Chapter 3:

Schale Central Office

Liam Benson, Benson's Buccaneers, Schale

Kivotos Independent Star System Deep Periphery

21 May 3059

Liam sighed as he sipped his morning tea in the chair behind his new desk. He was disturbed without any 'Mech maintenance to assist with his morning wake-up routine. He had hoped that sleeping on the couch in this office would end this crazy dream and that he would be back on the Bradford, helping move heavy materials for the techs as his own form of workout.

That was sadly not the case.

Instead, he was still here. On this crazy planet. With the not-Dracs who speak Japanese.

Liam started to wonder if fate had it out for him. Did all those people who died by his hand finally decide to give him one last insult? It would explain the strange circumstances and why he was dispossessed. He had to be honest. The peculiar features of the people here, the halos, the animalistic parts on them, and the fact they called themselves students had nothing on the loss of status he was feeling. Here he was, abandoned on God knows what world, far from the light of Terra, brought down to the lowest point of existence a MechWarrior could be. It was depressing. Many in his position would have considered suicide rather than this insult to their honour, but he was above such petty views.

He was a true MechWarrior.

Liam recalled the words of Thomas Marik when he founded the Knights of the Inner Sphere. At the time, he had been told that it was nonsense, that such idealism was dead in the Inner Sphere, and that war was diplomacy by any other means.

Then Gibson happened.

It was only after hearing about the battle that had taken place there that Liam finally understood. MechWarriors could and should be above the squabbles of humanity, not just mere pawns to it, and Clausewitz was a fool from an era long since gone.

Perhaps this place was less of a curse and more of a blessing? Before, he was always restrained by the realities of making a profit for the company, paying wages to those under him, and following the orders of some ungrateful noble who saw him as a toy for their games. For the first time in his life, Liam felt genuinely free. What he would do with such freedom, though, he had not a single clue what to do as he looked at the rising sun.

'Buying some new clothes might be a good start.'

Ah, yes, Liam almost forgot. His new mind companion, Arona. She was more helpful than Bitchin Betty ever was, though the fact she talked in his head was nearly as disturbing as his thoughts being a form of communication with her.

'I was just trying to help you…'

Liam felt terrible for that comment. He knew she was trying to help and that such a comparison was unfair. Granted, what he would use to buy said clothes or even where to go was beyond him. Perhaps Yuuka would know. She did say she was coming over again if he recalled correctly. It was good that he ate that weird bento before napping on the couch.

'You could have used the chopsticks at least…'

Liam could have also been provided a fork, but sometimes, you didn't get what you wanted. Wakamo was still asleep. Liam decided he would at least give her a chance to behave and assume she would have accepted. He doubted anyone would willingly choose to be behind bars. It seemed illogical.

'Considering how she acted, Liam-sensei, you are overlooking something…'

He would not have liked to recall that awkward moment again. He may not have been a social outcast, but that sort of affection was alien to him. Perhaps Wakamo was just feeling a bit pressured. Considering who he was, he doubted anyone would actually like him.

Liam took a deep breath and shook his head. His first thought was to distract himself with something before Yuuka arrived. He could reread Le Morte d'Arthur; that old digital book his mother got him was always his favourite. Perhaps the Bible? He had already read it front to back but always liked to reread it occasionally. That would take too long. His favourite holoseries, then! Lyran propaganda, it may be, but it always made him feel a bit better. Then again, there was the tank he salvaged. The top of the turret needed some repairs to get it back to working order.

Groaning came from the entrance of the office. It was likely Wakamo at this time.

It looks like the choice was already made for Liam. As Wakamo entered the room, Liam tried not to be as overbearing as the night before. "Ah, good morning, Wakamo," Liam tried his best to be as polite as possible, "sleep well?"

Wakamo's face, still lacking the mask Liam found her with, turned a deep shade of red as she looked at Liam. "Y-you…" Wakamo stammered as she failed to meet his gaze. "T-that was real?"

"Yes it was…" Liam bit his tongue. He did not want to recall the uncomfortable elements of that night. Liam coughed. He needed to focus on the present. "You didn't respond to my offer, so I will repeat it now. It was regarding-"

"Me staying with you?"

Christ. The awkward feeling was returning fast, and he didn't have enough tea for this. "Yes," Liam coughed as he tried to focus his mind, "I recall you fainted at the prospect, so I have done nothing regarding your unique situation yet. I want you to understand this is a serious moment. Declining the offer would result in you being handed off to the corrections bureau instead. I would be disappointed in you as well."

"No!" Wakamo yelled as she seemed to be in a stage of panic. "I'll do anything! I would never want to live in a reality where I disappoint you!"

Well, that was simple. "Good enough for me." Liam got up from his desk. "Judging from the fact you were walking about, you were looking for your firearm. It's in the garage. I stored it with a project that needs to get done."

Wakamo tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

Ah, that was right, Wakamo didn't know. "That tank you lot brought needs some repairs."

The tank might have been outdated on the surface, but the interior was something Liam was more familiar with. He should have expected that since a tank of that technological base only had two people, it was either inadequately manned or something else was happening. The interiors looked more like the cockpit of a mech. There was a button layout for turret controls, pedals, joysticks, and various computer screens. The second person was less of a loader or gunner but appeared to be an observer for the actual driver.

A second person he wouldn't need.

