CHAPTER 13:

PREPARATIONS

Tyuule frowned at the weapon she was handed by Anakin. "What is this?"

"A rocket launcher. Specifically, the Japanese call it a Panzerfaust-3," Anakin said. "It fires a missile that is capable of penetrating the armour of one of their tanks, the armoured wagons you saw. It went through the arm of a Flame Dragon with ease."

Tyuule's eyes widened comically. "What in Emroy's name…?" They were in the armoury of the base, as they were training those coming on the mission how to use rocket launchers. After hearing that Anakin was going, Tyuule insisted on coming as well. She may have convinced Delilah, but she didn't feel safe in Alnus away from Anakin or Itami. She turned to Lelei. "Does he speak the truth?"

The stoic blue-haired mage nodded. "I believe the basic principle is that the rocket has an explosive chemical around a hollow, inverted cone of metal. The explosive turns the metal cone into a jet of molten metal that travels faster than sound. I saw one in action when the Flame Dragon attacked the refugee convoy leaving Coda."

Tyuule paled. "No wonder Rory the Reaper loves it here. The JSDF must seem like Emroy's ideal soldiers."

"The JSDF are actually not the largest army on the world on the other side of the Gate," Lelei said. "In fact, the JSDF are technically not an army, but a self-defence force. Larger armies are held by the likes of China, the United States of America, India, and Russia, amongst other countries. What's more, apparently there have been no less than two world-spanning conflicts on Earth, at least of a conventional sort. The last one ended several decades ago with the usage of something called a nuclear weapon."

"A what?" Tyuule asked.

"Nuclear weapons work based on nuclear reactions," Anakin explained. "The upshot is, if you turn solid matter into energy…there's a lot of energy."

"Yes," Lelei said. "A scientist on Earth called Albert Einstein expressed it as E equals MC squared. That is, the energy released is equivalent to the mass accelerated to the speed of light. A single gram of matter turned into energy could destroy most if not all of Sadera with ease. The first and only uses of nuclear weapons on Earth during war were actually on Japan. They were, at the time, belligerents in that world-spanning war."

"Yeah, it was a very dark chapter of our history," Itami remarked, coming over. "We're trying to be better than that, though. Hey, Anakin, are there any bans on nukes in the Republic?"

"Yes. Not that it's stopped some people from using them," Anakin said.

"That sounds horrific," Tyuule said with a grimace.

"Nukes aren't pretty. Not only do they cause a lot of destruction, they cause what we call radiation sickness," Itami said. "We don't have any nukes in Japan, thankfully…but there's still way too many nukes back home on Earth. Now, Yao's apparently been given some basic training into handling these things. Now, it may seem redundant given that this is a weapon, but safety is paramount. What you're handling is very dangerous."

"I've no doubt if it could go through the armour of a Flame Dragon," Tyuule said. "But what about Anakin's lightsaber?"

"The damned thing's scales are too tough. I could probably burn through it if I had time, but the Flame Dragon wasn't giving me a chance to do so," Anakin said. "It's like Mandalorian armour."

"What's Mandalorian armour?" Itami asked.

"The Mandalorians are a famous warrior people from Mandalore," Anakin said. "Amongst their claims to fame are that they have a long history of conflict with the Jedi. You'd know their armour if you saw it…"

After they finished the lessons on how to use the rocket launchers, they had some time before they set off to where the Flame Dragon was currently holed up. Tyuule and Anakin were walking side by side. Eventually, the albino Bunny Warrior asked, "Anakin…why did you do that? Save me, I mean?"

"…A few reasons, I guess. I had this feeling for a while that Zorzal had lied about what you did, and when I saw you in the throne room, I knew it was true. And I also thought…we were rescuing Noriko…but what about you? Plus, as I said, I've been a slave myself. I wasn't a sex slave, Watto and Garulla the Hutt may have treated me badly at times, but even they had some standards. In a way…I thought of my mother, who's still a slave under Watto. And there was another thing. Remember Padme?"

"The human with you, the one who wasn't Japanese?"

"Yeah. She was Queen of Naboo…and like with your people, she was attacked, Naboo invaded. I saw you, and I thought…that could have been her, had the Trade Federation won."

"You must care for her."

"I guess I do, though this was the first time we've met each other for years. But she made an impression on me. She's not Queen now, Naboo elects their queens. So she's now the Republic's de facto ambassador to this world and Earth, at least until a more permanent arrangement can be made. Anyway…I saw what she could have become if the Trade Federation had won in you. No doubt the Jedi will take some sort of issue with it."

"Why?"

"Because they're a bunch of boring hidebound dinosaurs who believe emotional suppression is the same thing as detachment and objectivity."

