Crystal goblets all rang as the dinner companions brought them together in a toast. The adults were having a fine wine. The minors were drinking sparkling cider.
“I would like to wish everyone a merry Christmas. There is no greater honor than to know such fine people, and there is no greater joy than to spend the holiday with family and friends.” Everyone drank to the toast.
“And, there is nothing like a great meal!” Mr. Smith raised his glass, but no one else joined him. Kaname kicked Stacy under the table. Oichi made it a point to wipe her mouth with her napkin, even though she hadn’t eaten anything yet.
“Yes, that is true,” Shunya quickly added. “There’s plenty of food. Everybody please eat your fill.” Stacy kicked Kaname under the table. Ayame looked to see if the plates were all the same size.
Kaname’s father served the turkey. Everything else was passed around from hand to hand. There were bowls heaped with rice and trays stacked with home made rolls. There was stuffing in the bird with chestnuts, and stuffing in a bowl without. Cranberry sauce fought for space with corn, carrots, candied yams, mashed potatoes, and green beans. A large tureen of gravy sat next to jars of peaches and pears. Tapers were lit and glowing brightly. A centerpiece of fresh pine boughs and winterberries added to the pleasant aroma at the table.
“I bet this will be quite a treat, Kaname.” Oichi smiled. “I never ate like this until I met your father.”
“Yes,” Kaname said, putting down her cider. “As you know, the ovens in Japan can’t even fit large turkeys. And, I rarely get to eat food cooked by anyone as talented as my father.” Oichi smiled and winked, not letting Shunya see her.
“She probably eats a lot, though.” Ayame’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “I think she put on weight!”
Kaname scowled. Stacy fought hard to keep a straight face. Mr. Smith looked up.
“Nothing wrong with eating. Keeps a body strong!” Mr. Smith had a little difficulty lifting the heavy tureen.
“Girls are supposed to grow in some places, Sis.” Kaname smiled. “Most of them, any way.”
It was Ayame’s turn to frown. Her father did as well. That was not the type of conversation for the dinner table. Oichi shook her head.
“Yeh, but when they get older, some can’t stop growing in some places. Doesn’t happen to everyone though, Miss Oichi.” Mr. Smith piled potatoes on his plate and on the plate reserved for his bread.
Kaname and Stacy each kicked one another at the same time.
“I’m glad to hear that.” Oichi gave Shunya a loaded look. Kaname’s father made it a point to look at his plate.
For a while the conversation Kaname, and what she hoped to do while she was in New York. After that, everyone chatted about sundry topics.
Waiting for the butter, Stacy spun her knife around her fingers in a manner street hustlers often do with large coins. Ayame looked on fascinated.
“Wow, you’re really good¸ Stacy. But, I bet a bodyguard could probably do a better job. Right, Mr. Smith?” Ayame tried to look completely innocent.
“You bet. But a bodyguard never shows off his skills. It’s in our nature to be restrained and discrete.” He scooped half of the yams onto his plate.
“P-P-P-ple-e-e-e-a-s-e….” Ayame’s eyes looked impossibly large. Her lower lip trembled.
“OK. I guess just this once can’t hurt.” Mr. Smith picked up the knife and tried to do what Stacy had done. Soon, sweat covered his brow. Grunting, he put strength where finesse was called for.
The knife flipped through the air, landing in open tureen. Gravy splashed out, painting the side of Ayame’s face.
“Hmmm. The balance in this silverware must be off,” Mr. Smith said, offering Ayame a napkin. Stacy and Kaname both had to look away. They couldn’t keep from smiling. It took all of their strength not to break out laughing.
Shunya looked to the ceiling and murmured a short Shinto prayer. Oichi reached under the table and squeezed his knee.
A short bit later, returning from freshening up, Miss Masako mentioned that it was snowing quite heavily outside. She suggested that after dinner, the girls might like to take a walk around. Kaname didn’t usually get to see snows like this.
Mr. Smith, of course, would be expected to keep an eye on them all. What could possibly happen with him around?
Kaname smiled. Oichi obviously wanted time alone with her father, so she could start working on him. How could she have ever dreaded meeting such a remarkable woman?
The dousing with gravy had quieted Ayame down a bit, but it had in no way quenched her spirit.
“So, Stacy…… do you have a boyfriend?”
Kaname kept a straight face. This would get the ball rolling.
“Yes, I do.” Stacy smiled, putting down her fork. “It’s so wonderful to have parents that trust me that way. He’s been such a positive influence in my life.”
Kaname looked over at her father with a pitiful face.
Shunya said ‘Hmmppff.’ Kaname looked shocked for a moment. She would have sworn that she had gotten that noise from her mother.
“You’re very lucky,” Oichi said. “My father was very strict. I always felt that he cared more about his own reputation than he cared about me. I spent my teenage years feeling lonely and unappreciated.”
Kaname put on a sad face and stared down at her plate, pushing her food around with her knife.
“But you turned out so wonderful, didn’t you.” Shunya spoke much quicker than he usually did.
“Why thank you dear,” Miss Masako replied. “I’m only happy because I found someone who cares about me. Before that, I was just good at hiding my pain.”
Kaname’s father tapped his fingers on the table top.
“Well, Shunya, we’re both men of the world. You can remember what you wanted from girls at that age, right? Like me, you probably had to beat them off with a stick.” Mr. Smith slathered marmalade on a biscuit, took a bite, and spoke with his mouth half full.
“My youngest daughter ended up pregnant at sixteen. My middle daughter got into drugs, hanging out with the wrong guy. My eldest shaved her head and joined a religious cult because her boyfriend did. If it can happen to the best of parents, it can happen to anyone.
