I do not own Highschool of the DEAD or its characters.
Again, I also do not own the British and US Marine characters in this chapter. They are the property of MarshalZhukov and are from her wonderful New DEADs Order story as well as several of her long running British Marines series. I thank her for the loan of them.
Updated: 10/19/13
Saya's first stop was the Stryker, where she gathered pen and notepad, before heading to the designated building with Kohta in tow. Entering, she was pleased to find the lights working, thanks to a generator that was supplying power to the mess hall as well as this building. The lower floor was completely open except for a counter that ran across the front and a stairwell going up one side. Saya flipped to her notes on what they had on the trucks and started drawing a floor plan. A few minutes later she nodded and walked outside to find Tomasa, Rika, Paddy and Sakamoto talking in the street.
They gave her their attention as she and Kohta walked up, "Two questions; how many people do I have to move supplies, and what are we doing with the ammo?"
Sakamoto's eyebrows went up as Tomasa nodded. "You can have any or everyone in the convoy to lift and tote. They have worked with you before so it will be no problem," Tomasa said. Looking at Sakamoto he asked, "Sergeant, is there a good spot for an armory?"
She thought a moment and then gestured down the street, "There is a one story brick building down here that is not connected to anything. It has some machinery in it but I don't know what it's for."
"Let's go look at that. Paddy move Stryker 1 out of the way," Tomasa said. "We'll roll each truck up to the warehouse to unload. Question is, where to put them when we are done though?"
"A Corporal Clayton showed me a mechanics shop around back of the main street here," Paddy said. "It's full of farming equipment, but most of that can be moved when I need it gone. It will make a good motor pool. There is plenty of room to park and he said they had been using the field next to it to land choppers."
Tomasa nodded, "Good, let's do that then." He keyed his throat mic, "Everyone gather on me for orders."
After turning the team over to Saya, Tomasa, Toda and Sakamoto walked down the street to look at the possible armory building.
Rika stayed behind, watching the unloading and set Saeko, Rei and Takashi on watch as the supplies began to flow from the trucks to the building.
Walking over to where Takashi was standing on the far side of the street watching the wood line, she asked, "Okay, go ahead and tell me what's got a burr up Saya's butt and why you didn't want it brought up inside."
Sighing, Takashi said, "Corporal Davis mentioned her parents in passing. He said they were on Okinawa in custody of the Americans. She got really upset because you had told her they were holding that dam with their retainers."
Rika frowned, "No wonder she's in a mood! Last thing I was told they were at the dam, or were supposed to be."
"Well I don't know how long ago it was Davis saw them, but Saya is pretty upset over it."
"Hmm, I better talk to Davis and then see what I can find out from HQ," Rika said. "In fact, here he comes now. Corporal Davis! A moment of your time please?"
He walked over and said, "Yes Sergeant, what can I do for you?"
"Walk with me," Rika said as she slowly started down the street. "What were you saying that got Takagi-san so upset?"
"We were talking about this crazy teacher from their school named Shido. I mentioned he had been arrested and shipped off to Okinawa at the same time as Takagi Souichirou and his wife. I had no idea she was their daughter or I would not have said anything," the Brit told her.
Rika nodded, "I understand and no one is upset with you. The last report I had on their whereabouts was they, and their retainers, were holding the Okunako Dam for the engineers to try to get the power running again. How long ago was the last time you saw them?"
Thinking he said, "About two months ago. We had just brought them in to Haneda Airport when everyone got all excited and shipped them off to Okinawa for questioning. It was right after HMS Ark Royal arrived at Ikei. I don't know what happened after that."
"Hmm," Rika mused. "Two months ago? That was when our team was there holding the main terminal at Haneda before the Americans arrived. My information is newer than that."
Davis stopped and stared at her, "Wait a minute, are you the 'crazy ass bit…ah…sniper' that they are saying saved everyone in the main terminal? We were told it was a woman with purple hair, but I never thought it could be you."
Rika stood with her head down and said quietly, "I did my part, but we didn't save everyone, far from it. There were twenty thousand people on the island and only a thousand got out. I lost my partner there. I went on a spree after that, dropping every undead I could put in my sights. I have no idea how many I put down. I just kept shooting till I was out of ammo and then I would go find more and start all over again. When I had finally ran out of targets, the Americans showed up to relieve us."
He stood for a minute, "I'm sorry about your partner. We've all lost a lot of friends and comrades since this started."
She nodded and said, "Well right now I need to find out about Takagi-sama and see if I can't calm down Saya. I think…"
She backpedaled as a moan came from around the end of the truck they were walking past. Three undead shambled out and made a beeline for the pair.
Rika keyed her mic and called out, "ALERT! ALERT! ZEDS IN THE COMPOUND!"
Davis, backpedaling also, suddenly tripped as he was unslinging his L85 from his shoulder. He landed on his rifle as he went down hard, and watched as the undead lunged at him.
