"I'd like to propose another toast," said Aihara.

Someone groaned with mock reluctance, this being Aihara's tenth over the course of the evening. Stumbling to his feet, he clumsily waved his glass and looked around at his companions with an alcohol-infused gaze. His mouth cracked into a grin. "But first, some more wine!"

A bit of food was thrown at him, but Yuki gamely jumped up from her seat to refill his glass and those of the rest of Yamato's veteran senior crew. Outside it was a cool, early spring evening. Dinner had finished an hour before, and they sat around the dining room table talking and laughing. Yuki was about to resume her seat next to Kodai when he grabbed her waist and pulled her into his lap. He held her close, and a demure smile graced her lips as her arm encircled his neck.

"I'm sure it's been a helluva year for you two," Aihara began. "Some of us, some more than others, I'm sure," and here he paused dramatically with a look that announced he included himself in the latter group, "are happy to finally see you married. I know I've enjoyed coming to your humble abode to enjoy many a great meal," (here he expelled a fine-sounding burp) "and I hope that your last year is as good as your first. Cheers!"

Glasses clinked and were drained. Nambu clapped Aihara on the back as he sat down. Ota suddenly led out a whoop, and pointed to the couple being celebrated. Kodai was planting an eager kiss upon Yuki's lips, and his hands were traveling up under her miniskirt in plain view of all. There was nary a sign that they intended to stop, and so the others added to the show with loud cheers and stomping of feet.

"You old dog!" said Shima, who was sitting next to Kodai. He and Sanada exchanged broad grins.

On the other end of the table, Sado Sensei tried to wipe inconspicuously at a tear. Okita, I hope you're watching this, he thought.

Eventually, Kodai and Yuki parted. She lifted a hand to her flushed face, then giggled into it. Kodai stared back at his companions with a proud, drunken grin, his eyes still half-closed. Everyone had had quite a lot to drink.

The phone blared. Rather, it had been blaring, announcing its call for some moments. The noise level had obscured its sound.

"I'll get it," Yuki said, and extricated herself from Kodai's embrace. "No, it's okay; I'm already up!" she added, responding to his look of protest. Yuki stepped into the nearby study.

The conversations resumed. Kodai's attention wavered between his friends and Yuki's prolonged absence. Ten minutes had passed, and she still hadn't returned. "I'll be right back," he told Shima, and traced Yuki's path.

He called out her name, and then stopped short. She was standing by the phone with her head and shoulders hunched forward. The call had apparently ended some time ago.

Kodai walked up to her. "What is it, Yuki?"

Yuki turned to him, and her eyes were filled to the brim with tears. Her voice came out in a hoarse whisper. "Commander Todo…he's…he died!" Gripping her husband's shirt, she buried her face into his chest, and cried.

When her tears subsided, Yuki told Kodai that Todo had passed away in his sleep the night before. His wife had been out of town, delaying the discovery of his body until just a few hours ago. The cause of death was unknown at that point.

"Can you tell the others?' Yuki asked in a rush. "They need me at Command for questioning; I have to change." She turned away and raced upstairs.

Kodai staggered to the dining room. His grieved expression initiated an immediate hush throughout the room. After he announced the news, there was a flurry of exclamations and shouts, and the sounds of chairs knocking over as the men gathered jumped to their feet.

"That's all I know," Kodai said after repeating the news for the third time. "Yuki's getting ready to go to Command. We'll know more as soon as she does." Kodai flopped back down in his chair and poured himself a shot of sake.

"We should go, too," said Ota. Aihara and Nambu nodded their agreement.

"And do what?" asked Sanada. He was holding out his own glass as Kodai poured another round. "The MP's will need to do their work. We'll just be in the way." His eyes were red, stung by the onset of tears.

"I have to call Wendy," Aihara announced, and ran off to use the phone in the study.

The others looked at Sanada, then Kodai. Forlorn expressions passed from one face to another. Shima sat with his head bowed.

"Sanada's right," Sado Sensei told them. He eased his bulky frame from the chair. "I, on the other hand, will have quite a bit to do. If the autopsy hasn't been done yet, I want first crack." He looked at Kodai. "Is Yuki driving?"

Kodai nodded.

"Good, because I'm certainly in no condition to. You boys stay here, or go home. Nothing to do just now but remember. Todo Heikuro was a great man."

Sado-Sensei padded softly away to meet Yuki at the car.

Yuki stumbled through the front door shortly after six the following evening, a Sunday. Kodai was waiting for her, and greeted her with a cup of jasmine tea as soon as she arrived. She waved it away. Kicking off her shoes, she collapsed on the living room sofa. Kodai sat down next to her, his face looking as tired and as careworn as she felt. Yuki offered him a sympathetic glance, and squeezed his hand just before speaking.

"I spoke with one of the investigating officers. They suspect assassination, but they're having a hard time proving it." She let her words hang in the air for a moment.

Kodai frowned, saying nothing.

"Other than that, I just spent a lot of time fielding calls and writing memos. There's so many people to notify! They questioned me briefly, but I don't think I was much use. I met with his wife, poor thing. She's devastated. Oh look, she gave me this." Yuki held out her wrist; she wore a delicate silver bracelet. "She said Todo was going to give it to me for our anniversary. This is for you."

Kodai accepted the gift box she handed to him, and opened it. There was a watch inside. It sparkled with a silver sheen just like the bracelet. His eyes watered, and the watch blurred as if he had stuck it under a running stream. He placed it on the coffee table to prevent his tears from splashing its expensive surface. "Yuki, I wish there was something I could've done. I had no idea!" It felt to him like losing Okita all over again. The look he gave her exploded with a mixture of grief and anger, and his voice was a measured snarl. "Who would've wanted to kill him?"

