Chapter 18
"More tunnels?" Joker asked, the blond haired head of the British Library looking intrigued as they held another meeting via video-link.
"Or a branch of the same tunnel system. Whichever, it extends under the school facilities, to a unknown length," Shane reported.
"Hmm. And do we think the lost Library may be under there?" Joker wondered.
"The books we're looking for clearly aren't in any of the current facilities, and our search of the abandoned buildings here have turned up nothing," Nancy Mukahari said, shrugging.
"Do we know what Balalaika has discovered searching the tunnel system so far?" Joker asked them thoughtfully.
"More labs," Yomiko told him glumly. "One of the soldiers likes to drink a bit too much, and told Rin about them, and she passed it on to Nancy."
"It's gossip, but I think it's basically accurate," Nancy told him, "they've found three more underground facilities, two bio labs and a mechanicals lab. No one's exactly sure what the heck they were experimenting on, but no one seems to like it."
"The school grapevine also says that Balalaika is bringing in a part time archeologist to lead the exploration," Shane noted.
Joker was once again struck by the effectiveness of taping academics for gossip and other information. He made a mental note to recruit more undercover teacher's assistants.
"Dr Jones?" Nancy wondered.
"Busy in Nepal," Joker noted.
"Dr. Croft?" Yomiko guessed.
"In Mexico, looking into Incan Pyramids," Joker said. It might seem a odd hobby, but he liked to keep track of adventure archeologists and the like. They too often turned up world threatening Crystal Skulls and Arks and such...
"No, no," Shane shook his head, "he's a Professor like Dr Jones, but is Japanese/English by birth and is currently on leave from Oxford. Professor Taichi Hiraga-Keaton."
"Master Keaton!" Yomiko yelped, beaming.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Taichi Hiraga-Keaton sneezed, then rubbed awkwardly at his nose as he stepped down from the boat. "Thank you, Dutch," he nodded to the captain.
"Glad to help," Dutch nodded, "nice coincidence you were in Roanapur just as we were dropping someone off."
"Indeed," Taichi just kept smiling mildly.
Dutch shook his head ruefully. Clearly the man intended to maintain his aura of mystery. He noted the figure wating for them and smiled. "Looks like the welcoming party is here. Raising his voice he called, "Hey, Rock!"
Rockuro Okajima waved, the slim former businessman smiling warmly. "Hey, Dutch," he said, exchanging a hearty handshake with him. "Sticking around for a bit? I think Revy would like to catch up with you."
"That's the plan," Dutch agreed. He gestured to the patiently waiting man, "Rock, meet Taichi Hiraga-Keaton."
"Professor, it's a honor," Rock smiled.
"Somehow, I doubt Rock is your real name," Taichi teased mildly.
"Rockuro, but I've gotten used to Rock," he admitted willingly. "Just one suitcase?" he noted as Taichi stepped off the boat just carrying a suitcase.
"I usually travel light," Taichi shrugged, "and if I must, I can have stuff shipped here."
"Works," Rock nodded. "Now, as I understand it, we only have you part time?" he asked as he walked them over to the car.
"I still need to be available for my insurance investigation jobs, but that shouldn't be too often," Taichi said with a shrug. He looked at Rock, "Can you brief me on the situation?"
"Climb in," Rock opened the doors and put the suitcase in back.
"Thank you," Taichi sat up front with Rock.
"What did Balalaika tell you when she recruited you?" Rock asked. "I don't want to go over the same ground twice."
Taichi smiled faintly, "Double my current pay, a moderate teaching load and, I quote, a unique modern archeological mystery."
"All right," Rock nodded, "fairly recently a teacher was doing some exploring on the uninhabited side of the island and found what appeared to be a natural cave."
"Appeared," Taichi echoed thoughtfully, "I take it it wasn't?"
"Following the tunnel inland they found what appeared to be a sort of steampunk laboratory," Rock told him, "with various unknown mechanisms and biological samples preserved in some kind of gel-like fluid."
"That doesn't sound good," Taichi noted.