Until the day he got a mech back, this crusader could make due for now. Besides, the repairs to this would be therapeutic for him. He often helped Yang and the Astechs with essential maintenance and rearming when there wasn't any need for paperwork, training, or negotiations. He may have been a MechWarrior, but disrespecting one's techs was an idiotic thing to do. Even if the significant stuff was beyond him, he could learn to weld some metal or drag ammo for them.

Fortunately, the garage had some spare steel scraps and a welding machine. Liam could get to work right away. "Wakamo, bring over the welding machine and face plate in the corner."

"You're fixing the tank?" Wakamo's stared at the machine that lay dormant in the garage.

"It only needs some basic stuff done. It just needs the hole I made in the turret patched up, and it's good as new."

Wakamo giggled as she looked excitedly at Liam. "You are just full of surprises, darling."

Liam sighed as he pinched his forehead. "Could you please acquire the tools while I get the steel and a jumpsuit, Wakamo?"

"Of course!" Wakamo said in a perky way. "Anything for you!"

With that, she skipped off towards the tool in question. Liam could go without the affection, but fighting that would be more of an issue for him.

Liam grabbed some metal scraps lying around and put on the proper attire. A jumpsuit, respirator, and a pair of goggles were needed for him to use the welder safely, so he swiftly put those on. He also grabbed a grinder, an air hose, and a sponge to prepare the air to be welded.

"Darling!" Wakamo called as she skipped over, her hands gleefully holding the old welding tools and face shield aloft. "I got it for you!"

Well, at least she was efficient. The fact she got them that quickly spoke of that fact. "Thank you, Wakamo. If you don't mind, I would step back. Wouldn't want you getting burned by the sparks. Your firearm should be over in the cabinet. The passcode is 4692. You can get it while I finish up." A passcode he often used and thankfully was able to set up thanks to Arona's help.

"Of course!" Wakamo skipped over to the cabinet. At least she would be safe from the sparks.

Liam spent some time preparing the tank to be welded with the grinder and a hammer before he grabbed the face shield and pulled it down over his head. It was time to get to work.

Welding metal was something that was, in this situation, oddly calming. He preferred the more hands-on work than talking. Words were complicated, and actions were easy. He easily sealed the hole up after a short period of time. In fact, the welding point was probably a good thing for the crusader. Riveted armour was hardly considered good when introduced, let alone more than a millennium later.

When the work was done, Liam turned off the tools and jumped off the tank. The protective gear helped save him from damage, but staying in it was hardly the best. He removed the face shield and respirator, glad to not have to breathe through the device for the moment.

Liam looked over to Wakamo. Her bolt action rifle was back in her hands, and she smiled oddly. Considering Chinatsu's words the day prior, perhaps these 'students' firearms were like a MechWarrior's 'Mech. Was being without their personal firearm like being dispossessed? This could be helpful information for handling future situations, such as uncooperative or hostile individuals.

"Sensei!" Yuuka's familiar voice entered his ears from a distance. "Are you in here?!"

Was it that time already? He must have lost track of time. "Yeah, we're in here!" Liam called out as Wakamo looked at him in confusion. "Come on down, it's fine."

"Who is that?" Wakamo asked with tension in her voice.

"Yuuka, she assisted me yesterday. If she hadn't given me money, there wouldn't have been much food last night. " Liam had a feeling that if he didn't reign her in, she would have gotten hostile. "Now, be nice, or I won't be happy."

Wakamo's face turned to an expression of shock. "Yes, of course, I would never go against you."

Well, at least he could reign her in with ease.

As Yuuka stepped into view, she seemed to be carrying something new. Some sort of box inside a bag, if he had to guess. "Ah, Sensei," Yuuka looked at him with a smile, "I see you at least have something more appropriate on and-" her sentence was cut short as she laid her vision on Wakamo with panic, "What is she doing here?"

"Alternative correction," Liam answered matter of factly, "considering her willingness to cooperate and what I knew about how well the previous methods worked, trying something experimental as a more permanent solution. "

"You're kidding me…"

"No." Liam turned his gaze over to Wakamo. "Tell her you're sorry for the trouble."

As Liam's words entered her ears, it seemed Wakmo bowed at Yuuka with a haste he had not seen yet. "I am deeply sorry for everything!"

Yuuka, for her part, was stunned. "Is this real?"

"I can assure you that this is, in fact, happening. Considering everything, I felt a radical solution was the best in mind."

"So it would seem…" Yuuka trailed off as she looked at the apologetic Wakamo in shock. However, she shook her head as her gaze returned to Liam. "Ignoring that, you didn't eat those pills last night, did you? If you did, I-"

'Oh, he ate food. I made sure of that.'

Yuuka stopped mid-sentence as her eyes widened in shock. Perhaps she was close enough to Arona now she could hear her as well. "Was that…"

"Arona? Yes, she has been doing that to me too. It was a bit unnerving to hear her the first time, as well." Liam pinched his forehead and sighed. "At least I know I'm not alone on this."

"Arona?" Wakamo's head was tilted to the side in confusion as she looked at Liam. "Who is that?"

Ah, right, he never introduced Wakamo to her. "She's the OS on a device called the Shittim Chest. Quite helpful despite the awkward circumstances. Let me introduce you to her."

Liam opened up his jumpsuit and fished around for the device but stopped.

