Another one of those meetings. Serious faces, lots of talk, a concerned looking Sakamoto and absolutely zero results. Simply put, they were stuck. They just couldn't find a solution to end this mess without them all dying for nothing.
So they waited.
Captain Ishikawa Hideaki was sick of it. He felt like time was frozen. Every day was exactly the same as the one before. The same faces filled with resignation, the same monotone corridors of the Battlecruiser and the same creeping feeling of losing a war without being attacked.
The mood amongst the soldiers had dropped to slight pessimism at best. He could experience that every day when he walked through the ship. And he also hated this situation for very personal reasons.
Something had to be done.
"..and patrols of the Tau area still show no increased activity by Nagata's forces." One of the other members of Sakamoto's little war cabinet had just finished his report.
The admiral nodded and then sighed. "Well, just as expected. I suppose that will be..."
Ishikawa cleared his throat. "I have a suggestion to make.."
Sakamoto raised an eyebrow and glanced over to him. "Yes? Speak."
He took a deep breath and then started to speak.
"Well, as you are all undoubtedly aware, our number of fighter craft is quite low. Lost chimaeras can't be replaced and damaged ones can't be repaired because we're missing the needed parts. This poses a severe problem, as it limits our ability to scout enemy territory and our fighting capacity."
Sakamoto looked at him curiously. "We know all these things and we did talk about them. Kishiro or Samura won't supply us with new chimaeras. I'm curious, how do -you- want to solve this problem?"
"I might have found a solution in light of our recent acquisition of an insider in Nagata's forces. He provides us with an opportunity."
Ishikawa took a look around the small group.
"Gentlemen, we're going to steal some ships."
They glanced back at him with a look that clearly showed that they questioned his sanity.
Sakamoto was the first one to speak. "So... You want to steal the chimaeras we need right from Nagata's forces? Quite daring. But how did you imagine that would work? How would we even get close to them?"
Ishikawa had expected this reaction, and these questions. So he calmly explained his plan.
The rebels were to send a small team of pilots who would infiltrate a Naval Forces base and acquire one chimaera each.
The first problem was how to gain access to a Naval Forces base in the first place. This was where the contact they had in the KNF would come in. He would smuggle them on his ship aboard the research station Nansei in Kyushu.
The local garrison was only lightly manned with about two dozen chimaeras. Half of those are in space, while the other half rest on the station.
Once on board, the rebels would quickly gain control over the chimaeras and open the hangar. Ideally they would have left Kyushu by the time the rest of the Naval Forces could react.
So far the plan.
Sakamoto looked at him for a while before talking.
"You understand how risky this operation would be? We can't afford to lose any men. We can't afford to let them capture one of us."
Ishikawa frowned. "We also can't afford to continue like this and you know it."
They both stared at each other for a while before Sakamoto finally sighed.
"Assuming I would allow such an operation... who would do it? Who would take such a mission?"
Ishikawa smiled. "I will lead it of course. And I'll pick a team out of those who want to join voluntarily."
Sakamoto nodded. "We will do it like this. First, you will contact Shimizu-san and inquire if such a thing would be possible for him. I will decide afterwards."
Ishikawa stood up and bowed. "I will get to it right away." He started to walk over to the door.
"One more thing." Ishikawa turned his head to Sakamoto again.
"What about her?" Sakamoto looked at him curiously.
"I will find a solution..." He quickly left the room.
The bar on Freeport 6 was quite full and that was certainly to his liking.
Kusarians were a common sight on the station and with that many people around he and his men wouldn't be sticking out as much.
Even though they were trying their best to act like they were used to coming here for a drink, a certain kind of nervousness shimmered through.
But who could blame them, their journey could easily end in death or torture for each one of them.
He had to admit that he himself was nervous too. Ishikawa just wasn't used to fight outside the cockpit of his chimaera.
He quickly checked the time and then stared back at his cup of tea. Not even half an hour until Shimizu should arrive.
Another unkown factor in this whole thing. How much could he really be trusted?
It was impossible to know. A lot would depend on him and the possibility of him being infected already.
Tapping on the table with his fingers, Ishikawa took another look at the clock. It would be time to leave for the hangar soon, hopefully without Nagata's men already waiting for him there.
He wondered what the pilots on Nansei were doing and thinking at this moment. They would certainly be looking forward to another day full of routine. Nothing out of the ordinary.
Some might even already think about coming home after end of shift or some long planned vacations with their family.
Nobody would sit there and expect something bad to happen.
