This chapter might get political… something I never really thought I'd be writing about when I created my very first story. But it's a Gate military fanfic, it'd be remiss of me not to include something that was so integral to the original source material. I just hope my bad understanding of politics don't bog it down too much. Also, the politics don't reflect my personal views on any matters. Everything will be in the context of the characters and how I imagine they'd perceive them from their perspectives, if it wasn't obvious enough.
Gate: In the Company of Shadows
Chapter 9
I Don't Make Threats…
[REDACTED] VALE [REDACTED]
GINZA DISTRICT, TOKYO, JAPAN
NOVEMBER 8, 2022 - 14:10:00
Vale stared out the window of the bus in boredom. The feeling of the afternoon sun shone warmly against him, a contrast to the somewhat chilly temperature of the climate currently both inside and outside of the vehicle. It almost made him want to fall asleep right then and there… except, he had a job to do first. That, and the incessant bickering of his allies made a quick nap virtually impossible.
"I told you Bristol, we don't tip in Japan. It's seen as rude."
"What? When? Why?"
"Waiters and waitresses get paid just fine from their job, and they take pride in it. To be given extra money just makes you come off as patronizing."
"Ah, I thought it was like the states..."
"How'd you even get your hands on Yen anyhow?"
"Snuck it out of your wallet," Before Ronin could go off on him, he continued. "And you're talking to someone who practically lives off of pub food." He pulled the aforementioned Yen from out of his back pocket and held it out, allowing Ronin to angrily snatch it back.
"Woah, hold the phone real quick. Are you sure about that?" Viper said, injecting himself into the conversation as. "Pub food isn't even considered real food."
"You fookin' wot? You're takin' the bloody piss, mate!" His signature accent harshly slipped through. "Explain yourself!"
"You had fish and chips the last time we went out for drinks! And the time before that? bangers and mash… I don't wanna eat fish or sausage while watching the game, Bristol."
"First of all, double standards. A hot dog is still a sausage… and second of all, we've got other things besides fish and chips. Like regular wings, burgers, and breakfast!"
"English breakfast isn't a real breakfast. Who eats beans and tomatoes in the morning?"
"Who eats biscuits and gravy? Fried chicken and chocolate chip waffles? blueberry donuts? That sounds like hangover food after I've been absolutely mullered."
"You're so painfully British, face it Bristol, you can't do it as good as us… and you being a walking stereotype doesn't help matters."
"Right, you're a proper nutter, you-"
"Will the both of you please just shut the fuck up?" Vale groaned, finally interrupting their pointless squabbling. "I can barely hear myself think."
The rest of his squad looked at him in amusement as he rested his forehead against the window. After a moment, they all turned back to each other and continued their argument. This was a routine that he had grown accustomed to. It's not like they could actually listen to him anyway, even if he did talk loudly enough for them to hear him over their own arguing. He sighed, feeling like his brain was about to burst from trying to keep up with this endless stream of nonsense that they were spewing about. "My God, what in the hell did I do in my past life to get saddled up with you boys...?"
"Relax mate, don't get your knickers in a twist." Bristol said, patting him on the shoulder. "Just making conversation, not our fault you've got nothing to add."
"Yeah, unless you want the bus to sit in awkward silence again like earlier."
Ronin cocked a brow up at his mentor as he finished inspecting his wallet. "Wasn't it you that caused the awkward silence last time?"
He shrugged, looking back at the bus driver. "Unimportant details…"
"Yeah? Like you sitting next to the blondie in the restaurant?" Graves asked without turning around.
"-Hrgk!" Viper's eyes widened and he tensed in his seat, making a choking sound as his boss basically called him out.
Graves chuckled to himself. "I ain't gonna block you Viper, but not on company time. Comprende?" He asked as he glanced back at him.
Viper turned away from them, trying to hide as much of his flushed face as possible while he pretended to be focused outside. "Y-yes, sir…"
Their conversation ended as the bus slowed down. Officials outside could be seen standing at attention after having opened a fenced gate, allowing the bus to pull into the courtyard. Looking up, he saw their destination. The Japanese Diet building… He inspected the building's design accompanied by the plain shrubbery outside. It was all very uniform, very simple, very… Japanese.
Cut him some slack, he wasn't a poet. Just some regular yes-man armed with a rifle.
Graves could be seen, hand under chin, thinking quietly to himself as he admired the courtyard. As the vehicle came to a halt, the doors hissed open. The feeling of the cold air could be felt from where he sat. Princess Pina made to stand before Graves suddenly jutted his hand across the aisle and put it on her shoulder, gently lowering her as he shook his head no.
"Ah, Commander Graves!" She called out, startled by the physical contact. "I-I don't understand. Are we not getting off here?
"Negative, you're a diplomat here, princess. The Empire and its people need you at the negotiating table, not in the public eye." He looked at her for a moment before sighing and leaning back against his seat.
"Yes, I know," Pina replied, "But-"
He held up his hand again and cut her off. "No buts," he said with a smile. "We all know this, so there's really nothing else to say. Just go along with it."
Graves clearly used the Empire as an incentive to have her act in the company's wishes, even if she didn't know it. It was clear from the look on her face that while she didn't exactly like it, she would accept it and go along. And go along she did, agreeing almost immediately.
"I see…"
"Tomita and Kuribayashi will go with you as well," Itami chimed in as he looked towards his teammates. "They'll help make sure this goes off safely and without a hitch."
Graves nodded in satisfaction before turning to Vale. "Vale, I need you and Bishop to escort Princess Pina and her knight."
"Understood, but what about you, sir?"
"Have some more faith in your boss, will ya? I've got Carnival and Sentinel with me, plus I'm going to be standing in front of cameras no doubt broadcasting live to the entire world."
Vale rolled his eyes playfully as Graves stood up to get off the bus, leaving him alone with his squad once more. Graves took one last look at his surroundings, making sure everyone was in their proper places and with a satisfied nod to himself, he made his way over to where Itami was stood waiting patiently. He watched as Graves and the other Shadows stepped off the bus. The sound of footfalls filled the empty yard as boots stomped against the tarmac. The results of countless and repeated training for this exact scenario helped to serve as a good guide for their standard operating procedures. Instinctually, the operators fanned out, forming a defensive cordon around the parked bus convoy and watching out for anything out of the ordinary. The guards stationed outside could be seen looking a little intimidated, no doubt anxious from the armed foreigners.
To be honest, he couldn't blame them. He himself felt a little anxious as well, despite the cool and composed exterior he always fronted.
"Graves has some balls doing what he's about to…" Angel commented. "You think it's the right call? The moment he steps into that room, he's gonna become the poster boy of private militaries everywhere and I'm not so sure that Itami guy is gonna let that happen."
Vale could admit he was still a little skeptical. He didn't really know all that much about the man, aside from his reputation. But, there were plenty of people who spoke extremely in favor of his boss, saying that the man had a way with words, no matter if you were friend or even worse yet... enemy.
"Oh please, Graves never makes bad calls." Ronin defended, knocking him out of his internal musings. "Plus, it's too late to back out now. We would have just wasted time and effort, having taken advantage of Japan's hospitality for seemingly no reason. If Itami is smart, he'll play the part of Dr. Jekyll, while Graves acts as Mr. Hyde."
