by Jessie Wolf
The old nun just gives me a small smile before placing her hand on my cheek. “So much like your grandmother and mama. I even see the steel of honor that was your grandfather in you. Bring me your students in the morning child, I will let you know which ones that can be most helped by staying here at the Temple.” And then she is gone. I don’t know how, but the woman just vanished. Right in front of my eyes she vanished. Ninety seven years of life, forty-five of that as a Death Dealer, tells me that is impossible. Two of the most powerful AIs known to man slaved to a sensor package say she should still be there, or I should have a way to tell me where she went; but she is just gone.
I hear her before I see her, but I am too busy trying to figure out where the Reverend Mother went to, to care. “Sissy are you alright?” looking over at Fuyuko, I shook my head no. “What is the problem maybe I can help?”
“Do you just see the Reverend Mother pass you on your way in?” I know I sound crazy, I just know it.
So you can imagine my surprise when Fuyuko giggles before answering me. “She pulled her vanishing act on you didn’t she?” I just nod my head yes again. “Trust me sissy when I say just let it be. If you don’t, it will drive you around the bend. I know it defies all logic, and no one knows how she does it. All I can say is that there are more theories on how she is able to do that than ways to build a mouse trap.”
I just look at her then think about what she is saying. I take her advice and let it go for now. “So little sister, what brings you out here at this hour?”
“I’m worried about you.” the plain honesty of her answer is a breath of fresh air. I love all three of my adopted sisters, but Fuyuko holds a special place in my heart. Of the three she has suffered the most at the hands of men, but she still has all this love in her heart.
“Why would you be worried about me little sister? You are the one who had something painful from their past brought up at dinner tonight.”
Fuyuko steps the rest of the way into the shrine and places her hand on my heart. “I asked Damia why you have two different AIs instead of just one. This evening when I saw you struggling with keeping your temper I realized just how hard it is for you. You had everything about you change in a matter of minutes, and in a way that had to be a shock to you. I mean one minute you’re a ninety-seven year old man the next a teenage girl. How do you handle it? I think it would have driven you crazy.”
The giggle that escapes me is not lost on Fuyuko. “Oh, little sister, you have no idea how proud you and your sisters have made me. The fact that you are all acting like seasoned Death Dealers. You are all using your AIs as if they have been with you for years. To answer your question as to how I handle the fact that I would be dead or dying if I had not gone through the secondary reconfiguration is simple. I have a second chance at life, and it is one that I will not waist bemoaning what I have lost. Not that it was any great loss. You see Fuyuko I knew that I was dying. I had come to Hades to say goodbye to old friends and to mama. I had planned to end my pain here in the one place that brought me my greatest happiness. The place I met Matsu Nakatoma. Don’t you see I had been alone for so long that I had forgotten what it meant to have someone in my life. Before you, your sisters and Alice came into my life I had only one plan. I was going to rip the hearts out of the rebel Houses and restore House Nakatoma to its rightful place. Afterwards I was going to steal a fast attack aerospace fighter and fly into the Jump Gate without any directional assignments.”
“WHAT?!” my very blunt confession at thinking about suicide shocked her to her very core. “Why would you even think that?”
“It is because she was lost, child. It was your love that brought her back from the brink of madness. Yours and your sisters. The three of you are all credits to your fellow novices.” I swear by all that is Holy and Demonic the woman is a ghost. One minute she is nowhere near you and the next she steps out of thin air. “You have no fear of her returning to that dark and deadly place, child. Your sister now has reasons to live far longer than most of humanity.” And she was gone. Again!
The giggle from Fuyuko lets me know that I am not the only one that finds the Reverend Mother’s appearance and disappearance unsettling. Then again she has been dealing with the woman far longer than me. After all she was at the Temple as a novice before joining my family. However I am going to track that woman down and find out how she does it, even if I have to wring her neck to get it.
“Don’t try figuring it out, sissy. Like I said it’ll drive you around the bend. No one knows how she knows when one of her novices is having problems or what to say when they do. She just has this way about her that defies all logic.” When I look at her I think my skepticism showed on my face. “Oh trust me she is human, but with abilities far beyond mortal nuns.”
Now I have to laugh at that idea. A nun with superpowers or mystic abilities is just too funny. Once I regain control of my breathing I smile at my little sister. I can see the love for me in her eyes, but there is still that shadow of pain long suffered there. I send up a silent prayer to the Goddess with a promise that I will have to be dead before anyone ever hurts her again. I pull her to me and give her the hug she needs.
“Come on little sister, time for us both to be in bed.” When we turn to leave the shrine we find that we are not alone. The twins and Alice are standing at the entrance way. There is not one dry eye among them. “From the looks of it little sister you weren’t the only one worried about me. Come on family lets go to bed. Thank you for coming out here to check on me, but you didn’t need to.”
“No, but it is what sisters and wives do, love.” Leave it to Alice to point out the flaw in my logic by using an emotional response. “However I will agree it is way past time for bed. I do have an idea for tomorrow morning though.”
