Major Matsu Jun

By Ivan McCloud

Major Matsu Jun looked over the scorched steelwork and concrete that the hydrogen bomb left strewn around on the ground on the moon. This was the remnant of Tyco City. Once the capitol of the United States colony on the moon. Now the US was looking for the culprit of this evil crime.

Why have the troops of Nipon do the western work? The major thought to him self, watching his men of the first clean-up core, he thought of ants doing their work loyally for the monarch. They worked in white environment suits holding radioactivity sensors and clean up gear.

The Geiger counter he held in his hand ticked nervously and constantly. The chart showed several hundred kilorads of radiation. This was what he expected with a Hydrogen bomb of this magnitude. The suits would not be enough to keep them from being cooked alive.

He grabbed his visor and pulled it down to block out the sun as it came up over the horizon of the desolated moon surface. He even pulled down the sides of the visor set to keep it out of the corner of his eyes. Then as he pulled down the shades one of his officers came up, Lieutenant Noda Ichi. He was six feet tall, much too tall, taller then any Japanese had any right to be. He said, "Sir this hydrogen bomb had traces of Uranium in it from the Himalayan range on earth."

"Pakistan," The major said calmly, mostly to him self.

"The second crew found the same thing on their site. Pakistan has stepped up its attacks on the US and Europe. What should we do?" the lieutenant asked.

"We pull back to Armstrong station when we finish and call the Palace. I will tell Colonel Moto what happened, he will do as he see fits."

The clean-up crew worked long into the lunar day. The sun and Earth rose high into the sky. Land rovers came over to their site with the second crew riding in them. It was time to go and they had just finished decontamination. They had room for the first crew, but it was like everybody trying to fit into a Volkswagen Bug, but there was room.

The lunar surface was pot marked with impact wounds from asteroids that still hit, five billion years after the formation of the Solar System. Armstrong base was a dome that was a relay station for the lunar cities and Earth, Moon communication. It also served as a refueling station for lunar rovers and prospectors. Now that the area has been mined out of ore, oxygen and water it is just a rundown station given to the Japanese army.

The rovers entered the parking lot and the clean-up crew walked into the station air lock. The major looked to the air vents once the doors sealed. The vents released a white gas, oxygen. They took of their helmets. It smelled so good after breathing the recycled air from the suits.

They walked into the lounge and turned on the TV. The emperor was on, standing at a podium giving a speech. There were sub titles in English and Spanish and Chinese. The major could barely hear him through the static of the TV but he understood.

These were troubling times. The US and Europe had colonized the Solar System faster then any one else, so they got the resources to build industry. Japan still had a lead on technology but could not put it to any use. They had to sell it for food. They became the gophers for world, doing the dirty work. They constantly got the short end of the stick.

Now the emperor wanted to get the resources, he had been training a silent army. The only way the major had found out about it was stumbling in to a meeting of the emperor’s cabinet when they were discussing it.

He felt bad about all of this talk about war. He did not think that war was good, he joined the army to learn a trade skill. He wanted to see the System and find his way in life. The Japanese army was weak but it is the most advanced.

The phone was ringing. The Major did not hear it until it stopped. One of his crew had picked it up and answered it. Then he handed it to the major. "Hello," the major said.

"This is the palace bureau of defense. Do you have any new information?"

The major replied, "The Pakistanis set off the bomb, over."

The palace continued "We figured as much. Your orders are to return from the moon. This is an imperial order. A shuttle will deploy at moon base Armstrong to pick up you and your men. Over."

"Thank you base, its hell up here, over and out." He handed the phone back and said, "Good news men, we’re going home."

There was a cheer coming from his men, they hated being on the moon as much as Jun did. They would have to wait for the shuttle to land, and if it took of now it would be a several hour wait. They had the supplies to hold out that long.

When the shuttle finally came to base Armstrong and docked along the airlock, the party of the clean-up crew had died down. They shut down the base and got in the shuttle. The captain of the shuttle greeted the major. They shook hands and the captain said, "Sir, I am Captain Hoshi Akira, Japanese army space core."

The major retorted with, "I am major Matsu Jun Japanese Army clean-up core. Permission to come aboard?"

"Granted," the captain answered.

