No Quarter

by dave-d

The kind of story that comes about after listening to too much Led Zeppelin. Norway. Snowy mountains. Enemy Arm Slaves. Sousuke closing in on Kaname's location.

2. Chapter 2

White upon white.

Two pilots moved across the glacier, each with different goals. One sought to get a message through. The other meant to kill the messenger.

Still undetected, Sousuke gained ground steadily, ignoring the alarms that warned of an increasing risk of overheating. He knew how far he could push an M9. He still didn't know how far he could push the Venom.

"Not now!" He muttered curses under his breath. A number of read-outs were far into the red. Having little choice, he brought his A.S. to an immediate halt. A loud hissing noise heralded the venting of superheated vapors into the chill air. Great geysers of smoky gas shot forth from the body and limb joints of the tortured Arm Slave. If there were any aircraft in the vicinity, those rising plumes would serve as a good marker of his location.

Once the systems powered down, they would not restart until certain parameters were met, no matter how many times he toggled the levers. Sitting and waiting, willed himself to be calm. Short of getting out on foot and running, there was nothing he could do but wait. Fortunately, less than ten minutes had passed before the panels lit up and the systems came to life. In another five minutes the locks were released and he was free to move.

Loping across the snow, he hurried to make up lost ground. Risking another shut down, he pushed things past reasonable limits, running faster and faster, the closer he came to his target. The other pilot caught sight of Sousuke. There was no other reason for the enemy machine to stop, turn about, and activate the systems that bathed it in a pulsating nimbus of blue-white light.

"You wish to fight," Sousuke said under his breath. "Good. I am tired of the chase." He flexed his fingers again, before manipulating the controls that brought his own Lambda Driver to life. He actually smiled when the other pilot began trotting his machine directly at him, before breaking out into a run. Nodding his head, he did the same. He grabbed hold of the anti-armor dagger with one mechanical hand. The other he left free. That hand would be used to create force shields and weapons.

The two metallic titans rushed hard at one another, the sound of their approach wiped away by the gusting winds as the Arm Slaves crunched through névé, firn, and glacial ice. Like two ancient warriors out of the sagas, the men faced off, coming to a halt on top of one of the vast moraines. One Venom raised a hand holding a broad short ice-pick like weapon. The other A.S. raised an arm holding a dagger.

"For Kaname…" He formed a stout shield of energy around the free hand. Sweating heavily than before, he sent the A.S. barreling forward. In this footing, he could gain an advantage if he managed to knock his opponent off his feet. It was a risky move, since any slip or fall could prove his undoing.

The two white craft struck one another with tremendous force. Sousuke gained a slight advantage, shoving his enemy down the side of a moraine and pushing him or her backwards for a few yards. But, every attempt he made to use the energy field surrounding him was countered by his adversary. Before he knew it, he was the one being pushed.

The fight became very violent, very quickly. This was not a steel ballet, like a match between genteel swordsmen. This was a knock-down drag-out fight between two men who knew the true nature of powered combat. Move after move. Blow after blow. Strike and counter. At one point, able to force his Arm Slave's hand-held weapon through the shield, the enemy pilot scored a glancing blow on the side of the Venom's head. That sent small pieces of metal flying in a brief flash of sparks. Moments later, Sousuke was able to score a more significant hit with a buckshot-like spread of force needles shot forth from one of his Arm Slave's hands. Fluid began running down the leg of the opposing Arm Slave.

"Now!" Sousuke sent one tow line speeding towards his foe. He intended to wrap the wire around one leg, and then pull the other machine off of its feet. His eyes widened when the enemy A.S. caught the cord around the haft of its weapon. He grunted when it yanked hard and forced his machine to its knees. The other pilot followed up with a leaping hammer blow, crashing Sousuke and his Venom down to the snowy ground. Kaname's face flashed before his eyes. He watched as her photograph broke free and fell out of view. "I… won't… let… you…" Blood dripped down from the corner of his mouth. He had bitten his tongue.

There was a thunderous explosion of ice and slow. Desperate, Sousuke acted by forming an immense collection of energy directly beneath his own A.S. He and the other Venom were thrown skyward, tossed up above the glacial surface. The move left his readouts flashing red with multiple warnings; but, it gave him another chance. Bringing himself to his feet, he saluted the other pilot again. He nodded, spitting blood out of his mouth, when the other machine returned the signal. Normally, that kind of nicety would seem foolish and out of place. Standing in the snow blown Norwegian expanse, it seemed natural and right.

Try as he might a few minutes afterwards, Sousuke would not be able to recall the series of events that followed. Both Arm Slaves charged again. The blows were faster and stronger than before, each carrying a sense of urgency. One downward slash of the dagger, enhanced by a glowing edge of force, left the enemy Arm Slave minus one leg. An instant after that, his opponent's glowing shield flickered and died out.

As he watched, the cockpit opened and the pilot stepped down, hands raised over his head. "I'm sorry," Sousuke mouthed. He could not afford to leave a survivor. He felt dirty doing what must be done, Dashing forward, he cut the man in two, staining the white snow with a seeping blotch of red.

They hold no quarter.

For a few brief moments after his win, Sousuke worried that it might have been a Pyrrhic victory. One of the leg joints on his A.S. locked, and seemed unwilling to release again. But, after a series of attempts, he finally managed to coax the recalcitrant flexure back to life. Hanging his head, he took a few moments to rest his eyes and breath slowly. He still felt very edgy, and his hands had a bad case of the jitters. The men he had been pursuing had all been stopped. He could rest now. At least for a little while.