Shunya dropped his fork. Corn kernels bounced all over the linen table cloth.
Oichi licked her lips. “Was that because you let them go out with whoever they chose, without getting to know the boys?”
“Hell no. I told them they couldn’t date and locked them in the house whenever they showed up with a guy. I chased a few idiots away with a gun, but there’s only so much you can do.” Mr. Smith passed his plate up towards the head of the table. “Could I have a drumstick, a wing, and the neck. The giblets too, if no one else wants them. I hope talking about this doesn‘t ruin my appetite.”
“So, I guess they rebelled and chose the boys who would bother you the most because you didn’t take their feelings into consideration?” The look Oichi gave Shunya was textbook. Kaname, Stacy, and Ayame all took notes.
Shunya scowled, raising an eyebrow for Miss Masako’s sake.
“Of course not! They did it because they were teenage girls. With all those female hormones pumping along, they were out of control. What red-blooded boy could hope to resist?” Mr. Smith snorted.
Oichi frowned.
Shunya smiled.
“It must be a cultural thing, then.” Oichi continued on smoothly.
“A Japanese girl with a stern but caring father would never think to dishonor her family. That may seem a little backward to a gentleman such as yourself, Mr. Smith, but I assure you it has its benefits. Girls in our country need to learn how to be independent and free-thinking if they want to succeed in the new work environment.” She coughed daintily.
“You agree, don’t you dear?” Oichi turned her brightest smile on Shunya.
“Uh….”
Kaname clenched her hands. ‘Uh’?
“Shunya?”
“Hmmm…”
Miss Masako tilted her head slightly to the side, frowning.
“Yes,” Shunya conceded. “For some girls!” He made it a point not to look anywhere near Kaname.
“Kaname, someone as pretty as you must have a boyfriend, right?” Stacy’s voice was calm and smooth.
Kaname’s father accidentally used the corner of the tablecloth instead of his napkin to wipe his mouth.
“I’m sure she must,” Oichi put in.
Ayame smiled. She was having fun watching her father.
“I wish I could.” Kaname sounded dejected. “Most of the boys think I’m somewhat of an idol, and never would want to date me.”
Shunya nodded his head. It was for the best.
“There are some who want to go out with me though. But….” Kaname took a long drink from her cider. She tried to bring up some tears with no luck.
“Daddy won’t let her! Nyah nyah nyah!” Ayame was putting on a good act, Kaname thought. She was, wasn’t she?
Stacy looked shocked.
Oichi dabbed at her mouth with her napkin then asked in a surprised voice “Shunya, is this true? You must have some good reason.” The undercurrent in her voice said ‘You better!’
“Of course!” Kaname’s father puffed his chest out some. “I would hardly be arbitrary where my daughter was concerned.”
“Really?” Oichi didn’t sound convinced.
“Yes! She’s all alone in Japan. There’s no one for her there to confide in, or turn to. She might easily be led astray.” Shunya swirled his wine around in his glass.
“But she could always phone, couldn’t she?” Mss Masako fluffed her hair.
“Of course. But she is a very bright girl. She doesn’t need any distractions if she wants to get into a good university.” Shunya made it a point to read the label on the wine bottle.
“Yeh, and he probably doesn’t want her to get knocked up.” Mr. Smith was busy with a tooth pick.
Shunya nodded animatedly.
“Shunya, you know what they say… all work and no play…. I believe that was something you told me before our first getaway….” Oichi winked.
“Uh…”
“He probably doesn’t want her to get into drugs or something worse.” Mr. Smith took out his comb and worked on his hair.
Shunya pointed his finger at the bodyguard and smiled.
“Oichi, Kaname tends to be a bit headstrong and precipitous. She would probably rush into things and end up with the wrong sort.” Shunya sounded like he was pleading his case.
Kaname jerked at the tablecloth. She had to try and keep her cool. Sousuke was NOT the wrong sort. He was special. He was out fighting for her and her country while they all sat at a fancy table enjoying themselves.
Stacy patted Kaname’s hand, helping to calm her down.
“The wrong sort?” Oichi asked.
“Yes. A troublemaker. That’s the last type of person she would need to get involved with!!!” This time Shunya looked directly at his eldest daughter.
“I see. A troublemaker.” Miss Masako tapped her nail against her goblet. “I remember you telling me about your days as a boy, Shunya. Weren’t you a bit of a troublemaker?”
“Uh…”
Kaname was too curious to take offense at what her father had said.
“Sneaking your father’s old war rifle and shooting the neighbor’s cats… claiming you’d saw a burglar with a gun…”
“Well…”
Ayame looked scandalized.
“Stealing your mother’s jewelry and giving it to the neighborhood girls for kisses…”
“Errr…”
Kaname blinked repeatedly.
“Going down to the river and drinking cheap sake until you couldn’t walk…”
“Ummm…”
Mr. Smith reached for a bottle of sake.
“Drilling holes in to women’s bath house and peaking when they came to wash up…”
Uh…”
“Hey, doesn’t everybody do that?” Mr. Smith looked perplexed. “He probably just doesn’t want the pretty little filly to shave her hair, get a tattoo, and join a commune.”
Shunya bowed his head.
Kaname looked for something to throw.
Stacy smiled and handed her the bowl of cranberry sauce.
Oichi sniffed loudly. “Mmmm, Shunya, are those home made pies I smell? Are they ready yet? Mr. Smith, might you be so kind as to go and check?”
Mr. Smith’s eyes lit up. “Anything for you, mam.” He got up and left the table.
“I guess it comes down to whether or not you trust Kaname’s judgment, right? Seems to me, she’s a rather level headed young lady. I was rather impressed with her and the talk we had.”
