Gundam SEED: Led Astray
Chapter 01: Princess Rising
January 15, C.E. 71, 9:27 PM
Orb Union
"Be careful, Cagalli!" Myrna said as she walked to her burdened charge, who was carrying a bit too much on the hors d'oeuvres tray for the high heels she was wearing. Swiftly taking the burden from the blonde, the caretaker sighed with relief. The heiress to the Athha family looked a bit sheepish, and the woman gave a kind smile. "This reminds me of when you were young, trying to help set the table. You have a different duty tonight though, Cagalli. Endearing as it is, you can't let people see you stumbling along carrying trays. They'll expect more from you."
Cagalli gave a light sigh. "I know, Myrna...but I'm not sure I'm ready to be the hostess of one of these parties. Shouldn't we cancel it since the Representatives will be in session?" One of the maids nearby gave a kindhearted giggle, fully empathizing with her mistress' plight, but a glance from Myrna silenced the maid before she looked to Cagalli once more.
"I know it seems callous not to cancel the party given what's happening right now, and to force the role of hostess onto you since your father and uncle aren't available as planned, but it's at times like this that people need to distract themselves from such things. In fact, these get-togethers serve a political purpose as they tend to be the birthplace of a great deal of Orb's policies." The caretaker spoke to Cagalli much like a mother, and to the blonde she held that position in all but name and genes. Due to this familiarity, the light shift of Cagalli's facial features when the words 'political purpose' were uttered did not escape Myrna's notice.
"It is a necessary tool in the maintenance of our nation," Myrna continued, "that you will find more and more important as time goes on. Or do you look down on your father and uncle for employing such tools?" This had the intended effect, Cagalli's face shifting into surprise even as she prepared a denial.
"O-of course not! It's what they have to do for our people!" The denial was a strong one which had a bit of extra volume to it, and immediately drew a few of the servants' eyes in her direction. The weight of their gazes made Cagalli self-conscious, and she had to resolve to control herself better once the guests arrived.
"Exactly. Tonight, you share in that duty. Please accept your responsibilities with grace, Cagalli." Myrna could see from Cagalli's posture that she accepted this, and did not even wait for a reply. "Good girl. It's almost 9:30. Go get ready to receive your guests!"
The inexperienced hostess made her way through the Chief Representative's Mansion toward the main entrance, pondering how she got to this point. Her father was meant to be the one hosting this party, but ZAFT had just invaded Taiwan in a bid to control Kaohsiung and its Mass Driver. Since this wasn't far away from Orb and its own Kaguya Mass Driver, the hostile act required that her father and uncle join the other Representatives in emergency session. Just like that, the girl was thrust into a role for which she felt ill-prepared.
The tomboy was clad in a green pastel dress, arm-length white gloves, and white high heels which she tolerated if only for the sake of her father and her nation's image. She'd have to manage that image quite well, too. This party's guest list consisted of many of the lesser nobles in the families as well as military personnel, industry czars, and reporters. Cagalli did not look forward to running around all night on her high heels and smiling for the paparazzi and the party politic, but such was her duty. Of course, even these paled compared to the source of confusion that walked through the doors and approached her.
"Cagalli! There you are!" He all but tossed his coat to a maid before he strolled over with enthusiasm and what he thought was charm. Cagalli's face failed to fully conceal her discomfort as he approached. Even though everyone else present could read her mood, this man was Yuna Roma Seiran...a man either unable to take a hint or ignoring the signs. It was also profoundly awkward that a grown man was interested in so doggedly pursuing a 15-year-old girl, even if the age difference was only 3 or 4 years. It was even more outlandish when they were very young and played together like children of equal age. "My apologies for not being able to see more of you as of late. Father is involving me more in the day-to-day operations of the Seiran family and our responsibilities within Orb. It can't be helped."
