Chapter 16

They are stealing your children. The very children you have made sacrifices for all these years. Because you had to toil, day in and day out, to send them to good schools and keep them in soccer, and band and the boy scouts, your children became better than you. And isn't that what we always wanted for our children? For them to have a better life? Now, the Confederacy is stealing them away from us, just as our jobs as parents are finished. And they steal them for what purpose? They send the best of our children out into the galaxy to fight an enemy that threatens not just us, but all of the races in the Confederacy. And the rest of our children they steal to be slaves and brood-mares. This must STOP!

Rev. Silas Jones — Earth First rally

Ken Yamato was not enjoying pick-up duty. Because he had not taken the standard marine augmentation, he got tapped to do site recon before pickups. Ken's small stature allowed him to blend in with the crowd. Unlike the first round of Swift pick-ups, this time Earth First and other extremist groups were causing all kinds of problems at SAAP tournaments. Eventually, the tournaments were restricted to internet-only affairs, and potential volunteers were contacted discreetly and instructed to appear at a certain location and time for pickup. Sometimes word leaked out and the pick-ups could get messy. It was Ken's job to try and scan the crowds for anything out of the ordinary.

Ken was currently sitting in a large restaurant near San Francisco airport's industrial park. Reconnaissance had indicated that a large number of electrical and aeronautical engineers and technicians ate lunch there every day. Twenty-four potential pilots and gunners had been instructed to come there for lunch today between twelve o'clock and twelve fifteen. The employees from the aircraft companies in the neighborhood should provide plenty of good technicians for the new volunteers. So far, Ken had not seen anything out of the ordinary, although he had identified three people carrying concealed weapons. However, they didn't appear to be paying any undue attention to happenings in the restaurant.

Ken was just about to give the all-clear call to the pick-up team when a voice behind him said, "Is that you Ken?"

Ken turned around to find the mother of his high school girlfriend, Sora, standing there.

"It's me, Mrs. Tanaka," he replied, motioning for the older woman to take a seat.

"You used to call me Haruko. Once upon a time," she said, looking him in the eyes. She and Ken had once been lovers.

"That was a long time ago."

"Yes, it was. Things have never been the same since you went to school. You left a lot of needy women behind when you moved," she said.

"I know, but I couldn't stay forever."

"I heard from your mother that you're a volunteer and went into space."

"That's true, I was picked up two years ago," he replied.

"Then why are you here?" she asked.

Ken leaned over and whispered, "There is going to be a Confederacy pick-up here in about 5 minutes."

Haruko's eyes got very wide and then she began to cry.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"It's Sora," she sobbed, "I want her to get away."

"Can she get here quickly?" Ken asked her.

Haruko shook her head. "The man that she married won't let her out of the house. Ever since the pick-ups started and he didn't score well he has kept her under lock and key, my grandchildren too. He says that if he can't leave, neither can she."

Ken quickly made a decision.

"Haruko, are you going to stay and try to be selected as a concubine today?"

"No. I can't. I had to have a hysterectomy years ago."

"I'm sorry," Ken said. "Give me your phone number. I'll call you tonight. Don't say anything to Sora or anyone else about our meeting today"

Haruko quickly wrote her number on a napkin.

"Hurry up and go before the interdiction field goes up. I'll figure something out. If I can, I'll get Sora and her children off of Earth."

Haruko gave him a quick hug and kiss before hustling out of the restaurant.

Ken tucked the napkin in his pocket before calling the AI and giving the all clear.

Haruko Tanaka hurried home, not even stopping to get lunch. She wanted so badly to call Sora, but she could never be sure if Sora's husband was listening in on her conversation. While Haruko waited for the telephone to ring, she thought back to that fateful day when she had caught young Ken Yamato about to deflower her child. Oh how she wished that things had turned out differently.

Before her husband had died, he had arranged a marriage between his daughter Sora and Shoichi Nakamura, the oldest son of a friend. Haruko and her husband both thought that it would be for the best. Mr. Nakamura had a very successful import business and his son stood to inherit it. Only after Sora was married did the truth about Shoichi surface. He was an abusive and demanding man, forcing Sora to do disgusting things and beating her for the slightest offence. He was nearly as bad to his children, both of them girls. He desperately wanted a boy and blamed Sora for not giving him one.

