AN: Another Omake by Yellowhammer of SB!
Walk in a forest during the day and the sunshine
makes the trees seem like a friendly presence. You feel
happy. But walk in the forest at night and the trees remind
you of prison bars. Why? Because the sunlight is no longer
there to illuminate all that seems good in our experience.
We are left to face only the dark side of our own nature.
-From Koans For a Modem Age, by Jennifer Katsuyori,
Gideon Press, 3000
Davion Palace, New Avalon
23 January 3057
Yvonne Steiner-Davion made her way through the familiar rabbit warren of the Palace corridors to the 'guest apartment' set aside for Omiko Kurita.
Idly humming a musical snippet from one of her father's favorite pre-Diaspora operas, she paused at the door, and nodded to the tough-looking tattooed Oriental man who was chatting with the Davion Guards Leftenant in charge of the door guards. "Is Omi inside?"
He nodded and spoke in Combine-accented English. "Hai. She is recording a message, if you do not mind waiting."
Yvonne nodded. "That's fine, I will just wait inside. I planned to ask her if she had any plans for tonight." She stepped into the foyer and pulled off her uniform boots, taking an offered set of house slippers, and raising a mental eyebrow at three other sets of shoes already present in the neat cubicle.
A muffled voice sounded from further inside, and Yvonne grinned and silently approached a door standing ajar. She pushed it open slightly to peek into the room beyond, and then froze.
Omi was dressed formally in an irisode kimono with five blood-red Kurita crests. She knelt gracefully in seiza on a tatami mat which had been dragged in and placed where the normal table and chairs for her sitting room would be. A pair of flowerpots filled with orange and red flowers flanked Omi, and Omi's attention was focused at the other end where Parvati and a pair of uniformed AFFC enlisted techs were concentrating on several holocameras filming her.
"...abandoned the Prince to die to the Dragon's enemies, and two of the three children of the Prince died honorable deaths in defense of the realm. That leaves the last true egg of the Dragon...and the Traitor Dove. My brother Minoru swore to me that no man may live under the same sky as the slayer of his kin when I gave him the sword of Shiro Kurita as Coordinator. Know that I will not stop until your line and your allies' lines are exterminated from the face of the stars and human memory!"
Yvonne bit her lip as the three-quarter profile of the Kurita royal twisted in rage and her eyes flashed furiously. She had seen that look before when she had visited Arthur and Tancred on Robinson after Arthur entered Robinson Battle Academy three years ago. She remembered how the face of long-dead Warlord Hugai Kurita in the two-century old holograph that had a pride of place in the Sandoval archives twisted in that same way as he spoke to the wounded Lyran officer who had fought a hopeless battle for seven years to resist the Arm of the Dragon.
"You and your men fought well, Colonel Hinders. I am minded to grant you a final gift before the end to honor your misguided valor. Come the morrow you will be allowed to confront the man who gave the Dragon the secrets of the Fourth Royal Guards. Guards, take him to a cell and call the physician to see that his wounds are not fatal...yet."
The stabbing pain in her palms as her nails dug into them brought her back to herself from the memories of past atrocities She knew what that tone of voice in the past had portended. Colonel Hinders had been forced to battle his brother to the death for Hugai's entertainment. As the dying Lyran officer realized too late what he had done, Hugai ordered his execution as the last member of the Pride of the Commonwealth...and the images of his final hours were sent to the Archon in an attempt to break Archon Claudius Steiner.
As Omi finished her rant into the camera, Yvonne looked at her with new eyes. Was Omiko really the girl who she and Katherine had seen enjoying shopping for the first time...or this murderous grieving stranger?
But who could she talk to? Victor was clueless about women and head over heels for Omi. Arthur and Tancred Sandoval were the other extreme, prepared to see Omi in a negative light no matter what. Katherine was busy managing the FedCom and judging from what Yvonne had noticed in her conversations, Katherine favored the similarly orphaned girl. Peter was tied down herding cats on Tharkad and dealing with the mess in Skye. No, there was only one person who could get the truth as to whether or not Omiko Kurita was a viper in their midst.
Yvonne stepped back behind the door to hide as Parvati and the techs passed her. She then took a deep breath, mentally reciting to herself her father's family motto. "Bravery, Audacity, Destiny." With that she nodded and squared her shoulders as she slipped inside, closing the door behind her. She soundlessly approached the back of the other woman, as Omi plucked aimlessly at one of the flower displays and then placed a hand on her right shoulder as she mentally rehearsed what she was going to say to get Omi to open up.
As her hand grabbed Omi's shoulder, the Kurita royal moved, stepping forward with her left foot and half turning. Omi's right arm came up to knock Yvonne's hand away as her left hand grabbed Yvonne's wrist to yank her forward and off balance for a counterattack.
