A/N: My other half has decided he just can't stand the way the series has been heading with the Light Novels. Now I tried to tell him this was based on the Anime only; but, well - you know guys. So he's taking over (mostly) I'll still be in charge of editing and the smut, so I won't let him get too carried away. Great thing about A/U's? You can change things. His notes are below here. Please be kind, he's new at this.
Sorry Dear Readers, this is kyoteshaman76 - the Co-author. I just got done reading several of the light novels and didn't like the way they were going. So, I have kind of taken over Connie's story. I apologize in advance if this upsets anyone. Unless I mean to upset people, that is.
I am tossing in a character I have often used in multiple RPG's and like tossing into volatile situations. Lets hope everyone plays together well.
Disclaimers: We don't own anything of Full Metal Panic -Just KRD. We get nothing from Funimation, Tokyopop or anyone else affiliated with FMP. We don't even get anything from KRD (LOL).
On the Tuatha de Danann
Captain Testarossa moved through the wide companionway of the stealth submarine towards the Med Bay where her friend Kaname Chidori was being kept while they ran tests to determine if she were going to suffer any type of brain damage from the second dose of Amalgam's Whispered drug. She saluted the soldiers she passed with a smile to hide her worry; they were all showing enough worry already. They needed her to be strong for them.
Sergeant Sagara and Lieutenant Weber were standing guard outside the door and both saluted her sharply as she approached.
"How is she doing?" she asked the men. She managed to keep her eyes between them; although she really wanted to look at Sergeant Sagara. She got an excuse to when he was the one who answered.
"Ms Chidori is physically fine, Captain. She claims," he was interrupted by Weber, although he kept speaking as if he hadn't been.
"Loudly," Weber muttered with humor.
"That she is fine mentally as well. Sergeant Major Mao is attempting to convince her she needs to let the Doctors run their tests," Tessa thought she heard some frustration or exasperation in the man's voice. She figured she was mistaken since it was well known that Sagara didn't show emotion.
Tessa nodded her thanks and opened the door to Med Bay.
"Where is that coward, Sousuke?" All three heard when she had the door half opened.
"He is outside, guarding the door just like you asked him to," Melissa Mao said, and Tessa could see Kaname suddenly turn red and fold in on herself when she heard the steel in the older woman's voice. The teenage Captain closed the door quickly, to prevent either man from attempting to come in at that point.
"Kaname-san, please, what is wrong?" Tessa asked as she bowed to the girl. When Kaname raised her blue-black head her brown eyes were filled with tears.
"I am confused," the sixteen year old girl said. Tessa wasn't quite sure if she believed that, but didn't know her well enough to call her on it.
"Perhaps I can clear up any confusion?" Tessa offered. She knew what it was like to come into the Whispered abilities by force; she had watched it happen with her brother. She herself hadn't had it quite so bad as that, but still.
"Why do I have to have those tests run?" Kaname then demanded; and from Mao's body language it was a repeated question.
"What has Major Mao told you?"
"That you all think think those jerks who kidnapped me gave me a drug to make my mind open up to the Whispered thing, again." Tessa nodded and handed Kaname a red file. Mao's eyes widened in shock when she saw this. Tessa sat down on the bed next to Kaname.
"I remember when I was put through the training to start learning how to use my Whispered abilities. It was frightening and often painful," The young girl spoke with the earnestness that was her trademark. An honest frankness which is what made her the darling of her crew.
"Mithril used to work with several different scientists to find a way to make it easier for people like us to access these abilities," she sighed and laid her head on her right shoulder as she looked at the girl who was almost her polar opposite.
"They weren't exactly successful," the blond girl shuddered almost imperceptibly.
"So?" Kaname asked. "What has that got to do with what happened to me?"
"Mithril's founders stopped working with several scientists because their methods were," Tessa paused to take a breath. "Brutal would be a kind way to describe them." Kaname saw Mao nodding from the corner of her eye and began to frown in concern.
"Amalgam, as you know, works with pretty much whoever will give them what they want and the group doesn't really care for anything other than results," Tessa went on. Kaname knew the girl could be very serious; but she hadn't seen her this focused before.