The voice came from Rory, who had skipped up to their side. Anakin shot her an irritated glance. "Rory…"

"Hey, it's the truth…from a certain point of view," Rory said, before she looked at Tyuule. "Anakin, supposedly, is the Chosen One, according to a prophecy. The Jedi take children from a young age who are Force sensitive to raise as Jedi…but Anakin was accepted at an older age than usual. That, plus the whole Chosen One malarkey, puts more pressure on him."

"…Then I suppose we have a little more in common than I thought," Tyuule said quietly. "I did not ask to be Queen of my people, and especially not at the age I gained it. And then, I had to face the greatest crisis my people had faced for many years. I wasn't strong enough, to my eternal shame."

"…But you lived, you endured," Anakin said. "You endured things nobody should have to…and you're still sane. You were willing to sacrifice yourself for your people, to endure all that…you're stronger than you claim."

"Don't butter me up," Tyuule said with a scowl. "I lived only for revenge. I swore my own oaths to Palapon, Emroy and Deldorot, to bring down Zorzal and the Empire."

"Emroy would understand," Rory said reassuringly. "Palapon would too, as there are other ways of taking revenge, and Deldorot knows that a compact broken by the well-meaning actions of another is not an oath betrayed, merely an oath invalidated. Besides, everyone here wishes to see Zorzal brought low. And the Empire will soon be humbled, not by force of military arms, but by the knowledge that they have been so…small-minded. That worlds upon worlds exist out there, many with technology that could wipe out life here."

"What do the gods think?" Tyuule asked.

"Well, Emroy is drooling at all the weapons they have, and I daresay Hardy is laughing at the chaos they bring," Rory said. "Can't say much about the other deities, though I'm sure they're wary of the technology they bring. Still, I'm sure that if their faiths spread to the stars, then they would overcome their qualms. Then again, I can't say I know the thoughts of all the deities of Mondas. Still…I can't wait to get my hands on a blaster."

"A what?" Tyuule asked.

"They're like those pistols you saw in the armoury," Anakin said. "But instead of firing a metal projectile, they fire a bolt of plasma, a bit like an intense beam of light or fire contained."

"Like your lightsaber…only, it's like an arrow instead of a blade," Tyuule mused, before looking upwards. "What wonders and horrors there must be beyond the sky."

"Too many horrors," Anakin said quietly. "That is why we Jedi exist, to keep the peace, to ensure justice is done…but we can't be everywhere at once, not in such a vast galaxy, even with hyperdrives. That's probably why we haven't stumbled across Mondas or Earth until now." But then, he smiled. "But there are still many wonders. The Jedi Temple on Coruscant is a thing of elegance. Naboo is very much like this world, with spectacular natural beauty. And while Tatooine was a bleak, harsh landscape…seeing a twin sunset is something I actually miss."

"Two suns?" Tyuule murmured to herself. "…One day, I'd like to see that…"

Soon, the 3rd Recon Team, plus their tagalongs, were ready to go. Aside from the JSDF, this meant Anakin, Lelei, Rory, Tuka, Yao, and Tyuule. It was a small group, but air support would be coming up as well, just in case things got really hairy.

As they left in a pair of jeeps for the Roldolm Valley, Anakin looked at the others. Yao, of course, was fighting for her home. Rory tagged along as was her wont to do, like a cat that had adopted its owners. Tuka was fighting for revenge for her village being destroyed, including the death of her father. Lelei was formulating new spells that could be of use against the Flame Dragon, and Anakin was sure that she wanted to stop the beast that nearly killed those in Coda.

And Tyuule?

"So, why exactly do you want to come with us, Tyuule?" Itami asked, looking back at the albino Bunny Warrior. "I mean, I can understand you not wanting to be alone in Alnus, and not all of your people are going to be as understanding as Delilah. But we have protective custody for that. But…coming to face a Flame Dragon? It's a dangerous mission."

Tyuule closed her eyes. "…Perhaps it's because I want a purpose in my life again. Tell me…why do you think I bothered staying alive? If I had an opportunity, I could have found any number of ways to commit suicide. I could have even done so by killing Zorzal, and then allowing myself to be killed by his guard. But no. He made me suffer, and my people suffer as well. He brought down our kingdom, scattered the survivors across Falmart…those who weren't enslaved."

"You swore revenge," Rory said quietly. "…You wanted him to suffer before he died."

"I wanted to find a way to bring the Empire he intended to rule crashing down around his ears," Tyuule sneered. "And when his dreams were in…ashes…only then would I give him permission to die."

"…Did you just quote Bane?" Itami asked, only to get blank looks from the others. "Never mind. Still…you wanted to bring down the entire Empire? I mean, I get where you're coming from. Nobody should have to go through the shit you had to. But there's plenty of decent people in the Empire. The people of Coda Village, Italica, Princess Pina Co Lada…would they deserve to suffer because of what that Roman Joffrey Lannister knockoff did to you and your people?"

Tyuule scowled, but said, "It doesn't matter now, anyway. And who is Joffrey Lannister?"

