Chapter 73
Presaged Truths
The countryside estate was of a mostly western bent, from the flowered garden out front to the multi-story house that served as the main residence. Were it not for the cherry blossoms that dotted the walkway, one could have easily mistaken the place for a notable's home in the Britannian homelands. The car that rolled up did little to dissuade such an impression, seeing as it was a luxury sedan of imperial make. The two figures that stepped out however were decidedly Asiatic in features.
"Kirihara-dono," a servant dressed in western attire greeted them with a bow, "Sumeragi-dono. Please, Shimada-sensei awaits."
Having recently returned from the Britannian homelands after attending Princess Euphemia's state funeral, Kaguya had not wasted any time sitting around, instead charging headlong into all of the official duties and tasks that were now her responsibility. One especially delicate task now saw her calling upon another of Japan's more esteemed prewar personages. It said something of this person's dignity and honor that Kaguya and Taizo were accompanied by only the minimalist of escorts, at least visible ones. For though the estate itself looked fairly quaint, it was still the home of one of only two women that rose to flag rank in the Japanese Armed Forces before the Britannian invasion.
Unlike her compatriot, one Shiho Nishizumi, Brigadier-General Chiyo Shimada had not held a field command at the time of the Empire's invasion. Instead her posting as commandant of the Japanese Military Academy saw her having to unceremoniously brevet commission so many of her charges in a rushed effort by the Japanese military to find warm bodies to throw at the imperial war machine. To perhaps decidedly mixed feelings on Chiyo's part however, the Empire's conquest of Japan progressed so rapidly that the ad hoc formations her students would have manned never finished mobilizing before the country's capitulation. Once the bulk of the fighting ended, Chiyo had accepted the Empire's offer of parole and retired to this estate, keeping mostly to herself, some trusted friends and confidants, and what was left of her family.
"HA!"
The only two members of which were becoming more audible as Taizo and Kaguya were led through the garden to a distinctly more oriental building tucked away behind the main house. At the threshold, the two took off their shoes before stepping through. Inside, they were greeted by the sight of two women gliding through to the air as each tried to land a blow on the other. The older was of a serene poise, shifting her body with the subtlest of motions to avoid the animated motions of the younger. Each punch was brushed aside, each kick deflected or avoided outright. Though the younger woman's movements were far from sloppy or amateurish, the gap in experience was still quite evident.
"The Shimada-school of karate," Taizo murmured, loud enough for Kaguya to hear but not so audible as to distract the two fighters. "Whereas the Nishizumi-school focused on the sword, the Shimada-school emphasized unarmed combat. Together, they formed the twin pillars of Japan's martial prowess."
A pair of pillars that were at not inconsiderable risk of collapse, with the first losses being of General Nishizumi herself, along with her husband. Of her daughters, Miho had very nearly followed in her mother's wake at the Battle of Tokyo. From what Kaguya understood, had it not been for Suzaku's timely intervention, the heretical insurgents would very likely have overrun the position Miho was defending, killing not only the young woman but also all the wounded she was trying to protect. As tragic as the events of that day were, Kaguya could still feel some measure of pride in her cousin's deeds on top of the relief that she had not lost another person she considered family. Not like the other elder sister she would never get the chance to see.
If it was a miracle that helped spare Miho, unfortunately a second had not been forthcoming for Maho down in Kyushu. With her position being overrun and reinforcements unable to reach her, Maho had called artillery directly down upon her location, killing not only herself but a great many of the Chinese forces trying to break through her blockade. That act ultimately broke the back of the enemy advance, forestalling any further incursions until the combined Japanese-Britannian defenders were able to reform their lines and completely bottle up the Chinese invaders in Fukuoka. Not long after, the Britannian Navy completely destroyed the Chinese naval forces supporting the landings, precipitating the capitulation of the now stranded enemy troops.
Like the Nishizumis, the Shimadas had also suffered a winnowing of their numbers. Like her old friend, Chiyo's own husband had perished during Britannia's invasion. On top of which, while the Nishizumi sisters managed to survive that first phase of fighting, Chiyo's eldest daughter had not been so lucky. Indeed, she had fallen right alongside General Nishizumi during the latter's final stand. That left only Chiyo's youngest, Arisu, who had been a mere child when the invasion occurred. And from the look of things, the now young woman was dedicating herself wholeheartedly to carrying on the family name and traditions.
"HAH!"
Arisu launched another attack, her petite forth zipping across the dojo and sending a roundhouse kick high enough to reach her mother's head. The latter deftly blocked, but that did not stop nor even slow Arisu. The girl immediately used the momentum of the bounce back to spin around, twisting into a back kick right down the center. Tilting her body to the side, Chiyo let the attack pass harmlessly past her chest, before nailing her daughter right in the back with her own kick. With her feet off the ground, Arisu was helpless to alter the trajectory of her motion, or even really catch sight of her mother's intentions. The blow sent the girl tumbling through the air, which she was at least able to parlay into a twist to land, somewhat wobbly, on her feet. Arisu was given no time to recover however as her mother now closed the distance, appearing before her in the blink of an eye.
