RSTC The Bells of Notre Dame 7

"--behind any military regime. For short, the creation of SICON itself was already troubled from the very start." A confident voice echoed through the quiet staircase.

Sgt. Zim firmly caught the sprinting trooper and silently ordered her to keep quiet. The he signaled the FedNet reporter behind him to continue filming. This sounded important and he wanted to get every little bit on tape if possible.

The Roughnecks were two short as it is. They had left Dizzy Flores and Carl Jenkins with Ibanez to look after Barcalow. If anything else were to happen because of the Italian civilian, he'd rather have some kind of objective proof than for the higher ups to listen to subjective views. A confession from the owner of La Farmacia would be the best thing to happen.

With the lieutenant taking point, the troopers slowly and silently fell in line going down the stairs. The conversation between the veteran trooper and Mr. Toscana wore on and worried the old sergeant even more.

"So. Just because you're well known means you're untouchable?" They heard Gossard counter. "You're a piece of work, you know that."

There was a small chuckle. "Do you honestly believe that I have no influence over the minds of the public? I am one of the richest people in the world. You do not get that from just being smart and inheriting the fortune." He pointed out. "SICON may have brains and big guns. But I have something you militarists do not."

"And what's that?" The mechanic asked.

"Charisma." The Italian simply answered. "I am well liked by the world community at large. I hold art festivals. I give free medicine. I donate funds and supply SICON with it's precious tank bots..."There was a pause. "In the eyes of the public, I am-- how do you put it?-- Doing my part." He imitated the recruitment videos. "So when I say jump, people, including SICON, ask how high." He said in an overbearing tone.

"Not when the higher ups get word about your human experiments." Gossard reminded the man.

Zim felt a chill go down his spine when the Italian mere laughed. He could see the two now through the railing. A rifle was pointed at the still civilian. "You seem to have a short memory. Private Anderson left so quickly to stop the execution. She left everything. And I crushed everything. There is no evidence." He sneered.

The sergeant and the lieutenant exchanged concerned looks before turning their heads to the girl in question. Zim saw her jaw drop with what looks like disbelief. "Well?" He questioned barely whispering.

"Andy, please tell me you have something." Rico gave her a pleading look.

The trooper defiantly stared back at the two officers. "Oh ye of little faith." She replied placing a tiny trinket she got from her pack on Zim's hand. "Luckily, I tote that around." The sergeant just eyed the small blue thing suspiciously. It was just as big as his thumbnail and mere millimeters thick. "I didn't get something-- I got everything." She pointed at the blue object.

"And even if that little girl stopped the execution, who do you think your superiors will believe? A man like me or a bunch of emotional troopers that have defied their orders like you?" The civilian smirked. "Remember Corporal, civilians like me have more clout than you believe." He tapped the rifle's nozzle.

"And troopers like us have more on you than you believe." Rico finally interrupted the conversation going down the stairs one step at the time followed by the troopers. "We have that on video." He pointed at Higgins, who waved.

Zim smirked dangling the shiny blue trinket. "And we have what you tried to destroy." He said recalling Gossard to join them with a hand gesture.

"Leonardo Toscana," Rico stated coldly. "You're under arrest. Doc, disarm him." He ordered.

"This. Is. So. Cool." Higgins grinned earning a stern look from the sergeant before slinking away.

-- -- -

Zander Barcalow watched as the Roughnecks went about their business repairing the ship as much as they possibly could-- except for Higgins who they assigned to watch the still confident Leonardo Toscana who was seated and barred inside. "Hey Barcalow!" He heard his name being called out. He turned to see the mechanic balanced on top of the ship's wing with a small torch pointing at a sheet of metal below him. "If you're not too busy, maybe you'd want to hand lift that with your big strong four arms." He chuckled nudging Doc beside him. "Get it. Forearms. Four arms." He watched as the medic just rolled his eyes.

"Level down on the funny meter." Doc remarked.

It's not his usual style to comply but he did it anyway quite happy to be of some use to the troopers. However, not without his own parting shot. "What's the matter Gossard? Finally feeling some competition?" He taunted as he lifted the said metal sheet up so the other could weld.

The medic chuckled. "The bug cracks jokes."

"This is all a joke." Brutto huffed passing by the three carrying a toolbox.

