Chapter 7
Julius, North, York, and Washington walked into the Recovery room to find (surprise) the Director and the Counselor both standing at Delaware's bedside, while the woman stared up at them attentively with no visible tiredness. Chi was illuminated from a portable projector, taking her usual glowing orb form that spiraled and twisted serenely at the bedside.
"Agent Delaware, you possess the physical and mental capabilities of handling more than one opponent at a time? Why did you not in this incident?" the Counselor asked calmly, taking notes on his pad.
"You specifically told me when I went on probation again that, and I quote, you are not to be found fighting with the other crew members onboard this vessel if you so value your status as a Freelancer agent," she replied with the barest trace of bitterness.
"So you did not fight back because of a title?" the Director retorted, and Delaware looked away angrily. "Your status as an agent is not in jeopardy, but no thanks to your actions today. NEVER take unnecessary physical strain to keep a higher position in this program. A lesson that would be well learned by the other Freelancers, but that is beside the point. If your enemies were assault you in the field in such a manner, would you simply take a beating?"
"No, I would not, sir. And you know that I would not," Delaware growled at her superior.
"Then the next time that something happens like this again, react as you would with an enemy. Or need I remind you of the events that led you to enlist in the program again, when this same situation was presented to you on Terra- Beta?"
"Now you go too far, sir!" Delaware snapped, sitting up straight with a grimace of pain, and Chi's movements became more erratic.
"No, Delaware, I do not go far enough-" the Director started.
"Please, enough fighting!" Chi shouted, and no more words were thrown between the two bickering adults. "Save your energies for fighting the Insurrectionists. We must not tear each other apart. It is not right."
"…Very well," they agreed, and Delaware sat back with a sigh, tossing black hair out of her face.
"I will expect to see you resuming your normal schedule as soon as you have recovered," the Director said curtly, then turned on his heel and stormed out of Recovery, the Counselor following close behind like a well-trained dog.
"Well, that could have certainly gone better," Delaware groaned as the Freelancers and Julius came over. She rubbed her hands over her face a few times, then sat back again. "I suppose I should say thank you for helping me. I was a little more scratched up than I thought."
"I'll say," Julius barked as he looked at her report at the end of the bed. "Numerous cuts and severe bruising, a mild concussion, sprained joints, a broken rib, and being stabbed in the side is more than "a little scratched up.""
"So, how are you feeling?" Wash asked, sidling a little closer in his chair.
"Better, thank you. I should be right as rain in, maybe, two days. I recover fast."
"Why did they gang up on you like that? It wasn't a fair fight," North asked curiously.
"You know, I think it was because I care too much about my job. I'm always trying my best to make everything on this ship work out when it needs fixing, and I get recognized for it. So, the other guys that don't care so much and think I'm in the limelight, they want to shove me out of the way in any way possible. Pranking me, stealing my stuff, all that jazz. I don't like it, but what am I going to do? I just work hard so that I can be on active duty again," Delaware mused quietly. She gave a tired yawn all of a sudden.
"I'm gonna head out so that you can sleep. Wash, you comin'?" York said, standing up. Wash joined the tan-armored Freelancer, while York gave North a knowing grin and a wink, pushing him slightly towards the bed on his way out. Delaware and North sat in an embarrassed silence for a few moments. Theta appeared in a flash of fireworks, and Chi wrapped a tendril of light around him playfully. It wasn't against the rules as long as they didn't speak to each other. Theta giggled and chased Chi, two flashes of light blinking in and out of existence around their hosts' heads.
"Umm…I should probably be leaving too," North said quietly, making to stand up, but Delaware grabbed his hand suddenly. They both froze for a moment at the reaction, before Delaware drew her hand away just as quickly, a flush rising to her cheeks.
"Actually, I was wondering…well, you know…it's been a long day for both of us, so maybe…do you think that you could stay, please? I don't want to be alone," she asked quietly, fiddling nervously with her hair.