Steel blue eyes suddenly widened in recognition and Omi hurriedly let Yvonne go. "Moushiwake gozaimasen deshita, Yvonne-sama!" she stammered a horrified apology with a deep bow.
Yvonne grinned in triumph mentally as she gave a matching bow to accept the apology. "No permanent harm done, Omi, but," Yvonne schooled her face to the closest approximation she had of her mother's icy commanding stare upon hearing of a royal theft of double chocolate chip cookies from the Triad kitchens before a never-to-be-forgotten seventh birthday party, "we need to talk. Now." She pointed at the door to the enclosed garden for the apartment.
Omi gulped nervously and followed Yvonne into the rose garden. Yvonne smirked a little at the statue grouping dominating the center of it of a young man with a handlebar mustache and a dagger-pointed beard kneeling and offering three roses carved from white marble to a clearly touched young woman. Alexander Davion and Cynthia Varnay. Fitting. I wonder if Omi knows the history about the children of mortal enemies uniting in marriage to lead the Suns? She then pointed to the bench placed to let the occupants look out through the armored glass to survey the view from Mount Davion before sitting facing Omi.
Omi sat, one hand subtly worrying at her obi sash as the silence lingered and Yvonne calmly stared her in the face. Finally, Omi spoke. "What...what is the matter, Yvonne?"
Yvonne leaned forward. "Simply this. I came in to see you swearing eternal bloody vengeance upon someone for crimes committed against your family. We both know that Victor is head over heels for you, would deny you nothing at all, and would be inclined to... overlook... that kind of activity, especially if you were discreet about 'dealing with' your enemies at first. That means that I have to act to insure that you don't turn his reign into the second coming of Claudius the Cruel and turn Victor Steiner-Davion into a name to blacken the pages of our history alongside our worst tyrants."
Omi's hand flew to her mouth and her eyes widened in horrified shock. "I would never! I would sooner die than hurt Victor-chan so! Please...you have to believe me!"
Yvonne winced mentally at the anguished look Omi was giving her. "Convince me. For starters, what was your little rant about?"
Omi took a deep breath and visibly gathered herself before meeting Yvonne's gaze. "MIIO gives you briefings, do they not?"
Yvonne nodded. "Not as much as Kathy or Peter get as the Regent and Heir or the spare to the throne, but I get the basics in case the Mask launches another successful attack on the dynasty and I have to step into their shoes. That way I can hit the ground running if the worst happens."
"They told you about Luthien and Benjamin then?"
"Not much more than the basics. The Jaguars overran Luthien and your father, mother and older brother perished in the fighting there. Then shortly afterward your younger brother was killed in a coup attempt on Benjamin. That sparked the current factional fighting within the Combine as nobles and generals rally around either your half-brother or your cousin to fight each other and the Clans."
Omi shook her head. "So ka. I was on Luthien when the Jaguars jumped into the system in overwhelming force. Father ordered me to... perform my duty." Omi's eyes glimmered with tears but her voice held an iron pride. "As the Keeper of House Honor I was to take the sword of Kurita Shiro-heike to my younger brother Minoru at Benjamin to anoint him Coordinator if what happened happened. So I departed the system under orders with the sword, and a few other family treasures while Father and Hohiro bought me the time to make my escape with their lives."
Yvonne reached over and gently squeezed Omi's hand as the Kurita's tears began to fall. "Sumimasen, Yvonne-chan. Father also stated that considering the circumstances, I was to journey to New Avalon after my other duties to House Kurita were discharged since my safety in the Combine could not be assured. As well as for..." Omi blushed shyly, "other more personal reasons."
Yvonne cracked a reminiscent grin. "Yes, I heard all about that arrangement from Victor's end back on Tharkad after he got your message. He was dying to tell someone that there was a way that you two would be together. But that is not the topic of discussion, alas. Spill."
Omi nodded sadly. "I...met Minoru on the recharge station at Benjamin, along with Uncle Isoroku. I informed them of what I had witnessed from Luthien, of Father and Hohiro's deaths in battle." Yvonne squeezed her hand sympathetically as her own eyes teared up, remembering the moment when she got the news that her parents had been assassinated. "I then offered him the sword of Shiro Kurita to lead our armies to avenge Father's death. He accepted, and for a moment I dared to hope when I sensed the seeds of greatness in him."
Omi's face darkened. "But I hoped too soon. One of the leaders of the Black Dragon Society, Duke Hassid Ricol, was also on the station, and found out about events. He and the traitor Warlord Benjamin had gathered their forces for a coup and attacked us on board the station. it was only by the grace of the kami and the efforts of Yodama-san that I was able to fight my way to the ship that the Order had chartered to take us to the border."
