Chapter 6 Picking up the new sword
After recovering from her injury, Belamis again set foot at the orphanage.
She loved the children there, but also she missed her Kendo master....
She walked to the shed, and kneel before the entrance. The old man emerged...."I didn't tell you by name....my name is Nia Horishi...". Belamis looked at him.
"Come in first..."
Belamis sat herself down, facing the old man.
Nia began.."Our family's men were kenshi for generations, and we practiced the code of a honorable kenshi, that is to fight with courage, integrity, and to let go of oneself and desire...to be selfless and willing to sacrifice..."
"We used to have man as disciples...either sons or students.....I had a son who died early and left me a grandson...but he too died several years ago when Earth was also under attack by monsters.." Nia was in deep thought.
"That sword was meant for him...." Nia continued.
Belamis listened, and she could understand his loss....
"When I felt the way you hold the sword.....and you courage..I thought I see my grandson in you...though you are a girl.. but you have the tenderness of a girl and the courage of a man...". Nia said.
"I will not take in any disciples or students...you will be my final one..."
He took out two wooden sword, and threw her one of it.
Belamis caught it with her right hand.
"Follow me ..." Nia took her out to the field.
"Put this on..." Nia then hand her a piece of cloth...
Belamis knew she was to do a sword duo with her master blindfolded, she complied.
"Good... don't hold back..." Then they stand facing each other, each holding their wooden sword.
Then both started to move almost at the same time, and the sword clashes.
The kids at the orphanage heard the noise and came out.
"Wow.... Belamis was a kenshi too???"
The kids were awestruck by what they saw....
"It was a duo between great kenshis...." One of them said.
Belamis took a defensive posture from the very beginning, and did not take initiative to attack, whilst Nia was launching most of the attack strikes, which Belamis always managed to avert or deflect with her sword.
Nia welded the sword faster, and Belamis also moved faster and faster...
Then suddenly Nia's sword found a gap and poke through ...the tip racing to Belamis' throat...
Belamis made a backward arch on her body...she was very agile and flexible and narrowly averted the strike, and she quickly made a turn and strike Nia's sword... Nia's dropped the sword...
Belamis stood there, her sword pointing downwards.... it was clear who's the winner.
Belamis picked up the wooden sword and handed over to Nia, and kneel down.
Nia took out a piece of wood, carved with Belamis name and Nia's icon on it. "Keep this...so that you remember my teaching... so that you remember me...and it contains all my blessing and wishes for you" He gently tied it to Belamis neck, letting it hang like a necklace.
"Belamis... you are my finest student..." Nia smiled...."You can go now..."
Belamis looked at him...Nia continued.."Go...there is a fine warrior in you... you can always come to my shed and have tea..."
Belamis eyes was welling up with tears.... Nia was like a father figure to her....
Belamis bowed to him, then she stood up, "I will live the spirit of a kenshi..."....
She turned and left the shed, holding the charm tight in her hand.
.....................................
Belamis walked into Dr. Kitty's room, and said..."Dr. Kitty.... can you give me a new set of fighting suits, a space fighter...and a weapon for me..."
Dr. Kitty asked, "Why ?"
Belamis signed..."I have to fight again......I have bad feelings that these attacks are going to get worse.." As she thought about the monstrous birds..."Kugo and other cyborgs are not here..., I must ready myself..."
Several weeks passed, Dr. Kitty showed Belamis her fighting suit, same as the one she had before.
Belamis looked in wonder...
"I referred to the one you had...and data collected when you fought with Kugo..." Even the helmet with eye shades was the same.
"You body could withstand many extremes, but this suit is to give you more protection rather than normal clothes.."
Belamis put it on, and it fitted on her like a second skin... since her recovery, Belamis had grew more muscle on her arms, chest, abdomen, and her muscle lines were more visible, though still slender, she was much stronger.
Dr. Kitty adjusted a few things using her computer, and then, put a bracelet on Belamis left hand.
