[FIC] Gang and Girl Visit Hinata: Havoc Ensues (part eleven)

[dd]

Sousuke watched as the two harriers screamed by, waiting to gain altitude until they were close to final approach. Not too long thereafter, huge fireballs mushroomed skyward as the Mk 77 canisters were released at various points along the flight path. The closer that Sousuke and the MT4 got to the site of impact, the more the not so distant land looked like something out of Dante's Inferno. There was no telling what once existed at the heart of the blaze. At the fringes, occasional soldiers could be seen, lifeless. Few were actually on fire. Most had died as the lion's share of oxygen was appropriated by the frightful wall of fire,

Skirting the worst of the conflagration, Sousuke still walked by and under occasional trees that had been splashed---they burned like giant candle wicks, adding a surreal appearence to the landscape. Rolling clouds of smoke only served to hightened the effect. Why napalm? Certainly, it had an unparalleled psychological effect, but it also had profound implications for the countryside. He paused a moment, correcting himself. Strictly speaking, the Mk 77 incindiary device did not contain napalm. Rather, it contained a conceptually similar material manufactured from paraffin-based jet fuel rather than petrol and benzene, It was even supposed to be more environmentally friendly. But, if it looked like napalm......smelled like napalm......and burned like napalm....

Sousuke privately decided that this was likely NOT the decision of the ordinance crews back aboard the TDD-1. No doubt it could be more readily attributed to dramatic plot effects or the requests of bloodthirsty readers. He had to momentarily cover his eyes from the blinding light of inspiration. No doubt the mechanical problems plaguing Arbalest were similar in nature.

One of the Harriers passed overhead, flying in the opposite direction from its last run. Large plumes of smoke issued forth from the rear quarter as it struggled to maintain altitude. Soon thereafter, turning his head, Sousuke caught a glimpse through the treetops of what appeared to be a chute. The plane had been headed in the general direction of the Hinata Apartments.

He hoped that Kaname would be OK.

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The two AV-8Xs had dodged SAMs coming in, but were each able to jettison their devastating incindiary loads. The armored vehicles below had covered a considerable distance and were approaching the borders of the Hinata estate. Their success had come at the expense of safety. A majority of the vehicles were caught in the raging inferno. Only a few enemy units at the leading edge of the assault escaped unharmed. The Harriers would not fly over that area again as the rapidly growing towers of dark smoke would severely hamper visibility.

The lead plane had completed its turn and was heading for an area of forest decorated by small rising streamers of colored smoke. It was time to treat the large majestic trees---and anything amongst them, flesh or steel---like wheat to the scythe. Just as the pilot put his hand on the release button, he caught a flash of light out of the corner of one eye. It was the last thing he would ever see. Guaron, rapidly approaching in Ahriman, fired the Mega positronic cannon in a wide burst beam pattern. Liberated rays of remarkable destructive force sliced the tail and one wing off of the unfortunate Harrier, igniting the fuel within.

The second aircraft had made its turn and had proceeded on with somewhat greater fortune. The pilot managed to launch his full compliment of AGM-154As before his craft was hit by the fateful beam. The damage had been relatively minor but otherwise severe. The AV-8X was unresponsive. He tried to coax the stricken Harrier into a heading away from the fast approaching habitation, with no luck. He hit the ejection lever at the last possible moment. Behind him, the countryside echoed with a fierce continual and progressive concussive sound, like an anormous string of firecrackers set off on some celebratory holiday. Trees were torn asunder, as were soldiers and their vehicles. Where once a beautiful stretch of forest once stood, splintered and bent tree fragments remained.

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Gauron cursed in a wide variety of languages. He brought his hand down hard, cracking one readout on his instrument panel. "DAMN......IT......ALL......TO......HELL!"

