by Amanda Rose
Mack told him in great detail the extent of their journey. He told him how the C.D.F.P. had to be taken out to prevent the death of every soul on earth. He reiterated the information that he’d found on the secretive C.D.F.P. documents that had been sent for him to destroy and disregard. Everything was laid out plain as day for Adamu to hear. They needed to get across the waters no matter what, so Mack held nothing back.
Adamu took it all pretty well, and after some thought, he agreed to help them get across the ocean. He went off to get Seresuto to tell her everything. He did not panic, but an obvious grim feeling had been wrenched within his heart.
That evening they gathered around the fire outside, as they ate they discussed their plans, Seresuto and Adamu barely touched their food. Their minds were overly occupied with the situation at hand. “So, I guess all that’s left is to decide when to go?” questioned Kairu, his eyes now that of an up and coming leader. “We’re lucky, after December twenty-first we’ll have the right current to take us over to the west,” Adamu said, then remembered he hadn’t yet eaten his food. “Not even two weeks… I wonder if Suako and Vince will make it?” Mei unhappily brought up. “Suako and Vince?” Seresuto asked. “They’re two travelling partners of ours that have fallen behind. They broke apart from us to get some info... anyway, we were hoping to meet with them here,” Mei explained. “Don’t worry Mei. I’m sure they’re fine,” Kato reassured her and kissed her forehead. She put on a faulty smile and sighed, “I hope your right Kato… I hope you’re right.”
We are a team, how are we to work together when we are so far apart?
Chapter 11: Occupation
“Shh! Do you hear that? It sounds like… screaming?” Suako ran to the top of an incline. She gazed over to Quan, and saw Company soldiers surrounded the entire premises. Yet again the screams sounded. Suako, Vince and Yu-Lee stealthily dashed toward the city, hiding behind large rock formations in between sprints. They discovered a temporarily unguarded entrance to the city that they quickly snuck into.
The city was infested with C.D.F.P. soldiers. From behind one of the tented homes, knee deep in the swamp, they watched as a high-ranking officer attended to tax negotiations with the Quan Chief. Frantic onlookers did not know what they should be doing, mothers took their young ones indoors, and proud tribesmen were infuriated by the treatment of their Chief.
“So, you think you are above the Imperial laws, do you?” the interrogator questioned, his voice booming angrily. It was intimidating to all, and the chief’s lack of response, and proud expression, led the interrogator to trip the Chief to his knees. “Father!” Okichi yelled as she tried to run to her father’s aid, but several guards hustled over to grab her before she could get to him. “Despicable! You are all in debt to the C.D.F.P. corporation! They have given you the air dome in exchange for a small taxation…” he continued to rabble. The people were fear stricken.
“What the hell’s going on Vince?” Suako asked. “I don’t have a clue. When I was going to get you, I saw soldiers coming this way, but I thought they were heading to Atani,” Vince said. “Why’d ya think that?” Suako asked. “I’ll explain later. Look… someone’s coming. That must be General Yoshida… something doesn’t smell right,” Vince vigilantly watched the scene developing before him. Suako sat watching, confused and curious as to what pieces of this puzzle she was missing.
“That’s enough Officer Kan,” A deep, yet mystifyingly kind, sounding voice dismissed. Officer Kan left as he was directed. As Yoshida walked each step he took crunched loudly beneath his immense frame. “Chief, if I may…” he offered the man a hand up. “Shall we step indoors, the sky is grey, it may rain soon,” his voice was coy and mischievous. None the less the chief was no fool, “This way sir,” he allowed Yoshida to enter his hut. Several soldiers went to follow, but Yoshida issued them to watch the people, and guard the entrance. Okichi nervously waited for her father.
The crowd slowly dissipated, going about their routines, though with unhappy and worried faces. Most went inside their homes to wait things out. The sky crackled with thunderous rumbling, and rain began to fall from the skies and made the air misty above the water. Otojiro had been standing just outside his doorstep during the commotion, he caught Vince’s eye as he turned to go back inside.