Cagalli stepped back ever so slightly, when he came too close to invading her personal space. "I-I'm aware of your position as Representative, Yuna. Congratulations. I'm sure it is a profoundly difficult posting, given the nature of things. It is a surprise that you aren't in the meeting..." Yuna showed no sign of reading the mood of his alleged object of affection. The politically motivated praise only served to feed his ego. His new position did keep him from trying to woo her more often, so at least there was that.
"Ah, my father doesn't want me handling everything just yet. Easing me into my role, he says...but you should have seen the reception the Atlantic Federation gave our delegation last week! Diplomatic talks have been going rather well. I'm fairly sure we can play ZAFT and the Alliance against each other in some things, if we're clever about it-" Cagalli moved her hand over the man's lips to stop Yuna's words...and glanced around them.
"Yuna, you can't just say things like that in your position! The reporters will post that as an interpretation of policy, you know? Besides, playing like that's dangerous...doesn't what's happening in Kaohsiung prove that to you?" Cagalli asked in an alarmed but hushed tone. His response, however, surprised her. He gave a confident and knowing smirk after gently removing her hand from his face and holding her hand. The young woman regretted unwittingly giving him access.
"Oh, don't you worry about that. I know a little something that will make things nice and balanced..." He said in a conspiratorial whisper. Before Cagalli could protest, he pulled her by that same hand and guided her to the side of the room. It was a presumptuous move, one that Cagalli wasn't good at dealing with...it was one of the reasons she just couldn't deal with Yuna as of late. He was just so...pushy in his affections.
"Hey, w-what are you-?" The girl stammered as the man guided her out of the designated party area and into the kitchen...where Cagalli and the kitchen staff watched in surprise as he pulled out a pair of headphones. The girl was confused, but he put one earbud in his ear...and offered the other to her. Suspiciously, Cagalli took the other earbud...and began to vigorously rub it against the skirt of her dress. It was but a few seconds before a member of her staff brought some rubbing alcohol and a paper towel to more properly perform the task.
"Honestly, Cagalli? It's clean, really!" He was a bit offended at the implication as Cagalli put in the earbud and quietly thanked the servant for reading her need properly.
"After all those years accusing me of having cooties when I was little? Endure it. What is this, anyway, some sort of mix-disc?" She finally inquired, her confusion blossoming into mild irritation at the man-child. She was half-expecting that it was another convoluted confession, but audio started to feed in that was very different from her expectations. Her eyes widened as voices she'd known her whole life could be heard.
"-s direction taken by ZAFT is most concerning. Attacking Kaohsiung for its mass driver..."
"If they fail to take the Mass Driver, then what is to stop ZAFT from attempting to take ours?"
"Say they succeed, what's to stop the Alliance from taking ours?"
"We're neutral, and they have to respect that..."
"Like the Alliance respected the United States of South America? We've seen what the Alliance does when they want full control of a nation's Mass Driver. We can't be foolish!"
"Representative, respect your peers." This stern warning was from Cagalli's father, and the girl realized that this was a live feed from the off-limits emergency session between the Representatives of Orb. She glanced to Yuna, who had a proud smirk on his face, and the girl couldn't help but give a light smirk back. "Still acting like a teenager eavesdropping on the grownups, Yuna?"
Yuna gave a pout. "You're one to talk, Cagalli. I don't see you stopping."
Cagalli shrugged as she took a sip of apple juice from a glass provided by the kitchen staff. "I actually am a teenager, so it's alright. You're just a bad influence on me." Truth be told, Cagalli missed this sort of thing from her youth. Yuna was immature, but he was adventurous. It was a shame that he was so unreliable and full of himself. He was a good childhood friend, but not someone you wanted to date or entrust international policy to. It went to his head far too quickly and he just wasn't capable of that sort of thing. "Besides, I'm just hearing Father trying to rein them in. I don't hear what you were so confident about."
Yuna listened in as well while the group discussed various options, including increasing defensive fortifications and sending up more food and supplies to their space holdings like Heliopolis and Ame-no-Minashira just in case Orb lost the Kaguya Mass Driver. Cagalli thought it was a bit ostentatious to name an incomplete Solar Elevator-turned-military facility something like "Heaven's Pillar", but her own family wasn't guilt-free on such matters. She was distracted from such thoughts by the look on Yuna's face. There was confusion and impatience written on it, as if he was waiting on something.
