The New Face of S.P.I.R.A.L.

Civil action

The Silver General, Ryūzaki Sanosuke, had a problem. Indeed, he had many problems. It was a chronic condition that came as part and parcel of being one of the most powerful men in Japan. One particular problem, however, was demanding his attention after the morning tournament matches had finished.   Only yesterday, Sanosuke had welcomed young foreign heiress Chōko Dufour into the Silver Meteor Storm. Now, the very next day, he was beginning to get an inkling of why even Tsukijō Hanahane was wary of the "Devil in Dandelion." Miss Dufour had been making full use of the greater Hashinara Clan's mental network all morning, and now seemed poised to take full control of their research group, S.P.I.R.A.L.. That organization's current leader, Sarutaba Chino, seemed fine with the idea. Chino wasn't much of a leader in any case, and would no doubt enjoy being able to put all her focus on research rather than attempting to head a department with administrative skills she didn't possess. That is, if Sanosuke thought that they could trust Chōko Dufour.

So it was that the Silver General's next words would more than likely have a great influence on S.P.I.R.A.L.'s future. Rather than answer Chino immediately, Sanosuke instead turned his attention to the Dandelion Devil in question. Opening up a mental "channel," as it were, he first asked Chōko whether she really intended to follow through on providing upgraded facilities for S.P.I.R.A.L.   The young mistress' answer was quick and without hesitation. She did indeed want to move the research group into a more suitable location. After all, the cramped and over-teched rooms at Sakai were fine for Sarutaba Chino and her assistant, Geeru. A full research team, however, would find themselves debilitatingly cramped without a dedicated facility.   That sounded nice, but Sanosuke still had his doubts. What guarantee did they have, he asked, that an autonomous group headed by Chōko Dufour in their own location would still prioritize the clan's needs and not the Young Miss' pet projects?   It was a blunt question, and one which Dufour professed was a little hurtful. After all, their previous agreement when Chōko joined the Silver Meteor Storm still held true. When it came down to it, she was still Sanosuke's subordinate. What's more, could he really say that S.P.I.R.A.L. as it was now was meeting any of the clan's needs? Chino and Geeru alone were too overloaded with projects to make any meaningful contribution to the Hashinara's daily dealings.   Although galling to admit, Sanosuke recognized the truth of that statement. It would no doubt be a great benefit to the clan for S.P.I.R.A.L. to attain more autonomy and resources in a new facility. However, it would be the height of foolishness to appoint a leader for such an important organization out of the Silver Meteor Storm's one-day recruits. Regardless of Dufour's credentials, Sanosuke wanted someone he trusted to head up the team.   A short silence followed that statement. Then, Chōko forced a laugh and said that she'd have lost respect for him if Sanosuke had really gone along with her takeover so easily. That may have been more to save face than it was genuine, but the Dandelion Devil was at least willing to concede this point. Someone else would take control of S.P.I.R.A.L., and Sanosuke already had someone he could trust in mind.   The princess from the moon, Kaguya-hime, was not thrilled at the prospect. After all, as she often claimed, she was from this Earth's future. As something of a scientist herself, if any of Kaguya's more advanced knowledge leaked into this time period, it could severely disrupt the future. So much so that Kaguya might not even have a home to return to. Still, Sanosuke was persuasive. When he explained that Kaguya could use the position to ensure that S.P.I.R.A.L. remained on the correct track for this period of history, the princess admitted that she could not afford to refuse under such circumstances.   So it was that S.P.I.R.A.L. would get its new facilities and a new leader. With multiple promising new members and more resources, they would no doubt become a much greater asset to the clan. Chōko Dufour, too, would get what she wanted. Almost. There only remained the matter of where, exactly, the new facilities would be located.   Previously, Chōko had tried to ingratiate herself with the powerful Daimyō of the Hashinara Clan. Hashinara Yoshitakatomo would provide a parcel of land and funding if Dufour could, in turn, impress her* enough with a display of robotics. Rather than go through all that, however, Chōko hinted that perhaps Sanosuke would be generous enough to provide a location from his own lands...   Indeed, the Silver General thought he might know just the place. He told the Young Miss that he would arrange matters while she and Kaguya put everything else in order. Soon, a new S.P.I.R.A.L. would be born.