XX1: Return

His golden eyes watched as red jam filled Archius' mouth, biting into the ration bar. The red, gooey substance filled his mouth as he savoured the taste. Some of it got onto his lips as he messily consumed the bar. He grinned, flavour seeping into his taste buds, probably the first time he's eaten something with flavour for a while. Archius had a bright face, good looking enough to become an icon. His tanned skin contrasted his messy and sharp dark-green hair, part of which was neatly tied up in a small ponytail. It swayed slightly in the wind as Kazuki turned his gaze out towards the cityscape of Anagora. Massive skyscrapers and highrises passed by as his personal shuttle shot across the sky-lanes. Colourful cultures, adverts and bastions stretched up to the dusk sky. The air quickly blew through the two side exits of the shuttle.

Thousands of both distinguishable and indistinguishable buildings blurred by as Kazuki took in the view. His arms were crossed, his face blank. Normally, he wouldn't take in such a bog-standard scene, but it's been a year since he's been home. One year since he placed a railgun slug directly into the head of that old hag. 

For all its colours, showful playing and propaganda, it was far from a full democracy. This sight, like many others, masqueraded the corruption enrooted within the republic. A power-hungry, wealth based aristocracy was rampant, with families replacing each other on the shifting house of cards. With crime hidden in every alley and sub level below the surface.

Rampant self interest plagued every level of government, where no faith lies in any level of the executive or judicial branch. The only voice most have is through the senate, though many are just as corrupt. Like Senator Nimitz-Delia… The AGENCY's greatest ally.

Drones whizzed by, projecting large adverts through the skies as a few of the massive defence bastions, etched up to the sky, covered the view of the horizon. Up above, tens of scattered floating islands hovered in levels.

Even if he won the war, Jessica's last words stuck with him. It was too cryptic for her. Jessica might be a cruel dictator, but she never lied to him. As promised, he will lead Clandestine when his contract ends. Though he never expected it to come around like this. He was, to put it bluntly, a mercenary. But he was far from what the media called him: the Contract-Breaker of Greed; because his breaking of contract never came from greed…

"So," started Archius, licking his fingers as he placed the rest of the ration pack in his jacket pocket. "Senator Delia is using her friends in the Judiciary to uphold that paper that lets us put holes in the bad guys… with that out of the way, what's on the agenda?"

Judicial Contract… What a joke, Kazuki thought. Even though they were 'enforcers', they were far from police, simply security forces sent in when the shooting starts. But despite the topic, Archius' voice was far more enthusiastic than Kazuki's could ever be. He could tell that he was practising his facade. 

Kazuki shoved his hands into his trouser pockets, underneath the exoskeletal-bracing that reinforced his legs and back. The exospine was hidden beneath his shirt, yet the bottom half was connected from ankles to waist. Suffice to say, it wasn't the most comfortable configuration, but it allowed him to walk. "Nothing. Martinez and Sato will handle the AGENCY on our leave."

Archius rolled his eyes. "Sato, ugh… Good thing we have Martinez to balance her out."

Kazuki raised an eyebrow as he glanced at Archius, before looking back out the shuttle. Archius' concerns were warranted, but Kazuki knew not to rely solely on Archius. Even if he was loyal, Archius was by far the least compatible member of his inner command, always starting arguments with Sato. He didn't understand why he despised her, but he assumed that it was simply a matter of providing the devil's advocate…

"Sato is competent." stated Kazuki.

Archius nodded. "Workaholic, I know." said Archius, smirking as he tried to push the topic aside. 

"This friend of yours, Senator Delia. I don't trust her." Kazuki bluntly asserted.

"Neither do I!" Archius chimed in, "But what choice do we have but to rely on her. I can't exactly send my eyes to monitor her, can I? Senators keep their retinue tight, though I might have a few skilled diplomats on my chopping list to gambit."

Archius was an indispensable asset, but also a headache, Kazuki's personal spymaster - and a long time 'gift from Republic intelligence'. Like he said, he has a network of 'eyes'.

"We'll survive. There's more pressing matters to attend to, anyways."

"What? Eliza? Kaz, the war isn't over." emphasised Archius, "Just because we blew up half the directory and you shot the others doesn't mean that we're free to do whatever we want. Logo-team's in shambles; Martinez and Sato are clashing on how to integrate the deserters! You're supposed to be their fucking leader, so lead!"