"...Come on, tell them!" Yuna whispered in irritation, surprising Cagalli. Tell them what? The girl looked at Yuna a bit expectantly, and he gave a sigh, pulling out his earbud. "Well...did you enjoy that at least?" He attempted to sweep the matter under the rug, leaving an incredulous Cagalli.
"No, I didn't hear the thing you were bragging about knowing. You dragged me away from my duties to waste time." Cagalli said, crossing her arms.
"Just like the good old days, right?" Yuna could only nervously smirk as Cagalli's eyes narrowed. The Princess of Orb pinched and tugged the man's ear before letting it go to snap back, leaving him nursing it. "AH! Tchchchch...hey, what if I were still wearing the earbud! That's uncalled for, Cagalli!" The girl couldn't really help but admit that it was a welcome distraction, like old times, rather than the kind of attentions he usually gave her after he started thinking of her as a girl.
"The ear tug's part of those 'good old days' too, remember. If you don't want to relive what comes next, how about telling me what you're holding out on?" Cagalli gave him an impatient sideways glare, hoping he wouldn't press the issue. She didn't want to tear this dress or risk the ire of their fathers by knocking him around.
"...Tempting as that may be, I believe that I'd rather shed some light on the matter, provided you don't spread it around." Yuna whispered into the girl's ear...something she normally wouldn't tolerate were it not for the fact her curiosity was piqued.
"I am not at liberty to convey too many details, but the Heliopolis branch of Morgenroete's been working on some wonderful technology to change the war. Earth Alliance Mobile Suits impervious to anything that a GINN or CGUE could throw at them. A revolution in warfare technology...how's that for a good defense against ZAFT aggression toward our Mass Driver, hmm?" Of course, when he looked to Cagalli's face for a response...he saw surprise...then horror.
Orb helping with the Earth Alliance's weapons? That was impossible. No one was talking about such a thing in that room, and this was Yuna. He could have just misinterpreted some Earth Alliance official's proposal, right? The worried girl briefly clung to a hope in the man-child's incompetence until he pulled out a photograph...the head of a multi-tone gray Mobile Suit with green eyes. When she looked at the image, that hope was squashed. She was vaguely aware of Yuna talking...but was too intent on the image. After a few moments, Yuna finally realized that Cagalli wasn't listening.
"Uh...Cagalli? Are you alright?"
The girl's amber eyes turned toward his and they held a heat in them as if they were the bonfire for which she was named. The change was so obvious that even this imperceptive man was worried that he'd done something very, very wrong. An uncharacteristically quiet question was leveled at him as she held him in her gaze. It had the qualities of a growl behind it...a narrowly restrained fury.
"Did you do this, Yuna?"
The man had to think for a moment before realizing what she meant and pondering very carefully on how he would answer. If there was anything that could change Yuna's ways, it was self-preservation. "O-oh, me? N-no, this was going on before I even became a Representative! I can't take credit for this one...but...why do you seem so angry about it?"
After a few moments of silence, Cagalli's anger seemed to shift slightly as she looked away from Yuna to the image. She remembered what she'd been taught since she was a child about the Orb Union. The motto and fundamental ideology of their home flowed from her lips. "'Orb will not attack another nation, will not allow another nation to attack them, and will not intervene in the conflicts of other nations.' Yuna...how can you be happy about this? If this is true, then we're intervening and throwing away our beliefs! The very things Orb stands for!"
The man didn't expect this sort of response, Cagalli's rage having turned into desperation. He rubbed the back of his head. "Well, that only counts if it's our military or government. Nothing's stopping a private company like Morgenroete from doing this..."
Cagalli did not like that answer. "They're run by one of the five ruling families! They're accountable and they make us accountable, Yuna!" The girl glared at the image that represented the betrayal of that which she'd been raised to uphold. Through the worry and the alarm, the girl knew that simply talking wasn't enough. She needed to act.
