This is for HG and NovaPG members only. Please send either Exile or me a PM before joining if you are not in HG or NovaPG.
~Leo
* * *
0133 Hours
Kyoto Base
Chugoku System, Dragon Space
I had been awake for what felt like days, and I knew that my commander would not be happy about me being awake for such a long period. I was expected to be on the first patrol tomorrow, but my recent excursion to Kusari space when my father got ill made me really rusty, there was no way I would be prepaired for the things to come. Bounty Hunters, Mercenaries, Corsairs, I wasn't up to snuff enough. But no matter how much I complained, he informed me that I didn't have to go home and see him, and that I could have sent him my well wishes.
How kind.
I shrugged it off and tried to go back to sleep but all I heard was my door buzzer.
"Go away!" I screamed but the person kept on buzzing.
I stormed over to the door wrapping the sheet around my half-naked body and ripped it open to see my commander standing there. The look on his face was priceless.
"Hey Shan..." he said.
"What do you want sir, I'm trying to get sleep like I was ordered to."
"I know, but we need your expertise on this fighter that came in kind of rough, I don't know anyone else who is experenced enough to repair it. Do it as a favor for me?"
"Fine, let me get dressed and I'll meet you on the pad."
I slammed the door and started to look around for my clothes.
0213 Hours
Kyoto Base
Chugoku System, Dragon Space
"He hit the pad at almost full on cruise speed. He was knocked out so we havn't gotten any answers from him yet. The ship is a complete loss, but if we are able to recover the core of the computer, we might be able to figure out what caused him to crash." said my commander walking around the wreckage of the ship.
"I can't even tell what the ship was. It looks like a Light Fighter." I said aloud looking through the wreckage.
"Slipstream. That's what we've managed to figure out. Mactan sells them. Very fast and nimble ships, not designed to take a beating though. Which is probably why he came hauling ass in here. From the records of the stations cameras, he was spiraling out of control and on fire when he docked. More than likely lost landing control soon as he came in here and crashed on the pad."
"What it appears to be. Unless the ship was sabatoaged to crash land here."
"Why would someone do that?"
"Why wouldn't they?"
He grew quiet and thought the situation over.
"Sir, have there been any other ships in the area, such as Merc's or Nomads?" I asked.
"No, nothing. There was a strange reading we got from the stations sensors a few weeks ago however, we figured out that there was a feedback loop in the main sensor array. We fixed it and didn't get any other odd readings. What do you think?" he asked.
"It's possible that who ever did this created the loop to appear as if it had a feedback loop. This could be to confuse the people on board to *think* that it's a feedback loop and change the frequency of the array so they can roam Chugoku freely. I would take a look at it sir to make sure we don't have people around Kyoto snooping where they shouldn't be. I would do the same at Mito Shipyards. Better safe than sorry."
He nodded and walked away to issue out other orders. Klaxons started to wail onboard and another ship came in at a quick rate of speed, clipping a building near the outer airlock. It spun out of control and crashed on the other pad across from where I was standing. A man climbed out on fire and started to roll around on the ground. I grabbed the extinguisher and ran over to the pad, my commander back and running right along behind me. I sprayed him off and he calmed down. His burns were minor thanks to the fire resistant pilot suit he was wearing.
"It's ok, you're safe now." I said calming him down. The ship started to pop and I grabbed the back of the pilot and drug him away from the ship just as it exploded in a fury of fire and metal. I looked at my commander who was as dumbfounded as me. "I think we need to check the airlocks sir. My suggestion. Lock down Kyoto long enough for us to do a complete system by system check of the entire base."
"Good idea Shan. I'll inform DeJesus about the events that have unfolded here in the past few hours. We will lock down Kyoto do a scan of all Airlocks before allowing any one else to enter. DeJesus will more than likely want to come here to see what's going on for himself, so the airlocks will be the first to be scanned. That way he can dock as soon as possible." he paused and smiled at me. "Looks like you won't have to go on that patrol you were complaining about after all."
I smiled back and started to walk away.
"Oh and Shan..." he said and I turned around. "Damn good to have you back."
"...Didnt i tell you kids not to play with the things that say "explosive"?", Dejesus said as he walked onto the landing pad where the slipstream had just exploded.
"Good to see you too, sir." Shan said.
"And all these bits combined, what did they form before they did boom then? " Dejesus replied.
"Light figther, Slipstream class. The pilot seems to be unconscious, he's in the med hall now. " Shan replied.
