Kira spent the next handful of days in her room, waiting for Vash to retrieve her. And waiting. And waiting… She was itching to go in search of him and drag him off the damn ship, but forced herself to be patient like she'd promised. When he finally did show up with a bag slung over his shoulder and no collar around his neck, he immediately plastered his 'guilty but sorry' grin on his face.

"What took you so long?" she said with a scowl.

He pouted. "I went as fast as I could, but the doc was really busy, so it took forever to get the collar off. And there are a lot of people I have to say goodbye to! They get pissed when I take off without letting them know…"

She sighed. "Fine." They were trying to be discreet. It was best if he acted as normal as possible.

"You ready?" he asked, his eyebrows lifting in question.

Her bag had been packed and sitting by the door since the day they'd spoken. "Let's get the hell out of here!"

x.x.x.x.x

She half expected someone to stop them on their way out, but when they entered the hangar it was empty. They boarded the lift and Vash typed a code into the panel onboard. The doors slid shut and they began moving slowly away from the ship.

Kira exhaled a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

"Didn't think we'd make it out?" Vash said with a grin.

"I guess. It's weird, being kept somewhere like that."

"I really wish you could've met everyone under different circumstances. They really are nice people. It's just… they have a complicated history with Knives."

"Doesn't everyone?" Kira stared out the window listlessly.

"Yeah." Vash smiled sadly. "You know, I never really told you how grateful I am that you were able to forgive him."

"Oh, uh… yeah," she muttered uncomfortably. "Well, when you get to look in someone's head and see their memories, it's hard not to sympathize a bit…" It was more than that. She knew it. Vash knew it. Yes, having the chance to experience what Knives had gone through allowed her to understand his motivations better, but it was the time she spent talking with, travelling with, and getting to know him that had softened her enough to be able to forgive him.

And having a past with him had been a factor. She was so taken with him back then… It was hard to divest herself of those feelings entirely.

Vash stared at her mutely as she continued to ponder over her answer. Early on, he admitted that Knives had 'told him some things' the night before he was taken, which she assumed meant Vash knew they'd slept together. Thankfully he hadn't addressed it further or forced her to. She wasn't entirely sure what she felt for the blue-eyed plant now, beyond obvious concern and a desire to get him out of the Federation's clutches. She just wanted him to be safe.

She exhaled sharply, her mind returning to Vash's statement. Forgiveness… "I've done things. I killed to protect the people I cared about. Who am I to judge?" She looked down at her feet.

He nodded thoughtfully. "It took me a long time to forgive him. I don't think I really did until he was gone. But even before that I could never fully blame him for the things he did. Our world fell apart when we found Tessla. I was just lucky that Rem forced me to deal with it, while Knives buried it all inside. In some ways, the things he did were my fault—for not confronting him when I first noticed him acting strangely."

"What do you mean?"

"He closed himself off and pretended like everything was fine. But there were a few times I noticed he was… different. I should have made more of an effort to connect with him. He didn't know how to deal with his fear and anger alone so he lashed out. Once he'd taken that first step he couldn't turn back. If he did, he'd have to come to terms with all of the people he'd murdered. I don't think he's ready for that guilt, even now. So he stuck with his plan—to destroy the humans to save the plants. It was sad, really."

Kira frowned. "You don't think he feels bad for what he did."

"I'm sure he does for some of it, but I don't think it's even possible to comprehend the magnitude of everything he's done. I think he feels guilty for what he did to me, and what he did to you and your family. I'm sure he feels guilty about the angels who died. But I wonder how broadly he feels it for the humans."

"… Right…"

"Oh!" Vash gave her a sudden guilty look. "But I do think he's come a long way! He could've killed Luida and those two guys who shot us, but he didn't. And his friendship with you is something I didn't think he was capable of before!"

She smiled, thinking back on how wary and dismissive Knives had been towards her when they first met. He must have hated being forced to travel with a human. Even from her short time with him, she could see how much he'd changed… "God, I hope he's okay."

Vash put a hand on her shoulder and pulled her into a light, one-armed hug. "We'll find him and he'll be okay."

She nodded and stared out the window at the slowly approaching ground when the glint of metal caught her eye. "What is that…? Is that a car?"

"Oh… uh… yeah. I should probably tell you… We're getting a lift back to Octovern."

"From who?" Kira asked, suspecting that she knew the answer and a little annoyed he hadn't mentioned it sooner.