“We have to get over to the other side of the chief’s hut,” Vince told them. He briefly told them how Kairu had known this man, and how he would be someone they could trust. He also gave them a quick synopsis of the unfortunate bloodbath outside of Atani. The veil of mist provided the perfect cover for them to move about Quan discreetly. The water gently swayed and rippled from their movements, so they moved slowly, with caution. Guards were numerous, and after the Atani incident their heads were on the chopping block. The water was bitter cold and nipped at them. The cool late autumn days had chilled the swamp terribly, though the falling rain seemed to warm the water, if only a little.
They slowly made their way around to the side behind Otojiro’s home. They waded in the water, waiting for the soldiers to move for quite a while. Each of them felt their bodies numbing as the sun left the sky completely disappeared behind the clouds. “We can’t stay here… Move quietly and we can crawl under the back of the hut,” Yu-Lee spoke as she moved without a sound onto the rocky ledge of land. Carefully the Suako and Vince followed. The stones gently rattled against one another as they got on to the land, on their hands and knees, and the stones dug into their skin as they went.
Yu-Lee heard someone cough and she immediately froze in place, looked around, and raised her hand to signal to the others to be still. She listened and waited but no one came. In a panicked flurry they tried to reach the hut. Yu-Lee got their first and raised up the heavy weave material, waving her hand so that Suako and Vince would rush over and underneath. After they’d gone under she briskly entered the haven herself.
“Welcome,” Otojiro said without turning to see who’d come. He sat calmly sipping his tea, and motioned the others to come in, he’d laid out fresh clothes and towels on top of pillows; three seating areas had been laid out prior to their arrival. They did as he willed and found hot tea next to their seats. Each of them bowed to the elderly man. He bobbed his head down in return.
After they had dried off and changed into dry clothing, they came back to take their seats across from the old man. “I apologise Otojiro, but we had no other way to enter,” Vince explained. “I know,” Otojiro said, and yet again sipped his tea. His eyes kept low so to keep them from guessing at his thoughts. “I’m Vince, Kairu’s friend…” Vince continued. “I know who you are. And these two are Suako and Yu-Lee, are they not?” Otojiro cut him off. “Uh, yes sir,” Vince replied, bewildered how he could know that. Yu-Lee smirked, she knew he had the power of intuitive insight. Suako did not know exactly what to think about his knowledge, but her training kept her calm, yet attentive.
“We desire to know why the C.D.F.P. is here,” Vince asked. “The Company? Yes, it seems we haven’t paid our taxes to them,” Otojiro’s voice seemed carefree on his subject matter. “…But that isn’t why they’re really here, is it Otojiro?” Vince pressed. The old man shook his head, “Yes, and no,” he replied. Vince cocked his head to the side and furrowed his brow. “What do you mean?” Suako asked just before the words reached Vince’s lips. “They are here for Tax collection. He is here for your leader,” he replied smoothly. “General Yoshida. Mack knew he’d come after him…” Vince said. “Indeed, but now Quan is in danger, as a whole. We do not have the funds to pay. What our Chief decides to tell him tonight could be very important. Silence or speech it does not matter, both will bring about death,” Otojiro said grimly. “What will he say?” Vince worriedly asked. “Who knows? Just to keep in mind, Okichi,” Otojiro enlightened them. “Oh no. He’s gonna give Mack up!” Vince exclaimed.
Vince stood up to leave. “Wait!” Otojiro stopped him dead in his tracks. Vince, shocked by the intensity in this usually calm man’s demeanour, sat back do
wn. “Haste here will just bring about your own end. Stay here for the night, whatever is said, we can learn of in the morning. Hide yourselves well beneath blanketed comforters in case we have unexpected guests,” he told them. Vince nodded and drank his tea.
Otojiro cooked up some wild rice for them before they slept. The rice warmed their chilled bodies even more then the tea had; they’d be hungry for days, their food rations being so thin, that the meal came as a welcome respite. They sat around his small fire in the centre of the room, rejuvenating their tired spirits.
They heeded his instruction and carefully covered themselves when they crawled into bed. Vince and Suako quickly fell into a deep sleep. Yu-Lee stayed up to talk with the wise man. He had seen into her past, and they talked about better days the world had seen. Long hours into the evening they went on speaking. They shared secrets of the magickal trade, and the life energy; it was rare to find others connected to the planet during this day and age.
