Chapter 11: Thinker
'Why do I continue to open my big mouth?' By the time lunch had rolled around some days after Momoka's arrival, chaos ensued, for lack of a better term. One day, somehow, Alain could only assume through the use of the Light of Mana, Momoka had started off by rearranging a portion of the locker room, Salia and Alain's lockers being particular victims to the maids decision to add in a full size cabinet loaded to the brim with dresses. Ange had at the least gotten just as irritated about it as Alain, probably moreso, and demanded Momoka change it back. And not a day after that, he'd heard from Jasmine Momoka had also requested a whole list worth's of things to rearrange Ange's dorm as well. Granted that was the tamer of things and something Alain questioned when he heard not a while before Ange requested the changes be reverted.
But, from something benign to something annoying. The lunchroom had an open balcony that was for one, part of letting air into the space, but also a nice overlook. And while it didn't earn much more than grumbles from the Norma, Momoka had set up an ornate tarp cover and table set, complete with handmade meal with things she definitely bought from the mall. As Ange approached the set up with an odd look, Alain's groan could be heard throughout the lunchroom before his face met the table, Salia giving him a pat on the back as he let out a pained noise.
"Welcome, Lady Angelise." Momoka greeted Ange ever so happily, however. "Today I've prepared your favorite from back home. Grilled quail with salad with sauce." Ange narrowed her eyes as she approached the table, her hands going right for the cover. "I'm sure you'll feel a hundred times better after eating this!"
"Enough!" Ange ripped the tablecloth off, sending everything atop it flying to the ground.
"What a waste!" Vivian could be heard bemoaning the loss of food her keen nose said was good.
"Lady Angelise…" Momoka said. 'I'm sure if we just talk a bit…'
"It's not Angelise!" Ange snapped. 'Not anymore. Stop acting like nothing's changed!' she thought. "How many times do I have to keep telling you before you get it!? Just leave me alone!" Ange slammed a fist to the table and stormed off. Hilda stood up as Ange passed, a smirk coming to her face as she looked to the now downtrodden Momoka. 'I wonder if Ange knows?' For the Norma the secrecy of their location wasn't exactly uncommon knowledge after all. Yet Ange probably wasn't quite as in the loop to some things. 'I wonder how she'll react to hearing some passing rumors?'
If there was something Alain at least found calming in this mess of a week, it was target practice. There was something oddly relaxing about spending time on the firing range. The smell of burnt gun powder hanging in the air, the ring of shells bouncing off the floor after every shot, the rhythmic bangs that rang as everyone took aim and fired at the Schooner-shaped targets down range. Plus, the satisfying feeling of quickly adjusting his aim and plugging each of the target points in quick succession. Though for his speed and precision, Alain didn't nail perfect bullseyes. That and the title of Best Shot in the Squad went to Salia.
Alain shifted his head over to look as Ersha fired next to him. Her shot went wide and while it hit the target, it wasn't at all close to anywhere she should have actually hit. Alain looked over at Salia, the squad leader nailing the bullseye at the head in one shot.
"Nice shooting!" Ersha said, pulling out a handkerchief shoved into her cleavage to wave like a flag. "I can never hit quite as well as you, Salia. How do you always aim so well? I've got no clue what I'm doing wrong."
"It's your center of gravity. I keep telling you to adjust your torso before you shoot." Alain muttered, giving his rifle's muzzle a tap.
"But it feels fine to me before I shoot." Ersha argued. "So really just what do I need to do?"
'Find a way to remove that four-dimensional bust first.' Salia thought. "You aim fine in the Para-mail. But Alain's right, it's your center of gravity throwing you off."
"Is that so?" Ersha crossed her arms beneath her bust, pushing it up even further. Neither Alain nor Salia were sure if she knew why her aim was off and was just playing around with both of them, or if Ersha was being that legitimately airheaded. 'One of the great mysteries of Arzenal.' Alain thought. He looked to his left where Ange crouched with her gaze firmly down range. Though what concerned Alain was the usual suspects huddling together not to far away from Ange.
"Whoa, you're serious?" And Rosalie's totally not loud on purpose tone didn't make him feel less suspicious.
"You're being too loud." Hilda scolded, but the look in her eyes side it was definitely on purpose. Ange did indeed seem to pay attention even as she kept staring downrange.
