Phase 18 - The Knight of Fire
"Recent events have shown us that the WMPO is not ready to protect us from bigger threats," one adviser, Martin Shale, Leyas's least favorite member of the presidents cabinet. This meeting was wearing on as everyone debated what the presidents position should be on the recent military debacle. She took the presidents side on this one, he said that they should show more support for the military in this hard time and work to pass laws that brought about meaningful change. That was something Leyas could get on board with, not prophesying doom and gloom let's restructure everything as immediately as we can.
She hate the panic that ensued in politics following the battle vs X and ROW now. She had requested that she be allowed to make another public statement to vilify X but the president was protective over her image at the moment. He wanted her safe from ROW since it was well known that ROW trained assassins. Leyas knew that was what Meiko originally was to them before her mobile suit skills passed everyone up.
"I'm worried that we've placed too much on our younger pilots," the woman that spoke now was Revena Leigh. "Kiran Yamato was a good addition but Herai and Skye have yet to prove their worth on the team." Leyas knew that the WMPO took pride in having her twin as a member but she also realized that they placed too much on him. He really wasn't ready to be the center of an elite team, and for some reason they wanted Shinn running command instead of leading the charge which made no sense to her. Shin Auska should have been viewed as their lead pilot, he has the most experience and proven skill on the field. With age he only got more precise but they ignored him for younger pilots.
"We have placed too much on them," President Overa replied thinking over the issues, "which is why I want us to craft a bill to rearrange the command structure. I want Lunamaria Hawke to take a larger role in overall command, since she has been right about our weaknesses 100% of the time. I want Shinn Auska to be our lead in battles now, there is no point in holding him back for Yamato. Since young Yamato is injured we can't use him for awhile anyways."
Leyas had heard that Kiran was shot and sent to ORB for recuperation but the circumstances surrounding that were unknown. Why he was out of his mobile suit in the first place was unknown. She hadn't seen him in four years and he almost died out there. She would have never been able to get past it if he really had died, not with everything she knew about how messed up the world was.
"I want to go down," Leyas found herself saying. Everyone looked at her and she breathed in and looked up at them with determination in her eyes. "I want to go to the WMPO base at Carpenteria, where our ace team is stationed. I want to be of some assistance since there is very little for me to do here." She realized what she was asking would set back some of her plans, but to help her brother's team was more important.
"What would you do there?" Shale asked with a scoffing look on his face, she looked away from him and toward Sai who was sitting next to Overa.
"I can be the presidents eyes and ears down there," She said, "I can keep an eye on how things are running and report back what is going on. It will help us to be able to determine what changes will need to be made in the long run. We can judge them from here or we can get a look at their operations up close. I think being down there I can make a difference for our next approach." She was sure of herself now. No one there would be able to shoot her argument down. She knew none of them had the backbone it took to go check out the military operations themselves. She would get what she asked for. She noticed Sai's disapproval but ignored it. He didn't control her, he just advised her.
"I think that plan sounds like a good one," Overa responded with a smile, "the more eyes and ears we have on what is happening the better. I'll arrange it as soon as we are done here, once again it's good to have you aboard Leyas." She smiled and leaned back in her chair. Her own desires were placed aside now. She would strengthen the WMPO before continuing with her ultimate goal. Getting away from the politics would be good for her.
Numbness was what came first, then an overwhelming fountain of tears mixed with anger. Lastly was the questioning of why. This didn't have to happen, she didn't need to die. Nessara had always been the sister who could hold it together in the face of loss but now she felt her world imploding. The military officers who had deliver the message along with some of Alicesia's things were kind enough but she had just wanted them gone as quickly as possible.
Now she sat on the cliffs of ORB, wearing her sisters brown leather jacket and staring at the invitation that the officers had brought. There were more tears, she wasn't sure when she would feel okay again but she knew she had to try at some point. Nessara felt more and more alone everyday.
Her parent's death had been such a shock, she had gotten through it with Alicesia by her side but her older sister was so broken by it. Alicesia had started fighting and since that day she hadn't stopped. Now that same will to fight had taken her life. Everyone on ORB had heard the news reports about how bad the WMPO battle against X and ROW had been but it hadn't touched her until now. Now the shell she had locked herself away in was broken, she didn't know what to do next. She pulled her knees close to herself and watched the waves break against the cliffs.
"Everyone is broken," a voice she could still recall, "everyone has hurts and dark things they face. What makes a person is what they choose to do when the storm comes."
It was something her mother had said often, when the wars crashed around their family her mother had held them together. Now Nessara knew she needed her mother's strength but she wasn't certain how to take it. Maybe sometime soon she would feel strong enough to move past this but now she wanted to hold onto her sorrow and let her own inner pain be her comfort.
Perhaps the light would shine again in her eyes but not today. On this day, she let herself feel the hurt. She looked back at the invitation and wondered if he would be there. Perhaps Jeffery, who had lost his older brother, would know how to get her through this. Time had driven them apart but perhaps now they could be best friends again.
The message was short, it was pointed and it was perfect in explaining what it needed to explain. The sun was shining on the part of the world she found herself on as she stood on a balcony staring out into a perfect view of an amazing forest. Sometimes getaways happened at the worst time. She turned back to her room and saw Yzak organizing their belongings as he realized that the moment she checked her email things would probably change. She loved having him by her side at all times, he helped her get through some more difficult times. It was hard on her when Meiko decided that she favored being with the Yamato's and it was hard that she hadn't seen her grandson in two years but sometimes the world led her to more important situations.
"One day we'll get a full week off," Flay spoke to Yzak as she walked into the room from the outside. He was really too kind in moving when they needed to move. He didn't mind when Redemption's many duties called them from their personal time.
