19 Prologue To Their Madness

Her idea to raid the refinery was insane. No helping about it, considering that she's been like this ever since I met her. Captain's been unstable and though it's not my right to speak about craziness when I could machete a man to death on the side of an alley.

Living inside the Fortuna had allowed us to keep our costs to a bare minimum. It gets on my nerves we are making it through our expenses because of Captain's side job that actually earns us a lot. I think most of her side job comprises making sure that they passed the algorithm. Most of her admin controls are just managing bots and control on what they should post among the sea of content. It pays the bills, but it's kinda strange. Not to mention that the extra credit goes to purchasing what we will use when kidnapping General Charlotte. Her dossier was full of warnings that we shouldn't fuck with General Charlotte. Lady Sheen, the second-in-command to the Twins, called us over this purchase of the dossier. As expected, upon learning that we have purchased this information, she was not nice about it.

Lady Sheen kicked out because our plan was insane. Though we meet in the Fortuna once in a while to discuss this madness that we got ourselves into. I think that we shouldn't really try to kidnap General Charlotte from a refinery guarded and funded by the Corporation. The Carnifex was going to hide in one of the asteroid belts close to the refinery. Captain flew the Carnifex herself into one wormhole and hid the Carnifex inside a hollow rock. How my Captain found the rock is beyond my understanding.

Mars had a habit of raining red water because of the water that has been producing from the ozone. Not to mention that when it is night, there is a generous layer of frost sheeting the landscape of Mars. During nighttime, they harvest the frost and turn them into drinkable water. They deliver this ice through a network of tunnels they store in each dome city. Part of the reason Mars has this cleansing rain once in a while. Wish they could cool it down with the goddamn artificial rain, since it scares me they might just blow up the lights in the districts.

The Fortuna has a great rear, but the space itself of the Fortuna was okay enough to call home. Though we don't use our beds and mostly stick to the cockpit where strangely it was more comfortable to stay in. One reason I preferred the cockpit was the data link. I didn't really got the chance to say goodbye to one person who kept me mentally alive for the years.

"Kiriko," I started. "Sorry, if I haven't read your mails. I am not a soldier anymore, so most of your messages were on the PDA that I lost in Begin-01 after a horrible orbital drop. I cannot possibly contact you right now." I hesitated on my next words. "You have been my constant source of hope. Though I thought hard on what I should do in case I would get out of fighting. Now that it happened to me, I feel weak and unable to do anything other than wonder if there is something I can do. Getting the freedom that I wanted seems like it wouldn't change a damn thing. Akihisa Kiriko, I would like to thank you sincerely."

I sent my message. I reclined on the seat and checked on the net. My PDA rang, so I checked the data link, and found Akihisa Kiriko's wonderful message.

"K, lol."

My brain froze. I feel it not function for a second before I let out a smile.

"If I have the chance, let's eat some of that raw fish you always talk about."

I sent that message, then went back to staring at the net. Captain called in her coordinates. I punched in the details where she was and had Henry Jims escort her out of that asteroid belt. In the screen of the Fortuna, is the imagery of the refinery being stream lived.

Spaceships, starships, and frigate-class patrols all over the place. Captain might be weird in some place, but she is a monster with these things. Just the amount alone is worrisome considering that she got an excellent position. Hell, I am surprised that Captain found a good place to position the Carnifex. I wonder how she gets such a good timing.

It took hours for Captain to return. When she entered the Fortuna, I felt all hair in my body stand. Sometimes Captain scares me. When I saw her on Begin-01, she was like a demon. Reading about her feats had doubled that fear.

"Cap?"

Captain glared at the air. Her head then turned slowly towards me.

"They can ID us."

"Huh? Did you fucked up?"

"No," Captain moved to the rear of the Fortuna. I followed her and saw her taking a wrench. She started smashing one panel of the Fortuna. I didn't dare to stop Captain. She had that icy look. She pulled something out of the panels. A micro-processor?

"Hmm," Captain blew air through her teeth. "It seems like there really was something they installed on their ships. If I didn't know notice it in the Carnifex, we would be in pieces again."

"Wait, they have something like that installed?"

"They are a multi-quintillion Corporation, and you'd think they won't think of this," Captain dropped the micro-processor-like object on the floor. Her boot crunching the silicone to pieces. Her face remained deadly. All the questions that were in my head got stuck in my throat.

I need to know what the hell happened.

***

I called Henry Jims.

"You calling on what happened?"

"I do."

"Good. She saved my life again. I know I made a mistake joining this, but I am glad to have Regina Goddamn Doll on my side."

"What happened, Henry?"

