The entire town was lit up from the presence of the Fleet Admiral, but no one quite knew why he flew out all this way. No one but one person anyways.
Isaak made his way over to sky-view on the tram system in the city. It was a small city, covered in snow most of the year apart from summer, the apartment complexes were just separate enough for small roads to fit between them. It looked more like a set of alleyways, kept the roads melted at least. Creeping through the alleyways, Isaak took a few moments to glance around before crossing over to each one, he wasn't too fond of the Claustrophobia, but he was also nervous of Freyja knowing his intentions ahead of time. "Well, maybe the Uniform will deter anyone" He thought to himself as he continued down the final alleyway, he was eager to know more about himself.
He'd been shook by knowing who he was, or at least how the rest of Bretonia would see him in time. It gave him nightmares, which in turn left him with an even more staggering amount of stress than he already had to bear on a day to day basis. The life expectancy of a Bretonian pilot in the Omegas was reduced to 30% of the average person. Even pilots on the Gallic front had a higher survival rate, the Omegas were unforgiving, the only thing that kept him alive was his unusually strong talent for flying.
As he approached the door, he stopped for a moment to take in the last few calm moments before the storm hit. This time though, Freyja would have to come through, if she really didn't know, she'd be in for a shock. But if she did, well, she'd have to break for real - no more hiding the truth.
Isaak pressed the button corresponding with his old apartment cell, as soon as he pressed it the door unlocked. "She must've been waiting." He thought.
The trip up the steps was as short lived as the time it took to press the button, or so it felt. Isaak knocked twice, and there Freyja answered. He knew the Fleet Admiral wouldn't be so far behind, along with the Director. "Grind out as much small talk as possible." He thought.
Freyja hugged him before he could even get the first few words out of his mouth.
I missed you. You look great though. I knew you'd be ok. Isaak was already torn, he didn't want to rip apart the positive vibe.
I missed you too. He responded with a bit of nervousness. He loved Freyja enough to respect her decision in the past, his curiosity had nearly consumed their relationship. Maybe it was Freyja's envy of who Isaak's parents really were. Or maybe it was just that she felt he would be better off not knowing.
I hope you're hungry. She responded as she broke off and walked towards the kitchen.
Pasta, your favorite kind too.
I missed this a lot too. There was already a plate served. Isaak didn't hesitate to start eating, the food nearly caused him to forget why he came in the first place. As soon as he caught up with himself, he slowed a bit. Just in time to hear Freyja speak the words.
So, are you ok? What did we need to talk about. He couldn't bring himself to be as blunt as he wanted. But he had to start somewhere.
I didn't tell you because, I was ordered not to. And... they were in the room when I called. But I have some guests coming as well. Two. Fleet Admiral Steiner is one of them. Freyja's look turned a bit concerned, she looked back at Isaak quickly.
Are you in trouble, what happened?
No. But, it's important. Neither of us are in any trouble or anything, but, they found out something. Something I don't know if either of us knew. Let's wait until they get here, alright? I'm sorry for all the secrecy I would've told you but they were...
He's an Admiral, you're an Ensign, I understand. But what do they- Freyja's sentence was cut off by the sound of the door knocking a second time.
Victor and Edmund were pleased with how well the SAS had set themselves up. No one was getting in or out of this building without a fight. A surprise from their brother, John, also helped. The BPA removing all overhead traffic due to a 'Police Extraction exercise', which also gave credibility to the SAS being involved. They had allowed the ensign to go first but now it was time for them to make their appearances. Perhaps a little too soon, but all answers would eventually be revealed.
The orphanage is also being placed on lockdown. John has apparently received a tip about a bomb there, Coalition of course. Victor said with a monotone voice to his brother as they walked up the stairs, avoiding the lift. Edmund smiled at his brother's lack of tact. So the BPA are naturally escorting people out of the building. I assume your men are... Watching for anyone who might wish to avoid being with the BPA. If there is a Hessian there, we'll find them. They reached the door, and could hear talking inside. Edmund knocked, firmly but not aggressively, there was a delay. Lady Freyja Edmund said, loud enough that those on the underside could hear him I really don't wish to be rude, but if you do not open the door my lady, we will break it down.