The clean-up core sat down in the seats in the back of the shuttle. The captain from the cockpit, sitting at the controls, began to count backwards, five, four, three, two, one, Ignition. The force of the engine blast pushed the crew back into the seats, fortunately they were comfortably padded.

They exited the gravity well of the moon traveling nearly thirty times the speed of sound. The major looked down at the scared face of the moon, a giant smudge where Tyco City had once been. That was in the past now. They would be at earth tomorrow morning. The major looked at the clock, 19:27 hours, he had time for a nap, and he leaned back ion his seat and closed his eyes.

He awoke to see a giant blue sphere with white misty clouds and dark brown landmasses; the whole thing fit in the window. He had arrived. He looked at the clock, 4:58 hours Tokyo Central Time. They were early.

The shuttle began to enter the atmosphere; the windows began to glow a bright red orange. He did not want to touch them. He could feel the heat from a few feet away. Then the air conditioner came on. The temperature leveled out. Then the shuttle began to head towards the small islands in the western portion of the Pacific Ocean. It was Nipon all four islands.

They landed on an airstrip out side of Tokyo. The major was happy to be back on solid ground, with full gravity. He was tired of the one-sixth gravity of the moon. The Army clean-up core commander, Colonel Moto Kin, stood in full dress uniform on the jet way to greet the officers of the returning group.

"Colonel Moto, sir," Major Matsu said.

"At ease major. Get into dress uniform Jun, the emperor wants to make a speech about the oppression of Japan. You are invited as my second, and as I am the leader of an entire army group, I can’t believe it, am invited. Oh, your to start new training classes in new clean up methods. I will tell you and you will tell your men where the classes are to be held."

The major and colonel walked off to the spaceport’s carport. The colonel’s personal car drove up and the driver opened the doors for the colonel and major. The car began to move after the two officers buckled them selves in to the seats in the back.

"These are your class books and schedules. Your men will get similar books and schedules. There have been several advances in technical cleanup of waste material since you came back."

The car drove to the palace and when they got there the driver opened their door and let them out. They walked through a crowd of reporters and imperial groupies to get to the palace. The emperor stood on the steps of the palace at a podium with TelePrompTers aimed right at his eye level. The major and colonel found their seats near the middle of the reception. The press sat in back, the government officials sat in front and all else sat in the middle.

The emperor cleared his throat and in a thick Japanese accent he said, "My subjects, these days are growing darker. The trade restrictions placed on us by Cuba and Mexico have damaged our technology trade. We have to regain our once great power that we had one hundred and fifty years ago. The great leader Togo was right, all others are weaker then us and we deserve to rule them fully and uncertainly.

"This is why I have recalled all of our military forces from the star system and from all over earth. The other countries can clean up their own mess." There was an ovation from the reception. The emperor continued, "I now have the military strength control half the star system and will now introduce my Admiral of the Fleet Iwata Hiromasa."

The admiral stood up from his seat next to the podium. He was of standard Japanese height and shape. He looked dignified in his uniform. He took the podium, "My fellow Japanese, I have the great pride to introduce our crown jewel of the Japanese defense force, the First Armada. This is the most powerful fleet in the known universe.

"Its job is to patrol the area of space that Japan controls. Although the space is small and the fleet is expensive, we do need it. The first and second marine divisions will be stationed on these ships. The fleet has been launched and is on patrol now. Thank you."

The admiral stepped down and the emperor in his royal robe stepped up to the podium. "We have radio contact with the commander of the First Armada. Do we have that yet Akira?"

"Right away your majesty," The tech replied.

"-sir, we have made contact, and we are patrolling out side of the asteroid belt."

The press began to chatter about the fleet. This was scary, why did the emperor need all this force to defend a small automated island the size of the American State of California? Major Matsu did not think this was safe. As the major and colonel went home, they discussed the problem.

"Colonel sir. Why dose the emperor need this grand fleet and all the army here in Japan?"

"Don’t think about it Jun, if you ask to many questions you might disappear."

The next day the major woke up and got dressed in a hurry, he had slept in and needed to get to class. He took a military car pool van to the base. He ran to his classroom and when he got their he saw the rest of his unit sitting in the desks. He had gotten there just in time to begin the class; he sat down and opened his books.

