“Where do you want to grab food tonight?”
“Something I need to talk with you about first.”
“Sure, sure.”
We go inside. She takes off her jacket and asks, “Do you want some tea?”
“Thanks.”
She turns on a tea burner, which slowly fills the room with the aroma of green tea. “What’d you want to talk about?” she asks as she takes a seat.
“I wa—”
There’s a knock at the door, which catches both of us off guard.
“Housekeeping,” a voice calls.
“Housekeeping?” she says, puzzled.
“Your dorm is scheduled for a cleanup.”
Griselda looks at me and shrugs. As soon as she opens the door, a man rushes in with a broom. From the broom’s edge, a blade pops out. He’s about to stab Griselda, but I pick up her teacup and throw it at him. He blocks it. I grab the lamp and attack. But the lamp breaks like brittle glass when it collides with his arm. He punches me, and I swear it’s like he’s hitting me with a metal cane. I get thrown to the floor. I look around and see Griselda’s baseball bat. Just as he’s about to hit me again, I grab the bat and block. The bat gets dented badly. Is he superhuman? Or are his arms robotic? He hurls the bat away and is about to smash my head in when Griselda grabs his arm from behind. She has as much strength as he does, which makes no sense. Unless her arms are artificial as well. She starts pounding his face until he falls to the ground.
“Who sent you?” she demands.
He refuses to speak.
I’m surprised by the turn of events, but more by the sight of his metallic arm with loose wires, which looks identical to Hideki’s arm. She punches the assailant in the face, rendering him unconscious.
“We’re in danger,” she says.
“Are they German spies?”
She looks at the artificial arm. “Very possibly.”
“I’ve heard that Dr. Shimitsu and her family are missing.”
Griselda’s eyes widen. “We have to get to Dr. Günter. Now.” She sprints out of the apartment, and I chase after her.
“What’s happening?” I yell as I catch up with her.
“If German intelligence got to Dr. Shimitsu, then they know about us, and we’re in danger,” she replies.
“But we’re in BEMA. There’s no way for them to even get here.”
“They could launch a Longinus Strike,” she says.
“What’s that?” I ask, as we run up the stairs and down the hallway.
“The Luftwaffe developed freighter jets that go high up in the atmosphere, travel at supersonic speeds, descend, and drop off their cargo. They could deploy multiple biomechs in a quick and dirty attack on any given target before you could retaliate with atomics.”
“They could use atomics too.”
“They could. But chances are, if they launch a Longinus Strike, it’s to deliver a biomech so they can retrieve something they want.”
“What’s that?”
“I have to ask Dr. Günter.”
“If they attacked, isn’t that a declaration of war?” I ask.
“If they resort to that, it means they don’t care.”
“Dr. Günter is that valuable to them?”
“Yes. Or, not so much the doctor, as any countermeasures the USJ has developed against the biomech. My people would do anything to destroy it.”
“They’re not your people anymore,” I remind her.
As we arrive at the doctor’s dorm, we knock on his door. There’s no answer. Griselda gets her portical and overrides the lock. Inside, we find a dead soldier with his neck snapped.
“That’s Dr. Günter’s personal guard,” she says. She examines his skin. “He hasn’t been dead long. But chances are they have the doctor.”
“Security cameras would catch them, right?”
“Not if they have inside help.”
“What was the deal with the fake arm that guy back there had?”
“It’s Nazi technology.”
“I thought it was something the NARA uses,” I say.
“Nazis gave it to the NARA.”
“Do you have them too?” I ask.
She glances at her arms, then back at me. “Both my legs and arms are artificial,” she says.
“Why?”
“Because”—and she takes a deep breath—“I was a biomech pilot, working with Dr. Günter after he devised his plan to defect.”
“A biomech pilot?”
She removes her jacket, presses her skin. A small panel comes loose. She takes it off and exposes her artificial arm.
“For us to reach synchronicity with the biomech, we have to physically join with it,” Griselda says. “That means removing all our limbs and connecting directly to achieve a perfect biological and mechanical fusion.”
“Were you always like this?”
“Not until after the last time you saw me,” she says. “That’s when I had the surgery. When Dr. Günter told me about his plan to defect, I agreed to aid him. But there was no way he could escape with a biomech unless I agreed to help. So I volunteered for the program.”
“But you had to sacrifice your body parts?”
“It was the only way they would trust me. It was three months of hell until I could even get the biomech to move.” She shuddered, remembering. “It’s a total mental and physical invasion. They put needles in your brain, and the sync requires them to calibrate with your nerves so that you can even feel the biomech in your dreams. And the shell . . . The whole shell is made up of organic tissue from the dead.”
“The dead?”
“All victims whose cells are genetically manipulated.”
“You mean a biomech is a corpse reanimated?”
“A hundred, maybe a thousand corpses for each giant.”
“That’s scary,” I mutter.
