AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hmm...so you all disagree with Dael and company? You think this kid really is Bahamut?
...Interesting.
Five Days Later
As Dael set foot on the ground again, she had to suppress the rather strong urge to throw herself down on it and kiss it. There had been more than one point over the past few weeks that she thought she'd never see it again. Right now, she didn't even really care if Rozan Heirarch was in the middle of dropping bombs on the city proper, she was finally back home again.
The various buildings and equipment for the port of Esthar loomed before the five of them as they finally left the boat that had brought them there. Dael felt great to see the clean, clear signature skies of Esthar once again, free from the smog of industry thanks to the special reactors. It filled her with a sense of relief to see the people milling about going about their work. Even if they were strangers, they were also people from her home country…giving her a sense of security and familiarity. As she looked up and down the long, technical pier filled with various loading equipment implements and fishing tackle, to say nothing of the smell of the sea and fish about her, she couldn't help but be happy. They were finally back home. Here, she wasn't someone to be hunted or forced into hiding, but an officer for the military. Also, to be honest, she simply liked the safety of being on her native soil.
It hadn't been easy getting the treasure back to Leuco. It wasn't enough that they simply carry it back. They had to get it back quickly, and they had to make sure it wasn't conspicuous. As Bahamut had said, if a group of thugs had been willing to kill him for a bit of food, what would they do for the treasure? It took quite a bit of effort, and before it was done all of them were ready to pass out. But they managed to get the "lightest" and most "mobile" of the treasure all the way back to Leuco and the port.
Sure enough, just as Cryder had said, the man was unwilling to take it at first, especially when he heard there was a new passenger. He claimed it not only wasn't a suitable trade, but there wasn't enough. Cryder, however, played it cool and moved to go elsewhere, at which point the smuggler caved. He did do one wise thing, Dael noted. He didn't make a slip about how he could get the smuggler more. If he had, they would have definitely been making as many trips as it took to drag all the treasure out there. In the end, making it look like they were pulling his teeth, they all got on board.
Unfortunately, Dael had to sit through five more days of proverbial hell. They were shoved into a compartment with various other uncouth, unwashed, criminal passengers with no windows and about one working light. They were nearly crammed in there when they finally took off. After that point, they had been going at a snail's pace to get back to Esthar. The boat wasn't nearly as fast as the ones they had been riding. There were only a few utility hammocks to sleep on, and all they received as far as rations went was bread and water. Dael supposed she had to be thankful that the bread wasn't moldy and the water wasn't slimy, although she had her doubts more than once on the trip that it might be before they got there. The stench in the compartment was terrible, they constantly had to fend off leers and angry looks from the other passengers, and everyone was running into each other. If it wasn't for the fact that the smugglers took at least a few provisions for maintaining sanitation on board, such as giving them "restroom breaks" in special areas, it would have felt practically like an old slave ship to Dael. She was only thankful Carbuncle wasn't there. The last thing they needed was to be stuck in the chamber with him vomiting.
Bahamut, remarkably, took everything well. He usually sat or lay down and simply waited. He had a controlled look about him…one of remarkable patience, it seemed. Dael was a little surprised that the boy was capable of being able to be so much at ease during the trip, to focus entirely on waiting for the destination. He never complained or paced or anything. He simple waited.
The day before arrival, with the smuggler ship safely in Esthar waters, Dael requested to radio the shore. She was turned down flat by the smugglers and told to return to the holding area. In response, Cryder stepped forward, talked calm, smiled, asked to be reasonable, and nonchalantly reminded the smugglers that they had a hold filled with wanted people who had brought weapons on board and that if they decided to get irritable things would not look good for the crew. After that, they let Dael make a transmission. After nearly two weeks of silence, she was able to call in back to command and tell them that they would be arriving shortly. Naturally, they wanted to know all about why she had suddenly vanished, but Dael figured it was better to keep the message short for the time being. She didn't even bother telling them Cryder's identity as a pirate at the moment, something that puzzled Quaren and irritated Taraketh. She only told them that they had two civilians. She supposed she could have, but she didn't want to cause any additional headaches at the moment. This could be sorted out once they were back in Fort Morningstar.
The group was soon walking away from the pier and beginning to move between along the walkway leading between two of the larger warehouses up ahead and up to the street beyond. As they walked forward, Bahamut turned his head up and looked around a bit at the pier.
"So this is Esthar?" He said aloud as they walked.
"Well, sort of." Quaren interjected. "This is more of an extension from the main city. That's quite a ways north of here. Normally, we have to go by car or high-speed rail to hope to get there in a relatively short period of time. Unfortunately, we're still several hours away from our final destination."
"It's considerably cleaner than Leuco." Bahamut mused. "I'm impressed. I thought humans were only going to get dirtier and dirtier with their technology."
"Been a while since I've been here myself." Cryder mused aloud. "Rather picturesque, but doesn't change the fact that a pirate isn't exactly welcome here."
"That reminds me." Dael responded, looking to him. "I haven't told them your part in our mission yet. I'll be saving that for the briefing with Colonel Regalis. I'll give him a chance to hear you out. After that, whatever happens to you is his decision."
Cryder let out a bit of a snicker. "You're all heart, lass."
Dael sighed a bit. "…I'll make sure he knows what you've done to assist us, but I'm not going to lie and let you off totally scott free. The fact of the matter remains the reason we weren't here five days ago is because your pirates attacked us, and that you were a few phrases away from handing us over to Sybenia. You've technically been our prisoner ever since we landed on shore in Leuco."
"Oh, right, right…" Cryder said a bit sarcastically. "Of course."
"I'm just glad this mission is finally over…and I can say goodbye to you two." Taraketh spoke up. "I spent more time with you than I ever planned on or cared to."
"Well gee…nice working with you too." Quaren grumbled in response.