The Mega positronic cannon---reversed engineered from various stolen objects---had been functioning magnificently up until a moment ago. It had made quick work of some of his own troops as they valiantly helped calibrate the aiming system. At least they were good for SOMETHING! It had done a marvelous job of knocking those annoying jets out of the sky. But, just as the last Harrier had begun to recieve its chasticement, the gun was enveloped by a large crackling net-like aura of dancing electrical discharges. Soon thereafter, it was completely inoperable.

"Worthless f@cking technology. Godd@mn useless technicians!!!" His outburst reminded Gauron of something that he had forgotten earlier, too distracted by all of the excitement. Suddenly, some of his good humor returned. He took a small control box out of his pocket....flipped open a protective cover...and pushed a recessed button.

A low frequency rumbling noise could be heard a fair distance behind Ahriman. The ground shook for miles around the epicenter. Dirt, trees, and nearby artifices fell into the large space that was once the Arm Slave fabrication facility.

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Kurz swore when he saw the first GAZ-3937 push its way throw the well-manicured hedgework and small flowering trees. Company had arrived. Watching the trrops dismount, he began reducing them in number as he simultaneously instructed Kitsune to locate any targets that would pose a significant threat to their concealed position.

"I see...uh...a tracked thing with a round gun thing on top...and uh...it's not pointing our way...and there are more of those...uh, trucks coming...they have big tubes on trailers...." Kitsune was having a grand time. She hadn't even touched her sake yet. She was contributing.

Kurz grimaced. He was too busy to be charitable. Kitsune had good eyes---and was good for the eyes---but she lacked a true spotters knowledge and vocabulary. It was frustrating. Taking time to think slowed him down. By all accounts, she must have seen some GAZ-3937s and either a BMP-3 or a T-90.

Kitsune tapped him hard on the shoulder, causing him to jump and pull a certain kill shot. Before he could complain, she pointed and said "Uh oh! That's NOT good...."

Kurz looked where she was pointing. A smoking Harrier was on a course aimed directly at them. A white parachute was clearly visible in the sky above it. There looked to be a significant number of free fall bombs reamaining under wing.

"SHIT!" Kurz exclaimed. He slung his large bag over his shoulder. "We gotta MOVE. sugar babe." He grabbed Kitsune's hand, yanked, and started hauling ass. "Run like a thoroughbread Kit, you're betting your life on it. Mine too."

The two of them managed to jump from one rooftop to another, just as the wounded aircraft impacted the far wing of the Hinata Inn building. The stately building was roughly violated by the raw force of impact, its wall and roof cracked, pierced, and twisted. Subsequent explosions caved in the remaining sidewalls and threw shreds of building materials and furniture in every direction. The resultant fireball set the wreckage ablaze.

GAZ-3937 abandoned, Haruka watched safely from a distance. "I wonder if this sort of thing is covered by insurance?" she remarked to Seta.

Close to the building, a large number of Hinata monks had been knocked to the ground. Some were still twitching. Others picked themselves up and brushed off their robes.

Oh my gosh, this is NOT a dream!

We're being invaded...

Not good!

Let's get the f@ck outta here, bro....

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Keitaro had finally gotten the hang of Mr. Chupi’s control system. It was very responsive, and allowed him to make quick slides, controlled tumbling, and prodigious leaps. He had more trouble getting used to the aiming graticule, knocking it a out of alignment with his thick glasses every so often. He ran through his weapons and ammunition checklist again, not wanting to make any mistakes. This was even more important than the entrance exam for Tokyo U. He didn’t want to get an ‘E’ grade in life. There’d be no make-up tests for that.!

There were plenty of rounds for the M1014 12-gauge shotgun with its regulated gas cycling system. The darn thing only had a six round capacity. He had thrown it to Naru, to have her practice reloading it for him. This combat stuff must really be getting to her. He had never heard THOSE words from her before.

He was glad he was in a powered suit. There was no way he could lug around the SACO CG40 automatic grenade launceher without Mr. Chupi. That thing was really cool! Essentially a machine gun firing 40mm grenades---and having smart fusing capability---it had a long belt of ammo. He’d have to make certain not to foul that belt! It would be risky exiting the suit to fix things or reload.

