Chapter Thirty-Eight: No Royal Road

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Tyler Island, Spring Sea.
September 18th, 2019.
1400hrs.

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Avril wasn't sure what to think of the air base that Osea had sent them off to. One thing she had immediately noticed on the day of their arrival was that the tension on the island itself was obvious. So much so that just walking around the base was enough to set you on edge. In spite of being formerly used as a prison, it didn't feel like one and the soldiers around base weren't guards nor were they prisoners. They were just regular soldiers, with a few ex-cons that had been pardoned thrown into their regular squadrons. The former prison aspect wasn't what set everyone on edge. It was the whole damned island as a whole.

If not for the war, it was probably a very beautiful place to be. There were tall trees and plenty of natural beauty that had been marred only slightly by the attacks from weeks before, though any wildlife that resided there had probably been chased off long ago. Even in the midst of a cease fire, the air was thick. There was some sort of silent understanding that, at any moment, the base could come under attack. There was a fence around the base, but it was damaged at several places after a couple of constant attacks. Should any Eruseans get cocky, they could easily slip onto base and then anything could happen from there.

That was perhaps the only reason she was grateful of Bandog's presence, along with other soldiers that worked as handlers. Even if they didn't enjoy one another's company, the two of them had sort of gravitated towards one another. Avril was still settling in whereas Bandog had been immediately put to work to refresh his and Sarge's training. When Bandog could, he'd bring Sarge around the hangars to play and unwind, and in the almost two days they had been there, Avril would often watch him and the others work.

Still, they were both making sure that direct interactions with one another were avoided as much as possible. Besides, Avril knew she had to start work sooner or later and both of them needed to focus. Plus, she didn't like him. She wished Tabloid and the others could have come along. It had barely been more than a day and Avril couldn't get Tabloid's stupid expression out of her mind. He looked like someone had punched him in the gut, but then he just...acted normal again. But it was a lie. He wanted her to make her own decision, even if he didn't like it. And he hadn't wanted her to feel guilty.

Avril knew she had to let that go. They'd all be here soon enough, provided things went well. She took a deep breath and relaxed, having been moving stuff around in the main hangar all day so that it was to her liking. She'd already met the remainder of the mechanics, still grieving the loss of the first guy. In spite of this, they seemed ready and willing to work with her and accept her into the group. Maybe it was just because she was a woman, or maybe they'd heard more about her skills than she'd previously thought.

She turned around and limped to the open hangar doors, looking out at the view towards the other end of the island. One thing that everyone had a clear view of, from wherever they were, was the mass driver. Erusea still had control of it, and both sides wanted it. Whichever side had it would also hold the advantage in the war. Osea needed to get it back, and that was probably what added to the tension. The cease fire was all for show. For both sides. At least, if it hadn't been that way before, then it was now.

The sound of footsteps and a dog barking brought her attention away from the mass driver and the coming storm and instead she searched for the source of the noise. There was little surprise that Bandog and Sarge were making their way over, though they hadn't spoken since they got the grand tour of the base. Avril placed her hands on her hips and watched them approach, scowling slightly as Bandog came to a halt a few feet away from her. He gave her an awkward, tense greeting. "Hey."

"Hey," Avril answered in an almost dismissive way. She looked him up and down, noting the somewhat tired look on his face. He was surprisingly subdued, which Avril didn't take as a good sign. "You look like hell."

Bandog took a deep breath and rubbed the back of his neck, glancing down at where Sarge had laid down to rest. Neither of them had the energy that Avril was used to seeing, and he took a moment before explaining why. "I hate this place. They spent the whole day sending us over some shitty obstacle course and through some tests for Sarge. They don't think either of us are as qualified as they thought," he huffed, a hint of bitterness in his voice. "I feel like they're just looking for someone to give a hard time."

"Oh." Avril felt a bit bad for him, but she made sure that she didn't let it show. "Sounds like a rough first day."

"Yeah, it has been. I just hope they actually let us do some real work, though. That's why I came here in the first place," Bandog said, crossing his arms and scowling. He paused for a moment, then looked to her with a curious expression. "How about you? Are you settling in alright?"

Avril shrugged, glancing over her shoulder before she answered him. "I guess so. I can't really tell what the other mechanics think of me yet, but they haven't really been around. I've just been making sure everything's up to my standards," she answered, then she let out a scoff. "Doesn't matter to me whether they like me or not. I'm not here to be their friend. I'm just holding out until the others get here, that's all. Here's hoping we don't get killed before then...or they don't get killed before then."

Bandog smirked and chuckled ever so slightly. "I think Wiseman can keep them all in check. Besides, I know Tabloid probably isn't flying and he is the one you're worried about, is he not?"

She glared at him, a quick warning that he was overstepping. "I'm worried about all of them, because they're all out of their damn minds," Avril growled at him, and it wasn't a lie. She did care about all of them, even if she didn't show it very well. If Tabloid was flying, which really wasn't as likely, then she didn't want him to do anything stupid while trying to keep up with Trigger and Count. Not that he couldn't do it, it's just that they took too many risks. To avoid stressing herself out, she figured she'd return Bandog's very mild teasing. "Besides, let's not pretend that you haven't been crushing on Húxiān. Pfft. Please, you're like a schoolgirl."

"We've talked more than you might think and I consider her a good friend. Nothing more than that," Bandog answered, not as defensive as she would have expected. "And even if I do care about her, I know she's a capable pilot. I believe in her abilities enough to know she'll make it back."

"Right," Avril said in a slightly disbelieving tone. She wasn't exactly thrilled to be talking with him, and truth be told there was a part of her that wished he'd leave. But if he was there then she might as well talk with him. After all, who else was she going to talk to? There wasn't anyone else on the base that she knew, let alone that wasn't tense and taking everything too seriously. "So, how long do you think we're gonna be stuck here, huh?"

Bandog didn't answer right away, taking in the sights around him and looking off towards the mass driver in the distance. It looked small and unimpressive from here, but there was just a matter of time before everyone was fighting over it again. Bandog seemed to realize it. "We'll be here as long as it takes to get the island under Osean control. As for how long we'll be here on our own, before the LRSSG gets here? Who knows. I overheard from the base commander that the operation to take Farbanti is starting some time tomorrow. Maybe we'll get lucky."

"Well, once Trigger and the rest of Strider and Cyclops get ahold of the Erusean forces, they'll be done for," Avril said, feeling suddenly confident. Trigger was a fighting machine, and the same went for the others, as much as Avril hated admitting it. She smirked a bit. "They'll be done in Farbanti in a matter of hours. Then I guess they'll be on their way here, givin' these guys the same treatment. Hopefully we'll be outta here by then. This place is depressing."

"I won't argue with you there. Still, you chose to come," Bandog reminded her coolly, and Avril bit back a sharp retort. He crossed his arms and added in a grumble, "No point in complaining about it, now. Far too late for any of that."

"Yeah, I know," Avril groaned, looking off towards the mass driver, then down the row of hangars. Several Osean fighters were lined up, and a few of the pilots lingered outside, discussing something. She sighed, looking up at the sky. A light breeze was blowing against her face and she closed her eyes briefly, taking a deep breath before she opened them again. "Still...I can't help but feel worried about what's to come. Like nothing is ever going to go exactly as planned."

"Well, it's up to the guys in the air. You should know that by now," Bandog said, crouching down to pet Sarge. The Dinsmark shepherd opened her eyes briefly and pricked her ears at the sudden touch, but she huffed and quickly settled back down as he scratched behind her ears. "Whatever happens isn't up to us, so much as it is them. Well, not when it comes down to it. We all have our jobs to do, but it's the pilots that pull through more often than not. People like Trigger and Wiseman always winning the wars and getting the glory."

"You sound a bit jealous, Bandog," Avril said, although she couldn't exactly blame him.

He paused, glancing up at her and forcing a laugh. "Yeah, well, maybe I am. Doesn't mean I'm not going to try and do what I can." Bandog gave Sarge one last pat on her side and rose to his feet, giving Avril an almost stern look. "And you should do the same."

Avril gave an indignant snort. "What do you think I've been doing? Just tinkering around? In case you've forgotten, if it hadn't been for me then Spare Squadron's planes would have never made it off the ground."

"Whatever." Bandog shifted his weight slightly, kicking at the concrete underneath him. He grimaced. "Still, I for one intend to celebrate once this war is over. I'm ready to go home already. Let's hope Trigger and the others manage to win Farbanti. From there it'll be easy."