"Liam-sensei?" Yuuka seemed concerned over his halted movement. "What's wrong?"

In the distance, he heard a new set of heels clacking. It wasn't like Rin's. This was a different pair of shoes. "Did you come with someone Yuuka?"

"Nooo…" Yuuka appeared confused as she stepped back. "The only other person I even ran into was-"

"So that is what that was for, Yuuka." The new person popped in, her eyes closed as she seemed amused over the situation before her.

"Noa!?" Yuuka jumped back, flustered, as she stared at the new arrival. "Why are you here!?"

Noa was someone Liam could only describe as white as a ComStar agent with only some blues on her clothes and black stockings to break up the uniformity of colour. Even her hair, which reached her ankles, was white as snow. Only her headpiece offered some difference in the shade. Her outfit resembled Yuuka's, with the same badge hanging from her blazer's right pocket. A blue and white pistol was at her hip as she held a notebook and wrote something down. Liam could not tell what she was writing down as her purple eyes scanned him, Yuuka, and returned to the notebook before her.

"I have never seen you in such a hurry to make a bento before, and on a day off, no less. It was cute seeing you do that, so I got curious." Noa giggled as her gaze focused on Liam. "You though, I don't know. I have never seen you before, and an adult in Kivotos is not something often seen."

"You can't just tell him that!" Yuuka cried out.

However, Noa's gaze was trying to read Liam's every movement. He had seen this type before. He had often been scrutinised by fellow MechWarriors and knew when someone was judging him. Her eye motions were subtle, but she appeared to be taking in much information just by his stance.

It would be a good idea to put his best foot forward.

"Liam, Liam Benson." Liam offered a hand towards Noa and tried to put on a friendly smile. "A pleasure to meet you, Noa, was it?"

Noa blinked once, then twice, as she wrote something down. "Ushio Noa. If I may ask, how did you come to know Yuuka?"

Well, that was a simple question. "I just arrived yesterday in Kivotos. Surely you recall the chaos of that day?"

"Oh yes, Seminar was in quite the situation that day. Yuuka was so stressed she went down to see the GSC President."

"Sadly, she disappeared and left me to clean up," Liam remembered that odd dream or memory thing he recalled before he met Rin. "I don't recall much, but I think there was maybe something I remember about the GSC President. Something I dismissed at first as it seemed too odd to have been a reality, but perhaps that was foolish of me."

"Wait!" Yuuka jumped into Liam's view, her left eye twitching as she glared at him. "You knew something about the GSC President this whole time and didn't say ANYTHING!?"

"I am still not sure she was the President. I am just guessing based on her uniform." Liam sighed as he tried to recall the strange dream. "Besides, if that was the case, things are far more grave than I had hoped."

Noa flipped a page in her notebook as she hastily wrote something down. "What do you mean?"

"Simple. It would mean the President is dead."

Silence flooded the room as eyes shrank in horror. Even Wakamo was in a state of shock. It was not unexpected, considering how she reacted to him describing war to her.

"W-what!?" Yuuka yelled in shock as she bolted up to Liam. "D-dead!? B-but-"

"Look, I am not sure. It might have been just a dream, so let me start from the beginning." Liam took a deep breath and recalled the events leading up to his arrival at Kivotos. "It was a typical day, as much as a day in the life of a mercenary MechWarrior could be. My unit had just completed a garrison job on the planet of Florida, a job we had after the devastation we had on Coventry."

"Your unit was the Buccaneers, yes?" Yuuka piped in as she seemed to be thinking about something simultaneously.

Did Liam even tell her the name of his unit?

"Mostly right…" Liam trailed off as Yuuka, knowing the name of his unit was odd. Maybe he had forgotten, but he was sure he only told Rin the name. Maybe she read his unit patch's name, or perhaps Liam forgot something? Reading it didn't make much sense unless she was more well-versed in English than he thought, odd pronunciation aside. "It was Benson's Buccaneers, though. Getting back on topic, I ordered a return to Outreach to replenish the MechWarriors lost in my unit's last engagement. We were beginning to jump out of the system as I was just in my cabin cleaning the rifle you saw me use yesterday. It is a prototype that my unit was lucky enough to acquire for field testing, but that's useless to this conversation. It was due to that I am not sure what happened."

Noa took a step forward as she seemed engrossed in his words. "Why would that make you uncertain."

Right, these people were still likely pre-space flight. "I am no expert on the topic, but when jumping from one system to another, you travel several lightyears simultaneously." Just the thought of the process made him sick. "You are taking matter from one point in reality and transferring it in seconds to another very far away. I often suffer from Transit Disorientation Syndrome or TDS. I had forgotten to take my medicine that day, so when we jumped, I thought I was knocked out." Liam sighed as he glanced down at his feet. "Or at least I did at the time. Clearly, it was some sort of weird misjump instead. May I continue with my story?"

"Oh, yes." Noa scribbled down something quickly as she bowed her head. "My apologies."

"It is fine, Noa." Liam looked up and patted her on the head. These students were much more amicable than anyone he met in the Inner Sphere. "I then woke up on a train looking over Kivotos' skyline. I was alone at the time. Only the sound of my boots and voice were in the car. As I explored the train, the ends of the cabin had the passphrase I used to unlock the Shittim Chest. You recall those words, Yuuka?"

