A/N: Yes, I'm back! I'm sorry for the long delay, I've been busy with work and been trying to get my motivation back. If some parts seem a bit sketchy it's because I might be a bit out of touch after four months. But please tell me if you have any problems. Here you are!
Stability returned to the Time-Space Administration Bureau, at least for just another day. Although word spread quickly within several minutes that the brief attack had been successfully neutralised, it was a few hours before the results of the fighting came to light. With Grylmark's defeat, the bulk of the aggressive mutants at the perimeter vanished along with him, leaving the remainder to be easily dispatched by the TSA's forces. Since the assault had been made up of mostly harmless illusions, the casualties inflicted upon the Bureau were minimal. It seemed that this time round, everyone had been much better-prepared.
Caro and Fried were included in the minor numbers of the injured. Despite being situated far away from the main command, Tiana had still been able to radio in for help quickly after the Manticore had been dispatched, so that the young summoner and her guardian dragon were able to receive medical attention almost immediately. The pair of them were unconscious but still alive, and their recuperation would take time.
They had lost Srethis, which was a blow to their investigations already, and failed to capture any of their opponents who had revealed themselves during the escape. But now one of their own had been taken away as well. Vita.
Subaru and Erio had arrived at the scene too late to see Signum standing by herself, at the exact spot where the portal had opened up, as if she felt that it might magically open up by itself again. Only one thought was going through the Velka Knight's mind right now: Vita had been taken. She hadn't been strong or skilful enough to stop it happening. In Signum's mind, it was her responsibility alone.
"Leave me," the Velka Knight said impassively when the two forwards arrived. She had her back turned towards them, her head bowed as she stood facing forward.
"Signum..."
"Leave me be, Subaru," she repeated. "My inaction on the battlefield has caused a Guardian Knight to be captured. I have failed in my duty to Hayate-san."
Erio stepped forward next to the blue-haired cyborg. "Signum, nobody thinks it was your fault. If there's a way to get Vita back, then - "
"Vita? As we are now, she is out of our reach." Signum's voice was bitter and cold. "I have combed the area for any way with which I could follow her through, and found none. It seems that our enemies wield a greater power than we currently understand." Her voice shook with emotion, but she forced a semblance of reason into it. "Erio-san, I am not the kind of person to give up hope, but considering the amount of time that has passed since Vita went through the portal...our enemies would have wasted no time in killing her. Her chances of survival are very slim."
"Even a small chance is still a chance," Subaru countered quietly. "Vita isn't the type to go down easily. Hayate-san is heading a meeting right now to discuss our next move. She's invited you to listen in on what we're going to do."
"I know. I heard." Signum waved a hand dismissively. "You can do it without me."
"Signum..." Erio's face was a mask of sympathy. "Hayate-san asked for you specifically. Chrono-san has come down from the Asura to discuss this specially now that we have new information on hand. They say we have a better idea of what we're up against. And - "
"No, Erio. Nothing will come of it." The Velka Knight turned her face wearily back towards the spot in the ground where the portal had appeared, her attention fixated upon it. Her spirits seemed to sink further as her head bowed towards the floor once more. "Did we achieve anything last time? No. All we had were mindless bureaucratic chatter and a lack of action. We still don't know what's going on. And now...Vita is gone too." She sheathed Laevatein in a whisper of steel, turning her back towards them. "Do what you will. I will not be a part of these useless meetings."
For a moment the two forwards watched the long-haired mage stand motionless in the middle of the clearing. Vita's capture really had shaken her perception of events, that much was clear. The two of them had been together a long, long time, far longer than Subaru or Erio could remember. Maybe it would be best to leave her alone for the time being.
What exactly did Signum hope to achieve on her own by just standing here anyway? It wasn't like her to be so despondent. The portal wasn't exactly going to suddenly spring open again. And Subaur knew that if Hayate had directly ordered Signum to attend the meeting, then the Velka Knight's sense of duty to the Queen of the Night Sky would compel her to obey. But Hayate had never seen the Velka Knights as slaves, servants or tools. They were friends you strengthened relationships with. She would not force Signum to do something that she didn't want to do, even if it might be for her own good.
"Come on, Erio," Subaru said in a low voice, turning away. "Let's tell Hayate-san about her decision."
The red-haired boy's eyes widened in surprise. "She's not coming? We're just going to leave her here?"
"It's what she wants." Inwardly, Subaru didn't think Hayate would be overjoyed to hear that Signum was having second thoughts. It wasn't the wishes of two forwards that would force her out of her shell. Instead, it would probably be Hayate herself who could get her moving again, or a greater sign of progress within the Bureau. "Hayate-san will understand her reasons better than either of us. Come on, we'll miss the meeting."
The lights in the sky no longer seemed bright and confident as before. Instead, they seemed faint and unsteady, perhaps on the brink of fading away altogether. In contrast, the sky itself seemed unusually bright and optimistic, streaking pale shades of milky white down to the void that opened up far below.
The memorable crystal pillar which stood high in the dead centre of the plane was surrounded on all sides by hostile faces. Because this time, the pillar contained someone trapped inside it. It contained a red-haired Velka Knight, unconscious and powerless, vicious icicles barring her body from movement from every angle. Vita's frozen prison was not one that offered the slightest possibility of escape, especially when its occupant was unable to transform.
Four faces watched the girl with varying degrees of apprehension. A lizard's fearful gaze, an alien being's passive disgust, a dark-haired girl's glare of pure hatred, and the Legion's almost alarmingly lack of emotion whatsoever.
