XX8: Not exactly the most comforting return

The mechanical sound of a drone coming to life filled the kitchen, its 'eyes' blinking as its rays latched onto the fridge, opening it. It took a can of soda. Closing the fridge door, the drone twisted and lobbed it across the counter. Kazuki caught it, without even looking. Cracking it open, he scrunched and downed the non-alcoholic beverage as he felt his back ache. His exoskeleton was not used to constantly bending over and pushing over furniture in Eliza's duplex. It was made for war, but even so, his energy levels were running low. Maybe... he should let himself rest.

He straightened his back out with a slight mechanical crack noise. The lights of the large duplex living room shone down at him as Eliza placed herself on the sofa in her dog onesie. Even after resting up for so long, she still had bags under her eyes.

"Was that really necessary, Kaz?" asked Eliza, lying down on the sofa as she took a glance at the massive collection of brooches and pins hung on the wall behind her. "I liked being able to flop on the sofa, now I have to walk across the room…"

"Yes," stated Kazuki, looking down the hallway attached to the living room.

He had shifted the entire living room 180 degrees just so the sofas didn't have a clear line of fire with the hallway to the door. Archius was raiding the fridge in the kitchen attached to the living room.

"Ugh… I can't understand any of this…" Archius muttered to himself. "What the fuck is a Jirutia cabbage?"

"I could have helped, you know?" continued Eliza.

Kazuki immediately shot back as he placed a hover-board of various pins representing cybernetics on the wall, "You collapsed from exhaustion. Need I say anymore?"

"N—no…" she trailed off, realising that she didn't have anything smart to say to him. She glanced over at Archius, hoping that he'd have something to say.

And of course, he did. "Jiriki hell, look at you looking after her like some overbearing parent." It was strange to hear Archius speak in his native tongue.

Kazuki grumbled as he walked away, the walls were decorated with many plaques and achievements, mostly academic awards. But as many awards were adorning them, there were twice as many keepsakes. From massive collections of old pins to replica brooches of every Imperial aristocratic family; they did not have their distinctive glow - or hues. They did not have the solar-essence imbued into the average brooch. If they did, Kazuki would be amazed at the replication of it - and worried about the legality of it. The dead remains of those Star Gods long dead gave aristocratic brooches their 'weight', their 'power'. He knew all of them from memory: most lineages were extinct. The fires of war consumed many of them. And rising from the ashes were far more upstart aristocratic lineages than ever, profiting from the after-war boom. He even saw a replica of his family's seal…

"Sixty-four per cent of your collection is extinct," Kazuki commented.

"Well, it still counts, right?" Eliza shrugged.

Archius leaned against the kitchen counter, drinking a whole carton of real chocolate milk. He had his guard down, surprisingly. Though with what the IUON considers 'the devil of death, son of the merchant' around, they'll be safe.

He sat down beside Eliza. "Anyways… we should go over some ground rules."

Kazuki ignored him. "First. Trust no one. You thought the Orion Purge was cut-throat politics? The private sector industry is ten times that. Second—"

"Hold up, hold up!" Archius interrupted him. He took his mouth away from the chocolate milk. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

Ah… Kazuki realised that he didn't break the news to him. He always presumed that if Archius could know something, he would. But the only chance of getting a device in there was through Sato… and she's too vigilant.

Eliza glanced at Archius, "I'm working for Kaz, sorry for not telling you, it's just that… I really don't know what I'm doing."

"Yeah, precisely why. Kaz, what the fuck?!" Archius maintained his composure, despite all his shouting. His facade was still up, but if Eliza was to truly be his aide. She should know.

"And Eliza," said Kazuki, ignoring Archius. "This is 'Archius' Bar-Lyst. My personal spymaster and control freak."

Eliza's eyes widened as Archius dropped the facade immediately. His face formed into a regular scowl as his eyes thinned at the two of them. "Don't mind me. The choco-milk was good, though."

"Archius…" Eliza trailed off.

He let off a husky laugh. "What? Surprised? Pay no attention to it. As far as you're concerned. The me you know is real, consider it. For your sake."

He glared at Kazuki as he placed the carton down, walking around the kitchen, into the living room, and up the stairs. Eliza interjected, "Uh, are you looking for the bathroom?"

Archius put up his facade as he responded, grinning at her slightly. But the words did not match his face. "Looking implies I don't already know the whole layout of this place… I need to take a shower. You don't mind, right?"

"Not at all, please make yourself at home," said Eliza, giving Archius a warm smile, even after seeing his true colours. She confused him… Most people would've been disgusted… But she didn't seem all too confused. Trusting Eliza was a good idea, Kazuki thought.

He glanced away, waving at her as he turned into one of the conjoining hallways connected to the stairs. Eliza glanced at Kazuki, her eyes were filled with fervour. Perhaps the surprise lit a fire in her, he thought. Kazuki preferred if she learnt from the man himself, she could keep a secret. But sometimes, Kazuki wondered if she could ever keep his, if he ever told her.

