Moonlight Sonata
The Morning Comes
Moonlight Sonata
Chapter 7: Morning Comes
"Dammit... I've been here too long. So much for surveillance, she hasn’t moved since I got up here!" Thought the Kai as he crept toward the fire escape. "At least nii-san won't have my head again this time... He'll probably still lecture me though... "You've been up here too long" he'll say, "be more considerate"." He could almost hear his brother speaking to him as he crept toward the escape. "...I probably made him worry again, he needs to let loose a little more, I have a life outside of the Leon Caina..." Sighing, he began a gradual decent into the small metal platforms.
As he reached the third threshold, he began humming quietly to himself the tune to 'Yuusha-Oh Tanjou" and continued his climb down the cold, metal ladders and steel platforms. "This reminds me of the old video games, I remember playing something like this back on Earth... Except then there was a huge monkey tossing barrels at me. This is much easier." Lowering himself down the final ladder, he jumped off silently and walked back around the building and onto the now deserted streets of Mars. "Damn... I really HAVE been here too long. It's already morning... Ah well, time to get back. Gotta find nii-san, he'll give me hell if I don't report back." Sighing, he reached into his pockets and retrieved his MP3 player, pushing the volume to thirty, and stuffed the small ear pieces into their positions, "At least I have my music."
Nisah sighed as her LEP showed the young interloper dropping down the fire escape, walking out of the alley, and unto the street, the micro cameras she'd placed all over the place had saved her neck. She wasn't exactly prepared when he crept up the ladder. The katana he'd been carrying was a surprise; there was no way she could have won with what she had. That was if he had tried to attack her of course. "Stupid little boy..." she muttered under her breath, zipping up her skin suit and gathering her equipment as she watched him leave. He was a stubborn little pest, the young one, she wasn't able to move and follow the two mechanics back to base due to his constant eye on her. He'd even stayed well beyond the departure of his friend: who'd gone the opposite way of the mechanics. It was a little past daybreak when he left.
At least I was able to tell the old man about the girl she thought to herself, smiling, finally putting on her therm-optic camouflage, walking towards the fire escape herself, reaching the alleyway, and finally walking back towards Elysium Base. "This better be worth all that trouble..." she sighed to herself
Idiots. Stupid backwater bodyguards. Still, some minor governmental functionary can't have the best of everything. Maybe I'll get myself installed as ambassador to Jupiter or something. At least I'll have guards I can pay to not notice me instead of resorting to outsmarting them. Like that's so hard. The incognito Havilar Ami ran his fingers through close- cropped hair as he strolled down a poorly- lit street. He had spent the previous several hours placing himself in very public areas, all the while watching and waiting for the supposed eagle eyes of his assigned bodyguards to waver. And waver they did. Havilar made sure to enter every nightclub and bar from the landing pad to his hotel and back. Halfway through the evening, he slipped out under the watchful umbrella and attempted to contact someone he had not spoken with in too long.
The last bar they entered had been a spectacle like few others. In closer proximity to the Aegis ARM base than he was comfortable, an over sized crowd watched in awe as two people battled it out in what Havilar assumed to be some form of apocalypse.
Losing himself in the crowd had been easy. Losing his shadows had been even easier. stepping back out into the crisp too- early morning air, the pirate didn't even pay much attention to a couple oddly- shaped shadows on an adjacent rooftop. Not much later, and now fully confident he had lost his guards, Havilar Ami strolled his way down an alley toward the military base's back entrance. "Hey you!" came a gruff voice from beyond some shadows. "Yeah you! Get over here."
Not now, you lowborn idiot. Havilar glared and continued walking. A high- pitched whine and quick flash of silver in the sparse lighting was all the information the pirate chief needed. "Drop the knife, punk, before I kill you." Though a good fight might make me feel better. The thug, falling right into his opponent's trap, bristled and jumped out of the shadows into the street. Havilar could see for the first time his opponent; a kid- barely old enough to shave- brandishing a wicked- looking vibro- knife.
"I'm gonna cut you up real good, man." And with a yell, he charged. The green- clad pirate dodged at the last second and cuffed the kid on the back of the neck. The thug shook his head to try and clear his thoughts before he turned and brought the knife in a wild horizontal slash. Havilar stepped back and tilted his head.
"You're really not good at this. Unfortunate." Summoning all his anger, the punk ran headlong at his unhurt opponent. A brief flash lit up the dark street. A lifeless body, smoke still rising from the gunshot, collapsed on the ground. Havilar checked himself quickly for any sign of blood before stepping over the dead body.
