Ronin Born

by Percival Constantine

  It had been uninhabited since 1969, but it had remained a popular destination for fishermen, divers, and explorers. At least until several years earlier, when it had been purchased from the government through Yoshida shell companies and declared private property.

  Erika looked out the window in the rear of the small prop plane. Miyata had arranged for a smuggler to transport them close enough to the island and from there, they were on their own. They flew low the whole way to remain under radar. And she could see the peak of Mt. Taihei, which was the tallest point on the island breaking over the horizon. She took a deep breath and looked at Masao, who seemed utterly calm and at ease.

  “Are you ready for this?” she asked.

  Masao gave her a look of surprise. “Am I ready? Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”

  “Maybe. Just nervous about whether or not Miyata’s as good as he claims. Because if it turns out that he couldn’t prevent the Tokkei from tracking us, then…”

  Masao grinned. “Give it a try.”

  Erika took a deep breath and tapped the nanite container. She closed her eyes as she felt them flow across her body and once the armor was deployed, she opened them again. When she looked down at herself, she was surprised to see that the configuration had changed.

  “It’s red?” she asked.

  “Just a slight change, but enough to signal that we’re not Tokkei,” said Masao. “The rest of the armor’s capabilities should be working just fine.”

  “Well, almost fine.”

  Erika heard a voice through the implants in her ears and an image of Himiko appeared on her AR-HUD.

  “What does that mean?” asked Erika.

  “You’re cut off from the Tokkei database, so you won’t be able to access any of their records,” said Himiko. “Giving you access to their systems might mean they could backtrace. Regardless of how well the data is encrypted, best not to take the risk.”

  “So what if we need some intel?” asked Erika.

  “That’s what I’m here for. I’m your contact point with the outside world.”

  “You ever do anything like this before?” Erika asked Masao.

  “Up until this point, it’s mostly been passing intel. This is the first time I’m going into a combat situation on behalf of the group.”

  “So we’re both new to this.” In some ways, that idea was comforting to her. At least her and Masao were on the same page. On the other hand, she felt some trepidation going in without anyone who had experience in this sort of operation. Was there even any guarantee that the armor was invulnerable to Tokkei manipulation?

  “We’re getting close to the drop!” the pilot called from the front of the plane.

  Masao activated his armor as well and went to the rear door. He pulled it open and they looked at the dark water whipping below. They didn’t have time to wait. Masao looked at Erika and gestured to the open door.

  “Ladies first,” he said.

  “Aren’t you the gentlemen…”

  Erika took position at the open door. She looked at Masao and he nodded. After returning the nod, Erika dove from the plane, head-first. The AR-HUD displayed the distance from the water, closing in fast, and she broke through the surface.

  She looked around the underwater landscape, her nightvision activating to allow her to see clearly in the darkness. A moment later, Masao crashed through the surface.

  “How are we on comms?” he asked. “You hear me?”

  “You’re coming in loud and clear,” she replied. “And me?”

  Masao gave a thumbs-up.

  Their armor was water-tight and had a limited supply of oxygen. It was enough for them to approach the island unseen and begin their infiltration of the compound. Their HUDs displayed a topographical map of the area, indicating their presence in the ocean and their destination. The northwestern coast offered the easiest point of entry onto the island, and that’s where they were headed.

  They reached the rocky shore without problem and emerged from the water. The rocks sloped up into a tree-dotted mountainside leading all the way up to the summit. But the scans were returning no signs.

  “This can’t be right…” she muttered.

  “What’s wrong?” asked Masao.

  “The scanners aren’t picking up anything. No life signs, no energy signatures, nothing.”

  “You’re sure it wasn’t the larger Hachijo?”

  “Positive, wouldn’t forget something like that,” said Erika.

  “Maybe the guy was wrong,” he said, then changed tactics. “Himiko, any ideas?”

  “We can’t get any sense of what’s happening on the island. Been trying to get a better view with satellites, but we haven’t seen a damn thing. For all intents and purposes, this place looks abandoned.”

  “This can’t just be a total bust,” said Erika. “We didn’t come all the way here for nothing.”

  “We gotta check the island. First, let’s try and get a better picture of it.”

  Masao’s kabuto—or the outer portion of the helmet—detached itself from his head and reconfigured itself into a small drone. Without the kabuto, all he was left with was the mengu armor that covered his face and stretched all around his head.

  The drone-helmet flew away from them, fading into the darkness as it began to approach the mountain. Erika wasn’t aware that the armor had a built-in drone, but then there were still a lot of things she didn’t know about this suit. Later, she would have to ask Miyata to give her a full tutorial of all its systems.

  She caught herself on that. Later? This was supposed to be a one-time thing. Once her and Masao captured the necessary footage proving what Yoshida was up to at this facility, that would be it. She’d leave Miyata and the rest of his rebellion behind, put in for a transfer, and then once she completed her term of duty, she’d retire from the government and go into the private sector.

  “Anything interesting?” she asked Masao after several moments of silence.

