“What are y’all doing?” Reiko asked.
“We’re doing our jobs,” the Labor pilot replied. “Who are you?”
“Captain Reiko Morikawa. You didn’t notice Los Angeles is under attack?”
“Attack? Since when?”
“The whole city is being destroyed,” Reiko informed them.
“We didn’t notice. We’re on a tight deadline, and if we don’t finish our part by the end of the week, we’ll be without jobs.”
“I’m strongly advising you to power down and step away from your labors.”
“Respectfully, Captain, our jobs are on the line here.”
“Your jobs will be the least of your worries if you’re dead. There’s an attack on every mecha in the city.”
But they ignored her and continued working.
The Kamakiri moved on.
Culver City was home to one of the biggest portical entertainment studios in the Empire and seemed like an amusement park. There were massive holograms with famous portical performers, from James Leyton playing Jesus Christ, Shinto Superstar to famous director Coco’s most recent project, Fish Mecha Intertwining Final Ganymede Love Tears Saga XIV Pt. III, which was considered a masterpiece of art and comedy. There were a bunch of exotic cat statues from the popular artist K. Yi all along the streets. The Umegra Station was within sight. It was the main hub for nonmilitary mechas in the western part of Los Angeles. Fortunately, the facility was also able to upgrade, replace, and retrofit military craft.
Reiko messaged them. “This is Captain Reiko Morikawa. I’ve been told you have replacement parts for the Kamakiri.”
“This is Masami Higuchi, chief engineer for the Umegra Station,” a man replied, chewing on a big cigar. “I’ve gotten the requisitions order from Major Onishi, and the arm and leg were in transit.” He took out his cigar and spat on the ground. “But it’s been chaos out there. I’ve already lost four shipments. The transport with your parts sent a distress signal and I never heard from ’em again.”
“Do you know where they were?”
“Last communication we got from them was eight kilometers east of here.” He put the cigar back in his mouth and spoke through a small sliver on the right side of his lips. “I think the transport pilots didn’t get enough sleep or were smoking something funny. Drivers said they were attacked by a ghost mecha that disappeared whenever they got close.”
“Disappeared?” Reiko wondered. “I’ll go check it out.”
“Your arm is broken,” Nori pointed out.
“The other is working fine. Plus, we don’t have many other options.”
Nori relented but cautioned, “Don’t take unnecessary risks.”
“I never do,” Reiko replied. She looked to Bishop. “If you gotta get going, I understand.”
“After you’re fully repaired,” Bishop replied.
“I appreciate it. But we might get damaged or worse on the way out.”
“I’m not leaving you like this,” Bishop said. “I know there’s not much I can do, but my rocket pack might come in handy.”
Reiko appreciated his sense of duty. “More than handy,” she replied.
They drove east and saw squadrons of police cars and local security transports that had been decimated. The streets were mostly empty, as people either were in hiding or had moved as far away as they could.
A massive mecha was squatting on the ground with smoke coming out of it. “Friend or foe?” Reiko asked Bishop.
“I think friend. They’re hailing us.”
“I’m Major Rachel Takamaki of the Hakucho.” Its pilot greeted them first. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Reiko knew Major Rachel Takamaki by reputation. She was one of the most decorated mecha pilots Reiko knew of and a key part of the defense force of Los Angeles. She was a veteran with over forty mecha engagements during the past two decades, serving with distinction at Texarkana Fortress, San Diego, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Burma, and Wichita. Her mecha, the Hakucho, was an upgraded Leviathan-class vehicle, silvery, with slick curves and special stealth armor designed to withstand the attack of a biomech. The M91s with their bayonet laser blades were the scourge of Nazis in their recent conflicts.
“I’m Captain Morikawa,” Reiko said. The Hakucho had several deep cuts in it, both hands missing. Reiko wasn’t sure if it could even stand. “What happened here?”