"She somehow got herself dodging through dozens of Corporation patrols with that ride. If she didn't instruct me how to get to the asteroid belt, the patrols would catch me. Really, she's impressive in how she does this."

"Is that why she came back, ripping a panel here? It seems like she found out that there is a tracking beacon installed on the Carnifex and Fortuna."

"And she found this? How?"

"What do you mean, how? It's even a surprise that somehow we found this in the Fortuna! I feel like an idiot knowing that we didn't think of that."

"Are you insane?" Henry Jims said with a surprise. "Ripping out Corporation tech isn't. It triggers all sort of alarms that NONE of the buyers of the starships made from them would think of removing it. Her removing it means she knows how to and just realized it. You underestimate how they placed this tech, and you said that she just ripped it out of the panel?"

"That's right She ripped out the micro-processor or something."

"Cap must have removed the key component that handles the input and output of the beacon. I know they can do it that way. But how in the hell did she find it so easily? It could be in any part of the goddamn ship and it would be best if you breakdown the ship instead of finding it."

"The Carnifex must have one as well."

"I am sure of it. But the Captain probably ripped it out as well."

"Damn, I don't know what happened, but that gave the Captain some serious look."

Henry Jims looked down for a moment.

"Cap's face is flat as a stone sometimes, but she knows how to be friendly. But when she makes that face of a demon. I understand why she could do what she does. Damn, these corporation pricks pissed her off somehow. Any idea?"

"I wouldn't be calling you if I had any idea on why the Captain wants to rip a few spines. Shit, this was just a recon."

"No offense, brother. But I think you need to find a good controller. Lady Sheen, and the Twins will not let me take part knowing about this. They saw the footage of the refinery and considering that we got the light punishment from the Corporation. Taking this risk is not something that we find beneficial."

"I understand. Have you talked to Captain about this?"

"She said yes so easily that it scared me. Look, I can face down groups, but knowing this is the Captain scares me. I rather deal with the Akumas than the Captain right now. As much as I'd like to curry favor from the Cap, this heist with the prize of General Charlotte is bad for my stomach."

"From the information that Captain said to me, she relied too much on these people. They can bypass the security, but I don't think I'd have any guts to go against an entire refinery filled with heavily armed professionals. Not to mention that we are dealing with people who have the same power as General Charlotte. You would think that they have their own security as well and if we double than, then we might as well just buy a pea shooter and point it on our heads."

Henry Jims paused.

"But you're going to follow the Captain in this right?"

I nodded.

"No hesitation, huh? I guess that's why you are a soldier. You know we call soldiers like you insane for fighting aliens. People can't stand bugs, and you folks could face down those acid-spitting monsters. That incident with the bio-ship is enough excitement for me. If you somehow can pull this off, I hope you don't take the General back here in Mars."

Henry Jims ended the call. I leaned back in the cockpit's chair. Captain strutted down to the helm of the Fortuna, her fingers punching in a self-diagnostic test. Captain applied a new system control over the Fortuna's operating system. She updated every system and sub-system as if she had done this a thousand times. I was quite surprised how she handled the sudden problems so mechanically. Not a single worry on that solid rock face.

I've seen bio-humans with more emotion than the Captain. At least they pretend that they have emotion even after being severed from their mortal shell. But sometimes Captain surpasses them with having a dead look. I'd been repeating the same thing, but it bothers me when she's like this. I cannot stand looking at the Captain this way. And I hate myself for not having the balls to ask why she's making that face again.

"I know that this is the only way to get the Corporation behind our backs. But do you really think that we can get them to back off after we do this?���

Captain stopped typing.

"Yes. General Charlotte is part of a long line of shareholders. Her ancestors are founders and they would agree to her suggestion, knowing, that she is part of a grand line. Her abilities are renowned and her family has made a legacy. They won't stand if they lose her to us. They might be cold and heartless with their business. But they have not completely forgotten that they are humans with emotion. Albeit controlled, they'd care losing the life of an important heiress would bring forth trouble and considering that she is a woman. She can give the Corporation more heirs. Losing two starships is nothing compared to losing her life."

"So that's it. We take the General of the Corporation that manages the security details and the production of an entire department that spans an entire system. You won't back down from this?"

"Yes."

"Okay, I'll follow then."

Captain stared at me. Then she went back to updating the systems of the Fortuna.

"Be armed and ready. I need to check the Fortuna and the assets we need to accomplish this."

My legs move on their own as I went to the armory inside the Fortuna. Even though I know that this was a rather suicidal task. It seems like I cannot stop myself from backing the Captain up when she is wants to do this. Our reasons to do this was cheap and utterly stupid. But if this works, then we may reap enormous benefits and have the life of General Charlotte on our hands.