"One of the biological samples escaped and tried attacking the teachers, but they successfully stopped it," Rock continued, "it was able to recover from seemingly lethal injuries."
"Interesting..." Taichi murmured.
"We had private security teams exploring the tunnels, but they had difficulties charting them," Rock admitted. "Then just last week we had a section of road near the main campus collapse, revealing more tunnels."
"Connected to the original tunnels or separate?" Taichi wondered.
"We don't know," Rock admitted. "After the second opening appeared the board decided we needed to call in a expert." Well, in this case 'the board' was Balalaika herself, but he wasn't going to tell Taichi that she pretty much ran the island on her own.
Taichi grunted softly. "I'm not sure there IS a expert on this," he admitted. "especially the whole monster dog bit. But I'm here and I think I am willing to help investigate this."
They pulled up to one of the nicer apartment buildings where staff lived. "Thank goodness," he noted. "We'll give you a few days to settle in, of course," he added.
"Of course," Taichi agreed, " I'll need a few things," he said as they got out and Rock took him to his new apartrment.
"Yeah?" Rock asked as he carried the bag.
"I'd like to interview the security team before I go in, as well as whomever discovered the tunnels in the first place," Taichi said.
Rock unlocked the door, wondering how Keaton would react to Revy. He almost hoped to be there. "I can arrange that," he agreed.
"And I'd like a security officer to accompany me, as well as a engineer," Taichi said as they went inside.
"I understood you can handle yourself," Rock noted, having read his file. He wasn't quite as dangerous as, say, your average soldier for Hotel Moscow, but he wasn't to be underestimated.
"Maybe so, but I try to avoid that sort of thing if I can" Taichi shrugged.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"Another new professor?" Kelly Miles blinked as the robotics club met in the back of the spacious library.
"New history prof. And apparently he's a pro archeologist too," Daniel noted.
"Huh. Think it's because of those tunnels we found?" Koyomi asked eagerly.
"That's the rumour going around," Adam Smith nodded. The blond haired man tended to flirt with Koyoki and Kelly, but both mostly ignored him.
"I STILL think we should have just searched them ourselves," Koyomi pouted.
"I agree with Shane-sensei," Kelly shook her head, "it was too dangerous."
"Hello everyone," their supervising teacher Ayame Li said cheerfully, the half Chinese, half Japanese engineer and professor arriving late as always.
"Hello, Ayame-Sensei!" they chorused back.
"So how are my mad scientists doing today?" Ayame asked as she sat down at the table.
"We recovered Prototype-One from the hole, repairs are going well," Dan reported.
"Test Type is nearly complete, as is the third model," Koyomi noted.
"Does anyone else sort of feel like a Evangelion character?" Adam wondered aloud.
"Why do you think we chose those names?" Dan asked. "We ARE geeks you know..."
"Hey," Adam protested, "I'm just a jock trying to meet graduation requirements."
Ayame just laughed. "Your GPA would say otherwise," she pointed out. "Anyway, I'm really impressed with what you've done, especially considering the fragmentary blueprints you started from."
The group had started with blueprints of a (supposed) steam powered mecha from the 1800s Japan. There were questions if the mechs had actually ever existed in reality, but the team found the designs interesting and attempted to adapt them to modern technology.
"I STILL think these things are mythical," Dan noted.
"They are physically possible," Kelly shook her head, "I think we've proved that at least."
"But running on STEAM? Seriously?" Koyomi shook her head.
"Now, now..." Ayame calmed them down. "How soon do you think we'll have all three ready for a practical test?"
"You are kind of pushing, ma'am," Kelly said respectfully.
Ayame smiled sunilly, "Well, that's science for you..."
Beneath the smiling facade Ayame really wished Kelly wasn't so perceptive. She was pushing them, and she couldn't even explain why. Would they even accept the idea that she was having premonitions of disaster falling on the island very, very soon?
To be continued...
Notes: After I did my last update, Master Keaton the manga was released by Viz. Good series, recommended.