"You really don't need to worry about how I feel," Yzak responded to her, "I'm happy if we get a day, much less the four that we've gotten and I understand the gravity of the situation well enough to know that we need to move." She knew he would say something like that. He had been the one to check his mail first and a series of messages from Trey and Oran prompting him to get Flay to check her mail made him realize something big was up.
"If what they say is true," Flay said with a sigh, "If ROW is really back and if Yaro is really their main pilot than all my fears are realized. I worked so hard to get him away from that life. I worked so long to get Meiko to move on despite her gut instinct to believe he was still alive. I came to terms with my own limits of prediction years ago but I wasn't ready for this. We're not ready to handle all this." He knew she was overwhelmed in her mind. Her daughter had been abducted by ROW, the very organization she had spent 17 years fighting to get her daughter back from and this time with Yaro. Everything she had worked for had suddenly exploded in her face. Suddenly the world was a much more complicated place.
"When we get back to base I'll contact Trey," Yzak spoke on topic, "we'll get her back Flay, she's strong enough to withstand anything they throw at her and she's still alive. At least with Yaro we can always know that will be true." Flay knew he was right. She wasn't worried about Meiko dying, she was worried about Meiko failing to keep her fight up. Yaro was Meiko's weakness and as such he was not to be underestimated.
"Meiko is strong," Flay replied looking back out toward the balcony, "but Yaro is her Achilles heel. ROW is holding the trump card to our Phoenix, and they just played it."
It felt good to be back here. It was a home after the journey he had just taken, though he still felt guilt for his timing in taking it. Trey stood now in the Phoenix squad base with Gren, Oran, Six, Olivia and Tabrett wired in from wherever X had fled to. He stood in front of them with the gravity of the position he was in on his shoulders and he wondered how Meiko handled it all. He was the second in command here, he was the one who would lead them to the next step and he would do so without Meiko. He had dropped Kiran off at the ORB hospital and there he was safe.
Now Trey had to decide to follow Meiko's previous path of going toward X, or if he should go after ROW. There was no easy answer here, he only knew that she had shut off her coin and there was no way to find her. The group was here, he didn't know how Olivia would fit in but he had taken her from that place to help him handle the knights of fire. She had revealed to him on their journey back that she was Taylor's niece, and that he taught her considerable hacking skills. She was 18 years old, and an X citizen which meant leaving X territory would get her arrested. He knew he had to tread carefully with bringing someone new below to the base but she had no one left and he didn't want to abandon her. Not after her and her uncle had sheltered Leyas for however long they could.
"So Meiko was just taken by ROW?" Oran spoke trying to reconcile the simple things that Trey had told them so far. He had just said she was captured by ROW, and Kiran was shot. He hadn't told them about Yaro.
"I'll get to the full story in a moment," Trey said to them, "but right now I want to introduce Olivia, I met her on my travels. She will be staying down here for the time being and assisting Gren with the computer side of things." Trey saw Six eyeing her suspiciously. "I'll vouch for her as long as she is with us, I believe Meiko would agree with me on this one. She trusted me enough to make me second."
"You've already brought her down," Six responded, "we can't undo what you have done. We'll have to keep an eye on her of course but it is more important to discuss what happened." Trey knew that Six would be the hardest to get on his side, the older man resented being so far down the line in Meiko's command chain when he felt he deserved to be a second in her operations for all he had done so far. That was something Trey would not give into here. Meiko and Trey went back farther than anyone in the base, and they trusted each other more than anyone.
"Nice to meet you Olivia," Gren spoke now in a more polite way than six, he was more easy going in every way. "It's good to have more people aboard this operation. We'll surely find something you can do down here." She smiled at that, it was good to have some welcoming to the group.
"What happened with Meiko?" Oran pushed again, his brain was on overdrive after everything that had gone down. First Alicesia is killed, then Kiran is shot and Trey returns saying Meiko was taken away by ROW. At this point things were falling apart around the small team and they still had no idea what had really happened back there.
"ROW took her," Trey repeated what he had told them before and glanced at Oran before directin his answer to them all. "ROW outplayed us. They sent in the pilot of the green and gold mobile suit, he shot Kiran to force me to decide between rescuing Meiko and watching Kiran die. Meiko begged me to get Kiran out of there, and told me to lead in her absence. I followed her last orders in leaving her behind, but there is more to all this."
"There has to be," Six responded, "Why couldn't Meiko fight back against this pilot?" Trey knew that would be the question. Even if Trey had to choose Kiran, Meiko was formidable enough to fight her own battles. The whole group realized that something big had happened down there, big enough to stun Trey into being reluctant to talk about it.
"It was the pilot of that mobile suit," Trey said not looking at any of them as he spoke. He remembered the coldness in Yaro's eyes, the way he so ruthlessly chose to shoot his own brother to win the situation. "The pilot who took Meiko came in alone, he was all that was needed to throw Meiko into disarray. She couldn't fight back against him because X had shot her the day before and because she used her super seed to try and fight back against his own." They were all silent waiting for what Trey was going to say next, they were all surprised this pilot could have a super seed. "The pilot ROW sent was Yaro Yamato. Meiko was right all this time, Yaro is alive and he is our enemy."
There was shock throughout the room, no one wanted to speak first following the revelation. Though Oran had never met Yaro he understood all to well the impact that Yaro had on Meiko. She had never stopped mourning his loss and he was Jaden's father. If he had turned on her, she would feel it but he had taken her alive so it was possible he was trying to influence her rather than hurt her.
"Yaro's alive," Oran spoke trying to process what he had just heard.
"We're screwed," Gren declared.
"It can't be that bad," they heard Tabrett say over the line, "listen, X allied themselves with ROW. Maybe I can find some information about ROW's whereabouts through this place but other than that I don't think Meiko has much of a chance against Yaro." Gren whistled, he wasn't sure how to respond to all this.
