Chronocide: Mission Wounded Pride

The bullet pinged off the metal by Iron's hip, and she looked over her shoulder.

In a smooth motion, she turned, and dangled him off the side of the wolf. "If you insist, sister. But i doubt his frail little legs will survive the fall."

"Don't worry about me, Heron! Just make sure Iron can't launch!" Calvin yelped.

Hazel grimaced, aiming her gun.

"where was I..." She mused, letting her pinky finger rise from the grip around Calvin's collar, slipping him an inch lower.

"ah, yes."

She turned to Heron with a smile. "you're just a visitor. You don't know anyone...or anything here. I've read your files...I've studied the woman I'm supposed to be."

She glared. "and I see a soldier who appeared out of nowhere, killed a hero, and paved the way for a good man's life to be _ruined_ and his name dragged through the mud just so some men in ties could continue spreading their lies to an unknowing populace! all while you're touted as some _hero_ here to _save the day for the Goddess of Peace._ "

"You don't know the whole story, Iron," Hazel warned. "You say Pax has done evil, do you believe they're telling you the whole truth?"

"Ever since they created me and my _perfect automaton_ of a sister." She snarled from atop the wolf, as it stomped it's foot in reaction to her anger. "and sent me out to play a good little double agent... I haven't believed a word they've said."

She raised her hand. "The Pax Republic is built on lies... Stolen riches, forgotten heroes, ruined lives. And they fed me the same damned fruit punch you've been drinking down like a good little soldier."

She tilted her nose up. "But I stared researching the truth for myself... I spoke to those  they tried to silence. I've read the papers they tried to hide. And i know the depths of their _fucking depravity_ "

"So what did you uncover," she demanded. "About the Snowdrift mission? Tell me how it deviates from the official records."

"Viper fought alongside Steel Heron." Iron said with a smug little smirk. "to eliminate Lionheart and the Body, who had gone rogue and defected to Uldova."

She frowned "Why she did it, I don't know, but I can only imagine it was because she uncovered the sort of secrets Soteria and her dogs were hiding."

She tilted her nose up with a sneer. "Steel Heron and Viper killed the body, one by one, with few survivors.."

She smirked down her nose. "But here is where it gets interesting. Soteria and her dogs didn't want the world to know that their precious little Wolf Core was insane. They attributed it all to Gagarin, claiming that with him, the danger to the world was ended...."

Her eyes narrowed "but as we can all tell." She glanced at the metal monstrosity below her. "The poor thing's still quite worked up, aren't you?'

The metal wolf made  a strange, chittering sound.

"....and that's not even going into what the whole thing was _really_ for."

"It sounds like you think you learned some interesting things," she agreed. "But there were only two people who were there. Two people who will carry the weight of what happened on that mission. And one of them is here, asking you one last time to _stand down_."

Iron sighed, and dropped the doctor beside the console once more. "oh sister."

"you must think you're ever so clever. Do you think you're my mother, with the way you're bossing me about? how amusing..."

She spun, and kicked Calvin hard in the side. "Activate the wolf and it's battle functions, Kovalenko." She spat, "and I won't send you off to meet that pasty weakling mother of yours.. maybe."

She turned, and spread her hands with a laugh. "I think it's time my twin and I had ourselves a right _proper_ match."

Calvin yelped and sank down further. "Iron......"

She turned, and aimed her pistol between his eyes.

"I gave you an order." She hissed icily. "Don't go thinking just because we share _genes_ that I have a shred of sympathy for you and your kin."

Calvin swallowed thickly. "I-I-I...."

"Just do it, Doctor," Hazel said with a sigh. "I'll take care of busting the machine up."

"If you've got a spine to grow." Iron smiled thinly. "you'd best do it now, or _do what your told_ "

She turned to glance at Steel Heron over her shoulder "The sooner I see my sister reduced to a _superior_ smear of blood on the laboratory floor, the better."

Calvin crumpled slightly but then...."Hhhhhhhhh.... no! I won't let you do it!" He sprang forward and tried to grab the gun out of her hand.

"Calvin!" Hazel shouted.

Iron was actually...legitimately taken off guard. His fingers latched around the gun as she staggered back "what in the ...."

She spat "_really?_ "

He yanked on the gun, trying to pull it out of her hands. "I won't let you kill all those people!"

Hazel followed the action with the sight of her gun, wondering if she could get a bead on Iron while all this was happening. Surely not....

Iron drifted in and out of her sights...it'd be a tough shot, and it was possible she'd hit her brother if she didn't time it right.

But the window closed rapidly, as Iron raised her other hand,  and backhanded Calvin across the face with a snarl.

 

"yet you'd gladly let them all kill _us._ " She spat, yanking her gun back. "you don't understand. You're just one of _them!_ "

Calvin toppled backwards and fell hard against the controls of the machine. "Ahhh!"

Iron frowned down at him, before turning and slamming her hand down on the wolf's activation controls.

With an ear shattering roar, the thing leapt up, and turned to scan the area with ti's gleaming red eye.

"you don't matter." She spat. "None of us do under the cold, sterile lens of the Pax Republic."

She gestured with her hand. 'GO, Pax's greatest invention..... kill Pax's greatest hero for me!"

The wolf's tail snapped up, whipping around to aim it's machine gun at Heron, it's multiple barrels starting to spin as it warmed up.

Heron jerked her bonsai tank to life again, strafing left across the room and opening a barage of fire against the Wolf's gun.

The high powered rifle on the tank erupted into fire, a few shots going wild as the tail thrashed...but one struck the machine gun, driving the weapon back as the wolf slammed a mechanical paw down in simulated anger.

Iron rocked atop it, her eyes narrowing as she gripped the command console tightly. "Burn her to cinders!"

"Heron!" Came Simon's voice "it's got a flamethrower!"

"Got it," Heron hissed, moving quickly as far out of range as she could, and circling in the opposite direction.

A hatch opened under the AI pod, in the machine's chest, and out flowed a stream of flame that began scorching the ground  around the increasingly cramped main lab.  

The flame flowed up, nearly brushing the tank's leg's as it ran.

It crept up....only for the loud report of a sniper rifle to echo through the room, the Metal Wolf jerking as it's AI pod was struck by a high-powered rifle's round.

"Got it." Came Ana's voice through her comms. "moving to a new position."

The wolf howled, and charged forward. It's flame spewed through the air before sputtering off, but it was going for a full body tackle of Hazel and her miniscule tank.

"what was _that_?" Iron hissed through the intercom "Don't tell me you've got a _rat_ in the walls?"

Hazel grinned grimly. "Roger," she hissed through the comm as she kept moving.

As the tank came at her, she pivoted and tried to slide  under and _between_ the legs of the wolf as it came at her.

The wolf sailed over her, crashing into the wall where it flattened one of the guards who couldn't get out of the way in time.

"Disperse, you idiots!" Iron snapped from atop the wolf "i don't have time to babysit you!"

The guards who survived began their retreat, as Iron turned her feral smile back towards Hazel, watching her scurry below. "Open fire."

As Hazel ran between the wolf's legs, it's tail whipped down to point below it's undercarriage...and opened fire with it's minigun.

Hazel ducked her head below the shield curtain of the bonsai, and strafed off to one side, returning fire as she did. "Losing your audience, Iron? Or just your temper?"

"Tch" Iron replied.

As Hazel strafed, her bullets hammered the underside of the Wolf, severing some small bits of wiring, and sending it jerking down somewhat. It attempted to flatten her by slamming down with all it's weight.

[Neutralize Target: Hostile Thoughts Detected.]

Iron snarled into her megaphone. "I don't like losing my _men_!" She snapped "I'm not some fiend for attention. Let them be safe, while I grind you into these steel floors. Unlike you, i _care about my soldiers_ . My _partners_ for a grand vision!"

Slowly, a soft smile spread on Hazel's face as she piloted the bonsai, flinging it as hard as she could out from under the wolf. She  cleared her mind, to keep it keen, focused on the present moment and as pure as cherry blossoms.  An idea was beginning to form.

She fired a scatter of shots toward the fleeing soldiers-- though not intended to _actually_ hit them.

She heard Iron shriek, and the wolf suddenly slammed down on it's 'stomach...directly in the path of the bullets, blocking them with it's body and damaging a series of panels on it's side as the soldiers fled.

"YOU GUTLESS, HONORLESS COWARD!!!" Iron shrieked, the sound of her fury echoing through the Main Lab.

"FIRING ON RETREATING SOLDIERS! You're just like THEM. Pulling the trigger on people while they're helpless! while backs are turned! my ALLOY UNIT was created by MONSTERS like you!"

Iron leaned over the edge of the wolf with a wild look in her eyes, firing down upon Hazel with her high caliber pistol...before another shot rang out from the walls, and grazed her side.

She hissed, rocking back and behind the bulletproof shielding of the command console. "DAMN IT!!"

"Shouldn't have come out of your little box, Iron." Ana murmured. "moving position."

The bullets from Iron's gun came too close for comfort, but it was worth it. She sidestepped again, and fired at the wolf. Even in the little tank her movements were elegant withher history of dance as well as martial arts.

"Don't act like you wouldn't sacrifice them in a heartbeat for your goals."

It was a deliberate bid to piss Iron off even more.

The wolf turned, and opened fire with it's tail mounted machine gun in return, even as bullets took chunks out of it's side.

It's single, gleaming red eye was focused on her, the strange ringing sound of it's scanning her mind echoing in the back of her ears.

Iron's face screwed up into a look of terror. "There's a difference between dying for what you believe in, and dying because your masters deemed you a worthy sacrifice for their goals."

She slammed the control panel...and a few ports opened up in the side of the wolf...launching a barrage of small , explosive tipped missiles at Heron and her tank from it's port side.