The momentary look of surprise was all Alice had time for, as a fist was thrust right at her chest. The sheer simplicity of the punch did not make it any less of a threat, as the speed with which it could be thrown left little opportunity to block or evade. Still, Arisu somehow managed to cross her arms to absorb the blow, even if it sent her lithe form hurtling further back. Needing to put some distance between herself and her mother, Arisu took the singular point at which her feet touched the ground again to turn her frantic backpedaling into a more deliberate leap. That finally allowed the girl to recompose her form, from which she launched herself into an immediate counterattack. Her leg shot up before dropping down with all the weight and momentum she could muster in her axe kick, a blow that had gone through more than a few wooden boards in the past and which could just as easily break bone if it struck true. Chiyo however had already read her daughter's motions and stopped her own charge so Arisu's attack fell just short. The moment her daughter's foot sliced past her nose, the woman launched her own attack, catching the former with an elbow to the sternum. That was enough to send Arisu tumbling to the ground, the girl gasping as she recovered from getting the wind knocked out of her.
Kneeling down, Chiyo gave her daughter a comforting rub of the back to help hasten her recovery.
"Are you alright, Arisu?" she asked in a gentle tone.
"Yes, Sensei," Arisu managed to wheeze after a few deep breaths.
Chiyo nodded, then a stern look took over her expression, the mother replaced by the teacher. "You move quickly and can read your opponent well, but need to not lose sight of them when taking an opportunity to attack."
"I understand, Sensei," Arisu said.
Her mother nodded again. "Go get some water, then stretch, and then go through your katas."
"Yes, Sensei."
The young woman clapped her hands to her side at attention and bowed before turning about to follow her mother's orders. Chiyo herself spent a moment with her gaze lingering on her daughter before glancing over at her visitors.
"Well, it certainly has been some time, Kirihara-sama. And Kaguya-sama, the last we met, you barely came up to my waist."
Taizo gave a wry smile as he dipped his head. "You are looking well, Shimada-sensei. And your daughter has grown into a fine young woman."
"I certainly endeavored to such," Chiyo said, her eyes sharp and focused as they examined the two visitors. "One never knows how much time one has left, after all. And I would like to spend what I do have left in worthwhile pursuits."
It was Kaguya that responded, tilting her head. "Do you believe what we're about to ask you would not be so worthwhile?"
Chiyo maintained her serene smile as she responded. "You are here to enlist me for a war, are you not? Take it from one who has seen a few years more, Kaguya-sama, but war is never a worthwhile cause."
"Even with the few glimpses I have seen, I agree," Kaguya said.
That saw Chiyo raise an eyebrow.
"But sometimes war is not of our own making," the girl continued. "Sometimes it is something forced upon us. You have some experience with that as well, no, Sensei?"
After a moment the edge of Chiyo's lips quirked. "I think all of us here do, Kaguya-sama. But I am being a poor hostess. Please."
With a gesture, Chiyo directed them to a side alcove in the dojo, where the three were able to seat themselves in relative comfort. A servant quickly appeared, poured tea, before disappearing into the background once again.
"Though I did not say this before, it does hearten me to see you well and unharmed, Kaguya-sama," Chiyo said after they all took a sip. "You have had far too many close calls for one of your youthful years. I could do without a third such fright in just as many years at my age."
First Kaguya's kidnapping and near-murder at the hands of JLF fanatics. Then her near-assassination at the Special Administration handover ceremony. And with a major war underway, there was danger aplenty that Kaguya might yet be faced with, especially with how public a persona she was. Off to the side, Taizo gave a concurring chuckle.
"I assure you, Shimada-sensei," Kaguya said. "I too would love nothing than to leave that all in the past. But I will not turn away from my duty merely because of the dangers it entails." The girl looked at both of her elders seated with her. "And neither would either of you."
This earned her more of a grunt from her guardian, while Chiyo simply offered a serene but otherwise noncommittal smile.
"Let us not dance around the issue any further," the woman said. "What is it that you want from me?"
Taizo set down his cup. "You have been kept appraised of the deal the Japan Administration Council struck with the Empire."
It was not a question.
"Equal rights for the Japanese people, special consideration for our people's heritage," Chiyo said, then looked at Kaguya. "And a Japanese provincial lord."
"Provincial lords," Kaguya said with a slight smile. "If we are so fortunate. As His Eminence so stated to me, Japan united is too large, too wealthy, to be treated as a singular entity within the Empire."
That caused Chiyo to actually pause a beat. "Well, I suppose that can be taken as a compliment."
"I like to think so too," Kaguya said. "And of course, with a provincial lordship comes with certain prerogatives, including that of possessing a provincial guard."
"Ah," Chiyo's head dipped in understanding. "I think I see."
"I am glad you do," Kaguya said.
