Sliding to a stop in the same muddied fields on Stanton that Elise had used to train Tome, Aye looked out through the dissipating smoke at his opponent; a trainer GM piloted by his new student, taking a kneel after yet another failed attack. "What's the matter Amaury, tired already?" He asked with a smirk, watching as the battered machine remained still.
In the two weeks following their arrival at Hagen the boy had spent nearly every day by his side while he further familiarize himself with the SICOS in his neck, all under Emerson's watchful eye. It started slow, resembling the tests the doctor made him endure when he was first recovering from his injuries but then lead to more advanced techniques and exercises focused on strengthening his connection to the interface and preparing his body to use it the right way.
On top of it all Amaury still found himself getting used to operating a mobile suit while confined to gravity, though the difference was much less drastic than the simulator pods on Dresden made it seem. Narrowing his eyes on Amaury's suit a few hundred yards away, Aye swung his mace to the side, slinging the mud from the edge of the blunt weapon.
"Let's go, I don't have all day." Aye called out as he prepared his Ratnik for another series of strikes, feeling a bit underwhelmed. Emerson had warned him of this uncontrollable rage unleashed by the boy during the battle, peaking an interest to witness some of that power himself; an interest that had yet to be fulfilled. "Where's that fight you always show your foes, eh? Afraid you might end up on your back at full speed again?" He taunted once more through their communication channel, bringing Amaury to break his concentrated silence with an annoyed grunt.
"You'll be the one who ends up on their back this time." He replied as Aye scoffed, amused by the boys confidence. Even being a Newtype Aye held the advantage of having far more experience, both with the SICOS and in combat, and it seemed rather unlikely he would make good on his promise. "We'll see about that. Remember, once you beat me your training will be complete and you'll be allowed to go back to playing house." The mercenary leader replied once more as Amaury stared him down, panting from exhaustion. They had been at this nearly all day and he was right; the sooner he took Aye down, the sooner he could return to work at Carina's side.
With her work on the reactors entering its second week they had barely seen each other except for when they returned home to sleep, both too exhausted to do anything other than clean up and rest for the following day. Having been nearly inseparable since their time on Heaven's End, they both found themselves craving one another's company in the worst way, and if he ended this today he knew Carina would be happy, despite her insistence that he undergo the training in the first place.
With a deep breath the boy closed his eyes, concentrating on the connection between himself and his machine; his thoughts intertwined with the mobile suit through the neurological interface temporarily taken from his Jaeger. If he was going to do this, he would need to strike hard, fast and without mercy. "Well, are you going to-" Aye began to taunt as the boy suddenly stood and flew forward at maximum speed in one motion, catching the experienced fighter by surprise. Such a fluid control and flow of movement was the sign of a truly synced and understood connection with the SICOS.
"Hmph!" Aye scoffed, predicting and effectively blocking the strike of Amaury's weapon with relative ease, though the boy swiftly parried the defender's weapon away, avoided a strike from his weapon and boosted to the side, grinding the GM's feet into the mud as he did so before once more locking blades with the Ratnik before him. "Better, but you are still not impressing me." The man stated despite his surprise as he used his free hand to uppercut the GM in the cockpit, knocking him back and giving him the opportunity to counter with his own weapon though Amaury evaded and boosted backwards, zig-zagging across the muddied field in a feigned evasive maneuver.
Seeing this Aye laughed. "My turn!" He exclaimed with a hint of joy as he boosted forward after him, matching each of his zigs and zags and closing the distance between them quickly with the aid of his Ratnik's superior speed. Once it was close enough the Ratnik swung again, but with his increased reaction speed Amaury parried it away and went on the offensive, boosting shoulder-first into the Ratnik to knock it backwards.
Annoyed at the rough hit, Aye swiftly moved his bat in front of Amaury's to stop his following blow and pushed him back in turn with a wide grin. "Nice try, but still not enough!" He exclaimed, swinging his weapon down at Amaury's legs, though the boy boosted up and retracted them enough to avoid the blow. "I'm not done!" Amaury replied as he retaliated, cutting his thrust as he slammed his legs down on the weapon, burying it into the earth below with the full weight of the mobile suit with enough force to bend the tungsten bar and snap its rigid structure in half before Aye could even react.
Shocked by Amaury's use of the suit's own legs as a weapon, Aye's attention shot up from his shattered tool in time to grab his opponents own and deflect it away, leaving the two to exchange a series of strikes back and forth with little gain as neither soldier became unwilling to allow the other to gain the advantage while in the distance Emerson himself watched, his arms crossed as he stood on the hood of an armored truck, deeply concentrated on the fight before him.
Over the course of the past two weeks he had shown great improvement in control and stability while connected to a mobile suit through his SICOS and had experienced little interference or side effects from its use, reassuring Emerson's belief that his mental breakdown was indeed the result of sensory overload brought on by the device's sudden activation and use without any prior interface.
In this correct environment Amaury was learning quicker than any other patient who had received the SICOS, even Aye, though Emerson had no way to tell if this was simply by chance or if Amaury's status as a Newtype had anything to do with it. Since he had never performed the installation of his device into a Newtype before this was all fresh ground in uncharted territory, and although he never intended it Amaury had become the pinnacle of all his work and research, both because of the experimental SICOS in his neck as well as the effects it may have on his kind.
Narrowing his eyes on Aye as the mercenary struck over and over again at the boy in an attempt to subdue him, the doctor reached up and unmuted the headset he wore and switched it to a secondary channel, allowing him to speak directly to his proctor. "Are you playing with the boy or are you actually trying to take him out?" The doctor asked as Aye laughed under his breath, avoiding Amaury's damaging swings.
"What, this isn't enough?" He replied as Amaury finally landed a blow into the Ratnik's shoulder, damaging its functionality in the process. "It doesn't look like it from here. Looks like a tike half your age is beating your ass, actually." Emerson laughed as Aye was forced to boost back away from the boy, grimacing at the man's laughter as he looked over towards the vehicle the man stood on through his screens.
"I'm not sure why you're laughing old man, at least I can see over the control panel." Aye responded sharply, bringing an end to Emerson's laughter. "We will see who can't see over a control panel the next time your ass needs to be patched up. If your not fighting him with your all, then do so. This is pass or fail. Make him decide which it is." The doctor advised as his former pupil returned his attention back to the GM that charge at him. "So be it."