Vash grinned sheepishly. "Well you know… we're friends… and what she did wasn't exactly wrong…"

She growled at his weak attempt to mollify her. "Have you told her anything?" She still didn't trust the woman.

"No. Well… yeah. But not all of it… But I'm going to." He took on the serious tone that he saved for matters of extreme importance. "She's getting us in to see the angels today and she probably has connections with people in the Federation since she'd been reporting on them. We need her help. And she's my friend. I promise, we can trust her with this."

Kira sighed in defeat. "I hope you're right."

x.x.x.x.x

Meryl was waiting in the empty building when the lift finally came to a halt. She gave Vash a hug when he exited and nodded to Kira, who simply ignored her. "Nice to see you too…" the petite woman muttered.

They threw their belongings into the trunk of her car and headed into the desert, leaving the fog-cloaked ship behind. Vash sat in the front, catching Meryl up on the various pieces of news they'd heard as well as his speculations about his brother. Kira sat in the back, her head resting against the windowpane, watching the beige landscape roll by and half-listening to their conversation.

"So, what's the plan?" Meryl asked softly. "Do you have one?"

"Not yet. I want to speak with my sisters in the dome first. They should be able to tell me definitively whether he's alive."

"Right… Do you really think he is—that they're lying about the execution?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's just wishful thinking, but it doesn't feel like it did last time. I need to be sure."

The raven-haired woman pursed her lips. "I honestly don't know if I'd prefer you to be right or wrong. I mean, I'd be happy if you're right, but that means that someone in the Federation staged this whole thing. It's a scary thought. Why would they do that?"

Vash grimaced. "I'm not sure. Honestly, I'd rather not think about it yet. Maybe I'm wrong…"

Meryl nodded. "Well, we should be able to make it to the bulb by this evening. I have a friend there who's expecting us."

"Thanks, Meryl."

x.x.x.x.x

The sky was painted with dusky oranges and violets when the car finally came to halt outside of the enormous oblong glass sphere. Kira, who had been dozing, sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"Here we are," said Meryl lightly. "Let me do the talking."

They followed her through a large metal door into a clinical-looking lobby where a grim-faced man sat behind a desk, eyeing them suspiciously. They must not get many visitors here…

"Can I help you?" he asked in a clipped tone.

"Yes, please. My name's Meryl Stryfe. I'm here to see Ms. Robins."

The man picked up a phone at his desk and dialed slowly. He tapped his fingers and continued to watch them through a narrowed gaze as he waited for someone to answer. "… Hi. There's a Ms. Stryfe here to see you… Yeah… Okay, I'll let her know." He hung up stiffly. "She'll be here shortly. You may have a seat while you wait."

They sat quietly in the small seating area. Kira leafed through a newspaper on the table, but was too anxious to read a word. Thankfully they didn't have to wait long. The door at the end of the hall opened and a frazzled-looking redhead trotted in.

"Meryl, I'm so glad you made it!" She reached out a hand and Meryl shook it, grinning.

"It's so good to see you Ellie! It's been too long. I'd like to introduce you to—"

"Vash the Stampede, right?" Ellie was beaming as she shook his hand. "Well you certainly look just like your picture—red coat and everything. And you are…?"

"My name is Kira Derinau. It's very nice to meet you."

The woman shook her hand warmly. "The pleasure's all mine," she replied before turning back to Meryl. "Now, I'm actually in a bit of a rush—things are crazy around here right now. Would you mind following me into the chamber?"

"Oh… uh… of course not," Meryl stammered.

"Magnificent." Ellie turned and they followed her as she went through the door and began trotting down a long hallway with several doors on either side. "These are the labs. We're on the verge of completing a solar powered coupling for the matter generators to help offload some of the stress on the angels, so this is where a lot of the testing is occurring. If we're successful there may be a possibility of terraforming in the future."

Vash perked up at that. "Terraforming? But wouldn't that put a huge amount strain on the plants?"

The redhead nodded. "Yes, but it's a complicated matter. Although it would be more difficult on them in the short term, it would reduce the load, long term. The problem is that we still need to see how much of a short-term effort it would be. The Federation is overseeing everything, of course. They've done this before and have a much better idea of how to go about it. I know our situation on No Man's Land is very dire, since we lost so many angels and we've been draining their energy for so long, but the Federation has mentioned providing an additional energy source, so it may still be possible. We'll just have to see."

