Mutsuki. I'm a correspondent for NP. Call me Rocky." The photographer said, introducing himself to the trio. Shin in turn gave him a wary look. Rocky stood where he was and admired the jets Shin, Ken, and Youji were using. They were all F5E Tiger II s, but each had a different symbol on the tail fin. Shin's jet had a unicorn marking on it, while Ken's had a wildcat with a freesia flower in its mouth. Youji's jet also had a wildcat, but it had a coil of barbed wire framing its bristling body.
"Interesting choice of designs………wonder what brought that on?" Rocky wondered, then said, "Those are F5E Tiger II s. Are they easier to pilot than the old F5 Freedom Fighters?"
"They're pretty similar." Shin replied, as he descended from his aircraft.
"But these babies have more powerful engines, so they climb and accelerate a lot faster." Youji added, as Rocky continued snapping pictures of them.
"Please stop the photo session. I don't like being in front of a camera." Shin grumbled, moodily. Ken nodded silently in agreement.
"Speak for yourself, Kazama." Youji muttered. He got glares from his fellow pilots for a response. Youji ignored them.
"Don't be so cold, man. I have to take pictures. It's my job." Rocky stated, his self-assurance not shaken in the slightest.
"Well, there are a lot of other things you can photograph, right? Look! I'll bet that'd make a nice picture!" Ken said, as he pointed out a jet that had a trail of smoke pouring out behind it.
"The tail's on fire!" Rocky yelped, in alarm.
"That's Greg's Skyhawk." Shin murmured, as the badly smoking plane landed on the runway.
"I'll catch you guys later! See you!" Rocky shouted, before dashing off towards the jet.
"Keep your cool……..Don't freak out." Ken said, after the retreating figure of the photographer.
"What was that all about? Who was that, anyway?" Harlock asked, as he walked up to the three, his anger having since been spent.
"Just some photographer from the NP News Service. Called himself Goh Mutsuki." Ken replied, surprised when a look of recognition crossed Harlock's scarred features.
"I remember him! He's the one that had interviewed my grandfather about World War II! What's he doin' here, of all places?" Harlock asked, surprised to say the least.
"I think he's here to do a story on the base." Youji replied, simply.
"But why would anyone want to?" Ken in turn asked, getting shrugs from his companions for a response.
Hours later, Shin, Youji, and Ken found themselves at the door to the room 'Fireball Rocky' was using during his stay on base.
"Had the same thought in mind?" Youji asked, guessing what was on his companions' minds.
"Yeah." Shin replied.
"That, and I thought I'd ask him if he's seen Ran and Omi anywhere during his travels." Ken added. Youji nodded in understanding. He was also very concerned about his two former comrades and often wondered what their fate had been. Without another moment's hesitation, Shin knocked on the door and, once they had been bidden to enter by the room's occupant, they entered the room.
"Ah, it's you three. I didn't expect you to come here. I was about to come visit. Good timing." Rocky stated, as he finished putting a new role of film into his camera. It was then that Rocky noticed all three of them gazing quietly at said camera.
"Does that Nikon remind you guys of Japan?" Rocky asked.
"A little." Shin replied.
"Reminds me of how many times I saw them when I was in the J-League." Ken commented, getting a raising of eyebrows from Rocky as a response.
"You were in the J-League, Hidaka? Then what're you doing here?" Rocky asked again, voicing his surprise.
"Let's just say I let my hopes get the better of me." Ken replied, repeating what Harlock had said just a few months earlier.
"I see. What were you doing before you arrived here, Kudou?" Rocky questioned, turning his attention to Youji for a moment.
"I ran a detective agency from my home. Mind you, I'm no Sherlock Holmes, but I was fairly good at it." Youji said, giving Ken a dirty look in response to his remark about his being more of a 'Watson' than a 'Holmes'. Rocky chuckled as Shin sighed and rolled his eyes, then looked directly at him, his eyes taking on a searching look.
"Could you……..uh……….tell me something about Japan? Anything, even a little……..?" Shin said, although not altogether certain as to how to voice his request.
"Something about Japan……….Sorry, I can't. I haven't been back there in three years. Our headquarters is in England. I've been working in Europe for a long time, with London as my base." Rocky replied, noticing the crestfallen looks on the three men's faces in response to this.
"Huh………is that so………?" Shin murmured, voicing his very evident disappointment.
"Are your families back there?" Rocky asked.
"No." Shin replied, speaking for all of them.
"Somewhere else, then?" Rocky again asked.
"No, I'm an orphan. I've never seen my mother's face." Shin said, somberly.
"I'm in the same boat Shin is. Whattabout you, Youji?" Ken asked, as they all looked at the 'former detective'.
"I have some relatives scattered all over the place, but I haven't been in touch with them for a long time." Youji replied.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have asked. I was out of line asking you three such personal questions." Rocky said, a little shamefacedly.
"That's okay, we're all kind of used to it." Shin said, as Ken and Youji murmured their agreement.
"Why're you here, though?" Rocky asked again, and, when he didn't get any answers from Shin or Youji, continued, "Is it fun to kill people?" This got a set of shocked looks from all three.
"I'm not doing this because I like it." Shin stated, as he tried to compose himself.
"And we're not here for the money, either." Ken added.
"Well, those are interesting answers. I thought all mercenaries were volunteers…….but you're telling me you don't like it? You three were hired for money and combat. You knew you'd be risking your lives. And you wouldn't have done that unless you liked war." Rocky stated, matter-of-factly.
"That's not true!" Shin shouted, startling his two companions somewhat.
"Now that comment got under Shin's skin. And with good reason. Ken and I don't like killing any more than he does." Youji thought, soberly.
