Disclaimer: I own nothing except my three (four if you count dead people) OCs, whose backgrounds are heavily influenced by Sylvia Engdahl's novel Enchantress from the Stars. Anything you recognize is from the Trinity Blood manga, by Kiyo Kyujyo, or the novels, by Sunao Yoshida.

Chapter 11

Complete mayhem was an accurate description of Carthage Airport's control tower. It was chaos, even. After all, it wasn't everyday that a veritable army came and moved to land there, never mind a Vatican army during a well publicized diplomatic visit from one of the Vatican's most powerful members, Cardinal Sforza.

The poor man who had been given the task of directing the giant, cross-emblazoned airships shouted into the microphone. "Attention aerial infiltration forces! Your course is erratic! We cannot grant you landing clearance. Abort landing procedures immediately and standby in holding pattern." He was sweating heavily, but his voice was strong. "I repeat. Abort landing-"

"I refuse."

"What?" So much for a strong voice. The man's confusion was evident, so the person who was apparently directing the ships, also male, elaborated. "This is a holy matter," he said dramatically. "Vatican Secretary of the Doctrine of the Holy Faith, Director of the Department of Inquisition Brother Petros is charged with the duty of investigating the attack on Cardinal Sforza and all related breaches of Vatican security."

"Brother Petros also enjoys talking about himself in third person," someone in the back of the control tower room muttered, but no one laughed. They were listening to the brother. "-override your command by Article Four of Canon Law. But before that …pray remove all other aerial vehicles from my landing space. Therefore get out of my way! Or I will remove you personally! That is all."

"The Department of Inquisition?!" Caterina was furious. This wasn't an unusual state for her, as being a cardinal and a duchess made it necessary for her to deal with all sorts of infuriatingly incompetent people on a daily basis. But usually she hid her feelings better, and didn't slam her teacup into the saucer. And never was her fury accompanied by fear. "Of all the days." she said, more to herself than Tres who stood in the corner holding her hat, or Syeira who stood at attention in front of her. Caterina placed her head in her hands and muttered, "It's the height of inconvenience. The Department of Inquisition…" Here her fear began to show, as she bit an immaculate nail. Syeira didn't need telepathy to know her superior was worried about the danger they presented. Though she had never encountered a member of the Inquisition, they had been described to her as "a military force that has viciously exterminated all perceived threats to the Vatican, known colloquially as 'the fangs of the Church'".

To Syeira, it felt wrong to see Caterina in such a state. Though the cardinal shared no physical resemblance with her Society superior, Kebibi Kim'bar, both had a core of steel, and it was disturbing to see that steel bend. So she spoke. "Father Tres, you have faced the Inquisition many times, haven't you?" The cyborg did not answer, and Caterina seemed saddened, rather than reassured. Her next words told Syeira that had been exactly the wrong thing to say. "We all belong to the same Vatican. My brother and I…rather, the Inquisition and the AX have not settled this internal feud. If their soldiers run amok in Carthage city proper the public's trust in the Vatican will sink to irreparable lows." Caterina coughed, and Tres was immediately at her side. He queried as to her health and made mention of Sister Kate, but Caterina brushed him off. He knelt by her side, a rock to support her. As expected, when she mentioned the difficult position they were in, he had already calculated probabilities and prepared for them. Smiling for what felt like the first time in weeks, she said, "I'm counting on you." Though Caterina's facial expression and words were pleasant, unpleasant thoughts continued to run through her head. The Department of Inquisition will use any means at their disposal to exterminate the vampires, she thought. Any vampire. Even an ambassador, a messenger from the vampire's "Empire". To distract herself, she looked at her kneeling servant, reaching a hand out to touch his face. "Your eyes…" she said softly, "Are damaged are they not Father Tres? Are you well?" The chance for diplomacy will not come again. "It looks painful."

"Negative." He spoke for the first time since entering the room. "I am a machine. I know no pain." Saying this, he withdrew a pair of sunglasses from his voluminous robes and put them on, as if to spare her the sight. She smiled slightly at the gesture, and murmured, "I see." But still her thoughts were on the attack last night. The smile faded from her face. As long as I live they will not thwart me, Caterina silently swore.

She was drawn from her musing by the sound of a door opening. "Sister Stone, where do you think you're going?"

"Ummm…" Syeira couldn't find the words to explain that she'd been uncomfortable witnessing such a tender scene between a woman of steel and a man who claimed to be incapable of emotion. It was probably just as well. Caterina's voice was no longer soft. "Return here immediately. Our conversation was not finished."