Popping the hatch on his Venom, he jumped down into the brutally cold environment. Wanting to see if he could discover useful intelligence or identification papers, he walked over and rummaged through the enemy A.S. There was nothing of value there. His heart had skipped a beat when he saw that his opponent had kept a picture of a woman in his machine, just as he did. It was strange in a way, realizing that Amalgam pilots were people too. Not certain why he did so, he took the photograph and placed it in the hand of the disemboweled man. Walking back to his own machine, he used it to build a deep mound of snow over the bloody remains.

After that, he continued in the direction the other man had been headed. The glacier led up to a series of closely placed mountain peaks. On one of them, he thought he saw a glint of artificial light. That would be his goal for now. He hoped it was indeed a light. Darkness was falling quickly now.

He looked up. A helicopter passed over head, lights blinking. He had been oblivious to the fact that the sky above him was cloud-free for a great distance. As the twin-engine aircraft headed towards the source of the light, he felt naked. It was as if he felt that the passengers in that helicopter could see directly into his cockpit, recognizing who he was.

Close to an hour later, he came within scanning range of his destination. There was a huge set of interlocking metal doors built into one cliff-face. Hoping that there wasn't some kind of recognition sign he was ignorant of, he joined a short queue of Venoms that were lining up at that door. The fact that no one reacted and attempted to subdue or destroy him gave him a small boost in confidence. At the very least, he should be able to gain entrance to the secret base. What happened after that remained to be seen.

With each step the A.S. took, Sousuke found his throat growing thicker. This couldn't work. This shouldn't work. How could it possibly work? Maybe if this was an anime. Perhaps if it was bad action movie. He needed some kind of miracle!

One by one the Arm Slaves passed into the gigantic underground hangar. There were various types of aircraft kept there as well, along with fuel storage tanks and ammunition stores. A number of men with colored flags and orange-lit batons directed him to an empty A.S. bay. Moving smoothly, he parked the limping machine in between two craft covered with tarps ands cables. Those were probably new Arm Slaves. The attrition in this harsh land must be great. He caused the Venom's head to nod when one of the technicians gave him a thumbs up.

"It all rests on this," Sousuke muttered. If the Amalgam force was relatively small, and every man in every department knew everyone else, he was done for. But, if turnover was brisk, or the roster was sizeable, he might be able to pass himself off as a new transfer. He crossed his fingers, cracked the canopy, and listened the sound of compressed gas. Legs stiff, it took him a while to stand and slide down the side of the heavily damaged Venom.

"Looks like you took a beating!" The engineer who made that remark gave Sousuke a look of disapproval, paying more attention to the damage to the machine than to the young pilot's face. The man's face was darkly tanned. He might be a fresh transfer from elsewhere, unless this base had a recreation center, spa, and tanning salon.

"I came across an enemy," Sousuke said, thinking that a spin on the truth might serve him well. "Either that, or someone who snapped under the effects of this damn white land." He folded his arms across his chest and scowled, trying to seem none too pleased himself. "I did what it took to get back here to give my report. I will need to see someone from Intelligence as soon as possible. I had to leave some buddies behind. Please don't spread word any more than you have to. I feel like a coward, running when I wanted to stand and keep fighting."

As he spoke, he looked around the awe-inspiring structure. Who could have guessed that the enemy would build such extensive facilities in a place like this? Looking down at his watch, he pushed a button to save the GPS coordinates. Someday, a cruise missile might well hit the very same spot he was standing on. Eyes narrowed, he tried to learn the placement of every type of resource in the hangar area.

"Shit!" The mechanic smiled and looked more cheerful. He gave Sousuke a look of respect. "It looks like you have to be one hell of a pilot just to bring that baby home." Putting on a pair of leather gloves, the man dragged a number of heavy cables over to the Venom. They were hooked up to mobile diagnostic computers. "I've been here just under a week, and this is the worst shape I've ever seen one of these things in…" He coupled the cables to ports on the back of the A.S.

"Yes," Sousuke said, trying to sound smug. It was time to fish for some information. "Maybe something heroic like this can catch the eye of a pretty blue-haired wench." He made a face. He had meant to say 'girl.' "I'm surprised I haven't seen you here before." Saying something as brazen as that ought to erase any possible trace of doubt or suspicion from the other man's thoughts.

"Wench is right!" The engineer sighed. "That's not the half of it!" he shook his head. "Mr. Silver brought her for a tour down here once. She's got a mouth on her, that one does." He rubbed his nose and pushed a button, starting the damage assessment. "Take my advice. Don't even bother dreaming about someone like her. Find yourself someone cuddly and soft. That girl would have a porcupine crying!" He lowered his voice. "And… if Mr. Leonard heard you say anything about her… he'd send you out on patrol in your pajamas… without an Arm Slave!" He waved his hands in front of him, a worried look on his face. "I won't ever tell. I promise…"

"You are probably right," Sousuke said with an arrogant wave of his hand. "My love of danger will serve me poorly some day." He looked around again, making certain that he wasn't drawing unwanted attention. "I still feel like I'm new here. I guess I have to get it out of my system. Do you know where I might catch a look at her." He shrugged, as if it was no big deal one way or another. "I might get lucky and get to hear her chew someone out."

"You're a sadistic bastard, aren't you?" The other man chuckled, picking up a long paper printout. "I guess it takes all types to work out at this godforsaken dump." He smiled. "Can't beat the money though…" Smirking, he told Sousuke where he had caught sight of the blue-haired girl over the past few days. He also said that she might be confined to quarters, since Leonard had left in a helicopter a few hours earlier, during one of the breaks in the storm.

