Tōkyō, Kaiete Information Research Group headquarters (local time 6:45 AM)…
"Senzō…I do not cherish the idea of speaking to your back."
Hearing that tonally flat and emotionless voice, Senzō jerked before he slowly got up from prostrating himself before the woman in the black martial arts uniform with the black belt around her waist, that marked with the kanji chi (Earth) in gold at the end of the belt. "Forgive me, Negako-sama, but…to actually live to see the day the Promise of Bunka Go-nen was finally fulfilled…" A sniff as he tried desperately not to break down and cry. "To see you free at last…"
"I have been this way for ten years, Senzō," Moroboshi Negako stated as she relaxed herself. "And I did return to Earth six years ago alongside Ataru and Tariko when they wished to renew contacts with their parents, so your organisation should have made note of my presence." The slightest hint of amusement crossed her face as she gazed intently at him with those very dark brown eyes of hers. "I find it strange that you did not seek to contact me, much less my siblings, at that time."
He tried not to look sheepish. Gazing at the two people from his position nearby, the information dealer's chief assistant felt an odd sense of disquiet as he gazed on them. To any onlooker, it would seem as the visiting "special assistant" to His Imperial Majesty the Emperor was a woman barely graduated from university. And of course, no one could fail to see Kaiete Senzō as he really was: An elderly veteran of the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Greater East Asia War that developed from it; a modern-day samurai in a country that still, in many ways, respected the ancient traditions of those who had strictly followed the code of Bushidō for their whole lives. Yet in knowing the truth of the entity — thinking her as an arahitogami, a divine spirit in human form, would not be too far off the mark — Kenmochi could only try not to visibly shudder. This being, born from nearly a millennium's worth of collected ninjutsu and other martial arts knowledge, was someone that had (in a way) witnessed CENTURIES of Japan's long history. Thus, Senzō's deference to her was more than understandable.
"Much that I do pride myself on knowing everything that there is to know in this land, Negako-sama, I am human, as are those below me," the former Imperial Army military police officer stated. "I must confess, after Nagaiwakai-sama's death, your whole family seemed to disappear from sight. Nagaiwakai-sama's elder son Komeru having gone off to play wandering global archaeologist while her younger son Muchi married that Yamaguchi girl and electing to be just a normal salaryman." He then took a deep breath, moving to get the conversation back on track. "I assume His Majesty is aware of what is happening now with Kujū Mai. What powers the young lady has."
A nod. "He is. He is also aware of your connection to the Wisdom Alliance." Negako then crossed her arms. "He's tolerated it since he first learned of it; after all, despite their Illuminati-like behaviour, some of their goals for Earth — the elimination of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, plus finding some way to bringing a lasting peace for humanity as a whole — are laudable. And dovetail with the goals the organization I am also a part of seek now." Her eyes then narrowed. "But when it comes to seizing children with metahuman gifts to create a personal army for their own use, that is going too far. His Majesty wishes you to stop all operations concerning Mai and her friends. They are to live their lives in peace."
Silence.
Senzō tried not to shudder. As soon as he had been handed Negako's business card, been told that his visitor had come straight from the Imperial Palace, he had immediately suspected that Negako's message would be something like this. And while he could understand, in a way, why the Son of Heaven would consider this — the Emperor was a man who wanted his country to be at peace and harmony — what he had experienced at the hands of Mai and her friends was something that had to be more firmly addressed.
And there was the Wisdom Alliance to consider as well…
"That may be difficult, Negako-sama," he then warned. "I myself would be glad to obey His Majesty's commands. But the Alliance is VERY interested in people such as young Mai. And they have the means to pursue this matter separately. AND punish all of Japan if required to make us succumb to their demands. Dare we risk this?"
Negako then smiled, which caused Senzō to blink; back in China during the late 1930s and early 1940s when they worked together, the Saikō Jinseijutsu behaved with a cold, emotionless manner that was better fit for the most itinerant Buddhist monk. "Senzō, have you not noticed the radical increase of population in Japan — especially that of young women — in the last five years or so?" she then asked.
He blinked, and then hummed as he considered that. "Hai. But it's been so gradual that…" Silence then fell as his eyes widened, his mind instantly recalling what had just happened in Canada. And the name of one person that had been involved in that situation with the Urusians. "Gods! You mean to say there are ALIENS amongst us?!"
