Here's part four of six of my Ako fic... As always, I'd love to know what
you think!
Coutuva.

Authour's note - <> indicates someone speaking in other than their normal,
usual or native language.

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Renewed Acquaintances - Part 4
Convergence
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	Biko stood staring into the sky at the little dot rapidly approaching
her location.  The airspace perimeter systems had detected it while it was
still out over the ocean, and reported it cruising on a direct course for
her home.   So far, the system had been unable to identify the type of
craft,
which normally would have meant that the scrambled fighters would have shot
it down.  This time however, Biko had ordered them to maintain visual
surveillance only.
	Something told her that this craft was not an unfriendly, and she
wanted to see it before she would issue any order to take it down.  All the
same, she did issue the order to deploy the local ground-to-air defenses,
which even now were rising out of their silos to ready position.
	As she watched intently, the craft, which Tactical had determined
was no bigger than a large car, angled downward toward the helipad near the
entry to the house.  No communications had even been attempted by it, so
Biko allowed the system to acquire a shooting solution, just in case.
	The craft slowed to a hover over the pad, and turned on the spot
till it's cabin faced the house.  Slowly, it settled onto it's extending
landing gear, and shut down upon contact.
	Biko smiled as she regarded her visitor.  Lifting her field
radiophone to her face with a smirk, she paged Operations.  "Stand down
from Battle Stations.  This vehicle is welcome.  Repeat, Stand down from
Battle Stations."  she ordered, and shoved the unit back in it's holster.
	Biko then walked over the small craft, which she had recognized as
being similar to ones she had seen many years earlier.  It's design
resembled a flattened spider, and it seemed to only be big enough to carry
two people.  As she approached it, the cockpit cowling began to lift,
revealing a very familiar face.
	"Ohaio!"  D called out happily.  <Greetings, Diatokuji Biko.  It's
been a while.>"  she continued, smiling and bowing slightly.
	"D!" Biko smiled, despite herself.  "To what do I owe this little
surprise?"  she asked, regarding D questioningly.
	"<It's a long story... Is there somewhere we can talk?  I need your
help, Daitokuji-san.>"  D replied, eyes downcast.
	Biko sighed resignedly.  "So this isn't a social call.  All right,
I'll meet you in my office in ten minutes.  The staff will show you in, and
get you whatever you wish."
	"Arigato, Diatokuji-san."  D replied, bowing.  "<I appreciate this
very much.>"
	"You'd better."  Biko muttered, turning and walking off toward the
house.


	Lissa didn't have a happy look on her face as she walked into the
Advisor's office,  having just come from Shiko's quarters.
	"Has there been any change?"  the Advisor asked, hopefully.
	"No, Ma'am.  She tosses and mumbles things every so often, but she's
still..."  Lissa began, only to be interrupted by the trill of the
Advisor's
phone.  Noticing that it was the Queen's room calling, the Advisor quickly
snatched the receiver.
	"Yes?"  she asked, anxiously.  "We'll be right there!"  she blurted,
hanging up quickly.  "Thank the Mother of us all, Lissa!  She's awake!" 
she
gushed, jumping from her chair and running to the door.  Lissa gasped
excitedly and followed close on her heels.
	Arriving at Shiko's bedside, the two women approached quietly.
Shiko heard them, and turned slowly to face them.
	"Majesty?  How do you feel?"  the Advisor asked, softly.
	Shiko smirked weakly for a second, then her face went hard.  "How
the hell do you think I feel?"  she responded in a raspy, sarcastic
whisper.
	"Your Majesty...!"  The Advisor gasped in disbelief.  Shiko had never
spoken to her like that in all the years they'd been associated, and the
tone
of her voice literally startled the older woman.
	"Leave me alone, Maaja... I don't want to be disturbed."  Shiko
growled hoarsely, rolling her back to the two stunned women.
	"But, Your Majesty... I..."  The Advisor stammered, until Shiko
lifted her head slightly.
        "You are dismissed, Advisor."  Shiko snapped, pulling her blanket
over her shoulders.  "And get the rest of these people out of here, too."
	"Y... Yes, Your Majesty."  The Advisor replied, stepping back from
the bed, and motioning the medical staff out of the room.
        Once she was alone, Shiko drew her knees up and curled into a ball,
the tears that had been denied her earlier starting to flow unabated.  She
felt discarded, unloved and unwanted, something she had not ever
experienced
in her life, and the pain it caused seemed to know no limits.
        Burying her face in her pillow, she cried for what felt like hours,
trying to pour out the anguish in her heart.  Finally, when she could cry
no
longer, she drifted into an exhausted sleep, her last thoughts of the love
she was now certain she had lost forever.


