[FIC] First Impressions (part 18)
Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2005 10:43 pm
Deep under the earth, the energy taps worked continually.
The internal heat associated with young volcanic system had been harnessed to produce geothermal energy. Not just from Klyuchevskaya Sopka, but also from the other volcanoes making up the northern group.
For every one hundred meters that one goes below ground, the temperature of the rock increases about three degrees Celsius. Or for every three hundred twenty eight feet below ground, the temperature increases 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit. So, if one went about ten thousand feet below ground, the temperature of the rock would be hot enough to boil water. Geologic studies indicate that the geothermal energy equivalent in the general area was the equivalent of more than five hundred small nuclear plants.
The hot water can reach temperatures of more than three hundred degrees Fahrenheit and one hundred and forty eight degrees Celsius, hotter than boiling water. It doesn't turn into steam because it is not in contact with the air. But, given the ability to produce that steam, the high-temperature geothermal fluids had the ability to drive turbines and generate enormous amounts of electrical power. The huge plumes of steam and other gases now rising from the sides of the volcanoes gave mute testimony to that fact.
Scrubbers were active, reducing sulphur and other objectionable emissions. For a while longer, the lives of the unknowing technicians were a regrettable necessity. For all those unknowing pawns knew, the installation was on the forefront of alternate energy source research.
“Throughout history, intelligent men and women have sought for a higher meaning to life, something over and above the daily struggle for life. In the past, this quest for truth took place most often within the confines of organized religion. It was generally believed that wise and gifted men lived within the religious community. The best and brightest of them were thought capable of guiding others towards the goal of enlightenment.”
The middle-aged man with closely cropped white hair pushed back his cowl. He spoke in sonorous tones to a sizable crowd of similarly clad men, all dressed in simple coarsely spun robes. The nature of their clothing, and the rough-hewn nature of their underground arena, was at stark contrast to the advanced technologies at their command, and the even more amazing technology close to completion.
“Across the millenia, such enlightened men were accorded high status amongst the communities that they served, with some of them regarded as prophets or living saints. Thus, as it was written in the Bible, Saul and later David became Kings of the Israelites. But, long before that there had been powerful monarchs in Egypt, men who were priests as well as kings… men whose prime duty was to serve their gods… men who had the special duty to maintain the rule of law or as they would call it, Maat.”
The speaker looked over at a number of men clad in dark uniforms. They stood near a communications console, busy speaking to comrades stationed at observations posts and weapons stations. One man caught sight of that glance and gave a hand signal symbolizing ‘all clear, things proceeding as planned’. So far, no action had been taken against their installations.
“The pharaoh was responsible for maintaining civilization from two vastly different threats. First, invasion from abroad. Second, corruption from within. To deal with the former, he was expected to lead the army in times of war. To fight the latter, he had to be vigilant that knowledge was not being lost, especially that knowledge that spoke of mankind’s destiny in the afterlife. It was believed as a matter of faith, that the cherished gods had walked the earth. These mighty beings… particularly Thoth… were looked upon by the Egyptian faithful as human avatars of divine intelligence. Thoth, who was later called Hermes Trismegistus by the Greeks, was believed to have been the first great initiate. He was the one said to have brought knowledge of the divine down to the earth.”
A number of men sitting closer to the speaker fingered simple medallions worn about their necks, adjusted their collars, or pulled back the sleeves of their voluminous robes. Others sat nodding their heads, at peace with themselves, ready for the change that was coming.
“We, the fortunate ones, know the teachings that flowed from the enlightened ones. Hermeticism served to influence Western thinking, but was never recognized for what it was, or from whence it came. There were those who felt threatened, afraid that their beliefs would be tainted or disproved. Yet, the very philosophical core of the teachings
is not much different from things described in biblical texts. As we all know, man was made in the image of his maker. Man, unfortunately, transgressed in desiring the power to act like God. For that crime, mankind was punished, with the souls of men being sent to earth, imprisoned in the crude forms we recognize as human bodies. All men and women were then condemned to die and be reborn in seemingly endless cycles of reincarnation. While they inhabited their prison of flesh, they would be blind to their true origins, and would spend their lives eating the flesh of lesser beasts, effectively chained to the planet they trod upon.“
A group of men in Arm Slave suits passed by the congregation. They had been given a private sermon earlier in the day. Each of them was gifted with the solemn duty of making certain than no external forces would have an opportunity to interrupt their plans.
“But, we know the chains can be broken. The shackles can be thrown off. In every man and woman, there is the potential to wake up achieve gnosis, acquiring knowledge of the divine. Is that not the case, brothers and sister?“
A chorus of assenting voices rang out. The assembled men and women considered themselves to be the fortunate ones. The rest of civilization, those without the secret knowledge, would soon wither and die the final death. They, the chosen, would awake to better things.
“When each of us remembers who we really are, we will come into contact once more with the Divine, blessed to receive our spiritual food from God. Every one of us here will ascend through the astral spheres surrounding the earth, and once more take up his or her place in heaven, at the side of God.”
The gifted orator continued to speak the words and tenets of Hermetic Philosophy, quoting at times from the Hermetica. He spoke of the angelic being called Poimandres, a name meaning the ‘Shepherd of Men‘. He waxed poetical when he detailed Herme’s out of body experience, much like that that experienced by Ezechiel on the banks of the Chebar River, by Daniel at the River Ulai, and by St. John on the island of Patmos. In that enlightened state, Hermes had been shown the mysteries of the universe. He learned about the creation of the sun, stars and planets, and how man had come to be on earth. Having received all this knowledge from the ‘Higher Mind‘, he was instructed to go out and teach his fellow men, so that they too could partake of gnosis.
"Our fellow men, born of earth, have given themselves up to drunkenness, and sleep in ignorance of God; we here awake to soberness, cease to be sodden with strong drink, and are no longer lulled in slumber devoid of reason. They have given themselves up to death, even though they have been granted power to partake of immortality, forsaking corruption; we, the wise, shall surely be saved! Let us all with one accord, give thanks to God.”
After the congregation ended, and the last of the sacred writings had been read, the body of believers made their ways to their beds, to sleep and await the coming of their ascension. In parting, they told one another ‘As above, so below’, a phrase garnered from the Emerald Tablet of Hermes. They took for granted that the workings of heaven were reflected in what happened on earth. Within their revered Asclepius, there was mention of Hermes upbraiding his pupil Asclepius for not understanding that truth. ‘Do you not know, Asclepius, that Egypt is an image of heaven, or, to speak more exactly, in Egypt all the operations of the powers which rule and work in heaven have been transferred to earth below?’
Indeed, the power had been transferred to men. The power to change everything lay in their hands.
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“We are entering midcourse phase, Sergeant.”
The A.I.’s announcement marked the fact that the Delivery Missile, which had been in flight for near four minutes, was in suborbital flight in an elliptical orbit.
“Check missile systems,” Sousuke said. “My board shows a green light on chaff and decoys.” Those would be released at the proper moment. Arbalest might be theoretically invulnerable when it was on the ground, its Lambda Driver functioning. But, it wouldn’t do him any good to be knocked out of the sky by some kind of anti-missile system, especially since they would need to leave the missile at high altitude and descend by chute, allowing time for the Lambda Drive system to initiate before they were discovered..
“Complying, Sergeant. All missile systems appear to be functioning at optimal levels. Estimate reentry phase in twenty minutes. GPS updates to the inertial guidance system indicate that we are on course.”
Sousuke was glad that the tremendous vibrations had ceased. Boost phase was not his favorite time of flight, even though he was grateful that the solid rocket boosters used in all three graphite composite stages had performed their duties properly. It was a sobering thought. Sitting in his pilot’s seat, he had been traveling faster than six kilometers per second.