Despite being the elder and officially Kaguya's minder, Taizo seemed content to simply sit back and watch his charge as she took over the conversation. Then again, Kaguya was the one tipped to become one of those Japanese provincial lords, so the girl herself needed to be satisfied with whatever foundation was laid for her own future rule.
"Still, should you not be seeking someone with a bit more recent experience holding such a position?" Chiyo asked. "It has been a near-on decade since I was demobilized, and even before that I was in a rather sedentary posting than a field command."
"But one very relevant to what would be needed of Japan's first provincial guard commander," Kaguya responded. "You have plenty of experience nurturing the next generation of talent, no?"
Chiyo did not refute the claim, but neither did the woman visibly accede to the point.
"In addition, there is regrettably a notable dearth in the number of candidates for this role," Kaguya continued. "The majority of the other flag officers that accepted parole are, by this point, pushing well into retirement age. Of those that still have a decent number of working years ahead of them, well, you actually would be the most prominent."
Chiyo tilted her head. "Paroled officers? What of the JLF?"
Taizo's face creased into a grimace while Kaguya allowed herself a thin smile.
"General Katase, though possessed of considerable renown, would not be politically acceptable to the Britannians," the girl said without mincing words. "The JLF might have fight alongside the Empire in repulsing the Chinese invaders, but so too has it spent the last several years fighting against Britannia's own occupation of Japan. And while the rank-and-file JLF veterans that might transfer into the provincial guard would have no qualms about serving under Katase once more, the same cannot be said of the Britannians that might likewise wish to enlist."
To that Chiyo's eyes widened slightly. "Britannian enlistees, you say."
It was a more earnest smile that crossed Kaguya's face this time. "Though we may call Japan home, is that also not the case for many of the Britannians that also now reside here?"
"That…is a rather forethoughtful insight," Chiyo nodded.
"It is arguably not one I can claim as my own," Kaguya said honestly.
"Oh?" The older woman tilted her head. "Ah, was it the cardinal wo first broached it?"
Kaguya nodded. "Yes, he was."
"The cardinal possesses a rather keen mind," Chiyo appraised, "especially for one so young."
"That he does," Kaguya agreed, a slightly wider smile slipping out as well.
The almost smitten expression did not escape Chiyo and the older woman was sorely tempted to prod and see just how deeply those feelings went. In the end the retired general reined in her curiosity. There would be future opportunity to tease the girl about her affections, especially if Chiyo accepted this offer. They were not quite to the point of when, yet at least.
"I can see the worthiness of such a charge," Chiyo said. "I can even agree to my own qualifications to undertake it." Her eyes drifted over to her daughter. "And yet, the matter of cost weighs upon me."
Kaguya's own gaze followed after Chiyo's and she spent a lingering moment herself simply watching the display. Arisu's motions were crisp and clean as she went through her forms. Every punch was a blur, every step as if she were gliding through air. While Arisu was not crying out with every strike of her body, likely out of consideration for her family's guests, the quiet huff of air she expelled in time with her motions was not lacking in fierceness either. Watching the girl, it was easy to see why the martial arts carried that second moniker. As powerful as her movements were, there was a grace that belied a subtle beauty as well. It was a testament to both the master for so skillfully imparting such teachings, and the student for so adeptly absorbing such learnings. A joint venture, that had required from both not just great effort, but plenty of time. And in that shared experience, a bond that anyone would be loath to give up or lose.
"The cost will certainly be heavy," Kaguya did not disagree. "But what you are buying in exchange? I think it to be worth it."
Chiyo's eyes met Kaguya's own, and the older woman was faced with a pair of steely conviction.
"And what, Kaguya-sama, am I buying?"
The young girl gave a confident smile. "The future."
Despite warnings from Kallen about just how cold his initial arrival in Antarctica would be, the chill Suzaku experienced upon disembarking the plane that brought him here was, while chilling, more akin to a brisk winter day than the sort of bone numbing cold the girl had insinuated. In fairness, that was almost certainly because the plane itself had taxied down into a large, underground hanger that was fully sealed up before its passengers were let off. Perhaps this was another of the new constructions that Kallen mentioned were just on the cusp of being completed when she herself departed the Chaldea Citadel. Either way, once out of the hanger proper, the temperature rose rapidly to the point Suzaku was quickly shucking the thick overcoat he had on.
"Mr. Kururugi?" a youthful, feminine voice called out.
Looking over, Suzaku found a young woman with shoulder length dark hair standing next to him.
"Yes?" the Japanese youth responded somewhat reflexively.
"Mariel Lubie," the young woman said with a smile and extended her hand. "I've been assigned as your clinical assistant while you are with us here at the Chaldea Citadel."
"Oh, a pleasure," Suzaku said, accepting and shaking the proffered hand. "And thank you for taking the trouble."
"Think nothing of it," Mariel assured him. "Let's first get you settled into your quarters, and if you're not feeling too tired from your flight, I can give you a rundown of the facilities?"
"Sure, I'd like that."
"This way, then."
With Mariel walking slightly ahead to lead the way, the two proceeded down the corridors.