Taraketh paused for a moment as they walked along, but then finally exhaled. "…Alright, it wasn't that bad, in spite of everything that happened. We all came back in one piece and I wasn't forced to do anything I found too morally objectionable. That still doesn't change the fact I don't understand why Lord Carbuncle would consent to be your Guardian Force, or that I don't have a distaste for military coldness."
"That's fine." Dael answered. "I don't require you too. At any rate, now that we're back on our native soil, it's time to return to standard decorum. Keep in mind, we're all members of disciplined orders and we'll conduct ourselves as such."
Taraketh frowned slightly, but then turned and did as he was told. Quaren nodded in response and looked forward as well. In truth…they hardly looked official. They were moving with two civilians, their clothing was old, stained, and in tatters, they were dirty and haggard in appearance, to say nothing of hungry and tired. However, Dael didn't care for any of that. This mission might have been a disaster, but she was going to at least give it a semblance of propriety.
Within a few minutes, they had passed between the two buildings and were approaching one of the main roads parallel to the seashore. There was already a courier transport from the nearest rail station awaiting them. There were a few Esthar's Hawks standing out front, with Captain Meade heading them all up and standing out front. They all had clean, pressed uniforms and were standing fully at attention, the picture of discipline and neatness. It made Dael feel rather embarrassed. Now that she was finally back, she was really starting to wonder what the Colonel might think of her. Sure, a lot of that had been circumstances beyond their control, but they had messed up a few times. She didn't think she was looking at a demotion, but she was wondering what she might get in terms of how much faith they had in her. At any rate, she wished she could have at least run a comb through her hair as she approached them, trying her best to keep looking forward as the gaze of Captain Meade rested on her.
Finally, they came up to a stop before the officer. Dael immediately halted and stood at attention, with the others quickly stopping behind. Meade gave Dael a salute. Dael returned it at once.
"Lieutenant Levison." Meade addressed.
Immediately, Taraketh turned his head in surprise. However, luckily, he kept his mouth shut. Dael, at any rate, ignored him. "Captain Meade."
"We were beginning to get a little worried about you. When you didn't show up at the dock at the planned time, we were afraid something had happened. We weren't sure whether to blame the hurricane or Hounds of Sybenia."
"To be honest, sir," Dael responded. "You can probably blame both."
Meade turned and looked over the group, in particular Cryder and Bahamut. "These are the two civilians with you?"
"Yes sir. Both assisted us in returning to Esthar."
"We've arranged for them to stay temporarily in Fort Morningstar." The captain answered. "We'd like to hear the rest of the story before we go any farther." He turned back to Dael. "Lieutenant, as soon as we've returned to the fort and you and your companions have fully cleaned yourselves up, you and Private DeSur are to report directly to the colonel for debriefing." He turned to Taraketh soon after. "Sir Sabian, the Order of Hyne wishes to speak with you as soon as possible as well about what transpired. Members of your order are awaiting your arrival at Fort Morningstar and will immediately take you to the shrine within the city proper."
Taraketh gave a nod in response, showing no other reaction.
"The civilians will be allowed to go to their rooms to rest." Meade continued. "Both will be allowed Stage II clearance in Fort Morningstar."
"Actually, captain," Dael responded. "Since both individuals were beneficial to the mission, I would appreciate it if they were allowed to meet with the colonel as well to help explain what transpired."
The captain hesitated at that. He looked over the two of them, noting their appearance and how they seemed far rougher and dirtier than normal civilians. Bahamut and Cryder, on their parts, simply stared back. Finally, he looked forward to Dael again. "That will be up to the colonel, but I'll pass along the message. If that is all, we will be on our way at once."
Dael nodded in response. Seeing that, the captain turned and began to go back for the transport. One of the other Esthar's Hawks standing near it immediately opened the door for him to allow him back inside. However, no sooner had the door opened than a small green creature popped out. The captain was forced to freeze to keep from stepping on him. In no time at all, the creature moved up to Dael and, using claws in its tiny paws, ran up the side of her pant leg, up her tunic, and finally came to rest on her shoulder. As soon as it was there, one of the paws batted her in the face, as if slapping her.
"I can't leave you along for five minutes, can I?" Carbuncle complained, groaning at her. "I step out for a bit of air, and what happens when I try to teleport back? My senses tell me I'll be teleporting into an open flame. Once the fire dies, what do I see? The airfield looks like the Crystal War broke out on it. Ugh…you humans are too much. I swear, you're utterly hopeless without me. I guess I'll just have to tag along with you on all your missions from now on to make sure you don't get killed…"
Dael felt a heavy amount of sweat coming on as she tried her hardest to look like any other upright officer and not like some haggard girl who was getting berated by a rabbit/cat. It was too late, unfortunately. The other Esthar's Hawks were already staring. They at least held their tongues, however. Cryder, on the other hand, crossed his arms and let out a snicker.
"Must be nice to have a 'mom'."
Dael strongly resisted snapping to Cryder in rage. However, before she might have lost her composure, Bahamut suddenly stepped forward, gaining her attention. She looked to him, and saw he was staring up at Carbuncle with an intrigued expression.
"Carbuncle?" He called out. "Is that you?"
Dael nearly reacted in surprise. The response of Bahamut indicated that he knew the Guardian Force. But then, she quickly remembered. He had been researching Guardian Forces. It was only natural he would recognize this one. For a moment, however…she had almost thought the two had actually met at one point. That was put to rest when Carbuncle turned to him, and turned his own eyebrows over his black button eyes in some confusion.
"Uh…have we met, kid?"
The boy sighed. "I know you probably don't recognize me in this form, and even if you did we haven't seen each other since I abdicated the throne…but it's me. Lord Bahamut."
Carbuncle stared back in silence momentarily.
"Riiiight…" He slowly responded. "Uh…yeah, and I'm actually Lord Odin, just in the form of Carbuncle. You know…apparently, like you, I got bored with running around in my normal body."
