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[bluewind78]

"Defense calls Commander Sudo Maasa". Marine Major Anna Tamai faced the presiding judge as she announced to the court her intention to cross-examine the next witness. Maasa came through the door of the courtroom, hastily securing the gold buttons on her naval dress blues as she took the witness stand. After taking the formal oath, the well-built woman sat down.

 

"Please state your name, rank and assignment for the record".

 

Maasa cleared her throat. "I am Commander Sudo Maasa. Currently serving as Group Operations Officer of Destroyer Group VIII, based onboard flagship missile cruiser, The Guardians IV"

 

Major Tamai glanced at her notes before addressing the former Berryz.

 

"Commander, I understand you have known Admiral Shimizu for a long time" Anna stated matter of factly.

 

"That's correct. I have served under the Admiral's command as a Weapons Officer ever since she was made Captain of The Berryz Koubou" Maasa replied, her tone even and calm.

"In all those years, have you known Admiral Shimizu to be impulsive during the course of discharging her duties?"

 

Maasa hesitated, her face looked as if she was caught like a deer standing before some serious headlights.

 

"Commander?" The Presiding Judge, Admiral Takahashi Minami's low voice, snapped her out her daydreams. "Please answer the question"

 

"My apologies, Your Honour. I have never known her to be anything but an honourable, level-headed naval officer"

 

"Even when she had to deal with making the impossible choice to try and save EVERYONE, as it turned out during the events leading to April the 6th?" Anna returned to the fore with a question.

 

Again, Maasa hesitated. Her hesitation was not lost on the Presiding Judge and everyone else in the courtroom.

 

"May I remind you, Commander... You are still under oath" Anna gently stated.

 

"The death of Lieutenant Kawaguchi Haruna could've rattled ANYONE in the Admiral's shoes, Major. Make no mistake about it. She was and still is a Commanding Officer who hated losing one of her own. Especially her. Even one death is one too many for Shimizu Saki" Maasa rattled off. She was incensed at the mere suggestion that Saki was mentally unfit for command. She was on a roll, and was about to continue until the Counsel interrupted her.

 

"I'll be more specific. What was Admiral Shimizu's state of mind on the 6th of April, Commander? From the testimonies of the bridge crew on duty onboard The Guardians IV, notwithstanding that of her CO, Commander Nakajima Saki, you were seen to immediately pull her into a private conference after Seahawk-352 was shot down"

 

The Major stared at Maasa. "What was it that you have to discuss with her in private without the attendance of Commander Nakajima?"

 

"She was angry at herself" Maasa looked at Saki who was sitting at the other end of the courtroom, clasping both her hands together. "That's all I could say"

 

"Angry at herself? Was she second-guessing, or even regretting her earlier decision not to fire a warning shot at the hijackers?" The counsel pressed again.

 

"In your opinion, is there a possibility that the Admiral here feels inadequate to fulfill the mission task Pacific Forces Command assigned to her.. the possibility that she would snap under the weight of the mounting pressure in those circumstances?"

 

"No!" Maasa snapped, trying to keep her anger barely in check again. "I would think not, MAJOR. If there was anyone I trust in my small circle of friends and shipmates, I trust Shimizu Saki. WITH MY LIFE"

 

"With that clarified, can you relate to us the events subsequent to the video-conference with Assistant Director Tokunaga Chinami of Sendai Naval Yards?"

 

Maasa swallowed a lump in her throat, as she recounted that day in detail...

 

 

6 MONTHS AGO....

 

"I knew it, Maa..." Saki cradled her neck with both her hands, head bowed down. "I shouldn't have let you guys egg me on in accepting that promotion to flag rank"

 

"Look, it's not your fault, ok?" Maasa rested a hand gently on the shorter's shoulder.

 

"The hell it is, Maa!" Saki retorted. "It's a Catch-22 situation. Whatever it is that I'm about to do from now on, I'd probably in all likelihood lose my stars....or for that matter, I'll be lucky if the Brass is even willing to demote me back to Captain, assigned to a SHORE-BASED COMMAND. Either that, or dishonorable discharge."

 

"So, it that it?" Maasa folded her arms. "You're gonna start feeling sorry for yourself? If memory serves, this is not the first time we've to accomplish a shitty mission. We've been through worse serving on The Berryz Koubou...or have you forgotten those days, ADMIRAL?"

 

"Hey, I don't mean to interrupt this drama and all, but we're running out of time here. Right now, Risako and Kumaichan's trapped in that cruise liner and if I were you guys, I'd start asking myself what both of them could've done" Chinami's loud voice suddenly broke the awkward silence.

 

"How can we even know what's the situation's like down there? The distress beacon was shut down pretty fast and they've jammed every communications within 5 nautical miles. Some of the hijackers must've found out somebody activated it. If they had the whole ship locked down, it'll be a matter of time before they find out either one of them...I'm betting its Risako, who's behind the activation of the beacon. That girl really knows how to fight. She's a survivor"

 

"What about The Buono, Chii?" Saki blinked as she studied the thinking face of Tokunaga Chinami. "Any chance any of the crew made it out alive?"