"I'd never, ever sacrifice my men like pawns on a board! We all knew why we were here! we all believed in the cause! I LOOK OUT FOR MY OWN! And they TRUST ME."

"so just SHUT UP AND BURN ALREADY!"

Hazel felt the ring of the metal beast in the back of her mind. That was fine, it could listen to the Carpenters version of the Rainbow Connection while it looped in her head while she fought. She doubted that her enemy's thoughts were so focused.

Hazel forced the bonsai to move as fast as it could in a straight line away from each of the missles.

"They trust you and you'll send them to their deaths. How are you different?"

They exploded in a line behind her. Each new bloom of flame burned against her back as she kept just ahead of the small, but wall rocking explosions.

"G...ghhh." Iron wiped her eyes with her sleeve, her frown as sharp as the wolf below her's claws. "Because they aren't tools to me. They're _soldiers_. People I'm responsible for. I'll mourn each and every one of them when you're dead and gone!! they FIGHT FOR ME and I FIGHT FOR THEM!"

She pressed a button on the command console. "you think you're so _clever_. So _quick_ . Just because you're the PERFECT ORIGINAL PRODUCT!"

She punched the bulletproof glass with a snarl. "For every life you and your little team have taken from me, we'll take _a thousand more_ in repayment."

With a loud grinding sound...the roof of the Main lab began to part...opening slowly to show the snow filled sky above.

This had to end. Fast.

"You're just going to end up known as a murderer who threw the lives away of those who followed her," Hazel accused tauntingly. She amiled her gun and fired on the wolf again,, aiming for its weapns.

"I've got a shot....wait for it to open those missile ports again...give me a good line of sight at the those little launchers and I'll start a chain reaction inside it." Ana reported through the communicator.

"Just like the Pax Republic branded the Viper's Nest." Hissed Iron. "Wrongfully accused of crimes the Republic themselves committed! Let the world see me as it's villain. But i'm making the changes that MUST be made. Digging out the cockroaches who turned our land into a LIVING LIE!"

The machine gun opened fire on the tank again, this time sending a line of bullets across the bonsai tank's left leg, causing it to stagger.

"Roger," Hazel hissed into her comm. She steadied the staggering bonsai, though it slowed slightly as she died, and Hazel felt a bullet graze the back of her shoulder.

"In the end you won't change anything, Iron! A mass killing isn't the answer Its just blood for blood."

she fired on the metal beast again, keeping it centered on ehr. She'd work to give Ana an open shot.

Iron laughed. "Then let the blood flow until there's nobody left!"

She raised her gun to the air "Let's watch Pax burn, sister! Burn until each and every rat's forced to come out of it's hole and burn with it! maybe THEN we'll see change!"

The missiles on the wolf's back slowly began to rise, slowing the creature somewhat as it still attempted to line up another shot with it's tail.

Hazel fired on the tank again-- and with her own gun fired toward Iron. She stayed slow, deliberate. But she kept moving.

Come on, come on.....

The bullets pinged off the bulletproof glass,  cracking it over her sister's laughing face.

"You'll have to try harder than that, sister!"

The wolf turned it's body...and flame erupted towards Hazel once more.

"Just a little more. Keep moving!" Ana encouraged.

Hazel kept moving. Just barely fast enough to keep out of the range of the fire now with her lamed bonsai leg, but still, fast enough. She could feel the heat on one side of her as she paced, directing the tank. Waiting, waiting until Ana had her shot.

"Laugh it up, Iron."

As it turned...slots opened up in it's side....and the tips of missles appeared from inside them.

"Got it, Fatal mistake , you overgrown cyberpooch." Ana fired.

The muzzle flash lit up the dark vent she was crouched in, giving Iron enough time to pop out and fire at her. Hazel heard her scream as blood splattered from inside the vent...but all sounds were swiftly cut off by the explosion of the sniper round striking the head of one of the missiles.

It exploded in a ball of flame....but soon more explosions began to erupt from inside the wolf. One by one they blew plating off it's side, one of the explosions even disabling it's leg.

it fell, like a lamed animal, onto three legs and it's knee as it struggled to get up, it's body still rocking from the chain reaction inside it.

Hazel grimaced at the sound of Starling's scream, but trusted to Chronia that she'd be alright. She jogged forward in the bonsai tank, firing at the wolf as she approache dit.

The bullets hammered into it's compromised side....and disabled it's other back leg, bringing it to an awkward sitting position as it's core stuttered and whined.

[ Warning. Warning. System Compromised. System Com-com-compromised.]

"NO!" Iron hissed, typing at the console.

Slowly, the wolf began to drag itself by it's front legs....it moved with the sound of shrieking metal and grinding gears....dragging it's massive form to the edge of the lab where it started hiking itself up.....

The nukes, spared by their height from the chain reaction....began pointing towards the sky.

[B-B-B-Bzzz...beg-gin-ginning Launch Sequence. T-Minus 5 Minutes to Launch]

"you're too late sister!" Iron called out from the Wolf. "No matter what you try to do.... I won't fail here! I CAN'T FAIL HERE!"

As Hazel pushed the bonsai tank...it's leg finally gave out, snapping with an audible crack and sending her to the ground.

Heron disentangled herself from it, and threw herself into a sprint the rest of the way toward the wolf. She'd just have to stop Iron herself.

Iron stepped out of the bullet-proof shielding, and cracked her fingers with a snarl.

"Come at me sister." She called over the countdown

[4:35....4:34.....4:33...4:32]

"Let's see just what the _perfect genetic soldier_ can do."

Hazel clambered her way up the twitching machine, body taught and hairline wet with sweat from the exertion and flame. At the top she stood, and faced Iron.

"I wouldn't call either of us perfect," she said. "But I will kick your ass."

Her sister was a pale reflection of her. Her white hair having fallen from it's tight bun, and her hat discarded in the struggles since their fight began, she blended into the howling ice and wind just above them.

Her pale eyes glowered at Hazel's with a look of pure, unadulterated hatred as she raised her fists with a smile. "I've trained my whole life for this."

She sneered "I've _chased_ after your ghost , my entire life. Always being told how short I'd fallen from your memory! always being the outcast."

She tightened her fists, and dropped into a ready stance. "It's time to stop chasing you, sister. It's high time I outpace you once and for all."

"I can't let you do that, sis," Hazel said her own stance loose and ready. She started to circle her slowly.

Iron circled opposite her, the feral smile plastered on her face.

"You don't have a choice in the matter, Ste..." she scoffed "no. This is far too intimate a setting for code names....Hazel."

She suddenly rushed her with a grin, aiming a punch for her face. "Maybe I'll let you live!"

Hazel ducked low to the side and snatched out to grab Val as she threw her punch.

"I appreciate the thought."

She managed to grab Val's arm...but Val lurched forward, slamming her head into Hazel's in response.

"We are family." She hissed. "Such a shame you refuse to listen, though."

Hazel grunted, and pulled Val toward her instead, bringing her other fist up for a heavy blow.

"I told you, Val. I can't let you kill all those people."

"Gah!!" Val  reeled from the heavy blow, but her free hand swung in and landed a punch on Hazel's stomach.

"Even if they're trying to kill you?" She hissed. "If you knew the things I've learned...if you know the things they've _created_ ...."

"Guh!" Hazel reeled back, dancing away to catch her breath. "I know some and I'm far from thrilled. But it doesn't justify nuking a city! even mom would agree!"

Iron pulled back, wiping some blood from her pale lips as she smiled. It was a sharp contrast against the whipping wind and her pale flesh.

"Mother...." She laughed bitterly "i suppose you'd know her better than I."

She grabbed her combat knife from her hip holster, and raised it with a smirk. "Cities can be repaired.... and those lives...are necessary. This world and it's people haven't shown me any kindness. I owe them nothing.."

She gripped the knife tightly. "When you go back home after all this, after risking life and limb to save their lives, and they greet you with _oblivion_ ....what then?"

Hazel whipped out her own ceramic knife.

"I don't know." she admitted. "But I'm not to the point where I can convince myself that killing civilians is a necessary evil. Not for Victor, or anyone else."

Val faltered, gripping the knife tighter in her hand.

"If I raise his flag over a new world...one where soldiers don't have to fear their own handlers....he'll have to forgive me. I can make it up to him, Hazel. I can _fix this_ if I just let the Wolf LAUNCH!"

[2:17....2:16....2: 15...]

"Val _listen_ to me," Hazel breathed. "You can't put a broken egg back together by breaking more eggs."

She gripped her own knife, her heart beating loud in her chest. She needed to end this fast.

"Anything is possible if you put your mind to it." Val hissed, and lunged for her with the blade of her knife.

"When those bombs detonate in the capital....Pax and it's leadership will be incinerated in it's ground zero." Her lips parted as she attempted to slash her blade into her shoulder "All their dirty dealings incinerated with them..."

She sneered "It's not breaking eggs.... it's _clearing a foundation_ "

Hazel clashed with her, knife against knife, their bodies close as Hazel tried to force her back. "Telling yourself that won't help you sleep at night after its done."

Iron pushed against her, the edges of their blades scratching against one another as she leaned into her.

"Good riddance, then." She snarled "I've been looking for a way to dodge the nightmares, sister."

[2:07...2:06....2:05...]

Hazel strained against her, sweat dripping down her brow, looking for an opening.

"What they did to you was terrible, Val. Raising a child to be a weapon. I hate it."

"They raised a very efficient weapon." Val snarled, and struck her stomach with her other hand, trying to press the advantage. "they molded me into their perfect little killing machine."

Hazel took the blow well, but it still staggered her. She disengaged, creating a little distance between the two of them again.

Val danced back, and raised her knife in a backwards grip. "No childhood to hold me back. No warmth. No kindness. Sterile labs and impassive faces marking my progress on checklists and graphs."

