NationStates Jolt Archive

Note to anyone else: This is the continuation of a private RP between Tiburon (my main nation) and Roania. It was summarily destroyed by the wonderful switch to the new server (although at least this one doesn't know how to crash...).

Note to Roania: This is kinda out of memory, so... it's probably not fully what happened. Sorry... ^_^;

I think we left off with Nova and Kigari at the beach, and Kigari was saddened because (according to you) she was hiding something about her past... (sorry... my memory isn't the greatest...)

I'll start, I suppose...

Nova: "Kigari? Is... is something the matter? Did... did I do something wrong?"

Note to anyone else: This is the continuation of a private RP between Tiburon (my main nation) and Roania. It was summarily destroyed by the wonderful switch to the new server (although at least this one doesn't know how to crash...).

Note to Roania: This is kinda out of memory, so... it's probably not fully what happened. Sorry... ^_^;

I think we left off with Nova and Kigari at the beach, and Kigari was saddened because (according to you) she was hiding something about her past... (sorry... my memory isn't the greatest...)

I'll start, I suppose...

Nova: "Kigari? Is... is something the matter? Did... did I do something wrong?"

((Sounds strangely likely.))

The young woman looked up at Nova, and smiled wanly, before wrapping her arms around him tightly. "No... no, please... don't ever say that. You're perfect..."

<Gwee. Tiny post. I'll get you to put up settings so I have more to work with.>

Yeah... in hindsight, I should have posted more to start... ^_^;

What I think happened was that Kigari was exiled for being too close to Nova, the exile being disguised as ambassadorship. She met up with Nova, and they went to a amusement park, and then the beach. She was the former High Inquisitor, if I remember correctly, and she had a breakdown of some sorts after she discovered Tiburon's freedoms... or something like that. The incident presumably mended in the park, they went to the beach, where she appears to be hiding something about her past.

<Educated guess>I think you said something about her being hurt (probably emotionally) in the past by some high noble</guess>

Other than that, the only other notable thing was that you had fun turning my President various shades of red.

A day in summer, sometime in June.
1:38 PM.
A sparsely frequented area of Tiburon's famed Emerald Coast.

Nova sighed and shook his head slightly as he returned the embrace. "Kigari, not this again... I know you're hiding something from me. Please, tell me. I really don't... want to see you sad like this..."

She sighed, and held him closer to her. "I'm sorry... you're right. I... there... before I joined the Inquisition, before I even entered the church, there was a man..." Kigari closed her eyes, burying her face in Nova's chest. "He... he touched me... in ways I'd prefer not to talk about... it's silly, really."

The young woman didn't sound like she thought it silly, and the salty tears staining Nova's shirt also pointed away from that. "Alexander... he... you know how you can spend your entire life hating someone, but still feel sorry for them when something terrible happens? The Prince-Regent, he... he was paying a visit to the castle when he found out what the other man was..." she closed her eyes. "Even now, I've never seen someone so... so furious, so murderous as the Prince... the man never knew what was coming. Alexander simply ripped him to pieces with his bare hands, right in front of me..." she shuddered at the memory. "Alexander then sent me to the orphanage, without even saying anything. Sometimes, when I meet him, I think he considers me just as horrible as... as that man..."

She looked up at him, waiting for him to say something...

<In your own time, Tib old chap. In your own time...>

OOC: Sorry... I've had a hellish amount of work... damn work. Damn you I say!

IC: Nova held her tightly, as if to transfer away some of her pain. "Ki...Kigari, I...", he began softly with a faint smile, struggling to find anything that could make her feel better.

"I'm sorry..."
I really am...

Wiping her tears off, he said, "But what about you? It doesn't matter what he thinks, right? I don't think you're like that at all, and neither should you...

It shouldn't matter that someone did that to you... it doesn't to me..."

She answered his words with a touch of her hands to his face, running her fingers along his lines with a faint smile. Kigari buried herself into Nova's embrace, feeling his arms enfold her comfortingly. "I love you, Nova..." she whispered, closing her eyes and resting on his chest, letting the tears fall softly.

The young woman felt at home in his arms, and she knew that nothing could happen to her there... but... "Do you promise?" she begged, "that it doesn't matter to you? That you weren't the first..."

Nova responded by drawing her closer in and smiling faintly, barely whispering, "Of course not... Why should it?"

His face now added to its slightly noticable smile... his slightly noticable sadness, at the bitterness, the pain of it all.

