MGLN: Black Lagoon
Nanoha Takamachi looked out over the water, once again struck by how
different this place was to the life she had known. The brown haired
office lady was used to the cooler environment of Japan, the bustle and
chaos of her daily life. Bowing to her superiors in her white blouse and
black skirt, ignoring leering gazes as she carried coffee or handled
other demeaning tasks. She had seized on this courier job as the change
to make herself stand out from the crowd but it seemed things weren't
going too well.
"All right people," the tall, buxom redhead said as she stood defiantly
on the deck of the sailboat, "cooperate, and there won't be any
trouble." There was a obvious sense of confidence about her, she was a
clear leader as she casually dominated the ship's crew, She wore just a
ripped t-shirt and shorts, but the pistol she carried offset the casual
look.
Beside her a younger blonde haired woman smiled a dangerous smile, but
there was also a sadness in her eyes. "Don't cooperate," she said as she
waved twin pistols about, "and there will be... consequences." She wore
even less than the first woman, just a black t-shirt, ripped jean shorts
and twin under arm holsters for two very big guns.
The redhead walked up to Nanoha, her expression frankly predatory, "And
here's the business woman, just as we were told."
Nanoha gulped, wishing that she had changed after arriving from Japan,
her black skirt, white shirt and vest standing out among the holiday
travelers. "Y.., yes?" she managed, looking up to meet her eyes.
Calmly she grabbed the shoulder bag, tugging it free even as Nanoha
tried to grab it, Flipping open the cover she rooted around, producing
the CD that Nanoha had been entrusted back in Tokyo. Holding it in her
hands she gave Nanoha a serious look, "Is this the disk?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Nanoha managed to say despite
her fear.
The blonde moved, her gun roaring as Nanoha felt something whiz by her
nose frighteningly close. "What was that?" she asked, smoke curling up
from the muzzle.
"Yes it is," Nanoha gave in, feeling her arms shaking, "Vice-president
Chrono gave it to me himself."
"Hey Arf!" a male voice called from the patrol boat floating beside the
ship, "the radio says another ship inbound! We only have a few minutes."
The blonde's eyes narrowed as she swept the passengers with her eyes,
"All right, we're leaving, and you'll stay here nice and quiet for ten
minutes. If you don't, I'll be back here... and you will not enjoy it."
"Let's go," Arf said, leaping casually from the edge of the deck down to
the patrol boat beside the ship. She turned back and called, "Fate, move
it!"
The blonde haired woman gave Nanoha a long look, then forcefully took
her by the arm as she said, "You're coming with us."
"WHAT?!" Nanoha barely had the time to wail as she was carried down to
the boat, the smaller vessel roaring away.
Meanwhile, in a office in the city of Roanapur, the head of the local
crime syndicate Hotel Tokyo picked up the phone. "Yes, Arf?" Hayate
Yagami asked, the brown haired woman wearing a stylish suit. She was
young for this kind of thing, but raised her her 'uncle' Graham she had
learned the dark ways of the world.
"We have the disk," Arf's voice crackled down the line, "do we meet at
the planned coordinates?"
Hayete tapped the desk, her nails short but carefully shaped, a slight
frown teasing her lips. "There's trouble," she said briskly, "my
contacts say that Mrs, Harlown is aware of our snatch and grab plans and
is taking steps."
"What kind of steps?" Arf asked, her voice a mix of excitement and
concern.
Hayete debated softening the blow but decided frankness would be best.
"I think she's contracted with the mercenary TSAB to stop you," she said
seriously, "whatever the cost. They're also under orders to sanction the
courier."
Arf frowned, "They aren't even going to keep the kid alive?"
"I believe they consider her expendable," Hayate said. She smiled
grimly, "I'm mobilizing my own forces, but it'll take time to get the
Strikers into position."
Arf nodded, knowing the crime lord didn't need to do this for just
contractors, that she was doing it out of honor. "We'll just have to
survive till you reach us," she said, "piece of cake."
"Good luck," Hayate said as she put the phone down. She looked up with a
determined expression, "Signum!"
The tall, pink haired woman strode in, looking like a cross between a
model and a soldier. Of course, she was still a soldier even though she
had left the military, now heading up Hayate's private army. "Ma'am,"
Signum nodded as she stood at attention at the front of Hayate's desk.
"We have a job," Hayete gave a feral smile, "the TSAB are moving against
Arf and her crew. We're going to stop them."
Signum looked thoughtful, "We have land based assets, but we're light on
the sea."
"Send Subaru and Teanna gown to the docks," Hayate leaned forward, "tell
them to contact Arisa and let her know I'm calling in her marker."
"Arisa Bannings won't be happy," Signum cautioned.
Hayate gave a small smile, "We owe Arf and Fate. I will not let them
down."
Out at sea the boat raced along, nearly lifting off the water as Arf sat
at the helm. "You can't be serious," Nanoha said weakly, "the company
can't want to kill me!"
Fate made a annoyed sound, "That disk has proof your bosses are up to
their neck in illegal dealings. Do you really think they'd not kill to
keep it a secret?"
A light brown haired man emerged from the back of the vessel, his hair
slightly shaggy as it fell over his round glasses. "I've broken the
first layer of encryptions," Yuuno said cheerfully, "it looks like the
disc contains a proposal to break the nuclear equipment embargo."
You could have heard a pin drop on the bridge as the three women
digested that. "You've got to be kidding," Nanoha whimpered softly,
turning and running to the hatch up to the deck.