He had opened the books before and poked around in them. They were mostly chemistry and mechanics. He figured he would learn how to make new clean up devices on sight out of the parts taken apart to fit in a box the size of a suitcase. He would, he figured, also learn how to safely dispose of toxic waste material in new more1 advanced ways. They kept coming out with many new ways to clean up man made masses, nuclear or chemical. This class would be interesting.

The teacher walked in, he seemed informal, and he wore a Hawaiian shirt on and sandals. He had a tan and his hair was lighter then Japanese hair. He announced him self as Suzuki, from the rich automobile producing family. He began to teach the class and got the army group interested.

Then after the class Jun walked up to the teacher and said, "Mr. Suzuki, I liked the way you teach. How long you been doing this?"

"Seven years. I’ve been teaching clean-up techniques for half that time. I rarely get an interested student like you though. So major, you saw the emperors speech?"

"Yeah, he’s kind of going crazy with this recall and ship building frenzy he is on," The major replied.

"I think he should be deposed and that is the only thing that will save the Japanese people, not his crusade that he talks about."

"What ever," Jun said, trying not to look like he agreed; though he did. He walked out of his classroom and towards the Carpool stop.

The next time he went to class the teacher never showed up. He asked his next in command, Noda Ichi, if he saw the teacher. When he couldn’t answer, Jun got scared. The teacher had talked about deposing the emperor that was a taboo in Japan and other Monarchy Nations.

"Ichi, do you think we should go now, it’s been about an hour," the major asked.

Lieutenant Noda replied, "Sir, if you order me to go home I can’t disobey," he said jokingly.

"Go home everyone, the teacher must be sick," The major said to his unit.

When the major walked to the van pick up spot. He heard a footstep behind him then felt a hard object hit the back of his head. He blacked out and when he woke up, he could only see black. His head was in a burlap bag. His hands tied to a chair.

"Be calm major, if you cooperate you will survive," Said a voice that sounded familiar.

"Who are you?"

"Who we are is not important, what we want is all you should care about," another voice said.

"What do you want."

"We want your cooperation."

"You got it."

"Now you must tell us who are your coconspirators in your plan to over throw ma-, the emperor."

"I have no plans."

"Liar," He was slapped, hard.

"It’s the truth, I have no plans."

"Don’t make me use a bat,"

"All I know is that Suzuki, my teacher was madly against the emperor."

"A teacher?" one voice asked.

"We got him yesterday night," another voice told the first.

"Let me go," the Jun said.

"Get him out of here," The first voice said.

They grabbed Jun and took him to what Jun thought was a car. He was right it began to move like a car and bounce as if it was on a country road. Not many of them left on any of the islands of Japan. He knew where he was. If he could get out of here, he could get home.

Then the car stopped and he heard a door open; he was in a van. Then he was pushed out and some one cut the rope on his wrists. He heard the van drive away, in a hurry he took the bag off his head and looked around. He knew where he was, no trees, just grass lands with Tokyo in the distance. This is where the great fire of 57 was. The rebuilding project had begun; the lots had been marked off.

He began to walk towards a road. He found the road and then found a dead hulk of a car, the recycling board had not been here in a few days. He heard engines rumbling in the distance. Then several cars came into view from south of the road. As they came closer, he began to hear the distinct rumbling of a hydrogen-burning engine. Only the military use those, only the military could afford them.

He figured they were a convoy and were headed to Tokyo to drop off their supplies. The emperor had been supplying Tokyo with provisions and defenses. The first truck that came by, Jun hitched a ride and was in Tokyo by noon.

He got to the barracks and informed his men what had happened. The discussion was long and when it ended the major had one remark, "Leave the planet, go to a neutral planet and save your selves."

The army group disbanded quickly and in separate directions all headed for a way out of Japan. The major took a cab to the spaceport where he bought a ticket for Geneva. He had to wait for a while, the aurora jet had to fuel up; it took a lot of fuel to get from Tokyo to Geneva in two hours. It flew in the upper atmosphere and nearly got into orbit for a few seconds.

"First call for boarding flight three-seven-two-one Tokyo to Geneva now boarding gate seventy-three," was announced over the PA.

Jun picked up his duffel bag and boarded the Aurora. From his window seat, he could see the wing with its new jet engine that did not need a lot of oxygen to fly. That is why it could fly in space. The crew loaded baggage into the jet and then closed the hatch. They got away and the jet began to Taxi. He got ready for the take off by swallowing to equalize the pressure in his head.

