Ten days had passed since the catastrophe in Alaska. The Archangel, accompanied by its five escort vessels, finally breached the territorial waters of the Orb Union. Following the guidance of the escort crafts sent to meet them, the fleet glided into the familiar docks of Morgenroete.
"We made it," I muttered.
"Yes... we did," Murrue replied. She gave a tired nod, the tension that had held her taut since Alaska finally beginning to fray.
As the ships settled into their berths, Tolle turned from the communications console, catching Murrue's attention.
"Captain, the Orb government has requested a meeting to discuss our next steps."
"A meeting? Understood. Commander La Flaga and I will attend. Is that sufficient?"
"One moment... actually, ma'am, they specifically asked for Axel as well. The meeting is in the MS factory briefing room. Apparently, Axel knows the way."
"They asked for Axel?" Murrue looked at me, her expression a mix of surprise and curiosity. Beside the helmsman Neumann, Mu shot me a look that bordered on amused.
"I don't mind," I said. "It's likely because I was the one who handled the negotiations during our last stay."
"I suppose that makes sense. Very well, tell them we're on our way."
"Aye, ma'am!"
As Tolle relayed the message, Mu hopped down and fell into step beside me.
"Say, Axel... did you know it was going to end up like this all along?"
"Who knows? Regardless, we shouldn't keep the Representative waiting. We'd better move."
"He's right," Murrue said, straightening her uniform. "Let's go. Axel, lead the way."
"You got it."
"Well then," Mu joked, "let's see if we're meeting a saint or a serpent."
I offered a dry smile as we headed toward the briefing room where I'd first faced Uzumi Nara Athha. Given the gravity of the situation, it was clear that the time had come to fulfill the promise I'd made him.
As we walked through the Morgenroete facility—now a hive of activity as engineers scrambled to service six incoming warships—Mu broke the silence.
"By the way, I've been meaning to ask... what really happened back in Alaska? One minute you're signing a 'consulting contract' with the Alliance, and the next you're disappearing into the base and cutting off all contact."
"He's right," Murrue added. "We didn't hear a word from you. I honestly thought you'd found a new job and moved on without us."
"Give the guy some credit, Murrue," Mu teased, nudging me. "Axel's totally smitten with you. There's no way he'd just walk out, right?"
Murrue's face flushed a deep crimson at the word smitten. Mu grinned, waiting for my response.
"The 'contract' was just a front," I explained, leaning into the truth just enough to satisfy them.
"A front for what?"
"For an interrogation. Apparently, the fact that a 'self-proclaimed Natural' could pilot a Mobile Suit like the Blitz didn't sit well with them. They suspected I was a Coordinator in disguise."
"But we ran the tests back on the Archangel when we left Heliopolis!" Murrue protested.
"They figured I'd swapped the data somehow. A researcher at JOSH-A personally pulled out a few of my hairs for a fresh sample. After that, they kept me under house arrest in the officers' quarters while they ran the results."
"Then... how did you find out about the Cyclops?"
I couldn't exactly tell them about my "player knowledge" or my slime's reconnaissance. It was time to throw a certain deceased Lieutenant Colonel under the bus.
"The officer in charge of my 'intake' was a loudmouth. He boasted about it like it was a grand achievement. In the eyes of Blue Cosmos, to be suspicious is to be guilty. Even after the tests proved I was a Natural, they didn't want to believe it—or perhaps he just didn't want to admit he was wrong. Either way, it was all 'for the preservation of our blue and pure world.'"
"Blue Cosmos," Mu spat, his voice laced with bitterness. "Figures."
By the look on his face, Mu had clearly crossed paths with those fanatics long before Heliopolis.
Soon, the briefing room came into view. A group of men and women in sharp suits—likely the Representative's security detail—stood guard outside.
"This is the place," I said.
"Captain Murrue Ramius, Commander Mu La Flaga, and Mr. Axel Almar?" one of the guards asked.
"Yes. We're here at Lord Uzumi's request."
"He is waiting inside. If you are carrying any weapons, please leave them with us."
Since none of us were armed, we passed through a quick scan and were ushered into the room.
"Welcome back—or perhaps 'I told you so' is more appropriate," Uzumi said, rising from his chair as we entered. Kisaka stood behind him, ever the silent guardian.
Murrue bowed deeply to the Representative.
"Thank you for accepting our selfish request, Lord Uzumi."
"The circumstances being what they are, your crew may face some restrictions while they are here. I trust you understand. Regardless, you are safe now. You may rest."
"Thank you."
"The world is shifting violently in the wake of the Alliance Headquarters' destruction," Uzumi continued, his voice heavy. "Once you have recovered, we shall discuss the path forward. You should take this time to look, listen, and think carefully about the meaning of the uniforms you wear... but before that."
He trailed off, shifting his gaze from Murrue to me.
"You told me once, Axel... that if things unfolded exactly as you predicted and the Archangel returned to Orb, you would reveal your true identity. To be honest, I didn't believe a word of it at the time. And yet, history has followed the exact path you laid out."
At those words, Murrue, Mu, and Kisaka all turned to stare at me.
"Fair enough," I said, meeting Uzumi's gaze. "I made a promise, and I intend to keep it. However, I'll need you to prepare a specific setting and a specific group of people."
"A setting?"
"I need an empty warehouse. The larger the better."
"That can be arranged... but is that all?"
"As for the people: I want this initial information shared only with the people in this room and Kira Yamato. If she wishes to attend, Cagalli Yula Athha may join as well. That makes six. Once I've finished my explanation, you're free to consult with whoever you wish."
