Interlude 25: The Wages of Fear

I sit near my prototype Gekka, cleaning my glasses. Six months. It seems so long ago, that the world made sense. That the JLF was the last hope of Japan. That Clovis was Viceroy. That Zero...didn't exist yet.

I frown as I look around the base, seeing the pale faces of people passing. Britannians. Tch.

冗談じゃないよ。 (Don't make me laugh.)

As if we can trust the people who stole our country from us. They're all depraved lunatics. Thieves and perverts, taking everything they can get their hands on.

The worst part, is that my fellow Japanese are okay with this! I've tried for some time now, to convince people. To show them the truth, to wake them up to how we're being exploited.

Zero isn't some grand hero of justice, some mythical samurai hero come to life.

He's just a Britannian opportunist. Exploiting my people for his own ambitions.

I spoke with Tohdoh-dono regarding what we should do awhile, before the changes to the command structure was announced. And when I inquired if we could expect him to command from an equal position with Zero?

"Asahina, do not mistake our allying with him for equality. That man recognizes me as an kindred soul, a trusted advisor. But we are not equals. And challenging the Demon King for his crown is not only foolhardy, we would be slaughtered to a man for it. Katase made the mistake of trying to use him as a cat's-paw, and paid dearly for it. I have no intention of following the same path."

Holding my tongue there, not letting my face show what it meant to have our pride trampled into the dirt...That was one of the hardest things I've ever done.

Tohdoh-dono doesn't see it. The path to victory that Zero is making...

There's no place in it for Japan.

He cares nothing for our culture, our history, for that which makes us Japanese!

How fitting that he would take up the title of the man who would have ruined this country, had he not been struck down for his demonic ambitions.

織田信長、大六天魔王、日本の破壊者。 (Oda Nobunaga, Demon King of the Sixth Heaven, the Destroyer of Japan.)

Zero is the exact same kind of madman, a monster who will tear apart everything that we have worked so hard to preserve from foreign influence.

I grit my teeth as some of the newer Black Knights walk by, rowdy and cheering at our oh-so-glorious leader.

Burakumin filth. That alone should have set everyone against Zero. This goes against the very heart of being Japanese. Letting the unclean and tainted like them associate with us, the pure and proud sons of the Rising Sun?!

Instead they cheer him on, or cower before his baleful gaze!

If only...if only Yoshino had succeeded...

Why? Why did Colonel Tohdoh back Zero? Why did Kyoto kneel before a Britannian? Why doesn't anyone else see that he's using us as pawns?

Lord Yoshino, though, he understood. He saw what I did. That Zero would throw us to the meat grinder and laugh as our blood is spilled for his insanity.

That's why I backed his coup. Why I let him into our base, why I had helped sow dissent and whispers of mutiny in the ranks.

Handing control over everything to Zero? That could not have come about through honest means. Zero must have held a knife to their throats and forced their cooperation.

The thing that sets me on edge...that makes me jump at shadows...

Every time I've looked at him since, I swear Zero has been looking at me.

From Yoshino's grisly execution, to the speech he gave after, even when he killed Minister Sawazaki by Goemon-buro...

I felt a chill run up my spine, as though the Shinigami was watching me... (Death God)

But it's been almost a month since. And I haven't heard a single word or been asked anything.

There's no way he could have found out. I made sure our communications were private and that no one saw us.

At this point, I should be in the clear. And once we have Japan back?

Perhaps my countrymen won't be so eager to march off for Zero's ludicrous ambition of destroying Britannia...

"Asahina!"

I turn to see the colonel standing at attention, every bit the proud leader. Even if he is wearing Black Knights colors, instead of our Japanese Liberation Front green.

"Sir?" I say as I stand to attention.

Tohdoh frowns as he looks me in the eye. His gaze every bit the proud samurai that exemplifies the best of what the JLF stood for.

"I need to speak with you privately about a mission, please follow me."

I salute and walk after him as we head to one of the offices. I would follow my Colonel into Naraku itself. Because that's the kind of loyalty and honor a man like that deserves.

これは義理。 (Such is Duty.) The ideal that speaks to the still-beating heart of Japan. Duty to something higher than oneself, forsaking personal desire and ambition for the sake of the group, for the sake of the country.

The polar opposite of 人情 (personal desire), that which only benefits oneself, that which is selfish and self-serving.

I smirk to myself as I step through the threshold. In other words?

The ideal of Britannia.

I look around the darkened room, wondering why we're meeting with the lights out. Surely the Colonel isn't playing a practical joke of some kind?

Regardless, I stand ready to do my part to bring back Japan.

...Isn't someone going to turn on the lights?

"Colonel? What's going on?"

This is rather beyond a jo—

I blink, closing my eyes momentarily as the lights flash back on.