She laughed grimly "Born to serve. Born to fight. Born to kill. Combat drills the moment I became capable. Strategy from the day I could speak."

[1: 55...1:54....1:53...]

Hazel grabbed her arm to pull her into a throw. "I'm sorry."

Val stumbled, but rolled with the throw enough to whip her arm around and dig it's blade into the side of Hazel's calf on her way down.

"no you aren't!" She snapped. "And the real insult...the real _cruelty_ is they created me to be _defective._. Broken! My powers don't work right! My skin burns in the sun! My _eyes are seared by the light_ !"

She rolled and hopped back to her feet. "They created a broken doll, and FORCED it to try and try and try and try and ALWAYS come up second best! Iron."

"the eternal failing mark in the light of Wrought's strength and skill.."

Hazel stumbled at the blow, feeling warm blood flow down her leg, but she recovered quickly. She bullrushed Val, to slam her into the raised part of the tank.

"Mom's skin doesn't make you _defective_."

Val slammed back into the wall, as she struggled to raise her arm enough to force a bit more distance between them.

"Is that so?" She spat. "Knight and his lab mice seemed to think so..." Her lips parted in another feral smile. "On all their reports, in red ink. Iron... the Defective clone."

"They're _wrong_," she hissed, raising a fist while keeping her pinned with her other arm and shoulder. "You're not defective. You're my sister."

She slugged her in the face.

"GAH!" Val reeled back, and staggered under Hazel's arms. For a moment, her pale eyes seemed foggy as the blow rattled her.

[1:00....59....58....57.....56....]

Behind the Metal wolf's thrusters....the rocket's ignition started up, spewing flame onto the broken tile of the main lab below.

Hazel hissed and threw another punch, socking her in the face again while she was dazed. Her other hand left Val's body long enough to grab for her tranq gun.

Val staggered back. A thin stream of blood trickled from her lips as she once more attempted to raise her knife against Hazel.

"Sister." She hissed softly . "I... won't...stop. When it's all over, you can kill me then."

"I don't want that!" she hissed. She let Val come at her with the knife, and when she did, she slammed her gun hard into her chest and pulled the trigger.

The dart slammed into Val's chest, administering it's tranquillizer into her bloodstream in a swift instant.

She grabbed Hazel's shoulder, and lunged with the intent to stab before the toxin did it's work...

"D-damn it! not...not here...I can't fail here..."

Her fingers went loose around the handle of her knife....and she dropped to the ground in a dead faint.

Hazel hurried to the controls of the machine. "How the hell do I turn this off?"

The control panel loomed behind it's cubicle of bulletproof glass....

Beside it was Calvin, who had been jostled around the entire time they'd been fighting.

[20...19....18....17]

Calvin struggled his way up from behind the panel. "I-I've got this," he said, his cracked glasses half off his face. He pushed Hazel aside, and flipped the switches.

Hazel staggered backwards to let him.

"h....hey Boss...." came the faint voice of Ana on her intercom "i'm not doing so great.."

"I'll be right there," Hazel breathed.

As Calvin worked his way past the failsafes and protocols....the countdown slowly ticked down  until, at the count of 5 seconds....it stopped.

"Yeah uh...didn't think the bottom of some vent would be the place I died." she laughed harshly. "Didja stop Armageddon?"

"We stopped it." she said. "Calvin, come with me if you can."

"Wh?"

He followed after her as she hurried toward where Ana had fired her shot.

"Cool. That's...that's real great boss." Ana said dizzily. "the doc okay?"

"He's a little busted up, but he'll be fine," she said,, not slowing down as she looked for ehr.

The shot had been fired from the top of one of the large vents... out near the now retracted roof....

But blood was pooling out from a vent near the floor , beside a large computer console.

"That's great. Does it make him look kinda cool?"

She sighed "ya know what...just tell him he does for me. I ... Dunno if i'm gonna make it, Boss. I...i took a real bad fall. And my head's swimming."

She hurried to the vent. "Of course you'll make it. We're here. He's with me."

she pulled the grate away from the vent.

It was a narrow vent...and at the far end of it, beside some fallen metal and stripped screws... Ana lay in a heap. A puddle of her own blood dripped from below her, trickling down and out of the grate by Hazel's feet as she stirred.

It looked like she'd fallen from the top level of the vent, down here after Iron had shot her.

"Hey boss." She said, shifting to face her.

The bullet had gone through her lower shoulder, piercing just above her left lung.

"Ana...." she crawled into the vent-- Calvin catching up and standing nervously outside.

"I have a medical degree," he said nervously. "I can look....."

"Wow, how man....ugh..." Ana coughed, spitting out a glob of blood. "how many ya got, doc?"

She shifted, trying her best to help Hazel ease her out of the vent.

"honestly." Ana said softly "i wish they fucking killed me outright. I...I think that new power of mine woulda fixed me up right proper."

"It still might, if we can't stabilize you," Hazel said, helping her out as gingerly as she could with her own wounded arm and leg.

As soon as she was partially out, Calvin took over.

"Um... five? I think its five," he murmered in response to her question.

"does..." She stammered "Does it still work if I die slowly, boss?"

 

She laid back on the ground and smiled up to Cal. "That's a sexy number of doctorates, Kovalenko." She mimed a fingergun with her unwounded hand. "nice."

"It hasn't let me down yet," Hazel said, refusing to admit her own nerves.

Cal bent down next to her. "I'm going to have to um....open your shirt up."

"that's reassuring." Ana smirked at Hazel, before glancing back at Kovalenko.

"Not gonna buy me dinner first, doc?"

"Um... how about after?" he suggested. Hazel offered him her knife, which he took gratefully.

Ana laughed softly, staring up at the ceiling. "yeah. It's a date, doc. I'm easy to please, don't worry about makin' it fancy or nothing."

"I-if you say so," he nodded, carefully cutting away the fabric from her chest and stomach.

As he peeled away the fabric, her pale breast and stomach were revealed. Most of it had been smeared with dried blood, and a few bruises and cuts from previous encounters...and the bullet wound looked nasty. It'd clearly hit hard...but it was hard to tell if the bullet was still in there or not.

"I'd blush but I don't got a whole lotta blood left."

"You're red enough as it is," Hazel said lightly. She didn't like the look of those wounds though.

"Heron, do you have any bandages? This is deep. What we need to do is stop the bleeding until we can get her to a medical facility." Calvin looked her over nervously.

"yeah... Ive got some in my kit." She fished for them.

Ana laughed, wincing as she did. "Yeah? Well shit, now everyone's gonna know about my dumb crushes."

She tried sitting up "it's that bad?"

Calvin winced. "I'm not sure if the bullet went all the way through or not. Please... try not to move too much or too quickly."

"oof." Ana leaned back down "I'm ready for surgery, doc."

"Second offer." She tapped his arm with a smile. "Just ask Heron to put one between my eyes, huh?"

Hazel made a face. "I will if you want, but its not fun."

Calvin grimaced. "Lets try uh, conventual medicine first."

"trust me." Ana groaned "i've felt it a few times already. it's not great."

She winked at Calvin. "I put myself in your adorable little hands, Doc."

"[Anastasia Folcroft]" iterated Chronia. [Upon scanning your body I have noted a change in physiology. You have been upgraded to [Demigod Status] , same as [Demigod Calvin Kovalenko] and [Demigod Heron]"

"great." Ana smiled "Glad i'm legally recognized."

Calvin went to work with what little he had on him, while Heron offered her hand to hold.

"Guess you're officially part of the family," Heron chuckled.

Ana took her hand, clenching it tight as Calvin went to work. Pain wrote it's way across her expression as she hissed through her teeth. "Guess so. This mean I can't hit on your brother?"

"Chronia, what's your verdict?" Hazel asked teasingly as Calvin worked. She held Anna's hand tight.

"There is no connection by blood. So there is little risk in copulation and offspring." Chronia intoned "Though with two mutations caused by Chrono Radiation, the offspring will likely be gifted my power as well."

Hazel nodded and gave Ana a dryly amused look. "There... see?"

Calvin made a small, embaressed noise. "I-isn't it a little early to be thinking about...."

Ana was bright red, despite her earlier blood loss comments. "Yeah uh, hm. I've got a few years in me before I start popping out babies, boss."

SHe winked at Calvin. "Sorry, Doc."

Calvin grinned embaressedly and tightened her bandages. "There... heh... best I can do for now...."

Ana stretched, and put her hand on her shoulder "well doc. I feel like a new gal." She tried to sit up, and hissed with pain. "Mostly."

"Hopefully it'll be enough to get us out of here." Hazel nodded, helping her up.

Ana stood, and coughed out a glob of blood, before wiping her lips with her sleeve. "I'm looking forward to a nice, long hospital visit after this. Maybe some jello."

"Yeah, jello's good for this kind of thing," Hazel agreed. "Just one more thing before we can get out of here. That briefcase."

"the briefcase?" Ana asked "the ...secondary objective, right? the one we didn't find in the labs?"

She looked up, and frowned. "......"

She cleared her throat. "hey uh...is Panther supposed to be up there?" She pointed to the Metal Wolf, where, Panther was just standing up with a needle in his hand and a smile on his face....and in his hand....a worn old briefcase matching the one in Hazel's files.

Hazel turned. "Shit. Doc... hold Starling." She passed Ana to a very confused Calvin and drew her gun.

Panther looked over at her with a friendly smile. "Howdy, Heron" He gave her a lazy salute with the hand still holding the needle. "Good job with the wolf."

"Thanks. what are you up to, Panther?" she asked warily.

"oh. you know. This and that."

He stepped back "couldn't have ol' Val sleep off her whole defeat, so I gave her a hand."