 

"It looks pretty bad, least from where I'm standing. But there is one possibility that one of the seahawk helos are intact inside the ship's internal hangar"

 

Saki studied the recorded video feed from earlier, taken from Seahawk-351. Sighing, she said "How does that helo help, Chii? The hangar's pretty much sealed off by the wreckage of the other helo destroyed on the helipad. There's no way anybody could fly it off the ship even if they are alive"

 

Upon sensing Saki's allusion to the fate of their former ace helicopter pilot, Maasa gave a light squeeze on Saki's hand. "We're thinking of Miya too, Saki...and Momo...also Airi. But we can't let our hopes up too much. We have to assume they're dead"

 

"NO!" Saki shook her head. "I REFUSE to BELIEVE THAT!"

 

Chinami groaned. "Believe what you want, but if I were Miya, I'd give it a shot to blow up that Helo in the hangar"

 

"Look, we all know how crazy and impulsive Miya can get at times...but I just can't picture her doing that...ah, ah...no way!" Maasa shook her head violently.

 

Saki nodded affirmatively. "Agreed..."

 

"But Chii has a point, though.." Saki fingered her chin thoughtfully. "Small arms locker don't carry weapons with that kind of firepower to repel the armed enemies inside the liner, but to escape, she may need a distraction"

 

"BOOM?!" Chii replied animatedly, looking at both naval officers from her viewscreen.

 

Saki smiled. "Your guess is as good as mine. Now...the question is...how do we get a message out to The Buono...or a signal?"

 

"We can probably try the experimental drone you developed, Chii"

 

"Are you nuts? That thing hasn't even been tested yet!" Chinami cried.

 

"What better way than to test it out on the battlefield..." Maasa thought aloud.

 

Turning to face Saki, she asked, "So, what do you say, Admiral? Your call..."

 

Saki felt the heavy burden of responsibility once again. She spaced out for a moment, before finally saying. "OK...let's do this, but we're gonna need backup, and I know just who to turn to..."

 

 

TO BE CONTINUED.......NOTE:  This Series is a continuation of Bye Bye Berryz  Part I.

[darkacex99]

kool! i need moar !!!!

[darkacex99]

srry for the double post, but i hope you will still continue this story as well as the other one too its gettin tooooo good

[bluewind78]

srry for the double post, but i hope you will still continue this story as well as the other one too its gettin tooooo good

 

Its ok darkacex, I've been too lazy to update this fic...work's been tiring me out these few months...but I'll try to write more later on...for now...

 

 

 

 

COURTROOM 1, JUDGE-ADVOCATE GENERAL HQ, YOKOSUKA

 

"So, Tokunaga-san...am I right to assume Admiral Shimizu gave her tacit approval to this plan of using an untested drone for reconnaissance, given your input into this whole situation?" Kitahara Sayaka, a newly-promoted JAG officer, began her questioning of the next witness, a tall and lanky engineering specialist.

 

Chinami's eyes were shifting. "I have to add that the responsibility also was shared by me and Commander Sudo. The Admiral would not have otherwise made such a risky decision if she hadn't seek the opinion of a technical specialist"

 

"In this case, that would be you, correct?" Kitahara interjected.

 

Chinami looked down. "That is correct"

 

"Do you have any idea why?"

 

"When we're discussing on ways of extricating The Buono from the massive liner's starboard hull, it occurred to Admiral Shimizu that there was a suspicion that the hijacker terrorists only mode of infiltration is via a submarine. She felt it necessary to enlist the help of a subsurface asset...a submarine...to neutralize the hijackers' suspected getaway vehicle which she suspected to be lurking nearby. But that idea was shelved when she decided to deploy the Special Forces Team headed by Captain Kikawa Yuu" Chii added.

 

"When you mentioned enlisting the help of a submarine asset, I assume you're referring to the baliistic missile submarine The C-ute?" Kitahara asked, earning a hesitant nod from the former Berryz chief engineer. "Your Honour, Prosecution submits Exhibit C2, Transcript of Change of Orders issued by Rear Admiral Shimizu Saki to Captain Yajima Maimi, Commanding Officer of The C-ute" The prosecutor handed the transcript to the presiding judge and turned around to face the witness. TakaMina fished out her glasses and studied the contents of the transcript in the meantime.

 

"At the time this Order was issued via the Submarine Waveband 785, was the Group aware of the location of The C-ute?"

 

Chinami shook her head. "No, we weren't, Commander"

 

"To be more precise, The C-ute was on a joint maritime survey mission with NOAA submersibles in the Mariana Trench...the deepest oceanic floor of the planet. But then again, there was no way the Admiral would've known that, would she?"

 

Chinami fidgeted "I do not know where you're going with this...I don't know what you're talking about"

 

"Its quite simply, isn't it, Tokunaga-san? As an engineer, you SHOULD know that at close to 900 feet, ANY OTHER RADIO signal frequency besides 785 would've been attenuated at such a great depth. In plain simple terms, there would've been no way of knowing where The C-ute was at the time, or means to contact her... unless that information was provided by an insider"

 

"Objection, Your Honour! Hearsay & Speculation!" Anna Tamai stood up from the other Defense Counsel bench.

 

"Overruled" TakaMina asserted.