"Ciao!" Sousuke felt a touch queasy, putting on this kind of act. He was wandering into Weber territory. The word 'ciao' alone had him thinking back to any number of times where his friend had been shot down by members of the opposite sex. He tried to remember just how Kurz had acted. With jaunty body movements, he jumped down from the Venom and headed off towards a set of doors that appeared to lead to one of the main corridors. If he could move about without wandering into some area that was off limits… and no one at this base had ever studied the faces of the Mithril SRT pilots… he might stand a good chance of coming across Kaname.

No doubt she would be under some kind of guard. That, or someone might have put a homing device on her somewhere. It was what he would have done, had he been in charge of her abduction. Then again, Leonard Testarossa was supremely confident, bordering on arrogant. He might think that there was nowhere for his 'guest' to run.

"Ladies!" Sousuke called out to a number of women dressed in plain clothes. They had the look of administrative assistants about them. He swallowed hard when they giggled, waved and made suggestive gestures. He was operating under the assumption that a spy and infiltrator would do anything but act blatantly flirtatious. While a noisy routine might draw attention, it should simultaneously put people at ease. They might easily think 'pilots are pilots' and pay him little mind. Of course, if one of those women had decided to respond more aggressively, his goose would have been cooked. As it was, the hip movement the one girl made caused him to start coughing.

Almost as if it were scripted, his run of good fortune continued. He caught sight of blue hair. Only by covering his mouth with his hand did he stop from shouting out Kaname's name. He hadn't gotten a good look at the woman's face; but, how many girls had blue hair? Outside of manga and anime, that is.

If he were a Norseman, he might think that Gefn was watching over him. Gefn was an aspect of faith, and was called on when one made an oath. She was the bringer of good luck and prosperity. She was also the goddess of gift-giving, virgins, and unmarried women. That had him coughing again, drawing looks from snooty types walking past with briefcases and clipboards in their hands.

Now was not the time to think about virgins. Sousuke also didn't want to think about the fact that all women who die unmarried go to Gefn. That was not going to happen to Kaname tonight. It wouldn't! he was too close to have things fall apart now. If there was anyone that fate owed a good turn or too, it was him. Kaname herself had not had the easiest life either.

The ancient Norse sagas had been epic tales written in prose, telling of the heroic deeds from days long gone. Those tales of worthy men, often romanticized or fantastic in their scope, always contained a sense of realism, dealing with the things in life that every man could understand. Elements critical to those stories included honor, destiny, fate, the supernatural, and personal character. Luck also had a central role. Men were supposed to be born with a certain store of good luck. When the good luck runs out, the man is doomed.

"I couldn't possibly have used up all my good luck," Sousuke said, thinking of the bad things that had happened to him in his life. Then again, he had come close to death innumerable times, but still managed to walk away. How many times had that happened today alone?

Trying to look calm, and acting as if he didn't have a care in the world, he began jostling people as he pushed himself through a cluster of people blocking his way. He paid no heed to their angry shouts or rude comments. Which way had she gone?

There! Another flash of blue. He hurried to catch up, without seeming out of place. He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. A trained operative, he had no trouble picking out a number of small cameras hidden throughout the corridors and work areas. Gritting his teeth, he tried to act more relaxed. It would be one thing to make the support staff unhappy. It would be something much worse to call down the wrath of watching security forces.

The further he went into the Amalgam base, the more stares he drew. He was getting the distinct impression that A.S. pilots usually didn't come into this part of the facilities. Now, instead of using Kurz as a cue, he chose Mao. "What the f-ck are you all looking at? Never seen a damn pilot before?" He struck an insolent pose. "Shit!" Most of the assorted workers hurried about their business. A number of men who were doubtlessly guards scrutinized him closely. They looked at one another, frowned, and went on their way.

Sousuke felt his breath coming quicker, as he headed down a narrow hallway. He was pretty sure that the blue-haired woman had come this way. It looked like this part of the base was new construction. There were wires handing from places in the ceiling, but no cameras attached yet.

"Keep your hands off of me!"

An irate woman's voice sent chills up and down his spine. That was Kaname Chidori alright. No doubt about it. "These stupid shoes I was given to ear don't fit, and my feet hurt. I'm waking as fast as I can. Jerks!" Her security detail must get the brunt of her discontent. Good. It served them right!

Sousuke found himself running. He brought himself to a halt, and then resumed his movement, sliding stealthily along the wall. That kind of action would be hard to explain if someone came upon him before he knew it. Peering around one corner, he saw her. He froze for a moment, wondering if he was dreaming. Closing and opening his eyes, he saw that she was still there. She was accompanied by two men in grey suits, each of whom had telltale bulges in the places where operatives tended to keep weapons. Professionally, he sized them both up, taking stock of the way they moved.

Kaname's hair looked the same as always. There was a large red bow at the end of it, and it swayed with an almost hypnotic motion as he watched. Her clothing was different, though. She looked like she had stepped out of a European fashion magazine, or was the executive secretary for a big CEO. Sousuke gasped louder than he wanted, not realizing that he had been holding his breath. She looked more beautiful than he remembered.

"I can find my way to my room the way I usually do," Kaname exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips. "I don't know why that guy thinks I need a pair of guard dogs to sniff at my heels. Geeee-eee-ee-ez…" She tossed her hair when the men remained stoic and expressionless.

Sousuke made a momentous decision. He found himself growing very tense and anxious, but that was not why he decided to move. He did not want to get any further away from the hangars than he already was. There were far too many people to pass on the way back as it was. And, he stood a good chance of handling two men, as long as he had the element of surprise in his favor.

He took a grenade out of his pocket. Working quickly, he took it apart and disarmed it. He did the same to a second grenade. He knew they were now inert. The two men would not. His plan might frighten Kaname, but he could live with that. He tossed both grenades, letting the pins and handles fall at his feet.

"Look out!"