Iron shot up with a snarl, her eyes wild and bloodshot as she dragged herself to her shaking feet. "Pantherrrr..." She hissed "you traitorous _bastard_ "

Her shoulders sank, and she gave Panther a 'really?' look. "Iron... please.... there's no point in fighting right now."

Iron dragged her hand down her face, and snatched the briefcase from Panther, who just laughed.

"i've only just begun to fight." She snapped, fishing into her pocket for a radio.

"Initiate Detonation Sequence." She ordered with a snap "And get to the remaining vehicles. You've got ten minutes"

Her voice rang all through the facility...from every loudspeaker and hall...

Hazel didn't leave herself time to groan. She lunged for Iron and the briefcase.

Iron backed up...and fell off the back of the Metal Wolf, hitting the ground with a hard thump below.

"gah..." She hissed, before hopping to her feet, and making a break for the outside air....towards the vehicle depot.

[10:00...9:59....9:58] echoed an automated voice through the speakers.

"Son of a bitch. If those bombs go off......they might detonate the Wolf's nukes!" Ana exclaimed

Panther just shrugged "rotten luck you guys seem to have." He stepped backwards just as a portal opened behind him...and vanished into the time stream.

Hazel swore. She tried to get Ana on her commlink as she ran after Iron.

"hey, Boss!" Ana chimed in over her commlink as she sprinted after the fleeing Iron.

"what...what should we do? we can't turn off the autodestruct, can we?"

Ahead of her, Iron kept running full speed ahead. Her movements, while a little jerky from the adrenaline, still held a familiar kind of grace.

"No... I don't think so. You're gonna have to get out of here."

Her own movements were graceful... but getting tired. IT had been a hell of  aday.

"What about you, boss?" Ana asked, with a note of pain. She must have been trying to move. "I...got some ideas to get out of here if you can coordinate it with your people, but....but what about you? I'm not leaving you here."

Iron fished her pistol from her hip's holster, and aimed behind her as she ran, firing off a few shots at her sister through the driving snow.

Hazel threw herself behind cover. "Damn it....."

She tried to think.

Iron kept running, her footsteps crunching in the snow as the shots ceased. The vehicle depot loomed ahead, though cars and trucks were already departing from it.

She tore off after Iron again. "I'm right by the vehicle depot. I can grab something there."

"you're just gonna drive off from a nuclear explosion." Ana said incredulously "You're kidding."

"If you have a better idea I'm listening."

"...there's those....ah.." She laughed softly "you know, the Whizzbang Flyers?"

"You're kidding."

"I mean, they probably work, right?" Ana said "and if we warn your team they could snatch us out of the sky and blast off out of the blast radius."

"Alright.... yeah. Why not."

"If they work, maybe we'll get them going in the field from here on out...reduce.....the possibility of people being left behind. Do a little good."

"Sure.... Can we get to them before this whole place goes up?"

Could she still catch Iron? was there any point in even trying at this point?

Iron was far ahead...but maybe if she fired at her she could bring her down long enough to catch up.

And she still had the briefcase. The one she'd been told not to leave without.

"I can. I...I'll have Calvin help me out. but we'll get them and get 'em out to you. Just tell me where to meet up."

Hazel got out her gun as she ran and aimed it for Iron. _where to meet?_

The vehicle depot was crawling with enemy soldiers trying to escape...and it'd have to be a recognizable landmark that the other two could find from the inside...

Iron was about halfway to the depot, surrounded by blowing wind and snow as she panted and ran to get away from the ever dwindling timer.

"Meet me at the helipad." she said. She opened fire on Iron hoping to catch her.

"got it. We'll have the Whizzbangs ready for you boss."

Iron dodged to the side, managing to avoid the worst of it...but one struck her in the shoulder, and brought her stumbling down.

Hazel put another burst of speed into her movement, practically leaping toward Iron.

She closed the distance as Iron was getting up. The snow was stained red below her, and her uniform was soaking through at the shoulder.

Hazel got close enough to tackle her, just as she was turning around.

Hazel leapt on her and tackled her to the ground,, grabbing for the case.

Iron shouted as she hit the ground again, turning it into a roll as she and Heron tumbled in the dirt....away from the case.

"SISTER!" she hissed. "you've WON,  why don't you flee back to your masters already and leave us BE?"

Hazel tried to spring off of her and go for the case.

Iron grabbed her, and threw her back down into the snow with a familiar CQC move, her teeth set in a sneer. "Why do you want that case, sister?" she hissed

"Why do YOU want it?" Hazel demanded as she caught her breath, rolling and leaping up to grab Iron in return.

"Because." She spat. "I'll do anything in my power to make sure KNIGHT and his LACKIES don't get it!!"

The two of them tumbled through the snow, blood staining the ground below them as they traded grapples.

Hazel grappled her trying to throw her to the ground again. "What's in it?"

Iron laughed, pinned below her as they came to a stop. "You don't KNOW?"

Hazel grunted and looked down at her. "Just tell me."

Iron smiled "extinction. decimation. The loss of everything you should hold dear."

"This isn't the time for a koan!" Hazel hissed, holding her down.

"it isn't? I thought you liked that sort of thing." Iron smirked at her. "your files said as much."

"Not when there's about to be a nuclear explosion!"

"mmmm." Iron looked over at the case. "it's the end. A real finale for the eternal actors."

"Damn it Iron... don't make me shoot you. I _know_ it won't kill you."

"Maybe I deserve to die." She sneered. "maybe we all do."

"That isn't true," she said. "But I have to complete my mission." She reached for her gun.

"And watch what destruction your victory will bring." She smiled sharply.

"Damn it just tell me what's in there," she hissed, pointing the gun at her.

"i've told you exactly what's in there." She spat "your death! my death!" She half sat up in the snow, laughing like a madwoman.

"It's the death of everyone you know! your entire species!"

"Great," Hazel sighed. "Iron, I hope we can work things out between us. In the future."

She was true to her earlier word to Ana. She could pull the trigger on herself.

The flash illuminated the darkness around them....and the bullet splattered Iron's blood on the snow below.

But with a strange pull in the air and a twist of space time....there was no body to be found.

Hazel allowed herself three full heartbeats of grief.

Then she breathed in, stood, and grabbed the briefcase.

The briefcase was heavy in her hand...strangely heavy. Perhaps it was all in her head, like the weight of the air and the swirling chaos of the snowstorm above.

Perhaps it was just the product of a long, terrible day.

She gripped it tightly and radioed Ana. "I'm on my way."

She started for the helipad, each footfall heavy as her heart.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWQBOsKHqpM

{Embed}

Starsailor - Topic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWQBOsKHqpM

Way to Fall

Provided to YouTube by Parlophone UK

Way to Fall · Starsailor

Love Is Here

℗ 2001 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company

Engineer: Adrian Bushby

Keyboards: Barry Westhead

Drums: Ben Byrne

Engineer: Bruno Ellingham

Bass: James Stelfox

Guitar, Vocals: James Wal...

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/aWQBOsKHqpM/maxresdefault.jpg

The wind whipped behind her, shifting the pristine powder of the storm above to slowly cover the place where her sister once lay.

The memory of her final words whipped into the wind and faded with the sound of rumbling tires and panicked orders from the truck depot behind her.

Somewhere far, far above....the lights of the air bash flashed on, bathing the entire facility in sharp, harsh illumination.

As Hazel trudged through the freezing air, she could see the shattered remains of fights long ended. The  burned tank behind her.... the shattered window in the offices....the smoking remains of an heating unit by the old lab.....the gaping wound that was the main lab and it's opened ceiling....

It was all cast into a light as bright as day as she approached the helipad. Two figures huddled atop it, one hunched and wounded and the other doing his best to support her.

Calvin waved to her as she approached. "Heron! you're just in time!"

Hazel hurried to them, her grip on the case like rigormortis.

[5:00] rang the counter from inside the building.

Ana leaned on Calvin, giving her a weak smile. "Hey boss. Looks like....you finished it."

She offered her a strange backpack. "...tell your boys to be ready for us..."

Hazel nodded, and tapped her comm. "Fox-- we're coming up to you."

"You got it, Heron. I'll have them open the bay doors and get some equipment ready. Just...give us a warning when you send someone up."

"We're using some crazy old tech, so hopefully it'll work. I'll let you know."

"Try not to shoot yourselves into one of the engines, Heron." He said, before he clicked off the line.

Hazel nodded at the doctor and Starling. "Alright. We're ready to go."

"Who's first? Me or?"

"Send me up first." Ana said, shifting off of him with a wince. "I'm already wounded. If i kick the bucket on the way up, i'll just....rewind back, or however the hell this works."

She gave Hazel a thumbs up "let me be the test dummy."

Hazel gave her a rueful smile. "I'll allow it. But only because I'm sort of curious to see what that looks like backwards."

"H-Heron!" Calvin looked incredulous.

"I'm kidding."

Ana laughed, holding her shoulder with a pained grin. "She's got a point. I bet it'd be a hell of a sight."

She stepped forward and strapped the device to herself with a soft sigh. "wish me luck..."

Hazel nodded and checked Ana's straps quickly. "Good luck." She stepped back.

Calvin gave her a nervous smile. "See you up there."

Ana saluted them, and gave Calvin a confident grin. "See you up there, Doc. You've got a date to take me on. Don't forget."

She chuckled, and nodded to Hazel. "Thank you, boss."

She took a deep breath...and pulled the cord.

There was a sharp **BANG**, and a balloon burst from the pack, rapidly inflating and sending Ana hurtling up into the sky with a sharp, but evenly distributed, jerk of her body.

As she became a dot in the sky, the massive carrier passed overhead.

After a moment Simon reported in.

"Subject retrieved and on board, Heron."

Hazel sighed. "That's a relief. Sending the doctor up next."

Calvin nodded, though he looked timid. "Alright."

