Sharon Fixess's Story

They had moved here from Terra, for reasons the little girl still didn't understand. All she knew is that she had been ripped from her one true love. She would never get to ambush him again.

The ride on the space craft had been enjoyable enough, but mom had been really insistant on not talking about the journey to school mates. Jakira didn't have much to say to anyone anyway: Her game boy was her best friend.

To be honest, this new place wasn't that bad. Her mom certainly seemed happier here. Today, they were running errands in Sector Three, where some of the best food could be found. They had shopped, but ran into a problem with one of the money things. Now they were going to BankHama to resupply their funding. Jakira had been promised a popular game console, one actually native to this planet.

Fast-Forward to the planetary bank of Niihama in Sector 3. Jimmy passed though the automatic doors, carrying a single duffel bag and a burst-fire rifle in the other hand. Jimmy fired his gun in the air, bullets clipping against the roof. "Get on the ground before I make your life expectancy rather short." Jimmy fired a few more shots at the various guard's going for firearms.

"Come on, where the rest of my team?"

'Sassin wandered up muttering something unhappy about having to carry around a bag for swag and a gun. It was only a pistol because she was so thin anything bigger would probably take her arms off on firing, but it was still something. And she hated it. She wasn't a common thug! Why the hell was she sent on this mission?

"Here, so shut your trap," she mumbled, tugging down her mask and then swiping a hand over her ears. Dangit. She would be so easy to identify on camera.

Jimmy took some potshots at the various cameras, breaking quite a few of them. "Sassin', get behind the counter and make sure none of those bastards hit the silent alarm." Jimmy grunted, making a 'get-down' gesture and clearing his throat. "Get down, don't be a hero, consider your family and friends, the next person to stand up will go home in a body-bag.

"We've got twenty seconds before the cops arrive, where the fuck are the other two? Fuck, nevermind." Jimmy took a few zipties out of his duffel bag and started to tie people down and drag them behind the counter.

"Someone get that kid."

The small child screamed, and dove under the nearest pair of legs she could find. Those legs happened to belong to her not mother, who had...

Where did she go? She was nowhere to be found in the immediate radius of the child.
Oh gosh, Jakira looked to the strange intruders with the weapons and the guns, then swung back around to look for her mom. Had she been abandoned? Had here mom got away? Maybe she got the police?

Hearing the one who had threatened them all with death mention 'that kid',
With a squeal, Jakira clung to the leg of the man who was now diligently trying to shake her off.

Her mother had disappeared, but not to where Jakira suspected. She was behind the scenes, completing tasks that had been premeditated and expertly planned. They did not come to the bank today out of coincidence, they were not hear for money for a game.

They were here to rob a bank, and Jakira was scared and confused.

'Sassin nodded, good at following orders, as she wandered up to the counter, turned to mist and swept through to the teller side to reform. "Hey," she said, pointing her firearm, "Any of you hit the silent alarm? If you admit to it now I'm just going to punch you in the jaw, but if it turns out one of you did and the cops show up I'm going to start blowing brains out until one of you admits to it."

Shit she didn't care. Empathy was so far lost on her.

Jimmy threw the duffel bag over the counter, unzipping it and pulling out a drill and turning around and attaching it to the safe-room, punching in some numbers and turning it on. "Payday for you an' me." Jimmy sung to himself. Jimmy pulled out a headset and threw one to the assassin in his crew. "Put that on, we're expecting some buzz." By buzz, he meant the police radio. Jimmy himself pulled on the second headset and zipped the bag closed.

"We've got twenty minutes before that safe pops open."

From seemingly nowhere appeared a woman, hair in a tight bun and guns brandished. If she looked familiar to anyone, it was because she had been previously holding the hand of the child who now cowered under some reluctant man.

Ripping Jakira from the man, who all too willingly gave up the child in hysterics, the woman aimed the gun straight at the head of the child and began to back towards the others. One arm was fastened securely around the throat of the child, gun aimed precariously off to the left at some innocent bystanders.

"Don't even think about it," She snapped at them, pushing the gun further into Jakira's ear. This woman must have been mad, for the child was a blubbering mess. Who was this woman, and what had she done with her mother?

'Sassin snatched the headset from the air and affixed it to her head, then her ears folded flat. She didn't blame them, really. How could they have known they were going to send a cat? She still didn't appreciate the ill-fitting headset awkwardly poking off the top of her head so it could rest on either side of her ears.

"Pops as in like, bombs? Sorry, just not good with metaphors and I really want to be ready for that. I can get some doors welded shut if you need." Not really welded, but the idea was the same.

"Opens, and we escape with the cash." Jimmy elaborated, while he cocked his gun. "Go weld those front doors, Sas'." This team seemed rather hastily collaborated. Which it was. "Those cops are going to be knocking rather hard at the front doors given some time, and there's more than a few G's in this little Bankhama."

Jakira screamed, earning her a hard knock on the head with the butt of a gun. The woman seemed not to care as she simply dragged the dazed child towards a wall.

