Chapter 11 "Center of Attention"
It was a most uncomfortable march through the tunnel to Rutez Barr where Colony Phi sat patiently. For Noah, he was surrounded by four Agnian patrollers while they escorted him in their custody. For Mio, his mistreatment made her feel like a liar after promising that no harm would come to him if he cooperated with her compatriots. They both knew that he was risking his life to accompany her in picking up her allies at this colony, even if it was once hers.
Emerging on the other side of the hollowed hilltop, the pushy patrollers led Noah and Mio to Colony Phi's plaza where the rest of its soldiers had gathered for their arrival. Although the rainstorm showed no signs of weakening, the Ferronis and a collection of canopies kept the curious crowd covered. All eyes were on the wet and muddied Noah as he was brought before the two superior officers. The commander was a tall, ninth-term man with brown hair and glasses, while the lieutenant appeared to be five terms younger with ether lines on his placid face.
"Your timing leaves a lot to be desired," the officer in charge commenced the public meeting.
"Good to see you, too, Taion," the moonblades-wielder responded to her former associate with a scowl and a dash of sarcasm.
"I'm delighted to see you alive, Mio," the commander let it roll off him before turning to Noah. "And you must be the rogue Kevesi I've heard so much about."
"Yes, sir." The ponytailed soldier put on the friendliest face that he could muster in his current, disheveled state.
"I must confess that I cannot tell if you're the bravest member of our enemy or the foolhardiest." Commander Taion minced no words in his prejudgment of the colony's new guest. "You've created quite a stir on the dreariest of mornings, regardless of your motives."
"Don't hurt him," Mio implored with her brows low and hardened. "He saved my life, as well as the lives of other Agnians."
"You mean your comrades of Colony Rho, yes?" he knew immediately that she was referring to Bowan's group. "They've expressively made this claim themselves. Quite honestly, I find it most difficult to believe."
"It's not mass hysteria, I assure you," she stepped forward before eyeing the crowd. "Bowan, Lennick, Moraine… are they here?"
"They are," the commander softened his stance. "Once we've dealt with the enemy, we'll arrange for a private reunion in the guest barracks."
"Dealt?" her own stance only became more rigid as she refocused on Noah.
"With a Kevesi on our grounds, the right thing to do would be to execute him right here and now," the bespectacled Agnian laid out his principles. "However, I would be remiss if I didn't take your wishes into account."
"What does that mean?" she remained equally dubious.
"I can't fathom why you'd want to defend him, but it's already clear to me that his life means something to you," Commander Taion began slowly pacing back and forth. "Therefore, I propose a proper discourse so we can fully understand the situation at large. If convinced, I may grant him passage out of here."
"Look, Taion, I had my allies give you advance notice," her patience was already waning. "I just want to gather them and return to Colony Rho."
"Then why take the risk and bring him along?" he questioned her common sense. "Any of the ranks wouldn't miss their chance to kill him if I gave them permission."
"It's… a long story, right?" she glanced to her travel partner.
"R-right…" Noah swallowed audibly, nervous as expected.
"The lieutenant and I would love to hear whatever you have to say," Commander Taion encouraged her, growing more curious by the second. "The day's young, and the neighboring Colony 18 isn't threatening us at the moment."
"We might even learn a thing or two about how Kevesis operate," his subordinate spoke for the first time.
"Yes, there's that," the older officer stroked his chin in concurrence.
"Mio!" a familiar voice cut through the crowd. "You're here!"
"Bowan?" It filled her with momentary relief to see him again. "Lennick and Moraine, too."
"We're together again," the blue-finned defender barged into the meeting with the other two in tow. "My apologies, Commander Taion, but we couldn't wait any longer."
"Very well," the commander offered no resistance. "Perhaps it would be best to hear the full story with all participants present, anyway."
"Fine, we'll talk," Mio gave in, sighing at the mess which she'd hoped to avoid.
"May I start?" the pacifist raised his hand.
"If you must," the bespectacled Agnian gave him the floor.
"Thank you," Noah nodded once before warily eyeing everybody around him. Already in the most precarious of spotlights, he knew that he had to choose his words carefully. "As you might've been told by Mio's allies here, their Colony Rho went to war with my Colony 25 in Dannagh Desert."