The pack was fairly heavy...but it looked like it wouldn't break his back.

Calvin strapped it on and Hazel checked him over. "YOu're good to go."

"Ready to receive, Heron." Simon chirped.

"Ana tells me to pass on to Calvin that it feels like you're on a drop ride in reverse."

"Oh great."

And then he shot up into the sky.

Moments after he became a speck.

"Subject retrieved and on board, Heron." Simon chirped.

"Alright," Hazel said, putting on the last one herself. "I'm coming up."

As she buckled herself in, she could see the last of the trucks leaving the facility...the countdown echoing in her ears.

[3:20....3:19....3:18....]

Hazel pulled the cord, and tried to relax her body.

WIth a sharp jerk....she was yanked upwards. She shot onto the sky, carried by the experimental balloon to a place high above the ice-covered laboratories. Pax's wonder, the Metal Wolf, smoldered in the open roof of the Main Lab....the body of a battered scout lay alone and unburied atop a smoldering roof...a freedom fighter who lost her country was reduced to a mere dot in the snow below...recognizable only by the glitter of her mechanical arms and legs in the harsh light of the mobile base....

A tank , broken and abandoned, glittered like gold in the bright light, a symbol of a love cut tragically short. Deep in the bowls of the building....while unseen...Hazel knew a burrowing owl had played his last game, and a man's tormented voices were cut short in a single and violent instant.

As she rose above it all, it was easy to see the entire mission in sharp relief.

Above the buildings waved battered flags of a mercenary company...terrorists made from old scars.

The case was heavy in her hand as the balloon finally slowed and she felt herself caught by a long hook, and dragged inside the bay of the Armored Command plane and out of the bitter cold, cutting the sight of the facility from view, save for the narrow window of the open bay doors.

Simon smiled at her. "I'm glad you made it up here alive, Hazel....you...you did good."

Hazel took a deep breath. "Thanks. Heh.... going up isnt as much fun as going down...."

Simon laughed. "that's what I told Private Jenkins back on base." he gave Hazel a flirtatious wink.

"the other two.. .they're in the plane's infirmary. Merryweather's looking at them."

The doors began to close behind them. "I hope some of the scientists made it...."

Around them, the plane seemed to pick up speed, hurtling away with the roar of it's engines. "....but...no matter what.... I guess... mission's accomplished."

"Yeah," Hazel breathed dryly. "Mission accomplished."

Perhaps even more than the snowdrift mission, it didn't feel like an accomplishment.

Simon pushed his hand through his vivid red hair. "Buckle in, Hazel...that bomb's going off real soon, and we're bound to hit a little turbulence."

Hazel nodded. "A little turbulence. yeah." She went to buckle herself in.

Simon buckled in beside her, resting his head on the hull of the plane. "You alright?"

"A few scrapes and cuts," she admitted. "Nasty wound in my leg. But I'll live."

"you've been through worse." He put his hand on hers. "Come see me in my office when we get back, alright? We've got something to talk about."

"Yeah," she nodded. "Don't worry I won't forget."

"good. You deserve the chance to talk our your feelings in private."

"Thanks...." She stared up at the ceiling.

Simon closed his eyes. "I'm here for you, Hazel. No matter what."

Behind them, the roar of an explosion erupted, shaking the very hull of the plane as it hurtled away. The explosion continued, ending in the increasingly distant roar of twin nuclear explosions.

Simon gripped his chair, a soft whimper on his lips.

Hazel reached over and grabbed his hand, closing her eyes. She hoped that as many people as could have got away from the explosion before it happened.

Eventually, the rattling of the plane ceased. But the shaking of Simon's hand continued as the plane flew through the night.

The northern research facility was gone. The dangerous threat of the Metal Wolf eradicated. Iron's insurrection put down, and the threat herself cast somewhere far, far away. The case sat at Hazel's feet, it's mysterious contents currently unknown to her.

But as the plane flew through the arctic sky, Hazel was left alone with her thoughts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-xDqmebxnM

{Embed}

Carla White - Topic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-xDqmebxnM

Can't Say Goodbye To Yesterday

Provided to YouTube by Rightsscale

Can't Say Goodbye To Yesterday · Carla White · Rika Muranaka · Rika Muranaka

METAL GEAR 20th ANNIVERSARY METAL GEAR MUSIC COLLECTION

℗ Konami Digital Entertainment Co.,Ltd.

Released on: 2007-07-18

Auto-generated by YouTube.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/2-xDqmebxnM/sddefault.jpg

She couldn't help but think of the alloy unit. Each of their faces flashing through her mind. Thing things they'd lived for. What  they'd died for. Iron.... would Hazel herself end up that way some day? So hurt all she could do was try to hurt back? Was that what had happened to Victor?

Was he really still alive?

Iron's conviction had held that he was. Her desperation to make up for some long ago betrayal was too visceral to be a display for a corpse. Was it possible he lived?

Was it possible he could still be saved?

The Alloy Unit....each one of them held a deep loyalty to their commander. Each of them had pain so great in their hearts. A pain so great it could drive you to destructive hatred.

Was that the fate of every soldier who fought for the Republic?

It was a question that would go unanswered. Outside, the snowstorm grew thicker, as the plane made it's way back to the Pax Republic's capital city.

A long plane ride, traveled in solemn remembrances and silent grief for those the mission had buried.

As lines of trucks evacuated the irradiated landscape of the north, fleeing to new lives built with enemies and friends alike....the Pax Republic rejoiced.

Soteria, her face somber and her eyes filled with despair, forced a smile to Heron when she returned. She looked tired, lost in daydreams of the past, but she congratulated Hazel for a job well done.

Knight took the briefcase, the General and Stiletto embraced their wounded daughter. Hazel was praised and saluted for the eradication of Iron and the Alloy Unit...and presented another medal to weigh down her heart.

Men in suits and ties stood around darkened tables, the smiles illuminated on their faces as they toasted to another victory against chaos. Another sheet of proof in their own superiority.

Losses were negligible, the charts declared, in the light of what was retrieved. Scientists, agents, soldiers....all were worth it in exchange of the briefcase.

Knight's hands opened it, retrieving a small vial containing a strange and metallic worm....and another vial. A pale blue liquid in a vial marked "chrono-lock serum"

He smiled, holding it up as the light cast blue-tinted shadows upon his face.

Iron was gone.

Peace was preserved.

The victories of the past would not be undone.

And to the shadowy circle, who clapped for the commander in that dim and forgotten room, all was right in the world.

0000000000000000000000000000000 Chronocide Part 2, End 0000000000000000000000000000000000000

Simon sat in the empty officer, surrounded by his communications equipment and old coffee cups. It was a modest office, with other comm team desks situated around the room...but for the moment it was his office and his office alone.

He sat quietly , reading an old spy novel while he awaited Hazel's arrival.

Hazel had tired rings under her eyes but walked in under her own power, wounds cleaned and bandaged. She'd gotten out of her debriefing not long ago. Seh gave Simon a wave.

Simon waved to her, putting his book with with a thin smile 'You look exhausted, Hazel."

She slumped down into a chair nearby and chuckled grimly. "I could use an hour of sleep or 50."

"Feel free to sleep as long as you want after we chat, Heron. You're probably not gonna have to save the world for another few months at _least_ "

"I hope so," she sighed. "It wasn't exactly a laugh a minute this time."

"..no. Not that the last one was really all that great either."

Simon leaned on his hand. ".....Hazel, I watched you die."

She nodded. 'I'm sorry you had to see that."

"it's alright. I... thought I'd seen it back in Snowdrift, you know? But I thought it was like...a glitch in the old cameras. some kind of weird...freakout."

He sighed "....but you really died."

"I didn't realize back then it was something that.... you would be aware of. Or I would have talked about it after Snowdrift."

"I didn't say anything about it." He said.

Nervously, he sighed. "....i know you reset...you told me after snowdrift, but... I didn't know that _i'd see it_ ."

He paused before he said "i'm just glad it's something that lets you survive when things go bad. I couldn't live knowing you died on my watch."

She smiled thinly. "Simon.... heh. I wouldn;t want to do that to you."

He fiddled with his fingers, nodding slowly "We're in this together, Hazel. Looks like...whatever thing your mom used to bring us here linked us together in a way we can't really sever. So..."

He smiled "Even if it means having to know the resets happen...I'm just glad I can be there to support you and understand."

She leaned forward and put her hand on his hands. "Thanks."

He smiled at her. "you're welcome, Hazel."

He squeezed her hand tightly "You've got me on your side..." He leaned forward "especially when you wanna get something off your chest. I'm sure you've got a lot of thoughts about that mission."

She squeezed him back. "Yeah.... it was... a lot to confront."

"Your twin. Your recent past...." He sighed. "A lot of people's mistakes."

She closed her eyes nodding. "Yeah. Iron and her people... they were desperate."

"They seemed to be...desperate and lashing out at the people they deemed responsible.."

"Its hard to blame them in some ways."

"I can't blame them in the least." Simon admitted. "...from all I heard...they've been badly hurt by the policies here. By...people refusing to show a little compassion. treating them as tools rather than people."

He sighed "while I disagree with their actions and extremism, I can see where it's rooted."

"Exactly. There's no way they could be allowed to get away with what they were doing but its hard not to see the hurt. I can't believe someone thought it was a good idea to put them all together.:"

Simon nodded. "The way it was explained to me was...well...that the northern facility was meant to be light duty to help them heal from their traumas...but the way I see it it was just giving them a group of people who knew their pain...who could commiserate and let the frustration fester and grow as more slights and cruelties were discovered."

"Yeah," she sighed. "That's how it ended up anyway. Support groups... can become echo chambers."

"especially with someone charismatic and angry enough at the helm...like your sister."