"Your residential quarters will be in the dorms with the other contractor candidates," Mariel began explaining. "Due to your specific needs, you won't be sharing a bedroom as the others do, but you'll still be sharing the common spaces with a cohort."
"A cohort," Suzaku repeated. "Is that like the group that accompanies Cardinal Lamperouge?"
"Yes," Mariel nodded, "though yours is a bit more balanced in terms of boys and girls, even more so with your arrival. You will be officially introduced to them come dinner."
"Looking forward to it," Suzaku said with a slight smile, before his expression turned more somber. "So when can I expect to go under the knife?"
"Next week," Mariel answered however without missing a beat, "assuming all of the medical prechecks come back clean, of course. But don't worry, my father has a great deal of experience with the sort of regenerative augmentation you'll be undergoing."
"Your father?"
Mariel offered a slight smile. "Yes, he's the lead developer on the augmentation suite all contractor candidates receive. He also oversaw Sister Kallen's surgery and recovery, and she arguably had a much more complicated neurological rebuild than what you're facing."
"I see," Suzaku said, grimacing slightly. "I hadn't realized Kallen came out that much worse in the Shinjuku Incident than I had."
"The two of you were definitely the worst hit," Mariel said, "but as I said, don't worry. Eden Vital does have the ability to make you whole once more, and maybe even add on a few improvements."
"That really is incredible," Suzaku said, entirely earnest. "When I spoke with Cécile, umm, that is, Captain Croomy, the thinking was that maybe in a few years some sort of motorized leg brace might be connected to my neuro-link interface to help me walk again. Now, you're telling me that Eden Vital could give me back my legs, just like that."
"Well, not quite just like that," Mariel gave a wry smile. "Manufacturing all of the nanites needed to perform a contractor augmentation isn't quick or simple."
The Japanese youth cocked his head aside. "Nanites?"
"Ah, good, I see the others didn't break classification," Mariel said with another smile. "You'll get a more detailed explanation when we go over your treatment plan, but basically, part of your augmentation involves functionally rebuilding your nervous system, replacing and enhancing it with a new network composed of specially designed nanites, which are teeny, tiny constructs so small, well, individually they'd be smaller than the cells that make up your body."
"Eden Vital can make things like that?" Suzaku said, having just enough awareness of technology to understand the incredulity of such a feat, if not entirely the ramifications.
"With difficulty," Mariel emphasized again. "We don't have an unlimited quantity of nanites, and what we do have is usually allocated way, way ahead of time. Having to do a second out-of-band augmentation in basically the span of a year required the grandmaster herself to authorize the extra drawdown of our reserves, since Cardinal Lamperouge basically blew his entire discretionary budget on the first augmentation for Sister Kallen."
Suzaku's lips thinned. "Kallen mentioned that this whole thing was extremely expensive…"
"It is," Mariel said. "And it was even more expensive a decade ago. But every year, we make incremental improvements that make it just a little bit cheaper. In another decade, though probably two, we might even get the cost down far enough that we could use it as a last resort treatment for the general public for certain neurological conditions. And in a century? Everyone might be able to get at least a nanite-based neuro-link interface, maybe."
That saw Suzaku blink a few times, then he smiled slightly. "So the march of progress, then?"
"Exactly," Mariel responded with another of her own. "It's expensive because you're still at near the very cutting edge of Eden Vital's capabilities, but that means you're also helping improve the technology by testing it out and putting it through its paces so that in the future we can make it better, and cheaper."
"Well, put it that way, I guess I can feel a bit less guilty about being so lucky," Suzaku said, then chuckled. "And a bit less worried about being a lab rat."
"That's the spirit," Mariel said. "Ah, here we are."
The door slid open upon their approach and they entered a cozy but still comfortably furnished den area.
"This is the common space for the four attached bedrooms for the boys in this cohort," Mariel explained. "Your room is the second on the left. There're only two others right now, so the place shouldn't feel too cramped."
"How many are in the cohort in general?" Suzaku asked.
"Two boys and three girls, all around your age."
"And how many cohorts are here in the Citadel?"
"Right now? About a dozen or so, though not all of them are contractor candidates. Quite a few are just the children of staff stationed here in the Antarctic, like I was."
Suzaku blinked. "You grew up here?"
"For a bit," Mariel said. "It was around secondary that my father won a posting here, and my mother and I followed. I left to pursue my university studies, and after graduating I applied to also join the technical staff here and was lucky enough to get accepted."
"So I take it jobs here at the Citadel are really sought after?"
"You better believe it," Mariel said. "Eden Vital's Order Sabine is one of the finest research institutions in the world, and the Chaldea Citadel is where they conduct their most cutting-edge work. And since the completion of the Geofront biome, it's even possible to enjoy warm greenery like one might in the more temperate regions of the world."
"The Geofront," Suzaku repeated. "Kallen mentioned that before, how some sections were just coming online as she was leaving."
