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"Oi! Wait for us!"
Christophe, carrying Lutz in one arm, was bolting down the hall as the rest of the group followed Her Delcotes leading the way. At the same time, Victor and Milia debriefed as fast as they could, taking turns in their native, Colbin, tongue.
Yuri, spun around on his heel. "Shh~!" He pointed to what was transpiring behind him with a thumb over his shoulder.
Though surprised in their own way, Chris and Lutz gave a thumbs up in reply and hurried along, far quieter this time, to catch up.
"Psst, why aren't you being chased?" Yuri hissed.
"Don't matter, Katsuki," Ms. Blue whispered dryly. "Point is we aren't."
Yuri felt a little sick as he thought as to why.
Orbiting the Morja Moon was an Imperial ship. It was hardly a large one, but was state of the art nonetheless.
JJ went to take command of such a ship using the three shuttles that had landed hours ago with the captain as his hostage and a team of Morja volunteers. Meanwhile, Minami organized and debriefed teams of volunteers to man the five other, far less, impressive ships the Giacometti family had managed to purchase over the years.
Each team was led by one of Christophe's closest, trained members who could operate the crafts. Each leader was to carry out Minami's instructions and debrief on use of a weapon if the volunteer didn't know already. As for the team themselves? Essentially cannon fodder and they knew it. If they weren't going to die in a tin can with rocket fuel, they might die fighting for human lives on Albjora. The only silver lining? There was a lot of them on their Moon and they knew it was time to make a stand.
"Gotta say, Leroy," Minami talked via communicator. "I would understand why ya would want to get back at them for being thrown under the -oi, guns go over there- sorry, but to go as far as protecting Albjora? Why do you suddenly care?"
JJ pressed on his ear bud as the shuttle carried them by autopilot towards the ship. "Naw, I get it. What happened to me months ago was me on the wrong side. Today, I feel I'm on the right side."
"Cocky to the end, aren't we? This is pretty much a suicide mission."
They both knew it though. The ex-Viletto would do anything to be reinstated. A Noble he was to the end, just a little humbled this time around.
"If the staff on the Imperial ship are anything like the idiots we faced today so far we will be fine."
"Ha, I imagine the brass throwing ya away didn't do well for the Colbran militia."
"Nope. But of course I'm not the only cog in the machine."
"Yeah well-" Minami's voice faded as he clearly turned to speak to others. "Oi! Get a move on! Er, Sorry about that, Jean-Jacques…anyway, I imagine we also will be facin' more of these 'cogs' today."
"JJ, is fine. And we can only hope not any time soon. We are far from prepared…"
Victor and Otabek threw open the south doors to let Her Declotes stride in with grace as Yuri and his comrades filed behind her into the Throne room.
"Guards! Where is Delca Yakov!" She demanded.
The Colbrans at their posts stood up all the straighter and one stepped forward. "I believe he is-"
She looked over her left shoulder. "You believe or know?" She asked as her eyes glowed a purple hue. "I will not be sent on a wild chase."
They bowed slightly from their waist. "I-I can fetch him for you, M-Ma'am."
She swiped an arm through the air. "No time! Any of you. Tell me this instant before I ransack your brain into scrambled eggs."
It was not a secret to anyone with awareness the Royal line was the Royal line for a reason. Lillia Baranovskaya was gifted with a wicked, psychological power. It wasn't ESP, but you'd become a vegetable quick if you made her angry enough.
Another Guard stepped forward. "He is in the Council room, Ma'am."
She looked over her right shoulder towards the other Guard. "Are you certain."
"That was the last I was told, Ma'am."
The two Guards before the East, West entrances all stepped forward at once, drawing their swords, four in all.
"What is the meaning of this?" Her Declotes asked.
One shook his head. "Nothing, Ma'am. But there's an Unwanted here."
"And those two are wanted criminals," another added.
"Is it wise to let humans and an Unwanted to the Council room?"
"They are integral witnesses!" Victor shouted, stepping in front of Yuri. "More importantly, they pose no threat to you so be silent!"
"Yeah! We have no time to argue with every Guard we meet along the way!" Christophe added.
"Enough!" Lillia warned before she faced the Guard of the West door. "Step aside. Urgency requires exception!"
Fortunately, the group had no more hassles with Her Declotes leading the way; soon the doors to the Council room were also thrown open in haste.
"Delca Ya-!"
Lilia froze and hustled in with the others behind her.
The Council room was empty.
Yuuko started to shake her head. "You don't suppose…?"
Lutz nodded. "I have a bad feeling…"
Otabek, who had remained silent and composed, rushed forward to grab a remote and turn on a large flat screen mounted on a wall to everyone's left.