Graves acting as Mr. Hyde was certainly right, but never making bad calls? Didn't the man shake hands with General Shepherd for a brief period of time? He would have corrected him, but he had a feeling that Ronin would stand firm in his belief in their commander. Many Shadows did… He believed it to be a weak point that many in the company suffered from. Blind and unwavering loyalty to a man that has backstabbed so many others before. The only reason Vale stuck around as long as he did was because the pay was extremely lucrative, so long as he didn't step on any toes within the company.
He imagined Graves was about to be stepping on a lot more himself come the next hour…
PHILLIP GRAVES
NATIONAL DIET BUILDING, TOKYO, JAPAN
NOVEMBER 8, 2022 - 14:55:56
"Four months have passed since the Ginza incident. Today will be the first ever question-and-answer period at the Diet concerning matters across the Gate. Several unsworn witnesses have been invited to testify; a member of the on-site forces, a few Special Region locals under JSDF protection, and a third leader of an unknown group. Our sources have been very cloudy concerning this last one, and their identities haven't been revealed as of yet, but the presence of a United States UN ambassador leads many to speculate about their place of origin. Please stay tuned as we provide more coverage on this developing situation-"
"Who the hell put this on?"
The screen flashed with static before blipping to a random cartoon. Some sort of anime, or whatever weird stuff Japan liked to make. Truth was, Graves didn't really care for what was on screen at all, so long as it wasn't another reporting news outlet. As informative as they were, they got annoying to watch real quick…
"-B-baka, what the heck are you d-doing?!"
"My mana reserves are low, in order to fill them up again, we need to bond closer..."
"But the witch is in the room next door, She'll hear us!"
"That doesn't matter, does it? Let her know what she's missing out on..."
Graves sighed to himself, bored, as he lowered the remote. "So this is otherworldly entertainment...?" He asked slowly, watching as the animated girl of legally questionable age on screen blushed red. Is this what people in Japan and overseas watched back in his world? Maybe it was just the norm over here in this one. Regardless, he didn't see the appeal, and it certainly wasn't made for him.
I guess I could always ask Ronin about it. He thought to himself. Actually, how in Sam Hill, would I even be able to bring that up in conversation? That's gonna make things awkward real quick...
"Not a fan of the news, huh?" He turned to find Itami standing nearby, arms crossed as he smiled warmly at him. "Or are you just camera shy?"
"No, just hoping they get my good side is all." He said dryly, tossing the remote back onto the coffee table in front of him and ignoring the weird sounds coming from the TV. "But you know how the media is. They'll twist anything wrong just for an amazingly sensationalizing headline."
Itami laughed. "Well they won't need to try too hard. Japan's public broadcast stations are usually boring programs with low ratings that lack any real entertainment. Buuut… due to all the postings online about this meeting and the guests in attendance, viewership has skyrocketed."
"I wonder why..." He looked over at the people behind him. Several Japanese men in suits eyed him and his Shadows nervously, while Lelei and Tuka were chatting away with each other. He paused as Rory's eyes caught his once more, and she blew a kiss before sending a cheeky wink his way, both acts which he chose to ignore completely. The rest of the group seemed too engrossed to notice her weird flirting. "They're sure to get all the best shots for the history books, huh?"
"No doubt about it."
"Sir," Called out one of his men. "The Diet meeting commences at 1500. You've got four more minutes before testimonies begin."
He sighed and waved dismissively at his Shadow. "I know. There's no reason to delay this any longer…" He muttered, standing up from the fancy leather lounge chair and stretching. "C'mon people, let's go find our seats."
Itami nodded at him before gesturing towards the men piled by the door at the other end of the hall. As he led the way for the group, Itami stopped just as they came upon it. The sound of mindless and idle chatter could be heard from the other side of the door. There was no doubt that the room was filled to the brim with more suits waiting to chip away at and dissect his words. News stations were wild media sharks, waiting for a drop of blood in the water so that they could tear apart the poor fools who fell in. Those poor fools being he and his group...
Itami turned away from the door, his hand still on the handle as he looked back at Graves.
"Last chance to be out of the public eye, Graves…" Itami said, using his other hand to rub the back of his head in uncertainty. "To be honest, I'm kinda' nervous about what you're gonna say in there…"
He appreciated Itami offering him the chance to back out, but it was honestly starting to get annoying at this point. If he had another delay from the Lieutenant, he might have considered throwing a bag over his head and sedating him in the back of a locked van…
"What I may or may not say in that room shouldn't concern you, Itami. You should instead be focused on your own words, rather than mine."
"I-I know, it's just… this is a pretty big thing…"
Graves rolled his eyes before brushing his shoulder when he pushed past him, exclaiming, "Showtime!" as he opened the doors to the deliberation room.
Heads turned and the hushed murmurs emanating from them increased in volume and intensity. Eyes glanced over to the group, analyzing as they pierced everyone currently walking in. A few heads swiveled towards Graves, an expression of shock and surprise very plainly worn on their faces as he and the others made their way to the empty chairs.
"A foreigner?
"What's he doing here?
"Why's he got a vest on?"
"Look at those patches. Is the United States somehow in the Special Region? Why weren't we informed of this?"
He had to make an effort to avoid putting his hand up, the blinding lights of professional flash photography making it extremely hard to see in front of him. The audience in attendance became nothing more than a blurry blob of suits and ties. He took the last open seat at the end of the row and Rory sat next to him (much to his annoyance), giving him a shit eating grin as their eyes met once again. He huffed in annoyance before taking a moment to steady his breath. He looked up at the clock hanging above the door, noting that it read 2:58, only two more minutes until everyone could get their last minute affairs in order, and the deliberation would begin broadcasting live.
He leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes for a moment to ignore the ones that gaze cautiously upon him. More specifically, the American UN ambassador in the room. He didn't have to look around to know he was burning a hole into his face with his stare. He could feel it from the moment he walked in. He knew he was catching just as much, if not more, attention than the others seated next to him. At least he wasn't the most unusual and eye grabbing of the bunch…
Speaking of unusual, now Rory was leaning up against him, basically hugging his arm tight.
"Would you knock it off!" He hissed under his breath.
"Why?" she asked in faux confusion, putting up an innocent front. "These flashing lights and all these eyes are just making me nervous. Won't a big, strong, and kind man help to ease my worries?"
He gave her a deadpan look. "We both know I don't need to hold your hand for any of this."
"Well they don't know that."
"Precisely!" He argued. He shook his arm roughly, finally managing to jostle himself free from her inhumanly strong grip. He dusted the sleeve of his shirt, as if she had left some sort of disgusting residue of unidentified germs lingering on his clothes. "Is personal space not a thing back in your world?"
She rolled her eyes. "Fine… Jeez, what's a demigoddess gotta do to have some fun around here?"
"Anything that doesn't involve me. Go bother the Lieutenant with that sort of shit."
"Oh?" She asked in a smug tone. "But the Lieutenant is three seats too far, and judging from the looks around the room, I daresay that it does involve you now."
Graves furrowed his brow before pausing to look up. As he glanced around, he could see a mixture of confusion, curiosity, and suspicion from the ambassador, and that wasn't even counting all the looks thrown his way from others in attendance. What was originally meant to be a cold interview, was now probably going to be an unfriendly interrogation.
Goddamnit, Rory! He groaned internally. I guess I really shouldn't be too surprised at this point… Fun at others expense is par for the course with her.
As his eyes roamed the audience, he found his eyes settling on someone seated behind the question table. A middle-aged woman with red lipstick, wearing a white jacket accompanied with earrings and a fancy pearl necklace that gleamed under the light. She had her back straight and her hazel-nut eyes kept forward with her red lips in a thin line, emitting an air of professionalism and slight arrogance to uphold an image.