As usual, Grylmark had failed to make an appearance. Exoria couldn't recall the last time he'd even turned up. In any case, he was still a mysterious character unexplained by Oguba who aided them when it suited him, and she didn't trust him any further than she could see him. And it had been a long time since she had even taken a glimpse of him.
It had been some time since Ungore and Srethis had made it back through the portal. Exoria had fought to control her rage at having being forced to help them. If she had her way, neither of them would be alive right now. But she was bidden to her mistress to adhere to the rules of their organisation: every member looked after their own.
She had regretted her decision from the instant she had carried it out. Srethis had come back alive, to her dismay. And now...this. One of the Bureau's agents had pursued them through the portal. Of course, they had been unaccustomed to dimension switches without Oguba's protection, and the journey had caused them to lose unconsciousness. But they still weren't dead, and with every passing moment Exoria wondered exactly why...
"Who is this?" she said in a deadly whisper. "Why are they here? Why were they allowed through?"
Ungore opened its mouth as if to speak, then thought better of it, averting its gaze. The alien glanced in Srethis' direction. They all knew that the lizard had been the last one through the portal before it can closed up completely.
The Legion said, "The subject is called Vita. She is an experienced Velka Knight, specialising in close combat and in breaking through strong defences. She is also part of the..." There was a brief moment of hesitation here, which was extremely rare for the Legion. It sounded like it was trying to avoid saying a certain word. "She is one of Yagami Hayate's Guardian Knights," the Legion said eventually.
Exoria's face darkened further. "Another of Hayate's pawns?! Why is she still alive? If she is close to Hayate, then her death registers among our top priorities! Why isn't she dead, you ignorant metal swine?!"
"I have received no orders for Vita's termination," came the static reply. "However, if she were to regain consciousness, she would undoubtedly be a threat to our organisation. In which case I have taken measures to ensure that she does not cause any trouble."
"Yes, she would be a threat to our organisation, you fool!" Exoria almost screamed. "And that is why you should kill her right now!"
She burned to do the job herself, but knew all too well that her magic would not be able to penetrate the barrier that the Legion had placed around their prisoner. Her path was clear: any emotional links to Hayate had to be severed. That included the killing of Vita. Delaying things was not going to help their situation in any way.
The voice of the superior program above them rose in volume, though the flickering lights could not quite fill the space around them.
"Be silent, Exoria," the superior ordered. "Your job in rescuing Ungore and Srethis was carried out successfully. I commend you for that. If you would allow me to - "
"Are you keeping this pawn of Hayate alive?" the dark-haired Time Mage demanded, balling her hands into fists angrily. "You had better have a good reason, because I cannot possibly permit this act of sheer idiocy!"
The lights in the sky faded for a moment as the superior program paused. "There are some among us," the female voice said clearly, though with a shade of unease present, "who would prefer that her termination is...delayed."
Exoria could almost taste blood in her mouth. "Delayed? What insanity is this?" She stared around at the rest of the organisation accusingly. The Legion returned her gaze without emotion, and Ungore looked mildly bored with the whole affair, but...the other member here was definitely avoiding her eyes. Without another moment's hesitation, she marched forward and jerked the lizard off the ground by the scruff of its neck. "Srethis? Have you lost your mind? You're defending this Guardian Knight, this excuse for a mage, this filthy agent of Hayate - "
Srethis' raised its eyes to hers, but failed to quite meet the intensity of her glare. "Her name iss Vita," it said quietly, a submissive edge to its voice. "She ssaved Srethis when Srethiss was on the verge of death. Srethis iss unwilling to let her die as well - "
"Let her die? Let her die." She had to dig her nails into the flesh of her wrist to keep herself in control for a moment. The link to Hayate was almost more than Exoria could bear. "You will not," she managed, her voice coming out in a harsh whisper, unclenching one fist, "you will not, inhuman lizard, alien of Red Scorpion, outsider – you will not take command over this, not when Hayate – when I – when Yagami-sama - "
She whirled towards the pillar of ice which contained Vita's body, the hate and tension mounting inside all her at once as she rushed over to smash it to pieces -
"Time Destru- "
The world reared up on all sides around her like a wild beast and slammed hard into her. Colours exploded in the back of her head and her vision blurred and went out of focus. The harsh emotions from before fizzled out into confusion and fell apart inside her, disorientating her sense of self in one more than way. Dazed, Exoria blinked and managed a few more steps before falling to the ground, her mind numb and unresponsive.
When everything came back into focus only a few moments later, she found herself in the same position just before she had lunged madly at the crystal pillar. Frowning, Exoria shook her head to clear her thoughts. It was the first time that she had actually been attacked by another member of the organisation...and yet...
"What just happened?" she said in a barely audible murmur. Her voice felt dry and crackled uncomfortably in her throat.
The Legion's did not look at her, but there was something in its stance and body language – if you could call it that – which suggested that it was on edge. If the circumstances had been different, Exoria would even had thought that it was preparing for battle.
To deal with me? I did nothing wrong. Why treat me like a threat? All I was going to do was remove one of our enemies away from us -
"Exoria," the superior program said clearly, "your actions most recently have not spoken well of your mental state - "
"Are you saying I'm crazy?" Her blood boiled again, and she steeled herself for this. If the Legion even touched her -
"I advise you to calm yourself," the superior said with a hint of annoyance muddying its tone. "Your obsession with Yagami Hayate has affected you to an alarming degree. In fact...you have changed ever since our previous leader departed from us..." The unspoken question hung in the air for a moment. "Let us not be side-tracked. You asked why we are keeping the Guardian Knight Vita for now."