'But...how? What am I supposed to do?' Cagalli wondered to herself.
Yuna wasn't sure how to handle this now that Cagalli had reacted so far outside of his expectations. He pondered what to say or do. Reassuring her wasn't working. Should he invite her on his next diplomatic outing? Get her a gift? What did girls her age even like? His efforts to piece together his next course of action were shelved when Cagalli spoke of her own accord.
"Yuna, this betrayal has to stop. I don't know what to do or how, but..." Yuna paid close attention as Cagalli spoke and wondered how to respond. What would his father say at a time like this? The man crossed his arms and made an admirable attempt at looking serious.
"Alright, Cagalli. You want to do something, but you're not sure how to go about it, right?" The focused tone caught Cagalli's attention, causing her to turn to him. "Well, when Dad was teaching me about politics, he said that...what was that he said again?" Cagalli's eyes narrowed as the serious facade promptly crumbled. There was the Yuna she knew.
Yuna then lightly smacked his fist into his hand in recognition. "Oh, right. 'Keep stock of your assets, connections, and intelligence'. Basically who you can manipulate, what you can manipulate them with, and how they might try to manipulate you." He gave a grin as if expectant of praise, but Cagalli just stared at him. Yuna's face turned serious again, simply believing that it was a lack of understanding rather than the corrupt phrasing that gave his beloved pause.
"Politics is a dance of positioning, posturing, give, and take. What you want has a political aspect to it. You have some political power due to your family connections as well as my support. What you need are even more connections and options...fortunately…" Yuna gave a confident smirk. "You're hosting the perfect venue for this! Even as we speak, the powerful are mingling. As their hostess, you can go up to and strike conversation with anyone!" "He took the opportunity to put his hands on Cagalli's shoulders. "Observe, Network, and Plan. That's what Dad told me to do, and look at me now! Aspire to this, Cagalli, and nothing can stop you!"
He had intended to impress Cagalli with this as much as help her, though his grip did much to cancel out any good will Cagalli might have felt. Yuna was wondering what Cagalli was doing making a circle with her thumb and index finger. Was she making an okay sign-Thwwwack "CHYAAAaaa!"
The cry surprised a few of the guests in earshot of the kitchen...who noted a composed Cagalli walking out of the kitchen with an air of slight irritation. It was several moments later that Yuna stepped back out, his forehead red from the powerful finger-flick that the tomboy had disciplined him with.
"Cagalli, you've become so much harder to read since you grew beautiful…" Yuna monologued as the guests managed to fill in the blanks for themselves. They thought the heir to the Seiran clan was such an impulsive young man…though Cagalli would use a different adjective entirely.
'How could he? Telling me explicitly to manipulate people like him and his father? That's probably what started this mess! How could he want me to use politics to-' Cagalli stopped in her tracks as she remembered the words of her caretaker from earlier in the evening…
' "It is a necessary tool in the maintenance of our nation...Or do you look down on your father and uncle for employing such tools?" 'The Princess of Orb thought carefully as Myrna's words rang in her mind. But was this really something she should be doing? She could have Yuna show the image to her father and uncle...
' "Please accept your responsibilities with grace, Cagalli." ' These words rang to Cagalli's core. Images could be faked, and she'd just be passing off the responsibility. No, she had to take initiative. That was the duty that Yuna had enlightened her to. If nothing else, she should be grateful to him for letting her know of the need...and how to start meeting it. With that, she elected to begin to tend to the party and its guests, while seeing the politics going on around her in a new light.
The young woman sighed and focused on those present at the party seriously, perhaps for the first time. Seated in a chair was the Reverend Malchio, conversing with a young man with blonde hair who she did not know. Over by the balcony was Morgenroete's Chief Engineer, Erica Simmons, with a few military personnel. Near the punch bowl was one of the Sahaku twins, which one she could not discern, talking to a man and a girl her own age who she did not know. The Sahaku family controlled Morgenroete, and were likely a key part of the conspiracy. Raising an eyebrow, a thought occurred to Cagalli.