The words out of the Fleet Admiral's mouth left Freyja with an even more concerned and surprised impression, but the reason was still evading her. Isaak what's going on.
Don't worry, everything's fine, it's protocol. They're demanding to speak with us. Isaak went over to the door with Freyja at his side, he opened to welcome the company of both Victor and Edmund.
Admiral. Director. He spoke quickly in an attempt to try and ease the obvious buildup of concern from Freyja. This is Freyja Engel, my guardian.
Hello, Isaak told me something was going on. Is something wrong?
That remains to be seen Edmund said coolly, The young ensign here has questions, and we'd like to hear the answers as much as he would. Rest assured, we will be quiet while you two talk. Victor, at this point had already produced his pipe, and was quietly looking around the room while he stuffed it.
I stopped being persistent about who my parents were. I thought you were trying to protect me or you would've felt you lost me if you told me. You've been my parent all these years, nothing will change that. But I need to know about my mother. Freyja turned concerned, looking away for a second while Isaak continued. I know who my mother is.
I never wanted you to be ashamed of yourself. She responded almost immediately, it made Isaak a little angry that it took this much to get her to crack the truth out. But he subsided it, hoping there would be more reason to it than just that.
I'm nothing like her. Have you seen or heard of what she is?! He snapped back quickly.
I see a lot of you in her. I see a lot of you in your mother.
She's a monster, she kill's innocent people! She's responsible for the massacre in Nottingham! And lord knows what else! Isaak's tone rose, he was angry. His eyes reflected it slightly. He took the comparison as an insult, out of anger, and fear that he Admiral might be afraid of him for that reason.
You're proving my point Isaak. There was a bit of a smirk that came across her face, her eyes were watering from the emotions running high in the room. I said I see a lot of you in your mother. Not in the monster you're describing to me.
What do you mean?! Isaak's anger was quickly replaced with confusion.
You have your father's looks and your mother's attitude. Except for those eyes. Annabelle wasn't the person she is now when I knew her. She was a lot like you.
Isaak fell silent, he was paralyzed from all the emotions overflowing at once. He turned towards the Admirals, almost as if he needed a sense of direction.
By now Victor had lit his pipe and was quietly puffing away, watching the exchange with interest. It is not uncommon for children to inherit traits of their parents. The issue at hand is not whether or not you share some similarities with you mother but why your trusted caregiver his lied. A lie of omission is still a lie. He said looking at the woman, a neutral face hiding his personal curiosity.
Unlike his Brother, Edmund had no personal interest in the matter, although he was concerned that the Hessian would try to justify Anna's actions, that somehow she was taking the moral high ground. A convincing act, but that was all it was, an act.If Anna Henrich is such a saint, why send her boy away? why keep his past from him? I'm of the mind that Anna knows exactly what she is and doesn't wish that life for you Ensign. Which should tell you that what she does, is not good. She will never entertain the idea that what she does is wrong, but all she does is justified for the 'greater good', and so any extreme is acceptable. Remember that Lad, your soul is in your keeping alone. But we did not come to argue politics, come, ask your questions, lady Freyja seems forthcoming .
I kept the truth from you because your mother doesn't know you're alive. If she did, she would've come and taken you from me. And you and I both know what would happen next. Freyja sat down, placing one hand on her forehead and the other on the table where the seat was at. Isaak slowly walked towards her seat. Carefully listening to every bit the realization he needed to know.
I guess the only way this'll make sense is if I tell you everything from start to finish.
Isaak took a seat, Victor and Edmund were careful to tune in as well. Freyja's insight was obviously quite thorough. Or so it seemed so far.