Dr's Croft and Jones are, of course, Tomb Raider and Indiana Jones. Dr Jones is very likely getting on in years but may have found a cheat or two to keep going. Indiana Jones and the Fountain of Youth?
Ayame is the descendant of a character from Sakura Wars, more or less. Tho I will be fudging details a bit to make it work in this timeline. Canon wise SW takes place in a steam punk 1920s, which would do odd things to a supposedly modern 21st century.
Chapter Nineteen
"Mr Llewellyn," the new resident author smiled, offering her hand.
"Nenene Sumiregawa," Shane smiled as he shook it, "it's an honour, ma'am."
"Please, not ma'am," the young woman laughed, "just Nenene, please. As I understand it we'll be interacting a bit."
"Nenene, then, and please call me Shane," he nodded. "You're going to be doing readings here, as well as assisting the literary department," he noted. He looked as the three women accompanying her gazed around the library eagerly. "And they are?"
"Maggie, Michelle and Anita," Nenene introduced the three, "they're sort of my bodyguards and assistants."
"Bodyguards?" Shane raised an eyebrow.
"I had several kidnap attempts from crazed fans over the years," Nenene explained.
"Ah," Shane nodded.
Shane was also doing his best not to let on he knew about all of them. Nenene had known Yomiko, and after Yomiko and Nancy had had to go underground, the British Library had helped arrange the Paper Sisters becoming her protectors. She was barely in her twenties but had won several major writing contests and published several hit novels. She had even had a film made of one of her books, recently!
Michelle was running around the library enthusiastically exclaiming over books she wanted, while Maggie was more quietly looking at books. Anita seemed rather pained, and looked over at Shane apologetically.
"Sorry about this. My sisters get... overly excited," Anita said.
"It's fine. As long as they don't bother students," Shane noted.
"I'll grab them if they go that far," Nenene promised.
"Thank you," Shane nodded, then took a walk around the Library to make sure everything was all right. In addition to usual activities, it appeared students were sneaking into secluded sports to make out. Which was completely inappropriate! You could get something on the BOOKS!
As Shane returned to the main checkout desk, he was faintly surprised to see Revy there. "Yo," she waved casually.
"Hey," Shane smiled back. She still seemed a bit down over whatever happened around Christmas, but seemed to be recovering. "What can I do for you?" he asked politely.
"Balalaika wants to see you," Revy smirked.
"Oh joy," Shane deadpanned.
"Come quietly now...," Revy teased.
"Let me get things in order here," Shane sighed, finding his book club 'assistant' and putting her temporarily in charge.
"There shouldn't be any problems, sir," Yue promised.
"Thank you for taking over," Shane said to her, then headed off with Revy.
"All done?" Revy asked wryly.
"Do I have time to do a Last Will and Testament?" Shane asked.
Revy punched him in the shoulder, thankfully not too hard. "Balalaika isn't THAT bad," she chided.
Shane gave her a look.
"Okay, she's scary. Still, you haven't done anything lately to piss her off," Revy conceded.
"And that's certainly comforting...," Shane noted wryly.
Honestly, Shane wasn't THAT worried about meeting Balalaika again. Yes, she probably could kill and 'disappear' him pretty easily, but he didn't think she would do so needlessly. Besides, it was fun teasing Revy like this...
They reached the administration building, then headed upstairs to where the offices were. Revy knocked briskly on the door, then a voice called, "Come in."
Shane scanned the room quickly, taking in the figures there. There was Balalaika, of course, and her minion Boris. Revy casually stood by her boss' desk, while security officer Hicks waited nearby. There was one stranger there, a black haired man who looked part Asian.
"Mr Llewellyn, welcome," Balalaika smiled coolly. "You know most everyone here, of course. And this it Taichi Hiraga-Keaton."
"Mr Llewellyn," Taichi nodded perceptively. "The Irish Llewellyn's? Related to the old royal line?" he wondered.
Shane raised his eyebrows in surprise. "VERY distantly related," he replied, wondering how the man knew that kind of trivia.