"Yeah," she sighed."Seeing Iron... made me glad I was raised by my mom, you know?"

Simon nodded slowly. "I bet, Hazel." He pat her hand with a small smile. "She looked out for you, even with her quirks, helped you grow into the person you are today. Showed you warmth, in her way."

He sighed "Iron, from the files I read, never received anything even close to that."

"No," she shook her head. "It hurt to hear about."

"It...hurts for me to hear about too." Simon said quietly "It can be hard to grow up without that kind of connection, you know?"

He leaned on the table. "...from what she was saying, the first time anyone even acknowledged her as a person...it was someone she'd been told to kill."

"Yeah," she nodded."That's.... not great."

"no." Simon frowned "i wish there was more information on that mission. It'd help me make a more complete mental profile for her..."

"Yeah. But it seems like the records have been pretty well sponged."

"Must be something the brass wants hidden." He murmured quietly. "...still. Whatever happened scarred her deeper than any physical wound could ever reach."

"yeah. Right down to the heart."

"and that broken heart hurt her every day." Simon said, spinning his pen. "...and it drove her to desperation. And when she saw the problems her friends and allies suffered...the injustices...it drove her to extremes."

"She saw a Pax that had let her and everyone she cared about down."

"I'll be honest Hazel....that's likely all she saw. Due to the way Knight shut her away from society to train her as a soldier....she knows nothing of Pax and it's regular people. She's never felt the kindness of a neighbor or of a friend. She's got no connection to any of it...which is probably why she ...brushed them off as a necessary sacrifice if she was to burn away a system she saw as corrupted."

"Yeah.... its hard to want to defend something you don't have any attachment to."

"They created a soldier that couldn't understand the idea of empathy for the people she was supposed to protect....because for her, they were a faceless mass. A faceless mass that allowed the things that created her to come to pass."

"That's a hell of a 'whoopsie'," Hazel sighed

"It wasn't right." Simon said. "She should have been socialized...it wasn't fair to her..."

"If I could change it, I would," she said. "I only hope they haven't done that to anyone else."

"With the Alloy Unit gone...perhaps we're finally free of Knight's past mistakes, and we can strive for a better future."

"We can hope," she said. "I can't remember-- were we out of contact while I was in the cloning lab?"

"We were." He said slowly "we were out of contact for a while...ever since after you faced down Eagle."

"Yeah," she sighed. "That was... hard too. But.... the cloning lab..."

"...what happened in the cloning lab, Haze?"

She took a deep breath. "Got a peek at the project."

"..." Simon nodded, urging her to continue

She closed her eyes for a moment leaning into her chair's embrace. "They were trying for another clone. Beyond the two we know."

Simon's body stiffened, and his lips set into a hard frown "I'm sorry...what?"

"Yeah," she breathed, "except not a clone of just me. They wanted-- they wanted to mix my DNA with Viper's."

Simon's eyes widened for a moment, before he offered his hands to her with a look of shock "Hazel... I....I'm so sorry."

she squeezed his hands. "It looks like it... was not allowed to happen. But..."

"But it's still got to be...odd. Uncomfortable. Even hurtful. To know they'd do something like that without permission....It's a violation."

".....yeah," she nodded. "I... its hard to express how I feel about that. Violated... thats a good word."

"Yeah." Simon said with a weak smile "I thought you might like it..."

He sighed "because it is a violation."

Hazel slumped back in the chair again. "I wish I knew what to do with all this."

"I wish i had more advise..." Simon said with a soft sigh.

"But it sounds like that....that project is finished?"

Hazel made a face.

"...it's not?" Simon prodded

"I don't know," she said. "I don;t know how I _can_ know."

"...I suppose we can try asking Soteria..." Simon mused softly. "If she knew it upset you , she'd stop it from happening, even if they brought it back."

She nodded. "Yeah... Soteria's probably the only person I feel even slightly comfortable asking..."

"She's a good woman...and she's the one in charge. If anyone can prevent it, it's her." Simon said with confidence.

Hazel gave him a little smile. "Yeah..."

"And you know I'll do whatever I can for you. Even if I have to go for a commander's kneecaps." Simon flashed a smile "Bite their shins or something."

She chuckled. "Simon. I know you would."

"I'm 100% on your side." He said , "frick, Haze...if you wound up court martialed or something? I'd be right there with you, working to get you out of there."

She squeezed his hand again. "Simon... I'm glad you're my friend. Still sorry I pulled you into this mess but... I don't know what I'd do without you."

"it's not like I had much waiting for me back home." He said warmly. He squeezed her hand. "Hazel. You and your mom have been like family to me for years now. I love you guys... it's...scary..being in a world that's not mine. But I wouldn't ask for anything else. I'm here for you now and always."

"YOu know you're like a brother to me, Simon," she said. After a pause she added. "In a way that doesn't make it weird if you want to flirt with Calvin if he and Ana don't work out."

Simon flushed a hot red. ".....well he is kinda cute..." he admitted. "But...i get what you mean."

"Yeah," she nodded with a smile. "we grew up together."

"we did." Simon said with a warm smile. "We grew up together...you guys basically took me in when I was at my worst, so.....family."

"Family," she said with a smile. "I hope you don't mind if the family's getting a little bigger."

He shook his head with a chuckle "honestly, it's kind of nice. More family is never something i'll complain about."

"Yeah," Hazel smiled. "me neither."

"and everyone you've been adding have been really great people." he laughed. "I'm honestly excited to get to know them all."

"Hopefully we'll get the chance to do it in a more relaxed setting."

"maybe once all the fighting's over we can all just...relax.."

"Yeah. Thats what Im looking foward to."

Simon chuckled "how about we find the nicest beach on this planet and just

..kick back"

"That sounds amazing. we'll bring a really big umbrella for mom."

"She'll need it , given the way she burns in the sun." Simon snickered

"Calvin too probably."

"good point. and ah.. your sister if we ever manage to talk her down and...get her a pardon."

"That's... optimistic. But yeah. I'd like that."

"I'm always optimistic, Haze. you know that."

"I count on you for it."

"Someone has to balance your cold logic." he teased

"Ouch," she chuckled. "I'd say calm rationalization but..."

"Maybe lets go with that." He teased "though it all comes to the same thing.... you're a pessimist sometimes."

"You think so? Ana maybe said something similar..."

"Guess me and her are on the same page." he chuckled. "sometimes your logical mind kinda... you know..."

he shrugged "fails to see the bright side."

"I guess that's true. Thank you for always reminding me."

"Any time, Haze."

Simon paused for a moment 'hey uh...it's  a little awkward to ask....but..."

She cocked her head. "Yeah?"

"Iron...seemed pretty convinced about Victor being alive."

"She... did. Yeah."

"I can't help but wonder if she's right.."

Hazel sighed. "Do you really think its possible/"

"You survived death. Your mother survived death....a lot of people we know dodged what's supposed to be certain death." Simon said slowly.

"It's entirely possible that yeah, he somehow survived..."

Hazel nodded. "Its true...."

His fingers clenched on his lap, as he looked a little thoughtful. "What will you do if it's true?"

She closed her eyes, her shoulders slumping slightly. "I honestly don't know."

Simon nodded 'it's an awkward situation." He agreed. "Hard. Especially with things as they are."

"I... would want to talk to him," she said.

"well..." simon hesitated. "...if it turns out to be true...I'll see if I can get you some time without any ears on you?"

"Simon.... thank you."

Simon nodded "Anytime Haze." He said "my loyalty's to my friends, and found family. Not to people like Knight and his goons."

"I'm glad to know you'll always have my back."

Simon winked. "I know you've got mine...though my problems aren't nearly so complicated."

"Even if they were,, you know I'd be right there for you."

Simon winked "if I ever get myself into a cross timeline enemies to lovers, romeo and juliet style  fic, I'll let you know."

Hazel flushed slightly. "Yeah... heh. Make sure to. Let me know I mean."

Simon leaned on his hand with a grin. "Of course, Haze."

"I don't reccomend the whole romeo and juliet thing. Ends badly."

"I'll keep that in mind if I pass any apothecaries." Simon smirked.

"Or nuns," she nodded.

"Can't trust those nuns." he agreed

She shook her head. "They get their messages crossed."

Simon snickered "Let's...just avoid the whole scenario all together, huh?"

"Its a deal," she said chuckling slightly.

He offered her a hand "let's shake on it."

She took his hand and squeezed it gently again for a moment before shaking  his hand.

"it's a deal, Haze." He squeezed her hand back. "anything else on your mind?'

"Oh plenty," she chuckled. "But I think that's most of the urgent stuff."

"Well any time you wanna talk about something...come find me." he said, poking her shoulder.

"I promise," she said putting a hand over her heart.

He nodded and smiled warmly '...now you'd better get some rest, Haze. You look exhausted."

"Thanks, Simon. Come and check on me if Im not up in lets say 20 hours. Alright?"

"You got it, Haze." he saluted her. "I'll keep a watch nearby."

She saluted him back, and headed off for her nap.

00000000000000000000

Hazel had the privaledge of being one of those allowed to call on Soteria at pretty much any time she pleased. She hoped it was a good time as she knocked on the door.

"Come in." Came the President's quiet, slightly wavering voice.

It sounded, as it often did these days, fairly tired...

Hazel could certainly relate. She pushed the door open. "Madam president."

The president was...for once...mercifully alone.

The moment Hazel entered the room, her eyes lit up and a smile crossed her face. "Hazel....how wonderful to see you."

"Its good to see you too." She closed the door behind her, very thankful indeed they had some time alone.

Soteria began putting away whatever it was she'd been working on, gesturing to the chair opposite to her. "Please, have a seat.."

"Thanks," she said, oblidgingly doing so. She tried to get comfortable, and not to look as serious as she felt. "I hope I didn't interupt something importanyt."