Bahamut sighed. "I'm not joking, Carbuncle. I need your help. Can you tell me where to find-"
"Let's continue this conversation later." Dael suddenly interjected. She stepped forward and placed her hand's on the boy's shoulders, moving him forward. "We're leaving now. They're waiting for us and the officers in Esthar's Hawks don't like to wait."
Bahamut hesitated, but it was only for a moment. Although he seemed to be resigning himself, he turned forward and went as Dael indicated, soon slipping himself back out from under her grip. Dael sighed a bit mentally. This would be a problem. Now that they were back, she had to worry more about what to do with this young man. Physically skilled as he was, Esthar's Hawks wouldn't take him if he was going on about being some ancient dragon. Not only that, but she hadn't exactly extended the offer to him yet, and she had no idea if he would bite. He might be obsessed with his crazy mission, for all she knew. She only hoped he could stay a bit quiet about it when they went to see the colonel. She didn't need him screwing things up any more than Carbuncle likely would.
Dael sighed as she reached the transport. Once Bahamut was inside, she ducked in next. At least she'd get a small break to clean herself up and get her thoughts together. She was back in Esthar now, and the mission was over. The world had plenty of chaos at the moment, and she had a feeling that her own problems might need to soon be shoved to the wayside the way things were going…
It still took a few hours to get back to Esthar. There was first the trip to the rail station, which itself didn't take long, and then the trip itself to Fort Morningstar. The city proper was in the distance when they arrived, and Bahamut did show some interest in it, although not nearly as much as you would expect from a child his age. He almost seemed a bit tense to look at it, as if something about it unsettled him. However, Dael didn't pay him much mind. She was simply glad that he was staying quiet for the moment and not raising any eyebrows. Dael had enough problems with Cryder, let alone him.
On arrival, Taraketh immediately left without so much as saying "goodbye", rushing off with a number of Children of Hyne waiting for him. Quaren took charge of Bahamut and Cryder, leading them off to the showers. Being a private, he only had use of the public facilities the same as the other privates, and the civilians were much the same. That left Dael and Carbuncle alone to return to her personal chambers where she could clean up in privacy. She expected Carbuncle to talk her ear off, but aside from being scolded again for being too reckless, he didn't actually ask that much about what happened. Dael asked him about that, and he simply waved a paw.
"Ah, I'll get it all during the debriefing." The Guardian Force answered, before giving a smile. "What's the matter? Afraid I'm not showing you enough concern? Feeling neglected?"
Dael frowned in response. "Surprised, is all. It's not typical of you."
"Mmmhmm…" Carbuncle said with a sly look, clearly not believing her. Dael said nothing in response. Carbuncle would only take that as proving his point if she did.
At any rate, she was soon in the shower, feeling as if she had died and gone to heaven. She bathed for 30 straight minutes and still felt dirty after she was done. After she was finished, she took a bit extra time to brush and floss, then adjust her hair. At last, she finally put on a clean, pressed uniform…which by now felt rather unusual against her body since she hadn't changed clothes in so long. She actually was looking like an officer again. As a result…she gave something to a look of her insignia. Now that she had a chance to have some time to herself, she realized following this debriefing she would once again be a simple lieutenant. Even if she hadn't had much command, it was, as they say, "nice while it lasted". She truly wanted to clean up her weapons following everything that had happened and to get a fresh set of shells, but she pushed that out of her mind for now. She had already blown through enough of the Esthar's Hawks' money… Trying to think of how she could explain that, she left for the colonel's office, Carbuncle following behind.
As it turned out, the colonel had relocated to a larger office since the last time they met. This wasn't due to any desire of personal aesthetics, but merely due to the fact that, given the change in the world's situation, he often had to meet privately with more than a few people at a time. Today was no exception. En route, she soon ran into Quaren, Cryder, and Bahamut. Quaren looked as neat as her, while Cryder and Bahamut had washed themselves up but were still, naturally, in their older clothes. Even washing them wouldn't have improved their appearance much, however. It did cause Dael a small bit of embarrassment, but there was nothing she could do about it. Biting her lip and stifling a sigh, she went to the colonel's door and knocked. Soon after, all four of them, five including Carbuncle, were allowed inside.
Now they were all arranged in the room. Before they had started, however, Dael had passed on the message that she wanted MPs present, although she didn't say why automatically. As a result, two were at the door. Dael didn't really feel too confident with that. She had a feeling Cryder could easily take two, and they didn't have any weapons of their own. Quaren and Dael both stood before the desk of the colonel, while he sat with hands folded and elbows propped up, and watched both of them, listening to their report. Quaren was, understandably, a bit nervous. He was struggling not to sweat or tremble as he stood there. After all, he was in front of the highest ranking Esthar Hawk at the moment. Cryder himself stood almost too casually at a distance, arms crossed and listening to the whole thing. Opposite him, standing straight and tall but otherwise showing no reaction or emotion, was Bahamut. Carbuncle had elected to take one of the seats and, for once, didn't curl up but stayed at attention.
Dael explained the whole story…everything that had happened since their arrival in Follett. She included the trip across the Pallas Desert, the encounter with Sorceress Veriguno and Jalab Tierras, the buying of the boat, the attack of the pirates, the follow-up attack by the Hounds of Sybenia, the trip out to sea, the arrival in Leuco, the time they spent trying to get back to Esthar, the meeting with Bahamut, and finally the acquiring of the treasure and the trip aboard the smuggler vessel. She omitted nothing regarding Cryder. She explained all he had planned for them initially as well as all he had done to assist them since then. As a result, the two MPs reacted strongly more than once. Early in the story, they looked moments from advancing on Cryder and arresting him on the spot. Regalis, however, was patient. Dael realized just how smart of a man he was. Naturally, if Cryder was nothing more than a pure criminal, they wouldn't have brought him in the room with them. The only person Dael did make omissions regarding was Bahamut. In particular, she left out almost all of the back story he gave as well as what the librarian gave, other than to say he was a orphan on the street…something Bahamut did not contest. Luckily for her, Bahamut held his tongue the whole time, listening to the story patiently. She didn't say anything that might make him do otherwise.