Adhering to Emerson's request Aye countered Amaury's charge and met him head on, matching the boy's tungsten bat with what remained of his own as sparks flew off into the air. "Time's up kid. You've failed to put me down and to be honest, I'm hungry." Aye taunted, deciding for the boy as he swung his stub of a bat under the GM's arms and struck the cockpit, knocking the suit back roughly. "A good drink and a fine woman's presence will be well deserved after this battle and my victory." He further mocked as he attempted to strike again, though Amaury parried the blow to the side and held the bat down.
"No!" He disputed angrily, his eyes focused on the banged and dented Ratnik in front of him. He wasn't going to lose again, this training had carried on enough! "You're not going anywhere!" He replied as he boosted forward and kneed into the Ratnik's chest before being knocked back to the side, forcing him once more to evade while Aye laid chase.
"Running from me will only make the inevitable even more drawn out. Give up, you are not ready." He argued as he gained on the Trainer GM and moved to strike, swinging his blade towards the machine's main thruster pack only to be blocked as the boy he targeted spun around and blocked the attack with his own weapon.
Anticipating the boy's block Aye swung his machine's damaged left arm around to strike but was surprised when Amaury's own hand caught his fist, bringing both machines to a stop in the mud as they found themselves locked in a power struggle. Grinding his teeth beneath his impressed smile, Aye could clearly hear the metal of both his only semi-functional arm and Amaury's GM creaking and moaning with the pressure of their grip.
Even with damage his much newer Ratnik frame should be able to overpower such an antiquated suit, saying quite a bit about the boy's connection and strength to keep the arm from buckling beneath him. "Why do you want to beat me so bad?" Aye asked in an almost mocking tone as Amaury's vision remained locked on him; sweat running down both of their faces as their suit's pushed their physical limits. "You said it yourself. If I beat you, I'm free to go. And to be honest, I'm quite tired of you." Amaury replied, copying the man's mocking tone from earlier as sparks flew from both his GM's arms as well as the two colliding tungsten bats.
"You must really want to see that girlfriend of yours." Aye replied while pushing back as hard as he possibly could against the boy, watching as he slowly began to gain the upper hand; his broken weapon slowly creeping closer towards the torso of the trainer suit. All momentum the boy had gained in his attack had subsided and his victory seemed less possible with each fleeting moment.
"I told you it wasn't enough, Amaury. Like I said, you are not ready to defeat the master." He again taunted as Amaury began to feel his GM's arms buckling beneath the weight of their combined force, however instead of surrendering the boy took a deep breath through his gnashing teeth and pushed himself even harder. "You are not my master!" He growled, igniting his suit's boosters to give himself more push than before while simultaneously turning his arms to better accommodate the force being exerted on them while Aye did the same, matching power with power.
"Come on, you are going to hurt yourself!" His proctor warned as Emerson joined in from afar, partially covering his face with his hand to avoid the backsplash from the two suits that now sent dirt and debris flying through the air.
"He's right Amaury, just give up." The Doctor spoke, attempting to dishearten the boy who still remained steadfast. "No, you won't beat me this time!" He snarled pushing his suit to the maximum as its forearms began to buckle, bringing a smirk across Aye's face as he matched his attempt. Any second now it would be over; he would tear the GM's arms from the machine, put Amaury on his back and call it a day. But just as he felt he was about to break the boy and his machine, it was he who broke.
"Guah, what?!" The man growled suddenly as he began to lose power in his Ratnik's arms, returning the advantage to the boy in front of him in a matter of moments, infuriating the man who knew what was happening; he was experiencing a SICOS malfunction. "Emerson, this piece of shit device of yours-" He cursed as the LED screen before him began to display 'sync error' warnings, and before could do anything in response, found himself no longer in control of his machine with his neural connection alone.
Sensing the sudden shift in power and unwilling to allow this opportunity to go to waste, Amaury acted on his initial instinct, and in one fell swoop tore the Ratnik's disabled arm from its torso and tossed it out into the field to their side. At the same time he also parried his opponent's blade away from himself before ramming him backwards with his shoulder to the ground, creating a massive splash of mud that nearly landed on the good doctor from his observation post and creating a loud thud that shook the ground for some distance around them.
With surprise Emerson watched as his former champion fell, leaving his newest test standing victorious over him, though even the GM fell to a knee following such an strenuous task. "Bravo Amaury, bravo!" He carried on with grin as he clapped his hands together and jumped down from the hood of military vehicle they had used to reach the training fields. While he had held hope that Amaury would be victorious he was not entirely convinced it was possible, further expanding his question of the true nature behind the boy's abilities.
"You see that Aye? That right there is progress; the future of my brainchild!" The doctor continued as Amaury opened his GM's hatch and emerged out onto the opened door, trying to catch his breath from beneath his helmet. Even with joy from his victory coursing through his veins, he was tired and drenched in sweat, just happy to be done. Wiping the salty stream from his eyes as it ran out from beneath the brim of the helmet Carina gave him, converted for the first time for ground combat, he looked out at Aye's Ratnik; smoke rising from the cooling thrusters in the mud as well as the severed left arm. He had yet to emerge from the cockpit, raising suspicion that he might be displeased with the results of their fight.
"Aye?" He called out between pants as he reached disconnected the now deactivated SICOS cable from his neck and stepped even further towards the edge of the hatch door. Why was he taking so long to exit? Was he really that mad? His eyes focused on the hatch for what seemed like an extended amount of time, he nearly jumped when the hatch in the machine's torso suddenly depressurized and the door opened, revealing Aye as he climbed out of the machine, though it was almost immediately clear something was wrong.
"Aye, you alright?" The boy asked as Aye stared over at him and then collapsed to his hands and knees, forcing a concerned grunt from Amaury's mouth as he pulled the descent winch from the side of the GM's hatchframe and began to rappel down.
"Emerson, something is wrong with Aye!" He called out as touched down to the earth below and began to ran towards the Ratnik while at the same time the doctor turned their vehicle on and propped himself up on the seat with the aid of a large bag, without which he could not see over the steering wheel to drive. "Hold on, I'll be there in a minute. As soon as I get this blasted seat adjusted!"
With a heavy sigh Carina wiped her grease-covered face with the back of her hand, floating next to the fifth reactor's coolant lines as she did so. As she had predicted, they were able to bring the two additional reactors online without issue, but in accordance with the plan to bring artificial gravity via centrifuge to Hagen they would need working reactors, leading the New Republic's engineering crews on a nearly round-the-clock mission to bring one of the three remaining units online.