She kept her gun trained on the civilians, who had decided that this group was not worth standing up to.

It was a completely uneventful morning, just like every other in Average Joe Schmuck's life. He got up. Brushed his teeth. Saw a man about a horse. Showered. Dressed himself in a suit, and ate some toast. This particular morning, Joe decided to swing by the bank after getting in his boring mid-sized sedan, so he could make sure that his 30 year old mortgage plan at 7.4& APR was as it should be. So it was that Joe found himself walking through the front doors of the Planetary Bank of Niihama, Sector 3 branch and was met with quite the spectacle.

"What the darned heck is going on here" exclaimed a very startled Average Joe, having walked into a bank robbery in progress being perpetrated by what happened to look like a cat person walking purposely towards his spot by the front doors with what looked like a rather large welding apparatus.

The woman trained her gun on the new arrival, as Jakira warbled out something completely incoherent.

Don't. Fucking. Move.

The chatter on the NCPD's radio had come to life, several calls came in to the spectacle going on at the Government owned Bank of Niihama (新居浜市の銀行). Already several Police precincts had been notified of the sudden crime that was taking place.

"Shinkō-chū no gōtō, Niihama, bumon 3 no ginkō."

Sirens pierced the air as several police vehicles made their way through the dense traffic of Niihama City. Their sirens echoing off the buildings and the towering pillars that served to support the Decking above.

"Subete no yunitto ga jogen sa reru, gaikoku hito wa sekutā 3 de ginkō gōtō sa rete ori, bussei kenkyūjo oyobi sekushon'nain wa shirasa rete ita."

A Single Botanachi DRHC Tilt rotor aircraft sailed through the air and around the buildings as it moved towards the bank.

Whoever hit the snitch button would probably regret it, were the last thoughts of Jakira as her eyes closed to the soundtrack of a foreign land's turmoil.

Fuck,

muttered the blonde haired woman, nudging her gun at the civilians who had been given hope by the sounds from the copter. Not today, thought the woman clutching the unconscious child, Not with her and not without a fight.

Was this a bad idea? She didn't care. Taking careful aim, the woman fired three shots above the bundled mass of civilians, who shot to the floor in terror. That should hold the inside off for a few moments longer, but what about the outside?

We've got about a minute, guys,

The woman warned back at the other robbers. Shit was hitting the fan.

Jimmy started to move around the bank, throwing up tables for cover and dragging hostages behind them. "Oh my fucking god. I hope our ride can get though that." Jimmy shouted, vaulting back over the counter and pulling out a ring of grenades. Jimmy ran to the doors, kicking them open and strapping it to the door-frame, using a string from his leather shoe to make a tripwire connected to the front door that was connected to the ping of the first grenade.

Jimmy ran back and slid over the counter. "We've got cops, train your eyes on the back entrances. Shoot to kill. I'm getting a hold of Frank"

As he said that; A large black van was making it way past the police racing though the streets. The driver was a dread-locked black man, whose name was Frank. Frank drove the vehicle to the right in order to ram the police vehicles off course as they sped towards the bank. "FUCK OFF!"

Two black speedy cars were coming in from the back, sirens blazing. Peeling around a corner, busting in the corner of a dumpster and ricketing down an alley, the vehicles charged towards the scene. They weren't police, they were in on the scheme, but the real cops were none the wiser.

It paid to have a gamer kid to bounce ideas off of.

As the dust settled, hired mercenaries would take full position around the cars, and project:
--LEAVE THEM HOSTAGES, SURRENDER YOUR GUNS AT THE DOOR--

Sector Four
6228 Somua St.
Darkness

Jakira awoke in her bed, screaming. The glowing pink room was sliced with light from the hall. Clawing out of the blankets a sweating mess she was thankful to see the door cracked. Calming her breath she listened. The apartment was mostly silent. If she listened close enough, she could hear her mom discussing something on the telephone two doors away.

Flopping back into her nest she frowned. It was dark out, what time was it? Her stomach grumbled, and she remembered she missed dinner. That's not the only thought that started coming rushing back. The bank robbery!

"Moooom!"

Sharon Fixess sat on the couch, phone anchored on the coffee table in front of her. The television displayed the news, frantic shots of the robbery from the previous afternoon. Her robbery. The robbery they almost botched. Sharon was worried, she still hadn't heard from her colleagues. Had they made it out alive?

They were lucky to make it out alive. Sharon had decided at the last moment that her daughter was worth more than the money. It was a decision she never thought she'd have to make. The robbery was supposed to be simple and easy, in out. Before long, the mother was knocking her daughter in the head with the butt of her gun, firing at civilians, and panicking for her life.

She ran her hands through her hair and cursed. A disaster. Luckily they weren't followed to the safe house, or two the second junction. Sharon prayed they weren't followed home.

"...ooooooom!" Jerking to her feet, Sharon took off down the hallway after her daughter's call. She must have woken up. Her heart fluttered as she wondered just how much the child remembered from the show down at BankHama.