Mariel nodded. "Yes, it is a shame that she was not able to partake in the new areas. Hopefully you'll have plenty of time to enjoy the sights though, even with how busy your augmentation schedule will be."
"I'll be honest," Suzaku said. "As much as I'm still a bit worried about going under the knife like this, I really am looking forward to learning more about the Order and all that it gets up to. I mean, back in Japan, even after Cardinal Lamperouge showed up, I still thought of them as mostly a religious order that did a lot of humanitarian work. It wasn't after the Lake Kawaguchi Incident that I started really realizing they were a lot, well, more."
"You and probably a lot of other people," Mariel said. "Still, what with the heresy, the Order couldn't not show its hand while it's trying to stamp it out."
Suzaku's head twitched at hearing that word. Heresy. Something about it caused his own emotions to flare, albeit not as strongly as immediately after Euphemia's murder. Funny that, considering he was not actually an adherent to Eden Vital's religion.
"Do you, believe, Ms. Lubie?"
"Please," the young woman snorted. "Mariel is fine. I just graduated from university, I'm nowhere near to being a Ms yet. And as to whether I believe, well, sure. I mean, I'm not a lay sister, but I do believe in the principles that Eden Vital espouses, and certainly prefer them to what the heretics are advocating for."
"What exactly is the difference between Eden Vital and the heretics?" Suzaku asked. "Belief wise, I mean. I'm afraid I still don't quite understand the Order and this, schism, that occurred."
"Hmm," Mariel rubbed her chin. "I'll skip the long version, since that'd take too much time to answer right now. The short version is, Eden Vital believes in uplifting mankind as a whole, but it's not willing to force that process upon people. At the end of the day, each individual person has to be willing to accept the offered boons, otherwise they're not actually being made better.
"The heretics on the other hand, while they're also interested in uplifting the species, they think that just imposing the changes needed is perfectly fine. That the individual person's consent, or even their own individual betterment, isn't needed to make improvements to the overall species. From their perspective, it's perfectly fine to exact a price upon whole masses of people, since it is in service to a greater cause."
Suzaku frowned slightly. "So you're saying it's a difference between individual choice versus the needs of the many?"
Mariel however shook her head. "Needs of the many way oversells what the heretics seek to attain with the price they force others to pay. They don't care to actually spread the improvements that're developed to the rest of the species. So long as those improvements can be applied to whatever pool of candidates they've selected to represent the next step in the uplift process, everyone else that's basically left behind serves as disposable test subjects." The girl's lips twisted in distaste. "After all, the only true humans from their perspective are those that are at the forefront of the uplift process. Everyone else is just another lamb waiting to be slaughtered to sate the needs of the true humans."
"That's," Suzaku began, taking a deep breath. "That's horrific."
"And that's why Eden Vital declared it heresy," Mariel stated.
"How could anyone think like that?" the youth sounded almost plaintive.
"It's always easy for a person to self-justify their own self-interests," Mariel said. "One of society's uses is to collectively say 'no' to a person when those self-interests impinge too much on the common good, or even the personal good of others."
Suzaku blinked. "I think I remember hearing something like that before. From the civics class."
"Ah, civics," Mariel had an almost glassy, far-off look as she spoke. "Seems almost like a lifetime ago, but the professors were certainly determined in drilling the nuances into our heads." The young woman tilted her head as she shifted her gaze back to Suzaku. "Are you intending on pursuing a career that requires civics certification?"
"I might," Suzaku said. "Honestly, I haven't thought that far ahead. For now, my goal is just to bring to justice those responsible for Eup-for Her Highness' murder."
"I see," Mariel said, offering a sympathetic smile. "I shall do my utmost to bring you swiftly to that goal, Mr. Kururugi, and still whole at the end of it."
"Thank you," the Japanese you said. "And, Suzaku is fine. I'm not exactly of mister age either."
"Perhaps not, but you are a warrant officer, and so are accorded the courtesy anyway," Mariel reposted. "Whereas I have yet to earn any such distinctions warranting it."
Suzaku couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Well, it's not like I outrank you or anything. Or wait, are you actually also part of the Order Militant?"
Mariel shook her head. "Order Sabine, as you likely already suspected. Though I've not taken vows, so not a sister either."
"One can be part of Eden Vital without taking oaths?" Suzaku asked.
"Of course," Mariel said. "The Order isn't about forcing people to adhere to tenets just to be able to work with it. Granted there are additional benefits to taking vows, not to mention certain positions can only be held by an avowed or ordained member, but Eden Vital wants to be welcoming of all that it can." The edge of her lips quirked. "Within reason of course."
"Of course," Suzaku smiled back.
"Anyway!" Mariel said after a brief beat. "Your luggage will be dropped off here later, for now how about we get you a bite to eat?"
Now so reminded, Suzaku rubbed his slightly empty tummy. "That sounds like a great idea."
"Meals are pretty much all taken communally," Mariel said as they walked out the dorms and headed back down the hall. "If you really ever get a hankering to do some cooking yourself, there are also kitchens that you can reserve, though you'll need to pick your time carefully. Some seasons they're more popular than others."