"She's spent four years building up strength against his loss," Trey said to them all. "It is highly probable that this wasn't in vain. She has turned off her tracker, maybe she is just buying her time until she knows what ROW is up to." That was the best case scenario he could think of, and it did seem like something Meiko would be likely to do.
"And maybe she's rejoining them," Oran responded, his tone of voice clearly resentful of what had taken place. "Anything is possible where her and Yaro are concerned."
"Her rejoining ROW is not possible," Tabrett countered, "I knew Meiko when Meiko was in ROW, as did Trey. I know he can agree that she would never do that because she hated ROW with everything that was within her before it was all over. She wanted them destroyed. She put all her efforts into destroying them 4 years ago."
"Well that clearly didn't happen," Gren spoke now. "Now we get a psycho version of Yaro running around bringing back ROW's glory days."
"It doesn't make sense for Yaro to join ROW after all his family went through against them," Tabrett mused now, she hated the idea of Meiko facing off against the man she loved. Meiko had been through too much heartache in her life and she couldn't seem to catch a break for much longer than a minute before something else destroyed her.
"No it kinda does make sense," Trey replied to Tabrett's statement. "Yaro was always going against the grain when it came to what his family wanted. It was clear he had darker tenancies but he worked to keep them in check in order to avoid conflict with Kira and Lacus. In reality Yaro is John Liene's son, and when that was revealed to him we didn't really think it would have too much of an impact. Meiko tempered the revelation, but they have been separated for 4 years. Who knows what ROW has been telling him." That was surprising to most of them.
Oran had never heard Yaro's back story, only that Meiko loved him enough to choose to never move on from that love. Yaro as John Liene's son was something Oran couldn't grasp or really put context to but he did know that the damage Yaro did against the PLANT military was considerable. He had been the one to keep ORB afloat, before Redemption put a stop to that war, and he did so with a ruthlessness that left many pilots afraid to face off against him.
"So he is darkness now," Oran spoke his own thoughts, "he is the enemy and we have to view him as such. We have to bring Meiko back."
"John Liene's son," Tabrett said shaking her head. "Meiko kept that card hidden from all of us, I guess she didn't think it mattered since he was apparently dead."
"Apparently," Trey muttered wondering why all these years he didn't trust Meiko's instincts. If they had worked toward finding Yaro four years earlier they could have saved all this trouble in the present.
"We have to get information before we can really plan our next move," Six spoke up now, "Tabrett, get what information you can about ROW from X. We'll work our end here to pull our resources and find out where Yaro would take Meiko." That was when Trey had a realization that he didn't want to have.
"No, no, no," Trey said suddenly, "this whole situation is a mess." He looked to the screen Tabrett was on. "Where would ROW be able to hideout for four years with no one realizing they were around?" Tabrett's thoughts were silenced as she realized what he was getting at.
"Damn," Tabrett said shaking her head and snapping her fingers, "I should have realized that one immediately."
"Most of us were never with ROW so could you enlighten us?" Oran asked annoyed.
"The lunar base," Trey said with a steady frown, "it's on the dark side of the moon, hidden beneath the surface. When ROW went down, no one thought to look there for survivors. It's highly probable that the lunar base is still active."
"And if I were trying to keep someone captive that is where I'd take her," Tabrett finished his train of thought. "And if I were an enemy trying to get back a captive I could never get inside that base."
"We'll come up with something," Gren said in response, "we always do."
"But the lunar base is impossible!" Tabretty responded.
"Not impossible," Trey mused thinking of his own time there, "just improbable. With the right mission plan, we could do it."
"I trust you've contacted Redemption?" Six asked quickly.
"I have," Trey replied and the whole group realized what he was getting at. With Flay's resources and Trey's knowledge of the base they had a good combination that could potentially get her out. The only issue they had was facing off against Yaro's suit.
"Then we must be ready for when they arrive," Six replied, "We will get Meiko back, but we won't be doing it alone."
Classical music rang through the halls as people filled the area around them. Jeffery stood at the top of the stairs watching the guests enter with his two security guards standing a few feet away. He had tried to shake them a couple times but their ability to keep track of his every movement was thorough. His mother had a way of choosing the perfect people for each job she wanted done and today was no different.
This gala was being thrown in honor of a retiring senator. Cagalli was missing a lot of important UCN meetings because she believed ORB's internal affairs were still important. The nation had been isolationist for so long it was hard to adapt to the idea of being a part of a united world. As chief representative, Cagalli worked to balance both sides of the nation now, in hopes that one day she could reconcile them better. Jeffery watched as many ORB officials flooded in, he also noticed that Lacus arrived without Kira. It was important that she be there to stand by Cagalli's side despite all that was happening with her family at the moment.
Lacus always knew how to show strength when things were falling to pieces around her. Cagalli relied on her strength and the two worked closely together on policies now. In the aftermath of the ROW war Lacus could have ascended to the top of PLANT leadership again but instead she passed that honor to some of her most trusted political allies and moved on. She didn't really tell people what had driven her to do so but Jeffery suspected it was because she was broken over what had happened with ROW and partially blamed herself for loosing to Jayley before the madness began.
Jeffery was bored of this and decided to enter the main ballroom. He walked down the stairs and his security guards fell in line perfectly, it was too much for him. He spun around to face them, they stopped suddenly with him and he shook his head.
"I understand that you both need to keep an eye on me," Jeffery spoke harshly to them, "but can you please find a way to do it so that I don't feel like I have two shadows constantly following me." They took a step back in response to that. Jeffery had been trying to get them to talk all day but they were silent as ordered by his mother.
Jeffery reached the bottom of the stairs and saw his father walking toward him. It was too late to duck into the next room now but he didn't feel like seeing his father right now. Athrun had overreacted to everything and now Jeffery knew that his life could be in danger tonight yet he couldn't tell his father. He couldn't ask for help, he had to deal with it alone even though it was his dad's fault that this was a possibility.