18 years ago, before this city had been re-renovated. Back when it had just been finally established as a colony. I had moved here from Omega-3. I wanted to travel, but I loved the peace and quiet this place brought me so much that I had decided to stay. Just a few months after I arrived and started living here, helping some of the other nurses from the hospital care for adopted or unwanted children - we had our first guest from the outside.
A hessian craft crash-landed 10 miles off the exclusion zone of the settlement. Somehow, the ship hadn't been completely ruined, and the pilot inside survived.
The storms on Gran Canaria back then were just as cold, but we had fewer resources to spare for long journeys off-settlement. Still, IDing it as a Hessian craft, we decided to investigate for our safety and potentially - the pilot's.
The pilot was alive, barely. It was your mother. She was barely twenty years old, very attractive. For those reasons, and some of the search team's soft spots for women in distress - she was taken back here. She was under for days, but when the time came we didn't even have to wake her up. She did on her own, at first, she was panicked, almost attacked one of the nurses before we managed to calm her down. Once she knew where she was, she was able to relax.
If I hadn't seen her near-lifeless body tugged out from behind throttles of that fighter I would've never guessed she was a hessian. We were afraid of what she might do at first, but she responded in kind to us helping her. She wanted to stay here as well. She never went into detail, or if she did, I never heard. But, everyone got the vibe she didn't want to go back, and that she was running.
She kept to herself, she made money and earned the respect of some people that lived here at the time, by teaching them.
Teaching them what? Isaak responded to break in Freyja's words.
The militias were only just establishing their first flight program on Gran Canaria. The only people that knew how to fly on the entire planet were mercenaries, commercial pilots, and some individuals like your mother.
Your mother is an incredible pilot. You told me something similar runs in your blood as well.
I don't know, I've barely got any experience.
Might not be a coincidence. Freyja responded with a tiny smirk, and a shoulder shurg. Isaak's scores were very VERY good, but he was also brutally honest with himself, he didn't have the rank or much experience to show for it just yet. Freyja took a deep breath as she continued on. Anyways, she helped tweak parts of the flight program the militia was putting together for the first month and a half of her stay here. But then she met your father. Freyja broke for a second, obviously trying to think of how to move on.
She was really that different back then. What did she look like? Freyja got up from her seat, and walked over to one of the cabinets above the sink. Inside there was a tiny safe built into one of the walls. She opened it, pulling out one slip of paper. It was a photo.
A lot of people form this end of the city knew who she was after the crash, so when she and your father married. A lot of us were present.
Your father convinced her to take this along with a family photo. She gave the picture to Isaak, the image left him stunned.
What happened? Who was my father?
You bear your father's first name and your mother's last name. She insisted on it. Luciano was your fathers name. He brought out the the best in your mother for that time. I don't know the details of everything during those next two years. But I do know how it ended.
Isaak could already feel the sadness climbing onto him, it made his stomach turn, and his eyes water before he even knew.
How? Freyja reflected the same sort of emotion. She struggled to speak the next few words.
Someone wanted your father dead, he had a bounty on his head or, something. I don't know what it was but by the time the family could figure what it was for, it was too late. Corsairs and other mercenaries came, they took your father, and at the time we thought they had killed your mother. They never found you though.
They blamed what damage they had done on your father. After everything had stopped I was the first person to come and find what had happened. There were no EMS available so everyone sort of just... came together to help when they could.
I thought she was dead, the gunshot wound had punctured her skull. She looked as lifeless as when we found her three years prior. Isaak was trying to hold back the sorrow, but it was apparent that it was starting to overwhelm him. He was looking up, breathing through his mouth, trying to distract himself in any way possible.
Your mother woke up a day later, but she had obviously changed. That wound changed her, she couldn't find you and reacted violently. She killed some of the locals who went in for her. After that she left.
I tried to find her before she left but she was already gone.
There's so much I don't understand.
