Armory One was busy, as crew members unloaded the Minerva and the Voltaire. Lacus established a ceremony to award both crews for a successful first mission that will be held in a few days. It was going to honor the two teams but also explain how Lacus was going to continue to strive for peace and to keep helping everyone.
Selena and Mikael stayed until the transfer was finished. They left to their rooms to see two people who look exactly like them, but it was the other way around. Selena and Mikael were made to look like them.
The two originals bowed to their counterparts. "Thank you so much, your Highness," the real Viola started to get emotional. Tears started to form in her eyes. Selena placed a hand on her shoulder.
"No, thank you," Selena helped her up. "Our mission would not have been a success without the two of you."
The real Sebastian placed his arms around Viola. He rubbed her arms. "I believe we are forever in your debt." Selena waved her hand. "Yes, we are. As Coordinators, our modified genetics is not helping our reproductivity. Being told the two us are unable to have children together." He paused to look at Viola. "Our only option was to have them look for potential partners. I-I couldn't see myself having a family that didn't include Viola." Viola started to cry. She turned into his chest, trying to control her sobs but also tears of joy as this man loved her enough.
When the opportunity of this mission from her Highness Selena, Sebastian didn't need to persuade Viola as this was an opportunity for them to have children. Something that was getting hard for 3rd generation Coordinators as they were becoming sterile. There was no cure, as of yet.
"I may be the villain as they say since I looked into ZAFT military backgrounds, seeing which ones that were easy to prey upon," Selena explained. "I would be lying if I didn't believe yours was an easy problem to fix. I am grateful that it didn't take much to persuade both of you. Letting us take full decision over your appearance and every aspect in your life. The consequences for colluding with a high security risk and watched person from Durandal's unpublished list, yet you agreed full heartedly."
Viola wiped away her tears as she turned back to face the two. "And we would do it again." She placed a hand on her stomach. "And again, no matter how many times, if it allows us to have a child together." She started to get teary eyed again. "I never thought this hair style will look good on me but it will be nice not have to worry about having to really take care of it when the baby arrives. You're not a villain, your Highness, you're a blessing."
"Will we be seeing you at the ceremony?" Sebastian looked between the two of them.
"No," Selena shook her head. "Later maybe, but I have plans then. Remember, if you have any problems, the doctors who will be taking care of you, are from me. You can pass any message through them and I will respond to you."
The couple thanked them many times before Selena and Mikael left. The real Viola and Sebastian were updated every few days while they were in a safe house in PLANTs of all what happened on the mission. When the real couple went back to their lives, there would not be a flaw in their stories.
Selena and Mikael switched out that appearance to another disguise. They left Armory One on vessels that transported people between the floating cities. Their safehouse was in the city of Aprilius One, where the Supreme Council was held.
In this safe house, was a room with a sleeping pod that looked like a combination of a cryo-tank and a casket. Selena changed out of her disguise to a white satin gown with bishop sleeves, a scoop neckline, and the bottom hugged to her lower torso from the left to right before flaring out. It could be a bridal gown, but instead it was a nightgown. It looked well with her light pink hair and grey eyes.
"Have a nice rest, your Highness," Mikael watched lay down in the pod.
"Until then," she placed her hands by her sides before closing her eyes. The glass frame moved over her, locking in place. A mist sprayed inside the glass, coating her all over. Mikael moved out of the room, locking the door. He headed over to his room next door to work on reports.
At Lacus' home, she was reading files on the mission. There were small piles that filled the space on her desk. Kira brought in a few more. Her eyes followed the files being placed down. She let out a sigh.
"I knew taking this path would bring lots of work," Lacus took a cup of tea from a plate that was sitting on one of the piles. "But it's the path we must take to start the healing."
"Are all these files pertaining to the mission the Minerva and the Voltaire just came from?" Kira stared at the piles.
"No, just that pile," she glanced to a small pile. Kira followed her gaze. "It connects to that pile though." She stared to the pile that stood taller behind it. She turned to the other piles. "That connects to those piles."
"Do you need any help?" Kira would always ask her. She had him find materials to further research on topics she didn't understand.
"Not right now," Lacus took the files Kira placed down. "I need to go over these and then update my speech."
"Here I will look through these so I can get you the correct materials," Kira took some of the files. Lacus leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. Kira blushed as always. The two worked through the files for hours. A butler brought in another tray of tea and a tray filled with snacks. Kira looked up from the file. "This research is similar to my fathers. All of this will help possibly cure the sterility in 3rd generation Coordinators but the lengths they had to take to find it, I really don't want us to use it."
Lacus kept reading. "I know lots of lives were hurt and lost to this but this is the only data we have to help them. I will make sure to honor those who lost their lives to these kinds of research and those who survive get the reparations that they need."
