"Why would the bastards want Sister Esther and the space boy?" Leon placed his hands behind his head as he stood and stretched his body with a loud groan. He cocked an eyebrow at Abel.
Abel shrugged his shoulders in response. Based off his experience, Esther did not have any special powers. She could be quiet influential and stubborn in her beliefs at times, but that was it. The priest seemed to be always rescuing her from dangerous situations.
He turned his head and glanced outside the window to see Ryoko examining the rose bushes outside, which was a failed attempt to calm her nerves. "Ryoko said Dietrich was planning to use Tenchi for a greater purpose…" Abel knew that comment was replaying in the space pirate's head over and over – Dietrich had that effect on people.
Hugue brushed his perfect blond hair away from his eyes, "And what exactly can Tenchi be used for? What skills does the boy have?"
Again Abel shrugged, "We would have to ask her that." But the priest already knew he would have to be the one to ask her. She seemed to only trust him. He turned his head away from the window, "What did you three find out?"
"There have been rumors about the resurrection of the Rosenkreuz Orden," Leon grumbled under his breath. None of them liked the idea of this. "There have also been other rumors about Isaak…" he could see the blood drain from Abel's face. The convicted AX member briefly glanced down at the trinket hanging from his neck. "We tracked down a Methuselah with an extensive record against the Vatican and tried to make him talk-"
"It led us to even more rumors," interrupted Hugue. "Guderian…Susanna von Skorzeny…" he let his voice trail off when Abel began to frown. "They are all returning Father Nightroad-we need to tell Caterina..."
Abel turned away to look outside again, but this time to admire the beautiful rose garden Esther began growing before she became queen. The heavy lines etched on his forehead faded as he relaxed his facial features and let a long sigh out. "I will tell her myself," the humble priest could feel his heart grow heavy.
Ryoko paused to stare up at the stars hoping she would spot something familiar. To the space pirate's disappointment, all of the stars looked foreign. No Jurai star system…How the hell am I supposed to get home if none of planets exist?
She resumed floating back and forth in the courtyard. The space pirate hated it when she was having trouble sleeping.
It was obvious to Ryoko that the red-haired queen used to be part of the AX group at the Vatican after seeing everyone's determined looks to get her back from the vampire extremists. But she knew that Esther was most important to Abel; the emptiness in his blue eyes revealed his true feelings for her.
Ryoko was just as worried for Tenchi but she knew that stressing over what she did wrong wouldn't help the situation. The clumsy boy has been captured so many times Ryoko now thought of him as a damsel in distress and her as his shining knight in armor. She smiled faintly as she thought about the relieved expression on his face every time she came to his rescue. I'll come save you Tenchi-don't you worry about that.
A twig snapped to the far left. In a blink of an eye, Ryoko had her energy beam sword in her hands and pointed in the direction of the noise. She narrowed her yellow eyes at the intruder.
A young boy, dressed in a long white night gown stood before her shivering from head to toe. "P-p-p-lease don't h-h-urt m-me," he begged as he took one step back and his eyes were wide with fear.
The cyan-haired space pirate relaxed, this was the young pope Abel had told her about. She raised an eyebrow at the boy, "What are you doing up so late?" Ryoko made her sword disappear and she knelt down to be at his eye level.
Ryoko couldn't understand how a wimpy child like Alessandro XVIII became pope; the child nearly burst out into tears when he heard about Esther being abducted.
"I-I couldn't sleep," he whispered in a shaky voice. "I s-s-ometimes come out here to look at the stars when I can't sleep…" The young pope refused to make direct eye-contact with Ryoko as if he was still afraid she would kill him.
Ryoko smiled at him to ease his mind, "Yes this is a good spot to see the stars…"
Abel knocked on the door to Ryoko's new room carrying a tray full of hot tea and biscuits. He waited for several minutes of silence before he opened the door and poked his head inside. "Ryoko? I brought you some…snacks," he frowned when he realized that the room was empty. Where did she go?
The priest pocketed two biscuits and set the tea on Ryoko's nightstand. Going out on a hunch he headed towards the courtyard. He would go there from time to time to clear his mind by simply looking up at the twinkling stars in the pitch black sky.