Keitaro was by no means a soldier, but he understood enough to know that those weapons were anti-personnel, not anti-armor. Su had graciously covered that angle for him. Mr. Chupi appeared to be carrying a large denim backpack. In actuality, it was a self-contained missile launch system holding four NMT-2 missiles. According to the young inventor, the ‘NMT’ stood for No More Tank. Keitaro had asked if there had been an NMT-1 missile, but Su didn’t want to talk about it, letting slip something about a very very bad ‘accident’ that had closed her school down for a week.

The NMT-2 was Su’s version of the Javelin light ATGM, modified to have active target lock and guidance. The missiles---5 inches in diameter and 43 inches in length---should have a 90+% chance of hitting. Their tandem charge warheads should prove effective against APCs, light scout vehicles, and tanks. Su had been uncharacteristically serious in explaining things to her apartment manager. She had NOT had time to devise an Anti-Keitaro-Clumsiness-System for Mr. Chupi or the NMTs. He had tried to reassure her. You can trust me, Keitaro Urashima, apartment manager. I will NOT fail. I will not make any mistakes. She had left shaking her head. He though he had heard her muttering what……have……I……done……

While Keitaro had been riding the testosterone high of being an actual Arm Slave pilot, Naru was worried about more practical matters. At one point, she had gotten angry at something Keitaro had said. Without thinking, she gave Mr, Chupi the Naru punch. It taught her two important points about the new physics. The Naru punch still packed a whallop: Mr. Chupi had tumbled ass-over-teacups for a good twenty-five yards. But, she felt pain. A LOT of pain. Her knuckles were still bleeding and her shoulder was terribly sore. The paradigm shift in mortality and morbidity was a real eye-opener. This was no game.

She also was facing a crisis of courage and morality. She was scared. So much so, she was near incapacitated. Sousuke had spoken with her about that earlier. He had said that bravery is being the only one who knows that you are scared. Ask ANY soldier, and he’d likely tell you he was afraid during his first battle. For some, the feeling never left them. He also gave her another quote: the essence of war is violence. Moderation in war is imbecility. It made sense to her head. She didn’t know if she could convince her heart. She envied Kaname. She looked so calm, so tranquil. There wasn’t a trace of doubt or uncertainty about her. Perhaps she had picked that up from Sousuke. She didn’t want to think what she herself might have picked up from Keitaro.

Naru looked over at Keitaro. Only a few days ago, her biggest worries were getting into Tokyo U and convincing herself that the identity of the Promise Girl didn’t really matter. That, and making certain that Keitaro was kept in line. Now, with the wrong stroke of fate, none of those things might matter any more. This was no time for games. She had to admit the truth to herself. She was in love with that pervert. She would do what she could to keep him safe, even at the risk of her own life. She caressed her Mega positronic cannon. For today, it was her new best friend.

A few feet away, Kaname was a lot less composed than she looked. She was still in control, not a nervous wreck. She was good in a crisis, and war was nothing but a series of crises or catastrophes that result in victory or defeat. She could do this, in part do to Sousuke’s training. Just as crucial, she would NOT allow him the satisfaction of seeing her fail. NO WAY!!! Still, it was difficult to think of danger and battle without Sousuke by her side. She felt more exposed than she would have, standing naked in the middle of the school auditorium.

Kaname thought a lot about Sousuke. She had not exactly treated him with kindness and respect during their stay at the Hinata Apartments. Admittedly, he had deserved some of her ire. He was so clueless, that it frustrated her to the core of her being, even after their time together. But, he was well-meaning and dedicated. As fate would have it, she was not the only one who had noticed that. Mutsumi had been more friendly to him than Kaname would have liked. Ditto Shinobu and Su. In actuality, she probably had nothing to worry about. But, she couldn’t shake the thought that she could lose Sousuke during defeat, or after victory.

