CHAPTER 15

Author's Note: Happy New Year!

First of all, it's been months since I updated this story. I won't repeat the cliche like a broken record (work, real life, etc etc) so let's just say I'm glad to get back on track.
Second of all, this chapter marks a milestone of 200,000 words, the longest I've written since my college years. So I'm glad that I have been able to continue this story, although not in the pace that I would like.

If you're still following this story, thank you for your patience and continuing support. I still have a lot to tell, so stay tuned for more.


Kobe,
Solaris City, Solaris VII,
Freedom Theater, Lyran Alliance,
January 31, 3075

Noloty respected her crews' personal time during rest and relaxation. Their stay at Solaris VII was mainly for recharge before they plunged into another bloody conflict where some of them would die. Many ancient literatures suggested this ritual, where warriors spent their last nights indulging in hedonistic pleasures before going to battle. Somewhat this Solaris 'excapade' felt into that category.

But emergency situation needed aggressive countermeasure. Scarlet's life might hang in the balance, and if Noloty didn't act fast, it would be too late. Burgton suburb didn't allow battlemechs to run around the street, but there was no regulation against armored vehicles. For that, Kiyomi's men had stood at the ready. Three APCs, escorted by 3 Tokugawa tanks were already waiting outside the dropship, ready to roll on Noloty's command.

The soldiers, however, were still waiting for Tai-I Vash, who went AWOL in the last 2 days. Nobody knew where he went. Noloty ransacked his quarter, but there was no trace of him there for at least 2 days. Only by Keiichi's diligence that she found him at a ryokan at Kobe. Wasting no time, she hauled her ass, accompanied by Keiichi and her new bondsman Goltas.

"Tai-I Vash!" Noloty banged on the door. The ryokan receptionist originally refused to divulge Vash's rented cabin to protect the customer's privacy, but the sight of Goltas – with his faceplate and his large blade sticking out of belt – quickly changed his mind. "Tai-I Vash, we have an emergency situation. Get your ass out there and report to duty!"

As expected, her demand fell on deaf ears.

"You know, it is easier if you just call him," Keiichi suggested.

"You think it doesn't cross my mind the first time around?" Noloty groused. "Can you pick the lock?"

Keiichi already walked toward the door when Goltas moved in front of him. He put his 300+ on the door, which immediately flew open. Defying all protocols, Noloty barged in, and sure enough, Vash was lying on the bed, naked, with only a sheen of white sheet strategically covering his midsection. And as Noloty predicted, he was not alone, but not with the person she thought he would be. The pink-haired girl beside him – the newly recruited paramedic – yelped, mortified by Noloty's presence, then zipped toward the bathroom.

"You cost me a date," Vash calmly stated, as if Noloty's and Goltas' presence didn't bother him.

From his demeaning stare Noloty knew he had been ignoring her calls. She summoned all strength not to draw her wakizashi and slit Vash's throat with it. "Tai-I Vash, I know we don't always agree on things, but we have an emergency situation. Sho-sha Scarlet's life may be in danger, and I need you and your team to rescue Scarlet at Burgton."

"Look at you, bossing me around like the hero of Ashio," Vash rose from the bed and stood in front of Noloty, buck naked. "You're just an inexperienced, naïve young cadet out of boot camp. Your stint at Ashio was a farce, and the only reason Scarlet favores you over me, or Kiyomi, or other battle-hardened, more experienced warriors, is that because you are Tai-sa Sandokan's bitch."

"Tai-I Vash, I don't have time to play this game," Noloty tried to keep her head cool. Loosing composure in critical time like this would not get them anywhere. But she took a mental note of everything Vash said. There would be time when he had to stand behind his words. "We have to set aside our differences and work toward a common goal before it is too late for Scarlet."

"Sho-sha Scarlet is probably having fun with her Davion boy-toy," Vash folded his arms in front of his chest. "You know what I think? I think you're jealous that everybody's getting laid and you don't get any, so you're trying to ruin everybody's good time."

"I see where you stand in this matter," Noloty started to feel that she was wasting time. "I am putting together a team to raid Burgton, and I wish you would lead the raiding party. If you wish to vacant your place, I will see to it that your decision is reflected in your dossier."

"Is that a threat, Tai-I Noloty?"

"Is that supposed to be a threat? Do you feel threatened?"

"Bear in mind that you are the new fish in the big pond," Vash gritted his teeth. "I have served the Ryuken-go for as long as Scarlet, and the fact that you went from Heishi to Tai-I in just one campaign doesn't mean anything!"

"Briefing at 1800 tonight," Noloty was unfazed by Vash's intimidation. "I do hope you show up." She turned around, gave a nod at Goltas, then exited the room.