When CAP testing started, Shoichi and Sora were both tested. She got a 6.0 but he only got a 5.4. His score enraged him, especially because his wife had scored better. Sora nearly died from the beating she received that night. Once the pickups started, he never let Sora or the children leave the house. He was not about to have his wife snatched away by another man, causing him embarrassment.

Shoichi, however, had been present at three Confederacy pick-ups and had yet to be selected. In fact, in his last attempt he had been stung by a marine for yelling obscenities at a female volunteer who didn't select him. Every disappointment added to his anger.

Haruko was startled when the phone rang. "Hello?" she said.

"Haruko, its Ken. Are you alone?"

"Yes."

"Have you told anyone about our conversation?" Ken asked.

"No"

"Good. Listen carefully. I have pulled a huge favor to get this chance. Meet me in one hour at the McDonald's near your home. Do you have a large purse?"

"Yes."

"Bring it. I assume you are still allowed to see Sora and the children?" Ken asked.

"Yes, as long as I go to their house." Haruko replied.

"Good. I'll see you in an hour." Ken hung up.

Haruko, breathing a sigh of relief, went to her closet to find a large purse.

Haruko knocked on the door to her daughter's house. She had already passed through the gate and been cleared by the private guards that Shoichi employed. Shoichi answered the door.

"Hello Mother Tanaka. Were we expecting you?" he asked.

"No Shoichi, I was just nearby and thought I'd stop by to see Sora and the girls," she said. Shoichi flinched slightly when she mentioned the girls.

"They are upstairs. You know the way," he said, waving his hand in a dismissive gesture.

Haruko went upstairs and found Sora in her room reading a book.

"Hello Momma! What are you doing here so late?" Sora asked in her bird-like voice.

"I just stopped to see you and the children. Where are they?"

"They are playing in Kim's room."

"That's nice. Come here and give your mother a hug." Haruko said.

Sora got up from her chair and gave her mother a hug. As she hugged her, Haruko whispered in her ear, "Sora, if I could get you and the children away from here, tonight, would you go?"

Sora looked at her mother for a moment before softly saying, "You're not joking, are you?"

"No, I ran into Ken Yamato today. He's a marine now and he can get you out of here. Will you go?" Haruko asked.

"Yes, I will. What do I need to do?" Sora asked

"Go and get the children," she replied. Sora left the room and went down the hall.

Haruko removed a metal disk from her purse and placed it on the floor. Sora returned with the children.

"Close the door Sora," Haruko commanded. Sora closed the door while Kim and Lina hugged their grandmother. Then Haruko called a number on her cell phone.

"We're ready," she said into the phone, then hung up. A green button began to blink on the metal disk.

"What is this?" Sora asked, pointing at the disk.

"It's a transporter. As soon as I press the green button, it will activate and take you to a ship." Haruko replied. She pressed the button and a shimmering curtain of light appeared above the disk.

"Go quickly my loves," Haruko said, giving them all hugs and kisses.

Sora took the girls hands and led them to the transporter. She told them that this was a new game and they needed to jump through the light to win. Little Kim didn't hesitate; she loved games. She jumped into the light and disappeared. Lina seemed frightened but Sora assured her it was all right and soon she was gone too. Just as Sora turned to give her mother one last hug, the bedroom door opened.

"What the fuck is going on here?" Shoichi shouted as he entered the room and saw the transporter. He dashed forward and grabbed Sora by the arm.

"You bitch, where do you think you're going?" he yelled at her, dragging her away from the transporter. Suddenly, he doubled over in pain. Haruko had kicked him in the balls.

"Go!" she screamed at Sora. When Sora just stood there, Haruko pushed her into the transporter.

The last thing that Sora saw before falling into the arms of Ken Yamato was Shoichi striking her mother. Sora was disoriented for a moment, but soon realized where she was.

"He's going to kill my mother!" she screamed and began to cry.

"Who is?" Ken asked.

"My husband, he caught us as I was leaving. He's hurting her!"

Ken turned to the ensign manning the transporter terminal. "Reverse this thing and send me back there," Ken commanded.

"Sir, I'm not authorized..."

"Do it now or I'll kill you and do it myself. Are we clear about this?" Ken asked, pulling about 6 inches of his vibroblade katana out of its sheath.

