[STORY/open] The Fall of Crystal Osaka

[robkelk]

Since people have requested it, and I seem to have given the impression that I wanted to write it, and I'll almost definitely be referencing it in Legend of Galactic Girls... here's the beginning of the end of the first phase of Operation GREAT JUSTICE.

Anyone who want to take part is welcome - this is one of the Big Events of OGJ, after all - but please don't kill off Leda or Yuri.

---

January 8, 2013
Undisclosed Location

"Sir, the yaks have been worming into our territory again."

"WHAT? Didn't they learn from the last time they tried cutting into our business? You know what the Boss'll think of that!"

"It's worse, sir. They also stole some of our purple-pleasure plants, and they're growing it themselves. They call it 'thionite'..."

"I don't give a damn what they call it! Teach the Japs a lesson! Destroy their labs! I'll make it right with the Boss." Gervasio Faustino de Leon grinned - those yakuza poseurs wouldn't know what hit them.

---

January 9, 2013
Venus Terraforming Project botanical genetic modification laboratory #3
Crystal Osaka

"What's that, Yuri?"

The person in question started, then calmed down as she turned to her newest co-worker. "Oh, it's just a little something a friend of mine picked up at one of the other crystal cities, Leda. He didn't say what it was, so I thought I'd give it a run through the bioscanner."

"We're allowed to run our own experiments? Cool."

"Only during our off-hours. Are you looking for some way to reverse that biomod of yours?"

"No, I don't have anywhere near that kind of skill - I'm not The Professor or The Jason. I just thought I'd try to grow something nice for
somebody I met when Grover's Corners launched."

Yuri smiled as she looked at Leda. "Oh-ho! Who is she?"

"I don't swing that way! It's a guy!"

"So, the sexy wunderkind Leda Swansen is straight. Damn. Oh, well. So, who is he? And does he like you too?"

"That's what I want to find out. And he's... well, can you keep a secret?"

"Around here? There's three ways to spread news in Crystal Osaka - telephone, television, or tell a Senshi."

They both laughed. "Right," replied Leda. "But I guess people'll find out anyway, won't they? He's..."

The rest of Leda's sentence was cut off by two nearby explosions, followed by the disaster alarms going off.

---

The Epsilon Blade
Between Earth and Venus

"Noah, we've just received a distress call from Crystal Osaka. They're under attack by an unknown force!"

He didn't even stop to think. "Turn us around, Yayoi - top speed for Crystal Osaka, and put the forcefield up. Haruhi'll just have to wait for that sealed message from the Justice Senshi."

 
--
Rob Kelk
"Read Or Die: not so much a title as a way of life." - Justin Palmer, 6 June 2007

[LilFluff]

"Remember, you are representing our school. I want all five of you on your best behavior. But most of all don't forget we'll stop at Papa Spark's Gelato to celebrate my promotion to student teacher if there's not trouble." Caitlin leaned forward, the crisp creases still perfect in her new uniform. "And that means it's my treat." Not that these five will give me any trouble. Excellent Applied Civics scores for all of them.
"So who can tell me what's down this corridor?"
"That's an easy one," answered Marie, the shortest of the girls, who had already been looking at a map on her PDA before the question came. "Food crop test labs and... Fungal Research Labs?"
"Well that makes sense. Probably growing edible mushrooms." Kirk was the only boy along for the field trip and the only child of two extreme Trekkie parents. "No food supply would be complete without them." But he was better known in Senshi space for his great love of mushrooms.
"Good answers. Number three is that it is where our tour begins. We can walk about the gardens, you'll get to spend some time with one of the lead researchers, and try out some fresh--" The whole corridor shuddered a moment before the rumbling reached them. Without even thinking about it Caitlin pulled Luisa forward as one of the emergancy hatches closed right behind her. "Form up on me and keep calm.
"Spiro, what can you tell me?"
A single light flashed on top of Caitlin's cell phone as the limited AI that had formed within it queried the local network. "Fires. Unknown cause at this time. Emergency services are responding."
"Alright Spiro, put our names and skills on the volunteer list." How in the world am I pretending to be calm? I wish I knew so I could keep it up. "I assume you all heard? The tour is most likely off, but we will not become crisis gawkers. Everyone have your emergency kits on you? Good. Stay by me while I make a quick call to see what we'll do."
-----

Will the transhumanist future have catgirls? Does Japan still exist? Well, there is your answer.

[robkelk]

Yuri came back in and secured the door.

"How bad is it?"

"Very bad, and getting worse, Leda. The explosions were man-made."

"We're under attack? Any idea who's doing it?"

Yuri hesitated. "No."

"This isn't the time to keep secrets, Yuri! Who are they?"

"You don't want to know."

"I have to know! They might kill us!"

"They won't kill you ... or maybe they will, because you're here. I guess I'd better come clean. They're part of a Columbian drug cartel, growing thionite here for the Earth market."

Leda gaped at Yuri for a moment. "How the hell do you know that?"

"Because I'm part of a Yakuza clan that's trying to grab their business."