"Is that freebirth the commanding officer of your infantry unit?" Goltas growled. He stayed out of the conversation, but it was easy to see that he was close to losing control. His knuckles went white from clutching his fists hard. "You should have let me bust his skull!"

"Not now." Noloty stopped and turned toward her bondsman. "He's an asshole but he's a good soldier. I need him to lead the infantry, because nobody else can, and nobody else will. If he doesn't show up for the briefing," she paused, took a deep breath, and gave Goltas the grim stare, "then perhaps I'll give you the order."


Through the entire exchange between Noloty and Vash, Keiichi stayed outside the room. He heard every word, and he learnt that Vash had been sleeping with the Ryuken-go's new recruit. He hadn't met her before, but he knew that Risa recruited her. It stung him for a second, but then lit a lightbulb in his head for a payback, so he rushed back to the dropship.

Keiichi felt selfish and immature, to put his personal ambition ahead of Ryuken-go's critical situation. But Risa's wellbeing was more important than anything. In retrospect, Keiichi didn't know what kind of relationship Risa had with Vash. Whatever it was, Vash didn't give Risa much respect, and jumped ship as soon as another one was available. Risa deserved better. Besides, this was the only way Keiichi could get back to Vash for beating him senseless. He felt small for stabbing Vash in the back, but for a guy like Vash, perhaps he could make one exception.

At the dropship, Keiichi found Risa stuffing up a large duffle bag with medical supplies. She was a good medic, and knowing how busy she was, he was thinking of putting off his 'mission'. But Risa saw him and called him, and he just couldn't resist.

"We're preparing for a big mission," Risa chimed as she piled up supplies in her bag. "Tai-I Noloty said she found Scarlet, and she could be in danger. She wanted me to go on the mission to retrieve Scarlet. Burgton, is it? The location? I've never been in a military operation before, and this feels…" she sighed heavily, "… a little overwhelming. Perhaps I'm too far ahead of myself. Anyway, thanks for checking me out. I could use a friend for the moment, and somebody to talk to…"

Keiichi hesitated to go forward, but he didn't want to back down. "Risa, there's something you need to know…"

Risa's face immediately turned sour. "Oh no… something bad?"

"You know… Tai-I Vash, he's the CO of the infantry group. He's supposed to lead the troops for the raid. When we found him, he was uhm… you know, he was not alone. We found him in a hotel room with uhm… you know, the girl you just hired. Joy or something."

Risa stood dumbfounded, giving Keiichi a blank stare for almost a minute, then sat on the floor hugging her legs. She buried her face between her knees. "Ohh, I feel stupid."

"Hey, don't take this seriously," Keiichi sat next to her. Suddenly he regretted his decision. "Maybe they just had sex or something…"

Risa pulled up her head. "How's that supposed to make me feel better?!"

"I uh… I don't know…" Keiichi lost his train of thoughts. "I thought… well, obviously I'm not thinking. This is a mistake. I shouldn't have told you this stuff, especially in the advent of the big operation…" He started to get up. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to cause you pain…"

"No, no, I'm glad you told me," Risa grabbed Keiichi's arm and forced him to sit back down. "I need to know it. I've been living in this perfect world where I have my knight in shining armor leaving the darkness to share his life with me. I am not looking forward to it just yet, but I always wonder how beautiful it is to have somebody that I can call 'my own'. How fool I have been." She buried her face back between her knees.

"You're not a fool," Keiichi struggled to find words. "I'm the one to blame. My intention is not pure. I thought I could get back at Vash this way, but now I realize I only cause you pain." He knew Vash very well. Vash probably moved on with Joy in a heartbeat, but the scar in Risa would probably never heal. "I am sorry."

"There's no need to be sorry. I will find out about him, one way or the other. You just did the inevitable. And for all its worth, it's better now than later."

"It is?" Keiichi forced an awkward smile.

"He asked me if I would consider taking our relationship to a higher level, if he rescinded from his way with girls. I have not given him my answer." Risa gave Keiichi a soft, gentle look. "What happened if I had, then found out that he had not changed at all? Wouldn't it cut deeper wound? Wouldn't the agony be more painful?"

"I guess," Keiichi sighed.

"Don't think you hurt me," Risa held Keiichi's hand. "It hurts, but in a good way. Pain is what makes you stronger." She looked dreamily at dropships lifting off in the distance. "I know you act out of vengeance, so I won't thank you for telling me this. But you are honest, and for that, you have my gratitude. Thank you for being my friend."

Keiichi felt the world had been taken off his shoulder. "You are too good for Vash. You deserve better, somebody that see you with passion and respect. Somebody that would not hurt you. Somebody like…" he paused in hesitation, wondering if he should tell her what he wanted, but in the end decided some things were better left unsaid.

Risa smiled graciously. "Anybody would be lucky to have a friend like you. I know I am." She leaned sideways and kissed Keiichi on the cheek.

