NOVEL NEXT Ch27.1 Jabari: Keep You Safe (Scene 1)
21:23, February 10, 2295
South Maintenance Sector, Pasar Kuno District, Nusantara, Borneo, New Indo-Pacific Union territory
Jabari's heart raced as he watched the Bloodtroopers escort Ume through the crowded evening marketplace. Marisol led the group with Cheng Wei at Ume's left, pushing through the local merchants and shoppers. Jabari could see Ume moving stiffly 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 from her healing spell. "Two kilometers northeast, just outside the Widodo Quarter."
On Jabari's right, Wilhelm joined them at the roof's edge. He had a scab from a cut above his eyebrow, but remained focused despite their situation. "Six Bloodtroopers, plus Marisol and the walking tank they call Cheng. Wouldn't fancy our odds in a direct fight."
"We need to stop them." Jabari kept watching Ume. Even from this distance, he could see her stumble, one hand going to her temple. A Bloodtrooper yanked her upright, and Jabari clenched his fists. "Now."
"Your knife against Thermal Battleaxes?" Wilhelm pointed at their condition. "My handgun's nearly drained, and they outnumber us."
"I can still fight," Jabari insisted. "I won't let them take her."
Fuuka placed a hand on his arm, her touch warm. "Your spirit honors you, but rushing in would only get you captured — or worse." Her eyes softened. "There are other ways."
Wilhelm watched the Imperium group. "They're moving carefully. NIPU's Neutrality Laws keep them from causing trouble in the city." He turned to Jabari with a gleam in his eye. "You remember the maintenance bay we passed? The one with that rusted sign?"
"The shipyard?" Jabari frowned. "No."
"Weren't paying attention, eh?" Wilhelm smiled. "That was one of our diplomatic outposts in NIPU territory."
Fuuka raised her eyebrows. "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. Say what?" Seydou's agitated voice came through their earpieces, his accent thickening. "I just had that Scarab repaired! Do you know how many tries it took me to realign the hydraulics after Azure Mount?"
"Ume's been taken by the Imperium," Jabari cut in, his voice tight. "They have her, Seydou."
After a pause, Seydou's tone changed completely. "What? How? When? The android with all the—" He broke off. "Lion's blood, you two! Why didn't you say so immediately?"
"Because some of us enjoy being dramatic," Celine's cool voice joined in. "Lieutenant Adomako, deploying heavy weaponry within NIPU territory would cause a diplomatic incident. The Neutrality Accords are clear about armed conflict in civilian areas."
"So we just let them take her?" Jabari asked, frustrated.
"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 protocols, Ume will be halfway to Taiwan."
"The Lieutenant has a point," Wilhelm added. "Time isn't on our side here."
After a thoughtful pause, 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, confused. "What's that?"
Wilhelm's expression changed to something between excitement and amusement. "Trust me. You'll know when you see it."
Jabari nodded, drumming his fingers on the roof. "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. "Insurance against exactly this sort of situation."
The three of them crouched lower as a Bloodtrooper looked up, scanning the rooftops. Only after the soldier turned away did Fuuka speak again.
"The NIPU authorities won't permit armed conflict within city limits," she cautioned, adjusting her kimono as she watched the Imperium group disappear down a side street.
Ume glanced back once, her eyes scanning the rooftops desperately, trembling before Cheng Wei's hand pushed her forward roughly.
"Then we wait until they're beyond the Widodo Quarter," Wilhelm replied, sketching a quick map in the dust. "Once they enter the Borneo Lowland Rainforests, NIPU jurisdiction becomes..." he spread his hands with a smile, "considerably more relaxed."
Jabari was already on his feet, checking his Combat Knife. The blade caught the moonlight as he put it back in its sheath. "What are we waiting for?"
"Remember to stay alive," Fuuka said, rising beside him. She reached up and adjusted the collar of Jabari's combat suit. "I'll come with you. My spells may help against Imperium technology."
"Right. Okay!" Jabari took a deep breath, feeling his cheeks warm.
Wilhelm sighed, brushing debris from his knees as he stood. His eyes moved between Jabari and Fuuka with amusement. "Better survive this and get back to a proper dinner, eh?"
"Did you like the dinner, though?" Fuuka turned to Wilhelm suddenly, grinning as she ran a hand through her short hair.
"Would enjoy it more if there weren't so many knives pointing at us near the end." Wilhelm joked, mimicking a blade thrust before checking his Plasma Handgun. "Though the beef was exceptional."
"Under different circumstances, I'd have taken you two somewhere nicer." Fuuka said as she stood up, her gaze lingering on Jabari. She straightened up, speaking playfully. "Maybe next time."
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22:07, February 10, 2295
Directorate Maintenance Facility, Eastern Industrial Zone, Nusantara
The maintenance bay was dimly lit and smelled of machine oil and damp concrete. The walls were lined with equipment — Ologun exosuits being repaired, disassembled hoverbikes, and at the far end, under a massive tarp, the unmistakable shape of a Scarab mech.
"Old Seydou would have a fit if he saw how they're storing his precious toys," Wilhelm muttered, approaching the security terminal. His fingers moved across the holographic interface. "Access code: Afronauts-Seven-Niner-Tungsten."
