Briefing

[Yaoquizque]

"Is it about Outcasts or even... Blood Dragons?" asked Akashi.
"Outcasts are still pushing against our defences and committing piracy wherever they roam, but they aren't that a threat. About Blood Dragons... Well... Fact is i didn't receive much reports about them. It is never good to not hear anything from your enemies... They must be preparing something." said thoughtfully the Admiral.

He finally added :
"But they aren't my biggest concern right now."
"Then? What is it, Sakamoto-sama? And why all this secrecy?"

Sakamoto massaged his forehead as if it was feverish, and after a moment of reflection :
"Several weeks ago, i received a peculiar message giving me a rendez-vous in a dark street. I met there an officer -At least i believe he was; probably a member of the Tokkeitai- who warned me about our new head of the Navy, Nagata Yuri."

He gazed at the two men. Both were listening with a stony and undecipherable expression.
"He said Nagata-san wasn't -himself- any more and insisted on his behaviour following the aborted operation in the Arch. He also reminded me Nagata did everything he could to limit the search i was leading in the Taus, when our former leader, Takahashi Mikako, disappeared with her escort."

Akashi was now slightly frowning.
"What do you mean exactly but 'not being himself'?"
"You do know aliens have a way to control humans... Either way, I didn't take that stranger's words as the truth but, i needed to ensure nothing was threatening Kusari. I called the troops who participated to the assault and made them being examined. Everybody was fine. Only one man was left to being checked."
"The Admiral Nagata."
"Precisely. Ishikawa was tasked with an undercover mission. He had to scan Nagata's flagship using a modified scanning device. For this to work, the flagship shields had to be disabled and some jamming components on the hull destroyed. The only way to do it was to send someone who would attack the flagship."

"You sent someone to attack your own brothers?" asked in a scornful tone Akashi while gazing at Ishikawa.
"It was the only way to know if Nagata was indeed... Infected, without raising suspicion. We needed to keep the element of surprise in the event Nagata would be indeed infected."

"You cannot be serious." Finally said Akashi. "The Admiral Nagata? Infected? We would have known if such an improbable thing happened. You are bringing division in the Naval Forces ranks!"
"Remember he has now the power allowing him to dodge any checking. And i couldn't let Nagata suspect someone would know his secret. If i did, i would be dead right now. And Kusari Naval Forces would still be controlled by a monstrosity."
"I can't believe that." finally replied Akashi after a silence, looking suspiciously at Sakamoto while his hand was slowly getting closer to his holster.

The Admiral noticed his gesture and silently sighed before saying :
"Nor could I. But the data collected leaves no doubt."
He handed him a large data pad.
"The scientific lab sent it to me two days ago."

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