A brief notice about the Kempeitai Agency and it's recent story.
The Kempeitai Agency has always struggled for retaining its position within the newly founded Republic, stemming from the many cases of restructuring, lack of channels within the Republican decision-making circles, and a latent resentment of the change of status of Kusari following the loss against Gallia.
For a few years, the Kempeitai has tried to reorganize itself, from being a counterforce to the KNF influence in the republic, to making efforts of expanding it's personal alliances with outsider organizations while keeping others from intruding into Kusari and its society.
While many in the Agency had their doubts and opposition regarding the imperial cause of the Exiles, the desire to an imperial restoration found a strong following in the upper echelons of the Agency, as it entered the last months of the year 822 After Settlement.
Trough some old contacts within the Exiles, and keeping it's plans secret from most of the Agency but some trusted chiefs, one of the Directors of the General Intelligence Directorate, Amagaoka Hiroshi, staged a series of operations to aid the return of the Exiles and the other Imperial forces to power. On the same level, Amagaoka, also known as Tenmon, plotted the defection of the whole Agency into the Imperial side, with terrible consequences to the Republic and its defenders.
While the Director plans were extensive, they were not without flaws, and when the time came to uproot the Agency into the Imperial field, there were cases of opposition. Whole sections and regional quarters felt that the Agency plan and the Imperial cause were righteous, just as there were others who thought that abandoning the Republic was a deceitful act against their homeland, and the ideals of serving the people would be the compass which they should guide themselves.
While the first fractures of the Agency started to show on the day of the Battle of Nagumo (January 3rd, 823A.S.), it was Tenmon Declaration (//to be posted) a week after the event, calling all agents to submit to the Imperial authority and aid their cause, that made the breaking point for the Agency.
OORP:
[This thread is open to any and all players of the Kempeitai who wish to tell the tale of their agents, as they faced this crisis in their organization. You are free to write a short story of your Imperial or Republican aligned character, and what they did and faced in the times of the Divided Agency.
The Kempeitai probably wont disappear from the records of Kusari history, but will only return to it's place when it is whole again.
Apologies for making it work like in retrospective retelling, instead of an ongoing action story. Time constraints prevented the original plans from unfolding.]
823 A.S. - Date Unknown "Uragirimono!" shouted Kasumi. Crewmen on the bridge stared at her, still unaware of the major event. "So this is why we had no communications with HQ."
Kasumi stood up, staring back at her crewmen. "Agent Fujimoto, ship comms."
She took a deep breath. What Kasumi was about to announce had the potential to bring chaos aboard the Yugekiki-50, but a good commander has to have faith in her crew. "All crew, this your acting Commander, Senior Agent Mizuko speaking. Today, our lives have been changed forever."
She paused, staring at her XO. "HQ has betrayed us. Our silent operation in the Omicrons has caused a large delay in the delivery of a critical transmission. We're ordered to regroup and side with Imperial forces in the Kyushu system."
The situation on the bridge was tense. The crew had no idea what Kasumi's decision was and the situation had the potential to become explosive any second. "I feel ashamed by this decision. We have lost so much under the poor guidance of the Imperial regime, but yet HQ ask us to trust those who brought Kusari on its knees once more. I refuse to be part of this. I refuse to be a pawn of this masquerade. For those of you who wish to obey this order, make yourself known immediatly and you may freely leave. You will not be stopped. For those of you who wish to remain under my command, then know you are welcome."
Kasumi glanced at her bridge officers. There was nothing but a killing silence. "I stand by your side, Kuma." said the XO, saluting afterwards. "Hai." chained the Communications officer. "Engineering stands with you." resolutely said the Chief Engineer.
"Then united we shall remain. Agent Fujimoto, send a transmission on the Panda channel. Tell everyone to meet us in Hiroshima. Full speed ahead." "Setting course for Hiroshima, maximum speed!" "We are taking back our ship."
The events that started at the beginning of 223 A.S. were shocking and demoralizing for the angent of Kempeitai Toshiki Hattori also known under callsing "Gal Gryphon". He was a person who used to fell non less than admiration to exiles Imperial fleet in one moment was just horrified when heared the news about the invasion in Kyushu system. Long time ago Toshiki got used to the idea that Blood Dragon and Golden Сhrysanthemums are not perfect kusarians, they chose the wrong way of terror and crimes so they deserved their deaths.
But this... this is was different, because he perfectly knew that on the both sides of the front there, right now are officers of the same Naval Forces. Same in the past, of coruse, but in his views both Republican and Imperial Naval forces are still Kusarians, not the criminals, not the terrorists. From this moment we wondered only how such order, order to attack Kusari could even apper in the heads of exile admiralty. And there is only one answer came hour after the hour "They have lost their mind, they are mad". He simply was not able to find intelligible cause of the beginning of the war between the Kusarians, it was easier to believe that someone just went to madness. But what about those who following those orders, are they lost their mind as well? Is this a massive type of insanity?