"As for the ship..Well, as you can see. It gave birth to quite alot of other ships called "bits". We tried to salvage the computer's core, but, alas. That died giving birth too. Was one hell of an explosion."
"The miracle of life.. I saw your commander in the hallway, he mentioned something about a feedback loop? That someone created it on purpose?" Dejesus replied.
"Yes sir. We suspect that, who ever, or whatever it was, attacked this poor man's ship and tamperd with our systems. For the moment, we are unsure if our theorie is correct, let alone what system their tampering with" Shan said with a tiresome voice.
"Feedback loop..Exploding ships..Do you perhaps know of which house the pilot was?" Dejesus said with touch of fear in his voice.
"He wore the Kusari emblem on his shoulder. There was some writing below it, but it was too faded to read" Shan replied.
"Kamikaza.."Dejesus thought to himself. "Their getting desperate"
"Who's getting desperate sir?" Shan asked.
"Nothing to worry yourself about child, see to your duties, and ill talk to you later. I have some people to talk to." Dejesus said as he walked out of the hanger bay.
0832 Hours
Kyoto Base
Chugoku System, Dragon Space
I caught up to DeJesus and matched my pace with his.
"With all due respect sir, Kyoto is on complete lockdown, and my skills with a fighter are rusty after I've been tending to my sick father. I would rather help you figure this situation out. One of those pilots who crashed was a good friend of mine, and while he will recover, I would still like to seek out who is doing these devious and cowardly attacks which brings shame to them and their entire family." I said.
"Very well, I will permit it this time. However, when I tell you to tend to your duties next time, I expect you to do just that." he replied walking quickly through the hallways on Kyoto.
2130 Hours
Kyoto Base
Chugoku System, Dragon Space
*Knock knock knock*
"..Ungh, come back in the morning! Im tired." Shan shouted as some one knocked on her door.
"You wanted to help figure this situation out, didnt you? Then open up, or ill find some one else".
She recognized the voice, it was Dejesus'. She quickly dressed herself, and opend the door.
"Yes sir, you need me?" She said.
"Lets cut the Sir shall we, your not on duty. May i come in?" He replied.
"But ofcourse si...Joshua. Please, have a seat. Can i get you something to drink?" She said.
"Thanks, ill pass. I got more people to see after im done here." He replied. "Now, to the matter at hand. You recall mentioning that, "You wanted to help figure this out"?"
"Yes, i do. Why? You have something for me?" She replied questioning.
"Something we cant do without you. You ofcourse, recall the pilot you rescued out of that ship doing boom on hangarbay 31." Dejesus said.
"But ofcourse. What can i do?" Shan asked.
"Question him. See what you can find it. His planet of origin, home town, alligned faction, what he likes to read, what he likes to drink. Everything, as much as you can find out. You can do this your own way, but i suggest you stay...Polite. Unless there should be no other way, ofcourse." He replied.
"Ofcourse. But.. Why me?" Shan said.
"You'll find out later. Now, i'd like you to question him first thing in the morning. And report to me in the evening. Ill be on the Kitagawa." Dejesus said. "Now, i will take my leave of you. Good night Shan, get some propper rest. Your gonna need it if this is what i think it is".
Dejesus walked out of the door, mumbling something Shan knew she had heard before, and walked around the corner.
I got dressed early in the morning and decided to head in to work a tad bit earlier than usual. I had to question one of the pilots who was sick and in the med hall. I wanted to object to Joshua's request in questioning him so soon, but it was either that or not at all, and I knew he would find someone else if I didn't.
I walked into the med hall a few moments later and saw the man still having to use the breathing machine to keep him alive. I walked into the room just as the nurse was finishing checking on him.
"I'm sorry Ma'am." she said. "This one isn't supposed to have visitors, he's too injured."
"Shan-Katacuchi, offical HG business. I need to ask him questions about the crash."
"Sorry Miss Katacuchi, he's seeing no one. You will have to come back at a later time."
"And I'm further sorry for having to ignore what you just said." I said walking past the nurse and into the room, I shut the door and the nurse's voice raised for a second before stomping away, more than likely towards the doctors to complain. I didn't have long.
"My name is Shan-Katacuchi, I've been sent here to find out why you crashed." I said to the man, he looked at me with out any hint or sign of understanding, only mumbled something. "What?" I asked.
"Crashed..." he said.
"Right, you crashed, why did you crash?"
"*Mumble* Nomad..."
What did he just say?
"Hey! You! Get out of there this instant!" said the doctor banging on the door.
"A Nomad? What about it?"
