Author's note: You tell him, Biowolf! That was mean of him. He'll soon see the error of his ways soon enough! This chapter is full of revelations!
Loyalties of the Heart by Shelly
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Karl Shubaltz wandered around the base for what seemed like hours before he came to the zoid hangar, standing behind the railing looking down at the Saber Tiger that had belonged to Tania when she had been captured. He had ordered it brought to Red River and repaired as he had planned to show it to her soon, knowing how happy she would've been to have seen it again. But now he doubted if he ever would as he feared that she would only use it against them the next time the opportunity presented itself.
It had busted his heart into a thousand pieces to treat her like he had, to see the raw pain in her eyes that had begged his forgiveness. He didn't know what to think anymore as his thoughts were jumbled inside his head as his mind warred with his heart. He still loved her with a passion that was almost frightening; even now he wanted to return to her and erase the past few hours that had proved to be a severe turning point in their relationship. But his mind urged him to steer clear of her from now on as he was unsure as to where her loyalties lie.
Footsteps approaching alerted him to the fact that someone was coming but he remained where he was, not even turning when he heard the voice of his younger brother.
"There you are," Thomas panted as he came to a stop. "I've been looking all over for you. I didn't see you in the suite and neither was Tania. What's going on?"
"Did you spend all this time finding me just to butt into my business where you don't belong?" Karl snapped as he turned to face Thomas.
Thomas' eyes widened as his brother looked as if he had been through hell and hadn't come back yet. "Actually I came here to tell you that Colonel Kruegar has arrived and wishes to have a meeting with the Guardian Force as well as you and Tania. I found you but I have no idea where she is. Her wheelchair is there though."
Karl sighed; he wasn't surprised that she had disappeared but he was surprised at what Kruegar wanted with her. "Neither do I, and I care little where she is at this point. You were right all along," he added when he saw Thomas' questioning gaze. "She wasn't to be trusted. It was no chance attack this afternoon but a planned trap to capture you and Van and hold you hostage until their demands were met."
To his further surprise, Thomas wasn't all that upset. "Why don't you come with me then and see what Colonel Kruegar has to say. He told Van and me that he had some information that could clear up some misunderstandings."
Karl's interest was caught now as he sensed something strange was going on, and he followed Thomas to a small private room where they knew no one could hear them. He saluted Kruegar then accepted the outstretched hand in a gesture of friendship. They had once been enemies but all that had been put behind them, and now they worked together towards a common goal, that of peace for all people whether they be Republican or Imperial.
"Colonel Shubaltz, it's good to see you," Kruegar greeted him as they took their seats at the table. "Where's Tania?"
"I was unable to find her, sir," Thomas answered.
Van looked to Karl and knew what had happened between them from the pain that showed in his eyes. He had wondered if she would tell Karl what she had confessed to him and it was apparent that she either had told him or he had guessed it and had not taken the news well. But if Van's hunch was right, Colonel Kruegar held the answers that could clear up everything where she was concerned.
"How unfortunate," he said. "I wonder what could have happened to make her leave like this?"
"I'm afraid that I'm to blame for that, sir," Karl answered. "If you don't mind my asking, why are you looking for her?"
Kruegar smiled as he saw the love that the Colonel held for her and was happy for her as she couldn't have chosen a better man to love than him except maybe Van. He had grown to care for her like a daughter just as he thought of Van like a son and had hoped that one day they both might meet and fall in love as well. "I see that I have a lot of explaining to do. Where to begin?
"Four years ago when Prozen was defeated, it was discovered that many of the generals that were loyal to him sought to pursue their own agendas, some remaining within the army and some even being so brave as to leave altogether. The Empire approached Tania about helping them root out these traitors so that they could be brought to justice, especially with her being Prozen's daughter." Thomas was the only one surprised here as Karl and Van had already known. "She made a big show of her hatred of Van for killing her father to attract the attention of Colonel Tragar who had been a little closer to Prozen than others. Over the next four years she would report to us any information on their movements which were few and far between at first.
"What we needed was to get our forces in order so that when the time was right we could catch Tragar in the act and arrest him. That way he could give us information on others that still remained loyal to Prozen. We allowed Tragar to attack the first base to give him a false feeling of overconfidence so that he would attack again. That's when we notified Colonel Shubaltz that he was in charge of finding out who was behind the attacks. I believe that you had a suspicion then that it might've been Tania who was involved as you had met before years ago." Karl nodded his agreement. "We counseled him to involve the Guardian Force so that she would meet you and get to know you somewhat.
