by Shouji Gatou
《Two AS sighted. Relative bearing: 11 o’clock. Distance: Six.》
There were two Savages in front of him, blocking his way to the cape. They must have sent them to guard the shore; there was an enemy force coming from the beach side as well. Four machines, five—no, more. He was surrounded.
These were ASes, too; they were more difficult opponents than the attack helicopter from before, and on top of that, he had no way of fighting them. He couldn’t count on that strange force field, either. He muttered a curse.
The enemy machines just ahead were pointing their rifles at him. Just then—
“Uruz-7, keep running,” a woman’s voice said over his radio.
“M—” Before he could finish her name, the two machines ahead of him took hits and collapsed.
The shots had come from the sea; he turned. In the gaps between waves 300 meters away, he could make out an AS holding a massive rifle. It was Mao’s M9, kneeling on the ocean’s surface. No, it was on a boat—The Tuatha de Danaan was surfacing. Cutting through the pitch black sea, parallel to the coastline, the massive vessel revealed its back.
“Hey, Sousuke?” Mao called. “We only get one chance at this. Jump right off the cape!” The M9 beckoned him from the back of the enormous submarine.
The Arbalest ran, moving from sand to rocky ground as the two enemy AS squads pursued from behind. Sousuke climbed up the rocky slope. The cape was shaped like a ski jumper’s hill.
He dashed over rocks and grass, as his pursuers fired from behind. A pine tree to his right exploded into splinters. Still, he picked up speed. He couldn’t turn back.
He quickly came to the tip of the cape. Just beyond was the cliff and the sea. Casting off all hesitation, holding his two charges carefully in either hand... He jumped.
The ground below disappeared. Sousuke felt weightless. There were only dark waves below him now.
The de Danaan drew nearer. Mao’s AS spread its arms and...
“Okay!” It caught the Arbalest neatly.
“Uruz-7 retrieved! Admission via hatch four... complete!” Mao’s report echoed through the control room.
“Initiate closure of hatch four. Two seconds remain. Closure complete,” the officer in charge reported. The front screen displayed the words, “Pressure Secured.”
Teletha Testarossa nodded. “Hard to starboard, heading 2-0-5, flank speed. Be careful not to ground us.”
“Aye aye, ma’am. Hard to starboard, heading 2-0-5, flank speed,” the navigator repeated. The submarine banked right as enemy shells roiled the sea around it. Each wave that slammed into them sent a vibration through the hull.
The speed display on the screen quickly rose over 50 knots—close to 92 kilometers per hour. Even the fastest submarines usually topped out at 40 knots, yet the de Danaan broke that easily. The speed display continued to rise.
“Current speed, 65 knots,” the navigator said. 120 kilometers per hour. It was this incredible propulsion system that had brought the de Danaan back so quickly from distant waters. The Tuatha de Danaan pulled away from the shore. “Taking sub to depth 50. Flooding main ballast tank. Dive angle, five degrees. Maintain current speed.”
“Aye. Initiating dive.” The helm officer executed the orders given. Tessa and her XO, Mardukas, monitored the submarine’s dive process closely.
“We’ve never worked it so hard before,” Mardukas muttered.
“The superconductive propulsion system?” Tessa asked.
He nodded. “Yes. It’s tougher than I expected. It seemed so delicate when we were first testing it...”
“It surprised me as well. Which feels strange to say, as the one who designed it...” Tessa smiled and turned back to the screen. The task of breaking through the patrol boats remained.
Kaname and Kurz were still asleep in the sickbay, but after a quick patch-up, Sousuke returned to the hangar. It was quiet there; with the boat running on silent, not even the maintenance crew were present.
He was wrapped in bandages as he looked up at the kneeling ARX-7 Arbalest. Its once-pristine white armor was covered in mud and grass stains. Its plating was scarred, with the right upper half of the head missing. In this light, it looked like a normal AS—your run-of-the-mill test weapon based on the M9 Gernsback. But what in the world...