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Drach awoke from the slight knock he'd heard from his door. His eyes were open; slowly at first, but open nonetheless. Then they told him it was early in the morning, the sun having barely even made it's presence known. They widened as he remembered why he'd tried to stay awake as long as possible... 'Madalayne!' his mind demanded of him when the cobwebs of sleep and fatigue started to blow away in the faint hiss of the environmental unit. Movements fast and deliberate, he was dressed and upon the door in a matter of moments. The crack of the lock and subsequent flinging of the door open revealed a smiling Hans.
"She's back..." Was all the old solider said before turning aside; letting Drach slip past him and break into an almost run into the hallways of the facility. His direction didn't need further guessing... The older man could only bite back a bemused grin at the rare burst of youthful enthusiasm- spurred by anything other than taking down a skilled opponent in battle- from his commanding officer. Well, enough of this. He had some work of his own to do. Youth is wasted on the young.
Drach was slightly running at first, which slowed to a brisk jog, finally to a governed but very determined walk clear across the hallways, into a lift, out of it, and the quarters which temporarily housed most of his staff and troops. His pace across the tarmacs made everyone in his path clear off, it wasn't exactly hurried, but showed purpose. Something which made those concerned understand and make way for the officer wearing the Gray Ops uniform. Though why he was headed in the direction of the Engineering Division's Quarters, was unknown to them. His hands danced across the access panel's keypad, entering the security code that automatically came to mind, one that usually opened a lot of doors. The doors slid open and no sooner had they done so than he was through them. His entrance, of course, drew stares from the stationed MPs at the lobby area, though they weren't exactly going to stop someone who had enough clearance to walk through most of the base unhindered.
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As expected, the gate guard was nowhere to be found. Not one to look opportunity in the mouth, Havilar briskly skirted his way around and onto the base grounds. Never one for skulking or stealth, the pirate enjoyed it now and again, especially when the rewards were sweet enough. An address long committed to memory guided his steps until he finally reached his destination.As always, the door was unlocked. The occupant apparently never felt the need to do so. Havilar stepped into the dark apartment and locked the door shut behind him. Think what she will about Mars, there are plenty of people willing to do her harm. Curiosity pulled him in many directions, but they all led to the bedroom eventually. He quietly removed his jacket and draped it over a chair. Next were his shoes followed by his frilled dress shirt. Smiling to himself, he leaned over the side of the bed and inhaled the sleeping woman's scent. "Good morning, my dear." he said in a hoarse whisper.
Madalayne stirred as she heard a hoarse whisper of a familiar voice whisper in her ear, taking her from a rather nice dream. Uncurling a bit from her pillow, she blinked with the clear unfocused daze of a dreamer just awakened. Who would possibly be in her room unless..."Drach... is that you..." Her vision just registering the white shirt of someone leaning over her, until she felt the lack of soft strands that would have hit her arm from this distance. Blinking and jolting up a bit, she pulled her knees close to her chest; yanking the covers with her coving up the negligee and her body quite effectively. "Okay, whose idea of trick is this." She said quietly, reaching for her glasses with left hand. Maybe then she would be able to see her visitor.
"Don't you recognize my voice anymore, my dear?" The Ami said with a faint chuckle as her glasses were placed upon her face by him.
With a look of slight contrition she saw who it was and uncurled herself from where she was. "Don't do that to me, you know how bad my vision is cousin dearest." Her simple answer was said as she normally spoke, but with a hint of a smile. "I didn't know you were in town Havilar. You could have wrote or called, it might have been easier."
Racing up the stairs and across the hallways brought Drach to her doorstep in a matter of moments. He heard voices inside but paid it no attention, opening the door and stepping inside. He instead made a mental note to restrain himself... For the moment. "Madalayne... I was worried..." The Ghost Squadron commander spoke as he looked to her, nodding simply and curtly to the... Well... Guest she had currently. Just who the hell did this bastard think he was to waltz in an Aegis ARM base and go into the quarters of ... He knew his eyes were narrowed as he looked the other man over, there was something rather familiar about him... Something he couldn't quite place yet. Still, he didn't like how close he was to the bed at all.
Madalayne smiled as she saw Drach. He nodded at her in response then smiled back briefly before returning to sizing up her poor unsuspecting cousin. She knew her Drach all too well, his eyes said it all... They said he wanted to be introduced to Havilar and to know why he was here in the first place. A faint smile remained Madalayne's face as she stood up out of the bed and walked over towards Drach. A gentle sway of the bed's blanket followed her since it was wrapped around her body. "It seems this is a morning for early visitors then... How pleasantly strange." The strangely musing statement floated in the air, who it was meant for... Or even if she had just been thinking out loud was hard to tell. When she was near enough to Drach, she gently placed her right pointer and middle fingers to her lips and pressed them on the back of his hand. The softer, more dream-like smile that melded on to her expression, came with it for just a moment before she headed into the kitchenette and started up a kettle. "Would either one of you want some tea as well?" She most definitely asked both of them before she even said a thing about the other man to either Drach or Havilar.