"Jeffery," Athrun said his name as he got closer.
"Sir," Jeffery said using his father's title, not wanting to acknowledge his parental authority at the moment since it was the cause of all this trouble.
"At least smile a little bit Jeffery you're not at a funeral," Athrun said beckoning him to follow, Jeffery obliged him even though every bit of him wanted to disobey. He knew better than to act like an idiot today.
"It's hard to smile when your own parents have arrested you," Jeffery responded in a whisper, knowing that their internal family affairs should not be made public. The press would have a field day if they found out about any troubles within the Chief Representative's family life. Athrun ignored his son's obvious attitude and led him to the main ballroom and toward where his mother was conversing with some old politicians.
"Cagalli," Athrun said her name and she turned. She looked at Jeffery and smiled.
"Senator Viret," she said to the senator, "I don't believe you've met my son, Jeffery Zala, he is currently a member of ORB's national guard." She turned to Jeffery, "Senator Viret was chosen to take the seat Senator Myres was retiring from. He will be a representative for military affairs." Jeffery shook the man's hand as he offered it.
"Nice to meet you sir," Jeffery spoke politely.
"Nice to meet you as well," Viret responded, "I've been running an analysis on our national guard and comparing our military strength through the years. Due to our position in the UCN, I am working on a proposal to merge our resources with the WMPO's fighting force. As shown this past week, the WMPO are lacking in true strength. We could be calling on you to serve in the WMPO soon." Jeffery had heard about a movement in ORB to integrate their forces more, he knew his mother was against the idea. ORB's national guard was a symbol of their strength, giving it up would make their people feel more vulnerable. The history of violence against their nation made their people more nervous about the UCN's intentions with their military.
"I am ready to serve my country as needed," Jeffery responded the way he knew the press would want him to.
"Then you have a good head on your shoulders boy," Viret said with a smile turning to Cagalli, "why don't we see him more around the congressional center?He is who we assume will succeed you when your career ends." Jeffery stiffened, he hated politics and he wasn't interested in being like his mother.
"He's only 16," Cagalli spoke diplomatically, "we have plenty of time before we have to think of that, I'm not resigning anytime soon." Jeffery tuned them out as the continued to talk politics. He smiled and nodded when he was asked questions. He then noticed someone entering whom he would have never expected. Nessara and her grandparents, well dressed for the political party, all in black. He didn't understand why she was here. He turned to his parents.
"Will you excuse me," he said before simply ignoring their confusion and walking away. He walked across the ballroom, ignoring a couple of press members who were trying to catch his eye. He knew he should be watching for assassins but seeing Nessara confused him. She caught him walking toward her and he saw that she was trying to smile but something was wrong.
"Nessara," he spoke to her, hugging her before even saying anything. She seemed to need it. He heard the music playing around him and knew that he had to be careful about the press catching any photos of him with Nessara. He let go of her and looked into her eyes, she had tears at the corners of them. He looked around the room and spotted some interesting people, he had to get her out of here to talk to her.
"Are you okay?" he asked her at first, he had no idea why she was here or what was troubling her.
"You haven't heard?" she asked him with more sadness on her face. Looking around the room again he knew that there were a few eyes on him.
"We can't talk here," he said taking her hand and leading her out of the nearest exit. He led her into an empty living room where there was no one, as he did he realized his body guards were still trailing him. He gave them a warning glance about following him into the room and they waited outside as he closed the door. Nessara walked to the windows of the room, overwhelmed and overcome. Jeffery could tell that she was hurting, he needed to know why.
"Now you can tell me what's wrong," Jeffery asked her, she turned back to him and he saw the tears rolling down her face freely.
"Jeffery," she said his name and looked down shaking her head, "I came here tonight because your mother invited my family to honor our sacrifice." He was further confused, he had no idea what she meant, "Alicesia was killed in the WMPO battle with X and with ROW." Jeffery had heard very little about this battle the last few days, only that it was a failure. He had not heard about Alicesia.
"No one told me," he said not knowing how to react to the news, he could hardly look at Nessara now. He had know Alicesia when they were in school together, she was a kind, good person.
"I also came to see you because, I don't know what to do Jeffery," she said as more tears came out with sobs, "I don't know how to react, how to get past this. I thought that maybe seeing you, that you could help me. You know what it's like to loose a sibling, how do you move on from this? When does the pain end." Jeffery felt tears in his own eyes as he realized he didn't know how to answer her.
"Nessara," he began but he stopped trying to grasp how to comfort her, he had been shutting people out for so long he didn't know what to do. He didn't know what to say. "I don't know what to tell you." He spoke honestly now. "The pain never fully leaves you alone. At least when I think about it, I still hurt from loosing my brother. But you learn to move on, you learn to live and you find a purpose for life." More tears poured from her eyes, and he could feel tension rising.
"I've never had much purpose," Nessara responded, "and now I feel more lost than ever." Jeffery knew the feeling well, he knew what drove him forward to become who he was today and at 16 he was playing a very dangerous game with his own life because of that feeling. How could be give her any good advice after the choices he had made and the person he had become? He couldn't even be honest with his parents, he couldn't be honest with her. Perhaps there was some path, some purpose for Nessara but she would have to discover it without him.
"I don't have any of the answers Nessara," He responded to her, "I probably am the last person who you should be reaching out to now." He paused as he thought about what he had to do. She wasn't safe around him, he couldn't have her relying on him. "I'm a liar. I've allowed myself to be someone my brother would be ashamed of. You should ask your grandparents or the Yamato's for guidance. I'm not your friend, I'm not your adviser, I'm just a broken kid who can't get it right." She felt a stab in her heart as she realized that he was pushing her away now, in the midst of all the pain that she felt she could feel his rejection.
