I don't really have much to say for this one. It's chapter 8; 9 will be here tomorrow.
Monday, noon, check out, for all of us. Yzak and Dearka said they would stay behind and watch for new check-ins. Luna had barely made any progress, but no news is good news, I suppose. Meyrin was two personality defects away from being sent to a mental institution, and a new unknown had been brought in from the lab last night. Kira, Lacus, Athrun and I were going to our meeting with De Lin in two hours, but first, we were going out to lunch. Such was our state of affairs.
We had little to take from the hospital, but what little we had, we dropped off at Dearka's apartment, which had become central command. We sat down to lunch at a little hole-in-the-wall café about two blocks away from the Chairman's office. After orders, our primary objective was our strategy against De Lin.
"By the way, Athrun, I got a call from the Eternal this morning." Lacus said about halfway through her cup of tea. Athrun smiled and pretended that he knew nothing. Truth be told, he had been in contact with the Eternal for the past few days. His sneaking out for suspicious cell phone calls every hour or two didn't make it too obvious at all. "Andrew said that they were two out of lunar orbit, and within a week of here, three days if they hurry." Lacus smiled politely, letting it be known that she was telling our blue haired friend something he had already known.
"That is wonderful, Lacus. I am ever so impatient to go flying again. I told Athrun that it would be horrid if Orb's leader fell out of such a useful skill, and so he called up the Eternal and had them bring in the Akatsuki for me. Wasn't that sweet?" I plastered my fake smile on thick and tried to sell my story.
No one bought it.
"Cagalli, you honestly expect any of us to believe that?" Kira asked, quite frankly.
"No, but allow me my dream."
"Okay, so, in a week, we'll have enough fire power in orbit to destroy every colony whose capital's phone number is on Cagalli's desk, and how long can we expect to keep this secret from the Chairman?" Kira volunteered over a sip of his ice tea. At least I don't have every colony's capital's phone number on my desk. I'm missing the newest three.
"We can dance around the fact for one meeting." Athrun smiled. "After all, they won't be in detectable orbit for another two days."
"You think he's stupid enough not to have informants on every colony form here to Terminal? He knows by now. After the last war, the Eternal is the only ship with its model's heat signature, and we all know that." I thought it was an obvious fact.
"It is one of a kind." Lacus smiled, prideful.
"True as that may be, he may be stupid enough to believe that we didn't call it here." Athrun argued. I disliked arguing with him.
"He knows that it's from Terminal, and that we are allied with Terminal. I think he'll put two and two together."
"And I think he may not." Why does he have to look so cute when he argues with me? Geez, I can't win, can I? I lowered my head, taking a sip of my coffee, and admitted my defeat. You know, I find it odd how Kira and Lacus both drink tea, while Athrun and I ordered coffee. I mean, I like tea. Maybe I'm just stressed, or it's the whole menstrual thing. I don't care; my coffee was good.
Kira woke me from my thoughts. "We have half an hour to come up with a reason to confront De Lin while staying away from the fact that we have a warship in orbit. So, what do we have?"
"We have dieing coordinators. I think that's reason enough." Athrun said under his breath as he dropped to his cup. "My friends are dieing."
"Athrun," I placed a hand on his shoulder. It was the comforting gesture that Kira taught me.
"No one is going to die." Lacus finished my thought. If it weren't for Athrun, we'd barely know half the coordinators we do, and that was if we were lucky. He knew half the Zaft army, or at least, they knew him. A war hero is a good friend to have sometimes, but war changes people. I sometimes wondered what Athrun was like before his mother died. "No one will die." Lacus promised again, breaking my chain of thought.
Athrun rose back up. "I know," he smiled, thanking Lacus, and I removed my hand. "We have reasonable evidence to suspect that he is putting lives in danger. Is that reason enough?" he asked Kira harshly.
"I think that will do." Kira motioned for the bill. We had to get moving if we didn't want to keep Ray waiting. "I'm sorry if this will hurt you, Athrun." Kira added, respectfully.
"There's now place I'd rather be." Athrun nodded, smiling at me. He placed his hand around my waist as we walked out. Normally I would've waved it off, but I let it stay. I'm not sure why, but I liked it. "Come on, Cagalli. We have a chairman to tear down." He led me, behind Kira and Lacus, all the way to the office building.
Rodney seemed to remember Kira. I noticed because he didn't bother to hide his look of disgust. Lacus told him of our appointment and he led us to De Lin's office. After our formal announcement, Rodney left us with Mr. De Lin.
"Have you rethought my offer, Ms Clyne?" he asked casually, appearing from under a pile of numerous drafts that lined his desk. It reminded me of my desk back at Orb.
"No De Lin-sama. Actually, we are here on other business." Lacus stated in her "official" voice.
"Please, have a seat," he motioned for us to sit as he leaned on the corner of his desk.
Kira thanked him, and helped Lacus into her seat. The rest of us preferred to stand, and thus, declined his offer. He smiled anyway.
"Well, why are we here then?" he glanced at me.
"We are concerned about the security of the people of the PLANTs." Kira answered.
"Well then," he never took his eyes off me. "What did you have in mind?"
"We are merely here for information, De Lin-sama." That was Lacus, always remembering her formalities. Thank God one of us did.
Lacus asked about the condition of the military, the response was: "There is no finer military." She asked about current research, to which he replied: "We are refining the coordinator birthing process." When asked about future plans, he stuck with: "Making the world safer for all humans."
Lacus was getting the expected answers, which was good. Everything was going as planned. That was until Lacus voiced a final concern. "I am personally concerned about the condition of the people who work in our research facilities," she smiled.
"What is wrong with my research facilities?" his face tensed.
"Cagalli, why does he keep staring at you?" Athrun whispered into my ear.
While Lacus answered De Lin about some sanitation issue, I whispered back to Athrun. "You don't think finding you was free do you?"
"I had hoped."
"Cagalli-san," De Lin interrupted our conversation. "Do you agree with Ms.Clyne's assessment of my facilities?" he gave me a sly smirk. How was I supposed to answer? I just gave a soft smile of consent, and left him to interpret my answer. "That reminds me, Cagalli-san, we have some unfinished business don't we?"
Athrun's hand on my back tensed for a moment. "Lacus, would you mind if I had a word with De Lin-sama, in private?" My remark garnered concerned looks from everyone in the room, save De Lin.
"Why, Ms. Athha, I don't believe we must send away such personal company. Any business we have can be conducted now." De Lin smiled devilishly.
"Cagalli, what's going on?" Kira asked.
"Oh my, you haven't told them?" Oh, no.
"Cagalli, what is he talking about?" Athrun looked down at me. What was I going to do? I didn't know what I promised. I was desperate.
"Who are you?" De Lin walked up to Athrun.
"My name is Athrun Zala. I am a former Zaft Ace, and currently a general of the Orb military. I was sent to the prison and the Lab per your request. Also, if you must know, I'm engaged to the chief representative of Orb, I'm deadly with pistols, and I am armed."
I love the description. Anywho, there is some plot, it continues into the next chaper. Find out what De Lin's payment is, next time on this story. Which will be tomorrow for all of you who forgot.