"Testarossa here is all the relevant material on Jail Scaglietti's death." A desk clerk, dressed in a simple black suit, piled a tower of ring bonded binders on the table in front of Fate.
"Ah...thanks..." Fate stared blankly at the mountains of binders and papers sitting around her wearily. She leaned back on her chair looking at the ceiling of the barren steel room with intense florescent lights hanging from the ceiling. "I hate reading though all this paperwork." She sighed, picking up a book and casually flipped through it. "This will take cycles (days) to sort out."
"Four cycles, twenty six intervals and 25 fractions if you work 8 intervals a day Sir." Bardiche chipped in his two cents.
"One more word and I'll throw you out an airlock." Fate gritted her teeth in annoyance turning to the clerk standing in the corner of the room organizing another batch of reports. "Why don't you just give me the surveillance video of Scaglietti's room?"
"The video file for his room...corrupted." he paused flipping though another few pages of reports. "The footage is just static."
"Well you don't just record video right?" Fate grumbled annoyed at the thoroughness of Scaglietti's assassin. "Don't you have other sensors installed in their cells?"
"Umm yes," he smiled amused at Fate's irritation. "Well the evidence so far shows that there was no forced entry or other means of brute force were used to enter his cell." He picked up another paper off his desk. "Autopsy concludes that there was no poison or any chemicals in Scaglietti's body and lastly it shows that there was no trace of trauma that could have killed him."
"Magical energy reaction report of the cell please?" Fate put her head down on the table and covered her ears with her hands sighing explosively.
"You know all recording equipment was destroyed in Scaglietti's room so this data is from the adjacent cell." The clerk repeated sighing. "Our analysis from the adjacent cell says that nothing was strange at the time."
"We'll see about that." Fate flipped though all the graphs showing magical energy reactions that were recorded on the sensor.
"You won't see anything at such a low frequency." The clerk rolls his eyes shaking his head at Fate's ignorance.
"Well what do you call this?" Fate jump up in excitement holding up a chart showing multiple peaks in a very low band of magical energy.
"I don't see what you mean." The clerk looked at her puzzled.
"This is the energy signature of a combat cyborg IS ability." She held the chart up to his face. "If I remember back from the JS Incident...this girl named Sein, she worked for Scaglietti had an ability to swim though solid objects." Fate explained to the confused clerk. "Her magical energy signature registered exactly like this in this frequency when she uses her ability."
"How do you know for sure that combat cyborgs are involved again? The clerk lifted an eyebrow doubting Fate's conclusion.
"I don't but this is a start." Fate started shifting though the papers more enthusiastically. "But, I'm sure this has nothing to do with cyborgs that are peacefully living on Midchildia right now." Fate shook her head sadly thinking the creation of combat cyborgs and Project F still might be active somewhere. "Moving on to our next problem. How our assassin got on this complex." She pondered as she poured over the prison's travel logs."
"Well the day before Scaglietti's death we did have a non-TSAB ship docking to offload prisoners from unadministrated world #117." The clerk picked up a binder of the docking logs and plopped it in front of Fate.
"A Non-TSAB ship from an unadministrated world?" Fate looked at the desk clerk puzzled after reading the first few pages. "That doesn't happen; you know TSAB secrecy protocol states that we should have no direct contact with unadministrated worlds.
"Well recently scientists from unadministrated world #117 found this Long Term Detention Facility by accident." he explained. "For secrecy sake the TSAB struck a deal with them. Use of this facility for their most dangerous criminals in exchange for secrecy."
"I...see..." Fate paused trying to understand all the information. "So you say that an assassin came from that ship?"
"It's plausible." The clerk shrugged.
"Great...just great..." Fate rolled her eyes at the complicated nature of this case.
"Vivio, where are you?" Hayate poked her head into the backroom.
"Over here Auntie Hayate." Vivio jumped out from behind a wall of cardboard boxes hugging Hayate from behind. The boxes filled to the brim and bulging with cloths and accessories that Hayate made and collected over the years.
"Oh there you are!" Hayate jumped a little, acting to be surprised by Vivio.
"Ehh hehe," Vivio looked up smiling. "How do I look? Vivio asked Hayate.
"Vivio, you have a much better sense of fashion than your mothers." Hayate nodded her head in approval seeing Vivio dressed in a white frilly Lolita dress with puffed sleeves lined with light blue lace and frills. Her legs were covered in striped white and light blue stockings matched by a darker blue dress shoes, her blonde hair were lined with a number of big blue and white checkered ribbons. "You've made your Auntie Hayate proud." Hayate sniffled bending down and hugged the adorable looking Vivio.
