"Eva!" Eric shouted over the blaring claxons, "Barricade corridor blocks
B5 to B10 and irradicate!"
Eva murmured a quiet affirmative before a shield erected infront of
him. With brief flash of light, the mines vapourized into their
particle components.
"Grr.." Akira growled, "why don't they come back here and finish what
they started. Would have given them a taste of my power!"
"Calm down Akira..I think they did finish their job." Eric's muscles
instinctively relaxed as his experience told him this battle was over.
Emiko appoarched from further down the hall. "Eric-san, they got
Anne-chan!"
Eric grunted like he knew. A few of the ACD girls were coming out from
their section of the bunkers, while more men appeared from behind Eric.
"Tamiko-chan, did you sence anything?"
The petite red-head shook her head. "Aw heck, I was pratically asleep
when this started, leave me alone..." After looking up at Eric's cool
demeanor and chiseled face, she changed her attitude a bit. "Umm..I did
sense that there was a little bit of aphrehension from one of the
members..like he or she didn't really want to do this."
"I see..."
Emiko noticed Mai appear from around the bend. "Mai..?"
Mai was on the verge of tears. "I..I...I...."
"Don't worry about Mika, Mai, she'll be alright." But that didn't seem
to be her problem. She sniffled some more.
"What's wrong Mai-chan?" Eric inquired.
"I..I..I.." she stammered, "I MISSED MY CHANCE TO HELP EMIKO-SENSEI!!
WAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!" Mai cried, a waterfall of tears almost flooding the
deck. Some of the other sidekicks went over and comforted Mai, and then
Eva interupted. "All senior crew members please report to the bridge
immediately. Arigato."
"Alright, everyone not on duty get back to your quarters and get what
ever rest you can. The rest of you get to your posts. Lets get
moving!" With the clammer of footsteps, the crew scattered. Eric
looked over to Emiko and the distraught Mai. "Emiko, get Mika to the
sick bay, and then report to the bridge."
"Hey, I'm not on duty!" Emiko complained.
"True," Eric replied, "but if we don't get up there we'll miss out on
the action." Emiko grinned in response and raced with Mai back to their
room.
Captain Fukamori sat quitely in his chair, furrowed eyes keeping calm
and collected. He had been in too many unexpected situations to
remember..against space demons, armadas, living nebulas...he had been
offered the command of larger vessels many times, but the Detrimental
was his ship. He knew the feel of the vessel..it was fairly manuverable
for a carrier class ship, and not too shabby on the weapons arsenal
either. He knew his senior officers, and he wouldn't leave this ship
unless he were in a casket ready for burial.
"Eva," he called to the girl standing near him. It was really
un-necessary to have an Eva unit on board, but she proved to be
resourseful in her own unique way. He tried not to wrinkle his face
with a smile. Twenty years ago he would have never imagined calling a
computer like it was a real person. But times changed faster than
light, and all there was to do what adapt.
"Hai." she replied, bowing slightly.
"Have you adapted to their stealth tech yet?"
She nodded. "If they attack like this again, I will be ready to
counter their methods."
"Good. What about their ships?"
There was a pause. "...not yet. I do not have any analysis
information to help me. Gomen-nasai.." she put her head down in what
appeared to be shame.
Fukamori grumbled a bit, but he didn't expect much from the
technological aspect. When the enemy use tech, using tech to find them
was more difficult that it was worth. "Keetala!" he called out, looking
above him. The bridge was one of such abstract design that it usually
takes days to fully understand how everything works. Keetala was
floating over the entire bridge, in the center of a sphere-like object
which had crystals protruding out of it in confusing directions.
Keetala herself wore a thick robe, with curly dark purple hair and a
ring band around her forehead. There were three circular dots on her
face: one on her forehead, and the other two on her cheeks. "I know
what you want Captain," she replied in a voice that was fairly deep for
a female, "I've magnified my aura to 3 niys and have located them.
Their stealth technology is good, but it doesn't hide their aura's from
my sight. Here are their cooridinates." Waving her hands a few times,
the numbers appeared on the screen, with a map of the galaxy indicating
the straight-line path to the ship. "That Anne," Keetala murmured,
"...her aura is quite strong, it sends a beacon to almost all corners of
the galaxy!"
"Can you detect the aura from the other senshi?"
"Meiko yes...but not Makendo...very odd."
"Thank you," Fukamori replied. He turned his chair to Eric, Emiko,
Mai, and a slightly dazed Mika who were watching the space outside the
bridge. "At this point, there's little point of going after them.
Space folding to their location would put us in Strass territory, and
there's no need yet to bother this dimension's locals. If they work for
Strass, there's not too much need to worry. But if they head in the
direction of the Imperials, we may have problems."
Suddenly there was some commotion on the bridge. Keetala cocked her
head behind her, something in her mind registering another powerful
aura.
"Let me through, you morons!" Meiko cried, bursting onto the bridge.
"Let her through," the captain called to the security guards. Meiko
gave the guards an evil look that could kill, before clamouring to the
captain.
"What is it?"
"Because you tried to stop them, I'm giving you notice before I head
off to rescue Anne." Meiko stated like it were fact.
"Oh? Perhaps you should hear what this is all about first."
Meiko crossed her arms and rejected the idea. "Please...I don't have
any loyalties towards the ACD. I am with the Empire--"
"--an Empire, that was for the most part, was elimiated."
"Because of her!" Meiko pointed an accusing finger at Eva, who shyly
backed away.
Emiko stood in front of Meiko's gaze. "Hey! It's not like you're
older sister was treating _us_ very well!"
Meiko gave Emiko a good slap in the face, making her reel back a few
steps.
Mika pounced up to Meiko until they were eye to eye. "You hurt Mika
friend, you deal with Mika!" she said, extending her claws and bearing
her fangs. Mai made some comment about how Meiko was a bad girl, while
supporting Emiko.
Fukamori ended this emminant battle with three words: "Makendo's still
alive."
That caught Meiko's attention. "Nani?"
"You're sister's spirit is still alive, and we're looking for her.
Interested?"
Meiko re-crossed her arms and Mika backed down. "I'm listening."
The captain remained seated and unloaded the entire story so far onto
Meiko. The senshi seemed to be going through some ordeal in her head
even after the captain finished. "So," he asked, "are you with us or
not?"
She slit her eyes and thought for a moment more. Emiko looked at
her..those eyes she did not trust. Eric, who was being rather quiet,
just watched the scenrio unfold. "Fine." Meiko answered, "but once I
get into contact with both my sisters, don't expect anything from me."
She marched off the bridge, pausing once before leaving. "Don't bother
me until it's time." Once she left there was a sigh on the bridge.
Emiko rubbed her face gently. "That hurt!"