One guard pushed Kaname around a corner. Sousuke could hear her furious complaint.

The other security agent moved quickly to scoop up the grenade and throw it back the way it had come. The time it took that same hand to reach inside his suit for a gun was the delay that allowed Sousuke to throw his knife effectively. The stricken man put his hand to his throat and brought it back bloody. He slid down along the wall and sat down hard.

"Attention. This is…" The uninjured man had taken out a communicator, intent on calling in a warning. Obviously, by the sound of it, Kaname had other ideas, even though she had no idea what was going on.

"Baka!" Her shout was followed by the sound of a small plastic box bouncing down the hallway. It stopped at Sousuke's feet.

"Bitch!" The man's cursing was followed by the sound of a blow and a sound of pain. That had Sousuke seeing red. He assumed the man would have a gun out now. The last thing he wanted was for the sound of a gunshot to set off an alarm.

Sousuke took out a number of flash bangs. Throwing them at different distances around the next corner, he moved with a sense of great purpose. This was the moment of truth. What happened in the next thirty seconds would decide the fate of his entire plan.

"Owww-ww-w…" The man's cry of pain was the result of Kaname biting him hard on his gun hand. Reflexively, he swept his arm out hard, swatting her away. Too late, he realized it was a fatal reaction. Gun kicked out of his grasp, he crumpled to the ground after the bloody knife was sheathed inside his chest. Aorta severed, he crumpled to the floor, eyes glazing over.

Sousuke stood staring at Kaname. Kaname rubbed her eyes, still smarting from the bright light of the flash bangs. Looking up, she froze.

"S-… S-… Sousuke…" She sounded as if she had seen a ghost. "Sousuke… is that you…"

"Affirmative," Sousuke answered, fighting an urge to run to her. He had to remain vigilant. He could allow her a few seconds of shock and ebullience. But, this was no place or time for unnecessary shows of emotion. "Who else would I be, Kaname?"

"But…" Kaname took a few steps forward. "I never thought…" She shivered all over. "Well, actually I did…" Without further adieu, she leaped, wrapping her arms around his neck." After hugging him, she took a step back. "You stink." She couldn't help but wrinkle her nose when catching his unwashed scent.

"Thank you," Sousuke said. "It is good to see you, too." He didn't know why he said that. He usually wasn't flippant. Just the same, it felt good. "Here… move… into that room…" Cautiously, he cracked open a door. Then, somewhat roughly, he pushed Kaname inside.

"Sousuke… I missed you… I didn't know if you were alive…" Kaname looked like she was ready to throw herself on him again.

"Take off your clothes," Sousuke asserted. "Immediately!"

"What?" Kaname's mouth fell open. Then her eyes narrowed and she clenched her fists. "What?"

"We don't have time," Sousuke said, walking over to peer out of the door. He threw a pair of coveralls on the floor. He had swiped them from a laundry basket just outside of the hangar bay. "Take off all of your clothing. Leave nothing on."

"JUST WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, MISTER!"

Kaname began advancing on him, a look of fire in her eyes. For some reason, she thought back to the time that she had been naked in the nurse's office, during the Full Monty Bacteria incident. That image segued into a memory from the time she had met Leonard, and he had stolen her first real kiss. Needless to say, neither of those recollections brightened her mood.

"JUST WHAT KIND OF GIRL DO YOU THINK I AM?"

"Shhhh-hhh-hh-h…" Sousuke waved his arms frantically. "You must be quiet."

"I do?" Kaname balled up her fists. "I have get naked? I have to be quiet while you paw me? You… big… jerk.." She waved her fist under his nose. Having his attention, she kneed him hard in the groin. "Hmmmppphhh!"

"Nnnnn-nnn-nn-ngh…" Sousuke doubled over. "Kaname… you don't understand… they might have bugs in the clothing they gave you…"

"Oh…" Kaname looked somewhat embarrassed. Then, she narrowed her eyes again. "Why didn't you say that? Big idiot!" It was almost as if she had stepped into a page out of the past. She was acting as if she hadn't seen Sousuke for hours, not months. "You better not peek. Molester pervert!" She slid out of her skirt, blouse, and bra. The shoes flew across the room, one of them ending up in a trash bin. "Two points!"

"Panties too," Sousuke said. He was bright read in the face. His face was covered with sweat. He had accidentally looked at her while holding out the stolen coveralls.

"You looked!" Kaname almost collapsed in a fit of self-conscious pique. "You'll pay!"

"A-… A-… Affirmative." Sousuke had to cough to continue. "I request that the payment be deferred. We need to get out of the building before those men's bodies are found, or the odor from the flash bangs reaches a main corridor and draws attention."

"I know that, Sousuke." Kaname practically jumped inside the baggy clothing. "I'm not stupid, you know." She set her jaw, eyes flashing. "This is not my first escape." Immediately after that. Her eyes softened. She ran and leaned up against Sousuke for a moment. She sighed when he wrapped his arms around her. Feeling an innate urge to get the last word in as usual, she looked up at him and made a face. "There's no time for this, soldier. We should be escaping or something."

"Put your hair up," Sousuke said unceremoniously. He ignored the look that Kaname gave him when he showed no appreciation of her joke. "Then put this on." He had spied a cap sitting on a desk. "It will save me from having to put a bag over your head." It would be impossible to move a blue-haired girl all the way to the equipment bays.

"Oooo-ooo-oo-oh…" Kaname grabbed the hat out of Sousuke's hand. There was no way her hair would fit under it. "Moron…" He had better be joking about that bag part.