"I'll keep that in mind. Umm, what kind of foods are available?" Suzaku asked next. "Kallen actually wouldn't tell me, said she'd let me look forward to the surprise."
Mariel cocked her head at Suzaku. "Did you somehow manage to offend Sister Kallen?"
"Well, she and I tend to have somewhat different opinions, on a lot of things," Suzaku said wryly.
"Mm, yeah, I can see that," Mariel said. "Well, be at ease, Mr. Kururugi. The Order cafeteria here does actually serve a smattering of Japanese recipes, so you won't have to go entirely without during your stay with us."
"Oh," Suzaku perked up at that. "That, doesn't sound too bad. I wonder what Kallen was going on about."
At the dry chuckle Mariel let out, Suzaku's optimism quickly tapered off.
"She's probably thinking of the field rations," Mariel said. "Since you'll be training for deployment into a combat cohort, you'll be required to eat field-grade rations for that at least one meal a day to help acclimatize you to them. They're…" The young woman actually grimaced. "Not great."
"Oh," Suzaku said much more softly.
"They do fill you up," Mariel quickly followed on. "They're specifically formulated to provide you with all the nutrients and calories you'd need while on the march. They just taste…well…"
"Kind of bad?" Suzaku offered with a wry smile.
"Mm, I wouldn't even say they taste bad," Mariel qualified. "It's more like, they don't taste like anything. It's like if you took bread, or maybe rice, and removed even what little texture and flavoring those had, add in maybe a little bit of salt, and you'd have an Eden Vital field ration."
"That…seems like a lot of effort just to make something not taste good," Suzaku said.
"It's to make sure soldiers don't end up munching on the food unless they're actually hungry and need it," Mariel explained. "Especially if they're to the point of needing to depend on field rations for meals. Otherwise they run the risk of overeating when they don't need to and potentially running out of food before they can get resupplied."
"That makes sense, I think," Suzaku said. "I guess I just would have never thought of putting in all that work to solve that kind of problem."
The young woman regarded Suzaku with a sideways glance. "Well, that's the point of learning, isn't it? To be exposed to ideas and notions that would have never occurred to you personally, and adding them to your experiences to draw upon in the future."
Suzaku chucked wryly. "Something tells me I'll be experiencing a lot of new things while here at Eden Vital."
"Tis the hope," Mariel flashed a wide grin. "Ah, here's the cafeteria. Well, one of them."
"One of them?" Suzaku said.
"Well sure. With how big the Citadel is we need more than one cafeteria just to fit everyone who wants to grab some chow, not to mention not making people walk a mile to get to the nearest eatery."
"Kallen mentioned this place was big," Suzaku said. "I think I'm still trying to wrap my head around just how big."
Mariel chuckled. "It does take some getting used to. Oh."
Suzaku came to a halt as well, glancing over to see what had given his guide pause. Standing at the line was another young woman, one with long blond hair and a pair of buns tied atop her head.
"Hello Leila," Mariel greeted. "Here for a late lunch?"
"Yes," the other girl responded with a smile. "The training ran a bit late this morning." She then looked at Suzaku. "Oh?"
"This is Suzaku Kururugi," Mariel introduced. "He is here for contractor integration. Suzaku, this is Leila Malcal, a member of the Clocktower."
Suzaku tilted his head. "The Clocktower?"
"It is partner organization that manages the London thought elevator," Leila elucidated, "under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Church. I am also here to learn how to be a contractor."
"Oh," Suzaku nodded, then extended a hand. "Nice to meet you."
"Likewise," Leila said politely, accepting it.
"Did you want to join us?" Mariel offered. "I expect you and Suzaku will be seeing each other quite a bit as he goes through integration."
"I don't mind," Leila nodded.
The three made their selections from the food line and proceeded to an open table.
"So if you're part of the Clocktower," Suzaku began once they were all settled. "That means you aren't part of Eden Vital, right?"
"That is so," Leila nodded, taking a quick bite of her meatloaf. "My paternal grandmother was part of the mission Eden Vital sent to help the other ecclesiastical orders, but my father was not baptized in the Order, and neither was I."
Suzaku blinked. "Does Eden Vital do that often? Send help to the other orders, I mean."
Both girls offered thin smiles at that.
"It depends," Lelia was the one to begin the explanation. "The Treaty of London, that's the agreement to governs how the thought elevators are divvied up, stipulates that Eden Vital had a responsibility to help bootstrap the elevators controlled by the other orders, to avoid some of the recklessness that happened with the Soviet Union. Beyond that, each order is supposed to work things out themselves, but there's nothing preventing cooperation. Whether such cooperation happens or not, well, that comes down to politics."
"Back before Britannia and Japan went to war, Eden Vital and Ise actually worked together quite extensively," Mariel added. "Cooperation with the Jokhang was more ad hoc, and there really wasn't much going on with the Baghdad Imamate." A sideways glance was cast at Leila. "Relations with the Catholic Church have tended to be the most complicated, however."
