Renewed Acquaintances - Part 5
Crossing the Line
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	It had been bothering her for about the last hundred miles.  A blue
van that kept showing up in her rearview, then slipping back out of sight, 
and reappearing minutes later.  It seemed to be keeping a measured distance, 
and if she slowed down or sped up, it would stay right with her.  Her face 
darkened as she wondered who it was.  D certainly wouldn't resort to an 
Earth vehicle, given that she had far faster and more advanced facilities 
at her disposal.
	That left only either her former employers, or worse, someone who
felt her touch during those times -- and wanted either to hire her or do
something even less pleasant.
        She glanced over at Kiko-chan sleeping peacefully beside her, 
making sure she had her seatbelt done up properly, and that she was 
relatively secure.  She then looked back at her cargo, noting it was well 
tied down.  Sighing, she began to look for a side road, and prepared herself
for a little stunt-driving.
	She grinned to herself as she thought about the TV commercials for 
the manufacturer of her car:  "The Best Engineered Cars in the World." 
She hoped that was true, based on the type of country that currently 
surrounded her.
	Within a few miles, she marked a small road that disappeared into
the tree line, and noted that it had a fancy official sign.  That meant it
was a real road, not just a short logging access.  With a wry smirk, she
thanked her former employers for their extensive reconnaissance training.
	Coming up on the road, she waited until the last possible second,
then put her foot to the floor, heeling the screeching vehicle into a four
wheeled slide through the corner.  Straightening, she downshifted and 
buried the pedal again, trying to put as much distance between herself and
her pursuers as possible.
	The car drifted expertly over the well-used gravel road, skipping 
off the tops of bumps and sliding wickedly through curves intended for 
30kmh traffic.  She had her hands full keeping the vehicle on the road, 
but it wasn't something she hadn't done before.
	Glancing in the mirror, she noted that the van was nowhere to be
seen, so she backed off a bit, looking for a place to hide temporarily.  
Her wish was granted mere moments later, as an overgrown driveway 
appeared at the entry to a corner.  Slowing to a crawl so as to avoid 
slide marks, she backed deep into the drive to keep from being seen.
	Shutting off the car, she listened for the van's approach.  
Before too long, it roared past her vantage at breakneck speed.  She
smiled and waved as it disappeared into the distance.  
	Returning carefully to the car, she fired it up and tried to pull
back onto the road.  Instead, she only dug a hole in the soft, loose sand
the vehicle had stopped on.
	Cursing, she jumped out and stood behind the car, trying to find 
a nice strong part.  Deciding that she could get it fixed later, she
delivered a solid kick to the bumper, launching the car out onto the road.
She frowned as she noted the bumper was now quite a bit higher than it 
used to be, but was in too much of a hurry to worry about it.
	Leaping into a somersault, she angled her landing to end up back 
in her seat, where she dropped the car in gear, powered around and 
promptly buried the pedal.  In a shower of gravel, she shot back toward 
the highway, intent on losing her tail once and for all.
	Thankfully, she was soon powersliding her way back onto the 
asphalt, and there was no sign of the tail.  Grinning, she looked quickly
at Kiko, who, pretty much as expected, had slept soundly through it all.
	"She's her Mother's daughter all right..." she mused, smiling.
	Now only about an hour or so from her appointment, she threw
caution to the wind and kept the pedal flat, hoping her pursuers were
not aware of her destination.  But if they were, she would not be 
impressed -- and would waste no time in showing her displeasure.





	"Kuso!  They lost her!  They think she's still on the highway, 
but have no visual confirmation," Biko spat, angrily.  "Those idiots!  
If we don't hurry, she'll disappear again!  And I'm sure she's probably 
figured out how we found her.  D;  How far are we from the last known
co-ordinates?"
	"<A few minutes, Diatokuji-san.  If she stays on the highway, I
should be able to pick her up on the tracker any time now,>"  D replied,
grinning.