"Don't mind him." Carmen Ibanez suddenly appeared beside him. "He's just angry." She shrugged.

The bugman gave the human a skeptical glance. "So he really is sergeant--"

"Oh yeah." Dizzy Flores answered sliding down the top of the plane and landing on the wing. "Like you wouldn't believe." She added. "Hey, L.T. wants to know when we can fly." She informed the two who are welding joints.

"Tell him these things take time." Gossard replied. The red head gave him a wry look. "15 minutes tops." He stated more specifically.

"Although if those four helped..." Doc trailed on.

"Hey! Newsflash." Dizzy placed two hands on her hips. "They're trying to think of a way to get us all out of trouble and get Zander back in and implicate the civilian. You think you can cut them some slack?"

Zander nearly dropped the sheet metal eying the trooper. "I'm going with you?" His eyes widened with disbelief. He watched Jenkins, Rico and Zim look at a delighted, jumping girl oddly. Suddenly, he was filled with a warm fuzzy feeling he hadn't felt in awhile.

He felt a nudge from the pilot beside him. "You didn't think Rico'd leave you here did you?"

The former officer just gave Ibanez a questionable expression. "I'll endanger you all." He stated bluntly.

Carmen waved it off. "Been there. Done that." She shrugged. "Besides, I think they've just had a eureka moment." She pointed at the the three younger troopers exchanging high fives while Zim disapprovingly shook his head.

The bugman raised his head just to see the Jenkins and Rico heading for them while a conversation continued between the girl and the sergeant. The two seemed pretty proud of themselves. The other two they left though were suddenly serious in whatever they were talking about.

Carl Jenkins smiled as he approached the small group. "You're coming with us." His smile grew wider. "We found a loophole." He informed the troopers.

"It's called--" Rico cleared his through for effect, "the Genetics Non discrimination act." He emphasized each word with hand gestures in the air. "It's how they defended the Tophetti to join the war. Sky Marshal, then General Redwing, defended it herself. Meaning, as long as you're willing and able to serve, genetics and race shouldn't be holding you back." He beamed proudly.

Zander Barcalow, the half-man half- bug creature, smirked as much as a half-man half bug creature can. "Just so we're clear Rico, I never liked you."

-- -- -

"Charlie." A highly decorated greeted glumly on a digital screen atop the Valley Forge.

"Miriam." Sgt. Zim leaned back on his chair. It had been a few months after the Klendathu incident. Zander Barcalow was left within the confines of Klendathu command helping them track the bugs in his restricted holdings. Some of SICON's top scientists had been assigned to Klendathu to see if they could turn Zander back to normal or at least supress the bug in him without killing the trooper.

It sounded like a story book ending. The sergeant knew that if something seemed to good to be true, it normally is. "You look tired. Maybe you should rest." Zim suggested concerened about the official's health.

Sky Marshal Miriam Redwing just gave him a small smile. " I was about to tell you the same thing." She replied in amusement. "But no, I just called in to give you some news before you get it from anywhere else." The sad expression returned. "Leonardo Toscana was set free." She raised her hand to tell him to let her finish. "But SICON will now be looking very closely about how they conduct their affairs and--" The Sky Marshal paused looking suspiciously at her calm friend. "You're not surprised." She observed.

Sgt. Zim shrugged. "In Klendathu, a little bird told me the odds of him being acquitted were very high."

"What else did this little bird tell you?" She asked curiously.

This time the Zim leaned forward. "It said that SICON should try to be more... 'friendly' to civilians-- that we shouldn't only care about what citizens think. It warned that only an extraordinary reason would prompt world leaders to submit their powers to one governing body. Our reason was the bugs. But at a time that the world thinks that we've won..." He sighed. "The little bird said that if SICON wants to continue on, it has to stay relevant."

"The basis of this hypothesis is..."

"History." Zim replied wincing when the girl lowered her gaze in defeat. "Just be careful, Miriam." He forced a smile on his face.

The Sky Marshal met his gaze. "Funny, I was about to tell you the same thing." There was a buzz in her end. She rolled her eyes. "I have to go. SICON has to stay relevant." She said wryly.

Sgt. Zim chuckled. "Me too, I have to go disappoint a little bird."

-- -- -

: : hits buzzer: done!