So far they had struggled to do so, with the previous two days nearly yielding a successful result only to be shut down by a slew of miniscule but numerous problems; problems they hoped to have finally resolved. "Alright Barret, go ahead!" She called over her radio as the man she spoke to looked down at the console inside of reactor five's control room. "Roger! Stand clear of the coolant lines, just incase!" The man advised as Carina did so, putting some distance between herself and her patch job and out of harm's way as the reactor below her began to hum loudly at first, shaking it's housing in an almost violent fashion before slowly stabilizing out and returning to a nearly perfect functionality.
Looking all around the room she and a few others stood in for any sign of trouble, she couldn't hide her growing smile as it seemed as if their repairs had done the job. "Did we do it? What does it look like up there?" She called back to the control room in excitement as those above skimmed over the multiple gauges and meters inside the heart of reactor five. "It looks like we did it alright, she's purring like a kitten!" He exclaimed back as all those working on the project began to cheer and give one another high-fives along with other forms of celebrator mannerisms. Overjoyed, Carina began to make her way up to the control room and upon arrival wasted no time in proceeding over to their main communications network stations, picked up the radio and called back to the port terminal, also housing Hagen's makeshift command facilities and controls.
After only a moment or two of ringing inside of the command facility Geoff approached the phone and answered the line, a grin already on his face as their computer network picked up the sudden surge of energy filling Hagen's lines. "Hagen Command." He answered, almost immediately knowing Carina's voice and message based on the tone of her voice alone.
"Reactor four is online Colonel!" She immediately informed the commander who hummed in content. "I figured it was you calling, power readings from the core are much stronger than before. I knew today was going to be the day. Are your crews ready for gravity?" He asked as Carina looked around her and through the glass windows of the control room at those outside, floating around. People were one thing as they would slowly descend down to the ground with little issue as the gravity began to build up with the station's rotation, but it was crucial that any vital equipment be in a safe location to avoid injury or damage as it landed; especially the heavier pieces such as vehicles. "We are all good down here Geoff, but you better sound the alarm just incase." She replied as Geoff's grin intensified. "Already ahead of you."
"All personnel, reactor four is online. Nuclear Pulse Engine ignition sequence has commenced, T-minus ten minutes until gravity is to be restored. Prepare all vital and heavy equipment." A female voice announced overhead throughout the entire occupied space within Hagen as thousands of workers scrambled to lock down any last bits of equipment and machinery while others sat and prepared accordingly, having already done so in preparation for this moment.
Since Carina's engineers had been one of these groups, there wasn't much left for them to do but wait for the timer to draw down while they continued to watch the reactors for any hiccups, though it seemed unlikely anything else could go wrong. Pulling herself to a seated position at one of the control room desks, she slid her hand into a pouch attached to her belt and pulled out her cell phone, immediately opening it to her text messages and selected her fiance's name.
Busy with her work she hadn't had the opportunity to stop and message him, though judging by his own lack of messages she assumed he had been busy as well. She knew that Emerson had been riding him hard, and although she had wanted him to go through the doctor's testing to begin with she still worried about his well being.
"Hey you," She began to type, looking up with a smile temporarily as someone walked by her before returning to the text. " Are you still training? I hope you are having a good day. I miss you. :c" She finished, sending the message before returning her attention to the work around her, checking the various gauges and readings once more. They needed this all to go well, as despite the progress being made in their home's development, they couldn't continue to move forward until they were able to put their feet on the ground. Hagen needed gravity.
Following Emerson's arrival on the scene he was greeted with the two men as the moved away from their mobile suits towards him, Amaury helping Aye walk with the man's arm over his shoulder as both of them panted in exhaustion, and he wasted no time forcing the two to rest on a set of boxes he pulled from back of the truck, setting up a small workshop right there in the field.
"Sit down, let me see what's wrong." Emerson ordered as Aye huffed, unhappy to be the one who had both lost and was now injured. He had been through this sort of issue before, many times actually, but it never was any better for his pride or his body. Pulling the metal protective plate off of the SICOS unit to expose the fine wiring and circuitry inside, Emerson pulled out his own personal set of tools from his belt and began to poke and prod inside of the man's neck. Feeling the first tool pierce into the SICOS, Aye's back tensed up and his body grew stiff, similar to Amaury's reaction the first time that he used the connection himself.
"G-God damnit Harrold, you know I can feel that right?!" Aye growled as the doctor smirked, using a magnifying monocle to see deeper inside of the port in his neck. "Oh, I know. Remember that crack about not seeing over the controls of a mobile suit?" He replied as he disconnected a small circuit from the inside of the machine and carefully removed it with a pair of tweezers before lifting it up to the light above to get a better look.
"Another fried circuit. Good thing I have spares, right?" He spoke out loud as he pocketed the spent chip and opened a separate pouch where he held spare SICOS parts in small, individual baggies. Feeling Emerson's attention shift, Aye attempted to move, only to be pushed back down onto the box he sat on. "Hold still, unless you want to be crippled for the rest of your life." He instructed, bringing the man to sigh as he looked up at Amaury; his eyes having not left him since the beginning of the repair attempt.
"What's the matter with you, milksop? Can't stomach the sight?" He asked as Amaury's head shook, bringing him to look down to Aye's hands that twitched as they held onto his knees. "No, it just looks familiar to when I… had issues." He replied, remembering his abrupt loss of control across his whole body and the fear that washed over him in that moment. "Is that going to happen to me as well?" He questioned, bringing Emerson to look towards him as Aye scoffed.
"No, you lucky bastard." The mercenary responded, reaching up to wipe the sweat from his forehead as he did so. "Didn't shortstop tell you that your SICOS is the newest model? A prototype designed to keep this from happening, as well as some other improvements. A prototype that was intended for me." Aye added as Amaury's eyes looked back to his, then to Emerson. Why would he do that, give him the upgraded SICOS intended for one of his own?
"Then why do I have it?" Amaury questioned, leading Aye to look up over his shoulder with a sly smirk, wondering the same thing while the doctor behind him huffed, shifting his vision from his current patient to the boy before them. "Short answer, it was the only SICOS I had readily available at the time. It was either you received the SICOS or you would never fly again. You should be grateful, not questioning my methods." The doctor replied, bringing the boy to shake his head again.
"I am grateful, doc. I just… you've known Aye longer than me, and he pays your salary." Amaury responded as the doctor laughed. "Eh, Aye's a big boy. He can handle it. Plus, I'm glad I did give you the prototype. The data I'll gather off of you is a million times more valuable than that gathered from this washed up flunkie." Emerson chuckled, bringing Aye's smirk to sour. "Washed up flunkie? Old man, the boy literally just finished saying that I pay your salary. What is wrong with you, are you fuckin' brain dead?" He argued as Emerson replied, but feeling his newly recovered phone vibrating in his pocket, Amaury broke his concentration from the scene before him.