Kaname’s father frowned.
“But, we shouldn’t dwell any more on that subject now. I suppose we should talk a little about Ayame, too.”
Ayame started to choke on the rice she had been eating.
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“This grows boring.” Sousuke griped after dispatching a brave but foolhardly line of old tanks. There had been modified T-62s, along with T-55s, T-54s, and Chinese T-59s. There had even been a pair of antiquated T-34s.
The Mithril troops didn’t need his help with such pitiful foes. He did it because he could, because the enemy was there. He wanted a real challenge. Where were the Grendel Arm Slaves? Has that all been an Intelligence snafu? Somebody would pay for getting his hopes up.
Striding past the burning wreckage, he noticed that his erstwhile allies had been busy as well. A number of well hidden SAM sites were on flame, as were the remnants of 240mm multiple rocket launchers, M-1985 APCs, and assorted wheeled vehicles.
The flames danced and swirled, blown by the powerful gusting winds. Torrential rain fell intermittently, washing the blood stains off of the twisted metal. Lightning flashed now and again, making him smile. He turned up the external listening devices, delighting in the great rolling crashes of thunder.
The message screen flashed for his attention again. He would have ignored it. But, apparently Dr. Schacher wanted to speak with him. Why not? The man had been a warrior once. It would be something to do.
Sousuke turned down the music.
“What do you want, doctor?” He expected some kind of attempt to have him stand down and relinquish control of his machine. Fat chance!
“Sgt. Sagara, have you been able to use the Lambda Driver?”
“Affirmative. It’s like a part of me. We belong together, it seems. What I want, it does. No ifs…… ands…… or buts……” Sousuke smiled. He was drunk on the sense of power.
“Well then, that part of the experiment was a success.”
“Doctor, it has all been a success. I know you wanted to turn me into the ultimate fighting machine. Congratulations. You were fortunate that way. You also removed all of my limitations. I do not think my one time commanding officers will thank you for that.” Sousuke paused, catching sight of a squad of enemy soldiers being chased by a Mithril Humvee.
He bent Arbalest over, had it pick up the turret laying next to a brewed up tank, and hit the foe like so many flies with a fly swatter.
“No, Sergeant. Those are not limitations. We all have those safeguards. They are different for each person, but they are there for a reason. Without them, there would be nothing but chaos and strife. Too many people try to paint man as innocent and civilization as evil. That’s wrong. Laws, rules, schools, policemen…. they are all necessary to keep the darker side of human nature in line. Without boundaries, we would revert to the more primitive parts of our nature.”
“That’s all very nice, doctor. But why should I want to keep my darker side in line? Maybe you didn’t mean to, but you stripped everything away. The darkness is all that’s left. You just want to keep me ignorant of my true power!” Sousuke laughed.
“No. That’s not all there is. Civilization helps keep man innocent and ignorant about his true nature. But, while we all need civilization, it’s important that we become aware of our more primitive instincts. That’s how we reach true maturity. That maturity has nothing to do with age…. it can happen at any age, or not at all. Maturity is related to one’s understanding of human nature.”
“Whose understanding doctor?” Sousuke asked, unwilling to be swayed. “Yours? My one time bosses? The people who want to control me, judge me, and use me up? I’ve been blind for so long. Everybody is trying to keep me that way!” Waving his arm, Sousuke caused the Lambda Driver to shoot forth a great flat sheet of force. A small grove of tree were all cut in half, their crowns and upper trunks falling to the ground in a shower of leaves.
“Sergeant, listen to me. I’m not trying to trick you. I’m trying to save you from a tremendous feeling of guilt and pain. The effect will not last forever. It could be hours. It could even be days. But soon enough, your mind will reset itself as best it can. Listen to me. Urges and desires are not sustainable.” Dr. Schacher’s voice was rich with emotion.
Sousuke yawned loudly. He began twiddling his fingers.
“Please. When the excitement is over, there is nothing left but a sense of loss. There is much more to you than the blind following of instincts and the drive for instant satisfaction. You are more than unfulfilled cravings and an underlying sense of inadequacy. Your mind will be able to take control of your desires and fantasies and transform them into wisdom. Don’t do anything that you will regret later.” The voice grew strained. A sound of coughing came through the link.
“Stirring speech. Really. I thank you. What was that American phrase? ‘Be all that you can be.’ That’s what you have done for me. It would be a shame to waste it, right?”
That was all he had patience for. He needed something to hunt. Barring that, he wanted something to destroy. Scanning the surroundings, he noted that the Mithril squads had vacated the Range Control building. Its very presence seemed like a challenge to him. It might just prove useful.
“Al.”
“Yes, Lord Sagara?”
“Let’s practice a number of the conceptual configurations we worked out. Take them in order from the top of the list. First one up, now.” Watching the view screen, he could see the force shield in front of him fighting against some manner of shaping, only to fail. When the cascade of flashing light and great spirals of pulsing energy settled won, a long lance-like spear of force remained.
“Trot, Al. Then speed up to a gallop.”
“Lord Sagara?”
“Move. Then move faster. Charge!!!”
Arbalest took off running, faster and faster.
“Lord Sagara, impact is imminent.”
“Yes! Go!”
The force spear tore into the building, doing more than create a huge gaping hole as one might have expected. One entire side of the building blew outward in a great shower of steel and glass fragments. Story after story collapsed onto the one below it. The structure fell in on itself like a house of cards.
“Adequate. Put a check mark next to that one.”
“Yes, Lord Sagara.”
Sousuke frowned. It had been a little too effective. He hadn’t intended to tear the entire building down with just one Lambda Driver function. Well, there was still the missile assembly building.
