Girl of the Jungle
[ACT 1]
A FULL WEEK had passed since Yukari began training. Her body was bruised, her back ached, she had sprains in places she didn’t know she could sprain—she was a walking ball of pain. Physically and mentally Yukari was at the breaking point.
Satsuki escorted her to the Fuel Processing Center. Motoko Mihara was waiting for her in the same room where they had taken a cast of her body the previous week.
Motoko pointed proudly to a gleaming white space suit hanging from a rack. “Ta-da! Your skinsuit is finally ready.”
Yukari glanced at the suit with disinterest.
The material was ultrathin, a mere two millimeters thick, and it formed one continuous piece, like a wet suit. A double-layered fastening mechanism extended from the neck to the waist. The chest bore the SSA logo, and beneath it ASTRONAUT YUKARI MORITA was neatly printed in ten different languages—in the event she had to make an emergency landing in some remote part of the globe.
“Out of those clothes—underwear, everything,” said Motoko.
Yukari stripped without protest. Taking off her clothes on command had become a nonevent. She had been poked and prodded by every instrument known to man. Privacy was not a luxury afforded astronauts.
The space suit was precisely 3 percent smaller than Yukari but had some give. With her arms and legs inside, the material fit snugly against her body—a second skin, just as Satsuki had said. From the neck down, the only part of the suit that wasn’t skin-tight was a device to collect urine in the crotch that resembled an oversized maxi pad. For solid waste, you would just have to hold it.
There were ports in the back that provided power to the heaters embedded in the material of the suit, as well as an array of sensors that monitored body temperature and power flow. A ring around the neck would fasten the helmet to the suit, but the helmet was still in production.
“Try moving around. It might feel a little stiff.”
“A bit.”
“I designed it for optimal comfort while seated in the capsule, but I think it holds up well enough in general use.”
“I guess—my chest could use some support though. You sure I can’t wear a bra?”
“Out of the question. Your skin has to be in direct contact with the suit.” Motoko thought for a moment. “Maybe if you wore it outside the suit.”
Yukari frowned.
“I think it looks cute on you,” said Satsuki. “A science fiction heroine straight out of an anime.”
“I’m curious to see how strong it is in practice, how long it can be continuously worn,” said Motoko. “It has a sturdy silicone rubber base, but if it gets scratched up too badly it might tear. Of course, in a vacuum, even if it does break, it won’t pop—no air inside.”
Yukari was unimpressed.
“Keeping you in it for two or three days should tell me what I need to know. If it gets too uncomfortable, take it off and give your skin some air.”
“But try to avoid it,” added Satsuki. “This is a test, after all.”
“A test? Now?”
“A field test, yes. You’ll be camping out.”
“But what about class? And endurance training?”
“Those are on hold.”
“Woo-hoo!” Yukari’s face lit up with joy.
“Come on, we need to get to the landing field.”
“Landing field?”
“You heard me.” Satsuki smiled.
[ACT 2]
THE HSS-2 HELICOPTER climbed straight into the sky. The sliding door on its side was open, providing Yukari a breathtaking view of the distant island of Malaita and the coral reef that ringed Maltide. The reef glimmered like jade beneath the tropical sun.
Yukari was strapped snugly into a parachute harness, and she wore a gun secured to one shoulder over her new space suit. Kurosu sat beside her.
“Your chute will open on its own. You can guide your descent with the cables on either arm, but you’ll probably just make things worse. If you’re headed into a tree, tuck in your legs and cover your face with your hands.”
“What about my chest? A hit there hurts like hell.”
“Your choice then, face or chest. Once you’re on the ground, check your weapon first, then examine your surroundings. If you get lost, stay out of the rivers. Try to follow a ridge. Remember your training and you’ll do fine.”
“The only thing you trained me to do was shoot.”
“That’s all you need to know. The rest is details.”
Yukari had suddenly found herself the sole participant in a survival training mission. She was about to parachute into a jungle, alone, with no radio and only a day’s worth of rations.
She followed the orders without a word of protest. Either the team’s plan to wear her down with a week of grueling training had succeeded in numbing her to fear, or she had more courage than they had given her credit for.