"Your Grace, I have explained my actions last night."

"Not to my satisfaction. Pray tell your tale once more."

"I knew that Your Grace was waiting for an emissary from the Empire, and had surmised from a conversation with Father Nightroad that Borromini was working with the Rosenkreuz Orden. As I understand it, the Orden works to create chaos, especially by escalating tensions between Terrans and Methuselah. Thus when Borromini was killed, it seemed to me that his killer was not after you, as Tres believed, but wanted to stop us from interrogating him as well as make us immediately hostile to the messenger from the Empire. So I came immediately to your chambers and warned the messenger before he could be killed."

"How did you know the vampire that confronted me was the messenger? Our conversation was too quiet to be heard." Caterina's grey eyes were steely. She was picking at the flaws in Syeira's story, tearing it apart. Syeira gulped. It wasn't as if she could tell this Youngling she had preformed an illegal mind dive on the Ifrit and learned his plan. "I recognized the messenger. It was Ion Fortuna, Earl of Memphis and Keeper of the Empress's Sword. He is the grandson of the Duchess of Moldova, Mirka Fortuna, who holds several other titles. The Fortunas are known for being fanatically loyal to the Empress, and it makes sense that Ion would be chosen as the messenger."

"Hmm. Tell me, how did you arrive in my chambers as fast as you did?"

"Didn't you name me Demon for my strength and speed?"

"Your point is noted, as is your impertinence, Lili Stone. I am done with you now, but at some point in the future I would like to know the truth." Syeira blushed. Her story had been concocted on the spot, and she should have known a woman as sharp as Caterina would see through it. She nodded her head. "Good," said Caterina. "Now, your next assignment has been changed. Instead of investigating Borromini with Sister Esther you will be searching for the Imperial messenger with Father Nightroad. He and Sister Esther are already out looking for his location, as well as examining Borromini's possessions. Once you meet up with them, direct Sister Esther back here and tell her to bring the possessions of the late doctor. She will be assigned a new partner to finish the case."

"Yes, Your Grace."

"You are dismissed, Demon." Carry out your duty well, for you are suspicious and the second you are no longer useful you will be terminated.

Eleven, twelve, thirteen…Esther counted in her head the number of sugar cubes Father Nightroad had added to his tea. How he managed to do this while using binoculars and munching on a donut was beyond her. Speaking of which, why add thirteen sugars to your tea if you have a donut, or vice versa? Esther shook her head in an exasperated manner. What was Father, a poster child for diabetes? Well, enough of that. If he wasn't going to concentrate on work, then she'd have to. "Father?"

"Mwes?" he said around the donut. "How about one thing at a time, okay? Working, then eating, then putting sugar in your tea?" Esther was starting to get annoyed. He was still looking through the binoculars. "Hey! Father! Will you please just pretend you're paying attention to what I'm saying?"

"Miss Esther, what are you talking about? I hang onto your every word!" Abel said in a hurt tone, finally turning to look at her and removing the donut from his mouth. "If that's so, why don't you tell me why you're here and not Lili? She's my partner for this case," Esther retorted, crossing her arms. "Don't you like me anymore, Miss Esther?" Esther sighed. Abel was giving her his patented puppy dog look. "Please Father, just answer the question."

"Alright. I'm here to help you find information on Borromini while Lili is talking to Miss Caterina about what happened last night. I saw her before she left to meet Miss Caterina and she gave me all the information she had."

"Well, what is it?"

"No need to be so impatient Miss Esther! According to the check found with his belongings the company Borromini worked for is called 'Ba'al Marine Transportation'. It's in that building over there," he gestured in the same direction he'd been looking in with the binoculars. "It appears to be one of the Empire's dummy corporations. There are many of them in the free city of Carthage." Esther immediately thought, that's the Ifrit's hideout! Thinking about the Ifrit made her think about the injuries Father Tres had sustained protecting her, and she asked Abel, "Father Tres's eyes…will they get better?" Abel pulled out a piece of paper as he answered. "Oh? He'll be alright. He's as tough as he looks and more so. Besides, he has excellent hearing." Abel was now unfolding the paper, and it was beginning to look like "A map, Father?"

"Yes, one of the underground waterways." Abel would have continued, but at that moment Syeira arrived in a swish of skirts. "Abel! Esther! I didn't keep you waiting long, did I?"

"No," they both answered. Syeira was relieved. She'd made a stop along the way, one she didn't want her companions to know about.