The larger facility was built of sterner stuff. Sousuke and the ARX-7 were able to test a few different techniques before that structure ended up a jumbled jigsaw puzzle of concrete, stone, and metal.
He still wasn’t satisfied. How could he be? There hadn’t been a single challenging opponent all day. It wasn’t enough to be the strongest. He wanted to prove that he was the strongest. Again and again and again.
“Attention all Mithril forces. This is an immediate recall announcement. Transport helicopters are heading inland. All Arm Slaves will move to the nearest clearing. Ground troops will prepare for boarding. All vehicles should be be fitted with their carrying straps. ETA fifteen minutes.” The voice was mechanical, creating words from the message that had been typed in.
“W-H-A-T?” Sousuke wasn’t about to head back in. He wasn’t worried about that. Who could stop him? No, he was bothered by the end of the mission. This could be NOT all there was to it. Sure, the missiles were destroyed, but it had been too simple.
Flexing his leg, Sousuke caused Arbalest to kick a burning piece of ICBM hundreds of yards away.
There could still be danger here. Where? He didn’t know. How could he leave, wondering if some threat still existed that could harm Tokyo…. and Kaname.
“No. That’s not what’s important.”
He was not about to be fooled He was not going to be bested. He could take no solace by saying it was Mithril that made the mistake. He was in charge now. Any failure reflected back on him.
“Al, direct link to Da Danaan’s bridge.”
“Yes, Lord Sagara.”
Sousuke waited. There was no reply. Cursing, he brought both arms down hard. Arbalest did the same, pounding tow deep furrows in the wet soil.
“Tell them, Al. Tell them they do not want me as an enemy. I think they should realize that by now.”
“We realize that, Sergeant.” It was Lt. Kalinin. “We have all been a bit busy. You are worrying only about yourself. All of us have wider reaching responsibilities.”
“It’s about time that SOMEBODY worried about me.” Sousuke spat out his words, eyes narrowing. “I gave everything I had, for what? To be pushed along a chess board like a good little pawn, sacrificed to draw out the bigger pieces. I prefer checkers, Mr. Kalinin. In that game, I have a chance to be king.”
“I’m not here to argue with you, Sergeant.”
“Lord!” Sousuke clenched his teeth. He wanted to hate Kalinin. Part of him wanted to grab hold of the man and tear him limb from limb. Another part stood in the way, bringing up memories of the bad days when a bearded man helped a scarred young boy find a better path to walk.
“Sergeant. You wanted a tactical briefing? The order to return is not good enough for you?” Kalinin sounded as if he already knew the answer.
“Yes. If…… you…… would…… be…… so……. kind……” Sousuke’s voice practically dripped with venom. Who was that old man to make him wait for what he wanted. Despite all that the man had done for him in the past, it would be best if they never met face to face again after this! He wanted the answer now.
“Mithril troops have reached their objectives. Due to the current circumstances, we can no longer remain on foreign soil, even though there may be more to the plot. As long as there are no obvious launch vehicles capable of threatening lawful sovereign nations, our services are no longer needed.”
“Bullshit!” Sosuske began to feel angry. His feelings were reasserting themselves. “I am not finished here. Even I cannot do everything alone. I need other eyes and other ears to help me in my search for the enemy.”
“There is only so much you can do even with the Lambda Driver, Sergeant Sagara. The United States armed forces are in place to launch a force capable of securing this area if necessary. Their aircraft can reach this sight in reasonable time. They have cruise missiles at their disposal, as do we.”
“I am NOT concerned about the Americans. If they want to back me up, fine. Perhaps I can bargain with them. What do you think they might want to do with Arbalest’s secrets?” Sousuke’s breathing was speeding up. He could feel his heart beating faster and faster. Eagerness. It spurred him on.
He heard a startled gasp come over the com system. He smiled. It took a lot to get a reaction out of the SRT commander.
“You would go that far?” Kalinin couldn’t believe Sousuke would stoop that low. “Deep in your heart, I know you believe in the things that Mithril stands for.”
“What you know and what I know are two different things.” Sousuke’s words sounded certain, but inside he was struggling. A feeling of guilt nagged him.
“But, you need not worry. If I gave away my secrets, then I would also be handing over the only advantage I have. I doubt that the Americans are the reason you want to pull out.”
“You are correct. Now that their prized launch facilities have been obliterated, thanks to your action… and now that the world is watching to see how they respond… the leaders of this country have coerced the loyal military leaders to try and regain control.” Mr. Kalinin coughed. “Excuse me. I need a small sip of water.”
“Go ahead.” Sosuske was munificent. Just this once.
“Large numbers of troops from the DMZ and other areas are on the move. A majority of the An-2 light transport plains in their inventory are on the runway or in the air. Il-28 bombers are headed your way, as are large numbers of Mig-21s, Mig-23MLs, and Q-5s. Su-25s and Mig-29s are airborne as well. We believe that their SCUD missiles and No Dongs with conventional warheads are all targeted on this general vicinity. Once they realize that there is nothing of value left, they may implement a scorched earth policy.”
“You think all that is enough to stop me?” Sousuke asked. He slid his arms out of the waldos and pulled at his hair, grimacing. He couldn’t stop the feeling of doubt welling up inside of him.
“Yes. There is a likelihood that even the Lambda Driver has its limitations. More importantly, your treatment was designed to work as long as it could. The major effects are likely finite, and could end at any moment. Once that happens, you may no longer find that you have any guarantee of using the device.”
The words echoed through Sousuke’s mind like the sound of Taps played on a cold dark morning. But then the music changed, becoming the notes of Reveille, then Assembly. A soaring chorus followed.