"Yeah...if you say so," Avril said with a frown. She watched him nudge at Sarge's paws with his feet to get her to wake up, pulling out a ball and quickly gaining Sarge's full attention. Without much of a goodbye, he took a few steps forward and began to throw the ball for Sarge to chase. Avril watched the half-hearted game carry on before she turned to head inside the hangar, remembering the laptop she'd gotten at New Arrows and brought with her to stay in touch with the others.

She figured she'd check in with Tabloid while she still could, and see how things were going with the LRSSG. Then maybe she could wish them all luck. If anybody needed it, it was Tabloid and those idiots back at the base. Avril could only hope that, if the operation was starting soon, then it would go well. For all their sakes. Otherwise, there wasn't much they could do besides roll over and accept whatever fate had in store for them. But Avril didn't like it. She didn't like it one bit.

But no matter what she did, she couldn't shake the feeling that things weren't going to go as planned. And she wasn't sure if that was good...or very, very bad.

Erusean Air and Space Administration, Erusea.
1500hrs.

Word of Osea's advance on the capital spread quickly to forces all over Erusean territory, everyone on high alert and waiting for the attack to begin. Unfortunately for Schroeder, this meant that Sol Squadron was going to be deployed to what was likely going to be the biggest battle of the war. Whatever happened at Farbanti would control the way that the rest of the war went, however it also meant that Schroeder might not be able to gather the data he needed. The squadron would be returning from their briefing shortly, and Schroeder wasn't sure what would orders would come out of it.

He was confident that, whatever came with the battle, the suit would hold up. However, if Mihaly were to take a hit in the right place and the right amount of times, Schroeder didn't give Mihaly's plane the same confidence. Hopefully, with the new suit and the extra work that had been put into his plane's repair...Schroeder trusted he'd make it out of this battle, as usual. But still, he wished Mihaly would have flown in a few test fights with the suit first. Then Schroeder could know for certain. But the man continued to be as stubborn as ever, Schroeder's offers over the last couple of days always being promptly refused.

As he paced around the hangar with his hands in his pockets, looking over his computers and Mihaly's plane, he was aware of Ionela watching him coldly. She'd been in a bad mood with just about everyone, refusing to speak with Massa, even. The usually well-mannered girl was now cold and bitter, keeping her responses to anyone short and to the point. She treated her grandfather this way, which he returned without any hesitation. Though, as guarded as Mihaly was, Schroeder could tell that in some ways it hurt him. It looked as though it hurt both of them, but they were too prideful to set aside their different opinions and too stubborn to see the other's perspective.

But, alas, it wasn't any of Schroeder's business and he wasn't about to interfere. A part of him understood both sides, mostly Ionela's, though. Mihaly always seemed to love flying, but beyond that...Schroeder had no idea why this war and that pilot meant so much to him. Ionela was only concerned for her grandfather's safety, something Schroeder could also understand. But he didn't worry for Mihaly the way she did. He would lose a fair bit should Mihaly be too injured, but he knew that Mihaly would happily push himself. Even if Schroeder didn't ask him to. They both did what they had to do to serve Erusea, but at what cost? Mihaly and his granddaughters had everything to lose should Mihaly fail, but Schroeder? He really had nothing to lose.

Why do I even care this much? Do I care at all? Schroeder wondered briefly, stopping his pacing. He sighed as he looked up at Mihaly's plane, removing his glasses briefly to wipe them off. He placed his glasses back on his face, adjusting them ever so slightly on the bridge of his nose with his index finger. Satisfied, he shoved his hands into his pockets once again, resting his legs for a moment. It must have been a half an hour he spent pacing. His eyes scanned his surroundings, pausing briefly on Mihaly's granddaughters.

Ionela still fixed him with a stone cold gaze. He felt a stab of guilt, and not for the first time, but he pretended not to notice her. If he couldn't face a child now, then what was he supposed to do if...or when her grandfather was killed? If something went wrong, could he look her in the eyes and admit that it was his fault? That it was his fault that the only person they had left was dead? No, he wouldn't. He couldn't. Because Mihaly, whatever was coming their way, would survive. He'd win, just as he always did, and when they had the drone data finalized and polished thanks to Mihaly's efforts, the war would end. Hopefully Ionela wouldn't look down on him after that.

Schroeder felt his shoulders fall slightly as his thoughts took on a more practical direction. Not that I don't deserve it. If that suit fails, Mihaly won't last long in the air. I can only pray that it will hold up, but Georg promised it would. He's never failed me before.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden announcement over the base's PA system. The slightly garbled voice of the facility's 'commander' simply announced that Sol Squadron was to be sent up in response to Osea's advances, and all other personnel were to remain on high alert. Schroeder's assistants stood nearby to where he was, and both of them turned to look at him with curious eyes. Simon was the first to speak up, a very slightly concerned edge to his voice as he asked, "What does that mean for us?"

The question took Schroeder aback briefly, and he hesitated with his answer. He glanced to Ionela and Alma, noticing that the two sisters were now discussing the announcement themselves. At last he turned back to Simon and Massa, keeping a blank expression. If Osea were to successfully invade Erusea's capital, then the fighting wouldn't take long to reach the facility. On top of that, once they found out the EASA was heading up the drone production, they'd be a prime target. Schroeder couldn't give a definitive answer, but he was already preparing for a worst case scenario. At last, he found the right words.

"I don't know," Schroeder answered honestly. "If push comes to shove, there's a safe place we can go. It's also the best place to finish up our work."

Massa's eyes suddenly lit up and she looked excitedly between Simon and Schroeder. "Oh! Would we get to see the new drones General Parrish ordered? Like, up close, I mean?"

The fact that she had a rough idea of where he was talking about surprised him, but she always had been the more observant. And the better at listening, in Schroeder's opinion. He glanced at Simon questioningly, but his only response was to shrug and make a failed attempt to hide his own excitement at the idea. Schroeder's expression softened and he blew out a breathy chuckle. "Possibly. Though, you'll probably see them whether we have to go there or not."

Mild disappointment visibly set in among the younger scientists, to which Schroeder could only shake his head at. He appreciated their enthusiasm, if only that, but if they were lucky then they could stay right where they were. Unfortunately, they still had to be prepared. Just in case. He realized how bad an idea it really was, though, since to get to the factory they had near the space elevator (which was his idea) he would have to go through what was essentially a war zone. If it were just him, it wouldn't be a problem, but Simon and Massa were basically children. Worse, if anything were to happen to Mihaly, he might have to bring Ionela and Alma along.

Speaking of Mihaly...

Schroeder looked to the hangar entrance as he became aware of someone making an approach. They stopped just outside of the hangar, and Schroeder quickly recognized the five figures of the Sol Squadron members standing outside. Mihaly was speaking to them, saying something rather quickly and sternly to them. When he was done, they all gave him a quick salute and the four scattered quickly, shouting some excited words to one another as they raced off towards their planes.

Mihaly, on the other hand, watched them go with a sigh and a shake of his head before he turned inside the hangar and continued on his way. He regarded Ionela and Alma with a cool nod and headed straight for Schroeder. He didn't say anything until he reached the space where Schroeder was standing, and even then he chose not to waste time on any pleasantries. "I'm sure you've heard the situation by now. Once Osea begins attacking the capital, Erusea has plans to send us up to retaliate. That suit of yours...you're confident it'll hold up in a large scale battle?"

He blinked, taking a moment to process everything that had been said before he finally nodded. "Yes, that's the plan. It's far more durable than your others. You shouldn't have any trouble in the air, however, I can't say that for sure without seeing how it holds up in a test fight." Schroeder saw Mihaly suck in a breath and let out a grunt of disapproval. He looked over at Simon and Massa and gestured for them to leave so he and Mihaly could have some privacy. Without further prompting, the two headed over to Alma and Ionela, and Schroeder's eyes flicked to Mihaly once more. "You know as well as I do that, if this suit falls short, your body won't be able to stand much more. And if it fails during testing you know that I'll order you to stay grounded until a new suit comes in. Mihaly, if I don't know for certain then it could kill you."

"If you've done your job right then you should have nothing to worry about. If you're so confident, then why so adamant about the testing?" Mihaly challenged, though he kept his voice cool. The idea was to get under Schroeder's skin, not work himself up. Even a blind man could see that.

