12: Setback
It is easy to see that the relationship between myself, Dyka and Tsukinousagi was not very good to begin with from the beginning. It was a very complex situation, as we - or at least I - saw Tsukinousagi as what she was portrayed as - a terrible weakling, yet somehow a criminal. It didn't seem logical at all.
So, in our defense, we decided to play upon Vika ignorance - and, in my opinion, Tsukinousagi seemed quite ignorant. Around me, all she ever did was really cry a lot, yet she wasn't hurt. It was very annoying, and every night, I would go to her - my - room and yell at her.
-HEY! I hated the sound she made when she cried. -Hey, you should be grateful! You get to keep my room! If it had been anyone else...
But it was of no avail. She never talked to me, she just cried, and when she wasn't crying, she would be eating my coocor. To me, it annoyed me. Sometimes, I'd tell her to shut up, and sometimes, this worked. However, sometimes, I became....physical, I suppose.
-Shut UP! This one time, I caught her with my coocor, and I smacked her in her face. -And STOP eating MY food! If you want food, make your OWN!
That time, she cried really hard. It was exasperating. All she ever did was either cry or eat. And that one time, I didn't even smack her that hard, and she just started crying. I'd smacked her harder before; the one time, when I returned from collecting evidence, among two or three other times. But I digress. That is not something to truly get into yet.
-
After our breaking of Tartes' flimsy testimony, Dyka and I were ecstatic - or at least I was - about our own upcoming witness. Sailor Jyanda was a fervent supporter of our theory that our Vika soldier was a tiny, ignorant fool of a sailor. In fact, she had called us on her way to Asgerd to testify.
-Yup! She ecstatically greeted me. -Lots of fun! This is going to be an interesting thing, indeed!
It would be an interesting thing indeed. We would have a witness whom would be able to help us with our rut. As it was, we only had three witnesses to present, and one of them was in an old-age home. Of the three, Dyka did not want to call her unless she really had to.
Speaking of that, I suspected, of course, that she was secretly looking more witnesses behind my back. Granted, I had gone to all of Dyka's suggested people, but I thought that she could be doing other things behind my back. I wasn't very happy to not be privy to this information because I was, after all, her assistant. I felt I had a right to know what my boss - as you would call her - was doing with what was supposed to be my duty.
Indeed, one night, I caught her talking on a telecommunicator down in our main area. I had been going to get something to drink, as I was quite thirsty, and I heard her do a slightly high-pitched yelp.
-What? She squeaked. -But you don't understand. This is very important to me. You know as well as I do that she would be VERY useful to the.....listen. Bingam, listen. LISTEN. You know as well as I do that she is dirty.
I paused, and quietly made my way down the stairs. I pondered what she was talking about, and as best as I could, hid behind one of the chairs.
-Don't play innocent! Dyka almost yelled into the com. -LISTEN! You need to HELP me. You and I know fully well she's dirty. We just have to find out HOW. We need to learn who is supplying her with all of these witnesses. She has an ally.....look, LOOK. I don't want to get in trouble with the.....what do the Three have to do with......what?......Stop it! HELP ME, damn you!
I listened in earnest. Who, I pondered, was Dyka talking about? As unfortunate as it sounds, I simply couldn't figure it out, no matter how hard I thought about it.
-....Look. Dyka's voice was annoyed. -Fine. You don't want to help me, just go and be worthless.
With that, she angrily gave a grunt, and threw the com onto one of the chairs. I silently moved my head over to see which chair it was on, since I could call that person back, and find out who it was. Why would Dyka do such a thing?
Unfortunately, as I leaned in, Dyka was turning towards my direction. Our eyes met, and I gave a start.
-Oh....oh dear!
At this, I lost my balance, and fell to my side. As I smarted from the fall, I looked up and saw Dyka standing over me.
-Do you need something?
-.....Well.......
I tried to think of what to say. But what could I say? I was eavesdropping. Not for entirely wrong reasons, I might add, but regardless, it was a conversation Dyka did not want me to hear.
-......You would do better minding your own business. Dyka's voice was low. -Rather than listening to my conversations, perhaps you would be better off doing your own work.
-......Yes, sister. I was feeble and powerless against Dyka. -I understand.
-Get up. The next thing I knew, Dyka was helping me up. -It is nothing. I shouldn't be so harsh.
-Thank you...
-But.... she suddenly turned me so I was looking at her again. -This moment will be forgotten. Do you understand, Floritiuse? I was not talking to anyone.