"Now Mithril and Amalgam aren't the only groups who have drugs to force a Whispered's abilities to the fore; but our's are the only reliable drugs. Amalgam will sell theirs to the highest bidder," she nodded to the red folder. Kaname opened it up and read through it quickly. Tessa was watching the raven haired beauty closely. This was a test, had Kaname known it.
"Oh my God," Kaname gasped in horror. Then her breath caught in her throat and she frowned.
"How could I understand all that?" she asked slowly as she looked up into Tessa's bright blue eyes.
"Actually, that's a good sign," The Captain of the Tuatha de Danann said. "If you didn't understand any of it I'd have been more worried." Kaname turned to look at Mao.
"She's right, we know how smart you are," Mao shrugged. "Knowing you can understand the whole thing means they most likely didn't give you brain damage." Kaname barked out a bitter laugh.
"That is the other reason for the tests we want to run, Ms Chidori. We want to make sure that AfA didn't overdose you and cause any physical damage to your brain," Tessa took the folder back.
"We also want to do the cognitive tests to be sure you didn't lose any part of you," Tessa said with feeling. Kaname sighed and leaned back against the wall. Sousuke had tried to tell her this. He had tried to make it clear they all only wanted her to be okay.
"No one wants to find out if my Whispered abilities have come to the fore?" Kaname asked softly. Mao smiled and took her hands.
"Kaname, our mission has been to try and make sure you have as normal a childhood as possible. Our leaders want you to be left to your own devices; to let the abilities develop normally," the older woman sighed and released the younger girls hands.
"Unfortunately, there are a lot of bad people out there who also know how to find those with your abilities. We haven't been doing a great job of protecting you," Tessa said sadly. Kaname's brown eyes snapped to the blond girl's blue.
"Wrong!" she shouted as she grabbed the slender girl's shoulder.
"Wh-what?"
"If Urzu squad wasn't watching me, Amalgam would have already gotten the black box tech out of my head and I'd be dead or worse!" Kaname shook the girls shoulder slightly.
"If Urzu squad wasn't watching me; if Kurz hadn't been where he was these American assholes would still have me! Mithril is doing a great job!" Kaname said emphatically.
"Sousuke, Kurz and Melissa could use help, but that's just because I am apparently the only unclaimed Whispered person out there!" and although there was a bit of humor in the statement there was also a bit of a question in it.
"I'll see what I can do about getting them help," Tessa said. Kaname nodded and breathed out, seeming to let go of something.
"If the tests will help make sure I'm really okay, and that's all; then okay, I'll stop fighting." Tessa smiled and leaned in to hug the girl.
"No, don't stop fighting, we all love your spirit!" she said and Kaname couldn't help but smile at the sincerity. Mao and Tessa both walked out the door leaving Kaname alone for a brief moment. She had to stop herself from crying when the door opened again.
"Kana?" Sousuke said as he shut the door, she raised her brown eyes to his and suddenly threw herself into his arms. He caught her as she did so, holding rock steady as she wrapped her long arms and legs around him. He had already locked the door to her room and was glad he had when he felt her body shaking as she began to sob.
Sousuke wasn't sure what he should do with his crying lover, he wasn't sure what to say so said nothing. He held her close to his chest, rubbing her back with one hand while she cried. When he realised she wasn't going to stop any time soon he moved to the bed and sat down, not letting her go.
Kaname wasn't sure how long she clung to Sousuke while she cried, but she was grateful he didn't try to talk her out of it; just let her cry while offering the comfort of his arms. When her bone wracking sobs had wound down to mere sniffles she felt him pull something from his pocket. He didn't try and move her off his lap, merely lifted her face so he could wipe the worst of the mess away with his handkerchief.
"I-I'm sorry," she said with a hiccough. He shook his head and pressed his lips to her forehead.
"It's not a problem," he said softly as she slid off his lap and onto the bed; although he didn't let her go very far from him. She blew her nose into the cloth handkerchief and crumbled it up in her hand.