"Attacked me...fled into Chugoku...attacked by strange looking ships...Kusari design...looked experemental..." and the man passed out after that last word. The doctor barged in, threatened to call my superior and ordered me out.
I got what I needed to know anyway, I headed towards Joshua's office on Kyoto. I had valuable information to tell him.
".....Damnit Satha! You know i cant do this what you wask of me. My people are in danger. I shall not, under any circomstances aid you in completing your sick dream. " Dejesus said.
Shan approched Dejesus' quarters.
"....Yes! I know about the current balance, i know about your so called "supreme reign". But i will not bring further death to my people. Regardless of my faith, regardless of you, and regardless of my familly! I broke ties with them long ago. I have my daugther here, and you shall not claim her mind as well!"
Was Dejesus talking to himself? It sure sounded like it, since Shan could not hear any other voices. Only a dark, deep whispering. One heard in tales to freigthen children.
The whispering went on, and Shan remaind at the door. Listening.
"....I, will not claim that artifact, that trincket! Just for your needs. Nor will my daugther. I have more pressing....Aaargh!"
Dejesus cried out in pain, and Shan stormed in. There he was, grabbing to his head. He tried to scream but no sound came. Just his face filled with aggonizing pain.
A dark voice was cleary hearable.
".....YOU SHALL NOT DEFY ME!"
The room shook as the voice sounded, and Dejesus fell to the ground. Unconscious.
I paced the room near the med hall onboard Kyoto and kept thinking back to the situation that occured with Dejesus. He simply collapsed after I heard the voice, and the doctors refused to let me talk to him. I suppose they wern't too friendly towards us, ever since the split between HG and the NovaPG. Neither side hated each other, only the ideas that we thought and believed in. So imagine when a leader of the HG became rendered unconcious aboard their station.
Needless to say, I was judged by their commanders and deemed, "not responsible for the accident." I only stayed on Kyoto as an HG because Mito was unfamilar to me, I had made Kyoto my home and that was that. They refused to let me in, even when I showed them my ID as a high ranking HG representative. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place, and I didn't see anyway of getting out of it. I was stuck, pacing in this damned med hall. I decided to leave Kyoto after this was over and go back to Mito where I belonged.
"He's going to be fine." said a doctor coming up to me. "We're not sure what happened, but he's starting to come around, he's requested you to speak to him immediately."
Ever since I had become SIC of the Hideyoshi's Guard, I had constant problems with everything. Be it people dying, reports going missing, men acting up when they shouldn't have been. Damn children is all they were, why did we expect them to behave like men or women who served respectfully.
Ugh. Leadership.
As I walked through the hallways, I heard the cadets whispering.
"That's Shan-Katacuchi, SIC of HG."
"-I heard she's the best pilot since Dejesus himself."
"-fighter jock turned Second, what a promotion-"
I smiled briefly to myself before entering the room where Dejesus laid. He looked sickly, but able enough to be able to sit up and watch the TV in his room. He turned to me as I walked in and picked up the remote and turned the TV off.
"Shan. How are you feeling?" he asked.
"How am I feeling? I should be asking you that Josh...and call me Kat, my mother calls me Shan."
"Well, I'm fine now. Somewhat. I wanted to talk to you about what you heard before entering my room-"
"-your business sir. I don't want to know what it was or anything. It's your personal affairs."
"That's the thing Kat, it ties to the ships crashing onboard Kyoto. Sit down, this will take a while to explain..."
"-God of the Two. Ruler of war and pain. What does he have to do with all this?"
"-Heh, you got a free hour or two? It dates several centuries back, at the arrival of the first Dejesus on Kyoto. He brought with him a red stone encased by an amulet of the purest silver. The stone was rumored to hold power over Nature. That it was a gift from Desia. That it was called the "Dragon's Bane". Now Kat, tell me. What do we use to make our ships?"
"-Alloys, i take it. Alloys, Posterion, all sorts of materials" She replied
"-Yes, and where do those things come from? Each and every thing we touch, consume, use, all the raw materials come -directly- out of the wilds. Out of nature's womb. "
"-Your point is..?"
"-Isn't it obvious Kat? Who ever has control over the Amulet, has a major advantage in any battle. It can influence politicians by driving them crazy. Turning their very environment against them. Or it can control our vessels during combat."
"-So your saying that, should this stone be real, it can.."
"-Not should it be real. " Joshua interrupted her. "It is real. And it can still be used. Meet me later on to....Ungh,Ah!"
Joshua started screaming in agony, followed by a gasping wound tearing itself through his neck
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