Gundam Seed Destiny Fan Fiction / Gundam SEED Fan Fiction ❯ Eternal Destiny ❯ Chapter 3

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

"Eternal Destiny"

a Gundam Seed Fanfiction

Chapter Three

Started May 5, 2006

Words: 13,966

82 EC, mid-March, undisclosed location in space

"My lord," the servant greeted immediately upon entering the chamber. After several weeks of searching, he had finally been able to retrieve the information his master has requested, but he had no idea if the information he brought would please the shadowed figure sitting behind the large desk. He had no desire to displease this person, and so, he was naturally somewhat hesitant to dispatch his report.

"What news do you have for me?"

The voice was cultured, with hints of old world elegance. It sent a shiver racing along the servant's spine.

"From the reports I have received, it appears to be true that the Orb representative is carrying Athrun Zala's baby," the servant departed. "We were finally able to retrieve a wedding bands dated over two years ago."

"Indeed," the dark figure murmured, swiveling in the large bucket chair to face out the large windowed wall that overlooked the bustling space city. "I wonder what that woman would say if she learned that one of her rabbits was breeding..."

"My lord...?"

"I believe," the master said, standing, "I should like to have a talk with Miss Cagalli Athha. Yes." Deep colored robes floated about the figure as it turned away from the window. "I will be returning to Earth, immediately. See to it that the arrangements are made," the master announced, descending gracefully back into the vacated bucket chair and turning towards the computer terminal.

"Oh, and Jacen?" the master called before he could escape. "Please send someone to collect Miss Cagalli Athha, and kindly remember to be gentle. She is with child, after all. A very, very important child. We must show her our most delicate care."

"As you say," Jacen replied with a bow before walking away as quickly as possible without making it look like he was running away.

82 EC, late March, Orb Union

"Cagalli-sama, please be reasonable," Rumi Zandus pleaded. "You must share something more with the public than just a verbal statement. They want--"

"Problems?" a soft, musical voice queried as Lacus and Kira entered Cagalli's office unannounced.

"General Yamato, Klein-sama," the Orb publicist gushed gratefully. "Thank goodness you're both here! Please tell her she cannot just go out there in front of everyone and tell them she and Zala married two years ago without sharing anything other than a ring!"

"Oh my," Lacus exclaimed with barely repressed laughter as Kira shot his sister an amused look.

"Athrun was right; you really do enjoy torturing your publicist, don't you?" he asked while Cagalli looked away, still wearing a stubborn expression. "You must wake up in the morning and wonder what new things you can think of to make this poor woman's life even more difficult."

"I do not!" Cagalli sputtered, turning to fix her brother with an evil look. "And Athrun never said any such thing."

"Didn't he?"

"I don't believe you," she insisted, folding her arms crossly. "You're making it up."

"If you say so," Kira agreed mildly as his wife reached over and took the box they'd brought from him.

"Cagalli? We brought the items you requested," Lacus broke in, setting the box down on the conference table and starting to rummage inside. "And a few other things it might surprise you to know we have," she added, smiling at both women as she procured a disc from the box's entrails.

"Zandus-san, I believe you might be able to find some things here suitable for releasing to the public," Lacus continued, handing the disc over to the over-stressed woman. "Kira and I have been documenting Cagalli's and Athrun's relationship much longer than the press has. I think you'll find enough to satisfy everyone. But first, let's watch this, shall we?"

"Klein-sama," the older woman replied adoringly, taking the disc in question and sliding it into the video port.

"Just how much do you have?" Cagalli demanded, peering into the box suspiciously.

"Enough to represent ten years worth, I would suppose," Kira replied, batting her hand away. "Some of it's not the best quality because it was taken from security video feed, but-"

"It was what?" Cagalli shouted, alarmed.

Lacus giggled. "Don't worry. I've already removed anything unsafe for your brother's--or the public's--viewing. I'll give those to you later, hmm?"

Cagalli started to protest, but just then the video disc Zandus had inserted began to play on the large wall screen, and her breath left her in a soft whispered gasp.

The sun was coming from behind the hidden camera, and it illuminated the five people standing near the water's edge in the warm golden light of approaching sunset. The sky, a colorful canvas of blues and purples and oranges, provided a breathtaking backdrop for the scene.

"How...?" Cagalli breath, throat tight with emotions.

"We have security cameras set up all over the island," Lacus explained gently as they all continued to watch the simple wedding progress.

"You used the traditional form," Zandus commented as on screen, Athrun slid the matching wedding band onto Cagalli's finger before kissing it and then her.

"We have several still-shots as well," Lacus continued as the video ended. "I'm sure you'll be able to use many of them during the press conference."

"Klein-sama, how can I ever repay you?" Zandus asked reverently.

"You don't need to repay us, Zandus-san," Kira answered firmly, placing a hand comfortably on his wife's shoulder. "Lacus and I both knew that eventually they would have to share their relationship with the rest of the world, and so we made sure there would be enough evidence to share as well."

"All we ask," Lacus continued, "is that you help the press and public to understand what a perfectly wonderful and loving match Cagalli and Athrun are."

"Of course, General Yamato, Klein-sama," the publicist answered seriously.

"Cagalli-sama?" her secretary's voice called calmly through the comm. unit. "You asked to be informed of when Representative Zala's shuttle left Heliopolis II."

"Yes, thank you," Cagalli replied, looking up to search for the time. "He left safely then."

"Yes, ma'am. There was a minor delay due to a media blockade at December City, but the pilot has just sent a message that they're clear and on their way."

"The media does so like that boy," Zandus commented fondly, and Cagalli made a forceful effort not to growl. "It's his wholesome and boyish good looks. Plus he has a sadness in his eyes. Not to mention he's terribly photogenic," the woman went on while Cagalli continued to glower.

"And he's coming home," Kira put in, laying a hand on his sister's shoulders and smiling as the tension seemed to melt from them.

"Yes," Cagalli sighed, smiling faintly as she leaned back into her chair. "He's coming home, finally." A hand fell between her breasts, and she brushed her fingers over the tiny, invisible bump in the fabric, feeling the warmed metal of her engagement and wedding rings against her skin, so near her heart.

"When will you put your rings back on?" Kira asked, watching her, and Cagalli startled out of her thoughts.

"What? Oh, um--"

"She's probably waiting for Athrun to return," Lacus replied demurely, smiling at the blonde as Cagalli shot her a grateful smile. "After all, the giving and accepting of the ring is a very symbolic act, isn't it?"

"Yes," Cagalli agreed, pressing her rings firmly into the skin between her breasts, imprinting their shape there. "It is."

82 EC, Southern Pacific Archipelago

Mirialla Haw loved her job. Which was good, because she happened to be very good at it. Of course, times of Peace weren't as profitable as times of war, but there was always a conflict going on somewhere, and if she had her choice, she preferred the more peaceful times to the chaotic and world-wide terror of war.

Some of her colleagues accused her of running away or being lonely because she wouldn't take a boyfriend or lover. She just laughed at them. Maybe they would have been right... before the wars. Before the wars she would never have been able to do what she did now. Before the war had come to her home and swept her up in its fiery jaws, Mirialla had never cared about those elusive 'others' or even really thought about other people living in other places.

What their lives were like; what their struggles were... She hadn't cared at all.

Now it was her job. Not really to care so much as to investigate and report. She floated from place to place, following the conflicts and skirmishes of Life. It suited her independent spirit just fine. No one tried to tell her what she should do or how she should live her life here. It was just her and her camera.

What's more there was no one to laugh at her or make jokes at her cooking and cleaning skills---or lack thereof. There was no one to torment her or annoy her or use up all the hot water in the mornings or leave toothpaste in the sink or wake her up when the nightmares came or hold her until the pain and loneliness and fear disappeared or cover her with sloppy sweet kisses and fumbling touches or make love to her in complete graceless enthusiasm...

She huffed and pushed those memories aside, blaming her wild hormones on her approaching menses as she refocused on the present and aimed her camera expertly, shooting off another series of photos as the shuttle jet landed and a tall figure alighted, swathed in rich green and gold robes from crown to heel. She tried to zoom in on the figure's face, frowning when she realized there were large sunglasses obscuring most of the delicate-looking face.

Before she could snap off a really good picture, the figure slid into a waiting car and drove away.

Mirialla safely tucked her camera and rolled away, wondering just who the strange figure was and what he or she was doing here. And if she should report this to Terminal or not.