"I remember what you said, but it was in your strange language…" Yuuka pinched her forehead as she struggled. "W-w, sorry, I can't pronounce what you said. It is just so different."

Liam guessed that threw out her understanding of the English language as a factor.

"Oh, so he is multilingual?" Noa flipped back to her old page as she wrote down what Liam could only guess was a file on himself. "Impressive!"

"You say that now, but Liam-sensei can't read." Yuuka's smugness was as easy to read on her face. "He had to ask me what sign was for the basement."

Liam sighed. This shtick again? "I speak four languages, and just because I can't read in the language I am least familiar with, you say I can't read?" Amaris' tits, who did he anger recently to deserve that?

"Oh my, you're multilingual, Liam-sensei, but you can't read?" Noa smiled with a giggle. "Would you like some help?"

"Yes, but can we save that conversation for another time? I am sure what may have happened to the GSC President is more important." Honestly, why did this conversation keep getting derailed?

"Oh, right." Yuuka winced as she looked away. "Sorry for distracting you."

"Let's just try and stay on topic." Liam took a deep breath and picked his words to keep the story concise. "When I reached the final car, I saw an individual that looked like an older version of Arona, Yuuka, with a uniform similar to Rin's. She was rather bloody with bullet holes in her, and she was having trouble breathing."

Whatever colour the three had in their faces drained as their complexion was more pale and sickly. Perhaps Liam was too blunt, but he did want to cut the story short.

"She could still talk, which surprised me that she was still with us when I found her. But it is what she told me I can't wrap my head around the most." Liam closed his eyes and recalled the scene of the train as best he could and the vague words of the dying. "She said, 'Only you can free us from this twisted, distorted fate and find the choices that will lead us to a new reality.' Honestly, I find that all just nonsense. A dark and twisted fate? A new reality? What could that even mean?"

A deadly silence hung over the room as the three girls were in horror, confusion, and sadness. To her credit, Wakamo was the one who spoke up first. "Does that mean I…" she seemed on the verge of tears.

"I don't think so," Liam reached out and rubbed behind her animal ears, earning a yelp in return. "As much as I said I disagree with your violence, I don't think that it would fall into a dark and twisted fate category. Besides, there is a difference between misguided and malicious."

"Then it must be something to come?" Yuuka pipped up as Noa nodded in agreement.

"The only logical conclusion." Liam smiled as he rubbed his chin. "I am a veteran of the Clan Invasion. I survived the hell that was guerilla warfare on Coventry against Clan Jade Falcon. I went against insurmountable odds and came out on the other side with my unit. I am no legend like Grayson Carlyle or my father, but I know I am beyond the average." His father would have likely already known what was to come. "Whatever the President wanted me for, it wasn't something small if she was that desperate. I am no Knight of the Inner Sphere, but I am the closest to one here. I don't care what unknown doom is ahead. I will face it head-on if I have to."

A silence hung in the air as the tension was thick.

"Does the acting president know about this?"

Well, at least he could trust Yuuka to break the silence. "No, much of what I told you is something I am still putting together. I lack too much information to make a more solid conclusion. I don't know that she was the President. She looked more like a larger version of Arona, if that helps."

Yuuka glared at him, unimpressed, a look he was very familiar with. "Of all the panicking I was doing, and you are asking me THAT?!"

"To be fair, we had other things to worry about. I prefer fixing problems rather than worrying about minor details." Anything else was a waste of time. As he was often told, time is money.

Yuuka sighed as she pinched her forehead. His line of thinking appeared to annoy her, and she took a deep breath before looking at him again. "So why are you informing us first? Clearly, the GSC should know this!"

Why did Liam, indeed? Liam knew not to let confidential information slip out willy-nilly. Contracts between him and employers were meant to be highly confidential, and no one here, except perhaps Wakamo, in a way could be connected to the matter of hand. Liam and his father would never hide the details of a contract with the rest of his unit, from the lowly infantry to his fellow MechWarriors. They all depended on each other. After all, hiding things from them only harmed them and could get them killed. They were brothers and sisters in arms, even if they were just soldiers of fortune.

But his unit was not here.

He was alone here in Kivotos. A MechWarrior he may be, he worked as a unit with people to form a stronger whole, not a one-man army. Perhaps that was his answer.

"Besides the lack of ability to contact Rin, the answer is simple, trust."

"Huh?" Yuuka staggered back, shocked at his reply.

"You were the first to volunteer to help me when you didn't have to. I fail to see why I shouldn't trust you." Liam then turned to Wakamo, who seemed to calm down from when she was upset. "Wakamo, you and I will be assisting each other much in the future. If I weren't honest with you, I would be a failure." Then there was Noa, the newest arrival, whose very white attire somewhat unnerved him. "While I know little of you unless I am mistaken, you are an excellent friend of Yuuka's. Is that correct, Noa?"

The girl, as white as a ComStar agent, blinked thrice as she wrote something down. She, with an amused smile, closed her book and eyes. "We've slept together."

"NOA!" Yuuka's face turned a familiar shade of red. "YOU-"

"All lack enough bed space as well?" Liam knew what that was like. The Bradford never had enough beds, and the other two dropships in the company were either for aerospace fighters or the cheaper conventional assets such as tanks and infantry. "I often had to share a bed with Wojtek until a year ago. It was even worse after he was paralysed."