"Ah hehe," Vivio smiled hugging her auntie back.
"Since you're so good at choosing cloths, I'll let you wear it back home for a surprise for Fate-mama." Hayate giggled at the thought of Fate being welcomed home by a cute frilly looking Vivio.
"Mhmmm!" Vivio nodded her head vigorously excited taking Hayate's hand as they went back to her office.
"Mhmmm, looks like Fate isn't going to make it back home in time for dinner." Hayate checked her watch. "Vivio, do you want to eat in the mess hall with me?"
"Alright!" Vivio smiling a little, her shoulders slumped; disappointed that Fate was going to be home late.
"Let-sa GO!" Hayate pumped her fist in the air and towed Vivio out down the hallways down to the mess hall. All the while people walking in the hallway commented on how cute Vivio looked in her dress making her blush furiously.
"Hayate!" Vita sitting at a round table in the mess hall with Signum, Shamal, and Zafira. "Oi, Hayate!" Vita waving at her to come over to sit with them.
"Vita," Hayate walked over giving Vita a hug and ruffled her red hair. "Signum, Shamal, Zafira, how are you all doing?"
"We're just fine, there's not much work to do right now," Signum sighed taking another bite of her meat loaf. "It's too quiet for my taste."
"Oh don't be so grumpy," Hayate pat Signum on the back. "I'm sure a storm will whip up sooner or later. But remember this peace is what all true warriors strive for."
"Hayate," Vita tugged on Hayate's uniform. "I'm going to help Vivio get some food."
"Oh so you're not going to get your mistress any food? Are you going to let her starve to her death?" Hayate closed her eyes and crossing her arms turning her back to Vita pretending to be mad.
"Hayate!" Vita moaned at Hayate's playfulness.
"Just joking, but if you could also get some for me that would be great." Hayate hid her laugh under her sleeve.
"Alight, alight Hayate-sama." Vita and Vivio ran off to the food counter loading their plates.
"Teasing her is so fun." Hayate broke out laughing.
"Well anyways you need eat well, we can't have our mistress collapsing," Shamal lectured giving Hayate a wink. "Doctor's orders."
"Yea yea yea," Hayate sat down seeing Vita return with Vivio with loaded plates. "Thanks Vita," Hayate thanked her taking the plate of meat loaf, potato wedges, beans and peppers from Vita while petting her. "It looks delicious, thanks Vita." She chowed down on her dinner.
"About Nanoha." Signum telepathically thought to Hayate not wanting to upset Vivio.
"What about it?" Hayate thought back.
"I'm worried, after all that you have told us," Signum sighed. "Vita is becoming unbearable, you know how it is between Nanoha and Vita."
"Hey hey don't be talking about me behind my back." Vita butted in their telepathic conversation.
"We are all worried but we must believe in her." Shamal added in.
"All done!" Vivio's happy announcement cut into their conversation.
"Ok!" Hayate smiled standing up. "Lets go see if you momma has come home yet, Vivio."
"Mhmmm!" Vivio skipped out of her seat and ran out of the mess hall to the housing section.
"Vivio, wait!" Hayate chased after her to the amusement of her knights. "Vivio!" She called out looking around for her in the empty hallways.
"Hayate?" a familiar voice called out Hayate's name.
"Subaru?" she answered the voice.
"Yes it's me." a girl with blue short hair in a brown and white Section 6 uniform popped out from behind a corner followed by another girl with long orange hair in the same uniform.
"I'm here too." Teana said stiffly.
"Hi you two," Hayate panted. "Did either of you see where Vivio ran off to?"
"Yea," Teana pointed down the hall. "She went that way."
"Oh gheez," Hayate sighed. "I'm getting old."
"We'll help if you like!" Subaru jumped enthusiastically taking off down the hallway before Hayate could reply.
"I see why those two are such good practice buddies." Hayate chased after Subaru, with Teana causally following her.
"Yup," Teana sighed wearily being pulled into another one of Subaru's antics. "Both of them are over energetic and over enthusiastic."
"There you are Vivio!" Subaru caught up to Vivio bending down hugging her from behind. "Gotcha mhmmm."
"Fate-mama isn't home." Vivio sniffed, her head dipped sadly staring in the opened door to her dark and empty apartment.