Ellie pushed open a large gray door and they stepped into one of the most amazing rooms Kira had ever seen. The gigantic glass bulb ballooned out of it, but despite the large amount of sunlight pouring in, the room was surprisingly cool. There were more computers lining the walls than Kira had seen in her life. It probably took a lot of effort to keep the atmospheric conditions inside the bulb properly balanced for the plants.

"Now," said Ellie officiously, "Meryl has told me that you would like to speak to your sisters, and I insist on being allowed to watch."

Vash grinned, his cheeks going pink. "Um, yeah, that's no problem. It'll probably be a lot more boring than you're expecting. And thanks so much for letting me do this."

She shook her head, her red curls bouncing. "Not at all—none of this would be here if it wasn't for you. We are all very grateful."

She gestured him forward and Vash strode up a metal platform that wrapped around the base of the bulb. He placed his hands against the glass and then leaned in so his forehead was touching it as well. Kira immediately felt a prickling sensation down her arms and legs. It felt like the entire room was filled with a static charge. An eerie blue light began emanating from within the glass.

Kira gasped as a throng of vaguely feminine figures suddenly descended from the center of the bulb and swarmed around Vash. He looked up, an overjoyed expression brightening his features. Ellie let out a small chuckle. "They're communicating through telepathy," she explained. Kira almost laughed—she knew all too well.

The three women watched in awe as Vash spoke silently with his sisters. Minutes slowly crept by and his face shifted through a wide range of emotions that made Kira uneasy. When he finally turned away from the bulb, his jaw was firmly set in determination. He addressed Ellie first. "I want to thank you again for allowing me to see them."

"How could I say no? You have more of a right than anyone. I'm just grateful that you allowed me to be a spectator."

He smiled and then turned to Meryl and Kira. "We should go." He gave Meryl a subtle look and she nodded.

"Well, I can see you out. Thanks for the visit," said Ellie, her curiosity evident. "Let me know if you ever want to see them again. I'd love the chance to chat with you sometime."

Vash tipped his head. "Absolutely!"

x.x.x.x.x

Once they were back in the car and safely out of earshot of anyone else, Meryl turned to Vash.

"What is it?"

He sighed. "I think I'm gonna need your help again. He's alive and he's somewhere nearby, but they don't have any details. They… they said he's in pain…" His voice caught.

Kira's stomach clenched at his words. She swore softly.

Vash continued. "The Federation must have him. Do you know anyone in there? I need to find out exactly where he is and what they're doing to him," he growled. It was odd to hear that amount of anger coming from his lips.

Meryl frowned. "I'll see what I can do, but you might have to be patient…"

"I understand. Just do what you can."

She nodded.

x.x.x.x.x

Meryl offered to let them stay at her place and they gratefully accepted. Vash intended to sleep on the floor but Kira insisted they could share the futon. It was oddly less awkward sharing with him than Knives since they didn't have such a strange history. Still, it was not something she wanted to do more than necessary.

x.x.x.x.x

She awoke the next morning to the sound of Meryl in the kitchen. Vash was still snoring softly on his side of the futon and she got up carefully. She found the raven-haired woman reading a paper at the table and sipping on a steaming mug off coffee.

Meryl looked up when she walked in. "Good morning."

"Morning," Kira mumbled tiredly.

"Coffee's ready. Milk is in the fridge."

She poured a cup and sat down, blowing on it lightly before taking a sip. Meryl went back to her paper, but every once in a while her eyes would dart up to Kira, then right back down again. Finally, she looked up and kept her eyes steady, exhaling slowly.

"I… I want you to know that I'm really sorry for what happened. I don't regret what I did, but I'm sorry I hurt you and Vash."

"And Knives?"

She pursed her lips. "And Knives… I'm sorry that he's being held captive. I don't know what's going on, but it's not right."

Kira sighed. "I… do… understand why you did it." She tapped her mug absently. "It's not like I didn't consider it myself at first. But I am worried about where your loyalty lies now. What will you do it we somehow manage to find Knives and break him free?"

"I'll keep him hidden. I don't know what happened, but clearly someone has rigged the system. As far as I'm concerned, Knives is 'dead.' He's paid for his crimes. The fact that they're keeping him a secret makes me think that he's probably paid very dearly. I don't believe anyone should be forced to suffer that kind of existence."

The gray-eyed girl offered her a peaceable smile. "I'm glad to hear that."

x.x.x.x.x

Kira decided to spend the day looking for a job and a place to live, since they had no idea how long it would take to infiltrate the Federation. Meryl offered to introduce her to the station manager at NLBC and by midday, she'd secured a position for Kira as a production assistant. It sounded like menial work, but it was better than nothing.

