~ Relief Secrets ~

~~~~~~~

The military festival is tomorrow. I've been looking forward to it since the last festival about a year ago, so I ran through the halls of Integra, seeking out Eagle and Geo and Lantis or Holden to share my excitement with--or maybe just Holden. Geo found the festival boring, probably because he's a top-ranking military official and could only stay at the table with the rest of the generals and commanders. Eagle was the son of the president so he had to stay by his father's side wherever he went. Lantis was just a sober guy. Holden was the only person I can really enjoy the festival with.

I liked the military festivals for one reason: the new machines and mecha that often go up on display. They were always enjoyable to look at, and tomorrow the FTO was going to be featured. That rarely happens, and I wanted to see my baby at its finest on display.

The festival isn't about the mecha and machines, though. It's meant as entertainment purposes until the ceremony began when cadets graduate to become second lieutenants and all other officers get promoted. And then there's the food that was always good.

Last year I had to convince Holden to get me a bottle of champagne. It had been Geo's first year as an elite, so he had to sit at a separate table. Holden was a good friend of mine despite that he and Geo never got along (don't ask me why, but I think it has to do with sibling quarrels), but when it comes to being overprotective, he is far worse than Geo. I had to reassure him over and over that, unlike him and Geo, I had a high alcohol tolerance, and I don't get drunk as easily as most people do. He finally gave me a glass.

I hope this year he would let me have an entire bottle. I am a year older.

But where is everybody? Geo wasn't in the sweets shop. The president told me that Eagle had just left for somewhere but had no idea where Lantis was. I hadn't tried the hangar yet, so I'm not sure if Holden's there. He's normally working on his ship, the XFI, which is the second most awesome aircraft in the military. The FTO is always number one, though.

Maybe Geo and Eagle and Lantis were in the imported goods shop? That was normally a detour for Geo when he couldn't find the specific kind of candy he was looking for.

It was either there or the artificial garden, but since the hangar was closer, I should go see if Holden's there. He would be more fun to celebrate the military festival with anyway.

I slowed my pace from a light jog to a walk as I drew nearer to the hangar. There was nobody around since everybody was downtown getting ready for the festival, and only very few people ever entered the docks during this time of year. Most people wanted a day off, but I knew Holden. He was always working on something to make his ship faster and more powerful.

As I passed the medical room--it was always near the hangar in case of emergencies--I caught a glimpse of Eagle through the window. Why was he in there?

It's wrong to eavesdrop, I know, but when I paused in front of the door, and I heard an interesting bit of information.

"--in your condition."

Condition? Eagle has a condition? I kept a distance from the door so that I wouldn't expose myself. I was curious.

"You seem to be in deep thought about something," the doctor said. "Did you have plans?"

"I have a small idea," said Eagle. He sounded as cheerful as usual. Was this news new or something he has always known? "How long do you think it will be?"

Did Eagle have a disease? Seems like it's okay, though, because it sounds like it's something that would go away. Maybe there was a vaccine for it or even medication. Nothing at all to worry about.

"I'll give it a month, a month and a half at the most," the doctor said, "as long as you take it easy. Do anything frantic like traveling or battling, it will take maybe two or three weeks. You get the idea."

What?

"I see," said Eagle. "Could you do me a favor? I came to you because during the quiet hours, you have no patients or other medical staff working here. I want this to be confidential for now."

"But, sir, when you have Audi TT--"

Audi TT?!

"Please, doctor. I don't want anybody else to know right now."

The doctor sighed heavily. "Very well. But I want you to let me know when I can tell your father. He needs to know before you fall asleep."

I couldn't listen anymore. Eagle, my friend, with Audi TT? That was the worst disease after Citroen DX.

Citroen DX is caused somehow by the pollution in the air. I don't really understand how the pollutants and chemicals in the air affect it yet, but I do know that lung cancer and blood clotting resulted. The person with it dies slowly, but nobody has yet to figure out how long it took before he died. Most people with Citroen DX preferred to commit suicide or take drugs to just fall asleep and passed on. The disease rarely happened, luckily, and was neither contagious nor hereditary.

Audi TT was different, but slightly better. The brainwaves slowly receded until the patient slept eternally. From there, it takes five to ten years before the victim actually dies. The cause of it? Using too much brain energy.

In these times, the disease was getting rarer and rarer. Alternatives have been found to convert brain energy to mechanical and chemical energy, but sometimes, like Eagle's case, things go down the tubes.

I can't think about the possible failures one of the machines might have had. Eagle has Audi TT. Eternal sleep, in other words.

And why doesn't he want anybody else to find out?

Suddenly, the military festival didn't seem important anymore.

~

I respected Eagle's wishes and told no one, but I almost blew my cover that I knew when I heard that Eagle was going to lead the invasion of Cephiro.

