Equinox
Chapter 4
Phoenix Squadron
"Haruka. We lost another patrol today."
Haruka sat at her office desk. Her body leaning back on her chair as she had her eyes closed. Deep in thought.
Kanako was also in the room, sitting opposite from the older women, with a serious look etched on her face. A Clipboard with various colored papers tightly gripped to her hand as she read it out loud to Haruka.
"At exactly forty-five minutes ago. Patrol team Bravo-12 who were to patrol the outskirts of Tokyo city were completely killed off at their patrol route. Bravo team consisted of Captain Hyuuga Potchi, John Carter, Kuraga Ichini, and Catalia Mephito. All of them were brutally killed by an unknown force. Most probably a Council soldier, but we are still unsure. We did not send out a team just yet to investigate the problem."
"….."
A deep silence ensued after Kanako's briefing. Haruka laid back on her comfy black chair, her eyes closed.
Deep in thought.
Kanako waited patiently.
After a good few minutes Haruka finally stood up and looked at Kanako.
"Its about time we send out Phoenix Squadron. Where is Keitaro at right now?"
Kanako flipped thru a series of pages in her clipboard.
"He is meeting up with his team mates as we speak, and about to find out their objectives for the mission."
Haruka paced around the room a bit. "Brief me on his teammates Kanako…"
"Why?"
"Because I want to know the people you chose Keitaro to be working with."
"As you wish Haruka."
-Swiiish-
A pair of metallic doors opened up to reveal Keitaro walking into the briefing room. He was fully equipped with his usual battle fatigues. A black jumpsuit, a leather vest draped over his shoulder, a metal bracelet on his right hand, and red bandana wrapped around the top of his head.
Keitaro looked around the room.
The room was kind of big. There were different level with chairs organized in a semi circle fashion. While at the bottom is a platform where a holo screen device was placed and installed.
Hehe, Reminds me of Toudai…
There were four other people in the room. Two men were in the far corner of the room. Talking with each other. One women was at the platform in the bottom, while the last person, a man, was sitting a few levels down from Keitaro.
Keitaro walked down two levels and sat down besides the person.
He looked over and sweat dropped instantly.
"zzZzzZzZZzzZZzzz"
He was blissfully a sleep.
Keitaro stared and tapped on his shoulders.
"ZzzZZZ-Huh- Wha!" The young man jerked awake and instantly but lazily sat up properly on his chair. His hands rubbing his tired eyes.
He gazed over with weary eyes.
"You must be our Captain. Keitaro Urashima." He said, outstretching a friendly hand.
Keitaro shook his hand. "Yes, and you must be?"
The guy smirked.
"For a Captain of his team, you don't know much about your team!"
"Well I just heard I had a new team a couple of hours ago."
"You should at least research your team, before coming here. Jeez! I took my precious time to research everyone here too. Including you mister- 'I am such a bad ass'!"
Keitaro scowled.
"I don't have that kind of time."
The man chuckled. His neat brown hair bouncing slightly as his head bobbed.
Keitaro let out an annoyed grunt and stood up. Heading towards the two other men at the upper levels of the briefing room.
"Hey where ya going, man!"
"….."
But the man's voice echoed behind him as he walked up the flight of stairs.
"Don't get all bent out of shape Captain. I'm just kidding. Oh by the way sir. My name's-"
"-Kentaro Sakata…. That's his name." Kanako said as she found the confidential page referring to Kentaro. It had a picture of Kentaro, information, and even more information.
"What else…?"
Kanako cleared her throat.
"He is three years older then Keitaro, so that makes him twenty four years old. He is the sniper expert in Phoenix squadron. He won exactly forty five marksmanship tournaments all around the world since he was nine years old and was drafted into the army when he was twenty years old. He has brown hair, blue eyes, weighs a hundred and eighty pounds, and is six feet, two inches tall. Just around Keitaro's own personal information."
Haruka stayed silent and just looked at the ceiling again.
"……."
"Shall I brief you on the others as well…"
Haruka sighed and nodded her head.
"I guess so."
"Very well, Second is Shirai Kimiaki. Black hair, two hundred and ten pounds, brown eyes, and is twenty years old. He happens to be Keitaro's long time high school friend. We hired him to be the demolitions expert of squadron because of his background in explosives. He practically made a an atomic bomb in the basement of his parent's house when he was only seventeen years old."