"Yes, we know this much," the commander confirmed, looking down his nose at him.
"We informed them as far as your freeing of us from your consul's chains," Bowan brought the lone Kevesi to the same page. "Lennick, Moraine, and I don't know what happened after we lost track of you and Mio."
"I see," the swordfighter was glad to skip ahead. "Needless to say, my consul was incensed by my actions. He pursued us through the desert until… we gathered our bearings and fended him off."
"You two… fought a consul and lived?" the lieutenant's face was painted in astonishment.
"Yes, mostly thanks to him," the tenth-termer tilted her head towards her Kevesi cohort. "Since then, we've been making our way to Colony Rho."
"Forgive me for doubting your sincerity, but surely there's more to it than that," the superior officer frowned at them.
"Indeed, you were quite adamant about having us speak highly of him," the blue-finned soldier reminded his cat-eared comrade.
"We're all grateful that he saved us, but he's still from Keves," chimed Lennick, whose ether lines weren't much different from the young lieutenant's.
"Well… um…" Mio scooted to confer with her travel partner. "What do I tell 'em?"
"You wanted to avoid mentioning the City folks, right?" Noah whispered back, referencing what she'd told him the previous morning. By now, they were both squarely the center of attention.
"Yeah…" the zephyr breathed deeply before they returned to their captivated audience. "Taion, what do you know about my consul?"
"Not a thing," her former associate needed not a second to answer. "The affairs of Colony Rho are none of my concern."
"Clearly…" her tone cooled begrudgingly. "Anyway, unlike your consul, mine is notoriously strict when it comes to homecomings."
"What does that have to do with the apparent amity you have with this Kevesi?" Commander Taion crossed his arms, eager for her to get to the point.
"You've witnessed enough of them to understand how we soldiers seek less violent ways out," she mimicked his posture, almost standoffishly.
"You mean with cowardice, yes?" he adjusted his glasses.
"Oh, don't tell me you approve of this practice…" such a caviling response irked her considerably.
"Please stay on track, Mio," the commander swallowed his mounting impatience.
"Ugh…" the moonblades-wielder likewise stuffed her displeasure, lest she let the negotiations splatter like the raindrops on the canopies above. "I've lived my life in fear of my consul, in constant dread of my homecoming." In the intervening seconds which Mio paused to recompose herself, a few gasps were heard from the colony's soldiers. "After putting his consul in his place, we figured we could do the same with mine, regarding my homecoming in nine months."
"And that is why you wish us to spare the Kevesi?" her former associate acted unmoved by her reasoning. "You value his life because he can allegedly provide you with a means of reaching your natural passing?"
"Yes," her eyes began drilling holes through his glasses. "So, if you kill him, you may as well kill me, too."
"Ahem… would you hang on, please?" the fourth-term officer interrupted before turning to leave. "I should grab a notepad to jot everything down."
"Lieutenant, show some tact," Commander Taion admonished semi-hypocritically, though his subordinate was already gone.
"Mio…" Bowan kept the chatter going, "I remember you once said you wanted to die by his Blade."
"Oh right, back when we were caged," added Moraine, the lavender-skinned girl of the group.
"You wanted this Kevesi to kill you?" the superior officer raised a brow at the tenth-termer.
"That was before he convinced me otherwise," Mio shifted uneasily in place, sensing déjà vu from her time in Colony 25. "But now we're on a mission, despite his prior affiliation and my dwindling Flame Clock."
"We're doing okay on that front," the Agnian defender chose now to tell her, unwittingly revivifying the mood. "The monsters we've collectively hunted have provided sufficient embers. I think we can manage 'til Colony Rho gets new recruits."
"More like new victims," she muttered to herself before resuming her parley with the man in charge. "So, Taion, where do we stand? Have I said enough, or do you want to know my favorite food next?"
"You've said enough, thank you," the tiniest of grins formed on the commander's face. "Incidentally, I happen to know you enjoy fish."
"Hmph… well, at least you remember that much about me." The mere mention of it made her stomach growl, but she ignored her hunger for now. "Anyway, since we're all here, can we leave?"
