Ranma sat on one of the few chairs on Antaeus in the command centre of the ship’s bridge. He had just gotten back from the rescue. Well, after taking a closer at the… whatever the hell it was.
The thing in that biodome just felt wrong on every level he could think of. It was definitely alive, but in the murky air it looked like a jungle… except it was all one mass… and it seemed to be expanding and contracting as if it were breathing. The final point of wrongness was that it seemed to have an animal’s spirit to it. The problem was that it wasn’t like a mammal or bird or any other greater animal. It was more like an insect or spider. Very instinctual, almost entirely a series of reaction programs.
As if that weren’t enough, the ‘souls’ were in a huff about those new anti-aircraft guns. The new ACAC of the enemy were very effective, and a few of them related to the plane that was supposed to ambush them at the wet dock. Ranma didn’t think he liked the sound of that. When Nabiki played back the recorded video and he saw those towers grow to over 30 metres in just a few seconds he knew he didn’t like the sound of it.
“Sort of like the early days, don’t you think, Saotome?” Nabiki brought up.
“Yeah. Flung into only the kami know what with a need and little answers.” Ranma wasn’t feeling very pleased with how things were.
Nabiki laughed bitterly. “Remember when we signed up?”
Ranma stared at her flatly. “Right. ‘Signed up’. At least you had a choice.”
It was 2010. The fiancée problem had been on hold for the last number of years. Only on hold. Things were at a standstill as no one could agree what was to happen exactly, but everyone wanted to continue with their lives nonetheless. Each of those involved in Ranma’s love life, or what passed for it, had gone on to higher education and employment. Even Ranma himself had sought greater learning and tutoring under masters in how to teach.
The news of the coming of the united government was little surprise to those in this group, but only because so little could surprise them. They had become somewhat jaded by now. The biggest shock had been when Nabiki had been caught with a charge of racketeering and had been sentenced to six months in jail. While she served her time easily enough, her family being very supportive, this was the kind of black mark on her record that would keep her from landing the kind of work she had been pouring so much of her life into. Add into this that those who pressed the charges were quite influential and she was looking at a very difficult life.
Then the letters came.
Ranma, Genma, Akane, Soun and Nabiki were all staring at letters. Ranma and Akane had identical letters. Genma’s and Nabiki’s were the same. Soun’s was in the same line as Genma and Nabiki’s but was worded more… politely.
Ranma read his again.
Mr. Ranma Saotome:
The government of Japan has agreed with the new One Nation Earth, that a selection of the best of our youth should go into service for the new nation’s military. As a member of the infamous ‘Nerima Wrecking Crew’, your name has been forwarded as a forced volunteer for the special forces of our new nation.
Congradulations, Private Saotome.
He kept staring at the paper, as if doing so would make it change. “Have I been… conscripted?”
“I… I think so. I think I am too,” Akane replied, looking at her own notice with equal shock. This just seemed wrong, but she couldn’t bash anyone. The whole thing left her feeling rather empty.
Nabiki’s letter was far less polite than Ranma or Akane’s,
Miss Nabiki Tendo:
The government of Japan wishes to make an arrangement with you. As we shall be joining the new One Nation Earth, was are required to hand over all public records. You, being a talented person in one or more fields, and having a record of less than stellar performance, are being given the chance to have your old record abolished. If you volunteer for military duty, your criminal record, in its entirety, will be erased before it is submitted to the One Nation Earth files. Otherwise, it shall carry on with you and the new government shall have to act in accordance to dealing with all potential malcontents.
She saw the writing for what it was: a threat. Join the military or be jailed again. She looked at Genma and her father. They had a look she had seen before. It was the same look they had when Happosai first showed up and they declared they had to go to China. They were going to run. Unfortunately that wasn’t an option for her. Her strength was in using the system, not avoiding it.
“So this is how it goes, is it? In the end I have to join the rest of you.” She gave a humourless laugh and said in English, “For King and Country.”
“Like that was really a choice, Ranma,” Nabiki snapped back. “We both know there was no way I could have passed that up. They knew it too. For that matter, your choice was the same. Sign up, be jailed, or be on the run. The only ones in our circles who didn’t have to make that choice were your mother, Kasumi and Ryoga.” She laughed lightly, “Not that they could find Ryoga to deliver his letter.”
Ranma laughed a little at that. “So what do those pricks at O.N.E. want us to do?”
Nabiki sighed. “They want us to attack what they suspect to be the main base of operations for the cabal.” She brought up the island’s topographic map. “This is where intel says the leaders are.”
Ranma only glanced for a second. “They’re not.”
“What?”
“At least not right now. I was actually acting as personal bodyguard to some African street punk wannabe. You know the type, lots of gold hanging off his neck? Anyway, they’re not there. Not planning on it for a few weeks. They should be…” Ranma turned a dial, zooming out until the entire chicane was showing, “…there.” He pointed to an island that was rather odd shaped, having four inlets, one at each cardinal direction. It conveniently divided the island into four sections. “They should be doing some kind of inspection.”
Nabiki looked at the map. Ranma had inside information, but they may have been feeding him false information in case he caught wind of the missile strikes. They couldn’t have expected what he was doing, though. Still…
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(Posted Sat, 10 Apr 2010 11:35)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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