“I see you’ve been through hell.” Sousuke turned toward the voice and saw Major Kalinin walking up to him. “What happened to Gauron?” the major asked.
“He’s dead,” Sousuke answered. “This time, I’m sure of it.”
“I see. I wish I could have been there to see it,” Kalinin said with rare sincerity. “You look like there’s something else on your mind.”
“There is, sir. Just what is the lambda driver?”
It was a blunt question, but one Kalinin seemed to be expecting. “Gauron really did have one, then?”
“He did. And this AS does, too... Doesn’t it?”
“Yes,” Kalinin confirmed. “When I heard about the way Weber’s M9 was destroyed, I had an uneasy feeling about it... That’s why we sent the Arbalest: an AS equipped with that device can only be opposed by another like-equipped AS.”
That explained why they’d sent such a valuable test-type unmanned into hostile enemy territory. But... “You haven’t answered my first question,” Sousuke said. “What is the lambda driver?”
“You don’t need to know that,” Kalinin replied. “Not yet, anyway.”
“Major. I know how basic physics works. I’ve never heard of a device producing power like that.”
“Of course not. Its conception is beyond anyone in this world.”
Sousuke was confused. “What do you mean?”
“I’m not sure how this comes off to your generation, but...” The major’s voice was heavy. “The weapons technology we currently employ is unnatural. It went off the rails around the time ASes came on the scene. The lambda driver is one extreme example, but the ECS, this vessel’s propulsion system, its computers and sensors... they’re all too advanced. It’s all wrong. Robot weapons, once the purview of science fiction, now dominate the battlefield. Haven’t you ever found it unnatural?”
It was a surprise to hear those words from Kalinin, a man who regularly commanded and coordinated missions with those very weapons. “I never thought about it... until today,” Sousuke admitted.
“I’ve harbored these doubts for a long time, myself. I’m not the only one who feels that way, either... Many people feel these things should not exist,” Kalinin told him. “Yet, they do. I don’t know who came up with them, but the theory and the technology exist, and society has accepted them.”
Sousuke remained silent.
“But I’ll say it again, for good measure: these things shouldn’t exist.” The major indicated the Arbalest with his gaze; what seemed minutes ago like a trustworthy ally was suddenly grotesque to Sousuke’s eyes. “The technology that produces ASes and other modern weapons—black technology—who came up with it?” Kalinin continued. “More importantly, where did it come from? You have an idea now, don’t you?”
“People like Chidori, sir?” Sousuke hazarded a guess. “The ones they call ‘Whispered’?”
“You didn’t hear that from me, but keep it in mind.” Kalinin walked up to the Arbalest and appraised the battle damage. “As for Chidori, we’ll likely leak a false report through our intelligence department.”
“A false report?”
“We’ll say that Gauron’s men investigated her and determined that she wasn’t a Whispered,” Kalinin told him. “If someone happens to try to abduct her anyway, they’ll reap the consequences: we’ll crush their hideouts and retrieve her as many times as it takes.”
Things were going to go back to normal for her. Sousuke was glad, but at the same time, he felt a powerful sense of loss. He’d have his next mission coming up; there was no place left for him in Kaname’s life. That school, that town, those people... all those things he’d found so bewildering were receding further and further by the
moment.
“However,” Kalinin added, interrupting his thoughts, “given this latest incident, I think insurance will be necessary.”
“Huh?”
“You did well today. Get some rest.” Putting an end to the questioning, the major left.
Epilogue
The ground approached. The steel hand was all around her. And then—
Huh? The next thing she knew, Kaname found herself with her face buried in a pillow. There was an IV drip stand in front of her. Beyond it was a window. It looked out on cherry trees, soaked by falling rain. She was in a hospital room.
“Oh, hey, you’re awake.” A young nurse was sitting next to her bedside. She was beautiful, yet radiated a sense of willfulness.
“Where am I?” Kaname asked.