It was infuriating that the twins dressed, looked, and sounded identical even though they were of opposing gender. Their parents had engineered them as such, and the pair employed it as some sort of joke. Only now did Cagalli consider that the twins might use that to manipulate tension for their own political advantage in situations like this. This was clearly getting complicated. She had to analyze the situation carefully.
' "Politics is a dance of positioning, posturing, give, and take...Observe, Network, and Plan." ' It was Yuna's voice that echoed in her mind this time as she took stock of the situation. The military men were talking to Mrs. Simmons with tension in their eyes. Concern that ZAFT might attack them for the Mass Driver, clearly. Erica, meanwhile, was the Chief Engineer of Morgenroete and as such might be in on the conspiracy of producing the Alliance' Mobile Weapons. A plan formed in her mind as she started walking toward the group, and she realized that Yuna and his father might just be on to something.
"Hello. Thank you for attending. I apologize that my father and uncle couldn't attend, but duty compelled them." The young blonde said to the group of officers and the Engineer. The officers regarded her, though Erica was the one to respond.
"Thank you for stepping in such a situation. I know it couldn't be easy to have this pushed on you at the last minute. Everyone's worried about Kaohsiung." The woman said, taking a sip of cider. It seemed that she preferred not to take in any alcohol at such functions. Cagalli had her in, however.
"Yes, Kaohsiung. Hearing about that makes me wonder what our own defensive capabilities are. Is there anything Morgenroete's working on that could help prevent such a thing on our shores? ZAFT's Mobile Suits aren't exactly something to ignore..." This makes the officers' ears perk up as they pay close attention to the Princess of Orb's quiet inquiry.
A flash of suspicion crossed Erica's face as she regarded the inquisitive teen, but given the situation and the tension surrounding things, it was far from an unwarranted question. It wasn't like she was asking about the G Project specifically. "Our situation is different from Kaohsiung's. Not only diplomatically, but strategically. Taiwan is within 180 kilometers of shore while Orb is about as far away from other nations and land masses as possible on Earth. An invasion of Orb would require a massive amount of supplemental naval power to sustain, diverted away from other fronts in the war, even if a space drop were part of the process."
"Mobile Suits are definitely a change to how warfare is fought, but they still need transported, fueled, and supplied. The Earth Alliance is far more likely to muster the fleet and resources needed for an invasion to stick, to be quite honest. I wouldn't worry about it. As for what we're working on at Morgenroete, it's best for Orb if I keep my lips sealed in that regard." Erica spoke clinically and efficiently, and Cagalli inwardly cursed. The woman had completely sidestepped the question. What's worse is that the officers she'd been trying to guide to support her weren't standing up to support her. Perhaps she'd misread things?
"You needn't worry about an Earth Alliance invasion force, you know. It's not like Orb is an enemy." A man said, smiling as he walked over to the group along with the girl and the Sahaku twin from earlier. He gave a bow to the group, the girl following suit. "Don't worry, we're equipped to deal with whatever ZAFT throws at us."
Upon seeing Cagalli's confusion, the calm and collected voice of Rondo Mina Sahaku worked to introduce the man. "My apologies for not introducing them sooner. This is the Atlantic Federation's Vice Foreign Minister, George Allster, and his daughter Flay. Vice Minister Allster, Ms. Allster, this is Cagalli Yula Athha. She is the daughter of our Chief Representative."
"Wow, a real Princess? You don't see too many of those anymore…" Flay walked around Cagalli, as if studying her. She had a critical eye, but seemed to approve...if only of the outfit and styling Cagalli bore. Her father simply laughed, before gently guiding his daughter back to his side.