The night had come slowly for the people on Niihama, the sun began to slowly set across the horizon, causing a brilliant orange light to be draped across the des of the Taiyou Emperor, Nobuo Takayama.

He stared at the reports in silent costernation, a few moments before another file was placed before him, followed by a hot cup of tea, Admiral Nagumo offering a bow before the Emperor.

"Tenno Heika, this is an emergency report from Admiral Yamamoto, with an addendum prepared by Commandant Katamura regarding actions perpetrated by a force identified by our contacts in the Aschen Confederation as the 'Varden Hegemony' " Nagumo said, the Emperor pulling the file up and reading it over, shaking his head.

"They attack our soldiers without warning? They threaten and posture across the Milky Way galaxy?" He said, looking up to Nagumo, before turning down to the reports. "A Sniper team, two Jigabachi attack helicopters, and a sudden Transport and her crew destroyed by the overwhelming force displayed by the Varden Military." Nobuo said, looking up. "My daughter can handle negotiations with these Varden Barbarians, they so clearly desire war with the Taiyou Empire, than we shall prosecute the war as such." Nobuo said, while Nagumo nodded.

"Admiral Nagumo, Inform General Hayao to prepare his forces for an incursion into the Milky way, inform Admiral Koji to prepare the 3rd Imperial Armada for an incursion into the Milky way, and lastly, prepare a declaration of war to be issued for the actions the Varden have committed with wanton capriciousness." Nobuo said, pursing his lips.

Nagumo nodded. "I will carry your order out." He said calmly. Nobuo then scowled.

"I want Admiral Hasegawa to prepare the 5th Imperial Armada, find the homeworlds of these... Varden... leave no survivors."

Nagumo nodded quickly. "Your Imperial majesty." he said, before he ducked out, leaving the Emperor in solitude.

The following is a transcript, broadcast through Taiyou Media the following text was prepared and issued to the people of the Empire.



By the grace of Heaven, Emperor of Niihama, seated on the throne occupied by the same dynasty from time immemorial, enjoin upon ye, Our loyal and brave subjects:

We hereby declare War on the Varden State/Hegemony/Federation. The men and officers of Our Army and Navy shall do their utmost in prosecuting the war. Our public servants of various departments shall perform faithfully and diligently their respective duties; the entire nation with a united will shall mobilize their total strength so that nothing will miscarry in the attainment of Our war aims.

To ensure the stability of This local Galactic cluster and to contribute to intergalactic peace is the far-sighted policy which was formulated by Our Great Illustrious Imperial Grandsire and Our Great Imperial Sire succeeding Him, and which We lay constantly to heart. To cultivate friendship among nations and to enjoy prosperity in common with all nations, has always been the guiding principle of Our Empire's foreign policy. It has been truly unavoidable and far from Our wishes that Our Empire has been brought to cross swords with The Varden.

The Taiyou Empire of Greater Niihama, in the effort to continue the stability and prosperity for all people has elected the declaration of Total War against all Varden Military, Civilian, and Industrial assets in the Milky way Galaxy and beyond.

The Taiyou Empire will seek to remove or destroy all Varden Military, Civilian, and Industrial assets from the Milky Way Galaxy, and deter a return to the Milky way through sustained hostility against the Varden assets. This removal will be either by demand or through force.

The Taiyou Empire will see to locate, and prosecute the Home worlds and Geopolitical capitals of the Varden Nation, to disrupt normal Military-Civil complexes through the use of orbital and suborbital bombardment and the total destruction of planetary biospheres.

The Taiyou Empire hereby demands an immediate redress of grievances with the Varden Government prior to the prosecution of the terms of this Declaration of war, as well as a formal apology and compensation for the attacks on Taiyou military forces engaged in operations on Terra.

They have obstructed by every means our prosecution of Aschen Imperialists, Terrorists, and other threats, menacing gravely the existence of Our Empire. Patiently have We waited and long have We endured, in the hope that Our government might retrieve the situation in peace. But Our adversaries, showing not the least spirit of conciliation, have unduly delayed a settlement; and in the meantime they have intensified the military pressure to compel thereby Our Empire to submission. This trend of affairs, would, if left unchecked, not only nullify Our Empire's efforts of many years for the sake of the stabilization of the Milky Way, but also endanger the very existence of Our nation. The situation being such as it is, Our Empire, for its existence and self-defense has no other recourse but to appeal to arms and to crush the Varden and it's allies

The hallowed spirits of Our Imperial Ancestors guarding Us from above, We rely upon the loyalty and courage of Our subjects in Our confident expectation that the task bequeathed by Our forefathers will be carried forward and that the sources of evil will be speedily eradicated and an enduring peace immutably established in The Milky way, preserving thereby the glory of Our Empire.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hand and caused the Grand Seal of the Empire to be affixed at the Imperial Palace, Niihama City, this second day of the 5th month of the 15th year of Shōwa, corresponding to the 12,602nd year from the accession to the throne of Emperor Shogo.