At long last, the story was complete. Dael stood silently before the colonel and awaited the verdict. He kept his hands folded and stared on at her. He showed nothing for a few moments. Finally, he look turned to Quaren.
"Private DeSur, do you confirm everything your commanding officer has said?"
Quaren nodded back. "Yes sir. Every word, sir."
Regalis leaned back in his chair. His arms uncrossed and were placed on the armrests. He again seemed to think for a moment. After a few seconds, however, he finally turned his head over to Cryder. The pirate simply looked back. Regalis looked neither angry or stern.
"Do you have any good reason I shouldn't have you arrested?" He finally asked, perfectly calm.
Cryder gave a head motion to Dael. "She already gave you several good reasons."
"None of which, in my opinion, outdid what you tried to do." Regalis simply responded. "In all likelihood, any of your actions that benefited Esthar's Hawks were matters of luck, happenstance, and whatever happened to profit you the most at the time."
"The 'crime', in question, occurred in International Waters." Cryder responded. "Esthar has not made an official enemy of Leuco or of the Black Corsairs. Does that make me innocent? Perhaps not. But I do think it gives me just a bit of leeway. At the moment, I have no ship, no crew, and no two gil to rub together. I'm completely down on my luck. But I am a Black Corsair. I figure I could be of a bit more use to you than simply spending taxpayer money to feed me as I rot in a jail cell."
"How so?" Regalis answered.
"I know the routes the Corsairs use, what months they're in what waters, their frequencies, their captains…Hell, everything." Cryder responded. He gave a shrug. "You're a big military organization that prides yourself on intelligence. Couldn't you use a double agent or two? Keep an incident like the one that befell Lieutenant Dael from happening again?"
The colonel paused on hearing this. He looked over Cryder for a moment. The pirate simply looked back, waiting for an answer. After a few moments, the colonel exhaled a bit, and leaned back a bit more.
"It's true that we don't have many sources in the Black Corsairs. They're not exactly the easy-to-infiltrate bunch. And with Leuco backing them, we haven't had much headway in working out an international deal. The only other organization on Gaia we probably know less about is Sybenia's Hounds. However, forgive me for being a little old fashioned, but I do believe in the statement 'honor amongst thieves'. Am I to believe you'll sell out your own organization so easily?"
Cryder let out a snort, looking to the ground a moment. "Please. The only person that a Black Corsair is loyal to is their captain and crew. We all have our own code. And my crew might be at the bottom of Davy Jones' Locker at the moment. The Gungir and those men were my life. Now I've lost both. Plus…" He looked up a bit, this time rolling his eyes slightly. "…As your lieutenant pointed out, all of my so-called 'mates' are now a gaggle of bill collectors I can never hope to pay off, especially without a ship of my own."
Regalis couldn't help but crack half a smile at that.
"So you need Esthar's Hawks for protection?"
Cryder gave a smile back at that. "Call it whatever you like. I prefer 'equal business transaction' myself. I get something, you get something. True equity."
Regalis actually let out a short chuckle. He was silent afterward, staring at Cryder a bit longer. Finally, he let out an exhale.
"…I'll make an official report regarding you to the Senate's Defense Committee, sparing no details, just as I'm sure Lieutenant Dael has spared no details. I'll include your request for asylum and your desire to join as a covert consultant. That's the standard procedure for a case like this. They'll decide whether you can join up or spend the rest of your days in a cell. That's the best deal you're going to get."
Cryder let out a bit of a chuckle in response. "More than I expected on more than one occasion. I'll take it."
The colonel soon turned back to Dael and Quaren. He stayed back in his chair as he looked at both of them. "Both of you have done very well in an extreme situation, going above and beyond the call of duty. I'm very proud of you both. And the information you gave us, especially regarding the situation in Follett, is much appreciated and highly useful. Your initial transmission allowed us to start radioing Garrado before things grew too severe. You gave us a good few days head start on Sybenia, and for that the nation as well as Esthar's Hawks is grateful."
"Thank you, sir." Dael calmly responded.
Quaren, however, was more exciteable. This was a personal congratulations from the colonel, after all. "Th-thank you, sir!"
The colonel remained stony as always, and gave a nod in response, and nothing more. "By your actions, you no doubt helped preserve the lives of our remaining operatives in Northern Sybenia. Naturally, we pulled them out as soon as we heard the news. And it wasn't a moment to soon. If we had been even six hours slower, we might have lost several good personnel."
On hearing this, Dael and Quaren both looked somewhat puzzled. Cryder himself leaned up his head, and Bahamut turned his attention to Regalis as well. "Sir?" Dael asked.
The colonel gave out a sigh and bowed his head momentarily. "I'm sorry, I forgot. You've been at sea for over a week, and I doubt you paid much attention to headlines during your time in Leuco." He raised his head again soon after and focused on Dael and Quaren once again.
"I'm afraid to say that the situation has done nothing but deteriorated. At this point, we're not sure whether Sybenia was planning its next move after the first three city states all along or if they accelerated their plans following your escape. What is clear is this…they're not content with stopping at the outlying city states. They made a massive surge not long after your escape and took the rest. They now control all land right up to the border of the Pallas Desert. We're working on trying to get spies on the ground within the desert to try and keep an eye on them, but as you know it's a bit difficult to try and work with the various tribes in the area. What we can see from aerial, however, is distressing. They're building tank depos as well as airfields, and they've seized three oases already. They've begun a new round of military drills and their navies are mobilizing. All of this can only lead to one conclusion. They're getting ready to take the rest of the continent as soon as they can master the desert. The city states are gone…Garrado is next."
Everyone in the room that this was news to felt an uncomfortable wave pass through them on hearing that. Even Cryder and Bahamut both seemed to react slightly, although Cryder formed much of a look of unease, while Bahamut only stiffened a bit. Quaren moistened his lips.