"Sorry, she's a bit excited. I've been keeping her at Heliopolis due to my work, so she's been away from the Earth for a bit too long. She's treated too much like a celebrity in Alliance-held areas, and I don't want her getting spoiled." Of course, Cagalli couldn't help but wonder if this was true. Orb was safer than other places in the Alliance. The idea of officials taking advantage of Orb's neutrality to protect their families was something she'd heard rumor of. It was only now that Cagalli entertained a different perspective that she realized this possibility.
"Oh, Daddy! Don't go making excuses for me! I didn't do anything wrong. I just admired her dress and hair!" This girl seemed a bit spoiled as she lightly fumed, her father seemingly amused. "Hey, you're bored of this political talk, right? Let's go talk about some other things!" She was also very, very bored.
"Flay, Lady Cagalli has to attend to other guests. Don't impose on her just because she's your age." George commented once more, giving Cagalli a way out of the situation...or rather subtly telling her that she wasn't wanted. It was clear that they wouldn't be discussing anything of note with her around, and even less with the bored redhead near. Cagalli gave a light bow and withdrew at the opportunity.
"Sorry, but he's right. I have to tend to the others. Have a nice evening, and let me know if there is anything you need." The Princess of Orb departed, glancing back over her shoulder. The diplomats were paying her no mind, though the officers noted a very light glare at the man's back at being waved off in her own home. It didn't suit their own national pride well either, to have their princess dismissed by a visiting foreign official. Rondo Mina Sahaku didn't even bat an eye or defend Orb's honor, and her brother Gina was the one who was rumored to have invited the Alliance' Vice Foreign Minister.
Even if subconscious and indirect, it was an action of disrespect from the Sahaku family toward the Athha family. One which the soldiers noted silently, and one which Cagalli felt even if she did not yet fully understand the depth of it.
After another two hours attempting to network subtly while performing her duties, having spoken with everyone who approached her and also approaching others with power, Cagalli needed to take a break. Pondering if she could get away with doing so, she was soon roused from such thoughts when she perceived Reverend Malchio and the boy she saw before. They had not moved from their previous location. Was it because he was blind and possibly needed aid?
While she saw no political benefit to speaking with him, she couldn't help but wonder if he was enjoying himself. Her duty wasn't merely to single out those with influence, but to tend to everyone she thought may have a need. Promising her aching feet a soak in a warm bath after the party, she willed them to change direction and approach the small grouping of chairs surrounding a table.
Reverend Malchio's head made no movement as he perceived footfalls, but Cagalli ignored this and elected to speak anyway. "Excuse me, Reverend Malchio? I was wondering if you and your guest needed anything. Have you been enjoying yourselves?" She inquired to the pair, the boy smiling warmly as the Reverend chose his words carefully.
"I do not need anything, no...but I suspect that you need a rest, Lady Cagalli. Perhaps if I could convince you to have a seat and have a conversation, you may have an excuse to do so." Cagalli blushed and nearly attempted a denial, but gave a very light pout before having a seat with her back to a wall and her legs under the tablecloth. He was certainly a perceptive man, and it was both a welcome distraction and an opportunity to take off those high heels unobserved. She quickly indulged once properly seated and obscured.
"T-thank you. So...who might your guest be, Reverend?" The blonde glanced to the boy who was seated to the man's left.
"I'm Prayer Reverie. It's nice to finally meet you! You seemed to be very depressed earlier after coming back into the room...and it hasn't all gone away. Are you alright?" The young acolyte seemed a bit childish and enthusiastic, albeit not with the same spoiled air as Mr. Allster's daughter. It was a breath of fresh air in this party, to be quite honest.
Cagalli was surprised that this group had been watching her so closely, but the good Reverend just smiled. "Prayer has always been good at reading people. Such things are important in diplomacy, both to see what kind of person one is dealing with as well as what their needs and intentions are. Such forms a basis for being able to conduct negotiations more efficiently." The girl pondered this. It made sense and had shades of what Yuna said before...just not in such a corruption-motivated delivery.
Gradually, Cagalli got more comfortable talking with the pair. They discussed possible aid to Taiwan, its likely impact on Orb immigration, and assorted other concerns. Cagalli opened up a bit as the conversation went on, unaware that she was being carefully scrutinized. It wasn't merely because of her membership in the Athha family, but to determine what kind of person the young woman was.