There was a blur of white, green and black with a streak of silver, as Saeko leapt over him and decapitated the first undead. Before he could really focus on her, two more heads went flying through the air in a spray of black blood. The girl spun away and went on guard checking behind the truck for more threats.
Rika reached down and took Davis's hand helping him up. "You hurt?" She asked.
"Just my bum and my pride!" he replied as he finally got his weapon clear.
"I've got about a dozen coming out of the trees!" Takashi called out.
Saeko turned and rushed towards him as Rika and Davis jogged behind her.
"Set up a firing line, suppressed weapons only," Rika ordered.
Saeko held up as Takashi fell back to where she was. Even she was not crazy enough to run into a group of them when there were so many guns backing her up. Most of the SAT team members had either suppressed pistols or MP5s so it only took a second for the firing line to form.
On Rika's order they cut loose and in less than a minute all the undead were down.
"I've got two in the far tree line," Kohta called out from the back of the truck they had been unloading.
Rika glanced his way and saw he had her sniper rifle in his hands. "If you are clear, take the shots!" she called up to him.
He nodded and took a breath, crump… crump…and then it was over. "The last two were wearing American uniforms," Kohta said grimily.
Damn it! Rika thought as Tomasa, Sakamoto and Toda ran up. "Report!" was all Tomasa said.
After Rika told what happened, Sakamoto looked grim. "There were four of my crew out there, three guards and a backhoe driver working on the ditches," she told them.
Tomasa called Tatsumi over and gave him orders, "Stop everything and break into teams of three. Search and clear the compound for any hostiles and keep an eye open for any weak spots we need to plug." Tatsumi nodded and called the rest of the team to him. Looking up at Kohta, Tomasa said, "Hirano, stay on overwatch until told otherwise, keep Takagi with you for a spotter. Paddy, get Miyamoto, the medics and kids in the mess hall and stay there till we sound the all clear. Komuro, you and Busujima come with us and bring Zeke."
Turning to Sakamoto he said, "Now let's go see what happened."
Sakamoto racked her shotgun and took point with Corporal Clayton behind her. Tomasa pointed to Takashi and Saeko who nodded and started after them with Zeke at Takashi's heels. He, Rika and Sergeant Phillips came next, and he turned back and said, "Corporal Davis, cover drag with your men please."
Davis nodded as he, Edmonds and Sharpe fell in behind.
000
After checking the two uniformed figures first, Sakamoto led the way through the wood line to where the backhoe was sitting. They found a hundred meter open area between the ends of the outermost ditch. The other two ditches were not quite that far along and had several hundred meters between their ends.
"So tell me how this is supposed to work," Tomasa said to Phillips.
"Well in a perfect world we would have had enough equipment to dig all three ditches at once. Since we have only one backhoe, one dozer and only so much excavation explosives, we were concentrating on getting the outer ditch done first. Or I thought we were. You dig the ditch, piling the dirt on the outside lip of it. This way they have to climb the berm first which makes them good open targets for anyone on watch. You can then put wire, stakes or fence on top of the berm to help contain the infected. If they get past that and get into the ditch it is simply a matter of finishing them off when a patrol comes around to check. Each ditch is spaced apart enough that a Humvee or vehicle the size of a Stryker can patrol between them easily."
Tomasa regarded the lines carefully. Phillips gestured down the line, "What we are going to do here is get the ditches done, then start erecting a three meter tall stockade, ten meters inside the inner most one with a fighting platform in back of it."
"This is my fault," Sakamoto said. "I had the men jumping from ditch to ditch trying to get them all done about the same time instead of doing what we were told. I should have kept up with the work closer."
Zeke growled as two uniformed undead came out from behind the backhoe. Since they were a good twenty meters away from them there was no rush to attack.
"I'll handle this," Sakamoto said but Tomasa called out after her.
"NO! I want it handled without gunfire," he said as she stared him down.
"They were MY Marines!" she snarled.
He nodded, "Believe me I understand that, sergeant. I still want it handled quietly." Looking toward Saeko he asked, "Busujima-san?"
Nodding, she slowly walked forward while motioning to Takashi to go left. He took Zeke with him and when she signaled he said, "Git'em Zeke!"
The little dog raced forward and snapped at the legs of the walkers, then headed back to Takashi barking loudly. The undead turned and stumbled after him, but as soon as they presented their backs to Saeko, she struck. A quick flash of silver and two slashing cuts later the bodies fell to the ground.
"Bloody 'ell!" Edmonds said under his breath as Sharpe whistled softly. He leaned over to Davis and asked, "Do you think Alex could do that?"
Davis glanced back at Edmonds and nodded slightly, "What I saw in the library, maybe."
Saeko turned to Sakamoto, bowing slightly, "I am sorry for your loss, sergeant-san."
Sakamoto just blinked for a moment before nodding. She waved her hand at Clayton who reached into his pocket and pulled out some rubber gloves to put on. Bending over the two bodies, he picked up their dog tags and dropped them into a plastic self-sealing bag.