"This control unit will suit you up or remove the suit in an instant...by sensing your brain waves..."
Belamis tried...and the suit was gone, being compressed in hyperspace, and she was wearing her own clothes again.
"Try putting it on again..." Dr. Kitty said.
Belamis had the thought in her head...and within a bright flash her body was suited up....
"And this..." Dr. Kitty handed her a sword....it was the same kind of electromagnetic sword she used.
"This will fit you best..."
Belamis pulled the sword out and hold it up.
"And this.." Dr. Kitty showed her to the hanger... a new space fighter jet for her...
It looks almost identical to the one she flew before...
"We had data from Queen Cosmos about your jet... but its systems needed tuning..." Dr. Kitty said.
"I know my jet...I can help to refine it.." Belamis said.
For weeks Belamis worked with the engineers and experts, telling them how the systems of her jet work, and the details.
"You have a lot of talent..." Dr. Kitty said to Belamis, as she watched Belamis working on the monitor the drawings of her own jet, making final tune up on the systems, including navigation, piloting, radar, various sensors, on-board computer, weapons, environmental controls, fuel, life support, engine and warps fight engine.
"I studied in the aeronautic college, I am a double major in space flight engineering and space piloting...after I joined the space fighters, I helped designed this... because at that time we needed the best designed jet to combat ...all its details are in my head....I also have a diploma in computing..." Belamis continued, recalling her days at college, and how she worked hard to defend her planet.
"No wonder Kugo said so many good things about you..." Assistant Professor Dodge.
"Huh ?" Belamis asked.
"Kugo said you are a superior commander, clever, and knows a lot of things..."
"It should be ready by tomorrow.." Assistant Professor Dodge said, "After this one final change from Belamis.."
Belemis entered the hanger where her jet, recreated, parked.
The jet was 12.2 meters long, 2.4 meters high excluding the height of its tail fin which adds 2 meters to its height, a wingspan of 6.3 meters, cruising speed at 700 cosmos miles, top speed over 1200 cosmos miles and with warp flight capability. On Earth, it could reach a top speed of Mach 2 at sea level, and Mach 3 at 10,000 meters, and can climb to 6000 meters within 30 seconds. It was armed with machine guns, electro-magnetic guns and also laser weapons. The jet was a formidable fighter on Earth as well as in space.
Belamis jumped into it....and looked at the controls, identical to the one she flew...
"It's all ready..." Dr. Kitty said.
"I will test fly it myself" Belamis said.
"I promise...I will fight well..." Belamis said..."And protect you...and Earth..."
Belamis started the jet and test fly it...... it felt familiar, and like part of her body...
After several flight routines, Belamis landed her fighter jet, and jumped out, then she use her brain wave and took her suit off. "All systems are good..... as good as the one I flew before..some improved..." She said.
Dr. Kitty said, "With these, you can defend us..."
Belamis nodded.
Belamis stayed at the research facilities with Dr. Kitty more often, and became Dr. Kitty's assistant, and helping Assistant Professor Dodge too. Dr. Kitty liked her talent, and knew she was a great help, assisting in a lot of analysis with the two scientists.
"You are good at a lot of things..." Dr. Kitty marveled....
"...not good enough... sometimes.." Belamis remarked...as she recalled no matter how hard she tried, she could not protect her planet....
"You can be good at a lot of things.. but we are all human.." Dr. Kitty replied gently.
Belamis bowed her head, and bit her lips.
Belamis visited the orphanage during weekends, so that she could see the orphans and old master Nia, who always served her with tea.
She took these opportunity to meditate before the master, and helped him at the fields sometimes. This place, made her happy.....
This evening, Belamis was heading to the orphanage...when midway up the steps she heard screams...
"No...!!" Belamis exclaimed...
When she was up there, again there were mysterious attackers there, holding several children at gunpoint..
"Stay still!!!" One said, as Belamis walked forward...