 

"I believe the facts are as clear as day here..I have no further questions, Your Honour"  Sayaka smiled, turning towards Anna. "Your witness"

 

Major Tamai could only afford a deep sigh. This is going to be a really LONG day in Court.

 

 

 

********************************************

Later that day...

 

SAITAMA, JAPAN

 

 

Anna Tamai pressed the doorbell and waited at the front entrance of a seemingly well-maintained family home.

 

The door opened swiftly after two minutes.

 

"Lieutenant-Commander Murakami?"

 

Megumi was stunned at the sight of the uniformed Marine officer.

 

"Sorry, you've got the wrong house. Now leave" the older woman ordered curtly, pushing the door but before it can completely close, the Marine Major stuck an arm at the gap of the doorway, forcing the house owner to reopen it, coming face to face with Anna.

 

"Please..." Anna begged. "I can understand why you do not want anything to do with the JAG corp...but at least, hear me out, ok?"

 

"Correction, Major..." Megu sneered. "I don't even want to have anything to do with the Navy anymore"

 

"Not even if it's a matter of life and DEATH?" This time Anna stared directly into those worn out eyes of the older.

 

"What's this about?" Megu folded her arms. "Who's life are we talking about here?"

 

"Shimizu Saki" At the mention of the name of a fellow former comrade, Anna noticed Megumi had that faraway distant look on her face.

 

"I need to know what needs to be known about her, the REAL Shimizu Saki...cos I've really hit a real solid brick wall in this trial, Megu. Can you help me?"

 

"What exactly do you want me to do?" Megu recovered from the shock enough to ask the question.

 

"Work with me... " Anna pleaded. "You're one of the best JAG lawyers of your time since you've transferred from the submarine service...from Maimi's command"

 

Megu snorted. "That's SOME way to put it...but flattery will get you nowhere, Major. You of all people knew I've long given up on the navy"

 

Anna was fast losing her patience, she raised her voice...."Without your help, Saki won't stand a chance at walking free from charges of mass murder...and you know what that means, Commander?"

 

Megumi slowly turned her head towards the Marine Major, her eyes wide in disbelief. "My God...She's gonna hang, isn't she?"

 

Anna nodded slowly, pausing ever so slightly for effect, before continuing.

 

"You knew the Berryz officers better than any of the JAG lawyers, past and present...Hell, you've even trained and were deployed on the same missions as they did many years ago. I cant think of anyone else who'd have a more reliable insight into their dynamics...their characters, their relationships as it once were. I need you, Megu"

 

Megumi thought hard, her eyes showing that faraway look again. She sighed "You Marines never take no for an answer, do you?"

 

"If you'll only take the Lead, First Chair" Anna then smiled.

 

"Yeah, right..." Megu returned with a grin. "Come on in...we can't discuss a case over an empty stomach, can we?"

 

 

 

TO BE CONTINUED....

[darkacex99]

oh man i feel like im playing a game of pheonix wright ace attorney so awesome!

 

 thanks for the update i cant wait to see what happens next

[darkacex99]

*double post* =_=

[necrosonde]

Hey, what has become of Momoko!? She was wounded on The Buono, and...?

[bluewind78]

JUDGE-ADVOCATE GENERAL HQ, YOKOSUKA

 

It's been a long time since Murakami Megumi last wore her naval dress blues. It felt a little tighter in some places but she somehow managed to make herself fairly comfortable in the uniform after so many years being out of it. She made a mental note to herself to work out more regularly.

 

"Ready?" The uniformed Anna Tamai asked her. Megu nodded her head and headed out of the conference room, led by the Marine Major.

 

"Megu?! It is REALLY You.." She stopped, turned around upon hearing a familiar voice, saw Captain Yajima Maimi at the hallway, seemingly already walking towards Courtroom 1, also formally attired in dress blues.

 

"Captain.." The lawyer looked at her former Commanding Officer for the briefest of moments, bowing slightly before entering the courtroom. Maimi stopped her advance and continued looking at the figure of her former Weapons Officer, looking down and sighing, before continue walking towards the same destination.

 

 

COURTROOM 1

 

 

"Prosecution calls Captain Yajima Maimi" Cmdr Kitahara Sayaka announced.

 

Maimi took the witness stand. She sat down after making the formal oath. She shifted slightly in her seat after sensing Megumi's eyes trained on her.

 

"Captain, could you state your particulars for the Court please?"

 

"Yajima Maimi, Captain. Currently assigned Commanding Officer of ballistic missile submarine, The C-ute, Hull Class Number SSBN-910"

 

Sayaka walked over to the witness stand.

 

 

"Thank you, Ma'am"

 

"Skipper, we'd like to recap to the Change Of Orders issued by Rear Admiral Shimizu. Could you refresh our memories on the contents of those Orders, Ma'am?"

 

Maimi cleared her throat. "When the The C-ute was ordered to suspend joint operations with NOAA, we had our doubts about the authenticity of the orders"

 

Sayaka raised her brow. "Really? Why is that, Ma'am?"

 

"Well, for one, The C-ute was ordered to 300 feet depth to screen for any submarine threats at coordinates 472-193, right in the middle of the Pacific"

 

"What was the second?" Sayaka asked, cocking her head to one side, genuinely curious.