"That maid's seriously going to get killed?" Rosalie said aloud. 'Totally on purpose.' Alain thought, firing a burst to try and act as a not-so-silent deterrent. Ange shifted ever so slightly though. If they were looking for a reaction, the three girls got it.
"According to the operators." Hilda said. "I overheard them saying something like that the other day."
"Why would they even do that?" Chris asked.
"I've overheard the Inspector talking about how Arzenal and the DRAGONs are classified like you wouldn't believe." Hilda said. "Only a handful of humans know about this place."
"Is that so?" Rosalie said.
"I've heard a few things like that." Chris added. Alain fired again, but to no avail.
"And then some random girl who shouldn't even know about the place waltzes right in under their noses, learning everything." Hilda's eyes turned to Ange, who kept her gaze locked forward on the targets.
"Yeah, there's no way they'd just let her go back home." Chris said. And by now Alain had given up on trying to interrupt and was just glaring at the three. Chris and Rosalie as expected looked away, but Hilda just glared back.
"Poor little miss maid." Hilda's snide look went more directly to Ange. "I almost feel sorry for her. She came her looking for a cold-hearted bitch like that. Everyone who gets close to her just winds up dead. First Coco and Mirana, now that girl. She just seems to keep sending people who actually like her right to Hell. She's a first-class jinx."
The sudden roar of a gun at full auto ripped through the air. Hilda flinched a bit and looked across the range, Alain shouldering his still smoking rifle. Chris and Rosalie were giving Hilda looks that said even they thought that remark went a bit too shot a glare back to Alain as he reloaded and went prone. 'Damn he pisses me off. What the hell's your problem? Don't you want Ange to drop the attitude?'
'A way to keep that girl here… there's really only one option but I hate the idea of doing it.' Alain sighed as he set a data pad down and flopped down on his bed. He'd spent this last couple of days trying to form some kind of plan. He knew he could rely on the guys at CROSS, but he did want to follow Bandog's suggestion and see if there was a way to keep Momoka from leaving at all. Aside from keeping attention off CROSS and potentially Jill's prosthetic out of his gut, it could also benefit Ange to have another ally around. The easiest option was just to buy her out. Arzenal's rules were simple and clear: If one had the money to afford it, then anything they wanted could be theirs provided the other was willing to sell. Jasmine made it clear that it was a very exact terminology. But Alain was as averse of the idea of buying someone out as most of Arzenal was. Now perhaps Momoka was different. She was a human after all, and maybe some would see it as poetic justice for one to be bought out by a Norma. But Alain had his principles, and those extended even to humans.
"Hey, you in there?" Ange's voice snapped him to attention/ "I know you're alone in there for once."
"Yeah yeah, just hold on." Alain just had to know what this about. There was no way Ange was coming to his room for that reason. 'Plus I'm not about to do that to Tusk.' He decided. 'I'm not one to turn down an offer, but I'd never move in on someone else's girl.'
"If you're thinking something dirty," Ange said as Alain opened the door, glaring at him. "then no, I'm not here for that. Look… I need your help with something. It's about Momoka."
"You? Asking me for help?" Alain joked, Ange's glare narrowing further. "Okay I get it. I know you're not joking. It's just unusual alright?"
"Yeah but unfortunately you're also the only one I feel like I can ask about this." Ange said. "Now you going to let me in or not?"
"Make yourself at home." Alain stepped aside as his guest entered and took a moment to look his dorm over. She found it surprisingly tame. Normal, she'd dare had half expected a den of debauchery, but instead what she got was something that seemed totally normal for a young man Alain's age. A TV set up with gaming consoles hooked up to it, posters from shows across the walls, a large but space-keeping bed, and surprisingly a pair of packed bookshelves next to a work desk with his closed laptop present. Granted said books were volumes of manga thanactual novels. She had to wonder why he had two dressers, but then second guessed it knowing what she usually heard. Ange took a seat at the small couch across from the TV, and Alain pulled his desk chair over.
"I hate to say it but… I'm worried." Ange said. "If what those idiots said is right then… I told Momoka to run but she wouldn't listen to me."
"And you don't wanna see her die." Alain said, Ange looking at him. To her surprise, he was smiling. "I actually expected that much y'know? For as bad as your attitude is, you're not a bad person at heart. That or it's my stupid sense of optimism convincing me you are."
"You? An optimist?" Ange snarked.
"You see anyone else around her as positively minded as me?" Ange was about to answer but… "Besides Vivian." Alain knew just where she was going.