Tears flowed from Yuki's eyes. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she cooed softly into his ear. Between sniffs and sobs, she tried to reassure him. "It's possible he died from natural causes. As tragic as it feels to us, this might have just been his time. Don't torture yourself!"

They continued to embrace, alternately crying or talking about the grief they felt. Kodai told her that Shima and the others had stayed up with him late into the night, and ended up sleeping over when they realized the early hours of the morning approached. "I don't know if any of us really fell asleep, but it reached a point where it was just too much. We just crashed." He had spent the day calling everyone he knew that he thought might know more of the details, but Todo's death seemed to be shrouded in mystery.

The two were silent for a moment. The phone rang, but Kodai waved his arm away. "Let it take a message," he said. "You must be ready for bed."

Yuki nodded. "I think I'll take a bath first."

Kodai stood up. "Drink some tea. I'll get it started for you." He went upstairs.

Yuki dutifully drank as much of the tea as she could, then gathered her shoes. She felt more jumpy than tired, and looked forward to a long soak in the steaming, hot water. As she walked up the stairs, Yuki could hear the sound of water running. Her heart welled with affection for Kodai, my darling, caring husband, she thought. Please, God, don't let anything happen to him!

Yuki let her clothes drop where they would as she undressed; she would pick them up later. Kodai was pouring lavender scented oil into the water as she entered the bathroom. Yuki rubbed her eyes, and made a beeline for the tub.

"Thank you," she whispered to him. He had really filled it up; the water rose to her upper arms as she lowered herself into it.

"Happy to," Kodai said, and gently stroked her head for a moment. He turned to leave.

"Susumu!"

Kodai paused, and turned back around.

Yuki looked at him with a yearning expression. "Stay with me," she pleaded.

Kodai let his eyes speak with a yes as he began to remove his shirt. In a moment, he was fully nude, and joined her in the tub. The water soothed away their aches and grief, and the night closed around them in a long embrace.

The funeral was held about a week later. It was accompanied by a blustery, overcast day, although now and then a sliver of wan sunshine would stretch down to the earth. Yamato's crew were only some of the hundreds that attended the wake and funeral to pay their respects. The cavalcade to the hilltop cemetery that afternoon was over a hundred vehicles strong. The ride out of the city lasted about an hour.

Kodai drove an aircar with Yuki in the passenger seat. Shima and Sanada were in the back, crowded uncomfortably by Sado Sensei who had insisted on squeezing in alongside them. The doctor was in a sour mood, grousing about Todo's demise in between slurps of sake (undeterred by Yuki's gentle scolding). He was telling them how he had argued vehemently over the cause of death with Dr. Fujiyama, the chief forensics doctor.

"There are many ways to kill a man," Sado Sensei mused. "Many poisons are untraceable, even with the advanced technology we have today. I ran every test I know. Nothing came up. We're dealing with professionals."

"You really think he was assassinated?" Shima asked.

Sado Sensei grunted. "Fujiyama used his authority to record death by natural causes…ha…despite the fact that Todo had been in perfect health. He came to me himself for a physical about four months ago. I don't understand it."

"So there's not going to be any further investigation?" Sanada asked.

Sado Sensei shook his head. "Not without anything to warrant it."

The group was silent for the remainder of the trip.

When they arrived, the casket had already begun its ascent up the moderately sized hill. Todo's immediate family followed with heavy steps, the wind snapping at their clothes. The additional mourners were a blend of military officers and civilians. Blues, whites and greens mixed with somber black outfits. Ushers guided everyone into neat rows on either side of the grave site as trumpeters played a melancholy dirge. Kodai, Yuki and the others took up one of the front sections. Aihara stared morosely at the immediate family from their vantage point. He was thinking only of Wendy's grief, and badly wanted to comfort her.

The minister began his solemn speech, and a microphone carried his eulogy to all that were gathered. Tears of sorrow were barely contained, and Yuki later apologized to her husband for the tightness of her grip as she held his hand. Todo's wife and children each took turns tossing fine handfuls of dust onto the shiny white coffin. Kodai admired the brave way they bore their loss. Todo was lowered into his final resting place, and then the ceremony was over.

The sky darkened, and a distant rumbling threatened rain. Some of the mourners made haste to leave. Yuki stood by Kodai, who was talking with a small knot of some officers they knew. The wind had picked up and was snarling around their legs. She was lost in thought, staring off into the distance.

A movement caught her eye.

There it was again, a dark figure standing next to one of the trees that lined one edge of the cemetery. Whether the person was male or female, she couldn't tell. Whoever it was apparently had a great interest in the burial. An estranged relative? she wondered. Yuki moved away from the group, and ambled cautiously toward the crown of the hill. Wind-swept hair licked at her cheeks, and she lifted a hand to tame the locks. Now she was intensely curious, and her steps quickened.

But when she came within about two hundred feet of the trees, the visitor disappeared into their shadows. Yuki stopped short, and debated in her mind about whether or not to run after him.

The grass rustled as Kodai came up behind her. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," she said, but her gaze lingered at the spot a moment longer. Then she turned around and grasped her husband's hand. "Let's go," she said.

Todo's death created a temporary vacuum of power. The Defense Council struggled to reorganize itself politically in the wake of his absence. For Kodai and the others, it meant frequent gatherings and memorials. Some were held at Todo's residence, some at command headquarters. A dedication ceremony at Hero's Hill itself consumed an entire day. Yamato's senior crew was involved with various television network specials, and taped many interviews during the week following the funeral.