The helicopter climbed to an altitude of 1,200 meters. The lines of the base, looking uncannily like the geoglyphs at Nazca, receded into the distance. Dense jungle rolled beneath them.
“We’re at the drop zone. Get ready.”
Yukari unfastened her seat belt and stood at the edge of the door. The wind was ice-cold. A small cloud passed beneath them.
“Now jump!”
Yukari leapt into the air. For a brief moment, she was in free fall—weightless. A hard jolt shook her as the parachute unfurled overhead. It was a paraglider, giving her some lift and forward motion.
The helicopter didn’t linger to see that she landed safely.
The ground rose slowly beneath Yukari’s dangling feet. Or what seemed slow, at first. Her shadow moved across the canopy of the trees at a brisk pace of better than thirty-five kilometers per hour.
As she drew closer to the ground, the paraglider began to shudder and lurch. Banking sharply to one side, it changed course, descending into a deep valley that lay in shadow.
“Uh-oh…” The side of the valley rose in a steep, green slope. It was coming at her fast.
“Not good.”
Yukari fought with the controls, but she couldn’t remember how to steer.
“C’mon! Not that way!”
Yukari crashed into the jungle canopy. From a distance, lush green foliage looks soft and welcoming.
It isn’t.
[ACT 3]
“JUMPED RIGHT OUT, did she?”
Kurosu had been briefing Director Nasuda on the drop. He liked what he was hearing.
“We dropped her over Taliho territory, but there’s no guaranteeing that’s where she put down,” said Kurosu. “Good chance she broke a leg coming in, but these things happen.”
“Can’t be helped, I suppose.”
“She makes it through this, it’s smooth sailing from here on out. The kid’s a natural. Squeezes a trigger gentle as you please.”
“You don’t say?”
“Could be her feminine disposition helps her keep a cool head.”
“Could be.” Nasuda folded his arms. “I admit, she’s come further in a week than I would have guessed. I’m starting to think we should bring her aboard permanently.”
“Why not? Put one of our boys on, you lose another hundred kilograms of payload. You’d be a fool to send them up if Yukari pans out.”
“If. And then there’s the problem of not having a backup. I’d rest a lot easier knowing we had at least one more—another girl about the same size.”
Nasuda knew the odds of stumbling across another candidate were slim to none. He could always find someone by actively recruiting, but the press would have a field day, and then he would end up defending his decision to an outraged public.
“Good work, Kurosu. Dismissed.”
“Sir.” Kurosu turned and left the room.
Nasuda sat lost in thought. His eyes came to rest on a photograph on his desk that had collected a thin layer of dust—the photograph of Yukari’s father.
“Who goes missing on their honeymoon?”
Nasuda lifted the photograph and examined it.
“Where have I seen him before?” The color left his face. “I don’t believe it!”
He had to act quickly. If Yukari found her father, she would have no reason to stay and become an astronaut. Nasuda picked up the phone and started to dial.
[ACT 4]
YUKARI GROANED AND opened her eyes.
She had come to rest on a thick branch. Her entire body throbbed with pain. She tested her arms and legs one by one— nothing seemed to be broken. She was surrounded by trees, trees, and more trees.
Yukari reached for a small branch to pull herself up. Squish. Her fingers closed around the body of a snake.
“Aiiieee!” She leapt from the branch without a second thought and came crashing down. Finally on the ground, Yukari nursed a fresh bruise. “I hate the jungle!”
After a short rest, she rose to her feet. She removed the parachute harness and hefted the pack containing her rations and survival kit onto her back. A quick inspection of the handgun holstered on her shoulder revealed no problems. Her space suit had survived in one piece, and although the air was brutally hot, it was nothing Yukari couldn’t handle.
She checked her compass to get her bearings. “Looks like I came down on the north side of the ridge.” The map showed two or three valleys that seemed similar to the one in which she had landed. If she followed the valley downhill, she should reach the coast. She remembered Kurosu’s advice about climbing to the top of a ridge if she got lost.
“I’m not lost yet.”
By the time she had decided on a path down the valley, Yukari was already feeling better. This was the most freedom she had had in a while. There wasn’t anyone to torture or berate her here.
Yukari drew a deep breath. “Yodel-ay-hee-hoo!”