Belamis stopped, shaking in anger...
"Hahahaha...not so tough eh ?" One of them remarked, then striking Belamis with the gun...
Belamis fell onto the ground, and one of them put his foot on her face... Belamis stayed still...
"One wrong move and we will spill the blood of these kids..." The other said...
Then each of them pointed the guns at Belamis...
"Hahaha...that's easy...." One of them pulled the trigger and a shot went through Belamis shoulder...
Belamis felt the pain, but she remained silent. Then one put his foot on Belamis right breast and stepped on her...Belamis endured the pain... another gun shot, this time through her right side...
"mm...." Belamis endured the pain of the shot.
The children started to weep as they saw Belamis was being tortured...
Then suddenly the attackers yelled in pain.... old Nia was with his sword, striking the attacker with lightning speed and great forces, knocking a few down.....and slashing them...
"Shifu!!!!" Belamis yelled...she immediately strike back when the attackers were surprised, and she fought with them, maiming them with her strong strikes of fists and hand chops...
"Take the children away...!!!" Nia shouted.
Belamis stood between that attacker and the children, shielding them....and suddenly she saw the attackers were pointing their guns at Nia... they opened fire...
"No...!!!" Belamis rushed forward in great speed, shielding old Nia... many bullets hit her....
Belamis yelled in anger, and suited up.... and she pulled her electromagnetic sword, and began to fight fiercely........her sword sliced the guns like bear cans, and striking down the attackers..
The remaining ones ran away in fear....
Belamis turned...and saw old Nia lying down... he was hit by the gun shots..two shots went through him....
Belamis hold him in her arms, and said, "Shifu...Shifu..." tears were running down her face...
Old Nia's was fatally wounded...the shots hit his chest, injuring his lungs...
Nia put his hand on Belamis face..."I am old now....I lived my life already......don't feel sad...I am proud of you...."
Belamis looked in deep sorrow..."I will take you to the hospital now..." She carried old Nia in her arms, then her fighting suit was off... Belamis too as injured and she was bleeding. Yet Belamis ignored her wounds and races to the research facilities, with old Nia in her arms.
Belamis waited anxiously, and ignoring her wounds... the doctor came out of the operating room, with a sad face... "Sorry..... he lost too much blood, and his vital organs were seriously wounded...."
Belamis rushed into the operating room, where Nia was lying there... he was dead...but his face was peaceful, with a smile on it.
Belamis knelt beside the bed, and wept...her body was wounded, and blood were flowing out her wounds, patches of blood were wetting her clothes...
Dr. Kitty looked from a distant, and was very sad too...
...............................................................................
Belamis stared at the new grave for old Nia, and she knelt, and bowed her head to it...
Dr. Kitty put flowers on the grave...
"I failed to protect him...." Belamis remarked...and teary...
Dr. Kitty "He fought with you, and he gave his life for the children...you have did your best.."
"I wish I could trade places with him..." Belamis replied sadly.
"You cannot blame yourself...... there were so many attackers..." Dr. Kitty continued.
Belamis looked at the grave...."I lost a lot of my loved ones before... it hurts especially when I had the powers..."
Dr. Kitty, "You had cyborg powers... but you are not a god..."
Belamis looked at Dr. Kitty, "I know we will all die....but to loose someone I loved..."
Dr. Kitty, "Nia loved you.... and he died peacefully because he knew he had the finest disciple...and he knew you loved him..."
Belamis looked at Nia's tomb, and picked up the sword Nia gave to her. She gazed at the sword...then she took out the little piece of wood she was wearing....
"He will be in your fond memories always...and if he's in heaven, he will protect you..." Dr. Kitty said.
Belamis gazed at the skies... her friend Shierus, her mother, and Nia was in her heart...
They headed back to the research facilities.