Apogee for the missile would occur at an altitude of about twelve hundred kilometers. He was not an astronaut. He had never undergone anything akin to astronaut training. Yet, he was not too far from the realm traveled by those brave men and women.
“Al, begin internal checks. Cold fusion nuclear reactor.”
“Working. Reactor functioning at full capacity.”
“Good. Armament.” Sousuke accessed a display screen, confirming his weapons and ammunition load. The missile carrying the nuclear device would also drop a palette with additional ammunition. There was no way for him to confirm that fact.
“AM 11 12.7mm chain guns and XM 18 wire guns operational, armed. Safety locks on.”
”Good. Continue.” Sousuke took a snap shot out of his flight suit pocket. It was a photograph of Kaname, taking when the two of them had attended a Yaida Hitomi concert at the Tokyo Dome. The music had not been objectionable. Kaname’s eyes and smile in the photo were exceptional.
He wondered what was going on with the TDD-1. If he was fortunate, and his part of the mission was a success, would Kaname, her family, and his comrades be there when he returned?
“I cannot run checks on the Portable Firearms. However, mission load includes one "Boxer" 57mm scattershot, one Royal Ordnance M1108 anti-tank dagger, and one GeoTron Electronic GRAW-2 monomolecular cutter. I would assume that the appropriate crew members ran checks prior to loading.”
“Assume nothing,” Sousuke said somewhat snappishly. “I ran such checks myself, on the individual armament. However, the weapons were loaded on the missile after we were, hence my need for inventory.”
The A.I. went on and ran through various systems checks. Sousuke listened attentively, making the appropriate noises when necessary.
“Sergeant, training question.”
“Make it brief.” Sousuke frowned. He wondered what might have caught the machine’s fancy this time.
“If we succeed in this mission, will we be heroes.” There was a pause. “If I am successful, would that also make my creator Bunny Morita a hero?”
“A person becomes a hero by performing an extraordinary and praiseworthy deed. Traditional deeds in literature include the slaying of monsters and saving people from certain death. If successful, we would meet such criteria. A hero normally fulfills the definitions of what is considered good and noble in the originating culture. I would expect the saving of the earth to be heroic in all cultures.
“I see. Bunny Morita does not meet those criteria.”
“There are other criteria. In many stories, a hero is simply an ordinary person treated unfairly by society who prevails in the end. If you perform adequately, it will be to your designer’s credit.”
“Thank you, Sergeant.”
The A.I.’s question had Sousuke thinking. In some ways, his entry into the world of a highschool student had been more fraught with uncertainty and obstacles than the current mission. Accordingly, he might think of himself as a hero merely for surviving school. But, on a more serious note, he wondered what this all meant for his future, should he be fortunate enough to have one.
Well-known heroes approach the gods in status in some cultures. That would not happen to him, as he doubted that his name or Mithril’s actions would be made known to the international community. Many heroes suffered great tragedies, or ended up sacrificing themselves for others. He didn’t know if that would be his destiny. Some heroes in literature and legend were said to live long and rewarding lives after playing their role. Would he be so fortunate?
He had thought about the possibility of leaving Mithril, trying to create some normal kind of life, as much as that might be possible for him. But, Kanamewould always be Whispered, which meant that she would potentially be in danger for the rest of her days. And, as long as he was the only person capable of piloting Arbalest, how could he truly considering walking away?
Perhaps, if the right people were told of the day’s events, there might be a greater amount of funding headed towards Mithril’s coffers. If that were the case, and if the writing that Bunny Morita left behind could be better understood, there would be a means to procure more Arm Slaves with Lambda Driver technology. As it stood now, he was a single egg sitting in a single basket. It was not the most comforting of thoughts.
“I wonder…“ Sousuke ran his hand through his hair. “Am I important enough to be allowed what I want….” Might the young man who saved the world be denied the opportunity to be with the woman he had come to love? No. Now was not the time to fixate on such questions. But, just the same, he found it difficult not to think about Kaname.
“Sergeant?”
“My apologies, Al. I was thinking out loud.” He hoped, at the very least, that Kaname Chidori would survive this day. If he were to return, and she was no longer there, his world might seem to have ended after all.
“It would appear that humans often find value in speaking about their problems. Is there something that you wish to speak about.? I will dedicate part of my system to listening, if that will further the mission.”
“No. That is not necessary. Be…” Sousuke stopped, closing his mouth. He looked at the photograph again. Part of him held to an illogical and foolish notion. As long as he talked about Kaname, she had to be OK. As long as she was OK, she would be alive. “I have changed my mind. I will talk. You will listen without causing interruptions.”
“Affirmative, Sergeant.”
“No interruptions. Be quiet!” Sousuke blew out his breath. “I had returned from a mission in the Soviet suburb of Khabarovsk. I had helped in the rescue of a red-haired Whispered girl, during which I grabbed an Mi-24V `Hind-E' with my M9 and threw it to the ground. Following that…”
“That sounds like reckless action, Sergeant. Should I become adept at grabbing rotary winged-aircraft, when long range weaponry or close in assault weapons might be more prudent?”
“Be quiet! Listen. I disabled the craft to some degree with a thrown anti-armor dagger. Also, if you review the specs of the M9, you will see that it is quite suited for the task.” Sousuke frowned. “When Sgt. Weber and Sgt. Major Mao returned to De Danaan, we were summoned to meet with Lt. Cmdr. Kalinin.” Sousuke rubbed the back of his neck, realizing just how much that day changed his life. “There were new orders from Mission Command. He showed us biographical data on Kaname Chidori, along with a picture taken when she was twelve years old.”
“Sergeant, were you ordered to love the girl? Or was that a result of complex human reactions. Training question, Sergeant. Do males and…”
“SHUT UP!” Sousuke chided himself for behaving that way. He must be more tense than he realized. “Miss Chidori was thought to be a likely target of kidnapping by the KGB or some unknown organization. We were assigned to guard her, keeping our actions to be unknown to Kaname Chiodri and the Japanese government. We requested type-B equipment and it was granted to us, including an M9 with exterior condensers. My comrade busied themselves forging documents for my false transfer notification.”
Sousuke checked a display screen, showing his current location. They were descending. Re-entry should occur fairly soon. When it did, there would only a few minutes before the segmented missile body blew apart with pre-placed charges, allowing Arbalest to fall free and engage its chute..
“Approaching the school, I saw the teacher allow Miss Chidori and a boy with glasses to pass, after having checked their school bags. I was not so fortunate. Miss Kagurazaka confiscated my Steyr SPP, thinking it a toy, even though I tried to tell her that it was loaded with dangerous high velocity splat bullets. Not long after that, I was asked to introduce myself to my classmates. I told them that I was Sgt. Sousuke Sagara, but took back the ‘Sergeant’ part.”
“Sergeant. If you were told to keep your mission a secret, why did you mention rank? Rank is usually associated with military organizations and…”
“Be quiet. Silence. No talking.” Sousuke clenched his teeth. He was interested in reminiscing about his early days with Kaname, not in holding a conversation with a curious machine. “One of the students thought that I looked like a samurai shogun from the old days. A girl thought that I should sing them something. My mission training did not prepare me for anything like that. However, it was simple to inform them what country I came from, when I was asked that question. Afghanistan. Lebanon. Cambodia. Iraq. Columbia.” Sousuke remembered sweating, at risk of not fitting the standard teenage profile, when one student asked who his favorite musicians were. “They asked me about music. I had to confabulate, and finally remembered the names ‘Kadokawa Gorou’ and the ‘Suppin Girls’ at the last possible moment. It was a close call!”