"Just some bills i was asked to review." She said with a thin smile. "They can wait until we're finished."

"Thanks for making time for me," she smiled back.

"i'll always have time for you, Hazel." Soteria said. "I know our time together has been...sporadic. But I consider you like family to me.."

She shook her head. "you've saved my life more than once, and you've always been there when I needed you most."

"I'm glad I could be there for you," she said. "I hope I always will be."

"Well unless you and more mother are planning on jumping universes again." She chuckled lightly "which I hope you aren't..."

"Its not in the plan, no," she chuckled with her. Her mother was probably a wanted criminal on earth anyway...

"Then I'm sure you'll bet here for me..and I for you..for quite some time." She laughed "...people like us...tend to live for a good, long while."

"Something to look forward to."

Soteria nodded, and folded her hands before her. "I agree."

After a moment, she finally asked "..is...is there anything on your mind, Hazel?"

"A lot, I'm afraid, madam president," she said with a sigh. "I hate to trouble you."

"I find myself in a similar state." She admitted , smiling weakly. "Perhaps we're troubled over the same things?"

"Maybe we are," she nodded.

"So please...don't be afraid to tell me what's bothering you."

"I happened on some old documents in the labs, while I was looking for the briefcase," she said.

"...old documents?" She asked curiously "from which project?"

"The cloning project," she admitted.

"ah..." Soteria smiled weakly. "I imagined that might be the case. I...it couldn't have been an easy thing to see."

"It... wasn't great," she agreed. "I thought I knew about the whole thing but... some things surprised me."

Soteria nervously fiddled with her fingers for a moment. "you must mean the Golden Heron project..."

"yeah..." she breathed.

Soteria bit her lip. "Knight explained it to me as an attempt to meld the genetic code of two of Pax's greatest soldiers. But...if i'm to be honest, I don't see why we couldn't have stopped with simply cloning you.."

"I'm not really sure either," she admitted.

"I was told the project was...ah, cancelled, after the team failed to attain any real results."  Soteria said quietly. "Which, privately, i was pleased with. Creating children for war has never sat well with me..."

Hazel nodded. "I have to agree with that. Somebody who never had a choice in the matter... probably isn't going to make a good soldier for long."

"no...just...look what happened to poor Iron." Soteria's hands had begun to shake, though she clutched them tighter together.

Hazel scooted closer. "Yeah... exactly," she sighed. "I know its an unpleasant subject to talk about..."

Soteria sighed. "Unpleasant as it is...it....it's my fault for not seeing the problems sooner."

"Its all over with now, right?" Hazel asked. "You shut it down?"

"Of course." she frowned "while Wrought has proven herself a model soldier and a friend...I...wouldn't want anyone else to be created from that ...that project. It's shut down. for good."

"I'm glad to hear it. I hope that;s not too out of line for me to say."

Soteria shook her head. "I'm pleased it's done with as well...I just wish there was more I could have done for Iron..."

She leaned on her hands. "I'm just glad you finally came back."

"I wish we could have too," she sighed. "as for coming back-- im sorry about all that bouncing around time. Wasn;t exactly my idea."

"No i...imagine it wasn't." Soteria shook her head. "I'm still not sure why it happened, but I know the time stream works in mysterious ways."

She laughed softly "the will of Chronia.."

"Yeah," Hazel chuckled. "Guess we can chalk it up to that as much as anything."

"I wouldn't be surprised if it's the case...worship of Chronia fell out of favor in recent years, but.... I've always believed she watched over those touched by the timestream."

"She certainly seems to think so."

Soteria cast a questioning look to Hazel.

"Sorry, I mean-- there's a AI from the lab that believes she's Chronia. I brought her back with me."

Soteria's eyes lit up "oh!! I remember her!"

She smiled , and leaned on her desk "the old AI project... it went hand in hand with the Chrononaut project back in the day . I  met that quirky little pod quite a few times as things went on..."

"I like her," Hazel said with a little smile. "I've been around AI before thanks to my mom."

"Your mother always did love the artificial intelligence projects..." Soteria chuckled. "She developed most of them...Chronia included. "

She chuckled. "That practically makes her another sister."

"Your family just keeps growing and growing." Soteria laughed into her hand.

"I'm sure my mother will be pleased," she agreed with amusement.

"i'm sure... I hope she and Calvin have the chance to talk, speaking of family.."

"I'm sure they will. Calvin seems like a nice guy."

"he's a sweetheart.' Soteria said, a bright smile on her face.

When she talked to Hazel, she seemed happier than usual, and the bright, genuine smile on her face was radiant today.

"He really takes after Dr. Kovalenko."

"I could tell a bit," she nodded. "We didn't get much time to chat but he has a lot of personality."

"He's tried to show me...his ah..." Soteria scratched her neck thoughtfully "giant robot shows of his before. He's very spirited when talking about them."

Hazel chuckled. "Yeah. I think he mentioned it once or twice already."

"he...certainly...will talk about it more once you start chatting with him. He really seems to enjoy them."

"I'll probably have to sit through at least one, then."

"The one he showed me was...ah.." She hesitated "fun. Though quite depressing."

"That... sounds about right, yeah."

"there was just so much internal corruption going on." Soteria bit her lip "...it..upset me to think that something like that could be possible. I'm just glad i know I can trust my advisors..."

Hazel rubbed the back of her neck. "Yeah..."

"Still, the mechanical designs were a wonder to behold. Even having seen our own mechanical titans at work!"

"I'm guessing Calvin's a bit inspired by these kinds of shows?"

She nodded. "I think it's influenced his designs somewhat, if I'm being honest."

"I'm not surprised in the least."

"He even suggested we move the wolf to a more bipedal form!" She laughed softly "which..while interesting, I'm not...so sure about."

"I can't see the benefit personally."

"It'd just topple over if something bumped into it." Soteria said "at least, that's what i think."

Hazel nodded. "I'm sure Calvin would say differently but as far as I'm concerned you're right."

"i'm not the roboticist, but..' she shook her head. "Those robots in his shows fall over all the time in their fights."

"And then explode."

"not very ah..." she stammered "Structurally sound."

"No," Hazel said shaking her head. "Better to stick with four legs. Or tank treads."

"...sometimes i wonder if perhaps treads are the better option...." Soteria shook her head "But honestly..i...don't like thinking of machines of war."

She smiled whistfully "I just wish we could find the peace that Pax wished for us eons ago."

"I have to agree on both points," Hazel sighed.

"I've never gotten to see true peace." Soteria admitted. "My entire reign as president...all I've seen is one war or conflict after another."

"Tumultuous times. I wish I could say things were better in the universe I grew up in. BUt no."

"it was still a world of war, was it?" She asked with a sad look in her eyes. "sometimes I wonder if there's any world that's free of it..."

"I don't know. Obviously there are things you can do to minimize it, but as long as groups of people have conflicting interests, you'll have war."

"I suppose it's inevitable." Soteria said quietly. "I just wish we could solve things more humanely."

"I'd like that too."

"maybe one day. "Soteria nodded "....as long as we have good people like you here to help us....do what we must to keep people safe."

"I'll keep doing my best to do exactly that. Keep people safe."

"And...i'll be doing all I can from here. Though..." SHe laughed weakly "So often I wonder if I'm doing any good."

"You're a good person, Soteria. Knowing you're in charge makes me feel safer."

Soteria smiled warmly "you really think so, Hazel?"

"Honestly," she nodded.

Tears welled in the corners of Soteria's eyes. "...that means a lot, to hear you say that.."

Hazel pulled a hankerchief out of her pocket and offered it to her. "I'm glad."

Soteria took the hankerchief gratefully, and dabbed the tears from her eyes with a soft sniff.

"You're one of the people I can always rely on. Who i very much respect.."

"I'm honored by the faith that you put in me. I keep hoping I'll live up to it."

"You've always done so." Soteria handed her the hankerchief back with another sniff.

"I try my best to be the leader you believe me to be."

"then we're both trying our best. Which is the best we can do."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

How often was Hazel going to run into Major Knight in lonely hallways? How often were her conversations with the man going to be hushed talk of the clandestine while alone in the darkened twists and turns of the Central Facility?

Perhaps the man had an uncanny ability to simply appear when he was least wanted or expected.

Because once more it happened as Hazel made her way out from the meeting with Soteria.. She turned a pristine hallway and nearly ran right into the broad shouldered form of Knight.

She stopped herself before the two of them actually made contact. "Major." She saluted.

He saluted her in return, his smile as formal as ever. "Agent Heron. Good job on the arctic mission."

"Thank you, Major." She said. There were a lot of things on her mind. The question was would she say any of them.

"you performed admirably in taking out Iron's little...insurrection."

"About that, Major...."

He raised his eyebrow. "yes Heron?"

"I had a suggestion that might help prevent such things from happening in the future, sir."

He folded his hands behind his back with a thin smile. "You can speak, Heron."

"It occurs to me sir, that perhaps postings with potentially volatile or traumatized soldiers should be monitored by a psychologist for signs of sedition, sir."

For a moment...Knight looked taken aback...even angry.

But he stilled it into a smile "i'll take that under advisement."

"Thank you, Major, sir," she said, saluting flawlessly. "It would be a tragedy if treasonous thinking was allowed to run unchecked and cause another incident."

He saluted back. "We'd really rather avoid another diplomatic incident" he agreed. "...this sort of catastrophe is truely once in a lifetime."

"We can hope, sir. Glad I could help when needed. I won't take up any more of your time."

Knight smiled thinly "Until we need you next, Heron. Be well."

00000000000000000000000

Hazel found Calvin pacing outside of her mother's lab.

"You haven't talked to her yet?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"Heron! I... um...."

Hazel smiled and grabbed his arm, dragging him inside. "Come on."

