STRIKE WITCHES: HEROS' RETURN: SHIRLEY'S STORY
Chapter Four
Shirley turned around to see Drake, who had a face of thunder.
"Let me through," she said, barely keeping her own anger in check.
"And why should I do that? What you are doing is called stealing."
"For a good cause! Even if the scouts do find the Neuroi, how are they going to catch up with it? If there is one thing we know about the Neuroi, is that drones are merely an echo of their capital ship. This thing is going to be fast, even for Yoshika and her crystal-enhanced strikers. With my power, I can push a jet striker beyond its limits, to a point where I can keep up with the Neuroi and destroy it!"
"I thought I already told you. You are not using a jet striker, under any circumstances. My word is law. Yet you choose to defy it?"
"Why are you so against jet strikers?!" Shirley said, her temper flaring.
"Because," Drake said, with a face of stone, "Commander Thatch died while wearing a jet striker." Shirley's anger evaporated almost instantly.
"Oh my god. I am so sorry. I never knew," she said. Drake sighed.
"I originally gave April the jet striker so she would be safer. I intended to get Emily one too. After all, the reports on that particular model - the Me 262 V2 - said they were stable. Little did I know that they were only slightly more stable than the Me 262 V1. The increase was in fact minuscule. But I was careless. When April tested the striker, she performed exceedingly well. She was a powerful witch, you see. No where near as powerful as Yoshika, granted. But she was still above most witches. So she could safely equip the striker without worrying about overextending herself," Drake said.
"If she could safely equip the striker, then what happened?" Shirley asked.
"The striker happened. It was too unstable for combat. The battle that Yoshika was in before we arrived here was the only time April used the jet striker in combat. That was where my caution backfired on me. I didn't want her to use it unless she was going up against a really tough opponent, where she would need the extra power. As a result, we never gave it a combat test.
When April pulled a high-G turn to avoid one of the Neuroi's beams, the engines gave out. While she was struggling to restart the engines, she... you know," Drake continued, trailing off.
"I see," Shirley said quietly. Drake looked at her.
"That is why I don't trust jet strikers. One day they'll be stable enough to use safely. But until that day happens, I only trust the most powerful witches to use the most stable of jet strikers. The Shinden-kai was pretty much tailored for Yoshika. It is like an extension of her body. As a result, she'll have very few mishaps with it. The P-80 Shooting Star is very stable for a jet striker, having been through vigorous testing at my request. Emily will be safe. As for Perrine and Lynne, the Gloster Meteor went through similar testing, again at my request. If there was a jet striker that was stable enough for you to use, I would let you. But since there is not, I don't want to make the same mistake I did before. Does that make sense?" he said. Shirley nodded.
"Good. Now, put the rubies back where they were. I have them there for a very good reason, and they should not leave that pedestal," Drake said. Shirley gently placed back the handful of rubies she had picked up.
"Thank you. I will let this slide, but only once. Next time this happens, I will deal out punishment. Is that clear?"
"Yes sir," Shirley replied.
"Good. Dismissed," Drake said. Shirley walked by him and left the office.
Now I understand his reluctance to use jet strikers, Shirley thought. She sat on her bed, looking at the book she had left open earlier. The picture of the ruby still drew her in. Was she really willing to risk life and limb to destroy one Neuroi? Now that she thought it over, she realized she didn't want to make such a sacrifice.
I can't throw away my life like that, she thought. I have a home to protect, and I can't protect it while dead. Shirley flopped on the bed, deep in thought. The threat of the capital ship still persisted, with no real way to deal with it. Suddenly, the base's PA system turned on.
"Attention, the location of the capital ship has been discovered. I need all combat-ready witches headed there immediately. That is all." Shirley was still for a moment. Then she knew what she needed to do.
"Drake!" Shirley called out, dashing back to the office. She caught up to him just after he left the hallway leading to his office.
"Shirley? What now?" Drake said, his voice still sharper than usual.
"I know what to do! But I need your help," Shirley replied. Drake looked at her.
"Go on."
"What if you were to channel your magic into me, like you did with Yoshika? Wouldn't that give me the power I need, at least for the time needed?" Shirley asked.
"That's ridiculous, how could that possibly-" Drake started. Then he stopped.
"Wait a minute... that could work!" he said.
"If I created a link between us, one that would transfer magic from me to you, that could possibly give you enough magic to equip a jet striker safely. But if I make a link between you and Yoshika... you would have more than enough power," he mused. Drake was still for a moment, and it took a minute for Shirley to realize he was summoning Yoshika with his magic. Within minutes Yoshika arrived, out of breath.
