(Jason's POV)
Esqueezeme and I ran like the wind to Musaki's last known location. Our passing was silent, not a whisper of sound as we moved through the forest. We found a tree with her pilot seat still in it. I heaved a sigh of relief as we spotted a set of tracks leading up a trail. "She made out, follow her tracks Esqueezeme, see if she collapsed on the road or found a place to hide out." I kept my voice barely a whisper.
"Sir." Esqueezeme moved silently along the trail, following behind her I kept my head on a swivel. Hellfire was enjoying himself. The tank decided to level the base and anyone unlucky enough to be inside. His plan would keep P.O.G tied up for a while. Esqueezeme was moving faster now. "There is a farm ahead of us. Her tracks lead right to it." I glanced up and sure enough. A small house surrounded by smaller buildings and a decent garden came into view. "Let's move."
I hopped the low gate and skidded to a halt as a sword point met me. "We are not here to fight you, sir. I'm looking for my Leftenant. Small woman has black hair and cobalt eyes. She is badly injured and we just want to get her to safety."
"Tell me your name." The farmer spoke with a gravely voice but I could tell he knew how to use that eerie blade. "Captain Jason Darksky of the Phoenix Pirates. Leftenant Musaki is my First Mate."
He nodded and resheathed his sword. "I have treated her wounds, she is sleeping now. It is not safe to move her until she wakes." I released the breath I didn't know I was holding. This man had saved her life. "Thank you."
"Do not thank me, you would have done the same for me." He moved aside to let us in the house. Musaki was asleep on the bed at the far wall. "I'll make tea. Don't wake her." Esqueezeme raised a brow in question. I shook my head and went to the wall opposite the bed to watch Musaki and the door at the same time. "Esqueezeme, post up on the roof. I don't want any more surprises." I spoke softly. She saluted me and left to climb up on the roof. "What is your name sir?"
"I am Oda Nobunaga, You may address me as Nobunaga. Miss Shani will wake soon, then we can leave."
"We?" I turned to face the man. "Yes, I have stayed hidden for many years. It's time I returned to the world."
I didn't even notice him as he moved to the bed to check on Musaki. Dude is quieter than the Leftenant. "Why are you in hiding?*
Nobunaga grimaced then shot a quick glance at the sword leaning against the wall. The weapon just felt wrong. Like it craved violence. "I don't recommend touching that." I just realized that I was moving towards the sword. "What is it?" The sword was beautiful in design. The white silk wrapped sheath had black dragons engraved on it. The hilt and pomel were a matching white and black. The pomel was an orb made of obsidian, it gleamed with a purple light in its depths.
"I do not know." I took a cautious step back from the weapon. The white sheath and hilt hid a monster. I had to keep an eye on this one, he could spell trouble for me and my crew. "Captain, a small squadron of P.O.G are headed this way, too many to take on alone. Hellfire has successfully leveled the base." Esqueezeme spoke softly through the communicator in my ear. "Copy that, we move now." I turned to tell Nobunaga only to find him missing. "God damnit, do you have eyes on the swordsman?" I had an awful feeling that he was going to clear a path.
I scooped up Musaki and turned to the door. Esqueezeme was on the ground now and holding her twin swords. "You keep them off me, I'll carry the Leftenant." She began to run and I followed allowing her room to maneuver as we went. I stopped cold and stared in awe at the once immaculate yard. It was burning, I could actually feel the heat this time, even my resistance couldn't fight the intense heat the black flames produced. We could only watch as Nobunaga danced across his yard sword in hand. He made a mockery of my own sword skills. "Jesus Christ, what the fuck is he?" Esqueezeme was just as shocked as I was. I thought he was just a simple swordsman turned into a Farmer, now I'm not so sure. "What did you drag us into this time, Musaki?" Esqueezeme glared at the still unconscious woman. "We'll ask her when she wakes up, right now we need to move. Follow him."
Nobunaga's movements were fluid and always followed each strike with another one. Overhead, backhand, backhand side, thrust followed by another overhead. His movements were faster and faster with each kill. "He's a fucking monster." Esqueezeme, even with her cat-like eyes had a hard time following his movements. Nobunaga not only cleared our way, but killed every single person that tried to stop us. I took a second to look at the bodies. Not a single mark on them, it was like the sword passed right through them, yet they still died. "It is a soul eater." I muttered to myself. He was right, that weapon was dangerous.