 

Captain Yajima looked down. "It was an order to prepare the ship for Strike Warfare at a designated Land-based target. We were ordered to go on Battle-stations Missiles while awaiting confirmed Target Package for PACFORCECOM"

 

 

"Was there any reason to believe these orders were concurred by Admiral Niigaki Risa, who was overseeing all Fleets in the Pacific Sector?"

 

Maimi looked up to face the Prosecutor "Yes, Commander. I believe that order was authentic".

 

 

 

************************

Meanwhile....

 

100 NAUTICAL MILES OFF COAST OF OKINAWA NAVAL AIR STATION, FIGHTER WEAPONS SCHOOL

 

 

"Tomcat 353, this is USAF Point Texaco, you're cleared for Refuelling in 5 minutes, Over" Commander Mitsui Aika heard the announcement over her tactical radio network as the jet fighter's nose pierced through the clouds, temporarily squinting as the direct sunlight was blinding her eyes as the plane approached the refueling boom of the KC-130 Stratotanker.

 

"Sakura-chan....acknowledge the transmission" the Lead Instructor ordered from the rear seat of the double-seat variant of the jet fighter.

 

Ensign Oda Sakura swallowed a lump in her throat, as her palms underneath her pilot gloves start to sweat. Switching to standard English, she acknowledged. "Copy that, Texaco. We'll be standing by, Tomcat 353, out"

 

"OK, Ensign. Nice and easy now..." Aika gently reminded the newbie. "You only  have one pass at it to clear the Mid-Air Refuelling Proficiency. We're almost at bingo fuel. If you fail, we'll have to eject from this plane cos we do not have enough to return to any nearby carrier or base. Do you understand the situation now?"

 

Jeez, Sakura thought. Just what I need...more pressure.

 

"Read you loud and clear, Commander" the young Ensign proceeded to maneuver the craft to match the pitch and alignment to the boom, decreasing her airspeed with the other hand on the throttle. The Tomcat jerked as she heard another sound of a nearby jet engine.

 

"EASE UP on the stick, will ya?" The Navy Commander behind her yelled in her familiar Shiga-ben drawl. "Control, Ensign...Control...this is an extremely delicate operation. I don't wanna you ripping apart that boom and make a fool out of our Navy in front of the Americans"

 

"Yes, Ma'am" Sakura meekly replied.

 

As the boom finally connected to their refueling port nozzle, Sakura heaved a sigh of relief to see her fuel gauge finally increasing.

 

"This is Japan Navy Tomcat 204, queuing up for Airborne Refuelling" Aika heard over the Tacnet.

 

Aika looked at the jet coming up from the rear. Her sharp eyes could make up the marking on the nose of the incoming Tomcat. It bore the marking "LT IKUTA ERINA "ERIPON""

 

"Well, well, look who just joined the party" Aika relayed over the comms.

 

"Commander? It that you on the boom?" 1st Lieutenant Fukumura Mizuki conveyed. Eripon, on the front seat of the approaching Tomcat, smiled at her former mentor and offered a casual salute with her right hand to the superior officer.

 

"Not today, Fukuchan. I'm just babysitting Ensign Oda here who's working real hard to pass this particular test"

 

"Well, then, meantime, we'll guard your tail, Commander" Eripon cheerfully replied.

 

"Thanks...but how come you two are just only returning from Top Gun. You've finished the course a month ago" Aika asked.

 

"It's a long, story, Ma'am. we both have been on leave for a month..the details are too....explicit to tell..since we practically have a minor on board" Eripon replied.

 

"In that case, DON"T TELL ME... I DONT WANNA KNOW" Aika replied dourly.

 

"I hate to break up this reunion..but we've got company at 3 O Clock, Eripon" Mizuki suddenly warned.

 

"Are you sure? Cos I'm not getting anything on radar" Erina replied, double-checking her radar and running a quick diagnostic.

 

"Me, neither" Aika added.

 

"Switch to visual HUD. Black modified F16. Reckon a stealth variant...that's why we cant detect it on radar. She's jinking starboard side" Mizuki reported, her sweet voice started turning edgy.

 

"Break formation & pursue. Hime, Check her intentions" Aika ordered.

 

"Roger that, Oba-chan" Eripon pulled the control column to her right, banking the Tomcat hard towards starboard. As her plane dived down, the nose piercing the clouds, she yelled as her Tomcat received a flurry of Vulcan gun-fire from the head-on incoming black jet fighter.

 

"Damnit, we're taking heavy fire!" Eripon yelled.  "Hime, where is she?"

 

"She's on our SIX! Pull up, pull up!" Mizuki warned, tracking the foe by twisting her torso and tracing the path of the F16 on her helmet's Heads Up Display with great difficulty. Mizuki found that the F16's manuvarability was outmatching their own fighters.

 

"I can't! Afterburner's not responding, Mizuki!" Eripon suddenly panicked when the airspeed indicator did not register any surge in plane velocity despite pushing the throttle at maximum.

 

"Oh no...External Tank Fuel Lines busted. Must've been from that Vulcan Gunfire" Mizuki watched as she calculated the amount of fuel left on the gauge. "Eripon, we've got to dump the external tank before it explodes"

 

"But we wont have any fuel to make it back to The Musume! We're already losing fuel right now" Erina replied.