Graves decided to ask about her while his eyes pretended to roam elsewhere. "Hey, Itami?"
"Hmm, yeah?" Asked Itami.
"Who's the suit?"
"Oh, her?" Itami snorted, which was a first for him. "That's Kohara Mizuki, former journalist turned fork-tongued politician. Don't let the pretty face, expensive jewelry, and silk lined business dress fool you. She's got a nasty personality with an ego as inflated as a hot air balloon to back it up. She's a scummy opportunist who'll take advantage of any and all opportunities to further her own political career."
Graves cocked a brow up at him. "Well, well, well. I'm surprised, Itami. I thought an Otaku like you wouldn't concern himself with politicians."
What the hell even is an Otaku anyway…? He asked himself. Another question for Ronin, then...
"Heh, I don't, but with the way the world is and my line of work, it's kinda hard to go online without seeing such things, despite how hard one tries to avoid it. Believe it or not, I'm not always cooped up in my room watching anime. Sometimes I'm cooped up in my room catching up on world news."
"Uh-huh…"
His boot tapped repeatedly against the carpet before finally…
"Please quiet down, ladies and gentlemen. It is now three in the afternoon and all the guests of honor have arrived, which means that it is now time for the deliberation event to commence."
Graves looked up to find the head Chairman sitting slightly above them on an elevated stage. He had several mics hooked up in front of him, helping to announce his voice clearly over the room and transmit online as it echoed off the walls. The stenographer nearby nodded to him, cracking their knuckles as they prepared to type the transcript to the entire Diet.
"I now yield to Diet member Kohara Mizuki for the first round of questions."
Immediately after, Mizuki stood up, unveiling a board she had hidden behind the table on her lap. It clacked down loudly against the table, sounding like a firecracker against the respectful silence. On the board were several large numbers, all labeled with Kanji.
600 Coda Village evacuees, 150 civilian casualties, 25 residing at refugee camp Alnus Hill?
"So as to not waste everyone's valuable time, I'm going to get straight to the point." Immediately from her tone, Graves knew he wasn't going to like her. Not that he ever liked politicians in the first place, even when he was contracted by them. Pretending to care about the people and their time to gain respect was already damning enough for him. "The Self Defense Force gave us reports in regards to an incident with a dragon, a creature which attacked you, as well as caused the deaths of 150 civilians. This is one fourth the total number of refugees under JSDF protection. How did this happen under your watch?"
An accusation right out the fuckin' gate? Graves huffed to himself. Jeez, she must really have it out for Itami and the JSDF…
"Lieutenant Itami." Called out the Chairman.
Itami wordlessly stood up from his seat. He slowly made his way to the witness table before leaning against it, eyes closed as he thought heavily about his words. It looked like he knew the impact that his words would have over everyone here. What he said and how Legislators would respond to it would be printed word for word, letter by letter, in every official document from this point on. Kids would be opening their history textbooks to this exact moment, artists would make art of it, and songs would be written and sung about it. Everyone in attendance braced themselves for his words, and when he opened his mouth…
"Uh… yeah. It was a dragon. Pretty bad. Uh, it was also really big and scary too…"
.
.
.
Bit unconventional and not the words I would have opened up with but, you do you, Lieutenant…
Judging by the blank look on Mizuki's face, it seemed that she was most likely struggling to comprehend that answer. It was a difficult question, one that could easily be answered if anyone in her profession took the time to think about it for more than five minutes at a time. Itami didn't have that time... nor was he particularly the most professional person to ask about such matters.
"Wha- Lieutenant, that's not what I meant... I'm asking if there was anything wrong with your action or the response from the government! Your ranking of First Lieutenant means that you were in command of the troops that escorted the refugees." She slapped the front of the board repeatedly, drawing attention to the numbers on it once more. "Do you take responsibility for the casualties under your care? 150 innocent people are gone, don't you think that you and the JSDF should have done more to protect them?!"
Itami closed his eyes and he let out a heavy exhale as he frowned. "I understand your concerns ma'am, and I certainly have my regrets that so many people… died… that day. However, we didn't really have any way to stop it."
She narrowed her gaze. "So what you're telling everyone is that the Self Defense Force is incapable?" Her voice in an almost accusing tone.
"No! That's not at all what I said…" He paused as he thought about how to word his answer. "What I'm saying is we didn't have the firepower to handle it."
She quirked a brow up at him as she leaned forward. "Elaborate."
"The weapons we had on hand did next to nothing in harming it. Neither 30 caliber or even 50 caliber scratched it. We'd need stuff like railguns, laser cannons, and graviton bombs."
Okay, let's try to keep things in the realm of possibility here, Itami…
"Hmmm, then it looks like we'll need another expert's eyes on the matter." She scoffed, crossing her arms, and flipping her ponytail back over her shoulder, clearly having none of Itami's words. "Can the Minister of Defense supplant these claims?"
The Chairman nodded before looking at the sheet of papers on his clipboard nearby. "Calling the Vice Minister of Defense, Watanabe Ryousou." A tentative hand rose from the sea of suits in the audience. "Please come forward."
Itami, seeing that he was no longer needed, went back to sit down.
Everyone watched as an older gentleman stepped out from the rows of seats, unfolding a piece of paper which he carried from within his suit. He cleared his throat as he stepped up to the podium.
"I can indeed supplant First Lieutenant Itami's claims. The JSDF brought back samples for examination, and according to our reports, the scales of the dragon are as tough as tungsten, being second only to diamond and rated around 9 on the MOHS scale of mineral hardness. The beast is basically a battleship with wings."
Graves looked impressed, if not, confused. "How in the hell did the JSDF manage to fight off something that tough?" He muttered under his breath.
It appeared Lelei heard him, and decided to be helpful in sharing her knowledge. "They used a rocket fired from a launcher. I think they called it a, 'Panzerfaust 3', if I recall correctly."
An outdated Cold War era German rocket meant for Soviet armor hurt the dragon badly enough to scare it off? That didn't seem to make a lick of sense to him. Didn't they say that its scales were as tough as tungsten?
"-Very well then. Now, I'd like to call for Lelei La Lalena to take the stand."
The blue haired teen that Graves was speaking to got up with a quick, "Excuse me."
Another one down the line. Soon it'd be his turn to stand up.
"Miss Lalena, do you understand Japanese?"
"Yes, a little. The JSDF has helped me learn some."
"Good, then let's start with introductions. Who are you?"
"I am Lelei La Lalena, a member of the nomadic Rurudo tribe. I am an archmage and sorceress of the human race, and the second disciple of Cato El Altestan, an elder sage from Coda Village."
"That is quite the myriad of titles, Miss Lalena, but I want to draw focus on that last one. Coda Village… that means that you're currently a refugee under JSDF care, am I correct?"
"You are."
"Then that leads me to ask about the camp and its living conditions. Have you faced any restrictions there?"
Lelei looked at her blankly. "I'm not quite sure what exactly you mean by restrictions. Isn't that every single living being? We're all born into this world with some sort of restrictions."
"Uh- I didn't mean that in a… philosophical sense…" Mizuki said as she sweat nervously. Graves caught himself before he could laugh. Opening that can of worms on national television would have definitely extended his wait, but the thought of the politician struggling to skirt around such matters in the interest of protecting her career almost made it worth it. "Let me rephrase the question then. Are you lacking any basic life necessities at the JSDF refugee camp?"
"No," She responded plainly. "We have plenty of clothes, food, and shelter."
