Episode 19: Separated

There was no choice involved really. It was a matter of duty. My companions had fallen in battle and been captured, perhaps killed. It was my duty to find them, to rescue them if they needed it and avenge them if necessary. The Prill argued that we should not place ourselves in danger, that the world needs us. I could not stay however, not and remain who I am. Besides, they were more than simply my companions in arms. It was my friends who were missing. Yes, even Rei in a strange way.

The soldiers were obviously Hei Shi so the logical place to look was Geneva Prime. After a few days of rest Mokuzai, Highdive, and I headed north into the jungle. Elder Moon obviously did not want her mate to leave again; I left them alone to make their goodbyes in peace. It was a long journey, more than a month. I took the time to converse with Mokuzai as much as possible, to discuss with him what had been going on and what to do after we had reunited with the others. That old man is a store of vast wisdom, surprising insight, and a very wry, biting sense of irony. Highdive... well, we tolerated her as best we could. Thankfully she thought we were boring and went off on her own much of the time.

At one point we came across a Zipsum messenger. He had news of impending war, earthquakes, pirates, and other dark occurrences. One thing stood out to me: Washisan Academy had lost a duel, the first one in generations. I was proud and yet unsurprised to find out who had handed them this defeat. I quietly noted that my Clan had apparently moved to Matamos. Perhaps I would even get to see them again some day. Still, none of this affected our current mission so I thanked the messenger and we continued on our way.

It proved no difficulty to sneak into Geneva Prime. And no reason it should; nothing short of an army or a monster the size of Garandu Oni was going to be able to cause trouble to the massive numbers of Goshi troops patrolling the streets. Highdive said she would make contact with her brother and infiltrate the Goshi Tower to see if she could find anything out. I was pleased and surprised by this seemingly intelligent plan until I thought about what her form of reconnaissance would entail. Maybe I would get lucky and she would manage to bring the whole Tower tumbling down like she did with Inari's Grandmother.

For myself I decided to try to get in contact with an old contact I had in Goshi. There were a few men of honor left in the company, a few who believed in something more than just making more hours, and I know most of them. I had a message delivered to him asking him to meet me in a tea house I know. I did not say who I was in the message of course, except that I was an old friend and colleague.

Leaving Mokuzai in a flophouse in a slummy Mechified district I made my way to the tea house. I had used some berries that Highdive found to color my hair purple and used some soot to darken my face and eyebrows. It was a flimsy disguise but the best I could think of at the time; I have not exactly had much cause to learn how to disguise myself in the past after all.

The tea house was relatively empty and I spotted my contact right away, sitting at a table in the back. I made my way to him and sat down. He was surprised at first, not knowing who I was, but I did not give him time to hedge. I immediately laid out what I wanted from him, information on the Goshi raid on the Grand Chantry, specifically on where the prisoners that were taken were being held. He was so flustered that he let slip that he had been transferred out of Security and so did not have direct access to that information. All he knew were the rumors, that the raid had gone horribly both during and after. Then he finally recognized me and went pale. "Go!" he said. "Go now! I didn't know it was you! There's a bounty of 28 years on your head! Goshi won't stop in trying to get you!"

I should have known. Suddenly the other 'patrons' doffed their kimonos and baggy workman's clothes to reveal Hei Shi armor. Six of them and I was all alone with the exit on the other side. I summoned Keibatsu and rushed toward the nearest two as they were drawing guns, dispatching them before they could fire. Another one grabbed me from behind and a third kicked me in the gut and I knew that I was in trouble. I could not fail here; too much was at stake. My friends needed me. I felt something well up inside of me, a righteous fury laced with what I had come to recognize as the Kyo Tee Shee's precious 'mana' and I unleashed it upon my assailants. There was... very little of them left that was recognizable. They had known. I was relieved it had not been Aimi who had come to capture me again. Relieved and, I was slightly disturbed to find, also a bit disappointed. Quickly I fled the tea house to reunite with Mokuzai and Highdive.

Highdive had been more successful than I had. I decided it was best not to ask details about how she had acquired the information, but it turned out that a Goshi facility had been leveled just after the raid, somewhere in the vicinity of Omexon. If I knew my friends, that had to be at least one of them. The quickest and safest way to get there would be via ship, but with a bounty of 28 years on my head (and maybe more after my encounter in the tea house) I did not wish to risk our safety to my flimsy skills of obfuscation again. I determined that the best way to go about things would be to stow away. A small bribe was all it took to get access to the port registry and a likely candidate presented itself. A colorfully named black rock freighter was bound for Omexon within the next couple of days and I meant us to be on it.

I put together a small amount of supplies and another bribe saw us within the warehouse that stored the cargo containers that were to be loaded on our chosen freighter. It was quick work to load ourselves in one of the containers, digging out a small, uncomfortable nest in the black rock. Unfortunately I was going to be there for a good long while.

I lost track of time. The journey was to take about a month; weeks at least passed by. Mokuzai spent most of his time inside the strange world that he reaches through his staff, only coming out to eat a drink once in a while. I spent my time in a state of deep meditation, almost hibernation, slowing my pulse and breathing down until I was barely alive, conserving energy. Highdive... well thankfully she managed not to be seen during her many excursions out onto the freighter. I am still surprised that I did not awaken to find that she had eaten all of our supplies in a matter of days. If not for the fact that she despises Cheldrun food she probably would have.

I was eventually broken out of my reverie by an attack of some sort. There were loud crashes and the sounds of gunfire from outside; definitely a battle. Peeking out into the outside world for the first time since my journey began, I thanked the First Minds that it was night. Even the moon and stars and the ship's lights seemed too bright after so long spent in darkness. Ragged looking Cheldrun were attacking the freighter, and a giant sea serpent of some sort seemed to be helping them! In the distance I thought I heard the faint sound of Prill song, which I would have discounted as imagination if not for the leviathan before me. Quickly reaching the decision that whatever was going on it was not my affair, I lowered a lifeboat and Highdive and I made quick our escape. (Mokuzai was still in his staff which I had tucked firmly in my sash.)

Hoping against hope that the sea monster would not decide to attack the little motorboat I piloted us toward shore. There was definitely the sound of a Prill singing on the attacking boat and some great shining Mechified standing at the prow. Ignoring all of this I made for the beach, thinking that we must be close enough that it would be easy enough to make the rest of the journey on foot. Suddenly the boat lurched and then a woman appeared beside me. Not just any woman though: Una! I gawked and Highdive fell off with a little splash.

Before she could speak I gasped "Una?"

She looked at me quizzically. "Do I know you..."

"Kiyoshi," I rasped. My voice had gone some time without use and despite my best efforts I had inhaled a great deal of black rock dust over the course of the voyage.

Una's eyes turned suspicious and then widened in wonder. "Kiyoshi!" she cried and sprang forward to hug me. Just at that moment the serpent caused a huge wave that capsized us. Quickly I grabbed hold of the boat and saw that Una had done the same. We both came up spluttering and shivering, and then the strangest sight of all appeared. The shining Mechified was Moses, and he seemed to be partly swimming and partly gliding atop the water with the help of a small outboard motor attached to his back.

"Moses?!" Una and I cried out almost simultaneously. I glanced about for a moment fully expecting Rei to come out of nowhere, perhaps riding the sea serpent. I looked back to see Moses notice us and a look of startlement that must mirror my own appear on his face. For a moment our eyes met, staring in amazement. Then, his momentum halted, he sank beneath the waves.