XII
"A thousand-mile journey begins with one enormous step."
--Proverb

"In other news, an excavation in Grandidi has unearthed a unique fossil, one which they think may be the first specimen of an entirely new family of species. We'll go to Ran Ivers for the report..."

Aya stretched out on the couch, watching the newscast with considerable disinterest. Cabe squirmed in one of the seats across from her, shooting her surreptitious glances from time to time. Kamalyn and Tam were engaged in some expanded version of Stratego, and Dina was nowhere to be seen.

Glancing around for the remote, Aya convinced herself that it wasn't worth getting up for. Snorting, she glanced over toward the pair at the gameboard. "Having fun?" she asked.

"I've found three of Tam's bombs and a Marshall," Kamalyn noted. I just have no idea where his flag is."

"Keep trying," Tam advised. "You'll get it eventually."

"That meeting is sure taking a long time," Kamalyn said, switching the subject.

"Ah, the wonders of bureaucracy." Aya stretched, repositioning herself. "We sure do make an odd group, don't we?" Waving an arm to indicate the four of them, she shook her head. "I mean, we're not even concentrated into one age group. And that's weird."

"Never really thought about it," Tam murmured.

"You know why?"

Tam looked up from the game for what had to be the first time since he started playing. "It's probably because of our parents," he responded softly. "It's hard to get friends when you're... so close to a legend." He regarded her gravely. "Aya, you know that more than anyone. You hate that more than anyone."

Aya waved it off. "Tam, did your dad ever tell you about the Ultimecia Campaign?"

"It was his favorite story to tell," Tam said.

"Kam?"

"...it was a kinda awkward subject, but... yeah. Fujin and Raijin made sure I knew."

"My dad told me about all the time!" Cabe input without being asked.

"How about the Sorcerer War?"

The room froze up--except for Cabe, who tried valiantly to conceal a grin and failed. Tam and Kamalyn glanced at each other, Tam looking much more pensive than usual.

"'That's odd,' you're thinking," Aya said. "No one's ever told you anything, have they?"

"Father would always avoid the subject," Tam realized. "I never noticed it before."

"You ever wonder what happened?"

"Not so much," Kamalyn said. "...but I am now."

Aya swung her legs off the couch, sitting up. "I realized this in class, a while ago," she said. "In my case, at least, it wasn't just that I didn't know--I actually knew less about it than everyone else. It was our fathers and mothers who fought this thing, but we know nothing beyond what they teach us in class."

There was silence for a long moment. Aya looked around at them.

"Don't you guys want to know what happened? I mean, this is part of our history. It's important."

"No objections there," Kamalyn said. "But what do you want to do? There are plenty of materials in the libra--"

He was cut off by a derisive snort. "Kam, we should know more than just library sources. I want to know what happened, not be able to write up a bibliography off the top of my head."

"Well, if our parents don't want to talk about it, then--"

"Let's go there."

Kamalyn paused, biting off the rest of his complaint. "What?"

"Centra. The battlesite. Let's go see for ourselves."

Kamalyn's mind immediately went on alert, forcing him to stand abruptly. "Aya--"

"That's a good idea," Tam put in.

Kamalyn turned in shock to look at his younger friend. "Tam!"

"...but when?" Tam asked. "We're going to have an interesting time telling our parents. What if they forbid us to go? We'll need to plan it out."

"I already have," Aya said. "We don't have to tell them anything. We go now, and we don't say a thing."

"That's a bad idea," Tam said, much to Kamalyn's relief. "That's not just breaking the rules, that's... irresponsible. And what do you think our parents will say?"

"What do you think our parents will say, anyway?" Aya scoffed. "They don't want us to find out about something. Do you think that they'll let us if we ask nicely?"

Tam considered that for a moment. Kamalyn shook his head resolutely.

"Aya, I can't let you do this. I--oh, dammit, Aya, I'm a SeeD, and that means I obey the rules! Why can't you understand that?"

"Because this is more important, Kam!" Aya burst. "Look, this is our history we're talking about. And I don't care what you say--I'm going. I want to know what happened there. And why no one will tell me anything about it."

"What do you think you'll find?" Kamalyn argued. "It's a battlefield. It's been dead for twenty-seven years. There is most probably nothing there. Not only is this going to get us into supreme trouble, but it will probably yield nothing in the way of information!"

"Hey, even seeing the place will let me understand a bit more," Aya said.

"I'm going," Cabe piped up. "I want to see."

"This is a really bad idea," Kam stressed.

"I'll go," Tam said softly from behind him.

Kamalyn turned and stared. "I thought you were going to be the voice of reason," he said faintly.

Tam glanced at the floor. "You're concerned for us. That's good. But Aya does have a point this time. Sometimes you have to go around the rules, in order to learn something--especially if it's something important." He glanced up, watching Aya carefully. "But Aya, promise me you won't be rash. Promise that you'll listen if someone complains. Promise?"

For a moment Aya looked as if she was going to resist, but she didn't. "All right," she agreed. "I promise."

Tam turned to Kamalyn. "Kam, please come," he said. "I'll take all the blame for convincing you. I can get away with almost anything."

Kamalyn wrestled with that for a moment, then slumped in defeat. "I'll come," he relented. "But only to keep you people out of trouble. I still don't agree with this."

Tam gave a weak smile. "That's all I wanted," he said.

Kam leaned back, groaning. "When are we starting this--" he thought for appropriate words for a moment. "--madcap scheme?"

"As soon as possible," Aya said. "We'll catch a train to Timber tomorrow, and we can get transport down to one of the archaeological docks from there. Meet up here as early as you can. And don't tell anyone." The warning look that accompanied that last instruction was directed specifically at Kamalyn and Cabe. Each one nodded, albeit with a different level of enthusiasm.

Aya stood up, stretching.

"Well," she said. "It's been an early morning, it's gonna be an early morning. I'm going to get some sleep. Meet you all tomorrow."

Turning, she moved silently out the door. Cabe followed her, probably more worried about getting ready for the morning than sleeping. Tam looked at Kamalyn.

"Are you worried?" he asked gently.

Kamalyn shrugged. "Yeah," he answered. "I guess I am."

"You can fight. Aya can fight. We'll be safe, won't we?" Tam's simple logic was unusually reassuring.

"I still don't believe you agreed to this."

"If I hadn't, do you think you would have gone?" Tam asked.

Kamalyn shook his head. "Definitely not."

"Do you think Aya would have?"

Kamalyn thought for a moment. "Oh," he said. "I see."

Tam nodded. "We'll be safe. Don't worry, Kam, because then it makes me worry."

Kamalyn smiled. "I won't," he said. "I'll just try not to think about this at all."

"That's probably the best option," Tam agreed. "I'll see you tomorrow, Kam. Try to sleep."

"If it's possible to sleep, I will," Kam promised. "But no guarantees."

Tam gave one of those elusive smiles, and walked slowly out the door.

Kamalyn ran a hand through his hair, and then glanced toward the unfinished game of Stratego. Curiosity overcoming him, he moved over and stole a glance at Tam's side, trying to locate the flag.

Blinking, he sat heavily into Tam's chair. ...Hyne, he thought. It was right in front of my eyes the entire time.