Clouds of the Blue Sky

by Freefan1412

PreSeed to postDestiny. Drabbles and missing scenes with many characters. 31: Truth behind Athrun's medal 32: Chief Murdoch isn't the first in the hanger 33: Kira, Cagalli on attempted marriage 34: Kira is running out of 35: Lacus and Angel Down 36: Kira remembers 37: Dearka puts things together 38: Mu and Murrue and their job 39: Mu as Senpai 40: Meer's ground is slipping away

4. Murrue Ramius and Maria Bernes

Characters: Talia Gladys, Murrue Ramius

Pairings: None

Time frame: post Angel Down

---

Murrue Ramius and Maria Bernes

---

"…security goes before secrecy. Especially for warships..."

Talia Gladys had thought the chief mechanic in charge of the repairs of her ship to be an incredibly wise woman. First impression had been good and it had only gone up from there. Kindly spoken, the other woman was compassionate and understanding of the Minerva's situation and did truthfully her best for support, expecting nothing at all in return. They had connected instantly, and Talia found she had appreciated the Morgenröte mechanic on a personal level. It had been as if the woman truthfully understood what she was going through and it wasn't after Orb was long behind them, that Taliy wondered if maybe Maria Bernes had spoken from experience. And had maybe been more similar than Talia would have thought.

"…this is the Captain of the Archangel, Murrue Ramius…."

She hadn't known it, but she found she wasn't surprised. Had indeed expected it even. For it was fitting, somehow. Knowing who was on board, knowing that the Captain was no ignorant individual that would be easy to be disposed of.

But Talia still wondered.

It was the face she knew as Maria Bernes, the voice was the same too, as were the understanding and truthfully believed words. But the expression on her face was not primarily conveying kindness. The woman on the monitor was determined, confident, unrelenting, focused and her tone of voice had changed from softness to unbending resolve.

Talia wondered how much of Maria Bernes had been a created mask, erected to very carefully not allow the soldiers from ZAFT know of her truth. She wondered if there was a mask at all, or if Maria Bernes of Orb was simply Murrue Ramius at peace.

The other Captain believed in her words, believed in her cause, acted on it, and encouraged others to do the same, including Talia herself.

But her knowledge, their similarity and her agreement with the Archangel's Captain made fighting them much more difficult on her. Even more so when they were not even shooting back.

The Archangel probably didn't have the same problems, being the ship most famous for shooting at her own army in known history.