"Don't Jeffery," she said stepping toward him, he stepped back. She had wondered about him, he had changed so much. He had once asked for her advice on what to do and she had given it and now he was distancing himself from her by not really being there for her. She couldn't understand why he would do this.
"I don't want you coming to me again," he responded to her looking away as he said it, "you are going to make it through this but you will do it without me." He realized his timing would be very hard on her. They had been best friends for a time but the distance between them was something he had been causing since he had made up his mind to change his own life. Now she had lost her sister and he was putting an end to their friendship. She was losing him.
"Jeffery..." She was about to speak, to try and recover whatever she could get from him. She didn't want to lose him too.
"We're both just children Nessara," he responded to her as he walked toward the door, "children who have our whole lives ahead of us. You have time to get through this hard time and when you do you will be stronger for it. Goodbye Nessara." With that he left her there crying her eyes out as she watched him leave.
She needed to get out of here. The final pieces of her life shattered before her and she had no way of knowing how she would make it through.
Lacus smiled as Cagalli stood next to her congratulating another politician on a victory. She was always so good at balancing all of the people that made up her various councils, Lacus remembered being able to do the same thing when she was chairwoman of the plants, but lately she was a little more distracted by her life. Lacus then realized that Cagalli seemed a little stressed out in her posture. She wasn't standing with as much ease as she usually did and she kept glancing across the room toward Athrun and making signals. Lacus surveyed the room as she tried to understand what was happening when she realized what was going on.
Earlier Jeffery had just brushed by her as if she wasn't even there, Lacus had thought nothing of it. The boy was at the age where he couldn't be bothered with his relatives as much but now she understood. The three were going through something rough, something to do with parenting for sure. Athrun and Cagalli were having a hard time with a teenage boy who clearly wanted his way about something, and that something was big enough to derail their behavior at even such an important event as this.
Lacus made an excuse and made her way to where Athrun was standing now. She knew him well enough to see how stressed he really was, it reminded her of when he would come back from the first valentine war for a visit. He never was able to hide his emotions well.
"I see the tensions are high tonight," Lacus said as she approached him. He was taken aback by that comment when he realized that Cagalli and he both were very readable by those who knew them well and Lacus knew them both very well. She was one of the kindest people in the world and with that came a great empathy and understanding. He didn't want to tell her the whole story but having someone there to help him and his wife through this was surely valuable.
"I guess we'll always be obvious to you," Athrun sighed shaking his head, "I don't know what to do anymore. Jeffery is lying to us and he won't own up to it, I'm just worried about him." Lacus smiled, she realized he was downplaying it but she didn't want to push him to say more than he was comfortable saying.
"Teenagers can be the worst nuclear explosions on earth," Lacus replied in a vernacular he didn't expect, but one that fit very well and he saw her face sadden. "Kira's at Kiran's side now, waiting for him to wake up. Maybe if I had gotten him to open up more he never would have left for the WMPO and he wouldn't be lying now with bullet holes in him." She shook her head. Athrun knew very well what had happened to Kiran, he didn't know who had done it. It seemed the Phoenix squad was keeping some information from everyone, Athrun knew Shinn knew as well but his old friend wouldn't say anything either. Everyone seemed very interested in what Kiran had to say about it. Shinn did mention that Trey knew the full story.
"What happened to Kiran wasn't your fault," Athrun spoke as he thought about it, "just as Yaro and Leyas weren't your fault." He knew that she still blamed herself for her family falling apart but kids grew and things happened. Sometimes when people grew they changed into what their parents couldn't anticipate.
"I know you feel you have to control him so he doesn't make the same mistakes you did," Lacus now hit the nerve he knew she wanted to, she knew him too well, "but you need to let him grow. You need to realize something I did when I let Kiran go, that they grow up and they will make their own mistakes. Our job as they get older is to help them learn to pick up the pieces."
"You've always been too wise for your own good," Athrun said with a smile, "I understand what you're saying, but it won't stop me from wanting to prevent what I can." Lacus understood that.
"Just make sure you don't push him away in the process," Lacus replied, "you can repair mistakes. Strained relationships are harder to put back together."
"Making big decisions at 16 years old is tough kid," Jeffery stood in the corner of the ballroom watching people dance when he recognized the voice of his ally. He dared not look as Jaxon stood but a short distance away from him as did his help. Jeffery perceived that Jaxon was serving himself some punch and walked that way to do the same. As he did he watched out for anyone who might be watching him.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Jeffery asked very pointedly. He was supposed to find a way to meet up with Jaxon off ORB territory but for some reason the older pilot had come to get him from here.
"I'm checking out the scenery," Jaxon responded in his question and turning around to survey the ballroom, "politicians always bring their beautiful daughters to these kinds of events." Jeffery rolled his eyes, this guy could be his least favorite to work with but he didn't choose who was with him on assignments.
"And those daughters always come with a world of drama and an army of body guards," Jeffery said sarcastically "you'd have better luck in the downtown bars if you're looking for someone to pay any notice to you." Jaxon chuckled, Jeffery was normally all business but he seemed really down today if he was going along with Jaxon's jokes instead of calling him out on his crap. He realized the past few days of lying to his own parents were probably weighing down on him and now Jaxon was here with news that wasn't exactly the best. Jeffery had chosen this, knowing the weight it would be.
"We expect assassins to move in on you soon. They are not taking any chances in you possibly being involved with us," Jaxon spoke now seriously, "they have decided that they don't care to confirm your position first. I was ordered to come in and help extract you. I have a plan but I need you to hold on a little longer. We need to use our enemies own desperation against him."
"And there is the problem of my shadows," Jeffery spoke now with a hint of frustration in his voice, "they are both highly trained special forces, I don't think I could take them both without issue. They'll call for backup at the first sign of trouble and I'll be surrounded by an army of security." Jaxon knew who he was talking about without looking.
