By Kurenai Archangel
A/N:
Wow. It's been a while since I've touched this story, and it
must be a while since I've touched my other story, 'When Lost Souls Return.'
Damn, I've been hounded by finals and stuff, and I don't understand how you
people actually find the time. It's actually pretty amazing since I finished
this. Damn. I should work on this more often as I feel like crap, and this
outline is killing me… oops don't wanna give out the planned number of
chapters… o_o;; Well, okay… Please R/R!
[Nine]
Remains of Tamanayu High Security Complex
Base 3655-X24
September 13, 3085
12:21 pm
Still
fighting off what was left of the Tamanayu troops that came from the base, the
pilots were barely making a stand, scarcely holding on. Merian sliced a
Valkyrie in half with his beam saber and then jetted to the side.
"Guys, did all of you start your emergency beacon
on each of the EPO channels?"
Black received all answers of confirmation as
they kept fighting on for what seemed like their lives. They were all at stake.
One mistake, one let down, and it would be over.
// I don't want to die like this… Not like
this… //
"I can't fight anymore! There's too many!" yelled
Mena, who just barely dodged a beam strike that almost demolished her suit.
Rushing over there to what seemed like a few moments, Black destroyed the Votal
and left Mena in a temporary peace.
"Thanks, Merian." His Viewlink popped up upon her
screen, and she smiled. She hadn't seen him in a while, but he never looked
like this.
He brushed his hair back. It was all disheveled. His eyes became a cold, ice
gray that practically burned an entire hole through you if he even stared at
you.
"It's getting harder…" Suddenly, flashes of light
came from around the base. "Don't tell me these are reinforcements…" He paused,
his tension up like wildfire. Everyone was suspended in mid-air, unsure of what
was happening.
// Is this the end? Is it? //
Luckily, the Votals opened fire upon the helpless
base as the pilots took a breath of relief.
// Phew… //
"You guys sent off a distress beacon?" The pilot questioned, with a smirk upon
his face. "The transports for you guys are comin' soon. Get outta the distress
area and re-activate your beacons. They'll pick you up."
"Thanks, man." Alec nodded his approval, as the pilots jetted off to be picked
up and lugged off by some helpers.
Allenson Strategic Base
Briefing Room
September 13, 3085
12:10 am
Five,
half dead men and women stumbled into the Briefing room upon orders. Moans and
groans, whining, and complaints filled the air as Merian plopped himself down
into a seat.
"I was asleep for once… it felt good…" he sighed,
his head falling back into the seat. Anna, also half dead, stepped up to the
podium. Her sunken eyes, and her disheveled hair showed her lack of sleep.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, our previous encounter
with the Tamanayu proved costly. Considering the loss of Claude, we have
decided to reap the wreckage of the base and determine where his remains, if
not his Votal, is." She stopped for a couple of seconds, rubbing her temples.
"The base, to our information has been destroyed. Wreckage now, is being
inspected for what the purpose of the installation was, why it was there, and
why they raided this base. There will be a second debriefing to this tomorrow
afternoon. We all need sleep and rest. That is all for now. Dismissed."
Attempting to get up, Merian's eyelids fluttered as he looked around. Alec was
asleep next to him, and the girls were on the other side of the aisle, asleep.
Anna walked off stage, and she disappeared from sight.
Struggling to walk, he looked into the infirmary, where Sean was
sleeping. A bandage wrapped around his left leg, he was sleeping in a hospital
cot. Merian plopped himself into a chair, and slowly drifted off to sleep.
Allenson Strategic Base
Briefing Room
September 13, 3085
9:00 am
A
knock at the door startled Merian, who was collapsed in the chair.
"It's open." The door slowly opened and the
figure looked into the room.
"Merian?" Her voice was feminine. It could have
been Anna, Amy, Mena, or Tara, or some other girl from the base.
// Who knew…? //
She slid away from behind the door, revealing her
beautiful blonde hair and sky blue eyes, which contrasted each other. He sat up
in his bed, looking toward the door.