During a quiet moment after a late dinner, Yuki told Kodai that General Stone was away on a diplomatic mission, and wouldn't be able to return for a few weeks. The third officer in command, General St. Cyr, wanted to meet with her the next day about easing his transition into the seat of command. She anticipated long hours in the days ahead, and told him not to wait up for her.

Over two weeks had passed since Todo's demise. Yuki exited one of the conference rooms after yet another meeting with other top administrators. Yearning for a hot cup of tea, she began walking to the commissary. She was reviewing her schedule as she headed briskly down the corridor, and so bumped unexpectedly into the security guard that had come up to her. Yuki let out a small gasp, but smiled when she looked up into the kind face of the man who was holding out a very small gray envelope. His hair was jet black and closely cropped, matching the dark liquid pools of his eyes. A dash of crinkles about his eyes and mouth hinted at a wealth of experience in combat.

The envelope he handed Yuki had a slight heaviness to it, and was marked "Eyes Only."

"For you," he said, his voice dulcet and low. After a swift salute, he continued down the corridor.

"Who is this from?" Yuki called out after him when her surprise had begun to fade. But he was already gone.

She hurried to get her tea, and then returned to her desk. St. Cyr was out at the moment. When she opened the flap, a key slid out into her hand. Examining it more closely, she saw that it was engraved with the name of Sanwa Bank. She left a message for Kodai telling him that she would be home late. A call to Sanwa landed her a special appointment shortly after six o'clock in order to access the safety deposit box to which the key apparently belonged.

Yuki arrived at Sanwa shrouded in a raincoat, for the air was thick with a heavy drizzle. An older woman with gray-streaked hair showed her to the box and helped her extract it. Yuki was left alone in a small cubicle.

Inside the box was a single piece of paper and a heavy iron key. Yuki blinked several times in shock as she read the first words: Eyes Only: Kodai Yuki. Earth is in peril. We must meet immediately. Follow these directions.

Her hands shook slightly as she reviewed them. They were precise as well as prolific, extending over to the other side. They didn't lead to any location she recognized, and lacked the name of any identifiable place. Instinctively, she looked around as if fearing someone were peeking over her shoulder. But there was no one, and the cubicle was as silent as a tomb. Yuki tucked the items inside her purse, and signaled for the bank attendant.

The directions led her on a circuitous route about the city. No hesitation chained her; she would find out who wanted to see her, and learn the nature of the threat that this person believed hovered over Earth. Yuki's only concern was that she would return home later than she had anticipated, and that Kodai would begin to worry.

Sado Sensei's voice echoed in her head from the day of the funeral. If Todo had been assassinated, then surely there was a connection to this mysterious message left for her in a safety deposit box. It clearly involved military personnel, or someone with access.

It never occurred to Yuki that she could be walking into a trap.

The directions finally brought her out of the rain and down one of the old abandoned entrances to the underground city. Yuki shook the wetness out of her hair and continued forward. By some strange chance, a few of the lights still worked, and Yuki was able to avoid tripping over many cracks and stones.

She was led to an elevator. The message instructed her to take it four levels down. It was very dark, except for the glowing buttons. Yuki berated herself for not stopping to buy a flashlight.

The elevator ground to a halt at what used to be some kind of public facility, a prefecture headquarters, perhaps. Yuki couldn't remember which one; and the light there was very dim. She was sure a ghost would cross her path any minute now. But she found the door she was supposed to use, and was led to it by a sallow green light above its frame. When she tried the handle, it was locked. Then she noticed the keyhole. After digging in her purse for the iron key, she inserted it into the lock, and opened the door.

It opened onto a well-lit, polished corridor. It was a refreshing change after the gloom of the old city. Yuki strode forward after closing the door behind her. Her heels clicked loudly as she walked.

Then she saw a figure up ahead, a man. He was leaning against the wall, but turned towards her as she approached. In the yellow light of the hallway, he was revealed to her.

The man's striking good looks momentarily distracted her. She felt a fluttering in her stomach. He was young, perhaps in his late twenties or early thirties. Short brown hair with a touch of waviness framed a princely face. Creamy hazel eyes stared back at her, and his skin glowed with a rosy health, like the sun had kissed it with just the right amount of sunshine. Yuki guessed he was about six-and-a-half feet tall. He wore the ebony uniform of the Military Intelligence Service, and his arm had changed position and he was saluting her.

"It's an honor to meet you, Lieutenant. I apologize for the cryptic note, but I'm glad you made it safely." He dropped his arm, and extended a hand to shake hers. "My name is Todo Daijiro, Commander of Project Moccasin. Follow me, please. I have something for you."

Yuki's thoughts were reeling. Being on the front lines so much, she had all but forgotten about MIS. Save for a passing agent in the halls of the Command Center, her path never crossed theirs. Todo had usually insisted on handling those affairs himself when she was on duty there. Todo! He said his name was…

While collecting her thoughts, Yuki smartly returned the salute, and accepted his handshake. She stared openly at him while he escorted her down the rest of the corridor. "Todo Daijiro?" she echoed. "I'm sorry, but the Commander never mentioned you. Are you related?"

Daijiro nodded, and punched in the code to open the door at the corridor's end. "He was my uncle."

Yuki gasped in surprise, for she now saw the resemblance more clearly. She also remembered the distant figure she had spotted at the cemetery. She collected herself enough to proffer condolences, adding, "You were at the cemetery that day. At the funeral."