"I'm not sending you back out there in your current condition," the bespectacled Agnian observed her tussled hair and damp uniform. "I insist you use our facilities and get some rest. Making it here from Dannagh Desert couldn't have been an easy task, if your allies' injuries were anything to go by."
"He's right, even if you're stronger than us," the group healer summoned her wand Blade. "Are you hurt at all?"
"Wait, Taion, what about him?" the tenth-termer pointed to Noah who'd long fallen silent while Moraine activated a much-needed healing circle anyway.
"Though I have my own thoughts on this so-called mission of yours, your opinions do matter to me. Therefore, the Kevesi shall be spared." The instant Commander Taion's decree was delivered, a cacophony of jeers erupted from the listening soldiers who'd largely hoped for the swordfighter's execution. "Order, please! Order!"
"Thank you," she spoke to both the commander and the healer.
"However, he shall be kept in solitary overnight," her former associate wasn't quite finished. "The colony will be safer that way… and as you've heard, so will he."
"I'm back," the lieutenant announced as he ran towards them with a notepad in hand. "Have I missed much?"
"Please do not embarrass me like this again," his superior snapped at him.
"My apologies, Commander Taion," the younger officer straightened out his distinguished uniform. "I hope whatever I may learn from the Kevesi can make up for my blunder."
"Well said, but we are done here," the commander clasped his hands behind his back before addressing the ranks. "This concludes our morning assembly. Return to your assigned duties while the lieutenant and I handle the prisoner." Reluctantly, the soldiers of Colony Phi complied, shuffling off with a few wary glances over their shoulders. As for the actors of the impromptu play which had just been witnessed by all in the plaza, the next scene for them would be the western edge of the colony where the cage was prepared for Noah's internment.
"So, this is what it's come down to, huh?" the lone Kevesi murmured upon first inspection of his iron-barred lodging. By now, the rains had moved onto other pastures, leaving behind a grassy redolence of the season.
"I'm sure you will find all the comforts of home, according to Bowan's testimony of your colony's penitentiary." The bespectacled Agnian's tone was unsurprisingly mocking as his so-called enemy was hustled inside. "Take care to notice a few key differences, namely the ether-powered screen which will prevent you from summoning your Blade or activating your Iris… courtesy of our consul."
"I will cooperate," Noah remained stolid, withholding his qualms for now. "I appreciate your verdict… to spare me further trouble."
"I'm glad you do," Commander Taion stepped closer after the door was shut and locked. "Doubtless, I've raised the ire of many a soldier here who've come to depend on my decision-making in the few years that I've led them."
"Can I trust that the guards won't harm him?" his former associate eyed Noah through the openings in the cage.
"No guards will be necessary with the safety precautions already put in place," the superior officer loosely addressed her concern.
"I almost wish Colony 25 had this technology," Bowan mused to himself. "Then maybe their consul wouldn't have put his restrictive bracelets on us."
"You can thank the prisoner and me for getting rid of them," Mio continued to be bitter about the unfolding situation. "Why'd you want me to come in so badly, anyway? We should've just met outside."
"Just like the commander said, we figured you'd be pretty knackered like we were upon arriving here," he rubbed the back of his head, bearing the brunt of her discountenance. "Besides, there's something here I want you to see."
"W-what is it?" her curiosity was only minimally piqued.
"Come, we'll show you," their ether-lined teammate grabbed her hand, urging her to go with them.
"Please ensure that she gets a proper meal," the commander hollered in their direction.
"Yes sir!" the lavender-skinned girl shouted back. "We'll throw her in the bath, too!"
"Very good," he slowly turned towards the officers' tent. "Lieutenant, you may stay to question the prisoner if you wish, but do not waste your time if his answers offer no strategic insight."
"Yes sir… thank you, sir," his subordinate saluted. Following Commander Taion's exit, it was down to the lieutenant and the caged Kevesi as the sun started to poke through the clouds. "Now then, my name is Isurd, Colony Phi's lieutenant. I don't think Commander Taion allowed for proper introductions, earlier."
"You're right, he didn't," the ponytailed soldier sat up straight. "Um… it's nice to meet you, Lieutenant Isurd. I'm Noah."
"Noah… from Colony 25, got it," the younger boy began writing.
"Just so you know," his respondent started to say, "I'm not going to answer any questions that you'll find helpful."
