The end of a story...

[Xing]

Chapter 5 - The end of a story

Isabelle was slightly surprised as she saw among the list of messages she didn't read, one forwarded from captain Patterson. Looking around the shuttle to make sure no one was around, she opened up the message and read it hastily. It didn't looked good...
But then, nothing really looked good these days...
She quickly wrote up an answer and hoped it would be enough. She didn't have time to see her love personally... but it was a good fortune he was headed for Kusari.
They would need to be patient. The hell she was living through would end, soon enough. She hoped.

She could only look outside at the stars and hope.

--

On a long range transmission with the army headquarter, Isabelle had a conversation of nearly 10 hours with her 5 fellow army generals, which in turn asked the General of the Liberty Army, which then called reinforcement from the minister of military affairs and so on.
By the end, it was a conversation with dozens of important military and politicians, including President Powell himself.

Isabelle made a somewhat sadenned smile at their dismayed expression. It was understandable. She had a perfect service record. She was among the skilled officers, she was young and had load of potentials. She was, as she learned, a favorite candidate for the succesion for the position of General of the Army.

But in the end, she knew they were mostly dismayed because they were losing a very powerful weapon in their arsenal. It wasn't ego; it was a fact. And that fact was like a backstab, the last backstab of Liberty against her. But this time, she was aware of it, and didn't felt the pain of abandon as she would have before.

By the end of the conversation, everything was set. It didn't took her much time when she arrived on Manhattan; it was a matter of days before a discreet ceremony was organised. There would be no media as she specified; her departure wasn't needed to be noticed.

She didn't knew what to say to these men in her leaving speech. What was there to say to these officers that looked more like politicians, and these politicians that looked more like businessmen?
What was there to say to a people that let itself lead by these men blindly? That followed orders only because all they learnt was following orders?

Nonetheless, it didn't interested her to cause more trouble to this nation which used to be her home. She made a polite, general speech and handed over her command of the 106th to the general Landry. They exchanged salute, and there, it was over. But the command were changed days ago, as the Liberty command began searching for her sucessor as soon as her conversation with the administrative structure ended. This was only a formal matter, a little show for them to see, to see that she was leaving without holding anything against them. To see that she was leaving not because of them, but because of herself.

Well, let them believe that, she thought as she chatted for a few minutes with President Powell, who himself made an eloquent speech on her service. An exemplanary service that allowed her to keep the honourary title of Liberty General. Another small gift to keep her silent and put them on the good side of the balance.

Soon as it was over, she departed late in the night aboard a civilian passenger liner for Kusari.
That night, she slept her first real sleep without anything weighing on her heart.
She was finally free to begin her life. A new life.

--

Hi hun,
By the time you receive this message, I will probably already be in Liberty. No need to follow me back in, for I should be back in Kusari in a short notice of time.

I have given my resignation from my position as army general and as well, from the liberty military in its whole. It should be only a matter of days before the ceremony is over.

I have discussed this for a long time with a wise old friend of mine, and both concluded it was the only solution for me to continue my life. My current one has been poisonned and abused more than enough. It is not by cowardice that I retreat from this battlefield that doesn't exist. But for the sake of my own reason to live, I need to find a new purpose to give my life for. I believe I've found it...

Please, wait for me my love. I will explain all this when we meet.
Follow this adress on New Tokyo. It is the residence of an old Kusari fleet admiral. Tell him who you are, I've sent him a message already, he will be expecting you.
Take care of yourself... I will leave you in the hospitable care of admiral Mitsurugi.

With love
Isa

---