Though, some might have an uneasily feeling in their gut.
Tetsuo had been lying on the bed in his cabine. This sudden request wasn't something he expected to happen so soon. He couldn't finish his own investigation, and even though it looked like there were no lies in Ishikawa's and Sakamoto's words, he still was unsure. And that was not the only thing that bothered him.
Ishikawa did not reveal his plan, and acting blindly was not convincing. Tetsuo would step into this fog himself, however he couldn't lead other people through it, even though he managed to gather enough trustworthy people on Hiuchi. Some precaution methods should be taken, at least until he could make sure that this plan was not some suicidal attack.
The doors opened and an executive officer of Hiuchi walked in.
"You've summoned me, Shimizu-san?"
Tetsuo quickly rose from the bed and stood up straight.
"The rebels require our assistance to reach Nansei. I've decided that Hiuchi will be most suitable for this mission. However..." he paused, still thinking of the best way how he could make it. Since the Tau 29 gate was guarded, any attempt to enter or leave would not go unnoticed. "... I've not been told about the details of this mission, so at first I want to check those. Gather all trusted people and be prepared to follow my instructions. Dismissed!"
"Ha." Xo replied quickly and with a bow left the cabine.
After a while of thinking Tetsuo changed to his civilian clothes, went to the airlock and left the board of Hiuchi. The best way to go out of Kyushu and bring back the assault team of the rebels was to hire a freelancer freighter, so Tetsuo headed to the bar, where he without problems found a person for a fair price, and after a while of flight he successfully reached the freeport.
Telling the freelancer to wait he checked the clock. It was about the time when he had to meet Ishikawa and his forces. Without wasting time he went to the bar, pausing near the entrance to look around...
"Piss off..." said the woman to the two of them sitting on the opposite side of the table, with a smile contradicting her rude tone.
As one of them finally stood up to give her his place, she sat slowly and eventually leaned back to observe them all under her lashes without having to move her head.
"Oh. How lovely. Fantastic Twelve. The 'crème de la crème' as Gauls say. So let me guess... What are we celebrating here? Commander Miyoshi deflowering...? Hmm... No. Must be something more important."
"Junko..." hissed Ishikawa while looking sideways at the officer she just offended "Very funny. Will you be quiet now?"
"I am quiet."
"And couldn't you have chosen something more discreet...?"
"What..." She started while gazing at herself "Weren't we asked to come dressed as civilians?"
"And 'Boy'. It's not like i have many occasions to amortize those stupid dresses anyway. So there. Now order me a Sake."
He repressed a sigh.
"We're in mission."
"Oh good. So you're not drinking any more while in mission. Good good."
"Junko..." said coldly Ishikawa as a warning.
The others officer were observing that spar, vaguely embarrassed.
"Fiiiine..." She finally said, raising her hands as if she was surrendering.
"So what is this about again...?" she finally asked, a vague smile playing on her lips
"Maybe it would have been better to leave you in your quarters." He frowned at her before taking a look through the bar. As he noticed Shimizu he turned back to the others and nodded at them. Then he stood up and walked over to the newly arrived Tetsuo and quickly urged him to leave the bar. "Let's take a walk." He lead him through the door. In the meantime the other team members split up and took different paths to the hangar.
Junko pouted slightly and stayed sat for a few seconds, until she eventually got on her feet. She then loosely followed the other officers.
With a quiet nod Tetsuo followed Hideaki. When they left the bar he calmly looked around, making sure that there was nobody there to hear him, and with a low voice said "Perhaps it is time to reveal your whole plan now? I dislike to act blindly."
"I thought I told you what we are doing?" He continued walking towards the hangar. "I assume you have a ship waiting for us in the docks?"
"I am more concerned about the way how you will achieve it." Tetsuo replied, ignoring the question.
"We will handle everything once we're on the station. We know the station layout and my men are carefully instructed. Just make sure to bring us there."
"What about our cover? Have you made sure that it will go unnoticed?"
"We will arrive under the cover of an inspection team from the KNF. If it doesn't hold we'll have to use brute force."
"I meant my team. If anything goes wrong, suspicions will fall on my people."
"Ideally, you should be long gone by the time that we steal the ships." They enter the hangar. "If they find out, you will need to flee and join our fleet."
Tetsuo stoped and disapprovingly looked at Ishikawa "This plan depends on luck too much..."
"What did you expect? An operation like that is risky." He took a look around. "Where is the ship?"
"It's not about risks. You will be discovered with cover like that right after landing. And in that case, my people will be in danger as well."