When the jet got off the ground the passengers were pushed back into their seats. The ship engines were quiet and did not shake the plane too much. The only way he knew he was flying was by the big blue ocean below him out the window. He was truly where he belonged, in space.

Then where Tokyo had once been a bright red and yellow flame erupted and where Osaka had been, the same. Two giant Japanese cities destroyed by Nuclear weapons. Jun had seen enough nuclear footage to know this anywhere. But why?

The western powers would not do that to their "Gophers", Mexico and Cuba could not afford it. The only nation dumb enough was Pakistan. Why? The emperor had talked about peace talks with Pakistan in the speech Jun heard on the moon. Then in the small part of North America Jun could see from his window, the city of Los Angles erupted in blue flame. The emperor had attacked the West. That Ass hole.

Why would the emperor attack the west? Did Europe survive? Did his men? What the hell was the emperor thinking? Then blue bolts of energy shot down from the sky. Laser beams from the First Armada. They were closer then the Emperor let on. They could have taken out any western defenses in space and blocked earth from the other planets.

The ship began to shake; he looked at the wing. It was being rattled with blue laser shots the sizes of bowling balls. The fuel was leaking and an unlucky shot would ignite it and they all would die.

Then the pilot came over the PA, "We are going to attempt to land in an empty field out side of Fresno," He had a hard time trying to pronounce Fresno, "Take emergency crash positions please."

The jet began to get closer to North America. Then Jun heard the landing gear extend and then touch ground on a Fresno field. Where was Fresno though? When the passengers got out Jun looked around, "Doesn’t look like California?"

Then a mob of anger farmers came up with pitchforks and shot guns, they pointed the sharp ends of the forks and the barrels of the guns at them. One of them said something but Jun didn’t understand, he did under stand the gun barrel though. They mentioned the word Jap. Jun knew what that meant.

He pointed to him self and said, "Jun!"

An American said something pointed a pitchfork at him using that word Jap again. He wished he knew what was going on other then the face that he knew they were mad about something. They both were enemies of the emperor of Japan.

They put all of the passengers of the aurora in several giant barns in a farming community not to far out side of the crash site. They were locked in there with armed guard posted at every exit. "What if we rush them, some will survive," Some one suggested.

"No, we escape to be hunted down or maybe killed on a later date," Was the reply.

The Jun said, "I am major Matsu Jun, royal army. The emperor betrayed me and I want my revenge. My home city was destroyed because of the Emperor and he sits commanding his fleet and marines, probably the only loyal soldiers left to him that’s why he put all the rest in Tokyo. He killed my men and my parents, grandparents, sister and brothers.

"I suggest we do all we can to aid the westerners. Dose any one know any American?"

One or two people raised their hands hesitantly.

"I know to say ‘hello’ and ‘my name is’," one man said.

"I can say ‘I’m well endowed’," a second said.

"I’m fluent," said a third.

Jun walked up and said, "What’s your name?"

"I’m Iwata Joji. I learned English when I studied at UCLA three years ago."

"Why study in a backward American college?" Some one asked.

"To see the world, these Americans were once better car makers until we bought the Saturn Car Company."

"Go tell him we have no love for the emperor, go on."

Joji walked to the iron bared door and said, in English, "We will work for you, sir. We surrender to your will, take us to your capitol."

"Cain’t,"

"Why?"

"Ya’ done nuked Sacramento and Washington. That there was both our capitols."

"Did your leaders survive?"

"They were done cooked when the bombs dropped," He paused to spit, "You done know that," The man in overalls and straw hat wielding a pitchfork said.

"Did any of your capitols survive, I know you have like Sixty."

"Carson City didn’t explode, it’s the closest one."

"Take us there then," Joji said.

"We will take you and two others, okay."

Joji turned to Jun and said in Japanese, "They will take you, me and one other, you choose him."

Jun said to the Japanese people, "I want to know if any of you ever served and military service?"

A woman stepped forward and said, "I served the supply lines for the fifth battalion out of Osaka."

"You’ll do," Jun said.

"Let’s go," Joji said to the farmer, "we got our three."

"C’mon to the truck," He said opening the gate slowly.