"So what if I don't huh?" Ange said. "She doesn't deserve to die. She only came here because she wanted to see me again. And for that they're going to kill her? All to keep some secret? I won't let that happen! Momoka… she's the only human who didn't turn on me! I don't know what to do so… please, help me!" The look of desperation in Ange's eyes told Alain just how seriously she was taking it. 'So she really does have a heart under it all.' He thought.
"I'll be honest with you; I've been thinking about this." He told her. "And we've got two options."
"I'm listening."
"Our first option is to buy her out."
"Meaning what?"
"You should remember what Jasmine told you." Alain said. "With enough money, anything can be bought. Support, friendship, even someone else's life."
"You're not seriously suggesting I buy Momoka like she's some piece of property?!" Ange cried.
"If she's willing to sell, then yes." Alain replied. "The problem is even with all the money you've earned I doubt you'll have enough. Which is where I come in. We split the cost and become co-owners." Ange glared at him like she was ready to slug his face in. "Oh don't give me that look! Despite what you might think I do have standards!"
"What's the other option?" Ange demanded.
"We put in a call to some friends of mine and see if they can't smuggle her out." Friends? What did he mean by that? Was he planning something not even Jill knew about? "There's no guarantee they'd make it in time though, not to mention the risk of exposure. Not just from the Inspector, but Jill to. She… hasn't been on the best terms with these people, to say the least. If she found out I asked them for help she might just toss Momoka and us off the tarmac herself." Ange mulled over it. She didn't like the idea of "buying" Momoka, but Alain was right that there may not be another option.
"So what do you want out of this?" Ange wasn't just expecting Alain to do this out of the good will of his heart.
"In exchange," he said. "you lay off the kill stealing. Not just with Vivian and Ersha, the rest of your squad too. Let them start earning some decent pay again."
"Are you kidding me?! After all those three did?! You don't seriously just expect me to…"
"This one isn't just about you!" Alain snapped, getting right in Ange's face. "I'm not saying forgive them. Right now though, this is about Momoka. You said it yourself, she came here without knowing the danger. I don't think she deserves to die for something she didn't know about either. But if she could bear that then you can bear not being such a troublemaker! You need to stop thinking about yourself. Or do you want Momoka to end up like Coco, Miranda, and Zola?" Images of the two girls' deaths and the mangled body of Zola drifted through Ange's mind where she'd tried to lock them away, along with a vision of Momoka lying in a pool of her own blood before an alarm pulled her back to reality.
"Attention all residents!" Pamela's voice announced. "A Singular has been detected. Garm and Mobius Squadrons, report to launch bay for deployment!"
"Damn, now of all times?" Alain cursed. "Look, I'll let you think this over for now, but you'd better make a choice and soon." Alain hurried out, Ange groaning as she followed after. By the time they arrived at the hangar, the rest of Garm were already lined up as the Para-mail were being taxied to launch positions.
"You better work hard today so you can afford that girl's tombstone." Rosalie mocked.
"Rosalie, shut up and focus on the DRAGONs." Alain said, his cool tone perhaps more surprising than if he was angry.
"Mount up everyone!" Salia ordered. As Ange clambered up Villkiss's side, a sudden feeling made her stop.
"Ange." Ange looked down and to her surprise saw Jill standing beside her unit. 'What does she want?' "A transport will arrive at dawn. Your order to care for your former maid is completed. Good work."
"That's it?" Ange clicked her tongue as Jill walked off. As she dropped into Villkiss and got the machine started, her eyes hovered at the radio. Time was running out and she had to make a choice now. 'Damn it all. That idiot has to know I could tell she was lying. Top maid my ass…' Ange reached to the radio and opened a private channel to Alain. "You wanted an answer, and I've got one. I'll do it. Buying Momoka. I still think it's crazy but I don't see any other way."
"Then I'll be glad to help." Alain said. "Just be sure to keep your end of the deal."
"Yeah yeah." Ange grumbled. "I'll let the idiots make their due."
"Glad to hear it." Alain nodded, flexing his hands around his controls and the launches began. "Now, let's fly!"
Salia couldn't help but feel something was off once they finally got back. Ange had been almost too compliant during the sortie. The girl was normally all too happy to defy orders and fly off on her own, most of all when it came to kill stealing, even if that had dialed back a bit. 'I don't get it… why was she being so restrained this time?'