Uzumi went silent for a moment, weighing my request. "...Very well. Morgenroete has several vacant warehouses; you may use one of those. I will allow Cagalli to attend if she so chooses. When do you wish to do this?"
I considered my options. Setting up the Gate wouldn't take much time, but Uzumi was a busy man.
"Tomorrow. I'll need about two hours of your time."
"Two hours... How does 13:00 tomorrow sound?"
Kisaka immediately stepped forward. "Lord Uzumi, you have a council meeting scheduled for tomorrow at 13:00."
"Cancel it. Or rather, postpone it. It isn't an emergency. If you were to ask me which is more important—that meeting or Axel's story—the answer is clearly the latter. Just tell them to contact me if anything urgent arises."
"Understood, sir."
"Then it is settled," Uzumi said, turning back to me. "Tomorrow at 13:00 in the warehouse. I shall see you then."
With a curt nod, he and Kisaka exited the room. Left in the sudden silence, the weight of the upcoming revelation felt heavy in the air.
"Axel," Murrue began, her voice soft but insistent. "What was Lord Uzumi talking about? Will you tell us?"
"Yeah," Mu added. "I'm curious too."
I shook my head. "I'm sorry. You'll have to wait until tomorrow, just like the Representative."
I would have told Murrue anything if it were just about me. But this involved everyone in the Shadow Mirror back at the White Star. I couldn't let my personal feelings jeopardize the fate of my comrades.
"Hey!" Mu snapped, grabbing the collar of my jacket. "Do you really trust us that little?!"
His eyes were filled with a mix of anger and hurt. I didn't pull away; I just looked him in the eye and shook my head again.
"If it were just my life on the line, I'd tell you right now. But this involves the lives of countless others. All I can ask is that you trust me until tomorrow."
"...Commander, let him go," Murrue said quietly.
"But Murrue—!"
"If Axel is going this far, he must have a reason. And he promised he would tell us everything tomorrow."
Mu gritted his teeth, then sighed explosively, releasing my collar and rubbing his head in frustration. "Gah! Fine! Damn it, I hate how much of a pushover I am."
I gave him a small, apologetic bow. "I'm sorry. I promise you'll have your answers tomorrow."
"You'd better! And it had better be a damn good explanation!" Mu turned on his heel and stomped out of the room.
Finally, Murrue and I were alone. After a long minute of silence, she looked up at me, her eyes clouded with an old, familiar fear.
"Axel... you aren't going anywhere, are you?"
"Anywhere?"
"I mean... you aren't going to leave me behind to go to some other battlefield... right?"
She was clutching the pendant at her collar. I remembered then—her previous lover had been a Mobile Armor pilot, killed by ZAFT. That trauma was likely why she had been so obsessive about protecting the Strike's secrets back in Heliopolis. She didn't want to lose anyone else.
"I'm not going anywhere," I said, pulling her close. "Not unless you tell me you don't need me anymore."
"I would never say that. I want you by my side. Always."
I leaned in, our faces inches apart... and just as our lips were about to meet, the door to the briefing room swung open. A man walked in, stopped dead, looked at Murrue, then at me, then back at Murrue.
"Uh... should I come back in two hours?"
The romantic tension vanished instantly. Murrue practically leaped away from me, her face turning a shade of red that would have put a Char Custom to shame.
"No, it's fine," I sighed, rubbing the bridge of my nose. "I just wish people would learn to knock, Chief Asuka."
The man who had ruined the moment was none other than the father of the future hero Shinn Asuka—Kou Asuka, whom I'd met during my last visit.
"My apologies for the lack of a knock," Kou said, though he didn't look particularly repentant. "But honestly, one doesn't expect to walk into a romance novel in a military briefing room."
Murrue couldn't take it anymore. "A-Axel! I'll... I'll see you tomorrow for the meeting!" She scrambled out of the room as fast as her legs would carry her.
Watching her go, I turned to Kou. He reached into his pocket and handed me a business card.
"We didn't get a proper introduction last time. I am Kou Asuka, Chief of the Second MS Development Division at Morgenroete."
"Second Division?"
"Yes. We're the ones handling the development of the underwater MS you proposed to Chief Simmons. Lord Uzumi has instructed me to show you to the warehouse you requested."
I see. The "underwater MS" was likely the research into the Sea Lion. Uzumi was sharp—assigning the man who was working on my "gift" to be my guide was a subtle way of showing he was paying attention.
"I appreciate it. Shall we?"
"Certainly. We have a large, decommissioned warehouse on a remote part of Onogoro Island that fits your requirements. It's about a fifteen-minute drive by electric car."
"Lead the way."
And so, I followed Kou Asuka toward the site where I would finally bridge the gap between two worlds.
[Status Screen Update]
Name: Axel Almar
Level: 36 | PP: 165
Stats:
Melee: 254 | Ranged: 274 | Skill: 264 | Defense: 264 | Evade: 294 | Hit: 314
SP: 446
Spirit Commands:
Accelerate (4 SP)
Effort (8 SP)
Focus (16 SP)
Direct Hit (30 SP)
Awaken (32 SP)
Love (48 SP)
Skills: EXP Up, SP Boost (SP Up Lv.9 / SP Regen / Concentration), Telekinesis Lv.10, Attacker, Gunfight Lv.9, Infight Lv.9, Morale Limit Break, Geass (Grey)
Total Kills: 288
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