Her surroundings pressed in around her. Inseparable layers of trees, moss, flowers, and vines. Curtains of milk-white sunlight. Birds and butterflies drifting on the wind. The forest brimmed with life, and yet it seemed to sleep.
“I’m in the middle of the jungle…”
Swallowing her fear, she set out.
[ACT 5]
IT WAS ALMOST noon. Yukari was about to sit down for a delicious MRE lunch when she heard a sound from the bushes on her right. She froze, not even breathing, and listened. Kurosu’s words raced through her head. Shoot or be shot.
She took her Colt Government from its holster and held it with both hands. She released the safety.
“Wh-who’s there?” The words came out in a whisper.
There was no answer.
Yukari stood motionless, muscles taut. She heard the sound again. It was coming from about thirty meters away. Closer than before. Whoever it was might try to flank her, so she had to find out who it was. Gun drawn, she pressed forward.
The bushes in front of her rustled. Yukari nearly jumped out of her skin and her skinsuit.
“Who’s there? Don’t move!” And then, in her best English, “Freeze!”
“My name is Matsuri.”
“Wha—?”
The answer came in Japanese. Or were Yukari’s ears playing tricks on her?
The bush rustled once more, and a girl about the same height as Yukari stepped out of the jungle. She had smooth, bronze skin, and her hair was long and straight. She wore nothing but a grass skirt and woven bikini top. What she lacked in clothing the girl made up for in accessories. Animal fangs, seashells, and a bounty of colorful fetishes graced her arms, legs, and neck. Some looked as though they might even be magical talismans.
A long hunting spear rested on the girl’s shoulder like a fishing rod, the day’s catch hanging from its tip.
“Um, hello?”
“Hi.” Matsuri smiled warmly. “I haven’t seen you before.” Her Japanese had a strange accent, but it was definitely Japanese. She peered at Yukari with wide, black eyes.
“My name’s Yukari.”
“There are many poisonous snakes this way, Yukari.”
This was useful information. “I didn’t know.” Regaining her composure, Yukari returned her gun to its holster. “You know your way around here?”
“Oh yes.” There was pride in her voice.
“I’m trying to get back to the Solomon Space Center. You know where it is?”
“Hoi. The fireworks place. It’s not far, but you need to go back that way.”
“Oh…”
“Come on. I’ll show you.”
Matsuri started off into the jungle. She moved like a cat, her long legs knowing instinctively where to step. Yukari kept up as best she could.
“Slow down.”
“Ah, you are not used to this place.”
“You noticed.”
“This place can be unforgiving to outsiders. Sometimes the anthropologists come. It is very hard on them.”
“Anthropologists?”
“I think that’s the word. My Japanese isn’t very good. Do you speak English?”
“Yeah, but I’d rather stick with Japanese.”
“Yukari is wantok.” Matsuri grinned. “Our chief says all Japanese are wantok.”
“What’s wantok?”
“One talk. Wantok. It’s pidgin for someone who speaks only one language.”
This barefoot girl in the middle of the jungle was bilingual?
“So, Matsuri…”
“Hoi?”
“Where did you learn Japanese?”
“Our chief taught me.”
“Your chief sounds pretty smart.”
“Oh, he is. He knows everything. You want to meet him? It’s not far.”
“Sure, why not?” If the chief was some sort of Nipponophile, Yukari thought there might be a chance he knew something about her father. As best she could judge from Matsuri, they didn’t seem to be headhunters, and if she got in trouble, she still had her gun. “Let’s get going.”
“Woo!” Matsuri jumped with joy. “Follow me!”
“Hey, wait up!”
Yukari struggled to keep up with Matsuri as she raced through the jungle. They ran for half an hour before emerging in a large clearing. A handful of huts stood on stilts, and there was one tall watchtower. A bonfire crackled happily in the plaza at the center of the village. There was a large talking drum that had been carved out of a tree.
“Wow.” Yukari knew they weren’t advanced, but she hadn’t expected this. It was something out of a fairy tale.
Matsuri cut across the plaza and climbed up into one of the huts. “Dad, I brought somebody to visit.”
A voice drifted down. “Speaking Japanese today, are we, Matsuri? And what’s this about a visitor?” His Japanese was fluent, almost native.