The terminal turned green, accepting the code. Throughout the bay, systems hissed to life, maintenance drones scuttling from their charging stations as lights brightened.
"You think we stand a chance? To save Ume from the Imperium?" Jabari asked, watching as robotic arms began removing the tarp from the mech.
"We have enough time to power up and intercept them at the boundary, if they follow protocol." Wilhelm checked a gadget on his wrist. "And with your Scarab, combat just got a lot easier."
As the tarp fell away, Jabari caught his breath. The Scarab — his Scarab—stood before them, its emerald shell gleaming under the lights. KM-233 was painted in gold across its right shoulder, the numbers partly covered by recent repairs. Its six legs were folded up, making the mech look smaller despite being three meters tall.
"Fusion core at ninety-seven percent?" Wilhelm observed, walking around the machine and running his hand along one of the mech's legs. The armor plates shifted slightly under his touch. "Good for emergency deployment. Seydou's been busy."
"The last time I used it, some Imperial engineer tried to hack it," Jabari said, approaching his machine. "Wasn't sure it would ever run again."
Fuuka circled the bus-sized mech curiously, her fingers hovering near its surface without touching. "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 golden patterns on 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 interrupted. He tapped his earpiece, listening. "Celine reports the Imperium convoy has changed course slightly. They're heading northeast, toward the old logging routes. Smart — less NIPU oversight there."
Jabari approached the Scarab, placing his palm against the identification panel beneath the cockpit. The panel glowed blue, recognizing him, and the cockpit hatch opened with a hiss. As it did, the mech's legs began to unfold, hydraulics purring as the Scarab rose to its full height.
"How will you help us without a weapon?" Jabari asked Fuuka, suddenly concerned.
She smiled, reaching inside her kimono sleeve. With a graceful movement, she produced a hexagonal lantern nearly the size of her head. Its bronze frame enclosed amber glass panels that amplified the bay's dim lighting. Intricate scripts were etched into the metal, remaining dark until the lantern began to pulse with inner light.
"My Spirit Lantern," Fuuka explained, her fingers wrapping around the braided handle. As she spoke, the lantern lightened, floating upward to hover beside her shoulder. Its glow grew stronger, casting her face in warm golden light. "Focus on your mission, Lieutenant. I'll do my part."
"Requested access to the hangar for my Anioma—authorization came through." Wilhelm tapped his fingers on the golden Quantum Watch on his wrist, its holographic display showing a 3D map of the facility. He handed Fuuka a military-grade earpiece like Jabari's: small, dark and flexible. "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 near Fuuka's shoulder.
"The Sand Lotus has many enemies, Major Wilhelm. The Directorate isn't on that list tonight." Fuuka accepted the earpiece.
"After a dinner like that, one can imagine how long the list must be." Wilhelm joked as he withdrew his hand.
"For now, Master Amir believes the Moondust data is more dangerous in Imperial hands than Directorate ones." Sliding the earpiece into her left ear, Fuuka continued. "Testing. One, two, three, four." she murmured.
"Signal acquired," came Celine's reply. "Dr. Celine Kamara speaking. I'm tracking three biosignatures and — " A brief pause. "—one unusual 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 scanner readings," Celine countered. "While we appreciate the unexpected help, 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 calm. "Such firepower would violate at least seventeen NIPU neutrality laws. But your concern for your team is admirable, madam."
Wilhelm coughed, hiding 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 smoothly. "Now, all of you, listen carefully. Imperium convoy has changed course toward the northeastern logging routes. Mapping intercept coordinates now."
The maintenance bay's heavy doors opened, revealing the night sky. In the distance, Nusantara's lights painted the streets in gold and blue. A faint rumble of thunder came from the rainforest—a storm brewing both literally and figuratively.
A 3D map appeared in Jabari's HUD, showing a clearing two kilometers beyond the city limits, with a second marker moving 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, feeling calm as the mission became clear.
"Good. But remember," Celine's voice softened slightly. "No engagement with Imperial forces until they cross the red boundary line on your map. NIPU Security is watching this sector closely 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 firmly. "We'll bring Ume home."
Wilhelm backed toward a side exit, his hand on his holstered Plasma Handgun. "Weather conditions aren't ideal, but nothing the Anioma can't handle." He checked his watch. "About ten minutes until I join you."
Jabari climbed into the Scarab's cockpit, settling into the familiar space. His hands found the manual controls, fingers gripping the worn handles as displays flickered to life around him. Status indicators blinked green across the board—weapons online, hydraulics responsive, fusion core humming with power.
Through the cockpit's 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.
"You have concerns." she called up to him.
"I hope we're not too late to save Ume." Jabari replied. He felt tightness in his chest. Excitement? Anxiety? He wasn't sure. "Any wise words?"
"Do not fear that which has not happened." she offered with a small smile. "Live fully in the now."
Jabari nodded once, unable to find the right words, and sealed the cockpit. The mech hummed to life around him, straightening to its full height, sensors and targeting systems coming online.
Through the exterior cameras, he watched Fuuka step back, her Spirit Lantern pulsing in rhythm with her breathing. Her kimono moved slightly in the breeze from the ventilation systems. She didn't look afraid as the massive war machine towered above her, just calmly expectant.
"KM-233, online and operational," Jabari announced, his voice steady as training took over, moving the Scarab forward. "For the Directorate."