Instantly, a smile formed across his face as Carina's name displayed across his screen, and he wasted no time unlocking it to read what she had to say. With no use for a phone in his new life he had left the device in his locker at the Movement's headquarters when they departed for Operation Duality, but now with friends and especially Carina, he had a reason to remained connected. What once had been his mean of contacting his business partners back during his days as a criminal had now become a way for remain in touch with the one person who mattered the most to him.
Seeing her message his smile widened and he began to type his own reply, focused entirely on the text before him. "I miss you too, and yeah, we are still here. I can't tell, but it looks like I might be done with my training. We should be back on Dresden soon." He replied, locking his phone's screen as he was suddenly confronted by his new background; a rather loving selfie of both Carina and him, laughing happily on a park bench within the colonies taken a few days prior.
As his smile widened he couldn't help but think back to that moment, recalling how much fun the two of them were having together, and just how truly happy she made him. Before he could even return the phone to his pocket the phone vibrated once more with her reply. "YAY! That is great news! I will wait for you at the port, ok? I have some great news of my own! I love you, Amaury!" The boy read with a smile as he replied in return. "I love you too Carina, i'll see you there."
Seeing his distracted opponent before him, Aye laughed. "You bored already, huh? You get a single lucky win and suddenly it's all about the girlfriend." He chuckled as Amaury looked up to him, finally sliding his phone into his pocket as he did so. "It wasn't luck. I told you that you would be the one on your back, and that's how each result will be from now on." He replied with a smirk as Aye chuckled once more.
Hearing him boast reminded him more of himself than anything else, wondering if maybe a little too much had worn off on the boy. "I would love to break that confidence kid, but there isn't going to be anymore results. At least not for the moment." The mercenary responded with his own grin, wincing as Emerson tightened the new circuit in place, leading Amaury to tilt his head a bit.
"What do you mean?" The boy asked, Aye's eyes shutting tightly temporarily as the new circuit kicked in and shot down his spine, bringing his fingers to twitch once more before returning everything to normal. "What I mean is our time is done here, kid. Contract with your government was to assist in the assault on Side 3. It was renewed and extended to help find and Hagen, and at last check it had not been extended any further." Aye responded, leaving the boy a bit set back. He had never really thought about it before, but deep down Aye and his remaining men were in fact mercenaries, regardless of the blood and sweat he shed in the name of the New Republic.
From what he understood, half of his crew including Alpha, his hot headed wingman, had returned to Heaven's End already, so it would make sense that he would want to regroup with them. "Ah." The boy replied after a few seconds delay, looking to Emerson. If Aye was leaving, was Emerson as well? "Are you going as well, Doc?" He questioned as the short, bearded man looked up at him with a grin.
"What, would ya miss me kid? Or are you not finished having me beat you into the ground with drills and training?" He responded. "No, it's not that. What… what if something happens to me and my SICOS? There isn't anyone in the New Republic who knows how it works, I… I don't want to take that chance." Amaury replied, bring both of them to laugh lightly.
"You are more worried about Carina than you are yourself, ain't ya?" The doctor asked to which the boy nodded, looking down at the mud on his boots, not wanting to think about what would become of her if he were to die from a malfunction of illness caused by the prototype machine. Spotting his suddenly grim demeanor, Emerson sighed, knowing just how much the woman he worried over meant to him while also remembering her wrathe. "I am going to remain here with the boy."
With a slight bit of surprise both Aye and Amaury looked to the man who closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Oh?" Aye questioned as their elder nodded, crossing his arms with one eye now open and looking to him in determination. "For the time being, yes. Come on Aye, you know it was the same way when you received your own SICOS back in the day. I was by your side twenty four seven for nearly a year, and not just because you were Patient Zero." He defended, shifting his eye now to Amaury as the other opened wide.
"He is no different. Your SICOS is tested and true, while his is an experiment in progress." He continued as Aye's grin grew. "Oh, so you're saying you are gonna choose your experiment instead of your very own employer, huh?" Aye joked as he stared at the doctor for a moment before waving off the issue in the air with a laugh. "Ah ha, relax. Do what you want, but you best believe that when I return with the first shipment of supplies for the New Republic that you will be installing the upgraded model into me as well. Ya dig?" He instructed, Emerson nodding in reply.
"Yeah yeah, keep your shirt on. You know where I keep them, just bring it with you when you come." The doctor stated as the two laughed, leaving Amaury both relieved and curious. He wouldn't have taken Aye as the kind of person to take on the roll of merchant between the New Republic and Heaven's End, but it would make sense to protect the haul from pirates and other marauders. Turning his attention back to the doctor, Amaury finally nodded.
"Thank you for staying." He said politely as Emerson nodded once more, his lingering grin remaining across his lips. "No need to thank me. Your training might be done, but I'm not finished with you yet, Green Demon." The man responded as Amaury grinned, looking back to the doctor as he spoke again. "But for now, we are done. Let's head home. I'm sure you've both got dinner plans anyway." Emerson jested, packing up his tools as he stepped away from Aye and headed for the truck; this time the passenger's seat, likely having had enough driving for one day.
A short while later Amaury made his way onto Dresden on a military commuter shuttle that travelled between the colonies, and upon entry to the inner terminal was almost immediately spotted by Carina, who had arrived their not long before and waited for Amaury as promised.
"Amaury!" She called out from the crowd as she ran towards him, lighting up both of their faces as they made eye contact for the first time in what seemed like an eternity. "Hey!" He called back, opening his arms wide as she ran towards him and wrapped her arms around his neck; the boy catching her in his arms and carefully swinging her around once as they kissed. "You seem excited. This can't only be because I'm done training, can it?" He joked as Carina giggled, staring into his eyes.
"What, can't I be excited that I get to see my fiance more now?" She joked, kissing him once more before he lowered her back to the ground and held her hands in his. "Of course you can. I sure am. I guessing you got the reactor online?" He asked as she nodded. "Yes! The reactor is finished, and with it Hagen now has gravity!" She replied, leading the boys eyes to light up.
"Really? That's great!" Amaury replied, gently squeezing her hands as he did so. Everyone in the New Republic knew how big of a deal this was, for now with functional gravity they could start to form their cities and homes in the former mining rock, truly ushering in their long-sought era of peace and prosperity.