“The mecha called the Stryder happened,” Major Takamaki answered. Rachel Takamaki was in her midforties and a very muscular woman, with arms that Reiko swore were twice the size of her own. Of mixed Russian and Chinese descent, she was the same height as Reiko, though she was bulkier. She was wearing her lightweight flexible exoskeleton, gloves, goggles, and adhesive helmet. She had dark green eyes and, like many mecha pilots going to combat, had black war paint over the upper part of her face. “Its pilot, Daniela Takemi, has an accelerator module.”
Even though Reiko knew Daniela was with Bloody Mary, a part of her had hoped they wouldn’t have to face each other. Now that she knew her next opponent would have to be her old friend, she had a hard time hiding her anxiety. “Those are the special modules that allow mechas to fight at supersonic speeds in close-quarter combat, right?” Reiko asked.
“Right. Most pilots couldn’t handle its use because it’s too fast to control. Takemi is the only pilot in the corps that has been able to use it effectively.”
“The energy it’d require for constant supersonic motion would be high, wouldn’t it?” Reiko asked.
“That’s why it has two BPGs,” Nori replied.
“I don’t think battles last that long either,” Takamaki said. “Ours was over in less than a minute. I could barely see what hit me.”
“Which way did the Stryder leave?” Reiko asked.
“I’m sorry to say my scans were destroyed. I don’t know where it is now. It’s my fault. I thought I could take the Stryder by myself, but I was wrong. That Skaria Type-19 magnet gun you have on you would make a world of difference.”
“What do you mean?” Reiko asked.
“You can counteract her speed with the use of the magnet gun. It would slow her down enough that you could actually fight her. I’d heard rumors of the accelerator module’s development, but I’d never fought a mecha that was using it.”
“Unfortunately, the Skaria isn’t powered,” Reiko said.
“Then you have no chance.”
“Don’t worry about that,” Nori immediately said. “We’ll get it fixed at Umegra.”
So she has a plan in mind, Reiko realized.
Bishop said to Reiko, “The nav sensors say that four of our mechas are fighting a mecha just east of here.”
“Could that be the Stryder?” Nori inquired.
Reiko hoped not, while at the same time wanting to see Daniela again.
“Most likely,” Major Takamaki replied. “You’re not thinking of giving chase, are you?”
“We have to investigate because repair parts for my mecha have gone missing,” Reiko said. “What about you? Can you get up?”
“My mecha’s legs are dysfunctional,” Major Takamaki said with a frustration that was unaccustomed to helplessness. “She knew exactly where to attack to make the Hakucho immobile. Even if I wanted to, I can’t help you. I’m sorry.”
“It’s all right,” Reiko said. “Will you be okay?”
“There’s a shelter nearby I can stay at.”
The Kamakiri moved east toward a series of commercial buildings that were eight stories tall. Four Guardian-class mechas were arrayed against a single mecha that Reiko immediately recognized as the one that had saved her the night of Governor Tamura’s assassination. Its horns, beetle-like face, and twin boomerangs belonged to Daniela Takemi’s Stryder.
Reiko’s eyes tightened as she watched Daniela dismantle the first Guardian. The scary part was that h
er movements were so fast, Reiko couldn’t see them. She did spot the two transport mechas carrying the replacement parts for the Kamakiri. They were essentially flatbeds with four legs, designed to carry huge loads. Reiko hailed them and a gruff pilot replied, “Our rails are blocked and the only way around is through that killer mecha.”
Bishop said, “There’s two destroyed mechas blocking their path.”
“Any survivors aboard?”
Bishop checked and replied, “None according to the scans. But, um, I think we’re going to need to deal with the Stryder first,” he said.
It wasn’t that the Stryder’s victory had ever been in doubt. But Reiko couldn’t believe she’d already defeated all four of the mechas in the time since Reiko had turned around to talk to the transport pilots.
Removing the mecha remains blocking the transports would have to wait.