Sakamoto turned to Tomasa and asked, "Your orders, sir?"
"Since I don't know what you have been doing with the bodies, I'll let you handle it if you would."
She nodded and started back through the tree line with Clayton following her.
Tomasa sighed tiredly and ran his hand over his face. Looking at Phillips he asked, "What now, Phillips?"
Shaun shrugged his shoulders, "Well unless you have someone on your team that can run this machine, it looks like I'm on digging duty for now. I'll get on it and see if I can get the outer ditch done by dark."
"Corporal Davis would you and your men provide security for the sergeant for now? We will find out if one of our people can run the machine and we will send someone to relive you in a couple of hours." Tomasa asked.
"Sah," Davis and snapped a salute, as the three started forward with Shaun.
He stopped where Takashi and Saeko were standing, "Thank you for the save earlier. I think I would have been right done in if not for your skills. I see now how you have managed to survive this long."
Saeko simply bowed to him as she took Takashi's hand in hers, and started following Tomasa and Rika.
000
It was not long before Tatsumi reported back that the inside of the perimeter was clear. Asking around, Rika found two troopers that could run the back hoe and sent them, with three more guards, to help Phillips and company. The unloading was running in full swing again when Sakamoto and Clayton walked up. Both offered salutes and stood at attention.
"Sir, I would like to apologize for my conduct earlier. I was out of line," the woman said to Tomasa.
He shook his head, "No need, sergeant, you did nothing wrong."
"Those men were in my company and to see them like that..."
"These times have been hard on all of us and for every person we lose, it will just take that much longer for us to win our world back," Tomasa said.
She nodded, "Well anyway, I need to show you where we have bunk rooms and HQ set up."
Tomasa nodded and they started down the street. He signaled for Takashi and Saeko to follow along.
"Communications is on the second floor over the mess hall so we can use the heavy generator to run that as well as the supply hut. The next two buildings are set up as barracks and can hold around one hundred and fifty people each. Next one is a public bathhouse, but the heating was gas which has stopped working. Sergeant Phillips says he thinks he has a way to heat water in the needed quantity."
"Good! I'm sure everyone will be happy to hear that!" Rika laughed.
"Where does the water come from?" Tomasa asked.
"There is a reservoir further up in the hills, the system is gravity fed from that. Phillips says that as long as the pipes hold out, and the reservoir has water, it will work," Sakamoto told them. She led the group over to a traditional Japanese gate with the doors open. "Then over here we have the base commander's quarters."
Crossing through, they found themselves in a slightly overgrown entrance garden with a path down the center. As they walked, an almost shrine like home came into view under the trees. It was large and what they could see was U-shaped, with the open end pointing towards them.
"This was reinforced," Sakamoto said, pointing to the walls. "I had some of the soldiers secure it. Only way in or out is through that gate."
"Oh my…"said Saeko as she walked forward and stepped up onto the porch that went completely around the house. As the others watched she touched the walls, railings and posts.
Rika leaned over and whispered to Takashi, "What is she doing?"
Takashi shook his head, "I have no idea."
"It's beautiful!" the girl exclaimed. "It is late Edo period and has been very well maintained. May we enter sergeant-san?"
Looking slightly puzzled Sakamoto said, "Of course, Busujima-san." as the others smirked behind her.
The swordswoman reverently removed her boots, then walked through the building with a smile on her face, opening doors and touching, always touching, the woodwork. She came to a room at the end of a hall and walked inside. It was a six-mat tatami room and she was standing in the middle of it when Takashi walked up.
She leaned into his chest and sighed, "I feel it, Takashi; this place is meant for us. I don't know how or why but this is where we are meant to be."
As the others walked in Saeko turned to Tomasa, "Lieutenant, will we be able to stay here with you?"
Tomasa's smirk broke into a grin, "That is my intention, Busujima-san. Regardless of your skills, you are still teenagers. I don't want to put a bunch of teenage girls into a barracks with all the men. I may trust them, but that's just asking for trouble."
Saeko beamed as she went to the outside wall and slid it open. "Oh!" she exclaimed as she grabbed Takashi's hand and dragged him outside.
Rika laughed as Tomasa and Sakamoto looked at her, "I have never seen her act like a teenage girl before! She is always so damn serious about everything!"
They walked to the door to see what had captured Saeko's attention. There, across a grassy lawn, stood a large open pavilion with a raised wooden floor. They watched as she stood in the middle of it and drew her sword. She began to spin through her sword forms with a grace of a ballet dancer. Takashi sat propped on the railing leaning against a post watching.
"Looks like someone just found their dojo," Tomasa said.
After a few minutes she stopped and slid her blade home into its sheath. Walking over she lay against Takashi's chest as he wrapped his arms around her.
"We're home my love! We are finally home!" she whispered to him.
A/N: What a long strange trip it's been…
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