She made a resolution, crossing her heart twice. The next time she saw Sousuke, she would treat him with all kindness and understanding. She would be on her absolute best behavior. Absolutely NO flying off the handle!

A few moments after she had made her pledge, she felt a slight tremor in the ground. A measured beat drew louder and louder. Turning, she saw the Mecha Tama 4 approaching. SOUSUKE! The huge Arm Slave was headed towards the forest at the edge of the lawns. As it passed very near, Kaname had to scramble out of the way to avoid being crushed in her place of concealment. The huge arms brushed along the top of the cluster of trees, raining branches, leaves, and nuts down onto Kaname’s head. OUCH! That hurt. Damn you Sousuke!!!

Kaname’s anger took over. Unwisely, she decided that she would sent Sousuke a sign of her displeasure with his inconsiderate behavior. She fired a couple of shots at the ground in front of the advancing Arm Slave. Immediately thereafter, the huge machined twisted with a speed and alacrity that she never would have expected. IT’s Mega positronic cannon---many times larger than her own---was pointed directly at her. She did not sense the IR sensors or other devices probing her and the surrounding area, but she was fortunate they were fully operational.

The outside speaker system on the MT4 came to life.

“Kaname, is that you?” Sousuke’s voice was concerned.

Kaname stepped out of cover. “SOUSUKE, you…you…you MORON! You could have crushed me.”

“That is not possible, Kaname. The MT4 has an Identification Friend or Foe system. It will NOT step on known friendlies. You are in the system. Her, let me double check to be certain.” A few moments later, he spoke again, somewhat hesitantly. “I have not been able to find your file yet. I have checked under Friend and Foe. Let me look under Unknown. Ah. There you are. You are currently designated as “uncertain.” I cannot understand why.”

“WHAT?! Sousuke, did you program that system?” Her voice left no doubts whatsoever what would happen to him if he he had.

“No, Kaname. I will correct matters. Sweetheart, please provide an explanation.”

Kaname froze. ‘Sweetheart?’ Just who was Sousuke talking to. A woman’s voice answered him. A young woman’s voice, strangely familiar despite the distortion. Damn that Sousuke!!!

I DO NOT WISH TO EXPLAIN. IT IS MY CONCERN the voice had said.

“Uh…”

DO NOT UH ME. WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT LATER

“Uh…”

MEN!!!

“Uh…”

WE MUST GET MOVING. THE OTHER ARM SLAVES HAVE GATHERED

“Yes. Let’s go then.” Silence followed, and no sign of movement. “Let’s go, sweetheart.”

There seemed to be a red gleam in the MT4’s eyes. In one fluid motion, the right arm extended, moved upward, uponed the fist, and closed four fingers back down again. The Arm Slave appeared to be giving Kaname the finger.

That last ‘sweetheart,’ plus the rather flagrant gesture, set Kaname’s teeth on edge. “SOUSUKE! You…you…you…” She brought the Mega positronic cannon to her shoulder, sighted, and was about to fire when Naru shouted “NO!” and pushed the gun aside.

The external speakers still on, and trembling Kaname could hear a conversation steadily fading away.

“What was that unprompted arm and hand motion all about, sweetheart?”

NEVER MIND DEAR….

Naru had to lunge for the gun again.

Kaname, Naru, and Keitaro remained in concealment after Sousuke had long since left the area. Hey had watched in awe as the enemy helicopters swooped in, fired rockets and cannons, and were in turn blown to smithereens by inrushing attack aircraft. A few pieces of shrapnel knifed through the tree canopy, raining leaf fragments on Mr. Chupi and the two girls.