"Yes!" Exoria spat, turning away. "And all because Srethis went soft and decided that - "
The lights above them became clouded. "No," the superior program said pressingly. "Srethis, in fact...is not our concern. And its opinion of what happens to the Guardian Knight does not bear favourably with me. I would have preferred, in fact, that the Guardian Knight Vita be terminated upon the instant of her capture here to prevent further complications. However, one other among us is interested in keeping her alive..."
Who? Exoria wanted to shriek at the lot of them. There was no reason why anyone else among them would want to protect the life of the enemy. The Legion served the superior program and pledged itself to the will of the organisation. Ungore wouldn't care. The only person who would...
"That would be me, Exo-chan," came a sweet voice out of the darkness.
The slender form of a little girl stepped out into their midst, beaming happily as she intertwined her fingers with each other lazily. As she passed near to where Srethis lay on the ground, the lizard scowled and crawled away in the other direction, hissing fearfully.
The client, Exoria thought. I should have known. How convenient for her to turn up to visit at now of all times...
"You," she said flatly. "You want to keep this enemy mage alive."
The client smiled faintly. The smile, of course, did not reach her eyes, because her eye sockets remained as empty and as blackened as they had always been. No matter how many times she encountered them, it was still unnerving to see her like this every time.
"I have my reasons, Exo-chan," the little girl said with an air of kindness. "But I am deeply upset that you felt so strongly about going against my wishes just a moment ago. You truly wished to destroy Vita-san, didn't you? That is not a path that pursues friendship."
Exoria gritted her teeth together and silently wished that she would shut up about friendship. Such talk had no place in an organisation of assassins such as theirs, a place of death. There was a lot which bothered her about the client. She just seemed so...wrong. But even Exoria had to adhere to her wishes. The superior program always showed the greatest of respects to the client whenever she came to visit.
"Forget what I said before," she said, trying to sound as casual as possible. "At your request, the Guardian Knight will remain...unharmed." Even saying the words made her want to cut someone. Any link to Hayate had to be severed before it killed her from the inside. Exoria knew that from past experience.
The little girl chortled. "You don't need to have any fear, Exo-chan. Soon enough, you will be far away from our little Guardian Knight here. She will trouble you no more; I will even swear by the great Oguba that this shall be so. You can even pretend she's dead if that helps put your mind at rest. Would that help, Exo-chan? I'd be so glad to make you feel just a little better after you've had such a bad time."
"I only lost my temper for five minutes."
"Yes, yes, of course, Exo-chan, after you'd had such a bad five minutes. We wouldn't want a repeat of that." The client turned away from her to address the rest of the organisation. "Now, all of you, I'd like to say that you're doing a spectacular job here. You fulfilled my last request when I last came here and the offering to Oguba is more than sufficient, I have to say. A fitting exchange between both parties, don't you think? I love it when everything works out in the end."
The rest of the organisation exchanged glances. Even Srethis and Ungore shared an uneasy look between the pair of them.
"So...we can keep our powers?" Ungore said warily.
"Oh, of course, esteemed native of Hunzichille Beta. You may have no fear. I have Oguba's word for that."
"And nothing iss going to happen?" Srethis said in a low voice. "Nothing...bad?"
"Nothing catastrophic!" the client said brightly. "Except for the Time-Space Bureau hunting you down for kidnapping one of their top mages. But you can deal with that, can't you?"
There was a long silence amongst all the others, as the tension grew and grew. Something sounded wrong about the entire exchange. As if...as if...
"Are you sure we can't just kill the prisoner?" Exoria asked. "Wouldn't it save a lot of troub- "
She stopped in mid-sentence when she realised she was talking to an empty space. The client was no longer standing there. The little girl with the cheery smile and the dead eyes had vanished completely. Not even her footprints remained upon the dust, as if she had never existed at all.
Exoria looked towards the others, genuinely puzzled.
"Where did she just go?" she said. "She was just...here. Right now. I was talking to her. We all were. She can't have just - "
"She's gone," the Legion said. "All my systems confirm that there is no sign of our client in this plane of existence."
Irritated glares shot from around their party, eventually ending up directed at the superior above them. This wasn't how things usually played out around here. You didn't just leave.
"She's really gone?" Exoria said in disbelief. "She couldn't have told us before vanishing like that?"
Srethis shrugged. "Srethiss thinkss she had to travel through time urgently. Ssshe has no time for uss. Not anymore."
But it felt really awkward and not that the client usually does. Before, she was about to finish the contract with us and sealed everything officially. Here, it was as if she just left in the middle of the conversation.
She left whilst I was speaking, Exoria grumbled to herself. That was just plain rude.
"So what about the prisoner?" Ungore drawled. "Are we allowed to kill her now that our client decided to randomly disappear?"
The lights in the sky shifted to a mix of purple and grey. "The client wants the Guardian Knight to be kept alive," countered the superior program.
"The client isn't here," the alien said flatly. "The client ditched us. Our contract's ended, dead, finished, said we couldn't kill the prisoner afterwards. We don't have to do what that little brat says anymore, oh no - "
"And if you are wrong," the Legion stated, "and if such activity would breach the contract, then as soon as the Guardian Knight dies, you will all lose your powers of time-travel with Oguba, forever. It is up to you whether the death of this one mage is worth the risk for all of you."
Ungore and Exoria stopped dead upon hearing that. It was still a possibility, and not one than either of them had wanted to hear. Of course, the two of them were the only ones who had a contract with Oguba, aside from Grylmark. Where was Grylmark, anyway? At such times like these...