 

"Either that, or we're toast. We have to bail out anyway" Mizuki  added.

 

"Oh shit..." Eripon responded, watching the fuel gauge indicator register a zero reading. "We're got to land now...can you find a place?"

 

"There's an island to the south. Not sure if theres any airstrip there but it's worth a shot"

 

"Damnit, we've been locked" Erina suddenly screamed when she saw the "Missile Lock" warning on her Heads Up Display.

 

"Time to punch out!" Mizuki replied. "On my mark....One... Two...Three!"

 

Both pilots pulled the ejection lever and the pilot's canopy of the plane was dislodged from the fighter. Eripon's ejection seat was hurled up high. Mizuki's was launched a little late, causing the canopy to hit her, knocking the 1st Lieutenant out cold as the chutes deployed in mid-air. Erina's eyes looked wildly about her as the chute attained terminal velocity. She squinted around and finally found her squadron leader's chute tens of meters away from hers, but no sign of movement by the pilot on the other seat. Eripon prayed. "Stay with me, Mizuki...stay with me...."

[darkacex99]

oh wow! thanks for the new chapter

the trial is still going strong, and i hope mizuki and eripon land ok cant wait to see what happens next

[darkacex99]

> .>
<.<
>.>
juss lurking...cuz i really wanna know wats gunna happen next Dx

[bluewind78]

20 NAUTICAL MILES FROM JSS MORNING MUSUME, CVN-55

 

 

Oda Sakura's adrenaline levels have still not subsided even after 10 minutes since they engaged the unidentified F-16 bandit. She looked at the fuel gauge, already at the three-quarter mark. Letting out a long sigh, wiping beads of sweat off her brow. She felt like throwing up just thinking of the stomach-churning Immelmann Manuveur Aika ordered her to execute at high-G...the move that proved them the decisive victor over their unknown enemy.

 

"Ensign, you ok in there?" Aika asked, sensing the junior officer's still somewhat shaken from the harrowing experience of the earlier dogfight.

 

"I...I never expected to find combat action so soon, Ma'am" Oda stammered.

 

The senpai Commander afforded a small smile. "Well, the first time's never easy... But despite all that, you did really well out there just now for a first-timer, Sakura"

 

"I guess I was lucky..to have an excellent teacher flying with me today" the younger countered, looking at the rear seat to get a glimpse of the ex-Musume squadron leader.

 

"Now you're letting it all get to your head! Look in front...your twelve O Clock dummy!" the older scolded. "OK radio in to Musume Control. Let them know we're coming onboard"

 

"Musume Control, this is Tomcat 353. Requesting permission to go on Initial Approach"

 

"Tomcat 353, you are cleared for IAF. check all instrument landing systems, over" the sleepy voice of 2nd Lieutenant Masaki Sato, doing duty LSO, was heard over the airwaves.

 

Aika shook her head in disappointment. "Maa-chan's grounded again no doubt... I hope for our sakes, she's not halfway to dreamland in the middle of guiding you safely to the flight deck, Sakura-chan"

 

"Err... Commander?" Sakura suddenly interrupted. "We have a problem. I see an unsafe hook indicator on my LSI Panel"

 

"Try recycling your hook" Aika replied.

 

"It's not working"

 

"Oh, shit. Just when things couldnt get any worse than it already is" Aika switched her comms direct to the Musume.

 

"Musume Control, this is Commander Mitsui. We have a little problem with our arresting hook. Request emergency rigging of barricade. I repeat, request immediate rigging of barricade"

 

There was a noticeable silence from the other end. Looks like Maa-chan is still too dazed to give a delayed reply.

 

It was then that Lt. Ishida Ayumi suddenly reported. "Roger that, 353. Good to hear from you again, Commander. We'll have you make another pass in 2 minutes, over"

 

"Copy that, Musume Control. We'll be lining up in another 2 minutes" Aika replied.

 

The senpai then returned to her internal comms. "What do you know? You're pretty lucky today... to have experienced a successful MARP, then survive a combat air duel and now...we'll see if you can land this plane right into the net of the carrier"

 

"Oh, brother..." Sakura complained, her palms getting all sweaty again.

 

*************************

 

COURTROOM 1

 

"So which IS it, Captain?" Megumi stared at Maimi, her eyes flashing with a hint of frustration. "At the time that order was received, is there anything on the contents that would lead you to doubt the authenticity of the message?"

 

"Your Honour..." Sayaka Kitahara stood up, grumbling. "Counsel's badgering the witness"

 

Minami just waved off the objection. "We don't have all day, Counsel. Get to the point"

 

"As CO of a boomer, I just thought, in my opinion...that it is highly unusual for anyone to order a Tomahawk Missile strike, even if its a pre-emptive one, without first raising the alert level of my vessel" Maimi finally confessed.

 

"You're not answering the question, Ma'am"

 

Maimi kept quiet, her eyes glanced at the other end of the courtroom where Saki sat. Little did she realize that very act was not lost on the Navy lawyer.

 

Megu grabbed on to the sides of the witness stand with her hands "Captain...do you trust Admiral Shimizu with your life? "

 

"Yes" Maimi looked down as she gave her short answer.

