21:23, February 10, 2295

  South Maintenance Sector, Pasar Kuno District, Nusantara, Borneo, New Indo-Pacific Union territory

  Jabari's heart hammered against his ribs as he watched the Bloodtroopers below escort Ume through the crowded evening marketplace. Marisol led the procession with Cheng Wei flanking Ume's left, their formation cutting through the throng of local merchants and shoppers like a crimson blade. Jabari could see the unnatural rigidity in Ume's movements as she walked between her captors.

  "They're taking her to the Imperial dropship." On Jabari's left, Fuuka crouched beside him on the rooftop. Her hands still glowed faintly with the residual energy of her Solar healing spell. "Two kilometers northeast, just outside the Widodo Quarter."

  On Jabari's right, Wilhelm crawled forward on his elbows, joining them at the roof's edge. A scab had formed from a blade cut above his eyebrow, but his expression remained focused, his attitude casual despite their circumstances. "Six Bloodtroopers, plus Marisol and the walking tank they call Cheng. Wouldn't fancy our odds in a direct confrontation."

  "We need to stop them." Jabari's gaze remained fixed on Ume. Even from this distance, he could see her stumble, one hand rising to her temple. A Bloodtrooper roughly yanked her upright, and Jabari's fingers tightened into fists. "Now."

  "Your knife against Thermal Battleaxes?" Wilhelm gestured to their depleted state. "My handgun's nearly drained, and the other side has a rather large roster."

  "I can still fight," Jabari insisted, his jaw set with determination. "I won't let them take her."

  Fuuka placed a gentle hand on his forearm, her touch warm. "Your spirit honors you, but rushing in would only result in your capture — or worse." Her eyes softened with something that looked like compassion. "There are other ways."

  Wilhelm's eyes narrowed as he tracked the Imperium procession. "They're moving cautiously. NIPU's Neutrality Laws keep them from causing a scene within city limits." He turned to Jabari with a sudden gleam in his eye. "You recall the maintenance bay we passed on our way here? The one with that rusted sign?"

  "The shipyard?" Jabari frowned, his attention momentarily diverted. "No."

  "Weren't paying attention, eh?" Wilhelm's lips curled into a knowing smile. "That was one of our few diplomatic outposts permitted in NIPU territory."

  Fuuka's eyebrows rose slightly. "You have a plan."

  "I do." Wilhelm tapped his earpiece. "Seydou, this is Wilhelm. Requesting permission to access Nusantara maintenance facility and activate KM-233."

  "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Say what?" Seydou's agitated voice crackled through both their earpieces, his accent thickening with stress. "I just had that Scarab repaired and calibrated! Do you know how many tries it took me to realign the hydraulic servos after Azure Mount?"

  "Ume's been taken by the Imperium," Jabari cut in, his voice tight. "They have her, Seydou."

  A beat of silence followed before Seydou's tone shifted entirely. "What? How? When? The android with all the—" He broke off, clearly agitated. "Lion's blood, you two! Why didn't you say so immediately?"

  "Because some of us enjoy being dramatic," Celine's cool, measured voice joined the conversation. "Lieutenant Adomako, deploying heavy weaponry within NIPU territory would cause a diplomatic incident of considerable magnitude. The Neutrality Accords are explicit about armed conflict in civilian sectors."

  "So we just let them take her?" Jabari demanded, frustration building in his chest.

  "I didn't say that," Celine replied evenly. "We have protocols for extractions in neutral territory. Measured response, minimal visibility."

  "Madam," Jabari countered, "by the time we're through with bureaucratic protocols, Ume will be halfway to Taiwan."

  "The Lieutenant has a point," Wilhelm added, his usual levity absent. "Time isn't exactly on our side here."

  A thoughtful pause followed before Celine spoke again. "Seydou, contact Kimaris HQ immediately. Tell them to prepare the Isazi for emergency deployment. Authorization code: 'Obsidian Elephant'."

  "The Isazi?" Jabari repeated, confusion evident in his voice. "What's that?"