"And why do you think we'll be discovered?" He sighed.
"Shimizu. You do want to help us, or not?" Junko seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
"It's not like it's hard to find a reason. Just pretend we forced you by putting a gun on your head or whatever..."
"All he asks is to drop us on Nansei. Shouldn't be hard. You have access to the security grid and should know how to drop us without being noticed..."
"Or am i wrong?"
She then shrugs "But if you are afraid, i guess i can understand that..."
Looking behind his shoulder Tetsuo noticed Junko. Slightly frowning he said "If you want to make it out alive, you should think more then that, Sanada-san." Then he turned back to Ishikawa "Using cover of something official will be checked immediately. And apart of that, some of your persons are known around KNF."
"I'm not the boss here..."
"Just giving my opinion to be useful. Unless you think a woman can only have stupid ideas?"
Without turning to her Shimizu replied "When your idea will be good enough, I will say so."
"Oh yeah? What about this, smart-san."
"You send a message to Nansei stating you succeeded to capture several rebels... Rebels, pffft... " she says to herself before carrying on..
"Then, when we make it to the docks, we take you as hostage and do our things."
"Of course we would have to kill you in the end, but i guess it would be worth it."
"All hostages captured in Taus or around Kyushu are moved straight to Nagumo or to Fuchu." with another look Tetsuo showed his irritation "Now be quiet unless you have anything useful to say."
"Fine..."
"I have a great idea. You give us your ship and we'll do everything by ourselves."
"You wanted to be part of this rebellion, you'll also have to do something for it."
"And once I give you my ship I will have to make story how did you captured it?" Tetsuo sighed disappointedly and looked at Ishikawa "I may deliver you as crewmen of my vessel. During unloading you may sneak on the station. Departing will take a while so you will have time to blend in with station crews."
"That works as well as my suggestion. We just need to play our part convincingly. And taking your ship and dropping all of your men into pods would work as well. All I want is to get on the ship."
"That works differently from your plans. You and your men should ensure that you will not get into lenses of the security cameras on the station, as well as not attract any view of other people."
"Being in plain view is the best cover. But I suggest you let me worry about that and just get us on the damn station."
"Being in plain view and attracting attention are two different things. Untill I make sure that my support in this case will not be discovered, I won't bring you to the station."
Junko sighed. "So? We go back home already?"
"Why did you even accept when I sent you the message, when you're clearly not prepared to act."
"Are you sure that it is me who is not prepared to act?" Tetsuo replied calmly
"You're obviously afraid now. You should have said from the start that you're not up for the task."
"It's natural to refuse foolish decissions." Tetsuo sighed and calmly continued "Either way, I offered you a way. If that doesn't work with you, you should offer something more promissing."
"Can i kill him now?"
Tetsuo gazed at Junko doubtfully, but decided to ignore.
"Alright. Fine. We do it like you want. Now get us on the ship. We don't have time for this ..."
Slightly squinting at Ishikawa Tetsuo replied "Very well. The freighter awaits us in the hangar."
"Hideaki, the pro negociator."
"Shut up." He walks into the hangar.
"Relax... Smile. Isn't it a beautiful day to die?"
Without saying anything Tetsuo followed them in the hangar. Once in there he points on the vessel, saying "This will be our transport for a while."
Jiro let out a wide yawn as he was zipping up his flight suit up to his neck and walking out of the barracks after a long, restful sleep. He felt kind of hungry, and was looking forward to meet his wing-mate for the breakfast.
There was still a couple of hours for their flight around the Nansei facility. Enough for a long breakfast and to get the ships ready, Jiro thought contently. He had no doubts that this was just another usual pilots' day for them.
He'd be by the Mess Hall before his wing-mate, with his lips curling merrily, it was obvious Jiro was in high spirits this morning.
It didn't take long for his wing-mate to appear, walking towards where he waited. She was kind of anxiously eying the storage containers near the station through one of the windows lining the long corridor. She looked as though she had a restless night to Jiro.
"Hey... Morning, Nakamura-san," Jiro greeted Teta Nakamura with a nod, his smile got even wider.
"Good morning, Taiyouji-san!" She replied back with a smile of her own and a vague salute, trying to hide her anxious mood.
They followed into the rather modest mess hall afterwards, picked up their trays and started to fill their food into the plates from the buffet.
Seven tables were set up in a roomy enough place, enough to dine for about thirty people at a time. The buffet reached from one end of the room to the other, where a merry looking plump woman served them their food.