A nod. "Hai. I myself could be seen as one of those aliens; this body I possess now was created in the same factory ship that created Rie's and Yumiko's mothers. Not to mention over two-and-a-half BILLION others like them, many of whom are now moving to prepare thirty planets like Earth for habitation in the immediate future." Negako then gazed intently at him as he gaped in disbelief at her. "Listen very well, Senzō. This is what has been happening over the last five years worldwide. And why…"
H.M.C. Starbase #112, later (local time: 6:10 PM)…
"Thank you for coming, Pastor Jackson."
"My dear, it was my pleasure," Doctor Homer Jackson, a reserve commander in the United States Navy Chaplain Corps who was assigned to the Naval Operational Support Starbase Austin (in direct orbit over the capital city of Texas), then said as he warmly shook Shinobu's hand, and then did the same for Tariko, Lum, Benten and Oyuki. An African-American in his late forties, the Southern Baptist preacher had been contacted directly by H.M.C.S. Star's resident chaplain, Air Force captain Jason McDonald, who was a Roman Catholic and felt it was only right that David Perry should see someone who would be more in tune with his own personal beliefs. "I'm so glad you told us about this poor young man. Tell me, has someone decided what will happen to him?"
"As far as the Niagara Regional Police are concerned, he is a witness to the actions of others conspiring to commit murder and acts of terrorism," Shinobu noted. "But he is only fifteen, so the Young Offenders Act gets involved, too. His name won't be publicly released when his friends go to trial." A sigh. "Pastor, how is he, anyway? I know he said he would do a confessional and I know that is to be kept secret, but how will he adjust now? He did live with those people for several years…"
A sigh as everyone walked over to sit down at a nearby lounge table; Chaplain McDonald was currently comforting a crying David Perry in a side room nearby. "Well, I doubt he'll need much persuading to turn away from what his friends were trying to espouse. Despite their leaning towards what the militia movements in America these days, they did see themselves as loyal to the country," Pastor Jackson replied. "With some help — and Chaplain McDonald is willing to get whatever assistance he can — I do believe young David can see the error of his ways and truly become a well-balanced and law-abiding man." He then gave the women before him a knowing smile. "He'll need friends to support him, of course, but I sense that you all can provide that."
"We intend to, Padre," Tariko stated. "He's a good kid deep down. He felt lost because of his parents' deaths; we figured that out pretty easily. And despite what we did sense what was going on between him and the woman those witches from Britain caught in Market Square during the tag race, he does want to do right for the world." She sat back in her chair. "He's like Anna Garten was before she joined the German Army."
"I don't know that person," the American chaplain asked.
"She's a sergeant in one of their long range reconnaissance battalions," Shinobu stated. "A psychokinetic like David. She's been trained to use her powers in combat and she's very good at using them. She's been busy dealing with the magical fanatics that are breaking out in hives in Europe these days because Voldemort's come back."
Pastor Jackson nodded; as a priest directly affiliated with a Navy reserve unit manned with hundreds of Avalonians, he did learn of things that normal people back on Earth were not aware of. The hidden magical societies, even in America, being part of that. "A terrible thing, indeed. How old is Sergeant Garten, anyway?"
"She's almost fourteen," Tariko stated, which made the aliens with them all gape.
"My dear God…"
Japanese Space Self-Defence Force Starbase Edo (over Tōkyō)…
"AH-CHOO!"
"Bless you!"
"Danke!" Anna stated in her native language before she straightened herself and saluted the stand of colours next to the materialiser pad; she had just beamed in from Space Base Command Bendlerblock. "Permission to come aboard, Petty Officer."
"Permission granted, Sergeant," the petty officer 3rd class now manning the quarterdeck beside the materialiser pad — he was a man and not augmented with Avalonian DNA, Anna was quick to note — said with a polite nod. "Your SOFA papers, please?" Anna handed a miniPADD over. The petty officer turned it on, flipped the language control to Japanese, and then read the notes there. He then smiled. "On leave?"
"Visiting a friend here in Japan at a shrine in Nagano Prefecture," Anna stated as he clicked off the device and handed it back to her. "She's not an Avalonian, but she is a metahuman. Non-magical, by the way. We've met in the 'Scape and I do believe I'm feeling a certain urge concerning her, so I wish to see if it bears fruit."
He chuckled. While Japan was a recent entrant to the "space race" and accepting Avalonians in the military, he was aware of how other nations had been willing to employ what would be seen as "underage" Avalonians (in Japanese society) in sensitive military positions. And Anna was in dress uniform; the unit badge over her name tag was quite well known to him. "Well, I hope you succeed, Sergeant." He then pointed to the doorway into a nearby hall. "Head left for fifty metres to the main lounge; you'll find the duty officer for the materialiser to the surface. There are change rooms there if you want to get out of your uniform. Ask for Leading Seaman Asagiri."