There was a pregnant pause as neither man spoke for a moment, causing her to start up a part of the introductions. "Drach, this is an old friend of mine. Probably the only proof that someone in my family is decent since he does check on me for them. However, I doubt you want to know his many nicknames, what do you go by nowadays? " She then questioned Havilar, fairly sure he was here under an alias and not sure which it could possibly be. There were too many for even her to keep track of some days when she had far many other things to consider.
What do I go by? Who am I today? "Today, ma'am, I am simply Havilar. I suppose there I shall be someone different when I leave, but it makes no difference to me." Havilar Ami smiled a toothy smile. "You seem to have many visitors, Madalayne. It makes me wonder just what you do at night." A sly wink accented the innuendo. "But you don't have to introduce this young man to me, Madalayne, because I already know him; unless you invite random strangers into your room at all times of the night." Turning to the new arrival, he began again. "Let me guess, you like to play chess, right? But I'm sure you have questions, don't you Drach? And, yes, I would like some tea. I have a feeling we will be spending a good bit of time together this morning. It's been since I've had a civilized breakfast my dear." For some perverse reason, Havilar enjoyed the terse glare sent by the poor- possibly bewildered- fellow that had just entered not to long ago. Ah, this would prove to be a most interesting day.
Early morning light filtered in from the windows of Madalayne's room as Drach took a seat opposite the man who'd introduced himself as Havilar. A man whom Madalayne had introduced not only as a friend but also one of the few of her long family line willing... Or rather, caring enough to visit her on-base. How were they related? It was infuriatingly difficult to get his fragile mechanic to say anything about her family at all. His gaze lingered on Havilar, as if sizing him up, before speaking. "Among a few others. The game gives me a chance to exercise myself mentally, it keeps me... Sharp. My duties require me to be so." He let his voice emphasize the part he wished quite consciously of the implications. How did this man know him and why was he playing games...
Drach offered his hand across the table, speaking, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Havilar. It's... Nice to see you visiting Madalayne, albeit at a questionably odd hour. " pausing a bit before continuing, "As for the questions, yes I do have a few... I do certainly hope you can answer them for me." He paused before continuing, "Trivial as it may sound, I'd very much like to know of your... Well... Attachment to Madalayne. That among a few other things; but like they say, first things first." Drach ended, slumping slightly into the chair he was sitting on. He was on the defensive as of now, why was a known pirate on this base without any alarms being set off?
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Xan stuck close to the shadows being cast by the tall buildings lining the street, though the decision was far from a conscious one. He'd been forced to relegate himself to obscurity so often that it was almost an instinctive reaction now. His mind was not on the quiet, sparsely populated sidewalk however; he had gotten not more than four blocks from the bar he'd left Madalayne and Sanagi at when his comm link had blinked to life, demanding his attention. The call had been brief, a necessity given it's unauthorized frequency and the prevalence of Aegis operatives that could be listening, but it was more than sufficient. Allen had called with news from Kintaro and the tech bays: repairs on the Aoi-Ryu had been completed, and they were ready to depart as soon as the De Leon's had returned to the ship. He had no knowledge of their meeting with the two mechanics, or of the proposal for Kai to give them a demo of his sword skills, and Xan decided such information was not pertinent to their discussion. The crew would wait for his orders to leave, and they would do so with unwavering loyalty.
Xan sighed, a little saddened. The weight of leadership never felt heavier than when he realized just how much his crew trusted him...maybe even loved him. Indeed, Xan looked to his crew as his family, the Gallant as his home, and would go to any length to protect them. Eternal vigilance was impossible though, and even the mighty Xan de Leon felt the need for some down time now and then. Waging a constant game of cat and mouse against his former clan taxed him, and it was moments like these, with the warm Mars wind gliding across his face, that helped keep him sane.