"Well lets call that irresponsible mama of yours." Hayate ushered Vivio and Subaru into the apartment.
"I'll call." Teana called up an orange monitor calling HQ COM to connect to Fate.
"Fate," Teana talked into the monitor to see a wall of stacked paper and binder. "Fate where are you?" Her question was answered by a light snore.
"Allow me," Hayate cleared her throat and spoke into the monitor mimicking Nanoha's voice. "Fate, would you like to take a shower with me?"
"Whaaa, what, Nanoha where are you?" the stacks of paper and binder spoke teetering back and forth falling over in a thunderous crash revealing Fate buried in piles of paperwork.
"HAYATE!" Fate yelled into the monitor seeing Hayate on screen.
"FATE!" Hayate yelled back.
"WHAT?" Fate yelled irritably shifting though the mess scattered papers and binders. "Ugh, this is a mess!" she complained rubbing her eyes with dark rings around them.
"Your daughter is what." Hayate scolded Fate. "Do you have any idea what time it is?" Hayate move the monitor down to face Vivio.
"Bardiche?" Fate asked her device.
"It is 27 intervals and 45 fractions." Bardiche announced. "Or 3 intervals and 15 fractions till midnight." he continued stating the time. "In other words, it past your and the lady's bed time Sir."
"Aw crap," Fate rubbed her head realizing the time. "I'm sooo sorry Vivio I got caught up in work." Fate looked at Vivio apologizing. "I'm so so so sorry but I can't make it back tonight." Fate kept apologizing to her daughter.
"So what was so important?" Hayate asked collecting herself.
"Remember our friend Scaglietti?" Fate moaned tiredly.
"How can we forget?" Hayate shook her head. "What wrong with him now? Did he try a Jail break?"
"Well he is...dead, assassinated and I think combat cyborg are behind it." Fate explained. "Hayate please please take Vivio in for the night?
"Fine, fine, only just this once!" Hayate pouted playfully.
'Thank you Hayate." Fate slumped over on the table. "You're a lifesaver."
"Well you saved mine once so lets call it even?" Hayate joke around with their past encounter.
"Very funny Hayate." Fate cracked a smile from her tired expression.
"Vivio, I promise you'll see me in the morning ok?" Fate waved to her. "Thanks Subaru, Teana for taking care of Vivio."
"Oh its nothing," the Subaru and Teana giggled.
"By the way are you too tried to not notice what Vivio is wearing?" Subaru hinted at Vivio's cloths snuffing her giggles in her hands.
"Huh?" Fate squinted at Vivio finally noticing her Lolita dress up. "Hayate!"
"What now?" Hayate hid her laugh in her sleeve.
"Vivio is not a dress up doll!" Fate scolded Hayate.
"Well she was the one that chose it and put it on," she pulled Vivio closer to her. "Am I right?"
"Yup yup," Vivio sang performing a twirl in front of the monitor.
"You look very cute Vivio," Fate giggled. "But it's way past your bed time and you have school tomorrow, so go to bed soon."
"Mhmm Fate-mama," Vivio nodded while yawning sleepily.
"Vivio can crash with me tonight." Hayate sighed explosively as if she was doing an extremely hard task. "It'll be a slumber party!"
"Sorry Hayate," Fate apologized again. "Goodnight Vivio, I love you so much. I'll see you tomorrow, I promise promise." Fate waved goodbye and blew a kiss to Vivio, then shut off her monitor.
"Slumber party neh Vivio," Subaru said excitedly her eyes sparkled. "You're so lucky."
"You can join in if you like." Hayate's eye sparkled, drooling at the thought of having more dress up dolls. "We need to keep our promise to Nanoha." She quickly added in wiping her lips.
"YAY!" Subaru jumped for joy. "Vivio, I'll race you to Hayate's room!" she took off without another word. Teana sighed shaking her head knowing she will be dragged into another of Subaru's stunts.
"Subaru, no fair!" Vivio sprinted off after Subaru.
"Vita, Signum, Shamal, Zafira," Hayate telepathic called out to her knights.
"Yes Hayate?" Vita answered Hayate.
"Vivio, Subaru, and Teana are going to have a sleep over with us tonight." Hayate informed her.
"Ah, this will be fun." Vita growled playfully.