Morning came, and Otojiro was not in the tent. They each waited silently for his return, and wondered what news he would bring. The morning ground felt hard, the night before had brought frost. Bitter wind blew strong and hit hard against the hut, and the bouncing waves of wind against the cloth walls made the sounds of the guards outside minimal. No one said a word, their ears were perked to listen for footsteps and chatter nearby.
They waited as long as they could, but were fated to leave before Otojiro returned. Hard footsteps squished the wet sand like ground beneath heavy boots as they neared the tent. No questions asked, whoever was out there was with the C.D.F.P. No one in Quan wore shoes, except moccasins during the chilly winter months. They’d been prepared to leave at a moments notice, but were disappointed to have to go before they got some more information.
“Common Suako, back threw here. They’re coming!” Vince urged her to hurry as he finished helping Yu-Lee under. She quickly finished shoving some water and a container of rice into her bag, she’d found the beg on the way to Quan on the road by a pile of bones. The steps were getting dangerously close. “Sorry,” she whispered, and she scampered threw to the other side. Vince rolled under the curtain wall just as he heard the door across from him fall back.
They sat behind the back of the tent for a moment to get a vigil of everyone within the premises. The blustery wind yanked and pulled on the women’s hair, blinding their view; Suako and Yu-Lee quickly tied their hair back. Dark overlapping clouds billowed above them, and they heeded warning of storm brewing above.
“No ones there now. Let’s go before they come outta the hut,” Vince told them. He guided them around the edge of the swamp, and lead them into some thick brush. Twigs and crisp leaves coated the mucky ground; they might as well have been land mines for the trouble they could cause giving away their position. This route was no good, “Let’s go back. We’ll have to go through the water again,” Vince turned around to tell them. They were half way to the water’s edge when Otojiro appeared from nowhere, and stopped them with a glance. He entered the bushes as well, “I’ve managed to talk to the Chief in private,” he told them initially, then pointed his finger to a deeper spot that would better hide them, and they made their way to it.
“What’s happening?” Suako asked, sitting down on a fallen log. “The chief has exposed the fact that your leader was here. Apparently General Yoshida is planning to leave immediately tomorrow morning, but he’s leaving the soldiers here to keep an eye on the people. On top of that, he’s taking Okichi with him,” Otojiro explained. “Why would he do that?” Yu-Lee asked, she could only think that taking her as a set back for the General, slowing him down. “Leverage, on two accounts. If the information is false that our chief has provided then he has her hostage. On top of that, a young man in your party has fallen in love with Okichi. If the General catches up to them…” Otojiro explained, but Vince cut him off before he could finish, “Then Kairu will offer to be arrested in return for her release, right?” Vince shook his head, angry with the General’s tactics. “Indeed, that is correct. You must hurry. He’ll be headed toward the old Ryoko City. I will keep eyes away from the water as you leave,” Otojiro told them.
“Wait, what about Okichi? We have to get her…” Suako thought aloud. “No, you mustn’t! She is heavily guarded. You would not make it far enough before they caught up to you. As long as they know the Chief hasn’t lied they won’t do anything to the girl, I’m sure. They need her to capture Mack’s brigade,” Otojiro explained. “May you make it in time,” he wished them well. Before he left he pulled from his robe a decent sized package, and passed it to Yu-Lee. She looked at him to see him smile faintly, “Good Luck. I hope we shall meet again.” And then he left, straight to the centre of town.
They had no time to open their gift, as Otojiro made a distraction, they entered the chilling water. The cold stung their bodies like millions of pin pricks. “Oh my god… it’s so cold,” Suako felt all of the air in her lungs disappear, she desperately gasped for air, but the painful breath was seemingly not worth the effort. “We’ll make a fire when… when we get far enough away from… town,” Vince reassured her as he felt his limbs going numb. Yu-Lee’s older body bore the extreme temperate decline fairly well, though her bones bothered her greatly.
