Title: Crossfire
Author: Jusrecht
See Warning and Disclaimer in the first chapter. And did I mention that this is a KiraxAthrun story? If you are a huge fan of Lacus, please bear that little fact in mind while proceeding with this chapter. I also need to say that I've taken some liberty with her character, especially her principles and sense of judgment, as will be revealed in this part. After all, people may change over the years and it's strange if she is the only one who doesn't undergo any. So if you cannot bear something else than a flawless Lacus, I'll advise you not to continue reading.
A/N: We are back to Lacus. I have no choice because the story needs to go on at PLANT and there is no other major character there. This chapter also includes a myriad of OCs, but please bear with me for a while. To help the readers, I will put the list of PLANT Supreme Council's members, including their respective positions. There are four executive committees – the division is taken from – and twelve council members including the chairman. This is the structure before this chapter takes place:
Januarius (legislative): Councilwoman Gracia Elrich (c)
Februarius (administrative): Councilman Tad Elsman
Martius (national defense): Councilman Leon Harland
Aprilius (supreme council): Chairman Athrun Zala
Maius (national defense): Councilman Algrend Hayes (c)
Junius (judicial): Councilman Klaus Yulim (c)
Quintilis (legislative): Councilman Noel Turras
Sextilis (administrative): Councilman Archibald Delaware (c)
September (diplomatic): Councilwoman Eileen Canaver
October (national defense): Councilwoman Theodora Moss
November (judicial): Councilman Millich Leitner
December (national defense): Councilman Silla Gardius
The symbol (c) means that the person is the head of each committee.
As you can see, there are still non-OCs like Elsman and Canaver in the council, but as for the rest, I made them up. Not all of them will play a major role in the story, but there are those who will, as much as I hate to use original characters. The list itself only serves as additional information in case anyone is interested to know, and since this chapter includes so many OCs, I hope it helps.
Thank you for everyone who has reviewed the last part. This is probably a less interesting chapter compared to the previous ones, but since it's a vital chain in the story, please read it.
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Chapter Eight: Lacus – Temptation
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Algrend Hayes glared at Noel Turras.
Noel Turras glared back.
Hands clasped tightly on the desk, Lacus watched the scene with mounting anxiety. On her left, Councilwoman Gracia Elrich leant back to her seat, muttering, "This is bad."
She winced. More than bad. Hayes, sometimes too hasty to speak freely what was on his mind despite his high position, had plainly accused that Councilman Turras was aiming for the chairman's seat, an allegation which practically did not sit well with the accused. On the other hand, Turras, an aggressive man of late thirty, did show some rather obvious interest which pretty much justified the claim Hayes put on him. She took in a long silent sigh and glanced at the watch hidden under her long sleeves. It was already four hours into the meeting, but it only felt like they were going in circles with no end in sight.
Hayes was the first to look away from the glaring match and his stormy gaze fell on Lacus, his voice unusually gruff when he spoke, "Is this really necessary? We all know that Miss Hawke, the Chairman's secretary, survived the accident. There is no reason to believe that Chairman Zala did not."
"It is already agreed on, Councilman Hayes," she answered patiently, resisting the urge to heave another sigh. "Unless the Chairman made an appearance at this very moment, we have to go on with the election."
The frowning face was soon schooled into a vacant expression and Algrend Hayes sat down, but not without throwing a last glare at Turras. "If the Council says so."
Lacus waited a moment for the other man to also return to his seat before speaking, "Well, then let us continue."
All eyes solemnly settled back at her and Lacus found herself wishing for the umpteenth time during the latest four hours that there was someone else she could trust enough to do the job for her. To be asked to oversee this meeting was evidently an honor, although perhaps her neutral nature did play a great part for the request to come her way. And she had accepted, despite knowing that it would turn out exactly like this.
