Disclaimer: I don't own starocean
Has he calmed down yet?
Karin: No...
Damn...
Karin: ... another game?
You deal.
Seating himself back onto the command chair, Fayt rubbed his sore cheek. Yet, he still smiled. Maybe he deserved it. Yes, he did deserve it, but it was given to him for another reason. That was why he didn't want to go through the route he came up before. Sometimes, being a gentleman and letting ladies with very short skirts climb into an air ventilation first, can be a very dangerous thing. Maria's face appeared on his personal console. It looks like she arrived safely back on the 'Justic Reign'.
"Maria, i see you're back on your ship."
Fayt smiled.
"Sorry Fayt, does it still hurt?"
"Not really, still stings, but it's alright."
"I'm so sorry!"
Maria looked like she was going to cry.
"I said it's alright. Why not you drop by later and we'll talk about it, but not now, okay?"
Fayt tried to calm her down, and it did work.
"Okay."
Maria smiled and her screen went out. Fayt slumped back to his chair. Having a girlfriend is very hectic business.
"Kanai, give me a full detailed report."
"Yes sir. We managed to contain the fire and repairs are already on the way. The attackers have stopped their attacks and have disappeared. We still have no clue who attacked us. We've lost about five ships in total and the number of casual-"
"The attackers disappeared?"
"Yes sir. Just like that."
Kanai replied, snapping her fingers.
"Hmm... this is interesting. What is happening at the Genosis system?"
"We seem to be pushing them back, however..."
"However?"
Fayt had a feeling it was going to be bad news. It usually was.
"The federation forces at the Yzak system have been completely obliterated."
"No... What about the 'Diplo'?"
"The 'Diplo' is currently engaging the enemy in the Genosis system."
Fayt sighed a relief.
"And is there anything else?"
"Yes. Your mother called. She's on line one."
"What! My mother?"
Fayt nearly choked on his own saliva. Kanai nodded and had a frightened expression on her face. It seemed whatever Fayt's mother said to Kanai, it scared the wits out of her. Taking a deep breath, as though he was going to jump into a snake pit, he opened the channel to his personal screen. Too bad the sound could not be softened.
"FAYT LEINGOD!"
His mother's scream radiated from the screen and eveyrone on the bridge had to cover their ears. Fayt was guessing they already knew that his mother's voice from Kanai's face. She looked like she was going to get bitten by a chimera.
"Er... y-yes, mother?"
Fayt answered nervously.
"WHAT IS THIS!"
Ryoko Leingod showed Fayt's old communicator.
"Er... my communicator?"
"Exactly. WHY, didn't you tell me you recieved scholarships?"
"I didn't?"
"NO! YOU DIDN'T!"
Fayt felt himself pressed to the back of his seat by her sheer voice.
"Er... well, i was meaning to tell you later, but-"
"Do you know how much you have hurt my trust? I thought i said you could tell me anything?"
"You did?"
"Yes, Fayt, i did."
Ryoko sighed.
"And one more thing..."
"Yes?"
Fayt was almost afraid to ask. But he knew it could be much worse if he didn't.
"Why, Fayt, didn't you TELL ME YOU LEFT ELICOOR II!"
Her voice nearly threw Fayt off the bridge. It looked like Ryoko Leingod could spring out of the screen any moment and bite Fayt's head off.
"Well... i mean, it's dangerous out here! I wouldn't want to place in danger."
Fayt tried to explain, half right. Ryoko raised an eyebrow.
"Dangerous? Have you forgotten who i am, Fayt? I am your mother, Ryoko Leingod. I go to places where your father don't dare to. Since when has danger been an issue?"
"...Never?"
"Exactly! I demand that you come back here to pick me up!"
Fayt plugged his ears with his own fingers and nodded in reply. At this rate, if he continued to argue with his mother, he would go death.
"Good. I'll be waiting."
Ryoko's line got disconnected. Fayt sighed, slumping back in his chair. This was not his day.
"How long are we off from Elicoor II?"
"About two weeks by normal space. Half a week by gravitic warp space and-"
"About two minutes by rip jump. Sigh... Looks we have to rip jump if we don't want to get another earfull."
Fayt scratched his head.
"This certainly is troublesome."
"But on the other hand, it might be a good chance for us to restock on supplies and do some repairs."
"Yeah, i guess you're right. Patch me to the 'Freedom's Gate'."
"Right away, Sir."
Kanai punched a couple of buttons and Sophia's face appeared on the screen. A wide grin on her face.