"We will keep the Guardian Knight alive for the time being," the superior said decisively, "but I will deal with her fate personally. And now that our contract has come to an end, it is time for us to act fast. The Time-Space Administration Bureau will be looking for us. However, before that..." A steely edge to the program's voice appeared without warning. "Srethis. Ungore. A caution for both of you."
The lizard and the alien both perked up attentively, crouched on the ground since their entry back through the portal.
"I am disappointed with your actions before, Ungore," the superior said. "You were forbidden to go back to rescue Srethis. And yet you risked your life to return back into enemy territory to do exactly that. You also did so with barely enough power to initiate a single Chronological Time Switch, meaning that you were not able to return here without extra help. I had to send Exoria to bring you back. Now, thanks to your efforts, we are lumbered with a high-ranking Guardian Knight whom we cannot get rid of."
"What'd you expect me to do?" the alien demanded. "Srethis was going to die in there without any medicine. I am the only one who can supply it. Did you expect me to just sit back here and let them die?"
"I expect you to follow orders," the female voice of the superior program said lashingly. "This should come as no surprise to you...but Srethis was not meant to return from our first attack on the Bureau."
Ungore stared up at the superior in disbelief as the lights flashed intensely from high above, flickering between black and white. Next to it, the lizard's head was bowed down in resignation towards the ground, its face turned away.
"You sent Srethis out there to die," the alien said quietly, its eyes a hard measure of accusation. "We all knew it was a suicide mission, but...I didn't think you meant it like that for Srethis."
The lights flooded with pure white, blazing down from the heavens, a shrill scream of colour. Dazzled, the alien shielded its eyes from the sight, stumbling backwards and struggling to see.
"You do not know us," the superior program said in a voice of controlled anger, "and we do not know you. All we were, all our organisation has ever been, was Exoria, the Legion, myself and the members that departed from our ranks. Oguba saved your lives – took you and Ungore from dying planets, races that were becoming instinct – and gave you a chance to live again within our organisation. But still you do not know us, Ungore, you do not know the sacrifices that must be made for the good of the organisation, the dangers that we must face to achieve our objective, the ability of our members to lay down their lives for the organisation and for the greater glory beyond..."
The alien stiffened upon hearing this, struggling through the uncanny blinding light that flooded the entire party. "And you say that sending Srethis to their death...was necessary?"
The lights began to blaze even brighter, but then dimmed once more, as if the superior had lost the will to continue with this. Instead, they simply said, "Legion. Explain for me."
The Legion nodded and spoke calmly. "Srethis did not accept Oguba's powers. They cannot travel through time without the aid of Exoria or yourself. That in itself would not be a problem if Srethis perhaps had some great advantage or powerful innate ability which made up for it. It is true that Srethis' shapeshifting ability is useful, but its capacity is extremely limited. They can only transform into one person: Yagami Hayate. In addition, Srethis is not an ideal specimen. They are diseased and, as you know, require constant injections of medicine that only you can supply, Ungore.
"Srethis is a drain on resources. They are not helping the organisation. They are an obstruction, and that is why Srethis was sent to their death – to benefit the rest of us."
Ungore had taken a few steps back upon hearing all this, their face almost ashen with fear. Their eyes flitted towards Exoria, almost pleadingly, but the dark-haired girl had no space for sympathy in her heart. She returned the stare with a bored look on her face.
"You can't do this," the alien whispered. "You would kill Srethis again now, after all I have done to rescue them from certain - "
"That is correct," the superior said. "But there is little point in wasting further resources to kill them now, especially when you are so opposed to the idea. Therefore the rest of us have decided that since you have such consideration for Srethis' wellbeing, you shall be responsible for it. Srethis is no longer part of our organisation; they are dead to us. If you wish to administer medicine to them and keep Srethis alive, then that is your business. The rest of us will have nothing to do with it. If, however, you turn against the organisation for whatever reason, we will strike you down without mercy.
"That is all I have to say to you and Srethis on the matter, Ungore. And one more point of advice: do not get in our way. Do not obstruct us. Otherwise, our only option will be to eliminate you on the spot. Do the right thing, Ungore. You are still a part of our organisation. Follow orders, reap the rewards, keep Srethis out of the way, and you will live happily." The lights faded to black. "There is nothing more that needs to be said."
Nanoha's weariness from holding Oguba for too long had quickly passed, and now it seemed she was back to normal. Activity buzzed around her, keeping her alert and on top of the wave of exhaustion which had threatened to push her down before. When she opened her eyes again, a great calmness had taken place within her mind, returning stability to her senses. She was in control again. Conviction and determination pulsed within her as she sat up in her chair – no longer helpless between the sheets of a hospital bed, but active and ready for action in person with the rest of the Time-Administration Bureau.
She felt Fate's hand in hers, gripping her tightly, lending her strength even now when she could stand on her own two feet. Nanoha's face softened with her lover's presence; there was still so much that she needed to say to Fate, and so little time for the opportunity to do so. So much had happened and yet she still needed more time with Vivio...
Fate has saved me so many times already. But each time, she has suffered in my place. I'm not going to let that happen any more, not whilst Raging Heart's power still burns within me. It's time to stop being so...so...
"Nanoha?"
She blinked and breathed in sharply as Fate's crimson eyes settled on her, filled with concern. Awkwardly, Nanoha brought herself back to reality and gave the blonde mage's hand a tight squeeze.
"I'm okay now, Fate," she said with a consoling smile. "Really. I feel like I'm back with everyone at last."
Especially with you next to me, she wanted to say. You and Vivio bring me more hope and support than everyone else here put together. Even when I've spent so much time recently either being amnesiac or unconscious.