OOC: Now would be a perfect time for the ending theme of Gundam Seed to start playing...

"Anna ni issho datta no ni...
Yuugure wa mou chigau iro..."

OOC: Seed, eh? Wing! WING!

IC:

The choirs were constant here on Adytum. Eunuchs and churchmen, all singing for the greater glory of the gods. But in the top office of the Celestial Temple, the meeting was dealing with far more mundane matters. "There remains, of course, the matter of the renegade." Richelieu murmured to his Grand Inquisitor.

The Grand Inquisitor scowled. Richelieu may be the Patriarch (and the oldest human in the Galaxy, at nearly 300 years of age), but he had no right. "The prince said that he was done with her. The bill revoking her citizenship is expected to go through in a matter of days. Influential parties around the court are pressing..."

"This is not the court, Inquisitor. This is the Church. You are a church body, and if one of your men is fraternizing with...with a heathen, that is a stain upon the Martial Order's reputation."

He snapped back as if slapped. "Very well, my liege. But if the Prince finds out..."

"I'll take care of that."

OOC: Seed, eh? Wing! WING!

I know, I know... but Wing isn't on anymore! (Heh. That's my all-time favorite anime. Coincidentally (or not), it's also my first. And yeah, White Reflection would probably be more appropriate...

OOC: So that's how it's going to be, huh? I guess this is the thanks I get for months of not posting! :P

IC: Along the Emerald Coast, it appeared to be just another lazy June day. But fifty miles away, in the top secret Room of the Stars in the headquarters of the Central Intelligence Agency, the air was far from normal. "Is this an accurate statement?" asked Trowa Barton, the director of the nation's intelligence. "They're going through with it?"

"Yes, sir." replied the timid voice of Captain Korida Askagalia. The director wasn't one to inspire fear, but he was still new to the whole process. "Looks like that's it. Heh. Imagine, the agendas of two major nations revolving around the lives of two people who just want to be left alone."

Despite the situation, Trowa managed a smile, but then shifted back to his worries as soon as he looked at the report again. "I wish it were as simple as that." *sigh* "This does remove the issue of her being AWOL and then us granting her security refugee status. (OOC: Damn, I forgot what it was called when a person flees their nation for such reasons...) But she was apparently quite busy in Roania. It appears that she was a member of this Christian fundamentalist organization called the Inquisitors. Ever heard of them?"

"Uh... only in history books, sir. They still exist?"

"Apparently. With approval from the prince of Roania himself, too. Anyway... she was an Inquisitor. And Nova's an athiest. These people don't let someone go easily. Especially not to a free nation."

"So... what are we going to do, sir?"

"Well, he has the energy shield. That does provide minimal protection. I'll try to see whether we can cut back on his availability... we can probably cite some sort of summer virus or something, and of course we're going to increase invisible security."

Oh yeah, the formalities. I hate the formalities. "Specialist Askagalia, your information-gathering abilities have served your country well. You are now promoted to Major. Dismissed."

After a stiff salute, Major Korida Askagalia left the room, leaving Trowa alone to be terrified of the situation.
----------------------------------
<Level 1 Message>
From: DirInt
To: Pr, SecState, SecDef, SecAlly, ChairJC
Classification: Level 1 Top Secret- Geneot

Pr- Security with White Wizard is critical- external forces threatening. Request an immediate return to Peacemillion, Threatcon Delta. Meet with SS, SD, SA, CJC, and DI in Peacemillion. Do not pass GO. Do not collect $200.

The wheels of justice turn quickly. From the high level meeting in Adytum, to the throne room on Novaya Zemlya, it had only been 12 hours. Richelieu stepped from the teleporter and kneeled. "With Worship and Service, Your Divine Imperial Highness." He was dressed in his finest robes, purple and black with gold thread.

The Prince, on the other hand, was dressed with elegant simplicity, the only touch of ostentation being the thin gold circlet around his head. "With Faith and Duty, My Lord Patriarch. To what do I owe this...pleasure?" Alexander said, his eyes narrowing imperceptibly. Every time he saw the Patriarch, he had to fight an urge to activate his personal battle-system.

"There remains the matter of...the renegade." Richelieu murmured, keeping his eyes downcast. "Her exile is, in my opinion, only prolonging the inevitable."

