Chapter 7: Redemption
"Jokun" - normal speech
"Jokun" - foreign language; in most cases these are translated by Linguine
Itami panted hard, the adrenaline in his system had yet to subside after having done what thought he could not. He shot her. He shot a girl with a weapon meant to destroy tanks! But what choice did he have, she was out to kill his teammates and it is no thanks to his hesitation as well. He has failed as leader. Not only did he jeopardize the lives of his men but also of those he has sworn to protect.
When the dust settled the girl appears to be lying on the ground and was not moving. Several blast holes from the GM's 100mm rounds dotted around her. Finding no time to relax, Itami maneuvered his GM to her location, albeit limply due to a damaged joint caused by the girl's gigantic axe–the said weapon was resting near the girl who was flat out, facing up. Getting a closer look at her, Itami flinched in revulsion as he saw the bloody stumps below her knees. The rest of her legs were nowhere to be seen.
"Lieutenant! Pops is fine!" Kurata chimed in through the comms, sounding relieved.
"Thanks for caring…" Kuwahara sarcastically groaned in the background, having been picked up by the Lakota.
Itami was able to afford a smile at this time. "Hey old man, better have Kurokawa have a look at ya. That was some nasty fall back there."
Kuwahara indignantly shot back. "Idiots! This is nothing I couldn't handle!"
"I'm already taking him straight to her, Lieutenant."
Itami could hear the old soldier admonishing the young Sergeant, both sounding like a father and son relationship. His smile remained until the scene below shifte. He saw both Linguine and Kurokwa closing and covering the severely wounded girl with their weapon. Mari then started administering aid to the girl while the Italian covered her. Turning away his attention from the two he noticed both Kuribayashi and Rodriguez restraining the kids that tried to get between them and the downed girl. The boy with Rodriguez manages to break free and rushes towards the girl with Kurokawa. The boy was shouting something before Linguine catches and prevents him from disturbing Mari's work, with Rodriguez joining in to help in securing the boy.
How odd of those kids' behavior thought Itami as if they see her as some close relation or friend. He then noted the crowd of people lining up to the side of the road to view the ongoing drama. Many have fearful looks while others took on prayerful poses, looking up to the heavens, seemingly pleading.
As usual, Linguine had to translate it clearly to the rest of the team. Apparently the girl they just defeated happened to one of the twelve Apostles that serve as representatives of their respective gods. The girl is known as Rory Mercury and she serves the god Emroy, a dark god that represents all the violence and wars that occurs in this world. She is also known as the Oracle by the people of Coda, as she as some high priestess of her order. In spite of her affiliation with such an objectionable religion, she is well received and well regarded by the villagers, and to attack or much less defeat an Apostle invites something ill to come upon them. At least that is what they believe.
"But she attacked us! We had to defend ourselves!" Kuribiyashi vehemently pointed out.
Itami signed to his hotheaded sergeant to keep her cool. "So why did she attack us if you were with us?"
"I myself was wondering about that. I know the Oracle usually attacks bandits and their ilk, those who threaten us common folk. Perhaps she thought your group was our captors and came to rescue us?" This is what the village elder thought.
Itami pondered on this reasoning. It seems plausible enough; the result of such a misunderstanding would have been disastrous for Third Recon however. Meaning they would be all dead, save for the villagers, perhaps. He looks back at the Bloodhound where girl called Rory is being housed along with the elf girl they picked up earlier. He reflects on a while back.
Itami jumped off from the hoist cable of the GM, not bothering till it reaches all the way. He immediately rushed to where the girl lay.
"I've got a pulse, it's beating real fast! I'm going to give her something for the pain." Kurokawa said as she injected something to the girl. She then checked her condition afterwards.
"How is she?" Itami asked with great concern.
Kurokawa looked puzzled. "Strange. Her pulse is normalizing…"
"Then that's good!" Itami gladly replied but from Mari's expression he could tell something was off regarding the girl and it really bothered her.
The female medic shook her head. "Not if you're in shock, especially in this case." She pointed out her stumps. Just then her eyes went wide. She shifted and had a closer look at them. "The bleeding has stopped but the wounds are not clotting."