Even under Athrun's chairmanship, factions still existed inside the Supreme Council, something one could not possibly avoid under clashing of ideals and interests. There were those who full-heartedly supported the chairman, like Elrich, Hayes, Delaware and Gardius. And then, there were others who did not appreciate the fact that they were led by someone much, much younger but could not raise anything more than negligible objections because Athrun was just that good. The rest neatly kept away from any inside conflict and established themselves neutrally and precariously, fully aware that they might be forced to choose sides once a disagreement arose.
Like now. Perhaps she might be able to do something about it. A mediator she was, but even Lacus could not exactly call herself neutral. The fact that Athrun was the chairman had affected her judgment in more ways than one and although she had struggled to remain impartial, there were times...
She closed her eyes, calming herself, and took a deep breath and said, "Therefore, as we have decided before, those who may be elected as a temporary chairman are the chairperson of each executive committee. Councilwoman Gracia Elrich from Januarius, Councilman Algrend Hayes from Maius, Councilman Klaus Yulim from Junius, Councilman Archibald Delaware from Sextilis and Councilwoman Eileen Canaver from September."
"Do we have the right to refuse?" a deep female voice echoed in the meeting chamber and all heads turned to Eileen Canaver who was wearing a guarded look on her face. "Actually, given the circumstances, I prefer to concentrate on my diplomatic duties at the moment. And I personally believe that there are others fitter to lead us in this delicate situation."
I doubt that, Lacus smiled to herself, remembering the other woman's remarkable leadership which had led PLANT safely out of crisis right after the first Natural-Coordinator war. It had been a pity that she had to be replaced by Gilbert Dullindal who pretty much demolished her every effort to recreate peace.
"Of course," she replied and glanced at Algrend Hayes. "If the reason is perfectly justifiable, that is."
The councilwoman nodded, satisfied.
"In this situation," she began again, reminding her colleagues of the wasting of time they had been doing until now, "since we have yet to be able to reach a consensus and it is unlikely that we will some time near the future, the best course of action is to start the voting. On Councilwoman Canaver's request, I shall read the name of the candidates and each may state their objection if there is any."
A thicker silence settled in and Lacus deliberately let it stretched for a moment while she gathered the scattered paper on her part of the round table. She skimmed over the names written on the first page of the document and readied a pen before looking up, taking in all the grave faces around her. A smile flitted across her face and she announced, "I shall begin."
"Councilwoman Gracia Elrich." Silence.
"Councilman Algrend Hayes." The named councilman, frowning and quite obviously displeased by the whole situation, shifted in his seat but said nothing.
"Councilman Klaus Yulim." Silence.
"Councilwoman Eileen Canaver."
"I exercise my right to resign," the councilwoman said.
Lacus nodded. "Therefore, in reference to the reason clarified earlier, Councilwoman Canaver is no longer a candidate." She paused and turned to face the lines and rows of ZAFT officials, all dressed in stark white uniform, inquiring, "Is there any further objection on the subject of this matter?"
A stretch of murmurs rose in the background as the officers glanced and whispered among themselves. She waited, noting both the disapproving faces and the exalted ones until the noise dimmed and finally died down, leaving a blank silence and a couple of headshakes. And then she stood up, her pale hands still resting on top of the papers, and continued, "Very well. Now please write the name of the candidate you deem the most suitable to be the chairman temporarily on the paper which has been prepared in front of you."
Rustle of papers filled the chamber as silence descended once more. Lacus returned to her seat, quietly watching her colleagues falling into their habit. Some were confident, immediately scribbling a name without any second thought, and some were thoughtful, carefully weighing each option with a frowning face. She glanced at the paper under Councilman Gardius's fingers on her right, the PLANT insignia stark against the white background, and wished that she had the right to vote. The outcome was important and in spite of her supposedly nonaligned status, there were people she would rather not see occupying the chairman's seat during such unpredictable times.
Inconspicuously, she let her gaze gravitated to each candidate. Gracia Elrich was easygoing, friendly, but some said that she desired attention too much and could not always keep her words. Hayes was kind, often blunt and slightly impatient, but as a leading figure he proved to be one of the best as he had shown in managing the National Defense Committee. Klaus Yulim was a man with a cool head and great conceptual skills, but unfortunately he lacked what others might call the power to move people. Delaware was the most senior of them all and obviously triumphed in the term of experience, but inflexibility and a quick temper were also two of the many shortcomings of his character.