  Wilhelm's expression shifted to something between anticipation and amusement. "Trust, Lieutenant. You'll know when you see it."

  Jabari's pulse quickened as he nodded, his fingers drumming against the rooftop's rough surface. "Wish they didn't scatter our vehicles like that."

  "All Kimaris equipment follows standard protocol—distributed maintenance facilities across neutral territories." Wilhelm winked, tapping his temple with one finger. "Insurance against exactly this sort of situation."

  The three of them crouched lower as a Bloodtrooper glanced upward, scanning the rooftops with military precision. Only after the crimson-armored figure turned away did Fuuka speak again.

  "The NIPU authorities won't permit armed conflict within city limits," she cautioned, her slender hands adjusting the folds of her kimono as her gaze followed the Imperium procession disappearing down a side street.

  Ume glanced back once, her amber eyes scanning the rooftops desperately, a subtle tremor visible in her shoulders before Cheng Wei's gauntleted hand clamped down, pushing her forward with unnecessary force.

  "Then we wait until they're beyond the Widodo Quarter," Wilhelm replied, sketching a quick, vague map in the dust beside them. "Once they enter the Borneo Lowland Rainforests, NIPU jurisdiction becomes..." he spread his hands with a roguish smile, "considerably more relaxed."

  Jabari was already on his feet, checking his Nanosteel Combat Knife. The blade caught the moonlight as he slid it back into its sheath. "What are we waiting for?"

  "Remember to stay alive," Fuuka said, rising gracefully beside him. Strands of her short silk-like hair framed her face in a way that softened her serene features. She reached up, briefly adjusting the collar of Jabari's combat suit with unexpected closeness. "I'll accompany you. My spells may prove useful against Imperium technology."

  "Right. Okay!" Jabari took a breath too deep, feeling heat on his cheeks.

  Wilhelm gave a theatrical sigh, brushing debris from his knees as he stood. His eyes darted between Jabari and Fuuka with mild amusement. "Better survive this and get back to a proper make-up dinner, eh?"

  "Did you like the dinner, though?" Fuuka turned to Wilhelm suddenly, a grin brightening her fine crimson lips as she ran a hand through her sleek short hair.

  "Would enjoy it a lot more if there weren't so many knives pointing at us near the end." Wilhelm quipped, mimicking a blade thrust with his hand before checking his Plasma Handgun's charge with a practiced flick of his wrist. "Though the beef was exceptional."

  "Under another circumstance, I'd have taken you two out to somewhere more pleasant." Fuuka said as she too stood up, her gaze lingering on Jabari with unexpected warmth. She straightened her spine, her words with a playful lilt. "No lies."

  22:07, February 10, 2295

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  Directorate Maintenance Facility, Eastern Industrial Zone, Nusantara

  The maintenance bay was dimly lit and smelled of machine oil and damp concrete. Rows of deactivated equipment lined the walls — Ologun exosuits in various states of repair, disassembled hoverbikes with their maglev wings partially dismantled, and at the far end, concealed beneath a massive tarpaulin, the unmistakable silhouette of a Scarab mech.

  "Old Seydou would have a fit if he saw how the on-site engineers are storing his precious toys," Wilhelm muttered, approaching the security terminal. His fingers danced across the holographic interface with practiced efficiency. "Access code: Afronauts-Seven-Niner-Tungsten."

  The terminal pulsed green, acknowledging the credentials. Throughout the bay, hydraulic systems hissed to life, maintenance drones scuttling from their charging stations as overhead lights brightened to full capacity.

  "You think stand a chance? To save Ume from the Imperium?" Jabari asked, his eyes never leaving the tarpaulin-covered mech as robotic arms began methodically removing the heavy covering.

  "We have enough time to power up and intercept them at the boundary, assuming they maintain protocol." Wilhelm checked a gadget on his wrist. "And obviously, with your Scarab, combat has just gotten a lot easier."

