Unstoppable

CH 8 TEASER

The H135-Type 3 helicopter passed through a thick fog above the sea, and from the window, a blue expanse could be seen below. Unlike the view from passenger planes at high-altitudes - here, the wave peaks could be clearly seen as the sunlight dazzled from the surface of the sea while Miyuki Yotsuba thought, How long has it been since I last played in the sea, two or three years, perhaps?

Though if she wanted to visit the sea everyday - all it would take was to ask her father, who would gladly fulfill all her requests - the Yotsuba estate was entirely too far away from any nearby seas as it was located deep in the mountains of the Old Capital. She could have enjoyed the sunbathing lifestyle everyday if she wished, but in all honesty, Miyuki thought that it was merely too wasteful. Although she enjoyed the sea breeze and sunlight, she would rather refrain from them if it meant excessive uses and displays of wealth.

After all, she turned to her left and looked at her companion's resting face, my dear Guardian* dislikes such habits.

Four days ago, she had received a call from one of her father's most faithful servants instructing her to return to Japan as her father had wanted to show her something. Like the obedient daughter that she is, Miyuki decided to end her current tour in Europe and instructed her Guardian to prepare for the flight back. Mildly annoyed that her precious time with her Guardian had been interrupted, she puzzled on the reason why she had been called back. Genzou Yotsuba was not a man who would usually go against his word once it has been given; and though he had twisted the truth, misdirected people, and gave half-answers, he had never lied. Her father had given her his word that she would be given all the time she would like and so, what must be so important that her father would break his word?

Miyuki's mind was brought out from her thoughts as she felt her Guardian stir from his silent vigil. His voice was soft and would have been easily drowned by the helicopter's rotor but inexplicably, it was as clear as if he had spoken in a silent room as he said to her,

"We're here."

Eyes narrowed from under short, untamed green curls as he observed their objective from the curved glass window of their transport. From where he was, he could see its small, black body on a corner of the immense ocean's surface.

"That's... the Bandersnatch... ?"

Miyuki muttered as she saw the dazzling rainbow sheen due to the reflection of the black solar panels. The co-pilot in a dark flight suit who had been on the seat answered quietly and said that there were still 10 minutes before they could land. The helicopter flew an approximate distance of 250 kilometers from Shinkiba to Tokyo and to the surroundings of the large ocean research facility, The Bandersnatch, and landed in a suitable manner.

Miyuki who had never seen anything like it, stared gobsmacked at her surroundings - stunned by the overly majestic sight. Anyone who had ever laid eyes upon the vessel could never refer to the Bandersnatch as a mere ship. For one, it was too large as on its 1,684.5 feet body stood a small pyramid that was 10 stories tall made completely of cutting-edge vantablack solar panels. The height was over 33 stories tall; it was quite different to read the details from the paper that was sent to her by a subordinate, than it was to truly see it for herself. The difference between what she had imagined and what it really looked like was as far as the distance between the Earth and the moon.

The four sided pyramid that they would land next to was covered entirely by black glowing panels that were as large as the vehicle they rode in, covering it like a shell. How much did they spend on this thing?, Miyuki, for all the wealth that surrounded her, couldn't tell. From the documents that she had read on the way to this place, the Bandersnatch's written purpose was for investigation and the mining of precious resources below the seabed off of the Sagami Bay Coast, and after seeing the impossible floating body of this vessel which defied common sense, she couldn't help but wonder if there was something more that was happening here.