82 EC April 1, Athha Estate Home

It was late, but she couldn't sleep. The moodiness and irritability of the last month had been gaining up on her, and it didn't matter how much rest she got or how healthy she ate. She was stressed, she knew it and her council members knew it, but tomorrow night Athrun would finally be home, and she could finally relax.

Cagalli leaned heavily against the stone banister but quickly rethought the position when the cool stone pressed into her abdomen. Turning to lean back against the banister instead, she ran her hands down over her stomach. There was a small paunchiness there, she thought, but nothing dramatic that screamed she was four months pregnant.

Her doctor insisted that she was completely healthy at her last check-up, but she didn't feel like it. She felt all mixed up inside, all over, as if someone had disassembled her and then hadn't put her back together properly. She felt... at ends. With herself and with the world in general.

In the three weeks since she'd returned from Plant, she'd managed to turn over virtually all of her paperwork assignments to assistants and left the more important responsibilities to Koji Toshihiro, her Prime Minister. The man had been a contemporary of her father's, and she could appreciate the way he thought and his sense of humor. What's more, she trusted him to uphold Orb's standards and ideals. The transition was a good one, made to free up her time as she'd planned to focus more on her family, but she still felt at loose ends.

She thought ahead to the press conference scheduled for this week.

Zandus had stayed in her office till well past the noon hour today, delving through the box Kira and Lacus had brought. It had been a rather amusing and nostalgic way to spend the time, or it would have been if her publicist hadn't kept mentioning what would and could be used for the up-coming press conference.

For not the first time in her secret relationship, Cagalli wished that she had just been upfront with the matter in the first place and had just told everyone to stuff it instead of insisting that Orb wasn't ready. She wondered if Orb really couldn't have handled the pressure her personal wants would create before now, if Athrun had been right in suggesting they not try to delay what would have to happen, what was happening now.

She didn't once regret her decision to marry Athrun, and she was grateful for each day they had together, no matter how it came. But now--now that they were going to share their relationship with Orb and the rest of the world--Cagalli couldn't help but be nervous.

Was it too soon?

No. Orb was once again a strong nation, recovered from its tragedies and ready to race forward into its future; more than capable of standing up to the repercussions of her wants.

She'd already been in contact with the Scandinavian government, and she was grateful to the King's continued support and understanding. The sovereign had been another contemporary of her father's and had a rather amusing habit of thinking of her as one of his own daughters--although why when he already had four, Cagalli didn't know, but she appreciated the man all the more for his paternal influence and guidance. Strong and supportive and generous almost to a fault, she valued this man's opinion of her more than she would ever care to admit.

He had been one of the first sovereignties to contact her when the confirmation of her pregnancy was released to the press. He had admonished her dreadfully when she admitted who the father and her husband was, but unlike what she knew she could probably expect from others, his ire had originated more from not being informed of such a momentous occasion in his "daughter's" life. She'd laughed relieved tears and promised him a front row seat to the formal wedding Athrun and she had agreed would be held for Orb and the rest of the Earth Sphere on their fifth anniversary.

The fact that she already had Scandinavia's support bolstered her somewhat, but she was still nervous and unsure about the rest of the world. She couldn't quite rely on Plant's support simply because of Athrun's genetics, but she hoped the fact her husband was a Coordinator might relieve some stressed pressure Orb might incur from that sector. It also helped that Athrun had served as Orb's representative to Plant for these past two years, and so many on the Supreme Council there were at least familiar if not exactly friendly with her husband.

The Earth Alliance was another matter entirely.

Still recovering from the heavy damages incurred during both wars, the Earth Alliance was officially in no shape to start altercations with any nation at the moment, but that didn't mean they wouldn't. Although there was talk of reinstating the previous governing body of the United Nations, no real progress had been made. The group behind the Blue Cosmos fraction might have been eradicated during the second war, but that didn't mean the poisoned message of the Blue Cosmos had been destroyed, too. Many areas around the world were still openly hostile to Coordinators; others more repressively so.

The four main political bodies of the Earth Alliance were still in argument, despite exposed members of LOGOS having been removed from office and terminated years ago. The Atlantic Federation remained a strong factor of the Earth Alliance, and their broad anti-coordinator sentiments were well known. The Eurasian Federation was still at odds with the Atlantic Federation, and would probably always remain so. They were more tolerant of coordinators and were the head runners in supporting the return to the United Nations government, but they had also suffered the most damaged from the Junius-7 drop. The rift between these two powerful controllers of the Earth Alliance was growing larger and more heated as time passed.

The Republic of East Asia and the South African Union, the remaining two groups to fill the Earth Alliance ranks, were both smaller and less powerful than the previous two federations. They seemed willing to support the Eurasian Federation's push to return to the United Nations; however, with the Atlantic Federation still holding the most clout in the Earth Alliance and rumors of Eurasia threatening to break away from the EA, Cagalli didn't know when it would actually happen.

And she and Orb were going to be making some big ripples in the pond.

Cagalli sighed, her hands smoothing over her almost non-existent belly. This was the world she was about to bring a child into. Orb was ready, she thought, and so were she and Athrun... but was the rest of the world ready?

"Well, there's no use in worrying about the rest of the world," she reasoned, stretching and allowing her voice to drop into the deep embrace of the night. Above her the star-speckled sky danced. "Your daddy's somewhere up there," she said before coloring with embarrassment.

She sighed and bent over to press her forehead against the cool stone. "I'm going crazy," she thought out loud.

"Not yet, Princess, but I'm sure that can be arranged," a voice answered.

Before she could react a pressure injection was pressed against her arm, and Cagalli slid into unconsciousness.

82 EC April 2, Orb Union

"Zala-sama," the delicate voice of the flight attendant roused him. He hadn't even been aware he'd fallen asleep after reentry, but he came awake instantly now. "I'm sorry to wake you, sir, but we're approaching Orb Territory. We'll be docking in approximately thirty-five minutes," the young woman informed him.

"Thank you," he mumbled, having to clear his throat, and then he frowned as she hesitated again. "What is it?"

"Sir, I think... I think something might be wrong," she said with the determined air of one who wasn't sure it was her place to say something but felt she should anyway.

"Wrong?" he repeated, sitting up straighter.

"In Orb," she expanded. "Kaguya is sending out an escort to meet us and bring us in--"

"That's not unusual," Athrun commented.

Her eyes tighten. "And General Yamato is waiting to meet you at the port himself."

"Kira?" Athrun asked, surprised. "Still," he continued, refocusing. "These things in and of themselves are not out of the ordinary. But you think something's wrong?"

"I apologize, sir, for speaking out of place," she murmured bowing and turning to leave.

"Wait!" he called before she could leave. "Who are you?"

She looked surprised but answered. "My name is Risa Karamen, sir."

"Your rank," he clarified, and knew he was right by the momentary lapse of composure when her eyes widened before hardening.

Her posture stiffened as well as she dropped the meek and attentive role of flight attendant. "Sergeant Major, Special Forces, sir."

Athrun nodded, slightly amused. It had been his suggestion years ago to train Cagalli's staff and integrate some special force members into the stubborn lioness's normal routine to act as extra protection without garnering notice. He had just never expected himself to be the recipient of that extra protection. He might have laughed if the situation wasn't so ominous.

"Thank you for your warning, major," he answered her, and she responded with a short nod before slipping easily back into her role as cheerful, eager to assist attendant.

"Would you care for another drink, Zala-sama, before we arrive?"

"No, thank you. But please keep me informed," he dismissed her, waiting till she'd left to turn and look out his window to mule.

It was still sunlight outside, but it was quickly fading. It would be dusk, if not completely dark, by the time they reached Orb's port. Outside, he could just make two of the three escort fighter crafts. It really wasn't an unusual Orb welcome, but why was Kira meeting him and not his wife? Athrun was looking forward to seeing Cagalli sooner rather than later, and he was just a little upset that she wouldn't be there. He, of course, assumed it was because there was work she wanted to finish--Cagalli was notorious for overworking herself...

But what if it was something else?

What if Cagalli was ill or something had happened with the pregnancy? It was possible, even though Cagalli was a Natural-born and not a coordinator, it was still possible that something could go wrong. Athrun considered it amazing enough that she'd conceived in the first place, but...

He pushed those thoughts firmly from his mind. He would find out soon enough whether or not anything was wrong. Kira wouldn't hold out on him, not now. Not on this.