  Masao shook his head. “Nothing yet. I don’t get it. We know Yoshida owns this island through shell companies, we know it’s been shut down from any visitation, but I’m not seeing anything here. Not even a port.” He cast his gaze in Erika’s direction. “Didn’t Takahashi tell you that they brought them here by boat?”

  “Yeah, he did,” said Erika.

  “So if they’re bringing people in by boat, where do they dock? You figure it’d have to be a decent-sized craft, but there’s no infrastructure for that. And it doesn’t seem likely that they anchor offshore and then bring people in by raft.”

  “No, you’re right…” Erika looked down at the dark water. Nothing showed up on Himiko’s satellite imagery and Masao’s drone couldn’t turn up anything of note, either. There had to be something else.

  A thought occurred to her. Erika went to the edge of the rocky shore and dove back into the water. She started circling the island, relying on her armor’s sensors to make sure she didn’t lose her place.

  “What are you doing?” asked Masao over their comms.

  “What if it’s not a boat?” asked Erika.

  “What?”

  “No dock, nothing visible on the surface, and this is an extinct volcano,” said Erika. “What if everything is hidden under the surface?”

  “Hey, Kuroki, I’m glad you’re thinkin’ outside the box,” came Himiko’s voice, “but try not to go off the reservation here, okay?”

  “What other option is there?” asked Erika. “There’s something here, I’m sure of it.”

  “Oh god, I feel like I’m taking crazy pills…” muttered Himiko.

  “Erika, you’re sure about this?” asked Masao.

  “Not sure, but I have to check it out.”

  Masao said nothing for a few moments and then he responded with, “Okay, but don’t take too much time. The suit’s got a limited oxygen supply.”

  Erika was aware of that as she swam through the water. She continued going lower, then circled around the length of the island. So
on, she would have to emerge to replenish her oxygen supply. And she was worried about possibly being spotted by something.

  But then, her armor alerted her to something behind her. Erika retreated, finding a cove to conceal herself. She could see lights off in the distance, moving across the landscape. She focused her sights and zoomed in on the craft.

  “Himiko, are you seeing this?” she whispered.

  “Is…is that…a submarine?”

  “Just what I suspected,” said Erika. “It’s not what’s on the surface that matters, but what’s underneath. They’ve been ferrying these people via sub into a complex hidden inside the remnants of the volcano.”

  22

  Erika moved closer towards the oncoming sub as it traversed the ocean floor. She was careful to avoid falling into the path of its lights. But being detected wasn’t the only thing she had to worry about. An alert began flashing on her AR-HUD, warning that her armor’s limited oxygen supply was at risk of depletion.

  “Kuroki, you’ve got to surface. That suit’s not equipped to stay submerged for that long,” said Himiko over the comms.

  “Then stop talking to me so I don’t have to waste oxygen to respond,” said Erika.

  On her AR-HUD, she could see Himiko’s exasperated frown. She understood why the hacker was worried about her, but she was also worried that if there was some hidden entrance, this might be her only chance to get inside the compound.

  Fortunately, there were larger creatures beneath the ocean than her. She was unlikely to be picked up by the submarine’s radar. And even if it did, her presence would likely be dismissed as just a big fish. But she had to make sure she got inside.

  As the submarine passed, Erika followed it, moving into its wake. The alert continued to flash, warning that now, only 15% of her oxygen supply remained.

  The sub’s wake made it difficult to press forward. Its propulsion made her kick twice as hard to advance the same distance. With the increased physical activity, her muscles demanded more oxygen to keep up. And that just depleted her supply even further.

  The display now read 12%. The vertical bar that represented her oxygen supply was low and red, continuing to flash warnings at her. She could see the image Himiko’s frightened expression in the upper righthand corner of her AR-HUD.

  Erika tried to ignore both of them. If she allowed herself to lose her cool, if she fell into fear’s grip, there would be no escape. Her body would quickly use up what remained of the oxygen supply.

  There was only one choice left. It was one she had been against because it could draw unwanted attention from the submarine’s sensors. But that had now become a risk she had to take if she was going to survive.

  Erika activated the thrusters on her suit, pushing her forward through the water. She streaked directly for the sub, leaving her own wake. The thrusters were good for boosts on land and in sea, but they were meant for short, quick bursts to gain an advantage. Like the suit’s oxygen, they weren’t built for sustained use and the power levels were dropping. But all she needed was to get within reach…Erika extended her arm, her fingers stretching as far as they could to try and find purchase…

  And then…

  Success!

  Her fingers touched the side of the sub and the nanites adhered to its surface. Erika pulled her free hand towards the sub and set it in place, so now the nanites had cemented both hands to its surface.

  7% oxygen left. Erika closed her eyes and controlled her breathing. Slow, deep breaths. She had to lower her heart rate and keep her breathing in check. Each breath had to be an essential one. And she had to just hope that they reached the complex before her oxygen ran out.

  It was now down to 4%. The oxygen had grown thin and with each passing moment, that only got worse. A feeling of lightheadedness started to overtake her, but she wouldn’t allow herself to panic.

  2% left. This was it. She was on her last legs.

  Erika took a deep breath and held it in, the last breath the suit was capable of providing. She had never really been a believer in the Shinto gods, but now she found herself praying for their deliverance.

