It must never be lost on Kazuki. Everything has required sacrifices up till now, and he will not forget that. Overclocking was on the table, but he never chose to do it, but maybe if he did, Svenn would have died earlier. Maybe if he did, less blood would run from the throne of cards he sat upon. Maybe if he did things differently…
He stopped his train of thought. He knows… the past will never change. But each passing thought bled full sagas of pain. He suppressed the thoughts. And for that, his mind bled more than usual…
Kazuki glanced up, longingly into the Sub Level skies. It was dark, dull. His temple was covered in sweat… It felt weird, like entire portions of his mind were cut out. Muffled voices came into clarity as his mind replayed them.
"Don't worry about Hartius," said Svenn before letting out a hearty laugh, eating a kebab stick beside Kazuki. They were at the training facility, a well hidden cargo compound on Sub Level 994. It wasn't well hidden enough. "Just keep learning and you'll make it through, m'kay?"
Kazuki glanced down at himself before nodding. He was shorter. Even without his memory, he could tell that it was around two or three years after Hartius joined. "But is it really safe?" he asked.
"Pfft, not really." commented Svenn, before chuckling it off. Kazuki couldn't see Svenn's eyes past his white hair.
It piqued his curiosity back then… It was the shame as his father, the High Admiral and heir to the Satrapy of Trasia, never told him about the unnatural white hair. "Just try to keep your head on. It's the BCA Freemuzzle way of life, Kazu, we're scum after all, in their eyes… Live for yourself once in a while."
"Oh." Kazuki knew he felt down back then, he was still being plagued by the memories of the attack.
Svenn glanced down, Kazuki raised his head upwards.
Kazuki's one blue eye shone.
Svenn's face was clear. Pure white hair and unmoving eyes. "I know that stuff can happen, Kazu, raining hell never changes. But what we can control is what we do afterwards, do you pick yourself up and defy the galaxy - or will you succumb to its numbness?"
He glanced down from the viewing balcony attached to the side of the warehouse. The air was thin down here, cold but also warmed by the geothermal generators.
Above were the hanging pillars of the Sub-Level, bristling with various lights. The sound of distant gunfire and underground winds accompanied the cruel atmosphere.
All around them were just run down apartments and brutalist blocks, with wrecks from the crisis still present. Most had been looted already.
He couldn't answer Svenn back then; he didn't have an answer. How could he answer it? So much had changed from then, and so much death… Kazuki looked down at his hands. Back then he thought of Victoria's blood. His present mind is filled with more blood than that.
The other members of the Eden Initiative were spending their leisure time below in the compound. Some were going to the barracks to rest; others lazed around - whilst many brawled and trained. It'll be a while till Hartius or Freyja returns.
"Just keep learning, you have that perfect memory that my brother talked about, you'll be a great fighter yet." said Svenn. Kazuki didn't respond. "Look, chin up…"
Kazuki glanced upwards to him, his gold and blue eyes a near dead colour. "Why should I?"
"Aha! You finally talked… Because you're the best of them," assured Svenn. "You should get along with them if you're going to work alongside them, what do you think?"
"..." Kazuki remained silent. He was never the talkative type to strangers, even back then. "Sure…"
His mind started to bubble, he could name everyone down there. It felt strange, Kazuki thought, as he watched his memories replay… He watches his body and mind repeat history; if only he could tell them all. Blurt out. Tell them all that Freyja would kill them. But of course, he could do nothing.
"Thanks, Svenn," said Kazuki. Svenn's face turned to surprise, a mixture of both bewilderment and amazement.
He collected his thoughts. "Now that's the spirit, Kazu," said Svenn. "Come on, get down there… Don't get into an argument with Cyrus, alright? Or anyone for that matter, right, Kazu?"
∗ ∗ ∗
A loud shriek filled the large chamber.
"-KI GEMINORUM-RYZAKU. MERCENARY CONTRACT-BREAKER. COME OUT. WE HAVE A WARRANT FOR YOUR ARREST." Paulus bellowed out into the large commercial bay. Hundreds of civilians were congregated in evacuation groups whilst two arms of the law stood off against each other. Kazuki was unphased by the shouting. "YOU ARE UNDER ARREST FOR TRESPASSING, CONSPIRACY, KIDNAPPING, MURDER AND TREASON OF THE HIGHEST ORDER TO OUR REPUBLIC."
"Could be worse." snarled Lilly. She snapped a photonic-bomb into her backup grenade launcher as she followed on after Kazuki.
"Charges don't matter. It's getting me in that matters." said Kazuki.
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"Shut up, Vallé, we're not out of the valley yet," worried Claire. She helped Kazuki walk, after all his injuries were still evidently visible for all to see. Civilians, AGENTs and Police saw the injured merc as two drones tended to his wounds.
Even so, his presence was menacing - many of the SPTU shook slightly when his gaze glanced across their helmets and combat masks. Calculating muzzle trajectories, Kazuki saw that they were unsteadied, most were on him.
Their deep blue and grey armour was stamped with the seal of the metro-district police, a unicorn. Some of their helmets had coloured markings on them. Others had stickers denoting military service or veterancy years.
The 31st Special Police Tactics Unit stood opposing them.
Quinn bellowed out to Kazuki as he approached him, followed by two members of the team he led. He lugged his shotgun over his shoulder. "Arbiter. You won't mind if I gat them, do you?"
"No. Be my guest and gun all one hundred police officers down for us, pretty please," Kazuki sneered.