They all had assets and faults respectably and under normal circumstances, it would be extremely difficult to make a firm decision. However, there were many things which affected the current situation, among them the fact that Athrun had been their leader previously. In the silence, alternately glancing at the faces around the table, she had to admit that throughout the earlier four hours of discussion, she had definitely led the meeting somewhere, hardly keeping her opinions and beliefs to herself.
It brought a wonder if truly no one had realized her intentions. After all, she was not sitting with fools. But even if they did, no one had tried to challenge her authority as a moderator.
Perhaps she had been adequately discreet.
Lacus hid a wry smile. A mediator didn't actually have any power over something like this, but she knew very well of the vast influence she held over the people. And at times – at really rare times – she was not afraid to use the knowledge. It might not have been proper, but she couldn't quite trust anyone else with the job.
There had been too many mistakes. She would not allow anyone to destroy what the four of them had built and protected with so much effort, not while it was within her powers to safeguard it.
The movement all around her seemed to have ceased after a while and Lacus motioned to her assistant who was waiting behind her. He circled the table, stopping behind each council member long enough for the neatly-folded voting papers to drop into a crystalline bowl held between his hands. One might frown in front of such rudimentary method, but it was the safest. No one would be able to tamper with a handwritten vote given before all eyes, into a transparent container no less.
It was why the debate earlier was so important.
After the assistant had finished his round, Lacus got up from her seat and said, "I will read the names observed by two witnesses. If you please, Councilman Tad Elsman and Commander Wilhelm Rosand."
She nodded at the two men and walked to the empty middle of the circular table where a screen had materialized, her aide and the two witnesses following closely behind. The name of the candidates appeared in the order of cities, with an empty space left beside each name to display the amount of voters. Lacus positioned herself next to the screen, the witnesses at each of her sides, and reached into the bowl her assistant presented in front of her.
"The first vote: Algrend Hayes," she pronounced.
"Gracia Elrich."
"Algrend Hayes."
"Councilman Hayes."
"Delaware."
"Councilwoman Elrich." Lacus glanced at the growing numbers, trepidation momentarily taking her into its firm clutches. Had she done something wrong?
"Hayes."
"Klaus Yulim."
"Archibald Delaware."
"Councilman Hayes."
"Algrend Hayes."
Lacus let out a breath she had unconsciously held, careful to keep it inaudible and the relief she had suddenly felt unheralded by her countenance, as a ripple of handclaps filled the room. The numbers displayed beside each name clearly proclaimed the outcome of the voting. Hayes had won with five votes and the councilman looked like he was about to murder someone, most probably his supporters.
Clearing her throat, she returned all attentions to her and gestured toward the screen, speaking formally, "Under the result of the voting and the authority bestowed unto me, I hereby pronounce Councilman Algrend Hayes the temporary Chairman of PLANT."
Almost reluctantly, the young councilman rose from his seat and bowed deeply to answer to another rising applause. Lacus flashed him a sympathetic smile, knowing very well what it meant to sacrifice oneself and take on duty, and continued, addressing him, "The replacement will be in effect starting from tomorrow, after the ceremony. As it has been decided, you are released from your duty and responsibilities as the head of the National Defense Committee, also temporarily. You are to choose a substitute in Maius and your successor to chair the National Defense Committee under the surveillance of the head of Administrative Committee as soon as possible."
She took a deep breath, sweeping her serene gaze across the room, and announced, "With this, I close today's meeting with an expectation that the Supreme Council still can perform well and satisfactorily in Chairman Zala's absence. May the result of the meeting fulfill our hope for a peaceful, better world."
The end of her speech was greeted by another round of applause, many – and the rest soon followed – deferentially rising from their seats. Lacus had to keep down another relieved sigh as each one of them advanced toward her either to shake hands or commend her mediating ability. Hayes. Yes, he would be perfect, better than most at least.