"As far as what happened this afternoon involving the surprise attack, it was an idea that we had given to Tania to present to Tragar. We knew that if the Guardian Force could be captured and Tania returned to Tragar then at the right moment we would attack and Tania would help release you both so that he could be arrested in the act of taking the Guardian Force hostage. But as you can see it didn't work out that way and that's what I had hoped to speak with her about."
Van gazed at Karl silently as he suddenly saw how she had failed to execute a plan that had hoped to bring the arrest of an important player all because of her love for him, and if he didn't see that then he was a fool and didn't deserve the love she held for him. Then he saw Karl's head fall into his hands and knew that everything would be all right between them. "Colonel, you're saying that all that talk of making me pay for killing her father was just that?"
Kruegar smiled. "Absolutely. Prozen had practically held her prisoner for so long that she was glad to be free of him. But she had to keep up the facade in case there were other ears listening in that might take the information to the enemy."
"What do you mean he held her prisoner?" Van asked, his eyes widening as the Colonel explained the predicament she had faced since she was a child.
Karl couldn't think of anything else but what he had put her through. Even though he had been unaware of what was really going on, he still should've realized that she truly wouldn't have done such a thing out of revenge for her father's death, especially since she had told him of what she had gone through. Now she was nowhere to be found and he would never get the chance to tell her that he was sorry and beg her forgiveness.
But perhaps there was still a chance, and he rose to his feet to try and find her before she had gone too far.
"Karl, where are you going?" Thomas asked.
"I'm going to look for Tania. I'm hoping that she hasn't gotten too far if she has left the base. There's a chance she still might be here."
Van and Thomas both stood up. "We'll help you," Van offered then followed Karl as he returned to the hangar, cursing as he saw that the Saber Tiger was gone.
"She's definitely left the base," he observed. "But she can't have gone far as it hasn't been that long."
"Surely you're not suggesting that we go out after her?" Thomas asked. "It's getting dark outside and it will be dangerous."
"Which is why we must find her before anything happens to her," he insisted. "We'll each take a Pteras and patrol the surrounding area. Now let's move. The sooner we get going the sooner we can find her."
They searched all evening until the darkening horizon forced them to abandon their search and return to the base empty handed, amazed that they had searched in each direction for miles and had found nothing. However, despite their defeat, Karl was determined to continue their search when morning came as she couldn't have just disappeared like that so easily.
When he returned to his suite, the memories hit him like a blow to his heart of the first dinner they shared together and the first night they spent together in each other's arms. Sitting on the bed, he lifted the pillow she had slept on and inhaled her scent that still lingered in the fabric, something catching his attention out of the corner of his eye. He looked on the bedside table and found a letter addressed to him in her handwriting; curious, he opened it and read the contents slowly which caused his heart to beat faster within his chest as his fear increased. His hand holding the letter clinched into a fist when he finished reading it, crumpling the paper as his eyes shut tightly to hold back the tears that threatened to emerge.
"Tania, why did you have to return to them?" he whispered hoarsely. "Don't you know that they will discover that you had betrayed them, a crime that they will surely punish you for? Dammit, how I wish you knew their location!" Rising from the bed, he brought the letter with him to show to the others as he somehow knew that they would soon have a battle on their hands which they would have to prepare for.
On a hillside not far from the base, two pairs of eyes followed the Saber Tiger as it sped across the desert, one of them dark as night and filled with cruelty just as the other's were a blue pool of mystery.
"She has left," Riese pointed out. "Just as you said she would."
Hiltz chuckled. "I knew that after today they would find out she was a traitor."
Riese's eyes penetrated the distance and appraised the young woman for herself. "Yes, but to whom? Us or them? Where do your loyalties lie, Tania?"
"It matters not to me which side she betrays, although I had thought at one time that the Dark Kaiser would have welcomed her. Still, she will serve a purpose," he replied with an evil smile.
********************
Author's note: What could Hiltz possibly want with her? We'll probably never know, being he's so secretive and all. Next chapter: An old friend enters, and he would be more than willing to mend Tania's broken heart. Can anyone guess who it is?