"...but there is a lot of worry about what will happen now. ZAFT attacking the Mass Driver at Kaohsiung has everyone on edge, and we're worried they'll invade here. I'm worried, and don't know what to do about it." Cagalli said, carefully guarding what she really wanted to say...but the emotions were real at least. The man pondered his response carefully as he listened.
"...There is something you can do, even if indirect, though this is merely what I'd do in your position." The man said, grabbing Cagalli's attention. "You worry about ZAFT aggression...but respect goes a very long way in politics. What I would propose is to send an Orb delegation to the coming Junius Seven memorial service. It might be looked down upon slightly by the Earth Alliance, which is something to remember, but some may simply consider it a tactic of neutrality. Meanwhile, your presence is something that ZAFT would likely take careful note of if you conduct yourselves well with their personnel. It is my intention to return to space within the next week and assist Lacus Clyne in the preparations. As it is a humanitarian task, my participation will by no means be unexpected. If desired, I could certainly relay an intention by Orb to PLANT."
It was at that point which Cagalli started to realize the possibilities. Not only was it a good idea, but something stuck out in her mind. He'd be going into space within the next week. "Well...if you're staying in the area for a time, might I be able to stop by and talk with you more about it? This moment isn't the right time to make a decision." There was a lowering of Cagalli's voice which felt strange...as if it were a conspiratorial whisper. The man perceived it and noted it to be strange...but he didn't let his perception show.
"Of course. That's only natural. It would not do to have you dictate Orb policy without checking first with others." Reverend Malchio heard the sound of writing as Prayer took the initiative to record their contact information on a piece of paper and hand it to Cagalli with a smile. A competent assistant was critical in any profession, the priest briefly mused before hearing a door to his left open.
Chief Representative Uzumi Nara Athha, flanked by the heads of the families and other Representatives, was immediately the focus of the room as he emerged. Cameras turned toward him as he was asked a number of questions, which were almost unintelligible until order was achieved. Cagalli wanted to greet her father, but she knew that there would be a question and answer session in the press room after this. It looked like the earliest he would be available would be 1 AM. However, it did mean that the various other Representatives and their guests would be headed home. Once she saw off the various guests, her duties as hostess would be concluded.
Slipping her feet back into those high heels and steeling herself for the closing duties of the night, she freed herself of her seat. "I'm sorry, but I have duties to tend to...Thank you for the break and the conversation."
"Of course, Lady Cagalli. Feel free to contact us at any time to continue the discussion." Reverend Malchio enjoyed the exchange, and had learned a good deal about the Princess of Orb's personality and concerns.
Cagalli would excuse herself and see the guests off. The press would be tended to by those whose job it was to coral them. With confused emotions but a sense of hope as an idea formed in her mind, Cagalli would enjoy a soak and finally head to bed.
January 18, C.E. 71, 8:13 AM
Onogoro Island, Orb Union
"There's our flight. We had best hurry before too much of a crowd gathers together!" Prayer smiled as he guided Reverend Malchio onto the space plane. Of course, with them was another passenger. Wearing a thick brown coat and a dark hat, Cagalli wordlessly boarded the vessel while wearing her disguise.
It had been a hectic day and a half. Meeting various people at the party proved fortuitous, and she had managed to enlist the aid of the blind Reverend and his acolyte after meeting them privately and conveying her concerns more openly. They were heading for space for humanitarian talks, as well as to meet Lacus Clyne and other representatives from PLANT in preparation for the Junius Seven memorial ceremony. Trusted by all sides for his humanitarian works and lack of ulterior motives, Reverend Malchio was readily convinced to take her along as far as Heliopolis so she could covertly investigate matters before the war could escalate further.