~*~~TSAB Command in Dimensionless Space~~*~
"Admiral Lindy," a man wearing a black navy uniform suit saluted the woman sitting at a huge wooden antique desk littered with bonsai trees in small colorful pots.
"Burning the midnight oil Chrono?" the woman's aqua green hair wagged back and forth as she shook her head. "Amy will be mad at you if you're always gone."
"This is urgent," his grim face betrayed his handsome features.
"What is it?" Lindy blinked curiously at why her son looks so gaunt.
"Here," he handed over a document with Top Secret – Eyes Only –|Clearance Omega| – Priority Alpha Zulu. "It just came to me in the middle of the night." His hands shook as he handed it over making the document rattle.
"Let see." Lindy put on her reading glasses.
Operation Starlight
Operation Starlight was declared a failure and has been scrubbed due to the loss of the Valence Class Transdimensional Cruiser "The Scarlet Swan" with all hands aboard, resulting in a over 45% loss of personnel which is considered as an unacceptable loss in any operational protocol. This loss has further enacted protocol Directive One where any mission will be scrubbed after the loss of over 35%. Remaining ships "Warlock" and "The Hummingbird" have been ordered to reversed course back into TSAB administrated space. ETA (estimated time of arrival) calculated at 1 cycle or 30 intervals.
Investigation of The Scarlet Swan's destruction was not due to combat but mechanical failure. No further details about the accident have been recorded as the mission recorder has not been found. Further more detail investigation is pending.
Officer Causality Lists:
Captain Clifred Bayer - 403rd Transdimensional Navy
Captain Takamachi Nanoha – Mobile Unit Section 6
First Lieutenant Erica Reed – 24th Mobile Ground Division
Major...
Lindy stopped mid-sentence and reread the casualty list. "Captain...Takamachi...Nanoha". Setting down the report she took off her reading glasses rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Please tell me they made a mistake."
"There-there was no mis-mistake." Chrono swallowed hard his voice cracking unevenly.
"Are you sure?" Lindy stood up knocking her chair back. "Tell me this isn't happening all over again!"
Chrono stay silent bowing his head looking away from his mother.
"No, no not again..." Lindy fell back down on her chair.
"How are we going to tell Fate this?" Chrono said stiffly clenching his shaking fists trying to control his emotions.
"We need to tell her the truth...now better than later." Lindy sighed holding her arm trying her hardest not to cry. "I don't k-know i-if Fate c-ca-can take this." She covered her mouth breaking down into tears shaking her head in disbelief losing herself in sadness.
"Mother..." Chrono stepped behind Lindy's desk, hugging her around the neck. "To lose another family member like this." he let loose crying on his mother's shoulder remembering his father. "We-we have to tell Fate about this soon."
"We'll do it tomorrow." Lindy wiped her tears on her sleeve. "We need to give Fate as much support as we can, when we tell her."
"I'll arrange a shuttle for Midchildia for us," Chrono put his hand on his mother's shoulder squeezing it gently. "We'll get thought this." He forced a smile for his mother.
Lindy silently nodded grasping Chrono's hand slowly letting him go. Sighing she opened her drawer talking out a round glass picture frame. The picture showed a younger Chrono standing with man with dark blue hair holding hands younger looking Lindy. "It has been so many years since you were taken from us." She brushed the picture of the man's face, who used to be her husband. "Please watch over Nanoha…Clyde."
"Take that!" Vivio, in her pink t-shirt and shorts pajamas with white bunny polka dots, threw a pillow across the room at Subaru, missing snuffing Teana in the face.
"Missed me!" Subaru twirled away, her blue unbutton pajama fluttered around her.
"You two..." Teana raised her fist getting angry. "Don't mess with a sharp shooter!" she hurled two pillows, one for Vivio and for Subaru, smacking them dead center on the face making them fall over in a heap.
"Te-an-a," Subaru whined. "You big meanie!" She stuck out her tongue at Teana.
"SNEAK ATTACK!" Vita, in red pajamas, jumped out behind Teana whacking Teana on the head with a pillow.
"GAH!" Teana fell over face first on the mattress without another word.
"Teana?" Subaru poked Teana's back. "Vita...I think you killed her."
"LIKE HELL IM DEAD!" Teana whipped up the covers and wrapped Vivio, Subaru and Vita in the covers like a sushi.
"My win," Teana smiled making the victory symbol with her fingers.
"Alright, little children it is bed time," Hayate poke her head into the room. "It's almost midnight, and Fate will have my head if she knew that you were up this late Vivio."
