Cumberland
Caripare
Irece Prefecture
Draconis Combine
18 November 3152
Sho-sa Jade Takahashi sat at her desk, trying in vain to concentrate on the stack of readiness reports in front of her. She had difficulty concentrating of late, with so much on her mind. She was now nearly three months pregnant, and things would soon be coming to a head. She had no word from Po Ding, and the decisions to come were likely going to fall on her shoulders.
Frustrated, she put down the report in her hand and leaned back in her chair. She picked up her noteputer and thumbed it to life. There was the daily news on Caripare, which she found dreadfully dull even at the best of times. There were reports from the front, where the Rasalhague Dominion was striking out at more targets in Combine space, making a play to even threaten Luthien itself. Luthien, in addition to being the capitol of the Combine, was also her home, and her parents still lived there, her father running a minor defense industry conglomerate.
She paged down to the system traffic, and something caught her eye. There was a report of a neutral flagged Jumpship that had jumped in system and disembarked a DropShip towards the surface. The DropShip was none other than one that had come to Caripare a scant few months prior in a raid. Her heart jumped into her throat. Po Ding was here!
She had no time to savor the news, however, as her comm system buzzed to life. It was Tai-sa Okamoto Goro. "Sho-sa. I require your presence in my office immediately. No delays!"
"Hai, Tai-sa. I will be there shortly."
This could not be good. No news from the Tai-sa was good news these days. He had soured on her even more since the incident with Po Ding, and he took every chance he could to expose her to his wrath. With a sigh, she stood up, checked her uniform for correctness and neatness, and began the walk to Goro's office.
She did not even need to knock, a guard at the door opened it for her and she entered. She saluted her superior smartly, but even then could see the look of anger on his face. He returned her salute curtly before picking up a file and throwing it on the desk in front of where he was seated. He stood slowly and deliberately.
"You know why I have called you here?"
She shook her head. "No, Tai-sa. I have no idea."
She glanced down at the file he had thrown, but could not make out any details from this distance.
"This is your medical fitness and readiness report. Ordinarily I do not concern myself with such things, but I noted you have twice visited the medical bay and I became curious as to why. You know why?"
Her mind was racing, but she did not respond.
He slammed his fist down on the table. "Have you no shame?! You bring dishonor upon yourself and this entire unit. You have whored yourself out to the Capellan Mercenary, haven't you?!"
Anger began to rise in her chest, but she said nothing.
He picked up the file and read it aloud. "The report does not lie. The timing is right. You dishonored yourself with that Liao sellsword. You cannot deny it!"
Her anger burst forth. "This is none of your business. This is my concern!"
"No, you are one of my officers, and a servant of the Dragon. You are duty bound to comport yourself with honor and dignity. None of that is in line with spreading your legs for that Mercenary filth!"
"It is true, Po Ding is the father. But that is none of your concern. How I comport myself and my honor are none of your business. You are simply jealous and seek to vent your anger on me. I will not have it!"
Goro was seething with anger. "It is very much my concern when you stain the honor of this unit. This is the Sword of Light. We are the pillars of society. And you act like a common whore! Were these the days of the great Takashi Kurita and his elders, I would ask you to commit seppuku and rid the unit of your dishonor. But these are not the good old days. We will have to bear this dishonor and shame. Naturally, you will terminate the pregnancy."
She locked eyes with Goro. "I will not. You have no power over me in this regard. Even now, Po Ding has arrived to take responsibility for this situation."
Goro threw the file onto the ground. "Po Ding is coming here?!"
She smiled. "Yes. He is twice the man you are, Okamoto Goro. He comports himself with honor."
"He is not welcome. This will end badly for you both!"
"Welcome or not, he is coming. And he and I will decide the fate of our child, not you."
Goro threw up his hands. "Your career is over! You are lucky to escape this dishonor with your life! Get out of my sight!"
With that, she turned and left, fuming with anger.
######
Cumberland
Caripare
Irece Prefecture
Draconis Combine
23 November 3152
Po Ding entered the gardens where only months before he had walked with Jade Takahashi on a summer's night. Now the cold of winter had settled onto the gardens, a gentle snow having recently fallen. The plants were in decline, hibernating for the winter, and the air was crisp.