"Citizens of our mighty race. This is Delca Yakov. The other day a Motion was passed to…"
Her Declotes' composure frayed further into rage as well as the tempers of everyone.
"W-What?! Already?" Mila blurted.
"That was not for him to decide!" Lillia exclaimed. "The Motion may have passed but I didn't approve for any ships to leave!"
'Surely he has just condemned himself.' Yuri thought excitedly. 'If we can catch him…' Katsuki glanced at Victor whose eyes didn't stray from the screen.
"Dammit!" Christophe's cry echoed. "And we can't tell where he is with that screen behind him."
"The human's have done enough harm…" The Delca continued.
Axel and Yuuko appeared ready to cry.
"We will be just. Our leniency has come to an end. It is time remember our dignity."
"Dignity?!" Phichit kicked a chair over. "Coward!
Yuri took Victor's arm. 'What now?'
Victor was still looking at the screen while taking Yuri's hand. "We don't know if he is leading the siege in space as we speak or at-" Golden-blue eyes widened before he turned on his heal. "Broadcast! Declotes Lillia, I think this will be the next action to take. We need to overturn this message!"
"Can we? The Delca might have thought of that too," Mila reminded. "What if this just a recording? What if the broadcast tower suddenly 'malfunctioning'?"
Chris shook his head. "We are just goin' to have to take that chance."
"Couldn't they claim to not have received it in time?" Phichit scoffed as a devil's advocate.
"Ignorance of the law still makes you guilty." Lillia turned to the right. "Come with me."
"This is ship two, Hurricane. All systems ready? Report. Over," Minami requested.
"Ship three, Ruby. All set."
"Four, Terrace. Ready."
"Five. Comet. Ready."
"Six. Blades. All set."
Minami flipped a switch. "All right. Remember guys, our mission is a risky one. We are here to barricade should ships from the Colbran surface come to Albjora. We will unload onto the surface should we have to and arm humans with our cache. We're knockin' on hell's door so expect to give one in return."
"ROGER!"
Minami flipped the switch back and pressed a button. "Ship one, we are good to go, JJ. You?"
"Motivating speech," Leroy replied over their open channel. "I hope we don't have to fight on that Moon's surface. It will be chaos and I highly doubt human's will trust the likes of me."
"Yeah well, we're all a reapin' what we sowed today."
"…Quite astute, of you. Let's get to work."
"Yes, Sir."
"Halt! State your business."
Two individuals, dressed in Guardsman attire approached the gate to the Crimson Incarceration, located in the outskirts of the city, the very opposite direction of the news station.
Nevertheless, one had a giant sword on their back, the other a bow in hand and an eye patch.
The blonde pulled a chain forward. "We have a prisoner. Let us in."
Yuuko kept her head low as her knees shook.
A bored individual pressed a button. "Very well."
The gate opened. The three walked in.
"Oh." The blonde halted in his tracks turned around to hand the stationed personnel a document. "And this is for ya -er- I mean your, boss. Sees that he gets it."
"Th-This is the royal crest. How isn't a General presenting this?!"
"Busy. If you don't want an arrow between the eyes for the delay, I'd hop to it."
"R-Right away."
The personnel with the letter changed spots with a quick replacement to deliver the message.
"Psst, do you think that's all this will take?" Lutz whispered behind her hand as the three of them walked forward to continue the charade. "Breaking this many out of prison all of the sudden might cause a panic."
"We need a news worthy distraction to get the brass to sweat, but I get what you mean," Chris whispered before he eyed the frightened Yuuko behind him with a frown.
'And it better work.' He looked back ahead with a grimace.
Victor checked the time. "One o'clock. They should be in."
"Just the three of them are going to be enough?" Yuri asked from the back seat of the borrowed car.
The royal flags on either side of the hood waved as Victor thought pensively for a few moments. "I hope so, but…I don't think Her Declotes meant for Yuuko to pretend to be a prisoner. I was surprised she volunteered. I've never seen Chris become pale like that."
"I guess she really wanted to sell their act, or reason for being there…" Yuri's voice trailed off.
Silence fell between them as the wind started to pick up again.
Yuri looked out the window. "What a blustery day…"
"Really, the weather?" Victor teased.
Yuri shrugged. "Not gonna lie," he sighed, "I wish we had our role to play." Yuri looked at the handgun beside him. "More like I do."
Victor turned around in his seat. "Your role is to stay alive. Honestly..." Nikiforov shook his head, "I didn't teach you how to shoot so you'd go in like a…what's that western thing…?"