"Really now? No problems with overcrowding? Missing items? Supply issues?"
"Nothing is ever missing and we never seem to run out of anything we may need. The JSDF is even able to procure items for leisure and entertainment like books or sports balls for the children. There's really no reason to complain…"
"Then you don't feel that the JSDF, which was described as ill-equipped earlier, is at all responsible for the 150 lives lost?"
"No." Though Graves couldn't really see her face, he could tell she didn't understand the direction the questions were going by the slightly changed tone he picked up on. A big surprise, considering how emotionless the teen always appeared. Was she really warming up to the JSDF so quickly?
"Very well then." Mizuki sighed, seemingly disappointed that she wasn't able to get anything out of her. "Chairman, I would like to question our next witness, Ms. Tuka Luna Marceau."
"Of course, calling Miss Tuka Luna Marceau to the stand." The blonde elf-girl perked up, looking towards the Chairman who called her name. Lelei stepped away from the stand before speaking about something to the Chairman, to which he gave a friendly nod of acknowledgement to both girls. "Of course. From here on witness Lelei will act as a translator for the other Special Region inhabitants."
"Go Tuka," Rory giggled out from beside him. "Put on a show for everyone, will ya?"
She giggled in response, "I'll try, Ms. Mercury!"
Please don't encourage her…
Mizuki cleared her throat as Tuka stepped up to the stand. "Would you mind telling us where you're from?"
"Of course. I am Tuka Luna Marceau, daughter of Hodor Rei Marceau from the Marceau clan. I am an elf from the Forest of Lodo and its tribes."
"Elf?" Mizuki asked in confusion. "I apologize, but I have to ask… are those ears of yours actually real?"
"Oh?" Tuka asked. She brushed her hair behind her ear, even wiggling it for extra effect. "They are indeed real. Would you like to touch them? wait, is that okay to ask in your culture? Oh no, was I too forward?" She asked in embarrassment.
The audience in the stands were immediately enraptured by the sight. Hushed whispers and the snapping of cameras filled the room within moments. Mizuki looked to be in shock as the people behind her had their phones up to take pictures or record the cute and shy blonde elf-girl as well.
Seriously? Graves asked himself. They're going this crazy over a girl with pointed elf ears? What's so special about them?
"Everyone, please quiet down and remain calm! Order and silence, please!" The Chairman asked over the audiences excitement.
"Ahem, back to the matter at hand." Mizuki took out some papers and looked over them again before looking back at Tuka and asking another question. "Miss Marceau, when you were attacked by the dragon, did you witness the SDF soldiers doing anything inappropriate?"
"Graves," Rory whispered nearby, getting his attention. She looked at him with a frown, a far cry from the easygoing and carefree flirtatious smile usually seen on her teasing face. "I'm not sure how it works over in your world, but do the politicians usually attempt to badmouth their own troops this often?"
He shrugged in response. "Really depends on the politician and their agendas, but after certain world events back on my side, soldiers are kind of needed... Ms. Sweetheart here's really tryin' her damnedest to make 'em look bad, why? I can't say for sure..." He gave her the side eye after answering her question. "Why're you asking?"
"It just seems unusual to me, is all. The goal of the Self Defense Force is to protect the people, right?"
"Generally..."
"Then for someone trying to remain so closely tied to the Japanese government, wouldn't it work in favor against her to speak about the JSDF in such a way?"
"Free thought is an inherent right, and with it, comes free speech. I'm assuming that some people in this world are against the idea that the JSDF should be occupying any territory that's not theirs. My bet is that she's probably trying to appeal to those masses and gain support for her party. Hell, she might even take bribe deals from other countries if she reaches the position that she wants."
"The people would openly oppose their own government so freely? Back in the Special Region, many places would see that as grounds for punishment, even capital punishment at times."
"It's a different world and time Rory, besides... she may have a good point."
"What? What could possibly make you say such a thing?"
"A so called Self Defense Force is currently occupying territory in a foreign world and restricting access to any other parties. I don't think that extreme level of imperialism is allowed anymore, especially for a country like Japan with its... less than stellar history."
"This is the first I'm hearing about this."
"Rory, there's a reason Japan has a Self Defense Force rather than a standard military. According to past treaties between my country and theirs, they're not allowed to have a military that could take any offensive action in any capacity. Their history is a long and bloody one. Sure they're much better now than they were eighty years ago, but no one stays clean for long..."
"If that's true, then why are the only ones in the region your people and the JSDF?"
"Like I said, different world, different politics, different climate." Graves said, tapping a finger against his temple. "The insertion of my Shadows went off without a hitch because this Japan isn't mine. They were unaware that I was in the Special Region until just a few days ago. I'm betting that if they knew about us beforehand, they would have done whatever they could to block off the other gate. Japan has definitely gone through some tariffs or trade bans here, not to mention massive smear campaigns from other countries and their own people within. They'll want to do whatever they can to keep it out of others hands."
"I've seen the good that Japan has brought to the region." Rory looked back towards the interview table, determination set on her face. "These words come from people who haven't seen blood at any point in their lifetimes."
"Civvies will never understand war until they truly experience it themselves, but I think you're jumping the gun pretty quickly there, partner. I see that look in your eyes. It's the same one I've seen green rookies wear before going off and doing something incredibly stupid that gets themselves killed. You barely know anything about this country or its people, what makes you want to stand behind them so quickly?"
"Wrong," She said firmly. "I know that Japan cares for refugees, enough to show hospitality by building entirely new housing and catering to their daily needs without complaint. I know Itami and his team are all good people, who stayed behind to defend the city of Italica with your forces. By extension, that includes the rest of the greater JSDF. Their ancestors past does not define them or their future."
Graves held his tongue, saying nothing as he brought his focus back to the conference.
"-Unconscious when it happened..."
Mizuki exhaled forcefully in disappointment once more. "Very well then. Next witness please."
"Miss Mercury," The Chairman called out. "Would you please take the stand?"
She turned to him, a smug smile directed at him once more. "Showtime, right?"
Don't use my words against me…
She laughed as she noticed his frown. "I'll be sure to knock 'em dead for you."
Ignoring her, Graves looked back up to find Mizuki with a small smirk on her face as she watched Rory step up to the stand.
"Please state your name for the record."
"Rory Mercury."
"Please tell us what your life is like in the Alnus Hill camp."
"Well, as an Apostle of Emroy, I live according to my faith." Started Rory, "When I wake, I pray, take lives, pray some more, and then I sleep whenever night comes. Of course, since I still have a body, there are other things as well."
"I-I'm sorry, but I must have misheard you earlier. Miss Mercury, did you say that you take lives?" Asked Mizuki, clearly baffled that a little girl was even capable of such a thing.
"Why yes. I kill for my Lord's sake. Emroy, is the God of death… it's kind of his thing."
"Uh… we'll just chalk it up to cultural differences and move on. Judging by how you're dressed, it appears to me that you've lost someone near and dear to you very recently. Is it safe to say that the Self Defense Forces are to blame for that?"
Lelei could be seen with a look of confusion. "Miss Lelei, is there a problem?" The Chairman asked.
"Are you asking about Rory's family or are you asking about the refugees from Coda Village? As an Apostle of Emroy, Rory's family have long since-"
"Please, just ask the question as I did, Miss Lelei." Mizuki interrupted, not even bothering to hide her rudeness this time as her patience ran thin.
Everyone watched as Rory quietly communicated with Lelei, her expressions masked underneath the veil that covered her face.