Schroeder frowned slightly and brought his hand up to adjust his glasses again, an almost nervous gesture but one that Mihaly didn't pick up on. He made his expression unreadable again and looked Mihaly right in the eyes. "You know, that type of thinking is hardly fair. I have no way of knowing if the suit will last with your flying style, even if the specifications were matched. Anything, and I do mean anything, could go wrong and cause it to stop working," he said quickly, but maintaining a calm composure.

Mihaly wasn't anywhere close to budging, and he swiftly began to change the subject, much to Schroeder's frustration. "I know what I'm doing. And I know what I'm capable of. If you believe the suit will hold up, then I trust that your specifications are correct," Mihaly said, not giving Schroeder a chance to cut in. In fact, he was so dismissive that Schroeder didn't even know what he would have said. Mihaly continued before he had an opportunity to figure it out. "That experimental fighter you showed me a few days ago, it's fully equipped, right?"

"Umm. I suppose so. More or less, anyways," Schroeder said, surprised for a moment and caught of guard by the question. He felt suspicion growing, but figured he'd better tread carefully. "Why do you ask, General?"

"I want you to have it shipped to Shilage. Erusea's king moved a couple of Erusean soldiers to mix in with the Voslagian soldiers stationed there, and I believe we're storing supplies in my family's castle, no?" Mihaly looked at him, almost as if he expected an answer to his question. Schroeder had heard of it, but he didn't care much about what Erusea did if it didn't directly effect him and his work. It honestly didn't seem like Mihaly was bothered by Erusea's actions, though. He continued, shrugging. "Their movements haven't attracted Osean attention, yet. That being said, if anything goes south...Shilage might be one of the safest places to go. I don't want to run the risk of losing the plane in an airstrike. After all, it makes for a fine last resort, given the weaponry it comes along with."

Schroeder shifted on his feet, realizing that Mihaly made an excellent point. It wasn't one he could find a good argument for, either. He nodded slowly, noticing that Mihaly's eyes were bright now that he was talking about the plane. Schroeder finally found the right words to answer him in as cool a way as he could manage. "Alright. I'll get together some people to transport it as soon as I can. It won't be easy, though, especially given the current state of things. There's a high chance that Osean forces might take a shot at destroying it. Or worse...stealing it."

Mihaly closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Thinking, perhaps? At last, his eyes opened again and a familiar look of determination spread across his aged features. "That's a risk I'm willing to take."

"There are a lot of risks you seem willing to take, Mihaly," Schroeder practically grumbled.

"Most men are unwilling to take risks in life," Mihaly said, almost pointedly, as if he was calling Schroeder out on being too cautious. However, he continued before Schroeder could protest. "I've already made it quite clear. I'm going to do whatever it takes, even if I die trying. So long as the skies are clear and blue again, I'd say it's worth it, wouldn't you?" He didn't give Schroeder a chance to answer, turning away and walking towards the exit to the hangar. Over his shoulder, he called, "Now, come on. We have to head out to an Erusean base near the capital, so we're ready at a moment's notice. Show me where that new G-suit of yours is."

"Of course." Schroeder began to follow him, glancing at Simon and Massa and giving them the cue to go and finish preparing Mihaly's plane for takeoff. They did so without hesitation, excusing themselves from the conversation with Mihaly's grandchildren

As they reached the crate that held Mihaly's new G-suit, Mihaly paused and allowed Schroeder to step forward and unpack the suit. Mihaly glanced over his shoulder while Schroeder began unlocking the crate it was shipped in, and in a heavier and softer tone than usual, he said, "And there's one other thing I would like to ask of you, Doctor."

Schroeder felt a sense of dread, already able to figure out what he was going to ask him. He barely looked up from what he was doing as he continued what he was doing. "Yes?"

"If anything happens to me and I'm unable to make it back, promise me that you'll look after my grandchildren? I know it's a difficult thing to ask of you, but it's only until the war is over and they can make it home. They've lost so much already, I couldn't bear for them to be alone." The statement surprised Schroeder so much that he actually felt like someone had thrown ice water in his face. What was more surprising was that this was the closest thing to a positive emotion that Schroeder had seen from him in a long time. He slowly looked up, trying to find any sign that Mihaly wasn't being genuine, but he found none.

"I...I don't...I mean, I'm not..." Schroeder cursed himself for acting so shocked, practically sputtering in disbelief. Mihaly glanced at him curiously and Schroeder tried to compose himself. "I'm sure you'd make it back, General. Besides, I don't think they'd be too pleased with my help."

"I know Ionela can be harsh, but even I am able to understand why. I'm only asking that you bring them home safely when the war is over, back to Shilage," Mihaly said, and his voice was practically emotionless, given the topic. He continued. "Their home means a lot to them, and once I'm gone it's all they'll really have left."

Schroeder bit back a sigh. He wasn't good with kids, and he was barely any good at dealing with adults. Most people got on his nerves and he in turn did the same to them. His assistants and Mihaly were truly the only people he'd ever gotten along well with. Still, he knew that they couldn't just be left on their own. "If that's what you want, Mihaly, then I'll do my best to keep them out of harm's way." Mihaly actually looked grateful, but Schroeder didn't want to stay on the topic long. He cleared his throat and passed the G-suit to Mihaly. "Here. You seem in a hurry to get up in the air. Wouldn't want to keep everyone waiting for very long, would you?"

Without any argument, only mild surprise that Schroeder was actually willingly helping him along, Mihaly put on the new equipment with little difficulty. After a couple of mild adjustments were made and after Schroeder checked to make sure everything was in place, the G-suit was on and Mihaly was ready to go. The G-suit didn't differ much in design from the others Mihaly had worn before it. It was dark gray in coloration, much like Mihaly's flight suit, only it lacked a green tint. There were a couple of hard points, notably over his joints and along his back. They served the purpose of tracking his body's movements and how his joints held up, along with his reflexes.

It wasn't anything new or spectacular. The only difference was its durability, as Schroeder had planned. It was better fitted to Mihaly and based off of his previous sorties, allowing more protection and hopefully more movement. Only a few minutes passed before Mihaly adjusted to the fit and grew comfortable wearing it. He had no complaints and it looked as though he was just as pleased with it as Schroeder was. At least, he looked that way as far as anyone could tell. His answers to Schroeder's questions of it all seemed positive, so he allowed him to continue preparing himself.

After an obviously strained and somewhat bitter goodbye with his granddaughters, Mihaly climbed into the cockpit of his Su-30 and they spent a few minutes (at Schroeder's insistence) testing his reaction time. Ionela and Alma watched almost nervously from where they stood, and Schroeder noticed a brief look of relief on Ionela's face as Simon loudly reported that everything was working as it should. In fact, everything was working better than usual. Mihaly's reaction times were quicker and far smoother in the short simulation they ran.

Once they were done with that and all concerns were more or less covered, Schroeder (albeit reluctantly) gave Mihaly permission to taxi out onto the runway. Schroeder went outside for the fresh air, finally able to enjoy the weather now that summer was gone. It wasn't so bad anymore, and he didn't feel stuffy in his lab coat with a nice fall breeze blowing. The sun was still a nuisance, which would make watching the takeoff a bit of a frustrating task.

The ground crew helped bring the plane out of the hangar, but from there it was all on Mihaly. He was set to take off first, the rest of Sol Squadron standing by for their own turns. Schroeder stood just outside of the hangar entrance, briefly looking back to invite either of his assistants or Mihaly's granddaughters out to watch, but they seemed content with where they were. He walked out to a spot alongside their 'runway' and watched as Mihaly's plane taxied out onto it. He was a safe distance away, but close enough that he didn't have to squint to watch it.

Schroeder knew the exact moment that Mihaly was cleared for takeoff, because Mihaly never wasted any time getting into the air. The engines whirred to life, a faint whining sound coming from them initially, but it slowly grew into a powerful roar. It was a menacing sound, and one that so many people seemed to live for. Mihaly's plane accelerated along the runway soon after that, and once the plane lifted off of the ground and the wheels retracted, it was sharply pulled into a straight climb. The roar from the afterburner sent a chill down Schroeder's spine as he watched Mihaly climb higher into the sky, his wingmen scrambling to get their own planes ready for takeoff.