“Maybe. Maybe not. It’s a chance I’m willing to take. If the rest of you cowards want to turn tail and run, do so with my blessing. You told me Grendel is here. Today I’m Beowulf. I don’t intend to leave until I at least flush the monster from his lair. Unless you are telling me that you fools made a mistake.”
Sousuke’s mind was pulling at him from different directions. Part of him had put so much hope towards putting the arrogant terrorist agency in its place. Another part was satisfied with what he had accomplished, accepting the possibility that the rival organization had simply been the voice that spurred lesser men on to failure. Yet another part screamed out for blood---if there were more foes willing to challenge his supremacy, he would show them the error of their ways.
An image swam before his eyes. It was Kaname. She was asking him to wear a scarf. He put his hand to his neck. The scarf was there. He had forgotten that he put it on before he activated his final dose of medicine.
Kaname.
His emotions ebbed and flowed. Desire. Hope. Fear. Shame. Wonder. Love. Sadness. Doubt. Guilt. So much building guilt.
“No,” he whispered to himself. “NO!” He shouted.
“Sergeant?” Kalinin was still on the line.
“Leave me alone. Just leave me the hell alone. I don’t need any of you any more. You won’t take control of me again. Go. Get out of here. But I suggest you all watch. You may never see anything like this again!”
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Oichi chased three laughing girls away from the table, smiling at their eagerness to go out into the snow. She offered a trudging Mr. Smith encouragement, saying that a brisk walk would probably improve his appetite. Bundled up in a fur collared denim coat, he put on a large furry hat and headed for the door. Seeing that no one was watching, he stuck the remaining turkey leg in his coat pocket. There was also room for a biscuit and a slice of cornbread.
The snow was falling in great undulating white sheets, sometimes blowing sideways in strong gusts of wind. Kaname smiled as the large fluffy flakes blew against her face. She didn’t bother brushing herself off, since she’d quickly be covered with snow a few minutes later.
Ayame was dancing about, pulling on tree branches whenever Kaname or Stacy walked under one.
Mr. Smith ate while he shuffled along. The things he had to do for his profession!
“She’s really great, isn’t she?” Stacy was obviously talking about Miss Masako. “Stay out of the deeper shadows, and walk away from the curb.”
“Yes, she is. I really feel I can open up to her.” Kaname had a far away look, then suddenly looked like she had bitten into something bitter. “I have to put up with all that paranoid stuff from Sousuke.”
“Good. Sounds like he knows his stuff.” Stacy smiled, looking back at Mr. Smith. “Wonder if I’ll have a chance to meet him on some future mission.”
“NO!!! I mean, Japan is so far away. You’re not an A.S. pilot or soldier, so it probably won’t happen.” Kaname sounded like she was trying to convince herself.
“Kaa-naaa-maaay... she already has a boyfriend.” Ayame laughed, soon joined by Stacy. Kaname made a quick snow ball and pelted her sister with it.
“Stacy....” Kaname lowered her voice. “Have you heard anything about Korea? Any type of mission update?”
Stacy shook her head. “Nothing.”
“Oh.” Kaname would have loved to be able to walking on a night like this with Sousuke, seeing the glow of house windows against the snowy darkness. The halos around street lamps looked angelic. The snow-covered trees looked so serene and peaceful.
“Do you think that Oichi can convince your Dad?” Stacy watched as Ayame kept dashing ahead, laying down in the snow, and making snow angels.
“I don’t know.” Kaname went on to talk about Shunya, recalling memories of him from her childhood, contrasting some of those to the way he was now. Stacy talked about her own family, even touching on some memories of her sister.
“You young ladies ready to go in yet? These streets can be treacherous at night.” Mr. Smith was shivering. He tossed the turkey bone out into a storm drain.
The girls kept walking and talking.
“So, how long do you think you want to do this kind of work, Stacy?” Kaname marvelled at her smaller companion, still toting her heavy bag of weapons.
“I don’t know. It’s really kind of exciting. Assignments like this one are nice, because I get to meet interesting people. There aren’t a lot of explosions, kidnappings, shooting, or things you’ve run into. At least not yet.”
“That’s not something to wish for, let me tell you.” Kaname tossed her hair, knocking loose the snow. She wished she had thought to pack a hat.
“But, by now I’m a veteran of such things. I can handle anything.”
Stacy looked thoughtful, then she grinned.
“Kaname. Now would be a very good time to walk over to that truck up ahead.” Stacy slid her gun out of her coat.
“W-W-What?” Kaname saw the pistol.
“Let’s keep this quiet, so nothing happens to Ayame. We’re going to go for a short ride. There are people wanting to meet you.”
“You... but...” Kaname stared at the blond girl in disbelief. She looked at the truck. It was snow-covered. The lights were off. There was no exhaust coming out of the rear.
“No more talking. Move now, while Smith and your sister are around the corner.” Stacy waved the gun. Seeing Kaname’s face, she started laughing. “Sorry, I always wanted to do that. I was just joking!” She put the gun away.
“W-H-A-T!!!”
“Well, you were talking so smugly. I wondered if you took things seriously enough, or whether you might have become over confident.” Stacy had a serious look on her face.
“There really aren’t novices and veterans. There’s alive and dead.”
Kaname bowed her head, hearing that. “You’re right... I know... but it’s Christmas and we’re having so much fun...”
Stacy didn’t say anything.
“Right.” Kaname nodded. “Bullets don’t distinguish holidays from any other day.” She smiled. “At least there haven’t been any explosions!”
She’d take an explosion or two if she knew Sousuke was safe. She’d walk out here in the storm in just a T-shirt and some shorts if she knew he had the same kind of feelings she did.