"Mhmm! It may have taken some time, but things are finally going our way. Speaking of which, how did your training go today? Are you really finished with Emerson and Aye?" Carina questioned to change the subject, leading Amaury to reply, though before he could do so Doctor Emerson himself chimed in as he came closer to the two in the crowd of people around them.
"He is. At least for now." He answered as the two lovers looked to him. "Emerson has agreed to stay here with us for the time being to keep an eye on me." Amaury added, knowing that Carina was likely concerned about how well he would remain over time, bringing her a sense of relief. "That would make me feel much better about this, but are you sure this isn't too much?" She responded, though it was more formality than anything else, since in her opinion he was forever responsible for Amaury's health after implanting the SICOS in his neck without asking his consent. It had worked out well so far, but with what happened to him during the Federation's last attack, she refused to believe it's questionable safety was set in stone.
"Of course not Miss Hughes, or should I say Mrs. Dietrich? Amaury has become my priority for the time being. There is much to learn from him still, and I wouldn't want something to happen to him in my absence. When I am confident that he is safe for the long term I will return home, but until then I will stay here." He replied as he looked to the girl, who's worried look faded upon hearing the doctor speak of his own dedication to her beloved, bringing her to smile once more.
"Thank you, Harrold. It means alot." The girl responded after a short moment of silence, brining Emerson's face to beam bright for a brief moment. "Don't mention it! But if you excuse me, there is some fine whiskey calling my name. I'll see you all tomorrow!" He replied, smacking Amaury roughly on the back as he walked by and disappeared into the crowd, bringing their eyes to follow his short form until Carina's eyes spotted something else in the terminal, a short distance from them.
"Is that Elise?" She asked as Amaury turned to look as well, locking his own gaze on the blonde haired woman and her vibrant red jumpsuit, sticking out from the various colors around her while the person she spoke to was more inconspicuous, although it only took a moment to realize it was Geoff she was speaking to. What was she doing dressed up for flight?
"Come on Elise, one more night isn't going to kill you. Don't you think that your flight home would be alot better on a full night's sleep?" Geoff asked as Elise shook her head, the smallest grin she could muster visible as she once more declined his offer. "No, Geoff, I will be fine. My return home has been long overdue and I'm sure they are wondering where I have been. Thank you though." She replied as she turned to look towards Geoff, but shifted her eyes past him towards Carina and Amaury as they approached.
"What's up?" Carina asked with a smile, looking to her friends as Geoff smirked, crossing his arms in the process. "Oh, nothing. Just trying to convince Elise to stay one more night here on Dresden before she goes back… well, you know where." He replied, bringing the two lover's eyes to focus on her.
"You were going to leave without saying goodbye?" The girl asked with a small smile, though it was clear that she was a bit hurt by the gesture, bringing Elise's own to fade. "I'm not very good with goodbyes." She responded in her typical fashion, trying to hide her own emotion though Carina could sense her hesitance. Just like Amaury she knew that Elise too would eventually need to go back to her home, but deep inside she had hoped she would have decided to stay. She was part of their family too, after all.
"All the more reason to stay with us one more night. It doesn't need to be anything formal or fancy, we can all just… get something to eat and hang out." Geoff again question, but this time before she had time to reject, Carina chimed in. "Yeah, that sounds like a great idea! Come on Elise, you can't just leave us without allowing us to usher you off the right way! Please!" The girl pleaded as Elise looked to her with a mixed back of emotion. This was the exact reason she needed to leave. This friendship, while secretly welcomed, had become toxic to everything she had ever been taught, confusing both her heart and mind as her ideals fought against her desires.
"I don't know, I-" She began to reject once again, turning to Amaury's face as her piercing blue eyes locked to his own. This boy, this Newtype, had been the first person she was drawn to upon her inception into the group; the first semblance of her home she found in this New Republic, allowing the connection to first form before being overwhelmed by the care and support of the countless others encompassing its whole. Shifting her eyes to Carina, then back to Amaury before landing on Geoff, she felt that a lump had developed in her throat.
What she once saw as weakness in the form of connection to anyone other than herself had become a hard-fought acceptance of life, and while she knew she must return home, was what awaited her their as opposed to what she left behind was that truly in her best interest? Against her best interest she swallowed the words she planned to speak and replaced them with a new ones. "Alright." Elise agreed, lighting up her friend's faces as she did so.
"Great!" Geoff exclaimed with a laugh as Carina's grin stretched from ear to ear. "Oh, I'll get the others! This is great! Pick the place Geoff, let us know!" She yelled, grabbing Amaury's hand once again and leading him off through the crowd to get ready. "Let's go Amaury!" She laughed, leaving the two others behind as Geoff laughed, amused by just how crazy Carina was.
Having gathered together everyone from their crew the group of friends gathered once more at a busy local restaurant, celebrating their friendship as they prepared to send off one of their own back to her home with a heartfelt goodbye. "So we will see you here and there, escorting shipments coming to and from Mars, eh? I mean, my guess is that all that armament and such will need some sort of protection." Geoff stated as he buttered a piece of bread, his eyes skimming quickly around the table to each face.
Much to his surprise everyone who was invited joined them, even Douglas, who he was sure would have declined, though he seemed to have grown warmer in his relation with those around him. "Yeah you better come back! How else are you going to see my baby?" Tome joked as she looked to Elise next to her, pushing her shoulder gently to force the woman to smile. Doing just that, Elise looked to her kindly, then to her stomach. The traces of her pregnancy in the form of the smallest baby bump had just begun to show, and nobody in the room could deny the glow that seemed to radiate from the expectant mother's smile.
"I will come back. I can't say when, but I will." She replied as Marcus cheered loudly, nearly three drinks in the hole already before their meals were even served, forcing the others to laugh while Geoff raised his hand and placed it on his shoulder. "Now Marcus, don't get us kicked out of here already. It took us forever to convince Elise to come out with us, don't make her regret it." He joked, looking back to Elise with his remaining smile as their eyes locked together momentarily before she looked down at the table. She was not use to such an occasion being about her and was doing her best to make it seem as if it wasn't.
"What? I didn't do anything, live a little Geoff!" Marcus replied, snagging Geoff into an argument as Carina seized the opportunity to speak to Elise without everyone's attention. "I really hope you do come back someday, even if it is only on business. You will always have a home here on Hagen." She spoke as Elise looked to her and nodded, her eyes once more refraining from making eye contact. "Thank you Carina. I like to believe that is true." The blonde haired woman responded as she continued to cycle through the flood of thoughts in her head before speaking again. "It is true, Elise." Amaury added to reassure the seemingly uneasy woman; her eyes darting to him and then back down in silence.