"Um…begging your pardon, sir…but, if they take Garrado, wouldn't they have control of the entire Western Continent?"
"Yes they would, private." The colonel answered. He bowed his head a bit and sighed. "Quite the lofty goal for the 'descendents of King Odin', wouldn't you say? Probably not worthy of his stature, though. After all, at the height of his power, the kingdom of Odin's line was supposed to have dominion over half of the world. That was with swords, spears, arrows, and magic. What do you think Rozan Heirarch would be able to do with tanks, planes, warships, and guns?"
Quaren blinked a few times. "B-But…he couldn't really do that, could he sir?"
Regalis gave a shrug. "Whether he could do it or not is irrelevant, private. The question is if he's determined enough to try. And so far he hasn't done anything in any of the countless state-run media speeches he puts out to indicate any differently. Every other day it's 'world empire' this and 'divine right of kings' back. Why would he stop now?"
Again, there was a pause of silence in the room. Quaren himself swallowed and looked rather uncomfortable. After a few more seconds, Dael looked up.
"Just so I don't seem totally ignorant later, sir…may I ask what the Senate is currently doing about this situation?"
Regalis bowed his head again, folding his hands across his chest. "I got the latest report from the Senate this morning. After three days of debate, they look like they're reaching a consensus in one of the committees. They were debating on whether to issue a statement condemning the issue in general or to also condemn the capture of our operatives. After that, they'll put it to the floor for a vote on whether or not to send out the statement."
Cryder grinned and let out a chuckle. Carbuncle let out a snort, as did Bahamut. Quaren's jaw nearly dropped. Dael, in spite of her own self-discipline, felt her eyes widen.
"…And…anything else, sir?"
The colonel shook his head. "Not as yet, lieutenant. That's the first issue that came to the floor three days ago, and they're still working on that one."
Somewhere, in the back of her mind, Dael almost thought she could hear Carbuncle laughing at her. She didn't dare look at the small green creature to see the look on his face. She knew the bureaucracy was bad…but this was sheer incompetence.
Before she could think anymore, however, Quaren spoke up, breaking decorum to do so. He didn't even use the proper addressing terms. "But…couldn't Barbarossa have given an official statement? An executive order? Couldn't he have gone around this a bit?"
The colonel stared darkly back. For a moment, he seemed to simply be annoyed that the private had interjected, and Dael tensely waited for the hammer to fall. However, it didn't. In the end, Regalis remained perfectly calm and simply answered the question.
"The ability to make executive orders was diminished greatly during the years of the Depression, private. As you may recall, numerous politicians offered one failure of a plan after another, including Grand Chancellor Harcourt who thought that the best way to alleviate the problem was to take strong and quick action, and that the best way to take strong and quick action was to go over the head of the Senate whenever he could. Both the majority and the minority parties punished him severely for that. District Representative Kenzell announced shortly after the official executive briefing that neither he nor any member of his party would tolerate Grand Chancellor Barbarossa taking any action that would lead to lives being lost unnecessarily or committing of resources that the nation couldn't provide. District Representative Meaks came out the next day saying that the executive office would move as deliberately and carefully as possible in order to, in his own words, 'ensure not so much as one drop of blood from our citizens is shed without cause'." He gave a shrug. "Naturally, there are others in the majority party who are calling for stronger, faster, more decisive measures. At this point, they're currently defending themselves from attacks both from the minority party as well as the press that they are 'ruthless warmongers trying to ruin a nation whose economy is still recovering'. Still others are saying that we have no need to involve ourselves in such affairs that are happening half a world away." Abruptly, his head turned to the side. "Am I saying something amusing, Mr. Morningjay?"
At this point, it was no longer a small chuckle from Cryder. It was a steady shallow laughter. And it had been growing in volume as the colonel continued. However, when he said this, the pirate finally stopped and looked up. He kept a small smile as he moved to the side and leaned against one of the bookshelves.
"No, not amusing." Cryder answered, still smiling. "Not amusing at all. You know something can be so sad and pathetic all a person can do is laugh? Think of it like that."
"Get your back off my bookshelf, please." The colonel stated firmly.
"Sorry." Cryder apologized as he stood up again.
Dael wanted to give Cryder a glare at that, but she didn't. She didn't because she couldn't do it in good faith. Much as she wanted to be obedient and not care much for the political machinations of the ones who funded her organization…this was indeed pathetic. She hadn't studied military history for four years in the academy to not recognize this when she saw it. Sybenia wasn't just some local warlord or dictatorship looking to secure absolute power for its own region. This was something worse. They were far more ambitious than that. But all their own legislature could do was do what they always did…maintain the status quo at all costs. Save their own rear ends. Perhaps most of the people would prefer to stay out of armed conflict. Perhaps even a good number of Esthar's Hawks would prefer not to have to endanger themselves. However, Dael always thought one of the few important rules of government leaders was to enact decisions that were the best, not what would make the most people happy.
They were making a horrible mistake. She had seen it in the Sybenian forces in Follett. She had seen it on the faces of the Hounds. The very idea of something even existing that was on equal footing to them had become loathsome. The speeches of Roz and Rozan were making them believe they were the natural superiors to everyone. These sort of people, history had always shown, from the Emperor of Palamecia to the manipulated monarchy of Baron to the Gesthalian Empire, that they didn't tolerate the existence of any other way but their own. And the more leeway people gave them, they more they wanted. They only ever used it to further their agendas. In the end, thousands…hundreds of thousands…would suffer for a naïve desire to protect people from harm, and things would be far worse than ever.