"It was kinda weird huh?" Vivian said. "Ange was as aggressive as ever, but she wasn't taking kills from anyone at all! She pretty much never does that!"
"Alain seemed to fly a bit different today to." Ersha noted. "I wonder if something happened. They did arrive together."
"What are you suggesting?!" Salia snapped. "He wouldn't! He told me himself!"
"I was only kidding." Ersha said, Salia's face flushing.
"Big Bro wouldn't what?" Vivian asked.
"You don't need to know!" The two older girls said. Vivian again tilted her head in confusion. 'But seriously…' Salia thought. 'Did Alain actually convince her to hold back? How did he manage that?'
Momoka hadn't nearly expected there to be a crowd as she was leaving. The transport meant to take her back to Misurugi had arrived not long after morning. She only really wished she could give Ange one more goodbye, but knew there likely wouldn't be time for that. She had just recently returned from her previous mission and was doubtlessly busy. As she approached, the maid took a moment to bow to a concerned looking Emma and an impassive Jill.
"Thank you for taking care of me." She said. "It was only for a short time, but I was incredibly happy. Could you please let Lady Angelise know that?"
"I will." Emma assured.
"Alright, this way." One of the soldiers gestured. Emma felt all to uneasy as she looked the woman over. The rifle she carried was replete with an attached bayonet. 'Are they really going to kill her? There's no reason to…' the Inspector wondered. It just didn't feel right at all.
"Thank you." Momoka turned to follow the soldier. Her cheerful expression faltered as she turned. At least she knew Ange wouldn't see her go. 'I hope you'll be happy from here on, Lady Angelise.'
"Hold it right there!" Momoka turned to see Ange rushing towards her, hauling several bags totally full to the brim with money. And Alain was right behind her with a load of his own. "We're buying that girl!"
"Huh? What?!" Emma gasped and looked between Ange and Alain, the latter putting his arms behind his head and grinning. "You can't be serious! Do you really expect these ragged strips of paper to be worth a human life?!"
"Momoka?" Jill interrupted. "Do you accept their offer?"
"Uhm… yes." Momoka replied, not quite sure just what was going on.
"Fine with me." Jill said, Emma gasping in shock. "I'm calling off the transport. That girl's their property from now own." The soldiers gave a bemused stare but finally saluted before turning back to the transport. Alain raised a brow when they glanced at him for a moment, one of them making a rather subtle upward gesture. Alain dared shift his gaze up, and he barely suppressed a smirk as the pilot gave a salute of his own. 'Those sons of bitches. They got it done without me telling them to go ahead. I guess Big Boss's still a big softy.'
"W-wait, Commander!" Emma objected.
"You can buy anything with enough money." Jill said. "That's the way the rules work here." As she passed by, Alain caught a smirk of her own on Jill's face. 'And maybe she isn't as stony as I thought.' He supposed.
"But, but…" Emma sighed and cast some Mana over the bags, lifting them up as she turned off. "Wait, please!"
"I can really stay here?" Momoka approached Ange as the transport began to leave, barely a gust raising from the Mana engines. "I can stay here by your side, Lady Angelise?"
"Ange." Ange turned around, Alain snickering a bit as she was hiding a slight red tinge on her cheeks. "My name is Ange. Just call me that, got it?"
"Wait…" Momoka then looked at Alain. "Lady Angelise said "we"… you helped her?"
"We struck a deal." Alain replied. "I said I'd help her make sure you can stay so long as she stops making things a hassle for her team. Ange agreed, so I made up for half of the cost."
"Which means… then, should I call you Sir Alain from now on?" Alain tilted his head in honest consideration. A punch to his side from Ange stopped that train of thought quickly.
"What the hell!" Alain yelped.
"Absolutely not!" Ange snapped. "Don't go thinking you owe anything to this this extortionist pervert! All he did was make it easy for me to keep you here."
"Some gratitude would be appreciated." Alain grumbled. "Also quit slapping me with labels! I'm not an extortionist!"
"Oh but you won't deny the other one?" Ange challenged, Alain huffing.
"Oh my…" Momoka seemed about ready to cry. "Lady Angelise, just when I thought you would never be interested in romance!"
"Don't get any ideas!" Ange and Alain snapped.
"You're not posing a good argument when you talk in synch." The pilots turned, and who did they see but Jasmine walking up towards them, a slip of paper in hand. "Here. This receipt shows Momoka's now legally your property. Don't lose it, or I'm charging you both again. Also, when you're done with your lovers quarrel…" Jasmine chuckled as Alain and Ange glowered at her. "Jill said she wants you to gather with the rest of Garm in the briefing room one hour from now."