比拉絲傷勢痊癒，再回答孤兒院那裡。她惦記孤兒院的孩童，也想念自己的劍道師父。比拉絲走到老者的小屋外，跪下來。
老者早在小木屋等候她，微笑迎接比拉絲。
「我未告訴你，我名字是什麼。我姓宮內，宮內弘。」比拉絲定睛看他。
「你先進來罷。」
比拉絲隨宮內進入木屋，坐下對著老者。
宮內緩緩道：「我家族以前世代都是劍士，就是到今天，我們子侄也被自小學劍道，成為劍士。我們謹守劍士的精神，勇敢戰鬥、正直、捨棄個人慾望、為理想忘我、為正義犧牲…」
「我家族世代都只授男子為徒弟，我兒子早死，還有一個孫，但他幾年前地球被怪獸攻擊時，犧牲了。這柄劍，我原打算給他。」
宮內在沉思，而比拉絲在聆聽，她了解失去至親的心情。
「我遇到你時候，感受到你如何握劍，我在你身上看見我的孫子的影子。你雖然是個女子，但也有男兒氣概和勇氣，也有女兒家的柔和…我不會再收人為徒的了，你會是我的關門弟子。」
說著，宮內拿出兩把竹劍，自己拿一把，把另外一把拋給比拉絲。
比拉絲接過，然後宮內遞給她一只手帕，說：「戴起它。」
比拉絲明白師父要她蒙起雙眼和他比武，於是照著辦。
兩人到了屋外面空地，擺出架式。
「比拉絲，來罷，不要留手！」宮內說。
兩人就用竹劍對打。孤兒院孩童聽見聲音都來圍觀。
「厲害！兩個高手！」
比拉絲一直採取守勢，擋駕著師父的劍，兩人舞動竹劍、看得四週的孩子們目眩神迷。
兩人出招越來越快，然後宮內的劍刺向比拉絲咽喉，比拉絲身體柔韌、腰向後一拗、避開了這一擊，然後揮劍把宮內的劍打落在地。
此刻勝負高下已分，宮內微笑。比拉絲把竹劍拾起，交在師父手上，然後跪下。
宮內輕輕撫摩比拉絲的頭髮，從衣袋拿出一個小小木牌子，牌子上面刻上了比拉絲的名字，上面是宮內自己家族的徽章，說：「這個送給你。希望你記著我的教導、記著我。這是我給你的祝福，你要成為一個勇敢的戰士。」他把牌子繫在比拉絲的頸項上。
「比拉絲，你是我最好的徒弟…去吧…」
比拉絲凝視宮內，宮內續道：「去吧…你已經是一個好戰士了…日後你都可以常常來我這裡喝我泡的茶…」
比拉絲熱淚盈眶，她已把師父當作自己父親那樣。她深深的拜了幾拜，站立起來道：「我一定謹守劍士的精神，不讓你失望。」
她轉頭離開木屋，手中緊握著師父送的木牌。
比拉絲走進吉蒂博士的研究室，說：「吉蒂博士，你能為我造一套戰衣、戰鬥機和武器嗎？」
「怎麼突然要這些？」吉蒂博士驚問。
「我不能不再戰鬥…我有豫感這些怪獸的攻擊會越來越多、地球會有危險。」比拉絲邊說，邊想著之前怪獸的攻擊。「孫行者和其他再造人都去了前線，地球是沒有再造人保護的，我要武裝自己。」
吉蒂博士點頭。
過了幾個星期，吉蒂博士叫了比拉絲去研究室。
眼前是一套戰鬥衣，比拉絲看得出神，那戰衣和比拉絲以前穿的一模一樣。
「我參照了以前你和孫行者等人戰鬥的資料，重新造給你的。」連頭盔和護目鏡也和比拉絲以前穿的一樣。
「你身體能夠抵受各種惡劣的環境和攻擊，這套戰衣能保護你。」
