A Modern Myth
The field of battle awaits me
What that will mean to me, I do not know
I should lie if I said I felt no uneasiness
Rain and winds and all,
The weather wheel foretells the times ahead
Seeking my fate, I listen to it spin with a lonely heart
Stave III. Some Noteworthy Conversations
The home facility of the tactical armor company was located in the unpopulated
wilderness of the north, where the metallic behemoths could operate on the
field without terrifying local residents. The training was constant and entry
access was limited to the base personnel, so that those stationed here had to
get used to seeing the same faces and no others for months at a time.
Let us now take a peek into the past, to a cold and gray afternoon when there
was little training scheduled at the base because the company faced imminent
mobilization. Let us go to the headquarter control room where most of the core
personnel of the company were gathered. A brief introduction is in order since
we will be seeing much of these soldiers. Lieutenant Colonel Hayakawa has
already been introduced as the unit commander. Captain Tokudaiji was the
oldest as well as the largest in the group, and in charge of monitoring and
relaying information. Captain Kaburagi, a proper articulate young woman from
a traditionally military family, was also a monitor aiding the control of
armors. She was one of the two female monitors along with Lieutenant Murai--
a shy modest person of girlish appearance and demeanor, and at only twenty the
youngest person in the room. That leaves the two armor pilots. Captain
Kitazawa was a young man with sharp eyes and a sharper temper. Major Takayama
had a rounded face and looked like someone you would not mind having for an
older brother. Two members were notably absent: Captain Ataka, the lone female
pilot, and Gowa Yushiro, also a pilot. They were in the hangar readying their
armors for storage and transportation.
'So are they going to dispatch us?'asked Captain Tokudaiji, the head monitor,
sipping hot coffee. With the day's short schedule all but over, the gathering
was less a military meeting and more a chat. 'We've been on standby to take
off at a moment's notice. But will the notice come?'
'Nothing has been finalized yet,?answered Colonel Hayakawa. 'The overall
sentiment is in favor of deployment, but there seems to be resistance from some
of the cabinet members. We will likely remain on standby for a few days.'
'It's the constitution,'added Captain Kaburagi. 'All forces deployed overseas
must have the approval of the Security Council. The council has only
marginally approved Japan's involvement in Belgistan, and our unit was not
included in the original draft of the deployment plan.'
'We are only a few people. Need they bother the cabinet just to get permission
to squeeze in an extra platoon?' Captain Kitazawa said.
'True, it would be ridiculous to get the cabinet involved if this were just
another ground unit,' Tokudaiji replied. 'It looks like our demonstration last
week has got the higher-ups excited. Everyone is talking about the armor all
of a sudden. Some of them are worried about what might go wrong with it.'
'One thing is for sure. Tactical armor is no longer a secret,' Kitazawa said.
'One way or another it's going to be famous and very soon. I'd rather have it
be for victory on the field.'
'How do you think it will turn out, colonel?' Lieutenant Murai asked.
'I hear Colonel Hirokawa is lobbying the prime minister to allow deployment
personally. Knowing him, I won't be surprised if he finds a way around the
cabinet--even around the minister of justice, who I understand is the loudest
critic of the proposal.'
'It isn't just the tactical armor that old man doesn't like. From the
beginning he was against sending anything at all to Belgistan,' Kitazawa said.
'Sir,' Captain Kaburagi began, cautiously, 'in the event of overseas deployment,
will Captain Gowa accompany us to Belgistan?'
'I imagine that would be the case.'
'I think that would be very unwise, sir.'
The colonel did not say anything. He anticipated her reasons; he had himself
thought of them.
She went on: 'His civilian presence was allowed because Gowa was responsible for
the development of the armors. But the development phase is by and large over.
Belgistan will not be a demonstration, but a combat operation.'
'Gowa thinks differently,' the colonel replied.
'The captain does?' said Murai.
'I meant the corporate Gowa.'br>
Tokudaiji frowned. 'So Gowa wants the boy to go, is that right? Sometimes I
wonder who we work for, the defense force or Gowa.'
'If we do see combat in Belgistan,' Murai said, 'we may need Yushiro's help more
than ever.'