When my vision is restored, I look around. Standard briefing room, table with displays built in, chairs, water cooler.

Ah, there's the Colonel, standing right by the other end of the table, a seat turned around next to...him...

I break into a cold sweat as the chair slowly turns around to reveal Zero, one leg crossed over the other, head leaning on his arm, the picture of a devil reclining.

Rather than address me, he snaps his fingers, which causes the table display to activate...and words I never would have believed I'd hear again spill forth...

"You can see for yourself that he is a madman, yes?"

Oh god...no...

"Obviously, but what can I do about it? He has the Black Knights enslaved to him, and the JLF is broken by his hand and Cornelia's. There is no other place to turn to."

HOW?! HOW COULD HE HAVE—?!

"The situation isn't as hopeless as you think. I'm in contact with friends who may be able to help us with our current dilemma."

I made sure we were alone! This is impossible!

"Friends? Lord Yoshino, my first loyalty is to Colonel Tohdoh. I will not turn against him, even for the promise of aid."

That look...the look of disdain on my Colonel's face...

"Former Defense Minister Sawazaki has secured aid from the Chinese Federation to help us in reclaiming our homeland. Originally, we were going to merge this force with the JLF, but..."

A brilliant plan. A two-pronged attack that would have enabled us to throw Britannia out of the country.

Zero snorts as he lights one of those disgusting drug cigarettes of his, breathing out smoke.

"I'm starting to regret lauding the man as a patriot after I killed him."

I grind my teeth as he blows a cloud of smoke out, does his foul nature know no limits, to further disparage a man he already butchered?

Tohdoh looks at him with a sigh, "It was your idea to praise the man after his execution, Zero. Do not try to blame anyone else for it."

"I see. So if Zero can be eliminated?"

"Then, Lieutenant Asahina, I can guarantee further support and Tohdoh's position as leader of the Black Knights assured."

Zero gives out a mocking laugh as he taps ash out into a metal bowl on the table.

"Ha, ha ha ha. You and I both know, Kyoshiro, that I did that for expediency and because I didn't need to deal with factionalism."

"I will do my best to sway the other Holy Swords, but I cannot guarantee that Tohdoh will support this course. Is Kyoto willing to depose Zero?"

That was the original plan. Remove Zero's command, replace him with the Colonel, and then use the combined Black Knights forces alongside the Federation invasion force to push Britannia out, and thereby negotiate for Japan's return.

"I have every confidence they can made to see reason. With the rest of the rebel groups coming under the banner of Tohdoh Kyoshiro, we will be able to meet the Chinese as equals and—"

Zero firmly hits a button, stopping the recording.

"I do not need to hear any more of that shit, not when I'm up to my neck in dealing with bullshit right now."

Zero stands up, and I feel my heart skip a beat as he seems to look inside my heart...and is displeased by what he finds.

"At this point, Asahina? I'm fucking done dealing with this garbage. Between the open treason and your being one of the ones stirring up this burakumin nonsense?"

He draws out a pistol slowly, and then throws it at me lazily.

I catch the gun, giving him a flat stare in return.

"I should kill you myself, but instead I demand you splatter your empty skull and the contents therein right here and now."

What?! He thinks I would commit seppuku FOR HIM?!

...I could kill him. Right here and now. It would only take one bullet to the heart.

...No. My colonel is right there beside him. And besides, what would be the point?

I put my glasses down on the table and stare directly at his eyes.

"許してくれ、藤堂大佐。日本万歳。" (Forgive me, Colonel Tohdoh. Long Live Japan.)

I grimace, ready for the bullet...

But all I hear is the empty click of the trigger.

"Well, I'll be goddamned. He actually did it. おめでとう、鏡志朗。" (Congrats, Kyōshirō.)

My colonel...is smiling at me? And Zero is seemingly radiating smugness as he sits back down? What?

何でしょか?! (What is this?!)

Zero sighs as he leans back in his chair.

"Do you really think I can spare a pilot of your caliber, Asahina Shogo? Believe me when I say, if Tohdoh himself had not asked me to give you a chance? I'd have strangled your treasonous hide with your own intestines," he snarls out, fist tightening in suppressed anger.

Given what I've seen of the man, that is not an idle threat. Even for a Britannian, Zero has a talent for horrific executions.

"So we were at an impasse. Thus, a test would be administered. One that would determine your fate."

A test? I don't unders—...

I feel the icy grip of terror as something that wasn't there before gently takes the gun from my hand and walks with absolute silence to stand on Zero's other side.

Tohdoh sighs and then looks me in the eye.

"Had you attempted to turn the gun on Zero? Yuki-onna would have taken your head before you could finish aiming it."

