Chapter Four: Time
Lunar airfield
Commander Yzak Joule patiently waited for his delayed jet. He's been in the waiting area for 2 hours now, have seen several people went on in their flight and is starting to get irritated. He stood up immediately to walk towards the information area when someone bumped on hi his leg. He looks down to find a young boy looking up at him with his large green eyes and straight black hair tied to the back.
"Sorry, sir…" The young boy smiled shyly. "But are you a Zaft mobile suit pilot, sir?"
Yzak raised an eyebrow and then smiled at the curiosity and the guts that the young boy showed. He kneeled down and nods. "As a matter of fact, I am."
"Wow! I would like to be a Zaft or an Orb mobile suit pilot!" The young boy grinned happily.
Yzak is bothered at the familiar looks of the young boy. "Are you all alone?" Yzak asked as the boy kept on staring at him admiringly.
"Yes, yes. Mama said I'm a big boy...so I don't have to travel with someone." The little boy answered happily. He took his large ID and showed the man. "See? See? This is called an Identification Card. The pretty girl gave it to me..." He looks about. "I'm confused... There are a lot of pretty girls looking the same in the airfield... Same clothes…same hair…" He looks back at Yzak.
Yzak observed the ID and saw the name: ZALA, SHAWN ATTHA; 3 yrs old; Orb Citizen. He looks up. "Shawn Zala? You're Athrun's son?"
Shawn grins and nods. "Boy, mister! You're the only one who called papa by his first name... You should know him a lot... No one calls him Athrun around here." He swings his little black bag side to side as he continues to look at the Zaft soldier.
Yzak grins back. He kind of likes the boy but for some reason, he reminds him not of Athrun or Cagalli at all. "I know your father..."
"I thought so! You know...people kept on calling papa, chairman... Is papa's complete name Chairman Athrun Zala? Chairman sounds weird..." Shawn's little brows furrowed in cute confusion as he placed his index finger on his mouth.
"Flight FE-154 heading for Orb is Boarding... Please step up to the gate. We apologize for the delay and thank you for bearing with us."
"WAH! That's my flight!" Little Shawn jumps up, his long raven hair flowing behind him. "My flight! I'll be home in hours! I will see papa and mama and auntie and uncle!" He hurried towards the gate.
Yzak also took his suitcase and headed for the gate.
Shawn looked back and saw the Zaft pilot. "WaH! We're in the same flight! Yehey!" He took Yzak's hand and pulled him towards the gate. "I won't be bored. I'm with a Zaft soldier!" He beamed as they passed by a flight attendant.
As they seated themselves in their seats, Yzak sighed. He doesn't really want to spend a peaceful flight with a loud boy beside him.
"You know? Uncle Andrew told me the Zaft military Infiltration Unit is one of the best...in fact, they're in the top 3." Shawn beamed. "I can see you're one of them... Your suitcase indicates it..." He pointed out.
Yzak was impressed. He is not that knowledgeable about kids but this young one intrigues him. "Would you mind answering why you are in the lunar base?"
"Oh! My auntie is a great GUNDAM pilot, you know. Also! She's a part of the Orb Infiltration Unit. Cool, huh?" Shawn answered excitedly. "I was visiting her but she's on her way to a mission. We'll be meeting as soon as I arrive."
Yzak's heart jumped at the possibility. Could he be referring to Xeth? He coughed a bit. "Is that so? Who is this GUNDAM pilot auntie of yours then? Maybe I know her..."
"Major Xeth Cobalt." Shawn took out a small book from his bag and showed a certain page to the man beside him.
Yzak looked at the picture in the book. There is a woman carrying a younger version of the boy beside her. She cut off her hair... The hair he loves to touch and smooth once upon a time. He also noticed the resemblance of the boy's features to Xeth. Shawn couldn't be Athrun's son...or Cagalli's... He stared for a long time until the boy took his attention.
"Hey mister... You didn't tell me your name." Shawn took the book and waited for an answer.
"Well...um...I'm Commander Yzak Joule of the Zaft Ship, Sovereign." Yzak answered discreetly.
"WOW!" Shawn immediately sat up. "It's an honor to meet you, sir!" He shouted in all delight. "My auntie told me so much of your adventures and stories of the war of Junius 7... And how you rescued her and saved her life. You're a hero!"
He means...Xeth? Why would Xeth tell a child about...me? Yzak smiled at the overly active boy and at the thought that Xeth still thinks of him. "Well, that's flattering..." Yzak chuckled. For the rest of the flight, he wasn't able to sleep at all. Shawn seems to be one of those kids who can go through a 2-hour trip without sleeping – totally over active. He admires that in a young boy – it reminds him of his childhood and how impatient he was. Maybe this is how a child is… He thought. In his two years of marriage it seems impossible for his wife to bear a child. He blamed himself for that too. He looks at the young boy who is still talking.