What was he? Nuts? Wacko seems to be more like it. He knows perfectly well, just like every other educated citizen of Autozam, that you need roads--mental roads--to get to and from countries. The people of Cephiro, those with strong magic like Lantis, didn't need roads because they can just use those cool animal spirit things. I forgot what they're called. They're awesome, and that's all I have to say about them. But Eagle isn't from Cephiro. He doesn't know any magic. He needs to use his mental energy to create a road all the way from Autozam to Cephiro.

What is he thinking?

Oh, and speaking of Lantis being from Cephiro, I thought we were friends. Lantis and Eagle were even closer than I've seen Geo and Eagle, but Geo didn't seem to be too pleased with that fact. I'd say that he was jealous. I wasn't a great friend of Lantis's, but I was a friend, and friends don't invade each other's countries.

Why did I come along? Eagle said he was bringing the FTO. Of course I'd go. Another reason was simply that the doctor who knows Eagle's health condition wasn't coming, and I was the only other person who knows.

Unless Eagle had given the doctor permission to tell the president. I doubt it, though.

I can tell Geo is against the invasion. He doesn't know about the Audi TT, but he does know that what we are doing is promoting betrayal of the worst kind: betrayal against a friend. And for Geo and especially Eagle, a very close friend. I don't know why Geo came along, but I think it's more or less along the lines that Eagle asked him to. If not that, it's to keep Eagle out of trouble.

Are we being good friends? Geo and me, I mean. We're going with Eagle because we want to make sure he's safe. That's one way of saying it and would say that we are being good friends. But the other way is that we don't trust him. That's antagonizing Eagle from our point of view, but to others, we're the ones who seem "bad".

But because Eagle is using his mental strength to create the road connecting Autozam and Cephiro, the Audi TT effects are starting to show.

Just earlier we confronted the Magic Knights of Cephiro. Or, should I say, we spotted them and Eagle went out to "greet" them. The FTO's laser broke, but it gave me something to do while Geo hauled Eagle to his bedroom.

The thing is, when Eagle got back to the NSX, he collapsed. Just like that. No warnings or anything. Okay, so maybe he did seem a little exhausted. Otherwise...

I sighed as I punched in some keys to get the platform back to the main level. I managed to fix the FTO. There were only a few minor things left to do, but I had to go check up on Eagle. I knew that the Audi TT wasn't fully effective yet. It was too soon. I don't have any medical data to prove that it was, but I just knew.

"Mr. Torque?"

I turned and saw one of the other mechanics approaching me awkwardly. I put up a professional front, though inside, I was amused. This mechanic couldn't be any younger than twenty-five, and his boss--me--is a good ten years younger than him and, I noted bitterly, a good three feet shorter than him.

"Yes?" I asked, but I already knew what he came here for.

"Is there anything we could help with?" the mechanic asked. "You're not completely finished with the FTO, are you?"

I shook my head. "No, I'm not, but there's only minor things left to do that I can handle. Check up on the NSX's systems, though. Fix even the smallest problems you can find. I think the Commander would want this baby in tiptop shape."

"Roger," he said and turned curtly, walking towards the bridge.

Yes, I liked to hog all mechanical work on the FTO. I admit it. I don't trust any of the other mechanics onboard to handle her. What if they inserted a wire in the wrong socket? I didn't quite earn the liking of the rest of the mechanics, but it's the FTO. Nobody can blame me.

I shook my head and darted down the corridors towards Geo's room. That was where Geo said he was taking Eagle, anyway.

I poked my head into the room and saw Geo sitting by the bedside thoughtfully. What would Geo do, if he knew about the Audi TT?

"Is Eagle still asleep?" I asked although I already knew the answer.

Geo nodded. "Yeah. He hasn't moved a muscle. He's been asleep since he got back."

I stared at Eagle for a moment. Should I tell Geo about the disease, or should I wait? In a haste to compromise, I hoped that Geo could figure it out on his own and give him only a few hints.

"Isn't it weird," I asked, "even if we consider that Eagle likes to sleep and that he has to use mental energy to create the road? I mean, he probably won't wake up for a day. If we were on leave, there'd be no problem, but this is an invasion."

Geo said nothing and glanced back at Eagle. He leaned closer and muttered something, but I couldn't catch it. Did he have an idea now?

"Look over his FTO," said Geo as he turned to me. "You never know when he'll wake up and want to do something."

I stared at Geo blankly. I should tell him, shouldn't I? Not that I was basically finished with the FTO but about Eagle's sickness. It's bad to keep secrets like this. I knew this just as well as Eagle did, but Eagle doesn't know that I know. It wouldn't harm anyone to tell Geo, would it?

"I'll watch him," said Geo reassuringly. "It'll be fine."

I guess I shouldn't.

"All right," I said.

As I began to walk out, Geo called me back. "Could you take care of my GTO, too?"

The GTO? That's not as amazing as the FTO. It was just... bland. I could get some of the other mechanics to get to work on it, but...

"What'll you give me?" I asked as I spun around with a smirk. Geo knew exactly what to offer.

"Booze," said Geo with a grin. "I'll grab one from the storeroom for you."