比拉絲把戰衣穿上，戰衣很貼身，像另外一層皮膚。比拉絲自復原之後身體肌肉增加了，不論手臂、胸肌和腹部肌肉線條都明顯很多，雖然她身體仍然是修長，但強壯了很多。
吉蒂博士用電腦做了修正，把一隻手觸戴在她左手，說：「這手觸已經和你腦電波聯繫，你可以用意志隨意穿上或除下這戰衣，這戰衣會收在另一空間中的。」
比拉絲嘗試，她一思考脫去戰衣，戰衣馬上解除。
「試看你能否穿上它…」
比拉絲照做，果然用腦思考，又可穿上戰衣。
吉蒂博士把一樣東西交在比拉絲手中，那是柄短劍，比拉絲一拔出來，就成了一口長劍，和她以前使用的電磁劍一樣。「這劍應該你合用的。」
比拉絲舉起劍，顯得英姿颯爽。
吉蒂博士帶她出去，去了飛機庫裡面，那裡停放著一架戰機，正和比拉絲之前駕駛的一樣。
「宇宙皇后號的電腦有你戰鬥機的數據，我才可以仿造一架出來，但它的系統還需要調校的。」吉蒂博士說。
「我很熟識我的戰鬥機，我可以幫忙的。」比拉絲道。
此後幾個星期，比拉絲和工程師、專家一起工作，調整戰鬥機的系統。
「你很有才能。」吉蒂博士說。她看著比拉絲對著電腦設計，正對著她戰鬥機的設計圖修正它的系統，包括導航、駕駛、引擎、能源、武器、雷達、感應器、機上電腦、生命維護與壓縮飛行系統等。
「我在太空航天學院讀書，有航天工程和航天飛行員的學歷，而且也修讀了電腦。我加入宇宙戰鬥隊也協助我們的科學家設計這戰鬥機，因為當時我們需要設計出性能最精良的戰鬥機守護我的星球。」比拉絲邊說邊想起她在學院讀書的日子，她如何努力要令自己成為出色的戰士。
「孫行者常在我們面前讚美你的才能…」
「嗯？」
「他說你是個出色指揮官、戰士，聰明而且懂得很多東西…」
杜杜助教說：「只差比拉絲弄的最後一處修改，戰鬥機就完成的了。」
次日，比拉絲進入飛機庫，檢查戰鬥機。
戰鬥機全長12點2米，高2點4米，如果計算後面的機翼，還有2米高，翼幅有6點3米，宇宙航行速度是每小時700宇宙哩，最高速度達到每小時1200宇宙哩，在地球上，海平面速度達到音速兩倍，在一萬米高空更加可達到音速三倍，30秒鐘就能爬升到六千米高，有鐳射、電磁武器和機關槍、導彈等武器，是高性能戰鬥機。
比拉絲跳進去駕駛艙，看見裡面的操縱和以前的一樣。
吉蒂博士說：「全部準備就緒了。」
「試飛這部份我一定要自己來…我一定會勇敢的戰鬥、保護地球…」比拉絲對吉蒂博士道。
比拉絲發動引擎試飛戰鬥機，比拉絲感到操作暢順、好像戰鬥機是自己的身體一樣，她駕駛戰鬥機進行幾次飛行演練，然後降落。她脫去戰衣，說：「戰鬥機的性能表現很好。」
吉蒂博士說：「有這些你也準備就緒了。」
比拉絲點頭。
此後，比拉絲在研究所當吉蒂博士的助理，協助兩個科學家研究和分析。吉蒂博士十分喜歡比拉絲的才能。
「你真的多才多藝…」吉蒂博士道。
「…但這有什麼用？我仍然保護不了我愛的人、我的故鄉…」比拉絲嘆道。
「你我畢竟只是人，就算再多才能、也有東西我們是無法做到或控制的。」吉蒂博士道。
比拉絲眉頭深鎖，一言不發。
每週末，比拉絲都會去孤兒院看望兒童們和師父。宮內老師父每次比拉絲到來都很高興，給她熱茶喝。比拉絲就會在師父面前打坐修煉，又幫助師父種地。這地方是比拉絲感到最快樂的地方。