	Shiko lay in silence on her massive bed, not allowing anyone into
her room.  There had been no further word, and she wasn't even sure she 
cared anymore.  She hadn't eaten at all since the first word she had 
heard, not the least bit interested in food.  Nothing, in fact, held any
interest for her anymore.
	Her people, her life, even the life of her unborn daughter held
no concern for her, her thoughts locked in a vicious cycle of wondering
why Eiko hated her so much.
	Her staff, meantime, was becoming more concerned with each 
passing hour, seeing no improvement.  In actuality, some medical monitors
that had been 'accidentally' left on indicated that she was dehydrating, 
and that her metabolic rate was slowing.
	Her unborn child was growing slowly, which worried the medical 
staff.  According to projections, the fetus should have been half again 
as large as it was, leaving no doubt that Shiko's emotional and physical
state were doing it serious harm.
	Ominously, and based on what little information they had, they 
predicted that if something wasn't done soon, Shiko could lose the baby,
and quite possibly end up dead herself.
	Upon hearing the report, the Advisor turned off her PIM terminal
and rose from her desk, starting to pace the room.  Sighing, she 
returned to her desk and activated her terminal again.
	With great remorse, she began to type out an Order of Council, 
giving her the power to assume the responsibility of caring for the 
Queen, over and above her personal wishes. She had only ever done this
once before, shortly before Shiko's mother had died.  She knew it would
require a full vote of the Council for approval, so she arranged for it 
to be put on the Agenda for the following day.
	Finishing her grim task, she closed off her terminal and 
frowned, hoping against all hope that the Earth girl would soon be 
located and convinced to come.  If she didn't, the woman knew what her
next official function could very well be -- and the thought of having
to arrange another one so soon sickened her heart.
	Just as she was about to close up her office, she heard the soft
ping of her admit bell, and pressed the pad to open the office doors.
Her receptionist smiled and stepped in, followed by a large, still 
shadowed figure.
	"Ma'am...  This Earth gentleman has asked to meet you 
concerning a matter of 'utmost urgency'.  Will you see him?" she asked,
gesturing toward him as he stepped full into the light.
	Her face immediately lit up.
	"You... " she breathed, rising to her feet.  "Yes, Kara...
I will see him.  Thank you," she continued, smiling.
	As the girl departed, the Advisor motioned for her guest to 
have a seat, and settled back into her own chair.  "To what do I owe 
this unexpected surprise?"
	"I understand there's a problem with the Queen... " he began, 
his voice friendly but concerned.  "There may be a chance I can help."





	Eiko stood impatiently beside the car, waiting for the fill up
to finish.  She had pulled in to a small roadside gas bar to let Kiko 
run to the ladies, and decided to gas up while she had the chance.  
She knew that the potential existed for things to get exciting, and 
didn't want to get caught short.
	Kiko bounded back to the car, happily announcing that she was
finished, and that the restroom smelled funny.  Stifling a chuckle,
she explained that it wasn't unusual for a roadside shack.
	After walking her payment in to the attendant and buying a 
couple of bags of chips, she took a moment to ask about the dirt road 
that led off behind the station.  It turned out that it lead to the 
town she was headed for, just via a much more convoluted or 'scenic' 
route.  She promptly took off down it, hoping to throw her pursuers a 
curve.
	She knew full well staying on main roads and highways was the
best way to get caught.
	Kiko, meanwhile, was getting a major charge out of her 
mother's driving, never having experienced a hairpin turn at almost 
80kmh.  Eiko had to sigh, thinking that her daughter was turning out 
to be an adrenaline junkie -- already.
	She continued to race along the old road for several miles, 
giving the car a major Baha-style workout.  She had to admit, it was
performing admirably, given its short history as a spoiled family 
bus.
	Just then, the road cleared the trees, leading out into an 
expanse of flat, featureless land, punctuated by the odd clump of 
foliage.  She tensed, cursing the loss of cover.  And making matters
worse, the next tree line was a long way off.  Matting the pedal to
a squeal of delight from her daughter, she crossed her fingers.