They took their seats by a few pilots who would share their shifts with them, and they all had summed up the gathering in the Canteen. Even this modest room looked like a giant hall with so little attendance, and the atmosphere was lazy as hell.
"They really know how to prepare that," Teta explained while visible enjoying her breakfast, looking at Jiro questioningly, "do not you think so as well? And there is still quite some time until they return and our patrol starts, so we have the time to enjoy it properly..."
Jiro nodded with a smile to Teta just as he saw a familiar face by the entrance. He raised his hand to take his attention, "Hey, Takeru-san. Konnichiwa! Come join us!"
Shin Takeru had his decorative, traditional katana on his belt, his hand wrapping its handle tightly as he scanned inside. His flashy imperial guard uniform and that blade he was carrying really made it impossible to miss him.
"Konnichiwa," Shin walked to their table, "I didn't expect to see you two here," he said as he took his seat.
"Our wing has been stationed here for the week..." Jiro said after swallowing his food with a large sip of tea, "What brings you here?"
"Well I was just on my way to the guard officer to inform him about the presence of the Takao near the station, but I think I could join you if you want. I'm here for some supplies and rearming of the Takao. I expect to stay here one or maybe two days..." Takao was the destroyer under Takeru's command.
"Your company here and out in space is always welcome, Takeru-san. Patrolling would be safer with a destroyer around, doubt anything would want to attack lightly then."
The breakfast continued on for about twenty minutes. Teta looked as though she started to enjoy the morning a little better, she smiled to the old lady as she was tending to the table, and when Jiro complimented her for the good food.
"Have you planned anything this morning, or do you intend to spend the time readying your ship for the coming patrol, Taiyouj- san? I wonder if not those scientist fellows have some rather nice recreational area somewhere aboard here. I think I heard somewhere that you get basically everything if you are working on secret military research stuff..." She giggled a little.
"I don't really have any plans, Nakamura-san..." Jiro grinned, "except for staying close to you, that is," he said jokingly, "we could explore around if you want, let's see what they have in here."
"Hai, a little tour should do no harm. Let us take a look around before returning to the hangar bays," She smiled at Jiro.
"So you two wanna do that tour alone?" Shin looked at Jiro and gave him a smile that looked a bit mischievous.
Jiro looked at Teta for a split second, he stuttered, "U-uh... Takeru-san... of course you're invited..."
Shin laughed and said "Well, its your decision... or rather it is basically her decision since we are men of honor, right Jiro?"
Jiro didn't get much what he meant, but just gave a shrug.
Teta then and a little flustered, assured Shin: "W- well, we would gladly enjoy your company, Takeru san... but, also, we do not want to impede your visit with your guard officer."
"Well, I dont know... I dont want to disturb your intimity... I mean you are getting closer as I see... and about the guard officer, it's just a formal thing, he already knows I'm here..."
"I-In...-" Jiro smiled wide, which looked very weird. "Intimate... uh... no-no... I mean... yes... no..." Jiro shook his head and looked at Teta, flustered, wondering why he's feeling so weird now.
Blushing, Teta lowered her head to hide her face and tried to just concentrate on finishing the meal, or at least to appear as doing so, while still curiously listening.
Jiro continued, "You... uhh... don't forget... that you have to report in, so the adjustments can be made to alter the patrols... and uhh... Takao to be added to the sortie... Takeru-san..." he then prodded Shin with his elbow, secretly to Teta, to make him stop with the tease.
Shin nodded to Jiro and stood up "We will see us later, I guess? If you need me, let the station call me out... I'm on my way to the guard officer..."
Jiro said as he stood up with him, "Takeru-san... There's about an hour and a half till the patrol... We should meet in an hour or so in the Hangars, to get the ships ready and to receive the final directives... We'll be expecting you..."
Shin then left the two alone after that short but intense tease. Jiro bowed with a smile after him, glad that it was over.
With Shin gone for a while, Teta looked up again after not feeling her blood rushing through her cheeks anymore. "So it seems Takeru-san really is busy for now...", giving some sort of a relieved smile. "Well, let us finish and be on our way, as one hour can be such a short time."
"I am done eating!" Jiro said energetically, trying to beat that earlier embarrassment out of them. As he was chewing his food rather fast to manage what little time they have, he had finished his plate before everyone. "As soon as you're ready, we can go, Nakamura-san," he nodded with a polite smile, waiting for her to give the command.
"I hope they do not only enjoy their pastime with looking out of the windows, even though, and especially from this location, it is a view to behold."
