Mwu's mind had drifted off the Coordinator and he was in the midst of an intense internal debate on whether or not he should change his socks when her voice snapped him out of his reverie.

"So, when's this interrogation going to start? We've been here for ages."

"Soon enough." was the only reply that came to mind. Momentarily, he'd wanted to add something mean or innerving to the answer, but he had found himself unable to think of anything, so he left it at that. He was about to revert to his previous thoughts when the door slid open to reveal Commander Horace followed by the Second-in-command, a wispy woman in her thirties. Mwu stood up, saluting the two newcomers, and went to stand behind Azumi's chair.

Once seated, the Commander looked over the Coordinator, an expression of intense dislike washing over his face. It was a well-known fact that Commander Horace abhorred all Coordinators with a passion. 'I don't discriminate,' he would say, 'because I hate them all.'

Having finished his examination, the Commander proceeded to ask for Azumi's name and position in the military, both of which were noted by the Second-in-command. Soon, her age was added to the information. She was 18.

The formalities over, Commander Horace got up and approached Azumi's chair, a menacing look twisting his face. Judging by Azumi's expression, Mwu concluded that she would be picking her ear absentmindedly, completely oblivious to the aforementioned-look, had her hands not been tied behind her back. Seeing as they were, however, she could only look bored.

"Now, tell me Coordinator, what exactly do you know of ZAFT's plans?" Azumi stared at the man in disbelief for a moment, before chuckling. 'Does he really think I'd answer that?'

She was about to recollect herself and answer him, when a harsh blow struck the right side of her face. The man, Horace, had backhanded her. She glared at him as a trickle of blood seeped from her bottom lip.

"Answer me, girl!" Commander Horace commanded. Mwu could hardly believe his eyes. Had the Commander really hit the Coordinator? It was completely against regulations to hurt prisoners and Horace was certainly aware of that. The girl, however, wasn't showing any signs of pain or fear.

"I don't know any of ZAFT's plans. I don't occupy a high enough position to be told such important information more than a day in advance." she answered coolly.

"You must know something! Speak, damn it!" Patience was never one of Commander Horace's fortes.

Azumi replied with a smirk. "Maybe you should have captured a Commander." Her mocking tone earned her another slap.

Azumi winced internally. The first strike had definitely opened up her wound. She could feel the flow of blood and she was becoming slightly dizzy. If the jerk interrogating her kept up his assault, she wasn't certain how long she'd last. Nevertheless, she wouldn't give in, she told herself as she turned her glare back towards the Natural.

The Second-in-command shifted uncomfortably in her seat, before breaking the silence. "Maybe we should ask her about her orders before the battle, Commander. I doubt she has any valuable information regarding future operations." Commander Horace considered this for a second, before agreeing.

"What were your orders preceding the battle that just occurred?" he asked, leaning closer to Azumi's face.

"Simple. We were told to protect the Homeland. You got too close, so we retaliated."

Horace glared at the Coordinator for a moment, and then scoffed. "Homeland. Ha! That atrocity is no land!"

"But it is a home." Azumi countered. This logic seemed to anger Horace beyond all of the girl's previous remarks and he struck her a third time, putting as much force as possible into this last blow. Unlike before, Azumi remained slumped in her seat, not displaying any signs of consciousness. Mwu took a worried step towards her and paled when he finally noticed what he had previously missed in the dim light of the interrogation room. A pool of blood had gathered at Azumi's feet.

Misinterpreting Azumi's inactivity, Commander Horace made to strike the Coordinator again, but was stopped by Mwu.

"Commander, she's injured." said the MA pilot, pointing out the wound and blood. With a shrug, Horace told Mwu to untie the prisoner and take her to the infirmary ward, after which he left, along with the Second-in-command.

Once untied and with nothing to support her weight, Azumi fell into the man's shoulder. For a moment, she just let his warmth absorb into her own, cold body, before her eyes fluttered open, and she pushed herself off of him with a grunt. He caught her by the shoulders, looking straight into her eyes.

"Why didn't you mention your injury before?" he questioned, much gentler than the Commander had been.

"Because that would require me asking you for help." Again, that smirk, before her head drooped, lolling slightly to the side. Mwu tried to pull her back into consciousness by shaking her lightly. He wasn't certain whether he should be angry at the girl for her pride, or at himself for not noticing her injury earlier.

"Can you walk?" Mwu asked her when she finally came to. Having received a nod of approval, he lifted Azumi's uninjured arm over his shoulder and lead her to the infirmary ward.

Once there, her space suit was removed, leaving Azumi with only the worn-out t-shirt she always wore under the suit, along with her undergarments. A doctor unceremoniously treated and bandaged the injury, before retreating from the bed, as if the mere touch of her burned him.

Mwu looked at the girl. Seeing her flushed face, he put a hand over her forehead, confirming his initial belief that she was running a fever. He called back the doctor, but was told that the prisoner could catch on fire if she wanted to, but she was not being treated beyond the Commander's orders, which were only for her arm. After a few moments of internal warring, Mwu decided he just wasn't cruel enough to leave the poor girl with such a fever and treated it himself.

The MA pilot spent the next few hours pilling blankets on the shivering girl, while applying cold compresses to her forehead and trying to get her to drink the medicine he had coaxed out of the doctor. He didn't realise how tired he was until Azumi's fever dropped and he sat down beside her bed for a few moments. Soon, moments turned to minutes, and Mwu found himself the willing victim of sweet slumber.