VI
"Liberty is the right to do what the law permits."
--Charles de Secondat

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Muffled voices were all that came through the door to Commander Leonhart's office--that and the steady tapping made by the click of a pen on the hilt of a gunblade. Aya sat rigidly on the hard seats outside the office--seats that were so ridiculously uncomfortable that she could almost believe her father had ordered them specially made. It would make sense, she thought--seats constructed for the express purpose of making students ill at ease. After all, who ever came up here to be rewarded for something?

The clock on the wall resolutely switched another digit and Aya's hand, already white-knuckled, tightened on the arm of the chair. That was sixteen minutes already. What in hell was Squall doing in there? What in Hyne's name--

The door slid open, and a Kamalyn several shades paler than was normal stepped out. As soon as he felt that he was out of sight of the Commander, his shoulders slumped and he let a small tremor pass through him. He glanced at Aya, an utterly unreadable expression in his eyes. "He wants to see you now," he stated.

"Really?" Aya said, too indifferent to feign surprise.

"Aya, for the love of--I don't know why you can't just--what in hell were you--" Kamalyn's annoyance ran out before he could use it to put a coherent thought together. "--never mind. I'm leaving," he finished lamely, jerking a thumb at the exit. Aya shrugged.

"See you around," she said, pushing herself out of the chair. Kamalyn stepped into the elevator, looking weary and quite defeated. Aya steeled herself and stepped through the door.

Squall stood as she entered, closing the door behind her. He gave a SeeD salute so forced that she wondered if he had managed to sprain anything this time, and she returned it with equal warmth. Chiseling a reckless grin onto her face, she asked "Did I pass?" in the most obstinately, insincerely happy voice she could emulate.

Years of aggravation sprang up behind his eyes, and she could tell that it was taking a vast amount of effort to keep it from showing on the rest of his face as well. His hand was twitching, too--and that was never a good sign.

"You disobeyed a direct order from your squad leader, ignored a withdrawal notice, and put yourself and your teammates in considerable danger," Squall said in that flat tone that was only about two steps above a growl. "Would you care to explain yourself?"

Aya crossed her arms, putting on the same poker-face he was so carefully displaying. She couldn't, however, conceal the flash of anger in her eyes. "No," she stated.

Squall's eyes damn near bugged out of his skull.

"I don't think I need to explain myself. I think I did what any individual with any dose of scientific curiosity would have done."

"Scientific curiosity does not overrule direct orders--"

"I was acting within the wording of a contract. They wanted me to explore the Deposit, so I did."

"The contract was overruled by an order from the SeeD in command," Squall said. "The rules are very clear as to--"

"The rules need revision," Aya started. "Why should--"

"Be quiet!"

Squall's hand came down on the table, and Aya jumped. She had the feeling that she might have pushed a bit too far, this time.

"What do you think this is?" Squall asked, voice having reached that dangerous level where no emotion was evident in it at all. "This isn't some father-daughter quarrel. This was a SeeD Exam, Aya, and you..."

The words were left unsaid. You blew it.

"You'll take all the responsibility." There was something in his voice now, something-- "You're not SeeD material." --shame. That was it. "I don't know how... they let you get this far." Squall sounded ashamed.

A throb of bitterness hit Aya, not so much for the words as the way he said them. Ashamed. She frowned, setting her shoulders in an inadvertently belligerent pose. "Don't you?" she asked, words sounding rather hollow as they rang in her ears. "They let me get here because I'm the best."

Squall drew himself up to his full height, meeting her eyes squarely. "You can't follow orders. You're too impulsive. Too rash. You don't consider danger--"

"Some people look for that in a leader."

"--leader?" Squall shook his head slowly. "Aya, you can't even make SeeD. Calling yourself a leader is... it's absurd."

"Ouch," Aya said dryly. "What, you think I'm impulsive? So I can make decisions rapidly. You think--"

"It's not the same thing," Squall objected, but Aya ran right over it.

"--think that I don't pay attention to orders? I disobey them when the orders aren't the ideal course of action. Shouldn't a leader be able to--"

"A leader should be able to accurately judge when the orders aren't ideal," Squall said. "Running off to sate your own curiosity does not constitute sufficient ground to--"

"Fine. Whatever." Aya spat the words at him, leaning forward. "Goodbye."

Turning on her heel, she stalked toward the door. "You're not dismissed," Squall snapped, and she half-turned.

"I can't even make SeeD, so why bother following rules?" she said caustically, then rounded on him. "Well?" She hiked a thumb back at the door. "Dismissal, hell. What's to stop me from walking out now?"

"If you make the effort, then next year I'm sure--"

Aya snorted derisively. "Next year? Take the classes again. Do the training again. Act the same damn play with the same damn puppeteer." She took a step forward, eyes suddenly shrewd. "You know what? Maybe I can't follow orders. Maybe it's because I'm too used to being my own person, to not hiring myself out. I want freedom, Da--"

"--Commander--" Squall corrected automatically, the thinking portion of his brain still trying to analyze Aya's newest assault.

"--and if that's a problem, hell. Screw SeeD."

A dark smile spread over her face as she saw that she had finally managed to elicit a reaction. Squall looked as if someone had socked him in the gut. "Might you want to reconsider--" he started, but Aya had already made her mind up not to let him finish the thought.

"Maybe it's just my impulsive nature, but I think I've made my decision. Good-bye, commander."

Then she turned, and disappeared out of the office. Squall's hand went to his forehead, and he sat heavily as the door slammed. He wasn't quite comprehending what was going on, and he had the feeling that if his head was allowed to swim for long enough he might. Then again, maybe--

"I'm sorry," a concerned voice spoke.

Squall closed his eyes, focusing on the presence in the back of his mind. "She acts just like Seifer," he said, weariness creeping into his tone. It was the only thing he could think of to say. "...and her friend looks just like him."

There was a brief, electric tingle, and Quezacotl's presence left his mind and flared up beside him. The lightning bird spread his wings, as if offering a shrug. "She is who she is," he said cautiously.

Squall sighed, lowering his hand to the desk. "Where did it all begin, Quez?" he asked, hoping that the Guardian would be able to give him some finite point on which to place the blame. "All I can think about is keeping her from turning out like he did, and all she can think about is rubbing my nose in how much she emulates him."

It was difficult to read expressions on a being with no facial features, but he could have sworn that Quezacotl looked troubled. "Did you ever tell her?" the Guardian asked.

"Tell her what?"

"How it was he scarred you." It was somehow clear that Quezacotl wasn't referring to the pale silver line that stretched across his face.

Squall shook his head. "I never dared," he responded.

As the elevator doors slid shut, Aya suddered and collapsed against a wall. Running a hand through her hair, she wondered what in Hyne's holy name she had just done.