Loyalties of the Heart by Shelly
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Karl Shubaltz wandered around the base for what seemed like hours before he came to the zoid hangar, standing behind the railing looking down at the Saber Tiger that had belonged to Tania when she had been captured. He had ordered it brought to Red River and repaired as he had planned to show it to her soon, knowing how happy she would've been to have seen it again. But now he doubted if he ever would as he feared that she would only use it against them the next time the opportunity presented itself.
It had busted his heart into a thousand pieces to treat her like he had, to see the raw pain in her eyes that had begged his forgiveness. He didn't know what to think anymore as his thoughts were jumbled inside his head as his mind warred with his heart. He still loved her with a passion that was almost frightening; even now he wanted to return to her and erase the past few hours that had proved to be a severe turning point in their relationship. But his mind urged him to steer clear of her from now on as he was unsure as to where her loyalties lie.
Footsteps approaching alerted him to the fact that someone was coming but he remained where he was, not even turning when he heard the voice of his younger brother.
"There you are," Thomas panted as he came to a stop. "I've been looking all over for you. I didn't see you in the suite and neither was Tania. What's going on?"
"Did you spend all this time finding me just to butt into my business where you don't belong?" Karl snapped as he turned to face Thomas.
Thomas' eyes widened as his brother looked as if he had been through hell and hadn't come back yet. "Actually I came here to tell you that Colonel Kruegar has arrived and wishes to have a meeting with the Guardian Force as well as you and Tania. I found you but I have no idea where she is. Her wheelchair is there though."
Karl sighed; he wasn't surprised that she had disappeared but he was surprised at what Kruegar wanted with her. "Neither do I, and I care little where she is at this point. You were right all along," he added when he saw Thomas' questioning gaze. "She wasn't to be trusted. It was no chance attack this afternoon but a planned trap to capture you and Van and hold you hostage until their demands were met."
To his further surprise, Thomas wasn't all that upset. "Why don't you come with me then and see what Colonel Kruegar has to say. He told Van and me that he had some information that could clear up some misunderstandings."
Karl's interest was caught now as he sensed something strange was going on, and he followed Thomas to a small private room where they knew no one could hear them. He saluted Kruegar then accepted the outstretched hand in a gesture of friendship. They had once been enemies but all that had been put behind them, and now they worked together towards a common goal, that of peace for all people whether they be Republican or Imperial.
"Colonel Shubaltz, it's good to see you," Kruegar greeted him as they took their seats at the table. "Where's Tania?"
"I was unable to find her, sir," Thomas answered.
Van looked to Karl and knew what had happened between them from the pain that showed in his eyes. He had wondered if she would tell Karl what she had confessed to him and it was apparent that she either had told him or he had guessed it and had not taken the news well. But if Van's hunch was right, Colonel Kruegar held the answers that could clear up everything where she was concerned.
"How unfortunate," he said. "I wonder what could have happened to make her leave like this?"
"I'm afraid that I'm to blame for that, sir," Karl answered. "If you don't mind my asking, why are you looking for her?"
Kruegar smiled as he saw the love that the Colonel held for her and was happy for her as she couldn't have chosen a better man to love than him except maybe Van. He had grown to care for her like a daughter just as he thought of Van like a son and had hoped that one day they both might meet and fall in love as well. "I see that I have a lot of explaining to do. Where to begin?
"Four years ago when Prozen was defeated, it was discovered that many of the generals that were loyal to him sought to pursue their own agendas, some remaining within the army and some even being so brave as to leave altogether. The Empire approached Tania about helping them root out these traitors so that they could be brought to justice, especially with her being Prozen's daughter." Thomas was the only one surprised here as Karl and Van had already known. "She made a big show of her hatred of Van for killing her father to attract the attention of Colonel Tragar who had been a little closer to Prozen than others. Over the next four years she would report to us any information on their movements which were few and far between at first.
"What we needed was to get our forces in order so that when the time was right we could catch Tragar in the act and arrest him. That way he could give us information on others that still remained loyal to Prozen. We allowed Tragar to attack the first base to give him a false feeling of overconfidence so that he would attack again. That's when we notified Colonel Shubaltz that he was in charge of finding out who was behind the attacks. I believe that you had a suspicion then that it might've been Tania who was involved as you had met before years ago." Karl nodded his agreement. "We counseled him to involve the Guardian Force so that she would meet you and get to know you somewhat.