        "You want me to WHAT?!"  Biko exclaimed, jumping forward in her
chair.
        "<Find Magami Eiko for us.>"  D repeated, not surprised by her
host's
reaction.  "<Our Queen, the former Kotobuki Shiko, is desperate to see her
again.  Magami-san has been contacted, but refused our offer and
disappeared
again.  If time wasn't so critical, we could do it ourselves, but we need
to
find her quickly.  We hoped that with your 'resources', you might be able
to
expedite the process.>"  the large woman continued, imploringly.
        "Hah!  I've had nothing to do with her for two years, and you want
me
to go looking for her?  What possible reason would I have to do that?" 
Biko
snorted indignantly.  "I was glad she disappeared... Her interference in my
life was becoming intolerable."  Biko asserted, although somewhat
unconvincingly.  Noting the expression on D's face, she stood up and began
walking about the room.
        D knew she had hit a nerve.  "<Daitokuji-san, Our Queen is with
child... she carries the next Heiress to the Throne of Alpha Sygmi.  If
Magami-san doesn't come to visit, Her Majesty's depression will surely harm
the child, with potentially catastrophic results.  Please... put aside your
anger and help us... we beg of you.>"
        Biko glanced back at D momentarily, then walked slowly toward the
large window in her office.  Wordlessly, she cranked open the movable pane
and leaned out it.  After an eternally long moment, she sighed heavily and
turned back toward her guest.
        "I will help you.  Not out of any concern for your "Queen", since
she left without even saying goodbye, but because..." she broke off,
sighing
again.  "Because it's the right thing to do."  she continued quietly,
lowering her head.
        D's jaw fell open.  She hadn't expected to hear those words coming
from Biko of all people.  "<Arigato, Daitokuji-san>"  she finally said,
standing up and bowing deeply.
        Biko meanwhile, despite her initial knee-jerk reaction, realized
that finding Eiko might give her the chance to get her own life back in
order, something she desperately needed to do.  For the last while, she
had been seriously worried about her current 'loss of momentum', and this
situation had provided her with a way to solve her problem, and save face
at the same time.
        Biko even found herself wondering if it was time to ... 'Bury the
Hatchet', as it were.  Their rivalry had fueled her life, but as she
discovered, that fuel supply was not unlimited.  She had to move on, and
this seemed like a perfect excuse to start.
        "All right, D... what do you know about her whereabouts?"  Biko
abruptly asked, again taking on an authoritative tone.
        "<She was in this little town, and took off in her car three days
ago.  Or was it two?  This time-line stuff always confuses me...>" D
replied,
pointing to a spot on a map of Canada she withdrew from her voluminous
pocket.
        Biko grinned smugly.  "What day of the week was it over there?"'
she asked, glancing at the map.
        "<Friday night.>"
        "Okay.  She should be within this area..." Biko indicated
confidently, drawing out a circle on the well-worn map.  "So we'll start
here.  If she's ever used her credit card or her bank card,  we should be
able to nail her within minutes."  she continued, reaching for her desk
phone.  Lifting it up, she waited for a response.
        "Get me Security... Priority One."  she ordered, grinning.