The door slid aside to reveal an office. Daijiro paused as he strode toward his desk, but only slightly. He gave Yuki a neutral smile, then retrieved an envelope from one of the drawers. He extended it to her, his face suddenly masked with a solemn expression. "You have orders."

Yuki shot him a wary glance. "Orders?" she repeated.

Daijiro nodded assent, and indicated for her to read them. Yuki opened the envelope. The message began with the standard address, including her name and rank. It bore the seal of the office of the Commander. Yuki nearly dropped it when she read the first few lines:

The message ended with his formal signature and stamp, and was witnessed in same by his nephew.

Daijiro had stepped over to a side table while Yuki read, and re-read, the posthumous orders. He returned in a few minutes with two cups of tea. One he placed on the desk. The other he pushed into her hand. "Why don't you sit down, Yuki."

She let herself fall into one of the nearby chairs, and the document she had held settled into her lap. Drinking the tea, she gulped soundly to defend against the sob that was building in her throat.

Daijiro sat down and leaned back in his chair, holding his cup. He felt a mixture of sympathy and curiosity. Sympathy, for the burden that was about to be laid upon her, and curiosity as to how an elite combat veteran such as herself would respond to the news. He watched as her brow furrowed delicately. "I imagine you have some questions," he said quietly.

"Why me?"

"Because he trusted you."

"Why now?"

"Todo's death was unexpected, but not unanticipated. I can only guess that he discovered something new, something important. The wrong people found out what he knew, and made sure it went to the grave with him."

"You have proof of this?"

Daijiro shrugged noncommittally.

"Why can't I tell my husband?"

Daijiro's expression turned surprisingly stern for his age. "I think you know the answer to that."

Yuki feigned ignorance.

But he wasn't fooled. "If he has any concern about your safety, any at all, it would completely compromise any action he might take for the good of the mission. Yuki, Kodai will be contacted shortly. He'll be informed of the threat, and his aid will be solicited. If he decides on a call to arms, you should support him, even encourage him."

"But if he ships out on Yamato, he'll expect me to go with him!"

Daijiro nodded in understanding. "Then let him expect. Assist him with the preparations if you have to. But then you'll have to part ways before take-off."

Yuki's eyes darted from side to side as astonishment built in her features. "I'll have to lie to him. He'll want to know why I'm staying!" A twinge of anxiety tore through her heart.

Daijiro stared at her mutely. This is what being a double agent entails, Yuki. He pretended not to notice the shimmer of tears in her eyes. "I'm sure you'll think of a good reason," was all he said.

"I don't know if I can…" she began, then glanced down at the paper in her lap. She closed her eyes, and her shoulders sagged as deep thought overtook her. Yuki had intense misgivings about the level of deception she would have to maintain, but like Daijiro, like Kodai, like Todo himself, she was utterly and irrevocably duty-bound. This moment spoke to her of the extensive after-effects of the Gamilon War. Earth needed her, and she would answer the call, because there was no one else. In her mind, she had already accepted the assignment. She had to open her heart to it, or fail miserably.

"Commander Todo," she said, her voice firm, "I accept the mission."

Daijiro nodded. "Then let's get started. There's a lot to cover."

Over the next couple of hours, he filled in the details concerning the suspicions outlined in Todo's message. The late Commander, he shared, felt a strong need to develop a network of agents some time ago to in order to collect inside information on St. Cyr's activities. He reviewed in brief what was already known, so as to help her focus on uncovering new intelligence. Daijiro gave Yuki a file on the General's background, and made her promise to keep it hidden. Yuki nodded, and told Daijiro that she and St. Cyr were already acquainted.

Yuki recalled a recent encounter with St. Cyr, whom she had known casually since the days of the Gamilon War. The forces under his command were primarily responsible for peace-keeping missions in the colonies, many of which extended beyond Earth's solar system. St. Cyr was well regarded by those who served him, but Yuki was also aware of some friction between him and Todo. The defense Council seemed to think the General could do no wrong.

He had been seated in the waiting room after she emerged from the questioning session with the presiding detective of Todo's case. St. Cyr was awaiting his turn. He had graciously stood when she exited the door, and extended his hand in sympathy. "Terrible loss, Miss…Yuki, isn't it?" he had said. "I know you worked closely with him. How hard it must be for you."

Yuki accepted the proffered hand as she studied him, a dark skinned man of Armenian descent. She knew from his personnel file that he was in his early fifties, and had led many successful campaigns during the past three wars. A streak of gray hair wove a line from his temple, nestled among locks of straight, dark brown hair that he combed back from his face. She remembered him being a polite man, very cultured and polished. If truth be told, as a general she found him very accessible.

Yuki stared into his sympathetic eyes. "Since General Stone won't be returning for a few weeks yet, please let me know how I can help you with the transition."

St. Cyr considered her offer. He considered it so carefully, in fact, that he set up a meeting with her in order to better acclimate himself to his duties as interim commander. They had arranged to meet later in the week, and Yuki told Daijiro that so far, they had only covered routine tasks.

"Good, so he already trusts you to some extent," Daijiro said. "Do whatever is necessary to make him depend on you."

Then Daijiro named a time for her to return, for he still had much to cover. After showing Yuki a shorter way out of the compound, they parted.

Yuki returned home well after ten o'clock. Kodai didn't answer when she called out his name. He's probably being contacted tonight, then, she thought, feeling somewhat relieved at not having to face him just then. She needed more time to prepare herself emotionally. It wasn't as though she had kept things from him before (stowing-away came to mind), but this time was different. She would have to misrepresent herself right to his face (the word lie felt too threatening just then). After a quick shower, she changed into a tank top and pajama bottom. Settling down on the couch in front of the television, she stowed away her anxiety, and pushed the meeting with Daijiro entirely out of her mind.