"She says that she doesn't understand your question. Her family-"
"According to the report, when the dragon attacked, it killed one hundred and fifty people fleeing the village, but not a single soldier was killed or injured during that engagement. The Self Defense Force is supposed to risk their lives and fight for those in danger! But here, they clearly chose to run away from that fight and cost innocent people their lives!
Everyone in the audience gasped in shock, for some reason believing her word despite how little evidence truly backed them up. She certainly had the experience of being a journalist if she was able to grab the attention of the media so quickly.
A victorious smile briefly flashed on her face for a second before immediately being replaced with faux passion. "You need to tell us everything, Miss Mercury! Tell us what you saw! Tell us what they did! Tell us the truth!"
Girl's putting on one hell of a dramatic show, I'll give her that…
Rory could be seen pausing in contemplation before-
"Are you a Goddamn idiot?!"
The shouting of the question wouldn't have been so bad, had Rory not shouted it into several microphones just inches away from her mouth. Everyone in attendance covered their ears as the mic feedback caused a painful, tinnitus laden tone to ring throughout the room. Thankfully, his hearing protection lessened the worst of it for him. That didn't make it any less unpleasant though.
"Ah - Jesus fuckin' Christ, Rory!"
"Shadow-1 Actual, everything okay in there?" One of his Shadows asked from his comms.
"I'm fine, the Rory girl just decided to burst everyone's ear drums. We're all good here, out."
"Copy."
As the ringing gradually faded away, everyone gave weary looks to the demigoddess behind the stand.
"E-excuse me?" Asked Mizuki.
"I believe you heard my question." Replied Rory as she lifted the veil, revealing her face to the cameras.
Despite being insulted earlier, Mizuki was more focused on Rory's language skills. Probably because she couldn't exactly hear the insult due to the volume at which it was shouted. "You're capable of speaking Japanese?"
"Why yes, I am. It is not a difficult language to grasp." Rory replied matter of factly. "And I'm assuming you want to know how Itami and his people fought against the dragon, am I right?"
"Yes…"
"They did everything they could, and then some. The truth is, Itami's team did not cower in fear nor did they hide behind any civilians like you seem to believe or want to believe."
"Uh, I-"
"I'm not quite done yet, Little Miss. There are times where a soldier must protect their own lives as well. While it's true that one fourth of the civilians died, you're completely ignoring that three fourths were saved. You sit here safe and comfortable with expensive luxuries like cotton beds, silk white cloths, and flashy jewelry and you have the gull to accuse others of being cowards? I'd say you're the only coward here, Little Miss Thing."
Mizuki's eye could now be seen twitching at the insult. "What did you just call me…?"
"The JSDF fought off a flame dragon and lived to tell the tale, so… you should be offering praise for demonstrating such a feat. But instead, you demonstrate a rather creative way of manipulating numbers to make them appear a certain way. Four hundred and fifty lives were saved, and all you seem to want to do is paint the JSDF as the bad ones in this scenario. The truth is, Itami's team has done something no one has accomplished."
Really strokin' the SDFs ego there, Rory… Be careful who you side with.
"That is the truth and my answer to your stupid question, Little Miss Thing. Was that answer satisfactory enough for your political goals? You washed up has-been."
"Witness, please assume a more civil tone…" sighed the Chairman from nearby.
"Looks like someone forgot to teach you how to speak to an adult, Little Miss Thing…" Mizuki growled out.
"You're not talking about me, are you?" Rory asked smugly.
Mizuki slammed her hands down on the table. "Of course I'm talking about you! I don't know how things are done in the Special Region, but in this world, we respect our elders!"
"Oh, I am going to absolutely love this…" Rory said, reaching for the bow that tied the cloth wrap around her halberd.
"Itami…!" Graves warned.
"On it!" He replied, already out of his seat before he even finished those words. "Mr. Chairman, I'm afraid there has been a huge misunderstanding!" Itami shouted. He put his hand on Rory's arm, lowering it and preventing her from doing anything stupid.
"Hmph… what do you think you're doing, Itami? Eager to put your hands on me already, I see?"
"No! Just put that damn thing away, okay?" He muttered as he guided her back towards her seat. "Dear God…"
"What gives with him, huh?" She huffed as she planted herself back down into the cushion. "Always ruining my fun!"
"Fun?" Graves asked incredulously. "You were about to turn the suit into diced ham on national television. How do you think everyone is gonna react to that? Security would be on your ass within seconds."
She crossed her arms. "I could take them."
"That's not the point!"
"Mr. Chairman, I believe Ms. Kohara may be making a big mistake here."
"In that case, you have permission to take the floor, witness Itami."
"Ahem…" Said Itami, clearing his throat as he turned back to the crowd awaiting an answer. "I would like to take this opportunity to let everyone know that Rory is actually the oldest person in attendance here today."
"Seriously?"
"She looks like she's twelve or thirteen to me..."
"Maybe she's immortal?"
"Really now, Itami? Look at her. Just how old exactly is she supposed to be?"
"You shouldn't ask a woman her age, you know?" Rory commented, causing Mizuki to glare pointedly at her. She chuckled to herself, excited to wipe the look off her face. "If you really must know, I am nine hundred and sixty one of your years, honey…"
"Huh…? Nine hundred?!" She asked in disbelief. The rest of the audience around her could also be heard whispering in confusion. She turned to the blonde Elf-girl seated next to Rory. "And… how old do you happen to be, Miss Marceau?"
"One hundred and sixty five."
"Uh… you!" The politician shouted, pointing towards Graves. "How old are you?"
"That's classified…"
"Uh… Miss Lalena?"
"I'm fifteen."
Mizuki sighed in relief.
Lelei stood up before approaching Itami at the stand. "Itami, switch with me. I'll explain everything."
"Huh? Uh… sure, okay."
"I come from the race of humans, who live to around seventy to eighty years in my world. But humanity isn't the only race to exist in the Special Region, as you've so dubbed it. Tuka is an elf, a species which have incredibly long life spans and even have the potential to live forever. Rory started off as human, but her body stopped aging when she became a demigod and an oracle. Demigods will abandon their bodies after a thousand years, eventually transforming into a spiritual apostle and eventually a god. The concept of life expectancy does not apply to her."
The audience gasped in astonishment, quietly whispering amongst themselves about being in the presence of what was essentially a god. Despite that god being in the form of an underage loli in a frilly black and red skirt dress. Knowing some of what the people in Japan were like, it was safe to say that she was definitely going to be gaining some more followers. Some more parasocial than others, some more cult-like than others…
"Diet member Kohara, do you have any more questions?"
"I-I guess I don't…" She said, sounding deflated.
"Very well then. If there are no more questions, then that concludes-"
"Excuse me!" Everyone turned their heads, finding the UN ambassador had now risen from his seat with his hand raised. "I believe there is still another matter to discuss here before we conclude anything!" He said, giving a pointed look towards Graves.
"Ah, yes… forgive me, ambassador." Apologized the Chairman as he bowed his head. "Please, take the interview table."
The UN ambassador stepped forward, emerging from the rows of seats in the audience. He completely ignored a still dumbfounded Kohara Mizuki as he walked past, standing in front of the microphones that waited for his digging questions.
"Good afternoon everyone, I am Arthur Greenhill, a United States representative of the United Nations. Many of you here in attendance know what the United Nations stands for, but for the sake of those at home and for our foreign guests, I'll explain. The United Nations is an Intergovernmental organization whose main purposes is to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations all around the globe. So you could imagine my surprise when I found out that I was invited to stay at the US embassy in Tokyo to attend the Diet meeting taking place today. Clearly, Japan knew that it would need another expert's eyes on certain matters for this meeting. For what exactly? I had no idea… until now that is."