He wondered how much longer their presence could go unnoticed so close to the Aegis ARM home base, but doubted it would be for much longer. He'd hoped to allow his crew some away time, but that seemed less and less likely the longer they remained. He'd make it up to them soon, he promised himself; his conscience felt a little lighter for it. Maybe they'd voyage to one of the less-frequented colony casinos next. Xan cared little for card games; but the crew would enjoy it and it would give him time to re-familiarize himself with his armoroid. He stopped at the street corner, pausing beneath the illuminating light of the street lamp. On the wall next to him were the words- written in hurried, careless arcs of phospho-paint- DOWN WITH THE NHF, underscored by what appeared to be a gang symbol. The cleanup crews apparently hadn't gotten to this corner yet tonight, and the paint looked relatively fresh.
Xan frowned slightly. It was a little disconcerting, but hardly surprising that even amidst one of the strongholds of the new government there were those who still sought to resist: who refused to conform. Xan pitied them a little. They had so much against them, not the least of which were the steep punishments awaiting anyone caught that fit the bill of a resistant. Suddenly feeling the need to keep moving, Xan pulled out his comm link and tapped in Kai's frequency. His voice was clipped, short and authoritative. "Kai, we're heading back. Meet me at the station in an hour."
He shut off the link, not waiting for a response. Kai would get the message. Glancing briefly up and down the street before crossing, Xan went on his way, once more slipping comfortably into the shadows of the buildings. High against his right side, his side arm's weight offered a measure of comfort, though he hoped he wouldn't have to use it.
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With most of the repairs on the Aoi completed, the hangar had been mostly abandoned. The last few bits of leftover parts were being loaded onto a supply cart by a skeleton crew, to be stowed in some auto retrieval bay for later use. The life of a pirate was filled with many mottos, not the least of which was "Waste not, want not."
Kintaro could have cared less. He doubted he'd ever have the desire to even lay eyes on such fallible components again, regardless of the circumstance. For his two children, only the best, the absolute very BEST, would suffice. He craned his head to glance up at the completed Aoi-Ryu, once more whole and pristine. A heavy tarp had been draped over half of the armoroid to keep dust off of the new paint job while it dried, the visible armor gleaming expectantly in the dim light. Kintaro extended his hand and passed it lovingly across the chest plating, and he could almost feel the machine's gratitude at his unparalleled care.
Yes, he loved his children... But sometimes a father's love must be harsh. Caring not a whit if anyone saw him, Kintaro activated the hatch lock on the Aoi's cockpit and stepped away gingerly as the chest armor slid apart; revealing the pilot chamber. Wincing as his limbs voiced a rheumatistic complaint as he slipped into the machine, Kintaro allowed himself to plop into the cushioned seat. He noted with some alarm that he was breathing a little hard. Age. Yet another failure of the biological system that was the human body. He made a mental note to research a solution to that problem, when time next permitted. With practiced hands, Kintaro activated the Aoi's main computer and waiting patiently through the main boot-up phase. Circumventing the initial startup screen with a series of keystrokes, he made his way deeper and deeper into the machine's programming, coming finally to his destination. A series of intense geometrical constructs revolved slowly in the holographic display of the Aoi's main screen, and even Kintaro had to pause a moment to enjoy the visual complexity of the construct.
More than mere graphical eye candy, the coalescing shapes were perhaps the most significant of Kintaro's innovations when designing the Twin Dragons. Apart from their impressive weaponry and battle capabilities, this is what truly made them unique: what made them absolutely singular in the galaxy. What made the accursed de Leon family utterly unworthy of them.
The vastly complex form Kintaro appraised was a visual representation of the very mind of the SK02 Aoi-Ryu, the heart of its neural processor and the pinnacle of Shinkuji Kintaro's brilliance as a designer. His machines were not simply armoroids, they were thinking computers, programmed with an incredibly complex learning platform. When they were first activated, the geometrical design was barely more complex than a tetrahedron; now, it resembled a vast jungle of interconnected electronic synapse, an almost indecipherable ball of near dormant mental activity. Yet for all its complexity, Kintaro knew it was far from complete. His children were still in their most infantile of stages, requiring much more input from competent human pilots before they would display anything close to actual intellect.
It was an unsavory necessity, Kintaro admitted, but the de Leon brothers were, at the moment anyway, the two most qualified to help "train" his children...However unwittingly they might be doing so. So Kintaro would wait, bide his time, and kowtow to Xan's self-important decrees. In the end, Kintaro knew absolute victory would be his; and he would cast off the yolk of Xan's leadership as an eagle would its shell. Until then though...he would be patient. He had all the time in the world.
Pushing his musings aside, he returned his attention to the Thought Construct, and suddenly recognized something that made a smile pull at his too-eager face. In one section of the Aoi-Ryu's synaptic module, he could make out a spectacular star-burst of growth; jagged spines reached out from a central core, intersecting and, in some cases impaling, adjacent thought strands in haphazard, unordered mayhem. A quick check of the module's date of creation confirmed his suspicions, and a low chuckle began to rise out of Kintaro's frail chest. "Well my son," he spoke soothingly to the Aoi-Ryu, "Is this what you felt when your brother took your arm?"