"I ne-never cry like this," she said, her breath still hitching. He placed a finger on her lips to silence her. He then brushed her hair from her face as it was sticking to her due to her sweating. He whispered a phrase in a language she didn't know.
"What was that?" she asked him, her breathing getting calmer from his touch. She fleetingly thought how strange that was when usually his touch made it hard for her to breathe.
"My own," he answered, and she felt her heartbeat speed up.
"Do you mean it?" she asked him, she didn't know why she did; she was sure this was a temporary thing. She knew she was falling head over feet in love with him, but he didn't know what love was. Heck, he didn't know what happiness was.
"Never mind, forget I asked," she said, trying to sound brusque but failing since she started crying again. He pulled her to his side as he moved so his back was against the wall.
"You are my own, Kana. My Kana," he swallowed as he laid his cheek on her head.
"I am sorry I let them get to you," he said to her. "I will not fail you again," she shivered at the steel in his voice.
"It's my fault," she started to say when he put his finger on her lips again.
"No, Kana, it is not your fault," he sighed in frustration. "You are correct in that I cannot turn the school into a deathtrap; it would harm the other students. I will simply find another way to ensure your safety," he said. He felt tears on his hand and looked up to see her crying again.
"Kana?" he asked.
"I am too much trouble," she whispered, she tried to pull back when he growled in anger.
"No!" he said quietlyas he pulled back into his arms"You are mine! You are not trouble," he said emphatically.
Kaname spent another week on the submarine. She was either sleeping in Tessa's quarters or she was in the Med Bay. The MRI and the CAT scan weren't so bad; but the ink blot test was disturbing and when she had been given the logic puzzles she was amazed at how much more quickly she had been able to solve them.
She had cried herself to sleep in Sousuke's arms; however, the day they had given her a box of what appeared to be miniaturized components and tools and just told to build something. So she had; she had built a working one foot miniature M9 that was exactly like the Arbalest in every detail but for one.
It didn't need a pilot.
HOLOGRAPHIC CONFERENCE CALL, MITHRAL HEADQUARTERS
Two weeks later
Lord Byron clears his throat and says ,"Ladies and gentlemen, it appears that something entirely unexpected has happened. The whole of Mithral has been bought out by a third party. We only learned of this after the buyout," The assembled officers grunted in surprise. The idea that there was a company not attached to any one country that knew of them and had the money to buy out the entire organization . . . that was disturbing to say the least. The fact that it could be done without their knowledge despite their superior technology, information network, and skills made it more so.
"The buyout was performed by KRD. In our circles, they are known to possess better than cutting edge technologies and to hire out small squads of mercenaries. Unlike Mithril they never use squads larger than eight man teams. No intelligence agency or group in the world has been able to gain any information on them besides this." The English Lord was working hard to keep his voice steady, to keep from betraying his nervousness.
"Our new Director as a few words he would like to say." A hologram appeared in the middle of the groups conference tables. The members all looked at their individual conference tables that were scattered across the globe; there shouldn't have been any way for them to get such a hologram. A man in a grey t-shirt, jeans, and combat boots. He was lean of build, and looked to be of a mixed Japanese/caucasian heritage.
"Good day, gentlemen", he says in a deep jaunty voice. "This is an notification of the new status quo, and a chance to bail if you don't like it. Yes, this is a hostile takeover. Yes, I placed microemitters in each of your conference rooms without your knowledge. This was to prove an upcoming point. Let us get down to business, hmmm?" He gave the assembled men a very wicked grin.
"My name is Killroy Deathrax; and for years now, I have watched your troop of would be do-gooders prance about the globe righting wrongs - so long as someone paid your fee to intervene. I have also seen your organization take horrific personnel as well as financial losses. I've also seen the massive leaks in security and intelligence. Holes that you seem to think you have plugged; most of which I was able to use to personally install those micro-emitters into each of your individual conference rooms. You've never plugged these holes, they have simply evolved and become worse. As it stands, I have in my possession the plans to one of your most advanced subs and the basic plans for your most advanced Arm Slave unit and I got all of this BEFORE I bought you out." Killroy kept his tone even and polite, although there were clear signs of disdain in his body language. The hologram was extremely detailed.