Arthur looked over at him, continuing and giving no room for interruptions. "Foreign visitors from an entirely new fantasy era world are certainly a surprise… but this last man, who we've had yet to question, clearly does not fit in with this running theme, at all. I doubt that knights and archers are running around in bullet proof vests in the Special Region. With that being said, I'd like to question our last guest in attendance…"
"Very well," Agreed the Chairman. He looked back down at a paper in front of him, squinting his eyes as he read the name. "Calling… Commander Graves?" The Chairman read out loud in confusion. "Yes, Commander Phillip Graves, please come to the stand."
A myriad of whispers broke out as he stepped up, all wondering who this mysterious American was.
"Commander...?"
"Look at that scar on his cheek..."
"What kind of name is Phillip Graves...?"
"It sounds like a cover name. Fill up graves?"
"He can certainly fill me up…"
"... What the fuck, Yuko?"
Graves did his best to keep up a poker face at the whispers, never being on for gossip unless it stood to benefit him in some sort of way, but he couldn't help and furrow his brow at that last bit. People's perception of him never seemed to change, and it sounded like he still had it…
A frown appeared on the ambassador's face as Graves stood behind the mics, expression unreadable in a mask of calm. "So…" Arthur began. "Commander, huh? I wasn't aware of any other forces within the Special Region."
"Yep, Commander and CEO, Phillip Graves, at your service."
His eyes hardened, clearly getting a loose idea about who they were dealing with just from the previous mention of CEO. "Commander and CEO? Of what exactly?"
"Of Shadow Company."
Arthur merely gave an exasperated groan. "Please elaborate, Commander Graves... we need more than just cryptic responses here."
Graves chuckled at having pushed his buttons slightly. "Well, Shadow Company is a private military firm, primarily based in Maryland, Washington DC, but we have facilities all around the globe. At least, on our side of the gate anyway. We secure internal government contracts from regions that are rapidly destabilizing, and are brought in to help bring order to chaos."
"Another gate...?" The man asked before crossing his arms over his chest. "So you're private military contractors that are hired by other country leaders?"
Graves gave an easy smile. "I supposed you could say that, although the company isn't exclusive nor directly affiliated with any specific country. Shadow Company is a globally recognized leader in the international military services marketplace. The effectiveness and professionalism of our company is unrivaled by many in our world, oftentimes leading to even the United States itself offering contracts to us as well. We form something more along the lines of brief partnerships."
Arthur raised a brow. "Partnership? You mean like business partners? It's not unusual for the US to outsource via contracts, but you seem very confident in the company you run. I mean, how good could it really be?"
Graves smirked at the tone, though he chose to ignore it. "Ignoring my obvious biases, Shadow Company is staffed with numerous former SOF combat veterans, who've led countless conventional and unconventional warfare operations, including me. Employing a variety of highly trained professionals and top performers with long histories and notable actions in their respective fields allows company clients to focus on growth and profitability rather than existing and emergent threats. I pay my employees for their time and skills and in return, they place company interests first."
"Conventional and unconventional warfare operations? Growth and profitability? Company interests?" Arthur asked. "Or is that a cover for mindless acts of war?"
Ironic coming from you, ambassador…
Graves did his best not to show offense at the accusation. "The work and special operations that my Shadows carry out in failed nation states are not mindless acts of war… They're critical matters of foreign internal defense, which call for an immediate kinetic response. That kinetic response often being my Shadow Company, which I am boots on the ground with at all times."
"I'm not trying to accuse you of anything Commander Graves," Arthur lied as easily as he breathed. "But don't you think that's a little extreme?"
"Extreme?" He asked with a laugh. "Extreme is civil wars where suicide bombings, sectarian death squads, and IED bombings of hospitals full of civilians are the everyday norm. Extreme is nationalist revolutions instating puppet dictatorships and nuking 30,000 US Marines. Extreme is letting an American Lieutenant General sponsor a known Russian terrorist so that he can gun down an entire airport full of people and start another world war where women and children are gassed inside of major shopping centers… Don't believe me? I'm sure I have footage of the Eiffel Tower falling down on my phone."
The people around started whispering to each other, slightly disturbed by his words. No surprise there. He basically just alluded to World War Three, an event which, for all intents and purposes, never happened in this world. Really thinking about it, it felt strange being in a world that hadn't experienced such a deadly and open conflict that his had to endure. That must explain how green a lot of the people he encountered here were. Good times create weak men and all that jazz…
"Maybe we are extreme, but extreme acts of terrorism call for an equally extreme response, one which the governments in my world constantly fail to get a head start on. Shadow Company is a proactive interdiction service that will not make the same mistakes as our governments because we cut through the red tape bureaucracy and we get the job done. If a country hires us to solve a problem of theirs, then we're the fixers sent in to fix that problem."
"And that right there is the problem, commander. You're a service. You're only loyal to the flag that pays you the most."
A smirk grew on Graves' face. "That's incorrect, ambassador. But since you want to talk about loyalty, let's talk about loyalty... Tell me, have you had any major terrorist attacks in this world?"
Arthur looked at him strangely, uncertain about his willingness to shift the conversation to such a topic. "...Off the top of my head the September 11th attacks, if that rings any bells."
"Ah, it does, unfortunately…" Graves said, before smacking his lips. "Am I correct in assuming that this also led to the global war on terror?"
"Yes…"
"Operation Enduring Freedom, Iraq, Afghanistan?"
"Yes, those events did indeed happen in our world."
"Then you must realize the ineffectiveness of our current standing governments, right? Enduring Freedom? Did that ever work? No! Iraq? All hogwash, there were no WMDs! Afghanistan? How many lives and billions worth of taxpayer dollars did we burn over there? Not like we've had two-hundred plus years of experience to figure it out, but I guess raising the national debt count takes priority more than it does the shell-shocked veterans that return from hell, yeah? Did we learn nothing at all from Vietnam?"
"Coalition and security forces did their jobs over there, commander…" Arthur said in a warning tone. "We have VA benefits."
"Sure, spout whatever drivel helps you sleep at night. But what about the evacuations? Surely people wouldn't have wanted to stay in a collapsing and failed nation state, filled to the brim with insurgents from ISIS, Al-Qaeda, or the Taliban? How did that blow over for you?"
"That's not the focus of this discussion, Graves!"
"You're avoiding the question. No one does that unless they've got something to hide. Shouldn't we be expecting transparency from a United States representative of the United Nations? You know, in the name of international peace, cooperation, friendly relations, and global harmonization?" Graves stretched his arms out and looked around as if he was asking the audience and viewers at home. No better way to get people on your side then to play to their emotions, and it appeared to be working, as hushed whispers and uneasy looks were traded amongst the crowd.
"We evacuated people, as many as we could…"
"And how many of those evacuees were Western government employees?" He shot back.
"Anyone can leave the country if they so choose Graves, the Taliban have promised so themselves, both privately and in public."
"Are you really taking their word for it? The enemy who tortures, rapes, and beheads anyone who stand in their way? How is a woman supposed to leave a country like Afghanistan if they can't walk outside without male chaperones, or work, or simply even learn. The removal and subsequent handling of the aftermath of Afghanistan was a spit in the face to those who sacrificed life and limb for it."
"Then what was your world's response to that fiasco, Graves?"