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“So this is the place… Fancy as usual… Nii-san would never have it any other way.” As the young pirate ascended the short flight of stairs to the docks, he looked in awe at the massive murals painted on the walls and ceiling of the nexus of- the most bloody rich travel on mars- the aptly named “Astral Gate.” One of the four regional transportation agencies on the red planet, each varying in quality and price. “Late as usual… Probably off drinking some of that wine he prizes so much. Oh well I may as well catch up on my game…” Reaching for a small box-like object in his pocket, then folding out the machine’s screen and control pads. Kai proceeding to press the switch that began the power flow to the object, another everyday routine in his life and yet another that his brother would sometimes call childish. However, it was also one of the things that he prized most highly… Aside from the massive collection of anime horded in the brothers' shared ante room. As the screen suddenly brightened, the back lighting activating, the title screen to his current work appeared, a remake of a formerly world famous series: Final Fantasy: Full Remix. “Damn… I hope Nii-san gets here soon… I’m almost out of battery.”
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"I'd have to be her cousin if anything. A very close cousin." Havilar smiled as Drach sat quietly in front of him, receiving the tea Madalayne had brought for the both of them. Quiet thanks were exchanged between the three before Drach finally replied, "Well then Havilar... I, again, thank you for being so kind as to worry about Madalayne..."
"I regularly visit her whenever I have the time." he replied, quietly taking a sip from his tea.
"Of course... But I am wondering about something. Perhaps you'd be able to enlighten me on it?" asked Drach, gaze slightly narrowing even further, "How exactly did you get inside Elysium, Havilar Ami?"
"You should really get better security around here." Havilar replied, smile still on his face.
Drach smiled back slightly as he picked up his cup of tea and took a long sip from it, eying Havilar before replying, "Elysium has never been the most secure facility under the NHF..." Drach dropped off before continuing. "I'm not surprised you were able to get in here so easily. It's the security personnel that are going to receive a rather unpleasant visit from myself later on. As for your presence here... Well, it makes no trouble for me or the rest of the ARM as it stands... Therefore," Drach smiled tersely cutting himself off to let the pirate continue for him.
"...You're not going to arrest me?" wondered Havilar, slightly bewildered at the young officer's actions.
"Indeed..." replied Drach, looking to Madalayne, who had put on a warm smile, "Though if this were another day, another set of circumstances... Things would be different between you and I. It's for her sake mainly, not yours." Drach looked back to his Madalayne, who'd in turn developed a small frown; her displeasure at his follow up evident. His hands found hers under the table, giving them a small but reassuring squeeze. This seemed to calm her down a bit, her facial features softening and her hands squeezing back. Internally of course, Drach gave himself the mental equivalent of a few light slaps across the face: his self-debate about what he'd just done raging. The voice that screamed he take Havilar into custody, however was fighting a losing battle. The tide all but washed away any doubts when she spoke, smiled and spoke.
"Thank you..." Madalayne inwardly let out a sigh of relief, this could have gone far worse she knew. However, things would be harder to explain at times now. "I'm not sure if I'd be up to dealing with some of the ruckus that would have caused this morning." She said gently and neutrally sipping on her tea still; all the while holding on to Drach's hand under the table. Pleasantly neutral she let herself relax slightly at the moment, explaining all of this could happen later. Noting the games that Drach and Havilar were playing, she said nothing about it. She understood that games of the mind and sizing up of a future opponent were rather personal activities. However, it was still a bit more of a tense morning than she had wanted.
Havilar grinned slightly at her, knowing she knew all to well what could have gone wrong. There was a possibility he may hear about this later; but for now it was as peaceful as it could get. So this was the Chess partner Madalayne had found, how thoroughly interesting. "You are being quite kind today, I do thank you for her sake mainly as well." Far be it from him to back down from any sort of challenge, even a verbal spar over something as simple as his cousin's affections. He wasn't quite thusly inclined as most of his family normally, but he had watched over his frail cousin since she was born practically. Madalayne was the closest thing he had to actual family at times.
"You're welcome..." Drach allowed himself a small- if harsh- smile, checking his watch and noting the time; he again looked to both of them. "Though I'm afraid I have to cut this little chat short..." he stopped, chancing a gaze at Madalayne- who'd again developed a small frown. "I'm sorry Maddie... But I have... Some important things to attend to. Please understand..." It was his turn to turn an almost pleading and apologetic look to her. He silently cursed when he remembered they weren't alone in the room again. Although if they had been, well... He may have been later than he will be as is.