The pale white armor almost glows in the fluorescent lighting, the female mask nodding in agreement with the statement.

"Of course, you could also have refused. In which case, Asahina, I would drag you out and publicly mutilate you before killing you," Zero says in a tone that is frighteningly casual, even for a veteran soldier like myself.

Tohdoh smiles at me, and I wonder what happened to the man I have followed all these years.

"But I disagreed. I know you to be a man of duty and courage, Asahina Shogo. And I said that you would choose an honorable death rather than disgrace."

He looks to Zero and nods his head as the masked man shrugs, relighting his cigarette.

"And by choosing to die as a soldier and proving my assessment of your character correct? Zero will adhere to my request and give you a chance to reclaim your honor."

The shinobi hands over a file, expressionless mask still radiating killing intent.

I will give Zero this much credit, he has an eye for talent.

I put my glasses back on, opening up the file. Plans of the city underground? Ship complement at the Francis Drake naval base at Tokyo Harbor?

Before I can say a word, Zero holds up a hand to forestall questions.

"As I said, I cannot spare pilots of your caliber. So instead? I'm giving you a very important high-risk mission."

He walks around the desk, taking the file from my hand and spreading out the paperwork.

"The short answer is that I realized I fucked up in my own plans to hit Tokyo, and forgot to account for the surface-to-ground missile bombardment we'd face from the Francis Drake naval base and shipyards. Luckily, I realized the mistake in time to correct our battle plans."

He points to a picture of an Imperial battleship, moored in dry dock.

"Obviously, we can't let Cornelia retain these assets; we don't have the anti-missile coverage necessary to weather that kind of assault. The problem is that I didn't have a CO I could throw at this who was willing to take command, and the base defenses are formidable."

He looks me in the eye, and I have the feeling of a ferocious Oni licking its jaws in anticipation of bloodshed...

"And just when I'm pondering this, I recall a certain Holy Sword who is only too willing to do his duty, even it means going into the lion's den."

The colonel's hawk like gaze closes as Zero gestures dramatically.

"Your mission will be to destroy as many of ships capable of bombardment as possible. You will be attacking the front gates to distract the garrison, while at the same time a crack squad of Portmans will be blowing the hulls of as many ships as they can. Focus on taking down the larger ships; the cruisers and destroyers won't have the range to be a threat to our main force."

This is definitely not a mission for the faint of heart. Even I am dubious about my chances of attacking a fortified naval base. At the same time, the soldier in me acknowledges that Zero is correct and that the naval assets there are a threat to our forces.

Zero taps his fingers on the desk before turning towards me, one hand closing the folder.

"Understand this, Asahina. You have been given a chance to restore your honor only by the grace of your own actions and Tohdoh's own speaking on your behalf."

Zero grabs the lapels of my uniform looking down at me with what I can only feel is a demonic gaze.

"You cannot refuse this mission. This is your one and only chance to redeem yourself. If you attempt to turn me down? I will BREAK YOU."

I gulp at the raw malice in his voice.

"I will see you broken before me, your reputation and everything you hold dear, ruined. You will die only when I permit you to, and no sooner," he proclaims, walking back to his seat.

I look to the colonel to see his expression... only to behold a man looking as though he was facing a condemned prisoner.

"I do not care if you die on this mission, only that you give it your all. But know this. Should you succeed? I will forgive your treason and speak no more of it. Your honor as a soldier, and a Black Knight in the service of justice, shall be redeemed."

Damn that man. Damn everything. I should never have sided with Yoshino. Everything has gone straight to hell since then.

But? I have no choice. And ultimately, as much as I hate Zero...I hate Britannia more.

"Mission acknowledged, Sir. I will do my best for my country."

Zero snorts at that, "You will do so for Justice and for your master Tohdoh. I know you well enough to know that we will never get along. However? We can at least work together for the greater good."

The ninja holds out a lighter as Zero puffs on his cigarette, blowing smoke upwards.

"And ultimately, we both get what we want. You get your country, free from Britannia. I get the basis of an army to ensure that freedom and to obliterate Britannia once and for all. And you know full well that I am right, and I am your only true hope of ever having freedom again," the devil pronounces like a sentence handed down from Enma-oh in Hell.

I can do nothing against him, not anymore. It tears at my heart and everything I believe in. Unfortunately, he's entirely correct. There is no hope besides fighting in his service.

Zero ashes the cigarette, making a salute, " 天下布武、朝比奈くん、" (Tenka Fubu, Asahina-kun,) his voice mocking as he puffs out a cloud from the hole in his mask.

I return the salute, not even bothering at this point to hide my dislike for this beast in human form.

"日本万歳、" I reply curtly, turning on my heel to leave as his venomous laughter at my response resounds behind me. (Long live Japan.)

Damn you, Zero...