He saw Jade standing there, dressed informally in a heavy kimono rather than the Combine uniform he was used to seeing her in. She nonetheless looked radiant and graceful as ever. He made his way over to her and embraced her in his arms.
"Apologies for the delay in my arrival. I came as quickly as I could. I trust all is well with you?"
She buried herself in his chest. "All will be well now, Po Ding. I did not expect you to come. I thought perhaps a message, but your arrival is most welcome. Things have taken on complications."
"Your child?"
She shook her head. "No. Our child is fine. The doctors assure me that all is well. But we have much to discuss. I have put off the decision as long as possible, for I would know your thoughts. Do you wish to have the child?"
He breathed deeply. "The decision is not mine. Only you can decide what is right for you. But know that I will stand with you no matter what you decide. I would welcome the child as a blessing, but I am not the one carrying it. Ultimately, what you wish is what must be done."
"I have never before considered being a mother, but now that it is thrust upon me, I find myself wishing to embrace it. But there are so many complications. How will the child be raised. My parents are on Luthien, but your home is on Harloc."
He pressed a finger to her lips. "All of that can be decided later. If you wish to embrace it, then you will have me at your side the entire way."
She kissed him gently. "Then the decision is made. But there are further complications. My Tai-sa, Okamoto Goro has learned of my condition and demands that I terminate the pregnancy. He says I have brought dishonor upon the entire unit."
Po bristled at the thought. "He has no right to speak of dishonor. I will speak to him and settle this matter."
"That can only end badly, Po. He is mad with jealousy. He says you are unwelcome here on Caripare."
"We shall see about that. But for now, calm yourself, Jade. This should be a blessed time for you, not one of anxiety. I will handle everything."
"For now, just hold me, Po Ding."
######
Po Ding burst through the door to the office of Tai-sa Okamoto Goro. The man leapt from his chair. "What is the meaning of this, Po Ding?! You are not welcome here. I should have you shot!"
"Of course you would resort to that. You are a coward, Okamoto Goro. You talk of honor and dignity, yet you threaten women with child?"
"I am not the one bringing dishonor to daughters of the Dragon! But I should expect no more from a filthy Capellan lucre warrior. Tell me, what was her price?" Goro was now equal parts rage and disdain.
"You go too far, Goro! Now who is bringing dishonor to a daughter of the Dragon? Your words are meaningless." Po responded.
"Enough of this, Po Ding! Be gone. And be thankful these are not the old days of the Combine. Death to Mercenaries was perhaps the right policy! In the golden days of the Dragon, I would kill you on the field of battle!
Po stepped forward. "Let these be like your golden days. Or are you too much of a coward to face me?"
"Very well! We shall have it your way, mercenary. You and I shall meet on the field of battle, and you will not survive your insolence!"
"You have but to name the time and place. I will be there to end this foolishness, Okamoto Goro!"
Goro smiled with pleasure. "Tomorrow. Noon. On the proving grounds north of the city. We shall assemble a crowd to watch your demise. And after I kill you, you have my word, honor will be restored and your bastard child will never see the light of day! I will demand that Jade Takahashi undergo seppuku for her dishonor of the regiment."
Po replied calmly. "You are a fool, Goro. And you will die a fool's death. Tomorrow it is."
######
"Are you crazy, Po Ding? You cannot go through with this."
Po shook his head as he looked at Jade Takahashi. "I am not crazy. And I must go through with this. He has both stained your honor and threatened our child. This I will not have. I must put a stop to this madness."
"This is not your fight, Po. Let me fight him instead." She pleaded.
"No, that is not possible. You are his subordinate officer. This is not the Clans, you cannot simply fight with your superior. But he is the highest ranking military officer on this planet, and I am a Mandrinn of House Liao. I am more than his equal in standing, and have every right to challenge his foolishness. And I will, both for the sake of your honor, and for the life of our child. If you still wish to bear it?"
She put her hand on his chest. "I do wish to bear it. But I do not wish to lose you. Not to this foolishness."
"If I lose, he will demand seppuku of you. I do not know Combine law, but I believe that he would be within his rights. But fear not, for I shall not lose. This is not the way of Po Ding. Balance must and will be restored."
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