AN: This takes before Chapter Five: Mercy. This is in response to AznMagicman. I don't know if I did it right or if it is interesting, but here it is.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the reviewers and of course the readers, for their support.
With no further ado, here's the Coda Side Story!
Chapter 4.5: Visitors
A steady rumbling sound could be heard from among the copse of trees which got louder as it got nearer. This causes several birds, nestled on the foliage, to fly off, away from the looming disturbance. A large metal, bulbous head came into view just above the tree line. It emitted whirring sounds as the advance sensors and optics within its tinted visor zooms in and out, transmitting images to the waiting monitor of the RGM-79[G]'s pilot, Itami Youji. The monitor showed the makings of a village, with a series of lowing rising buildings, about two miles away from Third Recon's present position.
"What do you think, Linguine?" Itami asked the Italian through the comm, zeroing the Jim's camera towards the village's entrance which has a sign overhead. The image was being shared in the Bloodhound's mini-command center.
"It reads: Coda, Lieutenant Itamy." Linguine said. The Italian had a great grasp of the Imperials alphabet as well as their language.
"Hmm, looks friendly enough." Itami muttered, while eying close-up feeds of the village's interior along with chance scenes of its inhabitants. "One things for sure," One particular individual caught Itami's eye. "There ain't any Imperials about."
"Um, Lieutenant?" Rodriguez butted in. "Is there a reason why you're focusing on that blue-haired girl over there?"
"Where? Where? Let me see!" Kurata exclaimed through the comm, feeling left out since had to stay with the Lakota.
Itami cursed himself for not cutting the link sooner. Since the cat was out of the bag, a plausible explanation was in order, he thought.
"I was curious actually." he started. "The clothes she's wearing." He swore he heard Kuribayashi click her tongue in the background. "The staff she carries, the air about her, suggests her being a mage of sorts. Probably."
Kuribayashi shook her head. "Leave it the Otaku Lieutenant to give out a sorry excuse just to ogle at young girls. Pitiful."
Itami retorted. "Hey I'm being serious here Kuribayashi! This being a fantasy world, the chances of magic existing is not nil you know. And this girl," The camera was still on her as she walked down the dirt paved street. "Might be the missing link to such a wondrous discovery!"
"Uh-huh, whatever you say, Lieutenant." Kuribayashi murmured, adopting on a dubious expression.
"I think she's cute." Rodriguez commented. "She is cute, huh, Lieutenant?"
Itami did not answer; he continued to stare at the robed girl until she disappeared into one of the larger buildings of the village. He was more into magic girls, which the likelihood encounter one is far rarer than with mages, so he doesn't know why he had sudden interest on that particular person.
Sergeant Major Kuwahara's voice brought Itami back to the situation at hand. "Anyway, how are we going to go about, sir?" he asked.
"Um, right. Kurokawa, Linguine, on me. Side arms only. We're going on foot. Wouldn't want them to freak out if they saw a fifty-foot tall metal giant come lumbering towards their hometown, would we? The rest of you, sit tight. Sergeant Major, I'm leaving Third Recon under your care until I come back."
"Roger that, Commander!" the older officer replied, so far impressed on how his younger CO is handling things.
"Aww, but I want to come along too, Lieutenant!" Kurata whined.
"Lets not get careless here, Kurata." Itami said in a cautionary tone. "There may be no Imperials around but it doesn't mean they won't suddenly show up. At the first sign of things getting hairy, you and the rest come and pick us. Got that?"
"Yes, sir…" The young Sergeant glumly slumped at the wheel, disappointed.
"He just wants to meet that girl. I just know it." Kuribayashi swore.
"Ah, welcome, Lelei! What can I do you for today?" Martha, a woman in her early twenties, and the owner of the Coda General Store, greeted the blue-haired girl like any potential customer that comes in to her store. She stayed at her usual place at the counter.
"The usual, please." The girl named Lelei answered in reply, her voice almost sounded monotonous.
"I'll get right to it." Martha said as she went about thought the shelves and containers of the store to fetch and pack the young girl's order.
"How's Master Kato?" she asked as she reached out for something high on a shelf.
"He's fine." Lelei answered flatly.
"Is he giving you any trouble lately?" This time Martha bent under a table, to rummage whatever she is looking for.
"I can I handle Master. Do you need help?" the blue-haired asked Martha, somewhat concerned at the older woman's efforts.
"Nah, I have this. You just stay right there." Martha carried a box that contained everything Lelei needs. She places it on the counter. "I think that's everything."
"How much?" Lelei asked.
"Twenty silver denaries. The usual." Martha beamed.
Lelei fetched her moneybag and began putting the required coins on the table.
"You know, Lelei, living with an old man like Master Kato, isn't the best thing for a young girl like you." Martha said, looking at the blue-haired girl with a half-hearted look of concern on her face.
"I tolerate Master's antics. Otherwise he's harmless." Lelei simply answered, showing no ounce of emotion on her expression.
"Yeah. Here's a thought. I could allow you to live here with me, and it would be great if you could assist me in the store. What do you say, Lelei?"
Lelei stopped in her coin counting and passively looked at Marha. "Tempting, but I must decline. Master's age is showing and assistance from me he needs. Also, I'm still in training. There's still a lot I need to know from Master, if I'm to become a great mage. Here, twenty denaries, exactly."