Having a seat in first class with the other two, the young woman gave a sigh of relief. Yuna had wanted to come after setting her up with a new identity at her request and making sure no one from Orb's upper echelons would be joining them in first class, but she'd nipped that in the bud. She needed Yuna to stay behind as her eyes and ears in government. As far as anyone in the Five Families knew, she was on a transport to the Kingdom of Scandinavia for a two week stay. A reward for her hostessing on such short notice.
Having a seat, she took out her new identification and studied it intently so as to remind herself of her new name and details. The plastic card listed her name as 'Sayla Mass', and to a select few she was known as a newly recruited Investigator in Orb Intelligence. While her rank was a detail which would not be advertised openly, it would give her a measure of authority if push came to shove. Sadly, this was all that Yuna could do for her without raising any eyebrows.
"Someone is flaunting their wealth, aren't they? That space plane certainly says 'V.I.P.'." Prayer stated with amusement, drawing Cagalli's attention to a gold and black space plane that was being loaded onto the Kaguya Mass Driver for launch.
Cagalli couldn't help but glare at it a bit. "That's the Sahaku family's personal transport. Nothing wrong with gold, but mixing it with black alone can certainly be...well, I guess I shouldn't judge. I just wish they weren't returning to space along with us. It'd be easier to investigate the Alliance's presence without a member of their family at Morgenroete."
Prayer looked over to the worried and driven young woman, hoping that things would be alright. "And if the Alliance is really making Mobile Suits there, what will you do?"
"Tell my father, for starters. It's one thing to give him a photograph, but another to have an eye-witness account or pictures that I took myself. Dragging Orb into the war..." She paused for a time to properly articulate her thoughts while putting away her identification card. "I don't care what justifications they came up with, it's a violation of our most fundamental creed."
The door to First Class opened before any more could be said, a stewardess entering and showing another young woman to her seat. Cagalli blanched, noting the identity of the new passenger.
"Here is your seat, Ms. Allster. Your father sends his apologies for not being able to join you, but his duties demand that he remain on Earth. We will be launching within the next ten minutes."
Flay gave but a shallow nod, the irritation on her face noteworthy. The stewardess departed, and Cagalli pulled her hat down over her eyes in hopes of not being noticed. No one spoke in First Class as the Sahaku personal transport lifted off, and their own space plane took its place on the Kaguya Mass driver.
"Flight 305 to Heliopolis, secured to mass driver. Charging systems, T-minus ninety seconds. All passengers secure all loose personal items and secure themselves in their seats." Cagalli really hoped that she wouldn't be found out, and would be allowed to stay secure...
"Excuse me, can you wake up that boy? He needs to put away his hat." Cagalli heard Flay say this and felt a small flare of anger. Taking off her hat and handing it to Prayer to store in the compartment next to him, she kept her eyes closed in hopes that she wouldn't be recognized.
"...Princess? I'm so sorry! That coat and hat just..." Well, so much for that. Cagalli sighed again and looked over to the surprised Flay. She was sure that Yuna had done his best to make sure she was secure, but had forgotten to verify that non-Orb V.I.P.s wouldn't be on the flight. Now she had to deal with this.
"I'm not Cagalli Yula Athha. I'm Sayla Mass. And if you ever meet the Chief Representative's daughter, she hates being called Princess." Cagalli crossed her arms and tried to be serious, but Prayer couldn't help but be a little amused at Cagalli's pout.
Flay briefly looked confused, but then saw Prayer next to her and looked at him in an appraising manner. After a few moments, she donned a coy smile. "Oh, I empathize, 'Sayla'. It's hard to spend any time with a cute boy like that without the tabloids going crazy. If I weren't engaged already, I'd probably have to arrange a secret rendezvous every now and then too!"
Prayer blinked in surprise, while Cagalli blushed and sputtered. "H-hey, don't go making assumptions like that-"
"Please cease all talking or consumption, close mouths fully to avoid oral injuries during launch, and face directly forward in your seats. Launch in ten...nine...eight..."
Flay simply giggled at the protests, obeying the instruction, while Cagalli grumbled. Face red, she also stopped talking and faced forward.
This was going to be a long flight.