Slaine told Asseylum everything. She stared out at the stars; he sprawled in his chair.
"Why? Why did you not end the war?"
"Perhaps I should have, Highness. I should have seized control of the Knights, as the royal fiancee, and wiped them all out; every foe on Earth, every Versian traitor. Then our war would have ended, when nothing was left to harm you...but I missed my chance."
"Slaine...what are you saying? You said we could thrive together! I trusted you..." Her voice died, as Slaine hung his head. "I must command the Knights to cease this pointless war."
"The Knights have wanted nothing for decades but Earth on a plate, Highness. They won't heed you more than Saazbaum, and nor will the UFE. I even made Lemrina urge the war in your name–you'll only risk your life, again–!"
"Even so, I must try, Slaine. As your Princess, I command you to stand with me as I try. My life is worth nothing, unless spent for the people I love–"
"Asseylum!" The face Slaine raised was shockingly pale,"Forgive me. No...just don't say that..."
The silent war of two frozen years blazed in Asseylum's eyes. Slaine sighed, and went on, staring up at her with eyes colder still.
"Highness If you...find no peace, I will defend you to my death. if you find your peace, then seal it with a scapecoat. Put the blame for the this war on me."
"Slaine..."
Asseylum touched his hand. Her touch could drain the hallowed Aldnoah from any noble's body–she'd known all of them feared her, since she was six. But Slaine's power was self-made, bitter and horrifying. She couldn't take away his power, or his chains.
Asseylum saw her Grandfather. Then she ended the war with Earth, as Empress of Vers.
-0-
-0-
Hours ago
"I impersonated you, to urge on the war." Lemrina gazed at her sister boldly, "The Knight will never believe Princess Asseylum desires peace unless you admit that."
"If they knew I could be impersonated, no one would trust my words again. I would destroy the Royal Family's authority, and sacrifice you."
"I would thank you for such consideration. But I would suffer disgrace or death, rather than let you blame the war on Slaine!"
Eddelrittuo covered her mouth. Princess Asseylum looked away; she would have gazed out of a window at the , if there had been one in the secured lodgings where they had all retreated before the start of the attack. Their guards detail them kept watching the door, weapons ready.
"…Slaine protected me, while I slept. He's fighting for me now. But in two years, he did not stop the war with Earth, or even try..."
"Do you think he could've done that…? You don't understand why he did it. You should never have woken up."
A guard's radio crackled with panic. It was cut off, as shots sounded through the security door.
"WHERE IS HER HIGHNESS, YOU SCUM?" Another shot.
"Rafia…" Now Asseylum covered her mouth, "Eddelrittuo, please take my sister to the bathroom. Private Gaugin, please go with them. All of you must stay there quietly until help comes, whatever happens to me."
"Princess! Let me stay with you…" Eddelrittuo clung to Asseylum's hand and kissed it; Gaugin had to drag her away. The look on Lemrina's face was murderous. Asseylum looked away from them, and stood up, looking entirely composed.
"Highness?" Rafia's voice, "You should move back from the door!" Asseylum didn't move.
"She's going to break in?" A guard hissed, "But she's alone, she can't have a Kat–"
The explosion that interrupted him also took out two other guards, and made Asseylum fall back onto the sofa. A surviving guard fired into the cloud of smoke, but Rafia came in low and flung him over her shoulder, while breaking his colleague's sternum with a kick. The last guard was still fumbling with his weapon. Rafia contemptuously pistol-whipped him to the floor, then hammered the guard she'd thrown into unconsciousness. Then walked towards the Princess, and dropped to one knee, with her weapon over her heart.
"Your Highness. To see you again, see you well, standing once more…it gladdens my heart. No, it is the most wonderful sight I could have wished for! Those dogs didn't harm you, I trust? Or that villain Troyard?"
"I'm sorry...?"
The ringing hadn't quite left Asseylum's ears. It smelt like Rafia had blasted into the room with plastic explosives. The Countess offered the Princess her free hand. All fierce joy of the questing knight glowed in her face.
"It is not safe to remain here. We must escape in the Scandia, before you can avenge your royal honour on all the traitors and Terran dogs–"
Asseylum stood; as Rafia seized her hand, she wrenched it away, moved behind the sofa. Rafia stared like a dog kicked in the mouth.
"Dear Countess Rafia. Please inform your comrades, there is no need for them to keep fighting. Then let us work to end this pointless war together."
"Highness. You can speak freely now..." Rafia stared about, as if searching for the gun at Asseylum's head to make her say such things. Asseylum looked back demurely, "Highness, the Terran scum almost killed you! Earth's water and soil are the destined foundations of Versian glory! Your speech last August so stirred me...you're our beloved Princess, the hope and honour of Vers incarnate! I knew you would never end this war; my Princess, our commander–!"