What was happening in Korea? She was afraid to go back to her father’s house and turn on the TV. She hoped that Oichi would be able to convince her father to letting her return to school in Japan. Would there still be a school? Tokyo?
She thought about her friends. She was having a wonderful time hanging around with Ayame and Stacy, but she missed Kyouko, Maya, Ryo, and the rest.
“So how about you, Kaname? What do you hope to do with your future?” Stacy stood still, causing Kaname to halt as well. Mr. Smith was far behind them, and Ayame was barely in view, making a snowman.
“I’m not sure yet. I want to go to college. I’d like to fall in love and get married some day. Maybe have a lot of kids.” Kaname went on to talk about possible careers she might like.
She was silent for a while after that. She stopped to wonder what kind of parent Sousuke might be, given all that he had been through. He never really had a family of his own, except for the first seven or eight years of his life. He really was a big idiot in some ways, but he had a good heart. She looked forward to seeing just what type of man he really was.
“Kaname!” Ayame came running up, diving onto the sidewalk and sliding on her belly. Looking up she said “Mr. Smith insists that we go back now.”
“Why, is he winded?” Kaname frowned. She was feeling refreshed. The walk was doing her some good.
“No. I happened to mention that Oichi brought Christmas cakes. We HAVE to have Christmas cake, Kaname. Pleeeaaassse-e-e-e-e-e-e-e....”
“OK, kiddo. Tell him we’re going to finish our walk around the block. We should be home before too much longer.” Kaname looked at Stacy and shrugged. She thought about Christmas cakes again. She wondered if she would ever be able to look at them the same way again.
Kaname took a big handful of snow, pulled back on Stacy’s collar, and dropped the snow down her neck.
“H-H-He-e-e-y-y-y....” Stacy wriggled around, surprised. “What was that for?”
“That trick with the gun! Hmmmpppfff!” Kaname smirked.
“I see. Ok. I guess I deserved that.” Stacy walked a little further, then returned the favor. Before either of them knew it, they were in the middle of a full scale snowball battle. Seeing what was going on, Ayame quickly joined in.
Laughing, they all fell back into a snow bank. Kaname was glad that she would have some pleasant memories to take away from this holiday season.
Following a grumbling Mr. Smith, they resumed their walk. Soon they were approaching a very brightly lit house, hearing the overly loud music that leaked out into the street. Fancy cars were parked everywhere, including a few on the sidewalk and a couple on nearby lawns. It certainly looked like someone’s parents were out of town.
A group of young men hung around the front door and walk, champagne, wine, and beer bottles in their hands. They all stopped talking as the girls passed by.
“Wooo-weee. I put in another order for pizza, but I think something tastier just got delivered.” The other guys all chuckled or whistled. Two guys slapped their hands together.
“Yeh-h-h-h-h…, you babes feeling cold out in the snow? Come inside. We got plenty to warm you up.” One guy opened the front door and smiled.
The girls kept silent and didn’t stop walking. Kaname had to fight the urge to make a smart remark. Ayame was with her.
“Oooooh-h-h-h-h… not too friendly, are they fellas?” Another guy laughed. “But it could be they’re just real shy.”
The group of them all began to saunter down the walkway, cutting off the girls’ path.
“OK. Let’s move out of the way, people. We don’t have time for any nonsense.” Mr. Smith spoke up in a loud firm voice.
“Hey Santa, where’s the suit?” One wiseacre whooped, causing his buddies to join in. “This ain’t no nonsense. Any you other boys see any nonsense?”
“Careful. He sounds pretty tough!” One of the boys snickered. “Just think what might happen if he decides to sit on you!”
“Hell, I’d be afraid he might want to eat me!” A smaller guy hid behind his larger friends.
The young men all crowded in on the girls, using all sorts of suggestive lines.
“B-B-But… I just said… THAT… WLL… BE… ENOUGH….” Mr. Smith stood flat-footed, not knowing how to deal with being totally ignored and disregarded.
“How about a little kiss, sweet cakes?” One guy made the mistake of touching Stacy. “After that, I’m sure you’ll want a whole lot more….”
Stacy moved quickly. She kneed the groper in the groin, hard. Grabbing his neck, she pulled him down onto his knees. “I’ll tell you what I want. I want you to keep your grubby hands and stinking breath away from us. Do you need a translator? I’m afraid I don’t speak asshole….”
“Bitch!” Another guy went to grab Stacy in a bear hug. She stepped hard on his foot, rammed an elbow in his belly, then slipped out of his grasp.
“That’s it. Stupid whores!” One guy tossed his wine bottle at Stacy and pulled out a switchblade. “We tried the easy way. Now it’s time to play rough.” He whipped the knife through the air.
“OK. Let’s play!” Stacy reached into her bag and pulled out the Desert Eagle.
“That toothpick all you got?” She fired three shots at the ruffian’s feet. “.50 caliber Magnum alright with you, or do you prefer something else?” Putting the safety on, she tossed the pistol to Kaname.
“These are a lot of fun too!” Stacy pulled the two M9s out of her bag. “Who’s next? Or are you boys ready to go back inside? I think I hear someone saying the eggnog’s ready….”
“Shit!!!” Just about all of the troublemakers had spoken up at once. “The door soon slammed, after they all stumbled drunkenly inside.
“STACY!” Kaname shouted. “That was very rude. Maybe we should go ask if they want to go caroling with us…” She smiled.
After Stacy put her guns away, they all ran down the street except for Mr. Smith. Nobody wanted to be around if the police showed up. Kaname hoped they would. The guys in the house would have some explaining to do.
“Good thing I had them worried,” Mr. Smith said, following as fast as he could.
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Sousuke prepared himself for a miraculous victory or a glorious death. He would triumph, or go down in history, mentioned in the same breath as the Spartans.