Other this he was sure in that true Kusarian will never attack other Kusarians without a good reason. He did not find populistic exile proclamations and propaganda convincing enough to justify it. It only meant that exiles are the enemy, enemy who came with war, enemy who brought blood, grief and destruction to their Homespace. In line with his clear and simple logic Toshiki supported the Republican side of the conflict.He did not even wondered when learned that HQ had defected, he knew some of those people and their choice was obvious to him. Yes, this is hard to live with the knowledge that beyond the frontline, on the enemy side are your literally yesterdays friends and colleagues, but he has a permanent feeling that he have to live and struggle for the better future and freedom of beloved Kusari.
Sometime during January of 823A.S. , a general broadcast within the Kempeitai Agency Network revealed the bold decision of the General Intelligence Directorate in defecting the Kempeitai forces to the cause of Emperor Tetsuya and the Imperial Guard, commonly known as the Exiles. This Broadcast, afterwards known as the Tenmon Declaration, plunged the Agency into a fracturing caos. While loyalist groups had been ordered beforehand to prepare to sabotage the republican efforts, or evacuate with critical assets and intel of the Kempeitai, the units and agents deemed loyal to the Republic were gradually isolated and cut off from the Agency former installations and networks, if not becoming targets of assaults by their former colleagues.
User ID: Accepted
Initiating secure comms, KPTI763 encryption
Time: XX/01/823 A.S. (several days after the Battle of Nagumo)
Transmission in progress.
Tenmon
Honourable colleagues of our great institution, the Kempeitai. I bring to you on this day a most important message, one that will change our status in the noble House of Kusari, and bestow us with a new, strong and important purpose.
The Kempeitai has always been the underhand of Kusari, serving with generations and generations of dedicated men and women the great interests of the House, of it's most unifying ambitions.
To protect the people of Kusari, to uphold the will of the ruler, to carve the name of their will in the places where the light doesn't shine and the law or honour is not revered. It has been our duties for so long.
However, the changes that Kusari has suffered, that it was subjected to by greedy and foreign hands that defied the will of the Emperor Kogen, glory upon his soul and name, and aided by less than virtuous men at home, has left the once most exalted House of Kusari a mere shadow, a pale light.
Kusari, which stood hundreds of years unseen to the foreign eye, and unblemished by the gaijin taint. Kusari, which stood valiantly against those deceived by the Alien trickery. Kusari, which as you know, is fighting for evermore towards the great victory against the destroyer of men and corrupters of souls.
Kusari, who defeated the proud Bretonians, and stopped their misguided quest for the Taus.
Kusari, who was stabbed in the back by these strangers from Gallia, and tripped by those who you now know as "founders of the Republic".
It is not a fate suitable for Kusari. It is not a fate that kusarians must endure, that they must suffer. It is not, and there is a man, a most noble man amongst our noble people, that has decided to reclaim our Fate.
The exiled forces of the Kusari mightiest armies have protected and gathered our righteous leader, Emperor Tetsuya, first of his line, to oppose this fate, and it is by his will that men and women of Kusari rise everyday to defy the foreign will, this alien fate that has descended upon us.
The Imperial Forces have made the first steps towards reclaiming the rule of Kusari. It is time that we make our first steps as well.
For the past weeks our most loyal subjects of the Emperor have been relocating our forces to head out and aid the restoration movement. Many will now fight alongside our comrades in the Imperial Armies, and supporting the just cause.
What could not be moved or risked being taken to the advantage of our new enemies has been disabled, and we hope that our time to retake what we sacrifice will be short.
There are those who have not been deemed trustworthy to join the Agency in our cause, and they will find themselves chased out, and rendered powerless. To those who find themselves in this situation, show us your dedication to the Emperor, and you may be reunited with your brothers. To those who decide to defy it's will, may your demise by swift and effortless.
A new dawn has risen in Kusari. It's august Sun has risen once again, in the west. We shall clear a path to His throne.
Tennou Heika no tame ni, Wareware wa Tatakaimasu.
Kusari no Teikoku Banzai!
Amagaoka Hiroshi, [Tenmon]
General Intelligence Directorate, Kempeitai Imperial Forces.
Maya woke up with a sense of frustration clouding her mind right at the first instant. Three days had passed since the "defection" and the failed attempt of Maya to attempt a reversal of the situation in New Tokyo.
Like many other agents who had been dismissed by the inner circles of the KPT, Maya had been caught by surprise along with the rest of Kusari, and like many of those operating in the Honshu region, the KNF acted faster than the Agency, and she was detained by the Tokkeitai while in transit to the Capital.
"Never thought that having a forced shore leave would turn this boring... I wonder how many of the crew will be allowed to return to duty after all this detainment." she uttered in her solitary cell.