"Everything only prolongs the inevitable, Richelieu." Alexander said, sharply. "We will all die and be judged. I see no need to pursue an innocent woman beyond my borders, provided she stays beyond them. The gods will have her eventually." His slight fury became a bit more evident. "My word is law, and laws apply to everyone."

"My lord is most wise. However, an example must be served. While obviously you were swayed by the request of your friend, Lord Simon Darquis, she did break the law." And here the Patriarch made a cunning smile. "It reminds me of a case...must be nearly 16 years ago now... a young Lady? Can't quite recall her name... anyway, as you say, the law applies to everyone."

Alexander growled. The Patriarch had won. "...how can I be of service?"

"I would like to borrow a military teleporter to send an Inquisitorial Assassin. She'll be fast, disposable, and will make it look natural."

Alexander rested his hand on his palm. His eyes darted to the side, looking for his advisers. None of them seemed in evidence. The Prince felt his hand reaching for the vape-gun he kept near him, but sighed. He didn't need a schism in the church, not with everything else that was happening.

The Prince was only 57. Young for an Imperial. But he felt old in that moment, before he finally said... "Granted."

And Richelieu nodded his grey head, and smiled his sharp smile, and left. At the door, he turned and said, "His Divine Imperial Highness is most wise, and his order will be fulfilled immediately."

And then Alexander was alone on his obsidian throne, staring blankly into space at an insectoid buzzing on the opposite wall. There was a snarl, a flash of light, and then an energy dagger stuck through the wall, pinning the fly-morph. 'I'll get you yet, Richelieu... Your little church will someday go too far, and then I'll take it for the State. Faith and Duty...' Alexander laughed in the cold room as he rose to his feet. 'And my only faith... is in my Imperium, and my only duty is to myself, and increasing the power of my family.'

'Poor, poor Kigari... I lost her game... but she can die comfortably knowing it wasn't in vain...'

~~

Richelieu smiled in his own throne room on Adytum. The first pieces had been played. Once Kigari was eliminated, the information she had within her would no longer be in any risk of revelation.

The Patriarch flashed his sharp smile, his serpentlike tongue flicking over his dry lips. "It is a pity that neither side in this game truly believes," he laughed, "in the Gods! MWA HA HA HA HA!"

~~

Kigari smiled as she looked out over the crystal clear waters of the bay from hers and Nova's hotel room. She was undressed, and had left her lover sleeping. "It's so peaceful... so beautiful..." She felt the rising sun's rays caress her bare skin, and blushed ever so slightly.

'May the Gods bless Nova for taking me in... for letting me see this beautiful place and for letting me be with him...' she turned and went to go back to sleep.

(BUMP, for the cruelty of it.:P)

No sooner had Kigari returned to the bed had Nova been awakened by the gentle rumbling of his GAllied/TLink System, the system that the highest levels of executive power in Tiburon were required to wear at all times. He rose to see the brilliant rays of the sun streaming into the room.

Damn. A whole day... they're going to kill me.

He turned to look at Kigari, now illuminated by the light.

It certainly wasn't a waste, though... more like a haven...

Blushing, he managed to get out, "G...good morning, Kigari..."

He activated his GLink system to find two messages from a very exasperated Director of Intelligence... including one that apparently outlined a major threat to the two of them.
------------------
Room of the Stars, Central Intelligence Agency Headquarters, Location Classified
12:02 PM
Meeting between the Director of Intelligence and the President

"Nova, as it stands, they will go ahead with their plan. However..."

"However?"

"We're not just dealing with a paranoid nation. We're also dealing with an armed organization... one that will not rest until it completes its objectives."

"But that was in the past... why would that affect anything at the moment?"

"Because... she's not only a refugee. She happens to be an important intelligence and military asset. She was the head of the Inquisitors.

"Right. I almost forgot." *sigh* "Isn't there anything else we can do? I really don't think that anyone would enjoy being placed under maximum security watch for their vacation. Maybe it's just me."

"I was thinking of calling in the Sweepers. They're not actually under our protection or control, but still..."

"All right... we should probably try to scare them into submission. We've got all of those new MSs I made that no one knows about..."

"All right then..." *yawn* "I'm getting some sleep. See ya..."

Trowa exited the room, leaving Nova alone to take in what exactly was about to happen.

Why? Why can't this all just end like it should?
---------------------
Notice to the First Mobile Infantry Division, United Republics Army

Because of reasons that unfortunately can't be explained at the moment, I ask for your help in securing a particular sector. A full list of instructions has been provided on the attached classified sheet. This is a volunteer thing- if you don't want to do this, you certainly don't have to, and it will not affect any future reviews in the armed forces. I will be helping out as well- this is also listed on the attachments.