"I'll tell you, because I've got nothing to hide. After the US withdrew all of its troops from Afghanistan, the government left behind collapsed, subsequently destroying the little command structure that the Afghan military had. ANASOC began to rapidly crumble along with the country and the commandos previously trained by US forces were targeted by extremist kill teams. These kill teams obviously liked to make examples out of the enemy, hiding behind their religious faith and using that as their reasoning for their mindless acts of violence. There was no doubting what would have happened to anyone or their families had they been caught by these extremists. Shadow Company, having fostered long and well established relations with commandos trained under their ranks, arranged for safe havens out of the country for them and their families. We've allowed them to build up a network to help get others out of the country safely, free from the reign of a failing radicalistic government that interacts with well known Jihadist groups like Al-Qaeda and its associates."
For a price of course… Went left unsaid.
The truth is, the commandos would work in conjunction alongside Shadow Company operators to continue fighting the threats in and around the country, unaware that they'd be perpetuating the conflict that the US left behind via a proxy war of continued drone strikes, secretly state sanctioned CIA assassinations, and weapons transactions to arm both bands of local insurgents and freedom fighters alike.
And the network? A simple front for smuggling clients, prisoners, weapons, and drugs out of the country.
Overnight, highly skilled and elite commandos who were patriotic and wholeheartedly loyal to their previous country that they wanted to see flourish, became nothing more than just simple business partners, assets, for the company to profit off of. They escaped the kill squads by, ironically enough, becoming ones themselves while fighting an endless civil war to a stalemate. A stalemate swollen with wounded refugees, endless suffering, and bottomless mass graves. The conflict would forever be deadlocked, so long as Shadow Company was in control of things.
Ignorance truly was bliss… how cruel...
Arthur sighed as he put his head in his hand. "So what is your point, Graves? Is this just a smear campaign against the United States?"
"This isn't a smear campaign, I'm pointing out your flaws. And don't you worry, I won't just be picking on you the whole time. Other nations aren't clean themselves. Russia? Look at how they handled the Beslan school siege. A death toll of 335 with 186 of them being children. In my world, they invaded not just other European soil, but also the US, while working with history's worst monster. China?" He asked before looking up at one of the cameras no doubt focused on him. "Strict authoritarian government and Communist party leaders? I don't think I need to remind you about their current and past cruelties that they're so eager to wipe from media and history books… As far as I'm concerned, public sector, civil servants can not do their jobs properly, unlike Shadow Company, which already has boots on the ground in the Special Region."
"That is not your call to make, Graves!"
"No, it's my employers."
Arthur's eyes narrowed at him from behind his glasses. "And who exactly has contracted you to be in the Special Region?"
"I am under no obligation to share information regarding the details of my contract, as it would be a major breach of privacy. Company policy dictates that I don't just simply give out that sort of classified information freely, you see? Client discretion and all that."
"Graves, your company has boots on the ground in an entirely different world, one that is currently shared with Japan only. This situation is highly irregular!"
"Irregular? I'm just a regular old American sap, just like you are."
"Really now?" He asked sarcastically, not really believing him.
"Yeah, sure, sure! I meditate with yoga in the park, go to a useless therapist that overcharges me every month, and for vacations, I tan underneath the Caribbean sun on sandy beaches, where my hardest choice is deciding whether or not I wish to sip on tequila or whiskey. I shake hands with presidents, know possible world revolution secrets, and mingle with annoying suit and tie, out of country, private equity investors who run globally dominating empires. I gamble at private black card casinos with one of my hired contractors, who's a mute psychopath who's only form of communication is laughing like a whack-job maniac. He makes for a terrible conversationalist by the way…"
"Sounds like a real American dream… I could certainly go for some whiskey right about now." Arthur muttered, unamused by how Graves was treating the matter. "Ignoring your bleak patriotism, that still doesn't-"
"Oh give me a break, it doesn't get any more patriotic than that." Graves interrupted, much to the ambassadors annoyance. "I doubt you wake up every morning with a hard on to pledge allegiance to that star spangled banner that you keep as nothing more than simple lawn decoration."
Arthur grit his teeth in annoyance. "Sure, whatever you say, commander. Moving on... you must have had a previous US military background of some sort, worn a uniform with a flag?" He asked, eyeing the both the American flag and Shadow Company patch on his vest.
"Classified, but even if it wasn't, why would I be telling you? Flags are meaningless relics and uniforms are restrictive limitations. They're jokes! Unfunny ones that don't make me laugh. They hold professionals back from their full potential, which is why I shed it off and formed Shadow Company in the first place."
"Shed? Like a snake?"
"Very funny, ambassador. Let me tell you something, you want something done right, you do it yourself. This ain't the colonial era anymore. I've made a successful business that will just keep growing and growing. That is the American dream, baby! Capitalism! I've made it a reality and there is nothing you can do about it! People like you, the ones trying to stop it and hold it back, are the reasons why the United States has gone to hell in the first place."
The Chairman nearby looked like he wanted to say something, anything, to keep the conversation more civil and from spiraling into a heated debate. Fortunately for Graves, the Chairman realized he would be speaking into the wind as they continued, and wisely chose to stay out of it, lest he earn the ire of a politician and a hardened contract killer.
"Please take this more seriously, Graves. The Geneva Convention has banned and outlawed mercenaries… your people can and will be treated as criminals subject to imprisonment or worse, so we can do something about it." Arthur shot back.
"Wrong again, ambassador. The Geneva Convention states that mercenaries are to be treated as non-combatants and thus are not subject to the same protections as your average soldier. Shadow Company is not comprised of mercenaries, we're comprised of contractors. We're a PMC, a company, and our services come at a very high price. My employees have hourly rates, insurance plans, and even dental. Sure we still don't have the same protections offered by the Geneva Convention, but the articles and amendments prohibiting the use of PMCs were either, never signed by the world powers like the United States, or were completely ignored. Like you said so yourself earlier, it's not unusual for the US to outsource via contracts; According to you, my Shadows have every right to be in the Special Region!"
"Then regardless of the legality of this current situation, the presence of your contractors is an unusual concern. This Diet conference called into question the effectiveness of the JSDF in the Special Region, but now it is also calling into question the presence of your hired guns. Whether you like it or not, this is now an international matter, Commander Graves! You can not just have your people in there without being overseen by official eyes in some sort of capacity!"
"Ambassador Greenhill, The 1960 revision of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan, explicitly prohibits the US from exerting any power on domestic issues within Japan. If you want access, then I'm afraid you'll have to take it up with Japanese lawmakers for permission on that front... - But between you and me, this will not be a negotiation for poorly trained, rank and file, amateur blue helmets to step foot on Special Region soil for any supposed peacekeeping operations concerning my Shadow Company. That. Is. Final!"
Arthur grit his teeth at him. "There will be long lasting repercussions for this, not just from the US, but from other countries in and out of the UN and NATO! Some one has to keep you and your company in check! You will be pushed out, one way or another, Graves!"
"Seeing as I'm already firmly planted within, I'd like to see you or anybody else try and push my Shadows out, cause let me tell you, it will not end well for anybody who even thinks about trying…"
"Is that a threat, commander?" Arthur asked in disbelief.
"Ambassador, I don't make threats… I make guarantees." He reached behind him, putting his hand in his back pocket before pulling something out. He looked up, finding a single camera and staring straight into the lens as he held the card up. A plain black and laminated card with white text. On it, a rook in the center of an ace, the familiar logo of Shadow Company, was stamped on one side, proudly displaying 'Umbra Catervae' and 'Shadow Company'. "We're a superpower for hire... If you're lookin' for a fight, you can put Shadow Company in your sights, cause we'll end it for you." He finished, planting the card down onto the table in front of him and pushing it forward.