After the brief dip in the freezing swamp they were all too eager to get out, and as they crawled out onto solid land they shivered fiercely. The air blanketed them with an immense chill, the wind still gusting strong. As fast as they could, they got far enough from the city to be out of their sites. They found some dried dead wood to make a fire behind some towering rocks that sheltered them from the Quan soldier’s view. Vince shook tremendously as he tried to get the friction to smoke, and then light into flame. His muscle spasms weren’t helping him start a fire at all. Yu-Lee shut her eyes and tried to focus, she shut the cold from her mind, and started to chant under her breath. Vince found himself able to calm his nerves long enough for him for get the fire going.
Once the fire had started, they removed their wet clothing and tried to lay them flat on the nearby rocks around the fire to dry. Then they huddled, unclad but for their undergarments, by the fire. The heat from the fire dried their bodies and they finally began to warm up. They couldn’t speak, nor cold they even think about, anything but the discomfort they felt in their own skins. The intense winds kept the fire from blazing up high and mighty, so they stayed as close to it as they could for heat. When they’d finally dried up Vince grabbed his bag, which he’d lined heavily, and removed some extra dry clothing Otojiro had given him. Each of them quickly pulled the outfits on quickly, and the fabric helped to limit the bitter cool kiss of the breeze.
“We’re gonna have to go,” Suako forced herself to say moments later. Her words were to her own dissatisfaction. Vince raised his head from which he’d rested on his knee, nearly sleeping, “You’re right. We have to warn them about Yoshida A.S.A.P.” He uncurled his arms away from the warmth of his core, pushed himself up off of the ground, walked over to Suako and put his arms around her and gently lifted her to her feet. Suako nearly forgot to let him go after she was standing. Her eyes locked with his, and as she stood there, time seemingly paused, if only for a second. He pulled back, with a small and fast dispersing grin for only her to see. He offered Yu-Lee a hand up and then extinguished the fire by dumping some of the earth onto it.
Without rest they scoured across the countryside, stopping only to make their rice and allow their exhausted legs a pause when they refused to continue any further. Suako stirred a pot of rice over a tiny fire they’d constructed. “We have to get to Mack…” she drowsily said as her eyelids rested low. Yu-Lee’s body wouldn’t let her continue without some sleep, she nearly fell into her dreams the second she lay on the ground. Vince and Suako tried to prepare the rice with their shaking hands as best they could during the dead of night.
“It’s so cold… the nights, they’re getting longer,” Vince said, looking up to the stars glaring down from above. “Th
ey’ll be getting shorter again soon. Daylight recedes up until December twenty-first, then it reverses, just a few more days away,” Suako said. Unable to stand any longer, Vince lay down on his back beside the fire. He pulled Suako gently down to lay beside him, and interlaced his fingers with hers affectionately; the lovers lay cold and tired together on the hard earth.
“Look at that Suako… there’s so many of them up there… so many stars and planets. Do you think any of them are going through this?” his voice was weary with the thought of the answer to his wonderment. “I don’t know… but I think the life stream has life on other planets… The Universe is so vast, we can’t be the only ones… I just hope they’re doing better than this. No one should suffer this… no one,” she whispered back. “We have to win this battle… we can’t hand over the planet to the C.D.F.P. this planet deserves its future,” Vince said with conviction. “We’ll win. We will, Vince,” Suako smiled and turned her head from the stars to look at him, and to see him looking straight back at her.
They lay gazing into each other’s eyes for quite some time, like looking into gateways into each other’s world. “Suako?” Vince finally broke the silence. “Yes?” She smiled. “What happened to you when you got to Kagawa? What… got you to say?” He asked. She paused to recall the incidents that led to her extended stay. “I was injured… There had been an ‘earthquake’; that’s what the Kagawa’s called it… I remember waking up, I forgot all about getting back to meet you in Quan… anyway, Yu-Lee had taken me into the temple. She told me all about life energy, and how everything is really just one stemming life force and I had to learn more… I’m sorry I never came back. I never meant to scare you Vince, I…”
Vince courageously kissed her forehead, and Suako curled further inward and wrapped her arms around him. They lay quietly holding each other, the small fire crackling next to them. Vince quietly sang to her, “Oceans wide, valley’s long, and forests green, come back to me. Canyons deep, deep breaths, sweet sleep, come back to me…” a song his grandfather used to sing to his father, and in turn his father sang for him. The song represented an always hopeful attitude and belief that the earth would return to it’s natural state as it was not long ago.