Yuuka, for her part, seemed to have a mix of emotions. Liam could only describe it as an odd combination of perturbed and saddened. He could get the former. He interrupted her if only to say he understood what was being said, but he could not understand the latter. If she and Noa did have to share a bed, that shouldn't sadden her, nor should the news of some random person being paralysed affect her.

It was odd to Liam. A thought he had repeated many times about this place but always seemed to come back.

"Oh my…" Noa trailed off as she wrote down something, "Of the things I expected to hear, that wasn't one of them."

"My apologies, but it at least confirms that you and Yuuka trust each other, so I don't see why I shouldn't extend the same courtesy." Liam grasped his hand behind his back and straightened his posture. "I know enough about situations similar to this that just speaking about this casually would only make things worse. I barely know anything about Kivotos, who leads certain areas, its governments beyond the GSC, the existence of other schools, and that they have their own governments in these schools. Their leaders, which schools are the large players on the planet, and what they represent. I don't know where you two stand in Millenium, which I assume is one of the schools on the planet. Still, at least by being open with what I know, I can be pointed in the right direction."

Yuuka appeared to no longer be stuck in her thoughts as she and Noa looked at each other momentarily. They both looked back at Liam. "Liam-sensei," Yuuka began, her voice tired as she looked at Liam, less than impressed, "we are part of Seminar, Millenium Science School's student council."

Well, that was at least one less school's leadership that'd need to know. "I see," Liam pinched his chin. Perhaps he should have asked about that before. "Is one of you the head of this council, or is that someone else?"

"Yuuka serves as treasurer, and I as secretary," Noa's explanation was much softer than Yuuka's. "Though President Rio is in charge, Yuuka has been taking up much of her duties as of late."

"Well, someone has to!" Yuuka blurted out with an annoyed sigh, "Honestly, President Rio has been absent way too much recently…"

"I can applaud you for stepping up when others have failed to do their part. That's very admirable, Yuuka."

A feeling of dread filled the room as Liam felt Wakamo's glare. Did he not say what he thought he did again?

Yuuka, for her part, blinked twice before closing her eyes and looking away from Liam. "Well, of course it is! Someone has to be!"

At least Liam was glad Yuuka didn't take what he said incorrectly. "Indeed, and since you and Noa are leaders from a school, this makes this next part easier." Liam finally fished out the Shittim chest. The form of Arona looking at Liam dead-eyed and half-lidded was not what he had expected. Should he have been more direct with Yuuka?

'No, that's…' Arona sighed. Liam could only guess that she shook her head.

A conversation for another time. "Yuuka, you already know what this is, but Wakamo and Noa should also know." Liam displayed the device clearly before the assembled parties as Arona quickly changed her deminer to her standard chippy one and waved at everyone on the device's screen. "I mentioned Arona here before, but from what I know, she's the AI associated with this device. Yuuka has already met her, but it would be better for you to meet her, too."

Noa and Wakamo stood silently as they looked at the Shittim chest and a sheepish Arona, then back up to Liam, confused. "Liam-sensei," Noa laughed awkwardly. "I don't know how to say this, but that screen is off."

Liam arched an eyebrow as he glanced down. Arona's avatar and the odd blue room from earlier were still there.

"What do you mean the screen is off?! I can see it's on!" Yuuka yelled as she pointed at the device

"Are you feeling well, Yuuka? It's clearly off…" Noa closed her eyes as her laugh became more nervous.

Liam looked at Wakamo, "I assume it is blank for you as well?"

A nod came from Wakamo.

Liam knew the device was on. He and Yuuka could see Arona. Why couldn't Noa and Wakamo? Was it due to their contact when they turned it on? Did the device hide its nature from all but accepted users? LosTech devices were strange, but this was something else. Perhaps if he repeated what he and Yuuka had gone through with them, it would allow them to see Arona. Better than having the AI be in relative solitude, as it were.

"Noa, Wakamo, forgive my sudden request, but could both of you touch the big button at the bottom of the screen? I want to test something."

The two hesitated as they looked confused at Liam. They did seem to relent as they approached. Once the two of them touched the big button, entering a similar trance-like state, he remembered Yuuka being in the day prior. In a few seconds, minor avatars of Noa and Wakamo appeared in the room with Arona.

At least the process could be repeated.

Yuuka approached her friend as she looked at her dead-eyed friend and back at Liam. "Did we look like this?"

"I can at least confirm you did. Though guessing by the fact those two couldn't see Arona, this is the only way to allow her to be visible to them." Liam held the chest in front of them, not wanting to break contact in case that led to a negative side effect. "They should be fine, as we both were."

Yuuka sighed as she pinched her forehead. "I doubt this will be the last time you do this."

"If I knew a better way, I'd take that instead. For now, we just need to wait." Liam's eyes shifted back to the bag in Yuuka's hand. "While we wait, what is in the bag?"

Yuuka blinked as she looked back at the bag she brought with her. 'Oh! It is nothing much. It is just a breakfast bento and an old phone I had. It would be bad if you lacked a cellphone for yourself. I recently got a new one, so I can give you a spare."

Yuuka pulled out the device she called a cell phone and held it to Liam. It seemed like a delicate device compared to his noteputer, but he wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth if needed. "Thank you for that," Liam pocketed the phone with his free hand. "You packed utensils for the bento, I assume?"