“Come on up, Yukari.” Matsuri waved down from a crude balcony.
“Coming.” She clambered up a log ladder and into the hut. There was no door, only a curtain of banana leaves. Inside it was pitch black.
As Yukari’s eyes adjusted, the details of the room came into focus. A rug of woven palm fiber and baskets of the same material. Clay pottery. A large, round stone. Decorations made from seashells.
Matsuri sat cross-legged on the floor. Behind her sat a muscular man with a disheveled beard. This was how Yukari imagined cults got started.
“Um, hello. I met Matsuri in the jungle. My name’s Yukari Morita.”
“That’s quite a coincidence.” The chief spoke in a soft voice.
“Oh?”
“My name is Morita too. Hiroshi Morita.”
Yukari’s heart stopped. That was her father’s name.
[ACT 6]
YUKARI STARED INTO the man’s face. The sun had darkened his skin, and his hair and beard had grown unchecked, but there was no question about it. A shiver ran through her.
“Could I ask you something?”
“Yes?”
“What’s your wife’s name?”
“Let’s see, there’s Toto, Onikay, Papayto, Lungia, Cavay.” The chief counted off the names on his fingers. “Lebi, Tsupua, Manaen, Walikay, Tongua, Kaua, Faula, Lenikay, Kevanamua, Koina, Lakiki. There are another ten or so, but I can’t place their names right now.”
“Uh, okay. What about Japan? Did you ever get married there?”
“Japan? Yes, actually. Hiroko, I think her name was.”
Whatever doubt had lingered in Yukari’s mind, it was gone now. The man in front of her was her father.
“I’m Hiroko Morita’s daughter.”
“I never knew she remarried.”
“She didn’t. That first night on the honeymoon? Mission accomplished.”
“How about that? Nice of you to come visit your old man.”
“Nice of me to come visit?” That was the last straw. “Is that the best you can do after walking out on your wife and your daughter? What are you even doing out here in the middle of a jungle?”
“I’m the chief.”
“And?”
“It’s a long story.”
“So what happened that night in Guadalcanal?”
“I remember it like it was yesterday.” The chief stared into the distance. “I was in the hotel with Hiroko—it was our first night there—and I happened to look out the window. The moon was coming up, and it looked so lovely I decided to go for a walk.”
“By yourself?”
“Hiroko said she was sleepy. So I went down to the beach alone.”
“Then what?”
“The moon was high and bright. The waves shone white in the moonlight. It was like I was walking in a dream world.”
“Spare me the poetry.”
“I noticed a single canoe on the water, heading straight for where I stood. When it reached me, I got in. We rowed for two days before reaching Maltide.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Back up. Why did you get in the canoe in the first place?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Not the answer I was looking for.”
“The men from the canoe brought me here, to the village. The chief came out and told me they had been waiting for me. He said their shaman had called me to them with the help of the spirits.”
“As in magic?”
“A small tribe like the Taliho will die out if they only marry within the tribe. They turn to outsiders like me to bring in new blood.”
“So what’s with the mumbo jumbo then?”
“I can’t really say. That’s more of Toto’s specialty. Toto is Matsuri’s mother—she probably knows more about it than I do.”
“Ask away,” said Matsuri, smiling.
“How does this magic work?”
“We burn grass in the plaza, and the shaman chants the sacred words. Everyone gathers around to drink and dance the whole night. It’s lots of fun.”
“That’s it.” Yukari stood. “Start packing—we’re going back to Japan.”
“We?” asked the chief.
“Yes, we. You can’t just leave your family and run off to party on some tropical island.”
“I wouldn’t call it partying. I’m the chief here. I negotiate with other tribes. I even wage war, when it comes to it.”
“What about making up for your past? I grew up without a father because of you! And you wouldn’t believe what I’ve been through on this island looking for you.”
“I was wondering about the clothes. It says you’re an astronaut with the Solomon Space Association.”
“Long story. Basically, I took this part-time job as an astronaut to try and find you.”
“Good work, if you can get it.”
“Hardly. The last week of my life has been a living hell. But that’s over now. We’re going home to Japan, and you’re going to apologize to Mom.”
“You can’t do that.” The warmth in his voice was gone now.