She saw Fate purse her lips, as if she was about to say something on her mind. For a moment, Fate even seemed nervous and troubled.
"Nanoha," she said in rushed tones, "I have to tell you somethi- "
Before she could go any further, the main screens of the meeting room booted up as one and flooded the area with a mix of colours, materialising in three-dimensional holograms which appeared in front of each member of the Bureau. The room began to fill with more people, most of whom were recognisable to Nanoha, some of whom were low-ranking officials or criterion audit officials with no real importance. The meeting was about to begin.
She looked towards Fate with wide eyes, but the blonde Enforcer shook her head, indicating she would tell her later. Well, it seemed there was no help for it, but still Nanoha was curious to know what was on Fate's mind.
As far as she could tell, everyone was here with her. Chrono was preparing to head off the main discussion, with Shari's aid on the central screen. Tiana, Subaru and Erio were gathered around the front tables, bent forward attentively – for a moment Nanoha wondered where Caro could be, but then again she was yet to be completely up to date on the most recent events. Hayate was present too, surrounded by her remaining Guardian Knights and -
No, wait. The only Guardian Knight there was Shamal. Signum and Zafira had both failed to turn up. Vita had been captured, hadn't she? Why would two of her closest friends not want to be here to discuss what was to be done?
"Let's begin," Chrono said, adjusting his uniform formally as he pulled his chair forward. Behind him, Shari began typing away, bringing up details of relevant reports compiled and data assessed of the important topics to be discussed.
He motioned to Shari and she stood up to address the main audience.
"As not everyone is aware of the recent situation at the Bureau," Shari announced, "I have been instructed to give you a run-down of events." She motioned with the grip-sensor in her hand to send a stream of camera images and written articles across the holographic screens in front of everyone. "The Time-Administration Bureau was attacked twice by a group of people with hostile intentions towards us. The first attack was initiated by two people - Srethis, a reptilian alien who was able to impersonate Hayate-san and bring down out defence systems from within, and Grylmark, an elderly summoner who was able to swamp our forces around the vaults where the Lost Logias were kept, and act as a decoy.
"The main process of this attack was for these people to steal the Lost Logia we now know as Oguba. Research headed by Yuuno Scrya has confirmed that Oguba has definite connections to the unknown art of time travel. We are also aware that these people were able to utilise the powers of Oguba to travel through time and kidnap Hayate-san so as to - "
"Excuse me for interrupting, Shari," came a voice from the far right. Faces turned as Hayate came to her feet, looking disgruntled and impatient. "How long is this going to take? We are running out of time here."
Shari flushed slightly on being confronted unexpectedly after she'd just started. "Well, Chrono-san wanted me to give everyone an overview on everything that - "
"Everything? I'm sorry, Shari, but you're going to have to skip all that. We'll be here all day." Hayate shot an unfriendly look towards Chrono for a brief moment and then turned back to Shari. It was evident that she was not altogether pleased with the approach that Chrono was taking to all of this, especially when he was supposed to be on the Claudia warship, and not in these kinds of meetings.
"Vita is in trouble," she said emphatically, placing her hands down sharply on the desk in front of her. "She was taken away by enemies of the Bureau through a time portal. We don't even know if she's still alive! And you want to waste time talking about what's already happened, Chrono?"
Chrono flung her a distasteful look and cleared his throat. "I think it is vital that everyone is first aware of - "
"Oh, I'm aware. You're aware. We're all very aware." Hayate spread her arms out, gesturing towards everyone else in the room. "If anyone right now isn't aware, they can read what's on the screen in front of them and become even more aware. People are dying. Half of the compound was a warzone just yesterday. Caro isn't even here because she's been hospitalised from her injuries." Angrily, she forced him to meet her gaze. "This isn't one of your petty meetings, Chrono. It's about life and death. Our enemies are capable of time travel, and we don't have any time left."
Nanoha exchanged a worried look with Fate. This was not off to a good start. Chrono wasn't the sort of person who would just back down and let Hayate do things her own way: this was just going to turn into a big argument. She could almost sense Chrono preparing a backlash in response.
Hastily, she sprang to her feet, silencing the uneasy murmuring around the room.
"Chrono, Hayate," she said in as reassuringly a tone as she could manage right now, "this isn't the time to be arguing. Let's look at what we've got. Do we have any further information on our attackers that could help us find Vita?"
Shari quickly intervened to respond to this, anxious as well to prevent any further outcries from the people here. "We do. We know much more now about who we're up against."
The screens in front of them changed with another motion of the grip-sensor, and several different slides appeared before them. Familiar faces of their opponents flickered into full view. Nanoha did not miss how many of her teammates tensed up considerably upon seeing them. Especially Tiana.
"One." The first profile came up too zoom in on the face of a lizardlike face, eyes narrowed into slits and a slimy tongue flitting out between sharp teeth. "Srethis. They are of an alien, reptilian race that is unknown to all planets under TSA circulation. They played a vital role in the first attack against the Bureau but were subdued and captured thanks to the heroic actions of Enforcer Fate Harlaown. Unfortunately, their allies returned to take them away and Srethis was able to escape. During that time we discovered that Srethis was unable to give us any helpful information and had a suspiciously limited knowledge about many things in general. We have concluded that they are not exactly a high-priority case at the moment. They possess excellent acrobatic skill, but the main thing which makes them a threat at all...is their ability to transform into Hayate-san." Shari swallowed nervously upon saying this, deliberately avoiding eye contact with her superior. Quickly, she moved onto the next profile.