They grew more concerned later, when they heard the approach of ground vehicles, followed by the sound of a great many voices. Soon thereafter, they were all shocked to see one of the friendly aircraft plow into the side of the Apartment complex, destroying a large part of one wing. They didn’t have time to dwell on that sight. Keitaro, extending a small periscope, reported that a number of wheeled vehicles were stopped just outside of the stone wall. A large number of soldiers were running to find available cover and advantageous points for the placement of heavy weapons. An armored vehicle, looking like a small tank, rumbled up beside the other vehicles, the creaking of its tracks sending a chill down his spine. Stopping, it traversed its turret and fired a missile out of its gun tube. The missile sped towards the back of the building, crashing through the thin back wall and exploding inside. Not long after that, a missile fired from a large tube mounted on a trailer behind one of the wheeled vehicles. The fuel-air explosive warhead on that missile tore a much larger hole in the rear of the Apartment building. The following explosion brought down a good portion of the back wall in the guest wing, exposing floors on all three stories.

If this kept up, Keitaro Urashima would be the manager of the Hinata Lumberyard.

Keitaro was often uncertain. If he had a coat of arms, it might show a weasel eating a waffle under a hedge. But, this was one time when he instinctively knew what to do. He simply said “I love you, Naru” and jumped out of cover. There was little room for error. He had to get this right.

He had never tried Mr. Chupi at full speed. It was quicker than he thought. Reaching his chosen point, he stepped behind a thick tree trunk as heavy machinegun fire knocked off large chunks of bark. Grenades started falling near him, but they did no significant damage to his armor. Kaname’s voice came through his headset: “The vehicle is turning its turret towards you. One of the trucks is moving, swinging its trailer around. MOVE!”

Before moving, Keitaro fired two of his NMT-2s, Immediately thereafter, he had intended to move, but he was thrown backwards as a 100mm round tore the top off of the tree. Laying on his back, he watched the trail of his two missiles as they went vertical, curled around, and headed back down. This time it was Naru’s voice in his headset. “This is no time to be taking a nap, Keitaro. Get up off your ass and move it!” Naru? Ass?

Keitaro had not had the presence of mind to enter his chosen targets. As a result, there was good news and bad news. The good news was that the BMP-3 was sitting half-way on its side, smoke pouring out of a popped hatch. The bad news was that the second NMT-2 had taken out the GAZ-3937 whose missile tube was already spent---at least there would be no reason to be concerned about it being reloaded. There would be no time to fire off another salvo. He was a sitting duck.

The sight of Keitaro in danger did what nothing else could have done. Naru was galvanized into action. Jumping out of cover and throwing herself to the ground, she sighted and fired the Mega positronic cannon. “Keeeiiitttaaarrrooo…. The initial burst cut a small furrow in the ground until she corrected her aim by lifting the barrel. Large bursts of light tore across the side of the GAZ-3937 as if it were cheesecloth. The missile tube and the emerging missile were blown far across the lawn, along with the pair of soldiers firing the weapon.

Bracing her waepon against a tree, Kaname contributed to the offensive fire. First, she aimed to keep troops pinned down, allowing Naru to get safely back into cover. Next, she took out the last visible transport and its missile tube. She and naru watched as Mr. Chupi bounded into action.

The enemy troops deserved some credit. Not one man froze overly long, watching as the strange overgrown child’s toy charged towards them. They opened fire with Utes and Kords heavy machine guns, supplemented by PPK-74 LMGs, AK-103 assault rifles, and Groza OC-114s with grenade launchers. They might as well have been using pea-shooters.

Firing rapidly, Keitaro saturated the area with 40mm fragmentation and HE grenades, sending bodies and parts of bodies flying. As he paused to shake loose a snarl in his ammo belt, he saw a number of soldiers jerk, then fall to the ground. He made an error in judgement, feeling overconfident. He took a moment to turn and search with his zoom lens. On the roof top, he caught sight of Sgt. Weber and Kitsune. About to wave, he was thrown forward violently, ending upside down against a hedge.