        Eiko lay snoring in her hotel room, sprawled as usual right across
the mattress on her back.  Abruptly, she was disturbed by the buzz of the
clock radio, and rolled over grudgingly to slap the snooze bar.  The huge
crash that resulted woke her instantly.
        Looking beside the bed, she blinked in disbelief at the pile of
rubble that used to be the nightstand.  Glancing at her arm, she gulped as
she realized she didn't have her wristbands on.  Scanning the room
nervously,
she spotted them on the dresser, exactly where she had placed them after
her
Jacuzzi.
        "Chikusho...well, I'm awake now..." she thought, sliding herself
off
the bed.  Stretching, she cast a quick look at Kikuko, who still slumbered
peacefully.  "How did she sleep through that?" Eiko wondered, turning to go
to the bathroom.  "She must sleep like me."  she thought, grinning.
        After dressing and calling down for breakfast, Eiko woke Kikuko and
chased her into the bathroom.  Digging out some suitable clothes for Kiko
for their excursion to the park,  she packed the ones they had worn
yesterday to be sent for laundry.  As she did so, she glanced out the
window, and smiled at the beautiful-looking day.  Had she still been at her
house, she would have been sitting on her deck by now, just soaking it
all in.
        Kiko popped out of the bathroom and wasted no time in eating and
getting dressed herself.  When she finished, she virtually dragged her
Mom to the elevator and down the street to the park.  Eiko found a bench,
and Kiko ran off happily, not caring that she didn't know anyone...
there were monkey bars.
	Eiko smiled at her daughter's youthful exuberance, and was inwardly
glad that she let herself be talked into this little distraction... Kiko
would burn off some of her seemingly limitless energy, making the days
driving a little easier.  Looking at her watch, she noted the time,
anticipating about an hour before they'd be on the road.  She had decided
to head North, and had booked an appointment to view a house in a town a
couple hundred miles away.
	Opening her book, she began to read happily, keeping an ear open
for Kiko all the while.  Several minutes later, she glanced up as she
turned a page, and saw a group of kids and her daughter playing ball.
Smiling, she was about to start reading again when one of the children
squealed.  Their ball had rolled under a parked car, and none of them
could reach it.
	Abruptly, Kiko came running up, calling for them to let her get it.
Without a second thought, Kiko stopped beside the car, put her hand on the
bumper and simply pushed it out of the way, tires dragging on the pavement.
Retrieving the ball, she then pushed it right back again, as easily as if
she had been moving a small toy.
	Eiko dropped her book.