It was slightly disconcerting to emerge from his shuttle to find the entire populace of the port standing at attention, including Kira. The fact that his friend was here as the Special Forces General and not as a social gesture struck a dagger of worry through his chest more effectively than the major's warning.

"Kira," he greeted with a return salute. "You'll forgive me for being a little surprised," Athrun continued as they both turned towards the waiting car. The fact that it was his own car couldn't dispel the air of uneasiness.

"Of course," Kira returned, and there was an added tension in his voice that Athrun didn't like one bit.

"Where are we going?" he asked sliding behind the wheel.

"Parliament House," Kira clipped, and then he sighed, slumping just fractionally into his seat once they were moving. "There was... There is..." He shook his head. "Last night, we believe someone entered the Athha Estate and abducted Cagalli."

Athrun was damn proud of his control--the car didn't swerve or even waver as his hands clenched down on the steering wheel. "How?"

"We don't know for sure," Kira admitted, sounding tired. "We didn't even realize something was wrong until this morning when Mana went in to wake and dress her and found her missing instead. We did a search of the area, thinking maybe she'd just gotten up early and went for a walk or something, but we haven't found her. A search through security confirms that she was awake and out on her balcony shortly after midnight last night, but then there was a ten minute blackout. That's the last moment we've been able to trace her to."

Athrun forced himself to breath, to think rationally, but his mind kept screaming. "How is it that no one noticed the security black out sooner?" he asked, determined to keep his voice even and undiscriminating.

"The feed was looped," Kira told him, closing his eyes as his head hit the head rest. "We almost didn't catch it when we were reviewing it, except whoever it was couldn't insert the footage of Cagalli leaving the balcony. One minute she was there, and then the next she wasn't."

"And you have no idea who could've--"

"Could have, yes," Kira interrupted. "We even have a list of those who are most likely to want to abduct her, but do we have any concrete suspects?" He shook his head, glaring down at his knees. "No, and until we do, we can't just go around demanding someone give her back. Right now, her secretary has excused her from her appointments for the next several days, providing the excuse that she's not feeling well. We didn't want to alarm the public, not yet."

"So why are we heading toward Parliament?" he wondered. Shouldn't they have been heading towards Military Headquarters?

"Athrun..." Kira hesitated, a delicacy in his voice that rose Athrun's suspicions and unease. "With Cagalli absent, you're the next person in the chain of command of Orb."

74 EC, Post-Second Bloody Valentine War, Plant

Just like before, the months after a truce was called for were... chaotic. Tense and uneasy. Everywhere you looked there were signs of destruction and devastation. No one had made it through this second war unscathed. It would be years, possibly decades, before the ruin was set right again.

What was his role to be, Athrun wondered, in this new and fragile world?

An answer didn't seem to be forthcoming. He wanted to help, he needed to help, but once again, he felt powerless to do anything.

He left Justice with Lacus and Kira when he brought Shinn, Lunamaria, and Meyrin back to Plant. He knew, just like last time, he would have to face the charges of treason set upon him before he could move forward. Just like last time, he didn't expect the charges against him to be cleared.

The reformed Supreme Council barely waited a full twenty-four cycle before calling him before them. He remembered it all so well from the last time--the tiny shock of seeing a different face sitting in the Chairman's seat, repressing the urge to shift under the uncomfortable gaze of the council members. The disapproving looks, the sympathetic looks...

Some faces were familiar--Deakka's father and Yzak's mother had returned to represented their cities--others were completely unknown to him. He wished he could possess such anomy.

"Faith is something we all must practice, Athrun," the newly elected Chairman announced in the private gathering of the Supreme Council where he was to be tried for his crimes. She smiled at him, and he thought her smile had a hint of sadness to it, her eyes haunted and tired. He had no way of knowing what he saw was simply a reflection of what she was seeing in him. "Faith is the belief that everything will work out right, someway, somehow, and having the courage and determination to do what's right in the face of so much wrong."

She held out the FAITH badge he'd returned to her when he'd entered the council. "And I think you represent that all too well, Athrun," she said, handing the winged pin back to him. "Faith isn't easy, but it's not something that should be given up easily, either. So you keep this, Athrun-kun---No. Athrun-san." She smiled again, reassuringly at him as the other council members shifted around them. "I can think of very few people who have earned the right to wear this symbol more than you. It is my hope that no matter where you may choose to go in your life, from this point forward, may you always continue to stand and fight for what's right and not just for what's easy."

"Chairman..." he whispered, minutely aware that he was in a state of shock as he accepted the FAITH badge once again.

"Athrun-san, it has been an honor to meet you," she continued, holding out her hand in offer for his. "I hope someday we will be able to work together in making this world a safe and happy place, for our children and our future."

"Chairman." He was able to work up a smile for her this time as he reached out and took her hand firmly. He nodded and turned to leave.

Just like that, his life had been pardoned once again.

At that point, there were many places he could have gone to in Plant. He still wasn't sure how he ended up staying in the apartment Meyrin had rented out when she'd received her requested discharge papers from Zaft. Maybe it was just easy.

The thought and desire to return to Orb was a constant presence in his mind as he went through helping Plant slowly pull itself together at the seams. He wanted to go back, to see her. They still had unfinished business between them, Cagalli and he, but it wasn't easy to schedule a return trip to Earth. There just weren't that many commercial flights taking off at the moment. People were sticking close to home, slowly rebuilding their lives, rebuilding normalcy.

But he had to go back. He told Meyrin so one morning as they were sitting down to breakfast.

"What?" Meyrin shouted angrily, tears forming in her eyes as she stood hastily from the breakfast table.

Her reaction surprised him, and for a moment he could only look at her in confusion as his mouth worked uselessly.

"Why do you have to go back to that place?" Meyrin cried loudly, uncaring of the other people still asleep in the apartment. "Athrun-san is a coordinator. Plant is his home. He should stay here in Plant!"

Watching her cry like that, something like pity broke inside him, and he moved to gather the trembling young woman in his arms. "Meyrin," he began gently, petting her shaking shoulders. "Plant is your home. Of course you would want to stay here. But it's not my home. Not really. My family lived here for a time, but I wasn't here with them that often."

"But still--!" she tried to argue, but he gently shook his head, stilling her protest.

"I have family on Earth, in Orb," he continued, stepping arm-length away now so that he could look her in the face. "People I care about and want to help."

"Athrun-san," Meyrin whispered tearfully.

"You'll really return to Orb?" a hallow voice questioned from behind them, and Athrun turned to see Shinn, staring at the cheap kitchen flooring; Lunamaria hovered close behind him.

"Yes."

Shinn nodded and turned away, not saying anything. Athrun hadn't really expected him to want to return to Orb, too. After all, he and Lunamaria were still Zaft. That Lunamaria and Meyrin would insist on accompanying him also was unexpected. Somehow, what he had pictured as his return trip home had become more like a chaperoned school trip.

Still, he wasted little time in seeking her out once they arrived in Orb, dropping Lunamaria and Shinn off at a local hotel before heading straight to the Parliament House. He didn't know what he was going to do, what she was going to say or do, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to move on to anything else without speaking to her again. He needed to see Cagalli, talk with her.

He loved her, still, despite everything that had happened; because of everything that had happened. He knew she still cared for him, too. But was it enough? Could it be enough?

Doing what's right... or doing what's easy...

He thought it would be difficult to get in to see her. She was overworking herself again, and he worried for her, but he knew she wouldn't listen even if he said something about it, and she wouldn't stop. Not now, not when she'd reached her stride and was running strong.

It might have been months since he'd entered the House of Parliament, but he was still a familiar face, if not a familiar name.

"Alex Dino!" one of the many secretaries called out as he stepped onto the same floor as Cagalli's offices. "It's been such a long time! We were all worried something terrible had happened!"

"War happened," Athrun replied, striding past her without slowing.

He was away and down another hallway before the woman could comment, maneuvering the floor like an old professional, eyes shifting from face to face, to waist coats and waist bands, looking for potential threats by second nature. This area was always crowded with people and not for the first time, his jaw grinded and he mentally snarled at security for allowing so many people onto the same floor as Cagalli's offices. He had to remind himself that most of these people were office aides or government officials of some rank, and the remaining were military personnel. Plus, if he knew Cagalli any, she still kept a spare gun in her bottom drawer. She wasn't completely defenseless after all.

"Oh, my! Dino-kun, it's been such a long while!" Cagalli's secretary proclaimed when he finally reached the outer office. "Have you been well? I was beginning to think you might not be returning to Orb."