Madalayne walked up to him and almost gave him a kiss on his lips; but deciding otherwise, gave him a small peck on his cheek. "Come back soon?" Her eyes said she'd want more time with him later and it better be soon. She would never vocalize such things, but he was a perceptive man. She didn't need to.
"Of course... I'll get back as soon as I can..." Drach smiled, squeezed her hand and then turned to Havilar, who'd now stood and was approaching him.
"Leaving so soon?" Havilar gestured to the door, "I was thinking we'd be able to chat some more..."
"Perhaps next time. Although I'd think that next time won't be under such... Friendly circumstances." Drach's last line earned him a light but nonetheless stinging punch from Madalayne, who was making it quite clear she didn't enjoy hearing the statements he'd made along those lines. Drach turned to Madalayne and hugged her before turning to the door. He had no intention of having her upset but he wouldn't brook some other man waltzing into a base and her quarters so lightly. They would be discussing this when he was finished at some length. Then, he would get his re-match.
Havilar walked beside Drach then turned to Madalayne, surprising her with his sudden movement. There were things to do and the last thing he needed was for her to get in the middle. She just wasn't made for it after all. He bowed slightly, in a gesture that could easily be from the masculine side of manners that Madalayne used herself. "I'm afraid I'll have to be leaving too, my dear... Time is not on my side after all... Neither is your interesting opponent." He apologized before continuing, "I'll be visiting again soon... I do promise. Take care until then." It'll be quick as I can make it. You get into too much trouble on your own it seems. Even in a place like this.
Both men turned and exited, turning one final time to look to one another; before nodding their farewells and unspoken promises of retribution before walking down the corridors in separate directions. This was not a confrontation for here nor one that either was likely to want. However, it was one no man could let go unchallenged.
Madalayne watched both of the retreating backs as they left her doorway, down to the opposite ends of the hall. A small sad smile showed as she realized this would probably be the last time either one could meet the other so peacefully. With a regretful, soft sigh the door closed and a bag found itself pulled out into the open as carefully folded clothes and items were placed in it. Seeing as she had maybe sixteen hours before her transfer; a set of civilian clothes as well as a set of mechanics overalls were left out just in case.
Another, smaller, bag had more of the personal items and papers put in it. The note from the medics on base, various cards from the past four years that she had been stationed on Elysian Base. Photos of everyone she had been working with, tea bags and other food stuffs were put into a cooler. Packing everything took maybe an hour until it was all together. Just enough time to grab another quick shower and pack that gear, then throw on something in order to relay a message about plans that would have to be rearranged. The Dark green shirt and cream skirt slid on well as she found the card Xan had handed her last night.
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Hans walked slowly across bustling tarmac, passing many a lower ranking soldier eagerly saluting him before moving on to their tasks assigned. His stroll wasn't taking him anywhere specific, for it seemed he was merely making his presence felt, randomly checking on equally random happenings as he came across them. Many of those he'd had the chance to speak to would later swear the old man was either losing it, or simply daydreaming. So random were his actions and conversations no one would have figured out exactly what he was doing.
Expect of course, for Hans himself...
Though it seemed Drach was busy... perhaps even distracted... personally... the older officer knew better. He'd already received detailed instructions from his younger superior, detailing the extent of the information they'd been able to gather from the captured deserters. Both from those willing to those... not quite so willing. Either way, they had convened with the intelligence officers and in-fleet Wraith Pathfinders. Both of them had stayed until the briefing/meeting had adjourned.
They had only needed an hour or two. The Pathfinders, unconventionally proficient NHF case officers called so for their uncanny ability to piece together a mess of facts simply dropped unto their laps, sneered at the task given to them by Drach. Their sentiments were echoed by all the others present. It was too easy.
At first, some of the others had even questioned the veracity of the information they'd been given, boldly proclaiming they needed to 'kick the idiot who took the statements, promptly, in the ass' Some had irresponsibly determined the detainees had lied under questioning. Of course, that discussion quickly died down after Drach had pronounced that he was, quote, 'the idiot who's ass needed to be kicked'. Hans suppressed a chuckle.
The picture they'd pieced together indicated some junior officers were involved in the operation. They'd been quickly but quietly arrested around 0300 hours last night. As for the enlistees who were involved, well, they were quite another story. He had now stopped walking, looking up, finally reaching the destination he'd meant to go to ever since the beginning of his walking, the Elysium Arsenal Complex.