"The simple fact is, I could be building better units and countermeasures for the current models if I so desired. I like your ideas, folks; but your execution is flawed." He paused to give the men and women who were used to the world trembling at their names time to grasp what he was telling them. Their shocked faces and the stunned silence from these very powerful people was telling.
"As of now, that changes. KRD Sentinel tech is now something that all members of Mithral are going to be required to have. The foremost part of it being an implant in the cerebral cortex that will explode as a security measure. Every member of Mithril has received a copy of the new contract and the security measures that will be in effect. If you are not in agreement with all of the new terms, you are free to leave; there will very few penalties for doing so at this time. To be able to better operate and protect the world, you have to tighten security. Otherwise, you might as well be whistling dixie, because the enemy will attack from within." Once more he waited a few moments. He watched as several members began to read the contract they had just received. He knew there were several members of this board who weren't going to be happy with the new arrangements .
"Oh, and I will be personally taking over all Whispered projects, without exception." He announced, almost as an afterthought, his eyes twinkling with merriment when Lord Byron and General Mosqu both looked to one another with alarm. "Seriously, do you guys have no clue how to help these poor people or use them without breaking them? Go to your rooms and think about your decisions before coming back with your answers! You have twentyfour hours to decide. My subordinates, Yama and Kayla will answer any questions."
Jindai
Following morning at the Safe House
"Hey, Kurtz! Have you seen this", Mao calls out, holding up the tablet with the new contract on it.
"That new contract? Yeah, I've seen it. Some guys I know in the communications department also told me something that will perk your ears up. Apparently, the boss man of the company that bought us broke into every conference room ", he answers.
"From what I understand, this Deathrax guy is really weird. He comes in out of the blue and starts talking to everyone in the world about coming up with technologies that are environmentally sound but still cost effective. Everyone laughed him till his company splashed on to the scene with exactly that!" Kurz sounded truly impressed, and Melissa knew it was hard to impress the German.
"He set up mobile doctors offices and truly affordable health insurance. You never pay for more than you need and just about everything is covered. His Bob's Stuffer Shacks have set a new standard across the world." Melissa stared at her subordinate with shock written all over her face. He sure knew a lot about this. "Their life insurance is even better; and if it weren't for the care that Mithril gives us I would have signed up for their Platinum Plan when they first came out. Talk about service; they'll come get you out of a warzone!"
Mao blinked in surprise. "Really? I thought that was just a rumor. Getting a discount for one is a heck of a perk, but what about this implant business? A bomb in my brain? That's a seriously disturbing prospect. What's to keep someone from pulling the trigger on it from outside the Mithral? Or for giggles?"
Sousuke walked out of the bedroom with his school bag in hand. "Each one has specified coding built into it that is in an isolated system from the GPS system in it. The technology is sound. Militaries the world over have been developing it for decades. KRD's model is generations ahead of the current proposed models. And is non-surgical."
Their conversation halted at the sound of a knock at the door. The trio freeze and draw weapons. No one in Mithral would arrive without prior notice unless it was an emergency. It could be someone knocking at the wrong door, though. Sousuke approaches the door cautiously, pistol behind his back. Whoever it is knocks again.
Seconds after is a whirlwind of movement and chaos as someone opens the door and enters the room so fast, no one has a chance to react. Sousuke tries to raise his gun to cover the man leaning against the wall, only to find himself awkwardly holding a glazed doughnut. Weber and Mao also find themselves in similar situations. The tall man who was leaning against the wall holding a paper bag in each hand noded towards the desk with comms and surveillance equipment. Sitting on the corner of it is a cup holder with four cups in it.
"Nice reactions", the man says as he nods. "Good placement for the layout. I approve. If it had been anyone but me, I would have stood no chance."
"Who are you", asks a stunned Weber.
"Oh, just a new teacher at Jindai High. Also; your new boss."