Sanada was warming a seat at the bar nursing a beer. The glass was cloudy, and chipped on the bottom, but it was the best lager he had ever tasted. But he would need to have a word with Shima about his choice of meeting places. Sanada cautiously surveyed the room from where he sat. The Hellcat was probably one of the oldest bars in the city, and through some amount of luck had been rebuilt to its former faded glory after succumbing to the wrath of the planet bombs. It was large, for its type, with a bar that stretched L-shaped along one side. Six or seven round tables filled the middle of the room, and a garish sign pointed the way to game tables on the second floor. The patrons liked it dark, and anonymous, as only a few weak table lamps echoed the modest lighting behind the bar. Cloudy plumes of acrid smoke drifted from dying cigarettes. Sanada would really have to talk to Shima about his choice of meeting places.

The message he received had been very cryptic. It named the place, time (2130 hours), and told him to dress in civilian clothes. Sanada checked his watch, then looked at the door. A few minutes yet remained, so he continued his study of the room. He guessed the place was about half-full. Most of the action was taking place upstairs, to judge by the chorus of shouts and whistles that periodically drifted down. The barkeep, a portly man with sparse hair, stood deep in conversation with a couple of men at the other end of the bar. The others who sat along the dull wood plank like Sanada kept to themselves, drinking in silence. A boisterous party of five hammered away at their drinks at one of the nearby tables. Toward the back, deeper in one of the shadowy corners, were three other figures. It seemed as though they were engrossed in a game of cards.

"Well, I hope you saved some for us!"

Sanada looked up. Shima had walked up to him, followed by Kodai. Each was dressed in dark, nondescript clothing. They all shook hands, and then Shima and Kodai ordered their drinks.

Sanada looked at his old friend the navigator with a twinkle in his eye. "I know I spend a lot of time in the lab, Shima, but do you think I really need this much excitement?"

Shima shot him a confused look. "But this is where you told me to meet you!"

Sanada's mug paused half way to his mouth. "What? I didn't send you any message."

"Well, you never sent one to me, either, but I got one, too," Kodai added wryly. He quickly paid for the drinks, and the three huddled closer together. "What's going on?"

Sanada snorted. "You know as much as I do! I'm telling you, I never…"

"Excuse me, gentlemen."

The three turned around with a start. A tall man with short, straight hair and a fair complexion had come up to them. The color was impossible to tell, but he wore a uniform, indicating he was either a dock worker or an employee of some kind of commercial outfit. He calmly met their suspicious stares, and gestured toward the back of the room. "My colleagues and I would like to buy you drinks." He motioned to the barkeep, and called out for a second round to be brought to the table.

Kodai, Shima, and Sanada exchanged glances. Kodai shrugged, and muttered something about the odds being even enough. He led the way after their benefactor had begun walking back to the table.

I think I'm about to learn who accessed my personal codes, thought Sanada.

They followed the stranger across the room. Sanada had been right about the cards. A pack lay in a loose pile to one side, and his eyes followed the trail to the winnings. A petite woman, dressed in overalls and a brown t-shirt, was herding the bills into a neat pile. She tucked them away in her front pocket. Sanada studied her as he and the others took their seats. Her hair was black, cut pixie-style, and it framed a young, cherubic face. Dark eyes under dark brows flicked to his face, then darted to Kodai and Shima. Across from Sanada sat a second man. He wore the same type of uniform as the first, but his hair was brown, and greased back from a bony face with a hooked nose. He nodded amiably at their guests.

The fair-haired man began the introductions. "I'm Kinsky, this is Lucia," (pointing to his female companion), "and that's Gemini."

Kodai measured each of them in turn with his eyes. "I'm Kodai Susu--"

"We know who you are," Gemini interjected.

There was an awkward silence. Kinsky cleared his throat. "Look, we asked you here because there's something you should know."

Kodai nodded for him to continue.

"The three of us work an independent freighter name of the Flying Dutchman. We got a gig about a year ago working the Zanzibar route for the Dutch East India Company. We pick up the goods down at Oshima dock, and deliver it to their base at Good Hope Colony. Simple enough, right?"

"Good money, too," Gemini added.

"So anyway…" Kinsky paused as the barkeep approached with a thick wheeze. He deposited the drinks on the table. Lucia drew out some bills and tossed them onto his tray. Kinsky leaned forward, biding his time until the large man was out of earshot. He kept his tone low, even. "Anyway, on this last trip, a motion sensor alarm goes off, and there's a strange sound coming from one of the cargo bays."

"What kind of sound?" Sanada asked.

"Banging, clanking. Made me think one of the crates had come loose."

"They're pretty large crates," said Gemini. "Steel plated."

"Mind you," said Kinsky, "we're under strict orders to not open the crates, no matter what. But I wasn't about to risk a threat to hull integrity, either. So I take some crew down to the bay to investigate." Sure enough, one of 'em had shifted." He stopped, and swallowed some of his bourbon. "We're about to stick it back in place, when one of the joints comes loose, and a side panel slips off."

Gemini sniggered. A scowl from Lucia quickly shut him up.

"I take it you found something," offered Kodai, letting pass the implication that they had opened it up themselves.

Kinsky nodded solemnly. "We found out exactly what kind of cargo we were carrying. Human cargo."

Kodai, Shima, and Sanada stared at him in wide-eyed astonishment. Shima was the first to recover. "From Earth? Were they dead?"

"Very."