-Nova Starfighter

"Alexander, you're my friend. Right?"

"Right."

"And we've known each other for a long time..."

"Absolutely, Simon. Since we were children."

"And of course, you'll stop Richelieu from pursuing Kigari."

"Wrong."

"But..."

"No." Alexander rose to his feet, gripping his cane as he battled his wound and stood up to his full, foreboding height. The prince chuckled drily. "One can only hope that he'll do something stupid while killing that annoying orphan."

"But... Alexander, she..." Simon begged. He had always considered Kigari to be like the daughter he'd never had, or the sister he'd...lost. And surely Alexander wouldn't really let an innocent woman die... would he? "She's only a girl!" Even as he said it, he saw the answer coming. Alexander still wore the friendly expression, but now the true face lurked beneath the mask.

"Simon, no! I don't need to have certain information revealed. I don't need Richelieu to tell the Imperium the truth about a certain incident on Genavda..." Alexander's words were honeyed, sweet. But sharp. Sharp as daggers, as knives, as his rapiers. His friend stepped back a little, knowing that even in his current, handicapped state that Alexander could still move fast enough and draw a dagger fast enough to remove his head.

"Of course not!" Simon quickly replied, hearing an ancient Imperial folksong in his head. It was about walking on a tightrope over a pack of Kats. "But if you send a DSIIAS agent to attack the assassin...Kigari always was Richelieu's favourite... and the Grand Inquisitor's, too." Simon smiled winningly. "I bet she'd have a wide variety of information...more than I could gather..."

The prince rubbed his chin, thoughtfully. It was tempting, yes. Richelieu wouldn't make a complaint, because what would he say? And Alexander the Prince, who had to deal with such things as rotas and politics and government, could occasionally hear the voice of Alexander the man, who objected to interfering with love.

Even when one of the parties to that love (Kigari) was demonstratably insane and ungrateful, and the other party (Nova) a hopeless young idealist. Still... "According to LDS information, they're scrambling security units... I bet the assassin wouldn't be able to deal with that."

Simon shuddered as he thought about Inquisitorial assassins. "That'd just make it worse... he's sending an Azrael."

Alexander, despite the various evils which tarnished his soul every day, also grimaced. "I wouldn't wish that fate on anyone, even a traitor like her. She better prove exceedingly grateful, though, or I'll find a way to take a pound of flesh from a portion of you where it will really hurt." he snapped his fingers. "Go and tell X to prep a Shadow Angel for deep-insertion, will you?"

Simon nodded, grateful that he had caught his friend in one of his rare good moods. But even as the Inquisitor moved forward to take his friend's hand and thank him, the Prince's expression changed and darkened. Alexander strode from the room, using the cane to keep himself in balance. "Now, if you'll excuse me, Simon... some of us actually have work to do."

Simon sighed. He wondered, sometimes, if him making contact with Alexander during those rare good moods made it worse for the people who met him during his bad. He wondered if Alys was having any affect on softening the Prince...

~~

The woman looked up as the windows smashed open. Her three eyes blinked in fear as something leapt through and rolled, spinning up to a tall woman in a skintight black uniform. The only clue to her allegiance was the small golden ankh over her heart. The mutant whimpered. "Please, mistress...take all I have... but don't harm me or my children..." her split tongue licked the scaled lips on her mouth nervously.

The Azrael drew her whip. "Your existence is your death warrant, edge-taint. You are a menace to all that surround you, a vile stain upon the Gods' clean universe. Worse than Elder Things, worse than heathens..." the whip darted out fast, and retracted, leaving a cutting mark over the old woman's heart.

The old woman felt the poison enter her and died, not even having enough time for last words. The Azrael, however, had other things to deal with. The witch was done with, her children yet lived. Even as she had that thought, she sensed something behind her. Moving faster than the eye could see, she dodged to the side and spun around, avoiding the immense and clumsy scaled fist.

"You hurt mama!" the thing burbled from unholy lips. "You get hurt too!" it spat acid at the woman, who at the last minute held up an ankh. The acid stopped, and suddenly slid down against something invisible.