The fighter was pulled through several sharp maneuvers, and Schroeder even saw Mihaly flawlessly perform his most famous post-stall maneuver. It was one he often did, but one that Schroeder remembered having the hardest toll on his body. He pulled it off. Perfectly. And he didn't hesitate in continuing to fly after that. He didn't slow to regain his composure, instead the fighter was immediately brought through rolls and sharp turns. The plane was fare more agile than Schroeder had ever seen it...no. Mihaly was more agile. His airshow left designs in the otherwise blue sky. White contrails highlighting his every movement. Every turn, every roll, every maneuver.

It was enough to take one's breath away, and sure enough, Schroeder watched in amazement. Obviously the suit held up as Schroeder had intended, but even after watching Mihaly's flying time and time again...there was something different about this time. He never let up on the throttle, and the sound of the jet engine continued to roar across the sky. It was like a lion or a clap of thunder. As though a mighty leader was returning to his kingdom. The realization hit Schroeder like a bolt of lightning, but he kept his shock from appearing on his face.

All of those times that his wingmen had called him by his hated moniker of 'King', his disinterest in anything on the ground, his apathy towards his homeland, and his determination and obsession with Three Strikes. It all made sense to Schroeder, like he'd finally fit all the pieces of a puzzle together. He finally understood, or at least he came as close to understanding as he would. 'King of the Skies' wasn't simply an old story and nickname meant only to scare rookie pilots, and watching him now was like he was staring at Mihaly in his prime. Mihaly's kingdom was the sky, and like any ruler he knew he must defend his title. And his kingdom.

The King of the Skies was off to face his rival, the pilot with the Three Strikes, but Schroeder remembered what Mihaly told him of his challenger's identity. This pilot was the daughter of a famous Belkan ace and flying was in her blood. The Foulke family was infamous in Belka and from everything he'd seen...this Three Strikes had inherited her father's skill and tenacity. They'd find out who was the real ruler of the skies before long, and Schroeder suddenly found himself demanding an answer to that question. No matter what he did, he couldn't tear his eyes away from the sky as Sol Squadron took off and followed Mihaly into the dark blue.

Schroeder felt the wind hit his face and he clenched his fist and briefly closed his eyes. Good luck, Mihaly. I pray for your success...King of the Skies.

Farbanti, Erusea.
2200hrs.

Everything felt wrong that night. To Rosa, it seemed like the entire city had just stopped breathing. The tension was gone from the air, as the entire city had been evacuated of all civilians. Rosa knew this for a fact. She'd heard Henri report to her father, informing him that the military could confirm everyone had left, and those that hadn't were hiding away in crude or rather old bomb safe shelters. Outside of the palace and around the city, soldiers waited for the Osean soldiers to continue their advance. Osea was practically on their doorstep, and Rosa knew that she and her family would be dragged off to safety before the sun was up.

Rosa sat in the doorway leading out into the garden, Leo taking his time trotting around outside. She stared up at the stars, taking in the sights of the ones she could see. Urban glow was still a present problem, thanks to the many streetlights that were still lit up and shining brightly. But all of the buildings were empty and the lights from them were shut off, giving an almost ghostly feel to the city. There were only traces of the people that once lived there, and if not for Erusea's own military, it would have felt much worse.

Initially she had been opposed to the military presence, but thanks to the soldiers' laughing and enjoying a final night before a long and likely very stressful battle...the night wasn't as dreary as it could have been. Rosa watched the movements of the soldiers positioned outside of her family's home. They had flashlights and lanterns providing some light for them. Some leaned against tanks and trucks, trying to get some sleep in, while their companions kept watch and alerted them when their shifts changed. They were expecting Osea's attack any minute. At least, unlike Osea's initial attacks, they had some warning.

Her eyes flicked down from the sky to watch them as a small group laughed at something, and even Leo looked out at them because of the sudden sound. At least they were still laughing and talking, which meant nothing was wrong. Yet. Rosa sighed, adjusting her seating position so that she was leaning against the doorframe, still looking out at the garden and the darkened city. This was her home, and yet there wasn't anything she could do to defend it. The military could do their best, but Osea had those pilots. That one pilot. And Erusea had Sol Squadron, which they'd have to pray was enough.

She briefly wondered how Ionela was doing. It had been some time since they'd spoken or even texted one another. Rosa had tried to call her, tried to check up on her and ask how things were, but Ionela hadn't responded. It was like she completely shut her out, which was a bit worrying. Had Rosa done something wrong, or was she simply busy with Alma and her grandfather? Obviously she still had normal responsibilities, but Ionela had been Rosa's friend for some time. They always found time for one another.

Time. She wanted to scoff, but she'd trained herself long ago not to do such a thing out loud. Even in the midst of all the chaos of the war, time was one thing Rosa always managed to get. All day she'd been stuck in meetings with her father, all sorts of politicians and military officers going over their plans for defense and throwing other strategies back and forth. And Rosa and the king had sat through it all day, as exhausting as it was. Yet, once she'd started to get overwhelmed, her father had excused her, asking that she only attend the last meeting when their guest finally arrived.

Unfortunately, General Parrish was still out and about. For the time being, his pursuit and investigations of General Labarthe had seemed to cease, and Labarthe was comfortable communicating back and forth with his friends in the Erusean government. He hadn't done anything more than drop a few hints as to his possible locations, much to Parrish and his supporters' frustration. Thankfully, General Parrish had other matters to focus on, besides his dislike of Rosa, Labarthe, and the entire country of Osea. He'd set that aside, going back and forth between Farbanti and other places around Erusea. He'd even taken a few back and forth trips to Tyler Island.

He was supposed to have gone to the research facility on Tyler Island to speak with the soldiers stationed there to protect the mass driver, but it had been a few days since he had gone there. Because of this, Rosa couldn't fight off the sneaking suspicion that General Parrish was going to be their late night visitor. The last thing she wanted was to be stuck in yet another meeting with him, of all people, but she knew better than to argue. She had finally learned that the best weapon against Parrish was her silence, even if that was exactly what he wanted. It was better that than giving him more ammunition to use against her, however much she hated it.

In the darkness outside, she was able to make out the shape of Leo, and she noticed him straighten up suddenly, looking out towards the far edge of the garden. The sound of tires on gravel told Rosa that the reason for this was a new arrival, be it more troops driving in to add to the palace's military defense or the guest she'd been waiting for all night. Her dog trotted out of sight and she heard him begin barking, not able to make it very far thanks to various flowers. The barking quickly stopped and he lost interest not long after, coming back into sight, leading Rosa to believe that it was only a few more troops being brought in.

Rosa wasn't sure how many more soldiers they needed around the city. Surely their defenses were more than adequate to hold off the Osean forces? Even if the soldiers fighting on the ground weren't enough, their air force was ready at a moment's notice and part of the Erusean fleet was waiting along the coast. They'd even found a way to stick what Rosa assumed were some kind of anti-plane guns or something on top of abandoned buildings in the sunken district of the city. They were protected from all sides...surely they didn't need more?

A dark realization set in, causing Rosa to shiver involuntarily. She pulled her arms closer to her body for warmth and bit her lip to keep the sinking feeling at bay. They do if Three Strikes is planning on joining the attack.

The more she thought about, the more she realized how much faith she was beginning to lose in her own country's military. After boasting of Erusea's strength for so long, it was almost sad that all of that had just become empty words. Their air force, especially, were no doubt fierce, and very skilled pilots, but Three Strikes had brought their morale down significantly. All their hope lied on General Shilage at this point, his squadron being the only ones with the apparent drive to take out Three Strikes. However, that was a lot of pressure to place on them...and a huge weight on their families.

She was so caught up in her own thoughts, that the sudden thudding of footsteps on the floor behind her made her flinch. Rosa didn't turn right away, wondering briefly if whoever it was had even entered the room, but after a few seconds of silence she became aware of the feeling that someone was watching her. Like a dark cloud was hanging over her head. Rosa tensed and pricked her head up, slowly turning to face the person that had disturbed her quiet time. The second she saw just who it was, she felt a jolt of fear and anger and had a hard time keeping herself from gasping.

Her eyes adjusted to the brightness of the living room and she immediately recognized General Parrish standing just inside the entrance to the room. Rosa hated that she was right about who their visitor would be, and she hoped that she kept her fear and bitterness from showing as she looked him up and down. He looked tired and had visible bags under his eyes, and he wasn't standing as rigid as he normally did. Normally sharp, cold eyes seemed calculating as usual but not nearly as frightening as usual. The only intimidating thing about him, to Rosa's surprise, was the faintest smile on his features. Rosa didn't trust that smile, especially not after their last encounter with one another.