"We'll see how the night goes on, just stay alive till tomorrow," Jaxon said walking away from the table quickly as he saw Athrun approaching Jeffery. Jeffery sighed, he was due for another lecture because of his quick exit earlier with Nessara, he was not in the mood for it.
"Not now dad," Jeffery said before Athrun could speak, "I'm not in the mood for another lecture about smiling." Athrun couldn't understand what it was Jeffery was doing now. He was moping about the party barely saying "hi" to people who kept trying to get some attention. He had passed over a couple high profile reporters and Athrun was just thankful he wasn't old enough to drink or they would really have a problem on their hands.
"If you're not going to even make an effort I suggest you retire for the night," Athrun said to him in a frustrated tone of voice. "But you should know your aunt was asking about you, you walked right by her earlier." Jeffery knew Lacus would notice that something was wrong, she was perceptive enough to see when Athrun and Cagalli were dealing with issues beyond normal politics.
"I didn't want to be here in the first place," Jeffery spoke now not willing to hold back, "you're the one who arrested me, you're the one who decided that I was worth your valuable resources to keep under lock and key, so congratulations I won't cheer up." He was sick of all this, he hated parties and now this one was one of the worst he had ever dealt with. He walked away quickly exiting out the doors that he came in. He continued down the halls toward one of the main rooms. He knew his storm out would have garnered some attention but he didn't care anymore. He had to be on the lookout for anyone who might be wanting to cause him harm, and if his father had just let well enough alone he wouldn't be here now.
Being awake again had been odd at first, Lacus had told him over and over how long he was gone but he didn't understand it. Last thing Kira remembered was being aboard a ship with his family and since then quite a bit had happened. Now the family was home, safe and more together than they had been in a long time. He sat in Kiran's hospital room simply waiting for his son to wake up, the boy had been brought to an ORB hospital by Trey after the battle in X territory. Trey hadn't offered much insight about what happened, but he did also bring Jaden back to the house.
Jaden was with Kayla now at the house, which was nice for the boy who had grown anxious without his mother. Trey didn't tell Kira where Meiko had gone but Kira knew that somehow she was in danger and he couldn't do anything to help her now. His attentions had to be on his son, who was broken in body and soul after all that he had experienced.
Kira hated that his children were involved in so much death and so much fighting. He had always hoped that the world would be peaceful enough for them to live normal quite lives but he understood that his own history played a role in what they were all becoming. Leyas was fighting on a political front for the UCN while Kiran held a place in their military. Meiko was fighting a shadow war against a man who he wasn't sure even existed.
Then there was the fast circulating rumor that ROW had once again re-emerged and that idea made Kira fear for what could happen next. He wanted to go to the Phoenix squad base as soon as he could to get the information he sought. For some reason Meiko had not contacted him, that made him nervous. In the wake of all that was happening the world needed her. He needed her.
"Any change" he heard the voice of Kayla as the young girl entered the hospital room with Jaden sanding next to her holding her hand. Kayla had been instrumental in helping him and Lacus cope with Jaden suddenly being dropped off again. The boy had complained about not seeing his mother in too long, which was frustrating to Yaro. Even when he was under her care she dumped him on her comrades instead of giving him full attention. It was best that he was with the family instead of in that base.
"Nothing," Kira said to her, "I'm sure he'll wake up soon." Kayla walked over and sat down next to him. "I thought you were at the house?"
"I had the driver bring us over," Kayla responded with a smile, "I couldn't just wait for word there, and mother went to Cagalli's gala." Kira had wished Cagalli had postponed her gala in light of recent events but she wanted to keep ORB's united front going as long as she could. Her nation was facing pressure from the UCN for more military support.
"Gran-pa," Jaden said reaching for him. Kira picked him up, the boy smiled, his eyes mirroring his grandfathers. Kira still didn't like being called a grandfather, he still felt too young for that title. It was his fault for fathering a child at 16 and then watching his oldest child have a child at 19. How many people got to be grandfathers at 38, much less 35 which he was when Jaden was born.
"There's a storm brewing," Kayla spoke now about the war, "and I'm afraid father. When Kiran wakes up and gets better they'll call him back into the line of duty. I don't want him to go, not when we just got him back." Kira saw tears in his youngest daughters eyes. He put his arm around her and pulled her close. These were the two youngest members of his family and he knew he would do anything to protect them from heartache.
"Let's see what happens when we come to that point," Kira said kissing his daughters forehead, "the world is fast changing. You never know what will come next."
Jeffery sat in the main living room of his family's house, he could hear the music of the gala from here. He was on the edge of his seat, his head in his hands as stress overtook him. His two shadows were waiting outside the door and he wished he could dismiss them completely. It was becoming more and more clear that he might have to own up to his lies sooner or later. He wanted to protect his parents from the truth but if they were in danger because of him they deserved to know. That was the price with what he had chosen.
It was an opportunity that fell before him when he was 14 years old. A woman named Amelia Armond had come to him at his school and laid out an offer before him. He wanted to make a difference in the world but as time went on he had realized he would never really be out of Uzumi's shadow. The older boy was loved by his nation in a way that Jeffery never could be.
After thinking it over he had accepted the offer. Training was difficult, he had to distance himself from his parents and admit himself into a military academy that included boarding school. He paid off the schools heads to let him leave campuses for long stretches of time and his parents were none the wiser. He aced all his exams so they graduated him to a military post in the national guard when he turned 16. By then his training was complete and he was named.
A Knight of Fire, that was the life he had chosen. A vigilante, a warrior, a free agent fighting for the good of the world. Lady Armond had lived up to her promises of making him formidable even at his young age but there was still so much room for him to grow within the organization. The position wasn't without it's costs, total secrecy being one and well established enemies being another. Hearing that one of their own had been captured was detrimental to his identity because he was living a double life. Most knights didn't even try that, they simply left their homes and abandoned their old names.