"Do not worry. You'll soon be joining her in Hell, foul beast." The words were without emotion, simply a cold statement of intent. She quickly unhooked her handvaper, and smiled. This creature wouldn't even exist in molecular form in two seconds. The universe would be clean.

Exactly two seconds later, there was a brief scream of agony. The Azrael soon left the little house in the swamp, and radiated away in a beam of light. There were other mutants dwelling beneath and around the house. Some innocents might be hurt, but what did that matter? This was safer and more certain than using her own personal explosives.

She launched the atomics with about as much care as she would for killing a fly. Once the fires down below had stopped, she removed a small scroll and pen from a pocket between her breasts (storage space being at a premium in the jumpsuits) and made a mark. Then she rolled it along, and nodded.

This next assignment would require some travel... so, with hardly a thought of embarassment, the Azrael stripped completely down and moved into her changing rooms.

She was quite proud of them, in a way. Many people could hide their faces behind a mask. But who could do the same for their entire body, and do it so well that even surgery would have difficulty in establishing the truth?

But such things are needed when you are an Angel of Death. The Cutting Wind of the Order of the Archangel.

~~

The smiling man brushed back his blond hair and refilled his tankard. "And then what'd you say?" he laughed, smiling broadly.

"And then I said...and then I said... <hic> The prince, he wouldn't know if his arse is on fire, that's what I said..." the drunken smuggler laughed himself, his belly bouncing. "Who's he to know if there's been some smuggling of unauthorized goods?"

"Brilliant..." the young man said, smiling. "And these goods?"

"Oh, star-dust... titania flowers...opiatomorph..." the smuggler hicoughed again, and tried to pat the young man on the back. "Speakin' of which, can I interest you in a new way to escape your woes?"

"That all depends..." the blond man murmured. "What do you have in mind?" he felt the barrel of a blaster poke into the back of his neck, and nodded ever so slightly.

"It's called death, copper." A cold voice sounded from behind him. "Search him, men!" the pirates patted down the Shadow Angel and drew forth his badge and ID, passing it to the captain. "Well, well, well... Francis Xavier... so young, too. Pity you need to die."

The Shadow Angel smiled a bit. "Pardon me, is that a Zed55 Blast Rifle?"

"I can see you know your weapons... say good night, boy!" suddenly, the captain keeled over, an energy dagger through his guts.

"I thought so...you see, the Zed55 takes a minute to heat up before you can fire it..." the SA drew his own gun. "Gentlemen, surrender and you'll be allowed to die. Resist, and I can promise you life. We can keep people alive for years in our dungeons..."

It was amazing how fast they surrendered.

And, less than an hour later, Operative #2116 was en-route to Sol, on what would probably be the oddest mission in his life. How many times were Intelligence Services required to protect a traitor? Well, the Prince wills what the Prince wills... Besides, there might be a cute little bonus for him to meet.

Alterion Military Base, Tiburon

Narali Kayabasa was greatly respected in the United Republics Army, almost as much as Majors Zechs Merquise and Treize Khushrenada, the actual leaders of the Army. Although they were supposed to have generals and brigadier generals above them, most of them were either too old to serve in the field or too incompetent or complacent after years of peace. As one of the best snipers (especially considering her young age) and the one of the best female soldiers in the Army, she had everyone's respect... and those who didn't would soon find themselves with an arm broken in three places. Strangely, she also tended to know a lot about what was going on... but even she was surprised when she saw the objectives.

"We have to defend Sector 12? Against what, squirrels?" Turning to her commander, James Swevak, she asked, "Jimmy, what exactly does this mean?"

"I'm not completely sure, but orders are orders. Relax, this is Nova we're talking about here. He knows what he's doing..."

Behind them, Steve Henderson almost whispered to Alex Yara, "I heard that it's supposed to be some sort of fundamentalist militant group from the other side of the galaxy, with some old monarchy's approval. Kinda like a Christian al Qaeda. But they're supposed to be so weak that it's hardly worth our time to attack them, unlike the old enemy..."

"What's an al Qaeda?"

"Remember, from history class? Al Qaeda? Attacked the Allies and terrorized the world for six years before being defeated at the Battle of Karachi? Back when the Allies were still seperate nations?"

"You know I didn't pay attention in that class... from the Old Common Era, right?"

"Yeah... anyways, like that. But that's only what I heard... none of this has been remotely confirmed."
----------------
New Attu Surveillance Sattelite/Military Jump Node Facility, Location Classified

"Moving object confirmed from the NZA domain, moving in the UC-208 pattern towards Space Superregion 01. It's following a similar path as the last one did, sir, although preliminary surveillance suggests that this is the last one from NZA."