The sight of a gigantic steel carcass came into view as the shuttle passed one of the defence bastions. Its numerous tendrils and decayed steel corpse jutted out from the initial impact zone, now built up as if nothing happened. But scars linger. The Ptolemy-1 Station. His first and most fatal mistake. He could feel his exoskeletal spine ache with thoughts of that station. Slamming the shuttle-door shut, he looked at Archius.

"Whatever remains of Clandestine, after the integration, is nothing more than a pest." said Kazuki, sitting up straight. He wanted to believe the war was over, because if it was: he can finally deal with his own wars. He selfishly believed his own assertion.

It felt strange not wearing his armoured vest. For one, his chest didn't feel so tight. And for once he felt at ease. Even if he still kept a sidearm at his side, it was an improvement… for now.

"You better be damn right," Archius paused for a moment. "I swear, if you jinx us…"

"Do you really believe in superstition?" asked Kazuki, "It's been what? Seven thousand years since the discovery of the first Hazard Shard?"

"Oh fuck you, I'm just saying. And I don't really think dead Star-Gods are the type to get involved with jinxing." Archius trailed off, "It's just… we're treading in wild space."

"We've been treading for the past year. We're still alive. So we must be doing something right." remarked Kazuki, sarcastically.

Kazuki couldn't be asked to deal with such headache inducing problems. Not right now at the very least. The pricks at his spine and the headaches were always a constant problem, even if his brain chip regulator tried its best to dampen it.

Just a bi-product of over-using his cybernetics, made worse by his built in danger readings. But between having a bullet sent through his skull or some mild headaches, he'd choose the latter most of the time. He popped out a pill jar and threw a painkiller, Halolazil, into his mouth.

"Just saying, I could have mind-snared a few of the Directors, before you painted their heads into the sixth dimension." Archius said. A moment of silence fell onto the shuttle as Kazuki didn't respond. The mood was too tense for him to say anything snarky or sarcastic. So, Archius decided to break the ice. He tapped Kazuki across the small gap in the shuttle. "On a brighter note, I guess you'll finally see her again."

Getting his mind juggling about her was the perfect solution to break the ice. Both of them knew that, of course. But seeing no chance to avoid it, Kazuki obliged him. Either that, or Archius would tease him.

"Yeah…"

That was all he could say. Not much else could be divulged. After all, Archius probably knew everything. Except one detail - a secret even he couldn't pry from him. The answer didn't satisfy Archius, who frowned.

"Come on!" shouted Archius, "Is that all you have to say?!"

"Yes." stated Kazuki.

"Let me practise for a bit!" Archius groaned. Making a strained face. "You started all of this, for her. And you have nothing to say?"

"We were going to remove the Directors anyways. Your plan took too long." snapped Kazuki. It wasn't the only reason. "But don't worry, other than that I had no qualms about it."

The abuse of Clandestine's operatives, its deepstate corruption, underhand dealings; he could deal with all of that. But when two contracts collide, he must choose the one with a greater importance to him. His whole rebellion was built on a single word. A single promise made in blood in orbit of Anagora.

"And too much bloodshed, a coup d'état would have made a smoother transition, easier to hide dead bodies under 'corporate rebranding' after all." said Archius, "Plus, you wouldn't be labelled a Contract-Breaker for killing the Directors."

"Contract-Breaker, huh…" Kazuki deliberated for a moment as Archius wiped fake emotions from his face, revealing a disdainful look.

"They mock you. All of them. Member of the seven, aristocrat and Contract-Breaker of the AGENCY." said Archius, "From the interweb forums to the highest peaks of the gentry."

He paused. Mockery of him wasn't all too bad. He never cared for what they said. But the mockery of his name was something else… He's supposed to be an aristocrat, but here he was. Kazuki Geminorum-Ryzaku. 

"Good. Better a Seven Merc than a Seven Tyrant," said Kazuki. Archius raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "Let them mock me. I'll turn that mockery into fear. All of them. Every single one of them. I—"

"Oi, we're getting close, it'll be smooth, don't worry." Karl, the pilot, interjected into their conversation. His brown bearded head peeked into the passenger compartment. Cyrus looked back as well, making sure that Kazuki was safe. "It feels weird, not having an Airspace Pass."

"Paperwork's still going through," stated Kazuki. "As always…"

"Don't worry, Kaz, I know the guys at customs." said Archius, "They'll forgo procedures for us."

Kazuki nodded, he gave the carcass of the Ptolemy-1 Station one last look through the shuttle window-slits. Whilst up above, far in orbit, the P-2 Station orbited over the planet, segments of its dead self still latched onto it. He made sure to check whether his pistol had a bolt in its chamber. Cold steel stung his skin.