He would have done the same thing but he didn't want to break his parents heart. They had already lost one son to war, losing Jeffery with no explanation would be very painful to them yet here he was causing them pain anyways. He wasn't strong enough emotionally to deal with this balance. It had already cost him Nessara, now it would cost him his family for if he left with Jaxon there was no coming back unless the Knights really did win against their enemies. That was unlikely considering they had been fighting for 25 years.
Suddenly he was pulled from his thoughts by the realization that he could no longer perceive the breaths and movements of his body guards outside the doors. He moved quickly, hiding himself in a darker corner as suddenly someone crashed through the side window and another person burst through the door. Jeffery moved swiftly jumping behind the one who came through the door and giving him a hard kick.
The second assassin threw a knife toward Jeffery who moved quickly to dodge it. He jumped back behind one of the couches as the guy he kicked drew his own knife. It seemed these two were determined to be quiet about killing him. He quickly pulled out something from his pocket and clicked a button. A burst of sonic energy sounded out through the room as several glass vases shattered, and he heard yelling down the halls. The first man lunched his knife at Jeffery who grabbed a side table to catch it. He then threw the table at the guy.
The second guy pulled out a gun and Jeffery ran when he heard another gun fire. He saw Athrun and two guards come through the doors. Jeffery was shocked as the first assassin turned his gun and shot at his father.
"No!" He yelled leaping forward and grabbing the assassin by the throat, knocking him to the ground. He heard another gunshot and felt pain in his side as a bullet pierced through him but he was not phased, He punched the guy under him in the face hard enough and lept up at the person who shot him. The man wasn't quick enough as one of the security guards sent a few shots into him and he fell backwards dead.
The man whom Jeffery had temporarily immobilized got up and rushed to leave but Jeffery pulled a knife out of his sleeve and launched it into the man's back. The shock sent him falling out the window toward the ground. Jeffery turned back to see his father kneeling on the ground clutching his shoulder. Blood was pouring from the wound and Jeffery became aware blood was spilling down his side as well but the adrenaline he felt numbed the pain for now.
"Call an ambulance!" Jeffery yelled to one of the guys as he knelt beside his father and reached out to the wound.
"What the hell is going on here Jeffery?" Athrun asked between clenched teeth and Jeffery stood up looking to the dead assassin. The bodies would give them no leads, and his enemy would realize his assassins failure meant that he was correct. Jeffery was in greater danger now than before.
"You have to let me go dad," Jeffery said turning back to him, "Please you have to let me go."
The rain always seemed to find a way to fall when they were mourning a comrade who had fallen. Herai had known the feeling in the PLANT military well enough, it never got easy to see it happen. She watched with sadness as Alicesia's coffin was paraded through the line of troops, everyone of them saluted as she was carried by, never to rise again. After the ceremony today her body would be taken to ORB where she would be buried by her surviving family.
Life would never be fair as long as wars continued. Herai had not known Alicesia well but she had lived with her long enough to know she was one of the more kindhearted people on the planet. Many of the pilots on base were searing and taking bets on who would take down the green and gold mobile suit when they saw it next. That was how most people in the army knew how to cope with loss, revenge. Herai looked over at Skye who stood across from her, he was one that had not joined in the discussion of revenge. When she had asked him about it he had responded that revenge would get them nowhere, that it wouldn't bring her back.
She hadn't expected wisdom from him, he was the most confusing person to her. He held in his feelings but you could very easily read when he disagreed with what was going on around him. She could also tell that he was upset by being dispatched by the green and gold mobile suit in the way that he was. Military analysis showed he used a power draining weapon much like the one the Dreamer mobile suit used to used but on a lower setting.
So even if Skye wasn't motivated by vengeance for Alicesia she knew he would attack the green and gold suit out of need to prove himself. That was the kind of person he was, one who wanted to be perfect even if he was far from it. He didn't like the emotionalism of Kiran or the bubbly personality of Herai but he did have respect for those around him.
Now with Alicesia gone and Kiran out of commission for awhile their team dynamic was destroyed. They were down to two very different pilots and no way of knowing what they were going to face next. No way of knowing who was going to die next, and no way of knowing if they would actually see ROW anytime soon.
"A breaking news story that has been making the rounds on all channels has been the attack at the Atthan mansion during the Chief Representatives military gala this evening," they all heard the news anchor from the hospital room tv, "it is still unknown what happened, but it is know that the Chief representatives son, Jeffery Zala and his father were both shot. Neither of them are seriously hurt but the attack calls into question the security measures on the family home." Jeffery watched the news report as the doctor next to him sewed up his wound.
He had chose to be awake while the bullet was removed, he hated being put under and in the off chance another attack came soon he wanted to be completely alert. Athrun did the same thing out of concern for his son, he wanted to know more about what was going on but the way Jeffery had gone silent troubled him.
"It was said that the attack took place when two armed assailants entered the family home in an attempt to take Jeffery Zala hostage," the woman continued. "The authorities have been looking into the identity of the attackers but no information has been found. Both the attackers perished in the scuffle against the Zala's security guards who defended both Athrun Zala and Jeffery Zala valiantly." Jeffery was glad there was no mention of him in the report, no mention that he did anything to defend himself. He hoped that might throw the enemy off but he knew it was too much to wish for.
He clenched his teeth as he felt the pain of his wound coming together with each stitch. He had never actually had a gunshot wound before, it was a new feeling and one that was unpleasant enough that he hoped he didn't have to deal with it again.
"I'm glad you two are okay," they both looked to the door and saw Kira walk in, he must have been here with Kiran. Jeffery knew that his mother was desperately worried about them both but she had to work to calm the guests in the wake of what happened so she couldn't be here. Lacus was with her still.