"Speaking of survivors, are you awarding the two engineers who were pivotal in the success of the missions?" Kira was curious.
"Yes," she nodded. "I was going to award both of them Order of the Nebula along with medals of honor, as they went above and beyond risking their lives for the call of duty. I will be awarding both crews the medal of distinguished service as they were exceptionally meritorious in a duty of great responsibility."
"You have not awarded anyone to be a member of FAITH?" Kira noticed there were no recipients.
"I want to get people I trust," Lacus explained. "I know that sounds selfish but the late Mr. Zala and my father created ZAFT to help our independence and yet the late Mr. Zala took over to enact revenge, inciting more violence. I don't want that to keep happening, an endless cycle of hate and violence. Pilot Shinn Asuka was brave to give up being a member of FAITH even though the late Supreme Chairman Durandal appointed him. There are no active members as Athrun went back to Orb and the rest have unfortunately lost their lives in the last war. As appointing a member of FAITH, I want the faith I see in them to mirror the faith they see in me, as a leader of PLANTs and ZAFT, also the faith in our future."
"And none of the other Council members have appointed any?" Kira asked.
"No," Lacus shook her head. "They agreed with me on holding off on appointing members. We did award several Order of the Nebula medals among other medals. We just didn't believe it was the right time to appoint FAITH members as powers had just switched and we are establishing peace amongst everyone. The Council and I did agree that it would be a unanimous vote for the new members unless I make an executive decision for someone."
The two continued to work on the files before them. Lacus read her speech out loud. Kira wrote down her thoughts for a new paragraph while she crossed out some of the words. They continued to work on it until Lacus felt that it was ready.
The ceremony was held at one of the event halls in Armory One. The hall was large enough to encompass hundreds of guests. A small stage was at one side of the hall. On the other side were cocktail tables and regular tables with chairs. Along the wall were refreshments and buffet style with servers ready to attend to the guests.
The halls were always in PLANT and ZAFT colors. The drapes were the same color of red from the ZAFT insignia. The table clothes were white with plum table runners, the background of the PLANT flag. Blue embroidery and tassels adorned the ends of the table runners. Centerpieces of colorful floral arrangements that give the last finishing touches.
All the soldiers wore their uniforms for events. The engineers were not in their bright green jumpsuits but the standard green uniform. Guests were allowed at this event, wearing gowns and tuxes. The room was filling up with both teams.
All of the council members were there. Some dressed in the representative attire, the blue grey frock jacket and slacks with the red and green tie and a gold trimmed white vest. There were others in the ZAFT purple with black uniforms. They sat upon the stage with chairs. Behind them were flags from the military branches of ZAFT and PLANT flag.
When it was time, the Chairman of the National Defense Committee commanded both teams to be present and stationed in front of the stage. The crews were stationed in rank with high-ranking officials in the front. The guests were in the back watching while the rest of the ZAFT military that were attending as guests were off to the sides.
The Chairman of the National Defense Committee yelled out as Lacus started her entrance. "Entering Supreme Councilwoman Lacus Clyne." The council members stood up. Those in military uniforms saluted her arrival.
Lacus wore her black kimono trimmed with three different shades of purple. It had a red with gold strip sash with a bow in the back. It was over a white gown that had matching white boots. Her hair was tied up in pony tail with a double white bow. She had her trademark gold clip in.
"At ease," she spoke at the podium. The council members behind her sat down while the military officials kept standing in front of her. Kira stood to the side with other military officials. She stood with confidence and poise. "Members of the Supreme Council. Commanders, Captains, soldiers of ZAFT, and esteemed guests. I have come here tonight not only to address the distinguished men and women in this hall, but to speak about the men and women who sent us here.
"ZAFT, Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty, a military organization made up of civilian volunteers with no formal hierarchy, only ranks distinguished by the colors of the uniforms. Formed as a political alliance to peacefully fight for the rights and independence of Coordinators. Rising above the suppression of sponsoring nations to allow us, PLANT, to become independent.
"We all know the history, but we must remember to look back to it. We must remember that we are still fighting for freedom. We may have strayed from that path but we will always come back to it. Our first step was creating peace between nations, a cease fire agreement that started negotiations to end the war.
"The next steps to continue our peace and freedom is to help our fellow civilians. We are Coordinators, genetically modified with enhanced abilities to overcome obstacles. Our abilities have brought war but that is in the past. We have continued to evolve without the hundreds of years that Mother Nature usually takes. However, evolving ahead has created an obstacle. We, scientists, doctors, and researchers, are finding genetical defects such as sterility, mostly amongst the 3rd generation of Coordinators; and other defects due to complications from genetic manipulation. We have come to help those with our technology but that's only temporary.