Yuuka smiled smugly as she took out sticks. Chopsticks. "Of course, why wouldn't I?"

Of course, it was those blasted sticks.

"Is it too hard to ask for a fork or spoon…" Liam sighed as he looked at the useless sticks. "I don't wanna eat with hand and knife again…"

Yuuka looked absolutely horrified at Liam. "How do you not know how to use chopsticks!?"

"Because they weren't used in Marik or Lyran space," Liam stated matter-of-factly. "I am not a Drac. Dracs and Mercs really don't mix…"

Yuuka glared at Liam as she took a step closer. "I am just going to have to show you how to use it, aren't I?"

Liam felt he didn't have much choice in the matter.

Liam was not having the most incredible day. He fixed the tank, but the breakfast was tuna and rice. Who eats fish for breakfast!? He still ate it, but that was just weird. The next thing he knew, he would get fried chicken for Christmas, knowing his luck. Then there was the new shirt he was made to wear. "Do I really need to wear a collared shirt?"

Yuuka frowned at him with a sideward glance. "You're lucky I compromised with the pants. You should be wearing dress pants as well!"

"They'd rip too easily. BDUs are much more reliable."

Yuuka sighed as she looked away from Liam. "You could at least get rid of that vest of yours and button up the shirt all the way…"

"Not happening." Liam liked his leather vest. He'd never be caught without it or a cooling vest. "It's comfortable and helps me carry everything."

"Honestly, you're like a child at times, Liam-sensei." Yuuka pinched her forehead, annoyed at his resistance. "Someone at your age acting like this is improper."

"Well, it's not like he is much older than you or I, Yuuka." Noa leaned forward with a smile. "If anything, he should be a little less stiff."

Yuuka and Wakamo stop in their tracks, and both look at Noa. "I'm sorry, Noa. Do you mind elaborating?"

"Isn't sensei in his forties?"

Noa shakes her head, looks at Liam, and hums. Before looking back at the two stunned students. "No, I am sure he is twenty-four, maybe twenty-five."

Wakamo frowned as she looked back at Liam. "But that can't be, that's-"

"Completely accurate." Liam interrupted. Honestly, he was surprised Noa got it correct. Most people were like Wakamo and Yuuka, assuming he was much older than he was. "I am impressed you got that right."

Yuuka and Wakamo turned back to Liam with shrunken pupils. There was a mix of horror and surprise on their face.

Noa, however, just laughed as she closed her eyes. "It was quite easy to tell. Your face only looks like that due to lack of sleep. I assume you slept for four hours last night?"

"Yes, more than my usual." Liam hoped this wouldn't become one of Wojtek's old lectures about getting more sleep. "Though I am sure we have more prudent issues than my sleep schedule."

The three students followed the movement of Liam's dominant hand before resting their eyes at their destination, the Sanctum Tower. Liam remembered this building. He didn't know what it was called yesterday, but it was the building he woke up in. The building where the GSC and, by extension, Rin were located.

"Wakamo staying by me was expected, but I don't know why you and Noa came along." Liam raised an eyebrow at Yuuka, who had finally recovered from her previous stunned state.

"Well, considering you are you Sensei, someone has to make sure you aren't as blunt as you normally are." Yuuka held out a finger and wagged it at him. "Remember, try to word the news more delicately than you did with me like we practised!"

Liam thought Yuuka was too worried about the issue. Did she have such little faith in him that he'd mess up that badly? "And you are just here to take notes, Noa?"

The white-haired secretary nodded. "I couldn't miss out on this. It is quite cute to see Yuuka like this."

"Noa! Please, not now!" Yuuka pleaded as her friend chuckled.

Liam took a breath and simply nodded before going to the entrance of the building, which was the same hall where he had met Yuuka initially. Upon entering the building, He was surprised. He didn't think he would see Rin down there already.

"Ah, Liam-sensei." Rin bowed her head slightly before looking back at Liam. "I was just about to go to Schale, yet not only did you come here, but you also have a more presentable outfit than yesterday."

"You can thank Yuuka here for the latter part. None of the businesses here take C-Bills, so I have nothing to buy anything with."

"Ah yes, the first reason I wanted to contact you." Rin shuffles around in her pockets and produces a grey plastic card. It seemed similar to the odd card, yet something in his gut told him they weren't identical. "Here, this is a credit card. It is linked to Schale's funding, so you should be able to purchase things independently. I must remind you, though, to not abuse it."

Liam took the card Rin handed to him and examined it. The odd kanji was not the same as the card that had appeared on his person when he first arrived. Perhaps it was some sort of unique object. "I see. Thank you, Rin. However, I have a new question for you in turn."

Rin frowned as she gave Liam a stern look. "If you are going to ask if purchases on your hobbies can be made with that card, I will have to tell you no."

"I don't have many hobbies, so that wasn't what I would ask." Liam shuffled around in his vest until he found the foreign card, his third main surprise when arriving in Rin's office. "Tell me, do you know what this is at all?" Liam extended out the odd card he had found on himself to Rin. "This appeared on my person when I first showed up in your office, I don't have a clue what it is, but I only have a gut feeling it isn't the same thing you gave me. At least not really. Appearance-wise, it may look the same, but something about it makes me feel like it isn't, and I don't have the slightest idea about it."