"Why?" the fourth-termer clicked his pen. "Because you're the enemy?"
"No," the pacifist shook his head, "because I detest fighting and would rather not contribute in any way, shape, or form."
"Hmm… this tracks with our visitors' claims that you desire peace," Lieutenant Isurd revealed what else Bowan and the other survivors had said.
"Really?" Noah found it surprising that they'd remembered him verbalizing it back at Colony 25. "And you believe it?"
"You wouldn't be the first person who's come through here with that agenda," the ether-lined officer let the conversation drift further off-topic.
"Do tell," the older boy interlaced his fingers.
"W-wait a second, I'm supposed to be questioning you," the lieutenant fumbled with his notepad. "Ahem… do you by chance represent something called the City?" Now it was Noah's turn to lose composure. Although no answer came aloud, the perceptive Agnian could read it on his respondent's face well enough. "So, you do?"
"N-no," the caged Kevesi waved his hands, "it's just that I wasn't expecting to hear that word today."
"You know of it, at least?" the notetaking officer continued to glean without proper answers. "Since you won't talk about war, we'll discuss this City, instead."
"But why?" the swordfighter blinked twice.
"I overheard you saying it to Mio," Lieutenant Isurd divulged his prior eavesdropping before explaining. "Last year, we lost a sizeable chunk of our personnel to this thing."
"They died?" the ponytailed soldier nearly exclaimed.
"No, they abandoned us for it, whatever it is… led by someone we thought was a newly recruited soldier." The younger boy appeared tired for once, as if he'd been losing sleep over this matter. "Commander Taion was far less than pleased."
"I see." At this point, Noah figured that it was safer to leave Emmet's group unmentioned. "Sorry, but I don't know anything more about it."
"That'll be all, then." Mildly satisfied, the lieutenant prepared to leave. "Thank you, Noah."
"Wait, I have a question for you, now," the pacifist halted him. "Do you like fighting?"
"Not especially," the fourth-term officer sighed, "but we do what we must."
Finally alone, Noah removed his damp outerwear before leaning against the only corner of the cage in sunlight. Scraps from the colony's breakfast were soon shoved through an opening at the bottom. Occasionally, he'd receive a rude remark or gesture from the Agnians who wished to do more to him. Realizing that Mio was still away, Noah started looking around in hopes of spotting her. However, it wouldn't be until sundown when she returned.
"Hey…" his running mate approached the cage, looking rather refreshed. "Have they hurt you?"
"I'm fine," the solitary swordsman remained seated. "How's your shoulder?"
"The pain's gone," the zephyr rotated her arm around. "You saw Moraine patch me up."
"Yeah…" his jaded gaze crawled up her freshly laundered uniform to her formerly injured shoulder. "So, what'd they want to show you?"
"Huh? Oh, they took me to the training grounds where they keep records for the physical fitness events. Apparently, my name's still atop the list for the 100 Metri." Mio's expression exuded no amount of pride as she spoke of her enduring achievement. "A few of the troops were excited to see me."
"Can't say the same for the ones who passed by me while you were gone," the caged Kevesi summarized his day in one labored breath. "I've never felt so hated."
"I'm sorry, I didn't think you'd be treated this poorly," her hand rested on a lateral bar.
"Careful, there's some spit left by the locals," the ponytailed soldier warned her. "You know, the commander was right. I have been rather safe in here."
"What else do you want me to say?" the cat-eared Agnian retreated, puffing her cheeks at him.
"You can answer me something else that's been bothering me since this morning," Noah returned her frown, unusually but understandably ornery. "Do you only value my life because I can help you achieve your goal?"
"Excuse me?" such an insinuation took her aback. "What gave you that impression?"
"You'd said yes to the same question asked by the commander," her travel partner laid out his gripe.
"Whoa, slow down. Taion asked if it was a reason. I never said it was the only reason." Flustered like earlier, Mio glanced around before kneeling to his level. "I do care… a-about you, okay?"
"Okay…" his voice barely registered. "I guess this is my punishment for unknowingly helping to instigate the conflict between our colonies."
"It's easy to blame yourself irrationally when you're feeling morose, huh?" her words were dripping with empathy.
