Tired

Chapter 5

Sally walked into the Knothole Militia hut and opened the inner office door. She found the commanding officer, Captain Geoffrey St. John, talking with one of his officers about a experimental weapon design. He looked up from the blueprint he was holding toward Sally.

Sally spoke before he had the chance. "Lieutenant, your dismissed." The Lieutenant turned toward Geoffrey, who nodded his head softly. The Lieutenant saluted both Geoffrey and the princess, and left the office, shutting the door behind him.

"Anything in particular I can do for you princess?" Geoffrey asked while lighting a cigarette. He sat down in his chair. The princess pulled a yellow sheet of paper out of her pocket. She handed it to him without a word. He unfolded it and immediately recognized it as a royal order. He read it, his face growing more displeased as he went on. When he finished it, he let it drop onto his desk as he stood. He took a few hits off of his cigarette as he thought the matter over and turned back toward Sally.

He cleared his throat and started off gently. "Sally... Tails is only a kid..."

She narrowed her eyes slightly at Geoffrey. "Captain St. John, You have your orders. Carry them out."

He put his cigarette out and stood, placing his hands on the oak desk. "Sally, your asking me to kill a kid. I can't kill a kid."

"He's a murderer and a traitor to the crown."

"He's already been punished for both, even with no direct evidence. Now your asking me to kill him for the same crime, just because your afraid...or is that even it?" He looked at her in wonder. "If he was a traitor, don't you think he would of acted by now? By God, he's been judged. He's had enough.

Sally reached across the desk and pulled St. John toward her roughly. She looked him in they eyes in a way that would have froze an ocean. "I will decide when enough is enough! I am in command here! And if you can't do it, I'll find someone who will!" She pushed him back and stood there waiting for a answer. Finally he sighed.

"I have my orders..." He said gravely. "...and I'll act on them."

*****

"Good Morning." Amy replied nervously. Tails sat the coffee pot he was holding back onto the coffee maker.

"I thought you might be hungry, so...I made breakfast." She sat down and looked at the food on her plate. He did the same. For a moment, they both sat there sipping their coffee. Finally Tails broke the uncomfortable silence that had descended.

"Amy...was last night...just a one night pity thing?" Tails spoke calmly, but Amy could hear the undercurrent of fear in his voice. Amy stood up and walked over to Tails, taking his hand in her's.

"Tails, I love you. I just never knew if you felt the same way." She hugged him.

"Amy?" Tails asked softly still hugging her.

"Yes?" Amy asked, backing up slightly to look him in the face.

"I love you...I just wanted to say that."

After about a minute, Amy spoke. "Tails, the eggs are getting cold." Tails smiled.

"I'll make new ones. Right now, I just want to hold you."

She smiled at this. "It's ok, I'm not hungry right now."

*****

Antoine walked into the militia hut after Sally had left, heading directly into St. John's office. Geoffrey was sitting at his desk, worriedly puffing on a cigarette. He looked up at Antoine and instantly knew what he was there for.

"Close the door." St. John commanded. Antoine closed the door and sat down in front of the desk. Geoffrey offered him a cigarette. Antoine declined.

"Geoffrey, I know that for a long time me and you weren't on the best of terms, and I can understand you not trusting me completely even now, but there's something I think we should talk about."

St. John nodded his head. "Antoine, before I became militia captain, when you were still the commander, did you ever encounter a situation that left a bad taste in your mouth? I mean, something that personally struck you as wrong, yet you were expected to carry it out?"

Antoine shook his head. "I'm afraid not St. John, but it looks like you feel the same way about this as me. The sixty-four thousand mobian question now is, what can we do about it without being charged with treason and without you being booted out?"

They both sat for a few minutes, thinking of things to try then just as quickly striking them down, when Antoine hit on a good idea.

"I got it!" He exclaimed to Geoffrey. St. John eagerly responded. "What? What?!"

Antoine smiled. " Geoffrey St. John, I am officially ordering you not to take the life of Miles Prowler."

St. John rolled his eyes. "What good is that going to do?"

Antoine smiled. "The princess may outrank us both, but I outrank you. Therefore, under Militia Bylaw 485-C, in a situation of conflicting orders, no action is taken-" Antoine trailed off.

St. John smiled and finished. "-until confirmation of the original order. So, until she reaffirms the order, I can take no action." A worried look crossed St. John's face. "She's going to be pretty angry when she finds out it was you, Antoine."

Antoine merely nodded. "This is wrong, St. John. You and I both know this is wrong. If we can save his life, even if it's just long enough to escape..."

Antoine didn't have to finish. St. John was in complete agreement.

*****

Sonic walked in on Tails and Amy hugging. He smiled at the scene, but quickly controlled it, as time was short.

"Tails." Sonic said, startling both of them. They turned toward him. Tails had a look of utter surprise on his face, Amy had a look of anger.