They may have had a rocky start, but Kira couldn't deny that the raven-haired woman was incredibly helpful.

Housing was a more difficult matter. Most of the planet's population still resided in Octovern so places to rent were limited and overpriced. She returned to Meryl's that evening dejected and defeated. The expression on Vash's face when she walked through the door told her he'd had a rough time as well.

She raised an eyebrow and sat beside him on the couch in Meryl's living room. "Bad day?"

He shook his head. "I went to the Federation's headquarters and told them I wanted to speak with someone about giving me my brother's remains. I waited there most of the day and finally some guy told me that he'd been cremated already and they hadn't saved the ashes."

Kira gave him a confused look. "Well what did you think they'd say?" It wasn't like they could give him a body…

"I don't know. I guess I just hoped they'd send me to someone who'd have more information."

"Is there any way I can help?"

"No. It's better if they don't know your face. They'd expect me to show up—I'm his family. But you're still off their radar. That might come in handy."

She nodded, feeling rather useless. "So what's next?"

He shrugged. "I'll probably go back again and see if I can speak to someone who met him. Even if they won't tell me where he is now, maybe they could tell me about when he first got there. Call it closure…"

She frowned. "Are you sure that's wise? You don't want to draw too much attention to yourself…"

They turned at the sound of the door. Meryl walked in and a moment later an excited Millie came hurtling at them, wrapping Vash in a big hug. She captured Kira next and the gray-eyed girl couldn't help but laugh at the large woman's enthusiasm.

x.x.x.x.x

They talked with Millie over dinner, catching up on all the latest news in her life, most of which involved her extensive family. Kira found it strangely relaxing to sit back and watch the three friends chatting. They knew each other so well…

She missed that feeling—the camaraderie. She missed Knives. To think he was out there trapped somewhere, suffering… It made her ache to think that she'd wished this upon him, even for a moment.

They'd save him. They had to.

Kira focused back on the three friends and found Meryl staring daggers at Vash, her arms crossed over her chest. "So, you went to the Federation today," she said tartly.

Vash looked shocked. "H-how did you…?"

"You're famous, Vash, in case you'd forgotten," she snapped, obviously exasperated. "Apparently, my station manager ordered a tail on you as soon as he heard you were in the city. They know you're staying with me and now he wants me to do an 'inside scoop' on you and how you're coping with your brother's execution."

He gave her a disgusted look.

"I know… I told them to back off, but I'm worried if I push too hard they'll just assign someone else to cover you. At least this way I can keep tabs. Anyway, they saw you go to the Federation and I recommended that we should try to 'paint the whole picture.' You know—like get a direct quote from someone who spoke to Knives while he was incarcerated," she arched an eyebrow to underline her scheme.

Vash broke into a wide grin. "You're a genius! That's perfect."

She smiled smugly. "Yeah, I thought so too. And I've assigned my new production assistant with the task of finding a worthy candidate," she said with a pointed look at Kira. "Speaking of which, I'm officially kicking you out of my apartment as of today."

"What?" Kira said, surprised by the sudden eviction. She could probably find an inn, but it'd be a pain.

"We're about to go up against the largest military organization on the planet. If my idiot network is paying attention, then they probably are too. The less they know about us, the better."

"But where's she supposed to stay?" Vash cut in, equally shocked.

"It's a little suspicious that you two showed up on the same day, but luckily my station manager is pretty dim. I told the guy you're Millie's friend from college, so…" She trailed off, staring at Millie patiently.

The big girl suddenly seemed to catch on. "Oh—right!" she chirped cheerfully. "You're going to stay with me!"

Kira gave the two women an impressed look. Simple. Effective. Allowed for easy communication and understandable meetings.

Meryl gave Kira a brief repentant smile. "I really will do whatever I can to help out. And, the fact that this could turn into the biggest story on the planet is just icing on top," she said with a self-satisfied smirk.

The gray-eyed girl couldn't help but grin. "It's a good plan. Thank you, Meryl."

The short woman nodded curtly. "On that note, you two should probably head home. I like to start early. We can go over my Federation contacts in the morning."

After Millie had bestowed a flurry of hugs on Vash and Meryl, Kira patted Vash on the shoulder and extended her hand to Meryl. "Tomorrow, then." Meryl grabbed her hand and shook it firmly.

x.x.x.x.x

The following morning, Meryl officially assigned her new production assistant the task of finding a lead at the Federation. True to her word, she gave Kira a list of contacts to start with. Unfortunately, the task proved to be much more difficult than expected.

