Chapter Three
The Black Hole stranger awoke in a strange room. He was still feeling groggy after the sedative, and he found it hard to concentrate. The room was barely furnished. Four white walls surronded him, with a large mirror set into the one on his left. He was strapped to a plain white chair and seated at a small white table. Opposite him, sat another man. He was wearing a white coat and a stethoscope. He looked like a doctor.
"Oh, you're awake. In that case, we can begin." The doctor said calmly. He wasn't actually a doctor. He was, in fact, an interrogator for Orange Star, but it was found that suspected spies were at their most revealing in front of medical personnel.
The mirror was actually a one-way widow from the observation room. It allowedinterrogations to be monitored by psychoanalysts, other interrogators and commanding officers. Today, every commanding officer in Orange Star was present in the observation room. Except for Max, who had yet to return from combat exercises. Nell, Sami, and Andy watched the stranger intently. Hachi was counting coins in the back of the room.
"Let's hear what he has to say." Nell whispered thoughtfully.
"Where am I?" the stranger asked, testing the strength of the cuffs that chained him to the chair.
"You're in the infirmary of the Orange Star Headquarters. You've been sent to me for psychological testing." The doctor lied. The stranger looked around the room again.
"Why?" he asked curiously.
"You were in possession of an illegal weapon and opened fire on Orange Star citizens." The doctor explained, trying to stay calm. His sister had been in the street that morning. Now he was face to face with the monster who did this.
"…Oh, yes. I remember now. That was so much fun," the stranger chuckled lightly. He leaned back in his seat and laughed.
"THAT BASTARD! HE ENJOYED IT!" Sami exploded, causing Hachi to start. His coins ran all over the floor. Sami pulled out her machine gun. She would have shot the stranger there and then if Andy and Nell hadn't have restrained her. Picking up his money and pocketing it away, Hachi walked over to the window.
"Calm down, Sami. We're all as upset about this as you are, but we should at least allow this man to finish talking. If we didn't, we would be just as bad as the army to which he belongs." Hachi chided the auburn-haired girl. He was interested in what this maniac had to say. He doubted it would be good news though.
"Don't you feel any remorse for what you did?" the doctor spoke up, a little louder than necessary to cover Sami's explosion. The stranger grinned at the mirror. "Don't you realise how many treaties and pacts you've broken in today's incident? Soldiers of the Black Hole army aren't even supposed to enter Orange Star's lands."
"Yes, we are." The stranger nodded enthusiastically. "Last month, Lord Sturm made an agreement with one of your commanding officers. Orange Star is now a strong ally to Black Hole. Together, they shall vanquish Lord Sturm's enemies."
Hachi's heart sank. He had not agreed to such a radical proposal! Sturm had twisted his words! He shouldn't have expected any less from the leader of Black Hole. He had to leave now before he was discovered.
"There's a consignment of tanks I have to sign for. I'lljust leave now." Hachi lied weakly as he drifted towards the door.
"Don't bother about that, Hachi. Someone else can sign for them. Stay here." Nell commented, barely turning her head. Hachi cursed silently.
"An Orange Star commanding officer? I think you're clearly mistaken." The doctor replied, casting a nervous glance at the mirror.
"No, I know I'm right. It was the CO, Hachi."
There was a stunned silence in the observation room. Even the minor staff in the room stopped what they were doing and stared at the veteran CO. Nell, Sami and Andy stared at Hachi incredulously. Hachi could only turn his face away.
"Tell me it's not true, Hachi, tell me it's not true." Andy pleaded. After some time, Hachi lifted his head.
"We have, and never will have, a pact with Black Hole." The three COs breathed deep sighs of relief, "Although…I did sell armaments and weapons to Sturm." Everyone stared at him in disbelief. This was the same man who led Orange Star single-handedly against such evils in his youth.
"But why?" Nell asked. Just as Andy considered her his mentor, she regarded Hachi as her mentor.
"I couldn't help myself. I'm in love with money. Its colour, its lustre, its beauty. There is nothing better than feeling it run through my fingers." Hachi explained in a quiet, chagrined voice. "Ever since Sturm was defeated last year, it's been very dull. No one needed my wares or skills anymore. So when Sturm contacted me for business, I thought it was my chance. My chance to feel alive again. Believe me, I never dreamed something like this would happen."
"Hmm. Once we've dealt with this, this…madman, expect a very severe court-martial, Hachi. We can only count our blessings that this was only one man, on one day." Nell rebuked the old CO. The report had reached her just before the interrogation began. Some people had survived the incident. They were being treated in the civilian hospital right now.
"I think you should also make a public apology to the people of Orange –" Andy added. Before he could finish though, an Orange Star intelligence officer burst into the room. The man was panting heavily. There was a terrified look in his eyes.
"Commander Nell! Commander Nell! Important Intel!" the man reported frantically. He clutched a field report in his hand. He was shaking badly.
"Calm down, soldier. What is it?" Nell replied soothingly, trying to placate the anxious soldier. She took the report from him and read over it. She paled at the news.
"CO Max's forces have been routed! There's barely anything left!" the soldier reported hysterically.
"By who? Who is responsible for this attack, private?" Hachi asked; his self-pity replaced by concern for his comrade. Andy and Sami cringed and winced as Nell passed them the report.
"Black Hole, sir."
