Cyber Shogun Revolution

by Peter Tieryas

  “Why, sir?”

  “Cadets are the lifeline of the Empire. I believe our education system needs reform and I want you to work on changing the system to find better ways of nurturing talent, as well as finding it. I don’t want to perpetuate a hereditary system that gives advantages to those who are already wealthy. I want to find the best potential cadets and I believe an officer with your sense of candor can make it happen.”

  “Understood, sir.”

  “Good. I have a meeting in five minutes, but travel the country and give me a plan with your recommendations on how to improve matters in, say, two weeks?”

  It looked like the governor had concluded his business with her. But Reiko remembered her conversation with Daniela and knew she had more to discuss with him.

  “Is there something else, Captain?” the governor, noticing her tarrying, inquired.

  “Yes, sir,” she said. “It’s about some of the arrests that have been happening over the past month.”

  “What about them?”

  “Some of those imprisoned were loyal citizens doing their duty. Even if they weren’t fans of the late governor—”

  “You don’t need to say any more.” He searched cautiously for his next words. “Let’s just say some of the Sons of War have gotten carried away with their desire to purge the ranks. I assure you we’re addressing the matter.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  The captain bowed and exited.

  Her first official duty after joining the Education Department was to attend a hanging. The previous minister of education was being executed for laundering funds and misusing her powers to help her friends earn money by exploiting students. Because of the minister’s ignoble actions, she would not be allowed the honor of committing ritual suicide.

  Reiko found a plausible excuse to skip the execution. She was too busy traveling, meeting with school administrators, principals, and teachers, trying to get a gauge on what steps they’d like to see implemented. Much of it came down to basics. Better pay for teachers and smaller numbers of students per classroom, a relationship that was connected to higher compensation that would attract more teachers. She was amused when she arrived at Yukichi Fukuzawa High School and was given a student parade with three hundred members. Their band was very good and played several popular songs to which the group had perfectly synchronized their march.

  “Wait, is this for me?” she’d asked the principal.

  “It’s for you and the office you represent,” she was told.

  Everywhere she went, people prepared gifts with elaborate wrapping. She turned them all down, not wanting her decisions called into question. She also declined invitations for fancy dining and banquets in her honor, insisting that things were different with the old minister gone.

  Her last stop on her itinerary was out in Dallas, where she had to visit two schools. It was the one-hundred-day mark since the assassination and there was going to be a meeting of the Sons of War to celebrate their success. It was jokingly being called the “unmasking,” as everyone would get to take off their disguise. Being in Dallas Tokai, she did not know most of the forty-six other members, though she knew Daniela was going to be present.

  Daniela, who was wearing the same ghostly mask from before, asked in surprise, “What are you doing here?”

  Reiko too wore the same mask, which was securely strapped to her face for the duration of the meeting. “A mission for the governor,” she replied. “I talked to him briefly about what happened last time.”

  “What’d he say?”

  “He’d look into it.”

  “Look into it?” Daniela stated skeptically.

  “The Sons of War are a big group. Some of the members got carried away.”

  “And it cost people’s lives,” Daniela said.

  Reiko, hearing Daniela raise her voice, whispered, “People lose lives in revolutions.”

  Daniela nodded. “Did you know four members of the corps were executed last week after being accused of treason?”

  “I did not,” Reiko said, as she’d been so busy with her duties.

  “One of them was a student of mine,” Daniela said. “Her crime was that she didn’t bow to one of the ministers in the Sons of War. He interpreted that as treason.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, really. Let’s go talk somewhere else.”

  “After the meeting.”

  “But we—”

  The chimes rang and the meeting was beginning.

  “Afterward,” Reiko said.

  There wasn’t as much pomp for this particular Sons of War gathering. They lit candles to honor those who’d passed away. There was a minute of silence. One of the masked officers, whom Reiko assumed was a senior-ranking member, stood on the platform wearing the mask of an old man with enameled wrinkles. He welcomed everyone.

  “We are aware of all the concerns. I’ve heard of the desire to accelerate the schedule. But we shouldn’t be hasty, especially at this critical juncture. We’ve already attracted the attention of Tokyo Command to an unwanted degree. In order for us to be able to execute the whole plan seamlessly, we have to be extra cautious now and trust the governor.”

  “How long is enough preparation? If we wait too long, we risk losing everything we’ve fought for.”

  “If we move before we’re ready, the revolution will be over before it begins.”

  Reiko listened as they discussed the general outlines of the strategy. She was aware that the reconstruction effort had multiple options that prepared for potential problems. Governor Yamaoka had pored over the mistakes of past revolutions that had failed.

  “What about the rumors that someone has killed seven of our members?” someone asked.

  That caused a sudden commotion as members were troubled by the idea that someone was targeting them. The uncharacteristic break in discipline and silence irritated the leader.

  “We are investigating the matter, but have no reason to believe it had anything to do with the Sons of War. Almost everyone involved is part of the military, and our lives are continually at risk. We have increased security and are trying to determine who is behind it.”

  “Is it Tokyo Command?”