Lelei suddenly came in and said something, interposing in the conversation.
"What did she say?" Itami asked Linguine.
The Italian answered. "She says that the girl is an Apostle; that she won't die from such wounds."
The blue-haired girl nodded at Linguine, entrusting him to relay her words as she continued her explanation.
"Apostles are demigods themselves, possessing some essence of the god they are proxy to. This allows them to live long lives, essentially becoming immortal. And due to this virtual immortality, they cannot die nor can they be killed. However, one can imprison an Apostle by having their bodies cut into pieces and kept away from each other, so as they could never reform together again."
As if to reaffirm that claim, everyone present began to notice a bizarre occurrence–that of one of the girl's severed legs, red boot and all, which appear to being dragged by some unseen force towards the girl lying in wait.
A hand shot out and grabbed Itami's arm really hard that it hurt, making him winch. It was the girl, wide awake and with a fierce look on her face directed at him. Rodriguez cocked his rifle, but Itami signaled him to hold.
"Don't let it rejoin…with me." she said, cringing, to the astonishment of everyone, discovering that she could speak their language. Her features softened as did her grip on the lieutenant beside her. "Please, I beg you. For everyone's sake, including the villagers." she pleaded with Itami with a sad and pained look on her eyes.
He did not fully understand what was going on but he somehow trusted in the girl's words. Gently leaving her side, Itami went and made a grab for the severed limb that was inches away from connecting with the girl, getting it with little difficulty.
"Linguine, the other one…"
Lelei met the other amputated part halfway and picked it up with little fanfare, showing no signs of distress from the grisly endeavor.
"She's asking what you are planning to do with the legs, Lieutenant." Linguine relayed Lelei's inquiry.
Itami looked back at Rory. "I guess we take them along."
Rory was taken in and joined the elf, who still had to regain consciousness, along with anyone who was too weary or too sick on the back of the enclosed cargo area of the hover truck. Her severed legs were brought along, neatly wrapped, and were kept in a container. They stored along her giant purple weapon which took four to carry and load up into the Bloodhound. How something ridiculously large and plenty heavy could be wielded with ease by a delicate little girl baffles Third Recon.
The petite demigoddess just quietly laid in her cot, seemingly unbothered by her crippled state, the stubs of her legs having been cleaned and bandaged. She brings to mind what was discussed before she was brought to this situation.
"No, you mustn't! Didn't I tell you not to bring my legs to-woah!" Rory tried to stand but fell back, not realizing that she has lost all balance with her body due to the loss of her lower limbs. She was caught by Kurokawa who made her lie down.
"Hey, take it easy!" Itami rushed back to her. To his surprise, the severed leg in his hands jerked about but manages to hang on to it. "Hey, Rodriguez, take care of this will ya!" He offered Rory's leg to the Filipino. Rodriguez had little choice on the matter and accepted it from his CO, much to his chagrin and revulsion. Itami could now attend to the girl without any burdens. "You shouldn't really push yourself you know. Not in your condition."
Rory was pouting and avoiding his gaze. "Why should you care? Better you bury my legs and leave me here. Or better yet, bury me altogether as well."
"Why should we do that?" Itami asked; horrified by what she was saying.
She gravely looked at him. "Because, I'm at my limit, my sense of humanity is at its end. I could no longer control my killing instinct. No one will be safe from me, whether they're miscreants or innocents, should I become whole again."
"So, we were right in taking you down?" Itami asked, sounding both glad and unsure of himself.
The petite girl weakly smiled. "And I am pleased you did. It was right of me to have learned about your people. For I knew then, you had to power to stop me."
This piqued Itami's interest. "You've learned about us? From whom?"
Her smile faded, and she turned her head away once again. "From some of your people. Whom I regrettably killed. So many of them…"
"If that's true then that explains why she had this." Kuwahara joined them, waving the assault rifle she discarded earlier. The old soldier made a sign, telling Kurokawa not to concern with him even though he was visibly limping. "Since you know how to speak our language, tell us! From whom did you get this, and where are they now?" he asked the obstinate girl.