“Sergeant, I have accessed the internet. There are numerous mp3s available. For the Suppin Girls, I see listings for Jet Coaster Romance; Pureness; Samayoeru Aoi Dangan; Gokigendaze!; and Nothing But Something; Love Affair. For Kadokawa Gorou, I see listings for Kingyo Hanabi; All For You; Wishing on the Same Star; and First Love. Should I play one while we remain in transit? A song may prove distracting during combat. It…”
“No.” Sousuke said curtly. “My mention of those groups had been a ploy. I will continue my story. Later that day, wishing to make certain that Miss Chidori was safe, I entered the girls’ dressing room, where they were preparing for the game of softball. They were not happy to see me. When I offered myself for hire to their team, they assaulted me, struck me multiple times, and then handcuffed me to a metal chair. The next day…” Sousuke spoke until the warning light flashed on and off. They were in final approach.
The moment of truth was fast approaching.
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“Kaname, are you scared?”
Ayame was nursing her fourth cup of hot tea. Her other three had been dropped or slid off the table, when the TDD-1 went through its occasional dramatic maneuvers.
“Me? Scared? Ah hah hah hah hah hah. Of course not! I’ve been through this many times.” Kaname froze. What kind of thing was that for a teenage girl to say? But, to be honest, while the times had been frightening, she still treasured the better memories. She wouldn’t give up a single moment she had spent with Sousuke. “Well. Yes. I’m scared a little. That’s only normal, right?”
“One time is too many times,” Shunya said. “There is reason to be frightened intellectually, but there is nothing for us to see or hear that would make one feel frightened. That in itself is almost worse than seeing oncoming danger. Not knowing. It is a difficult thing.”
“Yes,” Kaname said. She was worried about her father and sister, but there was something else foremost in her mind. Not knowing. The very feeling that she got every time Sousuke went off on a mission, big or small. Where was he? What was he doing at the moment? Was he in harm’s way? Would he be coming back? Could she be there to greet him?
There was a loud noise. The submarine shuddered slightly, no mean feat for a vessel that size in the fully submerged state. That was likely some kind of near miss explosion. Suddenly, there was a much more real reason for apprehension. Ayame dropped her tea cup, her mouth open and her eyes wide. The cup shattered into numerous pieces, some of which skittered across the floor. She began to tremble. “I… it’s… Daddy…”
Melissa and Kurz walked into the room to check up on them. They had not been officially assigned that task, but there was nothing else for them to do at the moment. Even if the Captain pulled their butts out of the frying pan, Sousuke would be the only one headed into the fire. The rest of the SRT was sitting this one out. There was no way to reach the target area in time, and none of the M9s had anything that would stand up against a Lambda Driver, much less any kind of scalar weapon.
“How are you guys and gals holding up?” Kurz was his usual cheerful self again. “Anyone up for a good soaking in the tub?”
“Shit! Don’t do that. When you sound needy, you look ugly.” Melissa was going to finish by saying ‘No, I take it back, you’re just ugly’. Someone beat her to it.
“He always looks ugly!” Kaname said, laughing, her spirits rising ever so slightly.
Kurz pouted. They were facing danger. He was a professional. Out of the goodness of his heart, he offered to distract them from their fears. All that, and they were dissing him. It was a tragic life that Kurz Weber led.
“Seriously. How are you folks holding up. If anyone can get us out of this, it’s Tessa.” Melissa took out a pack of cigarettes and held them out. No one else wanted any.
There was another close detonation. This time, a tray of unsecured silverware slid off of one counter, causing Ayame to jump. She brought her hand to her mouth and her eyes filled up with tears.
Kaname looked at her sister. She didn’t want Ayame to spend too much time worrying. Maybe if she told a story, her sister would focus on that. “So, they say that lightning never strikes the same place twice.”
“How’s that?” Melissa pulled up a chair and draped herself over it. Kurz walked over and brought Ayame a whole pot of tea.
“Well, the last time I came here for a visit, things were just a little bit hectic.” She blinked rapidly, remembering Gauron. It was not one of her favorite memories. But, she had realized something during that visit. Sousuke might be somewhat different or strange at first, second, and third glance, but he was someone really great.
“I think I would like to hear that story, Kaname.” Shunya accepted Melissa’s offer of a beer. That had Kaname and Ayame rubbing their eyes. It also had Kurz holding out his hand, which was promptly used as an ashtray by a smiling Lt. Mao.
“OK,” Kaname said. “I remember being so shocked. I went looking for Sousuke and found him building this… this… this monstrosity.” Even this long after the incident, Kaname found herself clenching her fists. “It was a giant security gate for the school festival.”
“Well, you can blame Tessa for that one, in a way.” Melissa laughed. “Sousuke had requested an M9 on station. Tessa refused, of course.”
“Hmmmpppff. Whatever.” kaname smacked her hand against the table. Her father noticed and shook his head. Kurz beamed. Ayame looked as if she would be drawn into the tale. Anything that made her big sister upset must be an interesting story.
“That big moron told me that because the last year’s theme had been ’Peace’, the theme for this festival should be ’Security.’ He told me that the gate was an observation post and security check point, and was being built to withstand a terrorist attack on the festival. Sheeeesh!” Kaname smacked the table again. Ayame cradled her teapot protectively. “Jerk. The bill for supplies was 1,471,000 yen!”
Shunya began coughing, he had swallowed his tea the wrong way. “And this is a young man who is supposedly adept at strategy and tactics?” A look of disbelief was plastered all over his face.
“He told me he could get a discount on Israeli-made compound armor that usually cost 5,000,000 yen, I told him that the entire festival budget was 1,500,000 yen. If we built the gate, there wouldn’t be any money for anything else.” Kaname tossed her hair. “After telling him to dismantle it, I walked through the damn thing, tripped a light sensor and was covered with read paint. The big stupid head told me the marking system was malfunctioning. Ooooh…”
Ayame began giggling. Shunya shook his head. Kurz held his hand up for a high five, but all Melissa did was hand him her empty beer can.
“What?!” Kaname groused. She reconsidered, seeing the look on Ayame’s face. Her plan was working. “Anyway, I complained about how I was spending the best time of my life cleaning up after some whacked out military-obsessed head case. The summer of the second year of high school is a very important time for a girl.”
“Yes. Beaches. Bigger breasts. Wild parties… first sex….. I… well…” Kurz froze, seeing the look on Shunya’s face.
“If you like…” Melissa looked at Shunya and held up a fist. Shunya shook his head, but then reconsidered.
“If you would be so kind.” Kaname’s father watched as Melissa punched Kurz square in the gut.
“If you want like to tell the story…” Kaname glared at Kurz, Melissa, and her father one after the other.
“Well, the big numbskull suddenly changed my opinion of him. He asked me if I wanted to go with him to a southern island, just the two of us. I never thought that he could do something like that. I was so amazed.” Kaname smiled.
“Wow!” Ayame sat forward, all ears.
“Ahem!” Shunya didn’t like the sound of that one bit. In his book, Kaname should have refused that invitation in a heartbeat.
“He promised that he wouldn’t do any of his usual bad stuff.” Kaname frowned.
“Heard that one before,” Kurz said, rubbing his belly.
“He said it wouldn’t be dangerous.” Kaname looked ready to smack the table again.
“And you believed him?” Said like that, Melissa’s question had Kaname blushing.
“Well, I was so happy, that I walked through the gate again. Blue paint that time, but I didn’t care. I thought it was a good color for summer.” Kaname was pleased to see Ayame smiling. There was another loud detonation, but Ayame didn’t flinch or look scared this time. Good. “Mizuki made certain that I packed a new skimpy white bikini…”
“AHEM-M-M!” Shunya looked embarrassed after being so loud.