"I'm sorry to make you worry about me, Gracia-san," he replied with honest affection for the middle-aged woman who was always willing to bend over backwards to make Cagalli's--and his--job easier. "Does she have a moment?"

"Does she ever?" the secretary replied. "But you go right on in. This is about as free as you'll have her all day. She has a meeting downstairs in ten minutes, and then she's leaving tonight for the continued peace talks in space. We're hoping to get something a little more permanent signed, you know."

"Yes, I know," he replied, nodding his thanks and heading straight across the room for the door with an added, "Thank you."

"Begging your pardon, of course," Gracia spoke up quickly, causing him to pause and half turn back to look at her questioningly. "But perhaps the young miss should stay out here with me?"

"What?" he'd asked, honestly surprised, having only registered his shadow's presence obscurely. "Oh, Meyrin. Yes, I'm sorry. Could you wait out here for a bit?" he requested, not waiting for her response. His thoughts were for the woman on the other side of the door.

"Athrun-san--"

He didn't wait to hear what she was going to say. Athrun wondered amusedly if he should be surprised to find Cagalli standing at her window, overlooking her city, arguing into a headset?

No. Not really. If anything, the sight was heart achingly nostalgic.

"No, right now the civilian areas are still our number one priority," Cagalli said forcibly. "I understand that, but neither is anyone else at this moment. Finish cleaning up the cities and residential areas and then we can focus on our military bases and resources. We still have enough forces to adequately defend ourselves should the need arise; therefore it is not our top priority. Take care of our people first. That's an order."

"Don't forget that you're one of the people, too," he cautioned, catching her attention as she tore the headset off and flung it onto her desk. She whirled around to face him, eyes widening in surprise. "You have to take care of yourself, too."

"Athrun!" she cried, taking a step around the desk towards him, but then stopping herself.

"Hello, Cagalli," he greeted simply, offering her a small smile.

"What--How--" She shook her head, as if frustrated with herself for not being able to speak plainly. "What are you doing here?" she managed finally, leaning a hip against her desk and staring at him searchingly. "Kira said you'd stayed behind in Plant."

"There were some things I needed to take care of--"

"Cagalli-sama, about these reports you requested," an aide began, entering the room without looking up. And then, "Oh, sorry, Dino-san, I--"

"Cagalli-sama, are you serious about--" another aide burst in hectically.

"Cagalli?" her secretary called from the now wide open office door. And she wasn't the only one looking in questioningly.

"Athrun-san?"

For a moment, he thought he read doubt, confusion, hurt on Cagalli's face before she straightened and tensed, once again in her commander-in-chief role. "I need to go, Athrun," she said, looking away. "I have... a lot of work to do. Here, in Orb." She looked up at him, fixing him with a piercing gaze that he thought should mean something, but he wasn't sure what. "You have things you want to do, too, don't you?"

"Cagalli-sama, I really must--"

"Things only you can do, right? Be well, Athrun," Cagalli said softly, smiling at him before turning to look directly at Meyrin. She nodded jerkily towards the redhead before exiting her office, her eager aides and council members following her like a trail of baby chicks, all chirping for her attention.

"Athrun-san?" Meyrin asked, entering the room hesitantly while he stood there, staring after the blond leader.

"Tell me, Meyrin," he asked, hands fisted at his sides as he fought back emotions he didn't understand and wasn't sure he even wanted to. "How do you choose to do the right thing if you don't know what's right or wrong anymore?"

"Athrun-san..."

What's right...or what's easy...

Walking away from the Parliament House, walking away from Cagalli and Orb, giving her the freedom she needed to do her job-- It wasn't easy. In fact, it was one of the hardest decisions he'd ever had to live with...

But was it right?

82 EC, April 2, Orb Union

Staring up at the grandiose building of the Parliament House now, Athrun still didn't know if leaving Orb those many years ago, leaving Cagalli, had been the right decision.

All he knew was that his feelings toward the Parliament House were rather mixed. Athrun had always held a natural dislike for the building where Cagalli had been forced to spend endless amounts of time at. Irrationally, he found the building was like a concrete representation of what continually came between his and Cagalli's relationship in the past--even so far as representing the reason why they'd had to hide their marriage.

It was often difficult to remember that as Orb's representative to Plant, he actually had a place in this building. More uncomfortable to realize that as Cagalli's husband, Athrun's place was at the head of those council members who were now sitting around a table, looking at him anxiously.

All talking stopped the moment the door opened; the room was practically silent in the absence of aides and secretaries.

"Athrun," Koji Toshihiro greeted gruffly, rising from his end of the table as he and Kira entered the inner council room. Athrun was actually a little surprised by how empty the room felt without the gaggles of aides and secretaries clustering around the walls. "I trust your return trip was uneventful until now," the man continued holding out a hand towards the young coordinator.

"Prime Minister. Not quite the homecoming I was expecting," he agreed, taking the man's hand firmly. "Has there been any additional news?"

"Nothing," Toshihiro practically growled, motioning Athrun and Kira further into the room and retaking his seat at the one end of the council table.

Kira slid into the seat that had been brought for him as everyone continued to watch Athrun. He stared at the remaining seat, Cagalli's seat, and turned away from the table quickly. "Does the media suspect anything yet?"

"No, not yet," Rumi Zandus answered weakly. She had to swallow several times before continuing in a stronger voice. "Right now they're still focused on the upcoming press conference."

"And there wasn't a note?" Athrun demanded, turning to look back at the rest of the councilors. "No disturbance? No ransom letter?"

"Nothing but a doctored security video," Kisaka confirmed broodingly.

"Athrun..." Kira cautioned, and the dark-haired young man looked away, frustratingly.

"Okay, then, let's start over," he suggested, turning back one again. "Run through everything we can think of."

"It is possible that the princess left on her own accord," Perott suggested, pointing a rather malicious look towards Athrun. "After all, she's been doing so many reckless things lately without informing anyone."

Athrun stiffened, glaring back ominously. "Cagalli would never desert Orb without cause or warning,"

"It's not like she hasn't before," the reedy man sniped shallowly.

Kira fairly glowed with indignant ire. "Cagalli has never deserted Orb," he attested firmly.

"Kira," Athrun stopped him before more could be said. "Have you checked the ports?" he redirected their focus. "Have there been any unaccounted for boats or ships? Air craft?"

"There was one commercial fishing boat we chased off this afternoon," Kisaka answered, "and one private yacht that skirted near our territory earlier this morning."

"There's been nothing on either radar or sonar since," Kira added flipping through the newest reports.

Athrun was tired, and looking at the faces seated around the table, he knew he wasn't the only one. "We have nothing. We know nothing," he summed up, rubbing his hands over his face in an instinctive effort to release some tension. "Which means, we can do nothing. Not until we have something."

Willa Kresler, the remaining council member present looked at him alarmed. "Athrun-sama, just what are you saying?"

"I'm saying what we should do now is all go home and try and get some rest. You've all obviously had a long and hard day, and I know I'm not thinking clearly yet, either." He took another deep breath, purposefully ignoring Perott's snide expression as he turned back to Kisaka. "The military will continue searching for clues, anything that can help point us in the right direction. In the meantime, let's try to keep things running as smoothly as possible so as not to alert or alarm anyone. Not yet."

"Athrun-sama," Zandus spoke up quickly. "What about the press conference? We can't just cancel."

"No, but if we haven't found Cagalli by then, we will have to go public with the information," he prophesized. "There's no justification for continuing to mislead the public on something of such paramount importance."

"But the press conference was supposed to be about your relationship with Cagalli-sama!"

Athrun sighed. "It can't be helped. Right now finding Cagalli and getting her back where she belongs is our main concern. But it doesn't make sense," he added, turning away again to gaze out the large glass wall. "Why take her and not send a letter of demand or a ransom request?"

"Athrun," Kira murmured.

"I don't understand, Kira," he turned on his friend. "What's their reason? What do they want? It must be something; otherwise they would have killed her instead of taking her."

"Athrun-kun," Toshihiro spoke up gently before turning to the rest of the councilors. "We'll reassemble here tomorrow at ten hundred hours, and pray there's some positive news."

"Any news at all would be welcomed," Perott hissed as they all gathered their belongings and exited.

"Athrun," Kira said again, approaching him once all the others had left.

"It doesn't make sense, Kira," Athrun grumbled, pressing his forehead into the cool glass. "What do they want?"