---

One of the invaders spoke into a two-way radio. "Mr. de Leon, we've made it to the yak processing plant."

"Why are you telling me you've done what I told you to do? Destroy it!"

---

"You're what?"

Yuri started to cry. "I knew you'd react that way... I didn't want you to hate me. That's why I said you didn't want to know..."

"How many others are part of your gang? Tell me, Yuri!"

"I can't."

"Tell me!" The electricity dancing around Leda's hands started to arc visibly. She took a deep breath and held it for a few seconds, and both she and the electricity calmed down. "Don't make me angry, Yuri. We'll both suffer if I'm angry."

"All right. There's at least four dozen of us in the city."

"Four dozen? That's almost a tenth of Crystal Osaka's entire population!"

"I know. I'm sorry, Leda - I didn't want you to know."

There was another series of explosions outside the lab, closer than the last two.

"I don't want to know. But now that I do know, I have to tell someone."

"Please, don't! If anyone finds out I told you about this, they'll kill me!"

"Yuri ..." Leda hugged her companion. "I must." Then she moved her hand up to Yuri's neck, and shocked her into unconsciousness.

There was another explosion outside, closer still.

Leda pulled out her cellphone. I remember seeing his ship in our dock this morning. I hope he's still within range.

---

As the Epsilon Blade approached Crystal Osaka, Noah's cellphone rang. "What the hell?" He looked at the display. "Ms. Swansen? Why's she calling me?"

Yayoi double-checked her display. "Noah, that call's coming from inside Crystal Osaka."

"I'd better take it, then."

Three minutes later, Noah was using the ship's interwave set to report in to Operation Great Justice.

--
Rob Kelk
"Read Or Die: not so much a title as a way of life."  - Justin Palmer, 6 June 2007

[Ebony]

It had been mentioned when they joined. Every Blazer knew about it. It encompassed a small section of the go phone manual and was flagged as important. No one ignored it, and everyone helped in any way they could.
Wanda Green, BBI #772, on detached service with to the Senshi, looked at her fellow Blazers. Expressions all the way around were grim, even Booster, who smiled most of the time. With a nod to the others, she pushed the green button on her go phone, sending the signal.
Instantly, every go phone in the room lit up, telling them what they already knew. Five minutes later, the acknowledgement tone pinged, and she knew that the Institute knew. She nodded, shouldered her bag, and then the group moved.
Tonka took point. Not as big as Booster, the Georgian was a member of the Rugsuckers, and knew how to use the ugly shotgun that he cradled in his arms. Across his back he carried a folded emergency stretcher. Wanda came in behind him, hauling her kit. The fireaxe she carried could double as a weapon if she needed it, and after Cartagena, she never went anywhere without her Sig. Holly G., for all that she was a dead ringer for that old movie star, had just gotten her second black belt to go with her EMT certification. And Booster was just as handy with his cutting torch as he was with the tetsubo that J. had given him.
Team Two was somewhere else on the station. Wanda thought that JJ and Screech had been in C&C with the Senshi, but she wasn't sure. Bob and Frank were supposed to be at the gym, and she didn't know where Max was. None of them had called in yet.
They rounded the first corner, heading towards the closest damaged section, when Wanda's phone chimed. "Wanda," came the voice she had desperately wanted to hear, "it's Buckaroo."
"Good to hear you, sir. We've got major badness."
"So you said. Are you sure?"
"Absolutely, sir. It's them."
Buckaroo didn't second-guess his team leaders. They were there because they knew how to do their jobs. "Okay. We're on our way. The Frequency is on. You've got the ball, Wanda. You call the play."
"Got it. We need evac and medical. We're headed to C&C to try and rendevous with JJ. How soon are you here?"
"We broke orbit two minutes ago. J.'s got the Bus at maximum thrust."
Tonka broke in, "Boss, this is Tonka. We're gonna need some heavy gear on this."
"Madcap and Fenris are lifting off from the Armory right now, Tonka. They've got the gear."
"Roger that, Boss."
"Wanda?"
"Sir?"
"Do what you can, but keep yourselves alive. I don't need to tell you the perils of living in space."
"We'll save as many as we can, sir, but we're going to need evac as soon as you can get here."
"Tell the Senshi that we're on our way."
---------------------------------------
There are (unless anyone has a problem with it) nine Blazers on Osaka. Wanda and JJ are the team leaders. Wanda's team are oriented towards medical emergencies; JJ's is more information gathering and research. All Blazers are trained in basic rescue and first aid.
Madcap and Fenris are Rugsuckers, like Tonka, and are bringing heavier weaponry.
The Blazers are going to be mostly concerned with getting people evacuated as the station degenerates. If they come across the cartel folk, they'll defend themselves, but only Tonka's crazy enough to go after them, and he's not crazy enough to do it alone.
Anyone who can guess who Holly G. looks like is as old or older than I am or as much a fan of movies.Ebony the Black Dragon
Senior Editor, Living Room Games
http://www.lrgames.com
Ebony the Black Dragon
http://ebony14.livejournal.com

"Good night, and may the Good Lord take a Viking to you."