'I shouldn't think so,' Kitazawa said with a flip of his hand.
'It isn't a matter of his being helpful or not,' contended Kaburagi. 'He is a
civilian. We will make him a combatant if we allow him on the battlefield.'
'Of course he is a combatant,' Tokudaiji said. 'In fact he is the most skilled
combatant we have--in an armor anyhow. I don't know what that boy has got, but
he is just better tuned for the machine. At first I thought it was because he
had insider experience. But once we started training pilots of our own I had to
admit he had a natural bent that no amount of experience could account for.'
'That is beside the point, Captain Tokudaiji,' said Kaburagi. 'His involvement
was always understood to be limited to development and training aspects of the
project. But even then the situation was quite awkward. We made a civilian who
wasn't old enough to drive a car operate a combat vehicle, issued him a sidearm
when the law would not let him own even a hunting rifle, and gave him access to
equipments and information that were kept secret from other military personnel.
For appearance's sake we gave him the rank of captain when he was never a cadet
or a private. Now we are about to take him to a hostile territory.'
'I am aware of this quandary, captain. I think all of us are,' replied the
colonel. 'But Captain Gowa's participation in the program has been sanctioned
by the defense force. Nor is he here against his will. Be assured that I have
voiced and will voice these concerns. But in the end whatever orders are handed
down I must follow.'
There was a knock then, and Yushiro and Captain Ataka entered. If the boy
noticed the unusual silence of the group he did not betray it.
'The loading is complete, sir,' Captain Ataka informed the colonel.
'Good work. Well then, you are all free for the rest of the day. Do not leave
the base, however.'
'Sir, I have received my father's summon. A driver is here already,' Yushiro
said.
'So I was told. Your leave is granted. We will notify Gowa when a decision has
been reached regarding overseas deployment.'
'Though Gowa will probably know about it before we do,' muttered Kitazawa after
Yushiro left the room.
-----------------------
The next conversation I want us to overhear took place nearly at the same time,
in the office of the prime minister of Japan which is the highest political
office in that nation. It involved two members of the military and the prime
minister himself. One of the soldiers was Colonel Hirokawa whose name you have
heard mentioned in the previous talk.
'I apologize for making you wait. A most unfortunate occurrence required my
attention on my way here,' began the prime minister as he settled tiredly into
his seat.
'I have heard, sir. Mr. Kashiwada has passed on then?' said Colonel Hirokawa.
'I am afraid so--it was a horrific accident, and four others were killed
besides. Colonel, you said this meeting needs not be long, and you must
realize now that it cannot be long. In half an hour I am to announce the
formal appointment of the interim minister of justice.'
'Of course, sir.'
'Is the information regarding America's predawn invasion tomorrow reliable?'
'We are certain that it will begin within the next nineteen hours. Please have
a look at this.' The colonel's aide produced a black and white photograph from
his briefcase and placed it before the prime minister. 'This is a reconnaissance
photo taken from above Kaha and obtained from the United States. Take note of
these large vehicles here. US intelligence dismisses them as ordinary trucks,
but according to the analysts of Section One Investigations Office they are
transports carrying enemy bipedal weapons. We believe that the invasion will
suffer the same result as that on Day One of the conflict. Now if we can have
our tactical armors ready and defeat the enemy where Americans have failed--'
The prime minister considered briefly, and the colonel was pleased to observe
that his mind had been made up coming into the room. 'What do the analysts have
to say about America's probable response to this deployment?'
'The Americans mobilized their forces without waiting for the approval of the UN
Security Council. With the degree of unilateral enthusiasm they have already
exhibited in the face of much international criticism, I doubt they will have
the impertinence to meddle with our comparatively trivial departure from the
prescribed deployment plan.'
'Let us do it then. For dispatching the tactical armors without the endorsement
of the council I will take responsibility.'
-----------------------
We jump a few hours forward now to the Gowa mansion where Daizaburo and his sons
sat around a tea table.
'No doubt about it,' said Kazukiyo with a pleased smile as he lowered the report
he had been browsing. 'The armor's capacities are improving.'
'But almost none of the fundamental problems have yet been resolved,' said
Kiyotsugu. 'We may have gotten better at using it, but we are not much closer
to understanding it than we were a year ago.'