Suzaku's head turned back and forth between the two. "But, Leila is here to become a contractor."
"My presence here is because of a deal the Holy See negotiated with Eden Vital," the British-Britannian girl said. "And the grandmaster herself likely only agreed because of my lineage, and her expectation that I would be, if not exactly sympathetic to Eden Vital's interests, then at least not inclined to act to the Order's detriment."
"That…sounds complicated," Suzaku said.
Leila gave a wry smile while Mariel snorted.
"That's one way of putting it," the latter said. "Word of advice when the grandmaster interviews you, step lightly whenever the topic of the church comes up."
"I'll certainly keep that in mind," Suzaku said. "Thanks."
After a momentary lull in which the three dug through their food, the Japanese youth turned to Leila again.
"So how far are you along this, integration process?" he asked. "If you don't mind."
"Not at all," Leila responded. "I completed my physical rehabilitation from my cybernetic augmentation about a month ago, so now I am learning how to take full advantage of my enhancements. According to the doctors, my body should be strong enough to accept a contract now, but exactly when I would be granted one, well, that's at the grandmaster's discretion."
"It shouldn't be too long," Mariel said. "You're technically supposed to be heading back to the Clocktower in another month or so, and there's some additional training and treatment that needs to happen after you get the contract."
"Perhaps so," Leila said with a shrug. "But having come to know the grandmaster as I have these past few months, I would not put it past her to decide she has, faith, that I could complete such training and recovery in a truncated timeframe."
A slight grimace touched Mariel's lips. "Yeah, I can see that."
Suzaku frowned slightly. "Is the grandmaster, overly petty?"
Mariel hummed. "Mm, not exactly. Or at least not in this particular instance."
Leila nodded in agreement, albeit with a somewhat begrudging expression.
"If the grandmaster believes I can do it, then she is certainly right, both in my capacity and the necessity." A sigh sounded. "That does not mean it will be any easier, however."
"I see," Suzaku said.
Mariel offered a reassuring smile to both youths. "It might not be easy, but neither of you will be doing this alone. Remember, you'll have me, my father, the rest of his team, your cohorts, and even the grandmaster herself. We all want you to succeed, and we'll do everything within our power to help you succeed. That, after all, is what Eden Vital stands for."
As might be expected, the cargo plane that ferried Suzaku over to the Antarctic carried with it plenty of other cargo. One such item was a highly secured container that was unloaded and transferred under heavy guard to a lab nestled deeply within the Geofront. Even here, the security did not let up, with no less a personage than Prioress Olivia Zevon herself overseeing the entire operation.
"The grandmaster must be feeling a mite paranoid, if she has you babysitting," the man next to Olivia remarked.
"Were the grandmaster paranoid, she would have had the body cremated and the ashes shot into the sun," was Olivia's response.
No snort or chuckle sounded, as Olivia was hardly joking. It might have been a bit expensive, but if the grandmaster thought it necessary, Eden Vital really would have done just that. As to whose corpse warranted this degree of caution, that became evident as the container was cracked open, and a lanky young man appeared, albeit one whose lower jaw was completely destroyed and whose eyes were covered with a thick piece of cloth.
"Subject M312," the man said. "Alias Mao. Contractor candidate from the Jokhang, granted a contractor by the heretic V.V., terminated by Cardinal Lamperouge during the Battle of Tokyo. The Order Sabine confirms receipt of his body." He glanced down at the head. "Mostly intact. I don't suppose the cardinal could have gone for a cleaner shot?"
"My understanding is it was Dame Marika that performed the kill," Olivia said, no judgement in her tone.
"Well, at least the brain doesn't appear to have taken any damage," the man said, examining the pulverized bottom half of the face. "Very well then, Prioress, we will take it from here."
Olivia however shook her head. "My militants will remain on standby until the full evaluation of M312 is complete and deemed not a potential threat."
"You think the heretics would be creative enough to weaponize a corpse?" the man said with a smirk.
"I think I do not wish to be subject to any unpleasant surprises on account of slackness," was Olivia's response.
The researcher hummed. "Fair enough. And I certainly wouldn't want to explain to the grandmaster if something slipped past Sabine. Beckman."
One of the Sabine technicians, all of whom were wearing full body hazmat suits, turned about.
"Yes Dr. Novartis?"
The bespectacled man pushed up his glasses. "Move the subject to operating room three. I will oversee the autopsy and extraction of the brain myself."
The black-haired technician nodded and began pushing the gurney with the corpse down the hall, every step shadowed by militants. For all that the Order was taking security to outright excesses, nothing overt happened. The squeaking of wheels was about the only thing notable about the trip. Then again, if the risks that this cadaver represented were so obvious, it wouldn't have warranted this degree of caution. Once arrived, the body was lifted off the gurney and laid down upon the operating table. As a hand reached out to remove the blindfold however, a gun rose and the tech in question froze.
"Do not remove the blinders," the soldier stated very firmly.