Rory faced the older man, with an indifferent expression. "Does it matter? They're dead."
Kuwahara wanted to rush her but was stopped by Itami and Kurata–who was there also.
"Pops! She's just a child…" Itami said while realizing how strong his former CO is. But he was holding him off.
"I am no child. I am nearly a thousand years old." Rory started.
"You? A thousand?" Kurata blurted out in disbelief.
"I have lived through many ages. Have seen kingdoms rise and fall. But some things never change. War and the darkness that lies in every person's heart. These are what Emroy craves for and as his Apostle, I deliver. For I'm no mere pretty rose for my thorns have cut so many lives short throughout the ages."
Kuwahara broke off from the two young men and gestured that he was receding his rage but he still stared darkly at the child-of-a-girl.
"You're right. You're no child. You're a monster, and freak! And a danger to us all!"
"That's enough, Pops!" Itami scolded; but the old soldier continued with his rant.
"If it were up to me, I would follow your suggestion and bury you six-feet under! But I believe taking you back with us would be the more proper thing to do. Let the brass decide what to do to you, and to make you accountable for any Federation lives you've callously taken!"
"That IS enough, Sergeant Major!" Itami forcefully said, accosting Kuwahara once again. Both men angrily eyed each other, seeing on who has the stronger resolve among them. But Itami was the leader of the group and he pointed this out. "Regardless, she's coming with us! Whatever happens to her after we safely escort the villagers to their final destination…I'll think of something out. And lastly, don't you ever undermine my command, Sergeant Major. Am I clear?"
"I hope you know what you're doing, Lieutenant?" He broke free from Itami's grip and excused himself.
Between his disagreement with his subordinate and Rory's fate Itami felt he was treading on thin ice here. But he has made up his mind, and not even someone so close to him like Pops could change that. Acting like a leader again, Itami ordered for the entire convoy to prepare to move out immediately.
"You're making a grave mistake! Bringing me along." Rory got Itami's attention once again.
"Maybe. Maybe not!" He shrugged. "So you have a chip on your shoulder for a very long time. PMS can do that to someone has lived for so long."
Rory frowned and looked baffled, especially over the unfamiliar term Itami used, while both Kurokawa and Kuribayashi giving him deadpan stares.
Sensing the awkwardness in the air, and dangerous looks coming from his female subordinates, Itami changed the subject. "What I'm trying to say is if you need a shoulder cry on, I'm here for you. I'll listen to all what you have to say, no matter what. Of course, I would rather you don't threaten me with bodily harm while I'm at it."
The crippled girl was taken aback by this, her eyes widening in surprise. While she was troubled with doubts and anguish, she felt a glimmer of hope coming from the words of this strange man. It is something she has been searching for all throughout her perpetual existence and perhaps this person might be the one to give it to her.
"Think about it, while I leave you in to Kurokawa's care." he said, offering her a warm smile before moving away. Itami was confronted by the other two women.
"That was some nice pep talk, Lieutenant." Kurokawa smiled but her expression was showing doubt in Itami's intentions. "I don't suppose you have an ulterior motive behind it?"
Feeling like in the hot seat, Itami could only scratch the back of head in innocence. "Did it really come out like th- Oww!" He suddenly yipped as the female medic gave him a hard pinch to his side.
"You jerk!" Kurabiyashi on the other hand kicked him on the shins, adding more to the world of hurt he was receiving.
After the incident with Rory, the caravan resumed its course with still a few hours to spare in their progress before nightfall. As usual the GM took the lead, and while its maneuverability is somewhat affected it does not contribute to the overall already slow pace of the convoy. The other problem with it is the severe damage to its head which has knocked out its primary mode for vision. Without it Itami had to depend on alternative means to see, like the secondary cameras that are spread around the mobile suit. But a more practical solution he went for was to leave the chest hatch open and depend on his own eyes. At least the radar is still working, and it is through it that Itami noticed the first discernable blimp to appear on its screen since the journey began.