Keiichi felt like flying. His head throbbed trying to comprehend what just happened. There was this warm sensation surging through his body like nothing he had experienced before. His eyes tunneled down into a vast greyness. His bones lost their cohesiveness, and his stomach turned upside down. It took him several minutes to return to reality, and when all those sensations subsided, only a strange stiffness in his pants remained.

Lucky for him Risa didn't move anywhere. She just sat there in her own world, watching the dropships coming and going in the distance, oblivious to what took place to the guy next to her. The sting gradually subsided, which was a good sign.

"So ahem… how do you feel?" Keiichi asked.

"I don't know. I feel empty. Hollow. Numb. Tonight, I'l probably eat a lot of ice cream and cry myself to sleep. After that I will forget about all of these and continue preparing for the raid. I don't want to miss anything. After the raid, I will assess this situation and decide what I want to do with Vash and Joy."

"Would be awkward if you and Vash are in the same mission?" Keiichi asked clumsily. "Joy might be in there too, you know."

"I don't know, but I will act as professionally as I can. None of these are going to affect my performance on the field, and you can count on me on that one."

"Good to hear. I will probably stay behind, since no mechanics would be involved in the raid. I wish you good luck. And if you need anything," he rose and look at her in the earnest, "you can ask me. I don't guarantee I have the solution, but I will always be there for you."

"I appreciate it," Risa zipped her duffle bag and made some notes. "Now I have to run to the drug store. You can share ice cream with me when I get back."

Keiichi watched as the woman of his dream walk away. He followed her down the ramp of the dropship into the busy street of Solaris City. He didn't know what to think of himself. He felt accomplished and dejected at the same time. But whatever it was, Risa was happy with it. He waited until Risa disappeared into the crowd, then slowly trundled back to the mech bay.


The clock struck 8 pm at night and the security guards keyed in the main gate. The large steel door rumbled close to seal the battlemechs inside the main hangar. The foot-inch-thick door slammed onto the floor with authority. The security guards set the password sequence on, then turned off the console to call it a day.

"Long week," one of them chimed with much relief. "Lots of battlemechs to repair or salvage. VEST tournament is rough on battlemechs."

"I've seen worse," another one replied casually. "But the week is over. Go home and worry about things other than battlemechs. We'll have plenty of those when we come back next week."

"You still going to Cathay this weekend?"

"Yeah. Zuko Fen Wi versus Nako Toyuma. Banshee versus Fafnir. The Jungle would litter with mech parts. This is a match of the ages."

"I can see that happens. I wish I could go, but my girl is coming over. You have to know your priority, man!"

"Hell yeah, battlemechs can't stand a chance against a pair of boobs! You gotta do what you gotta do, right?"

The security guards traded jokes and banters as they walked toward their vehicles. They were almost reached their cars when four men in black coveralls jumped on them, swinging cudgels and batons at the guards. The guards were taken by surprise. They did their best to dodge the ambush but didn't stand a chance. A few strikes at their midsections knocked the wind out of them. They sloshed to the ground, wheezing and gagging.

The four shadows tied their hands behind their backs then dragged them to a boxcar. They pushed the guards inside then lock the car from the outside. One of shadows held a key card and proceeded to the hangar door. He activated the console then swiped the card to the slot. The screen lit up and showed a password input sequence.

The shadow pulled his black mask off, revealing himself to be Drake. "Bypass the password sequence!"

Another man drew a small transputter from his satchell. He hooked the transputter up to the door console and hit some numbers in quick succession. The console screen turned bright green following a successful beep, then the large thick door rumbled open.

Drake walked in and chuckled at the sight of two rows of battlemechs parked in perfect order.

"Makes you feel like a god, doesn't it?" one of the men in black chimed.

"If only we had these 3 months ago," Drake replied. "Alright, we've come this far. This is our chance. I want the four largest battlemechs on the Leopard in 30 minutes. Let's move them out!"

"Yes Sir!" The three other guys split up and ran toward battlemechs rows. Drake, however, had fixed his eyes on the wide, stocky shadow at the end of the row. The two massive gatling guns occupying the lower half of its arms gave him goosebumps. He had never seen anything like it, but he didn't care. Firepower is all he cared.

"You're coming with me, Pretty Boy!" Drake murmured as he walked cockily toward the big shadow at the corner. As he walked past the mech, he could see the barrels of the autocannons were bigger than his arms. He climbed up the platform to get to the cockpit, then slid in. He sat on the command seat, almost twice the size of the Hunchback he piloted the other day. His mind raced, thinking of the Davion mercenaries fidgeting on their command couches, watching those multi-barreled cannons spit fire like a twin dragon. With a big smile on his face he pressed the start button.

The next thing Drake saw was a big great white light.