Inside Dr. Davidson's lab, the usual equipment was set up. Natalie, plugged into a large bank of computers, blinked away quietly off to the side, as Dr. Davidson tapped away at her own computer console.

The mementos from the Chrononaut experiment dominated the back wall...but it seemed AI research had mostly taken up the rest in the time since she moved back in.

She glanced up as they entered. "Hazel." She greeted with a nod.

Even inside the lab, she wore her sunglasses.

Though as Calvin stumbled through the door she pulled them down with a look of muffled surprise. "....."

"Hm.." She glanced back at her work. "Calvin? is that you?"

The gawky man nodded fidgetting nervously with his gloved hands. "Y-yes, it's me."

"Hey mom. I brought him back like you wanted," Hazel said.

"you did well, Hazel. Thank you." Dr. Davidson said, as she fiddled with her work computer. Her fingers typed away at the same line of code a few times.

"Welcome back, Calvin. You...ah.." She cleared her throat, and returned her attention to the computer. "hm."

She'd seen this quite a few times before with her mother.... She was probably having a bit of trouble breaking the ice with her lost son.

Hazel looked between the two of them with growing concern.

"Ah..." Calvin pushed up his glasses awkwardly. "Its um.... its been...."

Dr. Davidson drummed her finger on the enter key for a long moment, tipping her sunglasses back down.

"A fair few years* she said

Calvin nodded, swallowing. "I ah... I've read your work," he muttered lamely.

"have you?" Harley asked "I hope you found it stimulating. I've been catching up with your own work, myself"

As far as touching family reunions went

...this was pretty awkward

"I uh... hope it hasn't disappointed you," he murmered.

Hazel looked on in disbelief.

Harley pushed her sunglasses up with the tips of her pale fingers before she glanced his way. "Far from it. Your grasp of mechanical design surpasses my own. And you have some very interesting theories about the time stream and Chrono-radiation poisoning."

She hesitated a long moment before she said "I'm very proud of you."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Y-yeah? That's high praise...."

"I would say you've earned it. And all through your own hard work. You're a very capable scientist, Calvin Kovalenko."

She looked like she wanted to say more, but left it at that.

"I hate to butt in," Hazel said, after a long moment of silence between the two.

Her mother glanced her way, and recoiled her fingers away from the keyboard.

"Hazel" she acknowledged " it's no trouble.  What is it?"

"Are you gonna give my brother a hug, or what?" she demanded, a hand on her hip.

Calvin blinked and flushed. "H-heron I um...."

Harley's pale face flushed red, and she stammered quietly "it's not...I."

She stiffened in her chair with a "h..hm. "

Awkwardly she turned in her chair, and faced Calvin. "I imagine this is a little awkward and strange for you."

She stood in a smooth motion, and pulled him into a hug. At first it was a little stiff.

Calvin hugged her back... a little stiffly at first too, but then he squeezed her. "It... it is but..."

It took another moment for Harley to relax herself, and gave Calvin a tight squeeze. "I didn't mean to go, Calvin." She said "I didn't mean to leave you behind."

He leaned his head on her shoulder. "They told me you died," he said quietly.

Hazel slipped out of the room with the stealth of an acclaimed infiltration agent.

She laughed, though a bit weakly. "In a fashion, I suppose I did. But my...mutation...sent your sister and I to another universe to stabilize us. We were stranded in an unfamiliar world."

Gently, she rubbed his back, letting him lean on her.

He squeezed her again. "I'm glad that... that you didn't really die."

"I'm just sorry we weren't able to find a way home sooner. I tried every day....the ...materials in that world were harder to come by." She pat his back.

"I'm glad I can be here now....and I'm...pleased...with how Justine has raised you. You grew up into a fine young man, Calvin."

"I'm glad you're here now," he said. "Don't get me wrong I love justine but... I mean... you're my mom..."

"She's a wonderful friend, and I'm sure a lovely guardian."

Harley reached up and rustled his hair. "But I'll be trying to bet a better mother from here on out. No more gut wounds. No more temporal banishment."

He pushed his glasses up. "G-good. Cause I'd like... to get to know you again."

Harley pulled back to meet his eyes with a slim smile "I suppose that would be the logical place to start."

She thought for a moment, before she poked his shoulder "Are you still into giant robot anime, Calvin? I hope you haven't grown out of that just yet."

Calvin's smile spread. "Absolutely!"

She raised her eyebrows. "Then perhaps we should settle in. I still have a number of samples of Earth's media stored in Natalie's databanks. If you have the time, i mean."

He looked astonished. "Really? You have anime from another universe with you?"

"I didn't want to lose my collection." Harley admitted, patting his shoulder before she walked over to Natalie. "So I had Natalie download backups before we made the leap."

"That sounds amazing! you wouldn't mind if I watched some with you? Have you watched any from here yet?"

"well.." She chuckled "aside from those I used to watch with you, I haven't had to chance."

"we'll have to do a comparison watch, if I find similiarities!"

"Sounds like perfect mother and son bonding time to me." Harley said with a slim smile. "After we can compare theories...maybe draw up a few blueprints."

"I'll make some popcorn!"

"and I'll ask Natalie to compile the best watch order."

She turned "Think you can do that, darling?" she asked the blinking machine.

"I certainly can," the computer responded warmly. "Please make certain to let me know whether you consider the order I find 'ideal'."

"I'll be sure to tell you." Harley nodded slowly .

"ah...Calvin." She flushed slightly "...meet ah...Natalie. She's....well.."

"Its a pleasure to meet you, Natalie," Calvin said cordially.

"And you," Natalie responded.

"She's ...your...other mother." Harley murmured. "or at least...the....recreation of her personality within an AI network."

"Oh! Oh wow...." rather than disturbed, Calvin seemed intrigued,, pushing up his glasses and goggling earnestly at the computer.

"at her core, I based the AI Network on the same ones used in the Chrononaut experiments..but over time I fed more and more data about Lionheart into the system...and "

She gestures "now she stands before us...reborn"

"You'll make me blush," the computer said, dryly.

Harley was the one who blushed instead "I..imagine you don't remember much about her. Given how early she was taken from us..."

"B-but this is her. A part of her of nothing else." She smiled , though a bit nervously

She pat the chassis of the AI pod "Natalie, thank you. And thank you for helping your daughter and I find our way home"

Calvin cocked his head. "Helping you find your way?" he asked, still obviously in awe of the computer.

"I did mention the core of the AI Network was based upon the same technology we used to map the time stream back during the Chrononaut project, yes?"

"oh! Yes," he nodded. "I imagine if it was the timestream mapping dating it would be possible to use that to find a specific point..."

"given that we created a small 'wound' in the continuum with our meddling, it was simple to pinpoint the dimensional coordinates once Natalie ran the necessary formulas."

She folded her hands "giving me a map to follow once the crude, rudimentary time/space generator  was complete."

"I imagine it was somewhat difficult to get access to the necessary materials..."

"having no loyalty to an alien power helped some" Harley chuckled into her sleeve.

"I simply worked my way into a state job in R&D and...acquired the necessary materials as I found them. "

"Ah... resourceful," he chuckled.

She chuckled "anything I could do to get home."

She paused "though I won't likely be visiting that dimension ever again"

"oh? not planning on going for a uh, vacation?"

Harley laughed "hardly a vacation when you're likely to be labeled a wanted traitor"

"Ah." Calvin laughed with her. "That would do it..."

"besides." She rustled his hair. "I've been away too long. Now's not the time to be thinking of universe crossing vacations"

He leaned into her hand a bit embaressedly. "I doubt you've even had time to vacation here from what I've heard."

"..." She shook her head "from one crisis to another...that's the Pax Republic way, hm?"

"Sometimes it sure seems that way, " he admitted with a sigh.

She leaned very slightly against his shoulder with a nod "it's up to people like us to do our best to stop them. You. Me. Your sister."

"It is.... Heh...My sister..." he rubbed his neck. "That's going to take some getting used to."

"Having a sister?" she mused. "I imagine it's much the same for her.."

She paused for a moment, glancing over at him 'Are you happy to have a sister?"

"I'm happy to have a sister, absolutely," he nodded. "Its just strange with.... how famous that she is."

"I'll admit, I didn't expect her to be quite so...legendary...upon our return."

"you didn't know anything about it when you got back... I guess how could you?"

"There's no way for me to have known." She said, a note of sadness in her voice. "What a thing to become famous for."

"I have to agree," he nodded. "But... she seems like a very strong person, from what I've seen."

"She's always been strong." Harley nodded. "Always fighting through any struggle. She's a good soldier...and a good daughter."

She sighed. "Sometimes I worry she's _too_ good a soldier. Like her other mother."

"Lionheart, you mean," Calvin murmured, with a distant look. "I remember her... a little..."

"mmm." she said softly. "Lionheart. She used to play with you some...between missions."

He nodded that same far away look in his eyes. "She did...."

"She gave her life for her country." Harley said grimly "...there's no world in which I can believe she'd become a traitor. Even Natalie confirms it... I've run the scenario over and over again, and come to the same conclusion."

"I... don't have any conclusive evidence," Calvin said. "But even the classified reports regarding that incident were... odd."

"Nothing about it adds up." She said in a quiet voice "...except the idea that she was sent in there to die for some ...some political gain."

"I wish I knew...."

"I wish I did too." She put her hand on Natalie's chassis . Her voice had started to tremble. "...I never got my chance to ask Soteria."

Calvin reached out for her other hand. "Maybe we should do that."

She took his hand with a slight smile "perhaps we should. I hope I haven't proven to be too much of a downer, Calvin."

"Not at all," he said. "But how about I get that popcorn and we cheer up a bit?"

She nodded. "I think that sounds like a lovely way to spend the evening, son."