"Huh. Right, you guys don't have Game of Thrones. Then again, maybe I shouldn't have you watch it. It could trigger you, bring back bad memories," Itami mused. "Then again, I'm more of a Nasuverse or Berserk kind of guy when it comes to dark fantasy. Though I much prefer Mei Com to either."

On Tyuule's bemused look, Lelei said, "He speaks of the stories of his world. They use books of both print and artwork, the latter known as manga or comics, as well as recordings of live performances called television or movies, or moving artwork known as anime. We witnessed some of these storytelling ways, known as media, when we visited Japan."

Rory snickered. "They certainly got Pina Co Lada and Bozes Co Palesti's attention with yaoi manga."

"Yaoi?" Tyuule asked.

"Well, when a man loves a man very much…"

"Ah. I think I get the picture," Tyuule said, a faint smile touching her lips. "…But my point is…I shouldn't complain about being rescued, true…but my life had been focused on finding a means to take revenge on Zorzal. I am sure the JSDF can put paid to him eventually, true, but…I need another purpose in life now."

Anakin looked at her in a horrified realisation. "You didn't expect to live past Zorzal, did you?"

"Not for long, no," Tyuule agreed. "I had nothing else to live for. My people despise me, my kingdom was in ruins, my body…" Her voice caught in her throat.

Mari Kurokawa, who was riding with them, grimaced, before she looked over at Itami. "Remind me, why exactly did we let that bastard of a prince stay alive?"

"In a word, diplomacy," Itami said. "I mean, I lost my temper, I'll admit, and badly. But if I had killed him, we might have had to fight our way out of there, and the peace talks would have gone down the toilet. Thank God Sugawara was there to smooth things over. Still…Tyuule…I promise you, one day, he will pay in full for what he did to you and your people."

"Indeed he will. Hmm…I wonder if that woman, Sergeant Kuribayashi, would like to brainstorm some ideas?" Then, the former queen frowned in concern. "The girl, Noriko…will she be all right?"

"Physically?" Mari asked. "She's surprisingly fine…well, the injuries caused by what that rapist scumbag did to her aside. Mentally, though? Aside from what happened to her in Zorzal's custody, I think her immediate family died during the attack on Ginza. She'll have to undertake counselling."

"Counselling?" Tyuule asked.

Tuka nodded. "They have psychiatrists, people who heal the mind rather than the body. I spoke to them a lot after…after my father was taken from me. They help deal with some of the pain, with the guilt." She looked down, clenching her fists. "But…I don't think my father can rest in peace until I've put paid to the beast that took him from me, along with my friends and family."

Yao gently patted the younger Elf on the back. "Your father was a great warrior. I met him once some time ago. Should we prevail and live past this day, all the Flame Dragon's victims will smile upon us for being their avengers."

"Don't count your chickens before they hatch," Itami said. "The Flame Dragon awakened early, right? That means someone may very well have woken it up. And if they did so deliberately…well, I've got a bad feeling about this…"

CHAPTER 13 ANNOTATIONS:

So, there you have it. They're off to fight the Flame Dragon. Only, there's a few notable exceptions. This time, it's the whole of 3rd Recon (thanks to King Duran and the JSDF's negotiations being done in advance), along with the original tagalongs, plus Anakin and Tyuule. Plus, they've actually had training in the weapons being used, unlike the Dark Elves. Not to mention that Tuka, while still fragile mentally, is not the complete basket case she was in canon.

That arc was badly mishandled. Yao was made out to be a total bitch, Tuka's delusions were blown out of all proportion, and the JSDF's treatment of Tuka didn't help. It's part of the reason why I had Anakin calm and stabilise her mind with the Force back in the second chapter. She's still a bit in denial about Hodor's death (and keep in mind, he actually survived according to the light novels, even if he had amnesia), but she's not moping around, waiting for him to turn up. Instead, here, she's actually done some counselling, and while she is set on revenge, she's altogether more saner than she was in canon.

Now, I don't know when the next chapter will be out. Hopefully, soon, as I have written most of it.

Review-answering time! rmarcano321: Cutting out the political debate? Months at most. Then again, that's if the Republic do what the JSDF do, rather than just wiping them all out like the Galactic Empire would do…

Superstar Kid: Yes, eventually Tyuule and Padme will meet properly, and they'll have quite a bit to talk about.

zetsubougintama: You're very welcome. I couldn't do it the way you described, down to the nitty gritty, but Tyuule is one of those characters whose potential wasn't explored. And I have a soft spot for rescuing characters in my fanfics who've gone through fucked-up stuff. Sakura Matou, Medea and Medusa from the Nasuverse, for example, or Lucy, Mayu and Nana from Elfen Lied. Though have you tried writing up that idea, or even posting it as a challenge on a forum? I frequent the forums of DZ2 and whitetigerwolf, so if you have story ideas to bring to my attention, post them there.

No numbered annotations this time.