Understanding what Carina was capable of, she knew that she could likely feel the internal struggle she was experiencing, and rather than allow her the advantage of asking her what was wrong, the woman sought to explain first under controlled circumstances.
"Do you remember when we were first introduced? Right after duality. You were taking care of Amaury's injuries in the medical bay of the Tortuga." She asked as both Amaury and Carina nodded, curious as to why she was bringing it up. "Yeah? What about it?" Amaury asked as Elise's eyes shifted between the others, all laughing at Geoff and Marcus' argument, and then back to the two beside her.
"I am sorry." The woman replied, locking eyes to both of them in equal increments back and forth, each surprised by her gesture. "Sorry? For what Elise?" Carina responded as the woman closed her eyes. "For the way I acted. I called Amaury stupid, and argued with you about it. I thought you were acting childish, defending him. But I was wrong, it was wrong and I'm sorry." She again apologized, taking a breath to continue before either could interrupt her apologetic momentum.
"I realize now that Amaury wasn't stupid, and you were not being childish. You cared for him, and he did what he had to in order to make sure you were safe. Over the course of these past few months, both of you and the others have shown me something that I've never really felt before; a connection to those around me, and what it really means to have friends, even going as far as to accept those who were once your enemy into your ranks." She added, looking at the calm and collected Douglas across the table from her, managing to enjoy himself despite his stern appearance.
"I fought it at first, but even though it goes against everything I have ever been taught, it seems that I can't deny my enjoyment of it all. And the truth is, I am going to miss all of you." She finished, returning her eyes one last time to the two lovers as Carina sensed the genuine nature of her words radiating from her, almost moving her to tears.
"We are going to miss you too, Elise. You've been a great friend, even if you didn't want to be." The girl replied, thinking of all of the advice and comfort Elise had offered during her times of need. Her smile returning, Elise repeated the word over in her mind. Friend. Opening her mouth to speak again, Elise paused as the waitress for their table approached with a few helpers to bring their food to them as Geoff clapped his hands together. "Ah, here we go! Looks like we lasted long enough to see our meal, no thanks to Marcus." He joked as each meal was placed in front of its respective patron, waiting for everyone to begin eating before doing so himself.
At the meals end the group sat and talked for nearly an hour before slowly they began to disappear, each heading off to their own destinations accordingly and each sharing their own message to their departing friend in turn. Tome's message was the most heartfelt, having developed a seemingly close bond to the woman, moving both of them nearly to tears in the process before she departed alongside Amaury and Carina. Marcus and Latty had gone on their own way as well, leaving just Douglas, Geoff and Elise until Douglas himself called it for the night and departed.
Knowing that Elise would have a long flight home, Geoff made sure to cut the night early, and after picking up everyone's tabs as promised, stepped outside of the restaurant to the curb with Elise by his side. Placing his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket, he smiled to the woman next to him and took a deep breath with an equally drawn out sigh. "What?" She asked, bringing Geoff to speak.
"You know," He began as she looked to him, watching as his sight focus up at the other side of the colony; the street lights mimicking stars in the sky. "We've been through alot of bullshit since this all began. From Kurin's intervention to Monty's betrayal and the Federation's attack on the colonies. You were only hired to help us find mobile suits and then to take out the long distance communications site on Side 3. That was it, but yet you stayed." He continued as Elise listened intently, looking up at the same evening skyline.
"It was my choice. I guess, in the end, I wanted you all to succeed just as much as anyone else here with us today." She replied, bringing Geoff to look over at her. "I'm sure you've heard it enough for one day, but thank you. Thank you for sticking with us through it all. If it wasn't for you, none of this would have been possible. Amaury would be dead, so would Tome and likely countless others, myself included." Geoff added with a light chuckle, his eyes darting to a government helicopter flying above them through the city. "Not only did you save them, but you taught them and helped them grow and evolve. You were just as vital a part of this as anyone else, Elise."
Taking in what the man was saying Elise began to drift off, recalling all he spoke of. These things did not seem like such massive tasks in her mind, but to them they were. Had she really made that much of an impact on them? "So, this is what my life means to you then?" She asked abruptly, bringing Geoff's eyes back onto her as she continued to stare out into the city above them.
Even without context he knew what she spoke of; the speech he gave her during the battle for the colonies, bringing him once more to laugh as she shook his head. "No, not quite." He replied as her attention returned to the man while the both of them thought about just what was said that day. "You were right to believe that I don't truly know what your life is worth, Elise. There are things that I still don't know about you; things you've seen and been through, or have even done yourself. But that doesn't change what I see." He replied, slightly annoying the woman with his continued charade.
"And what is that?" She again was forced to ask, drawing a smile from him once again. "A strong, brave woman with a secret heart of gold that she only shows when it is needed most." Geoff finally admitted before shifting his eyes slightly to her side as he laughed a single time under his breath.
"And if I'm being quite honest, you are also quite beautiful, whether you think so or not. And before you ask; no, your appearance doesn't influence your worth to me." He added while out of his sight Elise's eyes widened and her cheeks flushed red for the first time in many, many years.
Why would he say that? Was this really how he felt, or was this the alcohol speaking for him? He had indulged in a few drinks but he did not appear drunk, leading her to believe that this may indeed be his true opinion of her. Slowly a smile formed over her own features and as he looked to her, shocked to see both the blush and her smile, though a moment later she punched his arm lightly.
"Shut up, Geoff." The blushing woman responded as they both laughed for a moment or two. "See? This is what I was talking about. This is the side of you that, no matter where you go, I hope you continue to show." He chuckled, but as their laughter died, he knew it was finally time for the two of them to part ways, at least for now.
"Well, I guess this is it then, huh? Until next time?" He stated as Elise looked to him and smiled. "Until next time." She replied as Geoff wrapped his arms around her into a tight hug, catching her off guard. Eyes wide, her hands froze for a moment before returning the gesture, even going as far as to close her eyes. "Stay safe, okay?" Geoff said softly as the breathless woman nodded in reply. "I will." She whispered back, watching as Geoff broke the embrace and stepped back from her a few steps.
"Goodbye, Elise." The man stated as he turned and began to walk away despite the hesitation to do so while Elise remained standing still. Did this really happen? Did her time in the New Republic really come to an end like this? Why did she regret leaving this way? Swallowing nervously she tightened her hands into loose fists, annoyed by both her indecision as well as her lack of anything she could say to match what Geoff had revealed. "Goodbye, Geoff." She finally did call out as she watched him move further and further away before looking back up to the sky above, lost in her thoughts, all alone.