"What do you mean you executed a mind dive on an unknown Youngling? Syeira, are you insane? No, let me rephrase that. You should be insane!" Matxin's angry ranting was cut short by Zera. "Hush, love. First of all, I'm sure Syeira had a reason. Secondly, what is a mind dive?" Matxin sighed, placing a hand on his forehead. "A mind dive is exactly what it sounds like. It's a type of telepathy where instead of using a single strand of consciousness to send or receive a message, you throw your entire consciousness into the mind of another, absorbing their thoughts, feelings, and memories. It's illegal because each sentient mind is so different most people go insane even attempting it. " At this explanation, Zera looked faintly ill. "I take back what I said earlier," she said, "You can go back to yelling at her."

"So glad I have your permission, dear," said Matxin sarcastically. The holographic projection of his upper body turned away from Zera's to glare at Syeira once more. "Well? What were you thinking?"

"I wasn't, okay?" Syeira muttered.

"The great genius, not thinking? Preposterous." Matxin crossed his arms. "Alright, so I wanted as much information as I could get in the shortest amount of time, so it seemed like the best option."

"Something like that is never an option, never mind the best!"

"It worked before, didn't it?"

"Wait," Zera once again interrupted Syeira and Matxin's arguing. "You mean you've done this before?" Syeira nodded, and her hand touched her locket through her habit. "Right before Evrek died I reached out to him with all of my mind…and he reached out to me. We accidentally preformed a mind dive on each other. All of him is inside of me."

"That's part of the reason Syeira and I are so close," Matxin told his lover. "At first I hated her for being the one Evrek entrusted his being to, but I grew to understand that he was giving me another sibling in his place, one who could understand and love me just as he had."

"Oh. I think I understand now. But if she's done it before, why are you so upset now?"

"Before, it was an accident and the other mind was that of a fully trained telepath. What she just did, a one-sided dive into an untrained mind is exponentially more dangerous, not to mention illegal."

"She is standing right here, you know."

"Sorry Syeira," both holograms said in unison. Zera spoke next. "So…why did you call? Surely you didn't want Mat to yell at you."

"No, I actually wanted to tell you what I learned. I know where the Contra Mundi and the Rosenkreuz are hiding."

After relaying her information, Syeira had switched off the communicator and rushed to where she was to meet Abel and Esther as fast as she could, but she didn't make it in time. Luckily, they were occupied with…a map? "May I see that Abel?" Syeira asked. Obligingly, he handed it over. "It's the most detailed plan I've ever seen," he said, "but there is one odd thing. According to this map it's possible to enter the 'Gabereau Elissa'-"

But wasn't that sealed off after the death of First Lieutenant Cheriat? thought Syeira. She didn't realize she'd spoken aloud until a deathly pale Abel turned to face her. "Who is First Lieutenant Cheriat?" an oblivious Esther asked. "You'll learn if you do your research properly," said Syeira in a chipper tone. "What do you mean, my research?" Now Esther was just confused, so Syeira explained. "Abel and I have been assigned a mission together, so you will be given a new partner to investigate Borromini with, Esther. You already know the details, correct Abel?" He answered with a curt nod. "What will you two be doing?" demanded Esther. "If you're going to arrest that vampire, I'm coming too!"

"Arrest?" said Abel, his face slowly regaining what little color it had. "No, we won't be arresting anyone. And we don't need any assistance." Esther, who had opened her mouth to speak, closed it with an audible click. There was a moment of silence, then she spoke again. "What are you going to do?" Abel and Syeira exchanged a glance. "We cannot divulge the details of our orders to any but fellow AX agents," Abel said. Esther heard Syeira's voice in her head, saying "I can't disclose details of my work to someone who isn't an AX agent." In a dull voice she said, "I don't have the right to know. Is that what you mean?"

"Well, if you must put it bluntly, yes. In this case, yes." Abel's voice was also emotionless. Syeira took one of Esther's hands in her own and squeezed it. "I'm sorry Esther, but Cardinal Sforza wants you to return to the embassy with all of Borromini's effects. Your new partner will be waiting for you there." Esther jerked her hand away from Syeira, "In the end-" In the end, they won't tell me anything. "Miss Esther? I trust you know… that is, it's not that it's…"

"I understand, Father. An order is an order. Please go and be well, both of you." Esther smiled, and both adults breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you," they said, and turned and walked away. I am still a child and still an outsider, thought Esther. "But!" I will not wait and do nothing.