"Wait, why?" Alain asked. Then his eyes widened as he seemed to realize something Ange wasn't getting. "Wait, are you…?"
"You got it kid. They're going to be introduced to a future squad mate." Something was going on. Ange could tell from Jasmine's incredibly vague statement to Alain's knowing look. 'This better not be something weird.' She thought.
The sudden call from Jill to gather in the briefing room didn't leave the girls of Garm all that thrilled. They'd just spent a long sortie out and were all to ready to get some sleep. Vivian was outright dozing off in her chair, only keeping barely awake from Ersha prodding her in the side every few seconds.
"What's the Commander thinking?" Rosalie yawned. "Can't we at least get some sleep first?"
"It better be worth it." Hilda grumbled. "Though I'm, curious why the maid is still here."
"I bought her." Ange said, Momoka nodding. "So she's not going anywhere."
"Wow, you actually stooped that low?" Rosalie sneered.
"Disgusting." Chris added.
"Both of you shut it." Hilda said. "It's not our problem." Both stared in shock at the red head, though Hilda could care less. It looked as if her little reality check at the gun range worked, and Hilda didn't care how Ange did it.
"It must have cost a fortune." Ersha said.
"Luckily, Alain helped me with it."
"No way!" Chris gasped.
"Don't go trying to stir something up." Salia bit, Ange giving the captain and impassive look.
"Believe me or not, your choice. Hell, it was his idea." 'So that was how he got her to hold back during the sortie.' Salia realized. She wished Alain could have chosen a less unsavory method to do so, but knew he likely wouldn't have done so if he'd had another option. Salia had heard the rapidly circulating rumors, and the fact Momoka seemed somewhat sympathetic towards the Norma had earned the maids some points from her.
"At attention." The door flew open as Jill's commanding voice snapped any drowsiness out of the tired pilots. Each of them snapped up and to attention as Jill entered the room. "At ease. I know you're all likely tired from such a long flight, but there's something I have to disclose to all of you. Hey! Both of you move it!"
"Maybe you shouldn't walk to quickly when there's someone on a crutch." Alain's voice called from the hall.
"It just is how it is." And the voice that replied to Alain elicited a gasp from all but Ange and Momoka. The soft clack of a crutch on the floor almost became an echo, and the shock elevated into open disbelief as a girl with long pink hair stumbled into the room, Alain helping support her. "Hey everyone! It's been a while huh?" The room became so quiet one could hear a pin drop.
"NAOMI?!" Salia and Ersha yelled in synch, Vivian screaming at the top of her lungs. Chris and Rosalie grabbed each other, and Hilda had lurched out of her chair, her jaw slack and her violet eyes almost popping out of her head. All in all, reactions Alain felt fit the old phrase "you look like you've seen a ghost."
"Alain w-what's going on?!" Salia gasped. "How is… what?!"
"Is it… now way… Naomi is it really…?" Ersha gasped as tears started to fall down her face. "Alain… this isn't some kind of joke is it?"
"It is, it is!" Vivian started bouncing out of her chair. "I would never mistake a person's scent; it really is her!"
"Calm down all of you." Jill said, flicking her lighter open and taking a drag of a cigarette. "She didn't actually die during that incident two months ago. She's still undergoing recovery at the time, but Naomi's in a good enough state to return to work. Once she's back in proper physical condition however, she'll be rejoining Garm Squadron as a pilot."
"I've got a pretty big debt to pay off after all." Naomi said, taking a seat in a chair Alain pulled up.
"Whoa whoa whoa, just, slow down on us for a second!" Rosalie said, Chris nodding quickly. "C-Commander I don't mean anything but… what?! Alain how long have you known about this?!"
"Pretty much the entire time." Alain admitted.
"And you never thought to tell us?!" Salia shouted.
"Salia, I said calm down!" Jill barked, Salia obediently sitting down. "Alain didn't tell you because he wasn't allowed to. We couldn't have it openly known we had a Norma in a comatose state in the intensive care wing. The Management Board wouldn't have liked us wasting resources to keep her alive, and Naomi's subsequent debt is reparations for the cost of doing so."
"That hardly sounds fair." Momoka murmured.