  The sub’s forward movement halted. Erika opened her eyes and looked to the craft’s rear. A pair of mechanized doors were now sliding shut behind them. And the sub began to rise. She could see the surface of the water, but if she emerged too quickly, there was risk of discovery.

  Gotta chance it… she thought as she activated her thrusters to push her through the surface. Erika’s head burst through the water and her suit responded automatically to the presence of oxygen, allowing air into the armor. Erika breathed deeply and saw the oxygen bar slowly refilling.

  Her sensors began picking up movement. She had to get out of the water. Erika raised her arm and a piton attached to a cable fired from her gauntlet. It found purchase in the ceiling above and once it was secure, Erika retracted the cable and she rapidly ascended up into the darkness overhead. She found a spot right above the docked sub, crouching low to perch on one of the rafters, her curved back almost pressed against the ceiling.

  The submarine now rested in a pool of water. A gangway extended from a space breaking the guardrails as a group of people emerged from an adjoining doorway, moving towards the sub. The gangway made contact and a door opened on the sub. All the people in the room wore non-descript work uniforms with balaclavas hiding their faces.

  “Himiko, are you getting this?”

  “Yeah, I see ’em,” said Himiko. “Stay hidden.”

  A man emerged from the sub, moving down the gangway and onto solid ground. He nodded to people that met him upon disembarkation, then turned to face the sub. There were shouts in English of “Go! Go!”

  One by one, people emerged from the ship. Erika activated the visual receptors’ binocular vision and they zoomed in on the people. They were older or in an infirm state.

  “It’s just as Takahashi said…” she muttered in a low whisper. “He told me they kept a few for their own experiments, but that most were brought here. Older people, those with disabilities…it’s all true…”

  “I know it’s hard,” Himiko’s voice had lost some of its edge, “but this isn’t enough. We need footage of what’s going on here.”

  Erika swallowed her emotions and gave a nod. “You’re right. Masao, what’s your location?”

  “I’ve been scouting the area trying to find another way in, but haven’t found anything yet.”

  “Can you come in the same way I did?” she asked.

  “Probably not,” said Himiko. “You got lucky with that sub. But I watched the footage from your suit and I saw those doors looked pretty thick. Even if Masao’s sword could cut through it, he’d run out of oxygen first.”

  “I can’t leave her alone in there,” said Masao.

  “I agree and I’m not saying you should,” said Himiko. “But I’ve got an idea.”

  “What do you suggest?” asked Erika.

  “Place like this has to have some sort of security control center. If you can find it, then not only could you give Masao a way in, but you can also disable any systems that might get in your way and download a map of the compound,” said Himiko. “Basically, it’d make everything go a lot smoother.”

  “Right, if I can find it,” said Erika. “Masao, just sit tight and stay hidden. Even though we didn’t see anything on the surface, that doesn’t mean there isn’t the possibility of some kind of patrol.”

  “Gotcha. Don’t leave me waiting too long, Kuroki. I get antsy.”

  “Kuroki, look around the room. Slowly,” said Himiko. “I need to see if there’s some way out of there. Other than the public exit.”

  “What about these people?” asked Erika.

  “Much as it sucks to say, you can’t help them right now. You show yourself, the place goes on lockdown and sends all their security after you. And we have no idea just how powerful that security would be.”

  Erika sighed. She felt somewhat ineffective, but she knew Himiko was right.
Slowly, Erika turned her head, trying to notice every single nook and cranny, finding some potential exit.

  “Wait, go back,” said Himiko. “Look down just a bit and to your left.”

  Erika did as she was told. In the corner of her AR-HUD, Himiko’s face was replaced by a replay of what she had recorded from Erika’s suit. A small part was highlighted by Himiko. Erika looked in realtime and zoomed in.

  “It’s a vent,” said Himiko.

  “Can I even fit in there?”

  “Only one way to find out. But you gotta do it quietly. Don’t know how long it will take for them to empty that sub and we don’t want to waste time.”

  She was right. The rafters were a bit too close to the ceiling to easily move around, so Erika would have to cross by jumping. She dropped from the rafter and grabbed it. Erika swung a few times before releasing her grip. She moved across the distance and grabbed the next rafter, pausing for a moment and waiting to see if there was any recognition from below.

  None of them looked up.

  Erika took a breath, then swung, released, and flew to the next rafter. Now that she was beginning to get the hang of it, she moved with more freedom. Still, she didn’t let herself get cocky, trying to maintain some degree of patience. Moving too fast might generate enough noise to draw unwanted attention. But if she was too slow, then every moment she stayed in one place would also increase the risk of discovery. Maintaining a balance between the two was most important.

  Voices rose up from below. Erika froze and pulled herself up to the rafters. She squeezed between the beam and the ceiling, staring down with bated breath. One of the prisoners had stumbled and fallen while disembarking and now they were shouting at him. He was an old man, probably well into his eighties or nineties, and clearly had difficulty moving. But that didn’t stop the masked enforcers from violently pulling him to his feet and shouting insults in a mixture of English and Japanese.