North was stunned as he sat back down. "Yeah, sure. Whatever you want." No girl had asked for his company in such a way before. They had always been bold, sometimes rude, sometimes demanding his attention. Delaware was so subdued about asking him, he realized that she didn't like asking people for anything without good reason. They sat there again in awkward silence, not saying a word.
North had not been expecting to stay the entire time, just until Delaware was asleep. He felt so tired, though, he set his head against the edge of the pile of pillows that she was propped up against, sinking into the downy softness. Theta and Chi continued to play around their heads in a dazzling lightshow that made North's eyelids feel heavy. Unconsciously, as he drifted into darkness, he took Delaware's limp hand in his own.
And for the first time in a very long time, North went to sleep with a peaceful smile on his face.
"Look at the lovebirds," Carolina said offhandedly from her position in the one-way mirror to the Recovery room. South snorted derisively as her brother shifted to be more comfortable while he slept, still holding Delaware's hand.
"I still don't get what he sees in her," the blonde growled as she turned away from the window bitterly. "She's new and exotic, and he doesn't need her."
"Can't you be happy for your own brother, South?" Washington asked as he leaned against Maine, feeling happy for his friend. "He doesn't have a special someone. You've got Wyoming, York and Carolina have a special someone back home, and I've got Maine. You actually bested him in this category."
"Don't question my feelings, Wash," South snarled to the grey-armored agent, while Maine gave a low rumble and pulled Wash closer to him. "He has that brat of an AI, that should be enough."
"Maybe," Texas finally spoke up from her corner, away from everyone else. "But sometimes, an AI isn't enough. You need some sort of tangible reminder that you're not alone and that someone actually cares for you. And your brother doesn't get a lot of that from you these days."
"Watch your mouth, Texas! You have absolutely no idea what goes on between North and I," South yelled at Texas, who just turned away slowly. "And you can't really say much, you don't have anyone like that in your life."
"Let's leave. We're no good fighting right in here," Carolina sighed, leading the way out of the viewing room with South and the others following behind, leaving Texas alone to watch Delaware, whose eyes were wide open and staring precisely where Texas was standing before closing again in sleep.
"They're right, I don't have someone. And it's the worst feeling in the world."
COMPLETING DATA COMPILATION…COMPILATION COMPLETE…
IAOC CASE FILE 090243Z7. URGENT REPORT TO OPERATOR CODE: BLACK PHOENIX
On 28 September, IAOC Frigates ANTIETAM and CORAL SEA engages with an unknown enemy frigate above the air spaces of BELTAINE-14 and DIANA. CORAL SEA sustained heavy damage to the hull and stern, killing 63 individuals. Survivors reported that the ANTIETAM was dragged by an unknown method into slip space with the enemy frigate. ANTIETAM and all personnel considered Missing In Action. Searches shall be continued for the ANTIETAM, while additional protection will be provided to all IAOC members. In addition, Insurrectionist activity has increased on planetary colony TERRA-BETA and lunar colony DREAMTIME. Military action is recommended and requested.
SENDER: OPERATOR CODE: GREEN SOLITUDE
ADDITIONAL RECIPIENTS: OPERATORS CODE: BLUE ANDROMEDA, WHITE DRAGON, RED STALLION, YELLOW JACKET
Origin of message: location data will undergo automatic deletion…
25% complete…505 complete…100% complete.
ORIGIN DATA SUCCESSFULLY DELETED. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEND THIS MESSAGE? Y/N
YES
SENDING MESSAGE.
MESSAGE SENT TO ALL CONTACTS. WOULD YOU LIKE TO DELETE THIS MESSAGE FROM YOUR HARD DRIVE? Y/N
YES
DELETION COMPLETE.
Dark forces are at work within the mysterious IAOC. How will this impact the Freelancers? Are the Insurrectionists behind the attack on the ANTIETAM? Or is it the mysterious Brothers and the Father? And love is in the air for the level-headed North and the mysterious Delaware. Will it end with happiness like a princess and her Prince Charming, or in tragedy like Romeo and Juliet?
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