"Costs have to be incurred." Jill said. "She'll begin working for Jasmine starting today, and once she's gotten through enough of her recovery be transferred over to the Armorers."
"I've got about three more weeks before I can actually begin proper training." Naomi said. "For now, it's just physical therapy to help me build muscle back up and get used to moving again. Hopefully, my muscle memory still works once I'm able to get back into the cockpit."
"Is it too much to ask for one day without drama?" Hilda griped, hiding her eyes behind her hands. While he couldn't be sure, Alain could swear he saw some tears of joy on her face.
"Are you kidding?! This is awesome!" Vivian said, Alain grabbing her by the collar when she shot over to Naomi. "We're actually getting someone back for once! That never happens! So cool! I wanna see that awesome Para-mail of yours flying again!"
"Hate to disappoint Vivian, but they probably stripped it down." Naomi said, looking to the side with dulls eyes.
"Not quite." Jill said, Alain clearing his throat as Jill then tapped his arm. "This one made sure it wasn't. That and Mei said the modifications you did to the internals were too much to just strip back to stock. Your Para-mail's been in storage since it was repaired."
"Wait seriously?!" Naomi likely would have shot up if she could, but even Vivian knew making sure she didn't move so suddenly was better for her, the younger girl now using the hug she was giving to keep Naomi in place. "Alain you really did that?"
"That's what that extra charge you mentioned paying at times was for?" Chris said, Alain nodding. "How did you convince them to let you pay an upkeep for a second Para-mail?"
"Not like I pay a ton for Wyvern's upkeep anyway." Alain commented. Which was true. His only real costs were for repairs, ammo, and the missiles the shield mounted. Otherwise he paid basically nothing compared to other pilots.
"Just how much behind the scenes stuff are you involved in?" Hilda said. 'More than you know.' Alain dared glance to Salia at the thought, the violet haired girl clearing her throat.
"Either way." Salia approached Naomi and pat her shoulder. "I can't say I'm not glad. It's not every day a friend just comes back from the dead. Welcome back, Naomi."
"Glad to be back, Salia." Naomi agreed as she put a hand over Salia's.
"Well now I'm going to have to plan!" Ersha then pulled Naomi into a hug of her own, Naomi yelping a bit. "Something like this calls for a party! Oh, the kids are going to be over the moon to see you again as well!"
"If we're gonna throw a party then hell yeah!" Rosalie said, throwing a fist up.
"I suppose I can allow it." Jill sighed, the squad giving a cheer in response. Aside from the confused looking Ange anyway.
"I am so out of it when it comes to this…" Ange murmured, glancing at Momoka, who was clapping along to the mood. "Really?"
"It's just such a happy day don't you think?" Momoka said, Ange humming. "I get to remain here with you, and they've seen the return of a dear friend of their own."
"Yeah but part of me doesn't expect the good stuff to last." Ange said. As she saw the joy the group had as they began chatting it up, she couldn't help but sigh. 'It just doesn't feel like it can work that way. Something's going to end up going wrong at some point. I don't know why, I just feel it.'
At some place far, far away from Arzenal, things were beginning to stir as well. The halls of the facility were quiet at the time, all but for the agitated grumbling of the man storming his way down it. In his late twenties, his dark hair in a clean crew cut fitting to the militaristic fatigues he wore. Leon Bartlett, aka Heartbreak, as in a foul mood. 'I cannot believe that old man!' he thought, his dark grey eyes sparking as if they'd ignite a thunderstorm. At the end of the hall stood a door Leon threw open, the occupant within barely looking up from the file he was reading. Erich Dission, aka Big Boss, the leader of CROSS was an older man, his short beard and black hair peppered in grey streaks. And while age was beginning to show on the man's rugged face, his green eyes didn't lack a bit of strength to them.
"Boss the hell were you thinking approving that op?!" Leon snapped, slamming his hands on the older man's desk. "I told you when it came in it was too risky, and you still sent in our Rosenblum operatives?" Snapping the file closed, Dission looked up to his second in command.
"And what would you have rather done Leon? Just let an innocent girl die? Hasn't there been enough of that already?"
"Don't pull that with me. We had better options then risking blowing our cover. The kid doesn't spend enough time with our guys to know how we really operate, and it puts us at risk to indulge him."
"Risky it may have been, but the operators took the job knowing that. They didn't have to, and you know I'd never force anyone here to do an op they wouldn't want to." Leon looked to the side as Dission glanced at a photo on the desk. "Besides, Alain is also the only reason we know what's been going on in Arzenal ever since Alektra cut ties with us."