"Hehe, sowwie." Vivio giggle while wrapped up in the bed sheets.
"Goodnight everyone." Hayate clicked out the lights."
"Goodnight Hayate!" everyone called back.
"Goodnight everyone" Teana curled up on the mattress leaving the three still wrapped up.
"Teana?" Vivio squeaked. "Are you forgetting something?"
"No, what?" Teana opened one eye pretending to not know.
"Oi…Let us OUT!" Vita shouts, her voice muffled by the sheets. The sushi of people and covers wiggled like a worm as they tried to free themselves.
"Oh that." Teana pulled hard on the end making them roll around until they were free of the sheets.
"T-th-thats b-b-better," Subaru said dizzily.
"Now goodnight!" Teana pulled the covers over herself leaving the three in a daze.
"Agent Testarossa," A soft voice disturbed Fate in her sleep making her moan sleepily.
"10 more minutes Nanoha." she said unconsciously.
"Please wake up Agent Testarossa." The desk clerk shook Fate on the shoulder.
"Uhmm huh?" Fate got up from a stretcher groggy realizing that Nanoha was no with her. "What time is this and where am I?
"It's 10 intervals and 40 fractions past midnight yesterday ma'am," The clerk beside her stated the time. "You're on an Orbital Detention Facility.
"Oh right," she shook her head clearing it. "Tell me why I'm in a stretcher?" she examined herself to see if she was hurt anywhere.
"Don't worry nothing is wrong with you," The clerk chuckled. "We made you a make shift bed, you fell asleep on your desk working last night."
"Oh...right." Fate straightens out her wrinkled uniform, combing her bed head with her fingers.
"You've made considerable progress since last night," He picked up a stack of paper that Fate worked on last night. "I think we can handle it from here, if we need you again we'll drop a line."
"If you say so," Fate got up slowly. "But, I rather be hands on when it comes to dealing with Scaglietti."
"Sir, you have an incoming call from Midchilda from Admiral Lindy." Bardiche flash interrupting them.
"Answer it please." Fate asked Bardiche tiredly rubbing her temple.
"Sir." Bardiche called up a yellow monitor.
"Hi mom," Fate smiled at the sight of her mother. "What's up?"
"Fate, I need you to come back to Midchilda and meet me in my office." Lindy forced a smiled for Fate.
"Is something the matter?" Fate looked at Lindy curiously.
"I rather not talk about it over the COM channel." Lindy face darkens a little giving Fate a pleading look.
"Alright," Fate replied puzzled. "I'll see you soon."
"See you soon," Lindy gave Fate a quick wave and shut the monitor off.
"Well looks like I do really have to go," Fate told the clerk.
"If you please, follow me to the teleporter." The clerk guided Fate through the still heavily guarded hallways to the teleporter room.
"Thanks." Fate thanked the clerk for helping her thought the investigation.
"It has been my pleasure." the clerk smiled and teleported Fate out to TSAB Command HQ on Midchilda.
"Agent Testarossa," a teleporter operator saluted Fate as she stepped off the teleporter pad hurrying down the bustling halls of mages and clerks to her mother's office.
"Here goes," Fate stood at the door to her mother's office. "Hi mom." she greeted Lindy as she walked in. "Chrono?" Fate saw him sitting beside their mother. "What are you doing here?"
"Fate..." Chrono nodded to her.
"What is wrong?" Fate looked at the two of them puzzled.
"Fate, sit down please," Lindy eyed the chair on the other side of her desk.
"Ok?" Fate quietly sat down.
"Fate, I don't know how to say this any but..." Lindy paused for a few seconds. "Nanoha...h-h-has been..." Lindy stuttered trying to finish, her eyes flowing with tears.
"Mom," Chrono pat his mother on the back. "If you want I'll say it."
"Say what," Fate asked shocked seeing her mother crying.
"No no, I'll do it." Lindy shook her head wiping her eyes with a handkerchief. "Fate," she sniffed holding back her tears. "Nanoha, she...has been listed as a casualty."
"What do you mean she died?" Fate stared at them stunned and confused.
"I wish it wasn't true Fate," Chrono continued steeling himself. "But, a report on her mission came back, her ship was destroyed in an accident."
"That can't be true right?" Fate asked frantically. "They must have made a mistake in the report right?" Fate's scarlet red eyes darted from her mother and her brother hoping to hear one of them say that it was a joke. "You must be joking with me," Fate's stood up slamming her hands on the desk, her voice cracking.