"Oh Faaayyytt."
Does she always have to sound so childish?
"Huh?"
"I heard what happened to Maria. Tsk tsk, that isn't a way to treat a lady, you know."
Sophia waved her index finger at him.
"But-"
"No excuses! Poor Maria... i really have to sympathize with her, awww, such a poor girl, heart brokened by her own boyfriend. Just wait till your mother hears about this."
"Wha-?"
Fayt wanted to shut her up, but it was too late. Everyone on the bridge was giving Fayt cold stares.
"What! I didn't do anything! Get back to your stations!"
Fayt shouted to the officers on the bridge. Only Kanai understood the situation since Karin told her. The others, however, thought some horrid thoughts about their own admiral.
"Sheesh, don't shoot off that loaded mouth of yours in any direction. I didn't do anything, and that's final. Anyway, about my mom-"
"I know, i overheard."
"Huh? How?"
Fayt did not remember having a connection with Sophia during the time at which he was being shouted at by his mother.
"Oh, Kanai opened a window by her console to let me hear."
"Did she?"
Fayt looked towards Kanai, who shrugged and went back to her work.
"Anyway, i'll have the gate open within five minutes, bye!"
"Sure. Thanks Sophia."
"No problem!"
Sophia's connection was cut.
"Kanai... did i give you permission to do that?"
"Not really, i just thought it was the best move to make since i thought it would be hard for you to explain it to Sophia."
"Well, it was a good choice. Thanks."
"No problem, sir. I also took the liberty of sending a message to the 'Justice Reign'."
"Good. You know, you seem extremely realiable in these sorts of situations."
Fayt smiled.
"It's just my job."
Kanai replied flatly.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fayt did not like this idea, but there was little choice he had. Maria had insisted on it and so, he had little choice but to comply. It appears that Maria wanted to formally meet Fayt's mother and, Fayt prayed that nothing would go wrong, announce that they were engaged. Somehow, Fuin had a small ring made of pure silver in his pocket. Who knew why he had it in there.
There wasn't any fancy design on it and Fuin claimed it was an extremely important to him. Fayt promised to give him back the ring as soon as he could find a replacement. Maria felt slightly disappointed that the ring wasn't Fayt's, but another's. She felt even more disappointed when she heard she had to return it, but quickly accepted it when she heard that Fayt would be getting another one for her, from a certain nosey person.
Standing in the teleporting room next to Fayt and Sophia, she glanced nervously at her dressing. Even though she was wearing her old clothings, which was suppose to make her feel more at ease, she must say, she did feel embarrassed about this whole issue. It was one thing to be meeting the parent of a boyfriend, it was another to be meeting the sole parent of her fiance.
She had to make a good first impression, that she knew. According to Mirage, Cliff nearly fainted when he had to meet Mirage's father. Back then, Mirage was Cliff's girlfriend, but it appeared that something happened, and they never got around to work out their relationship. Maria just hoped that she would end up like Cliff, if Fayt did not end up on the floor first.
Something about his nervous attitude made her think that Fayt would faint right here and now, before even meeting his mother with her. Maria held onto his hand, smiling and trying to calm him down.
"It's alright. There's nothing to be worried about."
She said calmly.
"That's easy for you to say. I'm going to get another ear full from her."
"You wouldn't have to, if you told her everything."
Sophia grinned mischievously.
"As if i could. She would freak out and most likely chain me to a chair to get me to study."
"There is no way your mother can be that harsh."
Maria thought that Fayt's sarcasm was hilarious. Too bad it wasn't sarcasm.
"Oh yes she can. Aunt Ryoko has done it before."
Sophia chirped up.
"She did?"
Maria looked surprised.
"Yeah, she did. She also lost the key, so i was stuck to a chair for a week before she got a laserlocksmith to burn the chains away."
Fayt sighed, not wanting to remember old times that really frightened him. Yet, there was another issue that bothered him greatly, and only his mother has that information.
"Admiral, we're ready to transport you down."
Kanai called from the speaker.
"Good, transport us down now."
Fayt took a deep breath. It was like a life or death situation, where death was almost inevitable. The room flashed brightly, as they were being transported down. Fayt just hoped he wouldn't face her wrath right off the bat.
AN: Ahh, mothers, aren't they the best? The next one is honour of my own mother, the best one i've ever known, but i only have one mother so... yeah, you get what i mean. The twist is also in the next chapt. BE PREPARED FOR IT.