Post by dj1678 on Aug 7, 2010 19:17:09 GMT -5
Aurem had scarcely spoken a word since Orange Base had entered space. He spent most of his time training and tuning the Heavy Gundam, and what little personal time he allowed himself, he spent on one of the observation decks quietly watching the stars in solitude. Arieta had always liked looking at the stars, but had never had a very clear view from either Earth or Side 2. Not a view like this anyway.
Occasionally someone would pass by Aurem undoubtedly attending to some business or another. Aurem never really paid them much mind as he silently stared out the window. Today however, it seemed as though someone was expressly looking for him as the 'usual' passerby stopped next to Aurem. Whoever she was didn't seem to have any interest in continuing on. Her presence bothered Aurem, who had been enjoying his alone time with thoughts of Arieta and memories with her.
"It's a nice view out there. I think I like the view from the other side of the ship better though. More colorful I guess." The stranger said in an attempt to break the silence.
Aurem just frowned. The view on the other side of the ship was more colorful, but this present view suited his mood better. Aurem recognized the stranger as one of the bridge operators, somewhat new since Orange Base came to space, but he couldn't recall her name. He wondered what she really wanted.
"Oh, wipe that frown off your face. You could at least try being conversational once, couldn't you Mr. Ace?"
After a long pause, she seemed to take a hint that Aurem had no intention of engaging in conversation. Instead she just sighed and pulled out a stack of letters and what looked like a book. The book looked somehow familiar, but Aurem couldn't put his finger on why.
"Fine, I tried anyway. It's been a bit delayed, but the ship got some mail the other day. There's a good sized stack here for you. Maybe somebody will talk some sense into you in one of those." She said before turning away and stalking off, likely to deliver letters to someone else.
Ignoring the girl's departure, Aurem took the letters and sat with his back to a wall, still facing so he could see the window. The first letter was addressed to him at Jaburo from... Valentin Marius?
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Private Senaiha,
What the Hell! My daughter finally comes home and she's battered and
bandaged like she's on the verge of death. What did you do to her?
I've never seen her so hurt before. AND she has a ring on her finger
now! You married her without my consent? I hope you know what you've
done and plan to take responsibility for this. Return here at once!
You owe us that much.
Outraged,
Valentin Marius
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That jerk didn't either didn't know or didn't care what he and Arieta had been through! Of course he'd like to rush to Arieta's side and stay there forever. But sometimes things didn't work out that way. Valentin should have known better than that.
Frustrated and annoyed with the first letter, Aurem slammed it to the floor next to him, where it joined the envelope it came from. Reading the address on the second envelope, Aurem's frustration grew further. It was from Valentin again. Though this one was addressed to him as part of the 42nd and dated after his departure. Aurem recalled what Bridge-Operator-Girl had said about letters being a bit delayed, and opened the second letter, hoping it was just another repeat since Aurem hadn't responded. It wasn't.
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Aurem,
It's been a week now and she still hasn't woken up. I don't understand
Why this would happen to her. Is it because she followed you? What
really happened? There hasn't been much news here since Zeon left
Europe. Even the doctors don't know. Useless doctors. They can't
help Arieta, or tell me what's going on. Please come home Aurem. We
need answers.
Sincerely,
Valentin
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Aurem was more than a bit stunned after reading the letter. He read it again to make sure he had read it properly. More than the change in Valentin's tone, the news that Arieta still hadn't woken up hurt him most. Old whispers reminding him of how he was at fault grew louder and resume their taunting in the back of his mind. Struggling to keep control of his emotions, Aurem placed the second letter on top of the first and opened the third from Sarina Marius.
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Aurem,
I know Valentin has been writing you letters, and no doubt they were
nasty letters asking for the unreasonable. He's like that sometimes.
I regret I couldn't get to them before he mailed them, though I am not
sure what I would have done if I had. We have heard a little of your
accomplishments since you left here, but many of the details are
missing and it is somewhat hard to bear with Arieta in her present
condition. Arieta did keep a record of events while she was traveling
with you in the form of a Diary. It has helped us to understand a
little better about the two of you. It helped Valentin to accept it.
The ring on her finger is an engagement ring, isn't it? That makes
you part of the family. You are good, and you're brave. What a father
that you'll be someday. Make it home, make it safe. Your new family
will be waiting for you.
Warmly,
Sarina
PS: The last page of the diary says that if something happened to her,
she wanted the diary to be given to you. So I have included it as well.
I hope it helps.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aurem broke down, silent tears staining Sarina's letter. He had let their little girl get hurt, and they were forgiving him, even accepting him in their own way.
Aurem wished he could end the war right now and go to them. But wars don't end just because you wanted them to. That's why you have to fight. To end the war. Aurem also couldn't forgive the Zabis for what they had done to Arieta. He wouldn't be able to accept Sarina and Valentin's forgiveness without first dealing with them. It was the only way he could think of to both bring the war to an end and make amends to his new family.
Having gained flimsy control over his emotions, Aurem picked up Arieta's Diary. Now that he knew what it was, Aurem remembered that Captain Ferdinand had given her this book just before Jaburo. She must have transcribed everything into it, as some of the dates were from well before that.
Aurem read it straight through. It started a long time ago, just before Arieta joined the EF. The last entry was just a day before Jaburo. It looked incomplete, like she had meant to continue writing later. Aurem lost control of his emotion several times while reading. But none so bad as when he opened to the last page. Sure enough, there was the message Sarina had mentioned.