// Mena… Kinda suggested… //
He slid out of the chair and approached her in
his wrinkled officer's uniform.
"Hey," He said, trying to get his voice together.
She smiled. He cracked his neck and looked towards Sean.
"He's okay?"
"Well he only got shot in the leg." He chuckled. "Luckily there weren't any
vital organs down in his knee." Her eyes widened and she slapped him in the
arm.
"Don't talk like that." Merian let out a small
chuckle and he went on.
"So what happened? Why'd you come here?"
"Anna sent me here. There's another meeting." She
paused. "I was looking for you, but since you weren't in your quarters, I
figured you were here, with Sean."
"Yeah, I guess." He looked himself over. "Should
I go like this?" He questioned, pointing towards his supposed 'uniform.' She
laughed.
"I don't know if it'll matter much to her. Let's
go." She grabbed him by the arm and she dragged him off.
In the Briefing Room
Anna
once again stepped up to the podium, to lecture the pilots. Not looking worn
and rugged, she once again looked like the well groomed general she never
planned to be. Like a majestic mountain she stood, she commenced her speech.
"Good morning, pilots." She paused. "Considering
the massive losses at Michaelson Strategic Base, we have decided to increase
unit production, and pilot training. Along with that, we will send you all on
an assault mission, similar to the operation we pulled off at D6-5." She looked
on. "Sadly, concerning the loss of Claude Valencia, we will have a funeral
today. Meet back here at 1600 hours today if you wish to come watch. I suggest
you do." That large mountain began to collapse and sink, lower and lower. Still
attempting to hold herself together, she held the tears in her eyes. "That is
all." She walked off stage and behind the curtains, finally bursting out into
tears.
Later that day
A
mourning hymn was heard; Gunshots fired in the distance. What Merian could see
was what looked like a large group of people and someone that looked like Anna
who was sitting in the front. Again, repeated gunshots shattered the silence as
soldiers stood on the side, holding their saluting pose.
A soldier's cry forced all the people to stand up
and salute; followed by more gunshots. Sobs were heard as a priest stood above
the coffin, mentioning prayers, mumbling words.
Slowly,
but surely, the small parade of pilots, lead by Anna, and followed by Merian,
Mena, Sean, Amy, Tara, and Alec, they approached the coffin. Anna placed her
hands upon the coffin and mumbled several words.
"Claude, I'll never forget you… This life or the
next…" She stood up, weeping.
Merian, never having gone to a(n) Catholic or
Christian funeral, in respect for the dead mentioned several prayers in
Japanese. To his side was Mena, who was mentioning a prayer in French. Keeping
his concentration towards himself, he began praying.
"Guide this gracious man in the next life, for
the hope he shall be safe." He looked up to the closed, obsidian coffin.
"Gommenasai, Claude. Rest in Peace." He and Mena got up, and were followed by
Sean and Amy. Returning
to their seats, they watched in silence as the priest said the final prayers.
Taps was slowly played as a formation of fighter planes flew past overhead
towards the sunset. A final soldier's cry flew through the air as the pilots
stood and saluted the dead soldier one, last time.
Michaelson Strategic Base
Briefing Room
September 14, 3085
6:20 am
Slowly
stepping into the Briefing Room, Merian realized he was late. Suddenly, all
eyes focused onto him, as he slowly made his way down the aisle.
// Stupid… Stupid… //
"About time, Merian." Anna commented, as he sat
down into a chair away from everyone else. He rubbed his eyes, still showing
signs that he was still not very awake.
"Yeah, ok." He shrugged her off and she slowly
resumed her speech.
"Something very suspicious has occurred
throughout the system over the last couple of hours. Revolts, assassinations of
many people, along with information from reliable sources that the Tamanayu is
beginning to fall apart." She pressed a couple of buttons, and a view screen
came up beside her. Images of dead officers, piles of dead civilians, and
crumbled buildings were just only some of those pictures. "What does this
mean?" Questioned Tara, who was looking on confused.
"Peace, or probably temporary peace, for what it
looks like."