-F-forgotten? I slowly nodded. -Yes, its forgotten.
-Good.
With that, she let me go, and I hastily excused myself to get a drink. With the way that she looked at me, I was not sure if I wanted to know who she was talking to anymore.
-
It seemed insulting to me, afterwards, that Dyka should hide such things from me. I was her partner, the one she chose because, she said, she trusted me. I could not understand why, or how, she could possibly treat me as some stupid, hapless subordinate. As a soldier, as a sailor soldier, I was supposed to be her equal, like a sister, and should have been privy to all that she was doing for me, just as all I did was to be told to her. Yet it was as if I suddenly knew nothing that was going on, and no one was telling me anything. But I digress.
-Dyka, I asked the next day. -I was wondering-
-I thought it was forgotten, Themis.
-.....Yes, that's forgotten. I sheepishly smiled. -But I was wondering, when Jyanda sees Tsukinousagi, how do you think she'll react?
We were going to the transit to pick Jyanda up. We did not bring Tsukinousagi with us; we decided that she should be kept in the dark about Jyanda until the trial, and was left with Brainless Brutus, the grunt who was her escort to the Court of Justice. Besides which, we did not quite trust that she would not be ripped to shreds by the crowds. But what would she have known? All the child did was sit in her room and cry. She probably would have been too busy bawling, I figured, and everyone would laugh at her weakness and forget about her.
No, it was better to save us the embarrassment of such a figure in our car. We were portrayed badly by many as it was.
-If Jyanda is a good pirate fighter, she will not be so shocked. Dyka looked at me, amused. -Of course, sometimes, being small has its advantages in terms of looks.
-I don't think so. I shook my head. -Being big has a very great advantage. Look at Tsukinousagi; every time I pass by her room, she looks at me, frightened, as if I was going to attack her!
-Well, do you attack her?
-....Not all of the time, I admitted. -I mean, does it look like I attack her all the time?
-...No. Dyka was silent for a moment. -But be careful. We don't want people to get suspicious of us any more than they are.
I nodded in agreement; having the prisoner look like she had been in a bar fight would have not been looked on well by the Judges. They expected her to be at her best condition for her trial.
On the other hand, quite a few people wouldn't have minded if I beat her black and blue a couple of times. I admit, I already did once before then; I certainly wouldn't have minded doing it again. In fact, the unfortunate part was, while people sometimes condemned hurting her before her sentence was inevitably carried out, people had already figured out that I alone was, in fact, doing the public a favor they were dying to do themselves. Several newspapers even had ongoing bets as to how many times I was going to knock her unconscious. But I digress.
-Well, Dyka stopped the transport. -We are here.
We both stepped out of the transport, facing the Asgerd Transportation Center. It was where we had agreed to meet Jyanda, so that we could go to a private place afterwards to discuss what would be done in the cage. Most likely, what was to be focused on would be Jyanda's record in the Vika galaxies, and her personal experience with the rampant ignorance she encountered there regarding the Seemarin.
-Let's go before the press comes here. Dyka went behind me as I walked as quickly as I could into the building. -We don't need anything happening here.
-Ok....
I should have picked up that something odd was going on when, as soon as I entered the building, several people began to follow us. They seemed harmless enough as I looked back on them; they looked more like a pack of travelers, as they all had bags and cases on them that seemed normal. They were simply following us, keeping a slight distance. And the further along we got, the more that seemed to trickle into their group: a man here, a woman from a restaurant, a couple coming off of a transport.
-Hurry! Suddenly, Dyka breathed into my ear and pushed me. -Go faster!
I went to look at her reproachfully; I thought we were safe. Then I looked up behind her, and saw that the group of travelers had swelled into a pack of press people! I gave a gasp and started to make a run for it.
-THEMIS!
Suddenly, I felt someone take my shoulder. Instinct kicked in, and I swung one of my appendages at my attacker.
-Woah, WOAH! To my surprise, my attack was caught. -Woah, woah, what is this?! Hold on!
I growled at the person who was now holding me hostage. He was of a medium height, and of a dusty color. He was also of a race I was not familiar with. As a result, I kept struggling.
-Hey, HEY! He clasped my appendage tighter. -You are a wild one, dear! You should teach this girl manners, Dyka!
I instantly stopped at the mention of Dyka's name. I felt myself become clammy at the thought I was attacking someone who could have been a potential ally. I gave a gulp and smiled sheepishly; I wondered, was this the Bingam whom Dyka had spoken to?