It took Kira nearly three weeks to contact and 'interview' every person on Meryl's list in an attempt to track down someone who had actually interacted with Knives. It soon became clear that his case information was restricted to a very small group of people. Most of Meryl's contacts had been useless, providing information that was already publicly available. However, Kira did hear one name repeated by multiple sources: Chronica.

She reached out several times requesting 'a preliminary interview on behalf of Ms. Meryl Stryfe at NLBC.' Usually people knew Meryl well enough to at least answer, but after her third try without a response, it was clear Kira was being ignored. It had been over a month since Knives had 'died' and she was growing tired of waiting. She needed to make contact with the damn woman and patience was getting her nowhere.

x.x.x.x.x

Kira left work early and headed over to the Federation Ships, having decided to take matters into her own hands. She was still amazed at how the fleet, after arbitrarily landing on the outskirts of town, had since been absorbed by the city. Small shops and restaurants had sprung up around them like weeds, feeding off the consumers they provided—residents of an entirely foreign planet who had somehow integrated themselves as a ruling force.

It made her long for the freedom she'd had as a scavenger, when she only had a few soldiers to deal with. The longer she spent in Octovern, the more she realized she was not well suited to the place…

But now was not the time to worry about that. She had a more pressing matter. She arrived at the front gates of the head ship and flashed her NLBC press badge. The secretary at the front let her through—she actually did have a meeting with one of Meryl's contacts, but she wasn't going to make it to see them. She needed to speak to Chronica, and direct contact seemed to be her only option.

She walked quickly down the halls, making no unnecessary eye contact. The less attention she drew, the better. She was glad she'd already had several interviews on this ship and had a rough idea of the layout. She made her way to the room number she'd been told was Chronica's and pressed the buzzer in front, grateful that the hall was empty for now.

The door opened and a fussy-looking young man in uniform stared down his nose at her. "May I help you?" he asked curtly.

"Um… yes. I'm here to see Chronica."

"She isn't expecting anyone… May I ask your name?"

"My name is Kira Derinau. I'm here on behalf of Meryl Stryfe at NLBC. I must speak with her."

"Oh… Yes." He pursed his lips. "We've received your previous requests, but she is not interested."

"Please! Can you ask her again? I can wait."

He let out a small sigh. "Very well. Wait here." He closed the door in her face and she wondered if he was simply hoping she'd leave on her own. If he were, he'd be disappointed. She'd stay here all day if she had to. She stood firmly in place and was considering buzzing again when the door opened abruptly.

"You may wait inside," he said, a hint of irritation and confusion in his tone. She did her best to conceal a self-congratulatory grin as she sat on a chair in the small entry room. He returned to his desk and ignored her.

Kira sat quietly, staring at her hands, again wondering if this was all a ploy. Maybe they were sending for security and wanted to keep her contained. But as the minutes ticked by and no one else came by to get her, she grew more certain that Chronica just wasn't in a rush to speak. Finally, a phone on the young man's desk rang.

He picked it up. "Ma'am?" He glanced over at Kira. "Yes… yes… right away." He set down the receiver and stood. "She will see you now." The young man opened a door to his right and gestured Kira in, closing it behind her.

She was surprised at the sight of the woman seated at a desk on the opposite side of the large room. She was… beautiful. And young. She looked too young to be as highly regarded in the military as Meryl's contacts had painted her. Kira was expecting a grim-faced matron, not this clear-eyed ingénue.

"Welcome," the woman said calmly, her voice a sultry alto. "Kira… Derinau, was it? Please, have a seat."

Kira sat in a low chair in front of the woman's wide desk. She wondered if other people who sat here were generally being reprimanded. It certainly made her feel somewhat intimidated. She cleared her throat in a useless attempt to bolster her confidence and began, "Ms. Chronica—"

"Just Chronica is fine."

"Uh… thank you. Chronica, I've been sent here by NLBC to interview you on your involvement regarding Millions Kni—"

"Yes, I know why you're here. You want to know what happened to him before he died."

"Y-yes. That's right." Kira tried to curb her anxiety. She needed to stay relaxed… disconnected… impartial… She pulled out a pad and pen to take notes on "Could you please tell me about your experience with him while he was detained here?"