"We'll find out, one way or another," his brother-in-law promised, reaching out and clasping his shoulder.

Athrun looked back at him, eyes thick and gummy. "Kira..."

"Lacus called for volunteers from Terminal," he confided. "Although it's not a formal assignment, many have already responded with their willingness to help."

"Kira." Athrun breathed again, feeling a sense of relief at the news.

"We will find something. But in the meantime, we have to keep things calm and orderly here in Orb."

"I don't trust Perrott," Athrun growled, noting the movement of several cars below as the council members headed home.

"Neither do I," Kira told him, "but unfortunately, he represents the Saran noble family, and we can't just throw him out."

"Saran," Athrun spat the name out like a disgusting, unpalatable thing. "Another reason not to like him."

"Athrun."

"Dammit!" he exploded finally, his frustration toppling. "We expected protests, arguments, accusations, some civil unrest. Maybe even an assassination attempt or two," he added almost blithely. "But this...? How the hell did they get in, Kira?"

Kira looked away, also glowering. "We just updated our security systems, too."

"Is there a leak somewhere?" Athrun asked, eyes refocusing with an incensed edge.

"We'll definitely find it if there is," Kira assured him.

Athrun looked away again, feeling suddenly drained and empty. "I was supposed to be returning home for good this time."

"You are home, Athrun."

He looked up at Kira, but he was hollow inside. "Somehow, it doesn't feel much like home without Cagalli here."

82 EC, April 2, somewhere in the Pacific Ocean

Consciousness returned with a bad aftertaste, a horrible headache, and an uncomfortable rolling in her insides that suggested maybe, just maybe, she hadn't escaped the unpleasantness of morning sickness unscathed.

As Cagalli fought to control her uneasy stomach, she came to realize that it was not just her stomach that was rolling, but the entire world. Cautiously, she squinted an eye open, spying on her surroundings. The room was low-lit, but she didn't see anyone, and carefully, one hand pressed protectively to her still rebelling middle, she sat up.

Bit by foggy bit, the cloud surrounding her mind began to evaporate, and she gasped as memory resurface and delayed adrenaline rushed through her nervous system.

She hadn't been able to sleep, so she'd taken a moment to try and relax out on the patio. She'd thought she was alone, only she hadn't been. Someone--someone had grabbed her, and then...

And then she was waking up here. What had happened? Where was she? Who had grabbed her and why? What did they want? How much time had passed? Did Orb even know she was missing? And Athrun! He was supposed to be coming home! What would he think if she wasn't even there to greet him?

It was all too easy to let herself run away with worry; harder to reign in her rampant thoughts and emotions and force herself to focus on taking action. As soon as she'd screwed her head back on straight and stopped panicking, she was able to act. A quick scan of herself confirmed that she was unhurt--nothing bruised or broken from what she could tell at any rate-- another scan of her surroundings let her know she was on a boat--the slapping of the water against the hauls, the snapping of sails, and the scoffing of machinery were all familiar sounds. And despite the rich and luxurious décor of the room she'd woken in, the queasy stench of fish clung to her clothing and skin, not helping her unsettled stomach at all.

She was just getting up to check the only door in when it opened. Cagalli grabbed the nearest object at hand--a gilt-plated hairbrush--and raised it offensively. She was already attacking when the small boy looked up from the tray he was balancing and squeaked.

Shock froze her limbs as the boy huddled over his task, braced for the strike, and she stared at him, unsure what to do next. Slowly, she lowered the hairbrush and stepped back. Hesitantly, fearfully, he peeked at her, and then, slowly, cautiously, his body relaxed until they stood there, only a meter and a half apart, staring wide eyed at the other. The boy snapped out of his stasis first, thrusting the tray out at her with a hastily mumbled, "here", and barely waiting for her to grab it before whipping around and banging back out the portal.

Cagalli blinked dumbly at the shut door, still stunned by the boy's appearance and just as sudden disappearance.... and then the aromas wafting up from the tray in her hands danced their way past her nose and her stomach gave a particularly loud suggestion that she should eat. Now.

Half wary that the food might be drugged, but mostly starving, she set the tray down on the bolted table in the corner and lifted the lid curiously. One large bowl of beef curry and rice assaulted her senses, full force, leaving her mouth watering and conscious knotted with indecision---eat, and take a chance that it was poisoned, or...

Her stomach sounded another vocal demand, accompanied with a cramp of hunger that had her knees buckling as she slid into the lone chair. The spoon was in her hand, rising to her mouth before she even realized it, and flavor exploded across her tongue, sliding down her throat to warm lovingly in her stomach. Cagalli moan ecstatically as she dug into the meal. Despite the rather large sized bowl, she finished it all.

For a long minute after swallowing the last bite, she sat there, tongue still tingling with aftertaste, staring as the emptied bowl disbelieving. I can't believe I ate the whole thing, she thought, taking a moment to contemplate her seemingly expanding appetite. Then Cagalli shook herself out of her stasis and gathered her senses back up, focusing on finding out where she was and how to get back home.

She went to investigate the door the door first and was surprised to find it unlocked. Cautiously, eyeing the second door in the cubby space area warily, she exited the cabin room and started to climb the short step ladder a few feet away.

It was dusk outside; the stars were just beginning to come out. The sails of the small personal yacht --a weekender used mostly by rich couples who wanted to escape the public's eye for a couple of days-- were swollen with the ocean breeze. She was familiar with the design after she and Athrun had taken one once and coasted along the reefs and aloes surrounding the Marshall Islands. It had been... a very enjoyable weekend as she recalled.

But that meant only a limited number of people could be on the ship, no more than three or four, she thought....which was ultimately useless information as she still didn't know who they were or why they'd taken her.

She sighed. How the hell was she going to get off this boat and back to Orb?

"Excuse me, miss," a tentative voice spoke up behind her, and she nearly slipped off the step she was on. "It really would be best if you stayed in the cabin for a while longer," the same boy as before continued when she regained her footing enough to shoot a glare at him.

"I demand that you take me home right now," Cagalli responded, quickly climbing up the remaining steps and stepping into the open deck. The wind snapped her pantsuit against her legs and whipped her hair across her face. She pushed it away irritable.

"Sorry miss," the boy answered, scrambling up the steps after her. "But we can't do that. Please just go back to the cabin?" he pleaded. "If Amaryllis sees you, she'll want to knock you out again, and we've already had to drug you once today when you started to wake up earlier. Anymore, and it might not be healthy, you in your condition and all..."

He glanced down at her midriff, and her eyes widened alarmingly before narrowing dangerously with warning, her hands braced against her stomach. "If you--" she started to say as he reached out for her.

"Please miss. Just stay in the cabin," the boy, and he couldn't have been more than eleven or twelve, pleaded. "We'll be reaching our destination in a couple more hours, and then you can come out, okay?"

"Who are you?" Cagalli demanded, stepping back quickly to avoid his hand. "Where are you taking me? Why? What do you want?"

"That's the problem with politicians," someone grumbled from behind her, and Cagalli whipped around--too quickly as she started to lose her balance, but hands grabbed and steadied her, as the woman--Amaryllis?-- slapped something against Cagalli's upper arm.

"Too busy yapping their jaws to actually get something done," was the last thing she heard before the drug raced through her system again, sending her sliding headlong into unconsciousness.

82 EC, April 2, Athha Estate Home, Orb Union

There were approximately thirty-two people, including himself, currently residing in the Athha Estate home. Despite this number, the ancestral mansion near the sea felt deserted. Empty.

It was strange, uncomfortable, being back in this house without his wife. By habit Athrun had returned to his old rooms...only to find all his belongings gone. He'd been shocked at first, but then he'd thought to check Cagalli's rooms, where he found them carefully intermixed with her things, as if they'd always been there. As if they belonged there, her things and his, together.

The sight had threatened to rip open his chest.

She'd told him she planned to move their things, but he hadn't realized she'd already gone and done it. He'd thought she'd wait for him, but then, he should have known better. The only one Cagalli had ever waited for was Orb, and even then she could be...impatient.

"When you come home," she said as they cuddled on the sofa, never having made it as far as the bedroom in the quarters that were assigned for her use while in Plant. "We won't have to pretend anymore."

"No, we won't," he agreed, lazily combing his fingers through her hair, liking how she was slowly letting it grow out just a little bit more each year.

"So, I was thinking."

She was always thinking, but he wasn't about to tell her that. He was more interested in the texture of her hair against her skin anyway. "Hmm?"