Xerxes, the son of Darius I, led a force of 100,000 Persians across the Dardanelles over a bridge of boats. The Greeks took up strong defensive positions at Thermopylae Pass, guarding the entrance to Boeotia and Attica. Eventually after three days of fighting, a Greek traitor showed the Persians a flanking route through another pass. To give the main army of 5,000 Greek hoplites time to withdraw, King Leonidas I of Sparta remained at the pass with 300 of his bodyguards and small contingent of Thespians to fight a rear-guard action against overwhelming odds. All of the Spartans and Thespians died in the battle, but they delayed the Persians long enough to allow the Greek force to escape and reform at the Isthmus of Corinth.
"A Spartan leaves the field with his shield or upon it" Sousuke said, smiling. He was not fighting a delaying action, however. This was for him.
The Battle of Agincourt was fought on St. Crispian's Day, with 5,900 English fighting against 25,000 French. The troops of Henry V took 400 casualties… the French, 8,000, in a loss. Sousuke was two months and more than five hundred years too late to be there. But, heavily outnumbered, he could make his own great stand.
‘If we are mark'd to die, we are enow
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires.
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.’
Yes. Honor.
Proof of his existence.
A test of his strength.
A reason to live, even if it ended in his death.
‘We few, we happy few, we band of brothers’
Few indeed. There would be no band of brothers. He would stand alone. If he were to win, all would envy him. If he were to lose, none would mourn his loss.
Kaname.
No.
That was not what he should be thinking about. Why was he thinking about some useless girl in the first place? Was she here by his side, fighting? No. Would she run onto the battlefield and cradle his head in her arms as he died, then sing a song at his funeral pyre? No. Was she watching, cheering a valiant soldier on against all odds? No. No. And No!!!
The scarf.
A maiden’s favor.
A gift to a valiant knight.
“Enough!” Sousuke took of the scarf and threw it to the floor. Women were no different than anyone else. They try to control men. They try to limit men. They confuse men. They weaken men.
‘Kaname, when you are with me, I feel I can do anything.’
“I was wrong!” Here… alone… standing in a clearing and awaiting the arrival of a great hoard…this is when he could do anything.
He had kissed her.
He had felt more alive than he ever had before.
He had willingly headed off to prepare for battle, risking any medical procedure that was necessary, so he could keep her safe.
“I was an idiot. I was blind. I know better now!”
Too much thinking. He needed to be doing. If he was going to make a good fight out of it, he would need more ammunition. There was only one place he could get it.
“Al, superimpose all detection screens on the HUD. Locate all remaining Arm Slaves...... show them in red.”
“Working. Accomplished, Lord Sagara.” A number of grids appeared on the display. Sousuke started moving towards the largest cluster of Arm Slaves. He pushed Arbalest into a run, seeing that long distance radar showed a large flight of transport helicopters approaching.
Ahead of him stood a group of M9s, one having the characteristic headpiece of Melissa Mao’s mecha, and another carrying a huge sniper rifle used by Kurz Weber.
“Sosuske. Are you finally with us again. That happy juice flushed out of your f-ucking system?” Just like Mao. Right to the point.
“Hey-y-y-y-y, Sousuk-a-a-a-a-y. Welcome back, bro. We’ve been worried about you. I must say I’m a bit pissed. If you didn’t have Sgt. Major babe’s panties in a knot, I might have been able to sneak away into the bushes with her and improve her mood.” Kurz was his usual self.
“I am simply here for your weapons and ammunition. You will leave everything you have in my possession. Immediately. The helicopters will be here soon.” Sousuke obviously did not sound as if he were making a request.
“Nobody gave us such an order, Urzu-7.” Melissa was going to be a problem.
Sousuke’s clenched his teeth. She was still clinging to some foolish notion of superiority. He was not in the mood to be defied.
“I… just… did…” Sousuke growled.
“I do NOT suggest that you stand in my way. You are either with me….” He activated the Lambda Driver again. The glowing nimbus around Arbalest caused a number of pilots to back there Arm Slaves away a step or three.
“…Or against me.” He pushed the field out some, rocking Melissa’s craft back and almost sending it to the ground.
“What the f-ck…” With those ill chosen words, Melissa found her M9 sitting on its metal rump.
“Whoa, take it easy tiger.” Kurz walked his A.S. towards Sousuke, holding one of its hands up in an intended calming gesture. That only made Sousuke all the angrier.
“I will start with you. Give me the sniper rifle and the remaining clips. Now. Before I’m forced to take it.” Sousuke felt rage churning in his gut.
“No way man. What’s come over you Sousuke? Are those medicines still controlling you?”
“NO ONE IS CONTROLLING ME. YOU WERE WARNED!!!” Sousuke brought Arbalest’s arm down hard, Anti-Armor dagger in its grip.
The huge knife blade struck hard against the arm joint of Kurz’ machine, breaking apart the joint, and causing the rifle to fall to the ground. With the other mechanical hand, Sousuke ripped the ammo bin off of its hip. With a contemptuous sound, he spun about and kicked the other machine to the ground.” Hydraulic fluid poured out in fitful spurts.
“Kurz!” Her M9 back on its feet, Melissa moved to step between Arbalest and the fallen mecha.
“You want to do it easy, we do it easy. You want to do it hard, we do it hard.” Sousuke brought Arbalest’s hand up, palm outward. A single thought from him caused an expanding round pulse of concentrated force to knock Melissa’s M9 fifty yards away.
“This is your last chance.” Sousuke frowned. The glowing filed of energy began to coalesce into a hideous form. Somehow, he had managed to direct it to take on the shape of the Id Monster from ‘Forbidden Planet.’ Its claws felt like extensions of his own fingers.