"We assumed they're from Earth," Gemini added.

"What did you do?" Sanada asked.

Kinsky scratched uncomfortably at his neck. "Well, we closed it back up in a hurry, and made our delivery as usual."

"What the hell, man? Why didn't you report it to the Port Authority?" Shima looked flushed, and his voice steadily rose in volume.

Kodai pressed Shima's arm. "You haven't told the Port Authority. You haven't told anyone but us, I'm assuming, not even your employer." He looked at the Dutchman's crew, and all three nodded.

"We just got in this morning," Kinsky told him.

Kodai crossed his arms. "Let's assume they were already dead. Did anyone suspect you had discovered them?"

Gemini shook his head vigorously. "Not a chance. We sealed it up good."

"Do you think this was the first time you had such…cargo on board?"

Kinsky shrugged, and Gemini hid his ignorance behind his glass of beer.

Kodai looked around the table with a grim expression. "I don't have to tell all of you how serious this is. What's to prevent me from marching straight to Command to make a report?"

Kinsky and Gemini looked at him in horror. Lucia's eyes were clear, her expression unreadable. Kinsky kept his voice low, though his stomach had coiled tightly in fear. "Shit, man! Don't do that! We came to you for help."

Kodai bared his teeth in frustration, and raised his hands in surrender. "We can't just sit here and do nothing, Captain. What would you have us do?"

Gemini and Kinsky stared at him in surprise, then burst into laughter.

Kodai glared. "What's so goddamn funny?"

Smiling loosely, Lucia raised a thin cigar to her mouth and lit it. The smoky flare filled the air with a sharp scent. "They find your remark so funny, Kodai, because I’m the captain!"

All five pairs of eyes were now focused on her. With Gemini and Kinsky, it was out of deference. As for Yamato's seasoned crew, it was with deep curiosity, tinged with suspicion. Lucia took another drag before speaking, and then her gaze met Kodai's through the smoky air above the table.

"Finding that cargo told me someone has betrayed Earth. For all we know, we've been carrying similar inventory for months. We don't know where those people came from, or who's behind it. Now it may just be some jackass merchant outfit who found a way to pander to somebody's sick needs. But I don't think it's that simple, and I'll tell you why. First, it takes a lot of money to run an operation like that, and even more to cover it up. Second, there are other freighters who run the same gig. Like Gemini said, the money's good, but we also had to sign a confidentiality agreement. We just breached it by talking to you three. Never mind the fact that these bodies are being shipped out right under the nose of the EDF." Lucia paused, and took another drag. "Our discovery also falls a little too quickly on the heels of Todo's assassination."

Her last remark was met with stares of amazement. "How did you know about that?" Sanada asked her. "That's never been proved."

Lucia shrugged as she exhaled. "I have my sources. My point is, whether those people were alive or dead, the order to ship them out probably came from the top. I wouldn't be surprised if someone either in the military or the President's office were responsible."

"That's a lot to insinuate," Shima muttered.

"Well, I wouldn't ask you to just take our word for it." Lucia pulled a disc from a pocket, and placed it on the table. "Here are some shots we took. I also included on there everything I know about D.E.I.C." Personally, I think they're just a puppet in the game, but you might know of any ties to the military."

Kodai picked up the disc, and after a moment handed it to Sanada. The look he gave the freighter captain was thoughtful, but troubled. "Why come to us, Lucia? It goes against all of our military training to keep something like this a secret, yet clearly that's your intent."

Lucia nodded, as if expecting his argument. "Frankly, Kodai, it's because of your ties to Yamato. You and your crew have a lot of influence in the EDF, whether you choose to embrace that or not. You have the power and the skill to find out who's responsible and stop them. People trust you." She gave him a wry smile. "They'll believe you way more than a lowly freighter captain and her crew. You know about the conflict at Good Hope?" She barely waited for his nod. "They're keeping mum about it here, but a war is raging there masquerading as a territorial dispute. The local Turks have accused their neighbors of mass genocide. Someone was apparently shipping them arms, and now they're pissed at the merchants! We've had to fend off more than a few of their patrol ships. I believe our cargo and that war is related somehow. You should take Yamato there, and soon, because in a few days, St. Cyr is going to declare martial law."

"What?" Kodai's face paled. "How in the hell do you know these things?" He turned to Sanada and Shima, who looked as confused as he.

"I'm ninety percent sure it's going to happen," Lucia told them. "Believe me or not, but you have the chance to take Yamato before she's grounded, or worse, made to bully into submission some helpless colony at the behest of some power-hungry despot." Lucia leaned forward, and her voice turned solemn. "I don't think Yamato will be safe on Earth in the near future. Some people don't share the values you do. Kidnapping helpless citizens and using them for god knows what is a pretty strong indication of their intentions. They'll rise unchallenged unless we do something to stop them."

"'We'?" Shima echoed.

Lucia nodded. "The Flying Dutchman and her crew will be your liaison. As we've explained, our trade route takes us pretty far out, and we make regular trips home to Earth. It should make any rendezvous easy. We'll share any new information as it comes our way, especially if we find out where these bodies are coming from."

"How can you be so sure you won't be grounded?" Sanada asked.

Lucia cocked an eyebrow. "Well, our unique cargo, for one. My guess is that martial law will make it easier, not harder, for whoever's in charge to continue their handiwork. As for the rest of it, you'll just have to trust us, I suppose." She saw the doubt that lingered still in their faces. "You want to know why I don't report this myself. Well, I'll tell you, and you can take it or leave it. We'll be killed if we tell. What's a few more bodies after all those other victims? And then a great big cover up follows, they change the route, the manner of shipping, and the evidence disappears forever. We lose any chance at finding out who's behind this. Take off for Good Hope, Kodai. You may not like them, but I think you'll find some answers there."

