Quote:Maa ...
She does not issue threats..no need to. Crossing her is doesn't even cross your mind.
Generally, I try to imagine Love Hina's Mutsumi Otohime, only without the fainting thing, a bit calmer, and with occasional homicidal tendencies. And sans the ever present watermelons.
Okay, so she's almost nothing like Otohime, but it seems to help.
The aftermath of this entire situation was a bit ... frantic ... and I made myself scarce before airborne Otome widened their search pattern enough to make out my position. About the last thing I'd recorded was the one still missing Garderobe student accompanied by dai Artai's diplomatic attache to Windbloom crawling out of the bushes and nearly getting crushed under the Aries' Otome's ball and chain. Very enthusiastic, our Haruka. Maybe even a tad too much.
Still, there was reason enough this time. I wasn't sure how many, but there were casualties among the troops who'd ridden the APC. That little guy's chakram packed a mean punch, and I think it actually ricoched around inside ... well, with forseeable results.
Seeing as Armitage's official position _was_ General of the Aries Armed Forces ... she took it personally.
Mental note, I should try not to aggrevate her next time I see her. Though how well that works ... eh.
And speaking of the little guy, and the other metallic marauders ... there was only one group that had a good enough grasp on the 'old' technology to manage the creation of cyborgs. Not to mention enough motivation to do so.
They'd capitalized on the distraction and managed to make themselves as scarce as I was there and then.
As for Schwarz ... there wasn't really any chance of trailing them further. Their reasons for being here _now_ ... they'd obviously been aware of the presence of the Aswad cyborgs. Going after the same thing? So why pull in the resources from Lutetia.
A field test of ... whatever Frosty the Snowman was? It was a possibility. The loss of an arm hadn't slowed him/her/it down any, and however they'd managed that ice ... definite badness potential in that development.
... it actually took me a bit to realize I'd recognized the blond guy who'd nearly gotten to meet Haruka's mace head on. Only occured to me when I was busy trying not to crash the Frame into any trees, rocks, and so on - you know, worst possible moment for a revelation - that Scarhead over yonder monuntain was the guy Yamada had been feeding information for a while now.
Huh. Small world? Pfft. If you believe that, I have some prime farming land on the Romus border to sell you.
This wasn't actually too surprising, when considered objectively. After all, myself, Miyu and Yamada ... we all had our own agendas towards which we were working. Black's creation had merely made them easier to achieve.
I got back to the town and stowed the Frame back in the office's small garage before either the Aries or the Garderobe contingent did, which was a lucky break of sorts. Gave me time to change into something that didn't smell of bark and sap, or look like it had survived a ride over forest paths at middlingly uncomfortable speeds, and make my way over to the villa at the edge of town at a comfortable pace.
I still had those messages to deliver.
Ara ara?
-Griever
When tact is required, use brute force. When force is required, use greater force.
When the greatest force is required, use your head. Surprise is everything. - The Book of Cataclysm