CHAPTER 17
Author's Note: This chapter contains materials intended for mature audiences. Readers discretion is advised.
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Ryuken-go Base Camp, Halstead City,
Halstead Station, Ashio Prefecture,
Dieron Military District, Draconis Combine,
June 24, 3074
Sho-sa Scarlet hadn't seen her troops in 4 months, and she expected to see them battered, bruised, and bloodied, after a short and brutal engagement with Capellan units. The Liaos were notorious in war of attrition through stealth, deception, and ambush, who would break morale of the opposing units. That was the reason she sent them to fight them at Davion territory, to beef up their physical and mental toughness, aside from doing Major Fernandes a favor.
She didn't expect to see them, battered bruised, bloodied, and still in high spirit.
"Dieron newsfeed stated that Ryuken-go mission was a success," she began her monologue. "The Redfield Renegades are leaving Federated Suns space. MFA indicates that the 1st Federated Suns Armored Cavalry is very pleased with your performance. They sent in their recommendation, and commendation, to Dieron Military District." She gave Kayoko a quick nod. "Good work, Ryuken-go. You have brought honor for the Draconis Combine.
"That mini campaign to Capellan March is a prelude to the real one we will be undertaking. Dieron Military District will send Ryuken-go to relieve Ashio. As you all know, the Word of Blake is eyeing Ashio Prefecture, and they hired a mercenary unit Markham's Marauders to invade the planet. Ashio's planetary defense and the 16th Sun Zhang Cadre have been demolished to the last mechwarrior.
"I'm just gonna tell you now: we are going to fight a very dangerous enemy. If you think the Capellan was tough, it is but a pale shadow of what is waiting for you at Ashio. Some of you have heard about the Marhkam's Marauders. It's a mercenary unit reknown for its ruthlessness. Past campaigns like Aurigan Reach and Chaos March spoke volumes about their approaches towards winning."
Noloty closed her eyes as the horror of Ashio came back like a tidal wave.
"You were there, weren't you?" Kayoko spoke under her breath. Her voice was barely audible, but Noloty caught the anxiety. "You've seen them before. What 'approach' is Scarlet talking about?"
"They struck civilians for sport."
"Goddamn animals," Kayoko sighed.
"But you're trained in the finest regimen in the Inner Sphere," Scarlet carried on. "There is nothing, absolutely nothing, that you cannot do. This enemy will throw bombs and shells and bullets into our midst like nothing you have not seen before. Yet we will stand tall and return fire, bombs for bombs, missiles for missiles, mechs for mechs! We will come to Ashio and kick their asses, because we are Kuritans, and the Inner Sphere is not large enough for Kuritans and Word of Blake!"
The Ryuken-go replied in a train of war chants.
"We'll leave in 3 weeks. You have been training hard, but you will train harder. You will use every resource Halstead Station has to offer to turn yourself into killing machines, because that is the only way you can survive this campaign. I want you to be combat ready by the time we reach Ashio. Starting tomorrow, all weekend passes are revoked."
Scarlet's last remark was met with murmurs of disappointment.
"You can screw yourselves with booze and hoes whenever we return, but if you are not prepared, there won't even be booze and hoes for you when you're dead! Tai-I Seether will set up training schedules. Physicals in the morning, simpods in the afternoon, and strategic maneuvers at night. Now dismiss!"
The Ryuken-go went about their ways in grumbles when Scarlet's voice sorted through the babbles, "Heishi Noloty!"
"Yes, Ma'am!" Noloty answered with a salute.
"Major Fernandes told me about your heroics at Mesartim," Scarlet said with an unusually gentle tone. "He means a lot to me, and I really appreciate you pulling him out of Capellan's teeth."
"Just doing my job, Ma'am," Noloty downplayed her exploit, but she could feel her chest swell.
"You did a hell of a job as an intern. Therefore I am promoting you to full member of Ryuken-go. You will serve in the Command Lance, directly under my command. I want you to be my bodyguard. Keep me away from enemy's flanking attack while I'm directing the rest of the troops. I also authorize Chu-I Keiichi to use Ryuken-go's assets to bring your mech up to speed."
"It's uh… it's an honor, Ma'am," now Noloty couldn't contain her smile.
"I expect big things from you, Heishi," Scarlet turned away from her. "Don't make me regret it."
"I will not disappoint you, Ma'am!" Noloty grinned from ear to ear. Things were going in the up-and-up.
Halstead Hilton, Halstead City,
Halstead Station, Ashio Prefecture,
Dieron Military District, Draconis Combine,
June 24, 3074
Four hours later, Noloty sprawled naked in in the afterglow, fading in and out at the edge of paradise. Her hair was in total disarray, and her brown skin glistened with sweat. Her chest undulated in spasmodic fashion as her breaths came in gasps. Her lungs felt like burning. Her mouth was dry, and her voice hoarse. Her eyes were closed shut, yet brilliant colors danced in her vision, as if a barrage of missiles exploded inside her head. Her muscles quivered in pain and pleasure. Her toes cramped from scrunching for a long time, and her knuckles were white as she grasped the satin bedsheet. An assortment of incoherent moans, grunts, whimpers, and sobs escaped her mouth, a homage to the job well done.
"How are you feeling?" Tsagoi chuckled next to her. "You sure are thirsty."
"Don't… don't tease me," Noloty found little energy to muster, then rolled over to the other side, exposing her bare back at her brawny loverboy.
"It's a compliment," Tsagoi propped his head with his right hand and caressed her back with the other hand, flitting from the nape of her neck to the small of her back. The sheen of sweat helped his fingers glided smoothly on her chaffed skin. "You have a gift."