“No…. f-cking…. way….” Melissa stood her machine up again, its armor badly dented.
“So be it…” Sosuke meant to disable the other M9s as quickly as possible. He would be careful not to damage the weapons or ammunition. At that moment, human lives were completely expendable. “See you on the other side.”
An image of Kaname appeared in his head. It was a floating glowing form, naked with its eyes closed. The eyes opened, and grabbed hold of his voluntary movement. She shook her head. There were tears in her eyes.
“ARRRGGGHHHhhhhhhhhh… what… what… what does she want from me???”
Sousuke’s rage built up again. He noticed with disdain that the energy field had gone limp and formless. He built it back up again. He was in command here. It went beyond stupid military protocols. The strongest should lead. There was no question who was the strongest. Insubordination would have a severe penalty.
Shame battled against Pride. Respect was at war with Contempt. Compassion pushed hard against Hate. Why now? Why were those stupid emotions getting in the way again?
“No. I won’t be stopped. You had your chance.” He brought Arbalest’s arm up. Each time he would bring it back down again, another Arm Slave would fall.
The image of Kaname appeared again. It held out its arms to him. He felt his heart skip a beat. He was losing focus. He took his hands off of the control devices. He felt lonely. So very lonely.
No.
NO!!!
What was he doing?
Grabbing what weapons he could, Sousuke piloted Arbalest away from the helicopter landing site. It had nothing to do with compassion, sympathy, companionship, or other weak feelings. It was about time. He needed to find the best place to make his stand before the enemy arrived.
He queued up another song. He needed to find the right mood. He didn’t need to think.
‘Always on the run
‘Destiny to the rising sun
‘I was born
‘Six-gun in my hand
‘Behind a gun, make my final stand
‘That's why they call me
‘Bad company
‘I can't deny
‘Bad company
‘Till the day I die…’
It was like the cliché scene in so many westerns.
Two foes facing one another, fingers waitung just above their guns.
The hand on the town clock was just one click away from the next hour.
When the hand moved, it would be time to draw.
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After the girls returned from their walk, everyone retired to the parlor. Furniture was moved around a bit, exposing a little used by very attractive fire place.
“There’s a old stack of wood out back, Kaname. Hopefully its not rotten. Could you bring in a few logs?” Shunya pulled some matches out of a drawer and crumpled up some pages from the morning’s newspaper.
Her father’s voice was even, without any hint o of residual anger or disappointment. Hopefully he and Oichi had an amicable and productive discussion. She’d keep her fingers crossed.
“Ayame, go lend your sister a hand.”
Ayame and Stacy both went off to help Kaname.
“I hope your father doesn’t ask Mr. Smith to start the fire!” Stacy quipped. “This is a very nice house.”
“Don’t even think that!” Kaname shivered. Her thoughts drifted. She smiled. How would Sousuke start the fire? No. She didn’t really want to know.
“He’s not really so bad. Just wait until we go shopping tomorrow. He’ll be going with us.” Ayame smiled, seeing the look on Kaname’s and Stacy’s faces.
“Maybe we should shop for lingerie,” Stacy said evilly. “I could just see his face if he had to walk into that kind of shop.” She blushed for a moment. “Maybe the ladies would let him try on a thong.”
Kaname dropped the logs she had picked up. There were some things in this world she did not ever want to picture. She did think a little about lingerie, though. She really had no need for it, but she still found herself wondering if a certain clueless idiot might like it.
She imagined the conversation:
‘Kaname, you should get your money back.’
‘Why, Souske?’
‘The clothing is defective. It does not cover much of your body.’
‘That’s the idea, silly. You’re supposed to use your imagination.’
“I see. I will imagine you fully clothed then. It is not a problem.’
Ooooh. Jerk! He was getting her all riled up and he wasn’t even there. She didn’t know if she wanted to get that intimate with Sousuke, but knew how’d she feel if she made an attempt, only to have that stupid head mess things up.
Damn him.
He better be OK!
When the wood was placed and the fire started, everyone pulled their chairs close. Kaname started to worry when Ayame suddenly started laughing, then disappeared. What was that little imp up to now?
Mr. Smith walked into the room, having used the TV in Shunya’s den to check up on the local sports scores. “Man, it’s good to be here in the good ole U.S. of A.”
He picked up the beer bottle he had left behind and took a long chug. “There’s some big trouble in North Korea. Our troops are headed in that direction. Sounds like there was some fighting going on at a missile site. They’re talking about nuclear weapons.”
He scratched his head. “I hope those things don’t reach this far!”
Kaname jerked. The cup of hot cocoa in her lap sloshed over, burning her leg. Tears came to her eyes,
Sousuke! Did the explosions mean that Mithril had gotten the job done? Or, did the fact that U.S. forces were moving in mean that the mission failed. She knew that Sousuke wouldn’t allow any operation to fail. He’d give his life trying to see things through.
Stacy walked into the kitchen to get Kaname a napkin.
Kaname just sat there, cocoa streaming down her leg and puddling on top of her socks. Her hands pressed hard against the side of her empty cup.
Shunya walked slowly and gracefully over to her side and put his hand on her shoulder. He gave it a slight squeeze. Oichi looked on, filled with curiosity and concern. Kaname looked up at her father, tears beginning to run down one cheek. “Daddy....” she whispered.
She tried to stiffen her back. This was nothing more than official reporting of something she already had wind of. Why should she feel any differently now?
When Ayame came scampering into the room with a photo album of her sister’s baby pictures, Kaname was actually grateful.
[FIC] Christmas Cake (pt. 13)
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