"There is a simple solution," Sousuke said, a look of wild fear in his eyes. He knew the danger he faced. This was more hazardous than tap dancing in a minefield. Taking out his knife again, he wiped the blood off on Kaname's discarded clothing. That had her growling. He didn't know if it was because he defaced her outfit, or because she knew what he intended the knife for. "You… uhhh… once you gave me a haircut… uhhh… and…"

"And you thought you would return the favor?" Kaname grew red in the face, but not from embarrassment this time. "Really?" She began moving towards him. "Really, Sousuke?" She kicked him hard in the shins. It actually felt good to her. Just like old times.

"I… uhhh… but…" Sousuke stood gaping like a fish out of water. He had made a miraculous trek across the snows, but stood stymied by a brown-eyed blue-haired girl. For a moment, there was a sense of déjà vu. He remembered thinking about Thor and his wife Sif earlier in the day. Seeing Kaname put her hand protectively on her hair, he had no doubt why the memory surfaced at that moment.

Sif had been very proud of her golden hair, which reached down to her feet. One morning, Thor woke to find that Sif's hair had been cruelly cut off during the night. Thor soon caught Loki, the spirit of mischief and evil, and would have strangled him had he not promised to bring Sif a new head of hair as beautiful as the first. Loki found a dwarf who agreed to make the hair for him, and who was persuaded to craft presents for Odin and Frey, who also had reason to be angry with him. The dwarf made a head of hair of the finest gold thread, which he said would grow on Sif's head as soon as it touched it. Then, he made the spear Gungnir for Odin, and a ship for Frey which could sail through the air as well as on the water, and could be folded up like a cloth. When Loki declared that no other dwarf could be as clever as the one he had chosen, another dwarf claimed that he could make three things more wonderful than those. That dwarf made a wild boar with golden bristles, which traveled through the air, and gave out a bright light as it passed; a magic gold ring, that could make eight rings just like it on every ninth night; and the iron hammer, Mjolnir, which no one could resist.

"Give me that knife!" Kaname took the combat blade. She was pragmatist. She knew what she had to do. But, she was damned if she was going to do it before making her displeasure known. "I'll do it." Wincing, she began carving off her lustrous locks. "But I'm going to shave you bald when we get home!"

"That…" Sousuke twitched. With Kaname, he never knew when to take her threats seriously. "If we make it back to Tokyo, you can do as you will…" He meant that. He would suffer any calamity, if it meant that she was safe. Not knowing that he was doing so, he began wobbling some. For a moment, he almost blacked out.

"Sousuke… what's wrong…" Kaname rushed to hold him up. "Are you wounded… you should have told me, you big jerk…" Her voice was tinged with fear.

"No wounds," Sousuke said, shaking his head. "I haven't eaten or slept for days. I'm… you …"

"You'll need my help," Kaname said quietly, her usual attitude put aside for now. "Leave it to me!" She stood taller, hand on hip, one finger pointed upward. That was her usual Class Representative pose. "I'll do the driving while you sleep." Her smile faded. It really wasn't that funny a joke. "I know where the cafeteria and snack bars are. We can grab some food on the way out." She didn't even think about asking whether or not Sousuke had a way out. She wouldn't question whether a bird could fly, or ask if a fish might like some water. "We'll be alright. We're a good team."

"Affirmative," Sousuke said. He froze for a moment. Kaname was wearing the Lapis Lazuli he had given her as a necklace. He reached out and touched it gingerly.

"You pushed yourself hard," Kaname said, her eyes watering up. "For me."

Sousuke nodded. He found himself flat against a wall when Kaname jumped against him again. He ran his hand down along what little hair was left, feeling her shake against him as she sobbed.

"I'm sorry… I can't stop… I just can't stop…" Kaname prided herself on being strong. This was a happy moment, seeing Sousuke again. But, all of the fear, sorrow, and helplessness she had been storing up came pouring out. She hadn't cried this much at her mother's funeral.

"We should get going," Sousuke said softly, carefully pushing Kaname away from him. "The Arm Slave I came in was damaged. I made up a story about fighting against an enemy of Amalgam. If the man I spoke to thought to be doubly sure someone had a report of that, they may be mobilizing some kind of search as we speak."

"OK," Kaname said. She nodded her head, and then stared a moment. Tentatively, she stretched out her arm, and brushed her fingers against the stubble on Sousuke's chin.

Some time later, they had made their way back to the hangar without being stopped or questioned. Kaname was walking a little funny. While Sousuke distracted a woman working the counter at one of the small satellite cafeterias, Kaname had crawled over to where the food was kept and stuffed her coveralls with all manner of edible items. It was hardly a dignified thing to do. But, necessity is a very powerful force.

"I have a task for you," Sousuke said, scanning the equipment bays. "The small console on the left of the great doors should hold the switch needed to open them. We must get outside." He waved to the same engineer he had spoken to earlier, trying to keep up appearances. "I will get us a ride."

It was not as simple as it sounded. He had to find an A.S. that was in working order, fully charged, and appropriately armed and loaded. Then, he had to make certain their was no quick pursuit. After that, 'all' they had to do was run off into the snow, navigating at night, heading back over the perilous land he had traversed during the last rays of the day.

"It is not a problem," Kaname said with a quick grin, happy to use one of Sousuke's old phrases. She felt like an idiot, standing there smiling at a time like this. But, she couldn't help herself.

"Hey!" Sousuke conscience tugged at him. He called out to the man who had acted kindly to him earlier. "Someone was looking for you out by the desks. They didn't mention a name, but the description fits." It was stupid. It was an unnecessary risk. But, he had to do it. He already knew what tack he was about to follow. He didn't want the mechanic's blood on his hands. He had helped him find Kaname.

"Huh?" The man rubbed his chin. Then, he nodded his head. "Must be about the requests I made. Thanks!" He gave Sousuke a pat on the back when he headed up the corridor, whistling.