Mr. Chupi had been hit by an Metis-M ATGM with thermobaric warhead. One arm was barely attached, and the back-mounted missile backpack was in ruins. The Arm Slave was still operational, but Keitaro was stunned. A trickle of blood streamed down his forehead and into his eye.

Naru started to run towards Mr. Chupi, intent on helping Keitaro. Kaname roughly grabbed her arm. “We do NOT have time for that. We can help him by meeting the threat.” She physically turned Naru’s head. Letting her see the advancing wave of troops, running from one point of cover to another. “They are trying to flank us. That is something Sousuke has told me to prevent at any cost.”

Kaname swung her weapon about and fired, tossing up small geysers of dirt, stone, wood, flesh, and bone. She had to fight to keep her gorge down, but she did not relent. She was hit low in the leg by small arms fire, dropping to the ground with a cry. Naru stood over her, yelling something inarticulate, finishing the job that Kaname started. Seeing only one opponent, the enemy forces gambled and charged. Some fell thanks to Kurz. Others were blown to chunks thanks to Naru and Kaname. By shear strength of numbers, some closed, weapons kicking up dirt around the two girls.

The following action was almost too fast to follow, and none of the survivors would ever be certain just what took place. Kaname fired too close in front of her, throwing two soldiers up and over her position and knocking herself hard to the ground. She was momentarily unconscious thereafter. Mr. Chupi, weaving like a drunken soldier, flanked the attacking soldiers, mowing them down with grenades. Small arms fire knocked the Mega positronic cannon out of Naru’s hand, leaving it emitting sparks on the ground. One soldier laughed, picked up that weapon, and brought it up to fire. It exploded in his hands, sending his head, neck, and a large portion of one shoulder and arm onto Naru. As she struggled to her feet, a soldier stood over her, submachinegun in hand.

Naru reacted instinctively, using her Old Reliable, the Naru punch. Out of desperation, she put more strength behind it than she intended. She grimaced in pain just as the soldier’s eyes widened in surprise. Her fist had broken through his sternum, pulped his beating heart, and broken out through his vertebral column. The soldier, naturally, was dead. Naru was incapacitated---she could not pull her hand back out unassisted.

Another tripod-fired ATGM just missed Mr. Chupi thanks to Kurz. The Mithril sniper had taken out the operator just as he was firing the missile.

The remaining enemy troops were being led towards a new objective. Ketaro had the chance to safely exit Mr. Chupi, wipe the blood from his eyes, and assist a frightened Naru. Together, they dragged Kaname to safety. They applied First Aid as best they could. For a moment, the two exhausted ronin held hands and closed their eyes.

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Motoko stood outside, fighting to attain tranquility. As events unfolded around her, she felt the blood of a warrior singing through her veins. It was not time. The battle was out of her hands. She must wait until opportunity presented itself.

Her heart, her mind, her entire body was filled with gratitude. She had allowed herself to be lost, but Sousuke helped her find the way back. It did not matter that he was a man. He was a warrior. He was an able guide. She would call him sempai.

Everything that the enemy least expects will succeed the best, he had told her, quoting Frederick the Great. That statement fit in well with her understanding of the samurai’s embrace of mind and body. She would need to understand the enemy. A warrior’s maxim stated If you do not know yourself, you will lose 100% of the time…if you know yourself, you will win 50%of the time…if you know your enemy, you will be victorious 100% of the time.

Sousuke had also quoted Marcus Aurelius: execute every act of thy life as it were thy last. That statement also fit well with the way of Bushido. She must maintain an unmoving mind and an unvacillating body. She must remember that nothing is impossible to a willing mind. She must also be willing to embrace the blood-soaked path.

Sousuke had offered her the use of modern weapons, all the while knowing that she would refuse them. He had smiled at that refusal, a rare and uplifting sight. He knew. He approved.

When the enemy helicopters flew overhead, guns rattling and missiles firing, she knew that the time was swift approaching. For now, the flow of battle was of someone else’s choosing. She waited, standing out in the open, facing the East.