This greatly alarmed Itami. "Guys, I've got radar contact at eight o' clock! Distance two kilometers and closing fast!"
Both Tomita and Morgan swung their weapons towards the designated direction.
"I see nothing there!" called the Papua New Guinean.
Tomita however, was squinting his eyes and noticed a black speck coming from within the field of the sun. It became larger as it got closer, until it was recognizable as…"Dragon!"
Some of the villagers noticed it too, and began to panic, causing an uproar within the convoy. Some had their wagons break off from the caravan, moving off the road. While others tried to advance and overtake those ahead of them, causing more confusion and chaos which resulted in accidents.
"Run for your lives! It's the flame dragon!"
"I knew it! This is what we get for defeating an Apostle. Of Emroy no less!"
"Out of the way!"
"Follow me! But keep your distance. I'm going to draw its attention!" Itami barked before making his GM go one hundred-eighty degrees and intercept the incoming dragon at the back of the convoy which becoming more chaotic.
"Everyone! Hang on!" Kurokawa warned the villagers, which Linguine translated for their benefit, who were with her at the back of the Bloodhound as the hover vehicle maneuvers into combat.
The dragon was less than a hundred feet from the caravan when it struck, breathing a fiery death in the middle of the convoy. Itami froze upon seeing this, causing his GM to stop in its tracks. He watched in horror as men, women, and children got burned alive. The whole scene reminded him of that time when he was the pilot of the RTX-440, when he used a flamethrower to burn a lot of Empire troops. He could still recall their screams, much like those he is hearing right now from the poor hapless villagers.
Both the Lakota and Bloodhound stopped as well, right behind the unmoving mobile suit. "Lieutenant, why are you stopping?" Kuwahara called out to Itami but he was not responding to puzzlement and frustration of the sergeant major. "Damn it! I'm taking over! Third Recon, on me!"
"But what about the Lieutenant?" Kurata asked, baffled as well and being concerned over Itami's behavior.
"Forget about him for now! We have to get that big lizard's attention away from the villagers, and fast!" Kuwahara answered.
Already the dragon had landed and was going after stragglers, either clawing them in half or snapping them down with its massive jaws, feeding on them.
"Shit! Move it Sergeant! Tomita…"
"I'm on it, sir!" The stoic soldier at the back cranked up the five-five-six, ready to unleash a hellstorm of machinegun rounds.
Kurata on the other hand had stepped on the gas, and with a look of determination sped up towards the looming scaly monster. Kuwahara was gladdened by this. The Bloodhound followed close behind the Lakota.
"Let him have it!" Kuwahara gave the order to shoot.
"The 5.56 seems to have no effect on it!" Tomita gritted unhappily while maintaining fire.
The rounds from the light machinegun merely bounce off from the dragon's very tough hide, while the 20mm vulcan cannon of the Bloodhound was achieving better results, riddling its body with small wounds. This however enrages the creature, forcing its hand to use its most devastating attack.
"Incoming breath weapon!" Kurata exclaimed, noticing telltale signs of what the dragon was about to do.
"Scatter!" Kuwahara barked.
Both vehicles swerved in opposite direction in the hopes that the dragon would choose either one of them and at the same time avoid its imminent fiery attack. As expected the dragon breathed a cone of intense flame which the two vehicles narrowly escaped from. But it continued spewing its residual fiery breath, trailing its intended target–the Bloodhound, which has actually caused damage to it.
"Faster, faster, faster!" Morgan frantically shouted as the licking flames neared the rear of the hover vehicle.
Furuta grunted when he did a sudden sharp turn with the Bloodhound, evading completely the trailing flames while starling the passengers at the back.
Kuribayashi took the radio and tried contacting Itami. "Lieutenant! Get a grip of yourself, you damn Otaku freak! The dragon is going after the Bloodhound. We've got civies here, damn it! Please," her voice wavered a bit, "help us…Save us with that mobile suit of yours!"