“I…ummm… naturally I included my school swim suit too.” Kaname chided herself. She had to watch what she said. “Kyouko loaned me her camera, so I cold bring back a lot of memories. I was so excited when we arrived at the airstrip and saw a small airplane. Sousuke said that it was prepared just for me!”
“You’re so lucky…” Ayame sighed.
“But then you probably asked him where you were going,” Kurz put in, smiling. Sousuke had never spoken about that part, but it wasn’t difficult to guess what must have happened.
“Oooops,” Melissa said, grinning. After that she surprised Kurz by giving him a beer to drink. She began sliding one towards Ayame, but Shunya grabbed it instead.
“He… said… that… Captain Testarossa… wanted … to… see… me…” Kaname bit off the words. Recalling that memory, she also remembered just how she had felt.
Shunya nodded, looking somewhat more relaxed. Ayame clapped her hands together.
“How could things get worse than that?” Kaname asked, lacing her fingers together and stretching her arms. “I’ll tell you. We get a message in route. Sousuke orders me to put my bathing suit on.” Kaname quickly added “The school one, Daddy.” She turned down Melissa’s offer for a beer. “Before I know it, he puts a life vest on me… hooks us together… and jumps out of the plane….”
Kaname described traveling to the TDD-1 holding onto a tethered underwater sled, a small rebreather in her mouth. It had been an unbelievable experience, falling through a blue summer sky… touching down in a vast open stretch of sea… and traveling underwater towards the amazing submarine they all rode in now.
“Yes, but I heard something else from Tessa. The sonar operator had picked up a disturbance in the water. At first, she and Mardukas thought that someone might be drowning.” Melissa arched one eyebrow, smiling a knowing smile. She turned to speak directly to Ayame. “It was your big sister, letting Sousuke have it big time. No one could keep track of the terms of endearment she used. Idiot… moron… jerk… stupid head… it must have been so heart-warming.”
Kaname scowled. “What would you have done if someone did that to you unexpectedly?” She glared at Melissa, sparing a haughty look for her sister. “I think I behaved pretty well, under the circumstances. Sheeesh!”
Kurz tried to hide a smile. Melissa just closed her eyes and grinned.
“I think it’s kind of romantic,” Ayame claimed. “Kaname probably wouldn’t act like that around someone she wasn’t interested in.” She stared Kaname in the eyes. “Right?”
Shunya frowned, pushing his glasses up until they couldn’t go any further.
“So, anyway…” Kaname tossed her hair and smiled. She was back in control, telling the story. “I saw Tessa again. Eventually I go to speak to her about the Whispered, and took a bath with her and someone else I can’t remember.”
Melissa grinned. She raised her beer to Kaname. Kurz folded his hands over his chest. His memories of that latter incident were not so pleasant.
Kaname told the story of how Melissa met Sousuke and Kurz, and how they all became a team. After that, she let Melissa and Kurz say some things about the mission to Beridaobu, the small island holding a US military chemical weapons base. It had been a prime place for Gauron to set a trap. Letting himself be defeated, the maniac had managed to get himself brought aboard De Danaan, where a number of traitors waited.
“Melissa got hurt,” Kaname said, remembering seeing the soldier role past, unconscious on a medical stretcher. “Sousuke blamed himself. He also blamed Arbalest and the Lambda Driver.” She went on to surprise herself as much as anyone, changing the mood for a moment. With a faraway look, she described her run in with Sousuke, the one that had left her running away in tears.
“He must have really meant something to you then, too.” Ayame spoke quietly, a solemn little look on her face. She flinched at hearing another detonation, but kept her eyes on her sisters face..
Kaname nodded. “One of the traitors… I can’t remember his name, but will never forget his face… he was about to shoot me. All I had to defend myself with was a frying pan.”
“Oh, come on Kaname. Sousuke doesn’t say you’re that bad of a cook.” Kurz looked down and cleaned his nails, trying not to smirk.
“What? If he…” Kaname caught on. She looked over at Melissa, and then looked at Kurz.
“If I hit him too much, he might start to like it. Then what would I do for fun?” Mao popped open another beer, offering it to Shunya who accepted.
“I can think of something,” Kurz said. “If I remember correctly, one time I told you I’d have you clawing my back.”
Melissa lifted her elbow, but stopped. “That’s almost as funny now as it was then.” She struck a pose and imitated Kurz. “I’ve been on the cover of The Tag magazine.”
Ayame smiled. She shrugged when Kurz looked at her. Kaname chuckled. Shunya found himself viewing Kurz and Melissa more as people and less as soldiers. They were an odd pair, to say the least. But, they were more human to him.
“Ayame, Babe. Not you too…” Kurz looked crestfallen. He winked. “After Kaname’s done, I’ll tell you a very funny story. It’s about a rough tough A.S. pilot who loses a mock combat battle with a poor clumsy girl who had never operated an Arm Slave in her life.” He squared his shoulders and lifted up his nose, seeing Melissa’s smile melt away. “When that poor clumsy girl was training with Sergeant Sagara at the beach, she fell on him, and they didn’t get up for a while.” This time he gave Kaname a lopsided grin. “Ahhh. My my my…”
“Anyway,” Kaname said, after clenching her teeth. “Sousuke saved me, and then apologized. Then things got really freaky.” She went on to describe her interface with Dana through the TAROS, and how she helped Sousuke save the submarine. “I apologized for the times that I had been considerate to him. I told him that I came to realize that I didn’t really know anything about him, but knew he was a really great guy.” She looked up at the ceiling and closed her eyes, remembering. “I told him that I thought he was awesome.”
“That must have been pretty exciting,” Ayame said, hands clutched to her chest. “I would have been scared to death. It…” She stopped. It was easy to guess what she was thinking. She had reason to be scared. But, somehow, it didn’t feel so bad now. “I…“
Touching her sister’s hand, Kaname went on to talk about Merida Island and how she had been ready to head over to her flight home when Sousuke asked her to come with him. “This time, it really wasn’t anything weird or dangerous. He took me to his favorite fishing spot. It was beautiful.” Kaname wiped away a tear. “ Sousuke… he told me that when he was with me, he could do anything, whether it was catching a giant fish, or escaping from some danger. He said he was there, because I had always been there for him.”
“Did you catch anything?” Ayame asked quietly.
“I hooked something big. It would have pulled me off the edge, but Sousuke wrapped his arms around me and held on tight.” She sighed, remembering other times that Sousuke had held her. “He…”
“He’ll be alright, Kaname.” Kurz spoke seriously, a look of compassion on his face. “Melissa once said that he could he could run a marathon through a minefield and still come out clean, even under enemy fire. She’s right. If anyone can get this done, and then come back alive, it’s Sousuke.
“He has good reason to come back.” Melissa handed Kurz a beer. The look she gave Kaname needed no explanation. She smiled, seeing the younger woman blush. “When Sousuke rescued you in Khanka, Kurz was right, for the first and only time I can remember. He said that Sousuke would choose to come after you, instead of trying to rescue your classmates as ordered.”
“Oh…” Kaname had never heard things in that perspective before. “I…” She smiled, thinking back to the times when the two of them danced around their feelings. “Hmmm. Ayame asked me about our fish. We hooked a big one. I wondered if it might be a sea bream or a whale. When we finally landed it, Sousuke said it was a Giant Trenally, weighing close to one hundred pounds. But what does he know? Hmmmpppfff!” She smiled again. “He said that if it had been a whale, he could not have landed it with Arbalest. Jerk. He still owes me a whale.” Her voice dropped. “He better come back…”
“Catching big fish. Surviving the dangers of high school. Saving submarines together…” Melissa put her hands behind her head. “It seems that you and Sousuke make a pretty good team.” She glanced at Shunya out of the corner of her eye.
