9 Chapter 7

-VVIP Room, Hospital-

The wind flutters the curtains, making a few sakura petals come in to the room. There's a boy that sat beside a girl that laying down in the bed with iv line and ventilator in.

Bzttt…bzzttt…bzztttt…

The boy frowned a little, then reach out to his pocket pants to answer the phone.

"Young master, I've something to tell you. The truth is…" come a voice through the phone, but immediately being cut by the boy.

"Do you understand what's my schedule today, right ?" the boy said with cold voice

"…I'm really sorry young master, but the situation was related to Ryutaro."

The boy frowned even deeper. He then stand up, and take off his glasses. "Do tell…"

"Ryutaro meet an accident while testing out the new system…"

"Send him to this hospital, also did you already informed this to aunt? Even he is her adopt son, she's better informed now than latter." The boy said while pinching his nose bridge.

"The truth is, the condition a bit different…the body of Ryutaro is nowhere to be found, it's vanished…"

"Now is not the time for your lame jokes uncle Dojima" The boy almost sounds angry

"I'm not joking young master Hikaru…" Oldman Dojima said helplessly

"Are you fucking kidding me !! this is the last adjustment before the completion of the system !! We're working so hard on this system because I know this is the last resort to returned my sister back!!" Hikaru then throw his phone to the floor.

"Damn…Damn…" Hikaru clenched his fist

"You promised to bring Natsume back Ryutaro. How in the hell, you're gonna fulfilled that promised if you're gone missing". Hikaru said while seeing Natsume condition that laying in the bed.

-Conference Room, Versaillus-

Athrun already sat in the chair, while Le Creuset making a tea. "Do you want one?" Le Creuset asked\

"It would be my honoured sir"

Le Creuset just nod, and continue brewing the tea.

"Here" Le Creuset said while giving the tea to Athrun and finally sat down

"Thank you sir" Athrun said, he then take a sip.

'Not too light nor too strong', Athrun thought, his face seems relax after he take another sip.

"Glad that's to your liking, you can add more sugar if you want too." Le Creuset said, then he too take a sip of his tea.

"No sir, it's perfect. I'm honoured to have too company you in this occasion." "It's just…I don't know if you're a tea person, I thought you'd prefer a coffee instead of a tea." Athrun flabbergasted

"Hahaha…haha…" Le Creuset just laughed it off

Athrun never know this side of commander Rau Le Creuset, he just feel relieved. He is hoping that, maybe behind his calm behavior there's a way to save Lacus.

'If Yzak know, i was drinking tea with commander...' Athrun just shook his head, he definetly doesn't want him to know about this.

"Well continue on, I know what's you want to talked about" Le Creuset said while putting down his teacup.

"Apologized sir, I know this is difficult, but is there a way which we can convince the Alliance to release her?"

"Not in a realistic sense, but if I had to guess, the only way would be like what's the Beast pilot demands. The return of their Mobile suits that we'd stolen and maybe offering them a valuable prisoner of our own to be exchanged, something we're a little short on right now, right?"

"But then…"

"The only other way is to force their hand of course we've to wait the reinforcements first. Then we could forcibly try to take the ship, though what would happen in the course of that would be uncertain. In any case, either we take her back or she dies in the process."

"Commander, that's…" Athrun eyed Le Creuset dangerously and want to protest.

"Either we lose her to the enemy, or we risk saving her, a high stakes operation regardless. Either way we have no room for negotiating, and we would be faced with a major problem for the PLANTs future. Something I'm certain that the Chairman would wish to avoid. It might cost him more than his career if he opted to negotiate with the Earth Alliance for her life." He made his case clear.

Athrun wasn't pleased with such a response and looked at Le Creuset with serious expression.

"Sir, what you're speaking of, disregarding the life of the chairman's daughter."

"I'm sorry if it sounds like speaking disrespectfully, I'm just saying this from the angle of the PLANTs, and it isn't practical to risk the safety and security of the PLANTs and its citizens by conceding to demands is it?" Le Creuset said as he reasoned aloud, he knew that the other officers in the battered fleet wouldn't approve of his disregard of Clyne's daughter.

His concerns were masked by the fact that he knew the implications of what might happen if Lacus was killed, but it'd cost him his reputation and whatever clout he had in the politics of the PLANTs, something which he couldn't afford. Even if he was justified, he would likely shoulder the blame for not acting faster in his search for Clyne's daughter.

Even with Zala's support, he needed the public's backing to make any lasting impact, sabotaging himself and Zala would screw their chances of pushing his plans ahead, and making his dream of mutually assured destruction reality. He would need to tread carefully, find out how to get an edge up on the crew of the Archangel, but he thought about it.

From what Athrun revealed to him in his past reports on Kira Yamato, he figured that his situation was difficult to comprehend, being thrust into war and fighting his old friend, not to mention the hostage situation. He was naïve and malleable, something which he could use later on if he ever go to it.

The door slide open, revealed that captain Frederick Ades come with a file on his right hand.

"Pardon for the intrudition…" Frederick Ades said then come closer to Le Creuset. He then whisper something to Le Creuset.

"Uhmm…thanks" Le Creuset then open the file and his lips curled up.

"Okay…you can go back to the bridge Captain Ades"

After Captain Ades leave, Le Creuset then set his attention towards Athrun.

"Lookslike, we can still save Ms. Lacus Clyne, the reinforcement will arrive in a few days. Approximately in 2 days from now on, we'll meet with them."

"Really sir…?" Athrun asked disbelief with what he was heard.

"Yes Athrun, the Chairman even send his FAITH member. Do you know Natsume Kisaragi the Angel of Death?"

After a few conversations, Athrun finally left. Leaving behind Le Creuset in the Conference room. Le Creuset still reading the file about Natsume Kisaragi, he slowly lifted the next page that contains information about her Mobile Suit. There's also the picture of her Mobile Suit.

"I'm curious with her Mobile Suit ability, and which one gonna come victorius if she meet The Beast? Angel of Death, huh ?" Le Creuset smirked while looking at the picture of Mobile Suit that have two pairs angelic wings.