After a few moments, the colonel turned back to Dael and Quaren. "Regardless of what is decided, whether it be today, tomorrow, or a month from now, Esthar's Hawks remain on full alert. In addition to making full preparations for the possibility of war, we are also committing as many resources within our mandate and sphere of influence as necessary to try and curtail this threat. The past few days since your transmission have been highly active as we've been reorganizing our placement and started new missions. Our goal is to ensure that if war or open conflict does break out, we are prepared to deal with it and cannot be caught off guard. Therefore, I'm sad to inform you, lieutenant, that you will have little time to recuperate from your previous mission. Everyone has to be on duty as soon as they are standing and able."
Dael hesitated just long enough to banish the last of her thoughts regarding the legislature from her mind for now, and focus entirely on what the colonel said. She gave a nod. "Understood, sir."
Regalis paused for a moment, but then smiled a bit. "And I must say, your performance was rather exemplary back on the field. There's not many Esthar's Hawks, to say nothing of rookies with less than a year under their belts, who would have been able to get out of that situation alive, cross the Pallas Desert, go into live combat between a Black Corsair ship and a Sybenian Battleship, survive at sea for three days and nights, and still make it back here without so much as a scar. While it's far too premature to give you the 'commander' insignia full time, I think it would be a waste of your talents to confine you to the rank of 'lieutenant'."
Dael had to fight to keep her eyes from widening.
"From this day forward, consider yourself a Lieutenant Commander, Levison." Regalis finished. "Congratulations."
Although she had been "ranked" higher than that not too long ago, Dael once again felt weak-kneed. She knew that was a temporary assignment, but now she was ranked higher full time. And after only her third mission! For a moment, the fear and anxiety and uncertainty of what was going on in the world was forgotten. She had to struggle not to swoon right then and there. Breaking decorum again, Quaren turned to her with a grin, beaming with happiness at her sudden advancement. After a moment, however, she managed to smooth herself out and nod.
"Thank you, sir."
Regalis narrowed his gaze a bit. "Just as before, Levinson, there are some in position over me and under me alike that think I'm being hasty with this decision. That I need to test you out more. I myself do not question this judgment. I would appreciate it very much so if you would not give me a reason to."
"I won't, sir." Dael stated firmly in response.
"See that you don't." Was all that the colonel answered. After that, he turned his head to Quaren. Seeing his eyes on him, the private swallowed and immediately turned to face him fully. Regalis smiled a bit once again.
"Well, private, I'd think you're most likely in line for a promotion as well, after your service on the field both on this mission as well as defending Esthar. If you were directly under my authority, I'd make you a corporal on the spot. As it is, you'll have to settle for my recommendation to your commanding officer. Last I saw him, he wished to congratulate you personally."
Quaren paused a moment after hearing this. Again, he seemed to grow rather nervous. He sweat a bit, visibly, but finally opened his mouth.
"B…B-Begging your p-pardon, sir…" He said aloud. "B-But…I…I figure now would be a good time to ask you. I know there's proper channels for this and all, but so long as I'm in front of you, I thought it might be a good time to put in this request."
The colonel raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" He answered. "What is it, private?"
Quaren paused a bit longer. He swallowed another lump, but finally spit it out. "…I request that I be transferred from Class II to Class IV, sir."
Dael fought the urge to look at Quaren at that. She again remembered that talk they had in the desert. She struggled not to sigh. So…he was going through with it after all? Well, it was too late to say anything against it now. The cat was out of the bag. Quaren could make his own choices, and he'd have to live with whatever consequences arose. She only hoped that he was doing this of his own free will and not simply because he wanted to be closer to her, that this was something he really wanted.
The colonel, meanwhile, gave Quaren a hard look. "…That's no small request, private. And it's not something we normally honor, especially among recent graduates. You've only been a full-fledged Esthar's Hawk for a few months. Granted, I chose you for this mission because International Affairs was indeed short handed, and you showed a lot of promise. More so than any of the other new recruits to Civil Defense, officer and non-officer. But to simply flourish in a new setting a few months after graduation, when you firmly stated Class II would suffice, and then want to jump up to Class IV is no small task. And it is not a request that can be granted simply by a stroke of a pen. There are a great many requirements for you to meet first, each of which is considerably more demanding than what is required of Civil Defense."
Quaren nodded. "I understand, sir. I know it won't be easy. But…to be honest, sir, I think I thought too little of myself back in the Academy. Now that I've had a chance to be on the field myself, I think my confidence is grown, and I'm willing to jump any hurdles to get accepted into International Affairs."
Regalis looked over Quaren silently for a few moments. He seemed to be sizing him up. The room was silent. After a few more moments, however, Regalis leaned back and let out an exhale.
"I'm not entirely blind, private, even with all the various personnel under my command. Thankfully, this branch of the military is still so small that I can know a little about everyone. And I know that you and Lt. Commander Levinson have been friends for some time, and that you have supported each other for quite some time as well through your years in the academy. I have a sense that you wish to maintain that support network now."
Quaren paled and swallowed at this. "But…sir…"
"That said…" Regalis quickly cut off, causing Quaren to calm down a bit. "Your performance on this mission was exemplary, based on what I heard from Lt. Commander Levinson. Not only in the combat realm. You literally had 24 hours to master two years of International Affairs protocol and information regarding the city-state of Follett and you apparently did rather well. I'd say, at minimum, that deserves some consideration. Because of that, I will allow you to submit a request for transfer. All of the other paperwork, tests, and assessments are up to you."
The private beamed. He immediately nodded gratefully. "Thank you sir! Thank you very much! I won't disappoint you!"
The colonel only gave a nod back. He showed no other emotion. He held for a brief moment, but then turned his head at last to the one person he had yet to address. He smiled a bit more warmly at that point, trying to, for all his size and gruffness, appear to be a 'nice man', it seemed.
"And finally, we come to you, young master." He addressed the twelve year old. "I'm afraid Lt. Commander Levinson failed to mention your name."
"Bahamut, sir." The boy responded. Even without being an officer or under his command, he seemed to be respectful.