"When I first saw the GUNDAM, I was like…WOW! And then, Wooow…it's big, papa… It's big! Auntie Jesse went down and gave me a miniature version of Tempo. And then auntie went down. I love Auntie Xeth… She's so cool… She's always there even when papa and mama are busy… She's like an angel… Everytime I cry, she's there…"
Yzak wanted to laugh. An angel, huh? Yeah…she was my angel… He thought sadly. He never got to think about Xeth by the time he got married. It was all political. He tried to find a way to talk with her but he found out then that she left for the Refugee Camp of the moon colony. What we had should never have ended… He looked at the child once again. Shawn's hers… There is no mistake about it. Those green eyes are proof of that. That means some idiot left her…
"WAAAH! We're here, we're here!"
The shout took his attention. Shawn scampered towards the window beside him. "I wanna see," he said to him. Yzak took him by the armpits and placed him on his lap. "Here you go." He smiled. As they both looked at the Orb Airfield, a nice feeling rushed to him. This must be how a father feels… He thought to himself as Shawn kept on pointing at the landmarks and explaining them to him.
Cagalli closed her phone as she saw Shawn running towards her. But then, when the boy is closer, she saw that he's holding onto someone's hand. Cagalli looks up and her eyes grew. Yzak Joule?! She looked about for someone else.
"Mama!" Shawn dragged the Zaft pilot with him.
Cagalli, hugged by the young boy, forced a laugh. She bends down and kissed Shawn. "How's your flight?"
"GREAT! I met this man! He's Commander Yzak Joule of the Zaft Army!" Shawn shouted excitedly.
Cagalli then stood up and looked at Yzak. "Yzak." She reached out to shake his hand. "It's been a while…" She could see that Yzak knows Shawn's not hers.
Yzak nods and smiled. "Fine, Mrs. Zala…" He answered but was surprised when someone patted his back. "Athrun!"
"Yzak! I never thought you'd be here! Haha! What a reunion." Athrun said with a big smile. "So? How's married life?"
Pretty bad… Yzak wanted to say. "Great…I guess…" He fixed himself. "I took the flight with your son."
Athrun took Shawn in his arms. "Heh! Did he annoy you, Yzak?"
"I didn't, papa!" Shawn pouted but was smiling again. "He listened to everything I said!"
Athrun laughed at this. "Really!? Well, he's your Uncle Yzak after all…"
"Put me down, papa! Put me down!" Shawn shouted as he saw something from afar. Athrun let him go. He went running towards another gate. "Auntie! Auntie! It's me!"
Xeth smiled at the sight of her son. "No way! Is it you?" She asked jokingly as she kneels down in front of the boy.
"Yes, yes! It's me!" Shawn answered with all the excitement.
"But my little Shawn is this high…" Xeth indicated a shorter height. "You can't be my little Shawn…"
"But it's me! I grew up! I'm taller! I'm Shawn…your little Shawn!" Shawn laughed as he hugs his most loved auntie. "It's me, it's me!"
Xeth carried the boy with her and walked towards Athrun and Cagalli who seem to be talking with someone. As she came closer, her eyes saw silver. Oh no… She stopped as the man her cousin is talking to turned to face her.
Yzak wanted to smile but at that moment when their eyes met, he didn't know what to do. He just stared at her. Slowly, his eyes traveled to Shawn. There is no mistake that Shawn's hers… He suddenly felt a pang of pain in his heart. That should have been mine… He said to himself as he stared at them. A woman he loves and a son to carry on his name.
Athrun sensed the tension. "Well then…" He turned to Xeth. "How are the moon colonies so far, Xeth?"
Xeth was taken away from the memories she was reminiscing. "Oh! Well… I have the reports here…" She motioned towards her suitcase. "So far, everything's going smoothly." She forced a smile.
"Great!" Athrun then turned towards Yzak. "Where are you staying?"
"Well…the 56th Division requested for training… So I am expecting them to be here any minute now." Yzak answered.
"I never thought you're the one they chose!" Athrun laughed. "Those wisecracks are lousy in every way… Expect a lot of shouting and disciplining, Yzak… I've been there…" A soldier walked towards him and informed him that their car is waiting outside. Athrun looks at his family and then at Yzak. "I will try talking to Commander Jyren if he could let you stay with us in the mansion… Unless you'd rather be in the hotel, of course…"
Yzak smiled. "We'll see, Athrun. First, I have to check the division. I might need extra help judging at how you described them… But let's play it by ear." He waved. Athrun went on followed by Cagalli. Xeth passed by him carrying Shawn in her arms. "It's nice to see you again, Xeth…" He said in a hushed tone. Xeth didn't even look at him.
"Bye, bye…commander!" Shawn gave him a salute. "See you around! Let's play when we meet again! I'll teach you how to play AUTORACE 4! It'll be fun! Bye, bye!"
Yzak waved at the boy. He sighed. Xeth…
To be Continued...
