Chapter 83: Ground Control to Major Schmidt

After a bit of fiddling around with the antenna and walking about the room to gain the clearest signal. The radio revealed life from the other side of the handpiece receiver.

"Yes?"

Tyne swallowed his nerves and soberly reported into the radio with his name and rank.

There was a pause before another voice responded.

"Lieutenant Matherson. I take it you have proceeded with the comic drop." The deep voice crackled through the clunky receiver in Tyne's hands.

Eiji had assumed the role of human aerial with his arm holding up the antenna to the roof, so he looked like a beanpole with the thin antenna wires tangled about his arm.

"Affirmative, Major Schmidt. We await further orders." Tyne frowned, not liking the man's tone of indifference.

He felt a distance and intention to be cut off.

"Major Schmidt?" Tyne called into the handpiece when silence and crackling sounds felt longer than they should be between their responses.

"Tyne. Assume your covers and play your roles. We'll provide further instructions as needed." Major Schmidt provided his orders.

"And when will that be?" Tyne was careful not to display concern in his voice.

"Continue with your covers. That it is all."

The conversation ended with a click and continuous tone.

Tyne turned a dial on the radio to turn off the signal and sound.

"Not to sound paranoid, but I think you got shafted." Eiji blurted his hasty conclusion on the conversation when he was unraveling the wires from his arm.

Sounds of approaching chatter and movements outside near their room, made them conscious of their surroundings. They quickly repacked the radio into the suitcase and hid it in the closet to be out of sight.

Throughout the entire conversation. Tama had been out hunting live game. Eiji heard her mew from the outside shoji and let her in. She returned to assume a warm cozy spot next to Eiji's futon for the night. He sighed with a smile and gently stroked her cool fur, giving her warmth and comfort to help her ease into sleep.

Tyne heaved a weary sigh when he undressed out of his suit for the complimentary yukata the maids had left on their futons for them.

Eiji eyed the various silver-white and pinkish scar lines and nicks around his torso and back. His body was toned with little fat, broad in the shoulders and showing many freckles and sunspots from weathering days in harsh sunlight. His skin didn't hold the tattoo's of his army unit. He suspected that medics never received any, which was probably another reason why he and Sean were picked for the task.

"Can you stop checking me out. It's creepy." Tyne groaned and gave Eiji an evil eye.

"Okay. Let's get this out of the way." Eiji soberly declared when he removed his own shirt and pants to don his yukata. "I'm in a loving relationship with a man. That doesn't mean I'll jump any man."

Tyne sighed and apologized. He stretched out on his futon, relishing the moment to rest.

"I knew about Sean from a report. What his parents did to him was insane," he whispered as he stared up to the wooden ceiling.

His eyes followed the mellow shadows and subdued light that strayed into the room from the outside lanterns hanging above the shoji panels.

"If someone like me was to live in your country." Eiji prompted for Tyne's input.

"I think you'd be dead or forced to be with a woman." Tyne answered. "I'm not sure, as I'm not like that. From Sean's case and others I've read. I think that's not too far from being a reality."

"A man loving another man isn't accepted anywhere it seems." Eiji sighed.

"We can't deny that it doesn't happen. Sean, you and even that Ricky guy is proof of that," Tyne answered.

"What do you think? Am I wrong for loving a man? Would you think differently of me if you found out my lover was a girl?"

Tyne took some time to think of his answer.

"No. When I found out your lover was a man, you didn't change from the man I had stumbled over at Iwo Jima." Tyne soberly concluded on the matter. "You're Eiji Takaki because of who you want to be. Not because of whom you chose to love."

Eiji smiled, feeling somewhat relieved and in admiration of Tyne's conclusion.

"Thank you, Tyne."

They fell asleep to lighter conversations and speculation on the type of good time Sean and Kei were having.

Outside their room, a maid removed her ear from the wall. Content on what she had confirmed from the unexpected strangers in the room. She stealthily made her way down the hall and continued with her cover identity.