Sousuke then called over to the man with the most officious looking posture. "You there. I have been given a mission. Which machine is ready to go?"

"The one over there," the ugly bearded man said. "But… I was told that we were shutting down for the night…"

"You have now been told otherwise," Sousuke said, making a curt gesture with one hand. "If I take too long, it will be my head on a stake." The look he gave the man clearly said that he would take someone down with him.

"Yeh… sure… whatever…" The man called over to a few other workers. They activated a number of controls that set red lights flashing throughout the hangar. Large tractors pulled their loads off to one side. Men scrambled out of the way as Sousuke climbed up onto the Venom. Opening the cockpit, he caught sight of Kaname. She gave him a 'V' sign. If one of the men didn't open the doors, she would.

"Great!" That voice came back from the mouth of the corridor. "You guys must be getting things ready." The workers turned to see who had spoken. "Word must have gotten here already." It was a man in an A.S. suit. He was followed by two men and one woman in similar clothing. "A number of our units never checked in. The controller is worried that there could be an intruder." He looked over at Sousuke. "Who are you?"

"Jindai High School," Sousuke said, replying the same way he had in Hong Kong. He jumped into his seat and swung the restraints into place. He would carry out his original plan. But, he had to be quicker about it, now. He frowned when he saw the pilots running towards a number of the other Arm Slaves. "Second year, class four." He left the canopy open. "Roll call number 41. Second term garbage duty." He activated the systems that brought the A.S. humming to life. He waited a number of tense moments before systems reached operating power. "Sousuke Sagara!" He whistled. Kaname flicked a switch. The huge doors began sliding open, their ponderous weight resting on a great sliding mechanism.

Men shouted. Some pointed. Compressed air vented from two of the other Venoms. Sousuke looked over at Kaname, making certain that she wasn't about to come under fire. A number of workers were heading for the console. They couldn't be allowed to close the doors.

"GET DOWN KANAME!"

Sousuke swung about and fired a series of well placed shots. A number of men were cut down. The blood from one unfortunate worker splashed on Kaname.

"Sous-kaaaa-aaa-aa-ay…" Kaname got up and started running again. More projectiles flashed out, passing close to her on both sides. Men fell dead. Fuel drums exploded and shot upward, trailing great tails of flame.

Sousuke switched on the external speakers and turned up the volume.

"RUN! KANAME, RUN!"

"What do you think I'm doing, you big stupid head!" Kaname's cap fell off. She put her hands on her head as she ran. Bullets ricocheted off of the thick concrete floor. Some of the workers had taken up small arms.

"YOU WILL NOT TOUCH HER!"

Sousuke brought around a handheld cannon and fired. The explosion tossed men like rag dolls, ignited a fuel truck, and bowled over freight forklifts like they were made out of tissue paper.

"Nice," Kaname said with a definite touch of approval, as she scampered up the limbs of the Venom like a shorn squirrel.

"Duck," Sousuke said, closing the canopy. "And remain still." Now the hairy stuff began. He had hoped to destroy unmanned Arm Slaves. Those usually didn't shoot back. "Damn!" There were more new arrivals on the scene. Arastols. More than a dozen of them. A few were armed with light anti-tank weapons.

"Sousuke… there's no room…" Kaname squirmed about, finding a place she could sit and hug her knees to her chest. "And don't act like you're the boss of me…" She banged her head on the metal armor of the canopy when a missile fired by one robot missed the venom and struck a gantry right next to it.

"NOW!" Sousuke threw a lever forward when the last green light lit on the power meter.

"Sous… kay… ay… ay… ay…" Kaname bounced around uncomfortably as the great craft leaped forward and made a series of acrobatic moves. "This… is… not… the way… to treat… a lady…"

The words to another song came to mind. They marched through Sousuke's mind like they owned the place. As the lyrics called attention to themselves, Sousuke's world once more dissolved into a series of rapid choices, deft movements, and brutal attacks.

The pain of war cannot exceed the woe of aftermath,
The drums will shake the castle wall, the ring wraiths ride in black, Ride on.

Sing as you raise your bow, shoot straighter than before.
No comfort has the fire at night that lights the face so cold.

Oh dance in the dark of night, Sing to the morning light.
The magic runes are writ in gold to bring the balance back. Bring it back.

"Bring it back," Sousuke said, not realizing he was speaking out loud. He sent a stinging spray of bullets into a number of Venoms before they were fully operational. Grunting, he made use of the Lambda Driver, tossing those same machines high against the far wall of the enclosure.

"What?" Kaname said, her voice muffled. "What did you say?"

"Nothing," Sousuke replied. "Guess." That response had been reflexive. It was one of the things he used to say to Al, when the A.I. had gotten overly inquisitive. He abruptly crouched the A.S. down as two more missile soared overhead, flying out into the formless night. Rather than rushing out after them, he set his teeth and proceeded to remove all possible threats. "No quarter." That was said under his breath. With explosions amplified inside the flame-shrouded hangar, there was no chance that Kaname could have heard.

"Why are we still inside, Sousuke?" Kaname managed to pull herself up to where she could see one of the view screens.

Sousuke didn't answer. He was too focused. Projecting a force shield, he barely managed to avoid destruction. The field of two other machines collided with his. He was not up against amateurs.

Kaname fell backward, bumping her head on Sousuke arm. That caused him to pull one shot, knocking loose a huge girder on the ceiling. That fell and took out a number of Arastols. "See," she said. "I'm helping already." She frowned when she reached for the hair that was no longer there.

Eyes burning, Sousuke fought on, intent on bringing the balance back into his and Kaname's life. The men and women he faced now were not those who had taken her away from him. But, that didn't matter. They would pay the cost. The bill was long overdue.