"Fate, I know your upset but please calm down." Chrono walked over to Fate putting his hands on her shoulder trying to calm her down.
"Calm down?" Fate yelled shaking Chrono's hands off. "I come here and you tell me Nanoha has been killed in some freak accident and you tell me to calm down?" Her hands quivered at her sides, shaking her head not believe a word.
"FATE!" Lindy stood up from her desk and rushed over hugging Fate tightly. "I know it's impossible to accept." Hold Fate's head to her chest, her tears falling on Fate's blonde hair. "I know, she is family, and it's impossible to accept."
"I j-j-just spoke to Nanoha y-yes-yesterday!" Fate cried pulling out of Lindy's arms. "There is no way this could just happen!" She slowly backed out the door. "I-I-I'm going to go call her right now...y-y-you-you'll see, s-s-sh-she will be just fine." Fate sprinted out of Lindy's office heading to HQ COM.
"Fate!" Chrono called after her chasing her down the hallways.
"This can't be true, it just can't." Fate said quietly crying silently, tears running down her cheek. She ran down the HQ hallways past crowds of people bumping them and shoving them aside as she ran down to HQ COM to talk to Nanoha as she heard Chrono call her name. "Ensign!" Fate slammed her hands down on the console of a communications officer.
"Y-YES?" the Ensign stammered in shock and surprise.
"Get me CAPTAIN TA-KA-MA-CHI NA-NO-HA!" she yelled at the bewildered Ensign.
"But wasn't she on the ship that was lost during the mission?" the Ensign tried to explain.
"How do you know?" Fate reached over the console impatiently.
"I-I-I was the one handling communications for the expedition mission!" she gripped her chair. "We lost contact with her ship...and...and the other ships reported that her ship was destroyed."
"No...no your lying as well." Fate's knees wobbled weakly. "There...is no way." Fate bent over the console crying slamming her fist on the keyboard. "Nanoha...why...who did this?" she pounded and kicked the console denting it.
"Fate, that's enough!" Chrono pulled Fate back from the console hugging her as she sank to her knees crying shaking her head screaming.
"Nanoha...why...why couldn't I protect you." she pounded the ground with her fist. A river of tears flow down her cheek dripping off her cheek when she shook her head, her blonde hair fell over her face like a veil.
"You did everything...you could." Chrono gripped Fate tighter. "Everything you could," he tried to help Fate on her feet. "So please...don't blame yourself," he cried to her.
"How, how could this happen," she shouted lifting her head up looking at the ceiling. "I promised you, I promised...after all this time, why now..." her voice crackling from crying and shouting. "Nanoha..." Fate whispered, slumping unconsciously onto Chrono's shoulder.
"Fate, Chrono." Lindy watched her son and daughter kneeling on the ground. "She need time Chrono." she lifted Fate up putting Fate's arm over her shoulder helping her walk back to her apartment room.
"Nanoha...I'm...so sorry." Fate kept repeating softly to herself as Lindy and Chrono carried her back to her apartment room.
"She need to rest," Lindy set Fate down on the bed. "I'll watch over her, you should go back to HQ."
"But," Chrono began to object to see his mother's stern gaze. "We can't paralyze the TSAB operations over this Chrono." she said softly. "You need to help her in the way you can and start an investigation."
Chrono nodded softly and headed out of the apartment to head the investigation for Nanoha's mission.
"Fate," Lindy laid Fate's head on her lap stroking her back. "I'm so sorry." she said softly wiping Fate's tearing red eye with a handkerchief.
"Chrono?" Hayate walked into the dark and empty briefing room with a giant oval table and office chairs. The room only illuminated by the TV monitor mounted on the other side of the wall showing the silhouette of a man in a uniform "What's wrong?" she asked surprised seeing the grim look on his face as she sat down beside him.
"Hayate, Nanoha has been listed MIA (missing in action) but..." Chrono took a deep breath and slowly exhaling. "She is most likely KIA (killed in action).
"What?" Hayate sprung up from her chair knocking it over. "When...did you get the news?" she straightens out her chair, slowly sitting back down her legs wobbling from the shock.
"Last night," he handed a copy of the letter he showed Lindy the night before.
"Oh dear god." Hayate whispered as she read the letter, her mouth wide open in shock, drops of tears fell from her chin dripping on to the letter. "How could this happen?"