這天夜裡比拉絲又往孤兒院去。突然她聽見有孩子驚叫的聲音。
「糟糕！」比拉絲飛奔到孤兒院，已經有幾個神秘的人在，他們手有槍，而且抓著幾個孩子，用槍指嚇他們。
「你乖乖的別動！」其中一人叫道。
比拉絲當下不敢輕舉妄動，氣得發抖。
「哈哈，你看來也不過如此！」他們笑道，一人用槍柄打得比拉絲倒在地上，然後用腳踏著比拉絲的面。
「好好的別動！否則這些孩子就要死！」另外一人道，其他人把槍指向比拉絲，一個說：「對付你真容易！」一扳就開槍打中了比拉絲、子彈穿過了她左肩。比拉絲忍著痛楚。
另一人腳猛踩比拉絲胸脯，大力踩著，比拉絲忍著痛，然後又一槍打中她身體右邊。
孩子們看見他們敬愛的比拉絲受苦，有些哭了出來。
這時候突然有人大喝：「放了孩子們！」原來是宮內師父，他拿著劍打倒幾個神秘襲擊者，幾個中劍倒下。
「比拉絲，先救孩子！」
比拉絲馬上反抗，用拳腳打倒幾個襲擊者，檔在孩子們面前。突然他們把槍指著宮內，比拉絲大叫：「師父！」她以高速移動衝前、用身子給她師父檔子彈，身中多槍。比拉絲大聲怒喝，穿上戰衣，拔出電磁劍揮舞，把敵人的槍像斬瓜切菜那樣砍斷、殺死幾個敵人。他們其餘的嚇得逃跑去了。
比拉絲回頭看見師父倒在地上流血。他身中兩槍。比拉絲抱著師父哭著說：「師父！你別死！」
宮內中槍，子彈打穿他肺部和心臟。宮內撫摩比拉絲面龐，說：「別難過…我已經老了…活得夠了…」
「師父，我帶你去醫院！」比拉絲解除戰衣，抱起師父、不理會自己的傷，發力奔跑回研究所去、自己身體流血也不理會。
比拉絲靜靜等候，醫生正救治她師父，她就拒絕任何治療。這時醫生出來，道：「很抱歉，我們盡力救治他，但他傷了要害、也流了太多血，我們救不了他。」
比拉絲心中悲痛，衝入手術房，只見師父安詳的躺著，他已死了，但他面上還有微笑。比拉絲跪在師父床邊，終於放聲苦了。她身上傷口不斷流血、血跡浸透了自己衣裳也不理。
吉蒂博士在傍邊看見比拉絲那麼傷心，也很難過。
比拉絲看著師父的新墳墓，她把師父葬在孤兒院的山上他原來居住的小木屋旁。比拉絲跪在墳前，低著頭。
吉蒂博士把鮮花放在墳墓上。
「我無法保護師父…」比拉絲哽咽道。
吉蒂博士說：「他是為了救孩子們而犧牲的，你已盡力戰鬥。」
「我希望死的不是他、而是我…」
「你不能那樣自責…當時你們被偷襲、敵人又多…」
「我一再失去我愛的人…尤其我是有超能力的再造人…我想到這樣就更難過…」
「你是個再造人，但你不是神。」
「我明白，人人終有一死，但經歷失去所愛…我…」
「你師父很愛你…他平靜安祥的赴義就死…他有你這樣的好弟子已心滿意足了…他也知道你深愛他…」
比拉絲看著師父的墳墓，定睛看著師父送給她的劍，有握著師父給的木牌…
「你會一直記著他…他在天有靈，也會保佑你的…」
比拉絲仰視天空，想起母親、摯友美多娜、還有舒露斯等她愛的人，當然還有師父。
然後她和吉蒂博士離開回去研究所。
No comments:
Post a Comment