"These words contain my heart. I give them to Aurem, to whom they always belonged."
Occasionally someone would pass by Aurem undoubtedly attending to some business or another. Aurem never really paid them much mind as he silently stared out the window. Today however, it seemed as though someone was expressly looking for him as the 'usual' passerby stopped next to Aurem. Whoever she was didn't seem to have any interest in continuing on. Her presence bothered Aurem, who had been enjoying his alone time with thoughts of Arieta and memories with her.
"It's a nice view out there. I think I like the view from the other side of the ship better though. More colorful I guess." The stranger said in an attempt to break the silence.
Aurem just frowned. The view on the other side of the ship was more colorful, but this present view suited his mood better. Aurem recognized the stranger as one of the bridge operators, somewhat new since Orange Base came to space, but he couldn't recall her name. He wondered what she really wanted.
"Oh, wipe that frown off your face. You could at least try being conversational once, couldn't you Mr. Ace?"
After a long pause, she seemed to take a hint that Aurem had no intention of engaging in conversation. Instead she just sighed and pulled out a stack of letters and what looked like a book. The book looked somehow familiar, but Aurem couldn't put his finger on why.
"Fine, I tried anyway. It's been a bit delayed, but the ship got some mail the other day. There's a good sized stack here for you. Maybe somebody will talk some sense into you in one of those." She said before turning away and stalking off, likely to deliver letters to someone else.
Ignoring the girl's departure, Aurem took the letters and sat with his back to a wall, still facing so he could see the window. The first letter was addressed to him at Jaburo from... Valentin Marius?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Private Senaiha,
What the Hell! My daughter finally comes home and she's battered and
bandaged like she's on the verge of death. What did you do to her?
I've never seen her so hurt before. AND she has a ring on her finger
now! You married her without my consent? I hope you know what you've
done and plan to take responsibility for this. Return here at once!
You owe us that much.
Outraged,
Valentin Marius
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
That jerk didn't either didn't know or didn't care what he and Arieta had been through! Of course he'd like to rush to Arieta's side and stay there forever. But sometimes things didn't work out that way. Valentin should have known better than that.
Frustrated and annoyed with the first letter, Aurem slammed it to the floor next to him, where it joined the envelope it came from. Reading the address on the second envelope, Aurem's frustration grew further. It was from Valentin again. Though this one was addressed to him as part of the 42nd and dated after his departure. Aurem recalled what Bridge-Operator-Girl had said about letters being a bit delayed, and opened the second letter, hoping it was just another repeat since Aurem hadn't responded. It wasn't.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aurem,
It's been a week now and she still hasn't woken up. I don't understand
Why this would happen to her. Is it because she followed you? What
really happened? There hasn't been much news here since Zeon left
Europe. Even the doctors don't know. Useless doctors. They can't
help Arieta, or tell me what's going on. Please come home Aurem. We
need answers.
Sincerely,
Valentin
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aurem was more than a bit stunned after reading the letter. He read it again to make sure he had read it properly. More than the change in Valentin's tone, the news that Arieta still hadn't woken up hurt him most. Old whispers reminding him of how he was at fault grew louder and resume their taunting in the back of his mind. Struggling to keep control of his emotions, Aurem placed the second letter on top of the first and opened the third from Sarina Marius.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aurem,
I know Valentin has been writing you letters, and no doubt they were
nasty letters asking for the unreasonable. He's like that sometimes.
I regret I couldn't get to them before he mailed them, though I am not
sure what I would have done if I had. We have heard a little of your
accomplishments since you left here, but many of the details are
missing and it is somewhat hard to bear with Arieta in her present
condition. Arieta did keep a record of events while she was traveling
with you in the form of a Diary. It has helped us to understand a
little better about the two of you. It helped Valentin to accept it.
The ring on her finger is an engagement ring, isn't it? That makes
you part of the family. You are good, and you're brave. What a father
that you'll be someday. Make it home, make it safe. Your new family
will be waiting for you.
Warmly,
Sarina
PS: The last page of the diary says that if something happened to her,
she wanted the diary to be given to you. So I have included it as well.
I hope it helps.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aurem broke down, silent tears staining Sarina's letter. He had let their little girl get hurt, and they were forgiving him, even accepting him in their own way.
Aurem wished he could end the war right now and go to them. But wars don't end just because you wanted them to. That's why you have to fight. To end the war. Aurem also couldn't forgive the Zabis for what they had done to Arieta. He wouldn't be able to accept Sarina and Valentin's forgiveness without first dealing with them. It was the only way he could think of to both bring the war to an end and make amends to his new family.
Having gained flimsy control over his emotions, Aurem picked up Arieta's Diary. Now that he knew what it was, Aurem remembered that Captain Ferdinand had given her this book just before Jaburo. She must have transcribed everything into it, as some of the dates were from well before that.
Aurem read it straight through. It started a long time ago, just before Arieta joined the EF. The last entry was just a day before Jaburo. It looked incomplete, like she had meant to continue writing later. Aurem lost control of his emotion several times while reading. But none so bad as when he opened to the last page. Sure enough, there was the message Sarina had mentioned.
"These words contain my heart. I give them to Aurem, to whom they always belonged."