“What are you up to, pussycat?”
“What say we all meet up at the practice range before breakfast and have a quick run at the range in full combat mode? I know that always relaxes me. They do say it is the ultimate stress reliever.” The cocky smile on her face lets me know that she is up to something else.
Taking a stab at what she is up to I ask. “Ok, how much is the pot up to, and what is it for?” if there is one thing I know about my wife it is this. She may love me with all her heart, but she will always be a soldier, then APS pilot, and finally a Death Dealer. The fact that she knows about a betting pool over in the troop barracks just confirms this. No matter how much polish JES puts on her, she’ll always go back to her origins as a combat trooper. Goddess how I love that about her.
Her blush only confirms my suspicions. “The new Land warrior teams have put up the new high score for the House and bodyguard units. They say that no one can beat their score, and I quote not even the Storm Dancers.” Now normally I would let this type of bragging go, however they challenged me and my family. And no one gets away with that.
“Who has tower control tomorrow?”
Alice just smiles and says one word. “Papa.”
“Does mama know about this challenge?”
“Who do you think told me about it and the idea of having a morning practice run?”
“Change of plans, flocks. Instead of going after the students and the Headmaster’s crew we’ll send the household staff to take care of that. We will meet them at the practice range, and put on a little exhibition for them.” the smile that was on my face was mirrored by the rest of my family. It was cocky, border line arrogant, but we had a point to make for certain members of our House troops. With everything we had going on since the end of the rebellion none of us have had time to get out to the range. So it was little wonder that the new members of our House troops had no idea of how deadly we really were. Then again none of the new secondary generation Death Dealers have made to into service yet. So the new people really had no concept for what we can do, especially as every member of my family was a second generation, with the exception of me. I am a secondary configuration first generation Death Dealer in the Omega/a
ssault class. I was something that by all rights should not have existed.
Nanase asked me a question about something I had not even thought about. “Can we do two runs? One by ourselves and the other with our APS’?” the excitement at being able to show off to her new friends was just as apparent on the faces of her sisters. They want to be able to show them their pride and joys, like the little girls they are with a new pony or horse. Only these ponies are multi-ton war machines. Goddess how I love my new family. They are so full of the joy of life it keeps me from going to that dark place in my mind.
“I think that we can arrange that. You know what that is exactly what we’ll do.” I waved for them to head back to their rooms. “But I want everyone to get a good night’s sleep. I want us all to be at the top of our game tomorrow. There are a few morons that need to be taught a lesson in humility.”
They all start to giggle at me as I describe our objectives for the range tomorrow. “Oh, and one more thing. The standard rules apply for top shot. Just because we’re in school doesn’t get you out of that little condition.” They all just continue to giggle as we head back to our rooms.
Early the next morning just before dawn…
Oh dark stupid and I am wide awake. I roll over and look into the eyes of the second woman to ever capture my heart. She looks as relaxed as I feel. I watch as Alice begins to stretch as she wakes up. She reminds of a cat when she does that. So slinky and graceful. Smiling over at her “Time to pound some grunt scores love. Are you ready for this?”
The smile she returns says more than her words. I have been working with her coordination whenever I have the chance to help with her combat mode. The first time she engaged it she was left a little disorientated; now it is like she has always been this way. “More than ever, kitten. Let’s engage our armor before heading out to the range, that way we can wear a pair of coveralls over it.”
“Good idea, no sense in giving the locals a peep show.” Alice giggles at this, because anyone who has seen us in our armor knows almost every inch of our bodies. The bio-armor leaves very little to the imagination. Sliding out of bed I remove my nightgown and activate my armor. I feel the tingle as it flows out over my body encasing me in an almost indestructible layer of bio-metallic armor.
I catch a glimpse of Alice in all of her naked glory just before her armor covers her. No matter how many times I see her like that, I just can’t get enough of it. She has the body of an athlete. Slim, toned, and rock hard, a body that any woman would be proud to have. Her heart shaped butt is one of the few that I have seen in all my years that would bring tears to your eyes. Her legs are sculpted pillars of ivory goodness. A waist so trim that it is a natural twenty-four inches. Breasts that are just prefect at a b-cup in size. But for me it will always be the waist length brunette hair that sets off my buzz buttons.
“Get that devilish look off your face, kitten. We don’t have time for that this morning, besides our family will be here shortly.” Alice must have read my mind or to be more precise the look on my face. The thoughts that I had just been having were not wholesome at all. She steps over to our changing room only to step back out with a worried look on her face. “Um… love our coveralls are missing.”
“What do you mean their missing?”
“They’re not in the changing room. There are two pairs of Temple robes hanging where our coveralls should be.” As she tells me this Gin and Kina come into the room.
“I see you ladies are ready for your practice run on the training range. You’ll find a pair of temple robes to wear beforehand hanging in the changing room.” Gin is just smiling at us as she says this.
“Gin, why can’t we wear our coveralls?” I decide not to fight her on this; I know all too well that my maids are in charge when it comes to how I am dressed. They have made this absolutely clear over the past few months.