"Did you have a preference?" she queried, shifting away when he reached a ticklish spot. "I mean, it's a pretty big house, you know, and we can have any room in it we want..."

"What's wrong with the rooms you have now?" he asked, surprised that she would want to go through the hassle of moving both of their possessions.

"Well, I just thought," she started, looking away and shifting again, uncomfortable with nervousness, "that maybe you'd want a different room or something."

"Cagalli," he said softly, turning her face to look up at him. "Your rooms are just fine." A grin tugged at his lips as he leaned in closer to whisper, "Plus, I think they might be lucky. After all, that's where we--"

His hand dropped over her lower belly, caressing possessively as another thrill of excitement speared through him.

She looked at him in mocking disbelief. "You think my bedroom's lucky because I'm pregnant?" she clarified, and then huffed as he rolled her over onto her back again.

"Mmhmm. Very, very lucky," he agreed trailing liquid kisses down her throat and breasts, sliding lower to cover her flat belly with soft kisses.

"Athrun..." she breathed, hands messing up his hair as her breath quickened.

He shot her a quick grin before sliding further south and pressing his mouth against her core, quickly coaxing her to excitement.

She had been... beautiful in that moment. No, radiant, breathtakingly so, as he'd chase her higher and higher until she'd screamed and writhed and cursed him---That had only been three weeks ago. Three short weeks when he'd last held her, when they'd held each other, caught up in the glow of planning their future.

And now he didn't know where she was or even if she was safe.

He'd taken one look at the bed and knew he'd find no sleep in its soft, inviting depths tonight.

"Try and get some sleep," Kira had suggested before heading up to find his own bed. Athrun had wanted to laugh at his friend--sleep? Did Kira honestly expect him to be able to sleep tonight? Not know where Cagalli was? If she was safe or hurt? He'd murmured some nonsensical thing that could have been an agreement and then he'd retired to the library and poured his glass of bourbon.

Athrun stared at that same glass of bourbon, studying the distorted image of the fire through the cut glass. He hadn't actually tasted a single sip of the fiery liquid yet, but it somehow made him feel slightly better to just have the liquor at hand.

He wondered how long that tiny bit of comfort could last.

It wasn't all that later when the library door opened, and Kira stumbled in. "Athrun. You should try to sleep."

Green eyes took in the rumpled and disheveled appearance before him. "Why? It didn't work for you. Do you really think it would for me?" he returned.

Kira's shadowed eyes darted to the glass Athrun still held, and he questioned, "How much have you drunk?"

"This is the first one," Athrun admitted, turning the glass in hand, swirling the liquid. "I've discovered I don't have a taste for bourbon."

Kira stared at him for a full second before he huffed out what might have been under other circumstances a laugh. "I want to be able to do something, to help you, to find her..."

"Our hands are tied at this moment, though, aren't they?" Athrun replied, setting the glass tumbler down and tipping his head back against the chair. "There's nothing we can do at this time, nothing that we aren't already doing."

"I've gone over the security codes again and again. There are no holes that I've found."

Athrun's expression darkened. "Which means it was sabotaged by someone on the inside?"

"Maybe," Kira conceded, looking away. "Or maybe I'm just so tired I'm missing something. It's possible."

"I suppose," he agreed, but not really believing it. Kira was an excellent programmer. "It still doesn't answer who took her or why."

"What are you going to say at the press conference," Kira wondered as he leaned over the back of the sofa. "Are you really going to tell them that Cagalli was abducted right out of her own home?"

"Are you saying I shouldn't tell them that she's missing?" Athrun queried.

"Maybe," Kira allowed. "As you said, you both expected protests once you disclosed your marriage. If the press learns that she's missing now, too... Isn't that just asking for more trouble?"

"Then what do you suggest I do?"

"Maybe," Kira began, thinking rapidly. "Maybe you could tell them she's staying at an undisclosed location. When you think about it, it's mostly the truth. Only, we don't know where she is, either."

Athrun looked at his friend disbelievingly.

"And she'll return as soon as she can," Kira added. "Then just refuse to answer questions about it."

"That will never work," Athrun predicted.

Kira shifted uneasily. "It's only a suggestion."

Athrun let it go, moving on to other thoughts and concerns. "Have you searched her offices yet, seen if there're any clues there?"

"No, but we could do that tonight," Kira suggested, shooting Athrun a look. "Start with her home office."

"We could," Athrun agreed.

Within minutes they were entering the sanctity of the Orb leader's home office. Athrun took a moment to remember fonder times when he'd had to 'persuade' Cagalli to call it a night and leave her work for another day. She could be so easily distracted sometimes.

The first thing he noticed was that the desk--while still covered with multiple folders--was actually less cluttered than normal. As promised, she had been making attempts to cut back on the amount of work she brought home. He was glad to see it, but there were still too many files on that desk to satisfy him.

Kira reached the desk first and started poking around while Athrun surveyed the room looking for anything odd or out of place. It didn't take long for Kira to find something of interest, and he called Athrun over.

"It's a medical file," Athrun stated, clearly unimpressed.

"Yes, Cagalli's medical file, to be more precise," Kira grinned, opening the fold and catching the two black photo-prints that attempted to slide out. "From her most recent check-up, I'd say. Look."

Athrun took the photo-prints from him, turning them any which way, trying to make sense of the shadowy images. Kira reached out and turned the photos right-side up again.

"It's..." Athrun faltered, his brain struggling to compute what he was seeing.

Kira clapped him on the shoulder. "Congratulations, Daddy. I'd say it's a boy." He tilted the image and then added, "And a girl."

82 EC, April 3, Legrange Point 7, Plant Space

A warm tongue bathed a path of slurpy kisses down his spine, and it was all he could do not to stretch out and rub his naked body against the cool sheets for added stimulation. That tongue had just reached his lower back with an accompanying nip from sharp teeth when his comm. unit signaled.

Cursing, he struggled against the weight of the other's body and reached over to activate the audio. "What is it?" he snapped, reaching blindly behind him to try and push that devilish tongue away.

A hand caught his wrist and held it firm.

"Commander Joule, sir, we've just received an encoded transmission for you, sir."

"Well, then, send it to my unit," Yzak growled, resisting the urge to groan as that hot tongue swiped across his nether regions, teasing him with promising hints.

"Yes, sir, but, uh, I thought you should know it's classified as FAITH, sir."

"I got it," he snapped again, just barely preventing himself from making a sound as that wicked tongue speared him, toyed with him. "Send it to my unit," he repeated before hastily cutting the connection.

And then he buried his face into his pillow and groaned, arching back in wordless demand for more. His partner chuckled and pulled away, dragging scratchy calloused fingers across his skin.

"Aren't you going to check your messages?"

"Later, dammit," he growled before demanding, "Either fuck me or get the hell out."

A warm body draped itself over his back and that hot mouth closed over his shoulder, sharp teeth dragging against his skin. "If you wanted me to fuck you, all you had to do was ask, commander," Deakka teased, drawling out the last word as he slowly entered the pale-haired coordinator.

Yzak hissed, body bowed and heaving. Seconds ticked past, filled only with the harshness of heavy breathing. And then, "Move!"

"I love it when you beg," Deakka grinned, rearing back and grabbing Yzak's hips for support as he began to move, withdrawing with agonizing slowness before thrusting forward again and again and again.

These moments of shared sexual release, though frequent, rarely lasted long, which was why Yzak was cursing for an entirely different reason fifteen minutes later. He'd returned from his shower to see the blinking message light on his comm. unit, and he belatedly remembered the message that had arrived.

"Dammit," he growled after quickly skimming the contents. He leaned over and slapped his partner into consciousness. "Wake up, Deakka."

"No more," the blond grumbled, barely shifting as he mashed his face further into the pillow.

"Get up, now," Yzak barked. "We have new orders."

One sleepy eye squinted open, and Deakka rolled over to fix his commander with confused look. "Eh? What happened?"

"We're heading to Carpentaria."

"Carpentaria?" the blond mumbled, scratching himself. "Well, fuck me."

"We don't have time for that now," Yzak groused. "We need to prepare for descent."

82 EC, April 3, Orb Union

Orb's Council rejoined shortly after ten hundred hours. Most of the gathered members at least looked no worse for the wear. Athrun wished he could say the same. He and Kira had ended up spending the majority of the night in Cagalli's office, only falling asleep sometime after dawn. It had not been an easy night, for either of them, but they'd made it through.