"Has New Shikotsu reported the first one?"

"Yes, sir. Following the UC-208 pattern. We don't know whether it's going towards the Earth yet, but we do know it's from NZA."

"I see. Contact all SSMJNs on the UC-208 pattern and tell them what's happening. If they do reach the Greater Solar Area, tell them to tell Tiburon Kuiper/Oort Military Base."

"Yes, sir. Right away."

Bumpity...

Kigari sighed as she stared around the room, rising to her feet to begin pacing. "Why did we have to come back to the capital..." she muttered. "I mean...it wasn't soldierly work I was doing, but... it was something, and I like Nova." her expression was morose. It was just that she had spent most of her life as a soldier, and she didn't like the idea of being stuck here as a decorative piece to go with "The President's dress uniform." She wanted to be up and around, working for her new home.

Of course, that's not to say the old one was done with her yet.

~~

Alexander slipped quietly back behind his desk. Here on the edge, a week had passed. And a most interesting week it had been. He felt himself again, now that he could once again walk. The picture of Alysanndra on his desk had had to have been updated (on her insistence, though he was still having trouble with the idea of a human Alys. Especially one who had changed for him. The thought seemed to remind him of something, and he sighed and pulled out a small piece of paper and made another dash. That would be 550 people who have died for me...

The prince leapt up when he felt someone rubbing his shoulder. "Alex..." he heard his lover whisper, gently. "I made my own choices."

"An accounting will have to be made by me some day, Alys..." he looked up at the former elf, and smiled thinly. "But I know." he felt the comforting weight of his rapier by his side, and nodded. He was himself again.

Then the door slammed open and Lochlin, the palace butler, flew in. "My lord and lady... it's the Countess Anastasia!" he choked and bowed deeply.

Alexander growled in his throat. And it was shaping up to be such a nice decade. "Send her in."

But his twin sister had already walked within the room. With a curt gesture, the Prince dismissed Lochlin. Whatever his only remaining sibling had to say would undoubtedly be for his own ears only. Of course, he could guess what this was about. Alexander rose to his feet. "Anka...what a wonderful surprise..."

"Is it true, Sasha?" Anastasia asked, desperately. "About..."

"Unfortunately." Alexander affirmed. "And not too soon, either." I eliminated Vlad and let Rachel enter that doomed nunnery... why the hell did I let this harridan remain? "It's your fault, might I add."

Anastasia didn't deny it, instead fixing Alys with a brief glare. "I think I would like to be alone to talk to you." her expression was bland, but obvious. It said, Get rid of this cockroach so I can verbally throttle you, brother dearest.

Unfortunately, Alexander wasn't in the mood for games. "Anything you say to me can be said to my Chief Minister, Anka. I have no secrets from Alysanndra." his tone forbade further interference. "As I was saying, before I was interrupted... the girl's father has already been to see me."

Anastasia choked. "Simon? But... you didn't tell him!" her eyes brimmed with tears. "Alexander, please! It was a momentary infatuation! I didn't expect anything like this..."

Alexander was not, despite appearances, naturally a cruel man. He smiled grimly. "My good and close friend, Inquisitor Simon Octavus Darquis the Second, seemed to be the natural choice to raise an innocent little girl I had rescued from the clutches of a monster. Of your monster." he reached behind him and squeezed Alys's hand for a second, and smiled when she squeezed back. She might not understand what was being talked about, but she understood what was required. "He was not informed, is not informed, and will never be informed, of the true identity of his charge." he gave a light laugh, distinguished by having no trace of humour in it. "As much as I love Simon and the girl, I would hate to have them any more related to me than they already are." despite himself, he looked up to see Alys's expression. It momentarily flickered towards him, and he inwardly sighed. Explanations are so tiresome... that must be why I don't give them.

Anastasia collapsed into a chair. "...Sasha...I know I've been a terrible mother..." she tried to smile, "but she is my daughter, though I've only met her three times. I don't want her to die. Someday...I was hoping I could tell her... but... you'll never let that hapen, will you."