Omi trembled, her tears flowed, and her grip on Yvonne's hand became a desperate grasp. "I was never their primary target though. Minoru was. I was on board the dropship trying to warn Minoru of the treachery and let him know that I was safe when..." Her voice broke and cracked. "I saw him for the last time. Somehow, he and Uncle Isoroku had fought their way to a communications station. They overrode the planetary network and Minoru, dying and outnumbered, performed his duty for the Combine. He denounced the traitors and called on those loyal to the Dragon to resist and keep the true dynasty alive in their hearts. Then he committed seppuku with Uncle Isoroku standing as second with the Sword to insure that none could be taken alive."
Omi swallowed. "And I... I watched him die. I was weak and failed him, because in that hour, all I wanted was my little Minoru-chan back. But his honor and my honor dictated otherwise. Karma."
Yvonne leaned forward into Omi, gathering the other girl in a hug as tears soaked the shoulder of her uniform and Omi choked out in a bare whisper, "Sometimes at night I remember the man I killed with the sword in my sitting room. On the... bad nights... that man has my brother's face as I have to strike him down."
Yvonne finally released Omi from the hug once the tears stopped and handed her a handkerchief to allow Omi to make herself presentable. "So your 'message' is for the Black Dragons then?"
Omi nodded. "Hai. For Duke Ricol and as many of the others as I can track down. Katherine-chan was kind enough to provide some technical assistance in delivering it."
Yvonne showed teeth in a smile that would be perfectly in place on a fox leaving a chicken coop with a mouthful of bloody feathers. "Good. 'If you shoot at the Prince, you best not miss'. Father taught the Liaos that during the Fourth Succession War. Too bad that the lesson didn't stick; they can be slow learners. I suspect that Katherine will make it stick this time."
Omi gave a matching nasty smile. "It is to be hoped for that feud to be brought to a swift and permanent settlement in her favor, neh?"
Yvonne chuckled evilly, "Oh I don't mind if Candace's brood survive since they are reasonable people and know their place in the Sphere. Sun-Tzu, though... If I had already graduated, I would be pulling every string that I could to be part of the assault drop on his palace. Law School can wait, no one does that to us and gets away with it. Not for long, and we repay them in full for our injuries."
She then sobered and looked at Omi. "That said. You do not want to threaten people uninvolved in a conspiracy. Kill Ricol and the other Black Dragons, and I'll help piss on their graves on general principles involving rebellions, assassins, and traitors. Just don't go after innocents like wives and kids if they had no idea what Dad was up to. That's the kind of shit some of your ancestors pulled that makes the Sandovals get support when they scream about Kentares. Far better to take a page from Grandfather Andrew's book and roll out the Brigade of Guards to surgically crush the Warrior's Cabals. One of the major differences between the FedCom and the Combine culturally is that we believe in individual guilt in the Judeo-Christian mold while your culture is much more collective with guilt assigned to family units."
Omi nodded thoughtfully. "Hai... although... how do you handle it? I mean..." The Kurita royal frowned, clearly grasping for a concept, "The power? Part of me did... does enjoy the feeling of knowing that the man who killed my brother will die horribly at my hands as my plans come to fruit. But I also know from experience and training that once you get a taste for blood, for that power to order men onward, to crush your enemies and have them vanished... how do you stop from going too far?" Omi looked haunted as she continued, "From only finding out that you have gone too far when the ghosts of a million widows and orphans appear and the ocean of blood that you spill is too great for one Coordinator to drink it all? I know that you do not have a Keeper of House Honor to whisper in your ear to try to pull you back from the brink."
Yvonne shook her head. "It is a good question. Some of my ancestors were monsters, I admit. I grew up hearing scary bedtime stories of Claudius the Cruel and then Great-uncle Alessandro if I did not eat my vegetables as a little girl. I guess for the Steiners, and the Davions too come to think of it, the secret is remembering that loyalty goes not just up to the apex like us, but also down and that if we are disloyal to those under our care, they have a moral duty to act to limit the damage we can cause."
She pointed at the statue. "Alexander Davion. Our greatest First Prince, he fought a civil war against his tyrannical aunts and unified the nation to take us into the Star League. Not because he was born to the throne, but because it was the right and necessary thing to do. He is kind of a bad example, I suppose, because that while I learned of him in school and from Dad's side of the family for me the personal example of what I owe my people is Jeana. When we go to Tharkad, remind me, and I'll take you to see her and tell her story, that will explain it better."
Omi smiled, "Something to look forward to then, Yvonne-chan."
Yvonne nodded. "Yes indeed. As for the test, I'm sorry that I had to be so rough, just... there will be many people who will object to your relationship with Victor. I'll stand by you and support you and him, but I didn't want to see my nation torn apart with purges or civil war thanks to you being a second Jinjiro. Not that you are, but I suspect that the Sandovals will call you that until you prove yourself to them."