"Two." A somewhat blurred and vague-looking of the next creature flashed up before them, wearing a red hood around its head. "Ungore. Species unknown. They came here through a time portal to rescue Srethis, and caused a lot of damage in the process, which resulted in Vita's kidnapping. From Signum's information in fighting them, we have discovered that they are proficient in using magic, although not of any kind that is familiar to our research department. Regardless, they will be treated as a medium-priority danger to the Bureau.
"Three." The face of a dark-haired girl with bright eyes full of determination came up next on the screen. "Exoria. Responsible for kidnapping Yagami Hayate and taking her through a time portal during the first attack, where it is believed that she intended to kill her for good. Initially, we only had Hayate-san's information first-hand about Exoria, but this Time Mage also made another appearance inside the Bureau itself - she aided Srethis and Ungore in their escape by opening up another time portal within the grounds. Her abilities appear to be directly linked to Oguba and focus on close combat. She is to be treated as medium to high priority.
"Four." The next screen revealed a blank face, with a question mark in the centre of the profile. "Grylmark. Or, as he wishes to call himself, Grylmark the Third. His appearance is that of an old man, but we have not been able to catch him officially on camera as yet. Tiana Lanstar, however, has first-hand experience of his abilities." She caught a barely perceptible nod from the young orange-haired sharpshooter in the front row. "He has acted as a decoy for our enemies in both attacks on the Bureau – both using the same tactic of summoning great monsters to throw our forces into disarray. He is to be treated as high priority."
The rest of the members of TSAB in the room took a moment to scan through the documents in front of them. A general sense of relief could be felt at this information. For once, they weren't left in the dark. They now had a good idea of what exactly they were up against. But still...
"There can't be just four of them," Fate said, speaking up for the first time. "We must be prepared for potentially more powerful enemies among them."
Chrono nodded in agreement. "These four are the only ones who have shown themselves to us so far. Most importantly, they have Vita. What we need to do is find out where they have taken her and send a rescue party to get her back, whilst apprehending as many of these people for their crimes as we can." A grim look came upon his face. "Vita's fate right now is a worry for many of us here, I know. But she is still one of us, not to mention one of Hayate-san's Guardian Knights. She won't go down that easily."
"Thank you for that, Chrono," Hayate murmured quietly. Her expression was unreadable. "And...do we actually know where any of these opponents are? They went through a time portal, remember?"
Shari raised her head, looking uncomfortable again. "Actually...we have, in a way. We have been able to locate two of our enemies: Exoria and Grylmark. Or at least, who they used to be."
"What do you mean by that, Shari?" Nanoha asked.
"We've been able to search via the magic field, presentation of abilities and general type of magic that resonated from each of these people," the communications operator explained. "Exoria and Grylmark are the only humans, so we are able to find that they exist upon Mid-Childa. However..."
Everyone else in the room waited with baited breath, their eyes on her as she hesitated in phrasing the words.
"And?" Erio said impatiently.
"And they are different people," Shari said, trying to hide her disappointment to the rest of them. "The people who match the profile of Exoria and Grylmark on this world are the wrong age, or have a different appearance, and bear no relation to these enemies of the Bureau. In fact, the man who should match as Grylmark died many years ago."
A mixture of hopelessness and mild disgust at their plight ran through everyone else in the room at hearing this. Of course their opponents would not be so easy to track, especially if they were no longer in this time era. They were back to square one now.
"If we can't find them," Subaru said with bitterness in her voice, "then how are we going to get Vita back?"
Nanoha understood why Subaru in particular felt the way she did. Vita had been Subaru's mentor in her primary training, after all, teaching her the ways of close combat. She had spent as much time with Vita as Signum did. Losing her would hit Subaru especially hard.
"There's only one thing I can think of," Fate said. "They escaped through a time portal. We need to find a way to open a time portal of our own."
Chrono shook his head, his whole mannerisms slouched towards defeat like so many others in the room. "Open a time portal? How exactly are you going to do that?"
"Because I will show you how," spoke out a metallic mechanical voice amongst them without warning.
Startled, everyone turned to the source of the new voice. It seemed to resonate around the entire room, but echoed from the back row...where Nanoha and Fate were seated. As people whirled around to stare at the pair of them, the two mages felt visibly affronted, and Nanoha backed her chair up slightly. The voice had not sounded human at all, but it had come...directly from her...
"What's going on?" Tiana blurted out. "Who was that?"
Chrono hadn't taken his eyes off Nanoha. "It came from your direction, Nanoha."
"I didn't say anything!" the Ace of Aces protested, as everyone around her searched in vain for the source of the mysterious speaker. "Did that even sound like my voice?"
"No, that was no human," Shari said softly, looking at the fighting instructor with a curious light in her eyes. "That was...a mage's device."
"Yes," the voice spoke out once more for everyone to hear. "You all know who I am."
This time there was no doubt about where the computerised voice was coming from. It was coming directly from where Nanoha was sitting. As if someone was standing in her exact same position and chanting the words. Her mouth wasn't moving, and there wasn't anyone speaking through her. Yet the voice echoed from her body, as the eyes of the entire room were upon her...
Wait. Nanoha realised the impact of Shari's words all at once in the midst of half-panic. A mage's device?
Shaking slightly, she pulled free the red gem concealed inside her palm. Mariel had made a few brief modifications to it just a day or so earlier, when Nanoha had come to her with Oguba's physical form gripped in her hand, barely able to stay on her feet as the Lost Logia sucked out her energy on the spot. The Lost Logia was dangerous, that much was for certain, but Raging Heart had not shown any signs of change or corruption in any way.