"...you don't deserve a daughter, Anastasia. You'd be surprised how difficult it was for me to be convinced you deserved life after what you did to her and Simon both." Alexander's words were cool and free from any emotion. "But I do not intend to let Richelieu win this round. The girl is a pawn in my game. And she's a piece that has been moved. It is a simple matter of whether my knight, or Richelieu's knight, reach her first." And of course, there is my rook for this hand. The inestimable Nova. But she doesn't need to know that. He played his trump card in this game, though. "Besides, we're not referring to her as she should be." His voice gained in tone and tempo, until it was a commanding display. "She is a soldier, an Inquisitor, and a grown woman. She has the blood of the two greatest families of the Divine Stellar Imperium running in her veins. She's coped with trouble beyond your comprehension." he flicked open a case and drew a small goblet of wine from his desk. He rose it. "To Lady Kigari Simionovich Walters Darquis." he drank the wine down and smiled. "May her new life in Sol be long and happy and prosperous, and filled with the love she couldn't find here." Alysanndra's expression was dangerously blank.

Most of words of the past fifty seconds were complete bull, and the woman knew that. But they had the effect they required. Anastasia nodded. "So that's why you sent her to Sol... not as an exile... but as a reward? Or a present?"

Alexander's expression froze. "I sent her to Sol to keep her alive. I sent her to the man who I've vowed to have flayed for his insolence because he loves her and she loves him. But it is an exile. She will never return here. I have forbidden it in words so perfectly clear and sensible that you could spend years poking at them and never find a loophole. I have no use for traitors, and regardless of what else she might be, she is that." he rang a little bell. "I'm afraid, Anka, that I'm a busy man. I extend to you my full hospitality...my children and grandchildren would be so pleased to see you. And of course, you will be staying for supper?"

Anastasia rose to her feet, curtsied, and backed from the room. Once she was gone, Alexander slid open another part of his desk and nodded. "Black bishop to D5." a piece on the revealed chessboard slowly shifted across, threatening the white king. Alexander smiled. Richelieu may have had the first move... but I always win. he reached up behind him and caught the hand as it came. "Alys?"

"You..." she stuttered into insensibility. "God, I don't even really know you, do I?" she gestured to a chair, and was disappointed when it didn't move. Then she blinked. "Oh." Alys fit a ring onto her finger, and then gestured. The chair slowly lifted itself into the air and moved underneath her. "What's wrong with you?!"

"I have no choice but to always do the best for my country." and Alexander suddenly looked old. "Unlike my dear little friend in Sol, I don't have the option of choosing not to run for re-election or resigning. We need to move forward, always forward. And this is the best way. This is the only way..." he sighed. "The Inquisition and its functions need to be transferred to state control. Richelieu is a madman, but he's a powerful madman. If the church is kept in charge of hunting edgetaints out from the woodwork, then it's only a matter of time before they start seeing everyone as an edgetaint." he watched, fascinated, as one of the white knights moved a single jump. "Interesting... the Azrael would be entering Sol territory now, then. Let's see what the rook does."

"Alexander!"Alys shouted. "We need to tell someone!"

"...who?"

"Well...if no one else, we should tell Nova, and he can decide to tell Kigari or not..." Alysanndra rubbed Alexander's hair for a while. "We're not at war with Tiburon, so we could get a transmission through."

Alexander frowned. "I don't want to tell anyone except Nova. And I don't want her to know. She doesn't need to know. It would only make her unhappy. So, we can't tell Nova."

"I'll talk to him." she smiled and kissed the Prince's cheek. "If Nova truly loves her, he'd avoid telling her anything on this subject."

"You're assuming him capable of rational thought."

"I would like to be able to make the same assumption about you, dear." Alys rolled her eyes. "Besides, it’s her right to know her parentage...imagine how angry you...would have...never mind." she coughed. She had met Eduard. And personally felt that Alexander was perfectly justified in having the man killed.

Alexander sighed. "...I’m sure you’re right." he looked back at the sketch of Nova his intelligence team had provided him with. "Very well, try to send a transmission to Tiburon, marked for Nova’s eyes only. And make damn sure...here, I’ll write it."

What was eventually transmitted was coded in a standard unlockable transmission.

Honoured President.

It is my unfortunate duty to infrm you that there is
something you o not know about the woman which
I have placed in your care. I have been forced, b an authority
against which I have no appeal, to...eliminate your ignorance.
You will no doubt undertand that she ha been kept in dliberate ignorance.