The Stryder turned its attention toward them and raised her boomerangs in front of her.
Reiko took a deep breath. “This is Captain Reiko Morikawa of the Kamakiri. I’ve been looking for you for the past year.”
Daniela Takemi was the same age as Reiko. Her brows and head were shaved. She was tall, of mixed Italian and Spanish descent, with strong cheeks accentuated by slashes of paint. Her mouthpiece was transparent, but it regulated temperature and sped up her interactivity with the Stryder. She had on a black pilot suit with additional armored accoutrements to help her interface. There was other complex machinery equipped to her that Reiko did not recognize, almost spring-like in nature, as though to compensate for abrupt movement. Was this for the acceleration module?
“Have you now?” Daniela asked.
“I didn’t know where you were,” Reiko said.
“Are you here as friend or foe?”
Reiko paused to think about her answer. “Foe, but it doesn’t have to be that way.”
“I agree.”
“We can still avoid this if you throw down your weapons and walk away.”
“What happened to Niijima?” Daniela asked.
“She’s dead,” Reiko replied.
“You killed her?”
“We defeated her in battle. She killed herself.”
There was no hiding the pain that shot through Daniela’s eyes.
“She died with honor,” Daniela said.
“I know I can’t dissuade you. But we should be fighting side by side against the true evil, the Nazis. They’re the ones who benefit most from our fighting.”
“I assure you that after we triumph, we’ll deal with the Nazi threat accordingly. But before we begin, I must warn you. I have a mecha which has far superior technology to yours. I urge you to withdraw.”
“You know I can’t do that,” Reiko replied.
“No, I figured you could not.”
The Stryder charged at the Kamakiri, and Takemi used her long boomerangs as blades to attack viciously. Reiko, who could only use one arm, deflected carefully, meeting every strike before it could pierce her. She attempted a few parries, but was blocked each time. Reiko could sense Daniela was holding back.
Nori said, “Captain, I’m going to detach our arm.”
“Why?” Reiko asked.
“Trust me on this,” Nori said, and made changes from her munitions console to override engineering.
All of a sudden the Kamakiri’s bad arm fell out of its shoulder socket and crashed with a loud bang. Reiko was about to protest to Major Onishi when the Stryder took a step back.
“Your mecha is severely damaged,” Daniela said to Reiko. “What happened to your arm?”
“It was infected by Niijima. But I don’t need pity points. If I lose, that’s on me.”
“I presume that the arm and leg from the transport is for you?” Daniela asked.
“It would have been,” Reiko replied.
“This would not be a fair battle. Make your fixes, then come find me again. We will fight in earnest then.”
The Stryder turned away from them and moved east.
“Wasn’t expecting that,” Bishop said.
Reiko was not surprised. “During the mecha tournaments way back when we were at Berkeley, her first opponent was a cadet who was inferior in skill level and could barely get his mecha to stand up. Daniela avoided all his attacks but refused to deliver a final blow. She believed it was dishonorable to hurt a weaker opponent. When she was threatened with disqualification by the Imperial Judge, she accepted her loss without protest.”
“I remember that,” Nori said.
“Then you knew she would back off?” Reiko asked.
“I hoped,” Nori replied.
“If she hadn’t?”
“Our arm was barely functional, so it was a risk worth taking.”
Reiko thought again about their time at Berkeley. They were neighbors in the dormitories. Daniela cooked all her food, making bento boxes every day with gyozas, tofu soup, nashis, and whatever was part of her regimen for the week. Reiko, who hated cooking, always ate out, going either to the dormitory café (where she quickly got disgusted with the buffet slop), or for a slice of her favorite Neo-Kobe pizza at Snatcher Slices. Daniela occasionally cooked for her, trying to convince her it was healthier than eating out.
“But I like my food decadent,” Reiko protested.