Haruka chuckled. "Too much free time I see…"
Kanako smirked and continued.
"Third is Haitani Masayuki. Brown short hair. One hundred and sixty-seven pounds, brown eyes, and is also twenty years old. He is also Keitaro long time friend back in high school. We hired him to be the co-captain and also the vehicles expert for the team. His background consists of him winning three long endurance boat races, four endurance rally races through the savannah, and he also won title ace pilot among his peers."
"It seems you have everyone in that team be good at something…really good.."
Kanako only smiled.
"You noticed.."
"Your sneaky Kanako-chan…just plain sneaky.."
"Well I want Onii-chan to be around people that have at least half his skills."
Haruka chuckled silently at the girl's sisterly love.
"I don't think Keitaro is good at driving Kanako-chan. Remember last time he smashed his white van on the neighbor's poor little do-"
"And so the last member in the team is Mutsumi Otohime. Twenty years old like the last two and is the medic of the team. She has long brown hair. About the same height as Keitaro, and weighs one hundred and forty-six pounds. She graduated top in her class in in-battle combat and as a medic. This is also her first time in a war situation."
Haruka raised an eyebrow.
"Isn't that a disadvantage."
"It might, but we will have to see won't we."
"Yes, but now you have to give the team the orders. So get moving."
"All right Haruka. See you later."
"Yup…"
Kanako stood up, saluted and left the room with quick feet.
Leaving Haruka to stare up at the ceiling one more time. Not one emotion sketched on her face. Like a dead statue.
Completely Absolute.
"Shirai! Haitani! I didn't know you two were in this team!"
The two men that were having a conversation at the corner of the room and looked over at Keitaro's slow coming form.
The short chubby one instantly shuffled over and bear hugged Keitaro. Wheezing all the air out of his lungs, Keitaro was helplessly picked up by the person's brute strength.
"Keitaro! We've missed ya buddy!"
Keitaro sweat dropped.
"I did to Shirai. Now would you put me down now!"
Shirai only chuckled and lowered Keitaro as the taller slender man approached the two.
The two faced the young man.
"I see you haven't changed one bit Keitaro."
"I should say the same to you Haitani. Still driving that Ford Tauros that you bought for fifty bucks.
Shirai chuckled.
Haitani glared daggers at his direction.
"No! Now I have to drive you lugs around."
"Of course. But at least the car is free this time around."
All three of them laughed.
"I'm glad for that because the ones we are going to drive will most probably get destroyed."
"Yea by either Shirai's random explosives laying everywhere or by the aliens themselves."
"Most probably by me!"
Keitaro smiled and looked down at the middle podium. There his last teammate was standing pensively still. Looking at the debriefing. Silent.
In thought.
She had the standard black and brown equinox uniform on and had a handy utility belt across her waist. She had a tall slender body and her breast could be noticed a mile away as it poked from under her uniform. She had jet sleek brown hair twirled into a single braid of hair that overlapped her right shoulder. Her skin was a bit tanned to which suggested she had been on a beach before all of this happened or lived in an island all her life.
She was also really cute…
But she had something unique about her to Keitaro. Something that no one else has in his team.
There in her right arm was a red arm band. A red cross stitched elegantly in the middle of the red band. Making it extremely noticeable. .
Our medic I see…
Haitani elbowed Keitaro's arm lightly.
"She's a catch isn't she!"
Keitaro smiled a tiny bit. "Yes, she is cute.
"Not just cute Keitaro! She sure looks delicious!"
"Yea I would love to bang that a-oooooofff!"
Keitaro elbowed both Shirai's and Haitani's gut before they could finish his vulgar comment.
"You two….First rule in my team. Don't ever say that kind of stuff about our teammates. Especially to a girl….and a medic…"
"Sorry.." The two whimpered in unison. Wheezing from the blow.
"You better be!…but anyways what her name?"
"Her name's Mutsumi Otohime..
Keitaro only smiled at the two of them and waved a silent bye, before stepping down the stairs towards the medic.
"He is still strong as ever…"
"You can say that again…"
"He is still-
"Shut up!"
Mutsumi stood still on the podium. Observing the bright lights and video feeds that was on the many holo screens and consoles present on the bottom podium. All of them there in order to brief the soldiers on their current missions.