Kaname’s father sat quietly, rubbing his chin.
The internal heat associated with young volcanic system had been harnessed to produce geothermal energy. Not just from Klyuchevskaya Sopka, but also from the other volcanoes making up the northern group.
For every one hundred meters that one goes below ground, the temperature of the rock increases about three degrees Celsius. Or for every three hundred twenty eight feet below ground, the temperature increases 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit. So, if one went about ten thousand feet below ground, the temperature of the rock would be hot enough to boil water. Geologic studies indicate that the geothermal energy equivalent in the general area was the equivalent of more than five hundred small nuclear plants.
The hot water can reach temperatures of more than three hundred degrees Fahrenheit and one hundred and forty eight degrees Celsius, hotter than boiling water. It doesn't turn into steam because it is not in contact with the air. But, given the ability to produce that steam, the high-temperature geothermal fluids had the ability to drive turbines and generate enormous amounts of electrical power. The huge plumes of steam and other gases now rising from the sides of the volcanoes gave mute testimony to that fact.
Scrubbers were active, reducing sulphur and other objectionable emissions. For a while longer, the lives of the unknowing technicians were a regrettable necessity. For all those unknowing pawns knew, the installation was on the forefront of alternate energy source research.
“Throughout history, intelligent men and women have sought for a higher meaning to life, something over and above the daily struggle for life. In the past, this quest for truth took place most often within the confines of organized religion. It was generally believed that wise and gifted men lived within the religious community. The best and brightest of them were thought capable of guiding others towards the goal of enlightenment.”
The middle-aged man with closely cropped white hair pushed back his cowl. He spoke in sonorous tones to a sizable crowd of similarly clad men, all dressed in simple coarsely spun robes. The nature of their clothing, and the rough-hewn nature of their underground arena, was at stark contrast to the advanced technologies at their command, and the even more amazing technology close to completion.
“Across the millenia, such enlightened men were accorded high status amongst the communities that they served, with some of them regarded as prophets or living saints. Thus, as it was written in the Bible, Saul and later David became Kings of the Israelites. But, long before that there had been powerful monarchs in Egypt, men who were priests as well as kings… men whose prime duty was to serve their gods… men who had the special duty to maintain the rule of law or as they would call it, Maat.”
The speaker looked over at a number of men clad in dark uniforms. They stood near a communications console, busy speaking to comrades stationed at observations posts and weapons stations. One man caught sight of that glance and gave a hand signal symbolizing ‘all clear, things proceeding as planned’. So far, no action had been taken against their installations.
“The pharaoh was responsible for maintaining civilization from two vastly different threats. First, invasion from abroad. Second, corruption from within. To deal with the former, he was expected to lead the army in times of war. To fight the latter, he had to be vigilant that knowledge was not being lost, especially that knowledge that spoke of mankind’s destiny in the afterlife. It was believed as a matter of faith, that the cherished gods had walked the earth. These mighty beings… particularly Thoth… were looked upon by the Egyptian faithful as human avatars of divine intelligence. Thoth, who was later called Hermes Trismegistus by the Greeks, was believed to have been the first great initiate. He was the one said to have brought knowledge of the divine down to the earth.”
A number of men sitting closer to the speaker fingered simple medallions worn about their necks, adjusted their collars, or pulled back the sleeves of their voluminous robes. Others sat nodding their heads, at peace with themselves, ready for the change that was coming.
“We, the fortunate ones, know the teachings that flowed from the enlightened ones. Hermeticism served to influence Western thinking, but was never recognized for what it was, or from whence it came. There were those who felt threatened, afraid that their beliefs would be tainted or disproved. Yet, the very philosophical core of the teachings
is not much different from things described in biblical texts. As we all know, man was made in the image of his maker. Man, unfortunately, transgressed in desiring the power to act like God. For that crime, mankind was punished, with the souls of men being sent to earth, imprisoned in the crude forms we recognize as human bodies. All men and women were then condemned to die and be reborn in seemingly endless cycles of reincarnation. While they inhabited their prison of flesh, they would be blind to their true origins, and would spend their lives eating the flesh of lesser beasts, effectively chained to the planet they trod upon.“
A group of men in Arm Slave suits passed by the congregation. They had been given a private sermon earlier in the day. Each of them was gifted with the solemn duty of making certain than no external forces would have an opportunity to interrupt their plans.
“But, we know the chains can be broken. The shackles can be thrown off. In every man and woman, there is the potential to wake up achieve gnosis, acquiring knowledge of the divine. Is that not the case, brothers and sister?“
A chorus of assenting voices rang out. The assembled men and women considered themselves to be the fortunate ones. The rest of civilization, those without the secret knowledge, would soon wither and die the final death. They, the chosen, would awake to better things.
“When each of us remembers who we really are, we will come into contact once more with the Divine, blessed to receive our spiritual food from God. Every one of us here will ascend through the astral spheres surrounding the earth, and once more take up his or her place in heaven, at the side of God.”
The gifted orator continued to speak the words and tenets of Hermetic Philosophy, quoting at times from the Hermetica. He spoke of the angelic being called Poimandres, a name meaning the ‘Shepherd of Men‘. He waxed poetical when he detailed Herme’s out of body experience, much like that that experienced by Ezechiel on the banks of the Chebar River, by Daniel at the River Ulai, and by St. John on the island of Patmos. In that enlightened state, Hermes had been shown the mysteries of the universe. He learned about the creation of the sun, stars and planets, and how man had come to be on earth. Having received all this knowledge from the ‘Higher Mind‘, he was instructed to go out and teach his fellow men, so that they too could partake of gnosis.
"Our fellow men, born of earth, have given themselves up to drunkenness, and sleep in ignorance of God; we here awake to soberness, cease to be sodden with strong drink, and are no longer lulled in slumber devoid of reason. They have given themselves up to death, even though they have been granted power to partake of immortality, forsaking corruption; we, the wise, shall surely be saved! Let us all with one accord, give thanks to God.”
After the congregation ended, and the last of the sacred writings had been read, the body of believers made their ways to their beds, to sleep and await the coming of their ascension. In parting, they told one another ‘As above, so below’, a phrase garnered from the Emerald Tablet of Hermes. They took for granted that the workings of heaven were reflected in what happened on earth. Within their revered Asclepius, there was mention of Hermes upbraiding his pupil Asclepius for not understanding that truth. ‘Do you not know, Asclepius, that Egypt is an image of heaven, or, to speak more exactly, in Egypt all the operations of the powers which rule and work in heaven have been transferred to earth below?’
Indeed, the power had been transferred to men. The power to change everything lay in their hands.
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“We are entering midcourse phase, Sergeant.”
The A.I.’s announcement marked the fact that the Delivery Missile, which had been in flight for near four minutes, was in suborbital flight in an elliptical orbit.
“Check missile systems,” Sousuke said. “My board shows a green light on chaff and decoys.” Those would be released at the proper moment. Arbalest might be theoretically invulnerable when it was on the ground, its Lambda Driver functioning. But, it wouldn’t do him any good to be knocked out of the sky by some kind of anti-missile system, especially since they would need to leave the missile at high altitude and descend by chute, allowing time for the Lambda Drive system to initiate before they were discovered..
“Complying, Sergeant. All missile systems appear to be functioning at optimal levels. Estimate reentry phase in twenty minutes. GPS updates to the inertial guidance system indicate that we are on course.”
Sousuke was glad that the tremendous vibrations had ceased. Boost phase was not his favorite time of flight, even though he was grateful that the solid rocket boosters used in all three graphite composite stages had performed their duties properly. It was a sobering thought. Sitting in his pilot’s seat, he had been traveling faster than six kilometers per second.