“A hospital in Tokyo. It’s 5:35 PM on May 1st. You’ve been sleeping for two and a half days,” the nurse answered. “An ‘ambulance of unknown origin’ brought you here yesterday—You had some bruises and sprains, but no broken bones. If they only drugged you that once, then—”
“Um, who are you?” Kaname interrupted.
“Heh... The nurse act wasn’t convincing, huh? These uniforms make me feel so stiff... You know, Sousuke could’ve been more careful and spared me all this...”
“Sousuke? You know Sagara-kun?”
“Sort of,” she shrugged. “Anyway, Kaname. Now that you’re awake, here’s a word of advice: those bad guys at the airfield drugged you. You lost consciousness, and when you woke up, you were in the hospital here. You don’t remember anything that happened in between. Forget Sousuke, forget Kurz, forget that white AS. All of it.”
“You mean... you want me to keep Mithril a secret?” Kaname asked.
“Well, it’s up to you. I think the Japanese military knows our name, at least. But if the police catch wind of us or what happened to you, they’ll want to hold on to you for a while... The police will probably be by tomorrow to question you, so between now and then, keep pushing the I-don’t-remember line.” The nurse stood up. “And, one more thing; I want to thank you.”
“Thank me?”
“Yes, Chidori Kaname-san. You saved two of my men. They owe their lives to you.” She held out her hand for a handshake.
Kaname felt flustered by the sudden attention. “I d-didn’t do anything...”
“Actually, Kurz told me everything. I know that if you hadn’t been there, neither he nor Sousuke would have made it back alive. I think you might be the strongest out of all of us.”
“N-No way. You’re making me blush...” Kaname laughed awkwardly, then tentatively took her hand. The nurse had a powerful grip, despite her delicate, tapered fingers.
“Well, I should get going.”
“Um...”
“Yes?”
“What’s going to happen to... Sagara-kun?”
“Sousuke?” The nurse answered. “He’s already been assigned to his next mission.”
“Um... did he leave a message?”
“For you? Hmm... I don’t think so.”
“Oh...”
“Well, goodbye.” The woman from Mithril left the room.
Outside, the rain continued.
Is Sousuke on another mission right now? Kaname wondered. Is he off somewhere, trembling in this rain? He could be in danger. He could be in pain. And then some day, like a stray dog, he might...
“He could have at least left a goodbye...” she muttered. She found that the thought caused her eyes to fill with tears, which she wiped at with her sheet, then buried her face back in the pillow.
About five minutes later, the real doctor and nurse arrived. They gave Kaname a clean bill of health and permission to check out in a day or two. They also told her that her father had stayed in her hospital room until just after noon, but had then had to return to New York for work.
They left, and five minutes later, her friends from Jindai High School began flooding into the room. Ten boys and girls from class, five from the softball team, four from the student council, the principal and the vice principal, Ms. Kagurazaka and...
“Kana-chan!” Kyoko hugged her as tightly as she could. Her other friends crowded around, too, expressing joy at her safe return and peppering her with questions.
“We really were worried, you know?”
“The transport plane let us off at an airport in Fukuoka...”
“The rescue squad disappeared after that. They said they were UN or something!”
“It all smells like a conspiracy to me...”
“Also! Also! Hey! None of us knew where you were or who to ask...”
“Ah, I’m sorry, Chidori-san! I should have let them take me instead! I feel like a failure as a teacher!”
“Ugh... Kana-chaaaaaan!”
They jostled her mercilessly, but this was how Kaname knew she was loved. She was glad to be back—Truly.
“H-Hey... I’m still recovering, you know! Hey!” Kaname shouted, bearing their weight.
“That’s right. They’re only mild contusions, but you should still treat her gently,” one of the visitors said.
Kaname nodded. “Exactly! Be nice to me! Of course, they said I can go home tomorrow...”
“That’s good. You should be grateful to that rescue squad.”
“Yeah, though it stinks that the field trip was a bust...”
“But you’re alive. That’s what matters.”
“Yes, yes, the important thing is—huh?” Kaname turned to the visitor in realization. Behind Ms. Kagurazaka (who was welling up with tears) stood a male student. His mouth was drawn into a tight, sullen frown. He had unstyled hair and— “S-Sagara-kun?!”