<Brief outline of Kigari’s parentage>

Now comes the choice. If you are half the man I believe yo to be,
you will not reveal any of thi to the woman you love. Maybe you Should
marry her, maybe not. But telling her would solve no purpose save
to make her unhappy, I’m sure.
Oh, before I forget. The codeword for the second message can *not*
be found in this one. I’m not sure what the word is.
Something from ‘Greek mythology’, whatever *that* is.

Eternally your enemy,
Prince Alexander Eduardovich Tyrol Razlin-Black
By the grace of God, ruler of the Divine Stellar Imperium.

(OOC: It’s Odyseus. Probably spelled wrong, but Icly I intended that.))

A second transmission was attached to the first, with a simple vox code inserter in place.

Honoured President Nova Starfighter.

You have no reason to have heard of me.
But I know much of you. It is my intention to warn you.
Watch the stars, trust no one, and be on your guard. But
do not send men with guns after this foe.

The enemy of my friend should be my enemy, yes? But I
feel that His Divine Imperial Highness is overly vengeful.
This is not by any agency of his, though. He would not
use such toys. All I can tell you is that the Prince has sent
his own agent, but this one to help you. I can only hope you
recognise the one.

Yours in peace,
Chief Minister Alysanndra Aliria Ellestrea
Head of the Imperial Duma

~~

The azrael slowed as she came to the first area of Sol space. Her ship currently resembled little more than an ore-freighter from the outer colonies, and she herself wore the form of an impudent man she had killed two years ago. The assassin slowed her ship and waited for someone to contact her.

When he returned to the Level 1 security bunker established so long ago for presidents threatened and threatening with total war, he was now fully equipped for a major military conflict, using the special mini-mobile suit only he was able to use. He had determined, as in times past, that he would not take anyone's life... on either side. He would attack first, not the Army. Hundreds of lives could be saved.

When he returned, he saw two messages waiting for him. He opened each one in succession... and read with amazement.

He had to respond, to Alex and to this new person. Alone.
----
To: HRH Prince Alexander Black of the DSI

Your excellency,
I thank you for allowing me to understand completely the full nature of what lies ahead.

Finally, why must we remain enemies? I have no wish to seek a foe on your planet, no ill feeling towards you personally, only to autocracies in all.

With high wishes for the future,
Nova Starfighter
----
To: Chief Minister Allysandra Ellestrea of the Imperial Duma

Most Honored Minister,

I am deeply grateful for your assistance, as well as that of his highness. I thank you tremendously, because you have rectified a major mistake threatening to set part of our worlds in a terrible blaze from which there would be no escape.

The Tiburonese military has, however, confirmed reports of two unidentified metal objects coming from your planet. I have no doubt, no reason not to believe that one of them is, as you say, an ally. But we still need to distinguish the allies from the enemies.

The password that we will recognize is "wild rose". That, and that alone.

Once again, I thank you tremendously.

With friendship and gratitude,
Nova Starfighter
---------

OOC: There's not that much regulation at all on the fringes of the solar system, to my knowledge... I'd say your Azrael would be able to pass to at least Neptune, maybe even Saturn without arousing minimal suspicion. And if she's really that good, she'd be able to make it all the way to the Earth... although maybe not in Tiburon itself.

OOC: ARGH! I lost my post twice! Tib, to sum up...

Kigari went looking for Kiro, because she thinks he might know where Nova is. And the Azrael is displaying an authentic Imperial Diplomatic code on her ship. Oh, and the Agent is trapped in LEO, trying to find Tiburon on his 20th century map. :P

OOC: Heheh. Good luck. And... it seems that I gave orders to have both of the people followed by various platoons. One of which is still following the Agent.
----------
Sector 30A, Niodia Sea, 70 naut. miles off the coast of the state of New Suruba, Tiburon
The marine mobile suit carrier URSN Revival

"Large metal object confirmed in the Niodia Sea, 150 nautical miles to the southwest. It was on the same trajectory as the Space Force was trailing, and appears to be an ore freighter carrying the Diplomatic code of Roania. It appears to be stationary, although sensors indicate that it's powering up to move in an unknown direction."

"We can't attack it for now. However... we still should keep an eye on it... Nova's told us to keep an eye out for anything from NZA. Send two Cancer mobile suits to trail it."

"Roger. Standing by. Commanders Kumar and Zyker, report to the loading deck to launch. Repeat, Kumar and Zyker to launch."
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OOC2: Erm... can I have the post for the other two, so I have something to work off of? Sorry.... ^_^;

Bump the casbah.