Dael, on hearing that, felt some anxiety begin to come through her. Now it came to it. The colonel obviously realized that she had omitted several things in his part of the story. Now he was going to get it right from the chocobo's mouth. She sighed a bit to herself. The boy was going to be put into an insane asylum by the end of the day if he went on about that. She figured she owed it to him to at least try and interject and cover for him. She braced herself for what he would say, exposing his paranoid delusions…
The colonel however, only looked somewhat puzzled in response at first, although he didn't lose his smile. "Bahamut, you say? That's an interesting name. Wasn't that the name of an ancient dragon…a king of espers?"
Now it came to it. Dael braced herself for the worst.
Bahamut, however, was calm.
"It was a nickname my dad gave me…before he was murdered." He stated somewhat slowly, looking grim on saying that.
Quaren snapped his head to Bahamut in a flash. Cryder actually looked up. Dael herself was the only one who stayed calm, and struggled not to turn her head to him. What did he just say?
The colonel's own smile faded. "I see…"
"…My dad…my mom…my sister…they were all shot to death one night by a gang thinking our house was a storage area for their supplies." Bahamut continued, bowing his head. His look grew darker and sadder.
The colonel bowed his head a bit as well. "…Please, forgive me, son." He said. "You have my sympathy…and I didn't mean to bring the matter up. No doubt, Lt. Commander Levison omitted that so that you wouldn't have to relive it…"
"It's alright…" Bahamut answered. "…I have to move on. Mom and dad would have wanted it that way." He held a moment, breathing in and out a few times. It looked like he was trying to steady himself. Finally, he looked back up again. "…I haven't had anywhere to go since then. I've just been living on the streets in Leuco. To pass the time, I went to the only place I could go that was open to anyone: the public library. First I was reading stories like dad and mom used to tell me…but then I decided to just do some 'treasure hunting' for fun. That's how I found that treasure I gave Dael."
He bowed his head a bit.
"…The reason I'm here was…because I begged them to take me with them."
Dael's jaw loosened. Quaren looked like he could be knocked over with a feather. Cryder stifled another snicker on hearing this. However, though it all, Bahamut looked up to Colonel Regalis again, looking like he was struggling to stay composed.
"I…I didn't have anything left back in Leuco… No friends…no family… Dael…she's the first person who ever tried to defend me from the local thugs. She's just about the only friend I have now…" He looked down again. "…Maybe I shouldn't have made her take me…but I didn't want to be alone anymore… I…I just wanted someone to talk to… I…"
Bahamut began to trail off, looking like he might break at any moment. Dael felt if her eyes were bulging anymore at him, they might drop out of her skull. This was the last thing on Gaia she had expected. What the heck had happened? Had that train ride and hot shower somehow shocked him to his senses? Was everything he told them until now just a lie, and he was coming out with the truth here? The colonel, however, continued to look on Bahamut with pity, softening up more by the minute.
"It's alright, young man. Don't be sad…"
However, the boy soon looked up to Regalis, his eyes desperate and fearful.
"P-Please, sir! Don't send me to an orphanage!" He begged. "I won't be able to see Dael anymore, and she's the only friend I have! She's the only one I know here in Esthar! Please!" He sniffed a bit, as tears started to well up again. "I'll…I'll just run away if you do!"
The colonel was taken aback. Immediately, he held up his hand in a stopping gesture. "Now hold on just a minute, son…"
"Please!" Bahamut insisted. "I'll do whatever you want here! Just don't send me away!"
"Easy there…easy there, young man." Regalis answered, his voice very measured and calm. It seemed to work, Bahamut eased up just a little, at least for a moment. "Now, I didn't say I'd be sending you away anywhere. Having a minor in the fort is definitely irregular, but there are always special protocols. And I am the commanding officer here, so I do have a bit of say in regards to the rules."
Bahamut sniffed again, but started to look hopeful. "You…you mean…?"
"Now, under normal circumstances, we couldn't let you stay here." The colonel continued. "I'm sorry, but even if you were a cadet in the Academy, the fort is a military installation." He paused here, and gave a look to Dael. The young woman had to restrain herself to keep from leaping back at that.
"That said…when it comes to commissioned officers, special overrides can be made if they happen to have a child or a ward. After all, they have their own quarters."
Dael's jaw nearly hit the floor.
"Um…sir…?"
Bahamut, however, was enthusiastic. "You mean…you mean I could stay on the base if I lived with Dael?"
A snicker came out from Carbuncle's direction.
The colonel gave a nod, as he looked back to Bahamut. "There are a few technicalities to this, but it won't be a problem to overcome them. Especially not now, in a time where we're preparing for war, and can overlook a lot of the standard regulations. Everything can be arranged by the end of the day. It would be no problem at all to wheel a cot into Lt. Commander Levison's room until we can get you a proper bed, and all the toiletries would be furnished. We can even get you some stock clothing from the Academy until you get some of your own." He turned and looked back to Dael once again. "That is…if that's perfectly alright with Lt. Commander Levison."
Dael was speechless. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, looking blank and stunned.
"I…I…well…"
Before she could say anything else, however…she suddenly felt her hand grabbed. She looked down, and soon found Bahamut clinging to it, looking at her hopefully with giant eyes.
"Please, Dael! Please let me stay here with you! I won't get into any trouble! You're my only friend! Please don't send me away!"
"Yeah, Lt. Commander Levison…" Cryder suddenly spoke up with a snicker. Dael turned her head slightly to him, seeing him grinning as he stared at her. "Have some pity on the poor chap. After all, didn't he go out of his way to help us? Are you really going to turn your back on your mate after stepping in for him when he needed you?"
Carbuncle let out a pair of chuckles.
Dael instantly felt more nervous than she had when she was staring at dozens of Hound gun barrels. She had suddenly found herself shoved into a corner. She didn't know what Bahamut was doing at the moment…and frankly she didn't care. She had wanted to help him out, yes…but she never thought she'd be the one who would have to take him in. That meant he'd be in the same room as her, living with her! She already had one annoying houseguest…and while Bahamut may have been far quieter and more composed, what was she supposed to do with a child? She hesitated a bit longer, but nothing abated. All eyes were on her, not least of all Bahamut's, looking as if he would make or break her entire world with her next words.