The gate was rusted and squealed as it closed. The truck was an old rusted dodge. The starter sounded bad and the gas burned badly. Nevertheless, they were going to the capitol of Nevada. They would meet with the leader of the Americas.

While in the truck Joji said to Jun, "Why don’t you lead us against the emperor. The Americans would like to know what you know about the emperor. I’ll bet they would like an insider on their team."

"Maybe, but they may still be mad at us Japanese for what the emperor did to them."

They drove down a dirt road and towards what seemed to be a megalopolis. The city was well lit. The city had an airstrip in sight and several anti aircraft batteries located strategically around the city. Jun figured if the emperor had any aircraft left he wouldn’t use them to attack a city.

The dirt road lead to a gate, which was the only way into Carson City. There were armed guards all over the city and they had a tired look on their face, all the watches for infiltrates. The truck pulled to the city hall building, the armed guards had kept their eyes on the two Japanese riding in the truck.

The truck stopped and the farmer opened the other door and said, "Y’all get out and come with me."

"Okay," Joji said for Jun.

They walked up the steps of the city hall and into the open doors. The hall was the only way to see the chief executive of the country John Hamilton. Once speaker of the House of Representatives and now president of the US he had some clout with the people.

The office of the president was down at the end of the hall. The only way in or out was guarded by three marines and four secrete service agents. The farmer asked to let them in. They were frisked and let in.

"Mr. President, this here is, what’s your name?"

"Joji and this is Jun we are defectors, we hate the emperor."

"You just answered my first two questions," The president said.

"We will fight for you your highness," Joji said.

"Forget that Highness stuff, its just Mr. President," The president said.

He continued, "You will be an advisor to our counter fleet headed for the Japanese armada."

"Thank you," Jun said bowing.

Joji translated and he too bowed. With that they were off to the shuttle that would take them to the fleet and to battle the First Armada.

The landing pad was a square slab of concrete that had a shuttle propped on it and fuel lines running back and forth. An elevator ran to the seating chambers some fifty feet off the ground. Jun and Joji rode all the way to the top of the elevator and sat in the cockpit and got ready as the crew did the preflight checklist.

Then after the preflight was done and the passengers were all buckled in the ship blasted off for the stars. Jun turned to Joji and said, "Here we go, off to face our former leader and now our sworn enemy."

"Agreed," Joji said back.

Through the window Jun could see the blue American sky turn to a star lit darkness. The clouds melted away and the face crushing pressure of the lift off, relaxed. The fleet was in sight and as Jun looked around he could see several other shuttles coming towards the fleet from all over the continents of North America and Europe.

The shuttle docked with the fleet’s command ship after some radio chit-chat. The docking doors dwarfed the shuttle and the loading clamp that maneuvered the shuttle in made Jun feel like he was being abducted by some great force. The Americans had a great fleet on their side, hopefully better then the Japanese fleet would be.

The doors of the shuttle opened and Jun and Joji got out. They met looked around the docking bay. The admiral of the fleet walked to meet them. He looked much taller then most Americans and his tan uniform and officers hat added to the effect he had on Jun.

"You will come with me," The admiral said in a gruff, stern voice.

Joji translated for Jun who replied through Joji, "Admiral it is an honor to help you fight the emperor that destroyed my home land."

"I lead the fleet that helped invasion of Japan. I saw the devastation that your emperor brought on your people. Most of the Japanese people were happy to see us, they were living in poverty, some still blamed us for the destruction of their homes though."

"It is sad. I have no blames though I welcome the rescue of the Americans."

After a few minutes of talking the admiral and the two Japanese men walked into the bridge. "Admiral on the bridge!" The captain announced.

"At ease," The admiral ordered the bridge crew. "These two men are the Japanese aids sent by the president. He believes they can help us win the up coming battle. God help them and us."

"Thank you," Joji said.

The bridge was a three floored room with the main operational staff in the first level, the communication staff in the second level and the command staff on the short outcrop over the second level that made up the third level. Over the edge of the outcrop Jun could see all the way down to the bottom of the crew pit in the first level. The mass of people needed to work the ship gave testimony to the mass and fire power of this ship. One of those crew members could order several to ten anti ship batteries or AA guns. That was amazing and it made Jun feel safe, like nothing could harm him in this ship.