Waking up early the next morning the woman began to set out on her journey, heading to the docks before she perceived anyone to be awake. The intent of her staying one more night was that she would be fully rested for her journey home but after both the night before and Geoff's words, she found herself for most of the night as she tossed and turned, playing back everything over and over again in her mind.
Moving past the terminal and artificial gravity to the drydock where her Scarlet Glint lay in wait for it's return to their motherland; its read paint seeming to glow amongst the other suits in the line, including the blasted and scarred Jaeger next to it. With little delay for interaction with any of the evening shift workers on the drydock she made her way towards the machine, but as she came closer she felt a presence around her and it didn't take long for her to spot Amaury. To her surprise he had not yet noticed her approach and instead seemed to be staring off into space through one of the view ports above his machine.
It was early; only five in the morning, leaving Elise curious as to what exactly he was doing there, especially by himself. Still burdened with her feelings of inclusion and family from the night before, Elise corrected her path using a catwalk and flew towards the Jaeger, waiting until she was nearly to the top to call his name.
"Amaury?" She called out, bringing his attention down to her as she flew up from below. "Hey." He replied, watching as she came to a stop beside him atop the machine's torso. "What are you doing up so early?" She questioned as he smiled and turned back out towards space.
"Carina was called back to Hagen this morning to help fix an issue with one of the reactors. It isn't a major issue, but it needed to be addressed right away. I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep, so I came to the dock with her and just... stayed." He replied as the woman now noticed it was Hagen he was staring at through space. He hadn't admitted to it, but through Carina as well as Tome she had learned of Amaury's troubled past, as well as what it was that haunted him during their last fight, bringing her to assume it was possible he was having the same visions from the past as he slept.
"Still having nightmares?" She questioned as Amaury looked back to her, initially confused as to how she knew, but chalking it up to the friendship that had developed between the woman and Carina, he nodded. "Sometimes. Emerson thinks it is just residual overload from the incident, but he said it should go away in time." The boy replied as Elise smirked, crossing her arms in the process.
"I warned you that something like this might happen." She jabbed, though she regretted doing so, and before Amaury could retaliate she sighed and spoke first. "I'm sorry. Old habits die hard." She added, pulling herself down to sit next to him for a moment as he watched her, unsure what she was about to say or do.
"Before you say it, I remember why you are risking your life using it. We've had this conversation before, and since you now are engaged to the person you seek to protect with it, I know it remains true." She spoke, her eyes subconsciously watching workers below as she did so.
"You know, you really are one of a kind Amaury Dietrich, just like Carina. Not only because of your gifts, but because of the capacity to love that you both share and your dedication to your cause as well as one another." Elise added as Amaury listened intently, though his mind became sidetracked at her mention of his gifts. Following their last battle Carina told him what the others said he was doing to them, even if he didn't intend to do so or even know he was doing it. How was this possible, and why did it happen?
"Why... why did I disrupt the others?" He replied, bringing Elise's piercing blue orbs back to him as his darted to the green paint below them in an almost shameful motion. "Carina said that Latty and Douglas were unable to use their Newtype abilities because of me. She said they couldn't focus, almost as if they were overwhelmed by my.. presence. How could this be?" He expanded his question as Elise remained silent, thinking back to what Douglas approached her with. He too sought the answers to the same dilemma, and just like then she still did not have the answers.
"I don't know." She replied blatantly, looking back down at the dock crews below. She too wondered why and how this was possible, but without an actual answer, all she could do was explain what she presumed was the truth.
"Your presence has always been strong. I felt it the moment you revealed yourself as a Newtype during your very first fight and in every battle since then. Maybe if I had been closer to the colonies during the battle in question I could have sensed it myself, and maybe then I could possibly explain it, but for now I do not have an answer. What I could tell you is that since I've known you that presence has become stronger with each passing battle. Each spent casing and rocket fired helped grow your abilities to the point where they are now, and under the stress of the SICOS' use and the situation developing during the battle, you woke up something inside of you that none of us knew was there. Not even you. That something is what has and will continue set you above the others." Elise explained, peeking Amaury's interest once again as he looked to her for guidance one more time.
"So it's... part of me? Part of my abilities?" The boy questioned as Elise nodded, leading Amaury to lower his head once more.
"What am I..." Amaury whispered in a sense of despair, once more feeling alienated from those around him, though Elise didn't see it that way, and she knew neither would Carina or the others. "A true child of Axis and the Green Demon of the New Republic." She answered as he looked up again to see her smiling. "But above that, you are Amaury. And that is what matters." Elise added as Amaury himself smiled and nodded subtly.
"Thank you, Elise." He replied as she rolled her eyes and shook her head, hearing what most have been the thousandth bout of gratitude in the last twenty four hours. "Don't thank me. I'm just being a friend." She answered him, as the two stared down below for a moment before Amaury thought of something else.
"Elise... if me and Carina have children... will they be like me?" He asked with a hint of concern, to which Elise shrugged. "Another question I don't have an answer to." She stated with a sigh. She had often wondered the same thing, both about Carina and Amaury as well as herself should she ever decide to do so, the thoughts likely brought on by Tome's own pregnancy.
"You two possess equally powerful albeit entirely different gifts. It is possible your offspring could have either of your abilities, a combination of both or neither, developing an ability all their own. We are only now reaching a point where third and fourth generation Newtypes are being created, so from now on it is all new to us." Elise replied as Amaury nodded, though she was not finished. "However, what I can say is this; any child conceived by your love for Carina would be a child of Hagen, just as you are a child of Axis. They will be the future of our people Amaury, both as Newtypes and as Spacenoids. Tome's child is no different." She added as Amaury's head tilted to the side a bit.
"Will their child be a Newtype as well, even if Sam wasn't?" He asked as Elise looked to him, knowing now that he hadn't really thought about it much. "Sam was a Newtype, just not a particularly strong one. That is not meant as an insult as he was never given time to develop. That was one thing Monty actually did right, finding the Newtypes with the most potential from Dresden's population. So, yes, their child will be a Newtype as well. And before you ask, no; Marcus is not a Newtype. I'm not sure what Monty saw in him, but I guess in the long run it paid off, regardless of his big mouth." Elise answered, bringing Amaury to laugh as Elise began to bring herself to her feet.
"Well, it is a long flight home. I better get going." The woman stated as she stood, taking one last look at Dresden's docks before turning to the head of the Jaeger behind Amaury and placing a hand to its forehead. She never would have guessed she would find someone like herself in the Earth's Sphere, let alone fight alongside him, and it would surely feel strange to return home where she once more would stand out against the others, unopposed.