Then they'd been met with more disheartening news when they arrived at the Parliament House this morning.

"Last night," Kisaka stood to address the assembled council members, "the Eurasian Federation and the East Asia Union announced their intent to leave the Earth Alliance."

Angry muttering broke out around the table, but Athrun could already tell by the anxious shifting of the aids standing along the walls that the news was not entirely new for many of the seated officials.

"It's going to be another war all over again," Perott grumbled sourly.

Athrun ignored the man and his pessimistic attitude. "What was the response from the other governments?" he wanted to know.

"Nothing definite," Kisaka answered, "but there have been reports of military movement, especially from the Atlantic Federation."

"The Euro-Fed and East Asian U are going to be pressing us for that treaty agreement more now than ever," Slathers complied, rubbing his forehead.

"It doesn't matter," Athrun told them. "Orb does not get involved in other countries' battles."

"Pretty words coming from a former Zaft soldier," Perott spat, gaining several slithering looks and the Prime Minister's bark.

"Perott!"

"You would condemn Orb simply because you refuse to ally with a former member of the Earth Alliance," Perott continued looking scathingly towards Athrun, ignoring the prime minister.

He was tired. No, he was exhausted, and he really didn't understand why Cagalli continued to keep this man on her council. He was a constant source of stress for her; his main goal in life to make her life a living hell it seemed.

A good portion of fanciful talk last night had concerned how he would like to throw the man out onto a targeting range and see how long Perott could last. He thought it would make a nice challenge for the next time he, Deakka, and Yzak got together. Shooting Kira a look now, he could tell the other man was remembering that conversation as well. His friend's returned looked seemed to say, 'You could shoot him, but would it really solve anything?

Athrun sighed.

"Orb does not get involved in other countries' battles," he stressed. "It if was simply a peace agreement treaty the Eurasian Federation was asking for then Cagalli would have already signed it, and you know that Perott. My being or not being from Zaft has no bearing on this matter.

"I speak for Cagalli; I speak for Orb and in defense of Orb. In this matter, I am Orb. Just because Cagalli is not here right now to remind you, doesn't mean I won't:

"Orb does not get involved in other countries' battles," he repeated more firmly since Perott seemed incapable of comprehending the simple statement. He leaned forward to look at each of the gathered council members. "The Euro-Fed is asking us to commit more than our promise of peace; it's asking us to commit our troops, and that is unacceptable. Cagalli may not be here right now, but that does not change the truth. And the truth is this: Orb's troops belong in Orb, defending and protecting Orb, and that is where they'll stay."

The Prime Minister nodded approvingly from the other end of the table. "Well said, Athrun-sama. We should maintain a watchful eye on the situation, but remain separate for as long as possible. The Atlantic Fed would be foolish to launch a military protest when they're surrounded on either side, but I wouldn't expect them to be reasonable. With the Euro-Fed and East Asian U out of the Alliance, the Atlantic Fed loses much of its power and influence over the rest of the Earth Sphere."

"In the meantime, let's hope the media becomes less interested in us because of it," Athrun wished.

"I doubt it," Zandus sighed. "The only thing more interesting than the threat of war is a political or royal scandal--and you and Cagalli have managed both."

"Unfortunately, a scandal would have been produced whether we were public about it or not," Athrun replied, fighting off another sigh and wondering how exactly he'd managed to get himself into this position. The chair could have been the most comfortable in the entire earth sphere and he would have still found it uncomfortable.

"Maybe," Zandus conceded, frowning as she skimmed her reports. "It doesn't help matters at all that Cagalli's missing right now, just when you've returned."

"And I'm sure the press would love to know that she's all but handed you complete sovereignty of Orb," Perott added snidely.

"It won't look good," Zandus agreed.

Toshihiro was frowning as well. "We need to locate our head of state and recover her, quickly."

"Athrun-sama, are you sure you want to inform the public that she's missing?" Zandus asked, shooting him a desperate look.

He rubbed at his mouth, ignoring Kira's look. It wouldn't be a pretty scenario, in front of those cameras and people by himself, questions hurtling at him from every which way. It would be a nightmare, but he could image it even worse. "Can you image what a scandal it'll cause if the press finds out we've been keeping it a secret?" he asked.

"Maybe it would be better if you held off on telling them, though," Kira suggested again.

Athrun turned to the head of the military and all but pleaded the man. "Kisaka-san, please tell me you have something for us?"

"It's not much," Kisaka began regretfully, "but we're tracking down the two sea craft from yesterday. It's possible that she was smuggled out on one of the boats without our realizing it."

"It still suggests insider help," Toshihiro glowered. "Someone here in Orb who helped whoever it was get in."

"Sneaking into Orb is not that difficult," Athrun informed the man from his own personal experience, "but still, the security system on the estate should have been impenetrable."

"There had to be an inside person. There's a leak somewhere."

"Like before," Zandus agreed. "Someone was responsible for leaking the information about her pregnancy before we even knew. How did they find out?"

"Questions without answers," Athrun muttered.

"Then we continue searching until we find them," Kira said calmly. "Cagalli won't stay quiet anywhere for long, especially if she doesn't want to be there. Either we find her, or she'll come waltzing back on her own, but we will get her back."

"If they hurt her," Athrun growled before biting the warning off, and no one in the room doubted something bad would before the person foolish enough to harm Orb's lioness.

82 EC, April 4, Undisclosed Location

She was dying. It was the only explanation her mind could produce for why she felt like so much shit.

"You awake, finally?" a woman spoke from nearby, and Cagalli looked up, instantly regretting the action as dizziness and nausea washed over her. "Here. Drink this."

Cagalli didn't want to even move, but she gingerly grasped the small bottle the woman waved at her. She stared at it, wondering what the hell it was, while the woman pressured her to drink it.

"Go on. It'll help with the after-effects, and no, it won't hurt you."

Beyond caring at the moment, Cagalli went and bolted the contents, gasping and wincing as the bittersweet tart liquid splashed against her tongue.

"Good. Now, this one," the stranger continued, passing her another little bottle. "It's a nutrient supplement, especially designed for expectant mothers. Go on. Drink it. It's good for you and your little ones."

Cagalli stared at the second bottle, incomprehensively. She still felt ill and not quite herself, like her head was connected to her body by a very thin string that was in danger of snapping, and if it did, she'd float away into a mist of nothingness.

"I hope you don't mind too much," the woman was continuing on blithely, turning back to the computer screen she'd been studying when Cagalli woke, "but I already started running some tests while you were out. I still have some questions I need you to answer, though."

"What--" She shook her head and was grateful when the movement didn't make her anymore ill. "Who the hell are you?" Cagalli demanded.

The woman laughed. "Looks like the stimulant drink is kicking in," she replied, swiveling around to face Cagalli. "I'm Helena Crisner, head of the Genesis Research Project. I'm a licensed obstetrician as well as a genetic engineer, which is only one of the reasons why I'm here instead of someone else. And which is why, when I tell you you should be drinking that supplement drink, you should hurry up and do it," she added, nodding to the bottle Cagalli was still holding. "I know what I'm talking about. I've been doing this for more years than you've been alive. Now, drink. All of it."

The dark skinned woman waited until Cagalli tipped the glass bottle back and quickly swallowed the foul tasting sludge it contained.

"Good," she replied smartly, taking the bottle back. "Now, tell me, have you experienced anything unusual in your pregnancy?"

"I already have a doctor," Cagalli snapped, giving herself a mental shake that helped chase away some of the cobwebs in her head. "Thank you anyway."

"I'm sure you do," Crisner replied with a hint of ridicule. "Just as I'm sure you probably haven't even sat down and really talked with her yet, have you? Politicians are all the same," she said with an airy hand wave. "And I can just guess how much experience this supposed doctor of yours has with coordinated pregnancies, so you'll forgive me for wanting to ask my own questions."

"I fail to see--" Cagalli began, struggling to sit up.

"Yes, I'm well aware of that," Crisner cut in calmly pulling one of her files towards her. "And it's because I know it that I'll be nice and forgive you for now, but let's clear some things up, shall we? First, before we go any further, Athrun Zala is the father, isn't he?"

Cagalli fixed her with a harsh, dazzling glare, but her lips remained pressed shut.

Crisner simply shrugged the look off. "I'll know for myself before the hour's out," she warned, "so you might as well just answer truthfully."