Being a mid-ranked captured agent most likely had put a great deal of interest on top of her. The Tokkeitai had not been hostile so far, but their questioning had been taking hours every day, and they hadn't decided to use more forceful methods to get any incriminating evidence of the Agency plans. Maya knew that some influences of her past were at work here, otherwise the Tokkeitai wouldn't be this hesitant.
First Officer Ito and the other crew members had been taken to the common cells of the Kempeitai Quarters in Planet Honshu, taken over by the KNF after a few shoot-outs, and currently being used to incarcerate it's previous occupants that had not ran away or died resisting the Naval Forces furious containment efforts of the Agency in the core systems of the House.
A signal chimed from the door of the cell, announcing the impending entry of someone. The Tokkeitai had taken some time today to decide on coming to continue their interrogation, it seems.
Who appeared at the door however, was not a Tokkeitai, but nonetheless an expected visitor. If the KPT were still in control of the place, he would never come to the place.
A retired KNF commander and former head of one of the last noble families of Honshu that had survived until the Republic, Minato Ootomo was accompanied by a staff officer of the Naval Forces. His dignified look did not show any changes when he laid eyes upon his daughter, dressed in prisoner clothing and with a bed hair.
Maya likewise showed no surprise or relief with the appearance of her father among the KNF, although inside she had become genuinely concerned about the idea of the Tokkeitai using her father to pressure her into some position of sorts. She remained silent, waiting for her father or the officer to speak up.
The aged man observed the daughter attentively, then approached the barren desk inside the room and pulled the chair to sit.
"You seem to be in good condition, Maya. Was afraid you be climbing up the walls by now, considering your aversion to confinement. Maybe you have matured while in service of the Agency."
"Well, I did work with more supervision and rules here and there. My father seems to still enjoy some good connections with the admiralty. Those annual dinner parties still keep you in the loop."
"Even if I don't show any interest in them, there are still a few that wish to have me in their meeting pictures, for a matter of nostalgia and reputation. Mostly.
Today is not to trade jabs at each other though, Maya." he said, motioning her to sit on the bed and listen.
"The Kempeitai has been indicted for treason by the Republic. From what I've gathered, most of the upper circles has been linked with evidence of conspiracy with the Imperial agencies. Director Imari of the Honshu branch has died while trying to escape to some imperialist position in the sigmas."
Maya was apprehensive. "So even here there were traitors. My perception to deceit has not improved at all since the last time you instructed me, father."
"The traitors were well established in the majority of the works of the Agency, no doubt the result of the Directorate will. Most of the lower circles seem to be largely untouched by the imperial sentiment, at least in Honshu."
"Relocations were frequent within the Agency, I'm sure they would have liked to use the units with the least probability of deserting to commit some sort of commotion on the eastern borders, hadn't they been pre-empted by the Imperial advance."
Minato nodded. He seemed interested in approaching another topic of the conversation, has he received a pad from the officer and read through a few files.
"On the case of the destroyer you commanded Maya, it seems you were one of the lucky few. Other than a few discharges due to irregularities in their records, and a 6 detentions for suspicions of conspiracy, most of the crew has been acquitted of the suspicions laid upon them, and renounced their links to the Kempeitai after the desertion.
A few have already filed requests to be transferred to the Naval Forces or to the planetary garrisons, but most of them are... "awaiting orders", so to speak.
They, and the Tokkeitai, want to hear about your final decision. As you know, I would be happy that you could rejoin the Naval Forces, even if with a rank hit. Having you out of these intelligence business and back to the tried and true traditions of the Naval Forces would make me more at ease."
"... I see, father." Maya said, understanding the concerns of the other side. He was trying to use his influence to have her slip silently back into the Naval Forces, which she had left years ago, without making waves or drawing bad rumours to their family.
"The Naval Forces will need all the officers they can get to deal with this crisis. However, my time at the Kempeitai, and its ultimate fate, tell me that the Republic also needs other methods to secure itself. The Naval Forces are not enough to deal with the new troubles of Kusari."
With a bow, she pleaded
"My commitment to Kusari and the Republic is without gaps. However, I ask thy, father, to have them consider me and my comrades for a service to the Republic outside of the KNF. I believe that would be a risky but necessary decision to secure our Nation."
The elder Ootomo stood silent after hearing the response of his daughter. Seeing the determination in her eyes as she raised her head again, the man gave a faint nod, a hint of sadness in his features. He raised from the chair and walked to the door.
Before leaving, he turned back to the prisoner, his dignified manner all but reasserted.
"I have seen that your determination and the teachings of our house still burn brightly in your heart, Maya.
I will inform them that you still remain a loyal warrior of the Republic. However, do not place your hopes in having your wishes fulfilled by the KNF or the Ministry of Defence. At least, do not count with my support for it."
Minato turned again to the the door and stepped out.
"You will receive your orders within the week. Good luck after that."
The door closed, and Maya let out a sigh of relief. Talks with her father were always a stiff exercise, one that put a toll on her as big as the command of a whole division.