"In meantime," said Shima, "more people will be taken and will die".

"Which is why it behooves us to act sooner, rather than later," Lucia answered with a challenging glare.

"I may still decide to report this," Kodai told her.

"Just do what you think is best," she said. Motioning for her two companions to follow, Lucia took her leave. The trio disappeared into the dark night.

Kodai was turning his empty glass around in his hand. He expelled a loud sigh, and gazed at Shima and Sanada in turn. "I can still hardly believe what I just heard. What do you think?"

"That woman is definitely hiding something," Shima muttered, trying to keep his voice low. "Who could her source be?"

Sanada looked thoughtful. "We may just be pawns in a major EDF power play, but I think her intentions are good. She has a point, too: Without more proof to blow whatever conspiracy this is wide open, there'd surely be a cover up. Especially if this is coming from the top."

"Which top, the President?" Shima wondered. "Or someone on the Council?"

"Either way, we're dealing with some very disturbing circumstances," Kodai concluded. He motioned for the other two to get up. "Let's go take a look at the disc."

During the ride to Sanada's lab, the three men reviewed all that they had heard. They agreed that an examination of the situation on Good Hope was a sound strategy. Whether or not the bodies in question were actually delivered to the colony was another matter altogether. They also agreed that they had to act soon. It was clear that the Flying Dutchman's crew had every confidence that Yamato would play the cards dealt to her.

It was close to eleven o'clock when they arrived. The nighttime sky was clear, and the air brisk. Sanada led his companions inside to his office. Within moments he powered up the computer, and inserted the disc. Three pairs of eyes were riveted to the screen.

Sanada first pulled up the images of the crate. There were seven photos, taken at various angles and distances from the opened crate. Some kind of transparent material, perhaps glass or plastic, held a number of bodies stacked one upon the other. No clothing of any kind adorned them. One close up showed the face of a female child in profile. There did not seem to be any kind of mutilation, but of course the possibility of torture or beatings could not be ruled out.

Not many other details about their status could be determined. The three were silent for some time.

Kodai asked Sanada to take out the disc, and for it to remain in the scientist's keeping. He was staring straight ahead, and spoke in a soft voice. "I'm taking Yamato to Good Hope, if you're with me."

Shima and Sanada nodded. They had traveled this path before.

"Stealth is the key with this mission, even if it means a skeleton crew," their captain continued. "We leave tomorrow night."

Kodai opened the front door to his home in a rush, and frantically called for Yuki after locking the door. Her head popped up from behind the couch, and she immediately turned off the television. Kodai wasted no time in delivering the news to her.

As the Dutchman's discovery was truly a surprise to Yuki, her astonished response was genuine. But Kodai mistook her tears for compassion for the victims. He asked her to go with him. Yuki nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

"I'll have to start making calls tonight. Can you meet with Sado Sensei tomorrow, and help him get ready? I'll need you to requisition supplies; think you can do it without too many questions being asked?"

Yuki nodded again as a pledge of her support. But suddenly, guilt and love and sorrow welled up strongly within her. This would be their last night together for some time, though he knew it not. Yuki didn't want to think about the mission, though she was well aware that time was of the essence.

She wanted to be with Kodai a final time, before he hated her forever.

Yuki surged forward and flung her arms around his neck. Her lips caught his in a deep kiss.

Kodai was taken aback. "Yuki…mmpf…uh…" But he returned the gesture.

When she broke from his embrace, it was only to peel off her clothes. Her hands worked furiously to unbutton his black shirt, and then she was pulling off his pants with a confidence that amazed him. They kissed and fondled one another for some time before switching to the floor, where there was more space.

Kodai pushed Yuki onto her back, and leaned over so that his face was between her legs. She wove her hands deep into his tresses as he worked on her. Kodai soon felt her hands searching for him. She wanted to caress him there, but the angle was wrong. He decided to swing his leg over and straddle her face, and shamelessly rode her mouth as he would her sex. She took him eagerly, and could hardly decide which part of her felt more aroused.

After a while, Yuki felt ready to have him inside her, and she pushed at him so that he would move off. Whispering a plea for them to go to the bedroom, Yuki sat up and had every intention of getting on her feet.

But she was in a swoon, and her sex felt heavy and warm. She had made it as far as her hands and knees when Kodai, seeing an opportunity, came towards her and entered her from behind. Yuki cried out with the sudden pleasure of it. When he reached forward to cup her breasts, she pressed his hand deeper into her flesh to keep him close. Another time, his fingers ended up beneath her, and he played with her, sending her into a rigorous climax.

Then her husband came, grasping her hips tightly and grunting out his pleasure. Yuki's heart sank; it was too soon, over much too soon. She embraced him after he pulled out, and spoke into his ear.

" Susumu, I love you! No matter what happens, I'll always love you."

Kodai wondered at her ardent statement. "I love you too," he said. "But we have to get ready."

"Should I call in sick tomorrow?" she asked him.

Kodai considered her remark. "Maybe just leave early. You can take care of some things from your desk, right?"

Yuki nodded.

"Good. It's better not to raise any suspicion if we can avoid it." He kissed her once more on the cheek, then gathered up his clothes. "I really need to start on those calls. Get some sleep."

Yuki went to bed, but her eyes never closed.