'By it I assume you mean Mile One,' said Kiyoharu.
'The adaptive artificial muscle structure of the armor, yes. We have long known
that it is an enormous collection of molecular motors, a compound molecule
composed of over a billion atoms. It holds an unimaginable amount of
information within it, but after all these years we still have not found a way
to unravel it for close analysis. Why does it respond to Yushiro only? And why
are changes we make to it reflected not only in his armor but in the others as
well?'
'We are still far from successful replication then?'
'I am afraid so. I have underestimated the complexity of the accursed thing.
Replicating a whole person could scarcely be harder.'
'Tell me, Kiyotsugu,' began Daizaburo, coming out of his silent reverie. 'What
do you say of our chance of success?'
'Truthfully, sir, next to nil. All samples we possess are incomplete and in a
state of decay. Where the information is missing we must guess; and the
structure is far too delicate to permit guesswork.'
'You speak, as always, brother, from a scientist's perspective,' said Kazukiyo,
leaning back into his chair. 'You said it yourself. You are not content to be
able to use a thing; you must be able to understand it as well. I am not as
ambitious as you. If the thing will do its work, I do not question how it does
so. And I say Yushiro will do his work.'
'Yushiro?'
'Yes, Yushiro. Did you not just say you are in need of fresh, complete samples?
But a moment; that must be our little brother, I believe.' Kazukiyo looked out
the window as a servant hurried to the gate where a car had pulled up. The
servant opened the door for the passenger, who indeed was Yushiro, and spoke to
him briefly. The boy nodded and headed, as instructed, for the tea room to meet
his elders. He bowed upon entering but did not take a seat.
'Welcome home, Yushiro. Everything is all right at the base, I take it?' said
Kiyoharu.
'It is.'
'We just learned that the overseas deployment of your unit has been finalized,'
Kazukiyo said. 'You will most likely be leaving tomorrow morning.'
'I understand,' he replied after a moment's silence, and was about to take his
leave.
'Wait,' called Kazukiyo. 'Do you have nothing to say about it?'
'No, nothing in particular.'
'Stay here the rest of the day, son,' spoke Daizaburo. 'Your mother is making
dinner. We will eat together tonight.'
'Yes, sir.'
Yushiro was going to his room, but changed direction for the garden when he saw
the figure by the pond. His sister stood before a pillar of stone not quite the
height of a grown man, which sported a heavy wheel at the top. Idly she turned
the wheel, contemplating the characters inscribed along its edge. She smiled in
greeting when she saw him approaching.
'I suddenly realized how low the wheel is,' said she. 'Do you remember,
brother? When we were little, father had to lift us so we could spin it.'
'The old weather wheel... Yes, I remember.'
'Why don't you spin it?'
Yushiro glanced at the heaven, which was golden and clear; quite unlike the
dreary countryside he had been hours prior. 'I think it will be a fine day
tomorrow.'
'Not for that. Remember? You used to think it foretold more than weather.
You used to spin it when you had a wish you wanted come true.'
At that he betrayed a small fond grin. 'Do you have a wish you want come true,
Misuzu?'
Misuzu flushed, and turned very grave. She gazed away, speaking in a stifled
whisper. 'I am afraid that if I say it, all will fall apart. If I name the
fear, it may become real.' She looked up then, eyes wide and earnest. 'Promise
me, brother, that you will be back! No matter where you go, no matter how far
away they send you--oh, how could they send you so far away, and to fight?--you
must come back to us safely. Promise me.'
Yushiro gripped the stone wheel, held its weight for a moment, and gave it a
strong spin downward. They were wordless as they listened to the heavy but
somehow soothing sound of the turning stone. When the wheel slowed to a stop,
Yushiro gave his sister a bright smile. 'No need to worry,' said he. 'Even if
we go, my chances of seeing actual combat are low. Our priority is collecting
data after all.'
'Are you certain?'
'Very certain. Now, I am a little hungry. If mother doesn't mind, I think I'll
go to the kitchen and snitch a little of what she's making before dinnertime.
Shall we go together?'
-End of Stave III-