"I guess this is better than sitting in my room… missing Tokyo… and watching a movie…" Kaname didn't feel nearly as blasé as she sounded. Her hands gripped a handle on one of the heating units. She watched the battle unfold around her, a captive audience of sorts. "Good to see you haven't changed, Sousuke…" In a strange way, there was no other place that she'd rather be.

"Affirmative." Sousuke threw his anti-armor into the largest of the fuel vats. The blade split the sides, causing a spray of fluid. When enough of the floor was covered, he shot off a round from his cannon, setting things ablaze, while at the same time deflecting a ball of force that had been sent his way. As he watched, the flaming fuel caused a number of helicopters and VSTOL jets to explode.

"Get it all out of your system now, mister." Kaname said. "When we get back to Japan, I do not want to put up with the same old stuff again. Understand?"

"I cannot promise that," Sousuke said, sending the Venom jumping backward. As he slid out on his back in the snow, he fired shot after shot at the other Arm Slaves. Concentrating, he tried a series of Lambda Driver tricks. As explosions threw up snow on either side of him, one of the enemy machines looked to be torn into three pieces by a giant unseen hand, as multiple planes of force cut through it.

"Take that you loser," Kaname said. She looked at the growing conflagration. "I bet Leonard won't be too happy." She smiled a very big smile.

The fight didn't last much longer. Still wishing he was in Arbalest… but very happy that Belial was nowhere to be seen… Sousuke mopped up the remaining forces. When he was finished, there wasn't an enemy left alive, or a piece of equipment left in one piece. But, it made no sense to rest on his laurels. There might well be other sites housing soldiers and equipment. Whether or not there were, all of Amalgam's horses and all of Amalgam's men would never put that hangar back together again.

"You should find the best position possible," Sousuke said, walking off into the black of night with a raging orange glow at his back. "We have a long way to go."

"Wonderful," Kaname said. "Great." She sniffed. "I wish these things came with air fresheners. You know… those little green trees they hang in cars…" She tried to keep from grinning. "If you're going to rescue a girl… you should bathe and shave first…"

"I will remember that with the next girl," Sousuke said. He had the post-action tremors, more because of his condition than from the effects of battle.

"There better not be a next girl!" Kaname shyly reached out a hand to touch his arm. That simple act was a miracle. He was really there. In the dim glowing light of the instrument panels and view screens, he looked like something out of a fantasy or legend. He had come for her, just the way that princes and heroes did in stories. "You know…" She propped herself up on her knees and poked Sousuke in the chest. "You may not be so useless… stupid… or cowardly… anymore…" She remembered what she had said to him in Hong Kong.

"It is reassuring to know that." Sousuke wanted to hold Kaname. He wanted to enjoy his success. He wanted to sleep for a week. But, they were escaping from an enemy base… the clouds overhead blocked out any light from the moon… and he didn't know how much longer he could go on.

"Is that all you can say, Sousuke?" Kaname swallowed hard, hating the petulant sound of her voice. She knew that Sousuke must be busy, not to mention exhausted. Despite that, she felt a seed of worry begin to grow inside her breast. He came to get her because he loved her, didn't he? This wasn't something he did out of a sense of duty and obligation, was it? To hear Leonard speak, it sounded as if Mithril didn't exist anymore.

"You know my feelings for you," Sousuke said, wincing when the foot of the A.S. found a deep fissure and sank up to one hip. "This rescue should be further proof."

"Girls like words, Sgt. Solemn." Kaname shimmied up against the unyielding metal behind her. She lay her head on the metal restraints covering Sousuke's shoulder. If she had hair, it would have spilled over him then. She couldn't hold back her emotions any longer. Safe or not, she gave into them. "I missed you so much. I almost thought about killing myself again. I knew you'd come." Her tears began running down the angled steel. "I love you so much…"

Sousuke removed one arm from the waldo unit. He touched one of Kaname's tears, and then ran his hand over her head. He felt an upwelling of emotion himself. Burned out and close to collapse, his feelings buoyed him. That in itself filled him with wonder. "I love you too," he said quietly.

They continued on their way in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. The clouds parted, allowing an unearthly light to paint the featureless landscape. On the monitors, the glacier looked like a pale thin strip of white. When he switched the setting on his controls for better night viewing, the red cockpit illumination made that stretch of land look red, almost as if it were lined with glowing coals.

"The Bifröst Bridge," Sousuke whispered. It did sort of look like a long tenuous bridge.

"Huh?" Kaname raise her head. "What bridge?"

"Bifröst," Sousuke said. "The bridge leading from Midgard to Asgard, which the gods travel daily to hold their councils under the shade of the tree Yggdrasill." He coughed, his mouth going dry. He took a bottle of spring water that Kaname handed him and greedily gulped it down. "The bridge itself was a rainbow, guarded by the god Heimdall. The red color in it was flaming fire, which served as a defense against the giants. It was built by the Æsir, and will be destroyed at the end of the world."

"You'll be destroyed," Kaname said. "It will be the end of your world, if I have to hear any more otaku stuff. I didn't wait all that time for rescue to hear that kind of nonsense. Sheee-ee-esh…" She closed her eyes tightly, imagining what it would be like, listening to Sousuke spout off about who knows what… for days.

"I will be quiet, then." Sousuke knew precisely what those words would accomplish. He wondered how long Kaname could withstand the silence under the current conditions. He pushed a button on the control panel, activating a timing clock.

Kaname made a face. She crossed her arms over her chest and lifted her nose up while pursing her lips. She was well aware that Sousuke was playing some kind of stupid immature game. Jerk! Idiot! Moron! Stupid head! She'd show him. She'd fall asleep or something.