Before Rosa could greet him, Parrish let out a breathy chuckle and spoke first. "I'm so sorry to disturb you, Your Highness," he said, but Rosa immediately detected insincerity, noticing that he just barely stressed her title and said it in an almost mocking voice. Rosa narrowed her eyes on him, not interrupting as he continued with no further prompting. "You seemed lost in thought, I didn't want to just announce myself. However, I didn't mean to startle you."

It didn't take a genius to quickly figure out that he was putting on an act. The almost condescending way he was speaking, how his wording sounded almost...robotic, not to mention the smile. Parrish tried to disguise it as nothing more than friendly conversation, but the sharp look returned to his eyes and the smile was barely there any more. He almost gave her a look of silent warning, reminding her of his previous threat. He was only showing her 'kindness' in case anyone was listening in on their conversation.

Rosa kept a blank expression and nodded, figuring that she had no choice but to play along. "Oh. That's alright. You didn't, really," she said, and it was quite clearly a lie. Hopefully a believable one, even if she was a notoriously bad liar. She heard Leo let out a soft growl as he brushed up against her knee, likely having come up the steps when their visitor approached. Rosa didn't turn to look at her dog, keeping her gaze fixed on Parrish. "I have to say, this is a bit of a surprise, General. I figured you'd still be taking care of things over on Tyler Island."

"Yes, well, I needed a change of scenery and your father needed my help," Parrish said casually, almost shrugging. He chuckled again, something that sent another chill down her spine, and he added, "There's also something I need to pick up while I'm in town. Some...leverage that I'll be needing back on the island."

The way he said 'leverage' told Rosa that it wasn't a good thing, but she knew better than to ask at this point. She risked turning her back to Parrish, running her fingers through Leo's fur to stop his growling as she looked up at the sky. "I figured you'd come back to help direct our troops' movements here in the capital," she said with a light shrug. "After all, Osea could attack at any minute, now. We need all the help we can get, given their recent rise in air power."

"Right...I forgot that Three Strikes will probably be at the front of the attack." That seemed to strike Parrish in a nerve, as his tone shifted to a much more forced one than before. It sounded like he was trying to squirm his way out of trouble, but his hatred towards Osea had backed him into a corner. Rosa had backed him into a corner, but unfortunately it was one that he easily got free of. As nonchalant (albeit a bit more bitter sounding) as he was before, he continued. "After all, she's become quite a crutch for the Osean forces. Without her, they wouldn't stand a chance. Erusea isn't overly reliant on our air force. You should know as well as anyone, Princess, that we have a rather well rounded military."

Rosa didn't answer, barely acknowledging what he had said at all. Besides, what was the point? He'd only hold anything that she said against her, or find a way to twist it to mean something that wasn't true. Perhaps her mother had a point, trying to teach her to keep her mouth shut. No matter how hard it was. Right now there was plenty she'd like to say. Plenty she'd like to just scream at the whole world, but she doubted that anyone would listen to her. Or maybe she hadn't completely ruined her chances of ever speaking up, given that so many people still believed what she used to say. But right now? The best option was silence. And she hated it.

General Parrish continued across the room until he stood next to her, looking up at the night sky. Rosa watched him out of the corner of her eye, watching as he put his hands into his pockets and lowered his gaze to the soldiers outside. It felt like minutes passed by before anything was said between the two of them, and Rosa felt that dark cloud much heavier now that he was standing beside her. She was barely able to breathe, scared anything would somehow set him off. Leo's fur remained bristled along his back, and he sat down on the step below Rosa, keeping an almost watchful eye on Parrish.

And then at last, the silence was broken.

"It's a lovely night...but do you know what tomorrow marks the anniversary of, Princess?" Parrish asked her, and she immediately felt his eyes trained on her again. Rosa tensed once again and gave a stiff nod in response. She figured that just about everyone knew what it was the anniversary of, Eruseans especially. No one could ever forget, and Rosa doubted that Parrish did. He scoffed, and continued as though she didn't know. "September 19th. The end of the Continental War. The day that Erusea was humiliated by ISAF, and countless innocent people were killed. I'm betting Osea is hoping to do the exact same thing tomorrow."

Parrish let out a bitter laugh and went on, not giving Rosa a chance to answer. "However, this time it will be Osea that's humiliated. Hmph...that reminds me..." Parrish paused, and Rosa felt him staring at her again, before he asked her, "Did you know that there's a rumor that Mobius One was Osean? A few files, most of which were redacted, hint that he actually immigrated to Usea before joining the military. Some say he might have even been an Erusean citizen before the war broke out, but even then they claim he wasn't born there."

Rosa hesitated. She didn't know much about the military, let alone the enemy's pilots. Outside of a few names in passing and learned during history, as well as besides Three Strikes, she didn't know much about them. It seemed every time some great pilot came along, they disappeared just as fast and without leaving a trace. They barely knew their names, and most files on Mobius One from that time were probably destroyed in various attacks, anyways. So, Rosa hadn't heard any rumors such as that. And she never cared to hear about it, either. At last, she answered him. "Err, no...I can't say that I know anything about that, General."

"Well, there are many rumors and conspiracy theories surrounding the infamous Mobius One. In some, he's a hero, and in others he's a demon...and I personally prefer the latter image, myself," Parrish said, slowly turning his head to look up at the sky again. Rosa felt somewhat happy that he wasn't looking at her anymore. He went on in a bitter tone, one that Rosa was more used to hearing from him. "Of course, Osea still had no direct involvement in the war. Or any that we can prove. But it doesn't change the fact that — if the rumors really are true — Mobius One was a ruthless, prideful killer just like every Osean soldier before him...and it was about time somebody showed them their rightful place in this world."

Even if he knew that she disagreed with him or that she 'sympathized' with Osea, or even outright sided with them rather than her own country, it seemed Parrish was still trying to convince her otherwise. Rosa flinched as he hit his fist on the doorframe for emphasis on his words, and Leo let out a growl of protest at the sudden sound. Rosa looked up at the general, noticing that he was now staring down Leo. For a minute she was worried he'd direct some of his anger onto her dog, but he smirked and turned to look at her. "Of course...I wouldn't expect you of all people to understand that. You know, Princess, I'm really going to enjoy the day that your naivety finally catches up to you. It's not going to be a pleasant moment. For you, anyways.

Rosa wasn't surprised he was still treating her like that, but his words still left her stunned. At least he dropped the act. However, he quickly resumed his facade as somebody else entered the room, and Rosa turned to see who it was. Relief washed over her as she saw Henri standing there, greeting her with a respectful nod and quickly fixing Parrish with a stone cold glare. At least he was still on her side. She wondered if, given the expression on his face, he had heard any of their conversation.

However, Henri gave no indication or hint that he'd heard it, and Rosa guessed it was just his usual level of distaste towards the general that he was showing. He quickly put on a professional appearance and cleared his throat slightly. "General Parrish. I thought that was you that I heard talking, but I couldn't be too sure. The king sent me to fetch yourself and the princess," Henri explained coolly, and Rosa held back a sigh as she remembered that she would have to put up with the general for even longer. Henri continued. "Of course, your meeting could have already started if we had known sooner that you were here."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Parrish said, once again not sounding at all like he was sincerely apologetic. "You see, nobody answered the door when I knocked and it wasn't locked, so I figured you wouldn't mind if I let myself in. And when I saw the princess sitting by herself, I figured I'd see if she was alright. I'm afraid we just got a little carried away in conversation after that."

Henri looked to Rosa, as if silently asking her if this was true, and she could only look between the two, not wanting to say anything. He spoke again, his tone of voice shifting to an almost scolding one, "I'm sure I don't need to remind you that the meeting is a bit urgent, right General? Shall we get going now?"

Parrish nodded and without a word started towards the door that led to the hallway. Henri stepped aside and allowed him to walk past, the two making somewhat tense eye contact as Parrish passed him. Rosa forced herself to stand up and follow, Leo snorting as she accidentally bopped his nose with her knee. It obviously didn't hurt, just annoyed him, and he stood up and shook himself before racing into the palace before her. Rosa took one last look outside, wishing she had more time to think, and then reluctantly shut the door and followed after Parrish.