  “Or the Nazis? They’ll strike if they sense weakness.”

  “We’ve been closely monitoring the border. The Nazis are always on heightened alert, but we have no reason to believe they will attack until the dust settles. From what we’ve learned, they have major internal issues going on with Field Marshal Lanser, who is agitating for a shift in national policy.”

  But the questions wouldn’t stop as the members wanted more details about the deaths.

  Suddenly the member in the George Washington mask started laughing. It was an uncomfortably digitized laugh, sounding more like a hoarse robot than a human.

  “What do you find so funny?” the senior official asked.

  “All of you. Do these meetings make you feel better?” Washington asked. “Do they help to ease your conscience, knowing your scruples were satisfied?”

  “You are out of line, sir.”

  “Am I?” the George Washington asked.

  “Who are you?”

  “Don’t you recognize the killer you sent out? I’m the one who cleaned up after your plan flopped.”

  The senior official looked to the security guards. But they were nowhere to be seen. “You’re Bloody Mary?”

  “That’s what some call me,” she replied.

  All masks turned in her direction.

  Suddenly one of the men started screaming. It was an unnatural noise, aggravated by the sound of something happening to his flesh underneath the mask. Other officers began yelling in agony. It took a moment for Reiko to realize that the tactile defense mechanism had been reprogrammed and the needles had been activated, piercing the faces of those w
ho wore them. One man was able to rip the mask off before he expired. His face was a gory pegboard. Most of the others simply fell down dead, their skulls and their faces crushed. Bloody Mary kicked someone in the face, smashing the mask in half. Behind the cracks was an army major Reiko recognized as being in charge of an important armament depot on the Quiet Border. His face had become a scarlet mess.

  One of the members raced at Bloody Mary. He was very tall, muscular, and tried to punch Bloody Mary. She kicked him in the groin, took out a knife, and slashed his throat.

  “The bigger they are, the bloodier they die,” she said as blood sprayed out of him.

  “You’re supposed to be on our side!” a male voice yelled.

  “Which side are you on?” she asked. “All these masks confuse me.”

  Reiko was surrounded by unmoving bodies. Why was she still alive? Reiko was able to take off her mask, which confused and relieved her. She felt stunned by the situation and instinctively searched for Daniela’s wolf mask. It was nowhere in sight. Reiko’s hands went for her gun. Unfortunately, she’d relinquished it earlier in the security check. Her breathing accelerated, but she reminded herself there was still her knife missile in her artificial arm. It was a safety measure she’d installed after Kansas as she never wanted to be caught off guard again. The knife missile was made out of organic polymers to blend with her flesh and even had blood circulating through it as camouflage. Reiko’s fingers pressed against her artificial arm, which had a panel where the knife was stored.

  Bloody Mary turned to her.

  “I wouldn’t do anything rash if I were you,” she warned. “Do you know who I am?”

  “The legendary Nazi killer.”

  “Then you know my rule.”

  “You always leave one survivor,” Reiko said.

  “It’s your lucky day.”

  “You call this lucky?” Reiko shouted. “You killed the governor for us.”

  “Not for you or the Sons of War.”

  “Then who?”

  She didn’t answer.

  “Why have you turned on us?” Reiko demanded.

  “Because I tire of the same cycles. Governor Tamura is dead, Yamaoka takes his place. After Yamaoka is gone, it’ll be another pompous buffoon. The powers that be remain the same.”

  “Governor Yamaoka is different.”

  Bloody Mary laughed and said, “From my vantage point, they’re identical.”

  “What’s your vantage point?”

  “Executioner.”

  Reiko tore away the artificial skin from her arm and ripped two knives from her artificial elbow. The first, she wielded herself, while the second was the knife missile with a portical in it. It observed the trajectory of her eye, analyzed the fighting style of her opponent, and attacked automatically, trying to anticipate the attacks of the target. Drone-like, it was eight inches long and elongated to the length of her elbow.

  Reiko attacked Bloody Mary, charging her and slashing with her knife.

  Bloody Mary raised her arm and blocked, defending herself with her metal gauntlet. Reiko tried to kick Bloody Mary, but her foot collided with Bloody Mary’s chest and made no impact. It was like hitting steel. Bloody Mary took out a knife of her own, a fat blade that looked greedy for flesh. She attacked back, a whirlwind of slashes that took all of Reiko’s effort to avoid. The knife missile chose a terrible time to malfunction as it floated in place without moving and Bloody Mary destroyed it before focusing back on her. Reiko searched for an opening, any hint of vulnerability so she could rush in and thrust the knife into a weak spot. Bloody Mary appeared fully protected, but Reiko was certain there would be a point at her neck which she could penetrate. They exchanged knife blows, the smaller blade clashing against the bigger one. It irritated Reiko that Bloody Mary did not seem to be taking the fight seriously. Her movements were subdued, even as Reiko intensified her attacks. They went back and forth, attacking and retreating, avoiding the corpses on the ground.

  “I told you I always leave one survivor,” Bloody Mary suddenly said, then swung hard with her knife, sundering Reiko’s knife in half.