Immediately after, the room exploded into chaos. Cameras flashed and countless questions were thrown around the room as he stepped away from the interview table.
"Commander Graves, could you say something on screen!"
"Sir, was that really a threat? Do you truly intend to fulfill those words?!"
"Ambassador Greenhill! Will the UN or NATO forces be getting involved in the Special Region now?!"
"Will Japan ask its US allies for assistance in the removal of this 'Shadow Company' from the Special Region?!"
"If Japan allows for foreign private military to operate within the region, does that mean other countries can only enter with their own?!"
"Is the hero of Ginza, First Lieutenant Yoji Itami, endorsing the commander of a private military company?!"
Graves looked at the rest of his group, still seated, but slightly uneasy. "C'mon, we're going now."
"Uh, what?! Graves, do you see the commotion you just caused?!" Itami yelled out over the crowd. "This is gonna be absolute hell for Japan! You've just sent the global media into a crazy frenzy!"
Graves rolled his eyes at Itami's freakout. "Which is why we can't afford to stay here any longer - not unless you and the group want to be hounded by intrusive questions that you'd have no idea how to really answer. Leave it to your PR team to figure this shit out."
"Commander Graves, you can not just leave yet! Get back here! We need to discuss your words! This entire interview is being recorded, live, to a global audience! You have to explain yourself now!" Arthur turned towards the Chairman sitting atop the stage. "Tell him to sit back down!" He all but commanded, finally losing his cool.
"There's nothing left to discuss with me, ambassador!" He called out behind him, not even dignifying Arthur by bothering to turn around for his response. "I don't have to explain anything further to you! You have my business card, talk to a representative! C'mon Itami, show us out." he said over his shoulder as he stepped past. The rest of the group got up from their seats, keeping up a good pace behind him as they got away from the sea of reporters.
POTUS - DIRRELL
WASHINGTON DC, UNITED STATES
NOVEMBER 8, 2022 - 02:00:00
President Dirrell was many things. Right now... happy wasn't one of them. That braindead politician that he bribed to badmouth the JSDF in anyway possible not only ended up making a fool of herself on live television, but also caused the interviewed refugees to come to their defenses. Whether it was out of some sense of righteousness, blackmail, or threats, it didn't matter. People were starting to agree with the JSDF in their opinions. They'd no doubt come up in ice-breakers and conversation starters, but this time, in a more positive light. That was more than enough to begin turning the tide and cementing the JSDF as the only ones to be in control of the Special Region. But they weren't the only ones in the Special Region, were they...?
'Company interests first.'
'I'm sure I have footage of the Eiffel Tower falling down on my phone.'
'Flags are meaningless relics and uniforms are restrictive limitations. They're jokes! Unfunny ones that don't make me laugh.'
'Shadow Company is a proactive interdiction service that will not make the same mistakes as our governments because we cut through the red tape bureaucracy and we get the job done.'
'That is the American dream, baby! Capitalism! I've made it a reality and there is nothing you can do about it!'
'I don't make threats... I make guarantees.'
Ambassador Greenhill, no disrespect to him, couldn't have at all predicted for a wildcard such as Phillip Graves to show up. It should have been easy. A greedy, democracy and capitalist loving, Southern, American private contractor. He should have been willing to get down on his knees and cooperate with a United States ambassador and representative of the United Nations. But unfortunately, that's not how things went. It was quickly apparent that Graves was only in it for himself.
Of course I get the one private contractor that doesn't care about shaking hands with his home country...
"This... complicates things..." Dirrell muttered to himself, staring at the screen in front of him before sipping at his now cold coffee. This would require some creative thinking if the situation continued to develop like this.
His thoughts were interrupted when CIA Director Carter, came storming into the Oval Office. He was a tall, thin man wearing a black suit and white shirt underneath. He had short, salt and pepper hair and glasses; all very professional and precise in appearance, as was expected from someone in a position such as his.
"Mr. President."
"Director Carter," He greeted easily. "What brings you into my office?"
"I trust that you've seen the news?"
Dirrell sighed. "I've no doubt that everyone in the world has, why?"
"I'd like to know about your response to this one, sir."
That was a good question. What was his response to this? Despite Ms. Kohara's best efforts, as terrible as they were, the otherworlders seemed determine to keep the JSDF represented as the capable good guys in the public eye. The words of that proclaimed demigoddess Rory, were certainly the strongest he'd ever heard anyone speak about the JSDF, and if her role was any true like she said, then her words definitely carried some weight.
Unless...
If he could somehow them the United States, bribe them with technologies, culture exchanges, and other such things, the inhabitants would want more. Then, when they'd return to the Special Region, they'd request that the US be allowed in their lands for trade, forcing Japan to have no other choice but to let them in. To be honest, it was a pretty far stretch, but it was all he had at the moment.
"Well then it's a good thing you stepped in here when you did. I'm thinking if Japan can get these otherworlders to speak so heavily in their favor, we can too. So, we'll need to bring them here and tour some of Washington."
"I doubt Japan's going to let that happen willingly, sir."
"That's why you're here, Director Carter. You're in charge of the CIA, I need you to make things happen. Sprinkle some red, white, and blue magic and get some of our best men in Japan."
"Yes Mr. President, I'll contact Agent Graham of our Far East Division. But uh..." He trailed off, unsure as to how he should approach this next question. "What should we do about the PMC? There's no doubt that they'll be sticking extremely close to our targets, hell, they might even be their clients. With the way that Graves fella just advertised his services to the entire world, everyone's eyes are no doubt focused on them."
Dirrell bit his lip as he furrowed his brow in contemplation, after all... he was a man of action, not patience. While he so desperately wanted to get to work immediately, he knew rushing into this would be pretty bad. Discretion and plausible deniability would play a huge part in this operation. That's when a possible solution came to mind. "Then we fight fire with fire. Now isn't the time to worry about legality or morality. Money speaks... Carter, get Blackwater on the line..."
Author's Notes:
Graves has planted his foot firmly on the ground, stating that he will not be budging or bending to anybody's whims or wishes.
Was this the right call? I don't know... you tell me. I'm barely good at writing, what makes you think I'm good at captivating and enthralling world politics?
As much as Graves may dislike the idea of sharing the region with Japan, he will still use it to his advantage. This was in the form of him relying on the fact that Japan wanted no outside influences from their world. It's easier to manage things when you've only got the Japanese and the Empire to interact with, not several more foreign fighters with vastly different agendas.
Japan has to decide now. If they want Shadow Company and Graves out, that means going to war, and that means calling for the assistance of the United States. something that the Japanese are both very against in Gate. Or, they could choose to do nothing, allowing Shadow Company to run rampant as they conduct their own business within the Special Region.
Kind of nervous posting this chapter, not sure if it'll be received well. I don't do good with heavy story beats like this and I'm afraid I might have done both too little and too much at the same time. Hopefully soon we can get back to our regularly scheduled violence, unless of course, y'all liked this slower pacing and more longer reads with less action.
I'm posting this the morning after a Thanksgiving party (At least y'all didn't have to wait a month this time). There was some turkey, there was some saké, and there was some karaoke... I hope it was as enjoyable for y'all as well. Hopefully without the pains of a nasty hangover come next morning...