	Abruptly, a large shadow passed over the car, then held its
position in front of her, matching her speed.  Looking up, she 
cursed out loud at the sight of D's jumpship flying just ahead of 
her.
	"Hang on, Kiko!" she ordered, and promptly slammed on the 
brakes.  The jumpship recovered just as fast, circling back and 
settling to a landing just in front of the car.
	"Wow, Mom!  What's that?" Kiko exclaimed, eyes wide.
	"Remember that 'man' that came to our last house, Kiko?  
That's who's in that ship.  'He' found us again," she growled, 
eyeing the ship.
	"Oh...  That war favor guy," Kiko observed, her own mood 
darkening.
	"Stay here, Honey...  I'll see what he wants," she 
instructed, stepping from the car and walking toward the ship.  
Kikuko stood up on her seat and watched in nervous silence.
	As she moved closer, the cowl began to lift, gradually 
revealing two familiar faces -- one of which stopped her in her 
tracks.
	"You!" she yelled, pointing directly at Biko.
	"Well, hello Eiko.  Glad to see you, too," Biko beamed, 
smiling.
	"D, what the hell is this?  If you're trying to use her to
convince me, then you just *lost* ground!"
	D stood up in her seat and returned an angry glare.  
"<Magami-san, listen to me.  My business with you is not related 
to Diatokuji-san's reason for being here.  She aided me in 
tracking you down, and asked to accompany me to speak to you,>" 
she explained, quickly.
	"Yes, Eiko...  I want to discuss something entirely 
different with you.  Something that we should have settled a long
time ago.  I won't mention my business right now, however.  You 
and D should discuss yours first," Biko explained, stepping off 
the ship and walking toward her.
	As she drew closer, she glanced over at the car, then took 
a second, harder look.  "That must be Kikuko.  Her pictures don't 
do her justice, Eiko," she observed, earning a frosty glare.  
Ignoring it, she turned back with her usual commanding flair.  
"You talk to D.  We'll have our turn...  Later," she instructed, 
and strode back beside the ship.
	Just as D was about to renew her plea, Eiko heard a 
vehicle approach from the distance.  Reacting instinctively, she 
found a rock about the size of her fist, and launched it as soon 
as she saw the blue van clear the trees.  It screamed through the
air and ripped through the center of the van's grille, destroying 
its engine and stopping the vehicle dead.
	Realizing what was about to happen, Biko ran for cover, 
and D lifted the jumpship off and set it down behind a cluster of 
large trees.
	The now-steaming van's doors flew open, and a group of 
what looked like fatigue-wearing commandos bailed out, all 
brandishing large weapons and scurrying for cover.
	Eiko turned and yelled at Kikuko.  "Kiko!  Get over here
with me, right now!"
	Without a word, Kikuko jumped over the windshield and 
landed right beside her.
	She smiled at the slick little move.  "Nice touch."
	Kikuko giggled, then scooped a handful of rocks. "Want 
some?" she asked, offering a few choice selections.
	"I sure do.  Okay, get down behind the car, and let's 
see what they're going to do next," she instructed, urging her 
daughter toward the car.
	They didn't have long to wait.  As soon as they were all 
under cover, the commandos opened fire, the ground around the car 
erupting with clods of flying dirt.  Eiko groaned as she heard 
and felt numerous rounds hit the car.
	Quickly, she shot a look at Kiko, who sat beside her with
an anxious look on her face.
	"Scared, Honey?" she asked, over the din of the barrage.
	"No, Mommy...  Just wondering when we get to shoot back!"  
Kiko yelled, bringing a grin to her face.
	"Right now, Kiko!" she responded, standing up and 
launching a handful of stones where she'd spotted several muzzle 
flares.  Kiko stood up and did the same.
	Biko, meanwhile, had pulled out her radio and was 
screeching into it.  "Cease fire, you idiots!  Cease fire!  Her 
daughter is with her!"