  As the tarpaulin fell away, Jabari felt his breath catch. The Scarab — his Scarab—stood before them, its emerald carapace gleaming under the industrial lights. KM-233 was painted in gold across its right shoulder guard, the numerals partially obscured by recent repair work. Its six articulated legs were folded in their storage configuration, giving the mech a deceptively compact appearance despite its three-meter height.

  "Fusion core at ninety-seven percent capacity?" Wilhelm observed, circling the machine and running a practiced hand along one of the mech's jointed limbs. The armor plates shifted slightly under his touch, micro-hydraulics adjusting to external stimuli. "Good for emergency deployment. Seydou's been busy."

  "The last time I used it, some Imperial engineer tried to hack it," Jabari remarked, approaching his war machine with reverence. "Wasn't sure it would ever run again."

  Fuuka circled the bus-sized mech with evident curiosity, her fingers hovering centimeters from its surface without quite touching, as if sensing some invisible energy field. "Remarkable craftsmanship. The Directorate's integration of traditional forms with advanced technology—it speaks to cultural wisdom."

  She paused at the mech's rear section, studying the intricate golden patterns etched into the emerald plating. "These are protection symbols, aren't they? And a flower icon, too."

  "You know Maridian symbols?" Jabari nodded appreciatively. "Each Scarab bears the symbols of its pilot's lineage. Mine is a king protea."

  "Well, it's something alright," Wilhelm interjected, breaking their moment of cultural exchange. He tapped his earpiece, listening to incoming data. "Celine reports the Imperium convoy has altered course slightly. They're heading northeast, toward the old logging routes. Smart — less NIPU oversight in that sector."

  Jabari approached the Scarab, placing his palm against the identification panel beneath the cockpit. The panel glowed blue, recognizing his biometric signature, and the cockpit hatch slid open with a pneumatic hiss. As it did, the mech's legs began to unfold, hydraulics purring as the Scarab rose to its full operational height.

  "How will you assist us without a weapon?" Jabari asked Fuuka, suddenly concerned.

  She smiled enigmatically, reaching within her kimono sleeve. With a graceful movement, she produced an ornate hexagonal lantern nearly the size of her head. Its bronze framework enclosed panels of amber glass that seemed to capture and amplify the maintenance bay's dim lighting. Intricate Indic scripts were etched into the metal, remaining dormant until the lantern began to pulse with inner light.

  "My Spirit Lantern," Fuuka explained, her slender fingers wrapping around the braided handle. As she spoke, the lantern seemed to lighten, defying its substantial size as it floated upward to hover beside her shoulder. Its glow intensified, casting her face in warm golden light that accentuated her countenance. "Focus on your mission, Lieutenant. I'll do my part."

  The lantern's substantial presence radiated power, its golden light bending around her to create an ephemeral aura reminiscent of sunlight filtering through forest canopy.

  "Requested access to the hangar of my Anioma—authorization came through." Wilhelm tapped his fingers on the golden Quantum Watch attached to his wrist, its holographic display projecting a three-dimensional map of the facility. He handed Fuuka a military-grade earpiece identical to Jabari's: bean-sized, dark hued and malleable. "Added you to our comm channel. Didn't think Amir would approve fraternizing with the enemy, eh?"

  The Spirit Lantern pulsed once, an amber flare that seemed almost indignant as it hovered protectively near Fuuka's shoulder.

  "The Sand Lotus has many enemies, Major Wilhelm. The Directorate isn't on that list tonight." Fuuka accepted the earpiece as she spoke.

  "After a hospitable dinner like that, one can imagine how impressively long the list must be." Wilhelm quipped as he withdrew his hand.

  "For now, Master Amir believes the Moondust data poses greater danger in Imperial hands than Directorate ones." Sliding the earpiece into her left ear with practiced ease, Fuuka continued. "Testing. One, two, three, four." she murmured, voice melodic even through the tactical channel.

  "Signal acquired," came Celine's immediate reply, cool and precise. "Dr. Celine Kamara speaking. I'm tracking three biosignatures and — " A momentary pause. "—one anomalous energy pattern I assume is your... lantern, Miss Natsukawa."