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Hans noted, quite contentedly, that even though there were already a couple of squads of ADAM on the Arsenal's roof, no one inside the Arsenal complex had taken notice nor taken action. Even when he entered unannounced, the few MPs at the small receiving area hadn't even so much as twitched, merely acknowledging his presence with salutes. Hans' walking brought him to the heavy weapons section of the complex, and quickly, to his intended quarry all along, "Sergent Gensyav Yurode?"
"Yes sir, what can I do for you?" the spectacled man, Scandinavian accent thick, who'd answered was a bit shaken at the sight of Hans and the imposing uniform of black he wore. After all, few received visits from a Wraith officer; and those occurrences documented well enough to be common knowledge didn't end too well for those visited.
"I need help with a weapon of mine, I was told you were the man I'd need to look for..." trailed Hans, putting his left hand to his holster and drawing his pistol with a smooth flourish, putting it on the table between him and the quartermaster.
The quartermaster picked it up, ejecting the magazine and jacking the slide. Sighting the barrel and speaking at the same time. "This is a heavily modified version of the standard issue .50 caliber ADAM service pistol. Custom match grade work done on the barrel for increased accuracy with integral sound and flash suppression. Weight reduction on the slide. Reworked integral electro-optics for the Long-shot system. High capacity magazine with matching reinforcement and smoothing of the mag well... It looks one of a kind and to tell you the truth." trailed off the quartermaster, "I don't see anything wrong with your personal weapon sir..." He looked up to find the cold barrel of another pistol- similar to the one he was inspecting- staring him down.
"I know..." Spoke Hans, " I believe, Mr. Yurode, that you know the real reason I'm here." The smile on the armorer's face spoke volumes for the Wraith officer.
Hans stared into the man's eyes before speaking up. "Do you have anything to do with this, Gensyav? I'd hate to have to put you in a body bag..."
The quartermaster laughed heartily at the spoken words, his arms steadied his body on the desk before him. Many would observe that perhaps the man had gone insane. He hadn't.
"Don't make come over this desk and smack you around Hefrad. You of all people should know I'm not that insane..." Light caught his glasses as Gensyav leaned forward, looking the older officer in the face before continuing. "But I believe I may be able to help you in your problem."
Hans smirked at the suggestion. "What makes you think I believe you?"
"Feh... I know you Hefrad. You believe me because you haven't shot me! I've served with you for far too long."
"Alright, alright..." conceded Hans, his hand lowering the pistol, the other instinctively grabbing the other pistol the man had earlier examined, inserting the clip and chambering a round, "Then tell me true, old friend..."
************
It was approaching a lighter and brighter time of the late morning. Madalayne clutched a single letter in her hand as she walked down the streets of the town around the Elysian base, attempting to locate where someone she wanted to talk to was staying. The hotel was grand looking, something akin to what a diplomat would stay in for a visit. The desk clerk looked a bit happy to see her, yet didn't smile much when he heard who she was here to see."I'm sorry Miss. He checked out this morning."
"I see, I'm sorry to bother then. Just out of curiosity, did he say where he might have been heading?"
"Why yes Miss, he was heading to Astral Gate to catch a shuttle."
"Thank you... Is there any chance you could forward a message to him please?"
The desk cleric looked thoughtful for a moment before he nodded."What would that be Miss?"
"Could you tell him his cousin would like to meet him for lunch before he leaves if that isn't too much of an imposition." She asked gently, wondering somewhat of why men seemed to have their eyes change so much at times.
"Yes of course Miss!"
"Thank you." With that, she walked out of the hotel and ran for the Astral Gate port as fast as she could go. Taxi's never came fast enough and she knew the short cuts. It didn't take long for her to find the transport that the base mechanics used to arrive at Astral Gate quickly for when repairs or maintenance was required. This didn't make it the smoothest of rides, but it was efficiently quick. Picking up her mobile, she quickly punched in the number from the card.
*********
"Please have your passport and proof of entry on hand for the security checkpoint. All private owners must have their vehicle registration sheets to present to Aegis personnel prior to departure."The loudspeakers continued to drawl out a seemingly endless series of similar policy reminders, filling the air of the transport shuttle with mildly annoying, if eminently ignorable, background noise. Xan had heard the same recording so many times now that he was pretty sure he could recite it from heart. Despite how trite the Aegis messages seemed though, it sure beat the rampant, almost fanatical, propaganda that got played in the space ports owned by some of the more flamboyant stellar kingdoms.
The Ami came to mind. Xan had to smile.