 

"Even when she doubt your motives?" Megumi pressed.

 

"Just what are you hinting at, Commander?" Maimi hissed suddenly. "Who gave you the right to question anyone's integrity?"

 

"Commander Murakami" TakaMina warned with a stern voice. "Captain Yajima is not on trial here"

 

Megu raised both her hands up in the air. "I apologize, Your Honour. That was out of line. But I do have one more question for Captain Yajima"

 

She leaned forward and face the submarine Captain eye to eye. "Captain, do you share an intimate romantic relationship with Admiral Shimizu?"

 

"Objection!" Kitahara bolted up from her seat. "Relevance, Your Honour?"

 

"Counsel, where are you going with this?" TakaMina warned again, removing her glasses.

 

"Your Honour, I submit that the understanding forged between these 2 officers resulted from years of interaction and friendship, and goes further beyond. Captain Yajima and Rear Admiral Shimizu have known each other since their Naval Academy days as cadets. Any possibility that they are romantically-involved would have to be taken into account in both their testimonies"

 

"I'll allow it" the Judge put on her glasses again. "But keep within the framework of the case, Counsellor"

 

"Yes, Your Honour"

 

 

SOMEWHERE IN THE PACIFIC

 

Mizuki awoke to the smell of something burning. It was already dark and her eyes were barely adjusting to the night. As her vision refocused on a small fire, she was startled by a familiar voice.

 

"Finally, you're awake" Eripon's face came into view as she heard the nasal voice. "For a moment there, I thought you're never gonna wake up"

 

"What...What happened?" Mizuki managed only a simple question, still feeling disoriented.

 

"You're lucky to have suffered a mild concussion after that ejection seat went off a little too late....I reckoned you must've hit your head against the canopy" Erina tore off the sleeves of her flight suit, tying them together and using the entire length as a makeshift bandage, wrapping it around the 1st Lieutenant's head.

 

"There..that should stop the bleeding from those cuts for a while. You'll live" the Lieutenant patted the older on the shoulder. "Just don't make any sudden neck movements, ok?"

 

Mizuki stared at the bulging biceps of her wingmate, exposed now that those sleeves on the KY fighter pilot's flight suit are off.

 

"What?" the younger asked, her curious facial expression glowing in the firelight.

 

Mizuki grinned, despite her looking a little frail..."Nothing...its just that...I've only realized it now...man...you're ripped!"

 

Erina rolled her eyes at the comment. "Hentai.."

 

"Right back at ya!" Mizuki retorted, pointing at Eripon's eyes and then pointing the same index finger to her now-unsupported chest, where an ample cleavage lay exposed barely held together by a stuck zipper.

 

"What?" Erina turned away in an attempt to hide her blushing cheeks. "You weren't breathing normally when your chute landed, plus the zip didn't work...so I..."

 

"You removed my bra as an excuse to stare at my boobs again?" Mizuki grinned again.

 

"They're not helping, ok? Besides, you really should invest in a bigger cup size. I dunno how you could breathe properly...let alone fly a jet in those"

 

"'Yeah, yeah.." Mizuki sneered. "Whatever, Eri...."

 

Erina took the opportunity to change the subject. "I bet you're hungry. Here, have some of these...I caught them myself  out there in the sea while you're here asleep the whole day" She handed some white meat sandwiched between two slices of bread.

 

Mizuki took a bite of the sandwich, savouring the fresh exquisite flavor of the meat. "This is lovely...what meat is this?"

 

"Crab meat" Eripon muttered nonchalantly, taking a bit of her own sandwich.

 

Mizuki spat out the food from her mouth.

 

Erina, noticing the entire episode, sighed. "For crying out loud, Mizuki...I spent hours out there in the blazing sun using those webbings to catch them crabs...why the hell are you wasting food now? You gotta eat something ya know?"

 

"I'm not hungry" Mizuki sulked, bringing her knees to her chest.

 

"Don't move! Both of ya!"

 

Mizuki suddenly felt the cold sensation of a sharp blade pressed lightly against the nape of her neck. The voice of the person holding her hostage was distinctly female, but it had a dangerous, edgy quality to it that caused both her and Eripon to cringe slightly.

 

"I saw your chutes came down today...where are you from? Why are you here on this island?"

 

"I'm sorry, Ma'am...you must've been mistaken...our plane's been shot and we just bailed out of our fighter. Please...we mean you no harm" Erina tried to make eye contact, but the female figure holding her wingmate hostage took great pains to mask her face with camouflage paint.

 

"So....you two are Military eh?"

 

"Yes" Mizuki replied. "And we're from Japan"

 

"What?" Mizuki felt the blade pressure relaxed and she reacted in that split second the woman appeared surprised at the revelation. Ducking to her left side, she elbowed the woman with her right elbow and rolled away to immediate safety. Erina yelled as she lunged forward, tackling the woman down on the sand and pinning her on the waist with the full weight of her body. As she squinted at the heavily camouflaged face, she wiped the camo paint of the right cheek and when she was done, Eripon gasped.

 

"Ohmygod..." Mizuki stared at the face before her, now cleaned by Eripon and glowed in the dim firelight. "Sugaya-san?!!" 