Confused by her reaction, they all turned to look at Sagara Sousuke.
“What is it, Chidori?”
“What... What... are you doing here?!”
“How rude. I came to see you. You see? I even brought a gift.” He walked up to Kaname with a pack of spicy pollock roe from Hakata.
“What in the world are you—”
“I’m insurance,” Sousuke whispered.
“Insurance?”
“Yes. For a while, at least.”
“How dare you...” She couldn’t bring herself to say, “Thank you” or, “I’m sorry for the trouble” or, “I’m so glad to see you.” His bluntness just made her so angry. But... there was something pleasant about the anger. Kaname took in a deep breath, and... “Hey, Sousuke! There’s a whole lot I want to say to you! How dare you—” As she prepared to lay into him, Sousuke looked around the room, flustered.
The rain outside looked like it would clear up that night.
The End
Afterword
A story set in the modern day... but a very strange modern day. Elite soldier Sagara Sousuke, a member of the world’s most high-tech mercenary team, is given a new mission: infiltrate a Japanese high school and protect a girl. But Sergeant Sagara, having spent all his life on the battlefield, doesn’t know how to get along in peaceful Japan. On top of that, he’s dealing with a teenage girl! Shenanigans ensue, and the girl ends up hating him... That’s the story of Full Metal Panic!
What genre would this story fall into? Hmm, that’s a tough one. It’s a bit of a hodgepodge; a mulligan stew. It’s not quite a high school love comedy. Pegging it as a robot story seems a bit off, and it’s not serious enough to be a military thriller. If I had to choose, I’d say it’s an action-adventure. Just turn your brain off and enjoy it like you would an action B-movie.
By the way, as of August ’98 we have a series of short stories about FMP running in Dragon Magazine. They’re set after this book, and consist of simpler comedic school stories. It’s more about Sousuke being in full clueless mode, and Kaname’s struggles to deal with him. Apparently they’re doing well in the DM reader surveys, so I recommend them highly if you’re reading this right now.
On the other hand, those who know the setting from the short stories might be surprised by the more hardcore developments in the long-form pi
ece. If you’re thinking “Wow, Sousuke’s not just some fool, he’s really amazing!” then I’ve done my job.
By the way, notes on a few things...
One: No ill will was intended toward a certain country portrayed in this story. It’s just, there are only so many dictatorships set within a domestic jet’s flight range. Please don’t abduct me, members of that country. At the same time, readers, if I go missing or I’m found dead, or someone sets fire to Fujimi Shobo, you can assume they’re the ones behind it.
Two: For dramatic purposes, I intentionally fictionalized elements of real-world weapons, machines, organizations, and terrain. Just think of it as the real-world weapons being altered using the fundamental technologies used in ASes. Please don’t take the specs and such too seriously.
Three: For dramatic purposes, I intentionally fictionalized elements of real teenage girls’ psychology and personal lives. Just think of it as the teenage girls being altered using the fundamental technologies of love comedies. Please don’t take it too seriously.
Now, I have a lot of awful things planned for Sousuke & Co in the future. And I’m sure they’ll make it out by the skin of their teeth each time. They’re tough and stubborn, after all. I hope you’ll continue to enjoy the adventures of Sousuke and Kaname.
I think I’ll cut my rambling comments short here, and offer up some words of appreciation.
To the editor of Dragon Magazine, Takumi Suganuma, who offered funky words of advice and soulful assistance in crafting this story. To the writer Kazuma Shinjo who offered groovy advice and powerful suggestions. To the manga artist Tomoyuki Sano, who offered cool images and dope ideas. To Kato, Koyama, Watanabe, and Ensign Y.A., who offered valuable materials. And to my co-conspirators at the Chuo University Science Fiction Society who inspired me to choose this line of work.
I also like to offer my absolute gratitude to Takahara Masaki. I didn’t think you’d **** to this degree. Thank you so much. Some day I’ll ****.
