Chapter 7: Terran Defense
Shari aimed at the nearest mutant who looked like someone that lived for 400 years. The mutant just laughed and battered the gun away. “What, you plan to shoot us with that when you can’t even aim straight? You amuse me,” the mutant said. He grabbed Shari’s hand and wanted to bite it when a gunshot rang out. The mutant grabbing Shari fell to the ground as the bullet punctured his head. The other mutants looked at the one who fired the shot.
“Leave Miss Shari alone, fiends!” yelled Vivio as she pointed the gun at the next closest mutant. “Vivio, since when did you learn how to shoot like that?” exclaimed Shari. She always thought that Vivio was that sweet-and-innocent type of girl who dared not harm a fly, or so she thought. The mutants looked at her and ran towards her. Vivio fired rapid shots into their heads and killed them before they could even touch her. Then, the gun ran out of bullets.
“Uh oh, not good. Miss Shari, I need more shots!” yelled Vivio
“I have no spare!” Shari answered. The mutants were closing in when shots from somewhere rang out and killed the remaining mutants. Out from the darkness came Teana holding her Cross Mirage. “I knew I’ll find you here,” she said with a wry smile. Teana examined both of them and nodded. “No bites or anything. You seem okay. I encountered a lot of mutants on the way here so I apologize for my tardiness.”
Shari shook her head and smiled. “Nah, you’re timing couldn’t have been better, Teana. You should have seen how Vivio killed some of the mutants. Her shots were dead on.” Teana looked at Vivio for a while smiled and patted her head. “She’ll be a great marksman one day,” said Teana. Vivio smiled back in approval. Teana was helping Shari up when some soldiers came from a corner, following Nanoha.
“Nanoha-mama!”
“Vivio, you’re alright!” exclaimed Nanoha with happiness. She hugged Vivio and patted her. “Thank you, Teana. If it weren’t for you, who knows what will happen to Vivio.” “But I only killed half of the mutants. Vivio killed the rest,” said Teana. Nanoha was taken aback and looked at Vivio. “You’re kidding me, right? I mean Vivio can’t even cast spells yet and you say she killed half.”
“I’m not kidding. I saw her shooting the mutants.”
“Wow, Vivio, you must have some talent in you. I must recommend you to Marksman Academy one day.”
The lead soldier came up to Nanoha and patted her shoulder. “We found your daughter so come with us now. It’s getting late and the mutants are more active during the night.” Shari looked at the soldiers and nodded her head in approval. “For a race less advanced than us, you guys look tough.”
The lead beckoned everyone to follow him so he led them to the place where Johannes was encamped. Johannes was busy surveying his TAC Map in an apartment building when a group of soldiers came in.
“Colonel, Sergeant Lopez has returned with a group of locals who seem to have something to say about this infection outbreak.”
“Bring them in.”
Nanoha and the others came in. Nanoha was awed by Johannes’s tall, muscular build and the scar that ran down his right eye. “So, these are the locals?” asked Johannes. “No sir, this red-haired one claimed that she said that she is from Earth,” said Lopez. Johannes took a closer look at her and had a surprise. “Hey, you look familiar. I thought I’ve seen you somewhere in Japan before.”
Nanoha thought about it and shook her head. “I don’t remember seeing you, Colonel. Perhaps you’ve seen someone that looks like me.” “Hmm…in that case, let me ask you a question. Does your father Kyoya Takamachi work at the Midori-ya café? Do you have a mother whose name is Momoko, a sister named Miyuki and a brother named Shiro?”
“What, how’d you know?!” Nanoha exclaimed. Johannes gave a laugh. “Nanoha, I was a frequent visitor to your shop when I was just Chief Petty Officer! Don’t you remember a soldier with white hair that always gave you sweets and brought you out for walks?”
Nanoha remembered now. That soldier really did take her out for walks even though she never knew his name. That soldier with striking looks was the one that stood in front of her after 10 years. How could he remember her when she couldn’t even remember him? Nanoha was surprised to the core.
“Anyway, I’m surprised to see you here on a foreign planet. Not only that, you have grown into a striking young lady and you look just like your mother.” Johannes’s smile was just as same as it was 10 years ago. Nanoha always liked it but she dared not admit it. “Sir, I have something to tell about Jake and I hope you believe me.” “Jake…what is it about him? Also, can you tell me how you arrived here to work and all that? I’m much interested in what you’re gonna say,” said Johannes.
So, Nanoha related everything she done and achieved over the period of time until present day. She also told him about how Jake mutated an entire population and all that. Johannes listened intensively and nodded. When Nanoha was done, Johannes chewed on his cigarette butt. “Interesting history you have here, Nanoha. I think you do deserve to be Captain for all your efforts. As for Jake, I believe what you say but if I were to kill him, Kiethon will skin me alive. Not that I’m scared or anything but Kiethon is very influential. He has battalions on his side and anyone who opposed him was arrested. I appealed to the Board of Admiralty to have him fired because he poses a threat if his actions go unchecked. They wanted to but Kiethon will always have informants. I was Kiethon’s nemesis as I always looked for a chance to get him. It’s messy business in the Terran Military Force.”
Johannes’s face went dark and continued. “He was the one that ordered the research for Alpha Strain viruses. He was the one that had the entire planet turned into a battlefield! He was the reason why we have rebels on Mars! He…never mind, I don’t wish you all to meddle in our affairs. I dunno why he wanted viruses when we have guns to do the job. He has an agenda, I just know it.” Nanoha and others listened without a word. Suddenly, Johannes smiled. “I do believe he did something to Jake and had him pollute your planet as well. That is why I believe you. Don’t worry; I’ll do anything I can to get rid of him and Jake. We have no cure for Alpha Strains but we’re working on it.”
Nanoha was impressed by Johannes. He wasn’t a forceful type neither was he a panicky one. Johannes was a nice guy, as nice as he was 10 years ago. Johannes got up from the chair he sat on and went to look out the window of the building. At the entrance, soldiers and marines built a temporary bunker with machine guns to prevent the mutants from entering. Snipers were sent to scout the city and the outskirts.
“Nanoha, where are your other friends? I thought you have one Fate Tastetherooster and Hayate Yamaggi.”
Nanoha laughed. “It’s Fate Testarossa and Hayate Yagami. How do you know we worked together here?” “When I never saw you and your two friends for a long time, I suspected you three went somewhere,” said Johannes. Nanoha pointed at the TAC Map. “They’re in the water distribution facility just 30 kilometers north of here.”
Johannes nodded and ordered a detachment unit to retrieve her friends. Just then, they heard howling coming from somewhere in the city. Vivio was scared but Johannes looked calm. “They’re looking for more victims. It won’t be long before they find us.”
Gun shots rang out to confirm that.
“Come, let us do all we can to cleanse this city. Are you with me?” asked Johannes. Nanoha remembered he said the same thing before he took her out for walks when she was 9. “Yes, I’m with you,” replied Nanoha. She reloaded Raging Heart and smiled with confidence.
“Let’s kick mutant butt.”