"Our enhancements are meant to help us live better with more freedom in space. That is why when the Minerva was restored to her former glory, they were sent on their first mission in conjunction with the Joule Team, to search and retrieve remnants of biological research facilities used by Earth Alliance forces. It was a mission that all of us on the Supreme Council were not fond of but the research seized from the late Supreme Chairman Durandal along with the research from Orb Union and Earth Alliance brought us to this path to take. An inevitable path.
"Research that had taken countless lives and the survivors who overcome the inhumane treatments to live another day, it was them that we wanted to help as well. Their freedom they tried to seek out. We will not let them be forgotten. We will not let their inhumane treatment continue. Our research will be like our military, voluntary and humane. We will find a cure for the defects. We will help out the rest of our fellow humans whether that be on Earth, PLANTs, on the Moon, Mars, and all the reaches of space.
"We will continue to fight for the freedom of living freely without war, without famine, without disease, without capitalism, and so forth. We will continue advance in technology and livelihood. We will continue to strive for our human rights.
"I want to recognize the brave soldiers who put their lives on the line to find, mark, and retrieve these research fragments as they were faced with enemies who still believe in the difference of our genetics instead of believing us as what we are, humans. I want to recognize the two teams who strategized with only half of the confidential information give on each mission to overcome new obstacles that they faced, whether it would be new enemies, technology planted from the enemy that disrupted gravitational settings in the vessel, and working together to capture all asked for in the mission. Even going beyond by shortening the mission length by retrieving all of the items, allowing the next steps to be taken ahead of schedule.
"Please hold your applause until the end as we award these brave soldiers who have continued the steps towards peace and freedom." Lacus stepped to the side as the Chairman of the National Defense Committee took lead with awarding the soldiers, starting off with the Order of the Nebula. He named off each soldier by rank. Next was Medal of Honor. Following the same, naming off each soldier. He even informed about the rise in ranks.
After all soldiers were recognized for their merits, they were met with a long round of applause. The Chairman finished the ceremony by thanking his fellow council members and thanking the soldiers once again. He allowed all of them to mingle freely.
Lacus met up with Kira. He congratulated on an impactful speech. He had a glass of water ready for her. The two were crowded with some of the council members, talking about the contents of her speech.
Shinn and Lunamaria met up with Vino and Yolan.
"I can't believe we had that important of a mission," Vino was still in awe. "And we got praised by our her!"
"I will remember this day, as this was the closest I have ever been in with Supreme Council Chairwoman Clyne," Yolan agreed.
Lunamaria let out a sigh as she brought her arms around both of them. "You know she may not go back to singing."
"Yeah," the two spoke in reluctance.
"Hey, who are you looking for?" Lunamaria saw Shinn was looking around.
"Our two new specialists," Shinn was scanning the room. "Who will now no longer wear the standard green uniform and has been upgraded to our red uniform but they can't wear those until after the ceremony." He let out a sigh.
"All I see is a sea of green," Lunamaria looked with him.
"That's why I sighed," he kept looking. He also tried to take his mind off what Lacus said. He wished Rey was still alive to receive treatment as well as Stella. All of the humans who were cloned or experimented on. He was happy with his decision to follow Lacus and her ideals. This was the future. This is what is should be. No fighting. No differences. Just living. He wanted to continue to guarantee that.
He finally spotted the two of them surrounded by soldiers of different ranks. He headed over to them. The three looked at one another before following as well. This looked interesting to them. Lunamaria noticed around the group they were headed to that Yzak, Dearka, Shiho, Declan, Arthur, and other higher officials were next to them in another group. This should be interesting, listening to both groups. She made sure to be near the middle of the two. She walked over to Shinn who had already thought of that. Vino and Yolan were on the other side.
"Our two brainiacs are finally coming back to stay at Armory One," one soldier in a black with purple uniform exclaimed.
"As if they wouldn't!" Another soldier in the same uniformed joked. "They're always together. It would be unheard of if they weren't." The couple laughed with the group. One of the people in the group didn't understand. "These two," he moved his hand between the two. "Are basically your stereotypical, childhood sweethearts." Viola and Sebastian glanced at one another, blushing about how they were found out. This was a surprise to some of them.
A surprise that was heard by group next to them. Arthur immediately turned around. He found this to be an even more joyous occasion. "Did I just hear the two of you are actually longtime lovers?"
"Yes," Sebastian quickly answered to explain. "We didn't want our relationship to interfere with our duties. Only those who actually knew us would know we were together as we kept it hidden. Now that we will be focusing our duties back here at Armory One, I guess we could relax a little." He gazed at Viola who could only smile in return.
Yzak and Shiho tried to hold in their reaction but Dearka saw it as both of them had the same blanched face before seeming as nothing ever happened. He sipped on his champagne flute biding his time since he knew he was going to ask them about this instance later.