"As far as what happened this afternoon involving the surprise attack, it was an idea that we had given to Tania to present to Tragar. We knew that if the Guardian Force could be captured and Tania returned to Tragar then at the right moment we would attack and Tania would help release you both so that he could be arrested in the act of taking the Guardian Force hostage. But as you can see it didn't work out that way and that's what I had hoped to speak with her about."
Van gazed at Karl silently as he suddenly saw how she had failed to execute a plan that had hoped to bring the arrest of an important player all because of her love for him, and if he didn't see that then he was a fool and didn't deserve the love she held for him. Then he saw Karl's head fall into his hands and knew that everything would be all right between them. "Colonel, you're saying that all that talk of making me pay for killing her father was just that?"
Kruegar smiled. "Absolutely. Prozen had practically held her prisoner for so long that she was glad to be free of him. But she had to keep up the facade in case there were other ears listening in that might take the information to the enemy."
"What do you mean he held her prisoner?" Van asked, his eyes widening as the Colonel explained the predicament she had faced since she was a child.
Karl couldn't think of anything else but what he had put her through. Even though he had been unaware of what was really going on, he still should've realized that she truly wouldn't have done such a thing out of revenge for her father's death, especially since she had told him of what she had gone through. Now she was nowhere to be found and he would never get the chance to tell her that he was sorry and beg her forgiveness.
But perhaps there was still a chance, and he rose to his feet to try and find her before she had gone too far.
"Karl, where are you going?" Thomas asked.
"I'm going to look for Tania. I'm hoping that she hasn't gotten too far if she has left the base. There's a chance she still might be here."
Van and Thomas both stood up. "We'll help you," Van offered then followed Karl as he returned to the hangar, cursing as he saw that the Saber Tiger was gone.
"She's definitely left the base," he observed. "But she can't have gone far as it hasn't been that long."
"Surely you're not suggesting that we go out after her?" Thomas asked. "It's getting dark outside and it will be dangerous."
"Which is why we must find her before anything happens to her," he insisted. "We'll each take a Pteras and patrol the surrounding area. Now let's move. The sooner we get going the sooner we can find her."
They searched all evening until the darkening horizon forced them to abandon their search and return to the base empty handed, amazed that they had searched in each direction for miles and had found nothing. However, despite their defeat, Karl was determined to continue their search when morning came as she couldn't have just disappeared like that so easily.
When he returned to his suite, the memories hit him like a blow to his heart of the first dinner they shared together and the first night they spent together in each other's arms. Sitting on the bed, he lifted the pillow she had slept on and inhaled her scent that still lingered in the fabric, something catching his attention out of the corner of his eye. He looked on the bedside table and found a letter addressed to him in her handwriting; curious, he opened it and read the contents slowly which caused his heart to beat faster within his chest as his fear increased. His hand holding the letter clinched into a fist when he finished reading it, crumpling the paper as his eyes shut tightly to hold back the tears that threatened to emerge.
"Tania, why did you have to return to them?" he whispered hoarsely. "Don't you know that they will discover that you had betrayed them, a crime that they will surely punish you for? Dammit, how I wish you knew their location!" Rising from the bed, he brought the letter with him to show to the others as he somehow knew that they would soon have a battle on their hands which they would have to prepare for.
On a hillside not far from the base, two pairs of eyes followed the Saber Tiger as it sped across the desert, one of them dark as night and filled with cruelty just as the other's were a blue pool of mystery.
"She has left," Riese pointed out. "Just as you said she would."
Hiltz chuckled. "I knew that after today they would find out she was a traitor."
Riese's eyes penetrated the distance and appraised the young woman for herself. "Yes, but to whom? Us or them? Where do your loyalties lie, Tania?"
"It matters not to me which side she betrays, although I had thought at one time that the Dark Kaiser would have welcomed her. Still, she will serve a purpose," he replied with an evil smile.
********************
Author's note: What could Hiltz possibly want with her? We'll probably never know, being he's so secretive and all. Next chapter: An old friend enters, and he would be more than willing to mend Tania's broken heart. Can anyone guess who it is?