"What do you want?" She asked bitterly. Sonic went over to Tails, ignoring Amy.

"Tails, everyone was under a direct order from Sally not to have direct contact with you. I'm sorry little buddy. I didn't mean to hurt you. Me and the others have been collecting evidence these past few months to file for a appeal on your behalf, but I'm afraid we've run out of time. Sally is ordering your execution. I don't know what's going to happen. If Geoffrey doesn't follow the order, he'll be fired. You need to leave Knothole." Tails stepped forward and hugged Sonic.

"Thanks for believing me." Sonic hugged him back.

"Drop me a line sometime. I'd like to go fishing with you." Tails smiled at him, then turned toward Amy.

"Do you know where I could go?" Amy smiled.

"Come with me, back to Station Square." Tails barely had to think about it.

"Ok." They started to go out the back door, but Amy went back and hugged Sonic. She looked him in the eyes.

"I never doubted you for a second." Amy let go and walked out the back, following Tails.

Sonic lingered, standing in the now abandoned hut. A tear went down his face. "I wish I could say the same, Ames. I wish I could say the same."

*****

Sally marched into St. John's office and slammed the door shut. She walked over to his desk where he was smoking a cigarette and leaned toward him. "Why hasn't Tails been captured yet?"

St. John put his cigarette out and took a drink of his water. "I received orders not to terminate him." Fire roared in her eyes. She whispered her next question.

"Orders from who?" St. John finished his glass of water.

"Antoine."

"I outrank him, you idiot!" She screamed in his face. Her face was rapidly turning beet red.

"Princess, under Militia Bylaw, I cannot proceed until I receive a confirmation order, ending the conflict." She grabbed the glass out of his hands, slamming it against the far wall. Shards of glass splattered everywhere.

"Find Tails, Kill him!" She screamed, making herself hoarse. "Find him, Kill Him! Find and Kill! Do I make myself clear!" St. John merely smiled at her.

"Like crystal, princess." She stalked angrily out of St. John's office. She walked over to the Private standing guard outside the hut.

"Private!" She snapped at him.

"Yes, Princess?" He asked in a formal, militaristic tone.

"Find Antoine and place him under arrest!"

*****

Tails walked toward the Knothole entrance. Just before walking out into the Great Forest, he stopped and turned back to face Knothole, bustling with midday activity.

"My home, since childhood..." Tails said sadly. Amy gripped his hand tighter.

"But not your future. You'll comeback someday. And they'll all forgive you." Amy said softly. Tails nodded and smiled at her.

"I'll be happy anywhere as long as I'm with you." They turned back towards the entrance when a stern voice emanated from behind them. "HALT!"

*****

St. John positioned the gun sight on Tails' forehead. He had given the order to detain him, but not to kill. He had told them he would take that responsibility. They had felt the same as him when they were alerted about the mission, but he told them it was their duty to follow Princess Sally whatever the situation. He moved the sight slightly to the left. He just hoped his aim was still sharp.

*****

Tails and Amy were quickly surrounded by Militia members, all aiming guns at Tails. Amy gripped his hand tighter in fear. She was pulled away from him.

"Tails!" She shrieked, beginning to cry. "No, let go of me! TAILS!"

Tails stood his ground, slightly shaking. He stopped shaking, however, when he saw Sally walk up to him. 'I will not give that bitch the satisfaction of seeing me tremble.' He told himself. He tried his best to remain calm.

She entered the circle and approached Tails. "Hello, Tails." She spoke harshly. "You are suspected of terrorist activities and plotting murder against the crown of Acorn. How do you plead?" She couldn't keep the grin off of her face. Tails thought for a moment.

"Didn't we already do this about a year ago? I didn't get a fair hearing then, so I'm not expecting one from a bitch like you now. Just fucking shoot me!" He pounded his hand against his chest. "Go on, send me packing!"

She slowly backed out of the circle, still smiling. "Open fire." She growled.

*****

St. John positioned his scope carefully and pulled the trigger.

*****

The world around Tails exploded into pain as he passed into darkness. Seeing Tails drop, the members of the Militia holstered their weapons and dispersed. Amy ran forward, sobbing, and clutched Tails' limp body to her chest. She began to wail.

"Tails!" She dropped her head onto his chest and sobbed. Sally turned and walked away. She was about to walk to her hut when the bell began to ring in the village square. She furrowed her brow and quickly jogged to the square.

*****

Sonic and Antoine were standing on top of the bell tower when Sally arrived. The rest of Knothole's citizens were already gathered around the tower.

"Just what is the meaning of this?" Sally yelled up at Sonic and Antoine. She looked directly at Antoine. "And why aren't you in jail?"

"The meaning of this, Princess, is to show these fine people what you've hidden from them." Sonic said loudly so all could hear. Antoine presented a CD case gave it to Sonic. He held it up for all to see.