"Sousuke…" Kaname couldn't help herself. She had been a virtual prisoner for months. She had been courted by a persistent Leonard and pressured to share her Whispered secrets. She had so much that she wanted to say, and even more that she wanted to hear.

"Two minutes, twenty three seconds." Sousuke reached over and turned off the timer. "You have gotten better, too."

"Let's save the kid stuff until we get home, OK?" Kaname sounded miffed. It wasn't really a contest. She had not lost.

"As you wish," Sousuke said. "I will not speak of this victory until then."

"It was not…" Kaname caught herself. She bit her lip, holding in her denial. Who was being childish? "We have a long trip ahead, don't we. What should you and I talk about? There's so much you must have gone through…" That ought to get him to open up. "I received a message of sorts from a red-haired girl." She lowered her eyes. Nami had been her name. Another Whispered. She had died, but still managed to get word of Sousuke to her somehow.

Sousuke remained silent for a few moments, not wanting to think back to Nami's death. It would be too easy to view the people who died as stepping stones leading to this very moment. He would not dishonor her or any of the others that way. Still not safe by any stretch of the imagination, he also did not feel like speaking about his past. He nodded his head. There was something he would talk about for a short while, if only to tease Kaname.

"Well?" Kaname sighed. She had forgotten how much Sousuke was very much like a glacier. He could be quiet and unmovable at times. But, he wasn't really cold. She knew that now. For good reason! She had been the one who helped him touch his feelings. That was a reason to feel proud. That was the greatest victory. That, and his belated rescue of her. "Earth to Sousuke…"

"Thor… called Donar by some… was the red-haired and bearded god of war and thunder in Norse Mythology, and Germanic mythology in general." Sousuke said. "He was said to be the son of Odin and Jord. His mother was the personification of the earth."

"Sousuke…" Kaname scowled.

"Thor features strongly in the Prose Edda of Snorri Sturluson, in which the god's many conflicts with the race of giants are a main source of plots." Sousuke continued. He watched Kaname out the corner of his eye for a few moments, before glancing back at the view screen. "As most of the surviving myths center on his exploits… and the inscriptions on surviving monuments… one can deduce that Thor was very much the favorite deity of ancient Scandinavians."

"Sous-kaaa-aa-ay…" Kaname began tapping her foot against the canopy wall.

"According to Alvíssmál, Thor's daughter Thrud was promised to Alvis, a dwarf." Sousuke piloted the A.S. away from a descending slope. He had no idea where that might lead. Taking a deep breath, he resumed his tale. It might have Kaname thinking about her abduction; but, she should enjoy picturing Tessa's brother as a dwarf. "Thor came up with a plan to stop Alvis from marrying his daughter. He told Alvis that, because of his small height, he had to prove his wisdom. Alvis agreed, and Thor made the tests last until after the sun had risen. Since dwarves turn to stone when exposed to sunlight, Alvis was petrified. There was no reason to wed his daughter to a stone."

"S-O-U-S-U-K-E-!"

Kaname tried to stand, an unwise move. She also got up too quickly. That caused her to bang her head and see stars. She used her knuckles to rap on the top of Sousuke head, since he wasn't wearing an A.S. helmet. "This is made of stone, I think!" She gave him one final rap. "No… otaku… stuff…"

"Perhaps I should have stayed in Tokyo," Sousuke said. "I will talk about a more recent saga, then. If you like, I will cover the beginning later." He rubbed the top of his head, and then put his arm back on the control lever. "A hero had entered the lair of the enemy. There, he came across an engineer, who mistakenly thought that he was a member of the same dark alliance. Cleverly, he decided to use the man to gain needed intelligence data. When the other man said that the A.S. looked like it had seen heavy fighting, the brave and unfairly mistreated pilot said 'Maybe something heroic like this can catch the eye of a pretty blue-haired wench.' He had meant to say 'girl'."

"I see," Kaname said, narrowing her eyes.

"The mechanic said 'Wench is right! That's not the half of it! Mr. Silver brought her for a tour down here once'." Sousuke watched as the wind blew whisps of snow past the Venom. The shapes made by the darting snowflakes almost looked like dogs. He nodded his head. Those dogs of doom sped past him, in the direction of the base they had just left. "'She's got a mouth on her, that one does. Take my advice. Don't even bother dreaming about someone like her. Find yourself someone cuddly and soft. That's girl would have a porcupine crying!' He had a colorful way of putting things."

"Yes," Kaname said, her nostrils flaring. "He certainly did. What did the… hero… say after that?"

"He said 'My love of danger will serve me poorly some day'." Sousuke turned up the gain on the external microphones, worried that Amalgam might have remaining helicopters with night vision.

"You were right!" Kaname smiled. There was something that she had promised herself. She was a woman of her word. Now was as good a time as any, as far as she was concerned. Banging her head again, she didn't care. Putting her arms around Sousuke's neck, she gave him a passionate kiss.

"Mmmm-nnnn-mmmm…" Sousuke couldn't get a word out. Now was not the best time for a distraction. Sure enough, unable to watch the viewer, he made a misstep. The A.S. went sliding, tumbling, and sprawling down an icy slope.

"Owww-www-w…" Kaname moaned, tenderly touching a lump that was forming on top of her forehead. "I thought you were a better pilot than that!"

Sousuke sighed. He was beginning to think that Kaname was the only thing that might stop them from reaching sanctuary.

"Lighten up," Kaname said. "When I get the opportunity, I'll do a better job of showing you my appreciation." She blew him a kiss, wanting to see how he reacted. She smiled when he got that 'deer-in-the-headlights' look. Perfect.

Sousuke shivered.