That was no longer the case now, because as the light caught the edge of the device, black and blue shadows whirled around the gem, and mysterious runes appeared at the edge of the small sphere...
Raging Heart?
It shouldn't be possible. Mariel had told her that she needed more time to study the Lost Logia before she could begin to extract any of the components suggested. Instead, she had made very minimal changes to Raging Heart's molecular structure. The gem had continued to refuse to react...except for now...
"You are correct," Raging Heart's voice blazed out as Nanoha stepped forward into the middle of the room, the device held preciously in her hands. "I am speaking with the voice of your device: the voice of Raging Heart. But in reality, I am the spirit of Oguba, the Lost Logia of time travel. It is I who brought Takamachi Nanoha back to you, and it is I upon which the balance of chaos and order revolves around in the time-space continuum. It is my power which grants Red Scorpion their mystical abilities that you have been witness to so far, and it is my power which will grant you the ability to set things right once more."
For several moments the entire room seemed to have been struck dumb. Chrono and Hayate were staring at Raging Heart with a mixture of fear and confusion, as if expecting it to explode at any moment. Shari seemed more bewildered than anything, and several people had already edged backwards in their seats. This was not how a mage's device would act.
"Nanoha, what's happened to Raging Heart?" Shari said in hushed tones. "Did Mariel break it or something?"
"She didn't do anything to it, Shari. She hasn't even finished upgrading it yet."
"Something's happened to it, then," Chrono said, looking sceptical. "How can Oguba be speaking through a device? That's impossible."
Maybe not, Nanoha thought inwardly. Oguba spoke into my mind before. And now that it has a physical form...who knows what it could do?
"Your suspicions are well founded," Raging Heart continued roughly in its metallic voice. "However, you will soon be forced to admit that I can be none other than Oguba. Raging Heart would not be able to tell you detailed information about the members of Red Scorpion with whom I have sealed contracts with. I know the location of your missing comrade, the Guardian Knight Vita. I know the only means of which you can retrieve her. With my power, nothing is impossible. With my power, you will be able to open and close time portals at your leisure. There is no reason for you to refuse my information and assistance."
A doubtful look shot across Chrono's face. The voice speaking to them now was definitely not Raging Heart in any form. It had to...it could only be Oguba himself. Even so, the premise was extremely unlikely...
"Doubt my claims if you will," Oguba said without concern. "When you are ready, I will open for you the time portal through which your comrade Vita was pulled into. You will then be able to rescue her and deal with Red Scorpion as you wish."
"This all sounds very suspicious," Chrono said, still not convinced. "Why would you want to help us so eagerly like this?"
The indigo shadows swirled within Raging Heart's interior, darkening its appearance. "My contract is with Takamachi Nanoha," it responded. "I am bidden to give my power to serve her requirements of me, much like any mage's device. And if I serve her, I must serve you all in this simple task. That is the reason for my existence. Protect and serve."
Hayate stirred uncomfortably at hearing that. It sounded like the kind of moral that her own Guardian Knights upheld as well. It made her feel even more anxious to get Vita back as soon as possible.
"Nanoha?" Fate whispered at her side. "What do you think?"
There was no doubt in her mind. She recognised the voice in the strange dreams she had experienced whilst she was unconscious. The voice of the time-traveller. "It's Oguba," she said immediately. "I don't know how he can speak through Raging Heart when it hasn't been upgraded yet. But it's Oguba."
She was about to ask the blonde mage about her opinion when Fate stood up in the meeting hall to speak out, drawing attention to herself. The arguing voices of the soldiers and officials by the doors died down as the Enforcer turned to address everyone.
"Maybe it is Oguba," she said diplomatically. "And maybe it isn't. But it seems to have information on our opponents that we don't have, and we need every scrap of information we can get. Isn't it worth asking a few questions?"
"What if it's the wrong information?" Chrono replied. "What if it lies?"
"I am incapable of lying," Raging Heart's voice said at a greater volume,rising above the rest of them. "I am not a human being. I am a Lost Logia. However, I do not have all the answers for you. I can only see what I can see. I am not contracted with the whole of Red Scorpion. I do not know their aims or ambitions in the long-term, though I am aware of the damage they have caused to your facility recently. But I can tell you about the people who I have contracts with. You need only ask your questions, and I will answer. And when you have need of me, I shall give to you my power for you to use as you see fit."
As voices continue to be raised all around her, Nanoha already knew there was no doubt in her mind what was going on. Oguba was here to aid them, to fulfil its part of the contract. She understood why a lot of people might be suspicious that Raging Heart had just started talking to them and gained an outstanding knowledge of the situation better than anybody else here, but they'd be mad to turn them down now.
They needed help now. Oguba claimed it could open up a time portal for them to pass through and rescue Vita. As far as she knew, nobody else had any better ideas. She didn't want to admit it, but they were all out of other options.
She caught Hayate's eye as she held Raging Heart in her hand, and nodded sadly. Yes, Hayate obviously thought so too. Vita's disappearance was weighing especially heavy on her mind.
"Silence," Hayate said sharply, rapping her knuckles on the desk in front of her.
The room went silent so fast that it was almost ridiculous. Sometimes you had to admire Hayate for her ability to make people listen to her.
"I want to hear our friend out," the former leader of Riot Force 6 said, walking into the middle of the room to stand next to Nanoha. "And I have some questions for him. Such as who this "Red Scorpion" are that he keeps mentioning. And in-depth profiles of the people that Oguba has contracted with, abilities, ways to combat them, weaknesses...everything." She folded her arms testily. "So far, everything seems to add up. I'd like to trust what Oguba is saying so far."