"This is a digital recording of information from Robotropolis listening station 7 the night Bunnie Rabbot and Rotor were killed. On here, during a 27 second period, there is a faint, but readable transmission of orders to Tails to overload the Robotisizer circuitry, the result being a huge explosion." Sonic looked at Sally. "Voice Recognition identifies only one match: Princess Sally Acorn. You are the one that betrayed us. Your the spy for Robotnik!" Sally's mouth dropped open in shock as the crowd turned toward her, a low ripple of disbelieve spreading through the crowd. Sally held up her hands to quiet the crowd. They quieted, and she began to speak.

*****

Dr. Quack and Geoffrey came over to Amy near the village gate, clutching Tails body. Amy looked up and saw Geoffrey carrying a rifle. Anger filled her features as she jumped up and attacked him. Clawing at him, she screamed at him incoherently.

"You sonofabitchhowcouldyouyousieceofsh-!" Amy's attack was cut short by a hypo spray emptying into her arm. Dr. Quack guided the knocked out Amy to the ground, then helped St. John to his feet.

"That was a very nice shot St. John." Dr. Quack said to Geoffrey as they picked up Tails. "There's a lot of blood, a little skull fracture, but no real damage." Geoffrey nodded and laughed as they entered the Knothole clinic.

Dr. Quack looked at him oddly as they sat Tails down and began gathering supplies. "What's so funny?" The doctor asked as he measured a shot of local anesthetic. Geoffrey just shook his head.

"Your not going to believe who taught me how to sharp shoot." Quack looked up and smiled.

"Sally." He then laughed shortly, but quieted himself. There was still work to be done.

*****

"Your really going to believe them over me? I've led you through hundreds of successful campaigns against Robotnik, cost him millions in damage, and I'm a traitor?" She ended with a note of disbelieve. Sonic and Antoine shared a look. They had been afraid of this, she was trying to rally public support.

"Then why Tails? Why was he killed?" A voice came from the back of the crowd. Everybody turned to face an antelope. Sonic recognized him instantly, thankful he had arrived on time. When he asked him to come, Sonic wasn't sure if he'd come. It was Griff from Lower Mobius. He walked calmly forward. Sally noticed he was holding a disk in his hands. He reached the center of the crowd and held the disk up. "I was asked to come here today to show you this. This is a copy of a one minute long segment taken out of the Lower Mobius archives. Since Robotnik built Lower Mobius, we have some access to his computer systems. On here, you will not only find the transmitted orders, but a file filled with requests Robotnik has asked of Sally over the years. You will find they correspond perfectly with events in your history." He pointed at Sally, speaking coldly. "You are a traitor."

Sonic stood on top of the tower thinking. He nodded to himself, deciding they had enough evidence to prosecute Sally. "Militia members!" Twenty of so faces looked up to Sonic from the crowd. He looked sadly at Sally. "Place Princess Sally Acorn under arrest. I am assuming command of Knothole village until this crisis has passed." The militia members walked up to her. With one last look at Sonic, she allowed herself to be led away. People standing close by heard one last thing.

"I hate that hedgehog..."

*****

Tails' eyes came open slightly underneath a blinding bright white light. "Well, It looks like I've reached the end of the tunnel." He was startled when Amy leaned into his field of vision. His eyes snapped open. "Amy?" He croaked out. He noticed he was very thirsty. She helped him sit up on the hospital bed he was laying on. He clutched his head where he had been shot. A bandage was wrapped around his head. He took a drink out of the water glass beside his bed and looked at Amy. "What happened?" He asked in his normal voice.

Amy quickly explained all that had happened, from Sally's accusations at him to her downfall and Sonic's takeover of the leadership of Knothole. He shook his head in disbelieve.

"Then why did she want to kill me?" Tails asked confused.

"Her last order from Robotnik was the command to terminate you. The reason he gave was that he feared you would dig and find something implicating Sally on a charge of treason. So she was ordered to kill you. We still don't know why she did what she did, but Antoine and St. John are still going through Nicole looking for information." She smiled at Tails. "In fact, the only reason your not dead right now is because Geoffrey shot you before anyone else could, in such a way that made it look like you were fatally wounded, but you really weren't."

Tails sighed and smiled. "So, are we still leaving Knothole?" Amy shook her head.

"Only if you want to, Tails." Tails stood up and walked over to the window on the opposite side of the room. He looked out into the village square where a few kids were playing dirt hockey. He smiled at the sight lightly, remembering when he used to play the game when he was younger. He turned back towards Amy, embracing her.

"Actually Amy, I think Knothole is the perfect place to raise a family." She drew back from him and looked him in the eyes.

"What are you saying, Tails?" She asked softly.

Tails whispered in her ear. "Marry me, Amy Rose."

Amy's eyes misted over slightly, clutching Tails tightly. "Ok."

The End