"Thank you again."
With that, the sergeant headed down the hallway into the main lounge at the centre of the space base; Edo had been designed in the same manner as places such as Bendlerblock, H.M. Starbase Whitehall over London and H.M.C.S. Bytown over Ottawa. In the basin beyond the pressure windows floated a battleship of the same general design as her nation's Weiße Rose and Walküre. She then smiled on seeing the three hiragana symbols just forward of the main engine exhausts. Figures they'd name a battleship THAT! she mused as she turned away from looking at the Yamato before noting a nearby desk manned by a female Avalonian leading seaman. Walking over, she smiled as she drew out her miniPADD. "Leading Seaman Asagiri?" she called out.
Asagiri Saki perked, and then she smiled. "Good morning, Sergeant Garten," she said, glad the approaching sister spoke perfect Japanese. "Thank you," she said as she took the miniPADD and flicked it on. "Ah, I see! Need transport to the surface?"
"Please."
A nod. "Alright. You'll beam down to a private lounge at the district headquarters building in Yokosuka. Once you head out the main gate of the base, ask the gate guard for directions to Shioiri train station. Board the train for Shinagawa, then transfer there to the Yamanote line for Tōkyō station. You can switch then to the Nagano Shin-kansen for the ride to Nagano." Saki then tapped controls on her station keyboard to call up some information. "You intend to travel to Togakushi-jinja, correct?"
Anna smiled. "The woman I seek as my bond-mate is there now."
Saki's eyes brightened. "Congratulations!" She then scanned the information on her screen. "Alright. Once you get off at Nagano, ask the people at the station information booth where you would pick up the Kawanakajima Bus to the shrine and Togakushi village. Please remember to get off at the Chūsa-Miyamae stop; there's just a plain Chūsa stop, but that's not the right place to get off at."
"Alright."
"Will you change into civilians up here?"
"No, I'll stop at a local bathhouse once I'm off the base and change there."
Saki nodded. "Alright, let's beam you down…"
Togakushi Shrine, a small residence near the upper shrine…
"Anna…you're here…"
Seeing the smile cross the now-sleeping Mai's face, Idei Madarao, the elderly cleric in charge of the ancient shrine began to sob. "Oh, joy! Mai-ojōsama is happy!"
As he launched into another bout of hysterics concerning the returned daughter of the late Kujū Maki, Rie and Yumiko exchanged a look and a grin. "I can see why is it you always hesitated on bringing her up here, Oji-san," the latter then said as she gazed knowingly at Shūichi. "If she was treated like this all the time…"
Both girls laughed as Madarao sputtered in embarrassment. Gazing at them, Mai's father could only shake his head. Until Mai's best friends got involved, all he had been concerned with was trying to keep his child away from the grasp of the Wisdom Alliance, a secret worldwide version of the infamous Bavarian Illuminati who had their hands dug deep in the governments and economies of nations worldwide. But now…
My daughter's two best friends are ALIENS!
Of course, he had heard about recent events in Canada. And while it was nice to know that there were alien races out there that were humanoid and could be accepted here, the jarring revelation that aliens — who looked EXACTLY like normal Earth people — had been living on this world for the past half-decade had hit him hard. And given what exactly Rie and Yumiko were and what they had gone through before they had come to Earth after fleeing a living nightmare in a solar system fifty light-years away…
And the girl wanting to be my daughter's LOVER has their blood in her body!
THAT had shook him even worse…and that was just not because of him learning of what Anna Garten had been through in her young life. But to know that these aliens were telepaths of an extremely high order and could communicate through something as wondrous as the Dreamscape had left him breathless. And while it would take him a while to accept what people like Rie and Yumiko — and especially Anna — were capable of doing, it did give him a sense of hope. For after all, these Avalonians had not just brought themselves with them when they had fled their masters five years before. They had brought technology that was truly science fiction to normal Earth people, space factories and materiel that they were now using to prepare a great armada that would defend Earth — as well as thirty prospective colony planets the Avalonians had somehow obtained from a race known as the Seifukusu — from all potential threats.
In the face of that…
…would even the Wisdom Alliance be able to remain standing afterward?
As he considered that, we now…
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(Posted Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:49)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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