I don't know every detail of it, I wasn't so closely involved in their lives. Or your life until I found you.
Well sir, I think it's clearly cut out then... I need to find her. Isaak's tone turned serious as he faced Victor and Edmund. He felt more than obliged, he owed it to himself and his mother to find out more. Obviously everyone else in the room quickly gave the non-verbal impression that they objected though. Or did they?
Both brothers were quiet, this presented a deeply troubling situation. Morality and duty clashed like waves against cliffs. Victor took a long draw on his pipe, Edmund leaned forward and rested his chin on his hand. This is a crossroads that we did not foresee. Edmund said, frustration evident in his voice. Before you can even depart upon this journey, one must ask an important question...or several. It is...hard for us to look objectively upon this turn of events
Victor spoke up while his brother still collected his thoughts, obviously having difficulty putting them into words, You seek to find your mother, to gain insight and answers into your past. This is not an ignoble goal, it his however one that will be lined with pain, misery and disappointment. That your mother loves you is clear, if the account given is true. Understand this in your search for truth: Some answers are better left unknown. Now Victor had trouble putting thoughts to words, so Edmund spoke, calmly but evidently conflicted still. It is a matter of morality, to allow a child to seek their parent. Yet we are torn between letting you go, what happens if you joined her? What happens if you became like her? would that not be upon our heads? We cannot see that future being bright, for anyone. Not even your mother.
Yet denying you a chance to find answers is no better, for if we kept you, you would resent us and Bretonia and the question would gnaw at you forever until it drove you mad with rage. Victor inhaled again, slowly, trying to predict what kind of a future the younger man would have if released to find answers. So many orphans try and fail every day to find their birth parents. Yet, it was his right. Our eldest brother just happens to be on..reasonable terms with your mother. We cannot find her, he may be able to. Would you like to speak with him? It was with a defeated sigh that Victor offered this. Ultimately, it was the more moral course of action that either brother could think of. They may have lost a good man, but at least they did not destroy one by keeping him from the truth.
The Armed Forces looks after it's own lad, and you are one of us, even if you may not remain so for very long. Alfred will help you where we cannot.If that is what you wish.
Your mother is not the woman she was 18 years ago Isaak, that wound changed her. Freyja spoke with more weight than before, she was obviously just as concerned for Isaak's saftey. Isaak wouldn't hear it though, something had obviously gone wrong, be he thought if he could get through to his mother things might change. She didn't know he was alive afterall, if she did, it might change her allegiances and choices.
Isaak turned towards the Admiral again.
Sir, if I could get through to her it might change everything for not just me but the house. If she was willing to talk to your older brother maybe she isn't entirely too tyrannical. Victor looked like he was willing to hear it out, Edmund was obviously more rigid on the matter though.
Duty comes first sir, I understand. This... this whole thing revolves around my personal life, I know. But there was something to be gained by coming here, officially anyways, there's something to be gained if we find out more. I will not become what she has become, I could never bring myself to do anything like what she's done.
Courageous, fearless, and reckless, all qualities of a younger soul no doubt. It seemed a bit admirable, but Victor and Edmund were caught between one bitter truth and another. They had seen her actions in Omega-3, the brutal success the Hessians had achieved under her leadership. Two core vessels, the Stirling and the Gwent, gone, and now, they had lived to see where all that drive had come from.
Spoken like a younger man Victor smiled, We would not stop you, but please. For your own sake, don't go there with the intent to change her. Some people...fight too long. Edmund nodded in agreement and began writing on a scrap of paper This is how you can contact our brother, who he is and so on. Go, find your mother, but be wary...be careful. The two men stood now, a small beep indicating a message from someone came from Edmund and he checked his datapad while Victor walked around to Freyja. I'm afraid you'll have to come with us my dear. You seem to have information we need to have on record. I am sorry. As for you Ensign He said turning back to the younger man The Act requires your signature. Please fill it in before you leave.