"I agree," Erio spoke up from the front. "Our opponents wouldn't steal the Lost Logia just to give it back to us on false pretences." Next to him, Subaru and Tiana nodded as well. "There just wouldn't be any point."
As one they all looked towards Chrono, who was eyeing them with mild disgust.
"Fine, go ahead," the admiral said reluctantly. "But until I see some sign of this Oguba's actual abilities, I can't tell you that I'm going to believe any of this. You ask your questions, Hayate."
Hayate smiled and winked at Nanoha. "Looks like we're getting somewhere at last. So...Oguba. If that's what you are." She turned her full attention to the form of Raging Heart on the table. "Tell us who you're contracting with and what this "Red Scorpion" is."
Oguba wasted no time. "Red Scorpion is the name of the assassination organisation which is responsible for the recent attacks upon the Time-Administration Bureau, Takamachi Nanoha's near demise, and Vita's kidnapping. Or should we say – that is what they used to be called. Now they have thrown away that name and choose to keep themselves nameless. But for the purposes of these questions, Red Scorpion is what I shall refer to them as. As you know, I am contracted with some but not all of their members. They have completed their contract with me and are able to use my powers in time travel to their heart's desire."
"And you don't see anything wrong with that?"
"The morals of humanity are not my concern," Oguba stated. "I am a contractor: nothing more, nothing less. With the completion of my contract, I no longer have any influence on the actions of Red Scorpion. And once I help rescue your friend from them, I will also leave you be to use my powers how you wish. Whether you use it to save a city or to destroy a civilisation is nothing to do with me.
"You asked who I am contracted with. I have finished contracts with Exoria, Grylmark and Ungore. I can provide information on these three individuals alone – none others. I cannot see beyond."
Hayate seemed to mull this over for a few moments, turning away from Raging Heart to look into the distance. In that amount of time, the only sound to be heard was Shari quickly typing all of this down. This could mean the difference between success and failure.
"Well,I guess we'll have to go with that," she said at last. "Tell me about these three and where they came ambitions, dreams and goals. Everything."
"I can tell you this much," Oguba said. "These three clients of mine are from very, very different places. Ungore is from a race named Hunzichille Beta – a species which is now extinct, following the catastrophe of a dimensional distortion that occurred in another time completely. Ungore is the last remaining member of this species. As you know, one of its abilities is the extremely fast regeneration of its limbs, which can be turned into weapons to be used to its advantage. From what I have gleaned, Ungore seeks nothing more than survival and the resurrection of its species. Unfortunately, the latter is quite impossible.
"Exoria. She is human, but you will not have been able to locate her because she is in fact from an alternate universe completely. Of my three clients, she has proven to be the one best adapted to my powers of time travel. As you know, she is proficient as close combat. However, I cannot tell you about her thoughts and motivations, as her mind is clouded up with what you would call human emotions. I can tell you that is still constantly thinking about a specific person, but her chaotic way of thinking prevents me from delving too much into that matter.
"And Grylmark. He is human, but of a slightly different entity. It will confuse you to hear this, but he exists in several different timelines at the same time – whilst not existing in either of them either. I do not know a better way to simplify this explanation to you. I understand that his powers are also known to you. Again, I am unable to comment about his inner thought processes."
Hayate smiled as the chattering and discussion around the room began to rise in volume. People were getting excited, feeling that they finally had a hold over their opponents now that they knew a great deal more about them. But that wasn't all. It was the fact that they had the promise of someone on their side who had been there before. They could use Red Scorpion's power of time travel against them.
"Have you got all of that, Shari?" she called out casually to the communications operator standing by the main screen, and waited until the young woman nodded quickly in response. "And Chrono? Do you still think we shouldn't take Oguba's offer for help?"
Chrono sighed, rising to his feet, looking over the rest of the mages. Oguba had been talking for barely five minutes and already the morale of the entire Bureau was up through the roof.
"Can you really open up a time portal?" he said to the clouded gem on the table.
"Yes," the metallic voice of the Lost Logia confirmed. "There are limitations, of course. There always will be. But where a portal has been closed, it can be opened again from the other side. I cannot guarantee that it will stay open for long, but as long as I am with you, that should not be a problem."
Nanoha stepped forward and picked up Raging Heart gingerly in her right hand. "You know exactly where Vita is?"
"I know where Red Scorpion resides. If your comrade is alive, she will be with them. They are located on a plane of existence which is filled with lost time, an eternally broken limbo caught between parallel universes. Any portal in time will lead through it."
"Good. That's what I wanted to hear." Nanoha grinned triumphantly. "Okay, everyone. We're rescuing Vita tomorrow."
Fate looked as if she was about to choke. "Tomorrow?" she said. "Isn't that a bit fast?"
"This whole exchange with Oguba was a bit fast. Honestly, it feels unstable, Fate. A Lost Logia is offering us all this information for...virtually nothing. It doesn't feel right." She sighed. "But we can't afford to turn it down. So whilst we still have the advantage, we need to get Vita back as quickly as possible."
If I could take it slower, I would. I still have so many things I need to do. I need to get Raging Heart upgraded properly. I have even more questions for Oguba. Like how I'm in possession of it when Red Scorpion were supposed to have stolen it...I need to spend more time with Vivio. I need to tell Fate something about -
Wait.
"Fate?" she said, suddenly remembering. "You said you wanted to tell me something?"
Fate smoothed down her blonde hair across her uniform and smiled consolingly. "I'll tell you tomorrow, when we have more privacy."
I'll be waiting for you, Nanoha thought, her curiosity pawing at her as her lover turned away.