  "Spirit Lantern," Fuuka corrected gently. "A focus for Solar psionics. I assure you it poses no threat to your systems."

  "It's already disrupting our LEOS scanner's baseline readings," Celine countered. "While we appreciate the unexpected assistance, understand that if you compromise this mission or endanger my people, I'll have orbital systems target you with enough plasma to turn that rainforest into glass."

  Fuuka's smile remained serene. "Such firepower would violate at least seventeen NIPU neutrality statutes. But your concern for your team is admirable, madam."

  Wilhelm coughed, disguising what might have been a laugh.

  "She's got you there, Madame Celine," he muttered.

  "An accurate assessment, Miss Natsukawa, which is why I'll simply have your memory extracted instead," Celine replied without missing a beat. "Now, all of you, listen carefully. Imperium convoy has altered course toward the northeastern logging routes. Mapping intercept coordinates now."

  The maintenance bay's heavy doors groaned open, revealing the night sky beyond. In the distance, the lights of Nusantara painted the streets in hues of gold and azure. A faint rumble of thunder echoed from the rainforest—a storm brewing both literally and figuratively.

  A three-dimensional topographic display materialized in Jabari's HUD, highlighting a clearing two kilometers beyond the city limits, with a secondary marker pulsing along a winding road through the rainforest.

  "Seydou has the Isazi approaching low orbit," Celine continued. "ETA seventeen minutes to extraction point. With current wind conditions and Imperial convoy speed, you have a four-minute window to execute retrieval."

  "We'll get Ume, then rally there," Jabari confirmed, a calmness settling over him as mission parameters crystallized.

  "Good. Be advised, however," Celine's voice softened almost imperceptibly. "No engagement with Imperial forces until they cross the red boundary line on your map. NIPU Security is monitoring this sector with particular interest tonight."

  "Why's that?" Jabari asked.

  "Because someone filed twelve requisition forms for fusion core maintenance on a diplomatic outpost at 22:00 hours," Celine replied dryly. "Seydou's paperwork was... conspicuous."

  Wilhelm winced. "Told him to be discreet."

  "Conspicuous or not," Celine concluded, "don't make me explain to Chairman Kofi why our newest lieutenant started an international incident. Execute the mission clean or don't execute it at all."

  "Understood," Jabari responded, determination hardening his voice. "We'll bring Ume home."

  Wilhelm backed toward a side exit, his hand resting on his holstered Plasma Handgun. "Weather conditions aren't ideal, but nothing the Anioma can't handle." He checked his golden watch. "Give or take, ten minutes until I join you."

  Jabari climbed into the Scarab's cockpit, the familiar confines wrapping around him. His hands found the manual controls, fingers tracing the worn grips as displays flickered to life around him. Status indicators blinked green across the board—weapons systems online, hydraulics responsive, fusion core purring with contained power.

  Through the cockpit's reinforced viewport, he watched Fuuka approach. She placed her palm against the Scarab's armored leg, looking up at him. The Spirit Lantern hovered at her shoulder, its golden light creating a halo around her delicate features.

  "I hope my guys didn't hurt you too much in Ananda's Respite," she called up to him.

  "Yeah, well..." Jabari replied, surprised to find himself smiling despite the gravity of their mission. He felt warmth spread through his chest that had nothing to do with the Scarab's environmental systems. "That Krypt with the curved blade nearly took my ear off."

  "Ravi always was enthusiastic," she acknowledged with a small smile. "We'll work on his restraint."

  Jabari nodded once, unable to find the right words, and sealed the cockpit. The mech hummed to life around him, its massive form straightening to its full height, sensors and targeting systems coming online.

  Through the exterior cameras, he watched Fuuka step back, noticing how her Spirit Lantern was pulsing in rhythm with her breathing. Her kimono billowed slightly in the breeze from the ventilation systems. She didn't look remotely afraid as the multi-ton war machine towered above her, just calmly expectant.

  "KM-233, online and operational," Jabari announced, his voice steady as training took over, engaging the Scarab's forward motion. "For the Directorate."

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