"Er, a cowboy?"
Nikiforov snapped his fingers. "Yes. I'd be a bad coach if all I wanted you to think about is the action and no thinking."
Yuri sighed, but he figured Victor was right. "How do you think Phichit, Axel and Mila are doing at the news station?"
Victor strummed the car wheel. "I imagine they're fine. I honestly don't think we have to worry about them getting access. My concern would be if the Delca is actually going to listen."
"Do you think you should be there too?"
Victor eyed the back view mirror, indirectly at Yuri. "No I don't."
Yuri kept looking out the window. "I see…Victor..."
"Hmm?"
"Have you always suspected the Delca?"
Victor shook his head. "No. Honestly, I don't think really anyone did. His distaste for human kind was always known, but I didn't think he'd be this insane to convince so many and abuse his power."
"I see…" Yuri propped his head with his hand. "Victor…what did you mean by 'family reunions'?"
"Later," Victor clipped, "that's what I meant and still do."
"She's related to you isn't she?" Yuri pressed any way.
Victor leaned forward to rest his forehead on the steering wheel. "Yu~ri… I really don't want to get into it."
"Yes or no. Not a hard question."
"It's a matter of me recognizing the facts or not so, yes, it is a hard question."
"Bad blood?"
Victor lifted his head. "The worst."
"It's because you're a half, isn't it?"
Nikiforov scratched his ear. "Anybody can glean that I suppose."
Katsuki's shoulders slowly fell. "I see…now I really feel like a dick for giving you a hard time…" Yuri muttered. "That and I really feel useless…"
Victor turned back around. "Uselessness leads to hopelessness," Victor reached for Yuri's hand, "I can't have you feeling like this, all right?"
Be brave. Yuri could see the request nearly pleading behind those dual eyes.
Victor took Yuri's hand and kiss the back of it. "When this is over, the road ahead to order will be a long one."
Yuri looked at the right ring finger Victor had pecked. "Y-Yeah…it will be…" He looked into Victor's eyes again.
"Just stay close, all right, Yuri?" Victor squeezed Yuri's hand. "It's the most important role you can do for me right now."
Yuri rubbed his lips together but nodded. "Okay."
Soon a muted cry could be heard past the car windows. It came from the prison.
"Look at them, they are coming out in droves!" Yuri looked closer.
"Good. Chris and the others should be packing this way shortly. With the others free they could attest to the injustice as well."
Then a chill ran down Yuri's back.
"V-Victor…why don't they look happy?"
Nikiforov's brow furrowed. "I don't know. The letter with their instructions should've been clear- get down!"
The back window glass shattered.
"AH!"
A bullet struck Katuski's shoulder.
"Yuri!"
Victor whipped back around and drove the car as the hazing continued to threaten them and their get away.
Low as he could be, slouching against the opposite car door, away from the broken glass window, Yuri gripped his upper arm.
Digital billboard size screens all over the city which were used to broadcast the Delca's message now flickered back on while the prison break spiraled out of control.
"Citizens of the Colbran, I beseech you to listen! I repeat, I beseech you to listen! Do not be alarmed."
All though it was Her face on the news, barely anyone listened. The damage was done; the betrayal was there. Everyone was furious.
"Citizens, we have been deceived! All ships sent to Albjora are to be returned to the surface immediately! I order the government officials and Delca Yakov to report to the Council room immediately and withdraw all ships!"
Forced to flee, Victor left Chris and the others behind as he drove off to get Yuri to a hospital.
"Sir, the Colbran ships are approaching!"
"Hold your positions!" JJ commanded. "No one fire!"
Four Imperial space ships were heading their way. There was no competition.
"Hold on, Yuri!"
'Blood...so much...'
Pain and shock. He felt dizzy, sick, as small shards of glass also littered across his thigh and forearm. Yuri still didn't have a seatbelt on so he felt himself barely able to keep his body on the seat as Victor sped on.
"Christophe and the others will be fine! Don't panic on me, Yuri!"
Yuri's vision had long begun to blur as Victor's shouting seemingly transitioned to a voice that was not his.
'Yuri, run!' His memory replayed...
The world was spinning and his body shifted hard against the car door when Victor made a turn.
…the worst moment of his life.
'Protect Yuuko!' A woman shouted.
Yuri felt world close in, darker and darker as his memory mercilessly replayed what he wanted to forget.
A panicked, younger Yuri sprinted down the street just as Colbran soldiers turned the corner.
"Yuri! Stay awake please!" Victor begged.
'Mom! Dad!'
The human had passed out.
Thank you for your support! :D