“Do what?”
“Quit your job. People are counting on you. It would be irresponsible.”
“Irresponsible? You left your wife on your honeymoon!”
“That has nothing to do with you.”
“Oh yeah?”
“I was a computer sales engineer. I know the impact it can have on a team when someone pulls out. Take that space suit, for example—obviously custom-made. It probably cost millions of yen. And the rocket is in another league entirely.”
“You’re not talking your way out of this.” Yukari drew her Colt. “If you don’t come back to Japan with me, I’ll shoot you.”
“Easy, Yukari.” The chief motioned for her to be calm. “Think about what you’re doing here.”
“I know exactly what I’m doing.”
“I don’t think you do.” A smile flashed across the chief’s face. “You want me to come home with you, right?”
“Yeah.”
“You want a normal, happy family, right?”
“That’s the idea.”
“And you expect that to happen at gunpoint?”
“Well, uh…”
“I’ll make you a deal. If you see this astronaut job through, I’ll come back with you to face the music in Japan. I’ll throw myself at Hiroko’s feet and beg forgiveness.” There was still doubt in Yukari’s eyes. “Look, there are over three hundred Taliho here, and I’m responsible for them. I can’t just get up and leave. While you’re finishing your job, it will give me time to make arrangements for someone to replace me.”
“I don’t know.”
“And what about your mother? Does she even want me to come back?”
“I think so.”
“Did she tell you that?”
“Not exactly,” Yukari admitted.
“I didn’t think so. So there’s no need to rush things. What do you say?”
“When my astronaut job is done, you’ll come back to Japan? You promise?”
“I promise.”
“You’ll have to clean yourself up. Get a job, help Mom with the bills.”
“Naturally.”
“And you have to get me and Mom presents on our birthdays.”
“Gladly.”
“Remember, you promised.”
“Cross my heart and hope to die.”
“Break that promise and you just might.”
Yukari returned her gun to its holster.
The chief stretched. “It’s been a while since I had a nice long conversation like that. Really works up the appetite.” His eyes moved to the animals Matsuri had brought back from her hunt. “What say we roast up some grub?”
“Okay.” Matsuri stood up with her catch and turned to Yukari. “You should stay and eat with us, Sis.”
[ACT 7]
YUKARI AND A group of villagers sat in a circle around the bonfire. Matsuri turned the mystery meat roasting on the spit as juices began to drip down into the fire. “All done,” she said.
Yukari sat on a flat stone, watching Matsuri—her half sister. The chief had a couple dozen wives, which meant Yukari probably had dozens of half brothers and sisters in the village. But Matsuri was special.
Aside from Yukari herself, Matsuri was the chief’s oldest child. They didn’t keep precise records, but she had been born only one or two months after Yukari. They were practically the same age.
“Looks good, doesn’t it, Yukari?” Matsuri took a slice of meat from the shoulder and handed it to her.
“Yeah, I’m starved—Ow! It’s hot!”
Yukari continued to study Matsuri as she chewed the strange-smelling meat. She was interested in more than her age.
“Hoi? What is it, Yukari?”
“How much do you weigh, Matsuri?”
“Not much. I’m light.”
Of course there wouldn’t be any scales in a place like this.
Yukari got up off the rock and stood in front of Matsuri.
“Hoi?”
“Stand up,” said Yukari. “Nice and straight.”
“Okay.”
Yukari had to tilt her head upward ever so slightly to look Matsuri in the eye—she must have been one, maybe two centimeters taller. Close enough. Her eyes continued down to her chest. Mother nature had been generous to Matsuri. Yukari furrowed her brow. From the chest down, Matsuri narrowed considerably—enough to offset the extra weight she carried above. Her hips were well-rounded, and her legs were long and thin. There wasn’t any fat on her body.
Her proportions may have been a little off, but overall, her height and weight were almost an exact match. There was no question that she was fit, and she had spent her entire life in the jungle, so she could probably teach survival training. She even spoke Japanese and English. If Yukari was qualified to be an astronaut, there was no question Matsuri would be.
So long as she fulfilled her responsibilities to the space program, she could quit without breaking the terms of the deal with her father. Then they could go back to Japan together. An under-handed scheme, but if anyone could handle training hell, it was Matsuri. It would be a happy ending for everyone.