"It's good to see you awake," Athrun said, "We had heard that you had come back from your coma but politics kept us away. We heard about Kiran as well, I'm gald he's okay." Kira nodded.
"I'm a little tired of our family members becoming target practice for crazies with guns," Kira spoke with a hint of irony in his voice. "You've got the entire hospital in an uproar with all the extra security guards around and the news cameras swarming outside the facilities trying to get exclusive shots." Athrun laughed a little.
"They've never been known to be sensitive about family matters," Athrun replied. Kira understood that. Both Uzumi and Jeffery's births were media firestorms. The family was the nations royalty, and though they seemed to ignore the family most days they swarmed whenever something happened.
"What really happened?" Kira asked, "the news story is a mess."
"I don't know," Athrun said looking over at Jeffery who continued to stare forward blankly, "and I don't know how I'm going to respond to it. Jeffey is the one with the full story, though he's been reluctant to share it." Kira sensed a sort of tension between the two, Jeffery's jaw was clenched and he was clearly holding back some remarks that were probably less than pleasant.
"All done," the doctor said to Jeffery as he handed him a cup with pain medication in it, "I've got to go finish some paper work." The doctor then walked out, clearly not wanting to be in the middle of a family discussion. Jeffery downed the medication, then drank some water.
"I know you want more of my side of things dad," Jeffery spoke as calmly as he could, "but I've told you what happened. I was sitting in the living room, avoiding the party when those two guys came in and attacked me. I realized they were trying to be quite so I made as much noise as I could to get some help." Athrun had heard the noise and rushed with the guards to help. The two body guards Athrun had placed on Jeffery were dead outside the door, which was a troubling sight.
"But the way you took down the guy that shot at me, " Athrun said now referring to the way Jeffery had handled himself in the situation, "and the way you threw that knife, with your right side even after being shot. That's not something the ORB military teaches their students." Kira was a bit surprised by this, but he had sensed something deeper was going on.
"Have you heard Kira," Jeffery said looking at his uncle, "my parents placed me under house arrest because they wanted to see more of me around, isn't that nice of them?" Athrun was taken aback by his tone, he had thought Jeffery had let the sass go after the fight.
"Don't take that tone again Jeffery," Athrun scolded, "not after all that has happened."
"I'm sorry dad," he replied with more snark than before, "but I clearly have a target on my back and, no thanks to you, everyone knows where I am at this very moment. What's to stop whoever this was from trying again? I asked you earlier now I am asking you again to let me go." Athrun felt a moment of compassion as he realized what his son was saying. He had a choice now, he would have to give up answers in order to protect his boy, it didn't make sense. He always thought keeping Jeffery close would be the best thing but at this moment he realized whoever was after his son didn't have to work hard to find him anymore.
"I should get back to Kiran and Kayla," Kira said sensing the two had more to talk about, "I'm glad you're both alive." He said before exiting the room.
"What have you gotten yourself into Jeffery?" Athrun asked more compassionately than ever before. He wasn't going to fight with his son anymore, it was time to level with what had just happened. Tears started pouring out of Jeffery's eyes.
"I thought I could balance everything," he replied, "I thought I could have everything, you and mom and Nessara but I can't have any of it. This is the path I've chosen."
"I don't understand Jeffery," Athrun said, "I wish I did but I don't think that you are ever going to tell me more." Jeffery realized at that moment he was getting through to his father. Athrun's hard exterior was crumbling and he was seeing at that moment that his only living son, whom he loved dearly, was asking something from him that he would have to give. Jeffery wanted Athrun's trust as he went, his Father's trust that he would believe in him no matter what he could see now.
"If I could tell you what was going on," Jeffery spoke as more tears came from his eyes, "if I could I would but it's not just my secret. There are people who I have to protect."
"And you've been compromised?" Athrun questioned, "someone didn't protect you and I got in the way." Jeffery nodded.
"Please," Jeffery simply spoke again. Athrun breathed in and held onto that breath for a moment. His child had grown and changed without him there to protect him for the past four years. He realized now that what Jeffery was going through was his fault in more ways than one. If he had been a better father in the past his son might not have gotten himself in this place. He felt tear stinging his eyes as he realized the decision he had to make.
"Go," Athrun said softly, "do what you have to, but know Jeffery that I never loved Uzumi more than you. You are as much my son as he was and I love you no matter what comes. Whenever you need me or your mother we will be there." Jeffery didn't realize how sad he would be to actually leave in the end, he hesitated for a moment but he knew there was no going back.
The small plane flew silently, cloaked well in the early morning sunlight. Jaxon knew better than to crack jokes at this moment as Jeffery sat silently in the copilots seat. He hadn't said very much all morning. Jaxon had prepared an operation to free him but it ended up being unnecessary since Jeffery was able to convince his father to let him go.
"Did you leave people behind when you joined?" Jeffery asked as he realized that he had never really heard Jaxon's story. He knew that Jaxon had been one of the ones to leave their name behind and take on a new identity.
"No," Jaxon said with a smile, "I never had anyone that really cared about me before I joined."
"I find that hard to believe," Jeffery replied, "you just seem like the kind of guy who would have a really chill family." Jaxon looked away for a moment as he thought about his past.
"Thing's aren't always as they seem kid," Jaxon said and he almost sounded a little wise saying it. "Now that you are leaving everything behind you need a new name Knight of Fire. You only get one chance to choose it, you better do it wisely." Jeffery smirked, of course Jaxon would talk about names. It was well known that he had chosen his name because it's spelling was quite comical.
"I've already got one," Jeffery responded thinking of the operations he had already done, "I'm still attached to my mobile suit's name. You can call me Flame now, I don't care if it's cheesy, it's me." Jaxon laughed a little, of course Jeffery would name himself after his mobile suit.
"Pilot of the Flame," Jaxon spoke with a chuckle, "Sir Flame, the Knight of Fire."
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WinterChill