It was past midnight, and Daijiro was still working at his desk. He was reviewing various agent reports when he heard the telltale creak of the door behind him. It was a hidden door in the back of the office. It led by a long, circuitous route to a nearby dock. Daijiro was well aware of who his visitor was. After a moment, he heard the soft rustle of clothing. He did not turn to look. With a casual reach to the left, he pressed the key that would lock the doors by remote. Daijiro heard footsteps approaching his chair. Only then did he swing it around.

Lucia stood before him, and was completely nude. Her clothes lay in a pile on the floor. Clambering onto his lap, she straddled him, and began to undo the crotch of his slacks. Daijiro was already very stiff; he had begun to grow heavier and thicker the moment the hidden door had opened.

Lucia gazed at his member unabashedly. "I see you’ve been spending too much time behind this desk of yours." With a practiced motion, she drew her hips up, and settled down onto him.

A happy sigh escaped Daijiro's lips as he slid into the moist crevice between her legs. There were about fifty-thousand different ways he loved this woman, not the least of which was her sexual appetite. He loved her short, glossy hair, and the way her bangs would spill into her violet-blue eyes. He loved her petite, boyish figure, and the rose-like purse of her lips when she was upset. He loved that her breasts were barely as wide as her nipples, now drawn into small, tight nubs. He loved the way that she gripped him there, and was always ready for him, always succulently wet. By now, Lucia had buried her head against his neck, and developed a lovely, pleasurable rhythm. Daijiro put his arms around her in the way that he knew she liked, because it made her feel safe.

They stayed like that for a while. In time, with a mutual shudder, they climaxed simultaneously. Afterwards, Lucia kept him inside her, and stayed in his arms. She closed her eyes, curled against his chest like a cat. Daijiro drew lazy circles on her back with his fingers, and his thoughts drifted away to just over two years ago, the day they first met.

Daijiro had arrived early, and was busy inspecting the room. He was in a moderately sized chamber that would someday serve as his operation headquarters. Located several hundred feet below the Earth’s surface, its position under Megalopolis was classified, and known only to his uncle and the technicians that had built it. The room housed a state-of-the art communications array. Several monitors were built into the walls that would serve intelligence purposes. There were a few storage units for hardcopy materials, and even a small analysis station. Radio operators, intelligence analysts, and code clerks would soon fill the empty stations. A conference table filled one end of the room, and a nearby door led to a private office.

Daijiro was about to poke his head inside it when the door behind him slid open. He turned around to greet his uncle, EDF commander Todo Heikuro. A sprite-like figure of a woman followed him. A standard black suit and skirt uniform adorned her figure. She was pulling hard on a red lollipop, and made a loud sucking noise.

When Todo sat down at the conference table, he looked at her sternly from under his brows. "Really, now, Alvarez!"

She stopped short, and looked at him in surprise. "Oh, I’m sorry! Did you want one, too? I have an extra!" She punctuated her remark with a saucy wink towards Daijiro.

Todo ignored her. Placing his laptop on the table, he gestured toward his nephew. "Lieutenant Lucia Alvarez, this is MIS Special Operations Commander Todo Daijiro."

The two extended hands to shake as they were introduced. Daijiro admired her strong grasp. When she turned away to take a seat, he looked down in surprise. She had pressed a lollipop into his hand. Daijiro suppressed a smile, and slipped it into his pocket.

Once the meeting began, however, she was all business. There followed the first of many sessions to lay the groundwork for Project Moccasin, a vast undercover operation that would function in the shadows of the EDF's regular military activities. At great risk to himself, Todo had developed it alone, funding it through a multitude of black budgets, and shielding it from the eyes of other military brass and the President. But he felt strongly about the potential risk, which had begun to build many years ago. Some would say that his decision to groom Daijiro, the only son of his widowed sister, from his adolescent years was inappropriate and ill-founded. But the only other person he could have trusted was far too enmeshed in the public eye, and anyway, he would have his own role to play. If Earth ever became that unlucky.

When the meeting concluded, Daijiro asked to speak with Todo alone. "Where did you recruit her?" he asked.

Todo grunted. "You might say she recruited us," he replied. "I was at the MIS training complex about six months ago looking over some of the new recruits. She must have seen me there, because two days later, she shows up in my office (found her way past Yuki, if you can believe that). Salutes, looks me straight in the eye, and says, ‘Sir, I volunteer for whatever it is you’re planning.’" Todo shook his head slowly, then gave Daijiro a glance as if to say, "How could I not?"

His nephew looked thoughtful. "She’s a sharp one. I think she’ll do just fine."

Todo fought a burgeoning smile. He had caught Daijiro staring curiously at Alvarez throughout their meeting. "I thought you might approve," he said, and hastily cleared his throat for fear he would chuckle.

He was brought back to the present when Lucia shifted a little.

"Daijiro."

"Mm."

"We found bodies. Thirty, at least. That was our cargo."

His hand paused mid-stroke. A stew of emotions bubbled up in him at her words: Revulsion, anger, relief. Lucia's discovery was a major break in the case, yet part of him had hoped the rumors hadn't been true. His thoughts spun wildly from their nest as he considered the ramifications. He would have to call Yuki back soon and inform her.

"Did you make contact with Kodai?"

"Yeah. Told him all about it. I gave him a disc with the pictures. Your copy's in my pocket."

Daijiro patted her shoulder. "Good girl." He paused for a moment. "How long can you stay?"

"Two days."

Daijiro grunted. Lucia's shore leave typically lasted anywhere from one to four days, but the new development necessitated a lot of strategic planning. They wouldn't have much time together. He squeezed her rump, and nudged at her to get up. "Play time is over. We have a lot of work to do."

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