"Tch… Fighting police and mercs on the same day?" Amyé groaned, "What a waste of time… Hey Quinn, want to head to the bar after this?"
"Eh? Sure, I guess." said Quinn, placing his hands on his waist as he yawned. His eyes were blank, unlike his usual, playful self. Compared to the Loyalists, the police were small players in the industry, too many limitations to combat crime, the SPTU can be dealt with by Kazuki if it comes down to it. "I mean, to be honest I'd just prefer to get some R&R after this…"
A dozen or so drones were watching from the sides. Kazuki could see their names, denoting what press agency they came from. Galatimes, ran by the Montageus; Starport, the centrists; or the Exclusive; or Progressive.
All police officers aimed their muzzles towards Kazuki as he stood in between the two forces. Amongst them were SPTU teams. The difference between the lightly armoured vest-plated patrol officers and the thick hull of the SPTU's medium front-plates were stark.
It wasn't bulky, not like Imperial designs. Compared to the vest-plates Clandestine gave its operatives, the ones the AGENCY is forced to use, it seems like an improvement - both in coverage and quality. Though Deltastring's new gear was able to rival theirs. The Police armour looked sleek. Designed for a new age. An age that has no come.
But what was consistent was the navy blue dress uniform beneath it, engraved with the Anagoran Metro Police's seal - a burgundy unicorn on a circle surrounded by stars.
All it took was a single misfire for a whole war to break out. His accompanying commanders took a few steps backwards, staring at the armoured cops.
"YOU ARE UNDER ARREST, BY THE ORDER OF THE ANAGORA JUDICIARY. ANYTHING YOU SAY CAN AND WILL BE USED AGAINST YOU IN A COURT OF—" Paulus spoke loudly, his finger was pressed against the uplink as he shouted.
His helm-mask was off, showing a rough face, a long scar across one of his old rose-pink eyes.
It was someone from Kasté, the old Imperial throneworld. The SPTU Commander's hide was heavy. Thick black plates adorned his exterior - painted deep blue. With slicked back auburn hair.
His eyes were quivering. His hands were sealed shut, stopping them from shaking. He looked like he didn't want to do this.
Kazuki rolled his eyes. He'll never see a single second of a jail cell. Republican Politics was far too volatile to arrest him.
Arresting him will lead to his grandfather's retribution. Kazuki was of the Geminorum-Ryzakus. They will not allow one of their own to be arrested, even if he was the lowest of the phoenixes.
This was, somewhat, to be expected. The Commissioner was never a politician, stubborn through and through.
'Sorry,' said Eliza, 'My dad probably signed it, I don't think I can do anything about it…'
"I know," said Kazuki.
'Pay it no mind,' said Sato, 'It's not the first time people've tried to arrest Arbiter.'
'I'm contacting Senator Nimitz-Delia…' Archius informed Kazuki. He was far more worried about Eliza. After all, he had to deal with her after all of this. He's never seen her mad before, maybe today would be the first time.
He had no intention of seeing himself arrested. His pride as a GemRy wouldn't allow that, even if he was all but estranged in name. If it comes down to it, he'll fight.
Two officers walked up to Kazuki. The AGENTs behind him raised their rifles. The two officers, to no one's surprised, stopped. No one spoke a word, one finger slip was all it took for Kazuki to be sent into a frenzy once again. He'll aim for Paulus' head, he thought. Most people get demoralised after seeing their commander be decapitated.
Paulus slowly raised his hand, signalling the police to make ready.
"This won't go down how you think it will. We all die? Happy ending?" questioned Kazuki. "We have two thousand civilians watching this. Some are probably recording. Leaks happen… And eventually, the public will learn: that police gunned down the contractors sent in to clean up your shit."
Paulus stopped for a moment as Kazuki stared him down. He gulped. Even behind the armour and full-plate helmet, Kazuki could see a measure of doubt seep into him.
Killing the captain would be regrettable, he's a useful tool for the Judiciary after all.
Kazuki resumed his lecture, "And we have a dreadnought outside this station. Plus, what do you think will happen the moment the High Admiral hears that his son was killed. We all know what happened to the late Empress… The Tyrant-Killer wasn't all too pleased with my aunt's death. But his own son?"
Paulus maintained his composure, lowering his hand as all sides readied to engage. But he stopped, instead raising his hand to his ear. He activated his uplink, Special Police Tactic Unit patent. It had a deep blue exterior. A neon identifying strobe lined the edge of the embedded earpiece.
'And… that should be it!' babbled Archius in a light voice, 'Hahaha! Political corruption for the win again! Don't worry, Delia's negotiating us all bonuses as well, so let's all kick back and drink on this!'
Eliza snickered at the comment, but quickly corrected herself as she coughed.
Paulus stopped and ordered his men, "SPTU, RTB. Constables, assist the contractors with the evacuation…" Kazuki saw a sigh as the Captain turned around.
The heavily armoured officers started to retreat into the vans. Things calmed down and standard procedures started once more. Looking out, he could see the Phoenix's Fury, the large Dreadnought's heavy-ports were unlocked.
It had taken a beating. The dreadnought's escort frigates and destroyers undocked to lighten the load.
Kazuki heaved a sigh, hearing Eliza's voice call out to him, 'So. Kazuki, what the fuck was Quinn talking about this being your… last operation?"
His body and mind were exhausted. So many had died in recent months. He cannot allow this to happen again. Kazuki sighed, expecting his soul to be dragged down… It wasn't.
The attempt to sigh himself into a long coma gave way to a singular realisation. One truth.
Now, he has to deal with Eliza.