With Nobunaga leading us, we were able to meet up with Hellfire, Newind, Kyet, and Davies. Newind spotted us and entered the shuttle to begin take off preparations. I transferred Musaki to a gurney that was prepared just for this mission. "Team, this is Oda Nobunaga, he treated Musaki. Nobunaga, this is Master Gunnery Sargent Hellfire, Lieutenant Esqueezeme, Sargent Newind, Corporal Kyet, and Cadet Davies. You already met Leftenant Musaki and myself." He bowed to us in a very old japanese style that I was shocked to see on this planet. "I am Oda Nobunaga, the pleasure is mine."
I motioned my men to strap in and stared in confusion at the man. "Where are you from?"
He smiled sadly. "A place I cannot return to." He said no more and sat in the chair beside the gurney. He placed the back of his hand gently on her forehead. "She is too warm, move faster." Newind didn't need to be told twice.
I waited patiently for Nobunaga to finish treating Musaki again. He kicked out the medical staff and took over my infirmary. They were pissed at the swordsman but one look from me and they left without a fight. "I do have a top of the line medical team here, why not use them?" He looked up from the pot of tea he was brewing. "I am better." His words cut off any argument I could come up with. "She needs rest." He not so politely pointed to the door. I turned to go. "Let me know when she wakes up."
I didn't hear his reply as I walked out of the infirmary to join my officers on the bridge. I'm getting tired of cleaning up their mess.
I stepped off the elevator and met the angry stares of my crew. The looks on their faces when they realized they were glaring at their Captain, priceless. "Musaki is going to be fine, the Leftenant is resting at this time." I walked up the platform that led to my chair ignoring the sheepish looks and subtle glances at the doors. "Nobunaga has assured me that she will pull through." I settled my heavy frame into the very sturdy chair of chairs. "Now, I'll take questions."
I sat back, propping my left ankle up on my left knee. Esqueezeme was the first to ask. "Who the hell is he?!" She witnessed the same things I did back at the farm. The fluid, yet deadly dance Nobunaga performed. "I have no idea. We can ask the Leftenant when she wakes up." The questions were fired one after the other. How did he find Musaki? Was he a threat? Why was he rude? I felt the migraine as it began to form behind my left eyelid. The damned thing started to twitch in its socket. "Miss Shani found me, I am no threat, but treat me as such." My attention shifted as my officers jumped in fright, he was standing right behind them. His creepy eyes never left my face. I noticed he didn't answer the rude comment, but he did answer the other questions. "I am not a denizen of this world, if that is what you need to know. The Earth I am from, is not the same as the one you are from." My mind whirled trying to figure out how I recognized his name. "Miss Shani is awake. She is asking for you." Then he was gone, just as silently as he appeared. "I thought Musaki was quiet." Hellfire muttered. I sighed. As if that wasn't the strangest thing to happen to this team. I stood and walked to the door, my thoughts moved to the last thing I saw before the shuttle exploded. Her eyes were sad yet determined and she mouthed 'Im sorry' to me just before the explosion. I was pissed. How could she do that to me. My best friend saved my life and then apologized for it. Before I knew I was back at the Infirmary. The doctors were still standing in the hallway, Nobunaga must be inside then. I may have to put him in charge of the Infirmary at this point. "See to the other injured crewmen, leave Nobunaga to Leftenant Musaki."
They saluted me then hurried away to their remaining patients. I opened the door and nearly walked back out.
"You must rest, miss Shani, that wrist was badly broken and I had to set it. Do not try to rise again."
"I'm fine, this isn't the first time I've been injured and it won't be the last. Jason, tell this block of ice I have experiments to see to in RnD." Shani Musaki was arguing with him. She never argues, just glares at the offending person and walks off. Her eyes were glittering with amusement. The tiny terror was playing with Nobunaga. What the hell is going on today? "Leftenant." She froze at the command in my voice. Nobunaga shot me a look, which I ignored. I am her Captain first, friend second. "Report, Leftenant Musaki." She sat up a little straighter and faced me. "As I entered the shuttle to begin take off procedures, I heard a sound that did not belong to the shuttle. I noticed the bomb next. Without thinking too much about my safety, I shut the doors and left you, Esqueezeme and Azrael on the docks. Then it exploded. I came to in a tree." I lifted my hand to cut her off. "I know the rest. Why." Why apologize for protecting me and the others? Why not leave the shuttle and tell us about the bomb? I didn't voice these questions because she knew what I wanted to hear. " I didn't know the radius of the explosion, I was unsure if innocent bystanders would be harmed in the explosion. I picked the best possible solution. That is why." She looked sad now and I didn't want to see her this way. "Rest, follow Nobunaga's instructions. Do not do that again Shani, that's an order."
She gave me a small smile and I left her with Nobunaga, who was unwrapping the ribbon in her hair. I will never get that image out of my head.