"Of what?" Noloty blurted between pantings.
"Letting go. Few women can."
"Noo…" she buried her face on the pillow. "I feel like a whore."
"There's nothing wrong with getting mired in the heat of the moment," Tsagoi slid forward to spoon her. "I'm flattered you shared your most intimate moments with me. All eight of them."
Noloty laughed heartily. His body felt warm on her back, giving her the feeling of comfort inside a cocoon. "I did nothing. You did all the work. I haven't been with someone with your… uhm, caliber, before."
"Is that so?" Tsagoi playfully nibbled on her earlobe. "What do you think of it?"
"It's uh… it's amazing," she sighed, as a wave of pleasure washed over her. "I never felt like this before. Nobody touched me the way you did."
She wasn't exaggerating. She was no 'virgin' to intense coupling, but nobody had done it with such skill, stamina, and determination. It didn't hurt that everything was wrapped up in an oversized 'package' that stood fast for well over an hour. The intensity overwhelmed her to the point of passing out. She didn't recollect every detail. She just remembered a lot of thrashing, a lot of convulsing, and a lot of screaming, as she could scarcely keep from driven to insanity. But it was hard not to, and she could do little more than to endure.
"You're amazing," Tsagoi butterfly-kissed her shoulder. "Your sincerity, I can feel it in the throes of passion. A rare gem in our world, dominated by deceit and death."
His lips sent tingles through her body. But she remembered her duties, and she painfully tried to flinch, although she didn't do a good job at that. "Tsagoi-kun, you're going to make it hard for me to do my job."
"What are you speaking of?" Tsagoi retreated back to his space. "Regret?"
"No, no, no, that's not what I'm saying," Noloty turned to look Tsagoi deep in his eyes. "I love making love with you. You're… you're… you're…" her face turned red and her lips curled into a small smile, "you're the best lover I've ever had. But I am going to Ashio in three weeks. I may stay there for a long time. I may not even survive." She closed her eyes, holding back tears. "I didn't want to get emotionally involved with someone because of this reason. I let my guard down for you because I really really… really like you. And now I'm scared."
"We choose this life," Tsagoi snuggled closer and gave her a gentle kiss on her cheek. "We are warriors. We are in death business. Our lives are short. I realize that this maybe the only time we are together, and I don't want to let it slip without being with you. I don't want to get emotionally tangled with just any hot chick, but with you, I'll make the exception, even for just one night."
"I uh… I didn't think of it that way," Noloty sighed. She rubbed the sole of her feet on Tsagoi's rough shins. The coarse patch of hair and scars felt invigorating on her delicate skin. "I just want to stay like this forever."
"I know. I want it too," Tsagoi's hand sneaked between her arms to cup her breast. "But I don't have the future. I only have now, and if I don't have you, I'll regret it for the rest of my life."
Noloty giggled again. She could see his point. She might not survive Ashio, and even if she did, he might not survive his next deployment. She had her love live cut short but death before, and she was not ready to go through another heartbreak. Especially when she felt very strongly about the man. But what kind of life she had if she didn't take a chance?
"So what do you call 'us'?" Noloty brought Tsagoi's hand to her face and kissed it. "What level of 'relationship' are we having?"
"I don't use pet names for everything," Tsagoi caressed her cheek. "You can call 'us' anything and I'll go with it."
"Can I call you boyfriend?"
"Sure," Tsagoi chuckled. "Have it anyway you like."
"Kayoko's head will explode if she hears it," Noloty let out a soft mirth. "Watashi No Kare wa Mechwarrior."
"I'm glad you have entertainment out of it," Tsagoi put his hand back on her breast. The feeling of her warm, juicy flesh on his palm got his engine rolling, and his hips started to move involuntary. "Let me show you what a boyfriend does to his girlfriend."
Noloty felt his advance and it made her nervous. She could barely keep up with him the first time. Now, with her body completely drained, she was afraid she wouldn't be able to move the next day, when Scarlet expected her to be at her best. "How come you still want it?" she put her hand on his hips to slow him down.
"Hey, you had eight. I only got one. That's not fair." His breath was hot in her shoulder.
"That's not my fault! You're soooo… good," Noloty summoned all energy she knew remained to resist his advance, but she knew she wouldn't be able to hold back.
"It is your fault. You're cute when you cum. I've got to have it again," Tsagoi kissed her deeply on her lips, "and again," he ran his tongue along her jaw line, "and again," he mashed his lips at the juncture where her neck met her shoulder, "and again," he pecked her collarbone, then moved southward toward her breasts. He took hold of one between his lips.
"Ohhh God…" Noloty was dizzy with pleasure, but she still had enough resistance. She tangled her fingers on Tsagoi's lush black hair, hoping to put some senses on him. "Tsagoi-kun, I have training tomorrow. Lots of training. Please have mercy."
Tsagoi propped his body up to hover above hers, avoiding contact. "Do you want to stop?"
Noloty fought to find the will to say it, but she couldn't. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. She just looked at him for a long time, until he got her cue and went back down, covering her body with his warmth. He mashed his lips on hers, pouring his emotion on her. And Noloty accepted it. She wrapped her arms around him, tracing his endowed musculatures and scars with her fingers. She felt his mast started to rise, and she held him close, making sure she had a good grip on him because she knew she would lose all contact with reality.
Scarlet would be so disappointed on her, but it was tomorrow's problem.
END OF BOOK III
Translation:
Watashi No Kare wa Mechwarrior: My Boyfriend is A Mechwarrior, a reference to Macross' signature song My Boyfriend is A Pilot by Lynn Minmay