“Dad?” Yukari said.
“Yes?”
“I need to head back to the base. Do you mind if Matsuri shows me the way?”
“Not at all.”
“I thought I might give her a little tour of the place once we’re there. Let her see what kind of technology they have.”
“That’s a great idea. You’d like that, wouldn’t you, Matsuri?”
“Hoi!”
“So you don’t mind if she’s gone a little while? It’ll be nice to have someone my own age to talk to for a change.”
“She can stay as long as she likes.”
“Thanks, this should be fun.”
“You ready to go?”
“Ready,” said Matsuri.
“Don’t forget your promise, Dad.”
“How could I? You two be careful.”
The chief saw them off and returned to his hut. He walked over to a basket of woven bamboo near the wall and lifted the lid. A mobile phone rested at the bottom. He took it out and pressed the speed dial button.
“Hello, Solomon Space Center? This is the chief of the Taliho tribe. Director Nasuda, please.” There was a short pause while the operator put him through. “Ah, Isao. How are you? You were right about Yukari—she just left. Had some interesting things to say. No, no, thank you. We’ll be expecting the medicine and cigarettes. We still have plenty of penicillin, but we’re almost out of mosquito repellent. The Boonikay? They’re not the forgive-and-forget type, and you did bulldoze their land to build your runway. We’ll send in a raiding party next week. That should keep them quiet for a while. No, no trouble. Oh, and my daughter is escorting Yukari back to the base. They should be there by tomorrow. Right. Goodbye.”
[ACT 8]
MATSURI SAID THE base was close, but it was still a good fifteen kilometers as the crow flies. And the girls weren’t flying. Winding their way through the jungle, they had only managed to cover five kilometers in the first day and a half, but the going was much easier once they reached the shore. By the morning of the second day, they could see the base on the far side of the cape. Yukari’s spirits soared. Soon she would be through training, and she would be going home with her father in tow. A productive summer vacation by any measure.
Yukari walked happily along the beach, wearing a wreath of flowers Matsuri had made for her during breakfast. Even her space suit felt more comfortable.
When they reached the gates of the base, a group had assembled to welcome her. They must have been monitoring her approach through a telescope. She was greeted with cheers and applause.
“I’m back! Did you miss me?”
Director Nasuda walked up to Yukari. “I see there was no need to worry. Only two days, and back already.”
“I have my guide to thank for that.” Yukari pulled Matsuri to her side. “This is my sister, Matsuri. I met her in the jungle.”
“Nice to meet you,” said Matsuri.
“It’s sort of a long story, but you can see the similarity, can’t you? We’re the same height, the same weight—”
The director’s eyes went wide. “Satsuki, get over here.” He waved impatiently at the doctor. “How much would you say this girl weighs?”
Satsuki’s eyes sparkled. “I’d say 38.5 kilograms, give or take.”
“Good. And her measurements?”
“Height, about 157 centimeters, 85 centimeters through the chest, 53 at the waist, 84 at the hips.” She smiled. “The very picture of health.”
“I don’t believe our luck.” Director Nasuda’s face flushed with joy. “I don’t think we even need to wait for the tests. We’ve found out backup crew!”
“Backup?” Yukari’s eyebrows shot upward. “What do you mean, ‘backup’?”
“We can’t let the fate of the entire program rest on a single person. There has to be a contingency plan,” said Director Nasuda. “Now everything is in place. We can even use the same capsule. Between the two of you, there’s no mission we won’t be able to handle.”
“It couldn’t have worked out better,” Satsuki said, her smile wide.
“So, you still need me?” Yukari asked.
“Absolutely. You’re our senior astronaut. The honor of the maiden flight is entirely yours. I daresay we may need to extend your tour from six months to a full three years.”
“I’m not so sure that will work.”
“Nonsense. Your mother won’t have any objections. Knowing her, she won’t let you come home a day sooner.” Director Nasuda chuckled.
Yukari’s face twitched.
“What do you say, Matsuri? Want to become an astronaut with your sister?”
“Woo! Do I ever!”
Yukari slumped to the white pavement as it shimmered in the tropical heat.