She had her arms to her side and eyes staring oddly on the screens.
Keitaro stepped down unto the podium.
Mutsumi didn't notice.
"Hello Mutsumi-san!"
Not a stir.
"Um..Mutsumi-san!"
Keitaro got closer and finally Mutsumi noticed.
"Ara! Oh Captain!"
Nervously and embarrassed she bowed.
"I-I'm sorry Captain, I space out from time to time, so forgive me?"
Keitaro raised a forgiving hand. "That's okay Mutsumi-san. I do that sometimes to."
Mutsumi smiled bowed once again. "I must thank you for letting me join your team. This is my first time being in an active group. So please take care of me."
Keitaro chuckled, a slight blush forming on his cheeks. "Ok. But answer one question. Why did you join if you don't have any experience? The enemy is not human, they are aliens that we don't know much about."
Mutsumi looked away a bit. "I passed top in my class last year in medic school. But I never got to be in a group because I was in reserve. But now that there is a situation that demands more people. I figured I could help out using the things I learned.."
"Well in that case, I'm glad your in my team.."
Mutsumi gazed over at Keitaro's smiling face. And her legs started to shake slightly and a blush formed on her face.
"Th-thanks.."
"Onii-chan what are you doing?"
Both Keitaro and Mutsumi jumped with fright. There right next to them was Kanako. A clipboard in one hand and her eyes staring at Keitaro intently.
"Ka-kanako-chan! Wh-what are you doing here?"
"Onii-chan! Remember….. no going out with fellow soldiers!" She grunted.
Both of them blushed even more.
"Ka-kanako -chan! We weren't.. I mean…Uggh! We were just talking!"
"Riiiight…well sit down and order the others to join us. I need to brief you all on the situation."
Immediately everyone was in the lower levels of the lecture hall. All of them sitting next to each other while a firm standing Kanako was on the podium. Arms folded and looking at the screens.
A serious look stoned to her face.
"Well Kanako-chan, what is going on."
Kanako turned around, facing all five of them. "You five are called the Phoenix squadron. All of you have been hand picked in order for all of you to do special missions that we order you all to do. These missions are hard considering the opponent we are facing nowadays. But I have confidence in all of you."
Kentaro smirked and teased: "Because the team has your precious Oniiiiiiiiiiii-chan!"
-Whack-
He was hit across the face by a clipboard. Out cold on the floor.
"No, its because all of you are good at something. And we need that in a team."
Keitaro stared at the unconscious Kentaro laying on the floor but shrugged it off to just gaze at Kanako.
"What's our objective…"
"Well all of you are well aware of operation nexus that is coming up. That is when we will go all out while your team infiltrates the base and find out as many things and capture as many runes as humanly possible. But forget that operation for now. You will need to do a little recon and rescue mission first."
Everyone stirred in their seat.
"Recently there has been much activity in Tokyo. Seems they are trying to find someone or something. We need you guys to infiltrate the city undetected by any opposition and find out what or who they are searching for. If we find out we may have the upper hand."
Haitani rose a hand.
"Yes Haitani-san."
"What about the rescue part."
"Well one of the most well renown archeologist, Seta Noriyasu , has disappeared. We believe he has been taken somewhere in Tokyo. That is a side objective. If you all find him, try to rescue him so we can use him to tell us what the Council wants with him. Every one got that."
Everyone nodded.
"Oh, one more
"When you find any runes laying around. We would appreciate it if you would bring them back."
Shirai stood up.
"Could I ask one question please?"
"Sure…"
"What are exactly runes."
Kanako grinned, pushed a button on the screen's console and a picture of a red crystal came up.
Keitaro narrowed his eyes.
"These are runes. The backbone of the Alien Council. They are very magical and these magic powers are what gives them a technological advantage over us. There are different types of rune crystals. An example would range from a crystal implanted in each of the Slytherian foot soldiers' halberd which gives them the ability to send out electrical bolts. Or the many runes that are implemented in the Cordanian's tech. Giving their machines more abilities and powers then our own. But for the Elvens, it is what they are. We believe that they are responsible for the runes. That is why they are the top class. They are the ones making the rune crystals and thus they are the most superior race in the Council."
Kanako cleared her throat.
"We don't know how the Elven's are producing these runes. And we don't know anything else then what I have told you. So that is why you must bring more runes for study."