Wondering around the courtyard, Abel finally spotted the space pirate sitting down on a stone bench with someone resting their head on her lap. He stopped for a moment. Ryoko was stroking Alessandro's hair softly, looking down at him with her yellow eyes and a soft smile present on her lips. For a brief second it appeared like Ryoko was content with the world.
She lifted her head to find Abel staring at her with fascination. He reminded her so much of Hotsuma, at least appearance-wise. At the same time he had Tenchi's clumsy and humble personality. Maybe that was why Ryoko let him be so close…to call her a friend.
He quietly approached her, hoping not to wake the sleeping pope. The priest made eye contact with her briefly to see her soft yellow eyes watching him with concern. "We are ordered to wait for now," he whispered.
The space pirate frowned, "Wait while that sick fuck is tormenting our friends?" she hissed quietly back. Ryoko opened her mouth to say more but stopped when she noticed how much her words had stung him.
"Abel-" Ryoko fell silent when a dark shadow was suddenly cast over them. Glancing up, she could no longer see the sparkling stars in the night sky– an unknown airship floated high above the Vatican City. "Is that one of yours?" she was carefully watching the priest's actions.
"No..." Abel slowly reached for his hidden pistol.
"I thought so," Ryoko sighed.
"Sir, we are in position above the Vatican," the vampire loosened his shirt collar as he awaited orders to be relayed from the communication device.
A smooth and pleasant voice flowed out of the speakers, "Good. I want you to take a few hits from the Iron Maiden first."
"Sir...?" the vampire glanced around at his companions on the airship to see their uneasy expressions. He glared at the three unfamiliar faces on his ship; the smile on the young man's face sent shivers down the vampire's spine.
"Better listen to him," Dietrich grinned while he twirled a piece of Esther's red hair in his fingers. Her eyes were dull and black as coal – she was his puppet now. "Are you ready to see your dear friends Esther?" he whispered sweetly in her ear.
Below the airship, the alarm in the Vatican had been sounded.
The pope immediately shot up from Ryoko's lap with all the color drained from his face. "W-what is going-on?" he looked up to Abel and Ryoko for guidance.
"We need to get his holiness to safety," the grey-haired priest yelled over the screeching sounds of the alarm. "The Iron Maiden will take care of the ship!" Abel barked at Ryoko when she was poised ready to attack.
Muttering under her breath, Ryoko grabbed the pope by the arm and followed Abel out of the courtyard. It's Ayeka's job to protect everyone...
Running back inside the Vatican, Ryoko realized that Alessandro wasn't going to be able to keep up with them. She grabbed his shirt collar and made him wrap his arms around her neck while they teleported to catch up to Abel. "Don't puke on me now," the space pirate growled after their first teleportation.
Swallowing loudly, Alessando nervously nodded and closed his eyes before Ryoko teleported again.
The Vatican was in a panicked-state. Priests and nuns were running around the hallways carrying whatever belongings they could get their hands on. AX members began directing the humans to the nearest escape routes.
"Alessando!" Caterina came rushing over to Ryoko and Abel. Relief flashed over her face as she took her younger brother from Ryoko's arms. "I'm so glad you are safe," she hugged him tightly.
"You must get out of here," Abel ushered the siblings toward Vaclav for protection.
"Abel-" Cardinal Caterina was about to argue with him but then noticed his determined and serious expression. "We can't find Gunslinger…"
"We'll meet you soon," he yelled to them as he signaled Ryoko to follow him down the hallway in the opposite direction. "We have to make sure everyone has evacuated the Vatican and find Father Tres," Abel picked up his speed.
The Iron Maiden, the only battleship for the Vatican, was finally within range of the enemy airship. "Take them down!" Kate ordered at the top of her lungs.
Three of the four shots fired struck the airship and caused moderate damage.
"Return their fire Dietrich," purred the smooth voice over the communication device.
Obeying, Dietrich invaded Esther's subconscious mind to activate the hidden power within her. Her dull, lifeless eyes started to glow blue once the star's power was awakened. "Play with them Esther…" the beautiful man whispered in a pleased voice, "Let's show them your true power."
Without warning, a large blue beam shot from the airship and struck the Iron Maiden.
"What the hell is that?" Sister Kate yelled as she assessed the damage done to her ship. "Fire back!"
Dietrich and Esther turned their attention to the Vatican City and began to fire. "Time to watch this city burn," chuckled Dietrich. A lone tear slid from the corner of Esther's eye.