“Try driving one,” she answers. “I can almost feel the cells of the dead revolting against me. But I have to channel my hate and anger to subjugate them to my will. Every time I pilot the biomech, just thinking about all those who died to bring it to life brings out the most base, feral instincts.” She shudders. “It took a lot of discipline and meditation to stay in control. Dr. Günter came with me when we went to rendezvous with the Spanish pilots who brought us here.”
“You mean you brought your biomech here?”
“You didn’t know?”
Now it makes sense how they were able to re-create the biomech armor. “I suspected. What happened to the Spanish pilots?”
“They’re independent, so they travel all over. My aunt is first officer on one of their mechas.”
I need to ask her about Hideki. I muster my courage. “Were you—were you involved with what happened to Hideki?”
She blanches, a gesture that blares volumes. “He insisted on it,” she finally offers, clearly not having expected the question.
“Insisted on what?”
“One of the exchange students with us was connected with NARA. We were all hanging out one night when Hideki talked about how desperate he was to pass the test. That’s how it started. I told him to let it go, but he wouldn’t.”
I had no idea how he got in touch with the terrorists, and now that I know, I wish I didn’t.
“He knew the risks,” Griselda says quickly. “I told him to drop it. But he went around my back and asked my friends. I tried to stop them, but it was too late. The NARA wanted to use him for their plans.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wanted to. But would you have believed me?”
“He was our friend!”
“It’s your soldiers who executed him,” Griselda says. “He wasn’t supposed to die!”
“What’d you think they would do?”
“Not execute him. When I
found out—” She doesn’t finish the sentence.
“Why are you really here?” I ask, furious.
She sees the rage in my eyes and averts her own. “I told you, I want peace,” she says. “But I know it’ll never happen. Not without war.”
“War?”
“You think my people will ever surrender? It’s true, they’re focused on building space colonies on the Moon. But the idea of surrendering even a centimeter to the Empire offends their belief in their racial superiority. The only way there will be peace on this continent is if the United States of Japan takes over.”
“What?”
“Colonel Yamaoka plans on taking over the continent. He promised Dr. Günter peace after that happens.”
“That’s why you’re here?”
“Why else? Dr. Günter and I sacrificed everything because of that. There are many in the German Americas who hate Nazi rule.”
“But they’re Nazis too.”
“Only in name,” she replies. “What they care about is having a place to sleep and getting enough so they can provide for their families. Ideology means nothing to them compared to earning bread.”
“Your so-called German Americans who hate Nazi rule killed all my friends in the Quiet Border.”
“I know,” she states. “That was my cousin, Dietrich, who attacked your convoy in the Quiet Border . . . He told me he spared you for my sake.”
I remember the biomech that day not attacking, letting me go.
Her cousin killed the RAMs. She helped Hideki make the connection that led to his demise. I’m shaking. I try to speak, but I can’t enunciate because I’m so angry.
Suddenly, an alarm starts ringing throughout the entirety of Mechtown.
“Attention military personnel. The base is under attack. This is not a drill. All available—”
We hear a loud explosion.
“I have to go,” Griselda says. “I don’t expect you to forgive me.”
“Forgive you? How can you—”
More blasts shake the whole base. “We’ll deal with this later,” she says.
I grab her arm. I’m so angry I can barely think. “You don’t belong in the USJ. I thought you were different from the Nazis! But you’re worse than they are. At least they’re not hypocrites.”
Her eyes widen in pain, and she looks like I’ve stabbed her. She’s about to say something but restrains herself. “I’m sorry you feel that way.” She takes a deep breath, hesitates for a second, then leaves.
There is a vibration in my pocket, which I thought was coming from the base, but it’s actually my portical. I check the screen and see it’s Nori.
“Get here right away,” she states.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
“I’ll tell you when you get here. How far are you?”
My portical indicates she’s with the Leviathans. “Not far.”
I enter the hangar bay that houses Project Lightpin. All the years developing machinery and weapons have been destroyed in minutes—a part of me realizes it’s the same as my friendship with Griselda. I wish none of what she told me was true. I’m upset, not just at her, but with myself for not having realized things sooner.
The supporting platforms have collapsed, and much of the portical circuitry is ablaze. As I’m about to rush back to where the Leviathans are, I hear a loud stepping noise, then another. I hide behind one of the burning consoles.
There’s a mecha type I’ve never seen before with multiple turrets. It looks like eight tanks stacked on top of one another with guns that can rotate 360 degrees. It is passing through on its four legs rather than searching for targets, which is lucky for me. I wait until it moves to another area before sprinting to my destination.
The pulsating heat from the fiery remains of the Sumo-class mecha scorches a part of me. I occasionally look behind to make sure the enemy mecha doesn’t spot me. But it’s gone. I’m relieved not to see any corpses as most of the scientists are away for the holidays.
Then it hits me, did they time this attack for the break?