"We are still investigating...but with no wreckage..." Chrono heaved a heavy sigh. "We are at a loss."
"Does Fate know?" her hand shook as she set the letter down, rubbing her hands together in a fist trying to make the shaking stop as if she was cold.
"Yes," Chrono nodded. "She isn't taking it well."
"So what do we do now?" Hayate asked him, her voice as quiet as a whisper.
"There isn't much I can do," Chrono tapped his finger on the table thinking. "We can only hope to investigate this incident so Nanoha didn't..." his voice cracked straining to get the last words out. "Die in vain."
"Don't say it." Hayate sniffed holding back her tears. "Please just don't."
"Hayate, you know we all would love to hope that there was some miracle, some small infinitesimal amount of chance that she survived." Chrono clenched his hand on the table. "But, this time there just isn't."
"Does anyone else know?" Hayate collected herself.
"No one else," Chrono assured her. "But rumors are spreading fast, you know how Nanoha was popular with all the forces and the loss of a ship is nothing secret. Once they see the connection…"
"Moral will..." Hayate concluded getting an understanding nod from Chrono.
"I'll help in the investigation." Hayate stood up leaving the briefing room. "We need to prepare the news for Nanoha's...family...and funeral as well."
"Mhmm, thanks" Chrono nodded without another word, swiveling his chair to face the glowing monitor sniffing deeply.
"What am I going to say to Vivio...?" Hayate sat at her desk looking at the clock, shaking in fear watching it get near and nearer to when Vivio gets off school.
"HAYATE!" Vita slammed aside the door. "Oi...Hayate!" Vita sprinted over to Hayate breathing heavily. "Tell me what happened!" Vita growled her eyes narrow and sharp piercing at her mistress.
Hayate stared at Vita in silence for a moment. "It's as it says..." Hayate finally spoke. "I've had it confirmed myself there is no mistake." Her declined her head slightly point her chin at the thin folder.
"Give me that." Vita snatched the folder off her Hayate's desk violent flipping though its contents reading it.
"Vita!" Signum quietly slid the door open glaring at Vita. "I won't allow you to be rude to Hayate."
"Dam it all, this isn't the time for your etiquette Signum." Vita's aqua blue eyes danced across the reports her hands shaking violently as she kept reading.
"Vita, calm yourself!" Signum ordered Vita snatching the folder out of Vita's grip.
"HEY! I was reading that!" Vita snapped at Signum throwing a punch at Signum's gut.
"BOTH OF YOU COOL YOUR HEAD!" Hayate smacked her palms on the desk yelling over her two bickering knights making freezing in shock.
"Hayate..." Vita whispered quietly in awe.
"Just stop it Vita, just stop." Hayate sat back down blinking back her tears. "I know how you feel but...there wasn't anything you or I could have done. There was no way you could have done anything for her Vita so please stop blaming yourself."
"No...There's always something that can be done..." Vita sank to her knees shaking her head crying abandoning her tough act. "I am the Knight of the Iron Hammer, me and Graf Eisen the Iron Count can destroy anything!" Vita punched the floor with her fists. "Why couldn't I destroy those that took you away Nanoha?" Vita sobbed throwing her head back in despair.
"You can't...destroy...fate or death...Vita." Signum said quietly turned her back to Vita and Hayate her hands clenched tightly in a fist at her side. "How is Fate?" Signum hissed though her clenched jaws.
Hayate silently shook her head.
"Vivio?" Signum asked again sniffing deeply.
"She doesn't know yet." Hayate looked at the clock again getting dressed to pick Vivio up from school. "She is off school in half an interval. I don't know if I can break the news to Vivio."
"I'll come with you." Vita wiped her eyes quickly with her sleeve.
"Alright." Hayate nodded grabbing the keys to her car. "Well...we're off."
"Neh neh Einhart do you want to join the TSAB someday?" Vivio asked her walking backwards to the school gates.
"Not really." Einhart sighed chuckling a little. "I don't really know what I want to do yet after I finish school maybe open my own school for Kaiser Arts…maybe."
"Whaaaa!" Vivio's eyes gleamed. "Really really?"
"Ah...probably." Einhart blushed lightly. "You want to join Section 6 like your parents right, Vivio?"
"Well I don't know about joining Section 6 exclusively." Vivio laughed nervously.
"Oh don't try and hide it." Lio patted Vivio hard on the back. "We know that's where you wana go."