Apogee for the missile would occur at an altitude of about twelve hundred kilometers. He was not an astronaut. He had never undergone anything akin to astronaut training. Yet, he was not too far from the realm traveled by those brave men and women.
“Al, begin internal checks. Cold fusion nuclear reactor.”
“Working. Reactor functioning at full capacity.”
“Good. Armament.” Sousuke accessed a display screen, confirming his weapons and ammunition load. The missile carrying the nuclear device would also drop a palette with additional ammunition. There was no way for him to confirm that fact.
“AM 11 12.7mm chain guns and XM 18 wire guns operational, armed. Safety locks on.”
”Good. Continue.” Sousuke took a snap shot out of his flight suit pocket. It was a photograph of Kaname, taking when the two of them had attended a Yaida Hitomi concert at the Tokyo Dome. The music had not been objectionable. Kaname’s eyes and smile in the photo were exceptional.
He wondered what was going on with the TDD-1. If he was fortunate, and his part of the mission was a success, would Kaname, her family, and his comrades be there when he returned?
“I cannot run checks on the Portable Firearms. However, mission load includes one "Boxer" 57mm scattershot, one Royal Ordnance M1108 anti-tank dagger, and one GeoTron Electronic GRAW-2 monomolecular cutter. I would assume that the appropriate crew members ran checks prior to loading.”
“Assume nothing,” Sousuke said somewhat snappishly. “I ran such checks myself, on the individual armament. However, the weapons were loaded on the missile after we were, hence my need for inventory.”
The A.I. went on and ran through various systems checks. Sousuke listened attentively, making the appropriate noises when necessary.
“Sergeant, training question.”
“Make it brief.” Sousuke frowned. He wondered what might have caught the machine’s fancy this time.
“If we succeed in this mission, will we be heroes.” There was a pause. “If I am successful, would that also make my creator Bunny Morita a hero?”
“A person becomes a hero by performing an extraordinary and praiseworthy deed. Traditional deeds in literature include the slaying of monsters and saving people from certain death. If successful, we would meet such criteria. A hero normally fulfills the definitions of what is considered good and noble in the originating culture. I would expect the saving of the earth to be heroic in all cultures.
“I see. Bunny Morita does not meet those criteria.”
“There are other criteria. In many stories, a hero is simply an ordinary person treated unfairly by society who prevails in the end. If you perform adequately, it will be to your designer’s credit.”
“Thank you, Sergeant.”
The A.I.’s question had Sousuke thinking. In some ways, his entry into the world of a highschool student had been more fraught with uncertainty and obstacles than the current mission. Accordingly, he might think of himself as a hero merely for surviving school. But, on a more serious note, he wondered what this all meant for his future, should he be fortunate enough to have one.
Well-known heroes approach the gods in status in some cultures. That would not happen to him, as he doubted that his name or Mithril’s actions would be made known to the international community. Many heroes suffered great tragedies, or ended up sacrificing themselves for others. He didn’t know if that would be his destiny. Some heroes in literature and legend were said to live long and rewarding lives after playing their role. Would he be so fortunate?
He had thought about the possibility of leaving Mithril, trying to create some normal kind of life, as much as that might be possible for him. But, Kanamewould always be Whispered, which meant that she would potentially be in danger for the rest of her days. And, as long as he was the only person capable of piloting Arbalest, how could he truly considering walking away?
Perhaps, if the right people were told of the day’s events, there might be a greater amount of funding headed towards Mithril’s coffers. If that were the case, and if the writing that Bunny Morita left behind could be better understood, there would be a means to procure more Arm Slaves with Lambda Driver technology. As it stood now, he was a single egg sitting in a single basket. It was not the most comforting of thoughts.
“I wonder…“ Sousuke ran his hand through his hair. “Am I important enough to be allowed what I want….” Might the young man who saved the world be denied the opportunity to be with the woman he had come to love? No. Now was not the time to fixate on such questions. But, just the same, he found it difficult not to think about Kaname.
“Sergeant?”
“My apologies, Al. I was thinking out loud.” He hoped, at the very least, that Kaname Chidori would survive this day. If he were to return, and she was no longer there, his world might seem to have ended after all.
“It would appear that humans often find value in speaking about their problems. Is there something that you wish to speak about.? I will dedicate part of my system to listening, if that will further the mission.”
“No. That is not necessary. Be…” Sousuke stopped, closing his mouth. He looked at the photograph again. Part of him held to an illogical and foolish notion. As long as he talked about Kaname, she had to be OK. As long as she was OK, she would be alive. “I have changed my mind. I will talk. You will listen without causing interruptions.”
“Affirmative, Sergeant.”
“No interruptions. Be quiet!” Sousuke blew out his breath. “I had returned from a mission in the Soviet suburb of Khabarovsk. I had helped in the rescue of a red-haired Whispered girl, during which I grabbed an Mi-24V `Hind-E' with my M9 and threw it to the ground. Following that…”
“That sounds like reckless action, Sergeant. Should I become adept at grabbing rotary winged-aircraft, when long range weaponry or close in assault weapons might be more prudent?”
“Be quiet! Listen. I disabled the craft to some degree with a thrown anti-armor dagger. Also, if you review the specs of the M9, you will see that it is quite suited for the task.” Sousuke frowned. “When Sgt. Weber and Sgt. Major Mao returned to De Danaan, we were summoned to meet with Lt. Cmdr. Kalinin.” Sousuke rubbed the back of his neck, realizing just how much that day changed his life. “There were new orders from Mission Command. He showed us biographical data on Kaname Chidori, along with a picture taken when she was twelve years old.”
“Sergeant, were you ordered to love the girl? Or was that a result of complex human reactions. Training question, Sergeant. Do males and…”
“SHUT UP!” Sousuke chided himself for behaving that way. He must be more tense than he realized. “Miss Chidori was thought to be a likely target of kidnapping by the KGB or some unknown organization. We were assigned to guard her, keeping our actions to be unknown to Kaname Chiodri and the Japanese government. We requested type-B equipment and it was granted to us, including an M9 with exterior condensers. My comrade busied themselves forging documents for my false transfer notification.”
Sousuke checked a display screen, showing his current location. They were descending. Re-entry should occur fairly soon. When it did, there would only a few minutes before the segmented missile body blew apart with pre-placed charges, allowing Arbalest to fall free and engage its chute..
“Approaching the school, I saw the teacher allow Miss Chidori and a boy with glasses to pass, after having checked their school bags. I was not so fortunate. Miss Kagurazaka confiscated my Steyr SPP, thinking it a toy, even though I tried to tell her that it was loaded with dangerous high velocity splat bullets. Not long after that, I was asked to introduce myself to my classmates. I told them that I was Sgt. Sousuke Sagara, but took back the ‘Sergeant’ part.”
“Sergeant. If you were told to keep your mission a secret, why did you mention rank? Rank is usually associated with military organizations and…”
“Be quiet. Silence. No talking.” Sousuke clenched his teeth. He was interested in reminiscing about his early days with Kaname, not in holding a conversation with a curious machine. “One of the students thought that I looked like a samurai shogun from the old days. A girl thought that I should sing them something. My mission training did not prepare me for anything like that. However, it was simple to inform them what country I came from, when I was asked that question. Afghanistan. Lebanon. Cambodia. Iraq. Columbia.” Sousuke remembered sweating, at risk of not fitting the standard teenage profile, when one student asked who his favorite musicians were. “They asked me about music. I had to confabulate, and finally remembered the names ‘Kadokawa Gorou’ and the ‘Suppin Girls’ at the last possible moment. It was a close call!”