The last thing on her to-do list for the day was to deliver the news to a large group of reporters who had swarmed the ground floor impatiently, cameras and lights immediately flocking around her once she stepped out of the elevator. The whole affair took about fifteen minutes before she could relinquish the matter into Eileen's capable hands and make her escape toward the building's less crowded entrance with a guilty smile.
"A great job, Lacus-sama."
The cheerful voice made her turn toward the source and she smiled at the very much welcomed presence of Gracia Elrich. Her short dark hair, tinged by shades of Prussian blue, framed an amiable tanned face and a pair of pleasantly-curved lips which was all too ready to smile. A respectable, sociable woman of thirty, Gracia was shorter by almost three inches compared to Lacus, but often emanated so much spirit that one had to wonder where she had stored that much energy in her petite body. She was also among the first who could form an almost immediate friendship with her when the mediator began to perform her duty, and remained to be one of her closest friends in PLANT beside Athrun and Eileen.
"I really wish that I share your sentiment, Gracia," she sighed ruefully. "I'm just glad that it is over."
"Ah, I know what you mean," the councilwoman nodded in sympathy and fell into step next to her. "That little clash between Turras and Algrend did heat things up a little too much and for a moment I thought it would end up with a brawl."
Lacus allowed a little smile to loosen up the remaining tension in her muscles and then inquired casually, "So what do you think?"
"Algrend?" the older woman shrugged nonchalantly. "He's the guy alright. Perhaps a bit too young, but seriously we already experienced the horror of being led by a twenty-year-old kid. Not that he was unsuccessful. Athrun was a true miracle."
One of the main reasons why she liked Gracia so much, Lacus thought affectionately, was probably her absolute lack of tact sometimes. Or perhaps it was more of a complete ease than anything. She was tired of people excusing themselves for mentioning Athrun in front of her, usually followed by long, profuse apologies and even longer expression of condolences – like he was already dead. She knew that the old news still lingered and more than a few fresher gossips about her competing with Meyrin for Athrun's affection were out in the community.
They were all ridiculous. One only had to look at them closely to realize that their affections did not lie in the other. Athrun had Kira and she loved a shadow. A mere shadow.
"But boy do we have the tendency to pile the works on the youngest among us," her companion said again gleefully, pulling her out of her reverie.
"You have the equal chance of being a chairwoman," Lacus pointed out and hoped that her slightly unstable voice betrayed nothing.
"Me? You must be joking," the older woman laughed. "Besides, it has always been either National Defense or Diplomatic. The rest has virtually no hope. And with Eileen resigning, the choice is pretty obvious, don't you think?"
"I hope it doesn't look like we decided on him solely for that reason."
"I don't think so," Gracia answered with an amused glint in bright grey eyes. "But let's just admit it. We didn't choose him merely because of his leadership skill and all those heavenly qualities he undoubtedly possesses."
Lacus's smile was innocent. "We didn't?"
"Obviously. We still want Athrun. That's why we think it is the safest to have Algrend at the chairman's seat. He is positively the president of Athrun Zala's fan club."
Suppressing a laugh, she kept her face as straight as possible and reprimanded lightly, "Really, Gracia, you should not say things like that."
"The truth it is, Lacus-sama," the councilwoman winked at her. "But he is a good boy, and an excellent leader too. He'll do superbly compared to the rest of us. And I really should start to watch my tongue," she added with a grin.
The two friends crossed the entrance of the Supreme Council building into the cool, breezy night, a companionable silence between them. Lacus took in a lungful of that refreshing air as her friend spoke up again. "Do you have anything else to do this evening? There is a new Hungarian restaurant not far from here. My brother truly recommends it, especially the Goulash soup. Why don't we go together now?" And she deliberately paused, her youthful face alight with a knowing smile which immediately alerted Lacus of something very undesirable. "Unless you have a date of course."
"You know very well that there is no such thing," the mediator said, shaking her head disapprovingly.