Finally, the woman swallowed a bit.
"I…I suppose…I would be alright with that just for now." She finally stated. "Just until he gets better situated in town, or he finds a more permanent arrangement."
Thankfully, Bahamut seemed pleased with that. Before Dael could do anything else, Bahamut flung his arms around her waist and gave her a big hug, causing her to nearly break a sweat right then and there. She barely held her tongue, wondering what she had just gotten herself into.
"Thank you! Thank you, Dael!" He exclaimed.
The colonel smiled back. "Alright then, I'll make the necessary arrangements. Bahamut, you may accompany Lt. Commander Dael back to her quarters. We'll send everything you need along directly. With that, I believe I have nothing further with you for the moment. Although I intend to send you on more missions soon, Lt. Commander, for right now I can give you at least the night off. Dismissed."
Dael was still nearly apoplectic five minutes later, as she was walking down a hallway with a stunned, glazed look on her face. Carbuncle kept snickering as he walked alongside her, and Bahamut smiled happily up at her as he walked along at her side. He seemed like a kid on an outing with their parent. The young officer was a total loss. What had just happened back there? How had she gotten into this mess? She was looking forward to at least a short time of R&R, and all of the sudden she was paired with another roommate…
The young woman was still trying to sort it all out when the three walked into a thinner corridor that happened to be empty. Small wonder. Much of the base was empty now, since most people were off on various missions, whether training, drills, or otherwise. There were very few people left there. So it wasn't too out of the realm of possibility as they turned a corner and entered the small passageway that no one was around. Dael was still staring blankly forward at the time, wondering what in the world she was supposed to do now.
At that point, she heard a simple, measured, calm voice come from her side.
"You're welcome, by the way."
Dael, on hearing that, snapped out of her daze. She blinked once, and then looked to her side. To her surprise, Bahamut had become his normal, stoic, calm self as he walked along, looking just as official and controlled as the hardest officer.
The young officer was soon confused all over again. "Excuse me?"
"Well, you didn't thank me." Bahamut calmly answered. "But I figured I'd say you're welcome none the less. I'd imagine it would have given you quite a bit of work and stress if I had started talking about my true purpose being here when I faced your commanding officer."
Dael nearly felt her jaw drop again. Realization struck her. "You…you were just kidding that whole time? All that stuff about your dad and your mom…"
"It worked, didn't it?" Bahamut simply responded. "You didn't honestly think I was going to go in there and start telling them that I only came along with you in order to find out the location of Leviathan, did you? You may think I'm insane, but you better believe I'm not a fool. I can tell you don't believe a word of what I said. If I had started spouting that to your commanding officer, I would have been in a children's hospital mental ward by the end of the day, with some counselor trying to tell me to express my 'feelings' through fingerpainting. If I'm going to get access to your records, I'm going to have to 'play along' for a bit. I figured that story would do the trick."
Dael was practically aghast. She couldn't believe it. For a while, she had thought that Bahamut had been genuine, that somehow his true memory had come back and he had been a normal child once again. But now, he had lapsed fully back into his previous mode, making it clear that he was pulling the wool over the colonel's eyes the entire time. She soon heard another snicker from Carbuncle, and turned her head to him momentarily. However, he merely kept walking along. She blinked a moment. Did he somehow know the whole time, and just had a laugh at her expense?
However, great as Dael's shock was…she couldn't help but think about the incident a bit longer. For being a kid with a paranoid delusion, Dael was quickly realizing that she was dealing with a highly intelligent individual, and one who, as he said, was by no means a fool. In addition to finding that treasure, he had known when to keep his mouth shut and what to say so that he would fit in more in society and get what he wanted. Perhaps he was crazy, but he was certainly functional. Of course, that only rose another question in Dael's mind. Why had he felt comfortable telling them the truth, then?
"Don't worry." Bahamut stated as he walked along. "My needs are simple, I tend to be quiet, and I assure you have no desire to be a 'peeping tom' while you're in the shower. I'll be a more agreeable houseguest than most. In the meantime, while I'm waiting for you to find a way to get me access to your networks, I'll recover the rest of my strength by eating decently for a change and exercising in your facilities. I never was one who liked wandering about in a weak state. At the bare minimum, I can ensure that this body is battle capable when needed. But like your colonel said…this world has a lot in store for both of us, and we've both had a long trip. It's probably best that we both turn in for the day."
Dael had calmed a bit now, but she couldn't help but blink at that statement. It wasn't just what he said, but the way he said it. If he was delusional, then he was certainly committing himself to the part very well. He was going along as if he was the authority here, not Dael, which, she supposed, would make sense if you were a great esper king. But the way he said it…not with snobbishness or grandiose words…he just seemed to talk as if it was true. The young officer was almost amazed…
"Heh, listen to your new 'ward', Dael." Carbuncle said with a joke. "Time to hit the sack."
This snapped the young officer out of it, and she gave Carbuncle a look. However, she said nothing else. She simply looked forward and kept walking after a moment, holding her tongue. She had indeed gotten herself into something, she now realized…but it might be more than even she anticipated. In spite of everything the librarian had said about him…she was beginning to think she had stumbled on someone unusual with this boy. Something that was more than an open-and-shut case of delusional thinking. There was something special about him. She didn't know if it was the tragedy that struck him or brain damage or what, but he wasn't a conventional person by any means. By agreeing in that office to take him in, she had a feeling she had just gained a window into something big. Where it would go from here was anyone's guess.
In the end, Dael relented. She decided Carbuncle and Bahamut were both right. She did need a good night's sleep in a soft bed. Tomorrow…the weight of the world would come crashing down on her again.
To be continued...