Rory cursed, as her little confined world seems to rock. If she was only whole, she could help in dealing with the flame dragon. But there is no guarantee that she would not turn on everyone around her if it ever came to that. She swore again. All she could do now was lay where she was, and hope that these men in brown could deal with the flame dragon as they did with her.
Tuka roused herself to consciousness from the ruckus going around her. When she heard the distinctive roar, she got off her cot, not minding her state of nakedness, to head to opening and catch a glimpse of the creature that destroyed her village and killed her people.
"You…" Her eyes narrowed in anger, fresh hot tears forming from the sides, as the hatred inside her overcame the fear and sorrow that has been with her ever since the nightmare began and have claimed those dear to her. "I will have my revenge…"
"Get back inside! It's too dangerous there!"
The blonde elf turned to the voice of a woman calling to her in a language she did not understand. The woman in question was anxiously reaching out for her. This startled Tuka however causing her to lose her grip and balance and fall off, screaming, from the moving vehicle.
"Passenger overboard!" Rodriguez called out to Furuta to stop the vehicle, but it was a good hundred feet or so before driver was able to.
The flame dragon in the meantime took notice of the incident and seems to recognize the elf girl from before, the one that eluded its rampage. It did a great leap and landed right before the naked and wobbling girl. Somehow it knew the strange vehicles would not dare attack it, not without endangering the life of its intended victim.
Shaken from the nasty fall, Tuka could barely stand up, and even if she wanted to the flame dragon was upon her. She looked up at the monster looming over her, genuine fear once again overcoming her as she lay vulnerable and helpless before the horrid beast.
"Father…please save me…"
The beast's plan was simple. Take the elf girl and fly off in seclusion, away from these strange men that are able to wound it, and enjoy its prey in peace. After which, it would continue with its hit and run tactics, hoping to slash down the men in brown's numbers in the process until none are left to prevent it from leisurely going after the rest of the caravan.
Just as the dragon was about to grab Tuka with one of its claws, the GM appeared out nowhere and slammed the dragon. Having used it rocket thrusters located at back to propel it at great speeds and ram the dragon, pushing the creature along with it for several hundreds of feet before skidding to a halt. The dragon flailed about as it recovered. Upon seeing Itami exposed by the opened chest of the mobile suit, it knew what it must do.
"Shit!" Itami's eyes went wide, knowing that the dragon was about breath fire again and quickly closed the hatch, doing so in the nick of time before the GM was engulfed in flames.
Warning signs began to flash within the cockpit, one indicating a rapid rise of temperature outside while one monitor showed many secondary cameras going out of commission.
"No! No! No! How am I going to see now?"
There was a strong impact, followed by the GM losing its balance, to fall flat on its back on the ground, jarring Itami in his seat. He coughed, as the wind was knocked out from for a moment; it was then that he found out that he had bit his tongue.
"Damn…it…" he hissed from the pain, tasting his own blood.
Itami could tell that the dragon was still viciously pounding on his mobile suit as well as breathing fire to it. He does not know how much savage beating the GM could take but he definitely did not want to find out by just lying still and doing nothing. No cameras were available for him to see, leaving the option of a precision attack like shooting out of the question, which leaves with one other choice.
On the right side of the GM's lower leg, a slot opens and out goes a beam saber rod that perfectly goes into the grasp of the mobile suit's waiting right hand. Almost immediately a beamlike blade sprang forth from the rod which was followed by the hand wielding it to go into a swinging motion, akin to a wild swing. The energy blade struck the dragon's left foreclaw, cutting through flesh and bone, causing the creature roar in pain. Having struck home, the GM continued forcing the energy weapon through until it completely severed the dragon's limb in question, letting it fall to the earth. The dragon backed away from the GM while continuing to howl in agony.
Tuka witness this spectacle in awe. Not only did the metal giant save her but it did a crippling blow to her hated foe. She still lay on the ground, mesmerized by the sight, when the Bloodhound came to her, with both Kurokawa and Linguine rushing in to fetch her, with the Italian covering the nude girl with the outer coat of his uniform.
