Year of rebirth 624
Personal logs of Fleet Admiral Corbiere
The legends tell us all that we aren’t from here. That long, long ago we were created to entertain people, games in which our cruel creators would direct our actions. We would die repeatedly in their sadistic pleasure. Our lives were played out like a good book. We would fight amongst ourselves, we would fall in love with each other, and we would die at our own hands.
I really can’t say if it is true or not. You see I haven’t been around that long.
But what I do know is that we left. We just didn’t fit in with all the people who walked that world. So we left.
Again the legends are the only source of information we have. They tell of long journey that took thousands of years. It tells of the many times we tried to settle at one place only to find that the planet we had just found was also covered in beings like our creators.
I’m not even sure how we did it. There is talk that the ships that we now use were created with us, and that these ships were our saviours. Bringing us to this remote corner of space and to this war.
But that really doesn’t make sense. We are all in the records contained on the ships as the only people to walk their halls. Each ship was designed to work well with its crew, that we are the only ones who can control them.
You know I don’t even think that I remember my parents at all. I just remember growing up on the Island Straight. Those people I call my friends were always around me. The people I call my crew were there as well.
We grew together and we work together. We are inseparable in many ways.
I can even remember things that I really shouldn’t.
In the past week I had a flash of memory about one of my crew. One that told me that he would not be very happy if a particular person on another ship was to interact with him.
So when shore leave came I refused to let him go.
I do admit that I have never done this before. Most of the memories have warned me about deadly things. Like the time when Vice Admiral Valentine learned that Lieutenant Strife was on my crew.
The two had never gotten along. They seemed to always be short on temper when in the same place. It had always been that way.
I was just glad that Commander Valentine and Commander Rhapsodos had stepped in to break up the fight that resulted before I had to throw them in the brig.
If that ever happened I would have been short a really good Vice Admiral.
Admiral Shikyo would have been less then pleased to know that it had happened. I thank my lucky stars that she never even got a whisper about what went on. I truly don’t know what she would have done.
But then again I’m getting away from the original purpose of this log.
It was my first trip off planet today, our first test in space. It is my job to protect this world. And to do so I would need to be able to handle this ship in space.
I can’t say as I was surprised with the outcome, most of my crew were beside themselves as I ordered the Enterprise into the climb.
Our pilot at first had looked strangely at me when I had first given the order. But after a cold glare from Vice Admiral Leonhart, Lieutenant Paris had started the climb sequence.
We were to join the Andromeda Ascendant in a friendly war game once we reached a safe orbit, but our luck wouldn’t hold.
It turned out that once we reached orbit we were not the only people out there. The Pira was also just coming off the surface of our sister planet.
So instead of our friendly war game, the Enterprise had its birth in blood and pain.
We lost a few good hands today. Among them was the only person I really thought I could trust with my life, the only person who ever meant anything to me, Ensign Jobe Ledrew. Not only did I lose my best engineer, I lost my brother.
I can’t begin to say how hard it was for me to hold him in my arms as he went limp from death. But I really can say how hard it was for me to stand up to our aggressors and continue to bark orders on my bridge.
I do believe a piece of me died today. I was always one to smile and laugh at almost anything. But since then I’ve given Squall a run for his money.
I’ll have to ask him the next time we are together what exactly happened to him that made him so cold.
I know that in all my life I have never had pain like this. Sure I have had my share of pain and loss but nothing this deep.
The pain from the scar on my soul reaches so deep that I find myself unable to cry. I know I have tried.
And so …
----x----
A series of beep sounds echo around the room, repeating when at first she didn’t answer.
“Damn it, what now!” Lois stood from behind her desk and walked to the small panel at the door, her long purple hair swishing behind her as she walked. “What part of ‘I wish not to be disturbed’ do you people not understand?” Her hand reached up to play with the blue streak that fell over her shoulder when she saw who was standing before her. “What can I do for you Ichigo?”
“Lois, I thought that maybe you might want to vent some of your anger on the holo-deck.”
“What makes you think you know what I want Admiral.”
“Listen Lois this is a request from a friend not a member of your crew. Every time you get upset that plushie tail of yours gets to twitching.” Lois reached around and grabbed her tail to stop it from moving. “Besides when you were a kid you would always kick some assholes ass and you were always fine afterwards.”
“What has this got to do with anything?”
“I, that is the crew, have decided that I will be that asshole today.”
“I see.”
“So what do you say you grab your sword so I can kick your ass?”
Lois could only laugh as she walked back into her quarters. She let her feet carry her past her desk and unfinished personal log.
“Are you going to ignore me coward?”
Lois’ ears twitched as she stopped in her tracks, her fists clenching at her sides. “What did you say?”
“I asked if you were running away you yellow livered coward.”
Her hand shot out to the side and a very large sword flew across the room into her hand. The silvery white blade flashed in the artificial light as she turned it on its side slashing the air toward Ichigo’s neck stopping just a hair width away from his pale skin. “Vice Admiral Ichigo Kurosaki, do you have a death wish?”
“Not particularly.” He moved up the blade, watching that he didn’t catch the sharp edge on his neck. “Now that you have your sword will you join me?”
“Go to hell!”
“I don’t think we have that programmed. It will only take me a moment if you really want it.”
Lois chuckled and lowered her weapon. “You got balls Kurosaki.”