The admiral left the bridge, leaving the captain in charge. The captain looked up from his data pad and said to Jun, "Please sit."

When Joji translated he and Jun sat on two work seats that were unused at the time. The captain began again, "Welcome to the carrier John F Kennedy and flag ship of the fleet. Do you speak any American?"

Joji said back, "I speak the language, he does not."

"Do I speak to you or him?"

"Speak to any one you want, it dose not matter," Joji said with stern Japanese dignity.

"Okay, your name is, and his?"

"I am Joji, he is Jun."

"How did you escape the nuclear distruction on Japan?"

Joji began to tell his tale, how he and Jun and several others were flying in an Aurora jet liner and how it was shot down. How the Fresno militia captured them and how they met the now president. And how they got to the fleet command ship.

"Interesting story Joji and now we wait to fight the emperor."

The admiral walked back in to the bridge and said, "I just got off the link with the rest of the fleet and we are close enough to begin attack. All hands; battle stations!"

Jun and Joji looked out the window. The Japanese fleet got closer and closer. The Japanese fleet began to launch its fighters and interceptors. They formed a V, headed right for the American fleet. "Launch all fighters and interceptors," the admiral said.

The two lines of small, one man ships, came closer and closer. "Give cover fire, move the frigates in to support them," the admiral ordered. He picked up the microphone and called spoke in to it, "Cruiser Adam West, move to five hundred meters west of the Carrier Ronald Regan and cover from attack. Destroyer Rhinelander give cover to the flag ship. Aim your batteries to cover the Kennedy’s port flank," the admiral kept giving orders to his ships.

The ships and fighters came closer to the Japanese ships. Then they opened fire on the Japanese ships. Their fighters were wiped out in the first few seconds. Then the cruisers and destroyers came into the fight. Although less maneuverable they had more armor and more weapons to fight with.

The battle raged on for several hours. Half of each of the fleets were destroyed by now. Then the admiral stood over a console, to help the captain who just got some shrapnel in the face. The ship rocked as it came under fire. Joji held onto the console as it exploded. He was uninjured, but the admiral got a belly full of console. He fell over onto the floor with the captain on top of him. Jun took over the command seat.

"Joji tell the crew that I will take over," Jun said.

Joji relayed the order to the crew pit that was in disarray with dead bodies lying all over. His first order came out quick, "Send to fleet, aim all batteries at the Japanese flag ship."

"Then, call all fighters to cover us and our support vessels. Then we will move in a phalanx to strike a blow at the rest of the Japanese ships," He turned to Joji, "get a medic up here for the Admiral and the Captain."

"Yes sir," Joji replied.

The remnants of the American fleet moved into a V formation and attacked the disorientated Japanese fleet. The flag ship took the brunt of the fire power and missiles of the American fleet. The Flag ship began to break up under the stress and energy put on it by the hundreds of phaser blasts that it received. The bridge erupted in flame and then the hull began to break up. With the Flag Ship gone the rest of the Japanese fleet began to panic and fire randomly into space.

The Japanese ships began to hit each other and do the dirty work for the Americans. The battle was won. The few remaining Japanese ships were easily taken out and as Jun and Joji contacted the President in Carson City to tell them the good news, the first officer of the ship came to the bridge from sick bay to report the recovery of the Admiral.

The president’s images on the comlink was incomplete but his voice was understandable, "Thank you for your heroism, Jun and Joji," Joji translated, the President continued, "What is your wish that I could grant?"

"I want an assault shuttle from the fleet to go where I wish."

"Granted."

"Thank you and good by, Mr. President."

Jun and Joji looked at each other, "Our own ship," Jun said.

"Lets go get it, by the way, can you fly?"

"Yes, I learned in the military."

"I want to see Mars or Io," Joji said.

They walked into the loading bay of the Kennedy and the first officer pointed out their selections of craft. They chose and were off. The craft they chose was a three man extended duty craft. It had room for three men and enough food and water to last for three months. That could get them any where in the system and with the ships engines as fast as they were it was no surprise that it could get to Pluto in a week. This ship also had the best gaming computer in the military. The crew had to do something to keep from being bored.

The ship launched and Jun set course for Mars which was on the other end of the sun at the time. They rode off into the sunrise for one last time.