"No. I'm sorry. I love my people and country, but this war was something I never desired...only the pain of wounds, and the will of all my nobles, ever led me to support it. So for honour and justice, millions of the helpless and innocent were slain. I know what your motives were, Rafia. As your Princess, I followed my knights' will...but now, as Empress, I must command. We will trade for Earth's resources, I have forgiven the ones who hurt me, and this is your sovereign's will."
Rafia looked as stunned as if she'd fought through an army to discover that everything she'd trusted was a lie. 'Helpless and innocent' echoed in her ears; where had honour been, then?
"Highness...why? Your nobles have bled and died in your defense; why would you deny them victory? People die in war...but don't forget the true will of your heart! The glorious new Vers of our dreams...Highness! I would give my life for your kingdom!"
"Yes. You haven't changed. I dreamed of a new Vers; a kingdom of peace and kindness, built on respect and understanding. But if that wasn't your dream too, then don't say you'd give your life for me."
"No...I...I thought we wanted...I wanted..." Rafia stared in horror, finally pulled her gaze away. To serve her Princess was life, she'd given her life,,,she would serve her, fight for her, even if she was hated. "Highness, we must go!"
"Must I? I will not let you go, Rafia. Come..." The Princess reached a slim hand towards Rafia, whose horror became a white hot lens.
With a touch, the bearer of Aldnoah could deactivate her; cancel her activation factor. Strip her of nobility, power; all that gave life worth to a Versian life. She would rather lose her soul.
"No! Get away!" She thrust out her gun at the Princess. Both women froze.
"Rafia. I'm sorry, I never thought it would come to this..." The gun shook, Rafia's eyes blurred–
"Take that gun away from your sovereign!"
Her head spun. Harklight stood in the doorway, weapon raised...and Asseylum had lunged, seized her gun-arm, thrown her to the floor in a torrent of silk and lace. Harklight and two guards dashed in. Scooping her gun she dropped, pushing the Princess behind them.
"Order your men to surrender," Harklight's face was cold and calm, "Or we will execute you here, as the traitor who turned her weapon against the Princess."
"I...you! How did you escape the command room?"
"We overcame the few men you'd left. If I may speak freely, and I may, it was sheer arrogance to assault a determined fortress with so few. The same arrogance that sought war with Earth, and sacrificed many humble Versian lives."
"You unmannerly dog–"
"Harklight." The Princess bowed to her rescuer, "For those words, and for saving my life, I promise to create you a knight at the first opportunity. As for you..."
Countess Rafia stiffened. Asseylum took her hand, held it in silence for a moment, then turned away.
She had turned her weapon against the Princess. She ordered the surrender. The guards took Rafia's arms, and led her away, unresisting. There was nothing in her to fight.
-0-
-0-
"...a pointless war perhaps, your majesty, but not causeless. Decades of anti-Terran propaganda, the commons desperate need of resources...even if Earth's stolen riches would only go to nobility. Lord Slaine understood the need for change; he hoped to be the beginning of change, in himself..."
"I know his intentions were good, or he thought they were." Asseylum shut her eyes, "That's why I'm letting him and Lemrina go free. Sir Harklight, please tell me more about–"
Harklight's radio crackled to life. On her way to a holding cell, Rafia had suddenly knocked down both her guards and taken off.
"She's heading away from us...Highness, the command room is the nearest secure location."
As Harklight and Asseylum rushed through the main hangar, where Rafia's men were being disarmed, the Countess was fleeing back towards an airlock, a spacesuit, and the Scandia. The only hope left to her was battle, and its final end.
-0-
-0-
Present
"...Zebrin. I'm so sorry. I had a woman's heart after all. But don't run. Fight for what you believe in. Make a new Vers with your strength."
"Rafia, I...no!"
The Tharsis was hovered above the Scandia for a final pass, when Slaine realized Mazuurek was shouting over the radio.
"Troyard, we need to stop the Electris! Send Countess Rafia as far away from the combat zone as you can!"
The Tharsis' arms clashed shut around the Scandia. Fighting the urge to crush Asseylum's assailant, Slaine shot away. After some miles, he shoved the broken Kat away, towards an asteroid cluster.
"Troyard..." sweat glittered on Zebrin's face. He stared at the Moonbase, filling his screen, as gunfire pattered off his shield, unheeded. Then he swore loudly, and swung the Electris round at top speed.
"No! I'm finished! You can take the Moonbase and win us the day. Just let me die, for–!"
"Be quiet!" She was, "You're an Orbital Knight! Countess Rafia of Vers! You can't give up. You can't die."
-0-
-0-
"You really are a villain, Mazuurek."
"Takes one to know one, as I believe the Terrans say?"
The Tharsis and Herschel clattered down in the Moonbase hangar; mechanics were swarming over them like pit-stop crews in a second. Rafia's troops and Baroness Astarte were still being held at gunpoint. Astarte was glaring at everyone, and looked like she'd been crying.
"Ammunition, spares, and no non-essentials; do your utmost!" Slaine called to the mechanics. He was staring out at the Castles floating in space, and the small, but growing figure, spilling from the gates of castle Orga.