"It doesn't matter who--"

"Of course it matters!" the woman exploded for the first time, throwing her hands up and nearly losing her grip on the pen she was holding. "The whole reason you and I are here together in this room right now is because he's the father, and if you're just going to be uncooperative, it'll only drag matters out longer than they need to be, making it more difficult on yourself."

"What does Athrun have to do with any of this?" Cagalli demanded. She wanted to try and make it to the door at the other side of the room, but she didn't quite trust her legs to support her just yet.

"Are you confirming that he's the father, then?" Crisner returned.

Cagalli looked away--it wasn't like they were going to continue to hide the fact, but... She nodded, shortly, glaring at the female doctor.

"Then I'll tell you," Crisner answered, her posture relaxed and jovial again. "It's not so much who Athrun is, you see, as what he is. In particular, his genes. You're aware that Athrun is one of the first third generation Coordinators to have be born, right? Your children will be the first of the fourth generation. In genetic hierarchy, you might say Athrun's aristocratic royalty, old blood--or genes as the case maybe. Just for that reason alone your pregnancy would be a big deal."

She turned back to her computer and typed out a code. The widescreen mounted on the wall turned on, displaying a cartooned rendition of genetic engineering. "But the genetic engineering that creates coordinators is a process still evolving," Crisner continued. "Despite the millions who go about living their lives as though nothing is different, the coordinator project is still an experiment. And just like any experiment, it's still under observation as we discover... deviancies. As scientist, we are struggling to find ways to over come these deficiencies."

As Crisner continued, Cagalli found herself staring at the woman in front of her wonderingly. She'd never thought of Coordinators as an experiment--like animals in a lab, being monitored and examined, their data recorded.

"My division, the Genesis Project in particular, is concerned with reproductive ability. Already noted as a probable problem within the first generation, the problem became more of a concern as the second generation began to be born."

"Problem?" Cagalli questioned.

"We discovered that the second generation's ability to reproduce naturally had dropped to approximately fifty percent, and by the third generation, most coordinators are either completely sterile or their bodies reject pregnancy."

Cagalli stared in disbelief. "But..."

"But Athrun is a third generation, yes," Crisner agreed, nodding. "I can just imaging how surprised he must have been when he discovered you were pregnant. Especially if it was a natural conception. It was a natural conception, right?"

Cagalli didn't respond; she wasn't even paying attention anymore, her thoughts thrown back in time to those two days they'd last been together on Plant. They way he'd looked at her when she'd told him. How he couldn't stop touching her whenever they were alone or when no one could see. Little touches, his fingers brushing against her at every opportunity--up and down her back, along her arm, across her thigh. They'd always been affectionate with each other in private, but this time it was like Athrun just couldn't keep his hands to himself at all.

He'd known, she thought. He'd know about the problems of the third generation coordinators, and he'd never told her. No, he'd tried to tell her, she realized, recalling his hesitance about having children in a new light. She'd been so nervous about actually telling him that she was pregnant, she hadn't thought much about what he'd been said before now. But...

And Lacus! She thought with horrified realization. Her sister-in-law was the only other third generation coordinator she knew personally. Lacus, who had been struggling for the last handful of years to conceive a child naturally...

"Rather ironic, don't you think?" Crisner finally broke through Cagalli's thoughts. "A group of humans who are supposedly genetically advanced, who don't suffer from the common cold or allergies, who possess a greater potential to utilize more of their brains... incapable of naturally propagating themselves. I'm sure you can understand why Plant doesn't want this information getting out to certain parties.

"They were willing to invest time and money into trying to solve the problem, though, you can believe that," Crisner continued, an ironic smile playing across her face. "We started the Genesis Project over thirty years ago in an effort to try and correct the problem. As you know, once your genes have been modified, you can't undo that modification; we can continue to manipulate the genetic information, however. We just make a few adjustments here and there to the genetic code of the fetus and then wait."

"And now those children have grown up," Cagalli whispered, feeling lightheaded and queasy again.

Crisner nodded. "Those children have reached their majority, yes, and now they are ready to start families of their own, so it's important that we take in the results."

"And you're saying that Athrun--"

"Is one of those children? Yes," Crisner confirmed Cagalli's suspicions. "Actually, he's the only third generation coordinator we could get to, which makes your pregnancy special for yet another reason. In short, the fact that you and he were able to conceive by natural means supports the success of the Genesis Project. We've already seen the results of some of the second generation children--their fertility has also been confirmed, and those few babies who've already been born also possess higher fertility capabilities then their unmodified peers. With this data, we can progress once again with feeding the genetic modifications into new fetuses whether they're from the first or fourth generation."

The computer beeped, reclaiming Crisner's attention and she turned away, completely ignoring a rather shell-shocked Cagalli. "And here we are," the scientist murmured, skimming over the results.

"What is it?" Cagalli wondered aloud, leaning forward to try and see what the other woman was looking at.

"Would you like to see?" Crisner asked, tapping several keys and the cartooned genetic engineering animation on the widescreen changed. "DNA, the basic building blocks of every living thing," the scientist began, sliding easily into her lecture mode. "These two DNA strands represent you and Athrun. Can you tell them apart?" she asked rhetorically. "They look almost identical from this view, don't you think? Just like us. We have two arms and two legs, ten fingers and toes, a head. But you have to take a closer look."

She tapped her pen to the screen and the image zoomed in.

"See, here," she said, pointing out a specific area. "This is what makes you a woman and Athrun a man. It all starts here, in the genes. This, right here?" Crisner continued, pointing to another area. "This is your blonde hair--you got that from your father and grandparents, by the way. It's usually a recessive gene, but see over here?" she asked, switching to the other image. "Athrun also carries the same gene, so it's actually possible, though unlike, that one of your children could be blonde. It's about a one and four chance. But genes, they're tricky. They like to change, mutate.

"Take the eyes, for instance, looking at only the color, this area right here. Colors are hard to pin down exactly, but if we simplify it, we could say there are the three main color genes--brown, green, and blue. They come in two types-- the brown-blue genotype or the green-blue genotype. In both genotypes, blue is the recessive gene, and in the cross, green is recessive to brown.

"You have beautiful eyes, by the way, but they should be more of a hazel blue-brown color," she added, startling Cagalli out of her overwhelmed daze. Crisner smiled and leaned back in her swivel chair. "Can you see where the temptation lies yet?" she asked, watching Cagalli.

"You meet someone," she answered herself, "and fall in love with them, and now you want to have a child. Of course you want to give that child everything you deem good or worthy about yourself and your partner. My nose, his eyes. Her face, his coloring... It's like custom making your very own doll, only the doll is real. It's a baby, and it's going to grow up and eventually start passing on those same genes you chose for it."

"Why did you bring me here?" Cagalli asked, watching the scientist with large, wary eyes.

"Me?" Crisner laughed and started to close down her program files. "I didn't bring you anywhere. The psycho brat did," she added off-handedly, "But since you were going to be here, I figured I should stop in and do an update. Check to see if everything is going well, no problems. Except for a minor nutrient deficiency, everything looks good. Fetal development is normal, both heartbeats are functioning properly, and there are no discernable defects in the phenotypes' schema, so, other than a request for another check up further along in your pregnancy, and then once again after you deliver, I'd say we're done for tonight."

Crisner shut off her computer terminal and stood. "I have everything I need for now. We can continue the interview at a more decent hour."

"Wait a minute!" Cagalli cried trying to stand and finding that, yes, her legs really weren't up to the task of supporting her just yet. "Where are you going? You can't just leave me here!"

"I doubt you'd want to stay here," Crisner replied, shooting a rather cold look at the medical room and flat mattress bed Cagalli was laying on. "I'll call someone to take you up to the main house. It's late, but I'm sure they've prepared a room for you. You should probably try and eat something, too. That nutrient drink isn't a replacement for real food."

"Wait! I can't stay here! I need to get back--"

"Sorry," Crisner cut her off with an airy wave. "Can't help you there. I'm just the mad scientist here, not the insane dictator."

"Then who's in charge?" Cagalli demanded, hands fisting in the scratchy material of the bed sheet. "Who's responsible for my being brought here, without my consent?"

"Take it up with the psycho brat," Crisner answered with a negligent shrug.

"Who's that? Where is he? Tell me where I can find him and I will."

"She's the one who owns this little island," the scientist replied. And then, after a thoughtful moment, she added, "And I guess you could say she's family."

****

Finished May 12, 2006

On to [Chapter Four]