With only about an hour left to enjoy, they hurried their way towards the wide corridors of the station, and stepped on the conveyors that would speed them towards their destination.
Unlike the cheerful start of their day a couple of hours ago, Jiro and Teta walked towards the hangar bay with a strange silence. Both were avoiding any eye contact, and Jiro especially looked down. His mind was in a chaos, his thoughts were out of his control. He was trying to keep this chaos within, but the disappearance of his usual energetic nature was enough to make it obvious that something is wrong.
The silence elongated for a very long while until they reached the busier parts of the station, now able to hear the engines of the ships in the docks and the voices of the crowd. A large, arched entrance led to the hangars, probably the least laziest part of Nansei, still nothing compared to their usual station on New Tokyo.
A couple of transports were being loaded up some cargo by the farthest corner of the docks, out of sight and undisturbed. Metal barrels were lined up next to them on howering platforms, all had 'caution' warnings on them with extremely visible orange and black markings. The Samura logo was even more apparent.
Closer to the entrance were a crowd of naval pilots and a dozen of chimaeras lined up on the docking pads very neatly. The pilots were either tending to their ships, chatting up amongst themselves or with the engineers and the dock workers; some pointing out their concerns about their ships as their final checks were being made.
While the crowd tended to their business, about a dozen men and women in their black armors stood watch by the entrance or were spread around the docks, emblazoned with silver on their hats and their backs, 'Security'. Most of them either looked really bored as they were in their lonely spots, some were drinking coffee and trying to stay awake, and some others were laughing about and were in a very deep conversation, not bothered by anything around themselves.
Everything looked okay to everyone... Today there wouldn't be any trouble like all the other days before this one.
Jiro was somehow glad that they finally reached the docks, unaware of how long they walked in total silence with Teta. His ship was there among the other chimaeras, and now he had to tend to it a bit; an excuse most welcome to leave Teta's side even if for little a bit. Shin would be around as well, probably, he hoped, more reason to not having to look Teta in the eyes for a while.
"I... uh... Gotta check up on my ship, Nakamura-san..." Jiro said to her, motioning his hand towards the general direction of his ship. He spoke for the first time after probably about 15 long minutes, and before that, they mostly communicated with small, simple sentences. Acting like this made his heart ache a bit, it was really tough. But he hoped to lose his thoughts and recover himself by concentrating on other things for a while. He was kind of aware that Teta also needed this rest, even more than himself.
"We are entering Nansei space, commander." said the executive officer as the Hiuchi was approaching the research facility.
Shimizu Tetsu nodded.
"Contact the station."
"Hai!" replied eagerly the officer. After a few seconds, he nodded to Shimizu, meaning audio contact was established.
After a silent sigh, Shimzu spoke while crossing his arms on his chest.
"Nansei research facility, this is KDS-Hiuchi. We're on a supply mission to your base, requesting permission to dock, over."
As the allowance from the station soon followed, the transport slowly positioned itself against the station, connecting his massive airlocks to the ones of the station docks.
Tetsuo already left the bridge and he was among the firsts to step on the docks.
He absent mindedly watched his crew unloading the supplies.
"Is there any business you have on Nansei, commander?" asked someone in his back.
Tetsuo turned to a man and dryly replied :
"Iie. Some men just wanted to get some rest before our next mission. We have been on operation since a while..."
He kept chating casually with the dock administrator, while observing the docks. And, as his crew almost finishing loading and unloading the supplies, he finally took leave of the officer and headed to the station's bar...
"Time to party." said Junko while staring at the other rebels.
She then glanced at Ishikawa, and, noticing his over serious and concerned expression, she added :
"Lead the way, boss. I'm covering your bottom."
However, he merely nodded and quietly said :
"You know what we're here for. Act unsuspiscious, unload the cargo and get into position to secure the ships. I'll get to the control center and shut off access to the other parts of the station. And then we'll just have to get out of here.."
As the commando members were nodding or grunting to mark their agreement, he turned around and tried to put a carefree look on his face while walking into the hangar.
Junko was following him with the avionics tech worker she dressed with while they were being carried to Nansei.
"Should go just fine... Granted we don't meet any friends along the way..." mumbled the woman between her teeth while glancing around.
Ishikawa right away noticed the chimaeras sitting in the docks.
Just like they had expected.
Some where without supervision while others were tended to by their pilots. They would have to be neutralised. The small hangar security staff was mostly unattentive, being bored by this routine work.
A small data pad in his hand he walked towards the office of hangar supervision, while looking at what his team was doing from time to time.