“Sergeant, I have accessed the internet. There are numerous mp3s available. For the Suppin Girls, I see listings for Jet Coaster Romance; Pureness; Samayoeru Aoi Dangan; Gokigendaze!; and Nothing But Something; Love Affair. For Kadokawa Gorou, I see listings for Kingyo Hanabi; All For You; Wishing on the Same Star; and First Love. Should I play one while we remain in transit? A song may prove distracting during combat. It…”
“No.” Sousuke said curtly. “My mention of those groups had been a ploy. I will continue my story. Later that day, wishing to make certain that Miss Chidori was safe, I entered the girls’ dressing room, where they were preparing for the game of softball. They were not happy to see me. When I offered myself for hire to their team, they assaulted me, struck me multiple times, and then handcuffed me to a metal chair. The next day…” Sousuke spoke until the warning light flashed on and off. They were in final approach.
The moment of truth was fast approaching.
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“Kaname, are you scared?”
Ayame was nursing her fourth cup of hot tea. Her other three had been dropped or slid off the table, when the TDD-1 went through its occasional dramatic maneuvers.
“Me? Scared? Ah hah hah hah hah hah. Of course not! I’ve been through this many times.” Kaname froze. What kind of thing was that for a teenage girl to say? But, to be honest, while the times had been frightening, she still treasured the better memories. She wouldn’t give up a single moment she had spent with Sousuke. “Well. Yes. I’m scared a little. That’s only normal, right?”
“One time is too many times,” Shunya said. “There is reason to be frightened intellectually, but there is nothing for us to see or hear that would make one feel frightened. That in itself is almost worse than seeing oncoming danger. Not knowing. It is a difficult thing.”
“Yes,” Kaname said. She was worried about her father and sister, but there was something else foremost in her mind. Not knowing. The very feeling that she got every time Sousuke went off on a mission, big or small. Where was he? What was he doing at the moment? Was he in harm’s way? Would he be coming back? Could she be there to greet him?
There was a loud noise. The submarine shuddered slightly, no mean feat for a vessel that size in the fully submerged state. That was likely some kind of near miss explosion. Suddenly, there was a much more real reason for apprehension. Ayame dropped her tea cup, her mouth open and her eyes wide. The cup shattered into numerous pieces, some of which skittered across the floor. She began to tremble. “I… it’s… Daddy…”
Melissa and Kurz walked into the room to check up on them. They had not been officially assigned that task, but there was nothing else for them to do at the moment. Even if the Captain pulled their butts out of the frying pan, Sousuke would be the only one headed into the fire. The rest of the SRT was sitting this one out. There was no way to reach the target area in time, and none of the M9s had anything that would stand up against a Lambda Driver, much less any kind of scalar weapon.
“How are you guys and gals holding up?” Kurz was his usual cheerful self again. “Anyone up for a good soaking in the tub?”
“Shit! Don’t do that. When you sound needy, you look ugly.” Melissa was going to finish by saying ‘No, I take it back, you’re just ugly’. Someone beat her to it.
“He always looks ugly!” Kaname said, laughing, her spirits rising ever so slightly.
Kurz pouted. They were facing danger. He was a professional. Out of the goodness of his heart, he offered to distract them from their fears. All that, and they were dissing him. It was a tragic life that Kurz Weber led.
“Seriously. How are you folks holding up. If anyone can get us out of this, it’s Tessa.” Melissa took out a pack of cigarettes and held them out. No one else wanted any.
There was another close detonation. This time, a tray of unsecured silverware slid off of one counter, causing Ayame to jump. She brought her hand to her mouth and her eyes filled up with tears.
Kaname looked at her sister. She didn’t want Ayame to spend too much time worrying. Maybe if she told a story, her sister would focus on that. “So, they say that lightning never strikes the same place twice.”
“How’s that?” Melissa pulled up a chair and draped herself over it. Kurz walked over and brought Ayame a whole pot of tea.
“Well, the last time I came here for a visit, things were just a little bit hectic.” She blinked rapidly, remembering Gauron. It was not one of her favorite memories. But, she had realized something during that visit. Sousuke might be somewhat different or strange at first, second, and third glance, but he was someone really great.
“I think I would like to hear that story, Kaname.” Shunya accepted Melissa’s offer of a beer. That had Kaname and Ayame rubbing their eyes. It also had Kurz holding out his hand, which was promptly used as an ashtray by a smiling Lt. Mao.
“OK,” Kaname said. “I remember being so shocked. I went looking for Sousuke and found him building this… this… this monstrosity.” Even this long after the incident, Kaname found herself clenching her fists. “It was a giant security gate for the school festival.”
“Well, you can blame Tessa for that one, in a way.” Melissa laughed. “Sousuke had requested an M9 on station. Tessa refused, of course.”
“Hmmmpppff. Whatever.” kaname smacked her hand against the table. Her father noticed and shook his head. Kurz beamed. Ayame looked as if she would be drawn into the tale. Anything that made her big sister upset must be an interesting story.
“That big moron told me that because the last year’s theme had been ’Peace’, the theme for this festival should be ’Security.’ He told me that the gate was an observation post and security check point, and was being built to withstand a terrorist attack on the festival. Sheeeesh!” Kaname smacked the table again. Ayame cradled her teapot protectively. “Jerk. The bill for supplies was 1,471,000 yen!”
Shunya began coughing, he had swallowed his tea the wrong way. “And this is a young man who is supposedly adept at strategy and tactics?” A look of disbelief was plastered all over his face.
“He told me he could get a discount on Israeli-made compound armor that usually cost 5,000,000 yen, I told him that the entire festival budget was 1,500,000 yen. If we built the gate, there wouldn’t be any money for anything else.” Kaname tossed her hair. “After telling him to dismantle it, I walked through the damn thing, tripped a light sensor and was covered with read paint. The big stupid head told me the marking system was malfunctioning. Ooooh…”
Ayame began giggling. Shunya shook his head. Kurz held his hand up for a high five, but all Melissa did was hand him her empty beer can.
“What?!” Kaname groused. She reconsidered, seeing the look on Ayame’s face. Her plan was working. “Anyway, I complained about how I was spending the best time of my life cleaning up after some whacked out military-obsessed head case. The summer of the second year of high school is a very important time for a girl.”
“Yes. Beaches. Bigger breasts. Wild parties… first sex….. I… well…” Kurz froze, seeing the look on Shunya’s face.
“If you like…” Melissa looked at Shunya and held up a fist. Shunya shook his head, but then reconsidered.
“If you would be so kind.” Kaname’s father watched as Melissa punched Kurz square in the gut.
“If you want like to tell the story…” Kaname glared at Kurz, Melissa, and her father one after the other.
“Well, the big numbskull suddenly changed my opinion of him. He asked me if I wanted to go with him to a southern island, just the two of us. I never thought that he could do something like that. I was so amazed.” Kaname smiled.
“Wow!” Ayame sat forward, all ears.
“Ahem!” Shunya didn’t like the sound of that one bit. In his book, Kaname should have refused that invitation in a heartbeat.
“He promised that he wouldn’t do any of his usual bad stuff.” Kaname frowned.
“Heard that one before,” Kurz said, rubbing his belly.
“He said it wouldn’t be dangerous.” Kaname looked ready to smack the table again.
“And you believed him?” Said like that, Melissa’s question had Kaname blushing.
“Well, I was so happy, that I walked through the gate again. Blue paint that time, but I didn’t care. I thought it was a good color for summer.” Kaname was pleased to see Ayame smiling. There was another loud detonation, but Ayame didn’t flinch or look scared this time. Good. “Mizuki made certain that I packed a new skimpy white bikini…”
“AHEM-M-M!” Shunya looked embarrassed after being so loud.