[darkacex99]

dun dun dunnnn! m glad mizuki is ok risako in da woods was what i least expected

[aya-chii]

i read bye bye berryz before coming back here to comment..

then i guess, starting this fic with a trial for Captain, bye bye berryz's plot ended tragically ?

... and it'll be by flashbacks from now on . im excited to knoww what really happened !

 

please update >.<

[bluewind78]

ISLAND

 

"Senpai, please...you gotta slow down...or you'll choke on your food" Mizuki advised as she watched a hunger-stricken Sugaya Risako stuff her cheeks with hard tack biscuits and bread, part of the survival rations the two carried on their plane, or whatever was left of it that Eripon could recover.

 

After washing the food down with mineral water, Risako eyed the choco-flavoured protein bars inside a metal case just beside where the two were sitting. Looking at Mizuki with an appealing look, she pointed at the bars and asked in a soft voice. "Can I have some of those?"

 

"Man, I would never have thought ANYONE would ever find those Navy rations so appetizing" Eripon stared wide-eyed at her senpai, with a look of sympathy as both stranded navy pilots studied the retired helmswoman's features. The former Berryz first lieutenant obviously lost a great deal of weight, and it shows: her cheeks were deflated and her waistline visibly reduced. Perhaps the only saving grace was that Risako still retained her well-endowed chest despite the other semi-starved parts of her body being ravaged by malnutrition.

 

"Senpai...what happened to you? How did you end up on this island?" Mizuki broke the awkward silence.

 

Risako stopped munching on the protein bar she was holding, looking down on the sand. "It all went horribly wrong on the Syonan Star. It was as if the entire ship was cursed"

 

"What?! You were on THE SYONAN STAR?" both Mizuki and Erina exclaimed as they looked at each other.

 

Risako set the half-eaten bar on the metal case "Why are you looking at me like that? Did anyone told you otherwise?"

 

"Well...the official finding was that there were no survivors after the liner's accident with The Buono" Erina revealed.

 

"That's obviously a lie, isn't it? Or you both wouldn't be looking at me right now" Risako replied gravely.

 

"But why would the Navy or the government cover up vital facts about a disaster of such magnitude? I don't understand, senpai" Mizuki asked.

 

"After the ship was hijacked, the Buono pursued the liner in an attempt to prosecute and assess the situation, presumably to assist where necessary. A problem of the engines caused the collision between the navy cruiser and the liner. I guess that part...they already told you that. A while before the whole trouble started, I managed to kill one of them and disguised myself as a member of the hijacking team. It was too late for me by then to stop the collision... If only I had been a little quicker, I could've saved Kumaichan.." Risako choke on her tears, before continuing the account.

 

"But that doesn't explain how you got on this island" Erina inquired.

 

"Just before the storm hit, on my binoculars, I sighted a Japanese destroyer cruising towards our location. She was flying a yellow Command Flag with 2 silver stars on her mast. Discreetly. I fired the emergency flare from the top of the observation deck, where the hijackers were not there and not looking"

 

Mizuki interrupted again. "That destroyer, that must've been Rear Admiral Shimizu's flagship, the Guardians IV. Her command code colour is yellow, if Im not mistaken"

 

Risako nodded. "That's right, but it was too late by then. Those guys...those animals...they started killing the passengers on the main deck...like it was nothing. The only thing stopping them was the storm coming. When the gale-force winds struck, I was hoping I could make a bee-line for the rescue lifeboats to be picked up by the Admiral's ship, but one of the guys spotted me and called me. There were too many of them all around me and I couldn't possibly take them on...so I went along and followed them to their getaway submarine"

 

"What about The Buono, senpai?"

 

"Hiding in the corner, I witnessed a fierce fire fight between the Buono's surviving crew, mainly the enlisted sailors and the hijacking assault teams. My heart leapt for a short while when I saw Miya cutting down some of those animals with two M-16s in both hands. Then, the entire structure above collapsed when the liner heeled to starboard, before the Buono's aft section abruptly exploded. Seems like an idiot fired on fuel leaking from the helo inside, or it was done on purpose. I dunno....but I doubt Miya could make it out of there unscathed"

 

"So, you think Commander Natsuyaki's dead too?" Mizuki's tears welled up in her eyes as she listened to the story.

 

Risako bowed her head down, fighting back the tears. "Mmm..." Risako then looked up. "I should've done something...something decisive...instead here I am...alive...and because I did nothing at all, everyone else that mattered to me now is dead"

 

 

*********************************

 

"Lily, wake up, my love"

 

The tall woman opened her eyes slowly. "Marco?" She rubbed both her eyes with her index fingers and gazed at the face of the handsome man at her bedside.

 

"What time is it?" the woman asked, yawning softly as she got up.

 

"Already eleven" Marco replied, chuckling. "If I didn't wake you up, you'd probably slept through the whole day...that's not healthy, you know?"

 

"I've been having the same weird dreams lately, Marco"

 

"Oh?" the man raised a brow while adjusting his tie.

 

"It seems so...real" she stared at him intently, waiting for a response.

 

"You sure its the same dream?"

 

"Uh huh.."