"Professor Keaton is our new professor in History, and is a archaeologist as well," Balalaika added, "we've recruited him to look into those tunnels you stumbled upon."
"Ah," Shane replied. "And I'm here because...?" he wondered aloud.
"I've been asked to lead a team into the tunnels," Taichi replied briskly, "but I'd like to get as much information as I can first. You discovered the tunnels... how? Why?"
"As I told Revy," Shane nodded to her, "I'm a amateur cave explorer. I found a map in the archives, and wanted to look into it."
"Yeah. Pretty crap map though," Revy noted.
Shane shrugged eloquently. In truth he's only handed over a piece of the map he had discovered in the island archives, but he wasn't going to tell them that. "It showed a entrance, and I was curious. It certainly didn't show what we found..." Shane visibly shuddered.
Revy made a face too. "Fuckin' mad science labs," she muttered.
Balalaika nodded, "Indeed. Major Hicks has also encountered... things, in the tunnels. And, while he has military training, he's not qualified for this type of exploration."
Hicks straightened up as if he wanted to argue that, but subsided.
"So what does this have to do with me?" Shane asked, though he had a BAD feeling about this.
"Master Keaton," Balalaika nodded to him, "will be leading an effort to professionally explore the tunnels. We'd like you to go along."
"Uhm, no?" Shane answered mildly. "Fighting one of those dog things was bad enough."
Revy snorted with amusement. "You and me both, but..."
Shane caught that as he noted, "You're along with this too?"
"Yup. Me and Hicks are the hired guns," Revy agreed.
"While I wouldn't dream of bribing you or anything," Balalaika noted, "there are discretionary funds we could put towards a large book purchase..."
Shane groaned. "You know my weaknesses..."
"So you'll come along?" Taichi asked, smiling faintly.
"Yeah, I guess I have to," Shane agreed.
Of course, Shane was pretending reluctance. The British Library was still hoping to find a cache of books hidden on the island, and the underground was their best bet. So of COURSE he wanted to go along. His joining in had nothing to do with his being worried about Revy...
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Koyomi Kishro looked with some amusement as the copper haired girl with the cyborg arm circled the mecha. It was squat, kind of barrel shaped with humanoid arms and legs, and looked awkward as hell.
"So, who's nuts enough to be piloting this?" she asked, looking at her roommate Dan.
"We sort of rotate the duty," Dan admitted, "especially after it fell into a sink hole."
Koyomi barked a laugh. "I heard about that," she said cheerfully.
"Oh, it's you," Kelly Miles noted flatly.
Koyomi smiled back, "Love you too, Miles."
Kelly growled and stalked off.
Dan looked at Koyomi curiously, "What did you DO to her anyway?"
"Who says I did anything?" Koyomi pouted. Dan just looked at her. patiently "Okay, I... well, accidentally unplugged a power cable when she was compiling a program." she admitted, "They lost a full day's work."
"Ouch," Dan winced.
"All right everyone, settle down," Ayame Li clapped to get their attention.
Just as she said that Adam rushed in, looking sheepish.
"Today's agenda: pilot candidates. I'd like us to have regular pilots available for all three units," Ayame stated briskly.
"The prototype and test-type aren't ready for full mobilization," Kelly said firmly.
"And they aren't going to be ready unless we pilot them and work the various bugs out," Ayame replied serenely.
Dan shook his head, "You're pushing again, ma'am."
Ayame kept a calm smile on her face, but it was hard. The island's leaders were actually EXPLORING the damn tunnels under the island. Even after awakening one of the youma underground. Were they IDIOTS or something?
"Sometimes, you have to push," was all Ayame said aloud.
To be continued...
Notes: YES, long wait between updates. Life. And I'm working on cutting down on my ongoing projects.
Setting up Sakura Wars vs Resident Evil, kinda. Ha. With other bits. We'll see how things play out...
Edit: Sorry for anyone expecting a update. With the VERY short length of my usual chapters I decided to combine them to make reading and organizing this story easier. I'll try to get a REAL update going soon.