When I finally get to our station, three of the Leviathans have already left. It’s just Nori waiting for me. I strap into my suit, take the elevation platform up to the stomach cockpit of the Arikuni, and start it up. The visual display on my goggle lights up, and I see Nori’s face in a faded circle in the upper-right corner. I move her image to the upper left by swiping with my finger.
“What have I missed?” I ask.
“Several mechas have gone rogue and are destroying everything inside Mechtown. We need to stop them.”
“Where’s security?”
“I don’t know, but I’m assuming they were caught off guard. They couldn’t have picked a worse time to attack. No one is around, and those who are have already been destroyed.”
“I saw one coming in here,” I state, and try to describe it to her.
“I have to see it to confirm, but that sounds like the Yamarashi prototype,” Nori says. “Eight 30mm cannons and the main 105mm cannon with sonic boosters, which is the primary one we need to worry about.”
“That sounds like the one. Do we have any idea who’s driving them?” I ask.
“None. But we can assume there must be traitors on the base. I’ll let Kazu know to expect a Yamarashi.” She sends a message, then tells me, “Let’s go.”
I pick up my sword, the M87, and the pentagonal shield.
“Where are the ablative shells?” I ask.
“They should already be loaded into your arm,” she informs me.
To avoid making too much noise, we switch to tread mode, which causes wheels to come out from the bottom of our soles.
“It’s a good thing we have enough space to move through the base,” I point out.
“Mechtown was designed so that standard-sized mechas could move through most of the main passages,” Nori replies.
There’s destruction everywhere along our path.
“You were right about Griselda,” I tell her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know about Hideki.”
“I didn’t until recently, either,” she replies. “I should have told you earlier, but I didn’t know how to put it to you.”
“How did you find out?”
“She told the Tokko during the initial inquiry when she defected. When they asked me about your relationship to her, they showed me her files.”
Was it Agent Tsukino who asked her?
“I know she had her reasons, and she couldn’t help what happened to Hideki,” Nori continues.
“What do you mean she couldn’t help it?”
“That was his decision.”
“But you said she was responsible.”
“I asked if you knew her role in what happened to him. From what I’ve gathered, he was the one who pursued that path,” Nori says.
“She helped make the connection,” I reply.
“I know. And that’s why we don’t know if we can trust her. For all we know, she could be behind these attacks.”
I’m about to reply that she’s not, that I was with her when it began, but then another part wonders, was all that a masquerade? She’s lied to me before.
“I hope not,” I answer.
“Me too.”
“Did you know her back in school?”
“Not well. We had a physics class together.”
“She was one of the closest friends I had in high school,” I say. “I spent most of my senior year with her and Hideki . . .” I recall our nights out at the arcade, playing portical games and getting into trouble for the dumbest reasons, mostly thanks to Hideki, who could be very stubborn.
One of Mechtown’s security mechas comes crashing through the wall. Beyond, pummeling another guard, is a Labor-class mecha, the muscle of the construction force. They are big and boxy, designed to ca
rry a heavy load. They’re built with thick armor to protect against possible accidents. Though they have no armaments, the one we come across has switched out its right hand for a power drill. It’s using that drill on the opposing security mecha, piercing right through it. The security mechas are more like scouts and are relatively smaller and weaker. This Labor class has little difficulty puncturing its power source and hammering it into the ground.
“There you are,” we hear Kazu say, as his face flashes up on my display, followed by Chieko and Kujira.
As soon as I see Chieko’s face, I’m reminded of how angry she was with me for the death of the RAMs. She took out all her anger at me. Did I do the same to Griselda? I feel a momentary remorse.
“Sorry we’re late,” I say, as Nori and I retract our wheels and take defensive stances.
“I figured you two were taking the scenic route,” Kazu states. “Come on, let’s take care of Mr. Labor.”
Chieko charges at the Labor mecha though it’s a quarter bigger, and crashes into its torso. The Labor is knocked back, but not far, and holds its ground. Chieko is trying to grapple it, but it has its arm around her mecha as well. It’s about to use its drill, but Kazu uses his yo-yo to slice it off. Chieko and the Labor get into a scuffle, swinging each other around and destroying everything that gets in their way. It’s a titanic wrestling match as the two try to gain an advantage. The Labor pounds Chieko with its fist. But just as it seems like Chieko is about to be overwhelmed, she spins around it, grabs it from behind, then tackles the Labor to the ground, using her feet and gravity to assist their fall. Once they’re down, she goes to work, breaking its limbs and disconnecting its power generator. Anytime the Labor tries to resist, it only aggravates its own situation.
Chieko rips off the cover to the bridge. There’s a male inside. Chieko’s fist hovers above him. His face shows up on our display on a communication channel.
“How many of you are there?” Nori demands of him.
The man yells, “For the Reich!”
“Chieko!” Nori yells. “Draw back!”
Chieko realizes what’s about to happen and raises her arms. The Labor’s bridge self-destructs, and the blast forces Chieko’s mecha to fall on its back.
“Chieko!” we all yell, as her display temporarily cuts out.
Mecha Samurai Empire Page 37