	It was too little too late, however, as the rocks thrown
by Eiko and her daughter hit the trees, shredding them instantly.
In diving out of the way, one of the commandos fell on her gun, 
and it went off, sending a Rocket propelled Grenade into the gas
tank of Eiko's car.  Eiko saw it coming and tried to grab her 
daughter, but the blast blew her off her feet and dumped her 
several meters away.
	Shaking it off, she immediately looked around for Kiko, 
only to spot her crumpled body in a heap some distance from 
where she herself had landed.  Panicked, she ran to her stricken
child's side, tears streaming.
        "KIKO!  My, God, Kiko...  Please...  Be okay," she sobbed,
checking the small girl for injuries.
	She found her still breathing, although slowly.  She 
didn't appear to have more than a few scrapes, and there were no 
broken bones or shrapnel injuries.
	Gently, she picked her up and hugged her.  After a 
second, she heard the little girl moan softly, and breathed a sigh
of relief.  Laying her down, she slowly stood up, fists clenched 
and head lowered.  Instantly, she began to emit a white aura that 
soon enveloped her.  For several long moments, she didn't move a 
muscle, then she raised her head and glared at the commandos.
	Biko and D ran up near her, but stopped in their tracks as 
she snapped her head around and glared directly at them.
	"Coming after me was bad enough, but I could have forgiven 
that..." she began, voice low and even as she reached for her right 
sleeve and rolled it back.  "Fighting with me to force me to go 
with you...  I could even have forgiven that,"  she continued, 
rolling up the other sleeve.  "But...  You have now forced it beyond
all hope of forgiveness...  Committing the one act that I cannot 
allow to go unpunished," she added, pulling off one wristband and 
reaching for the other.  
	"YOU HURT MY DAUGHTER!!" she screamed as she ripped off her 
remaining wristband and spread her arms wide before her.  "AND NOW 
YOU"RE GOING TO PAY!!" she shouted, bringing her hands together as 
hard as she could.
        Biko's blood chilled in her veins.  She knew that when 
Eiko's hands connected, the shock generated would level everything 
within sight.  She was about to turn and run for cover when a blast 
of wind knocked her from her feet, sending her sprawling to the 
ground alongside D.
	Shaking her head and looking up, she was stunned to discover 
Eiko and Kikuko were nowhere to be found -- and that she was still 
alive.  She looked over at the equally stunned D and began to laugh, 
realizing that her trump card had been played successfully.
	D was the first to speak, totally flabbergasted by the 
series of events.  "<Diatokuji-san?  what happened?  I thought we 
were dead...>"
	"We almost were.  Eiko took off her wristbands.  If she had 
completed that move, we'd be so much dust right now," she commented, 
soberly.  "Thank the Kami I prepared a little something just in 
case," she explained, rising and dusting herself off.
	"<What did you do?>"
	"I placed a phone call to the one person that could talk 
some sense into her.  I've no doubt that's where she is right now.  
Anyway, I have something to discuss with my 'Team' over there...  
I'll be back in a moment," she stated icily, and strode off toward 
the commandos.
	D stood up slowly.  She was still shaking from the events 
previous, and somewhat confused about where Eiko went.  She looked 
into the sky and shook her head again, praying that there was still
some hope for the situation.  However, based on Eiko's current mood, 
she couldn't bring herself to be too optimistic.




	Eiko had the sensation of being grabbed and carried off, 
followed by the recognition that something as strong as steel was 
around her waist, holding her tight.  However, she was so far gone 
with rage that it took several seconds for all of it to register.
	By the time the fog cleared, she felt herself being set down
alongside her daughter, who was slowly rousing from her own 
unconsciousness.  She looked slowly around, her eyes coming to rest
on a certain familiar, smiling face.
	"Dad?!?"





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END - Renewed Acquaintances - Part 5   A Project: Ako Fanfic by Coutuva.

Comments Welcomed - Flames Extinguished!
coutuva@gmail.com