"It was for your own good," said Kazuki, "That you didn't know of Archius."

She nodded, "Well, Chloé always did guess that something was up with him. Like how he always followed you."

"Pfft, tell me about it - he even follows me into the toilets back in high school." Kazuki scratched the back of his neck, taking out the energy charge embedded into his exospine-nape. "Archius is… strange, to be honest. He's served with me for a long time, but never seems to have any motivation other than the mission."

The dim-bright light of night-life Anagora shone through the massive windows leading out to the small terrace. Eliza said nothing.

"So, about what you'll do. You'll be an analyst, bureaucrat and handler if they need extra help. Rivera and Sato will fight over you, so try to get as many favours out of them. Most of our information comes from Krystalink, so it should be easy to use."

"W—wait, Krystalink? I thought it was just some urban legend?" Eliza pondered, placing her head on the sofa as she placed her legs on Kazuki's lap. He wasn't bothered by this.

"It's real. That woman back in the hospital, she made it," said Kazuki. "I never understood why she served in the navy with her skills."

He placed the charge on the coffee table in front of the sofa. He could see slight steam ooze off from it. He sighed, his implants were failing, from his spine to lungs to heart. Eventually: he'll die. A holographic visage propped out from a projector on the table, Synthia. It started to scan Kazuki's power source.

'Fascinating…' said Synthia.

"Hey!" Eliza shot upwards, looking at Synthia's projection, "You shouldn't scan things that aren't yours."

"It's fine," said Kazuki. There was nothing to be gained from not telling them.

A 'gift' from Clandestine, his cybernetics prolonged his hell. Just long enough, it seems. Constant overuse seemed to have worn away at them. Most prevalently: his exospine. It was the apex of engineering - too much so. And without its blueprints, his experimental medi-netics will fail. He could feel his organs slowly falter as he placed the charge back into his spine.

"Kaz, if you need someone to check your netics, I can," suggested Eliza. The idea wasn't as far-fetched as it might seem. She studied cybernetics, "Synthia, run a diagnostic on the power receivers."

'Already doing it, Miss Eliza.' replied Synthia.

After all, it puzzled his mother, one of the best inventors in the galaxy, and Sylvie Garreau, one of the best surgeons on the planet. Whoever made it must have been a prodigy in the field. "Sure."

She smiled as she sat up, using her arms to support herself. "And you don't mind me studying it, right? It might be the perfect topic for me to write for my undergrad."

"Sure. Go ahead," stated Kazuki, his voice a blunt hammer of statements.

Maybe Eliza did have a chance to rebuild her mother's cybernetic company, she had the spirit after all, she never backed down and was always interested in fighting… But he didn't know how long he had left, hopefully, he could see her succeed before he passed. "And as a bonus. I'll use the AGENCY to help in the investigation."

If he's going to do this, might as well throw all his chips in. His head ached slightly, as she turned on the holographic television across the room. She paused for a moment before her head twisted back at him.

"Wait what?" Eliza looked excited.

He reiterated what he said, "You can poke around my back as long as you don't blow it up."

"No no no, the second part?"

"Categorically, I am the AGENCY's largest shareholder. I'll use resources to help us. Last time, we had a severe lack of assistance. This time, we'll have ten thousand guns on a minute's call. But we still have to deal with the Loyalists first."

"I…" Eliza slowly sat up. Her confused face turned into fervour as she smirked, her face was radiating a smile as she shuffled towards him. "Thanks. I guess it's a promise then, shall we?"

She raised her left pinkie finger to Kazuki. He did the same with his right and they shook on it… She smiled at him and let off a small heh. It was awkward, but it felt right for her to be this way.

"Then it's official. We'll solve this case together, I'll hold you to it this time!" said Eliza, "It means a lot to me, really. I might as well go get some booze, the Marquess de Fer-Charleota sent me some high-quality beer."

She stood up and walked off into the kitchen. Of course, it meant a lot to her. Her sister died during the incident… in his very own hands. His memory of it is both muddied and clear - even thinking of it gave him a slight headache. Was he doing any of this for her? Maybe solving it was for Victoria's postmortem. But she was never the vengeful type. He is. And when he finally gets his muzzle tucked between the eyes of whoever Jessica spoke of… he'll be free.

As Eliza walked back into the living room, Archius ran over to the stairs, peering down in fresh clothes and water dripping off his hair. Kazuki looked up to him, on the second floor of the duplex. Archius raised a massive folder in the air, his eyes lit with mischief. "Kaz! I found Eliza's holo-album!"

She spun around and immediately threw a beer can at Archius. An argument broke out as Kazuki ignored the charade, as much as both sides tried to get him involved. But he couldn't resist watching; even as his title binds him to secrecy, he knows that he does not deserve this sight. He has to sacrifice more for victory. But again, he wanted to live like this. With his friends, at peace… But still, he knows the war must end. By his hands.