"Okay. Then explain why you're here, Kazama, Kudou, Hidaka. Why did you become mercenaries if you don't like it?" Rocky questioned.
"Because……………." Shin started, then trailed off, stuck for an answer. Ken and Youji were in no better shape.
"I've been a photojournalist for years………….and I can read the truth in their eyes. Even though Youji and Ken have the look of men who have killed before, neither of them, nor Shin, really like being here. They must be here because they were forced to." Rocky thought, as he watched the three miserably file out of the room.
Later that same day, Rocky sought out the warehouse where McCoy had set up shop, with the intent to get some film.
"Ne, McCoy!" Rocky shouted, as he entered the warehouse.
"What is it, boyo?" McCoy asked, sounding honestly curious as he stepped up to the journalist.
"I need film for my camera. Do you have any?" Rocky in turn asked.
"Sure, lad. What'll it be?" McCoy questioned.
"I want fifty rolls of 35mm Tri-X." Rocky said, with some embarrassment on his face.
"Ah, yes…………I just happen to have some in stock." McCoy mused, as he went to go and retrieve the requested film.
"I didn't know reporters went on assignment without film." An amused Harlock said, as he and Mick walked into the warehouse. Rocky's eyes widened.
"Frank Harlock! It's been years, man! How've you been?!" Rocky asked, evidently very pleased to see an old friend.
"Fair. How about yourself?" Harlock replied, as he and Rocky exchanged hearty handshakes.
"The same. What're you doin' out here?" Rocky asked again.
"Staying true to the old Harlock tradition. Gotta 'pay the rent' somehow." Harlock joked. Rocky nodded in understanding.
"That tradition. Speaking of which, how's your grandfather doin' these days? Is he still flying?" Rocky questioned.
"Yes, he is. Despite his age, he still gets up there and flies. He still says that the engine of his old plane Arcadia is like his heart. As long as it can still get that plane off the ground, he'll continue to fly." Harlock replied, looking a little wistful when he mentioned his beloved grandfather and mentor.
"Anyway, changing the subject before our resident pirate gets homesick, why'd you go on assignment without film?" Mick asked, smirking when Harlock gave him an odd look, and as Rocky gave him a chagrined one.
"Don't be a wise guy. When that plane crashed this afternoon, I was so absorbed taking pictures that I left my film bag open under the red-hot sun. All two hundred rolls are gone." Rocky muttered, exasperated with himself for having made such a stupid mistake.
"Well, everybody makes mistakes. Don't blame yourself." Mick said, reassuringly, then asked, "Have you met Shin, Ken, and Youji yet?"
"Yeah, but I don't understand them. I've been around a lot of battlefields in my day, and I know what soldiers' eyes are like. And those three just don't have them, even though their combat records are excellent." Rocky murmured, thoughtfully.
"You're a real reporter indeed! You've got a journalist's instincts, buddy." Mick stated, as McCoy returned with the film.
"Mick, Harlock, those three lads are different from you two. They're not fighting because they like it." McCoy said, with much conviction.
"Do you know why they're here?" Rocky asked, sensing that he'd found a lead. McCoy shook his head.
"No. I only have my intuition, no proof. Besides, no one here really talks about his past…….It seems to me that the goals of Shin's battles, and those of Youji and Ken, are always somewhere else……..somewhere far, far away. For them, the battle over here is merely a step toward another battle elsewhere. They're determined to survive this hell no matter what." McCoy said, his words effectively silencing Rocky.
That evening, as they were on a mission, Ken's thoughts returned to his, Youji and Shin's conversation with Rocky. Was what they were doing really the only way to get home? If not, then what was?
"Shin! You've got an enemy behind you! Dive! Move!" Harlock's voice shouted, the warning sending chills down Ken's spine, but he was relieved when Shin evaded the enemy jet, then shot it down.
"You saved my life, Harlock. I owe you one." Shin said, shakily.
"Verdammt Shin! What the hell were you daydreaming about back there?! You almost got wasted!" Harlock snarled in response.
"Harlock…….we're nothing but killers, aren't we?" Shin asked quietly. There were a few moments of silence before the German pilot responded. But, when he did, his gruff words reached not only Shin, but also Ken and Youji as well.
"Shin, if we don't kill them, they'll kill us. It is as simple as that. That is what you're going to have to do, if you want to get home alive." Harlock replied, matter-of-factly.
"Well spoken, Harlock. As it is, none of us has a choice in the matter. We have to take each day as it comes, for good or ill." Youji murmured in agreement.
"And take each enemy as he comes." Ken added, his soft tone almost lost amidst the static.
When they all finally returned to base, one of the other pilots was waiting on the scene.
"Shin, Ken, Youji!" the pilot shouted, to get their attention.
"Evenin' Eric." Ken greeted, tiredly.
"Evenin'. Did you guys see Greg, the bearded guy?" Eric asked, worriedly.
"No." Shin replied.
"We haven't seen 'im since this afternoon. Why?" Youji asked, in turn.
"That bastard hasn't even come back yet. I wonder if he was shot down?" Eric said, still sounding worried.
"Eric………" Shin murmured, as he gave the other pilot a concerned look. As the three of them moved off, they could hear Eric still trying to convince himself that his bearded comrade was coming back. And, when he was certain that Youji and Shin had gone inside, Ken looked back at Eric and wondered how different, if at all, his hopes were for seeing either Omi or Ran ever again.
"Please, be safe out there, you two, wherever your paths take you." Ken thought, hoping against hope that his friends were somewhere safe. Somewhere far, far away from Area 88.