"What little we do know." Leon griped. "What good is having a pipeline into the place if we barely know what's going on there? We only get information from Arzenal once a month when Alain is sent out on those scouting missions."
"Then I think you'd be very interested to know what's happened as of late." Dission reached under the desk and pulled out a slip of paper. "We got a message. From a certain boy who's been camping on an island the past few years."
"Tusk?!" Leon gasped. They only ever heard from the young man when making the chance meeting with him or when he'd pass on the Para-mail components he salvaged. Other than that, Tusk had adamantly refused to join CROSS or help them beyond that. "He decided to get back into things?"
"Yeap." Erich nodded. "The boys in Garuda met up with him at Galia not that long ago. Now… if Tusk has gone and gotten back into operations, I think that can only mean one thing."
"You're not suggesting… no way! They couldn't have found a pilot for it!"
"I think they did. Remember that incident over a month ago in Misurugi, when it turned out the First Princess was a Norma?" Reopening the file he'd been reading, Dission showed a photo of a young girl with long blonde hair in a blood stained dress. "Hazarding a guess, that girl likely got shipped off to Arzenal. And if we're lucky, then she likely had her family's ring as well."
"But how can we know? If they really were able to reactivate Villkiss, Alektra sure as hell isn't going to trust us to know that. And there's no way Alain could find a situation to tell us without being outside of Arzenal. It's been over a month and he hasn't been sent out again."
"Perhaps not." Dission nodded. "Tusk is another matter. I'll have Garuda see if they can track him down agai." Leon sighed and sat down in a chair at the other side of the desk, leaning back. "Calmed down a bit?"
"More like you just made me focus on something else. Again. But I still think what you did was too risky. We've managed to lay low for a decade because our operatives don't stick their necks out. The last thing we need is people with a direct line to Embryo finding out we're still around."
"Though if Villkiss has been reawakened, then perhaps the time for laying low is over." Dission remarked. "I know you still remember the First Libertus, the disaster at Farbanti."
"Don't remind me." Leon grumbled. "I can still see that damned crimson machine hanging in the air even a decade later. But… until we have confirmation about Villkiss, I don't think we should be sticking our necks out."
"I do agree." Dission nodded. "Blame my old bleeding heart on this one. I just didn't like the idea of an innocent girl being killed to keep a secret."
"I don't either, but there's things we need to be practical about."
"There is such a thing as being too practical." Dission countered. "I worry you know? Unlike you, Alektra hasn't quite had the support to make sure her heart didn't turn to stone after what happened. I'm sure Jasmine and Maggy try their best, but that girl was always a stubborn sort. I can't imagine what'll happen the day she goes too far even for them."
"I'll say if there's one thing I can agree with Alain on, it's the obsession with Villkiss. We know what Villkiss can do, especially with the right pilot. But honestly, I'm more concerned with the kid's Wyvern. Compared to Villkiss we hardly know a thing about it, especially those particle engines."
"If Villkiss is the key to revolution against god, an angel turned against its master," Dission said. "then perhaps that machine is something similar. Perhaps the people of the world before ours made it themselves? There's a lot about that time that was lost when Embryo took over."
"Sometimes you just wish you could catch a break." Leon sighed. "Let's focus on what's ahead. I'll call in to Garuda and see if they can find out what Tusk knows. I'll also get in touch with Alain soon. That Festa thing should be soon right? A good a time as any to sneak a call in."
"And let's hope things remain calm until then." Dission's eyes drifted to the photo one more time. It was an aging thing, yellowed by time but it was still easily visible. Prominent in it was a younger looking Dission next to a younger Jasmine, at the time the commander of Arzenal herself. Near the two, a teenaged Jill and Leon, the former with her eyes off in another direction while the latter looked at her in a clearly concerned manner. Jill's eyes were off to another man standing beside an older woman and a small child, Tusk as a boy. And to the other side, standing with the Wyvern itself, a younger Alain was seated on the machine's hand. Next to him was a man looking at the boy with a warm gaze, and near him a woman with a striking resemblance to the boy her arms were keeping steady. It was a time that seemed so long ago now, and more than the two sets of parents in that image had been lost. 'If things really can begin again this time… then we can't lose twice. Once again though, I'm going to have to entrust the fate of everyone to the children who shouldn't even be fighting.'