"Okay, we need to do this quick. Link hands with me and each other, this requires skin contact," Drake ordered. Yoshika and Shirley did as they were asked, and as Drake began to cast his spell, a pentacle formed below them. The two witches waited as Drake recited his spell, a long and complex series of words neither of them understood. Soon, Drake reached a crescendo, and the spell ended. Shirley felt as if floodgates had been broken inside of her, and magic was rushing in.
So much power! Shirley thought in awe.
"I never knew you had this much power Yoshika! This feels amazing!" she said. Yoshika blushed under the compliment.
"Okay, you two are linked. The spell will only last so long though, so get in, destroy the Neuroi, and get out fast. Shirley, for this one time I will allow you to borrow Yoshika's Shinden-kai. Don't destroy it. Understood?" Drake said.
"Yes sir," Shirley replied.
"Good. Now, move out!"
Shirley rushed to the hangar. Yoshika's magical energy coursed through her veins, it felt like she was on fire, minus the pain. Jumping into the Shinden-kai, she started the engines and took off. Pumping everything she had into speed, she obliterated the sound barrier. Drunk with excitement and the thrill of supersonic speed, she almost forgot her mission. Almost. Then she saw in the distance a massive Neuroi. It was speeding towards the base, with hundreds of drones surrounding it.
"Looks like I'm just in time!" Shirley shouted. She dived upon the enemy, gun blazing. The cannon that came along with the Shinden-kai would have jammed from the high speed if it weren't for Shirley's magic. She barreled through the drones, smashing many of them with her raised shield. Then she turned around sharply, her strikers and body screaming in protest. Coming out of it unharmed however, she trained her cannon on the main ship and fired. The Neuroi squealed, and sent several of its drones after its assailant. Shirley dispatched them easily though, thanks to the cannon. Circling around the Neuroi, she fired again. This time, there was no escape. Or so she thought. Without warning, the Neuroi jerked to the side, avoiding the deadly rounds. "No!" Shirley said, gritting her teeth. She hounded the Neuroi, matching its ever move. However, each time she lined up and fired, the alien would simply move out of the way, wasting precious time and ammunition. Shirley was growing desperate. But at the same time, she had the grim satisfaction that her enemy could not keep this up forever. Soon enough, the Neuroi began to tire. Shirley pointed her cannon for the final time, and fired. The cannon rounds hit dead-center, and the Neuroi exploded.
"YES!" Shirley shouted, victorious. She went to return to base... only to drop several hundred feet. Without warning, her connection to Yoshika ended, and the level of magic consumption was too much for the Liberion witch. She dropped several more hundred feet, then fainted.
"Shirley-san!" Yoshika cried out. Shirley awoke with a groan.
"Ugh, where am I?" she asked.
"In the infirmary. You're lucky it's that and not the morgue," Drake's voice said. Shirley turned to see him beside Yoshika, who was hard at work on a healing spell.
"What happened?"
"Your connection to Yoshika's magic expired before you returned to base. As a result, you plunged into the sea. You have been out for a week. Lucky for you, Yoshika is a damn good healer," Drake said. Shirley sighed. "At least the Neuroi is gone."
"Indeed. Your last victory against them, I'm afraid."
"What?" Shirley said, sitting bolt upright. Yoshika had to force her back down before she hurt herself.
"When your connection to Yoshika expired, the jet strikers drew upon the only source available: you. They took in so much, your natural limiter kicked in. In other words, you burned up your magic. You are no longer a witch. I'm sorry," Drake explained. Numbness crept across Shirley's body.
"Does that mean I am no longer part of the 501st?"
"Military law dictates that you are no longer an active member, so yes. However, I pulled some strings. For your bravery and determination, you have been rewarded with being an honorary member of the 501st Joint Fighter Wing. Congratulations," Drake said. Shirley smiled.
"You're not rid of me yet," she said with a smirk. Drake laughed.
"No, I guess not," he said.
Later that night, Shirley was released from the hospital and returned to her dormitory. Looking over the books that remained on her bed, Shirley remembered that she promised to return them. So she did, to Drake's relief. "Don't want to lose these," he said. Shirley returned to her room, exhausted but happy.
"I did it. I protected my home. Now, I can leave it to the others. I've experienced Yoshika's power first hand. I have no doubt, that she will be the one to rid the world of the Neuroi, once and for all."
TO BE CONTINUED...