        "Arigato.  Keep me posted."  Biko replied, hanging up the phone.
"They've had one hit, but it's a day old.  We just have to wait for her to
use it again, and we'll have her pinned down."  she continued, confidently.
	D was beside herself.  "<This is wonderful, Diatokuji-san!  If I
can get close enough to use the tracker, I'll have her found in no time!
My Queen will be thrilled!>"  she gushed, excitedly.
	"True.  But from what you say, she will still require some
convincing.  You got lucky last time... she let you off easy.  She's
become even more powerful as an adult, you know."  Biko cautioned,
thoughtfully.
	"<You're right... What should I do?  If I just show up, she'll
likely fight.>"  D admitted, thoughtfully.  Abruptly, she looked across
the room at Biko again,  her face curious.  "<Daitokuji-san, what happened
to her?  There was a time when she would kill for Shiko, and now she won't
even see her... whatever it was must have been terrible>."
	Biko sighed slowly.  "D, all I can tell you is that after her
husband died, she quit her job and left Japan in a hurry.  I've heard that
she burned out... I've heard that she was tired of being away from her
family... the stories vary.  I even thought for a while that I had
intimidated her out of the country with my wealth and power, which was
a natural assumption I might add."
	"<I see.. still, no reason to be acting the way she is...
especially toward her former best friend.>"
	"Well, D... perhaps we should ask her.  I will be accompanying
you on your return trip to Canada.  Eiko and I have some unfinished
business from a long time ago."  Biko indicated, smirking.  "That little
spider of yours.. it can carry two, I trust?"
	"<Hai!  It can.  Are you sure you want to be involved any further?
As you said, it could be dangerous.>"
	"I can deal with that."  Biko replied with a smug grin.  "I expect
she has her daughter with her, which means she'll not be too likely to get
really violent.  We'll just have to be careful."
	Abruptly, the phone beside Biko began beeping insistently.
Snatching the receiver up, she listened quietly, and a large smile spread
across her face.  "Domo Arigato."  she finally said, hanging up firmly.
	"<Is it...?>"  D queried, expectantly.
	"We have our target co-ordinates.  She's right here, just booking
out of her hotel, in fact.  I already have a team in the country from
another
mission, and they're enroute.  They should mark her within the hour."  Biko
explained, confidently pointing to a spot on the map.
	"<Great!  Now we can try again!  Ano.. how did you find out so much?
>From her... what did you call it... bank card?>"
	"Hai.  It's from one of *my* banks."  Biko replied, winking.  "D,
meet me outside in two minutes... I have to change before we leave."
	"<Hai, Daitokuji-san.  I'll have the engines running.>"  the
large woman blurted, turning and heading out the office doors.  Once she
had left, Biko pushed a button on the small panel in the surface of her
desk,
and a hidden door opened in the wall.  Striding toward it,  she had to grin
mischievously at the contents of the concealed closet.
	"Well, Eiko... it's all up to you.  This can be easy, or it can be
hard.  The ball will be in your court, but I'm going to be prepared."  she
thought to herself, taking the garment from it's hooks and walking into the
ensuite bath.  Once there, she hung the garment on another hook, and
reached for the phone above the vanity.  "I might as well hedge my bets
while I have the chance." she thought as she waited for the call to ring
through.


	Eiko had been eerily silent since booking out of her hotel.  Despite
expecting it, seeing Kikuko shove a car around like a small toy had stunned
her, and she was having a hard time shaking the effects off.
	"Mommy... are you mad at me?"  a small, hesitant voice suddenly
asked.
	"Wha... No, Kiko.  I'm not.  I'm just... thinking, that's all."
she covered, not wanting to scare the little one before she had a chance to
explain things to her.
	"What about?"
	"Things, Kiko... like what happened today in the park."  she
continued, realizing that she wasn't going to get off all that easily.
	"The park?"
	"No, honey.. not the park, but what happened there.  Just a minute."
Eiko sighed, pulling the car to the shoulder and shutting it off.
	"Why did we stop, Mommy?  Are we there?"  Kiko asked, lifting her
head to see out over the door.
	"Kiko-chan, in the park today, you moved a car to get your friend's
ball.  Have you ever done anything like that before?"
	"Lots of times!"  Kiko smiled, proudly.  "I even moved a big truck!"
	Eiko's mouth dropped open in shock.  "Why didn't you ever tell me
about this?  I've been waiting for it to happen to you."  she asked,
staring at the little girl in disbelief.
	"What, Mommy?  Is it bad?" Kiko responded, worriedly.
	"Well, it depends on your outlook, I suppose... Kiko, haven't you
wondered why you could do that, and your friends couldn't?"
	"No..."
	"Okay.  Kiko-chan, you have inherited something from me... besides
how you sleep.  You have a gift... the gift of immense strength.  You
haven't really even used it yet, but I can tell you it's scary how strong
you are."  Eiko began, regarding Kiko seriously.  "I know because I have
the same gift.  I inherited it from my Daddy and Mommy, and the first time
I used it, it scared me."
	"It scared you?  Why, Mom?"
	"It surprised me... and I broke part of my Dad's garage because
of it.  Anyway, little one, when I told my Mom, she gave me these."  Eiko
continued, rolling up her sleeve to show her wristband.  "These are not
just wrist bands.. they're power restrictors to keep me from destroying
things by accident.  In the event that I get mad, they control how much
power I can use.  You will have to wear a set of them too now, since it's
obvious you have my gift."  Eiko sighed, looking at her band resignedly.
	Kikuko looked back at her Mom for several quiet seconds, thinking
intently about what she had just been told.  Abruptly, she smiled happily.
	"This is cool, Mommy!  I'm super-kid!"  she announced, proudly.
	Eiko bigsweated, afraid she'd just created a monster.  "No honey,
you're not super-kid.  You're a normal girl that has a special gift...
and it's one that can ruin your life if you use it wrong."  she cautioned
sternly, eyes riveted on Kiko.
	Kiko, surprised by the reaction, looked at her Mom in disbelief.
"Why?  It's neat to be strong, Mom." she commented, insistently.
	"Honey, you know why we moved away... and why we're moving now,
right?  Well, it's all because of my gift.  People want me to fight their
fights, win their wars, wipe out their enemies... all because of this gift.
If I didn't have it, we'd have a normal life!  Please, Kiko... understand
that when people find out about you, they won't ever leave you alone."
she continued, voice one level below a shout.
	Kiko said nothing, then turned away from her Mom and lowered her
head.
	Eiko, noticing her daughter's reaction immediately regretted her
emotional outburst.
	"Kiko... Honey... I'm sorry I got so crazy there, but this gift
is like a sword with no handle if you don't use it right... it will hurt
you, too.  I just want you to appreciate that."  she soothed, gently
brushing her daughter's hair away from her face.
	Kiko turned to face her Mom, tears streaming down her face.
Sniffing, she wiped her cheeks and cleared her throat.  "Mom... I don't
want to be strong anymore..." she sobbed, hugging Eiko's arm.
	"Oh, Kikuko... It's okay... I didn't mean to scare you, but I want
you to understand that you have a great responsibility now.  It's not a
game, and it will never go away."  Eiko explained, tenderly.  "C'mere,
Honey... I owe you a kiss and a hug for being so scary."  she continued,
picking Kiko up and kissing her forehead.  "Forgive me?"
	"Yes, Mommy... I forgive you.  Mommy... I promise I won't be super
kid, okay?"  she stated, still sniffing back tears.
	"Grandpa would have loved to hear you say that, Kiko."  Eiko
responded, hugging her daughter happily.