The woman raised an eyebrow. "My experience? Well… it was complicated, to say the least. You see, he was responsible for the death of someone very close to me during the battle. When he was alive, I was in charge of interrogating him. I found it very difficult to remain unbiased while I was playing around in his head…" she said with a cunning smile.

Kira felt a pang of apprehension. "In his head?"

"You don't know? I'm a plant Kira. Like he was."

Of course. How could she not have guessed it? The woman was probably reading her right now. She shielded herself as quickly as she could. But she'd never been very good at maintaining it…

Chronica's sneer softened. "As difficult as it was, I did treat him fairly, for the most part. I want you to know that. I did my job—I reported only what I needed to. I left out any unnecessary details of what I saw… like the fact that he became lovers with his travelling companion."

Kira's blood ran cold.

The blond chuckled. "Yes. I know who you are. You should have used your name before—we could have spoken much sooner. Anyway, you should be grateful that I'm the only one who would recognize your face. After I interrogated Knives I could have ordered our men to track you down and question you, but I didn't."

Kira swallowed, her throat dry. "So why did you agree to speak with me today?"

"I want to know why you're here," she stated, as if it were obvious.

"I need you to tell me what happened to Knives."

"You don't need me for that. It's public knowledge," she said slowly. "There must be more to it…" Chronica paused, narrowing her eyes slightly. "You're hiding something, I can feel it."

Kira strengthened her barrier again and waited for the faint prickle that signaled the plant was trying to break into her thoughts, but it never came. "Aren't you going to read my mind?" she asked in surprise.

The plant gave her a disgruntled look. "I am not a barbarian. Why? Did he do that to you?"

Kira blushed. So plants usually did respect privacy…

Chronica rolled her eyes. "This isn't an interrogation, it's a conversation. However, I would appreciate your cooperation. I'll ask again; why did you come to see me?"

"I…" Her voice faltered. She hadn't expected to be put on the spot like this… but this was her best chance. It had taken far too long to get here and she got the sense that the woman wouldn't speak with her a second time if she played her cards too close to her chest. The others knew she meeting with Chronica, so if she didn't return home, at least they'd know where to start looking. She had to try something. For Knives. "I don't… believe he's dead."

The blond gave her a condescendingly consoling look. "You poor child. Whatever you may have convinced yourself, I can assure you, he is dead."

"But… how can you be sure?"

"I was there when he was cremated," she answered simply before letting out a dismissive sigh. "Listen, girl, I am sorry for your loss. I may not understand why, but I know that you were close to him—"

"When?" She must be wrong. Surely Vash would have felt it if Knives had been killed since they spoke to the angels…

"When?" The plant scowled in confusion.

"When did it happen?"

"It was over a month ago. Surely you heard about it? It was widely reported…"

Kira almost felt relieved. Chronica was talking about the fake execution. Which meant the cover up reached deep into the military… or Chronica was a great actress. Somehow Kira doubted that. The woman didn't seem like she'd be particularly good at playing pretend.

So now what…?

Chronica was studying her suspiciously.

"I… I think you're wrong."

The woman gave her a deadpan stare. "What?"

"Did you see his body?"

"It was inside a casket."

"So you can't be sure it was him."

"I believe it was… Why do you doubt me?"

"What do you know about me?"

The plant sat silently for a moment, distrust written on her face. "I know that you were the one who rescued him in the desert, and that you helped him get to the Melca Border ship."

"So you know that I met Vash?"

"Yes. I assume he's involved as well?" She gave Kira a contemptuous look. "Don't count on that fool's word. He wants to see his brother again as much as you. You're both dreaming."

"What if we weren't," she said, her gaze hard. "If we were telling the truth what would you do?"

The blond frowned, a faint unease in her eyes. "It's not possible…"

"Would you help us?"

"I… You must tell me what you know. Now."

Kira sighed. There was no going back after this… "Vash spoke to the angels. They told him that Knives was still alive."

Chronica leaned forward in her chair, her eyebrows knitted together. "When was this?"

"The day we returned to Octovern—nearly a week after the so-called 'execution.' Listen, all I'm asking is that you look into it. If they did fake his death, even to you, it's not hard to imagine why they might want to keep his continued existence a secret."

If she sympathized in any way, the plant was hiding it well.

Kira continued. "The one thing the angels could tell Vash was that Knives was in pain. I'm sure whatever they're doing to him is inhumane, so I'll ask you one last time. Please. Help us find him. I'm begging you."

Chronica exhaled slowly, seemingly lost in thought, before offering the slightest of nods. "Very well," she said softly. "I'll see what I can do."