"Aw man," Arf reached out to put the boat on autopilot.
"No," Fate shook her head as she said quietly, "I'll handle it."
Nanoha sat on the deck as the sea spray stund her cheeks, mixing with a
few bitter tears. It was all impossible, there was no way that the
company that she had loyaly served since she left college could be doing
this. Yet, Nanoha found herself wondering why they had chosen such a
lawless part of the world for the trade she was involved in....
Fate pushed up the hatch as the blonde gracefully walked over to where
Nanoha sat. With surprising grace she sat, looking out at the water as
she settled beside Nanoha. She gave Nanoha another sad eyed glance as
she said, "If you want, we can call your boss Lindy Harlown." At
Nanoha's confused look Fate smiled, "Yuuno, out tech guy, is nearly a
genius, if anyone can get a satellite hook up for you he can."
"What good would that do?" Nanoha asked, realizing she was beginning to
accept their point of view.
"At least you'd hear it from her own mouth," Fate offered. She looked
out at the water, her expression remote as she murmured, "Just like
mother...."
"Hmm?" Nanoha looked over at her.
"Nothing," Fate flushed slightly as she looked out into the distance,
her eyes narrowing. She got up, frowning as she pointed and asked, "You
see that?"
Nanoha got up, following Fate's gave as she said, "I think... it's a
ship!"
"Coming right at us...," Fate did not sound happy as she loosened her
guns. "Arf!" she called down into the ship.
"I see him," Arf yelled, "but there's more ships coming in on each side,
too! If we go for him, at least we're only facing one."
"Got it," Fate said grimly as she drew each of her guns with a eerie
gracefullness. She looked over at Nanoha, "You'd better get bellow."
"You're facing them all alone?" Nanoha asked disbelievingly, hesitating
before going down the hatch.
"I'll be fine," Fate growled out as she braced herself, the other boat
roaring in close to their patrol boat, "now go!"
Nanoha stepped fown into the boat, but she couldn't move away from the
hatch. 'She looked so fierce,' she found herself thinking, 'but there's
such a sadness in her eyes too! Why would such a pretty girl be sad like
that?'
Nervously Nanoha pushed up the hatch, her eyes widening at the terrible
yet beautiful sight before her. Fate held a pistol in each hand, moving
about gracefully as she fired. The flashes of red coming from the
attackers almost seemed like a counterpoint to her graceful dance, the
thunder of the guns like music.
"No!" Nanoha yelped as a bullet caught Fate on the arm, her deadly dance
faltering for the first time.
Fate yelped in pain, "Aah!" Her suddenly nerveless hand spasmed in pain,
the pistol dropping to the deck as she fired desperately with her other
hand.
Seeing Fate in danger Nanoha found herself scrambling onto the deck,
hurring forward to pick up the pistol. Drawing on memories of watching
Fate fire she ran up to Fate's side, aiming with a slightly shaking
hand. The gun roared in her hand, the jerking power of the weapon
yanking her hand and arms so hard she cried out.
"Nanoha!" Fate yelped as she fired her pistol, the two standing side by
side as they fired, trying to keep the mercenaries back.
"Here comes another one!" Arf yelled up to the deck.
Shockingly they did not attack the boat but instead raced at the
mercenaries. Arf's eyes went wide as the radio crackled, "This is
Subaru, Hayate sent us! Sorry for taking so long!"
Several other ships fell into step around them as they finally sailed on
safely towards shore. Nanoha followed the crew up to the docks at they
met Hayate, passing over the disk as ordered, then standing by as
representatives of Nanoha's company appeared. From their grim looks and
Hayate's smile she was driving a hard bargain for the return of the
disk, a bargain they had to accept.
"Miss Nanoha," Hayate surprised her with a slight smile, followed by her
lieutenants Signum and Shamal, "I've heard good things about you from
Teana and Suburu. You showed much nerve and backbone."
"Ma'am," Nanoha blushed.
Hayate smiled as she added, "You know, I don't think you need
necessarily return to the life of a office lady." As she got in the car
she added, "If you're interested, call me."
Nanoha watched her, remembering the sheer terror she had felt facing
gunfire beside Fate. Terror... and a certain undeniable degree of
excitement. As the rep for her company approached she listened to him
calmly, then politely said that she no longer intended to work for them.
Fate leaned against the loading dock of the pier, Arf and Yuuno waiting
nearby as they watched Nanoha walked up to them. "Turned him down?" Arf
guessed wisely.
"Yes," Nanoha admitted, "I don't quite know what I'll do now, though."
Fate, Yuuno and Arf exchanged a long look, almost as if they were
communicating silently. "Well," Fate smiled, "I know a certain ship who
could use a extra hand... if she's willing to learn some new skills."
Nanoha surprised her by taking her hands, "Oh, thank you so much!"
Fate blushed red, "Hey, I didn't decide on this! It was Arf!"
"Thank you, too," Nanoha bowed to Arf who was looking over at the
blushing Fate with amusement.
"And who bandaged your arm so cutely?" Arf asked, nodding toward the
white cloth tied with a cute bow.
"Leave me alone," Fate blushed, not looking at Nanoha who had, indeed,
tied it like that.
End...?
Notes: this is a compressed, somewhat altered version of the first two
episodes of Black Lagoon. I hope no one objects to my casting Lindy and
Chrono as the villains of the piece. Heh!
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