Evil mind in sound body

[Landers]

„…you mean, dive in against three of them?
I know the drill but this is madness.”
– Takashima to his instructor in a live combat situation

One day after, Raidon received a strange envelope from the Naval Forces High Command. They praised him as a trainer and soldier. He was impressed by this, as this was the first time that anyone said a good word to him from above. After a long text, he read the point of the message: „The Naval Forces High Command has an assignment for you, Raidon Takashima. Visit one of the flag officers in two days for details.” Raidon didn’t like it at all. There was something suspicious in this letter. Something he couldn’t sense, but feel. After thinking a while about it, he decided to delay that to the day after. It could wait, taking a rest could not.

The next morning, he read the letter again. It hadn’t become more fancy or worse so Raidon set aside his concerns and made the decision. If my land calls me, I go with haste. If my emperor orders me to fight, I fight with honor – thought while packing his belongings. On his way to Sado, he wrote a letter to Amaya, ensuring her he might not be available the following few days and everything’s alright. In Hiroshima, he was contacted by Sensei Yi that he was expecting him at Deck C, officer quarters. Gaining strength from his master’s presence, he went directly to the said place.

Yi was waiting for him with two other officiers Raidon didn’t know. After the formal salutations and speeches, they told Raidon his new assignment, which is to lead an assault recon unit in Northern Kusari, mainly to respond the Blood Dragon treat in these systems. Under the command of the Second Fleet would give him less authority, but they could not separate more to face with the terrorists. Yi had already done the paperwork and realizing he had no other option, especially that he owed his master one, nodded.

„Blood Dragons are much like us. Equipment doesn’t matter here.
The one who fears death more, dies.”
– Takashima’s opinion on the Blood Dragons

Raidon received six people to form a wing. Being the seventh, they were the 773rd „Samurai swords”, also receiving the rank of Commander. Not the best of the best, but something better than teaching at the academy. After five days of common training and preparations for the upcoming events, Raidon visited Amaya on New Tokyo. Something was different since they had met. Amaya could not look at Raidon as only a friend anymore and the same was true for him. In that outgoing, they got together.

Returned to the Battleship Matsumoto, 12 more pilots were under Raidon's command including 5 of his best friends. Happy moment that was.