As the three of them stepped out into the massive hallway, Leo barking and racing over to where one of his rope toys was stashed, Rosa noticed that Henri hung back and walked beside her as they made their way to her father's study. He looked a bit conflicted and concerned, and Rosa wondered what he was thinking about that had him so troubled. It wasn't until they were about halfway down the hall that Henri finally said anything to her, and he spoke in a very quiet voice. It was obvious he didn't want Parrish to overhear what he had to say. "Your Highness, has the general ever spoken to you like that before?"

"What?" Rosa tried to keep her voice quiet, but she was pretty sure that she almost caught the general's attention. She glanced at Henri. "I—I'm not sure what you mean by that."

"I overheard the two of you talking, and his 'mild' little outburst," Henri said carefully, looking almost as though he felt bad for eavesdropping, even unintentionally. "I'm only happy that he took it out on the door and not on you. The man has never really struck me as being very stable, and after hearing those comments he made, I can't help but wonder about and worry for your safety. It is, after all, my job to keep your family safe. And I feel I haven't done a very good job of it, as of late."

She didn't want to answer him, at least not truthfully, but if she let Parrish continue treating her like that? Rosa wasn't sure what would happen. She didn't trust him much anymore, and she was growing tired of being his and her father's pawn in their political games. Rosa's parents trusted Henri more than anyone else, obviously, as he was the head of security around the palace and their personal bodyguard. If he knew and if he risked speaking up, would they listen to him? Would her father even care about his daughter's safety and perhaps even his own, which Parrish was becoming more and more of a threat to, or had Parrish twisted his views and opinions too much?

It took her a solid minute to make a decision, and that was only because she knew that she needed to make one soon or lose her chance. She sighed, looking down at the floor as she quietly replied to his question with, "Yes. For a while now, I think...I feel like I've been manipulated all this time, and I think he knows that."

Henri seemed surprised by her answer, and he checked to see if Parrish was at all aware of what was being said. He wasn't, in fact, it seemed as though he was completely zoned out and focused only on reaching the study, walking several feet ahead of them. It would take quite a bit of straining to hear them, and once Henri was absolutely sure that he could continue, that's just what he did. "So, he's been talking down to you like that more than once? Speaking to the Princess of Erusea as though she's nothing more than a dog?"

He paused, checking to make sure that Parrish hadn't heard anything, however he soon realized that they were approaching the king's office. Henri sighed and his tone was much softer. "I've had my concerns for some time, given the way that he acts and how you act around him. Leo doesn't even like him, and that dog likes everyone...I've always heard animals were good judges of character," he said with a dry chuckle, though there was no indication that he found the situation amusing at all. Rosa was too startled by his brief show of anger, even if it wasn't directed at her, to really care if he'd actually found it funny, though. Henri went on. "I promise, Your Highness, things will start looking up soon enough. I'm...I'm very sorry that I didn't ask you about this sooner."

Rosa hesitated. If he had acted upon his suspicions sooner and confronted her or her father or even Parrish, then would that have changed anything? Rosa seemed to go unheard regardless of Parrish's involvement, the wellbeing of their country coming first, which Rosa could understand the reason for. Her mother thought it best that she stay out of the way and in the background, though, while her father only cared what she had to say when it suited him. Well, that was a bit unfair. He had asked her opinion on what to do about that submarine, the Alicorn...and he did help Osea in a very subtle, indirect way by finding a way to intercept that shell thing that the Alicorn fired at Osea's capital.

Maybe it was just the influence of their generals, specifically Parrish, that caused her father's seeming indifference towards her and her opinions. She sighed. In the end, she didn't know what speaking up might have changed. She never really cared for it, and she'd only gotten a verbal beating whenever she tried to stand her ground. It would have only caused more problems for her, she decided. As the three of them approached the door, Rosa knew she needed to say something to put Henri's mind at ease. Quietly and very softly, she said to him, "It's not your fault, Henri."

He paused, glancing at her as if he wasn't expecting or didn't think she was right to forgive him. In her eyes, there wasn't anything to forgive him for, though. Henri quickly looked at the ground and nodded softly. "I see. Thank you, Your Highness."

The two of them didn't get to continue their conversation, as they reached the door and Parrish opened it for them, allowing them to step inside first. He gave Rosa and Henri a rather curious look, as though he was well aware of them talking on their way down the hall, but he wasn't quite sure what they were talking about. Or maybe he had a general idea and wasn't happy about it. Either way, Rosa felt tired and scared. And...was she angry? No, not yet. But she had just about reached her limit when it came to Parrish. Why couldn't all of this be over?

We've been fighting for Erusea and our country's sovereignty all of this time, regardless of what General Parrish says, she thought. I feel we've done enough to defend that. Haven't we?

Although she wasn't happy about it, her thoughts were interrupted once again as her father looked up from where he was sitting. A smile spread across his face, though it was a tired one and it didn't reach his eyes. The warmth was gone completely from it, something that worried Rosa. It was very much a forced gesture. Nevertheless, he spoke as though it was quite the opposite. "Ah, there you are! I was starting to wonder if Henri had gotten lost," her father said, making an attempt at a half joke. The three of them let out weak laughs at the joke, Rosa's more subdued than Henri and Parrish. He watched as they all entered the room, Henri shutting the door and dutifully standing beside it while Rosa and Parrish took their seats.

"My apologies that it took so long. It's partially my fault. You see, I couldn't help but admire the view along the way," Parrish said as he pulled his seat in, sitting perfectly straight with a very faint smile on his face. "After all, your home is very impressive, Your Majesty. It's a look that never gets old...and at night, when those chandeliers are lit? It's simply stunning."

Parrish's compliments on their home didn't seem genuine to Rosa, even if she partially agreed. But her father seemed to believe the opposite, and gave him a very grateful look before laughing it off. "There are palaces and castles far more impressive than what we have here. Shilage Castle is a prime example of that, and there are some lovely old palaces in Belka," he said with a softer smile than before, some of the warmth he usually had returning. "But, regardless of that, I am grateful for your compliments, François."

There was a silence that fell over the room, although it didn't last for very long. Parrish was the first to speak up, cutting right to business. "Speaking of Shilage and Belka...I was hoping I could bring those up tonight."

"Oh? What is it?" Rosa's father prompted while she stayed quiet, her interest peaking with the mention of Shilage. "I hope it's nothing serious."

"Don't worry. It isn't too serious. Not yet, anyways. Just something that I felt I needed to bring to your attention," Parrish said carefully. Rosa looked up at him, watching and listening with interest while Parrish ignored her, focusing on the king while he spoke. As if Rosa wasn't even there. Not that she expected him to treat her any differently. He continued. "For one, General Shilage has his new flight suit. Dr. Schroeder informed me that the general's performance has significantly improved, and the experimental squadron has been moved and placed on standby in anticipation for the attack tomorrow. I have no doubts that we'll be able to defend our capital this time...perhaps it will be thanks to them. Three Strikes — should she show up — won't stand a chance."

Rosa noticed that Parrish's eyes flicked to her as he said this, as if he knew of her concerns for her friend's grandfather combined with whatever attachment he believed she had to Three Strikes. She still wasn't sure how she felt about the latter, but she didn't want anybody she knew getting hurt. The same could not be said for Parrish, who didn't seem to care who or what got destroyed in this war, so long as Osea lost. However, he was careful to hide this, and when Rosa broke eye contact nervously, Parrish looked back at the king before he could pick up on the obvious tension in the room.

Her father glanced between the two of them, and for a moment Rosa thought he'd started catching on, but he suddenly gave a tired smile. The smile was a clear indication that he most definitely had not. He took a deep breath and leaned back in his seat before he spoke again. "Well, that's good to know. Perhaps we'll stand a better chance than I previously thought. I know for a fact that General Shilage and his men won't let us down."

"Oh, definitely not," Parrish said, although the flicker of doubt and annoyance in his eyes told Rosa that he didn't have the same faith in the general. That didn't really come as a surprise to her, though. He continued flawlessly without giving what were likely his true feelings away. "After all, our air force's pilots are far more disciplined and superior to Osean pilots. I know that all of our brave pilots will do what it takes to win, even if it means that they die trying. Such loyalty is what we admire, is it not?"