"Mou!" Vivio groaned at their tease. "Ah! Hi Auntie Hayate, Vita!" Vivio waved to them as she got closer to school gates.
"Your mothers are busy?" Einhart waved to Hayate.
"I'm not sure." Vivio wondered. "I really did think Fate-mama will pick me up. Ah well, bye bye Einhart, Lio I'll see you tomorrow." Vivio waved goodbye to her friends.
"Bye Vivio, see you tomorrow." Einhart and Lio waved back.
"Auntie Hayate, Vita." Vivio ran up to them hugging them.
"Hi Vivio," Hayate hugged her back. "How was school?" Hayate put on her best smile for Vivio.
"It was fine, though it wasn't very exciting today." Vivio shrugged climbing into the back Hayate's sedan.
"That's nice." Hayate forced a giggle.
"Can we go to the library?" Vivio asked from the backseat.
"We can't today Vivio." Hayate silently sighed think what to say to Vivio.
"Okay..." Vivio sighed sadly.
"Vivio there is something I need to tell you when we get back." Vita huffed.
"Vita!" Hayate scold Vita.
"What, we need to tell her," Vita growled back.
"This isn't the best place!" Hayate warned.
"Sorry." Vita apologized.
"And we are back at home." Hayate pulled up to the Section 6 dorms. "Vivio wait for me."
"Mhmmm." Vivio nodded looking them confused.
"Here take my hand." Hayate grasped Vivio's hand without waiting for an answer. The three girls walked in silence though the quiet hallways back to Nanoha's apartment.
"We're back." Hayate opened the door to the apartment.
"Welcome...back." Lindy welcomed them in. Fate and Subaru sat on the living room couches crying being comforted by Teana, Caro, Eilo and Chrono.
"What is going on?" Vivio looked up at Hayate.
"Vivio?" Fate looked up upon hearing Vivio's voice. Blowing her nose on a tissue, Fate's scarlet eyes were blood shot red from crying.
"Fate-mama!" Vivio cried out in shock pulling loose from Hayate's hand running over next to her mother. "What happened Fate-mama? Why are you crying?"
"Vivio..." Fate looked at Vivio trying to speak only to break down again crying.
"Vivio, please sit down." Lindy took over for Fate and Hayate kneeling down facing Vivio. "Vivio...I don't know how to say this but Nanoha-mama...she won't be coming home."
"I know she won't." Vivio looked at Lindy strangely. "Nanoha-mama will be gone for three months, Fate-mama told me already." Vivio took quick glances at Fate being comforted by Hayate.
"No Vivio," Lindy shook her head. "I mean Nanoha-mama won't be coming home ever again."
"What?" Vivio stood in shock. "Why is Nanoha-mama not coming home!"
"Nanoha-mama has..." Lindy bit her lips painfully saying the last words. "...passed away."
"Nanoha-mama...is...gone?" Vivio's voice squeaked her green and red eyes glistening with tears.
"Y...yes..."
Vivio shook her head looking desperately at Fate, then to her friends to see them all grieving, realizing that Lindy was telling the truth. "Mama..." Vivio's voice got quiet, her head drooped down. "Mama..." she said again a little louder.
"Vivio I kno..." Lindy tried to explain when Vivio's cry cut her off.
"MAMA!" Vivio screamed out loud crying calling out for her mother. "Nanoha-mama!"
"Oh dear Vivio," Lindy quickly wrapped her arms around Vivio pulling her into a deep embrace." I'm so sorry Vivio, I so sorry." Lindy kept repeating over and over again to Vivio.
After-Thoughts: Please raise your hand if you want to kill me right now? One, two, three, ten, twenty...eh...all of you. *Bows my head* Gomen no sai, please forgive me. ^^;; Ok enough with that. I admit this chapter was almost heart breaking to write for me. And I hope you share the feeling as much as I do when I was writing. If your wondering I did not lose anyone in my life that push me to write such a sad chapter the answer is no. But, this chapter was based on a dream I had a while back which was quite sad so in writing and reliving it was quite saddening. I cried a few times having to set my laptop down to take a break before I could continue.
On a side note I would love to thank all my readers for their message/post. My writing can only get better when you comment (loves it when you guys review and comment) so I would love to thank you all. *gives you all a cookie*...*gives you a life time supply of cookies*
Thank you for reading Chapter 3.
Hope to see you in Chapter 4 of Re:encounter.
- FateSkyFire