"Alright. You better come visit us. Carina's orders." The boy joked as Elise's smile grew. "I will, don't worry. Tell her I said goodbye, alright?" She replied as Amaury nodded, watching as the woman kicked off from his suit and flew towards her own, destined to return back to her home. With both her and Aye gone it would be different around here, but he didn't doubt that they would see each other again.
Now in a proper holding cell inside of a military prison just outside of the former Federal capital of Dakar, Tegan sat at his bedside, looking down at the empty metal serving tray his dinner was brought to him on. In all honesty things couldn't get any worse, but the food in this facility was at least of higher quality than the slop being served to him aboard Margaret's ship. Wiping his face with a napkin he looked around him at the walls and other cells across the hall, each housing one of the men who he found himself locked up with; each facing multiple counts of treason and insubordination which, if convicted of, would result in their deaths.
"So, what's the plan? You said there would be a plan." One of the prisoners taunted as he approached the bars to his own cell, watching the prim and proper Tegan clean himself up. "All in due time. Have some patience, Sergeant Grouse." Tegan replied as Grouse sighed. "Patience? Do you know what's going on in Dakar right now Tegan? Huh? Right now they are selecting the participants for the military tribunal that is going to decide our fate; whether we live or die." He replied as Tegan shifted his vision to the man from the corner of his eyes.
Since the downfall of everything he had worked for he had struggled to remain calm, adapting this new persona of impervious faith and level headedness he deemed essential to the survival of both himself and those loyal to him, but as these moments continued to happen with more frequency it was truly testing this patience of his.
"They would have to find us guilty of something in order for that to happen." Tegan responded after a brief delay, angering Grouse in the process. "Are you daft? In what world do you think they won't find us guilty?! That determination is already well set in stone Tegan, with the only thing left to debate being whether to hang us from an eight foot rope, or a ten foot!" The man growled as Tegan bit his cheek, remaining calm amongst the direct opposition from someone he was trying to save. "Guard, I am finished with my meal." The Cerberus instead stated, sliding his tray out through the flat slot in his cell door as he did so, waiting for the guard to approach as he remained still.
"You know, your buddy across the cell here is right. If you honestly think there is any little possibility that the tribunal will side with you and let you free, you really have lost your mind." The cell block guard stated as he approached and took the metal tray from Tegan, staring him directly in the face with concentrated opposition as Tegan smirked. "We will see. Have you heard from Captain Pierce yet? It has been nearly a week since I requested to meet with her, yet I still haven't heard anything." He questioned as the guard laughed in his face.
"Yeah, they aint gonna happen any time soon. She received your request, but hasn't even said a word about it one way or the other." He replied as Tegan's eyes narrowed a bit in disgust, displeased by both Margaret's refusal to see reason and this man's defiance. "You see, the way I see it is she is probably trying her best not to come down here and shoot you herself. I would consider yourself lucky I was you." He again stated as Tegan's fists ground together.
"You've got a big mouth for someone who's stuck on guard duty in a prison. What did you do to get placed here, hmm? Stealing too many rations at basic?" Tegan questioned, poking fun at the guard's weight as the man scowled.
"Hey, I'd watch your mouth if I was you, or the next time you shower the water won't be the only thing beating down on your grimy little head, fuckin' punk." The military policeman retaliated as Tegan smirked. "I'd be watching your own. You never know who I might run into at the grocery store when I get my freedom back." Tegan threatened back, moving the guard to laughter in the process as he grabbed his nightstick and shoved it through the bars, threatening to hit and taze Tegan with it as he stood fast.
"Freedom? That is something you will never be able to own again. You really are fuckin' nuts, you know that?" The guard taunted as a sudden commotion erupted outside of the cell block as arguing rapidly turned into gunfire and then silence. Shocked, the guard standing before Tegan's cell grabbed ahold of his radio and called out of the cell block, which by protocol was locked upon his entry to prevent accidental inmate release.
"Tower, what's going on?" He asked with no reply, looking to Tegan and then back to the door he had entered the block through. "Tower, respond!" He again tried, but as he watched the bulletproof glass window he noticed that there were men on the other side, but that those men were not guards. "Son of a bitch, what have you done?! What is this?!" He cried out, turning to Tegan as the Cerberus smirked.
Realizing what this was, the guard froze. They were instructed that in the event that this happened they were to kill Tegan rather than allow him to be free, and as such he acted. Stepping back from the cell he drew his sidearm and aimed at the prisoner inside, but before he could fire the fateful shot, the cellblock door was blown off of its hinges and sent flying down the hall with such speed that upon impact with the guard kept moving, splattering him beneath the heavy steel as it struck the wall at the end of the small cell block. Still standing at the cell entrance, the seemingly unphased Tegan looked to the now deceased guard and grinned. "Freedom."
As the smoke in the cell block cleared nearly a dozen heavily armed soldiers entered the room with weapons drawn, each bearing the Cerberus Division's patch on their uniforms. Moving from cell to cell they shined their flashlights inside to confirm identities until reaching the one armed man who calmly awaited their arrival.
"I see my message reached its destination." Tegan stated as the men saluted him and quickly began working to unlock the cell door. "I apologize that it took so long, but the Federation made it nearly impossible to locate you." The leader of the raiders reported as Tegan waved him off with his remaining hand, stepping out form his cell and into the hall once the door was opened. "Don't apologize. You found me and that is all that matters." He replied, looking around at those around him as well as the others imprisoned in the block.
"Free them as well, they were all a part of this as well. We will need their help." He instructed as several of the soldiers began to cut through their cell doors as well while the squad leader approached Tegan again. "Cerberus, the council is conveigning at the Old Dakar Federal Building in the center of the city to begin their preliminary hearings as we speak. Much of the Federation's military leadership is there; what are your orders?" He asked as Tegan continued to look around, thinking quietly to himself. Eliminating the heads of the Federal Military was an opportunity they couldn't allow to slip through their fingers.
"Did you happen to bring what I requested from Cordova?" Tegan questioned in reply as the leader nodded. "Yes sir, everything you requested is standing by and all alarms from this facility are disabled and are continuously sending an 'all clear' signal. They won't know what's coming." He replied as Tegan grinned once more. "Excellent." With his reply the Cerberus began to walk towards the entrance to the cell block as the other soldiers and now liberated prisoners followed, stepping over blood and smoldering debris as they did so. "Let's move; we've got a tribunal to attend."