-Themis! Dyka's voice was full of shock. -What are you doing?! This is the Jyandan civilian ambassador to Asgerd!
-..........Er...... At this, I laughed nervously. -S-so sorry, s-sir....I d-didn't know....
-Understood...... The man looked up, slightly annoyed. -...With this riff-raff.
I looked around. The pack was now around us, snapping holograms and taking all at once. With a flick of his hands, the Jyandan ambassador pushed open a passage through the throng.
-Out of my way! He shouted at everyone, and immediately, they fell back. -Go away! This is official business!
By this time, as the man was dragging my appendage - and with it, me - down the hall, I was becoming slightly.....per(?) - pre(?) - turbed*. For one, I had not even known that there was a civilian ambassador from Jyanda. I went to give Dyka a glare from keeping this all from me.
However, as I went to give her a look, I saw that her expression was as confused as mine was annoyed. It immediately occurred to me that Dyka had not been expecting to meet him. In this, some of my faith in her was reestablished; at the least, she would have told me if we were meeting him as well. But it was now apparent he was not supposed to have been there.
-Come. We came to a black transport - a government-type cruiser. The ambassador opened the doors for us. -Get inside. The fools will not dare attack this car. Not as long as I have a say in it!
I was to learn later that the Jyandan ambassador had some control over the media, at least in terms of money for certain civilian outlets for the Seemarin. He could control whether or not people under his wing would be seen by the press. He sometimes held press conferences, and other things like that as well. We were in relatively safe hands.
Not only that, but he had coocor of the best kind in his transport. He immediately offered us refreshment, and I accepted graciously. It was the least I could do.
-Tint the windows, he barked to his driver. -We have some things to talk of to our guests.
-Yes sir.
-And drive. He turned to us as the windows darkened. -It is good I found you before the press could do much damage. You will need my help, at least for today, because of circumstances.
-Sir, Dyka finally spoke after a silence. -What is the meaning of this? Forgive me, but we were not supposed to meet you back there. We were to meet your sailor soldier, Sailor Jyanda. She had come in last night to Asgerd. Surely you know that?
-....Yes. The ambassador's face became grave. -I do know this. She informed me herself what she was doing in Asgerd last night.
There was a new silence at this. I had finished eating my fourth coocor, but by this time, I began to feel queasy. Not because of the candy, because I could eat hundreds of them in one sitting without sickness. But I digress.
It was because of the sudden tension that arose in the car. As I sat there, I could sense a fear, particularly from Dyka, who sat right next to me. I brought my appendages to my side, worried as to what the ambassador was to say. For, though Jyanda was free to come and testify, he was powerful enough to stop her. This is what I first thought; it certainly made sense given that they were of the same planet, and her testimony could reflect badly on him. Jyanda was honestly not very genteel when one gave further thought to it.
-Ambassador. Dyka's voice shook. -If you are not going to let her testify tomorrow, then that is your call, I suppose. But you do not understand; she is a very important witness an-
-Silence. He held up his hand and stopped her. -I understand your position, seema-ship. I respect your decision. But now, there is nothing I can do. Jyanda will not - cannot testify tomorrow.
-Why not?!
-Because she is dead.
-
A small digression, but I believe a thought must come here.
I had not ever lost any sailor soldier known to me under any circumstance before. I had not known Jyanda very long, but then. I felt a strange feeling in my -gut- as your kind would call it. It was not very pleasant at all.
How would I describe it? I was as if a knife had been taken, and thrust into me, deeply, in my -gut- and in my chest. But perhaps that is an understatement, since I have been stabbed, and it did not feel the way that this pain had felt. It felt like it was deeper than just a stab, deeper than my body, as if it had hit something deeper than what I could comprehend.
-
There is no way to describe how Dyka reacted. She gave an angry screech, while I, with my pain, simply stayed silent.
-WHAT?!?!?!? Her voice went to a high pitch I never thought could come from her. -H........how.....?!?
-...Murdered. His eyes looked at both of us. -She was bled out, and her blood was thrown on the wall. Death, it said. Death to the Order.
We fell silent. Our witness was gone. What was worse, murdered. Another blow was to our already dying case.
-........Who..... the strange pain had subsided enough for me to speak. -....Who did it?
The ambassador was silent for another moment. In my chest, the pain left, but yet it felt strange. It was as if all that was left in my body was the cold ashes of a doused fire.
-We have one group high on the list of suspects. The car rolled by, the neon blue lights of the world blurring into lines. -They call themselves the Astramort.