“I…ummm… naturally I included my school swim suit too.” Kaname chided herself. She had to watch what she said. “Kyouko loaned me her camera, so I cold bring back a lot of memories. I was so excited when we arrived at the airstrip and saw a small airplane. Sousuke said that it was prepared just for me!”
“You’re so lucky…” Ayame sighed.
“But then you probably asked him where you were going,” Kurz put in, smiling. Sousuke had never spoken about that part, but it wasn’t difficult to guess what must have happened.
“Oooops,” Melissa said, grinning. After that she surprised Kurz by giving him a beer to drink. She began sliding one towards Ayame, but Shunya grabbed it instead.
“He… said… that… Captain Testarossa… wanted … to… see… me…” Kaname bit off the words. Recalling that memory, she also remembered just how she had felt.
Shunya nodded, looking somewhat more relaxed. Ayame clapped her hands together.
“How could things get worse than that?” Kaname asked, lacing her fingers together and stretching her arms. “I’ll tell you. We get a message in route. Sousuke orders me to put my bathing suit on.” Kaname quickly added “The school one, Daddy.” She turned down Melissa’s offer for a beer. “Before I know it, he puts a life vest on me… hooks us together… and jumps out of the plane….”
Kaname described traveling to the TDD-1 holding onto a tethered underwater sled, a small rebreather in her mouth. It had been an unbelievable experience, falling through a blue summer sky… touching down in a vast open stretch of sea… and traveling underwater towards the amazing submarine they all rode in now.
“Yes, but I heard something else from Tessa. The sonar operator had picked up a disturbance in the water. At first, she and Mardukas thought that someone might be drowning.” Melissa arched one eyebrow, smiling a knowing smile. She turned to speak directly to Ayame. “It was your big sister, letting Sousuke have it big time. No one could keep track of the terms of endearment she used. Idiot… moron… jerk… stupid head… it must have been so heart-warming.”
Kaname scowled. “What would you have done if someone did that to you unexpectedly?” She glared at Melissa, sparing a haughty look for her sister. “I think I behaved pretty well, under the circumstances. Sheeesh!”
Kurz tried to hide a smile. Melissa just closed her eyes and grinned.
“I think it’s kind of romantic,” Ayame claimed. “Kaname probably wouldn’t act like that around someone she wasn’t interested in.” She stared Kaname in the eyes. “Right?”
Shunya frowned, pushing his glasses up until they couldn’t go any further.
“So, anyway…” Kaname tossed her hair and smiled. She was back in control, telling the story. “I saw Tessa again. Eventually I go to speak to her about the Whispered, and took a bath with her and someone else I can’t remember.”
Melissa grinned. She raised her beer to Kaname. Kurz folded his hands over his chest. His memories of that latter incident were not so pleasant.
Kaname told the story of how Melissa met Sousuke and Kurz, and how they all became a team. After that, she let Melissa and Kurz say some things about the mission to Beridaobu, the small island holding a US military chemical weapons base. It had been a prime place for Gauron to set a trap. Letting himself be defeated, the maniac had managed to get himself brought aboard De Danaan, where a number of traitors waited.
“Melissa got hurt,” Kaname said, remembering seeing the soldier role past, unconscious on a medical stretcher. “Sousuke blamed himself. He also blamed Arbalest and the Lambda Driver.” She went on to surprise herself as much as anyone, changing the mood for a moment. With a faraway look, she described her run in with Sousuke, the one that had left her running away in tears.
“He must have really meant something to you then, too.” Ayame spoke quietly, a solemn little look on her face. She flinched at hearing another detonation, but kept her eyes on her sisters face..
Kaname nodded. “One of the traitors… I can’t remember his name, but will never forget his face… he was about to shoot me. All I had to defend myself with was a frying pan.”
“Oh, come on Kaname. Sousuke doesn’t say you’re that bad of a cook.” Kurz looked down and cleaned his nails, trying not to smirk.
“What? If he…” Kaname caught on. She looked over at Melissa, and then looked at Kurz.
“If I hit him too much, he might start to like it. Then what would I do for fun?” Mao popped open another beer, offering it to Shunya who accepted.
“I can think of something,” Kurz said. “If I remember correctly, one time I told you I’d have you clawing my back.”
Melissa lifted her elbow, but stopped. “That’s almost as funny now as it was then.” She struck a pose and imitated Kurz. “I’ve been on the cover of The Tag magazine.”
Ayame smiled. She shrugged when Kurz looked at her. Kaname chuckled. Shunya found himself viewing Kurz and Melissa more as people and less as soldiers. They were an odd pair, to say the least. But, they were more human to him.
“Ayame, Babe. Not you too…” Kurz looked crestfallen. He winked. “After Kaname’s done, I’ll tell you a very funny story. It’s about a rough tough A.S. pilot who loses a mock combat battle with a poor clumsy girl who had never operated an Arm Slave in her life.” He squared his shoulders and lifted up his nose, seeing Melissa’s smile melt away. “When that poor clumsy girl was training with Sergeant Sagara at the beach, she fell on him, and they didn’t get up for a while.” This time he gave Kaname a lopsided grin. “Ahhh. My my my…”
“Anyway,” Kaname said, after clenching her teeth. “Sousuke saved me, and then apologized. Then things got really freaky.” She went on to describe her interface with Dana through the TAROS, and how she helped Sousuke save the submarine. “I apologized for the times that I had been considerate to him. I told him that I came to realize that I didn’t really know anything about him, but knew he was a really great guy.” She looked up at the ceiling and closed her eyes, remembering. “I told him that I thought he was awesome.”
“That must have been pretty exciting,” Ayame said, hands clutched to her chest. “I would have been scared to death. It…” She stopped. It was easy to guess what she was thinking. She had reason to be scared. But, somehow, it didn’t feel so bad now. “I…“
Touching her sister’s hand, Kaname went on to talk about Merida Island and how she had been ready to head over to her flight home when Sousuke asked her to come with him. “This time, it really wasn’t anything weird or dangerous. He took me to his favorite fishing spot. It was beautiful.” Kaname wiped away a tear. “ Sousuke… he told me that when he was with me, he could do anything, whether it was catching a giant fish, or escaping from some danger. He said he was there, because I had always been there for him.”
“Did you catch anything?” Ayame asked quietly.
“I hooked something big. It would have pulled me off the edge, but Sousuke wrapped his arms around me and held on tight.” She sighed, remembering other times that Sousuke had held her. “He…”
“He’ll be alright, Kaname.” Kurz spoke seriously, a look of compassion on his face. “Melissa once said that he could he could run a marathon through a minefield and still come out clean, even under enemy fire. She’s right. If anyone can get this done, and then come back alive, it’s Sousuke.
“He has good reason to come back.” Melissa handed Kurz a beer. The look she gave Kaname needed no explanation. She smiled, seeing the younger woman blush. “When Sousuke rescued you in Khanka, Kurz was right, for the first and only time I can remember. He said that Sousuke would choose to come after you, instead of trying to rescue your classmates as ordered.”
“Oh…” Kaname had never heard things in that perspective before. “I…” She smiled, thinking back to the times when the two of them danced around their feelings. “Hmmm. Ayame asked me about our fish. We hooked a big one. I wondered if it might be a sea bream or a whale. When we finally landed it, Sousuke said it was a Giant Trenally, weighing close to one hundred pounds. But what does he know? Hmmmpppfff!” She smiled again. “He said that if it had been a whale, he could not have landed it with Arbalest. Jerk. He still owes me a whale.” Her voice dropped. “He better come back…”
“Catching big fish. Surviving the dangers of high school. Saving submarines together…” Melissa put her hands behind her head. “It seems that you and Sousuke make a pretty good team.” She glanced at Shunya out of the corner of her eye.
Kaname’s father sat quietly, rubbing his chin.