"Yeah," the pacifist settled back down, "now I know how you felt when you were locked up in my colony."
"Do you really?" she stifled a chuckle. "At least you won't be served to a sadistic consul who's obsessed with feeding the Flame Clock."
"How would you…" the ninth-termer started to challenge her confidence. "Er… wait, this used to be your colony."
"Exactly, and if it still were mine, then I wouldn't worry about escaping my homecoming," the moonblades-wielder exhaled despairingly onto her knees. "The consul here rarely shows up despite the personnel size."
"If only you and your allies could transfer here…" the swordfighter lamented her binding situation.
"You're tellin' me," she momentarily rested her eyes, now sharing his somberness.
"Speaking of which, that lieutenant asked me about transfers after you left," Noah apprised her on his interrogation ineptly conducted by the otherwise sharp, young officer. "He specifically mentioned the City."
"What?!" her voice echoed before she covered her gaping mouth. "Ahem… what do you mean?"
"Basically, he thought I was affiliated with the City," the ponytailed Kevesi relayed the exchange, "wary after an apparent walkout by several soldiers last year."
"This colony had deserters, too?" the tenth-termer slowly dropped her hand. "For the City, no less?"
"The lieutenant said they were led by someone from the City," her travel partner brought her up to speed, "disguised as a soldier."
"Now that's a stretch," Mio felt her doubts rising, "though I wonder if that's why Taion's been isolating Bowan's group."
"Isolating?" he repeated in question.
"Separate meals, separate baths, separate barracks," she listed the examples in quick succession.
"I suppose the commander might see you guys as tainted because you vouched for me." Noah studied the creases of his dirty palms, having scraped off most of the dried mud.
"Maybe," his running mate rose and stretched her arms. "If there actually was a walkout to the City, then I wasn't here when it hap-"
"Mio!" a familiar voice cut into their conversation.
"Huh?" the zephyr turned to find Moraine heading her way.
"Dinner's ready for us," the healer informed her, holding a small sample of it on a tray. "And here, this is for the Kevesi."
"Thanks," he received it through the opening at the bottom of the cage.
"Let's hurry to the canteen while the food's still hot," Moraine coaxed her ally along. "The commander wants us fed and in bed before it gets too late."
"Yep, that sounds like Taion to go by a schedule," Mio rolled her eyes, though the thought of the commander intentionally isolating them crossed her mind again.
"Guess I'll see you in the morning, then," Noah looked up to the two girls as they started to leave.
"Y-yeah…" the cat-eared Agnian peered back at him on her way out.
And thus, Noah found himself alone again. This time, however, no other soldiers passed by to give him a dose of harassment. After a mentally arduous day, the grounds of Colony Phi were finally quiet. Leaning back and gazing down upon what barely amounted to a meal, the lone Kevesi savored the canteen's latest, tasty scraps in peace.
Two hours into the lull, fatigue began creeping in like the shadows stretched by the moon. Such luminance in the evening sky made the rainstorm from the morning seem like a forgotten memory at this point. Along similar lines, Noah could scarcely believe that it hadn't yet been a full week since he'd last supervised Mio and her allies in Colony 25. The key differences here and now were that he was the one in the cage and that freedom would be restored at the next sunrise. Still, the inevitable questioning of his choice to willingly venture into Agnian territory occupied his mind upon laying his head on his crossbody bag for the night. A minute after closing his eyes, however, he heard one last pair of footsteps coming towards him.
"Still awake?" The invasive whisper came from Mio who proceeded to unroll a sleeping mat on the other side of the iron bars.
"Mio…" Noah listlessly watched her remove her boots. "I thought you were staying in the barracks."
"Did you really think I'd leave you alone, out here all night?" she settled down beside him.
"I… don't know…" the pacifist groaned, too tired to cogitate further.
"Well, now you do," the benevolent Agnian huffed at his torpid response.
Nothing further was said between them as their eyes grew heavy. With the last of his energy, Noah slid his arm through the opening of the cage to rest his right hand atop her left, palm to knuckles. Neither soldier could quite comprehend this act, but soon Mio's thumb rubbed his pinky in return, gently, apologetically, perhaps instinctually. For such a regretfully avoidable, unideal situation, they were making the best of it.