And with this, I enthusiastically gave a thumbs up and left the room. A good deal, if I dare say so myself. Security was really tight around the NSX, and I'm not the only underage crew member onboard. I had to rely on Geo to get what I wanted most of the time.

Pitiful that the Chief Mechanic can't get into the storeroom for a bit of alcohol while his subordinates could? Perhaps. Just perhaps.

But at least I didn't have the Audi TT. What would happen if we were in the middle of battle and Eagle just fell asleep for good on us?

Something is telling me that there was something more to Eagle's wanting to become Pillar to cure Autozam's pollution problem. With the Audi TT, Eagle couldn't possibly support a clean air to Autozam if he was in an eternal coma. The pollution would just return. And what would happen if the Pillar happened to fall asleep and ever wake up?

Honestly, I don't want to know, much less ever find out.

~

Have I ever mentioned how much battles suck? I didn't think so. Battles suck. As a mechanic, I can't do anything and everything has a risk of getting damaged or destroyed. I like fixing things, of course, but that happens after the battle.

At least, for now, we're only using the NSX.

I can understand why the princesses Chizeta and Fahren are fighting, but I don't know why they're actually going through with the battle. They have close to no chance of winning. With the strongest battleship in Autozam and our road pierced through their roads, it is futile. I hope we don't have to resort to killing them.

Killing sucks too, by the way.

And it almost happened. No, not killing, but the Audi TT. Well, okay, killing too, in a way. After Eagle managed to stop Chizeta's and Fahren's roads, he nearly fell victim to the disease. I didn't know what to do or what to think, but then Geo tried the craziest thing ever. He was risking getting himself killed to wake Eagle up. It was then when I regretted never telling Geo about the disease, but before I could tell him, he was already injecting some of his own mind energy into Eagle.

It worked. Miracles do exist. I didn't have to lose two of my closest friends because of my stupidity.

Why didn't I tell Geo even afterwards? I couldn't get Geo alone. Ever since Eagle nearly "turned into a vegetable", Geo insisted on being by his side. Meanwhile, I had to go do some work on the NSX with the rest of the mechanics.

When the conference with the princess of Chizeta and Fahren was over, and Eagle, although he's not evil, stormed away like villains do, Geo made a comment that made me wonder if he finally knew:

"Something's wrong. He's hiding something from us."

I couldn't ask him if he knew. He just blew it off and told me to get Eagle while he grabbed some refreshments. Three hours to rest, he said.

Three hours longer he doesn't know.

This was dangerous. Eagle was fighting when the Audi TT was ready to strike and consume his consciousness forever. And he was fighting against magic wielders, no less.

But I was his subordinate. I couldn't question his orders. So when Eagle told me to get the FTO ready for launch, I couldn't do anything but to affirm with a "Roger" and do just that.

Yes, I felt guilty. But what could I do?

"I'm going to give commands from the battlefield from this point," said Eagle over the communicator. He was in the FTO, ready to launch. "Put up the shields as soon as I leave the ship."

"Roger," I answered.

Before anybody could do anything, Geo shoved me out of the way and begin yelling, "Don't go, Eagle! I saw the results of your medical data. You're--"

"I'm launching!" Eagle said. There was a panic in his voice that I am not used to hearing from him.

"Wait! Eagle!"

Too late. The FTO left the docking bay, leaving behind me and a bewildered Geo. He has to know now. Medical data? What else would there be to make Geo try to keep Eagle from going into battle?

But I couldn't let Geo know that I knew all along and didn't tell him, could I?

Oh, this is just too confusing now!

Geo turned sharply and headed for the corridor between the cockpit and the docking bay.

"What's wrong?" I asked. I knew the answer, but like I said, I couldn't let Geo know that I knew.

"I'm going after him in the GTO!" Geo growled.

That was against military procedure. I knew this, and as much as I hated it at this moment, I couldn't break it.

"I can't," I said. "Not without the commander's permission."

"I'm going to get that commander back!"

"Geo, I can't unless you explain it to me," I said. It was the only other option. The lower ranks couldn't launch either without permission from the commander or without a good reason. I knew that there was a good reason, but honestly, I think Geo's acting like a madman. Or is he, considering that the Audi TT tried to kick in just four hours before?

Geo clenched his fists and looked at the ground. "It's not my place to tell you," he said. He lifted his head enough to meet my eyes. "But I can't let Eagle fight."

It wasn't a good enough reason. Damn it. I know this. I know it's not a good reason, but Geo was right. Eagle couldn't fight in his condition. What if he fell asleep on us? He would get destroyed without effort. What could I do? Nothing. What could Geo do? With his GTO, which is far more stronger than the FTO albeit slower, he could save Eagle's life.

After contemplating this for a short moment, I finally agreed. "Okay. I understand. I'll get it ready for takeoff."

Hey, we can't let our commander die on us on account of a disease like the Audi TT.

And you know what? I'm not completely regretting knowing something I shouldn't have known anymore. Maybe, since I did know, I can save Eagle's life.

~ End ~