  Reiko hurtled what was left of her weapon at Bloody Mary’s face. Bloody Mary raised her left arm to deflect it, and Reiko charged her, roundhousing her in the neck.

  Again, Reiko’s foot met solid armor and she stumbled back, her whole leg shaking from the impact. She felt something pierce her shoulder. She looked down and saw a dart sticking out of her.

  “Have you ever killed anyone?” Bloody Mary asked.

  “Of course I have,” Reiko replied as she felt her muscles weakening. Her legs were wobbly and she could barely stand.

  “Then you remember your first kill?”

  “My first kill?”

  It was eerie that Reiko could not see any emotion beyond the George Washington mask. “My first target was a bureaucrat, a portical pusher. They said he was a traitor, spying for the Nazis. I followed him for a week. Got to know everything about him, where he ate, who he talked to. He was a family man, devoted to his children and his wife. But times had been tough and they were heavily in debt. He passed on information to the German embassy every few months to help ends meet. Four of our operatives were killed because of it. After I confirmed his guilt, I forced him to write a suicide note and hung him from the side of a building. A public execution so that everyone could see. But he pleaded with me every step of the way, begged me to let him see his children one last time. I told him it was impossible. He pleaded to at least give them one last call.”

  “Did you let him?”

  The George Washington face turned to stare at Reiko. “Would you want me to spare the traitor who betrayed your meeting?”

  “Traitor?”

  “One of your own betrayed you,” Bloody Mary said.

  Her mind went to Daniela, but Reiko could not believe she’d turn against them no matter what the circumstances. “Who is it?” Reiko asked as she fell to her knees.

  “Does it matter?”

  “You killed him?”

  “Never trust a traitor,” Bloody Mary stated.

  “What do you think you are?” Reiko demanded, her accusation clear.

  “Interesting question, considering you’re all traitors.”

  “We fought to protect the country.”

  “You fought to secure power for yourselves. You killed just as many people, if not more, than Tamura did in his entire reign.”

  “That’s not true.”

  “It is.”

  Reiko remembered Daniela’s words, then wondered again where she was. “Do you have proof?”

  “A stinking trail of corpses.”

  “You say that with so much glee,” Reiko said in disgust.

  “Glee?” Bloody Mary asked, puzzled by the term. “An exterminator doesn’t feel anything killing thousands of roaches.”

  “Humans aren’t roaches,” Reiko stated.

  “You say that with so much disdain,” Bloody Mary said, mirroring Reiko’s earlier words. “But roaches aren’t bad.” Bloody Mary pointed at the dart. “You’ll start feeling dizzy soon. Don’t fight it. It’ll only make it worse when you wake up.”

  “Why even leave a survivor?”

  “So that you can escape to tell them.”

  “Tell who what?” Reiko asked.

  “That I will show everyone the hypocrisy of these Sons of War. My revolution won’t be one of peace, but death.”

  “What revolution? Are you working for the Nazis?”

  Bloody Mary shook her head. “I follow no man’s order.”

  Reiko wanted to attack again. But she was feeling dizzy and before she could protest, she fell unconscious to the ground.

  * * *

  —

  When Reiko woke, she was lying in a hospital bed. Governor Yamaoka was sitting across from her. Th
e governor was staring worriedly at her. She tried to get up to salute him, but he immediately shook his head and said, “At ease.”

  “Governor. Bloody Mary. She . . .”

  Reiko explained everything and anger filled her at the memory of what had transpired. It was as though history had repeated from the Kansas Massacre and she was in a helpless situation yet again from forces outside of her control.

  She suddenly remembered. “What happened to Daniela Takemi?”

  “She was hiding outside the hall.”

  “So she’s alive,” Reiko said in relief.

  “Alive, but with a lot of unanswered questions.”

  “What do you mean?” she asked. She had been confounded by security’s failure to detect the intruder. The governor’s tone insinuated there was more to Daniela’s disappearance than just a bathroom stop.

  “Right now, she’s in a state of trauma. We’re focused on her well-being.”

  “Was she somehow involved with the attack?”

  “Probably not intentionally. But we’re still trying to determine what happened.”

  “Will she be okay?”

  “Yes. But leave her to us for now,” the governor ordered firmly. She wanted to ask further, but realized from his tone it’d be better to wait. “The death of our compatriots is a terrible tragedy,” he continued, and for a moment, she could hear the pain in his voice, but he suppressed it.

  “I would like to have permission to help lead a force to capture Bloody Mary,” she requested.

  “We will deal with this Bloody Mary as soon as we can. But right now, we have to be prudent. I can’t make a move because there is a bigger end goal in sight.”

  Reiko was taken off guard by his comment. “Sir?” she asked, partly to confirm she’d heard right.

  “The Nazis are already starting to rebuild their Hitler statue at Texarkana Fortress. But this time, it’s bigger. They’re prepared for an attack. The political upheaval over the past few months means we need to be very careful about any missions involving Bloody Mary. We will exploit it to our advantage. But sometimes, the best way to kill an enemy is to sic another foe on it.”