The dragon eventually recovered from its anguish and balefully eyed the GM, which seems to be not making any further move against it in spite of having still its glimmering beam saber in hand. After giving the badly charred metal giant one last hate filled stare, and a snort, the dragon flew off and departed the area, leaving the survivors to be thankful of being alive but sorrowful for their dead.
In the aftermath of the attack, in spite of Third Recon's heroic defense of the caravan, nearly a hundred lives were lost. These casualties resulted in some children becoming orphans as well as persons who have no one to take care of them anymore, like the old and the sick. The sad part is that the majority of the caravan is not willing to take them in and would suffer the same fate as those left behind.
"Liuetenant! Tell them it is wrong of them to leave anyone behind!" Rodriquez pointed out, having enough of the villagers' gross sense of apathy towards their own.
Kuwahara smacked the young private at the back of his head. "That's enough Rodriguez. The Lieutenant has already enough on his mind as it." he said solemnly as he watched Itami downheartedly talked with the village elder.
"I'm…so sorry. If I hadn't frozen like that, many would have…"
The village elder gently clasps his hand over Itami's shoulder. "It is not your fault. Besides, if you and your people weren't here, we would have all met a grim end."
"But still…" Itami looked downcast, still blaming himself for his shortcomings.
"Also," the village elder continued. "There is a matter I would like to bring up to you. It has been decided that caravan continue on without you people. Now before you object, I assure you, that we have reached the point where Empire does not pose as a threat to us anymore, and that out destination is only a couple of days away. So it would be best we continue on our way, without you."
"Are you sure those are the only reason why?" Itami asked, now looking at the elder in the eye.
The old man sighed. "You're quite perceptive, I give you that. No. There is one other reason, and that is many believe that your group brings misfortune where ever you go. I personally do not subscribe to such nonsense, and many still, including me, are grateful for what you have all done. But their ill beliefs are still strong, and in order to preserve order, I must submit to their wishes. For this, I am truly sorry."
Itami weakly smiled. "Don't be. I won't anymore force you to have us. But what of the others, won't you at least take them along?"
The village elder shook his head. "We cannot. No one among us is willing to take them in. We have to look to our own respective families. And besides, even if we bring them along, there will be no one there waiting for them in our destination. I cannot guarantee their welfare once there."
"Then there is only way to settle this. I'll have to take responsibility for them, for sake of those that left them, and for their own sake as well." Itami firmly said.
After saying their final farewells, Third Recon saw to those left behind. Itami noticed Lelei among them.
"Why did you remain? Your master is alive and with you?"
Linguine translated. "She says, she wishes to go to wherever we go. And to learn much about us as she originally intended, no matter what. Also she and master have some valuable knowledge that could be of use to use in exchange."
"Fair enough. Welcome aboard then." Itami said, smiling at her.
"Where to, Lieutenant?" Kuwahara asked. His demeanor having reverted like it used to before he that argument.
Itami noticed this and was glad, feeling relieved by some of the burdens within his heart. "First, we set up camp. By daybreak we back track and see if we can find and invite some of the stragglers left behind. After that, we head back to Alnus."
Two Musai light cruisers were coming close to Earth's orbit to prepare for a suborbital drop. Escorted by its complement of Zaku II mobile suits, the two Zeon warships were fortunate to encounter zero traffic from the Federation Space Forces. In the following months of the One Year War, the Federation have been steadily regaining its presence in space after several disastrous defeats in the hands of Zeon. This has made the drops of reinforcements and supplies to Zeon's ground forces on Earth harder and costly, due to the occasional skirmishes between the two opposing forces' space navies.
A Musai operator on ship's bridge was nearing the end of his countdown. "…Three…two…one!"
"Release Komusais!" A captain of the lead Musai said.
A portion below the nose of the Musais detaches. After orienting themselves these mini-space vehicles begin their final descent towards the Earth's surface.
"Good luck to you Cyclops Team! Safe journey! And good hunting!" Captain Von Helsing wished the brave souls that have descended, for a successful mission they were about to undertake.
AN: A very minor rewrite. Due to RL issues, Chapter 8 will be delayed somewhat.