 

"The one where you're falling down an open hatch?"

 

"And ended up in the water" she finished for him, before asking. "Do you think this could be a premonition or something"

 

Marco thought about the suggestion for a second.

 

"I don't think so, my love"

 

"Why not?"

 

"Because..." he then opened the curtains and the woman saw starlight streaking across the backdrop of blackness. "We're in space, my dear, on board The Leonora Christine...don't you remember?"

 

The woman frowned "that's the thing, Marco...I don't even remember how I got here"

 

 

 

COVERT DEPLOYMENT STATION IWO JIMA, JAPAN

CODENAME: J&J SHIP REPAIRS & DRYDOCKS

 

"Whatcha looking at, skipper?"

 

Miyazaki Yuka was already missing her hometown in Ishikawa prefecture back on the Japanese main island.

 

"Nothing but the open Pacific, Sayubee" the older sighed. "Nothing but the open Pacific"

 

"Skipper!"

 

"Huh?" Yuka whirled around upon hearing the voice of Kanazawa Tomoko

 

"Call, and you'd better take it inside"

 

Yuka patted Sayuki's shoulder. "Call me the second Feather Lily touches down, ok?" She then left the counter of the front desk and adjourned to the room behind marked "Private"

 

Receiving the phone from Tomoko, she answered. "Moshi, moshi"

 

"Lieutenant-Commander Miyazaki?" From the tone of voice, Yuka could recognize who was at the other end of the line.

 

"Commodore Tanaka?" the tall officer answered.

 

"I need your help in a matter of extreme urgency and national security, Commander" the voice sounded curt and business-like, so typical of Reina, Yuka thought.

 

"I'm listening, Ma'am" At this point, Yuka couldn't figure out if this is some sort of prank the Brass is pulling to torment her unit..assigned to the most far-flung station, so remote from the rest of the Japanese military's reach.

 

"Navy's Secretary, acting on behalf of the Prime Minister, wanted a photo-recon run done at the following coordinates: 765-198. Now we picked your unit for a reason, Commander. Whatever happens out there on this run, you ARE NOT to be shot down" Reina conveyed.

 

Yuka's jaw almost dropped "We'll try our best not to, Ma'am"

 

"I don't think you understand the gravity of the situation here, Commander" the commodore's voice sounded more irritated. "It's imperative that for this mission, you do not get shot down, or shot at. Crashing into the mountain is fine...engine failure is fine. But under no circumstances are you to be shot at or down"

 

"With all due respect, Ma'am. Could you at least enlighten me why is it that a Commodore of a Naval Air Division, overseeing 3 Air Wings, herself is interested in a photo recon of an area which is essentially sea all around interspersed with barren atolls?"

 

Yuka heard Reina's sigh as clear as day. "Everything hinges on this, Commander. Im not at liberty to tell you the full facts pertaining to this mission. If anyone as much as shoot at you, the Admiral of The Navy and the PM will be forced to protect you...with a NUCLEAR bomb"

 

The Lt-Commander's eyes were suddenly peeled open as she waited for Reina to continue.

 

"Now, I've known Fleet Admiral Takahashi for 15 years. Please...don't let her protect you"

 

"Aye-Aye, Ma'am" Yuka acknowledged, hearing Reina signing off the transmission. She held that worried look on her face as she returned to the front desk, to the inquisitive stares of her "employees"

 

"Skipper, our new pilot's here" Uemura Akari opened the door and allowed the newcomer to enter the office. Dressed in the usual green flight suit, the pilot removed her helmet.

 

"2nd Lieutenant Miyamoto Karin reporting as ordered, Ma'am!" the aviator saluted.

 

"Don't ever do that..as far as the public eye is concerned, we're a civilian-run installation, so dispense with all military protocols like saluting senior officers while you're serving on my station. Have I made myself clear, Lieutenant?"

 

"Aye Ma'am" Miyamoto was about to unzip her flight suit when Yuka called out to her.

 

"And forget about taking that off. You're certified to fly F111's right?"

 

"Yes, Ma'am" Karin replied meekly.

 

"Then you're coming with me...I'll introduce you to the rest of the girls running the station later...but for now, we're heading for a photo-recon mission" Yuka zipped down her coveralls and stepped out of it dressed in her flight suit. She grabbed her flight helmet and pushed the door of the private room, the exit leading to the tarmac of their short air strip.

 

"A photo-recon?" Karin asked, rushing forward to catch up with her new Commanding Officer's pace.

 

"Up there, we'll ascend and level off to flight level 1500 before descending to 100 feet 10 miles from target coordinates. Just follow what I do. But Remember .. communicate using hand signs only. Got it?" Yuka smiled briefly, climbing the ladder towards the cockpit of her F111.

 

Wow, Karin thought. Her first transfer away from Guardians IV, and she finds herself on an Away Mission.

 

"XO ..standby our roundabout light frigate in case of emergency extraction by sea" the station commander instructed Kanatomo via the tacnet.

 

"We'll get to it, skipper...and good luck" the first lieutenant concurred, watching both planes piloted by her commander and the newly-arrived Miyamoto taxiing on the tarmac, afterburners roaring as the jets prepared to speed up and attain take-off velocity.