I have no body; I make Stoicism my body.
I have no eyes; I make the Flash of Lightning my eyes.
I have no ears; I make Sensibility my ears.
I have no limbs; I make Promptitude my limbs.
I have no laws; I make Self Protection my laws.

Friendly aircraft streaked overhead, leaving behind the falling and gutted carcass of a helicopter. Motoko did not move an inch as small fragments of the ANSAT fell around her, some burning and charring small areas of the grassy yard.

I have no strategy; I make the Right To Kill and The Right To Restore Life my strategy.
I have no designs; I make Seizing Opportunity By The Forelocks my designs.
I have no principles; I make Adaptability To All Circumstances my principles.
I have no tactics; I make Emptiness and Fullness my tactics.

Time lost all meaning to Motoko. For those moments, she was timeless. She lost her composure briefly as she watched the doomed Harrier descend towards the Apartments. The moment seemed trapped in molasses, unfolding with agonizing slowness. After the impact…after the damage to a building under her defense…she felt a sudden rush of anger. That would not do. Sousuke had reminded her of something else. The angry man will defeat himself in battle as well as life.

She heard the sounds of the enemy approach. She heard the weapons fire on both sides, as Keitaro, Naru, and Kaname engaged the foe. The time had arrived. She began walking slowly forward, eyes alert for an opponent.

She didn’t have long to wait. She did not have the combat necessity to know that the creaking noise she heard heralded the approach of heavy armor. She knew it would be large. She knew it would be the enemy.. Good. Her sister had faced her demons and had prevailed. This would simply be a different kind of demon.

The large metal shape burst through the decorative shrub line, crushing azaleas and tree peonies beneath its turning tracks. The T-90 tank stopped, turned its turret, and raised its 125mm gun. The cannon fired. The HE-FRAG round tore threw the back of the Hinata Inn building. The turret moved ever so slightly. Another round fired, with similar effect.

The tank commander was unbuttoned, his hands resting on the NSVT 12.7 AD machinegun. He saw the lone figure of a young girl, dressed in a black robe, running in his direction. It did not make any sense. Was she walking into the middle of a battle to surrender? It would have been simple work to swing around his gun and mow her down. It would have been just as simple to direct the gunner to fire one of the special HE rounds over her head, detonating it through the fire control system at the correct moment. He did neither. Not entirely ignoring the girl, he scanned the area around him, looking for potential threats. Still, the girl kept running, her hand on what appeared to be a sword hilt. Was this some kind of silly act of suicide?

The gunner had switched over to HE rounds, trying to assess the potential for damage. He would switch over to pure FRAG after a few more rounds. Two more hits gave the back of the building a decidedly ragged appearance.

The commander felt sweat soaking the back of his shirt. He could no longer take that girl lightly. Some unknown and dark corner of his mind screamed out: shoot, you fool! Lifting up on the handles, he aimed downward at the nearing girl. chunka chunk chunka chunk chunka chunk….. The tank absorbed the recoil as the gun fired, cartridges raining down upon the turret top and the surrounding ground.

Bullets tearing up the ground in front of her, Motoko drew her sword. “Secret techique, air splitting sword!” She swung. The force of her blow crossed the distance in a heartbeat. The physics had indeed changed. The tank commander was not blown far out of his opening, only to land safe and sound. He didn’t move far. His head rocked back with great force, snapping his neck cleanly in two.

Having heard nothing from the tank commander, the gunner did not change targets. He didn’t even know the threat that he and the driver faced. He fired once more on his target. It was his last act in life.

“Secret technique, rock slitting sword!” Again the swipe of the sword. Again drastic results. The tank was not split in two. It was not rocked back on its suspension. An observer would judge it untouched. An observer would be wrong.