	Approximately a quarter-mile away, a blue Chev van also sat off
the roadway, the driver staring intently into a pair of binoculars.
	"Well?  Is it them?"  the passenger demanded insistently.
	"Yes, I have confirmation on the license plate.  Green Mercedes
380 SL Convertible, two occupants.  That's them, all right.  Contact base
and let them know."
	"I'm on it.  Have they moved yet?"
	"They are now!"  the driver replied, tossing aside her binoculars.
"Inform Base that they're continuing North on 17, and we're with them."
	"Done.  Is it true she dyed her hair?"
	"Hai... black.  Actually looks good on her, too.  And her daughter
is as cute as a button."
	"Who would have thought, ne?  Chasing her... and her *daughter*
across Canada."
	"Beats following her around on foot with a video camera!" came a
voice from the back of the van.


	"D - My team has sighted them, and they're following them on the
highway they've chosen."  Biko relayed, listening intently to the radio.
"How long till we make landfall?"
	"<Fifteen minutes, and to get to where they are..." she began,
pausing to check the telemetry on her screen, "...probably another five.
I can't use the main engine over land... it would cause too much damage.>"
	"Very good.  We should have all this resolved shortly, then."
	D nodded her agreement, all the while feeling her stomach tighten.
She had fought with Eiko hand to hand once before, and ended up in the
infirmary... the thought of her being even more powerful now made D
shudder involuntarily.
        Deep inside, she hoped the situation could still be resolved
peacefully... she didn't feel like fighting a war, and it was looking more
and more like one was about to start.



=========================================================
END - Renewed Acquaintances - Part 4 - A FanFic By V. Coutu


Comments Welcomed - Flames Extinguished!

coutuva@vecdev.com
coutuva@hotmail.com




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