"The guy's dead," Beckman said, though he at least had the sense to start pulling back his hands. "Surely his contract is also revoked."
"That's not your call to make," the soldier said, gun still aimed at the tech. "And my orders are to shoot anyone that violates containment protocols."
"Fine, fine," the other man said, stepping back entirely, before muttering under his breath. "Bloody paranoid militants."
The other techs watching the exchange took heed of the warning however and made sure they did not do anything that might be construed as dangerous. For that matter, once the corpse was locked down on the table, not one person approached it again. Instead, once all of the instruments and equipment for the autopsy were carted in, everyone vacated the room and it was locked tight. Then, the ceiling opened up, and a large robotic construct was lowered down, with a multitude of appendages.
In another room, a team of doctors seated themselves around a few consoles, with large monitors displaying the operating room at multiple angles. Novartis hummed as he worked the controls, manipulating the operating table first so that the corpse's head was peaking just above the edge. Next, the whirl of a spinning motor was heard as the saw started up.
"Still no sign of any signals beyond ambient background?" Novartis asked.
"No, doctor."
A layman might be forgiven wondering just what sort of signals could be expected from a chilled corpse over a week dead. Eden Vital however had extensive experience with the effects of a geass, including ones that lingered even after the physical body of the mind that birthed it was medically deceased. Granted, the longest known example only lasted a few days, so they should be as safe as the sensors were telling them, but better to be overcautious than to get caught with one's pants down, literally so.
"Hmm. Then we proceed."
The saw arm lowered and a grinding sound could be heard over the speakers as it began cutting through the skull. Once at the correct depth, and not a millimeter deeper, it rotated about and completed a full turn to completely separate the top. Another arm came down and grabbed hold, pulling the bone away to expose the gray matter below, albeit one with an almost sickly-looking black strands crisscrossing it.
"Hrmm," Novartis mused. "The heretics seem to be relying on a denser axon matrix for their neuro-interface."
"Perhaps to compensate for a lower physiological fitness on the part of the candidate?" another doctor suggested.
"Certainly a possibility," Novartis said, before snorting. "Such an inelegant method if so, though."
Not to mention an expensive approach, as the greater axon density required a proportionately greater infusion of nanites. With the heretics having access to only one thought elevator, that also entailed a greater opportunity cost to so heavily augment a contractor, and a much greater loss with his defeat and his body falling into Eden Vital's hands. And say what you would about the doctor, Eden Vital's own numbers certainly had quite a few less than complimentary words for Novartis, the man was at least still dedicated to seeking perfection in his craft instead of hodgepodging whatever the most expedient shortcut was.
"Should we disassociate the nanites, doctor?"
Novartis hummed in thought. While by all indications the body and its associated brain was dead, as arguably a piece of technology, the neuro-link interface itself was not necessarily completely inert. There was likely a trove of data still intact within its neurological topology, but trying to access it came with its own share of risks. After all, the risk of a malicious mnemonic payload was the very reason why no one was being allowed to physically touch the body.
"Proceed with the disassociation," Novartis finally said. "The grandmaster ordered that no risk of contamination be allowed, whatever the prospective payoff."
And whatever his obsession with science, the good doctor was still a loyal adherent to the grandmaster, or at least knew well enough not to disobey her direct orders. There was a reason, after all, that he remained in Eden Vital's service instead of having gone over to the heretics or been purged in the aftermath of V.V.'s betrayal.
A third arm was lowered, this one with a large metal coil mounted upon its end. Once it was level with the opened-up skull, arcs of electricity began building up. Then, an arc flashed from the coil to the brain, but whatever the doctor and the Sabine technicians were expecting to happen, instead the burst of electricity bounced right back and caused the arm itself to start sparking. The video feed flickered for a few moments as well before stabilizing, and what it revealed saw Novartis and all the techs lean forward, hunched over their monitors.
"Well, would you look at that," the doctor said, a smirk slowly creasing his face.
In the chamber, the mesh of thin strands that crisscrossed the exposed brain were no longer a plain black. Faintly, but still visible, flickers of red light pulsed across them. The brain and body might be dead, but it looked as if the heretics had left one final surprise behind in Mao's corpse. Now they just needed to figure out what it was, preferably without getting too many more people killed.
End of Chapter 73
Hello again after a fairly long drought. Unfortunately, work has been ramping up in intensity as several new projects are underway or getting kicked off and I happen to be the only one within my specific expertise at the company. So, yay for job security, less so for any spare mental bandwidth to work on hobby projects like my stories. And unfortunately, despite me knowing more or less what I want to do for the next chapter here, my RL workload is not likely to lessen anytime soon. So, we'll see.
We're still mainly in setup chapters. There's still lots of cleanup and buildup that needs to be done in the aftermath of a world war breaking out. I expect we'll get a few more such chapters before the next major climax event. Once we get to that climax event though, I might need to hold off on releasing it piecemeal, and maybe try to get it all written and releasing it on a set schedule to avoid a massive cliffhanger lingering for months on end.