The passive-aggressive comment made Rosa tense up, pulling her hands off the table and into her lap where she clenched them into tight fists. She sat straight as a board and stared across the table at Parrish with a neutral expression, though it was taking every ounce of self-restraint and proper manners that she had learned to not slam her fist onto the table in front of her. His jabs towards her, his constantly finding fault in her beliefs and the things she said and did, and every single swift glare he gave her when her father wasn't looking told her that she wasn't mistaken. The comment was directed at her, without a doubt. But she stayed composed. She was close to reaching her limit, but he hadn't pushed her over the edge yet. And she wasn't going to give this bitter old general the satisfaction, either.

It seemed that her reaction caught her father's attention, and Henri reacted as well. The king looked to her first, almost giving her a look of warning. She kept her head straight ahead, facing the general, but noticed her father staring at her. And out of the corner of her eye, she saw Henri take a step back and shake his head. Of course, she thought, reluctantly letting herself relax. He's fishing for a reaction at this point. He wants you to make the first direct move...and it's not going to happen.

Slowly her father turned his stern look away from her and his expression softened the tiniest bit when he spoke to the general again. "You're absolutely right, François. We shouldn't risk getting ahead of ourselves, though. General Shilage has never failed before, but there's always a first time for everything. I only hope that the Belkan design to his flight suit and the upgrades to his plane hold up. Lord knows, the damn things were expensive. The extra funding that the military had to give to the EASA was enough to last them for the next decade!"

"And that would bring me to my next problem, Your Majesty," Parrish said with a sigh. He grunted as he adjusted himself for more comfort, crossing one leg over the other with one arm on the table, his chair now facing the king at an angle. "I'm afraid that our lead scientists are starting to give us some difficulties. Even outright refusing direct orders from their superiors in the military. The Ravens are coming along at a slower rate than we'd like thanks to them."

"It's not Dr. Schroeder, is it?" her father asked.

"No, but he is one of Gründer's best. Or so we were told," Parrish said in an almost scathing voice. He seemed just as spiteful towards this scientist as he did to Rosa. "Dr. Georg Fitzgerald was one of the more promising scientists they sent us, next to Schroeder. I believe the two were good friends, actually. In fact, up until recently, Georg has been an absolutely brilliant addition to our team stationed at the Mass Driver. It was his idea to develop the unmanned fighters, with some input and assistance from Schroeder, and he developed their ability to fake the IFF signals and trick Osean forces."

"I sense a 'but' coming," her father replied, obviously urging him to get to the point.

"But...lately he's been refusing to work at the pace we ask of him. He's been stubborn and confrontational," Parrish explained, though to Rosa it sounded as though he was describing himself. "I gave a clear deadline for some work I needed done ASAP and when the time came it wasn't met. I asked him why and he began to argue with me. He told me that 'the work will be done when I get it done, and not any time before' and has been pushing back harder ever since. He even told me that my order to send out more unmanned fighters was unnecessary."

"Hmmm...a concerning matter, but hardly one that I know how to fix," Rosa's father said with a sigh. He paused a moment to think over what had been said before he said anything else. "Do you have any idea what prompted his sudden behavior?"

"Not a clue. He was a very quiet, by the book, easygoing gentleman up until this point," Parrish said. Something seemed to occur to him suddenly, as an afterthought. "Actually, I may have some idea. After he heard news that we were likely going to call off the cease fire on Tyler Island, he put up a bit of a fight and looked a bit upset by it. I think he might be developing a soft spot towards Osea. Wouldn't be the first time something like that has happened."

"Didn't he reside on the island prior to the war?" her father asked, and Parrish gave a reluctant nod in reply. "Well, not to discredit you, François, but it's entirely possible that he's simply tired of his home being a war zone."

"Aren't we all?" Parrish asked with a rather forced sigh of defeat. A short pause and he was back to normal. "Still, I highly doubt that that's what this is. It just doesn't add up."

It was Rosa that spoke up this time, unable to keep quiet for any longer. She was sure to keep her voice steady and with little challenge to her words as she tilted her head slightly in an attempt to seem innocent and non-confrontational. "Really? What makes you think that, General? It doesn't seem fair to accuse someone of disloyalty with little evidence other than the fact that they seem fed up with all the fighting."

To her surprise, he actually gave her a light chuckle, and it wasn't forced. "You make an...interesting point, Your Highness. However, I've seen too much in my time to discount it entirely."

"But you admit that you could be wrong?" Rosa asked him, still keeping her cool as best as she could. "Again, it would be unfair to condemn a man based on nothing more than a simple hunch. Especially when he's been nothing but loyal prior to now. Forgive me if I sound rude, General, but I find your conclusion a bit too hasty."

Parrish seemed a bit uncomfortable by now, but he tried to play it off as though he wasn't at all bothered by what she was saying. "I understand your concerns, Your Highness. But in cases like these, it's better to be safe than sorry. Even if he works for Gründer Industries and isn't involved in the fighting directly, he is still a part of our military and I can't place anybody above suspicion. To do so would risk sabotage — invite it, actually — and I am not about to endanger soldiers that are without doubt loyal to our country."

Rosa opened her mouth to interject, but her father cut her off before she could even say anything. "Er, Rosa...I have to agree with François on this one. If it has the best interest of our men at heart, then I have to side with it," he said to her apologetically, although Rosa didn't feel too comforted by it. She didn't argue, simply nodding and allowing them to go back to their discussion. "I do agree that it would be unfair to condemn the man on so little."

"We do still need his help and he is still willing to offer it. I think he just needs a little convincing," Parrish said with an almost...understanding look on his face now. He chuckled again, but in the way he always did that made Rosa uneasy. "Like I mentioned earlier, part of the reason I came back was for that very reason. I believe that with the right resources I might be able to persuade him to be a tad more reasonable. If not that, then at least more cooperative than he has been. Trust me, if this doesn't work then nothing else will."

"That's a lot of trust I have to place in your judgement," her father said, using a slightly sterner tone than usual. "Do whatever it is that you have to, just make sure that the unmanned fighters and the rest of the drones are ready soon. We've taken too many casualties in the air and on the ground, and if we don't get those drones soon...well, I fear that the numbers are going to continue to climb. If I can prevent that, I'm going to do everything in my power to do so."

Parrish nodded in agreement, but he didn't say anything. Rosa suspected it was because he didn't have the same goals as her father, and to say anything more on the subject would give away whatever his own agenda was. She couldn't help but wonder just why he focused so much on old wounds to drive him when there were better things to work for in life. He feigned a love for his country, his desire for the drones to defeat Osea coincidentally — actually, conveniently — happening to line up with her family's desire to end the war with as few casualties as possible. General Labarthe and his conservatives wanted the same, but it seemed that Labarthe saw through Parrish's facade long before Rosa did.

He had tried to tell her what he saw, too, in his own indirect way. But she didn't know either general as well as she should have, and she was paying the price for it now. Labarthe was stationed elsewhere, possibly even in hiding with a few of his own men, while battles raged elsewhere. And General Parrish was safe and sound, the King's right hand man, just waiting for the right moment to strike. Rosa wished she could have found the words and the bravery to tell her father what she knew, what Labarthe knew and what Henri knew...but she didn't see the point. Parrish had her father wrapped around his finger.

There wasn't much she was able to do, and with the upcoming attack there wasn't much she could do. All she had to do was sit in silence and wait for everything to blow over, and once the battle was finished and Parrish was taking care of whatever business he had with the Belkan scientist, Georg, then Rosa would speak up. Until then, she had to take whatever insults and attempt at manipulation that Parrish had left. She hoped that he would give up on that, though. In fact, the more she thought, the more it seemed to her he already had. Rosa couldn't help but feel a little more confident. She'd defeated him on one front, now she just had to take care of the rest.

But thanks to Parrish, her father spoke as though she wasn't even in the room. But without him around, things were at least somewhat different. Rosa just had to be careful and keep quiet, though it wasn't working as well as she would have liked. Parrish wasn't the only one biding his time and making subtle moves. She had some tricks up her sleeve, too, she just had to figure out how to use them. Her parents raised a young woman, not a puppetmaster. It was going to be difficult, especially with her father wrapped around Parrish's finger, but when had things been easy since this war began?

Once again, her deeper thoughts were abruptly ended by someone, this time her father. The king said her name to get her attention and she promptly turned to him. The look on his face was amused for a moment, but it quickly faded and he cleared his throat and said, "You need to pay closer attention. You looked a million miles away."

"I'm sorry, Father. I guess I've got a lot on my mind," Rosa said, shifting in her seat and sending a cold look Parrish's way. She didn't exactly want to be here, even more so than usual given that no one but Henri cared what she had to say.