Reiko remembered sleepless nights talking about their favorite class at Berkeley—Professor Kojima’s lectures on existence and social politics in the modern world, with all his brilliant nuances that shed light on subjects they only thought they knew. The two used to debate different topics all night long, sometimes getting heated as they insisted on their points and interpretations. Daniela was a passionate debater but always fair, willing to concede when her arguments were weak. She liked to probe for ways to take advantage, wanting to thoroughly understand a subject before venturing in.
“Why are you licking your lips?” Bishop asked Reiko in the present.
“Was I?” Reiko asked back.
“Your eyes had this distant glaze, like they were a thousand kilometers away.”
“How far is Berkeley again?”
Bishop laughed.
Reiko removed the mecha remains blocking the transports, and they headed back to the Umegra Station.
II.
The Culver City Umegra Mecha Station was home to some of the most colorful mechas Reiko had ever seen. They were designed for custom use by patrons during special events that needed the bombast of the big machines. Umegra also provided mecha rentals for portical films, as the military did not loan out their own mechas. Reiko spotted a re-created Fox-class mecha, the original legendary warriors who were the subject of a new cinematic series. She also spotted the Boktai-class mechas that harnessed solar energy to wield deadly beams and were the focus of a popular show she really enjoyed.
Umegra would have appeared to be a gigantic pit from the air, descending hundreds of meters to where the different mechas were stored on concentric layers.
Just as they were about to enter, a new mecha moved toward them. It was bulky and covered in thick armor, a mecha samurai with two fusion swords. Its bearings read Harinezumi II. Reiko raised her sword with her remaining arm, ready to fight.
Nori said, “You can stand down.”
“You know them?” Reiko asked.
“It’s the backup I requested.”
A man with long hair covering his face appeared on the display screen. His mouth was covered by food scraps. “Sorry I’m late. I had to pick up some chorizo hot dogs with pineapple juice from the market. You ever try these?” he asked, opening his mouth wide and showing all the chewed-up food inside.
“You never change, do you?” Nori said with a bright smile.
“What’s there to change?”
“Who are you?” Reiko asked.
“You can call me K,” he replied. “Wh
at the hell happened to the city? Actually, don’t tell me. Whose ass do you want me to kick, Nori?”
“We’ll talk more down at Umegra.”
“Sure. Long as they have sausages. Y’all like sausages?”
Bishop answered, “I tend to avoid processed food.”
“What’s ‘processed’ food mean?” K asked.
“It means any food loaded with chemicals and processed to make it taste like it’s one thing when it’s actually another.”
“I hear you on purity, man. That’s why I like sausages without all the fancy toppings. But this chorizo is nice, and so are the wasabi hot dogs. You ever have those? They’ll make you tear up. I gotta drink chocolate milk with ’em or my butt’s on fire and I gotta use the bathroom ten times in an hour.”
“That sounds very unhealthy.”
“Everything will kill you at one time or another, man. Even worrying about it’ll kill you from stress. So just don’t think about it.”
Reiko parked at a designated spot. The Kamakiri’s faceplate opened up, and they waited for the crew to raise up a platform they could take down to the surface.
Reiko asked Bishop, “What are you going to do now?”
“Grab one of those rocket packs, and fly to Maia and Lena’s apartment.”
“Why don’t we take a mecha?” Reiko suggested. “I’ll see if they have one we can borrow.”
“You gotta stay here,” Bishop said.
“You can use my help.”
“The city depends on you.”
Nori, who was checking the munitions console behind them, interjected, “Give me the address and I’ll dispatch a drone right now.”
“You sure?”
Nori nodded. Bishop relayed their information and photos. Nori dispatched one of the drones. The platform arrived, and three crew members came on board. Bishop and Reiko descended by themselves.
“You have a tough fight ahead of you,” Bishop noted.
“I’m not looking forward to it.”
“Why do you think Daniela joined Bloody Mary?”
“I intend on asking her and finding out directly,” Reiko said. “You going to be okay?”
Cyber Shogun Revolution Page 26