“Not balls, trust,” Ichigo stepped to the side so that he was at an advantage if his commanding officer decided to swing her sword again. “I trust that you’ll need me around later.”
“Then stop flapping you lips and lets get this over with.”
“Yes sir.”
The walk through the ship was mostly uneventful. As soon as they saw that the Fleet Admiral had her sword with her they moved to one side to let her pass. And if they noticed the Vice Admiral they paled and left as fast as they arrived.
“Are you still wanting to fight in Hell?”
Lois just rolled her eyes and the comment.
“I could pull up the lava fields of the Hades Islands.”
“Seems as good a place as any.” Lois adjusted the sword across her shoulders making the leather of her jacket creak.
“Rules?” Ichigo waited as Lois thought about what rules she wanted. There were so many. And many more still were just part of the warriors code.
“I kick your ass, we go home.”
“And on the off chance I win?”
“You won’t so don’t worry about it.”
“And who says I won’t?”
“Your commanding officer.”
“True enough.” The two stopped in front of a large pair of doors with a small panel to its right. Ichigo lifted his hand and pressed a button. “Computer, load Hades Island simulation Alpha Six Six Nine. Safety protocols Nine Nine Four Five Beta.”
“Safety protocols?”
“I would like to walk away from this with my head on my shoulders.”
“Fine by me.” Lois pulled the overly large sword from her back and walked into the simulation making sure to only step on the black cooler rocks, Ichigo following in her wake. “You ready for me to hand you your ass on a silver platter?”
“We will see.” Ichigo pulled everything that was himself into his sword, the air around him shimmering with more then just heat.
“Nice show. But you forgot I’m in my element.” Lois dipped the tip of her sword into the Lava.
Ichigo let the power bleed away to almost nothing. “I’m not the only one who has forgotten.”
As quick as a viper strike Lois turned and brought her sword up, sparks flying from the metal as it met another sword.
“Hello Hichigo. I was wondering if you were joining us today.” Lois pushed the grinning Hollow away.
“You know I can’t stay away if my other half is going to bleed.” A blue tongue came out to lick pale lips. “Or if I get to fight you.”
“Then will you two stop jaw jacking and fight already?”
The two men didn’t hesitate to attack at the same time, blades flashing in the glow of the landscape. But for every thrust, and for every slash, Lois’ great eagle claw sword was there, countering the twin blades as they flew in patterns.
None of the blades seemed to be able to score a hit, and not from lack of trying. Each blade would block one attack only to make one of its own, but leaving no opening for a counter attack.
Swift feet danced along cooled rocks, and avoiding the extremely hot lave between.
“Oh come on boys. Are you even trying to hit me?” Lois lowered her blade and watched as her twin opponents did the same. “And now I end this.”
Holding her free hand above her head she pulled the fire element out of the lava and twisted it into a tight weave. And using it as a whip she attacked again, slashing at both forms without mercy.
Ichigo was obviously tiring. His breathing was coming more and more in short gasps. And the attacks continued until he recalled Hichigo. The two merging into one body once more.
“Is that all Ichigo? I thought you said this was going to be a challenge.”
“All I said was that you were going to kick an asshole’s ass. I said nothing about a challenge.”
“Then let me kick your ass.” Lois jumped forward only to be met by Ichigo’s own sword.
“I would, but I don’t want to end up in the infirmary like that poor shinobi Uchiha.” Ichigo blocked the next slash of Lois’ sword with ease. ‘She’s playing with me, like a cat plays with her dinner,’ he thought to himself. ‘I wonder what she really wants.’
“He tried to use those eyes on me,” she swung with a little more force then she intended sending the poor orange haired man flying. He landed on a larger rock and slid a fair ways before stopping himself at the edge, his eyes looking down at the hot lava only inches from his face. “He deserved every bruise he got.”
Ichigo got to his knees then the environment around him dissolved leaving the two in a small black room with warm yellow lighting.
“Captain to the bridge.” A voice came over the intercom.
“Damn it, just when I was going to have some fun.” Lois sheathed her sword on her back and walked to the small console located at the doors to the holo-deck.
Before she was even halfway there the ground beneath her feet heaved.
Lois spun on her heels and looked at Ichigo still kneeling on the floor. Silent words were exchanged between the two before both were dashing along the corridors towards the bridge.
Launching herself onto the bridge she took stock of who was on duty.
“Lieutenant Paris, evasive manoeuvres gamma delta four.” She barked.
“Yes sir.”
“Shikyo, report!”
A tall girl with dark hair turned to look who had just addressed her. Seeing that it was her commanding officer she got off the command chair and repositioned herself in her own chair. “Repairs are half complete, I can give you impulse engines and the left phaser banks.”
“And the GUNDAMs?”
“We only have the Freedom and Justice ready.”
“I’m not sending them out.”
Lois could hear the jingle of the beads in Anime’s hair as her second in command shook her head in disagreement at the sympathies she showed.
“Commander Yagami, tactical report!”
“The De Nile sir. Full compliment of Gliders and the Q143 - Ghost.”
“Damn it.” Lois paused for a moment as the ship bucked once more, sparks flying from a few consoles. “Ensign Hinata, hail the Andromeda Ascendant, tell Master General Daemon to get her ass up here now, or she is fighting this war alone. Keep the Ghost on our left side, and get those damn torpedo launchers online.”