"Wow, I would totally want one of those babies." Kentaro smirked.
"Well all of you are dismissed."
With that, everyone started to leave one by one, and Keitaro found himself the last one to leave.
He looked at the metal bracelet attached to his right arm.
And with a heavy sigh he left…
"…….."
Kanako stepped out of the shadows and trailed Keitaro as he left with her eyes.
"………………"
Keitaro stepped into his living quarters.
It was 9:00 pm right about now.
He has nine more hours till the beginning of his first mission.
"Well, I guess the wise thing would do would be going to sleep right now…."
Keitaro looked around the living room.
It was deserted. Void of any life at all.
Kanako hadn't come back from the briefing moments ago, and Haruka still had work to do. But Shinobu…
Keitaro took a few steps forward.
He stopped.
In the hallway was Shinobu's door. It was slightly open.
Keitaro tilted his head a bit.
He tip-toed silently closer to the door.
He was now in front of the door. So he peeked inside his younger sister's room.
Her room was covered with a blanket of black but he could see something on Shinobu's bed. Something cute and adorable to him..
There sleeping soundly like an angel on a cloud was Shinobu. Laying on her side and in pajamas. Her chest rising and deflating slowly in a slow beating melody of slumber. A picture of Kanako, Keitaro and herself grasped in her hand.
Keitaro smiled, opened the door silently, and continued to tip-toe towards her.
Shinobu stirred, her eyes starting to open.
"Sleepy I see Shinobu-chan.."
Shinobu forced her eyes open and there lying on his knees besides her bed was Keitaro. His face right nect to her head that was laying on the bed.
"O-onii-chan!"
"Hey cutey, sorry I woke you…"
Shinobu didn't even smile. She just gazed away from Keitaro's eyes. Sadly…
Keitaro got the picture and laid a gentle hand on her head.
"I'm sorry…Shinobu-chan.."
"Sorry for what…."
"For making you cry…"
Shinobu's eyes widened.
"I know that you don't want me to go out and risk my life out there. But what am I suppose to do huh! Should I just sit around in this underground base, do nothing and wait for the end of the world to come and wipe out you and Kanako-chan…..I don't think so….You know me better then that Shinobu-chan."
"I-I know Onii-chan…but….but…"
"Sssshhh."
Keitaro cooed the little one as she started to sob on her bed.
He then joined her in bed, hugging her as the both of them laid on their sides.
Shinobu's small blue head digging into Keitaro's white T-shirt, and her arms tightly grasped around his body.
Keitaro could feel the wetness increase around his chest as Shinobu continued to wail and sob.
Shaking and shivering…letting it all out a Keitaro. All her anger. All her sadness, worries and sorrows.
"I promise….I won't die….I'll come back home every mission and come right to you and Kanako-chan, just to prove to you both I didn't perish. That I am still with you girls…"
"You-ou, p-promise.."
"Yes…I do…."
Shinobu smiled as she dug her head even more into his chest.
Creaaak-
The door slowly opened up to reveal the other sister, Kanako-chan. She had changed in her pajamas for the night and looked down unto her two relatives. Both of them still hugging onto each other on Shinobu's bed.
"…"
Kanako didn't say a word. But just shuffled closer to the bed. Laid down and hugged Keitaro from the back. Digging her own head onto his back.
"You too Kanako-chan….I won't die..I promise.."
Kanako smiled with utter relief and satisfaction.
"Onii-chan..if you do break that promise….I won't ever forgive you…"
Keitaro hugged Shinobu harder and she settled more into the hug.
"I know, but that won't happen will it now Kanako-chan. Now good night you two…I have to go to sleep. I'm departing tomorrow…"
All three of them slowly started to close their eyes. The two sisters still hugging unto Keitaro like a lifeline and both drifting towards slumber along with him. All of them enjoying each other's warmth and listening to each other's heartbeats as to help them sleep soundly that comforting night.
The sound of a bedroom door shutting not reaching into any of their ears.
Haruka was outside Shinobu's bedroom.
She had just shut Shinobu's door and closed the lights. Leaving her nephew and two nieces to slumber with each other in peace.
She started walking towards her own bedroom.
Smirking..
"Good night you three…."
And her bedroom door too was swung closed, leaving the dark hallway to its own silence and sleep for the night.
Up till tomorrow…
-End Of Chapter 4-