"It was worth a try. But if you every change your mind, Lelei, the offer remains." Martha says, while collecting the payment.
"Thanks. I'll consider it. Probably." Lelei picks up the box and begins heading out of the store.
"Say hi, to Master Kato for me, will ya!" Martha cheerfully said
"Yes, I will."
Upon exiting out of the store, Lelei notices a commotion stirring by the entrance of the village, centered on three unusually dressed visitors. They wore peculiar brown clothing and had what seem to be helmets over their head, but they're unlike what is recognizably worn by the Imperial Army. A growing crowd of people was gathering around them.
"Are they soldiers? If they are, they're not anything I recognize. And they have a woman among them."
"Linguine, tell them that we come in peace."
"And they speak in a language I don't know of."
"Linguine, tell them that we come in peace."
Sergeant Kurokawa leaned close to the Lieutenant. "Are you trying to talk to people here, or aliens?" she whispered to his ear.
"Quiet, Kurokawa. I'm doing my best here." he defensively whispered back.
"Lieutenant Itamy! The village elder here would like to talk to you at his house."
Itami looked at Kurokawa, expecting some insight from the field medic. She merely shrugged.
"You're the boss." she said.
Itami looked back at the Italian and village elder and nodded.
"Tell him, yes. I would like that."
At the village elder's house, he and the Federation servicemen were seated at the living room of his humble home, discussing matters with regards to the reasons of their group's visit to Coda Village. Linguine the translator will serve as the intermediary between the two parties. Whatever would be discussed will be relayed back and forth in either group's respective languages.
"So you're the one that defeated both the Imperials and the Allied Armies at Alnus Hill?" the elder began.
"That is right." Itami answered.
"Earth Federation Forces? Never heard of it. But then again, many of us here have never left this sleepy village our entire lives. We get news and stories from passersby: travelers, merchants, even the occasional visits from the Imperials. So the question I beg to ask is. What do you plan to do here at Coda Village? Are you here to invade us too?"
"No, that's not why we're here." Of course that is a half-truth, at least that what Itami thinks. He doesn't know what Command's plan would be for Coda, though he wish it would be spared from the conflict.
"Then what? Our village is quiet community, with very little to offer either side. The Imperials leaves us alone well enough, except when the time comes they come here to collect taxes. Other than that things have remained relatively peaceful around here and we would like it to stay that way."
Itami looks to his companions for help but neither have anything offer to the table. He sighs. Why does all the hard stuff fall onto my shoulders? His expression becomes thoughtful.
"We only wish for information of the surrounding area. First-hand knowledge would be best, especially coming from you and your people. Provide us with this and I promise you, you won't see us ever again."
The village elder looked over Itami. "I sense you're a good man, but you cannot make promises you can't keep. You're merely a go-between with your army. What guarantee is there Coda Village would not somehow get involve in your conflict with the Empire?"
Itami answered. "You're going to have to trust me on this. Our mission involves gathering information. How we obtain it doesn't really matter, my army need not now. I could tell my superiors that we did a hard day's work in getting it, and they'd be none the wiser."
The elder considered. "You're an interesting man. Loutenant Itami was it? Very well, we'll tell you of what we know. We'll even provide you with a map of the area. However, our knowledge is limited in scope I'm afraid. We know little about the lands beyond the Dumas Range, except that beyond there is said to be the Imperial Capital, Sadera. "
"That is more than enough, elder." Itami said, respectfully bowing in gratitude.
After the meeting, the elder had those who could help further in Itami's intel gathering, talk with him and his team. Kurokawa provided her medical expertise with what time afforded her, especially to the old and the sick. Among those assigned to assist Itami was none other than Lelei herself.
"This is Lelei La Lalena, an apprentice to our local sage, Cato El Altestan. In spite of her age, she quite wise, and would be a great help to you."
Itami could not believe he gets to meet the girl he spied on using his Jim hours ago, and in such circumstances. He had a lot of things to ask her, but his work relating with several of the villagers, and the language barrier, made it hard for him do a simple small talk with her. Before he knew it, he missed his chance.
"Lieutenant Itamy. She insists that she wants to know more about us."
Kurokawa whispered near the Lieutenant. "If you wish to keep your promise with the villagers, it is best that leave here as soon as possible."
Mari was right, Itami did made a promise, a promise he intends to keep. "Tell her, sorry but there is a place we need to be, and that we're in a hurry. Perhaps, next time. I promise." The last part was slip of the tongue but he did not bother correcting Linguine's relay to her. He will probably not see her again.
After giving their farewells to the villagers, the three headed back to the rest of Third Recon, unaware that someone was following them from a distance.
Lelei wished her frail body could have more stamina, so that she could catch with the strange people in brown. She wanted to know more about them regardless. But it seems this trek of hers was a foolish mistake, for she was exhausted and her feet hurt from the long walk. Worst, she loses sight of them as they disappeared over the ridge ahead. But she was not ready to give up, not without at least pestering those people of what she wanted to know.
When she reached the top of the hill, she has really lost all signs of them. But then she noticed something new moving away from her and she gapes in amazement.
"Horseless Wagons, and a…Large Metal Giant. Who are these men in brown anyway?"