Rin gave Liam an odd look before taking the black card. She spent barely a second on it before looking back at him. "Well, besides this being a card with no limits, all I can see on it is a name. Hiyori Hiromasa."

Ah, so that had to be what 日和大将 meant. Liam didn't know how he got someone else's card on him, but at least he had some sort of information about the strange thing. "I see. Well, it would be prudent if this Hiromasa got this card back. You know who it is by chance?"

Rin frowned as she looked at Liam and handed him back the black card. "Isn't that your other name?"

Liam was not the brightest tool in the shed, but he would have remembered having a Japanese-style name. His parents were not descended from that part of Terra. From what he could gather, they were more from the anglosphere of the cradle of humanity. His callsign wasn't Eastern either. It was just a mocking title he got for his actions regarding noncombatants.

"No, I was born Liam Benson, and that isn't my callsign either."

Rin sighed as she pinched her forehead. "Must have been the President. She is always like this." Rin closed her eyes and flashed a fake smile at Liam, her annoyance still semivisible. "Much like you were doing to me yesterday."

"Again, my apologies for that." Liam held out his hands in a defensive way. Liam briefly considered bringing up what he possibly knew about the President, then elected against that. With Yuuka's glare on him and words on the way here on his mind, it would be a horrible situation if he just blurted it out. "What else was it you wanted me for?"

Rin took a deep breath and readjusted her glasses. "It was only meant for your eyes, but I see you are being accompanied by two Seminar members and a criminal who should be detained right now."

Ah right, Yuuka, Noa and Wakamo. "Yuuka and Noa are here to assist and observe me. As I stated before, the former was the only reason I had a change of clothes that wasn't a Jumpsuit for welding. And as for Wakamo, she is being detained from a certain point of view right now, no?"

"I fail to see how one of the Seven Prisoners walking with you freely is her being detained."

"Let me put it as best I can, Rin." Liam held the front of his chin as he considered his following words. "We both know that she was locked up before and had escaped and done damage before, no? How many resources would it take to contain her in a way that would prevent her from escaping? When with me, she seems passive and cooperative. Would it not make sense for her to remain in an area close to me to subdue her problematic tendencies while reducing the cost for you to achieve similar results? Not only that, what if she could then be used to help subdue other issues as well?"

"If such a thing would be possible, yes." Rin turned her gaze on Wakamo and frowned. "Yet I hardly believe that is even possible with her history."

Perhaps a demonstration would be in order. "Wakamo, I want you to sincerely apologise to Rin for your previous actions."

Wakamo jumped back and hesitated before speaking up. "But Liam sensei, she's-"

"If you don't, I will be disappointed in you."

As if his words were magic, Wakamo immediately bowed her head. "I am very sorry! I just wasn't thinking about much of anything!"

Rin blinked thrice, not in a way too dissimilar to what Yuuka had done before. "Is this really happening?"

"Trust me, it is, acting president." Yuuka sighed with closed eyes. "I still can't understand how Liam-sensei is accomplishing that…"

Liam felt he knew, but he'd instead not acknowledge the reason. It made this more complicated for him. "As you can see, she's under control now, and it doesn't cost you anything for it to be done. A win-win solution if I say so myself."

Rin took off her glasses, pinched her forehead, and sighed. "Why must you give me so many headaches…"

"It isn't intentional if that is what you think. If anything, I am just trying to save you from problems in the future."

With a deep breath, Rin put back on her glasses and looked at Liam. "Fine, so long as she behaves, I can allow your experiment. Before you do this in the future, though, tell me what you think rather than act, Liam-sensei."

"I'll try my best." Liam knew he couldn't promise anything concrete. The future was something he couldn't see.

"Guess that will work." Rin sighed before turning around. "If you will follow me then."

Liam bit down on his tongue. Rin may be insisting on showing something to him, but he did have something else important to ask. "Very well, but there is something vital we need to talk about in private after that."

Rin thought for a second, then nodded. "Very well, Liam-sensei, where we are going is isolated. It is back at Schale, after all."

A win-win then. Liam knew that place was secure at least from outside eyes. Perhaps it would have been better just to wait for Rin.

When Liam and the others returned to Schale, Rin led the group to the bottom of the building where Liam originally acquired the Shittim Chest. Did Rin forget to show him something there before?

Her attention seemed fixed on a device that had a floating stone associated with it. Liam had seen this before, yet still had no idea what the blasted thing was about or what kept the stone suspended in the air. It was just more LosTech to him.

"I apologise for not showing you this yesterday, but with how things were…"

"You were busy and only had time to show me some of the more basic things." Liam held up his right hand and finished her sentence. "I understand planetary affairs may not be my forte, but I can understand that when critical things need to be done, some things must be pushed back."

Rin blinked a few times, shaking her head. "Yes, with the reactivation of the Sanctum Tower, there were and still are several orders that need review and approval since the President left. What I have to show you was one of her projects that she had."

More LosTech then. "Well, what is it?"

"I barely know what it is, really. Her toys rarely interested me. Yet from what I recall, it is a synthesiser for materials and devices that only you, as the owner of the Shittim Chest, can access."

Yuuka squinted at the device with the strange doors that appeared to be input and output slots. "So this is like a 3D printer, then?"

"Yes, guess you could call it that." Rin's spat out with venom as she looked at the treasurer. "Though, as Liam-sensei is the user of the Shittim chest, I assume only he could operate it."