He shifted slightly in his seat, a sleek, ergonomically brilliant construct designed to support his weight and absorb the G forces during train acceleration and deceleration. Considering the vehicle was hurtling through the sky on electromagnetic rail lines at over 5000 miles an hour, Xan was thankful for the gesture.
The space port Xan had chosen was the most affluent of Mars' four orbit-to-surface junction points. Astral Gate, Railway to Heaven, was privately owned and managed by a conglomerate of Martian excavation companies. No commercial space travel came through here. Instead, the brilliantly decorated space port catered almost exclusively to the members of its private club, envoys from other planets, and rich businessmen come to reap the bountiful Martian landscape of its wealth... So long as they remembered to pay their taxes while they did so.
Though security was tight getting in and out of the space port, Xan was pleased to note the relatively sparse smattering of Aegis ARM operatives inside the station. Humans, reflected Xan, can be a lot like ants in some respects. They tend to look at exclusive places like Astral Gate the same way ants treat a hive; if you managed to get in, then you were probably all right, and they tended to ignore you.
Suited Xan just fine. He hoped Kai was at least attempting to be discreet.
Glancing at the wall-mounted forward display, Xan gaged he had at least another ten minutes or so before the train arrived at the spaceport. He spied a complementary news panel in a holster next to his chair, and slung the lithe panel of metal and glass onto his lap. Instantly it came alive, displaying a crisp image on its flawless surface. It asked Xan which sector of the galaxy he'd like to read about.
Right before Xan made his decision, a light buzzing tingled against the side of his chest. With practiced ease, he slipped the sleek cellphone out of his jacket, and not recognizing the caller (more precisely, Xan's phone did not recognize the caller, hence Xan had absolutely no clue who it could be), Xan spoke politely, but curiously, into the handset.
"Hello?"
"Good morning, Sir Xan. Did I catch you at a bad time?" Madalayne asked after she heard him answer the phone. "We met last night... You left me a card with this number about a certain demonstration and rematch." That should have explained enough of who she was, she hoped.
A ray of light went through her window on the transport as she looked outside, waiting for response.
"Yes, I remember Ms. Madalayne. I'm surprised to hear from you so soon." He sounded as pleasant and courteous as the night before, but maybe almost a bit cautious.
"Circumstances have changed. It seems that Sanagi and I may have to take a rain check on the demonstration." She explained as neutrally sweet as she normally sounded.
Xan leaned his chair back, one hand pressing the phone against his ear, the other flitting across the news screen, picking and choosing from the unending stream of topics. "I am quite sorry to hear that, Miss Madalayne." He replied with a bit of a rueful smile in his voice. He wasn't meaning to be misleading; but it was nice to be able to enjoy such company even over a comm."After such a lovely match, I was most looking forward to a second date."
"Sorry, what was that?" Madalayne's voice cut back. An incorrigible grin spread across Xan's face.
"In any case, please don't feel too bad. It turns out that Kai and I have been called away most unexpectedly; so we would have been unable to meet you two lovely ladies anyway. I do hope though that we can defer our plans until next we meet? I mean, so long as you think it would be appropriate, of course?"
There was a brief pause on the other end of the line, then, "Yes, I suppose that would be all right." Xan couldn't tell whether she was smiling or not: but he was optimistic.
"Very good then, Miss Madalayne. Till next we meet then. And please, call if you need anything."
"Thank you, Sir Xan," she replied, and now Xan was sure he could hear a smile, "I will. Fare well."
There was a click, and the line went dead. Xan slipped his phone back into his pocket, and resumed reading. A message on the loudspeakers began playing, informing the train passengers that they had another five minutes before they reached the station.
Unfortunately for Xan, the rich folks who owned and operated Astral Gate had recently come under strict surveillance by Aegis ARM... Who had taken the liberty of placing various pieces of data collection equipment in and around the transport trains. Even as he sat reading about the growing number of insurgencies in the Lunar province of Boan, his conversation was being carefully picked apart by sophisticated data systems in the Aegis ARM complex far below. Speech patterns were analyzed, names and dates checked and rechecked, and comparisons were made to a list- quite an extensive one really- of anyone Aegis might be concerned with. Criminals, covert agents, and the odd pirate... Smattered here and there. Some people called it spying. Aegis thought of it as a necessary procedure to ensure that dangerous persons were prohibited from entering protected sectors of their jurisdiction. Astral Gate was one such location, as was most of Mars; and the name Xan de Leon was most certainly on the list of individuals Aegis would never tolerate a visit from. Very quietly, several hundred miles beneath the station Xan was headed to, alarms began to sound...