“Please, my Ladies, hear me out, before getting mad. We know that you would prefer to wear coveralls over your armor, however you both need to realize that you’re the face of your House and family.” I raise my hand and stop her right there.
“Say no more, Gin. Alice, love, we need to start thinking beyond uniforms’ and practicality.” Put actions to words, by stepping into the changing room. “Come on, pussycat, we need to finish getting ready. Besides if we’re wearing them so are mama, and the rest.” Alice just sighed and joined me in putting on the Temple robes.
“It’s not that I’m against wearing them, it’s just that I don’t feel right about it. I am neither a novice nor a member of the Temple.” I can tell that this is upsetting her a little. I didn’t have a way to make her feel better about it. Thankfully it was Kina who had that answer.
“Oh, but you are a member of the Temple, Lady Alison.” When Alice starts to deny it Kina explains. “When you married, Lady Maiha, you became a member by default. Please remember that all members of the Nakatoma family belong to the Temple, even Lord James was a member. He may not have followed the Temple teachings, and been a non-practicing member; he was still the Lady Matsu’s husband and therefore a member. He was considered to be a Temple Guardian. You, my Lady, are in the exact same position as he was. So yes you can wear those robes. They are the robes of a Guardian, wear them with honor.” When Kina finishes she bows to Alice as a show of respect.
“Thank you, Kina, for explaining that to me. It makes me feel better about wearing them.” Alice was truly relieved at hearing that she had the right to wear the robes.
“It was my pleasure, Lady Alison. Now, before you leave for the practice range your mama wanted us to give you this.” And she hands over a folded piece of paper. Taking it from her I open it up and began to read what was printed on it. I can’t help the laugh that escapes me. When Alice looks at me with questioning eyes I just hand it over. Within moments she is joining me in my laughter.
Daughters,
It has come to my attention that certain members of our loyal House troops doubt our skills on the training range. A challenge has been issued by the new members of our Land Warrior unit.
While I understand the need for bragging rights among the defenders of our House. This ‘challenge’ cannot stand. We have set a standard that must be upheld. To this point I have arranged for the Storm Dancers to have two practice runs this morning. The first of which shall be in our primary combat mode as Death Dealers, the second will be in our APS units.
Your father has scheduled our runs to take place at zero eight thirty for the first, and ten hundred for the second.
Good hunting Storm Dancers,
Mountain Mistress
“Come on love it looks like we are having breakfast with our guests before our runs.” I give Alice a hug and start for the door and the Great Hall. She just smiles and follows me out. We are met by the rest of our family in hallway. I am surprised to see that my sisters are wearing the robes of a novice, and mama is in the robes of a Reverend Mother. Normally this would not bother me, but the difference in colors will definitely bring questions. Mama must have picked up on my fears.
“Do not worry, Maiha. I’ll handle any question regarding the differences in the color of our robes.”
“Thank you mama. However I do have one question myself. Why is Alice’s and mine blue with gold trim?”
Mama smiles at me with genuine pride when I ask this of her. “Those are the robes of a Guardian. The ones you would have worn as James. Just as I wear the black and white of a Reverend Mother so would have Matsu. Remember you are taking our guests to see the Temple later today, as such it is only befitting that you enter it dressed as its Guardian.”
“Thank you for explaining that to me mama. I still have so much to learn when it comes to the Temple. Will our guests be in the robes of a novice?”
“No child that would not be appropriate. They will be given the robes of an initiate so that all will know that they are not yet members of the Temple, but guests of the House.” Once again mama is two steps ahead of me. It never ceases to amaze me
how she can know what I am thinking some times. Walking into the Great Hall I find that most of our guests have already arrived. It only takes me a quick glance to see that they are all dressed in the robes of an initiate. As we were walking up to our table my sisters are stopped every now and then by one of the girls. By the sounds of some of the questions that they are asked I have a feeling that most are excited about their upcoming visit to the Temple. I too get stopped and asked about the Temple. I was prepared to be questioned by some of the girls, but the one who stops me is a surprise.
“Yes, Celina, how can I help you?”
“Lady Maiha, I would like to know if anyone can join your family’s Temple?” the girl is shaking with what looks like excitement and hope. Now this is a question that I was not prepared to answer. I had no idea if just anyone could join the Temple. Mama comes to my rescue, but it is the Reverend Mother Dai Etsu who answers the question.
“Why do you seek the walls of our Temple, child?” I can tell that mama is in full Reverend Mother Mode, now. Sure she may have had to step down as an active Reverend Mother, but that is who she shall be until her return to the Goddess. “Do you seek knowledge or a life of service or are you running away from your past?”
Celina looks over at her and takes in the way she is dressed. Someone must have taught her the different colors for the robes. “I do not know Reverend Mother.”
“Then later today you shall be my guest as we walk through the Temple. At the end of the day if you still wish to join I will take to the Mistress of Novices.” With that mama headed for our table. The look in Celina’s eyes tells me that she just might have been given something she didn’t even know she was looking for.