'As a reminder, Liam-sensei, Yuuka, Noa, and Wakamo are also registered users.'

Arona's reminder made Liam internally grimace. That will not be news Rin wants to hear, but that would have to be its own bridge to cross. "Can it replicate items?"

Rin shrugged at Liam. "Perhaps, but that would be something you'd have to figure out yourself."

Well, he might as well try it out.

When Liam went to a nearby terminal and turned it on, a flood of kanji filled the screen, and he sighed. "Great, that's just what I wanted to see…"

Rin gave Liam an odd look as Yuuka walked over. "Oh, that's right," Yuuka sighed as she stepped beside him. "You can't read."

"Japanese specifically, but yes."

As the words left his mouth, Liam could see in the corner of his eyes that Rin was on the verge of screaming. Burying her face in her hands, a familiar cry of anguish let loose as Liam thought it would be for the best to just let her get it out of her system. He could give the machine a test or three while she calms down.

"Can it scan an item?" Liam mused as he took out his noteputer.

Yuuka squinted her eyes and pressed a few buttons on the keyboard. "It appears it can add scans of an item to a database to create. You just need to put it in there." Yuuka pointed to a chamber with an arrow pointing inwards.

Liam nodded as he placed his device into the chamber. "Give it a scan. Let me see what happens."

Yuuka nodded, and with a few pressed buttons, the input chamber closed. A few lights were emitted from the chamber before ceasing and opening once more, leaving his noteputer intact where he had left it. When he picked it up and turned it on, it appeared as though it was just as good as when he put it in. At least scanning had no downsides. "Did anything new appear on your end, Yuuka?"

Yuuka nodded as she typed some more into the device. "It appears this thing can make a copy of your 'noteputer,' but I don't know how that will go."

May as well try it.

"See if it will work. Got nothing to lose after all."

Once more, Yuuka nodded, and the other chamber, the clear output one lit up. The device hummed and buzzed for a while, then stopped. When the door opened, Liam had to ensure he had his noteputer still on his person. As he patted his vest, he felt it was still there, yet before him was a physical copy of his device. Picking up the copy, the thing turned on just like his device. It even maintained replicas of all the data on his noteputer. There was nothing too classified on it. It had some documents regarding old completed contracts, combat data, and finances at worst. Simply deleting the personal information would be good enough for Liam.

Still, the device made a perfect copy of an electronic device and its data. Liam was impressed. Perhaps it could do the same for his weapons.

His M42B? Ammo and attachments were even replicated.

The Sunbeam Pistol? Having a second laser pistol would be handy for spares. But Yuuka would probably like a copy of the weapon. The food, clothes, and device she gave him should be repaid.

Rin finally seemed to collect herself as she glared at Liam. "Was the fact you are illiterate what you wanted to inform me about.."

Liam felt like she was in the same mood when she was about to shoot him. "No, but I will rectify that to the best of my ability. The Free Worlds League and Federated Commonwealth didn't use Japanese as their main languages, and the only great house that did would rather see me dead than have me work for them." Kuritans and mercenaries never mixed well.

Rin's left eye began to twitch as she held a shaky grasp on her glasses. "Then what could be more important than that!?"

Liam fished out the Shittim Chest and presented it to her. Arona was still on the screen, much like before, at least in his perception. "First, you only see a blank screen here, correct?"

"Is this your way of mocking me?" Rin seemed to get more annoyed at seeing the device presented to her and his choice of words.

"Not at all. This strange LosTech device seems to have a perception filter, so perhaps that is the best way to describe it?" It was more of a comic book or a concept from a cheesy science fiction story, but it was all he could think would fit. "To me, an AI on the screen is currently looking at you in an odd landscape. What makes her curious is who the AI apparently resembles. If you are willing to give me some leeway and trust, can you put your finger on the big button at the bottom of the screen? It should allow you to see her afterwards."

Rin looked at the device and then back to Liam. With a sigh, she pinched her forehead. "Fine, I will humour you on this, considering how blunt you are with your speech. I doubt you are playing games with me."

Hesitating momentarily, Rin walked up to Liam and pushed her finger down on the button before her.

Silence reigned in the room as all eyes were glued on Rin's now vacant expression.

Seconds became minutes until she finally snapped back to reality and glared again at Liam.

"Why does she look like the President?!"

That was not what Liam wanted confirmed. If Arona did look like the president with Rin's confirmation, she was likely dead. "That's not what I wanted to hear…"

Rin became more enraged as she balled her dominant hand into a fist. "What do you know?!"

"Look, let me try to explain things first. I am not even sure if-"

"Get to the point, Liam-sensei." Rin seemed very close to striking him as she took a step closer. "If you know something about the President's disappearance and don't tell me-"

Amaris' tits, best to get the bad news out of the way. "She's likely dead."

Rin seemed to go slightly limp as her jaw hung open. Her eyes shrunk as she took a step back. "What…"

AN: Welcome back, everyone. I'm sorry for the long delay. My life has been chaotic at best. Working at Walmart has been terrible for me, from something as small as getting insults thrown at me by management to reliving a South Park Episode with a customer using the floor as a toilet while sounding like Eric Cartman. I wish you all a happy Resurrection Sunday, and I hope you haven't been having the poor luck I have been having. See you all next time.