The gunner had jumped ahead of himself. He had switched a couple of rounds to FRAG, removing the protective caps. In that mode, the rounds were very sensitive, requiring careful handling. The force of Motoko’s sword swing detonated the rounds, causing a catastrophic kill of the tank.

Motoko heard the explosions. Her face expressionless, he placed her sword back in her sheath and moved on.Before long, a speeding GAZ-3937 came across the lawn, driving close to the deep furrows the T-90 tracks had left in the soft and moist soil. Its trailer obediently followed behind it.

“Secret technique, rock splitting sword!” This time, the physics was part and part. The approaching truck was not picked up by a gust of wind and dropped down hundreds of yards away. Instead, the force of the blow knocked knocked two of the four wheels off the vehicle, causing it to plow up plow up a sizeable mound of turf. The trailer jack-knifed, slamming the top of the missile tube against the back of the truck.

Doors and hatches opened. Eight soldiers staggered out, guns in hand and blood in their eyes. They had no idea what had just happened, but they would make someone pay. It was a laudable sentiment in soldiers. It was unrealistic nonetheless.

Three soldiers ran clustered together. They were thrown apart. “Secret technique, air splitting sword!” Limbs broke. Necks snapped. Hearts stopped. Blood trickled from mouths, further staining the roughly handled soil.

Two men had gone back to operate the missile. Three more ran towards Motoko, submachine gun and rifles firing. They approached from widely different angles. Good! Swords served another purpose. She doubted she would ever see a chance like this again.

A number of Hinata monks appeared, grabbing Motoko’s arm, attempting to pull her away.


This is NOT a dream!


Death comes…


I can see it. I can see his pale white horse!


RUN!!! There is no awakening from death…


Bullets struck a number of monks. They fell bloodied to the ground. Some did not rise. It was a chilling lesson about mortality in this battle. It would not deter Motoko.

“He does not ride for ME!!!” She used a level swipe of her sword to knock all three soldiers down. She used her time to call out her challenge. “I am Motoko Aoyama, daughter of Toshiro Aoyama. I am the heir to the Divinity School of Swordsmanship. I have defeated the Spirit by the seaside. I was victorious over Mecha Tama 3. I am undefeated in serious combat. I shall carry your severed heads back to show my victory!” She fully embraced Yu, bravery tinged with heroism. She would follow the path of Melyo, honor and glory. She accepted Gi, the right decision: when we must die, we must die.

Quick as thought, Motoko rushed forward, running in a sweeping arc. The first man fired off a frantic burst from his submachine gun, punching holes in Motoko’s robe, but missing the body within. The bright flash of a blade was followed by the sodden sound of a head hitting earth. The second man suffered a jammed rifle, chosing to throw it aside and draw his pistol. The hand holding the gun leapt skyward, landing long after the man’s head did. The third man was more composed and methodical. Rifle at his houlder, he squeezed out rounds with metronomical precison. One bullet glanced off Motoko’s hip. Another hit her squarely in the shoulder, throwing off her aim. Her sword lodged in the dying man’s neck, blood fountaining from his severed carotid artery.

Motoko fell to the ground, teeth clenched in agony. She had been prepared for this. But, there had been no way to know just how it felt beforehand. She put her hand to her shoulder, bringing it back covered with her own blood. She could not dwell on that. She was open for attack. If there were more soldiers nearby, she might soon join her vanquished foes.

Her attention was drawn to the men on the back of the trailer. The AT-X-14 missile, carrying its deadly fuel-air explosive warhead, fired. She bowed her head, accepting the inevitable. Good fortune smiled upon her. Fortune favors the brave Sousuke had said. Motoko was a beliver. The earlier impact had bent the missile tube enough to prevent launch. The two befuddled soldiers left this world courtesy of unseen sniper fire.

Once again, it was time to move on.

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End of part eleven.

[HELLFIRE]

No doubt it could be more readily attributed to dramatic plot effects or the requests of bloodthirsty readers.

What? Us? Bloodthirsty?