"I see. Well, you'll be able to relax soon enough," he said, gathering up some papers still left on the table. Rosa looked at him, waiting for him to continue and confused as to what he meant by that. He wasn't even looking at her as he casually continued. "I'm sending you and your mother out of the city first thing in the morning, along with some guards. The transport is scheduled to leave around five or six in the morning, so I suggest you pack your things tonight and be prepared to leave."

Rosa's eyes widened and she gave him a look of disbelief. "What?!"

He looked up at her, clearly surprised by her reaction, and paused what he was doing. "You're going to be evacuating the city first thing in the morning," he repeated, grunting as he stood up from his seat and began to walk towards his desk. He spoke over his shoulder as he did. "You didn't think that you and your mother were going to be staying in harm's way, did you? You're heading south, towards one of those island airbases. There are a handful of small towns you and your mother can stay at and enjoy the sights. It'll be like a vacation."

"'Vacation'?!" That last part of what her father had said set her off. Rosa shoved her chair back and sprang to her feet, taking a few strides as she — for what felt like the first time in her life — raised her voice. "You expect me to abandon my home and our country to march off on some 'vacation'?! While the people that live in this city are displaced from their homes and sent off to camps to spend the remainder of the war? I'm expected to forget about them?"

The king responded to her anger with his own, turning around suddenly and raising his voice louder than hers. "You are expected to keep quiet and do as you're told! You are my daughter, the Princess of Erusea, and the heir to the throne! What do you think will happen to our country and government if the entire royal family falls? Is that what you want? For our country to not only lose a war, but to be thrown into chaos while they scramble for solutions? To face the loss of a war, their homes, and their leaders?!"

"I want our country to know that their future queen didn't abandon them while their lives were on the line!" Rosa said, feeling light-headed all of a sudden. There was a weird and yet small rush of adrenaline. She felt sick and she wanted that sick feeling to go away, but she was too angry to stop now. "A leader puts what's best for those that follow them before their own needs! A leader doesn't run when things get too scary!"

"You are a child! You have no idea what a leader does or even what's best for our country, and it's about time you stopped acting like you do!" her father yelled at her, and Rosa bit her lip as she felt her eyes beginning to water. Again, reduced to nothing more than a child, as if that would have somehow made her point any less valid. He continued without a second thought. "I'm Erusea's leader and I'm not running! I'm staying here and facing whatever comes our way! But I'm not going to put my family's lives on the line just to make some goddamn statement that doesn't mean a thing if we're all dead!"

"At least they'd never say that we died as cowards," Rosa spat at him, her fists clenched at her sides. Her father simply stared back at her with a cold and yet fiery look she wasn't used to seeing from him. This wasn't the man that raised her.

A new voice joined the conversation, and Rosa quickly fixed him with a steely gaze, knowing that this was the only person that truly deserved her anger. Not that it changed much now. Parrish looked as if he found the fight and her anger rather entertaining, but he quickly feigned some sort of parental sternness as he spoke, "It appears to me that you've stepped out of place, Your Highness."

Rosa held back a scoff, turning to face Parrish. "My 'place' is standing my ground alongside my people."

"I think that you severely misunderstand where your place truly lies, then," Parrish said coldly with a look of warning on his face. "And it would do you a great deal of good to stay in it and not overestimate your importance."

Rosa would have replied had it not been for her father slamming his fist onto his desk and keeping her from doing so. "That's enough! You both ought to stay in your places," he shouted at them, and everyone went silent while he looked between the two of them. He let out a sigh and pressed a hand to his forehead, leaning against his desk and lowering his voice. "I've had just about enough of this...Rosa Cossette, get out of my sight. Now. Go and pack. You have an early trip in the morning."

"Wha—" Rosa started with a sputter.

His hand shot up and he sent her a cold look. "I don't want to hear anything else about it. I don't give a damn what your opinions are on it, I am your father and your King and my orders are law. Now get out."

Already exhausted from yelling, Rosa didn't have much left to put up a fight. Without a word she turned away from her father and to the door, where Henri stood with a blank expression, probably unsure of what to feel about what he witnessed. Holding back a defeated sigh, Rosa began to walk towards the door and Henri stepped aside to allow her to exit. As she opened the door, she heard Parrish bid her farewell. "Good luck, Your Highness. Safe travels."

She ignored him and marched into the hallway and slammed the door behind her, the sound echoing throughout the hall. No one was around to hear it except for Leo, and he jumped as he heard it. Rosa sat down on a bench in the hall and leaned forward, burying her face in her hands as she tried to calm down and keep from crying or screaming. And she really wanted to do both. She flinched as she felt Leo's nose suddenly on her knee and then her arm, sniffing at her with concern.

Rosa sniffled slightly and let out a sigh at last, looking up at Leo as he rested his head on her knee and sat down. She managed a small chuckle at her dog's affection and lightly began to stroke his head and neck while she worked through her own feelings and what she had just done. She hated yelling, and she never did it. Everyone knew her as the soft spoken, gentle young princess. Now she felt like a monster and her throat burned from it.

No one could say she wasn't paying the price for it or that she didn't regret it. The latter would have been partially true, though. She didn't entirely regret it. She meant what she had said during the yelling, but it wasn't everything she wanted to say. It wasn't even half of what she needed to say. That was what she regretted more than the yelling. But the anger was still there. After being pent up for so long, why wasn't it going away now? Why did she still feel angry? Rosa gritted her teeth and fought off tears. She didn't want to cry. She wasn't sad, she was furious. She wanted to fight, but she didn't have the courage or the strength.

When the door opened and she heard the sound of it shutting echo once again, Rosa flinched. She was expecting her father or Parrish as whoever it was approached her almost silently, but she was relieved to hear the voice of Henri. "Your Highness?"

"Oh, Henri. It's you," she said quietly, relaxing slightly. Rosa straightened up as Leo lifted his head from her knee, and she looked at Henri apologetically. "I'm sorry I blew up like that. You looked a little surprised...are you okay?"

"I appreciate the concern, but believe me, I'll be more than okay. Especially once all of this blows over," Henri said with an extremely tired smile on his face. His eyes betrayed his concern and he carefully spoke again. "But are you going to be okay?"

Rosa hesitated before she answered, taking a deep breath. She didn't know. Right now she definitely wasn't, and she knew she'd feel guilty being safe and comfortable while everyone here fought and gambled with their lives. And that was hard enough on them as it was, but she was supposed to just leave without a fight? That wasn't what she wanted to do. All of her years learning history and watching her father and their military taught them one thing. Eruseans don't go down easy. If she could just live up to that, things might be alright. But she proved she wasn't a fighter, no matter how hard she tried.

At last, she answered his question, rising to her feet. "I'll be fine, really. Like you said, you know...once this all blows over."

"Are you sure?" Henri asked her, not seeming to buy her answer. Why did he have to be so observant all the time? He was a bodyguard, not a therapist.

"Positive. I guess I just need some time to clear my head," Rosa said, not too convinced of what she was saying herself. She felt a headache coming on and she wanted nothing more than to be alone right now. "I probably should get some rest. I'm not feeling too great right now."

Henri still wasn't convinced (not that he ever was), but he didn't press the matter. "Right...of course. Goodnight, Your Highness."

"Goodnight, Henri." With that, Rosa turned towards the stairs and slowly began her walk to her room, Leo following close behind. Not another word was said, and the same silence that fell over the rest of Farbanti fell over the palace. Cold and desolate. But they all knew that they should enjoy whatever silence they could get, however eery it was, as it was still a better alternative to the sounds of gunfire and explosions. There wasn't peace now, not by any means, but it was as close as they were going to get to it.

Author's Note: Once again, I am sorry for going AWOL for a month once again. I thought that I would have had this one out faster, but writer's block hit me really hard about halfway through that last scene and my inspiration was kind of beat out of me, since I didn't know where to go with the rest of it and all of my ideas are still for everything past this chapter. This is the very last chapter left until Farbanti (finally), and from there I have a lot planned. I just had to work through this one to help finish setting things up.

I'm hoping that the Farbanti chapter will come along smoother than this one, as I love the mission and I'm really overdue for writing some action again. I'll be back with another update soon, but for now I'm off to do some dialogue fishing and try to take it easy for a short while.
Hope y'all are doing alright and staying safe and healthy!