The ensign flipped a switch. "The transporter is ready."

Ken stepped through into a large bedroom. In front of him was a man beating Haruko senseless with his fists.

"Let her be!" Ken commanded.

"Fuck you!" he replied.

Ken stepped forward and landed a punch to the side of the man's head that sent him reeling. Ken grabbed Haruko to keep her from falling. She was conscious but groggy. Ken's attention was on Haruko, so he didn't see Shoichi pull a gun out of the drawer of the nightstand. The sound of the gunshot was deafening in the room. Ken felt the bullet hit his body armor hard, even after passing through Haruko's body.

Ken dropped Haruko and drew his sword. Shoichi fired again, the bullet hitting Ken's body armor squarely in the chest. Ken didn't even flinch. Shoichi never got another shot off.

Ken wiped the bloody blade of his sword on Shoichi's clothing and sheathed it. He checked on Haruko and found that she was still breathing, although very shallowly. Ken picked her up and called the AI through his implant.

"I need the transporter reversed now and I need a med pod ready for a critically wounded patient," Ken said.

"Acknowledged," the AI said. "What about the transporter?"

"Set it for self-destruct after I transport."

"Acknowledged. You may transport now."

Ken stepped into the transporter field and was instantly onboard the Red Baron. Sora and her children were standing nearby. Ken began to hurry toward medical carrying the unconscious Haruko."

"Wait here, I'll be right back!" Ken yelled to Sora as he passed her, not stopping for even a second to explain what happened. He rushed into medical and was directed to an open medical pod. He laid Haruko down and the medical technicians took over. It was only after he had set her down that he realized that he was hurting.

Ken peeled off his clothes and body armor to find two very large bruises, one on his chest and one on his upper abdomen. One of the technicians saw him and herded him into an available med pod. He was lucky; he only had a cracked rib. The tech gave him some nanobots to speed the healing process and released him in a few minutes.

Ken pulled his bloody clothes back on, picked up his body armor, and returned to the transporter area. As soon as Sora saw him she ran to him and threw her arms around him.

"How's my mother?" Sora asked, tears flowing from her eyes.

"She alive and the medical people are working on her. The bullet passed through her abdomen. The AI will tell us something soon," Ken said.

"I never thought I'd see you again!" she cried. "Thank you for coming to get me and my children."

Ken didn't know what to say. He just held her tight.

"Excuse me, Sergeant Yamato," the AI said to him through his implant. "Mrs. Tanaka is stable and the medical center reports that she will be fine. The bullet did not rupture any major organs and the internal damages have been repaired. She will be out of the medical pod in twelve hours."

"Thank you," he replied sub-vocally.

"Also, I must know what your intentions are for these concubines. Should Mrs. Nakamura and Mrs. Tanaka be sent to the civil service?" the AI asked, again through Ken's implant.

"No. I'll sponsor Sora Nakamura as my concubine and I accept her children. Mrs. Tanaka is infertile and cannot be accepted," Ken replied.

"Noted. Sora Nakamura is now your concubine," the AI whispered in his head. "Also, given the fact that you went to the trouble to save Mrs. Tanaka I feel I should tell you that it may be possible for her to become fertile again. The procedure doesn't always work, but if a donor can be found to provide samples of uterine and ovarian tissues, new reproductive organs can be grown. Family members make the best donor candidates."

Ken was stunned by the news. After a few seconds thought he asked, "Would the donation of tissue affect Sora's ability to have children in the future?"

"Not at all."

"When do you need to know if I want this done?"

"As soon as possible. If Mrs. Tanaka is not able to be sponsored then protocol dictates that she should be recycled before she uses any more Confederacy resources."

"Can she be returned to Earth?" he asked.

"Perhaps, but that is entirely up to the Confederacy. It has happened, but rarely," the AI replied.

Ken released his embrace of Sora and held her at arm's length.

"Sora, I've accept you as my concubine. You will be my wife as far as I'm concerned. You and your girls are coming with me. Your mother is going to be all right, but her fate is still uncertain. Because she's had a hysterectomy she is ineligible to be a concubine. There is a slim chance that she might be allowed to return home," Ken said.

"If she doesn't go home what will happen," Sora asked.