"No date? Oh, come one, Lacus-sama, don't kid your older sister," Gracia Elrich shook her head in disbelief. "You, the most eligible bachelorette at and beyond PLANT, has no date? The world is rolling to its end."
"This is Monday night, Gracia," Lacus reminded her. "Besides, I don't have the time."
The councilwoman made a face at her. "Of all excuses, you just have to choose the most prosaic, don't you? No, I refuse to buy that. The real problem is," she waved a hand in the air accusingly, "you put up too high of a standard."
"I certainly do not," Lacus defended herself with a thin smile and quickly made a turn of conversation. "What about you then? When will I receive a wedding invitation?"
A twinkle appeared in those grey eyes and it made her heart suddenly ached. "Hopefully next year," the older woman said, her face breaking into a full grin of happiness and Lacus couldn't help but to notice the light pink glow on her tanned cheeks. "He's still complaining that I cannot possibly move out from Januarius until April. And if I am to be so unlucky to get elected again next year, he's the one who has to follow me. Not that it will be a real pain for him. I mean, to compose songs and stuff you only need your head and imagination, right? His instruments are not that heavy either." The gush of words stopped and she suddenly found herself fixed with a shrewd look. "But I seem to remember that we aren't talking about me right now."
Lacus lowered her eyes to the ground and smiled even though her facial muscles felt inexplicably stiff. "Really, Gracia, there is no such person in my life yet."
Or anymore.
Maybe her friend noticed the twinge in her voice, or it was the fleeting lapse of control to the expression on her face – or the gods simply were feeling merciful enough to her at this moment – because she then dropped the matter with a shrug. "If you say so," the councilwoman said and added a dramatic sigh at the end of her words. "Let us just go eat and forget all these political problems. I'll make sure you put some meat into those tiny bones of yours, and you will not call your chauffeur to pick you up until I'm thoroughly satisfied. Do I make myself clear?"
Lacus bit her lips, forcing a smile to quirk their edges once more. "Undeniably, Councilwoman."
No one…
Or no more.
But she understood. She knew how it felt. It had never been the matter of her standard in the first place, or a problem of finding the one person whom she could love with all her heart.
She had found him, and then lost him.
To someone she wished to be happy more than anything.
The familiar ringtone of her cell phone interrupted her reminiscing, which Lacus was immensely glad for. A message was waiting for her and she hit the 'open' button, silently praying that nothing terrible had happened.
The first line almost froze her in her steps.
I am coming to PLANT.
Her eyes suddenly blurred and the rest of the message lost its meaning to her. She stared, seeing but not comprehending, her eyes never leaving the display which glowed bright pink as her feet kept following her friend's brisk pace amidst the drably presence of other pedestrians. The words played in her mind again and again,
I am coming to PLANT.
Oh, Kira.
She inhaled a deep breath, ignoring a lump which had suddenly risen from the back of her throat. She knew, had been thinking about it unconsciously all along this week, but not until now the realization had hit her in the face full force. Repelling another wave of nausea, she held the phone close to her chest and tried not to think about a love long since passed, or a pair of amethyst eyes which she had loved and still loved until this very second. But the dark thoughts remained, breeding ominously in the backmost of her mind ever since the news of Athrun's accident had reached her ears, caressing her with its cold, tantalizing fingers.
He is finally yours.
End Chapter Eight
Notes: For those who think that I put too much emotion into my Lacus, my only reason is just that I want her to look human. She just looks so perfect in the series and I seriously begin to doubt if she is even human – Coordinator or not. Forgive me if this offends any Lacus fan.
For a while, the story will resolve around the five main characters (yes, there are five now because I find it difficult to disregard Shinn especially with the role he plays in the story) because...well, because they are the main characters. There will be chapters written from others's POV later but the focus will remain on the five. I'm sorry that I cannot fulfill every request because I already have a plot in mind and to add some things is just plain difficult if not impossible. Anyway, a good suggestion will always be appreciated very much.